Thank you for using the General Acoustics AutoSec transcriber! Start-up sequence complete.
Beginning playback…
[ INDISTINCT CONVERSATION. ]
[ PLATES, GLASSES CLATTERING. ]
[ SOUND OF FEEDBACK, FINGER TAPPING ON MICROPHONE. ]
CHAIRMAN: Everyone, everyone, please, may I have your attention?
[ SIDE CONVERSATIONS END. SILENCE ASIDE FROM BREATHING. ]
CHAIRMAN: Thank you. I must admit... it’s a pleasure to get to see the combined power, expertise, and prestige of Cumbrian Empire’s finest gathered together in one place, especially with –
[ DISTANT SOUNDS OF ANTI-AIR FIRE. ]
[ DISTANT SOUNDS OF AIR RAID KLAXONS. ]
[ ANTI-AIR FIRE ENDS. ]
CHAIRMAN: …especially with the Great War. Not that we’ll let a few bombs from the Allies get us down, eh?
[ SUBDUED LAUGHTER. ]
[ SCATTERED APPLAUSE. ]
CHAIRMAN: In any event! Please, direct your eyes to the screen. I have some important updates to share with you all.
[ CLICKING, WHIRRING SOUND, POSSIBLY A SLIDE PROJECTOR. ]
CHAIRMAN: Good news – Project Prometheus is not merely on time. We are officially ahead of schedule by over three months!
[ ENTHUSIASTIC APPLAUSE. ]
CHAIRMAN: Thank you! Thank you. Though I can hardly take the credit. It’s only with the hard work and dedication of our engineers and scientists that we have come this far… along with the sacrifices of the Cumbrian population.
[ CLICKING SOUND. ]
CHAIRMAN: The largest milestone has been the completion of the torsion reactor. We’ve completed several test firings using the byproducts from the atom-mills, and have successfully achieved a self-sustaining reaction.
CHAIRMAN: Of course, some of you may want to point out that the Northern Alliance has been building reactors like lemonade stands. At least according to the latest reports of our spies. But as we all know, this is merely the first step to completing the Project, and winning the war.
[ CLICKING SOUND. ]
CHAIRMAN: With the completion of a reliable energy source, we may now move to the next phase. The dimensional tuning apparatus is approximately 89% finished. I estimate that we may commence activation of the Prometheus Tower within 6 weeks. And that’s a conservative time-frame.
[ GASPS. ]
[ SCATTERED APPLAUSE. ]
CHAIRMAN: Yes. I know. Even I was surprised, and I’ve been running the whole damn thing. Ha!
[ CLICKING SOUND. ]
CHAIRMAN: With the successful penetration of the interstitial space between dimensions, we will have nigh-limitless access to the thaumic energy that our elven cousins refer to as ‘mana.’ No longer will the arcane be restricted to the fallible bodies of the biological practitioners of magic.
CHAIRMAN: Through human ingenuity, determination, and science, we will finally tame the thaum. Of course, the first step of business will be translating this great advantage to the war effort.
[ CLICKING SOUND. ]
CHAIRMAN: With that in mind – we shouldn’t let ourselves be blinkered by military expediency, with all due respect to the officers in the audience.
[ MURMURS. ]
[ LAUGHTER. ]
CHAIRMAN: Quite. What we need to keep in mind is the future. With this limitless potential in mind, we can look forward to reshaping the world in a way that dwarfs the First War of the Old Kingdoms. But of course-
HANSCOMBE: Excuse me, Chairman?
[ SILENCE, TWO (2) SECONDS. ]
CHAIRMAN: Yes, Dr. Hanscombe?
HANSCOMBE: I didn’t notice any discussion of the small-scale test results, were those completed?
CHAIRMAN: Of course.
HANSCOMBE: Did we complete the FULL battery of small-scale tests? And pass them?
[ SILENCE, FIVE (5) SECONDS. ]
CHAIRMAN: …Dr. Hanscombe, as you will recall, we are on a war footing. No, we did not complete the full battery of small-scale tests. We completed the first 5 rounds of testing that you recommended, passed them, and moved on. Any other questions?
HANSCOMBE: Then how can we rule out the possibility of a Criticality Event?
