"We have lost the way.
Greed has poisoned men’s souls - Has barricaded the world with hate. Has goose-stepped us into misery and bloodshed.
We have developed speed, but we have shut ourselves in. Machinery that gives abundance has left us in want.
Our knowledge has made us cynical. Our cleverness, hard and unkind. We think too much, and feel too little.
More than machinery, we need humanity. More than cleverness, we need kindness and gentleness.
Without these qualities, life will be violent, and all will be lost."
- The Great Dictator's Final Speech
All the world of Uniya shook to its very core with the outbreak of the Great War in 1909. With the powers of the landship and aeroplane, poison gas and machine gun, the consequences of the industrial revolution finally came to unfurl in a war so great - so horrid - that none might ever think to repeat it again. Promethium engines and sprawling industrial complexes produced death machines on such a scale that the world had never known before - and so far, has yet to know again. The War to End All Wars fractured every corner of the world as the full capacities of the world's war machines sprung to life, and so with them did the Great Power's multitudinous colonies and allies did throw themselves into the fray.
Untold millions lost their lives in the seven bloodiest years of history - scars which some say will possibly never fully heal. And others yet say that we are headed straight away onto a path to a second, far more insidious war. But, such talk is surely just rumor and unwarranted anxiety. Right?
The year is 1956, and some forty odd years have passed since the inception of the most deadly conflict of all history. The rise of communism and fascism have radically altered the global political scene since their inception after the Great War, as part of an eternal struggle against the role of the state and revolution. Needless to say, the world is a radically different place - the pace of industrialization only steadily marching onward - and the horrors of the Great War are, to most, but a distant memory. Yet, not all are content with the status quo which was so proudly proclaimed those four decades ago. All nations of the world seek peace, of course - but a peace on their own terms. And the peace that was settled on that fateful day in 1916 has certainly not gone so well for some...
Untold millions lost their lives in the seven bloodiest years of history - scars which some say will possibly never fully heal. And others yet say that we are headed straight away onto a path to a second, far more insidious war. But, such talk is surely just rumor and unwarranted anxiety. Right?
The year is 1956, and some forty odd years have passed since the inception of the most deadly conflict of all history. The rise of communism and fascism have radically altered the global political scene since their inception after the Great War, as part of an eternal struggle against the role of the state and revolution. Needless to say, the world is a radically different place - the pace of industrialization only steadily marching onward - and the horrors of the Great War are, to most, but a distant memory. Yet, not all are content with the status quo which was so proudly proclaimed those four decades ago. All nations of the world seek peace, of course - but a peace on their own terms. And the peace that was settled on that fateful day in 1916 has certainly not gone so well for some...
In the wise words of a certain Brazilian NRPer, "It's been too long since there's been a good Dieselpunk NRP on RPG".
For about the 4 or so people who are around for that long and are still in the loop, this is an attempted re-rendition of the Dieselpunk Nation RP The Fumes of War. Sadly, the originals never got too much in the way of IC traction, but the high concept has always been a fun one to me, and i've always toyed around with the idea of it finally getting something underway for a long time.
Thankfully, the original writer has allowed me to take it into a new edition, and for that, i'm proud to present: The Fumes of War. Inspired by dieselpunk and film noir works like Iron Harvest, Bioshock, Wolfenstein, DUST Tactics, and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, the themes of FoW, to put it in simpler terms, is what happens when the idealism of steampunk runs out. The horrors of the Great War brings the Victorian romanticism to a clothesline stop, and the rise and fall and rise and fall of society in the wake of this upheaval brings around a black-and-white renaissance. Flappers. Avant-Garde style. Jazz. Futurism. Swing. Muties. Weird Science. Rock and Roll. Wardenclyffe Towers everywhere. Mobsters. Big, grandiose mega-projects and modern marvels. Bright, glitzy, electric-buzzing cities of the future.
All of these things - if nothing else - are anything less than unsubtle.
Now, to keep things semi-tethered, i'm going to implement a couple of tricks i've kept up my sleeve throughout my time doing NRPs. There will be a couple of important Great Powers - and their overseas colonies - that anyone will be able to implement events for as NPCs. How you interact with them can keep the global political scene tethered to something apropos a global "flash point" for various scenes of intrigue. When the OOC goes live, there will be a "Country Bible" that lists out the actions that are acceptable or not for each respective country, as to assist with your endeavors. For just this IntCheck, i'm proposing a Council of Nations similar to the failed OTL League of Nations that intends to have its varied flaws - if not also its purpose.
If you look at the claims map then back at the world map, you'll notice that this takes place in a specific region of the world - not the entire planet. Again, it helps keep things tethered, and it's also in part due to the superpowers of the world. There will be 3 world superpowers - none of which are directly played or playable. Instead, they help align the world into a handful of approximate power blocs that represent spheres of influence and ideological inclination. They're going to be made in such a way that there will be guidelines that will allow anyone to interact with them in their posts and thusly set up plots with one of the three - Nation Bibles, if you will. The intent will be to let us keep things going without making things too, too bogged down, since theoretically, the "biggest players" will always be present.
For about the 4 or so people who are around for that long and are still in the loop, this is an attempted re-rendition of the Dieselpunk Nation RP The Fumes of War. Sadly, the originals never got too much in the way of IC traction, but the high concept has always been a fun one to me, and i've always toyed around with the idea of it finally getting something underway for a long time.
