Anachronistic Hearts

London is a city of startling contrasts; new buildings and affluent development went hand-in-hand with horribly overcrowded slums where people lived in the worst conditions imaginable. Your quality of life during the Victorian times depended on whether you were rich or poor.
-- Wealthy Londoners enjoyed a good and easy life;
-- Poor Londoners had a rough and hard life, often ending up in the workhouse or early death.

The Wealthy… With the economic expansion of the Industrial Revolution, there are those that made money, and lots of it… They are usually well fed, clean and well clothed…. didn't need to work… live in big houses with servants… went on holidays… their children have expensive toys and go to school.

The Poor… For all the economic expansion of the Industrial Revolution, living conditions among London's poor were appalling… They have few luxuries… eat food they can afford to buy… work long hours… live in damp, filthy conditions... and many children are, Children as young as 5 are street urchins, often set to work begging, or sweeping chimneys… many die of disease.

The countryside, set against a backdrop of rolling hills, patchwork fields, and dense woodlands, exudes a sense of both tranquility and hidden wonders. Its misty moors lend an air of mystery, with nature and emerging steampunk technology interwoven in subtle ways.

Clockwork farming equipment hums alongside steam-powered mills, their mechanical whirring a contrast to the pastoral serenity. Streams and rivers snake through the landscape, feeding into larger waterways that eventually lead back to the heart of London, acting as the lifeblood of the countryside's connection to the city.

The villages and hamlets that dot this picturesque terrain are quaint, self-contained communities, where cobblestone streets wind past cozy cottages. Some villages remain deeply traditional, holding onto their timeless customs, while others embrace the growing wave of innovation. These more forward-thinking settlements might feature wind-up clock towers that chime with precision or automaton blacksmiths laboring tirelessly in their shops. Each village has its own distinct personality, with some becoming known for crafts such as textiles, clockmaking, or the creation of intricate mechanical curiosities.

Beyond the villages, grand estates and mansions rise from the earth, their aristocratic owners living in sprawling manors surrounded by lush gardens and cutting-edge Victorian inventions. These estates are not only a testament to wealth but also a reflection of the age’s ingenuity... steam-powered lifts and greenhouse boilers are common sights.

Hidden laboratories and/or secret workshops are tucked away within these estates, particularly in the homes of eccentric inventors or reclusive scientists, their work often shrouded in mystery. Family drama brews within these grand estates, where rivalries between old money aristocrats and the up-and-coming nouveau riche industrialists threaten to spill over, each side vying for control over the future of industry and invention.

Yet, the countryside is not without its darker side.

Whispers abound of strange phenomena... unnatural fogs that seem to cling to the earth, ghostly apparitions that flicker in the corner of one’s eye, or odd mechanical creatures roaming the woods. There are rumors of secret societies holding clandestine meetings in the depths of the countryside or ancient pagan sites powered by mysterious, forgotten energies, their existence veiled in secrecy. These rumors only add to the allure and foreboding nature of the region.

Transportation throughout the countryside reflects the age’s blend of tradition and progress. Steam-powered carriages traverse the winding roads, while early prototypes of rail systems stretch their way to London. Occasionally, airships can be spotted docking at countryside landing pads or hidden outposts, their silhouettes cutting through the sky like strange, metallic birds. Traditional horse-drawn carts still make their way through the lanes, but they are now often accompanied by clockwork and automaton-driven vehicles, blending the old and the new in a dance of technological evolution.

Among the many notable locations in this mysterious countryside are places steeped in legend and intrigue.

Hollowbrook Village, known for its crystal-clear brook and renowned clockmaker’s guild, hides a cavern beneath the water, rumored to contain an ancient steampunk automaton guarding a treasure beyond imagining.

Ironstone Estate, once home to a powerful family, now lies in ruin, with secret passages that lead to a dilapidated yet still functional steam workshop, its purpose and history long forgotten. Wexley Woods is a dense, foreboding forest where the trees grow unnaturally tall and twisted, and tales of clockwork birds and eerie lights abound—though no one dares to investigate these phenomena for too long.

In Briar’s Edge Market Town, rural folk and city merchants converge, creating a lively hub of trade. The market is filled with strange wares, including clockwork trinkets, automaton components, and exotic goods brought in by airship traders.

Meanwhile, the Old Abbey Ruins, a crumbling Gothic structure overtaken by nature, draws both tinkerers and mystics, all of whom believe the abbey holds ancient, untapped power within its walls.

In the countryside, where the old world meets the new, a sense of wonder, danger, and endless possibility hangs thick in the air, making it a place both enchanting and perilous.

Established in 1815 as a testament to the Royal Airborne's engineering prowess, this district is now a sprawling hub of innovation, commerce, and intrigue.

The AeroSpace District, a towering wonder above London, is a true testament to Victorian ingenuity and ambition. It stretches outward with massive air platforms, reinforced with brass and iron, that extend over the city's outskirts. Tall spires dominate the skyline, fitted with wind gauges, steam vents, and beacon lights that guide the steady stream of airships into their docking zones. Beneath the sky-high platforms, steam pipes snake along the ground, feeding into hydraulic machinery that fuels operations, creating a constant hum of industrial progress. In this district, the cutting-edge world of air travel and steam technology is brought to life.

The AeroSpace District is also a hub of commerce and travel, with bustling markets that sell exotic goods brought from across the Empire. Rare automaton parts, alchemical concoctions, and mechanical curiosities fill the stalls, drawing both curious travelers and avid collectors.
The district boasts grand airship terminals, with luxurious lounges for aristocrats and rugged stalls for commoners, offering a space where all classes intermingle, though with a clear divide. Travel agencies here promise voyages to far-flung colonies, with their steam-powered air fleets available for those daring enough to venture beyond the known world.



The eccentric inhabitants of the AeroSpace District are as varied and inventive as the technology they create. Inventors and airship captains dwell in the district, constantly pushing the limits of airship design and steam-powered marvels. Eccentric nobles maintain private air yachts, using the elevated platforms for lavish galas and extravagant soirées. Meanwhile, on the lower platforms, street performers and vendors crowd the space, entertaining travelers with mechanical wonders, sleight of hand, and spontaneous shows of skill. The district, with its blend of industry, commerce, and personality, is alive with constant movement and innovation.

Among the notable locations within the district are:
-- The Royal Airborne Museum, a stately building that showcases the history of British air travel, featuring full-scale models of early airships and experimental designs.
-- The Aetherworks Guildhall, headquarters of the tinkerers and engineers responsible for the district’s technological marvels, is also a central hub for innovation.
-- Steamclad Square, for those seeking rare and unique items, offers a marketplace where merchants sell exotic wares brought in by airships from across the world.

Above it all, the Sky Commons presents a labyrinth of steel and smoke, precariously suspended above the city. Entire communities live within the network of suspended platforms, sky ramps, and airship docks. Homes are built into the steel framework, ranging from grand apartments for the wealthy to shanties precariously balanced on beams for the poor. Sky markets thrive in this elevated space, trading in rare spices, advanced automaton components, and illicit goods smuggled from distant colonies. The class divide is stark here, with wealthy merchants and airship magnates conducting high-stakes business in glass-encased lounges, while artists, musicians, and rogues create a bohemian enclave known as High Haven. In contrast, smugglers and criminals lurk in the smog-obscured lower reaches of the Sky Commons, trafficking goods between the Commons and the East End below.

The Sky Commons is not without its challenges. Accidents are common, with airships frequently colliding or crashing into the unstable ramps, creating a constant tension in the air. Gravity gangs, notorious for their daring rooftop chases, prey on unwary travelers, while enclaves within the commons develop their own laws, leading to jurisdictional confusion.
-- High Haven, a free-spirited community of artists and performers thrives, adding a touch of chaos to the otherwise industrial landscape.
-- Skyline Market, a sprawling bazaar, offers everything from exotic pets to experimental automata.
-- Hanging Gardens of Ealdwood, is one of the few green spaces in this industrial labyrinth, and is maintained by an eccentric botanist who uses steam-powered irrigation systems to grow exotic plants amidst the metal and smoke.

Connecting the lofty heights of the AeroSpace District and Sky Commons with the sprawling city below, the Landing Platforms serve as London's gateway between earth and sky. Steel towers with intricate gear systems extend from the ground to the Sky Commons, while massive hydraulic lifts transport cargo and passengers with a cacophony of clanking gears and hissing steam. Crisscrossing catwalks create a multi-level cityscape, where the constant flow of people and goods fills the air with energy.

