Planet Caravan: A Dieselpunk Adventure

[Le Immortelle]

Planet Caravan: A Dieselpunk Adventure

The time is 1920's. Post-invention of the Difference Engine the world has changed dynamically. The industrial revolution occurred far more earlier and after the age of steam, a new age is ushered in as the society moves in a post-steam era where Oil is the richest and most important resource. Fossil fuels being consumed at a rapid rate, scarcity is on the rise and so is the hunt for new deposits of them. Methods are being tried and tested for development of unconventional resources of energy but so far nothing substantial has been produced.

The United States of America has been balkanized into several small city states who, despite of their independent status in a sense are united against any kind of invaders from outside by virtue of a treaty signed by them. Certain portions usurped by European Empires where imperial rule has yet again superseded democracy except in Great Britain and France. China never lost Opium Wars and foreigners have been completely abolished from the lands, trade treaties signed in terms and conditions which allow them to dictate the terms of majority of trade in Asia, absolving them of any outside interferences.

State of Texas is a state which holds on to its independence. It's capital being Callaïs. Owned/controlled by rich oil barons it is in a state of signifcant prosperity. It's a region valued rather importantly, housing several boomtowns on account of siginifcant supply of oil reserves found in there. That, also makes it prone to several attacks and for that, it has an alliance with France for military support in return for cheaper oil. Captain Catherine Winter is the lady in charge of troops situated at oil boomtown of Perdition boasting a population of no more than one thousand. Her job, is to ensure none of the neighboring states or anyone from the outside doesn't attack this place which is basically in the middle of nowhere. One might assume all would be safe and it would be an eventless job, but there already have been attempts on life of the crew and even a significant air assault to take over the entire region which in a sense apart from wireless communication lines is rather isolated from civilization. She, is a fierce and determined woman capable than most men would be in her position. A patriot; however not a blind one but an idealist first and foremost.

Pascal Faraday is a brilliant engineer working for New Texas Oil Company. Hired for his unique methods which he has developed in drilling techniques and for his analysis of soil patterns amongst other things; he has been a fixture on every new important undertaking the company has taken. A man of significant importance, he is also a self absorbed being and protecing him is one of the tasks Catherine Winter has been tasked with. They don't get along much but they don't interfere much either letting each other be and interacting only when necessary. However Pascal is a man of many resources and he, has learned that the recent wave of attacks, airstrikes etc. Has been nothing more than a fabrication, instrigated by the directors of New Texas Oil Company in order to create hostility and unrest and broker more and more lucrative deals internationally through artifical inflation on account of hassles involved and from the vast wealth they have accumulated, they are planning to essentially monopolize the oil trade thus as their usurping of oil companies in other states or even investing vastly in them indicates; pointing towards a larger conspiracy headed by oil barons be it of any region, ushering in a new world order where the oil barons shall reign supreme holding other at their mercy. A situation which is beneficial for nobody.

Richard Ward is a politican based in State of New York; head and founder of a political party simply called Z. An Anarcho Pacifist influenced by the likes of Thoreau and Tolstoy; he is one who has been actively campaigning for all the states to unite, absolve them of any foriegn influence and creation of a society where nongovernance is the governance and individual freedom takes utmost precedence over everything else. He too, has got a wind of the conspiracy which is being hatched, albeit his methods are of nonviolent change such as protests or speeches etc. He, however is perceived as a mad man by many and adored by equal amount. A charismatic figure he has a certain section of intellectual elite captivated. His ideological rival is Father Quentin Belzer. A staunch Christian and an equally charismatic evangelist, he preaches a strong, conservative line of thought and is secretly in hands with oil barons for they know to have a charismatic public figure at hand is most useful in these times when flash works more than actual honesty. Apocalypse he preaches but his eyes are set on the dollars he shall gain. He, is an antithesis to Ward's textbook idealistic approach which in all honesty is impossible to put into practice despite his good intentions.

These, are the principle character sketches I have worked out. The story is meant to kick off with Pascal discovering the plans which are being developed by this conglomorate of oil barons by sheer accident. Maybe he manages to hold on to a small proof of that, decides to approach Catherine Winter. Who in turn approaches her superiors only to get rebuffed by them and ordered to focus on her job instead of entertaining foolish notions. But Faraday is able to turn in more and more proof before her and it escalates to the point that Winter is about to be dismissed, having guessed by now that important figures in her own government are in cahoots with these guys. So she agrees to help Pascal who has already defected and has gone into hiding attempting to get this whole thing public and play whistleblower and that kicks off an epic adventure. I of course have ideas how Richard Ward and Quentin Belzer play into all of this which I can elaborate to prospective partners. Along with that, there are plenty of other NPC's I can think of. I am looking for fun Dieselpunk world building which shall cull influences from film noir, art deco, pulp novels, dadaism, acid westerns, magick etc.

I am looking to play Catherine Winter and seeking a player to play Pascal Faraday. How we split rest of NPC's amongst us can be decided later. I seek to create a complex story ambitious in its scope and I am aware there are bound to be plotholes in this introduction but these are more like a collection of concepts, which is up to us to construct more cohesively.

[Nenha]

I just have to say an awesome idea. I only wish I was a good enough writer to spin the tale with you, haha.