New Reality Seeds

[Astromancer]

Try this one...

Qattara-3

The other two Qattara worlds involve are marked out by the digging of a canal to the Qattara Depression. In Qattara-1 Eisenhower convinced Nasser that damming the Nile would be a disaster for Egypt but that digging a canal to the Qattara depression would allow the generation of even more electrical power and would create new living space for the people of Egypt. The local year is 1972 and the project went splendidly and Egypt is reaping the benefits.

In Qattara-2, a steampunk world, a mad engineer dug a canal to link the Qattara depression to the sea. The flooding of the Qattara Depression seems to have awakened something in the desert. Strange things are happening in Egypt just beyond the new Electric lights of 1890's Cairo! Basically, a Gothic take on Egypt in a steampunk world.

Qattara-3 is different. First off the Qattara depression is far larger and extends mainly North South well over a thousand miles into the desert. Digging the canal was far less of a problem, as the nearest point of this Qattara depression to the sea was seven miles! The British rulers of Egypt dug the canal in order to have a new harbor for the navy. Now they have a new sea to explore and police.

British sailors and marines in Beau Geste territory. Arab raiders versus British gunboats. Naval bases deep in the Sahara Desert. Mysterious ancient ruins and mystic secrets. Steampunk, pulp adventure, and spook stories blended together.

[PTTG]

I would argue that at least in Qattara-2, the more realistic interpretation would be a thematic addition... It would likely be a colossal version of the Salton Sea: stinking, saline, and toxic from low clouds of suffocating decay gasses from the masses of rotting fish. A perfect environment for adventurers wearing steampunk gas masks to pole through a lagoon of fish corpses stretching to the horizon in search of mucus-dripping, flesh-eating man-sized frogs... or else delving into black stone temples in diving suits to close eldritch portals.

[Astromancer]

Originally Posted by PTTG

I would argue that at least in Qattara-2, the more realistic interpretation would be a thematic addition... It would likely be a colossal version of the Salton Sea: stinking, saline, and toxic from low clouds of suffocating decay gasses from the masses of rotting fish. A perfect environment for adventurers wearing steampunk gas masks to pole through a lagoon of fish corpses stretching to the horizon in search of mucus-dripping, flesh-eating man-sized frogs... or else delving into black stone temples in diving suits to close eldritch portals.

Wicked and lovely thoughts PTTG. But to make it more wicked, lets make it even more like the Salton Sea was. Sometimes lovely but with toxin clouds and rotted fish showing up at all the worst times. Seduction and poison make a more gothic mix.

[ronwit]

Originally Posted by PTTG

I would argue that at least in Qattara-2, the more realistic interpretation would be a thematic addition... It would likely be a colossal version of the Salton Sea: stinking, saline, and toxic from low clouds of suffocating decay gasses from the masses of rotting fish. A perfect environment for adventurers wearing steampunk gas masks to pole through a lagoon of fish corpses stretching to the horizon in search of mucus-dripping, flesh-eating man-sized frogs... or else delving into black stone temples in diving suits to close eldritch portals.

Prehistoric giant mollusks are released that kill mysteriously anything they catch. As in the Salton Sea monsters from "The Monster That Challenged the World."

[Astromancer]

On a Steampunk world that like Yrth is somewhat similar to the Earth, but not to much. A colonial governor seeks to bring a notorious nest of bandits under control. The bandits laugh, mountains and deserts block any attempt to control them. But the Governor is shrewd and patient.

The Governor has connections and uses them. Since the Governor comes from a Tech Level 6 society and the conquered kingdoms were barely TL5 the Governor uses tech against the bandits.

First, pulling in aid from cousins with deep pockets, the Governor starts building a railroad. As he connects the little oasis towns they transform. They switch from subsistence farming to market farming. Many of their young men, who otherwise either were hired thugs for a local Sheikh or a bandit chieftain took the train to the cities and looked for work. Thus the Bandits and their supporters lose their main sources of support.

Second, as the newly tax paying towns (Market Farming means the oasis folk are now in the market economy and can be taxed) are entitled to protection. This allows the Governor to build forts near the market towns.

Together these things mean the Bandit Chieftains and the Sheikhs can't collect taxes from the local people. This radically changes the local power structure. The Sheikh of the Bandit Chieftains sees that the train tracks will soon be over the mountains and across the deserts to the market towns south of the great desert. This would mean an end to the few remaining caravans. The Bandits would be over and done for.

Basically, a struggle of tribesmen versus Empire. It's a Steampunk setting so the Tribesmen could have magic or alliances with the Jinni. The Governor could be TL6^.

Remember, every tunnel and bridge alters the economic and political world these people live in. If the PCs are from the common people they might side with the Governor and prosperity. Other powers from the lands near those of the Governor"s people might aid the Bandits and the Sheikhs in order to weaken the empire the Governor serves.

[Astromancer]

Try this one...

Rhine-8

Doesn't really follow the normal line of Rhine worlds where Psi powers are discovered "naturally." Instead a powerful Psion World-Jumper showed up in this world in the 1920's.

