The Time is the 1930s.  A world wide depression grips the world.  Germany 
is controlled by the National Communist Party (the NACOs), lead by Adolf 
Hitler.  Tsarist Russia continues to struggle with the Byzantine Empire, 
(Also known as the Sick man of Europe).  In North America, the Dominion 
of North America and its traditonal rival, New France struggle with 
poverty and each other as the rich dance through the night to the tunes 
of Jazz and the Big Bands.

And in the shadows, forces lurk, threating this world.  The study of 
sorcery climbs to ever new heights.  Super-dweomers so awful they are now 
banned ended the first World War.  Yet, nothing can truly guarantee they 
will not be used again.

Strange Cults lurk in the shadows, worshipping things that should not 
be.  Mad Scientists and Criminal masterminds lurk and plot their way to 
power, while scattered heroes have arisen to oppose them.  The Nacos send 
their agents searching for the keys to global rule...

The year is 1933.  



Geographical notes:

The Earth IS Hollow, and there's a sun in there and entire primitive 
civilizations.  And of course, Dinosaurs.  Jurassic park, eat your heart 
out.

Western Germany, the Alsace-Lorraine area, and portions of Northern and 
Eastern France are a messy devastated dweomerland, haunted by things that 
should not be.

Most geography is earth-normal.



Religion:

Most religions known in the 'Real World' exist in basically the same
areas.  Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism are the four largest
'umbrella' categories, each of these containing many subsects,
denominations, churches, cults, etc, etc.  


Entertainment:
Professional sports are common in Europe and the various European
Colonies.  Several international sports leagues exist, sponsoring
competitions such as the World Cup and the Olympic games.  

Movies exist and are mostly produced in black and white, though color film
technology does exist and is used occassionally for short show pieces.
Film actors and actresses are among the major idols of the day.

The big forum of popular culture, however, is Radio.  Radios are
everywhere now, and sufficiently cheap that almost anyone can afford one.
They are AM band only, which means fairly short range, but there are
hundreds of AM stations everywhere.  

Radio stations play a mixture of: Music, news, and Dramatic Programming.
The 'Soap Operas' are in full swing.  

Musically, this is the era of Jazz and the Big Bands.  Jazz originated in
New France, a blend of African and European musical styles.  The Big Bands
evolved in parallel across Western Europe, though they have reached their
'peak of perfection' in the Dominion of North America.  



Transportation:

Personal cars are starting to become more widespread, though still a
luxury item to some extent, especially due to the depression.  Major
cities have gas stations, but smaller towns often don't.

Trains are the long distance travel method of choice, ranging from the
Luxury of the Orient Express to local commuter trains.  All major cities
and most towns have a train station.

Passenger planes are starting to become popular, but are still fairly rare
and very expensive.  Only the largest cities have regular passenger plane
flights.  

Similarly, Zepplins are popular.  After several disasters in the twenties,
most Zepplins tend to be heavily enchanted to prevent explosions, but this
pushes the cost up.  Only the very major cities currently have Zepplin
service between them.

 Flying Carpets are available, but VERY expensive. They tend to come
in one, two, or four person models and can sometimes reach up to a hundred
miles per hour.  


Medicine:

Hospitals and private practicioners are the height of medical care.
However, there is a strong rivalry between Hermetics specializing in
medical magic and doctors.  Most hospitals focus on either magic or
medicine.  Magic costs more, but tends to be fairly guaranteed to work.
Assuming they've found a cure for what ails you AND identify it
correctly.  And that they haven't been paid off to do something nasty and
undetectable to you.  Though that doesn't happen TOO often.


Heroism:

One fad of recent decade is the so called 'pulp heroes'.  The popular
adventure novels have spawned a fad of heroic would be crimefighters, many
of whom die horribly.  The survivors, however, include a mix of people
with strange abilities, mages, highly trained combatants and others,
motivated by everything from the desire for glory to being insane. Noted
heroes include:

Arachnid Kid
The Cloak of Darkness
The Pearl (Female)
Solomon Walker, Mage for hire
Red Queen (Female)