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Old 12-14-2013, 11:55 PM   #1
nothri
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Default New Reality Seeds

Hi guys. One of my favorite sections of the old Alternate Earths sourcebook(s) was the little blurb about additional reality seeds (e.g.- little points in history that have potential for significant divergence, some of which were later fleshed out into full fledged worldlines). I have a few ideas of my own in this area, all of which I eventually hope to write up into chapter length alternate worlds in the style of the original sourcebooks and such supplements as Britannica-6. In the meantime, I thought I'd try to share them as Reality Seeds, and hopefully kickstart a thread in which you guys share your own ideas about what worlds Infinity might encounter out there in the setting.

Washington DC, 1800 AD: Aaron Burr is mostly remembered as the man who killed Alexander Hamilton and to a lesser extent for plotting an (allegedly) treasonous adventure in the Western frontier. Fewer people know he came a hair's breadth away from being elected president over Thomas Jefferson in 1800 AD. Such an ambitious man given the reigns of power will have profound effects on the US, as will the survival of Hamilton. A more ardent ally might give Napoleon the edge he needs to triumph at Tralafagar, perhaps eventually overwhelming the British and installing his own regime in England complete with the puppet Prime Minister Lord Byron. In such a case Burr would have free reign to conqueror British Canada and Spanish Mexico (on the verge of their own revolution). On the flip side the writings of Alexander Hamilton originally founded the Federalist Party, and might be able to preserve it if he lives past 1804. Given the vagaries of that party, westward expansion might be curtailed or at least prolonged for many more decades than in our world.

Konstanz, 1415 AD: The pivotal Council of Constance had several important impacts on our history, from ending the Catholic Schism to the election of Sigismund as Holy Roman Emperor to the execution of Jan Huss and the resultant decades of bloody Hussite Wars. Should that Council fail, the effect would be a continuing erosion of Papal authority and survival of a major proto-Protestant martyr. Such a scenario could be used to strengthen the marginal cause of Conciliarism, a movement growing within the Catholic Church aimed at placing the authority of the Ecumenical Council over the power of the Pope...in essence making Catholicism more like Orthodox Christianity. Such a system might make the Catholic Schism and the multitude of popal claimants irrelevant, and may even allow for a reunion and fusion between Catholics and Eastern Orthodoxy. If the Hussites Wars never occur, Germany might possess the manpower to answer the calls for crusade from the doomed Byzantine Empire. On the other hand, if Jan Huss reconciles with the church, the cause of the Protestants might come early to history or be doomed forever.

Thebes, 1361 BC: Prince Thutmose of Egypt had been groomed to assume the throne of Pharaoh all his life. His sudden death shifted the throne to his inexperienced brother, the man soon to call himself Akhenaten, a reign remembered for his aggressive promotion of monotheistic Atenism and by the loss of power for the nascent Egyptian Empire in their conquests to the east. Should Thutmose survive to the throne of Egypt, he would most likely have continued the work of his father and grandfather in defending Egypt's ally the Mitanni and perhaps even conquering the rising power of the Hittites in the name of the Two Lands. His brother would be free to compose praises for the Aten and dream of his sun god to his heart's content, providing the ground work the fledgling cult would need to stand up against the powerful rival cults of Egypt such as Amun-Ra. His son Tutankamun (Tutankaten in this world) might be raised with both the military genius of Thutmose and the religious devotion of his father. Used correctly, Atenism could be the glue that binds Egypt more closely to the territories it has conquered, consolidating power and Egyptianizing the locals after the fashion of the Nubians. A more powerful Egyptian Empire can weather the attacks of the Sea Peoples and the Bronze Age collapse, making it the dominant power in an era known for the fall of classical civilizations across the Western World. Should Egypt annex some of these cultures while they are still so vulnerable it might be Egypt rather than Alexander's Hellenism that the world looks to as a model of for future civilizations. Atenism can then work as a kind of displacement for monotheism, serving perhaps to unite the German tribes (as Christianity did) or the Arabian tribes (as Islam did) into a new Dynasty or successor state that allows the Pharaohs to survive into the modern age.

