Infinite Worlds

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INFINITE WORLDS . . . INFINITE ADVENTURE! The good news is, there are other Earths. Maybe an infinite number. The bad news is, somebody out there doesn't like us. Welcome to the core setting of GURPS Fourth Edition! Every other GURPS setting is on one of the Infinite Worlds timelines . . . whether they know it or not! GMs can use this to create a whole meta-campaign, or just as an excuse to move characters between worlds when the plot requires it. Compiled by Kenneth Hite, the master of alternate histories, GURPS Infinite Worlds combines and updates material from GURPS Time Travel, GURPS Alternate Earths, and GURPS Alternate Earths 2 into one volume, and has dozens of new worlds to explore as well! This is the complete genre book on both alternative-world gaming and time travel. It also provides a wide variety of suitable threats and hazards -- from evil cross-time Nazis and cosmic conspiracies to "ordinary" monsters and disasters. Whether you're playing accidental travelers or the hardened troops of the Infinity Patrol, this book is your gateway to adventure. Infinite adventure.

This PDF is an electronic copy of the first printed edition of GURPS Infinite Worlds. All known errata to that edition have been corrected, as of the publication date of March 10, 2006.

GURPS, Warehouse 23, and the all-seeing pyramid are registered trademarks DOWNLOAD. of Steve Jackson Games Incorporated. Pyramid, GURPS Infinite Worlds, and PRINT. the names of all products published by Steve Jackson Games Incorporated are PLAY. registered trademarks or trademarks of Steve Jackson Games Incorporated, or used under license. All rights reserved. GURPS Infinite Worlds is copyright © 2004, 2006 by Steve Jackson Games Incorporated. The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this material via the Internet or e23 via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal, and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not STEVE JACKSON GAMES participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your e23.sjgames.com TM support of the authors’ rights is appreciated. STEVE JACKSON GAMES e23.sjgames.com

Stock #82-0128 Version 1.0 March 10, 2006 STEVE INFINITE WORLDS GAMES 01-2001 JACKSON the USA Printed in 2005 RINTING P Andrew Hackard Andrew ST EBRUARY ,1 F 01-2001 DITION Edited by E BN 1-55634-734-0 UBLISHED ST 1 P IS 9!BMF@JA:RSVRSSoYjZhZ_ZdZ` SJG03495 Bob Walters Eva Widermann and and John M. Ford and time new combines GURPS , and GURPS Time into one Abrar Ajmal, Brent Chumley, John Moriarty, Tony Parker, Parker, Tony John Moriarty, Chumley, Abrar Ajmal, Brent Bob Stevlic, Rogério Vilela, Bob Stevlic, Rogério Vilela, Douglas Shuler, Bob Stevlic, Douglas Shuler, nasty alternate Abrar Ajmal, Guy Burchak, Alan Gutierrez, Tony Parker, Rowena, Parker, Alan Gutierrez, Tony Abrar Ajmal, Guy Burchak, really ! Any campaign can be on Illustrated by Kenneth Hite, Steve Jackson, Cover Art by GURPS Infinite Worlds adventure. elcome to the core setting of ritten by W The good news is, we can visit other Earths. The shuttles of Infinity Unlimited jump between parallel Earths, This book also gives detailed rules for Whether you’re playing accidental travelers W ravel, GURPS Alternate Earths worlds like Reich-5. and updates material from T The bad news is, somebody out there doesn’t like us. The bad news is, somebody out there doesn’t seeking profit, knowledge, and adventure. But a parallel called Centrum also has the technology to cross between worlds . and they want to rule them all. The Infinity Patrol must deal with these ruthless rivals, as well with world-jumping criminals, and try to keep the secret of dimension travel out the hands of Fourth Edition timelines . one of the Infinite Worlds whether they know it or not! Compiled by Kenneth Hite, the master of alternate histories, GURPS Alternate Earths 2 full-color volume, and gives dozens of worlds to explore as well! travel, with three different campaign frames. or the hardened troops of Infinity Patrol, this book is your gateway to adventure. Infinite Written by KENNETH HITE, STEVE JACKSON, and JOHN M. FORD Edited by ANDREW HACKARD Cover Art by ABRAR AJMAL, GUY BURCHAK, ALAN GUTIERREZ, TONY PARKER, ROWENA, BOB STEVLIC, ROGÉRIO VILELA, and BOB WALTERS Illustrated by ABRAR AJMAL, BRENT CHUMLEY, JOHN MORIARTY, TONY PARKER, DOUGLAS SHULER, BOB STEVLIC, and EVA WIDERMANN

ISBN 1-55634-734-0 12 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 STEVE JACKSON GAMES CONTENTS WELCOME TO 2. ENEMIES Echoes ...... 85 Putting a Little English on It ...... 87 ANYWHEN ...... 4 EVERYWHEN ...... 45 Parallels ...... 88 About the Authors ...... 4 CENTRUM ...... 46 Technology Variants ...... 89 History ...... 47 Challenge Worlds ...... 94 1. INFINITY UNLIMITED . . . 5 Centrum Today ...... 48 Unusual Civilizations ...... 95 Centrum World Classification ...... 51 HISTORY, ALREADY IN PROGRESS ...... 96 Infinite Worlds Glossary ...... 6 Centrum Parachronics ...... 51 Direction ...... 96 THE INFINITY PATROL ...... 8 The Interworld Service ...... 52 Decision ...... 97 The Mission and the Mindset ...... 8 Centrum Plots to Foil ...... 54 Alternate Greats ...... 98 Human Resources ...... 9 Centrum Campaigns ...... 54 Plagues ...... 99 Headquarters ...... 9 Alternate Infinite Wars ...... 55 Development ...... 99 Intervention Service ...... 10 Centrum Dark, Centrum Light ...... 56 Generational Cycles ...... 100 Infinite Justice, Inc...... 12 REICH-5 ...... 57 Civilization as Biology ...... 102 Cover Stories ...... 14 History ...... 57 ALTERING WORLDS ...... 104 Penetration Service ...... 14 Geopolitik ...... 58 Timeline Shifting ...... 104 Recon Procedures ...... 17 Technology on Reich-5 ...... 61 Try to Change the World ...... 105 Miracle Workers ...... 18 Outtime Discoveries ...... 63 ISWAT ...... 18 SS Raven Division ...... 64 4. WORLDS PARACHRONIC LABORATORIES ...... 19 Glorious Goals ...... 67 Theory ...... 20 ENOUGH ...... 107 THE CABAL ...... 68 Further Infinities ...... 21 Truth and Lies ...... 68 ARMADA-2 ...... 109 Research ...... 22 The Cabal in the Campaign ...... 69 ATTILA ...... 110 Personal Equipment ...... 22 LESSER THREATS ...... 70 Other Mongol Conquests ...... 111 Homeline TL ...... 23 Organized Crime ...... 70 AZOTH-7 ...... 112 Projectors ...... 27 Swagmen ...... 71 Other Azoths ...... 113 Standard Issue ...... 27 Freelance Criminals ...... 71 BONAPARTE-4 ...... 113 Conveyors ...... 28 Where Are the Starships? ...... 72 Other Bonapartes ...... 114 In the Cube ...... 29 PARACHRONOZOIDS ...... 73 BRITANNICA-3 ...... 115 Conveyor Loadout ...... 30 Spoor and Stigmata ...... 74 Other Britannicas ...... 116 THE UNITED NATIONS OTHER HAZARDS ...... 74 CALIPH ...... 117 INTERWORLD COUNCIL ...... 31 The Spaces Between ...... 74 Other Muslim Worlds ...... 118 Infinity Development ...... 31 Banestorms ...... 75 CAMPBELL ...... 119 Alternate Outcomes, Inc...... 31 Reality Quakes ...... 75 CENTRUM BETA ...... 120 Crosstime Colonies ...... 32 Mathematical Bafflegab ...... 76 DIXIE-1 ...... 120 “Eternity’s Rangers” ...... 34 Going Elsewhere ...... 77 Other Dixies ...... 122 CORPORATE STRUCTURE ...... 35 Reality Quakes in the Game ...... 78 EZCALLI ...... 122 Infinite Darkness ...... 36 Gates of Thoth ...... 79 FRIEDRICH ...... 124 OUR CORPORATE PARTNERS ...... 37 Shiftrealms ...... 79 GALLATIN ...... 125 Cliodyne Research Group ...... 37 GERNSBACK ...... 126 Consolidated Mines, Unltd...... 37 HELL WORLDS ...... 128 Time Tours, Ltd...... 37 Ariane ...... 128 Johnson Crosstime Incorporated . . . . . 38 The Gotha Parallels ...... 128 Time Tours in the Time Campaign . . . . 39 Lenin-2 ...... 129 Our Corporate Rivals ...... 40 Leviathan ...... 129 White Star Trading ...... 40 3. PRESENT AT THE Madland ...... 130 THE PUBLIC SECTOR ...... 41 CREATION ...... 81 Taft-7 ...... 130 The United Nations ...... 41 JOHNSON’S ROME ...... 130 TYPES OF ALTERNATE WORLDS ...... 82 National Governments ...... 42 LENIN-1 ...... 131 Empty Worlds ...... 83 Israel and the Alternity Exodus ...... 43 Other Communist Worlds ...... 132 Infinity’s World Classes ...... 83 Non-Governmental Organizations . . . . 44 LUCIFER-5 ...... 133 Rogue States ...... 44 Dinosaur Hunting ...... 84 GURPS System Design ❚ STEVE JACKSON Prepress Checkers ❚ MONICA STEPHENS Managing Editor ❚ ANDREW HACKARD and WIL UPCHURCH GURPS Line Editor ❚ SEAN PUNCH Print Buyer ❚ MONICA STEPHENS Production Manager ❚ WIL UPCHURCH Marketing Director ❚ PAUL CHAPMAN Art Director ❚ STEVE JACKSON Sales Manager ❚ ROSS JEPSON Page Design ❚ PHILIP REED Errata Coordinator ❚ ANDY VETROMILE Production Artists ❚ JUSTIN DE WITT and ALEX FERNANDEZ GURPS FAQ Maintainer ❚ STÉPHANE THÉRIAULT

Playtesters: James L. Cambias, Paul Chapman, Mark Cogan, Devin Ganger, Bob Gilson, Steve Kenson, Phil Masters, Kenneth Peters, Bob Schroeck, William H. Stoddard, Chad Underkoffler, and Jeff Wilson Additional Material: Steve Kenson, Craig Neumeier, Kenneth Peters, David L. Pulver, and Michael S. Schiffer GURPS, Warehouse 23, and the all-seeing pyramid are registered trademarks of Steve Jackson Games Incorporated. Pyramid and the names of all products published by Steve Jackson Games Incorporated are registered trademarks or trademarks of Steve Jackson Games Incorporated, or used under license. GURPS Infinite Worlds is copyright © 2004 by Steve Jackson Games Incorporated. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA. The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal, and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.

2 CONTENTS Other Lucifers ...... 134 Reich-5 ...... 193 8. ALTERNATE MERLIN ...... 134 Other Opposition ...... 195 Other Merlins ...... 135 Bystanders ...... 197 INFINITIES ...... 212 MYTH PARALLELS ...... 136 Locals ...... 198 THE ORDER OF THE HOURGLASS ...... 212 Burton ...... 136 WEAPONS ...... 199 Villains ...... 214 Camelot Parallels ...... 136 Firearms ...... 199 The Great Work of Time ...... 215 Mandeville ...... 136 Hollow History ...... 215 Nottingham ...... 136 7. INFINITE Campaign Assumptions ...... 216 Sherlock Parallels ...... 137 AMPAIGNS THE TIME CORPS ...... 217 NERGAL ...... 137 C . . . . . 201 Agent Slang ...... 217 NOSTRADAMUS ...... 138 CAMPAIGN ASSUMPTIONS ...... 202 Mechanics ...... 218 ORICHALCUM ...... 139 The Hardware Dilemma and Time Agents ...... 220 PUZZLE WORLDS ...... 140 the Software Mismatch ...... 202 The Enemy ...... 221 Blip ...... 140 Parameters ...... 202 Time Agent Equipment ...... 222 Enigma ...... 140 Adding Worlds ...... 203 Visitors From the Future ...... 223 Microworld ...... 140 Paraphysics ...... 204 Detecting Interventions ...... 224 Möbius ...... 141 Characters ...... 204 Gross Changes: A Bad Idea ...... 225 Rustic ...... 141 Genre and Mode ...... 205 Changing History ...... 225 Vanish ...... 141 CAMPAIGN ELEMENTS ...... 206 Campaign Assumption ...... 226 Wyvern ...... 142 Through the Rabbit Hole ...... 206 Operation Archduke: REICH-2 ...... 142 Visiting the World Next Door ...... 206 ATypical Mission ...... 227 Other Reichs ...... 143 Things to Invent ...... 208 THE HORATIO CLUB ...... 229 ROMA AETERNA ...... 144 Black Powder ...... 209 Campaign Assumptions ...... 231 Other Romes ...... 145 The Bad Old Good Old Days ...... 210 SHIKAKU-MON ...... 146 Mission Control ...... 210 BIBLIOGRAPHY ...... 232 UNITED STATES OF LIZARDIA ...... 148 The Time Is Out of Joint ...... 211 YRTH ...... 150 Other Fantasy Parallels ...... 151 INDEX ...... 239

About GURPS 5. . . . AND TIME . . . . 152 Steve Jackson Games is committed to full support of the GURPS system. Our address is SJ Games, Box 18957, Austin, TX 78760. Please TEMPORAL PHYSICS ...... 153 The Physical Setting ...... 153 include a self-addressed, stamped envelope (SASE) any time you write us! Can of Infinite Worms ...... 153 We can also be reached by e-mail: [email protected]. Resources include: Paradoxes ...... 154 Solutions ...... 154 Pyramid (www.sjgames.com/pyramid/). Our online magazine Chronobabble ...... 155 includes new GURPS rules and articles. It also covers the d20 system, Other Useful Postulates ...... 156 Ars Magica, BESM, Call of Cthulhu, and many more top games – and Talking to Yourself ...... 157 other Steve Jackson Games releases like Illuminati, Car Wars, Communication and Observation . . . 158 We Will Have Warned You Transhuman Space, and more. Pyramid subscribers also get opportu- in the Past ...... 158 nities to playtest new GURPS books! The Observer Effect ...... 159 New supplements and adventures. GURPS continues to grow, and Time Viewers ...... 160 we’ll be happy to let you know what’s new. For a current catalog, send Time Machines ...... 162 us a legal-sized or 9”¥12” SASE – please use two stamps! – or just visit Dangers ...... 164 Staying in Period Character ...... 164 www.warehouse23.com. PSIONIC TIME TRAVEL ...... 166 e23. Our e-publishing division offers GURPS adventures, play aids, and Physical Projection ...... 166 support not available anywhere else! Just head over to e23.sjgames.com. Mental Projection ...... 167 Errata. Everyone makes mistakes, including us – but we do our best Attunement ...... 168 to fix our errors. Up-to-date errata sheets for all GURPS releases, THE FUTURE ...... 169 Getting There Faster ...... 170 including this book, are available on our website – see below. Physics ...... 170 Internet. Visit us on the World Wide Web at www.sjgames.com for errata, updates, Q&A, free webforums, and much more. The GURPS 6. INFINITE Infinite Worlds web page is www.sjgames.com/gurps/books/ CHARACTERS . . . . 171 infiniteworlds/. Bibliographies. Many of our books have extensive bibliographies, and ADVANTAGES, DISADVANTAGES, AND SKILLS ...... 172 we’re putting them online – with links to let you buy the books that inter- Advantages ...... 172 est you! Go to the book’s web page and look for the “Bibliography” link. Disadvantages ...... 178 GURPSnet. This e-mail list hosts much of the online discussion of Wealth, Status, and Reputation . . . . . 178 GURPS. To join, point your web browser to mail.sjgames.com/ Skills ...... 181 Techniques ...... 183 mailman/listinfo/gurpsnet-l/. ALTERNATE HUMANS ...... 184 Rules and statistics in this book are specifically for the GURPS CHARACTER TEMPLATES ...... 186 Infinity Unlimited ...... 186 Basic Set, Fourth Edition. Page references that begin with B refer to UNIC ...... 188 that book, not this one. The Private Sector ...... 190 Centrum ...... 191

CONTENTS 3 WELCOME TO ANYWHEN This book describes the Infinite Worlds, the “standard setting” for GURPS Fourth Edition. Here, history History is not merely what happened: it is varied on other Earths; the Union Jack what happened in the context of what might flutters over America, Mongol ponies graze in Britain, and zeppelins float have happened. Therefore it must incorporate, unperturbed everywhere. The heroic as a necessary element, the alternatives, the Infinity Patrol, licensed by the corporation that discovered parachronic might-have-beens. travel, keeps Homeline safe and – Sir Hugh Trevor-Roper, improves life where it can. Between crosstime plagues, samurai with force “History and Imagination” swords, and unpredictable storms that blow people to other worlds, its work never ends. John M. Ford Any kind of campaign, on any kind ABOUT THE John M. Ford is the author of nine of world, fits here – in fact, it’s already UTHORS novels (so far), including the alternate here somewhere! You don’t have to A history The Dragon Waiting. On the play the Patrol or even obey them. You Kenneth Hite gaming front, he has done work for can steal alternate Monets, hunt were- On a close parallel Earth, Kenneth GDW, West End Games, and Steve wolves in medieval Germany, or seek Hite’s first RPG publication credit was Jackson Games. If he survives to finish the Holy Grail across the worlds. You GURPS Alternate Earths. In all his next novel, he’ll probably write an can treat this book like your own per- Earths he can access, he co-wrote that opera. With roleplaying in it. Some- sonal alternate Spanish Main and loot book and its sequel for Steve Jackson body has to be the first. it for goodies and excitement to carry Games, as well as writing GURPS back to your own game world. You can Cabal and the third edition of GURPS even build a game world – an infinity Horror, and compiling and co-author- PUBLICATION of them – from scratch, using this ing GURPS WWII: Weird War Two. ISTORY book’s alternate Earth design systems His “Suppressed Transmission” col- H and advice. umn covers high strangeness for Much of the background in this It’s only a short jump (as it were) Pyramid magazine; on some Earths it book was drawn from the Third from alternate histories to time travel. is called “Thirteen O’Clock High.” On Edition books GURPS Time Travel Time travel stories often become alter- the most terrifying worldlines, it has and the two volumes of GURPS nate Earth stories, as the plucky travel- been collected in two volumes to date. Alternate Earths. er wrenches history from its appointed He lives with his wife Sheila in The Origins Award-winning Time course to save his adopted hometown Chicago, the center of all worlds worth Travel was a collaboration between in the past. Hence, this book also con- visiting. In no Earth has his M.A. in Steve Jackson and Mike Ford. Steve tains complete guidelines for time trav- International Relations proved at all sketched out a parallel-world setting el games, from using time machines to useful, but one never knows. that owes a great deal to the works of how to get away with killing your H. Beam Piper. Mike fleshed it out with grandfather in the past. This book pro- Steve Jackson high-quality rubber science and added vides two different time-travel cam- Steve Jackson has been devouring the whole “Time Corps” background, paign frames for people who don’t time-travel and parallel-world science cut from whole cloth woven on the want to go world-hopping . . . and fiction since he was about seven years loom of Fritz Leiber. They respectfully allows the combination of time travel old, and jumped at the chance to inflict acknowledge Those Who Went Before, and parallel worlds for infinite possi- his own contribution on the field. and only wish they could go back and bilities, including some in the Infinite He is the founder and editor-in- shake their hands. Worlds setting. chief of Steve Jackson Games, but, as David Pulver recast the material in Add mutants, magicians, and shown by the present book, still gets to Time Travel and other GURPS books world-hopping Nazis – you will need write something once in a while. He for Fourth Edition, after which another Earth just to fit it all in. hopes to do it again someday. Kenneth Hite added yet more back- So get to it – time’s a-wasting. Steve lives in Austin. He enjoys SF ground, rearranged all the puzzle – Kenneth Hite conventions, gardening, the Web, trop- pieces, and fit the entire assemblage ical fish, Lego, and – oh, yes – gaming. between two covers.

4 WELCOME TO ANYWHEN CHAPTER ONE INFINITY UNLIMITED

no, four fellow Patrolmen – changing into their own uniforms. She knew Dave Pownall and Tranh Sui from her Variant French classes, and had met Roger Giancarlo on the aerobatics range. “So we have two other scouts and a backup pilot,” she said. ’Carlo replied, “And apparently, we’re not going to Haussman-2 for the dancing, since Suleiman here was number one in our class in bladed weapons.” The Turk she didn’t recognize flashed her a quick smile and went back to adjusting his boots. Nobody smiled for the next five minutes, as the ornithopter jolted and shuddered sickeningly. “Parachronic transition – the wings just caught hold,” ’Carlo said. More jolts banged “. . . to preserve and defend The not staying in our atmosphere, then,” the craft around, and Tranh began “I Secret with my last breath.” he responded. “And I’m glad to see don’t think that’s just the wings –” just As Angela finished the oath, she felt your dossier accurately reported your as a bullet-hole appeared in the hull something – just the weight of all aeronautical skills, since you’ll be fly- above Suleiman’s head. those histories – settle on her shoul- ing it for us.” Angela and ’Carlo dove for the ders. Before she could absorb the feel- Angela found herself clambering cockpit; even as the craft slopped into ing, it was gone, jarred loose by a man into the pilot’s seat and slapping the a dive, they kept their balance where shaking her elbow. “Agent Polk,” he oddly familiar slats and busbars into the other three rolled and spun with began, Angela unconsciously looked the Lift configuration; she felt a stab the deck. Angela was first by a fraction around to see whom he was talking to, of relief when she heard the whhrrrrm and grabbed the yoke, wrestling the but then realized that as of 30 seconds of a concealed ducted fan engage, ’thopter back into level flight. ’Carlo ago, she was “Agent Polk,” and would almost blanketed by the increasingly was yammering something in her ear, be until, she supposed, her “last rapid crump-crump-crump of the (so but she was too busy keeping them breath.” far purely decorative) wings. Her from crashing to pay attention. Only “Agent Polk,” he said again, “let’s hijacker emerged from the back of the after the aircraft had juddered back to walk and talk.” “But my family – vehicle, wearing the (perfectly fitted) something like normal did she look they’re here to see the ceremony . . .” damask cape and riding boots of an around and notice the dead man on “And they did see it, and it was lovely, Aerocorps Imperiale officer. He settled the bench beside her. “I wonder what and your mother cried. And now into the copilot’s bench and slotted a our mission was supposed to – ” you’re on Patrol time, and your first card into what seemed to be an ornate Angela began, but ’Carlo cut her off. “I leave isn’t until 2028, so let’s jump.” bomb-sight. “There’s a uniform for think,” he said tightly, “we’re about to With almost no pressure on her arm, you in the back,” he said, as he tapped find out.” he had somehow steered her away on a concealed keyboard that had Three more ornithopters – these from the crowds of new-minted folded out of the “bomb-sight’s” eye- painted an ominous gray – appeared Academy graduates, toward a bronze- piece. “Go change and I’ll keep her in the windscreen, and the flashes colored, ungainly aircraft. “That’s a level – and when you get back, let’s from their muzzles started the ship tiltrotor – Hell, that’s a Haussman-2 hope the wings work.” jolting and tilting again, spiraling ornithopter! Those don’t even fly in Pushing into the rear compart- down toward the parallel Lake our atmosphere!” “Good thing we’re ment, Angela saw four fellow cadets – Superior below them.

INFINITY UNLIMITED 5 Thirty years ago, former Dartmouth physicist Paul Van Zandt changed the world. Actually, he We’re jugglers . . . trying to keep our traders changed hundreds of them. He invent- and sociological observers and tourists ed a parachronic projector, a machine that could send matter into another and plain idiots like the late Gavran Sarn dimension – another timeline. The out of trouble; trying to prevent panics and first world he discovered was “Earth- Beta,” almost identical to his own disturbances and dislocations of local world, which he dubbed “Homeline.” economies as a result of our operations; trying But as he improved his technology and his survey techniques, he began to to keep out of out-time politics – and, at all discover worlds where Rome never times, at all costs and hazards, by all means, fell, or where America was a feudal guarding the secret of paratime transposition. kingdom. Some worlds – those on the same “quantum level” as Homeline, – H. Beam Piper, Police Operation Quantum 5 (Q5) – were easy to reach. Others, on Q4 and Q6, were slightly harder; Quantum 3 and Quantum 7 parachronic travel to the public, and “Infinity” by the media). Van Zandt were downright difficult. However, revealed a secret to the U.N. Security became CEO of Infinity, and UNIC Van Zandt persevered, and built up a Council. Whatever the secret was added its own bureaucrats to the small team of daring assistants who (p. B525), it halted demands for his board. The Interworld Treaty, which helped him map 23 more universes. technology to be nationalized, milita- chartered Infinity, required that He funded further research with rized, or destroyed. Instead, the Infinity work to “better the lot” of the profits from trading between worlds, Security Council established the other worlds it explored and exploited. an undertaking he formalized with United Nations Interworld Council To that end – and possibly to counter White Star Trading. In 1998, Van (UNIC) from its own membership, the threat Van Zandt revealed to the Zandt revealed his discovery of which chartered a new corporation, Security Council – Van Zandt created Infinity Unlimited (often shortened to the Infinity Patrol.

Infinite Worlds Glossary alternate: Any timeline except the original Earth. Also Cabal, the: A secret organization of magicians and “alternate world.” monsters using magical dimension travel. anchor: An echo that does not experience a quantum Centrum: A rival civilization with the ability to travel shift when “history is changed.” between worlds. A “Centran” is a native or agent of Armanen Order: The secret order in Reich-5’s SS that Centrum. has discovered parachronics. cliodynamics: The scientific study of historical change, autochrones: Natives of a timeline, as opposed to out- especially useful for altering histories in a desired time visitors or colonists; called “’chrones” and direction. “locals” in Patrol slang. conveyor: A self-propelled device for traveling between banestorm: A natural phenomenon that moves living alternate worlds. beings between worlds. Continued on next page . . .

6 INFINITY UNLIMITED Infinite Worlds Glossary (Continued)

Coventry: An alternate world maintained by the parachronozoid: A creature with a natural world- Infinity Patrol as a prison for those – both jumping ability. Homeliners and outtimers – who Know Too Much. parallel: An alternate world that differs from ours only dimensional highway: A road between worlds, natu- in that its history has been different (some are very ral, magical, or artificial. different). A “close parallel” is different as the result echo: An alternate world which is – or appears to of one identifiable historical change. be – identical to ours, but at an earlier point in its Pile, the: Patrol Headquarters. history. portal dimension: A location that connects to many Eraser: A memory-affecting drug used by I-Cops and (or even all) alternate worlds or dimensions. others to keep The Secret of parachronic travel. projector: A device that can send a conveyor across Eyes, the: Patrol slang for Internal Affairs. quanta. hell parallel: A worldline mostly or entirely emptied of quantum: An “energy level” in 8-dimensional space humanity by a disaster or holocaust. that contains many alternate timelines. Quantum homeboy: In Patrol slang, anybody from one’s own levels are often abbreviated; e.g., Q7 for Quantum 7. world of origin. quantum sargasso: A worldline that cannot be left Homeline: The original Earth of Paul Van Zandt and using parachronics. the Infinity Patrol. reality quake: A parachronic upheaval that buries I-Cop: An agent of the Infinity Patrol’s Intervention some or all of an alternate’s history beneath a new Service. one. Infinity Patrol: The paramilitary arm of Infinity reality shard: A fragment of a previous past thrown up Unlimited. by a reality quake. Infinity Unlimited: Often just “Infinity”; private corpo- Reality Vanish: The worldline that supposedly “eats” ration that controls parachronic technology as a vanished probes and missions. monopoly and governs access to alternate timelines. Scout: An agent of the Infinity Patrol’s Penetration Interworld Service: Also I.S., or “Interworld,” the Service. Centran equivalent to the Infinity Patrol. The Secret: The fact that technological crossworld Kern: From the German for “kernel,” a safe-house used travel is possible. Outtimers are not supposed to by Armanen Order operatives. Plural: Kerne. learn this, unless recruited by Infinity. Interworld local: In Patrol slang, native to the timeline. doesn’t bother keeping The Secret on primitive memetics: The study of ideas and their transmission worlds. and change, a back-formation from “genetics.” Not shiftrealm: A location that travels between worldlines, yet fully accepted as a science. from “ghost ships” to whole forests or islands. Mule: Armanen Order slang for a world-jumper, espe- skerry: A collection of nearby timelines sharing a com- cially one created artificially by Nazi science. mon element (i.e., an ongoing WWII, a basis in the Nexer: A Patrol agent from the Nexus Oversight fiction of Robert Heinlein). Division. swagman: A member of a loose fraternity of crosstime nexus portal: A “natural” path between alternate grifters. worlds. timeline: Another term for an alternate world. oneliner: Someone who never leaves his home time- trod: A magical dimensional highway, usually used by line, especially a Homeline “civilian.” faeries. Most trods run between forests. Outstairs: Patrol slang for Homeline higher-ups. UNIC: United Nations Interworld Council, the U.N. “Those dimwits Outstairs expect us to stop the body officially charged with overseeing parachron- Visigoths with nothing but Scotch tape and puppet ics and Infinity. shows.” vanish it: Literally, “send it to a nonexistent reality”; outtime: A world other than the speaker’s own; usually Patrol slang expression meaning, roughly, “to Hell means any other world besides Homeline. with it.” outtimer: Anyone from a different world from the weird parallel: An alternate world that has many sim- speaker; hence, a Patrol agent is an “outtimer” on ilarities to our own, but also has differences that Caliph, but a citizen of Caliph would be an “out- make these similarities seem unbelievable (such as timer” on Homeline. the world where intelligent reptiles speak English). parachronics: The study of alternate worlds. More zero point: The term for a location that has been specifically, the study of why alternate worlds exist, “zeroed” – properly calibrated – for a safe conveyor and how travel between them is possible. jump between two specific dimensions.

INFINITY UNLIMITED 7 THE INFINITY PATROL The Infinity Patrol, like all of across the worlds. Fortunately, ernments, secretive corporations, and Infinity, is specifically chartered by the Centrum was on Quantum 8; it could fuzzy-minded academics screaming U.N. Security Council. It has a unified not reach Homeline and neither could about every imagined slight or mis- command with an existence inde- Homeline reach Centrum. The quanta step, the Patrol’s job is never easy. pendent of any given mission, and so between became battlegrounds, espe- Dealing with Homeliners, whether resembles a private security force cially the Q6 “echoes,” worlds that aggrieved innocents or furtive dia- more than a multinational peacekeep- mirrored Homeline history exactly. mond smugglers, requires good ing task force. In practice, the Patrol is Centrum could, and did, shift many of relations with Homeline institutions a supranational paramilitary agency those echoes out of Quantum 6 and combined with an appearance of under Infinity’s control, dedicated to into quanta inaccessible to Homeline! complete impartiality to Homeline protecting Homeline, The Secret, The infinity war had begun, and the conflicts. This is a difficult tightrope Infinity, and the unknowing innocents Patrol had a new set of missions. to walk under the best of circum- of other worlds, in roughly that order. stances. The Patrol does very active Patrol facilities, like all Infinity prop- liaison work with Homeline govern- erty, are considered “U.N. soil,” and THE MISSION ment agencies and Interpol, turns a cannot be searched or seized without blind eye to the occasional MI6 or violating international law. By its AND THE FSB operation, and hopes for the charter, it must “keep the peace, and MINDSET best. Infinity contributes vast sums to preserve the smooth operation of recognized global charities (and re- Technically, all parachronic equip- interdimensional travel for the good of election campaigns) even while Patrol ment in existence is the property of all mankind.” This translates, for officers and agents stay ruthlessly Infinity Unlimited, and the Infinity Infinity Unlimited and the Patrol apolitical. Infinity doesn’t have Patrol has the right (and duty) to alike, as “ride herd on everyone else anything quite so crude as a quota supervise its use. In theory, every con- with a conveyor, keep Homeline prob- system, but it maintains an aggressive veyor from a two-ton “tramp trader” to lems on Homeline, and do well by outreach program to enlist non- a stealthed CIA insertion capsule falls doing good in the meantime.” Americans. Although Infinity under the Patrol’s jurisdiction, and the This was hard enough when the Unlimited acts like a typical American Patrol can ask to see its hardwired Patrol thought itself alone in the con- multinational corporation regardless service record (giving the time and tinuum, but nine years ago, Corporate of breezy “global” marketing cam- parachronic coordinates of every jump Security captured an intruder in a paigns, the Patrol emphasizes its a unit makes) without cause or reason. secret Infinity facility on the Quantum multinationality – or even its transna- If something doesn’t smell right, it can 6 world Turkana. He turned out to be tionality – as befits a U.N. force. Many investigate – and if the investigation from another cross-dimensional para- Patrolmen even renounce their own warrants, Infinity can revoke a military organization, the Interworld citizenship for U.N. passports as the parachronic license or even confiscate Service, of a crosstime civilization Patrol Oath explicitly forswears all and destroy equipment. With conveyor called Centrum. Centrum was aggres- other allegiances. and projector traffic approaching tens sive, competent, and devoted to That makes the Patrol’s only or even hundreds of thousands of trips spreading its own hierarchical system loyalty to itself. At best, the Patrol sees per day, and with jealous national gov- itself as the “thin blue and black line” supporting all Homeline – all humanity – against the dangers from other worlds. At worst, some Patrolmen have internalized an “us vs. them” With conveyor and projector traffic attitude, not only to outtimers (who approaching tens or even hundreds of don’t get the benefit of Infinity’s careful neutrality), but also to Homeline thousands of trips per day, and with oneliners. Even innocent tourists trapped behind the lines at Alesia jealous national governments, secretive sometimes grate on professional corporations, and fuzzy-minded dimensional police, to say nothing of nickel-dime Homeline hoods dealing academics screaming about every heroin in a parallel Renaissance Italy. imagined slight or misstep, the Patrol’s Such missions don’t always help Patrolmen keep a broad perspective. job is never easy. And the missions never end; world after world must be surveyed, checked for plagues, searched for

8 INFINITY UNLIMITED magic, classified, watched over, nur- placing a carefully worded classified possible. Ironically, the weakest spot tured, exploited, saved, defended, sab- ad in the Gazette Californien or the in the coverage is, necessarily, the otaged, and covertly policed. New Amsterdam Tribune; in others, incoming parachronic transits, which “adoption by a remote monastery” or could theoretically bring anyone, from “assignment overseas” can cover an anywhere, with any agenda or HUMAN extraction. One old standby is disaster weapons. Fortunately, the Canadian recruitment – a local who shows prairies are fairly isolated places on RESOURCES pluck, resource, and skill during a vol- most timelines, so the Patrol can keep These ever-expanding tasks strain canic eruption or cataclysmic battle security squads camped out on most Infinity’s time and attention more can often “disappear in the wreckage” parallel headquarters locations with- than its pocketbook. Between off-the- without endangering The Secret. out endangering The Secret. books Consisting of Patrol slush funds Clever or daring Patrolmen can Besides guarding its own existence, (many kept in outtime banks), the vast manipulate prison or POW camp Headquarters serves as command cen- scale of parachronic operations, and records, hire mercenaries, or simply ter, university, arsenal, motor pool, lucrative Homeline sublicenses, buy slaves (although this remains very library, repair yard, and rear office for Infinity’s finances are, for all practical controversial with Infinity higher-ups) all Patrol divisions. Most importantly, purposes, unlimited. However, Infinity to get prime Patrol recruits out of their however, it serves as a true home base management still only has 24 hours in dangerous native worldlines and onto for Patrolmen isolated from both the every day to attend to and supervise the Infinity payroll. timelines they protect and the events on hundreds of worlds. Expert Homeline they enrich. Even more systems, streamlined decision mak- than cops or soldiers, Patrolmen can ing, and ruthless policy triage only go HEADQUARTERS only talk meaningfully to each other so far. Infinity has to allow Patrol New recruits almost always start and nobody else on a thousand agents broad discretion – they simply their service with an induction cere- Earths. Dormitories, recreation and don’t have the time to second-guess mony at Patrol headquarters. While sports facilities, cafeterias, and stables Patrolmen or make tactical decisions Infinity Unlimited runs its corporate are all available to any Patrolman upstairs. The same time pressures empire from a skyscraper in Chicago without charge. Whether it’s relaxing work on the Patrol’s 60,000 personnel (just far enough from the New York in Harry’s Crosstime Bar (run by a (10,000 of whom are full-time field and Washington mindsets to discour- Patrolman who lost both legs keeping agents), forcing the Patrol to prize ini- age overzealous oversight), the Patrol Napoleon out of a parallel Moscow) or tiative, creativity, and independent works from an unassuming glass-and- meditating at the Patrol Cemetery on problem-solving over all other factors. ferrocrete complex outside Calgary in the slopes of Mt. Eisenhower, every This irreducible fact of Infinity’s western Canada, well off the radar of Patrolman needs somewhere to con- parachronic operations makes Patrol even Infinity corporate bigwigs. nect to. Infinity fosters such connec- service very attractive to ex-military That low-profile complex spreads tions by deliberately intermingling and ex-police servicemen. From over several hundred acres, including agents and rear-echelon staff from armies and police forces drowning in firing ranges, proving grounds, both Patrol branches, the Penetration red tape and bureaucratic procedure, airstrips, projector and conveyor Service (colloquially, the “Time Patrol recruits enter a “sink or swim” barns, a small but secure prison facili- Scouts” or just “Scouts”) and the world where one decision can save ty, the fusion plant, and rooms full of Intervention Service (the explicitly millions (even billions) of lives or dol- molecular-memory supercomputers paramilitary “I-Cops”), in Headquart- lars. Only true catastrophes result in devoted to Patrol archives and analy- ers assignments. active oversight – and disasters usual- sis. (A backup facility exists at the Infinity encourages a similar mix ly kill Patrolmen who make stupid same location on Smother, an unin- of experiences in its individual decisions. habited Quantum 5 worldline where Patrolmen. Corporate policy favors But even with the incentive of ini- Earth’s atmosphere never oxygenat- Patrolmen with a broad, multi- tiative, staffing remains an ongoing ed.) The main headquarters building branch background over “time- problem for the Patrol. In the rich and (five stories of institutional blandness) servers” and “stair-climbers” who comfortable Homeline created by is only slightly more imposing, and move up the ranks in a single branch, Infinity Unlimited, not a lot of people informal Patrol policy considers it a or even a single service. Infinity’s volunteer to risk their lives . . . much defeat if “the Pile” ever shows up on board refuses to consider candidates less spend years on end in backwater the evening news. (Patrolmen tradi- for Patrol Director, or any executive parallels without fusion power or den- tionally make press statements from rank, without several years’ experi- tistry, even for a fairly handsome pay- the headquarters of whatever agency ence in both the Scouts and the check. Increasingly, Infinity turns to or police force they worked with on a I-Cops. Although this creates discon- outworld recruiting on those timelines given mission, or from the Infinity tinuities and duplication of effort, it where they can manage it without Tower in Chicago.) The whole area prevents (or at least mitigates) revealing The Secret. Outtimers, after (including several miles of under- bureaucratic empire-building and all, are used to crummy working con- ground tunnels and laboratories) rests encourages well-rounded, lateral ditions, danger, and filth – they live under the most comprehensive radar, thinking at all levels of the Patrol. there. In some worlds, it’s as simple as satellite, and physical surveillance

INFINITY UNLIMITED 9 play intramural sports from a wide best cadet teams in the Academy. The INTERVENTION variety of worldlines, with winning last week is “Finals,” during which the teams getting better chow and other graduates prepare a lengthy, specific SERVICE minor privileges. The unofficial line report analyzing shortcomings in the The “I-Cops” enforce the rules and between “basic” and “advanced” train- Academy and their training. No cadet keep out hostile strangers all over the ing is Sleepout: an unannounced mid- can be flunked for his report – the only continuum. They are the sword and night alert that picks up four to seven failing grade is for turning in nothing. shield of Homeline. The Intervention cadets at a time (depending on class On Graduation Day, the cadets parade Service favors reliability over inspira- size) and drops them a couple of hun- in formation for the last time, receive tion, resolution over communication, dred miles away from the Academy to their commissions and duty assign- and speed over spread. Identify the find their way back through saber- ments, and ship out into the multi- task, overcome the obstacles, and tooth country. With only what they verse, entitled to wear the blue and accomplish the mission – don’t get dis- were wearing and carrying five min- black of the Patrol. A week later, the tracted saving other worlds before utes after waking up. In December. In new class comes in. you’ve saved your own first. An I-Cop an Ice Age. A year at the Academy makes an makes his own luck by not sticking The Academy rewards survivors excellent introductory mini-cam- around waiting for lightning to strike. with a week around New Year’s (uni- paign, abstracting as much or as little They throw the lightning themselves, versally called “Spring Break” despite of the drills and sports as the group and jump before the thunder stops the timing) to do what they like in wants. Such an introduction probably rolling. Johnson’s Rome or another freewheel- works best if each player takes two or The Intervention Service has 10 ing but primitive world – which is three cadets as characters. The GM divisions, the first of which may be the another test. Cadets who can’t adjust can then wash out PC cadets without most important in the entire Patrol. to other cultural mores, who treat out- worrying about wrecking the cam- timers with contempt or condescen- paign – and the leftover graduates can The Academy sion, who reveal high-tech devices, or show up later as NPCs, or be backup Located on the shores of the glacial who are stupid enough to fall for the characters in case a player’s primary Lake Agassiz (in the equivalent of badger game get weeded out of the Patrolman gets vaporized by Nazi Homeline South Dakota), in the Academy upon their return. If a cadet maser fire in Atlanta or crippled by Pleistocene parallel Mammut-1, the makes it past Sleepout and Spring toppling sarsens at Stonehenge. Infinity Academy trains every new Break, he is considered a Patrolman. agent accepted into the Patrol. Each Perhaps not an agent yet – but someone worth investing more time and Customs and Inspection year’s class begins in mid-September The Customs and Inspection with about 650 cadets (although the money in. The rest of the winter is more phys- Division officially guards every Academy has facilities for 1,000 stu- parachronic projector on Homeline, dents if necessary); the rigors of train- ical training – long marches across the glacier, mammoth hunts with equip- and has global authority to enter and ing whittle the average graduating search any location emitting class down to about 400. This is bare- ment from a variety of tech levels, pressure suit training and zero-gravity detectable parachronic energies. Their ly enough to stay ahead of the current thankless task is to keep things out of death, retirement, injury, and disap- combat – interspersed with applied parachronics, the care and feeding of Homeline that don’t belong there, pearance rate of existing Patrolmen, from dangerous plagues to smuggled but Commandant al-Wahid (a Special conveyors, and still more history and language courses. Weapons drill gets Tyrian pendants to fanatical terrorists. Ops veteran who lost her right arm to Their second priority is to keep such a dragon) refuses to ease up on the more complex, and there are “practice surveys” of mostly mapped (and most- things from going from Homeline out Academy regimen. The Academy into the unpoliceable void of the infi- trains both Intervention and ly harmless) worldlines. The work keeps piling on, and the team sports nite worlds. Screens at projector bays Penetration Service agents, and and conveyor havens continuously although it is officially a division of take a break. In the spring, “aptitude training” scan for fissionables, toxins, viruses, Intervention, its faculty remains rigor- nanobots, and anything else the para- ously neutral in any turf wars between begins; the Patrol needs too many skills from too few people to build noid minds at Customs can suspect. the services. (The sign in most projector bays is as All cadets begin with a three- complete generalists. (This is part of why Patrol training emphasizes team- accurate as it is concise: “Rule One: month “basic training” program Declare Everything.”) Customs and emphasizing stamina, decision-mak- work so much.) Infinity can hire the foremost experts on any topic: aikijut- Inspection tries desperately to get first ing while fatigued or stressed, and priority on telepathic personnel, with basic Patrol combat and weapons su, wine tasting, archery, or dance. Team sports come back with the warm sadly mixed success. Reliable drills. (These emphasize surprise, sub- telepaths can write their own ticket in tlety, and teamwork.) After dinner, (well, warm for the Ice Age) weather, too – the traditional final blowout is the Patrol, and few of them covet bor- coursework on the basics of ing jobs reading the minds of people parachronics, languages, and global “Homecoming” in early September, a showdown game of ollamalitzli (the coming back from vacation with “a history fills a cadet’s time until lights souvenir hardly worth mentioning.” out. In their scanty free time, cadets brutal Aztec ball game) between the

10 INFINITY UNLIMITED involving Infinity personnel or property. (Command of overlapping investigations goes to the team with priority on the case – initiative gets results.) By one interpretation of the Interworld Treaty, this gives the Justice Division jurisdiction over any crime on Homeline involving an outtimer or an Infinity employee, or occurring in a parachronic facility of any kind, as well as any crime involving a Homeliner on any other Earth. “Crimes,” in this context, include genocide, mass slavery, environmental neglect, arms smuggling, and subversion, as well as old standbys like theft, fraud, and murder. Like the FBI or Scotland Yard, sometimes their involvement is requested, and sometimes it’s resented, and sometimes both at once. Unsurprisingly, neither the FBI nor Scotland Yard particularly welcomes nosy I-Cops horning into their own problems, nor do they usu- Patrolmen themselves delight in than Customs and Inspection, if such ally appreciate the irony of the situa- smuggling – usually low-key contra- a thing is possible. IA roots out tion. Worse, despite lavish funding for band like wine and knives, although Homeline corruption and favoritism facilities and top-flight training for its the Patrol team that managed to in Infinity where it can, which earns agents, the Justice Division doesn’t smuggle an entire hover-panzer back the Division no friends in the UNIC really have the institutional memory, from Reich-4 is still the topic of awed bureaucracy or Infinity’s boardroom. the staff, or the footprint of a truly legend. This does little to endear “C & However, Internal Affairs is always major criminal investigation depart- I-Cops” (or C & I duty) to other agents. happy to look into reports about what ment. Hence, Justice agents have to Although a team of Inspection some bureaucrat’s rival is up to, which get by on intuition, flair, and a deep agents tasked to investigate unli- helps IA play political hardball when understanding of the “offworld censed parachronic emissions on necessary. Every Patrolman who has angle,” whatever it may be. Homeline probably has one of the ever been left twisting in the wind by a A Crime Scene: Infinity campaign most tense and nail-biting jobs in the rear-echelon type taking a bribe or centered on the Justice Division might Patrol, actually playing such a cam- abetting a coverup – and then seen the be very entertaining, but over a longer paign would be a little too much like malefactor dispatched to count neu- term it might tax the GM’s creativity playing air traffic controllers. A roving trons on Taft-3 – has to admit that IA (or the players’ patience) to unravel Inspection team checking security on may (just barely) be justified. mystery after mystery. However, a sin- nearby Quantum 5 worlds might Internal Affairs officers might gle mystery makes a good “prologue” uncover plenty of exciting trouble, appear as the “bad guys” in either a adventure, and a meaty crime can though, without even trying. For freewheeling game of maverick I-Cops draw in agents from any other divi- mixed parties, an individual Customs who just don’t play by the rules, or in sion as needed, as witnesses, experts, agent is a very plausible addition to a tense, shades-of-gray game in which or even suspects. Then, if the real any Patrol team heading into a world Infinity higher-ups might not always criminal escapes to another world (or with valuables, or dangerous items, or be the white hats. Internal Affairs PCs is in cahoots with some larger con- suspicious outtime activity – which is might tag along on one or two mis- spiracy), the game is afoot, and a to say, any of them. sions, but are unlikely to fit well into mixed team can set off on a campaign an ongoing I-Cops campaign. Unless, that (every so often) gets its man. An Internal Affairs of course, all the players take the insidious GM might run a twist on this role of IA officers, and play out setup – draw agents in from various Internal Affairs are the Patrolmen “Infinite Ellroy” L.A. Confidential-style who patrol the Patrol. They hunt divisions, set up the mystery teams, stories uncovering corruption and and frame the PCs for the crime! through currency records looking for malfeasance inside Infinity itself. bulging offworld accounts, check up Suddenly, they have to flee Homeline, on “friends from Bonaparte-4” with and chase down the real criminals – suspicious last names, and bring Justice it’s the Infinite Fugitive, and they’re down the hammer on anyone, any Where Internal Affairs tracks chasing the one-armed Nazi across time. This makes “the Eyes” even less down corruption inside the Patrol, the continuum. popular among their fellow Patrolmen the Justice Division solves crimes

INFINITY UNLIMITED 11 own work across the timelines. The Patrol actively headhunts former Mounties for responsible postings, Infinite Justice, Inc. and the RCMP is the only Homeline Headquartered in an obsolete steel mill in Gary, Indiana, Infinite outfit routinely invited on “ride- Justice, Inc., the largest bail bond, repossession, and “personnel reacqui- alongs” to other timelines when sition” agency licensed for crosstime operations, doesn’t spend a lot on I-Cops need backup fast. RCMP office furniture or fancy wall screens. Infinite Justice, Inc., sells itself to characters can add an interesting its clients with its record (a success rate over 80%) and its personnel (95% dimension to an I-Cop campaign, with extensive outworld experience before joining the firm, mostly with serving as pipelines to the wider world the Infinity Patrol, Mounties, or other law enforcement agencies). of Homeline or merely lending Infinity Unlimited offers a minimum $500,000 reward, payable to any another perspective. licensed crosstime bounty hunter, for the return of any Homeliner hiding out on an alternate Earth; every one of these burglars, runaways, mob- Logistics sters, and adulterers endangers The Secret. IJI leases its conveyors from The unglamorous task of keeping Infinity on an extremely affordable plan, letting it mount more conveyors fueled and ammunition parachronic missions than most Homeline governments. sorted both by caliber and by world of The hunt for a single fugitive may be one adventure long, or extend origin falls to the Logistics Division. across an entire campaign, with a posse of bounty hunters (along with These hard-working perfectionists their pilot, “face man,” and so forth) involving themselves voluntarily or handle repairs, vehicles, supply, and involuntarily in local problems from world to world along the trail of maintenance for the entire Patrol. their quarry. The posse could also chase down different fugitives across This includes supplies, fuel, ammuni- the quanta from week to week and occasionally get sucked into the tion, and spare parts for any outtime fringes of larger crises. Alternatively, a bounty hunter can be a recur- equipment in storage or rotation; ring NPC (or a PC) who provides investigative skills, contacts, or mus- Logistics Division works closely with cle for Patrol missions “as a favor to the old outfit” while borrowing an the Penetration Service’s Technical “off-duty” I-Cop squad for his tougher jobs. (The large number of for- Analysis Division (p. 17). One of mer Patrolmen in Infinite Justice helps smooth out any quibbles about Logistics’ key tasks is to keep track of regulations.) every single parachronic device in The stereotypical bounty hunter mission is to track down a wanted Infinity’s inventory; if a conveyor (or, fugitive, apprehend him, and turn him in to the authorities for a reward. more subtly, a coordinate disk or spare The mission can, of course, go haywire anywhere along this path. For set of field circuits) goes missing, they example, the fugitive might be falsely accused, or a Centrum agent, or alert the closest Patrol team to its last hiding out on Merlin-1, or have powerful friends in UNIC. The authori- known position. Often, that team is ties might be corrupt, brutal, mistaken, or otherwise distracted. The then ordered to drop whatever it was reward might be too small, or so big that it attracts a lot of freelance tal- doing and chase down the missing ent hunting the criminal “on spec.” And, of course, the reward might not dingus – everyone in the Patrol shares get paid at all, depending on the suspect’s condition, legal status, or polit- Logistics Division’s concern about ical protection. Fortunately, there’s this slave trader with a price on his vanishing equipment. After all, next head who just happened to stumble across your path . . . week it could be bringing a division of fanatical Jamahiriya secularists from Caliph or slavering berserkers from Gotha-19 down on them. Liaison PCs in a campaign centered around a Although essential for the smooth Homeline group such as the FBI’s operation of the Patrol, Logistics offi- The Liaison Division handles rela- cers are not particularly essential for tionships with other Homeline law- Parachronic Field Team or France’s Légion d’Outretemps. the exciting operation of a game. They enforcement agencies or military serve as information dumps, and as units, especially those with para- I-Cop Liaison agents have a particularly warm relationship with the the source of weird equipment and chronic investigation responsibilities. urgent requests. A quintessential rear- With the Patrol’s chronic shortage of Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), who technically “host” any I- area, support-staff NPC, a Logistics time and manpower, unless an investi- agent might enter the adventure with gation truly endangers Infinity inter- Cop operations on Homeline run out of Patrol Headquarters in Calgary. The a one-time need to recover a particu- ests, the I-Cops are always happy to larly sensitive item. Once attached to a turn over work to outsiders. Liaison Mounties’ traditions of integrity, self- sufficiency, professionalism, and Patrol team, of course, his skill at agents follow up information sharing, repair and access to restricted or keep Homeliners in the loop on out- determination resonate strongly with Patrolmen, and the Patrol seeks to strange equipment could make him so time investigations, and smooth any valuable that he stays on for a series of ruffled bureaucratic feathers. Liaison emulate the best of the RCMP experience – bringing order without cruelty adventures. A team of Logistics per- agents make likely NPCs in an I-Cop sonnel might be tasked to establish a campaign, but might make interesting or destruction to a vast frontier – in its

12 INFINITY UNLIMITED maintenance and supply base on some role of team leader on another world, single licensee of parachronic tech- almost-hospitable parallel, setting up or plays “face man” for a team of nology, and on every outtimer known a long-term series of adventures in a Patrolmen. A Morale team assigned to to have dealt with Homeliners in any continuing setting. Having the bring down some horrible govern- capacity. Getting this information is prototypical paper-pushers save the ment or end a war could be an inter- the job of Security’s “runners,” who universe (perhaps in spite of the con- esting group to play. The result might keep strings of informers and agents descending “real I-Cops”) could be an resemble either Ocean’s 11 or A Fistful in both the security agencies of many amusing running gag in a light (or of Dollars, depending on the tone of parallels (they essentially command even a silly) campaign. the game. the Vigiles on Johnson’s Rome, for example) and inside every criminal or political group known to have Morale Nexus Oversight a crossworld interest. Security Morale in the Patrol is actually bet- Nexus Oversight, the “Highway Division works closely with the ter than in most police or military Patrol” of the I-Cops, guards and Penetration Service’s Intelligence forces, although Infinity’s staff psy- charts known dimensional highways, Division to monitor all other time- chologists, chaplains, and bartenders nexus portals, and so forth. Relatively lines for breaches of The Secret, or of all earn their stipends. The Morale few such unconventional routes lead domestic parachronic research. On Division doesn’t actually concern itself to Homeline proper, and Infinity paper, Intelligence does the monitor- with Patrol morale very much, bought up most of them (along with ing, and Security makes any “adjust- although that’s what all the job all the land for several miles around, ments” necessary to fix things. In descriptions in the unit seem to where possible) long ago. However, practice, this means that Security imply in faultless 21st-century buzz- the Patrol can’t depend on Infinity’s agents are usually tasked with word-speak. Its actual duties are parachronic monopoly to keep the “secret improvements” on other par- propaganda, memetics, and psycho- continuum safe. Moving along the allels as well: ending slave trades, logical warfare – both on other worlds back roads of the continuum, infiltra- preventing global wars, derailing (convincing dictators to stand down, tors, smugglers, or terrorists could atomic research programs in dicta- or the citizens to vote out Centrum wreak havoc in realities across the torships, and so forth. Security puppets) and on Homeline. That last quanta, even if Homeline is (mostly) Division runs the “prison parallel” job is the most sensitive of all, but Van secure. And there are always tourists Coventry (p. B524), as well as a few Zandt really didn’t want world opinion to gently redirect, squabbles over even more obscure detention facili- to shift and take Infinity away from access to sort out, and the occasional ties on remote worlds. Security him. So a goodly chunk of Infinity’s ghastly crisis to avert. Nexus also works closely with Logistics, money goes into conventional adver- Oversight also tries to keep track of following their lead when tracking tising, public relations, and political known banestorms, and its agents missing conveyors, and with Liasion contributions handled by Infinity’s keep their hands in by killing anything Division, partnering up with Home- corporate P.R. offices and their lobby- nasty a banestorm leaves behind. In line security agencies (especially the ists. A bigger, but far more carefully practice, Nexus Oversight sometimes FBI, Shin Bet, and MI5) when track- concealed, amount goes into carefully serves as the I-Cops’ own in-house ing crosstime threats against nation- conceived messages to play up the Scout service; the “Nexers” love to find al targets. The Security Division also good things from Infinity (cheap out what’s over the next quantum bar- maintains a low-simmering irritation fusion power, safety from Time Nazis) rier and who’s been driving tanks with Infinity Unlimited’s Corporate and dismiss the bad (toying with the down the ley lines. Security Branch, which is theoreti- lives of billions). It’s an exaggeration A roving Nexus Oversight team of cally in charge of Homeline threats to say that Infinity guards that secret this sort makes an ideal player group. to Infinity operations; with more assiduously than they guard The Even if the worlds they’re patrolling Homeliners who travel crosstime, Secret of parachronics – but Van are quiet now, anybody or anything jurisdiction gets blurry. Zandt and his successors on the board could come out of the portal during A Security team is another ideal seem to think that the one depends on the next new moon and stir things up. player group. Every mission can be the other. A single Nexer could fall in with any different, from smash-and-grab raids Morale works closely with the team anywhere in the continuum – an on Islamic Jihad cells on Homeline to Scouts as well, helping craft messages excellent way to bring in a new player following a string of clues to run down (verbal and heraldic) of peace and or replacement character. a plutonium smuggler across six or friendship (or at least “enemy of your seven worldlines. The broad scope of enemy”) for first contact discussions Security Security missions means that and meetings, often accompanying Patrolmen from almost any other divi- Scouts into the field. On outworld Security Division monitors and prevents crosstime infiltration of sion can join up for a single operation, operations, negotiation and commu- or help staff a full cross-divisional task nication is the Morale Division way, Homeline. Working very closely with the Intelligence Division of the force to monitor some developing although often with the aim of more (campaign-long) crisis. thoroughly eliminating an opponent. Scouts, they maintain frightening A Morale officer frequently acts in the amounts of information on every

INFINITY UNLIMITED 13 course, project to Quantum 3 or 4 if need be.) Their bases (in Canada on Homeline and Hideaway; in tropical Cover Stories Kenya on Habakkuk) have immense Given the conflicting imperatives of keeping The Secret and influenc- fuel-cracking stations, full support ing outtime locals, much thought and effort goes into providing Infinity facilities, massive parachronic detec- agents with solid cover while on operations in parallel worlds. Necessary tor nets, and backups of most Patrol documents, travel passes, forged currency, and so forth are the responsi- records of Interworld activity. Support bility of the Document Section of the Penetration Service (a cross-divi- staff (about 2,000 per base) usually sional unit staffed by the Intelligence, Records and Research, and consists of disabled Patrolmen from Technical Analysis divisions). Planting actual identities in offworld data other divisions, civilian contractors, or banks, maintaining safe houses and bank accounts, and other local jobs specialists from Intelligence, Logis- fall to whichever Service runs the main Infinity station on the parallel (if tics, and Security. the Scouts, usually the Intelligence Division; if the I-Cops, usually A Special Operations Divison cam- Security Division). paign resembles a normal military The actual nature of the cover varies by milieu and TL. In low-TL soci- “special ops” campaign, focusing on eties, up to TL2 or 3, agents can pass themselves off as travelers from a raids and assaults. Patrolmen from faraway kingdom, as magicians (this is harder on worlds where magic other divisions usually come along on actually works), or as emissaries from the gods. Some of these stories specific missions only to lend specific also work in post-disaster milieus. In societies at TL4 or 5, Patrol per- knowledge or expertise; they aren’t sonnel have to either invent secret societies to belong to, or suborn exist- likely to join a SpecOps squad on a ing guilds, orders, or groups (or at least individual lodges or churches). full-time basis. If the GM and players Once nation-states have monopolized power, usually by TL5, Homeline can come up with enough variations agents have to begin the careful game of claiming to be spies or agents on the model to keep the game from from different nations, hoping to avoid close cross-checking. This, how- getting stale, well and good. ever, makes getting the cooperation of a local government more difficult, Otherwise, it may be necessary to mix and often forces Patrolmen to work through less-than-ideal local cutouts. things up. Players might have a “back- Impersonating the home government’s spies or secret police is the best up SpecOps PC.” Every so often, if the possible cover, but is fraught with danger. regular PCs uncover something that In very bureaucratic governments (which began by TL2 in China and really needs a smackdown, the game Rome), Patrolmen can often claim to be from another government can switch to “SpecOps mode” and the department or a far province . . . or from the capital, if they are operat- players can bring in their backup PC ing in a far province. If they can present the right credentials, and use the squad to deliver it. Or the GM can right tone of voice, this is often sufficient for short-term operations. Over insert a small SpecOps unit into an a longer term, such a cover is always in danger of collapsing. In some anchor, or a shifted echo, for a long- cases, it might be possible to claim to be time travelers, or even aliens – term campaign against Centrum on presenting advanced Homeline technology as “proof.” that world. Covert high-tech warfare against Centrum while keeping The Secret, rescuing other Patrolmen (who might become PCs themselves), ready to launch its own initiative. Special Operations and recruiting local forces to the side Special Operations has about 200 The mission of Special Operations of Homeline presents enough differ- agents in three companies stationed Division is the counterpunch. ent challenges to keep the game fresh on Homeline, Hideaway (a top-secret SpecOps (or SOD, to the less- for some time. impressed Patrolmen of other divi- Quantum 6 “manor world” used exclu- sions) exists to drop onto a Centrum sively by Infinity retirees and execu- (or, increasingly, SS Raven Division) tives), and Habakkuk (a similarly PENETRATION operation when subtlety is no longer secret Quantum 7 world where the an option. They train in crosstime Laurentide cooling snapped the Earth SERVICE assault tactics, doing the most damage back into another Ice Age around The “Time Scouts” survey and with the least equipment possible in 6000 B.C.). The company on open new timelines, and keep the the shortest period of time. Special Hideaway is double-strength, since flow of parachronic traffic running Operations does not (officially, anymore Centrum operations occur in smoothly. The Scouts favor adapt- way) launch operations against enemy Quantum 6 than the other two. Their ability over discipline, openness over targets; it is the “cavalry” called in to conveyors are hardened subquantum judgment, and breadth over depth. A end a fight, not the “marines” sent in models built into armored TL9 Icarus modicum of knowledge and accept- to start one. Of course, many rescues suborbital VTOL gunships each capa- ance on 10 worlds is better than a or counterstrikes require the tactical ble of carrying up to three squads (15- doctorate on (or initiation into) one offensive, and sometimes that creeps 24 Patrolmen) of SpecOps anywhere subculture – although Scouts will up to “pre-emptive defense” against an on the Earths within four hours of an pump the professor (or initiate) for Interworld task force that looks almost alert. (The Homeline company can, of the three key details they need to find

14 INFINITY UNLIMITED a missing tourist in Nineveh or pass a more primitive Earths), making too potential and TL of an echo, a given message to a Patrol contact at the overt a contact could shift the entire world might have one team (based in Reichschancellery. timeline! To make things even dicier, 1873 Liverpool, monitoring shipping The Penetration Service has eight The Secret is never closer to exposure news and telegraph cables for any divisions. than in the first few months of contact microscopic divergence from Home- with a new timeline. Agents don’t yet line records), a few teams (one in each know what clothing, behavior, or tech- major capital in 1942), or more. Most Communications nology marks them as not just echoes really ought to have a global Whether it’s riding camels across a strangers but weird outsiders, and network of agents communicating by parallel Mojave or burrowing a Trojan can’t find out without wandering ultrawave – keeping tabs, for instance, Horse into a Sinhalaraj submarine around risking death or worse. on every minor kingdom and caravan comm net, Communications gets the All this makes a Contact team a stop from Chichen Itza to Chang’an word out and the message through. perfect PC group. Every new timeline and back again in 800 A.D. – but have Communications Division shares is a new set of challenges, the GM can to make do with overworked “circuit responsibility with Intelligence for tailor adventures (and whole worlds) riders” who travel the Silk Road and cryptanalysis, and encodes even rou- to meet (or play with) player expecta- other trade routes with a cargo of tine messages to the hilt. However, too tions, and the flavor can vary as wide- spices and an eye for the uncanny. many mysterious, unbreakable codes ly or as little as desired. A Contact An Echo Surveillance team is in a suspicious age themselves endan- team often includes Scouts from other most suitable for long-running cam- ger The Secret, so often Communi- divisions, and even I-Cops if they pro- paigns set in a single echo. The cations has to encode the real message vide specific skills (or warm bodies to agents can deal with local crises from inside an enciphered cover message fill mission requirements right now). wars to plagues to suspicious intended to be broken. It’s headaches This offers an excellent mix of starting Inquisitors, chasing down every like this that make courier duty seem characters, and return trips to HQ rumor of sorcery or angels that like a positive relief; all you have to do between missions even let players sounds like a Centrum cover. is get from Paris to Peking and dodge trade out crippled or dead Scouts for Eventually, of course, one of those the Khaghan’s All-Seeing Eyes along brash new replacements. rumors will pan out, and the game the way. becomes one of cat-and-mouse as the Communications agents can open two sides choose their pawns and the door to any kind of adventure – and Echo Surveillance begin the contest in earnest. On an may not even know what’s in the mes- Once a parallel has been classified echo with a lot of potential diver- sage that causes everyone to hunt them as an echo – an exact duplicate of gence points set close together in down. A long-running game centered Homeline history vulnerable to time- time or space (1453, 1789, or 1917, on the Communications Division can line shifting – the Patrol turns it over for example), the missions still have center on multiworld couriers, who to Echo Surveillance Division. This plenty of variety. For more variety “ride circuit” through a number of sta- division has the unenviable task of still, the players can take the roles of tions and parallels to pick up messages monitoring all potential crisis points a “flying squad” of Echo Surveillance that can’t be sent any other way. This in the echo’s current affairs for signs of agents spot-checking comfortably provides plenty of setting variety, and Centrum involvement, or for other remote or stable echoes and solving each stop no doubt holds its own crisis changes that might shift the echo out any crises there as rapidly and that in some way threatens the delivery of place. Depending on the change silently as possible. of the next message.

Contact In many ways, Contact Division has the most difficult, delicate job in the entire Patrol. Once the Scouts discover a new timeline, a Contact field team has to learn its geopolitical, cultural, economic, and technical situation in as much detail and as little time as possible. All of this, of course, while checking for magic, psionics, or other potentially threatening anomalies in the local physics, establishing some sort of plausible cover for future Patrol missions, and keeping an eye out for Centrum or other outtime troublemakers. If the new timeline is an echo (which the Patrol can’t always discern right away, especially with

INFINITY UNLIMITED 15 Intelligence Patrolmen even outside Intel Division, game appeals to everyone. A Records Intelligence Division monitors or someone who can add hair-raising Division NPC makes a useful support- every known world (including a few complications (or life-saving hints) to ing player, however, always available that aren’t very well known at all) for a seemingly conventional mission to feed a clue or plot point to the per- any threat to Homeline, Infinity, or briefing. The Intelligence mission can plexed I-Cops. On some missions, The Secret. Contrary to the romantic turn out to be a red herring, an excuse however (such as those to an unburnt image of Intel Scouts infiltrating for the real adventure, or one more Library of Alexandria, or hunting an Reich-5 deployment bases or stealing round in a taut game of thrust and eldritch tome through the bibliophile Centrum coordinate files, most counterthrust against Centrum’s underground of Merlin-2’s London), a Intelligence work involves combing Interworld Service. Records and Research agent PC can bring a glittering eye and a head full of facts to the game.

Search and Rescue When a researcher goes missing in Tenochtitlán, or a party of skiers gets trapped by raiding Helvetii, Search and Rescue Division gets them out. Search and Rescue teams, usually mounted on special conveyors with full ambulance and paramedical modules, remain on call in a number of Infinity stations around Homeline and on major tourist parallels. They can be scrambled and outbound within 20 the records of every other Patrol sec- Records and Research minutes of getting a go-code, although tion. Intelligence Division agents have This Division maintains every bit most dispatches are triggered by “fail- clearance to see any report from any of data recovered or discovered on ures to report in on time” or returning division of Infinity, and through every mission, as well as the personnel parties (or escaping survivors) bearing UNIC, can request intelligence data jackets for the Infinity Patrol, dossiers bad news rather than actual distress from most of the Homeline spy agen- on anyone ever encountered by the calls. Many conveyors have a sub- cies as well. Although Intelligence Patrol in any capacity, and the most quantum “black box” drone that Division gives lip service to compart- complete historical database in the jumps to the closest S&R station on mentalization of information, there known worlds. Most of this material is each quantum in an emergency, but are too many crises, too much data, fully computerized on molecular stor- this is hit-or-miss at best. Search and too little time, and too few Intel per- age media, but Records and Research Rescue has the primary “first sonnel for that approach to be practi- is always behind on transfers from response” task for any conveyor or cal. Intelligence assigns field agents on more primitive sources, especially civilian missing on a “non-threat” “open-eyes” missions (which consist those from outtime. Thus, the Stacks worldline (in general, those not of visiting a seldom-seen world and (as the Division archives are called) classed Z; see Infinity’s World Classes, looking for trouble) to scare up still also hold several million hardcopy p. 83). They do not mount paramili- more data, and many Intelligence books, miles upon miles of film and tary or police missions – conveyors Division Scouts visit 10 or 12 worlds recording tape, and a few floors of gone missing on the Reich parallels in a single “circuit” looking for pat- unclassified stone tablets, cylinder draw a response from Special terns that don’t show up in the on-site seals, and oil paintings. This division Operations, for example. Unfortu- reports. also handles the administrative duties nately, the Search and Rescue team An Intelligence Division agent can for the Intervention Service; only the sometimes winds up being the first get added to any Patrol mission at the most cynical I-Cops really believe that Patrolmen to discover that a mostly last minute, simply because someone their requests always take two weeks harmless worldline has suddenly wanted more information or thought longer to file than Scout paperwork become a deadly threat. Hence, that trouble might be brewing some- ever seems to. Everyone knows that Search and Rescue agents have to be where. Full Intelligence Division field the best way to get a form approved is able to take care of themselves in all teams go on (slightly) more organized to submit it wrapped around a CD- kinds of situations, while saving lives survey, scouting, and investigation ROM, papyrus scroll, or leatherbound and keeping an eye out for the next missions to various timelines as well. folio that doesn’t already appear in the disaster. Intelligence Division PCs can there- Stacks. A Search and Rescue team makes fore “solo” with a team of Patrolmen With the best will in the world, it an excellent PC group for fast-paced from other divisions, or make up an may be difficult to set a campaign adventures flickering between many entire adventuring group. An entirely in the musty world of Records different settings. Search and Rescue Intelligence NPC makes an excellent and Research, unless a somewhat teams have to have a mix of “mission director” for a group of outré “adventures in the Warehouse” specialists, ready for anything from

16 INFINITY UNLIMITED vampire bites to maser burns to flint require on-site human inspection. a Survey team that gets lost or cut off arrow wounds, moving fast and stay- Survey Division field agents are from Homeline (perhaps because the ing ahead of the locals – or, worse, trained in camouflage, stealth, and worldline shifted), and has to make its other dimension-travelers. A single covert surveillance, as well as various way in the new world regardless of Search and Rescue agent is unlikely to scientific disciplines, rather than procedure would be an excellent PC join a cross-disciplinary team, unless social interaction skills (those fall group for a medium- or long-term he has specialized knowledge (of a under Contact Division’s purview). An adventure set in a single worldline. world, a danger, or a technique) need- ideal Survey mission, from the per- Also, playing the initial Survey team ed for a mission. However, a tour in spective of many agents, is a long as “guest star PCs” who scope out the Search and Rescue makes an excellent camping trip in the Appalachians situation first-hand and then turn the background for a player character spent monitoring radio broadcasts or mission over to the regular heroes has “medic” in any other division. tapping into computer cables without much more immediacy and reward meeting a local. Unfortunately, as with going for it than another GM briefing any other Patrol division, no mission about “what Survey Division has Survey is ever ideal, and many Survey agents determined.” In mixed groups, Survey A Survey agent is what the average have to extract themselves from the agents bring useful talents to the table, Homeliner thinks of when he thinks of clutches of local guards, double-talk and any given mission can add “the the Scouts. Survey Division plans, their way past suspicious nomads, or first agent to set foot on this world- organizes, and carries out “first in” personally discover monsters or magic line” to the team. missions to new worldlines, after as on a seemingly normal worldline. thorough a robotic reconnaissance as Since Survey Division teams are possible (see Recon Procedures, expected to stay out of the way of the Technical Analysis below). Drones can provide a surpris- locals, such a team might not seem Technical Analysis Division exists ing amount of hard data about a new like an ideal role for an active player to help Patrolmen blend in with, rec- world, but there are always strange group. Unless something goes wrong – ognize, utilize, and if necessary count- holes and mysterious quirks that er technologies from other alternates. Their specific mission is to examine and evaluate, and ideally be able to duplicate, any and every technological artifact from any timeline, from Recon Procedures sharpened bones to bioscanners. Tech Before Survey Division teams ever enter a worldline, standard proce- Division works closely with Records dure calls for thorough robotic reconnaissance, using multiple drones, and Research, and also prints forged ideally in multiple locations around the world in question. Odd results at currency, manufactures inconspicu- any stage prompt the insertion of more drones at other locations for ous or fashionable clothing, and cre- cross-checking and correlation of the data; dangerous results prompt a ates “pocket fillers” (keys, small idols, reassessment by the Penetration Service as a whole. eating knives, roach clips, etc.) to help First, Survey pops a small floating drone into the mid-Atlantic to Patrolmen blend into any worldline check the atmosphere, radiation, gravity, salinity, plankton count, and they might have to enter. Although other major environmental metrics on the parallel. If that survey comes regulations discourage the inclusion back successfully (and informatively), a larger drone enters on land to of “secret agent” devices in costumes monitor the electromagnetic spectrum for radio, television, or other sig- and personal items in case of loss, nals, and to sniff the atmosphere and test the soil for pollutants and com- theft, or accidental discovery, Tech plex chemicals. This drone also checks the night sky, and determines the Division loves to add cameras, micro- parallel’s local present date from the star patterns. (This usually happens phones, cutting saws, and similar in the Chilean Andes, to maximize seeing and minimize witnesses.) From “mission enhancers” to anything they these reports, Survey Division estimates the world’s TL. build. They usually tell the agent who On lines lower than TL7, a high-flying stealthed reconnaissance drone carries the item about such extras. enters and takes aerial photos for several hundred miles around; where Like their kindred spirits in possible, multiple airphoto missions provide good coverage for key areas Records and Research, Technical like the Mediterranean, the Chinese coastline, and eastern North Analysis Division agents are not ideal America. If possible (or vital), Infinity orbits a stealthed satellite or two PCs, being quintessential rear-area for surveillance and communications. On timelines TL7 or higher, sub- personnel. A team of Tech agents marine drones crawl up the shore in busy dockyards (disguised as wreck- would be hard-pressed to justify many age or flotsam) and attempt to tap into local wireless computer networks, outworld missions, except perhaps to phone signals, or any other medium they can subtly sift for information. worlds with a lot of very strange tech- Any drone sent into a TL5 or higher worldline is equipped with a ther- nology. However, adding a Technical mite self-destruct system that activates if it is tampered with, if it is intru- Analysis expert to a given mission is sively scanned, or if it misses its recall window. far easier to justify, whether the worldline runs on immense analytical engines, bizarre Tesla devices, or dwarven steam boilers.

INFINITY UNLIMITED 17 are probably fewer than 100 five-to- seven-man squads on the active duty list) are outtimers from all walks of life. Miracle Workers Some of them, like Skorzeny, are Miracle Workers, the “do-gooder” nonprofit wing of Infinity, has a “résumé recruits” picked based on simple enough mission: save and improve lives across the Infinite their parallel selves’ skills. Some are Worlds. This encompasses famine relief, disaster recovery and repair, locals who come to the notice of sanitation and health improvements, nutrition and agricultural sup- Patrolmen in some way, usually port, control of plagues, and (in the direst situations) refugee reloca- involving meritorious service or aston- tion. Often, Miracle Workers teams show up to keep civilian locals safe ishing ability. A few are outtimers who (and safely out of the way) in case of a Centrum attack, reality quake, stumble onto ISWAT operations and or other parachronic incident. Although their tents and vehicles usu- manage to find their way to Homeline, ally display the red cross, caduceus, pelican, or other local “neutral or to one of the covert financial, mili- healer” emblem, Miracle Workers personnel (except for those in deep tary, or technical facilities ISWAT cover) wear the dove-and-raven flash of their organization on their maintains across the parallels. To clothing or as jewelry. Skorzeny, such cleverness and drive Miracle Workers operations vary depending on the type of worldline far outweighs any possible damage to where they take place. On some depopulated parallels, where Infinity has The Secret – anyone smart enough to openly taken over (most Hell parallels, for example), Miracle Workers find his people is someone to be also operates openly. (On some mining parallels, Miracle Workers teams recruited, not dumped on Coventry to are introducing urban sanitation and the germ theory of disease to par- waste their skills forever. allel Sumerian cities.) On many parallels, Miracle Workers is a chartered, A solid cadre of ISWAT operatives licensed not-for-profit agency (just like White Star Trading is a legitimate are Patrolmen, of course – those with import-export group) that works under its own name with the local Red a record of toughness, creativity, flexi- Cross, Doctors Without Borders, Knights of St. John, or whomever. On bility, and (most importantly) luck. primitive worlds, they simply claim to be itinerant healers, priests of Skorzeny is fond of saying “I can train healing saints or gods, and so forth. Infinity looks the other way when someone to do anything in the world – Miracle Workers tries to spread medical techniques to the parallels – except be unlucky enough to find trou- interference with parallels is allowed, as long as it doesn’t threaten The ble, and lucky enough to survive it.” Secret. The major controversies involve worlds where the Patrol has His record speaks for itself; ISWAT taken a side in a war or worked to destroy some empire – I-Cops don’t operatives receive training compara- appreciate seeing fellow Homeliners working to cure and stabilize the ble to the most rigorous special ops people they’re trying to defeat. Miracle Workers staff isn’t allowed onto units on Homeline – with the equiva- echoes at all – the risk of some “humanitarian” intervention changing his- lent of a doctorate or two in history or tory is too great. anthropology on top of it. As it hap- Playing a Miracle Workers team is a change from conventional pens, a number of special ops soldiers, Infinite Worlds gaming. Although the PCs would face their share of local and not a few history professors, also warlords, outtime interference, and so on, many of the problems would find their way to ISWAT’s roster. Patrol not have human solutions – or any solutions! In most games, the Miracle rumor claims that ISWAT has gods, Workers operation is just a setup that gets the PCs (Miracle Workers or sorcerers, vampires, aliens, super- otherwise) to the worldline just in time to coincidentally stop an entirely heroes, and angels in its ranks . . . but unrelated Centrum scheme. that’s just barracks gossip. Probably.

Missions and Training ISWAT specializes in operations on GURPS Alternate Earths 2 for fur- closed worlds, weird parallels, and ISWAT ther details), ISWAT’s Skorzeny com- pocket multiverses, and routinely per- Interworld Special Weapons and bines his parallel selves’ genius for forms high-priority but deniable mis- Tactics (ISWAT) doesn’t exist, at least small-unit tactics and leadership with sions that can determine the fate of officially. Its agents are all on the an astonishing degree of street-fight- entire worlds. Many ISWAT operatives books as Patrolmen, assigned to vari- ing political guile in the service of have magical, psionic, or other means ous out-of-the-way parallels, extended individual rights and opportunities. of traveling between worlds – they training missions, or nebulous head- He has moved mountains to lift don’t always like to announce them- quarters duties. Its Director isn’t even Infinity restrictions on outtime selves with a burst of parachronic on the Infinity payroll, which is under- recruitment, at least for his own energy. Some of the crises it faces are standable – even a casual auditor teams, and they remain fiercely loyal urgent and overwhelming: rogue AIs would notice a name like “Otto to him and ISWAT as a result. Well trying to undermine consensus reality, Skorzeny.” Recruited from a over half of ISWAT’s operatives (the amphichronous invasions from anti- Hapsburg prison camp on Aeolus (see total number is classified, but there matter universes, kidnappers hijacking

18 INFINITY UNLIMITED Charon’s boat and holding an entire lengthy and repeated exposures to fas- and goes off to do something else Earth’s afterlives hostage, and sentient cism from the inside also have the impossibly dangerous off-screen. A psychoses spreading themselves happy side effect of inspiring ISWAT mission to rescue a trapped (or through parallel worlds in dreams. recruits into an appreciation for indi- besieged, or otherwise isolated) Others are just plain strange. In the vidual freedom that they may not have ISWAT operative, however, can feature intervals between cosmos-threatening had when they left their home parallel. the op as an on-screen NPC, and the disasters, ISWAT takes on simpler This appreciation sometimes use of his skills can be the “reward” tasks like overthrowing corrupt extends, a little too rowdily, into their the heroes get for defeating the oppo- empires, stealing or destroying irre- “shore leave.” ISWAT personnel offi- sition. In a dire emergency, of course, placeable evil magic artifacts, killing cers try to select cities and timelines the GM can use ISWAT as a deus ex immortals, and capturing invulnerable where a week-long melee might machina, dropping in from fortresses. When they’re not doing actually improve things the clouds and rescuing that, they’re training. locally – parallel Port the PCs when all looks Training, where at all possible, Royals or Cripple Creeks, most grim – but ISWAT happens in the field, on lower-priority for instance – and let an should be on their “feel-good” missions. Skorzeny has a entire team take their leave way somewhere particular love of sabotaging, subvert- together. Camaraderie forged else, and leave the ing, or otherwise hampering Nazi on the battlefield is annealed in real protago- Germanies everywhere in the continu- the barroom or brothel, and a nists of the um. A fierce democrat and rugged minimum of harm is done to the story to tie up individualist, the Director despises his peace-loving citizens of other par- plenty of loose Nazi “twins” and what he calls their allels for whom ISWAT labors. ends. “corrupt toadying cynicism,” and even Some teams prefer slightly more ele- Of course, an ISWAT team makes his “Teutonic efficiency” recoils at the vated shore leave policies; in general, an ideal player character group, for inhuman waste that Nazi ideology initiative in selecting leave gets players with a yen for non-stop adven- represents. Hence, he prefers “live rewarded. ture with a big splash of strangeness. fire” training that just happens to take ISWAT operatives should begin at place on Reich-2 or any other world 200-250 points at least; teams of where “You five go destroy every vehi- ISWAT in the Campaign 1,000-point characters are totally cle in that Nazi airbase, and kill any- For a conventional Patrol cam- appropriate for ISWAT campaigns. one who tries to stop you” can be a paign, ISWAT should be a mysterious The GM should think big when valid rule of engagement. Political cor- force in the background, always doing designing ISWAT missions – major ruption, social engineering, economic something vital far away. A single historical changes, the fates of manipulation, and any other dirty ISWAT operative can be an excellent empires, and immense reality quakes trick Skorzeny or his brain trust can story trigger, but GMs should be care- are all in a day’s work for ISWAT. come up with gets tested to destruc- ful about overshadowing the regular “Nazi turkey shoot” adventures should tion against totalitarian regimes PCs with this glamorous “guest star.” be vacations for an ISWAT team; thugs across the parallels on training Ideally, the ISWAT op gives the Patrol with machine guns are trivialities to mission after training mission. These team their mission along with compli- such heroes. ments about why they were chosen, PARACHRONIC LABORATORIES Parachronic Laboratories, or sumptuously funded by Infinity Reserve Conveyor Fleet’s hangar is “Paralabs,” serves as Infinity’s in- grants. The main Paralabs facilities there), and the “Wheel” on Turkana, a house “pure research and develop- are in Geneva, Switzerland (as part of Quantum 6 world where the Earth’s ment” arm. Paralabs is not related to CERN); Batavia, Illinois (associated magnetic poles are seriously offset the “Patent Development Department” with the Argonne Labs accelerators); from the geographic ones. Here, in Infinity Tower, which sifts other and Livermore, California. Paralabs Paralabs has built an accelerator parallels’ scientific developments and shares its Geneva campus with UNIC, around the magnetic pole (in the Gobi technologies for future operations, and its Livermore campus with the grassland) and drilled a hole into the licensing, or theft. It concentrates on U.S. Department of Energy. Paralabs Earth’s mantle for power. The Wheel the physics of the Infinite Worlds, the also has facilities on other worlds, team is universally considered the nature of reality and physical law, and which it shares with nobody. The three craziest team in Paralabs; their the practical mechanics of crossworld best-known are the “Clean Room” on rumored triumphs include artificial travel. Smother (where it puts really danger- reality temblors, creating a banestorm Paralabs has research facilities all ous or mysterious objects and experi- inside a wind tunnel, and briefly alter- over Homeline; almost every top- ments), the “Farm” on Mammut-1’s ing Turkana’s quantum level – and flight university physics department Madagascar (where Paralabs works number of moons. has a Paralabs laboratory attached, on robotic conveyor design; the

INFINITY UNLIMITED 19 parachronic traveler. And that, with second is much faster, but the “clock” THEORY minor mathematical fillips, is where only started ticking a few million years In 1957, Dr. Hugh Everett III came the theory remains even now, with ago. This divergence has been true on up with the Many Worlds Inter- nobody satisfied, and with some radi- all worldlines for approximately 3.5 pretation of quantum mechanics, as a cal theorists proposing that a kind of billion years, roughly (and possibly way to resolve the paradoxes of the Observer Effect (p. 159) holds for par- randomly) coinciding with the emer- Privileged Observer and such thought- allel worlds, or that the expectations gence of organic life on Homeline. experiments as Schrödinger’s Cat. The of the traveler have some effect on his Theoretical paraphysics is split Privileged Observer (according to the destination. between two schools, the “gradual- rival Copenhagen Interpretation) is ist” and the “catastrophist,” mirror- the observer who causes the quantum ing the intellectual divisions in the wave function to “collapse” into parti- The Physics of Infinity early history of geology and biology. cles with location and speed and other Precisely how the infinite worlds In the gradualist or “naturalist” view, characteristics while under observa- vary and interrelate remains a tangle. the alternate worlds were inevitable, tion. Schrödinger’s Cat is inside a box Most of the fundamental physical or have always existed, or are a natu- with a vial of deadly poison that will constants remain the same, but some ral outgrowth of the Big Bang, which break when a given atom decays and differ wildly while somehow not emitted all the alternate universes releases an alpha particle, killing the reducing the universe to quantum fog. along with all the matter and energy cat. Since quantum-mechanically, the It’s difficult to make valid crosstime in Homeline’s universe. Gradualist atom might or might not release a par- theories work, in large part because theory depends on the Many Worlds ticle at the instant of decay, the cat is physical laws don’t seem to hold con- Interpretation of quantum mechan- famously half-alive and half-dead in stant across the continuum. Not only ics, in which quantum uncertainty is the Copenhagen Interpretation – until are there worlds where magic works, explained by postulating an infinity the Privileged Observer opens the box or where the luminiferous ether exists, of worlds existing simultaneously at and “collapses” the cat into either the alive or dead state. According to Everett’s interpretation, every quantum “choice” creates two worlds, two timelines. In one, the Which World Is Ours? observer sees a live cat. In the other, Homeline obviously isn’t “our” present-day world – our world doesn’t the observer sees a dead cat. There is have crosstime travel, for one thing. But Infinity has discovered a couple no Privileged Observer, because both of early 21st-century Earths, just a couple of decades behind Homeline, outcomes occurred – just not in the which diverged by not inventing parachronics. There are certainly a few same universe. Every single decision, more out there. Since these worlds have technology only a few years every single atomic flow or switch, away from that of Homeline, the policy is covert observation. If the GM creates another worldline. Initially, the wishes, any of these close parallels could be “our world, our time” – or at Many Worlds Interpretation held that least one very close to it. information (and therefore energy, and therefore, matter) could never pass between worlds. However, string theory in the 1960s, and strange exper- there are innumerable subtle varia- every decision point down to the imental results showing seemingly tions down to the level of individual subatomic level. If this theory is true, instantaneous “dipole communica- electrons. Other changes don’t seem to then any seeming irregularities in tion” in the next decades, made it make any real sense, or exist in isola- the continuum must be observation- seem theoretically possible. tion when they should affect the entire al. What Infinity calls “parallels,” for Van Zandt’s discoveries did not system of physical constants. For instance, are merely clusters of his- actually solve the question. Although example, there are two worlds in torical or paraphysical probability; he discovered many worlds, they which the speed of light is measurably echoes are simply parallels with a weren’t of the infinite “one photon dis- greater by some half of a percent, and different charge, and once their placed” variety the orthodox Many one in which it is less by almost a full proper quantum is fully observed (in Worlds Interpretation predicts. percent. faultless Heisenbergian fashion), Instead, they were like “knots” in the The only universal difference is they “move” into it. superstring – places where the poten- that the second is nanofractionally The catastrophist or “chaotic” tial fog of alternatives “collapses” into slower on all known inhabited world- viewpoint is almost obtusely New- actual worlds. Further, these “knots” lines except three: Homeline, tonian in a way. Something smashed bunched up into different “energy Centrum, and Shikaku-Mon. (This into the universe, probably about 3.5 levels” that Van Zandt dubbed the implies that Shikaku-Mon could, if it billion years ago, and broke it into quantum levels, or quanta. discovered the theory, build para- many pieces. The quanta remain Thus, parachronics actually man- chronic projectors; see p. 146. This unstable, and entire physical realms aged to combine Everett’s theory with does nothing for Security Division’s can simply wink out of – or into – an empirical Privileged Observer – the peace of mind.) On Blip (p. 140), the existence. Something (or things)

20 INFINITY UNLIMITED occasionally tears through the continuum and disarranges it; even the word “continuum” is a misnomer. Reality quakes are an example of this process occurring right now. Worlds change places, spin off alternates in inexplicable fashion, and shift quanta. Regardless of the “steady state” universe and smooth equations beloved of the naturalists, any Patrolman can tell you that there are more changes, more exceptions, and more just plain weirdness out in the infinite worlds than are dreamt of in any philosophy. Even the laws of physics deform from world to world; the notion of a unified theory, even a quantum-mechanical one, is simply perverse. are psychic constructs existing in the explain myth parallels and the preva- The Williams-Khor traveler’s mind. Belief, hope, and fear lence of “reality clumping” around drive the formation of the various par- events like the American Civil War, Hypothesis allels; as more and more Homeliners World War II, and so forth that played In 2019, after the discovery of learned about parallel worlds, the a major role in the cultural back- Sherlock-2, Professors Rena Williams worlds encountered went from the ground of the first crosstime explor- and Gregory Khor proposed a radical fairly normal (Earth-Beta) to the ers. Exactly how this might work explanation for the nature of worldine extremely strange (Ezcalli). The requires further research, but formation. According to the Williams- Williams-Khor Hypothesis is one of Williams and Khor suggest that myth Khor Hypothesis (called the Super- the few parachronic theories to parallels and similar phenomena are Copenhagen by its detractors), quanta somehow “emergent properties” created by the intersection of Homeline and its echoes and close parallels (which well outnumber the other worldlines). The traveler/observer Further Infinities simply “steps up” into the parallel that All of Infinity’s theories rest on Van Zandt’s original notion of an 8- resonates with (or is congruent with) dimensional superspace containing a single quantum “axis” and many, his own psychological geometry, in a many worlds. However, this may just be “locally true,” like Newtonian kind of “pantheistic solipsism.” physics. The topology of reality quakes (box, p. 75) presumes a 9-dimen- Both Williams and Khor wound up sional matrix, for example; the astral plane of the Cabalists (p. 68) also at the center of massive controversies somehow exists “outside” conventional 8-space. after proposing their hypothesis. Khor Rumors of completely alien travelers encountered during conveyor was actually stripped of tenure by the mishaps, the infamous “frog error” (p. B532) that seems to knot 8-space University of California in 2021 after a around on itself, and other weird empirical data such as the Möbius terrific fight featuring accusations of (p. 141) worldline also cast doubt on the “limited infinity” notion. Every forged research, academic witch- so often, the parachronic detection antennae at Woomera pick up signals hunting, and embezzlement of grant and pings from impossibly distant quanta – for four minutes in 2025, the funds. He announced his intention to computers all insisted that conveyors were arriving from Quantum 93! construct a “syllogismobile” that Although Paralabs physicists have decided that echoes drift into the would travel to any world he envi- accessible band from other quanta, there’s less than no evidence for this sioned from any worldline regardless thesis – there are no reports of echoes “passing through” Quanta 5 or 7, of quantum level, emigrated to for example. Some radical mathematicians believe that the echoes (and Lysander (p. 32), and has not been possibly many high-inertia parallels such as Ezcalli) come from other heard from since. Williams managed worldline axes outside or “perpendicular to” the quantum field as to stave off her inquisitors at understood. Cambridge, and has begun to research Such axes may also intersect the Tree of Futures spoken of by some the nature of magic, which also deals precognitives and UFBs (Unidentified Futuristic Beings). This theory with altering reality in conformity holds that after a certain period, Homeline’s worldline will fracture (or with the human will. She eagerly “blossom,” in the more upbeat reading) into a myriad of interlocking assists with Patrol debriefings of futures, possibly joined by stargates or hyperspace. Cabalists wherever possible; unkind academic gossip hints that she has accepted Cabal membership.

INFINITY UNLIMITED 21 ESEARCH Magic efficiency, or the mechanics of spe- R When the first Scouts returned cific spells. However, later explorers with reports of worldlines where discovered several worlds in which Psi magic worked, the evidence was dis- spells didn’t work well or at all, but Unlike most Homeline researchers, missed as local legend, or at best as lengthy ritual procedures could pro- Paralabs scientists never doubted the misreported psi. Paralabs personnel duce subtle but far-reaching super- existence of psionic powers. They fit visited some of these timelines to per- natural effects. Paralabs generally the existing string theory math on form psionic experimentation, and classifies these worlds as having no “instantaneous communication” too accidentally wound up confirming or low mana, but those researchers well to rule out, and when other worlds’ many of the original Scout reports. who are prone to sloppy speculation research began to pay off, Paralabs Eventually, with the discovery of and the use of borrowed magical jar- instantly moved the psi program to the enough different “magical” parallels, gon often speculate that they have front burner. Although most Homeline Paralabs boffins and Infinity higher- “radically aspected” mana which psi phenomena are too weak to study responds to trained human will in ups alike grudgingly agreed that some reliably, much less control, Paralabs completely different ways. (One “paranormal” faculty outside conven- has adapted some psychotronic tech- curiosity is that such worlds often tional psi existed. nology from other worlds to create have especially extensive infestations Studying it, however, is a problem, “amplifier chambers” that boost the of conscious immaterial “spirits.”) and not least because using terms like psionic signal to readable levels. The only silver lining is that many “magic” still raises eyebrows at Paralabs focuses on two main Cabal members seem to have almost Paralabs. The current theory is a mod- fields of psi research: security and psy- as much trouble with the concept as ified version of the crackpot (at least choparachronics. Security covers all does Paralabs. on Homeline) biochemist Rupert types of mind reading, ESP, clairvoy- Sheldrake’s “morphogenetic field” con- ance, and anything else that might cept. Every living thing (even whole reveal The Secret to an outtimer. One PERSONAL ecologies like rivers or forests) possess- early success of the Paralabs es an inherent, transdimensional ener- QUIPMENT researchers was the Tenser Method, a E gy field that interacts with the fields of, subliminal, subvocal, subconscious The GM should feel free to provide and thus influences, similar beings or system for masking the user’s Patrol characters with any TL8 gear objects all over the world. (And possi- thoughts. (This is the Mind Block skill imaginable from any GURPS source- bly on parallel worlds as well, but the from p. B210.) Psychotronic devices book. TL9 gear is also available, on an theoretical work on that concept is still have also proven themselves on sever- experimental basis – primarily surveil- in its infancy.) By altering, deforming, lance, communications, medical gear, al worlds. In the wake of the Reich-5 damaging, or recharging the morpho- and body armor. Costs are for TL8 breakout, the investigation of psionic genetic field of some person, animal, Homeline; not all equipment is avail- world-jumping, both innate and plant, or place, a trained “morpho- able outside the Patrol. assisted, has taken center stage. geneticist” can cause seemingly “unex- Technically, Paralabs doesn’t pro- Paralabs is probably farther along the- plainable” phenomena at a distance in vide personal equipment for the Patrol oretically than Reich-5’s Armanen accordance with his intentions. Not all – that’s the I-Cops’ Logistics Division, Order, but lacks the depth of empirical Paralabs technicians in the “Sheldrake with support from the Scouts’ experience that hands-on surgeries Section” buy the entire theory (some of Technical Analysis Division. However, and human experimentation have them, very quietly, are beginning to some of the equipment design does given the Nazis. believe in demons and spirits and, originate in Paralabs computer mod- UNIC takes a very intrusive part in well, magic), but it’s the best one they els, and it has become a Patrol truism Paralabs psi studies, demanding can come up with. But since Homeline that anything that breaks, or reveals access to all labs and equipment, is (as far as anyone at Paralabs can your position, or interferes with a maintaining its own archive of determine) a no-mana world, any jump, is Paralabs’ fault, so it goes in Paralabs experimental data, and Infinity experiments in magic (or mor- this section anyhow. insisting on the maximum possible phogenetics) must occur in the field. All high-tech outtime equipment oversight. Some of the permanent Unfortunately, no “magical” but contains fingerprint locks keyed to the undersecretariat within the Crisis unpopulated world has yet been dis- Patrol team (they can be reset in the Ministry (especially Moira van covered, so field research involves vis- field, but only by a pre-programmed Deering, the Special Rapporteur for iting some parallel and asking the user). Attempting to open or use such External Security) are lobbying for kinds of questions that can get careless devices without fingerprint access UNIC to take over Paralabs’ psionics morphogeneticists burned at the stake. activates a self-destruct charge that work itself. Until then, the Crisis To add to Infinity’s headaches, implodes and slags the device. Patrol Ministry funds duplicate research, further research has made it clear radios can also send a “slag now” sig- headhunts promising parapsycholo- that there are significant variations nal to any or all devices; they destroy gists, and keeps a close eye on in the way that magic actually works themselves automatically after 48 Paralabs results. It seems that Infinity between various timelines. At first, hours without a “keep alive” signal. isn’t the only one worried about these seemed to be limited to Some equipment has even more keeping its secrets secure. the extent to which innate human stringent security, as noted in the talent could influence spells’ energy descriptions.

22 INFINITY UNLIMITED Energy and Power Infinity Patrol facilities use stan- Homeline TL dardized fusion reactors for power For game purposes, Homeline is a mature TL8 with a few TL9 at their permanent facilities. Some pockets. (This means you can outfit Patrolmen with any TL9 gadget research stations use quantum you’d like, but it can break or malfunction as entertainingly as possi- nucleonic or other cutting-edge ble.) AIs, for example, remain purely theoretical, although several technologies. expert research systems exist to harvest, sort, and handle data. Homeline’s space program is static, devoted to mining Earth-grazing Power asteroids rather than terraforming Mars or settling orbital space. Cars Sending large power plants with all are safer, faster, more energy-efficient and better looking than 1998 Patrol operations is not a practical use models, but only their fuel cells (adapted from Lenin-3 models) are of conveyor resources, so agents must TL9. Fusion power, microtech factories, and genetic therapy are all often adapt local resources or rely on TL9 in effect, but a very “safetech” TL9 that hasn’t bled back into the smaller “portable” generators. society at large outside the hospital. Whole-body cloning, artificial Fuel Cell: These electrochemical wombs, designer babies, and even wide-scale bionics remain contro- devices convert hydrogen and oxygen versial and undeveloped. Organ and limb cloning, healing, and gener- into water, producing electricity and al medicine and trauma care can be considered TL9. heat in the process. For practical and Weapons are still mature TL8. Laser rifles have yet to reliably out- safety reasons most use hydrocarbon perform the M-23 assault rifle in testing, balky and experimental bat- or alcohol fuels, converted into hydro- tlesuits are less practical than tanks, and the “smart spaceplane” gen, in a replaceable cartridge. Fuel remains on the drawing board thanks to the trillion-dollar cost of cell cartridges take three seconds to building the factories necessary to assemble its components. No replace. A typical micro fuel cell used nation except the United States has the resources to refit an entire by Patrol agents generates 750 watts military in the theoretical equipment used on other parallels, and the of power for 40 minutes before requir- United States seems happy to stand pat for now (although rumors of ing a new fuel cartridge ($1, 0.25 lbs.). TL9 weapons filter out from American special-forces bases and test- $75, 1 lb. ing grounds). In the basic sciences, with the exception of psionics and Solar Cells: The Patrol makes exten- parachronics, Homeline remains comfortably TL8. sive use of TL9 flexible plastic photo- Homeline Science voltaic cells that can be painted on Technological development on Homeline diverged sharply from our many surfaces, including clothing and own Earth when Van Zandt invented the parachronic transfer in 1998. equipment. Each square foot of cells How sharp that divergence was, and whether there were any other pre- generates about 17 watts of power in vious divergences, are unsolved questions. They will have to wait either full daylight, but accounting for night- until Infinity discovers our world, or until our world reaches 2027. time and weather they usually gener- What even many Homeliners don’t appreciate is the change made in ate an average of 3 watts. $15 and 0.01 basic scientific progress by the accessibility of other timelines. Almost all lbs. per square foot. the innovations a Homeliner thinks of as “parachronic spinoffs” – fusion Energy plants, wrist-top weblinks, the leukemia cure, and even Mango Spredd – The Patrol has adopted a commer- are actually thefts (or, in the best cases, fraudulently obtained licenses) cially available nanocomposite battery from other worlds’ scientific establishments. The brilliant cancer and technology for most of its equipment AIDS researchers of the 1990s, for example, took fat Infinity consulting as an interim step until Homeline contracts to vet other worlds’ cures, only sporadically attempting to inte- industry can begin mass-producing grate decades of parallel researches into Homeline’s own publications room-temperature superconductor database. Similar effects occurred in almost every science; the sheer loops. To simplify an already onerous magnitude of the task discourages many scientists from even trying to logistical burden, only two classes of master whole libraries of new scientific data, especially when other cells are in normal use, and both are worlds may not quite have the same quantum setup Homeline does, so rechargeable. their results may not be reproducible. Finally, why bother working 15 years to perfect a vaccine or algorithm when Infinity could bring it C cell: These batteries are used to home, already licensed and commercially proven, next week? power most Patrol gear, and a smart Almost all the really innovative thinkers in the sciences, except for a agent takes several backups “just in few eccentrics, have followed the money to either parachronic research case.” $2, 0.1 lb. Stores 90 kJ (25 watt- and quantum physics (and related fields like cosmology and paleontol- hours). ogy), or psionics research and brain-body biology. Here, at least, D cell: This larger battery is used in Homeline cannot harvest the poisoned honey of other worlds’ power-hungry electronics and sensors. technology, and remains forced to pioneer its own. $20, 1 lb. Stores 900 kJ (250 watt- hours).

INFINITY UNLIMITED 23 Communications and devices; failure means all data is projects full-color images directly erased (unrecoverable without super- onto the retina using lasers. The emit- Information Gear science technologies) and a tiny ter clips to the frame of any glasses or All Infinity Patrol electronics have explosive charge destroys the most goggles. Provides the user +1 to a short-range ultra-wideband micro- advanced computing and memory Piloting, Driving, and other skills that communicator (100-yard range) for elements. Complexity 7, with 100 TB benefit from fast, hands-free display passing information between them- of usable data storage. $200, 3 lbs, of information. $50, neg. weight. selves and fellow Patrolmen. This can D/20W (12 hours). MicroNav: An atomic clock and be disabled if there are concerns about Storage Chip: These solid-state inertial navigation system the size of a signal emissions. information storage devices are keyed small watch. It is built to operate even Hideout Radio: A short-range to only function when connected to in the absence of global positioning encrypted radio that fits in a small “approved” palmtops or the primary signals. Provides the benefit of earpiece, with optional microfine Infinity Patrol systems. A typical Absolute Timing and +2 to Navigation. antenna wires. A flesh-colored throat- example (about the size of a finger) $100, neg. weight. mike patch picks up vibrations stores 10 TB and can survive all but Parachronic Detector: These devices directly from the voice box, so a low the most horrible abuse. $10, 0.1 lb. can detect incoming jumps within murmur or whisper is clearly trans- TacNet: This software helps a their range, as per p. B532. Only bare- mitted even when around heavy Patrolman by intelligently tracking ly man-portable, a detector requires a machinery, in the middle of combat, and displaying his positions, firing separate generator for power. They etc. One-mile range. Can operate for arcs, blind spots, ammo counts, etc. have a base range of 1,000 yards. 250 hours if sending and receiving The program gives a+2 bonus to Every doubling of range beyond that voice and text messages, but sending Tactics if all parties are in communi- is at a cumulative -2 to skill. $560,000, large amounts of data (video, pro- cation. Complexity 4. $480. 56 lbs., 560W. grams, etc.) significantly reduces bat- Parachronic Scanner: A “personal tery life. $50, neg. weight. Sensors and chronoscan” has a base range of 100 Linguistic Prompt: The best avail- yards. $56,000, 6 lbs., 4C/56W (2 able natural-language translation soft- Recon Equipment hours). ware provides three pre-programmed Most Patrol agents do not have the Quantum Analyzer: This device can spoken languages at Broken proficien- benefit of well-developed surveillance compare the local reality to its data- cy; the Patrol does not possess “uni- infrastructures such as orbital spy base and see if there is a match versal translators.” Complexity 7, satellites or high-altitude unmanned (used to verify a correct jump). $70,000. recon drones in their missions. Requires one day of readings to be col- Mission Databases: Most Patrol Bug Detector: A specialized emis- lected and a successful Electronics agents have an extensive set of data- sions scanner and ladar that can Operation/TL8^ (Sensors) roll. This bases and expert systems tailored for detect nanobugs, smart dust, and unit also detects major disturbances their missions. This is sufficient to other monitoring devices. Operation in quantum flow (reality quakes, allow the use of most IQ-based tech- requires a Quick Contest of banestorms, unshielded nexus por- nological skills (p. B168) that require Electronics Operation/TL8 (Security tals) within 1,000 yards on a roll at -5 software to function at full effective- Systems) against the bug’s TL. $500, to skill. $200,000, 25 lbs., 5D/25W (50 ness. For tasks of TL7 or less, the data- 1 lb. hours). bases provide enough information to Chemical Microsensor: A chemical Sidereal Chronolog: Instrumenta- cancel up to 3 points of TL modifiers sensor the size of a thick credit card, tion package that can determine the (p. B512). The historical and linguistic able to identify even trace amounts of exact local time and date relative to databases, geological survey maps, any known airborne (aerosol or gas) Homeline based on specific astro- etc. programmed for each mission add chemical agents – including many nomical data. The package contains a +5 to relevant skill rolls, with a suc- types of drugs and chemical explo- central processor and database, plus cessful Research roll. Complexity 3. sives – without operator intervention three 8-inch optical telescopes for $36. beyond removing it from its protective clear nights, and 40 square yards of Palmtop: A rugged portable com- sleeve. Microsensors issued by radio-sensitive array fabric (in sec- puter with built-in digital camera, Homeline monitor for dangerous tions) for cloudy ones. The scopes (or voice recognition, pull-out floppy dis- chemical weapons and toxic industri- the fabric sections) can be laid out in play screen, and augmented reality al gases. $100, 0.2 lb. any position in line of sight with each compatibility. For security it incorpo- Homing Beacon: This small tracer other; only one scope or section needs rates a fingerprint biometric scanner (-11 to spot) can be set to activate to have line of sight with the CPU. and a physical lock to deny unautho- when it receives a coded signal, or Patrolmen usually spread the fabric rized access. The computer uses a broadcast continuously. Provides a on rooftops, or better yet hillsides, in custom architecture to reduce the signal for one hour that can be picked five or six sections. Either unit possibility of infection by novel com- up by radio emissions scanners up to requires at least one hour of observa- puter viruses or other electronic haz- 10 miles away. $40, neg. weight. tion. $15,000; each scope weighs 25 ards. Opening the casing requires a MiniHUD: This heads-up display lbs., the fabric weighs 80 lbs., and the Traps-6 roll to disable the anti-tamper CPU weighs 1 lb.

24 INFINITY UNLIMITED Eraser: When outtimers see visitors appear or disappear, or witness some use of Homeline technology, the preferred solution is to make them forget. “Eraser” is a sedative and amnesic drug used by both Infinity and Centrum. A recipient who fails a HT-3 roll falls unconscious. On awakening, his short-term memories – everything in the last 5d+45 minutes – will be gone. Eraser comes in pill, injection, and gas form. It appears to have no untoward side effects, even in massive overdos- es. Eraser is not for sale on Homeline or Centrum; it is LC2 on both worlds. Meal-in-a-Box: These ration packs come in dozens of variations, Tools and Supplies available for Counterfeiting, Forgery, with randomly selected main courses, Although every mission is differ- Lockpicking, and Traps. $4,000, 10 side dishes, and desserts. The meal ent, the Patrol has standardized some lbs. packages are sealed and have an inte- equipment that can be easily dis- Crash Kit: A complete kit for treat- gral heater or cooler as appropriate. guised or is simply too handy to be ing serious injuries with TL9 medi- Popular barter item on primitive without. cine. +2 to First Aid skill and counts as worlds. $5, 1 lb. improvised gear (-5) for Surgery. $100, Nanofiber Rope: A long ribbon or All-Purpose Treatment: A broad- 10 lbs. chain of nanotubes, coated with a pro- spectrum series of drugs powerful Crediline: A psychoactive drug used tective polymer sheath. A 3/4” diame- enough to take on the toughest dis- for interrogations and other nefarious ter rope supports 2 tons. $30, 2 lbs. per eases in any of the hell parallels. purposes. The victim must roll HT-3 10 yards. However, the last thing that Infinity or suffer Gullibility (9) for (25 - HT) Pneumospray Hypo: Hand-held wants is even more drug-resistant minutes. $240 per dose. LC2 on pneumatic-hypodermic instrument, super-diseases rampaging through its Homeline, restricted to psychiatric about the size of a penlight. The hypo personnel and multiple timelines, so professionals. must be touching the patient to inject medical staff attempt to track the Cufftape: Looks like duct tape, but its drug. It can penetrate DR 1 or nor- long-term consequences of their use. actually constructed of a memory mal clothing. A pneumocharge car- The user gains Resistant to Disease 3 polymer that tightens if the prisoner tridge holds one dose of a drug. $20, for a week. Each pill is $750. struggles. To break free, the prisoner 0.06 lbs. Bandage Spray: A liquid spray-on, must win a Quick Contest of ST Portable Laboratory: Basic field kits breathable, analgesic and antiseptic against the cufftape’s ST 20, or make and expert systems for most TL8 sci- bandage. This reduces the time an Escape roll at -6. The first attempt ence skills. Sets are available for required for bandaging (p. B424) to 10 takes one minute; further attempts Biology, Chemistry, Diagnosis, seconds. $15, 0.1 lb. require 10 minutes’ struggle. Failure Forensics, Geology, Metallurgy, Biomonitor: Placed near the heart, causes 1 point of crushing damage to Meteorology, and Pharmacy. $8,000, this sensor can monitor vital medical each restrained limb. Cufftape has DR 10 lbs. parameters such as cardiopulmonary 1; 6 points of cutting or fire damage Portacam: Many agents smuggle functions, blood-oxygen and nitrogen severs it. A 2’ strip is sufficient to personal video systems into their mis- levels, body temperature, and respira- restrain arms or legs. $10, 0.5 lb. per sion gear. A Homeline pocketcam fits tion rates. Can transmit medical infor- 100’ spool. in the palm of the hand, with a 50¥ mation over the agent’s hideout radio, Diving Gear: Closed-circuit breath- digital zoom and a low-light mode allowing remote Diagnosis rolls with- ing system, diving jacket and that cancels up to four points of out a penalty. $100, neg. weight. programmable swim fins. Oxygen is darkness penalties. Includes a pro- Climbing Gear: Three dozen recycled and mixed with inert gases, grammable effects processor for “smart” memory-metal pitons and a allowing three hours of diving inde- quick on-the-spot editing (treat as tough biphase web harness that keeps pendent of depth (decompression is inadequate tools for complicated the wearer upright in the case of a fall. still required). The jacket can provide video production), preview screen, +1 to Climbing skill if used with rope. 50 lbs. of flotation if the emergency and microphone with human-level $350, 5 lbs. inflation system is used, and the fins discrimination. Records on digital Cracker Tools: Specialized tool kits give the user +2 to Swimming Move. media similar to storage chips (p. 24). to aid in criminal enterprise. Sets are $450, 13 lbs. $100, 0.25 lbs, C/10W (2.5 hours).

INFINITY UNLIMITED 25 Quick Shelter: A pre-fabricated range) or radio communicator (10- in Homeline, these TL10 bioengi- shelter system that can be “snapped mile range). Can fly at Move 10 for neered bacteria remove dirt, grime, together” by four people in about six four hours on a few ounces of fuel. and organic waste products. Useful as hours. Includes conduits for data $600, 2 lbs. a shampoo or detergent, the Patrol cables and air conditioning,; simple Chameleon Suit: This is a bulky uses it to clean up biological forensic instructions are printed right on the full-body suit (can be worn over form- evidence such as bloodstains or skin components. A set with enough com- fitting armor) that uses dynamic flakes. Areas treated with nan- ponents to build a 30-person shelter, smart materials and electrochromic ocleanser impose a -3 skill penalty on complete with air conditioning and metals to adjust its coloration and any Criminology or Forensic attempts heating, is $2,000 and 2 tons. spectral emissions to match the sur- to locate or analyze such evidence. A Sobriety Pill: This drug reduces the rounding environment. A chameleon spray bottle can treat up to 100 square intoxicating effects of alcohol without systems adds +4 to Stealth skill when feet. $100, 1 lb. nullifying its more pleasant sensa- perfectly still, or +2 if moving. Psi Shield: A network of charged tions. The user gains +2 to all HT rolls Effective against normal vision, platinum-iridium wires covering the related to drinking for (25 - HT)/4 Infravision, and Ultravision (and by scalp that “jams” mind-affecting hours. Each pill is $10. extension, Hyperspectral Vision). psionics. Add +3 to the wearer’s IQ or Surgical Instruments: Basic equip- $12,800, 9 lbs., 2C/8W (6 hours). Will when resisting an effect with the ment for TL9 surgery when attempting Disguise Kit: An elaborate set of Telepathy modifier (p. B257), or to to perform standard tasks: stabilizing prosthetic devices, skin tinting chemi- avoid detection through psionic mortal wounds (p. B423) or repairing cals, and hormone sprays for one per- means. It also penalizes any Telepathic lasting crippling injuries (p. B420). son. Many components incorporate abilities by the wearer, including Mind $1,250, 15 lbs., 4C/40W (2 hours). microelectromechanical systems that Shield, by -3. The shield electronics can mimic muscle twitches, realistic automatically warn the defender limps, and other key characteristics. (through a beeper or HUD) when a Spy Gear Good quality equipment for the telepath fails to penetrate the shields, The Logistics Division keeps a Disguise skill (+1 to skill). $200, 10 lbs. but provides no warning if he suc- large number of surveillance and Nanobug: A tiny (-18 to spot) ceeds. If built into a helmet or other counter-surveillance devices on hand, recording device with human-level headgear, any damage that penetrates ranging from magical amulets to hearing and vision. It can record what DR breaks the psi circuit and deacti- nanomorphic body stockings. it sees and hears (up to 40 minutes vates the shield. $3,000, 0.3 lb., 3W. However, Patrolmen usually make do worth of video) or transmit recorded with conventional equipment, as data using short “burst” transmissions exotic devices rely on magical, up to a mile away using tiny radio Armor psychotronic, or superscientific prin- communicator (transmits about a Patrolmen generally equip them- ciples that do not always hold true minute of recorded video every sec- selves with whatever they can con their across the worlds. ond). The bug can run constantly, be respective logistics specialists into giving them, plus gear they buy on the Buzzbot: A small (-5 to spot) activated remotely, listen for a specific civilian market. Generally, the GM unmanned helicopter the size of a voice before recording, scan at specif- should allow them to carry anything seagull. It has two shrouded counter- ic times of day, or begin recording that would not blow The Secret right rotating rotors powered by a hydro- when it detects light or motion nearby. out of the water or get them shot on carbon-burning turbine, a cluster of Patrol nanobugs erase themselves and sight. simple sensors, and one manipulator self-destruct either after 48 hours (if arm (ST 3). It has a Complexity 5 they do not receive periodic “keep Armor and Uniforms onboard computer and thermo- alive” signals) or when their batteries Agents rarely have the advantage of graphic sensors with 4¥ zoom. fail (about 10 hours of recording and wearing the best armor available at Communicates using a laser (50-mile transmission). $100, neg. weight. their TL. Nanocleanser: Not widely available

Armor Table TL Armor Location DR Cost Weight LC Notes 9Armor Cuirass torso, groin 50 $1,200 20 lbs. 2 9Armored Uniform arms, torso, groin, legs 3 $240 1.6 lbs. 2 [1, 2] 9 Assault Boots feet 12/6 $53 0.89 lbs. 4 [1] 9 Ballistic Vest torso, groin 20* $630 4.2 lbs. 4 [2] 9 Combat Helmet skull, neck 20 $120 4 lbs. 1 + Visor eyes, face 5 +$72 +0.24 lbs. 4 9Mesh Cloth full suit 4* $375 2.5 lbs. 4 [1, 2]

Notes [2] It has a split DR: it gets full DR vs. piercing and [1] Concealable as or under clothing. cutting attacks, but one-third DR (round up) against other damage types.

26 INFINITY UNLIMITED Armor Cuirass: A heavy set of torso armor worn in high-threat environments. Assault Boots: Armored boots worn Standard Issue by soldiers. Although every mission is different, the following gear can be con- Ballistic Vest: Lighter “bulletproof” sidered “standard issue” for Penetration Service agents: vest that can sometimes be disguised • Leather pack and boots as a bulky jacket. • Neutral-color dark cloak and cap Combat Helmet: High-threat head- • Leather waterskin (with microfiltration and decontamination in gear. Includes attachments for a pull- inner surface) down faceplate or optics and integral • Firebox (flint and steel, supplemented with safety matches) bone mike (vibrates the skull to trans- • Palmlight mit sound). • 20 yards of manila rope with braided aramid cable inside Mesh Cloth: Layers of ballistic cloth (supports 1 ton) woven into normal clothes. • Steel knife or survival tool • Compass PROJECTORS • Silver ingots, 1 oz. A parachronic projector (p. B530) • TL9 first aid kit in TL4 disguise requires approximately 50 cubic yards • Hideout radio of equipment to project one ton across • Palmtop with digital camera setting the quanta. The equipment costs $50 • Mini-binoculars with night vision setting million per ton of capacity (although • Nanobugs (keyed to hideout radio and palmtop screen) Infinity almost certainly pads those • 10mm pistol and spare magazine costs), and weighs approximately one • 30 ampoules of Eraser and a spray hypo injector ton per ton of capacity. The largest The following items are standard Intervention Service gear, although modern projectors can move up to 300 the more obvious equipment (rifles and helmets) usually has to be left in tons at once, and occupy most of a city the conveyor for emergencies: block. An “average” projector requires enough hardware to fill a small audito- • Suitable clothing and weapons for the worldline, including rium, and can move two tons. Energy gloves, lined with ballistic cloth if possible comes from the public grid, but is no • Helmet with night vision and zoom optics, disguised as local helmet more than a modern industrial plant if possible requires; parachronic shipments are • Flashlight quite cost-effective, assuming they’re • Climbing gear and 50 yards of rope even reasonably lucrative. • Survival tool • TL9 first aid kit in local disguise • Hideout radio Experimental Projectors • M-23 rifle and several spare magazines (grenade launcher if Paralabs is always working to mission profile allows) improve, or better yet revolutionize, • 2-4 grenades (gas, smoke, flash-bang, etc.) parachronic technology. Infinity • Cufftape understands all too well that • 30 ampoules of Eraser and a spray hypo injector parachronics is Homeline’s only real advantage over the other parallels. Services and divisions swap equipment all the time, to the despair of When The Secret gets out (as it seems Logistics. The GM should allow Patrol characters to carry anything rea- that it inevitably must), Infinity wants sonable without endangering The Secret unduly. All Homeline high-tech to be well ahead of the pack. So far, equipment contains self-destruct thermite charges. none of these methods has worked well enough to go into production; some of them, although disastrous in themselves, do open up avenues for These improvements may be as little although rumors persist of U.S. further research. as a year from implementation, and Defense Department experiments on certain design options may solve the the same technology at Sandia Labs. Long-Distance Projectors: Infinity problem sooner than that. The “Snatcher”: This very radical suspects (correctly) that Centrum Wide-Field Projectors: By adjusting reworking of projector technology projectors can recall a conveyor at the geometry of the circuits as above, would be designed to detect and cap- range (p. 52). Paralabs believes that Paralabs also believes that it can drop ture any parachronic emitter entering by modifying the circuit geometry of conveyors across a wide field rather the quantum. With potentially revolu- Infinity projectors, they can both than lining them up at a point. This tionary security implications, Infinity recall and transmit conveyors at line- primarily has military applications, is accelerating research on this project. of-sight distance (10 miles or so). and has a lower priority at Paralabs,

INFINITY UNLIMITED 27 Open-Circuit Projectors: Rather The unpleasant part of the math indi- The operator cannot change these than create the jump field around a cates that unlike a true projector, any settings. This type of conveyor is typ- conveyor (a closed-circuit device), it worldline with sufficiently advanced ical of those available to most corpo- should theoretically be possible to cre- parachronic technology (TL9^) would rations, private users, etc. who have ate an “open-circuit jump field” that theoretically be able to build such a proper licenses. LC2. simply rotates everything in the field portal. Programmable: The conveyor can across a hypercube into another jump to any reality within its range. To worldline. This technology would accomplish this, the operator must require massive power (to make up for CONVEYORS enter the coordinates into its guidance the absence of a conveyor power plant) system manually. These units are and computer control (to modulate the Parachronic Field much more tightly controlled. LC0. energies to avoid frying the passen- Generator gers). Although no recall mechanism A conveyor’s generator may have had yet been designed, Project subquantum, quantum, or two-quan- Jury-Rigged Recharge Normally, a fuel cell charges the Hypercube was promising enough that tum range. No one has yet developed a pulsed power system in the conveyor. Paralabs attempted a manned trial conveyor with greater range. This fuel cell replenishes the energy translation between the Kerguelen The generator also has a mass banks in the system in about 30 min- Islands of Homeline and Hideaway capacity: the maximum mass it can utes – unless something goes wrong. about six months ago. It went very transport. The mass of the conveyor Without a working fuel cell, a traveler badly wrong (see In the Cube, p. 29), (including the generator) and its pay- must draw power from local energy but opened up two other promising load cannot safely exceed this limit. sources. The contacts on the power research leads, the paraviewer and the The capabilities of the generator system are remarkably robust, and all artificial nexus portal. largely determine the cost of the con- Patrol conveyors carry a backup elec- Paraviewer: This device would veyor, which is usually very high. This tric motor that can (with an allow observation of other timelines; it isn’t all for the circuitry – much of the Electrician roll at the lower of TL8 or is essentially a projector that trans- cost is licensing fees! mits or receives nothing but light. The the power source TL) be hooked up to first prototype could transmit only a Subquantum Conveyors: These can almost any source of mechanical ener- single burst – a photograph. Later jump between destinations at the gy. An Engineer roll at the proper TL ones sent many bursts a second, same quantum level. Base cost is $10 (and with the proper specialization) allowing continuous (albeit silent) million. Each ton of capacity adds $10 may be necessary to design and con- viewing. The operator can adjust the million and 10 lbs. LC2. struct the machinery and the power angle of view and move the point of Quantum Conveyors: These can transmission system (pulleys, turbines, view moved by a mile or so. Viewer jump between destinations at the pistons, etc.) to hook it up to the elec- connections are fickle and unreliable. same quantum level. With the help of tric motor. At TL6 or higher, of course, Any given viewer link breaks for 1d a projector, they can jump to or from electrical power plants exist already – hours at irregular intervals – but some adjacent quantum levels as well. Base hooking the motor up becomes a links are better, and some are worse. cost is $20 million. Each ton of capac- straight Electrician roll at either TL. Links between worlds in the same ity adds $150 million and 10 lbs. LC1. For each ton of conveyor mass, the quantum are out an average of 9% of Two-Quantum Conveyors: These bank needs 200 kWs of energy. The the time (when it’s important, roll 3d; work like quantum conveyors, but can motor (a mature TL8 model) operates on a 6 or less, the link is out). Those jump up to two quantum levels with at 90% efficiency under most circum- between adjacent quanta are out 26% the aid of a projector. Two-quantum stances, but the power transmission of the time (i.e., on an 8 or less). Those jumps are always tricky! Base cost is system varies widely. As a rule of between worlds two quanta apart are $30 million. Each ton of capacity adds thumb, assume an efficiency equal to out 62% of the time – on an 11 or less! $300 million and 30 lbs. LC0. TL¥5%: a TL1 rope pulley system Current paraviewer prototypes cannot would have 5%, a TL2 screw would see across more than two quanta. have 10%, and so forth. Between the Power System motor and the transmission, then, for Banestorms, reality quakes, and other A jump requires 200 kJ of energy disruptions can “feed back” into the each 100 kW generated by a TL2 per ton of capacity – delivered in a sin- watermill, 9 kW (10% of 90% of 100 viewer itself, slagging the components gle pulse. A typical pulsed power sys- and starting fires on Homeline. kW) contributes to the charge, the rest tem for the field generator costs $50 being waste heat or friction. (At the Paraviewers are not standard issue, and weighs 5 lbs. per kJ. and Infinity only sporadically uses GM’s discretion, a critical success on them for scouting new worlds. the Engineer roll can increase efficien- Artificial Nexus Portals: This tech- Control System cy to TL¥10%.) nology remains very dubious, but in A conveyor may have one of two Typical power outputs for various theory it should be possible to open a types of control system: pre-electrical power sources (including some atypical ones) are as follows, stable “quantum tunnel” between Fixed: The conveyor can only worlds – an artificial nexus portal, or along with the time needed to jump between two specific realities, recharge the energy banks of a 5-ton world-gate. (Reich-5 science has whose coordinates are hardwired. developed such a thing! See p. 66.) conveyor (1,000 kWs, or .28 kWh):

28 INFINITY UNLIMITED Treadmill (TL1): Treader’s ST¥20 W; at TL3 efficiencies, a ST 25 horse-pow- trained oarsmen (and a Rube a ST 10 treader will take 61.7 hours. A ered treadmill takes 4.1 hours. The 50 Goldberg machine capable of translat- ST 27 ox will take 10.2 hours. Horses oarsmen of a TL2 penteconter ing angular oar momentum into torque can turn treadmills efficiently at TL3 (p. B464) produce 6,000 W at a sprint; for the motor) could recharge his with the invention of the horse-collar; a traveler lucky enough to have 50 energy bank in a little under an hour!

In the Cube This campaign frame is a quintessential “lost in only 1d minutes (which could be a long time in the mid- infinity” game. The PCs are the unfortunate lab assis- dle of a battle) and a successful Electronics Operation tants (“the Wanderers”) flung hither and yon through roll. It takes a critical success, or a kindly GM, to bring the worlds by Project Hypercube (p. 28). The Infinity the Wanderers home. At Level III, the Team can send Base Team can see the Wanderers and their immediate up to 200 lbs. of matter to the Wanderers (shoving it surroundings, and communicate with them (players through the Cube with a long stick) instead of trying to might even have “backup” Team PCs), giving advice, jump them, with a successful Electronics Operation research information, and even useful items. But the roll. Failure means the package is lost; critical failure Team can only shift the Wanderers at random, hoping causes burnout and possibly drags more people into the against hope to bring them all home alive. past (though at least the package goes too). All these functions require a “fix” on the Wanderers. After each successful transfer, contact is lost for Every time a transfer takes place, the fix is lost and 1d+1 hours. must be reestablished. This requires a Electronics The power system is not stable. Critical failures may Operation (Parachronic)/TL9^ roll by the Team. If the cause a burnout, dropping power to zero. This breaks roll succeeds, subtract the margin of success from 12; communication and loses the temporal fix. There is the result is the number of hours required to make con- also a chance, known only to the GM, that a burnout tact (minimum one hour). If the roll fails, another may will duplicate the original accident, yanking more be made in 12 hours. A critical failure requires an members of the Team into the quanta to join the immediate Electronics Repair (Parachronic)/TL9^ roll Wanderers! to avoid a burnout (see below). Restoring power to Level I after a burnout takes 12 Once the fix is established, the Team can see the hours, plus or minus the result of an Electrical Repair Wanderers as through a window. They may rotate the roll. Then the Team must reestablish a fix in the usual view, but not leave the characters; essentially, they can- fashion. not see anything the Wanderers cannot see. They also The other thing the Team does is look up useful have two-way voice communications, and can hear information for the Wanderers, as Mission Control anything the Wanderers can hear. Due to a quirk of (p. 210). quantum flow, the Team’s messages come through very softly: under normal circumstances only the Wanderers Campaign Parameters can hear them. This of course requires that the Scale: By default, prosaic “survival scale.” Individual Wanderers talk to the air when they need information, adventures may have any stakes. which could be embarrassing if overheard; they can Scope: Varies by adventure or campaign; a Quantum also write notes, which the Team can read. Leap-style game might deal with small groups, while a If the Wanderers split up, the portal view follows any Time Tunnel-style game might see major crises develop of them the Team wishes; to switch from one subgroup around the PCs. to another requires another Electronics Operation roll. Boundaries: Anywhere and anywhen. Keeping the A failure requires 1d¥10 minutes before another boundaries broad makes up for the narrow scope and attempt; critical failure requires an Electronics Repair prosaic scale. roll to avoid burnout. The Hypercube has three power Paraphysics: Either parallel-worlds or time travel levels, set by the Team: with no paradoxes. Two-way voice communication, Level I: Fix and communications. Normal setting, one-way visual communication; Linearity Principle can be maintained indefinitely. (p. 156) applies. Level II: Preparation to transfer. It requires six hours Characters: 100-point (or lower) lab assistants, free to build up from Level I to II; Level II can be main- to interfere but traveling uncontrollably; no magic or tained only for 2d¥5 minutes before dropping back to psi; TL variable. Level I. Faster power buildup, or extending the mainte- Genre: Varies by adventure or campaign. Cinematic, nance time, require Engineer (Parachronic)/TL9^ rolls. Hollywood history, and investigative (in a Quantum Level III: Transfer. To go from Level II to III, Leap-type game) modes probably fit best. transferring the Wanderers to another timeline, takes See Chapter 7 for parameter explanations.

