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The Twilight Age - Tale of Post-Apocalyptic Mars

Have an interesting idea: How about a small dirigible captain conscripted into a military, to serve as a bomber, an aerial scout, and transport? The ship (boat?) would be an airship equivalent of Illya Muromets, carrying two dozens of passengers maximum or equivalent tonnage of mail, now converted to carry bombs and observatory crews.

Could be interesting to see how he deals with suddenly being placed under a military order and having to bomb people when he would rather carry mails and passengers around, and with his beloved ship increasingly becoming an efficient tool of destruction.

That said, I want to update the introduction to the setting with the latest materials first before writing a story in it.
Largest WW1 Zeppelins had about 22 crew-members,
WW1 German were something like this:
LZ18 17 men
LZ21 17men
LZ39 15 men
Postwar British (R33/34) and American (ZR-1) had a crew of twenty.

As far as Zeppelins used by military go, at least.

Hindenburg was pretty large, and carried 97 passengers, of which 62 died in the crash. It was luxury airliner.

WW1 R-class was 199.49 m (644 ft 8 in) long, and with a volume of 55,210 m3 (1,949,600 cu ft). They three to four tons of bombs and reach speeds of up to 103 km/h (64 mph), powered by six 240 hp (180 kW) Maybach engines.
 
Largest WW1 Zeppelins had about 22 crew-members,
WW1 German were something like this:
LZ18 17 men
LZ21 17men
LZ39 15 men
Postwar British (R33/34) and American (ZR-1) had a crew of twenty.

As far as Zeppelins used by military go, at least.

Hindenburg was pretty large, and carried 97 passengers, of which 62 died in the crash. It was luxury airliner.

WW1 R-class was 199.49 m (644 ft 8 in) long, and with a volume of 55,210 m3 (1,949,600 cu ft). They three to four tons of bombs and reach speeds of up to 103 km/h (64 mph), powered by six 240 hp (180 kW) Maybach engines.
Wow, that's smaller than I thought. Hmm, guess I'll need more research.

On the other hand, wouldn't the lower gravity of Nerio/Mars allow smaller airships to carry more people and cargo compared to Earth?
 
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Well, neither am I. So I am going to assume it does, but not unreasonably so (no 'Air Dreadnought').
It is a bit tricky with a lighter than air balloons though. Buoyancy in low (or zero) gravity works a little bit differently than it works on Earth, but that's pretty much all I know.

Way I understand it, it is actually easier to lift on, but harder to move forward quickly.
 
Magic sounds cool. Maybe magic/psychic powers is the result of peak human acheivment pre-sorrow. Humanity learned to bend the cosmos to their will, and it seemed ascension was near. Aaand Sorrow. But magic/psychic powers were incorprated into the gene pool, and it resurfaced later.
I was thinking about this for some time, and I like the idea of blurring the line between Magic and Clarketech, making them so intertwined that determining which ends where is impossible.

The Nerinese might see magery as the technological remnant of a bygone era before the Sorrow, something they cannot explain but know it exists. The twist would be to have it actually be a real supernatural magic, partly at least.

Of course, as @beast_regards noted, it shouldn't magically solve every conflict of setting, so certain limits would need to be set. The immediate penalties I can think of are:

1. Increased metabolism and decreased health.

2. Isolation from other Humans, due to the required mindset.

3. Perils of the Warp-style magical mishaps.

I might also try to make magical effects more subtle and support-oriented.
 
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2. Isolation from other Humans, due to the required mindset.
It happens in a fiction a lot, even from professional author - some society abuses their own super-soldiers, or other caste they rely on for their own existence. Explanation why oppressed caste don't rebel (or actively sabotage the society as they have nothing to lose) is often left in the air, or completely forgotten in the author.

Perils of the Warp-style magical mishaps.
Is the setting supposed to be Warhammer-lite?
 
It happens in a fiction a lot, even from professional author - some society abuses their own super-soldiers, or other caste they rely on for their own existence. Explanation why oppressed caste don't rebel (or actively sabotage the society as they have nothing to lose) is often left in the air, or completely forgotten in the author.
Well, I did explain why in the previous page. And I won't call my mages oppressed, just isolated and weird.

