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Old 07-19-2022, 01:51 PM   #5931
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Ottoman -14

This Q6 Low Mana world diverges with the late 17th century siege of Vienna. Kamal Mustafa seems to have listened to practical military advice and planned the whole attack in a more disciplined way. The cities churches were all redetacated as mosques by September.

Although the Ottoman armies had declared Vienna "Red Apple"(the mythical city who's conquest would lead to the fall of all resistance to universal Islamic domination) all Europe fought harder. French, Dutch, and English, merchants kept dominating the Asian trade. Spain's navy rules the Mediterranean sea. Vienna itself is on the far edge of Ottoman power. The very collapse of the Habsburgs has forced Bavaria, Prussia, and Poland into a tight alliance.

The fugitive king of Austria has gone to live with his Spanish cousin. The sickly and feeble-minded Spanish King has taken a profound liking to his cousin's children and declared them his heirs. Thus taking from France, the only Ottoman ally in the West, a vast opportunity.

The local year is 1729. The Ottomans are now realizing that the European ships have totally displaced them in Asian waters. Between the Polish, Prussian, Swedish,Bavarian alliance to their North, and the Anglo-Spanish-Dutch alliance in the Atlantic neither the Ottomans not the French can do anything. However the French have proposed a workaround. Reopen the ancient canal that linked the bitter lakes to the Red Sea. The renewed trade for the Franco-Ottoman alliance will weaken all their foes.

Basically, a Swashbuckler/Arabian Nights crossover. Use Phil Masters Castle Falkenstein book on the Ottoman Empire, it's closer in date to the period we're dealing with.

Centrum wants to build up Britain in this world, but likes the Ottomans a lot. Check it out the Ottomans shared many values with Centrum. The Cabal wants to push a renewal of Persia. They especially want to prevent the disasters of the later 18th century. Homeline just wants to prevent either power from taking this parallel over.
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Old 07-20-2022, 05:26 PM   #5932
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Apocalypse

This Q5 Low Mana world is a major headache for Homeline. It diverged from Homeline history in the 1990s. A group of Swagmen managed to bribe the officer in charge of a stockpile of Soviet nukes during the chaos of the Soviet collapse.

A Cabalist warned Homeline about the bombs the Swagmen had sold to a group of terrorists that planned to sail a cargo ship with a nuke on it into New York harbor. New York was narrowly saved. Neither London or Berlin were so lucky.

To prevent reprisals, the Russians offered to hand the West all of their nukes. Two hundred are missing.

Basically, the PCs are searching across Eurasia for the stolen nukes. The locals don't want nukes in terrorist hands. Non-state actors desperately want nukes. Meanwhile, both Homeline and the Cabal want to stop the Swagmen from selling these bombs on Homeline.

The Swagmen want to collapse Homeline society so they can have a free hand in less technologically advanced parallels. They particularly want to set up human trafficking and slave states.

The Cabal doesn't want the Homeline/Centrum war to end with either of those two in charge of the multiverse or any large part of it. Plus slavers disgust them too.
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Old 07-22-2022, 07:29 PM   #5933
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Kaiser -5

The Kaiser worlds involve divergences caused by the German Imperial Family. Kaiser -5 involves outside influence. It seems that a Cabalist got into the German Imperial household as a doctor. He used his magic to cause a series of events that led to Kaiser Wilhelm II's mother giving birth when only the Cabalist, a fellow Cabalist who was a Nurse, and the Kaiser's father, were around.

The two of them were able to switch the infant kaiser with a different and healthier (especially mentally) baby. As both the parents of the future Kaiser Wilhelm vouched for the baby's identity the replacement was clinched. (The real Kaiser Wilhelm was handed over to another Cabalist who healed his arm and dropped him in an orphanage in another parallel's USA, were he grew up to be a cowboy star in Hollywood).

Decades later, the replacement Kaiser is a calm charming and steady figure. Although the local year is only 1895 it's obvious to outside observers that history is going to be massively changed. Interestingly enough, a calm and focused Kaiser is turning out to be a bigger problem for the British Empire than a flighty unfocused one ever was.

