Cabbages & Kings: The Steampunk Renaisance

INTRODUCTION TO CABBAGES AND KINGS
Home | 4E Whatnots | Video Game Conversions | Oz d20 | War of Toy | d20 Aethernauts | d20 Alternate History Campaigns | Flora Sapiens | Cabbages and Kings 3E | Beast Men | Downloads | Custom Weapon Creation | Pictures & Maps | Related Links | Contact Me

Cabbages and Kings is synthesis of the works of Lewis Carroll, the steam-punk genre, and the Dungeons and Dragons campaign. This campaign has a unique perspective on each core class and redefines their role in an emerging industrial civilization. The strict English culture of the Victorian era that “Alice in Wonderland” is based upon affects race, labor, arcane science, religious, and family interactions. The juxtaposition of magic and industrialization in economics, philosophy, and government is the basis of the campaign. New forms of transportation like the steam locomotive, paddlewheel, and the zeppelin are revolutionizing trade and travel. New ideas and inventions surface, mutate, and spread worldwide by telegraph lines and printing presses. Wondrous innovations draw many to city luxuries and city jobs. The employment of craftsmen and day laborers is challenged by metal constructs that can perform the work faster and cheaper than any mortal creature..

In this new age anything seems possible. The phase “Only in Wonderland” becomes a ubiquitous slogan and catchphrase. Many look at the growth of knowledge and raw power of the industrialization emerging and regard this as a golden age for mankind. Others look at the labor exploitation, the pollution of coal driven factories, and the rapidly forming economic monopolies and see the end of innocence. Statecraft now turns to the motivation of the city workers. Economics the investment of capital in future innovations. Patriotism becomes the building of an infrastructure to support the birth of an industrialized nation. War is forever changed by the introduction of the cannon and musket than can tear down the greatest castles and kill the noblest knight. Science now contests with magic in the production of miracles and many explore the blending of both.

In “Cabbages and Kings”, The world of Wonderland shaped like a coin. The topside of Wonderland is composed of a multitude of continents and islands afloat in a briny sea. The four largest continents are Cardonia, Brillig, Margrave, and Chessex. Topsiders live in the air, in the sea, on land, and even underground. The underside of Wonderland is dank and dreary. In everyway it is the opposite of the topside. Instead of seas it has endless bogs. Instead of sunny days and starlit nights it is always shrouded in eternal fogs. Topside mountains are Underland canyons, grasslands are desserts, and forests are composed of petrified wood. Additionally, Underland is plagued by the undead. Spartan survival is all that can be achieved by living creatures in Underland.

The populous of Wonderland comes from four Great Clans, each named after a suit of playing cards. The Hearts are Elves and Half Elves. The Spades are the Dwarven races. The Diamonds are the brilliant Gnomes and nomadic Halfling races. Finally, the Clubs include all Goblinoids, Orcs, and Half Orcs. Some believe humans are the forefathers of the Great Suites while others believe they are the result of “mongrelization” between the Suites.

Each Clan is split apart by the politics of the Color Parties. The White Party is the crown loyalists that support the rights of the aristocracy. The Red Party wants a free hand to capitalize on the new industries and economic opportunities of this new age of industry. The leaders of the Red Party value wealth and social status. The Black Party is sick and tired of being the stepping stones of nobility and promotes radical political change. Their goal is to abolish the aristocracy, and create a “Meritocracy”. Black Party supporters are often the unwashed laborers in city factories and sweatshops as well as impoverished tenant farmers. Their leaders are selected by their might or cleverness rather than wealth or birth. Each party struggles for more power in the House of Lords, the House of Commons, and in the Judicial Court. Beneath the contempt of all three parties are the Wilds that reject modernization, caste society, and the state religion of the Church of the Patron.

Party color divides every Clan into four branches: White, Red, Black, and Green (Wilds). Each branch has developed its own unique skills and abilities that differentiate it from each other. Children with a mixed heritage can develop lesser abilities known as “Heritage Feats” that replicate a minor ability common to their father’s clan. Examples would include a broad shouldered Heart with a stone cunning (Elf/Dwarf), a green skinned Diamond with unusually quiet footfalls (Gnome/Goblin), or a beardless half sized Spade (Dwarf/Halfling).

New forms of magic are also emerging in this new world. Arcane Specialists are creating new schools of magic. Mesmirrorism is based on the dynamics of reflective glass. Chronometromancy is based on clockwork mechanics and the manipulation of time. The new wondrous devices called steam engines have revolutionized secular and religious thought. Alchemy has evolved into an industrial process involving the mass production of hundreds of gallons of alchemical fluids daily. A way has been found to tap into the elemental power of the storm to create electrical devices like the Lightning Wire (telegraph), the Storm Blade (an electrified sword), and the Dynamo (a steam driven magnetic field). The Black Hearts have found ways to tap into the power of elemental shadow which has made them a force both respected and feared.

Wonderland is a world of contrariness. It is darkness and light, sorcery and science, poverty and wealth, politics and idealism, enlightenment and superstition, and childhood fantasy paired with grim realities.

 
 
 
 
 
 
.