Rebellion of the Seven States, 154 BC: Many have speculated that an ancient divided Chinese Empire could follow the path of Western History and form independent states that compete and colonize as the centuries mount. Perhaps the last chance for this to be truly feasible is in 154 BC, when the princes of the Chinese states rebelled against Han rule. Had the northern tribes of the Xiongnu honored their word and provided their own forces for the battles, the princes might have been able to assert their own control over the emperor. Such a happening could see a return to the Spring and Autumn period in terms of philosophy and technical growth, with the political system of China resembling more the loosely defined kingdoms of the Holy Roman Empire ostensibly governed by a single Emperor but largely independent of one another. This could be played as an acceleration of technology and science, perhaps with a revival of Mohist thought as the catalyst. For instance, gunpowder might be discovered in the next decade (the scholar Wei Boyang did find a formula for black powder around this time, but apparently never realized the full implications of the mixture...it would be hundreds more years before the alchemy was found again). In the West, a united Xiongnu might cause the Huns to rise earlier, or never to form at all. Either way such an event probably won't save Rome or prevent the migrations of tribes to the West, but it WILL have a dramatic impact on migration patterns and exactly when and how Rome will collapse. Back to China, the immediate successor to the (now weakened) position of Emperor will be Wu, one of the most interesting and long lived figures in contemporary Chinese History. His interest in the legendary western island of the immortals might see the conquest of Taiwan or Japan, especially if his military ambitions are blunted in other directions by the victorious Hegemonies. Such an interest in Western exploration, combined with decades to indulge himself, could lead to an early discovery of the Americas. An exchange of goods and ideas with the empires of the Maya and Olmecs could have unimaginable results for history.

Constantinople, 787 AD: Speaking of displaced geopolitics, the idea of using Chinese history to preserve the life of Rome was used to great effect in the Roma Aterna setting. But that was not the only great empire that might have been preserved under such a model. In 781 the daughter of Charlemagne was engaged to be married to Constantine VI, heir to the throne of the Byzantine Empire. Had his mother not broken off the engagement in 787 AD for her own political purposes, they would have united the immense territories of the Carolingian Empire to the throne of the Eastern Roman Empire. Byzantine models of society, architecture and engineering (including the all important building of roads!) might have bound the untamed wilds of Germany more tightly together, making it feasible to keep the continent united long enough to become a single massive nation-state.

The Hague, 1650 AD: Considered the height of the Dutch Republic's power and influence, the Stadtholderless period was nonetheless marked by major wars with Britain and France, the ultimate result of which was the loss of world power status for the Netherlands. The First Anglo-Dutch war came about when efforts by Lord Protector Cromwell to unite the republics with his nascent commonwealth were rebuffed by the Hague. Had the Orangists been more aggressive in protecting the position of future Stadtholder William III (at the time a new born), the region would have likely fallen to civil war. Cromwell might have then invaded the Netherlands and entered Holland as a liberator and a hero, receiving a more receptive audience to his talk of unification. Had he secured the Dutch as part of the Commonwealth, Cromwell's next order of business was the conquest of Hispanola and then the rest of the Spanish holdings in America. A united British-Dutch fleet would have made short work of the Spain's faltering defenses. The reforms that followed the death of William the second could be delayed in this timeline until the death of Cromwell, preventing the chaos that followed the collapse of the Commonwealth and allowing England, Scotland and Ireland to be integrated and organized into their own republics as part of the Dutch system. The inevitable clash between the Anglo-Dutch Empire and France could be delayed if Louis can be convinced to seek expansion in Egypt (as certain diplomats attempted to do in our history), perhaps leading to a conquest of the Ottomans and even the French Crown converting to Islam? Given a freerier hand in colonial affairs, the combined English/Dutch East India Trading Company could become a power unto itself, perhaps eventually grabbing power as a corporate state during the turbulent outbreak of republicanism due to come in the next century.

Those are the concepts I am currently working on. Feel free to ask me questions or share your own ideas. I'd love to know what people think so far!

Last edited by nothri; 12-15-2013 at 10:34 AM.
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Old 12-15-2013, 12:53 AM   #2
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I absolutely adored those little blurbs. Weren't there some in Who's Who also? I think your first two are very interesting, but now I'd better get back to preparing today's game instead of reading cool long forum posts ^^; Hopefully, there'll be more in the evening. If not, I'll see if I can't add a few.
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Old 12-15-2013, 10:37 AM   #3
nothri
 
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There are indeed a lot of good ideas in Who's Who. I was inspired in part by some of the information found in those volumes as well as timelines and some of the other GURPS supplements. I do like to think I've expanded enough on the concepts to be useful and unique all on my own, however :) I'll let ya'll be the judge.