Basically, espionage in a secret magic and secret steampunk world. Both Homeline and Centrum want to know what the Cabal's plan is. That requires infiltrating the local Cabal fronts which blend occult plots with exotic pseudoscience. (And some surprise superscience as well).
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Old 07-22-2022, 10:58 PM   #5934
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As for Kaiser 5 that is a nice idea, but keep in mind that his mother would still be a negative influence to him, most of his childhood problems with the arm and the negative upbringing result from her.

The replacement would be healthier and fit for military service so this part would be a less pressing problem for his mental state, which is was for the original. But any fit ruler born in a society of this time with the military as the school of the nation, and longing for military fame will clash with GB sooner or later.

You had at this time 4 european powers in a fragile balance france and russia were loosing ground and the runner up germany was going to get stronger in military force and industry production not to mention pure mass of people than GB that was one big reason why germany building a battle worthy fleet was such a pain in the ass for GB.

Anyway if the cabalists can delay the clash a decade or so, a possible WWI would go the other way this time. Good advisors can avoid the diplomatic desaster of alienating everyone besides the aussies and being neighboured by emenys on all sides. Also very important germany was the leading scintific nation of this time, given som e years the Kaiserreich would have some really nasty weapons ahead of their time, for example something like a assault rifle was planned since the german french war, but germany couldnīt develop a good enough gun lock, a "advisor" will be helpful with this. Not to mention getting the Kaiser interested in flying vehicles instead of a battle fleet. German battle cruisers were very tough and enough to start a little colonial empire, no need for building dreadnoughts who were rising british alarm, some submarines as a secret weapon, taking care of them would be fine. The german industry was using this knowledge to produce goods of a unknown quality in very high numbers, so yes give the replacement a decade more befor it comes to war and some nations will be in for a nasty surprise.
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Old 07-23-2022, 06:05 AM   #5935
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Willy View Post
As for Kaiser 5 that is a nice idea, but keep in mind that his mother would still be a negative influence to him, most of his childhood problems with the arm and the negative upbringing result from her.

The replacement would be healthier and fit for military service so this part would be a less pressing problem for his mental state, which is was for the original. But any fit ruler born in a society of this time with the military as the school of the nation, and longing for military fame will clash with GB sooner or later.

You had at this time 4 european powers in a fragile balance france and russia were loosing ground and the runner up germany was going to get stronger in military force and industry production not to mention pure mass of people than GB that was one big reason why germany building a battle worthy fleet was such a pain in the ass for GB.

Anyway if the cabalists can delay the clash a decade or so, a possible WWI would go the other way this time. Good advisors can avoid the diplomatic desaster of alienating everyone besides the aussies and being neighboured by emenys on all sides. Also very important germany was the leading scintific nation of this time, given som e years the Kaiserreich would have some really nasty weapons ahead of their time, for example something like a assault rifle was planned since the german french war, but germany couldnīt develop a good enough gun lock, a "advisor" will be helpful with this. Not to mention getting the Kaiser interested in flying vehicles instead of a battle fleet. German battle cruisers were very tough and enough to start a little colonial empire, no need for building dreadnoughts who were rising british alarm, some submarines as a secret weapon, taking care of them would be fine. The german industry was using this knowledge to produce goods of a unknown quality in very high numbers, so yes give the replacement a decade more befor it comes to war and some nations will be in for a nasty surprise.
I did point out a calm and focused Kaiser was more of a problem for the British Empire than the flighty unfocused one. The Kaiser seemed like he had ADHD. His foreign policy flitted from one idea to the next before any policy could really get going. A calm and focused Kaiser might gain his objectives.
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Old 07-28-2022, 04:21 PM   #5936
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Gordon

Gordon is a Myth parallel, but not a perfect copy.The Planet Mongo entered Earth's solar system in the year 1929. It seems to have caused reality quakes. Mars is how habitable if rather strange. And some things on Earth are clearly changed too. For example Atlantis is now real and in contact with both the USA and the UK.

