On Infinite Worlds and the Cabal

[shkspr1048]

Does anyone have any experience with applying the Cabal's metaphysical world (as described in the 3rd edition book Cabal) to the planar model presented in Infinite Worlds? I mean, do the 'Higher Astral Layers' encapsulate all possible worlds, or just the Cabal homeworld, with places like Centrum or Homeline having entirely different, or at least mirrored but not Cabal-claimed, supernatural worlds?

Also, I know these sorts of distinctions are setting dependant. I'm just asking if anyone has any opinions or past experience with such settings.

[David Johnston2]

Originally Posted by shkspr1048

Does anyone have any experience with applying the Cabal's metaphysical world (as described in the 3rd edition book Cabal) to the planar model presented in Infinite Worlds? I mean, do the 'Higher Astral Layers' encapsulate all possible worlds, or just the Cabal homeworld, with places like Centrum or Homeline having entirely different, or at least mirrored but not Cabal-claimed, supernatural worlds?

Also, I know these sorts of distinctions are setting dependant. I'm just asking if anyone has any opinions or past experience with such settings.

Since they use it to travel between the Worlds, apparently it is held in common.

[johndallman]

Originally Posted by shkspr1048

Does anyone have any experience with applying the Cabal's metaphysical world (as described in the 3rd edition book Cabal) to the planar model presented in Infinite Worlds? I mean, do the 'Higher Astral Layers' encapsulate all possible worlds, or just the Cabal homeworld, with places like Centrum or Homeline having entirely different, or at least mirrored but not Cabal-claimed, supernatural worlds?

I am running an Infinite Worlds Cabal-centred campaign at present, but some of the players read these fora.

The PC Cabal members have been told that there is just one Astral Plane, which touches on all the Earths that anyone knows about, and there is only one instance of the Inner Realms (I'm using the model from 3e Cabal). They have not travelled to the homeworlds of Infinity or Centrum as yet (they evaded a kidnap attempt by Centrum) so all they know is that Centrum can reach some of the same worlds as them, and that the concepts of Waves (Centrum) or Quanta (Infinity) doesn't seem to correspond to anything the Cabal knows about.

[malloyd]

Originally Posted by shkspr1048

Also, I know these sorts of distinctions are setting dependant. I'm just asking if anyone has any opinions or past experience with such settings.

My advice is decide which groups the PCs are affiliated with, and make that the cap set. That is, if they are Cabalists, the Astral encompasses all possible worlds, and all the lines of the Infinite Worlds are a subset of those reachable from the Astral. If they are Infinity Agents, then the Astral envelopes only a subset of all worlds (the Cabalist homeline and some, but not necessarily all other worlds where magic works).

In either case the point is to make it possible for the PCs to operate somewhere the other group, who are likely to be antagonists, can't. It's the same principle that separates Homeline and Centrum by more quanta than their projectors can cross, you want to be able to do adventures where the "other side" can be ignored as a factor.

[David Johnston2]

Oh, but it probably doesn't touch those worlds where magic doesn't work.

[jeff_wilson]

Originally Posted by David Johnston2

Oh, but it probably doesn't touch those worlds where magic doesn't work.

One-off, rule-breaking, and ability-nerfing or -buffing worlds can be included for esthetic or other reasons if you postulate that there's kind of existential ecology with niches to be filled and worlds as analagous to organisms. I reconciled the Cabal's low mana with a normal mana Secret Masters gameworld by saying that worlds can have immune reactions against foreign matter, and the fourth ream is really Low Mana except that the home grown cabals often are boosted in order to kill and contain incoming magic. Worlds without magic are an atypical reaction, or may have succombed and had their magic over grazed.

[Fred Brackin]

Originally Posted by David Johnston2

Oh, but it probably doesn't touch those worlds where magic doesn't work.

I think one way travel from mana to no mana is generally possible. You certainly can't cast a Plane Shift spell in a no man world though.

In the default IW setting there would definitely seem to be some provisions made by the Cabal for travelling through no mana worlds. One of the Cabalsit template lens is for world-walking anbilities using natural portals and needing no mana.

[Lamech]

I think in the "default" infinite worlds setting the Cabal's "system" applies everywhere. The astral plane touches everything, they get to use their super magic wherever mana is, and they can even raise the mana level of a world if need be with sacred architecture and possibly other tricks. (Or more likely a small area)
The Cabal is the super-powered wild card of the setting; anyone with magical power can join (or even without), they can show up anywhere if needed, any level of power, and conflicting goals.
Of course modify it however you want for your campaign! The point of the Cabal is "do anything"...

[johndallman]

Originally Posted by Fred Brackin

I think one way travel from mana to no mana is generally possible. You certainly can't cast a Plane Shift spell in a no man world though.

I took that option, simply to create a serious danger for my PCs to consider.

In the default IW setting there would definitely seem to be some provisions made by the Cabal for travelling through no mana worlds. One of the Cabalist template lenses is for world-walking abilities using natural portals and needing no mana.

I strongly suggested to the players that they should not create characters who just die in zero-mana environments, and that it would be good to have someone who used world-walking. The four PCs are two mages, one with a magical artifact that does Jumper, creating portals, and a psionic who's a world-walker. He feels less powerful than the mages, but his status as an emergency backup is appreciated.