Anyone else have worlds to share?
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Old 12-15-2013, 12:25 PM   #4
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Okay, back for more. I really like your ideas one to four, but think the last two are a bit too fantastic.

Constantinople, 787 AD doesn't work for me, because I think that Charlemagne's Empire was basically doomed to fail without his extraordinary personality and the web of leaders loyal to him as a person. There were just too many disparate entities in one empire for it to be stable. The eventual outcome might differ, but I really think nobody could keep Aquitanians and Saxons in the same empire and keep the borders safe against Iberian muslims, Viking raiders, Hungarians and so on. Having a greek foreigner at the head wouldn't help. Even with the power of the Roman Empire, which was hard pressed by the Arabs, to back him up, the infrastructure just wasn't there to maintain it.

The Hague, 1650 AD seems a bit too optimistic as far Cromwell's success and French inaction is concerned. A Netherlands close to England wasn't quite as dangerous to France as the opposite, but it can be safely assumed that the French would be tempted to stir up trouble and look for allies. Spain wasn't quite the mess at the time it was after Charles II's reign also. Not to mention that there was considerable European interest in restoring the monarchy in England.

I'm not saying a band of plucky heroes or ISWAT members couldn't swing those the way you describe them, but they are just a tad too unlikely for me as a campaign backdrop.

Rebellion of the Seven States, 154 BC is very interesting and seems to combine some of the ideas from Lebow's Unmaking the West, which is a very fascinating book if you look at things from a historian's (and not a novelist's or a GM's) perspective. But I really don't know that much about ancient Chinese history to comment, but good stuff nevertheless.

But you asked for more historical vignettes, not detailed criticism, so I give you two rough sketches.

Berlin/Jerusalem 1916: The German and Ottoman Empires are hard-pressed to hold the line against the Entente Powers. To pre-empt a British attempt to garner Jewish support (what happened in OTL with the Balfour Declaration) German diplomats convince the German and Ottoman governments including a reluctant Wilhelm II (who didn't care for his Jewish subjects very much, but didn't mind Zionism as an easy way to be rid of them) to sponsor a "National home for the Jewish in Palestine". While the leading Zionists in the Entente Powers wisely decline to comment on this development, it earns much interest in Germany, Austria-Hungary and occupied Russian territory. It also turns Jewish opinion in the US in favour of Germany. This combined with the wise decision not to resume unrestricted submarine warfare kept the Americans out of the war (but still friendly to the Entente). The eventual German collapse is just as complete as in OTL, but when the British Empire reluctantly takes up the Zionist cause afterwards the Germans still get all the praise for taking the first step. With Jewish charities in America setting up donations to help starving German children and invalids, anti-semitism has much less appeal in the immediate post-war situation and leads to a minor Austrian corporal in German service to return in disgust to his Austrian native soil. Anti-semitism still plays some role in German politics, but it doesn't form an important platform in any of the major parties. Without a strong NSDAP the Weimar coalition of Zentrum, DVP and SPD manages to weather the storm of the World Economic Crisis and Germany manages to avoid another dictatorship.

Yekaterinburg 1918: The Czechoslovak Legion frees tsar Nicholas II from Bolshevik Imprisonment. The tsar goes on to become a popular figurehead for the White forces and manages to arrange a united front against the Bolsheviks. Despite intial successes the Russian heartlands cannot be held, but Entente interventions and the ongoing war against Poland convince the communist leaders to agree to a ceasefire that grants Siberia to the Whites. With a safe haven in the east, many political opponents emigrate over the urals swelling the White ranks and at the same time tempering Soviet policies. An uneasy truce exists between the two Russias that continues at least until the end of the 1920s - not in the least because of obvious western support for the Siberians. This may change when Japanese expansionists have to decide whether to go after China in earnest or grab Siberian lands.

For extra fun, combine the two seeds. Hope you find them at least somewhat plausible.

