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Old 08-07-2015, 08:18 PM   #1
ajardoor
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Default [World Building] Alt-History TL 8 Earth with open RPM

Hey guys, I've been working on building an alternate history modern day Earth with public Ritual Path Magic setting in GURPS. I am a bit uncertain about the results, and I figure that this forum is full of folks with their heads on straight. Please Evaluate and Comment Honestly.
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The setting is TL 8 Earth (2015 C.E.), with nine "mystical realms" (outer planes of existence named after the nine Paths) accessed through dimensional gates. The only magic system is Ritual Path Magic - and magic is pretty much the only supernatural power available (no Psi or Divine Favour). Magic is believed to have entered the public eye sometime around the Victorian Era (perhaps related to the fads of Spiritualism and Egyptology?), but improvements in magic's power and popularity rose during World War One, rose further during World War Two (the Nazis did not use magic at all during the war, and purged magicians in the same way as political dissents in the 30's) and hit another upswing during the height of The Cold War (though the Soviets lagged behind NATO in magical development from beginning to end). The latest trend of magical developments have begun about twenty-five years ago, when gates to the outer planes were discovered, and are still yet to plateau. In particular, the worldwide magi population has been skyrocketing since the mid-80's. Osama Bin Laden was killed during the Clinton administration, thus preventing 9-11 and The War on Terror, but America's issues with civil rights, the recession and state-sponsored paranoia still arose in the early Noughts due to public backlash against magic.

I recommend players who want an Earth-centric campaign (one not focusing on the outer planes, that is) to consider setting it firmly within familiar bounds - their native country and culture. Then, consider how an alternate history with open magic would've changed the last twenty or so years of their country's "normal/real" timeline and socio-economic status - that makes the campaign backstory and general setting. Then, players should use their country's mythological and "weird/mysterious" events/things as a basis for magical elements introduced - for example, Stonehenge in the UK, the pyramids in Egypt, and Shinto legend in Japan. A campaign set in the outer planes is gonna be less worried about a fleshed out and coherent alternate history of modern Earth.

Only humans are generally considered a sapient magical race, there are no elves, goblins or dwarves anywhere. While magical creatures (Manticores, Chimeras, Zombies, Basilisks) exist, but most are of animal intelligence and are usually native to the outer planes. The Undead that are sapient, like Liches and Vampires, were living humans first. The spirits are just magically manifesting embodiments of human emotion and thought, with unsophisticated personalities that lack nuance, depth and emotional range - although complex/powerful spirits like Fae, Archdaemons, Archangels and Loa do have more rounded mental universes. The outer planes seem empty of any native human population, so humans from Earth are free to colonise and settle on the land - when it is safe to do so.

Reports of magical artefacts (grimoires, places of power, charms, elixirs, enchanted stuff) found in the outer planes further encourage explorers, settlements and research.

Some even consider the settlements in the magical realms to be a kind of homeland for magi, but the political issues concerning that frontier are complex. The mundane Earth governments are wary of giving magicians too much political power or their own lands (with their own laws), so they mostly try to deal with (and thus give political legitimacy to) intentional/interdimensional corporations of magicians than any other type of magician-run N.G.O. (like Civil Rights groups). The mega-corps, relying on government good will to grant them access to consumer markets and public contracts, will choose to avoid rocking the boat whenever possible. Most countries put serious social restrictions on both casting spells and the movements of thaumaturges - magicians must be registered, carrying ID badges in public spaces, publically announcing the spell being cast, let the government search their homes without a warrant, and so on. Harsher governments force magicians to live in ghettos, submit to behaviour-restricting mind control, receive longer sentences when convicted of a crime, and only cast a certain amount of spells per day. In game terms, most mundane Earth governments treat their CR as one or two higher when dealing with magic. Only a few governments on Earth seriously ban magic outright, even if they all fear both magical botches and magi uprisings. The mega-corps (and magi in general) often have to downplay or suppress incidents involving magical crime, disastrous botches and wizard supremacist terrorism, just to avoid backlash from the mundane population like civil unrest (including hate crimes), harsher laws, loss of consumer confidence in magical products and increased police scrutiny. The laws in the outer planes settlements, naturally, are far less stricter on average, since they are supposed to be magical outposts - "company towns" (owned by the mega-corps) are even run entirely by magi and boast the richest markets for magic, with a standard of living to match. Of course, those frontier settlements not run by the mega-corps could just be minor anarchist communes, petty warlord encampments, glorified puppets of a mundane government, scavenger/prospector shanty towns and other political non-entities. Botches, therefore, are more common in the outer planes simply because there is less pressure and restraint put upon the caster, which can interfere with a settlement's quality of life.

