Introduction

The setting of the Great Miasma takes place in a world once very similar to ours, except the industrial revolution continued on in a different direction; in simple terms, a post-apocalyptic steampunk world, with some elements of teslapunk and dieselpunk as well. Initially, humanity had developed a much more efficient and effective method of steam power. While the old Victorian culture stood the same, humanity grew much more advanced with their machines; they found ways to take to the skies with them, build impressive structures, and even augment their own bodies, all powered by steam. On top of that, they managed to create steam-powered robots, helped with a certain rare ore named Animite they found deep underground that can somehow imprint the mind of a human, depending on the quality of the ore that is.

Seeing the value in this ore, Queen Victoria sent out robotic miners to dig deeper for a purer, richer Animite for more advanced robotic minds. Their fascination with the ore brought them to dig deep all over the world for it. However, as they dug deeper, something was released into the air all around that quickly began to permeate all atmosphere. The contamination seemed to only affect humans oddly enough, causing death minutes after exposure. Unfortunately, many people have perished, including Queen Victoria herself. This was called the Grand Catastrophe, and began around 1878. At first, humanity's response to this was to create specialized masks that filtered out the air. This worked initially, but many people were becoming impatient, and dreaded having to wear these masks day after day, even during sleep. This is where humanity began to divide.

Some found ways to manipulate genes rapidly, and change humanity to adapt, given animals seem unaffected, typically using a compound called Genetic Serum. Some would completely embrace machinery, either augmenting themself to automatically filter out the air, or completely becoming an automaton with the aid of pure Animite. Those who wished to preserve their humanity built large domes or airtight bunkers to artificially control the atmosphere. While some went off and found strange occult solutions; these were the ones who would slowly begin to realize the truth of what caused the contamination in the air…

As the years went on after the disaster, technology began to branch apart, seeing new but different breakthroughs, electricity and natural gas-powered engines. The three technologies (steam, electricity, and gas) grew separately among different groups, many relying on one or the other, rarely a mix of the three. It became a part of their cultures and identities as they grew apart from each other. However, some groups forego modern technologies, and remain mostly with technologies their ancestors would have used.

For some, the question was to hold on to their humanity and change the world; for others, it was to forego their humanity, and adapt to survive. With what is left of humanity, they went on with their lives in these artificial atmosphere-controlled civilizations, now with Queen Victoria II to carry on her mothers legacy, and build a new empire for humanity… will they learn from the past, or repeat the same mistakes?