Shireling
A Servant of King and Country
Imperia Maris
"Roll on, deep and dark blue ocean, roll. Ten thousand fleets sweep over thee in vain. Man marks the earth with ruin, but his control stops with the shore." -Lord Byron
Paris, 1896. At the French Institute of Technology, the world's leading scientists and researchers are gathered together to discuss the great technological innovations of their day. As the crowd sits hushed, waiting for the host to announce the first presenter to the stage, a chill wind blows through the room from the massive doors flung open at the end of the hall. The heads of the gentlemen turned suddenly, their eyes focusing on the visage of a young man dressed shabbily in a sailor's uniform. He staggered up the carpetted walkway, sopping wet. The men recoiled instinctively as he passed them, stumbling, all the way to the podium where he stood dripping and cold, but wearing a smile that flickered dimly like a candle.
"Gentlemen," said the mysterious man, "I give you the Hearthstone of Atlantis!"
He reached into his soggy clothes and pulled forth a crystal, glimmering and radiating in a Sirian blue brilliance. Energy crackled about the room. Hair unrestrained by hats was left standing on end. The weak electric lights, glowing with a candle-like luminescence, became brilliant, bathing the room in yellow light before exploding and plunging the room into darkness save the icy flouresence of the Hearthstone.
The sailor continued, "There are millions of these stones, scattered all about the Lost Continent. Each with enough brilliance, enough power, to light a city! They are there--" He began to cough and sputter, "waiting to be taken! I pray you," his coughing intensified, "men of science, go forth. The Lost World is waiting for you... waiting..." Then, in the middle of his sentence, the man fell forward, coughing blood upon the carpet, repeating, "waiting...waiting..." and his life slowly left him there on the floor. The Hearthstone rolled free of his grasp and rolled across the carpet. Seconds passed in silence, then the clamor and roar was deafening.
1910, Atlantic Ocean. Over the past fifteen years, the nations of the world have devoted extensive resources and manpower to the exploration of the Atlantic where archeologists are certain somewhere therein lies the lost continent of Atlantis. The search for the Hearthstone deposits is more intense than ever, but Atlantis is not the only thing drawing the superpowers to the bottom of the ocean. Vast reserves of nickel, copper, iron, silver, gold, and phosphates have been discovered in the geothermal vents. The mining operations have given rise to undersea cities and towns. The expansion into the sea sees a generation of intrepid adventurers and brilliant engineers descend the bathyscaphe rails down into the depths.
But this New World was still indelibly linked to the Old. The undersea colonies still owed loyalty to their mother country, and as tensions and entangling alliances threatened to spark war in Europe, the colonial governors know that the bottom of the ocean could become another theater in the Great War. In Imperia Maris, you may assume the roll of a colonial leader for the underwater holdings of one of the eight superpowers: Great Britain, France, Germany, America, Italy, Austria-Hungary, Russia, and the Empire of Japan. Choose to execute the orders of your motherland without fault, or fatten your wallet with disdain for politicians back home. Carry a gun for the home country, or form your own republic--the choice is yours.
However, there is more to this underwater Wild West than political intrigue and conflict. A new class of pioneers requires a new class of adventurers and rogues. Detectives and Pinkerton agents, mad scientists, pirates, spies, assassins--all trying to eek out a living away from the social constraints of the mainland, and whose actions could influence policy, even ignite a war.
"Roll on, deep and dark blue ocean, roll. Ten thousand fleets sweep over thee in vain. Man marks the earth with ruin, but his control stops with the shore." -Lord Byron
Paris, 1896. At the French Institute of Technology, the world's leading scientists and researchers are gathered together to discuss the great technological innovations of their day. As the crowd sits hushed, waiting for the host to announce the first presenter to the stage, a chill wind blows through the room from the massive doors flung open at the end of the hall. The heads of the gentlemen turned suddenly, their eyes focusing on the visage of a young man dressed shabbily in a sailor's uniform. He staggered up the carpetted walkway, sopping wet. The men recoiled instinctively as he passed them, stumbling, all the way to the podium where he stood dripping and cold, but wearing a smile that flickered dimly like a candle.
"Gentlemen," said the mysterious man, "I give you the Hearthstone of Atlantis!"
He reached into his soggy clothes and pulled forth a crystal, glimmering and radiating in a Sirian blue brilliance. Energy crackled about the room. Hair unrestrained by hats was left standing on end. The weak electric lights, glowing with a candle-like luminescence, became brilliant, bathing the room in yellow light before exploding and plunging the room into darkness save the icy flouresence of the Hearthstone.
The sailor continued, "There are millions of these stones, scattered all about the Lost Continent. Each with enough brilliance, enough power, to light a city! They are there--" He began to cough and sputter, "waiting to be taken! I pray you," his coughing intensified, "men of science, go forth. The Lost World is waiting for you... waiting..." Then, in the middle of his sentence, the man fell forward, coughing blood upon the carpet, repeating, "waiting...waiting..." and his life slowly left him there on the floor. The Hearthstone rolled free of his grasp and rolled across the carpet. Seconds passed in silence, then the clamor and roar was deafening.
1910, Atlantic Ocean. Over the past fifteen years, the nations of the world have devoted extensive resources and manpower to the exploration of the Atlantic where archeologists are certain somewhere therein lies the lost continent of Atlantis. The search for the Hearthstone deposits is more intense than ever, but Atlantis is not the only thing drawing the superpowers to the bottom of the ocean. Vast reserves of nickel, copper, iron, silver, gold, and phosphates have been discovered in the geothermal vents. The mining operations have given rise to undersea cities and towns. The expansion into the sea sees a generation of intrepid adventurers and brilliant engineers descend the bathyscaphe rails down into the depths.
But this New World was still indelibly linked to the Old. The undersea colonies still owed loyalty to their mother country, and as tensions and entangling alliances threatened to spark war in Europe, the colonial governors know that the bottom of the ocean could become another theater in the Great War. In Imperia Maris, you may assume the roll of a colonial leader for the underwater holdings of one of the eight superpowers: Great Britain, France, Germany, America, Italy, Austria-Hungary, Russia, and the Empire of Japan. Choose to execute the orders of your motherland without fault, or fatten your wallet with disdain for politicians back home. Carry a gun for the home country, or form your own republic--the choice is yours.
However, there is more to this underwater Wild West than political intrigue and conflict. A new class of pioneers requires a new class of adventurers and rogues. Detectives and Pinkerton agents, mad scientists, pirates, spies, assassins--all trying to eek out a living away from the social constraints of the mainland, and whose actions could influence policy, even ignite a war.
