A Whole New World

Month 1 - the basics

I'm really rubbish at naming things/people/places so map currently has no labels and I'll refer to them by location/political persuasion. Hopefully names will be applied soon.

Is this sci-fi or fantasy or something else entirely?

Steampunk set in a world similar to Earth in terms of climate etc but very different geometry.

What is the general landscape like? (for example: post-apocalyptic wasteland, fairy city, or whatever you feel best describes your landscape).

The world consists of 3 continents, on the map the top left continent is fairly traditional Victorian style steampunk. Top right is more industrial pushing more into dieselpunk kind of architecture. Bottom continent is mostly war-torn dessert and mining. Between the continents is a selection of islands.

The top two continents are at war, although it's more cold war than open fighting. Left is democratic, right is dictatorship.

If you were in this world, what would you see (close your eyes and envision your world)?

The introductory chapter is set on the islands in the middle of the map. It's mainly a cross between the channel islands and the Caribbean. The largest island is home to a naval base, mainly military personal inhabit the island. Beneath the smaller islands is a defence system for the democratic nation. The small islands themselves are mainly jungle, at low tide it's almost one large swamp with shallow enough channels to walk from island to island, some native inhabitants live on the islands.

Most of the book takes place in a university town in the democratic nation. Kind of an overly romanticised view of Cambridge, lots of spires, surrounded by forest on three sides and a small town to the south.

Describe physical characteristics of the land such as mountain ranges and rivers.

The tops of both northern continents are frozen for most of the year.

Centre of the dictatorship nation is frozen tundra surrounded by mountains.

No other major physical characteristics come into play in the story.

What does the sky look like?

A lot like our sky, but with a lot more giant airships flying through the sky.

What are the plants like?

The largest island has a lot of ferns, palm trees and bright Caribbean style flowers, the smaller islands more jungle like with mango swamps and dense trees.

Democratic nation fairly similar to north America, fairly fertile, vast farmlands around the middle, north more woodland.

Dictator nation colder climate so more evergreen forests less farmland, especially less grain crops.

Southern continent, not much vegetation at all.

What are the animals like? Are there domestic animals?

Pretty much the same as here.

Democratic nation use a lot of horse drawn vehicles for short distances (trains/airships for long distance) while the dictator nation have less horses due to lack of grain supplies, farms may employ one to pull a plough.

University allows cats as pets and dogs are kept by security mainly as a warning for bears which occasionally venture close to the university.

Southern continent, a lot of semi-domesticated dogs used almost as weapons to keep people under control.

What do the buildings look like?

University - a lot like Cambridge
University town - red brick town house style buildings
Large Island - Yellow sandstone villas and white rendered town houses
Smaller islands - wooden huts
Dictatorship - Metal industrial buildings small terraced housing, imposing stone government buildings
Southern continent - wooden huts and kind of shanty towns

Does the main part of your story take place in the city or rural areas? (Describe both aspects if relevant)

Main part is in and around the university

Are the weather patterns different than our world?

Nope, islands are warmer than their latitude would suggest due to warm currents. Dictatorship more rainy due to high levels of industry.

Anything else you can think of that falls into this category.

The introduction is set roughly ten years into the war between east and west, with the main story taking place another 13 years later. Southern continent isn't part of that war but is in almost constant war between the countries that make it up due to very little resources.