Jean Otus
Would-Be Prince
The Austro-Hungarian Empire, as it was known in 1914, is now the Danubian Federation, a constitutional monarchy of autonomous provinces that send representatives to a central congress. This liberalization has done wonders to combat the tides of nationalism and Emperor Franz Ferdinand takes great pride in the state of unity he has brought into the modern age. Every day the Škoda Works hum with activity, producing high-quality products, and as the workers rest at lunch they enjoy the plentiful food from the rich Hungarian plains. The Croatian coast bustles as people flock to its beautiful beaches and vistas. Railroads take people to and from the provinces and everywhere citizens enjoy the comforts of the modern world.
The German Empire, once a firebrand on the continent, has sobered with age. Scholars of the late Otto Von Bismarck's stability politics have replaced his hawkish successors, and now use their strong central position on the continent to promote peace and the dominance of the German industry. This stance is appreciated greatly by the British and begrudgingly by the French, as Germany stands as a bulkhead against Europe's new radical state.
Similar to our world, the Russian Empire, which had struggled with internal conflicts for decades prior to the turn of the century, collapsed under its own weight. Rising from the ashes came the Soviet Union, the great Red Star looming in the east. Their rise was not without conflict though and in the civil war of 1918, Germany and the Danubian Federation funded several separatist groups, which were able to use the chaos to manifest into new states. The Kingdom of Ukraine, Duchy of Poland, and Tsardom of Belarus now serve as a "cordon sanitaire" between Europe and the red menace, while the smaller republics of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania block their access to the sea. The Soviet Union does cause some tension in Europe, controlling so much land and so many people, but their view has been decidedly inward, even burying the hatchet with their longtime rival to the south.
The Ottoman Empire was at last able to enjoy a reprieve from conflict with the Russians. In that time they were able to do some much needed national housekeeping, bringing about a revolutionary period of modernization. With this came the chance to ride the wave of the oil boom and spread the development previously only seen in Istanbul to the eastern and southern reaches of the empire. In under a decade the "sick man of Europe" bounded up from his stupor and proved that he was still a successor to the legacy of Rome. That being said, there are issues within the empire, namely the rising tide of demand for secularism in government from the younger members of the government and military.
In these halcyon days of peace and prosperity, the world's imagination was captured by the shining, towering giants of the sky. Airships, lifted by helium gas and powered by petroleum propellers, took to the skies from every industrialized nation to draw the world together. From the massive cargo zeppelins to the sleek and elegant skyliners to even the rare military dirigible, the airship found its way into every role it could be fit into. These castles in the sky bring together people from all over the globe, leading to unprecedented instances of cultural diffusion and interaction. Each trip up is an adventure, with the chance to meet interesting characters and see the world as you've never seen it before. Perhaps you could even get caught up in some sort of murder mystery or swashbuckling duel like in those penny novels. Every now and then you'll meet someone who swears by the existence of those sky pirates, the rogues who supposedly hijack airships for their valuable cargo. Such a romantic and preposterous idea, isn't it?
The ship in question is a particularly remarkable one. The USS Centurion, the first ship of her kind, and the first to attempt a complete circumnavigation of the globe from the air with a full crew and party of passengers. On this voyage will be a wide range of interesting individuals from all over the old and new world. They will visit some of the most beautiful cities in the world and view some of the most stunning landscapes from above. Embarking from New York they will then cross the Atlantic as they begin this adventure, where mystery, romance, and danger is in the air and excitement is always the first course of the day.