The atmosphere on the landing platforms is one of organized chaos, with airship captains shouting orders, laborers unloading goods, and aristocrats descending to their carriages. Lifts are often crowded and prone to malfunction, making for perilous journeys for the unwary. Industrial smog and oil stains give the area a gritty, mechanical aesthetic, highlighting the raw, industrial nature of this transition space between the city and the sky. Workers, pilots, and merchants dominate the platforms, creating a rough-and-tumble environment, while aristocrats and wealthy travelers are escorted by private guards, keen to avoid mingling with the common crowd. Amidst the chaos, saboteurs and pickpockets lurk in the shadows, exploiting the disarray for their own gain.

Among the notable locations on the Landing Platforms are:
-- Silver Lift Terminal, a luxurious platform reserved for the wealthy, featuring opulent waiting rooms and private lifts for those of high society;
-- Cog Alley, a rough-and-tumble street where workers, mechanics, and sky pirates gather for a pint and a fight;
-- The Aether Spire, a towering structure, houses the district’s control center, ensuring the seamless operation of lifts and air traffic that maintain the flow of people and goods between the city and the skies.

These districts of London—towering, chaotic, and brimming with innovation—form a complex network of technology, class division, and intrigue, offering a rich tapestry for exploration, adventure, and discovery.

Stretching from the bustling City of London to the sprawling northern boroughs, the Northside District is the heart of London’s industry, commerce, and academic life. This district encapsulates a dynamic blend of tradition and innovation, where ancient landmarks stand shoulder-to-shoulder with gleaming steampunk contraptions and new industrial marvels. The streets pulse with activity, creating an environment where the future of the Empire is forged amid a backdrop of historic grandeur.

The labyrinthine streets and alleys of the Northside serve as both the lifeblood and the shadow of this thriving district, where commerce, pleasure, and intrigue collide. Threadneedle Street, the financial backbone of the city, is home to major banks and insurance houses where fortunes are both made and lost. Ironfang Lane, a notorious alley dimly lit by flickering gaslights, is a haven for black-market vendors trading in rare automaton parts. Meanwhile, Pennyworth Boulevard is a vibrant street filled with shops selling clockwork curiosities, high fashion, and exotic imports—drawing both the curious and the affluent.

In this district, numerous establishments cater to various tastes and needs.
-- The Brass Phoenix, a luxurious steampunk-inspired club, offers fine dining, exotic performances, and secret gambling rooms for London’s elite.
-- Gearweld’s Forge and Tavern is a working smithy by day and a raucous pub by night, frequented by inventors, mercenaries, and adventurers who seek both inspiration and respite.
-- Edison Theatre, for those seeking the arts, offers an opulent venue that showcases plays, operas, and cutting-edge “mechanized dramas” using automata, blending the classical with the futuristic.

Transportation is a key part of the Northside’s identity, with two prominent train stations anchoring the district.
-- King’s Cross Terminus, is the city’s largest and most modern station, where sleek steam trains connect London to the farthest reaches of the Empire.
-- Fogmantle Station, in contrast, is smaller and grimier, often used for illicit shipments and shadowy dealings conducted under the cover of smog.
These stations serve as vital hubs, linking the district’s industrial heart to the greater Empire.

At the heart of the Northside lies Halfrom and Holtman, a prestigious law firm founded in 1775 by Edward Halfrom and Richard Holtman. Known for its influence and power, the firm occupies a Gothic building adorned with intricate carvings of gears and scales of justice. Inside, steam-powered file archives and mechanized legal libraries assist the firm in handling eccentric and high-profile cases, such as patent disputes over airship designs and inheritance battles involving automatons. Rumors also swirl about a secretive division specializing in “ethereal law,” resolving disputes over paranormal or mystical phenomena. Whether the players are hired to investigate missing case files tied to a dangerous invention or uncover a betrayal involving a former client, the firm offers opportunities for intrigue and mystery.

The Transportation Corner is another key area within the district, where all transportation innovation and management in the Empire converge. The area boasts massive depots for steam carriages, trams, and trains, with elevated tracks crisscrossing above busy streets.
-- Airship mooring towers stand tall, designed to transfer cargo and passengers between air and land seamlessly.
-- Experimental labs dot the area, testing new propulsion technologies, including clockwork engines and hybrid aether-steam drives.
-- The Transit Engineers Guild, an influential group overseeing the maintenance and development of transportation systems, ensures smooth operations. Dr. Eleanor Cogwright, a visionary inventor, is rumored to be working on a self-propelling air carriage that could revolutionize urban transport. The district offers numerous roleplay opportunities, such as a thrilling high-speed chase across the city after the theft of a prototype steam carriage or the sabotage of a new transport system, causing tension between rival inventors.

The Metallurgy Market is another vital part of the Northside, forming the backbone of London’s industrial power. It is here that everything from airship hulls to intricate clockwork mechanisms is forged in massive foundries and workshops. The market brims with rare metals, including experimental alloys like “brassium,” a highly conductive material prized by inventors. Lord Thaddeus Ironwright, the ruthless magnate controlling the largest foundry, and Gretta Sparks, a rising metallurgist known for her lightweight, heat-resistant alloys, are among the prominent figures who operate within this market. However, rumors of a secret alloy that could revolutionize steam technology have drawn the attention of spies and saboteurs. Strange disappearances among workers also hint at a dangerous experiment hidden within the market, adding a layer of intrigue to its industrial bustle.

The Steam Management District serves as the Empire’s core for the research, refinement, and distribution of steam and its by-products. Massive boilers and chimneys tower over the district, belching steam into the London sky, while underground networks of pipes distribute steam energy to factories, homes, and transportation hubs. Research into “pressurized steam energy” promises to power even larger machines and vehicles, while experiments with steam by-products, such as “smog infusion,” aim to harness fog as an energy source. However, conflict brews between industrialists and environmental groups who protest the district’s pollution, and a mysterious explosion in a research lab raises questions about unsafe experiments. These tensions provide ripe opportunities for roleplay and conflict.



Finally, the Institution District is a bastion of education and tradition, serving as the intellectual heart of Northside.
-- Masons Hall, headquarters of the stonemasons' guild, hides a network of tunnels used for secret meetings;
-- The Infirmary and Medical Hall combines traditional medicine with steampunk advancements, offering mechanical prosthetics and other innovations;
-- The Hall of Guilds is where various guilds meet to discuss trade and innovation;
-- The Ecclesiastics Seminary Guild integrates steam-powered tools into missionary work and rituals. -- -- The Political Studies College produces the Empire’s future leaders and diplomats, but political unrest is brewing as students rally for reform, creating a setting ripe for intrigue and revolution.

The Northside District is a microcosm of London itself... full of industry, innovation, intrigue, and potential for both greatness and disaster. From the heart of commerce to the cutting-edge of technology, this district provides a stage for all manner of roleplay, adventure, and discovery.

boroughs:Barking-Dagenham, Bexley, Greenwich, Lewisham, Hackney, Havering, Newham, Redbridge, Tower Hamlets and the eastside of City; home of laborers, sailors, whores, and pimps. Seedy establishments line the decrepit honeycombs of the rookery down toward the docks. Where dreams go to die, and hell is manifested on earth.

The East End District of London is a gritty, shadowed expanse where industry, vice, and desperation collide in a whirlwind of constant motion. It’s a place where rusted steamworks loom over the docks, tangled alleys snake through the landscape, and the air is thick with smog. Life here is defined by human perseverance, mechanical degradation, and a daily struggle for survival. The streets are alive with the perpetual hum of machinery... from factories churning out low-grade steam parts to the clanking of airship docks, creating a backdrop of gritty, industrial sounds. Gas lamps fight against the thick fog, casting a dim, eternal twilight across a neighborhood teeming with vendors, street performers, and pickpockets, all blending seamlessly into the chaos.

Tis here in East End where one can watch a Tick-Tock performer, part human, part mechanical, as part of a show or performance. The term "Tick-Tock" refers to the sound of their internal mechanisms, which could include clockwork parts, gears, and springs that keep them moving or performing. These performers may be either fully mechanical automatons, crafted to mimic human movement and behavior, or they may be living people who have undergone mechanical augmentation, with their bodies enhanced by steam-powered or clockwork devices. A Tick-Tock performer could be an acrobat, dancer, or entertainer whose movements are intricately timed and coordinated, often resembling the precise mechanics of a clock. The performers might be popular for their precision and the surreal, sometimes unsettling, effect of their hybrid nature. In some cases, Tick-Tocks could also display other-worldly abilities or even malfunction, leading to drama and intrigue, such as a performer mysteriously disappearing or a malfunction causing harm during a performance.