And I like to imagine that they look like this:
psychotic_reaction_by_nicklausofkrieg-d3dhvh2.png
Is the setting supposed to be Warhammer-lite?
Maybe. It's not Grimdark, that's sure.
 
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It happens in a fiction a lot, even from professional author - some society abuses their own super-soldiers, or other caste they rely on for their own existence. Explanation why oppressed caste don't rebel (or actively sabotage the society as they have nothing to lose) is often left in the air, or completely forgotten in the author.
Well, in theory it could be argued that they were so abused and conditioned that their will has been broken a long time ago, kinda like in a lot of hentai. But then again hentai isn't often known for realism or anything...
 
On magic and the Sorrow:

Any sufficiently developed mind could access the Otherworld and its energy. It was the AIs who first breached the veil and touched the Otherworld before the Sorrow, and their minds and hardware were far more suitable to magery than a Human brain.

At first, this was a good news for everyone, as the AIs produced wonderous technological miracles capable of bending physics, based on their utilization of the parallel universe and its power. However, as the veil between the Otherworld and our universe became torn as the result of AIs' action, magical powers began to trickle down to Humans, and when Human magery finally manifested, it was a sudden, widespread, and destructive event that would lead to the Sorrow. The sundered veil and spontaneous large-scale manifestations also attracted the attention of the denizens of Otherworld, who arrived via the mass possession of electronics, further increasing chaos as warding technique was not developed yet.

Unfortunately, no Human polities understood what they were dealing with. Due to the already existing tensions surround the Martian Terraforming, they instead assumed that they were under attack from their rivals and reacted accordingly, turning their hyper-advanced AIs and miraculous technologies against each other. The result was a complete devastation of Earth and technological regression on Mars.
 
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Question: Do you think magic is appropriate for the setting? Should I remove it again? Honestly having a second thought.
Existence of magic in itself isn't the problem.

I am rather worried about the concept of inherently malevolent entities from the different plane of existence, and very obvious Men Of Iron Warhammer 40k parallels, up and including demonic possessions and possibly Chaos-like reality (or at least psysics) warping powers. Scale is smaller, yes, but otherwise, it is very similar.

It's very unoriginal (as is AI rebellion, honestly). I understand that no setting can't be truly original, but still, impression is important.
 
Existence of magic in itself isn't the problem.

I am rather worried about the concept of inherently malevolent entities from the different plane of existence, and very obvious Men Of Iron Warhammer 40k parallels, up and including demonic possessions and possibly Chaos-like reality (or at least psysics) warping powers. Scale is smaller, yes, but otherwise, it is very similar.

It's very unoriginal (as is AI rebellion, honestly). I understand that no setting can't be truly original, but still, impression is important.
Well, that wasn't intentional, but yeah, this does looks uncomfortably close to 40k. I'll either come up with something or just ignore/scrap the magic part and write other parts first.
 
Well, that wasn't intentional, but yeah, this does looks uncomfortably close to 40k. I'll either come up with something or just ignore/scrap the magic part and write other parts first.
I may think of something too, but I need to know, what do you think would be defining attributes of the story or setting? Does it need to be science fantasy? Does it have to be post-apocalyptic? Does it need to be steampunk or dieselpunk, where applicable? What should be overall tone? Dark? Grimdark? Light? Optimistic? Pessimistic?
 
I may think of something too, but I need to know, what do you think would be defining attributes of the story or setting? Does it need to be science fantasy? Does it have to be post-apocalyptic? Does it need to be steampunk or dieselpunk, where applicable? What should be overall tone? Dark? Grimdark? Light? Optimistic? Pessimistic?
1. Post-apocalyptic, definitely. There was, of course, the Sorrow, and less than 15 years before the 'present day' of my setting, there was a great war that lasted several decades (equivalent to the OTL Hundred Years War, but shorter) which was cut short by an outbreak of deadly, virulent plague (equivalent to the OTL Black Death, but far worse) wiping out large portion of population and breaking down all major powers. Much of the present-day civilization is one of city-states and communes, centered around industrial cities and their hinterlands. Much of countrysides have been depopulated and/or infested with bandits, rogue states, and odd isolationists.

And Science Fantasy, I suppose, considering all kinds of stuff we are throwing into it.