Last edited by Blind Mapmaker; 12-15-2013 at 02:27 PM.
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Old 12-15-2013, 02:07 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Blind Mapmaker View Post
The Hague, 1650 AD seems a bit too optimistic as far Cromwell's success and French inaction is concerned. A Netherlands close to England wasn't quite as dangerous to France as the opposite, but it can be safely assumed that the French would be tempted to stir up trouble and look for allies. Spain wasn't quite the mess at the time it was after Charles II's reign also. Not to mention that there was considerable European interest in restoring the monarchy in England.
Not to mention that amongst other dubious achievements Cromwell had, by the time he died, alienated enough of his own allies that there was a fair degree of interest in England in restoring the monarchy. Added to which given the lack of a suitable successor to Cromwell I would think that the Anglo-Dutch empire probably won't be a republic for very long.
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Old 12-16-2013, 09:58 AM   #6
nothri
 
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On the Dutch timeline, some comments:

That's part of the point, really. The Lord's Protector, the monarch-in-all-but-name title that Cromwell eventually adopted for himself, was not an altogether alien concept to the Dutch. Their own Stadtholder had served more or less the same function in their society. My thinking is, if we merge the two societies, then disgust with Cromwell could follow the pattern that disgust for William the Second did in the Netherlands- e.g. a series of reforms aimed at putting power into the hands of a counsel of representatives of the major republics in the region (in this case to include representatives from Ireland, England, and Scotland...oh yeah, and Wales. I always forget about Wales...). And when people get tired of that chronically sluggish institution accomplishing literally nothing and calling that lack of progress a virture, William the 3rd can throw his hat in the ring as Lord's Protector just in time for this world's version of the Glorious Revolution.

At for France, at this point in history Louis had not yet begun to consider the Dutch or the English as a bigger threat than Spain. The Dutch grew more hostile towards France after Louis invaded the Spanish Netherlands (regions the Dutch had long considered theirs to liberate, and were no more welcoming of French control over than they were of Spain). The Dutch in turn made alliances with Spain against France, which Louis considered a kind of betrayal. If Cromwell invades the region first while France is still hostile towards Spain, the French might be persuaded to remain neutral regarding the whole affair. In addition, Louis was reluctant to immediately dive into a war with the Dutch, who at the time were allied with Britain and Sweden (a rising power at this stage). Louis worked to end the alliance between England and the Netherlands as a prelude to open conflict with the Dutch, something he succeeded at in our history. An Anglo-Dutch Empire more firmly united could present a big enough hornet's nest than Louis wants to kick, especially if neither Empire has a reason to ally with Spain. Louis was never a firm ally of the Ottomans, though he would support them readily enough when doing so undermined his enemies. Pushing into Egypt would invite Ottoman wrath (even though I believe it was controlled by the Mamelukes at this point in history) but it would also win allies in the East Holy Roman Empire and Russia (a good counterbalance to the Dutch-Swedish alliance). War can't be postponed forever, but I do think Louis is less likely to start wars against opponents that seem powerful than he is to build an empire along promising trade routes in regions who are showing signs of instability. Besides, I'm a fan of injecting some amount of high strangeness into my parallels just to give them that "not in Kansas anymore" vibe, and a French speaking Sultanate (perhaps brought about when the monarchy is forced to flee to colonial holdings during their version of the French Revolution?) certainly qualifies.

I don't know so much about WW1 history, but your ideas certainly sound interesting. I especially like the "Siberian Csar" scenario. If there's a Hitler in this timeline, it certainly begs the question as to which Russia he will seek an alliance with.
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Old 03-06-2014, 02:04 PM   #7
nothri
 
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More reality seeds, fresh off the grittle:

Gujarat, 1572: The Portugese sent diplomats to negotiate with the Akbar the Great, arguably the greatest king ever to rule the Mughal Empire. Had he convinced the Portugese to form a closer alliance with the empire than was crafted, there would have been great benefits for both empires. In his time Akbar united most of what we think of as India under the Muslim banner. One can only assume his conquests would have been all the greater backed by a steady line of trade in spice and other merchandise in exchange for European firearms and permission to establish a fleet to defends his holdings. Establish a strong enough alliance (along the lines of Dutch and Japanese) and the Portugese might find their Empire lasting longer while the expansion of the trade imperiums of the other European nations is delayed. If Akbar lives long enough his legacy might include a more successful implementation of Din-i-llahi, a religious polyglot of systems found throughout the Mughal Empire, including Islam, Christianity, and hinduism. Greater expansion could reasonably see Buddhism added to that list. Should the Mughals become a great power in their own right, the Emperor of the Peacock throne might come to serve as the voice of the most prominent faiths of the Earth.

