Prologue

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                                                              Prologue

In a world of mystery and steam; where imagination and coal fuel the future; where pirates rule the skies in mighty air ships riding black clouds, chocked out by industrial mills where cogs grind and whir as they churn out rich fabrics and deadly weapons: Things are about to change.

A lone airship glides silently through the sky, its sails full bellied and billowing in the breeze. A silent watchman walks the decks keeping a lookout for any trouble. As her coffee eyes scan the decks she catches glimpses of the disk world below, speckled with glowing dots of light. Her thoughts turn to the crew, who are all asleep in their bunks, and the Captain, who sits in her cabin plotting out a course. All of them, including the watchman, unaware of what is to come.

Away off in the Far East the gates of a travelling circus are closed for the night; the mystic coloured lanterns hung on the outside of every tent and caravan left burning to ward off demons. In the largest and least shabby caravan the circus master curses the name of a pirate captain before taking a swig of some foul smelling liquor from a bottle clasped in his hand and continuing to plot his revenge.

At the centre of the disk a city known as the Hub stands. In a tall, ornate building bedecked with gold leaf and marble, the Chancellor sits in an office of dark wood and plush velvet. At a knock on the door and the entering of a clerk the Chancellor looks up: “Is everything ready” he asks in a smooth cold voice.

“Yes sir” the Clerk replies, at the Chancellor smiles, an expression that would almost have been pleasant if it weren’t so malicious. “Very well Thwait, you may go.” He dismisses the clerk. Leaning back in his chair, he turns to face the window looking out at the city lights and grins his malicious grin.

As the players ready themselves, their paths set to entwine; the board is laid out and the die is cast.

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