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Alright, now
lissen up, you mugs, cuz I'm only gonna say this once. I've been
given the nod to fill you in on all you oughtta know about bumming around
whatca call yer "Nile Empire."
First off,
the whole joint is run by a Joe callin' himself "Pharaoh Sutenhotep."
He's been yappin' about this being the Tenth great dynasty of Egypt.
But you can't toss a dead cat in a room full os Storm Knights without hittin'
someone who knows that this big shot is really a palooka named Mobius.
He was one
of those union suited clowns back home who took a liking to blowing up
cities, instead of just blowing banks like a respectable criminal.
Things got kinda hot for him so he and his boys used some big deal gizmo
and tooka powder. Next thing ya know, this hero group, the Mystery
Men are hot footing it after him. Eventually we all wound up on this
mud ball called Earth.
I don't know
where this Pharaoh jazz came from, but seems like Mobius took a shine to
Egyptian mumbo jumbo from back home and brought it with him. Or maybe
some of it was here to start with, I dunno. Anyways, there's fancy
schmancy pyramids, tombs, mummies, and all kinds of junk all over the map.
Axioms
Technological: 21. Most of the Empire operates at a level of technology similar to Earth around 1936. Inferior to Core Earth native's technology, those who were transformed forgot the more advanced wonders they grew up with. Simple single wing aircraft and aircraft carriers are the cutting edge of military technology. Machine guns and simple, slow tanks are in widespread use. Simple surgery is routinely performed and pharmacology allows for treating of many minor ailments. Immunization is just beginning to develop; polio is still not treatable in The Nile.
Social: 20. The Empire is similar, socially, to Europe or America. However, the Empire is itself a huge bureaucracy that it ultimately overseen by a single individual. The sexual revolution has not taken place. Indiscreet unmarried couples are the target of ridicule and scandal. Novels and films are popular forms of entertainment, as are sporting events, dance halls, and fine restaurants. It should be noted that the idea of film as art has not been developed and are seen strictly as entertainment. Alcohol consumption and sale is prohibited which has created an active black market. One huge form of recreation is pulp adventure magazines. Theses magazines depict the struggle of good and evil in Nile. Under the guise of fiction, some of it depicts actual heroes and events that have taken place, some of it is simply fiction.
Spiritual: 17. The flow of spiritual energy through the Terran cosm and Nile realm is quite formidable. The Egyptian gods do not literally walk the planet, but it is closer to the power of teh true Egyptian mythos by the level of the axiom. High priests can tap into the spiritual energy of their faith and perform amazing miracles. It is rumored that many Egyptian artifacts of great power lie reawakened in the hidden tombs and caves scattered across the land.
Magical: 12. The axiom wash transformed all of the legends concerning Egyptians' use of magic into literal truth. Pyramid power, mummification, and the magical circumvention of floods all became reality. two schools of magic exist, mathematics and engineering. Both are capable of an astounding array of enchantments. Most of the magicians in the realm were brought over my Mobius, leaving a large percentage of the magical power in his control.
World Laws
Law of Morality: This law decalres that all sentient creatures within the axiom field eventually take on an absolute morality. Every person on Terra can be classified as good or evil; there is no room for nuetrals. Those who were transformed by the invasion slowly emphasized the traits of one nature or the other without any perception of changing their behavior. Evil characters are more concerned with their own self interests over everything else. Good characters are concerned with the common interests shared by all. Being evil does not make one a criminal, nor does being good make one a hero. An old man who chases playful children off his lawn out of a desire to see them unhappily screaming and running away would be classified as evil. An pedestrian who minds his own business, and who gives directions to a lost motorist would be following a good inclination. All Storm Knights (and Player Characters) follow a good inclination. Possibility rated characters may switch inclination at a cost of all of their possibilities. They may also commit actions against their inclination by spending a possibility point. However, if they go against their inclination too many times, then they will flip, losing all of their possibilities. Nile characters can use this Law for two effects. The first they can try to detect the inclination of other Nile characters, or anyone who is in the Nile realm (and therefore assuming an inclination). Also, they may make one attempt to seduce a possibility rated character of the opposing inclination over to their inclination. If successful, the target will switch unless they choose to forfeit possibilities (but will not lose all his possibilities if he does switch).
Law of Drama: Almost all the events that occur in the Nile Empire seem to occur with a particularly developed sense of melodrama. Heroes avoid danger at the last second, villians escape from certain death, and action is fast and furious.
Law of Action: Characters
of the Nile axiom can call upon the law of action. This law allows
characters two spend two possibilities when performing an
action within axiom bounds (or a reality bubble). Only one roll is
added for a total, but the best of the two is the one taken. For
example, a character rolls a 15. He then spends two possibilities
and rolls a 4 and a 16. The sixteen is taken for a total roll of
31.