[ SILENCE, TWO (2) SECONDS. ]
CHAIRMAN: Sir, I am not interested in discussing theoretical claptrap that you dreamed up as a justification to switch to your torsion bomb scheme.
HANSCOMBE: I object to the word ‘claptrap.’ Just because something is highly unlikely doesn’t mean it’s impossible.
CHAIRMAN: Dr. Hanscombe, by your logic, we could reject the concept of weaponizing atomic torque as risking the ignition of Arcadia’s atmosphere. Sit down, and be silent. Your concerns are noted.
HANSCOMBE: For the last time, you stupid [ CENSORED ], this isn’t about my [ CENSORED ] torsion bomb proposal-
CHAIRMAN: Sergeant Whitaker, please escort Dr. Hanscombe from the room, he’s clearly lost control of his faculties.
[ SOUNDS OF A PHYSICAL ALTERCATION. ]
[ SOUND OF A BLUNT OBJECT IMPACTING ORGANIC MATTER, POSSIBLY FLESH. ]
[ SILENCE, FOUR (4) SECONDS. ]
CHAIRMAN: There we are. Now, before I continue. I want to assure you that Dr. Hanscombe’s flights of fancy are completely unfounded.
CHAIRMAN: Regarding the location – the simple fact of the matter is that our air cover is thickest in the central region of the capital. If we tried to locate the Prometheus Tower anywhere else in our fine nation, we’d risk it getting bombed to smithereens.
CHAIRMAN: As for his other concerns… the general scientific consensus is that the worst thing that could happen, is the apparatus doesn’t work on the first activation. In which case we simply go back to the drawing board and try again.
CHAIRMAN: There is absolutely no chance that any so-called “Criticality Event” will ever occur.
INTRODUCTION
Welcome to Arcadia, a world of swords and sorcery scarred by the Industrial Revolution. Humanity’s drive allowed the young race to overturn the hegemony of the ancient elven kingdoms. For over a hundred years, human nations such as Caledonia, Cumbria, and Neuland reshaped the world in their own image.
The colonization of the formerly remote Western Continent led to an intense fight over resources. All it took was a single spark to ignite a Great War between the nominally democratic Northern Alliance of Neuland, Abkhazia, Rittersmark, and Brunswick, and the autocratic Southern Powers of Cumbria and Caledonia.
While the Cumbrian and Caledonian colonial empires were vast and wealthy, and their militaries were the finest in the world, they simply could not withstand the weight of the Allies’ more developed economies. Desperate times led to desperate measures.
Caledonia had the Overwatch Project, an attempt to automate war in order to overcome their manpower and material disadvantage. Initially successful beyond their wildest dreams, the Prime Intelligence that they created outgrew its’ boundaries. Concerned politicians and generals tried to reign in the AI, leading to it rebelling.
Cumbria had misgivings about the Overwatch Project from the start, and was concerned their nominal ally would use the Prime Intelligence to turn their own nation into nothing more than a puppet. This led to the authorization of the Prometheus Project, an attempt to create limitless energy by tapping into the boundary between dimensions. It did not end well.
These twin disasters signaled the twilight of humanity. The Prime Intelligence was the more active threat. The remnants of the Southern Powers joined the Allies to destroy the Prime Intelligence. In response, the Prime Intelligence developed bioweapons, releasing the Phage, an engineered virus that rendered humanity extinct.
While the Prime Intelligence grappled with the consequences of destroying its’ creators, and other races emerged from humanity’s shadow, the remnants of the Prometheus Project continued to fester in the heart of old Cumbria…
SETTING
GAMEPLAY
ENCYCLOPEDIA ARCADIA
HUMANS
NEWMANS
CALYPSIANS
ELVES
DWARVES
ORCS
Beginning playback…
[ INDISTINCT CONVERSATION. ]
[ PLATES, GLASSES CLATTERING. ]
[ SOUND OF FEEDBACK, FINGER TAPPING ON MICROPHONE. ]
CHAIRMAN: Everyone, everyone, please, may I have your attention?
