This one makes my brain go "WHEEE!!!" I find it very innovative, yet also somewhat limiting, so that while I can be imaginative in my creations, I also know that I cannot take anyone from post-1920's at latest and that the tech will be steampunkish or crazy Ether-tech in nature. This means to me that the setting does indeed give you a path to start on when you first find it, which I think is vital for any new game setting.
The concept is novel to me, especially in its approach. I know there have been many superheros thrust back into an odd prehistoric past or settings like Land of the Lost, etc, but this one feels unique to me in it's use of temporal travel through "Ether" and historical characters twisted. Many players gravitate to and will want to play the more weird and esoteric possibilities of a game system; this system allows those parts to be as much mainstream as any other player who prefers a more "vanilla" PC.
As for inspiration, hooboy. I can think of several historical figures that I think would be fun to figure out how they live in this new world. Does Nero have some sort of "Pied Piper" Ether power and is trying to rebuild a new Rome with essentially emotional automatons? Does Jesse James and his new gang have to thread the needle of evading the wrath of the people they steal from while also avoiding capture by the Troglodyte hordes whose caves they escape into? The possibilities abound!
The writing is well expressed and concise. I think some things could be expanded on, but for a beginning this is exactly what I'm looking for in a setting concept outline. It even comes with tagline included.
Comments
Please Review All Top Contenders!
Now that we're getting down to the wire and the top contenders for selection are becoming apparent, I heartily encourage the entire Swarm to PLEASE REVIEW ALL TOP CONTENDERS.
Regarding This Union Pangaea, I've noticed that folks either seem to really love it (thank you, love you back), or really don't (thank you for being honest). I wrote it intending that it be exciting and evocative, and so I'm not surprised that it generates strong reactions, depending on whether or not it is your particular cup of tea.
But please, Please, if you've given a strong rating (either in favor or opposed) to any of the top contenders, do right by the Swarm process and cast a vote for all other top contenders with similar honesty. That way, when all the information is compiled the voting will best reflect the preferences of the Swarm.
I don't think that's enough.
Everybody who has put a seting online has put a lot of work and effort in his setting, no matter if it was perceived as good or bad, and thus I think that everybody also deserves a fair review for the work. So please, review every setting, not only the ones currently in front in the competition.
Another sample Character/NPC for this setting
"The Spartan" - Displaced Warrior
The cold-eyed soldier referred to as simply "the Spartan" might just be the most vicious and competent melee combatant of all the fighting men of what remains of humanity. Dragged back in time to an alien, dinosaur-infested wilderness by (those he views as) a weak and undisciplined people, a disapproving scowl never seems to leave the Spartan's battle-scarred face. But given the choice between even an imperfect civilization or the troglodytes of the hills, the Spartan protects his fellow man willingly and sates his bloodlust by zealously slaughtering anything not human which gets in his way. His unmatched skills with sword, shield and spear have made him a valued pillar of the settlement's defense and a folk hero among those refugees who came from simpler times and cultures. The Victorian court has recently increased efforts to woo him into their service - ostensibly to serve as guard and protector, but some suspect to be employed as the Queen's own assassin.
Another Sample Character/NPC for this setting
"E.P." Huxley - Ace Dirigible Pilot
The mirth of the skies, E.P. (Elspeth Patricia) is well-regarded for showering her allies with smiles and convenient rescues and raining fire down upon her enemies. Ace pilot and tenacious protector of the nimble hyper-dirigible Ingenia, E.P. is a master of improvised repairs and has resurrected her beloved airship from several "sub-optimal descents" (crashes) with little more than foul language and a bent crescent wrench. She is the proud big sister of her baby brother Aldous and eagerly anticipates the formation of a proper air-corp to protect him and the rest of humanity from the monsters in the skies and the all-too-dangerous jungle below.
More Comments! More Reviews!
If you haven't given a review of Union Pangaea or commented on anything you like or don't like, please do so!
Question to the Swarm: What do you think would be a better title for the setting? "Union Pangaea" or "This Union Pangaea"? Or something slightly different...?
Sample character/NPC for this setting.
T. Edison Colt - Expedition Leader
A deadeye shot and seasoned explorer, T. Edison Colt has led more successful expeditions into the dangerous primeval jungle than any other person, escorting prospectors and scientists as they comb the wilds for vital resources. Reluctant heir to the wealth of bullets of the Colt Armory, the young Colt eschews the family business except when acquiring supplies or trying out the latest experimental weaponry from the mischievous Gatling Brothers. Stubbornly idealistic, he detests and avoids the treachery of camp politics by heading off into the wilderness at every opportunity, hoping each time that when he returns humanity will be more good and sane if only he can get them what they need and buy them time against the monsters attacking from without.
EDIT: push up the date of Exodus to 1895 or so
I've been looking at historical dates and important figures in steampunk literature, and I think it would be too limiting to cut off our historical figures at 1865 as previously mentioned.
True fact: In 1895, "The Time Machine" was first published by H.G. Wells. (my big idea: ...with complete diagrams for precisely how to build such a machine.) Perfect.
I still want 1865 to be one of the 'key dates', when we bring back a big chunk of refugees from both the American Civil War and mid-Victorian England. But there are just SO many awesome historical figures in both America and England (and other countries, of course) during the late 1800s, so I want to make sure we can include them, too. Nikola Tesla, Mark Twain, Thomas Edison, H.G. Wells, Jules Verne, Jack the Ripper, and many more.
So let's plan on a healthy number of refugees coming back from 1895 as well - so late 1800's are fair game.
but what about the meteor
but what about the meteor that kills all the dinosaurs?
It's not a problem, it's a feature.
Good point - the time and place of Rendezvous might have been chosen at a time when paleontologists were not as certain as to why the dinosaurs had died off - maybe nobody knew about the world-kill meteor/asteroid.
Possible solution: once they discover this "oversight" and new impending doom, characters must organize massive "Armageddon"-like expedition to land on asteroid and blow it up with TNT (and maybe fight the meteor-men who inhabit it). Would make for a GREAT special module!
Another alternative
The dinosaurs existed for millions of years, so there's plenty of a time window there for a human colony to survive. Human civilizations has really only prospered for less than 10,000 years or so, and there's been a lot of technological progress in that small snapshot of the various dinosaur eras. The Mesozic era (consisting of the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous periods when the dinosaurs dominated) lasted for 180 million years.
It could be interesting though to have one human colony that believes - based on scientific calculations - the date of the meteor to be soonish (next few years, maybe few decades) and are preaching that man is destined to die regardless of what they have done to try to survive. There could also be interesting plots of mistakes in human belief that are discovered due to humanity's ability to directly observe the dinosaurs.