Sky Valve

[Mason]

"Samurai-sword wielding wing walkers duel on prop-driven aircraft"

   The above sentence gave birth to this setting...For the past month I've been pondering these ideas and I still do not feel like it is enough to post anything, but I need to get it out in some organized fashion (oh gees another one of these posts  :-/ )...Please, feedback and suggestions/historical inaccuracy crit welcome.

   The name Sky Valve is meant to evoke imagery of great open aerial space, and a concentration on gas/steam driven machinery. I decided to build the world after a great deluge, to give greater division amongst the cultures in a technological era that should by all rights be more integrated. The follow points are the frame work for any future material:

• The world is 98% water of varying depths and salinity levels(compared to 70% of Earths surface covered by water); this has not always been so-some great event caused the worlds water table to drastically change. The remaining "nations" cling to island chains, reclaimed sandbars/coral reefs or, like the Gerchee float around on Old World aircraft carriers (ala Waterworld? except without all the hygiene/smoking/Dennis Hopper issues)
• Three main political and cultural "nations" exist- Maegrum, Gerchee, and Denvish, each has adapted differently to the drastic event that caused the worlds oceans to rise.
• Roughly WWII era technology. Prop-driven planes, diesel submarines, Artillery, limited Rocketry capability. Also, science is at a cultural crescendo and need not be restricted to realistic tech-fusion power/ray guns/gravity belts/rocket packs/force fields etc are all on the cusp of being discovered. "Pulp" science is about to be born in this world.
• War is not the answer. The three nations of Maegrum, Gerchee and Denvish are conglomerates arisen from the ashes of once great Old World nations. Large scale conflict is not on the agenda of any of these nations. Instead, small faction based combat and operations are preferred.

The Nations:

Maegrum

      Rising from the ashes of an old Northern Hemisphere culture, the island chain of of New Vidonia centers around an Old World Fusion Reactor which supplies the much needed electric power for some 48,000 souls. The Maegrum pride themselves on their aerial combat ability. The 'Aces' are revered like rock stars, even more so than the merchant-political body. The Maegrum have the largest armament of the three nations...

Denvish

     The Denvish live on sandbars, slowly reclaiming submerged mountain tops, and residing in underwater living facilities. They are scientifically advanced, but have limited access to resources. They prefer submersibles, and small arms tactics. A cadre of scientists and professors lead the Denvish in pursuit of "reclamation and advancement".

Gerchee

    The Gerchee are what remain of the myriad peoples of the great Southern Hemisphere. They live in a mobile armada of uncountable ships and aircraft, moving with the season and tides. They are loyal and honor bound to the Seers of old, who pride themselves on swordsmanship, mastery of aircraft and naval tactics. They are warriors to the last and their society reflects as much.

For instance:

Great lord of Metal,
Lighter than Air or I
Riveter of Stars and the
Screamer of Storms
Give my aircraft Your wind.
Let me blow through my enemies
and give them a
Watery grave
-Gerchee Battle Prayer
     

[Lmns Crn]

I will buy eight copies.

[Weave]

Want more!

Curious... did the aforementioned sentence come from an online generator? If so, which one? If not, where did you find it/think it up?

[Skyfire]

I like it - sort of a Crimson Skies meets Waterworld type setting.

Can we look forward to pirates (I imagine both air or water-based pirates could work) or dirigibles? Although, dirigibles could well be older technology than is current in the setting, and gas in that much quantity might be hard to come by.

How do the nations get along? Would they share information and resources, or hoard them to ensure continuing strength? I can imagine that if they don't share information, there could be opportunity for spying/infiltration/sabotage missions.

[Mason]

I will buy eight copies.

thanks for the encouragement!

Curious... did the aforementioned sentence come from an online generator? If so, which one? If not, where did you find it/think it up?

I came up with it. But I re-wrote it ten times or so. I just wanted to cover the general feel of the setting in one glorious, propagandizing sentence.

I like it - sort of a Crimson Skies meets Waterworld type setting.

Can we look forward to pirates (I imagine both air or water-based pirates could work) or dirigibles? Although, dirigibles could well be older technology than is current in the setting, and gas in that much quantity might be hard to come by.