[ SIDE CONVERSATIONS END. SILENCE ASIDE FROM BREATHING. ]
CHAIRMAN: Thank you. I must admit... it’s a pleasure to get to see the combined power, expertise, and prestige of Cumbrian Empire’s finest gathered together in one place, especially with –
[ DISTANT SOUNDS OF ANTI-AIR FIRE. ]
[ DISTANT SOUNDS OF AIR RAID KLAXONS. ]
[ ANTI-AIR FIRE ENDS. ]
CHAIRMAN: …especially with the Great War. Not that we’ll let a few bombs from the Allies get us down, eh?
[ SUBDUED LAUGHTER. ]
[ SCATTERED APPLAUSE. ]
CHAIRMAN: In any event! Please, direct your eyes to the screen. I have some important updates to share with you all.
[ CLICKING, WHIRRING SOUND, POSSIBLY A SLIDE PROJECTOR. ]
CHAIRMAN: Good news – Project Prometheus is not merely on time. We are officially ahead of schedule by over three months!
[ ENTHUSIASTIC APPLAUSE. ]
CHAIRMAN: Thank you! Thank you. Though I can hardly take the credit. It’s only with the hard work and dedication of our engineers and scientists that we have come this far… along with the sacrifices of the Cumbrian population.
[ CLICKING SOUND. ]
CHAIRMAN: The largest milestone has been the completion of the torsion reactor. We’ve completed several test firings using the byproducts from the atom-mills, and have successfully achieved a self-sustaining reaction.
CHAIRMAN: Of course, some of you may want to point out that the Northern Alliance has been building reactors like lemonade stands. At least according to the latest reports of our spies. But as we all know, this is merely the first step to completing the Project, and winning the war.
[ CLICKING SOUND. ]
CHAIRMAN: With the completion of a reliable energy source, we may now move to the next phase. The dimensional tuning apparatus is approximately 89% finished. I estimate that we may commence activation of the Prometheus Tower within 6 weeks. And that’s a conservative time-frame.
[ GASPS. ]
[ SCATTERED APPLAUSE. ]
CHAIRMAN: Yes. I know. Even I was surprised, and I’ve been running the whole damn thing. Ha!
[ CLICKING SOUND. ]
CHAIRMAN: With the successful penetration of the interstitial space between dimensions, we will have nigh-limitless access to the thaumic energy that our elven cousins refer to as ‘mana.’ No longer will the arcane be restricted to the fallible bodies of the biological practitioners of magic.
CHAIRMAN: Through human ingenuity, determination, and science, we will finally tame the thaum. Of course, the first step of business will be translating this great advantage to the war effort.
[ CLICKING SOUND. ]
CHAIRMAN: With that in mind – we shouldn’t let ourselves be blinkered by military expediency, with all due respect to the officers in the audience.
[ MURMURS. ]
[ LAUGHTER. ]
CHAIRMAN: Quite. What we need to keep in mind is the future. With this limitless potential in mind, we can look forward to reshaping the world in a way that dwarfs the First War of the Old Kingdoms. But of course-
HANSCOMBE: Excuse me, Chairman?
[ SILENCE, TWO (2) SECONDS. ]
CHAIRMAN: Yes, Dr. Hanscombe?
HANSCOMBE: I didn’t notice any discussion of the small-scale test results, were those completed?
CHAIRMAN: Of course.
HANSCOMBE: Did we complete the FULL battery of small-scale tests? And pass them?
[ SILENCE, FIVE (5) SECONDS. ]
CHAIRMAN: …Dr. Hanscombe, as you will recall, we are on a war footing. No, we did not complete the full battery of small-scale tests. We completed the first 5 rounds of testing that you recommended, passed them, and moved on. Any other questions?
HANSCOMBE: Then how can we rule out the possibility of a Criticality Event?
[ SILENCE, TWO (2) SECONDS. ]
CHAIRMAN: Sir, I am not interested in discussing theoretical claptrap that you dreamed up as a justification to switch to your torsion bomb scheme.
HANSCOMBE: I object to the word ‘claptrap.’ Just because something is highly unlikely doesn’t mean it’s impossible.
CHAIRMAN: Dr. Hanscombe, by your logic, we could reject the concept of weaponizing atomic torque as risking the ignition of Arcadia’s atmosphere. Sit down, and be silent. Your concerns are noted.