INFINITY UNLIMITED 29 Water wheel (TL2): A simple Roman vertical wheel produces 1,800 W; recharge would take 1.7 hours. The cascade of 16 Roman watermills at Conveyor Loadout Barbegal in Gaul produced 30 kW; Although every mission is different, and conveyors have varying recharge would take 6.2 minutes. The cargo capacities, you can count on finding the following equipment in most powerful watermill complex ever the back of any Patrol conveyor: built, at Greenock, Scotland in 1841 • One M-23 or electrolaser rifle for each Patrolman (TL5), produced 1,500 kW; assuming • One machete, broadsword, or axe for each Patrolman 25% efficiency for TL5 turbines, it • Shotgun could recharge the energy bank in • One psi shield for each Patrolman about three seconds! • Camping and climbing gear, including grapnel Windmill (TL3): A small Persian windmill produces 30 W; it could • 1,000 yards of rope recharge the energy bank in 68.6 • Binoculars with night vision enhancement hours. A TL4 German post windmill • Digital camcorder produces 6,500 W and recharges the • Handcuffs bank in 14.2 minutes; a large TL5 • Disguise kit Dutch windmill produces 12 kW, • Laptop which would recharge the bank in 6.2 • Sidereal chronolog minutes. • Maps Steam Engines (TL5): The very first • Mixed gold and silver coins from many eras littering the floor steam engines, in the 1690s, produced • Horseshoes 750 W at less than 1% efficiency. • Crash kit Newcomen’s engine in 1712 produced • Small searchlight 3.75 kW, but still wasted 99.3% of that • Grenades (2-4 flash-bang or tear gas per Patrolman) energy. Watt’s improvements begin- • Tent or tents (enough for crew) ning in the 1760s averaged 20 kW at • Basic toolkit including bolt-cutters and sledgehammer 4% efficiency; such a steam engine • Extra trail rations and meal packs would recharge the bank in about 23 • Jerrycans of water minutes. (Watt’s largest steam engine, • Bottle of bourbon or brandy in 1800, produced 100 kW!) Once • Flares, thermite, and other “sudden heat” devices, including Corliss invented the regulating valve spare self-destruct tabs in 1849, steam efficiency could • Fire extinguisher increase to the 25% of our formula; a late TL5 locomotive engine at full At the GM’s discretion, a Scrounging roll may turn up small or easily blast produces 850 kW, which replen- missed items left over from previous missions or teams. ishes the energy bank in 5.2 seconds! And, of course, in an emergency, there’s always the possibility of spreading out a collection antenna, $400,000 and up per drone ($1.2 mil- failure. If you are the CEO of Infinity, tying it to a lightning rod, and waiting lion for a two-quantum jumper), even or one of the seven Paralabs scientists for a convenient thunderstorm . . . Infinity doesn’t want to use too many who built the Alea, you hope those for- of them! geries hold. The Alea is a conveyor that Variant Conveyors Quantum Stealth: This technology can make single-quantum hops with- Drones: Although one-way drone is intended to mask a parachronic sig- out a projector. It can go from jumps from Homeline to the field are nature, allowing covert insertions to Homeline to a parallel in Quantum 4 relatively easy, getting the drone back evade Centrum’s scarily efficient and from there to a worldline in is another matter. The AI needed to detectors. So far, the experimental sys- Quantum 3. Upon arriving at a world, adjust quantum settings is finicky, and tems available penalize skill rolls to it must remain at rest for 1d days to even for a 100-lb. drone, the detect the conveyor by -2, cost recalibrate itself from local quantum parachronic generator is 10-30 lbs. $500,000, and weigh 100 lbs. They fields. In theory, it could cross the and the power system fills another 50 also penalize the conveyor operator’s “quantum barrier” at Q0, but nobody lbs., leaving only 20-40 lbs. for the skill by -2, since the “quantum hash” wants to risk the prototype on such drone, its engine (if any), and its sen- they kick up distorts the conveyor’s a journey. Based on technology sors. Although drones are standard path as well! “borrowed” from several other time- “first look” recon tools (p. 17) where Paraconveyor: This experiment lines, with cutting-edge AI and possible, one in six drones doesn’t does not exist. If you have a high parachronic detector systems, its return at all and is forced to slag itself enough clearance in UNIC or Infinity design is entirely revolutionary. to avoid exposing The Secret. At to know that it does exist, you can Hopefully nobody else is even close. read the detailed records of its total

30 INFINITY UNLIMITED THE UNITED NATIONS INTERWORLD COUNCIL If you ask Infinity, it’s a private have almost all the qualified or experi- company chartered by the U.N. enced personnel for the job. Infinity ALTERNATE Security Council, with “understand- Unlimited also has formal representa- able, and welcome, levels of interna- tion on the ID board. This actually OUTCOMES, INC. tional government oversight.” If you gives the Commerce Minister some For those special occasions where ask the U.N. Secretariat, Infinity plausible deniability when ID rejects a whole worlds need to be changed to fit Unlimited is “a valued U.N. office in particularly grandiose plan (or obvi- UNIC plans, the Council keeps its the important work of peace and ous looting scheme) proposed by a options open in the foggiest possible development.” Where those two world U.N. member nation or other group. It double-blind deniability. Alternate views meet is the United Nations means more work for Infinity Public Outcomes, Incorporated is a merce- Interworld Council, a special body Relations, but that’s why they draw nary outfit based in Massawa, Eritrea, made up of five Special Repre- the big bonus. with offices in New York, Budapest, sentatives of the five permanent U.N. For Infinity Development to Singapore, and Panama City. Security Council members: China, approve a plan, the applicant needs to Although it takes a few of the dwin- France, Great Britain, Russia, and the submit environmental, cultural, and dling available Homeline jobs – elec- United States. The chairmanship of population impact statements, securi- tion security in Zimbabwe, rooting the Council rotates among the five ty waivers and regulations, threat out diehard Khmer Rouge from the Councilors, but the real power lies assessments, and business plans. To Cambodian border – it keeps its mar- with the two Permanent Ministers of submit a full plan package with all ket niche by being the only mercenary UNIC: the Commerce Minister and required legal material, computer pro- company licensed by Infinity for out- the Crisis Minister. Each is elected by files and models, and projections can time operations. In actuality, Alternate the Councilors for a staggered seven- cost millions of dollars. Since bribing Outcomes is a secret unit responsible year term. Usually, the United States the Commerce Ministry also costs mil- only to the UNIC Crisis Minister, and the United Kingdom vote togeth- lions of dollars, most applicants go the tasked to interfere covertly – or, some- er, as do China and France, with legal route. times, overtly – in wars on other Russia as the swing vote. This most worlds. often results in a Commerce Minister from an English-speaking country or strong U.S. ally, and a Crisis Minister from an Asian or African country suspicious of the United States. INFINITY DEVELOPMENT The Commerce Minister oversees Infinity Development (ID), which establishes economic and commercial guidelines for trade, mining, colonization, or other Homeline activity on other Earths. When the Patrol opens a new timeline for commercial exploitation, interested parties must submit bids for territories (or the whole world) to ID. Cash is just one consideration; bidders must also show how they will protect the local environment and population, keep security, and so forth. Outtime installations are always subject to inspection by ID bureaucrats, I-Cops, or both. Officially under UNIC direction, Infinity Development is almost entirely Infinity-staffed; to begin with, they

INFINITY UNLIMITED 31 Crosstime Colonies In legal theory, Infinity Unlimited holds all parallel intractable refugee populations unwanted by, or unable worlds “in trust for the human race.” This high-mind- to return to, their homelands. Established as a stopgap ed language means that when Infinity Development measure in 1999, its population has grown to over four declares a world open to Homeline settlement, UNIC million in the last 30 years. Rumors of corruption, mis- determines who settles there, and under what charter. treatment, and senseless squalor occasionally filter Major crossworld colonies (all on Quantum 5 Earths) back to Homeline, but nobody ever seems interested include: enough to intervene. Tebuguo: What Sanctuary accomplishes by neglect, Communité: This experimental colony, sponsored this parallel accomplishes by policy. China has char- by the French government, proclaims itself a truly tered two entire Earths for “surplus populations.” One communist society, and has dedicated itself to using of them, Dai Zhongguo, is a thriving colony with a pop- the utmost in technical progress to create a classless ulation just over two million. Tebuguo, however, is an utopia. Its 40,000 people are currently divided into two exile parallel, to which the Chinese government is mutually hostile camps on either side of the Loire forcibly moving its entire Tibetan population, as well as River. a number of dissidents and other minorities. Although Bhuvarlok: Occupying the southeastern third of the the Chinese government restricts all access to Tebuguo, Asian continent, Bhuvarlok is officially a territorial rumors leak out that it has offered other dictatorships province of the Republic of India on Homeline. The “dumping rights” there for their own troublesome Indian government encourages emigration to minorities. Bhuvarlok with cash bonuses; its population is in the Tecumseh: Located on the same Earth as hundreds of thousands and growing rapidly. Bhuvarlok, Tecumseh is sponsored by the U.S. Lysander: A libertarian utopia sponsored by a few Bureau of Indian Affairs, and occupies the North eccentric American and British billionaires and char- American continent on that world. Only U.S. and tered by both governments jointly, its population is Canadian citizens of provable American Indian roughly 45,000 (although it loudly refuses to conduct a descent may travel to Tecumseh, but they may do so census) scattered along the California coastline. A slow absolutely free of charge. So far, only a few thousand trickle of writers, artists, and designers moves there people have settled there permanently, though each year for the tax advantages, gradually eroding tourism to “the Big Rez” is quite popular. Lysander’s ideological purity. Uhuru: Established as a Black Nationalist colony by New Colorado: This entire Earth is open to settle- African-American radicals, and initially sponsored by ment by American citizens. It is theoretically adminis- the U.S. government, Uhuru allows anyone of “Black tered from the territorial capital in Denver, but its African” descent, who can afford the conveyor trip, to 150,000 residents (who can vote in the elections of their settle there. Uhuru has two main population centers, home state by absentee ballot) generally ignore the 25,000 in Ghana and 90,000 along the northern coast local government or move farther away. New Colorado of the Gulf of Mexico. Uhuru’s Council of Chiefs is the Earth most thoroughly exploited by mining com- declared the colony independent of the United States in panies, and many of its settlements have quite a Wild a vote in 2016; Congress ratified the decision and West boomtown feeling. abjured formal American sponsorship of the timeline. Sanctuary: The U.N. High Commissioner for Uhuru is a member state of the U.N., and the only one Refugees administers this Earth, using it to house entirely based on an alternate Earth.

The Battalion squads make up each platoon. A orbital parachuting. Only Colonel Its troopers never refer to them- squad nominally has six men – four Singh, and probably Lieutenant selves as “Alternate Outcomes” – that’s privates, a corporal and a sergeant. Colonel Stafford, his executive officer, marketing talk for civilians. They’re This is flexible; some squads, at least know how many have magical or “the Battalion,” no other identifier temporarily, have as many as nine psionic talents as well as their more necessary. Colonel Singh commands men, or as few as four or five. obvious martial skills. 479 men and women (according to the Generally each squad has one T.O.), organized in nine regular com- attached specialist such as a sniper, an Missions and panies, each led by a captain. Under engineer or heavy weapons expert, or each captain are four platoons, each a scout. Many troopers are TL8 Rules of Engagement Missions can range from a single led by a master sergeant. (There are Homeliners, but a surprising number squad to the whole Battalion, dis- no lieutenants in the Battalion, which are recruited from battlefields across patched in one of the Alternative most enlisted men agree is the single the alternate Earths, with skills rang- Outcomes conveyors. (Through UNIC best thing about the outfit.) Two ing from Cro-Magnon axe-throwing to machinations, these trips never show

32 INFINITY UNLIMITED up in conveyor use reports to Infinity.) The conveyors are fully modular, and can be inserted into any number of “skins” from a sod hut to a C-135 cargo plane, depending on the mission There are no lieutenants in the Battalion, requirements. However, the unit seldom has anything in the way of air which most enlisted men agree is the single best cover or vehicle support, unless they thing about the outfit. steal it themselves at the destination – the risk of getting a conveyor blown out of the sky or hulled by a land mine is too great. The Colonel selects the teams. Some missions are harder than oth- (c) Use period equipment, plus escape by any means possible – ers, of course, and green troops get sonic stunners disguised as ordinary including giving his parole and break- easy assignments – or careful supervi- period weapons, and don’t kill any- ing it – in order to make pickup. sion – until the Colonel is sure of body – but stun anyone who witnesses Mission plans always include them. Some troopers retain loyalty, or your arrival or otherwise detects an emergency rendezvous points. at least a feeling of fondness, for their anachronism, and inject them with a old nation or old unit. Any soldier in 24-hour knockout drug and Eraser (p. 25). Objectives the outfit can turn down a mission Mission briefings emphasize spe- assignment that he’s not comfortable cific objectives. Sometimes the with. The Colonel only rarely orders a Leave No Man Behind instructions are very specific indeed: trooper to go against a parallel of his When the mission is finished, it’s “Kidnap Nobunaga and bring him original nation, at least within a cen- not finished. The unit makes ren- back for pickup here by 0800 local tury of his own time. Usually, when dezvous at their stashed conveyor – time,” or “Enter the Wehrmacht head- this happens, it’s a relatively nonvio- emphasis on “the unit.” No survivor is quarters between 1900 and 2300 lent mission, such as a theft or a ever left behind on an alternate world Wednesday, recover all the contents of prison break. unless urgent military necessity the safe, and make pickup ASAP,” or Briefings are as full and complete demands it. This can mean prisoner even “Proceed immediately to coordi- as the Colonel can make them – UNIC rescues, battlefield searches, and long nate Theta and join the Brazilian makes sure he has access to regular stretcher hauls. (It can also mean eth- troops rendezvousing there; when you military intelligence on the worldlines ical decisions about shooting badly see two green flares, use your laser from the Patrol and any other recent wounded comrades, but that’s a mat- weapons to kill everyone not in the visitors. Of course, the fog of war is ter for the GM and players to work out Battalion, and bug out when you’re even foggier on parallel Earths. among themselves.) If troops are gen- done.” This last job doesn’t make an Briefings also provide the rules of uinely MIA (missing in action), it’s up especially challenging adventure, but engagement for an operation, which to the ranking officer to decide when there are missions like that. There are vary widely depending on UNIC’s to give up and call for a pickup. a lot more that seem like turkey shoots competing needs for certainty, speed, Leaving MIA behind is not good for until something goes wrong, which it subtlety, or power. Some typical sets of your chances of promotion, or for always does. rules might be: your reputation among your fellow Very often the goal is simply “make (a) Wear uniforms appropriate to troops. The Colonel’s very next mis- sure that side X wins this battle,” with the timeline; use weapons of the time- sion is always “Go back there and get the team given considerable freedom line; do nothing to reveal yourself as our guys,” and the unfortunate officer of action in making that happen. The intruders, and remove anyone who had better come back with them or die best way to tip the scales might be a witnesses an anachronistic act. (Using trying. Dead soldiers may be aban- quick skirmish at a key point, or the anachronistic tactics is a gray area in doned and security maintained with a assassination of a commander (or a such cases, but the Colonel usually thermite grenade or genetic liquefier, messenger), or a precisely timed raid doesn’t enforce historically accurate but the troopers frown on it. on a strongpoint. Note that the players idiocy on troopers impersonating, say, As a general rule, the Battalion don’t have to be military geniuses to French knights at Agincourt.) doesn’t take prisoners, unless that’s a enjoy this. The GM should require (b) Wear whatever you want, carry specific mission objective. When mas- them to make the best plan they can, any weapon or other device up to TL9 querading as local troops, of course, complete with maps and contingency black technology, and don’t worry they follow local policy. That can be plans. But the leader’s Strategy or about witnesses. This always makes pretty brutal if they’re impersonating Tactics roll, made by the GM, deter- the veterans nervous, because it the Comanche, but it comes with the mines how good the leader’s plan real- means the job is so urgent and dan- territory. Troopers are also expected ly is. The GM then adjusts the roll gerous that everything has to be sacri- not to be taken prisoner, because that from -3 to +3 based on the excellence ficed to overwhelming success. means they miss pickup. A trooper of the players’ plan. taken by the enemy is expected to

INFINITY UNLIMITED 33 Limitations The Battalion often uses advanced equipment – far more advanced than “Eternity’s Rangers” that of its foes – and they often know Alternate Outcomes can serve as the basis for an independent cam- exactly who and what they are facing. paign frame. Rather than UNIC and Homeline, mysterious Recruiters This doesn’t mean that their adven- (Aliens? Future men? Transhumans?) deploy the Battalion for their own tures are simple turkey shoots, where unguessable purposes. The Battalion, “Eternity’s Rangers,” is stationed PCs with automatic weapons mow at “Port Shanghai,” a wooded stretch of what might be Sicily in what down Roman legionaries just for the might be the year 3800 A.D., if the night sky is anything to go by. heck of it. There are several other Port Shanghai can regrow Rangers’ limbs and organs (“if you’re points to keep the squad thinking in breathing and make pickup, you won’t be on sick call tomorrow”), pro- the field: vide instant language training (although the Recruiters are stingy with that for some reason), and send the Rangers elsewhen to fight. The Rangers enter a large empty hangar, a golden glow fills the room, and they arrive at the drop zone. When the highest-ranking surviving Ranger (but only him) bites down on his jaw implant, the golden glow comes back and brings every Ranger (and any prisoners in physical contact) back to Port Shanghai. Sometimes, the Rangers go on Leave – which is usually hard on the locals chosen, as the rules of engagement are the same as any other mission: “Make pickup.” Port Royal in 1690 is popular, as are fourth-century Rome, 1950s Las Vegas, and Renaissance Italy. For a professional soldier, the Rangers are a dream unit. Military discipline and military honors; clear, simple orders; tough missions but not impossible ones; good troops and good officers. Travel to strange places, meet interesting people, and kill them. If you make pickup, you’ll be healed to fight another day. It’s Valhalla with automatic weapons. As a result, the Rangers have high morale, and don’t worry too much about their mysterious employers. They don’t really fight for the Recruiters; they fight for their Regiment. This is a frame for those who want to run commando adventures with historical (or parahistorical) backgrounds, but not worry about accuracy. The Rangers can be given any equipment the GM wishes, without fear of upsetting the balance of the past – there isn’t any such balance. Or perhaps there is – whatever the Rangers do to change history is undone by other time travelers or the “blind forces of history.” The point Numbers: No matter how many is not to worry about it; the Rangers don’t. shots you can fire compared to your enemy, he still only has to hit once to Campaign Parameters bring you down. Even in a “small” bat- Scale: Usually prosaic “foxhole” level; not knowing the true stakes tle, the local forces vastly outnumber adds to the frisson and intended “world-weary soldier” feel. the troopers. While the burst from an Scope: Individual battles and missions. M-60 would indeed startle Boundaries: Anywhere and anywhen. Keeping the boundaries broad Renaissance troops, and perhaps even makes up for the narrow scope and prosaic scale. put the fear of magic into them, a Paraphysics: Either parallel-worlds or time travel with no paradoxes. determined or panicky charge could Limited forward communication (recall signals) and Linearity Principle still bring the gunner down. A brief (p. 156) apply. jam, or a fumble while changing mag- Characters: 200- to 250-point Rangers from any historical or alternate azines, could be fatal. Should a PC for- era under military discipline. Magic or psi are rare; standard kit is TL8+. get that the local “primitives” outnum- Genre: Technothriller war stories; other modes can vary but likely ber him by potentially millions to one, center near gritty action. the GM should deliver a painful See Chapter 7 for parameter explanations. reminder. Allies: Sometimes it’s possible to get effective assistance from the army the Battalion is supposedly helping. they’re desperate, and sometimes not they have to rely on persuasiveness, Sometimes the rules of engagement even then. It may be necessary for intimidation, good example and an make that impossible. But even under troopers to conceal their weapons, occasional discreet fragging. the best of conditions, dealing with their knowledge of the battle, and even Pickup: And, again: The team hasn’t local allies requires a little finesse. their objective, until the last moment. done its job until it makes rendezvous Men in the middle of a battle tend not If the rules of engagement specify for pickup. Sometimes that’s the to be interested in crazy ideas, unless “don’t reveal yourselves as outsiders,” biggest challenge of all.

34 INFINITY UNLIMITED CORPORATE STRUCTURE In the 30 years since Van Zandt’s include two U.S. senators and the tends to aim upper management’s revelation, the sheer scope of its president of Stanford University), and political shenanigans outward, work has ballooned Infinity’s payroll leave their day-to-day board duties to toward their theoretical overseers on into hundreds of thousands of deputies and assistants. What this the board and at UNIC. Partisan employees, despite a firm policy of means, specifically, is that Infinity empire-builders are rare – or get sent outsourcing everything possible. upper management is free to go about off to build actual empires on a This rapid growth has so far not tan- its day-to-day job while its theoretical parallel world for the benefit of the gled the Table of Organization too overseers pad their résumés and pock- company! The fact that Van Zandt badly. In most respects except size, etbooks and interfere only when a spe- hand-picked Carter and many of his Infinity resembles a loose, early 21st- cific emergency or political agenda subordinates also helps unify senior century multinational; if anything, (which is to say, the GM’s story line) managers around their chief. its corporate structure seems more demands it. Beneath senior management, the transparent than those of its peers. ranks of vice presidents fill top slots in Infinity’s “conventional” depart- Upper Management ments. Accounting, sales and market- CEO and Board Below the CEO are the other sen- ing, public relations, legal, personnel Tadeshi Z. Carter is only the second ior officers such as the Chief and payroll, information systems, CEO of Infinity, after Van Zandt Information Officer, Chief Financial and so forth each have their own lit- retired a decade ago. Like most corpo- Officer, and so forth. In theory, like tle fiefdom in the Infinity Tower’s 154 rate executives, he is answerable to the the CEO, they serve at the pleasure of stories (Infinity headquarters occu- board of directors. Infinity’s board is the board; in reality, they are usually pies the tallest building in Chicago, half elected shareholder representa- picked by the CEO from within the though not the world) or in the vari- tives – mostly American, European, company or from top corporations ous Infinity “corporate branch and Japanese business executives and around the world. In some compa- offices” in smaller skyscrapers in white-shoe lawyers from other banks nies, these senior officers represent London, Paris, Shanghai, and St. and corporations – and half political factions within the corporation that Petersburg. These branches run like appointees chosen by UNIC. Like the the CEO needs to placate or visibly their equivalents in major corpora- shareholder representatives, many of support for internal political tions anywhere, although with a these appointees hold other jobs (the reasons. The strongly elitist, almost much bigger budget and at least U.S. representatives on the board tribal, corporate culture of Infinity some attempts made at “best practices” management.

Cash Flow Corporate Security Infinity owns, and has the right to The only major difference between Infinity and a “regular” mega- police, all parachronic equipment. corp like BP or Daewoo is the much more stringent security screening When others build such equipment, and testing procedure Infinity employees undergo. Infinity is painful- they do so by permission. Any use of ly aware that even a back-office drone in the accounting department projectors is under Infinity’s direct can uncover a lot of secrets about (or even sabotage) outtime opera- supervision, and requires stiff licens- tions. Nobody, least of all Infinity upper management, believes that ing fees. Infinity has the power to screening keeps out every government spook (not all of them from our confiscate or destroy any unautho- world!), corporate spy, would-be thief, or fixated monkeywrencher. rized conveyor or projector. In prac- But the damage such infiltrators cause can be – must be – kept to a tice, this right is limited when the minimum by any means necessary. device is in the hands of major Office-based campaigns centering on Infinity Unlimited can chase powers operating on Homeline. such spies through the warren of corporate politics and accounting Nonetheless, simply licensing double-blinds – or task a group of player characters with spoofing parachronics, specialized cartage Infinity security and “liberating” a parachronic conveyor (or a few bil- and travel services, and charging for lion dollars) for their own ends. Infinity’s Corporate Security jump programs (from $500 for a pre- Department is heavy-handed, but grimly efficient, in either scenario, plotted jump from a commercial, even if the protagonists are CorpSec investigators themselves. No zeroed I-Port to $20 million for a doubt CorpSec PCs are “dangerous mavericks who just don’t play by customized all-conditions departure the book.” Infinity’s Corporate Security Department should not be program from specified coordinates) confused with its rivals, the Security Division of the Infinity Patrol makes Infinity quite a lot of money. (p. 13). Patents and spinoffs from Paralabs research further fatten the bottom line.

INFINITY UNLIMITED 35 The fortunes Infinity makes from outtime technologies dwarf even that hefty sum. Deuterium-fusion plants, room-temperature superconductors, Infinite Darkness energy-efficient seawater desaliniza- Of course, nothing says that Infinity has to be the good guys. If power tion, hybrid pest-proof grains, cures corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely, infinite power breeds for some cancers, and many other infinite corruption. With all that money flowing through the ultimate minor technological miracles trawled “offshore” account, someone’s going to get greedy – and start killing to from high-tech parallel worlds are cover up his secret. With the potential to remake society to the whim of only some of the higher earners. outside sociologists immune to any bad effects (but wielding unstop- Where possible, Infinity legally licens- pable technology), Infinity can create inhuman tyrannies accidentally – es outtime technology through a or on purpose. Rather than expose and overthrow their own creations, dummy corporation. If outtime condi- they might sweep the victims under the rug and leave them to rot in tions prevent such actions (if licensing obscurity. Simple paternalistic neglect, even by a “good” Infinity Council, would endanger The Secret, or if the can abet or create misery, starvation, and cruelty on unheard-of scales patent is held by an odious totalitarian rivaling the Irish famines or the U.N.-backed suppression of Biafra. government), Infinity steals the tech- Infinity can be a mysterious force in a conventional single-world nology and reverse-engineers it on campaign, where the PCs don’t even know parachronic travel is possible. Homeline. In many nations, Infinity is Who shuts down the heroes’ schemes? Who kidnaps their patrons or required to pay royalties to the inven- steals their secrets? Who supplies their foes with advanced weaponry? tor’s (or corporation’s) Homeline As a shadowy villain, Infinity can lurk in the background of a campaign, “twin” or his heirs. A Trenton food advancing its own agenda without any concern for this world’s justice or chemist was startled to discover that this world’s defenders. on Gallatin her parallel self had acci- Infinity can be the enemy, or at least the Other Side, in a multi-world dentally created the most popular campaign using a different set of protagonists. A PC party of “swagmen” snack spread in history, but delighted (p. 71) fighting for the freedom of all worlds to interact on a basis of when the first million-dollar check equality would see even a “good” Infinity as the bureaucratic hand of arrived. Similar rulings apply to art, legal repression. Recasting Centrum as an altruistic, evangelizing meri- literature, and other cultural goods tocracy (such as “Centrum Light” on p. 56) might present even the imported from other worlds and sold default Infinity as selfish, paranoid meddlers, and such a Centrum Light on Homeline by Infinity or its licen- would even more sternly oppose a corrupt or incompetent “Infinity sors. For example, Infinity is strictly Dark.” Infinity could similarly meddle in the affairs of another worthy enjoined from simply pirating Francis crosstime organization. Ford Coppola’s The Empire Strikes Finally, of course, Infinity can be the bad guys in an all-Infinity cam- Back, even though it’s not available on paign focusing on the massive potential for corruption, exploitation, and DVD yet on any Earth. Still, it’s a drop downright evil available to Infinity upper management. The PCs might in the bucket compared to the vast be idealistic heroes, recruited to the Patrol to help chart the worldlines sums that such imports have earned or kill alternate Hitlers, who gradually discover the true nature of their for Infinity. employer. Such a “hall of mirrors” campaign would combine the tricky But it doesn’t stop there. Through turnabouts of a classic espionage story and the investigative thrills of a UNIC and Infinity Development police procedural, on the infinite canvas of crossworld adventure. Do the (p. 31), Infinity takes a share of all the Patrolmen defect to another, possibly equally dangerous, side in the resources extracted from low-tech and struggle? Do they join an underground, working to subvert Infinity and uninhabited Earths. Oceans of crude destroy it? Or do they rise in Infinity’s ranks, helping where they can and oil pumped from parallel Texases, taking out the worst elements when they won’t get caught, hoping to mountains of chromium mined from restore the dream of infinite possibilities that they swore to protect? Africas where mankind never evolved, acres of coffee harvested from Jamaicas that have never known air pollution or pesticide runoff – even given the bottlenecks of crossworld shipping, the sheer amount of stuff a company can reap from even one empty Earth easily reaches the trillions of dollars. Infinite worlds means infinite wealth. Trade, tourism, and The sheer amount of stuff a company research add yet more markets to the can reap from even one empty Earth easily balance sheet, although Infinity can afford to take a stern line on Homeline reaches the trillions of dollars. interactions with parallel societies above the hunter-gatherer stage.

36 INFINITY UNLIMITED OUR CORPORATE PARTNERS Although technically separate reaction from the U.N.’s African from Infinity Unlimited, most of the CONSOLIDATED members, Infinity offered him a hefty major companies doing parachronic separation package and the presiden- business turn out to have overlapping MINES, UNLTD. cy of his own firm instead. Rhodes boards of directors, substantial stock This is either the greatest idea accepted with (perhaps feigned) holdings, and even murkier financial Infinity ever had, or the worst. The regret, and CMU became an inde- strings tying them back to Van Zandt constant problems with operating pendent company with a convoluted and his organization. Infinity finds it mines on the various parallels are profit-sharing system in place. hard to really let go of anything, and security and staff. How do you run a (Infinity has sole options and rights to officially independent corporations TL8 mining camp in the fourth centu- CMU’s mining and development tech- provide useful deniability and “off ry B.C. Transvaal without attracting niques and consulting, as well.) Only the books” resources. However, this undue attention? And how do you in recent years has it dawned on remote control also lets some of make any money off the mines, if you Infinity upper management that they Infinity’s “corporate partners” devel- have to pay three crews of Homeliners turned Cecil Rhodes loose on infinite op their own agendas away from the TL8 salaries plus benefits and over- Africas with parachronic technology prying eyes of the Patrol. time and hazard pay and outtime duty and no close supervision – and contin- bonuses and . . . ? Robotics can only ue to pay him handsomely for the solve so many staffing problems, and privilege. CLIODYNE it makes security even worse. The answer came by serendipity: in RESEARCH 2019, a Scout team exploring Rustic (p. 141) via nexus portal wound up GROUP involved in a prison break from a This select firm, based in an ele- Hessian concentration camp in South gant Danish Modern campus in Africa. Among the escapees was that Orange County, California, began as worldline’s Cecil Rhodes, interned for Infinity’s in-house historical consult- illegal mining activity on Hessian ing team. The staff of historians, soci- claims. The Patrolmen brought him ologists, and communications theo- back with them, and rather than drop rists developed marketing strategies him in Coventry, Infinity offered him a for White Star with an eye toward job running outtime mining opera- “minimum interference” in other tions. (Nobody involved will discuss Earths. Gradually, the group brought whose idea this was; it’s not impossi- cutting-edge memetics, population ble that Rhodes came up with it and TIME TOURS, and game theories, and macroeco- sold his erstwhile jailers on it during nomics into their analysis (along with his debriefing.) Rhodes brought his LTD. experts in all those fields). As substantial low-tech mining experi- The largest and most prestigious of crosstime travel expanded, other cor- ence and intimate knowledge of South the crosstime tourist companies, Time porations needed the kinds of “cliody- Africa to bear; within a year, he had Tours, Limited (TTL) is big business; namic” (the word combines Clio, the opened nine mines on nine parallels Disney, Viacom, and other major Greek Muse of History, with dynam- for less than one percent of their rated entertainment conglomerates come ics, the study of motion and change) cost, and with only a 50% loss in pro- sniffing around for mergers every cou- analysis that only Infinity’s team could duction for low-tech methods. Rhodes ple of years. Time Tours also runs provide. Infinity spun off the group proved a fast study, rapidly developing flourishing sidelines in costume into a separate business for murky methods of integrating covert high- design and location scouting (and sur- corporate reasons some time ago, but tech mining into low-tech frame- reptitious second-unit filming) for Cliodyne clearly considers Infinity its works, as well as rotating teams of movie studios, manor worlds (p. 85) premier client. The Patrol has begun foremen and straw bosses who could time-share and resorts, and colorful, developing its own in-house team for drop into the high veldt with five tons “infotaining” docu-dramas (This Is . . . cliodynamics, recruiting from former of standard gear and have a platinum 1492!) for people who can’t afford the psychological warfare experts and mine in operation within two months. trips. But the bottom line is the tourist intelligence analysts. Rhodes also brought his natural experience. Infinity, of course, piles In the corporate world, Cliodyne’s gift for empire-building to bear; restrictions on Time Tours in the major rivals are GeTS (Geschichte- Consolidated Mines, Unlimited soon echoes, but trips to alternate worlds TechnikStiftung), a German consor- became a major Infinity division, are where the big bucks are anyway. tium of academic researchers, and and Rhodes began to make noises The past, for better or worse, is a spe- Tombak & Chang, a Singapore-based about running for the Infinity corpo- cialty interest; the market for The Way international marketing firm with a rate board. Panicked at the potential Things Should Have Been is limitless. strong crosstime presence.

INFINITY UNLIMITED 37 Scheduling and Fees Time Tours doesn’t accept reserva- tions too far in advance, and charges Johnson Crosstime what the market will bear. After all, even in the infinite worlds, there are Incorporated only so many times that Lincoln will The biggest of Time Tours’ competitors, Johnson Crosstime began as deliver the Gettysburg Address, or another tourist outfit. Its founder, Alex A. Johnson, soon realized that he Bugsy Siegel will dedicate the could never compete with TTL in the tourist business, and decided to go Flamingo, or Star Wars will premiere into the resort business instead. One of his tour scouts found a likely in the theater (starring Dirk timeline in Rome-2, still cheerfully decadent and clearly “Roman” but Benedict!). Time Tours can’t re-run with better food and less resin in the wine. Johnson amassed venture popular events, after all; they have to capital, bought gold on a downswing in the market, and moved to Rome- build demand for Renaissance trips 2 on an extremely poorly worded “business license” from Infinity. By the during the 10 years the Medicis will time the Patrol came around again, Johnson was procurator of rule a parallel Florence (and they have Pannonia and Numidia, and had bribed every member of the Roman been accused of committing the odd bureaucracy, introduced fluoride toothpaste and telegraphs, and single- knifing to keep the Medicis in power handedly driven off a Pecheneg invasion. long enough to sell all the tickets). Realizing the situation was already unsalvageable, the Patrol let There are always more customers Johnson go ahead and salvage it. Infinity confirmed his title to his Rome- than available slots; Infinity views the 2 property (in exchange for a “supervisory share” of stock in Johnson tourist trade as a necessary evil, and Crosstime), helped stabilize the inflation spiral he had unwittingly isn’t always generous with the travel caused with his Homeline gold, and signed a lucrative conveyor leasing permissions it grants Time Tours and agreement with him. Johnson opened “Johnson’s Rome” for business in the other tour companies. Time Tours 2016, and has drawn tens of thousands of tourists every year since. does have a “personal leisure consul- Industry gossip whispers that Johnson has been increasingly absent tancy” for very rich clients looking for from his offices on Homeline and Rome-2 for the last two years – could privacy and history, and caters to he have another timeline under development? almost any request, where possible – for the right customer. If the cost of a tour ever matters in the specific campaign, the GM is serious gripe can usually be bought to the guide. In general, a tourist who free to set it as he likes – even a short off – often by an extra-special extend- seems stable and competent is allowed tour has a price in four figures. In a ed trip to one of the more sybaritic such a weapon if the world is one continuing campaign, the PCs are timelines. where it might really be necessary for likely to be Time Tours employees, But during a trip, the Guides have self-defense, and not otherwise. And rather than tourists. In a one-shot total authority. Time Tours will fire a still, a few guides get stunned from adventure, they might be tourists, Guide for a total foul-up, and (in pub- behind every year, for reasons ranging but Homeline wealth doesn’t really lic) back them to the hilt on anything from spiteful whim to international matter in a one-shot. less. Part of the Time Tours mystique espionage. is the supposed super-competence of Gadgets and gewgaws “for trade the Guides. “Do what you have to, and with the natives” are permitted, but Rules and Regulations let Customer Relations sort it out” is they must be native-authentic and All Time Tours clients sign a very the motto. bought from TTL’s own supplies (at a strict waiver before the trip. TTL does slight markup). A tourist can buy all not guarantee to bring them back, let the cowrie shells he wants before visit- alone bring them back alive, and is not What Can We Take ing 17th-century Tahiti, but he can’t responsible for their health, sanity, or On a Time Tour? take a cigarette lighter to impress the enjoyment of the trip. Anything you want, as long as it’s natives! Time Tours also reserves the right not obviously alien to the timeline The rules are looser for a trip in to do absolutely anything required in being visited. Time Tours does a big which no interaction with the natives order to prevent “cultural contamina- business in disguised cameras of all is expected. Time Tours does a regular tion” (i.e., telling The Secret) or to cor- sorts, for instance. (and very expensive) business in trips rect contamination once it has Weapons regulations depend on to actual echoes, to observe historical occurred . . . up to and including a the trip. Hunting parties go loaded for battles of the 16th through 19th cen- complete abort of the trip. dinosaur. Tourists in historical paral- turies. But all these observations are With that out of the way, note that lels can carry whatever weapons are made from a few thousand feet up, in Time Tours bends over backward to appropriate for their costumes. (If the stealthy sky-blue dirigibles. (If one of make sure that a trip goes well. guide doesn’t trust them with those dirigibles ever goes down, an Satisfied customers are the best weapons, they don’t carry them – or immense troubleshooting mission will advertisement; unsatisfied customers they don’t come on the trip.) Disguised be needed!) are Bad Publicity. Someone who has a stunners may be permitted; this is up

38 INFINITY UNLIMITED What Can We Bring Back? Unless the trip is to a historical Time Tours in echo (and ordinary tourist trips aren’t, unless the echo becomes an anchor), the Time Campaign a little discreet collection of memen- The GM of a time-traveling campaign may be tempted to include a tos is perfectly all right. The Guides time-tour adventure. Go ahead . . . but if you’re playing with real do not permit outright thuggery, history, Time Tours requires special attention to the mechanics of time because it attracts attention and gives travel. Ordinary tour agencies take their clients to popular places, but at Time Tours a bad name on Homeline. different times. TTL is offering a visit to an interesting moment in time. But tourists are given the opportunity Sooner or later all those little groups of temporal visitors, plus the mul- to buy native money at the beginning tiple copies of their guides, are going to add up, and perhaps outnumber of their trip (at a healthy discount), the natives. and they can spend it as they want. There are several ways to cope with this: The I-Cops run an official “customs Ignore it. Tour groups just don’t run into each other, unless the GM check” when each tour returns, but wants to do something interesting with the encounter. This lends itself unless the outtime world is known to best to a comedy game – imagine two groups of tourists in the market- contain some specific danger, it’s place at Alexandria, haggling over the same souvenir, while their guides mostly a formality. try to decide whether to intervene or sneak away for a drink. However, any souvenir that could Ignore it, but make some excuses. The tour groups are small, the world be mistaken for a “real” Homeline (and the past) is big, and TTL Mission Control makes elaborate plans for antique, fossil, etc., is supposed to be traffic control. Not many people can crowd into the No. 10 Saloon in photographed for reference and Deadwood for the shooting of Wild Bill Hickok without attracting atten- marked in an inconspicuous way. tion; a dozen little groups, moving carefully, could probably hide out These precautions don’t make later around Gettysburg; the Normandy invasion might swallow hundreds. fraud, or scientific confusion, entirely This is stretching the point, but gamers are used to that. impossible – but at least it’s an The point can stretch farther if Time Tours Ltd. sends its clients to attempt. general eras rather than specific important dates. Elizabethan London or 1920s Chicago can no doubt absorb as many Time Tourists as the Time Tours Company can send, meeting only when it’s dramatically useful. The in the Campaign guides would be instructed to keep the tourists away from important Played seriously, the dramatic con- moments their presence might upset; naturally, it’s not possible to pre- flicts are going to be of the unplanned dict what all those moments might be, and the tourists (who would prob- variety: the tour group stumbles ably not be aware of the Not Too Much Excitement policy) might have across (or inadvertently creates) a sit- to be kept away from trouble rather firmly. uation not described on the website. Provide a mechanical solution. New Timelines (p. 156) works well The party gets scattered, and must be here, since the main action involves running around in the historical rounded up or rescued before going period, not changing it. In a comedy game, this works almost too well, home; the big lizards prove to be not since the intruders may safely make any sorts of crazy changes they such easy targets after all; a careless wish, up to and including a Marx Brothers bring-the-house-down finale word or action threatens to reveal The (A Night at the Fall of Rome?). This may, of course, be exactly what the Secret and the guides have to fix campaign needs. things; there turns out to be a crosstime war going on that the Company doesn’t know about, or maybe just a bit of industrial sabotage Light Brigade to get a good snapshot the historical figures are boobs being from a competitor. for the folks back home. These are prompted or bribed by the Guides, In such straight adventures, the likely NPCs, though a player with a and any crosstime marauders look tourists should be at least normally talent for comedy can have a field and talk scary but couldn’t conquer a competent characters (with some dis- day. The conveyors never work right, prairie dog village. advantages not usually found among heroes, such as Cowardice); they may even all be player characters. Time Tours can also be played for laughs. In this version, the tourists are Innocents (or maybe Idiots) Abroad: bumblers who can’t manage the clothes or the language, but will walk right into the Charge of the

INFINITY UNLIMITED 39 Star corporate higher-ups in Boston do. Imposing any kind of “corporate culture” across such a system is worse Our Corporate Rivals than useless, but White Star head- Yugorovsky Group: This Russian mining conglomerate has a reputa- quarters enforces some standards. tion for being unscrupulous and deadly, and tied into both the Russian White Star merchants are expected to Mafiya and the Russian government. Reports filter back of low-level give value for value, follow all local proxy wars between Yugorovsky and CMU on some primitive worlds. laws (with a minimum of bribery), The Russian councilor on UNIC protects the Group from full reprisals or and support good causes in their local formal Infinity sanction. community. Beyond that, White Star KMP Petroleum: Founded in a series of desperate mergers after the follows general trade practices, hopes fusion economy cratered Homeline’s oil industry, KMP concentrates its for the best, and counts its mounting efforts on filling the insatiable demand for oil on less-developed paral- profits. lels. Their standard practice is to buy a “tapped out” field on such a worldline and ship oil from other timelines into it in conveyor tankers – or build a pipeline through a nexus portal, if they are lucky enough to General Trade Practices find one in an oil patch somewhere. They also practice mature TL8 White Star’s trade with other time- petroleum engineering (and social engineering with recalcitrant sheikhs) lines, whether open or covert, tends to to genuinely open fields closed to TL6-7 exploration. The Patrol worries follow broadly similar guidelines bro- that KMP’s wildcat, cowboy habits will endanger The Secret – and that ken down by the world’s degree of KMP has far too cozy a relationship to the CIA. technical, economic, and financial Denarius Capital Holdings: Infinity initially founded this brokerage development. Wherever possible, the group to keep the economy of Johnson’s Rome from collapsing under local operations of crossworld traders outtime stresses by subtly introducing liquidity reforms. Denarius’ such as White Star double as purely managers somehow wound up in control of the entire Roman gold local, profitable business operations reserve, bought out their contract, and relocated their corporate head- with a share of the profits earmarked quarters to Lysander. (They retain a Palau incorporation for Homeline to support the Infinity Patrol and tax purposes.) Denarius Capital now runs large-scale financial and mar- other overhead. Given the distressing ket operations on many, many worlds. (Denarius also gives rather gen- amount of smuggling carried on erously to some Miracle Workers operations.) On some parallels, it through White Star outlets (perhaps causes accidental runaway busts and booms – on others, it may cause as a consequence of the Infinity rake- them on purpose. off), this section also addresses such Duncorne Foundation: This secretive but influential academic foun- informal arrangements. dation funds archaeological and historical research on a wide variety of Uncivilized (TL0): Because bulk parallels, especially those showing evidence of reality quakes or the resources come from uninhabited supernatural. Its grants focus on the medieval period and earlier, with a worlds, White Star trades with these strong emphasis on religion, history, and legendry. The Duncorne parallels mainly for curios. In some Collections in New Haven and Oxford will always handsomely reward worlds, White Star exchanges low- the copying, transcribing, and (according to rumor) theft of rare and lost tech bulk trinkets (e.g., gold from books (of any era) from other worlds. It may also be a major player in uninhabited worlds, high-quality but the gray market in crossworld art and antiquities smuggling – many local-TL weapons and tools, etc.) for major museums and universities find Duncorne’s connections quite unskilled labor for the mass produc- helpful in making that one crucial acquisition. tion of goods too high above the local TL to be comprehensible. However, this practice is not widespread, as White Star offices only transship a few White Star is uncertain whether it is WHITE STAR hundred pounds of rarities; for exam- entirely safe or ethical, and it makes ple, a carton of DVDs from Gallatin, or the Patrol jittery about endangering TRADING a breeding pair of Tasmanian tigers. The Secret. Smugglers often make use White Star is the original crosstime Others ship hundreds of tons of cocoa of these worlds as bases and sources import-export company – and still the or chromium daily, loading the cargo of slave labor. largest. Van Zandt financed most of onto barges that go out of sight of land Civilized, Pre-Scientific (TL1-4): In his original development by trading and then jump between worlds. All of these worlds, traders often utilize a with a single parallel. Its offices now them have the “sign of the White Star” triangular trading method, exchang- span hundreds of Earths ranging from somewhere in the corporate logo, or ing gold and resources from uninhab- mud-brick caravanserais in Attila’s hanging on a painted sign out front, as ited worlds for works of art and for Iran, to faultlessly legitimate venture suits their environment. labor-intensive or specialized agricul- capital firms in Reich-2 America, to a Not even Infinity knows what tural products such as Falernian wine movie studio in Campbell making a every branch of White Star is up to; or Incan blue potatoes. Smugglers slowly increasing fortune by remaking it’s possible that not even the White have been known to buy or steal Homeline fantasy movies. Some small

40 INFINITY UNLIMITED duplicates of valuable Homeline artworks. (One enterprising smuggler bought several Raphael works for a The Alternate Best Sellers List case of child’s pastels.) One large spe- The House of the Worm, by H.P. Lovecraft cialty market on these worlds is Target: Tokyo! A History of the Invasion, by Robert A. Heinlein, Adm., books: hand-copied scrolls of USN (Ret.) Aristophanes’ lost plays, or Mayan Campaigns of Alexander, by Ptolemy codices burnt in Homeline’s inquisito- Hardraada in Vinland, by Snorri Sturlasson rial bonfires, command substantial The Hauntings of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle sums from Homeline collectors and Summa Astrologia, by Isaac Newton academics alike. Sanditon, by Jane Austen Civilized, Scientific (TL5-8): The I- Cuban Southpaw: My Life in the American League, by Fidel “Red” Cops consider such worlds potentially Castro dangerous should they get The Secret. Fear and Loathing in Tycho Crater, by Hunter S. Thompson Permitted trade includes introducing The Gospel According to Peter moderate technological improve- Hornblower at the Crisis, by C.S. Forester ments and literary ideas, or exchang- The Complete Mystery of Edwin Drood, by Charles Dickens ing small quantities of portable wealth (e.g., gems or gold) for artworks and curios. “Parallel works” are particular- licensed to travel to them, White Star laws with similar care. If magic works, ly prized: Shakespeare’s Historie of uses every available method in these for instance, even a low-technology Robert the Bruce, Edmund Burke’s worlds to discover the principles upon world becomes a potential danger. Reflections on the American Uprising, which these worlds’ higher technology GMs have to decide if items from such and so forth. Homeline publishers is based, in order to patent and utilize worlds continue to function else- especially like the classics, because it on Homeline. However, it is ham- where; if enchantments continue to they don’t have to pay royalties on pered by the fact that these worlds function in non-magical worlds, it’s them (although Infinity usually holds usually have sophisticated identifica- hard to imagine any sanctions which the copyright). Some worlds actually tion and surveillance technologies, so keep smugglers out. Psis endanger produce consumer goods that that a small misstep might imperil both The Secret and smugglers; every- Homeline values, such as the stylish The Secret. Smuggling technology one avoids worlds with globally avail- men’s fedoras available on Gernsback. and artifacts from these worlds can able psionics. Worlds with supers pose Advanced, Scientific (TL9+): The carry lucrative rewards, but also similar problems; smugglers have Infinity Patrol watches, most carefully, brings danger from both the alter- enough trouble dodging ordinary all worlds with science advanced nate’s local authorities and the Patrol. police without having to deal with enough to reproduce parachronics, Para-Scientific (any TL): Infinity grim avengers of the night. and a single unauthorized incursion is treats worlds with variant physical punishable by Coventry. If it is even THE PUBLIC SECTOR entire world to administer. It seldom does not proclaim the other Earths the THE UNITED works any better than the UNHCR’s property of Infinity, Homeline, or even Sanctuary colony (p. 32). of mankind. NATIONS 2. Infinity Unlimited receives a U.N. Outside UNIC, the U.N. has no charter, and formal supranational sta- more control over crosstime opera- The Interworld Treaty tus: This article also sets up UNIC as tions than any other group, and less What ties the U.N.’s hands is, iron- Infinity’s official governing agency, than some. This irritates agencies like ically, the very document that seem- and restructures Infinity’s board to UNESCO, UNICEF, and so forth, who ingly granted it sovereignty over the add multinational control. In practice, throw up political obstacles for UNIC, infinite worlds, the Interworld Treaty. this removes Infinity from any nation- and thus contribute further to their The main articles of the Treaty (and al jurisdiction or oversight, allowing it own marginalization. Infinity refuses their actual effects) are as follows: to focus its bribery, pressure, or insti- to take sides in such disputes, essen- 1. Parallel Earths should be explored tutional capture on just UNIC instead tially passing the buck back to UNIC. for the good of mankind: In practice, of many different agencies. (The main exception is Miracle this lets Infinity Development reject 3. All parachronic technology Workers’ close relationship with the any proposed crosstime venture that remains the property of Infinity: This World Health Organization.) Every so doesn’t “improve conditions on allows the Patrol to enter and inspect often, a U.N. agency gets a lead role in Homeline and the parallel.” The treaty any parachronic facility in the world. some crosstime development, or an

INFINITY UNLIMITED 41 4. An Infinity (or UNIC) license is national government if it doesn’t wish Ranger Force Tau overthrew that required for all parachronic travel: This something tracked. Patrol officials world’s Algerian government before it is honored in the breach; Infinity assume that all five powers have one could deploy its nuclear missiles, grants licenses for year-long terms (or or more completely “off-the-books” sending the entire Middle East on two longer) to favored clients, prime sub- conveyors buried somewhere in the worlds into a year of turmoil. sidiaries, and Security Council veto maze of records, transfers, and subli- powers. It does, however, give Infinity censes that is the UNIC bureaucracy. legal recourse to sue national govern- Worse yet, sufficiently wealthy or The Russian Federation ments in the World Court if they skilled nations can build (and almost Russia concentrates its outtime misuse the license to, say, conquer certainly have built) their own operations on two fronts: mining, another world. parachronic equipment. and propping up the various off- 5. Infinity must bear all costs of world Russias against their foes. As parachronic research and crosstime one of the five permanent members security: This cleverly drafted article The United States of the Security Council, Russia gets makes Infinity entirely independent of America is by far the leading one-fifth of the mining permits doled any Homeline control; it pays for its nation in parachronic exploration and out by Infinity Development. Unlike own army, technology, and security exploitation, both public and private. other nations, which either auction rather than depending on national With Infinity corporate headquarters them off or use them as diplomatic governments. This article also forms in Chicago, and a large base of experi- chips when bargaining with other the basis for Infinity’s claim on patents enced crosstime workers, American countries, the Russians simply take derived from other Earths’ technology. companies and government agencies the maximum allowed mining Japanese and American companies can easily staff most “civilian” projects license and turn it over to a domestic have both challenged it successfully in either with or without Infinity. With mining company such as the some cases, and Infinity now pays the world’s largest economy and fore- Yugorovsky Group. Thus, even in the generous license fees to keep the issue most university system, America can cheap-mineral Homeline made pos- from coming up. afford plenty of crosstime travel, and sible by crosstime exploration, has plenty of ideas for it. The CIA, FBI, Russia is able to manipulate spot Of the U.N.’s 197 members, all but and even some state law-enforcement prices and keep its position as a lead- 10 have ratified the Interworld Treaty. agencies have standing crosstime task ing mineral exporter intact. The holdouts are Afghanistan, Burma, forces; the FBI keeps officers on duty Offworld operations usually Iran, Iraq, Israel (which refuses to sur- on Johnson’s Rome and other popular involve Spetsnaz strikes on Nazi render the right to crosstime opera- parallels, and there is a U.S. Marshal’s (or Kaiserene, or Bonapartist, or tion in self-defense), Malawi, North office on New Colorado. Swedish) rear areas, logistics, and Korea, Palau (a popular incorporation site for companies that want to dodge Infinity regulations), Palestine (which refuses to sign until Israel does), and Turkmenistan. Venezuela threatens to “de-ratify” the treaty every so often to protest “Infinity neo-colonialism,” and one or two right-wing U.S. senators campaign to get the treaty junked as “infringing American sovereignty.” U.N. non-member Taiwan has signed an “Agreement of Understanding” with Infinity Unlimited, basically rec- ognizing Infinity’s jurisdiction over crosstime travel and development. NATIONAL OVERNMENTS G Although official policies vary communications centers. Such a live- One significant downside of UNIC depending on the administration in fire “partisans from nowhere” exercise oversight of Infinity is that all five per- power, every President since Clinton on another worldline is now a stan- manent Security Council powers can has sent U.S. forces into action on dard part of Spetsnaz training, despite theoretically “license” any amount of other timelines, usually to protect Infinity’s strong objections. (Evading Infinity’s parachronic technology to American citizens in danger. The most the Patrol has, itself, become a stan- themselves. Infinity tries to keep a controversial such exercise was dard part of such exercises.) A tacit handle on the equipment, or at least President McConnell’s pre-emptive understanding with the Communist its location and licensing body, but it’s involvement on Gallatin in 2022. Party opposition prevents the Kremlin very difficult to monitor an entire

42 INFINITY UNLIMITED from using such strikes to intervene in companies like Universal Exports and to contribute personnel to crosstime purely Russian civil wars on other Hari & Boyle can find markets and ventures; the Elysée Palace practice of worlds, however. Although popular sources where even White Star plowing the profits into its crosstime novels fill other timelines with SVR Trading fails. network of bribes and influence- and GRU agents, Russia does relative- peddling somehow stays out of the ly little pure espionage (aside from coverage in Le Monde. The Légion massive technology theft) on other France d’Outretemps has racked up more parallels. Although Britain is still part of the crosstime interventions (usually to EU, it does not take any great role in overthrow some minor African or the ECCCP (European Common South American government) than The United Kingdom Cross-Chronal Project), which is dom- any other unit except the Spetsnaz. An British crosstime travel is mostly inated by French planners. Germany attempt by the Légion to overthrow academic. Infinity lavishly funds usually follows the French lead, but the government of South Carolina on Oxford, Cambridge, and many smaller digs in its heels when France gets too Britannica-1 almost led to outright universities’ history departments to carried away with la mission civila- conflict between French and U.S. the extent that American history grad- trice. The official policy of the French special forces. uate students have a better chance of government is that the timelines are crosstime research at British universi- the common property of all mankind, ties than they do their own! (Perhaps and that Infinity has no particular China coincidentally, there is rather less aca- rights or control over their access, China, by contrast, appears to be demic criticism of Infinity in Britain, which is exclusively a UNIC matter. a model of crosstime respectability. and the British delegates can be The Patrol strongly suspects that the Its 3rd Special Warfare Group exists counted on as strong supporters of the French government is trying to satelli- mostly on paper, having launched Patrol.) However, Britain punches tize offworld governments (usually of only minor raids onto Reich-5 before above its weight in crosstime military France, but not always) and build a the closing of that worldline in 2022. and economic interventions. The kind of crossworld super-France capa- It leases much of its outtime Special Conveyor Service is probably ble of independent action in any exploitation rights to other compa- the most efficient crosstime special sphere without American or Infinity nies, especially Korean, Filipino, and ops force, with a special mastery of “in involvement. France makes a great Thai firms, taking only reasonable and out” attacks involving parachron- show of inviting other countries, both kickbacks and royalties. It alternate- ic attacks on Homeline targets. British within Europe and in the Third World, ly blocks and cooperates with American policy crosstime, but aside from its two colony worlds and con- sular staff on popular Chinese tourist Israel and the parallels, has little outtime presence. This, of course, has the more para- Alternity Exodus noid staff officers at the Pentagon It is an open secret that Israel refuses to accept Infinity’s rules about and the Pile certain that China is outtime immigration. Although the Israeli census ministry returns bland planning some “Great Leap assurances to UNIC questioners, the standing policy of the Israeli gov- Outward” that will drastically ernment is to offer sanctuary on Homeline to any Jews threatened with rearrange the global (and crosstime) death anywhere in the Infinite Worlds. Although they do leave echoes balance of power. alone, Mossad shows little compunction about operations on any other parallel. Following a full Mossad reconnaissance, Sayeret Geburah Non-Veto Nations troops drop into the parallel, kill any guards, and remove the Jewish Of the non-veto nations, India and prisoners to Homeline. These operations run from small-scale rescues of Japan have the most active crosstime prominent physicists or engineers, to “train robberies” hijacking a programs. India’s program closely deportation shipment, to full-blown liberations of whole concentration resembles the American one, with camps or gulags. The largest such operation was the Kolyar Raid in substantial academic, corporate, and 2014, which seized control of a Silesian town on Cornwallis for six days, intelligence operations crosstime. and removed 25,000 Jewish and Gypsy prisoners from a Prussian camp, India’s “White Cats” train with the resettling them all in Homeline’s Israel and West Bank. (for more on SCS for “in and out” operations Cornwallis, see GURPS Alternate Earths 2). against Kashmiri and Tamil rebels Arab governments complain that Israel is “artificially Judaizing” the and terrorists. India’s “Bollywood” region with “outtime illegals.” Since this accurately summarizes Israeli movie studios also film on exotic out- government policy, the Israelis simply issue bland denials and get on time locations, and (according to with rescuing more victims. Domestic opinion in America is firmly rumor) recruit younger versions of behind the “Alternity Exodus,” and the United States regularly vetoes popular movie stars from close paral- any U.N. condemnation of such rescues. lels to replace stars who get too old or too independent-minded.

INFINITY UNLIMITED 43 Japan’s crosstime operations are advocating such violent regime will he be Christ as well? Or does the more like British ones, although the change, but some factions are begin- Church’s evangelizing mission call IDF has only a token outtime capabil- ning to question whether “pacifism of upon it to teach those worldlines ity. Japanese companies very success- the word” is enough. about Homeline’s Christ? Did fully trade with parallel Japans, and Homeline’s Jesus die for the sins of all are among the leading Homeline firms the Earths? The Curia has been work- in incorporating their crosstime ver- Greenpeace ing on definitive answers to all of the sions’ best practices and technologies. This environmental organization above questions since 1998, and The result is that they can wind up indefatigably opposes crosstime min- Vatican speculation is that the next patenting a superior version of some- ing operations, even on empty Earths, Pope will have to call a general church thing Infinity stole a year ago and rap- as “ecological rapes of unsuspecting council on the topic. idly take the lead in global market worlds.” Some members of Green- In the interim, Jesuits and other share. peace go so far as to chain themselves scholarly orders have contributed to projector doors, disrupt surveys, greatly to the study of reality physics, and sabotage mining equipment (usu- and Catholic mission groups work NON- ally before it’s shipped outtime). Their closely with Miracle Workers, espe- support comes from college campuses cially on worlds with an established GOVERNMENTAL and (less openly) from corporations Roman Church. The Pope calls on ORGANIZATIONS frozen out of the crosstime bonanza Infinity to “respect human dignity in . . . especially Homeline oil companies. all worlds,” and aligns the Vatican A vast panoply of other groups, with reformist and progressive “out- from Boy Scout troops to whole reli- timer rights” groups such as Amnesty gions, have outtime activities – or The Vatican Unlimited. Some influential monsi- opinions about outtime activities – The official position of the Roman gnors and orders have even called for that they are seldom shy about Catholic Church is that God’s plan Infinity to abandon The Secret, and sharing. Some groups lease their own applies to all Earths with human “share the Truth with all mankind as conveyors and pursue their goals races. The devil, needless to say, is in equals.” The Patrol becomes very without pestering Infinity too much: the details: Are all the parallel Christs nervous indeed when devotees of the Nature Conservancy, for example, the same Christ, or did God have one such philosophies travel to parallel brings breeding stock for endangered son per Earth? Are worldlines in Earths, even for the ostensibly species on Homeline from other which there was no Jesus of Nazareth saintliest purposes. worlds where the species are plentiful. awaiting their own Messiah, and if so, Others believe that pressuring Infinity, or UNIC member governments, is the most efficient way to see their goals realized. Rogue States North Korea, Libya, Iraq, Iran, Syria, Cuba, and Burma all reject the Amnesty Unlimited international order to one extent or another. Such rogue nations support A sister organization to Amnesty terrorism and international crime, foment revolution abroad, and try to International, Amnesty Unlimited develop weapons of mass destruction and domestic parachronics. They publicizes the fates of political prison- may have support from arms dealers and physicists overseas, working in ers, slaves, and other unfortunates on parallel to build individual components that can get passed along the other timelines. They pressure Infinity smugglers’ routes from Marseilles to Karachi to Rangoon until whole (or, less often, Homeline govern- bombs or conveyors take shape in some terror camp in Afghanistan, ments) to intervene on those world- Sudan, or Yemen. lines to improve conditions, call for Infinity’s great fear is that some rogue state will provide a conveyor White Star boycotts of odious (and possibly a nuclear weapon) to some terrorist organization. In the crosstime regimes, and work tirelessly worst case scenario, this terror strike hits a technologically advanced to promote anti-slavery agitation on parallel, which discovers parachronics in the most traumatic and horri- other Earths. fying way possible, and blames Homeline. In the second-worst case sce- Every so often, an AU field team nario, the terrorists do an “in and out” attack on Homeline America, travels to another world to try apply- killing thousands (or millions, if the nuke is big enough) and enrage the ing their own leverage, but the results United States enough for it to pull out of UNIC, nationalize Infinity, and have been spotty. The best result, strike out unilaterally across the worlds. The Intelligence Branch works arguably, occurred when the Patrol overtime to infiltrate terror groups, using Patrol language and cultural mounted a rescue mission that skills to blend into the terrorist ranks. So far, the Patrol agents have snatched an AU observer team from a rolled up whole networks (with CIA or MI6 assistance) and beheaded prison in Earth-Beta’s Iran and acci- such plans before they start, including an al-Qaeda plot in early 2001 – dentally overthrew the theocratic gov- but they only have to fail once. ernment there in the process. Amnesty Unlimited usually draws the line at

44 INFINITY UNLIMITED CHAPTER TWO ENEMIES EVERYWHEN

Popping the cartridge into the Records computer (there were some regulations it didn’t do to ignore), the duty officer scanned the flimsy for a few minutes, looking for anything out of the ordinary. Dinosaur smugglers – alchemical methods in Argentine platinum mines – assassination attempt on the King of North Carolina – here it was, “Nazis” again. “Infinity can’t get panicked enough about these ‘Nazis,’ Chang.” “Sir.” She looked up to see Chang still at attention. “I said ‘At ease,’ Chang.” The younger officer marginally relaxed. “I’d invite you to sit down, but there’s only one chair in these confounded bridges.” “Isometric posture does not require chairs, Sir.” Right out of the book again. Still, she thought, I’d better try, or this new kid is going to drive me crazy. “Chang, what’s your first name?” “Mohammed, Sir.” “That’s unusual for a Chinese, isn’t it, Chang?” “Sir, all names are Centrum names. The Centrum embraces all bloodlines.” “Chang, I’m not trying to trap you in Error, I’m trying to make conversation so that you don’t hover there like a constipated goshawk.” Chang relaxed another breath. “My family is from Tajikistan, Sir. Lots of hybridity there, even before the Centrum saved us.” The duty offi- “At ease, Chang.” The cer nodded; history wasn’t her strong duty officer, secure in her point, even Centrum history, but the exalted Grade 4 status, had Central Asian tribes were traditional- unbuttoned her own neck stock, and ly very grateful to the scientific elite that had saved them from famine, “Grade 3 there was a distinct shininess to the warlords, and plague. Chang, reporting a crimson cuffs of her midnight uni- “Understandable then, border message intercept, Sir!” The new form coat. Chang strode forward the vigor and all that. Use those ances- entry’s uniform was creased and regulation four steps, came to atten- tral border skills, Chang, and see pressed until it looked like a recruiting tion again, and handed over a flimsy what jumps out at you from this.” brochure. and a data cartridge.

ENEMIES EVERYWHEN 45 Chang took the flimsy and ran his eyes down it. “Secundus – er, Infinity – seems more worried about these ‘Nazis’ than they do three other Candide, amazed, terrified, confounded, threats on the same Wave that objec- tively pose a far greater danger to astonished, all bloody, and trembling from their operations. Sir.” head to foot, said to himself, “If this is the “My thoughts exactly. I’ve been monitoring Infinity transmissions best of all possible worlds, what are the here for eight months, and despite four global wars and a Force Seven others like?” reality quake, these ‘Nazis’ still draw – Voltaire, Candide 18% of the decision band, when it ought to be more like four. And they’re not even on this bloody Wave! They’re way the Hell and gone out on Wave Minus Five!” “Sadly for us, Chang, the only nice ring to it, she told herself, and “What did the Records say, Sir?” ones with parachronics seem to be punched up her own stack of surveys “Nothing useful; they were an out where we can’t go.” to sift. Irrationalist sect in Bavaria in a “Unless we find a tunnel. It’s been Between cometary fallout, angry number of timelines; on Secundus known to happen, Sir.” Visigoths, and mutant smallpox, the they seem to have triggered a global “Precisely. That’s what I want you infinite worlds hold enough danger war, and on one world on Wave to start sifting these surveys for. I to keep the Infinity Patrol infinitely Minus Two, they won. Rum lot, but mean to find a tunnel to their Wave busy. However, the Patrol has taken a not the foaming anarchists that and start feeding these Nazis any- dark comfort from the fact that you you’d expect from Infinity’s para- thing they want, as long as it will can’t save every world: they do what noia. More orderly than bloody keep Infinity busy.” they can, where they can. Infinity, that’s for sure. But accord- “That could alter the whole com- Unfortunately, some of those worlds ing to Intercept Branch, Infinity has plexion of the War, Sir. The Forum – including Homeline – hold dangers more agents, and more ongoing will be handing out promotions like that can spread to other worlds – also operations, on this ‘Reich-2’ than on candy on Rebirth Day.” including Homeline. The Patrol can’t any comparable parallel. Again, “Well, we’re not supposed to think afford to sleep, or to take any com- despite greater threats, and much about our promotions, Chang. It’s fort, no matter how dark, in just greater opportunities, on at least six the good of the Service, and of doing what they can for those other worldlines I could name.” Centrum, that counts.” worlds. An “acceptable risk” when “Sounds like a perfect opportuni- “Of course, Sir. I’m sorry, Sir.” it’s some barbarian parallel two ty for us, Sir. If we could somehow Chang, abashed, hunched over a quanta out becomes a deadly crisis use them as a stalking horse, we stack of surveys and avoided his when it threatens your world and the could distract the ruddy Patrol from superior’s eyes. ideals you hold dear. You have to do anything we did. We could have our But doctrine aside, the duty offi- anything to stop such a danger, or die run of the echoes, as long as we cer was thinking about promotions. trying. could get some Nazis to pop up She could easily make Grade 5 for Of course, on some of those somewhere else while we did it.” something like this, or even higher, if worlds, the Patrol – and Homeline – it became a major Interworld priori- represent just such a danger . . . ty. Yes, “Grade 6 Goldstein” had a CENTRUM Centrum is the only human time- worlds. Only in unity, Centrum Earth after a cataclysmic war, line other than Homeline to independ- believes, is there safety and order. Centrum was poised for major ently develop parachronic technology. The origin and focus of a paratem- changes even before the recent discov- It is also Homeline’s fiercest enemy. poral empire, Centrum has spent the ery of another world of parachronic Centran agents intrigue against the last century sending explorers, spies, travelers. Today, in 2027, the conflict Infinity Patrol across the dimensions, businessmen, and occasionally sol- with Secundus (which calls itself and will settle for nothing less than diers to dozens of parallel timelines. “Homeline”) is Centrum’s primary total domination of the infinite Having rebuilt and re-unified its home concern.

46 ENEMIES EVERYWHEN drawing all the noble families to the fabulous imperial palace at The Language Barrier Kensington. As merchants and The official language of Centrum is English, which sounds like a industrialists rose to prominence, heavily accented version of Homeline English, with a rather larger num- they were encouraged to join the ber of French loan-words. As part of the drive to global cultural unity, the nobility by the crown practice of Centrum deliberately wiped out all other languages (a project which had granting new titles associated with begun, to some extent, under the old Imperial dynasty). If any families huge fiefs overseas – a practice that have retained fluency, they have certainly learned to hide it. The only led to “freelance imperialism” legiti- exceptions are Latin, Greek, and Hebrew, still studied by classical schol- mated from London after the fact. By ars and theologians. Apart from such specialized cul-de-sacs, Centrum the mid-19th century, the Empire never even developed a true science of linguistics – an omission that has encompassed the globe, and its liter- hampered Centrum operations almost as much as the lack of native ally unrivaled power and wealth dis- speakers. guised internal divisions growing Centrum is working on broadening its language base . . . indeed, that’s beneath the unified façade. one of the main reasons for recruiting outtimers. The Education Service has been dragging its feet, but many timelines know fairly effective tech- To Destruction niques for teaching languages swiftly (usually based on immersion). It In 1902, it all went to hell. shouldn’t be too long before the Interworld Service overcomes its preju- Opinions are still split on how a bid dice against outtime ideas and starts to use them. For now, however, a for full independence by a few provin- fluent Japanese speaker, for example, is probably not working for cial magnates could have spiraled so Centrum . . . at least not directly. thoroughly out of control. The atomic destruction of London and a few dozen other cities paled in comparison with the tailored bioweapons Although their society encompass- To Unity unleashed against Asiatic peoples by es settlements on many timelines, the The Anglo-French Empire was per- an imperial pretender. After ravaging vast majority of Centrans still live on haps the strongest realm in Europe, China and India, the plagues mutated, their home line, also called Centrum. but that barely allowed it to escape turned back west, finished off the World and government are seldom conquest when the Mongols arrived, global economy, and depopulated distinguished, and there is no distinc- less than a century after its formation. much of Eurasia. tion between government and society. Unable to expand into Mongol-domi- The only region left unscathed The contemporary world-state is actu- nated Central Europe, they turned to was the southern continent of ally fairly recent, not much more than the reports of a far western country Terraustralis (much more densely a century old, but its roots go deep brought by a Norwegian princess, populated than our Australia), where into history. sending ships across the Atlantic to a military-technical cabal, “the explore a vast New World, which they Centrum,” took control. They used HISTORY named Terranova. their isolation to withdraw from the The superior Asian technology conflict, and imposed draconian Centrum perceives itself as a radi- brought by the Mongols, combined social controls to stop the spread of cal break with its past, and really cares with the royal patronage of the early disease and maintain food distribu- about history only because of scientist Roger Bacon, enhanced the tion. By 1913, once their scientists parachronics – for which purpose the brilliant culture of the High Middle had devised protections against the histories of other timelines matter at Ages. Like its age of exploration, bioweapons, they ventured out into a least as much as its own. A typical Centrum’s scientific and industrial shattered world. They were appalled Centran knows rather less about his revolutions progressed more slowly at what they saw: two-thirds of the own history than a typical 21st-centu- than ours, but began so early that Earth’s population was dead, and ry American (agents of the Interworld technology remained 100-150 years pestilence ran rampant among the Service are somewhat better ahead down to the 20th century. survivors, killing one in every two informed, but only in the context of Anglo-French hegemony in children. Nuclear and bioweapons changing other histories). If they com- Europe took centuries to achieve. had shattered the ecosystem, espe- pared textbooks, the two would even- The Empire’s French subjects joined cially in the fragile tropics; famines tually discover that their worlds in the power politics of Europe, the and desertification threatened to diverged in 1120, when the heir to the English preferred to concentrate on starve anyone who the plagues did throne of England was or was not the sea. After the War of Lily and not carry off. Technology was drop- drowned. Shifting royal marriages Rose nearly broke the Empire apart, ping back to pre-industrial levels and wars rapidly changed every detail the crown tried to bind together the everywhere, leading to filth and of history. The English monarchs Empire’s disparate components decay and warlord feudalism of the made themselves masters of northern using new techniques such as steam worst kind. and western France before the transport, mass education, and Hundred Years’ War could even begin.

ENEMIES EVERYWHEN 47 The Centrum resolved to rebuild, and to prevent future wars, by imposing a single, rational culture under a Secundus: Homeline as Centrum Sees It single authority. The Centrum knew From Centrum’s perspective, Secundus is a chaotic, irrational mess that disunity caused the war, and near- of a world. So many groups have parachronic technology, and they ly destroyed mankind. Therefore, it barely coordinate their efforts. Centrum cannot understand why the would bring unity: every surviving United States and other leading nations aren’t fighting for dominance. human would speak English, go to the Centrum sees democracy as a primitive form of government associ- same schools, get enough food, and ated with Greek and Italian city-states. Itself intensely Spartan, it keeps become an equal part of the Centrum. trying to understand Secundus as a variation of Centrum, looking for Most of Earth’s surviving inhabitants, the people who really run things. Infinity Unlimited was the major can- starving and disease-ridden, were didate (Centrum is run more like a corporation in some ways than a happy to accept the alternative the constitutional republic), until Centrum realized how small Infinity Centrum offered – just as well, since was. Now it looks like a central power too weak to control Secundus’ they had no choice. struggling factions, and the apparent stability of the system bewilders and frightens Centrum. To Other Worlds Secundus seems to be a group of dangerous amateurs not prepared Linda Minott was the first Centran to confront the true implications of parachronics. Some Interworld scientist to investigate anomalies in scientists even view them as a literal threat to the universe, arguing exotic experiments with high energy that the echoes, reality quakes, and some of the anomalous timelines densities (known since the previous around Secundus (especially the puzzle worlds, pp. 140-142) are signs century). Her papers were published that Secundus’ parachronic technology damages the local fabric of the in 1908 and languished for a time, but continuum. Ironically, Centrum sees Infinity’s policy on The Secret as the potential was clear. By 1922, paranoia – it understands caution on advanced worldlines, but the idea Centran scientists had built their first of protecting less-advanced cultures doesn’t really exist in its mental conveyor and gone exploring. universe. Parachronics gave the Centrum access to the untapped resources of Earths where humanity had never evolved – and, in the early years, the opportuni- their own Last War. Others believed inclination, to be promoted strictly by ty to buy or steal goods from many continued expansion was needed for talent and achievement. Each adult parallel cultures. The Centrum Centrum’s own health, or were simply citizen belongs to one of seven grades, became as wealthy in its own way as ambitious for new fields of action. The corresponding to a specific rank with- Infinity Unlimited – wealthier, discovery of Secundus (which in his Service. Everyone starts as a because it had fewer scruples – but it Centrum sees as a dangerously dis- Grade 1 citizen, and nepotism is dis- poured its wealth back into global united near-anarchy) in 2015 awoke couraged by common opinion (as well reconstruction. deep-rooted fears and silenced the as being illegal); people are supposed In 1934, after a few early mishaps, objectors. to rise on their own merits. the Centrum officially adopted the The Services have individual regu- Lockridge Protocols, a strict hands-off lations about the meanings of the dif- policy toward inhabited timelines CENTRUM TODAY ferent grades: some are more overtly (almost all of which were technologi- Modern Centrum has fulfilled the hierarchical than others. Command cally primitive, anyway), and concen- dreams of its founders. It is a self-con- privileges never cross Service lines, trated on mining and colonizing the sciously rational society that offers but lower-grade citizens generally empty worlds. It had more than every citizen a decent life and a defer to higher ones socially. (The enough to do on its own Earth: curing chance to fulfill a useful function. exception: any Grade 7 can command the war plagues, halting the famines, Everyone can rise as high as their tal- someone not of his Service as though deposing the local warlords, and ents and drive take them, regardless of he were a Grade 5 in that Service.) All generally forestalling a descent into race, gender, or ancestry. On the other citizens must display a badge giving barbarism. hand, Centrum does not place a high their name, grade, Service, and per- After completing the reclamation value on notions of liberty or human sonal ID number. Most Services also of its Earth, Centrum (which dropped rights, which it tends to consider have a uniform their members wear the “the” in 1958 after formally com- superstitions. Society may exist for the while on duty; Interworld’s are crim- pleting global reunification) has sake of individuals, but no individual son and midnight blue. reconsidered its attitude toward other matters much in comparison with it. There are hundreds of Services, timelines. Some wanted to spread the some of which employ only a few hun- benefits of their civilization, bringing Politics dred thousand people. The most powerful Services are Agriculture, superior technology and organization Centrum is a regimented meritoc- Education, Energy, Health, Interworld, to less-developed timelines and saving racy: all citizens enter the Service for Justice, and Logistics. The Military the advanced ones from suffering which they have most aptitude and

48 ENEMIES EVERYWHEN Service is poised to become more important with Centrum’s new inter- ventionism, as is the new Uplift Service (p. 54). At the top, the Grade 7 coordinators compete to set policy, working through their general assembly, the Forum, which holds supreme power. Unofficial factions determine broad policy: the Interventionists dominate at the moment. They introduced the new policies permitting exploration of and (largely covert) interference in inhabited timelines. The discovery of Secundus vindicated them in the eyes of the Pragmatics, whose main goal is protecting Centrum from external threats or domestic disturbances. The main opposition group today is the Progressives, who want further improvements to Centrum’s resource base and technology and a general increase in global wealth and living allowances before taking on large- scale projects.

Security Service Colleges, but every citizen showing psionic aptitude is channeled There is no single “Security attends a Lyceum from ages 10 to 16. into a special program run by several Service.” The Justice Service handles The keystone of the powerful Services – the Interworld Service crime – and trespassing or possession Education Service, Lyceums are essentially drafts world-jumpers, of unauthorized items is a crime – but boarding schools (home visits are along with teleporters and astral pro- each Service handles its own building allowed bimonthly), which teach basic jectors. Lyceums also use attention- and equipment security and many skills (p. 191) and inculcate correct and memory-enhancing drugs and don’t like to call in Justice. Service attitudes. During their time at the TL8 sleep teachers, among other complexes have the usual building Lyceums, students are repeatedly test- advanced educational protocols. The security systems – ID checks, cameras, ed; the Education Service is skilled at Education Service has tried outright and so forth. identifying aptitudes of all sorts. mental conditioning, but it found that The Logistics Service has software Students are subtly, or sometimes bla- such imposed thought patterns tend that tracks purchases and compares tantly, encouraged to join particular to fade over a few months or years. them with grade income, so the black Services based on the results. Anyone market has to work in kind rather than using money. There is no paper or coined money anyway: credits only exist electronically. Indentureds Citizen IDs contain encoded retinal Centrum’s population is small enough to have a rough time support- patterns and DNA sequences; they are ing its civilization, let alone making efficient use of all the other worlds extremely difficult to forge at TL8 or within reach. One answer is automation, and Centrum does make fairly below. The computer network which extensive use of TL8 robots – but many tasks require too much flexibili- keeps track of authorizations, on the ty for machines. other hand, is not as secure as Human workers from other timelines are an increasingly popular Centrum thinks it is. Hackers who solution. These are not Service recruits; they are not citizens at all. have familiarity with Centran systems Rather, Centrum offers contracts of indenture: standard terms are 30 and an access terminal (both admit- years of labor with paid upkeep and settlement on a colony world at the tedly difficult to acquire) never experi- end. Indentureds have few rights, and cannot become citizens (although ence a penalty higher than -5, and -2 is their children can) unless a Service official buys out their contract and more common. sponsors them. It is illegal to coerce anyone into signing a contract of indenture, but perfectly acceptable to recruit, say, political prisoners from Reich-2 (p. 142) or future sacrifices from the Tenochca Empire on Education Ezcalli (p. 122). Younger children are educated in a variety of schools, and older ones go to

ENEMIES EVERYWHEN 49 Values and Morality Centrum’s basic values are order, rationality, and success. Order is identified with the unified state, and its natural opposites are anarchy and war. Most Centrans even view technological progress with suspicion, because of its potential for social disruption. Rationality means facing reality, and is manifest in successfully accomplishing one’s goals. Centrum admires unclouded vision and unflinching will, of the sort that rebuilt the world after the Last War; thus, ruthlessness is very nearly a virtue to them. Centrum does ascribe value to human life, and prefers to avoid killing people. It has no patience with discrimination on any grounds except talent. The good of society is assumed to outweigh the good of any single Lifestyles Recreational drugs of several varieties member, and a major cause for con- Personal wealth plays little role in are legal and common, though cern is the recent growth of personal Centran society, and the complexities frowned upon by the upper grades. ambition, and even corruption, in the of the economy have no effect on daily upper ranks. life. Citizens get basic needs free, Technology Living in a culturally uniform although they only become really Centrum is basically TL8, with a society, Centrans are generally nar- comfortable (by 21st-century few TL9 devices. Not valuing rapid row-minded, and tend to blame American standards) around Grade 3 technological progress, it has been at disagreements on irrationality in – a deliberate policy to encourage TL8 for almost a century, and its their opponents. Even Centrans aspiration to higher rank. Further- machines bear the marks of decades of opposing philosophies have trou- more, many types of equipment are of slow improvement: they are reliable ble coming to grips with each illegal for personal use. If you need a and rugged rather than flashy and other’s arguments, and they all find it stun gun, an airplane, or a general- “cutting-edge.” Standardized power difficult to conceive of a viewpoint purpose computer professionally, your cells are used for all equipment that that does not share most of their Service assigns it to you; if you don’t, doesn’t connect to the electricity grid. assumptions. you have no business buying one. Computers are very common, but usu- Centrans are expansionist for dif- Centrum’s Control Rating is 5. The ally limited-program; there are lots of ferent reasons: some see gaining con- Justice Service is commendably devot- special-purpose networks, but no trol of other worlds as a pre-emptive ed, but it sees no point in legal niceties Internet. Aside from communications strike against any possible threat, that might stop them from quick and weather satellites, Centrum has some see it as a humanitarian inter- apprehension and punishment of no space program worth mentioning; vention, and some think any increase criminals; e.g., interrogation under astrophysics is useful solely for what it of power is its own justification. All drugs is routine. Personal freedoms reveals about parachronics or high- prefer to concentrate on the more are permitted where they don’t inter- energy physics, and Centrum has advanced worlds: those are the ones fere with public order: for example, plenty of resources on other Earths which might discover parachronics, there is free speech, but the Services that don’t require vacuum suits. the ones in danger of having their control all publishing and broadcast- Centrum is extremely rich as a own Last War, and the ones that are ing. Centrans work an eight-hour day society and has access to phenomenal richest if they can only be organized six days out of seven; they get Sunday amounts of raw materials. It disposes properly. In any case, the logic of off as a holdover from official of trash, and much industrial waste, Centran expansion has no limits: Christianity. (Centrum does not on the lifeless Q8 world Omega. only an undivided sovereign power is acknowledge religion publicly; prac- Nuclear fission is perhaps the most adequate safeguard against a repeat tice is free but not organized. Radical common source of electricity, since of the Last War. Some coordinators preaching against Centrum is consid- the Energy Service doesn’t need to despair at this – there are, in theory, ered treasonous disunity, just like any worry about waste disposal. Some an infinity of worlds, and there is no radical threat.) TV is monotonous, but heavy industry has been relocated to physical reason that the number of the music, mostly imported from the colony worlds, but ecological con- accessible ones should not keep other timelines, is extremely varied trols are in effect in all the worlds growing without bound. and surprisingly high in quality. Centrans inhabit.

50 ENEMIES EVERYWHEN Most Centrans live in the cities and use public rail systems to com- mute between their apartment build- Centrum World ings and Service complexes. Although old-style districts still exist Classification in many towns, modern Centran Centrum classifies worlds in two fashions: by Wave and by Zone. The architecture tends heavily toward Wave is equivalent to Homeline’s “Quantum,” although Centrum calls its gigantic glass-and-concrete boxes. own level (Quantum 8) Wave Zero, and Homeline’s (Quantum 5), for The cities are linked by air, since the example, Wave Minus Three. Centrum can reach Waves Minus Two (Q6) Transport Service deemed rebuilding through Two (Q10). (For the sake of clarity, even this section uses the passenger rail network inefficient Homeline terminology.) Centrum also classifies all parallel worlds rela- and ecologically unsound. Hydrogen tive to themselves politically, for purposes of travel and other permitted fuel-cell automobiles are common in activities. the countryside, but few are privately owned; the Services, especially Zone Violet: The original homeworld. Agriculture, assign them for appro- Zone Indigo: Colony worlds with no other humans. Unlimited access priate uses. Cargo transport is by available to any Centrum citizen. There are three Indigo lines on Q8 and GEV truck and ship, many of them one on Q9; each has a few million people. equipped with parachronic field gen- Zone Blue: Empty worlds, including those naturally inimical to erators programmed to travel to one human life. Access restricted by Interworld Service for safety reasons. other worldline. One Blue worldline on Q8, Omega, is the official “waste disposal” worldline. There are also Q6, Q7, and Q10 Blue lines that could be colonies but have not yet been exploited. Medicine Zone Green: Worlds with natives under adequate control. Travel Centran medicine is basically TL8, restricted to Interworld and Uplift Service, and Grade 5s of any Service. with TL9 treatments against conta- Zone Yellow: Worlds without established control, with natives too gious diseases thanks to decades of primitive to pose a serious threat. This category includes the five known experience against wild bioweapons. post-holocaust worlds on Q8. Access limited to Interworld and Uplift Centrans who travel to other worlds Service agents of Grade 3 or higher, or to licensed Mining Service agents get panimmunity treatments (Resis- under I.S. supervision. tant to Disease +8) as a matter of rou- Zone Orange: Worlds without established control, with natives who tine. Centrum is capable of human have or could soon develop technology sufficient for parachronics cloning but lacks forced-growth tanks, (TL7+). Access restricted to I.S. agents with authorization from an I.S. so clones are only created as a special Grade 5 or higher. privilege for sterile citizens, public Zone Red: Hostile worlds, and those with capabilities (TL8+, psionics, heroes, or unusually successful coor- or parachronics) which make them a potential danger. Access restricted dinators. The Progressives support to I.S. agents with authorization from an I.S. Grade 6 or higher. large-scale cloning to increase Centrum’s demographic base, but Nomenclature have failed to win the necessary com- Until recently, Centrum used Greek-letter designations for the empty mitment of resources to rear so many worlds that were its major concern: the three colony worlds in Zone parentless children. Bionic implants Indigo are Alpha, Beta, and Gamma, for instance. The I.S. now official- are available in Centrum, but most cit- ly uses a number/letter/number code that gives Wave, Zone, and date of izens don’t have any need for them first contact. For example, Homeline is Minus Three/R/2015.16.3. In (they are, of course, legally restricted) practice, I.S. agents use and imitate Infinity’s system of names based on aside from pacemakers and the like. the historical point of divergence or notable features in the present. Centrum’s scientists have not yet cracked the neural interface problem, though they can manage prosthetics with simple, reflexive controls. 9-dimensional space – but para- though parachronic travel to a time- Implanted communicators and hold- chronic travel can reach only a small line tends to restrict its movements. out weapons are common among I.S. number. Active parachronic technolo- Worlds can even switch quantum, or personnel who travel in dangerous gy induces a polarization effect, so wander into the accessible band from Zones. that travelers from the originating outside – a “new” timeline appears world can only reach the timelines in every few years. Events within a time- an 8-space band. Within this band, line also affect its configuration, so CENTRUM the timelines condense into waves that timelines move fractionally clos- (“quanta” to Homeliners), becoming er with historical events that are “sim- PARACHRONICS increasingly difficult to reach. ilar” (a word with a precise scientific According to current Centrum The timelines are configured in a meaning to parachronic physicists), theory, an uncountable number of mathematically predictable pattern or farther apart with events that are alternate timelines are arrayed in that changes slightly over time, “dissimilar.”

ENEMIES EVERYWHEN 51 Timelines can theoretically have very different physical laws, but only fairly similar ones can ever be acces- Parachronic Communications sible. Most of them have slightly dif- To send messages between worlds, Centrum uses 10-lb. message-cap- ferent physical laws, usually on the sule conveyors, often equipped with radio transmitters and a ducted-fan sub-particulate stage. Centrum can engine to carry them to a safe height for the jump. Manned conveyors reach a few worlds with significantly have an independent internal “mailbox” that they use when out-quan- different natural laws, and a few time- tum, exchanging it regularly with a corresponding mailbox at home (as lines with science so advanced that it’s long as they are still in range of a station). Message drones are not used hard to tell if they have the same laws. as often on Q6 and Q7 missions: Centrum isn’t sure how good Infinity’s Centrum believed parachronic physics scanning techniques are, but it’s best to err on the side of caution. to be a mature science until the late 1990s, when a flood of anomalous data from more sensitive detectors called everything into question. In can reliably detect parachronic jumps require spatial identity within 200 2015, the Interworld Service discov- among all accessible quanta. yards. Two-quantum jumps are diffi- ered the existence of Secundus, anoth- (Homeline can only detect jumps cult at the best of times; they can only er timeline of crossworld travelers. within the same worldline.) After 10 occur during a quantum “window” Parachronic technology is so sensitive minutes and a successful Physics about an hour long. Centrum comput- to minute variations in physical law (Parachronic) roll, an operator at such ers can predict windows about four that it should only function in a few a station (or examining its data) can days in advance, but are wrong about timelines, and Centrum’s paraphysi- tell the type of jump – projector, con- the last day about one time in six. cists were confident that these lines veyor, banestorm, etc. – and its quan- would repel each other: none could be tum of origin. After an hour’s analysis HE closer than Q1 or Q15. So what else and a second successful roll, he can T are they wrong about? determine the specific worldline of origin (or its parachronic coordinates, INTERWORLD if it’s an unfamiliar line), and the phys- SERVICE Centrum Parachronic ical location of the jump (within a few All parachronic travel is technically miles). On a critical success, he can Technology the province of the Interworld Service, determine the mass of the jump. Like Infinity, Centrum uses convey- and it runs all of Centrum’s Centrum also uses parachronic ors (which it calls shuttles) and pro- parachronic stations. In practice it detectors on other worldlines, but they jectors (which it calls stations) to delegates much of the routine trans- can only detect jumps into the same transport people and goods across the port among the safe zones to the vari- worldline in which the detector is worldlines. Like Infinity, Centrum can ous industrial Services, but otherwise located, assuming the operator makes only send an unassisted conveyor jealously guards its monopoly. Calling an Electronics Operation (Sensors) between worlds in the same quantum. in the Military Service, although roll. They can only detect type and Like Infinity, their conveyors need a sometimes necessary, is a serious direction; to get a specific quantum, parachronic generator (also about black mark against an I.S. agent; this worldline, or jump location requires 1/200 of the conveyor’s mass) and a can give a bad situation a chance to two or more detectors to “triangulate” pulsed power system to provide ener- get far out of control. on a reading. Local detectors take gy for the jump. Infinity conveyors The Interworld Service maintains three times as long to determine spe- need 200 kJ of energy per ton, but the its own enforcers in order to avoid cific information (so determining the more efficient and mature Centrum such embarrassments, and trains its jump’s type and quantum requires half designs require only 100 kJ per ton. scouts and covert agents for combat. an hour of work), and determining Like Infinity designs, however, the (That said, the main I.S. weapons are specific worldlines and jump locations power system costs $50 and weighs 5 the stunner and the needler; there is a requires a Physics (Parachronic) roll lbs. per kJ. Centrum parachronics are strong cultural predisposition toward at -3. A local detector can fit into a more reliable than Infinity systems; subtlety within Interworld.) The I.S. bulky backpack; it costs $600,000, add +2 to Electronics Operation values finesse as well as ordinary suc- weighs 45 lbs. and has a 1,000-yard (Parachronic) skill for a Centrum- cess, and encourages the use of local range. If the operator has time to set built conveyor or projector. resources. Its agents are supposed to up antennas at least 12 feet away from Jumps across quanta require sta- take a long view, which accounts the detector unit in all directions, tions. Centrum has almost a thousand for their preference for secrecy range is expanded to two miles. Larger stations scattered over its surface, and infiltration over quick-and-dirty units weigh 125 lbs. and cost $1.2 mil- mostly around urban centers. It even interference: they want to maintain lion for each extra two miles of range. has four seaborne stations that can be maximum freedom of action. Centrum parachronic stations can towed to any point in the oceans. In Interworld has millions of person- retrieve shuttles within a half-mile addition to serving as transport hubs, nel – it is far larger than its Secundan of their relative location in space, these stations monitor the timelines: analog, the Infinity Patrol. However, except for two-quantum jumps, which from these main stations, Centrum agents considered adequately trained

52 ENEMIES EVERYWHEN to plan or complete missions on Centrum has no general policy of Interworld uncontrolled timelines are uncom- secrecy about parachronics. In Zone mon, and those teams make it worse Yellow, agents usually pose as “visitors and the Echoes by competing for the limited missions from afar,” and use high-tech equip- Almost 300 Quantum 6 timelines available. Harsh internal criticism ment almost freely; Centrum doesn’t duplicate Secundus at some earlier does insure that every mission is thor- really care what the natives think as point in its history. Parachronic physi- oughly planned, with fail-safes and long as they’re not a threat. In at least cists believe that having Secundus’ backups, but it also cuts down the two low-tech worlds (including parachonics operating so close to total number of operations. Arachne, a Quantum 7 former echo in Centrum’s is creating an interference the 16th century) the Uplift Service effect attracting these timelines from has deliberately revealed the existence outside the accessible band. Granted, Recruiting in of Centrum in the process of creating these are the same scientists who were Other Worlds puppet governments. certain Secundus could not exist, but Centrum respects talent, and In Zones Orange and Red, the I.S. there is still evidence for their new the- Interworld is painfully aware of how is much more cautious, and strictly ory: the echoes go through predictable narrow its skill base can be. Under a forbids revelation of parachronic trav- periods of paratemporal instability. 2012 amendment to the Lockridge el to anyone who might conceivably During such periods (about a third of Protocols, the Interworld Service has build their own conveyors. If they the time), an echo can shift configura- the right to invite “especially worthy” know enough about how the locals tion very easily, and outtimers’ inter- outtimers to sign up as Grade 1 think, they will have a cover story ference in their histories can cause trainees. Candidates then endure a planned to fit the local conspiracy them to shift to another quantum – battery of tests for existing abilities, mythology in case of exposure. For a sometimes across several at once! (See potential, and reliability, so the Service late-20th-century echo, they would Timeline Shifting, p. 104.) After a knows what to do with them. Testing bring in a UFO or black helicopter. major change to local history the time- poorly probably means being stuck in Centrum’s primary goal is always to line tends to stabilize in place, unimportant roles; failing the loyalty attain a level of influence sufficient to whether it shifted or not. test brings either restricted movements block the development of parachron- As a result, the echoes have and close monitoring (for those too ics. But most I.S. personnel also want become the major “front” in the war valuable to lose) or exile – or even exe- to be in a position to save any other with Secundus. Most scientists agree cution, if the candidate is viewed as a timeline from a Last War, which that shifting enough of the echoes into potential danger. (The agent who strengthens their general preference higher quanta will eventually cause recruited an executed candidate can for timelines with a hegemonic power Secundus itself to shift to a lower count on nuclear waste disposal duty over those with competing states. quantum via an action-reaction prin- for the rest of his career, at best.) Centrum usually picks one side (the ciple, possibly even out of the accessi- Testing well, officially, can qualify an one they think they can infiltrate and ble band altogether. Centrum is also outtimer for probationary citizenship. modify most easily) and subtly builds attracted by the idea of adding to the Outtimers are the only group who it up while undercutting its rivals. If worlds available for eventual exploita- suffer from widespread social preju- Infinity shows up on the other side, tion. Operations on many Q9 and Q10 dice on Centrum. Officially, recruits Interworld weighs the options – going timelines have been put on hold while have the same chance for promotion deep underground to sabotage the the Interworld Service concentrates as anyone else; unofficially, the I.S. is Patrol, openly providing one side with on the echoes: if Centrum doesn’t seize likely to peg them to mid-level posi- high-tech weapons and advisers, or them now, it may never be able to. tions without much chance of something in between. advancement, especially if they were chosen in the first place because of a special talent for science, languages, or psionics. Interworld Thinking Field agents of the Interworld Service are often more broad-minded Interworld Policies than their coordinators, but they still have trouble understanding radi- The Interworld Service has no way cally different viewpoints like democracy or fundamentalist religion. of investigating timelines besides Secundus confuses them terribly because of Infinity’s leasing parachron- sending people in to take a look. ics to governments and corporations. Even those coordinators who Normally the first survey plants sever- might favor negotiation with Secundus see it as an anarchy – between al teams in sites where most timelines Infinity, the U.N., and powerful national governments, there’s no one to have important cities (Jericho, sign a treaty with! Constantinople, London, Nanking, Interworld Service agents are trained to take a long view, which is one New Orleans). After that, they use aer- reason they prefer infiltration to visible intervention. The other is that ial surveys in Zones Blue and Yellow, massive force means losing control of local affairs to the Military or lots more agents in Zone Orange, and Uplift Service. a few hand-picked agents in Zone Red. It is important to note that

ENEMIES EVERYWHEN 53 At present, Centrum has shifted rational worldview. Although it would be remorselessly opposed to nine echoes to Q7 and six to Q8 or Centrum is a no-mana world, the any threat to its parachronic monop- higher; two were sent to Q5 by mis- Patrol could always find a mana- oly. (But make sure that it can’t invade taken calculations. Four more have enhancing reality shard somewhere to directly, to keep the campaign a war of accidentally been shifted to a higher help bring the fun in. The prize for influence instead of just a war.) quantum by Secundus, which has success would be information: how Although the Military Service is small also moved three to lower quanta Centrum thinks in general, how they compared to Homeline armies (only (and one back to Q6 from Q7): calculate timeline shifts, or perhaps half a million men), it is expert at Infinity can rarely judge the effects of news of a major Centrum operation to blitzkrieg-style strikes on lower-tech an intervention. stop just in the nick of time (see foes, and with its TL9 weaponry, it Centrum Plots to Foil, below). would be a mouthful even for some high-tech armies. The Uplift Service In either case, Centrans can fit any Split off from the Interworld The Infinity War “secret agent” character type. It is Service in 2012, with some personnel Generally, however, Centrans show often difficult to fit continuing NPCs from several other Services, the Uplift up on other timelines. Quantum 6 is into a crossworld campaign, but a Service is assigned the job of civilizing the major focus of the struggle, but the Centran could be the mastermind the less developed timelines where Interworld Service operates every- whose schemes the players cross, the Centrum has acquired control. With where. Centrum has a lot less trouble shadowy contact who gives them recent policy changes and the war infiltrating a relatively open society information but has a private agenda, against Secundus, there are many like Homeline than vice versa, so they or the misguided professional rival more such worlds than in the past, might even show up in low-quantum (usually of the opposite sex) who tries and Centrum is finding the task more worlds, although they would need a to recruit the PCs . . . or at least the of a strain than anticipated. special reason to risk it. No such rea- most attractive one. Uplift is essentially divided into prison is necessary on Q7 or even Q6: vate fiefs of small coordinator groups, Centrum gives the Interworld Service each with its own idea of how best to all the resources needed to operate Playing Centrans modify a world for immediate within its natural sphere of influence. Players could also participate in exploitation and long-term absorp- Centrum can also appear as an the infinity war from the other side. tion. They are being given an unusual- adversary in other crossworld cam- Some groups may like to play the vil- ly free hand: the consensus is that the paigns: it would probably just try to lains now and then. Or they could play only rational way to proceed is to try recruit any independent travelers, but outtimers recruited from situations many different systems and check back in a generation to see how successful they have been. Rather hard on the natives, but their current chaotic squalor is not very attractive either. Centrum Plots to Foil Infinity Unlimited has no idea that one of Centrum’s reasons for “stealing” echo timelines is to try and shift Homeline into a lower quan- CENTRUM tum. In fact, Centrum is trying to adjust timeline configurations to shift it from Quantum 5 all the way to Quantum 3. Not only would that strand CAMPAIGNS all the Homeliners unlucky enough to be on Q6 and Q7, it would make The most obvious use of Centrum Homeline easily accessible by conveyor from the dangerous Q3 lines is as a villain in the default Infinite such as Merlin-1 (p. 134), Reich-5, and Shikaku-mon (p. 146). Worlds campaign. The home world A group of Pragmatics and Progressives has been arguing for a dif- generally remains offstage, but ferent approach: build a large conveyor-equipped armada on one of the Infinity Unlimited would dearly love echoes shifted to Q8, then deliberately shift it through Q6 into Q5 and to know more about its enemy. invade Homeline directly. The main argument against this tactic has Patrolmen who prove exceptionally been the expense: although the Infinity Patrol is fairly small, the collec- good at infiltration (or at ticking off tive armed forces of Homeline dwarf the Military Service. But if their superiors) may find themselves Centrum were to gain more advanced weaponry (say, from Caliph, assigned to visit Quantum 8 via a p. 117) or find allies among Homeline terrorists, it might try it. nexus portal or psionic world-jumper A small faction of coordinators favor offering parachonic technology and report back. The odds of survival, to worlds in other quanta, calculating that a partnership could control let alone success, are not good unless the other worlds more easily than Centrum alone. This viewpoint is the recon team has an edge – a rogue unlikely to gain much popularity in the Forum, but if some setback pan- Centran to train or even guide them, icked Centrum badly enough they might try to create a second front for at least, and perhaps also special Infinity on Q3 or Q4. (Reich-5 makes a spookily tempting target for such resources like psionics, magic, or an offer.) Centran renegades are more likely to try this, since breaking strange technology. Centrum seems secrecy would be one way to win high position in a parallel world! very vulnerable to magic; it just doesn’t fit at all in their technocratic,

54 ENEMIES EVERYWHEN horrible enough for Centrum to seem like a savior. If they want to try fixing up their home timeline or timelines, the Interworld Service allows them to Alternate Infinite Wars implement any plan that leaves The dimension war can be a very stable setting: neither side really has Centrum in charge. If they are really the resources to exclude the other completely, and they are immune to successful, they may be transferred to direct attack. But GMs who want to upset the applecart have several the Uplift Service, and told to do it options, too. First, another timeline could get parachronics and try to again! carve out its own (single-quantum) sphere of influence; Reich-5 is on the Alternatively, the GM can make cusp of being just such a threat, and if the Chronobahn (p. 79) extends Centrum nicer, and perhaps get rid of outside Q3, it could be an even worse one. To alter the current balance the dimension war entirely. There is even farther, perhaps some unexplained shift knocks Reich-5 into still a basic difference in approach: Quantum 6, right between Homeline and Centrum! while the Infinity Patrol spends most For a major change to the existing setting, have the echo shifts final- of its time cleaning up other people’s ly create the backlash Centran scientists theorize and shift Homeline to messes, the Interworld Service places Quantum 4 or Quantum 3. Or have it work, but not quite as expected: more emphasis on making messes of shift Secundus to Quantum 6 and turn the game into an open war. Or their own. shift Homeline out of the accessible band entirely – a victory! Of course, If the players are going to try “steal- then Centrum has to deal with the Infinity personnel left behind, who ing” an echo, the stereotypical suddenly have a lot less incentive to keep parachronics secret, and a rea- Centrum mission, they need a histori- son for revenge on a massive scale. Or shift Centrum to Q9 or Q10 cal change: the GM can assign one, or, (“whoops, inverted the sign in that equation”) and give it a whole new set if the players know their history, they of worlds to worry about. can try to figure something out them- A technological breakthrough is another possibility. Psionic world- selves. Anything that makes Homeline jumpers can travel between quanta indefinitely far from Centrum or history more like Centrum is fair Secundus: that would let the “Infinite Worlds” live up to their name. If game (see Putting a Little English On the technique (or some other that ignores quantum restrictions) gets It, p. 87) – but the direction of shift brought from outside by another crossworld culture, the dimension war usually can’t be calculated for nuking would gain a participant that might even force Centrum into alliance cities and similar gross shifts. Players with Infinity. should also remember to have a backup plan in case their first try doesn’t work. The most common Interworld means like breaking and entering, to examining in depth (usually Service mission, actually, is long-term theft, or “vanishing” some individual. because they now have someone who infiltration, building up Centrum’s Investigation missions are another can stumble through the local lan- power structure on a given timeline or possibility: Centrum is continually on guages). Some Zone Yellow worlds acquiring knowledge as safely as they the alert for Infinity’s influence, and in surely have undiscovered features – a possibly can. Player groups are more the process has frequently uncovered barbarian world might turn out to be likely to be assigned brief support mis- anomalies in worlds they thought they post-holocaust, with remnants of the sions, brought in to provide expertise understood. There are also straight- old high culture still around, or a local that the infiltrators need to improve forward survey missions, either to superstition about magic might turn their position – often through illegal newly appeared timelines or to worlds out to be rooted in some sort of fact. Centrum is only now getting around

ENEMIES EVERYWHEN 55 with afterthoughts. (“You do have an entire world of your own; surely you Centrum Dark, can find a tank-killing robot somewhere.”) Centrum Light Such a campaign features a lot of Centrans as presented in the default Infinite Worlds setting are not player freedom and a more reactive nice people. While not especially corrupt, they are faintly paranoid, often GM role – but plan on some surprises, narrow-minded, and definitely ruthless. (Or, in their eyes: concerned and don’t forget that Infinity is likely with defense, impatient with archaic or senseless practices, and prag- to interfere if they can. Consult matic in their determination to accomplish their goals.) It’s easy enough Worldline Conquest Made (Relatively) to make them even more villainous; all they need is a suitably vicious Easy on p. 208 for more suggestions. ideology. Although that ecological niche would seem well filled by Reich- Centrans are likely to underestimate 5, perhaps Centrum is an atheist, Communist technocracy full of gulags the natives, confusing primitive with for recalcitrant Arabic-speakers. This can set up a nice “WWII, Again” stupid, and being confused whenever scenario as Infinity has to ally with its mortal foes to defeat a different they don’t act “rationally” – which is to batch of mortal foes. say, like Centrans. Centrum’s leaders GMs who want a nicer Centrum, perhaps as a home base for PCs, can also underestimate the danger that an transform it without too much trouble. Credit it with genuine good Uplift team, in learning to understand intentions towards other timelines (of course, it may still have trouble the natives, might come to identify understanding foreign viewpoints), and give Centrum Light more regard with them. This could lead to some for individuals in place of their end-justifies-the-means communitarian- interesting moral conflicts among the ism. Play up their genuine abhorrence of racism and sexism, and their PCs themselves (or the players!) or devout concern for the ecology and for equality of opportunity. Centrum with their superiors and subordinates. Light could even have a democratically elected Parliament in place of the Forum, although it would be fun to play with variant democracy. Perhaps everyone has votes equal to their citizenship grade, and actual candidacy for office is restricted to Grade 7s. Homeline can be replaced with a more villainous timeline, removed from the setting altogether, or even kept the same, with both sides coming to see past the nasty stereotypes each has of the other. Perhaps this can lead to true evolution in Centrum, letting it accept partners instead of rivals or subjects. Centrum and Homeline could anchor a Federation of Worlds, spread across hundreds of parallel Earths, pooling their technology and resources, planting colonies, and sending Renegades diplomats and scholars to more primitive worlds. The Interworld A campaign could also be built Service and Infinity could become multi-world institutions handling around a team that breaks away from exploration – and defense against a fully mobilized Reich-5 and its Centrum. The game could start with Thousand-World Dream. renegades, or with an agent group that slowly becomes disillusioned with their superiors and decides to strike Playing the and technical progress (up to a stable out on their own. If they go over to TL5 or 6, anyway); it would be a nice Infinity Unlimited, they might tip the Uplift Service bonus to make them English-speak- balance of power. Finding a niche for One possible campaign could ing. The means used are completely themselves in some other timeline involve a team of Uplift Service coor- up to the players: they have a large ought to be possible, but would not dinators assigned to “civilize” a Zone budget and a few hundred personnel, make for very good gaming unless Yellow (or possibly Orange) world. In but are unlikely to get much more they were trying to carve out an order to absorb the worldline eventu- help without impressive intermediate empire, ran across something unex- ally, long-term cultural changes will results. The GM should be generous pected, or both. Creating a new group likely be needed (see Try to Change the with equipment requested at the of crossworld travelers is also a possi- World, p. 105). The basic goals are beginning of the campaign, but stingy bility, but would bring down the wrath political unity, meritocratic hierarchy, of Centrum and Infinity together.

56 ENEMIES EVERYWHEN REICH-5 This parallel diverged from publicly proclaimed that fascism was Seward Collins, formed the Union Homeline with the assassination of the “wave of the future.” America’s Party in 1936 to bring fascism to President-elect Franklin Roosevelt by socialists and communists opposed America. Wallace’s economic radical- Giuseppe Zangara in 1933, and the him, and when the Depression contin- ism proved unworkable, and along return of the United States to isola- ued to deepen, Lindbergh was voted with his increasing tendency to rule by tionism. While America sank further out in 1940 in favor of the socialist the mob, he succeeded only in driving into depression and despair, Hitler’s Democrat Henry Wallace. increasing numbers of Americans into Germany and Imperial Japan By then, Hitler’s blitzkrieg had the Union Party. Pelley joined destroyed the Western Allies. swallowed Poland and toppled France Lindbergh’s Republicans as the Vice- Emboldened by this victory, the fascist in weeks. Had the United States sent Presidential candidate in the 1944 Union Party swept to power in the aid, Britain might have survived, but election on a “unity ticket” that raced United States under William Dudley without FDR, America remained ahead of Wallace in the polls. Pelley (leader of the Silver Shirts para- trapped in isolationism and depres- Wallace was unable to gain the military organization he modeled on sion. With the fall of Britain to unre- support of industry or the military, the Brownshirts) in 1944. stricted submarine warfare in which he had thoroughly alienated After German troops and atomic October, Hitler was free to turn on his during his term. An unknown gunman weapons crushed the American anti- ally Stalin, launching “Operation shot and killed Lindbergh on October fascist movement, the United States Barbarossa” in May, 1941. By 22, 1944, and Pelley was swept into became a partner in the World-Axis September, Moscow had fallen to the the Presidency amidst rioting and along with Nazi Germany and panzers of the Third Reich. Operating chaos while Japanese carrier forces Imperial Japan. America slowly crum- on interior lines, the Nazis easily with- bombed Los Angeles and Seattle and bled, never quite able to shoulder its stood the uncoordinated counterat- blocked the Panama Canal. The share of the totalitarian burden, but tacks of the primitive Red Army, and German invasion of Canada in 1945 never quite able to throw off the fas- by the end of 1942, the Soviet Union only added to the chaos, and Pelley cist yoke. Germany pursued the iron had been conquered and incorporated declared martial law and a state of dream into space, and Japan retreated by Germany as the Reichsostland. The emergency. Republicans and Demo- ever further into its bushido fantasies, Second World War was over. crats alike rejected Pelley’s seizure of the two powers dimly aware that they As Germany swallowed Europe dictatorial powers, and Pelley called only had each other to blame, to con- (and by extension, Africa), Japan con- on Germany to help “restore order” in quer, and to learn from. Corrupt gov- quered the East, from the invasion of the United States. Senator Robert Taft ernors and generals began to pursue Manchuria in 1931 to the fall of of Ohio emerged as the leader of the their own ends as ideologies born in Australia in 1943. China ground down anti-Pelley opposition, and was nomi- war and conquest softened and the Japanese Army in guerrilla war- nated by both the Democrats and the decayed in the endless peace. fare, and the invasion of India stalled Republicans in 1948. Pelley’s Union Then came the Ausbruch, the in Bengal, but the Japanese military Party thugs, the so-called “Union “breakout” into other worlds. commanded virtually the entire Army,” were more interested in bat- Suddenly, the Reich had new worlds Pacific rim. Its only obstacle was tling the U.S. Army and lynching to conquer – and the destiny of the depression-ridden, unstable, isolation- blacks and Jews than in defending the Aryan race to mold on a thousand ist America. On September 2, 1944, country, and only Japan’s continuing timelines. Fortunately, the Reich as a the Japanese struck the American meat-grinder in China and India pre- whole doesn’t know it . . . yet. bases in the Philippines, Guam, and vented an actual Japanese invasion. Hawaii simultaneously. The Japanese When Pelley blatantly stole the elec- attack was the deathblow to American tion from Taft, it escalated the situa- HISTORY democracy. tion into wholesale civil warfare and the Germans sent 40 divisions into Hitler Victorious America Destroyed America on Pelley’s side. The Great Depression spawned Even the slightest chance of suc- America’s fascist movements, cre- demagogues in all the world’s Great cess for the anti-Pelley forces evapo- ated by the Depression and energized Powers, from pacifists in Britain to rated when Werner Heisenberg by Hitler’s victories, had grown steadi- socialists in France and fascists in invented the atomic bomb in 1950. ly for over a decade. Their leader was Germany. All three types were active After secret tests in the Reichsostland, William Dudley Pelley of North in the United States. FDR’s assassina- the bomb was used on four American Carolina, whose Silver Shirt brigade tion left the country adrift, and it cities on June 27, 1950. Resistance col- was modeled on Hitler’s brownshirted moved from the well-meaning liberal- lapsed abruptly, and Nazi Germany SA. Pelley and other American fas- ism of President John Nance Garner was the master of three continents cists, including the anti-Semitic “radio to the “strong hand” of Republican when Adolf Hitler died on October 31, priest” Father Charles Coughlin, President Charles Lindbergh, who 1951. Lawrence Dennis, G.S. Viereck, and

ENEMIES EVERYWHEN 57 Deutschland Über Alles Following a brief behind-the- scenes power struggle, Reinhard Heydrich, the second-in-command of the SS, became the Nazi Führer and set about consolidating Germany’s gains, formalizing the division of India with Japan, completing the paci- fication of America and Russia, and beginning the German conquest of space. When Japan and America signed the Washington-Tokyo Axis in 1961, Heydrich established the World- Axis to cement the three great fascist powers’ alliance, increasing the role of fascist America to balance Imperial Japan. In 1965, Germany transferred Canada to American administration to compensate for the loss of Alaska, Hawaii, and the Philippines to Japan. When Heydrich died in 1975, German jackboots had walked on the moon and Mars, and America’s dictators were fully integrated into the German their own populations under the heel.) iron from the General-Gouvernment- world system. However, they keep their domestic Poland in the east to the industrial Resistance to the World-Axis was independence only by slavishly follow- furnaces of the Ruhr in the west. sporadic, the most serious being the ing Germany’s lead in all external mat- Germany’s factories, the cleanest and “Uprising of ’76” in America, which ters, no better than the German puppet most advanced in the world, turn out the SS only put down after leveling states like Vichy France, Hungary, enormous quantities of aircraft, motor five cities and decimating the popula- Rumania, Sweden, or Bulgaria. vehicles, armaments, chemicals, plas- tion in rebel areas. Führer Viktor Essentially, the world has three great tics, advanced composites, and optics. Alchsneiss followed that victory with powers – Germany, Japan, and Germany resembles a gigantic indus- the destruction of rebels in Afghan- America – and only two superpowers. trial park, with enormous green istan and Peru; saturation bombing spaces and forest belts even in the with neutron warheads wiped them middle of industrial cities like out in 1983. Since then, the rule of the Greater Germany Munich, Düsseldorf, Breslau, and Third Reich over an enslaved world and the Third Reich Brünn. The state scrupulously main- has run ever more smoothly with the Stretching from the mouth of the tains wildlife refuges and keeps a cra- orbiting of global spy satellites, the Rhine to the borders of the Ukraine dle-to-grave welfare state firmly in invention of sophisticated computer and from the Baltic Sea to the Alps, place. Giant stadiums, hospitals, and surveillance technology, and the slow Grossdeutschland (Greater Germany) concert halls dominate the skylines of but steady expansion of Hitler’s dream adds Denmark, Holland, Switzerland, the clean, orderly cities of the Reich. to the stars. Austria, Lithuania, Poland, and parts Behind these Albert Speer marble of Belgium and Czechoslovakia to pre- and granite facades, however, the EOPOLITIK war Germany. Only “true Germans” Reich’s internal politics have curdled G are allowed to become citizens of to poison. Heydrich seized power so Although fascist Italy and Greater Germany, and the 140 million completely and effectively upon Argentina still maintain some freedom citizens who live in the Nazi heartland Hitler’s death that he was able to of action, dominating satellite states of lord it over the 35 million Slavs (pri- purge his rivals and enforce compli- their own such as Turkey and Peru, marily Czechs and Poles) who ance and discipline throughout the they remain essentially appendages of perform all the menial labor and Party. He even managed to bring the German imperial policy and econom- household duties in the Reich. SS to heel, thanks to his own network ics. Finland, Suid-Afrika, and Spain German citizens (generally loyal and within it. Heydrich was confident are nearly independent, with their own patriotic; Germany is CR4 for enough in his own power to formally corporate cartels, no Gestapo presence Germans) have the highest standard nominate a successor, the Baltic to speak of in their cities, and no of living in the world, paid for by German Viktor Alchsneiss, and let him Luftwaffe or Kriegsmarine bases on immense slave labor factories in the build a power base first as their soil. (The same could be said for Reichsostland. Ostminister, and then as Reichsführer- the Central Asian khanates, or fascist Germany’s massive autobahns SS. When Führer Alchsneiss died in Eire, Mexico, and Brazil, but these speed agricultural produce, coal, and 2001, his own hand-picked successor, marginal states are barely able to keep

58 ENEMIES EVERYWHEN Gunther Wallraff, had no such base, order with brutality and massacres, devoted solely to the SS. Himmler having been shuffled from job to job, while working millions of slaves to intended Burgundy to provide a pure winding up as Propaganda Minister. death in uranium mines and coffee Aryan homeland for the SS to recruit Führer Wallraff retains the loyalty of plantations. The RKA is a civilian from, where from cradle to grave no the “Balts” promoted by Alchsneiss office under the Party, and its security thought but SS orthodoxy would exist. (who realize that they will all be troops are low-class thugs and bullies Himmler’s mystical beliefs received purged if someone else becomes unfit for either the military or the SS. full play there, and slave laborers Führer), but without the SS, the India is a much-preferred posting for rebuilt many medieval castles of the Wehrmacht, the Luftwaffe, or the RKA administrators due to its better Teutonic Order stone by stone. Party machinery solidly behind him, climate and more sophisticated urban Following Himmler’s sudden death Nazi politics have begun to seize up. life. Although Nazi rule over India is and the rise of his deputy Heydrich to Individual ministers spend more time harsh, resistance to the Reich is far the position of Führer, Burgundy spying on each other and jockeying for less common there than in Africa. became a dumping ground for the power than they do moving the Reich Gangs of Indians work vast textile fac- “occult Aryan” mystics who were pre- forward, and rumors persist of secret tories and plantations under native venting useful research into nuclear murders within the Reichschancellery overseers, who report to the RKA. The physics or rocketry. Heydrich promot- and bodies dropped silently into the sizable Wehrmacht garrison in India ed the head of the Ahnenerbe (the divi- Spree River. both keeps order and watches the sion of the SS concerned with border of Japanese-run Bengal. “Ancestral Heritage” and racial-cultur- Reichsostland al research, including research into and the Colonies Reichsprotektorate parapsychology and occultism) from It is another story in the conquered Reichsprotektorate are nations that Reichsmanager to Ordenführer and territories: the murders are no secret, exercise some independence in local placed the Ahnenerbe in charge of and the bodies are left in piles. affairs, but are garrisoned by administering the Ordensstaat of Although occupied Paris is almost civ- Wehrmacht troops and have internal Burgundy, subject only to the ilized, and the French farmers have order kept by the SS and local secret Reichsführer-SS. By the 1980s, the SS not felt a killing famine in almost 20 police. (Most of them are CR5 for good was running Burgundy as a tourist years, to the east and south the gloves citizens, CR6 for Kurds, Irish, or other center for propaganda purposes and are off the Nazi fist. (The Reich- troublesome minorities.) Usually, the using its mountains and forests as a sostland and the colonies are CR6 for head of the local fascist party governs training ground for SS cadets. Since all non-German inhabitants.) The a Reichsprotektorat, supervised by a the late 1960s, Burgundy has also held inhabitants of the former Soviet German Nazi Party Reichsleiter. The the secret bank accounts of many high Union (except for the Far Eastern major Reichsprotektorate are Britain, officials of the Reich who avoid provinces annexed to Manchukuo Norway, Egypt, Persia, Arabia, and German taxation by paying discreet by Japan) are all slave laborers, Mesopotamia. Local fascist parties bribes to the corrupt overlords of the the property of the Ostministerium (Union Fascist and Nasjonal Samling, SS State. (Eastern Ministry) of the Reich. respectively) run Britain and Norway The Reichsostland is divided into as national socialist states, with five Reichskommissariate (Ostland, small detachments of Gestapo and The Japanese Empire Ukraine, Caucasus, Muscovy, and large Luftwaffe and Kriegsmarine The Japanese Empire rules nearly Siberia), each under a Reichskomissar. bases. The German military and half the world’s population, either Each Reichskomissar is a Nazi Party IG Farben, the chemical cartel directly or through its network of official, assisted by the overall military responsible for oil production, dom- satellite states and colonies. The commander and the SS commander inate Egypt, Persia, Arabia, and Empire proper includes the Japanese for the district. Over two million Mesopotamia. Home Islands, the smaller islands of the Pacific from Okinawa to Tahiti, Germans have settled in the SS Burgundy Reichsostland (especially in the Korea, Taiwan, Hainan, Sakhalin, and Heinrich Himmler carved the most Ukraine) drawn by the immense sup- Hawaii. (The Home Islands are CR4 bizarre state in Europe out of eastern ply of free land and slave labor avail- for Japanese citizens and CR6 for France in 1944. The State of able to German colonists. Many large Koreans and other foreigners, includ- Burgundy, with its capital at Bisanz German cartels maintain immense ing Hawaiian natives.) China, (in the original French, Besançon), is factories in the East, where the strict Australia, New Zealand, and Alaska essentially a feudal fief belonging to environmental and worker-safety laws are the “Outer Empire,” which the SS, comprising the old provinces of Greater Germany do not apply. The remains considerably more milita- of Burgundy and Champagne in cartels dump nuclear, chemical, and rized than the Home Islands (CR6). France. Governed solely by the SS, other wastes in Siberia, especially in The Emperor Naruhito is the divine Burgundy operates under SS law and areas already strip-mined of their embodiment of the sun god, and rules outside German governmental juris- mineral deposits. the Empire through a network of aris- diction. (Its crazy quilt of laws aver- If possible, things are even worse in tocratic bureaucrats, interlinked by ages out to CR5.) Himmler dreamed Africa and India, where the family and career loyalties with the of a rebirth of the medieval Teutonic Reichskolonialamt (RKA) maintains keiretsu cartels and the military. Order’s Ordensstaat, a crusading state

ENEMIES EVERYWHEN 59 The Home Islands are slowly atomic weapons in the Gansu desert Sumatra and Burma. Some of the returning to a more traditional econo- in northern China, and, like the satellites, such as Manchukuo and the my of small rice farms as the heavy Germans in Siberia, dumps its toxic Philippines, have moved into heavy industries move to Korea, Manch- wastes in the Chinese interior. manufacturing, primarily producing ukuo, or the Outer Empire. Many Australia, Alaska, and New textiles, chemicals, and steel. Others, Japanese have also begun commercial Zealand, collectively known as the such as Bengal, Indochina, and Java, fish farming and whale ranching in Shinryodo (New Territories), are being remain predominantly agricultural, the vast waters of the Pacific, operat- turned into Japanese colonies as mil- but Calcutta, Saigon, and Batavia are ing from huge floating factories. lions of native Japanese emigrate from as industrialized as any Chinese cor- Japan’s increasing isolation empties their crowded cities to these wide porate hell-city. All of the satellite its parks, gardens, and Shinto shrines open spaces. Following the wholesale states have extensive Japanese mili- (except for students and the occasion- executions of the former military, eco- tary bases. However, as the Japanese al tourist) as its population ages. With nomic, and political leadership, Japan government continues to drift into sta- the real work handled by “invisible” deported the white population of sis, more and more of these bases have foreign slaves and robots, the domes- these areas to America or Britain, taken over local industries – first to tic population has leisure to grow rice, where they drifted into crime or feed themselves, and then to claim read classic poetry, and (for those with joined the security forces. Many emi- their share of the keiretsu profits – and the right connections) plug into grated to Suid-Afrika, which was in cut their own deals with local crime increasingly violent and pornographic great need of white settlers to police lords or ethnic chiefs. The satellites holographic simulations. A network of its newly acquired African territories. are slowly becoming warlord states fast maglev trains and hydrofoils con- outside the sight of the Emperor. nects virtually all cities in Japan; pri- Daitoa Koei Han’i vate use of automobiles is severely The entire Pacific Rim from restricted. Non-Japanese airlines Vancouver to Vladivostok and from Fascist Amerika (Lufthansa, Pan Am, Aerolineas, Calcutta to Honolulu is tied into a vast The United States has been on the Alitalia) are restricted to Nagasaki economic union coordinated from verge of a “complete recovery” for the Airport, on the western end of Tokyo, the Daitoa Koei Han’i (Greater last 40 years. Things are better than Kyushu. East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere). they were in the 1950s, when The Kempei Tai, the Japanese mil- Japanese keiretsu are the engine of President Pelley dictated spiritual itary secret police, have gone over the this economy, operating freely channelings over the radio to a coun- last generation from one of the most throughout the Co-Prosperity Sphere try occupied by the Wehrmacht and dangerous intelligence agencies in the and selling their manufactured goods smoldering after atomic bombard- world to a bureaucratized homeland to a billion-person captive market ment and civil war. Under President security service. Obsessed with count- behind a maze of tariff and import George Lincoln Rockwell, America ing foreigners, tracking the slaves and regulations. grew to be one of the three Great keeping the others out of Japan, it has The satellite states provide raw Powers in the World-Axis. This was allowed other operations to drift. materials and cheap labor for the due not so much to Rockwell’s largely Kempei Tai agents overseas have keiretsu – rubber from Malaya, oil indolent Presidency as to its large base mostly cast their lot in with the cor- from Borneo and Java, minerals from of educated, skilled labor, its high level rupt generals and keiretsu bosses who really run the colonies, filing pro forma reports to a Tokyo headquarters increasingly concerned with court fashion and decreasingly engaged with anything else. With no intelligence-gathering competition, nobody at the Imperial Court has noticed. The Outer Empire The Japanese military runs China as a feudal empire, with various generals leasing slave labor and factories in their fiefdoms to Japan’s immense keiretsu industrial combines. Japanese rule in China is particularly brutal, with massacres of the Chinese population a matter of routine for the slightest sign of rebellion. Famines are commonplace, as the produce from China’s farms is sent to Japan or the satellite states. Japan also tests its

60 ENEMIES EVERYWHEN in most cities stock a wide variety of American and European goods priced in Reichsmarks. Those without corpo- The American Resistance rate connections, such as the workers The American Resistance was badly hurt following the Uprising of in the immense Ring Cities around the ‘76. Carefully hoarded weapons stocks were expended, most Resistance radioactive ruins of Omaha, St. Louis, fighters were killed, and sympathizers and moles within the government and Dallas, shop in “open stores” for (most notably Governor John F. Kennedy of Massachusetts, son of shoddy goods often re-imported (at a Ambassador to Germany Joseph Kennedy) were exposed and executed. fat markup) from German slave facto- Finally, the extreme brutality with which the SS and the Union Party put ries in the Reichsostland. Most of the down the revolt sent the American population back into a state of brave new America seems threadbare numbed shell-shock reminiscent of the post-War era. Most Americans and drab to a German (or Homeline) simply wished to return to what could be salvaged of their lives. visitor. By the early 21st century, after a generation’s passage, the Resistance has managed to rebuild a loose network of cells across the country, strongest in the Yukon and the intermountain West, New England, and TECHNOLOGY the rural South. Its activities are restricted to infiltrating the security apparatus, inserting bogus data into the national computer network, ON REICH-5 once again attempting to build up arms caches, hiding the occasional Reich-5’s technology is more refugee, drug trafficking, and stirring up resentment against the SS advanced than that of the Homeline “advisers” still present in the country. The Resistance has learned from 2010s, well into TL8 in most areas, long experience that any more-overt action brings massive retribution in and early TL9 in many military appli- the form of hostage-taking and blanket executions. Also, any large-scale cations. Reich-5’s greatest advances action runs the very real risk of being betrayed by NBSS informers or are in those areas involving the space ordinary people who covet the $100,000 standing reward for turning in program: not only in aerodynamics, a Resistance cell. metallurgy, physics, radionics, and chemistry but in “spinoff” areas as well. Zero-G chemistry, medicine, computers, ecology, biochemistry, of industrial and technological devel- Beginning in the 1960s, many materials science, and other fields are opment before the War, and substan- German cartels formed partnerships also highly advanced. The benefits of tial aid and assistance from Germany, with American corporations such as these advances are, of course, restrict- which saw America as a white coun- BMW-Ford, Farben-DuPont, Heinkel- ed to German and Japanese cartels terweight to Japanese Asia. Boeing or Siemens-Westinghouse. and citizens and to the elites of Rockwell was badly shaken by the American oil corporations also gained America. Most of the rest of the world Uprising of ’76, and came close to los- a powerful role in the German-domi- remains mired in TL7 or lower. ing both his nerve and his Presidency nated economy, and their favored before National Bureau of State American banks brimmed with Security (NBSS) director Roy Cohn German investment capital. The Transportation assumed control of the situation and Eastern seaboard remains the center In Germany and America, the per- called in the SS. Cohn supervised the of German investment and influence. sonal automobile is still the king, at final stages of the mass deportation of Domestic industries, such as oil and least for middle- and upper-class citi- blacks to Africa (and RKA slave film, center in Houston and Los zens. Advanced computer-controlled camps) and the Final Solution for Angeles, respectively. Oklahoma City carburetors, ceramic and polymer America’s Jews and homosexuals. became a transportation and manu- engine parts, and multistroke engines Cohn was President in all but name facturing hub, with a spaceplane port allow smaller, lighter cars such as until his death in 1988. That same (Lindbergh Field) that is a center for Fords or Volkswagens to retain the year (and perhaps not coincidentally), high-tech industrial research. A “feel” of a V8 muscle car while drasti- Rockwell died and was succeeded by steady “brain drain” of America’s best cally lowering gasoline usage and pol- David Duke, the Governor of and brightest to those cartels – and lution. Higher-class citizens still drive Louisiana and Grand Dragon of the then to Germany – matches the flow pure V8 and V12 Mercedes and KKK. Duke has actually attempted to of American services, oil, and manu- Cadillac sedans, and the autobahns run the country, but finds that with factures to Europe, paid for in dollars have no speed limits in the lefthand the SS and NBSS handling real secu- pegged embarrassingly low to the lanes. Porsche sports cars are also rity (the CR in the United States Reichsmark. quite common, as are Ferraris and remains 5), and the American military The remaining population of Mitsubishis. Automobiles are routine- riddled with Resistance cells, his only roughly 220 million (including ly equipped with satellite location real power is to dispense government Canada) rebuilds autobahns and systems for navigation, cellular patronage to people who can’t get maglevs, and clears rubble from the telephone/TV systems, and computer good jobs with German or American bombed-out centers of Calgary, San route-and-speed controls and mini- cartels. Antonio, and Atlanta. “Cartel stores” radar for night and all-weather driving capacity.

