The Curious Sky
The world had ended hundreds of years ago. At least, that's what the historians say. The priests and clergy tell you that the Gods created the world, and it was always this way. Even if it had mattered before, there was no way for anyone to find out. Because the world is only 6500 kilometers wide.
Setting
The entirety of the known world is the size of modern-day Mongolia, and is on a plateau, ringed by endless steep cliffs, which fall into an endless void below. The Church of the Innumerable Ones controls every aspect of the government, and in the 4000 years that their world has existed, has thoroughly propagandized most of the population into believing that it was always this way. But one family of Old World nobility refused, and continues to refuse that that's the case. The Novak family maintains a large archive of old texts, pictures and paintings, and defunct technology. Despite this obvious proof, the Church is able to keep the general populace lulled into complacency.
Cities
Two cities lay at opposite sides of the world, Primum in the north, Custos in the south, with various farming villages, forestry towns and mining camps in between. Primum is the seat of the Church, and home to the many spires and minarets of the ever-expanding Temples of the Gods. Custos is the main population center, and home to the existing industrial centers and the Novak family's mansion and archives.
Technology
Most of the technology from the mythic Old World is lost, and the most advanced modern technology is being developed in Custos, ranging from landwalkers to mining machines, telegraph lines to message tubes, running water to automatic fans. For this, just take a look at most Victorian-era Steampunks, and translate it into this.
However, even though the technology is 'lost', the Church retains control of advanced developments, such as communicators, high-intensity lasers, and television/viewscreens, calling them blessings of the Gods. (For the sake of the story, no one will know any better, and view them as wonderful mythical items.)
Culture
The culture is based heavily around the Church, worshiping the gods, paying tithes, and being a generally good person. Imagine 1950's American saccharine-sweet family values, Victorian-era morals, and a multideity Pantheon, and you have the general population. However, as in every culture, there are the red light centers and vice dens. These are generally kept in the alleys behind buildings, or even underground, to keep them from the public view. Obedience to the Church is expected at all times, and Clergymen are to be treated with reverence. The intellectual community is mainly high-class to well-off citizens, connected by mutual contacts. While it is mildly difficult to get in, if you know one person, you generally can gain access to almost any resource available. The Church, while a large organization, is formed of many tight-knit parishes, which all connect to the central Temples in Primum. This does mean that two parishes and Priests sometimes do go head-to-head, however.
Plot
The current times are changing rapidly for the World. The Church is becoming more demanding in it's requirements of obedience. Back alleys seem to be becoming underground centers of illegal business, more and more. The Novaks are working on a secret project that they say could change the world. And throughout all of this, there is a growing feeling of resentment towards the Church, causing several small villages to oust their local Priests, and then, very quietly, and with a minimum of publicity, get slaughtered in the night by the Inquisition. The larger cities are all but unaware of this, however, and blissfully go about their lives. This is a turning point in the World's history. Will you side with the resistance, and struggle against insurmountable odds? Or will you ally yourself with the Church, and try to take care of the problem as quickly as possible? Might you associate yourself with the Novaks, and try to help them in achieving their mysterious goal?
It's all up to you.
The origin roleplay took off a few months ago, but then died out, due to several players dropping out. Feel free to post here to state your interest.