The magical corporations supply the mundane population and civilian governments with magical research, enchanted items, civic projects, mass entertainment, magical hospital supplies, the gates and other major, expensive works. While they are subject to regulations and laws, they are allowed lobbyists, highly visible advertising, military contracts and other benefits of incorporation.
Independent (small time) merchants usually only sell charms, elixirs and personal services - out of van, if they ain't got the License.
Learning magic is typically done at a special university - the one-on-one apprenticeship (by family or local hedge wizard) is less popular than it use to be, due to recurring issues with student abuse, fraud, unsafe classroom conditions and substandard instruction quality. Magical styles can be learned any number of ways.
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TO BE CONTINUED NEXT POST
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Old 08-07-2015, 08:26 PM   #2
ajardoor
 
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Default Re: [World Building] Alt-History TL 8 Earth with open RPM

Some fridge Thaumatologists have advanced some weird theories about the world's relationship to magic. For example, the "History B reality quake" theory states that parts of an alternate reality are bleeding into our own, hence why ancient magical artefacts were uncovered in historical ruins despite magic supposedly being secret for centuries. Another theory states the magic of the past worked on different rules, particularly concerning Lesser and Greater effects. Historical mages could only work Lesser effects, or effects were Covert/Vulgar (and witnesses without Magery or Thaumatology skill caused Covert magic to fail) instead of Lesser/Greater, or the background TL wasn't high enough for mages to visualise more useful/powerful effects. Of course, the standard "lost golden age of magic" theory also comes up.

Digital Grimoires could be a future invention by Thaumatological researchers - if so, the cost is 20 times normal and requires (bonus X 100) GB for each individual ritual.

License and Laws
Spoiler:  


Character Creation and Other Rules
Spoiler:  


Some tweaked stuff (house rules?) I thought would be introduced or need clarifying;

Spoiler:  
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Old 08-07-2015, 08:31 PM   #3
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Default Re: [World Building] Alt-History TL 8 Earth with open RPM

The nine realms of the outer planes correspond to the nine Paths (described here with some information - a major settlement, an important landmark, local geography, recent events);

Spoiler:  


[Note to readers: I couldn't think up a realm for each Path, so I am open to suggestions. Post your ideas for an outer plane in the thread, or PM me if you're shy. Generally, make sure your realm idea fits its Path, provides at least one plot hook and has cool details about its geography and settled civilisation.]


Three of the magic-focused corporations that are majorly relevant on the scene are;
Spoiler:  


Other magic corps I am only going to sketch (the GM can build off these basics to create their own kind of corporations);

Crimson Crate Shipping
A mega-corp focusing on magical transportation and storage across the planes. It's logo is a crimson crate with a yellow "C.C." monogram stamped on it.

Xenologue Incorporated
A mega-corp focused on researching the outer planes, particularly its unnatural creatures and plant life. It's logo is a stylised open book with diagrams of various shapes written in it.

Twisty Passages Industries
This mega-corp's stock in trade is general magical consumer products. It's logo is a square maze drawn in black lines.

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Genres for campaigns set in this setting;
Spoiler:  


Themes for the campaign setting that I think are best;
Paranoia - secrecy, suspicion, hatred and uncertainty.
Deceit - the constant need for lies to both survive and make a profit.

The main Motif for the campaign setting is The Rule of Three. The number three should come up regularly, just for fun.