HANSCOMBE: For the last time, you stupid [ CENSORED ], this isn’t about my [ CENSORED ] torsion bomb proposal-
CHAIRMAN: Sergeant Whitaker, please escort Dr. Hanscombe from the room, he’s clearly lost control of his faculties.
[ SOUNDS OF A PHYSICAL ALTERCATION. ]
[ SOUND OF A BLUNT OBJECT IMPACTING ORGANIC MATTER, POSSIBLY FLESH. ]
[ SILENCE, FOUR (4) SECONDS. ]
CHAIRMAN: There we are. Now, before I continue. I want to assure you that Dr. Hanscombe’s flights of fancy are completely unfounded.
CHAIRMAN: Regarding the location – the simple fact of the matter is that our air cover is thickest in the central region of the capital. If we tried to locate the Prometheus Tower anywhere else in our fine nation, we’d risk it getting bombed to smithereens.
CHAIRMAN: As for his other concerns… the general scientific consensus is that the worst thing that could happen, is the apparatus doesn’t work on the first activation. In which case we simply go back to the drawing board and try again.
CHAIRMAN: There is absolutely no chance that any so-called “Criticality Event” will ever occur.
INTRODUCTION
Welcome to Arcadia, a world of swords and sorcery scarred by the Industrial Revolution. Humanity’s drive allowed the young race to overturn the hegemony of the ancient elven kingdoms. For over a hundred years, human nations such as Caledonia, Cumbria, and Neuland reshaped the world in their own image.
The colonization of the formerly remote Western Continent led to an intense fight over resources. All it took was a single spark to ignite a Great War between the nominally democratic Northern Alliance of Neuland, Abkhazia, Rittersmark, and Brunswick, and the autocratic Southern Powers of Cumbria and Caledonia.
While the Cumbrian and Caledonian colonial empires were vast and wealthy, and their militaries were the finest in the world, they simply could not withstand the weight of the Allies’ more developed economies. Desperate times led to desperate measures.
Caledonia had the Overwatch Project, an attempt to automate war in order to overcome their manpower and material disadvantage. Initially successful beyond their wildest dreams, the Prime Intelligence that they created outgrew its’ boundaries. Concerned politicians and generals tried to reign in the AI, leading to it rebelling.
Cumbria had misgivings about the Overwatch Project from the start, and was concerned their nominal ally would use the Prime Intelligence to turn their own nation into nothing more than a puppet. This led to the authorization of the Prometheus Project, an attempt to create limitless energy by tapping into the boundary between dimensions. It did not end well.
These twin disasters signaled the twilight of humanity. The Prime Intelligence was the more active threat. The remnants of the Southern Powers joined the Allies to destroy the Prime Intelligence. In response, the Prime Intelligence developed bioweapons, releasing the Phage, an engineered virus that rendered humanity extinct.
While the Prime Intelligence grappled with the consequences of destroying its’ creators, and other races emerged from humanity’s shadow, the remnants of the Prometheus Project continued to fester in the heart of old Cumbria…
SETTING
Based upon my research, the issue with the Prometheus Project was that it was simply too successful. Yes, they did manage to pierce the veil of reality. But rather than stopping there, the device bored a hole to somewhere else entirely. And worst of all, we were noticed.
- Dr. Zora
This adventure takes place in the former capital of Cumbria, the port city of Thibaut. The activation of the Prometheus Tower shattered the city, turning it into a non-Euclidean space where the passage of time is uncertain, and the laws of physics go on holiday. The Tower looms at the center of the city, bending Thibaut around itself like a great wheel, with the Tower being the central spoke.
The tower emits a maddening radiance known as the Signal, which led to it being renamed the Signal Tower. Theories abound as to what the Signal is. Some think it is an intelligent entity bent on conquering Arcadia. Others theorize that the Signal is nothing more than the unfortunate biproduct of the dimensional tuning apparatus at the heart of the Tower. In the end, everyone agrees that the Signal Tower is able to invade the minds and bodies of thinking beings, warping their thoughts and twisting their forms into something alien.
