New Reality Seeds

[Astromancer]

Originally Posted by tshiggins

Oh, I think that overstates matters by so much that it's no longer a useful description.

I work at a firm with lots of high-end business-types. They laugh, and have friends and people they love, and even charities and causes they care about.

However, they also clearly view the vast majority of people as "others" they don't love, and don't count as friends and companions, and have nothing in common with because those "others" don't care about the same things as them.

Those "others" exist primarily as means and opportunity to make money.

Now, most of the guys who work, there, are smart enough to realize that treating people decently is the smart, long-term strategy (this is an investment firm, after all), but it is most definitely just a strategy. If they don't know you, and you don't support their causes, or provide an opportunity for them to make money, then they mostly just don't care what happens to you.

The bigger picture is only something that interests them, to the extent it affects them, financially. In that way, they don't really differ all that much from most people.

However, it also means that the term "business ethics" is, for the most part, an oxymoron in the same league as "Microsoft Works" or "Creation science."

People with sociopathic tendencies raised among normal people learning what it takes to get along and thrive, would be like your businessmen. Pure sociopaths, raised among sociopaths, with no idea of any other life being available, would be very different.

Oh, thanks for an insightful post.

[Flyndaran]

Originally Posted by Astromancer

All of which would be logical side effects of being raised among sociopaths. How else would you survive? In our world sociopaths learn charm because it's how they can best survive. A sociopath among sociopaths would only learn how to wound and scare.

That makes more sense. Having weak empathy myself, I know that I would have turned into a very nasty adult if I hadn't been raised by two very compassionate patient parents. Even average parents wouldn't have been enough to make me as nice as I am.

[Astromancer]

A few more notes on Azoth-8.

Energy prices are lower than in our world's 1960's, medical treatments are also cheaper and would be so even in a strictly capitalist market. People live longer, they're benefiting from TL7+5 medical treatments. many people who died in our history lived longer or are still alive. Karloff is going to guest-Star on a 4th season episode of STAR TREK. Carl Jung just recently collaborated with Tolkien on a study of the Norse myths.

This world is much richer for simple, logical, non-sueish, reasons. Education in the USA has been much more stressed than in our history. After all there was a "Space Race from 1945 on to the present (i.e. 1970). Cheap energy makes everything else easier.

Note: Americans are culturally different in this world and likely to stay that way. There is nothing like Vietnam in the future, no oil shocks either, nuclear war never was a dominant fear on this world. Relatively easy access to Space made fears of human extinction seem unlikely. High prosperity and a cultural belief in the ability of humanity to make a better tomorrow makes for a much more idealistic and optimistic worldview. The Americans of Azoth-8 then to combine the cando spirit of the American pioneers with the generosity of the flower children.

Europe, having experienced the horrors of WWII in their homes in living memory, and the memories of people who haven't retired yet and were adults during the war, is more cynical. They often make fun of the Americans, their intellectuals sneer at America, but the wide frontiers of Outer Space give this Europe a transformative hope for a brighter future for all.

[Prince Charon]

I wonder if perhaps Azoth-8 deserves its own thread, now.

[VulpesFulva]

I second a thread just for Azoth-8

[PTTG]

Jötunn series worlds:

In Jötunn-1, a number of un-aging, extremely tough demi-humans appeared around 800 CE. It is unclear whether these figures are unusual human beings or extra-dimensional invaders, but they definitely aren't magical; so far, all Jötunn worlds have no mana. Psionics also seem dead, and they don't seem to have advanced technology.

Within decades, most of the 40-odd immortals had achieved great power in the major empires of the time, including several in various Norse clans and kingdoms. The Vikings dubbed them "Jötunn," and the term was since adopted by Homeline. It appears almost totally impossible for mere mortals to kill a Jötunn, as they usually have centuries of combat experience, extreme strength and resiliency, and enough wealth and political power to surround themselves with loyal servants and guards. After centuries, the regular human beings tend to think of them as all but gods.

As of the current date of 1280, the Vikings have driven south and, in fact, moved entire populations into conquered Western European settlements as the winters turn bitter. However, the Frankish and Spanish are resisting and have their own Jötunn, so the Norse Jötunn are considering other options, such as the potential of warmer climes in Southern Vinland...


Jotun-2 saw the rise of the immortals around 50 CE. 25 of them arrived. The Jötunn claimed to be Roman (and other) gods and indeed took up their names. Christianity was suppressed in the revival of Roman beliefs. It is now 520 CE and the Divine Roman Empire controls Europe, northern Africa, and the Indian subcontinent. The 16 remaining Jötunn play godly politics, manipulate a carefully picked Senate, and occasionally join battle with their soldiers. 470 years of combat practice and near-indestructability make for a formidable force on the battlefield.