The reason that reality quakes are known to have happened is that there is plenty of evidence for the reality quakes. Records and a good deal of other evidence supports bizarre random changes once Mongo entered the solar system.

The local year is 1942. All planetary governments are seeking new technology. Hitler, Stalin, and Tojo, are pulling out all the stops to gain the secrets of Professor Zarkof's rockets. Ming is in Germany allied with the Nazis (but carefully looking to see if he can take Hitler's place). Prince Vultan has given the Americans an ancient device that changed ordinary humans into Hawkmen like him and his people.

Meanwhile, Azura, Queen of Magic is working to charm Winston Churchill. Teaching British agents sorcery. Churchill is stringing her along for now, but worries he might fall under her spell.

The tech level is in transition. Earth is moving to TL7 Mongo and Mars are bringing in a fair amount of TL6+2^ and TL6+3^ technology. Strange mixtures of tech weirdness abound. Meanwhile the Mana level is going up and down unpredictability.

Note: Mongo is in Earth's orbital path but on the opposite side of the sun. This shouldn't be stable in a universe with normal physics. It's presumed that this stable orbit is also a reality quake effect.

Basically, and over the top Pulp Action WWII, with mega orders of weird. Pull out Weird War II and use anything that has an ancient aliens meets pulp flavor. PCs should be two-fisted action types, tough-talking dames, and Mad Scientist (heroic division) and Mad Wizards ( also heroic).

Alternate campaign. Prince Baron and Princess Aura have asked for agricultural aid. Farming on Mongo is at TL2. Dale Arden has organized groups of farm families from the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the UK, and Ireland, to teach the farmers of Mongo better techniques.

This is full of problems. First, the peasants are terrified of people from another world. The preists of Mongo's gods don't like the followers of foreign gods talking to the peasants. Third, many people fear the changes that vastly more abundant food will bring.

The PCs will be a group of allied soldiers trying to protect the farmers from the dangers of Mongo.
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Old 07-31-2022, 12:58 PM   #5937
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This restricted top secret Q5 parallel is undergoing reality quakes. Sections of the planet have been tossed backwards in time and seemingly to times that never existed. As close as a team of Homeline and Cabal operatives (a forced marriage of convenience, maintained by mutual terror of the crisis) can figure out. Someone tried to wipe out late 1980s America. This backfired weirdly. North America is the only place that doesn't get reality quakes!

Japan seems to have been bounced back to 1729. Along with Korea. China is split between a South China in the early 1930s and a North China in the later Ming period. India is in the 1870s. Southeast Asia is a complex patchwork of separate time periods from the mid 1930s to the 1250s. Australia, New Zealand, most of Oceania, including Hawaii are in the early 1950s.

Europe and the Near East are weirder. They're in pasts that never were in this parallel. A steampunk (TL5+2) French Empire controls most of Western Continental Europe A Czarist Russia ruled by a vampiric Ivan the Terrible at war with a mystically powerful Poland-Lithuania and their ally Hungary, which are constantly on the brink of civil war between pagans and Christians, control much of Central and Eastern Europe. A TL4 Roman Empire rules the Mediterranean basin and is at constant war with a Persian Empire. Both societies use magic. Morocco is independent and has rich resources of magic and a TL of six. The British Isles are ruled by King Arthur. The place seems like T.H.White, Mark Twain,
Mallory, and the Vulgate Cycle (a standard French Medieval collection of semi related Arthurian romances) were mixed together randomly.

Sub Saharan Africa seems like pulp fiction rewritten by someone who knew African history and was still obsessed with pulp action adventure. South America is like a mixture of Jules Verne, H.G. Wells, and magical realism, with added melodrama.

The whole planet is Normal Mana. Strange pragmaclasps from higher tech realities are found at the borders of different zones of altered reality.

Basically, the PCs are trying to find out what happened and hopefully how to stop it. Searching for answers in twisted realities.
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Old 08-03-2022, 08:06 PM   #5938
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Brahmin-1

Brahmin worlds are parallels were India's history was the major change point. In this Q6 parallel a Brahmin (The Good Teacher, no other name known) started a religious reform movement in the eighth century of the common era. The main change was very narrow. Instead of restricting non Brahmins from learning to read, the norm in pre-Islamic conquest India, the Good Teacher demanded that everyone possible should learn to read.

