New Sci Fi Setting Seeds

[Astromancer]

Originally Posted by Daigoro

They were often in dirigibles too...

The bluestone is interesting. I don't recall coming across that back in my days of ufology reading.

It was only in a couple of books I read. The author only signaled it out because he knew how 19th century telegraphs worked. Anyhow Bluestone could make a good plot hook.

[cptbutton]

Originally Posted by Astromancer

Since Space Pirates are already a highly cinematic sort of thing why not have many individual pirates look fully human and like a variety of different human types. This prevents certain issues from popping up.

In this period the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Argentina, all have the needed food surpluses. The USA has the best links to other goods.

Fun fact. When we look at the nineteenth century precursors to UFO contact reports, basically visit from strange flying machines, the single most popular item for pilots to ask for was "bluestone." Bluestone was a basic component of telegraph technology and has odd properties. It would fit gene and add story logic if bluestone were vital to space pirate tech.

Yes. The bluestone that the telegraphs needed was the same type of bluestone found in Stonehenge. That should supply some plot hooks.

So Stonehenge was a cargo cult thing to get the space friends to come back?

[Mysterious Dark Lord v3.2]

Originally Posted by cptbutton

So Stonehenge was a cargo cult thing to get the space friends to come back?

Of course not! It was a psychic telegraph network, allowing the Anceint Masters communicate with the Secret Ascended Masters on Venus. Don't you study history?

[malloyd]

Originally Posted by Mysterious Dark Lord v3.2

Of course not! It was a psychic telegraph network, allowing the Anceint Masters communicate with the Secret Ascended Masters on Venus. Don't you study history?

Some of us have trouble with that. No matter how hard I try to aim for the past, my astral double always ends up on Neptune or Zeta Reticuli V or Hali instead.

[Mysterious Dark Lord v3.2]

Originally Posted by malloyd

Some of us have trouble with that. No matter how hard I try to aim for the past, my astral double always ends up on Neptune or Zeta Reticuli V or Hali instead.

That's just clumsiness. You obviously need a new Ancient Spirit Guide. Or a better source of peyote.

[Astromancer]

Originally Posted by Mysterious Dark Lord v3.2

Of course not! It was a psychic telegraph network, allowing the Anceint Masters communicate with the Secret Ascended Masters on Venus. Don't you study history?

Have you forgotten Ken Hite's Suppressed Transmission? Biasociate! It is both at once and sometging else too!

[Astromancer]

Try this idea...

A post-Time War setting. Basically, time wars have been a chronological reality quake. Leftover bits of advanced societies and fragmented knowledge of different futures are spread around randomly.

The presumed local year (there is room for debate) is 1895AD. Teddy Roosevelt has just presided at the opening of New York City's newest fusion plant while Antony Stark and Bruce Wayne, the builder-designers, sat on the grandstand. Both Germany and Britain want the USA as an ally as they struggle for dominance in Europe, Asia, Africa, Venus, Mars, and the Moon.

Basically, toss 19th and 20th century history and pop culture in the blender, press puree, and invoke the name of Xena. Sprinkle liberally with Sci Fi, Fantasy, and Occult. Serve at any temperature you like. White hot invention is nice, but cool calculation also has its fans.

[Flyndaran]

How would post-time wars differ from basic anachronistic, superscience, or myth parallels?
Not a criticism as I love the idea, but can't imagine how one could make the difference clear from the outset to players.

[Astromancer]

Originally Posted by Flyndaran

How would post-time wars differ from basic anachronistic, superscience, or myth parallels?
Not a criticism as I love the idea, but can't imagine how one could make the difference clear from the outset to players.

The first difference, people in the setting know something is wrong. They don't really know what or how. Second, the general choppiness and wild mixing of the setting. Anything might be brought back or attacked in a prolonged time war. The war seems to have collapsed, but it is possible someone won. What they won or thought they'd win is unknown. Third, because the alternative influences are spread through time and the planet's many cultures, how integrated any change is into the world is somewhat random.

[Flyndaran]

That sounds like an episode of Doctor Who where time "breaks". It's only a bit part before things get fixed. But it has weird anachronisms like Winston Churchill and futuristic features along with the ultra weird like clocks all saying the exact same time for as long as anyone can remember.