The East End is divided into rough neighborhoods, each with its own unique character.
-- Barking-Dagenham is a district of dockyards and warehouses, where laborers and sailors hustle for a living;
-- Tower Hamlets is a sprawling warren of slums, filled with thieves, prostitutes, and struggling families;
-- Greenwich, once a respectable area, has now become a haven for smugglers using hidden docks and clockwork contraptions to move goods under the authorities’ noses. The streets are a patchwork of danger and opportunity;
-- Dockside Promenade, a bustling riverfront area, is lined with rickety piers, fishmongers, and warehouses that double as opium dens;
-- Gearshaft Lane is known for its makeshift repair shops, where desperate tinkerers and inventors labor on the cheap.
-- Black Steam Alley is a dangerous maze of backstreets notorious for its roving gangs, illegal fights, and mysterious disappearances. The cacophony of the docks fills the air with the sound of clanking cranes, shouting dockworkers, and the hiss of steam vents.
-- the Rookery, Amidst it all lies a chaotic honeycomb of decrepit tenements where families are crammed together in the face of crime, illness, and despair.

Above it all, the Mid-Air Ghettos hang precariously, with makeshift platforms and hanging shacks tethered to the Sky Commons and Landing Platforms. This dangerous, yet ingenious, community of outcasts and desperate souls survives through resourcefulness, creating unique contraptions to cope with everyday life in the air. Nearby, two train stations serve the East End:
-- Old Spindle Terminus, a decaying station used by workers and criminals alike, and
-- Ironfoot Depot, a bustling hub for cargo shipments that hides secret compartments for smuggling operations.



Amidst the gloom and struggle, there are a few spots of character and warmth.
-- The Dandy, a notorious but beloved watering hole, caters to the working class and adventurous souls from above. Its low ceilings, exposed brass pipes, and flickering gaslights create an industrial charm, while the mechanical piano in the corner plays jaunty tunes when fed with a half-penny. Miriam “Mimsy” Platt, the sharp-tongued owner, runs the pub with an iron fist and a heart of gold, and Gearhead Joe, a retired tinkerer, is always willing to trade a pint for a bit of mechanical expertise. The pub is a hotspot for intrigue... locals whisper of a pickpocket who’s hidden stolen blueprints in the pub, sparking interest from spies and thieves. Meanwhile, a mysterious traveler from the Sky Commons seeks adventurers to assist with a secret mission.

-- Henry’s Half-Penny Revue, fFor those seeking more than just a drink, offers a bawdy, boisterous show, combining low-brow entertainment with mechanical marvels. Parodies of operas, magicians performing steampunk tricks, and automaton acrobats performing death-defying feats fill the stage. The venue’s bright gaslight chandeliers throw chaotic shadows over crimson velvet curtains, and the air smells of cheap booze, sawdust, and the occasional puff of steam from malfunctioning automatons. The revue is rife with mysteries... one patron’s strange death during a show has sparked rumors of cursed automatons, and the disappearance of one of the dancers has left behind a cryptic note and a broken gear.

-- Twisted Board Pub, for those who crave tales of adventure, offers a haven for sailors, airship crew, and adventurers. Its ramshackle walls are covered in maps, ship wheels, and bizarre trinkets from far-off lands. The centerpiece is a cracked wooden table shaped like a ship’s deck, around which regulars gather to swap stories. Here, Captain “Salty” Burns, a one-legged airship captain, claims to have discovered a floating island powered by steam, while Bridget the Brave, a former barmaid turned adventurer, is always ready to challenge anyone to an arm-wrestling match. The pub is a place where rumors abound... one sailor tells of a lost treasure airship, sparking a race to find it, while a fight breaks out between rival crews, threatening to spill into the streets unless someone intervenes.



The East End is full of dark secrets and rumors, ready to be uncovered by those daring enough to dig deeper.
-- The Disappearance of Steam Children has left families in the rookery desperate, with strange mechanical noises reported at night;
-- Meanwhile, a gang from the mid-air ghettos plans a Clockwork Coup, aiming to seize control of an airship dock and throw the district into chaos;
-- Beneath the docks, rumors swirl of a hidden workshop, sparking a deadly rivalry among inventors determined to claim its secrets
-- And at Henry’s Revue, a Half-Penny Conspiracy emerges when a Tick-Tock performer reveals knowledge of a secret society manipulating East End politics. (Tick-Tock performer is part human, part mechanical acrobat, dancer, or entertainer)

In the East End District, every shadow hides a story, and every corner turns into an opportunity for adventure... if you’re brave enough to seize it.

The River Thames is not just a waterway... it's the lifeblood that courses through the heart of London. In 1875, it mirrors the soul of the city: both romantic and gritty, inspiring yet corrupted by the industrial revolution. On its surface, sleek airships glide above the constant hustle of ferries and river traffic, while beneath the murky waters, dark secrets and mechanical marvels stir. The Thames holds the promise of adventure, but also whispers of illicit activities, hidden treasures, and dangerous encounters.

Along the Embankments, the South Bank Promenade provides a respite from the chaos, a place where couples and philosophers gather to gaze at the river, and artists display their work alongside clockwork musicians. The gentle hum of the city contrasts with the sounds of street performers and vendors hawking trinkets. In stark contrast, the North Bank Docklands is a gritty industrial heart, where steam-powered conveyor belts buzz and "Smokehands"... dockworkers weathered by hard labor... work tirelessly in the ceaseless rhythm of the factories and warehouses.


The Bridges of the Thames are iconic in their design and significance.
The Iron Span Bridge, a magnificent creation of riveted steel and brass, is a transit hub for trams, pedestrians, and even small dirigibles docking mid-air. The bridge is adorned with massive clockwork statues of mythical creatures, their movements a spectacle during festivals. Beneath its shadowy arches, pickpockets, eccentric inventors, and secret meetings thrive. On the other hand, the older Blackstone Crossing is covered in thick fog and steeped in urban legends. It is home to beggars, smugglers, and ghostly tales of clockwork spirits, while floating shanties beneath its arches house a hidden, outcast community.

The Thames Docks are the lifeblood of London’s trade and intrigue.
-- Port Steamwright, the largest dockyard along the Thames, is a hive of activity, with airship mooring towers and steamships constantly in motion. It’s here where Dockmaster Reginald Crane oversees operations with the help of Steamclads, mechanized dockworkers.
-- Nearby, Fogreach Pier is shrouded in secrecy, known for its shadowy dealings and rumors of hidden underwater bases used by secret societies.

Life on the river is ever-changing, with steam ferries ferrying passengers and goods, mechanical barges carrying heavy cargo powered by paddle wheels and clockwork engines, and low-flying airships offering a bird's-eye view of the Thames or ferrying cargo between the river and the Sky Commons. Cultural life thrives along the banks as well, with seasonal Thames Fairs transforming floating barges into marketplaces or stages, while river races fuel fierce gambling rivalries. Sailors spin stories of River Spirits, mystical, mechanical creatures like clockwork mermaids or krakens lurking beneath the water.

Crime and intrigue simmer along the Thames as well.
-- The Rivermen’s Guild, a ruthless smuggling syndicate, controls much of the illegal flow of goods, from automatons to aether-powered devices.
-- The Steam Wraiths, a terrifying gang known for ambushing cargo ships under the cover of fog, are rumored to be searching for an ancient, sunken clockwork artifact. There are whispers of ships vanishing without a trace, leaving only the faint hum of a broken steam engine. And strange mechanical creatures, dismissed as the ramblings of drunken sailors, begin to wash up along the riverbanks.

The Rusty Rivet Tavern, a dive bar near the docks, is a popular hangout for sailors, laborers, and adventurers alike. Its walls are made of salvaged ship parts, and a clockwork kraken serves as its centerpiece. Maggie “Ironfist” Harker, the no-nonsense landlady, keeps rowdy patrons in check while serving hearty ales and stews. For those seeking the high life, the Gearwater Opera House is a luxurious floating venue on the South Bank, where steam-powered instruments and mechanical ballet dancers grace the stage. But beneath the opera house’s gilded exterior lies a darker side, with dealings involving smugglers and black-market inventors. Down the river, the Tideforge Foundry churns out metalworks and steam engines, and rumors swirl of secret experiments involving automatons and aether-powered energy sources conducted in the foundry’s lower levels.

The River Thames teems with possibilities for adventure and danger alike. The disappearance of the Iron Swan, a steamship carrying priceless cargo, near Blackstone Crossing sparks questions of piracy, sabotage, or something more sinister. Whispers of a Clockwork Kraken attacking barges along the river stir fear and fascination in equal measure. Dockworkers rally against oppressive working conditions, threatening to shut down the docks if their demands are not met. Meanwhile, strange noises and flashes of light at Fogreach Pier hint at forbidden experiments or covert operations beneath the surface. Each ripple in the Thames conceals a new mystery... one waiting to be unraveled.

The Central District of London stands as the very heart of the Empire... a bustling convergence of ambition and struggle, where progress clashes with tradition. Its streets pulse with the sound of steam carriages, the hiss of aether vents, and the voices of people chasing both their dreams and schemes. Amidst the coal-darkened rooftops and towering spires, opportunities beckon, and entertainment thrives, making this district the lifeblood of a city alive with energy and intrigue.

