New Reality Seeds

[Astromancer]

Heads up Monsieur Z has done a series of YouTube shorts that deal with alternate presidents of the USA. These run from Alexander Hamilton right up to contemporary figures, including Boris Johnson! He cites the platforms and political histories of each figure he discusses. It's a gold mine for quick alternate histories.

Note: Boris Johnson was born in the USA. Although it is wildly unlikely, it is just within possibility for B.J. to be the first man to be both a British PM and an American president.

Possible, but massively improbable.

[mburr0003]

Originally Posted by Astromancer

Note: Boris Johnson was born in the USA. Although it is wildly unlikely, it is just within possibility for B.J. to be the first man to be both a British PM and an American president.

Possible, but massively improbable.

That would be both interesting and massively funny to me.

[Astromancer]

Originally Posted by mburr0003

That would be both interesting and massively funny to me.

For me, add nightmarish. But people generally tend to prefer other people's politicians staying in their own baileywick.

[mburr0003]

Originally Posted by Astromancer

For me, add nightmarish. But people generally tend to prefer other people's politicians staying in their own baileywick.

Personally I'm ready for some laughs to go with all the tears.

[Kymage]

Infinity originally thought this timeline, currently designated Marilyn-1, was an echo timeline set in 1947. It was only a couple of weeks after its discovery when Infinity came across an article talking about Marilyn Monroe and her debut in the smash hit movie “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”, that Infinity realized something was up.

Infinity withdrew its personnel and did a closer examination of the timeline. It appears that certain technological/political/social trends have been accelerated beyond where they were in Homeline's History:

1 Aerospace is more advanced with jet engines and rocketry more advanced. There is already talk of sending satellites and/or a man into space before the end of the decade.

2 Science Fiction and Pop culture is more widespread and accepted. Early versions of some science-fiction franchises seem to be appearing. Orson Welles is preparing to release a Batman Movie. There are more science fiction stories about space flight in more mainstream publications.

3 Civil Rights seems to be moving quicker. There is talk of a Civil Rights Bill from Congress. During World War Two there were more instances of integration, including more combat experience for minorities.

4 Several Nazi and Japanese War Criminals who escaped Justice at the end of the War in Homeline's history have been captured in this timeline. Eichmann is sitting in the docket at Nuremberg with the other Leading Nazis. In Asia, Japanese scientists who worked in Unit 731 have been taken into custody and are awaiting trial after their crimes were revealed to the world.

5 The Republicans who have just taken control of Congress seem to be more libertarian and/or socially progressive in nature than in Homeline’s history for that time period.

Infinity thinks a world-jumper appeared at some point and is making changes. Based on what he/she is doing, they’re guessing it was a science-fiction fan/libertarian from the early 2000s. Infinity isn’t to upset yet. Centrum is aware of the timeline, but unsure how to take advantage. They like the idea of the west having a leg up on the rest of the world, but they are unsure as to the cultural aspects of what is going on. Reich-5 is unaware of the timeline. No one knows if the Cabal is aware of the timeline.

The Players are researchers and field agents from Infinity Inc trying to trace back the changes to find the world jumper and see if he/she is still active. Also they're to find out how the world jumper was able to do so much in the time he/she had. In the alternate, the players are agents of private collectors on Homeline trying to gain cultural items of interest. The bootleg Blu ray copies of the Buffy movie are very popular.

[Astromancer]

King Fred

In most parallels were the House of Hanover rules England George II son dies young and George III , George II's grandson, is his successor. Not in this parallel.

When his father died Frederick became king. An enthusiastic king. King Fred liked England rather more than Hanover and had always been as involved in politics as he was allowed to be. In the past this was a matter of opposing his father now it became a way of doing his duty.

King Fred started a serious study of politics and history. This led him to take to working to improve Britain's diplomatic core. He stuck to the preference for a strong navy but build friendly relationships with nations that had strong armies, in order to have the right kind of partners.

King Fred prefered peace ("peace is profit, war is more than merely loss"). This didn't preclude the realization that the other powers prefered war for their own reasons. King Fred saw that French and Spanish ambitions in North America meant that they could never long permit the American colonies peace. So Frederick both built practical infrastructure improvements in the American colonies, to speed their growth and make them more defensible, and worked to get more immigrants to the colonies. The growth and prosperity this brought to the colonies made King Fred very popular in America.

In England, King Fred's "peace and profit" policy was highly popular in and of itself. His decision to have more peace in his family by keeping his son George busy also led to greater popularity. Knowing that his son George was fascinated by agriculture, King Fred assigned George to set up and manage institutions to study and improve cultivation. And also to convince farmers to try the ideas. George turned out to be skilled at managing research institutions.

By the 1770s this parallel's Britain is richer and calmer than Homeline's. The American colonies have about 30% higher population and about a 40% larger economy. Centrum is worried that this Britain might not feel a need for empire. Centrum has decided to stir up trouble. Meanwhile, Homeline is importing cheeses from the American colonies. Prince George decided that cheese production would lead to improved profits for the colonies, cheese lasts milk soils, so send then cheese makers! This America has nearly as many local cheeses as France!

Basically, a Homeline versus Centrum fight with Centrum trying to make Britain worse.

[TGLS]

Originally Posted by Astromancer

The American colonies have about 30% higher population and about a 40% larger economy. Centrum is worried that this Britain might not feel a need for empire.

And with less war, presumably lower taxes. Centrum seems to be panicking about nothing.

[Astromancer]

Originally Posted by TGLS

And with less war, presumably lower taxes. Centrum seems to be panicking about nothing.

Nothing by our standards, they want an Imperial Britain to conquer the world. Britain turning away from empire towards prosperity and peace doesn't meet their perceived needs.

[TGLS]

Originally Posted by Astromancer

Nothing by our standards, they want an Imperial Britain to conquer the world. Britain turning away from empire towards prosperity and peace doesn't meet their perceived needs.

I wouldn't be so sure about that. Seven Years War is basically inevitable; British and French tensions in North America were going to lead to a conflagration. Clive was going to make a play to eject the French from India. Britain winning? Maybe not (though that means France wins and because Centrum is Franco-English, that's OK too!). Manifest Destiny will still be a thing, though probably not ideologically. The desire to spread across the continent will become a problem for a less expansionist Britain. If Clive wins in India, the EIC will spread across the continent unless Britain shoots Clive and gives the territory back. I don't see Britain getting in the way of these things, particularly if Britain is friendlier with the American colonies.

[Astromancer]

Bonar Law

Bonar Law was a Tory party leader back before WWI. In Homeline's history he was a constant nuisance to the British establishment. In this Q6 Low Mana parallel his antics have led to a revolt by the Ulster Protestants against the threat of Home Rule.

The German government is trying to keep things stirred up. They think it will keep France quiet if their new British ally can't spare any troops or ships to help them. However, it is 1914. The Archduke has been shot and the dominoes are falling.

The Cabal wants this Irish civil war stopped now. The Celtic magics in this parallel are fascinatingly distinctive. Anything that threatens their discovering new secrets of the Fay is intolerable. Meanwhile, Centrum, unaware of the Cabal's activities, has been killing off folks like Hitler and Stalin before they become a problem. This has led them into a fight with Homeline's India. They don't mind if you kill Hitler, they don't want Ghandi touched.

The Icops simply want peace.