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Old 08-08-2019, 12:07 PM   #4291
Astromancer
 
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Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: West Virginia
Default Re: New Reality Seeds

Quote:
Originally Posted by Astromancer View Post

Zhongguo-8

Basically, spy missions in a slightly steampunk 19th century China. Martial Arts, magic, steam tech, spies, daggers, stolen artworks, and what have you.
A couple of forgotten details...

A) Japan and Korea have noticed the difference and learned the whys and wherefores. Thus neither Japan nor Korea is the "Hermit Kingdom" they were in Homeline history. Each got started much later than China, but for a variety of cultural reasons, they're pretty much as caught up as China.

B) None of these societies is Westernizing per se. There are Western ideas flooding in, but they've being absorbed differently than in Homeline history. Example: Western dress is seen simply as what Westerners wear. East Asians would only dress in Western clothing for a costume party or a theatrical performance. Meanwhile the idea of constitutional government with civil liberties is dealt with as the most workable future for each of these societies.

C) Just because these nations are embracing Western technology it doesn't mean they've dumped any of their own. The "Steampunk" aspect of this setting in China, Korea, and Japan, is enhanced because of the unique ways in which Western and Eastern technology have been blended. This world's Westerners are taking notes.
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