2. Dieselpunk, for biodiesel technology and theme, but the rest of technology/aesthetics are closer to 19th-century steampunk. Think of the American Civil War mixed with the early 20th-century warfare.

3. Light, but like RL, it can be dangerous and not everything is okay. As I noted in the OP:
All these make the Nerinese Civilization as walking on the thin edge between greatness and ruination. The 'present day' is a time of great change, crisis, and dissolute decadence, but it is also a time of new possibilities and potential rebirth. Whether they would endure and blossom into the dawn of New Renaissance, or fall back into the long night of barbarism again, is not determined yet.

EDIT: Regarding magic, I would prefer Clarketech/MCU style 'scientific' magic, enough to make the Nerinese think it really is just a hyper-advanced technology from before the Sorrow (and they may be partly right!). Also, make them still defeatable by regular soldiers armed with rifles, so probably more subtle and support oriented than I initially wrote.

P.S: Also, I am very grateful that you are being so invested in my little project.
 
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EDIT: Regarding magic, I would prefer Clarketech/MCU style 'scientific' magic, enough to make the Nerinese think it really is just a hyper-advanced technology from before the Sorrow (and they may be partly right!). Also, make them still defeatable by regular soldiers armed with rifles, so probably more subtle and support oriented than I initially wrote.
MCU didn't make "scientific" magic, they left in up in the air with Asgardians, but played it straight with Doctor Strange.

I suggest play the magic part straight.

You can justify the strange technological stasis or other strange reliance on particular tech over another by having actual paranormal force interfering with the world, preventing a certain things from function altogether. Honestly, there wouldn't be much of the reason for civilization to be greatly struck by no AI limitation, especially in the setting that ought to have a lot of engineers and generally technologically skilled people and/or scientists (colonists off world will likely be specialists).

If there is a force interfering with electronics, would let's say electric lighting even work? If yes, why wouldn't computer work? It's still pretty much still electric signals all around, unless there is arbitrary rule that prevents some things from function that doesn't exactly follows physics in a logical kind of way. Let's say, magic. You can play it Arcanum kind of way (magic inteferes with technology, period) but setting is too advanced for that. (see Arcanum of steamwork and magick obscura)

Or you can play it aka Shadowrun, but it would go against the mandatory steampunk/dieselpunk aesthetics (as magic doesn't prevent technology from existing)

It should be something in between.
 
It should be something in between.
It's finding a balance between them, and a place for magic within my fictional world, that I am struggling with, to the point where I am seriously tempted to just scrap the magic thing.

Also, how good is my 'recent history'? Would it provide characters with sufficient motivation and ways to explore the setting?
 
It's finding a balance between them, and a place for magic within my fictional world, that I am struggling with, to the point where I am seriously tempted to just scrap the magic thing.

Also, how good is my 'recent history'? Would it provide characters with sufficient motivation and ways to explore the setting?
I am not really sure, it really have to be a long time since the fall for a long term war to actually happen (instead just chaos and rioting), plus if war has been waged with modern technology, it doesn't explain why everyone is stuck now...

Actually, I may have an idea how to rewrite the whole thing (beginning with Sorrow and what caused it), but it is ultimately your story...
 
I am not really sure, it really have to be a long time since the fall for a long term war to actually happen (instead just chaos and rioting), plus if war has been waged with modern technology, it doesn't explain why everyone is stuck now...
Ah, no, that war in recent history and the Sorrow are two different things. Sorrow happened over a hundred years ago (Martian years, that is; nearly twice as long as Earth year), while that war ended just slightly over a decades ago. That war was not waged with modern technology, they were waged with the 19th-century technology.

I'd like to hear your idea regarding the Sorrow. And if possible, timespan between the Sorrow and the 'present day'.
 
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Ah, no, that war in recent history and the Sorrow are two different things. Sorrow happened over a hundred years ago (Martian years, that is; nearly twice as long as Earth year), while that war ended just slightly over a decades ago. That war was not waged with modern technology, they were waged with the 19th-century technology.

I'd like to hear your idea regarding the Sorrow. And if possible, timespan between the Sorrow and the 'present day'.
Let's say, there has been an experiment that opened a rift to other plane of existence, releasing magic upon Mars.

