Etheria

A century has passed since the Great Collapse, a cataclysmic event that left the world broken, its skies choked with ash and the earth itself scarred beyond recognition. From the ruins of that shattered age, two figures emerged—The Alchemist and The Engineer. These pioneers, united in their vision of salvation, harnessed forgotten knowledge and cutting-edge ingenuity to rebuild society. Through their combined efforts, humanity was not only restored but propelled into an era of unimaginable technological achievement, where steam-powered marvels dominate every corner of life, from sky-bound airships to intricate clockwork automatons. This new civilization calls itself Etheria and is centered around a grand city which was built by The Founders themselves, a marvel of technology and civil planning that they called Sanctuary.

The Engineer, built the very infrastructure upon which civilization now thrives. His steam-powered machines, intricate gears, and soaring towers transformed Sanctuary into a gleaming metropolis. He was the one who created the first airships that traversed the skies, ensuring humanity's survival after the Collapse by linking isolated survivors across the continent. His inventions provided energy, transportation, and communication, uniting disparate peoples into a single, cohesive society. His blueprints, meticulously recorded, are enshrined in countless vaults and revered by those who aspire to continue his work. In the later years of his life, he devoted himself to educating others in the sciences and opened the first and now largest School of Building. Statues of The Engineer, holding a wrench aloft, adorn every major city, and his likeness is often seen etched into everything from public buildings to personal tools. 

The Alchemist, with her mastery of chemical reactions, arcane science, and the mysteries of life itself, transformed the world’s very fabric. She discovered ways to purify the waters, mend the land, and unlock the potential of human biology, enabling longer lives and healing previously incurable diseases. Her laboratories are revered, and her teachings form the backbone of medical practices and environmental restoration. Tragically, for reasons unknown to this day, she took her own life by jumping out of her and The Engineer's shared office a few years after the founding of Etheria's charter. There were many memorials in her honor along with the granting of a city-wide holiday in remembereance. Her works have been passed down in the form of doctrines, almost treated as sacred texts. Several temples of alcehmy for others to learn the alchemical arts were erected in her honor.

In this steam-driven world, every advancement is built upon the legacy of these two visionaries, the line between reverence and dogma often blurs. Though the society claims no gods, both The Alchemist and The Engineer are held in near-religious esteem. People speak of their teachings akin to gospel, and their ideologies are instilled in every child through education. The Great Order of Mechanism, an institution that combines the tenets of science, technology, and philosophy, oversees the moral compass of society. It teaches that through the pursuit of knowledge and progress, humanity can overcome any challenge—even the existential threat of their own eventual obsolescence.

Yet, beneath the shiny exterior of this gleaming world, there is an undercurrent of disquiet. There have been recent rumblings in the pubs of workers questioning the decisions of the latest Consulate. And some within the Alchemical Temples have started to whisper about a long forgotten myth, one that hints at more sinister reasons behind the demise of their beloved visionary taken too soon. But for now, the people continue to live their lives. Working to keep themselves content and fed. As the city hums with the sound of gears turning and grinding into the night.