Alternate Crosstime Organizations

[ericthered]

Draco:

Dragons are masters of magic, but their greatest tool is the ability to project bodies on other worlds. They can essentially build the body they need or want, as long as it follows the natural laws of the world. The dragon's physical form stays in a safe place on its homeworld, while its mind "pilots" the body. If the body isn't piloted, it lays in a brain dead state.

The great advantage of this method is that the bodies are disposable. A battle can be fought with 100% causalities and no real losses. Suicide missions can retrieve valuable information. It also gives them a high level of shape-shifting: They can sneak around as a rat, steal identities, and build monsters for combat.

Dragons generally try to install themselves in positions of power. A dragon wishes to be in the limelight. On their home-world there are relatively few people to pay attention to them. They don't find physical sensations (such as their body dying) anywhere near as important as the emotional sensation of power or being widely feared, hated, loved, or rumored about.

Dragons do work together, but usually in smaller numbers, or on massive projects like taking over a world. These groups usually split into quarreling factions over the spoils once the goal has been achieved.

Not all dragons are necessarily part of this faction. In fact, a variation on them is humanoid wizards who just frequently project dragon bodies.

[Randyman]

Originally Posted by ericthered

Draco:

Dragons are masters of magic, but their greatest tool is the ability to project bodies on other worlds. They can essentially build the body they need or want, as long as it follows the natural laws of the world. The dragon's physical form stays in a safe place on its homeworld, while its mind "pilots" the body. If the body isn't piloted, it lays in a brain dead state.

The great advantage of this method is that the bodies are disposable. A battle can be fought with 100% causalities and no real losses. Suicide missions can retrieve valuable information. It also gives them a high level of shape-shifting: They can sneak around as a rat, steal identities, and build monsters for combat.

Dragons generally try to install themselves in positions of power. A dragon wishes to be in the limelight. On their home-world there are relatively few people to pay attention to them. They don't find physical sensations (such as their body dying) anywhere near as important as the emotional sensation of power or being widely feared, hated, loved, or rumored about.

Dragons do work together, but usually in smaller numbers, or on massive projects like taking over a world. These groups usually split into quarreling factions over the spoils once the goal has been achieved.

Not all dragons are necessarily part of this faction. In fact, a variation on them is humanoid wizards who just frequently project dragon bodies.

Can they build non-organic bodies? If so, this would be an awesome alt.Reign of Steel.

[David Johnston2]

The League of Jack. "Jack" is one of those peculiar people who seems to have a counterpart in every universe although they are only named "Jack" to the locals if that's a name used in the universe in question. Although they'll still call themselves "Jack" when dealing with any Homeworlder or Centrum agent they know or can identify. They are needless to say, fully aware of the Secret. In fact they possess the power to share information between each of Jack's various selves and cheerfully do business with any out-timer they can find. Jack appears to be Unkillable. Or at least a new Jack appears any time an old Jack is removed from a given world. Jacks die if actually moved from their world.

[starslayer]

DOTU

DOTU (defenders opposing the unnatural), is a multidimensional religion/cult that focuses on establishing an maintaining the 'natural order of things'. There tenants are that humanoids should live lives with no stress, or hunger. They should feed there minds whenever possible with knowledge, learning, mathematics, and art. Emotions and thoughs should be laid bare, as should bodies- even things like armour, let alone clothing, should never be worn. Further they push that it is the nature of man to eat beast.

Generally this would result in problems, but where DOTU is accepted Illithids will show up and establish powerful psionic boosters which allow the naked and unarmed humanoids to easily protect themselves, adjust weather, and regulate temperature allowing them to exist comfortably. Further the psionic technology brought by the Illithids provides entertainment in the form of what are effectively Sensi devices.

There is a dark underside to this of course- to DOTU while it is natural that man eat beast, it is also natural that Illithid eats man. Priests and priestesses of DOTU are brought in on this secret early, but after a generation or two the locals won't challenge it, and even if they wanted to, with no weapons or armour beyond what the Illithids have provided they have no real way to prevent it. The Illithids will move in around that point, the humanoids subjugated cattle and breeding stock- the very architecture taking on the extradimensional qualities attributed to the psycic outsiders.

The humanoids continue to live peaceful pleasure and knowledge filled lives (at a nice 'full' brain both tastes better and provides more nourishment to the Illithids).

Once established in a given location the Illithids will spread to the rest of the planet, while simultaneously using it to branch to other worlds (there psionic world-jumping is not exactly limited by Quanta, but finds it easier to get to 'near' worlds- IE worlds similar to the one they are currently on; this is sometimes a strange transition)

[Flyndaran]

Originally Posted by ericthered

Draco:

Dragons are masters of magic, but their greatest tool is the ability to project bodies on other worlds. They can essentially build the body they need or want, as long as it follows the natural laws of the world. The dragon's physical form stays in a safe place on its homeworld, while its mind "pilots" the body. If the body isn't piloted, it lays in a brain dead state.

The great advantage of this method is that the bodies are disposable. A battle can be fought with 100% causalities and no real losses. Suicide missions can retrieve valuable information. It also gives them a high level of shape-shifting: They can sneak around as a rat, steal identities, and build monsters for combat.

