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Old 04-22-2020, 08:06 AM   #10
Mysterious Dark Lord v3.2
 
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Join Date: Mar 2005
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Default Re: [Path/Book Magic] 'Grimoire' worldlines

The designation of Grimoire-6 is questionable, as the origin of the magic is due to a unique event, making some claim it belongs in the "Merlin" designation. But there is no designation for "Orc Invasion" timelines.

On 23 February 1956, a solar storm filled Earth's skies with auroras and static. Or it was believed to be one ...

In the southern Indian Ocean, the Kergulean Islands transformed over the course of a day into a small continent with a climate similar to Mongolia. The slow growth allowed the adjacent continents to suffer only abnormally-high tides rather than tsunamis. This also caused a titanic surge in magical energies worldwide (even though "standard" mana levels are still Low).

The French colonists were startled, to say the least. Then they were killed, according to the scant few surviving records, by green barbarians riding giant hamsters.

The orcs (name derived from a French pronunciation of their own name for themselves, which is OKK), riding their huge war-hamsters across the surface of the water as if it were dry land, first attacked ships, but by March had invaded Australia and by April were assaulting Africa, India, and Southeast Asia.

At first it was assumed the more outlandish tales of Orc attacks were exactly that. But then counter attacks halted the orcs - in all cases either led by or completely composed of tribal shamans of the natives from the local areas. A few captured orc shamans, desperate to save themselves or just greedy, revealed the secrets of their power.

(The Orcs use a variety of Book magicks, usually secrets of families or lodges. The human shamans use Path/Book magicks from their native traditions.)

The year is 1962. As the introduction of magic was only eight years ago, society itself has not changed much. But the changes, where they have occured, promise to be profound.

The Cold War is extending into a new magical direction. The Americans have parity with the Russians (Native American Paths vs Siberian Turkic and Paleo-Siberian Paths), but neither has gotten very far because their treatment of their native populations has bred a lot of grudges and resentment. And neither are anywhere close to the magical powerhouses of India, Australia (Aboriginies are now "National Treasures"), and South Africa (now under a black majority government via very mysterious events). Japan and China have started their own Cold War as they find a number of shamaic practitioners to augment their militaries (as magic still hasn't been codified by international law, this bypasses Japan's restrictions on offensive weapons).

The Vietnam conflict ended in 1960 with a new monarchy as both American and Communist forces were expelled from Southeast Asia following enormous numbers of curses, plagues, and monster attacks. Vietnam is now isolationist, and the world opium market has suffered a major hit. Korea is unified, after North Korea fell during the "Night of Horror" in 1959 (The North Koreans all but exterminated their magic-believing population, leaving them helpless before South Korean shamans and monks).

The demonstrated reality of magic has caused a magical/religious renaissance across the world. The major Western religions, however, took massive hits in popularity when they couldn't demonstate any ability to repel the magic of orc shamans. New religions with Paths from Wicca and Neo-Paganism are growing in popularity, and a few Jewish Qabala practitioners are enjoying fame in Israel. The Muslim world has radicalized over the issue, killing anyone who demonstrates magical ability.

The Racists are currently in convulsions over the new effectiveness of "primitive mumbo-jumbo". Some try to openly claim all magic is "satanism". However, the new threat of orcs help blunt that reaction. (it seems that white and black and brown will all unite against green.)

Attempts to "rationalize" and scientifically quantify magic have had limited success, save to create a few Books. But the "Old Wise Witch" has reappeared acrosss the world, selling charms and talismens, and a few have gone into mass production.

Meanwhile, the orcs continue to be a threat, their barbarian hordes able to charge across land and sea around the world and enjoy good luck and assorted supernatural advantages as they raid and plunder. There are orc colonies on all continents and almost every military has has had to fight off an incursion. A small, tragic population of "half-orcs" has come into existence, already becoming the world's newest badly-treated ethnic minority.

As many native shamanic traditions hold valid Paths, Infinity researchers have a slight advantage in studying the local magic. (Centrum, of course, is completely lost here.) But because magic-users are considered strategic national resources, studying directly from the source is very difficult.

There is no evidence of the Cabal yet, but they should have fun in this timeline. Reich-5 will likely be disgusted at all the "lesser races" doing so well.
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Last edited by Mysterious Dark Lord v3.2; 04-22-2020 at 08:09 AM.
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