Long ago there a was moment in time where the history of the human race had to be rewritten. It was a fracture in the very fabric of reality caused by The Event. The year was 1881, and the world as it was destined to be, changed forever. It started with the introduction of Mass Steam Drives, engines that ran on super-heated water. Soon the world was run on water alone, and as any great industrial resource, it didn't take long before it became the fuel of vast wars faught over itself...

The year is now 1921, forty hard years since the Steam-powered Revolution, forty hard years of bloodshed and advancement. The key cities of the world are blooming metropolises, while the rest is set in the old ways. A Great War was waged at the turn of the Millennium and rages to this day. The very fate of the Earth rests in the power struggle between the two greatest Factions of the world.

As time went on, the great nations formed the three factions of the Earth; The Empire, The Alliance, and The Defiance.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~­~~~­~~~­~~~­~~~­~~~­~~~­~~~­~~

The Great Empire
The Empire is known from all corners of the globe as the most powerful and ruthless faction. It's grip extends across most of central Europa, as well as Afrika, and Soviet Russia. This warmongering faction tore through the Alliance in the early years of the war and have since only gained territory...

There origin lies within an alliance between Old England, Prussia, Rome, and Austrea. As the four nations merged to form the Empire, the leadership was comprised of the Elder Council of Four, four leaders as heads of their perspective nations would decide on matters of great importance to the Empire.

Living under the rule of the Empire means heavy Isolation from the outside world, heavy taxation to fuel the war effort, strict policy on criminal rights, and a national curfew that is keenly enforced. The faction has little freedom of religion, and some tolerance of ethnic races.

The Old Alliance
The Alliance is known worldwide as the keepers of the old ways, having a strong belief in faith of religion, and are the major faction opposing the Imperial Invasion. Spearheaded by Britainnia, America, and Spain, the Alliance fights desperately to preserve a world free from the tyranny of the Imperial Legion.

The Leadership is comprised of over 23 nations who hold council in New York City, far from the fronts of battle. The class system is much more diverse than that of the Empire, as such an average person has every opportunity that a wealthy person has to be successful.

Living under the Alliance means benefiting from free education, moderate taxation, and a healthy economy overall. Full Religious freedom is exercised, as well as a healthy diversification of ethnicity.

The Free People's Defiance
The Defiance is a rather new faction, with the main force residing in war torn Central Britainia, Occupied France, as well as the Polish Commonwealth. There are small pockets of resistance in Prussia, Soviet Russia, Constantinople, Rome, and several other locations throughout central Europa. Lately the Faction has been beaten at every turn by the Empire, and still opposes Alliance support.

The Resistance has a rag-tag leadership of three Generals, one for each of the main bodied forces. It's ranks are similar to that of America's army hierarchy, and closely resembles the structure.

There is no ruling of others in the Defiance, for they stand to make the world free from control, where the common person gets to help in the choices made.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~­~~~­~~~­~~~­~~~­~~~­~~~­~~~­~~

This story will be separated into three segments;

Part 1: No Escape
Part 2: The Sacrifice
Part 3: Gloria Bellum

This is a Steampunk story heavily stylized by the first world war, and the tale begins in a besieged Britannian city called Weslock.
_________________________________________­___­___­___­___­___­___­___­___­__

Character Creation Guide
(Post your character as an article, and you will be added to the story. Please be as detailed as you can and be reasonable as far as gear goes this is the early 18th century. Weapons Guide link found link.

Name-

Age-

Faction Ties-

Rank in Faction-

Appearance-

Attire-

Weapons-

Equipment-

Story-
_________________________________________­___­___­___­___­___­___­___­___­__

[Characters]
(R) - Rogue475
(P) - PungoBliss
(B) - Blaze_of_Ares
(T) - Taikamodo

The Empire
~"The Butcher" link (R)
~"Bitch Face" link (P)
~link (B)
~link (R)
~link (R)
~

The Alliance
~link (R)
~link (R)
~"Double A" link (B)
~link (T)
~"Maverick" link (R)
~

The Defiance
~link (R)
~link (P)
~link (B)
~"Mackie"link (R)
~

Independant
~link (P)
~