The Psion contacted people in the governments of the USA, England, and France. He proved he was a Psion and showed them examples of advanced technology. He explained that he was from the future (like many lost world jumpers he may have believed that) and convinced them of the oncoming world war and cold war. He also told them of the bio-warfare that made his future dead. He planed to prevent that horror.

The first step in his plan was to train other psions pulling on talent from the USA, and the British and French Empires. The second was to get a secret Jet program started in America and Australia (where there was room to hide such things). Electronic computer programs were started in all three nations as well.

The Psion, an egalitarian democratic socialist, got less cooperation on the political front, but he got a hearing.

The local year is 1939, teams of American, British, and French Psions are working to stop WWII and eliminate both Hitler and Stalin. The surprise complication is that Germany and Russia seem to be allied with out time entities unknown to the Psionic World Jumper.

The Cabal has tipped Homeline off about this Q4 world. If the the fight between the Psions and whatever is infesting Russia and Germany get out of hand, the secret is gone. Worse, botch things badly enough and Reich-5 might get potent new intelligence.

Note: The out timers could be many things. Demons from some Myth Parallel Hell, Reich-5 Agents, the Soulless Gem-Injectors hinted at in IW, are all good threats.

[Astromancer]

Try this one...

Krypton-14

Krypton-14 is a Q6 world (local year 1975) with "Superheroes" like most Krypton worlds. It had Supers show up in the 1940's and then fade in numbers and power for a time. Then in the late 1950's supers comeback in large numbers. The Sentinels are the elite group (JLA/Avengers) and have members roughly equivalent to Superman, Mary Marvel, Wonder Woman, Martian Manhunter, Auquaman, Flash, Green Lantern, Nightshade, Batman, Phoenix, Captain America, Wasp, Zatanna the Magician,Spiderman, Plastic Man, Storm, Firestorm, Atom, Hawkgirl, Black Canary, Red Tornado, Starman, and Cirsi of the Eternals. A scary powerful group.

Recently, Homeline has been contacted by the Sentinels. They don't want a war, they don't want to blow the secret (they won't tell their own people, they've figured out the consequences) but they need help against Centrum.

Centrum has lined up with some large groups of Super villains (think Hydra and Ras-al-Ghul's League of Assassins, teamed up with and injustice league based on the more competent B-list super villains of DC and Marvel). The plan seems to be to attack Homeline with large squadrons of super villains and then take over Krypton-14.

Homeline doesn't like working with in the know locals, but this attack is already out of hand. Teaming up with superheroes might be the way to prevent the total destruction of Homeline's majors cities and infrastructure not to mention millions of lives.

It's the aftermath that will be tricky. Centrum has clearly lost it and allies like the Sentinels might be the only way to survive.

[Astromancer]

Try this one...

When Louis XIV got his thing for colonies he wanted them to be purely Catholic. This stunted the early growth of Canada. That plus micromanagement from France.

However, on Bourbon-2(the Bourbon designation being reserved for worlds diverging because of the actions of the House of Bourbon) Louis had a different idea. He knew he'd one day get rid of the Edict of Nantes and that would drive French Protestants into exile. But why not do like the English and use the colonies to absorb the unwanted.

In this Q7 world, Louis XIV has, in the year 1665, announced that any French Protestant emigrating to Canada would receive Full Equality of Rights with Catholics! He also granted freer property rights and reduced other economic restrictions as well.

Centrum is appalled. French Canada is growing quickly. If trends continue, then France might be able to either take over North America or prevent complete English domination of North America. Centrum sees itself as having it's hooks into this world's British Empire, it won't tolerate a rival.

The local year is 1700. This is a Low/No Manna world (about fifty fifty). Except for the fact that French Canada is much larger and more prosperous this world is mainly like Homeline in the same year. Centrum wants control of this world. The Cabal doesn't care. Homeline sees a way to keep Centrum busy and wasting resources on a world they thought they owned.

PCs could be involved in some phase or other of the French and Indian Wars with a far larger and more threatening French presence. A great chance for TL4/5 frontier action!

[johndallman]

Originally Posted by Astromancer

In this Q7 world, Louis XIV has, in the year 1665, announced that any French Protestant emigrating to Canada would receive Full Equality of Rights with Catholics! He also granted freer property rights and reduced other economic restrictions as well.

Centrum is appalled. French Canada is growing quickly. If trends continue, then France might be able to either take over North America or prevent complete English domination of North America. Centrum sees itself as having its hooks into this world's British Empire, it won't tolerate a rival.

You need to consider the likely political trajectory of French Canada, too. While there will doubtless be sectarian Catholic and Protestant factions, there's real scope for a tolerant majority that wants to be free of the distant monarchy and be its own country. The "American Revolution" could well be north of the border, unless the French monarchy supplies a prince to be king of a united Canada, and he does his job right.

[Astromancer]

Originally Posted by johndallman

You need to consider the likely political trajectory of French Canada, too. While there will doubtless be sectarian Catholic and Protestant factions, there's real scope for a tolerant majority that wants to be free of the distant monarchy and be its own country. The "American Revolution" could well be north of the border, unless the French monarchy supplies a prince to be king of a united Canada, and he does his job right.

Interesting idea. A Canadian centered North America could come out of this scenario in several ways.