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View Full Version : Need sources for a Steampunk campaign setting.



Barbin
2011-02-14, 10:58 PM
I've finally gotten around to do something I wanted to do for a year and a half: a Steampunk campaign setting.

I have most of it ritten down, but I feel like I'm still missing something. If any playgrounders know any Steampunk books, movies or RPGs it would be a great help to list them here.

Thanks in advance.

tuesdayscoming
2011-02-14, 11:17 PM
It's probably not quite what you're looking for (and you probably know of it already) but the Eberron campaign setting has a distinctly Steampunk feel to it. You could easily refluff a lot of the stuff in there.

Basic example: in standard Eberron, airships are fueled by a bound fire-elemental that is housed in a giant ring around the body of the ship. Instead, have it be bound in a small crystal that becomes extraordinarily hot while occupied. Drop it in a chamber that's constantly being filled with water (the name of the item that does this escapes me at the moment), and voila! Infinite source of steam to run whatever ridiculous devices you can come up with.

Saint GoH
2011-02-14, 11:51 PM
Or just get Iron Kingdoms. That pretty much details a steampunk world down to Mecha and everything.

Leon
2011-02-15, 02:42 AM
Or just get Iron Kingdoms.

This needs to be said again.
And its available on PDF

drakir_nosslin
2011-02-15, 02:44 AM
There's also dragonmech, iirc.

dsmiles
2011-02-15, 05:51 AM
Or just get Iron Kingdoms.
This needs to be said again.This can't be said enough. I'm running The Witchfire Trilogy starting next weekend :smallbiggrin: (not this coming weekend, though :smallfrown:).

panaikhan
2011-02-15, 08:51 AM
The general feel for Planescape was steampunk, in my opinion.
But yeah, Eberron has the 'technology' aspect of steampunk nailed.

Comet
2011-02-15, 08:58 AM
The general feel for Planescape was steampunk, in my opinion.


This... actually fits quite well. Huh, I hadn't thought of it that way. The social dynamics and some of the visual elements of typical steampunk are definitely there. Good catch.

Eberron, though, I sort of disagree with. Sure, there's outlandish technology and some of it happens to run on steam, but I'm just not seeing enough actual steam technology. And besides, there aren't nearly enough top hats and monocles :smalltongue:

Zuljita
2011-02-15, 09:05 AM
I suggest checking out Gurps Steampunk (http://www.sjgames.com/gurps/books/steampunk/) for ideas. Even if you dont like the system, their sourcebooks are phenomenal for helping build a setting.

Britter
2011-02-15, 09:57 AM
If you want to read a good book and mine it for ideas, check out Perdido Street Station by China Mieville. Weird Fantasy with some strong steampunk elements. Very very good book.

Cyrion
2011-02-15, 10:16 AM
In addition to the GURPS Steampunk sourcebook, their setting books on Castle Falkenstein could be a good resource. The RPG Space 1899 is also essentially steampunk if you can find it.

In books, you might try William Gibson's The Difference Engine. The writing's not as good as his Neuromancer series, but still good idea fodder. Also, take a gander at just about anything by Jules Verne or H.G. Wells. Not technically steampunk, but it's science fiction from the right era, and should provide a wealth of ideas.

And if you haven't seen it, there's always Girl Genius (http://www.airshipentertainment.com/info/comics.php4).