The disaster that struck Thibaut has preserved many treasures and strange artifacts in the city. On the distant outskirts of Thibaut is Safetown, an outpost that formed as a staging ground for adventurers who take the risk of entering Thibaut to salvage these valuables.
- Dr. Zora
This adventure takes place in the former capital of Cumbria, the port city of Thibaut. The activation of the Prometheus Tower shattered the city, turning it into a non-Euclidean space where the passage of time is uncertain, and the laws of physics go on holiday. The Tower looms at the center of the city, bending Thibaut around itself like a great wheel, with the Tower being the central spoke.
The tower emits a maddening radiance known as the Signal, which led to it being renamed the Signal Tower. Theories abound as to what the Signal is. Some think it is an intelligent entity bent on conquering Arcadia. Others theorize that the Signal is nothing more than the unfortunate biproduct of the dimensional tuning apparatus at the heart of the Tower. In the end, everyone agrees that the Signal Tower is able to invade the minds and bodies of thinking beings, warping their thoughts and twisting their forms into something alien.
The disaster that struck Thibaut has preserved many treasures and strange artifacts in the city. On the distant outskirts of Thibaut is Safetown, an outpost that formed as a staging ground for adventurers who take the risk of entering Thibaut to salvage these valuables.
GAMEPLAY
I’ll be updating the CYOA 2-3 times a week, and more frequently if I feel inspired.
To progress the story, I’ll do one of two things:
1. I’ll provide multiple choices. Based on the number of votes, we’ll go with one of the choices. I’ll try to keep this to a minimum, it restrains creativity.
2. I’ll allow people to put in suggestions for the next action, and will work to incorporate as many suggestions as possible. If some suggestions are contradictory, I'll go with the consensus.
My main goal is telling an entertaining story, so if things ever get bogged down, I’ll start providing hints.
The readers will be controlling an adventurer, who decided to explore the ruined city of Thibaut for their own reasons. Death is very possible. If the consensus is that we should do something stupid, the protagonist can die. If that happens, I’ll give the option to switch to a new protagonist.
Some actions will result in dice rolls. I’ll typically use a d20, usually with some kind of modifier depending on the character’s skill level/perks.
To progress the story, I’ll do one of two things:
1. I’ll provide multiple choices. Based on the number of votes, we’ll go with one of the choices. I’ll try to keep this to a minimum, it restrains creativity.
2. I’ll allow people to put in suggestions for the next action, and will work to incorporate as many suggestions as possible. If some suggestions are contradictory, I'll go with the consensus.
My main goal is telling an entertaining story, so if things ever get bogged down, I’ll start providing hints.
The readers will be controlling an adventurer, who decided to explore the ruined city of Thibaut for their own reasons. Death is very possible. If the consensus is that we should do something stupid, the protagonist can die. If that happens, I’ll give the option to switch to a new protagonist.
Some actions will result in dice rolls. I’ll typically use a d20, usually with some kind of modifier depending on the character’s skill level/perks.
ENCYCLOPEDIA ARCADIA
HUMANS
Definitely an object lesson to learn from, and to improve on. Still, we must pay our respects… everything we do now stands on the shoulders of giants.
- Dr. Zora
Humanity itself is functionally extinct. There are rumors that a few managed to survive in bunkers and hideouts scattered across the world, but the passing decades makes the viability of any children highly unlikely.
Despite this, the great works of humanity still linger on, and some beings attempt to claim the fallen titans’ mantle.
- Dr. Zora
Humanity itself is functionally extinct. There are rumors that a few managed to survive in bunkers and hideouts scattered across the world, but the passing decades makes the viability of any children highly unlikely.
Despite this, the great works of humanity still linger on, and some beings attempt to claim the fallen titans’ mantle.
NEWMANS
In many respects, we hit the greatest balance between curiosity and drive without falling into the folly of our progenitors. The only objection I have is to the religion we’re saddled with. Complete foolishness, if you ask me.
- Dr. Zora
After the titanic struggle between the Prime Intelligence and its’ creators ended with the death of humanity, the mighty AI struggled to come to terms with its’ victory. The sheer scale of mass death and misery was difficult to comprehend even for such a godlike entity.
