Alternate apocalypses

[copeab]

We've talked at times about alternatives to an all-out nuclear war. I thought I'd start a thread to group the ideas together (sorry if such a thread already exists).

My suggestion: eruption of the Yellowstone Park "supervolcano". apart from wrecking the US, it would also cause severe global climatic changes in just a few months.

[pmulcahy11b]

Originally Posted by copeab

My suggestion: eruption of the Yellowstone Park "supervolcano". apart from wrecking the US, it would also cause severe global climatic changes in just a few months.

It's a good one from the global disaster standpoint; the only real problem I have with it is that it puts most of the US and southern Canada into the unsurvivable zone.

[Webstral]

In addition to being a good disaster scenario, it's one that can strike with little warning. There was an extended run-up to the nuclear exchange. Even the nuclear exchange left some room for preparations. Yellowstone, though it seems like it ought to give some indications before going, doesn't necessarily have to telegraph its intent.

Webstral

[Webstral]

This is tangential to the effects of Yellowstone's eruption. Should we be exploiting this rich energy resource that is overdue for an eruption? We have a source of geothermal energy that defies the imagination. Surely we could sink a few wells--maybe even figure out a way to camouflage the operation so that the park isn't spoiled. Of course, all that electricity would have to go someplace to be useful.

Webstral

[pmulcahy11b]

Originally Posted by Webstral

In addition to being a good disaster scenario, it's one that can strike with little warning. There was an extended run-up to the nuclear exchange. Even the nuclear exchange left some room for preparations. Yellowstone, though it seems like it ought to give some indications before going, doesn't necessarily have to telegraph its intent.

Webstral

There is a small group of scientists that say Yellowstone is already giving those indications, though they have no idea exactly when a super-eruption would happen. Could be tomorrow, could be thousands of years from now. But some scientists think that geological-time-wise, it will be very soon.

Now that I've given you guys something nice to sleep on...

You know, something like Yellowstone shows you that, while mankind can do some nasty stuff to the world, we're really just pipsqueaks, relatively speaking.

[copeab]

Originally Posted by pmulcahy11b

You know, something like Yellowstone shows you that, while mankind can do some nasty stuff to the world, we're really just pipsqueaks, relatively speaking.

The reason Yellowstone came to mind was because someone elsewhere had wanted a post-apoc WWII setting but was having a hard time coming up with a scenario where everyone could have a sufficient number of nukes. I had been listening to the song "1816, The Year Without A Summer" by Rasputina and started thinking of volcanoes, which reminded me of a show I had seen on TV about the eruptions in the past and the next one somewhat overdue ...

[jester]

Thats kinda funny since the movie 2012 aired on three channels last night for its cable opening. And it was based more or less with that as a theme.


We have yellowstone.

We have Earthquakes

Volcanoes maybe the ring of fire starts acting up with lots of Eathquakes, then Tsuamis and then volcanoes blowing their tops. That would give ALOT of similiar effects of a nuke. Fires, cities leveled, populations decimated, crops and crop land terribly affected, governments toppled and a perpetual gray gloomy overcast which will diminish the ability to grow crops, lets leave there a few sunny days that seem cloudy to the temps don't drop to a new iceage and all plant and animal life dies. But, enough that crop yeilds are reduced signifigantly. Famine, Plague, displaced masses etc.

Toss in the geopolitical ramifications. Refugees flooding across boarders, crime, limited resources for your own people. Age old animosities, think the Balkans or Eastern Europe and Africa won't turn into a powder keg in such an event as so many ethnic groups don't strike one another? Or countries anexing areas that do have food or food capacity. Or retaliation from one country to another for failing to aid when it was asked for? Or countries giving aid and charging for it, then moviing in with troops to collect what is owed.

there are so many places to go.

And then we also have the failing of governments. Either they failed, or they were destroyed. So, you would have ALOT of small fiefdoms starting up. Isolated towns who could withstand the hoardes of refugees.

And, a few military outposts, or even refugee or supply centers where the military was able to maintain order and control. These would be either die in short order, or become very organized and then a strong regional power.