ENEMIES EVERYWHEN 61 Over longer distances, maglev earth-grazer asteroid Neuruhr, moved Japanese firms have mastered the trains have almost totally replaced into orbit by Heinkel-Boeing and most state-of-the-art hardware the old-fashioned Kugelbahnen Krupp in 1979. Mass mining has requirements for supercomputers or (bullet trains) of the 1960s and moved to Neusilesien and Neumesabi, handheld minicomputers, software 1970s thanks to warm-temperature two new asteroids drawn into slightly engineering remains one of the few superconductors developed by the higher orbits. areas where Americans hold the lead. German space program. The rail net- Military transport from Earth to This is probably because the German work covers virtually the entire orbit is still handled by A-20 Engel cartels consistently refused to invest Northern Hemisphere, due to spaceplanes taking off from in software improvements, believing close coordination between the Oklahoma City, Lublin, or Tsitsihar. in large, centralized mainframe sys- Axis powers, although transfers on Cargo transport, formerly launched in tems modeled after the German state the Trans-Siberian and Great high-payload orbiters from Kamerun economy. American companies, des- Indian Railways between Japanese- or Singapore, now runs along the perate for a competitive edge against and German-dominated territories Bifrost skyhook completed in 1994. the overwhelming power of the car- require switching onto other tracks Bifrost, named for the bridge connect- tels, were willing to take more risks. and recalibrating electromagnetic ing heaven to Earth in Teutonic myth, Also, the destruction of much of the potentials. The Berlin-to-Capetown is a 31,000-mile-long cable which American mainframe network in the and Pan-American Railways extend serves as a giant “elevator” from the Uprising of ‘76 led almost by accident the network to the southern ends of Earth to an orbital station, Asgard, to the advent of the minicomputer the Earth. 22,000 miles along its length. The and the development of redundant In the air, giant suborbital Lufth- cable is tethered at its far end to computer networks. ansa scramjets cross oceans and con- Eisengard, another mining asteroid Both the security forces and the tinents in two or three hours. More that holds the Kepler Space Telescope cartels needed to transfer vast conventional superjumbo jets carry and a Luftwaffe base. Bifrost is amounts of data to widely scattered less-well-heeled or well-connected anchored to Mt. Kirinyaga, Kenya, sites, and the computer network of tourists and business travelers, and which has become the center of a fiber optic cables that grew up in the many vacationers still ride the ZLF huge Luftwaffe research station con- late 1970s and early 1980s soon began helium airships that make the tourist nected to the Berlin-to-Capetown linking universities, the space pro- runs from Germany and the United maglev line. The security of Kirinyaga gram, and research corporations. In States to Brazil and Spain. Such trips is so important that the SS oversees 1984, the Völkische Beobachter estab- take four or five days, but the airship the slave laborers who maintain the lished an informational service by lines can successfully compete with facility. Bulk cargo and passengers computer link. The New York Times the ocean liners in luxury and travel up and down Bifrost in “elevator and Asahi Shimbun soon followed, as romance. cars” which take five days to go did many other news organizations. between Asgard and Kirinyaga. The Information Ministries of the var- The German bases on the Moon ious Axis powers strictly control Space and Mars are theoretically bases of the access to computer systems, and German exploration and exploita- World-Axis as a whole, and many secret police forces armed with tion of outer space began in the 1920s, Italian, Japanese, Argentine, Croatian, increasingly sophisticated and power- and continued with Wernher von or British scientists work at Tycho or ful AIs monitor transmissions. Most Braun in the 1930s and 1940s. When Descartes bases on the Moon or at the private citizens still do not own per- the military and security applications Cydonia research station on Mars. sonal computers due to their expense of satellites became fully understood, However, the Luftwaffe controls all and to the delays in getting clearances. Germany immediately launched a base security and access, and German Even powerful cartel executives or sci- full-fledged space program. The scientists and cartels have priority in entific personnel usually lease their Luftwaffe orbited the first space sta- all research or mining activities. The computer from the cartel or university tion, Hitler, in 1959; it is now the core German colony on Mars is currently that employs them. of a permanent geosychronous orbital implementing the initial stages of Computers in Reich-5 range from settlement. The Luftwaffe has main- Projekt Ymir, which involves ter- the Complexity 2 personal computers tained control over the German space raforming Mars into a livable world by of the cartel vice presidents to the program ever since, although many the end of the 21st century, expanding Complexity 6 mainframes in the cartels and keiretsu have launched the lebensraum of the Master Race to telemetry centers of Von Braun their own satellites or added research a whole new planet. Spaceport in Kamerun and the cellars or engineering modules onto Hitler. of the Gestapo in Prinz-Albrecht- Japan, Italy, Germany, Argentina, Strasse. Suid-Afrika, and the United States Computers have all launched LEO (low Earth and Networks orbit) stations. Activity at Hitler cen- Computer technology, which began Medicine and Genetics ters on completing the Neues Essen in the 1940s in England and America, Although the German space pro- space factory and permanent colony has continued to be an English-speak- gram has accelerated medical constructed from the hollowed-out er’s field. Although many German and progress (like most other scientific

62 ENEMIES EVERYWHEN as well. Imperial Japan, although less stable, was no less cruel; there were no “friendly powers” to work through on this parallel. The Patrol and UNIC actually mapped out plans for a global mobi- lization against Reich-5. Operation Firefall called for a full-scale invasion of Reich-5, using the armies of the Security Council nations, Germany, and Israel to conquer that worldline after a surprise decapitating parachronic atomic strike against Tokyo, Washington, and Berlin. (A second version of Firefall, Operation Dandelion, called for provoking a German-Japanese nuclear war before progress), the official ideology of “race fetuses, due to a shortage of trained mounting an invasion.) NATO’s plan- science” has left German genetic tech- personnel, and prefers simply to abort ning staff, the Russian and Chinese nology peculiarly retrograde. “imperfect” fetuses. German obstetri- armies, and (as a courtesy) the Although German biologists have per- cians also abort fetuses showing Japanese IDF drew up operational fected the full cloning of human “Jewish” genes such as the Tay-Sachs plans calling for simultaneous jumps beings, only scientists vetted by the marker. The American Eugenics into Reich-5’s Urals, Appalachians, SS-RuSHA for Party loyalty may con- Board also encourages abortion of and Szechuan province by a total of duct such sensitive research, under “undesirables,” but has far too few half a million men with heavy equip- the tightest possible security. trained geneticists to engage in any ment and cutting-edge air support. Currently, cloning techniques are wholesale testing policy. All Axis Two main objections finally scut- restricted to military hospitals and nations routinely practice euthanasia tled Firefall planning. First, in the trauma centers for “regrowing” limbs on mental patients, the terminally ill, chaos of an invasion, it was almost and organs, including eyes and hearts Alzheimer’s victims, and elderly slave certain that some Nazi or Imperial (generally a period of weeks for major populations. In America, the Eugenics Japanese unit would both maintain regrowth). Brain tissue can be Board also sterilizes criminals (espe- cohesion and capture a conveyor. regrown if damaged, but the patient cially including Resistance members), Thus, the strategic goal of the war – must undergo physical therapy and as does the SS in Germany. In Japan, preventing a Reich-5 breakout into the re-education to “relearn” skills and sterilization is reserved for the continuum – would be compromised memories. Chinese and Korean populations. fatally by the war itself. Second, the The greatest advances in genetic Japanese authorities routinely steril- appalled general staffs wargamed the engineering have come from the labo- ize women after the first child (in invasion and discovered not only that ratories of the Japanese keiretsu. China) or the second (in Korea). The Homeline would suffer at least Japanese corporate scientists and Germans similarly sterilize the Slav 250,000 casualties in the first year (to engineers have already created petro- populations of Greater Germany and say nothing of the millions dead on leum-eating bacteria to clean up oil the Reichsostland. Reich-5 in the opening bombard- spills, disease-resistant strains of rice (See GURPS Alternate Earths for ment), but that there was a nontrivial and corn, and new breeds of tuna, further details of Reich-5.) chance that the Wehrmacht (and pos- bluefin, and salmon for their fish sibly the Japanese military) would farms. Genetic alteration of humans is throw back the invaders. What was becoming more common as well, OUTTIME planned as a short, surgical war could although it is still too expensive for become a replay of World War II, last- “cosmetic” purposes. Some small, DISCOVERIES ing years and killing tens or even hun- elite squads are composed of When the Infinity Patrol discov- dreds of millions of people on both “enhanced” super-soldiers called ten- ered Reich-5 16 years ago, in its local worlds. After costing trillions of dol- shi (literally, “heavenly warriors”) year 1994, they clamped a security lars, the war would leave Homeline trained from birth to serve their supe- lock on not just the worldline’s coordi- economically smashed, dangerously riors and the Emperor. Japanese nates, but also its very existence. Of remilitarized, and possibly under obstetricians routinely test for genes the five known parallels at the time threat from rogue Nazis with nuclear tied to birth defects, hemophilia, with a victorious Nazi Germany (see weapons and revenge on their minds. retardation, or homosexuality, and Reich-2, p. 142), Reich-5 was the most For now, UNIC and Infinity have genetically alter fetuses that show any horrifying. The Third Reich firmly shelved Firefall (although it gets of these. controlled their third of the world, and updated regularly, just in case) in The German medical community through their American puppet state, favor of lower-profile operations or has not yet begun genetically altering dominated the Western Hemisphere (better yet) none at all.

ENEMIES EVERYWHEN 63 The Infinity recon patrol sneaking through. In Brigadeführer Fest then made his 2022 (Reich-5 local year 2001) a second fateful decision in as many Patrol on Reich-5 Russian Spetsnaz special forces team months. He offered to turn the whole The Infinity Patrol, stretched thin got through I-Cop security and was case over to the Ahnenerbe in as it is, concentrates on preventing loose in Reich-5 for four days before exchange for a transfer out of Siberia, other Homeliners from reaching it was wiped out by the Waffen-SS and to not report anything unusual to Reich-5. With Reich-5’s computer net- near Vorkuta. Two scouts went to his superiors, describing the works more centralized, detection ground and evaded the German encounter as a simple run-in with technology more advanced, and gov- sweep; six months later they made local partisans. The Ahnenerbe ernments more powerful, the I-Cops contact with an Israeli recon mission agreed, with the stipulation that he do not have the resources to mount a in Poland. They reported that at least uncover and bring along their world’s major operation here. The few I-Cops two of their comrades had been taken Evgeny Karashkin (who, if he existed, operatives that have been planted here alive, and not all of their parachronic would be a 10-year-old boy). Fest not concentrate on infiltrating German equipment had been destroyed. only found Karashkin; he arrested his and Japanese technical laboratories to This “near miss,” and the possibili- entire bloodline in a major sweep of steal technical secrets for Homeline ty that the SS was now aware of other “subversive elements” across the and sound the alarm should Reich-5 timelines, led to a reduction in scale of Reichsostland. With 72 prisoners researchers get too close to the national operations. For now, a tenta- (three of them surviving Homeliners), parachronic Secret. tive arrangement has been worked out 82 Spetsnaz corpses, and the wreck- Another headache for the I-Cops between the I-Cops and the CIA, age of a troop-carrying worldline con- working Reich-5 is the occasional Mossad, the GRU, and the Chinese veyor, Brigadeführer Fest transferred attempt by Homeline racists or fas- CCI. The I-Cops allows “dead drops” his command to a new division, head- cists to steal a conveyor and bring it to of gold, personal weapons, and micro- quartered in Bisanz. Reich-5. The Patrol’s Security and electronics to the resistance forces in Liaison Divisions work closely with the United States, China, or the the FBI, South African CID, Japanese Reichsostland on the condition that SS RAVEN PSIA, and German BfV to infiltrate the source remains untraceable and any fascist group that seems to be unknown even to the recipients. In DIVISION planning a parachronic theft. Most return, the United States, Russia, fascist groups, fortunately, have nei- Israel, and China refrain from mount- The Armanen Order ther the resources nor the know-how ing any further operations in Reich-5. With the discovery that parallel to mount a conveyor theft, much less Unfortunately, that agreement worlds existed – and could be found sneak into Reich-5. A more serious came too late. by at least some psychics – the threat is the possibility that radical Ahnenerbe found a new role for itself. terrorists such as the Hezbollah or Although some wanted to bring the Hamas might steal a conveyor and The Ausbruch find to Berlin, as justification for all attempt to elicit Nazi aid in destroying One of the Spetsnaz team on the the hundreds of billions of Israel on Homeline. So far, these 2022 mission, Evgeny Karashkin, had Reichsmarks spent on their seemingly threats have been more potential than a genetically linked psionic world- lunatic programs, wiser heads pre- actual, but the Patrol has had one or jumping ability. He had gone through vailed. Führer Alchsneiss was a two close shaves. Additionally, only early to reconnoiter the landing zone, Heydrich man who despised the high-level Infinity personnel and one and an Ahnenerbe psychic had detect- Ahnenerbe; he would merely have or two people in the major national ed his “anomalous vibrations” while in taken over the parachronic program intelligence services know the a drugged stupor. Brigadeführer Karl and had everyone shot to maintain parachronic coordinates of Reich-5. Fest, the Waffen-SS commander in the security. Ordenführer Mattern real- However, a rogue group with a con- region, happened to be a believer in ized that security had to be his priori- veyor could find Reich-5 by random the occult (who had, in fact, been ty, too. He, Fest, and Doktor Professor hunting – that is, after all, how Infinity assigned to Siberia to keep him out of Emil Pauder (the head of the parapsy- found it in the first place. any important posting), and he actual- chology program in Dijon) formed a ly read the Ahnenerbe code-flash secret society within the Ahnenerbe. Homeline National warning him to look out for anything They named it for the Armanen, myth- unusual in the area. Thus, the Waffen- ical warrior-priests who served the Governments on Reich-5 SS was waiting when the Spetsnaz Aesir – the gods, not the kings, of the The United States, Russia, Israel, came through, and attacked the ancient Germanic tribes. Mattern and and China have all mounted covert Russian team instantly, harrying it for the others likewise believed that they operations on Reich-5. The four four days until the final stand at served the Aryan race and the Reich, nations launched more and more Vorkuta. Karashkin was killed in the not any specific agency or person, ambitious plans, opposed by I-Cops first exchange of fire, but one of the even the Führer. both on Homeline and on Reich-5. four survivors captured by the SS This Armanen Order (which was UNIC pressure, and Patrol maneuver- knew of his ability, and revealed it to also the name of a prominent ing, stopped most of those plans his questioners before dying. Runic society before WWI, for extra politically, with only the occasional

64 ENEMIES EVERYWHEN confusion and secrecy) reached out to Breeding: The Order was able to disadvantages as listed on p. 194. In other influential people with connec- find a suitably pure Aryan who carried most cases, the Mule still needs to take tions in the Waffen-SS, the Gestapo, the marker for the psionic world- a blood-cell stimulant to trigger the and elsewhere, using the lure of secret jumping gene: Per Havig, a fisherman ability. Recently, Armanen scientists Burgundian bank accounts as bait. from rural Denmark. He had no living have made progress with fetal injec- Slowly it built itself operating room in relatives, so they didn’t need to risk a tions into Aryan babies, although the increasingly Byzantine structure “Karashkin sweep” inside Greater many of the mothers die giving birth of the Third Reich. Slowly, Pauder’s Germany itself. The Order used their to the baby Mule. The Armanen also team made progress in unlocking the contacts in the Gestapo to have his raise baby Mules in Lebensborn parachronic secrets held in the sub- fishing boat “disappear at sea.” The SS creches, except for visibly deformed conscious minds of the three surviving took Havig to an isolated manor in ones, who they raise at the hospital. Spetsnaz troopers, and (some said) Burgundy, and put him out to stud Brain Surgery: In some cases, from the dead ones as well. with Karashkin’s female relatives and although the brain accepts the new genetic material, the body dies during the procedure. The “waste not, want not” response: graft those brain tis- sues into another volunteer Mule. This is a two-week surgical process, and although the brain-blood barrier means that rejection per se is not a problem, the neurons may still fail to knit. The subject must make a HT-1 roll to avoid failure (HT+2 if using fetal brain tissue from the experiments in the previous paragraph), and takes -1 IQ per point the roll failed by. Critical failure results in brain death within 1d days. Glandular Implantation: On further examination of various corpses, Pauder discovered that especially for some animal parachronozoids (p. 73), the world-jumping ability is glandular and sex-linked. Rather than rewrite the Mule’s genetic structure, it’s almost as simple to implant a cloned jumper Making World-Jumpers a selection of other genetically prom- gland into his groin and wire an elec- Pauder also dissected Karashkin ising mates. Of his 14 children from trical trigger to the relevant brain cen- thoroughly, submitting him to top-of- the program, two (one by a Karashkin ters. (Injections of jumper hormone, the-line stolen Japanese genetic and one by a Frenchwoman) bear the sadly, seem to have no effect, although disassemblers and a full battery of world-jumping gene; they have been experiments continue.) This requires a psychometric, magical, and cultic taken from him to be raised in SS week in the hospital, along with a reg- tests and rituals. The Armanen found Lebensborn creches elsewhere in imen of immunosuppressant drugs. In the genetic marker for psionic world- Burgundy. The Order has only told this case, the subject must fail a HT roll jumping after a year of study, and Havig that his blood contains “the at HT-8. Subjects with Resistant to some of the other parascientific future of the Reich”; Havig seems Disease add half their bonus (round researchers also reported promising never to have unlocked his psionic down) to HT for this roll. A successful results. One of the psychics in the powers. roll means the gland and trigger mech- Dijon Research Hospital turned out to Drugs: The simplest, almost rou- anism is rejected; the subject must have been dreaming of other worlds; tine, method is a battery of subdural make a HT-2 roll every day or lose 1 her brain chemistry was added to the drug injections into the brain, bone point of ST and 1 HP (1d HP on a study list (although she was kept alive marrow, and spinal fluid of the subcritical failure). Apply none of the as a lucid dreamer and scout for ject. This stimulates brain hormone modifiers above to this roll; these rolls future invasions) and advanced other production and retrovirally implants a continue until the subject dies, or the lines of inquiry. copy of the Havig-Karashkin world- implant is removed. A failed roll means A few of the methods Pauder and jumping genes into the Mule. The the subject gains the Jumper (World) the Armanen Order use to cross the subject spends three days running a advantage, becomes Susceptible to worlds or create a world-jumper dangerous fever (104°) and gets a Disease (HT-3), and gains further con- (derisively called a Maulesel, or HT-6 roll to resist the retroviruses; if comitant disadvantages as indicated “Mule”) follow: he fails, he receives the Jumper on p. 195. (World) advantage and concomitant

ENEMIES EVERYWHEN 65 Demonic Seeding: This method is a Still others (those who displease own administrative funds to improve triumph for the Armanen occultists, the Order, or violate procedure on and fully staff the bases. The Waffen- who tracked down the world-jumping other worlds, or show signs of trying SS command, possibly amazed to find “demon” known as Tychiron in vari- to escape) are locked into stalls in the something actually militarily useful ous crumbling tomes. A Raven Bisanz world-gate. This doorway, being done in Burgundy, put up no Division team found it in a powered by a fission reactor and objections. He then began to siphon Transylvanian mountain pass in the focused using the renegade Mules’ off a few men at a time into a new unit Friedrich worldline (p. 124) and cap- brains, cycles between Reich-5 and its with its own training and barracks tured it using a thorn web woven into duplicate on the Nostradamus parallel facilities, which he grandly called SS a many-knotted sphere. After bringing (p. 138) every six hours. It was com- Raven Division. Believing this new it back to Bisanz, the Order immured pleted in 2009 after four years of con- division (actually closer to regimental it in the crypt beneath a Teutonic struction; many of the delicate parts strength) merely an overblown “head- Order castle, in a chamber lined with had to be re-machined on site many quarters guard” to feed Mattern’s ego, thorns, runes, and mirrors according times as the local quantum flow Waffen-SS command again signed off. to the ritual developed by Armanen changed, and it requires almost daily In 2007, after years of test runs and researchers. When prospective Mules maintenance. (It also requires 21 reconnaissance jumps, Raven Division are brought to the chamber, Tychiron Mules, one or two of whom die every launched its first full-scale crossworld rapes them (Will-6 to resist), leaving few months.) It can send 10 tons invasion, from the Mesopotamia its egg-spawn roiling in their spine through at a time, mostly components Reichsprotektorat into Nostradamus and pelvic nerves. (Resisted or not, the and spare parts in trucks (all more (p. 138). Local resistance was fierce experience causes a Fright Check, also easily fudged on inventories than self- (especially from the Kurdish cavalry), at -6; Tychiron might try to rape a propelled howitzers or attack drones). but fruitless against the high-tech stunned character who resisted it at The Mules are fatted – and penned – weapons of the SS, which rapidly took first.) The Mule can’t technically like veal calves, with their brains control of the Euphrates Valley. The world-jump, but the Tychiron spawn tubed together in a psionic circuit Armanen had selected Nostradamus can, and brings the Mule along. Mules tuning the gate. because of the unanimous verdict of who undergo this treatment need to all precognitives that victory was take regular herbal supplements to assured; they discovered that keep the Tychiron spawn infantile and Nostradamus also sat at a dimension- subservient; without them, the advan- al highway junction. This “Chrono- tage becomes essentially Uncontrol- bahn” (p. 79) directed the Armanen to lable. As long as the herbs hold out, their next target, Friedrich, where though, the Mule has the Jumper rather than mount an invasion, the (World) advantage with the disadvan- Order decided to strengthen the local tages as set out on p. 174. He is also First Reich (the German-Roman mindlinked with every other spawn or Empire) into a pure Aryan state. carrier of Tychiron across the worlds; Between the Nostradamus garri- since most of them have gone mad, Pauder’s next project is to use hun- son, the recon squads along the this is not necessarily a bonus. dreds of cloned fetuses from Havig’s Chronobahn, and the advisers in Psibernetics: Not all the Mules are sperm as batteries in a much larger Friedrich, the Raven Division is sent out with the Division to the new gate, one able to send panzers and per- stretched to its limits. Brigadeführer worlds. Some of them remain behind haps even heavy transport aircraft Fest plans to recruit and train pure in Bisanz and Dijon for various pur- through. This master gate is 18 Aryan soldiers in Friedrich, and arm poses. A few, who are reduced to months away from completion, unless them with weapons from the factories immobility or idiocy by the drugs, Pauder has a theoretical breakthrough the Armanen have been secretly build- become human gene banks and tissue that allows him to develop parts ing in Nostradamus for the last three tanks, doped into stupor and drained capable of adjusting to quantum flow years. Until these plans can come of blood every day by the doctors of alteration, or if the Ahnenerbe together (the first fully outtime Raven Pauder’s lab. Others (especially those occultists discover a ritual to keep the Division regiment will finish its train- with the Mass Jumper enhancement) gate magically tuned. ing in a few months, but their heavy are wired into psibernetic linkages equipment has been delayed by sabo- that expand their powers to allow light tage in Nostradamus), the Division aircraft (such as helicopter gunships) The Raven Has Flown has to draw its strength from its and small vehicles up to 4 tons or so to While the energies of Nazi science Reich-5 base. travel between the worlds. These psi- and occultism worked to open the way bernetic linkages also have a chance of to new worlds, the subtleties of Nazi rejection, as with surgery; the roll is politics and blackmail built an army to Training and Doctrine not modified for Resistant, however, invade them. Ordenführer Mattern The Raven Division trains as and the procedure does not convey expanded the training cadre at the SS gebirgsjägers, mountain light infantry Susceptible to Disease. academies in Burgundy, adding more tailored for extended patrol operations men and more facilities, spending his with minimal support and a heavy

66 ENEMIES EVERYWHEN concentration on force multipliers. None of Pauder’s Mules are able to transport panzers across worlds, for instance. The largest load that the Glorious Goals Order can send outtime is a 10-ton Where Centrum actively plans to impede the Patrol and, eventually, Spähpanzer APC, along with its crew remove Homeline from the board entirely, the Raven Division follows its and passengers (six men in all), and it own purposes. The Armanen have no interest in going out and picking a can’t send many of those without fill- fight with the Patrol; they are content to wait and build their strength ing out some very creative paperwork while they pursue goals such as: to explain how it “lost” the vehicles. Perforce, then, Raven Division has to Find Hitler: Not just any Hitler will do, of course. On some worlds, he strike fast, light, and hard. To avoid never had his wondrous insights; on others, he became a drugged-out such hassles, the Division keeps a large shambling wreck; on still others, he lost the War and is obviously an number of light civilian vehicles unfit specimen. The Order wants to find the True Hitler, the one who (motorcycles, off-road trucks, etc.) on bears the spirit of Reich-5’s departed Führer. hand. Find the Ark of the Covenant: Or the Holy Grail, or the Spear of Training emphasizes mobility Destiny. The Spear at Wewelsburg doesn’t seem to work as promised, but without the use of mechanized or air- somewhere in the worlds there must be one that will guarantee victory mobile support, and the Division to the Aryan race. Actually, the Order takes any reality shard (p. 76) it ensures that all troops receive special can, since some may allow their users to jump across worlds. training in “antiquated” tasks such as Find the True Aryan Homeland: Although Friedrich is an excellent handling horses and mules. In theory start, even the Aryans there have suffered the taint of mixed breeding the Division gets by with a very light and seem puny and querulous compared to the mighty warriors of baggage train, prioritizing ammuni- Himmlerian legend. Somewhere among the worlds is the original world tion and foraging in the operations where the original Aryan race was born. That holy place will be an area (i.e., pillaging the locals) where impregnable fortress and a boundless source of warriors for the Reich! possible. As a practical matter, the Division tends to accumulate additional animals to hold more ammo, parts, and loot as time goes on. hot or cold weather. In high-threat sit- Kerne Compared to troops in front-line uations he can put on an armor SS and Wehrmacht units, Raven To prepare the way for future cuirass (p. 27). Completing the uni- Raven Division assaults, and to steal Division troops are horribly under- form is a pair of assault jackboots and equipped. Logistics is king, and the technology and valuables from other a coalscuttle combat helmet. See the worlds, the Armanen have estab- limited Mule capacity cannot be spent Armor Table on p. 26 for additional on the large amounts of consumables lished Kerne (“kernels”), self-suffi- information. Every trooper has the cient bases throughout the nearby that are required for TL8 and TL9 mil- equivalent of a hideout radio (p. 24) itary equipment (notably batteries). worlds and all along the Chronobahn. in the helmet. Each Kern is commanded by a Transport must prioritize the troops Field Pack: When moving to a new themselves, medical supplies, small- Gestapo agent from Amt Z (“Office operations area each trooper carries a Z”), the secret office of the Gestapo arms ammunition and support full pack, freeing up the animals for weapons. created by the Armanen conspiracy, heavy and bulky equipment (mortar and staffed by a minimum of one Weapons: A typical trooper carries baseplates, fuel cans, ammo boxes, Mule and three to five Raven Division a loaded StG 03 rifle (p. 200) and 10 etc.). This includes, at a minimum, an troopers for security. It has a stand of extra clips at all times. Accuracy is at a entrenching tool, lightweight shelter, weapons, both local and SS issue, premium, so all troops receive the best compressible sleeping bag, two mor- suitable for 20 men, and supplies sights money can buy – these light bat- tar rounds, first-aid kit, extra uniform, (food, medicine, etc.) to sustain that tlesights are +2 Acc and provide both personal basics (p. B288), rain gear, 3- many men for a year, roughly eight Infravision and Telescopic Vision 2 (2 gallon water bladder, climbing gear tons of equipment all told. Ideally, the lbs.). Officers carry 9mm Luger pis- (p. 25), 20 yards of nanofiber rope Kern has an encrypted radio, micro- tols; all Raven Division soldiers carry (p. 25), and a weeks worth of rations computer, and other useful electron- bayonets, grenades, and additional (see Meals-in-a-Box, p. 25). Troopers ics. As much of this as possible is ammunition for the squad light with special missions (e.g., the bought locally using gold stolen or machinegun. radioman) carry a bit less as they must counterfeited on site; transporting Uniform: The basic feldgrau haul around the large tactical radios gold across the worlds takes up a lot armored uniform includes adaptive used in Reich-5 (they do not benefit of room that could go to TL8+ camouflage (+2 to Stealth when from the software radios used in weapons and intrusion gear, which motionless, +1 when moving) and a Homeline and Centrum). Troopers can bring any Gestapo agent worth microclimate system to keep the also tend to carry around knicknacks his salt plenty of gold. wearer comfortable even in unusually from home and small trinkets that caught their eye.

ENEMIES EVERYWHEN 67 THE CABAL Somewhere among the quanta takes extreme pains to keep it that conspirators, psionic mandarins, and there is an Earth under the shadow of way. The existence of multiple Cabals, powerful magi such as John Dee or a vast conspiracy of monsters, sorcer- each claiming to be the original, might Marie Laveau. Some Lodges are ers, and psionic masters. That con- also explain why so many of the magi, organized into Grand Lodges with spiracy claims to date back to the first parachronozoids, and undead who chapters across the world (or worlds). wars of gods and men that splintered claim to be Cabalists seem, on further A few of the more commonly encoun- the magical cosmos and hurled frag- examination, to be mainly bent on tered Grand Lodges include: ments of existence across the univers- doing some unspecified but no doubt Amonis Albioni: This lodge is cen- es on plumes of magic and the blood gory harm to some other Cabalist in tered on various Englands, and vora- of gods. It claims to have eyes that can an endless cycle of magical vendetta ciously accumulates maps and charts see across the planes to the remotest and coup-counting. of the planes and the infinite worlds. Earth and talons that can catch the If its larger organization is a matter The Amonis Albioni also has a great unwary between universes. It is the of theory and contested allegiance, deal of experience at infiltrating Cabal, those who bowed before the however, on the local level the Cabal demonic cults – either to destroy mad Pharaoh Khaibitu-na-Khonsu can be ferociously loyal to its own. them, or to add their power to the before he led them into battle against Each Cabalist has two members Lodge. Ra, the Unconquered Sun, when the whose death he is honor-bound to Blind Haroeris Lodge: This lodge is Pyramids were new. avenge, his passers (from the Latin for devoted to quests, seeking out the “sparrow,” as in the Biblical verse “Not Fountain of Youth, the Golden Fleece, a sparrow shall fall without his sight”). the Philosopher’s Stone, and other TRUTH AND LIES He, in turn, has two ultors (Latin for wondrous items. One special interest So much for what the Cabal claims. “avengers”) who are sworn to avenge of the Lodge is tarot decks; it will kill (See GURPS Cabal for further details.) his death. This strict pattern of an impressive number of people for a What the Patrol knows doesn’t imme- vengeance may be why so many of the unique Boccaccio Deck or a diately contradict any of the above – in Cabalists plotting against each other Lombardy Second. Its members sel- the infinite worlds, after all, stranger seem to do so out on isolated worlds dom have a fixed base, preferring to things have proven to be true, and the or shiftrealms on the Patrol’s beat. operate out of sailing ships (especially Patrol doesn’t think it’s found the Earth Cabalists organize themselves into “ghost ship” shiftrealms, see p. 79) or the Cabal originates on. quasi-independent Lodges of 10 to 20 airships. Some of its members are If there is only one such Earth: Cabalists under the leadership of an swagmen (p. 71). Baron Janos Telkozep (p. B320), a Adept. If the local Lodge runs into Golden Lodge of Asten: The Golden vampire who works for ISWAT, says something it can’t handle, it calls in its Lodge operates primarily “east of he left the Cabal’s home world one Adept’s allies in the upper ranks of the Suez” in Singapores, Djakartas, step ahead of the Cabal, but his Cabal, who can be very powerful and Angkors, Shanghais, and Amboynas description doesn’t match other infor- scary indeed. At the top of the on many worlds. Its golden “monkey mation available to the Patrol. The pyramid are the Grand Masters, paw” sign hangs discreetly in twisty Cabal, like some other conspiracies, who are vampire lords, werewolf Chinatowns and glasteel skyscrapers may be “native to” a number of world- queens, deposed gods, billionaire lines at once, parallel Cabals to go with the parallel Egypts and John Dees of the alternate histories. On the other hand, the parallel Cabals may all spring from one ur-Cabal founded Active Gods While roaming across the Infinite Worlds, both Cabalists and harder- before a great reality quake or quanta- headed Patrolmen have encountered all manner of “gods,” from sentient clysm destroyed their original Earth defense computers to immortal pranksters to crashed aliens. Every so and left shadow Cabals across a score often, they meet a god who meets the more traditional definition – a of worlds. transcendent entity of immense supernatural power. Patrol and Cabal protocol is identical in these cases: polite agreement Vast Conspiracies without committing to anything, especially worship. Fortunately, only a However many Cabals there are, very few gods seem to have the desire (and even fewer have the ability) they all seem to have roughly the same to leave their home worldline or pocket universe. For some reason, such agenda: the secret accumulation of gods are seldom the kindly and benevolent sort. Even if they are, their magical power and knowledge in the divine paths are strewn with banestorms, reality quakes, and other signs name of self-defense and self-aggran- and wonders. These rogue gods pose grave threats to the continuum; dizement. Even on worlds with open ISWAT and the Cabal both give such outbreaks their highest priority. magic, the Cabal operates in the shadows; on worlds without it, the Cabal

68 ENEMIES EVERYWHEN alike. It seems to be in the occult artifact acquisition and disposition business, and has cordial (if necessarily discreet) relations with White Star Trading representatives on many worlds. Lodge of the Midwinter Aton: This lodge of Bavarian sorcerers exists on a few worlds, led by the fearsome were- the blackest of ancient Egypt’s necro- researcher who provides a Wheelman wolf-mage Léonard du Sarrazin. Its mantic cults, the Sons of Imhotep with fresh data or the location of a emblem is a black left-handed swasti- build magical pyramid chambers in potential banestorm upwelling ka in a white disk, and the Patrol the worst districts of teeming cities. receives an emerald the size of a fist, strongly suspects it of having ties to Clad in robes that (it is said) hide hor- or the death of a rival, in return. Every the Nazi Parties of various worlds and rible animalistic deformities, the Sons once in a while, he gets something he possibly to the Armanen Order of of Imhotep stalk archaeologists (both actually wanted, too. Reich-5. It seeks political power bol- local and outtime) to steal idols or stered by magical force; its experi- papyri needed for their blasphemous ceremonies. Across the Planes ments triggered the Hellstorm on According to the Cabal’s cosmolo- Merlin-3 (p. 135). Wheel of Ptah: This lodge traces the fault lines and subtle craquelure of gy, there may be infinite worlds, but Sons of Imhotep: These freaks scare there are only four Realms that mat- even their fellow Cabalists. Devoted to reality quakes across the infinite worlds. Occasionally, a Paralabs ter. The Cabal more usually uses the names shown in parentheses, which are drawn from Jewish mysticism. Material Realm (Assiah): The The Cabal Material Realm contains all the infinite Earths and Marses and so forth, in the Campaign like pebbles in a beach or knots in a As written, the Cabal plays second fiddle in an Infinite Worlds cam- rug. Although Cabalists spend plenty paign. Consumed with infighting and with its own arcane and abstruse of time in the Material, they don’t usu- researches, it takes no sides in the great contest between Infinity and ally consider it the source of wisdom. Centrum. Its goal of keeping magic and the supernatural secret keeps it The mana level of Assiah varies from from threatening Infinity’s Secret. So how can the GM use it if he’d like world to world, and sometimes varies to? within a given world. Astral Realm (Yetzirah): The Astral Variety: The Cabal adds a strange Hammer Films flavor to the Realm is “above” or “inside” the straightforward SF of the Infinity Patrol. If the GM wants to add some- Material Realm, touching all worlds thing magical to the game, the Cabal can let him do it without creating equally. It holds flocks of spirits both a full-fledged fantasy world. malevolent and benevolent, and whole Unpredictability: Even if the Cabal picked a side, not all the Lodges cities and planets of its own. Cabalists would go along. In a setting with two villainous villains, the Cabal makes consider the shiftrealm of Faërie an ambiguous one. Patrolmen are more likely to cooperate with a not (p. 80) to be part of Yetzirah, even obviously deranged Cabalist than with a world-hopping Nazi or a ruth- though its elves seem material enough less Centrum agent. Any Cabal encounter, therefore, might potentially be to Patrolmen who (cautiously) visit. a social encounter, one about building the game world rather than shoot- The Astral Realm has normal mana. ing off chunks of it. Iconic Realm (Briah): Separated Flexibility: Anything the GM could possibly want to send the Patrol from Yetzirah by an enormous spiritu- after, the Cabal might want to steal, break, or shift from world to world. al ocean, Briah is the home of gods, The Cabal might have its own unguessable reasons for shifting echoes, archangels, and similarly iconic fig- summoning banestorms, kidnapping time tourists, killing Centrum ures. Some Patrolmen claim to have agents, or any other adventure-creating action. seen Batman or Mao in the Iconic Ubiquity: Anyone might be a member of the Cabal, on any world. This Realm; the boundaries to Briah may gives the GM a “Trojan Horse” to hook some NPC into the adventure, a be more porous than the traditionalist fun source for player paranoia, and plenty of possibilities for character Cabal would like to believe. The Iconic drama. Between the Gates of Thoth and the astral plane, a Cabalist can Realm has very high mana. show up on any world, in any era. Realm of Pure Spirit (Atziluth): No Power: The Cabal can be a big hammer to smash something the GM Cabalists except the Grand Masters wants smashed, a barely trustworthy ally to help deal with a menace, or have ever visited Atziluth, the a source for world-jumping abilities outside the control of Infinity or Godhead at the Center of Everything, Centrum. If the GM wants it brought, the Cabal can bring it. and there is some reason to believe that the Grand Masters are lying.

ENEMIES EVERYWHEN 69 LESSER THREATS well-armed to run kidnap rings in, but industry that gained them their ORGANIZED there are other Earths with starving entrée to the parallels. With Russia girls willing to go anywhere as long as jealously guarding its 20% share of CRIME it’s away. One or two Outfit operators offworld mining licenses, and with Although plenty of small-time have been working to take over the the Mafiya working hand in glove grifters hang out on the fringes, real Chicago mobs in parallel Earths, to with all the major oligarchs and connections across the worlds require rake off some of their take for the ben- their paid governors, the result was a juice. That’s where the Mob comes in; efit of Homeline, but the technological foregone conclusion. One State for a price, it can get you your old advantage isn’t as helpful when every- Department paper estimates that high-school girlfriend from another one is still using baseball bats and 80% of the Russian offworld mining Earth, or sneak you into an illegal flick-knives anyway. operations are carried out by Mafiya- dinosaur-poaching expedition. But Finally, of course, the various blast- owned or -connected firms, and bil- that’s just constituent relations, small- ed, frozen, hell-scarred Earths to lions of rubles flow right into the time stuff. What the big picture is like which Interworld Waste Transport gangs’ bank accounts in Switzerland depends on the mob in question; not actually delivers its legitimate cargoes and Johnson’s Rome. The Mafiya all Mafias are created equal. of spent plutonium, tetradioxin, and mostly uses these vast rakeoffs to beryllium dust make excellent dump- fund its Homeline operations in com- The Outfit ing grounds for inconvenient corpses puter crime, racketeering, and extor- For the Chicago Outfit and its vari- – including a few from the Patrol’s tion, rather than expand to other ous national affiliates, going to other Justice Division. worldlines. They do heavily “recruit” worlds was just business as usual. soldiers from various battlefields When White Star Trading needed to across the alternate Russias; there is The Russian Mafiya no shortage of desperate, brave, spin off its waste-hauling business, the Like the Chicago boys, the Russian trucking firm it called in was already doomed warriors willing to get high Mafiya simply transferred its stan- pay and modern dental care in an Outfit front. The Outfit slipped into dards and practices offworld. In this crossworld crime by signing on the exchange for only having to shoot case, it was their connections with unarmed civilians. dotted line in Infinity Tower. Using the Russian government and mining Interworld Waste Transport as the licensor of record, the Outfit was able to divert a small fleet of conveyor trucks to its own use. With bribed and blackmailed programmers, the supposedly hardwired systems could get hacked (albeit with a permanent -2 penalty to all Electronics Operation (Parachronic) skill rolls on those vehicles) to allow free subquantum operation. Diverting a projector is beyond the Outfit’s capacity (so far), but there’s little need for one right now. Like the Patrol, the Outfit’s “East Side Express” has more work than it can handle, even restricted to Quantum 5. The biggest business is drugs. From Gallatin, an alternate Earth where the Midwest is a libertarian anarchy, the Outfit buys cheap, legal, guaranteed pure heroin and cocaine – and ships it by the ton to Homeline. The most difficult part is laundering the drug shipments on Homeline so that the FBI and the Patrol don’t trace them back to the supplier. A close second is prostitution and the flesh trade; Gallatin is oddly bad at pornog- raphy (making it acceptable seems to have spoiled the thrill), and far too

70 ENEMIES EVERYWHEN outside the reach of the Communist government on Homeline. They shift Swagmen things of great rarity but low weight – pirated software and movies, industri- A crosstime extended “family” of grifters, the swagmen take their al secrets, and powdered dinosaur name from the Australian slang term for wandering bums. The penis. The Triads do a brisk business Australian Outback sprouted boomtowns on Homeline in the early 21st, in crossworld poaching, as well – the as miners came through to dig opals and gold on their own, and urani- rhinoceros is endangered on four or um for Infinity, on alternate Australias across the quantum. Where fast five more worlds, and the sabertooth money and greed come together, so do confidence men and gamblers. has been hunted to extinction in Asia One crew of such outlaws managed to coalesce with a series of grifts on Mammut-3. The I-Cops have begun that wound up stranding a Consolidated Mining representative in cracking down on the crosstime Coventry, and leaving them on their own with a conveyor and a book of Triads. coordinates. They had the same problem every other ambitious crosstimer faces; too many marks and not enough men. Rather than dummy up, they FREELANCE reached out to friends of friends and connections from every dive bar on three continents. From the Irish Travelers and the Romany, they took CRIMINALS the codes of trust and insularity that kept con games going for decades; There’s plenty of room in the infi- from the grifters and sharps they took the newest cons and the flair to nite worlds for freelancers in crime, as reach beyond the pigeon drop and driveway game to big takedowns. well. If one version of Miami gets too As their contacts expanded, so did their options. Swagmen often take hot for you, try the next world over! jobs on crosstime mining operations, or simply bribe personnel clerks to The real bottleneck is access to a con- put their names on the roster. As the miners go from world to world, the veyor; if it’s not under the watchful eye swagmen go with them. Con games can raise the fare for a Time Tours of the Patrol or some government or trip, and glib operators can hook onto an academic team as guides or U.N. agency, it’s probably under the translators. There are plenty of ways to get from world to world if you’re watchful eye of the local mob. Even good at the grift, and the swagmen are among the best. the free spirits listed below, therefore, With an infinity of marks, they can afford to hit only the richest and probably need at least one “connect- most deserving. They’ve run the Spanish Prisoner on a world where the ed” street Contact to operate, unless Armada won, and the Two-Ring Gambit with the Bonaparte crown jew- they have some non-parachronic els. They’ve conned a parallel Howard Hughes before the Mob could, means of world-jumping. (These same and accidentally-on-purpose gained Australian independence for Ned criminal types, and most of the same Kelly on Britannica-6 (and a fortune in gold for themselves). assumptions, apply in a time-travel Every year on April Fool’s Day, all the swagmen who can make it will campaign as well.) hook up for a big party on some rural worldline. There they swap stories and trade techniques, keeping their options open and their sense of Crosstime Thieves solidarity intact. These criminals use their knowledge of the other world (or the past) and/or their advanced technology to An alarming number of Russian When the “historical researcher” or steal gold, gems, and other highly mafiosi decide to go “play czar” on the “import consultant” on the passport negotiable goods. Time thieves are primitive worlds their supposedly vanishes, the Triad member surfaces often clever but unsubtle. A Spanish secret mines exploit. Since many and makes contact with the local treasure galleon, for instance, is an Russian mining operations are mis- Triads in the parallel. Although a cer- easy target for an armed hovercraft, or filed, with “accidental transpositions” tain amount of turf war is inevitable, even a few men with body armor and in the coordinate field for example, it the combination of access to cross- submachine guns in a native sloop. can be months before reports of black world travel and connections with When the gold is secured, the pirates SUVs loaded with gunmen looting the high technology proves too tempting burn the ship and send it to the bot- ziggurat at Lagash filter back to the to the outtimers. The locals then tom, with no survivors and nobody the Patrol. So far, one or another wave of ambush a different conveyor in a dif- wiser. barbarian invasions have swallowed ferent area – the Patrol doesn’t know up the outrages, but the danger to The how many “vanished surveys” are Scavengers Secret remains ever-present. actually sitting at the bottom of the Many items are quite ordinary in Haiphong harbor or a quarry in their own time or place, but priceless Guangdong on some parallel, but it’s in today’s world. Almost any ancient The Triads more than one or two. The various Asian crime families weapon, for instance, becomes a valu- The Triads concentrate on building able antique a few centuries down the around the Pacific have found their redundant crossworld connections way across the worlds as well. Usually, line. Likewise, ordinary coins, stamps, and allies; they heavily recruit Chinese mechanical devices, and publications they travel on forged papers to a par- world-jumpers, especially in overseas allel with a large Chinese diaspora. can all become very valuable with the and outtime Chinese communities passing of time.

ENEMIES EVERYWHEN 71 The scavenger acquires such items acquisitions for their own sake. Most Past times and alternate worlds when and where they are new. He simply sell to collectors. could be an inexhaustible source of might then bury them for proper Depending on the game back- slaves and other victims. A crossworld “aging,” or just bring them directly to ground and the laws, some sorts of trading organization might easily turn Homeline (or, in a time travel cam- “looting” may be perfectly legal. If the into a slave trade, taking prisoners on paign, the future). The existence of goods are obtained honestly, and there one obscure alternate world and mov- scavengers can drive a collector mad. is no chance of upsetting history or ing them to another in exchange for Is this Four-Penny Black stamp a changing the structure of a parallel valuable goods. “real” one from Homeline, or is it world, it may be all right to “import” Individuals – famous people from from an alternate world? And if it is an valuables. (And some worlds take a history, or their alternate versions – alternate, does that make it a forgery? more “Elgin Marbles” approach to might also be kidnapped for any num- Of course, in some campaigns other timelines’ artifacts, tacitly con- ber of reasons. People might also be scavenging might be legal. In others, it doning looting artifacts from “bar- timenapped for research purposes, might be illegal – not because it is barous” timelines or cultures to bring legitimate or otherwise. wicked in itself, but because of the such masterpieces into the light of If the timenapper’s “home world” danger that any unauthorized time or “civilization.”) In a time-travel game has biotechnology at TL8 or better, dimension travel might pose to the (or even on an echo), “stealing” treas- human genetic material can be stolen continuum. On Homeline, scavenging ures about to be destroyed, if done with rather less fuss than kidnapping. is strictly licensed (LC2), for “museum carefully, might be a praiseworthy res- There might be a thriving under- replicas only,” but in practice is almost cue mission rather than a crime! ground market, driven by men who impossible to control. want to own a clone of Cleopatra or of Marilyn Monroe and by women who Timenappers want to bear a natural child of Elvis Looters Timenappers visit a historical alter- Presley or Alexander the Great. Looters are also thieves, but instead nate world (or the past, in a time trav- Another advantage of gene-napping is of “ordinary” valuables, they look for el setting), and kidnap victims from that clones can usually be further unique ones. They may raid art gal- there, bringing them to the criminals’ altered to the buyer’s specifications – leries, libraries, palaces, and mansions own homeworld. The object might be get a baby Alexander without the gene for the masterpieces of other worlds. ransom – just another way of getting for alcoholism, or a naturally Or they may be souvenir hunters, pick- rich in the past. But more likely, it’s platinum-blonde Marilyn Monroe. ing up interesting relics. Some looters because someone on the timenappers’ are connoisseurs, treasuring their home world wants that victim.

Where Are the Starships? So far no one from Homeline has reported a paral- No, Really, Where Are They? lel Earth with reliable, technological faster than light Like reliable, technological time travel (Can of travel. (Although Azoth-7 (p. 112) has its own strange Infinite Worms box, p. 153), interstellar campaign set- alchemical starships, they don’t seem to operate in any tings don’t mesh well with crosstime gaming. The normal cosmos at all, being closer to Cabalistic planar causality and time-dilation paradoxes alone will drive travel than anything else.) Paralabs physicists have two GMs crazy, and any realistic advanced, interstellar, main theories on the subject, neither of them anything high-tech civilization is just not going to accidentally like experimentally proven: overlook Infinity agents sneaking into its universe in Delay: Although seemingly unlikely, it might just be parachronic conveyors, emitting all kinds of quantum that no parallel Earth has invented FTL travel at all. radiation. The Secret would last about an hour and a Since Homeline is among the most technically half, and then your campaign would be over. advanced Earths, and FTL hasn’t been invented there, Finally, the canvas is quite simply a little too vast for maybe it just takes another century or two of progress. this book. What about all the parallels where the diver- Caliph (p. 117) may be getting close. gence point happens on Tau Ceti IV? What about Distortion: Another theory postulates that the local armadas of crosstime alien invaders? What if every one quantum field can only deform in one direction, either of the billions of worlds has its own quantum cloud of “timeward” or “spaceward.” Since parachronics came echoes and parallels? One of the fundamental assump- first (on Earth, anyway), no Earth-based FTL is possi- tions of a crosstime game is that Earth (or one of them, ble at all – unless the parachronic distortion can some- anyway) is central and important. The vastness of the how be filtered out. Galaxy mitigates against that. Add FTL to the Infinite Worlds if you wish, but – be careful out there.

72 ENEMIES EVERYWHEN PARACHRONOZOIDS Parachronozoids are creatures thing he saw on his travels, or some a time, merging with the roofline and with natural world-jumping abilities. anecdote about his family. (He is espe- waiting for prey. They range widely in form, disposi- cially fond of stories about his twin They prefer world-jumpers, but tion, and nature. Some look like nor- brother, who apparently has done will attack anything with a strange mal animals, while some are talking, everything from serving in the Army parachronic “smell.” Failing that, they bipedal beasts. Some seem human or as a buck private to dancing with will attack anyone alone who looks ghostly. A few are simply indescrib- movie starlets.) At the end of the jour- like he would spray blood for a very able – beautiful (or horrible) beyond ney, Aaron has dropped his passenger great distance. They love to sadistical- comprehension. or passengers wherever they were ly dangle foes in midair, hang them All parachronozoids possess the going, and left them with a gift of from church spires, or attack them in Jumper (World) advantage (p. 174). some sort. Sometimes it’s just money mid-climb, knocking them onto nar- Most have the Tunnel enhancement, or jewelry, but sometimes the story he row ledges or rooflines for extra fun. allowing them to create interdimen- told holds a crucial clue to the prob- Some Cabalists are reputed to have sional paths that can be followed. lem waiting for the traveler. And trained gargoyles as coursing hounds Often, these paths close behind them sometimes, the traveler finds a key ally or “carrier pigeons.” after a time, with potentially drastic waiting for him, or his true love, or consequences for the unwary follower. both. Many parachronozoids also have the Aaron may be a ghost, or a tulpa Warp advantage (p. B97), giving them created by psionic projection or mass the ability to jump across space as well wish-fulfillment, or he may just be a as the dimensions. world-jumping bodhisattva with an Some parachronozoids seem idiosyncratic personal style. Nobody drawn to those with latent or active has ever tried to harm Aaron in his psionic abilities (most often ESP or own car, and he has never offered Teleportation). Others seek mana-rich harm to anyone, even the deserving. areas, and there are rumors of ways to magically summon or lure them. Certainly, wizards have trapped and Gargoyles tamed such entities, using them as Gargoyles are either the pigeons or mounts or harnessing them to create the rats of the parallels. Possibly both. world-jumping chariots. They are slightly smarter than chim- Gargoyles There are almost as many different panzees, with the aggression and ST 20+; DX 16-18; IQ 7; HT 16. kinds of parachronozoids as there are trooping instincts of baboons. They Will 10; Per 16; Speed 8; Dodge 11; worlds for them to hail from. This have widely varying facial and body Move 8 (Ground). mere smattering includes two unique structures, but all have wings and SM 0; 200-300 lbs. beings and one fairly common (and talons. Traits: Automaton; Body of Stone; unpleasant) species. Gargoyles have a gray, shifting Chameleon 5 (Stone only); complexion that blends well with old Enhanced Move 1 (Air Speed 32); stone (rather less well with concrete). Flight (Winged; Air Move 16); “Aaron” They prefer to flock in the older sec- Jumper (World); Long Talons; Aaron is the name most often given tions of cities, especially old churches. Magery 0; Silence 5. by a man in dark glasses who appears They can roost stock-still for hours at Skills: Brawling-14; Stealth-18. on lonely roads driving a black automobile. Sometimes it’s a hearse, sometimes it’s a coach and four, and sometimes it’s the iconic black His voice had risen to a scream. “Frank, Cadillac Seville. He only appears to Frank, a terrible and unspeakable deed was done travelers on foot, and only at night or noon. Aaron shows up at the moment in the beginning. Before time, the deed, and from when the walker’s spirits are at their the deed –” He had risen and was hysterically lowest . . . when they have received some deadening setback that crushes pacing the room. “The deeds of the dead move what little hope they had. through angles in the dim recesses of time. They Aaron begins by offering a ride are hungry and athirst!” and, if accepted, conversation. He talks in generalities, but they center on – Frank Belknap Long, the importance of love and virtue. The Hounds of Tindalos Occasionally he tells a story of some-

ENEMIES EVERYWHEN 73 The White Stag The White Stag has romped through the mythic history of Spoor and Stigmata many an Earth. It led Magor and Although parachronozoids vary widely in form and feature, there are one Hunor to the steppes of Scythia to or two ways to identify many of them, and a few reliable indicators that found the tribes of Hungary. It something has walked through worlds nearby. tried to warn Pwyll away from the Parachronozoid spoor includes: lands of Annwn, and led Peredur to the Grail Castle. It launched • Odd bare patches in the shape of footprints, especially cloven hooves or quests by Sir Geraint and other canine tracks. Sometimes they appear in naked rock. Arthurian knights. And it has • Unusual growth of crossworld plants such as Puck’s Cap mushrooms, appeared every so often to tradescantia creeper, and Queen Marie’s clover. Rings or lines of more nor- Patrolmen on leave or otherwise mal mushrooms and flowers sometimes indicate a jump or running land- not on duty. ing by a parachronozoid. Unfortunately, it has yet to • People near the entry or exit point often have dreams of large black cats. appear to a Patrolman with any This can happen even when the parachronozoid is small, pale, and non- great skill at woodcraft (it feline. requires at least Tracking-16 to Signs that a creature may be a world-walker include: follow successfully), so nobody knows where it’s trying to lead • Pure white fur, without other albino features. him. It creates a trod (p. 79) • Violet or mismatched eyes. under its hooves; anyone who can • Unusual perception or intelligence for its species or, on worlds where it’s track it can follow it to another not normal for the species, human speech. world with no other roll needed. • An unusual appetite for oats or strawberries. Anemones spring up along its trail three days after it passes by. OTHER HAZARDS Not all the dangers between the the “jump space” that conveyors tran- worlds are human, or even sentient. THE SPACES sit has any characteristics, they don’t Simply traveling the continuum can show up on Infinity’s instruments. be a harrowing experience, especially BETWEEN without a handy conveyor. Even nexus Although the worlds vary widely, portals don’t always open onto the they are all still worlds, and usually The Current same place twice, and dimensional Earths. The spaces between the The other type of space between highways thread through some worlds, however, can be anything at all the Earths that the Patrol has encoun- uncanny turf indeed. The continuum – or nothing at all. tered so far is “the Current,” a rushing doesn’t stay the same from place to flow of charged particles that runs place or time to time; banestorms and Nothingness “back” from Homeline through all reality quakes shift even the scenery other worlds. (Centrum may also gen- The most common experience of erate a Current of its own.) Paralabs that doesn’t shift by itself. the space between Earths, for the Charting these hazards and their calls these “oz particles,” after the Infinity Patrol anyway, is nothing. twister that took Dorothy Gale to effects remains an inexact science. (For which they are profoundly Surveyors can determine deforma- another world (which, unnervingly, thankful.) If it’s working correctly, a exists on Quantum 4) in The Wizard of tions of the physical landscape, and conveyor simply vanishes from one map them to field strengths of various Oz. Powerful eddies of the Current roil point and reappears instantaneously around Merlin-3 (p. 134) and some quantum energies. Paraphysicists, at the same point on another Earth. meteorologists, and geologists find other worlds; travel to or from those Whether it travels through a micro- worlds by any means is always at -1 or their disciplines merging as the con- wormhole at billions of times the nections between physical and para- more to skill. speed of light, or simply transposes The Current mostly appears on the physical phenomena teasingly flit itself like an electron when nobody’s through the available theories and various Earths in the form of looking, or ravels down the super- banestorms (p. 75), which are proper- data. Pure mathematicians offer help- strings that knot the Earths together ful comments on catastrophe and ties of its much more massive and beneath even the quantum level, dangerous flow. Although only a few chaos theory, and rather less helpful nobody knows for sure. The math comments about “nonbirational especially hardened Patrol conveyors explains it all three ways, depending have breached the Current (entering mappings.” on which figures you emphasize. If

74 ENEMIES EVERYWHEN through larger and more stable critical failure, 1d points. Your fea- Vortices banestorms), it may be possible for tures may turn monstrous or ethereal- These daring Patrolmen seek out other vehicles (like the Time Sphere ly beautiful and strange. vortices, points on the Earth’s surface on p. 163) to somehow ride it between E: Overwhelming temporal decay. which, for some reason, tend to attract the worlds. With conveyors so much Make hourly aging rolls; double above or manifest banestorms more fre- easier and less dangerous, Paralabs damage. quently. Nobody quite knows why vor- hasn’t put too much effort into design- Some materials grant oz shielding. tices appear, or even if they actually ing an “oz ship,” although the threat of Unlike radiation shielding, the wearer exist outside Patrol superstition – some barbarian crosstime culture does not usually need to cover all banestorm surveying is a necessarily descending onto Homeline in oz-rid- exposed areas to gain the benefit of its difficult job. Patrolmen often notice ing pirate vessels does preoccupy a Protection Factor (p. B436), merely their compasses begin to spin around few UNIC planners. have a few ounces of the material when a banestorm is brewing up, and Exposure to oz particles works like exposed to the oz field between the other anomalous readings begin to radiation exposure (see pp. B435-436), field and the wearer. Silk or amber has hash delicate sensors. The best with “oz” instead of “rads.” Some oz PF 7, steel has PF 10, silver or Paralabs guess is that vortices appear sources include: hawthorn has PF 32, and cold iron has where the Earth’s magnetic field Unprotected (no conveyor) time or PF 100. Also unlike radiation shield- fluctuates more than usual; such dimension travel: 1 oz per trip. ing, not all materials grant the same fluctuations may have a geological or Downwind from a banestorm: 1-6 protection against every banestorm; tectonic component. oz per minute, depending on storm individual oz frequencies may vary Commonly appearing vortices strength. After a banestorm, oz levels tremendously. include the Bermuda Triangle, the in the air and water drop to 1-6 oz per Devil’s Sea (a triangular stretch of hour over the next day, and 1-6 oz per ocean centered on Iwo Jima), the day over the next month. BANESTORMS Hoggar Desert in central Algeria, Lake Inside a banestorm: 300-1,800 oz A “banestorm” is a localized event Erie, the mouth of the Indus River, the per hour, depending on storm that transports everyone within a cer- interior of Madagascar, the Kermadec strength. A twin-charged banestorm tain area to another dimension or Islands north of New Zealand, and the (p. B534), however, delivers little or no worldline. Most often circular, two magnetic poles. On mana-positive (1-6 oz per hour) oz charge to those banestorms range in size from a few worlds, vortices tend to show up near inside it. yards to a few miles across. Within an ley line junctions or at sites such as atmosphere, a banestorm tends to Stonehenge or the Pyramids. Oz effects are as follows, using the manifest as a thick fog bank, mysteri- Radiation Effects Table on p. B436: ous thundercloud, or heavy electrical –: No effect, but doses continue to storm that builds up slowly and van- REALITY QUAKES accumulate. ishes suddenly. When the banestorm A reality quake (or, as Paralabs A: Minor fortune or misfortune, at vanishes, so does everyone within its prefers to call it, an “ontoclysm”) cre- quirk-level. Roll 1d to determine good radius. These “passengers” reap- ates such an upheaval in the path of (1-3) or bad (4-6) luck. Something pear . . . elsewhere. Banestorms do not time or worlds that history itself is goes right (or wrong) for no reason. necessarily send their passengers to upthrust and overturned, leaving a Superstitious activity (rubbing a white the equivalent spot in their world. new past in its wake. Not just history rabbit’s foot, for example) can “posi- With the oz charge they carry, can change in a reality quake, of tively spin” the effect. banestorms often have a major effect course. The laws of nature and physics B: Major fortune or misfortune. You not only on the unfortunates caught can alter; worlds can go from high gain 15-point Luck, or Unluckiness up in them and the countryside mana to no mana (or the reverse), plus Ham-Fisted. Roll as before. through which they plow, but the gods can die or be born, and new stars Superstitious activity (as a quantum field around the Earth they and planets appear in the heavens. Compulsive Behavior) can affect the strike. A banestorm interferes with One good sign of reality quakes in random roll by +1 or -1. These effects quantum jump windows, giving a progress is an anomalous eclipse, last until the oz dosage decays. penalty to Electronics Operation unpredicted comet, or other strange C: Temporal decay. Make daily (Projector) skill from -1 to -6! Some astronomical (or astrological) portent. aging rolls (p. B154). On a critical suc- Patrolmen still risk it, because a Another effect of imminent reality cess, you “age backward.” You also banestorm also masks parachronic quakes is to “blank out” precognitive have Magic Susceptibility 3 until the detection, drowning out the jump sig- or psychometric abilities, since history aging stops; your ears may also get nal in an ocean of parachronic literally “doesn’t exist” on the far side points, your hair turn green, etc. “noise.” The banestorm gives the same of the quake. Volcanism and conven- D: Rapid temporal decay. Roll as C, penalty to the Electronics Operation tional earthquakes also seem to follow above. The charged particles begin to (Sensors) skill to detect a jump and or precede reality quakes; Paralabs do actual physical damage. Even on a half that penalty to any Physics nervously admits that on some Earths, successful roll, you suffer 1 point of (Parachronic) skill roll to analyze data they might cause reality quakes! injury; on a failure, 2 points; on a gathered during a banestorm.

ENEMIES EVERYWHEN 75 Much as an earthquake leaves in a field near Glozel, France. Mostly on that world, which is under the care breaks in the strata and fractures in strange stones, brick, and bones, of the conservative Catholic Opus Dei. the geology, or flings up material from they bore carvings in an unknown Vinland Map: In 1957, a curator at deep in the earth onto the surface, a alphabet. That same alphabet is used Yale University bought a handwritten reality quake leaves breaks in civiliza- as a Phoenecian creole in Ezcalli, tome known as the Tartar Relation. In tion or fractures in the historical and on one or two other worlds. it, a map, dated to 1440, showed the record. It can also and fling up anom- Some fragments show signs of sud- east coast of North America, labeled alous fragments of other realities – den, intense heat; some Cabalists in “Vinland.” Various analyses have “reality shards” – into the new/old the Wheel of Ptah throw Glozel frag- revealed it as authentic, or as a mid- past. After each shift, only the reality ments for divination. 20th-century forgery. The original of shards remain, and the fossilized Shroud of Turin: Thought to be the map is now in the Duncorne traces of the previous reality survive both the winding cloth of Jesus Christ Foundation collection. Under the only in the subconscious mind and and a pious forgery from the 14th cen- right wavelengths, it is rumored to myths of surviving cultures, and in the tury, the Shroud of Turin remains an show the dimensional highway to a strange artifacts rejected by the inhab- enigma. The presence of Palestinian pocket universe of Norse gods and an itants as oddities or forgeries. Many pollen grains and the afterimage of “eternal Vinland the Brave.” reality shards show up in multiple Roman coins over the eyes of the fig- Magic Bullet: The 6.5 mm bullet versions on more than one Earth. ure contrast sharply with radiocarbon that passed through John F. Kennedy dating demonstrating the Shroud’s and John Connally appeared, almost creation around 1350. Although the completely intact and unscathed, on Reality Shards Vatican refuses to allow further tests the gurney at Parkland Hospital in Patrolmen who find reality shards on the Homeline version of the Dallas. Conspiracy theorists call it the are supposed to bring them to Shroud, the one in Turin Cathedral on “magic bullet.” Some conspiracy- Paralabs for study. However, given Ariane (p. 128) gives every sign of minded Paralabs analysts think that their weird, anomalous effects on being a major reality shard. Eerie Oswald (or whoever) might have trig- conveyors (and Patrolmen!), they are lights, the smell of incense, and fre- gered a reality microquake, recreating often “accidentally” left behind in quent nexus portals to first-century the 535 A.D. event (see below) and hidden caches, or (if seemingly lucky Jerusalem pervade the Shroud’s home sending shadow bullets winging or useful) “accidentally” left off the incident report. Reality shards tend to give anomalous readings under scientific testing, especially carbon-14 or thermolumi- nescence dating. Many seem to be pal- Mathematical Bafflegab pable forgeries, “given away” by their For GMs and players who crave technobabble and jargon for the full anachronistic composition, construc- roleplaying experience, we proudly present this excerpt from An tion, or artistic technique. Of the real- Introduction to Ontophysics, by Dr. Joseph Franecki (University of ity shards known to Paralabs, a Wisconsin Press, 2026, third edition, revised). The topic of the learned notable percentage are made of crys- doctor’s disquisition is the mathematics of reality quakes, but it can tal, or have some sort of glaze on apply to echoes, puzzle worlds, and other paraphysical phenomena with them. Whether this is a function of equal facility. crystal’s general ruggedness or of the Pioneered by Margaret Steed in 2004, quantum combinatoric geom- meta-geometry of reality tectonics etry relates directly to the parachronic upheavals, which may occur remains unknown. when two or more realities are brought too quickly into proximity (as Sample reality shards include the determined by the L8 metric). following, most of which have Steed’s equations themselves are an invaluable basis for the calcula- Homeline equivalents: tion of the intersection indices of Leinster co-bundles in hemi-projective varieties, which may not seem relevant, until one appreciates that our Nineveh Lens: An optically ground current model of the 8-dimensional meta-space in which the known crystal lens initially discovered in the alternate worlds reside is an 8-dimensional projection of the compactifi- ruins of Nineveh in 1853. The Nineveh cation of a generally positioned smooth 9-dimensional hemi-plane, and Lens predates by millennia other individual vector chains in the Leinster co-bundles correspond to the known lenses; archaeologists have dis- conditions under which parachronically stable worlds can (and did) covered it (or a lens very similar to it) develop (our own included). in Nineveh in many different years on Intersections, then, would indicate locations in meta-space and time a number of Earths. Looking through where the probability of nonbirational mappings between worlds or it lets the viewer see invisible quasi-worlds is maximized, leading to a real possibility that information Akkadian demons, or reality quake (in the form of history-changing events, cultures, concepts, or individu- stresses, or an imprinted recording of als) can be destroyed or erroneously created, that is, transported from no August 12, 605 B.C. real antecedent in this or any world. Glozel Fragments: In 1923 a farmer dug up hundreds of enigmatic artifacts

76 ENEMIES EVERYWHEN across the continuum. If loaded into a Greek history simply disappears into a forms, may be such a reality shard, as rifle, a magic bullet supposedly grants Dark Age for 300 years until Homer might the wizard Merlin, who accord- an instant kill (a critical hit to the writes the Iliad about the siege of Troy. ing to the stories lived backward from brain) when fired at a king. Did his song “knit together” a reality his senescence (in which he was frozen fracture? in time by Nimue) to his youth in In game terms, reality shards Etruria, c. 750 B.C.: The legendary Britain. Another such quantaclysm almost always act as Mana Enhancers founding of Rome takes place here may have blown a world of evolved, (p. B68), and may grant other advan- and now, with the customary accre- technologically advanced dinosaurs to tages (with the Can Be Stolen and tion of omens and signs from the pieces, and sent the survivors hurtling Unique modifiers, perhaps) such as gods. A “shield of Mars” fell to Earth deep into the past. Such an event Doesn’t Eat or Drink, Doesn’t Sleep, during the reign of Rome’s legendary might have left almost all Earths with Extraordinary Luck, Omen, Jumper, second king Numa Pompilius – was it legends of “talking snakes” or “drag- Unaging, or Blessed. (They make a reality shard? Interestingly, magnet- ons” who bring wisdom and knowl- excellent “origin items” for world- ic analysis of pottery from the region edge from “under the earth,” and the jumping supers.) Of course, they seems to indicate a reversal of the U.S.L. worldline (p. 148) as the only might also carry disadvantages, such Earth’s magnetic field around the time remnant. as Delusions (“I am rightwise King of of Numa’s reign. England!”), Flashbacks, Cursed, or Corfu and Jerusalem, 29 A.D.: Off Unluckiness. Any reality shard is guar- the Adriatic island of Corfu, Plutarch Reality Quakes anteed to be a Weirdness Magnet. The records that passengers heard a “great and Time Travel GM is free to introduce his favorite howl” announcing the death of the Reality quakes would also be quite artifact or enigma as a reality shard – Great God Pan. This date also roughly dangerous for time travelers. Of the Piltdown Man skull on Homeline matches the date of Jesus’ crucifixion, course, in a sense, any time traveler may be a forgery, but that doesn’t which was accompanied, according to who changes the past causes a reality mean there’s not a “real” shard just the Bible, by an anomalous eclipse. quake, but (in the commonly under- like it out in the continuum some- Britain or Java, 535 A.D.: The vol- stood versions of temporal physics), where. canic island Krakatoa may have erupt- time “pastward” of his change ed cataclysmically around the time of remains unaffected. A true reality Fracture Zones the death of King Arthur. The century quake, on the other hand, changes the The fracture zone is the “epicenter” after that date was almost a global past as well; it more often only of the reality quake, a location in Dark Age; the Byzantine Empire lost a changes the past, leaving history after space-time usually a few square miles third of its population in the Plague of the fracture unaltered, but historians and around six days in extent. After Justinian, Rome lay in ruins, China unaware that their past is now differ- the quake, it technically becomes a and India descended into chaos and ent. Such a reality quake could change “reality subduction zone” where the civil war, and even Teotihuacan and the past while a traveler was still in it, old reality is “sucked under” the new the Maya states collapsed. Famines trapping him in a reality cyst with lit- one. In practice, everyone calls the and storms swept over the world. erally no future. Some eras of the past area a fracture zone regardless, issues Armageddon: At the natural choke might be ontically unstable, especially of chronology being what they often point between Egypt and Asia, the in fracture zones, leading to time-slips are around reality quakes. plain of Megiddo in Israel sees battles or chronal storms. A few space-time locations seem to in all eras in almost all Earths. (On be especially vulnerable to reality Homeline, they range from Pharaonic OING quakes, such as: campaigns in 2350 B.C. to the Yom G Kippur War in 1973.) This may be ELSEWHERE Ajalon, c. 1400 B.C.?: According to enough to twist it permanently out of Joshua 10:12, during a battle against space-time; soldiers missing after Nexus Portals the Gibeonites at Ajalon in Canaan, these battles may have fallen into a A “nexus portal” (see pp. B534) is a the sun stood still for an entire day. “reality sinkhole” to emerge on some hole leading from one dimension to This is either pious myth, miracle, or other field, or recruited into a cross- another. It is usually circular and less prima facie reality quake evidence. world brigade. The battle, interestingly, has yet to be than 10 yards across, and allows light convincingly dated – or even men- to pass through from both ends (that tioned in other local chronicles. Quantaclysms is, you can see its destination). Like a Estimates range from 1439 to 1131 The 535 A.D. event (which may also conveyor, a portal crosses realities B.C. have involved a mysterious comet) is without crossing space. Portals can be Troy, c. 1200 B.C.: An earthquake one possible quantaclysm, a reality one-way or two-way; open all the time, may have caused the “fall of Troy,” and quake so severe that it actually obliter- or accessible only on Durin’s Day or to the Odyssey reports that the Greeks ates the worldline on which it takes those with the Key of Time, or sum- ceased to honor the gods after their place, and flings reality shards to tens monable by the person who knows victory. The traditional date for the fall or even hundreds of other Earths in its which kabbalistic sequence of elevator of Troy is 1179 B.C.; shortly thereafter, wake. The Holy Grail, in all its myriad buttons to push. Some portals go a lot

ENEMIES EVERYWHEN 77 Reality Quakes in the Game In essence, reality quakes are a GM’s tool to allow 12-13 – No immediate result, but if the zone is things to happen outside the normal rules of the set- not stabilized, roll again in 1d¥10 hours, at +2. ting. Want to massively retcon your campaign? Reality This moifier is cumulative if rolled more than once. quake. Want to put the Holy Grail into a resolutely 14-15 – Reality temblor in 2d hours; a banestorm hard-SF setting? Reality quake. Want to have a world may blow up, 1d reality shards appear, or 3d where ancient Romans fight the Confederacy? Reality beings from another reality emerge (possibly quake. This also happens to be the explanation used by hostile and supernatural). most “flung into the past” stories, no matter how they 16-17 – Reality quake will occur in 2d days; reality may gussy it up with lightning bolts or Druidic curses temblor will occur as above. – it happened because it’s just too neat for reality to get 18 or more – Reality quake will occur in 2d hours; in the way. Providing hard and fast rules for reality reality temblor will occur immediately. quakes, therefore, would seem to be beside the point. But, if you want to have a game centered on the Further local modifiers to the Quake Roll are at the quakes – their cause, their cure, their uses – here are GM’s discretion but might include: +1 or more for a some rules mechanics to govern their appearance, all cult devoted to the zone’s previous (or coming) reality neatly tied into the existing paraphysics of the setting. (+1 for 100 members, +2 for 1,000 members, etc.) in the area; +1 or more for a being from another reality Reality Stress Level becoming known to the local population (gruesome Compute the basic Reality Stress Level as follows: murder spree, strange lecture tour, etc.); battlefield add 1 for every level of local mana above no mana (low modifiers for a battle going on during a potential is +1, normal is +2, etc.). Add the SL modifiers for cos- quake; +1 or more for a reality shard in use; +1 to +3 mic energies, historical murk, and magic use (though for strange eclipses, astrological conjunctions, etc. not magically significant days) from the Chronal visible in the area. Storms section (p. 164), as written. If the area has been a fracture zone in other worlds, add from 1 to 5 points Stress Relief (from a minor slip to Armageddon). Add 1 or 2 points Immediately after a Quake Roll results in a 6 or less, if the area is on a geological fault line. cut the RSL by two-thirds, and subtract 3 from any Quake Roll made in the next year. If a Quake Roll Reality Quake Roll results in a 3 or less, cut the RSL to just the local mana The GM should make the Quake Roll when local level, and subtract 6 from any Quake Roll made in the conditions seem to threaten a quake, usually due to next year. Over that year, the RSL builds back up to its one or more of the modifiers below. Take the total RSL normal “background” level. and divide it by 5 (round down). Apply that as a modi- Stabilizing a fracture zone may involve super- fier on the Quake Roll; roll 3d and apply the results as science “warp dampers,” magic, or simply trying to follows: remove potential quake stimuli (weird cults, reality shards, monsters, nexus portals) from the area. It 6 or less – Pressure relief stabilizes zone. might involve resolving the area’s historical enigmas 7-9 – No result, but add 1 to any further roll made and mysteries to clear up any rubble from previous within a week if stimulus continues. quakes. The GM should determine when an area 10-11 – No result, but add 2 to any further roll made counts as stable – a whole campaign could center on within a week if stimulus continues. stabilizing a major fracture zone!

of different places (at random or by tals if the situation seems to demand many cases. (Even if it doesn’t close selection), and some are invisible until it. Individual Patrolmen take various the portal, it can effectively block after the unwary traveler has tumbled approaches to that question: some like access to it.) Some portals go “offline” through them into another world. having a bolthole available in case during nuclear blasts or very intense The Patrol has encountered every something goes wrong with the con- fires or electrical storms. A few por- sort of portal mentioned above, and veyor; others don’t like the thought tals require charged-particle blasts, some even stranger than that. So far, that the “back door” to the world is left magic, or other methods to close, and the Patrol has found at least one open and unlocked. even then they can reopen after a few potential portal on every world it has Most nexus portals can be years. If possible, locking the portal surveyed except for Coventry. Patrol destroyed with sufficiently high ener- makes the best compromise between doctrine allows Patrolmen to seal por- gy release; dynamite does the job in access and security; this often takes a

78 ENEMIES EVERYWHEN magical ritual, psionic attunement, or (p. 124); the Raven Division has sent interstate highway system. It can only tuning a quantum flux capacitor to scouts along its length for about a be accessed through patches of fog match the portal’s signature. thousand miles in all four directions. along a rainy highway somewhere in Eleusis Alesia: This ley line runs America, although there are certain through a number of worlds on a radio frequencies that draw an on- Dimensional Highways number of quanta, including ramp closer to your automobile. The same basic strictures apply to Britannica-7, Johnson’s Rome, and dimensional highways, the paths that Wyvern. It can be accessed many run across the parallels. They are places along its length, between la SHIFTREALMS almost always much harder to close Aliseda, Spain, and Kalisz, Poland. Shiftrealms are geographical fea- than mere nexus portals. They are Only women can travel it, and no vehi- tures (and some artificial constructs) somewhat less common, although cles past TL4. that move between the worlds. almost all mana-positive worlds have I-776: “This psionic construct was Shiftrealms usually travel on a regular at least one minor dimensional high- built by the subconscious will of the schedule, although it may be a fairly way usable by anyone (or sometimes United States just before the Great impenetrable and complex one. A few any mage or supernatural being) who Awakening of July 4, 2076.” That’s shiftrealms are either entirely ran- knows the way. These “faerie trods” what the Roadside Historical Marker dom, or their schedule is so abstruse mostly run between forests, their path says, anyway; all the Patrol knows is that no pattern has emerged yet. Some strewn with Puck’s-cap mushrooms that it runs along the old Route 66 famous “ghost ships,” such as the and Queen Marie’s clover. from Chicago to Los Angeles on Flying Dutchman, may also actually be Less decorative are the “ghost almost every worldline with a U.S. shiftrealms. roads,” straight paths leading through misty declivities. The fog on either side of a ghost road resembles the clouds of a banestorm, and has similar effects if you step into it. In the clouds, travelers see shadows and familiar faces – possibly quantum shadows of their alternate selves – that alternately Gates of Thoth Mysterious triangles that appear and disappear in an indecipherable entice and mock them. Walking a pattern, the Gates of Thoth are doorways through time. Members of the ghost road usually involves a Fright Cabal believe that Khaibitu-na-Khonsu, their first Grand Master, opened Check, at -2 to -4. Ghost roads nor- the Gates during his war with the god Ra in the third millennium B.C. mally appear in normal-mana or high- Opinions differ on what he thought he was doing, and on whether the er areas, but they sometimes drift onto Gates were even his intended result. If a person steps through a Gate, he the path (or vice versa) of particularly usually moves backward in time to another Gate appearing at the same bloody massacre sites, plague pits, place. Occasionally, travel occurs across space or even forward in time. and the like. Gates can span hours or millennia, but a slim majority open across one One subclass of dimensional high- to three centuries. A Gate may also open to another world or plane way, called the “time tunnel,” is just entirely. No Magery is necessary to utilize a Gate. like a nexus portal, except that the Gates of Thoth often open in high-mana worlds and high-mana loca- journey is not instantaneous and pass- tions on normal-mana worlds, but have also been known to materialize es through a tunnel. The tunnel in any world with even a trace of magic. A Gate appears as a “hole” in resembles a natural cavern, with walls the air in the shape of an equilateral triangle. Their height from base to of raw stone occasionally enlivened by apex is usually around 10 feet, but the Gates rarely appear at ground graffiti, carved runes, or paintings of level, often materializing dozens of feet above the ground. A Gate usual- bulls and dinosaurs. What, if any- ly remains open for three to 18 hours, during which travel is permissible thing, is on the other side of the tunnel both into and out of the Gate. When used in conjunction with the Planar walls remains unknown. Summons spell (p. B247), the gate increases the skill roll by 6 and Some fairly well-known or signifi- reduces the energy cost to 10. cant dimensional highways include: Gates of Thoth can allow a GM to introduce time travel into a cross- The Chronobahn: Two roads, com- world campaign on a one-shot or limited basis, strictly under his control. posed of fitted hexagonal basalt Gates of Thoth can also bring dinosaurs, historical villains, or even blocks, run through a number of unearthly Things from beyond the stars into a game, as part of some evil worlds on Quantum 3. Each road is Cabal scheme or simply to spice things up. GMs who like the idea of ran- about 20 yards wide, and runs dom gates opening and closing under the GM’s control, but don’t want through each world for about 300 to deal with time travel even a little bit, can recast the Gates as magical miles before moving into the next. The nexus portals (p. 77). These Gates of Psais (named for the Egyptian god two roads cross near Carchemish, in of destiny) only grant passage between parallel worlds. the upper Euphrates valley on Nostradamus (p. 138). Its western end on Nostradamus leads to Friedrich

ENEMIES EVERYWHEN 79 The Ouroborous Car spellings) was the “fortunate island” of those with elven blood, even normal Perhaps this subway car fell golden palaces and wise enchanters, mortals can find themselves stum- through the geometry of a subway sys- rich in sheep and glass, wreathed in bling into Faërie from an Irish hilltop tem. It now rattles between subway fog to the west of Ireland. Every seven or a Tuscan grove. The relative solidi- stations on the infinite worlds. years it would appear, sending a sweet ty of Faërie makes it a common desti- Nobody can tell what city it originally wind of spice and apples across the nation for material travelers in the came from; the interior is dimly lit and ocean. As it happens, this is another Astral Plane, as well, since it touches smells bad. All its advertisements are legend with a basis in a shiftrealm; the the Astral Plane on all sides. in English and Spanish; the outsides island actually exists, floating between of the car are painted over with graffi- various Earths on a long circuit through the quanta. Seemingly TL2 at Wanshijieshan ti and unreadable. It may be an intelli- Wanshijieshan, the “Ten Thou- gent parachronozoid rather than a most, the natives need only murmur or gesture to find their desires ful- sand Worlds Mountain,” seems to shiftrealm, as Patrolmen who have have flowed out of some Tang taken it report that it somehow filled; higher technology, meanwhile, often fails (all rolls to use devices or Dynasty print, wreathed in the mists, “knows where you need to go” and clad in impossibly slender conifers, makes the required stop. equipment on Huy Breasil are at -1 to skill for every TL the tool is above 3). and mounting gracefully up to heav- Huy Breasil is a very-high-mana en like cloud turned to stone. Along Silenzia island. its ridges and ravines, a thousand The Silent City, Silenzia flickers The mana differential between caverns open – some wide and yawn- between many Earths, but only Huy Breasil and most of the worlds it ing, some softly glowing with phos- between two locations. In June and visits kicks up a cyclonic banestorm phorescent fungi, some narrow and July it appears, wreathed in fog and around its coastline, which further rimed with lime and lichen. Some of rainbows, on the flank of the Muir shrouds it from visiting ships (and them are fouled with mephitic Glacier in Alaska, above Glacier Bay often sends ships right through the vapors or flooded with glacial runoff; and below the St. Elias Mountains; island, none the wiser). If it drops into others are closed off by landslides or Midsummer Day at noon is the best a low- or no-mana world, it generates blocked off by curiously shaped time to try entering it there. In a banestream, a current of higher walls. Through every passage lies a December and January, it manifests mana flowing east out of the island different Earth, although some of the on the slopes of Mount Etna in Sicily, that can last for years or decades, even caves end in holes in an icy river in above the Straits of Messina; midnight after Huy Breasil has moved on to America, or ponds in a forest in on Twelfth Night it is most accessible another Earth. The banestream usual- England, rather than mountainsides there. Silenzia’s architecture is a ly dies down by the time it hits the and canyons in the rocky west of strange but organic mixture of European continent, although in China’s Shanxi province, where dedi- medieval Arabic and Gothic, although some bad years, gales and high waves cated or worthy travelers may find it. some of the buildings appear to have churn up ports and dockyards from The Mountain is home to a small been constructed as late as the 1890s. Glasgow to Lisbon, sending monsters community of monks who have The Silenzians claim that their city and merfolk up onto the land. retired there. Asking them about the was founded by Roger II of Sicily, but Particularly strong banestreams can caves is useless; they have retired to stolen by Morgan Le Fay in anger at affect weather patterns (and mana lev- forget the Earths, not act as tour his refusal to renounce Christianity. els) as far inland as the upper Danube guides. It is the gravest possible dis- (Less romantic theorists believe it to valley. courtesy to recognize a monk, and be a large reality shard, although it is especially to call him by a name he a low-mana zone.) For at least 200 may have held once long ago. The years, Silenzia has quietly prospered Faërie abbot speculates, with respectful vis- selling Yukon gold in Naples, Messina, Faërie is a timeless kingdom of itors, upon the nature of the and Palermo; local fishermen (both elves (also called fae) ruled by Queen Mountain itself, and the omens seen Sicilian and Inuit) do well selling their Titania and King Oberon. Although in its trees and skies and rivers. catches on Silenzia’s docks, and do not mutable by sufficiently powerful fae, it Perhaps the lightning that flickers speak of it to strangers. Silenzia is a usually resembles a rural area of around its top bears witness to some popular hangout and rendezvous medieval northwestern Europe on a great disruption, or to the birth of point for swagmen, and dimension perfect spring afternoon. The palace some great majesty. Perhaps each travelers can find a surprising variety of Oberon and Titania rises in the cen- new spring that bursts out of the of goods from all over the multiverse ter of the shiftrealm, with a “goblin rock is a dimensional road being cut, for sale (for a surprising variety of cur- marketplace” on the border. Many or a new set of minds learning to rencies) in Silenzia’s quaint shops and trods (p. 74) run from Faërie to vari- move around the continuum. narrow bazaars. ous northern Europes. Other trods Perhaps, he suggests over his tea, the link Faërie to other shiftrealms such mountain is not a shiftrealm at all, as the Forest of Arden, which moves but the only fixed realm in all the Huy Breasil between Englands whenever the infinite worlds, the true navel of the In Homeline legend, Huy Breasil leaves turn. Although the trods to cosmos. (also Hy-Brasil, among other variant Faërie tend to open only to magi, or to

80 ENEMIES EVERYWHEN CHAPTER THREE PRESENT AT THE CREATION

Angela and Suleiman – Agents Polk and Erdoglu, as their records chip read, or “Mrs. Banning and her manservant Pompey” as they were known here- abouts – were mostly concerned with the rain. Specifically, at its annoying tendency to fall through what was left of the plantation house roof, onto their very accurate, and hence not at all water- proof, clothing. “Nobody can be expected to perform clio- dynamic analysis soaked to the skin like this,” Angela groused. “Look on the bright side,” her partner responded, hunching a little deeper into his topcoat, “Nobody’s trying to kill us year to finally teach Bobby Lee how think like we do, but they understand right now.” It was true; the Union to lose like a gentleman.” Suleiman, war pretty well. Gettysburg is a artillery had found somewhere else who had a soft spot for Lee, respond- sideshow. Even if Lee wins, he’s still to obliterate for the time being, and ed, “More to the point, the lost in the middle of Pennsylvania the two Patrolmen hadn’t seen hide Mississippi doesn’t get cut, and that with no logistics and no cavalry sup- or hair of the Centrum agents known opens up some troublesome develop- port, and two Union armies over the to be swarming all over this particu- ments in Missouri that could tweak next ridge.” He trailed off, realizing lar stretch of Mississippi in this par- the 1864 election. All the numbers that Angela had neatly trapped him ticular 1863. Angela sneezed. show that Vicksburg is the key nexus, into calling Lee’s eternal genius into “Except maybe with pneumonia.” so why hasn’t Centrum made its question, and changed the subject. “That’s right, though. Where the move by now?” “Maybe they’re not even thinking Hell are the I.S. boys, and why aren’t “Well, they’re all medieval screw- about the Civil War, though – Britain they trying harder to save the Rebs? heads; maybe this is a bluff, and is the really important country here If Vicksburg doesn’t fall to Grant, they’re trying to save Pickett’s Charge and now, and Palmerston is still Gettysburg doesn’t matter a bit, and or something.” Suleiman grinned, holding on to Centrum-style hierar- worse yet, Grant doesn’t go east next but demurred: “Look, they don’t chy by the skin of his teeth.”

PRESENT AT THE CREATION 81 “Plus, they’re supposed to be signing a free trade pact with Belgium and France this year – didn’t Vanderlyn say that World War One really begins because Britain has too much cash tied up in Belgian Had I been present at the Creation, I would ports?” have given some useful hints for better ordering “Vanderlyn? He’s crazy, and he’s triple crazy about Belgium. If you of the Universe. want to find World War One starting – Alfonso X, called “the Wise,” of Aragon in 1863, go to Denmark, where King Christian is being ass enough to give Bismarck a pretext for a war that will wind up unifying Germany.” “Is that this year?” “Yep.” “No,” Angela sighed after a long Union wounded. The besieging contains a myriad of parallel Earths, thought, “that just seems too subtle Union Army of the Tennessee was each one with its own potential for somehow. Too long-term. I can’t get eroding away in the downpour, or riches, adventure, mystery, or danger. away from the notion that Centrum drowning in mud. Ulysses S. Grant This chapter lays out some of the basic is involved here and now, at looked at the sky in frustration, and types of alternate worlds, and some Vicksburg. Otherwise, who’s to say cursed to himself. principles (based, as far as possible, they’re not murdering Henry Ford in It was supposed to be sunny today, on historical research) for designing his crib, or conniving to delete the dammit. Somehow I just know it was or constructing them. penalty kick from soccer? No, I don’t supposed to be sunny. Throughout this chapter, various think they’re in Denmark.” tables and metrics can help the GM “Plus, it’s probably raining in Even the most heroic I-Cops, or the to randomly or mechanically create Copenhagen, too.” most fiendish interdimensional Nazis, another timeline. It should go with- The two Patrolmen pondered that need a stage for their actions. In the out saying that these systems exist gloomy prospect, and watched more Infinite Worlds setting, as in most solely for the GM’s convenience, and of the carpet return to the Delta mud crosstime campaigns, that setting is if he has a better idea, or wants to that had no doubt produced it in the the alternate world, an Earth where tweak the results to produce some- first place. history took a different turn. Many thing that sounds interesting, he “Let’s recheck the numbers again. examples of such worlds appear in fic- should do just that. However, just as Maybe the computer has something tion, speculative history, and film; some of the fun of “space merchant” for us.” GMs can have their hands full with games is randomly discovering plan- For miles around, the rain had adventures set in a single world of ets, some of the fun of crosstime turned Mississippi’s roads to burgoo, Nazi victory or Roman survival. adventures is randomly discovering bogging down the Union wagons and However, the canvas of the Infinite alternates. Hopefully, this chapter cannon, and pneumonia had begun Worlds setting is vaster than even one and these systems can add to that carrying off more and more of the world where history turned aside; it fun. TYPES OF ALTERNATE WORLDS Both crossworld travelers and GMs any number of random worlds. To world, roll 1d twice and consult the tend to classify worlds into various randomly generate an alternate following tables: types, depending on their use, nature, and inhabitants. This section primarily approaches the topic from the GM’s Random Quantum Table perspective, although it uses some 1 Quantum 3 (Q8 for Centrum) Infinity Patrol terminology rather 2 Quantum 4 (Q9 for Centrum) than reinventing the wheel. For specif- 3Quantum 5 (Q10 for Centrum) ic Infinity world classifications, see 4-5 Quantum 6 the box on p. 83. 6 Quantum 7 A world might be a pre-existing element of the game, or one custom- designed to fit a given scenario. A lost Random World Type conveyor, or a more free-form setting 1 Empty than the “default” Infinite Worlds 2-5 Echo/Parallel (if on Q6, roll again: 1,2 – Echo; 3-6 – Parallel) campaign, might drop Patrolmen into 6 Challenge

82 PRESENT AT THE CREATION Bauxite ($20/ton): Bauxite (alu- minum ore) deposits occur globally, the richest being in the Ural Mountains, the Guianas, Guinea, Infinity’s World Classes Ghana, and Jamaica. Although alu- The Penetration Service gives every surveyed worldline a class rating, minum itself is dirt cheap, bauxite to guide future Infinity activity. UNIC can, in theory, override a contains valuable gallium, widely used Penetration Service classification, but never has. Sometimes, newly dis- in computer technology and worth covered (or defeated) dangers in a timeline can shift its class rating up about $200/lb. Recovering gallium or (less often) down the scale. without refining the bauxite into alu- minum is economically unfeasible. Class O (Open): Worldlines declared safe to enter, and available for Beryllium ($300/lb.): Found in the trade, colonization, or other activity. mountains of Utah, Sinkiang, and Class P (Protectorate): Generally applied to parallels with “autochro- Kazakhstan. nous” populations (those native to a timeline, as opposed to Homeline Chromium ($500/ton): 95% of the colonists and their descendants). Many lower-tech Class P worlds have world’s chromium deposits are in limited and licensed trade or tourism openings. southern Africa (South Africa, Class R (Research): Set aside for special study, but not immediately Zimbabwe, and the Katanga province threatening. Such worldlines usually have strange physical laws or wild- of the Congo). Minor chromium ly variant cultures, dinosaurs or other exotic ecologies, or pre-Bronze deposits appear in Greenland, Age human populations. Montana, and Kazakhstan. Class Z (Closed): Worlds that pose a danger to Homeline, or to The Cobalt ($25/lb.): Cuba, Zaire, Secret. This class includes most hell parallels (p. 128), very high-tech Zambia, New Caledonia, and the worldlines, the Reich parallels (p. 143), and worlds with aliens, magic, or northern United States (primarily open psionics. Minnesota) contain most of the easily accessible cobalt in the world. It also Within each class, worldlines have Access Ratings. These denote appears in nickel mines. which outtimers can enter the timeline, and range from 1 (Patrol per- Gold ($4,400/lb.): South Africa has sonnel with specific orders only) to 10 (free visitation by any Homeliner). about half the world’s gold deposits; Intermediate stages 2 (Patrol personnel only) and 3 (Infinity, personnel the Yukon, California, the Amazon only) restrict the world to Infinity, although with enough pressure from basin, and Mexico share another 25% national governments or UNIC, outsiders might be allowed access. AR4 of the total. Major Old World gold allows only Infinity-licensed researchers; AR5 allows accredited research deposits include Spain, Nubia, staffs from any major corporation or university. At AR6 through AR8, Bactria, and southern India. One Infinity allows outtime trade in ever-larger amounts and in ever-less reg- advantage of gold is that societies at ulated goods; AR9 allows guided tourism. No Class Z world has a Access all TLs value it; it makes a near-ideal Rating above 4. medium of crosstime exchange. Platinum ($6,400/lb.): Over 90% of world platinum deposits occur in South Africa or Zimbabwe. The Ural Mountains, Kola Peninsula, and Montana also have viable platinum mines. Other platinum-group metals MPTY ORLDS 1-4 Resource exploitation. (palladium, rhodium, ruthenium, irid- E W 5 Homeline colony or colonies. ium, and osmium) appear in the same Empty worlds have no intelligent 6Disaster world. deposits. native life – or, at least, none that the Silver ($220/lb.): The richest silver cross-dimensional visitors have found Resources mines in the world were in Potosi, yet! How Infinity, or other Bolivia; other major silver lodes Most Earths have the same geo- crosstimers, use such a world depends appear in Nevada, Mexico, Peru, physical history, so the same mineral on their own procedures and on the Greece, Turkey, and Spain. resources exist in the same richness nature of the empty Earth in question. Titanium ($4/lb.): Ilmenite (titani- and the same locations across the par- An Earth where mankind never um ore) occurs in Australia, Sri allels. (Major exceptions include the evolved – or hasn’t yet – is very differ- Lanka, Norway, and South Africa. ent from an Earth on which some hor- Lucifer parallels, most of which were Ilmenite sands in California and rible disaster cleansed the world of hit by major asteroid or meteorite Florida also produce commercial- intelligent life or derailed hominid strikes. In the impact zones of such grade titanium. evolution. disasters, very rich, pure veins of Uranium ($7/lb.): Almost all of the Within the Infinite Worlds setting, many different elements occur.) The world’s uranium comes from Niger, a random empty world breaks down major industrial minerals, their rough Namibia, or Australia; other lodes as follows; roll 1d and use the discus- value on Homeline, and their primary include South Africa, New Mexico, sion below to refine the basic result. deposits, are as follows: and Saskatchewan.

PRESENT AT THE CREATION 83 Other minerals worth mining from cargoes to be shipped (legally or, more licenses to open (strictly guarded) settled areas near Homeline colonies, often, on the gray market) to more mines in those regions, even on worlds or in pre-existing mining complexes, advanced Earths in tankers fitted with with substantial native development. include copper, iron, manganese, nick- subquantum conveyors. Swagmen Rumors about the mines spread, but el, and zinc. Gems, although tempting often work with, and sometimes work usually evolve (or dissolve) into the for smugglers (especially between as, crosstime wildcatters. standard legends of King Solomon’s primitive Earths) have little or no The ability to mine other Earths for Mines, El Dorado, and other “lost industrial value, since artificial gems valuable resources contributes mighti- cities of gold” familiar from Homeline equal or exceed their hardness and ly to Homeline’s high standard of liv- history and folklore. purity. Iron and nickel, on Homeline, ing. Mineral combines, and politicians come almost exclusively from asteroid interested in keeping prices low and mining, and manganese comes from technology booming, steadily pressure Colonization seabed mining; there is little export UNIC and Infinity to open more and Given a world without any native market for crosstime mining of these more worlds for exploitation and humans, but otherwise hospitable, metals. Similarly, the wide use of extractive development. Since areas Infinity has the power to open it to fusion power makes petroleum far less such as the American West, Australia, permanent habitation from Homeline. valuable on Homeline than it is on and especially southern Africa were Although most colonies also maintain most developed Earths. A large per- outside the “known world” of most some mining or research facilities, centage of petroleum extraction on civilizations, these pressure groups their purpose is settlement, not mere parallel Earths is “wildcat” drilling for have successfully gotten Infinity extraction or study. In general, the specifics of the colony parallel depend on the colonizing power or organization, but all crosstime colonies can fall into one or another general colony Dinosaur Hunting type. Although many Homeline organizations protest the practice, one of Overflow colonies from nations the most lucrative and romanticized fields of crosstime tourism is big such as India, China, Indonesia, and game hunting. Not only lions and elephants in empty Africas, but Nigeria allow surplus populations to aurochs in the primeval European forest, tigers in India, and mam- settle otherwise empty alternate ver- moths in prehuman America draw the rich and bored of Homeline for sions of their homeland (and usually elaborate safaris. Most hunting worlds are Class O empty worlds; jung- the surrounding areas). Bhuvarlok ly Shikari and Miocene Mammut-2 (both on Quantum 5) are the most (see p. 32) is an overflow colony. “developed,” with hunting lodges, airfields, and permanent popula- Separatist colonies allow groups tions of guides and zoologists. that do not wish to (or are not allowed However, the biggest game of all is dinosaur hunting. This pastime is to) remain in their Homeline nations theoretically only legal on Lucifer-4, a late-Cretaceous parallel where the to set up their own communities. iridium meteor has already fallen, and the native dinosaurs are in the Religious and green movements such process of dying out. But Lucifer-4 has terrible weather, a dwindling as the Mennonites, Mormons, neo- game supply, and a serious absence of romantic flavor. Its other trouble Druids, and Sustainabilists comprise is difficulty of access – since it is well out on Quantum 3, visiting Lucifer- most voluntary separatists; their 4 is expensive. colonies sometimes purposely regress Many hunters apply for “guard licenses” on research worlds with to TL4 in all areas save medical care. thriving saurian ecologies, such as Rex-2 and Sereno. Guards at the Some separatist colonies such as research stations on these worlds are allowed to kill stragglers or runts Lysander or Tebuguo (see p. 32) are for meat. At some stations, the management looks the other way (for a primarily politically motivated. consideration) if a guard takes a long “vacation” into the mountains with Clandestine colonies are not quite “visiting friends.” The mother lode, however, for the would-be poacher is colonies, in that they are usually per- Crichton, a Class R world with a theoretically impossible mix of manent military bases, smuggling dinosaurs from all eras of their evolution. Tyrannosaurs and depots, or slave markets. They are not dimetrodons, pterodactyls and apatosaurs all share Crichton’s steaming on the official maps, and some are not swamps and warm savannas. Crichton is on Quantum 7, and Centrum even on charted timelines! Cland- uses it to contact Homeline’s criminal elements. Its coordinates are one estine military bases are usually the of the worst kept secrets in Infinity records, and although dangerous and work of a major Homeline power, and unregulated, lucrative “pirate safaris” depart for Crichton several times may be secretly located on a worldline a year. The Patrol has its hands full there, and has broken up kidnapping associated with it. The world of plots and attempted murders (a combination of rich hunters and law- Lysander (see p. 32), for example, is breaking seems to draw such incidents), as well as more conventional widely rumored to be the site of a smuggling rings feeding the substantial East Asian market for dinosaur major clandestine parachronic base glands. for the U.S. and British military, called “Camp No-When” in Net legend. Clandestine criminal colonies attract

84 PRESENT AT THE CREATION large transient populations when the heat is on elsewhen, or when there are major cargoes to sell or divide; they When we realize that the actual outcome did usually have a small or medium-sized not have to be, that any alteration in any step “permanent floating” population of whores, distillers, and muscle. along the way would have unleashed a cascade Manor colonies are those devoted down a different channel, we grasp the causal to the privacy of the very rich. Many Homeline billionaires buy or power of individual events . . . Contingency is lease million-acre (or larger) “manor the affirmation of control by immediate events estates” on empty worlds. Prime over destiny, the kingdom lost for want of a estates, such as all of Tahiti or Oahu, go for tens of billions of dollars unim- horseshoe nail. proved; your own Rocky Mountain or – Stephen Jay Gould, Wonderful Life a lesser Greek island can be a relative steal. Corporations also buy or lease manor colonies for retreats or execu- oxygenated, or has no moon and DNA priceless resources for historical tive country club housing. Many never formed in tide pools, or are the researchers – and since historical worlds devoted to other colonies make wrong distance from the sun for life to research is a key underpinning of some money selling or leasing prime exist, are also considered “disaster” Patrol success, Infinity does allow very manors to rich Homeliners, with iron- worlds. They can be cleared for entry carefully supervised research teams clad privacy and airspace agreements faster than plague worlds, and robot access to echoes wherever possible. In (going both ways in the case of some mining or dumping operations (with a the final analysis, it often takes a separatist colony worlds). few well-paid, miserable technicians trained historian to notice the In many cases, several geographi- in pressure domes) can continue to beginning of an echo’s shift! cally disparate countries or organiza- exploit them. Most disaster worlds are That, of course, is why researchers tions pool their resources for one cleared only for toxic waste disposal on echo timelines need to be even common world. The resulting timeline by automated conveyor, which is more careful than usual. An echo can might host an overflow colony in its about all they are usually good for. shift out of its current quantum coor- India, a separatist religious retreat on Every so often, one of the mining sta- dinates, and into an entirely new the American East Coast, and a num- tions goes silent, or a waste conveyor quantum level, if history is changed on ber of European-chartered manors doesn’t return, and then the Patrol has it. (Very minor changes, like the pres- scattered around the Pacific islands to suit up and see what happened. ence of Infinity researchers ordering and Mediterranean. breakfast in 1793 London, fortunately Many colonies support themselves CHOES “damp out” in an indeterminate haze.) by leasing their world’s (or region’s) E Unfortunately, since echoes are inher- mineral rights to Homeline consortia. An echo is an alternate Earth ently unstable, it’s not a matter of “if” A world can thus have a seemingly apparently identical to Homeline at history changes, but “when.” If it utopian and pristine separatist colony some earlier point in its history. shifts by itself, or through accidental in its North America, supported by Although detailed records down to the Infinity interference, that’s one thing, dirty, miserable – but unseen – extrac- individual level are not available for and the team’s biggest worry is getting tive labor across the continent or any era (even Homeline’s civilized 21st back to Homeline in time for their rep- around the globe. Colonial govern- century), no echo has been proven to rimands. If Centrum shifts a timeline ments that can use such leases to fully deviate from “known history.” In the out of Infinity’s reach, a team can be support themselves can wind up with few cases of apparent deviation, later trapped there forever, or killed in the very low tax rates – but often have research determined that Homeline’s “mopping up” process as Centrum similarly little incentive to listen to the records or interpretations were in asserts its control. wishes of their citizens. error. This factor alone makes echoes

Disasters This general term encompasses Naming Echoes Infinity names echoes based on the number of years the echo’s local not only worlds depopulated by present lags behind Homeline. An echo with a local present date of 1776 some cosmic impact, plague, or eco- would be Echo 251, or 251 Minus (both names get used interchange- logical shift, but also worlds too mar- ably), since 1776 is 251 years behind Homeline’s present date of 2027. ginal to support colonization. Most Once the echo shifts (or, if it turns out to be an anchor, once its history disaster worlds that result from actu- changes from Homeline’s), it gets assigned new coordinates – and usual disasters are functionally “chal- ally picks up another name based on whatever the change point was – lenge worlds” for the PCs (p. 94). assuming anyone in Infinity ever finds the echo again. Earths where the atmosphere never

PRESENT AT THE CREATION 85 Echoes therefore make good set- translate to most years before 1450 or its tampering plots at the opening of tings for subtle scenarios of investiga- so), but such periods aren’t terribly a window. To determine if a window tion, mystery, and indirect action. well documented, which can run his- of instability is open for a given echo Wild, maniacal gunplay and city-shak- torically minded games onto the takes a week. Either a week of “backing explosions are more than normal- shoals. For a system weighted to pro- ground readings” with a parachron- ly dangerous (except during wartime duce more recent presents, add a ic detector and a successful echoes, of course). Echo settings also modifier to the Starting Era die roll, or Physics/TL9^ (Parachronic) roll, or reward lots of close integration just pick the Starting Era you’d like to a week of checking newspapers and between the heroes and the world; begin with. a successful Current Affairs roll for they have to have local allies, local the local culture plus a successful sources of information, and local Cliodynamics roll (p. 182) works. clout to detect and prevent Centrum Tampering (To randomly determine if the echo interference. The great danger (and opportunity, is in a window, roll 1d; on a 1 or 2, a It’s wise, therefore, to select an from a story perspective) on an echo is window of instability is open. Roll echo based on a historical milieu that historical tampering. Although minor 3d on the Shift Delay Table on p. 104 the GM and players know well or a shifts, like renting a room or hiring a to determine the window’s length.) A milieu for which they have reliable, maid, don’t usually change anything, if critical success on either roll lets the useful resources. However, some GMs you rent the room where Edgar Allan agent predict the next window open- (and players) like the seat-of-their- Poe was planning to sleep off a bender, ing, though not its length. pants feel of random reality-hopping; or hire Emiliano Zapata’s mother as a A divergence that hits during a for such randomness, use the follow- maid, you run a certain risk. Major window of instability has a chance of ing system to create a “present” changes are more likely to send things shifting the timeline. This chance gets between 3400 B.C. and 2001 for a off the rails, though there have been greater with the degree of divergence random echo. cases of echoes where change after caused by the shift. Roll 1d repeatedly on the Random change mounted up before a shift Minor event (+1 to shift): A change Present Table, incrementing the year occurred. (And there are echoes that of the sort encountered in most close forward as indicated from the initial just never change no matter what; see parallels (p. 88). Starting Era. After the third incre- Anchors, p. 87.) Infinity doesn’t know Important event (+2 to shift): A ment, if a specific year is desired, roll why some changes cascade into quan- change of leaders in a minor power; a final die and add the result. tum shifts, and others seem to damp the career of a major artistic figure; the Once the GM has the year figured themselves out – the only thing the founding or bankruptcy of a large cor- out, he can use a timeline or world his- Patrol can do is keep a wary eye on poration; a seminal scientific theory. tory text to find someplace exciting for any changes they notice. Major event (+3 to shift): A change the party to arrive. In our example, the Centrum, however, does know. of leaders in a great power; a battle in era 554-560 A.D. is suitable for post- Echoes go through windows of a major war; a new political philoso- Arthurian grit in Britain, a decadent paratemporal instability, during phy; scientific discovery or invention. game of intrigue behind the scenes of which they are vulnerable to shifting Historic event (+4 to shift): A revo- Justinian’s Byzantium, or high-flying out of their quantum. Changing his- lution or civil war in a great power; a wuxia martial arts action against the tory on an echo during other periods decisive battle; a new scientific para- backdrop of China’s Three Kingdoms. damps out; echoes outside a window digm in a given field; a new industry. This system produces a lot of have a higher degree of temporal World-historic event (+5 to shift): “ancient” echoes; this can be handy inertia than most parallels! Centrum The defeat of a great power in a major for fantasy-genre crosstime adventur- thus sets up their agents during war; a TL shift; the destruction or ers (whose swords and sorceries high-inertia periods, and launches

Random Present Table Starting 1st 2nd 3rd Roll Era Increment Increment Increment 1 3400 B.C. +0 years +0 years +0 years 2 2500 B.C. +150 years +25 years +4 years 3 1600 B.C. +300 years +50 years +8 years 4 700 B.C. +450 years +75 years +12 years 5 200 A.D. +600 years +100 years +16 years 6 1100 A.D. +750 years +125 years +20 years Example: The first die comes up 5, 500 A.D. The next roll is a 3, adding desired, can add a few years, but the so the Starting Era is 200 A.D. The +50 years (550 A.D.); the fourth die echo is clearly in the mid-sixth next roll is a 3, so the present is comes up 2, adding +4 years for a century A.D. incremented up by +300 years, to present of 554 A.D. A final die roll, if

86 PRESENT AT THE CREATION birth of a civilization or mass religion; the founding or aborting of a future great power. Putting a Little Agents can use Cliodynamics to find something that starts small but English on It will ripple up the scale as the shift pro- Since Centrum is attempting to advance a specific ideology rather gresses. This helps prevent their ene- than shifting timelines randomly, Patrol doesn’t have to watch every pos- mies from noticing it until the shift is sible change point equally. Some signs of Centrum interference, with well advanced. The GM is free to move examples, follow: events up or down this scale, which roughly corresponds to alternate Transnationalism: Centrum believes that all nations should unite; it history as presented in fiction and tries to strengthen global forces such as the British Empire, Napoleon’s gaming rather than any specific (or empire, the U.N., the early Communist movement (but not Soviet rigorous) historical theory. For exam- Russian imperialism), environmentalism, medieval Christendom, and so ple, Shakespeare’s career might well forth. Genuine patriots and nationalists like Queen Elizabeth I or George be a genuine +4 historic event. Washington (who committed the extra sin of breaking up a global For the results of Centrum (or acci- empire) attract Centrum assassins or intriguers. dental Homeline) tampering, see Equality: Centrum doesn’t like hierarchies, except for meritocratic Timeline Shifting on p. 104. ones. It helps out leveling revolutions like the French and Russian ones, and then try to steer them in the direction of technocracy. It works (in an orderly way) against ossified hierarchies like medieval China, the Incas, Anchors or Bourbon France – unless they have managed to build a unified glob- An anchor is an echo that, for some al empire, of course. reason, does not shift quanta when the Moderate scientific progress: Too much scientific advancement, too course of normal Homeline history is fast, leads to social turmoil. Centrum silences or diverts controversial, changed. The leading theories assume revolutionary figures like Galileo, Newton, Darwin, or Einstein while either that anchors are actually poten- supporting technologists and pragmatists like Tycho, Hooke, Wallace, or tial parallels with misleading quan- Bohr. tum signatures (and were thus never Rationality: Centrum loves reason and the rational; it distrusts the really echoes at all), or that they are religious and emotional. Centrum prefers Hegel to Nietzsche, and the “original” worlds from which the Frederick the Great to Hitler. The existence of a transnational Muslim other echoes actually resonate – possi- caliphate frustrates Centrum immensely – it bly including Homeline and Centrum! would be perfect if it weren’t so religious! Discovering that an echo is actually an Attempts to secularize Islam in the ninth cen- anchor usually triggers a stark escala- tury – or the 20th – get wholehearted aid from tion in the contest between Centrum Centrum agents. Centrum also knocks off and Infinity, since both sides can poets who cause trouble as well as celebrate “change history” at will without risk- the emotions: Shelley, Byron, Blake, and ing a timeline shift. At its most dra- other Romantic radicals are often Centrum matic, such a contest can trigger an targets of opportunity. The Centrum has international crisis, or even precipi- much the same objection to the Confederacy, tate a major global war, as Infinity and although its social conservatism and corrosive effect on American Centrum “choose up sides” and get nationalism are both positives in Centrum’s eyes. ready to rumble by (heavily armed) proxy.

PRESENT AT THE CREATION 87 To generate a random close parallel, roll 1d on the table below to determine which changes are most There was inherent in the course of history a significant (or visible). Some possible certain element of going off course. examples of each result follow. – Robert Musil, 1 Popular Culture The Man Without Qualities 2High Culture 3 Economic or Corporate 4Technological 5 Political In practical game terms, the GM Close Parallels 6 Geopolitical can make an echo into an anchor Close parallels have only minor dif- Popular Culture: Elvis Presley (either after the fact or in the original ferences from Homeline Earth. died at birth (instead of his twin adventure plan) if it seems like more Further, those differences are primari- Aaron) and rock and roll still com- fun to explore the consequences of a ly cultural or microeconomic. If polit- petes with “big band” jazz for audi- change than to consign the echo to its ical divergences exist, they are minor, ences; Fritz Leiber and Harry new quantum and move on. (For a creating small ripples rather than Fischer invented roleplaying games random method, once a timeline is mighty waves. Although a close paral- in the 1930s. Reality Holly (p. B526) determined to be an echo, roll 3d. On lel might have a superior stapler is one example. a 5 or less, the echo is an anchor. Post design, it probably won’t have anti- High Culture: Charles Dickens hoc, the GM can declare an echo to be gravity, or magic. Often, the change completed Edwin Drood before dying; an anchor if he rolls a 3 on the comes about due to one person’s death Frank Lloyd Wright died in the Timeline Shifting Table on p. 104, or if or life taking a slight detour from Iroquois Theater fire of 1906 and he makes three rolls in a row that Homeline history: Pete Best stayed in American buildings are generally don’t wind up shifting the echo.) An the Beatles and broke them up before much uglier; Orson Welles’ moody anchor can also make an excellent set- they hit America, or Sir Arthur Conan 1946 film The Batman made comics ting for adventures involving ever- Doyle became a Spiritualist earlier in serious art to the New York critical increasing cascades of technological life, so Sherlock Holmes investigated establishment. or geopolitical change. A team of only haunted houses. Not all small Economic or Corporate: Clever Infinity Special Operations agents causes have small effects, however. exploitation of the fur trade funded a tasked with uplifting Persia to TL5 Occasionally, a single death or career golden age of art and wealth in 17th- and causing the fall of a Centrum- change by a seemingly minor cultural century Norway; Coca-Cola became a backed Roman Empire will have their figure creates a farther parallel (see moderately popular health tonic and hands full – especially when the Campbell, p. 119). Cliodynamics is not sports drink; Studebaker replaced Centrum agents in Rome begin to an exact science, and the GM should Chrysler as the number three U.S. car- introduce their own innovations. feel free to let the entire world turn on maker. Reality Cherokee (p. B526) a single horseshoe nail or lost offers other examples. PARALLELS Shakespeare play. Technological: Archimedes invent- From a story perspective, close pared a water mill that nobody improved Most of the worlds one thinks of allels basically serve as scenery – on until the 1300s; typewriter key- when one hears the phrase “alternate reminders that this is, indeed, a game boards standardized on a different Earths” are parallels. On a parallel, of alternate Earths. A brief snippet of pattern than QWERTY; home video- history turned aside from its course “the country stylings of Miss Britney- taping never caught on because Sony on Homeline at some divergence Lynn Spears” on the radio, or a movie introduced recordable DVDs in the point in the past. Parallels span the based on “the best-selling romance early 1980s. gamut from client worlds such as novel by Tom Clancy” nicely conveys a Political: Congress put Ronald Johnson’s Rome to isolated dangers frisson of difference in an alternate Reagan on the nickel after he died in like Reich-5, and from close parallels world. It’s possible to use them as 1998; the Tranby Croft Scandal forced where only Bob Dylan’s discography deeper settings for crimes (ripping off a reshuffling of the British Cabinet in is different to worlds with varying slightly alternate artworks), conspira- 1891; Hitler made Göring his succes- laws of physics and surviving cies (untangling the twisted skein of sor rather than Dönitz before commit- Babylonian monarchies. the Nixon assassination), or similar ting suicide in 1945. To randomly generate a parallel, stories that likewise depend on sur- Geopolitical: Malta is still a British roll 2d and consult the following table: face detail for their interest. And cer- colony; the states of Tennessee and 2-4 Close parallel tainly, any adventure you can set on Kentucky are called Franklin and 5-10 Farther parallel Homeline you can probably add a lit- Transylvania, and have different bor- 11 High-inertia parallel tle something to by setting it on a close ders; an earthquake leveled Aden in 12 Myth parallel parallel instead, unless Homeline-spe- 1540, eventually moving the capital of cific institutions like Infinity Yemen to Mocha. Unlimited need to play a role.

88 PRESENT AT THE CREATION representative result, roll 2d: on any result but 12, the TL is 0. On a 12, roll Skerries 3d: 3-9 is TL1; 10-13 is TL2; 14-15 is Skerries are clusters of parallels, usually on the same quantum and TL3; 16-17 is TL4. Roll 3d again on an sharing common historical or cultural elements. 18: 3-9 is TL5; 10-13 is TL6; 14 is TL7; Sometimes a skerry is created by a reality quake sliding different 15 is TL8; 16+ is TL9+. It’s probably worlds into close contact both historically and paraphysically. Other more fun to go with fiction this time skerries are actually joined by nexus portals, dimensional highways, or around. Speaking of fun, weird or vari- other links. These close ties disrupt the quantum flow around skerry ant technologies can be a pure GM worlds. In general, travel between two worlds in a skerry is at +4 (or call; alternately, roll 1d. On a 5 or 6, higher) to skill; travel to any other outside world from a skerry is at -4 consult Technology Variants, below. (or worse)! Banestorms, reality quakes, and other parachronic disrup- After defining the leading TL, deter- tions are usually more common in skerries, although some become mine which civilizations predominate hyperstable thanks to fortunate quantum geometry. in the parallel. A civilization, generally A thematically unified campaign can be set entirely within a skerry, speaking, is a society with cities and or an adventure exploring different outcomes of the Battle of Antietam, trade. In the plural form, “civiliza- for example, can chase through component Earths of a skerry. tions” are the larger cultural groupings described by world-historians such as Spengler, Toynbee, and McNeill. Such Farther Parallels Farther parallels diverge farther from Homeline history than close parallels. They may also have variant Technology Variants physical laws; if they have it, open To randomly determine variant technology, roll 2d on the following magic often drives society and tech- table, based vaguely on a survey of the genre: nology even farther from the 3 or less Magic Homeline historical path. Farther par- 4-5 Divergent Technology allels can play any role in a game, 6-7 Split Technology from the sole setting to a brief men- 8 Psionics tion in swagman gossip. (“You’ve got 9 Supers to see the matriarchy that Boadicea 10+ Superscience founded over on Britannica-7 – talk Modifiers: -1 per TL below 5. +1 per TL above 5. about your swinging Londons!”) Design them to last, or just write a For magic, psionics, or supers, roll 1d¥25 to determine the average one-line description and move on; extra point value of a mage, psi, or super in the world. you’ll never run out of things to do Apply the results as follows: with farther parallels. Randomly creating a farther paral- Magic: Roll 1d or select: 1, theoretically accepted or covert; 2-3, open lel begins by defining its “present,” but rare; 4, open and common; 5, mages rule the Earth; 6, universal rather than selecting a divergence magic ability. Roll 1d for mana level: 1, low; 2-4, normal; 5, high; 6, very point and branching its history for- high. ward from there. (For some discus- Divergent Technology: Randomly determine the technological diversion of “change forward” parallel gence point. For example, in a TL7 world, roll 1d and subtract the result design, see p. 96.) To randomly create from your TL; if the die comes up a 4, the world is TL(3+4). For a TL6 a farther parallel, first define its lead- world, roll 1d-1, and so forth. Re-roll a result of 0 or less. ing TL by rolling 3d on the following Split Technology: Roll 1d and apply the result to the indicated field table: from p. B511: 1, communications; 2, transportation; 3-4, weapons; 5, power; 6, medicine. Randomly determine whether the split is “forward” 3 TL1-3 (roll 1d/2) or “back.” Repeat as desired; if you repeat a result, add airships to your 4-5 TL4 world’s technology regardless of the TL. 6 TL5 Psionics: Roll 1d or select: 1, theoretically accepted or covert; 2-3, 7-9 TL6 open but rare; 4, open and common; 5, psis rule the Earth; 6, universal 10-14 TL7 psi ability. 15-16 TL8 Supers: Roll 1d and apply the Psionics results, reading “super” for 17+ TL9+ “psi.” Superscience: Roll 1d or make something up: 1-2, antigravity, 3, force This table is designed to give results fields, 4, ray guns, 5, zero-point energy, 6, Martian canals and reaction- matching alternate history literature, less drives. Roll another 1d: on 1-3, aliens or ancient astronauts brought which is overwhelmingly biased the superscience. toward 19th- and 20th-century divergence points. For a more historically

PRESENT AT THE CREATION 89 civilizations consist of groups of TL2 (1d+3 civilizations) This table reflects an Earth similar nations, city-states, or tribes that usu- 3Mississippian ecologically to Homeline; altering ini- ally share at least a few of the following 4 Andean and/or tial global conditions (see Empty characteristics: ethnic descent, lan- Meso-American Worlds, p. 83, and Ecology, p. 103) guage or linguistic stock, religion or 5 Celtic changes these probabilities – perhaps mythic pattern, artistic or literary style, 6 Bactrian drastically! Note that a result and a coherent territory. For the pur- 7 Indic indicating a dominant Andean, poses of timeline creation, this chapter 8 Iranic Meso-American, or Mississippian uses a modified version of Toynbee’s 9 Hellenic civilization after TL0-1 indicates list of civilizations, which has the 10-11 Chinese cross-Atlantic contact and travel. advantage of including “abortive” and 12-13 Roman “arrested” civilizations, somewhat 14 Steppe Civilizations more suitable for alternate histories. 15 Mesopotamian Andean: A series of increasingly For most purposes, civilizations are 16 West African complex cultures in western South the same as cultural familiarities 17-18 Survival; roll on America from the Chavin (c. 850 B.C.) (p. 173). TL0-1 table. to the Inca, who fell to plague and Depending on the TL of the paral- Western conquest in 1533. lel, roll 3d on the Parallel Civilizations TL3-4 (1d+2 civilizations) Bactrian: A polyglot, possibly Table to determine the dominant or 3Mississippian, Andean, and/ multiracial, urban trading and horse- breeding civilization arose in the leading civilization. This is the civi- or Meso-American seventh century B.C. in Central Asia lization with local military superiority 4Malay and maintained a precarious existence to the others, with the highest local 5 Japanese despite numerous conquests until it technology (world TL or TL+1, possi- 6 Norse became the battleground between the bly higher in some areas) the one most 7 Indic Islamic and Chinese civilizations in emulated by other civilizations, the 8Orthodox 750 A.D. one with the widest trading links, or 9-10 Chinese Celtic: Celtic civilization (building the one with the most territory occu- 11 Islamic hill-towns by 550 B.C.) was almost pied in other civilizations’ areas. 12-13 Western entirely assimilated by the Roman civ- At different TLs, the Earth can 14 Steppe ilization by 100 A.D. Increasingly “support” (or has room for) a different 15 Roman Westernized outliers survived in number of major, independent civi- 16-17 Survival; roll on TL2 table. Ireland and northern Britain until the lizations, as given in parentheses. 18 West African 13th century. Other, lesser, civilizations exist, but TL5-6 (1d civilizations) Chinese: The oldest civilization still don’t affect global affairs (or even 3-4 Malay or West African in existence, the culture that began regional affairs, sometimes) unless 5 Japanese with Lao Tzu and Confucius in the outtimers vault them into the lead, 6-7 Indic seventh and sixth centuries B.C. still meteors wipe out the other civiliza- 8-9 Chinese predominates in East Asia from Timor tions, or some other catastrophic 10-12 Western to Tibet. change occurs. After determining the 13 Islamic Egyptian: Egyptian civilization dominant civilization, pick the others 14-15 Orthodox spread along the Nile from 3100 B.C. by any method you like: further rolls, 16-18 Survival; roll on until its absorption into the Hellenic geographic proximity (civilizations TL3-4 table. civilization by Alexander the Great in often have civilized neighbors) or bal- 330 B.C. ance (if all your major civilizations are TL7+ (1d-2 civilizations) Hellenic: The barbaric successors in Europe, add China or India), or 3-4 Malay or West African to Minoan civilization created their desired world flavor. 5-7 Indic own urbanized, adventurous, quarrel- 8-9 Chinese or Japanese some culture after 800 B.C. that even- 10-12 Western tually spread from southern Italy to Parallel 13 Orthodox Afghanistan. It fell to the Roman civi- Civilizations Table 14-17 Islamic lization in the second century B.C., TL0-1 (1d civilizations) 18 Survival; roll on but strongly influenced its con- 3 Andean TL3-4 table. querors. 4-5 Hittite Hittite: Hittite civilization arose in 6-8 Chinese On a “retrogression” or “survival” Anatolia around 1800 B.C. The Hittite 9-10 Egyptian result, leave the base TL alone, but Empire fell around 1200 B.C., and the 11-13 Mesopotamian advance (or regress) the rolled civiliza- Iranic and Hellenic civilizations 14 Indus Valley tion to fit. For example, a result of absorbed its successor states by 550 15-16 Minoan “Hellenic survival” while rolling on the B.C. 17 Meso-American TL3-4 table might indicate a TL4 Indic: After a lengthy period of 18 Retrogression or Dark Age; Alexandrian Empire that survived into chaos and religious ferment, a com- roll on TL2 table. the Renaissance – or caused it to mon civilization extended across all of flower early. India by 320 B.C. and the rise of the

90 PRESENT AT THE CREATION Maurya Empire. It has withstood several invasions by the Islamic civilization, and conquest by the Steppe and Western civilizations. Indus Valley: Very little is known about this civilization, centered on Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro between 2500 and 1500 B.C. It may have traded with Mesopotamia, and may have fallen to barbarian invasion, but neither is certain. Iranic: The same “Arya” barbarian invaders who produced Indic civilization built Iranic civilization in Persia in the sixth century B.C. It rapidly B.C. Islamic conquest wiped out its Steppe: Only seldom urbanized, conquered everything from the Nile to last remnants. save for caravanserais, the steppe the Indus. Although its influences Minoan: Little is known about this tribes (of many cultures and ethnici- spread even farther, wars with the bull-obsessed civilization centered on ties from Scythians to Mongols) Hellenic and Roman civilizations Crete. It may have founded the shared characteristics (especially mili- reduced it to its core territory until it Mycenean pirate kingdoms or been tary tactics) driven by their nomadic fell to the Islamic civilization in 640 destroyed by them, or both. It lifestyle and common environment. A.D. Its assimilation remains flourished between 2600 and 1400 Independent steppe civilizations exist- imperfect to this day. B.C.; the Myceneans themselves fell to ed from 600 B.C. or before; by 1650 Islamic: Although it began as a barbarians by 1100 B.C. the last of them had been subdued by puritanical, leveling culture in the sev- Mississippian: A loose multi-tribal the Orthodox Russians or fully assim- enth century A.D., its conquest of trading network rose along the ilated by their “subject” civilizations in lands from Spain to Bengal produced Mississippi-Ohio Valley in North Mogul India and Manchu China. a sophisticated, even discursive civi- America by 800 A.D.; it may still have West African: Iron-working, gold- lization that remains dominant in been too diffuse to be a true civiliza- mining, industrious traders spread north Africa, central Asia, and the tion by the time its main centers col- along the Niger, Volta, and Senegal Middle East today despite Western lapsed in ecological exhaustion Rivers during the seventh century A.D. influences and pressures. around 1350. Its final outliers fell to By 1700 A.D., their urban centers Japanese: An outlier of Chinese civ- Western settlers in the 18th century. (which eventually reached the Congo ilization developed its own combina- For game purposes, the GM can add and Sudan) had all fallen to Islamic or tion of aesthetics and brutality in the Algonquin and Siouan confederacies Western conquest, although succes- Heian period (794-1192). Since the like Pontiac, Tecumseh, or the sors resisted assimilation until the late mid-19th century, it has been slowly Iroquois to this civilization. 1880s. assimilating into Western civilization. Norse: The last vigorous, expand- Western: Born by 550 A.D. out of Malay: A vibrant, hybrid trading ing pagan civilization probably arose the mix of German invaders and the civilization grew from Chinese, in the sixth century A.D., but became fallen Roman civilization, Western Islamic, and Indic outliers in the thoroughly Westernized and Christian civilization fought off a series of inva- Malay peninsula and Indonesia, start- by 1100. sions and then began expanding out of ing with the kingdom of Srivijaya in Orthodox: The successor state to western Europe. By 1100, it had 700 A.D. Since the mid-17th century, it Roman civilization incubated in its reached the borders of Russia and has been assimilating into Chinese eastern half (Greece, the Balkans, and invaded Asia; by 1500, it was planted and Western civilization. the Middle East) around 330 A.D. In in Africa, India, and the Americas. It Meso-American: A number of small the 10th century A.D., it successfully has dominated the globe since the city-states spread from central Mexico spread to Russia, which became its 19th century. and Yucatan into a common civiliza- new center after the conquest of its old tion by 200 B.C., but never unified core by the Islamic civilization. politically. The various Meso- Survives in Russia and the Balkans Civilization Unity Table American cultures all fell to Western today. 2 Unitary conquerors during the 16th century. Roman: Began around 600 B.C. 3-4 Empire Mesopotamian: Urban civilization with the Etruscan League of Cities, 5-6 Empire with satellite states was born with the Sumerian culture and built a unified empire and expand- 7 Empire with rivals around 3500 B.C. Its ritual and politi- ed over Europe, northern Africa, and 8 Bipolar cal structures continued (with the the Middle East. Religious disputes, 9-11 Multipolar (1d+2 powers) occasional dark age) through the plagues, and barbarian invasions com- 12 Diffuse Akkadian, Babylonian, Assyrian, and pounded the stresses of empire, and it Once you’ve determined the major, Chaldean cultures that followed until collapsed around 450 A.D. independent civilizations, roll 2d on the being imperfectly assimilated into the Civilization Unity Table to establish Iranic civilization in the sixth century their internal geopolitical structure.