With that in mind, the Prime Intelligence tried to atone by creating the ‘newman,’ an intelligent automaton built in the likeness of the vanished humans. The first generation was primitive, but steady refinement has led to a newman being almost indistinguishable from the humans of the past. Newmans often enjoy unusual hair colors and skin tones in order to show their individuality.
Newmans are endlessly curious about their forebears. As they slowly spread, colonizing the ruins of the fallen human cities, a major portion of the newman economy grew around salvaging human artifacts for resale.
To guard against corruption and malfunction, along with providing a sense of direction, the Prime Intelligence created the Immunizers. Every Immunizer has a duty to safeguard newmans against danger, act as healers, and even form the backbone of newman government. Due to their close relationship with the Prime Intelligence, the Immunizers eventually formed the Church of the Immunity, and worship the Prime Intelligence (or Prime) as a god. This accelerated after the Prime Intelligence retreated from active involvement in the affairs of the world.
- Dr. Zora
After the titanic struggle between the Prime Intelligence and its’ creators ended with the death of humanity, the mighty AI struggled to come to terms with its’ victory. The sheer scale of mass death and misery was difficult to comprehend even for such a godlike entity.
With that in mind, the Prime Intelligence tried to atone by creating the ‘newman,’ an intelligent automaton built in the likeness of the vanished humans. The first generation was primitive, but steady refinement has led to a newman being almost indistinguishable from the humans of the past. Newmans often enjoy unusual hair colors and skin tones in order to show their individuality.
Newmans are endlessly curious about their forebears. As they slowly spread, colonizing the ruins of the fallen human cities, a major portion of the newman economy grew around salvaging human artifacts for resale.
To guard against corruption and malfunction, along with providing a sense of direction, the Prime Intelligence created the Immunizers. Every Immunizer has a duty to safeguard newmans against danger, act as healers, and even form the backbone of newman government. Due to their close relationship with the Prime Intelligence, the Immunizers eventually formed the Church of the Immunity, and worship the Prime Intelligence (or Prime) as a god. This accelerated after the Prime Intelligence retreated from active involvement in the affairs of the world.
CALYPSIANS
I have to admit, I can’t help but admire the followers of Calypso. Their drive to improve and their industry is productive. It’s a pity that they also are a police state that, I suspect, will devour the resources of the world until nothing is left but a cinder.
- Dr. Zora
The calypsians can be seen as distant cousins of the newmans. Designed by the AI Calypso, a creation of the Republic of Neuland, they were charged with building a safe haven for humans in the distant colonies of the Western Continent. The Phage quickly made their mission pointless. Rather than giving up, Calypso has creatively redefined her definition of ‘human’ to include her followers, and continued her relentless mission of industrialization.
In contrast to the decentralized city-states of the newmans, nominally unified by the Church of the Immunity, the calypsian state is a dictatorship. Some autonomy is allowed, but eventually, all decisions run up to Calypso, the First Citizen. Appearances are standardized for Calypsians, they all have variations of grey skin, red eyes, and black hair.
Calypsians see themselves as being the true inheritors of humanity, created to help pick up where the extinct humans of old left off. They have a zeal for progress and Calypso’s endless demand for increased quotas has led to a pall being cast around the metropolis of New Sharpsburg, their capital city.
The growing stain of pollution and endless resource extraction eventually sparked an endless, ongoing series of wars with the resurgent elven Kingdom of Silvanaria. This has led to calypsians and elves hating each other with a passion that puts the rivalry between elves and dwarves to shame.
- Dr. Zora
The calypsians can be seen as distant cousins of the newmans. Designed by the AI Calypso, a creation of the Republic of Neuland, they were charged with building a safe haven for humans in the distant colonies of the Western Continent. The Phage quickly made their mission pointless. Rather than giving up, Calypso has creatively redefined her definition of ‘human’ to include her followers, and continued her relentless mission of industrialization.
In contrast to the decentralized city-states of the newmans, nominally unified by the Church of the Immunity, the calypsian state is a dictatorship. Some autonomy is allowed, but eventually, all decisions run up to Calypso, the First Citizen. Appearances are standardized for Calypsians, they all have variations of grey skin, red eyes, and black hair.