How do the nations get along? Would they share information and resources, or hoard them to ensure continuing strength? I can imagine that if they don't share information, there could be opportunity for spying/infiltration/sabotage missions.

Of course pirates exist! Dissidents of the three nations, defectors, Old-World maniacs, or just plain bad-guys take up the skull and crossbones. Submersible air-craft carriers carrying a mixed and matched fleet of aircraft might suddenly strike a Denvish outpost, take supplies, prisoners and equipment and then disappear without a trace.

But pirates would be just one faction. There will be many different factions with varying conflicting goals. Large scale warfare is not the way things are done, so as you mention, sabotage, inflitration, spying , pirating etc are all pretty common-after all without conflict there is no plot.

The nations generally get along. (Depending on who you ask) They are all culturally different-so conflict is bound to occur at some level, but usually not the upper political level. 

[LordVreeg]

I think this is sort of the opposite, with less water, but I could not resist.
http://www.floatingcity.com/
Watch the trailer.  and this as well...
http://www.floatingcity.com/gazette/

[Mason]

[ic=Koras Stand]
      The airship lurched forward as the enormous engines died one by one. Smoke and cold winds poured through the shattered forward canopy. Soot stained glass and scraps of iron banding were strewn across the bridge. Captain Kora Calypso knew the battle was lost.
   
      "Prepare to be boarded!" she shouted to her first hand, Remi Hondek, who was extinguishing a fire where the helmsman had sat only a few moments ago.
   
       "Already boarded ma'am!" he yelled over the inferno. Kora brushed strands of tangled black hair from her sweat soaked forehead. Drops of blood lingered on her shaking hands. Whether from the cold or adrenaline she could not tell. The wind was screaming through what remained of the iron framed canopy. As her airship listed forward the icy ocean came into view below. Millenia old glaciers lay below. Kora shivered from the cold air despite the heat of the flames Hondek was fighting.

       "Then prepare to repel you mercenary scum!" Hondek dropped the handheld extinguisher and leapt over the remains of the helmsman to stand beside Kora

       "Permission to draw sabers ma'am?" he asked, but Kora already had her blade drawn. A heavy thud came from behind the bridge hatch.

       "Only a few minutes longer," said Hondek with a greedy look in his eyes. He fingered the grip of his curved weapon and crouched to one side of the door. Kora nodded to the Gerchee mercenary and planted herself a few paces in front of the slowly failing hatch. Another thud, and a sharp dent appeared. Several more thuds and the steel hinges began to fall away. A crack appeared and Kora heard shouting from the galley below.

       The deck had tilted forward 20 degrees and Kora leaned forward to compensate. She looked behind her. The glass and iron frame had all but fallen away. She looked to the hatch, then the front window. An idea emerged. Hondek was crouched, back against the wall concentrating on the door. She could see the shadowy figures of the besiegers in the hall now.

        "Yes come on in lads, the air is fine!" she taunted. One of the pirates grunted and cursed. Another thud. The door bent forward with a sickening screech, Kora leapt to the side as four burly pirates careened into the room wielding sabers and pistols. One tried to grab Kora by the head, missed and fell head over heels and rolled to the window. His momentum was carried by the angle of the deck and he flew out the window.

         The other three had engaged Hondek, who sprung on them from behind as they burst through the door. With a war howl Hondek jerked his blade up and over and one of the pirates fell, headless. The other two leapt back, aghast. Kora pulled her pistol and fired three shots into the back of the closest one as Hondek gutted the last man.
   
          As Hondek said his victory prayers over the fallen Kora spoke: "Today we break the treaties of Vahl Clume. My ship is dead Hondek, or soon will be. They are the victors," Kora gestured to the lifeless bodies. "Today we kill the victor!" The captain and her first mate checked their weapons, and headed out into the corridor in search of more victors.
[/ic]

 This is just a teaser of sorts for the types of combat to be seen in the setting. The ending is a little weak...and the action is stagnant. Any suggestions?

I think this is sort of the opposite, with less water, but I could not resist.
http://www.floatingcity.com/
Watch the trailer.  and this as well...
http://www.floatingcity.com/gazette/

That was pretty cool Vreeg...looks like Bioshock and Medal of Honor had an awesome baby.