Inspirations I had for the setting include;
Code Geass
Mage: The Awakening
Death Note
When They Cry series
Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors
Unknown Armies
Dishonoured
Declare
Shadowrun
Fate Stay/Night
The Wolf Among Us
Fallout: New Vegas
Pillars of Eternity
Batman: Arkham City
Ravenloft
Eberron
Baccano!
Durarara!!
GURPS Technomancer
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.
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Questions? Plot holes? Suggestions? How do you think a modern day world of RPM magic should work? What kind of slang terms would a RPM worker use? What about the magical realm frontier settlements? Things and details I should flesh out when presenting this setting? Rules settings or extra options that would be useful?
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Old 08-08-2015, 05:21 PM   #4
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Default Re: [World Building] Alt-History TL 8 Earth with open RPM

Quote:
Originally Posted by ajardoor View Post
The mundane Earth governments are wary of giving magicians too much political power or their own lands (with their own laws), so they mostly try to deal with (and thus give political legitimacy to) intentional/interdimensional corporations of magicians than any other type of magician-run N.G.O. (like Civil Rights groups). The mega-corps, relying on government good will to grant them access to consumer markets and public contracts, will choose to avoid rocking the boat whenever possible. Most countries put serious social restrictions on both casting spells and the movements of thaumaturges - magicians must be registered, carrying ID badges in public spaces, publically announcing the spell being cast, let the government search their homes without a warrant, and so on.
In the US, that's going to have the American Civil Liberties Union, and other non-group-focused Civil Rights groups (and some that are group-focused, like the Jewish Defense League), jumping all over the situation, regardless of what the government supports. Could be an interesting campaigne hook, but it does make this society look inherently unstable (which is one of the things that makes setting interesting to game in). The same is likely true of other liberal democracies.
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Old 08-09-2015, 05:19 AM   #5
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Default Re: [World Building] Alt-History TL 8 Earth with open RPM

Quote:
Originally Posted by Prince Charon View Post
In the US, that's going to have the American Civil Liberties Union, and other non-group-focused Civil Rights groups (and some that are group-focused, like the Jewish Defense League), jumping all over the situation, regardless of what the government supports. Could be an interesting campaigne hook, but it does make this society look inherently unstable (which is one of the things that makes setting interesting to game in). The same is likely true of other liberal democracies.
So, it's a B5 war of the people against Psi-Corps oppression all over again. How cliché.
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Old 08-10-2015, 05:49 AM   #6
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Default Re: [World Building] Alt-History TL 8 Earth with open RPM

I figure the big strike against the "freedom" side of the debate (although there WOULD be a very long-running debate) is that we're talking magic here.

Magic can literally kill and destroy you in every way possible, and in some ways you'd consider essentially impossible. People get really dang annoyed at you if you carry a loaded shotgun in public and owning a heavier type of gun (a LMG?) in even the relatively low gun control areas of the U.S. will at least require you to give up civil liberties (letting the police search your home without a warrant), IIRC. And magic is way more dangerous than a gun - RPM botches are 30 energy minimum and includes fallout like summoning daemons (Quick! Got a vial of holy water handy?) and 4d fiery explosions.

But yeah, I can see that there is a certain degree of instability introduced into societies - although the benefits of magic done RIGHT does cancel that out, to a certain extent...
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Old 08-11-2015, 11:14 AM   #7
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Default Re: [World Building] Alt-History TL 8 Earth with open RPM

Quote:
Originally Posted by ajardoor View Post
I figure the big strike against the "freedom" side of the debate (although there WOULD be a very long-running debate) is that we're talking magic here.

Magic can literally kill and destroy you in every way possible, and in some ways you'd consider essentially impossible. People get really dang annoyed at you if you carry a loaded shotgun in public and owning a heavier type of gun (a LMG?) in even the relatively low gun control areas of the U.S. will at least require you to give up civil liberties (letting the police search your home without a warrant), IIRC. And magic is way more dangerous than a gun - RPM botches are 30 energy minimum and includes fallout like summoning daemons (Quick! Got a vial of holy water handy?) and 4d fiery explosions.