Dragons generally try to install themselves in positions of power. A dragon wishes to be in the limelight. On their home-world there are relatively few people to pay attention to them. They don't find physical sensations (such as their body dying) anywhere near as important as the emotional sensation of power or being widely feared, hated, loved, or rumored about.

Dragons do work together, but usually in smaller numbers, or on massive projects like taking over a world. These groups usually split into quarreling factions over the spoils once the goal has been achieved.

Not all dragons are necessarily part of this faction. In fact, a variation on them is humanoid wizards who just frequently project dragon bodies.

I had a vaguely similar idea way back. I imagined their long sleeps involved projecting into a spirit world where they interact with each other, learned magic and other esoterica, and simply enjoyed altered forms of existence.
Most stories have individual dragons that somehow know loads of skills without ever being taught in a material fashion.
Perhaps some pieces of treasure are simply mnemonic devices to help reach specific worlds. That gold cup was not some mere bauble of metal. It was the object necessary to reach an entire realm.

[starslayer]

Bob's Discount Teleport

Bob is an enigmatic creature. It is unknown if it is a single entity, some sort of hive minds, clones, or otherwise. What is known is that bob appears to be a man in his mid 30s of below average appearance with no magical abilities. His shop has all sorts of outsides, all advertising 'Bob's discount teleport', but the inside is always identical. A simple aged wooden floor, with a few shelves containing various knick-nacks (sometimes radically impossible nick-knacks like the titular 'blue diamond the size of a hens egg shaped like a functional typewriter'), a simple bar style table, a bob behind it in a simple red leather tunic and black canvas pants.

Bob can teleport a person anywhere, on any world, and apparently charges nothing for this service, but there are a few caveats:
1. Bob only makes this service available to individuals who are 'movers and shakers'; IE people who can and/or will make a difference in the world(s). Others can recall WHERE a bob's discount teleport is if asked, but can't recall ever stepping inside, nor can they explain WHY they never went inside despite knowing where it is.
2. If someone who is not normally eligible to use Bob's isbrought into a Bob's discount teleport they immediately becomes a 'mover and shaker'- there actions seem to have farther reaching ramifications and they can always enter a Bob's again.
3. Bob claims he takes a 'tiny bit of destiny, not enough to matter, even if you used my services a million times' as payment, no one has ever been able to discern any change initiated by using his services, but it is still concerning.
4. Bob's teleports are... not always error-less. Travelers routinely arrive slightly above, or below, their destination (this sometimes requires a pick and shovel to correct). Often have the contents of their stomachs displaced. Or more concerningly have the contents of their stomachs displaced and regenerated- say arriving with a box containing a mug of mead, two chicks, and a tiny pig. Significant changes in weight post teleport (both up and down) without any change in overall size, and other weird effects are common.
5. Teleporting into small spaces can be deadly. Teleporting into a bank vault and being off by a bit may mean being embedded into the vault door, or having your head stuck in the ceiling- this is not immediately lethal, but unless the teleportee can teleport themselves to get back out suffocation or just starvation are going to be an issue.


Bob is easy enough to abuse or even kill outright (ST 9, HT 11 merchant type), besides the nick-nacks there is nothing in the shop worth taking, and as soon as the abusers leave they all meet with horrific teleport-related mutilation, the mutilations are never lethal, but often extremely painful (any attempt to correct the teleport-mutiliations will result in even more extreme and uncomfortable mutilation). Bob will be inside his shop the same as he ever was, unharmed and unchanged.

Bob is friendly enough to converse with, though he seems very scattered. He is very excited to teleport people.

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by Randyman

Can they build non-organic bodies? If so, this would be an awesome alt.Reign of Steel.

I'm just suggesting ideas I've used in the past. You're free to use them however you want.

I don't think I mentally ever gave them a limitation that would prevent that. On the other hand, they're a distinctively fantasy themed faction, and I historically have either given them a low tech or played around in a multiverse where the laws of physics and chemistry vary enough from world to world that a robot won't on all worlds.

That said, a robot body piloted by either an AI or a pilot on a different world is an interesting take on things. But I'd certainly refluff the idea if I wanted to use robots.

Originally Posted by Flyndaran

I had a vaguely similar idea way back. I imagined their long sleeps involved projecting into a spirit world where they interact with each other, learned magic and other esoterica, and simply enjoyed altered forms of existence.

Most stories have individual dragons that somehow know loads of skills without ever being taught in a material fashion.

Perhaps some pieces of treasure are simply mnemonic devices to help reach specific worlds. That gold cup was not some mere bauble of metal. It was the object necessary to reach an entire realm.

I'm not sure where the inspiration for the idea came from. I'll have to remember your spirit world idea. Which is vaugely familiar of fairies in Gunnerkrigg Court.

Storing world specific power in specific objects is an interesting twist. I'm not sure how I feel about specific objects being required to enter specific worlds ... unless its somehow reproducible. Maybe any dragon that can make a key to any world it can visit, but such trades are both valuable and introduce competition into a world. Or maybe the objects have to be from the world in question, and the dragons need them brought back.

now I'm imagining a 50's era television sitting in middle of a dragon's hoard.