Now in Homeline history, there is only one area in India were the Brahmins encouraged literacy. That district is known as the least corrupt and most efficient area in India. In Brahmin-1 India is known for efficiency and freedom from corruption. The Moguls still conquered India and Britain still conquered them. But from 1947 on India has gone from strength to strength. By the 1980s (the present in this world) India is as developed as Japan.

Although India is rich, well governed, and stable, it is still India. The Cold War annoys India. The distaste for America, that was typical of the leaders of the Congress Party at the time of independence, which they picked up from their British educations, has been passed down to the present day elites of India. They tend to preach constantly at America. The Indian elites see America pretty much as reactionary British Lords of Queen Victoria's day did, as an ignorant hooligan. More importantly India has more clout in this world and can challenge America for its leadership role.

This is causing a fair bit of disgust in the USA. From the late 1940s on the USA, as in most parallels that had both the World Wars and the Cold War, has garrenteed the freedom of the seas. In this parallel, the idea of keeping the seas open for an India that bullies the USA and a Europe that sneers cheaply at America, takes their defense aid and then supports India all the way, is beginning to be seen as a foolish task.

Meanwhile, an out timer has been in this parallel. Disguised as a young woman, the out time alien had introduced high efficiency low waste production Thorium energy generation into the USA in the 1970s. President Carder jumped on it. When Three mile island happened, Thorium replaced other forms of nuclear power. America in this world's 1986 is moving towards energy independence at high speed manufacturing small clean and efficient thorium generators.

As the need for oil lessens the commitment to preserving world trade does as well. This is leading to a crisis. India, Japan, and Europe, need America to preserve the Freedom of the Seas. If they cause America to become isolationist, their economies will collapse, as will those of Russia and China. War would soon follow.

Basically, several nations need another nation to preserve their independence. They've undermined the alliance they had and the political cultures of their nations aren't able to give up treating the nation they need like an enemy. Thus they need to achieve a very difficult diplomatic project.

Centrum has been working on gaining influence in this parallel's Britain and her Commonwealth. If America goes isolationist all their plans are ruined. Homeline is mainly interested in keeping Centrum's influence limited. The Cabal is working to promote American isolationism. An economic collapse in Europe, Japan, and India, would put many desirable properties and items on the market.
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Old 08-10-2022, 01:06 PM   #5939
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Le Emperor

In this Q6 Low Mana parallel Otto von Bismarck had a fatal riding accident early in 1870. The Franco-Prussian war was averted. The infighting in the Prussian Foreign Ministry paralyzed Prussian diplomacy. Meanwhile, Louis Napoleon simply focused on running France. Napoleon III wasn't a great ruler, or a very good one, but luck is luck. French prestige is high, the South German states help maintain a balance between France and Prussia.

Eighteen years of stable rule later and Wilhelm II has come to the throne. Homeline France is disgusted. The Kaiser will want to finish uniting Germany. This means a Franco-Prussian war and the two World Wars, plus decades of American domination.

Homeline France will not allow this. Meanwhile, Centrum is looking forward to a Franco-Prussian war to trim France's feathers and planned to make sure both powers get knocked down in the rankings. Having Homeline France mess things up wasn't in the plan. Meanwhile, Homeline is afraid that France might both endanger the secret and give Second Empire France too much advanced technology.

Basically, a spy fight with uncertain sides
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Old 08-10-2022, 03:22 PM   #5940
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As the need for oil lessens the commitment to preserving world trade does as well. This is leading to a crisis. India, Japan, and Europe, need America to preserve the Freedom of the Seas.
What is the threat to it? America likes to pretend it's the World Policeman, but it's rarely clear what the threats they are opposing are - when it is, America usually isn't doing a very good job of policing them.... You've set up a situation where pretty much everybody significant seems to have similar interests, so what is the threat that India, Europe, Japan, China and Russia couldn't crush without American help if they needed to?
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