c0unter-clockwise replied to your post: Chapter 2 - The Dinner (Draft 1 - Part 1)

Lovely! The only thing i would say is watch using too many commas, a few minor grammar errors. But honestly, very nice! Waiting for chp 3! :)

Thanks :D I saw that as I was looking over it. It is only a draft, but should fix them up for Sunday with part 2.

My bedroom. Neat and tidy as always, cleaned by the servants. Everything in its place, my desk the only thing untouched by my specific instructions to Terrance. The large oak bay window frames the Thames lake perfectly, as it reflects the rich of New London, our palatial manors gazing onto its natural beauty with disdain. This should be my refuge. The place where I can just get away from everyone. My family know that I don’t like being disturbed when I am in here. The twins know that and always take it to their advantage. Slipping into my room when I am out, messing up things and trying to find my journals. Rather annoying but thankfully they are too busy to find me in the gardens or trade docks. They both worship Edmund though, as does everyone else. He is the sensible one, protecting and caring for all in the family like if we didn’t have a father he would be the one taking his place. At least in the family situation anyway. The business would probably be left for mother and Elmira. she seems to have an odd intuition for politics, I shudder for any who get in the way of what she wants.

I turn on the taps and steam rises and quickly fills the air as the hot water slowly fills the bathtub. The water pumped directly from our private purifier tank, through the boilers below the house. The fog in the room all most concealing me as I get undressed. Even though it is not winter anymore, it still is cold and the water almost burns my skin.

“Harold dear. I have your clothes here. I want you on your best behaviour and make sure you’re clean.”

“Yes mother.” 

I wonder why she chose my clothes. The Fhiads Have been here many times before.

I can’t be bothered to worry about it so I just try and relax a bit more and just enjoy the bath. Like mother always says, make sure your clean. The actual New Londoners obviously don’t have this privilege, or even enough fresh water every day to clean the house or cook with. It is sad really. I wish I could do more for them, but I know my circumstances with never allow me too.

Time passes and I get up. The Ottoman Clipper probably well and truly settled in our little dock, and all their luggage offloaded into the guest quarters on the opposite wing of the house. My parents and Edmund are probably keeping them entertained, they may even show off Ophelia, she always likes meeting the Fhiads. I reach out for my towel to dry myself as fast as possible to keep the heat in, as the water drains out of the bath. Opening the door back into my room mother has laid out the clothes on my bed. My best suit nonetheless a dark blue three piece affair with a gold cravat. As I dress my brain goes into overdrive wondering what is going to happen tonight. Just before I leave I stuff A Passage to India in my pocket and brace myself for company.

Thanks for being interested in Legend of Avaria. We would appreciate it if you could spread the word about our book. We will be uploading more to the story tonight, and hopefully a smaller sections of the book each Sunday, maybe even with a character bio or updated history. If you have any drawings that you would like to submit, in relation to steampunk or even a character profile picture, we will be grateful of your awesomeness.

Please give your feed back, it is much appreciated too. :)

No at least not in this book…

To be honest I do not know one. We are not clued up with everything scientific. The theory I have for this alternate universe is that once the Enardiud gas has been made once contained in a copper container it reacts to stop being lighter than air. We have made this up to enable the romantical steampunk idea of airships more realistic than hot air balloons or helium which lead to problems in reality, and has resulted in airships becoming obsolete. If you can think of a better idea we are open to it. Many thanks hope you enjoy the book :) Jammie and The DOC