Thankfully, the original writer has allowed me to take it into a new edition, and for that, i'm proud to present: The Fumes of War. Inspired by dieselpunk and film noir works like Iron Harvest, Bioshock, Wolfenstein, DUST Tactics, and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, the themes of FoW, to put it in simpler terms, is what happens when the idealism of steampunk runs out. The horrors of the Great War brings the Victorian romanticism to a clothesline stop, and the rise and fall and rise and fall of society in the wake of this upheaval brings around a black-and-white renaissance. Flappers. Avant-Garde style. Jazz. Futurism. Swing. Muties. Weird Science. Rock and Roll. Wardenclyffe Towers everywhere. Mobsters. Big, grandiose mega-projects and modern marvels. Bright, glitzy, electric-buzzing cities of the future.
All of these things - if nothing else - are anything less than unsubtle.
Now, to keep things semi-tethered, i'm going to implement a couple of tricks i've kept up my sleeve throughout my time doing NRPs. There will be a couple of important Great Powers - and their overseas colonies - that anyone will be able to implement events for as NPCs. How you interact with them can keep the global political scene tethered to something apropos a global "flash point" for various scenes of intrigue. When the OOC goes live, there will be a "Country Bible" that lists out the actions that are acceptable or not for each respective country, as to assist with your endeavors. For just this IntCheck, i'm proposing a Council of Nations similar to the failed OTL League of Nations that intends to have its varied flaws - if not also its purpose.
If you look at the claims map then back at the world map, you'll notice that this takes place in a specific region of the world - not the entire planet. Again, it helps keep things tethered, and it's also in part due to the superpowers of the world. There will be 3 world superpowers - none of which are directly played or playable. Instead, they help align the world into a handful of approximate power blocs that represent spheres of influence and ideological inclination. They're going to be made in such a way that there will be guidelines that will allow anyone to interact with them in their posts and thusly set up plots with one of the three - Nation Bibles, if you will. The intent will be to let us keep things going without making things too, too bogged down, since theoretically, the "biggest players" will always be present.
FAQ:
Promethium? What's that?
Promethium is a fictional substance refined from promethite - a porous, clay-like sedimentary rock that often formed from the decay of prehistoric mountain ranges due to extensive weathering. Unrefined promethite is an acrid substance with a dull orange hue evocative of sulfur and the smell of burning salt. When refined into promethium, however, it becomes a translucent, reddish-yellow liquid much denser than conventional petrol. When used in internal combustion engines, promethium fuel engines burn at some nine times greater efficiency when compared to gasoline. The chemical reaction that results as a result of oxidized promethium burning results in the creation of water vapor.
Promethite refining leaves behind a solid mass of alkaline compounds that take on the form of a bluish or purple slag, known as Veryllium. Veryllium can be alloyed with metals to make them incredibly hard. It is also used to tip the shells of special armor piercing rounds, giving them unparalleled penetration. When used in the synthesis of ceramics or plastics, Veryllium compound polymers make fantastically good conductors for heat and electricity.
Naturally, promethite deposits are highly coveted, and the production of promethium has fueled the industrial revolution of Uniya.
What's The Rules About Mechanics and Stats?
If you need to ask, you're in the wrong place. If I need to ask you to not pull a magic nuke out of your pocket, you're in the wrong place.
WhAtS tHe TeCh LeVeL?
So, you've played Wolfenstein, right? Like, the new ones published by Bethesda, yeah? And Bioshock, too? Think of that sorta aesthetic. I'm pretty willing to let there be some "rule of cool" shenanigans going around with flying airships and mecha and that sort of thing. A lot of the inspirations come from 50s-era comic book super-science and pulp fiction, so there's bound to be some fairly out-there stuff. Keeping a consistent "feel" and tone is more important - so think of everything with a heavy dose of retro-ism dashed onto it. Jets and rocketry technology are still relatively new and are in their infancy of design when compared to OTL - Think like medium-range SSMs and 1st generation fighter jets. Just try not to masturbate over it and remember to actually write about something that isn't the Uberpanzerkampfflauger XVII Ausf. J and it's 200 millimeters of frontal armor.
TL;DR Think like a more 1950s flavor of Dieselpunk that's bleeding into Atompunk. Basically, think of like Pre-War Fallout and Wolfenstein: The New Order.
What about nukes and nuclear devices?
While nuclear science in its theoretical state is quite advanced due to the overall theme of "SCIENCE!!!" at play in the FoW-verse, uranium-based nuclear engineering remains in its relative infancy due to the extreme costs and limited applications compared to promethite and veryllium-based chemical engineering. Uranium enrichment is almost entirely a military concern in most cases.
While most nuclear bombs aren't immediately discounted, their development likewise came during a time when other fields of super-science advanced just as quickly - if not quicker - than the development of nuclear weapons. As such, the capacities for nuclear defense will likely have matched (if not surpassed) those of nuclear attack, so even utilizing a nuclear device will also mean is likely to be intercepted.
So what's the mention of Psykers and Muties and Weird science all about?
It's a core component of this rendition of FoW. Taking more influence from pulp fiction and very early science-fiction, the laws of physics and reality here are much more...malleable than what we're used to. Super-science projects are fully alive and well and thriving in the technological advancements made since the Great War and the decades to follow.
Think of it as Fallout's equation of science to "SCIENCE!!!". Fantastical super-science experiments (gone horribly wrong) are definitely a thing and the morality of utilizing super-science in the age of rampant industrialism and immense cultural change are big themes here.
Is ThErE A DiScoRd SeRvER?
discord.gg/M5X2yU5MfZ
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