New Reality Seeds

[Astromancer]

Captain Future-2

The Captain Future designation covers worlds whose histories are highly similar to Homeline's but were science and technology have simply progressed faster than in Homeline's history with no explanation that the researchers can find. Some of these worlds, like Captain Future-1 explanations were found. In that case, it was simply improved teaching of math and science that gave scholars a better base to work from. Captain Future-2 remains the most mysterious.

This Q7 world simply began to advance faster in science and technology sometime in the mid-17 century. It's hard to pinpoint the actual change point because the kinds of records needed simply don't exist. However, this world seems to have entered TL5 about twenty years early and TL6 thirty years early. Grant ended Lee's army with massed machine gun fire. The Monitor and the Merrimack were airships.

The local year is 1932, the transition to TL8 is being seriously slowed down by the depression. Hitler is the social media darling of the German right with an enthusiastic following in France, Germany, Spain, England, and the Americas. British moon landings are being alternately denounced as fakes or blamed for bad weather. The Democratic presidential candidate, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, is proposing an American Space program. The Brits are announcing their exclusive ownership of the Moon. Meanwhile, the German and Soviet space programs chug quietly along.

Both Homeline and Centrum are pleased to notice the Atom Bomb hasn't been developed on this parallel. Homeline wonders if the Cabal has something to do with that as this parallel, weirdly for Q7, is low mana, and perfect for them and their magic style.

Basically, it's 1932 this TL8 parallel is perking along toward WWII, and a WWII that's likely to involve space battles. Meanwhile, occult conspiracies in the style of Dennis Wheatley novels is in the background. Space Opera, Occult Conspiracy, and 1930's style spy melodrama.

[Mysterious Dark Lord v3.2]

Cockaigne-1

The reference is to a land of European myth.

There are a variety of trees and bushes that grow wild that provide nutritious fruits and tubers at all times of the year. Seasons are mild the world over, clean water springs are abundant, predators avoid the peaceful humans. Sections of forest with thick canopies that can deflect rain and snow like a roof are easy to find. Disease is rare and never fatal.

The small primitive human population seldom fights for any reason (except romantic entanglements). No one has ever gotten enough incentive to even hunt, never mind discover writing, agriculture, tool-making, or even storytelling. This world is at TL0, and is likely to remain there forever.

But there is something wrong here. It has proven impossible to speak to the natives, even using their simple proto-languages. Any attempt to take biological specimens back to Homeline fails, leaving piles of dust. The sensors on the conveyors keep detecting radar and lidar ranging signals, as if someone were tracking them with advanced sensors. Psychics and mystics say that there is some vague unknown consciousness watching ...

The working theory is that Cockaigne-1 is a "kept" reality, where some unknown super-intelligence keeps biological specimens for it's own reasons. A surveilance post is kept active, studying the biology and the primitive culture, ready to evacuate in case the world's owners show up and to keep outworlders from victimizing the inhabitants.

[Astromancer]

This Q6 world has already been altered by Centrum and has been reclassified as White Rose-7. "White Rose" being the standard name for worlds were Yorkist pretenders to the English throne or other Plantagenet claimants to the English throne displace the Tudors. In this case, Mary Tudor has sold her father out and deposed him with the aid of Henry Courtenay and then wed Courtenay, who's wife Gertrude Blount, had died in 1534.

The local year is 1536, Henry's highly unpopular second wife, Anne is in hiding with her daughter Elizabeth. Mary's hatred of Anne is vast and bitter, but Henry, after being told by physicians that Mary Tudor is infertile, wants Elizabeth at any price. After all, he has children and grandchildren. If Elizabeth weds within his family only his heirs will be able to claim the throne. Mary hates this fact and wants her little sister dead too.

Meanwhile, Homeline would like to foul up Centrum's plans. If Anne and Elizabeth survive, then Centrum's schemes are scrambled. On the other claw, if Elizabeth can't be put on the throne, raising her on Homeline has its charms. Elizabeth Tudor was intellectually brilliant, highly talented at languages, and unusually fit and tough. Just think what an ICOP an Echo of Elizabeth could make.

[Mysterious Dark Lord v3.2]

I blame you, Astromancer!! Yes, you!

I was watching an old movie series, then I read your "White Rose" post, and the idea popped into my head ...

Vicki-2

The "Vicki" designation is for realities with a Queen Victoria in England, but significant differences in the Monarch herself. (The other one is a Victoria who was crippled by polio in childhood)

The change came in 1831. the tension between Princess Alexandrina (the future Queen Victoria) and her mother the German Bitc- un, Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfield, reached apocalyptic proportions. In an uncharacteristic move, King William IV acted and moved his daughter (under the alias "Alexandra Wittin") to a private boarding school called St Trinian's Academy for Young Gentlewomen. (Rumor has it that a mistress of the King suggested the school.) The young princess, save for offical trips with her father, remained a student at St Trinian's until her graduation at 17.

The present time in Vicki-2 is April of 1838. The majority of the Princess (her 18th birthday) is weeks away - and historically, her ascension to the throne four weeks after that. Cliohistorians are looking at this timeline with interest ... and anglophiles are looking at it with fear in their hearts.

[Astromancer]

Queen Victoria a St. Trinian's girl. Is the multiverse safe?

[tshiggins]

Originally Posted by Astromancer

Queen Victoria a St. Trinian's girl. Is the multiverse safe?

She definitely knows how to think outside the box.

[Mysterious Dark Lord v3.2]

Originally Posted by Astromancer

Queen Victoria a St. Trinian's girl. Is the multiverse safe?

At the very least, in that world's future, the term "Victorian morality" would have a very different meaning.

[thorr-kan]

Originally Posted by Mysterious Dark Lord v3.2

At the very least, in that world's future, the term "Victorian morality" would have a very different meaning.

And...now I'm imaging an Mortal Combat style fighting console with the tagline "Victorian Mortality! Queen Victoria Vic-TORIOUS!"

[Prince Charon]

Is anyone else getting a phantom page 349?

[johndallman]

Originally Posted by Prince Charon

Is anyone else getting a phantom page 349?

Not me, but I display 80 posts per page. The phantom page problem usually happens with long threads where a few posts have been deleted, resulting in the forum server becoming confused about how many pages there should be.