This month I managed to snag that traveling caravan of gypsies and vagabonds called the RPG Blog Carnival and had them pitch tents outside the Labs. Last month Roleplaying Pro hosted the carnival and presented the topic, The Future of Roleplaying. This month the RPG Carnival is dressed in grand Victorian (and Edwardian) style, are firing up the gaslamps, and donning brass goggles in preparation for this months topic:
Steampunk & Klokwerks
Steampunk, like most genres, is difficult to define. I deem Steampunk anything set in an era with older than current technology, that uses that older technology (usually steam-powered contraptions, elaborate clockwork, or even harnessing electricity from lightning) to create modern inventions that would not normally be considered possible with that technology. Steam-powered computers, clockwork automatons, and lightning powered Tesla coils are good examples of such anachronistic inventions.
Many considered the Victorian and Edwardian eras are prime time periods for Steampunk because steam engines were in use. The fashion of those eras are iconic imagery that many Steampunk creations use. Where Steampunk has come to represent the setting of anachronistic tech, Klokwerks is limited to using clock escapements, weights, and counter-balance to create inventions.
I’ve talked about Steampunk before and it’s one of my favorite flavors of SF/Fantasy, so I figured I’d unleash the subject on the RPG blogosphere and see what kinds of great things our talented community comes up with. I would like to leave it that and not place further constraints on the topic, but for any bloggers that prefer concrete examples, here are some things that would be interesting to contribute:
- Adventures/Hooks
- Characters
- Classes/Abilities/Powers
- Costuming/Fashion
- Encounters
- Equipment
- Feats
- Game Props
- Locations
- Media Resources
- Monsters
- Opinion Essays
- Skill Challenges
- Societies
- Theory & Design
- Worldbuilding/Setting
I hope to see some great contributions to this month’s RPG Blog Carnival. Contributors, please be sure to leave a comment with a link back to your posts in case trackbacks do not register. I’ll post a round-up of all the contributing articles within the first week of July.
@The Last Rogue: Awesome, looking forward to seeing what you come up with!
@Greywulf: Hehe, those are some beautiful pieces, please pass my compliments along to the lady.
Consider me stoked. I love steampunk, and I cannot wait to contribute to this month’s Carnival. Excellent choice.
The Last Rogue’s last blog post..Session 5.2 – The Game Within the Game
I dig steampunk a whole bunch so I’ll definitely look into something. Maybe put it to some Abney Park music.
Helmsman’s last blog post..The Endless Frustrations of Writing a Game
Considering the lady who makes these shares a home with me, I’m sure I can come up with something to contribute 😀
I’m working on a setting with some Steam Punk Elements, this should really come in handy.
My first two steam-punkish monsters have been rolled up for a competition over at the wizards forums, when its over, i’ll post them here.
shinobicow’s last blog post..Creature Building in 4e: Way Easier than Before?
@Helmsman: Abney Park, I’d love to see those guys live, too bad I haven’t seen any tour dates in the Midwest.
@Shinobicow: Awesome, can’t wait to see them (and I hope you place in the competition).
http://www.roleplayingpro.com/2009/06/02/visualizing-steampunk-klokwerks-steamboy-the-movie/
I don’t have a lot of experience with steampunk, other than a little Deadlands. I did recently watch a movie called Steamboy that I thought was surprisingly good. I think for people like me who need help visualizing settings like this can find a lot of help by watching movies like this, watching TV shows, and reading books related to steampunk.
Samuel Van Der Wall’s last blog post..The Future Of Roleplaying Roundup
I tried to come up with something but I’m not entirely sure it is worthy of carnival this month. 🙂
Bob’s last blog post..Ever See A Gnome Try and Melt Your Face Off?
Neat idea. I think I might have a Steampunk themed post to contribute… 😉
Stuart’s last blog post..Tips for Making Minis with Polymer Clay
Here is my article.
Is Steampunk a British Thing? – http://6d6fireball.com/rpg/is-steampunk-a-british-thing/
Chris Tregenza’s last blog post..The Bloggers Carnival – This Month, Next Month, Every Month
For anyone interested in Steampunk Bits and Bobs you might like:
http:www.londonparticulars.etsy.com
By way of London and Seattle…
Derrick’s last blog post..Steampunk Jewelry Necklace Time Flies – Artfully presented in a Drawstring Pouch – Securely Packaged and Promptly Shipped
Here’s mine: http://whitehall-paraindustries.blogspot.com/2009/06/rpg-blog-carnival-thoughts-on-steampunk.html
I’m running a campaign in a world in which the steam age merged into magic based on infernal conjuring. The basic outline is here and some of the tech is here.
The basic campaign idea I refer to as “Compromise and Conceit” and my blog has a tag for hunting it down. I am currently running a campaign in 18th century America (during the war of independence) but have previously done a purely Victorian campaign that was a lot of fun. There is a vision for this world from the era of Shakespeare onward, and kind of like the Flashman novels I aim to run campaigns in all the most famous historical junctures of the western world (Plus some others).
This month’s RPG Blog carnival is a perfect chance to show it off to the rest of you… steampunk meets magic, just like in Bas Lag. Hope you like it…
faustusnotes’s last blog post..Current viewing: Let the Right One In
as usual, my link-fu broke. The outline is here:
http://faustusnotes.wordpress.com/2008/07/20/the-world-of-compromise-and-conceit/
faustusnotes’s last blog post..Current viewing: Let the Right One In
I thought I was going to have to sit this month out. But I have been inspired. Should have something finished this weekend.