Magic came with Spirits (for lack of better words), a incorporeal being from another plane of existence. Spirits aren't inherently malevolent and can be reasoned with (through a medium - a mage if you like). However, in the beginning there has been mediums/mages, so contact was impossible. Magic is genetic trait which started to appear sporadicaly with generation of people born after the rift opening. Mages are seen as wierd because they see and hear things other don't

While Spirits aren't really malevolent, they existence in our world simply isn't compatible with certain technology, especially computers and telecomunications in general (although they interfere with some other things too, allowing you list thing which don't work, work only with warding and work universally). Upon rift opening, there has been cascading black out affecting many advanced devices around the planed in matter of day. AI actually didn't go crazy, they did the best to shield the people, but they ultimately cease to function suddenly and no computer worked since then. Contact with Earth and other colonies was also lost, and not restored since, and no one really knows what happened to them. It's called Sorrow because in a day, people lost practically everything what defined modern world that day. (this completely avoid Skynet stupidity, or Man of Iron parallels, or even demonic invasion from Doom parallels,)

There has been no real war since the Sorrow, albeit there has been lot of chaos and rioting initially, and when order was restored there has been fights between newly formed factions or minor skirmishes. A world war brewing would be a recent event, allowing many stories to be made...

How much time passed, not sure, but it must be enough for people to actively dismantle, discard or bury all old devices knowing they won't ever work again, perhaps 100 year period you mentioned is appropriate.
 
You are really better than me at this. I'll probably inject and replace yours with some of my ideas, though.

However, in the beginning there has been mediums/mages, so contact was impossible.
You mean NO mediums/mage, right? I'd like to make the appearance or at least recognition of the powers of mediums/mages a relatively recent phenomenon, to explain the slow rebuilding of technology.

While Spirits aren't really malevolent, they existence in our world simply isn't compatible with certain technology, especially computers and telecomunications in general (although they interfere with some other things too, allowing you list thing which don't work, work only with warding and work universally). Upon rift opening, there has been cascading black out affecting many advanced devices around the planed in matter of day. AI actually didn't go crazy, they did the best to shield the people, but they ultimately cease to function suddenly and no computer worked since then. Contact with Earth and other colonies was also lost, and not restored since, and no one really knows what happened to them. It's called Sorrow because in a day, people lost practically everything what defined modern world that day. (this completely avoid Skynet stupidity, or Man of Iron parallels, or even demonic invasion from Doom parallels,)
Damn, this is better than anything I have thought of.

This also gives me a possible plot hook: a mage, stumbling upon the pre-Sorrow electronics, places wards and reactivates it. Turn out it contains an AI.

There has been no real war since the Sorrow, albeit there has been lot of chaos and rioting initially, and when order was restored there has been fights between newly formed factions or minor skirmishes. A world war brewing would be a recent event, allowing many stories to be made...
Hmm, I still like my idea of the Great War and it's aftermath. Perhaps this 'Great War' was the first real war fought since the Sorrow.

How much time passed, not sure, but it must be enough for people to actively dismantle, discard or bury all old devices knowing they won't ever work again, perhaps 100 year period you mentioned is appropriate.
140 Martian years, which is approximately 225 Earth years.
 
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You mean NO mediums/mage, right? I'd like to make the appearance or at least recognition of the powers of mediums/mages a relatively recent phenomenon, to explain the slow rebuilding of technology.
Yep, that's what I meant.
Also, it theoretically explains why mages are seen as weird. Society doesn't have to abuse them. However, at initial stages, signs of their awakening powers is indistinguishable from starting madness (they do hear voices, and see things, after all)

Damn, this is better than anything I have thought of.

This also gives me a possible plot hook: a mage, stumbling upon the pre-Sorrow electronics, places wards and reactivates it. Turn out it contains an AI.
It should also explain why some technology wasn't re-invented, development was simply cursed (quite literally), while other passed on easily.

Hmm, I still like my idea of the Great War and it's aftermath. Perhaps this 'Great War' was the first major war fought since the Sorrow.
Of course, but I am trying to go by genre theme (i.e. setting where WW1 analogue is about to happen). However, it could be also the setting where WW1 just happened, or is happening. This very period, where WW2 is still far away or unthinkable by living people is quite what Dieselpunk setting should feel like.
 
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