Brasslight Avenue is the main artery of the Central District, bustling with activity throughout the day. Lined with elegant shops, tea houses, and steam-powered carriages, it draws a middle- and upper-class crowd. The avenue hums with life, especially at night when gas lamps flicker to life. Inventors proudly showcase their latest gadgets in shop windows, drawing crowds of curious onlookers eager for the next marvel.

A stone's throw away, The Gilded Row offers the height of luxury and exclusivity. Its narrow alleyways house private clubs and parlors reserved for inventors, politicians, and aristocrats. Behind closed doors, rumors swirl about secret societies and covert dealings shaping the future of the Empire.

Far less glamorous but full of character, Fogfell Lane is a twisting maze of narrow alleys that connects markets and workshops. It’s a place where workers, tinkerers, and less-than-reputable characters mingle amidst the air thick with oil, soot, and spices. Street vendors hawk mechanical curiosities, exotic wares, and just about anything that might catch the eye of the unsuspecting.

At the heart of London’s political machinations lies the Britannia Political District, where the Empire’s steampunk government holds sway. The House of Steam and Aether serves as Parliament, an impressive structure powered by intricate brass machinery and aether conduits. Pneumatic tubes whir between floors, carrying messages and secrets, while massive clockwork mechanisms keep time. Politicians arrive in steam-carriages or airship pods, their movements as grand as the building they enter. A few blocks away, the Imperial Records Hall houses a wealth of classified documents, patents, and military decrees, guarded by automatons that tirelessly patrol the archives. Some say within its vaults lie blueprints for dangerous aether-powered devices, far too secret to see the light of day. In Tyburn Square, the pulse of the city is tangible, with public announcements, parades, and protests filling the square. A mechanical "steam-crier" bellows the day’s news, amplifying the voices of the people through a network of gears and cogs.

The Theater District brings a vibrant flair to the Central District, offering something for every taste. The Grand Automaton Theater is a luxurious venue where clockwork performers and steam-powered special effects dazzle audiences during operas, plays, and musicals.

For those looking for something rowdier, The Sooty Stage offers vaudeville acts, comedy, and acrobatics. It’s famous for its fire-breathing steam juggler, “Ignis the Infernal,” who draws large crowds nightly.

Meanwhile, the Phantasm Emporium offers a unique experience, combining aether-powered illusions with mechanical wonders to create otherworldly spectacles that baffle and delight.

Scotland Yard complex serves as London’s bastion of law and order, blending the old and new. The Inspectorate of Mechanized Justice is a division that uses automatons, analytical engines, and steam-powered magnifiers to solve crimes. Under the leadership of Chief Inspector Emmeline Hawthorne, a brilliant and unconventional detective, the Yard is as much about innovation as it is about enforcement. The Armory of Innovation houses a collection of experimental weapons, including pneumatic grappling hooks and steam-pulse rifles, while the Criminal Archives is a labyrinthine vault containing the records of London’s most notorious criminals, locked away behind aether-powered security systems.

The Traditionals Management Markets cater to the city’s agricultural and culinary needs. Cobbleford Market is the largest open-air market, brimming with fresh produce, livestock, and handmade goods. Steam-powered carts navigate the narrow streets, transporting wares from the countryside to the bustling city. For landowners and entrepreneurs, the Ironroot Exchange serves as the central hub for negotiating leases and purchasing agricultural machinery. A clockwork auctioneer runs the show, conducting lively bidding wars that draw a crowd. If a sweet tooth calls, Steamed Sweets Pavilion offers a haven for those looking to indulge in candy crafted with steam, creating intricate sugar sculptures and desserts that are as much art as confection.

At the opposite end of the spectrum lies Military Square, the Empire’s military heart. The Barracks of the Imperial Vanguard houses both traditional soldiers and the newly-formed Mechanized Guard. Here, soldiers train alongside steam-powered war machines and prototype aether-powered armor. The Drillfield of Gears is where military drills, parades, and combat demonstrations take place, showcasing steam tanks and armored walkers in public exhibitions. Freelancers and adventurers often gather at the Mercenary Guildhouse, a place where they can find work ranging from security details to the retrieval of valuable artifacts.

The Central District is not only the city’s political and cultural epicenter... it is a place where intrigue, secrets, and danger often walk hand-in-hand. The Missing Clockwork Blueprint is the talk of the town... one of the Empire’s most coveted secrets has gone missing from the Imperial Records Hall. Who stole it, and for what purpose?

In the Theater District, a Theater Saboteur seems intent on targeting performers or their inventions, and accidents are becoming suspiciously frequent. Meanwhile, the Smokehand Riots are escalating as dockworkers, fed up with their working conditions, spill into the streets in protest. In Military Square, whispers of a Mysterious Military Machinery being developed has spies and saboteurs flocking to the area, eager to uncover... or disrupt... the Empire’s latest creation. Lastly, a newly discovered Hidden Tunnel in Fogfell Lane leads to an ancient clockwork device, its purpose unknown but its power undeniable. The heart of London beats with secrets, and only the brave... or the foolish ...will uncover them.

The parks and gardens of London provide a verdant escape from the city’s coal-black skies and the endless hum of industry, offering places of calm and reflection amidst the chaos of progress. These green spaces, while deeply connected to nature, have been subtly infused with the spirit of innovation that defines the era. Majestic trees stand beside mechanical wonders, while winding paths beckon those seeking respite. Yet, as with every corner of London, these parks are not without their mysteries. Beneath the tranquil canopies and beside serene waters, shadows gather, and secrets stir, waiting for the right eyes to uncover them.

Regent Park, a sprawling oasis partially within Westminster, serves as a nexus of leisure, scientific discovery, and invention. Among its highlights, the London Zoological Menagerie stands out, offering revolutionary enclosures powered by aetheric heating systems and advanced containment mechanisms. Clockwork caretakers assist zookeepers with the care of dangerous or exotic creatures, and mechanical wonders such as the “Steam-Drakes” ... clockwork replicas of mythical beasts... entertain crowds of curious children and inventors alike. Beneath the zoo lies a hidden laboratory, rumored to experiment with the blending of biological and mechanical life. Meanwhile, the Royal Aviary, a massive dome housing exotic birds, is enhanced by steam-powered climate control that allows visitors to rent personal ornithopters to explore the dome from above. The Path of Progress is a curated walkway where inventors and artists display mechanical sculptures inspired by nature, and some whisper that a few of these sculptures may possess sentience, quietly observing the crowds that pass them by.

Hyde Park is one of London’s most famous green spaces, offering both traditional relaxation and cutting-edge innovation. The Great Exhibition Grounds is home to a permanent display area that showcases steampunk marvels, with aether-fueled holographic displays recreating the famous moments of the Exhibition’s history. Nearby, Speaker’s Corner becomes a battleground for orators, with speakers often outdoing one another through the use of mechanical props and clockwork automatons that assist in delivering speeches. As night falls, rumors swirl of secret meetings and illicit deals taking place in the shadows. The Steam-Lagoon Boathouse offers a serene getaway, where gondolas powered by quiet steam engines float on the still waters. However, by night, the lagoon transforms into a venue for covert rendezvous, and the whispers of hidden negotiations echo beneath the water’s surface.

In the heart of Kensington Gardens, the relocated Crystal Palace stands as a crown jewel, blending the natural world with technological marvels. The Grand Hall, a multifunctional space for symposiums and gala events, features floating chandeliers powered by silent aetheric engines that adjust their brightness to suit the mood of each event. Weekly debates on innovation versus tradition draw intellectuals and eccentrics from all corners of the Empire. The Aether Arboretum, an experimental greenhouse utilizing aether-powered systems, grows rare plants from across the world. Some of these plants glow faintly, bathing the space in an eerie, otherworldly light. Surrounding the Palace is Crystal Heights, a community of floating villas and elegant townhouses, where artistic residents combine natural forms with mechanical enhancements in their designs.

Far from the grandeur of Kensington, Cremorne Gardens in Chelsea is a microcosm of London’s dual nature... refined by day and debauched by night. The Dancing Platform is a grand space where waltzes and polkas are performed to the accompaniment of a steam-powered orchestra, its brass players and percussion sections moving with eerie precision. The Thames Boating Pavilion offers a popular spot for couples and families to rent steam-powered boats, though hidden beneath the docks is a gambling den accessible only to those in the know. After sundown, the gardens transform into a haven for vice. The Iron Pit hosts brutal fights, where both human and mechanical combatants test their mettle. In the shadows, the Gilded Serpent Tavern serves as a hub for smugglers and spies, drawing those who deal in the Empire’s darker undercurrents.

The River Thames runs through the heart of London, connecting these parks and serving as both a transportation route and a place of recreation. In its polluted sections, the river bears the scars of industrial progress, choked with soot and waste.

