Enga mellom fjella: where from across the meadow, poems sing from mountains and molehills. |
1. Location Taiwan, near Tainan (commerce, port, capital) and Lugang (port, fishing) and tea in the mountains (Dong Ding, Shan Ling Xi), rice in Changhua. Before the Japanese colonial period most rice grown in Taiwan was long-grained Indica rice, the Japanese introduced short-grained Japonica which quickly changed both the farming and eating patterns of the Taiwanese. Coffee introduced by British 1884 (not arabica) 2. Characters Hoan and Mrs. W. W. Walker are steampunk in attitude. Hoan <<Truth-pad>>, Mrs. W. W. Walker will be amused by <<goggles>> and <<mini-airships>> Chok and Poh may be susceptible as they're young. Which? In what way? Clothes = outward; actions? = inward. <<Goggles>> Love their <<mini-airships>> Li-Chen? As business owners are they more conservative? But ... their side-business is also covert. <<Truth-pad>> Kwong or Kago? Inward maybe but outward? Possibly...subtly as they want to work invisibly. Kwong with British. Kago with Japanese [tea]. Subtle rebels? They are away from home. Mazu and Beidi are stable. But as gods are they bored? EDGINESS each in some small way? Even the gods? Real-life characters whose path they may cross... Explorer Bailey. Good attitude, poor choice of clothes. Not! Japanese royalty (did resarch on this). 3. Devices TRANSPORTATION Flying-fish-and dragons: dirigibles theat use helium/hydrogen for lift/descent; propelled by rice-alcohol motors. Chok's dragon: 3 seater slender; a flashy toy; meant for speed. Poh's fish: 2 seater; love boat meant for viewing; slow Li-Chen's turtle: 4 seater round; meant for lifting weight; very slow. Birds: feathered hang-gliders; flap to ascend, glide; noiseless; 1 person. Li-Chen has a few used for messages. Motor-carts: land vehicle steam powered by alcohol fuel; usually slow. Hoan has a custom made one that is very fast (by design or by 'magic'? With Hoan this is always the unanswered question. She doesn't tell secrets... ever.) GOGGLES Night vision good for spying. Used by Poh-Chok. Also night-vision CAMERAS. TRUTH-PAD Like a ouija board or maybe just a black triangle [3 people] or square [2 or 4] Used by Hoan to trick Poh-Chok as she doesn't need a device to read their thoughts. Actually work? Doesn't matter to the story line at this point. For:
Also see "Elements of Steampunk " [ASR] by Richard ~ Thankful!! |