The game is set in an alternate history. Diverging from our own in 1868 when Thomas Edison develops an Ether Flyer, a device that enables interplanetary travel.
- In 1870, Edison successfully completes an expedition to Mars.
- Mars is inhabited and Martian civilization is ancient (tens of thousands of years) and content. There are three types of Martians, all with three fingers and a thumb as well as pointed ears.
- Canal Martians are well over 6 ft tall and pale ocher skin (reddish/yellowish). Their culture is something like Renaissance Eurpoe.
- Hill Martians are shorter and stockier than Canal Martians but still average over 6ft. They also have golden brown skin. Their culture is something like Native American culture (pre-Europe).
- High Martians are much shorter with an almost ape-like posture. They are savages, but still seemed to be ruled by “kings” or warlords. Their pointed ears have almost a web-like appearance and indeed they have web membranes under their arms. They are able to fly due to some sort of anti-gravity organ. They have darker skin than other Martians.
- Also, a special and rare tree grows on Mars called Liftwood that allows Cloud Ships to be constructed.
- From 1874 to 1876 two expeditions to Venus are lost.
- 1876 the British land on Mercury.
- 1877 another failed expedition to Venus.
- 1878 a German expedition to Venus is successful. Venus has a primitive but sentient race of Lizard Men.
Major powers all rush to plant colonies. Mars is especially favored.
The British Association for the Advancement of Science forms the Explorer’s Society. It is similar to the Geographic Society.
The Explorer’s Society is concerned with exploration and the advancement of science, but also acts on behalf of the British government as an agency handling more unsual “problems”. The society is much more egalitarian than society in general and the type of members vary widely in personality, status, and skills. (It reminds me of Hellboy’s Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense.)
Characters are assumed to be members of the Society.
Our game takes place in 1889. We start on Earth, but significant portions of the campaign will be played on Mars.