Pidiv Varsha (Planet)

The following is "raw" notes from a brainstorming session:

Steampunky, have various floating kingdoms of people in airship like cities (think blimps tied to various buildings). There is a finite amount of helium which is slowly being lost over time, causing the way of life of all the peoples to slowly wind down, as helium is lost.

The planets surface is largely barren of resources, and is quite dangerous. The weather is extreme, and volatile.

The Varsh, cold-blooded, they invented the airships, wooly and batlike in their wings, tusks, (monarchs have golden rings around their tusks), various rings signify the position of Varsh in society. Monarchs may have gold, traders might have silver, clergy might have religious symbols carved in their tusks, some high ranking humans may have "fake tusks" that are along their shoulders and around the back of their neck, but stick out next to their faces.

Ways to increase your status are to become a raider, or a scavenger, or get sent out as a Stormbreaker, someone who scouts for weather systems in very small ships. Every Stormbreaker has their little stormbreaker coin they keep with them at all times, each Stormbreaker has their own little clan.

Sky god is prominent, some form of ice queen as a god. Religion is split between the Varsh and the human population.

Prominent cult is a "voodoo cult"

When the Varsh die, they put them in some special container with a lot of rings, and throw them into the storm.

Fauna:

Small burrowing creatures

Creatures like flying squirrels that fly around on the edge of the pressure systems (like weather), spreading out its skin, then they can wrap their skin around a target, and begin to digest it. They can they come to a smaller ship, and begin to slowly suck the energy out of a ship. Leechlites.

Clockwork animals, each of which has a specific job, like clockwork lizards that repair blimp balloons of cities.

Water they pull from the ground when they drop, food is grown in the cities in the air. Special buildings that drop onto the ground and drill for water.

Flying "inflatable cows" that have plants, mosses, .etc grow on them that they they dissolve and turn into energy.

Cops are just low level soldiers who first enlisted, then as they gain experience they get sent further out. You can't defend the city unless you know it and its people, a select elite few become Stormbringers, who have a celebrity status.

A Particular Society:

New Varvin

Current Monarch: Grand Examplar Qorvin Llusca-Slayer

Slayed the last Llusca, a giant beast with four tentacles that drains electricity from lightning of storms.

Varsh can live 200ish years, Qorvin is 150ish years old, off of his prime, towards the end of his lifespan.

Varsh have no family, and no family names. They adopt their successors, Qorvin has yet to adopt a successor, and a lot of people are angling to be adopted as the successor.

Places/Buildings:

Water Drill Building - drops to fill with water

Grand Factory - by far the largest factory on the entire planet, smaller factories.

Power lines are thrown from one building to another, constantly shifting and moving around, in order to make sure all buildings stay connected to the grid. Brownouts are quite common, the fanciest nobles might have their own power plants.

Flag Ship - Where the seat of power lies, an absolutely massive ship-shaped structure that functions as a military dreadnought, can be self-sustained and so can cut connection to the rest of the city / kingdom and wage an offensive campaign.

Schools - public education is accessible at this point, mostly it then moves into trade schools, where you then end up entering the workforce, in private schools available to the wealthy, they might become officers or clerks.

The Varsh are proud and practical.

Vehicles:

Trains, they can float rails around the city, and deliver you to their destinations.

Elevators within buildings and the like, buildings are pretty big and varied internally as well.

Currency is called specks, specks are kinda like yen, 1000 specks are about a dollar.

Varsh language is very long, and consists of many small words.

Clothing:

Soldiers -