Originally Posted by starslayer

DOTU

DOTU (defenders opposing the unnatural), is a multidimensional religion/cult that focuses on establishing an maintaining the 'natural order of things'. There tenants are that humanoids should live lives with no stress, or hunger. They should feed there minds whenever possible with knowledge, learning, mathematics, and art. Emotions and thoughs should be laid bare, as should bodies- even things like armour, let alone clothing, should never be worn. Further they push that it is the nature of man to eat beast.

Generally this would result in problems, but where DOTU is accepted Illithids will show up and establish powerful psionic boosters which allow the naked and unarmed humanoids to easily protect themselves, adjust weather, and regulate temperature allowing them to exist comfortably. Further the psionic technology brought by the Illithids provides entertainment in the form of what are effectively Sensi devices.

There is a dark underside to this of course- to DOTU while it is natural that man eat beast, it is also natural that Illithid eats man. Priests and priestesses of DOTU are brought in on this secret early, but after a generation or two the locals won't challenge it, and even if they wanted to, with no weapons or armour beyond what the Illithids have provided they have no real way to prevent it. The Illithids will move in around that point, the humanoids subjugated cattle and breeding stock- the very architecture taking on the extradimensional qualities attributed to the psycic outsiders.

The humanoids continue to live peaceful pleasure and knowledge filled lives (at a nice 'full' brain both tastes better and provides more nourishment to the Illithids).

Once established in a given location the Illithids will spread to the rest of the planet, while simultaneously using it to branch to other worlds (there psionic world-jumping is not exactly limited by Quanta, but finds it easier to get to 'near' worlds- IE worlds similar to the one they are currently on; this is sometimes a strange transition)

I like it. It gives a nice otherworldly threat rather than the classic "Non-Euclidean Incomprehensible Thought Monsters". Part of me wants to go out and stat their capabilities as a civilization. This appears to be a TL 0+8^ society or something in that range, and those are always interesting from a tech point of view.

[Flyndaran]

Originally Posted by ericthered

...
I'm not sure where the inspiration for the idea came from. I'll have to remember your spirit world idea. Which is vaugely familiar of fairies in Gunnerkrigg Court.

Storing world specific power in specific objects is an interesting twist. I'm not sure how I feel about specific objects being required to enter specific worlds ... unless its somehow reproducible. Maybe any dragon that can make a key to any world it can visit, but such trades are both valuable and introduce competition into a world. Or maybe the objects have to be from the world in question, and the dragons need them brought back.

now I'm imagining a 50's era television sitting in middle of a dragon's hoard.
...

My GF reads that comic but I haven't.
That's why I was thinking mnemonic device rather than absolute necessity.
But maybe dragons trade spiritual "patterns" that they affix to some valuable object in their material world that in some metaphorical way matches.
They can wander the multiverse without a "map" learning new worlds, but it's dangerous, time consuming, or just otherwise something only a few adventurous dragons spend time doing much of.
Perhaps some trade with mortals for crosstime objects as a shortcut. Most dragons may consider it gauche or demeaning, but still profitable.

Dragon hoards often have strange inscrutable objects.

[Flyndaran]

Originally Posted by ericthered

...
I like it. It gives a nice otherworldly threat rather than the classic "Non-Euclidean Incomprehensible Thought Monsters". Part of me wants to go out and stat their capabilities as a civilization. This appears to be a TL 0+8^ society or something in that range, and those are always interesting from a tech point of view.

Now imagine the Illithid terrorists ala PETA etremists. They loudly yell for freedom for sapients while their methods seem to cause counter-productive suffering and societal collapse. Real movement or subtle operation to locate trouble makers and sow confusion?
How creepy would they find psychic humans? Would they be thought parrots mimicking their betters? Or horrifying nightmare-fuel like hearing a cow talk English?

[starslayer]

Originally Posted by Flyndaran

Now imagine the Illithid terrorists ala PETA etremists. They loudly yell for freedom for sapients while their methods seem to cause counter-productive suffering and societal collapse. Real movement or subtle operation to locate trouble makers and sow confusion?
How creepy would they find psychic humans? Would they be thought parrots mimicking their betters? Or horrifying nightmare-fuel like hearing a cow talk English?

Neither- Illithids breed parasitially/necromatically by inserting a 'dumb' 'larva' into the ear of a restrained host, the larva eats and integrates with the brain giving it the powerful psycic powers; what ultimately emerges is a fusion of the 'host' and the 'larva', not quite 100% of either- so the Illithids are completely on the ball with humans/humanoids having psycic powers (they 'activate' those powers during there fusion).

Having pre-psycic humanoids would either mean better 'breeding stock' for making new Illithids, or a tastier and more nutritious treat. If the psi powers seem to be genetic you can expect them to initiate measures to encourage the birth of more psycics.

I further envision that they do have some limited way to induce psycic powers in most humanoids, and do so for there chosen priests and priestesses in order to give some more 'legitimacy' to the religion (kind of a 'scientology that actually works'- if you simply give yourself over to DOTU, reject your unnatural actions completely, you too can be a perfect ten on the attractiveness scale and move things with your mind)