Setting Generating Game

[ericthered]

This is a game I use for generating settings! (I burn through settings very quickly).

Each turn consists of answering the last question, then asking the next one. The answer must be constrained to the question, but people are welcome to say things like:

Are there aliens, and if there are, why haven't they contacted earth yet?

This game works best when there are a few surprising answers, but often the most fun is trying to make the pieces fit together.

When playing this game in RL, we go around a circle. As that's not around here, the first poster gets to answer the question. please post the answer and the question at the same time. no posting an answer and then editing in a question! please try to let multiple people play.

Lets see what world we get today?

[ericthered]

Question 1: Does this setting have supernatural elements, and if so, what kind are they (Magic, Psionics, super-science, superpowers, ect...)?

[Genesis]

Answer 1: This setting does have supernatural elements, but they are each unique - there exists no in-universe framework for their description and treatment, and they generally do not interact with each other in predictable ways. They are perfectly idiosyncratic. (In GURPS terms they're probably best bought as Powers, but eh, case-by-case is always prudent)

Question 2: What is the dominant social scale of the setting (i.e. families, villages, city-states, nations, planets, etc.)?

[William]

Answer 2: Those individuals with sufficiently strong, martially-applicable powers tend to conquer and rule small city-states. Among the supers-states, about half of these have been reasonably stable for several centuries under a succession of rulers -- rarely hereditary, but in at least one case an immortal. The others engage in frequent warfare, absorptions, and revolts. In total the supers-states take up just about half of humanity's current population, with the remaining nation-states in a tight alliance attempting to contain the power of the supers with tastes for conquest.

Question 3: Mundane nations should have an edge in that containment strategy that doesn't rely on homegrown empowered heroes or playing super-conquerors against each other. What's their usual trump?

[DangerousThing]

Answer 3

Military power of one sort or another, as well as acting in concert. If a super's army attempts a move on the alliance, they all act to stop the attack and attack the super's state.

This could be nuclear, even going as far as mutually assure destruction.

Question 4

What is the average TL among the aligned non-super states?

[johndallman]

Answer 4: the alliance is TL6-7. Nuclear weapons were developed, despite their immense cost, because of the sheer capriciousness of states ruled by single supers.

Question 5: Do the super states generally have natural boundaries (on islands, or in mountain valley systems) or are their borders arbitrary and thus more easily contested?

[vicky_molokh]

Originally Posted by johndallman

Answer 4: the alliance is TL6-7. Nuclear weapons were developed, despite their immense cost, because of the sheer capriciousness of states ruled by single supers.

Question 5: Do the super states generally have natural boundaries (on islands, or in mountain valley systems) or are their borders arbitrary and thus more easily contested?

Answer 5:
The boundaries are rather fuzzy. In fact, sometimes the boundaries change and/or are contested not through use of force, but through changes of heart of local populations, who either switch over to a super's leadership, or want out (and the super decides not to enact any sanctions for one reason or another).

Question 6:
What prevents the non-super states from losing their nerve and starting a nuclear war because of what the supers can do, as opposed to what they actually do? Do they only have enough of an arsenal (all super-states taken together) to take out a small portion of the supers-states?

[davidtmoore]

Answer 6: Uncertainty. Powers are not fully understood, and the non-supers states do not have enough intelligence to be sure they can take out all the supers states decisively. It is rumoured that at least one of the supers has survived a direct nuclear strike.

In turn, the supers are not convinced they could survive an all-out conflict, so there is an ongoing stalemate, and research into the limitations of and any underlying logic to the powers (which may simply not exist) is a major part of the world's espionage activity.

Question 7: How variant is the TL in the supers states? Is the nation ruled by an immortal, for example, very much behind the others due to an emphasis on tradition?

[Libertine]

Answer: The super states range from TL 4 to 9 with a 2 savage lands at TL 0. At least ONE super nation is going to have a superbrain running things

Question: how is the state of the overall environment and resource availability?

[doulos05]

Originally Posted by Libertine

Answer: The super states range from TL 4 to 9 with a 2 savage lands at TL 0. At least ONE super nation is going to have a superbrain running things

Question: how is the state of the overall environment and resource availability?

In the non-supers states, resource scarcity I'd starting to impact the economies as they strive to fight quality (superpowers) with quantity and research (troops and nukes). In the super States, it varies based on the powers present. Most supers States have more resources than the non-supers

Question: Is there a space presence and to what degree have the supers impacted the space race.