Alternate Earth 20: Paradise Island Lost

[SKJAM!]

Your GM has announced he's going to run an alternate Earth game and he wants you to make a modified version of your character to fit his "Alternate Earth Setting. The GM is being deliberately unclear about whether you'll be playing your alt character or if your regular character will be facing them.

 

So what is different about your character from

Matriarch's Earth?

 

Despite an astounding similarity of historical outcomes, this alternate Earth favors matriarchy as the norm. The social status of men in this world's 21st Century USA is roughly equivalent to that held by women in our world's 1950s USA. Adjust for other countries/time periods accordingly. Your character is the same gender as usual unless the circumstances of their origin would make that impossible.

 

 

SKJAM!

[TheEmerged]

Re: Alternate Earth 20: Paradise Island Lost

 

Interesting side note: it's been suggested that the status of women in the 1950's was "self-inflicted", with women willingly giving up the "gains" they made during the 1940's.

 

Please note the scare quotes and keep the flames to "defrost"

[nexus]

Re: Alternate Earth 20: Paradise Island Lost

 

The only character I can think of off hand that would be majorly different would be Valkyrie. Since, in this world, having an abusive boyfriend would be much more rare, she'd likely not have discovered her powers until later or perhaps not at all. OTOH, she'd be much more extroverted and confident being more accostumed to taking the "masculine" role in society.

[bcholmes]

Re: Alternate Earth 20: Paradise Island Lost

 

Interesting side note: it's been suggested that the status of women in the 1950's was "self-inflicted"' date=' with women willingly giving up the "gains" they made during the 1940's.[/quote']

 

Suggested by whom?

[Hermit]

Re: Alternate Earth 20: Paradise Island Lost

 

Apex- Might never have become an archetict, but rather have domestic training. When his wife the real breadwinner died, he'd have to either get a job as a maid or something to support his daughter, or maybe hope to eventually remarry a nice woman to support the family?

 

Recluse- Not that much a change.

 

Wildcard- Magician/Escape Artist's assitant rather than the magician/escape artist himself?

[Chuckg]

Re: Alternate Earth 20: Paradise Island Lost

 

Starguard -- is female.

 

Dr. Pain -- was a factory worker, not a popular entertainer.

 

Baron von Darien -- dates back to the 10th century, and as such, would be fairly set in his ways already, before the societal shift you mention above came down.

[Bunyip]

Re: Alternate Earth 20: Paradise Island Lost

 

I'm assuming this alt-Earth is similar to the one in 'Sliders' where Arturo ran for mayor in San Francisco on a 'masculist' ticket?

 

Without a family history of military service (at least, in the male line), Tony (London) Pryde would probably be a teacher (the core version has an MA in history), although possibly an army reservist if possible. Jim (Greenmantle) Munro would still be a journalist, I think (combines the Batman and Vicki Vale personae...) Similar to an earlier post, Melody (Robyn Hood) Main would have been more self-assertive, not got caught in a bad marriage and would probably lead the alt-Crown Agents.

 

50s Britain gave Afro-Caribbeans a pretty bad rap, matriarchy or no, so Kate (Mini) Walcott probably wouldn't have a laboratory job or have got her metapowers, and Everton (MC Sonik) Lycett would have less outlet for his, probably staying in low-level street crime (as the signs in the boarding houses said, 'no blacks, no Irish, no dogs') And Marta (Silvershadow) Revinskaya, with more doors open to her, would probably be well-placed in the Kremlin (either USSR or post-Soviet)...

[Blue]

Re: Alternate Earth 20: Paradise Island Lost

 

Uncle Slam still believes in what he does although in this world he has less stature. He would be a touch more indignant because he's fought so much for our country and yet isn't afforded equality.

 

Anthem and Audra Blue are likley the same.

[SKJAM!]

Re: Alternate Earth 20: Paradise Island Lost

 

The Mask of Justice: Nick Philips doesn't learn much in the way of combat skills, and as a result the Mask relies much more on his gas gun and armor to protect him. He's also a gossip columnist rather than a "serious" reporter. He's proud of his Greek ancestry, where the successful Amazon nation paved the way for the matriarchal societies of the modern age. Still, he's also proud of the men who are filling factory jobs while our brave girls go overseas to fight.

