The World of Daedalus

The Voyage

The year is 1886 and you are aboard the maiden voyage of the world's first airship making the Atlantic Ferry from New York to London in one week, more than twice as fast as any crossing to date. Replacing the usual New York-Liverpool route with a direct London route, and traveling at unprecedented speed, the Daedalus will revolutionize transatlantic business, commerce and tourism. The Daedalus matches its ocean-liner competition in luxury as well, with first-class accommodations rivaling the best the industry has to offer.
The ultimate destination of the Daedalus is the 1886 World Fair in London, which begins on April 8th, where the ship will be unveiled to the world. All passengers have been given tickets to the unveiling, where it is rumored that three more airships will be announced.

The Ship

The Daedalus itself resembles an older sailing ship rather than a modern ocean liner. Its anachronistic appearance is striking on the most advanced ship in the world and has raised some stir among the future-focused Americans.

America and Steam-Punk

After the Civil War, the Union Army declassified many of its most guarded technologies, creating an industrial and technological boom unprecedented in Western history. Based mostly on steam power, America started producing steam carriages to carry people and goods, super-fast trains exceeding 80 mph, and incredible pneumatic-tube transport systems for information and people, above and below ground. American homes were filled with automatic clothing steam-cleaners, quick steam-cookers and refrigerators. Communication jumped ahead with the wireless telegraph and automated traditional telegraphs so fast that they could send speech and even music over the wires.
To keep America's technological advantage, the Army licensed the technologies only to select American companies and the details continue to be secret. In twenty years America has gone from a rural, quaint political experiment filled with internal squabbling to the technological and economic powerhouse of the world. The Daedalus is the most recent in a stream of advances from America and even greater things are expected in the future.

As we begin our story

The date is Friday, May 30th. It is the early evening of the first day of the voyage, though staff and a few passengers boarded the ship last night. A formal dinner is about to be served.