Despite this, inventors regularly test experimental water-purification devices in its depths, hoping to restore some semblance of purity. Mutations among the river’s creatures have sparked rumors of monstrous aquatic beings lurking beneath the surface. Yet in the quieter, less-industrialized stretches near the parks, the Thames retains a magical beauty. Moonlit reflections on the water often create an almost serene atmosphere, and riverfolk whisper of ghostly airships that appear on the river’s surface, their images mirroring the skies above.

At the heart of the Empire lies Westminster, a district steeped in power, royalty, and high society. The streets hum with the calculated energy of progress, lined with grand structures of governance, royal residences, and elite institutions. Here, the gears of the Empire turn with unyielding precision. From the bustling opulence of the West End to the hallowed halls of Parliament, Westminster embodies both the dream and burden of modernity. The very air is thick with diplomacy and ambition, where whispered secrets in shadowed alcoves shape the fate of the Empire.

Westminster’s streets are a patchwork of wide boulevards, narrow alleys, and opulent establishments, each catering to its distinct class of inhabitants. Whitehall, the district’s main artery, connects the Palace of Westminster to the vibrant West End. It teems with high-society figures, foreign diplomats, and shadowy operatives conducting the Empire’s hidden business. Beyond its grandeur, dim-lit alleys conceal establishments like the Quill & Crown Tavern, a favored haunt for political figures seeking discretion. In the West End, the glittering heart of high society, fashionable boutiques and exclusive clubs thrive alongside theaters such as the Aetheric Theatre, renowned for its performances augmented by steam-powered marvels. At the Golden Owl Café, aristocrats gather for lively conversation, served by elegantly crafted, steam-powered waiters. Neighboring Westminster, train stations like Victoria Station and Charing Cross provide points of arrival for dignitaries and royals, offering luxury and anonymity. Behind the grand facades, venues like the Grand Railway Club host private discussions, sealing deals far from public scrutiny.


The Royal Museum, a sprawling institution brimming with treasures from across the Empire, serves as a hub for intellectuals and imperial pride. Its Statue Garden immortalizes the Empire’s greatest figures in marble, bronze, and clockwork. Rumors abound that some statues whisper secrets or shift subtly, embodying the spirits of their subjects. Within the Great Gallery of Wonders, artifacts like ancient clockwork automata and aether-powered inventions captivate visitors. Exhibits evolve dynamically, leaving spectators in awe, while whispers of a lost artifact capable of revolutionizing steam technology fuel intrigue.

At the forefront of progress, the Royal Polytechnic molds the minds driving London’s innovations. Its Steam-Powered Lecture Hall dazzles with mechanical projectors and clockwork assistants aiding in lessons. Students showcase inventions, with the most promising receiving backing from private investors or government officials. In the Industrial Workshop, the clatter of tools fills the air as the next generation of inventors works to revolutionize airships, automatons, and beyond. Tales of secret, unapproved experiments in the Polytechnic’s shadowy corners only add to its mystique.

Dominating the skyline, Westminster Abbey blends spiritual gravitas with political intrigue. Its Confession Chambers serve as a sanctuary where clergy and aristocrats discuss matters of morality and scandal in hushed tones. The enigmatic Whispering Altar, said to discern the thoughts of those before it, remains shrouded in secrecy.

Meanwhile, Big Ben, a symbol of punctuality and power, stands as both a marvel of steampunk engineering and a bastion of imperial control. Hidden within its Mechanism Chamber, select engineers maintain the clock’s intricate gears, rumored to encode secret messages capable of altering London’s destiny.


Across from these bastions of influence lies Buckingham Palace, the Empire’s royal seat. Its Royal Court dazzles with grand state parties, veiling conspiracies and rivalries behind layers of pomp. The Ballroom of Kings, famed for its opulence, hides secret chambers where the most guarded royal secrets are said to lie. In the Queen’s Parlour, private audiences are granted amidst walls adorned with ancestral portraits. Some whisper that the Queen’s counsel extends beyond her ministers, guided by a clockwork automaton advisor attuned to the Empire’s intricate political landscape.

In Westminster, the wheels of progress turn ceaselessly, grinding ambition, power, and secrets into the lifeblood of the Empire. Each street and shadow holds a story, waiting for those daring enough to step into the fray.

The West End stands as the embodiment of Victorian London's refinement, luxury, and leisure. Nestled southwest of the River Thames, this district radiates opulence through its grand boulevards, fashionable streets, and the finest theaters and entertainment venues. A stark contrast to the grit and toil of the East End, the West End offers an escape for the affluent, blending artistic indulgence with the marvels of steam-powered technology and electric innovation. The streets glow with an almost ethereal light, casting a spell of wealth and wonder, while whispering secrets of both splendor and intrigue.

Beneath its polished veneer lies a labyrinth of grand avenues and hidden corners. Here, the affluent stroll past exclusive boutiques, cafes, and arcades along bustling thoroughfares like Oxford Street. The quieter alleys, however, hold clandestine ateliers and clubs, revealing the district's penchant for exclusivity and innovation. Off Oxford, one might stumble upon the Golden Spindle, a tailoring shop famed for crafting elite wardrobes infused with steam-powered accessories. Regent Street, meanwhile, plays host to theaters and decadent shops, where the Steam Carousel dazzles with mechanical artistry, while shadowy establishments cater to more subversive tastes.

Further west, The Crescent exudes quiet refinement, with aristocratic homes equipped with aether-powered communication systems ensuring privacy. Here, secretive gatherings at venues like the Grand Mask offer spaces for aristocrats and inventors to strike unsanctioned deals under the guise of masquerade balls.

The district’s cultural heart, Trafalgar Square, bustles with life around its iconic National Gallery, where steam-powered art comes alive, and statues whisper secrets of hidden societies during the winter solstice.

At Piccadilly Circus, glowing electric lights illuminate a hub of commerce and entertainment. The Aetheric Theater offers plays that blur the lines between the mechanical and the real, while mediums in nearby parlors conduct seances with devices like the Spirit Clockwork, claiming to bridge the gap between the living and the dead. Beneath these luminous streets, cafés buzz with the murmur of adventurers exchanging stories and secrets.

Covent Gardens adds an eclectic flair with its vibrant markets and cultural landmarks, like the Royal Opera House, which blends traditional performances with mechanical innovations. Street performers and the enigmatic Masked Troupe entertain with mechanical marvels, while the nearby St. Paul's Church remains a hub for the city’s theatrical elite.


For those seeking indulgence, establishments like The Aphrodite and The Four Points offer luxury and escapism.
-- The Aphrodite provides lavish dining and mechanical dance spectacles, while its Gentleman’s Club whispers of secretive alliances and illicit trades.
-- The Four Points tantalizes with its gaming parlor, where fortunes, inventions, and reputations are risked on the turn of a card, and its Moonlit Parlor, a haven for clandestine deals.

The Southside District sprawls along the southern banks of the River Thames, a turbulent and diverse expanse defined by industry, grit, and a shadowy undercurrent of criminality. In stark contrast to the opulence of Westminster or the affluence of the West End, Southside wears its scars openly... a testament to the resilience and struggles of its working-class roots. The air here is heavy with coal smoke and the tang of the docks, where commerce thrives amidst the relentless clang of industry. Yet, beneath this bustling surface lies a dark labyrinth of lawlessness, ruled by criminal syndicates and shaped by the unrelenting struggle for survival.

The streets of Southside reflect this duality. Lambeth High Street, once lined with stately homes, is now a hub of industry and vice. Steam-filled markets offer dubious wares, from stolen goods to aether-infused potions promising everything from power to death. The Lambeth Steampunk Carriage Workshop, cloaked in secrecy, crafts unique vehicles rumored to run on engines powered by unearthly forces. Nearby, Vauxhall Walk teems with sailors and rogues, its famous taverns like the Broken Lantern acting as clandestine centers of trade and intrigue. Hidden backrooms host deals involving rare steam components and perilous secrets, while gambling dens like The Iron Barrel cater to the whims of Southside’s underworld.


The River Thames splits London into two parts; the southern part includes many historic central areas of the south boroughs. South London is only served by a small section of the London Underground, although the overland train network is excellent.

Along the southern Thames, in River Thames South-by-East, a darker narrative unfolds. The river, thick with filth and veiled in a perpetual mist, conceals a world where corruption festers unchecked. The Rookery, infamous for its narrow, steam-shrouded streets, is a haven for gangs plotting their rise in the Chamber of Murmurs. Beneath it, an intricate network of tunnels links to forgotten crypts and smuggling routes, offering refuge to those desperate enough to navigate its treacherous passages. Even deeper lies The Underwaters, a subterranean realm where outcasts have built secret communities beneath the river’s stagnant surface. Here, the enigmatic Sewer Queen’s Court presides over a bizarre court of criminals and exiles, brokering dark deals and weaving threads of influence through the city’s veins.