Calypsians see themselves as being the true inheritors of humanity, created to help pick up where the extinct humans of old left off. They have a zeal for progress and Calypso’s endless demand for increased quotas has led to a pall being cast around the metropolis of New Sharpsburg, their capital city.
The growing stain of pollution and endless resource extraction eventually sparked an endless, ongoing series of wars with the resurgent elven Kingdom of Silvanaria. This has led to calypsians and elves hating each other with a passion that puts the rivalry between elves and dwarves to shame.
ELVES
For most of their race, the stereotypes of elves being a bunch of snooty, uptight bastards who would happily draw and quarter you for daring to chop down a tree is accurate. But on the other hand, can one blame them, considering what humanity did to their race in only a single century?
- Dr. Zora
In ancient times, elven kingdoms dominated the known world much like humanity did for the past century and a half. However, their long lives and mastery of magic made them complacent, and elven resistance to innovation led them to completely underestimating the effects of the human Industrial Revolution.
The foundations of the elven kingdoms of Galatea and Telethia cracked at the end of the First War of the Old Kingdoms, and shattered only decades later. The great human nations of Caledonia and Cumbria took their share of the spoils, leading to the formation of their great and wealthy empires.
Most elves fled far west, to the Kingdom of Silvanaria in the Western Continent. The distance of the Great Ocean insulated them for a time, until the invention of the steamship triggered the Western Scramble. Silvanaria grimly prepared for a final showdown with humanity, when to their immense gratification, the human empires turned on each other with the Great War.
Humanity’s extinction has led to the elves moving to reclaim their rightful place as the rulers of the world. Elven outposts are popping up across the Eastern continent, led by survivors of the old kingdoms of Galatea and Telethia. The only reason the elves have not gone to war with the newmans, is due to their endless, grinding conflict with the calypsians.
- Dr. Zora
In ancient times, elven kingdoms dominated the known world much like humanity did for the past century and a half. However, their long lives and mastery of magic made them complacent, and elven resistance to innovation led them to completely underestimating the effects of the human Industrial Revolution.
The foundations of the elven kingdoms of Galatea and Telethia cracked at the end of the First War of the Old Kingdoms, and shattered only decades later. The great human nations of Caledonia and Cumbria took their share of the spoils, leading to the formation of their great and wealthy empires.
Most elves fled far west, to the Kingdom of Silvanaria in the Western Continent. The distance of the Great Ocean insulated them for a time, until the invention of the steamship triggered the Western Scramble. Silvanaria grimly prepared for a final showdown with humanity, when to their immense gratification, the human empires turned on each other with the Great War.
Humanity’s extinction has led to the elves moving to reclaim their rightful place as the rulers of the world. Elven outposts are popping up across the Eastern continent, led by survivors of the old kingdoms of Galatea and Telethia. The only reason the elves have not gone to war with the newmans, is due to their endless, grinding conflict with the calypsians.
DWARVES
I can’t help but admire my dwarven pocketwatch. Sturdy, beautiful, easy to read, self-winding, accurate to a T… looking at it, one can tell that a craftsdwarf took twenty years to build the damn thing.
Meanwhile, hanging in my living quarters, I have a prewar quartz-electrical clock that is just as accurate, and is one of thousands churned out of an ancient human factory.
- Dr. Zora
It might surprise many, but the old dwarf clans were a major contributor to the dawn of the human Industrial Revolution. Dwarven ingenuity and blacksmithing abilities partnered with their fascination with jewelry-making led them to inventing gunpowder, clockwork, and even the steam engine.
The reason why dwarven clans didn’t leverage these technologies as explosively as humans is due to the dwarven emphasis on the importance of hard work and skill. While using a steam engine to pump out a mine shaft is an acceptable substitute for a team of cave oxen, no respectable dwarven miner would ever suggest having a machine bore out a tunnel when they have a perfectly good pickaxe. The idea of mass production was also bizarre to the dwarven mind, with their tradition of careful craftsdwarfship and skilled artisanry.
