GURPS Infinite Worlds
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| GURPS Infinite Worlds | |
 Infinite Worlds sourcebook cover |
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| Designer | Kenneth Hite, Steve Jackson, John M. Ford |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Steve Jackson Games |
| Publication date | 2005 |
| Genre(s) | Science Fiction, Pulp, Multiple Worlds |
| System | GURPS |
| A hub worldbook for GURPS. Intended to make it possible to tie campaigns from other GURPS settings and games together. | |
GURPS Infinite Worlds is a supplement for the Fourth Edition of the GURPS role-playing game, published by Steve Jackson Games in 2005 and written by Kenneth Hite, Steve Jackson, and John M. Ford. It expands upon the campaign setting of conflict between the Infinity Patrol, which is the time-travel agency on "our" Earth, referred to as Homeline, and Centrum across a multiplicity of alternate history Earths. This was presented in the Fourth Edition GURPS Basic Set (and originated in the Third Edition supplements GURPS Time Travel, GURPS Alternate Earths, and GURPS Alternate Earths II). It won the 2005 Origins Award as Best Game Supplement.[1]
In this game, only two Earths have come up with the ability to travel between parallel universes; ours, known as Homeline, and only one other parallel, known as Centrum, with its own agency. Within the game, the two agencies can either be adversaries, or grudging allies, depending on the scenario.
Several of the parallel Earths in the Alternate Earths volumes reappear - sometimes in slightly altered form - in Infinite Worlds: Reich-5, Caliph, Dixie, Ezcalli, Gernsback, Roma Aeterna, and Shikaku-Mon. Of some note is the fact that Reich-5 has gained a tentative foothold on the Infinite Worlds. An ill-advised raid by Spetsnaz troops from Russia of Homeline (the home reality of the Infinity Patrol) resulted in the capture of a world-jumping troop carrier, a handful of live prisoners, and the corpse of a scout with a genetically-linked psionic world-jumping ability. A quick-thinking local Brigadeführer made a deal with the Ahnenerbe to take possession of the booty (and to keep it all secret from the mainstream Nazi hierarchy); their scientists and sorcerers are using occult rituals and horrific medical experiments to slowly spread their power across the worlds.
The book describes itself as the "core setting" of GURPS, with the worlds described in other GURPS sourcebooks as alternate Earths within the Infinite Worlds scenario.
Contents |
[edit] Worlds
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[edit] Armada-2
So named because it is the second world discovered by the Infinity Patrol in which the Spanish Armada was victorious over the English in 1588, Armada-2 is a world just now (in "current year" 1812) emerging from the shadow of Catholic Spanish hegemony, with Sweden and industrialised Egypt and Huguenot Nouvelle France.
[edit] Attila
A parallel where city-razing Mongol hordes under Genghis Khan destroyed first Beijing and then all the cities of Europe, where now their descendants (in "current year" 2004) rule an entirely nomadic Europe. The world was mistakenly named for Attila the Hun by early Infinity Patrol researchers who were confused as to which nomadic leader was responsible. Meanwhile, Japan trades across the Pacific Ocean with the urbanised tribes of North and South America, and city-states dot Africa, where steam engines have just been developed.
[edit] Azoth-7
When Isaac Newton discovered the secret of the philosopher's stone in 1693, he paved the way for an Alchemical Revolution that has left Azoth-7 dominated by the magical might of Britain, Venice, Prussia, and Spain by "current year" 1780.
[edit] Bonaparte-4
In Bonaparte-4 the French emperor Napoleon sacrificed the romance of an Egyptian campaign (which he conducted in 1798 in our timeline) for a stealthy invasion of Ireland, granting him victory over Britain. By "current year" 2024, the world is divided between French, Japanese, Russian, and Brazilian Empires, along with the United States and the Russian Republic, and the world has achieved a stage of technological achievement and social disaffection and tension reminiscent of cyberpunk.
[edit] Britannica-3
The success of the rebellion of James, Duke of Monmouth against James II of England in 1685 is the point of divergence between our own world and Britannica-3; wiser and more Protestant rule in Britain meant that tensions with the North American colonies never reached the point of rebellion as they did in real history. Despite the rise of other strong European powers, the world is free of major conflicts, which can be attributed to the strong influence of Centrum in this parallel.
[edit] Campbell
Named for the early death of influential science fiction editor John W. Campbell which occurred in this parallel but not in real history, Campbell is a world notable for the poverty of its scientific advancement. While military applications of scientific research advanced rapidly enough, science as an intellectual pursuit became associated exclusively with death, destruction, and catastrophe (especially after World War II ended with the military bombarding Germany with radioactive dust, killing hundreds of people), leading to an anti-scientific wave of pacifist Luddism and charismatic religious revival in the 1960s. Lacking the positive fruits of scientific inquiry, the world heads (in "current year" 2004) through ecological disaster and failing economies to a nigh-inevitable showdown between its capitalist and communist societies.
[edit] Centrum
The "villains" of the campaign, Centrum is a totalitarian, homogenized world-state, and the only world other than Homeline to have parachronic travel. Centrum believes other worlds should be aiming to follow their example, and sends agents encouraging them to do so. They view the mix of competing government agencies and private companies from Homeline as dangerously anarchic.
[edit] Centrum Beta
One of the most important parallel Earths from the Infinity Patrol's point of view, Centrum Beta appears to be an exact copy of the home parallel of the Patrol's great rival Centrum - except that the "current year" is only 1895. Understanding Centrum Beta as it is now might give the Infinity Patrol the key to understanding and besting Centrum proper.
[edit] Friedrich
This parallel world is named for the Holy Roman Emperor Friedrich I Barbarossa, who in this timeline managed to be the great imperial unifier and conqueror that the vagaries of fortune prevented him from being in our history. In "current year" 1219, seventeen years after his death, Friedrich is notable for being a hotbed of activity by the SS Raven Division from the Nazi-dominated parallel Reich-5, who seek to turn his Holy Roman Empire into a First Reich and breeding ground for Aryan warriors.
[edit] Gallatin
Gallatin is named for Albert Gallatin, the dominant member of Thomas Jefferson's government in the absence of Alexander Hamilton. Without Hamilton to defend and explain the Federalist Papers, the U.S. Constitution of 1787 was never ratified and the independent colonies Balkanised into nine separate republics across the continent by 1860. In "current year" 2004, Gallatin's great powers include Texas (whose nuclear arsenal shields the other American republics), German-dominated Europaverein, the British Empire, the Soviet Union, and the Japanese Empire; peace is maintained by the fear of mutual destruction in an atomic war.
[edit] Homeline
The main world in the game. The world of "our" timeline, and home base of Infinty Patrol, and of players in the game. Seeks to counteract Centrum, and Centrum's efforts to interfere with natural development of alternate worlds which Centrum undertakes in order to achieve stability and security.
[edit] Merlin-1
Named after the wizard of that name, Merlin-1 is a world where magic entered the world due to nuclear testing in 1945. In "current year" 2004 America (were the magic is centred) uses both magic and technology to be the dominant superpower. The setting of GURPS Technomancer.
[edit] Merlin-2
A world where magic entered the world in 2012, due to a terrorist attack. In "current year" 2027, the world is in chaos due to terrorism and magical creatures.
[edit] Merlin-3
A world where magic entered the world in 1916, and is centred in Germany. In "current year" 1942, World War II is being fought with magic. The setting of GURPS WWII: Weird War II.
[edit] Yrth
A fantasy world, inhabited by humans, dwarves, elves etc., all of whom have been involuntarily taken from other worldlines. The setting of GURPS Banestorm.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Origins Awards winners (2005). Retrieved on 2007-09-11.
