[TML] White Dwarfs, Black Holes & 100 Diameter

[Richard Aiken]

On Nov 6, 2007 3:07 AM, Jerry W Barrington <jursamaj at yahoo.com> wrote:
> Time travel is best avoided altogether.  :)

I'm currently reading (along with a couple of other books) an RPG
called "Continium: Roleplaying in the Yet."  It seems to be a very
well-thought-out time travel game . . . so far.  What follows is what
I've discovered this far (but note that I'm reading the rules like
you're supposed to . . . like a new time traveller . . . without
skipping ahead to the GM's section):

The "Yet" of the game's title refers to each character's personal
future, what has "yet" to happen to him.  Each time traveller is
supposed to keep very careful track of whatever he does whenever he
leaves the present, so that he can dependably do those things again
when they involve the "Yet" of his (or others) younger selves.

Let's say - for example - that he's "Down" in the past and needs a
roll of quarters.  He might open a particular drawer and - lordy! -
find a roll waiting there for him.  But he needs to make note this in
his diary.  That way, his future self can remember to bring the roll
back to the past and place it for him to find.

Now, you *can* do things differently than you're supposed to, while
you are in the past.  But doing such does two things.  Both of these -
naturally - are bad.

First, it inflicts psychological damage.  There will be two (or more)
distinctly different sets of memories about what has happened, both
equally valid, at least as far as you (and anyone else directly
witnessing same) are concerned.  This is called "fragmentation" and
accummulating enough of it will drive you insane.

Second, if the changes are significant enough, they begin to affect
future events - that famous "butterfly effect."  Time travellers
senior to you (and there are a large number who are REALLY senior!)
will notice these.  They will NOT appreciate having to come Down to
fix your mistakes for you.  Attracting their attention once is bad
enough.  Attract it more than once . . . and they're likely to
*permenantly* insure that this will be the LAST time they need to
concern themselves with you.

-- 
Richard Aiken

"Never insult anyone by accident."  Robert A. Heinlein