 

Rock Bottom: Is frequently harrassed by loutish women who "want to watch."

 

Calculus: Never got powers, as he never met Slaughterhouse Jane in that back alley. He was, however, a swoony fan of Genius Girl in his teens. Is now a reasonably happy househusband.

 

Kira Midori: Is not as special anymore, since the vast majority of police officers are women. Her fans tend to be shyer, if not always more polite. Kira's roommate is a homicide detective rather than a traffic cop. Since Kira came from a utopian future where the genders are equal, she has been known to speak in favor of men's rights.

 

Talion: Adds gender discrimination to his many complaints against the universe.

[TheEmerged]

Re: Alternate Earth 20: Paradise Island Lost

 

Suggested by whom?

 

Feminist columnist I read when that Julia Roberts movie about a woman's college came out a while back.

[Guest WhammeWhamme]

Re: Alternate Earth 20: Paradise Island Lost

 

Flippant:

Well, I assume a male could aspire to be an athlete...?...?

 

If so, his life would turn out much the same way. His accident would happen, and he'd find healing. Once he figures out he can travel between dimensions, finds a 'different' world... and becomes a social crusader for a better world!

[Metaphysician]

Re: Alternate Earth 20: Paradise Island Lost

 

Microman II: Well, I don't see Dr Collins history changing *that* much; presumably, sufficient intelligence and aptitude overcome societal gender roles in his case. His super hero career wasn't exactly as a front person ( though the heroes he took back seat to in the Sentinels would probably be more female in this timeline ).

 

Thus, when Microman II comes along, aside from his dad having a little less prestige and fewer Contacts, he'll probably do fine.

[SKJAM!]

Re: Alternate Earth 20: Paradise Island Lost

 

Flippant:

Well, I assume a male could aspire to be an athlete...?...?

 

Sure. They just don't make the cover of Sports Illustrated except for the Swimsuit Issue.

[Maelstrom]

Re: Alternate Earth 20: Paradise Island Lost

 

The only character I can think of off hand that would be majorly different would be Valkyrie. Since' date=' in this world, having an abusive boyfriend would be much more rare, she'd likely not have discovered her powers until later or perhaps not at all. OTOH, she'd be much more extroverted and confident being more accostumed to taking the "masculine" role in society.[/quote']

 

Actually, abuse might be more rampant, as women are laughed at for being beaten by a 'weak and feeble' man, and would rather be beaten than humiliated. Lots of men are beaten by the women in their lives in this reality -- they just don't talk about it.

[OddHat]

Re: Alternate Earth 20: Paradise Island Lost

 

Style - Is now emotionally geared as a "witch" instead of a "shaman." No other significant changes.

 

Flesh Gordon - Is now female, as male "space adventurers" did not exist in this alternate time-line. Cover art of comic is now more entertaining for readers in Earth-Prime.

 

AnimeGai - Was programed to simulate the personality of a Sailor-Moon type when generating his holo-image.

 

Thirteen - Film noir fem-fatale personality.

[nexus]

Re: Alternate Earth 20: Paradise Island Lost

 

Actually' date=' abuse might be more rampant, as women are laughed at for being beaten by a 'weak and feeble' man, and would rather be beaten than humiliated. Lots of men are beaten by the women in their lives in this reality -- they just don't talk about it.[/quote']

 

True, very true. but it is arguably is rarer (Just not as rare as popularly assumed) for women to be violently physically abusive. Depends on how this society teaches its males and females to direct their violent impulses I'd imagine. Hey, maybe she'd discover her power while giving her boyfriend a "little smack" that shatters his jaw or worse. and becaome a hero as penance...

[Badger]

Re: Alternate Earth 20: Paradise Island Lost

 

Dont know about Superbadger. Seeing as how his father was from another planet, would his father's society be matriarchal? If we are only talking about Earth. I would see him with more issues than previously. And he would still most likely be a villain. His father's species was big on pride and honor. He would see his role in society as well .....not so proud. Bitterness insues.

[farik]

Re: Alternate Earth 20: Paradise Island Lost

 

So in addition to Kenneth being shunned for his small size and freakish intellect he's also opressed for being male. This might mean the serum enduces a transgender transformation. Husky would probably be known as "Beauty" instead and she would manifest all the ideal gender traits of the society. Kenneth's general angst about growing up would be expanded to include complex gender issues since neither form would be homosexual (assuming heterosexuality is still the dominant sexual orientation).

