Dark Reich is our first setting. The central idea is to play in an alternate historical setting based on the action of World War Two. This alternate history significantly changes the “real” outcomes of key events and also introduces magickal elements.
This is a war in which the occult, technology and heroic action all have their place. It is, however, a gritty and dark setting in which ethical issues are presented in shades of grey, not good versus evil.
Some themes are at the heart of the setting:
- Power corrupts: the pursuit of power over others has a negative effect on the human soul.
- Empire is bad: the conquest of people and territory is a negative force.
- Magick is real: there are forces beyond those accepted by science that can be manipulated for effect.
- Demons and Angels are real: there are spiritual beings who exist, and who try to influence human life.
- Dragons are awakening.
- Mankind has a purpose: humanity has a higher purpose than that of serving its’ own interests.
- We are not alone: humanity is not the only sentient species in the universe.
Some key events shape the setting:
- History diverts from our own in 1933, as Adolf Hitler comes to power in Germany.
- The Nazi regime focuses on technological and occult research alongside Hitler’s rise to European domination.
- In the 1930s tabulation machines are developed which increase efficiency in Germany.
- In 1940, during the battle for France, Hitler does not order the repeated stops during Blitzkrieg. This leads to the envelopment and destruction of the BEF, allowing for no Dunkirk evacuation.
- In mid-1940 Hitler orders the invasion of Britain. Operation Sealion brings Great Britain to its’ knees.
- Operation Barbarossa is not launched until Britain has been subdued.
- America does not enter the war. Once Britain surrenders then the USA opts to continue its’ insular policies.
- Japan does not attack Pearl Harbor. Instead, Japan supports Germany’s war against the Soviet Union, landing troops in the south-east of the nation.
- Moscow is captured and Stalin comes to terms with Hitler in a cease-fire. No treaty is agreed, however, and both sides entrench along a neutral zone.
What else would you suggest?
Hi,
Well – what to add? You seem to have it all covered (I’m sure my Uncle George will be a little annoyed – His love of small boats and Yachting arose from escaping Dunkirk!).
I would add in a little murkiness –
* The Royal Navy (the major part of it) loaded up with anyone who would be ‘unwanted’ by Germany flee to a neutral port – Or Canada/Australia, and try to continue a cold war style stand off?
* America, now free of the war, continues to look inwards, and a major witch hunt for communists kicks off – border issues with Canada further seperate the USA from the rest of the world, as the ongoing Eugenics programme reaches new lows as more of the public are classed as non-citizens.
* Germany pushes on with more mystic searching and experiments, as a new religion sweeps the United German State – Perhaps Hitler is lifted up as the First Voice – a post that communes with the afterlife or mystic world.
* Perhaps the final battle, when the USSR is removed as a threat is that the combines forces of Japan and Germany, attack China – Japan’s historic enemy, or the battle slowly moves towards the USA. Or America breaks up, into smaller groups of states, and the country collapses due to the witch hunts and Eugenic campaigns?
* – Germany may start to plan to ship all unwanted peoples to a island within their empire, allowing mass experimentation, and starvation to remove whole ‘races’ in their quest for the perfect german.
Either way, it doesn’t sound like a very nice place to live!
I suppose the ruling few in Germany are experimenting with magic to help keep them in power for longer – Hitler the Liche?
Ian
Sounds good. Should everything go well i’d be in the campein (alll going well real world not in the game that would just be boring).
Some people working for the nazi’s commmited sabotarge in the concentration camps ect maybe we could incorperate that.
How do the Nazi’s win do the Americans arrive later