T I M E L I N E
Greetings.
The following information is highly confidential. Do not share this letter with anyone else.
You have been selected to participate in, quite possibly, the most anticipated event in all of human history. The risks are great and your doubts are certainly many, but I can assure you that your (please excuse the pun) time will be well-spent.
Due to the unfortunate circumstances we are currently dealing with, I have no time to “fluff-up” the facts or present them to you in any suspenseful matter. All I ask is that you find a comfortable place to sit, alone, before you read the next sentence.
Time travel, a whimsical concept that has been touched upon by countless writers, scientists, historians, and movie producers across the globe, is now possible. In fact, it has been for several years. Six years ago, our scientists at Critech successfully sent a guinea pig a minute back in time. Since then, groups of four employees have explored Ancient Egypt, observed the construction of the Great Wall of China, and witnessed the first gunshot of the American Revolution.
Now it’s your turn.
We are asking that you temporarily drop your studies, training, teaching, or whatever it may be immediately, and arrive at the front door of our headquarters tomorrow by 6:00 AM (Mountain Timezone). Sooner is better, for what we are dealing with at the moment is an emergency, and we desperately need your help.
You will see also enclosed within this envelope a plane ticket to ensure your speedy travel, free of cost. Pack what you will need for the plane ride only and nothing else, for we will provide the rest. A hired taxi driver will be waiting at the airport to drive you to the facility. If everything goes as planned, tomorrow will be the only day you will be absent from home: tomorrow night you may fly back. This is due to the wonders of time travel.
We cannot expect you or any of the other selected participants to arrive tomorrow. If, for some unimaginable reason, you do not wish to travel back in time to the place many of you have dedicated your life to studying, you can simply stop reading, zip your lips, destroy this document, and return to your tedious life of teaching, learning, training, or whatever your job requires. On the other hand, I’m sure that most of you will snatch up this opportunity with zeal. In that case, read on.
How has the world been so unaware that time travel is indeed a reality, you may ask? I must be brief on my explanation, for as I mentioned, this is an emergency and I am pressed for time. However, explaining these things to you via this letter will save the precious time needed to prepare you for your adventure. (Time is still priceless, mind you, even with the invention of time travel.)
I’m fairly certain that every employee here at Critech knows how to keep a secret, even a secret as great as ours. After all, not one press member has ever alighted upon the doorstep of our headquarters with any idea of what was brewing underground. That’s partially due to the fact that we’re located on and below a plot of sandy dunes somewhere in the middle of Arizona, where the temperature seldom drops below one hundred degrees and rain falls but once a year. I know for sure that when one scrap of truthful information about the Critech Company leaks out into the public, we’ll be on the national news within ten minutes. It’s something we have been dreading for a very long time. Our time for fame will come, but not yet.
Yesterday was Critech’s first annual “Bring Your Kids to Work Day,” and as a whole it went smoothly. But then I permitted several families to stay overnight, and that’s where I really messed up. We hadn’t planned on extending the event into a sleepover, and that’s what I told one of the scientists when he asked if his wife and two children could stay the night. But as he politely pressed me I saw his point: we were in the middle of the desert, far from any of the workers’ homes, the overnight workers’ dormitories were spacious enough, and there was still a lot to show the wide-eyed kids. I foolishly gave into that one scientist, and gradually ended up allowing seven more families to stay. Seven, dammit!
Before I give myself a concussion from repeatedly banging my head on this desk, I’m going to spit it out as quickly as I can.
Three of the smartest kids that stayed at the facility managed to time-travel themselves to their most adored times in history and the first one went to the American Old West in 1871 and the next one headed to 1095 in Medieval Europe and the last one went to visit the Han Dynasty.
We need your help. They need your help.
And strangely enough, time is of the essence.
Warmest regards,
John Paulsen
President of Critech Co.
