[Torg] Mixed Zones: A New Interpretation

[James Knevitt]

I have been contemplating recently the nature of mixed zones, and I've had
some ideas. Given the canon text regarding stelae and mixed zones:

"Normally a stelae will only link to stelae from its own reality but during
the Possibility Wars the High Lords learned that it was possible for two
Darkness Devices to cooperate and have the stelae of one Darkness Device
link to the stelae of the other Darkness Device. The stelae zone created by
this cooperative venture is always a mixed zone. By manipulating the floew
of possibility energy into this mixed zone, the Darkness Devices could
guarantee that the mixed zone would be made up of their two realities."
(R&E, pg 175)

My points of contention are as follows:

1) Cooperation between High Lords and their Darkness devices is extremely
rare; the only times that non-CE mixed zones have been created in the manner
described above have been either in California (LL/NT, NT/TH) or in Berlin
(TH/NE). The very nature of the Possibility Wars (essentially a 'land grab'
for p-energy) would seem to indicate that getting any p-energy is better
than getting no p-energy at all. This notion contradicts with the generally
adversarial nature of the High Lords. It is in their best interest to create
mixed zones where the p-energy gained outstrips the energy required to
maintain them, and yet they do not do so.

2) "Normally a stelae will only link to stelae from its own reality". This
seems conceptually inaccurate.  Stelae, after all, are devices that simply
gather and channel p-energy to the associated Darkness Device. By stating
that they will link only to other stelae of their reality, that seems to
indicate that a Darkness Device would not be able to reach out and 'flip the
switch' on a stelae associated with another Darkness Device (Such an act
would require huge amounts of p-energy, given the investment of p-energy
needed to create stelae in the first place, but it is still feasible). This
seems incongruous with the power level of Darkness Devices: if a stelae can
have reality storms invoked against them by Storm Knights, and then be
physically uprooted and destroyed, why can't a Darkness Device pour
possibility energy into a rival stelae and flip it?


Here is what I propose, and it's quite simple:

If a Darkness Device wills it, a zone can be formed by using two stelae
associated with that Darkness Device and a third associated with another
Darkness Device. In practical terms, the Darkness Device forces a connection
between the stelae through vast expenditures of p-energy. While this forced
connection takes a lot of p-energy to maintain, creation of such a zone
would be profitable if it were in a high p-energy area (such as a city or
other densely populated area). The 'forcing' darkness device can't force the
zone to become dominant (that would require all three stelae), but it can
remain as a mixed zone. The 'forcing' Darkness Device reaps a slightly
reduced p-energy haul from the zone. If the 'forced' Darkness Device wishes
to also draw energy, it must enter into a bargain with the other Darkness
Device, as has been done in the past. After an extended period of time, it
becomes much easier to invoke a reality storm against the single 'forced'
stelae if one is from the 'forcing' reality. Thus, in this way, it becomes
easier for competing High Lords to force other High Lords from an area
through stelae attrition.

This changes the dynamic of the Possibility Wars immensely. It allows for
no-mans-lands of mixed zones between two realms. If Jean Malraux or the
Warrior of the Dark willed it, they could force mixed AY/CP zones in the
English Channel, for example. The CP stronghold in Quebec could be ringed by
CP/LL mixed zones as Baruk Kaah tries to force out the Cyberpapacy from
North America. California becomes a hodge-podge of small LL/TH, TH/NT, and
NT/LL zones.

How does this affect Storm Knights and gameplay? It allows more
disconnection protection in many areas, due to the overall higher axioms of
mixed zones. Reality storms between realms can be abated, allowing easier
travel through mixed zone 'corridors'. It allows for new interpretations of
zone mixes that were otherwise implausible due to the current canon (ie Why
would Rec Pakken and the Ebenscrux ever form a mixed zone?).

Comments?


James Knevitt
jknevitt at gmail.com

"O you who turn the wheel and look to windward,
Consider Phlebas, who was once handsome and tall as you."
-- TS Eliot, 'The Waste Land'
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