Azoth-8

[Astromancer]

Originally Posted by Kale

What impact would the 'Red Scare' or lack of it, have on socialistic tendencies in the frontier? If the Belt is highly multi-nation there might not be as much fear of collectivism even if the USA had its 'Red Scare' moment, but there would probably be some push by the major Earth powers to discourage too much cooperation. Don't want those colonials to forget where they came from!

@tshiggins: Thanks for clarifying my reference!

The USA, sad to say, has had Red Scares going back to before the ACW. However, in Azoth-8, the early movement into space combined with greater prosperity from the end of World War II onward, pulled the focus elsewhere. Add to that the simple fact that F.D.R. got to introduce and do serious work on his SECOND BILL OF RIGHTS, and the postwar "Red Scare" never got off the ground.

Although such few Liberterians as are around in this parallel eye deep space as the greenish possible pastures. They, the Liberterians, realise that most people livinging in space see the government as a vital source of infrastructure and social welfare spending. The Liberterians hope that in a few decades they'll be able to move to the outer asteroids beyond the orbit of Jupiter and set up in spaces beyond government and build a new society.

Still, in the actual asteriods in Azoth-8's present day, unions and solidarity are the order of the day. A very late 1960's internationalism is the norm among union workers and a romantic view of working class virtue is the norm among non-union workers.

[Astromancer]

Latin America in Azoth-8 is unsettled.

Brazil is doing well. Since Getulio Vargas decided to move away from fascism, Brazil has gone from strength to strength. The right-wing coup that ended Vargas' reforms never happened on Azoth-8. Instead, with Azothic power generation systems and Alchemical medicines and fertilizers, Brazil leaped into the first rank of industrial powers. Like Canada, Brazil is a partner with the USA in promoting human rights world wide. And Brazil's popular culture is a planet wide success and not just in music and fashion. Brazil's literature, films, and visual arts are just as big.

Argentina is in a less pleasant state. The Nazis who fled to refuge in this country have brought a new wave of sinister bitter strife. "Disappearances" are constantly whispered about. Chile is a stable democracy with unpleasant class issues. Peru, Bolivia, and Equator, are all less democratic but still suffer from the same issues as Chile. Paraguay is isolationist and reactionary.

Columbia and Venezuela, on the other hand, and doing well. Prosperity and democratic reforms are the norms here. The Gyanas are also stable and benefiting from being in a stable neighborhood.

All up and down the Andes romantic guerrillas, some right-wing, some left-wing, all violent. Bring misery as chaos to the land. The elites use the guerrillas to justify repression, the the guerrillas use the repression to justify violence. Both Centrum and the Cabal follow the lead of Azoth-8's own criminals and use the guerrillas both as cover for their own actions and mercenaries to attack what they want destroyed.

The Andes seen to hold many secrets on Azoth-8. There seems to be some evidence that Incan relics can amplify Psi powers or even unlock new ones. Thus many scholars and less savory types flock to the Andes in spite of the guerrillas. Many Guerrillas rob ancient graves hunting power and wealth to achieve their dreams of revolution and conquest.

[tshiggins]

Originally Posted by Kale

(SNIP)

@tshiggins: Thanks for clarifying my reference!

You're welcome. :)

I'm a big-enough fan of The Expanse that I enjoy any chance to expose it to people.

[Astromancer]

The Earth's Moon is a busy place in Azoth-8. Every spacefaring nation has a bases or bases here, even if this is their only off planet base. The hard vacuum of space, and the abundant lunar resources make the Moon a busy manufacturing hub.
The dark side of the Moon has many optical and radio astronomical observatories. And many sorts of experiments, mainly licit, are conducted in isolated bases.

The moon has both many millitary bases and an active tourist trade. Thus restaurants, amusement parks, and many sorts of entertainment venues are all over the place. Several craters are domed over with geodesic domes. Generally with a few yards of packed dust in layers throughout the dome to provide shielding. These domes can be impressively large between alchemy and the benefits of metallurgy in vacuum, the effective tech level of steel manufacture is 7+3.

Both the domes themselves and the atmosphere contained under them provide radiation shielding. Given lunar gravity many people strap on wings and try human powered flight. There are flying shows and competitions. The competive fliers often call themselves the Peacocks. Yes their clothing is outrageous even for 1970.