PRESENT AT THE CREATION 91 Modifiers: -4 for Japanese or Andean civilization, -2 for Egyptian or Orthodox civilization, -1 for Chinese or Roman civilization, +1 for Islamic Deciding on the great powers within a civilization, +2 for Western, Bactrian, Hellenic, or Indic civilization, +4 for civilization or on a parallel Earth helps add Celtic or Norse civilization. These concrete detail and flavor to a game setting. modifiers are based on historical performance; obviously, in an alternate history, this performance can change! The GM should disregard them for “wilder” alternates. individual states (if any) set their own great powers can project war-win- course and run their own risks. Steppe ning military force to the farthest Unitary: This civilization consists civilizations, or collections of city- extent local technology allows. of one, essentially homogeneous, states, usually fluctuate between Deciding on the great powers within state. Although powerful and advan- diffusion and empires. a civilization or on a parallel Earth ced, it has no significant colonies in helps add concrete detail and flavor Any degree of unity (except diffuse) other civilizations’ territory. The to a game setting. It also provides a may be “fragmenting” – the old order Japanese civilization has usually been handy list of “usual suspects” for is collapsing, but the new order has unitary, except for a brief period from high-tech experiments, moon shots, not yet defined itself. The GM can 1890 to 1945. global wars, spy plots, and so forth. make this call based on desired flavor, Empire: This civilization is unified Quite often, the divergence point of a or roll 1d: on a 6, the system is under one state, which has conquered parallel (or a place to influence it for fragmenting. (Add +2 for Steppe all the other states in this civilization. your own ends) comes in a great civilization rolls.) An empire usually has colonies or mil- power’s political or military history, The GM may also decide that some itary bases in other civilizations’ terri- or at the contest point between two civilizations have been conquered, but tory, but not always: the Chinese great powers. not assimilated by others, like the empire seldom has, except for Tibet Randomly determining great pow- Indic civilization under the Western and occasional forays into the steppes ers would be a massive task well out- (British) rule between 1757 and 1947. of Central Asia. side the scope of this book, but the Although part of another civilization’s Empire with satellite states: Some of following list of examples (including empire, they may still be very impor- the states under the empire’s umbrella some near-great powers) in rough tant, and constantly simmering with maintain local independence, but do chronological order for the various rebellion and separatism. Other civi- not (or cannot) chart independent for- civilizations may help GMs create lizations (or empires) may be true eign policies. The Roman and Soviet great power rosters for their world. hybrids; the Roman civilization might empires both used this model. Fictional powers are in quotes. Empire with rivals: Although the have been such a hybrid with Hellenic empire is by far the most powerful civilization if Mark Antony had defeat- Andean: Chavin, Moche, Tihuanaco, state within the civilization, other ed Octavian and moved the imperial Inca Empire, “Amaru Republic.” states retain considerable independ- capital to Greek Alexandria. If Bactrian: Ferghana, Sogdia, ence and might conceivably ally Alexander the Great had lived, he Bactria, Tocharia, Kushan Empire, against it, or back other civilizations’ might have tried to build such a Bokhara, Balkh, Samarkand. empires against it diplomatically or hybrid Hellenic-Iranic civilization. Celtic: Cisalpine Gaul, Galatia, militarily. Imperial states are not nec- Usually hybrids either assimilate the Nervii, Vercingetorix’s league, Icenic essarily dictatorships; the United weaker civilization over time or confederacy, “Camelot,” “Holy Eirish States, under this definition, has been become a new civilization, as Western Empire.” a democratic empire with rivals dom- civilization evolved from the Chinese: Various Chinese dynasties inating Western civilization since Germanic conquest of, and hybridiza- (Han, Tang, Sui, Song, Yuan, and 1945. tion with, Roman civilization. Ming), Jin, Funan, Champa, Korea, Khitai, Manchu Empire, Taiping Holy Bipolar: The civilization is divided Great Powers between two great powers, with less- Empire, Nationalist China, People’s Each dominant civilization er states unable to chart separate Republic of China, “Hongkong LLC.” (except diffuse ones) contains at least courses. Egyptian: Khemet (ancient Egypt), one great power. (Some multipolar Multipolar: There are a number Upper and Lower Egypt, Canaan, civilizations may have so many local (1d+2) of great power states within Keftiu, Kush, “Aigyptos,” “Coptic Sun great powers that they don’t actually this civilization with substantial Kingdom.” have a true great power.) A great capacity for independent action Hellenic: Athens, Sparta, Syracuse, power is a nation capable of against other civilizations, or other Thebes, Ionia, Magna Graecia, militarily defeating or economically lesser states in their own civilization. Macedonian Empire, “Alexandrian dominating any other nation, except Diffuse: This civilization has no Oikoumene,” Seleucid Syria, a fellow great power, with minimal central concentration of power; its Ptolemaic Egypt, Greco-Bactria. effort. Usually, though not always,

92 PRESENT AT THE CREATION Hittite: Old and New Hittite Great Britain, United States, Mexico, strong caste flavor no matter their Empires, Hurrian Empire, Mitanni, Empire of Brazil, Confederate States, official form. Any structure can be Aram, Urartu. Australia, Nazi Germany, European “feudal,” from democracies like the Indic: Maurya Empire, Malwa, Union. pre-Constitution United States to dic- Gupta Empire, Maharashtra, Chola, tatorships like the Mongol Empire; Delhi, Bengal, Mogul Empire, Political Structure roll again to determine the underlying Mahratta League, Punjab, “United If desired, roll 3d to determine the structure. (A “feudal feudal” result is a India,” India. political structure of any states you collection of independent fiefdoms Indus Valley: Harappa, Mohenjo- have created in the foregoing process. with no overlord, such as the Greek Daro, “Dilmun.” 3 Anarchy city-states before and after Alexander, Iranic: Elam, Persia, Media, 4Technocracy or with a completely powerless one Achaemenid Empire, Scythian Bosp- 5 Caste such as the German states from 1648 orus, Chorasmia, Parthia, Sassanid 6-8 Feudal to 1806.) In other words, do not feel Empire, Safavid Empire. 9-11 Dictatorship constrained by these results. It is Islamic: Umayyad Caliphate, 12 Oligarchy important to remember that even a Abbasid Caliphate, Buwayhid Empire, 13 Representative democracy relatively restrained monarchy such Ghaznavid Empire, Andalus, Almo- 14-15 Clan/tribal as the 17th-century Swedish kingdom hade Empire, Fatimid Egypt, Khwar- 16 Theocracy counts as a dictatorship for this table, izm, Sultanate of Delhi, Ottoman 17 Corporate state as per p. B509. Use pp. B506-507 to Empire, “Nasserite Union,” Iranian 18 Athenian democracy determine CRs, if desired. Republic, “Neo-Caliphate.” You may want to differentiate the Japanese: Tokugawa Shogunate, This table uses the government various political systems by region or Japanese Empire, “Greater East Asia type categories on pp. B509-510, plus historical era; political structures do Co-Prosperity Sphere,” “Japan, Inc.” Oligarchy (rule by a small group of seem to change as TL does, for Malay: Srivijaya, Majapahit, Java- rough equals). It maps roughly to his- instance. As an applied example, see nese Empire, Malacca, Indonesia. torical frequency, modified for great the Western Political Structures Table, Meso-American: Teotihuacan, Zap- powers only. Individual civilizations p. 94. Entries in quotation marks indi- otecs, Mixtecs, Maya, Toltec Empire, differ: for example, representative cate theoretical political structures Tenochca (Aztec) Empire. democracy was invented by the actually developed (but not fully insti- Mesopotamian: Sumer, Ugarit, Roman civilization but spread via tuted) in Homeline history; italicized Akkad, Amor, Babylon, Assyria, Western civilization to many entries are purely fictional (at least on Chaldea (Neo-Babylonia). others; Steppe cultures flip between Homeline), but not inherently less Minoan: Knossos, Mycenae, Troy dictatorship and clan/tribal struc- plausible. Mississippian: Adena, Hopewell tures; all Indic systems have had a culture, Tuskegee, Muskogea, Caho- kia, Natchez. Norse: Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Holmgard, Koenugard, Iceland, “Vinland”; England, Scotland, and Ireland (at times). Orthodox: Byzantine Empire, Bulgarian Empire, Kievan Rus, Serbian Empire, Muscovy, Russian Empire, Soviet Union, Russian Republic, Ukraine. Roman: Etruria, Roman Republic, “Sertorian Spain,” Roman Empire, Kingdom of Syagrius, “Arthurian” Britain. Steppe: Scythia, Saka, Sarmatia, Yueh-Chih, Hunnic Empire, Khazar Khanate, Seljuk Empire, Mongol Empire, Golden Horde, Timurid Empire. West African: Ghana, Mali, Audo- ghast, Dahomey, Yoruba, Hausa, Kongo. Western: Frankish Empire, Vene- tian Republic, France, Poland, Crusader states, Portugal, Hapsburg Empire, Dutch Republic, Prussia,

PRESENT AT THE CREATION 93 Western Political Structures Table Political Structure TL3-4 TL5-6 TL7+ Anarchy Iceland Post-disaster Autoduel Athenian democracy “Free towns” New England town meetings “Cybertopia” Representative democracy Dutch Republic U.S.A., U.K. E.U. Clan/Tribal Scotland Mormon Utah “Communitarian network” Caste “City of God” “Enlightened despotism” Reichsostland Dictatorship Hapsburg Spain, Louis XIV Bonaparte, WWI Germany Nazi Germany Technocracy “Alchemical kingdom” “Philosopher-kings” Gernsback (p. 126) Theocracy Papal States Puritan Massachusetts Fundamentalist dystopia Corporate state Flemish towns Steampunk Cyberpunk Feudal Frankish kingdoms Austria-Hungary Post-disaster Oligarchy Italian cities Georgian England, C.S.A. Banana republics

Although providing a full network Parachronic theorists aren’t sure myth parallels are built by unknown of randomized historical junctures is what to make of high-inertia parallels. powerful figures such as Cabalistic outside the scope of this (or perhaps Some believe that some forms of magicians or even “gods”. any) book, the GM can use this table as magic or superpowered psi have a Like high-inertia parallels, myth a possible guide to the political history damping effect on temporal change parallels should be selected by the GM of a randomly generated (Western- rates. Others consider high-inertia rather than randomized. The GM dominated, at least) alternate. For worldlines proof of the “law of very needs to choose the myth, the version example, suppose the tables generate a big numbers” and argue that if of it the parallel follows, and the bipolar, TL6 Western-dominated paral- Ezcalli, for example, exists, there degree to which the parallel remains lel. Further, the two superpowers are must be tens of thousands more par- true to literature or folklore. The an oligarchic power and a dictator- allels than current quantum theory Parallel Civilizations Table can per- ship. Looking at the table, one example predicts – possibly in a “dimension” haps give the GM a nudge toward a of a TL6 oligarchy is the Confederate perpendicular to the standard quan- random culture for the parallel’s leg- States of America. In this parallel, per- tum array. Still others argue that endary source, but choosing a familiar haps the Confederacy won the Civil some agency, perhaps time travelers myth is easier for the GM, and usually War, and now leads a coalition of sim- or an unknown dimension-hopping more fun for the players. ilarly “aristocratic” powers (Brazil, group, has meticulously built Ezcalli Britain, and France, say) against a dic- or other high-inertia parallels for an tatorial Russia or Germany that has unguessable purpose. CHALLENGE absorbed or cowed its neighboring Since high-inertia parallels are, by states. The rump United States would definition, idiosyncratic and strange, WORLDS be a minor power, either within the creating them randomly doesn’t work. In a sense, any world is potentially Confederate sphere or vengefully sup- You might get a result from the a challenge world; it presents a prob- porting the dictators across the Parallel Civilizations Table that lem or an opportunity for the Infinity Atlantic. requires a high-inertia parallel to Patrol to solve or attain. True chal- explain, of course! Essentially, howev- lenge worlds, however, are all problem er, they provide excuses for otherwise and little opportunity. In dramatic High-Inertia Parallels unrealistic or implausible parallels terms, they exist to warn, to add flavor, Some parallels remain relatively that the GM nevertheless just wants to or to pose obstacles. close to Homeline history despite put in his universe. major divergences such as magic or supers, or changepoints centuries in Hell Worlds the past that should ordinarily have Myth Parallels Hell parallels are those on which produced much greater variances in These parallels mirror the settings humanity is dead, devastated, or history and politics. The classic exam- of Homeline fiction, mythology, and dwindling to extinction. Usually, the ple is Ezcalli (p. 122), which somehow folklore. Infinity paraphysicists aren’t Earth’s surface, climate, and ecology produced an Aztec empire culturally sure whether the existence of myth also bear horrific scars. Infinity almost identical to that in Homeline’s parallels means that famous authors exploits a few relatively benign (or 15th century, despite a divergence are latent psionics who see other utterly dead) hell worlds as empty point two millennia earlier and mas- worlds in dreams or subconscious worlds (see Disasters, p. 85). If such sive cultural contamination of Meso- clairvoyance, or whether it provides operations go badly (or mysteriously) America by European and Near powerful evidence for the Williams- wrong, PCs may be chosen to investi- Eastern civilizations. The so-called Khor Hypothesis (p. 21). Neither gate, which gives the GM an excuse to “United States of Lizardia” parallel explanation is particularly convinc- get out the depressing adjectives on a (p. 148) is another – even though the ing, or particularly comforting, and global scale. Adventures in a hell inhabitants are sentient, evolved some Homeline theorists believe that world can encompass disaster movie dinosaurs!

94 PRESENT AT THE CREATION Unusual Civilizations None of the following civilizations appear on any of Heavily influenced by Egypt, it expanded commercially the tables or systems in this chapter. They serve as over the Mediterranean coast. Iranic, then Hellenic, civ- examples of curve balls the GM can throw into high- ilization absorbed its homeland from the sixth century inertia parallels or puzzle worlds, or use as strange B.C.; its most successful outlier, Carthage, lasted until enclaves in more normal timelines. 146 B.C. and Roman conquest. Some scholars see Hebrew, and thus much of Western, civilization as a Mysterious Civilizations Punic offshoot. These civilizations, although real, remained “off the Sheban: A trading network of theocratic monarchies map” of history. Like many ancient civilizations, they in Yemen and Ethiopia emerged beginning in the 11th have been exoticized in adventure fiction and century B.C. Mostly absorbed into Islamic civilization occultism. by the seventh century A.D., its last descendant, the Ethiopian kingdom, fell to Soviet Orthodoxy in 1977 East African: This syncretic blend of urbanized, mer- and remains culturally shattered. cantile Islam and East African pastoral tribes created a Tibetan: Beginning in the seventh century A.D., number of small urban centers such as Zimbabwe and this Indic-Chinese border outlier (oddly influenced Zanzibar. Such centers were usually near gold mines or by Iranic civilization) became a theocratic Buddhist along trade routes. It flourished between 1100 A.D. and civilization alternating between military and religious Western conquest in the 19th century. expansion. It survives, barely, under Chinese Gothic: This cattle-herding culture of warriors along overlordship. the Danube and Dniester valleys emerged about 100 A.D. but only urbanized after conquering Rome in the Weird Civilizations fourth century. It or its outliers may have given rise to These civilizations never existed, but can sneak into Norse civilization; it was quickly subsumed into the sufficiently strange parallels either as mysterious ruins nascent Western civilization. in the past or truly bizarre actors in present-day geopol- Khmer: A Cambodian civilization descended from a itics. blend of Indic, Chinese, and Malay influences. From its capital at Angkor, priest-engineers built temples, canals, Atlantean: Sorcerous and aggressive, the Atlanteans and irrigation systems between 790 and 1400. After that left pyramids and solar kingships all along the Atlantic date it declined relative to its outliers in Siam. Chinese and Mediterranean coasts. They vanished by 4000 B.C. and Western civilizations encroached upon it until the Megalithic: These matriarchal, earth-centered mages French conquest in the 1880s. It remains only partially erected standing stones as observatories and ley trans- assimilated. formers from the time of the Flood to about 1500 B.C., Olmec: Considered by many to be the first emer- when patriarchal Aryans destroyed them. gence of Meso-American civilization, the Olmecs (who Sirian: Seeking gold for unguessable reasons, these flourished between 1150 B.C. and 800 B.C.) had enough aliens ruled earthly civilizations as gods, building variance in art and design that others have claimed only strange structures and tampering with human DNA. an ancestral relationship between the two civilizations. They arrived in 10,000 B.C. and left on their own (or Punic: This outlier of Mesopotamian civilization after a human revolt) in 1200 B.C. emerged on the Phoenician coast in about 3000 B.C.

action sequences, tense investigations plague worlds such as Attila (p. 110), Cosmic Catastrophe: Although of toxic ruins, heartbreaking encoun- Ariane (p. 128), and the terrifying Earth seems to dwell in a pretty safe ters with devolved savage humans, or Gotha-parallels (p. 128) exist, human- neighborhood, cosmically speaking, it all three. ity (if not civilization) usually begins only takes one asteroid impact to ruin For a random global catastrophe, recovery within a few generations. your whole species. Most of the roll 3d and consult the following table: Such plague worlds are still very dan- Lucifer worlds (p. B528) suffered gerous for unprotected outworld visi- asteroid or comet impacts (although 3-4 Disease tors, of course, and Infinity maintains not all of them are hell worlds; see 5-6 Cosmic catastrophe strict decontamination procedures for p. 133). A nearby gamma-ray burster 7-8 Ecological disaster returning conveyors, just in case. or supernova sterilized Lucifer-3 9-15 Global war Plagues that actually eradicate (p. B528). Solar flares, dark energy, 16-18 Odd disaster humanity are usually either bioengi- black holes, and any number of other Disease: A disease capable of wip- neered war-plagues or paranormal dangers wait out there. ing out all of humanity is, evolutionar- ones. ily speaking, highly unlikely. Although

PRESENT AT THE CREATION 95 Ecological Disaster: Whether man- (or submen), nuclear winter, or magi- puzzle. Narratively, a puzzle world is made or natural, global climate shifts cal manastorms, as well as piles of its own justification for existence; it or extinction events can wipe out civi- corpses and charred cities. exists to add color, drama, or weird- lization in under a century. If the Odd Disaster: Unclassifiable or ness to the game. Solving the puzzle is atmosphere dies, it can wipe out all unusual events crop up fairly often in therefore often beside the point. With multicellular life. A returning Ice Age, the Infinite Worlds, and some of them some worlds (such as Enigma on runaway global warming, catastroph- doom humanity. Drexler (p. B528) and p. 140), a solution may be a larger goal ic species depletion, and catastrophic Leviathan (p. 129) are two examples of of the campaign, perhaps to prevent a volcanism are the four most common strange new hells; the GM’s fiendish- similar fate overtaking Homeline or conditions on ecological hell worlds. ness and creativity are the only limits some helpless parallel. A puzzle world Asteroid strikes or uncontrolled sor- to what possible disasters the Scouts should be entertaining (or creepy) cery might replicate any of these might encounter. Unleashed demons, enough, however, that one or two pro effects. angry gods, and powerful Things Man forma “travelogue” adventures there Global War: To truly endanger the Was Not Meant To Know would fit in can still be fun and challenging for the human race, a global war has to be this category, although some cosmic team. Otherwise, there’s little point in fought at TL7 or higher (or with equiv- catastrophes might be indistinguish- visiting it in the first place. The GM alently deadly magics). Most such able from the return of the Ancient can simply drop its existence into wars begin as (or include) nuclear Ones to near-Earth space. Patrol gossip or a Paralabs briefing wars; almost all of them kill their bil- and move on with the real story. The lions by plague and famine after the GM needs to decide on a good puzzle bombs have destroyed cities and Puzzle Worlds (and, if desired, a solution) that fits the crops. On some worlds, nuclear war- Figuring out what doomed human- game’s tone; again, randomized fare produces evil mutant supermen ity is a specific, if unpleasant, type of results are little help. HISTORY, ALREADY IN PROGRESS The basic structure of an alternate can be as easy as opening a history things seem retroactively plausible, at history is simple enough: a historical book and pointing, but most designers least. Don’t get too hung up on plausi- event happens differently, its changes begin with at least some idea of what bility: there are enough bizarre twists echoing down the years to a radically the change is intended to accomplish. of fate in real life that any event can be changed present. While a single There’s little point, for example, in made to seem inevitable. change point is generally desirable, carefully designing an alternate histo- Another common divergence point the specific reasons for subsequent ry in which Napoleon wins at for change forward designs is the out- changes might be obscure. This sec- Waterloo and is then immediately cut lier. This is a small colony or offshoot tion discusses some principles of alter- to pieces at Mechelen two weeks later of a larger civilization left alone to nate Earth design, and some issues by a regrouped Allied force. If you’re develop along its own path. The that the would-be worldbuilder might beginning with Napoleon, you are pre- American colonies were outliers of wish to keep in mind. sumably interested in a history in England, for example; the abortive which Bonapartism lasts longer and colony of Vinland would have been an has a greater influence over (at least) outlier of Iceland, itself an outlier of DIRECTION the next decade or so. Norse civilization. Often, the purpose There are two basic approaches to This is an example of lost cause of an outlier design is to allow some alternate timeline construction. You design, which includes the two over- factor already present in the parent can work forward from a known or whelmingly most popular alternate civilization to dominate the new one. postulated divergence point such as history topics: a Nazi victory in World English democracy, for example, the Battle of Hastings or the invention War II and a Confederate victory in flourished like a weed in New of the microscope by Archimedes. Or, the Civil War. A surviving Rome, a England, with no kings or landed gen- you can work backward from the restored Stuart dynasty in England, a try to thwart it – as did the theocratic world you’d like to see built, providing unified Catholic Christendom, or an tendencies of the Puritans, with no a (hopefully somewhat plausible) American victory in Vietnam also fit Anglican accomodationist model to rationalization for an independent the lost cause model. obey. In S.M. Stirling’s “Draka” novels, Sioux confederacy or for antigravity Be careful to look past the one every unlovely factor in Western civi- weapons in the Hundred Years’ War. decisive battle; a lot of causes were lization, from slavery to Nietzschean lost for deep-set economic or demo- morality, flourishes in the Cape Change Forward graphic reasons. Still, with suitable Colony. The spirit of the French hand-waving and a judicious selection Revolution might have thrived in an To begin with the change point, of divergence points, you can make independent French Canada, or the you need to pick a change point. This

96 PRESENT AT THE CREATION spirit of the Romanov mystics in a sur- childhood, when he was enslaved by a new proto-blitzkrieg tactics developed viving Russian Alaska. rival, and never united the Mongols at by Hindenburg, submarines keeping If you don’t already have a diver- all. Because this sort of change tends America out of Europe – and empha- gence point in mind, you can always to throw the possibilities wide open, it size them in your own timeline. Justify use the Random Present Table (p. 86) often requires a more specific goal in increasing all those factors, and deter- to pick one, of course. addition. Removing Christianity, for mine what you need to change to example, leaves you with the question make such increases happen, even if of what world religion the Romans your change point winds up being Destiny Backward eventually convert to. Do they bring something like “Kaiser Wilhelm II Even when using a change forward Buddhism from India, or raise wasn’t as big an idiot as he was in our model, it can be very helpful to have a Mithraism from cult to mass church, history.” goal toward which you want the histo- or simply dodder along as increasing- Even if you have a present in mind, ry to evolve. This goal may be a vision ly apathetic pagans until the Muslim you may wind up determining a suit- of what reality should look like in the invasions convert them all to the True able divergence point in the past, and present, or at least a few elements to Faith of the Prophet? working both forward from the diver- be included (for instance, Irish domi- This may wind up as displacement: gence point and backward from your nance of England, Egypt the most changing the history of one area to goal. It may happen that a goal turns technologically advanced nation on mirror the history of another. If an out to be impossible to reach from a Earth, America divided into petty Islamic Roman empire becomes the particular divergence point. Don’t hes- states like medieval Europe – or all of new caliphate, will future Muslim cul- itate to find another change point, the above). It may even simply involve ture resemble Western civilization, or usually farther back in history, and assuring that the beneficiaries of the will future European civilization run the tape again. If changing the initial change survive and prosper, resemble the post-Abbasid sultanates? outcome of the Battle of Gettysburg though this works much better for Either way, you can seek models in the isn’t enough to gain Confederate inde- short periods than histories of more historical past and apply them to your pendence in your estimation, move than one or two centuries. In any case, alternate history. The most common back and try Antietam, or the Trent having a goal in mind allows you to sort of displacement is moving the affair and a British-brokered peace, or choose among the many plausible Scientific and Industrial Revolutions have the war break out in 1857 under alternatives that shortly appear. from Western Europe to ancient a weak President Buchanan instead of One such goal is enhancing the Greece, or Muslim Baghdad, or a determined President Lincoln. importance of any person, concept, or medieval India, or Song Dynasty nation relatively marginal in our own China. The history of Roma Aeterna history. Examples of such strengthen- (p. 144) is essentially the displacement DECISION ing the marginal design goals include of the Chinese imperial model of So, what exactly makes history making Poland a world power, allow- breakup and reunification within a diverge? What is necessary and suffi- ing the Celtic Christians to continue self-conscious imperial culture to the cient to shift history out of its tracks? their development without interfer- West. One could just as easily postulate If we live in Plastic Time With High ence by of Rome and the Vikings, or a China that, like the West, turns into a Inertia (p. 154), how plastic is time, letting Roger Bacon continue to devel- mass of squabbling kingdoms after the and how high is high? The GM needs op the scientific method in the 13th fall of the Han. Like Western Europe, to answer these questions for time- century. A startling number of alterna- these successor states would gradually travel games. In the Infinite Worlds tive histories wind up strengthening lose interest in their imperial past as setting, inertia varies from world to the marginal technology of airships they develop into independent nations world. In our own history, the answer and zeppelins, for example. This is a and expand overseas. You could apply has likewise varied. matter of flavor rather than logic, but Japanese modernization in the 1880s this is a game book, after all. Nikola to the Iroquois in the 1760s, Mehmet Great Man Tesla’s electrical experiments, the Ali’s Egypt in the 1820s, or to the Sikh The most plastic theory is the Maya kingdoms, and imperial Brazil Punjab in the 1840s. Great Man theory, which holds that a or Sweden are similarly marginal One trick that sometimes works, man or woman of sufficient willpower, figures with that combination of for those of an academic cast of mind ability, and vision can alter history and obscurity and flair. anyhow, is to put on your snootiest change the course of nations. History, Failing that, perhaps you’d like to History Channel documentary voice in this view, is biography; it’s the story marginalize the strong. Cast a great and say something like “In retrospect, of Moses and Napoleon, Hitler and nation, religion, hero, or culture onto German victory in 1918 was Lincoln, Queen Elizabeth I and Marie history’s ash heap and never look inevitable.” Then list all the things Curie. This theory suits games and back. For example, the Mongols came that (if you didn’t know how World adventures admirably – human stories close to overrunning Europe in the War I wound up) would make and human achievements are what 13th century, and might have fore- German victory indeed seem games are about, after all. It’s also stalled the European age of creativity inevitable – French morale disinte- much easier to write and game a that gave birth to the Renaissance and grating, the Russian Revolution free- Centrum plot to kidnap Einstein than the Great Discoveries. Or Genghis ing up the German Eastern Front, the Khan might have died during his to write or game a Centrum plot to

PRESENT AT THE CREATION 97 mount a decades-long campaign to slave-holding ally, and the “peculiar argument of Jared Diamond’s Guns, weaken German academic standards. institution” would have likely died out Germs, and Steel, which has become This theory, sadly, is well and truly out even with an independent Confederacy. the centerpiece of a construct that of fashion among academic histori- However, the Great Moment theory is denies almost any individual human ans. However, historians from resolutely unromantic, and difficult to agency in history. Plutarch to Carlyle believed in it address in game terms. One can try to People everywhere adapt to their implicitly. To many people it seems set up complexes of conditions early environment, and adapt their environ- highly unlikely that the American Civil enough that the mass movements ment to themselves. If the environ- War, for instance, would have been themselves are diverted – perhaps the ment contains horses, coal, iron, and remotely the same without Abraham cotton gin isn’t invented and the South barley, you get Prussia. If it contains Lincoln or Robert E. Lee. Of course, has to industrialize to make money rice, chickens, silver, and typhoons, Lee also provides a salutary corrective when cotton bottoms out. Perhaps a you get China. If it contains gold but to the Great Man theory – even he harsher bout of Chartist radicalism no heavy draft animals or infectious couldn’t win the war for the South, strengthens English aristocratic reac- diseases, you get wiped out by Cortés after all. “But maybe,” the Great Man tion, and Palmerston can support the when he shows up with his horses and theorists respond wistfully, “if Lee had South without losing any votes in iron and smallpox (see Plagues, p. 99) been just a little bit greater at Parliament. to take your gold. Gettysburg...” This model is horribly depressing and unromantic, but it does have the Great Motherland virtue of denying any role to race, or Great Moment The Great Moment theory looks class, or “cultural energy,” or any of The counter to the Great Man the- positively carefree compared to the the other things that besmirched so ory is what one might call the Great new macrohistorical studies that much historical thought in the 19th Moment theory. The times make the argue that even those mass move- and 20th centuries. It can also make a man; postwar chaos in Germany ments are predestined by the regional handy set of invisible walls for build- would have inevitably produced an and continental ecology where they ing alternates. Taking ecology and anti-Semitic, warmongering dema- occur. This “Great Motherland” theory geography into account can prevent gogue. If not Hitler, perhaps Julius is the highest of inertia. It presents his- silly alternates like a Madan Empire Streicher or Joseph Göbbels or some tory as geography; the vectors of dis- based in New Guinea (too many unknown street fighter might have ease, the varying disaster regimes and mountains and typhoons to develop become dictator and launched World coastal formations of Europe and cultural unity) or the Maya conquest War II and the Final Solution. China, and the luck of the draw for of Spain in 1492 (that pesky smallpox Similarly, the forces of demographics domestic animals and plants meant again, plus no accessible iron or tin for and economics meant that Britain that western Eurasia was destined to cannon). would have ridden out the threat with rise to global supremacy. This is the or without Churchill, and America would have gotten involved in Europe with or without Roosevelt. This is history as sociology; soci- Alternate Greats eties change according to large mass Where do you put the Great Men in your alternate history? Near the movements, and those movements divergence point, in particular, similar people may play roles of similar throw up “leaders” and “founding importance. Designers of alternate histories often use real historical fig- fathers” and “inventors of the steam ures in roles that somehow resemble their real lives but differ with the engine” who just happen to fit the changed historical context. With this “repertory theater” approach, the requirement of the times. This theory stars – the Great Men – always get to play the lead. This helps players and is most closely associated with Marx readers keep the cast of characters straight, and familiar faces spark (and Hegel, from whom he lifted it). interest. The sight of the condottiere Napoleone Buonaparti rising to However, other historians from power in the decadent Florentine Republic, for example, has the twin Macaulay to McNeill have presented it advantages of emphasizing the changes to the world and clarifying the in one or another form and it basical- situation for everybody. It’s hard to quarrel with a solution that both ly dominates academic discussion enhances strangeness and familiarity. today. However, it becomes faintly silly after a century or so of divergence; As a model for alternate history, it after 350 years, it’s unlikely that the Buonapartis of Corsica would have has its uses. It’s very important, for even had all those kids, much less that one of them just happens to be a plausible alternate histories, to keep brilliant soldier and dictator-in-the-making. As the timeline moves fur- mass movements and large-scale fac- ther away from real history, it’s often easier to look at broader trends and tors like economics in mind – Lee or assume the existence of unnamed geniuses in the background introduc- no Lee, the Confederacy was not going ing monotheism or atomic theory when necessary. In this “commedia to defeat the Union militarily as long dell’arte” approach, the story always has the same roles, and it doesn’t as the North’s industry outproduced matter who fills the Great Moment. the South’s by 10 to 1. Britain was probably never going to accept a

98 PRESENT AT THE CREATION Plagues Not all humans suffer equally from all diseases. “Pox Americana” (1775-1782): Smallpox epidemic Mere childhood ailments in one area become deadly ravaged American soldiers during the Revolutionary epidemics in another. Even whooping cough or chick- War, and spread across the plains to eradicate Indian en pox can kill millions in a “virgin field epidemic,” if tribes as far away as Puget Sound. May have killed 25 none of those millions have any resistance to them. million people in North America. (Whooping cough may have killed half of Japan in the Urban Cholera Epidemics (1826-1837): Endemic in late ninth century A.D.) The clearest case of this in his- Bengal, cholera spread via British ships to Cairo (1831), tory is the nearly 90% death rate of American Indians London (1832), New York (1832), Havana (1833), and after lasting European contact in 1492. Although the Canton (1835); and via Russian soldiers to Moscow conquistadors certainly gave it the old college try in (1830), Warsaw (1831), and Berlin (1831), killing tens of some places, they simply could not have physically thousands of people in each city. Sanitation reform slaughtered such vast populations. Groups too small ended the cholera threat in the West by the 1890s. to bring Old World diseases with them settled the New “Spanish Flu” (1918-1919): Killed 675,000 World during the Ice Ages, and few new diseases Americans, and up to 40 million people worldwide appeared in the next 30,000 years. Other major (more than World War I); it may have begun in U.S. plagues had a similar impact on history: Army camps in Kansas. An unknown strain of influenza 25 times deadlier than normal. Plague of Sennacherib (708 B.C.): “The angel of death” slew the Assyrian army besieging Jerusalem, Any of these plagues might show up in an alternate forcing Sennacherib to leave the Jews alive. May have history; the GM who wants to avoid the Black Death been typhus, a killer of armies (such as Napoleon’s in needs a clever explanation of why his Europe is Russia) up to the 20th century. immune. In the case of the Black Death, eliminating the Athenian Plague (430-429 B.C.): Devastated Athens, Mongol conquests might have done it, since it may have killing a third of the city, including Pericles. Athens lost been the Mongol unification of the steppes that allowed the Peloponnesian War as a consequence. May have plague carriers to spread a Central Asian disease to both been measles. China and Europe in 20 years. Without the Mongols, it Plague of Antoninus (166-180 A.D.): Brought back might have taken many more decades to spread, and the from Persia by victorious legions, this epidemic killed 25 vector might have been through the Middle East, which million people in the Roman Empire. Rome never recov- was not particularly affected by the Black Death in our ered from this demographic disaster, which returned in history. 251-266 A.D. It may also have reached China in 161-185 A.D., and returned there in 310-322 A.D., when a plague The Disease Barrier killed 25% of the population. Probably smallpox. “Fear, fear, the Bay of Benin. One comes out for each 10 Plague of Justinian (542-543 A.D.): Arrived in that go in.” This old sailor’s rhyme, about the dangers of Constantinople by ship from Egypt and killed 120,000 the Benin coast of west Africa, accurately conveys the people; may have killed up to a third of the Byzantine impact of malaria and other jungle fevers such as dengue Empire and southern Europe by 590 A.D., preventing and yellow fever on populations that have not evolved a the reunification of the Roman Empire. Its spread to resistance to them. Until the isolation of quinine from Syria and Persia paved the way for the Arab conquest. Peruvian cinchona bark in 1820, non-Africans simply Probably bubonic plague. could not effectively colonize tropical Africa. Once Black Death (1346-1350): Arrived in Venice from the Columbus accidentally introduced the anopheles mos- Crimea, having already (1331-1354) killed up to half of quito to the Americas in 1493, the Caribbean and its China and disintegrated the Mongol Empire. Killed a shores became similar death traps for Europeans; third of Europe, and sporadically reappeared there for Southeast Asia and the Pacific took a less deadly, but the next 400 years, especially in the Plague of London notable, toll as well. Only the promise of vast wealth from (1665-1666). Its last outbreak killed a million people in gold and slaves could induce Europeans even to garrison Manchuria in 1921. Almost certainly bubonic plague, the few tiny outposts along the African coast. Before you although some historians theorize that the 1346 out- send those Roman armies south of the Sahara, explain break may have been anthrax. why they’re not all dead or delirious first.

drought coming can spark ideas for pick which Great Man wins the next DEVELOPMENT the next decade or century of your round. This section gives a brief The way to use such depressing timeline. Even if you’ve secretly built primer on some of these macrohistor- concepts as the Great Moment and your whole timeline on the heroic con- ical concerns, with extreme prejudice Great Motherland theories is as guide- tests of Great Men, applying these fac- in favor of those that make useful lines for developing alternates. Just tors can give it that all-important tools for world design. knowing that there’s a plague or veneer of plausibility, and help you

PRESENT AT THE CREATION 99 Politics A number of historians have postu- People make their own history, but they do not lated a natural “pendulum” in political history between action and reaction. make it just as they please; they do not make it In 1949, Arthur Schlesinger, Sr., under circumstances chosen by themselves, but famously cited a 16-year pendulum that sadly didn’t even explain the next under circumstances directly encountered, given, 16 years without a lot of special plead- and transmitted from the past. ing. With that said, generational models (see Generational Cycles, – Karl Marx, The Eighteenth Brumaire

below) as used by the historian Samuel Huntington (among others) present a plausible explanation for the Generational Cycles commonly observed 20-year life of One model for studying both historical change and historical conti- many political movements. Radical nuity is the generational model. The social impact of the Baby Boom in libertarianism began in America with America (and in other nations) is a clear example of generational histo- the Stamp Act protests in 1765; by ry in action – and so is the “Greatest Generation” that survived the 1785 it was mired in tariff disputes Depression, won World War II, and built the greatest economy in the and wrecking the Articles of Con- world. federation. Kennedy’s 1960 rebirth of In Generations, historians William Strauss and Neil Howe break out American liberalism was convincingly generational types, in order, as follows: buried by Reagan’s landslide in 1980. The Republican Party destroyed the Idealists are born into a time of conformity, and come of age during Whigs in 1856 over abolition and by social ferment. During adulthood, they pursue individualism while urg- 1876 was cutting corrupt deals with ing a return to morality; they age into visionary figures. The Baby Boom Southern whites to steal the generation (born from 1943 to 1960) are Idealists, as are the Presidency. The young activists who Transcendentalists (born from 1792 to 1821). drive the issue become middle-aged Reactives are born during social ferment, come of age in alienation politicians with their own interests to and risk, shoulder a crisis, and age into dim respectability as society protect; the middle-aged politicians becomes more conformist. The Founding Fathers (born from 1724 to they converted or frightened into 1741) are Reactives, as is Generation X (born from 1961 to 1981). agreement die or retire. Civics are born during a return to morality, unite and come of age About twice that length (every 40 to dealing with a crisis, found institutions in midlife, and build the society 45 years) is a peak riot period for the next ferment will question and disrupt. The Greatest Generation oppressed minorities. This, too, may (born from 1901 to 1924) are Civics, as are the Millennials (born from be generationally driven; perhaps it 1982 to 2003). takes two generations to forget how Adaptives are born during a crisis, relish social conformity in adult- societies increase repression after a hood, work for compromise during social ferment, and age into sensitive riot. Toynbee claimed that it takes elders. The Progressives (born from 1843 to 1859) are Adaptives, as are something like five generations (100- the Silent Generation (born from 1925 to 1942). 125 years) for a new ideology to create a movement capable of changing soci- This model also implies that society-threatening crises occur about ety, but that might be an underesti- once in every four generations (every 80-odd years), followed by ages of mate. Peter the Great’s intelligentsia conformity, social ferment, and individualism each lasting about 20 took 136 years before they tried to years. Each age sows the seeds of the next. The stress of the crisis overthrow Czar Nicholas I in the produces conformity, Idealistic rebels against stifling conformity cause Decembrist Revolt of 1825. Puritan ferment, and the resulting breakdown of conformity leaves risk and ram- Massachusetts took 145 years to riot pant individualism. Reacting against the alienation and atomization against the King. The Civil Rights Act they see around them, the (now older and wiser) Idealists call for a was passed 133 years after William return to morality, just in time for the next crisis to hit and cement those Lloyd Garrison founded the American demands. abolitionist movement. To make their model fit American history, Strauss and Howe have to It takes about eight generations postulate that the Civil War was a “crisis too soon” that “aborted” a Civic (160-170 years), on average, for an generation, and place Thomas Jefferson (an Idealist if ever there was empire to get strong enough to fight one) in a Civic generation. However cut-and-try the model, though, a civil war, and about three (60-odd using it can help give a natural-seeming rhythm to an alternate society. years) to recover from it. (Long enough for all the war veterans to become tiresome old coots with

100 PRESENT AT THE CREATION stories nobody wants to hear any more.) By this reading, the American Revolution was a civil war in the British Empire established in 1607 at Jamestown, 169 years earlier. After 1776, America took until 1836 (60 years) to start its own imperial expansion into Texas and concomitant disintegration over slavery, while Britain spent almost that long watching its monarchs go mad and its population riot before the Reform Act stabilized its political system in 1832. Rome went through three of those cycles before finally collapsing from the outside; an average “really successful” Chinese dynasty manages two of them.

Economics Another field ripe for cyclical patterns is economics, either within a society or on a global basis. (Controversial modern systems theorists believe that all economies have been on a global basis since about 930 A.D., when the Song Dynasty restored the trade links between China and the West.) The “boom and bust cycle” is familiar to most casual observers of the modern business scene, for instance. In 1925, a Russian economist, Nikolai Kondratiev, discovered “waves” of roughly 50 to 54 years (27 years up to the peak, 27 years down to the crunch) in trends within the Western business cycle. The global depressions of 1816, 1873, and 1929 and are edged out by radio in the war or capital influx. Rapid inflation seemed to match the theory pretty 1910s; microcomputers show up in causes increasing inequality and well, and if you squint, you can fit the the 1970s, and we just passed the social control of the economy until recession of 1978-1983 in there, too. “peak” of their productivity growth in control and inequality both become Unfortunately, the other global the Internet boom of the 1990s. A excessive, leading to (or contributing depressions in 1826, 1837, and 1893 similar pattern likely holds in any to) cults, pessimism, intellectual don’t match the wave; nor did the alternate history after TL3 and the revolt, addiction, imperial wars, and crash of 2000. (Kondratiev, ironically, invention of banking. finally a vast crisis. In the aftermath of was sent to Siberia for making the per- On considerably firmer ground are the crisis, prices stabilize in an equi- fectly Marxist observation that the the Price Revolutions, which unlike librium and prosperity returns to start economy drove history.) Historians Kondratiev waves are taken from the the next slow inflation. Unfortunately, still squabble over whether the data themselves rather than statistical although the Price Revolutions have a Kondratiev wave even exists; others models of the data. General prosperity regular structure, they don’t have a favor the “Kuznets wave” of 18-21 causes slow inflation, which becomes nice regular cycle. years, which fits the generational rapid inflation during the next major framework better. If the Kondratiev wave does exist, it probably represents a two-genera- [T]here are no correct alternate histories; there tion lag in exploiting a new industrial development. Railroads are intro- are only plausible alternate histories. duced in the 1830s and mature by the – Will Shetterly, “The Captain’s Story” 1880s; telegraphs come in the 1860s

PRESENT AT THE CREATION 101 Civilization as Biology From Ibn Khaldun to Malthus, historians have seen Absolutism (100-150 years): Aristocratic power societies as essentially following biological patterns: becomes centralized, but the king and bourgeoisie seize spring growth, summer florescence, autumnal decay, power themselves; society approaches a crisis. In the and winter death. The German philosopher Oswald Classical culture, this is the duel of Pericles and Spengler is probably the best-known theorist to apply Themistocles; in the West, it is the rise of Louis XIV and the biological model to history. In The Decline of the West the Stuarts and Hanoverians. Cultural autumn has set (first published in 1918), he proposed that civilizations in, with summer’s beliefs cast into doubt: examples have individual personalities (Classical civilization was include the Enlightenment in the West, the Socratics in Apollo, while Western civilization is Faust, for example). Classical civilization, or the Mutazilites in Islamic socie- However, their inherently biological nature (being made ty. Confucius is the final “Indian summer” of Chinese up of people, after all) constrains them to follow similar civilization, reaffirming order in the midst of chaos. “life cycles” like any other organism. Spengler postulat- Revolution and Napoleonism (30-50 years): Revolt of ed only eight such civilizations, which he called “cul- the bourgeoisie unleashes war and military dictatorship. tures”: Egyptian, Mesopotamian, Chinese (which he The “Napoleons” – Alexander, Sun Tzu, Napoleon – begins around 1000 B.C.), Classical (Hellenic plus sweep away the old order but usually cannot create a Roman), “Magian” (Iranic plus Islamic, with substantial lasting empire. In Egypt, the crisis (Hyksos invasion) Jewish influence), Indian (which he begins with the destroys the nation; in Islam the “Napoleon,” Al-Mansur, Aryan invasions), and Meso-American. Although almost was able to create an empire, the Abbasid Caliphate. Art no modern historians take Spengler seriously, his model is autumnal, backward-looking, and fierce: makes a great frame for alternate histories or future his- Romanticism in the West, and the Shah-Nameh in tories (James Blish used Spenglerian concepts for his Magian culture. Cities in Flight series). In that spirit, Spengler’s “epochs” Transition from Napoleonism (200 years): In the clear of civilization are as follows: space after the crisis, bourgeois interests and contending mass states (some of them democratic, such as the Pre-Cultural Period (400-500 years): This is a period of Roman Republic, the city-states of the Punjab, or the tribes and chieftains; there is no state system or litera- United States) dominate. The Hellenistic phase of ture. For Western civilization, Spengler equates this era Classical culture, the era of five warring states in China, to the Frankish conquests from 500-900 A.D.; for and the imperialist phase of Western culture, are all Classical civilization, the pre-cultural period is the urban, mercantile, and pragmatic. Ethics replace reli- Mycenaean Era. gion, from the Buddha in India to Sufism in Islam to Formation of Feudal Order (300-400 years): States and Stoicism in Greece to secular humanism in the West. Art cities emerge and extend their power, as with Chou is experimental, but little of it lasts . . . final shoots as Dynasty China or Sassanid Persia. The “cultural spring” winter falls on culture. begins with the first priestly (the Lives of the Saints, the Caesarism (200 years): The masses in the victorious Rig-Veda, and Hesiod’s Theogony) and military (the state eventually rally to force-politics, suppress the bour- Arthurian tales, the Mahabharata, and the Iliad) myths. geois, and impose a unified empire to the limits of their Vigorous architecture, as with the Pyramids in Egyptian civilization’s reach. This is the age of Augustus Caesar, civilization or the Gothic cathedrals in the West. Shi Huangdi, Alp Arslan (who founds the Seljuk Interregnum (100-200 years): The feudal order breaks Sultanate), the Pharaoh Ahmose (who founds the New down in warfare, plague, and famine. The cultural Kingdom), Chandragupta Maurya . . . and the “military- spring becomes summer, and reaction begins. In the industrial-media complex” in the United States. Cultural West, Aquinas perfects Catholic scholasticism, and the winter leads to artificial, syncretic, postmodern art heresies that will lead to Luther emerge. In Classical cul- forms imitating earlier forms. ture, the Orphic cults question the Olympian orthodoxy. Final Stasis (200+ years): The imperial state gradual- Springtime art is exhausted. ly ossifies and decays. Classical culture enters final sta- Aristocratic State Formation (150-170 years): Major sis with Domitian, Magian culture with the Ottomans, aristocratic states emerge and contend; this is the era of Egypt with the Ramessids, China with Han Wu Ti. On the Tudors and the Hapsburgs in the West, and of the Spengler’s schedule, Western culture is due for final sta- seven warring states in China. The passing of the cultur- sis some time around 2105. Frozen and dead, the cul- al high summer is reflected in the Renaissance becom- ture’s only expression is gigantism. ing Baroque, or Doric art giving way to Ionic art. New Aftermath: The empire falls to barbarians, who plant mathematics emerge: Classical Pythagorean geometry, the seeds of a new feudal order in its ruins. Magian algebra, or Western calculus. At the end of this period comes a puritanical reaction: Mohammed, or Cromwell.

102 PRESENT AT THE CREATION Alternate histories can ignore the War Spanish Succession put England and Price Revolutions, react to them, or Which brings us to our next cycle, Prussia on the global stage; the include Revolutions of their own, at the war cycle identified by Quincy Napoleonic Wars did the same for the designer’s whim. Again, including Wright. He found that, statistically, a Russia; the World Wars introduced them or something like them vastly major war breaks out between the America. In your alternate history, increases a timeline’s plausibility and great powers every 75 to 85 years. In keep a running tally of great powers; if realism – two or three centuries of other words, every four generations, they have passed their sell-by date, prosperity without consequences have just long enough for everyone who drop them off in the next big war. never happened in human history. remembers how awful the last one was The major Price Revolutions are as to die off. This great-power war usual- follows: Ecology ly lasts on and off for 25 to 30 years in The final major influence on the Medieval (1180-1350): Begins with several phases (like the two World course of history is climate. Like eco- the invention of banking and the loot Wars or the two Napoleonic Wars); nomics, people try to identify cycles in of the Fourth Crusade. Ends with the long enough to kill a whole generation it such as the El Niño-Southern Black Death and a century of warfare off and get society thoroughly sick of it Oscillation cycle (ENSO), which caus- and destruction. The equilibrium for another four generations. George es floods in China and Peru, famines afterward is remembered as the Modelski has modified Wright’s theory in India (by wrecking the monsoon), golden age of the Renaissance. by introducing the oceanic war, which bitter cold and snow in Russia, Sixteenth Century (1520-1620): he claims is the only kind that actually drought in the American West and Begins with the discovery of American shifts power structures, with a slightly Mediterranean, and general chaos gold mines and the war against the longer cycle of 90 or so years. Neither every 8 to 15 years. Strong “mega- Turks. Ends with the Thirty Years’ cycle actually fits the dates involved, ENSOs” may have brought the wet, War. The equilibrium afterward is the but if your alternate history has gone cold weather that bogged down both Enlightenment of Newton and Bach. 80 or 100 years without a great-power Napoleon and Hitler in Russia. It’s Eighteenth Century (1740-1800): war, toss one in. possible, in a Great Motherland way, Begins with the rise of joint-stock On average, great power wars that the reason northwestern Europe companies and the sugar boom. Ends result in at least one great power get- wound up conquering the world is with the French Revolution and ting the stuffing knocked out of it and that it’s the temperate zone least Napoleonic global wars. The equilibri- removed from great power status. The affected by ENSO! Still little under- um afterward is the Victorian era. Italian Wars knocked Venice off the stood, ENSO may be the most impor- Twentieth Century (1900-present): list; the Thirty Years’ War bounced tant single weather pattern in history. Begins with the full flowering of Spain; the War of the Spanish On a larger scale, global climate industrial capitalism and the age of Succession made the Dutch and has fluctuated strongly many times in empires. The current Malthusian Swedish second-rank powers; the the history of civilization. Major diebacks in Africa, and the wars in the Napoleonic Wars knocked Spain back weather shifts may be the reasons for Middle East, may represent its end again and finished France demo- plague outbreaks, famines, and other stage. If so, the mid-to-late 21st graphically; the World Wars pinned demographic crises – every civiliza- century looks pretty good. Germany’s ears back, and so forth. A tion in the world went through similar great power can try to climb back, crises during the third century and There may also have been Price which takes about a generation, or set- 17th century, for instance, which Revolutions in ancient Babylonia tle for decline. Some great power wars argues for global causes. Any of the (1750-1680 B.C.), classical Greece introduce a new great power to the following climate shifts probably still (500-300 B.C.), Rome (90-220 A.D.), mix, as previous second-rankers occur in a parallel Earth, unless and early medieval Europe (850-1000 mobilize to fight. The Italian Wars changing the climate is the point of A.D.). All of those periods end in marked the debut of France as a con- the alternate: devastating war. tender; the Thirty Years’ War made Laurentide Cooling (c. 6200-5800 Sweden a great power; the War of the B.C.): Four millennia of global warming finally melted a glacial ice sheet in North America, opening the St. Lawrence, spilling cold water into the Atlantic, and shutting off the Gulf Stream. The end of this cold drought On average, great power wars result in sparked the urban revolution in at least one great power getting the stuffing Mesopotamia, India, and Palestine. Boreal Cooling (3800-3100 B.C.): knocked out of it and removed from great Another cold drought forces the con- power status. centration of towns into cities in Sumer; its end creates Egyptian civilization with the return of regular Nile floods.

PRESENT AT THE CREATION 103 Sub-Boreal Event (2200-1900 B.C.): Mediterranean air mass moved north Ages in Europe (with demographic A major volcanic eruption triggers over France and Britain, supporting consequences such as the Crusades), another cold drought, causing the end Roman wine and olive culture. and dooms the Anasazi as drought of Egyptian Old Kingdom and Eventually, the warmth led to renewed grips the American Southwest. Sumerian-Akkadian civic empires. drought, which shifted the air mass Little Ice Age (1316-1850): Global Crisis of 1200 B.C. (1200-1100 back south. According to legend, the cooling, possibly volcanic, sets off B.C.): Major drought in 1200 B.C., Goths invaded the Empire over the famine and plague in Europe and combined with the eruption of Mt. frozen Rhine and Danube. China. The glaciers advance in the Hekla in Iceland in 1159 B.C., sends Catastrophe of 535 (535-600 A.D.): Alps during the coldest era (1580- waves of nomadic invaders through A major volcanic event in Java (possi- 1760). This may also be tied to the the Hittites, Babylonians, and bly an eruption of Krakatoa) causes a “Maunder Minimum,” a decrease in Egyptians. This event may have global “nuclear winter,” wrecking sunspot activity from 1645-1710. This helped trigger the war for Troy, to Byzantium, China, Teotihuacan, and in turn may have triggered the global seize grain routes in a famine. “Arthurian” Britain. crisis of the 17th century, from the Classical Warm Period (300 B.C.- Medieval Warm Period (900-1300): Thirty Years’ War to the Manchu inva- 200 A.D.): This was probably a shift in Global warming lets Vikings settle sions of China to the first Indian Wars wind patterns; the warm Greenland, sparks the High Middle in America. ALTERING WORLDS This section provides specific rules Tampering section on p. 86 gives some Roll on this same table to deter- for shifting echo timelines, and guide- guidelines for this modifier. mine how long it takes Infinity to find lines for altering the technological, Any change can cause a shift in a a “lost” timeline. If the timeline is now political, or cultural climate of any random direction; a Centran plan below Quantum 3 or above 7, it can’t timeline. The GM can require players sends the timeline higher 5 out of 6 be found by Infinity. in a Centrum campaign (or a more times, while a vigorous counterblow Modifiers: +1 if the timeline is now aggressive Infinity Patrol attempting to a Centran plan still sends the echo in Quantum 4 or 6; +3 if it is now in to shift echoes downward before higher 2 out of 6 times. A thoroughly Quantum 3 or 7. Centrum can find it Centrum can steal them) to develop random, accidental, or unplanned in one quarter of the time; modify a their shift plans using these guide- change sends the timeline higher 3 out Centrum search roll by -1 if the timelines, or simply leave things up to a of 6 times, of course. line ended up in Quantum 7 or 9, and Cliodynamics roll. No shift is immediate, and if the by -3 if it is now in Quantum 8. change is effectively reversed during Centrum cannot find a timeline below the period of delay, it does not take Quantum 6 or above 10. TIMELINE place. (If the change was severe The above assumes Infinity (or enough, however, there may be no way Centrum) is doing the searching. If SHIFTING to negate it in time.) For the length of Infinity is not aware of the lost If outtimers, either PCs or NPCs, time before the shift, roll 3d6: timeline (e.g., if it was a secret do something that the GM thinks development of some government or might “change history” on an unstable corporation) add at least +4 to the roll. echo, roll 3d. If the tampering was Shift Delay Table Many clandestine operations would according to a Centran plan and 6 or less 1d days not have the facilities to find a lost occurred during a window of 7, 8 2d days timeline if they had 20 years to do it. paratemporal instability (p. 86), add 3 9 1d weeks This also assumes that a faceless to the die roll result. (Add 2 more if the 10 2d weeks team of researchers is doing all the Centran planner scored a critical suc- 11 3d weeks searching. If a PC scientist (or impor- cess on his Cliodynamics roll.) The 12 3d¥2 weeks tant NPC) is involved in the search, he GM may also add from 1 to 5 to the 13 2d months may attempt one Physics (Para- result, depending on the degree of 14-16 2d¥3 months chronics) roll. For every point by divergence of the change; the 17+ 2 years, plus two more which he makes his roll, subtract 1 rolls on this table from the search roll. Timeline Shifting Table 9 or less No result, but add 1 to any further roll made within a week. 10-11 No result, but add 2 to any further roll made within a week. 12-13 No immediate result – but if the change is not reversed, roll again in 1d¥10 hours, at +2. This modifier is cumulative if rolled more than once. 14-15 Shift of 1 quantum, but not immediately – see below. 16-17 Shift of 2 quanta. See below. 18 or more Shift of 1d quanta, minimum 3. See below.

104 PRESENT AT THE CREATION p. B473 cover this territory, and the the poor or on a rich minority; TRY TO CHANGE Reinventing the Wheel box specifically holding ceremonial games. refers to “pre-inventing” older, lower- Average change: One that could THE WORLD TL inventions. Whether it’s a futuristic happen anyway, but might not given This rules system lets meddlesome grav-car or a geared-down watermill, existing interests and the political cli- Infinity or Centrum agents attempt to a technological change must be mate. Examples: war with a weak, rich introduce changes into a timeline, designed, constructed, and tested for neighboring country; appointment of whether it is an echo or not. It can also failure points. The inventor needs a cabinet official; tariffs or trade model Lord Kalvan of Otherwhen type some degree of skill at an “invention agreements; building a railroad. scenarios involving a stranded skill” to make any of these things hap- Complex change: One that is not crosstime traveler trying to “modern- pen. These same principles apply to likely, but possible, despite major ize” his new home, renegade time other changes. opposition or public disfavor. travelers with a grudge against history, Examples: war with a powerful coun- or Denarius Group brokers trying to try; resignation of a major figure; remake a parallel’s fiscal culture for reform of tax structure or pension sys- order and profitability. tem; constitutional amendment. None of these rules should ever Amazing change: One that could replace roleplaying or adventure. If the only happen through staggering shifts GM and players would rather poison in opinion or major national emer- Frederick the Great than work to gency. Examples: disarming unilateral- refashion Prussia’s culture, feel free to ly; abdication of the ruler; complete go ahead and do it. In general, a spe- change of economic system; complete cific player plan should trump any of change of political system. these results, as long as the GM doesn’t consider it abusive or ludicrous. What The GM now makes a “Concept these rules can do is provide a frame- roll” in secret against the agent’s rele- work for long-term campaigns, or a vant political skill (which depends on “time limit” for countervailing action. the political system – Politics, If the culture of the Mogul Empire will Political Change Administration, Savoir-Faire (High shift dramatically in six months unless For political changes to a society, Society), Theology, etc.) to see if the the program of social change is the agent must have some entrée into agent’s proposal has any chance of stopped, the GM can determine its political process. In an open working. Some systems or issues may approximately how many attempts the democracy, this can be as simple as require two or more skills: a corrupt bad guys (or good guys) can make to taking out ads in the paper, calling a Medici city might require Savoir-Faire shift things back the other way or Congressman, or staging a public and Streetwise, for example, or a otherwise thwart the alteration. rally. In a totalitarian theocracy, it may banking reform proposal might involve overt displays of sanctity, require both Politics and Finance. Use heavy donations to the shrines, or the lower of the relevant skills. Timing Technological Change good old kidnapping and blackmail of and failure work as the New GURPS already has a guideline for the sort PCs seem to specialize in. Inventions Concept roll on p. B473. introducing technological change into With access either realized or pos- Modifiers: -6 if the proposal is a society, on p. B511. According to sible, the agent must come up with the these general guidelines, uplifting a Simple, -10 if Average, -14 if Complex, change he wants to happen. The GM or -22 if Amazing; +5 if the change is culture by one TL in one broad field of should determine how significant a scientific or technical endeavor (trans- visibly working well somewhere else change this is to the system: a Simple in the world; +1 to +5 if an established portation, weapons, power, or medi- change, an Average change, a Complex cine, for example) takes two years, interest group absolutely supports it; change, or an Amazing change. (This -5 if the concept is entirely new to the given favorable conditions and suit- parallels the Complexity of a new able technical know-how (12 or better world or civilization (representative invention, as on p. B473.) An Average democracy in ancient China, a in all relevant skills at both TLs) by the change usually has a degree of diver- uplifter. This system is extremely national bank in ancient Rome). gence of +1, a Complex one +2 or +3, The second roll against the agent’s abstract, and can be taken as an “out- and an Amazing change +4 or (if the political skill is the Proposal roll. This side limit” for games – few campaigns society to be changed is a great power) roll lets the concept get a fair hearing can spare two years of down time, or possibly even +5. Definitions, and a in the government (or by the people, even spend two years in a “backstory few examples of each, follow: montage sequence” before resuming in a democracy). On a success, the the action. Simple change: One that would proposal is made in suitable fashion (a The other way to change a culture’s likely happen anyway, but not as soon thoughtful article in the New York technology is at retail: inventing stuff or as favorably as the agent would Times, fortunate-character wall poster, until the locals catch on and the tech- like. Examples: saber-rattling against or witty kenning by the court skald). nical revolution becomes self-perpetu- a rival nation; promotion for a On a failure, the concept is presented ating. The New Invention rules on favored courtier; increasing taxes on hamfistedly or unfairly; any future

PRESENT AT THE CREATION 105 Reputation to a public figure; a new patron saint or demigod. The Cost of Social Change Complex change: A major, poten- Nothing is free, in politics or culture. Although the GM should adjust tially permanent change to daily life at these figures at whim, PCs looking to get political changes passed should substantial variance with cultural expect to shell out for bribes, campaign donations, catered lunches for expectations. Examples: An unusual the intelligentsia, full-page advertisements, fawning documentaries, new crop; a new art form or major commercial air time, and so forth. The same is often true of a social change to an existing one; adding or change; expenses add up, whether for marketing, feeding missionaries, removing a -5-point or -10-point or buying all those jackboots. Use the following Social Stigma for some group; a table as a guideline for the outlay per citizen heresy or revival movement. affected: Amazing change: A revolutionary Significance Base Cost change in social expectations with Simple $1 strong opposition. Examples: Vege- Average $2 tarianism; iconoclasm; revolutionary Complex $4 equality or freelance genocide; a new Amazing $10 mass religion or conversion to a foreign faith. Modifiers: Double these costs for a relatively wealthy society, or one with a high degree of Use all the same rules and tables as mercantile or corporate control. Double them for highly corrupt above, with the exception of the result political systems (such as 21st-century Nigeria or 1780s France). Costs of the Proposal roll. Cultural changes are set at TL8 levels; modify them as per Starting Wealth by TL (p. B27). tend to damp out over time unless they are reinforced. A critical success on the Proposal roll makes the change permanent (barring revolution, war, rolls are at -2. On a critical failure, the more gives any opponents a chance to or other major cultural stress); success concept seems treasonous, sacrile- delay by 1d-3 weeks (minimum 1); any by 3 or more on the Proposal lets the gious, or cowardly; this reduces the other success means the measure change last 2d years; any other suc- agent’s local Reputation by at least 4 takes 2d-2 weeks to pass. During this cess lets the change last for 2d points (from +2 to -2, for instance). time, the GM should set up at least months. Further rolls may be neces- There may be other legal or social one adventure seed, or a dramatic sary to reinforce success; each such penalties such as banishment from scene, between the agent and his roll is at +2 to skill. court, or danger from angry mobs. He opponent(s) requiring a skill roll (usu- can never present such an idea again ally a social roll such as Diplomacy, Social Gadgeteering unless he has first cleared his name Public Speaking, or Savoir-Faire). A As these rules parallel the New (e.g., by military victory, royal critical success on that roll ends the Inventions rules on p. B473, the GM marriage, or public abasement). opposition immediately. may wish to allow a Gadgeteer Modifiers: All modifiers listed for (Social) advantage that would reflect the Concept rolls; +1 per assistant characters from fiction who seem with skill 20+ in one of the skills Cultural Change Most of the same rules apply to cul- unusually adept at mastering political required for the proposal, to a maxi- structures and altering cultures mum of +4; +1 for each level of Status tural changes: new religions, cuisines, pacifist or militarist movements, and wholesale. (The hero of Harry above 3 in the local culture held by the Harrison’s Deathworld trilogy pops to agent’s Allies, or +1 for each such level so forth. The relevant cultural skill may be Propaganda (Advertising), mind, as does Conrad Stargard from held by the agent’s Patrons; -1 to -10 Leo Frankowski’s Crosstime Engineer (GM’s discretion) for the level of pre- Performance, Poetry, or Writing, for example. series.) Costing 25 points, the same as existing opposition to the proposal. Gadgeteer, it would allow modifica- Double all penalties for cultural unfa- Some examples and definitions for the levels of cultural change follow: tion of the above rules as per the miliarity! The GM may also add Gadgeteering rules on p. B475 – lower bonuses for the agent’s Reputation on Simple change: A simple change to penalties to the Concept and Proposal the subject matter; for example, a +2 a small facet of daily life with obvious rolls, and treat all success on the Reputation (successful general) attractions. Examples: A tasty new Proposal roll as a success by 3 or improves the odds that a military snack; a new tune or song; a new rea- more. (A critical success still has the proposal will get a fair hearing. son to hate a despised minority; a new same effect.) The GM may wish to Any proposal inspires debate and prayer. come up with his own entertaining some level of opposition. Critical suc- Average change: A noticeable Bugs Table, suitable for the specifics cess on the Proposal roll means that change to daily life, but one not out- of the Social Gadgeteer’s proposal. the opposition can be ignored or side cultural norms. Examples: A new There is no Quick Gadgeteer steamrolled and the measure passed cuisine style; a smash hit song or play; (Social), as that would be just silly. as soon as possible; success by 3 or adding a negative or positive Buy psionics instead.

106 PRESENT AT THE CREATION CHAPTER FOUR WORLDS ENOUGH ...

Merubaal was like a wisp of fog; visible at a distance, but dissolving into droplets up close. It was nothing but a lucky break that ’Carlo had stopped in Olispo and heard two Dahomeyan longshoremen talking of Merubaal’s tent being loaded up for the autumn convoy. A quick jump back to the Patrol base, a nighttime flight to the Azores, and then back across to Melkart-2 to catch the galleass just leaving Funchal harbor. Merubaal was not going to just vanish again, ’Carlo swore to himself. The merchant certainly looked solid enough now, sitting on his cushions in the shadows. ’Carlo could see muscle under the layers of fat that a merchant required to advertise his prosperity. ’Carlo could also see no guards, which told him that Merubaal had the whole crew in his pocket. “Greetings, prince of merchants.” Although the phrase was just a formality, Merubaal somehow seemed to embody it, from his oiled auburn locks to his fine calf-skin sandals. Only a spiky forest of tattoos on one arm spoiled the effect of urbane luxury. “And to you, greetings, noble sir. How may this unworthy one assist your lordship?” ’Carlo knew realities where this rigmarole could go on for hours – including at least two meals – before getting down to business. Fortunately, on Melkart-2 the Carthaginians had discovered that time was money. He dropped to his haunches and produced the coin he had found in the ruins of Rome, sliding it across the silk to Merubaal. “I am interested in such coins.” Although the Atlantic waves sent the deck pitching and Merubaal stared at his customer for some time before yawing under his boots, Robert Giancarlo barely noticed, replying. “Surely the noble lord would prefer finer speci- his hips and shoulders balancing subconsciously. His entire mens. I have here hexagons of silver cash from the courts attention was on the bright purple awning spread from the of the Dragon Empire, and a few of the gold staters of mainmast, and on the stocky merchant sitting cross-legged Baktria, which even the finest sculptors today swear cannot beneath it. He had heard rumors of Merubaal’s tent in every be matched.” He spread them out next to ’Carlo’s coin, and port from Mobile (although they called it Murgha on this indeed the Patrolman’s sample looked somewhat drab and world) to Carthage, but it had eluded him until last week. flat next to their harsh splendor.

WORLDS ENOUGH . . . 107 “Yes, those are wonderful pieces,” Merubaal answered in English, Divergence Point ’Carlo admitted, dropping his voice with an incongruous Tennessee lilt to The year in which this worldline’s to a whisper and leaning closer. “But it. “It’s better than you deserve for history diverges from Homeline’s, and they don’t have George Washington blowing my operation here, Agent a brief discussion of the resulting on them, now do they?” Giancarlo. But you’re Patrol, and I change. Merubaal was silent for another don’t like killing Patrolmen outright. long minute, but when he replied, his It’s bad luck.” His fingers uncon- Major Civilizations tone was hearty. sciously caressed the amulet of The major civilizations on this “Is that the name of this king? He Tanith he wore, but he continued worldline, roughly in order of cultural- must have been a poor sort, to adul- without a trace of Melkart-2 formali- military dominance. As per p. 90, other terate his coins with nickel and cop- ty. “The banestorm will take us some- civilizations almost certainly exist, but per thusly. I would not give two place you can’t follow, not without a play only regional or local roles. The snaps” – and the merchant snapped ship or a seer. And it will take you unity level (p. 91) of each listed his fingers twice – “for such a king.” somewhere else; I’ve sailed this one civilization appears in parentheses. To Giancarlo’s credit, he almost before, and it’s funny like that. So Great Powers instantly recognized the signal to the you get the glory of discovering an The great powers on this alternate, nearby sailors. Also to his credit, he unknown world for Infinity. Sounds per the definition on p. 92. Some “near crippled four of them before they got like value for your quarter to me.” great” powers appear as well, listed in the ropes around his legs. This was italics, either because they are rising little comfort, chained up the stink- The following chapter gives a sam- candidates for great powerhood, or ing blackness of the bilge, but it was pling of some of the Earths among the because they add flavor to the world some. Infinite Worlds. (Reich-5 and writeup. The government type (see When ’Carlo saw daylight again, it Centrum received comprehensive pp. B509-510) or political structure of was a watery green color, shot writeups in Chapter 2.) Major world each power appears in parentheses, through with lightning flashes of entries have basic data boxes along with the general Control Rating actinic blue, and he was standing on providing the following: (p. B506). the deck with some very sharp spearheads inches away from his spleen. World Name and Current Year TL Away from the spearheads, a long The colloquial name of this world- The tech level of the dominant civ- plank stretched over the side of the line to Infinity personnel, along with ilization on this worldline, with any ship and out toward the approaching the local present year on this parallel. divergences or split technologies banestorm. Current Affairs noted. He craned his neck around to see A brief summary of the current Merubaal – or whoever he was – Mana Level state of this worldline. If there is an The mana level of this Earth standing on the quarterdeck. “Walking ongoing global war or other major (p. B235). the plank? Are you serious?” crisis, it appears here. Quantum The quantum in which this worldline exists (p. B526). Infinity Class The World Class and Access Rating assigned to this worldline by the Unlike Newton and Schopenhauer, your Penetration Service of the Infinity ancestor did not believe in a uniform and Patrol (see box, p. 83). absolute time; he believed in an infinite series Centrum Zone of times, a growing, dizzying web of divergent, The Zone into which Centrum’s Interworld Service classifies this convergent, and parallel times. That fabric worldline (see box, p. 51). of times that approach one another, fork, The GM should feel free to adjust are snipped off, or are simply unknown for the quantum, mana level, or any other factor of the worlds involved to suit centuries, contains all possibilities. his campaign. He can either create a – Jorge Luis Borges, “new” world (a variant on Campbell might be Campbell-2, on Quantum 4, “The Garden of Forking Paths” for example), rule that a convenient reality quake has restructured the world to his specifications, or just decree that “this is how it always was” and go on with the game.

108 WORLDS ENOUGH . . . ARMADA-2 After the Victorious Armada sailed, flooded into Madrid, buying the alle- and Spanish dominions, and sparked for over 200 years Spain’s naval mas- giance of princes and dukes in Italy a brief Protestant rebellion in tery has guaranteed the dominance of and Germany; spices from the Indies England. The far-seeing policies of Catholicism, order, and conservatism. likewise. Richelieu and Olivares managed to As that mastery shreds, the nations During the next century, turmoil in stem the tide with financial reforms, once cowed by Spanish guns have Bohemia, Poland, Russia, and centralization, and the Canadian safe- stealthily equipped privateers and Germany threatened to the French ty valve that allowed Huguenots, buccaneers to contest the seas. The explosive growth of steam power in Egypt and Huguenot Nouvelle-France creates new economies and new technologies outside the embrace of Armada-2, 1812 Madrid. Spain’s great rival Sweden, Current Affairs meanwhile, is arming Indian princes An overstretched Spanish realm battles pirates and corsairs all along and Turkish pashas, setting the stage the fringes of its empire, as the aggressive Swedes look on. for another global showdown. Divergence Point 1588; the Invincible Armada lands in England, deposes Elizabeth, The Spanish and puts Henry Percy on the throne of England as Henry IX. A resurgent Ascendancy Spain puts down the Dutch Revolt (1589) and deposes Henry IV of When Philip II of Spain died in France (1591) in favor of Charles du Mayenne, who becomes Charles XI. 1598, he ruled a Catholic empire on which the sun never set. The Major Civilizations Netherlands were once more united Western (fragmenting empire with rivals), Orthodox (empire), under the liberal and tolerant rule of Islamic (multipolar), Chinese (empire). the Duke of Parma, whose policy of Great Powers tax relief for Catholic merchants had Spanish Empire (dictatorship, CR4), Swedish Empire (dictatorship, brought a flood of conversions from CR3), Ottoman Empire (dictatorship, CR5), Russian Empire (dictator- the heretofore staunchly Protestant ship, CR5), Manchu Empire (dictatorship, CR5), Nouvelle-France (oli- burghers of Amsterdam. Missionaries garchy, CR3). from Florida had converted heathens as far north as the Penobscot Valley to Worldline Data Catholicism, and founded missions TL: 5 Mana Level: low from Roanoke to Manhattan. Gold Quantum: 6 Infinity Class: P9 Centrum Zone: Yellow and silver from Mexico and Peru

WORLDS ENOUGH . . . 109 former Dutch model, and to sign a treaty of alliance with Sweden. Finally, Other Armadas the Albanian mercenary Mehmet Ali Infinity has discovered two other worldlines where the Armada won. climbed to the Ottoman throne in On Armada-1 (Q5, current year 1833), Philip II united the Spanish, 1804 and dealt the Spanish fleet a English, French, and Imperial crowns under a single Holy Roman crushing defeat at Navarino. Pirates Empire ruled from Madrid. This ramshackle contrivance exploded in from Sweden, Scotland (a disaffected revolt during the 1620s-1680s, returning Europe to a patchwork of former French client state), and squabbling feudal states. None of them have the economic muscle, intel- Nouvelle-France (and corsairs from lectual vibrancy, or spare capital to spark the Industrial Revolution; the the Sultanate of Segu in Senegal) prey world remains at TL4. on the Spanish Main. As Sweden, On the low-mana TL4 world Armada-3 (Q3, current year 1602), Spain, Turkey, and Nouvelle-France English and Dutch rebellions erupted on Philip II’s death in 1598. begin the climb to industrialization Spanish broadsheets claim that an “invisible college” of sorcerers, (slower and later than on Homeline, witches, and Rosicrucians is behind the rebellion. but broader-based in more countries), it may be only a few years before the armadas sail again and the world is plunged into war. Dutch Reformers, and Puritans alike (Olivares and Richelieu may not have to settle that wasteland rather than been too disappointed to see the stay in Europe and make trouble. Austrian emperor forced to turn his Outworld Operations Spain even felt strong enough to push own attention to his alarmingly power- The Patrol is keeping a weather eye the Turks out of Morocco and Algeria, ful Swedish neighbors, rather than on this alternate, concerned that it although an invasion of Greece fal- to Franco-Spanish activities in could slip into a global conflagration tered in 1683. The Turks, shocked at Germany.) endangering the generally lucrative their near escape, began to modernize Over the next century, some of the trade in fur and auroch meat White in earnest under their Albanian viziers luster came off the Spanish ascendan- Star enjoys. The Patrol also suspects the Koprulus, seen (not incorrectly) as cy. Sweden began to field better, and that some Homeline traders have been the saviors of Islam. better-equipped, armies against slipping the Swedes improved Sweden managed to unify Austria and Russia, conquering Silesia firearms and ship designs, and Scandinavia and the few Lutheran and Novgorod. Swedish traders possibly even blast furnaces and other states of north Germany, but wisely founded Christiania in south Africa, crucial war-fighting and industrial transferred its expansionist aims east and began to poach on India. Swedish technologies. Tourists primarily visit rather than face the combined cannon turned up in the armies of windswept Stuart Scotland, the Catholic armies of France, Spain, and Spain’s enemies overseas, such as the immense Lacota trading post near Austria in Germany. Although Nawab of Bengal (whose Swedish Fort-Nicholas on the upper Missi- Gustavus Adolphus’ conquest of artillerists broke the Spanish square in ssippi, or the steam-powered cotton Poland removed a Catholic monarchy the monsoon rains at Barisal in 1763). mills rising under the Pyramids of from the stage, it forced the Swedes to Spain’s ally France began a steep Egypt. Centrum’s activities, if any, on tolerate Catholicism in their domains decline, punctuated by famines and Armada-2, remain mysterious, as the Swedish army rapidly absorbed unrest, forcing King Charles XIII to although the 1809 disappearance of and professionalized the endless sup- abdicate in favor of Charles of the Spanish colony of Bahia Teresa (on ply of Polish peasants in its frontier Lorraine in 1789. Nouvelle-France the site of Homeline’s Sydney, wars with Russia and Austria. took this opportunity to declare itself Australia) is suspicious to say the least. an independent Republic on the ATTILA The horsetail standards of the Dreams of the his lead. Subotai leveled Venice, Mongol khans wave across grasslands Cologne, and Paris; Mangku crushed and forests where kingdoms and cities Devil’s Horsemen Alexandria, Constantinople, and once rose. A vicious cultural cycle, and According to Mongol tradition on Isfahan to powder; Kublai destroyed the power of Genghis Khan’s prece- this worldline, when Genghis Khan Canton and filled in the Chinese dent, keeps the horse barbarians on captured Beijing in 1215, he dreamed canals, and although the “divine wind” top of a world without cities. Only that a weed grew out of the city to saved Japan, he was able to add where the Mongol ponies cannot ride choke his horse. The Great Khan London and Mecca to the Mongol toll – Japan, tropical Africa, the New decided then and there to raze the city of destruction. World – do men build walls and dream to the ground and to forbid the Kublai reputedly rode from the of progress. Mongols to ever build cities; he put great camp at Karakorum to the ruins many more cities to the torch during of Venice and back, but upon his his career, and his successors followed

110 WORLDS ENOUGH . . . death the Mongol Great Khanate fell apart; it was too big to be ruled by even the most mobile of khans. His Attila, 2004 successors warred among themselves and adopted non-Mongols such as Current Affairs Turks and Hungarians into their clans Descendants of the Mongols still ravage a thoroughly rural Eurasia. to add horsemen to their armies Divergence Point after the Black Death ravaged the 1215; Genghis Khan levels Beijing, and the Mongols continue to Khanates. With new cities inevitably destroy cities as policy. falling to plague or nomads, Europe has mostly returned to forest; the Major Civilizations Khans of Magya and Potu hunt the Steppe (diffuse empire), Japanese (unitary), West African (diffuse), primitive woodland tribes of England, Andean (unitary). France, and Germany for sport. Japan has unified itself under the Great Powers Tokugawa, raids the Chinese barbar- Mongol Khanates (clan/tribal, CR2 for Mongols, CR6 for subjects), ians for slaves, and trades with the Shogunate of Japan (dictatorship, CR5), Great Kongo League (feudal, increasingly urbanized tribes from CR2-3), Intipu (theocracy, CR6). Puget Sound to Peru, most of which Worldline Data are falling under the sway of the sun- TL: high 4 (in Japan, Peru, and Africa), 3 (in Khanates) adoring, coca-chewing missionaries of Mana Level: low Intipu, the theocracy that succeeded Quantum: 5 Infinity Class: P4 Centrum Zone: Inaccessible the Incas in the 1780s. In Africa, the Bantu nations have urbanized and their city-states squabble within the expansionist Great Kongo League. Outworld Operations Hungarian horde that nearly killed the The Oyo (in Homeline Nigeria) have Discovered in Homeline’s year Scout survey team charting the ruins invented the first steam engines, but 2001 (local year 1978) by an early of Rome. Most Homeline visitors to their growing wealth makes them a Scout mission, this worldline was Attila are historians, and the Patrol tempting target for the militaristic named Attila due to confusion about still loses one or two civilians a year on cities to the east and south. the identity and allegiance of the this dangerous parallel.

Other Mongol Conquests In 1241 on Homeline, two hordes under Batu and as England reconquers Europe from the White Horde. Subotai had just eradicated the armies of Poland and The Patrol suspects Centrum involvement behind the Hungary at the battles of Liegnitz and the Sajo River, Crusaders, possibly within the very influential (and bringing the Mongol frontier to the heart of Europe. English-speaking) Order of St. Thomas of India. Mongol scouts had ridden to the gates of Vienna and On Cham (Q4, current year 1902), the Mongols not Venice, and in the next year’s campaigning, Batu only ravaged Europe but successfully captured Japan planned to conquer Germany, France, and Italy. That and, following Japanese fishing routes, discovered winter, however, the Great Khan Ogotai died, and by America in 1290. The Mongols conquered Toltec the laws of Genghis, all Mongol generals were required Mexico and the Incas, while some European refugees to return to Karakorum to choose a new Khaghan. settled in Vinland. The Black Death wiped out 80% of Batu and Subotai rode back to the east, and the Mongol Eurasia but left the Americas mostly alone; TL4-5 empire never expanded out of Russia again. Mongol-Chinese-Siouan-European hybrid states rule On Homeline, that is. On several other worlds, such from the Great Plains, and the cities along the as Attila and Ezcalli (p. 122), the Mongol invasions con- Mississippi are developing steamboats. tinued their seemingly inevitable course. On San On Tengri (Q7, current year 1588), the Mongol con- Tomas (Q6, current year 1580), European refugees quests forcibly joined Western and Chinese civilization from the Mongols fled to the Crusader States in in a global economy that traded ideas and technology Palestine, perhaps hoping to be saved from this obvious at a fantastic rate. The Scientific Revolution occurred apocalypse. They gave the Crusader kingdom a big at Bokhara in the late 14th century as Italian, Greek, demographic boost, and by allying with the Mongol Arabic, Indian, and Chinese scholars all met; the Ilkhans against the Muslims, the Crusaders survived World-Khanate is at TL7 and rapidly on the way to and flourished, seizing Egypt in 1380 and sacking becoming a Zone Green world as the Uplift Service Mecca in 1409 with Venetian ships built on the Red consolidates its control. Sea. TL4 Crusader Egypt dominates the Indian Ocean

WORLDS ENOUGH . . . 111 AZOTH-7 Many worlds have Industrial ended decisively with the Duke of Revolutions. A few have Alchemical Marlborough installed as Governor of Revolutions. Infinity uses the “Azoth” France, and the French and English designation for them, using the thrones unified for the first time since alchemical name for the “philoso- the Plantagenets. pher’s mercury,” a key ingredient in Gottfried Leibniz had deciphered the Philosopher’s Stone. On Azoth-7, Newton’s codes and allusions, and Isaac Newton found the keys to the derived the Stone (and its attendant Stone in the words of the angels. In harmonies) himself in Berlin, which 1693, he shared those keys with his kept Prussia independent, as it har- world. nessed Zuriel, the angel of Germany. The Inquisition announced that it had awakened “the holy angel of Spain,” Ad Astra Per Angelis which it called Barachiel, although Newton unlocked the crystalline English broadsheets trumpeted the harmonic code of the universe, creat- charge that it had merely made a pact ing a system of mathematical equa- with Samael, one of the Fallen. Before tions that gave man mastery over the Spain could subdue all of Italy, the lower orders of angels, including the Doges of Venice unleashed their own material spirits of the Earth. Initially, spirits, having somehow obtained the his discovery merely meant an ever- services of Dobiel and Uzzael, the tute- full English treasury, as gold mines lary angels of Media and Egypt. A erupted in Warwickshire and fish rough parity established itself as the catches set records from Aberdeen to four angelic powers took the “four cor- Sheerness. The hubristic speculation ners of the world”: England, the that followed nearly wrecked the North, ruled North America; Spain, British economy, and Louis XIV man- the West, took South America and the aged to unite Spain, Austria, Prussia, Indies; Venice, the South, took Africa and Sweden in a war against a sud- and Turkey; Prussia, the East, took denly all-powerful England. Newton Russia and (eventually) China. was able to summon Amnitziel, the As the angelic-alchemical economy tutelary angel of Britain, who swept heated up, and new devices were built away the Allied invasion fleet. The war

Azoth-7, 1780 Current Affairs Alchemically powered Britain, Venice, Prussia, and Spain compete to that depended upon Stones to work, harness angels and mine magical gemstones from the far reaches of the the four powers fell to disputation zodiac. over supplies of gemstones, which Divergence Point provided the necessary crystalline 1693; Isaac Newton achieves the Philosopher’s Stone, preparing the quintessence. Lesser angels could not way for the rise of angelic alchemy. move such stones, since the gems’ quintessential power resisted such Major Civilizations weak force – the four powers began to Western (multipolar). charter first pirates, then privateers, then mercenary bands, to seize ships Great Powers on the high seas or even loot mines British Empire (oligarchy, CR3), Venetian Republic (oligarchy, CR4), from each others’ client states. French Prussian Empire (dictatorship, CR5), Spanish Empire (theocracy, CR5). “sky dogs” left penniless Paris to Worldline Data swoop down on Spanish emerald TL: 4+2 (space travel and weapons are TL4^) shipments from New Granada; Dutch Mana Level: normal and Hessian homunculi clashed in Quantum: 3 Infinity Class: Z4 Centrum Zone: Inaccessible Cochin-China; subtle Milanese poi- soners lifted stones from Indian rajahs and Russian countesses alike. In 1752,

112 WORLDS ENOUGH . . . just when the four powers seemed about to plunge the world into angelic apocalypse, the immortal but ever Other Azoths more reclusive and peculiar Newton On other worldlines, the Alchemical Revolution takes different paths, revealed a new discovery. based on their variant magical and physical laws as well as the roll of the The Ritual of Qauqabel allowed the historical dice. (All these worlds are low mana unless otherwise noted.) angelist to commune with one of the On Azoth-1 (Q3, current year 1632), the worldline is TL(4+3). Bernard Heavenly Virtues, angels who ruled of Treves isolated azoth from quicksilver in 1488; da Vinci developed the (or personified, the math is not clear) azothic flyer four years later, which the Medicis used to unite Italy. the stars of heaven. Each star, Newton Austrian flyers and azothic cannon drove the Turks out of Europe in revealed – based on the uncredited 1571. In 1617, Sir Walter Raleigh became the first man to land on Venus. work of Giordano Bruno – had its own On Azoth-2 (Q4, current year 1558), Nicolas Flamel discovered the worlds, and those worlds had gem- Red Elixir in 1382; the French and English used it to destroy each other stones with unique powers granted by in the last stage of the Hundred Years’ War, and the TL(3+2) Italian their ruling angel. Rubies from cities, Aragon, Norway, and Burgundy now compete for colonies in the Regulus, for example, made cannon Americas. that fired lances of holy flame; the On Azoth-3 (Q7, current year 1634, high mana), an unknown glow of emeralds from Spica could alchemist developed the Higher Metals in 1614; two decades later, TL4^ regrow limbs white and smooth; dia- 50-foot armored clockworks devastate Germany in the Thirty Years’ War. monds from Rigel could erect impen- On Azoth-4 (Q6, current year 1010), a Chinese alchemist discovered etrable walls. Every nation, and every the True Cinnabar some time during the Han Dynasty, which has ruled independent angelist, immediately set China in splendid TL2^ isolation ever since; the rest of the world out for the stars; colonies grew up remains essentially unaffected. under other suns, and soulless aliens On Azoth-5 (Q6, current year 854) both the Arabs and Byzantines were brought back as curiosities and systematized the universal solvent alkahest (which releases Elemental slaves. The four powers found their Fire from naphtha, among other things) in the late seventh century, lead- rivalry increased, but on a vaster ing to an alchemical arms race currently at TL(3+4). scope; although the piracies and raids Azoth-6 (Q4, current year 1903) is a hell parallel rimed with frozen grew to span the stars, the threat of alkahest and choked with clouds of Elemental Sulfur. Desperate war with the new weapons keeps the Cabalists sometimes prospect there for trans-sublime elements. peace of Europe intact . . . for now. Researchers would like to discover if this is the aftermath of an alchemical war, an experiment gone wrong, or what passes on that timeline for Outworld Operations a natural disaster. Azoth-7 is one of the most extensive pocket multiverses that Infinity has ever stumbled across, including balls of hydrogen tens or hundreds of on stealing Bruno manuscripts for this not just Earth and the Solar System light-years away from Earth.) reason. The rest of the Patrol’s mis- but scores of other “stellar systems” Infinity’s great concern is that some sions on this parallel usually involve somehow tangent to it. (Paralabs is angelist may burrow further into attempts to balk the trickle of greedy adamant that wherever – and whatev- Giordano Bruno’s research and Cabalists who pop up here and er – this worldline’s “Polaris” and attempt to reach a parallel Earth; attempt to steal manuscripts or Stones “Sirius” may be, they aren’t glowing most Patrol missions on Azoth-7 focus of their own. BONAPARTE-4 In Homeline history, Napoleon Clash of Eagles and Friedland, Bonaparte was master Bonaparte made his name with a With the Hibernian Republic bris- of Europe by 1807. He dedicated the bold, but ultimately disastrous, inva- tling with French troops, Britain’s next two decades to reforming and sion of Egypt in 1798. Outwitting the strategic position was untenable. realigning European laws and sci- British and outfighting the Turks, his Although the Navy fought gallantly, ences on the Napoleonic model, and romantic exploit fired the imagination the need to divide the Home Fleet unified the French and Spanish of Europe. In this world, he sacrificed guaranteed Bonaparte’s invasion of crowns under his son Napoleon II. romance for results, slipping out of 1802 would succeed. (An opportunis- The Portuguese monarchs fled to the Breton ports in a fog and taking tic American President Burr invaded Brazil, which thus became an inde- his 40,000 veterans to Ireland. With and annexed British Canada at the pendent Empire in 1820. one bold stroke, he had broken the same time.) Polishing off Austria, France and the United States British blockade forever and made Prussia, and Russia at Austerlitz, Jena, fought three border wars over himself master of the continent. Louisiana over the next century,

WORLDS ENOUGH . . . 113 propaganda and posturing student movements, and the maglev trains Bonaparte-4, 2024 never run on time. Current Affairs The decadent Bonapartists rule a cyberpunk empire threatened by a Outworld Operations militaristic United States and Japan, and by the slow disintegration of Infinity is hampered on this world- their own society. line by the insistence of the Homeline Divergence Point French government that nothing be 1798; Napoleon invades Ireland instead of Egypt, leading to British done to destabilize the French defeat in the Napoleonic Wars. Empire, despite clear evidence that Centrum is busily infiltrating the Major Civilizations Bonapartist military and scientific Western (empire with rivals), Japanese (empire), Islamic (empire establishments. As an end-run, the with satellite states), Orthodox (empire). Patrol turns a blind eye to the massive White Star trade in advanced comput- Great Powers er and other technology to the United French Empire (dictatorship, CR5), United States (representative States, Brazil, and Russia, strengthen- democracy, CR4), Japanese Empire (military oligarchy, CR6), Ottoman ing their relatively free economies. Empire (dictatorship, CR5), Russian Republic (anarchic oligarchy, CR1), Nobody on Homeline has any great Brazilian Empire (oligarchy, CR4). love for Bonaparte-4’s Japanese Worldline Data Empire, which still embraces a fanati- TL: 8 (9 in some areas) Mana Level: no mana cal militarist ideology of twisted Quantum: 7 Infinity Class: P5 bushido. Centrum Zone: Red Other Bonapartes always while the Empire was distract- Other parallels with a Napoleonic victory include: ed with outside rebellions (Mexico in the 1820s, India in the 1850s, Spain in Bonaparte-1 (Q6, current year 1895), a TL6 worldline in which the 1880s). The United States never Nelson died in an attack on Boulogne in 1801. Without Nelson, Trafalgar kept New Orleans, but did take ended as a Franco-Spanish victory, and Napoleon dictated peace from Florida, Oregon, and Cuba as it grew the Tower of London in 1806. France lost the War of 1812 trying to stronger and more militarized after retake Louisiana from America, and the French Empire came apart in a each stalemate. Meanwhile, Japan series of German, Italian, and colonial rebellions in 1848-1850; Russia invaded China in 1894, and defeated and America (which annexed Mexico in 1853) are dominant powers Russia in 1905, triggering a social- quarreling over China. democratic revolution in the latter. On Bonaparte-2 (Q7, current year 1863), Napoleon managed to rout French attempts to destabilize the and kill Wellington at Waterloo in 1815. The British stock market and nascent Russian Republic led to the government fell, leading to a reforming Whig cabinet. Napoleon II is the Great War with Russia, Japan, Brazil, grand statesman of Europe, and makes noises about intervening in the and the United States in 1937; the war American Civil War. ended in the Stockholm Armistice of Bonaparte-3 (Q4, current year 1913) saw Napoleon hang onto Minsk 1942 after both sides invented atomic and Smolensk in Russia, and resume the war in 1813 for four more years weapons. against an increasingly mad Czar Alexander. Russia eventually collapsed, Since then, the overwhelming breaking the Coalition; a century later, the TL6 Kingdom of Poland is French military advantage has been threatening a global war against the Anglo-Japanese Alliance. sufficient to keep the borders stable In 1809 on Bonaparte-5 (Q6, current year 1921), both Napoleon and from the Niemen to the Mississippi, Wellington were killed in battle; Metternich negotiated a peace that left and to keep the oil flowing from its the half-Hapsburg Napoleon II on the throne of France. Austria fell to Ottoman allies, but not to defeat the Communist revolutionaries in 1919 after defeating Russia and Prussia in endless rebellions in Latin America, the Great War; Napoleon V is rallying the West to destroy the new Africa, and India covertly supported Revolution; TL6. by the Allies. Slowly drained and ossi- And on Bonaparte-6 (Q6, current year 1969), the Corsican revolu- fying, the French Empire has become tionary Paoli died in 1759, allowing Napoleon to be born Genoese. a globe-spanning banana republic. During the Revolutionary era, he unified Italy in the Roman Republic, The secret police is in bed with the and conquered Egypt and Greece. Rome allied with Britain and the Union Corse, the computer network United States in the War of 1914 against Germany, Turkey, and Austria. links to nothing but government Fermi’s atom bomb and Caproni’s jets made Rome the first superpower in the 1940s; TL8.

114 WORLDS ENOUGH . . . BRITANNICA-3 In Homeline, the Protestant Duke James of Monmouth rebelled against the increasingly autocratic (and dangerously pro-Catholic) King James II Britannica-3, 1984 in 1685. His followers claimed that as Charles II’ bastard son, he was entitled Current Affairs to the crown. Monmouth’s rebellion Centrum operatives tighten their hold on a decent, well-run British ended in disaster, and the “Bloody Empire where the sun never set. Assizes” swept his supporters out of Divergence Point England’s west country and into the 1685; the “Protestant Duke” of Monmouth becomes King James III, Caribbean and America. It was left to overthrowing James II, and conciliating the American colonies. a later group of rebels to remove James II in 1688, in the “Glorious Major Civilizations Revolution.” On Britannica-3, though, Western (empire with rivals), Orthodox (empire), Islamic (multipo- James of Monmouth was better lar). advised, and James II was over-hasty Great Powers in his repression. When the smoke British Empire (representative democracy, CR3), German Empire had cleared, the “bastard Duke” had (dictatorship, CR5), Russian Empire (dictatorship, CR5), Kingdom of become King James III of England, Italy (oligarchy, CR4), Arab League (feudal, CR5). and the gentry had learned a salutary lesson about royal power. Worldline Data TL: 8 Mana Level: low The Sun Never Sets Quantum: 7 Infinity Class: P9 Centrum Zone: Orange Although James III was an amiable fathead at best, his instincts were sound. Colonies were good, radicalism was bad, and it was best to keep the one away from the other. In the of colonial units into the British Army Russian Alaska. Again fought primari- American euphoria that greeted (transforming it into the Imperial ly in France, Persia, and on the high James II’s deposition, James III was Army) after his astonishing tactical seas, it ended inconclusively once able to convert the colonial charters to successes in the Crimea. That defeat Einstein and Sakharoff invented the royal grants, while officially recogniz- marked the nadir of Russian power, fission bomb in 1947. ing colonial legislatures as “our however; Czar Alexander II’s long The last 40 years have seen American Parliaments” in his happy reign and his visionary alliance with German- and Russian-backed agita- phrase. His successors continued his Prussia created a continental and tion in Ireland, Argentina, and policy of tying local American elites to industrial rival capable of matching Kwantung, and the anti-Italian the fortunes of England’s elites – Imperial production. German and “Gaulist” military coup in France, but Benjamin Franklin was knighted for Russian backing for the Turks kept the no real change in the balance of his lightning rods and post offices, and Ottoman War bogged down in power. A burgeoning space race, social George Washington was granted first trenches for four years until the stale- turmoil and religious ferment, and a Regular Army commission in the mate broke with the Arab revolt and blossoming sexual license dominate French and Indian War, and then a Italian entry on the Imperial side. the newspapers and telescreens. The peerage for conquering Louisiana in Admiral Sir William Halsey defanged North American and Indian the Sugar War of 1779-1783. Lord the Japanese Navy with a startling sur- Dominions lead the world in all three, Washington (later the Duke of prise air attack on Formosa in 1941 as well as new industry and invention, Washington) became the first that ended the threat of a Pacific War, under the wisely minimal direction of Governor-General of North America, but the Alaska War erupted in 1943 His Imperial Majesty’s Government in and his personal example defused the with the discovery of vast oil fields in London. Abolition Crisis of 1794 that nearly precipitated a revolt by Virginia and South Carolina against the Crown. By the mid-19th century, the Dominion of North America exceeded The one duty we owe to history is to rewrite it. the mother country in all types of production and manufacture save for – Oscar Wilde, Intentions steel and chemicals. General Sir Robert Lee pioneered the integration

WORLDS ENOUGH . . . 115 Outworld Operations Like almost all the Britannica timelines below, Britannica-3 is a tempting Other Britannicas plum for Centrum subversion and On all accessible worlds with a vigorous, globe-spanning British control. Their language handicap Empire, Centrum’s Interworld Service busily attempts to subvert it to presents no difficulties, the British Centrum direction and control, with the goal of adding that parallel to Empire on this world is already Zone Green (p. 51). increasingly meritocratic, and the On Britannica-1 (Q5, current year 2001), the American colonies Interworld Service operates with rela- splintered after independence to become a zone of proxy wars between tive ease on Quantum 7. How deeply the European powers. Undistracted and eventually economically pre- Interworld’s tentacles penetrate into dominant in America, the British Empire defeated Napoleon (1792- the London, Philadelphia, Capetown, 1809), Russia (1854-1856), Germany twice (1910-1914 and 1936-1940), or Delhi governments (to say nothing and the Soviet Union (1958-1963). The Bolshevist War ended with TL7 of lesser colonial capitals from Britain holding a near-complete monopoly on space travel and a new Havana to Stanleyville) is impossible Pax Britannica unfolding before it; now TL8. to tell from the outside – Centrum and The TL(5+2) Empire of Britannica-2 (Q6, current year 1936) the Imperial Government have the diverges in 1824, with the death of John Quincy Adams. Prime Minister same goals, after all! Infinity tries to Canning easily outmaneuvered President Henry Clay, and the British increase the power and influence of obtained a full claim to Oregon, which they expanded into California in advanced, decent, neutral countries 1846 to secure their Nicaraguan Canal. (The canal was very useful in the like Japan (where the military govern- 1862 intervention that separated the American Confederacy as a British ment fell after the Formosa Raid), puppet.) The Raj extends from Thibet to Persia, British capital domi- New Granada, and Cochin-China . . . nates the factories of the Germanies through Hanover and Holland, and but without revealing their presence a British railway runs from the Cape to Cairo. Infinity is unsure how (and risking a parachronic break- much of this is due to Centrum manipulation; the timeline has been part through by their beneficiary), there of Zone Green for over a decade. More worrisome are the hints that the are limits to what Infinity aid can Empire has developed time travel, which if true would explain the accomplish. The Patrol’s job is not unbroken run of British luck since 1824. made any easier by the immense On TL6 Britannica-4 (Q5, current year 1901), Washington was able popularity of Britannica-3 with to bring up enough troops to capture British supply depots in New Anglophile Homeline tourists. Jersey and besiege New York in 1777. France jumped in and stripped Britain of its tropical colonies; George III went mad and the Prince Regent formed a government led by Fox and his Whig cronies. England industrialized and radicalized as France ossified; by the 1860s, it was democratic and overwhelmingly prosperous. Its “freelance anti-imperi- als” intervened in the American Civil War against slavery, intrigued with the sepoys who overthrew French India, and ran guns to rebels against Franco-Russian-dominated China. Prime Minister Rhodes and President Roosevelt have suggested a democratic English-Speaking Union with the Canadian and Australian Republics – almost certainly a Centrum plot in some fashion, but hard to oppose for Infinity without aiding Continental despotism. Other Britannicas diverge more strongly still: Britannica-5 is a steampunk reality absorbed into Zone Green a decade ago. Britannica-6 (Q6, current year 1887) diverged with the survival of the Princess Charlotte in 1817 to become Queen Charlotte in 1830 and spawn a vast new royal family, all of whom continuously intrigue against each other, exile each other to remote colonial fortresses, and sponsor senseless, grandiose TL(5+2) engineering projects such as the Channel Bridge, the Ice Dreadnought, and the Electrical Terror, while betting immense sums on dromedaries or racing aerostats. On Britannica-7 (Q4, local year 1141) Boadicea threw off Roman rule in 60 A.D. and established a matriarchal Celtic tribal union, Brittia, that spread into Ireland and Scotland over the next centuries. An Irish cultural-technical upsurge in the sixth through eighth centuries extended Brittia across the North Atlantic and its influence deep into Europe; it has alternated holy wars and very profitable intellectual exchange (reaching TL4) with the Saracen Caliphate in Rome for the last 200 years.

116 WORLDS ENOUGH . . . CALIPH This timeline is almost 350 years between the major powers. The Peace healed; universal prosperity brought behind Homeline, but any visitors of Zanzibar ended the last war economic dislocations, which were could be forgiven for thinking it cen- between the great caliphates for absorbed, and increasing longevity turies in the future. In Caliph, howev- almost 350 years, although there were disrupted social assumptions in ways er, the invention of the printing press occasional scares such as the fall of that have yet to be entirely resolved. in eighth-century Baghdad sparked an the Qi Dynasty in China and the sup- Fourteen months ago, an alliance Islamic Renaissance when the first pression of the totalitarian Umarites. of old-fashioned imperialists in the flush of Arabic expansion had hardly The world had sufficient difficul- Caliphate of Hind and a new sort of faded. Following its ninth-century ties even without warfare, as technol- ideological state, the radical secularist Scientific Revolution, this worldline ogy continued to advance and society Jamahiriya in the Americas, launched has advanced to universal prosperity was repeatedly shaken and remade. a war of conquest. At first, it was hard and space colonies. At present, a glob- Technology brought prosperity and to believe that such an inexplicable al war threatens its achievements, and knit the Earth together in an increas- atavism could pose a serious threat to perhaps its very survival. ingly unified global society, even as it the modern world, but that illusion began to reach outward to space. has been dispelled. The aggressor Older political structures came to Alliance now controls a third of the The Great seem outmoded, with the decline of globe, and the rest of the planet Transformation national governments reaching its responded with a startling revival of By the time the Abbasid Caliphate apex early in the current century with martial enthusiasm. The Zaghawi split into successor states in the 11th the formal dissolution of the Egyptian Associates, this worldline’s dominant century, the Muslim world was well Caliphate. Religious sentiment ebbed space corporation, and the only towards modernization, with personal as a universal system of law and eco- known constructor of djinn (AIs), firearms and Newtonian physics. nomics organized the secular world, responded by severing its ties to Earth Egypt achieved naval control of the only to come flowing back as the and declaring itself an independent Indian Ocean, as far as southern approach of the millennial year (1000 caliphate – it has bigger fish to fry, Africa and the island continent of A.H, or 1591 A.D.) tapped into reser- building a stargate in trans-Neptunian Djiba, while its rival Andalus estab- voirs of popular belief. orbit and (so they claim) carrying on lished itself in the Mediterranean and Meanwhile, as technology communications with alien species. leaped across the Atlantic to the new advanced, Caliph dealt with the side (See GURPS Alternate Earths 2 world of Talentis (hardly noticing the effects of success. Industrialization for further details.) Christian colony in the far north). damaged the ecosystem, which was Persia fought with the Turks for control of inner Asia, while to the north their protégés the Bulgars expanded from their Volga heartland to domi- Caliph, 1684 nate their Khazar and Russian neighbors. The impact of Muslim culture Current Affairs even reached the Khitans in northern In an ultra-tech worldline, radical secularists allied with the expan- China, whose conversion revitalized sionistic empire of Hind have launched a global war against the Muslim their state and led to the conquest of caliphates. Song Dynasty China. Divergence Point Egypt and Persia led the way into 796 A.D.; invention of the printing press in Baghdad awakens an the Industrial Revolution, which Islamic scientific and industrial revolution. began with oil rather than coal. Their rivalry for control of the Muslim Major Civilizations heartland lasted centuries, though Islamic (multipolar), Islamic-Indic (empire). ironically they fought together in the Great Powers greatest wars. When the Global War Umma (anarchic theocracy, CR1), Jamahiriya (technocracy, CR5), began with revolts in their Asian colo- Hind (dictatorship, CR5), Zaghawi Associates (orbital corporate state, nial empires, they fought Bulgaria, CR1), Persia (dictatorship, CR3), Andalus (dictatorship, CR3), Bulgaria Andalus and the African sultanates as (dictatorship, CR3), Sofala (dictatorship, CR3). well as the rebels – and, ultimately, were overmatched even with Khitan Worldline Data aid. This 10-year struggle introduced TL: 11 (biotech, TL8) Mana Level: no mana Caliph to industrialized warfare and Quantum: 6 Infinity Class: Z2 was long considered to have demon- Centrum Zone: Red strated the folly of armed conflict

WORLDS ENOUGH . . . 117 Outworld Operations Infinity only discovered Caliph a year ago, and it remains a top internal secret of the Patrol and UNIC, neither Oh Mankind, surely you are the ones who of which wants to see Homeline idiots have need of God; He is the All-Sufficient . . . if gold-rushing into a deadly high-tech war zone. If it weren’t for the Zaghawi He but wills it, He can do away with you and Associates stargate experiments (and make a new creation: surely that is no great the threat of Centrum getting a jump on Caliph technology), Infinity would matter for God. just quarantine this world and be done – The Koran, 35:15-17 with it. High-tech worlds are dangerous enough, without being caught in a war of godlike energies and insane mobility. Centrum’s reaction to Caliph is panic tempered by greed – it wants the high technology, but really doesn’t want to risk a world this powerful getting parachronics. One solution would Other Muslim Worlds be encouraging the conflict to turn Infinity knows of several other parallels where history diverged to apocalyptic and sorting through the vault Muslim powers into predominant roles. Caliph is the only one ruins: the I.S. might try that if con- more advanced than Homeline, although Jihad-2 (Q5, current year vinced it could work, since it seems 1429), in which Constantinople fell to the Arabs in 676 and Europe fol- too late to save this worldline from its lowed, is well into a TL5 industrial revolution. Last War. Infinity has been trying to In Jihad-1 (Q5, current year 1881), where the Arabs defeated the negotiate a mutual interdiction to take Franks at Tours in 732, Muslim Faranjistan is still stagnating with the Caliph off both sides’ agenda, but rest of the world at TL4. between the greed and the panic, it’s In Ottoman-1 (Q6, current year 1766), the Turks took Vienna in 1529 unlikely that Centrum will go along. and marched to Rome and the Rhine; the Anglo-Spanish alliance is gin- Unfortunately for both sides, infor- gerly pressing back into the fragmented taifa states of France and mation is harder to obtain during a Germany; TL4. war than in peacetime. It is very diffi- The Turkish empire in Ottoman-2 (Q6, current year 1766) extends cult to establish a false identity under over a huge part of Asia, Russia, and India as the Ottomans turned east current conditions, and just about to swallow Tamerlane’s empire upon his death. The Europeans they neg- impossible to operate without one (for lected are moving into TL5, however. starters, almost all money is electron- Ottoman-3 (Q4, current year 1640) also diverges with Tamerlane, ic). Law-abiding citizens across the who conquered China in the 1390s and forcibly converted it to Islam. Dar al-Islam are ready to point securi- With Tamerlane occupied in the East, the Ottomans took Constantinople ty forces toward any sort of odd in 1405 and swallowed Europe to the Elbe. Both TL4 Muslim empires behavior. (and the remainder of Muscovy) are wracked with revolts and famine from Germany to Manchuria. In Ottoman-4 (Q7, current year 1871), Mehmet the Conqueror survived long enough to complete his invasion of Italy in 1481, aborting the Renaissance. The TL6 Ottomans control the Mediterranean and Caribbean both, and are racing the Moguls to African colonies. Other Muslim timelines include: Andalus (Q4, current year 1930), in which the Muslims of Spain threw back the Reconquista and went on to discover America in 1484, achieving TL6 in rivalry with Japan, Saxony, and Russia. Isma’il (Q4, current year 1594) in which the Safavids defeated the Ottomans in 1512 and built a millenarian TL4 Shi’ite empire stretching It may actually be easier to operate from India to Algiers. in Alliance territory – and certainly Khedive (Q6, current year 1941) in which Mehmet Ali’s moderniza- easier to recruit local help. Of course, tion program in Egypt achieved industrial takeoff in the 1860s, allowing the personal consequences of detec- Egypt to absorb most of northern Africa and the Middle East and tion are heavier, but that might be an become a TL7 great power holding the balance between Britain, advantage. Better any captured Germany, and Russia. Patrolmen should be killed on suspicion than questioned deeply enough to reveal The Secret.

118 WORLDS ENOUGH . . . CAMPBELL Look both ways before you cross the survivors in concentration camps powers begin to hit the wall of eco- the intersection – the universe you save of their own. Communist China nomic performance and ecological could be your own. On the worldline emerged from the toxic wreckage of disaster. Even Russia’s German and named for him, the science-fiction edi- Asia and began its own “scientific” Italian satellites, and China’s Japanese tor John W. Campbell died in a traffic mass murders to build the World of and Korean ones, have sunk into accident early in his career. As a result, the Future. American and British sol- Marxist toxic sloth and debilitating many science-fiction writers from diers who came back from the war famine. British, Indian, and American Isaac Asimov to Robert Heinlein never had been to the World of the Future, draftees face renewed Communist developed their talents, or developed and it was a blasted wasteland. Both aggression in the Middle East, them in other directions. (Robert countries rejected all such thinking; Indonesia, and Latin America, and Heinlein, for instance, became a suc- waves of pacifism and Luddism thank their God (or gods) that at least cessful writer of young adult mystery spread through the intellectual elite they won’t be fighting “scientifically” fiction and, later, TV sitcoms. The and common folk alike. In the 1960s, this time. beloved Bob Anson Show was based on tens of millions of young people this part of his career.) The field of sci- embraced charismatic religion in ence fiction didn’t advance much past massive outdoor revival meetings and Outworld Operations space opera. Apparently, this reduced folk concerts, which continued and re- Most Infinity operations on the number of students who became emphasized the anti-technological Campbell fit into one of two cate- interested in science and engineering, bent of society. Environmentalism in gories: attempting to promote science because scientific development has the 1970s and 1980s, and even the (a real uphill climb in this world; stagnated here since the end of WWII. newly militant anti-Communist senti- White Star has seen four SF maga- ment in Britain and America during zines go bankrupt after being banned the 1980s and 1990s (which did pro- by church leaders), and intensive soci- Twilight duce a modicum of military research ological research. The near-total John W. Campbell’s death didn’t money), all fed into that same channel derailing of scientific progress (all end all science fiction, of course. Hugo of religious technophobia. over the world, not just in the United Gernsback’s Amazing Stories contin- Campbell remains a poor world States) seems like such a dramatic ued to publish wild utopian scenarios without communications satellites or result from such a tiny cause that and odes to antigravity machines; personal computers, without robot- some Patrolmen suspect there’s more Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers still ized factories or advanced oil-drilling to it. A secret society or conspiratorial appeared in the comics; the dystopic technology or the agricultural revolu- group might be deliberately retarding The Shape of Things to Come still pre- tion that allowed India to feed itself on progress, or some transhuman entity miered in movie theaters in 1936, with Homeline. It grows ever poorer and could be trying to remove any possible its vision of grim, devastating warfare. more dangerous as the Communist competition. Unfortunately, that was the only accurate prediction of the lot. Perhaps military-technical decision trees had been slightly skewed toward the optimistic Campbell, 2004 by a steady diet of Gernsback’s Current Affairs pablum, or maybe Robert Heinlein, L. A world without SF becomes a world without scientific progress; the Sprague de Camp, and Isaac Asimov impoverished globe girds for the final showdown between Communism were working more productively with- and democracy. out writing distracting them from their war research. (Other would-be Divergence Point writers with scientific training went 1932; SF editor John W. Campbell dies in an auto accident, leaving a into military black programs, too.) dearth of positive images of scientific progress. Either way, the Army deployed radioactive dust bombs against Major Civilizations Germany in 1944, and responded with Western (multipolar), Orthodox (empire), Chinese (empire). advanced germ warfare when the Great Powers Nazis unleashed gas in retaliation. United States (representative democracy, CR3), Soviet Union (dicta- A nuclear barrage finished off the torship, CR6), People’s Republic of China (dictatorship, CR6), British Axis, and managed to poison not only Commonwealth (representative democracies, CR2-4). Europe and the North Pacific, but also the American view of science. Science Worldline Data had let the West win the war, to be TL: 6 (military, TL7) Mana Level: no mana sure – but it had killed 170 million Quantum: 5 Infinity Class: R6 people doing it, and the “scientific Centrum Zone: Inaccessible materialist” Soviets were gobbling up

WORLDS ENOUGH . . . 119 CENTRUM BETA A newly penetrated Q7 timeline coming. Patrol operations on this their sensors report that Centrum seems to be exactly like Homeline worldline are particularly reckless, Beta (which Centrum calls researchers think the world of since they know they face a ticking “Speculum”) is, in fact, an unprece- Centrum was in the year 1895. Could clock. And if Centrum Beta is an echo, dented Centrum echo, but its it be an echo? If so, it has untold perhaps their “interference” will actu- paratemporal instability index has an repercussions for paraphysics as ally move it closer to Homeline! odd geometry to it. Interworld walks Infinity understands it. Even an ordi- Interworld, meanwhile, finds itself on eggshells, worried that if it dis- nary parallel has plenty of potential in the unenviable position of playing turbs this echo, it will set up a chain for revelation . . . or trouble. Either defense. Normally, the I.S. gets to pick reaction throughout the continuum, way, why is it the only one they’ve ever its battlegrounds after careful plan- producing a flood of new Centrum found? Since Quantum 7 is more ning, and has the tactical advantage echoes and possibly ejecting their accessible to Centrum than it is to resulting from picked targets and own world from 8-space altogether. In Homeline, Centrum Beta swarms with overstretched opposition. They have the last month or so, however, I.S. has Interworld agents – but for once in the not, it must be admitted, adjusted decided to massively increase its reac- Infinity War, they’re playing defense. very well to the change. Disagreement tion team deployments on Centrum at the higher levels of Interworld Beta – whatever happens, Infinity’s The Plantagenet Mirror exacerbates this lack of flexibility: free ride here is over. The history and geopolitics of Centrum Beta are identical to those of Centrum up to 1895, as detailed on Centrum Beta, 1895 p. 46-56. (See GURPS Alternate Earths 2 for further details about Current Affairs Centrum’s history.) Access to a possible echo of Centrum gives the Patrol a unique opportunity for research and sabotage. Outworld Operations Divergence Point Since the discovery of Centrum 1120; William the Ætheling’s ship doesn’t sink, and he becomes King Beta earlier this year, the Penetration William III in 1135, eventually leading to English absorption of France Service has launched several deep under Eleanor of Aquitaine. recon missions into this echo. The Scouts’ goal is to trawl as much infor- Major Civilizations mation as possible about the other- Western (universal empire). wise inaccessible history of Centrum Great Powers before the inevitable Interworld Anglo-French Empire (semi-feudal dictatorship, CR3-5 depending on counter-operation moves it out of fief). Homeline’s reach. One particularly bold Penetration Service op cleaned Worldline Data out every library in Penzance just TL: 7 Mana Level: no mana before a tidal wave hit – the Patrol Quantum: 7 Infinity Class: Z4 Centrum Zone: Red remains silent on the subject of just how the Scouts knew a tidal wave was DIXIE-1 Homeline’s United States govern- stalemate with their old rival. Across The Confederacy itself retains its ment takes a particular interest in this the Atlantic, the German Empire particular charms, complete with Quantum 6 parallel. This worldline retains the European hegemony it Southern belles, riverboat gamblers begins to diverge from Homeline his- won early in the century. In southern and dashing cavaliers in butternut. If tory with the conquest of Nicaragua Asia, the Indian Republic supplies one is (or can act as) a “gentleman” or by the Southern adventurer William modern weapons to the rebels in a “lady,” Southern hospitality is all a Walker in 1856. In Dixie-1, Walker’s German Indochina, while the newly denizen of Homeline might wish, as aid ultimately led to a Confederate vic- industrializing countries of the hundreds of well-heeled tourists dis- tory in the American Civil War – or, as “Indian Rim” manufacture the cheap cover annually. Only white tourists the Confederates of Dixie know it, the electronics which find their way into and those who can pass for white, of War of Southron Independence. 130 Confederate dirigibles and Yankee course – Southern gentility extends years later, the Confederate States of stratojets. only to those who belong to a race eli- America remain locked in a nuclear gible for citizenship. Beneath even

120 WORLDS ENOUGH . . . “white trash” factory workers and smallholders, nearly half the population of the CSA lacks the right to vote, Dixie-1, 1993 own land, or move across a state line without permission. Indeed, in nine of Current Affairs Nuclear stalemate keeps the peace between the increasingly strained the 21 states of the Confederacy, slave-holding Confederacy and a libertarian Union wary of an apocalyp- chattel slavery remains legal. tic war. From Secession Divergence Point 1856; William Walker retains control of Nicaragua, and uses that base to Superpower to break the Union blockade of the CSA, allowing the South to win at Both the Confederacy and the Antietam and become independent. United States spent the decades after the War of Southron Independence Major Civilizations weathering its economic shocks and Western (multipolar), Indo-Western (unitary). expanding on the continent. The Great Powers Confederacy picked up the pieces in United States (representative democracy, CR2), Confederate States Mexico after the French adventure (oligarchy, CR4 for whites, CR6 for others), German Empire (dictator- there failed, as the vengeful Union ship, CR5), United Republic of India (representative democracy, CR3). dismembered British Canada during the Riel Rebellion of 1869 (the United Worldline Data States annexed the resulting TL: 8 (aerospace, late TL8) Mana Level: low Republic of Manitoba in 1911). Quantum: 6 Infinity Class: P9 Bismarck negotiated a U.S.-German Centrum Zone: Orange Accord to counter the British alliance with the CSA, leaving the two American powers tied into European alliance politics. The Guiana War of Europe ended with the German inven- the brink – and driven the “White 1895-1897 and the Great War of tion of the atomic bomb, dropped on Circle” of South Africa, Australia, 1914-1921 pulled the knots tighter, as Elba in a demonstration shot; the Brazil, and the Confederacy ever clos- the situation in Europe came to Pacific War ended with a bold rede- er to formal union or pre-emptive war. determine the outcome in America. ployment of the Atlantic Fleet through (See GURPS Alternate Earths for With Bismarck keeping Russia neu- the Nicaragua Canal and the invasion further details.) tral, the first ended in a stalemate. In of a fire-bombed Shikoku. In the tur- 1920, German armies (redeployed moil, India had become independent, Outworld Operations after the revolutionary collapse of and the Russian Soviet Republic had escaped the German orbit. The Infinity Patrol has a relatively Russia and the French army) large presence in Dixie-1, facing an bypassed Patton’s brilliant mobile The years since have seen an economic struggle in North America, even larger variety of problems. (Note defenses in the West and smashed that “large,” given the limited number through the trench lines in the proxy wars in South America and Asia and a continual arms race that has of Patrol agents available, means a Shenandoah Valley, leaving the permanent staff of perhaps 20.) Union victorious. The Confederacy impelled both powers into outer space. Both Northerners and Naturally, their bulk of work lies in lost Oklahoma, Sonora, Maryland, observation and aid to Homeline Delaware, and D.C. to the Union by Southerners call this conflict by a name coined by a Richmond newspa- tourists, who flock to the Confederacy the Treaty of Washington. in droves. The Patrol’s biggest Both the United States and the per editor: “The Long Drum Roll.” A brief “Parade Rest” in the 1970s ended headache is nonstop smuggling, large- Confederacy fought new wars in the ly based in Dixie-1’s utterly corrupt 1940s, though not against each other as the Confederacy, feeling the economic squeeze of its military Fascist Italy. For example, an informa- this time. The Union had to rescue its tion smuggling operation succeeded German ally from a mechanized programs (and inefficient apartheid economy) clamped down on domestic in introducing spreadsheet programs Franco-Italian assault by the dictators into the local computer industry, de Gaulle and Mussolini, and the dissent and ramped up its military space program to develop an anti- sparking a revolution in business pro- Confederacy fought a brutal naval war ductivity that has not yet entirely run in the Pacific against an expansionist missile defense shield. In response, U.S. President Knox deployed missiles its course. Legitimate traders like Japanese Empire that coveted British White Star primarily export licensed concessions in China and Confederate to Puerto Rico in 1983. Ten years of tension, while the Union’s Indian and computer technology and software to oilfields in the Dutch East Indies. Dixie, importing hovercraft designs, (Britain, mired in U.S.-backed revolts German allies squabbled over territory in the booming “Indian Rim,” have hypercotton, and intellectual property in India, dropped out of the Pacific of all kinds back to Homeline (partic- War early, leaving Australia a perma- left the libertarian North tired of the struggle but unable to step back from ularly Faulkner novels and bootleg nent Confederate ally.) The war in Janis Joplin CDs).

