Welcome to the core reference manual for the Leviathans setting. This document details the technology, timeline, and faction alignments that define Catalyst Game Labs' armored sky-warship universe.
1. The Core Premise
In 1878, Polish scientist Franciszek Rychnowski isolated a volatile anti-gravity fluid called electroid from eteroid ore. By applying electric voltage to this fluid contained in metal chambers, massive steel dreadnoughts can float in the air.
These flying warships are known as leviathans (the French call them ganymèdes). They are coal-fired, steel-clad, heavily armed fortresses measuring hundreds of feet long and displacing thousands of tons. Traditional "wet navies" are obsolete, replaced by a desperate sky-arms race between rival global empires.
2. The Science of Electroid
- Eteroid is the gray rock ore mined from key deposits (including Chile, Europe, and South America).
- Electroid is the anti-gravity fluid refined from the ore. It must be stored in conductive containers to prevent electrical discharge and rapid evaporation.
- Flashover is a catastrophic self-catalyzing chain reaction in electroid ballast tanks caused by high-voltage agitation. It can instantly destroy a ship.
3. Alternate History Timeline
The timeline diverges in 1878 with Rychnowski's discovery. Key events include:
- 1905: Battle of Tsushima (Diverged) — The Russian Sky Fleet uses aerial bombardment ("plunging fire") to decimate Japan's traditional navy, proving wet navies are obsolete.
- 1906: Launch of HML Leviathan — Great Britain launches the first super air ship, triggering a global arms race.
- 1912 — Japan conquers Chile to control eteroid ore deposits, bringing them into conflict with the United States. Czar Nicholas II of Russia is assassinated, and succeeded by Anastasia Romanov.
- April 1914 — The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand triggers The Great War, fought in the skies.
4. Factions & Alliances (1914)
In this timeline, alliances differ dramatically from real history:
- Central Powers: German Empire, Austro-Hungarian Empire, **British Empire**, and the Empire of Japan.
- Entente: French Republic, Russian Empire, Kingdom of Italy, and the United States of America.
Note: Great Britain is allied with Germany, and hostile to France.
5. Faction Playstyles & Ship Naming
- British Empire (HML - His/Her Majesty's Leviathan): Long-range gunnery experts. Elite crews. Key classes: Leviathan-class battleship, Destrier-class cruiser, D-class destroyer.
- German Empire (SML): Heavy armor, slow rolling formations. Key classes: Kaiser-class battleship, Greif-class cruiser, Falke-class destroyer.
- French Republic (Ganymèdes): Adaptable jacks-of-all-trades. Key classes: Bastille-class battleship, Faucon-class cruiser.
- Kingdom of Italy: High speed, maneuverability, and torpedoes. Key classes: Vulcano-class, Avventuriero-class.
- United States of America (USG): Experimental Tesla-style TED guns and high-explosive torpedoes. Key class: Frontier-class cruiser.
- Russian Empire: Highly resilient crew management. Proved sky supremacy at Tsushima. Key class: Aleksandr-class battleship.