"'Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds.' I suppose we all thought that, one way or another." - J. Robert Oppenheimer, 1965.
So I've an idea. Bear with me. It gets funky.
Germany. Third Reich. It's the eve of World War II. Hitler is waging lightning wars across Europe. France has fallen, Great Britain is beseiged by air strikes, and Jews across Europe are fleeing persecution. In both the United States and Germany, scientists are scrambling to discover new military technology, something that could end the war once and for all. Sound familiar?
Here’s where we deviate from history. Forget nuclear physics. Our characters stumble upon a far more terrifying discovery: magic.
Magic in this world isn’t some cutesy thing that is randomly inherited. We aren’t dealing with “elementals” or “spells.” This here is an unknowable source of power and energy. It’s terrifying. It’s chaotic. It’s unpredictable. It’s something that manifests in nature- storms, hurricanes, earthquakes, and the like. And it’s just been discovered in a laboratory.
The scientists don’t understand it. They can’t channel it very well, even in a controlled lab. Very complicated physics are required to even begin to understand it. (Yes, I’ve basically taken thermonuclear physics and called it magic instead.) But here’s the kick- those who are exposed to it start developing strange abilities that they can’t fathom or control very well.
But one thing’s for sure: the military potential is tremendous.
The plot, then, boils down to a motley group of German scientists and their allies trying to keep magical secrets out of the hands of the Nazis.
The plot possibilities, really, are endless. We could have a struggle to defect to the United States. We could have scientist-led resistance groups trying to take down the Third Reich from within (White Rose, anyone?) We could have a plan to assassinate Hitler.
We'll try to stay as historically accurate as possible, but some deviation from record is inevitable.
Some roles I have in mind:
- German scientists who struggle with loyalty to their country, sense of self-preservation, and ethical principals
- Activists bent on using magic to take down the Third Reich
- Magically-endowed German Jews in hiding
- Nazi spies infiltrating the university
This is a wonky idea, so I’m certainly open to suggestions. I think this could be cool. Hope you agree. Who’s in?
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