For All Time has been a classic dystopian alternate history tale for almost two decades by now. However, I don't think I've ever seen an attempt at transplanting the basic idea to different time periods, aside from the future, that is. Every now and then, I've been thinking myself what would be a good point of divergence for the world of the 19th century to go as wrong as possible, like the original did with Franklin D. Roosevelt dying on December 20th 1941.
Anybody want to make suggestions for the PoD or subsequent events? As a reminder, For All Time contains frequent genocide and racial strife, use of nuclear weapons, constant warfare in general, infectious diseases spreading uncontrollably, insane people gaining power, and in one instance industrialized cannibalism. Aside from the nukes, I think all of these probably should feature in the 19th century hellscape as well.
Some ideas of my own:
- Slavery is never abolished in the United States, or it is abolished much later than in our world.
- The Trans-Atlantic telegraph cable is never built, or it is built much later than in our world.
- The Taiping Rebellion causes even more deaths than in our world, and/or the movement is successful, resulting in widespread destruction of Chinese cultural heritage.
And yes, I am aware that What Madness is This? exists, thank you very much. It has a somewhat earlier point of divergence than I would imagine the hypothetical 19th century For All Time to have -- I'd imagine it to occur sometime after 1815 (or maybe even after 1848), though if anyone has an idea for one earlier than that I am all ears.
Anybody want to make suggestions for the PoD or subsequent events? As a reminder, For All Time contains frequent genocide and racial strife, use of nuclear weapons, constant warfare in general, infectious diseases spreading uncontrollably, insane people gaining power, and in one instance industrialized cannibalism. Aside from the nukes, I think all of these probably should feature in the 19th century hellscape as well.
Some ideas of my own:
- Slavery is never abolished in the United States, or it is abolished much later than in our world.
- The Trans-Atlantic telegraph cable is never built, or it is built much later than in our world.
- The Taiping Rebellion causes even more deaths than in our world, and/or the movement is successful, resulting in widespread destruction of Chinese cultural heritage.
And yes, I am aware that What Madness is This? exists, thank you very much. It has a somewhat earlier point of divergence than I would imagine the hypothetical 19th century For All Time to have -- I'd imagine it to occur sometime after 1815 (or maybe even after 1848), though if anyone has an idea for one earlier than that I am all ears.