Tavern Row offers no reprieve from Southside’s shadowy allure. The infamous street caters to every vice, from drunken revelry to black-market dealings. The Blue Devil is a chaotic dive where brutal underground fights draw crowds of gamblers and outlaws. Its hidden Shadow Market teems with illicit weapons and stolen artifacts, a hive of activity for the city’s most dangerous denizens. For those seeking a more exotic experience, The Gilded Tumble offers debauchery tinged with the macabre, its cyborg courtesans and the mesmerizing Steam-Dancer attracting patrons who dare to indulge in the bizarre.

The Southside District is a crucible of ambition, crime, and survival, where every shadow hides a story and every alley holds a secret. Only the boldest dare to tread its perilous streets, seeking fortune or redemption in a world where danger is a constant companion.

Still referred to by conservatives as “Great Britain”... but the countries are more like conglomerates with their own socio-politico-capitalistic agenda. To the Liberals, ”Pax Britannia” appeared to be an advantageous maxim.


Liverpool stands as a bustling port city, a marvel of industrial might and maritime trade. The streets hum with the energy of a booming economy, where the influence of steam engines is palpable in the towering gantries and the hissing cranes lining the docks. From the innovative Rocket Yard, where experimental steam-powered vessels and airships rise and fall, to the gritty Steamworkers' Quarter, alive with the clang of hammers and the murmur of rebellion over pints in the Iron Lung Pub, Liverpool is a city of contrasts. Its cultural renaissance flourishes in the Steam Academy of Arts and the Liverpudlian Orpheum Theatre, where innovation and creativity meet the industrial pulse of the city.

With large volumes of trade passing through cities, and the construction of major buildings reflected wealth in Liverpool and Manchester, who became the first cities to have an intercity steam-powered rail link, through the Liverpool and Manchester Railway. The population continued to rise rapidly, especially from the 1840s when Irish migrants began arriving by the hundreds of thousands as a result of the Great Famine.

By the mid-to-late 19th century, the wealth of Liverpool exceeded that of London, and Liverpool's Custom House was the single largest contributor to the British Exchequer. Liverpool was the only British city ever to have its own Whitehall office. Liverpool also played a major role in the Antarctic sealing industry, in recognition of which Liverpool Beach in the South Shetland Islands is named after the city.

Accomplishments in Liverpool were numerous, beginning with the first School for the Blind, Mechanics' Institute, High School for Girls, council house, and Juvenile Court were all founded in Liverpool. Charities of various kinds all evolved from work in the city.
-- The first lifeboat station, public bath and wash-house, sanitary act, medical officer for health, district nurse, slum clearance, purpose-built ambulance, X-ray medical diagnosis, school of tropical medicine (Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine), and steam-motorized municipal fire-enginee, all originated in Liverpool.

In Plymouth, the rise of steam-powered ships has transformed the naval town into a hub of industrial expansion. The Royal Dockyard is alive with the sound of ironclad steamships under construction, while the nearby Steam Horn Tavern serves as a crossroads for engineers and investors alike. Plans for groundbreaking technologies are born here, scribbled on napkins over heated debates.



For good or ill, Scotland has horrified, mystified, and-or inspired since its earliest beginnings, all the way into the steam era. The Victorian era brought huge changes to everyday life in Scotland. The advent of the railway shortened journey times and opened up areas of the country previously out of reach to most people, as taking holidays in the Highlands and the Trossachs became popular with those who could afford it.

Scotland's cities are no less alive with the promise and peril of the steam age. Edinburgh thrives as a seat of intellect and innovation, where the Royal Society of Edinburgh hosts experiments that blur the line between science and the supernatural. The Aetheric Observatory probes the mysterious "aether," while the South Bridge Vaults below the city harbor dark secrets, whispered tales of mechanical life, and strange aetheric disturbances. Meanwhile, Greyfriars Churchyard beckons those brave enough to explore its haunted history, where the past and the occult collide.


In the Highland capital of Inverness, steam technology merges with the misty myths of the land. Loch Ness stirs with rumors of strange shapes beneath its waters, possibly the result of daring steam-powered exploration. The Highlands Engine works produces tools and transport for the region, its designs a mysterious fusion of advanced engineering and local lore.

In Glasgow severe public health crisis caused by rapid Scottish urbanization and industrialization, particularly in cities like Glasgow. Overcrowding, fueled by population surges, resulted in appalling living conditions, characterized by slum areas with inadequate housing and nonexistent sanitation. Glasgow, for instance, had only ten water closets at one point, illustrating the dire scarcity of basic amenities.


The unsanitary environment bred diseases such as typhus, typhoid, and cholera, with the latter arriving through trade connections with the Empire. Cholera epidemics were devastating, with the first in 1832 killing 3,000 people in Glasgow alone. These outbreaks highlighted the link between filth and disease, which Glasgow’s doctors first demonstrated in 1842. However, meaningful public health reforms only began after subsequent cholera epidemics in 1848 and 1853.

A turning point came in 1855 when compulsory registration of births, deaths, and marriages provided data that allowed health officers to link high death rates to poor sanitation. This evidence helped persuade Glasgow to implement an ambitious engineering project, bringing clean water from Loch Katrine and constructing an extensive sewage system. These improvements began to mitigate health and sanitation issues in the city.

Smaller Scottish towns, however, were slower to adopt such measures, often resisting the costs of sanitation reforms. Cities like Glasgow became leaders in public health, establishing Sanitary Departments and appointing Medical Officers. These officials enforced vaccination and removed unsanitary waste, despite public resistance. Over time, such initiatives marked a critical shift toward improving urban health.


Skye, and her surrounding islands, were the retaliation of Mother Nature when the geological events, and its affects, were felt by everything and everyone. Pure Earth's steam, not the generated facsimile.

The Isle of Skye was much different than her kinsmen of other cities and locales. For years, due to the segregation of Scotland Main, those of the Analytical Heritage Party and the Science and Technology Party (STP) ruled most of the area. The lands managed by Sir Edward Robertson were turned into industrial magnates.

Then Mother Nature had enough damage done to Mother Earth... and she rebelled with violent odd freaks of nature, shifts in the earth’s core and mantle plates, and volcanos have developed, causing severe damage and deaths... Mother Nature, in some areas, was reclaiming what was hers..

In the Isles of Skye, the rugged landscape remains a bastion of folklore and invention, where steam-powered airships are tested among the crags of the Old Man of Storr, and the grandeur of Skeabost House showcases Victorian splendor amid the island's wild terrain.


NeuStruan
NeuStruan (New Struan ) is a large city of such modern designs. Designs that can be called radical; but truly is the shining star in the Science and Technology Party (STP)’s repertoire of new foundlings. NeuStruan, with a population of around 75,000, is situated on the west coast of the island, on the shores of Loch Beag, itself an inlet of Loch Harport, near the old city of Struan. The old city destroyed by decades of war, then infested with disease. It was the STP that offered a new life to those in the area willing to break away from five centuries of tradition. NeuStruan is powered by the machinations of steam, including the STPs most effective elevators and doors.



Sléibhte
Sléibhte (Sleat) is still the home of the powerful clan "MacDonald of Sléibhte". The name comes from Sléibhte, Scottish Gaelic for a “plain”, which well describes Sleat when considered in the surrounding context of the mainland, the mountain range on the Skye mainland and the sky mountains of Rhum, all dominate the horizon all about Sleat. The predominate fixture of the city is the Church, the last dominion of the once powerful Roman Catholics.



Eilean Leòdhas agus na Hearadh
And the Isle Lewis-Harris has been inhabited for an extraordinary long period of time, where history was history before it was ever written. Gone are the once plentiful golden eagle, red deer and seals... its beautiful scenery now replaced by an active steam volcano.



Stornoway, on the Isle of Lewis, originally a Viking settlement and developed around its well sheltered natural harbor, the town was spurred by the construction of the castle by the MacNicol family, themselves of Viking descent. Infighting between rival clans continued until Robert the Bruce brought it under control of Scotland. Stornoway had become a world leader in shipbuilding naval warships and cargo vessels. But as with all great intentions, there are those who would take the good intention down a wrong path. James du’Chere and his Mafioso connections grew like wildfire in the shipping industry… and here five and half centuries later…



Destroyed by war, greed, and the unexplained explosions on the sea-bed, the large city was destroyed by tidal waves and a volcano. Beside the last operating pier, thrives a settlement of less than 250 people. Some say they are further developing steam machinations, using byproducts of the volcano.


Isles of Rùm and Rona
Rhùm had been inhabited since the 8th millennium BC and provided the earliest known evidence of human occupation in Scotland. The early Celtic and Norse settlers left only a few written accounts and artifacts. But it would be the explosions on the sea-bed that would nearly destroy the Isles of Lewis-Harris, Rona, and Rum… Now by some odd freak of nature, supposedly shifts in the earth’s core and mantle plates, a volcano has developed and large chunks of land now float above the island. The rich and those seekers of fortune soon develop ways to use the volcano and means to get to the sky islands.