Most pages on this website include open gaming content. Unless specifically stated consider any text open gaming content.

 

OPEN GAME LICENSE Version 1.0a

The following text is the property of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. and is Copyright 2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc (“Wizards”). All Rights Reserved.

1. Definitions: (a)”Contributors” means the copyright and/or trademark owners who have contributed Open Game Content; (b)”Derivative Material” means copyrighted material including derivative works and translations (including into other computer languages), potation, modification, correction, addition, extension, upgrade, improvement, compilation, abridgment or other form in which an existing work may be recast, transformed or adapted; (c) “Distribute” means to reproduce, license, rent, lease, sell, broadcast, publicly display, transmit or otherwise distribute; (d)”Open Game Content” means the game mechanic and includes the methods, procedures, processes and routines to the extent such content does not embody the Product Identity and is an enhancement over the prior art and any additional content clearly identified as Open Game Content by the Contributor, and means any work covered by this License, including translations and derivative works under copyright law, but specifically excludes Product Identity. (e) “Product Identity” means product and product line names, logos and identifying marks including trade dress; artifacts; creatures characters; stories, storylines, plots, thematic elements, dialogue, incidents, language, artwork, symbols, designs, depictions, likenesses, formats, poses, concepts, themes and graphic, photographic and other visual or audio representations; names and descriptions of characters, spells, enchantments, personalities, teams, personas, likenesses and special abilities; places, locations, environments, creatures, equipment, magical or supernatural abilities or effects, logos, symbols, or graphic designs; and any other trademark or registered trademark clearly identified as Product identity by the owner of the Product Identity, and which specifically excludes the Open Game Content; (f) “Trademark” means the logos, names, mark, sign, motto, designs that are used by a Contributor to identify itself or its products or the associated products contributed to the Open Game License by the Contributor (g) “Use”, “Used” or “Using” means to use, Distribute, copy, edit, format, modify, translate and otherwise create Derivative Material of Open Game Content. (h) “You” or “Your” means the licensee in terms of this agreement.

2. The License: This License applies to any Open Game Content that contains a notice indicating that the Open Game Content may only be Used under and in terms of this License. You must affix such a notice to any Open Game Content that you Use. No terms may be added to or subtracted from this License except as described by the License itself. No other terms or conditions may be applied to any Open Game Content distributed using this License.

3.Offer and Acceptance: By Using the Open Game Content You indicate Your acceptance of the terms of this License.

4. Grant and Consideration: In consideration for agreeing to use this License, the Contributors grant You a perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free, non-exclusive license with the exact terms of this License to Use, the Open Game Content.

5.Representation of Authority to Contribute: If You are contributing original material as Open Game Content, You represent that Your Contributions are Your original creation and/or You have sufficient rights to grant the rights conveyed by this License.

6.Notice of License Copyright: You must update the COPYRIGHT NOTICE portion of this License to include the exact text of the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any Open Game Content You are copying, modifying or distributing, and You must add the title, the copyright date, and the copyright holder’s name to the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any original Open Game Content you Distribute.

7. Use of Product Identity: You agree not to Use any Product Identity, including as an indication as to compatibility, except as expressly licensed in another, independent Agreement with the owner of each element of that Product Identity. You agree not to indicate compatibility or co-adaptability with any Trademark or Registered Trademark in conjunction with a work containing Open Game Content except as expressly licensed in another, independent Agreement with the owner of such Trademark or Registered Trademark. The use of any Product Identity in Open Game Content does not constitute a challenge to the ownership of that Product Identity. The owner of any Product Identity used in Open Game Content shall retain all rights, title and interest in and to that Product Identity.

8. Identification: If you distribute Open Game Content You must clearly indicate which portions of the work that you are distributing are Open Game Content.

9. Updating the License: Wizards or its designated Agents may publish updated versions of this License. You may use any authorized version of this License to copy, modify and distribute any Open Game Content originally distributed under any version of this License.

10 Copy of this License: You MUST include a copy of this License with every copy of the Open Game Content You Distribute.

11. Use of Contributor Credits: You may not market or advertise the Open Game Content using the name of any Contributor unless You have written permission from the Contributor to do so.

12 Inability to Comply: If it is impossible for You to comply with any of the terms of this License with respect to some or all of the Open Game Content due to statute, judicial order, or governmental regulation then You may not Use any Open Game Material so affected.

13 Termination: This License will terminate automatically if You fail to comply with all terms herein and fail to cure such breach within 30 days of becoming aware of the breach. All sublicenses shall survive the termination of this License.

14 Reformation: If any provision of this License is held to be unenforceable, such provision shall be reformed only to the extent necessary to make it enforceable.

15 COPYRIGHT NOTICE

Open Game License v 1.0 Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.

Modern System Reference Document Copyright 2002, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Bill Slavicsek, Jeff Grubb, Rich Redman, Charles Ryan, based on material by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, Richard Baker, Peter Adkison, Bruce R. Cordell, John Tynes, Andy Collins, and JD Wiker.

System Reference Document Copyright 2000-2004, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.: Authors Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, Bruce R. Cordell, based on original material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson.

END OF LICENSE