Update PostHere is the final version of how I will handle the prospective question: "Why can't we time travel?" in my upcoming campaign world of Onaviu. This is literally a cut and paste of my webpage.
Time Travel has become one of the most exploited subjects. No other subject has elicited as much speculation in all fields: science-fiction, romance, drama, suspense, and even theoretical physics. In this section, I cover how I handle time travel on Onaviu.
One surprising fact is that physics, as we understand them today, do not say that Time Travel is impossible. Nor do they say it is possible.
I will also be the first to admit that I do enjoy a good time travel story as much as anyone else. However, from a GM's perspective...
Then there is always the joke: If time travel were possible, then how come we haven't met any time travellers?
Into the PastAs one member on the Iron Crown Forums stated (emphasis mine):
… I don't want spells with the ability to mess with things that have already occurred to throw a campaign into chaos from the GM's perspective. If it were not for that I might let people actually change the past. …
(about halfway down in his post)
Like Corey Magel, I DO NOT want anyone, except the GM (me), to have the capability of throwing a game into complete turmoil and disarray. Especially from the GM's perspective. One major reason is because I, the GM, will be the one forced to deal with such turmoil and disarray, possibly with no help from the players, especially the one who caused such problems. One thing I learned early in my GM career is that if you give the players the capability of completely destroying your campaign's timeline, they will do so. And the one specifically who is actually responsible for doing such, will also leave the GM to deal with the mess by him/herself. The other players may help the GM, but usually the one who causes the problem also refuses to help.
Thus, before the question even arises, travelling into the past is
IMPOSSIBLE. Period. Exclamation Point. End of argument.
The past is immutable. However, one can "see" into the past. That is the best one can do.
Into the FutureTravelling into the future is a much different pile of horse hoowhee. The chances of divergence from the current timeline are incredibly drastic. And dramatic. Reasoning: The future has yet to happen and literally possesses an infinite number of infinite possibilities.
OEd100 - Mod; where Roll = unmodified open-ended d100 roll, and Mod = -1 per day travelled into the future AND any other applicable modifiers. For example (with no other mods), travelling one 365-day year into the future would mean a Total Mod of -365.
The greater the negative number, the greater the chances for more drastic divergence. Basically, time travel into the future is usually not done.
As with the past, one can "see" into the future. However, one must also remember that what is seen is
ONLY one possible future. Only Nimnaur (a god on Onaviu) has the ability to see all possible futures. Thus, the reason he is considered the darkest and most brooding of the gods. 7734, wouldn't you be if you could see all possible futures?
By no means does this mean that this topic is "dead." If others have ideas and criticisms, then please post them. I may even consider using them. Additionally, they may help others who ask "Is time travel possible? And if so, how should I handle it?"
Thanks for all of y'all's ideas and criticisms.
rmfr