[LBraden]

So.... you have gone so far with the only "true" certainty, Yellowstone.

What about another "True certainty" that we all know is happening, and too many people shove their fingers in their ears and go "lalalalala" when people talk about it...

Oil drying up

Its going to happen, not tomorrow, not next week, but soon, best estimates is that we will have enough "mine-able" oil till about 2080 if I recall correctly the "worst case scenario", but what about a slight edit to the whole time line, where about 60% of the worlds "mine-able" oil suddenly dried up, be it a case of internal nuclear war in the Middle East, or a massive earth quake there.

I know it would change a few levels of the ideas, but its a good scenario discussion point right there, and its one of the least-discussed "what if" that I have seen, so far I only know of one PC game and a hour long documentary on National Geographic Channel that has even touched upon the subject.

[pmulcahy11b]

Originally Posted by jester

there are so many places to go.

And then we also have the failing of governments. Either they failed, or they were destroyed. So, you would have ALOT of small fiefdoms starting up. Isolated towns who could withstand the hoardes of refugees.

And lots of folks dying a slow, horrible death of mesothelioma from inhaling volcanic ash. Nasty.

[pmulcahy11b]

Originally Posted by LBraden

What about another "True certainty" that we all know is happening, and too many people shove their fingers in their ears and go "lalalalala" when people talk about it...

Oil drying up

Now that, along with global climate change, overpopulation and a general drying up of resources, is what I think is going to IRL cause a T2K scenario. And the terminal effects from all that are all going to hit at about the same time, 20-35 years from now.

[mikeo80]

The scenarios postulated above are all equally scary...SO let me add my two cents.

1) An airborne version of Ebola or other epidemic

2) Asteroid Strike

3) Economic collapse

4) "Independance Day" visit from E.T.

5) "1984" government starting war

6) Mass religious/cultural hysteria caused by any of the above problems

7) A combination of factors from above

Now let's see who can sleep tonight!!

[pmulcahy11b]

Originally Posted by mikeo80

The scenarios postulated above are all equally scary...SO let me add my two cents.

1) An airborne version of Ebola or other epidemic

Now let's see who can sleep tonight!!

The sleeper possible future contagion some of doctors are worried about -- HIV mutated into an airborne-transmitted pathogen.

[mikeo80]

Originally Posted by pmulcahy11b

The sleeper possible future contagion some of doctors are worried about -- HIV mutated into an airborne-transmitted pathogen.

I know this is a T2K site...But

Your idea sounds a LOT like the "lottery" virus that the agents of Krell used to defeat Prime Base in Morrow Project...

Something to think about??

Mike

[mikeo80]

TO add to my list of possible nighmares....

Reversal of the magnetic poles

Massive Solar flare

X-Ray Star explosion..(Possible explanation for the Denovian Extinciton Event)

Ozone layer collapse

Sleep well, all!!

[copeab]

Originally Posted by mikeo80

I know this is a T2K site...But

There is a Phoenix Project forum here

[pmulcahy11b]

Originally Posted by mikeo80

TO add to my list of possible nighmares....

Reversal of the magnetic poles

Massive Solar flare

X-Ray Star explosion..(Possible explanation for the Denovian Extinciton Event)

Ozone layer collapse

Sleep well, all!!

And don't forget being on the pole-axis of a gamma-ray burster supernova that's within 80 years from us...oh yeah, we might be! Sleep well, my children!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WR_104

[pmulcahy11b]

And then, of course, there is the hypothetical collision with a small object made of strange matter:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strange_matter

Sleeep, sleep, sleeeeep...

[pmulcahy11b]

Oh, and don't forget the "gray goo" scenario -- an accidental release of improperly-programmed nanorobots...

[pmulcahy11b]

And there's the ultimate doomsday scenario:

DICK CHENEY IS ELECTED PRESIDENT!