Many areas on the Moon seem like an extension of the working class culture of the asteriods or Mars. However, large areas of the Moon are the preserves of wealthier and more powerful types. Where the Moon's working class culture is surprisingly unified. The elites tend to identify with their home countries back on Earth. This can often give the lunar working classes surprising clout.

[Astromancer]

Earth's Moon has an agricultural system, it's mainly Tech Level Seven, but the whole area will look advanced to most Homeliners. This is mainly because Homeline never needed to develop these technologies. Closed greenhouses using aeroponic growing systems produce vast amounts of quality fruits and vegetables. These both provide most of the local diet and oxygenate the air. Fish ponds produce tilapia( poppular here decades early) cod, shrimp, lobsters, and edible seaweeds. Hencoops are common on the moon, but chickens don't live in them. Ducks and quails seem to do better in low gravity for some reason. Goats produce the milk supply, but the Americans and Brits keep working on cattle ( steak and roast beef mean something darn it!). Rabbits and guinnie pigs provide most of the red meat on the Moon. Grains are harder to grow cheaply and sugar cane is too, so sweets and straches are far less common. The lettuce wrap has replaced the sandwhich on the Moon.

[Astromancer]

The lunar food system predominates off planet. There are variations. Cattle and pigs do better on Mars with the slightly higher gravity. The Micro-gravity conditions in the asteroid belt restricts animals and plants more than the moon. In the asteroid belt they've begun to build rotating wheel space stations to grow crops and livestock.

Some people think these agricultural bases could be adapted into space colonies. One Gerard K. O'Neil is a major booster of this idea and is said to be designing configurations for for such colonies.

[Astromancer]

Although Azoth-8's main attention is shifted to deep space, Alchemical technology and the prosperity of a scientifically inclined and excited world has continued exploration of other frontiers as well. Mainly the oceans and Antarctica.

Their are subsea bases around the world. But these are mainly for show. Sea Surface platforms that are powered by Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion. These bases are becoming vast aquaculture farms and are also perfect platforms for subsea exploration.

The high arctic and Antarctica are given less attention, but meteorology and paleontology both require the data these places can give. Also there are bases designed to be closed off so that the problems of closed system space ships can be better understood and addressed. Thus there are sealed off towns and bases in both the high arctic and in Antarctica.

These isolated bases, in the oceans, the high arctic and Antarctica, are great places for covert organizations to high their stranger activities. Thus if this world has an equivalent to Dr. No he's got places to live.

[Astromancer]

Germany goes two ways in this setting. The average German is enjoying the economic miracle. Life is good, Germany has excellent social services, the arts are flourishing, and Germany is building a new reputation for decency. Meanwhile, this is 1970, there are Nazis that were in positions of power that are still alive and active. These folks are dreaming of a comeback. Since the Nazis were mainly romantic madmen, the new Alchemical tech delights them. They work to build the Fuhrer's Wonder Weapons.

Spies of many different stripes hunt these men down. Some to punish past evils. Others seek to prevent new evils. The worst seek to steal the Fourth Reich's best stuff and do evil of their own.

[Astromancer]

Australia should be a good setting in this world. Australia's self image as "the Happy Country" is strong in this period. But cultural winds from Britain and America are shaking everything up. In Azoth-8's Australia there are major spaceports. Woomera is by far the largest of these.

Because of both it's space ports and its prosperity, many Asians are present in Australia. The restrictions that limited such contacts were dropped early in Azoth-8's Australia for economic reasons.

This Australia is more prosperous than Homeline's Australia. Alchemical treatments to fertilize the soil have been spectacularly useful. There's debate on what to name the Nullarbor plain now that it's a national forest.

[Astromancer]

Minor setting note. Comics were big in Europe and America in the late 1960's and not just superhero comics. Horror Comics, Romance Comics (being a young boy I generally deplored the waste of space), jungle adventure comics, sci fi comics, funny animal comics, comics for little kids (Richie Rich, Wendy, Casper, Hot Stuff, ect...) and even Classics Illustrated. So having a couple of low powered supers, especially in Europe, would fit the setting.