WORLDS ENOUGH . . . 121 Of Homeline’s national governments, the United States, Germany, India, Russia, and South Africa maintain Dixie-1 bases known to Infinity, Other Dixies usually in the capitals of their Dixie-1 Dixie-1 was the first of the “victorious, surviving Confederacy” paral- analogs. Homeline governments lels to be discovered. There are five more known to Infinity: (especially the United States and Dixie-2 (Q3, current year 1966) and Dixie-3 (Q6, current year 1937) South Africa) are constantly interfer- both diverge at Gettysburg. In Dixie-2 the CSA dominates the Caribbean ing in the Confederacy, despite a clear and the United States is an appendage of French and Japanese bankers. UNIC finding that racial instability in In Dixie-3 both the CSA and the U.S. are poor, corrupt satellites of the CSA could trigger a potentially European powers. Both realities are high TL6. nuclear civil war. Dixie-1’s popularity In Dixie-4 (Q4, current year 1954), the Civil War occurred in 1844, among illegal emigrants from the West is still Mexican, and the United States and CSA are allied Homeline is notorious. Usually against the Mexican and German Empires. Britain is neutral; the world romantic citizens of the southern is TL6. United States, these individuals book Dixie-5 (Q6, current year 1943) diverged with Early’s Raid in 1864 a tour to Dixie-1, and then attempt to and turned into a long British quagmire in America that left the CSA an disappear. The Patrol’s vigilant watch impoverished British puppet and the United States a fanatical garrison for “new” inventions catches most of state between British Canada and the Confederacy. The U.S. military is the obvious expatriates, and keeps TL8; the rest of the world is TL7 or lower, including the Union’s TL6 interference by outtimers to a mini- Soviet allies. mum, although the Patrol worries Dixie-6 (Q6, current year 1910) diverged at First Manassas when the constantly that one of these CSA pushed on and took Washington; Texas and California have both Confederate patriots might reveal The declared themselves independent, and all four nations are rivals for the Secret. Both Centrum and Infinity Indian West. busily divert physicists on all sides away from research that could lead to parachronics. None are really close, reaction respond well to Centrum the CSA (in exchange for concessions but the CSA is investigating some sociodynamics, while since the revolu- that leave Centrum in the saddle in backwaters of physics that could tion, India has enforced church/state Richmond). With the Union and potentially mean trouble. separation with the express goal of Germany shoved over the edge, Dixie-1, in both Zone Orange and maintaining egalitarian politics Centrum’s puppets would pick up the the Quantum 6 battleground, gets despite the Hindu caste system. pieces, and their natural tensions Centrum’s close attention. Interworld Interworld’s goal is to drive a wedge would allow the Uplift Service to feels that the CSA is probably easier to between the Union and India, tying the implement some of the Education transform to its kind of society than is United States tightly to Germany’s fad- Service’s decades of experience at any rival power; with India the second ing strength, and then to offer ruthlessly enforcing racial equality. choice. Confederate rigidity and overwhelming strategic advantages to EZCALLI The Pan-American research team begins with the Carthaginian discov- Birth of the New Sun that recently discovered this worldline ery of the New World and the Rome dissolved into civil wars fol- named it Ezcalli, from the Náhuatl for Columbian Exchange of foods, dis- lowing the assassination of the “house of blood.” Here, the Pyramid of eases and ideas occurring two Emperor Nero. With potatoes planted the Sun continues to smolder with the millennia early. Europe and Asia lie in the Gallic soil, the West was no burning hearts of human sacrifice. somnolent under the placid, orderly, longer dependent on Egypt for food, Here, slave ships travel from Europe static rule of the Mongol Khaghans. and looked across the Atlantic rather to México groaning with their human Rome lies in ruins, its legacy pre- than back to Asia. The Roman cargoes. Here, the harsh tropical sun served in the West African Songhay Mediterranean economy was split, beats down on Tenochtitlán’s lakes Empire. The Tenochca navies take and the Empire split as well. and factories, shining through the colonies overseas as they battle their Barbarians swept over Europe; Rome haze on the Place of the Cactus, the rivals the Hotinohsavannih League maintained its rule only in North greatest city in the world. Here, the (Homeline’s Iroquois Confederacy) for Africa, by vigorous Christian Caesars Aztecs rule an expanding empire of domination of North America. Steam- and cunning diplomacy. In the New blood and glory. powered industry is common in Africa World, the great empire of The Tenochca Empire, known to and the Americas, and the first Teotihuacán, stretching from the Homeline historians as the Aztec tremors of the scientific revolution are Orinoco to the Illini, fell to its own Empire, dominates this world. Its stirring the Tenochca elites. barbarians, the Siouans and Toltecs, divergence point from Homeline

122 WORLDS ENOUGH . . . and to new plagues from Asia. Only in an empire based on military skill, eco- Homeline are still trying to decide on Africa did civilization prosper, as the nomic diversity, and religious blood- a policy toward it. Since no one is wor- Empire of Mali, centered on the great thirstiness. One after another, the ried about anyone in Ezcalli develop- Romano-Christian trading city of rivals of the Tenochca from the ing parachronic technology, debate is Timbuctu, supplanted the Christian Quechua in Peru to the Muskogea over exactly what form covert inter- kingdom of Ghana. Mali fell to along the Mississippi fell to the Jaguar vention ought to take. While there is a Songhay in turn, expanding Roman- and Eagle Knights of the Empire. broad consensus (even by the African civilization from Spain to the Their only obstacle is the Hotin- Homeline Mexican government) that Congo. ohsavannih League, another expan- something should be done to curb the The final barbarian wave brought sionistic confederacy centered on Tenochca, no one can agree on exactly peace and one last great plague to the Onondoga in the northeast stretching what to do or how to do it. warring states of Eurasia. The from the Free City of Manannán Mongol armies raced through (founded by Irish traders in 200 B.C.) Central Asia and poured into Europe, to the iron mines west of the Five crossing into North Africa, taking Lakes. Roman Carthage and ending the last The Tenochca send their pochteca Roman kingdom in 1240. Later Great merchants across the oceans to forti- Khans added Persia, China, Japan, fied trading posts on every coast. They India, Indochina and finally Java to bring back European slaves for the the great Mongol Khaghanate. The fields and mines, and gems, spices, Black Death swept through Eurasia, and silks from the Mongol East. The crippling the Mongols’ foes, and left Tenochca Empire is on the verge of its the Pax Mongolica supreme over two greatest wave of expansion – if it can continents. beat back its Hotinohsavannih and In the New World, another barbar- Songhay rivals for the rich spoils of Infinity’s main worry is coordinat- ian tribe from the fringes of civiliza- the senescent Mongol Khaganate and ing the activities of the groups that tion founded a great empire. The the unclaimed riches of Africa and want to “better the lot” of the natives, Tenochca entered the Valley of México North America. to avoid revealing The Secret. White and founded their capital Tenochtitlán (See GURPS Alternate Earths for Star Trading is interested in some of in 1325. After the Black Death hit in further details, and GURPS Aztecs for the unique artistic and cultural arti- 1361, the Tenochca overwhelmed background.) facts of Ezcalli cultures, but they their demoralized neighbors and really don’t want to have to disguise established a powerful kingdom. The themselves as pochtecas and partici- political genius and reformer Tlacaelel Outworld Operations pate in local religious practices. The built the Tenochca Confederacy into Ezcalli was so recently discovered Duncorne Foundation has a similar that Infinity and other parties on interest in Tenochca astronomical records, and even more serious qualms about worshiping Huitzi- lopochtli. Miracle Workers normally Ezcalli, 1848 concentrates on relieving the effects of Current Affairs natural disasters. It frowns on politi- An industrial Aztec Empire expands across the world. cal intervention except for the preven- tion of wars, but many of their Divergence Point employees are urging them to make 508 B.C.; Carthaginians discover the New World and launch the an exception. Columbian Exchange of diseases and food two millennia early. Centrum’s intervention in Ezcalli is Major Civilizations even more recent than Infinity’s dis- Meso-American (empire), West African (empire with satellite states), covery of the timeline; the first reports Iroquois (empire), Steppe (empire). of what sounds like Centran activity have only just appeared. Reports of a Great Powers visitation of babbling demons at the Tenocha Empire (caste-based dictatorship with strong theocratic Tenochca colony in Knasgord (Home- component, CR4, CR6 for subject tribes), Songhay Empire (dictatorship, line La Rochelle, France) sound a lot CR4), Hotinohsavannih League (representative democracy, CR2), like parachronic travelers disrupting Mongol Khaghanate (feudal dictatorship, CR4-5). the sacrifice . . . and Infinity is quite certain that there were no visits from Worldline Data Homeline. Because of the suspicious TL: 5 (Tenochca agronomy, TL7; Mongols, TL4) timing, Infinity suspects that some Mana Level: low source inside Infinity itself leaked Quantum: 6 Infinity Class: R5 Centrum Zone: Yellow Ezcalli’s parachronic coordinates to Centrum.

WORLDS ENOUGH . . . 123 FRIEDRICH In Homeline history, Emperor with their funds, he tamed the nobles Outworld Operations Friedrich I Barbarossa exemplifies the and declared a Crusade; with the pres- The Raven Division began opera- horseshoe nail, the changepoint that tige he gained as the liberator of tions on Friedrich in 1214, moving in almost happened. He almost brought Jerusalem, he forced the Pope to back strength along the Chronobahn the rich cities of northern Italy into a down. His policy of encouraging schol- (p. 79), which runs from the Cilician common Empire, losing one campaign arship may have made the difference Gates pass in the Taurus Mountains of thanks to malaria, and losing the on this world, where a few court schol- southern Anatolia to the high scarp Battle of Legnano in 1176 only ars have access to subtle and terrible above Nicomedia, almost to the Black through the defection of his vassal magics. His good relationship with the Sea. On its southeast end, the Henry the Lion, Duke of Saxony. He Knights Templar (reputed to be wiz- Chronobahn enters Nostradamus deposed Henry with the aid of many ards), through his court meistersinger (p. 138); on its northwest end, it shifts German bishops, and almost broke the Wolfram von Eschenbach, may also into Agamemnon (Q3, local year 1189 power of the German nobles, which have gotten Friedrich a little magical B.C.), which may be a myth parallel (along with the tax revenues from support where it counted. based on the Greek heroic legends, or Italy) would have unified Germany as Be that as it may, when he died in merely a high-mana alternate Earth. a nation much as his contemporary bed in 1202, he left the unbreakable Reality quakes are common on that Philip II did for France. His struggle nexus of a German nation to his son parallel, and some aftershocks travel with Pope Alexander III almost ended Henry VI, who added Sicily to the along the Chronobahn in Friedrich, as papal control over the national church- imperial domain by marriage. In 1204, well. es, which might have allowed the allied with the Venetians, Henry VI The Nazis have recruited three reg- Church to reform gradually without stripped the remainder of Anatolia iments worth of local German troops, splintering. And he led the Third from the Byzantines to add to the for- which they are training in modern Crusade in 1190, which almost took mer Seljuk territories Friedrich had weapons and military science as best Jerusalem, except that Barbarossa conquered on crusade. Henry’s son they can with the limited resources drowned in the Saleph River and the Friedrich, the Crown Prince, already available to them. The main Nazi German armies dissolved. shows signs of genius, and the New training base is the castle of Lampron, Men from out of the East have brought an impregnable fortress overlooking new methods of war and machinery the Cilician Gates and the A Ripple In The River that will further strengthen and enrich On this worldline, Barbarossa man- Nostradamus end of the Chronobahn. the German-Roman Empire. Surely, It lies on the border between the aged to cow Henry the Lion; with his Friedrich Barbarossa founded a Reich support, he defeated the Italian cities; Kingdom of Lesser Armenia and the that will last a thousand years . . . Kingdom of Iconium ruled by Fried- rich of Swabia (son of Barbarossa). The Nazis have major Raven Division Friedrich, 1217 outposts in Regensburg, the Imperial capital, Venice, and Messina in Sicily. Current Affairs Armanen agents have already assassi- A cadre of SS from Reich-5 seeks to transform the German-Roman nated Genghis Khan and bio-bombed Empire into the First Reich, a breeding ground for Aryan warriors. Mongolia, which has thrown northern Divergence Point China into total chaos. 1176; Friedrich Barbarossa defeats the Italian cities at the Battle of The Patrol has to work very dis- Legnano, then doesn’t drown during the Third Crusade in 1190 but lib- creetly here; it is imperative that the erates Jerusalem, returns and strengthens imperial power in Germany Nazis not get their hands on another, and Italy. completely functioning, conveyor. Between the possible sorceries of the Major Civilizations Empire’s Templar allies and the psion- Islamic (multipolar), Chinese (empire with satellite states), Western ic wild talents the Raven Division’s (decreasingly multipolar). Mules display, even the slightest hint Great Powers of Patrol activity could bring down disaster. The Patrol also suspects that Song China (dictatorship, CR4), German-Roman Empire (decreas- some third force operates in this ingly feudal dictatorship, CR4), Ayyubid Egypt (dictatorship, CR3), worldline; the Order of the Assassins Khwarizm (dictatorship, CR4), Venetian Republic (oligarchy, CR4). has kidnapped at least one Raven Worldline Data Division trooper, and may be responsi- TL: 3 (plus some TL8 Reich-5 uplifting) Mana Level: normal ble for the loss of two Patrolmen from Quantum: 3 Infinity Class: Z2 the Ayyubid court in Cairo. Centrum Zone: Inaccessible

124 WORLDS ENOUGH . . . GALLATIN “Whether we remain in one con- document): Connecticut, New York, After its own unification in 1871, federacy, or form into Atlantic and Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New Germany unified the European Mississippi confederacies, I believe Jersey. Eight other American Continent in the Great War of 1914- not very important to the happiness republics checkered the continent: 1916, folding it into a common of either part. Those of the western New England (rapidly returning to bureaucratic-economic union run confederacy will be as much our the British sphere of influence), the from Berlin. The British resented this children and descendants as those of Confederation (in which the states usurpation of their monopolies, but the eastern, and I feel myself as from Maryland to Georgia operate as could do little but mirror it in their much identified with that country, in almost independent nations), the own Empire, creating an economic future time, as with this.” Louisiana Republic (between the Commonwealth dominated by – Thomas Jefferson to Joseph Priestley, Sabine and Mobile Rivers, having London. Both powers suffered set- Jan. 29, 1804 split Spanish Florida with Georgia), backs in the Pacific War, when the the Ohio Association (a Jeffersonian- Japanese Empire (having allied itself Thomas Jefferson wrote this letter libertarian confederacy in the Ohio with Stalin’s Soviet Russia) threw the in many histories (including and Upper Mississippi Valleys), the Germans out of Indochina, the Homeline’s), but not in the worldline Texas Republic (an expansionist Philippines, and the East Indies, and named for his Secretary of the slave state stretching deep into the British out of China, Burma, and Treasury, Albert Gallatin. In that Mexico and north into Indian coun- the Sandwich Islands. (Texas’ refusal worldline, Alexander Hamilton had try), Deseret (a Mormon theocracy in to open the Nicaragua Canal to any died taking a Hessian bullet at the the Great Basin), and the Bear Flag belligerent power made it difficult for Battle of Trenton, like the one that Republic of California (including the Britain and Germany to cooperate in nearly killed future President James company forts north past retaking the Pacific, even if they had Madison in Homeline history. Vancouver). Although border wars wanted to.) The Japanese atomic Madison survived in both worlds to and skirmishes broke out from time bombing of Calcutta ended the war. write his Constitution, but in this to time, on the whole, their relations Britain, Russia, Germany, and Texas worldline, there was no Alexander were more peaceable than those in all built their own bombs in the next Hamilton to defend and explain it in the outside world. five years, resulting in a Pax Atomica the Federalist Papers, or to knit the that lasts mostly unbroken to this day. new nation together with a strong economic policy. The United States splintered into many “confederacies,” leaving Thomas Jefferson revered by all of them, but president of only one. Gallatin, 2004 Current Affairs E Pluribus Nullium A balkanized North America shelters under the Texan nuclear Without the Federalist Papers and umbrella as the Germans, Japanese, and Soviets duel for global control. Hamilton’s oratory, New York refused Divergence Point to ratify the Constitution of 1787, 1776; Alexander Hamilton dies at the Battle of Trenton. The consid- dooming the pact. An open conven- erably more libertarian Albert Gallatin becomes the first Secretary of the tion redrafted the Articles of Treasury, and the nascent United States disintegrates. Confederation the next year, but tensions over Western trade down the Major Civilizations Mississippi drove the Ohio Valley set- Western (empire with rivals), Orthodox (empire with satellites), tlers further from the weak Japanese (empire). Philadelphia government. When Napoleon acquired Louisiana in 1802, Great Powers threatening to choke off Western Europaverein (military oligarchy, CR4 for Germans, CR5 for other trade, Aaron Burr and Andrew nations), Soviet Union (dictatorship, CR6), Japanese Empire (military Jackson led a filibustering expedition oligarchy, CR4-5 for Japanese, CR6 for subject nations), British that captured New Orleans; their Commonwealth (representative democracies, CR4), Texas Republic Louisiana Republic made its own (representative democracy, CR3 for whites, CR5 for non-whites). trade treaty with the Ohio Country, Worldline Data ignoring the central government TL: 7 (some military hardware, low TL8) Mana Level: low entirely. Quantum: 5 Infinity Class: P9 By 1860, only five states remained Centrum Zone: Inaccessible in the United States of America (which adopted a centralizing constitution in 1815 similar to the 1787

WORLDS ENOUGH . . . 125 Outworld Operations legal) to Homeline, but can barely against Sioux terrorism – it has a Infinity Patrol operatives on make a dent in the traffic without over- remarkably robust set of local militias. Gallatin attempt to crack down on the throwing the Ohio government (such Outtime tourism is also tremendously massive smuggling operations from the as it is). Although Ohio has no army to popular on Gallatin, especially by Ohio Association (where all drugs and speak of – essentially free-riding on Homeline Texans eager to see the Lone many heavy weapons are completely Texas and the United States for its Star Republic standing tall. international defense, and for defense GERNSBACK This Quantum 7 world follows the Nikola Tesla, the last of the mad scien- same physical laws as Homeline, but tists, to the daughter of J.P. Morgan, with some odd variations that led the last of the robber barons. In technical progress into a number of Homeline history, Tesla and Anne very bizarre detours. For example, Morgan became good friends, but dirigibles plow the skies side by side Tesla died a bankrupt bachelor, the with gigantic atomic-powered cargo majority of his inventions remaining planes. The transistor is unknown, but in his head or sketched in his note- rayguns and aircars are common. books. On Gernsback, Tesla’s marriage Here, the slide-rule is king. stabilized him both emotionally and The first Patrolmen here saw the financially, and he went on to revolu- towering Art Deco buildings, the sleek tionize virtually every aspect of aircars, and the omnipresent power- modern life. casting towers and named this parallel after Hugo Gernsback, utopian technophile and founder of modern The World of Tomorrow science fiction. Much about the world In 1902, the Morgan-Tesla Radio does seem like something out of a Company began global radio broad- 1930s science fiction adventure, from casts from Wardenclyffe, Long Island. the personal jetpacks to the benevo- The immense success of global radio lent power of the World Science freed Tesla to concentrate on his life- Council. long goal: broadcasting electrical The history of Gernsback diverges power without wires. After years of from Homeline with the marriage of arduous laboratory work by teams of

Gernsback, 1965 Current Affairs The World Science Council puts down all threats to techno-utopia in the fantastic World of the Future! technicians, Morgan-Tesla introduced Divergence Point Tesla’s system of broadcast power. The 1893; Nikola Tesla marries Anne Morgan, the daughter of financier result was global panic and a stock J.P. Morgan, and thus remains sane enough to invent radio and broad- market crash. Morgan firms stabilized cast power with Morgan financing. first America, then Germany; the Dawes-Morgan plan wound up rewrit- Major Civilizations ing the German Constitution to end its Western (multipolar). chronic political and economic insta- Great Powers bility. Prosperity restored confidence World Science Council (technocracy, CR4), United States (represen- in European institutions, such as the tative democracy, CR3, CR5 for blacks), German Republic (representa- League of Nations, and let the world tive democracy, CR4), British Empire (representative democracies, weather another stock panic in 1929, CR4), Japanese Empire (military-corporate oligarchy, CR4-5). and crises in China and Ethiopia in 1933 and 1935. The League forced the Worldline Data aggressors to back down in both cases, TL: (6+2) (weapons, up to TL(6+3); broadcast power, TL6^) further stabilizing the world order. Mana Level: no mana The next crisis began deceptively, Quantum: 7 Infinity Class: R9 Centrum Zone: Red when German physicist Otto Hahn split the atom in 1938. The League

126 WORLDS ENOUGH . . . placed the newly founded World Science Council (WSC) in charge of a program to develop atomic power plants. By 1945, the WSC was building atomic power plants in Germany and The WSC produced an endless stream of America. When the Soviet physicist superweapons for the League, from tanks firing Andrei Sakharov defected and warned the world of Stalin’s plan to build an particle beams to teleguided missiles. atomic bomb, the League responded instantly and declared war on the Soviet Union in 1951. The war was the most massive conflict in world history, with millions of men fighting on both shutting down all electrical power on The last I-Cops task is to assist sides. The WSC produced an endless the island and forcing the overthrow stranded tourists – even with the best stream of superweapons for the of the Castro regime. The world is uni- backups and safeties that the WSC can League, from tanks firing particle fied and at peace under the benevolent devise, zeppelins do burn up and air- beams to teleguided missiles. rule of the Great Powers, the League cars do crash. Tours to Gernsback Eventually, Stalin’s scientists revolted of Nations, and the World Science seem to attract the oddest tourists in against his mad plans, destroying the Council. Planning and technology will Homeline – some Patrolmen still bomb project and surrendering to deal with the natural economic dislo- recall with horror the trouble they had WSC paratroopers dropped from cations of the postwar era. Nothing rounding up all the stray Klingons League superwings. Stalin died on can go wrong. from a Homeline SF convention held April 30, 1953 in the confused capture (See GURPS Alternate Earths for in Gernsback’s New York. Other popu- of Moscow, and the world was once further details.) lar tourist attractions include the again at peace. Skydeck of the Mile-High Building, The League of Nations and the the Cumberland Gap Aircar World Science Council were faced Outworld Operations Steeplechase, zeppelin cruises to the with the massive job of reconstruc- The I-Cops’ primary mission in Amazon Hilton, and the Orient tion. The League took over the admin- Gernsback is to oppose the large-scale Electrical Express (Paris to Peking in istration of Russia and the “League Centrum operations here. Centrum’s 36 hours). The biggest draw, however, Taxes,” which had paid for the war in obvious strategy is to rapidly evolve are the Tesla Day (July 10) festivities at the member countries, now paid for the WSC into a technocratic world WSC headquarters in Queens (cen- rebuilding and peacetime conversion. government mirroring Centrum’s own tered on the 1939 World’s Fair The League placed all atomic power gray elite. Then Centrum could easily Perisphere and Trylon), which feature research under control of the WSC to mount a decapitating coup and rule parades, scientific demonstrations, prevent any other nation from the worldline. Gernsback is a favorite and some really spectacular fireworks. attempting to build atomic weapons. of the Centrum radicals who argue for White Star Trading sells light met- The 1957 Treaty of New York formal- partnerships with other timelines. If als in bulk, medicines, and seedlings ized League powers, made the League the dimension war were quieter, they from new crop varieties in Gernsback. Taxes permanent, and mandated might even win their point: the WSC is They primarily buy different plant economic coordination of League close to many “correct” Centran atti- varieties, superscientific alloys, and countries with WSC guidelines and tudes and could be a formidable ally cultural artifacts – there is a big predictions. Finally, it established the indeed. Homeline demand for original Hitler League Peace Forces (LPF), a perma- Therefore, the Patrol gives covert watercolors, Frank Paul oils, and sci- nent standing League of Nations army. aid to anticolonial movements around ence fiction by Gernsback’s versions of The amazing inventions made the world, while hoping to avoid the Poul Anderson, Robert Heinlein, and during the war were perfected and fearsomely competent (and jut-jawed) Isaac Asimov. marketed for civilians, and a huge eco- gadgeteering WSC Special Tasks The U.S. and European govern- nomic boom began as war plants Agents. Although Homeline physicists ments are under increasing pressure moved over to peacetime production. are fairly sure that Gernsback is from civil rights advocates, feminists, The Electronic Brains invented just nowhere near discovering parachron- and others concerned about before the war began to produce eco- ic technology, nobody wants to make Gernsback’s blithe acceptance of wide- nomic predictions, which the League any bets against the heirs of Tesla. spread race and sex discrimination. used to manage the global economy. The I-Cops also prevent would-be However, there are only a few tiny The LPF contained the few anti- Homeline inventors from surfacing in groups in Gernsback attempting to League rebellions in India, Africa, and Gernsback. These troublemakers fall propose alternatives, dismissed as iso- the Middle East, and the WSC stopped into two types: those who want to lated cranks by the mass of public an attempt by the revolutionary gov- invent the transistor in Gernsback and opinion. Thus, Homeline activists, ernment of Cuba to withdraw from make a billion dollars, and those who hampered by Infinity’s enforcement of the League. The Council did not even are sure that the WSC will fund their The Secret, have as yet been unable to wait for League authorization before perpetual motion machines. devise an effective approach.

WORLDS ENOUGH . . . 127 HELL WORLDS isolationist TL4 theocracy that rules either; ruins on some parallels showed ARIANE Tibet (off limits to Homeliners by technologies from TL1 to TL8! In 1915, a mutant influenza virus Infinity Development fiat); the rest of After a few more surveys discov- (possibly a version of the “Spanish flu” Ariane’s natives are barbarian tribes ered new “Gotha” worlds, an appalled that decimated Homeline history who raid Homeline colonies. Most Infinity Patrol discerned the common around that time) wiped out 99.9% of colonies allow indenture of the element – on each of these parallels, the population, leaving fewer than two natives, which seems more decent the pneumonic plague had somehow million people alive on this Quantum than exterminating them or leaving mutated into (or become symbiotic 5 Earth. Homeline medical science them out in their Stone Age cold to with) a prion-based disease that spread rapidly discovered a cure for the starve. through any concentrated population Ariane Flu, and after a rapid survey, of over a thousand or so people. Below Infinity opened Ariane up for full col- that threshold, the mutation usually onization as a Class O10 world in 2012 THE GOTHA couldn’t take hold. Cities became (its local year 2002). Homeline settle- impossible, and only manor farms and ment is a mixture of separatist and PARALLELS homesteads could survive and propa- manor colonies; most of the sepa- When the Scouts discovered gate themselves, ruthlessly purging ratists are Western cultural conserva- Gotha-1 on Quantum 7, they thought their own populations to keep the tives, including “Reconstructionist” they had stumbled on a particularly plague at bay. The infected, however, groups interested in settling and dark Dark Ages parallel; Visigothic became bloodthirsty cannibals (eating restoring 1915 Paris, London, New berserkers had apparently burnt out each other if need be) with social York, and other urban centers. (A every city in France. Small fortified organization closer to baboon troops splinter sect of ultraconservative manor communities of only a few than human tribes, holding onto what- Catholics has a religious colony in hundred souls held out, surrounded ever cultural pattern fit their horrific Rome and Florence.) Some of the by bands of marauding killers who fate in their own diseased minds. manor settlers paid a substantial pre- slew anyone they encountered. Later, Millennial death-cults blossomed in mium for surviving (or rebuilt) struc- Patrolmen discovered the same pat- every corner of the globe touched by tures like the Kremlin, the White tern on another Quantum 7 parallel, the pestilence. On some of the Gotha House, and the Taj Mahal. The only in a eighth-century India ravaged by parallels (mostly those with divergence surviving autochronous culture is the Thuggee. Civilization hadn’t always points before 1000 A.D.), the Americas broken down in the medieval era, and Australia remain uninfected so far, but on most of them, civilization has collapsed on any level above the fortified township. Gotha Zombies The 19 known Gotha parallels -102 points include eight worlds on Quantum 6, The Gotha virus is a super-virulent pathogen (2d minutes delay, HT- four worlds each on Quanta 7 and 5, 6, 1d toxic damage, 24-hour interval, 28 cycles) spread, like the pneu- and three alternates on Quantum 4. monic plague from which it somehow mutated, as a respiratory agent. It Infinity doesn’t know if Centrum has is very contagious, with an additional -2 to any of the contagion modi- discovered any on Quantum 8 or high- fiers from p. B443. Once a sufferer has lost 2/3 of his HP to the disease, er. Nor do they know what caused the he becomes infected, and begins regaining HP at the rate of 1 per day. crossworld outbreak. Perhaps a civi- Those infected become “Gotha zombies,” in the callous slang of the lization on one of the Gotha parallels Patrolmen who have to enter a Gotha parallel for some horrible reason. once invented parachronics, and Their Night Vision is a 0-point feature, as per p. 176. unwittingly created a mutant disease pool across the worlds. Perhaps the Attribute Modifiers: ST+1 [10]; DX+1 [20]; IQ-2 [-40]. mutation (although biologically inex- Secondary Characteristic Modifiers: Per+4 [20]; Basic Move+3 [15]; plicable to Homeline scientists) is a Basic Speed+1 [20]. natural one on worldlines where the Advantages: High Pain Threshold [10]; Less Sleep 4 [8]; Night Vision 5 physical laws, or evolutionary epi- [0]; Temperature Tolerance (Cold) 3 [3]; Unfazeable [15]. demiology, differ slightly from Disadvantages: Bad Smell [-10]; Bad Temper [-10]; Berserk (Battle rage, Homeline normal. Paranormal expla- +50%) [-15]; Bestial [-15]; Bloodlust [-10]; Cannot Learn [-30]; Dead nations, such as a Cabal attack or the Broke [-25]; Delusion (Chosen by Death) [-15]; Ham-Fisted (-6 to death throes of a telepathic god, can’t skill) [-10]; Hidebound [-5]; Innumerate [-5]; Social Stigma (Monster) be ruled out either, as much as most [-15]; Uncontrollable Appetite (Blood and brains) [-15]; Weakness Paralabs experts would like to. The (Bright light, 1d per 30 minutes; Fatigue Only, -50%, Variable, -40%; Patrol has taken no risks, however; the -80%) [-3]. plague virus has been completely wiped out on Homeline.

128 WORLDS ENOUGH . . . Most of the few million poisoned, LENIN-2 dying survivors in the current year The Chinese chronicles – nearly the 2021 are at TL3 at best. The Chinese only ones surviving on this Quantum 6 remnants along the drowned coast- parallel – call the first wars after the lines and interior districts are at TL4/7 Second American Revolution the thanks to (barely) surviving industrial Springtime Wars. The railroad strikes technology; China was probably at of 1876 destroyed the corrupt Grant TL8 by the Autumn War, with desper- administration and ushered in a work- ate experiments perhaps reaching er’s collective in Chicago; with the TL10. At least one Chinese Orion- Barbary Coup and the Christmas drive (nuclear-explosion propelled) March on Wall Street, the United ship lifted off in 1999 for an unknown Socialist States of America stretched destination; others may have escaped from sea to shining sea. A lengthy during the war. A few Chinese received campaign against the recalcitrant experimental genetic grafts, hopefully South ended just like the last one, with allowing them to survive ecological the stronger North winning through disaster. Although Miracle Workers total war; the remaining capitalists and the Patrol are trying to repair and reactionaries fled to Canada and Lenin-2, the chances look grim; talent- Australia. America’s example once ed locals such as Xing La (p. B322) more fired the workers of Europe; receive priority for outtime recruiting, Germany, France, Italy, and Russia all to save a few people before the went Communist in the next 20 years. inevitable choking doom as the last of Only reactionary Britain and Japan the plankton die off. held out, spreading the virus of capitalism to Sun-Yat Sen’s Chinese LEVIATHAN did not challenge their apparent self- Republic. identification as survivors of the In this Quantum 6 world, humani- The Summer Wars of the 1950s drowned continent Atlantis. In retro- ty fights a losing battle against a mys- brought down the British and spect, many disappeared ships had terious TL(1+8) undersea civilization. Japanese monarchies, but the victori- likely gone down to the “Atlantean” The local humans on this parallel call ous powers quarreled over the spoils depths; many more vanished that win- the ’A’Nthleioi the “Atlanteans,” due to and failed to extirpate China’s boom- ter, and survivors told of strange radi- their undersea origins, and perhaps ing economy, which as always relied ations playing about the rigging as because of the likeness in names. very little on overseas trade. By the sudden maelstroms sucked 74-gun These aliens, however, have little phys- late 20th century, the stresses of warships below. ically in common with the Poseidon- socialist economics had badly dam- Over the next decades, the blooded human Atlanteans on aged the environment. Just as the Atlanteans grew better and better at Orichalcum (p. 139), and may be Homeline Soviet Union poisoned working on land, hauling water tanks native to some other dimension or whole river basins and lakes, in Lenin- into position, blasting out reservoir parallel Earth worlds away. The 2 the entire industrial world (except, craters with odd-colored radiance, Infinity Patrol provides some weapons oddly, China) began to choke on its and putting sweating human slaves to to the human resistance where it can, own filth. The Communist powers work digging canals into the interior. but outworld aid can do little to turn blamed the Chinese capitalists, of By 1812 (the current year), the United back the flood tide of defeat short of course, and declared the Autumn War States is only a few military govern- full-scale intervention by a national in 2000 as a crusade to end capitalism ments under Andrew Jackson’s government on Homeline. and defeat pollution. In fact, the command, pulled back into the Bolsheviks in Russia, the DKAP in Appalachians and the southwest. Mitteleuropa, and the Christian The War Against Britain and France are long gone, with Communist Congressional Party in the other kingdoms of river-riven the USSA fought each other almost as The Water It all began on August 10, 1797, Europe. Trapped in Egypt by the much as they fought the Chinese. The Atlantean menace in the Medi- nuclear exchanges didn’t do nearly as when the ’A’Nthleioi attacked Newburyport, Massachusetts. Ameri- terranean, Napoleon Bonaparte has much damage as did the total ecologi- declared an “Empire of the Sands” cal collapse. The Gulf Stream shut can militia put up a brave, but futile resistance. By that fall, the whole east- deep in the Sahara; he leads an army down and shifted global weather pat- of Zouaves, Bedouin, and Tuareg with terns. Catastrophic warming melted ern seaboard was in nonhuman hands and ’A’Nthleioi probing raids had a hard core of French veterans under the ice caps and flooded the coast- Murat. The Russians are a few lines; mega-storms tore through the come ashore in both Britain and France. Savants speculated on the columns of armies, Cossacks, and desertified continental interiors; mass monks deep in the steppes; the extinctions wrecked the few surviving possible genesis of such fearsome creatures, and on their strategy, but Chinese are warlords on the fringes of farms and forests. the Tien Shan and Himalayas.

WORLDS ENOUGH . . . 129 and islands where the few, cringing human natives live barely support ’A’Nthleioi (“Atlanteans”) agriculture or fishing at a TL0 level, 165 points although some tribes practice basic Amphibious humanoids with pale, shiny, hairless skin, the ’A’Nthleioi ironworking. Most of the cultures on show every sign of having been genetically engineered from a mixture of Madland seem similar to Lapps or human, piscine, and alien DNA. They can interbreed with humans, North American Indian or Siberian although some of the descendants of such matings eventually respond to tribes, albeit made paranoid and fatal- their genetic triggers and revert to “pure” ’A’Nthleioi, gaining subcuta- istic by the actions of their psychotic neous fat and striated muscle (eventually almost 100 lbs. worth). They deities. have large, bulbous eyes, long arms, stubby legs, and clawed and webbed (See GURPS Fantasy 2 for further hands and feet. Their skin and eyes are a pale greenish-gray, though their details.) bellies are white. They have scaly ridges on their backs, jaws, hips, and joints, and over their prominent gill slits. They prefer salt water to fresh, but can survive in either. Their mysterious acoustic and metallurgical TAFT-7 sciences attain TL(1+8), but ’A’Nthleioi warriors remain most comfort- The Patrol isn’t sure what to make able with the sword and trident, at least on Leviathan. of this Quantum 5 parallel, and will likely never resolve the issue because Attribute Modifiers: ST+3 [30]; IQ+3 [60]. Infinity has declared it completely off Advantages: Amphibious [10]; DR 1 [5]; Doesn’t Breathe (Gills) [10]; limits to all travelers. (All complaints Immunity (Starvation) (Drops into torpor rather than dying, -50%) are referred to the worldline’s ISWAT [5]; Nictitating Membrane 1 [1]; Night Vision 9 [9]; Peripheral Vision case officer, Dr. William Headley [15]; Pressure Support 2 [10]; Talons [8]; Telesend (Racial, -20%, (p. B314).) The Scouts who discovered Telepathic, -10%; -30%) [21]; Temperature Tolerance 4 (Cold) [4]; this worldline in 2023 named it Taft-7 Unaging [15]. because its sterilizing radiation count Disadvantages: Dependency (Immersion in water, daily) [-15]; Dread matches that of Taft-3 (p. B528). Its (Swastikas) [-5]; No Empathy [-20]; Overweight [-1]. local present is 1952, judging by the Quirks: Prefers salt water to fresh [-1]. stars, but the human race either never Racially Learned Skills: Swimming-12 (HT+2) [4]. evolved here or died out long ago. Nonhuman archaeological remains (dated as best Paralabs can to about 16 million years ago) dot the conti- Outworld Operations MADLAND nental shelves and some upthrust On Leviathan, the Patrol claims to islands in the Pacific. The continents be visitors from Mars, trying to help This truly bizarre and inhospitable Quantum 4 parallel is high-mana with themselves are scarred by thousand- out as best they can in the struggle. mile stretches of basalt that make no (Centrum, probably correctly, consid- very-high-mana pockets, deformed by innumerable reality quakes (which tectonic sense but may indicate a kind ers the world a lost cause and has of focused chain of reality quakes rip- seemingly washed its hands of it.) have even disrupted the star patterns; Madland’s current present year is ping across the Earth’s surface. What Unusually for a hell parallel, this animal life survives are deformed world is only Class R5 – the Infinity unknown) and by the actions of its malign, insane gods. These gods, grotesques, mutated by the radiation Council has decided that the opportu- level; the plants are mostly carnivo- nity to learn about these aliens is which match no known human pan- theon, are twisted and animalistic, rous or twist themselves in search of greater than the (so far minimal) risk light in invisible spectra. to Homeline security their invasion capricious and predatory. The glaciat- poses. ed, forested, inhospitable peninsulas JOHNSON’S ROME The dynasty founded by Mark when he could emulate Alexander and several problems the cheerful, opti- Antony and Cleopatra did not possess rule the East. Rome’s energies drove mistic Antonine emperors never even Augustus’ genius, but it was in no dan- east and south, adding Nubia and knew they had. ger of falling to an urban mob, either. Parthia, Sarmatia and Arabia Felix, to Gaul and Britain fell eventually, but Unlike Rome, Egypt could feed itself; the Empire. The emperor Marcus they were reconquered eventually, too. unlike the Romans, the Egyptians Ulpius granted a very promising tribe Plagues and famines tore through the knew better than to question their in Sarmatia, the Goths, immediate remoter provinces, but the Egyptian divine kings. The legions still watched foederati status and transferred them granaries and Nubian gold mines kept on the Rhine, but Antony saw no point wholesale to the Bactrian border to the eastern core of the Empire alive, if in conquering empty German forests guard the exiled Jews, which solved not always healthy.

130 WORLDS ENOUGH . . . Rome on XXV Denarii a Day Johnson’s Rome, 1206 When Alex A. Johnson, the founder of Johnson Crosstime Incorporated Current Affairs Crossworld terrorism endangers a tourist paradise where Rome (JCI; see p. 38), arrived in Rome from never fell. Homeline in 1192, he found the second-biggest city of a cosmopolitan Divergence Point empire just hitting its second peak. 31 B.C.; Mark Antony and Cleopatra win the Battle of Actium; Roman The city of Rome compensated for its center of gravity removes to the east. “second city” status by being very, very traditional and very, very decadent at Major Civilizations the same time. Johnson fell in love Roman (empire with satellite states), Steppe-Chinese (empire with immediately. satellite states), Indic (multipolar), Mississippian-Roman (empire with He introduced a number of satellite states). improvements as he built up his local Great Powers power base, from the telegraph to ice Roman Empire (dictatorship, CR4), Khitai (dictatorship, CR5), Chola cream to hand-rolled cigars. (He had Telugu (oligarchy, CR4), Pagan (dictatorship, CR4), Lenapea (clan/tribal, to bribe a Roman admiral to discover CR2 for Lenapii, CR4 for subject tribes). America first, but for lifelong cigar- smoker Johnson, it was more than Worldline Data worth it.) As governor of Pannonia, he TL: 4 (medicine, TL5/8) Mana Level: no mana drove off the Pechenegs with horse Quantum: 5 Infinity Class: O9 artillery and light infantry, and the Centrum Zone: Inaccessible ensuing military revolution is spreading to the more conservative generals in India and Gaetulia, stabilizing luxurious villas, galleys, and baths JCI If they do, of course, the Vigiles imperial defenses at a substantial cost maintains for its Homeline tourists. come down on the offenders’ patron savings. Packages range from the “Seven like a ton of marble; the I-Cops’ Wonders In Seven Days” shuttle Security Division essentially runs the (stealthed hydrofoils and hovercraft Vigiles (in Rome, Alexandria, and whisk visitors from the Colosseum to Babylon anyway) as a local branch the Pyramids to the Hanging Gardens, office. The Patrol is mostly concerned rebuilt after substantial JCI bribes to with chasing down terrorist cells the Babylonian city governor) to the based here, especially the ones train- adults-only “Capri Month in Emperor ing the rebels in Persia, Mauretania, Tiberius’ legendary palace of pleasure” and Hibernia. In these provinces, the (in this worldline, of course, Tiberius slackening brutality of the Imperial Claudius wasn’t an emperor, and did- governors (part of Johnson’s well- n’t become a deranged degenerate, but meaning reform plans) has encour- it was his summer villa). Even Time aged overtaxed natives to rebel. And Tours has given in, running its own they have help: a spate of naphtha- Outworld Operations tours of slightly higher-toned settings bombings in Babylon, Carthage, and Johnson Crosstime owns an amaz- (for a substantial license fee to JCI, of Rhodes has all the fingerprints of out- ing amount of the Roman Empire course). Roman citizens have grown time planning. The FBI office in Rome outright, second only to the imperial used to seeing flocks of tall, doughy provides full cooperation to the Patrol, family as the biggest holders of land barbarians with outrageous accents and even assists with the occasional and gold in the realm. Much of its liq- and lots of spare silver; “Jonsonius’ “sweep and capture” raid through the uid capital goes to bribes, of course; guests from overseas” usually don’t get plebeian neighborhoods. the rest is plowed into upkeep for the knifed and rolled. LENIN-1 President Franklin Roosevelt wasn’t even had the lucidity to drop the (or his judgment of vice presidents) a in the best of health during the 1944 embarrassingly left-leaning Henry little worse, he left the intensely pro- election campaign. In fact, he was Wallace from the Democratic ticket in Soviet Wallace a heartbeat away from barely holding on by his fingernails. favor of the blunt anti-Communist the Oval Office. On both Homeline and On Homeline, he was able to summon machine politician Harry S Truman. Lenin-1, he died in office on April 12, the stamina to fight the Axis. There, he On another worldline, with his health 1945.

WORLDS ENOUGH . . . 131 The West Is Red Lenin-1, 1989 Homeline’s leftist historians were right, in a way; without the aggressive Current Affairs American stance in the 1940s, there The United States is the last capitalist power in a world gone was no Cold War. The Soviets occu- Communist. pied Germany and Japan, and Divergence Point propped up Communist governments in France, Italy, Iran, and Greece as 1944; Roosevelt leaves Vice-President Wallace on the ticket instead of the United States concentrated on Truman, and the dedicated pro-Soviet Wallace becomes President after social reform, disarmament, and eco- FDR’s death in office. nomic readjustment. When China fell Major Civilizations to Mao’s Communists in 1949, Orthodox (empire with satellite states), Western (multipolar), Republicans squawked about “losing Chinese (empire with satellite states), Indic (empire). China,” but couldn’t sell a land war in Asia to the American people, even if Great Powers there had been somewhere left to fight Soviet Union (dictatorship, CR5), People’s Republic of China (dicta- it. (Korea, Indochina, and the torship, CR6), United States (representative democracy, CR4), People’s Philippines had all gone Communist Republic of India (representative democracy, CR5), Republic of Great as well.) Churchill couldn’t keep the Britain (oligarchy, CR4). British in the containment business Worldline Data either: India became an independent TL: 7 (space, TL(7+1)) Mana Level: no mana socialist republic, Malaya, Kenya, and Quantum: 5 Infinity Class: Z4 Aden fell to Communist rebels, and Centrum Zone: Inaccessible Nasser steered Egypt into the Soviet camp alongside socialist Israel. The 1952 elections dethroned the “lion in

Other Communist Worlds Although worlds with successful Communist revolu- decade early, with the United States in a position of tions are not particularly rare, worlds in which weakness. The U.S. and USSR agreed to cooperate Communism managed to exceed its not inconsiderable industrially and economically to dominate the Earth effect on Homeline’s history are, with only five known and space. They are challenged by a nonaligned move- including Lenin-1 and Campbell (p. 119). ment centered in Brasilia, the United Peoples of Earth, Lenin-2 is an ecodisaster hell parallel (p. 129). and by a newly formed aerospace megacorporation, On Lenin-3 (Q6, current year 2004), Mussolini Terradyne, Inc. stayed Communist and his government supported the The Patrol carelessly uses the “Lenin” prefix to note Catalan workers, who were the anti-Soviet, anti-Fascist other worlds with important variances from Homeline “third force” in Spain during the 1936-1939 War. socialist history. On Lenin-5 (Q5, current year 1965), Mexico’s Cardénas brought his own socialist govern- Bukharin, not Stalin, took over the Soviet Union in ment into Mussolini’s “anti-Moscow Socialist Axis” in 1924. Bukharin did not purge the Red Army, which eas- 1938, and Mussolini’s Axis stayed neutral during “the ily threw back Operation Barbarossa in 1941, causing a inter-fascist struggle” of World War II. The U.S.-U.K. Wehrmacht coup against Hitler that aborted the War. alliance took an increasingly technocratic stance after General Zhukov took over after Bukharin’s death in the war, and launched a series of huge government 1956, denouncing him and revealing the gulags to the “Manhattan Initiatives.” Government scientists intend- West. Zhukov is pursuing full rapprochement with the ed projects like the Moon shots, the fuel-cell car (caused U.S. against Mao’s China; fascist Germany remains by concern over Iran’s socialist government joining the neutral. Axis in 1953), the Concord stratojet, and so forth to On Lenin-6 (Q3, current year 1922), Bakunin won maintain the West’s lead, even after the Soviet collapse the dispute over Marx at the 1872 First International, in the 1960s. This uneven development path leaves and socialist anarchism remains the progressive wave Lenin-3 TL6 in some areas (like personal electronics of the future among the intelligentsia. Kropotkin’s and agriculture), TL7-8 in most things, and TL9 in high- Bakuninite soviets overthrew the czars in 1918; the profile gadgets like moon colonies, fuel cells, and super- resulting collectives are fighting a desperate, unorgan- sonic aircraft. ized war against British and Japanese invaders, who are On Lenin-4 (Q6, current year 2027), a more severe allied with Marxist death squads directed by Lenin, Western recession in the 1970s forced perestroika a Trotsky, and Dzerzhinsky.

132 WORLDS ENOUGH . . . winter”; Churchill retired and accept- from both the Soviets and the vation and industrial collectivism well ed a history professorship at Fulton Chinese). In 1981, Mexico went out of favor in Homeline’s Politburo. It College in Missouri. Communist, drawing no response takes an active hand in planning the The United States did respond to from President Kennedy. America few Patrol operations trying to defuse Communist movements in the tightened its belt, accepted malaise the suicidal politics of Lenin-1’s Western Hemisphere: President and decline, and hunkered down to Kremlin, which is reaching the end of Eisenhower overthrew Arbenz in wait for the end. Either the its economic rope trying to stay in con- Guatemala, and landed the Marines in Communist superpowers would trol of Europe, the Middle East, and Havana in 1959. President Nixon con- destroy themselves (and everyone Africa while keeping its armies at full tinued this aggressive stance in the else) in a nuclear war, or the inevitable strength to defeat China and overawe Dominican Republic and Peru, but dialectic of history would sweep capi- India. After all, Homeline’s Chinese accelerated Eisenhower’s domestic talism aside and the United States point out at Infinity Council meetings, statism even further as the postwar would join Russia, China, Europe, and who else has more experience revers- economy slowly ran out of steam. India in grim, egalitarian poverty. ing “left diversionism”? Although they Great Britain became a socialist suspect China of wanting to take over republic in 1974, the same year that Lenin-1 wholesale, UNIC lacks any India formally became a People’s Outworld Operations better alternative. The Patrol hopes for Republic (and detonated an atomic Homeline China has no great love the best, and plans for Lenin-1’s transi- bomb to announce its independence for this parallel’s Beijing government, tion to hell parallel status. which continues policies of mass star- LUCIFER-5 On June 30, 1908, a black hole stock market panics of 1929 and 1930. canal-latticed world; France explores fragment slammed into the Earth. On The U.S., Germany, Britain, and Japan the soda-water oceans of Venus; the Homeline, it hit the Tunguska valley in have space stations in low Earth orbit Italians prospect the boiling mines of remote Siberia. On another worldline, (Jefferson, Valhalla, Victrix, and Mercury; all the powers have moon- the planet had revolved six hours fur- Yamato, respectively); the outer sys- bases with lunar artillery trained on ther when the bolide struck. St. tem holds an Italian shipyard on Io the Earth’s capitals. In spaceports from Petersburg, Russia was instantly oblit- and a German base on Ganymede, Pearl Harbor to Singapore, leather- erated, killing the Czar and the entire and Britain’s Ceres Station is “halfway jacketed spacers with cosmic-ray tans royal family. Russia collapsed into to everywhere,” as the Royal Space swagger proudly, knowing that they chaos, and Germany moved into the Force (RSF) proudly says. Britain’s are the inheritors of the future. wreckage to salvage what it could. Marsport colony dominates that dry,

After the Skyfall In the radioactive ruins of St. Lucifer-5, 1938 Petersburg, the scientists of the Kaiser Wilhelm Institut (assisting with the Current Affairs occupation of a disintegrated Russia) Bold German, American, and British airmen explore the planets in found something they didn’t expect. their atomic torch ships, as Imperial Japan and the other powers scram- They discovered the keys to the future ble for space. – strange elements they dubbed “astro- Divergence Point nium” and “petrinium.” Astronium 1908; Tunguska bolide levels St. Petersburg, Russia, leaving Germany could be built into super-bombs that supreme in Europe by default, and introducing a superscientific element froze the balance of power, especially to the dawn of the air age. after the discovery of astronium in ancient meteor craters in Mexico, the Major Civilizations Belgian Congo, and Mesopotamia. Western (multipolar), Japanese (empire) Petrinium could be used to power cities with electric force, lighting them Great Powers up for the cost of the wire. And either German Empire (dictatorship, CR5), British Empire (representative could fuel the core of Willy Ley’s torch democracy, CR4), United States (representative democracy, CR3, CR5 ships that flew to the planets, some- for blacks), Japanese Empire (dictatorship, CR5), Fascist Italy (dictator- how defying the conventional laws of ship, CR5), France (representative democracy, CR4). action and reaction. Worldline Data The great powers moved into space, TL: 6 (power and aerospace, TL6^) using rapid planetary colonization and Mana Level: none on Earth, low on Mars, normal on Venus. exploitation as a psychological “safety Quantum: 6 Infinity Class: R9 Centrum Zone: Orange valve,” full-employment program, and subsidy to big businesses after the

WORLDS ENOUGH . . . 133 Outworld Operations Centrum and Homeline duel for influence in this parallel, but rather Other Lucifers than choose up sides and fight a proxy How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the war, both Interworld and the Patrol are trying to infiltrate the space forces morning! How art thou cut down to the ground, which did of all the powers. Centrum believes weaken the nations! that the RSF, the Raumwaffe, the – Isaiah 14:12 United States Space Corps, and their French, Japanese, and Italian counter- Infinity initiated the “Lucifer” designation to refer to worlds that have parts have what it takes to form the suffered devastating cometary or meteoric impact. With the discovery of core of a new Centrum, an aerospatial Lucifer-3, the Patrol broadened their usage to encompass other sorts of elite capable of dictating terms to the interstellar disasters. Earth below them. Infinity believes A “dinosaur-killer” meteorite struck Lucifer-1 (Q7, current year 1991) that this is pernicious nonsense, but in 1888, obliterating human life everywhere except New Zealand. can’t deny the logic that command of Continued volcanism in the Northern Hemisphere has rendered almost the ultimate high ground carries with the entire atmosphere nearly unbreathable; the New Zealand survivors it command of this worldline. The two are reduced to TL2 savagery. sides also compete to analyze and con- On Lucifer-2 (Q3, current year 1492) the “Canterbury Event” (a mete- trol the many strange artifacts, ruins, orite swarm striking the Moon in 1178) missed the Moon and plowed reality shards, and anomalous phe- across the Eastern Hemisphere, wiping out urban civilization and ush- nomena scattered throughout Lucifer- ering in a new Ice Age. The dominant civilizations are the Aymara 5’s solar system. Empire along the Brazilian coast and a Muskogean confederation in the Ohio Valley, both TL2. In Lucifer-3 (Q5, current year 2004), radiation from a nearby supernova or gamma-ray burster sterilized the surface of Earth in 1979. Homeliners are systematically looting the ruins of its TL7 human civilization for surviving art treasures and refined raw materials. Lucifer-4 (Q3, current year 64,403,225 B.C.) is a late-Cretaceous parallel where the iridium meteorite has just fallen in the Yucatan (p. 84). On the normal-mana world Lucifer-6 (Q3, current year 747 B.C.) an eccentric comet entered an “Earth-grazing” orbit around 2350 B.C., causing catastrophic weather shifts every 400 years. Babylonian and Egyptian wizards plan to invade and conquer the comet when it comes back around next year.

MERLIN “Now I am become Death, destroy- heartland of America’s postwar forces into Teheran in 1979; the Berlin er of worlds.” growth industry: magic. Wall vanished into thin air in 1990; in – Robert Oppenheimer, witnessing the a covert 2000 Afghanistan operation, a Trinity atomic test, July 16, 1945 more supernaturally savvy CIA salted The Magic Returns the Dead Brotherhood zombies plan- Dr. Oppenheimer quoted those In the final analysis, the Manafall ning to destroy the World Trade words from the Bhagavad-Gita on merely made the United States even Center. Even a stronger, more prosper- Homeline and elsewhen, but only on more overwhelmingly powerful in ous Mexico redounded to America’s one worldline did he unknowingly Merlin’s history than it was in benefit. The Chinese government has complete a necromantic ritual by Homeline. With almost the entire embraced traditional values and capi- doing so. On the world known as Manabelt on American soil, and with talism even more fervently than on Merlin, Oppenheimer ripped open the the unbridled forces of capitalism Homeline; the most dangerous fabric of reality and a mighty unleashed on the marvelous new toys Communists left in the world are the banestorm blew in . . . and stayed. The magic brings, it wasn’t even close. warlords following a reanimated Josef “Hellstorm,” a sorcerous tornado two- Teleportation spells put America’s Stalin in Belarus and the Caucasus, miles tall, blew oz particles (p. 74) Hermes station in orbit in 1968. and a hive-mind of sorcerous penguins across a 2,000-mile stretch of North Dragon-riding “Black Berets” and the in Antarctica. Only fascist Argentina, America. The “Manafall” awoke the 101st Spellborne Division rolled up the ruled by an undying Evita Perón and world’s magic, especially in the 200- Communists in Vietnam and installed supported by the Nazi sorcerers in the mile radius around Alamogordo, New a pro-American strongman in 1974; Condor Group, remains a threat to the Mexico. That “Manabelt” became the flying carpets carried U.S. special

134 WORLDS ENOUGH . . . Unknown to Infinity or to Merlin’s CIA, the Condor Group in Argentina Merlin, 2004 has cut a “Perón-Penguin Pact” giving Current Affairs them access to the Queen Maud Land In a world of magic and technology, the United States faces the chal- Hellstorm. To their surprise, not only lenges of the new millennium with the best of both. did they acquire some very interesting artifacts and magical insights, they Divergence Point made contact with the Armanen 1945; Trinity detonation unleashes the Hellstorm, a massive, perma- Order from Reich-5. Since early this nent banestorm raising global mana levels. A second detonation in year, Merlin’s Buenos Aires has hosted Antarctica unleashes an even larger one in 1949. a Raven Division safe house (and an Major Civilizations Amt Z Kern: see p. 67), beginning what could be a very dangerous Western (empire with rivals), Chinese (empire), Orthodox (empire friendship. with rivals), Indic (empire). (See GURPS Technomancer for Great Powers further details.) United States (representative democracy, CR3), People’s Republic of China (dictatorship, CR5), Russian Republic (oligarchy, CR4), Mexico (representative democracy, CR4), India (representative democracy, CR4), Argentina (dictatorship, CR5). Worldline Data TL: (7+1) magitech Mana Level: high (within 200 miles of Alamogordo, New Mexico and within 1,600 miles of Queen Maud Land, Antarctica); normal (everywhere else) Quantum: 3 Infinity Class: Z2 Centrum Zone: Inaccessible free world – Argentina’s victory in the Foundation scholarship) gives her Falklands War gave new impetus to plenty of excuses for legitimate cross- magical neo-fascist movements from world travel – and cover for her Rumania to Egypt. regular trips back to Merlin to report.

Outworld Operations Infinity discovered Merlin in its local year 1992, when the Patrol sent a recovery mission to New Mexico in Other Merlins search of a stranded conveyor thrown Infinity has discovered two more normal-mana worlds with askew by an attempted angel-sum- Hellstorms since 2015, both of which received a Merlin designation; moning. Paralabs finds the magic of Merlin is therefore officially Merlin-1. Merlin refreshingly technological and On Merlin-2 (Q3, current year 2027), a Hamas splinter group nuked scientific, and is eager to learn more. Jerusalem in 2012, unleashing the “Manaclysm” and turning everything Only the inherent difficulties of infil- from Cairo to Damascus into a high-mana zone. Another terrorist nuke, trating a TL8 world (especially one detonated in an oil tanker in Galveston Harbor in 2016, obliterated with magical mind-reading) restrict Houston utterly in the resulting Hellstorm, but made a vast stretch of the Scout missions from gathering infor- American West high-mana as well; a third nuke might well destroy the mation on every possible topic. Even worldline. The Patrol, as well as most local governments, is in a nonstop unclassified civilian magitech bought race against terror, while chimeras and monsters wander an America from a Merlin Wal-Mart has led to both magical and enraged. useful theoretical advances back on The Patrol discovered Merlin-3 (Q3, current year 1942) only last year; Homeline. its Hellstorm swallowed Nuremberg, Germany in 1919. The high-mana Unknown to Infinity, however, zone is almost entirely German or German-occupied (Alsace-Lorraine beginning in 1998 (Homeline year and Bohemia), giving Germany a sorcerous edge in this worldline’s 2021), Merlin’s CIA has sent agents of ongoing Second World War. Infinity is cautiously trying to support the its own to investigate and infiltrate Western Allies without giving The Secret away to suspicious military Homeline, using top-secret planar intelligence warlocks. The Patrol is also trying to infiltrate and divert travel spells. Among their top agents Merlin-3’s atomic research programs, which it suspects could destroy the in place is Georgia Bush; her cover worldline if successful! (See GURPS WWII: Weird War II for further (working toward a Ph.D. in medieval details.) cliodynamics on a Duncorne

WORLDS ENOUGH . . . 135 MYTH PARALLELS Percival are both three years old. The of Roman cavalry, dying nobly under a BURTON rest of Europe is under the Roman nuclear winter cloud, practicing This high-mana Quantum 3 world- Empire, with some Saracens in Spain Goddess-worship in a pagan paradise, line parallels the Arabian Nights, with and Africa. The world is high-mana, battling rude French knights, or turn- djinn and flying carpets, Muslim but magicians are still very rare. ing into a bear during full moons in Chinese emirates, and islands of glass When the Patrol discovered the no- Ireland. in the all-circling Ocean. Needless to mana parallel Camelot-2 (Q7, current Just out of curiosity, however, the say, the Abbasid Caliphate at Baghdad year 469 A.D.), they thought that the Echo Surveillance Division of the is by far the pre-eminent power, question of Arthur’s historical exis- Penetration Service is keeping a very stretching from Marrakesh to tence was settled at last. On this close eye on Echo 1502 Minus. Mongolia, TL3 in everything pictur- worldline, a general named Artorius esque, and TL4 in everything comfort- became the Riothamus, or High King, able or convenient. The few Frankish, of Romanized Britain by marrying the MANDEVILLE Byzantine, or Zanji kingdoms in the daughter of Vortigern, and defends This Quantum 3 worldline matches west and south, or the pagan elephant- civilization against Saxon invasions. the 14th-century traveler’s tales of Sir worshipers in India, seemingly exist A grubbily unromantic TL2 that John Mandeville, a famous liar and solely to provide someone for the nearly bankrupted Time Tours when plagiarist who in Homeline history caliph’s armies to vanquish, and bad word of mouth depressed ticket may never have traveled any further places for exotic maidens to hail from. sales for the overhyped 2014 (457 than Belgium. The current year Burton attracts all kinds, from A.D. local) tour, this worldline appears to be 1336, although readings Cabalists looking to bottle djinn to seemed to bear out the speculations vary wildly in the “Empire of Prester tourists eager to soak up local color in of some Homeline writers such as John,” a bizarre, wealthy, Christian the souk. Geoffrey Ashe in every detail. realm stretching across a somehow The strangest thing about Burton However, other equally “realistic” wider Central Asia between Cathay is that it exists in a 23-year time loop Arthurs awaited discovery, and the and Persia. Prester John claims the lasting the length of Harun al-Rashid’s partisans of “Riothamus” have allegiance of the thousand kingdoms reign, from 786 to 809 A.D. (Some returned to obscurity. in the Indies, as well, including Chana anachronisms, like the Order of Camelot-3 (Q4, current year 551 (where people worship the first thing Assassins, exist on the fringes of the A.D.) is perhaps not the most “mythi- they see in the morning), Natumera Caliphate.) When the Caliph dies, cal” of the parallels with a known King (an island of dog-headed folk), lamentations are heard for 40 days; Arthur, but it is by far the most popu- Pentoxere (home of the talking birds), then, the muezzins announce that lar with crossworld tourists. In this and so forth. The Arimaspians (one- Allah has sent the people a new normal-mana worldline, the fracture eyed men) live in the Mountains of the Caliph, Harun al-Rashid. Other major zone around 535 A.D. (p. 77) churned Moon in central Africa, and the figures leave around then, also; up reality in a major fashion, leaving Amazons have several matriarchies Sindbad is always out on his last voy- Arthur’s knights clad in TL4 and cities on the fringes of Prester age in 809 A.D. and returning from his Renaissance plate mail, living in TL3 John’s empire and in the myriad earliest apprenticeship in 786 A.D., 40 13th-century castles, and fighting a islands between Europe and Japan. days later. Many of the locals seem to cruel TL2 Roman Empire ruled by (There are no American continents, understand this, and hope to take part giants. Although Arthur has begun the although both California and Brazil in a story sufficiently glorious to let Grail Quest, Homeline scholars are are large islands in roughly the same them live forever young and interest- completely at a loss about how the rest place as their Homeline counterparts.) ing; otherwise, they will live, marry, of his reign might go. The European nations and Cathay have children, and die like back- (See GURPS Camelot for further are normal-mana and TL3 (except for ground characters. details of these three worldlines.) high-mana lands like Cockaigne); Shortly after discovering Camelot- Prester John’s very-high-mana realm 3 in 2017, Infinity abandoned the is TL4. Although the dangers of this CAMELOT “Camelot” designation. Analyzing the parallel keep it officially off limits ARALLELS 535 Event helped Paralabs to develop (rated R4), its many nexus portals, P the theory of reality quakes, and the plus the Fountain of Youth in the city In Camelot-1 (Q5, current year new parachronic physics predicted of Polumbum, the Valley of Jewels, 437 A.D.), history follows the path set that tens, or even hundreds, of and similar enticements, draw plenty out by the Arthurian Vulgate Cycle; “Arthurs” waited to be found. On any of unauthorized travelers. King Arthur rules a TL3 Logres and is parallel with a current date between preparing for the Battle of Badon Hill 410 and 660 A.D., the Patrol by now to break the power of the Saxons. routinely expects to discover the “real NOTTINGHAM Lancelot has returned to the Round Arthur” in a North Welsh hill fort, a Infinity nitpickers still argue about Table with Tristram, and Galahad and Scottish border wall, or a detachment whether this low-mana Quantum 6

136 WORLDS ENOUGH . . . under a sentence of death, Robin is “Sherlock Holmes” is one of several reluctant to broadcast his true name actors (one or two of whom have real to anyone. Regardless, Time Tours criminological experience) hired by does a nice bit of business in Time Tours to impersonate the Great Nottingham’s Nottingham, keeping an Detective. For a well-paying outworld annual Fair there and doing their own clientele, he “solves crimes” in an part to rob from the rich (on appropriately foggy Victorian London Homeline) and give to the poor (on slowly coming under the financial Nottingham). Less their cut, of course. sway of Denarius Holdings (which is also trying to stave off World War I in this timeline). Not all the crimes are SHERLOCK bogus, however; not only does one or parallel is a historical anchor (or close another “Holmes” get the occasional parallel) or a myth parallel. On the PARALLELS local client with a genuine problem, side of history, the “Robin Hood” who In the close parallel Sherlock-1 they now have an arch-enemy. Time battles the Sheriff of Nottingham (and (Q5, current year 1910), Sherlock Tours is desperately trying to keep the robs the papal tax collectors who bat- Holmes apparently died at activities of a Centrum Unattached ten on the weak King Henry III) lives Reichenbach Falls in 1891. Just to be agent (who, having apparently done in Barnsdale Wood, not Sherwood, on the safe side, Infinity takes extra his research, goes under the name and the current year is 1244, almost precautions when visiting Sherlock-2 “Moran”) from attracting the atten- 50 years after the death of the mythic (Q6, current year 1888) where both tion of either the Patrol (which would Robin’s liege lord Richard I. On the Holmes and Moriarty are still alive close the reality if it knew Centrum mythic front, he most definitely has a and awaiting their fatal contest; other was attempting to penetrate it again) Maid Marian accompanying his Victorian characters such as Dr. Jekyll or Scotland Yard. Interestingly, since Merry Men, and Homeline scholars and Abraham van Helsing are also “Moran” doesn’t want the Patrol inter- are unanimous in agreeing that she is alive on this worldline. fering, either, he keeps his outrages to a late French addition to the legend The anchor parallel Sherlock-3 a minimum and keeps them “in genre” cycle. His true identity might settle (Q6, current year 1897) was once a – thefts of submarine plans, airship things (if he’s a common poacher, he’s major covert Infinity-Centrum battle- piracy, conspiring with wicked female likely historical; if he’s the disinherited ground, which the Patrol cleared out agents from the Continent, and that Earl of Locksley or Huntingdon, he’s four years ago. It is now a popular sort of thing. probably mythic), but given that he’s Time Tours destination in which NERGAL In a single reign, King Shalmaneser III of Assyria managed to abort monotheism and democracy on his Nergal, 1678 worldline, and make a fairly savage dent in capitalism and literacy. In 854 Current Affairs B.C. on the shores of the Orontes River, The dark sorceries of the Assyrian priests draw a shadow across the his armies slaughtered the Hebrews world as the icy gates of hell slowly creak open. and Syrians without mercy, marching across the river on the bodies of the Divergence Point slain. While one detachment destroyed 854 B.C.; Assyria defeats Aram and Israel at the Battle of Qarqar, the Hebrew capitals of Samaria and eradicates Hebrews entirely. Jerusalem, the main armies wheeled Major Civilizations west and caught Tyre and Sidon unpre- Neo-Assyrian (empire with rivals), Irano-Indic (multipolar), Steppe- pared. Captured Phoenecian ships car- Chinese (multipolar), Meso-American (multipolar). ried the Assyrian armies to the Phrygian flank and secured the Great Powers empire’s rear. The later obliteration of Sixth Assyrian Empire (dictatorship, CR5 for Assyrians, CR6 for sub- the few Greek oil-and-wine trading ject peoples), Kanavashya (feudal, CR3), Tujue (dictatorship, CR5), cities on the Aegean didn’t even get a Nerwa (oligarchy, CR4), Denehtec Empire (theocracy, CR5). whole paragraph on the triumphant Worldline Data stelae of Shamshiadad V. Tyre and TL: 2-3 (no gunpowder or paper) Mana Level: normal Sidon foolishly attempted a revolt Quantum: 5 Infinity Class: P7 that ended with both cities destroyed; Centrum Zone: Inaccessible their strange “alphabetic” script survives only in a few potsherds on the Coele-syrian coast.

WORLDS ENOUGH . . . 137 The Terror That lords of Asshur presses against the contamination here as possible. The Persian caste-lords in Kanavashya and Council has rejected simply conquer- Was Asshur the other Indian kingdoms, and ing this parallel and deposing its Even the Assyrian tyranny could against the human-sacrificing Nerwa homicidal empires by force, but the not last forever, although it lasted long in Gaul, whose tall ships scour the Patrol has taken over southern Africa enough to drive the Medes and Atlantic looking for slaves in the New and built a thriving TL3 Xhosa-Tamil Scythians back east, to pillage softer World. So far, the Denehtec in Mexico society along its coasts protected by targets in India and China. (Tujue, the have held out against the Celtic pirate “the sky gods.” (The interior is TL8 Turkish marcher state in China, is the raids, but new plagues are spreading mining camps, a climatological latest inheritor of their barbaric over the land, and no matter how research station studying the anom- empires.) But when it fell, all future many hearts are torn out on the altars alous Ice Age in progress, and a large empires remembered the murderous of Kokopetl, nothing seems to bring Paralabs magical research center on glory of Assyria and emulated it ever back the sun. Winter is coming to the the site of Homeline’s Great after. The newest Assyrian Empire (the world, and only the cruel will survive. Zimbabwe.) Every so often, a Patrol Sixth) reigns in efficient terror from This is the will of all the surviving gods. “wizard” – or even a genuine wizard, Persia to the shores of Italy. Its cruel usually from ISWAT – recruits a band priests trade gangs of slaves between of adventurous locals and lead them their basalt ziggurats, and read the Outworld Operations into one or another dark realm to lib- entrails of those slaves fortunate On this world, the Infinity Patrol erate slaves, destroy arms factories, enough to be offered to the gods . . . a operates almost openly; Nergal’s and otherwise psychologically desta- Phoenecian custom, unlike coinage, primitive industry poses no threat to bilize the rulers of this nightmare that the Assyrians did adapt. The dead- The Secret, and frankly the Patrol parallel. ly efficient war machine of the dark would like to cause as much cultural NOSTRADAMUS The French pharmacist and Protestantism in 1578 with Prophecy of Valencia defeated, when Venice astrologer Michel de Nostredame did V:96 (“Upon the world’s center, the and more take up the affair”) and a good business in almanacs and Rose . . . At the time of need help will brought the Dutch to heel (Prophecy horoscopes, while cultivating true come too late.”) Other prophecies, VI:100 “Daughter of the breeze . . . prophecy. In Homeline’s history, he and a certain amount of old-fash- You will be captive, and more than gained the patronage of Catherine de’ ioned Medici power politics, raised four times.”). As Nostredame’s elixirs Medici, the true ruler of France. In the France and its ally Venice to power in kept Catherine alive, she kept France worldline named for his Latin pseudo- Italy (Prophecy VIII:11 “The great one supreme in Europe. nym, Nostredame’s scholarship brought a further reward, the Iamblichan Words of Power used by Nostradamus, 1602 initiates in the Egyptian Mysteries. He incorporated them into his Current Affairs Prophecies, and after his death in Nazis from Reich-5 conquered Mesopotamia on this world where 1566 (which he predicted), Catherine prophecy is a weapon; they use it as a base to strike deep into the con- had his manuscripts seized by her tinuum. court magi and suppressed elsewhere. She began manipulating events to Divergence Point 1555; the seer Nostradamus somehow incorporates Words of Power match the prophetic Words. In short into his prophecies, to the immediate benefit of Catherine de’ Medici of order, Catherine had raised her son France. Charles to the throne of the Saint- Empire Romain and purged her ene- Major Civilizations mies before they even knew of their Western (multipolar), Islamic (empire with rivals), Chinese (empire). own plots. In this history, France would have no civil war or Huguenot Great Powers revolt. Neubabalon (military dictatorship, CR5 for Nazis, CR6 for everyone else), Saint-Empire Romain (dictatorship, CR4), Ottoman Empire (dictatorship, CR5), Ming China (dictatorship, CR5), Safavid Persia (dicta- Au Milieu de Branches torship, CR4). Her position secure in France, Catherine used Prophecy V:49 (“Not Worldline Data Spain but ancient France will be TL: 4 (Nazis, TL8) Mana Level: normal elected for the trembling ships”) to Quantum: 3 Infinity Class: Z1 supplant Spanish naval power; the Centrum Zone: Inaccessible French Armada crushed English

138 WORLDS ENOUGH . . . Outworld Operations used by Catherine’s sorcerous diplo- ley of Baalbek in the Lebanon. The One whom the infernal gods of mats to reshape Europe. A quick two roads cross at Carchemish, on the Hannibal Gestapo operation brought the secret Euphrates northeast of Aleppo. Much Cause to be reborn, terror of back to Neubabalon. Catherine’s of this roadway remains Ottoman- mankind: secret weapon was no secret to controlled, or under Kurdish or The ultimate horror worse than invaders from a history where Nostre- Armenian border lords who revolted any paper can tell, dame’s prophecies were tabloid copy. after the SS destroyed the Ottoman They will come from Babylon Ahnenerbe rune magicians rapidly armies in the region. The western end toward the Empire. deduced Catherine’s methods, and of the Chronobahn leads to the – Michel de Nostredame, invoked Prophecies II:30 and X:86 Friedrich worldline (p. 124), a crucial Prophecy II:30 (“The King of Europe, accompanied pawn in Raven Division strategy. by men of the North, leads the red and Exploring the Chronobahn is possible Outside Europe, however, the ulti- white against the King of Babylon”) to – no local force can stop an SS recon mate horror landed in Babylon in cement their own control. unit. Conquering it is more difficult; 1599. SS Raven Division (p. 64) The Order seeks to keep the Turks the Kurds, especially, seem eager to machine guns mowed down scimitar- and French off balance, and to fully resist the Nazis. The Patrol has noted waving Janissaries, helicopter gun- secure the Chronobahn (p. 79), which what might be Merlin-2 U.S. Spectral ships destroyed the Turkish artillery on this world runs from the Taurus Ops forces working with the local parks, and the Armanen Order con- Mountains in southern Anatolia Kurds, and speculates that trolled “New Babylon” from Basra to almost due east to Sinjar, in the Iraqi Nostradamus also has a possible Aleppo. At the Austrian court negotiat- desert west of Mosul, and from the world-gate to Merlin-2 (p. 135) some- ing an alliance against Turkey, the SS Pontic Mountains just south of where in the Middle East. learned of the “mysterious quatrains” Trebizond on the Black Sea to the val- ORICHALCUM On this worldline (and perhaps a and volcanic ash (and perhaps Sparta, and Argos) for influence, and few others) Atlantis exists, and just as Poseidon’s blessing) make the island Africa to the borders of Khem. This Homeline’s Plato reported, it is indeed amazingly fertile and thus amazingly pyramid-building kingdom rules a great island empire out beyond the wealthy. Egypt from its capital at Thebes of the Pillars of Heracles, founded by Atlantis dominates western Europe Hundred Gates well up the Nile Valley. Poseidon, god of the sea. At the height up to the Italian city-states, where it An Amazon outpost in Cyrene of its power, arrogance, and glory, competes with Athens (and to a lesser between Atlantean and Khemite terri- Atlantis’ rulers are bent on world con- extent, Athens’ rivals Knossos, Thebes, tory is the only non-Atlantean city in quest, with only the Republic of Athens to stop them. Orichalcum, 9590 B.C. A Great and Current Affairs Wonderful Empire Atlantis and Athens square off for the favor of the gods and the mas- Atlantis is a roughly diamond- tery of the seas. shaped island, lying just over 600 miles west of the Straits of Gibraltar. It Divergence Point is just over 1,000 miles long north to 10,400 B.C.; the 10 sons of Poseidon found the kingdom of Atlantis. south, and about 800 miles at its (The variant geography indicates another possible divergence point widest from east to west. (The Azores around 50 million years ago, but the Patrol would prefer to blame and Madeira do not exist on Poseidon’s magic rather than anomalous continental drift in this case.) Orichalcum, although other Atlantic islands do, most of them under Major Civilizations Atlantean control.) Its geology is com- Atlantean (empire), Hellenic (empire with rivals), Egyptian (empire), plex and irregular, with marshlands Amazon-Hittite (multipolar). and several volcanic mountain ranges, Great Powers but also some fertile lowlands, includ- Atlantis (feudal dictatorship, CR4), Athens (technocracy, CR6), Khem ing the broad central plain where the (theocracy, CR5), Themyscira (dictatorship, CR4), Troy (dictatorship, capital city, Poseidonis, is located. The CR4). mountain ranges run right up to the coastline in many places, creating Worldline Data rocky, inhospitable coasts; Atlantis’s TL: 1-2 (some Atlantean tech, TL4) Mana Level: normal few ports, especially the capital, are Quantum: 6 Infinity Class: R5 Centrum Zone: Yellow highly valued. The climate is broadly Mediterranean; the equinoctial rain

WORLDS ENOUGH . . . 139 Africa outside Egypt. The Amazon multiverse, complete with gods on a cum. Lighter than bronze, strong as matriarchy centered on the “Black paradimensional Mount Olympos, steel, the Atlanteans use orichalcum Island” of Themyscira north of the Egyptian Duat, and so forth. as a decoration (beaten with copper, it Anatolia dominates the rest of the Generally speaking, the Patrol sup- makes a gorgeous red-gold flash on Middle East south to Canaan (which ports Atlantis and the Amazons; the rims of Atlantean temples and is a buffer zone between Khem and Centrum backs the proto-fascist palaces) and to power the occasional the Amazons) and west to Troy. East of “Platonic Republic” of Athens and magical construct such as the bronze the Amazons, various lesser states the similarly orderly empire of giants that guard Poseidonis’ harbor. spread out toward the Indian king- Khem. Both sides step gingerly (More to Infinity’s interest, it is also a dom of Nysa, ruled by the demigod around the gods, who take an alarm- warm-temperature superconductor, Dionysos (see Active Gods, p. 68). ingly active role in this worldline. and if alloyed with titanium increases (See GURPS Atlantis for further Ordinarily, both the Patrol and its tensile strength ninefold.) Although details.) Centrum would leave a primitive, dan- CMU prospectors have been busy gerous, god-plagued worldline like looking, so far the only orichalcum Orichalcum alone, except that it’s the mines are in Atlantis itself and Spain, Outworld Operations only known source in the infinite far too close to the eyes of the gods for Like many “high fantasy” myth worlds for the wonder metal orichal- open mining operations. parallels, Orichalcum is a pocket PUZZLE WORLDS since on any other worldline in resources to go around! Ocean and air BLIP Penetration Service records. The travel are much harder, of course, This low-mana Quantum 4 time- Infinity Council closed the investiga- since weather is now a much greater line seems to have a different time- tion, but has declared the world a hazard. Wars between humans have flow speed. To put it mildly. A day Class Z1 alternate, just to be on the resumed (beginning with a war spent there is equal to only six min- safe side. against an expansionist Communist utes and 12.5 seconds elsewhere. The Microhungary in the 1920s), but there world is inhabited; its people are cur- is very little nuclear threat, since the rently at TL3, but they’re advancing MICROWORLD smallest possible atomic bomb is quite rapidly! Assuming that the civi- In this Quantum 3 parallel, some- inconveniently large for inch-tall com- lizations of Blip (which seems to be thing very strange happened in the batants. The Micro year is 1970; they dominated by a Byzantine-Hunnic year 1892. Up until that summer, this are in late TL7. codominium between the Danube and alternate had been a fairly close paral- Observation of Microworld has the Jaxartes) develop at roughly the lel, with a few literary and dietary dif- been very limited, initially on the speed Homeline did, they should be ferences. But it diverged rapidly over a assumption that the existence of splitting the atom within the next 14 period of a few weeks: all mankind “giants” would probably crush these months, and possibly inventing shrank by a linear factor of about 70, peoples’ spirits. Given that the tabloids parachronics a few weeks after to an average height of a little over an in Microworld now sell off the stands that . . . inch, and average weight of around an with “giant sightings,” that fear may ounce. (Many domesticated animals have been overwrought, as was the shrank by the same factor.) Their sci- fear that the shrinkage might some- ENIGMA entists never managed an explanation, how be contagious – it seems to be On local date July 12, 1982 – 26 and as yet neither have Infinity’s! (A totally unique to Microworlders. More years ago – the entire population of very bright comet did appear in the importantly, Microworld is one of the the no-mana Quantum 7 alternate skies over Microworld in May, 1892, more difficult parallels to covertly infil- Earth called Enigma . . . vanished. The and not over any other known alter- trate, for obvious reasons. However, a Infinity Patrol discovered this timeline nate.) The various laws of physics that Patrolman’s serendipitous discovery of in 2012, 11 years after the disappear- would seem to make “tiny people” an abandoned laboratory in the Q3 ance. Up until that July, Enigma impossible have somehow been parallel Klaatu did produce a chemical appears to have been a close parallel. bypassed, although the square-cube reagent, the Carey Formula, that can The most notable difference was that law and so forth still hold for inani- allow a Microworlder to survive while the Ramones never toured England, mate objects. Microworld is low- shrunk even on worldlines with more and apparently as a consequence, the mana, but the effect does not seem conventionally consistent laws of band The Clash never formed. Six magical, at least not as Paralabs physics. The Patrol and ISWAT have months of careful study produced no understands magic to operate. each recruited a few Microworlder evidence as to what happened – no After an initial period of panic, and agents, especially in the wake of hurri- millennial tension, no upsurge in UFO global wars of extermination against canes and other disasters, when, as all sightings, no banestorm, no Second the un-shrunken rats, Microworld devoted Microreaders of the Midnight Coming, no global dust-plague – and recovered and is now in many ways Star know, “giants” are known to roam nothing like it has happened before or very prosperous; there are far more the Earth.

140 WORLDS ENOUGH . . . VANISH Microworlders Within the Patrol, this name is a -39 points darkly humorous running joke, albeit The inhabitants of Microworld are normal humans on their own one in questionable taste. At last worldline, and would use normal templates in a Microworld-based count, 41 projector/conveyor settings game. (Un-shrunken rats, on the other hand, would have ST scores show all the signs of validity – in other above 40!) Elsewhere in the infinite worlds, however, they use the fol- words, the math and the readings lowing template. Without bionics, magic, or other enhancements, a from Homeline instruments seem to Microworlder’s maximum ST and Basic Move are 1. correspond to real timelines. But nothing has ever returned from a trip Attribute Modifiers: ST-9 [-90]. to these worlds. The persistence of Secondary Characteristic Modifiers: Basic Move-4 [-20]. “Reality Vanish” helps explain why Advantages: DR 20 (only against falling damage, -60%) [40]; Hard To Infinity sends drones through to a new Kill 5 [10]; Microscopic Vision 1 [5]; Pressure Support 1 [5]; Reduced reality, where possible, ahead of Consumption 4 (Require three meals a day, -25%) [6]; Resistant manned Scout missions. But such (Alcohol and environmental hazards, +8) [10]; Silence 7 [35]; reconnaissance is not always feasible, Tunneling 1 (Soil only, -50%) [18]. or unambiguous, and every so often Disadvantages: Cannot Float [-1]; Dependency (Carey Formula, month- an empty coffin gets buried on Mount ly) [-30]; Gluttony (12) [-5]; Vulnerability (Poison gas or spray, ¥3) Eisenhower for a Patrolman “posted [-30]. to Reality Vanish.” Skills: Riding (Birds) (DX+2) [8]. Features and Taboo Traits: Size Modifier -11; maximum ST and Basic Move 1.

surviving “dinosaurs” in the New MÖBIUS World) are perfectly normal, if not at This seemingly normal parallel all likely. They have become a com- breaks the fundamental rules of quan- mon feature in European menageries, tum parachronics by existing in two and are roughly as intelligent as apes. quanta simultaneously. Conveyors from Homeline travel to Möbius by projector, as if going to Quantum 4. RUSTIC However, once in the parallel, an unas- In this Quantum 3 world, although sisted conveyor can reach Quantum 7 it is a no-mana alternate, no technolo- worlds, as if Möbius were on gy higher than “simple mechanics” Quantum 7. Infinity doesn’t believe works. Rustic is in its current year that Centrum has discovered Möbius, 1882, and recovering from a global and they don’t believe that a conveyor hantavirus epidemic that devastated can “reverse engineer” the process and Eurasia and the entire Pacific Rim, reach Homeline, since that would including the Chinese colonies in (theoretically) require a projector, western North America, allowing which can’t work on either Quantum 4 Virginia and Navaju to expand to the Some researchers speculate that or Quantum 7. Of course, in theory, Pacific. (The other major powers in these are worlds where the physical the “quantum knot” in Möbius’ world- the wake of the pestilence are laws are very different, killing visitors line should be impossible! Drakensberg, a Hessian corporate immediately and crippling their Other than its bizarre topospace, mining empire in South Africa, and machinery. Some superstitious Möbius seems perfectly average; it’s a the Jesuit states in South America.) Patrolmen claim to believe that lost world where Ferdinand and Isabella These powers have progressed to TL4 drones are “sacrificed to the god of died besieging Granada in 1492, Spain (early TL5 in some areas) and seem Vanish,” and “Vanish it!” has become a broke up, and Cabral discovered unlikely to get any farther. popular curse even among the hard- America for Portugal by accident in Essentially, it is impossible to pro- est-headed Patrolmen. Of course, no 1500. The Portuguese Empire domi- duce an artificial electrical discharge such elaborate explanation is neces- nates the world’s sea lanes after on Rustic. This timeline was discov- sary; if a conveyor pops into the heart sweeping the English and Dutch fleets ered by a world-jumper; if a conveyor of a volcano, or an atomic explosion, from the Caribbean in 1578; the cur- had gone there instead, it wouldn’t perfectly normal physical laws will rent year is 1590. It does have packs of have been able to return, and Rustic destroy it instantly. But Paralabs neo-troodons (p. 149) living in the would no doubt have been written off knows that some worlds have alien Amazon rainforest, but as best Infinity as a deadly setting. physical laws; it’s easy to imagine that can determine, they (and the other some of these might be deadly.

WORLDS ENOUGH . . . 141 and so forth did Infinity realize that accidentally slipped to reptilian mon- WYVERN the dragons on Wyvern were actually sters. Of course, covert Cabal trips to This Quantum 4 parallel (current real – and that they could sorcerously this worldline increased dramatically year 1904) was originally thought to dominate human acolytes and appar- – many Cabalistic formulas call for be a close parallel to Homeline’s ently whole nations without even leav- dragon’s blood, and dragons are imag- Edwardian era with an odd fixation ing their caves. The Patrol clamped a inary (or worse, extinct) on most on dragons. The Scouts classified it a Z classification on Wyvern and is fran- Earths . . . P9 world, and moved on. Only after tically tracking down every Homeline (See Chapters 7 and 8 of GURPS two years of perfectly ordinary tourist visitor to this parallel to assess the Dragons for further details.) trips, White Star trading missions, possibility that The Secret might have REICH-2 A less resolute government than charismatic President Joseph running weapons into Japanese-occu- Churchill’s might easily have decided Kennedy, Jr. is the first Democrat pied China from Hong Kong). With that the military situation was hope- since Roosevelt in the White House, Hitler gone to his Valhalla and the less in 1940, after the fall of France, and the first to seek a renewed inter- considerably more practical (if equally and that Britain’s only chance of sur- national role for America. ruthless) Führer Heydrich in the vival was accommodation to the new The possibilities of that role are Reichschancellery, the Russian order. The man who almost led Britain simultaneously constrained and wide armistice line has settled down almost to such a peace was Edward Frederick open. The British atomic bomb of to a formal border, complete with rail Lindley Wood, Lord Halifax, who had 1949 and the German orbital rocket in links, showy “cultural exchanges,” and been Neville Chamberlain’s foreign 1950 left the balance of power frozen crossing points at Kharkov, Mogilev, secretary and was his preferred suc- for a time; with all five great powers and Pskov. British commandos have cessor. On Homeline, Halifax turned orbiting nuclear missile platforms, aided Communist partisans in down the job, fearing that leading the any open war would rapidly end civi- Occupied Serbia, and hunted them in government in the House of lization. The five powers shift the German Kongo. President Commons would be impossible for a alliances and interests frequently; the Kennedy’s father is a famous admirer titled peer. Anglo-Japanese alliance broke down of Nazi Germany, but his party prefers On Reich-2, he put such qualms over India and Malaya (Japan has Premier Gromyko’s Soviet Union aside to save England as best he knew been supporting anti-British rebels in despite the rumors coming out of how. Lord Halifax was not a Nazi sym- both colonies; Britain responds by Communist Iran and Afghanistan. pathizer, and his government was never a German ally. He used the armistice to build up the British military, especially the Royal Air Force. Reich-2, 1961 However, the military effect of peace in the west was to give Hitler a freer Current Affairs hand in the east. The Anglo-German Nazi Germany, the Soviet Union, and the British Empire fight an Armistice ended the chances of the ever-shifting cold war of espionage and sabotage as the United States United States getting involved in the and Imperial Japan jockey for position and allies. European war, since many Americans saw little to choose between Nazis and Divergence Point Soviets. 1940; Lord Halifax becomes Prime Minister of Britain instead of Churchill, and negotiates an armistice with Germany and an alliance with Japan. The Kalter Krieg With Britain sidelined, the Major Civilizations Germans and Soviets fought to a Western (multipolar), Orthodox (empire), Japanese (empire). stalemate and a 1943 armistice that Great Powers left Nazi tanks in the Ukraine and German Reich (dictatorship, CR4-5 for Germans, CR6 for subject Baltic States, but put Moscow well races), British Empire (representative democracy, CR4, CR5 in colonies), out of reach. Lord Halifax detached Soviet Union (dictatorship, CR6), United States (representative democ- Japan from the Axis by selling them racy, CR3, CR5 for blacks), Japanese Empire (military oligarchy, CR4-5 oil and rubber, and acquiescing in for Japanese, CR6 for subject nations). their conquest of China, Indochina, and the Dutch East Indies. With the Worldline Data oil embargo broken, the Japanese TL: 7 (aerospace, TL(7+1)) Mana Level: no mana never attacked Pearl Harbor, and the Quantum: 6 Infinity Class: Z3 Centrum Zone: Red United States never went to war; the

142 WORLDS ENOUGH . . . Other Reichs On Reich-1 (Q4, current year 1952), Germany Axis empires is rising along their common borders, forced an unequal peace on Britain after destroying the they have thus far determined to table those issues until BEF at Dunkirk, and went on to defeat the Soviet the last of the Anglo-Saxon powers can be properly Union while the United States ignored Europe and humbled. crushed Japan. Neither has yet developed nuclear On Reich-4 (Q4, current year 1988) the weapons, although both have active research pro- Wehrmacht broke Leningrad’s defenses in 1941. By grams. After Hitler died in 1949, Himmler purged the 1945 only Germany and Japan succeeded in develop- Party and took sole power. He began the next war by ing nuclear weapons, which they used to cement their occupying Britain, despite the warnings of his admirals victory. Heavy investments in anti-aircraft defenses by that Germany was not yet ready to challenge the the United States were negated by the German ballis- Americans. Sure enough, the United States is currently tic missiles, whose first nuclear strike destroyed blockading the entire Atlantic coast of Europe, industrial centers and troop formations alike. American jets proving equal to the best the Luftwaffe American resistance was brave, but ultimately futile. can field. Battles against the Wehrmacht in India and The Japanese provided the bulk of the occupation Siberia have been less successful, but America is slow- troops from their empire, and the Axis powers split ly assembling a gigantic invasion force in Iceland, and North America between them. Without a common as yet the Germans have no idea of its intended target. enemy, the two superstates, each convinced of the On Reich-3 (Q5, current year 1970), Japan struck supremacy of their ruling race, soon turned on one Russian Vladivostok rather than Pearl Harbor in 1941. another. In 1979, dispute over Persian Gulf oil rapidly The isolationist United States stayed out of war and escalated, and triggered a German first strike that never fully funded nuclear research. Japan and decapitated the Japanese Empire and destroyed Germany divided Eurasia, isolating the United States enough of its nuclear capability to leave Germany as a still further. Most of South America is German-aligned functioning state. But the de facto ruler of the world, (though Ecuador and Venezuela are Japanese clients, after heavy losses, is finding it difficult to find the per- and Brazil is ostentatiously neutral). Only Canada and sonnel to administer its new territories. (And, on Mexico remain closely allied with the United States viewing the devastation, the Germans are likewise (Canada, with a large voting base of U.K. refugees and finding it difficult to summon the wherewithal to their children, is in fact far more committed to resist- bother, Nazi doctrines regarding lebensraum and the ing the Axis powers than the U.S.) But the United States racial destiny to rule notwithstanding.) still wields influence in the Caribbean that Germany Reich-5 (Q3, current year 2010) is covered on covets, and its continued possession of Hawaii strikes pp. 57-67. Japan as an affront. While conflict between the two

WORLDS ENOUGH . . . 143 The Republicans backed the British, Western democracies, despite their operate almost like freelance espi- and the Anglophile Yalies in the discomfort with British colonial meth- onage agencies or international crimi- American OSS continue to support ods in Kenya or American peacekeep- nal rings. (Both Patrol and Interworld MI6, the greatest spy agency in the ing efforts in Nicaragua and the use local spy agencies as cover stories, world, regardless of who sits in the Philippines. Centrum seemingly hasn’t and occasionally as the source of Oval Office. MI6, however, isn’t always picked a side yet; the Interworld forged local identities.) The lines get sure which side to support themselves. Service has moles throughout both blurred during gold heists from pro- the British and Soviet intelligence German Argentina, while running services, and may have hopes of sub- crossworld Maserati smuggling rings Outworld Operations verting Nazi Germany from within. out of Mussolini’s Palermo, or during The same is not quite true of the With all five powers on nuclear hair heroin runs into Japanese-occupied Infinity Patrol; they still support the triggers, the Patrol and Interworld Shanghai. ROMA AETERNA Although the dynastic name is the followed his father to the purple. The Antonine emperors who immediately same, the Julio-Claudian Emperors in line continued for two generations followed the Julio-Claudians graced this parallel are entirely different from more before Nero Drusus, the last of the Empire with three centuries of Homeline’s after Augustus himself. the line, died without issue. Thus, remarkably able rulers, whose bril- Drusus, who did not die on campaign Roma Aeterna was spared the reigns of liance masked real decline until the in Germany in this worldline, replaced the mad emperors Caligula (a younger first succession war in 400 years final- his older brother Tiberius as Augustus’ son of Germanicus) and Nero, son of ly broke the illusion of permanence. successor. Drusus’ son Germanicus, Germanicus’ daughter Agrippina. The Empire fractured in civil war and who in Homeline history died young barbarian invasions. It took two cen- (apparently poisoned) survived to suc- turies to reunite a shrunken Second ceed him. These two proved to be wise Empire Without End Empire, by successive dynasties using rulers; Germanicus, in particular, was Instead, the Julio-Claudian emper- the sea power of North Africa. New beloved by the people. Germanicus’ ors gave Rome stable borders in machines of war enabled the emper- eldest son Nero (not the same as the Europe, and, with their patronage of ors – more often from their second Homeline Emperor) instead of dying the Heronian Academy in Alexandria, capital at Alexandria than from Roma after imprisonment by Tiberius, primitive industry as well. This paral- itself – to reconquer the East and push received the name Britannicus after lel also had no chaotic “Year of Four into India. New ships discovered the his conquest of Britain, and eventually Emperors” and no Flavian dynasty Hesperides across the Atlantic Ocean, of military despots. The adoptive and legions conquered, then colonized, the rich lands of the Maiae. While the First Empire had col- Roma Aeterna, 1893 lapsed dramatically, the Second Empire had a slower, more painful Current Affairs decline. Disease and invasion were A conservative new dynasty from the Mexican provinces has restored met with increased centralization the Roman Empire to its eternal glory. Harnessing steam and gunpow- from the new capital at Alexandria, der, Rome expands once more! buying a respite at the cost of cultural petrification. Imperial control eroded Divergence Point from the fringes, passing to local mili- 9 B.C.; Drusus does not die on campaign in Germany, and becomes tary or barbarian immigrants. The emperor in 29 A.D. (possibly disrupting Jesus’ crucifixion with a general 13th-century Mongol invasions broke pardon for all prisoners); his heirs are not insane, depraved halfwits, the last pretensions of imperial unity. unlike the historical Homeline Julio-Claudians. The main exception to the dark- Major Civilizations ness of the Long Night was across the Roman (empire), Chinese (multipolar), Andean (empire). ocean. The Roman colonies in the Hesperides traded among themselves Great Powers and expanded into the fertile volcanic Third Roman Empire (dictatorship, CR4 for Roman citizens, CR5-6 lands in central Hesperia. Their for subjects), Taehan (dictatorship, CR6), Huaraca (theocratic dictator- Heronian Academies rediscovered the ship, CR6). steam engine and fueled a rebirth of Worldline Data nostalgic Roman glory. In the 18th century, the European provinces TL: 5 (some weapons, TL6) Mana Level: low recovered enough to resume trade Quantum: 6 Infinity Class: P4 Centrum Zone: Yellow with the Hesperides, sparking rivalry and war. The Hesperians got the better

144 WORLDS ENOUGH . . . of Britannia (the leading European of India. Today, the Empire has at Centran agents in Alexandria. Before province) and invaded Europe with a least duplicated or surpassed its for- managing to get their group to safety, massive steam fleet. Superior mer maximum extent on every front, they found evidence that Centrum had Hesperian technology combined with and its star is still rising. thoroughly infiltrated the local power the ideological appeal of a rebirth of (See GURPS Alternate Earths for structure. Infinity reduced the paral- Roman glories to make the conquest further details.) lel’s Access Rating (p. 83) from 9 to 4, irresistible. By 1806, the Hesperian and investigated. general Corineus Junius Selauchis Infinity had assumed that had entered Roma and proclaimed the Outworld Operations Centrum would suffer its standard Third Empire. Roma Aeterna was formerly the linguistic handicaps (see The After claiming the eternal city, the destination for several popular vaca- Language Barrier, p. 47) when operat- new rulers often found their progress tion packages offered by Time Tours, ing in a Roman worldline. Thanks to becoming as much a triumphal march Ltd. It isn’t as decadent as Johnson’s a living classical tradition, however, as a military campaign. Egypt, whose Rome, but there was a clientele that Centrum had fielded agents capable rulers still claimed the imperial title, preferred to see a world based more of working in Roma Aeterna without joined the new Empire without a fight around Roman ideals than Roman difficulty, and they did such an effec- after a Hesperian show of force in the decadence. All of that went by the tive job that the I-Cops still aren’t harbor of Alexandria. Even before the wayside in 2022 after a group of Time sure how far their control extends. reconquests in Europe and Africa had Tours employees stumbled upon been assimilated, the third of the new emperors turned his attention to Persia, and his successor went one better by inaugurating the reconquest Other Romes Roma Aeterna was the third Roman-dominated parallel discovered by Infinity, hence its official designation “Rome-3.” Rome-2 is Johnson’s Rome (p. 130). On Rome-1 (Q5, current year 954), the Emperor Justinian succeeded in reuniting the empire and his successors moved the capital back to Rome from Constantinople; the legions conquered Germany and Bohemia and hold the borders against Magyars, Vikings, and Turks. The shorter dark ages have moved Rome into high TL3, or even TL4 in some areas (but with no gunpowder as yet). On Rome-4 (Q6, current year 1741), the rebellions of Sertorius and Spartacus fragmented Roman civilization in 74 B.C., but the Roman successor republics still overmatched all their neighbors. Despite turns to despotism in the third and 15th centuries, most of the TL6 Roman states from Cuba to the borders of the Afghan Empire are quarrelsome, independent republics. On Rome-5 (Q4, current year 404 A.D.), the Chinese expedition to Parthia under Pan Ch’ao met the Romans under Trajan in 97 A.D. Roman-Chinese wars led to cultural interchange, which paid off when Galen accidentally invented inoculation while studying acupuncture. This medical revolution (now at TL5) enabled both Rome and China to survive the third-century crisis essentially intact at TL2, and spoiling for a religious war between Roman Catholicism and Chinese Nestorian Christianity. Rome-6 (Q7, current year 248 A.D.) is a normal-mana (with uneven spots both low and high) close parallel of Homeline’s TL2 Rome, except that Christianity (if it exists) is even farther underground, and magic seems to work as the Romans believed. This may make Rome-6 a myth parallel, or it might have some connection to the Cabal, who claim to have ruled in Rome right about this time. (See Roma Arcana in GURPS Fantasy for further details.) Rome-7 (Q4, current year 180 A.D.) has not yet outlasted Homeline’s Rome, but it has entered a full-scale Industrial Revolution triggered by Vespasian’s commissioning Hero of Alexandria to build steam-powered siege machines to destroy Masada in 73 A.D. Oil-driven TL(2+3) aeoli- cars battle in the Colosseum, and the spoiled sons of patricians drag-race down the Appian Way as the legions drive into India.

WORLDS ENOUGH . . . 145 The Infinity Patrol has identified at mystery cults of Horus Regnans (in Infinity has limited its activities in the least a dozen powerful Roman sena- Aegyptus) and Angerona, goddess of Empire to intelligence operations, tors and equestrians as Centran silence (in Italia) appear to have fallen trying to discover the scope of agents, mostly wealthy merchants but under their full control. They have Centran influence and its ultimate including an important general and also introduced their own secret soci- purpose. The Patrol is building a the governor of Libya province. These ety, the Order of the White Way (Ordo power base of its own among the agents do not appear to form a politi- Albae Viae), a magical sect prominent Chinese traders who sail to the Indian cal faction – indeed, they publicly in the industrial centers of Hesperia. Ocean from the Serican petty king- oppose each other on several issues. On a few occasions, they have simu- doms in east Asia, which Centrum The Patrol doesn’t know exactly what lated magical powers, including would have extreme difficulty infil- their plan is, except that they do seem “miraculous” cures through antibi- trating. Plans to form a secret society to be attempting to place agents at otics, within these front organizations. front organization under Infinity court. Centrum exercises influence Having been caught flat-footed, control are under consideration. through secret societies as well. The the I-Cops are trying to recover. SHIKAKU-MON The history of this Quantum 3 par- Instead, it began the adaptation of frightening totalitarian Swedish allel diverged in the early 16th century, Western culture that was eventually to Empire, and the technological when the heir to Ferdinand and give the Chrysanthemum Throne total achievements of the Kingdom of Isabella of Spain survived to ascend dominance of East Asia. France, risen from the ashes of mili- the throne as John III. Without the Today, the name for the parallel tary defeat to seize the high ground of dynastic union of Spain and Austria itself comes from the local version of space. Despite technology superior to under the Habsburgs, European histo- Japanese: shikaku-mon, from the Homeline’s in many areas, societies ry took a different shape during the native word for “square” and their cling to archaic aristocratic forms that crucial era of the Reformation. On the French loan-word for “world,” is a no longer function in the modern other side of the globe, the Jesuits common term for the quadripolar world. Social tensions between the were successful with their campaign balance established in the 20th cen- haves and the have-nots have disrupt- of Christian proselytization in Japan. tury. Japanese control of the eastern ed society in much of the world and Under the Oda chancellors, Japan half of the globe is balanced by increase steadily. never “turned away from the gun.” the economic power of Brazil, the Four Temple Gates Under One Moon Japan began to supplant Portugal Shikaku-Mon, 2027 in the east in the early 17th century, Current Affairs just as Sweden unified northern The balance of a cyberpunk world shifts between four great powers: Germany under its control and the Japanese Empire, the Swedish Empire, the Empire of Brazil, and the became a great power. In the next cen- Kingdom of France. tury, France allied with Sweden to defeat Britain, Spain, and the Dutch, Divergence Point becoming the paramount state in 1497; the son of Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain survives to become Europe as the Industrial Revolution King John III, weakening the Habsburgs and causing Portugal to focus took hold. The Rationalist Movement, its attention overseas on Brazil and missionary activities in Japan. As a parallel to the Enlightenment on consequence, Japan converts to Christianity, never turns away from the Homeline, expressed and created a gun, and begins expanding in the 1590s. new secular outlook on the world, but Major Civilizations failed to create an era of revolutionary Japanese-Western (empire), Western (multipolar). politics. A Republican movement sputtered to life in Portugal (driving Great Powers the royal family to Brazil to found an Japanese Empire (oligarchy, CR4 in Home Islands, CR3 elsewhere), independent Empire there) and Swedish Empire (technocratic oligarchy, CR6), Empire of Brazil (corpo- England’s Virginia colony, but French rate state, CR1), Kingdom of France (dictatorship, CR4). vigilance kept aristocracy supreme. In 1861, France lost its global dom- Worldline Data inance to a rising alliance of Sweden, TL: 8 (aerospace and electronics, TL9) Mana Level: no mana Brazil, and Japan, which had defeated Quantum: 3 Infinity Class: Z3 China for hegemony over east Asia Centrum Zone: Inaccessible and divided India with Britain. The

146 WORLDS ENOUGH . . . powers, now roughly equal, competed British Synarchist Party in control of “neo-Synarchist” government seems for colonies and trade, drawing each a shattered, impoverished Swedish just as repressive as ever, despite offi- other into a complex, unstable system satellite state. cially denouncing its predecessor. of secret alliances that virtually guar- The use of atomic weapons inau- Sweden now aggressively supports anteed a general war. The Pyrrhic War gurated the current era of covert “Islamosynarchist” fanatics against of 1927-1932 began over India, but struggle between the four remaining both Mahdist Cairo and the Otto- expanded across the globe, killing mil- powers. A case could be made that the mans, Nationalist Louisiana’s isola- lions but ending in stalemate. The so-called “Silent Struggle” did not tion from the global data Tapestry has Allies (Britain, Sweden, and Japan) actually begin until the following year, begun to spawn some ugly rumors, discovered that victory was meaning- when Brazil exploded its own fission and the environment isn’t getting any less when they found themselves bomb. In any event, the era has seen better as global weather patterns start mired in colonial rebellions and eco- continuous tension between the pow- to deform, raising the ever-present nomic depression while the Coalition ers, with occasional flare-ups into specter of famine. powers (Brazil and France) recovered. proxy wars where spheres of influence (See GURPS Alternate Earths for Edvard Bagare’s Synarchist Party overlap – most violently in Persia and further details.) (based on the strangely compelling southern Africa. theories of Kiyoshi Shibata) won So far the quadripolar balance has control of the Swedish Riksdag and been able to surmount even such Outworld Operations created the first totalitarian state the crises as the Swedish defiance of the Since the first days of parachronic timeline had ever seen. French ban on orbital travel and the travel, the Infinity Council has wor- Sweden’s attempt to create the collapse of Brazilian domestic ried about the day when a timeline second synarchist state, by interven- authority during the “Red Tuesday” capable of building projectors would ing in a coup d’etat in Britain, ended events shortly after the millennium. be discovered within reach of in tragic farce; the Swedish atomic Sweden underwent a spasm of politi- Homeline. Since Shikaku-mon is at bombing of Britain in 1964 left the cal purges in the early 2020s, but its the exact same local time as Homeline and Centrum, a majority of theorists believe that it represents such a threat. It does not help matters that Shikaku- mon technology is slightly more advanced than Homeline’s, nor that the parallel is dominated by corrupt, paranoid elites. The only bright aspect to the Shikaku-mon headache is that it is beyond the reach of Centrum projectors; thus, the only way Centrum might gain access to the timeline is through agents in Homeline or world- jumpers. The Infinity Patrol is the only Homeline organization permitted to operate in Shikaku-mon, and it is being very cautious about its investigations. Overall policy toward Shikaku-mon is still being debated at the highest levels of Infinity and UNIC (there are rumors that Van Zandt himself is involved). Infinity wants to keep Shikaku-mon from developing parachronics, and secondarily prevent them from destroying themselves. One frightening possibility: could Shikaku-mon have a counterpart of Paul Van Zandt, the man who invented parachronic technology? In Homeline, his family originated in northern Germany and immigrated to New England, which would make him a Swedish citizen in Shikaku-mon. Relatively few Homeline natives have doubles in Shikaku-mon – but if Van Zandt were one of the few, the results might be disastrous.

WORLDS ENOUGH . . . 147 So far, Infinity operations have only tried to set up corporate front organizations in the Americas. Infinity desperately wants to find out if a projector can function in Shikaku- mon, both to test parachronic theory and to open up further quantum levels to exploitation. However, the timeline is pervaded by spies working for the governments, secret agents working for the corporations, and even “peepers” spying as a hobby. Anything that looks interesting is sure to attract attention from some group, and even amateurs have surveillance technology equal to the best Homeline equipment. The I-Cops get ulcers imagining what the professionals must use, but they have not yet been able to get samples of classified technology. They have already had to send several too- inquisitive natives to Coventry, and the ongoing missing persons investigations are yet another focus of anxi- ety for Patrol operations. Shikaku-mon strongly tempts Homeline governments and corporations, given the advantages that would accrue to any group that duplicated this worldline’s superior computer or surveillance technology. More dangerous yet, such tech might be viewed as offering a possible “balance” to Infinity Unlimited’s monopoly of parachronic technology. Since a Japanese university research team discovered the parallel, the Infinity Council has not been able to keep its existence secret. Travel to Shikaku- mon is very illegal; Infinity has declared unauthorized incursions punishable by revocation of access to all parachronic technology from the offending group – or nation. UNIC has quietly informed some troublesome governments that it concurs with this judgment.

UNITED STATES OF LIZARDIA Lizardia was the first truly weird In many ways, this Quantum 4 nations are the United States of parallel discovered by the Infinity world is a very close parallel of America, Canada, and Mexico, and Patrol, and Homeline theorists are Homeline history up to its present they call their world Earth . . . still wrestling with its implications. date of 1991. Major languages and cul- But the intelligent race on this Some scientists who have been tures are nearly identical, and many world is a lizardlike creature, appar- studying this world for 25 years still nations have similar or identical ently evolved from a bipedal dino- don’t believe it. names. The major North American saur. The basic stats of the race are

148 WORLDS ENOUGH . . . human-average in all ways, though they have distinct racial traits (see box). They lay eggs, but the egg normally hatches within a day. United States of Lizardia, 1991 This is not just an echo where Current Affairs everybody has scales and tails. That On a world without the Cretaceous meteor strike, dinosaur democra- would be easier to understand. The cy faces new challenges. USL’s history is like ours in general, but it has played out with completely Divergence Point different actors. They had a World 65 million years ago; there is no Chicxulub meteor strike, so some War II, but no Hitler, Churchill, or dinosaurs continue to evolve and adapt to changing weather conditions Roosevelt . . . they have space pro- rather than die out. grams, but the first man in orbit was named Andrei Popov, and, of course, Major Civilizations he was a giant lizard. They had no Saurian, unknown varieties. Shakespeare, no Rembrandt, but the Great Powers world of the USL has produced Substantially identical to those of Homeline, circa 1991: the United equally great talents. States is the world’s superpower, watching in apprehensive satisfaction Nobody even pretends to explain as the Soviet Union falls apart. any of this without talking about “gods with a weird sense of humor.” Worldline Data The situation is sometimes com- TL: (0+8) (odd blend of acoustics, biotech, and fluidics) pared to that of Goblin (p. 151), Mana Level: low which also features a nonhuman Quantum: 4 Infinity Class: P4 Centrum Zone: Inaccessible race and a history like ours, but at least the Goblins are humanoid and their twisted version of Europe has leaders with familiar names. tually minded neo-troodons the Patrol wishing that just this once they could observes seem cultured, funny, play- tear up The Secret, materialize in Outworld Operations ful, and almost human at times. (The front of the Black Hills Longhouse, Oddly, USL is one of the worlds violent, pack-ridden, obsequious step out into a crowd of scaly, bug- where some members of the Infinity saurians on this parallel seem no less eyed friends, and say “Take us to your Council would like to reveal The human, but don’t inspire quite the leader. We have much to learn from Secret and make contact. The techni- same sympathy.) Most Patrolmen who each other.” cally sophisticated but obviously spiri- spend any time on USL come back

Neo-Troodons 28 points fingers and a long thumb on their hands, and three toes Canadian paleontologist Dale Russell proposed in and a sickle-shaped claw on their tough feet. Their 1982 that the Cretaceous raptor Troodon might have inability to resolve non-moving objects is a neurologi- evolved into a sapient species, based on its high brain- cal effect, not an optical one, so corrective lenses do not to-body mass ratio. He was gratified to learn, as an mitigate their Bad Sight. expert on a surveillance trip to USL in 2001, that his theory was correct in many particulars. The neo- Attribute Modifiers: DX+1 [20]; HT+1 [10]. troodons of USL do not precisely match the Secondary Characteristic Modifiers: HP-1 [-2]. “dinosauroid” model he predicted, however, having Advantages: Acute Hearing 1 [2]; Acute Taste and (among other things) tails and a lower posture. Infinity Smell 2 [4]; Discriminatory Smell [15]; Long Talons has encountered other neo-troodons on other worlds, (Heels only) [11]; Nictitating Membrane 1 [1]; Night including Shikari and Möbius (where they are roughly Vision 3 [3]; Sharp Teeth [1]; Striking ST+4 (Kicks as intelligent as baboons), but USL is the only world- only, -20%) [16]. line known where they have developed a civilization. Disadvantages: Bad Sight (Nearsighted; Non-moving Neo-troodons are seven-foot bipeds, slender and objects only, -20%) [-20]; Colorblindness [-10]; somewhat birdlike in movement and posture. Their Compulsive Behavior (Siesta)(6) [-10], Curious (15) smooth skins range from pale green to almost black; [-2]; Gregarious [-10]; Skinny (No skill penalties, they have scales (usually in a complementary color) -40%) [-3]. along the backs of their limbs, spine, scalp and cheeks. Skills: Brawling (DX) [1]. Their huge eyes are black and liquid; they have three Techniques: Kicking 2 [3]. Racial Quirks: Attentive; Carnivorous [-2].

WORLDS ENOUGH . . . 149 YRTH Yrth is a fantasy parallel, home to elves, dwarves, and orcs. One faction of elves attempted a mighty ritual to Yrth, 2004 rid their world of the pestilential orcs. It backfired, and instead summoned Current Affairs an enormous banestorm that lasted a Various sovereignties contend for power on a magical world popu- century and a half, which brought tens lated by storms blowing across the dimensions. of thousands (eventually hundreds of Divergence Point thousands) of humans to Yrth from Unknown; possibly 150 million years ago, when Pangaea split differ- Homeline, or from a worldline with a ently. But the moon is different, too. very similar past. (It also brought other nonhuman races from other Major Civilizations parallels, in lesser numbers.) Western (empire with rivals), Islamic (bipolar), Dwarven (empire), Elvish (diffuse). A Magical World Great Powers Most of these humans came from Megalos (feudal dictatorship, CR4), Al-Haz (theocratic dictatorship, western Europe or the Middle East CR4), Zarak (feudal oligarchy, CR3 for Dwarves), Al-Wazif (feudal dic- between the years 1050 and 1200; they tatorship, CR3), Caithness (feudal dictatorship, CR3), Cardiel (feudal oli- established kingdoms and resumed garchy, CR3). their interrupted crusades. Bane- Worldline Data storms continue sporadically on Yrth, TL: 3-4 (gunpowder suppressed; some TL3/6+ elements from new- bringing a few hundred new people comers) Mana Level: normal with variations every so often, with a major resur- Quantum: 5 Infinity Class: R2 gence in 1551, which brought thou- Centrum Zone: Inaccessible sands of people from 16th-century France. The largest human kingdom on the continent of Ytarria, the Empire of but they can only leave by using mission took only five months to find Megalos, has a secretive order, the magic, a nexus portal, or (of course) a its way back to Homeline, and only Ministry of Serendipity, devoted to banestorm. Ted Gruberman, a world- lost one man in the process, providing hunting down new arrivals and inter- jumping Patrolman, discovered Yrth substantially more information about rogating them for information about on a blind hop in 2017, and it took the situation on that worldline. changes on Earth. Megalos restrains him 14 months to find a magical raft On Yrth, of course, The Secret is any new scientific or technological that could sail to another world he out. Everybody knows that para- developments – especially gunpowder could actually leave. When he finally chronic travel is possible; it’s how – fearing the inevitable culture shock returned to Homeline in 2020, his most of their ancestors got to Yrth, would tear it apart. Unknown to description of the immense bane- after all! Some Yrth factions may almost all outsiders, the Ministry of storm that struck Yrth a millennium know more than that. There is some Serendipity maintains a secret tome, ago caused an immense storm of its indication that the Templars (who the Liber Terranum Primus, which own in Infinity headquarters. A sec- arrived on Yrth on Halloween night, describes the current state of the orig- ond, slightly better prepared, Scout 1310, just ahead of the French inal Earth as best it can – but if the banestorms bring “visitors” from more than one Earth, the Ministry may know that still more Earths exist. And if the Earth that the banestorms visit is Homeline, the Ministry of Unknown to almost all outsiders, the Serendipity may know all about Infinity, too . . . Ministry of Serendipity maintains a secret (See GURPS Banestorm for many further details.) tome, the Liber Terranum Primus, which describes the current state of the Outworld Operations original Earth as best it can. Yrth is a quantum sargasso; world- jumpers and conveyors can enter it,

150 WORLDS ENOUGH . . . inquisitors) had harnessed a gin – could they have been snatched Paralabs study. A small permanent banestorm for parachronic travel, or from another worldline? The Dark staff of “Sheldrake Section” would- at least knew enough to hunt one Elves, of course, have likely not given be wizards, Paralabs field surveyors, down on their Earth. (Any unpleas- up on their researches, and nobody and I-Cop guards set up shop in the ant connection between Yrth’s quite knows what to make of the border city of Tredroy, bringing Templars and the Nazi-tainted djinn or the dragons. along a White Star merchant family Templars on Friedrich is probably Infinity has decided that the pos- to provide gold and cover for their just coincidental. Probably.) The sible connection between Yrth and odd behavior. In the House of the Jesuits of Yrth also seem to have Homeline (or a close Homeline echo) White Star, the Homeliners work to peculiar artifacts of mysterious ori- required the closest possible understand this strange new world.

Other Fantasy Parallels In addition to the “historical fantasy” myth parallels centaurs, Olokun, a planet mostly covered in oceans such as Burton and Mandeville (p. 136), or borderline and with very high tides, home to merfolk and other cases like Orichalcum (p. 139) and Rome-6 (p. 145), aquatic beings, and Gabrook, an arid world inhabited some worldlines hew more to the dictates of 20th-cen- by goblins, reptile men (possibly cousins or alternate tury fantasy fiction. There are myth parallels closely versions of USL’s neo-troodons), and kobolds – remain resembling the works of Robert E. Howard, Robert to be found by Infinity. They are evidently radically McLees, Terry Pratchett, and Andre Norton, for exam- divergent worldlines, and may form part of a skerry ple. Most such worlds likely diverged at least 150 mil- (p. 89) with Yrth – and perhaps one of the missing lion years ago, as few of them share Earth’s continental echoes from Q6 is the Earth from which the outlines. Some of these worlds have divergent Banestorm took its humans! starfields, implying either severe reality quake damage A firmly located fantasy parallel is Brekilien (Q4, to the heavens, a vastly far-past (or future) current year, current year 701), one of the worlds continuously or that they exist in an entirely different cosmos. Some reshaped by mighty elven magics that harness few of them rest on flat Earths, or inside hollow ones! banestorms for the play of the elf-lords. Hence, dating fantasy parallels is often a matter of Goblin (Q5, current year 1830) is inhabited exclu- piecemeal interpolation and wild assumption. sively by a different sort of goblins, but is otherwise a Agents on Yrth have identified that Banestorms very high-inertia, close (if filthy) parallel of Homeline’s from yet further worlds originally snatched some of the late Regency era. (See GURPS Goblins for further nonhuman races. The locations of these worlds – details.) Loren’dil, a forested realm of halflings, giants, and

WORLDS ENOUGH . . . 151 CHAPTER FIVE ... AND TIME

Although I was used to his shabby appearance by now, the greasy cynicism of his voice still took me aback. “Don’t tell me. Only I can save the world.” “That’s right. How did you know?” “You think you’re the first one of you to tell me that?” “You think I’m the first one of me to hear you say that?” That got his attention, and he rubbed his unshaven jowls thoughtfully. “No, you look too tired to be from the first loop. Sit down, take a load off.” “I can’t. We have to go.” “It won’t do any good. Trust me.” “But –” “No good. Just sit down. What’s a couple of minutes We drank in companionable silence, and then he going to matter?” stretched and popped a video into the player. Charlton A brief guilty surge took me, but I shrugged it off and Heston came on, striding down the street in Tijuana as sank into the armchair with a grateful sigh. “It feels like Orson Welles’ camera kept pulling back and back and I’ve been on my feet forever.” back. “Now maybe you see why I don’t hop up whenever one “Hey, this is my favorite movie!” of you jokers comes in here.” He gave me a look. “Maybe you are from that first loop, “Yeah, my dogs are really barking. Got anything to after all.” drink around here?” As we watched the screen, he took another swallow, “You know I do. Help yourself and pour me one.” and spoke more kindly. “Mine, too.” I got up long enough to pull the whiskey bottle out About halfway through the movie, when Janet Leigh from behind the cereal, and poured a splash into two jelly was in some dire peril or other, the door opened. jars. They didn’t look clean, but I couldn’t really catch any- We looked up at the very familiar stranger on the thing strange from him, now, could I? stoop, and said as one: “Don’t tell me. Only I can save the “Cheers.” “Cheers.” world.”

152 . . . AND TIME TEMPORAL PHYSICS A lot of stories have been written Devices: The time machine is a Worlds campaign setting, both con- about time travel, and it seems like “vehicle” which may also be able to veyors (devices) and projectors no two of them use the same machin- travel in space. This vehicle may be a (stages) may be used, and must be ery or rules of operation. Before we huge temporal battleship or a one- combined for a really long jump. can go anywhen, we have to know man capsule. It may not even be a Nothing at all: If the time or cross- how we’re going to get there, and vehicle as such; it may be a belt, har- world travel is psionic, magical, or what we can (and can’t) do once we ness or magic amulet that the user super-powered in nature, there may be arrive. What follow are not rules as wears on his person. This sort of trav- no gadgetry at all involved. However, such, but an outline of the kinds of el usually implies that the traveler has there may be a need for ritual of some rules a GM must decide on when he a great deal of freedom to visit differ- sort. Alternatively, the psionic ener- creates a new system of time travel. ent times at whim. For some sample gies, magical spells, or super time- They combine setting questions and devices, see pp. 162-163. traveling hyper-speed may require fuel the mind-knotting complexities of Combination: The above effects or an apparatus to “boost” or “focus” temporal physics, with the aim of can be combined in various ways. its power or to send the traveler to a answering the first and evading the The Time Sphere on p. 163 combines specific date in time to kill Hitler or second wherever possible. the stage, portal, and device, for steal the Hope Diamond. example. In the default Infinite THE PHYSICAL SETTING The first question: how does the time machine or crossworld railway Can of Infinite Worms “work,” as a layman might explain it? Adding time travel to an Infinite Worlds campaign isn’t impossible. This is not a question of rubber sci- As it happens, there are plenty of time travel devices, such as the Gates ence (yet) but of physical description. of Thoth, already littering the quantum landscape. At the bare mini- Possibilities include: mum, the possibility of time travel should stay open in case the GM or Stage: The traveler stands on the the players want to shift the Infinite Worlds PCs into a “future Earth” or platform of a monster machine, and SF setting with reliable human faster-than-light travel (see Where Are the technicians at a console start pushing Starships?, p. 72), or just one with a calendar date well past the mid-21st- buttons. There’s a blue flash (or a low century setting of Homeline. If the Gates of Thoth don’t appeal, there’s hum, or a monstrous subsonic belch) always the option of mysterious transhuman entities, such as Poul and you’re there. In this case, the Anderson’s Danellians, who recruit Patrolmen for a crisis “in a future “time machine” does not travel at all, world.” and the travelers have less control over What the GM should only introduce into the Infinite Worlds if he’s their journeys. In particular, they can- ready to do a lot of sweating is reliable time travel, under the control of not bounce around freely in time; the players. This rapidly sets up not only a tangle of twisting paradoxes they’re at the mercy of Mission (can you retroactively alter an echo?), and the danger of aborted mys- Control (p. 210). The harried GM may teries or emergencies draining the game’s narrative tension, but a real find this limitation very useful. mare’s nest of research problems. One of the key features of the Infinite Portal: A “door” opens between two Worlds is GM control – he always knows what world loyal Time points, bridging the gap between Patrolmen will visit, because it’s the worldline they’ve been assigned to times or worlds. Perhaps it’s one-way, visit! Even swagmen or criminals will operate in a fairly confined circle perhaps two-way. Perhaps anyone or of parallels, ones that the GM can map out in some detail. Reliable time anything can walk through; perhaps it travel knocks those struts out from under the campaign, leaving it hang- accepts living flesh only, or dead mating high in the air with no visible means of getting back down. ter only. The extent of the traveler’s Of course, some GMs enjoy the high-wire act, or have every possible control over his return is this: if he can alternate history alteration ready to go at the tip of their fingers. get back to the gate, he can come However even those GMs may find that their players become dumb- home . . . maybe. Some gates are only founded and tentative with all the history of every possible world to open at certain times; some can be explore. They may make a few prods, to test the GM’s improvisational opened only by the volition of an oper- skills, but even success there runs the risk of making the vast vistas of ator at the other end (making them time seem humdrum. We can’t stop you from adding time travel to the more like a “stage” device). In the Infinite Worlds – just remember, you can’t go back in time and undo your Infinite Worlds campaign, crossworld decision! portals and roads exist with any or all of these criteria.

