n June 30, 1908, the world as we
know it ended. Beginning in the frozen wastes of central Siberia and radiating outward, a cataclysmic event shattered the earth’s surface into fragments, evaporated the seas, and collapsed the innermost recesses of the planet into the vast molten core. With this cataclysm, the mysterious material known as aether was released back into reality from millennia of dormancy, bringing with it all manner of fantastic possibilities, gods and monsters.
Much of humanity perished in the event or shortly after, as countless civilizations collapsed into barbarism. But where the many succumbed, some resisted the chaos and won through, albeit changed by the most harrowing experience ever to befall the human race. Pockets of survivors used their ingenuity, courage, organization and technology to retain the structures of modern civilization, and they soon began to rebuild their shattered world. These communities grew from city-states to nations and finally into new empires that sought to remake the glory
and prosperity of the lost 19th century. From the ruins of that longed-for golden age, the new nations of humanity have rekindled the fires of industry and, like their ancestors before them, pushed forward to conquer the unknown.
It is now two hundred years since the great cataclysm. The dark days of the past are now long gone and the survival of civilization is no longer in doubt. The great nations of the Known World have built a new golden age of peace and prosperity that rivals even the dreams of their Victorian ancestors. But with such success comes overconfidence, and as the nations scheme and plot, debate and trade, and vie against one another for supremacy, the wise wonder what the future may hold if national pride outpaces the power of diplomacy. Meanwhile, criminals still threaten the supremacy of law and order, just as they have done since time immemorial. Pirates terrorize merchant ships, while smugglers defy the authority of national governments. Closer to home, crime syndicates have formed in the comfort of a stable society, fattening themselves upon the misfortune of others.
It is now two hundred years since the great cataclysm. The dark days of the past are now long gone and the survival of civilization is no longer in doubt. The great nations of the Known World have built a new golden age of peace and prosperity that rivals even the dreams of their Victorian ancestors. But with such success comes overconfidence, and as the nations scheme and plot, debate and trade, and vie against one another for supremacy, the wise wonder what the future may hold if national pride outpaces the power of diplomacy. Meanwhile, criminals still threaten the supremacy of law and order, just as they have done since time immemorial. Pirates terrorize merchant ships, while smugglers defy the authority of national governments. Closer to home, crime syndicates have formed in the comfort of a stable society, fattening themselves upon the misfortune of others.
Still, there future offers much for brave souls with the courage and skill to make their fortunes. Much of the world remains a mystery, and in this new Age of Exploration, there will always be a place for those willing to venture into the unknown. This is an age of explorers, adventurers, diplomats and tradesmen working together to build the future. This is a world of endless possibility, intrigue and adventure.
This is AIR.
Civilizations and Cultures
What remains of the world are floating islands in the sky, known as eyots. Most eyots are pieces of earth that were not consumed by the earth’s core during the Great Upheaval, although new eyots routinely form as fragments of land are thrown up into the sky from the depths below. The largest eyots boast complex ecosystems and many of them are home to human settlements, whether minor towns, great cities or the far-flung colonies of major nations. Other, smaller eyots are unable to support more than small outposts, but they remain coveted for either strategic reasons or for the resources they contain. Like the empires of old, new nations and factions vie against one another for control of countless eyots spread out over vast tracks of open sky. Petroleum fuel and the internal combustion engine are unknown in this world, the planet’s oil reserves having been consumed during the Great Upheaval. Instead, a greater refinement of steam engine technology has stepped in to take its place, powered by coal, wood and flammable gas.
Cultural Overview
The world of AIR is caught up in a dynamic age of scientific development, exploration and expansionism. The great powers all compete eagerly with one another, working to safeguard their own borders while expanding their holdings and influence into the uncharted regions of the world. This struggle for control and new territory inevitably leads to international tensions, intrigue, diplomacy and even war.
The threat of war is like a shadow hovering over the AIR world, growing ever more terrifying as military technology becomes even more advanced. Small-scale conflicts between nations are not uncommon, and some have bitter rivalries with one another that stretch back for generations. Meanwhile, pirates and criminal organizations are an ever-present threat to law and order, keeping the military busy even during peacetime. But while conflict is a very real possibility, this modern age is nevertheless a time of general peace. Diplomacy and trade are paramount, and have created a demand for explorers, entrepreneurs and craftsmen, who are as vital to the nation’s survival as the brave soldiers fighting on the battlefield or in the skies.
The AIR world is one of endless opportunities for a variety of callings. Those who love war and those who love peace, those who explore the uncharted frontiers and those who remain safely at home pushing forward the advancement of science or keeping the wheels of commerce turning, all have an equal place in the world of AIR.
