Steam And Blood
Steam And Blood
Introduction
Earth is a planet full of rich history and culture. Every culture has a magical tradition in which they carried on generation to generation. While in times of old, there were powerful practitioners that were able to manifest their power in very tangible ways to do battle with each other and to do battle with creatures that now have fallen into mythology. In 1790, a large group of the most powerful magicians across several organizations came together, their strongest practitioners only able to conjure the faintest lights of energy. They knew they had to take action or magic would be gone for the world forever and they began devising a plan. 1802, each of the organizations had their most powerful magicians take part in a powerful ritual in hopes to save magic forever in a small New England town. They all pulled down deep in themselves, drawing upon the faintest trickles of magic left in existence. They all knew this would be either the last act of magic to ever be performed or they wo Earth is a planet full of rich history and culture. Every culture has a magical tradition in which they carried on generation to generation. While in times of old, there were powerful practitioners that were able to manifest their power in very tangible ways to do battle with each other and to do battle with creatures that now have fallen into mythology. In 1790, a large group of the most powerful magicians across several organizations came together, their strongest practitioners only able to conjure the faintest lights of energy. They knew they had to take action or magic would be gone for the world forever and they began devising a plan. 1802, each of the organizations had their most powerful magicians take part in a powerful ritual in hopes to save magic forever in a small New England town. They all pulled down deep in themselves, drawing upon the faintest trickles of magic left in existence. They all knew this would be either the last act of magic to ever be performed or they would save magic for good. The focused energy in the center of the massive circle of mages began to grow and grow and its might started to gain momentum on its own, drawing all the remaining magic in the world into the mages desperate last effort to save all magic. Once the magic was depleted, the ritual still required power and there was still power to be drawn upon. The mages souls were ripped from their bodies to fuel the ritual, killing all the mages performing the ritual. The focal point exploded leveling the small town, leaving a flat plane for several hundred yards. When the dust cleared and those in the area came to investigate what happened, they found a blue tear in reality. The organizations of magicians came to investigate what happened with the ritual and discovered what remained was an opening to another world.
The opening became known as the Breach. Those investigated could immediately feel the magical energies ebbing on the other side of the Breach and expeditions were sent in to investigate. The expeditions discovered the ruins to a civilianization on the otherside with regiments of steamwork technology but importantly they discovered a strange stone which stored magical energy. The magician organizations came to a shaky agreement to keep peace with each other so these Soulstones back through the breach and give people access on Earth once again to magic. This worked well for several years, surging wealth going both ways with the Soulstones. But often when power and wealth is concerned, not many like to share it. The alliance between organization splintered and the streets of city founded in the ashes of the old civilization Malifaux turned violent. Powerful mages blasting their way through the city to gain control. This is when the Neverborn first shown their presence. They came in an overwhelming force to and killed everyone. On the Earth side of the Breach, a limbless corpse was tossed through the word OURS carved into its chest and with that, the Breach flickered out of existence.
People panicked, powerful organizations and governments worked to seize all the Soulstones and control them since the source of new Soulstones was now gone. This shortage of magic broke into a World War. During time, it was discovered that a Soulstone could be recharged when it is near a dying person. This lead Soulstones finding their way into State Hospitals and other places where people often die. For twenty year the war raged on until there was finally a peace, which left the Guild (One of the original magician organizations that opened the breach) in control of a vast amount of the world including North America, Europe, and large stretches of North Africa. 1905, on the hundred year anniversary of the Breach closing, it reopens. The Guild sends an expedition into the Breach and find old signs of a battle from one hundred years prior, but no sign of the attackers. The Guild takes control of Malifaux with a military force and fortify the city and restart mining operations.
1915, the guild controls the worlds supply of Soulstones, keeps a stranglehold on magic both on Earth and on Malifaux. Magicians are outlawed outside of Guild control, Soulstone possession only belongs to the rich and elite. The Red Ram head symbol of the Guild is often displayed everywhere along. While this is such an oppressive force, bandits, Neverborn, rogue magicians cause a constant resistance to Guild control.
RP Guidelines
- Steam and Blood is a steampunk themed dreamworld. Which means it is heavily gear and steam tech mixed with magic.
- Power level is on a scale of 1 to 20. So that means a Power 4 is twice as powerful as a Power 2 stat. When competing against stats against two players, take the number of successes and multiply it by Power of the stat. Example, rolling 4 successes on a Power 2 stat would count as 8 successes.
- There is no real heroes in Steam and Blood. The Guild are oppressive and power hungry with a healthy dose of corruption. The freedom fighters against the Guild are often seeking power themselves and looking to just sit in the place of the Guild. The Neverborn whish to reclaim their home, but they enjoy torturing, killing, and inspiring fear in the hearts of humanity.