. . . AND TIME 153 turn out to have been the mailman all unable to return unless he can some- PARADOXES along. If you try to give Shakespeare how undo the change. This is quite Altering history may sound like the Plays, you might have a series of playable, because the PCs will be good clean fun, but it sets up some horrible accidents trying to find grossly inconvenienced, but not killed famous paradoxes more philosophy Shakespeare, or the book will turn out or transmuted, if they accidentally than physics. These are the ones that to have been written in Esperanto, or change history. And they have a everybody from the Twilight Zone to Shakespeare’s pen keeps getting chance to fix it. Robert Heinlein has used, and any clogged and he throws you and the In any event, there are no paradox- player with any interest in time travel book out in the street in a tantrum. es. If you make a change in the past, it will at least vaguely recall them. The Shakespeare, and your grandfather, really happened. good news is that there are plenty of still have free will – everybody has free work-arounds for them, if you’re will- will in the present; it’s only time trav- ing to give up only a little freedom of elers who keep running into Fixed Chaotic Time action – or your meager human Time in other people’s presents. It’s An extreme version of “plastic notions of causality. just that they will never freely choose time” draws on modern chaos theory. to alter history, or if they do, some- If you travel back in time, any change thing will prevent them. you make propagates wildly. If you go The Grandfather However, if the past can’t be back as far as WWI, the act of buying Paradox altered, it becomes a considerably less a newspaper in London would rever- A man gets into a time machine interesting place to visit. (On the other berate down the timeline, and nation- and travels back a century or so. He hand, perhaps only history can’t be al boundaries would be different when finds his (as yet unmarried) grandfa- altered – the past can change, as long you returned. If you go to the Permian ther, and shoots him in the head, as nobody knows any different. For all Age, just stepping out of your time killing him instantly. Since his grand- we know, Shakespeare might indeed machine would make a difference in father can now not meet and marry have gotten his plays from nowhere! local weather . . . which would propa- his grandmother, the time traveler will See The Observer Effect, p. 159.) Any gate globally . . . and when you return never exist, and thus never shoot his campaign background must contain a to the year 2000, the ruling species grandfather in the head, and thus will specific solution to this problem. To wouldn’t be human. have existed, and so forth. examine several general solutions: This is hardly suitable for an ongoing campaign, but might make a very spooky one-shot adventure. The Free Lunch Paradox Plastic Time A man gets into a time machine The past is freely alterable, but at with a copy of Shakespeare’s Complete the risk of “editing out” the future that Plastic Time With Plays and Poems, and travels back to you came from. Your actions change High Resistance Elizabethan London, where he pres- the future. There are several possible This is the opposite of chaotic time. ents the volume to the Bard. Like all results: The past is still alterable, but it’s hard writers, Shakespeare is desperately to alter it. Small changes are canceled behind on deadline and has already Traveler at Risk: The traveler him- out by the background noise of histo- spent the advance, so he gladly copies self may be changed (or even fade out ry. Big changes, or small changes out the plays from the anthology and of existence). This isn’t too suitable for made with exquisite timing, can goes out drinking all night with his gaming unless the players enjoy creat- change the future. cronies. Who wrote Shakespeare’s ing new characters. Recall the theory of time as a river: plays? Not Bacon, not Oxford, not World at Risk: The traveler may be if you drop a twig in a river, the water anybody. Shakespeare merely copied unchanged, but return to a changed is momentarily disrupted, but it con- them from a later copy of his earlier (perhaps extremely changed) world. tinues to flow around the anomaly. copies. He got a free lunch, in other This is entertaining for the players, And the anomaly begins to flow with words, and we all know that there ain’t but puts a burden on the GM. the stream until it is, in effect, part of no such thing. Past or Traveler at Risk: This option the stream. So you could postulate combines the two above; a time travel- that though you went back and killed er can change the past as long as noth- Thomas á Becket at the base of the SOLUTIONS ing he does significantly (or perhaps high altar at Canterbury (rather than The usual answer to one or both of noticeably) effects the future society the four knights doing the job just out- the above is that time simply can’t be he came from. Change things too side the Mary Chapel), the time altered. This is Fixed Time. Your gun much, and you change, or even van- stream could adjust so that the end will jam, or you will miss your bus, or ish! This is an excellent constraint for result (death of Becket, martyrdom, your research will be wrong, or your games of time-traveling conspiracy – canonization, and even the presence grandfather will get the drop on you on the surface, nothing has changed, of four knights who were subsequent- and kill you instead, or he will turn out but now it was the Templars who ly despised) would be the same. And to be bulletproof, or your grandmoth- killed Kennedy, not the Adepts of historians looking at the incident er will marry his long-lost identical Hermes. would record it the way we are told twin instead, or your grandfather will Return Blocked: The traveler may it happened. And perhaps it didn’t be unchanged, but stuck in the past,

154 . . . AND TIME Chronobabble Players desiring a brief scientific explanation for In a deterministic world, we replace space-time with time travel may be referred to this section. It may or a foliation. That is, a 3-space development is tracked as may not be complete doubletalk, but it is nevertheless a series of sharply defined, infinitely thin “leaves,” or real doubletalk. Any student of general relativity will foliations, defining time development. At a quantum recognize the sources and follow the argument; some level, the resulting picture is replaced by a “fuzzy” view will even agree with the conclusions. Those who have of history with leaves of finite thickness. On the order not studied general relativity should not worry about it. of Planck’s length, the system undergoes quantum fluc- The authors are indebted to Dale F. Reding for tuations in its 3-geometry. In a classical view, we have providing this material. the development of the local physics proceeding as a From the senior undergraduate physics text series of “yes” and “no” geometries. Ordering the “yes” Principles of Geometric Dynamics, by D.F.R. Skinner, geometries provides a local view of the 4-geometry. 2080: However, quantum theory defines an associated probability amplitude ψ = (3)γ with each 3-geometry. The “Like flight, the idea of travel in time has fas- amplitude is greatest along the classical path, with a cinated man since early days. On sound princi- sharp degradation on either side of the foliation. One ples of physics it was ‘proven’ that manned flight may say that for a small period of time the state of the was impossible, and indeed, man cannot fly like 3-geometry is indeterminate. Simplistically, one may the birds. Yet flight was achieved by methods far view this as fluctuations in the background 3-space, in different from those used by the birds. Similarly, analogy with the well-known phenomenon of vacuum our common sense experience with special rela- fluctuations in the electromagnetic field (the so-called tivity categorically disallows the possibility of zero-point fluctuations). travel in time. But here, though special relativity This is the theory as applicable in a vacuum. may still apply, common sense may not.” However, in the presence of a large spinning mass, or Time travel in and of itself is impossible within the the provision of considerable energy, the background physics of everyday phenomena. However, as the theo- fluctuations in 3-space may be set into resonance and ries of relativity deny us the existence of a global iner- a temporarily stable local deviation from the classi- tial reference system, quantum mechanics deprives us cally predicted 3-space then occurs. At each foliation, of the fiction of a deterministic development of space all physical 3-geometries are possible. Therefore, it is in time. Underlying the Hamilitonian structure of local possible to generate the appearance of “time travel” physics is the remarkably good approximation of the by temporarily moving to an alternate 3-space. Such Poincar group to the underlying local symmetry group, an arrangement is, however, unstable, and will ulti- exploited in canonical quantization schemes, for dis- mately require a “snapping back” into the proper tances on the order of Fermi’s length (10-15 m). 3-space. However, in the absence of associated matter, sig- The beauty of this solution is that Special Relativity nificant extraordinary local effects appear due to the is inviolate as no information is determined about the fluctuations in the local 3-geometry on the order of “true” 3-space, only about that in which you are cur- Planck’s length (L* = [h(3)γ/(2πc3)]1/2=1.6¥10-35 m). rently residing. As such, the popular fears of marrying The fictions of space-time and time are exposed as neo- your grandmother or shooting yourself are impossible, classical approximations. as it is not really yourself that you are meeting, only a Centuries of research, from Newton to Weinkoff, “fading” copy. However, some arguments have recently converge upon the simple observation that the dynam- been presented in the Journal of Geodynamics and ic object of study, in physics, is 3-space. (3)γ, super- Astrophysics suggesting feedback from alternate space, the totality of all 3-spaces, becomes the primary 3-geometries is possible. Most practical physicists structure of physical theory. Simplistically, the 3-geom- consider this to be unlikely. etry is itself seen as a “carrier of information about time” (Wheeler, 1962). happen the way history recorded it in Paradox-Proof Time municate with your earlier self in any the first place! This relates to the This is Fixed Time, but with an way, because that would create a para- Observer Effect, on p. 159. interesting special effect. If you start to dox. You can’t even send a friend back If the future is changed, the do something that would change histo- to warn yourself. What’s done is done. results on the time traveler are as ry, boom – there you are, back in your This is a playable option. Getting described above. High-resistance own time. The universe is not at all slammed back to their own time can plastic time makes even “Traveler at subtle about preventing paradoxes. frustrate some groups. Others may Risk” a more playable option, And if you return to a time where you welcome it as a safety net, even because PCs won’t vanish unless they have already been, you cannot com- though it means some missions can’t make a real blunder. be completed.

. . . AND TIME 155 New Timelines This lets travelers change There is no privileged past . . . There is an history . . . but not their own history. Whenever a time traveler (or group of infinitude of Pasts, all equally valid... At each travelers) arrives in the past, they and every instant of Time, however brief you cause a new worldline to split off from the original, identical in every respect suppose it, the line of events forks like the stem up until the moment of arrival. After of a tree putting forth twin branches. that point, however, nothing that happened in the original line is bound to – André Maurois, “If Louis XVI Had Had happen in the same way, or at all. The an Atom of Firmness” new timeline may be very similar to the old one, or chaotically different, as described above. (Perhaps there is no This approach owes something to divergences (Russia is still a monar- way to know in advance what the the time-theory in David Gerrold’s The chy). It may or may not be possible to “rule” will be for that new timeline!) Man Who Folded Himself, and a little return to one’s line of origin – or there A key point, however, is that every- to the “superstring theory” of modern might be so many almost-identical thing is duplicated except the travel- physics. In Gerrold’s book, the tripper worlds that one could never tell. ers. They have left their original line was duplicated along with everything In this case, nothing you do in the (not necessarily permanently – more else. Paradoxes were ignored, because parallel world will affect your own on this in a moment). In other words, almost anything that might happen timeline – unless you stumble into a you can’t really go “back in time” at all, could and did happen in one of the dimensional war with people who can or have any effect on your own histo- braided worldlines; multiple versions find your timeline. This is the basis of ry. You can only create a new world, of the hero could and did meet, and the default Infinite Worlds setting. whose future you are free to alter the issue of whether one could return because it hasn’t happened yet. to one’s original line, or only to It may or may not be possible to one indistinguishable from it, was OTHER USEFUL return to the “original” worldline. If it considered but never solved. is possible, you can only return to the The dramatic drawback to this sys- POSTULATES moment you left, or possibly some tem is the old problem of “If anything Although neither required nor con- later time. You can’t return to any ear- can happen, who cares?” The travelers tradicted by most of the metaphysical lier point, because that would give you can shoot Genghis Khan, shoot constructions above, these next three the possibility of making changes to Shakespeare, shoot their own double; axioms appear in time travel fiction your own past. it isn’t their universe, after all. This and some time travel theory. This gives a traveler absolute free- might become tiresome, but on the Implementing any of them limits the dom from time paradox. You can kill other hand, it can open up some very way time travel works, and constrain your grandpa, or even your younger interesting questions of morality and player action. (Implementing them all self; it only means that in the duplicate responsibility. Interested players is fairly restrictive, compared to most line you won’t get born, or won’t grow should read Corrupting Dr. Nice by gamers’ assumptions about time trav- up to be a meddling time mechanic. John Kessel (about a society that can el, so explaining things early is help- You cannot, however, make infinite create new timelines at whim), or ful.) This can be good or bad, depend- copies of yourself, because you leave Glimpses by Lewis Shiner (about a ing on the gaming group’s instincts, the original line each time you time- single traveler who can). Either as but it does help harried GMs maintain jump. You can exist in two places at nihilism or experiment, new timelines some control over story developments. once, by going back to a point within can be fun while they last, especially your natural lifetime, but no more for those who know some history and than that – because any subsequent The Linearity Principle want to play around with it. This law applies when time travel- trips take you into a new, “blank” copy ers must operate from a “home base,” of the worldline. (Unless you let the rather than jumping freely around in new parallel branch off from the one Parallel Worlds time. It states that time moves forward you just created, with two of you in it. Another possibility is that what we at the same speed for the agents in the Good luck with that.) You can leave choose to call “time travel” is actually field and the machine operators at the original line any number of times, parallel-world travel; you’re not going home. If the team spends two weeks in but you can only arrive in a particular to “our” World War II, but to an exist- the past, they return two weeks after line once. ing alternate universe in which World they left. Conversely, if the agents Yes, this is difficult to follow. War II happens to be going on “now.” request information or assistance Because our logic is causality-based, The world may otherwise be exactly from Mission Control, and it requires and therefore time-dependent, this identical to Home Time, or have differ- two days to research the data or pre- sort of thing always happens when ences so tiny as to make no difference pare the backup team, the help arrives you consider the implications of time (President Roosevelt’s middle name is two days after it was requested. travel. Douglas), or major and important

156 . . . AND TIME The real reason for this rule is, effect that limits the availability of all You can travel randomly through again, to prevent the team from solv- past time. time and/or space. Use the Random ing problems by “magic.” Mission While this doesn’t make all para- Present Table on p. 86 to determine a Control’s inability to scan freely back doxes impossible, it limits the travel- destination year, and pick a real nasty and forth should be given some ers to historical periods instead of location in space to fit the result. mechanical explanation, preferably bothering their last-week selves. If this You can wind up in Limbo. Limbo one that can sometimes be bent a little is the kind of campaign the GM plans is just a theory... a term to describe to save the day. One possibility: to have anyway, a Recency Effect is a the place travelers go when they van- Control must maintain a “fix” on the good thing to introduce. ish and are never seen again. agents, which moves forward as they If an imprecise method of time do; to scan back to some earlier travel is being used, temporal exclu- moment risks breaking the fix, losing TALKING TO sion can happen by accident when all communications with the team somebody tries to cut things too close. until they can be located again. (See In YOURSELF What if you clock into a period just the Cube, p. 29, for more detail.) Nothing can create a really messy before one you already occupy, and Obviously, where linearity applies, (and unplayable) paradox quite as wait until the “younger you” appears? agents can’t make “pickups” in the quickly as a time traveler who visits If something happens to the younger field. If you have been out for five himself. He can tell himself what to you, a paradox is created. Therefore, years, you can talk to someone who do . . . or what not to do . . . or show the older self – who is the one respon- left home just a year after you did. But up and argue with himself. sible for the problem anyway – should when you go home, it will be five years For gaming purposes, the question feel the effects. (This is the most later; no way around it. becomes “What sort of logical expla- playable answer, but if the GM can nation, or rubber science, will prevent find a way to make the younger self this from happening?” This prevents feel the effects of a decision the player Oscillating Time characters’ visiting the same era again hasn’t taken yet, go ahead!) This is an interesting limitation to and again, either to “work on the apply to time travel of any sort. problem till we get it right” or to mul- Suppose that the energies of time – tiply themselves into armies. It also Temporal Snarls whatever they are – vary in a pre- means that Time Agents cannot return This rule is essentially Temporal dictable way. You can only travel home “before they left” and give them- Exclusion that can be “bent” once in a between points that have the same selves advice on how to deal with the while, but within strict limits. It “chronal charge.” Result: the time mission. assumes that history is resistant to machine can only make jumps of a change and paradox, but allows some- certain length. This might be a month, one to be in the same time more than a year, or a century. Perhaps there are Paradox-Proof Time once . . . as long as no interaction takes only a few points in all of history that As described above, this type of place! the machine can reach – in that case, reality simply bounces a traveler back If you try to interact with an “earli- it’s more like a “time gate” or a “time to his origin as soon as he starts to cre- er” version of yourself, you’ll probably subway” that only makes stops with a ate a paradox. If he avoids paradox, he be frustrated; you are trying to create lot of commuter traffic. can do anything he likes. a “temporal snarl” in your own past. Time travelers are thus presented This sets up probability oscillations, with some interesting problems; they Temporal Exclusion and you start suffering fatigue and can never depend on going right to the In this sort of cosmos, it is simply other effects as you exert effort in time they want to see. In particular, impossible for a traveler to clock into opposition to your current existence. they can’t even think of bopping to last a period he already occupies. If you try If someone tries to alter his own week to tell themselves “Don’t do that!” to travel to a time where you have past drastically (say, by shooting him- This can make a campaign more “already” (in your own absolute past) self), he should either fall unconscious manageable. Note that such a system been, several things can happen, none or pop into another time. This takes automatically conserves linearity. of them good: care of the Grandfather Paradox. Note that it is the size of the alteration, not You can bounce. The attempted trip its subtlety, which matters. Going The Recency Effect fails, leaving you mentally stunned. back 500 years and convincing your This assumes that, for some reason, You can wind up in a parallel world many-times-great-grandmother to the travelers cannot visit their immedi- at the same time. If it’s a close parallel, become a nun would have exactly the ate past. The “Recency Barrier” can be it may be a very long while before you same effect; you can’t do it. a week ago, a year ago, within the life- find out you’ve gone astray. Any attempt to set up a “free lunch time of the time traveler, or centuries You can wind up at the wrong time. loop” in time is also doomed to failure in the past. If the GM wants to avoid Usually you go farther back than you – or, at least, to having no effect on the troublesome alterations to the cam- planned – sometimes a lot farther outcome of the adventure. (This is paign’s recent history, this is the way to back. But you might wind up just offered purely for playability. In terms go. This may be justified by rubber before, or just after, the stretch of time of physics, there’s no reason why it physics like the Time Corps’ “Arbatov you already occupy. couldn’t be done.) Barrier” (p. 218), or by an oscillation

. . . AND TIME 157 If you try to meet and talk to yourself about something relatively minor, it should still be painful – say, 6 FP and -2 IQ for the duration of the meeting We Will Have Warned and the rest of the day. But a minor attempt to alter your You in the Past own worldline is possible. If you want How can someone in the past communicate with the presentday? to send yourself a cryptic note, the Without a handy Time Radio, or a time-fax to transmit a note a few hun- cost might be a mere 3 FP. dred years uptime, a resourceful traveler can still pass information or If the GM allows this at all, he even call for help. The longer it will be before the message is read, of should assess fatigue (and other) costs course, the harder it is to be sure it will get there. based on the size of the paradox or change the traveler is trying to create. Message Drops A general guideline: the more A message can be left in a predetermined place if someone uptime is headaches it causes the GM, the looking for it. For a period of a few years, a safe-deposit box could be harder it is for the character to do! used . . . but it is important that nobody ever look in it during the inter- Of course, an accidental meeting vening years! with yourself should be good for a For longer durations, a time capsule can be buried in a safe place. Fright Check at -2 or worse. If you see With access to high technology, time capsules can be put in very remote yourself with injuries or changes, the places . . . in orbit, for instance, or at the top of the Great Pyramid. Even penalty should be much bigger! with “ordinary” technology, creative solutions are possible. (The recov- In campaigns involving parallel ery of a message can be an adventure for the uptime team, too!) universes, the rule is not needed and should not be used. This allows paral- Active Delivery lel versions of a character (who may If nobody expects your message, you just have to create a message well not be friendly) to meet and inter- that seeks out the person you want it to go to. This is much harder, but act. not impossible. Lawyers: With an appropriate advance payment, a law firm will hold COMMUNICATION a message and deliver it in the future – even a very long time in the future. Pick a law firm in a city that you know will remain prosperous AND and unconquered until the day the message needs to be delivered. (Other organizations than lawyers can do this kind of task, but a good lawyer OBSERVATION won’t even blink at the request.) In “Time Agent” campaigns, the Message in a Bottle: Bury the message where you hope it will be found GM must decide what communica- at the appropriate time, nested inside two envelopes. The outer envelope tions are available between Mission says, “Deliver to Such-and-so for an appropriate reward.” The inner one Control and the Agents in the field. In says, “If you get this message before (whatever the date is), do not tell campaigns where the travelers are free anybody, and don’t open it before that date.” Thus, you have at least a to bounce around as they wish, the chance that the message will arrive safely, and will not be read before it question of communications must still should be. (Reading it early could create a possible paradox.) be settled, but it is less central to the adventures.

No Communication This is the simplest assumption, Limited Forward Limited Reverse and in many ways the easiest to manage. The agents are entirely on their Communication Communication The agents can send messages to The simplest reverse communica- own, and cannot ask for help or infor- Mission Control, but not freely: the tion is to let Mission Control continue mation. They also cannot move again messages are limited in length, or for- to send things and people back in in time, unless the machine travels mat (e.g., they must be sent in Morse), time. There are not, however, very with them. They must be brought or can only be sent at specific times or many messages worth sending if home either after a fixed amount of from specific places (say, the team’s Control cannot receive requests for mission time – a useful way to keep arrival point). Control cannot send information. the action moving – or through some messages to the agents at all. automatic mechanism (see The Time But note that even if there is no Corps, pp. 217-228, for an example). handy Time Radio, there are ways to Full Forward No “recall signal” is permitted – if a get word to the future. (See the box Communication device can send a beep, it can send above) Mission Control can look over the Morse code. team’s shoulders constantly, either

158 . . . AND TIME through a time-transmitting camera Now, if this were entirely accurate, they don’t flee or call for help when carried by the agents, or an “area time travel would be much simpler they should. viewer” like the screen on Time Tunnel. and safer. But the Observer Effect says Agents on both sides are merciful to They cannot, however, send into the that a successful intervention can defeated enemy agents. If they make it past. If you use this option, we suggest occur. History can be changed. But it home to report defeat, that defeat the “time camera” – which may be is very difficult. And usually any becomes more nearly irrevocable. unreliable, or easily damaged; if you attempt to change an established fact Agents hate to observe the death of a use the viewer, we strongly recom- results in failure. friend. Sometimes an agent will walk mend that Control be able to “fix on” away from a wounded “native” ally, and see only the immediate vicinity of rather than risk checking and finding the agents. The reason for this is that “I Don’t Want out he is dead. If the death isn’t report- unrestricted time-viewing simply To Know!” ed, there is a chance that help might makes Control too powerful (see Time But to a good Time Agent, the arrive in time. Fanatical agents might Viewers, p. 160). If they could see any- Observer Effect means that any event commit suicide rather than report fail- thing at any point, it would be possible that was not observed can be changed. ure. Even less fanatical agents might to examine every possible obstacle to a And the observations of the locals on ask: “Would you die to give another mission – worse, it would be possible the scene don’t count. The observer team a chance to run the mission?” to watch the mission before the agents from the future is the one that mat- had been sent! Time paradoxes ters, because only he can create a par- again . . . adox. (Thick volumes on physics and Degrees of Observation epistemology have been written to and Loopholes explain this, and they haven’t done a An agent can never undo anything Full Two-Way very good job yet.) he witnessed. The only hope – and Communication Basically, though, all of the details sometimes it is a significant hope – is There is the equivalent of a radio or of past history can be considered “in that he didn’t witness it correctly. TV link between Mission Control and flux” until they are observed by some- Witnessing a film or photograph the field. The agents can ask for infor- one from the Absolute Now. There are isn’t quite as final. Films and photo- mation or assistance, and (subject to two possible explanations for this: graphs can be faked. Digital images the equipment remaining undamaged, can be easily faked. Still, unless Time is fixed, but we still have free a “fix” being maintained, etc.) they Mission Control believes that some- will. We don’t know for sure what real- receive it fairly promptly. thing was faked, it’s not likely to risk ly happened in the past, and until we One interesting way to limit this is an agent. know what happened, we can try to to allow full two-way communication An observation reported by change it. We’re part of history. only from one specific point. The another agent is as trustworthy as Time is not fixed until it’s observed. agents have a “time phone,” but it can- that agent is. A “real-time” report by a The act of observation is necessary for not be moved. If they’re away from the historical native is as trustworthy as the event to be final. It’s like phone, they’re on their own! that native is. Schrödinger’s Cat, which is neither Another way to limit this is to Published reports, memoirs, etc., alive nor dead until someone opens restrict Mission Control – if the pres- are often not reliable at all. If the the box to check . . . In this sense, the ent can’t send anything else back to newspaper says the parade started at observer from the future creates the the past until the agents return, com- noon . . . well, maybe the paper was event, and makes it real, by observing munication becomes somewhat less wrong! it. It’s not real until then. game-breaking. (“Control, this is Alpha Team! We’re being attacked by Either way, an observed event is tigers!” “We’ll make a note of that for very hard to change. An unobserved Paradoxes and the next mission, Alpha Team. Tiger event is subject to change. the Observer Effect repellent all around next mission.” This means that if an intervention – The Observer Effect says that there “Control, next mission is to the Arctic or a counter-intervention – is bungled, are no paradoxes. So what happens Ocean.” “Can’t be too careful.”) The it is very hard to fix. Sure, another when something occurs which seems Time Sphere on p. 163 has this kind of team could be sent to the same time. to be a paradox? limitation. But they can’t do anything that con- For instance, an agent is in Ford’s tradicts the first team’s observations. Theater on April 14, 1865. He observes The exception, ironically, comes if Booth’s attempt to shoot Lincoln. He THE OBSERVER the first team failed completely and watches in sorrow as the assassin FFECT was wiped out. If they didn’t report steps forward . . . and in horror as a E their observations back to their suc- beam of green light slices through The Observer Effect, stated most cessors, they didn’t “determine” histo- Booth’s gun arm. In the ensuing briefly, says “An observed event can- ry. This has some interesting effects: turmoil, Lincoln is hustled out of the not be changed.” There are no para- theater under heavy guard. Clearly, doxes. Known history cannot be Agents are reluctant to report history has just been changed in a big changed. failure ... which sometimes means way. Or has it?

. . . AND TIME 159 There is no one right answer. In 1650. He was observed in 1650. The The simplest way around this is to fact, the “real” right answer may Observer Effect says that we can’t take ignore quantum physics; the time depend on what the PCs do. him out before then. We know he was viewer works by some other means The obvious thing would be for there. Except . . . if it matters enough, than subatomic particle transfer. them to start working to kill Lincoln we could try to eliminate him and sub- Magic is always good, or pseudoscien- and to leave a historical record that stitute an exact double, to do those tific mysticism such as reading the showed he had been assassinated on things that the original was observed “Akashic Record.” This psychic schedule. This would be very difficult, doing . . . including torturing the recording of all events, future and especially since there is obviously original agent! past, in Earth’s history, is kept some sort of futuristic intervention What if the double tries to cheat Somewhere (the Astral Plane, a already going on. history? He’d better not. The double monastery in Tibet, the DNA of the They might decide that, whatever has to make sure that he does every- Messiah) by Someone (monks, is really going on, it’s too much for thing he was observed doing. If he Lemurians, energy beings, angels), them to handle – and concentrate on tries not to, something will happen – and is available only to the Worthy riding it out without becoming a part he will go mad and think he is the (whoever the GM wants). However, of it. This would require an iron will witch-hunter, or he will be secretly with suitably laid-back players, the and a blind faith that History Will Sort killed and replaced by another enemy GM can simply decree that quantum It Out. agent . . . or something equally bad. physics is wrong, or doesn’t apply the They might also decide that this is (The GM can have a lot of fun thinking way physicists think it does, and the the sort of event that shouldn’t be up disasters when PCs try to cheat invention of the time viewer (which observed, since observation makes observed fate.) can’t, no how, no way) communicate events real. The obvious answer is that However, it is perfectly safe for with the past proves it, despite its it’s time to go AWOL, rather than ever Control to send someone to 1645 to being ever so scientific. reporting in. (This is really a different keep an eye on the witch-hunter and This brings up the issue of game approach to History Will Sort It Out.) report what he does. Sometimes it’s a control and game balance. If the GM Or they could go running home to good idea, sometimes it’s not. only lets the PCs’ superiors (or ene- report. If Home is still there, it tends Knowledge is power, but every little mies) have a time viewer, he needs to to prove that the Observer Effect is bit of knowledge limits what you can wrestle with the issues implied by an still valid. If they can’t get home, it’s a do in your own future. The Observer all-seeing Mission Control (some of sign that perhaps the rules have Effect is a two-edged sword. which are addressed on p. 210). He changed (an evil GM at work, no should also decide if the Observer doubt). If they’ve somehow been Effect applies, and if there is a thrown into a parallel timeline, then TIME VIEWERS Recency Effect for time viewing as there is still no paradox, but they have The biggest problems with time well. Even in games without an offi- a whole new problem. viewers – devices that can see through cial Observer Effect, seeing the past If they do get home, they often time – are that they screw up physics, has consequences for the observer report in doubletalk or opaque sen- and they can screw up your game. (A and his decisions about it. Players are tences, in an effort to beat the time viewer without a good long experts at asking awkward, but emi- Observer Effect: “I would suggest Recency Effect also becomes a nently reasonable, questions like sending a heavily armed team to machine for potentially totalitarian “Can you trace the movements of the Ford’s Theatre starting at least a week surveillance. This may be a desired bad guy after he thwarts us, and send before the play.” The usual effect is to effect, of course.) Let’s take the easier us back to thwart him when he’s make it harder on the follow-up team, one first, the physics: by “seeing” asleep?” without beating the Effect in the least. something in the past, you’re trans- All of this caution applies in spades The only time that seems to work is mitting information to the past (at if the PCs have a time viewer. They will when the original observer isn’t least if quantum physics is correct). naturally use it for complete recon- around to be debriefed when the Any reasonably scientific time viewer naissance of their missions, checking shooting is finally over. can thus become a time communica- up on the identity of that one shadowy tor, even if it’s just a matter of “viewer assassin who got away in the past, and on” and “viewer off” in Morse code. so forth, thus destroying suspense and Working Around the (Which, as a binary code, can theoret- action in one go. A good general rule Observer Effect ically transmit computer programs, is, if you must have time viewers, they Suppose that a Time Agent has the or any other kind of data – oh, it’s just should never be superior to going and misfortune to be accused of witchcraft too horrible to contemplate.) Once looking in person – and should ideally in 1650. He is captured and tortured, you’re doing that, all the paradoxes have weaknesses (or blank spots in but escapes. He reports back to base, from actual time travel come back to coverage) that can only be addressed which determines that the head witch- bite you, and as long as you have to on the ground. Failing that, they hunter is probably an Evil Time Agent. have the paradoxes anyhow, you should be balky, uncooperative, foggy, Now, the one thing that Mission might as well get the fun of racing inconvenient things, or impossible to Control cannot do is send a team back around in fur undershorts waving a get time on for piddling details (rather to terminate the witch-hunter before sword at Romans. like radio telescopes). Otherwise, the

160 . . . AND TIME GM will find himself presiding over a four times as long to “home in” on a 10% times the amount failed by (plus series of thrilling narrations of things specific time period and location, and or minus, roll randomly). A critical seen on the time viewscreen, rather all rolls to use it are at -4 to skill. It is failure means that it could be seeing than an actual game. very balky and sensitive; add -2 to any anywhen . . . Other than actual evi- Having said all that, here are two negative modifiers for chronal storms, dence (“Why are they wearing togas – possible time viewers. atmospheric disturbances, reality are you sure this is 1945?”) there is no quakes, etc. To take usable photo- way to tell when the scanner is graphs or recordings from it is a actually focused, only where – the Pythagorean Photography or Electronics Opera- same place it is in the present. Chronovisor tion/TL7 (Surveillance) test at -6! The more distant the period to be TL7^ At the GM’s discretion, of course, scanned, the longer the scanner takes This device, according to (genuine) building or using it might also, or to reach it. It takes 90 minutes to focus occultist legend, uses the Pythagorean instead, require rolls against Occult- on anything in the last 24 hours, three harmony of the spheres – which pos- ism, Philosophy (Pythagorean), or hours to focus on anything in the last tulates that no sound is ever lost, Musical Instrument (Chronovisor)! If six days, six hours to focus on a point merely subsumed into the eternal it channels the Akashic Record, or the three months distant, 12 hours to music of geometrical creation – to songs of the angels, or some other focus within the last 2 1/2 years, 24 capture images and sounds from the spiritual archive, the user may need to hours to focus on something in 25 past. In 1952, Father Pellegrino be Blessed, have a suitable Power years, two days to focus on something Ernetti, a musicologist (and exorcist!) Investiture, or at least possess Clerical in 250 years, and so on. Each tenfold working in Venice, developed a Investment. (It might also merely be a increase in temporal distance doubles method of “tuning in” to sounds from psychotronic enhancer, and the user the amount of time that the scanner the past using sensitive recording must have Psychometry to make it takes to reach that period. equipment and an antenna construct- work.) After the scanner is ready, it proj- ed from a harmonious blend of three It cost at least $50,000 to build ects the visual image of the area occu- metals. With the assistance of various (and that’s only because the Pope pied by the scanner, and continue in pious physicists (including, says the made Enrico Fermi help Ernetti for “real time” until deactivated. This can rumor, Enrico Fermi), Ernetti free); it weighs 30 lbs. be unhelpful if, in the time being improved his device, adding an oscil- scanned, the area presently occupied loscope to let him focus on a specific Timescanner by the scanner is filled with solid era, and a television viewer. Although material. the pictures were blurry, and the TL9^ For example, archaeologists take a sounds muddy, Ernetti was able to A timescanner is a device that can timescanner to the ruin of an ancient view speeches by Napoleon and lost be used to see into the past; it is useful palace. They set it up, and choose to plays in ancient Rome. Father Ernetti for archaeologists, detectives and go back to a day exactly 3,200 years abruptly stopped his research in 1978, genealogists. When activated, it pro- ago, the approximate date it was after the death of Pope John Paul I, for vides a holographic image of whatever built. It takes four days for the scan- reasons unknown. is occurring within a two-yard radius ner to reach back that far (whether it The Pythagorean Chronovisor centered around the scanner, at some shows brief glimpses of intervening (which may work on similar principles point in the past. Nothing outside that periods is up to the GM); then it starts to an Akashic Time Camera supposed- area can be seen – it can’t be used as a relaying images. The scientists used ly built in the 1940s and 1950s by the “window” to scan the surrounding astronomical data to make sure they spiritualist Baird T. Spalding) works landscape. The place being scanned is focused in during the early morning. on mystical principles, but construct- relative to the nearest mass of conti- What they see is two halves of differ- ing it requires a Physics/TL7^ nental size. Thus, a timescanner can ent rooms – a wall once bisected the (Acoustics) roll, and using it requires only be used to scan planetary sur- area now occupied by the scanner. an Electronics Operation/TL7^ faces. One is furnished, a bit of rug extends (Temporal) roll. Tuning it into a specif- Of course, the Observer Effect out, and the corner of a chair. In the ic time period involves a lengthy peri- applies to anything seen by timescan- other, they can see half a bed with the od of searching (1d+2 hours), which ner. But in a background where histo- bottom half of someone sleeping can be cut by a third with a suitable ry can be changed, you might see under a fur cloak. If they want to see History or Area Knowledge roll (or to something different the next time you more, they would have to wait for one hour on a critical success) while scan the same period! someone to come into the timescan watching the display pan back and A timescanner must be set for an field, or they could try again, either forth. It can view any scene that took arbitrary point in time in the past – resetting the time (by as little as a few place within radio range (10 miles) of e.g., 31 years, 84 days, 11 hours and 50 hours, perhaps) or physically moving its antenna. With an Electronics minutes ago. Make a skill roll against the scanner itself. Moving the scanner Repair/TL7^ (Communications) roll, it Electronics Operation (Sensors). A breaks the lock. can be modified to receive from any- successful roll means the scanner has A timescanner costs $800,000, and where within 1,000 miles, but takes locked onto the correct period. Failure weighs 5 tons. means that the mark was missed by

. . . AND TIME 161 TIME MACHINES Machines that actually transport things or people into the past (or No Machines! future, if a future actually exists yet) You can build an interesting campaign around the idea that, for will probably operate (have always whatever reason, time travel works only for living beings. (Say, inani- operated?) on the same general princi- mate objects have too strong an entropic field, or lack temporal self- ple. A large amount of energy, focused identity, or whatever.) to a point or a line, opens a wormhole The most obvious result is that time travelers always arrive naked, between two points in space-time. with no equipment at all. Under these circumstances, the Time Corps That wormhole, then, draws the recruits very healthy, self-reliant sorts with little body modesty. In most object at its focus (usually the time periods, the first job is stealing some clothes . . . machine and its pilot or crew) through This works especially well with psionic time travel (pp. 166-169), and itself either instantaneously or at a also makes an interesting malfunction for a “normal” time travel system. high years-per-second rate. Some wormholes are “open” to the outside, moving the time machine through some sort of hyperspace outside regu- crystal, and nickel). By moving the The belt weighs 15 lbs., and is usu- lar material existence. Others are fully bars forward or backward, the device ally worn with a harness and a battery self-contained, admitting nothing – travels forward or backward in time, pack (good for 24 hours of continuous not even light or air – to the machine remaining stationary relative to the use) on the back to power the magnet- and its crew during the passage, Earth’s surface. ic containment field. The belt and bat- which must be carefully calibrated to It requires no power plant or ener- tery pack have DR 1 and 5 HP each. avoid smothering the time travelers. gy input, but a sufficiently powerful Should the field be breached or shut Long trips into the past or future may force field or temporal distortion down, the belt becomes too heavy to need to be done in stages, or the time might prevent its rods from precisely lift or wear (doing 4d crushing dam- machine should be fitted with oxygen redirecting the time flow. As built by age to the wearer, if any), snaps back masks and breathing equipment like a its inventor, it rests in an open-frame to the present (or, if critically dam- bathysphere. Some machines (or the- chassis on two long brass rails; there aged, to 1908), and cannot be used for oretical models) “skip” the machine is one seat for the pilot, and dials time travel until repaired or through a rapid series of wormholes, demarcated in days, thousands of recharged. Time travel using the belt is admitting photons and oxygen mole- days, millions of days, and billions of instantaneous, although arrival on the cules every thousandth of a second (as days provide some notion of temporal exact date desired requires a critical experienced by the time traveler). location. Its top temporal speed is success on an Electronics Opera- Conventional science throws up its 800,000 years per hour. tion/TL6^ (Temporal) skill roll. A suc- hands at the request to design a time cessful roll results in an arrival 2d machine. In 1974, physicist Frank days on either side of the target date; a Tipler devised the closest thing to a Time Belt failed roll results in missing the target working design; it involves a light- TL6^ by 2d¥10 days; a critical failure misses years-long cylinder of neutronium On June 30, 1908, something by 2d¥1,000 days. The traveler does spinning at three-quarters of the speed struck the Siberian forest in the not move in space relative to the of light. Not only is such a time Tunguska River valley, emitting a flash Earth’s surface. The belt cost its inven- machine inconvenient, bulky, and visible hundreds of miles away. It was tor $320,000, which included the cost expensive, it can only send the user a piece ejected from a spinning dark of finding and extracting the dark star back as far as the moment of its own star, thousands of light-years away. sliver from the gravelly Siberian creation. However, the determined Most of this bolide disintegrated on countryside. time traveler has options that do not impact, but tiny fragments remained. rely on conventional science. The time belt contains a submicro- scopic sliver of such a fragment, suspended in a powerful magnetic field. Chronic Argo By adjusting the field strength with a TL5^ dial, the wearer can increase the reso- Time Machine Table This device, first invented in 1888 nance between this sliver and the orig- TL Vehicle ST/HP and later perfected in 1895, works on inal dark star. This imparts the dark TL5^ Chronic Argo 36 an analogous principle to an optical star’s “Kerr spin” to the fragment, and TL7^ USS Eldridge 460 periscope. Rather than redirect the thus to the belt’s wearer and anyone in TL7^ Time Sphere 68 flow of light, it redirects the ambient physical contact with him. The wearer TL8^ DMC-12 55 time flow of the universe by means of can only travel to dates before June [1] The Eldridge has 11 feet of draft. a precise geometrical relationship 30, 1908, and once in the past must [2] Cost includes two plutonium among several control bars of varying “snap back” to the present before slugs at $80K each. materials (bronze, ivory, ebony, rock traveling elsewhen.

162 . . . AND TIME Rainbow Effect Coils Rainbow Effect apparatus weighs twisty nothingness. The winch in the TL7^ 2,000 lbs. and costs $1,300,000 inde- present can haul up the sphere at any pendent of the vehicle size; the anten- time, but the sphere dangles suspend- In 1940, the U.S. government na array weighs 200 lbs., costs ed from its cable in midair in the past established Project Rainbow to study $16,000, and uses 50 KW per point of for 1d minutes before returning to the the military potential of Nikola Tesla’s Size Modifier covered (minimum +1). projector. Any number of “landings” power field theories. By July of 1943, are possible without a return to the the prototype “Rainbow Effect” present, as long as there is sufficient device, a large series of Tesla coils Time Sphere oxygen for the crew to breathe. nested in a complex geometrical TL7^ series, attached to a complex antenna The Reiss-Jäger time apparatus, array along the ship’s mast and super- invented in 1959 by a former Flux Drive structure, had been installed on the Luftwaffe weapons scientist, uses a TL8^ destroyer escort USS Eldridge in the fixed time projector to lower a con- This device simply channels an Philadelphia Navy Yard. In theory, the verted bathysphere into the time energy discharge (1,210 MJ) into a device would make the Eldridge invisi- stream. The 5’ sphere is suspended point, opening an instantaneous time ble; what it actually did (on August 12 from a thick cable (350’ long) above gate to a preset destination, at the or October 28, 1943, depending on the projector platform. When the same relative point on the Earth’s sur- which report one believes) was rotate zero-point energy source in the appa- face. The initial version of the flux it out of conventional space-time ratus power plant is engaged, the plat- drive uses two magnetic plutonium and into a hyperdimension. Witnesses form opens, and a winch lowers the slugs to force a subcritical reaction, saw the Eldridge disappear from sphere through the yawning vortex which opens the gate; the plutonium Philadelphia – and reappear 15 min- below. The gravity fields of the Earth instantly decays to lead during a time utes later in Norfolk, Virginia, a dis- and sun interact with the zero-point shift. Like the Rainbow Effect coils, tance of 300 miles. Also during that 15 field, and the controller (who remains the flux drive is normally mounted in minutes, some members of the in the present) homes in on the a vehicle, especially since it requires a Eldridge crew traveled up to 50 years desired location in space-time using a high rate of local speed (between 85 into the future. Others, unfortunately, series of handsome Bakelite dials and and 90 mph) to activate. A vehicle “phased” into the deck and died verniers. This homing process takes with a steel or steel-alloy construction horribly, or went mad from the stress. 3d¥5 minutes and a successful is best, since it creates its own Faraday The Rainbow Effect coils on the Electronics Operation/TL7^ (Tempor- cage, preventing outside objects from Eldridge weighed one ton, and al) skill roll (3d minutes on a critical being sucked into the vehicle’s tempo- required a 500 KW generator; the success). During this period, the raw ral wake. The flux drive weighs 15 lbs. “Philadelphia Experiment” seems to energies of the time stream buffet the and costs $393,000; energy generation have generated speeds of 1,200 miles, sphere; anyone outside the sphere is equipment and fuel are extra. and 200 years, per hour. Further test- chronally disincarnated. The following table gives vehicle ing would no doubt improve this per- The sphere can only travel to loca- statistics for the Chronic Argo, the formance, and reduce the hazards of tions within the inner solar system USS Eldridge, the Time Sphere, and a hyperdimensional travel. Project before solar gravity becomes too 1981 DeLorean DMC-12 equipped Rainbow scientists reportedly con- attenuated to power the vortex. The with a flux drive. Prices all include ducted a series of land-based tests of crew of the sphere can use a telephone temporal translation equipment the Rainbow Effect at Camp Hero hookup braided through the cable to as well as base vehicle costs. (later the Montauk Air Force Station) speak with the controller or anyone Operating any of these time in Long Island until 1984, and the else at the control station. The sphere machines requires an Electronics Navy may have used the Eldridge to has one very thick porthole, and a Operation/TL (Temporal) skill roll, project American power throughout hatch set into the side next to it. While plus relevant Piloting or Driving rolls the time stream during the secret war in the past, it rests on four thick, stub- for their vehicle mounts. against Nazi time travelers. The by legs; the cable stretches away into a

Hnd/SR HT Move LWt. Load SM Occ. DR Range Cost Locations Notes –12–0.5 0.1 +2 1 1 – $5,960 E2Rs -3/4 11f 2.5/20 1,240 448 +10 186+14A 60 7,000 $2,100,000 gMS3t4X [1] –12–2.8 0.3 +1 2P 400 – $590,000 g +1/4 10f 4/62* 1.8 0.4 +3 1+3 5 450 $603,000 g4W [2]

. . . AND TIME 163 DANGERS Depending on the nature of time travel, it might be completely safe and Staying in instantaneous (except in the 1% of cases when the traveler vanishes for- Period Character ever), or the equivalent of a climb up A time traveler (or crosstime agent) must be able to fit in with his Mount Everest, requiring days of background, down to the smallest detail of dress and speech. Depending effort, specialized gear, breathing on the circumstance, this requires a roll on IQ-5, Acting-2, or Savoir- equipment, and a lot of luck. Any of Faire (of the appropriate specialty)-3. the dangers of jump space, hyper- The GM sets frequency of checks, based on the traveler’s general level space, or the continuum (see The of training, his experience with the period and its difference from home- Spaces Between, p. 74) might also time society, and the circumstances of the mistake. A trained Time Agent apply to the time stream. who has visited the period more than once might never have to check for trivial errors, only for major social provocations. An absent-minded civil- Chronal Storms ian might have to check every time he entered a crowded public place, Time travel might also have its own or did anything unfamiliar. dangers, from ultratemporal monsters A player who fails a minor roll should be allowed to “cover” with a lit- dwelling between the microseconds to tle roleplayed fast talk: “Begad, sir, can’t imagine why I said ‘siege of storms of pure chronal energy that Cawnpore,’ I meant ‘Mafeking,’ of course. Funny how the port makes the batter time machines around like tin memory play tricks, eh?” Be sure the cover-up is appropriate; there are cans. Chronal storms might arise for social situations in which an apology fixes almost anything, and others any number of reasons; the GM in which it only makes matters worse. Make a Reaction Roll for the NPC should decide on his reasons, decide involved, with modifiers for exceptionally good or poor excuses. Even if which ones apply to the time travelers’ the excuse fails, a minor slip only results in the NPC thinking the char- planned destination, and add up a acter is somewhat odd. total Severity Level (SL) for the storm A failed major check irreversibly gives away that the person is not front they will pass through. (For even who or what he claims to be. This does not mean that the NPC realizes more trouble, the GM might want to he’s dealing with an “alien”; most people have no notion that time trav- figure out if their route leads through elers (or crossworld agents) exist. (Exceptions would include other time any other storms on the way.) The travelers, friendly or enemy; locals who had been recruited by the Time Severity Level can be a pure game- Corps and let in on The Secret; and the occasional genius/crackpot who rules abstraction, or an actual unit of believes all kinds of crazy things. This last sort, if used carefully, can be measure used in the Rainbow Project a very entertaining NPC nuisance.) Instead, the affected NPC guesses labs! that the liar is concealing his identity for some plausible reason – is a spy, Some possible chronal storm perhaps, or a commoner pretending to be a nobleman. causes include: Someone who fails a major check may still attempt to control the damage with smooth talk. “I fear you have me, monsieur – indeed, I Battlefields: The spirits of the war- never served with the King’s Musketeers. But I assure you I am a loyal like dead, or the collision of historical Frenchman – and my orders come from the Cardinal Richelieu himself!” possibilities, churns the time field It may even be possible to turn a neutral NPC into an ally – people love around major battlefields. Determine the idea of conspiracies, especially if they can gain some advantage the order of magnitude of the battle thereby. deaths; Bunker Hill killed 1,200 men (fourth magnitude), Shiloh killed 24,000 (fifth magnitude), Passchen- daele killed 570,000 (sixth magnitude). Add 2 to the SL for every order the uncertainty of the events in the dis- Magic Use: Major spells, of magnitude above third. (The GM turbed era. This could give PCs an banestorms, angelic interventions, or can apply the same metric to other actual motive to go back and solve his- other supernatural manifestations historical cataclysms such the Great torical mysteries – if they finally figure might disrupt Tiplerian space-time, Fire of London or the Rwandan out who wrote Shakespeare’s plays, adding 1-5 to the SL. Time traveling on genocides.) they can more easily time travel magically significant dates (Hallow- Cosmic Energies: Nuclear explo- through 1598 London! An significant een, Midsummer Eve) might add sions, volcanic eruptions, the controversy about the facts but little another 1 or 2 to the SL. Tunguska impact, and other “big about the outcome (such as Columbus’ Overlaps: Entering a time that you bangs” might have also torn up the exact route) adds 1 to the SL, vague have already visited in person runs the time stream, along with the atmos- but controversial guesses (Arthurian risk of personal timeline tangles. It phere and the climate. Add 2-4 to SL. Britain) add 3; total historical igno- might add 1 to the SL for every such Historical Murk: Perhaps part of rance (much of the history of central overlap. what drives temporal disturbance is Africa) adds 5.

164 . . . AND TIME Recent Time Shifts: Alterations to machines: -2 for a severe electrical 5 – Diverted by decision point. The history (by rogue time travelers, say) storm, -6 for a nuclear blast, -10 for a time machine winds up drawn to no doubt roil the continuum. Altering black hole passage! Paradox wrecks just before a historical decision a minor cultural trend adds 1 to SL; time travel for everyone; penalize trav- point near the intended destina- reversing a Presidential election might el attempts -1 for every paradox or tion. For example, if the travelers add 3 or so; eradicating or seriously causality violation committed by any intended to visit Leonardo da Vinci deforming a world-historic event or crewman or passenger on their last while he paints the Mona Lisa in (Christianity, the United States, WWII) time trip (much more for major viola- 1507 Paris, they might wind up just could add 5 or more. See Tampering, tions like killing one’s grandfather or before the death of Cesare Borgia p. 86, for one set of modifiers based on quoting Macbeth to Shakespeare as a at Viana the same year instead. historical tampering levels. boy). 6 – Serious temporal error. The time Apply the operator’s final modified machine winds up off course by These Severity Levels are purely margin of failure to the following 2d¥10 days earlier (1-3) or later (4- arbitrary: a GM’s individual campaign table, adding 1 for every extra passen- 6) than its intended destination. may evaluate the effects of temporal ger above the time machine’s rated 7 – Serious spatial error. The time disturbances entirely differently. Add capacity. machine winds up out of position all the SLs from the various applica- on the Earth’s surface (not up or ble causes together for the era’s total 1 – Go nowhere. The time machine down) by 2d¥10 miles in a random SL potential. Roll 2d and subtract it remains at its original point of direction. from the potential SL to get the final departure. Hopefully, the travelers 8 – Serious temporal and spatial error. SL for the chronal storm in the travel- weren’t leaving in a hurry. Combine 6 and 7, above. ers’ path (if any). If Navigation 2 – Temporal error. The time machine 9 – Diverted by historical crisis. The (Temporal) exists as a skill in the cam- winds up off course by 2d days time machine winds up drawn to paign (or Navigation (Hyperspace) either earlier (1-3) or later (4-6) just before a historical crisis point applies to time travel), a successful than its intended destination. within 15 years of the intended des- roll might avoid a storm altogether, or 3 – Spatial error. The time machine tination. For example, if the travel- at least brush past a weaker cell of it winds up out of position on the ers intended to visit Leonardo da and try to avoid an accident (lower Earth’s surface (not up or down) by Vinci while he paints the Mona the final storm SL by 1 for each point 2d miles in a random direction. Lisa in 1507 Paris, they might wind of success). 4 – Temporal and spatial error. up in 1519 Tenochtitlán just before Combine 2 and 3, above. Cortés enters it. Temporal Accidents Temporal storm or stowaway sabotage: whatever causes it, a temporal accident means unexpected trouble – which is to say, adventure. An adventure can simply start with the accident, stranding the players in the story from the beginning. On the other end of the inevitability index, the GM can make time travel relatively risk-free, with only minor consequences for accident, such as the failure rules for the Time Belt (p. 162, above). Other possibilities include adapting the parachronic conveyor failure table from p. B531 (possibly substituting a temporal error of some magnitude for the focus error in those results), or tossing the travelers into a parallel world. The system below presents another possible group of bad results. Traveling in time requires a skill roll, usually against Electronics Operation (Temporal). Modifiers: -3 or worse for damaged equipment. Chronal storms make time travel more perilous: -1 per point of final storm SL. Electrical or gravitational disturbances at the departure point might also interfere with some

. . . AND TIME 165 10 – Major temporal error. The time on the deck of a warship in the and spatial error. Combine 14 and machine winds up off course by Spanish Armada. 15, above. (Dinosaurs on Venus!) 2d¥1,000 days earlier (1-3) or later 14 – Catastrophic temporal error. The The listed consequences last until (4-6) than its intended destination. time machine winds up off course the travelers can successfully fix their 11 – Major spatial error. The time by 2d¥10,000 days earlier (1-3) or craft and escape. Although campaign machine winds up out of position later (4-6) than its intended desti- specifics can vary, the duration likely on the Earth’s surface (not up or nation. (At the GM’s discretion, this depends on an Electronics Repair down) by 2d¥100 miles in a ran- can be a “dinosaur error” that hurls (Temporal) skill roll, suitably modified dom direction. the time machine back to the for inadequate tools, distractions, pre- 12 – Major temporal and spatial error. Cretaceous in traditional style.) vious damage to the machine, and Combine 10 and 11, above. 15 – Catastrophic spatial error. The jury-rigged equipment. To milk the 13 – Diverted by major decision time machine winds up out of posi- above table for the best adventure point. The time machine winds up tion on the Earth’s surface (not up potential, perhaps a critical success drawn to just before a world-his- or down) by 1d¥1,000 miles in a allows another Electronics Operation torical event within a century of random direction. (At the GM’s dis- (Temporal) roll in 2d minutes, while a the intended destination. For cretion, this can be a “Mars error” success repairs the time machine in 1d example, if the travelers intended that hurls the time machine to hours. A failed roll forces a delay for an to visit Leonardo da Vinci while he Mars – hopefully bedecked with additional 1d hours for each point by paints the Mona Lisa in 1507 canals – in traditional style.) which the roll failed; a critical failure Paris, they might wind up in 1588 16 or more – Catastrophic temporal strands the travelers for 2d days! PSIONIC TIME TRAVEL Time travel does not always require available (that is, something under rationale, this advantage may also a time machine. Many stories (and the GM’s control) should be required, require an Unusual Background or the quite a few allegedly true tales) deal unless the campaign milieu is a wild Trained By A Master advantage, with travel through both time and postmodern society where everyone although if everyone in the party is a dimensions, using only the powers of can go anywhen. (That might be kind jumper (which seems both sensible the mind . . . with or without a little of fun, but like most games with few and likely), such requirements should help. Mental time travel abilities may constraints on time travel, it runs the not count against any disadvantage be considered simply “super” in risks of being exhausting for the GM limit. nature, rather than “psionic,” if that and eventually boring for the players.) Psionic time-jumping can come best fits the campaign. The only real The time travelers have some version from any combination of the four difference in game terms is that truly of the Jumper (Time) advantage possibilities below. psionic time travel can be blocked or (p. B64). Depending on the campaign interfered with using antipsi or various psychotronic gadgets (which might also boost psionic time travel, of course), and is affected by psionic The Time Draft Talents. Physical time-jumping falls The idea of psionic time travel leads to an interesting campaign pos- under the Teleportation Talent; mental sibility . . . one in which the time travelers are not at all willing. time-jumping falls under the Secret government experiments have proven that mental time travel Telepathy Talent. exists, and can affect history (or, alternatively, can bring back valuable information and relics). Unfortunately, only one person in hundreds of thousands has the “time gene.” Time travel is considered so important to PHYSICAL national security that, as these people are identified, they are rounded up and removed to the maximum-security Time Laboratory, where they are PROJECTION “encouraged” to serve their country on missions into the past. The This mode is essentially identical to draftees aren’t sure they like the idea – but even if your mind has the free- those using machines, except that the dom of time, it’s hard to argue with someone who’s got your body locked machine is the brain. “Time Police” up ... and “Time War” campaign types can The idea here is that the time travelers are entirely unwilling, and use it, though it is stylistically more constantly looking for a way to escape. (If they’re willing to cooperate appropriate to freelance travel, espe- with their captors, it’s an ordinary Time Agent campaign.) This might be cially in campaigns with a magical or part of a broader campaign in which all psi users, not just time-travelers, occult theme. are hunted by governments that wish to exploit their powers. Some gov- Not everyone can time travel, ernment agents might be sympathetic, and help the “underground,” although possibly everyone has the while some psis assist with the roundup. potential. Something not readily

166 . . . AND TIME Inborn Talent won the SJ Games prize drawing at required (the Golden Fleece, or the Time travelers are born, not made. Origins. Tripping-through-training Holy Grail, or the blood of a sphinx), Some bizarre genetic twist gives cer- usually involves joining a secret elite, to get home again. tain people the power to travel in time. who are either sworn to uphold good The ability may always have existed, or (as with the Cthulhoids above) are fleeing the rest of the group, which is All of the Above being kept secret by its users, as in You can combine any or all of the Poul Anderson’s novel There Will Be sworn to do them in. Just try explaining that to the cops. above elements to suit your individual Time. Or it may be a recent mutation, campaign flavor. Perhaps anyone in a perhaps along with other super-pow- certain bloodline can time-jump, as ers. It could be even a mutation of a Gadget Required long as he holds an ancestral mirror. post-nuclear future – although we’ll Time travel requires some kind of Perhaps only those with years of train- say this once for the record: Mutations augmenting device, either a machine ing can comprehend the ritual for take place only in the generations (which may answer any of the descrip- time-transfer. Perhaps anyone has the born after the triggering event; once tions of time machines, from pocket- potential to time-jump, but has to eat you’re born, you can’t mutate. (At least sized to Pentagon-sized) or a special a specific kind of berry that only grew that’s true of radioactivity, but a bio- drug or chemical (which you can’t get in the Sahara grasslands 8,000 years logical weapon might conceivably at the local Boots or Walgreen’s, even ago. “mutate” victims immediately, espe- with a prescription). This tends to cially under pressure of dramatic make it the result of a government, or necessity.) Or it might be a latent trait super-government, project – perhaps Jumping With in all mankind, waiting only for the secret and highly experimental, per- Equipment global radiation count to rise enough haps well-established. The treatment Mental trippers usually have to activate it. may not work on everybody, and it tighter limits on equipment than their An interesting short campaign may have drastic effects on those who hardware-driven counterparts. They could be built around the holocaust’s can’t make the grade. See the “Richard should be limited to what they can survivors trying to gather the tempo- Blade in Dimension X” series of carry on their persons. The Jumper rally gifted mutants and train them for books, by several authors using the advantage on p. B64 prescribes an a mission into the past, either to name Jeffrey Lord, in which only absolute mass limit. This includes recover unobtainable supplies or pos- Blade is tough enough to survive being clothing, tooth fillings, and everything sibly even to prevent the disaster (and transmitted into the big X – at least, in that isn’t the person’s own cellular create a whopper of a paradox, but the early books. material. The GM may limit this fur- one imagines that post-apocalypse ther. Perhaps the tripper arrives in the past exactly as he came into the world, without even the tooth fillings (never mind the eyeglasses, hearing aid, The past is never dead. It’s not even past. toupee . . .), as in No Machines! on – William Faulkner, Requiem For a Nun p. 162. Such mental time travel offers an ideal way to (literally) strip off the hardware and force the players to fig- societies have bigger fish to fry). And ure out solutions to their problems, the mutation might be inheritable, Ritual Required Time travel requires a ritual of rather than simply pointing a gadget which means that it might have been some kind: a magical spell, a prayer to (technological or magical) at them. On “caused” by the future disaster, but the Three Fates, or the achievement of the other hand, if the GM feels the show up in plenty of human blood- perfect satori to cast oneself loose campaign works better if large arti- lines throughout the past as mutant from the material world. Perhaps the facts can move through time, he can time travelers spread the love. ritual must be performed at a place of always allow stretching of the limits. power: a Stonehenge or Siege Perilous One possibility involves the Extra Special Training or Mystery Hill. The PCs don’t even Carrying Capacity enhancement to Jumper on p. B64. Other enhance- Anybody can time-trip if they know have to know the ritual to trigger it; ments to, and variations on, the how; the problem is getting the train- maybe an ancient coven of Druids cast Jumper advantage appear on p. 174. ing, which is the closely guarded most of the spell before being sur- secret of a group of Tibetan prised (fatally) by a Roman legion. monks/Cthulhu worshipers/Knights The PCs unwittingly hum a U2 tune MENTAL Templar/mad game designers. Our while in the stone circle, completing heroes learned the technique when the ritual and shooting themselves PROJECTION their plane crashed in Tibet/they were back to Whenever. If the travelers have So far, we’ve assumed that “time inducted into the cult, which is now stumbled through the doorway by travel” means physically going when- hunting the renegades/they met one of such an accident, they have to find the ever-it-is, with flesh, blood, bone, and the last defenders of the Faith, who right place, the rest of the ritual, and whatever equipment the GM grants in passed on the secret while dying/they anything the ritual might have

. . . AND TIME 167 support. Another possibility is to send only the mind, the consciousness, while the body remains behind. This is the Projection limitation to the Jumper advantage (p. 174). This does not necessarily mean adventuring as a disembodied spirit. In most mental time travel stories (such as most episodes of Quantum Leap), the projected consciousness can occupy the physical body of a temporal local. Usually, the local’s own mind lies dormant during the possession, providing only minimal background information. If it’s too minimal, this can lead to more complications, as the time travelers need to explain their sudden weird behavior. In a time when people believe in demonic possession – and a great many people do, even today – this could be rather a touchy subject. Having the native’s mind remain active could be interesting, but puts a heavy strain on the GM and players both; there would be a set of NPCs, as large as the players’ group, on stage and talking constantly. One solution might be to let each player take the time that seems to pass while the a little easier on the team, which is a role of the body possessed by the play- spirit is in the past. This keeps book- good idea the first time or two, er to his right. Another solution, of keeping down, and avoids weird assume that “like minds seek like bod- course, is to leave the host personality experiential time lag in the traveler’s ies,” and the hosts are not vastly dif- quiescent, and forget the “I hate peas!” brain. (Although an interesting varia- ferent from the spirit’s home bodies – “Well, now you love peas!” and “fight- tion would be to allow weeks or at least, not in ways that make the ing your own hand” routines between months of adventure in the space of a spirit’s abilities completely useless. host and ghost. Used once or twice, single night; the travelers may end up there’s a good laugh in it – but the wondering if it was all a dream!) “sophisticated” time traveler repeated- ATTUNEMENT ly telling the terrified peasant’s mind Some conceptions of psionic time to shut up and stay out of the way can Past-Time Characters travel depend on the traveler some- take a cruel edge that will likely not to The GM should create characters how “attuning” himself to the time in be funny or comfortable for long. for the host bodies. This requires as question. Traveling back to the 19th The mechanics of the projection much care as designing any other century in the Christopher Reeve can take any form or use any precon- important NPCs, since the players are tearjerker Somewhere In Time ditions that psionic physical time carrying around their hosts’ reputa- depends on the traveler entirely dis- travel does: genetics, rituals, magic tions as well as their bodies – though missing the modern world from his places, chemicals, training, and so they may have to find out the hard person! In other campaigns, it might on. The only difference is that the way just what those reputations were. merely be necessary to use an antique physical body stays in the present. (“Giacomo the Jester is also the item, or the best possible equivalent, The bodies are in suspended anima- world’s deadliest and most cunning to attune a traveler to his temporal tion while their spirits are away. They assassin.” “Now he tells me.”) The destination. (This is the Attunement need no food, but are vulnerable to hosts may be somewhat spread out, Required limitation to Jumper, on physical destruction. (If this doesn’t both socially and physically, so the p. B64.) In still other games (such as fit with the GM’s chosen method of players’ first task is to locate and iden- those using No Machines! on p. 162), projection, of course, the bodies can tify one another – and their second is perhaps time travelers can bring only lie in bed somewhere, requiring to explain why the King’s Astrologer is suitably attuned items with them into constant attention . . . and even more suddenly a buddy of an illiterate the past. Using such metaphysics, the vulnerable.) Gascon cowherd. But don’t overdo it; likelihood of such attunement In most campaigns, the Linearity nobody needs to start an adventure depends on how “authentic” the Effect holds true: the time that passes with two-and-a-half strikes against antique or item in question is. in the present is the same amount of them. If the GM wants to make things

168 . . . AND TIME The following set of rules and mod- (a modern replica might send the trav- tion of a period item, made using ifiers is one possible arrangement to elers to 1993 Hong Kong instead of to mostly modern methods and materi- reflect this conception. What precisely 1614 Amsterdam), or a temporal als: Succeeds on a 10 or less. (-4) a success indicates depends on the accident based on the table on p. 165. Item is out of period due to style campaign rules and metaphysics, and Modifying Other Travel Methods: or design, though not technology: on what the travelers are actually Alternately, the GM can apply the Succeeds on a 9 or less. (-5) attempting to do. In theory, these modifiers in parentheses to the rele- Item was not yet invented at the same rules could apply to the most vant time travel roll, using the worst targeted time: Automatic failure. (-8) rigidly technological time travel applicable description of the best devices: if the “chronal signature” or available item. These modifiers are Modifiers the “tachyonic emission rate” or the cumulative with any other modifiers Item had been invented but was “sidereal radiation count” of the “des- applied. Successes and failures follow not truly of the period because it was tination object” or “wormhole anchor” the standard rules for whatever the not in common use: -2. isn’t exact, there will be hell to pay. actual time travel method may be. The Item is not native to the target GM should feel especially free to reset place or culture: -3. Carrying Items to the Past: A suc- the “zero point” of these modifiers to Item is not native to the targeted cessful roll brings the item in question fit his own notion of appropriateness place or culture, but items like it along. A roll that misses by 1 leaves and accessibility. were often used there: -1. (For exam- the item behind in the present when ple, an 1880 Chinese lacquer box the traveler leaves. If he returns safely, inherited from one’s English aunt is he may try to use it again. A failure Item Authenticity “native” to both 1880 China and 1880 that misses by 2 or more simply caus- Roll 3d, using the worst applicable England, since that box was in both es the item to vanish entirely; a critical description, but using fairly generous places. An 1880 Chinese lacquer box failure might send the item some- definitions of “period” (25-100 year bought in a Shanghai junk shop is where else in the past, either to alert windows seem appropriate for most “native” to 1880 China, but would the traveler’s enemies to his arrival or games): only take a -1 for trips to Victorian to set up an ugly temporal paradox to England, since such items were com- Genuine antique from the target- hammer him with later. mon there as well. A Chinese lacquer ed period: Automatic success. (+5) Attuning for Physical or Mental box from 180 A.D. would take a -3 Item is new but wholly natural to Projection: A successful roll allows the modifier for trips to the Roman the targeted place (e.g., uncured tobac- relevant time travel roll (an IQ roll for Empire, however, since the Romans co; an uncarved stick): Succeeds on a a Jumper, a Electronics Operation used almost no Chinese handicrafts 15 or less. (+3) (Temporal) for a time machine, or the besides raw silk.) Item is a genuine antique that was spell roll for a magical ritual) to pro- Item was made (or, for an antique, repaired or restored, at some point, ceed unmodified. A roll that misses by significantly repaired) by the carrier’s with an out-of-period material: 1 adds a -1 penalty to the relevant time own hands: +1 to +3. (The +3 should Succeeds on a 14 or less. (+2) travel skill or trait. A failure by 2 or apply only to heroic efforts, such as Item is a painstaking modern more prevents the time travel from sewing a costume out of cloth you had reproduction of a period item, made happening at all, either until the auras spun and woven yourself!) using authentic methods and materi- can be cleansed with a new item, or Item has been in the carrier’s pos- als: Succeeds on a 14 or less. (+0) for 24 hours, or until the next new session, or his family’s, for more Item is a good modern reproduc- moon, or whatever the campaign cos- than 20 years: +1 per generation, up tion of a period item, made using at mology indicates. On a critical failure, to +5. the item sends the travelers some- least one modern method or materi- where entirely different, either some- al: Succeeds on a 12 or less. (-2) where related to its real manufacture Item is a quick modern reproduc- THE FUTURE Travel into the future is easier than traveling into the past; we’re all doing it at the stately pace of one second per We are all interested in the future, for that is second. Except on Mondays, when where you and I are going to spend the rest of we’re doing it more slowly. Time travel games involving the future have our lives. And remember, my friends, future roughly the same concerns with para- events such as these will affect you in the future. dox as those involving the past, and – Criswell, Plan 9 From Outer Space essentially the same solutions.

. . . AND TIME 169 ETTING Paradoxes Options G The traveler goes into the future to The Linearity Effect and THERE FASTER find out from his grandson that he Oscillating Time are easily conserved Although suspended animation, or met grandma by accident in a book- in future travel, and carry roughly the cryonics, or making a braintape to be store. He returns to the past and hangs same reasons and advantages as played in a millennium, or a long Rip out at the bookstore so much that pastward travel. grandma thinks he’s a loiterer and Van Winkle nap, don’t feel as slow, The Farsight Effect: Essentially the calls the cops on him. Or he pays so they’re actually no faster than normal Recency Effect for future travel, it pre- much attention to recreating their des- living. They also have the disadvan- vents a lot of monkeying around with tined meeting that she thinks he’s a tage that they don’t work in reverse so the PCs’ own lifespan, jumping for- phony and has no interest in him. well. This can be a boon for a GM ward to read their own after-action Who left grandpa alone and bitter? bound and determined to leave the old reports, and so forth. Remember that His grandson, who now doesn’t exist. campaign behind (“You wake up a cloning, immortality or anagathic The Free Lunch paradox, and com- million years later, and your magic treatments, and other methods may munication paradoxes in general, sword is rusted into goo.”) but kind of inconveniently extend PC lifespans; explicitly depend on future irritating for time travelers. records may last for an annoyingly involvement and foreknowledge. Accelerating to near the speed of long time on DVD or molecular com- light and letting time dilation do its puter files. Putting a nice nuclear war relativistic thing can also work, if you Possibilities or some other disaster between the have spaceships capable of such Fixed Time: If the future can’t be PCs and the accessible future is one behavior or convenient black holes altered, that’s depressing, and not a lot solution, although that may cause the that somehow don’t rip you to atoms. of fun for roleplayers or GMs, except problem of goosing right-thinking Unless the black hole is a “Kerr black in horror games, or the kind of time agents into trying to avert it. hole” complete with Tiplerian spin, fantasy game with lots of prophesies. More simply, it may just be against though, you’re still not getting back in Plastic Time: Far more comfort- Time Corps regulations to read your a timely fashion. ing; you can alter your destiny even if future personnel file, as it tends to cre- In short, you have the same you see it. Paradox doesn’t exist, ate chronal storms or unleash the options for traveling forward that you either because altering your actions Hounds of Tindalos. have for traveling backward: time creates a new worldline (as with The Observer Effect: This phenome- machines, psionics, or magic gate- Parallel Worlds), or because the non can operate just as easily (if no ways. You might also get kidnapped future is still a cloud of potential (as less confusingly) in the future. by a time traveler – perhaps for the in Chaotic Time). When you go back Travelers cannot alter any observed same reasons present day time travel- to the future, it’s different. The future event, but can try to change its ers timenap historical figures (p. 72), options are indistinguishable, unless meaning or context all they like. In or perhaps just to work in the soylent you can travel between worlds, too. one sense, this is what the Greek fields. For the Traveler at Risk option, heroes had to go through whenever assume that changing the future they got an oracle predicting doom or causes all memory of the future to death in some specific circumstance. PHYSICS vanish – or to change to match the (Akin to that, an Observer Effect can Future travel not only shares a new future retroactively! Return accidentally give a traveler a Destiny; mechanism with past travel, but most Blocked is even easier; of course you see p. B131 and tread carefully.) If of the paradoxes, possibilities, and can’t travel back to a future you just time travelers from the future are options emergent from temporal altered! This, of course, can become wandering around in the present, the physics. These apply both to physical Paradox-Proof Time, retroactively. GM can either rule that the more travel to the future and any form of Plastic Time With High Resistance: futureward observation counts, which future knowledge, whether finding a As with pastward travel, this is the involves a lot of bookkeeping about time-lost diary, Precognition, Death most dramatically satisfying option. who from when saw what, or choose Vision spells (p. B251), or hearing it It lets GMs build a fun or scary future the marginally simpler rule that any- straight from a chatty time traveler history, but avoids railroading play- one from another time counts as an killing time in the bar until the Super ers while giving them a strong incen- Observer. This can turn into a weird, Bowl starts. (That last one can be tive to involve themselves in the acausal headache if the GM isn’t care- kind of fun: “Oh, are you the Greg world. ful, and possibly even if he is; make Kettler? Can I get your autograph? Absolute Now: There isn’t a future, absolutely sure you want a bunch of No, I’m not supposed to say anything yet. It just doesn’t exist. This is a future travelers Observing things into about your future; it’s against the stark, radical version of Plastic Time, stasis before you combine future rules. But just between you and me, but it’s undeniably final and simple. travelers with the Observer Effect. congratulations on that Nobel Prize, See p. 219 for further discussion of and don’t trust any guy with an eye this phenomenon. patch.”)

170 . . . AND TIME CHAPTER SIX INFINITE CHARACTERS

Lord Byron limped into the room, brandishing his “None of you can possibly claim to be inconvenienced, sword-cane. “Which of you renegades has been impersonat- compared to what poor Augusta has gone through.” ing me?” he demanded of the group standing around the “As if I’d bother impersonating someone in that fireplace. The eerily familiar men, in slightly varying degrees ridiculous cravat.” of theatrical posture and widely varying costume, drew “Begad, sirrah!” themselves up and began to respond in a veritable Babel of Before matters could come to blows, one of their num- aristocratic drawls and alcoholic sputters. ber fired a pistol into the ceiling. Into the silence, he said, “Impersonating you? Tchah, fellow, you’ve been ’per- in the clear, ringing voice they all shared (when sober, at sonating me!” any rate), but with more than a hint of a Scots burr: “I have no idea who you gentlemen are, but I’m fairly sure we’re none of us Billingsgate fishwives. Do let us sit down and discuss this matter as befits men of quality. I am Sir George Gordon, heir presumptive to the Earldom of Urquhart. I returned to Edinburgh from a swimming jaunt to find that someone had been forging cheques in my name.” “Swimming, eh?” said a florid, but recognizably similar, gentleman in a blue broadcloth coat. “I swim meself; but I’m no laird. I was Captain Gordon of the Protector’s Ship Perilous until two days ago, to find some impostor had resigned my commission right in the middle of our scrap with the bluidy Danes!” “Danes? You’re a drunkard as well as an impostor, ‘Captain Gordon.’ Everyone knows our war is with the Turk, over Greek independency!” “It was with the French, over Pitt’s investments and fear of radical revolution, and it’s been over for years!” insisted another dark-haired man, dressed more shabbily than most. “And I, Citizen Byron, am proud of the part I played in it, and very much resent whichever buf- foon it was who published a blatantly monarchist poem over my name in the Saturday Review!” “Poem?” Three of the more lavishly dressed men perked up their ears at this, and began a storm of argument about meter and scansion and which of them had plagiarized from the other.

INFINITE CHARACTERS 171 “Gentlemen!” A new voice inter- The words choked off with a Character backgrounds depend rupted them, setting their nerves meaty scraping sound as a length of on the campaign frame. In a cam- a-jangle somehow. Another figure, cherry-wood emerged from the paign built around the missions of much like themselves, only far paler speaker’s chest. the Infinity Patrol or similar cross- than even the most artistic of the “You have no idea of my dreams, universe agency, the PCs are likely to poetical disputants, stood in the brother,” gritted a contralto voice be highly trained Patrol members. doorway. “You are all George from behind the now-desiccating Some may be technical specialists Gordon, and many of you are Lord corpse. The dust fell away to reveal a and historians, while others are Byron, as am I. I have taken your slender, raven-haired beauty dressed “agent” types. If the adventures con- lives for mine. You all share a certain in the height of Court fashion, cern freelance time meddlers who native skill with sword and pistol, clutching a sharpened billiard cue. acquired their machine by accident, and have a gift for words, whether “You, my brothers, on the other the characters may be from almost political speeches, seductive whis- hand, shall hear quite a bit of them, I any background. pers, lyric poems, or naval reports. I expect. I am Lady Georgia Byron, The one thing all travelers need is require these talents in order to redi- and I believe you can guess why you versatility. One never knows when rect the very course of history on a are called here tonight.” one will have to ride a horse, drive a score of worlds.” The Byron speaking Persian chariot, or fly a P-51 A time travel or cross-dimension seemed to grow taller, the shadows Mustang against the Luftwaffe – campaign allows for the widest possi- around him darker, and his teeth maybe in the same adventure. ble variety of characters – not just sharper, with every sentence. “You Interpersonal skills are also very use- NPCs, but player characters as well. shall be my instruments, blood of my ful . . . for instance, when trying to Gamers can draw characters from blood, and you shall open the flood- convince the captain of the Titanic to any world – past, present, future, or gates of time to forces far darker reduce speed right now. wholly imaginary – all in the same than anything any of you have ever campaign! dreamed, forces . . .” ADVANTAGES, DISADVANTAGES, AND SKILLS This section discusses advantages, may have a 5-point Claim to Contact Group disadvantages, and skills as they apply Hospitality on each other, as fellow see p. B44 in a time travel or parallel-worlds “strangers in a strange land.” campaign. As always, the GM has the Swagmen and members of the Cabal Time travelers may take a Contact last word on any interpretations, in the Infinite Worlds have this advan- Group across time as long as they enhancements, and so forth in his tage, although not with each other. remain within the same organization campaign. There aren’t enough retired Patrolmen and the same city, as per the rule on outside Homeline and the colony p. B44. A priestly Contact Group in the worlds for this advantage to apply to Vatican might go back for millennia! ADVANTAGES active Patrolmen; the Patrol either has safe houses available, or nothing. Alternate Identity Contacts see p. B44 see p. B39 These two Contact types might well Having an alternate identity on Clerical Investment see p. B43 occur in time travel or crosstime another world (or time) than the “base campaigns: world” (or “local present”) for the The GM should decide whether campaign, legally or illegally, is worth there are enough worlds with similar Academic. If you don’t know only 5 points per identity, unless the religious hierarchies to make this enough history to find the Black Bird law enforcement agencies of that advantage worth taking for cross- or have the anthropological know- other world or era play a major role world adventurers. Most Earths with a how to track down the killers from a (appearing on a 12 or less as Enemies, Roman Empire and Jesus Christ even- tattoo, you go to the university and for example) in the campaign. tually develop a Roman Catholic talk to a professor. The most useful Church – but church privileges, vest- academic skill set includes ments and uniforms, and even theolo- Anthropology, Archaeology, History, Claim to Hospitality gy (“In the name of the Father, the and Research, but Paleontology (to see p. B41 Son, and the Holy Mother . . .”) may prep for those dinosaur hunts), Depending on the campaign, all differ very widely! Occultism (to fight vampires in 17th- time travelers or dimension jumpers century Hungary), or Economics (to

172 INFINITE CHARACTERS find out what stocks to buy in 1920s brought forward from colonial times – not average – FP and HP. You also Shanghai) might also come in handy. (TL5) is at -1 in that same setting. A enjoy the benefits of No Sympathetic A busy undergraduate has skill 12; a modern American dropped into Injury, and need not buy this separate- specialized grad student or academic Shakespeare’s London (TL4) is at -2; ly. Finally, the death of a Dupe isn’t librarian has skill 15; a tenured one in medieval France (TL3, but still permanent: you can generate a professor has skill 18; a renowned Western culture) might as well be in a replacement by taking one second and authority on the subject has skill 21. whole different culture. However, that a Concentrate maneuver. This costs 10 Collector. These are dealers in (or medieval Frenchman finds things the FP. But there is only one “true you,” producers of) rare or collectible items, same for centuries on end from, say, and if you die, all of your Dupes die from this world or another, or from 700 A.D. to 1500 A.D. – and in some with you! This modifier is incompati- many worlds. They are the natural parts of France, until 1800 A.D.! ble with Digital and Shared employers, brokers, and advisers of At the GM’s discretion, this penalty Resources. +60%. crosstime or time-hopping smugglers. can also apply to alternate or parallel Specific items might include antiques, versions of your culture even at the Special Limitation art, old magical equipment, strange same TL. Although the Nazi Germany Sequential: You and your Dupes are gadgets, weapons, books, or fine of Reich-5 and Homeline America are chained together in a specific order. wines. They can provide information both TL8, an American trying to blend Number them from one (the original about items, other collectors and their into Reich-5’s Berlin is going to be at a you) on up. When a Dupe dies, all collections, who needs cash fast, and -1, at least. Save a -2 for parallels that higher-numbered Dupes vanish as who seems to always find the best diverged at least three TLs ago; a well! This limitation lets you create a stuff. Specific skills include Connoi- Homeline TL8 North American is at -2 character who can summon copies of sseur, Current Affairs, and skills for a visit to the Tenocha Empire on himself from one possible future, with associated with certain collections. A Ezcalli (which diverged in 508 B.C., “later” copies dependent on the sur- bottom-feeder or someone in a small TL5). The GM should loosen this vival of “earlier” ones. Add Construct, market has effective skill 12; a major restriction for close parallels, myth above, if you can replace dead Dupes broker has skill 15; a respected parallels, and other familiar settings. with copies from other possible authority in the field or the main play- futures. -40%. er in a large market has skill 18; the Fugue undisputed top collector has effective Some time-jumpers can send skill 21. themselves back in time for a few minutes in order to create a double, specif- Cultural Adaptability ically for purposes of combat. It only see p. B46 works under combat stress; an attempt to fugue to (for instance) send Applies across worlds at no extra yourself a message always comes to cost; it’s a cinematic ability, after all. Detect naught. When the immediate fight Centrum’s single-culture ideology ends, the doubles, dead and alive, prevents Centrans from taking this see p. B48 The GM should determine the rari- wink out of existence – they were advantage without a hefty Unusual closed causal loops of alternate histo- Background. ty of dimensional highways, nexus portals, or time-gates in his campaign. ry. Damage to the doubles, ammuni- In the default Infinite Worlds setting, tion they expended, etc., does not Cultural Familiarity they are Rare. affect the “original you” at all, since see p. B23 you are both the earliest and the continuing “you.” (Yes, this appears to No matter how familiar you may Duplication violate a number of different versions be with your own culture, you will be of the physics of time travel. The GM wrong-footed while dealing with its see p. B50 is free to prohibit it entirely – or say ancestral past. Various eras can In essence, the Many Worlds “It’s a wild talent, and it works.” Either become cultures (Modern Western, Interpretation (p. 20) implies that we way, don’t worry about it!) Renaissance Western, Medieval all have this advantage, but we don’t For the ability to generate up to Western) for no penalty. Even without know about it and can’t use it. This five fugue Dupes, take Duplication such a time-bound familiarity, cul- could be a very creepy advantage for a (Construct, +60%, Linked, +10%; tures give smaller unfamiliarity modi- world-jumping “pod creature” or Emergencies Only, -30%, Sequential, fiers for those familiar with their “viral being” to use, as it leaves dupli- -40%; +0%) linked to Duplication 4 descendants (or antecedents). cates of itself wherever it goes in the (Construct +60%, Linked, +10%; Apply a -1 unfamiliarity modifier worlds. Emergencies Only, -30%, Sequential, for every two TLs away from your own Special Enhancement -40%, Unreliable (8 or less), -40%; era’s TL. A modern TL8 American Construct: Your Dupes are material -40%) for a total of 119 points. with Culture Familiarity (Western) projections under your mental Remember, without Jumper (Time), would only suffer mild “past shock” control. When you dispel them, they this does not allow actual travel in in TL7 WWII America, but someone vanish, leaving you with your current time!

INFINITE CHARACTERS 173 Jumper world-jumpers are available to you, You cannot recover fatigue during see p. B64 but not all of these are meaningful in a jump, but depending on the cam- every setting. 100 points. paign, you may or may not be able to This advantage may well play a eat, bind your wounds, reload a pistol, A number of new enhancements major role in a time travel or cross- or engage in other minor personal and limitations can apply to various world campaign. The GM may charge activities. The GM sets the value of forms of the Jumper advantage, an Unusual Background cost to take this limitation in his campaign depending on the campaign meta- this advantage in a campaign (like depending on your freedom of action physics: Infinite Worlds) in which technologi- while jumping and the relative speed cal or otherwise assisted time- or of other available means of time or world-jumping is the standard. In the Special Enhancements Mass Jump: You can work with dimension travel. If you have relative- default Infinite Worlds campaign, ly free action, and the speed of jumping between worlds on the same other jumpers to move much larger masses. If several jumpers concentrate jumping is similar to other methods of quantum costs 1 FP; jumping to a travel, this may be a -0% special fea- world one quantum away costs 3 FP; together, you can move a mass equal to the total of their individual ture, since you essentially have a “bolt jumping to a world two quanta away hole” to hide in! If, however, air mole- costs 7 FP; jumping to a world three allowances times the number of people involved. All jumpers involved cules cannot reach your “jump space” quanta away costs 15 FP, and so forth, and you must hold your breath or use doubling the added cost each time. must have this enhancement. +100%. No Concentration: You can jump in scuba equipment or Metabolism New Version: Spirit-Jumper one second by spending FP and Control while jumping, this limitation This is the form of Jumper that making an IQ roll. +15%. is worth at least -10%. many members of the Cabal possess. No Fatigue: You don’t have to Limited Access: Only available for In the default Infinite Worlds cam- spend any FP to jump. +20%. Jumper (World) or (Spirit). You can paign, the astral plane has normal Reliable: Your ability is unusually only jump between two particular mana, and has openings to many dif- stable. For each level of this enhance- worlds – your home world and one ferent worlds (usually via battlefields, ment, add +1 to both the IQ roll to use specific parallel, the material world cemeteries, haunted houses, or partic- Jumper and the automatic failure and Hell, etc. The size of this limita- ularly gruesome murder sites). threshold (e.g., two levels would give tion depends on how many worlds However, to get from one world to the +2 to IQ and mean a roll of 16 or more exist in the setting. If there’s only one, other usually involves a long, danger- always fails). +5% per +1, to a it’s meaningless (-0%). If there are ous journey through the astral plane. maximum of +10. many, it might be worth -20% or more, You cannot interact in any way with Uncertain Encumbrance: You can at the GM’s discretion. In the default the material plane, and are invisible to jump while encumbered, but must Infinite Worlds campaign, there are those on it, while on the astral plane; make the IQ roll at a penalty equal to thousands of Earths – and a number you can only perceive the material twice your Encumbrance level. On a of spirit worlds, afterlives, and so forth plane dimly (-7 to any Sense roll) failed roll, you leave your cargo clustered around many of the individ- unless something like a haunted house behind; on a critical failure, you lose 1 ual Earths, all themselves connected opens an “etheric window” from the point of IQ for each Encumbrance via the astral plane. Access to only two material world. Any skill roll to use a level you attempted as you “burned Earths is a -25% limitation; access to higher-tech item in the spirit realm is out” that part of your brain temporar- only the astral plane (from any Earth) at -5 per item TL above 4. ily. You recover after sleeping. +25%. is a -10% limitation. Limited Quanta: This limitation Jumper (Spirit): You can bodily Special Limitations applies to world-jumpers only. You move to and from “spirit worlds” such Attunement Required: In order to cannot jump across any number of as the astral plane. In these worlds, jump, you must use an artifact made quantum levels, but have a restricted you are a spirit – you can interact nor- or used at your destination to attune range. The value of this limitation mally with other spirits, are affected yourself to the time or world you depends on how limited your range is. by anything that would affect a spirit, intend to jump to. The GM may want A two-quantum limit is worth -5%; a and can use any ability allowed by the to use the Item Authenticity table on one-quantum limit is worth -10%; world’s laws. To initiate the transition, p. 169 to modify the IQ roll for jump- being able to jump only between use the standard rules for the Jumper ing. This form of Jumper often comes worlds in the same quantum is worth advantage; each attempt costs 1 FP. with the Preparation Required limita- -15%. On a success, you shift between tion on p. B114 as well. This is the Past Only: You cannot jump into realms. On a failure, you stay in your mandatory version of the Tracking the future. This limitation applies only current world and are at -5 to use your enhancement on p. B226. -20%. to time-jumpers. -20%. ability again in the next 10 minutes. Duration: Your jump takes several Projection: You travel not physi- The results of a critical failure are up minutes or hours of experiential time cally, but psychically (though not to the GM . . . you might attract evil rather than being instantaneous. The necessarily psionically). Your body spirits, end up adrift between worlds, GM must set the speed (in minutes per falls unconscious and a projection of or go to the wrong world (e.g., Hell). year or minutes per intervening yourself appears at the destination. The special modifiers available to world) of jumping. Your body remains in the physical

174 INFINITE CHARACTERS world, vulnerable to material threats a few steps and be free of anything between two worlds separated by a – if it dies, you are trapped outside it that restricts your movement (like century or more of divergence), these forever. Your projected form is visi- manacles or grappling foes), that’s differences accumulate, reducing even ble but intangible, as if you were -10%. If you need to enter orbit and Native speakers to Accented. The next using Insubstantiality, and subject to accelerate past the speed of light with break point comes before mass print- anything that would affect insub- expensive advantages like Flight ing standardizes the language; a mod- stantial entities. If you have (Space Flight, +50%) with Enhanced ern Homeline English-speaker speaks Insubstantiality, you can “reverse” Move 27 (Space), that’s -40%. English (Broken) in the 15th century, your ability in order to become solid; Special Portal: You need a particu- or on a parallel Earth that diverged in if you have Possession (Spiritual, lar sort of “gateway” to jump the 15th century or before. At the GM’s -20%), you can possess a resident of through, such as a reflective surface, discretion, closely related ancestral the target world. -50% if you cannot a natural cave opening, or a sacred tongues (such as Oscan and Italian, or affect your destination at all without stone circle on a moonlit night. The Old Norse and Icelandic, or Middle Insubstantiality or Possession; -0% if value of the limitation depends on English and English) can be spoken or you can affect your destination with how rare the required gateway is; a read as Broken versions of their rela- spells, mental abilities, and reflective surface is -20%, as is a relatives. The GM should decide how Maledictions as a projection. tively common geographic feature or tough to make language divergence Psionic Teleportation: Your ability any doorway. “Only in a certain between closely related “sister” is part of the Teleportation psi power. sacred spot at a certain time of the tongues like Spanish and Italian, or (The GM may decide that Jumping year” is a -80% limitation. English and Dutch, especially across belongs under a different power; centuries or parallel worlds. Jumper with the Projection limitation Characters with Language Talent would fit well under ESP or, if the GM (p. B65) should get the benefit of the has created such a thing in his cam- doubt on such rulings. A language that paign, an Astral Projection power.) is identical across non-parallel world- -10%. lines should indicate that crosstime Recency Effect: You cannot jump to travel (if only in dreams or visions) is a time since the “Recency Barrier,” happening; suitable languages for whenever that is. This limitation such weirdness might include Ancient applies to time-jumpers only, and only Egyptian, Navajo, or Tibetan. in campaigns where the Recency The Patrol practices intensive lan- Effect (p. 157) does not apply to all guage training; all regular Patrol per- time travel. Usually, jumpers with this sonnel speak English at Native level (in limitation cannot use the Fugue addition to their own language, if any) enhancement to Duplication (p. 173). and at least three others, usually -10%. including Cantonese and Latin. (Other Research Required: This limitation languages the Patrol emphasizes applies to time-jumpers only. You can include Aramaic, Arabic, Armenian, only jump to a time that you have French, German, Hindi, Koiné Greek, memorized, unless you “hitch a ride” Lingua Franca, Russian, Spanish, and with another jumper. This requires at Swahili.) Centrum, by contrast, is still least two weeks of intensive research Language Talent playing catch-up thanks to their single- (the GM may require rolls against see p. B65 language ideology of cultural unity; a History, Archaeology, Research, and This is an incredibly useful advan- Centrum agent rarely knows any lan- so on), and spending character points tage for time travelers or crossworld guage besides Centrum English building up an applicable skill such as adventurers alike, in the absence of (which acts as an Accented version of Area Knowledge (Classical Rome), superscience “universal translators,” Homeline English, and vice versa), Egyptology, or History (American anyway. although classical scholars may know Civil War). At the GM’s discretion, Centrum’s single-culture ideology Classical Greek, Latin, and Hebrew. visions of the past using Psychometry, prevents Centrans from taking this Cabalists often know one or more Racial Memory, or magic may reduce advantage without an Unusual magical or sacred languages in addi- the research time (though not the Background. tion to their own, such as Ancient character points) required. This may Egyptian, Goidelic, Homeric Greek, make jumping to the future difficult, if Hebrew, Latin, Old Norse, Sanskrit, or not impossible! Jumping to that era Languages Tibetan. Swagmen speak Strine, a defaults to the relevant skill, rather see p. B23 thieves’ cant based on Australian than to the jumper’s IQ. -25%. Languages shift slightly from par- slang, Romany, tinkers’ argot, and Special Movement: You must be allel to parallel, even at the same rela- Cantonese profanity. It has a weird able to freely move to jump. The value tive point in history, as slang, loan grammar evolved to handle confu- depends on how stringent the require- words, and jargon differ depending on sions about time and worldlines better ments are. If you merely have to walk any number of culturally specific fac- than most normal tongues. tors. Over a century or more (or

INFINITE CHARACTERS 175 Legal Enforcement that lighting level you can see normal- ISWAT, the Homeline CIA, the SS, ly. You are at -1 to Vision rolls and and most other secret agencies have Powers visually guided tasks for each level by even less in the way of institutional see p. B65 which your environment is either dim- loyalty – agents are expendable. They On Homeline or its colonies, mer or brighter. You still can’t see in almost never serve as Patrons, Infinity Patrolmen have the 10-point total darkness. although an individual supervisor version of this advantage. Since they (“The Professor never abandons a Example: Morlocks have Night can essentially operate outside the man.”) might wind up as a 15-point Vision 6 as a feature. At -6 illumina- laws of other worlds, and (usually) Patron in some games. Skorzeny is tion (roughly a moonlit night) they escape the consequences of their such a patron for proven ISWAT team can see perfectly. At either -3 or -9 actions with impunity, they retain this members. The same is true of the they make Vision rolls at -3; under advantage even in campaigns set Cabal as a whole, or of Infinity full daylight they make them at -6. In entirely outtime. ISWAT agents have Unlimited itself, both incalculably total darkness they’re blind. the 15-point version, as do agents of wealthy (but rarely appearing) 15- the Gestapo and SD of Reich-5. point Patrons; an individual Cabal The Interworld Service has no law Oracle Grand Master (base 20 points) might enforcement powers of any kind with- see p. B72 take a more (or less) active hand. in Centrum or the colony worlds; on In some campaigns, reading the Corporations vary. Time Tours has Zone Green worlds (those with natives omens also reveals the opening (and a very good reputation for looking under Centrum control), I.S. enforcers perhaps the location) of a nexus portal after its own. As a powerful organiza- have the equivalent of 15-point pow- or dimensional highway, especially a tion it appears on a 15 or less in ers against natives, and 5-point pow- transient one: “Travelers from beyond worlds it operates on, and on a 12 or ers against Centrum citizens. Outside the world approach.” less in general, making it a 30-point Zone Green, of course, Centrum laws Patron in a general campaign, and a do not apply, and Interworld Service 45-point Patron in games set entirely members have free rein to bring those Patron on worlds like Johnson’s Rome. Most worlds within the Zones of Control see p. B72 transworld corporations are very pow- however they see fit, constrained only Most time- or parallel-spanning erful or extremely powerful but exert by their superiors’ orders. The only organizations have “unusual reach in themselves for a normal employee exceptions are Grade 7 Unattached time or space,” making them not so only rarely (6 or less). I.S. agents, who (like all Grade 7s) can unusual as all that in a time travel or command any Service as a Grade 5 dimension-hopping campaign. In member. In a campaign centered on Possession such campaigns, the GM should only see p. B75 Centrum, Grade 7 Unattacheds have apply that +50% modifier to organiza- the equivalent of 10-point Legal tions or beings with a truly astonish- This is the advantage used by most Enforcement Powers. ing reach across the worlds, such as mental time travelers in the genre, an active god. By similar logic, organ- even nonpsionic ones like the hero of izations or figures restricted to a sin- Quantum Leap. You can use the Magery Spiritual limitation with this advan- see p. B66 gle worldline (or a single era in time) take at least a -50% modifier as tage for mental time or world travel Depending on the campaign, the Patrons in heavily crosstime games: even if you do not take the Spirit meta- “magical awareness” of Magery 0 may King Henry II can’t do much for you trait. If it is Linked (p. B381) to grant the ability to spot nexus portals on any worldline except the one where Jumper, it can use the Psionic and dimensional highways. In the he rules England, and only for a few Teleportation limitation (p. B257) default Infinite Worlds campaign, decades in that one! rather than Telepathy limitation from many but not all such gates are The Infinity Patrol is a very power- p. B257. (If the GM has created an magical, especially the Gates of Thoth ful organization, appearing (as a Astral Projection psi power, or some (or Psais; see p. 79) and many Patron, anyway) fairly often (9 or less) other psi power incorporating both banestorms. in an Infinite Worlds campaign, mak- Possession and Jumper, no link is ing it a 20-point Patron. Centrum’s required.) Night Vision Interworld Service is larger, but less Special Enhancement see p. B71 likely to appear (6 or less), making it a Death-Snap: Normally, if a pos- As an advantage, Night Vision is 13-point Patron. Neither usually sessed body dies, you die! With this the ability to see under low-light serves as a Patron for its field agents – enhancement, if your host body is conditions as well as under normal Patrolmen and Interworld agents alike killed, you instantly “snap back” to illumination. If you can see at night know that the worlds are tough, and your own time or world, and must better than by day, because normal that they pay a price for their freedom make an immediate Fright Check sunlight dazzles you, this is a 0-point of action and initiative. The Patrol and (p. B360). After an accidental death, or feature, found for example in orcs and the Service are more likely Patrons for a peaceful death in your sleep, roll at no owls. Specify how many levels of scientists, researchers, historians, and penalty, providing there was nothing Night Vision you have, as usual. At other, less rowdy types. especially horrible about it. Roll at a -2

176 INFINITE CHARACTERS penalty for an ordinary combat death. meritocracy; see the box on p. B28.) you to locate nexus portals, dimen- A messy or lingering death requires a High Rank grants Status in Reich-5 as sional highways, banestorms, and roll at -5. A death by torture, or involv- given on p. B28; Infinity Patrol Rank other disruptions to the normal quan- ing a Phobia (a long fall for an acro- grants +1 to Status on Homeline at tum stream; it also allows you to phobe, say) forces a roll at -10 or even Rank 5-7, and +2 to Status at Rank 8. detect incoming parachronic convey- worse! Your first “death” always adds Both SS and Patrol Rank are worth 5 ors as well as a man-portable an extra -10 modifier, your second an points/level, as is Cabal Rank, which parachronic detector (p. B532). extra -5, and your third a -2. Should (usually being secret) grants no you acquire a mental disadvantage as a Status. Special Enhancement result of the Fright Check, it should be Paralocator: You can always tell which worldline you are in, as long as related to the circumstances of your you have been there before; if the proxy “death.” Resistant worldline is entirely strange to you, Once you recover from the results see p. B80 you know that it’s unfamiliar. This of your Fright Check, you may imme- The value of Immunity to enhancement only applies to See diately attempt to rejoin your com- Timesickness is equal to the value of Quantum Flows (or the equivalent panions, if you choose. Of course, they the default effect of Timesickness version in another alternate-Earths won’t know who you are until you based on the rules on p. 181, assuming cosmos). +30%. identify yourself! Thus, it’s a good idea a campaign in which time or dimen- to work out passwords in advance. sion travel is a common occurrence. Special Limitation +25%. Infinity and Centrum have geneti- ESP: This is a special ability within cally engineered therapies that confer the ESP psi power. -10%. Special Limitation Resistant to Disease +8 on their Bloodline Only: You can only pos- agents. Centrum injects all its agents sess your own blood relatives (or, for with its Aesculapius Factor (a geneti- Serendipity world-jumpers, those of your parallel cally engineered antibody complex); see p. B83 self or parallel family) out to the sec- Infinity restricts use of polymaxin (a Even if the conveyor gets lost, the ond cousin level, or anyone that quasi-symbiotic “kamikaze” retro- time machine crashes, or the reality closely related to one of your lineal virus) to those on lengthy outtime quake drops Camelot out from under ancestors. -40%. deployments and to Miracle Workers you, you will probably wind up some- on plague duty, since its long-term where pretty neat. Rank health effects are unknown. see p. B29 Temporal Inertia Ranks in Centrum’s Interworld See Invisible see p. B93 Service (and indeed, in all the Services see p. B83 This advantage can be very useful of Centrum) replace Status, and are 10 “See quantum flows” is an example in some time travel games; the GM points/level. (Centrum is a classless of this advantage. It not only allows may rule that it damps out the negative effects of any paradox you cause, since reality simply “defaults” to your memory and existence. In the Rank Table default Infinite Worlds campaign, it Rank Infinity Patrol SS Cabal increases your likelihood of surviv- 8 Director Oberstgruppenführer Grand Master ing a reality quake, banestorm, or Obergruppenführer other crosstime disaster. At the GM’s Gruppenführer discretion, a native of an echo with 7 Commissioner Brigadeführer Master this advantage may be able to sense 6 Colonel Oberführer Philosopher Centrum (or Infinity Patrol) tamper- Standartenführer ing before the effects become notice- 5 Captain Obersturmbannführer Practitioner able to others. Sturmbannführer 4Lieutenant Hauptsturmführer Theorist Obersturmführer Unaging 3 Special Agent Untersturmführer Adept see p. B95 2 Agent Oberscharführer Novice You take less damage from expo- Unterscharführer sure to the raw time stream (p. 75) 1 Patrolman Rottenführer Initiate than a normal person. In general, any Sturmmann such damage or negative effect is 0 Cadet Mann halved for you, after DR or other reductions, and the GM may rule that Interworld Service ranks are simply “Grade 1” through “Grade 7” with the you are totally immune to some grade number matching the level of Rank. The Forum Chairman, the presiding chronal effects. officer in Centrum’s senior council of coordinators, would theoretically have Status 8 but only Rank 7.

INFINITE CHARACTERS 177 Unusual Background enthusiasm, price spike, destruction ing the “fad” phase until the market see p. B96 of existing drug markets, hypercom- establishes itself, and then very cheap, petition among sellers (often violent, barring government intervention to By definition, time travelers or and involving organized crime in the increase prices (either to control use, crossworld visitors already have an case of illegal drugs) driving the price or to tax a new revenue source). Even unusual background, and daily meet down, government involvement some seemingly exotic drugs get others with unusual backgrounds. For (either prohibition or licensing, or priced to move to the masses once the this sort of campaign, the only sort of sometimes both), and eventual social craze shakes out: heroin, for example, background sufficiently unusual to be adjustment until the new drug is a cheap addiction in 21st-century worth points would be one that gave becomes just another ongoing feature America. very special abilities, such as magic, super-abilities, or psi. (good or bad) of the society. If the drug One excellent example of a fairly In a campaign where only a few confers a social cachet (as cocaine did long-cycle drug craze is the refined PCs have access to time travel or alter- in the 1980s), it stays relatively expen- sugar craze that began in northern nate worlds, the GM should consider sive. Most drugs intended for mass Europe around 1550. Refined sugar, this to be a significant Unusual consumption get very expensive dur- to populations living in areas too cold Background. The cost should be at least 20 points . . . more, if the time or dimension travel is easy and powerful. (In most such campaigns, all PCs are travelers from time to time, but not all can control the means of travel.) Wealth, Status, and Reputation DISADVANTAGES In a campaign where much of the action takes place “at home,” all these social advantages are important and may be used normally. For Addiction instance, in the Order of the Hourglass campaign frame (p. 212), wealth see p. B122 and social position can be very important in preparing for a trip, or in Both tobacco and marijuana are defending from enemy Time Circles at home. illegal in Reich-5’s Germany (and in However, in most campaigns Status is of no importance: whoever you any Germany where the Nazis won may be in your home time means nothing in the past or future. (Of the war), making them -10-point course, some hereditary titles are ancient – but imagine telling the sec- addictions for campaigns set primari- ond Earl of Pottleby that you’re the 17th Earl, and would he mind put- ly around such worlds. Both are legal ting you and your friends up in the family manor for a few days?) in Centrum, along with a wide Growing up with high Status is not useless – there still may be a panoply of other (mostly artificial) bonus to Savoir-Faire skill rolls – but it is no longer “cost-effective,” for drugs. No addict to any incapacitating those who worry about such things. The GM must determine skill mod- drug (including alcohol) can advance ifiers for attempts to pass oneself off as historical nobility (or even one’s above Grade 2 in the Interworld own ancestors). Service, however (unless they take an Reputations, similarly, count for little in most time campaigns; char- appropriate Secret). acters are not likely to meet anyone who knows them 500 years before The value of this disadvantage they’re born. Exceptions to this occur in games with many time travel- varies not only with the drug and its ers, and “recurring villains.” In the Dr. Who universe, for instance, the legality, but with the world and the era Gallifreyan Time Lords have a Reputation, not always good, among the of the addiction. The same addiction cultures that know of their existence. It is also possible that time travel- to the same drug is worth a different ers who do not keep a low profile become “legends” in later eras. It can amount as the drug’s cost responds to be more than a little complicated to deal with people who think you are the supply and demand generated by, a mythic hero reborn. Some travelers likely have Reputations to other for example, a drug craze. time travelers; the GM should decide how frequently such folk appear. Introducing drugs (especially Wealth can be an advantage if the players must finance and equip drugs from other worlds) to a popula- their own time expeditions. A pocketful of gold can work wonders tion with no social mechanism to almost any time (though it might be a good idea to melt down those incorporate them is a sure way to Krugerrands before trying to spend them in the Renaissance). Poverty is cause a craze, in which use of the drug rarely a handicap for time travelers. seemingly spirals out of control and In some backgrounds, it is very easy to become rich if you can travel all society (or at least its drug-using in time and across worlds. In particular, the Jumper and Snatcher abili- segment) is completely disordered. ties could make it easy to become rich. The GM should require jumpers The “Gin Craze” in 18th-century and snatchers to purchase the Filthy Rich advantage if they plan on England and the “crack epidemic” in using their powers to gain wealth. the 1980s share identical etiologies with other drug crazes: discovery,

178 INFINITE CHARACTERS to make wine (or who do not other- die for; the only mercy is a quick trouble (-10 points)? If they have spe- wise habitually consume fruit sug- death. -10 points. cial trouble-causing potential (high ars), is highly addictive with regular Swagman’s Code of Honor: Never rank, psionics, vampirism) and little use (a sugar addict uses 10 to 40 lbs. betray a fellow swagman or reveal his real intention of cooperating with the annually). At TL2-3, refined sugar is scams; help out if he waves you in, team, that’s the -15-point level. The expensive (10 lbs. of sugar costs about stay out if he waves you off. Stay GM should be fairly loose about point $7 at TL3 in northern countries). bought when possible. Don’t go totals, and consider potential for trou- During TL4-5, improved transporta- straight. Say nothing useful to out- ble when assigning these point values: tion and refining techniques (and the siders. Warn your mates of trouble. -5 a brilliant psionic historian might discovery of new tropical growing points. actually be worth more points than a areas) increase supplies, but the much Patrolman, but if he’s Absent-Minded, Alternative Outcomes troopers larger pool of potential addicts Lecherous, and Alcoholic, his maintain the Soldier’s Code of Honor increases demand, driving the price potential for trouble is vast indeed! on p. B127, with the addition of “leave higher in a classic craze; 10 lbs. of How often the auxiliaries appear. no man behind dead or alive.” Time sugar is about $100 in mid-TL5, now a Use the usual rules (p. B131) for fre- Tours staffers keep to the Professional very expensive addiction. (The Golden quency of appearance. Note that if Code of Honor on p. B127, with the Age of Piracy was, to some extent, driv- non-agents are sent along only under addition of “try not to let the idiot en by competition over sugar-growing unusual circumstances – fewer than customers get themselves killed.” islands in the Caribbean; the pirates one in three missions – taking care of were the Crips and Bloods of the them is part of the Agency Duty, not 1680s.) By TL6+, industrial progress Dependents worth points separately. Thus, the ensures that refined sugar is a cheap see p. B131 “quite rarely” frequency should not addiction, even with millions more In general, PCs in a crosstime or apply. addicts creating demand, unless the crossworld campaign should get no How closely they must be protected. government taxes its use prohibitively. points for Dependents unless the The Agency may insist that the agents Dependents appear essentially all the put the auxiliaries’ lives above their time, and are part of the party. own (¥2); require the agents to protect Code of Honor them wherever possible, but not to die see p. B127 Otherwise, their usual antagonists have no idea the Dependent even for them (¥1); or consider them to be A number of the groups in the exists, let alone be able to capture or traveling at their own risk, requiring default Infinite Worlds setting threaten them. only that the agents repair any dam- maintain codes of honor; for example: For example, the inventor of the age they do to the time stream (¥1/2). Cabalistic Code of Honor: Do not time machine could bring his eight- Numbers. If a team of several betray the existence of the supernatu- year-old son along for lack of a better agents only has to escort and protect ral to the unknowing; expand the place to park him. Or the inventor one person per mission, halve the knowledge and power of the Cabal; could be the dependent. He’s brilliant value. For two Dependents or up to avenge your passers. -5 points. but quite incompetent; the PC is his half the team, use the normal value. Centrum Code of Honor: Defend grown daughter, who leads the party. And if the Dependents outnumber the and expand Centrum, at the cost of trained members (as with a tourist your own life if necessary. Do not Clients, Researchers, etc., as group) double their value. allow sentiment or prejudice to cloud Dependents Examples: A Time Tours guide In some campaigns, only agents your judgment; take the long view. deals with well-meaning incompe- and trained technicians go into the Order and reason are the prime tents (-5 points) almost all the time field. Other games may involve the virtues; success justifies ruthlessness (¥3). They must be protected wherev- agents chaperoning groups of histori- in their pursuit. Obedience creates er possible (¥1), and outnumber the cal researchers, or even tourists. These order. -5 points. tour guides in the party (¥2). He gets people are rarely as well trained as the Infinity Patrol Code of Honor: -5¥3¥1¥2, or -30 points. agents, but the agents are responsible Defend the Patrol, The Secret, and A single dinosaur shikari escorts for their safety (and for keeping the Homeline to the death if necessary. competent hunters with no dinosaur amateurs from dangerous meddling). Don’t complain, don’t play politics, experience (-2) quite often (¥2). They Such people also count as Depend- don’t embarrass the Patrol or your travel at their own risk (¥1/2). Such ents, though the actual individuals buddies. Don’t fully trust anyone who parties have more than two members may be different from game to game. isn’t Patrol. Go down swinging. Leave (¥2). He gets -2¥2¥1/2¥2, or -4 points. The actual point value depends on sev- all other allegiances aside when you A team of Patrolmen bodyguards eral factors, and is based on the usual put on Patrol blue and black. -5 points. an important but elderly academic adventures the agents have: SS Code of Honor: Be tough to the researcher (-5 points) fairly often (¥1). point of ruthlessness, lead from the Competence of the persons to be pro- He must be protected at all costs (¥2), front, obey the Reichsführer without tected. Are they reasonably competent but there is only one of him to worry question. The SS, the Führer, the and intelligent people (-1 or -2 points) about (¥1/2). Each Patrolman gets Reich, and the race are things to kill or or bumblers who actively cause -5¥1¥2¥1/2, or -5 points.

INFINITE CHARACTERS 179 Duty points, the same as a single Lodge of Reich-5, especially SS members, have see p. B133 the Cabal. total intolerance of “non-Aryans,” No Enemy restricted to a single despising anyone (including the Membership in crosstime military time or world is likely to be able to descendants of the actual Aryans in or paramilitary organizations such as reach a traveler often enough to be Iran and India) who is not of pure the SS Raven Division, the Infinity worth any points, unless the campaign northwestern European stock. This is Patrol, Centrum’s Interworld Service, uses that world as a recurring (more worth -10 points. Alternate Outcomes, or a Homeline than half of all adventures are set crossworld special forces unit such as there) setting. the British SCS (the Special Conveyor Mundane Background Service, or the “Para Paras”) or the Evil Twin see p. B144 Légion d’Outretemps is always This version of Enemy can be as Many Homeliners possess this Extremely Hazardous for front-line common as the GM wishes. In a cam- background; it is up to the GM personnel. Rear-echelon staff duty, paign where parallel worlds and selves whether his campaign involves even in the Infinity Patrol, only occa- are both common, the GM may enough magic or weirdness to make it sionally involves mortal danger, at reduce the normal -3 reaction penalty a valid disadvantage. Every native of a least after graduation from the toward you, since people don’t neces- no-mana world has it, except possibly Academy. sarily assume that it was you who left the delusional ones! your fingerprints all over the dead Girl Scout’s dresser. Enemies Phobia see p. B135 see p. B148 Certain groups have time- or Honesty Time Travel (Chronophobia): Just dimension-traveling foes who show up see p. B138 as some people on our own Earth are often enough to be taken as Enemies. An Honest character, in a different afraid of flying, some Homeliners are The Cabal, the Infinity Patrol, ISWAT, time or place, acts as though the laws afraid of dimension travel. They do and Centrum’s Interworld Service are and morals of his own home were still not voluntarily take a conveyor any- wide-ranging enough to be “utterly for- in force. This is sure to cause where, and face required crosstime midable” in the Infinite Worlds; the interesting problems! travel at -5 to self-control rolls without base value of any of them as an Enemy lots of calming medication (or booze). is -40 points. The SS of Reich-5, or a No normal Patrolman, White Star rep, Homeline agency with crossworld Intolerance see p. B140 etc. has this phobia, but it can be access such as the CIA, are worth a entertaining for NPC specialists base -30 points. Criminal groups have Many natives of Centrum, whose expertise is vital for a given a harder time getting crosstime access although thoroughly indoctrinated mission. -15 points if time (or world- solely for the purpose of hunting you; against race, class, gender, and reli- line) travel is common, -10 if it is even the Russian Mafiya (which can gious discrimination, are intolerant of uncommon, -5 if it is essentially piggyback on Yugorovsky Group min- all outtimers – Homeliners very much unknown. Adjust the cost for the self- ing and prospecting trips with relative included – for a disadvantage worth -5 control number. impunity) is only worth a base -20 points. Right-thinking Germans of Secret see p. B152 A corrupt Patrolman (which happens more often than anyone likes to believe, but not nearly as often as one might expect given the infinite opportunities) has a -5-point Secret if the corruption is restricted to feathering an outtime nest or smuggling minor collectibles. One taking bribes from (or secretly working for) a Homeline government, a criminal organization, or the like has a Secret worth -20 points.

Sense of Duty see p. B153 Many Patrolmen feel a Sense of Duty to fellow Homeliners on other worlds (-5 points). Almost all

180 INFINITE CHARACTERS Patrolmen feel a Sense of Duty toward -20 points. The difference, -15 points, Generally, the more common the Patrol (-5 points). is the actual disadvantage value to that Timesickness is, the less severe it character. should be. Social Stigma In a campaign where there are dif- see p. B155 ferent forms of travel with different Unique On both Centrum and Homeline, effects, use the disadvantage value for see p. B160 natives of other (non-colonized) the least harmful common method of Although this disadvantage in its Earths are Second-Class Citizens, travel. A character who gains access to standard form is not recommended even within the Interworld Service or a form of travel without side effects for time-traveling PCs, it can be modi- Patrol. On Homeline, this stigma is should be required to buy off his fied suitably. officially discouraged, but no less real. Timesickness disadvantage. To find the point value of a given Special Enhancement level of Timesickness, multiply the McFly’s Syndrome: A time paradox Timesickness severity of the effect by the frequency that would ordinarily wipe you out of see p. B158 with which it affects you, as follows: existence still does so – but in delayed fashion. Once the paradox has This is an expanded treatment of Severity the “standard” disadvantage. occurred (and the GM is just going to Nuisance: You are mentally have to bite the bullet and determine In some stories, time travel is no stunned, and roll for recovery at -5 what simultaneity means in these cir- more stressful than walking through a with only one attempt allowed per 10 cumstances), you begin to lose HT at door; in others, there are serious men- seconds. This has little effect unless the rate of 1 point per hour. At 1/3 of tal and physical effects. When invent- the travelers arrive in the middle of a your original HT, you begin to deso- ing new forms of time travel, the GM hostile situation. -2 points. lidify and “fuzz out” of view; although may set both the frequency and severi- Mild: You are mentally stunned you are not reliably intangible or ty of Timesickness (or “jump sickness” and lose 2d FP. -5 points. invisible enough to receive any game in a parallel-world campaign). A roll Severe: You must make a HT roll. benefit, your DX-based skills drop by against either Will or HT may be On a success, you are mentally one-third, and lose a further skill required to avoid its effects, depending stunned for 1d¥10 minutes. On a fail- point each hour. The only way to on whether the campaign’s time travel ure, you are stunned for 1d hours. restore this HT and skill loss is to is primarily mental or mechanical in Double this on a critical failure! undo the time paradox that eliminated nature. -10 points. you, or to create your own paradox or Another option is to link Very Severe: As above, but you also a branching timeline that will restore Timesickness to the machine opera- take damage: 1 HP if the duration is you to existence. +0%. tor’s skill: in this case, the Electronics under an hour, 2 if it is an hour or Operation (Temporal) success roll more. -15 points. determines whether the travelers are Nightmare: This is a mental effect, SKILLS disoriented. The GM may still allow most appropriate for psionic time In general, many skills practiced in an individual roll to avoid the effects. travel. On a missed Will roll, the vic- a certain specific fashion on one If Timesickness is unusual, then it tim has monstrous visions. Go to the worldline often differ subtly (or not so counts as a disadvantage. If Time- Fright Table and roll as though he had subtly) on other parallels. Natives of sickness is normal in the campaign, just missed a Fright Check by twice one worldline receive a -1 to -5 famil- then it is not a disadvantage; instead, that amount. -15 points. iarity penalty on such skill rolls if Resistant to Timesickness is an advan- Critical: The victim takes 1d of interacting with the skill as used on tage, as described on p. 177. You can damage, and makes a HT roll (even if another parallel. A Homeline-trained have Timesickness at a level worse the save was on Will); if failed, he accountant is not at any penalty to than normal for the campaign. takes another 1d. Shock and keep his own books on Roma Aeterna, Calculate the value of “normal” Knockdown effects are exactly as nor- but suffers a -3 familiarity penalty to Timesickness for the campaign, and of mal injury (crippling is ignored, how- understand the financial records of a the increased level, as described ever). This can kill you. -20 points. Syrian merchant from that worldline, below. The difference in point costs is Frequency even if he can read Aramaic. the value of the disadvantage. Worldlines that diverged from each Rare: Travelers are affected on a other later in history generally have Example: Frequent, Mild Time- critical failure only. ¥1/2. smaller penalties than those that sickness is the default in the cam- Frequent: Any failure affects a trav- diverged earlier; a -1 penalty per 300 paign. It has a value of -5 points, but eler. ¥1. years of divergence is a decent rule of that is not a bonus to normal charac- Very frequent: A critical success is thumb. Some worlds (especially close ters. (Immunity to Timesickness required to avoid effects. ¥1.5. parallels) may have no familiarity becomes a 5-point advantage, howev- Acute: No saving roll allowed; all penalty at all – driving a 1998 er.) However, a character with Acute, travelers are automatically affected Studebaker and driving a 1998 Ford Severe Timesickness has a malady unless they are immune. ¥2. differ only in minor respects. which, from the rules below, is worth

INFINITE CHARACTERS 181 This penalty is usually subsumed and destination of any crossworld or It is more commonly taught to in the TL penalty for TL-dependent crosstime gates in the area; in other agents of the Centrum Interworld skills, or in the unfamiliarity penalties campaigns, such knowledge is Hidden Service than to Infinity Patrolmen. for specific weapon, technical, and Lore (see below). Most Cabalists consider it beneath vehicle skills; the GM may rule other- them, and it is irrelevant to the con- wise in borderline cases. quests of Reich-5 . . . for now. Skills (or specific uses of skills) that Current Affairs may take some familiarity penalty see p. B186 include: Accounting, Administration, Current Affairs usually does not Gadgeteer Carousing, Combat Art or Sport, apply on parallel worlds (or takes dou- see p. B475 Connoisseur, Crewman, Erotic Art, ble the normal time-and-distance If you suspect that you might be Finance, Forgery, Gambling, Games, penalties, at the GM’s discretion) hurled back in time by a lightning bolt Gesture, Heraldry, many Hobby Skills, except for the very closest parallels or a blow on the head, or yanked into Intelligence Analysis, Law, Market and echoes – the details of who’s sleep- an alternate Pennsylvania by a Analysis, Merchant, Occultism, Pan- ing with whom and which baseball parachronic undertow, this is the handling, Performance, Politics, team is the threat to watch can vary advantage to buy. Without it, your Propaganda, Public Speaking, Rel- wildly from world to world. chances of bringing the telegraph, igious Ritual, Savoir-Faire, Soldier, printing, the pike formation, and Sports, Streetwise, and Typing. Artistic whiskey to the ancient Romans, or skills such as Architecture or Cooking anywhere else, dwindle to almost nil. take no penalty to practical uses such A Connecticut Player Character in King as finding secret doors or cooking pork Arthur’s Sourcebook or Lest Darkness safely, but may take a penalty to uses Fall type campaign can be a lot of fun, that depend on knowledge of current either played for laughs or as a deadly styles and fads, such as designing a serious race against time and igno- building in Confederate Neo-Bourbon rance to defeat the onrushing hordes or cooking in Dragon Dynasty style. of Tamerlane. Most academic, scientific, and professional skills also take such a penalty – Geography for the purposes of discussion with others in the field at least. see p. B198 Although Geography (Political) for an area varies widely from world to Archaeology world (with game effects similar to see p. B176 those for Area Knowledge or History), At the GM’s discretion, the Geography (Physical) only suffers Archaeology skill (with a suitable penalties on worlds with widely diver- focus or optional specialty in a given gent climate, plate tectonics, and so culture) may justify taking a Cultural forth. Familiarity for a historical culture. A Expert Skill specialist in Hittite archaeology (Cliodynamics) Hidden Lore should be able to justify purchasing see p. B193 Cultural Familiarity (Hittite), for see p. B199 This is the Expert Skill governing example. Some Hidden Lore (Demons, historical change, used to analyze par- Things Man Was Not Meant To Know) allels to spot divergence points, push are probably quite similar on various Area Knowledge echoes toward a desired goal, pick parallels, while others (Conspiracies, see p. B176 which Civil War general to kill so that Spirits) are less likely to have specifics Area Knowledge can apply across the South can win the war, and so in common. Hidden Lore (Faerie) parallels, especially close parallels. In forth. It can stand in for Current may be in either group, depending on general, a close parallel is -0 or -1 to Affairs, Economics, Geography, the cosmology of the campaign. In skill plus any time modifiers. For an History, or Sociology to discover most campaign worlds, knowledge of echo, use the appropriate modifier for change points (historical or potential) gates between worlds, time portals, the time differential (p. B530) between in a worldline, determine what kinds and so forth is a quintessential body of the echo and your native world. For a of causes will bring about desired (or hidden lore – Hidden Lore (Gates). farther parallel, use the time differen- feared) effects, and detect such histor- This may include their locations, how tial modifier for the time since the ical changes currently underway. It to find them, and even some knowl- divergence point between your Earth can also work as Intelligence Analysis edge of their destination (“The gate in and the parallel world. or Market Analysis for this purpose the cemetery leads to a world where In some campaigns, Area (only). (In some schools, it is called Lincoln wasn’t assassinated.”). It does Knowledge can include the location “psychohistory” or “cliology.”) not convey the ability to construct such gateways.

182 INFINITE CHARACTERS library system) is at -12 (-6 for the 85 years between the divergence point, doubled for the TL5/6 shift) to his History! (IQ) Research skill to find anything useful This optional wildcard skill (p. B175) replaces all specialties of at all. Research into eras before the Anthropology, Archaeology, History, and Paleontology, and covers the divergence point is unaffected, of historical versions of Area Knowledge, Current Affairs, Geography, course – many Homeline libraries Heraldry, and Sociology, and the “academic” and historical elements of (with full computer cataloging and the various artistic skills. (“Why, this is a lost Leonardo masterpiece, data storage) are much better places Billy!”) It also removes Cultural Familiarity penalties for all historical to research Dixie-1 medieval history eras, and halves them for parallel histories. It is up to the GM whether than any library in that world! This is this wildcard skill also encompasses Cliodynamics. not a universal verity: for example, This is the skill possessed by such great time travel pioneers as Mr. since the Hamburg and Dresden of Peabody, Professor Phineas Bogg, and Mr. Spock. Dixie-1 were never firebombed, there are surviving medieval documents in Dixie-1’s archives that aren’t available anywhere on Homeline! The GM should always take the subject matter, History some research time, should be availability of information, and state see p. B200 required to check this. (Yes, Genghis of historical knowledge into account Khan really did have red hair and Historians suffer no penalties to when adjudicating Research rolls on green eyes, and didn’t look Oriental at crosstime subjects. skill rolls concerning parallel world all ...) histories before the divergence point with their own world. For history after Tracking a divergence point, apply the time dif- see p. B226 ferential penalties on p. B530 to the Literature difference between the year being Like Naturalist, on some worlds see p. B205 and in some campaigns, this skill may studied and the divergence point, but Literature across parallel worlds is do not multiply for TLs that both his- allow you to find gates to other worlds the same before the divergence point. – perhaps even by finding animal tories crossed! For example, a Each century of divergence usually Homeline military historian specializ- tracks that suddenly disappear in mid- adds -2 to any modifier to Literature stride! Again, The GM may rule that ing in World War II is theorizing about rolls made by students of another the Pacific War in Dixie-1, 85 years such knowledge counts as Hidden worldline’s literary tradition. At the Lore (Gates) in his campaign. and one TL boundary after the diver- GM’s discretion, Current Affairs or gence point between Dixie and History may default to Literature-4 in Homeline. The Long-Range Modifiers a myth parallel. TECHNIQUES table on p. B241 gives a -6 penalty for distances up to 100 miles (years, for Anachronistic Training this purpose). Ordinarily, this would Naturalist Average become a -12 modifier based on the see p. B211 Defaults: Special (see below). rule on p. B241, but since both On some worlds, and in some cam- Homeline and Dixie-1 crossed the Prerequisite: Any one TL skill; can- paigns, this skill may allow characters not exceed prerequisite skill. TL5/6 boundary, the historian can to find gates to other worlds, by spot- take those differences into account. ting outtime plants or specific This technique allows you to use The modifier remains -6. parachronozoidal spoor (p. 74). The the prerequisite skill without suffering This skill can also be used to GM may rule that such knowledge a TL penalty for antique or anachro- determine whether a traveler notices counts as Hidden Lore (Gates) in his nistic methods. Each level of this tech- something different in the past or in a campaign. nique removes one level of TL penalty; parallel world from history as he a TL8 Patrolman with Anachronistic learned it. He makes a History skill Training (Artillery)-2 would take no roll, with a bonus or penalty appropri- Research TL penalties for Artillery/TL7 or /TL6 ate to the importance of the change. see p. B217 rolls, and would make Artillery/TL5 Realizing that Benjamin Franklin was Research rolls take the same penal- rolls at the -1 penalty for skills one TL never President is easy (for an ties across worlds as do Area lower. Anachronistic Training cannot American historian, anyway); recog- Knowledge rolls (p. 182). To return to be used to remove the penalty for nizing that the Andrea Doria should the example above under History: the futuristic gear or methods. The GM not have made it to port is a bit hard- Homeline historian researching Dixie- may still enforce a familiarity penalty er . . . Of course, a difference may just 1’s Pacific War in a standard Homeline for unfamiliar equipment. You must mean that history, as taught in schools library (not one specializing in buy this technique for each skill or seen in the movies, is often wrong! parachronic history like the Patrol separately. A roll at a further penalty, and possibly

INFINITE CHARACTERS 183 Historical Familiarity Average Defaults: prerequisite skill-4. Prerequisites: Archaeology, Egypt- Alternate Selves ology, or History; cannot exceed pre- One gimmick that works especially well in a time-travel or crosstime requisite skill. campaign is to let the players play themselves. To forestall arguments about what George’s IQ really is, all PCs are built on the same point Your intensive training in ancient value. Players keep their own names, their own quirks, professions, and societies gives you some familiarity so forth, and add skills and abilities they would like to have, or like to with the overall geography and cultur- have at a higher level – Broadsword good enough to stake one’s life on, al norms (such as manner of dress and for instance. The GM can assume that all the players are (for instance) certain styles) of a certain period of five years older, and have had time to develop their abilities, or are them- time. You may default to the relevant selves from the “next Earth over.” Area Knowledge (or, at the GM’s dis- Then let them all get recruited by the Time Patrol, or find a loose time cretion, Current Affairs) from machine, and go! If the Time Patrol teaches additional skills, these can Archaeology, Egyptology, or History be covered by a Duty to the Patrol. instead of IQ, and gradually buy off the -4 default. Each historical specialty is a separate technique. ALTERNATE HUMANS Although most of the humans on Advantages: Absolute Direction [5]; After all, if the lights won’t stay on, the Infinite Worlds fall well within the Night Vision 4 [0]; Temperature probably the other systems aren’t general bounds of Homo sapiens sapi- Tolerance (Cold) 1 [1]. working too well either. Add G- ens, there are worlds – and human Disadvantages: Appearance Experience (All) [10] and another species – outside those most familiar (Unattractive) [-4]; Intolerance two levels of Temperature limits. The following variant human (“Sun people”) [-5]; Phobia (Open Tolerance (Cold) [2]. races appear through several different spaces)(12) [-10]; Skinny [-5]. Regardless of home milieu, a lenses, usually depending on their Skills: Climbing-12 (DX+2) [8]; noticeable percentage of dark- native TL or era. Lens point values are Stealth-12 (DX+2) [8]. dwellers might have disadvantages given as net changes to the basic racial TL0-4 (-18 points): Pre-industrial like Dwarfism, or advantages like template. Sufficiently advanced (or dark-dwellers might be the Flexibility, especially those living in perverted) magic can, of course, “Hidden Race” of Arthur Machen cramped tunnels or caves. Nasty dark- bring about such changes without novels or 19th-century anthropolo- dwellers always seem to wind up with recourse to biology, and on some gy, hiding in the hills and mounds the Odious Racial Habit (Eats other worlds the laws of evolution run at from taller, stronger invaders. Such sapient beings). higher speed, or down a different a race might give rise to legends of road, than on Homeline. The GM is troglodytes, kobolds, or even dark perfectly within his rights to refuse to elves. Such a race might survive for Mutants allow any of these species as PCs in a centuries undetected. Add IQ-1 -40 points Patrol game, or to require an Unusual [-20], another 4 levels of Night After a nuclear war or some other Background advantage for alternate Vision [0], and Survival (Caves) catastrophe irradiates and poisons the human characters. (Per) [2]. Earth, at least three species will sur- TL5+ (+30 points): At this TL, dark- vive: cockroaches, rats, and mankind. Dark-Dwellers dwellers need to be able to main- These are the survivors. -2 points tain machinery. Sometimes, it is Attribute Modifiers: IQ-1 [-20]; HT-1 This human species has evolved this very task that has consigned [-10]. living without natural light, probably them to the depths; they might be Advantages: Acute Taste and Smell 3 in underground caves, asteroid habi- deros, Morlocks, or dwarves from a [6]; Breath-Holding 1 [2]. tats, bomb shelters, or worlds with the dark steampunk world or a “mana- Disadvantages: Skinny [-5]; sky burned black by horrific experi- punk” future. Add IQ+1 [20] and Xenophobia (12) [-15]. ments gone wrong – or horrific wars Artificer 1 [10]. Urban homeless Racially Learned Skills: Survival gone all too right. “mole people” should use the (Radioactive Wasteland)-9 (Per) Their Night Vision is a 0-point TL0-4 lens, above, but change [2]. feature as described on p. 176. Survival (Caves) to Urban Survival. Outer Space (+12 points): Dark- First Generation (-19 points): Born just Attribute Modifiers: HT-1 [-10]. dwellers in outer space habitats after the Fall, this generation of Secondary Characteristic Modifiers: perforce get used to swings in grav- mutants barely sustains the Per+2 [10]. ity and variable air circulation. species. Apply another IQ-1 [-20],

184 INFINITE CHARACTERS but add Per+3 [15] and HP+2 [4], Attribute Modifiers: ST+2 [20]; DX-1 downright Ugly. (This may lead to Reduced Consumption (1/3, Cast- [-20]. Shyness.) The GM may decide that Iron Stomach) [1], Low Empathy Secondary Characteristic Modifiers: Neanderthals have a greater chance [-20], and Scrounging-12 (Per) [1]. Per+1 [5]. for psionics than modern humans, or Rebuilders (+15 points): Adapted to Advantages: DR 1 (Skull Only, -70%) a flat limit on their Magery, or any- their surroundings, they seek to [2]; Temperature Tolerance (Cold) thing else not provable from the make their hell a home, but have 1 [1]. archaeological record. yet to lay secure foundations for Disadvantages: Overweight [-1]; the long climb back up. Add Sense of Duty (Tribe) [-5]; Short Radiation Tolerance 5 [10] and Lifespan [-10]; Super-Soldiers Resistant to Poison 3 [5]. Skills: Armoury/TL0-11 (Melee 39 points Weapons) (IQ+1) [4]; Gesture-10 This human race has been bred, or Like nasty dark-dwellers, spiky- (IQ) [1]; Naturalist-8 (IQ-2) [1]; built, to be warriors first and humans haired mutants may develop the Survival (choose)-10 (Per) [2]. second, if at all. At TLs before TL6, it Odious Racial Habit (Eats other sapi- Taboo Traits: May not take any lan- presumes a chance discovery of ent beings) and file their teeth into guage at better than Broken. Mendelian genetics by some culture Sharp Teeth (p. B91). (or secret society) capable of molding Evolved (+0 points): This presumes society to fit its ideals. Such cultures – that Neanderthals became the and such ideals – may well come into Neanderthals dominant species on Earth, evolv- 0 points conflict with the Infinity Patrol and its ing much as their Cro-Magnon ideals. On Homeline, Homo nean- competitors did. Substitute IQ+1 derthalensis died out around 32,000 [20] for the Per bonus, add Attribute Modifiers: ST+3 [30]; HT+1 years ago, but on some Earths, he won Gregarious [-10], and remove the [10]. the competition with our Cro-Magnon Sense of Duty, the DR bonus, the Secondary Characteristic Modifiers: ancestors. Neanderthals have large skills, and the limitation on lan- Will+1 [5]; FP+1 [3]. jaws and beetle brows, and are short guages. Advantages: Combat Reflexes [15]; Fit and stocky (like weightlifters or Homo erectus (-49 points): This lens [5]; High Pain Threshold [10]. wrestlers), but do not fit the stereo- goes the other way, and can serve Disadvantages: Bully (9) [-15]; typed hunched, brutish “cave man” as a stand-in for Peking Man, Java Callous [-5]; Duty (Military; 15 or image. They have larger cranial capac- Man, and other pre-Neanderthal less; Extremely Hazardous) [-20]; ities than Homo sapiens sapiens, hominids. Add IQ-2 [-40], increase Fanaticism (The Cause) [-15]. which equates to a “weird-looking” Short Lifespan by a level [-10], and Skills: Brawling-12 (DX+2) [4], skull shape. If they had evolved, they remove Overweight. Hiking-11 (HT) [2], Soldier/TL-10 might well have turned out smarter (IQ) [2], Spear-12 (DX+2) [8]. than we did; genre convention (but no In a primarily Homo sapiens TL1-5 (-23 points): Historical cases of archaeological evidence to speak of) milieu, Neanderthals have Unusual attempted super-soldier breeding paints Neanderthals (both evolved and Features (Beetle brow and prog- include the Spartan warrior caste, primitive) as a less individualistic, nathous jaw) 3, and might even be the Janissary soldier-slaves of the more collectively focused species. Ottomans, and the grenadier guards in some German princely states. Add Bloodlust (12) [-10], Hidebound [-5], and Susceptible to Disease (-2 to HT) [-8]. TL6-7 (-19 points): After Mendel but before Watson and Crick, “cut and try” notions of human genetics begin to come into play, from Dr. Moreau to Dr. Mengele. This template implies some measure of success has emerged: a method in their madness, if not a super-serum per se. Add HP+1 [2] and another FP+2 [6], and add Lifting ST+1 [3] and a cocktail of mental disadvantages worth -30 points. Example: Bad Temper (12) [-10], Nightmares (12) [-5], Paranoia [-10], and Post-Combat Shakes (12) [-5].

