SL Roleplay Plus Ironclad Combat Equals Two-Fisted Steampunk Story

Steampunk chronicler Hotspur Otoole recounts with brassy illustrations and muscular prose a recent clash between Second Life ironclads, merfolk, and other combatants, and it's a rousting adventure worthy of a penny dreadful: part one is here, part two is here. Equally interesting to me is his explanation of how the combatants decided upon the narrative before the fighting began: "[B]oth sides make up a plausible story and sketch out the logistics of how a fracas might start. Then the battle sort of unfolds from there, let the chips fall where they may." Excelsior!

Update, 5/6: Ironclad pic by Mako Kungfu.

Comments

[Mako Kungfu]

I was a participant in this battle (Hotspur has used several of my photos, with permission, in the posts you've showcased here) and have a photo series on Flickr that shows things from the Mer perspective. Fight on, Armada!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/makokungfu/sets/72157618878335277/

[Hotspur O'Toole, Commodore, Fleet of Wrath Exiles]

(photo credits now added, thank you Maako)

Thanks for the mention, Hamlet. The Battle of Althorn Point is part of a broader story arc that encompasses roleplay and storytelling among many different steampunk themed communities. Currently Armada Breakaway and the Fleet of Wrath Exiles (located at Port Merrimac, Lilliput) are having something of a border clash as the giant floating flotsam island of Armada (called "The Object") intrudes into the Wrath Fleet's patrol area. Look for the newly resurgent fleets of Caledon and New Babbage, as well as the plucky established navies of Steelhead City and the Steeltopian Empire, to be mixing it up in the near future!

Armada Breakaway is featured in the upcoming issue of Prim Perfect magazine, and New Babbage in the last issue.

[Saffia Widdershins]

Actually, Armada Breakway is in the next Prim Perfect, while Babbage will be in the new issue of The Primgraph - out tomorrow (see www.primgraph.com).

[Hotspur]

open mouth insert foot! Sorry about that. My intentions were good!