New Reality Seeds

[Astromancer]

Originally Posted by Astromancer

Try this one...

Right after the ACW, the USA is hit by a grain blight. America and Canada have enough grain to feed themselves, but almost nothing to export. The blight hits Australia, New Zealand, Europe from Ireland to Siberia, and most of Asia. Europe is hit with the worst famine since the 1300s.

Ten years of famine end in 1876. America and Canada export vast supplies of grain to Europe. But Europe is changed, security equals grain supplies. Farmers get special deals from everyone. People are land-hungry and ready to fight to control the land.

More later I must go now. But remember to sing "The Farmer is the man who feeds them all."

Move ahead to 1920, Germany covets the vast grainlands of Ukraine. China and Japan covet Siberia. Britain wants Russia to busy to threaten India. Deals were cut. Germany, Turkey, China, Japan, and Iran, attack Russia, France is her only ally.

Basically, WWI with different players and better tech.

[tshiggins]

Originally Posted by YankeeGamer

I wonder if Confederates captured in arms against the Unites States in the service of a foreign power will be tried for treason this time through?

Or just summarily shot.

After all, at the time Grant was president, William T. Sherman served as the Commanding General of the Army. Under his leadership, I'd think he'd make Winfield Scott's brilliant invasion of Veracruz, and Scott's subsequent fast march on Mexico City, look like a mild trespass.

I doubt Sherman would have much patience with men who took up arms against the United States a second time, especially given such lenient treatment, after the first. I also think Grant would politically back the decision to treat them, harshly -- as would most of the population in the states that backed the Union.

It might result in an upsurge of domestic insurgency in the Southern States, though.

That would draw harsh reprisals, also, I'd think. After all, Phil Sheridan retained command of the military forces in the central and south-central United States, and had repeatedly demonstrated little patience with those who resisted reconstruction and reintegration.

[Kymage]

Fortress America

Originally Posted by TGLS

Yeah, pretty much

I enjoy that game very much. I have owned both versions over the years.

[TGLS]

Schrödinger
Quantum 3, 1915
This timeline appears to be a close parallel to Earth, except Franz Ferdinand wasn't shot in Sarajevo and Erwin Schrödinger's about 10 years ahead in his career. Infinity isn't sure, but they think all cats from this world have Warp (Only if Unobserved) or maybe Jumper (Only if Unobserved)

[Astromancer]

Try this one...

The Door and the Road


This Quantum 4 Low Manna TL5 world (local year 1886) has both Homeline and the Cabal are both alarmed and fascinated. The British Museum has found what seems to be a Stargate in a long ruined Egyptian temple. They've brought it to London and somehow turned it on!

Both Homeline and Cabal fear that this could be a Myth parallel with the aliens from that show attacking Victorian earth. Other bad possibilities include the simple fact that the "stargate" seems to be connected to an active system of gates. Can you say "Yog-Sothoth?" And the fact that it's not known if the gate is really interstellar or interplanar.

Basically, a Homeline/Cabal team-up set in Victorian London. It's a blend of Doctor Who, Sherlock Holmes, and 1960s Super-spy. Are you ready to use Bartitsu and Shinglestick to defend Queen and Country against marauding aliens? Remember your H.G. Wells. The seat of Empire can experience imperialism on the receiving end.

[SimonAce]

Originally Posted by Astromancer

Try this one...

The Door and the Road


This Quantum 4 Low Manna TL5 world (local year 1886) has both Homeline and the Cabal are both alarmed and fascinated. The British Museum has found what seems to be a Stargate in a long ruined Egyptian temple. They've brought it to London and somehow turned it on!

Both Homeline and Cabal fear that this could be a Myth parallel with the aliens from that show attacking Victorian earth. Other bad possibilities include the simple fact that the "stargate" seems to be connected to an active system of gates. Can you say "Yog-Sothoth?" And the fact that it's not known if the gate is really interstellar or interplanar.

Basically, a Homeline/Cabal team-up set in Victorian London. It's a blend of Doctor Who, Sherlock Holmes, and 1960s Super-spy. Are you ready to use Bartitsu and Shinglestick to defend Queen and Country against marauding aliens? Remember your H.G. Wells. The seat of Empire can experience imperialism on the receiving end.

I think you mean Single Stick. However an alien attack on Victorian England would simply destroy that society immediately as they could not handle the implications of such things H.G Wells not withstanding.

One or two tech levels is enough for rapid annihilation of a military and civil structure, C.F Iraq War where between military structures and obsolete equipment , the 4th largest army in the world has no real chance at all.

Victorian England is a what Late 5 early TL6 ? Against what TL 10-11 forces? No chance at all.

Also if you are planning some kind of game with Anti Imperialistic themes, you'll need a very special player base and the people that want Torchwood or UNIT meets Holmes aren't going to buy into the the other theme. Its a compatibility error.

