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Old 11-26-2020, 12:27 AM   #5231
AlexanderHowl
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Default Re: New Reality Seeds

Not a bad idea. I do not think that low mana region mages will be more powerful than normal mana region mages, they will just be much more careful in their practice. Since the magical system is a modified Verb/Noun system, mages in low mana regions must depend heavily on bonuses. Conversely, mages in normal mana regions are capable of practicing magic on the fly (as can nonmages in high mana regions).

The islands of Asia would be a very interesting environment because of the ability of practically anyone to practice magic. Nonmages would lack the skill level of mages, as well as any other benefits, but they could be gifted magicians if they are calculated in their practice. Of course, this would likely prevent them from being terribly quick mages.
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Old 11-27-2020, 02:20 PM   #5232
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Default Re: New Reality Seeds

Try this one...

In Homeline history, one of the first things that the intellectual reformers of the renaissance wanted to get on a firm footing was magic. In fact, magic and science weren't clearly separated categories until almost the 19th century. On this Q4 Normal manna world, they're successful in their goals. Magic is becoming a more regularly teachable skill. The achievement is limited so far.

(I'll need to look at my books and decide what path's are available)

The local year is 1565, Queen Elizabeth of England is still in the process of holding her throne (her parliament and ministers keep harping on her to wed and have heirs, she can't find anyone to marry that won't start a war with the rejected suiters). John Dee who is thirty-eight and looks twenty-eight, has offered Elizabeth a longevity potion, to delay her need for making a choice until the politics are less brutal. Phillip of Spain is determined to have the Queen, her Wizard, and the potion, for himself.

Magic, because it is workable and useful, is semi-respectable. This makes witch-burning more rather than less common. People have serious reasons to believe in witches, although people like Reginald Scot, whose books are as yet unwritten, will still seek to expose fraud and cast doubt on Diabolic Pacts.

Both Phillip and Elizabeth have some magical training and Phillip is even more keenly aware of Elizabeth's worth in this world than in Homeline History. He wants to breed a line of mentally stable and highly intelligent Spanish royals with her.

Basically, a low, but growing, magic fantasy Swashbuckler. Homeline wants to study this world to improve its understanding of Magic. The Cabal, which normally avoids worlds like this, wants to prevent this. Meanwhile, the Cabal's Grandmaster version of John Dee is very interested in this parallel.

(I'll need to edit this a bit)


Magic in this Parallel is Path/Book. The biggest variation is that mystic energy can be stored in jewels. Thus power stones are available for magicians here.
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Old 12-01-2020, 05:37 AM   #5233
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Default Re: New Reality Seeds

What ways would you guys alter the quantum system to alter the style of play?
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Old 12-01-2020, 07:00 AM   #5234
johndallman
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Default Re: New Reality Seeds

For my Infinite Cabal campaign, I made quanta irrelevant to travel via the Astral Plane. This meant that the Cabal regarded them as a limitation of technological cross-world travel; it also meant that the PCs, who were rational Cabalists, had useful capabilities that Infinity and Centrum lacked.
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Old 12-01-2020, 07:35 AM   #5235
AlexanderHowl
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Default Re: New Reality Seeds

One potential issue with using Path/Book magic for visible magic is that a number of the Paths have no obvious effects, so they might not be noticeable by outside observers. Of those that are obvious and noticeable, many of them may be perceived negatively. It is because of this that Path/Book magic is ideal for secret magic settings.

Even so, Path/Book magic is potent and could be quite useful for the ruling class. In a setting with Path/Book magic, the upper classes should have access to such magic, as it will be used against them. Now, this could be personal talent or hired talent, but they need access to the talent from somewhere. Anyway, it would offer them options in life that could change the course of history.

For example, if Henry VII had possessed access to magic, he may have been able to save his oldest son and his wife. If Prince Arthur had survived, Henry VIII would have never been king, meaning that the Anglican Church would have likely never evolved. Without Henry VIII, who knows how history would have progressed?
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Old 12-01-2020, 11:45 AM   #5236
SilvercatMoonpaw
 
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Default Re: New Reality Seeds

GURPS Infinity Wars

What if no one was trying to be subtle in Infinite Worlds? Imagine if Homeline, Reich-5, and the Cabal were rolling over and absorbing timelines the way Centrum does (I may not be remembering that right). Maybe Infinite Worlds turns into a kind of "parachronic opera" rather than the "cross-time espionage" it is right now.


Apologies if this isn't fully-baked (or even baked at all).
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Old 12-01-2020, 12:20 PM   #5237
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Default Re: New Reality Seeds

Quote:
Originally Posted by SilvercatMoonpaw View Post
GURPS Infinity Wars

What if no one was trying to be subtle in Infinite Worlds? Imagine if Homeline, Reich-5, and the Cabal were rolling over and absorbing timelines the way Centrum does (I may not be remembering that right). Maybe Infinite Worlds turns into a kind of "parachronic opera" rather than the "cross-time espionage" it is right now.


Apologies if this isn't fully-baked (or even baked at all).
Well the Cabal would be really distorted then. They're whole deal is operating subtly and ruling from the shadows. I suppose they could be operating in response to something else.

Maybe it would fit better if the setup were altered
Maybe bring in some more factions
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Old 12-01-2020, 12:44 PM   #5238
AlexanderHowl
 
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Default Re: New Reality Seeds

The equivalent of parachronic nuclear war between the powers. Since they would be operating in the open, the powers would be attempting to skip timelines out of reach of their adversaries. For example, Homeline would try to skip every timeline out of Q3 to starve Reich-5 of opportunities while Centrum would be trying to skip timelines out of Q6 and Q7 to prevent Homeline from accessing them.
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Old 12-01-2020, 12:50 PM   #5239
TGLS
 
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Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl View Post
The equivalent of parachronic nuclear war between the powers. Since they would be operating in the open, the powers would be attempting to skip timelines out of reach of their adversaries. For example, Homeline would try to skip every timeline out of Q3 to starve Reich-5 of opportunities while Centrum would be trying to skip timelines out of Q6 and Q7 to prevent Homeline from accessing them.
The only timelines that can be moved are echoes, and they're all on Q6 or 7. Non-echoes are fixed in place.
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Old 12-01-2020, 03:15 PM   #5240
AlexanderHowl
 
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Default Re: New Reality Seeds

Well, reality quakes can change anything in a timeline, even shifting the Quantum of the timeline, and I think that Infinity and Centrum would invest more in figuring out how to deliberately cause reality quakes in such a scenario. It is also known that former echoes can be shifted back to Q6, so there is a question about how many timelines are former echoes that shifted Quantums before Infinity (or Centrum) discovered parachronics. It could be that every timeline is a former echo originally from Q6 that shifted Quantums when it diverged from the 'prime' timeline (presumably our Earth), even the timelines of Infinity and Centrum.
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