Vulcan Stev’s last blog post..Nobis: Looking at the Religion.
This is possibly the fastest Carnival entry I’ve done – something just got under my skin on this.
Some stuff on the darker side of steampunk: – steel, steam and spit.
satyre’s last blog post..steel, steam and spit
The idea of this is simply to write a blog post on the topic of Steampunk, right?
If so, this is perfect timing… I’ve just started work on a Steampunk setting, possibly for Risus, and I’m putting things up on my blog as I go.
Nathan Abrahams’s last blog post..*punk begins!
First of a couple (I hope) contributions: http://rpg.brouhaha.us/?p=1061
One more contribution:
http://rpg.brouhaha.us/?p=1071
MJ Harnish’s last blog post..[RPG Carnival] New Steampunk E-zine
Ok, not my favorite subject and not my greatest blog
http://trollandflame.blogspot.com/2009/06/steam-punk-carnival.html
Mine just went live this afternoon http://vulcanstev.wordpress.com/2009/06/11/rpg-blog-carnival-gaming-in-the-universe-of-steampunk/
[rq=3948,0,blog][/rq]RPG Blog Carnival: Gaming in the Universe of…. Steampunk
I’d just like to thank everyone that has responded so far. I will give some commentary on everything contributed when I do my end-of-the-month roundup. Glad to see Steampunk getting some love!
Here’s my part for the carnival – The Endowed, a steampunk supers setting.
http://allgeektout.com/2009/06/17/steampunk-superheroes/
Aaron
.-= Aaron´s last blog ..The Empowered – Steampunk Superheroes =-.
I have a blog just devoted to steampunk (actually, it’s for writing steampunk) so I couldn’t resist a counter argument to those who came before and said there was no punk in steampunk. I think I’ll do a few more posts in the next week or so.
Enjoy!
http://steampunkworld.blogspot.com/
.-= scribblar´s last blog ..RPG Carnival =-.
My first entry! Hope y’all think its a good ‘un!
http://cleireac.livejournal.com/69281.html
This is not exactly RPG related by Jeff Grubb of The Alliterates has an steampunk post with a song/poem entitled “The Revolution will not be Telegraphed” at http://grubbstreet.blogspot.com/2009/06/steampunk-dreams.html
Here’s my first RPG Blog Carnival post – my Sunday 5 list this week is 5 d20 Steampunk Books.
http://rpgcharacters.wordpress.com/2009/06/21/steamworks-and-dragons-5-d20-steampunk-books/
.-= Dyson Logos´s last blog ..Steamworks and Dragons – 5 d20 Steampunk Books =-.
I’ve posted a homebrew paragon path called the Steampunk Mage, a mixture of the arcane and the steampunk. I will post a second part to this post which features a few spells for Wizards, Sorcerers and Warlocks.
http://akronos.akronos-dnd.com/?p=312
Here’s mine: Gadgets & Gears – a load of Steampunk devices for Mutants & Masterminds 😀
http://advancedgaming-theory.blogspot.com/2009/06/blog-carnival-steampunk-klokwerks.html
I had to rack my brains for this one. I didn’t think that I really used Steampunk in my Dungeons & Dragons game, but I was wrong.
Whew, I’ll make it right on time! It’ll post on Monday 6/29 at 9 AM.
http://highmoonmedia.com/tgt/the-steampunk-wizard-of-brugge
.-= Daniel M. Perez, The Gamer Traveler´s last blog ..Life-Sized Gundam To Protect Japan =-.
Hi!
I just finished my contribution to this month’s blog carnival. Alas it’s not as meaty as I hoped it to be, but perhaps some people can get some inspiration for a campaign out of it or at least someone discovers Girl Genius for the first time. It’s a great steampunk comic series!
Huh, I almost forgot the link to the post: http://www.stargazersworld.com/2009/06/29/girl-genius/
P.S.: I’ll try to come up with some more GG-related stuff in the future
.-= Stargazer´s last blog ..Girl Genius! =-.
Some more of my Steampunk posts for the month:
Steamguns & Blackpowder Clockworks – Rules
http://rpgcharacters.wordpress.com/2009/06/25/steamguns-and-blackpowder-clockworks-rules/
Steamguns & Blackpowder Clockworks – Magical Arms
http://rpgcharacters.wordpress.com/2009/06/27/steamguns-and-blackpowder-clockworks-magical-arms/
DragonMech – Moruth Ironbeard, Steampunk Cyborg
http://rpgcharacters.wordpress.com/2009/06/29/dragonmech-moruth-ironbeard-steampunk-cyborg/
.-= Dyson Logos´s last blog ..[DragonMech] Moruth Ironbeard, steampunk cyborg =-.
Sliding in under the gun, here is my post on the subject ~ http://1001bobs.weegamers.com/2009/06/iron-kingdoms-4e-resources/
.-= Chris Cumming´s last blog ..Iron Kingdoms 4e Resources =-.
I offer my contribution to this excellent topic. Hope it proves interesting.
http://www.creativeanomalies.com/blog/2009/06/30/rpg-carnival-steampunk/
Steamnocchio….that is an absolutely amazing image, well done!
@Lora: I highly recommend you take the trip over to the CGSociety’s Steampunk Myths & Legends Challenge. Tons of great work!
An excellent issue, the image is pretty cool and i agree visit cgsocietys steampunk myths & legends