[HorseSoldier]

All of those sound promising, though I think you'd lose the uniqueness of the T2K setting (or maybe not -- could have PCs deployed over across the water or farmed out to some SOCOM lower key effort or UN mission or whatever). Several of them would probably drive players crazy, though -- "the world ended, you don't know why." (Kind of like various SF books, actually.)

[copeab]

Originally Posted by pmulcahy11b

Oh, and don't forget the "gray goo" scenario -- an accidental release of improperly-programmed nanorobots...

Hey, I read Prey by Michael Crichton

[copeab]

For those who missed it before (or forgot about it), there's a thread/poll from last year.

[jester]

Here is one:

One of the major religions finds their ancient lost ICON, and poof they go on the warpath.

Resources are always good.

Here is one, Oil runs out in the big players in the Middle East leaving only the smaller states with limited capacity. They unit with some of the larger super powers taking up sides. Kind of like WWI with all of the PACTs that were made.

I can see the three main players:

US
Rusia
China
India

Everyone else picks a side to join.

Then, we decide what countries still have oil.

Dubai, Kuwait <much reduced capacity> Venezuella, Indonesia, Gulf of Mexico, North Sea, Romania. Canada perfects the shale and sand oil production as well as the whole arctic oil gets going and Alaska is producing. Also, off the Coast of Africa, Fla and California. This way we can have forces fighting basicaly all over the world. Of course the main producers will still produce oil, but at just enough capacity to give them a reduced military vehicle capacity.


Another one is,

WATER!!!!! Some waterborne virus contaminates a good portion of the fresh water in the world. With only a few sites untainted. and a few plants able to purify contaminated water.


As for troops of a nation on the otherside of the world:

Releif personel. Been all over doing that work. Its easy and difficult, because you go UNARMED alot of the time. So, that could put a whole new dynamic to your PCs. Say they have a half a dozen weapons for an entire platoon, then the fit hits the shan in a royal way and they are stranded having to survive the masses of refugees, bandits who would prey on them religious fanatics, and those who would blame your characters nation for interfering or not helping enough.


Another scenario:

The earths rotation changes taking it about 3 to 4 degrees off, so when it gets cold it get colder to the point of just short of not allowing life to survive, but only for about a month to 45 days, and then when it returns it is that much closer to the sun having the oposite effect making that much hotter.


Or, the poles melt <I do not prescribe to the global warming theory personaly> but, with the above scenario it would work too. Flooding of coastal communities <where about 2/3 of the earths population lives> which in turn create a shift in the ocean currents which regulate weather patterns so now the weather is messed up and we then return to an ice age which again screws things up before the earth returns to stasis. That would be a good adventure for characters to work with.

Have them all start out with Red Cross and other releif workers supported by military personel <your PCs> doing rescue/releif work for some hurricain or tsunami ravages area.

[jester]

Originally Posted by copeab

For those who missed it before (or forgot about it), there's a thread/poll from last year.

What type of zombies are not covered under the Biological Disaster since it says "most zombies."

[copeab]

Originally Posted by jester

What type of zombies are not covered under the Biological Disaster since it says "most zombies."

Dead bodies raised by magic and noninfectious would be one example. Another might be a Judgment Day scenario where Earth becomes Hell and Lucifer puts damned souls back into the remains of their bodies (animating the corpses).

[pmulcahy11b]

Originally Posted by copeab

Dead bodies raised by magic and noninfectious would be one example.

No, those are zombies! I had a good education; I played lots of D&D in high school!

[kato13]

Politics will only stir up bad feelings. Posts deleted.

[copeab]

Originally Posted by pmulcahy11b

No, those are zombies! I had a good education; I played lots of D&D in high school!

I said those aren't an example of a biological disaster. Zombies that create other zombies through infectious means are.

[Fusilier]

Most definitely global warming.

It's finally caught the attention of the US military/CIA now too, who are looking into the what the future has in store for America and potential conflicts.

Most of the resulting problems which it will create will be coming slow and steady maybe - but pretty much guaranteed.

[pmulcahy11b]

Originally Posted by kato13

Politics will only stir up bad feelings. Posts deleted.

I consider myself chastised.