Alternate Crosstime Organizations

[robkelk]

Originally Posted by Flyndaran

... Beatlejuice.

Obviously from a world where rock and roll is literally a demonic tool.

(That, or it's a misspelling of "Beetlejuice", but the Fab Four as demons fits this thread better.)

So... a crosstime organization of musically-gifted demons?

[Jasonft]

The Heart of Rock and Roll may be under siege, but the demons haven't taken it yet.

The Filalamo

Borrowed from one of my favorite comics ever. Grimjack #76 (Title: Battle Rock)

https://www.comics.org/issue/48708/cover/4/

(my apologies, it has been years since I read that comic. I have forgotten some details.)

In this pocket universe magic works somewhat, science works somewhat, and music has ballistic qualities. A full on battle of the bands can easily escalate to thermonuclear levels. If you need a game mechanic use music as some sort of magical skill - the more powerful the music, the more powerful the magic.

Physically the dimension is very much like the American Southwest. Dry and desert like with the remnants of various musical events scattered around the landscape.

Truly iconic musical events and images find their way into reality here. For a while Alice's Restaurant was a real place there just off Interdimensional Route #66. The Stairway to Heaven is rumored to still be there somewhere if you can find it.

Currently the dimension is undergoing a lingering light drizzle. For some reason the rain is purple. It's expected to fade in a year or so.

Somewhere in the middle of the pocket dimension is a structure that bears a very strong resemblance to the Alamo of Texas fame. In one of the rooms of this fort is a giant glowing crystal (currently also purple) roughly ten to fifteen feet across floating a couple feet off the ground. According to legend this is the literal Heart of Rock and Roll containing the souls of everyone who dies 'righteous and rockin'.

Music performed here manifests the purest and most powerful effects anywhere in the known multiverse.

Currently defending the Heart is a loose alliance of musicians fronted by the famous albino guitarist Johnny Melnibone' and his black rune guitar SoulSinger. The Demon Hosts have tried to take the fort several times but every time have found that pure, passionate Rock and Roll beats all their overdriven synths and corporate formula music into the dust.

The place is a whispered legend in the musical communities across the known dimensions. Some search their entire lives and never find it, while others drop in seemingly by accident only to leave again the same way. Inter-dimensional travelers of all sorts that have been there consider themselves a loose 'Brotherhood' and are always on the lookout for the very best talent. They are also always ready to return if the Heart comes under siege again.

Nobody is sure what it's coordinates or worldline are. It's entirely possible in the way of many intensely mystical places that it floats from one line to the next according to some logic nobody understands. All the musicians that have been there know is that if they really need to return somehow they find their way back.

[Flyndaran]

Originally Posted by robkelk

Obviously from a world where rock and roll is literally a demonic tool.

(That, or it's a misspelling of "Beetlejuice", but the Fab Four as demons fits this thread better.)

So... a crosstime organization of musically-gifted demons?

I didn't realize I'd misspelled the movie's title.
Demonic or dark ghostly musicians sounds interesting.

Very Bacchus and savage lustful frenzies evoking just like all the paranoia from the 50s.

[sir_pudding]

I have a concept for a supers setting where there are three multiversal factions each representing roughly the Silver, Iron, and Bronze ages of comics (there was a Golden age faction too, but it is believed to have been completely defeated by the Iron age) who battle for worlds by creating a DC-style crisis that triggers a retcon which shifts the rules (including the game mechanics) of that world into the respective age.

[PTTG]

Psionic Neanderthals (almost long-earth style) with psionic worldjumping ability. They miiiiight have crossbred with some homo sapiens resulting in a few psionic family lines in various worlds.

Not much of a power structure -- they generally cover as ordinary migrant people in most worldlines, avoid close inspection, and disappear when they get too much attention.

They prefer wild worldlines, where they forage and hunt a little, and then move on.

It's nearly impossible to contact them intentionally, and they don't really care that much for humans (we did generally wipe them out wherever they didn't flee), but they are not totally averse to helping someone in need.

[Flyndaran]

There is pretty much no evidence that our ancestors murdered any hominid species into extinction. That's a bit too much like the outdated killer ape theory of human evolution beloved by those of the late 19th century for my tastes.

They seemed to suffer smaller social units whereas our ancestors had loose but large trade routes. Even so, we can't really compare us now after a 100k more years of advancement to Neanderthals of back then.

But if this group witnessed large scale violence or genocide on just one parallel, I wouldn't fault them for blaming every homo Sapiens example on every world.

[Flyndaran]

Originally Posted by sir_pudding

I have a concept for a supers setting where there are three multiversal factions each representing roughly the Silver, Iron, and Bronze ages of comics (there was a Golden age faction two, but it is believed to have been completely defeated by the Iron age) who battle for worlds by creating a DC-style crisis that triggers a retcon which shifts the rules (including the game mechanics) of that world into the respective age.

How can anyone fight the Silver age with comic characters like Superboy who could punch time? It's like pitting TL 5 against TL 2 and TL 10. Very one sided.

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by Flyndaran

How can anyone fight the Silver age with comic characters like Superboy who could punch time? It's like pitting TL 5 against TL 2 and TL 10. Very one sided.

Because arbitrary weird powers of the Silver age don't work like that where the other paradigms have influence. If superboy tried to punch time under Iron age conditions he probably would just die like Barry Allen (because under Iron age conditions everything can kill you, cripple you, drive you insane, or fridge your mom).

[David Johnston2]

The problem of course is that even though they were both constrained by the Comics Code, DC's Silver Age was very, very different from Marvel's Silver Age soap operas and alienation. They only converged in the Iron Age.

But that reminds of a ACO I've been meaning to mention, the Continuity, an organization who have taken upon themselves the role of tracking down supervillains (and occasionally superheroes) who make their way to worlds with no supers. THey'll assist the willing in returning to their point of origin or recruit a team of supers to forcibly return those who might take advantage of the power disparity to dominate the hapless worlds in question.

[Flyndaran]

With an entire sub-branch dedicated to all the reality quake inducing, world-line jumping, universe splitting Flashes.