Gambler’s City
Gambler’s City is a village of about 515 people of various trades and is a sky merchant center. One of the first merchants to inhabit one of the odd freaks of nature, supposedly caused by shifts in the earth’s core and mantle plates.



Wentworth Castle in the Sky
Wentworth Castle in the Sky Another one of the freaks of nature, supposedly caused by shifts in the earth’s core and mantle plates. Again, in 1550, the earth shook, and this castle shifted on its foundations… and in 1785, it moved 3 meters… and in 1850, yet in a disturbed by another violent earth shudder, it broke free, entotale, from its earthly bounds, now floating 1200 feet in the air.


Subsumed into the Pax Britannica, the Irish gained no distinctive identity of its own in the world of steam. But conversation and actions actually occurred as part of the struggle of the Fenian ascendancy into the STP against the British colonial powers.

As a consequence of the Rebellion of 1798 and the re-organization of Britain and Ireland into the United Kingdom, the Irish Parliament was pressured to abolish itself. From that point on, Irish representatives would be sent to Westminster and direct rule would be imposed. Many in Ireland were skeptical of these events, especially when equal rights for Catholics failed to materialize. Presbyterians were also wary of the new United Kingdom, but, within a generation many of these Protestants became ardent supporters of the union, having benefited from it economically. In the 19th century, Belfast became Ireland's pre-eminent industrial city with industries in linen, heavy engineering, tobacco and shipbuilding dominating trade. Belfast, being situated at the western end of Belfast Lough and at the mouth of the River Lagan, was an ideal location for the shipbuilding industry, which would eventually manifest in the Harland and Wolff steam company. Harland and Wolff were one of the largest steam-shipbuilders in the world employing up to 35,000 workers. Surviving the Famine of the 1840s, Ireland developed into the Irish Republic under United the Kingdom... and so the technological companies began to invest in the city of Belfast and Cardiff, while the remainder of the country remained agrarian.


In Belfast, the Harland & Wolff Shipyard crafts mighty steamships that embody the city's industrial pride, while the Belfast Aetheric Emporium draws inventors and industrialists eager to wield the power of steam and aether in their creations.

Across the Irish Sea, Dublin pulses with the energy of industrial innovation and rebellion. The sprawling Dublin Steamworks drives Ireland’s advancements in aetheric engines, while nearby districts resound with protests against mechanization. O’Connell Bridge serves as a clandestine meeting place for revolutionary groups, teetering between tradition and the Empire’s growing influence.

Cardiff became an industrial city... coal infested atmosphere eventually was cleaned by Mother Nature, and steam clouds replaced the darker clouds... industry would live on... and the people? Well, you may wish to investigate yourself.


With an unforgiving landscape & no easy access, Wales is able to remain pastoral rather than industrial. Emphasis on livestock means the practice of seasonal migration between pastures, allows high mobility & difficulty to control.

Wales was ruled by factions of both the Analytical Heritage Party and the Science and Technology Party (STP), thus ruling most of the area in the name of Queen and Country. The lands were turned into industrial magnates; except the Marshes, were industry ne’r tread for fear of financial loss.


Wales, too, thrives in this age of steam. In Cardiff, the coal mines and ironworks dominate the landscape, fueling the Empire's machines. The Abercynon Iron Works stands as a symbol of industrial might, while the nearby Bute Park offers a serene escape, home to a grand steam-powered conservatory filled with exotic plants from across the Empire.

In Holyhead, the docks connect Britain and Ireland, brimming with intrigue and tension as steam-powered ships patrol the smuggling routes. Here, the Temple of the Druidic Engineers blends ancient Welsh traditions with steam technology, claiming to balance the spiritual and industrial forces at play.


Across these cities, the steam age hums with opportunity, mystery, and danger. Whether delving into the shadowy vaults of Edinburgh, unearthing secrets beneath the misty hills of Inverness, or navigating the power struggles in Liverpool’s docks[/b][/color], adventurers find themselves at the heart of a world on the cusp of transformation.

England has *accepted* the Industrial Revolution with both the good and the bad; while mainland Europe seeks the opportunities to profit, and as such former countries seek allies, and consolidate against the machinations of Britannia.

The consolidated steam enterprise of France, Belgium, and Dutch Republic. The inability to compete in the steam-induced industrial revolution, France began consolidating steam enterprise ventures with Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Dutch Republic. Paris, Lyon, Bordeaux, Brussels, Marseille, and Amsterdam were prime steam-industry product cities, while the Agrarian Party was able to unite the farmers and ranchers by controlling the Federation’s food industry.

Paris

Lyon
Bordeaux

Brussels
Prime City of the Belgian-Dutch Amalgamate

Marseille
Amsterdam
Legate of the Dutch Republic

The consolidated steam alliance of Spain and Portugal. The inability to compete in the steam-induced industrial revolution, Spain and Portugal entered unto consolidated steam enterprises. Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, and Lisbon were prime steam-industry product cities.

The union of these two countries was the dynastic union of the Kingdom of Portugal and the Spanish Crown. The kings of both countries had married into families of the Naturalist Improvement Party and who truly believes in the true intersection of both mediums, the Agrarian and Technology. In this merger of socio-politico groups, there has been a great improvement in improving food growth, supporting medicinal growth, and charitable endowments. They are also favorite with many scientists who are not extremists in either direction.

Madrid
But Madrid was the opposite of her sister city. Madrid took on the brutish waves of technology, but was able to properly manage requirements of industry.

Barcelona
Barcelona is a prime example of what visionaries in the Alliance feel is best for the people of both kingdoms. Architecture and the Agrarian lifestyle truly have seemed to merge in this city.

Valencia

Lisbon

The Empirical enterprise of Germany, Yugoslavia and Austria, with Berlin, Koln, Vienna, Bern, Sarajevo as the prime steam-industrial product cities.

Reich Deutschösterreich is a historically prominent German – Austrian state. Following a prolonged struggle in Germany between liberals, who wanted a united, federal Germany and Austria under a democratic constitution, and conservatives, who wanted to maintain Germany as a patchwork of independent, monarchical states with Austria competing for influence. One small movement that signaled a desire for German unification in this period was the Burschenschaft student movement, by students who encouraged the use of the black-red-gold flag, discussions of a unified German nation, and a progressive, liberal political system. Because of Austria's size and economic importance, smaller states began to join its free trade area in the 1820s. Germany benefited greatly from the creation in 1834 of the German Customs Union (Zollverein), which included most German states but excluded Austria.

In 1848, the liberals saw an opportunity when revolutions broke out across Europe, and joined the German version of Britain’s The Analytical Heritage Party, Burschenschaft. Alarmed, King Frederick William IV agreed to convene a National Assembly and grant a constitution. When the Frankfurt Parliament offered Frederick William the crown of a united Germany, he accepted on behalf of all Germans.

The two decades after the unification of Germany were the peak of fortunes, but the seeds for potential strife were built into the political system. The constitution of the German Empire was a slightly amended version of the North German Burschenschaft's constitution. Officially, the German Empire was a federal state. The Hohenzollern German Empire could include more than three-fifths of the Austrian territory and two-thirds of its population. The Imperial Hohenzollern German Army was, in practice, a united army, that bolsetered benefits that could include the other kingdoms (Bavaria, Saxony and Württemberg), as well, while Austrian remnants of their Empire was vastly diminished. The imperial German crown was a hereditary office of the House of Hohenzollern, but the empire itself had no right to collect taxes directly from its subjects; the only incomes fully under federal control were the customs duties, common excise duties, and the revenue from postal and telegraph services. While all men above age 25 were eligible to vote in imperial elections, Germany retained its restrictive three-class voting system.

The Austrian Empire functioned as an absolute monarchy until the Revolutions of 1852, after which forced Austria’s monarchy to forfeit to the rights of the people who wanted unification with Germany, and incorporating a Ministerpräsident (prime minister). The Reich Deutschösterreich 1862 Constitution established a two-chamber parliament. The lower house, or Landtag, supported by Britain’s Agrarian-Populist Party (APP) and the Pastoral Union Labor Party (PULP), represented all taxpayers, who were divided into three classes according to the amount of taxes paid. This allowed just over 25% of the voters to choose 85% of the legislature, all but assuring dominance by the more well-to-do elements of the population. The Erste Kammer (First Chamber or upper house), supported by members of Britain’s Analytical Heritage Party and Science and Technology Party (STP), retained full executive authority and ministers were responsible only to the Ministerpräsident.

Witnessing the unification of the Austrian and German government, Yugoslavia, now a failing state made a business arrangement with the stronger imperial organization and joined the Empire thru a treaty.