Jotun-3 was enriched with about 100 Jötunn around 10,000 BCE. Only five remain in the present-day 3026 BCE. 7000 years of bloody history have shaped a distant parallel where five globe-spanning TL-2 empires brutally savage the earth. Each Jötunn has either gone insane or has built a cult of personality so intense it's hard to distinguish fact from legend.


Jotun-4's first Jötunn appeared in 1900 when a small Kansas boy demonstrated freakish strength and indestructibility before his adoptive parent's eyes. A dozen other "supermen" have appeared. It's now 1938, and Jötunn have reached positions of power throughout the world; diplomats, generals, presidents, and chairmen. A new war is brewing, and strange new warriors prepare to fight it.


Jotun-5 was originally a near-parallel with a number of unusual additional legends not recorded on homeline. It eventually transpired that one Jötunn arrived in 890 BCE India and quietly traveled the world righting wrongs. Current year 1998; the Jötunn started publishing an autobiography eight years ago, releasing one portion every year. The first volume describes his first century, from his discovery at a temple to his first centennial. At first a work of bestselling "fiction," some people are starting to wonder. The author remains anonymous behind a pen name and careful dead-drop deliveries to his agent; Homeline would love to speak to him and do some tests on what may be the most friendly immortal around...

Jötunn Traits:
All Jötunn everywhere seem unusually similar in basic power set. Their origin is unknown; even in Jötunn-4, the best we know is that children showed up in baskets on doorsteps. On Jötunn-2, it seems like they arrived with a coordinated plan; Jötunn-3 seems anything but.
Note that Jötunn are fertile with regular humans, but any offspring are mortal. Only the child of two Jötunn is immortal.
All features of the Jötunn template come with (Cosmic: Jötunn Powers. [+50]). Overcoming this requires abilities such as those of a demideity, although a Jötunn would be insulted by the comparison and an actual demigod would think them impertinent.

ST +15 [150]
DX +5 [100]
HT +15 [150]
Per +5 [50]
Taboo Trait: Lower-than-Average Appearance.
Damage Resistance 5 (Force Field [+20%], Doesn't provide touch protection [-2%], Subtle [+4], Does not include injuries dealt in single combat by Jötunn [-5%]) [29]
Doesn't Eat or Drink [10]
Doesn't Breath [20]
Indomitable [15]
Regeneration (Regular, Does not include injuries dealt by Jötunn in single combat [-5%]) [24]
Regrowth (Does not include injuries dealt by Jötunn in single combat [-5%]) [38]
Resistant (Metabolic Hazards, +8) [15]
Supernatural Durability (Vulnerability: Attacks dealt by Jötunn in single combat. Cosmic: Rare vulnerability, +25%) [188]
Unaging(Feature: Activates at adulthood [0]) [15]
Megalomania [-10]
Intolerance (Jötunn that do not accept me as their superior) [-5]

The overall value of the template is 789 * 150%, or [1184]. Keep in mind that almost all Jötunn have at least 100 years of "on-the-job training," worth at least 260 points for an unambitious Jötunn who simply learns by experience. Many have much more experience and training, worth at least 500 or more character points in skills of multiple TLs.

~Not sure about the Supernatural Durability. On balance I like it, but Unkillable I may be a lighter approach... and there are other ways. Also, Metabolic Hazards is kind of cheap... I want them to be broadly resistant to the weaknesses of human beings while still technically being able to suffer them; they are effectively gods, after all. And it is possible to kill them, even if you aren't personally a Jötunn. It's just practically impossible.

[Astromancer]

If Azoth-8 should be it's own timeline, how do I take all the posts about Azoth-8 and transport them to a new thread?

[Prince Charon]

Originally Posted by Astromancer

If Azoth-8 should be it's own timeline, how do I take all the posts about Azoth-8 and transport them to a new thread?

Assuming your ban is temporary (wasn't expecting Astromancer to get banned, not sure what he did), I'm pretty sure the only ways are to ask a mod to do it, or manually copy and paste them.

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by Prince Charon

Assuming your ban is temporary (wasn't expecting Astromancer to get banned, not sure what he did), I'm pretty sure the only ways are to ask a mod to do it, or manually copy and paste them.

Details on bans can be found in the 'banned' users thread in one of the administration forums. His ban is for two weeks.

Which means I'll need to submit some more worlds to make up for his temporary silence...

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by PTTG

Jötunn Traits:


~Not sure about the Supernatural Durability. On balance I like it, but Unkillable I may be a lighter approach... and there are other ways. Also, Metabolic Hazards is kind of cheap... I want them to be broadly resistant to the weaknesses of human beings while still technically being able to suffer them; they are effectively gods, after all. And it is possible to kill them, even if you aren't personally a Jötunn. It's just practically impossible.

The thing I'm noticing about Jotunn is that they aren't so much invulnerable as they are hard to keep down permanently. You can pretty much take one out by dumping them a fire that will burn permanently or encasing them in lead. Hard, but very much within mortal ability.

On the other hand, HT 25? HT 25! what do they USE all that HT for?