Moscow, 1610: Russia was still reeling from the rule of Ivan the terrible and the subsequent Time of Troubles was well underway. Numerous contenders for the title of Tsar were battling a bloody civil war. Amongst these was Wladyslaw Vasa, son of the king of Poland-Lithuania Sigismund. Wladyslaw was in fact elected Tsar by the Russia nobility, but his father ruined this career in its infancy by attemtping to conqueror the throne for himself. Had Sigismund listened to reason, the two nations could have united their forces to reclaim the throne of Sweden (Sigismund's original intent in attacking Russia to begin with). With this success, Sigismund would have his crown and Wladyslaw could inherit the three throne of Sweden, Poland-Lithuania, and Russia- forming the largest empire in the world and perhaps avoiding the bloodshed of the Great Northern War. Given that both Russia and Sweden were soon to come into their own golden ages, this event could serve as an excellent way to make Poland into a great power in ages to come.

London, 1605: The fifth of November may be a day that shall never be forgot, but the Gunpowder Plot that inspired that rhyme was foiled. Had the event taken place, the world we know might well be very different from the one we live in. Despite Guy Fawkes intentions, the most likely result of the destruction of King and Parliament (and perhaps the subsequent burning of London itself- Fawkes was using a LOT of gunpowder, and the city was assuredly as much a matchstick ready to be lit as it was at the time of the Great Fire of 1666) would have been a harsh crack down on Catholicism across the nation and a much more strongly devoted Protestant majority. Such an event would shock the minds of the entire world and could inspire radical movements that failed on our Earth. The Diggers and the Levellers beaten down by Cromwell could instead rise earlier and create a true Democratic or pseudo-Socialist regime in the heart of England some 300 odd years early. Or new radical governments could be spawned off the words of John Locke, Rousseau, and other enlightenment thinkers.

Paris, 1421: Henry V was a strong English king whose ambitions and achievements amounted to nothing in the face of dysentry and the crusade of a French peasant girl. Had he lived beyond his 36 years, Henry might have swept away the armies of Joan of Arc and cemented his claim to the French throne. With France and England united behind him, Henry's next goal was the conquest of Israel in a modern crusade. Such a happening could provide a stay of execution for Constantinople, otherwise destined to fall in a few short decades. A longer life for the king would also see the smoother transition of power from father to son, an event that might just prevent the mounting tensions and rivalries that would eventually explode into the War of the Roses.

Shanghai Pass, 1644: The end of the Ming Dynasty was neigh. The people were starving, and a peasant army had arisen under the guidance of former imperial soldier Li Zencheng. Beijing had fallen to the rebellion, and the last Emperor of the Ming had taken his own life. The Shun Dynasty had begun. Yet along the Shanghai Pass the former Ming loyalist Wu Sangui had a fateful decision to make- accept the new regime or throws his lot in with the invading Manchus. On our earth he opened the gate in the Great Wall, allowing the foreign invaders into China and ultimately initiating the rise of the Qing Dynasty that would rule until the advent of Communism. Had he hesitated, there is a good possibility that the new Emperor could have rallied and armed his armies into a force to the Manchus back to the steppes. If their king survives, the Manchus might then turn their ambitions elsewhere, perhaps conquering and uniting rival khannates in Upper Asia after the fashion of the Mongols they much admired. At best, this could prove a major hindrance in Russia's ability to expand and hold onto Eastern territories. At worst, we might see a line of Tsars descending from the Manchus and additional forays into the heart of Europe. In China proper, the Shun might have an easier time of rule than their Manchu counterparts. There is an argument to be made that the conservatism of the Qing was forced upon them by necessity- their foreign nature meant they had to strive all the more carefully to appear traditional and respectful of Chinese tradition. Lacking that need, the Shun might have continued the advances of the Ming and allowed China to keep pace with their counterparts in the West by the time of the industrial revolution.
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Old 03-06-2014, 02:47 PM   #8
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China, 1862

The Taiping Rebellion in china was the second bloodiest civil war in history, outranked only by a communist civil war in the same country. estimates of the death vary, but 20 million is a commonly cited figure. The war raged in southern China from 1850 to 1864, with the fighting heaviest between the rebel capital Nanjing and the port of Shanghai. The Taipings practiced an extremely unorthodox form of Christianity and promoted large social, religious, and economic reform. In our history, the war was ended largely by a european led group of soldiers who tipped the scales in favour of the Qing. This this timeline, rather committing against the Taiping in the seige of Shanghai, Westerners (led by the famed Chinese Gordan) took over the city and both declared and enforced its neutrality. Both sides fought on, but without Shanghai, the Qing dynasty was forced to leave southern China to the 'heavenly kingdom'.

