Imperial TTRPG

Steam, Steel, and Destiny

Welcome to the world of Avara. You are citizens of this world. The Imperial Throne of Halinghamweald is strong, and the Empire is clearly the most enlightened power in the world. The Dual Faith, the established faith of the Empire is ascendent, and science rules the day.

Divine providence itself has established the Empire to do its work. How fortunate are the citizens of the Empire? It is the center of civilization, and from it go out the efforts that have helped so many other lands to attain proper customs and a better life. Imperial colonies continue the struggle even now to civilize the hordes of people in less developed lands.

It has been a struggle for a very long time, sometimes Halinghamweald has even had to compete against other so-called civilized nations. Sometimes, just when the royal family was considering the possibility of allowing some colonies to have representation in the Common Assembly, if not the Lords — the natives have risen in revolt and caused much bloodshed before subsiding again. Sometimes exploratory parties in more distant lands have disappeared without a trace.

At the same time, superstition continues to flourish at home among the commons and even some of the peers. No one questions that the world is round anymore, but there is still widespread belief in witchcraft, in the good folk (the fairfolk — the fey — the little people), and in evil spirits. Seances are well attended. Love potions and talismans for luck can be bought on the backstreets, even of the capital, and many turn to so-called wise women, cunning men, astrologers, and diviners. Alchemists still compete with doctors (sometimes with annoyingly persistent good results) and unblessed bodies disappear from cemeteries in no smaller numbers than in centuries past — whereto is anybody’s guess, but the body snatchers likely still take them to vivisectionists and necromancers, one must suppose.

None of this slows down the march of progress, of course. Larger and larger telescopes allow the other planets in the solar system (the sun is in the middle, not the Earth) to be studied. Improving medical technology based on careful testing of proposed drugs lengthens lifespans. Inventions like the airship–all lighter than air, of course– are coming out almost every year.