[SimonAce]

Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl

In Tejas-5, the British Empire joined the Mexican War on the side of Mexico due to concerns about the growing power of the USA and the threats to its Canadian possessions (as well as concerns about US penetration into Oregon). With the British Empire seizing US ships, blockading US ports, and providing weapons and training to Mexican troops, the US suffered loss and privation, eventually resulting in the defeat of the USA and the Republic of Texas and the annexation of the Republic of Texas back into Mexico. It is now twenty years later, and British investment in Mexico since the Mexican War has made Mexico a powerful counterbalance to the USA. With its expansion towards the Pacific blocked by the British Empire and Mexico, the USA is stuck as a secondary power, incapable of dealing with a powerful and persistent Native American insurgency in the West supported by the British and the Mexicans.

A native American insurgency seems unlikely as they had no industry and development to speak of an if they were interested in such they would have assimilated into the dominant culture. Doesn't means you want have armed fighters supported by the UK and Mexico but they will be far from numerous or effective. Also they might well decide to raid into Mexico which would cause problems.

Also much of what the US needed could be made domestically, farm land is pretty plentiful and while far from efficient, train and river transport matters more than ports at this time.


The most interesting thing here is that the US ruling class at the time is largely English. The tension between the home nation loyalties of the ruling class and the actions of Britain at the time will be quite complex.

Also there won't be anywhere the amount of immigration to the US so you'll end up with a vastly different far more Anglo Saxon nation than the later Mixed European and now multicultural one.

You could end up with truce between Mexico and the US leading gradually to a Latin American style elite near Mexico as well, much more European than the people they rule over with other complications.

[Astromancer]

Try this idea...

In this Q6 Low Manna parallel, the geography of Nicargua is slightly different. It has little effect on history until The Franco-Mexican War when some map makers working in Central America bring a more accurate map of Lake Managua and the Rio San Jaun to the attention of Napoleon III.

The Emperor launches full tilt toward gaining influence in Nicaragua and a concession to build and fortify a canal.

It is now the year 1890, the Third Republic controls a canal that connects the Atlantic and Pacific. The French have made known their determination to both prevent any other canal across Central America and their deep contempt for the Monroe Doctrine.

Germany has made overtures of friendship to the USA as have Britain and Russia. France is seeking allies in both Europe and Latin America. In spite of their friendly overtures to the Americans, both Britain and Germany seek to expand their empires with holdings in Latin America and the Caribbean. Spain and France make no bones about such goals.

Basically, a primarily naval WWI set in Latin America and the Caribbean with possible Franco-Spanish invasions of either Latin America or the USA.

Take note, France controls a means, the Nicaragua canal, to pull surprise attacks on California. A territory the French have long coveted. The American fleet in 1890 isn't ready to fight a two-ocean war.

[TGLS]

Footage
Quantum 4, 2011

Infinity assumed that it was some swagman thing gone out of hand. From 1999 onward, everyone involved in a found footage film seemingly disappears, then a short while later, the film they were involved in was published. It was odd, and some people started making noises on Homeline, so they decided to send a documentary crew to go investigate. Then they disappeared too, and another film was published. Infinity's decided to send in a well armed team to figure this out. The world's no mana and there's no traces of any other supernatural activity; it's all just a marketing stunt, right?

[Astromancer]

This Q6 Low Manna world has some odd quirks. Still, the biggest difference is the presence of a multi-millionaire with an obsession with Space Travel. This millionaire also has fairly high Charisma and at least a level or two of Smooth Operator as proved by his getting Robert Goddard and Nikola Tesla to work with a team, Hermann Oberth to move to America, and Jack Parsons to calm down and behave himself.

This means that America got the first satellite into orbit in 1937! Hitler and Stalin throw everything into rocket research. After some loud arguments both in the commons and the backrooms, Britain also plunged into rocket research. Neither France nor Japan lagged far behind.

The local year is 1940. America has put some dogs and chimps into orbit. Lindbergh is lobbying to be the first man in space. But, rumor says that Amelia Earhart has the inside track (Homeline thinks the Cabalist who took credit for her "not being lost this time" might be telling the truth).

WWII seems to be ready to start, but fear of rocket attack seems to be delaying the start. Which doesn't make sense considering how little Hitler or Stalin care about human life. The war in China seems to be being won by the Kuomintang as Japan has to turn resources to rocketry and Stalin stops backing Mao and the Communists because he needs resources elsewhere.

Homeline thinks the Cabal has done something to key leaders to divert energy into space exploration. Centrum agrees and seeks to aid Britain at the expense of others. The Cabal knows this is false and seeks to find out who is really behind this parallel's mysteries.

Note: Although the Manna Level is Low, anyone who knows spells can cast them. All other limitations of Low Manna apply. The local mages get around these limitations through Sacred Geometry. The mages and mystical orders of this parallel design houses and landscapes to lower the penalties magic works under on this world. Spaces where all five levels of the Low Manna penalty have Normal Manna.

Basically, this setting Occult spy adventure in a world starting the Space Age.

Note: Run the setting ahead to 1950 or later and have Moonbases and plans to use Ion drives to go to Mars.