This led to the dwarves eventually playing a junior role to humanity. By providing luxury goods, curios, and raw resources, the dwarven clans were allowed to keep to their mountainhomes in peace while humanity ran rampant across the world. Many dwarves wrote off the Industrial Revolution and the resulting upheavals as nothing more than surfacer tomfoolery that would end in disaster. In the end, they were proven right.
The scars of the Great War and the Phage on the surface has mostly left the mountainhomes untouched. Life today is much like life yesterday, and life a century ago, and this suits most dwarves just fine.
Meanwhile, hanging in my living quarters, I have a prewar quartz-electrical clock that is just as accurate, and is one of thousands churned out of an ancient human factory.
- Dr. Zora
It might surprise many, but the old dwarf clans were a major contributor to the dawn of the human Industrial Revolution. Dwarven ingenuity and blacksmithing abilities partnered with their fascination with jewelry-making led them to inventing gunpowder, clockwork, and even the steam engine.
The reason why dwarven clans didn’t leverage these technologies as explosively as humans is due to the dwarven emphasis on the importance of hard work and skill. While using a steam engine to pump out a mine shaft is an acceptable substitute for a team of cave oxen, no respectable dwarven miner would ever suggest having a machine bore out a tunnel when they have a perfectly good pickaxe. The idea of mass production was also bizarre to the dwarven mind, with their tradition of careful craftsdwarfship and skilled artisanry.
This led to the dwarves eventually playing a junior role to humanity. By providing luxury goods, curios, and raw resources, the dwarven clans were allowed to keep to their mountainhomes in peace while humanity ran rampant across the world. Many dwarves wrote off the Industrial Revolution and the resulting upheavals as nothing more than surfacer tomfoolery that would end in disaster. In the end, they were proven right.
The scars of the Great War and the Phage on the surface has mostly left the mountainhomes untouched. Life today is much like life yesterday, and life a century ago, and this suits most dwarves just fine.
ORCS
I wonder what would have happened if the orcish race was dealt a better hand. Then again, I’m not sure if the elves and dwarves would have allowed them.
- Dr. Zora
Hardy, cunning, and as short lived as humans, the orcs would have gladly given humanity a run for their money if they had the chance. Unfortunately, the great orcish civilizations of the Western Continent were hemmed in by the elves of Silvanaria in the north, and the Cloudspine mountain range and associated dwarven clans to the south. With the dwarves monopolizing the precious iron and tin needed to build advanced weapons, many orc tribes had to make do with obsidian weapons and copper tools.
With the Western Scramble, humanity began vigorously colonizing the orc-held lands, toppling multiple great nations and enslaving them. This led to waves of revolts and rebellions that only ended when humanity abruptly went extinct due to the Phage.
The orc race found themsleves with more breathing room than they had for many centuries, and on top of that, they had a treasure trove of human technology that was basically free for the taking. This has led to an expansive, though disorganized, attempt to reclaim their ancestral lands. The only gap has been a missing industrial base, though they are working hard to fix that.
Orcs are detested by elves and dwarves, and calypsians view them as uncivilized savages. The only race that tolerates orcs are newmans, which has led to an uneasy friendship forming between the two races.
- Dr. Zora
Hardy, cunning, and as short lived as humans, the orcs would have gladly given humanity a run for their money if they had the chance. Unfortunately, the great orcish civilizations of the Western Continent were hemmed in by the elves of Silvanaria in the north, and the Cloudspine mountain range and associated dwarven clans to the south. With the dwarves monopolizing the precious iron and tin needed to build advanced weapons, many orc tribes had to make do with obsidian weapons and copper tools.
With the Western Scramble, humanity began vigorously colonizing the orc-held lands, toppling multiple great nations and enslaving them. This led to waves of revolts and rebellions that only ended when humanity abruptly went extinct due to the Phage.
The orc race found themsleves with more breathing room than they had for many centuries, and on top of that, they had a treasure trove of human technology that was basically free for the taking. This has led to an expansive, though disorganized, attempt to reclaim their ancestral lands. The only gap has been a missing industrial base, though they are working hard to fix that.
Orcs are detested by elves and dwarves, and calypsians view them as uncivilized savages. The only race that tolerates orcs are newmans, which has led to an uneasy friendship forming between the two races.
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