INFINITE CHARACTERS 185 TL8+ (-15 points): With the DNA mol- Timing [2], Acute Hearing 5 [10], Some breeders may instill Slave ecule unlocked, true bioengineer- Acute Vision 5 [10], DR 2 [10], Mentality in their subjects, or ing becomes possible. This is only Lifting ST+3 [9], Night Vision 8 [8], (purposely or accidentally) give their the beginning. Add HP+3 [6] and Oxygen Storage (25¥, -50%) [10], soldiers Addictions to combat stimu- FP+3 [9]; and add Appearance Peripheral Vision [15], Rapid lants, steroids, or super-drugs, or even (Unattractive) [-4]; Lifting ST+3 Healing [5], Sanitized Metabolism a full-fledged Dependency. Many sol- [9]; Increased Consumption 1 [1], and Super Jump 1 [10]; add diers, super and otherwise, hold to a [-10]; Killjoy [-15]; and Short Increased Consumption 1 [-10], Code of Honor; most super-soldiers Lifespan 1 [-10]. Killjoy [-15], and Short Lifespan 1 have Extremely Hazardous Duty. Tenshi (+143 points): This is the pack- [-10]; replace Brawling with Programs with racial motives (such as age for Japanese super-soldiers as Karate-13 (DX+2) [12]. To con- the Nazis) or aesthetic ones (such as used by various generals and keiret- struct a full-blown tenshi, apply Prussian grenadier guardsmen, or a su cartels on Reich-5 (p. 57). It this racial template to the Alternate supervillain’s female assassins) may should be taken as a maximum Outcomes Mercenary template on aim for Attractive or better appear- design for somewhat realistic set- p. 189 with the appropriate adjust- ance, at the risk of Off-the-Shelf Looks tings. Add DX+1 [20], HP+3 [6], ments for Imperial Japan (use the (p. B21). FP+3 [9], Basic Speed+2 [40]; disadvantage package from the SS Absolute Direction [5], Absolute Trooper on p. 193). CHARACTER TEMPLATES your Native languages must be Interrogation-12 (IQ+1) [4], and INFINITY English, however) [8]. Intimidation-13 (Will) [2]. Disadvantages: Code of Honor 4. Justice: Criminology-12 (IQ+1) [4], UNLIMITED (Patrol) [-5]; Duty (Patrol; 15 or Forensics-11 (IQ) [4], and Law less; Extremely Hazardous) [-20]; (Police)-11 (IQ) [4]. Intervention Service Sense of Duty (Patrol) [-5]; and -30 †5. Liaison: Diplomacy-12 (IQ+1) [8] (I-Cop) points from among Addiction and Savoir-Faire (Military or 155 points (Tobacco) [-5], Bad Sight Police)-13 (IQ+2) [4]. Depending on the campaign, play- (Mitigator: Glasses, -60%) [-10], †6. Logistics: Administration-12 ers should add 30 or so points to this Bad Temper [-10*], Chummy [-5], (IQ+1) [4], Armoury/TL8 (choose)- template (for I-Cops) or the one fol- Fanaticism (The Secret) [-15], 12 (IQ+1) [4], and Electronics lowing (for Scouts) to build a Honesty [-10*], Impulsiveness Repair/LT8^ (Parachronic)-12 Patrolman who has graduated from [-10*], Insomniac [-10 or -15], (IQ+1) [4]. the Academy and served a year or so Overconfidence [-5*], Pacifism †7. Morale: Propaganda/TL8-12 in one division of the Patrol. The Basic (Cannot Harm Innocents) [-10], (IQ+1) [4] and Psychology-12 Skills and Background Skills sections Post-Combat Shakes [-5*], and (IQ+1) [8]. (plus the first three advantages) model Stubbornness [-5]. 8. Nexus Oversight: Area Knowledge Academy training; the Division Skills Basic Skills: Electronics Opera- (Quantum 5)-13 (IQ+2) [4]; take 4 section gives sample packages for tion/TL8^ (Parachronic)-12 (IQ+1) points in any Driving or Riding each division of the Patrol. Given [4]; First Aid/TL9-13 (IQ+2) [4]; skill [4], and bring Electronics Infinity’s preference for breadth of Guns/TL9 (Pistol)-13 (DX+1) [2]; Operation/TL8^ (Parachronic) up service rather than depth, the GM History (choose specialty)-12 to 13 [4]. should encourage players to build (IQ+1) [8]; Karate-12 (DX) [4]; 9. Security: Intelligence Analysis/TL8- experienced Patrolmen by adding Soldier-12 (IQ+1) [4]; Shortsword- 12 (IQ+1) [8] and Electronics other division modules to characters, 13 (DX) [4]; Stealth-12 (DX) [2]; Operation/TL8 (Surveillance)-12 as well as improving skill levels. Survival (Plains)-12 (Per+1) [4]. (IQ+1) [4]. Division Skills: Add 12 points in skills 10. Special Operations: Cliodynamics- Attributes: ST 11 [10]; DX 12 [40]; IQ relevant to your Division. For 11 (IQ) [4], Guns/TL9 (Rifle)-14 11 [20]; HT 11 [10]. example: (DX+2) [4], and Tactics-11 (IQ) [4]. Secondary Characteristics: Damage 1d-1/1d+1; BL 24 lbs.; HP 11 [0]; †1. Academy: Sports (choose)-11 Background Skills: Vacc Suit/TL8 Will 13 [10]; Per 11 [0]; FP 14 [9]; (DX-1) [1], Teaching-12 (IQ+1) [4], (DX)-12 [2]; take 8 points in any Basic Speed 6 [5]; Basic Move 6 and 7 points in any other skills as one skill as your “aptitude skill” [8]. [0]. instructional specialties [5]. * Multiplied for self-control num- Advantages: Combat Reflexes [15]; Fit 2. Customs and Inspection: Elect- ber; see p. B120. [5]; Language Talent [10]; Legal ronics Operation/TL8 (Security)-12 † Duty is merely Hazardous; take Enforcement Powers [10]; Patrol (IQ) [4] and Search-13 (Per+2) [8]. another -5 points in disadvantages. Rank 1 [5]; and two languages at †3. Internal Affairs: Accounting-10 Native besides your own (one of (IQ-1) [2], Detect Lies-11 (Per) [4],

186 INFINITE CHARACTERS Penetration Service (Scout) 155 points Attributes: ST 11 [10]; DX 11 [20]; IQ 12 [40]; HT 11 [10]. Secondary Characteristics: Damage 1d-1/1d+1; BL 24 lbs.; HP 11 [0]; Will 12 [0]; Per 14 [10]; FP 14 [9]; Basic Speed 6 [10]; Basic Move 6 [0]. Advantages: Combat Reflexes [15]; Fit [5]; Language Talent [10]; Legal Enforcement Powers [10]; Patrol Rank 1 [5]; and three languages at Native besides your own (one of your Native languages must be English, however) [12]. Disadvantages: Code of Honor (Patrol) [-5]; Duty (Patrol, 15 or less; Extremely Hazardous) [-20]; Secret (From another Earth) [-20]; [4], Finance-11 (IQ-1) [2], enforcement and national security Sense of Duty (Patrol) [-5]; and -25 Intelligence Analysis-12 (IQ) [4], agents of Homeline governments, points from among Careful [-1], Interrogation-12 (IQ) [2]. whether overt (such as the RCMP or Charitable [-15*], Curious [-5*], †5. Records and Research: Admin- FBI) or covert (such as Mossad or the Fanaticism (The Secret) [-15], istration-13 (IQ+1) [4], Linguis- CIA). Homeline agents have Duties, Honesty [-10*], Insomniac [-10 or tics-12 (IQ) [4], and Research-13 Codes of Honor, and Senses of Duty -15], Intolerance (Some outtime (IQ+1) [4]. commensurate with their nationality. society or custom) [-5], Loner [-5*], 6. Search and Rescue: Climbing-12 In lieu of Language Talent and lan- Overconfidence [-5*], Pacifism (DX+1) [4], Swimming-12 (HT+1) guages, they usually have skills in Law (Cannot Harm Innocents) [-10], [2], add 4 points in any Boating, (Police) and national law codes, along and Post-Combat Shakes [-5*]. Driving, Piloting, or Riding skill with Criminology, Guns/TL8 (Pistol), Basic Skills: Electronics Opera- [4], and bring First Aid up to 14 [2]. and Judo. tion/TL8^ (Parachronic)-13 7. Survey: Camouflage-14‡ (IQ+1) [2], (IQ+1) [4]; First Aid/TL9-13 Observation-15 (Per+1) [4], ISWAT Operative (IQ+1) [2]; Guns/TL9 (Rifle)-13 Photography/TL8-12 (IQ) [2], and bring Stealth up to 14 [4]. There is no “standard” ISWAT (DX+2) [4]; History (choose spe- operative. ISWAT’s teams of pulp cialty)-12 (IQ) [4]; Karate-12 †8. Technical Analysis: Electronics Operation/TL8 (any)-13 (IQ+1) [4], heroes, supers, legendary figures, (DX+1) [8]; Knife-13 (DX+2) [4]; faeries, undead, and so forth hew to Soldier-12 (IQ) [2]; Stealth-13 Engineering/TL8 (any)-12 (IQ) [4], and Electronics Repair/TL8 (any)-13 no common template and have only (DX+2) [8]; Survival (Plains)-15 two traits in common: Legal (Per+1) [4]. (IQ+1) [4]. Mathematics/TL8 (applied)-10 (IQ-2) [1]. Enforcement Powers [15] and Duty Division Skills: Add 12 points in skills (ISWAT, 15 or less; Extremely relevant to your Division (note lens Background Skills: Vacc Suit/TL8 Hazardous) [-20]. 8 is built on 13 points). For instance: (DX+1)-12 [4]; take 8 points in any If you wish to build an ISWAT 1. Communications: Crypto- one skill as your “aptitude skill” [8]. “grunt,” base him on the Centrum Unattached template on p. 192, with the graphy/TL8-12 (IQ) [4]; Electronics * Multiplied for self-control num- “ISWAT package” listed above in lieu of Operation/TL8 (Comm)-13 (IQ+1) ber; see p. B120. Centrum-specific cultural traits, and [4], and take 4 points in any Driving, † Duty is merely Hazardous; select Patrol Basic Skills (from the I-Cop tem- Piloting, or Riding skill [2]. another -5 points in disadvantages. plate on p. 186) instead of the Centrum 2. Contact: Acting-12 (IQ) [2], These Divisions also usually don’t Primary Skills set. The GM should Anthropology-12 (IQ) [4], Diplo- need to maintain a cover on another reshuffle the Centrum Background macy-12 (IQ) [4], and Savoir- Earth, and so may not be eligible for Skills as follows: leave Running and Faire-13 (IQ+1) [2]. the Secret disadvantage, either. Swimming alone (as broadly useful 3. Echo Surveillance: Area Knowledge ‡ Bought from Survival. (station)-14 (IQ+2) [4], History skills that reflect intensive physical (echo era)-12 (IQ) [4], and Homeline Agents training) and replace the others with 14 Shadowing-13 (IQ+1) [4]. The above templates can also serve points in skills that reflect the opera- 4. Intelligence: Cliodynamics-12 (IQ) as the basis for capable crosstime law- tive’s world background. An ISWAT operative is seldom below 250 points.

INFINITE CHARACTERS 187 Paralabs Field Meteorology/TL8-12 (IQ-1) [1]; (IQ+2) [4]; and select three skills Research/TL8-13 [2]; Survival from among Diagnosis/TL9-12 Researcher (Desert)-14 (Per) [2]. (IQ) [4], Epidemiology-12 (IQ) 101 points Background Skills: Astronomy/TL8- [4], Farming/TL8-13 (IQ+1) Although wandering through alter- 12† (IQ-2) [1]; Cartography/TL8 [4], Hazardous Materials/TL8 nate Earths is the Patrol’s job, (IQ-1)-12 [1]; Navigation (choose)-13 (IQ+1) [4], Phar- Paralabs needs technicians “in coun- (Land)/TL8-12 (IQ-1) [1]. macy/TL9 (Synthetic)-12 (IQ) [4], try” surveying banestorms, charting Physician/TL9-12 (IQ) [4], or * Multiplied for self-control num- reality quakes, measuring quantum Surgery/TL9-11 (IQ-1) [4]. ber; see p. B120. flux along dimensional highways, and Secondary Skills: NBC Suit/TL8-11 † +1 from Mathematical Ability. studying the myriad other aspects of (DX+1) [4]; and select two skills “reality geology” central to parachron- from among Electronics Opera- ic research. This template is designed Miracle Worker tion/TL9 (Medical)-12 (IQ) [2], with a bias to such field researchers, 85 points Freight Handling/TL8-12 (IQ) [2], rather than the academic theoreti- The staff of Miracle Workers runs Packing-12 (IQ) [2], or Teamster cians or parachronic engineers who the gamut from do-gooding “angels of (Equines)-12 [2]. stay at home and determine the mean- mercy” to coldly efficient triage agents Background Skills: Diplomacy-12 ing or application of what the “glitch- who separate the salvageable from the (IQ) [4]; Leadership-12 (IQ) [2]. hunters” have found. walking dead. Some have bleeding * Multiplied for self-control Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 10 [0]; IQ 13 hearts full of charity and outrage; oth- number; see p. B120. [60]; HT 11 [10]. ers have only eyes with the “thousand Secondary Characteristics: Damage yard stare” of a hundred worlds’ 1d-2/1d; BL 20 lbs.; HP 11 [2]; Will plagues, genocides, and famines. UNIC 13 [0]; Per 14 [5]; FP 11 [0]; Basic None of them have given up, though, Speed 5.25 [0]; Basic Move 5 [0]. and gone back to Homeline. That says Crisis Ministry Advantages: Fit [5]; Mathematical a lot more than any personal philoso- Troubleshooter Ability 1 [10]; and 15 points from phy, to Patrolmen who see them in 115 points among Absolute Direction [5], action. To the Patrol, there’s nothing less Absolute Timing [2 or 5], Eidetic Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 10 [0]; IQ 12 welcome than the dapper fellow with Memory [5 or 10], Intuition [15], [40]; HT 11 [10]. the $200 Park Avenue haircut and the Lightning Calculator [5], Magery 0 Secondary Characteristics: Damage clean fingernails showing up “from [5], more Mathematical Ability 1d-2/1d; BL 20 lbs.; HP 10 [0]; Will the Ministry to have a look ’round.” [10/level]; Single-Minded [5], and 14 [10]; Per 12 [0]; FP 13 [6]; Basic The Patrol suspects that these trou- Unfazeable [15]. Speed 5.25 [0]; Basic Move 5 [0]. bleshooters’ job is to interfere with Disadvantages: Duty (Infinity, 15 or Advantages: Resistant to Disease +8 Patrolmen doing their job, and to jus- less; mostly Nonhazardous) [-10]; [5]; and 25 points from among tify their own salaries. While a certain Pacifism (Reluctant Killer) [-5]; Charisma [5/level], Clerical amount of both goes on, their real task and -20 points from among Absent- Investment [5], Empathy [5 or 15], is threat assessment. If the locals on Mindedness [-15], Bad Sight Fearlessness [2/level], Healer Damocles seem a little too happy with (Mitigator: Glasses, -60%) [-10], [10/level], High Pain Threshold the nearby robotic mining compound, Code of Honor (Professional) [-5], [10], and Less Sleep [2/level]. or if the U.S. government on Taft-2 is Combat Paralysis [-15], Curious Disadvantages: Duty (Infinity, 15 or getting strangely cozy with the British [-5*], Intolerance (Some outtime less; Nonhazardous) [-10]; Sense of Comintern, it may warrant a genteel culture or custom) [-5], Jealousy Duty (Innocent victims) [-15]; and look-see and a surreptitious report [-10], Loner [-5*], Oblivious [-5], -20 points from among Addiction back to Homeline. Political instincts Obsession (Proving a theory) [-5 or (Stimulants or tobacco) [-5], Bad honed in Turtle Bay (the Patron -10*], Shyness [-5 or -10], Sight (Mitigator: Glasses, -60%) advantage reflects some juice with the Stubbornness [-5], and Weirdness [-10], Callous [-5], Charitable higher-ups in UNIC) get a workout Magnet [-15]. [-15*], Code of Honor (Hippocratic outtime, and even if nothing looks Primary Skills: Computer Opera- Oath) [-5], Compulsive Generosity remotely strange on the surface, “the tion/TL8-13 (IQ) [1]; Electronics [-5*], Disciplines of Faith [-5], Guilt man from the Ministry” can sniff out Operation/TL8^ (Parachronics)-14 Complex [-5], Honesty [-10*], deep currents indeed. Whether UNIC [4]; Electronics Operation/TL8 Insomniac [-10 or -15], No Sense of then alerts the Patrol or calls in its (Scientific)-14 [4]; Mathema- Humor [-10], Odious Personal own big guns depends on what the tics/TL8 (Applied)-14† (IQ) [4]; Habit (Moral posturing) [-5], troubleshooter sees coming in on Physics/TL8^ (Parachronic)-13† Pacifism [-5 to -15], Timesickness those currents. (IQ-1) [4]. [-10], Truthfulness [-5*], and Secondary Skills: Geology/TL8-12 Attributes: ST 9 [-10]; DX 10 [0]; IQ 13 Workaholic [-5]. (IQ-1) [2]; Mathematics/TL8 [60]; HT 10 [0]. Primary Skills: Driving/TL8 (choose)- (Surveying)-13† (IQ-1) [2]; 11 (DX+1) [4]; First Aid/TL9-14

188 INFINITE CHARACTERS ESPer Package (+30 points): Clairsentience (Sight Only, -10%, ESP, -10%; -20%) [40]; Secret (Psi spy) [-10]. Precog Package (+31 points): ESP Talent 2 [10]; Precognition (ESP, -10%) [23]; Secret (Psi spy) [-10]; Fortune-Telling-15 (IQ+2) or Intelligence Analysis/TL8-14 (IQ+1), both [8]. Telepath Package (+30 points): Mind Probe (No Memory, +10%; Racial, -20% Touch-Based, -20%, Telepathic, -10%; -40%) [12]; Mind Reading (Racial, -20%, Touch- Based, -20%, Telepathic, -10%; -50%) [10]; Telepathy Talent 2 [10]; Secret (Psi spy) [-10]; two more languages at Accented [8].

Alternate Outcomes Mercenary 190 points This template can also serve for crosstime Homeline special forces such as the U.S. Ranger Force Tau, the French Légion d’Outretemps, or the Russian Spetsnaz, or for outtime spe- Secondary Characteristics: Damage Habit (Condescension) [-5], Over- cial forces of similar caliber. 1d-2/1d-1; BL 16 lbs.; HP 10 [2]; confidence [-5*], Paranoia [-10], Will 13 [0]; Per 14 [5]; FP 10 [0]; Selfish [-5*], Sense of Duty (U.N.) Attributes: ST 11 [10]; DX 13 [60]; IQ Basic Speed 5 [0]; Basic Move 5 [-10], and Workaholic [-5]. 13 [60]; HT 11 [10]. [0]. Primary Skills: Acting-14† (IQ) [2]; Secondary Characteristics: Damage Advantages: Administrative Rank 3 Body Language-14 (Per) [2]; Detect 1d-1/1d+1; BL 24 lbs.; HP 11 [0]; [15]; Charisma 1 [5]; Patron (UNIC Lies-14† (Per-1) [2]; Diplomacy-14† Will 13 [0]; Per 13 [0]; FP 12 [3]; Undersecretary, 9 or less) [15]; (IQ) [4]; Psychology-13 (IQ) [4]; Basic Speed 6 [0]; Basic Move 6 Smooth Operator 1 [15]; two Public Speaking-15†‡ (IQ) [2]; [0]. languages at Accented [8]; Savoir-Faire-15† (IQ+1) [2]. Advantages: Combat Reflexes [15]; Fit and 20 points from among Secondary Skills: Administration-13 [5]; Military Rank 1 [5]; Resistant Alcohol Tolerance [1], Appearance (IQ) [2]; Computer Operation/TL8- to Disease +8 [5]; and 20 points (Attractive) [4], more Charisma 13 (IQ) [1]; Fast-Talk-14† (IQ) [2]. from among Acute Senses [2/level], [5/level], Cultural Adaptability [10], Background Skills: Accounting-12 Breath-Holding [2/level], Danger Diplomatic Immunity [20], (IQ-1) [2]; Law (International)-12 Sense [15], Deep Sleeper [1], Empathy [5 or 15], Fashion Sense (IQ-1) [2]; Politics-13† (IQ-1) [1]; Fearlessness [2/level], Hard to Kill [5], Photographic Memory [10], Research/TL8-13 (IQ) [2]. [2/level], High Pain Threshold [10], Security Clearance [10], another HT+1 [10], Night Vision [1/level], * Multiplied for self-control num- level of Smooth Operator [15], and ST+1 [10]. ber; see p. B120. Status [5/level], Unfazeable [15], Disadvantages: Code of Honor † +1 from Smooth Operator. and Wealth [Varies]. (Soldier’s) [-10]; Duty (The ‡ +1 from Charisma. Disadvantages: Curious [-5*]; Duty Battalion, 15 or less; Extremely (UNIC, 12 or less; Nonhazardous) Psiberocrat Hazardous) [-20]; and -20 points from among Bloodlust [-10*], [-5]; Pacifism (Reluctant Killer) Certain imaginative gossipmon- Callous [-5], Chummy [-5], Comp- [-5]; Reputation -2 (Rear-echelon gers have taken it upon themselves to ulsive Gambling [-5*], Fanaticism bureaucrat) [-5]; and -30 points spread scurrilous rumors of a perma- (The Battalion) [-15], Flashbacks from among Addiction [-5 to -10], nent, covert “psiberocracy” nurtured [-5], Intolerance (Civilians) [-5], Bad Sight (Mitigator: Glasses, within the red-tape warrens of UNIC. Nightmares [-5*], Overconfidence -60%) [-10], Cowardice [-10*], If the GM decides that these laughable [-5*], and Truthfulness [-5*]. Extra Sleep [-2/level], Greed [-15*], allegations are true, one of the follow- Jealousy [-10], Odious Personal ing packages can be added onto the troubleshooter template above:

INFINITE CHARACTERS 189 Primary Skills: Artillery/TL9 (Cannon)-13 (IQ) [2]; Brawling-13 (DX) [1]; Electronics Opera- tion/TL8 (Comm or Surveillance)- 12 (IQ-1) [1]; Gunner/TL9 (Mach- ine Gun)-13 (DX) [1]; Guns/TL8 (LMG)-13 (DX) [1]; Guns/TL9 (Rifle)-14 (DX+1) [2]; Savoir-Faire (Military)-13 (IQ) [1]; Shortsword- 13 (DX) [2]; Soldier/TL9-13 (IQ) [2]; Spear-13 (DX) [2]; Tactics-12 (IQ-1) [2]; Throwing-13 (DX) [2]. Secondary Skills: Armoury/TL9 (Small Arms)-12 (IQ-1) [1]; Camouflage-13 (IQ) [1]; Explo- sives/TL9 (Demolition)-12 (IQ-1) [1]; First Aid/TL9-13 (IQ) [1]; Guns/TL9 (GL)-13 (DX) [1]; Guns/TL9 (LAW)-13 (DX) [1]; Guns/TL9 (Pistol)-13 (DX) [1]; Stealth-13 (DX) [2]; Survival (Mountain)-14 (Per) [4]; Traps/TL9-13 (IQ) [2]. Background Skills: Climbing-13 (DX) [2]; Hiking-12 (HT+1) [4]; History (any military)-12 (IQ-1) [2]; Jumping-13 (DX) [1]; Navigation (Land)-13 (IQ) [2]; Swimming-12 (HT+1) [2]. * Multiplied for self-control number; see p. B120.

THE PRIVATE issues of precedence to arise once another Earth) [-20]; and -20 SECTOR market boundaries are set by Infinity points from among Addiction [-5 to Development or by White Star -10], Bad Sight (Mitigator: Glasses, White Star Trader corporate headquarters. -60%) [-10], Bad Temper [-5], Chummy or Gregarious [-5 or -10], Attributes: ST 9 [-10]; DX 10 [0]; IQ 13 111 points Compulsive Behavior [-5*], Enemy [60]; HT 10 [0]. This template reflects a relatively (Business rival) [Varies], Greed Secondary Characteristics: Damage open and above-board White Star [-15*], Honesty [-10*], Impulsive- 1d-2/1d-1; BL 16 lbs.; HP 10 [2]; merchant factor in a TL4 city on a par- ness [-10*], Laziness [-10], Will 13 [0]; Per 13 [0]; FP 10 [0]; allel Earth. For a more gray-market Overconfidence [-5*], Overweight Basic Speed 5 [0]; Basic Move 5 White Star employee, see the or Fat [-1 or -3], and Workaholic [0]. Smuggler package in the Criminal [-5]. Advantages: Business Acumen 1 [10]; template on p. 196. Primary Skills: Accounting-14† (IQ) Contact Group (local merchants, Wealth never falls below [4]; Detect Lies-13 (Per) [4]; Market skill-18, 9 or less, usually reliable) Comfortable, barring Visigothic inva- Analysis-14† (IQ) [4]; Merchant- [30]; Cultural Adaptability [10]; sion, since a White Star employee gets 15† (IQ+1) [4]; Savoir-Faire-14 Wealth (Comfortable) [10]; two paid (and paid well) in Homeline and (IQ+1) [2]. languages at Accented [8]; and 20 can usually flip a high TL8 salary into Secondary Skills: Administration-14† points from among Charisma a quite luxurious local lifestyle. The (IQ) [2]; Fast-Talk-13 (IQ) [2]; [5/level], Empathy [5 or 15], Favor GM is justified in requiring a White Freight Handling/TL8-12 (IQ-1) [Varies], Intuition [15], Language Star character to purchase extra levels [1]; Freight Handling/TL4-13 (IQ) Talent [10], Lightning Calculator of Wealth if much of the campaign is [2]; Propaganda/TL4-13† (IQ-1) [2], Reputation (Honest merchant set on worlds where White Star pur- [1]. and/or Quality goods) [Varies], and chasing power is similarly inflated. Background Skills: Area Knowledge more Wealth [Varies]. White Star Trading does not have (local city)-13 (IQ) [1]; Computer Disadvantages: Code of Honor Merchant Rank; there are too few Operation/TL8-13 (IQ) [1]; Con- (Professional) [-5]; Pacifism (Self- traders on any given world for any noisseur (choose)-12 (IQ-1) [1]; Defense Only) [-15]; Secret (From

190 INFINITE CHARACTERS Current Affairs/TL4 (Business)-13 less; less useful resources, -50%) Secondary Characteristics: Damage (IQ) [1]; Gambling-13† (IQ-1) [1]. [15]; local language at Native [6]; 1d-1/1d+1; BL 24 lbs.; HP 11 [0]; and 15 points from among Will 11 [0]; Per 13 [10]; FP 11 [0]; * Multiplied for self-control num- Absolute Direction [5], Alcohol Basic Speed 6 [5]; Basic Move 6 ber; see p. B120. Tolerance [1], Appearance [Varies], [0]. † +1 from Business Acumen. Charisma [5/level], Common Sense Advantages: Patron (Time Tours, 12 Denarius Group [10], Contact Group (Local mer- or less; Less useful resources, Special Banker chants) [Varies], Language Talent -50%) [15]; and 15 points from Adept at financial manipulation [10], Less Sleep [2/level], Luck among Absolute Direction [5], in the capital cities of parallels just [Varies], Unfazeable [15], and Acute Senses [2/level], Alcohol getting a handle on capitalism, a Voice [10]. Tolerance [1], Combat Reflexes Denarius Group special banker is Disadvantages: Broad-Minded [-1]; [15], Danger Sense [15], Fear- less concerned with the nitty-gritty Code of Honor (Professional) [-5]; lessness [2/level], Less Sleep of buying and selling, and more Dependents (Tour group) [-30]; [2/level], Luck [Varies], Peripheral concerned with consolidating con- Pacifism (Self-Defense Only) [-15]; Vision [15], and Unfazeable [15]. trol. Make the following adjust- and -20 points from among Bad Disadvantages: Careful [-1]; Code of ments to the White Star template Sight (Mitigator: Glasses, -60%) Honor (Professional) [-5]; Depen- above: [-10], Chummy or Gregarious [-5 dents (Hunting party) [-4]; and -30 or -10], Combat Paralysis [-15], points from among Claustrophobia Denarius Group (+45 points): Change Honesty [-10*], Kleptomania (15) [-15*], Demophobia [-15*], Guilt Contact Group: (Royal or imperial [-7], Lecherousness (15) [-7], Light Complex [-5], Light Sleeper [-5], government, skill-21, 15 or less, Sleeper [-5], and Sense of Duty Loner [-5*], Low Empathy [-20], usually reliable) [24]; remove (Clients) [-5]. Odious Personal Habit (Whistling Cultural Adaptability but add Primary Skills: Acting-13 (IQ+1) [4]; tunelessly, obsessively checking Cultural Familiarity (Local culture) Area Knowledge (Tour site)-13 weapons, etc.) [-5], Overconfidence [1]; increase Wealth to Very (IQ+1) [2]; Electronics Opera- [-5*], Secret (Illegal dinosaur Wealthy [30]; replace two lan- tion/TL8^ (Parachronic)-11 (IQ-1) safari) [-10], Sense of Duty guages at Accented with language [1]; Fast-Talk-12 (IQ) [2]; History (Clients) [-5], and Truthfulness of local government at Native [6]; (Tour era)-12 (IQ) [4]; Public [-5*]. change Pacifism to Reluctant Speaking-13 (IQ+1) [4]. Primary Skills: Area Knowledge Killer [-5]; replace both Freight Secondary Skills: Beam Weap- (Cretaceous America)-12 (IQ+1) Handling skills with Finance-15† ons/TL9 (Pistol)-13 (DX+3) [2]; Guns/TL9 (Rifle)-17 (DX+5) (IQ+1) [8]; increase Propaganda to [8]; Electronics Operation/TL8 [16]; Survival (Plains)-13 (Per) [2]; 15† [3]. (Media)-11 (IQ-1) [1]; Holdout-12 Tracking-13 (Per) [2]. (IQ) [2]; Observation-13 (Per) [2]; Secondary Skills: Camouflage-12† Time Tours, Inc. Search-13 (Per) [2]. (IQ) [1]; Electronics Operation/TL8 Background Skills: Computer (Surveillance)-11 (IQ) [2]; First Tour Guide Operation/TL8-12 (IQ) [1]; First Aid/TL9-13 (IQ+2) [4]; Hiking-12 70 points Aid/TL9-12 (IQ) [1]; Research/TL8- (HT+1) [4]; Stealth-13 (DX+1) [4]; This is one of the young, person- 11 (IQ-1) [1]; Savoir-Faire Traps/TL8-12 (IQ+1) [4]. able, remarkably unflappable and (Servant)-13 (IQ+1) [2]. Background Skills: Paleontology/TL8 (Paleozoology)-11 (IQ) [4]. well-informed guides employed to * Multiplied for self-control num- gently replace the dollars, yen, euros, ber; see p. B120. * Multiplied for self-control num- and yuan of Homeline tourists with ber; see p. B120. priceless memories of a world some- † Bought from Survival. how more romantic and exciting than Dinosaur Hunter the one where they earned the fare. 130 points Good guides take the time to immerse Time Tours employs not only CENTRUM themselves in local history and cus- urbane guides, but rough and ready Every mature Centran has 1 point tom; bad guides take the opportunity Cretaceous shikaris. They would cer- in each of the following skills learned to help themselves to romance and tainly never dream of engaging in an at his district Lyceum: Administration, small valuables. unlicensed expedition to a preserve Computer Operation/TL8, Mathema- Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 10 [0]; IQ 12 timeline. It’s only their dislike for tics/TL8 (Applied), Physics/TL9, [40]; HT 11 [10]. excess paperwork that prevents them Research/TL8, Running, Savoir-Faire Secondary Characteristics: Damage from reporting such an offer right (Centrum), and Swimming. 1d-2/1d; BL 20 lbs.; HP 10 [0]; Will away. These Lyceum skills appear in the 11 [-5]; Per 13 [5]; FP 11 [0]; Basic Background Skills section of the tem- Attributes: ST 11 [10]; DX 12 [40]; IQ plates below. Primary skills in these Speed 5.25 [0]; Basic Move 5 [0]. 11 [20]; HT 11 [10]. Advantages: Cultural Adaptability templates reflect the Interworld [10]; Patron (Time Tours, 12 or Service College curriculum.

INFINITE CHARACTERS 191 Interworld Service [-5]; Sense of Duty (Centrum) [-10]; single Unattached agent is expected and -20 from among Bad Temper to be able to shift the balance of Agent [-10*], Callous [-5], Chummy [-5], worlds, with or without Infinity oppo- 155 points Curious [-5*], Fanaticism sition. Their rare failures usually Like his Patrol counterparts above, (Centrum) [-15], Hidebound [-5], cause turmoil within the Forum, since this is an Interworld Service agent who Honesty [-10*], Impulsiveness few Unattached are without a political has completed Service College and [-10*], Oblivious [-5], Odious agenda – if only something like “dis- spent about a year in the field. Unlike Personal Habit (Narrow-minded- grace those Forum members whose Patrolmen (who send any and all ness) [-5], Overconfidence [-5*], political agendas harm Centrum.” Academy graduates – and plenty of Secret (From another Earth) [-20], The Reputation an Unattached other folk – outtime, regardless of and Stubbornness [-5]. agent receives usually balances out. Patrol rank), all Service agents allowed Primary Skills: Beam Weapons/TL9 Within the Centrum, he is honored as outside the Centrum and its colonies (Pistol)-13 (DX+3) [4]; Brawling-13 a valuable member of society; in must attain Grade 3. Hence, many I.S. (DX+2) [4]; Cliodynamics-11 (IQ-2) Patrol circles, he is reviled as a ruth- personnel transfer into Interworld [1]; Electronics Operation/TL8^ less agent of a hated foe. from other Services after reaching (Parachronic)-12 (IQ-1) [1]; Attributes: ST 11 [10]; DX 13 [60]; IQ Grade 3 in their original Service (usu- Electronics Repair/TL8^ (Para- 14 [80]; HT 13 [30]. ally Justice, Education, or Energy, with chronic)-12 (IQ-1) [1]; First Secondary Characteristics: Damage the few transfers from Military Service Aid/TL9-12 (IQ-1) [1]; Guns/TL9 1d-1/1d+1 (2d/4d-1 with right arm); mostly for personal reasons). Their (Pistol)-13 (DX+3) [4]. BL 24 lbs.; HP 16 [10]; Will 16 [10]; College term counts against their pro- Billet Skills: Take 12 points in skills Per 14 [0]; FP 16 [9]; Basic Speed 7 bationary time-in-grade for their new suitable for your billet. For [10]; Basic Move 7 [0]. Service, and they can enter the field as instance: new-minted Grade 3s. Advantages: Centrum Rank 7 [70]; Some I.S. Grade 2s (who work 1. Enforcer: Holdout-13 (IQ) [2], Combat Reflexes [15]; Danger rear-echelon support and logistical Interrogation-13 (IQ) [2], Knife-12 Sense [15]; Hard to Kill 2 [4]; High duties until promoted) advance, of (DX+1) [2], and Stealth-12 (DX+1) Pain Threshold [10]; Intuition [15]; course, and there is a good-natured [4]. Legal Enforcement Powers [10]; (but serious) rivalry between the 2. Importer: Acting-13 (IQ) [2], Patron (Interworld Service, 9 or “Saxons” (those who started out in Forgery/TL8-13 (IQ) [4], Merchant- less) [25]; Radio [10]; Reputation Interworld) and the “Normans” 13 (IQ) [2], and Streetwise-13 (IQ) +4/-4 (Implacable agent of (transfers). An agent who loudly [2]. Centrum) [0]; Resistant to Disease champions one or another side may 3. Researcher: 12 points in personal +8 [5]; Unfazeable [15], Very Fit [5]; develop a Reputation good for getting area of specialty (IQ-based skill). and 200 points in other advantages, beaten up in the wrong bars (or help- 4. Surveyor: Diplomacy-12 (IQ-1) [2], usually representing bionics, for ing administer beatings in the right Observation-14 (Per+1) [4], Urban example: Bionic Arm (+120 points): ones, of course). Survival-13 (Per) [2], and 4 points Acute Touch 2 [4]; Arm DX 15 [24]; The Radio advantage in this tem- in any Piloting skill. Arm ST 21 [30]; DR 7 (Hardened 1, Right Arm Only, -20%) [32]; Innate plate is the encrypted radio implant Background Skills: Administration- Attack 3 (Impaling; Armor Divisor that all Interworld Service agents have 12 (IQ-1) [1]; Computer Opera- 2, +50%; Melee Attack Reach C, built into their jawbones. Many other tion/TL8-13 (IQ) [1]; Math- -30%; +20%) [29]; Payload 1 [1]. bionic implants are common in I.S. ematics/TL8 (Applied)-11 (IQ-2) Bionic Eye (+80 points): Acute agents; the GM may wish to add such [1]; Physics/TL9-10 (IQ-3) [1]; Vision 5 [10]; Hyperspectral Vision devices even to seemingly low-grade Research/TL8-12 (IQ-1) [1]; (Extended Low-Band) [33]; Servicemen. Running-12 (HT+1) [4]; Savoir- Microscopic Vision 1 [5]; Nicti- Faire (Centrum)-13 (IQ) [1]; Attributes: ST 11 [10]; DX 11 [20]; IQ tating Membrane 2 [2]; Telescopic Swimming-13 (HT+2) [4]. 13 [60]; HT 11 [10]. Vision 6 [30] Secondary Characteristics: Damage * Multiplied for self-control num- Disadvantages: Code of Honor 1d-1/1d+1; BL 24 lbs.; HP 11 [0]; ber; see p. B120. (Centrum) [-5]; Duty (The Service, Will 14 [5]; Per 13 [0]; FP 12 [3]; 15 or less; Extremely Hazardous) Basic Speed 5.5 [0]; Basic Move 6 [-20]; Intolerance (Non-Centrum) [0]. Unattached Agent [-5]; Sense of Duty (Centrum) [-10]; Advantages: Centrum Rank 3 [30]; 710 points and -20 from among Bloodlust Combat Reflexes [15]; Fit [5]; Unattached agents are generic [-10*], Callous [-5], Curious [-5*], Radio [10]; Resistant to Disease +8 troubleshooters outside the Service Enemy (Rival Unattached agent, 9 [5]. hierarchies, appointed and assigned or less) [-5], Fanaticism (Centrum) Disadvantages: Code of Honor by Forum committees. One is typi- [-15], Loner [-5*], Low Empathy (Centrum) [-5]; Duty (The Service, cally assigned to lead a multi-Service [-20], Overconfidence [-5*], Secret 15 or less; Extremely Hazardous) project, or given the touchy assign- (From another Earth) [-20], and [-20]; Intolerance (Non-Centrum) ment of internal investigations. A Workaholic [-5].

192 INFINITE CHARACTERS Primary Skills: Beam Weapons/TL9 [4], Interrogation-14 (IQ) [2], (Pistol)-18† (DX+3) [8]; Brawling-16 Intimidation-16 (Will) [2], REICH-5 (DX+3) [8]; Cliodynamics-17 Knife-17† (DX+2) [4], Merchant-13 (IQ+3) [16]; Electronics Opera- (IQ-1) [1], Observation-14 (Per) [2], SS Raven Division tion/TL8^ (Parachronic)-16 (IQ+2) Piloting/TL7 (Light Airplane)-12 Trooper [8]; Electronics Repair/TL8^ (Par- (DX-1) [1], Riding (Equines)-13 71 points achronic)-14 (IQ) [2]; First Aid/TL9- (DX) [2], Riding (Camels)-12 This template builds a standard 13 (IQ-1) [1]; Guns/TL9 (Pistol)-18† (DX-1) [1], Saber-15† (DX) Reich-5 Waffen-SS trooper, assigned (DX+3) [8]; Leadership-15 (IQ+1) [4]. [2], Search-14 (Per) [2], Stealth-15 to Raven Division by the luck of the Unattached Skills: Take 60 points in a (DX+2) [8], Streetwise-13 (IQ-1) draw. Aside from the quality of their broad variety of mission-relevant [1], Survival (Desert)-14 (Per) [2], equipment, the Waffen-SS are no skills. For instance: Acting-14 (IQ) Tactics-14 (IQ) [4], Thrown more or less “elite” than any unit of [2], Artillery/TL6 (Cannon)-13 Weapon (Spear)-15† (DX) [1]. the Wehrmacht. That goes double for (IQ-1) [1], Climbing-14 (DX+1) [4], Background Skills: Administration-14 Raven Division, which operates in the Crewman/TL7 (Airshipman)-14 (IQ) [2]; Computer Opera- Burgundian backwater state outside (IQ) [1], Crewman/TL5 tion/TL8-14 (IQ+1) [1]; Math- the direct oversight not only of OKW, (Seamanship)-14 (IQ) [1], ematics/TL8 (Applied)-12 (IQ-2) but of the main SS headquarters in Diplomacy-14 (IQ) [4], Dis- [1]; Physics/TL9^ (Parachronic)-14 Berlin. Although the Ordenführer of guise/TL8-13 (IQ-1) [1], Driv- (IQ) [4]; Research/TL8-15 (IQ+1) Burgundy desperately wants (and ing/TL6 (Automobile)-12 (DX-1) [4]; Running-16 (HT+3) [12]; needs) to upgrade the quality of Raven [1], Electronics Operation/TL8 Savoir-Faire (Centrum)-14 (IQ) [1]; Division, that would involve explain- (Security)-13 (IQ-1) [1], Elec- Swimming-16 (HT+3) [12]. ing in excruciating detail – to very sus- tronics Operation/TL8 (Surveil- * Multiplied for self-control num- picious superiors – what, exactly, a lance)-14 (IQ) [2], Forgery/TL8-12 ber; see p. B120. landlocked SS Ordensstaat needs with (IQ-2) [1], Holdout-14 (IQ) [2], † One-handed DX skill based on elite soldiers. Intelligence Analysis/TL8-14 (IQ) bionic arm DX. The GM can also use this template to build adequately trained, battle- blooded conscript soldiers in any industrial-era or later army. Attributes: ST 11 [10]; DX 11 [20]; IQ 11 [20]; HT 11 [10]. Secondary Characteristics: Damage 1d-1/1d+1; BL 24 lbs.; HP 11 [0]; Will 11 [0]; Per 11 [0]; FP 11 [0]; Basic Speed 5.5 [0]; Basic Move 5 [0]. Advantages: Combat Reflexes [15]; Fit [5]; Military Rank 1 [10]. Disadvantages: Code of Honor (SS) [-10]; Duty (SS, 15 or less; Extremely Hazardous) [-20]; Intolerance (Total, Non-Aryans) [-10]; plus -20 points from among: Bloodlust [-10*], Bully [-10*], Callous [-5], Fanaticism (The Reich, the SS, or the Order) [-15], Gullibility [-10*], Overconfidence [-5*], Poverty (Struggling) [-10], and Sadism [-15*]. Primary Skills: Artillery/TL9 (Cannon)-10 (IQ-1) [1]; Brawling-12 (DX+1) [2]; Gunner/TL9 (Machine Gun)-11 (DX) [1]; Guns/TL9 (LMG)-12 (DX+1) [2]; Guns/TL9 (Rifle)-12 (DX+1) [2]; Knife-11 (DX) [1]; Savoir-Faire (Military)-11 (IQ) [1]; Soldier/TL9-12 (IQ+1) [4]; Spear-10 (DX-1) [1]; Tactics-10 (IQ-1) [2]; Throwing-10 (DX-1) [1].

INFINITE CHARACTERS 193 Secondary Skills: Armoury/TL9 need to be brought in carefully to Primary Skills: Electronics Opera- (Small Arms)-10 (IQ-1) [1]; Cam- avoid blowing the Armanen’s secret to tion/TL8 (Surveillance)-14 (IQ+2) ouflage-11 (IQ) [1]; Driving/TL9 the Gestapo at large. It’s especially dif- [8]; Guns/TL8 (Pistol)-12 (DX+1) (Automobile)-10 (DX-1) [1]; ficult to cover up the increasing num- [2]; Interrogation-13 (IQ+1) [4]; Driving/TL9 (Motorcycle)-11 (DX) ber of dead agents killed in crosstime Intimidation-14 (Will) [2]; Search- [2]; Engineer/TL9 (Combat)-9 operations; at some point, Prinz- 13 (Per) [2]; Shadowing-14 (IQ+2) (IQ-2) [1]; Explosives/TL9 (Demo- Albrecht-Strasse is inevitably going to [8]; Stealth-13 (DX+2) [8]; lition)-10 (IQ-1) [1]; First Aid/TL9- get suspicious enough to risk embar- Streetwise-13 (IQ+1) [4]. 10 (IQ-1) [1]; Guns/TL9 (LAW)-11 rassing high Party bigwigs, and move Secondary Skills: Acting-12 (IQ) [2]; (DX) [1]; Mathematics/TL8 into Burgundy in force. Until then, Area Knowledge (station)-13 (Applied)-10 (IQ-2) [1]; NBC the average Amt Z crosstime opera- (IQ+1) [2]; Criminology-13 (IQ+1) Suit/TL9-10 (DX-1) [1]; Stealth-10 tive is still fairly competent, if not nec- [4]; Guns/TL8 (LMG)-11 (DX) [1]; (DX-1) [1]; Survival (Mountain)-11 essarily the historical and linguistic Holdout-12 (IQ) [2]; Intelligence (Per) [2]; Traps/TL9-10 (IQ-1) [1]. polymath that the Patrol or Centrum Analysis/TL8-12 (IQ) [4]; Lock- Background Skills: Climbing-11 (DX) send to infiltrate their own target picking/TL8-12 (IQ) [2]; Observa- [2]; Hiking-10 (HT-1) [1]; Jumping- worldlines. tion-14 (Per+1) [4]. 11 (DX) [1]; Navigation (Land)-10 His Secret applies on Reich-5 Background Skills: Broadsword-11 (IQ-1) [1]; Riding (Equines)-10 itself, where he keeps The Secret of (DX) [2]; Boxing-12 (DX+1) [4]; (DX-1) [1]; Scrounging-11 (Per) Ordensstaat parachronics from his Computer Operation/TL8-11 (IQ-1) [1]; Swimming-11 (HT) [1]. fellow Nazis (including, possibly, his [1]; Driving/TL8 (Automobile)-11 own superiors), and on any other (DX) [2]; Soldier/TL8-12 (IQ) [2]. * Multiplied for self-control num- world where he might be stationed ber; see p. B120. * Multiplied for self-control num- in secret as a spy or saboteur. It ber; see p. B120. “Nazis. I Hate These Guys.” doesn’t apply on worlds like GMs who nevertheless want “elite Friedrich or Nostradamus (p. 138), Nazis” for the Patrol to face off against where the Order operates openly as can raise the template IQ and DX by conquerors and overlords, but such one point each, and then bring all one- worlds are unlikely to be the center point skills up to 2 points. This adds 62 of the campaign. points to the template; GMs can then Attributes: ST 11 [10]; DX 11 [20]; IQ add 20 points of advantages from the 12 [40]; HT 10 [0]. Alternate Outcomes Mercenary tem- Secondary Characteristics: Damage plate options (p. 189), and raise Rifle to 1d-1/1d+1; BL 24 lbs.; HP 11 [0]; 15. (Make sure that your “elite Nazis” Will 14 [10]; Per 13 [5]; FP 10 [0]; never take an Aim maneuver with their Basic Speed 5.25 [0]; Basic Move 5 assault rifles, though, or that high Rifle [0]. score will make hamburger out of your Advantages: Legal Enforcement PCs. Or, failing that, make sure that Powers [15]; Military Rank 3 [15]; they always take an Aim maneuver and 20 points from among reeeaaal slooow while standing out in Charisma [5/level], Combat the open like big Nazi idiots.) Finally, Reflexes [15], Danger Sense [15], add the “Habits and Expressions” Indomitable [15], Intuition [15], quirk. This brings the template to 156 Hard to Kill [2/level], Language points and parity with the Patrol tem- Talent [10], Less Sleep [2/level], plates, and justifies all those cries of Security Clearance [10], Voice [10], Maulesel (“Mule”) “You vill die now, Infiniter schwein!” and Wealth [Varies]. Jumper Disadvantages: Code of Honor (SS) As yet, the Order is unable to reli- Gestapo Amt Z Agent [-10]; Duty (The Order, 15 or less; ably implant the world-jumping ability 120 points Extremely Hazardous) [-20]; into anyone without horrible conse- Intolerance (Total, Non-Aryans) quences. Nazi science has never been This is a Gestapo agent from “Amt [-10]; Secret (Varies) [-30]; and -15 shy of horrible consequences, of Z,” the Gestapo office in Burgundy points from among Bad Sight course, but these consequences are that handles covert operations in the (Mitigator: Glasses, -60%) [-10], perforce falling on heretofore ideal other timelines (p. 67). Amt Z has no Bad Temper [-10*], Bully [-10*], examples of the Aryan genotype rather official existence outside Burgundy, Bloodlust [-10*], Callous [-5], than various squalid Untermenschen. and is officially tasked with “project Fanaticism (The Order) [-15], (Nobody, least of all the Ordenführer, security” for the various SS research Lecherousness [-15*], Over- wants to accidentally create a bunch of programs in the Ordensstaat. This confidence [-5*], Sadism [-15*], Slavs or Gypsies with world-jumping slows down recruitment and leaves and Sense of Duty (The Order) [-5] abilities.) From the ranks of volunteers big holes in staffing, since new agents or (Aryan race) [-10]. from Raven Division, the torturers

194 INFINITE CHARACTERS select a subject with suitable physical Specific forms of the advantage, increase ST (and, hence, carrying strength and stamina, and then sear and disadvantages to match, vary with capacity to other worlds). Only the world-jumping code into his bio- the source of the Mule’s ability. The Mules for whom steroids would be chemistry. (For a sampling of their GM should feel free to modify the instantly fatal (those, for example, methods, see p. 65.) The result – if he Jumper advantage as mentioned with Unusual Biochemistry) are survives – becomes a shattered husk, a above. The GM should feel exception- exempt. To reflect the SS steroid grotesque upon whose twisted bones ally free to add horrible limitations regimen, add ST+3 [30] and HP+3 and sinews the armies of the Reich and disadvantages to the following [6], and take HT-3 [-30], Bad travel to other worlds. He becomes ein packages: Temper [-10*], Disturbing Voice Maulesel, a “Mule,” both pitied and [-10], Sterile [0], and lose one level Drugs (+10 points): Jumper (World) scorned by his former comrades. of Appearance [-4]. (Limited Quanta: Single-quantum, Some Mules (those with the Mass- Chimpanzee Muscle Grafts (+6 points): -15%, Psionic Teleportation, -10%, Jumper enhancement, usually) remain Promising Mules (those with the Trigger, -40%; -65%) [35]; and -25 in Burgundy to power the dimensional Enhanced Carrying Capacity or points from the disadvantage gateways. Others accompany their fel- Mass Jump enhancements) also options above. lows onto other worlds, to spread the receive grafts of artificially grown Brain Surgery (+10 points): Jumper horrors that created them. chimpanzee muscle. Assuming they (World) (Limited Quanta: Single- survive the rejection process (p. 65; quantum, -15%, Psionic Telepor- Making a Mule attribute drain is ST not IQ with tation, -10%; -25%) [75]; Use the conventional SS Trooper success), they add Lifting ST+6 Appearance (Ugly) [-8], Flashbacks template above, but replace Rank with [18]. Unlike steroids, these carry no [-10], Nightmares [-5*], Unnatural Courtesy Rank 4 [4], and a Social concomitant disadvantages (except Feature (Bulging, scarred head) Stigma (a combination of “freak” and Susceptible to Disease (HT-3) [-12] [-2], and -40 points from the disad- “valuable property”) [-10]. If the GM from the immunosuppressants, see vantage options above. wishes, he can add +1 or +2 ST [10 or p. B158), and no HP bonus. 20] and +1 or +2 HT [10 or 20] to the Glandular Implantation (+10 points): template to reflect the tougher, Acute Taste and Smell 3 [6], Fur stronger selection pool of recruits for [1], Jumper (World or Spirit) OTHER Mules. The GM can also justify leaving (Limited Quanta: Single-quantum, attributes as is, however, on the theory -15%, Stunning (from agonizing OPPOSITION that the strains of the surgery or side- pain in groin), -10%, Takes effects from the injections weaken the Recharge (1 hour), -30%; -55%) Cabalist Mage subject back to “average” levels. [45], Night Vision 4 [4], 120 points Add Jumper (World) with suitable Temperature Tolerance 2 [2]; This Adept of the Cabal is a fairly enhancements and limitations from Appearance (Unattractive) [-4], formidable opponent (or ally), espe- p. B64 or p. 174. Other possible limi- Colorblindness [-10], Compulsive cially if he is able to work subtly, tations include Limited Use, Prepar- Behavior (Checking time) [-1], without his foes discovering that a ation Required, Takes Extra Time, Lecherousness [-15*], Stress mage is scheming against them. GMs Takes Recharge, Trigger (Special drug Atavism [-15*], Unnatural Feature or players can modify template cost cocktails, -40%), and Unreliable. (White fur on body) [-3]. and skill with spells by taking a Almost all Nazi jumpers have the Demonic Seeding (+10 points): Jumper higher or lower level of Magery, or by Limited Quanta (Within one quan- (World) (Magical, -10%, Unreliable applying a limitation such as Dark- tum, -15%) limitation; almost none of (11 or less), -20%; -30%) [70], Aspected. them have the Duration limitation or Mindlink (Spawn of Tychiron) the Reliable enhancement. The (Universal, +50%; Magical, -10%, Attributes: ST 9 [-10]; DX 11 [20]; IQ Armanen especially value, and try to Nuisance Effect (Phantom voices), 13 [60]; HT 11 [10]. select for, Extra Carrying Capacity, -5%; +35%) [26], Penetrating Voice Secondary Characteristics: Damage Mass Jump, and Tunnel. [1]; Disturbing Voice [-10], Dread 1d-2/1d-1; BL 16 lbs.; HP 10 [2]; Nazi science inevitably results in a (Thorns) [-5], Frightens Animals Will 13 [0]; Per 10 [-15]; FP 13 [6]; slurry of disadvantages from among: [-10], Low Empathy [-20], Basic Speed 5.50 [0]; Basic Move 5 Addiction (Painkillers) [-10], Appear- Phantom Voices [-15], Sadism [0]. ance (Unattractive to Hideous) [-4 to [-15*], Split Personality (With Advantages: Allies (Two ultors, 6 or -16], Bad Back [-15], Bad Smell [-10], demonic Tychiron spawn (6); less) [5]; Cabalist Rank 3 [15]; Chronic Pain (usually migraines) [-5 Mitigator: Herbal formula, Claim to Hospitality (Cabalists) [5]; to -15], Epilepsy [-30], Gigantism (+1 monthly, restricted, -60%) [-12]. Magery 2 [25]; Patron (Grand SM) [0], Hunchback [-10], Insomniac Master, 9 or less) [20]; appropriate Other procedures exist to enhance [-10 to -15], Killjoy [-15], Lame [-10], language (p. 175) at Accented [4]; Mules: Neurological Disorder [-15 or -35], and one of Eidetic Memory [5]; Paranoid [-10], Supersensitive [-15], Steroid Regimen (-19 points): The Reputation +1 [5], Single-Minded Timesickness [-10 or worse, see Order places its Mules on a regi- [5], Status 1 [5], Versatile [5], or +1 p. 181], and Unusual Biochemistry men of anabolic steroids to to Will [5]. [-5].

INFINITE CHARACTERS 195 Disadvantages: Code of Honor World-Walker: Omen [15]; See points from among Callous [-5], (Cabalist) [-5]; Duty (The Cabal, 6 Invisible (Quantum flows) [15]; Code of Honor (Pirate’s or “stays or less) [-2]; Secret (Cabalist) [-30]; Hidden Lore (Gates)-13 (IQ) [2], bought”) [-5], Compulsive Behavior and -30 points chosen from among Naturalist-13 (IQ) [4], Tracking-13 [-5 to -15*], Cowardice [-10*], Absent-Mindedness [-15], Bad (IQ) [2], Weather Sense/TL4-13 Kleptomania [-15*], Laziness [-10], Sight (Mitigator: Glasses, -60%) (IQ) [2]. Lecherousness [-15*], Obsession [-10], Bad Temper [-10*], Curious (The big score) [-5*], Overcon- [-5*], Gluttony [-5*], Lecherous- fidence [-5*], Reputation [Varies], ness [-15*], Obsession [-5* or -10*], Criminal and Selfish [-5*]. Secret [-5 to -30], Sense of Duty [-2 52 points Primary Skills: Add 16 points in skills to -15], and Shyness [-5, -10, or This is a petty criminal. For a high- relevant to your criminal pursuit. -20]. class criminal mastermind who goes For example: Primary Skills: Two Hard spells at 15† about stealing Mona Lisas from alter- 1. Looter: Archaeology-10 (IQ-1) [2], each (IQ+2) [4], or Very Hard spells nate Louvres or seducing parallel Connoisseur (choose)-13 (IQ+2) at 14† (IQ+1) [4]. Nine more Hard Catherine the Greats, use the Patron [8], Research/TL8-11 (IQ) [2], and spells at 13† each (IQ-1) [1], or Very and Disadvantages, and the suitable Search-13 (Per+1) [4]. Hard spells at 12† (IQ-2) [1]. See Primary Skills package, with the Crisis 2. Mobster: Axe/Mace-12 (DX+1) [4], pp. B304-306, or GURPS Magic. Ministry Troubleshooter template on Knife or Guns/TL8 (Pistol) at 12 Secondary Skills: Area Knowledge p. 188. Use the same approach to (DX+1) [2], Intimidation-12 (Astral Realm)-14 (IQ+1) [2]; “criminalize” other templates as (Will+2) [8], and Shadowing-11 Astronomy/TL4 (Observational)-13 desired. For example, for a deadly (IQ) [2]. (IQ) [4]; Dreaming-12 (Will-1) [2]; crosstime assassin, mix this template 3. Smuggler: Disguise/TL8-12 (IQ+1) Occultism-13 (IQ) [2]; Savoir-Faire with the Alternate Outcomes [4], Forgery-11 (IQ) [4], (Spirits)-14 (IQ+1) [2]; Thauma- Mercenary. Holdout-12 (IQ+1) [4], and tology-14† (IQ-1) [4]. Smuggling-12 (IQ+1) [4]. Background Skills: Knife-11 (DX) [1]; 4. Thief: Climbing-12 (DX+1) [4], Staff-10 (DX-1) [1]. Electronics Operation/TL8 (Sec- * Multiplied for self-control num- urity or Surveillance)-12 (IQ+1) [4], ber; see p. B120. Lockpicking/TL8-12 (IQ+1) [4], † +2 from Magery. Observation-13 (Per+1) [4]. 5. Timenapper: Acting-12 (IQ+1) [4], Across the Four Realms Brawling-12 (DX+1) [2], Fast- These three packages, all 40 points, Talk-11 (IQ) [2], Sex Appeal-12 build three different types of (HT+2) [8]. Cabalistic world-crossing ability. Add them to the Cabalist template above Attributes: ST 9 [-10]; DX 11 [20]; IQ Secondary Skills: Area Knowledge for a magical traveler between the 11 [20]; HT 10 [0]. (Home base)-12 (IQ+1) [2]; Infinite Worlds. Plane Shifters use Secondary Characteristics: Damage Filch-12 (DX+1) [4]; Stealth-11 Plane Shift spells (p. B248) to move 1d-2/1d-1; BL 16 lbs.; HP 10 [2]; (DX) [2]; Streetwise-12 (IQ+1) [4]. from world to world. Spirit-Jumpers Will 10 [-5]; Per 12 [5]; FP 10 [0]; Background Skills: Carousing-11 have discovered a magical ritual that Basic Speed 5 [0]; Basic Move 5 (HT+1) [2]; Gambling-10 (IQ-1) allows them to step into limpid pools [0]. [1]; Merchant-11 (IQ) [2]; Urban or mirrors and out into other worlds, Advantages: Contact Group (Street in Survival-12 (Per) [2]. given a minute to inscribe the correct home city, skill-18, 9 or less, some- * Multiplied for self-control num- runes and invoke Candea, goddess of what reliable) [15]; Patron (Crime ber; see p. B120. hinges. World-Walkers can simply boss, 9 or less) [15]; and 20 points find and follow the signs from world from among Alternate Identity [5 Swagman to world, although such signs may not or 15], Danger Sense [15], To make a criminal a swagman, be as reliable as spells or rituals. Their Daredevil [15], Empathy [15], High add the following lens: advantage is that their abilities func- Manual Dexterity [5/level], Luck tion even on no-mana worlds. Swagman (+40): Add Claim to [15], Night Vision [1/level], Hospitality (Swagmen) [5], Plane Shifter: Plane Shift-14 (IQ+1) [4] Reputation [Varies], and Smooth Smooth Operator 1 [15], Strine known for the Astral Realm and for Operator [15/level]. (Accented) [4]; Code of Honor nine alternate worlds, including Disadvantages: Duty (Crime boss, 9 or (Swagman’s) [-5]; Gesture-11 (IQ) the Cabalist’s home parallel. less, Involuntary) [-10]; Greed [1], Hidden Lore (Confidence Spirit-Jumper: Jumper (Spirit) [-15*]; pick either Enemy (Patrol games)-11 (IQ) [2], Savoir-Faire (Magical, -10%, Preparation (Justice or Customs Division), (Swagman or Mafia)-12 (IQ+1) [2], Required (1 minute), -20%, Special watcher, 12 or less) [-15] and Social and 16 points in any of the skills Movement, -10%, Special Portal Stigma (Criminal Record) [-5] or covered by Smooth Operator (Reflective surface), -20%; -60%) Secret (Criminal) [-20]; and -20 (p. B91). [40].

196 INFINITE CHARACTERS Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 10 [0]; IQ 10 the academic, who has a very hard BYSTANDERS [0]; HT 10 [0]. time connecting his knowledge to the Secondary Characteristics: Damage practicalities of life, even in his own Expatriate 1d-2/1d; BL 20 lbs.; HP 10 [0]; Will era. 55 points 12 [10]; Per 10 [0]; FP 10 [0]; Basic Historians may be generalists, An expatriate is someone who has Speed 5 [0]; Basic Move 5 [0]. familiar with many periods without voluntarily left his own society to live, Advantages: Cultural Familiarity deep knowledge of any, or specialists, usually secretly, in another time or (Local culture) [1]; Wealth who know only one era – say, 18th- dimension. Many expatriates are rene- (Comfortable) [10]; the local lan- century London – but can name every gades – deserters from the Patrol, guage at Native [6]; plus 15 points street, pub, and lamppost. Or they Time Tours Ltd., or similar agencies. chosen from among Ally (Local may be cinematic historians, expert Expatriates choose many ways to sidekick, 15 or less) [9 or 15], in everything from Brahms’ hand- fit in. They may sell their specialized Contact Group (Local police or writing to the details of Nero’s love high-tech knowledge – or use it to merchants) [Varies], Favor life, in which case they should have impress primitives with their “magi- [Varies], Patron (local boss) the History! skill from the box on cal” powers. In a time-travel or histor- [Varies], local Status 1 or 2 [5 or p. 183. ical parallel world, an Expatriate can 10], and more Wealth [Varies]. Attributes: ST 9 [-10]; DX 10 [0]; IQ 14 use his knowledge of the future to play Disadvantages: -15 points chosen [80]; HT 9 [-10]. the stock markets, win bets, and so on, from among Code of Honor Secondary Characteristics: Damage becoming rich . . . unless he acciden- (Professional) [-5], Compulsive 1d-2/1d-1; BL 16 lbs.; HP 9 [0]; Will tally changes history and makes his Generosity [-5*], Enemy (Whoever 12 [-10]; Per 11 [-15]; FP 11 [6]; foreknowledge useless. chased him out of Homeline) Basic Speed 4.75 [0]; Basic Move 4 Some expatriates are legitimate – [Varies], Loner [-5*], Sense of Duty [0]. permanent “agents in place” for an (Fellow Homeliners in local area) Advantages: Cultural Familiarity (Era organization that crosses time or hops [-5], Stubbornness [-5], and studied) [1]; three languages at between worlds. And in some cam- Xenophilia [-10*]. Native or four at Accented [12]; paigns, it may be perfectly legal for a Primary Skills: Area Knowledge and 10 points from among traveler to settle down in a past time (local area)-12 (IQ+2) [4]; Charisma [5/level], Cultural or parallel world, within certain Diplomacy-10 (IQ) [4]; Savoir- Adaptability [10], Eidetic Memory restrictions. In that case, Time Faire-12 (IQ+2) [4]; Streetwise-10 [5 or 10], Language Talent [10], Corpsmen or I-Cops may be able to (IQ) [2]; and 10 points in profes- Single-Minded [5], +1 Status [5], call on help from the local “expat” sional skills (Merchant, Physician, Tenure [5], Voice [5], Versatile [5], community! etc.). and Wealth [10]. An expatriate may also be a per- Secondary Skills: Computer Use/TL8- Disadvantages: Code of Honor manent agent for a criminal organi- 11 (IQ-1) [1]; Detect Lies-9 (Per-1) (Professional) [-5]; and -25 points zation – possibly the local henchman [2]; Law (local)-9 (IQ-1) [2]; and 4 from among Absent-Mindedness of the big-time crook the PCs are points in local vehicle or Riding [-15], Bad Sight (Mitigator: chasing. skills. Glasses, -60%) [-10], Clueless [-10], Yet another type of expatriate is Background Skills: Carousing-11 Combat Paralysis [-15], Curious the castaway. He didn’t intend to set- (HT+1) [2]; Cooking (local cui- [-5*], Duty (University, 12 or less; tle down, but his means of transport sine)-9 (IQ-1) [1]; Games (local Nonhazardous) [-5], Hard of broke down – or perhaps he was acci- pastime)-11 (IQ+1) [2]. Hearing [-10], Indecisive [-10*], Jealousy [-10], Oblivious [-5], and dentally carried away from his home. * Multiplied for self-control Pacifism [Varies]. Anyway, he’s there now, and has to number; see p. B120. make the best of it. Perhaps he wants Primary Skills: Area Knowledge to return home; perhaps he has been (Milieu studied)-15 (IQ+1) [2]; there so long that he wants to stay. Historian Current Affairs/TL8 (Era stud- In most campaigns, expatriates are 80 points ied)-14 (IQ) [1]; History NPCs rather than player characters, Historians are specialists at finding (choose)-18 (IQ+4) [20]; History because the PCs are traveling, and the information needed by time travelers (second specialty)-17 (IQ+3) [1]†; expatriate is someone who has chosen or crosstime adventurers in the field, Research/TL8-15 (IQ+1) [4]. to settle down. An expatriate may be using libraries, maps, computer data- Secondary Skills: Computer Use/TL8- the target of a mission, or he may be bases, et cetera. But the historian’s 14 (IQ) [1]; Public Speaking-13 able to give valuable help. Or he may value lies not merely in what he can (IQ-1) [1]; Teaching-13 (IQ-1) [1]; be a “wild card” whose very presence look up, but what he already knows. Writing-13 (IQ-1) [1]; 8 points in a was not known to the PCs when they The two generic types of historian are secondary academic specialty such started their mission. the adventurous type, who enjoys as Anthropology, Archaeology, Eco- An expatriate usually has a dressing up in period clothes and slip- nomics, Geography, Linguistics, Reputation, positive or negative, in his ping into the cultures he’s studied, and Political Science, or Sociology. new home.

INFINITE CHARACTERS 197 Background Skills: Administration- any of Carousing, Gambling, characters from any time and place 13 (IQ-1) [1]; Connoisseur Hobby Skill (any), Musical in human history. These might repre- (Antiques or art of era)-14 (IQ) [2]; Instrument (choose), or Sports sent “real” individuals who did not rise Literature-13 (IQ-1) [2]. (choose). to prominence and had no great fame or historical impact. This kind of char- * Multiplied for self-control Duncorne Foundation acter allows the most flexibility for the number; see p. B120. Ever so slightly enigmatic, the player, and is certainly easier to † Default from other specialty of Duncorne Foundation (p. 40) pursues research. With that said, it can be fun History. rare books, compiles forgotten lore, and interesting to play not just an out- and traces the fracture lines criss- timer, or even a very skilled outtimer, Student crossing reality. Its scholars have more Students are usually found in the but a famous outtimer. than their share of academic glory, but company of academic historians, and One of the greatest opportunities in still act less professorial than inquisi- often aspire to become such eminent a crossworld campaign is that of cre- torial at times. A Duncorne Scholar figures themselves. (Others, of course, ating a historical character as a PC or seems to have uncanny access to merely aspire to survive the course important NPC. This works especially books reported missing, antiquities and graduate.) If the characters have well in a parallel-world situation; a PC reported destroyed, and a few areas been thrown into the past as the result can be an alternate version of seldom reported at all. Depending on of a laboratory accident, one or more Lawrence of Arabia or Thomas the campaign, Duncorne Scholars of them may be university students. Jefferson or Mata Hari or Socrates, could also have access to Hidden Lore, One advantage students have, which recruited and trained by the spells, or other arcane skills. should not be overlooked, is that they world-hoppers. But it can happen in a are relatively young: they may be able Duncorne Scholar (+55 points): Add time-travel background, too. Even if to blend in more easily in earlier Contact Group (Collectors, smug- paradoxes are possible, the PC could times, when people aged and died glers, or gray market underworld, have been the subject of a “rescue” early. A Student might also have a use- skill-18, 15 or less, usually reliable) which saved him from his historical ful background – for instance, some- [18] and Patron (Duncorne death without leaving evidence. This one who had spent time as a Peace Foundation, 12 or less) [20] to can range from historical disappear- Corps volunteer might have an easier advantages, and make Latin ances such as Amelia Earhart, to bod- time in “primitive” cultures. While (Native) one of the three languages; ies “burned beyond recognition” on a most students are Poor, this rarely add Intuition [15] and Magery 0 [5] battlefield, or even the substitution of matters in time travel, and only occa- to possible advantages; add a cloned corpse for the character by sionally in crossworld adventuring Weirdness Magnet [-15] to possible the time travelers! (p. 178). disadvantages; the History special- The result is an “alternate” version For simplicity’s sake, this lens ties must reflect medieval or earlier of the historical character . . . someone depicts a history major, but swapping eras; replace background skills with the same origin, but a different out History for any other academic with Archaeology-14 (IQ) [4], development. (For good fictional subject (or for Carousing, in some uni- Connoisseur (Books)-14 (IQ) [2], treatments of this idea, see the versities) should be trivial. Linguistics-14 (IQ) [4], Literature- Riverworld series by Philip José 14 (IQ) [4], Occultism-14 (IQ) [2], Farmer, and “Mozart in Mirror- Student (-40 points): ST+1 and HT+1, Research/TL4-14 (IQ) [2], and shades,” by Bruce Sterling and Lewis IQ-2 [-20 net]; FP+2 [6]; only one Theology (medieval or earlier spe- Shiner, in the Mirrorshades anthology.) other language at Native or three at cialty such as Sumerian, Roman, Players should carefully choose Broken [6]; add Appearance [4 or or Zoroastrian)-14 (IQ) [4]. historical PCs. They should be note- 12], Intuition [15], Less Sleep worthy enough to be interesting, but [2/level], and Musical Ability The new background skills pack- not so earthshaking as to unbalance [5/level] to possible advantages, age is the sort of thing all Duncorne the campaign. Players should choose remove Status and Tenure from Scholars (or at least those who get individuals in whom they have a gen- possible advantages; replace Code more than one grant) seem to uine interest and whose time period of Honor with Pacifism (Reluctant know . . . possibly picked up at the they want to learn about. It is the play- Killer); add Alcoholism [-15], invitation-only Duncorne seminars. er’s job to research and understand the Compulsive Carousing [-5*], Point-conscious GMs or players can person well enough to portray them in Laziness [-10], Lecherousness use any of them (except Connoisseur the game. The more thorough the [-15*], Overweight [-1], Skinny [-5], and Research) as the secondary aca- work, the richer the character (and the and Stubbornness [-5] to possible demic specialty and soak up some of campaign) will be because of it. disadvantages; lower primary those 8 points as well. Even if the GM doesn’t want to History skill to 13 (IQ+1) [8], open that particular can of worms in a Research to 12 (IQ) [2], and sec- OCALS time-travel or crossworld game, he ondary academic specialty to 4 L may want to present some “big name” Giving templates for every possi- points; replace secondary History NPCs in walk-on or guest-starring ble resident of every possible alter- specialty, Administration, Connois- roles. seur, and Teaching with 3 points in nate world is beyond the scope of this book. Players may create new

198 INFINITE CHARACTERS Building Historical this may not matter in a time-hopping Simply thumbing through a biog- game of famous troubleshooters. raphical dictionary, or even an ency- Characters Two or three skills are usually clopedia, gives literally hundreds of Assign attributes conservatively, prominent – these should be set as possibilities for this type of character – based on your research. Writers, high as possible. Keep in mind that a people who were prominent in their artists, scientists and the like have a skill of 21+ is the greatest in history: own day but not well known now. higher IQ; athletes and warriors, Shakespeare’s Poetry or Alexander the Research into this kind of character is higher DX. A subject’s longevity can be Great’s Strategy, for example. Skills of also very educational, and a great a clue to setting HT, but remember 19-20 are the “best in the country”: source of ideas for adventures and that longevity must be considered in John Wesley Hardin’s Fast-Draw. A subtle parallel world divergences of relation to the time period. A score of skill of 16-18 is still enough for lasting the sort Centrum specializes in. 11-12 still stands out to contempo- fame: Mussorgsky’s Musical Compo- raries as above average over time; a sition, perhaps. Then, determine sec- score of 13-14 is noticed immediately ondary skills – these should be set “I Didn’t Think and marks the figure as a prodigy; 15+ equal to the controlling ability (DX or You Were Real!” should be saved for “best ever” world- IQ), or perhaps a level or two higher. With the GM’s permission, the beating types: Newton’s IQ, or George The remaining points can then be players can research and create “his- Washington’s Will, for instance. Use spent to round out the character. torical” characters who never actually Talents and “aptitudes” such as Remember that “period” skills that lived, or whose reality is in some Charisma, High Manual Dexterity, may seem useless at first may be very doubt. In many cases, the “real” ver- Mathematical Ability, Versatile, and so valuable to an agent in a primitive sion of such a character is a far cry forth rather than jacking attributes world. from the legendary or fictional one. up. Remember that levels of these King Arthur, Robin Hood, and advantages higher than 3 also lead to Hercules are all examples of charac- world-beating reputations. ters who might have been based on a Advantages are any innate talents historical individual. possessed by the character, or ones Such people are also very good gained very early in life. In general, NPCs, because the first reaction of keep the point total for disadvantages those who meet them is often “I didn’t below -40; biographers and hostile think you were real!” Some “real” contemporaries exaggerate many characters will give the same effect. character flaws. Quirks are the most The swashbucklers D’Artagnan and fun; every great person had them, and Cyrano de Bergerac, and the gunfight- they can be roleplayed to the hilt and Footnote Characters ers Wild Bill Hickok and Bat help bring the character to life. Many of the best temporal agents Masterson, fall into this category. They Extreme advantages and disadvan- are those who might be called “histor- all really lived, but many people know tages (those worth more than 10 ical footnotes.” They had interesting only of the stories based on their points) are more appropriate for cine- and distinguished careers . . . but from exploits, and assume that they were matic games than purely historical the vantage point of the 21st century, purely fictional. And the truth about ones, although narrowly combat- they are obscure. As a result, they are some of these people may be surpris- focused advantages (like Combat easier to “rescue” without distorting a ing . . . Bat Masterson, for instance, Reflexes) are usually more realistic world’s history. Playing such a charac- was a New York City gentleman for even at fairly high levels. Remember ter is a good compromise between a much of his career, and Davy Crockett to apply Rank and Status, although truly famous person, and an was a member of Congress! imaginary nobody. WEAPONS The arms and accessories potentially Baker & Alvarez .591 Express Rifle: weapon of the Centrum Interworld available to crosstime heroes run the This is the standard dinosaur-hunting Service. Based on a neural disruptor gamut from flint knives to planet-bust- rifle sold in high-end sporting goods technology that defies Homeline ing explosives. This section concentrates stores on Homeline. Adapted from an attempts at technical exploitation, the on specific firearms encountered in the anti-materiel rifle design, it is illegal to Pandar delivers an affliction attack: Infinite Worlds setting. own in most Homeline nations, and the victim gets a HT roll to resist, at a even some American states. Hunting penalty dependent on the weapon and agencies often rent them out to cus- a (2) armor divisor (that is, the victim FIREARMS tomers. All B&A weapons are very fine gets +1 to HT per 2 DR on the location All TL9+ weaponry incorporates (see p. B280). Fires .591 Express Nitro. struck). Failure results in paralysis for advanced electronics (see “Smartgun” CF/3 “Pandar” Stunner: This a number of minutes equal to the Electronics, p. B278). “stun pistol” is the standard holdout margin of failure.

INFINITE CHARACTERS 199 CF/4 “Porpentine” EMW: The walking stick has become a comedy slowed adoption. Fires 10mm Infinity Centrum Interworld Service uses this staple. Caseless. electromag weapon as a multi-pur- Infantry Combat Weapon: Standard Needler: A small-caliber air gun that pose firearm that can fire a number of issue to the United States military in usually fires a small dart using nothing specialized munitions, ranging from Homeline (as the M-23A3), the ICW more then compressed air. The darts anti-personnel diamondoid needle features an “over and under” configu- can be tipped with any sort of poison, clusters to anti-tank warheads. The ration mating a medium caliber hallucinogen, drug, paralytic agent, ammo chart lists a standard solid assault rifle with a modular under-bar- tracking microdot, etc. that Centrum “slug” round; other rounds include: rel mount for grenade launchers, vor- or Homeline ingenuity can devise. beehive (1d-1 imp, RoF ¥100, Rcl 1, tex ring projectors, or shotguns. Many needles are biodegradeable, and CPS $4.4), HEDP (9d(10) and follow- Grenades can be fired on four settings: vanish upon striking; the target may up 1d+1[1d], CPS $3.3), Baton airburst, delayed impact (for firing not even know he was hit (roll against (2d(0.5) cr dkb, Rng 52/156, CPS through doors to explode inside a Per). Fires 5mm Airdart. $1.1), and HE (7d+2(0.5) and follow- room), “window” (a delay for firing StG 03: The Mauser Sturmgewehr up 4d-1[1d], CPS $1.1). Fires 20mm C- through openings), and conventional 03 is the main infantry weapon for the Hive. impact. Fires 6.8mm ICW. Reich-5 German military, including Electrozap Pistol: The “zat” is a Infinity Service Pistol: Replacing a the SS Raven Division. It is well con- high-powered electrolaser carried by hodge-podge of 9mm and 10mm pis- structed and rugged, but requires a lot Patrol agents and Time Tours guides. tols, the ISP fires a cutting-edge cased of preventive maintenance and clean- Electrozaps are often disguised, and telescoped round with electrothermal- ing. Like the ICW, it features an under- the hapless crosstime native finding a chemical propellant. It has proven barrel mount for a grenade launcher. lost zat built into a loaf of bread or popular, but limited production rates Fires 7.92mm Caseless. and dodgy ammunition quality have

Ammunition Table TL: The Tech Level of the ammunition. WPS: Weight per shot, in pounds. CPS: Cost per shot. TL Ammo WPS CPS 95mm Airdart 0.035 $0.70 9 6.8mm ICW 0.014 $1.30 9 7.92mm Caseless 0.032 $2.90 9 10mm Infinity Caseless 0.017 $3.00 9.591 Express Nitro 0.39 $18.00 9 20mm C-Hive 0.054 $1.10

Weapons Table TL Weapon Damage Acc Range Weight RoF Shots ST Bulk Rcl Cost LC Notes BEAM WEAPONS (PISTOL) (DX-4, other Beam Weapons-4, or Guns (Pistol)-4) 9^ CF/3 Pandar, 10mm 2HT-4(2) aff 2 200/600 0.36/0.1 3 104(3) 2 -1 1 $260 4 [1] 9 Electrozap Pistol, 80mm 1d-1 burn sur 4 80/240 3.6/1 1 87(3) 6 -3 1 $12,000 4 [2] linked HT-6(2) aff GUNS (PISTOL) (DX-4, or most other Guns at -2) 9 ISP, 10mm 4d+1 pi+ 3 280/3,200 3.4/0.71 10 15+1(3) 8 -2 3 $1,200 3 [3] 9 Needle Pistol, 5mm 1d-1 pi 1 100/390 2.1/1.1 3 25+1(3) 5 -3 2 $200 4 GUNS (RIFLE) (DX-4, or most other Guns at -2) 9 CF/4 Porpentine, 20mm 7d+2 pi++ 2 260/780 22/0.78 1 9+1(3) 4† -6 5 $4,200 1 [4] 9 ICW, 6.8mm 6d pi 5 570/3,700 4.8/0.5 15 30+1(3) 10† -3 2 $430 1 [5] 9 Express Rifle, 15mm 6d¥3 pi+ 5 2,600/11,000 37/0.39 1 1(3) 13B† -10 6 $4,800 2 9 StG 03, 7.92mm 7d+1 pi 4 1,200/5,300 10/1.8 20 40+1(3) 8† -4 2 $1,000 1 [5] [1] EPS 0.86, C/104 eShots. [2] EPS 10, D/87 eShots. [3] EPS 2.3, C/39 eShots. [4] EPS 19, 2C/9 eShots. [5] Usually mounts an integral grenade launcher.

200 INFINITE CHARACTERS CHAPTER SEVEN INFINITE CAMPAIGNS

Evening heat shimmer obscured against the violet sky as little as pos- Egyptian desert. The whole century the bronze flashes on the shields, sible. They crept down the hill, their followed suit, waiting as the plane and the clouds of choking dust muf- boots tearing up what little furze buzzed overhead. fled the sound of 100 pairs of hob- clung to its side. Just a recon plane, Niger decided, nailed boots striking the arid pan of Clodius Terentius Niger watched as the optics buried deep in his cheek- the desert. The scarlet horsehair his men move forward, noting with bones pulled a magnified view from crests were gray with windblown approval that each man kept his the sky and threw the resulting Saharan sand. mates in his eyeline but kept his eyes schematic against his retinas. An Me- Even the glint of the spearheads pinned on the next ridge. We don’t 109 F-5, fitted with cameras instead of was tamed, although by carefully want to get surprised by another guns. In some ways, of course, that smeared black oil rather than by rust machine-gun nest. At the thought, would be more deadly to his men, if or dust. Niger reflexively massaged the old the cameras could find them, and if As the soldiers crested the rise, scar on his throat and jaw. One of the the pictures got to the right people in they spread out in professional fash- men below hissed, and his maniple Rommel’s command. ion, staying low and bounding over dropped to the ground, mere unmov- And Rommel would have such the ridge, exposing themselves ing lumps against the rocks of the people, or the Last Century wouldn’t have been sent after his southern flank. That was how the Rules worked. That was how the Game was played. “Quick-time.” Niger hissed to his second, who passed the word down the ranks. At the next ridge, the men leapt over and kept moving, some silence sacrificed for much speed. We don’t have to outrun the plane, Niger thought. We just have to outrun the news. The implants in his thighs poured catalysts into his blood, oxy- genating his muscle fibers and making his palms itch for combat. His legs pistoned and again his men leapt forward, keeping up almost effortlessly. We’ll pay for this tomorrow, came the wry knowledge amid the euphoric rush of speed. But Rommel will pay for it tonight.

INFINITE CAMPAIGNS 201 A crossworld or time-travel campaign is, almost by definition, the most freewheeling sort of game there To me, all the past is alive with alternatives, is. Whatever the bounds of reality, and nobody can show, nobody has really whoever the bad guys are, however harsh the local law enforcement in attempted to show, that they were not real any particular world, the heroes can alternatives. always Go Somewhere Else. Still, such a campaign, whatever its – G.K. Chesterton, details, must always answer certain “On Fate and a Communist” questions. The most basic of these are “All right, how did we get here?” – for which see Interdimensional Travel, on rules for dimensional and time travel, like any good science fiction. But p. B529, or Temporal Physics, on p. 153 of several different flavors. It’s very they’re imaginary, intended to get the – and “What shall we do now that important to understand that the players to use their heads to accom- we’re here?” “laws of time travel” or “quantum uni- plish their missions. If they don’t suit Roleplaying is about solving prob- verses” provided are designed to be your game or your group, tweak them lems and taking actions inside a (we hope) reasonable and consistent, to fit. framework of rules. So this book has CAMPAIGN ASSUMPTIONS The first step, then, is to decide on Because of this imbalance, most (though problem-solving gets some- the rules, or at least some guidelines, game approaches to time travel have what more attention in this book than for your campaign. In freewheeling tried to come up with some mechani- gunfights). It is an argument that the genres like time travel, or even (slight- cal limitation on the firepower that GM and his players need to agree on ly) more constrained settings like the time-tripping characters may carry the sorts of things they want to hap- Infinite Worlds, it’s important to get into the past. (One rarely sees contem- pen in the game, before launching into your players to buy into these guide- porary characters going into the adventures. lines, too, before the first die gets future and being mown down by com- thrown. Otherwise, you’re setting bat lasers.) Sometimes the travelers yourself up for a game full of picky are forbidden to carry metal, or an PARAMETERS exceptions, intentional near-paradox, arbitrary “energy scale” (like the and generally avoidable irritation. Dupuys’ numbers) is imposed. Scale But this misses the point: the diffi- Scale is the level at which the char- culty is not one of controlling hard- acters are interacting with the world, THE HARDWARE ware, but matching software – making and the results of their actions upon it. ILEMMA AND certain that the GM’s intentions suit Are the heroes acting on a prosaic D the expectations of the players. scale, living day to day, hoping to sell THE SOFTWARE If what the players really want to (or intercept) a rookie Fidel Castro do is face off with panzers against baseball card on Gernsback? Or are MISMATCH Roman legionaries, then any arbitrary they acting on an epic scale, saving the rules designed to prevent the slaughter continuum and twisting histories like are going to be resented and dodged. taffy? Or Why the Biggest Conversely, if the players are interested Normally, scale maps to character Problem Isn’t So Big in solving historical mysteries with as power. Of course, the GM can create The future can hit the past pretty little violence as possible – and when compelling, gripping adventure or hard. Imagine the effects of a squad of it’s necessary to fight, meeting the light-hearted comedy by hurling modern NATO infantry, with their opponents on their own terms, underdogs into big fights. Or a very assault rifles, grenade launchers, sword to sword, rather than simply high-point game can still have a pro- Kevlar body armor, and so on, against blowing them away with futuristic fire- saic scale, such as an ISWAT version a Roman legion. Add in some mortars power – then a lot of restrictions aren’t of Hill Street Blues. or medium machine guns, never mind necessary; the Time Service (through The default Infinite Worlds setting vehicles, and it gets even grimmer. its loyal representative, the GM) sim- is somewhere between prosaic scale Military analysts Trevor and Ernest ply says “it’s important that you pos- and epic scale; a Patrol team might Dupuy, attempting to calculate the sess or do nothing that would give you rescue a tourist one day, and sabotage “absolute lethality” of weapons, have away as time travelers,” and that’s an SS invasion next week. This is by concluded that a rifle is hundreds of that. design; playing change-up with the times more deadly than a sword. This is not an argument that one scale helps prevent the monotony of sort of play is “better” than another “another day, another world.” For a

202 INFINITE CAMPAIGNS prosaic–scale game, swagmen or petty The default Infinite Worlds setting Division, or present the Duncorne criminals, Time Tours guides, or aca- has pretty broad, fuzzy boundaries. Foundation and the Cabal’s contest to demic historians make decent protag- Almost anything is somewhere, and decipher the mysteries of reality as the onists (or antagonists). A fully epic the GM can make any of it the center only important question. The GM can game calls for really skilled for an adventure or a whole campaign. even leave whole elements of the set- Patrolmen, ISWAT operatives, or Conversely, the GM campaign can ting aside; remove the Cabal, Reich-5, Centrum Unattached agents. trim the boundaries down to whatever or ISWAT, or magic, and it still func- he’d like. He can essentially ignore all tions. Or just never mention them, and the “sideshows” and focus purely on assume that they’re off on Quantum 3 Scope the contest between Infinity and doing something terribly exciting but Scope is what the PCs can see, Centrum, or make the game a pulpy somehow not very crucial to the touch, influence, and kill. Where scale rumble between the crew of the USS business at hand. refers to why they step through the Eldridge (p. 163) and the SS Raven time gate (To save a life? Or to save humanity?), scope deals with what, who, and (sometimes) how. A campaign that only deals with one village, one decade, or even one worldline is smaller in scope than a campaign with Adding Worlds ramifications throughout a civiliza- The basic assumption of the Infinite Worlds setting is “whatever it is, tion, all of history, or the Infinite it’s out there, somewhere, even if nobody knows it yet, unless that would Worlds. Increased scale usually maps wreck your game.” Introducing the Infinite Worlds into an existing game to increased scope, but not always. A world is as easy as having the Scouts show up and ask directions from campaign of vast scope can chase your PCs – or having the Interworld Service show up and try to kill them! across two quanta for the prosaic Introducing an existing game world into an Infinite Worlds campaign is stakes of one kidnapped woman’s just as easy: any game world can exist somewhere in the Infinite Worlds life . . . or a Paralabs researcher and as a parallel on a seldom-visited quantum, as a pocket universe created his assistants can prevent a massive by the Cabal, or as the result of Centrum tampering with an echo! If your reality quake with a single day trip to game world depends on some Vast Cosmic Evil That Transcends Mere a nexus portal in the Turkish desert. Worlds, it can be tied into the reality quakes (or the Cabal) with minimal In the default Infinite Worlds set- stress. If your game world has weird magic, or strange technology, rest ting, the scope is fairly broad. easy; it’s no weirder or stranger than Merlin, and you can always rule that Characters are assumed to do a lot of such weird strangeness only works on its home world if you’re worried world-hopping, and the Patrol has about the Wand of Centrum-Vanishing unbalancing the campaign. wide-ranging responsibilities, with similarly wide-ranging authority. Part Future Earths of the fun of the Infinite Worlds set- Most existing SF settings, and most potential ones, take place on a ting is its broad scope, and the key future Earth set well past the 2027 “present day” of the Infinite Worlds. part played in it by the Patrol – which There are three basic ways to connect such a future Earth into the is to say, the likely PCs. Infinite Worlds setting: Another Anomaly: This future Earth has some odd feature that makes Boundaries it “safe” for the GM to break the general “no futures” rule of the setting. Boundaries are the edges – implic- If the world is on an out-of-the-way quantum, it won’t even affect the set- it or explicit – to the setting, and to the ting too much, as long as it doesn’t get parachronics on a large scale, and action. If scale answers why, and as long as nobody can steal its technology very easily. scope answers who and what, then Parachronics Plus: Add parachronics to the future Earth, and an anal- boundaries are all about where (or, in ogous organization to the Infinity Patrol. This Earth’s Van Zandt discov- a time-travel game, when). Where is ered parachronics 30 years ago, in 2198, and the whole setting moves up the action, and where is “off-screen”? a few notches. This is a huge amount of work for some aspects (Reich- Boundaries also constrain the possi- 5), and fairly transparent for others (the Cabal and Centrum). bilities: how many sorts of time or Future Branch: The future Earth is the future of some echo, parallel, dimension travel are there? Do magic or other alternate. Perhaps this is the only such worldline with a defined and psi work, and do the PCs have “future,” and all the others are chaotic potentials (p. 170). Perhaps all access to either? This is not a bad worlds have futures, but most of them are inaccessible. A Gate of Thoth, thing – an infinity of stories can seem wandering timenapper, or banestorm can shift PCs into the future of any awfully imposing to a GM, and even- Earth with no real harm done to the setting, and similar handwaving can tually less interesting to the players shift them back. A permanent, or recurring, Gate of Thoth is probably than a mere “whole lot of the most plausible way to handle multiple commutes if necessary. stories” joined by some underlying assumption or theme.

INFINITE CAMPAIGNS 203 and 200 points; an average soldier run drug rings and slaughter out- PARAPHYSICS with the same is about 90 points; a timers without a qualm. Hopefully, In a sense, the question of the cam- special forces soldier is around 220. A players won’t mind a few restrictions paign’s underlying physics is a bound- skilled civilian with rather more expe- on their actions, but they almost ary question. Who can get where, and rience varies, but hovers between 100 always want to understand them up how? Examine the options under and 150 points. The GM can move front unless the nature of the restric- Temporal Physics on pp. 153-165; they these scores around; for example, tion is supposed to be a puzzle in the shape the stories you can tell. The key special forces can be still more com- game. is to keep the rules transparent to the petent, or the Patrol can scrape the The default Infinite Worlds cam- players, and to get them to agree to bottom of the barrel in its desperate paign is prejudiced toward characters accept them – or to make the quest to quest for manpower. At the standard with at least some moral qualms; even undermine them an acknowledged levels, this gives a fairly reliable result Centrum has a strict code of conduct part of the game so that you can pre- for Patrol skills; the troubles they face and a not entirely contemptible ideol- pare for it. One method of setting the are mostly from the outside, not from ogy to back it up. However, cheerful paraphysics can be the touchstone their own incompetence. This privi- amoralists can always find a home rule. Describe your paraphysics in leges player tactics over the dice some- with the swagmen; less cheerful ones terms of a setting already familiar to what, but leaves a large dollop of might work with the Cabal. “Blow your players: “Time travel is like chance. stuff up for the hell of it” types may Terminator; one way only, and you find a socially approved outlet in have to arrive naked.” Make sure you Alternate Outcomes, at the cost of a know your touchstone better than Niche tighter T.O. your players do, though – you don’t This parameter might also be want to be trapped into “Star Trek time called “role” or “habitat.” Who are the travel” with players who watched PCs, and why do they hang out togeth- Edges Voyager. er? Were they all kidnapped by time Do the PCs have access to anything The default Infinite Worlds cam- travelers, recruited by Alternate out of the ordinary – magic, psionics, paign sets up some fairly ironclad Outcomes, hired by White Star, or secret TL10 equipment? In some cam- rules: conveyors can only travel along (un)lucky enough to be in the path of paigns, of course, a crossworld gate, the same quantum without a projector the banestorm? or a Zippo lighter, may be their only (i.e., without the GM’s permission); there isn’t really reliable time travel; the quantum structure keeps troublesome worlds away from your home base. It then sneaks around hinting at The default Infinite Worlds campaign is loopholes, should the GM wish to explore them: nexus portals, Gates of prejudiced toward characters with at least Thoth, and banestorms blowing Communist penguin mana and some moral qualms; even Centrum has a Argentine Nazis everywhere, for strict code of conduct. example. CHARACTERS Once the campaign foundations are laid, it’s time to think about the The Infinite Worlds setting pre- edge. In others, the players can pick characters. Here, even more than the sumes some sort of connection to anything they’d like, in the name of earlier parameters, consulting with Infinity Unlimited, ideally the Patrol, infinite options. One key question the the players can pay big dividends for a but it hardly mandates it. No matter GM should consider, and perhaps get GM seeking to avoid software mis- what the players’ preference, there’s player input on: do their standard foes match and the ensuing “assumption someone in the Infinite Worlds who have such edges, too? Time travelers clash.” can suit them, or who can be may have the only time machine in retrofitted with little bother. existence, but nothing else special to keep them alive. Psis may attract the Power Level attention of evil psis looking for At its most basic, this is “how many Freedom recruits, or for competition. It can be points are the characters?” In compa- What can the PCs do? Who stops fun to smack the locals around with ny with scale and scope, this deter- them, or what? Some of the answers an unbeatable edge once or twice, but mines much of the feel of the game. to this question are inherent in the it can get old. Make sure there’s In the default Infinite Worlds cam- campaign metaphysics: if time travel enough competition – even with dif- paign, Infinity Patrolmen with about a is impossible, the PCs can’t travel in ferent edges entirely – to keep the year of experience are between 180 time. Others are inherent in the adventurers challenged. group’s niche; Infinity Patrolmen can’t

204 INFINITE CAMPAIGNS In the default Infinite Worlds cam- Historical SF: This subgenre takes er-than-life heroes, because otherwise, paign, like tend to fight like. Infinity the SF emphasis on extrapolation and they might lose! battles its ideological opposite “What if?” questions and applies it to Dark: There is no morality, and Centrum using nearly identical history. A game like this focuses on the power corrupts. Infinity is filthy, parachronics. The Cabal has magic, parallels, especially those with only a Centrum is ruthless, and UNIC is but tends to attract magical foes from minimum of magic or psi to distort power-mad. The only people PCs in a the cracks in reality. This keeps tacti- things. The point of this game is to dark game can count on are each cal decision-making fairly rapid, and encounter strange new histories, seek other . . . maybe. Doing the best you more importantly, lets players build out new cultures and new civiliza- can for a world is its own reward, and focused, effective characters without tions, and watch (or direct) their inter- stopping the power-hungry from mak- having to load up on Mental Shield play. Changing history may be an ing it a meal is a close second. and Magic Resistance all the time. If objective for players of historical SF Gritty: A gritty game is cynical and magic or psi show up in the Patrol’s games. “realistic.” (But not realistic enough to life, they are restricted to one world as Technical SF: This subgenre con- give up parachronics, of course.) a special obstacle . . . they don’t dog centrates on the questions of physics History is dirty and smelly; heroes them across the quanta. inherent in time or crossworld travel. have feet of clay, and bullets kill you in If the GM has a cosmic turn of mind, lingering agony crying for a mother on the large questions about the origin of a world you’ll never see again. There GENRE the Infinite Worlds, or the nature of can be good guys, but not shiny ones. reality quakes, might take center Hollywood History: When the leg- AND MODE stage. Players might want to set up end outlives the truth, roleplay the leg- paradoxes on purpose, or have fun end. Heroes are heroic and noble and Genre outwitting the Observer Effect. good-looking. There is always a good Essentially, genre is the general Fantasy: Fantasy games are about side and a bad side, and the good side kind of story you’re telling, and it indi- the unreal, about magic and things is the PCs and their allies. If Infinity cates the broad run of story elements, that simply can’t exist. Power and isn’t the good guys, beat it with the scenery, and obstacles the players are wildness range widely. To a large help of Joan of Arc or Robin Hood. likely to encounter. While the various extent, the Infinite Worlds is already a Investigative: The focus is on solv- worlds of the Infinite Worlds encom- “science fantasy” setting. Don’t bother ing puzzles. What happened on pass all sorts of genres, the campaign with extrapolation; just ride the Enigma? What exactly are reality as a whole can rest within one. An banestorm wave to the next parallel quakes? Why is Centrum killing the Infinity Patrol- or Centrum-centered and marvel at it. This genre has a lot in great chefs of Europe? A variant of the game is likely to be an SF campaign, common with supers, which is really investigative mode is the exploratory, with details of dimension travel theory, its own topic. or “travelogue” mode; the mystery technical whizbang equipment, and becomes a pretext to visit new worlds applied cliodynamics sharing roughly and play in them. equal billing. A Cabal-centered game Mode Pulp: A blend of the Hollywood his- tends toward fantasy (if it emphasizes The mode is how you approach the tory and cinematic modes, with a dose the magi) or horror (if it emphasizes genre; if the genre is the searchlight, of campy dialogue and vile, vile vil- the monsters). A game set entirely on the mode is the filter on the lens that lains. Pulp blends Time Nazis, Lenin-6 (p. 132) is likely to be a war gives it color. You can combine them, Confederate airships, and Martian story, dealing with tactical choices and but too many modes leave the game heat rays into a game of pace, narra- psychological stress. murky, not multi-colored. tive thrust, and cliffhanging suspense. An alternate worlds campaign Action: All adrenaline and big Silly: This mode plays things for depends less on genre than most, explosions, in action mode the story laughs; it probably works best with although some GMs want the extra is just the reason to have fight freelance heroes. Maybe they’re an all- thematic unity a single genre supplies, scenes, chases, and escapes. star team of History’s Second-Greatest to counteract the unfocusing effect of Alternate Outcomes campaigns, or Heroes, or resolutely in-genre private the wildly various settings. Still, commando ops against the Raven eyes traveling the cosmos in an AI- boundaries between genres are fluid Division, or jumps through alternate piloted black 1957 Buick. at best. Second World Wars, feed the action Technothriller: God is in the details. Whether it’s the perfect Conspiracy: Conspiracy games are beast. crosstime caper thriller or a loving about uncertainty and paranoia. Trust Cinematic: In this cousin of the description of alternate submachine no one; nothing is what it seems. In action mode, the fight scene always guns, it matches narrative thrust and the Infinite Worlds setting, this can be lets the villain escape until the last suspense with tactical planning. a “hall of mirrors” type espionage adventure, the bad guys always dis- Anything with a “mission” structure game with uncertain agendas in cover the hero next to a rank of speed- works best for technothriller, from Infinity Tower, or a straightforward boats, and the escape is always at the Patrol sting operations to straight-up attempt to unravel the tangled works last second. Drama is sacred, well Nazi hunts. of the Interworld Service (or the above realism. This mode implies larg- Armanen Order) across the quanta.

INFINITE CAMPAIGNS 205 CAMPAIGN ELEMENTS A strong overlap exists between to perform some mission. Maybe it’s through one side of the gate comes out alternate-world and time-travel cam- fairly trivial (the wizard just needed in the other time – and possibly in paigns. Not only are parallel worlds a hirelings with specific talents). Maybe another place as well. A gate might great way to dodge the restrictions of it’s apocalyptic (only they can save the come into being, say, between time travel (p. 156), but thinking universe). Chartres Cathedral in 1850 and the about the past (or future) is very simi- This works well with a crosstime bathroom of a Chicago tenement in lar to thinking about a primitive (or recruitment gimmick. The campaign 1990. It lasts 20 years, until the tene- advanced) alternate Earth. In this sec- is based in any familiar genre – fanta- ment is torn down. During that time, tion, consider much of this material to sy, space, whatever – but the charac- anyone can step through that closet be advice from both perspectives, ters may be drawn from anywhere! door and be in Chartres precisely 140 options for both sorts of games. Whoever brought them together want- years, 19 days and six hours earlier, ed certain specific talents, and got and vice versa. them. A party might consist of a World Gates: A world gate is simply THROUGH THE Roman legionary plucked from a ran- a connection between two parallel (or dom battlefield, a Victorian mathe- not-so-parallel) worlds. Depending on RABBIT HOLE matician, a Roaring ‘20s private eye, a what worlds it connects, it can be Assuming you don’t have a cross- cop from the streets of New York in incredibly valuable, a mere curiosity, time galleon, or a handy conveyor, or 2010, and an android artist from 2200. or totally worthless. Any worlds can an Infinity Patrol to show you around, Or, for a game in which the recruiters be connected. The heroes of a pulp- how do you get from world to world? are groupies or snobs, the PCs might era campaign could explore an One important subgenre of cross- be Cleopatra, Wyatt Earp, Merlin, ancient temple and find a gate to the world or crosstime adventure is that in Miyamoto Musashi, and the Comte de prehistoric world, or the Golden Age which the heroes have access to a Saint-Germain! (See Locals, p. 198, for of Piracy, or medieval Japan, or fan- “gate” between two worlds – and only some notes on building such charac- tastic Yrth . . . or to all of them, in a two. Sometimes they don’t even con- ters.) A lot of the playing time can portal dimension like the Horatio trol the gate . . . they just fall (or are be spent just letting the characters Club on p. 229. pushed) into another world. That’s still interact! A world gate can be used to make a enough for high adventure! permanent change in a campaign, or Gates it can open once, for a single Accidental Transport adventure, and then close again. The Gates can create a special and lim- travelers can keep whatever items, The party is pulled across time or ited kind of cross-universe campaign. into another world by forces beyond knowledge or companions they picked A gate is a portal to . . . somewhere up on the other side. Or, if they’re on their control. They’ll probably never else. One or both sides may be be able to get back, because they’ll the other side when the gate closes, portable. A gate may work all the time, they’re stuck in a new world. probably never understand what or only part of the time, or only when happened to them. someone says the code-word... Gates In the default Infinite Worlds set- may be technological, magical, natu- VISITING ting, the easy way to do this is with a ral, or just there. The nexus portals, banestorm (p. 75), or a conveyor or Gates of Thoth, dimensional high- THE WORLD time machine accident (p. B531 and ways, and shiftrealms from the p. 165). The PCs might wind up “oz Infinite Worlds setting only scratch NEXT DOOR charged” by the banestorm’s ball light- the surface of the possibilities. So once you’ve got a gate to ning, crackling between worlds over, Since world-spanning gates imply another world, or a stolen conveyor, or and over, and over . . . very high tech, very strong magic, or whatever, now what? Parallel worlds Alternatively, the heroes could better, it is usually best for the cam- are likely to inspire the same sorts of receive a warning that they are about paign if the gate, or gates, simply exist, travelers as any strange new land: to be taken to another time or world, with no real explanation. The PCs explorers, missionaries (religious or perhaps never to return. What do they stumble onto, and through, a gate, just humanitarian), and those out to do in their last day on Earth? What and what they do next is up to them! make a fast buck. should they pack? (see p. 207 for some This device works well with the The last is probably the largest possible answers.) “players as PCs” gimmick from p. 184. group, and may be PCs or their adver- If you found an alternate dimension in saries. Large-scale business ventures Summonings your closet, would you go in? Who might involve mining an alternate Perhaps the party’s transport was would you tell about it? What would timeline for raw materials. Arabia’s deliberate . . . but not on their part. you take? petroleum is too close to civilization, if there is any – even paratime corpora- They’ve been snatched from their own Time Gates: A time gate exists in time, by magical or ultra-tech means, tions that don’t care about revealing two times at once. Anyone who travels themselves are hesitant about “native

206 INFINITE CAMPAIGNS trouble” that involves full-fledged armies. The mines of southern Africa are a more likely target. (See p. 37 for The past is a foreign country: they do things some reasons why.) Colonization is differently there. the biggest project of all, probably focusing on uninhabited or uncivi- – L.P. Hartley, The Go-Between lized worlds, though the Americas and Australia may be viewed as fair game in a broader set of timelines. or artificially “worn” coins that look powder if you plan on visiting the trop- Trade is another way of making a like they might once have had pictures ics. Make sure your own shots are up profit (pp. 37-41), and it may shade on them. Failing that, a selection of to date; thinking of the past, or many into theft and looting. Many types of plain gold rings is easy to carry (and parallel worlds, as a Third World coun- interdimensional travel make stealing hide) and easy to turn into cash. try isn’t a bad habit to get into. See The far too easy to be interesting – a GM For both initial and later visits, Bad Old Good Old Days on p. 210 for has to provide complications among probably the most useful modern tool specific notes on squalor in the game. the victims, the law, or both. you can have is a small computer, Parachronic crime might also involve hand-held if possible, with a historical, What to Pack for stealing people (see Timenappers, geographic, and linguistic database. A p. 72). We can all agree that someone digital camera (no film needed) is very an Extended Visit wanting to kidnap Marilyn Monroe, or useful for retrieving information. Don’t If you’re planning to emigrate and even Nikola Tesla, is probably fooling emphasize weapons: you should be have time to prepare, get all the infor- himself if he tries to justify his crime avoiding combat. The stunner is the mation your home timeline offers as “providing the victim with more perfect “quiet” weapon if your TL per- about your destination area. Load opportunities” than he or she would mits it; otherwise you’ll have to make down that computerized database have had at home. But what to do do with dart guns, crossbows, or with maps, climate data, and a profile about the person determined to kid- silencers. of the local ecology as well as basic nap all the alternate Hitlers from the Don’t neglect antibiotics: the odds science. Don’t neglect guides to low- The Way streets of Vienna and stash them are very good that a random parallel TL medicine and chemistry. Things Work, A Barefoot Doctor’s somewhere they can’t do any harm? world is full of diseases your immune Manual, Henley’s Formulas Obviously, a parachronic police force system has never encountered. GMs and can like the Infinity Patrol has its work cut who don’t want to be bothered with start you off. If you have data on the out for it. disease should make some sort of human inhabitants, take that too – Immunity to Disease (p. B443) avail- although many alternate histories, able. Add a snakebite kit, penicillin, including some in this book, have What to Pack for a Visit and good old aspirin, plus quinine changed so much that such Assuming you don’t know anything information may not be very useful. about the new timeline, but have the chance to pack, treat it as exploration. Start with standard camping and survival gear: you’ll probably be starting some distance from civilization. Bring a Swiss army knife; actually, as many as you can carry, if you plan to trade for a living. Bring a reliable pen and a few blank journals. Don’t forget binoculars. Bring a radio: if the locals are advanced enough for broadcasting you can find out a lot about them before setting eyes on one. If not, communicators for the entire group. It shouldn’t be necessary to point this out, but your cell phone won’t work on another world, unless it’s a very close parallel indeed. Once you are ready to meet the inhabitants, you’ll need to acquire local clothing, at least outer garments (hope for cloaks). Carry your goods in a “timeless” leather satchel. Silver is the most common coined metal: bring small ingots with a good sharp cutter,

INFINITE CAMPAIGNS 207 In this situation you’ll also want to one synthetic dye could make you very Worldline Conquest give serious thought to achieving fame rich in the textile business. and fortune by “inventing” something It is unwise to introduce new Made (Relatively) Easy the locals haven’t yet devised. The weapons – gunpowder, atomics, what- The most extreme adventure in options are legion for hard-headed ever – to a timeline without them, another timeline is outright conquest, engineer types (see Things to Invent, p. unless you are prepared for the ensu- though PCs are probably more likely below). Other products you might also ing military revolution. On the other to fight a would-be conquistador consider include cosmetics, recipes, hand, it can be very comforting (and group than to be one, unless they and ceramics. Even without con- potentially lucrative) indeed to be the work for Centrum’s Uplift Service sumerism, there are possibilities. For only person in the world who knows (p. 54). Still, you never know what instance, the only really color-fast dye how to make gunpowder. (See Black Alternative Outcomes (p. 31) might for most of history was indigo: even Powder, p. 209.) do, and infinite worlds mean you can’t rule anything out.

Things to Invent There are a number of simple devices, processes and work easier. Each of the creations below certainly compounds that can make a traveler rich at the right seemed obvious after it was developed, and made its time in the past, or in a primitive alternate world. (Note inventor a lot of money. that if temporal contamination is possible, the intro- Paper clip (Test yourself. Can you draw it exactly duction of any of these things will do it. By definition, right, from memory?) anything that is enough to make its inventor rich is Hole punch enough to change history.) Window envelopes Of course, many other things can easily be re- Adhesive tape (For this and the following items, invented . . . by some people. An electronics technician you’d have to hire a chemist to develop the invention might well be able to build a radio in the year 1400. from your description, unless you possess Chemistry This box lists things that could be created by anyone, skill at 16 or better, or are a Gadgeteer.) or things so easy to explain that a skilled person could Carbon paper create them from any layman’s explanation. To re- Self-sticking note pads invent a specialized device using your own technical or Correction fluid scientific skills, use Gadgeteering (p. B475). Pencil eraser Simple Machines Simple Comforts of Home and Basic Concepts These innovations may not change the entire If any of these devices aren’t in use yet, you can raise society – at first – but they’ll still be useful and make the local technology in that field by a whole TL in about their creator wealthy if they are properly exploited. 20 minutes. Fermentation, to turn perfectly good grape juice or Fire grain into (gasp) alcohol. Wheel Distilling (the most obvious use is to make strong Lever alcoholic beverages from weak ones, but there are Container (could be pottery, but could as easily be many industrial applications). hollowed-out wood, or even a bag made of leaves) Glass lenses. These require the existence of glass, of Writing or written mathematics course. Glass itself is relatively easy to create if sand, The zero soda, and fire are available. Lenses are valuable first for Domestication of animals improving vision, then for telescopes and binoculars, Agriculture and eventually for microscopes and other scientific The bow applications. The printing press, adding movable type as soon as possible Don’t Waste Your Time . . . The steam engine Some devices, though, are very hard to get right. Only a very skilled mechanic or gadgeteer should Office Supplies attempt to build (for instance) a clock of any kind, a Don’t underestimate the historical impact – and the typewriter or typesetter, or anything else involving a financial value – of simple inventions that make office great number of precisely machined moving parts.

208 INFINITE CAMPAIGNS For guidelines on conquering a large but more primitive empire, there is no better source of advice than the Black Powder real-life conquistadors. A large cen- At any time before its historical appearance (perhaps the 10th tralized empire (TL1 minimum, and century in China, and the 13th century in the West), black powder is one TL2 is better) is a better target than of the most spectacular introductions a traveler can make. Superstitious lots of little groups, perhaps harder to natives can be overawed with nothing more than fireworks. Simple gun- take but easier to hold. Finding local powder bombs and mines could probably break most medieval armies, allies to multiply your forces is criti- and even the Romans or Huns might not stand up to actual cannon. But cal: if everybody loves the local remember that the secret of gunpowder is so simple that, once empire, seek your fortune elsewhere. introduced anywhere, it spreads. In fact, work through native rulers as See H. Beam Piper’s Lord Kalvan of Otherwhen and its sequels for the much as you can until you have a firm classic treatment of this situation. grasp of local politics. Assuming everything goes right, a The Formula paratime conquistador could decapi- If you, the reader, ever expect to be dropped into a primitive time or tate an empire in just a few decisive timeline, memorize this . . . battles. Cortés overthrew the Aztecs To make black powder, combine 10% sulfur, 15% charcoal, and 75% in three years. Conquering an entire saltpeter. Mix well and powder carefully without producing sparks. This timeline would take far longer, produces “flash powder” – it primes a gun but won’t explode. depending on how long it takes to Wet the flash powder to form a paste. Air-dry in kernels of the desired modernize the military of your new size for the job (you’ll have to experiment, based on your desired appli- empire. cation). Use local talent but modern organization. You probably know Finding the Ingredients more about strategy and tactics than Sulfur is an element, a yellow powder. In nature, it occurs near hot the locals, and are almost certain to springs and gives the water a bitter flavor. have a better grasp of logistics. If you Charcoal is produced by burning wood. Different woods and different have time to train a military force of burning methods give different results. Experiment. your own, proper discipline is even Saltpeter (potassium nitrate) is a crystalline white compound. In a more important than weaponry. primitive milieu, the easiest way to find it in small amounts is to remove Military science also develops. With a a well-aged pile of manure. The saltpeter is leached out of the manure by good grasp of military history, you rainwater and collects on the ground. have dozens of tactical innovations to offer, even with native weapons, if Using Black Powder you can train your army to follow Now that you have it, what do you do with it? Sadly, the warlike appli- them. cations outnumber the peaceful ones. Fireworks and civil engineering This is not to say that weapons are are very nice, but the main impact of black powder is for weaponry. unimportant: as your basic firearm, Almost no skill is required to create “mines” and simple “shells” – consider the Sten gun, a submachine powder kegs to be lobbed at the foe with siege engines. Mortars and can- gun that can be produced by fairly non are more difficult, requiring skill in metalwork and advances in met- primitive workshops. You may also be allurgy; handguns are harder still. But any general who sees what black able to bring a few other ideas into the powder can do will be motivated to help your research . . . or to have you local arsenal. Many weapons – fuel-air destroyed. explosives, for instance – could have been built long before they were actually invented.

INFINITE CAMPAIGNS 209 character creation: the “Mission Control” option. While our two heroes were lost in the past, trying The Bad Old to prevent stock-footage disasters, the Tunnel technicians were digging Good Old Days through their files and throwing There are many everyday details of life in many historical eras that switches on their blinking consoles, we would find distasteful, barbaric, and horrifying. Description of such trying to help them out. (Well, it was details – the crowding and smell of a city street before modern plumb- two technicians and a General. It was ing, for instance – is necessary and useful in making the players accept a low-budget show.) Handled with the environment as “the past,” and not just a Hollywood imitation. some restraint, the idea of Mission Unpleasant details are also useful plot and characterization devices. Control works very well in a roleplay- A group of travelers confronted by a bullying nobleman might follow ing campaign. In fact, it solves one their natural impulse to teach him a lesson – only to find themselves hip- major background problem: the deep in trouble for it. Someone who loves horses might gain points for agents no longer have to know demanding that a drunken coachman stop whipping his animals – and absolutely everything about all of his- even more points if he found a way to do it that would not offend the tory. They still have to have basic Area customs of the time. Knowledge – especially if the commu- But, as with any other device, don’t overdo it. A little of the grimi- nications link goes out – but Control ness of medieval towns, or the horrors of the Inquisition, or the mis- can provide on-the-spot information. treatment of one class or race by another, goes a long way, no matter Some suggested limits are as how historically correct it is. If the GM constantly describes cruelty follows: and abuses that the characters cannot stop without endangering their Only information moves, not mission, the players may quite rightly start to think that they are the objects. Mission Control can receive ones being provoked. Just say something like, “There’s a crowd gath- pictures, and possibly transmit them ered to cheer the public flogging – but you’re professionals; you just (useful for sending maps), but if the look past and keep on walking.” agents run out of bullets, they’re out of luck. Establish search times. However long it takes Control to find the Use machines that you can repair can keep your allies and break up answer to the agents’ question is the and keep running with local tools: a P- coalitions against you. If your new amount of time that passes in the field 51 Mustang is about as advanced a empire has a traditional enemy – one before the answer is received. The lim- plane as you should consider, for that you haven’t already enlisted as an iting factor is then not whether the instance, and it’s probably overkill at ally, and perhaps even if you have – information exists, but whether it can that. It need hardly be said that any air crushing them is often a good way to be recovered in time to be any use. power, even a balloon, gives you a win support and gives you a larger Some information isn’t available. If tremendous advantage in timelines empire in the bargain. no one drew floor plans of a building, that aren’t accustomed to it. Similarly, Never make the mistake of and the building no longer stands, the if the other side doesn’t have radios, underestimating the natives: if a team just has to search it the hard way. you should pack them: instant com- charismatic leader and/or military munications can let you defeat an genius appears among your enemies, Control and Research enemy many times your size. (Not to you must eliminate him by any means mention the many non-military uses, necessary, and as soon as possible. in a Parallel-World of course.) Unless you have a lot of Primitives aren’t idiots, and man for Campaign backup, we don’t advise invading man they’re better suited for survival In a campaign in which, instead of worlds less than three tech levels in their world than you are. The last time travel, the agents are traveling below yours. How well technological thing you need is for some local between parallel worlds, the job of “miracles” work to overawe the Geronimo (or George Washington) to Mission Control becomes different. natives is really a GM’s call – barbar- pull guerrilla jujitsu on your paratime On the one hand, nobody can be sure ians claiming to be gods, no matter mercs, capture some assault rifles, what happens next in the parallel how showy their trinkets, will not and possibly reverse-engineer them. world. It may seem similar to our his- impress the very sophisticated and tory, but nobody really knows for sure. nearly agnostic Roman aristocracy. On the other hand, if there are lots Once well started at empire-build- MISSION of similar parallel worlds, some types ing, shift your model from Cortés to of research become much easier. If that other Renaissance man, CONTROL the agents must free a comrade held Machiavelli. The game of power poli- The classic Irwin Allen TV show in tightly guarded Castle Wolfram, tics focuses on understanding why Time Tunnel presented an interest- Control need only dispatch a team to people are loyal in this culture, so you ing take on freedom of action and a similar timeline where Castle

210 INFINITE CAMPAIGNS Wolfram lies empty. Presto . . . com- the Forbidden City to loot it before it’s the past, either for temporary study plete and accurate maps – they hope. burned in 1860 is technically a (in which case another mission may (Of course, this only works when research mission, after all! be necessary to replace it) or to save it there are lots of very similar time- from destruction. The agents may lines. For Infinity Unlimited, this need to plant a copy of the item, or kind of trick could be used for Repair Missions otherwise create a diversion from the research on the echo timelines, but Repair missions have the specific burglary. Sometimes history itself – very few of the others are similar objective of making changes to the the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius, the enough to make it worthwhile. And time stream. Assuming the characters Chicago Fire, the bombing of Berlin – the echoes have their own hazards!) are the “good guys,” this usually may cover their tracks. means that the past has already been Time thieves, of course, are also on altered, by enemy action or accident, a “recovery” mission! They may face THE TIME IS and has to be returned to normal. the additional hazard of law enforce- There are other possibilities, however. ment from their own world, especially OUT OF JOINT The travelers may be present at a his- if their thefts have the potential to Time travel and alternate world torical event – say, on campaign with change history. adventures fall into four general cate- Julius Caesar in Gaul – in which the A specific and challenging type of gories. The first three may be actual outcome of the larger campaign is recovery is the rescue of an individual “missions” in the sense that someone known, but individual, unrecorded who history says is dead. Time travel assigned them to the party. But the skirmishes may have unknown organizations recruit some of their characters may also find themselves results. Or the team may be “agents in best agents this way. Rescues work caught up in events by accident, or place,” guarding a historical diver- equally well in an echo worldline even tricked by NPCs into performing gence point such as the Normandy where someone’s death can be some sort of dangerous task. invasion against interference by predicted accurately. enemy agents. In an alternate worlds campaign, Or the status quo may be intolera- actual trade and exploration missions Research Missions ble to the time travelers – say, a small Research missions are sent to find become possible, and the opportuni- group of researchers discovers a time- ties for theft expand exponentially. something out: Who was Jack the gate, and hopes to use it to overthrow Ripper? Who really wrote the Zinoviev Letter? What happened to the crew of the Mary Celeste? Researchers are usually not supposed to change the past; they are supposed to observe, measure, photograph, perhaps even A specific and challenging type of conduct interviews, and then return, recovery is the rescue of an individual without having any effect on the time stream (or revealing The Secret, or who history says is dead. Time travel shifting an echo). By itself, researching isn’t very organizations recruit some of their best adventurous. Getting into a fight usu- agents this way. ally means things have gone very badly wrong. But a research mission doesn’t have to be dull. The suspense and excitement come, not from a string of combat encounters, but from the oppressive regime. The travelers Survival meeting obstacles (some expected, may even be soldiers of the regime, some by surprise) in the path of get- A fourth type of adventure is the driven to mutiny by their unending non-mission, in which the travelers ting the data and getting back with it. missions of outtime atrocity. Often, the PC team isn’t cast in the had no intention of visiting another In the Infinite Worlds campaign, a time or another world (at least, not role of researchers, but of guards and party may be sent on a “repair mis- guides to the researchers. The scien- the one they arrived at). Their prob- sion” to undo sabotage by the agents lem is simply to survive. There may tists themselves may have hidden of Centrum. This is not time travel – in goals or personalities that endanger be a hope of rescue, or they may be that background, they can’t undo the doomed to live their lives in the the mission. past – but an attempt to redirect the Crosstime or crossworld espionage past, or some inhospitable parallel events of the present into a preferred dimension. is a special category of research which future. can quickly become dangerous, since Depending on the physics of the the spies may be opposed, not only by situation and their particular “native” security troops and coun- Recovery Missions resources, their best strategy might be terespionage, but also by opponents Recovery missions are sent to to blend in and not make waves, or to from their own time or world. Casing bring something back (forward?) from set themselves up as teachers, magicians, or gods.

INFINITE CAMPAIGNS 211 CHAPTER EIGHT ALTERNATE INFINITIES

This chapter presents some alter- frame includes notes on character extended campaigns, but they can nate campaign frames for GMs and design and campaign parameters host one-shot scenarios with some players interested in a changeup from based on the discussion in Chapter 7. sacrifice of detail. the Infinite Worlds setting. Each These frames are designed to support THE ORDER OF THE HOURGLASS The time is the 1920s. All over the world, daring adventurers are pushing back the boundaries of the explored world: Darkest Africa, lost cities in Central America, the polar caps. But in the centers of the world’s great cities, small groups of people are exploring an entirely different frontier. These “circles” have discovered a kind of mental time travel. Many, like our heroes, are simply curious about their ability, and about the past. Others are intent on using the power for conquest . . . and that may mean eliminating all the temporal competition. This frame combines time traveling with Roaring Twenties pulp adventure. The adventurers can get into all the usual trouble visiting the past, but their real enemies, both past and present, are other time travelers.

The Coming of Gakuji The ritual of the Time Circle was brought to the West by explorers who did not fully believe what they had discovered. Though they breathed the herb Gakuji, joined in the chant, and saw the visions of the past, they believed – because they had to believe – that they were only visions . . . hallucinations induced by drugs and hypnosis.

