Introduction to Gizmo

*”You, young adventurer! Yes you, and you, and you too! All of you gather round as I, the great Lucien La Chenzo, gift you with a beautiful and nail-biting tale of the heroes of old! A ballad replete with action, adventure, romance, terrible puns and freestyle rapping the likes of which have never been repeated! Pull up a chair, stay standing, do a handstand, whatever your little heart desires, as I share with you the most splendid story in the entirety of my bard collection!*

I tell you folks the story of a time when our world was not in harmony. On the contrary, it was probably in the worst state one could possibly imagine! War was a staple! Peace was a thing of the past! Robbery, slavery, and murder were all commonplace in this torn society! I’m sure all of you are wondering, ‘Oh Lucien the Godly, how did you and Mr. Buttons manage to escape such a time alive while still keeping your devilish good looks?’ And I answer with this: our world was saved by living legends. Hell, some of them absolutely hated each other! Some didn’t even know who the other was! For you all see, this story takes place during The Great Crystal Hunt!

Be warned, this story is not for the faint of heart: there are bloodthirsty dragons, flesh-eating zombies, passionate romances, the most immoral of drugs, vampires with powers the likes of which you have never SEEN, and a fat old cow that could never have a good time! There are gladiators, sky pirates, seductive princesses of the demon world, and heavenly angels sent by the gods themselves! I hope you’re all comfy, ladies and gentlemen, because I know Mr. Buttons and I are prepared to tell ourselves an incredibly long tale.

Now, our story begins with the tiniest of blue diamonds.”

## ***The What and Why***

Hello everyone, and welcome to Gizmo, a Steampunk Fantasy RP that has been going on for about a year and a half now. I hope this topic isn’t too intimidating; by all means, if you have any questions, ask!

The RP takes place on a world called Aneos (uhh-nay-os), a mythical realm with incredibly advanced technology and deep roots in magic, but somehow stuck in a Victorian-esque era. During the past couple centuries there has been an Industrial Revolution unlike anything ever seen: the world discovered the ability to imbue its technology with the magic it wields. Soon, entire cities were renovated with this new Thaummatech, the name for such machinery imbued with magic, and everything was under control with pretty flowers and butterflies. Right? Wrong.

See, most magic in the world comes from “ley lines”, cracks in reality that release a concentrated magical energy, which intertwine over the surface of Aneos like rivers of pure power. Some areas will have a higher concentration of this “Juice”, while others will be devoid of any at all. Whatever the case, without ley lines, Aneos would have no magic whatsoever. Most magicians and objects that run on “Juice” require direct contact with a Ley Line to function. It is for this reason that most, if not all, major capitals of the world are built upon a strong ley line so that the Thaummatech can run smoothly and defenses can be top notch. These defenses are without a doubt mandatory to maintain control of such a large source of energy. Not only do people have to fear other people seeking what they have, but also the many monsters that roam the land, ever thirsty for Juice, and demons, that just love to slip through Ley Lines and prey on mortals.

Things weren’t always this way.

Long ago, the Ley Crystal controlled the flow of Juice into Aneos—limitless power could be drawn directly from it, and Ley Lines could be created, directed, and removed by it—but it was destroyed. You might think this would make the magic unusable, but it was the complete opposite: magic all over the globe was intensified greatly. There was an explosive release of energy, which ruptured the barrier separating Aneos from the Beyond, causing countless Ley Lines to burst into existence. This was catastrophic. The world wasn’t ready for such power. Most people died, civilization was shattered in a very similar way to the Crystal itself, and soon the intensified, uncontrolled magic, and mutants born from the fallout, called monsters, became major threats to all those left. It was post-apocalyptic. Almost everyone and everything only cared about their own survival.

However, as many millennia passed, the end came and went, and there was a new beginning. Societies formed around this new Aneos. People adapted and learned to use the abundant magic available to them. Knowledge that was lost was slowly regained. Eventually, civilization became more than a long forgotten word. However, nobody ever forgot the tales of the Ley Crystal. The legends of it had survived through the ages, and captivated the hearts of many. With the world rebuilt, many also sought to rebuild the Crystal, or guard its remains from those who did.

This started a new era in Aneos, a time known as…

***The Great Crystal Hunt!***