T H E H A N D Y N A S T Y
Ancient China- a land filled with philosophy, agriculture, and knowledge. A civilization which set the standard for almost all future Asian cultures. However, being nearly two millennia in the past, this won't be just anybody's cup of tea. With nation torn apart, warmongering generals, deadly assassins, and scheming diplomats; the helpless kid who came here with pleasure (and no small amount of noodles) in mind just stumbled into one of the bloodiest wars in history...
Character slots~
Spoiler! :
T H E M I D D L E A G E S
Welcome to Medieval Europe, the land of princesses, castles, and cool guys like Robin Hood. On the other hand, it’s also the land of the Black Plague, the bloody Crusades, and malicious knights in rusted armor. This poor kid who thought it might be fun to hang out with knights or looked forward to catching a glimpse of a fire-breathing dragon is in for a surprise. A big surprise.
Character Slots~
Spoiler! :
T H E O L D W E S T
It’s only a few centuries from the time we know as home. Cattle peacefully graze along fertile plains and are driven through dust storms and clouds of locusts. Young cowboys and gunslingers gamble, drink, and debacle, eventually taking their disagreements to the middle of the street at high noon. Native Americans resort to war in order to reclaim their precious land, the land that they owned first. It’s a classic Western film from the fifties - until a bit of sci-fi is thrown in and a kid from 2015 enters the scene.
Character Slots~
Spoiler! :
EXPLANATION OF CHARACTERS
-The KID should be somewhere between ages 8-12. They’re the intelligent son or daughter of an employee at the Critech Time-Traveling Lab.
During their overnight stay, the three kids somehow manage to successfully transport themselves to their favorite parts in history, expecting that their parents would come and rescue them right away. Although their parents are more than eager - desperate, really - to risk their lives to go and save them immediately, strict time-traveling regulations say that a professional historian and an armed guard must be in tow.
-The PARENT is a brilliant worker at the Critech Lab, who rather foolishly showed their kids a little too much about time-traveling. They’re probably a scientist or engineer who works on improving the time-traveling system. Gladly, they step up to join the expedition to find their child.
-The HISTORIAN is one of the best experts in the world in regards to knowledge about their specific time period. Naturally, they would be absolutely thrilled to be able to visit the actual point in history.
-The ARMED GUARD is a specially trained fighter who is there to protect the parent, historians/paleontologists, and kid once they find them. They should probably have specific training for whatever time period they are traveling to. For instance, the guard venturing into the Old West will probably know how to handle rifles and pistols extremely well, particularly while on horseback. The one for the Middle Ages would be an excellent archer, swordsman, and lancer.
-The CHINESE ASSASSIN/MONGOLIAN WARRIOR, MEDIEVAL KIDNAPPER, and the OUTLAW KIDNAPPER are, essentially, the prime antagonists in the Han Dynasty, Middle Ages, and the Old West, respectively. They’re what makes it rather difficult to find and rescue the kid.
-The loyalties of the MEDIEVAL PEASANT, EMPEROR'S SON/DAUGHTER, and the NATIVE AMERICAN are up to you. They can either try to help the rescuers or assist the kidnappers.
There are different character forms to fill out for different characters, so when you have reserved a slot and are ready to create your character, be sure to choose the right one.
Form for the Kids and Parents:
Spoiler! :
Form for the Historians and Armed Guards:
Spoiler! :
Form for everyone else:
Spoiler! :
At the beginning of each post, please remember to state your character’s full name and the setting. If you want to use the precise code I'm using, try this:
- Code: Select all
[b][small-caps][size=175]Character Name[/size][/small-caps][/b]
[i]Time Period: Specific Setting[/i]
To reserve a character, discuss the plot, or ask a question, head to the DT: Timeline DT
For simplified information on each of the time periods featured in this storybook, check out this WFP.
Note: This storybook is inspired by Michael Crichton's novel of the same title, hence the name of the time-traveling company, Critech.
Above all, have fun (and follow the rules)!
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