212 ALTERNATE INFINITIES Dr. Albert Wesker Finch, physician sometimes a few years from the target, dialects – and in a time when few peo- and adventurer, brought Gakuji back never more. ple traveled far from their birthplaces, to America, and began to grow the Returning to the present does not odd dialects stood out even more herb at his Long Island estate. His rep- require the herb, only that the mem- prominently. utation already damaged by his exotic bers of the Circle concentrate together research, Dr. Finch dared not experi- and be in reasonably close physical ment . . . in public. He brought a proximity. This takes about 15 min- Equipment group of friends together, and, under utes if everyone is conscious and close As is usual in Twenties adventures, observation, recreated the Ritual. The (in the same room, or equivalent); if money makes the world go ’round. members of the Circle went back to the separation is wider, or some mem- Either one adventurer is wealthy the Finch estate grounds before the bers are unconscious or dead, it takes enough to bankroll his Circle’s opera- house was built; they found an oak more time. tions, or the PCs need an eccentric sapling and carved their initials into a All living Circle members must millionaire Patron who can do so. root, then covered it with earth. return together, conscious or not. Naturally, the GM does not have to When they returned, Finch led the Dead members may be abandoned, allow the eccentric millionaire to buy party to the oak, 200 years older. though their bodies return if they are anything he desires. Some things can- They exposed the roots. The initials in proximity to the living. Those with not be acquired for any price. Others were there. Finch’s guests believed, a proper Sense of Duty to their com- require time, and flashing money only and with a few like-minded Circles rades must always try to bring their worsens certain legal entanglements. they founded the Order of the friends home, even though this can Gakuji is extremely rare and expen- Hourglass. At first a mere club for create legal problems in explaining the sive. A quantity sufficient for one time tourists, it slowly evolved into a death. time-trip (for up to a dozen people mutual aid society. Some Circles seek The Ritual can only reach the past, traveling together) costs $5,000 in to turn the Hourglass into a weapon not the future. This is probably due to 1920 dollars (£1,000); this also against evil Time Circles and others the enormous difficulty of visualizing assumes one has a source, normally who would misuse the past for vile the future. (Think about the 1920s an Oriental Herbalist of Mysterious ends, but for now the Order includes and 1930s images of The World of Reputation. Finding such an herbalist the idly curious and the grimly Tomorrow, as presented in pulp sci- requires a successful Streetwise roll in determined alike. ence fiction magazines and the New a city with a substantial Chinatown York World’s Fair. On the other hand, (New York, San Francisco, London’s a parallel-world science fiction adven- Limehouse; for someone actually in The Ritual ture set in Captain Future’s future, or the Far East, there is a +2 bonus). This is physical time travel through Gernsback (p. 126) might be very Naturally, this sort of dealer takes only psionic means. No machine is used, entertaining.) cash, preferably gold. This purchases and the actual bodies of the travelers The travelers can bring only items the prepared herb, which can be are transported. The mechanism is appropriate to the period into the past grown from cuttings but not from more like a magical ritual than a – no Tommy guns in the Middle Ages seed. Cuttings might be acquired by scientific experiment. – and anyone who can’t get hold of an expedition into the wilds of Inner The Circle begins by discussing the proper clothing arrives nude. The Tibet, or from a scientist-adventurer time they intend to visit, and doing more authentic the item, the likelier it who had made such an expedition. study to fix the goal in their minds. is to make the trip successfully (Perhaps a PC inherits the greenhouse This includes library research and vis- (p. 169). Time Circles often, given time from a relative who died under its to museums to examine artifacts of and money, acquire a stock of period Mysterious Circumstances.) Even if the period. Normally the members costumes and furnishings for just the travelers can grow the herb them- spend one to two weeks on this such purposes; They can easily claim selves, gardening and preparation research. During this time, they usual- that the outfits are for a costume costs come to $1,000 per dose – which ly acquire relevant and useful period party. They arrive with whatever cloth- is used up even if the ritual fails for items. ing and equipment they had on when other reasons. Finally the Circle assembles at they left the present. Travelers can There are other social complica- some safe place, usually a country bring things back from the past, up to tions of handling Gakuji. Though it is house or lodge belonging to one of the their Basic Lift. not illegal, the police may take an wealthier members. A brazier contain- The Ritual only moves one’s body interest because of the sort of people ing the herb Gakuji is lit, and its fumes into the past; it does not enable the who sell it. Police aside, there are the fill the room. The Circle begins chant- traveler to speak the language. usual hazards of dealing with such ing, clearing their minds of everything Remember too that dialects and people. And any transaction involving but the ritual and the target. After accents change, even if a language the herb may attract the attention of about an hour, if all goes well, the remains “the same” (see p. 175 for other, savory Time Circles. present-day images fade. Some mem- guidelines). There was more differ- Period clothes can be made to bers see only darkness and silence; ence between a 1920 British accent order in two to four weeks, for about others have strange dreams. When and an Elizabethan one than between $40 and up (possibly way up, for a visit this passes, they are in another time – contemporary British and American to the court of the Sun King). Period

ALTERNATE INFINITIES 213 weapons may be purchased as openly portray themselves as wizards; The Architects antiques for moderate prices (collector many stories have “explained” such This evil group plans to rebuild mania has not yet struck in the Jazz people as Cagliostro and Saint- society on cleaner, more sensible lines Age) – though it may take time for a Germain as time travelers. – a world where everyone knows their suitable one to appear for sale. They Time travel helps other villainous place, and it’s under the Architects’ may be custom-made. A wealthy man plans. It is much more convenient and heel. The Architects claim to be might have standing requests with an elegant to kill an enemy in the past. If descended from the Invisible College antiques dealer, or the dealer might be the body does not return, there is of 17th-century England, which tried one of the PCs. If an aristocrat wants nothing for the police to investigate. to unify science, philosophy, and the to claim that he has a houseful of old Even if the victim’s fellow Circle mem- occult into a single, logical world view, swords and pistols, that’s fine (there bers do take him home, there will be but they have more in common with really are such houses, especially in no evidence the authorities can follow ruthless centralizers such as Richelieu England and France), but the GM (or believe), and his friends will likely and Peter the Great. They have agents, should charge the cost against His find themselves in great difficulties minions, and contacts in many of the Lordship’s starting Wealth. explaining his death. Masonic orders of 18th- and 19th-cen- Sometimes, however, direct action tury Europe, which (along with their VILLAINS is called for. A returning Circle would historical foreknowledge and great be in poor condition to deal with a wealth) let them subtly control police Not everyone wants to use the gang of armed killers in their Ritual departments, banks, and even royal power of Gakuji for harmless experi- room (though, on the other hand, the courts. mentation and historical research. killers would have to be pretty hard- They travel back in time using the Some of the Circles intend to twist the ened sorts not to be startled by their energy of ley lines, invisible lines of past, to make themselves wealthy and victims’ appearing out of thin air). force connecting places of power and powerful . . . possibly to control the Anonymous tips to the police might mystery on the Earth’s surface. Their world. result in a drug raid on the Circle’s travel ritual must be performed at a These groups are not linked Gakuji supplier. Properly timed, some ley nexus with a building on it, and together in a single conspiracy. (If they of the members might be arrested as can only take them back to the laying were, the heroes would hardly stand a well, leading to uncomfortable ses- of its cornerstone. Like the Gakuji rit- chance.) They may grudgingly cooper- sions explaining to Eliot Ness or ual, the ley network rejects anachro- ate, especially to ensure their supplies Gideon of Scotland Yard why they nistic devices and technology. of the essential herb, but these wanted strange Oriental herbs in the However, travelers can travel along the alliances are for convenience only, and first place. ley network to any other ley nexus end as soon as someone leaves his back vulnerable to the knife. To fulfill their ends, the Circles establish bases at key points in history, The time is out of joint; O cursed spite “safe houses” where they may appear That ever I was born to set it right. and change into appropriate clothing. For example, a Circle might, using – William Shakespeare, transported gold, purchase a small Hamlet, I:v:187-188 country villa in Renaissance Italy, where they could appear, equip, and ride into a city in perfectly normal with a structure on it; a party of fashion, instead of suddenly appearing The official authorities don’t Architects could leave from Stone- from nowhere. The servants at the villa always have to be the PCs’ enemy, henge and arrive at the Pyramids of would surely believe that their employ- however. Exposing drug or under- Giza, although not before 1850 B.C. ers were sorcerers (what else could world connections is a game two can when Stonehenge was built. The they think?) but there are always peo- play. And if one of the enemy Circles building need not be intact; the cere- ple who can be trusted, or paid, to keep were to involve a master criminal such mony will function in a ruin, a scrupu- secrets. From such a base, the Circle as Doctor Nikola or a resurrected lously maintained stately home, or an could attempt to influence the whole Professor Moriarty (or one somehow archaeological excavation. The course of politics and economics in saved from his death in the past . . .), Architects have wormed their way into Italy, and from it Europe. the heroic Circle might find them- any number of churches, archaeologi- Usually Circles will try to influence selves with powerful allies – as they cal societies, and so forth to ensure subtly through the “normal” channels move in ever-higher circles of interna- their access to cathedrals, castles, and of advice and money, though the more tional intrigue. historical sites. changes they make to the past, the less Besides villainous Time Circles, the useful their historical knowledge will heroes of the Hourglass (p. 212) have be. The occasional convenient death discovered two other forces at work The Fang Sing may be arranged. (Isn’t it suspicious malevolently bending the past to their The insidious Devil-Doctor, the that Napoleon’s Chief of Staff fell from own cruel will. Mad Mandarin, the most fearsome fig- a balcony?) Sometimes they may ure in the East, Fang Wu Shih leads a

214 ALTERNATE INFINITIES Triad of devoted, fanatical followers access to horrifying insects, monstrous secret handshakes he set up a century drained from the dregs of Asia and serpents, and enormous arthropods of earlier. He may not be able to replace recruited from its most elite temples all varieties known to science – and Pitt as Prime Minister, but he will be and courts. Dr. Fang hates and resents some that science claims are impossi- able to bribe and suborn Pitt’s clerks. If the subservient role China plays in the ble by the laws of God and nature! he has managed to get an Architect world of the 1920s, when its corrupt agent made Pitt’s history tutor as a Republic is nothing but a toy for rival child, he might even be able to alter warlords backed by greedy foreign THE GREAT Pitt’s attitude toward such pesky things devils who run opium and guns for as Parliamentary power. With enough their all-important profits. The Fang WORK OF TIME of these subtle changes pointing in the Sing want to destroy all Western civi- History can be changed, but it right direction, the Architects hope lization, leaving China supreme in his- doesn’t stay changed. If an evil Circle that they can build up enough momen- tory; nothing they can do to a has replaced Lorenzo de’ Medici as tum to suddenly alter history all at Westerner is beyond the pale. (The ruler of Renaissance Florence, their once, like a river breaking its banks Doctor has decreed that the Japanese rule will last until they leave Florence and carving out a new channel. Failing are Westerners, at least after the cow- to return to the present. At that point that, the Architects plan to set up ardly Meiji rejected tradition in 1868.) the people will rebel, or the Milanese enough covert power in every nation They work primarily in the historical will march in, or the Arno will flood, that they can seize control once some Far East, sabotaging and weakening and after the fires and the riots the crisis – a stock market crash, or a Western interventions and building up Medici will have connived their way global war, for example – destabilizes their own Triad in the hills and in the back into power. If you kill someone’s all current governments. The Fang twisty alleys of Nanking and Shangai; father, he probably won’t be born, but Sing, and certain of the evil Time occasionally a Fang Sing agent shows if you kill his grandfather, who knows? Circles, have similar hopes and aims. up in the West’s past, working to And back more than two generations, In game terms, Simple changes spread moral decay and corruption. family trees tend to re-graft them- (p. 105) can happen with little trou- Doctor Fang has developed psionic selves somehow. ble. Anything that requires a lot of projection to astonishing heights; he Subtle changes, however, the kind research to find out about – individ- can watch anyone, anywhere in the that sneak under the wire or don’t ual casualties at the Battle of Bunker world with his vastly superior mind. make it into the history books – those Hill, the precise royal budget for Further, he has developed a method of can propagate robustly. An Architect 1713, whether Napoleon marched psionic time travel to let his acolytes who sets up a secret society in Charles through a given small town on his possess people in the past: the Ch’i II’s London can step ahead to George way to Waterloo – is changeable. An Feng Technique. This only allows III’s London and expect to find his con- Average or Complex change is the them to possess people within a mile spiracy busily working along, and it GM’s call; an Amazing change should of the traveler. A Fang Sing traveler in will still recognize the passwords and be impossible. Canton, for example, can only possess someone in Canton in the past. The Hourglass has learned to detect those possessed in such fashion by gazing into their eyes – 10 seconds of eye con- Hollow History tact (and a Perception roll) is enough Or, possibly, history can be changed, but the present just doesn’t know to spot the “glimmer” of another mind about it. Somewhere in the past, the Fang Sing have factories in behind the pupils. Obviously, people Carthage churning out repeating crossbows for the final war with Rome. unaware of time travel consider such The Architects rule over Elizabethan England with machine guns and talk ludicrous – and if the Fang Sing steamships, preparing to launch their invasion of France. Evil Time agent in the past has mastered the Circles command criminal empires in the pirate Caribbean, or launch mesmeric arts, gazing into his eyes Balkan wars to exterminate their rivals’ fortresses. None of it shows up may open the traveler up to worse in the history books, though, until these islands of “hollow history” can dangers still! be connected in a great chain – the Fang Sing have to wipe out Rome One particularly noxious goal of Dr. four or five times, and then start taking over the Renaissance on the back Fang’s involves the Black Death. He is of Tamerlane’s invaders. Whichever side reaches the present first will attempting to breed new diseases rule the world. capable of wiping out European To maintain the flavor of the game, changing history should still be nations wholesale; his agents some- difficult, onerous work. Apply a universal -5 modifier to all outtime tech- times travel back to epidemics to test nological, political, and cultural change rolls from pp. B505-508 or his new formulas on unsuspecting vic- pp. 105-106. (Travelers should make use of the Extra Time rules on tims. He also shows great interest in all p. B346 to mitigate this problem for both Concept and Proposal rolls.) forms of selective breeding; some of Opposition to political and cultural change delays things by quintuple his acolytes set up farms in the distant the time given on p. 105 – a delay of eight weeks becomes a delay of 40 past to raise and breed vermin. weeks, for example. Generations later, his agents have

ALTERNATE INFINITIES 215 Fortunately (or unfortunately) for takes only one night’s ritual. There is occasional) -30%; -80%) [20]; Warp himself, a time traveler has an no Observer Effect in the default set- (Warp Jump; Naked (Except for extremely privileged past, with much ting, although the GM could add one if period items, -20%) -25%, Preparation higher inertia even than the rest of his- he wants a more mechanistic flavor to Required (1 hour), -50%, Psionic tory. His enemies can’t kill him as a the Circles’ strategy. The GM will Teleportation, -10%, Research baby, or convince his parents to probably want to impose a Recency Required, -25%, Trigger (Gakuji, divorce, or burn down his hometown, Effect of about 20 years or so, if only occasional), -30%; -80%) [20]. or draft him into the Army. This has its to remove the temptation to do dirt to Architect Ley Travel (+40): Jumper downside, too. A traveler who puts a an enemy Circle last week. (Time) (Warp Jump; Attunement shilling in an interest-bearing account As written, this setting involves Required (Structure) -20%, Past Only in 1700 will come back to find no for- Paradox-Proof Time, although one -20%, Preparation Required (1 tune waiting in the present. Instead, interesting variation would be minute), -20%, Psionic Teleportation, the bank went under in 1749, or a Temporal Snarls that induce heavy -10%, Special Portal (Ley nexus struc- different claimant withdrew the cash Fright Checks, FP costs, Will penal- ture), -30%; -80%) [20]; Warp (Warp a decade ago, or the government ties, and even IQ damage for commu- Jump; Attunement Required (struc- confiscated that account for tax nication with yourself. Is the message ture) -20%, Preparation Required (1 delinquency. A traveler can bury treas- worth delivering, knowing that you’ll minute), -20%, Psionic Teleportation, ure in the past and hope to dig it up in go insane? A player can then “restart” -10%, Special Portal (ley nexus struc- the present, but making history work in the position of his “younger self” ture), -30%; -80%) [20]. to change his life – in either direction (with said hefty damage) and replay Ch’i Feng Technique (+40): Jumper – is right out. Further, he can’t inter- the crisis, or the GM and players can (Time) (Linked +10%; Astral fere in his own timeline; no attempt at agree to handwave the shift and move Projection, -10%, Only in Trance, communication with his past or forward from the repair. -30%, Past Only, -20%, Preparation future self is possible. Required (10 minutes), -30%, Projection, -50%; -80%) [20] and Characters Possession (Linked +10%; Astral CAMPAIGN Members of the Order of the Projection, -10%, Only in Trance, Hourglass likely have Enemies (Evil -30%, Preparation Required (10 min- ASSUMPTIONS Time Circles), Wealth, and Status. utes), -30%, Spiritual, -20%; -80%) Power Level: Any, although slightly [20]. Parameters pulpier heroes (around 175-200 With any of the above methods, a Scale: The default scale is fairly points) fit the setting’s feel. Characters prosaic, one of individual Time Circles critical failure throws the traveler off without several languages are going to course by 6d months either way. competing for power, influence, and get themselves killed. handsome Meissen dishware. Niche: All PCs are assumed to be However, it can escalate with the goals members of a Time Circle, friends or of the villains, especially if the trusted associates of whichever PC it is Architects or the Fang Sing become that has the Gakuji source. major players. Freedom: One hopes that all PCs Scope: Broad, intentionally so. The will comport themselves as ladies and more exotic and wild the past, the bet- gentlemen, whether in the present or ter to lock into the “pulp Twenties” feel the past. American heroes are expect- of the campaign world. ed to try their best, given the handi- Boundaries: The past, essentially as caps under which they labor. depicted in a good 1920s history book, Edges: The only edge the PCs have with lots of Dark Ages and Mysterious is time travel, although the GM may Genre and Mode Civilizations outside the well-lit pro- allow other psionic powers if he wish- This setting is a pulp conspiracy gression of Egypt, Greece, Rome, es. Their foes have at least the same setting; in general, members of good Merrie England, and Our Glorious edges the PCs possess; on average, evil Time Circles are good guys and can be Selves. Psionics are the default source Time Circles are PC-equivalent, the trusted, but the bad guys might be of “magical powers,” although the GM Architects have more wealth and anywhere else. Order of the Hourglass can change the flavor by adding other power, and the Fang Sing have more adventures can support the investiga- supernatural elements if desired. psionics and deadly kung fu. tive mode well. Historical fidelity is Time Travel Advantages less important than exciting scenery; at its base, Minoan Crete is a Thrilling Paraphysics Gakuji (+40): Jumper (Time) (Warp Location, not a fully evoked society, See the Great Work of Time discus- Jump; Naked (Except for period unless the GM wants to explore cul- sion on p. 215; history is Plastic Time items, -20%), -25%, Past Only, -20%, ture clash more deeply than “I say, Sir with High (or even Very High) Preparation Required (1 hour), -50%, Nigel, they don’t seem to be wearing Resistance. There is no Linearity Psionic Teleportation, -10%, Research any, er, you know . . . camisoles.” Effect; a month of time travel still Required, -25%, Trigger (Gakuji,

216 ALTERNATE INFINITIES THE TIME CORPS In the late 20th century, the physicist Alexei Arbatov proved the existence of “entropic charge,” an energy potential inherent in all matter. Agent Slang Entropic charge declines over time; Time Agents, close-knit and highly trained, have developed their own presumably it was at its maximum at terminology. This slang adds color to a campaign. (GMs can also devel- the time of the Big Bang, and will op their own – or encourage their players to do so.) reach zero when the Universe reaches The implanted Focal Referent is called the Latch, or the Jockstrap. its maximum expansion and begins to The Mark II that non-agents wear has nicknames like Safety Belt. collapse. Physicists are still arguing Agents tend to deride non-agents, and (when the victims aren’t lis- over what happens after that . . . tening) call fitting the Mark II “tucking them in” or “putting on training Arbatov postulated that entropic wheels.” The Transmitter Stage may be called Home Plate, Ground Zero, charge serves to “hold” matter station- or similar names; only a rookie calls it “the Transmitter” or “the Stage.” ary in time, and could be manipulated Timesickness has many colorful nicknames; among the more print- to move matter through time. But able are “Wells’ Revenge” and “The Crosstime Cookie Toss.” nothing was actually achieved for over We can’t print their nicknames for Stopwatch agents. 50 years, when Mariana Brill first demonstrated time displacement in Time Corps Glossary the laboratory on the atomic particle Absolute Now: the “real” present, from the point of view of someone at level. The Arbatov-Brill Effect used ABET headquarters. huge amounts of energy, and was blackout: an area of time which cannot be reached by the ABET trans- uncontrollable and unstable. Another mitter. Some are temporary; some seem permanent. 30 years went by before Nehemiah clock out: travel in time. Eden used a new type of organic-plas- crunch time: time in the Absolute Now passing at a faster rate than tic semiconductor to create Focal experienced time while on a mission. Referent devices, which made the sta- divergence: warning of impending historical change (p. 225). ble displacement of objects practical – downtime: toward the past. though the energy cost remains dropout: when all agents in a time period are thrown back to Base by a staggering. historical change. The United Nations, by then a Ear: a device for detecting items entering or leaving the local time. true world government, immediately Eddy Effect: the reason agents in the past may not get supplies or rein- moved to establish control over time forcements exactly as expected. This has other names we can’t print, travel. Under the general title of but JAFEE (pronounced “jaffy”) stands for Just Another (Freaking) Project Timepiece, they constructed Eddy Effect. the first large-scale Arbatov-Brill- nak: short for “anachronism.” A person, place or thing belonging in a Eden Transmitter, and set up the different time or timeline. Temporal Control Authority (TCA) to native: anyone who belongs in the current world or time. operate it. Observer Effect: a phenomenon limiting the type of historical event Unfortunately, Timepiece is not that can be changed (p. 159). alone in the past. Early in its exis- slack time: time faster than normal relative to Absolute Now. tence, it encountered the operatives traveler: anyone who goes between times, dimensions, planes or alter- of an organization calling itself nate worlds. See also “nak.” Stopwatch, who were attempting to uptime: toward the future. alter history at key points. Stopwatch is the equivalent of the TCA from an alternate present, in which a gray bureaucracy rules humanity. (It calls itself United Mankind, but our world knows it as the Hive.) Stopwatch agents are working throughout time to make certain that Who controls the past controls the future; who their future comes into existence. controls the present controls the past. Project Timepiece has its own elite Time Corps to prevent this. – George Orwell, 1984

ALTERNATE INFINITIES 217 barrier” around the atomic nucleus, interventions (see below). Others are MECHANICS nothing above the atomic level can be mysteries. The blackout from 25 B.C. The Arbatov-Brill-Eden Transmit- sent back less than 130 years. For an to 82 A.D. is especially irritating to his- ter (ABET) is at the center of a Absolute Now of 2100 – a good start- torians. Blackout periods have been town-sized complex in the Canadian ing place for the campaign – this known to move and change, too. (The wilderness. While the Transmitter means that no time after 1970 can be GM can set blackout periods for any Stage is just a plain metal disc five reached. time he finds convenient.) yards in diameter, its support consists Even before 1970, the ABET can- When a window moves into a of ranks of cryogenic supercomputers not send agents to any chosen period blackout, nothing can be sent through and one of the largest power-generat- in time. It is limited to “windows” – it, or emerge from it . . . but the win- ing stations on Earth; each pound of periods 245 days, 496.5 seconds apart. dow will re-emerge from the blackout mass sent into the past requires some These window periods move as the on schedule. Agents with downtime $10,000 worth of electricity. The rest Absolute Now does. If June 7, 1832 is when a blackout begins cannot return of the TCA complex provides housing, a “window” right now, then June 14 home until it is over, and sometimes research, and training facilities for will be a “window” next week. These have odd memory lapses. approximately 600 Time Agents and “windows” have no width at all. You Just sending something back in several thousand support personnel. can send to one specific instant in time creates a temporary blackout. Once displaced into the past, an June 7, 1832 . . . or you can send to When something is sent to a window, object has “negative temporal poten- another instant, some eight months that window closes for the next tial”; Arbatov’s entropic energy con- earlier or eight months later . . . and so 3d¥100 hours of past time (which is stantly tries to return it to the present. on. If you want to get to June 14, you an average of a month and a half). The Displaced objects must always be inside will have to wait a week . . . either in actual time it will remain closed can- the field of a Focal Referent device, or the present, or in the past. not be predicted, but the ABET can they return to the Transmitter Stage. Thus, agents sent into the past detect the window opening again. (There is one very important exception must usually wait several months to Since linearity is not conserved in to this: the Divergence Effect, described get to a desired historical event – but this scenario – the Absolute Now does on p. 225.) sometimes they have no choice but to not necessarily move at the same The ABET can send a load of 1,200 land almost on top of it, and act with “speed” as the past, with respect to an lbs. to any period for which a window little preparation. observer in the past – someone who (see below) can be found – distance For game purposes, it is easiest to was sent through a window will not into the past does not matter. think of the present as “dragging” a always be “on” that window with The ABET can reach any physical string of windows through time. These respect to Control. Sometimes, but location on Earth; agents do not only are the only points to which a time not always! In general, the more a vis- travel in time, but also in space. (It traveler can go. They are about eight itor meddles with the past, the likelier does not seem able to hit off-Earth months apart. So if you can hit he is to set up an “eddy” which will points accurately, due to the lack of a January 1700 right now, you can also reduce the precision with which gravitational frame of reference.) The hit September 1700, and May 1701, Control can send him reinforcements first agents sent to a given site have a and so on – assuming no blackouts or supplies (see below). 1 in 6 chance of a small coordinate intervene. In practice, of course, the error – not fatal, but often interesting. GM can put a window whenever he wants one by deciding what date the Returning Absolute Now is at. Agents may return at any time Target Periods Certain periods, though, are (unless Divergence is occurring; see and Blackouts blacked out and unavailable. Some of p. 225). They return to whatever Because of the Arbatov Barrier, an these are due to successful Stopwatch moment the Absolute Now has effect analogous to the “potential reached. The Linearity Principle (p. 156) does not always hold true. The more changes the agents make, the more likely it is that time will be linear, Eddies and Uncertainty as their personal duration “fills up” Agents who meddle with the past, or who are in the presence of any accumulated slack in the timeline. Stopwatch agents who meddle with the past, find that Control can’t hit Anything which returns to the their time exactly with reinforcements, supply drops and so on. The future reappears on the ABET stage. “window” has become uncertain. This uncertainty is from 1d to 10d The TCA keeps the stage clear at all hours; the GM judges the current level of historical change on a scale times except while actually transmit- from one to 10, and rolls that many dice. ting something, and takes returnees The message or reinforcement usually arrives after it was expected. off the stage immediately. (Theoretic- On any roll containing more than two 6s, the shipment arrives before it ally, anything returning to a fully occu- was expected. If the shipment was in response to a request from the past, pied stage would simply be displaced it will never arrive before it was requested! in a random direction, to appear in an open area, but nobody wants to take chances.)

218 ALTERNATE INFINITIES The Absolute Now The Absolute Now – the date to which agents return when they clock The clock in San Dimas is always ticking. back from the past – starts at the date – Rufus, Bill and Ted’s on which they leave ABET, determined by the GM. Changes are par- Excellent Adventure tially determined by the PCs’ actions. For instance, if they send a note to Control, requesting a machine that It is possible that the “real” wounded, the device switches off, and takes three months to build, then the absolute now is 500 years from now, the agent returns to the transmitter Absolute Now advances by three and that Timepiece agents are being stage, where an emergency medical months, even if the agents get their watched by the agents of some future team is constantly standing by. With machine tomorrow relative to their time corps – but that would be a dif- TL10 medical care, “if he’s breathing, time. ferent campaign, and would require he’s cured.” The only thing that The GM can also advance the some explanation of why Timepiece Timepiece’s medical staff can’t deal Absolute Now arbitrarily while the agents return to their own time. In this with is severe head injury. If an agent agents are in past time. This means frame, our heroes are at the real Now, pops back with most of his head miss- that when they clock forward, they the farthest point that eternity has ing, he’s dead. Even so, if the player will come back later than the time advanced. They will not see agents likes, a clone of the agent can be cre- they left. As a general rule, future time from the far future. If they see agents ated from a braintape made before the passes at only 10% of observed time if from a near future, that future mission! the agents do nothing (this allows for becomes their present when they To return voluntarily, at the conclu- some great vacations). Minor varia- return. sion of a mission or before, the agent tions let it flow at 30% of past time uses his tongue to activate two switch- speed; major ones at 60%; huge ones es built into his teeth (two, rather than at 100%. This can vary by 4d% in The Focal Referent one, to avoid accidents). Even so, either direction, though never to less A Focal Referent (FR) is the device there is a small chance (a roll of 5 or than 0%. The GM can always declare that keeps a transmitted object in the less on 3d) that any blow that gets past “A month has passed at Control with past. Time Agents have a Mark III the head’s DR will pop the agent back no report from you. They get nervous Focal Referent implanted in the chest to his home time. (The GM may and send you a message.” and abdomen. It is powered by myo- ignore this result if it interferes with The existence of an Absolute Now electricity from the user’s body, and is the game, but players will usually be prevents one sticky sort of paradox. not detectable by surface examina- amused; it’s better than dying.) Agents can meet an agent from “their tion. The organic plastic does not Non-agents sent into the past usu- future” – but they cannot carry infor- appear on an X-ray, though a careful ally wear a Mark II FR as a belt or mation back to the time they left from. search with ultrasonic equipment chest strap (with a heart sensor, which They will return to the same Absolute (available only after the late 1960s, functions like the life sensors on the Now that the later agent came from. and therefore not much of a risk) or Mark III). It weighs 1 lb. and has DR 3 surgical invasion might reveal it. and HT 5. Example: Ng Chan clocked out on The Mark III monitors the wearer’s January 1, 2100. He traveled 200 heart and brainwaves. If he is badly years downtime to January 1900. He remains there, observing, for 100 days. Normally he’d assume that only 10 days Absolute had passed Crunch Time and Slack Time (he’s not taking any actions – just When the Absolute Now advances at a faster rate than the personal observing). One evening, though, Al time of a traveler, this is known as crunch time. In the example above, Morris, a fellow agent, contacts him. Ng might complain that he was “crunched seven months, and missed the Al tells Ng that he clocked out in July basketball playoffs.” 1, 2100. Ng now knows that the On the other hand, if everything goes well, an Agent can spend longer Absolute Now has advanced seven downtime than the Absolute Now passes. This is known as “slack time.” months – and he’ll probably try to Crunch time and slack time can introduce some interesting effects, figure out why! No matter what the especially regarding calendar age vs. biological age. For instance, some- explanation, Ng will now snap back one with a lot of slack time might have a calendar age of 20 years, but a to July 1 or later – he has “lost” the biological age of 50+. Someone who uses slack to his own benefit intervening seven months (this is (meeting deadlines, rising in rank, etc.) is known as a “slackmaster.” known as “crunch time”; see the box Conversely, an Agent with a great deal of crunched time might below). Biologically, Ng would have appear to be 25 years old – but have actually been born several hundred only aged three months (the length years ago (if the Absolute Now had advanced that far since the of time he spent in 1900). campaign started)!

ALTERNATE INFINITIES 219 This sudden vacuum in the gut is painful, and costs 1d FP. There are good side effects of transference. After someone has been in the When an agent returns by surprise or without past for about a month (8d days, dif- taking precautions after a very long visit to the ferent for each traveler), their cut hair, fingernails, skin flakes, etc., no longer past, he may take actual injury because some of snap back to the present once his molecules stay in the past! removed, eliminating a telltale sign of Agent-ness. Living matter like blood cells snap back; hair and fingernails on a living body snap back when the person does (though they may get Both the Mark II and III Focal chemically bond with atoms from the shorter). Referents “hold” the wearer’s clothing past, the Arbatov charge “leaks” via and personal equipment to a range of the electrons. If a future object inter- about five yards. Beyond this range, acts chemically with past materials Bringing Past the gear will snap back. Equipment inside a Focal Referent field, it gradu- Items Forward can be fitted with a Mark I FR, about ally leaks its “future” charge. Similarly, In general, it can’t be done. Past- the size of a credit card (DR 2, HT 3). “past” atoms can be assimilated into time items carried by returning Agents usually carry a spare Mark I in objects from the future, though they agents, placed within items set to case they have to temporarily store tend to acquire a “future” charge. return, etc., etc., simply stay in their their gear. Placed in a closet or chest of Since most of the human body is own time. Agents wishing to send drawers, for instance, the Mark I water, an agent can avoid any signifi- inanimate items “forward” must bury would stabilize everything within two cant effects by drinking a great deal of them in time capsules. yards. Weapons are usually not future water for at least a week before With patience, the transference equipped with their own circuits – returning. This replaces the system’s effect can be used to bring a living very effective insurance against their “past” water and seems to replenish being forward. A pair of Eohippus, falling into the wrong hands. the charge on the body’s other captured in the prehistoric era and Any “home-time” item that leaves molecules. carefully fed on modern food and an FR field snaps back to the ABET But when an agent returns by sur- water for five years, returned to the stage. This includes shed blood, sweat, prise or without taking precautions ABET stage with no ill effects; they fingernail clippings, and so forth – after a very long visit to the past, he have already produced a colt. which is why agents take a strong lax- may take actual injury because some ative a few hours before leaving. The of his molecules stay in the past! Roll return of random trash is messy and 1d-2 injury for each full year the agent TIME AGENTS inconvenient when the Stage is occu- stayed in the past, or 1d-3 if he lived as Timepiece agent characters begin pied, but rarely dangerous. When nec- much as possible on rations brought with a base of 180 points (or more, if essary, pressure sprayers sweep the from the future. (But note that since the campaign is to be cinematic). Stage clear. (The backup system is a the agent returns to the ABET stage, Certain advantages and skills repre- couple of people with mops . . .) where some of the world’s best med- senting agent training are mandatory, Exception: An item in a blacked- ical care is available, he’s usually in lit- and certain disadvantages prohibited. out period will not snap back to the tle danger unless he’s dead when he (The GM may want to use the Infinity future, even if it loses its Focal arrives.) Patrol templates on pp. 186-188 as a Referent, until the blackout ends. Still, there are spooky side effects. starting point for constructing When an agent leaves some of him- Timepiece Agents.) Any FR field will hold a “future” self behind, those who remain see a Timepiece recruits must all be in object; if one agent hands a stunner to greasy, bloody mist in the shape of a first-rate physical and mental health. another, it the second agent’s field man – the left-behind molecules. And Sending a hemophiliac into the holds it when the first agent walks there have been cases, not thoroughly Middle Ages would amount to mur- away. But Stopwatch FR fields will not explained, where long-term agents der! Time agents can have no physical hold an item from the Timepiece vanished from the past and did disadvantages; mental disadvantages future, and vice versa. not return to the future. Were their are allowed only if, in the GM’s opin- molecules dispersed throughout ion, they would not directly impede The Transference Effect history, or did they arrive, intact, the agent’s work. Impulsiveness or Overconfidence would be allowable; The food that a traveler consumes partway to the future? Pyromania or Sadism would not. in the past, once digested and assimi- A much commoner painful side Pacifism could be a plus, although lated, becomes part of the traveler and effect occurs when any agent returns; Total Nonviolence is likely too much returns when the traveler does; so a major fraction of the material in the of a handicap in getting the job done. does the air in his lungs. It appears digestive tract remains in the past. Agents do not have Dependents, and that when atoms from the future

220 ALTERNATE INFINITIES the agency does not normally send an agent is in most need of help is the have to tell him “Do this in six non-agents into the past. (See the dis- moment when Timepiece can’t do months . . .” advantage lists in the Patrol templates, anything. or the Alternate Outcomes troopers on p. 189.) Retired Agents The GM should play the role of Field Agents Retired agents often stay with the recruiting officer when the players ask About 600 active Field Agents work service as instructors and advisors, for disadvantage points. Timepiece out of the Canadian base, plus another and can return to the field in a pinch. might accept a reformed alcoholic, if 100 retired agents (see below). Many of them also volunteer as Local he was very talented – a linguistic Therefore, while there is a good Agents in the past, becoming perma- genius, say. Many disadvantages that chance that any agent will know any nent observers for the rest of their wouldn’t disqualify a character would other active-duty agent, nobody can lives. Currently, Base has about 100 also never affect him in play, and recognize all his fellow agents by retired agents on its staff. therefore wouldn’t be worth any sight. There are recognition codes . . . points in the first place. but nothing is foolproof. THE ENEMY Agents have a -20-point Duty to The Hive occupies an “alternate Timepiece (Constant; Extremely Local Agents present.” It is impossible to travel Hazardous). This includes an obliga- Timepiece maintains a classified between the Hive’s present and that of tion not to kill if any other option is number of Local Agents in dozens of Timepiece. However, both alternate available. It is not a prohibition on past times. These agents often spend presents can send agents into their killing, but the GM should reward years in place and develop firm identi- common past. The Hive is a world in characters who consider the options ties in the past. Of course, Stopwatch which everyone works for the govern- and find alternatives, and withhold does the same thing. ment – or for some part of a web of points from those who kill needlessly. Local Agents can escape to Base at overlapping governments that starts at Naturally, Timepiece can provide any time just by triggering their FR the level of the huge, gray apartment training in virtually any skill agents devices. But they can return to a spe- blocks, and goes all the way to the might need, from fencing to disarm- cific time only when a “window” bloated descendant of the U.N. All cor- ing nuclear weapons. Top Field Agents crosses it. porations have been nationalized (or are generalists rather than specialists. Local Agents may receive instruc- all governments have been bought out But Timepiece also has many agents, tions from Timepiece at any time, but by the corporations – it’s hard to tell). including combat specialists, who are with rather weird constraints. At any It is a polluted, overpopulated, des- relatively one-dimensional. They are given Absolute Now, communication perately resource-poor world. But its usually used either as part of teams, or is possible only with a string of points civilized portions are very regimented for very brief missions – i.e., they’re in history, eight months apart, with and orderly. When a Hive agent visits usually NPCs. These include the com- various gaps. So once an agent has the past, he is likely to see not freedom bat specialists, or “grunts,” Timepiece been in place for eight months, you and wealth, but a disgustingly undisci- uses when direct confrontations are can almost always communicate with plined display of waste. But there are inevitable. him – but not necessarily at the most exceptions; some Hive agents revel in Timepiece is worth no points as a convenient time. You can’t depend on the past and don’t want to leave. Patron, because usually the time when telling him “Do this now!” You may

ALTERNATE INFINITIES 221 Time Agent Equipment Agents have access to any equipment they need, gemstones, are cheap compared to the cost of transmis- without regard for budgets, at TL10 . . . within the lim- sion, but they are difficult to stabilize. Where commerce itations of the 1,200-pound maximum transfer. Of is well developed, Research Division can provide course, the agents’ superiors (that is, the GM) may veto instructions for profitable, inconspicuous investments. any request that seems unreasonable. The GM, playing They have also manufactured large coins and articles of the supervising agents, decides which items may have jewelry containing small FR circuits, although these built-in FRs (so they can stay on the past on their own) lose their charge and snap back in a few days, giving and which do not have FRs (so they will snap back if rise to stories of magicians’ gold that dissolves after the dropped). See the Patrol equipment on pp. 22-27 for sorcerer departs . . . some similar gear. Other Gadgets Weapons The effects of Focal Referents are described on p. 219. There are two standard weapons, which never have The Notebook is a portable audiovisual built-in FRs. Occasionally a past-timer will manage to recorder/player, about the size of an average hardcover get hold of one which is “stuck” in the past due to diver- book. It is used to record the course of a mission, gence, but it always vanishes as soon as the Divergence though if fitted with a Focal Referent it can be used as Effect ends. a snooping device. It records on laser discs that can be The Stunner is a sonic stunner in the shape of a ejected and used to send messages to the present (see short metal wand. It can be tuned for either tight-beam also next entry). Time Agents are notorious for using the or area effect. (Use the CF/3 statistics on p. 200). recorder for all sorts of purposes except keeping an The Stinger is a gas-operated pistol that fires tran- accurate record of their activities . . . quilizer darts. It may be camouflaged to look like an Notecards are small sheets of plastic with a faint antique weapon (flintlock, Colt .45, etc.) and fitted with radioactive tracer. Agents in the field can write mes- powder charges to make the appropriate flash and sages on a card and leave it behind; once out of range of bang, or disguised as a cane, prayer book, or other item, the agent’s FR, it snaps back to the ABET stage, where in which case it operates nearly silently. The darts con- its tracer sets off a warning to pick up the note. The spe- tain a plastic FR circuit, which is charged as they spin cial cards are rarely necessary, of course. Anything that through the barrel rifling: a few seconds after firing appears on the stage will be examined immediately. But (more than enough time to reach the target) the charge if a note appears on the stage at the same time that sev- dissipates and the dart vanishes, leaving only a small eral wounded agents snap back, the special plastic cards puncture wound like an insect bite. The Super Stinger are likelier to survive and be noticed! Notecards that do is a rifle version of the Stinger with telescopic sight; if not disappear provide a warning of Divergence Effect. not disguised as an antique weapon, it folds to fit in a The T-Meter is a device for measuring Arbatov ener- small shoulder bag. (Use the Needler statistics on gy; it can precisely identify the moment in time at which p. 200; the Super Stinger has four times the range and the travelers have arrived. (If the GM would rather the six times the weight.) players not know this, the T-Meter may be made unreli- Costumes and Money able, or not used at all.) The Costuming division can provide copies of any period dress, with improvements such as Kevlar lining Homemade Equipment If the agents are going to be in place for a long for leather armor. Some items, such as suits of plate time, they can bring tools and equipment from home armor, may have Focal Referents to keep them from and build some fairly high-tech equipment. If they snapping home when separated from the wearer. really need an Uzi, they can have one made from local Traveling money is a problem neither of the time materials. agencies has ever fully solved. Precious metals, or even

Hive agents may be from any Why are there only two competing in one of two states: heads or tails. industrialized part of the world – timelines? Neither side knows. (But it might land on its edge, or fall North America, Europe (including Temporal physics seems to be gov- off the table . . . just as agents have European Russia), eastern China and erned by a strange attractor – a math- occasionally reported observers from Japan, Australia, and Argentina. The ematical function that boils down potential futures other than that of the poorer areas have simply collapsed in almost all probabilities into two. Hive.) famine and disease, and have been Consider: When you spin a coin, it is The timeline seems to be spinning abandoned. Where they held valuable random, a ball of light moving about like a coin. Whatever happens in the resources, as in South Africa, enclaves the table. But when it stops, no matter past seems to lead almost inevitably to from the Hive exist to strip them dry. where it falls, it will almost always end

222 ALTERNATE INFINITIES either the Timepiece world or the expect. In general, it seems that his- The GM should occasionally world of the Hive. torical events favoring freedom and force the two sides to make a tempo- And here the coin analogy breaks personal liberty favor its world, and rary truce and cooperate, either to down, because now – whatever “now” those favoring control (whether dicta- save all their lives from the angry means – both the Timepiece world and torship or just bureaucracy) favor the locals, or to avoid a change so mas- that of the Hive seem to exist. They are Hive. The form of government doesn’t sive that it might make both worlds not separate timelines . . . at least, seem important: corporate control is less probable. nobody can travel between them. They just as bad (for Timepiece) as rule by Stopwatch agents are generally are different aspects of the same time- king, president or Mafia don. Wars in more ruthless than Timepiece agents. line, with almost equal probability. themselves may be good or bad, but They have more to gain and more to Could enemy action change history they’re more often bad because war, or lose – though as just mentioned, enough to extinguish one side entirely? the fear of war, encourages stricter truces are possible. And while Mathematics suggests it can’t . . . but if controls. Stopwatch does not specifically train a timeline becomes unlikely enough, it its agents against killing as Timepiece will no longer be able to travel in time. does, they are just as subject to the And that, by itself, is worth fighting Stopwatch Agents effects of changing history, and have for! Timepiece agents not only oppose The agents of the alternate-world the same need for caution. They rarely Stopwatch’s changes, but try to create Stopwatch organization are every bit kill someone unless they know he’s their own, to make history favor their as well trained and equipped as the from Timepiece. And even so, they can world. PCs. Most of them are motivated by a often make the Observer Effect work Timepiece has only a general idea personal lust for advancement; the for them by leaving a foe alive. A what events favor Stopwatch, and world of the Hive is comfortable only favorite Stopwatch tactic – and some what events favor themselves. The for those on top. Furthermore, they Timepiece agents use it, too – is to slit final decision which determines have been convinced that the other a bound foe’s wrists. The blood loss which way the coin falls must lie in timeline must be extinguished if theirs triggers his FR and sends him back the 130 years which the ABET can’t is to survive, so their dedication is home, where he is patched up to tell see or visit. Something during that fanatical. his story. (If the victim wasn’t really period was important enough to Attempts to bring Stopwatch from the future, of course, he simply reduce all preceding history into one agents back don’t work. Timepiece dies.) simple choice. agents have been captured by Stopwatch cannot be taken as a All the maneuvering of both sides Stopwatch and taken away, but inter- specific Enemy, because it’s built into is simply directed at influencing that rogation of prisoners reveals that none the campaign as part of the overall one decision, without knowing just have ever made it back “home.” Their risk that agents take, and does not what it is. But from probability read- fellow Timepiece operatives have seem to target specific Timepiece ings after each known change, never seen them, either – nobody agents – or to have any way of doing Timepiece knows about what to knows where they went! so if it wanted to.

Other Realities and Doubled Agents Visitors From the Future The only documented “alternate present” is that of the Hive and Control has never been blessed (or cursed) with visitors from its own Stopwatch; however, Agents have future. The explanation for this is purely theoretical. reported contacts with individuals It starts with the idea that Control exists in the true “Absolute Now.” who seem to be Time Agents from There is no future yet, just unformed possibilities. (There is no mathe- other realities, some of them quite matical proof of this, though.) bizarre. Even though the current Control exists in the Absolute Now, it might The other troublesome effect be able to send agents to the Control of eight months ago. But the involves the people of the Hive’s uni- Arbatov Barrier prevents this by imposing a minimum time-jump dis- verse. Are they the same in both tance of 130 years. worlds? That is, do Timepiece agents Still, it is possible that 130 years from now, the Control of that time have duplicates in Stopwatch’s world, will be able to send agents to the Control of the “present.” But there are or are they entirely different people? If theoretical reasons to think that the existence of an ABET transmitter is they do coexist, one would expect that one of the things that can create a “blackout” period. If this is true, then at least some of the people who are a time that is the source of time travelers can never be the destination of recruited as Time Agents in one world time travelers. would also be employed by their foe. It is possible that some of the unexplained visitors to the past, occa- Again, agents have reported meeting sionally reported by Timepiece agents, are really from Control’s future. their apparent doubles – but nothing But if they are, they haven’t admitted it . . . or anything else! has been documented.

ALTERNATE INFINITIES 223 DETECTING Object Size Ear Detection Range Fingernail, button, etc. 5 yards INTERVENTIONS Notecard, dart 10 yards Bullet 20 yards Penetration Detection 1⁄2 pound 30 yards When a penetration is made from 1 pound 40 yards Absolute Now in one timeline, the 10 pounds 50 yards ABET on the other timeline can pick it 100 pounds 60 yards up. Thus, it is meaningful to say, 1,000 pounds 70 yards “Stopwatch penetrated 1850 A.D. 1,200 pounds (maximum ABET send load) 71 yards about 20 minutes ago.” However, there are lots of false alarms. This may mean that there is time travel going on that Timepiece doesn’t know about, or that they don’t The Observer Effect vs. Changing History understand the system, or both. Over New agents often ask, “How can history be changed at all, if the 70% of the time, a team sent back to Observer Effect really works? After all, everything important about his- check a penetration detection finds tory has been recorded.” nothing. The answer – for practical purposes, anyway – has to do with direct vs. indirect action. A directly observed event has a great amount of inertia; it is not likely to change because of direct action. Indirect action, Problem Reports however, which does not itself contradict anything observed, can build Whenever possible, Local Agents up a “momentum of events” that can sweep away observed actions. But monitor important historical events. this momentum can take months or years to build! Sometimes they observe a problem Thus, a time traveler can take actions that will eventually change directly (an agent in Moscow sees the observed history. This can sometimes sweep away whole sections of Germans marching in). Sometimes known history, with all their observations . . . and with all the Local they see its effects afterward (an Agents of both sides. And if, as often happens, the change is reversed, the agent in Berlin receives word that “old” history will be back in place, along with its agents. But observa- Moscow has fallen and Stalin is a tions made during that period will no longer be fully reliable; there is prisoner). In either case, the agent’s once again scope for free action by Time Agents. duty is to return to Control immediately with a full report. If several agents are present, one returns. The others wait to be contacted. Usually Agents can detect enemy action in detect each other by listening! the contact comes within minutes the past through the Eden-Arbatov Sending a note at the wrong time, or after the messenger leaves . . . even if Energy Reflector – the EAER, or carelessly dropping something, can be it is from agents who have been on “Ear.” This detects the ripple of energy a fatal giveaway. the scene for months. created when a mass enters or leaves An agent can tell by the sound When a Local Agent becomes “current” time nearby. The larger the whether something is coming or aware of a problem, the one thing he mass, the farther away it can be spot- going, the direction, the general size, must not do is observe too much! This ted by the Ear. Agents wear small and the approximate distance. The seems like a paradox – in most wars, Ears; they are built into the skull, and distance something can be “heard” information is vital. But in crosstime translate the energy into sound to let depends on its mass, and increases conflict, often the more you know the the agent “hear” something entering according to a reverse power curve; less you can do. or leaving. Thus, agents can often the maximum theoretical distance at which any ripple can be picked up is less than 150 yards. The table above shows the range at which typical masses can be detected coming or going. Larger Ears are available (20 lbs.). These have no more detection range, but read out the exact mass and distance of each penetration, and can log all penetrations for later examination . . . which is useful, because everybody sleeps from time to time.

224 ALTERNATE INFINITIES that time have two rough-and-ready indicators of success.

Gross Changes: The Divergence Effect A Bad Idea When the local probability of “Why don’t we just nuke Hitler?” Every new Timepiece agent asks Timepiece’s coming into existence that question, or something like it. Why can’t we just send a whole army drops below a certain point, travel of Time Agents, armed to the teeth, to forcibly put history on the kind of between that time and the Absolute track we want? Now is no longer possible . . . for Because it doesn’t work, that’s why. Timepiece agents! Stopwatch agents Timepiece and Stopwatch don’t play a subtle game because they want are unaffected. The reverse is true for to. They’re subtle because they have no choice. Both agencies have Stopwatch. learned the hard way that noisy, flashy maneuvers don’t benefit anyone. An agent can check this at any time In the early days of the Time War, Stopwatch tried several blatant by tossing a bit of future material out- attacks on the early days of American history, from machine-gunning side his FR field. If it vanishes, things Washington’s troops to planting a fuel-air explosive device on Wall are not going too badly. (On the other Street. In every case, the result was to pop all agents of both sides out of hand, a Stopwatch Ear might hear it the affected time, and to reduce the Absolute Now probabilities of both go, so even good news might be bad sides’ coming into existence. news.) If it fails to vanish, the mission Apparently if the past-timers realize, as a group, that they’re being is in jeopardy. Often, the first that an invaded, that tends to throw history along very different lines. Nobody agent knows of the failure-to-vanish knows what those lines might be, and nobody really wants to find out. problem is when someone tries to So, agents . . . be happy with your plotting and your careful maneu- return home, and fails . . . or when a vers in the background of history, and forget about nuking Hitler. Unless, hurt buddy’s body doesn’t vanish, but of course, you can make it look like an accident ... stays right there and bleeds. When one side gains a strong advantage, the other is “stuck” in the past, with possibly deadly results for severely injured agents who can’t get Divergence and Dropout is true that Napoleon won and the home to high-tech medicine. Agents If scheduled reports fail to come French Empire survived another 13 call this “divergence loss.” It is not back from a given time, it may mean years. But in late 2003, Timepiece final: probability can flip back and that the agents have been cut off by launches a counter-effort, which forth more than once during a mis- the Divergence Effect (see below). Of restores history to its original track. sion, until one side is completely course, if it is divergence, no rein- Thus, the history books of 2003 are defeated – or, as occasionally happens, forcements can be sent directly to the very much like those of 2001. the probability balance is restored, time in question. When one side or the other and both sides agree to back off. Sometimes the first warning changes history – accidentally or on When this Divergence Effect Control has of a change is when it purpose – the effect is to change the occurs, the time period is blacked out finds out that Timepiece has lost the frequency of the entropic energy asso- from Control’s point of view. Control round . . . by the unexpected appear- ciated with each possible future. In cannot send anything to the closest ance of all its agents and equipment other words, the probability of each “window” beforehand, and sometimes for a particular time period. future is changed. for several “windows” afterward. The blackout of that period Instruments at Control can detect remains in effect, and often spreads. these probability fluctuations. A prob- Dropout History has been changed. ability change takes the form of a curve along a chart of history. Some When the local probability of changes seem to “damp out” immedi- Timepiece’s coming into existence CHANGING ately. Others have an avalanche drops below a final threshold, all effect . . . but even these seem to damp Timepiece FRs in that period cease to HISTORY out in the 130-year period that the function, and all surviving agents and History can be changed. In fact, it ABET can’t reach. equipment snap back to the Stage in can be changed over and over. The instruments at Control can failure. The reverse is true, of course, Entropic energy allows an absolute measure the probability of their own for Stopwatch. There is often no doubt sequence of events to be imposed on existence at Absolute Now. This is when you “win” an encounter; your changes made in past time. Suppose used to keep overall score in the cam- foes vanish! The losing side can then that in 2001, Stopwatch agents launch paign; see The Final Outcome, p. 226. send no agents into that period or the a time-attack against Wellington at Control cannot measure the time immediately following, giving the Waterloo. They are partially success- local probability of success in some winners a chance to consolidate their ful, and history changes. So in 2002, it contested past time, but the agents in gains.

ALTERNATE INFINITIES 225 In game terms, if the GM decides that Stopwatch is about to win, he cuts off communication between the Record-Keeping and the Observer Effect Timepiece agents and their base. And Timepiece has two very different kinds of record-keeping. It keeps if he decides that the agents have extensive records about the detailed course of history, as recorded by his- failed and Stopwatch has won that torians and as observed by agents in “unthreatened” periods. Timepiece encounter, he snaps everyone and has the greatest historical library in the world . . . fully computerized, of everything back home. course, but many of the original materials can be examined. (+2 to any Research roll on a historical subject!) But Timepiece does not keep detailed records of the observations and Long-Term Effects actions of its own agents, once a specific crisis has passed. Even the Over a term of months or years, as greatest success leaves only a numerical rating in the agent’s record, the Absolute Now measures time, the along with a note that he has successful experience in that period. Minor local probabilities tend to even out. failures, likewise, leave only ratings. Agents rarely survive major failures. The more massive the change, the The reason, of course, is to attempt to outsmart the Observer Effect. longer they take . . . but eventually The less detail is recorded about some things, the easier it is to get most of that period, with its changed around them. On the other hand, if you know nothing about what either history, will be accessible once again. your agents or the enemy are doing, how can you proceed? It’s a prob- Usually, though, one critical area lem that makes the lives of Time Agents entirely too interesting. remains “blacked out” and unavailable for direct ABET transfer forever. After a change, the Time Corps Stopwatch is reduced below 8%, the Visiting immediately debriefs its rememberers PCs have won – and can continue to Changed History and produces a file of alternate travel in time as researchers or even When history is changed, the GM history. This can be used in an attempt tourists. (But if they do something to must decide how far-reaching the to plan actions that might undo a change history again, Stopwatch may change was. The sooner the change change. reappear!) damped out, the less history the GM It is also possible that repeated dis- must rewrite or avoid! The Final Outcome asters will reduce the combined prob- Agents visiting changed history will ability of Timepiece and Stopwatch to If one side loses enough successive less than 70%. If that happens, the GM be familiar with the new history. After contests, then its probability becomes all, this is history now; they read about may create a third time-twisting agent low enough that it cannot travel in force, with any characteristics he it in their history books. Thus, the GM time reliably, if at all. It seems should start any such visit with a brief- likes . . . another probability has unlikely that any probability can be reached critical level, and may be ing to the players. Often the new his- completely erased . . . but who would tory will be because of a Stopwatch treated like the first two. Things can want to take the chance? really get complicated then . . . intervention, and the players’ mission In game terms, the GM should will be to make a change that – they start with the relative probabilities of hope – will push history back toward a Timepiece and Stopwatch at 49% CAMPAIGN favorable track. The inertia of time each. (The remaining 2% is made up will help them in this. (The GM may of a huge number of low-probability ASSUMPTIONS also decree that some part of “real” futures.) Any successful intervention history is a Stopwatch plot, and send by one side adds 2d% to its own prob- Parameters the party back to change historical ability, and subtracts 2d% (not neces- reality.) Scale: The scale of the Time Corps sarily the same number, but reroll any is an interesting mix of prosaic, subtle result that is more than 2 different) adventures and the ultimate stakes – Remembering from the opposing probability. The the future of the world! This is a good “Original” History “main” probabilities may never total compromise level, and the GM should more than 99%, with the last 1% going try to emphasize both elements of it Only those individuals with to the “wild” futures. Should the Temporal Inertia (p. B93) can remem- where possible. Timepiece-Stopwatch total ever be Scope: Time Agents are the best of ber events of an “original” history, more than 99%, reduce the higher including missions (their own or oth- the best, alone in the past. They have a probability to make the total 99%. broad operational scope, although the ers’) to that period. Usually, the Time The GM may also decide that a Corps’ first warning of a change nature of the windows and the badly botched intervention has made Observer Effect tend to constrain comes from its agents or employees both futures less probable, reducing with Temporal Inertia. (Timepiece them. each one by 1d% or even 2d%. Boundaries: One world, but all time hires individuals with Eidetic Memory If Timepiece’s probability is and Temporal Inertia, even if (with variations) up to about 1970. reduced below 8%, the campaign has There is only one method of time they have no other qualifications, ended in failure for the agents. If specifically as “rememberers.”) travel, and no gates or other cheats.

226 ALTERNATE INFINITIES Paraphysics A GM with a strong historical SF inter- The Briefing As given in the Mechanics section, est can, of course, run plenty of repair The agent team is called together the Exclusion Rule (p. 157) applies. missions (p. 211) in both directions! and briefed on the period. In this par- Travelers can’t travel to a time where Missions are likely to be investigative, ticular case, the Austria of 1914 cor- they already exist. If they visit a time with a strong dose of technothriller (to responds almost exactly to that of our just before they already exist, they fill out those months of waiting for the “real” history. The GM mentions one must leave again before their “earlier” Observer Effect or the window). The non-historical detail: the American version appears (or is born). If they setting probably works best if escape artist and writer, Harry don’t, the “later” version will pop back Timepiece agents are, in fact, the good Houdini, is currently living in to the ABET stage. guys, but a certain amount of grittiness Austria, writing, researching, and The agents in the field can almost won’t spoil anything. doing occasional short performance always communicate with Control via tours. (The depth of this briefing notecards (see Other Gadgets, p. 222), OPERATION would depend on the GM and the or by returning in person if necessary. group. If everyone enjoys research, This only becomes impossible if a mis- ARCHDUKE: A the GM probably started by checking sion is imperiled by divergence several books out of the library, and (p. 225). Control can communicate TYPICAL MISSION he might end his briefing by handing with agents by sending physical mes- Because of the high percentage of them to the players.) sages through the ABET, but each “false alarms” and missions to protect The problem is that the nature of time a package is sent, that window is “weak spots” against possible incur- the intervention is not immediately closed for a long time. In a pinch, sions, the truly typical mission is one obvious. Clearly it has something to Control can send a package to an ear- in which the agents clock back . . . do with the assassination. But the lier window and mark it “Do not open spend several paranoid weeks down- Archduke was, in his time, a force for until [whenever]!” Attempts to use this time, possibly getting in trouble with stable unity and peaceful devolution trick to get around the Observer Effect the natives . . . and clock home, never of power. One would think that fail; usually, such a message is simply having seen any evidence of a Stopwatch would want him dead! So blank when read. Each communica- Stopwatch agent. Certainly the GM the agents will have to watch carefully tion from Control advances the can throw in such a mission now and and think on their feet. Absolute Now from the point of view then. But players will expect to of the agents. encounter enemy agents . . . and the History in this campaign is Plastic The Initial Penetration player characters are paid to expect The closest window to use would but very Resistant. The Observer enemy agents. Effect (p. 159) applies; paradoxes be the same one that Stopwatch Our typical mission, then, is one used, now at June 2. (The fact that seem to be impossible. If a Timepiece where Stopwatch is really up to some- or Stopwatch agent changes history, they used it recently does not black it thing. Here’s an account of the out to Timepiece – just to them.) But the change affects the Absolute Now mission as it happened . . . only on a probability level. Control is concerned that the team It is possible for an agent in the might not have time to prepare prop- past to meet someone else from “his The Warning erly. Brunner is the only agent in that future.” That is, someone from 2100 The ABET operators report a time period, and he is not well could meet someone who had been possible Stopwatch transmission: to a equipped. sent from 2101. When that happens, window at May 30, 1914, in Austria. So: Six agents (the PCs) are clocked the agent from the earlier time knows The time and place suggest that this is to the previous window, eight months that the Absolute Now has advanced real. On June 28, Archduke Francis earlier. This gives them time to pre- (p. 219); if he clocks back, he’ll arrive Ferdinand, heir to the Austrian throne, pare. Immediately afterward, Control in that later time. Agents in this situa- and his wife were assassinated, sends six combat specialists (“grunts”) tion are careful to exchange only leading immediately to World War I. to the June 2 window, with orders to information required for the mission. Obviously, this is a key historical event. wait for contact from the PCs and But how does Stopwatch stand to gain follow their instructions. by changing it? The PCs in 1913 are under strict Characters Three days later Brunner, the Local orders not to contact the Local Agent See pp. 171-200 for character Agent in Vienna, sends a further in any way, and not to interfere with design notes; Timesickness (p. 181) is report. Just as a precaution, he had the Stopwatch actions that Brunner Common and Mild. bugged the homes and meeting places reported. To do so would be to chal- of the Serbian conspirators who were lenge the Observer Effect. However – Genre and Mode to assassinate Ferdinand. Through his armed with the information supplied listening devices, he heard sounds of a by Brunner – they place the fake This is a quintessential technical SF assassins under surveillance without setting, with much of the challenge disturbance. A little detective work on his part confirmed that the main con- being detected, and they identify a focused on using the mechanics of total of seven Stopwatch agents. time travel to accomplish the mission. spirators had been removed and replaced by Stopwatch agents!

ALTERNATE INFINITIES 227 One of the players tries direct The Moment of Freedom But after six days of waiting, they action anyway, just to see what the At the moment in 1914 at which become impatient and worried. When GM will do. He sets up an ambush to Brunner sends his note back to Base the “grunt” team (NPCs) appears, the zap one of the female agents with a to give the alarm, the agents are free. agents decide to act. They divide their Super Stinger – no women are known They are no longer constrained by the forces to track the enemy agents, hop- to be crucial to the Stopwatch moves Local Agent’s observations. They can ing to clean them up in a simple fire- already observed. But the entire team contact Brunner, and they can act fight. A couple of combats ensue. Five is afflicted with food poisoning from a against Stopwatch in any way that Stopwatch agents are hit by darts and bad dinner the night before. The rifle- does not contradict what is currently clock out to escape. One is captured, man is doubled up with cramps five known of history. but nothing is learned from him minutes before his target appears, However, they choose not to con- before he gets away (you can stuff a and his FR yanks him home. Since he tact Brunner, because they know from rag in someone’s mouth to keep him didn’t tell the rest of the team what he their own surveillance that the from using tongue-switches, but it’s was up to, they spend a lot of time Stopwatch agents have spotted him as hard to interrogate him in the mean- being paranoid. The Stopwatch agent a possible foe. But Stopwatch isn’t time). One escapes. who was being targeted “heard” the sure, which is why Brunner hasn’t Three of the Timepiece agents are missing agent clock out, and her team been attacked. shot in the melee. Two have to clock is paranoid, too. out to save themselves. One is merely In January 1914, the “early” team wounded in the arm. The noisy gun- gets a time-dropped package of extra The First Move fire draws police; the wounded agent weaponry, supplies and information; The Timepiece team decides that and one other are arrested. Ironically, the missing agent returns in this drop. they don’t know enough yet to try to the Austrians suspect them of being (If the PCs had thought of anything in frustrate the plot. They could try English spies (someone missed a particular that they really needed, they direct action against the Stopwatch Language roll) and potential assas- could have requested it by notecard team, but then who will assassinate sins! Worse, all the agents must dis- and gotten it in this drop.) Ferdinand? card their weapons as they flee the police, rather than risk having future gadgets captured. (The grunts, their job done, clock out.)

Jailbreak! Since they have little to lose, the agents contact Brunner. With his help, and via some bribery, their two jailed comrades are freed – an adventure in itself. But at this point, the agents find out the hard way, via the Divergence Effect, that they are in danger of failing their mission. (The jailbreak has gotten national attention, and war fears are raging . . . with speculation that England and America are plotting against Austria. The visiting Houdini is suspected of being a spymaster! And maybe it’s true . . .) Neither the agents nor their remaining equipment can clock home. The agents are now absolutely on their own; they can’t get help from Control, and they can’t escape. (But at least the surviving Stopwatch agent, and any cronies she may have, won’t be able to “hear” them.)

Thinking It Through One key to resolving this situation lies in the war scare; if none of the players are history buffs, the GM should make a few History or IQ rolls for the agents, and drop some hints.

228 ALTERNATE INFINITIES The Austrians are now rattling their Ferdinand themselves to get history Houdini’s birth name was Erich sabers, but it’s out of paranoid fear . . . back on track! Weiss. He was the son of a rabbi from historically, they didn’t expect the One Stopwatch agent is still loose, Budapest (the other capital of the British to get involved on the and the agents’ Ears hint that she is still Hapsburg dual monarchy). He spoke Continent, let alone the Americans. active; she knows who they are, and has fluent German and had toured Right now, the leaders of Austria and been snooping around. She’ll probably Germany, Austria, and Russia (he was Germany are rethinking their plans to be trying to stop the assassination. in fact suspected of being a spy by the start a war, and this is what is changing Russian secret police). As a Jew, a history. potential Hungarian nationalist, and a About Houdini possible spy, he was distrusted in many Houdini, of course, is the wild card quarters. He had contacts at many lev- A Solution? in the adventure. He might be a Local els of society and a formidable array of The agents should deduce that a Agent for either side. Or he could be the skills. By 1913, he was an aviator, a postponed WWI works against real, original Houdini, just “out of mechanic, an expert driver, a good rifle Timepiece. Perhaps they will realize place” as a side effect of some past his- and pistol shot, an acrobat, an illusion- that the war is inevitable, and a torical meddling – and if he is, he might ist, and an escape artist. He might later war will be worse than an early or might not be involved in espionage. know anything else useful that could be one. They may have to assassinate Either way, he could be useful to the learned at the time; he was insatiably agents! curious. THE HORATIO CLUB I’ve forgotten what I was looking carefully to the toasts offered before There are paradises, too. I know, I for, when first I found the Club. I was dinner; but if you’re present for that, know: every world is paradise to in London, I think; but I won’t tell you’re already a member.) someone; every paradise is Hell to you where in London, because the I said there were doors. There are someone else. I’m being subjective. details would either send you looking many of them, upstairs, up and And I know that if most of those for the place, or bear no relation to down long quiet carpeted halls lined doors were not locked – if the the London you know. with the most eccentric collection of Horatio Club were open to all It’s what used to be called a curios outside a museum. Some of comers – there would be changes. Gentleman’s Club – quiet, serviced by them lead to bedrooms, with the That’s why I’m convinced that, impeccable butlers who know your most comfortable beds you’ve ever whatever it may sometimes seem name and your habits, with the best slept in (or done anything else in, for like, no one ever enters the Horatio food and drink; a warm haven to the that matter, but the Club is discreet Club by accident. If you find your members, a closed book to everyone as nowhere on Earth is discreet) – no way here, you’re a member, whether else. It isn’t fusty and exclusively television, no radio, but a shelf of you know it yet or not. male – the nature of the membership books, at least one of which you’ve Surely there must be some kind of is not fusty nor exclusively anything. always intended to read. Most of the rules, if there’s going to be this sort of There are no windows anywhere in doors are locked. And every now and crossroads. Can you let just anybody the Horatio Club . . . but there are then one opens, onto places . . . dif- go hopping from one universe to doors. ferent from the one you left. another? Good question. I can’t say, They do their best to hide the Behind one of them, the sun though perhaps someone else can, nature of the place. The furniture is never set on the British Empire, and whether the Club enforces the rules, comfortable but nondescript; the King Charles III rules from the or if it’s simply part of the system. only emblems you see are the Club’s Mideastern Colonies to the Missi- I do know this: one time and one own. The pictures on the walls are of ssippi Frontier. Behind another, that only, I met a fellow-traveler who nobody and no place you recognize. same Mississippi Valley still belongs spoke, not seriously at all, I thought, There are no clocks at all – but if you to the French, who seem to be in a about finding a door into a world he ask one of the butlers what time it is, prolonged global war with the could conquer – not just make his you always get an answer that makes Portuguese and the descendants of way in, but rule. I saw him again, not sense. Chaka Zulu. Behind another, it’s the long after by my clock; he looked Stay long enough, of course, and same city you left, but there’s a dome about 20 years older, a bit scarred the truth will out. You’ll meet some- over it. Behind another, another and much quieter, and he didn’t talk one dressed oddly (maybe very dome, but you look up at a black sky of conquest anymore. oddly), or hear a reference that and see the Earth; in its dark cres- I know that, and that all the mem- doesn’t fit your memories. (For a cent, the craters of cities still glow. bers are human. I think. true vision of what the Club is, listen Not all the worlds behind the doors are noisy, or imperial, or dead.

ALTERNATE INFINITIES 229 think odd, faraway thoughts. Independently, they get dressed (or HORATIO: O day and night, but this is perhaps just pull on a robe and slip- pers) and go out into the hallway, wondrous strange! where one of them has found an HAMLET: And therefore as a stranger give unlocked door. There’s a darkness beyond, and without really thinking it welcome. why, they walk through. There are more things in heaven and earth, Suddenly there’s no more door, no more hallway, and the darkness is Horatio, thinning into a blue dawn. The guests Than are dreamt of in your philosophy. are standing in a formal garden maze, hedges twice as high as their heads. – William Shakespeare, Just ahead is a stone bench, and on it Hamlet, I:v:175-179 sits a woman, and she’s crying. They approach. She looks up. She’s very beautiful (of course). Her mouth opens. And she disappears. The Club is a deuces-wild alter- and abilities, and of wrongs and injus- Now, there’s a story hook. Who’s the nate-worlds frame. Like Poul tices on all the myriad worlds that crying woman? Was she real, an illu- Anderson’s Old Phoenix Inn, it is a those people are just the ones to set sion, an astral projection, a ghost? comfortable crossroads between all right. Was she one of the good guys? (Not all the universes that are, were, or might the beautiful maidens are, you know.) be, both a way station and a check- And, hey, whose garden is this, are point – because, while some of the GM Advice Have the players design their char- they going to be annoyed when they travelers are quite lost, the staff always find us here, how do we get out of the seem to make sure that they get some- acters well in advance of the first play session, or if that isn’t possible, hold maze, it’s kind of cold to be standing where that they somehow ought to here in a bathrobe . . . reach; and conversely, the selfish and the design session, the introduction to the Club and the dinner-table conver- And there begins the adventure. destructive of the world(s) are never The group is certainly going to want to admitted there. sation, and then send everyone upstairs to the Club apartments and find out about the Weeping Whoever- There’s no point in giving very spe- She-Was, but before that they have cific rules for the Club, because it is stop. Then spend some time working out what sort of world all these differ- lots of other practical problems to not by its nature rule-driven; it’s philo- solve, and they’re in no position to sophical fantasy, not hard science ent people should have their joint adventure in, what uses they can make solve them by the classical dungeon- fiction. Some guidelines, however: crawler’s method of armed robbery. The Club is most appropriate to of their skills (not to mention the play- small groups of adventurers, ideally ers’ own personal talents). This is the sort of people who like to explore rather more involved than loading Next Week’s Special a situation and find out its possibili- hostile critters into 10’¥10’ square dungeon rooms, but it is also rather Guest Star Is . . . ties, rather than be assigned clear-cut Another cliché of the field that the mission objectives, or simply shake more rewarding. Most of the Club’s guests are not Club can vary a bit is the notion of the down the world for whatever wealth is characters as wandering gunslingers, in its pockets. The group members casual universe-hoppers. Some may only visit once in their lives. In the who always ride on once the local need not all have entered together, or wrong is righted. Maybe some of the even be from the same world. Yes, this classical fictional paradigm, they are traveling from a world in which they travelers will like this world, once it’s is a version of the good old “You meet straightened out. Maybe one of them in this tavern on a dark and stormy are hopeless romantic misfits to one where they can be real heroes and live will marry the Princess, or the Prince, night” gimmick to start a campaign. and settle down. A native or two who Encourage the players to spin tales of Happily Ever After. In GM terms, this means a world-problem that can’t be want to see strange worlds may join where they came from and how they the others, and the Club will have a happened to find the Club door, as if solved too easily or quickly. Perhaps much of the adventure will be spent place at the table for everyone. This they were sitting over one of the fine can let players switch off and play all Club dinners. (Doing this by candle- figuring out just what the solution – or just what the problem – is. kinds of characters. If one isn’t light, over whatever you prefer to eat working out, the player can make up and drink, won’t hurt the atmosphere someone who seems to fit the GM’s a bit.) By Way of Example: campaign a little better, or one that he The doors of the Club do not open The Dolorous Maiden might not play for a year’s worth of at random. Nobody knows (or will Your Club guests have retired to sessions, but wouldn’t mind exploring say) what Mysterious Power controls their rooms, but they can’t sleep. The for a week or two. them, but Whoever It Is has a remark- books on the bedside table make them able knowledge of the guests’ skills

230 ALTERNATE INFINITIES Variant Clubs style, a medieval inn (like the Old PCs a glimpse into its workings, but Of course, the GM can leave moral- Phoenix), or an ultra-ritzy 21st-centu- this will risk making the campaign ity right out of it, and let the guests go ry hotel. Maybe it looks like all those about the Club, rather than about the conquer worlds (or get chewed up try- things at once. worlds it opens onto. ing) as they please. The multiversal nexus might be not just a passive way AMPAIGN Paraphysics station, but an active clearinghouse C Any. Adventurers can meet them- and dispatch center for the worlds, ASSUMPTIONS selves, travel in time or space, and matching up teams of adventurers whirl about free of paradox – as long with adventures: an Infinity Patrol Parameters as the Club allows it. If things get too using freelancers instead of (or in awfully snarled up, well, that’s one addition to) its own full-time troops. Scale: Completely up to the GM, but this frame works best with per- door that the staff keeps locked from Going even further, this could be now on. crossed with the Eternity’s Rangers sonal stories and a minimum of sturm frame (p. 34), making the Club a kind and drang. You can save the universe of multiversal mercenary hiring hall in every other campaign frame; let this Characters and armory, where crossworld swash- one be about true love. Power Level: Any. Low-powered bucklers recruit and outfit for con- Scope: Equal to the characters, but characters can shine just as brightly as quest, plunder . . . and maybe some of not predictably so. The GM may want superheroes and giants. It’s up to the that righting-wrongs stuff too, just to to experiment with a “hidden scope,” GM to craft compelling, personal sto- stay in practice. in which the problem at hand only ries for any type of hero. And the Club doesn’t have to be a seems local, but has great repercus- Niche: None. You all, literally, dim-stuffy-plush retreat. It can be a sions in proper fairy tale fashion. might have met in the bar. Perhaps the kind of Explorers’ Club, furnished Boundaries: The only boundaries adventure will reveal why the heroes from many worlds and eras, decorated are at the interface between the char- are traveling together, or perhaps the with souvenirs from as all over as it acters and the Club, which cannot be players will come up with something gets; it might look like an airport hustled, squeezed, robbed, black- clever and satisfying. lounge (although one of the cool mailed, destroyed, or pestered to Freedom: Be excellent to each Fifties ones before they became so death by the adventurers. The GM other. And party on, dude, but in a horribly depressing), a railroad termi- may want to eventually develop the genteel fashion, please. nal in the grand old Belle Epoque Club’s officers and staff, and give the Edges: Up to the GM. Our heroes should never be able to swat the adventure’s problems aside like a fly, but True Faith, bardic immunity, guest-holiness, and other intangible protections seem apropos.

Genre and Mode This is a philosophical fantasy frame, designed to allow personal stories on a smaller scale but an infinite canvas. If it’s a cinematic game, it should have a nice romantic component along with the last-minute escapes and dogfights; if it’s a pulp game, it should present at least one obstacle that twin Colt automatics or fists of deadly fury can’t actually overcome. The Club will not work as a dark or gritty setting; nobody wants to give something that unpleasant the control over their actions that the players are implicitly giving the Club. Any style, from Gothic horror to bright fantasy to Arabian Nights exoti- cism to intellectual gamesmanship, has a place in the Club, as long as it lets the players think and feel for a change.

ALTERNATE INFINITIES 231 BIBLIOGRAPHY This bibliography can only skim Have Been? series (Bantam, 1989- Empire series are high fantasy in an the surface of the thousands of works 1992) contain a high proportion of alternate Rome. on time travel, alternate histories, and good, interesting stories. Harris, Robert. Fatherland (Harper, so forth even on this one world. Bensen, D.R. And Having Writ . . . 1992). A solidly written AH about the Absolute musts, the best of the best or (Bobbs-Merrill, 1978). Aliens survive biggest murder investigation of all pioneering works in the genre, are the Tunguska crash and redirect time. adorned with a star (*). history trying to fix their ship. Hogan, James P. The Proteus Card, Orson Scott. Seventh Son Operation (Bantam/Spectra, 1985). (Tor, 1987). First of the “Alvin Maker” Time-travel WWII novel with two sep- FICTION series, set in an alternate 19th-century arate AHs. Categories are fluid at best; some America where folk magic works. Keyes, J. Gregory. Age of Unreason of the early classics, especially, slop * De Camp, L. Sprague. “The (Ballantine, 1998-2001). AH tetralogy over into more than one. For example, Wheels of If” (1940). One of the very of Newtonian magic, meteor strikes, H. Beam Piper’s Lord Kalvan of first “trapped in an altered history” and angelic math. Otherwhen combines an in-depth AH stories; still holds up. Laidlaw, Marc. “His Powder’d Wig, setting (an Indo-Aryan America * Dick, Philip K. The Man in the His Crown of Thornes” (1989). trapped in medievalism) with cross- High Castle (Putnam’s, 1962). Axis vic- Possibly the best “British defeat the dimensional politics (the Paratime tory in the absolute best AH novel Revolution” AH story, and a powerful Police and its concerns) with the clas- ever. indictment of colonialism. sic time-travel trope of the resourceful Dozois, Gardner and Schmidt, Leiber, Fritz. “Catch That castaway who brings modern technol- Stanley (editors). Roads Not Taken Zeppelin!” (1975). Smarter than usual ogy (in this case, gunpowder) to a (Del Rey, 1998). “no WWII” AH. primitive milieu. Dvorkin, David. Budspy (Franklin Linaweaver, Brad. Moon of Ice (Tor, Watts, 1987). Unsettling novel of poli- 1993). A slightly more bizarre AH, Alternate Histories tics as usual in a world with a victori- expanded from the short story in ous Nazi Germany. Hitler Victorious and an excellent These stories, anthologies, and Ford, John M. The Dragon Waiting source for crazy Raven Division novels primarily concentrate on the (Timescape, 1983). Intricate AH schemes. nitty-gritty of the alternate history fantasy in a world with a pagan McAuley, Paul J. Pasquale’s Angel (AH) setting in question, some of them Byzantium, vampires, and Richard III. (Gollancz, 1994). Novel of steampunk to the exclusion of plot or character. Fry, Stephen. Making History Renaissance Italy, featuring With a good enough setting, one can (Hutchinson, 1996). Removing Hitler Machiavelli as a hard-drinking overlook such flaws. makes things worse. reporter. Aiken, Joan. The Wolves of Garfinkle, Richard. Celestial Mitchell, Kirk. Procurator (Ace, Willoughby Chase (Doubleday, 1963). Matters (Tor, 1996). A very alternate 1984), New Barbarians (Ace, 1986), First of a children’s series of adventure history in which Classical Greek theo- Cry Republic (Ace, 1989). Better than novels set in an alternate Stuart ries of astronomy, physics, and politics average “Rome survives” AH series. England. are all literally true. Modesitt, L.E., Jr. Of Tangible Amis, Kingsley. The Alteration Garrett, Randall. Lord Darcy (Baen, Ghosts (Tor, 1994) and sequels. Ghosts (Jonathan Cape, 1976). Castrati poli- 2004). A collection of the “Lord Darcy” exist in a Dutch America caught tics in a world without a Reformation. stories, classic AH mysteries set in the between the superpowers. * Anderson, Poul. A Midsummer 20th-century Anglo-French Empire. Moorcock, Michael. The Warlord of Tempest (Doubleday, 1974). A brilliant * Gentle, Mary. Ash: A Secret the Air (New English Library, 1971), Shakespearean myth parallel. History (Gollancz, 2000). The seminal The Land Leviathan (Quartet, 1974), Baxter, Stephen. Anti-Ice reality quake novel about an alternate The Steel Tsar (Granada, 1981). AH (HarperCollins, 1993). Victorian Visigothic Carthage and the evil com- war stories featuring Oswald Bastable England gets antimatter in this seri- puters who must destroy Burgundy and the shadowy League of Temporal ous update of the Verne adventure and its history to thrive. Adventurers. genre. The Time Ships (HarperCollins, Gibson, William and Sterling, * Moore, Ward. Bring the Jubilee 1995) is a sequel to Wells’ Time The Difference Engine Machine. Bruce. (Farrar, Straus, 1953). The classic (Gollancz, 1990). Steam-powered “Confederate victory” AH. * Benford, Gregory and Greenberg, cyberpunk AH diverges with Newman, Kim. Anno Dracula Martin H. (editors). Hitler Victorious Babbage’s computers. (Simon & Schuster, 1992). AH (Garland, 1986). Axis-victory AH sto- Harlan, Thomas. Shadow of Ararat diverges with Chapter 8 of Bram ries, including David Brin’s classic (Tor, 1999) and the rest of the Oath of Stoker’s novel; sequels continue the “Thor Meets Captain America.” The story of a vampirized modern era. four volumes of their What Might

232 BIBLIOGRAPHY Resnick, Mike (editor). Alternate weirdness; collections include Barnes, John. Patton’s Spaceship Presidents (Tor, 1992). First of a series Howard Who? (Doubleday, 1986), (Harper, 1997), Washington’s Dirigible of AH themed anthologies; each book Strange Monsters of the Recent Past (Harper, 1997), Caesar’s Bicycle usually contains one or two gems and (Ace, 1991), and Going Home Again (Harper, 1997). Fast-paced dimension several interesting ideas. (St. Martin’s, 1998). war series with better than average Roberts, John Maddox. King of the * Waugh, Charles G. and AH settings. In Finity (Tor, 1999), Wood (Doubleday, 1983). Slam-bang Greenberg, Martin H. (editors). expatriate Americans from diverse alternate America with Aztecs, Arabs, Alternative Histories (Garland, 1986). parallels meet and investigate. Mongols, and two (count ’em!) kinds Includes a number of classics and a Bayley, J. Barrington. The Fall of of Vikings. starter bibliography, with an essay on Chronopolis (DAW, 1974). Roberts, Keith. Pavane (Doubleday, AH construction. Bear, Greg. Eon (Bluejay, 1985), 1968). The Armada wins and history Wilson, Robert Charles. Darwinia Eternity (Warner, 1988), and Legacy slows to a chug. (Tor, 1998). One fine day in 1912, the (Tor, 1995). Paradimensional weird- Robinson, Kim Stanley. Years of cities and living beings of Europe van- ness trilogy. Rice and Salt (Bantam, 2002). ish, replaced by a different ecology. Brunner, John. The Infinitive of Go Generational novel of a world without Womack, Jack. Terraplane (Weiden- (Ballantine, 1980). An experiment in European civilization after a deadlier feld & Nicolson, 1988) and Elvissey teleportation turns out to be an exper- Black Death. His “A Sensitive (Tor, 1993). Agents from a violent iment in parachronics. Dependence on Initial Conditions” future visit the World’s Fair and kid- Chalker, Jack. And the Devil Will (1991) is a thoughtful essay on chaos nap Elvis in parallel Earths. Drag You Under (Del Rey, 1979). Aliens theory and alternate history, focusing draft humans to steal parallel-world on Hiroshima. artifacts. Silverberg, Robert. The Gate of Dimensional Travel * De Camp, L. Sprague and Pratt, Worlds (Holt, Rinehart and Winston, These stories and novels usually Fletcher. The Complete Compleat 1967) and Roma Eterna (Harper- focus on the mechanics – often includ- Enchanter (Baen, 1989). Classic Collins, 2003). Aztec and Roman sur- ing, or especially, the social and politi- 1940s-1950s short stories of mental vival AHs, respectively. cal mechanics – of travel to other travel between dimensions to various Smith, L. Neil. The Probability dimensions, rather than the AH (if myth parallels. Broach (Del Rey, 1980) and sequels. any) in them. We have given short De Chancie, John. Castle Perilous This series begins as well-realized AH shrift to stories in which the “other (Ace, 1988) and sequels. Castle serves adventure and increasingly becomes dimensions” might as well be fairy- as dimensional nexus for 144,000 dif- strident libertarian lecture. land, or Australia, or other planets. ferent realities. Stirling, S.M. Marching Through Anthony, Piers. Ox (SFBC, 1976). Dickson, Gordon. Time Storm (St. Georgia (Baen, 1988). First of the Highly trained agents from thou- Martin’s, 1977). A riff on Murray dystopian “Draka” series; the novels sands of close parallel worlds battle Leinster’s classic “Sidewise in Time” include impressively detailed AH for control. (1934), both about Earths with differ- appendices. The Peshawar Lancers Asimov, Isaac. The End of Eternity ent times intermingled; Dickson’s is (Roc, 2002) is a more light-hearted AH (Doubleday, 1955) and The Gods much darker. set in the Anglo-Indian Empire a cen- Themselves (Doubleday, 1972). tury after a comet obliterated Europe in 1878. Sucharitkul, Somtow. The Aquiliad (Timescape, 1983). Rome colonizes the New World and meets the Indians; two sequels continue beating the joke to death. Turtledove, Harry. Agent of Byzantium (Baen, 1994), A Different Flesh (Baen, 1994), Kaleidoscope (Bal- lantine, 1990), Departures (Ballantine, 1993), Ruled Britannia (Roc, 2002). His Worldwar (Ballantine, 1994-1996) series made alien invasion a major part of the AH genre; How Few Remain (Ballan- tine, 1997) and its sequels are rewriting the 20th century with a victorious Confederacy. * Waldrop, Howard. Them Bones (Ace, 1984) is a small time travel (and AH) gem, but his short stories are true masterpieces of obsessive AH

BIBLIOGRAPHY 233 callous crosstime exploitation, complete with freedom-fighting Masons. Stirling, S.M. Conquistador (Roc, 2003). Unscrupulous moderns settle an unspoiled “America next door.” Zelazny, Roger. Nine Princes in Amber (Doubleday, 1970) and many, many sequels present dimensional travel as a squabbled-over family heir- loom. Roadmarks (Ballantine, 1979) is a strange time-travel fable.

Time Travel These stories and novels offer ideas for interesting situations, or give distinct views of paradox, causality, and time tampering. If they introduce Farmer, Philip José. Riverworld No Friend (Doubleday, 1976), Vestiges AHs, they generally depend strongly (Putnam, 1971-1980). The series is not of Time (Doubleday, 1978). The on the time traveler. precisely dimension travel, but well “Timeliner Trilogy” features a satisfy- Aldiss, Brian. Frankenstein worth reading as an example of his- ingly cosmic dimensional war and Unbound (Jonathan Cape, 1973). Time torical characters from many milieus some gritty 1970s action. traveler meets Mary Shelley and the interacting. His World of Tiers series * Moorcock, Michael. The Monster. presents bored immortals creating Cornelius Quartet (Avon, 1977). This * Anderson, Poul. There Will Be gate-linked universes as playthings. omnibus gathers Moorcock’s increas- Time (SFBC, 1972) is the best time- Heinlein, Robert A. The Cat Who ingly strange stories of multi-dimen- jumper novel ever. Time Patrol (Tor, Walks Through Walls (Putnam, 1985) sional mayhem from their original 1994) is a near-perfect collection. “My and Number of the Beast (Fawcett, publications between 1968 and 1974. Object All Sublime” (1961) is a “time 1980) present travel between alter- Niven, Larry. “All the Myriad Ways” travel as prison” story well worth seek- nate realities and lengthy discussion (1968). The ultimate crossworld story. ing out, while “The Man Who Came thereof. * Piper, H. Beam. Lord Kalvan of Early” (1956) brilliantly explores Hodgson, William Hope. The Ghost Otherwhen (Ace, 1965) and Paratime temporal inertia. Pirates (Stanley Paul, 1909). Dimen- (Ace, 1986). The Paratime stories are Anthony, Piers. Bearing an sion travel as supernatural horror. archetypal tales of cross-world cops Hourglass (Del Rey, 1984). Interesting * Kessel, John. Corrupting Dr. Nice tasked with keeping order and The notions of causation; don’t bother (Tor, 1997). Screwball comedy of Secret. “Lord Kalvan” is part of the with the rest of the series. trans-temporal looting; a sequel to series but goes its own way; Baker, Kage. The Garden of Iden “Mozart in Mirrorshades.” Pennsylvania state trooper Calvan (Hodder & Stoughton, 1997). First of Kilian, Crawford. The Empire of Morrison is accidentally caught in a the historically detailed “The Time (Del Rey, 1978), The Fall of the Paracop conveyor and dumped on a Company” series; cyborgs from the Republic (Del Rey, 1987), Rogue primitive parallel, where he intro- future are secretly hidden in the past Emperor (Del Rey, 1988). Kilian’s duces gunpowder and turns society on to observe and exploit it. Intertemporal Agency has a lot in its ear. After Piper’s death, Roland Benford, Gregory. Timescape common with Centrum’s Interworld Green and John F. Carr wrote a sequel, (Simon & Schuster, 1980). Communi- Service. Great Kings’ War (Ace, 1985). Carr has cations from the future breed Kube-McDowell, Michael P. produced two more sequels and con- paradox. Alternities (Ace, 1988). Gritty novel of tinues to write. * Bester, Alfred. “Hobson’s Choice” covert AH exploration by a parallel Pullman, Philip. The Golden (1952) and “The Men Who Murdered Earth. Compass (Scholastic, 1995), The Mohammed” (1958) are must-reads of Kurland, Michael. Perchance (NAL Subtle Knife (Scholastic, 1997), The the genre. Signet, 1989), The Whenabouts of Burr Amber Spyglass (Scholastic, 2000). * Bradbury, Ray. “A Sound of (DAW, 1975). Light crossworld adven- “Young adult” fantasy trilogy involves Thunder” (1952). Dinosaur hunting tures; Kurland has also written two parallel Earths, the nature of God, and meets chaos theory, decades early. adequate Lord Darcy novels. talking bears. Chalker, Jack. Downtiming the Laumer, Keith, The Time Bender Rohan, Michael Scott. Chase the Night Side (Tor, 1985). Good time (Berkley, 1966) and sequels; Worlds of Morning (Avon, 1990), The Gates of patrol book. the Imperium (Tor, 1986) and sequels. Noon (Gollancz, 1992), Cloud Castles Cook, Glen. A Matter of Time (Ace, Adventurous cross-dimensional action (Gollancz, 1993). Cross-dimensional 1985). Multiple futures co-exist; the in two series. piracy, magic, and myth. past can be changed without Meredith, Richard C. At the Narrow * Sterling, Bruce. “Mozart in destroying the future. Passage (Putnam’s, 1973), No Brother, Mirrorshades” (1985). A classic of

234 BIBLIOGRAPHY * Crowley, John. Great Work of Hogan, James. Thrice Upon A Time Rogers, Mark E. Samurai Cat in the Time (Bantam Spectra, 1991). British (Del Rey, 1980). Messages to the past Real World (Tor, 1989). Lavishly illus- conspiracy manipulates the time allow the routine changing of the trated adventures of a samurai cat stream with the very best intentions. future. fighting Capone, Hitler, Stalin, and * De Camp, L. Sprague. Lest Jeschke, Wolfgang. The Last Day of Nazi dinosaurs; the earlier books in Darkness Fall (Tor, 1996 reprint from Creation (St. Martin’s, 1984). Strange the series send the cat to parody ver- 1939). Paradigmatic SF classic: a time travel novel with many unforget- sions of famous fantasy and SF modern scholar prevents the Dark table bits. worlds. Ages. Jeter, K.W. Morlock Night (DAW, Shiner, Lewis. Glimpses (Avon, Dick, Philip K. Martian Time-Slip 1979). Excellent steampunk sequel to 1993). Rock and roll fan tries to save (Ballantine, 1964); Now Wait For Last the Wells classic. great artists – and albums – from Year (Doubleday, 1966). Time travel Koontz, Dean. Lightning (Putnam, oblivion and inertia. through schizophrenia and drugs, 1988). Workmanlike thriller. Silverberg, Robert. Hawksbill respectively. * Leiber, Fritz. The Big Time (Ace, Station (Doubleday, 1968). Political Drake, David. Time Safari (Tor, 1961) and associated stories form the criminals are marooned in the prehis- 1982). Ultimate dinosaur hunting “Change War” series. Atmospheric, toric past; Up the Line (Ballantine, novel. intelligent handling of the “two groups 1969) is a slam-bang novel of time Finney, Jack. Time and Again struggle to change history through tour guides in Byzantium. (Simon & Schuster, 1970). Time travel time travel” trope, which Leiber Simak, Clifford. Mastodonia (Del romance. invented in this book along with the Rey, 1978). * Flint, Eric. 1632 (Baen, 2000). “rescue” method of recruitment. Simmons, Dan. Hyperion Modern West Virginia coal-mining * L’Engle, Madeline. A Wrinkle in (Doubleday, 1989) and sequels. A com- town appears in the middle of Thirty Time (Farrar, Straus, 1962). Juvenile plex story involving “time tombs” Years’ War Germany; adventure and fiction classic; the sequels deal less whose contents move backward in sequels ensue. with time travel. time. Frankowski, Leo. The Cross-Time Long, Frank Belknap. “The Smith, Clark Ashton. “The City of Engineer (Del Rey, 1986) and sequels. Hounds of Tindalos” (1929). the Singing Flame” (1931), “The Much detail on advancing technology * Lovecraft, H.P. “The Shadow Out Holiness of Azedarac” (1933), “The in medieval Poland, but marred by of Time” (1936). The seminal time Plutonian Drug” (1934), and “Ubbo- excessive outtime help and an adoles- travel horror novella. Sathla” (1933) are only a few of his cent-male sex-fantasy tale. May, Julian. The Many-Colored atmospheric, weird short stories. Gerrold, David. The Man Who Land (Houghton Mifflin, 1981) and Many of his story cycles occur in the Folded Himself (Random House, sequels. One-way exiles establish a extreme past or future, and make 1973). Classic “message to yourself” colony in the Pliocene Era. excellent game settings. novel. Miller, P. Schuyler. “As Never Was” Stirling, S.M., Island in the Sea of Grimwood, Ken. Replay (Arbor (1944). Time travel and archaeology Time (Roc, 1998). First book in a House, 1987). The hero has many don’t mix. trilogy which sends modern Nantucket chances to relive his own life. Moorcock, Michael. Behold the Island back to the Bronze Age. Haldeman, Joe. The Forever War Man (Allison & Busby, 1969). Unstable * Turtledove, Harry. Guns of the (St. Martin’s, 1974), The Hemingway time traveler and the life of Jesus South (Ballantine, 1992). Robert E. Hoax (Morrow, 1990). entangle. Lee with AK-47s. ‘Nuff said. Harrison, Harry. The Technicolor Niffenegger, Audrey. The Time- * Twain, Mark. A Connecticut Time Machine (Doubleday, 1967). Traveler’s Wife (Macadam/Cage, 2003). Yankee in King Arthur’s Court What do you use a time machine for? Mainstream novel of true love and (Webster, 1889). Cruel fun from the Cheap location shoots for Hollywood time travel. master cynic. B-pictures, of course . . . Niven, Larry. The Flight of the Horse Varley, John. “Air Raid” (1977). Hawke, Simon. The Ivanhoe (Ballantine, 1973). Bizarre hunting This short story about rescues in the Gambit (Ace, 1984) and 11 sequels expeditions into the past lead to wacky past became the novel Millennium form the Time Wars series, notable for hijinks. (Berkley, 1983), which in turn became the attempt to historicize famous Norton, Andre. Time Traders a film (Michael Anderson, 1989). adventure novels, and for the increas- (World, 1958) and sequels. Vinge, Vernor. Marooned in ingly convoluted temporal physics. * Powers, Tim. The Anubis Gates Realtime (Bluejay, 1986). One-way * Heinlein, Robert A. “All You (Ace, 1983). Magical time travel to travel into an unexpected future. Zombies” (1959) and “By His 1810 London, tangled personal time- Vonnegut, Kurt. Slaughterhouse- Bootstraps” (1941) are the classic lines, evil clowns, and werewolf killers Five (Laurel, 1968). Determinism as short stories of temporal paradox. are only part of the fun. oppression, and vice versa. Less essentially, The Door Into Reynolds, Mack and Ing, Dean. The * Wells, H.G. The Time Machine Summer (Doubleday, 1957) and Time Other Time (Baen, 1984). Time-travel- (Heinemann, 1895). Fascinating as an Enough For Love (Putnam, 1973) fur- ing archaeologist beats Cortés to Aztec insight into Victorian historical mod- ther explore physical and social Mexico by a couple of days. eling, as well as spawning the key challenges of time travel. imagery of the genre.

BIBLIOGRAPHY 235 Williamson, Jack. The Legion of Imaginary History (Longmans, Green History (Penguin, 2002). This volume Time (Fantasy Press, 1952). 1931). Includes essays by Hilaire and its successors in the same format Willis, Connie. To Say Nothing of Belloc, Winston Churchill, and G.K. combine accessibility with accuracy the Dog (Bantam Spectra, 1998). Chesterton! The classic AH collection. and tons of clear, useful maps. Hilarious yet moving novel of the Tally, Steve. Almost America * McNeill, William H. Plagues and Observer Effect and the air raid on (HarperCollins, 2000). Peoples (Doubleday, 1976). Ground- Coventry. Doomsday Book (Bantam Tsouras, Peter (editor). Rising Sun breaking historical study of disease Spectra, 1992) is a grim tale of time Victorious (Greenhill/Stackpole, and its consequences. McNeill’s Rise of travel and the plague years. 2001). Articles exploring victorious the West (Univ. of Chicago, rev. ed. Japanese AH scenarios; his Third 1991) is still the best one-volume Reich Victorious (Greenhill/Stackpole, world history. NON-FICTION 2002) compiles similar pieces on Smil, Vaclav. Energy in World German decision points, and Cold War History (Westview Press, 1994). To the Alternate History Hot (Greenhill/Stackpole, 2003) and author, “energy” covers agricultural In recent years, the AH genre has Dixie Victorious (Greenhill/Stackpole, efficiency as well as industry, making spread into mainstream nonfiction, if 2004) repeat the procedure for the this a good reference work for the his- not quite into mainstream academic Cold War and Civil War, respectively. tory of basic technology. history. He has also written a solo AH sce- * Stearns, Peter N. (editor). Comins, Neil F. What if the Moon nario, Disaster at D-Day (Green- Encyclopedia of World History Didn’t Exist? (HarperCollins, 1993). hill/Stackpole, 1994). (Houghton Mifflin, 2001). The sixth Astronomical alternate Earths. edition of Walter L. Langer’s Cowley, Robert (editor). What If? Real History absolutely indispensable reference. (Putnam, 1999), What If? 2 (Putnam, One volume, no waiting, all the pestif- To build a convincing alternate erous details you could look for in 50 2001), and What Ifs? of American history, real history is a necessary History (Putnam, 2003). Collections of other places right here at your finger- foundation. The following sources tips. If you own no other historical ref- adequate to excellent essays by lead- highlight important aspects of real ing (mostly military) historians. erence book, own this one. history or are just plain excellent. Temple, Robert, The Genius of * Deutsch, Harold C. and Caviedes, César N. El Niño in Showalter, Dennis E. (editors). What China (Touchstone, 1989). A bare History (Univ. Press of Florida, 2001). summary of Joseph Needham’s magis- If?: Strategic Alternatives of WWII (The Crosby, Alfred. Ecological Imperi- Emperor’s Press, 1997). Useful prima- terial Science and Civilization in alism: The Biological Expansion of China, which is also heartily recom- rily as a corrective to romantic silli- Europe 900-1900 (Cambridge Univ. ness, but interesting in its own right. mended to anyone with a decade or so Press, 1986). The consequences of the to kill. Ferguson, Niall (editor). Virtual spread of European ecosystems into History (Picador, 1997). Overwritten the New World and Australia. and underthought AHs in general, but Diamond, Jared. Guns, Germs, and Historical Modeling the essays often give interesting Steel (W.W. Norton, 1998). A well-writ- These sources discuss ways to insight into historical processes; ten environmental grand history of look at history as a process or as a Ferguson’s introduction should be humanity that suffers only from the system with its own internal logic; mandatory reading for those trying to flaw of fighting a war won decades they may some day be the ur-texts of understand the philosophy of history. ago. cliodynamics. Macksey, Kenneth (editor). The Fagan, Brian. Floods, Famines and Barnes, John. “How to Build A Hitler Options (Greenhill/Stackpole, Emperors (Basic Books, 1999), The Future” (1990). 1998). Little Ice Age (Basic Books, 2000), The Denemark, Robert A., et al. (edi- North, Jonathan (editor). The Long Summer (Basic Books, 2004). tors). World System History Napoleon Options (Greenhill/Stack- Popular presentation of climate (Routledge, 2000). pole, 2000). Primarily details the tacti- history. * Flynn, Michael. In the Country of cal alternatives; only a few essays look Fischer, David Hackett. The Great the Blind (Tor, 2001). This reprint of at larger strategic options. Wave (Oxford Univ. Press, 1996). The Flynn’s 1990 novel includes his essay Roberts, Andrew (editor). What history of the Price Revolutions. “An Introduction to Cliology.” The Might Have Been (Weidenfeld & Lamb, H.H. Climate, History and novel is a gripping tale of secret soci- Nicolson, 2004). Collection of essays; the Modern World (Methuen, 1982). eties using historical modeling to gain a mixed bag. Landes, Daniel, The Wealth and power. Sobel, Robert. For Want of a Nail Poverty of Nations (Norton 1998). An Frank, Andre Gunder and Gills, (Macmillan, 1973). Straight-faced his- acerbic, opinionated economic history Barry K. (editors). The World System: tory, complete with fictional footnotes, of the last half-millennium or so, Five Hundred Years or Five Thousand? of a happier North America after the focusing on impolitic questions and (Routledge, 1993). failed Revolution. giving equally abrasive answers. Modelski, George. Long Cycles in * Squire, J.C. (editor). If It Had * McEvedy, Colin. The New World Politics (Univ. of Washington Happened Otherwise: Lapses Into Penguin Historical Atlas of Ancient Press, 1987).

236 BIBLIOGRAPHY Spengler, Oswald. The Decline of 1979). All about the USS Eldridge and adventure featuring a time-traveling the West (Alfred A. Knopf, 1922). A its mysterious fate from a believer’s Aztec flying ace. biological look at culture, and a pes- perspective. Morrison, Grant. Animal Man simistic look at political philosophy. * Niven, Larry. “The Theory and (DC/Vertigo, 1988-1990) and The Toynbee, Arnold. A Study of History Practice of Time Travel” (1971). Short, Invisibles (DC/Vertigo, 1994-1996) (Oxford Univ. Press, 1934). An increas- witty, comprehensive discussion of both involve time travel as key plot ingly religious response to Spengler; physics, paradox, and why none of elements. skim it for its scope, but check out the this can possibly work; included in All Nomura, Ted. Luftwaffe: 1946 three AHs in the appendices to The Myriad Ways (Ballantine, 1971). (Antarctic Press, 1996-present). Volume II. Randles, Jenny. Time Storms Alternate air adventure in quasi-anime Trevor-Roper, Sir Hugh. History (Piatkus, 2001). Excited UFOlogist technophiliac style. and Imagination (Clarendon, 1980). A discusses time vortices, time slips, and Ostrander, John. Grimjack (First great historian on the necessity for other wonderful nonsense. Comics, 1984-1991). Takes place in historical imagination. Cynosure, a nexus point for all the Strauss, William and Howe, Neil. dimensions. Generations (William Morrow & Co., COMICS Shetterly, Will. Captain Confederacy 1991). Aramaki, Yoshio. Deep Blue Fleet (Steeldragon, 1986-1987; Marvel/Epic, (Gentosha, 2000). Manga of a modern 1991-1992). AH series set in a frag- Japanese Navy officer timeslipped mented North America. Time Travel back to the Pacific War; later adapted * Talbot, Bryan. Adventures of Blumenthal, Howard J., et al. The into the anime Azure Fleet (Takeyuki Luther Arkwright (Prout, 1982; Complete Time Traveler (Ten Speed Kanda, 2003). Valkyrie, 1987; Prout, 1989). Press, 1988). A tourist’s guidebook. Ellis, Warren. The Ministry of Space Fabulous, intricate cross-dimensional Hawking, Stephen. A Brief History (Image Comics, 2000, 2004). Dark his- adventures; they continue in Heart of of Time (Bantam, 1988). A good tory of the triumphant British AH Empire (Dark Horse, 1999). attempt at explaining space-time to space programme. Wolfman, Marv. Crisis on Infinite the non-physicist. Kawaguchi, Kaiji. Zipang Earths (DC Comics, 1985-1986). Epic Macvey, John W. Time Travel – A (Kodansha, 2001-present). Manga ending to the multidimensional DC Guide to Journeys in the Fourth series in which a modern Japanese cosmos that had begun with “Flash of Dimension (Scarborough House, naval task force is timeslipped back to Two Worlds” in 1961. 1990). Informed speculation about 1942; the result is a meditation on the time travel using black holes, Japanese role in the world. tachyons, time dilation, and hyper- Miller, Jack. Rip Hunter, Time FILM AND TV space in this and other universes. Master (DC Comics, 1961-1965). Moon, Peter and Nichols, Preston. Classic “gee whiz” time travel series; a Movies The Montauk Project (Sky Books, more serious Rip has shown up in Army of Darkness (Sam Raimi, 1992). First of four volumes (so far) on DC’s increasingly convoluted temporal 1993). Postmodern “Connecticut this fine time travel conspiracy theory. continuity, even fighting the Illuminati Yankee” story, with zombies and Moore, William L. and Berlitz, in Bob Wayne’s Time Masters (1990). chainsaws. Charles. The Philadelphia Experiment: Moench, Doug. Aztec Ace (Eclipse * Back to the Future (Robert Project Invisibility (Fawcett Crest, Comics, 1984). Excellent pulp Zemeckis, 1985). Modern classic of the genre; the 1989 “Part II” sequel is the best AH movie so far. Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure (Stephen Herek, 1989). Totally awe- some romp caroms off causality and history. The Butterfly Effect (Eric Bress and J. Mackye Gruber, 2004). Ashton Kutcher keeps trying to change his past; things keep getting worse. Donnie Darko (Richard Kelly, 2001). Ironic “indie film” take on free will and causality, with a giant evil rabbit for extra fun. Fatherland (Christopher Menaul, 1994). HBO movie based on the better novel of the same name; Rutger Hauer does make a convincing SS officer, though.

BIBLIOGRAPHY 237 The Final Countdown (Don Taylor, sanity and free will, hedge this intel- travel RPG rules yet published, with 1980). The USS Nimitz goes back in lectual thriller. an intriguing setting as well. time to December 6, 1941. Wings of Honneamise (Hiroyuki Cordell, Bruce. Tangents (Wizards Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah (Kazuki Yamaga, 1987). Meditative and exis- of the Coast, 1999). An excellent Omori, 1991). Convoluted time travel tentialist anime of the first manned sourcebook, covering parallel dimen- story is a masterpiece of retroactive space launch from an alternate 1955; sion travel for the Alternity RPG. continuity. Plus, Ghidorah! the AH is never very clear, but the look Garcia, Jose, et al. Nexus: The * It Happened Here (Kevin of the alternate civilization is unique. Infinite City (Daedalus Games, 1994). Brownlow, 1966). Riveting, morally Sadly defunct RPG of colliding reali- complex AH film set in Nazi-occupied ties and the dubious characters who Britain. Television seek to exploit them. See also the only Jin-Rô (Hiroyuki Okiura, 1998). Doctor Who (1963-1996). Classic supplement, Robin Laws’ Nexus Life Grim anime love story in a German- BBC series about a wry Time Lord and (Daedalus Games, 1994), which occupied AH postwar Tokyo. his adventures across space and time. includes several nifty new realities, * The Navigator (Vincent Ward, Kishin Corps (1993). AH WWII discussion of inter-reality trade, and 1988). Medieval peasants flee the anime series featuring a three-sided more. Black Death through a time tunnel to struggle between alien invaders and Gorden, Greg. TORG (West End modern New Zealand. two human factions. Games, 1990). Clashing realities duel The One (James Wong, 2001). Evil Quantum Leap (1989-1993). for Earth! Intriguing and original. Jet Li must kill all the other Jet Lis in Uncontrolled time traveler helps Kenson, Steve, et al. All Our all alternate timelines to gain their resolve personal crises, usually on a Yesterdays (Last Unicorn Games, kung fu power. Good Jet Li must stop human (rather than a historic) scale. 2000). The time travel supplement for him. Discuss. Sliders (1995-1999). This miserable LUG’s Star Trek RPG line; fairly com- The Philadelphia Experiment Fox TV series was the first all-AH, all- plete survey of space-operatic time (Stewart Raffill, 1984). Not a bad the-time TV show; later, it struggled travel in a series or campaign setting. Michael Paré time travel thriller. along on the Sci-Fi Channel fighting Moldvay, Tom. Lords of Creation Philadelphia Experiment II (Stephen cavemen or something. (Avalon Hill, 1984). High-powered Cornwell, 1993) is the straight-to- Star Trek (1966-present in various RPG of warring demigods in parallel video “Nazis win” AH sequel. incarnations). Standout time travel or dimensions. Recalled fondly by some. Sliding Doors (Peter Howitt, 1998). AH episodes include “City on the Edge Porter, Greg. TimeLords (BTRC, Gwyneth Paltrow’s life diverges with a of Forever” (TOS), “Mirror, Mirror” 2003). Revision of Porter’s workman- chance decision; the movie shows (TOS), Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home like 1987 RPG, this time as a supple- both timelines. (Leonard Nimoy, 1986), “Yesterday’s ment to his EABA system. Somewhere in Time (Jeannot Enterprise” (TNG), “Time’s Arrow” Tucholka, Richard. Fringeworthy Szwarc, 1980). Much-beloved (TNG), “All Good Things . . .” (TNG), (Tri-Tac Games, 1981). Now in its romance of true love overcoming “Trials and Tribble-ations” (DS9), and third edition (1990); this is the RPG of time; from the Richard Matheson “Year of Hell” (VOY). The current the “fringeworthy” and their adven- novel. series, Enterprise, uses a “temporal tures in parallel Earths. * Terminator (James Cameron, cold war” as a story frame. Voss, H.N. and Worzel, William P. 1984) and Terminator 2: Judgment Day Stargate SG-1 (1997-present). Time and Time Again (Timeline, Ltd., (James Cameron, 1991). Ultimate “Stargates” lead to alien worlds, many 1984). Nearly unplayable game sys- time travel menace movies, complete with resonances to Earth history. An tem, with an interesting setting; time with the occasional looping paradox. excellent framing device for an RPG, cannot be changed and the “volti- Time After Time (Nicholas Meyer, such as the one by Patrick Kapera, et geurs” must protect researchers and 1979). Literate romp as H.G. Wells al. (AEG, 2003). resolve historical mysteries. takes his time machine to 1979 to Time Tunnel (1966-1967). Irwin hunt an escaped Jack the Ripper. Allen classic of time-lost scientists. * Time Bandits (Terry Gilliam, Twilight Zone (1959-1965). THE INTERNET 1981). The “map of time” is an excuse Standout time travel episodes include Normally, the Web is too mutable a for silliness and adventure in the “The Last Flight,” “Back There,” thing for a print bibliography to cite, Gilliam mode; wonderful imagery and “Walking Distance,” and “The Odyssey but we make an exception for the overacting. of Flight 33.” soc.history.what-if discussion group Timecop (Peter Hyams, 1994). Silly, Voyagers (1982-1983). Like Rip on Usenet (a rare haven of productive but good-looking, Van Damme action Hunter, but without the bitter sanity and interest in that blasted movie goes well with popcorn. cynicism. heath) and for Robert Schmunk’s The Time Machine (George Pal, magisterial AH bibliography site at 1960). The best film adaptation of GAMES www.uchronia.net. For other links, Wells’ novel. see this book’s Web page at Adams, Chris, et al. Continuum * Twelve Monkeys (Terry Gilliam, www.sjgames.com/gurps/books/ (Aetherco, 1999). Probably the most 1995). The paradoxes of temporal infiniteworlds/. detailed and seamless set of time communication, and questions of

238 BIBLIOGRAPHY INDEX ’A’Nthleioi (Atlanteans), 130. Catholic, see Roman Catholic Dinosaurs, 84. Haussman-2, 5. Aaron, 73. Church. Dirigibles, 38, 127. Hell worlds, 94-96, 128-130. ABET, 217; ABET Centrum, 8, 20, 36, 46-56, 87, Disadvantages, 178-181. Hidden Lore skill, 182. transmitter, 218. 179; Centrum Beta, 120; Disaster worlds, 85, 134. High-inertia parallels, 94. Absolute now, 170, 217-218, Centrum characters, 191- Divergence Effect, 225. Historian template, 197. 219. 193; Centrum Dark and Dixie-1, 120-121. Historical characters, 199. Addiction disadvantage, 178. Light, 56; see also Interworld Service. Doubletalk, see Quantum Historical Familiarity Advantages, 172-178. Mechanics. technique, 184. Challenge worlds, 94. Aeolus, 18. Dragons, 142. Historical modeling, 236. Chaotic time, 154. Agamemnon, 124. Duncorne Foundation, 40, Historical references, 236. Characters, 171-200, 204. Alchemy, 112-113. 135. History skill, 183. China, 43. Alternate Identity Duplication advantage, 173. History! skill, 183. Chronal storms, 163. advantage, 172. Duty disadvantage, 180. History, hollow, 215. Chronic Argo, 162. Alternate Outcomes, Inc., 31- EAER (“Ear”), 224. Homeline, 20, tech level, 23; 34; Mercenary template, 189. Chronobahn, 79, 139. Echoes, 53, 85. see also Secundus. Alternate selves, 184. Civil War, 120-121. Ecology, 103. Honesty disadvantage, 180. Alternate worlds, 82-151; Civilization types, 90- Economics, 101. Horatio Club, 229-231. 94; as biology, 102; creating, 96; fiction, 232; Empty worlds, 83. Hourglass, Order of the, non-fiction, 236. mysterious and weird, 95. Enemies disadvantage, 212-216. Amerika, 60. 180. Huy Breasil, 80. Amnesty Unlimited, 44. Claim to Hospitality advantage, 172. Enigma, 140. I-Cops, 10, 15, 39; character Anachronistic Training Eraser, 25. template, 186; see also technique, 183. Clerical Investment advantage, 172. Eternity’s Rangers, 34. Outworld Operations. Anchors, 87. Evil Twin disadvantage, 180. In the Cube, 29. Archaeology skill, 182. Cliodynamics, 6, 37, 87; skill, 182. Expatriate template, 197. India, 43, 84. Architects, 214. Cliodyne Research Group, 37. Ezcalli, 21, 122-123. Infinite Justice, Inc., 12. Area Knowledge skill, 182. Code of Honor Faërie, 69, 80. Infinity Development, 31, 36. Ariane, 128. disadvantage, 179. Fang Sing, 214. Infinity Patrol, 5, 8-19, 36, 64, Armada-2, 109-110. Colonies, crosstime, 32, 84. Fantasy timelines, 151. 179; Academy, 10; Armanen Order, see SS Raven Communications, gear, 24; Farsight effect, 170. Communications Division, Division. 15; Contact Division, 15; parachronic, 52; through Firearms, 199-200. Armor, 26. Customs and Inspection time, 158. Fixed time, 170. Atlantis, 95, 129-130, 139-140. Division, 10; Echo Communist worlds, 132. Flux drive, 163. Attila, 110-111. Surveillance Division, Computers, 24, 62. Focal Referent, 15; headquarters, 9; Attunement (time travel), Consolidated Mines, 219. 168-169. Intelligence Division, 16; Unlimited, 37; see also Footnote Internal Affairs Division, Azoth-7, 72, 112-113. Mining. characters, 199. 11; Intervention Service, 10, Aztecs, see Ezcalli. Contact Group advantage, 172. Fracture zones, 77. see also I-Cops; Justice Banestorms, 6, 13, 26, 75, Contacts advantage, 172. France, 43. Division, 11; Liaison 80, 151. Conveyors, 6, 26-30, 35; Friedrich, 66, 124, 139. Division, 12; Logistics Battalion, the, 31-34. Division, 12; Morale loadout, 20; recharging, 26. Fuel cells, 23. Batteries, 23. Division, 13; Nexus Coventry, 41, 78. Fugue advantage, 173. Bermuda Triangle, 75. Oversight Division, 13; Cover stories, 14. Future time travel, 169-170. Bibliography, 232. Penetration Service, 14; Crichton, 84. Gadgeteer skill, 182. Biology, model of Records and Research Criminal template, Gadgeteering, social, 106. Division, 16; Search and civilization, 102. 196. Gakuji, 212-213. Rescue Division, 16; Black powder, 209. Cube, 29. Gallatin, 36, 42, 70, 125-126. Security Division, 13; Blip, 20, 140. Cultural Gargoyles, 73. Special Operations Division, Bonaparte-4, 113-114. Adaptability 14; Survey Division, 17; Bounty hunters, 12. advantage, 173. Gates, 206; Gates of Psais, 79; Gates of Thoth, 79. Technical Analysis Division, Britannica-3, 115-116. Cultural change, 106. 17; see also Outworld Generational cycles, 100. Burton, 136. Cultural Familiarity Operations. Geography skill, 182. Cabal, 21, 22, 68-69, 179; advantage, 173. Infinity Unlimited, 5-6, 35-36; Cabalist Mage template, 195. Current Affairs skill, 182. Gernsback, 126-127. see also Infinity Patrol. Caliph, 12, 117-118. Current, the, 74. Ghost roads, 79. Interworld Service, 8, 45, 52- Camelot, 136. Dark-Dwellers, 184. Glozel fragments, 76. 52-54, 120, 177; Interworld Cameras, 25, 38. Demons, 66, 68. Gods, 68. Service Agent template, 192; Campaigns, 201-211; Centrum, Denarius Capital Holdings, 40; Gotha parallels, 12, 128. see also Centrum, Outworld 54; genre and mode, 205; Denarius Group Special Great Man theory, 97. Operations. parameters, 202. Banker template, 191. Great Moment theory, 98. Interworld Treaty, 41; see also Campbell, 119. Dependent disadvantage, 179. Great Motherland theory, 98. UNIC. Castro, Fidel “Red,” 41. Detect advantage, 173. Greenpeace, 44. Intolerance disadvantage, 180. Dimensional highways, 79. GURPS Technomancer, 135. Inventions, 208.

INDEX 239 Israel, 43. Nottingham, 136-137. Roman Catholic Church, 44, Time Scouts, template, 187; see ISWAT, 18, 140; ISWAT Agent Nuclear war, 47, 129. 109. Infinity Patrol Penetration template, 187. Observer Effect, 159-160, 170, Rome timelines, 145. Service. Japan, 43, 59-60, 63, 91, 224, 226. Russia, 42, 70. Time sphere, 163. 146-148. Omen advantage, 176. Rustic, 141. Time Tours, Ltd., 37-39, 145, Johnson’s Rome, 13, 38, 40, Ontoclysms, 75-78. Scavengers, crosstime, 71. 179; Dinosaur Hunter 70, 130-131. Operation Archduke, 227-229. Scout template, 187. template, 191; Tour Guide Jumper advantage, 174. Order of the Hourglass, Secret disadvantage, 180. template, 191. Kerne, 67. 212-216. Secundus, 46, 48. Time travel, 152-170, 212-229; communication, 158; Kidnappers, crosstime, 72. Organized crime, 70. Security, 35; Centrum, 49; see KMP Petroleum, 40. fiction, 234; to the future, Orichalcum, 139-140. also Infinity Patrol Security 169-170; hazards, 164-166; Language Talent Ouroborous Car, 80. Division. non-fiction, 236; and advantage, 175. Outworld operations, 109, 111, See Invisible advantage, 176. parallel worlds, 156; psionic, Languages, 24, 175. 113, 114, 116, 118, 119, Sense of Duty 166-169; via reality quake, Legal Enforcement Powers 120, 121, 123, 124, 126, disadvantage, 180. 77. advantage, 176. 127, 130, 131, 133, 135, Sensors, 24. Time viewers, 160-161. Lenin-1, 131-133. 138, 130, 144, 145, Serendipity advantage, 176. Timeline shifting, 104. 147, 149, 150. Lenin-2, 128. Shiftrealms, 79-89. Timenappers, 72. Oz particles, 74. Leviathan, 129-130. Shikaku-Mon, 20, 146-148. Timepiece, 217; agents, 220- Libraries, 16. Parachronic Shroud of Turin, 76. 221, 222. Laboratories Literature skill, 183. Shuttles, 52, see also Timescanner, 161. Looters, crosstime, 72. (Paralabs), 19-22; Conveyors. Paralabs Field Timesickness Lucifer-4, 84. Researcher template, 188. Silenzia, 80. disadvantage, 181. Lucifer-5, 133-134. Parachronics; 19-30; Centrum, Skerries, 89. Tracking skill, 183. Lysander, 32. 51; communications, 52; Skills, 181-183. Translation software, 24. Madland, 130. detector, 24; hazards, 74-80. Skorzeny, Otto, 18. Triads, 70, 71, 215. Mafia, 70. Parachronozoids, 66, 73. Smother, 9, 19. Turkana, 19. Magery advantage, 176. Paradoxes, 154-156, 157, 159. Social gadgeteering, 106. Tychiron, 66. Magic bullet, 76. Parallels, 88-94; high-inertia, Social Stigma Unaging advantage, 176. Magic, 22, 68, 134-135, 94; myth, 21, 94, 136-137; disadvantage, 181. Unattached (Centrum) 138-139, 144-145. and time travel, 156. Solar cells, 23. Agent template, 192. Mammut-1, 19. Paralocator enhancement, 176. Spectral Ops, 139. UNIC, 6, 31-34; UNIC Mammut-2, 84. Patron advantage, 176. Spetsnaz, 42, 64. Crisis Ministry Mammut-3, 71. Penetration Service, template, Spirit-jumpers, 174. Troubleshooter template, Mandeville, 136. 187; see Infinity Patrol SS Raven Division, 22, 64- 188. Medicine, 18, 25, 26, 99, 207; Penetration Service. 67, 69, 124, 135, 139, Unique disadvantage, 181. Centrum, 51; Reich-5, 62. Phobia disadvantage, 180. 179; Gestapo Amt Z Agent United Kingdom, 43. Mercenaries, 31. Plagues, 99, 128. template, 194; Mule Jumper United Nations, 41, 217; see Merlin, 134-135. Plastic time, 154, 170. template, 194; SS Raven also UNIC. Microworld, 140. Political change, 105. Division Trooper template, United Nations Interworld 193. Mind Block skill, 22. Possession advantage, 176. Council, see UNIC. Starships, 72. Mining, 37, 40, 70, 71, 84. Projectors, 27, 35. United States, 42; under the Stations, 52, see also Nazis, 60. Miracle Workers, 18. Psi shield, 26. Projectors. Psionics, 22, 26, 41, 68. United States of Lizardia, 148- Möbius, 141. Status, 178. 149. Puzzle worlds, 96, 140-142. Mongols, 110-111. Stinger, 222. Universal Exports, Ltd., 43. Pythagoras Chronovisor, 161. Morphogenetic field, 22. Stopwatch, 217; agents, 223. Unusual Background Mules, 65. Quanta, timeline, 83, 104. Student template, 197-198. advantage, 176. Mundane Background Quantaclysms, 77. Stunner, 199, 222. Uplift Service, 54, 56. disadvantage, 180. Quantum mechanics, 20, 76, Subways, 80. Van Zandt, Paul, 6, 35, 40. Muslim timelines, 117-118. 155. Super-soldiers, 184. Vanish, 141. Mutants, 184. Radios, 24. Swagmen, 71, 179; Swagman Vatican, see Roman Catholic Myth parallels, 21, 94, 136- Rainbow effect coils, 163. template, 196. Church. 137. Rank advantage, 176. Taft-3, 11. Vinland Map, 76. Napoleon, 113-114. Raven Division, see SS Raven Taft-7, 130. Vortices, 75. Naturalist skill, 183. Division. Tech levels, Centrum, 50; Wanshijieshan, 80. Reality quakes, 75-78. Nazis, 19, 69, 142-144; Homeline, 23; Reich-5, 61. Wealth, 178. characters, 193-195; see also Reconnaisance, 17. Technological change, 105. Weapons, 199-200, 214. Reich Timelines, SS Raven Reich timelines, 143. Telkozep, Baron Janos, 68. White Stag, 74. Division. Reich-2, 142-144. Temporal Control White Star Trading, 6, 37, 40- Neanderthals, 184. Reich-5, 57-67; see also Needlers, 200. Authority, 217. 41, 70, 119, 151; Trader Armanen Order. template, 190. Neo-tröodons, 141, 149. Temporal Inertia Reputation, 178. advantage, 176. Williams-Khor Hypothesis, 21. Nergal, 137-138. Research, 22, 183; Temporal snarls, 158. World classification, Centrum, Nexus portals, 13, 77; missions, 211; skill, 183. 51; Infinity, 83. artificial, 26. Thieves, crosstime, 71. Resistant advantage, 176. World-jumpers, 65, 174. NGOs, 44. Time Agents, 220-221; Resources, 36, 40, 83; equipment, 222. Wyvern, 142. Night Vision advantage, 176. see also Mining. Time belt, 162. Xing La, 129. Nineveh Lens, 76. Rhodes, Cecil, 37. Time Corps, 217-228. Yrth, 150-151. Non-Governmental Robin Hood, 136-137. Time Draft, 166. Yugorovsky Group, 32, 40. Organizations, 44. Rogue states, 44. Time machines, 153, 162-163; Zombies, 128. Nostradamus, 66, 124, Roma Aeterna, 144-145. 138-139. see also Time Travel.

240 INDEX STEVE INFINITE WORLDS GAMES 01-2001 JACKSON the USA Printed in 2005 RINTING P Andrew Hackard Andrew ST EBRUARY ,1 F 01-2001 DITION Edited by E BN 1-55634-734-0 UBLISHED ST 1 P IS 9!BMF@JA:RSVRSSoYjZhZ_ZdZ` SJG03495 Bob Walters Eva Widermann and and John M. Ford and time new combines GURPS , and GURPS Time into one Abrar Ajmal, Brent Chumley, John Moriarty, Tony Parker, Parker, Tony John Moriarty, Chumley, Abrar Ajmal, Brent Bob Stevlic, Rogério Vilela, Bob Stevlic, Rogério Vilela, Douglas Shuler, Bob Stevlic, Douglas Shuler, nasty alternate Abrar Ajmal, Guy Burchak, Alan Gutierrez, Tony Parker, Rowena, Parker, Alan Gutierrez, Tony Abrar Ajmal, Guy Burchak, really ! Any campaign can be on Illustrated by Kenneth Hite, Steve Jackson, Cover Art by GURPS Infinite Worlds adventure. elcome to the core setting of ritten by W The good news is, we can visit other Earths. The shuttles of Infinity Unlimited jump between parallel Earths, This book also gives detailed rules for Whether you’re playing accidental travelers W ravel, GURPS Alternate Earths worlds like Reich-5. and updates material from T The bad news is, somebody out there doesn’t like us. The bad news is, somebody out there doesn’t seeking profit, knowledge, and adventure. But a parallel called Centrum also has the technology to cross between worlds . and they want to rule them all. The Infinity Patrol must deal with these ruthless rivals, as well with world-jumping criminals, and try to keep the secret of dimension travel out the hands of Fourth Edition timelines . one of the Infinite Worlds whether they know it or not! Compiled by Kenneth Hite, the master of alternate histories, GURPS Alternate Earths 2 full-color volume, and gives dozens of worlds to explore as well! travel, with three different campaign frames. or the hardened troops of Infinity Patrol, this book is your gateway to adventure. Infinite