I’ve knocked this together as a sort of introduction to the setting and what I vaguely have in mind.
Setting
LONG AGO
Before the dawn of recorded history, a race of gentle beings called the Tehrmelern created a vast network of inter-dimensional pathways that spanned both space and time. For a hundred thousand years they traveled and traded to these alternative worlds, spreading their love of peace. Then, almost overnight, an unforeseen terror ended the Commonwealth of the Tehrmelern, leaving their greatest creation to those who would follow.
PRESENT DAY EARTH
A Japanese research team, lead by Takahiro Hatsumi, was investigating the ecological effects of an unusually warm Antarctic summer, and they made a startling discovery that was destined to change man’s role across the universes.
They found an alien building buried deep in the melting Antarctic ice, the dead body of Captain Oates of the Scott expedition laid near the door. In his hand was a softly glowing crystal tetrahedron. The building contained a 25-foot, gleaming silver ring. The team stepped through the center of the ring without harm. They turned and to their surprise, one member of their expedition had vanished without a trace, Sayuri Tenuma.
OTHER EARTHS
A week later, Sayuri Tenuma stepped out of the ring with a wondrous story. She told of other portals and of walkways that lead to other worlds, alternate Earths, and to a strange guardian called “Schmert” who talked in rhyme and told her that she had a key to the portals.
They presented this information to the United Nations, and sparked a UN seizure of the buried base, deep under the Antarctic ice. At the same time, the UN creates the Interdimensional Agency: UNIDA.
FRINGEWORTHY
It was quickly discovered that only one person in a hundred thousand possessed that unknown quality which allowed them to travel the dimensional pathways. A desperate worldwide search began to find and train explorers for this greatest frontier. The world press soon began to label these pathways “Fringes” as the first Inter-Dimensional Exploration teams were established in UNIDA. These UNIDA personnel became the first of humanity to cross the Fringes. Young and old, rich and poor, from every nation they came. These are the Fringeworthy, sent to unlock a modern day Pandora’s box … or die trying.
WELCOME TO UNIDA
You are that special one in a hundred thousand. You are Fringeworthy.
Setup
Fringeworthy, as written, has a number of eras of play, from the “what the hell?” early days through to full-on “we’ve got lots of cool shit” stage when they’ve pretty much got it figured out.
What I’m pitching is a game set at the very start of UNIDA, when they’re still setting up, and are using anyone who’s Fringeworthy & willing.
By way of statistics, 1:100,000 means that the entire US Military, all 5 branches, reserves and all, could expect to have 40 Fringeworthy people. Same goes for New Zealand; 40 or so people across the whole country. The NZDF has a 1/10 chance of having a Fringeworthy person somewhere in their midst.
They’ve figured out that only certain people can use the paths/portals, and they’re starting to find them.
They know that the portals aren’t point-to-point; Portals go to platforms, platforms go to paths, paths go to other platforms, and the paths are long.
They’ve figured out that electricity just plain does not work on the Fringe Paths, and are working on getting hand-crank diesel vehicles, plus fuel, to Antarctica.
For now, they’re using bicycles; Conveniently, the Ross Sea area is supplied out of Christchurch, which is lousy with cyclists, so that supply chain, at least, is a simple one.
The PCs, as I see it, are folks who are both Fringeworthy and sufficiently intrigued, adventurous, bored, community-minded, or just plain broke to accept a job which boils down to “Get on this bike & go see what’s out there; Don’t die.”
I’ve got a few NPCs & places in mind, such as;
- A base, on a probably-uninhabited world, being run by someone’s Gran.
‘Gran’ is Fringeworthy, can organize the hell out of a supply base, and basically keeps things in her area running smoothly. That said, she’s 82, so she’s not going to be pedaling herself around. Nominally, she’d be outranked by even the lowest of the military bods.
In practice, she’s a two-star general, and they know it. - An Air Force Major with an enormous chip on his shoulder organizing the away missions.
He’d been on a line to command. Now he’s dealing with paperwork, and being promised rapid promotion and all that good stuff, all while not logging flight time, not getting rated in different aircraft, not graduating from various piloting schools, and not doing the one thing he joined the USAF to actually do.
He’s also heard whispers that he’s not the highest-ranked Fringeworthy in the US Military; Just the highest-ranked one who didn’t have enough clout, wasn’t owed enough favours, or didn’t know enough Senators to be able to hide his test results. - “Private Mike” a.k.a. “Signaller Mike” a.k.a. “The Mike”, NZ Army.
He’s having the best day ever, and it’s been going on for a month now; Most of his time is spent far away from anyone who can reasonably be considered authority, nobody shouts at him, and he hardly ever has to do things in the rain.