Airship Battle

Martin Ceilo’s Renaissance

In an alternate timeline, this is during the 1600s, where technology has aged much faster. An inventor from Spain named Martin Ceilo invented the first airship in 1523, taken to the air with vast balloons filled with pure hydrogen. After this, there came The Steam Renaissance, as there would be a surplus in this new and revolutionary technology. By 1657, Europe, Asia, Africa, and America would lift their empires into the sky.

Rise of the Spanish Empire

The main force in the new world is the Spanish Empire. Ceilo’s invention started in Spain, and rapidly spread outward across the known world. This caused the wealth and power of Spain to skyrocket. They became the heartland of 1600s technology. During the renaissance, Spain was ruled by Prince James III, who quickly adopted an imperialist mindset, spreading his empire more and more. He took over France, Portugal, Great Britain, Italy, and most of North Africa, and has currently set his sights on Russia and Scandinavia.

Science and Technology

Ceilo’s discovery caused a massive leap in technology. In the first expeditions above the clouds, they discovered that the clouds contained high amounts of water, which could be turned into steam, providing high amounts of energy. They began using what they knew about shipbuilding to create huge airships, with giant balloons seated on top of them filled with hydrogen gas, to lift them up, steered with huge propellers on each side. A typical frigate class airshipA resembles a normal ship, but with a balloon bigger than the ship tied on top, with six propellers, 3 on each side, 2 for each deck. Another thing that changed was warfare. Knowledge on the concept of simple machines caused great leaps forward in weapon design. Spain liked the honorable nature of melee weapons, so there was a surplus in these, as well as firearms. Here is a list of many of the weapons that were invented in the age of steam:

• Needle blade
• Driver pick
• Hellfire blade
• Umbrella glaive
• Blast mace
• Holemaker
• Ropespear
• Dragonbarrel
• Impaler
• Hellcry

Astos Trading Company

The biggest player in Spain’s rise in power is the Astos Trading Company. This company was founded by Michael Astos, who was a good friend of Ceilo. He mass produced Hydrogen gas, which greatly helped the rapid success of airships. The demand for this new technology caused his company to rise high above the competition, and for his monopoly over the European regions. He would later die from tuberculosis at the age of 67, and the company would be succeeded by his son, Mark Astos, whose methods were quite questionable. He would exploit his workers, paying them minimum wage, and keeping them in subhuman conditions. However he would end up gaining the respect of Prince James III, and basically bribed Prince James with free resources if he let him continue.

The Teru Fleet

Asa Teru is a deadly pirate with control over many parts of the Spanish Empire. Pirates are everywhere around the skies, but Charles is one of the most powerful. Despite this, he considers himself a man of honor. He leads his men not fully through fear, but through respect. He will kill when he needs to, but is merciful, and is against random acts of violence, and taking from the poor. He’s a sworn enemy of Mark Astos, and often targets his trading vessels.

Misc. Fun Facts and Worldbuilding Tidbits

• Prince James III is mute, a result of many generations of inbreeding.
• Asa Teru’s leg was sliced off by his old 2nd in command, George Lawreyn. His prosthetic leg has a small cannon 2built into it.
• George Lawreyn was once Teru’s right hand man, before George betrayed him. He’s purely sadistic, often drawing out his victim’s suffering, rather than kill them right there. He was drawn and quartered in 1664.
• Madriva is the capital of the Spanish Empire. It's about 32,000 square miles, around the size of Ireland.
• The surface still remains populated, even despite the renaissance. However, it is populated by laborers, slaves, and lower class citizens. The earth still has valuable resources, after all.
• The Lothenburg Balloon is a portable giant hydrogen filled balloon that you can have on your back, kind of acting as an extremely slow jetpack. He would be later killed by his invention, when he flew too high, and he got struck by lightning.
• Prince James III is a manipulative sociopath who managed to get all five of his brothers killed so he could take the crown. He’s notoriously short tempered and hostile, often unpredictably so.