Berlin
Capital city of the German-Austrian Empire, which includes the Empirical enterprise states of Germany, Yugoslavia, and Austria

Koln
Cologne is the Prime city of the German Amalgamate

Vienna
Prime city of the Austrian Amalgamate

Bern
Prime city of the Swiss Amalgamate

Sarajevo
Prime city of the Yugoslav Amalgamate

The consolidated steam alliance of Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Greenland, Iceland, the Isles of the Barents and Kara Seas with a steam-industry capital in Stockholm.

Rome, Vatican City
Religion has always been a dominating social factor, and this same religious domination can be seen… marked by The Church in the Vatican City which developed such an influence in politics as well as religion that it became difficult to separate the two. Thus, such power began to absorb the other religions a piece at a time, until none remained as any resemblance of their former glories. Religions were reduced to mere conclaves. The tyrannical power of the Church fostered many problems (lack of space, not relating to its people, hypocrisy, etc.) and created an air where a variety of dissenting groups could form and develop. The atmosphere of the High Church compared to that of the dissenting groups explains why the shift of religion occurred with such a large response. In the High Church, funding came from the wealthy, which in turn gave them a piece of the church as property—pews. These pews were branded with a family name and would pass from generation to generation. If the family moved, the pew would remain vacant not open for others to sit in! This left the lower classes to standing rooms or sitting on the floor -- neither of which leave a person feeling morally or spiritually uplifted.

Rome and the Vatican City became a wealthy, and brilliant, example of cleanliness, technology, and religion merged... on top. Beneath its layer of prosperity lay the subsurface scum of criminality.

Venezia
Venice, the Venetian amalgate

Palermo
The representative of the Sicilian Amalgamate

Cagliari
The representative of the Sardinian Amalgamate

The steam confederacy of Prussia, Poland, Czechoslovakia, and Hungary. The Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union was an agreement among the Prussia, Poland, Czechoslovakia, and Hungary that served as its first constitution of the new mid-European steam confederacy. A guiding principle of the Articles was to preserve the co-dependence of each one of the sovereign signatory states. The central government established by the Articles received those powers which the former sovereign signatory states had recognized as belonging to one steam-industrial corporate nation with prime cities in Knigsberge, Warsaw, Budapest, and Prague.

Knigsberge
Major city in the Prussian amalgamate.

Warsaw
Capital of the Confederacy and representative of the Polish amalgamate.

Budapest
Representative of the Hungarian amalgamate.

Prague
Representative of the Czech amalgamate.

The steam federation of the Ukrainian amalgamate and the Russian Economical Districts of Tsentralny (central), Uralsky (Urals), Kavkazsky (Caucasus), Povolzhsky-Vyatsky (Volga-Vyatka), Sibirsky (Siberia), and Chernozyomny (Black Earth).

Moscow Capital city of the Russian Federation and representative of the Russian satellite amalgamates.

Kyiv
Kiev is the representative of the Ukrainian and steppes of the Black Sea Amalgamates

The consolidated steam alliance of Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Greenland, Iceland, the Isles of the Barents and Kara Seas with a steam-industry capital in Stockholm.

Stockholm Capital of the Scandanavian Alliance

The American continents, both north and south, are making their own way with technology; though they seem unable to compete. Steam-industry capitals in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Montreal, Brasilia, Buenos Aires, and Lima.

The technological and industrial history of the United States describes the American emergence as one of the most technologically advanced corporate-nations in the world, only behind Pax Britannia. The availability of land and literate labor, the absence of a landed aristocracy, the prestige of entrepreneurship, the diversity of climate and large easily accessed upscale and literate markets all contributed to America's rapid industrialization. The availability of capital, development by the free market of navigable rivers and coastal waterways, as well as the abundance of natural resources facilitated the cheap extraction of energy all contributed to America's rapid industrialization. The technological and industrial development in the United States was facilitated by a unique confluence of geographical, social, and economic factors. As time passed and steam-technology burgeoned, the use of coal and other fuels, lessened... In competition with Pax Britannia, the US opened borders to Canada and Mexico to facilitate trade and ideas... within a few years, major companies began to invade the countries of Central America and South America. Cities like New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Montreal, Brasilia, Buenos Aires, and Lima became powerful partners, far outreaching those of the frozen northlands, deserts and jungles of the southlands.

New York The northeastern steam amalgamate of the American Partnership

Chicago The northcentral steam amalgamate of the American Partnership

Los Angeles
The northwestern steam amalgamate of the American Partnership

Montreal
The Canadian steam amalgamate of the American Partnership

Brasilia The southeastern steam amalgamate of the American Partnership

Buenos Aires The southcentral steam amalgamate of the American Partnership

Lima
The southwestern steam amalgamate of the American Partnership

In order to successfully compete in the world steam industry, the peoples living in the land of East Asians, Southeast Asians, South Asians and Oceanians, where China, Mongolia, Japan, Han Gul, and the Southern Thais leading the way, have banded together to form the Asiatic Empire, and are prime contenders in the Steam market and Airship business; and amalgamate countries seek allies, and consolidate against the machinations of Pax Britannia, with steam-industry capitals in Tokyo, Sydney, Auckland, Shanghai, Bombay, and Jakarta.

This Asiatic Empire is an imperialist concept which was developed in the Tokyo and propagated to Asian populations, extending across the Asia-Pacific and promoted the economic and cultural unity of all Asians and Oceanians. It also declared the intention to create a self-sufficient bloc of Asian nations which would be led by the leader of each nation formulated into a governing bloc that would also be free from the rule of Western powers, and the ability to compete with Pax Britannia in the world’s steam industry.

The lands of China, Mongolia, Japan, Han Gul, and the Southern Thais have banded together and are prime contenders in the Steam market and Airship business; and amalgamate countries seek allies, and consolidate against the machinations of Britannia.

Tokyo Northern Empirical city of the Asian Steam Empire and representative of the Japanese Amalgamate

Sydney Southeastern Empirical city of the Asian Steam Empire and representative of the Australian Amalgamate

Auckland Southern Empirical city of the Asian Steam Empire and representative of the New Zealander Amalgamate

Shanghai Central Empirical city of the Asian Empire and representative of the Chinese Amalgamate

Bombay Western Empirical city of the Asian Steam Empire and representative of the Indi-Pakistani Amalgamate

Jakarta Southwestern Empirical city of the Asian Steam Empire and representative of the Indonesian Amalgamate

The African Territories are a rich resource of conservative, untouched wealth and a big resentment of advancement.

The African Territories are a rich resource of conservative, untouched wealth and a big resentment of advancement. Prime cities in the loose alliance are Cairo, Casablanca, Jerusalem, Nairobi.

Africa has the longest and oldest economic history. As soon as human societies came into existence, so did economic activity. Even then there was considerable trade that could cover long distances, with evidence of trade in luxury items across the entirety of the continent were the main trades of the Berber people, lived in dry areas and became nomadic herders, while in the savannah grasslands, cultivated crops and thus permanent settlement were possible. Agriculture supported large towns, and eventually large trade networks developed between the towns.

While some level of trade had been ongoing, the rise of cities and empires made it far more central to the African economy. North Africa was central to the trade of the entire Mediterranean region. Outside of Egypt, this trade was mostly controlled by the Phoenicians who came to dominate North Africa, with Carthage becoming their most important city. The Greeks controlled much of the eastern trade, including along the Red Sea with Ethiopia. In this region a number of Greek trading cities that were established acted as a conduit for their civilization and learning.
The forests of West Africa also became part of trade networks. Much trade in the forest kingdoms was done at the local level, typically by ordinary people at local markets.

Then came the years of colonization by the European powers, literally dividing the *Dark Continent* amongst themselves for the riches the lands could afford.

As steam and industry merged in Britain, and rapid industrialization spread like wildfire through the world to compete, controlled countries in Africa, sought freedom from European... European countries as well as world neighbors found nations realigning as steam-technology took, and the socio-politico cultures it formulated was changing the Earth and its national structures. Pacts, Alliances and Confederations were increasingly developing...political conflict erupted into civil war in some countries, particularly the undeveloped lands of Africa... and the political instability kept some economies mired for many years. Some African governments faced practical problems in implementing industrial change as they attempted rapid modernization of their economies; costing and mismanagement problems in agricultural, manufacturing, and other sectors meant the failure of many projects. One result was African countries becoming increasingly dependent upon foreign food imports.

Cairo
central representative of the Sahara and Eqyptian Amalgamate

Casablanca
Capital of the Western African Territorial Alliance and representative of the Moroccan-Congo Amalgamates

Jerusalem
Capital of the Saudi Alliance and representative of the Eastern African Territorial Amalgamate

Nairobi
Capital of the Southern African Territorial Alliance and representative of the Kalahari-Bulawayo Amalgamates