Real-Life Weirdness

[Anders]

New mathematical model proves that time travel happen without paradoxes.

I still think the Hawking paradox is the best reply to this. (This is the equivalent of the Fermi paradox's "where are all the aliens?"). There does not seem to be an overabundance of time travelers, although I suppose they could all have moved to California.

Still, if I was interested in a time travel campaign I would probably think about the ramifications of this work.

[Kale]

A ferry that sank 23 years ago in the Baltic had a mysterious hole under the waterline that was "overlooked" by authorities during the investigation of the sinking.

[Anders]

Why was 536 A.D. the worst year in history?

Everything bad that happened in 536 was because of a super-volcano.

I am very skeptical of people who explain a series of historical events with a single cause, but you can easily find some fodder here for an AtE campaign.

[Anders]

Scientists have identified 24 "super earths" which may have better conditions for life than Earth.

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by Anders

Scientists have identified 24 "super earths" which may have better conditions for life than Earth.

I wonder if they've accounted for larger planets potentially having larger oceans and thus no exposed land to erode for nutrients.

A setting in which super-habitable planets have really deep gravity wells could be interested.

[Anders]

Originally Posted by Kale

A ferry that sank 23 years ago in the Baltic had a mysterious hole under the waterline that was "overlooked" by authorities during the investigation of the sinking.

The plot thickens. Divers cut holes in the hull to explore if bodies could be salvaged from the wreck. Thee divers then put bars there to prevent people from looting the ship. But now the bars are gone...

[L.J.Steele]

Some obscure police agencies, if you need something for your game group.

https://www.police1.com/evergreen/ar...d092f-42461911

[William]

Not a repeat! Remember the 7-year-old girl who pulled a sword from the same lake said to have been the one where Arthur got Excalibur back in 2017? They claim it was a movie prop but you know They, They'll say anything to hide the truth.

Welp, it happened again. Only this time it's an 8-year-old girl, a lake in Sweden, and the swords is apparently a real 1000-1500-year-old Viking relic.

So okay. We have entered an era in which History, or Earth, or someone, is arming young girls, and specifically young girls, with relic weapons. I am down with this, except for the part where History or Earth or Someone is recruiting child soldiers. Maybe the weapons are attracted to those who are pure of heart and full of hope, but we have ethical standards in this day and age.

A magical girl campaign gathering the Chosen Heroes from across the world is an easy sell if the players are playing the young heroines and the genre tropes are done straight, but -- without deconstructing them entirely, since Puella Magi Madoka Magica gives me the shudders -- perhaps you could play up some alternate angles. For instance, perhaps the PCs are the wizardly support staff of wizards who run the intel analysis and forensics, heal the girls after battles, and the like. A long-range teleporter could allow the global network of Chosen Ones to fight battles that don't conveniently pop up in their backyard once a week.

On the other hand, notice that the weapons are all swords, and they're all coming from lakes. What if the Lady of the Lake is malfunctioning? Well someone had better go fix that.

[Kale]

Originally Posted by William

On the other hand, notice that the weapons are all swords, and they're all coming from lakes. What if the Lady of the Lake is malfunctioning? Well someone had better go fix that.

The serf from Monty Python who comments that "strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government" had better step up and solve things.

[tshiggins]

Originally Posted by Kale

The serf from Monty Python who comments that "strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government" had better step up and solve things.

Or go Buffy on it.

Some great evil has begun to stir, and these are the Chosen Ones to fight foe the souls of humanity.
The thing is, the swords were granted to them to assist in the conflict. They help the chosen cut their way through the legions of minions to reach the boss-bad.

But the swords cannot help defeat that ultimate evil. Only the sacrifice of the innocent can do that.

The thing is, after all that death, the sword-wielders are no longer innocent. Whom must they choose?

The PCs, of course, play the Scoobies who know the truth. They must keep the wielders alive and sane throughout the war that destroys their innocence -- and then convince them to make the final sacrifice.