But yeah, I can see that there is a certain degree of instability introduced into societies - although the benefits of magic done RIGHT does cancel that out, to a certain extent...
The problem is, that magic is being done by people who are, to varying degrees, practically slaves. This does not have good precedents for that society (there's no direct equivalent, but slave-soldiers are fairly close, historically).

You have to look at it not only from the mundane PoV ('Those people are useful, but terribly dangerous!'), but also from the mages' viewpoints ('I will not be a slave any longer!').
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Old 08-11-2015, 11:18 AM   #8
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Default Re: [World Building] Alt-History TL 8 Earth with open RPM

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Originally Posted by Prince Charon View Post
The problem is, that magic is being done by people who are, to varying degrees, practically slaves. This does not have good precedents for that society (there's no direct equivalent, but slave-soldiers are fairly close, historically).

You have to look at it not only from the mundane PoV ('Those people are useful, but terribly dangerous!'), but also from the mages' viewpoints ('I will not be a slave any longer!').
This is largely a set-up for a self-fulfilling prophecy: mages managing to form a conspiracy of some sort and eventually seizing power and waging war against the slavers. Cliché, boring and largely non-constructive.
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Old 08-11-2015, 11:43 AM   #9
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Default Re: [World Building] Alt-History TL 8 Earth with open RPM

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Originally Posted by vicky_molokh View Post
This is largely a set-up for a self-fulfilling prophecy: mages managing to form a conspiracy of some sort and eventually seizing power and waging war against the slavers. Cliché, boring and largely non-constructive.
I think we're looking at this from different perspectives. Yes, certainly it is cliché (though if done right, not necessarily boring). The problem is, the way the society has been described by the OP, it's also very likely, to the point that something like it somehow not happening (regardless of how successful or unsuccessful it would be) would be seriously damaging to suspension of disbelief.

Even if no conspiracy happens, there would still be a rather high rate of murders, suicides, and mages in important positions just going on strike, or deciding to work-to-rule and related obstructions. If ajardoor doesn't plan on going there, he/she needs a good reason or reasons why it doesn't.
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Old 08-11-2015, 06:38 PM   #10
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Default Re: [World Building] Alt-History TL 8 Earth with open RPM

Quote:
Originally Posted by Prince Charon View Post
The problem is, that magic is being done by people who are, to varying degrees, practically slaves. This does not have good precedents for that society (there's no direct equivalent, but slave-soldiers are fairly close, historically).

You have to look at it not only from the mundane PoV ('Those people are useful, but terribly dangerous!'), but also from the mages' viewpoints ('I will not be a slave any longer!').
It's not so much "slaves" so much as it is "giving up a significant degree of freedom and pledging service in exchange for a high standard of living and guaranteed high income" - the governments essentially want magi to be inside the tent spitting outward, rather than outside the tent spitting inside (bread and circuses, as cynical people might see it). Being a Mage means you get a chance to make lots of money and live in comfort the more you submit to government oversight and regulation. I believe Banestorm has similiar elements - magi have to serve their local lords for years in order to practice freely, IIRC.

Yes, it can suck - that's why regulations mandate psychiatric evaluations (why wouldn't they?) and magi need stress relief (both magical and mundane) in the long term. Yes, some magi DO turn it down and crawl off to some obscure dark corner of the outer planes so they don't have to comprise their freedom (and some magi supremacy groups DO exist, but haven't yet gained a serious foothold). The pushback against these comprises DOES happen, from time to time, because of political shakeups and grumblings - this usually ends in a sway towards leniency (less restrictive oversight and more privacy) for a while, until either demand for more or a public scandal causes the winds to blow the other way. It's a pendulum - freedom and security (or just more pressure to profit) swap priority in accordance with public opinion. If the pendulum swings too hard in one direction, then that will cause trouble, yes. The way I see it, a good lot of institutions related to magic have to deal with this kind of tension as a matter of course - a lot of (potentially dirty) manoeuvring goes on behind the scenes (by the PCs, if necessary) to ensure neither magi get too power hungry nor the mundanes get too draconian. It is not perfect or certain, but it is a preferable situation to a war, a violent descent into chaos, or a dictatorship.
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