• 1750 - Discovery of the lighter than air non-flammable gas Enardiud, which when stored in copper containers is no longer lighter than air.
• 1770 - The British Empire’s head scientific guild (name pending) masters lighter than air flight.
• 1771 - King George III was assassinated along with both of his sons George and William by a still unknown group.
• 1772 - Pope Clement XIV declared air flight as contrary to Gods will, and banned all Catholics from participating in it. 
• 1775 - The first two Air force class Airships finished construction. The HMAS Victory and HMAS Augusta.
• 1775-1777 - The North American colonies revolted against British rule, but were unsuccessful.
• 1797- An assassination attempt on Shah Agha Mohammad Khan of Persia was foiled by agents of the Chinese Empire. This resulted in the signing by the Shah and Emperor Jiaqing of the Qing dynasty.
• 1805 - French defeated at Battle of Trafalgar with the aid of Lord Nelson on the HMAS Victory.
• 1789-1806 - The Holy Roman empire civil war was fought. Ending in Francis II being killed along with the entire Austrian branch of the Habsburg family. King Fredick William III of Prussia was crowned Emperor Frederick William I of The Holy Roman Empire.
• 1808 - The Napoleonic treaty was signed by the Holy Roman Empire and France. Ensuring peace and free trade between the two states.
• 1810 - The Persians manufacture Enardiud and share the secret with their ally the Chinese Empire, they refuse to sign a neutrality agreement with the British Empire.
• 1810-1818 -  The British Empire embark on the campaign to conquer South America. It is successful largely due to the high involvement of new style Airships and the rapidly expanding military of the British Empire.
• 1820-1822 - The Persian Empire invade and conquer Afghanistan then with aid from China Pakistan, thus linking the two empires.
• 1822 - Portugal was conquered by the British Empire. And the British Empire subsequently became known as the United Empire.
• 1825 - Spain conquered by the United Empire.
• 1825 - Italy joins the Holy Roman Empire.
• 1826 - Switzerland and Japan master air travel and sign the Neutrality treaty with the United Empire, ensuring peaceful air travel.
• 1829 - In the Traditi Humilitati Pope Pius VIII rescinded the ban on air travel.
• 1830 - The Holy Roman Empire, the Russian Empire and the Baltic Alliance master Air travel and also sign the Neutrality treaty.
• 1832 - The Reform bill was passed in the United Empire. This made the House of commons and House of Lords equal in power, as well as creating the House of the Empire which included the Queen and Prime ministers from each conquered country, which in turn had their own Houses of commons and Lords. The House of the Empire was the most powerful of the three and could in theory overturn any Act, Bill or Statute passed by the lower houses. The House of Lords also ceased to be a court, being replaced by the High Imperial Court.
• 1850 - New London is launched. The worlds first ever floating city.
• 1850-1864 - Several uprisings against the Qing Dynasty occur, these are swiftly and mercilessly put down with aid from the Persians. All foreign traders were banned from the Empires of China and Persia.
• 1856 - The Crimean treaty was created. In which the Ottoman Empire allied itself with the United Empire, and gave up all concerns in Europe confining itself to the continent of Africa. The United Empire gave up all concerns in Africa as well as teaching the Ottomans the secret of air travel. The Russian Empire attained Turkey and the Kingdom of Sardinia.
• 1857 - The Indian Rebellion was put down and the East India Trade Company formally enveloped into the United Empire.
• 1857-1860 - The Holy Roman Empire, Russia and the Baltic Alliance all launch air cities.
• 1862 - Both the Persian and Chinese Empire launch air cities as well as a joint one named the Nanshah.
• 1880 - Various private companies from Switzerland and Japan launch the floating city of Avaria.
• 1890 - At a summit aboard Avaria the Leaders of the major factions of Air cities get together and create the Avarian Peace Treaty. Ensuring that no matter what happens on the ground no wars will take place between Air cities.
• 1914-1934 - The United Empire invade France and The Great War commences. Many flee to the skies. The Holy Roman Empire, Eastern Europe, The Baltic Alliance, Russia and China combine their might to battle the United Empire. The ground and Air cities lose contact.
• 1935 - The first people from the Air cities to venture back to the ground report earth wide devastation and soon after they exhibit a strange illness and die slow agonising deaths.
• 1937 - At a summit on Avaria the major powers reinforce the Avarian Peace Treaty of 1890 as well as accepting new cities and political powers. And establish the Res Nullius Treaty, establishing that the ground no longer belongs to anyone, is uninhabitable and a no man’s land. It cannot be fought for or owned by any political entity, and all colonisation attempts forestalled indefinitely.

This my friend is the land you find yourself in, a land in the sky. The beginning of the Legend, The Legend Of Avaria.