Space 1889 After Solo Adventure by Strange Owl Games
An exciting solitaire adventure for Space 1889: After Empyrean Edition from Rachel Savicki
Living History
The year is 1899, and ether has captivated the world. The gossamer substance, which carries light through the otherwise empty void of space, has pervaded scientific research for almost half a century. All of the most modern theories of heat, electricity, magnetism, and even gravity center upon this mysterious, omnipresent energy field that lies hidden, undetectable beneath the layers of gas, liquid, and solid matter we can see.
Since its initial conceptualization in the middle of the century, excitement about the mysterious substance only grew. Then, in 1874, Thomas Edison entered the picture, staging a publicity stunt that wowed the public and dominated the newspapers. If ether existed between planets, he claimed, then it could be used to traverse the expanse of space. In a dramatic display, a flying craft was lifted by balloon to the very outward reaches of the atmosphere, into the unfettered ether where it could engage an engine that would propel it to Mars.
The journey was a success, and proved not only the viability of travel through ether, but also that Mars was home to an ancient civilization. Astronomers on Earth went wild. Many had spent years looking through telescopes, staring at what appeared to be ancient canals on
the planet’s surface and speculating that such a civilization must exist. The confirmation was revolutionary.
The excitement led to a scramble towards other worlds in search of the treasures they might hold. Most prized among the newly discovered resources was the Martian liftwood, a plant that stymies gravity and could be used to construct flying ships. Inspired by the graceful Martian cloudships, humans developed a panoply of vessels, ranging from ironclad aerial gunboats to stately ether-fliers designed to journey between planets without balloon assistance.
However, the vigorous colonial powers of Earth quickly overwhelmed both the precarious, dilapidated regimes of Mars and the clans of primeval Venus.
The apex of this human golden age of exploration and conquest came in the year 1889. The British Empire had holdings that touched every continent on Earth, and also ranged to every planet inside the asteroid belt. Other nations were close behind. The powerful nations of Earth, collectively called the Terrestrial Powers, vigorously snatched up holdings on other worlds, capitalizing on their extraordinary riches and resources. As the inner worlds were conquered and explored, humans began to hungrily eye faraway Jupiter and the worlds beyond.
Then suddenly the ether just… shifted. Once a magnificent source of new opportunities, it now became a deadly trap. Ether-fliers began to crash and disappear without explanation. Cut off from Earth, off-world colonies found their strength crumbling. Communication between the planets diminished, alliances shifted, and scattered wars of opportunity created chaos. Now, after years of upheaval, the ether seems to be stabilizing. Explorers are once again able to launch out into the unknown. But what has become of the different worlds? And what new discoveries are waiting to be uncovered? The journey may be dangerous, but you have a good crew at your back, and you intend to find out.
What is a Solitaire Adventure?
A solitaire adventure is an adventure module intended to be played by just one person, without the need for a referee or game master to run the game. It is a hybrid between a regular roleplaying game adventure and an ordinary story, which can’t be interacted with at all. Instead, in this solitaire adventure you will make decisions and roll dice. The results will determine what path the story takes!
Living History is available through DriveThruRPG in PDF.
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Voices From The Pulpit 