[dbsousa]

Re: Alternate Earth 20: Paradise Island Lost

 

Protector would be a militant masculist, what Randi Limbaugh would call a "Mascu-Nazi", and would be especially concerned with crimes of husband abuse. He would quote Sartre's "Le Deuxieme Sexe" and Hefner's masculist magazine "Mr." He would also wear a tighter outfit, on the belief that men can be both sexy and powerful...

 

Golden Eagle would be the man behind every great woman. He would have gone to Harvard, the "brother" school of Radcliffe, looking for a succesful wife. He would have quickly fallen in love with an MIT Woman, and would sit in on her classes and take notes for her. After they were married, he would help her get ahead with his technical ideas, which she would turn into million dollar patents at her company. Supremely bored as a homemaker, he would turn to crimefighting, building a crime lab in the basement to solve mysteries before getting dinner on the table.

[ParitySoul]

Re: Alternate Earth 20: Paradise Island Lost

 

Brand X - Well that depends. He would most likely have a 'mother' now than a father. Even stranger he might be a she as they would want a good solider mentality when they made their commerical super.

 

The project that would make him/her would most likely be called Project: Athena.

 

Otherwise, still a good team player and recluse due to being raised in a lab most of life.

[S7Michelle]

Re: Alternate Earth 20: Paradise Island Lost

 

In this world, Cannis' mother was the one arrested for fraud and her father, unable to handle life without a wife's support was the one that ended up overdosing on alcohol and valium. The rest of her history is basically the same though her gymnastics scholarship might have provided a bit more in the way of spending money and it might have taken her a bit longer to start supplementing her funds with theft. She still works for Adam, though now instead of being a wealthy industrialist, he probably married for success multiple times. Her personality isn't all that much different, though she probably leads the team instead of Anteaus.

 

Sailor Io is much the same. (The power in her group already rests with the females to a significant degree.) There are substantially more females in her Cyber-tech class at school now. Her boyfriend Bladestar/Zane probably would be changed the most. He and the rest of the male senshi probably wouldn't be as involved in the battles as they are currently. And instead of protecting Mina by not telling her about some of the things that are worrying him (namely his dark side), Zane may well let her know so that she can try to help.

[jediklingon]

Re: Alternate Earth 20: Paradise Island Lost

 

Voltage would probably be a lot less obvious about his attraction to the female form. Afterall, wouldn't want anyone to think he was a slut (even though he probably would be). Would pose for Playgirl, if asked (but heck, he'd do that in his regular world, anyway). Wouldn't be so quick to take the team leader role in combat, and would more often defer to The Greek or Kalidescope.

[SKJAM!]

Re: Alternate Earth 20: Paradise Island Lost

 

Bumped up as we have quite a few new players and characters on the boards.

[David Johnston]

Re: Alternate Earth 20: Paradise Island Lost

 

Wizard's full name would now be "The Wicked Wizard", a disgruntled punk furious that someone else stole his first invention and patented it and nobody would believe him because he's just a boy.

 

Riptide would be a transvestite, posing as a girl in the secret identity that this version of him would have that the original didn't. Because, he was just that pretty.

 

Hellfire would now be named Vesta and otherwise be virtually identical.

 

Excuse me...Hestia

 

I note incidentally that a matriarchal world doesn't really work if you keep the same sex ratio of hero to heroine. I can hardly imagine a 50s patriarchal world in which 80% if the superhuman combatants were female after all for several reason and it applies in the opposite direction.

[SKJAM!]

Re: Alternate Earth 20: Paradise Island Lost

 

I note incidentally that a matriarchal world doesn't really work if you keep the same sex ratio of hero to heroine. I can hardly imagine a 50s patriarchal world in which 80% if the superhuman combatants were female after all for several reason and it applies in the opposite direction.

 

True. You may presume that the ratio of active supertypes has reversed as well--there may be almost as many male metahumans as in the regular campaign world (disallowing those whose backgrounds have changed sufficiently that they'd never get those powers) but they've chosen not to use their powers openly.