From there, history can go many directions, to a proper European conquest of china, To a state capable of standing up the European powers taking over much sooner, to a completely fractured china, to a china split between two powers.
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Old 03-06-2014, 07:28 PM   #9
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Brandywine Creek, Pennsylvania, 1777: Major Patrick Ferguson was a Scottish officer in the British Army. He had invented the Ferguson rifle which could fire 4 rounds a minute at a target 300 yards away while weighing almost half of what the army's standard rifle weighed. During the Revolutionary War, he was sent to America to form a small force of sharpshooters armed with his experimental weapon. On September 11th, 1777, they were scouting the Brandywine Creek at the eve of battle with American forces when he encountered two horsemen. One was dressed as a Hussar in a distinctive outfit, while the other wore the uniform of a senior American officer with a large cocked hat. Ferguson stepped out and ordered them to halt. They turned and galloped off. Ferguson, who could have fired at them half a dozen times before they escaped, declined to shoot them in the back. The Hussar was Count de Pulaski, serving as an Aide-de Camp to the other rider, General George Washington. Had Ferguson decided to shoot at the enemy riders… Well, you can take the resulting timeline into a myriad of different directions.
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Old 03-08-2014, 11:10 PM   #10
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Most of you probably already know this, but there's a huge and well-run website full of these, www.alternatehistory.com.

To add a few that don't appear there:

Istanbul, 1640: Caliph Murad IV, on his deathbed, ordered the execution of his brother and successor, Ibrahim. This order was not carried out. Ibrahim had major developmental disabilities, and Murad felt that it would be blasphemous for people to call his brother Commander of the Faithful while viziers usurped power for themselves and bred the man to some poor women; he felt that a civil war, in which Allah could make his will clear to the world, would be preferable to making a continuing mockery of the office. Which, in some opinions, is exactly what happened. But suppose someone decided that the Caliph must be obeyed, no matter how terrible his orders, and ended the House of Osman with a bang instead of a whimper?

Moscow, 1610: Sigismund III of Poland has entered Moscow in triumph with grand (completely unrealistic) visions of converting the nation to Catholicism and appending it to a Polish Vasa Empire. Historically, Russia was simply too big and intransigent for the Polish army to sit on for any length of time, and a few years later he wound up withdrawing having accomplished very little. The boyars asked that his eldest (17 year old) son Wladislaw convert to Russian Orthodoxy and be acknowledged as Tsar; Sigismund had other sons who could become Kings of Poland in time. Sigismund would not allow his son to convert away from the true church. Suppose he relented, trusting God to judge his son fairly, both bringing Russia's Time of Troubles to an early end and giving it much closer ties to the west in the process?

Israel, 1973: The Yom Kippur War escalates into a limited nuclear exchange between the USA and the Soviet Union. This is an interesting time for it precisely because Federal authority is at such a nadir in the USA; the Vietnam War is dragging to a close having become incredibly unpopular, President Nixon has just resigned, Agnew is convicted and Ford is an unelected (and very new) President. While the actual damage is likely to be minimal, this is the period where Americans are most likely to resist orders from soldiers with violence or ignore directives from the White House as a nest of crooks and usurpers. The USA may well break apart despite the damage being light.

Razi, 1189: Fakhr al-Din al-Razi's many worlds hypothesis is upheld, and becomes an article of the Sunni faith. How does Infinity react to a world that presumably isn't anywhere near advanced enough to build a conveyor, but in which Many Worlds are accepted as real by every adherent of a major faith?

Constantinople, 326: Constantine makes it back to his capital several days early, decides the charges against his son Crispus are a plot by his wife, and executes her instead. How does Rome fare with a competent Christian Emperor this early?

Danzig, 1438: one of Burgundy's privateers slips though the blockade and sacks a major east Hanseatic port. As a result, the eastern half of the Hanseatic League decides to send money and troops against Burgundy after all. They sack Burgundy, exact tribute and dismantle its shipbuilding industry. With a continuing monopoly on shipbuilding in the north and a history of successful large-scale military cooperation, can the League resist when Russia tries to throw it out in the 1470s, and then go on to greater things, perhaps even in the New World?
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