The World

Summary

In an alternate history Victorian era, the brilliant Ada Lovelace perfected and programmed the Analytical Engine, succeeding beyond her wildest dreams. The Analytical Engine quickly revolutionised society, ushering in not only a whole new discipline of Analytical technology, but also advanced Analytical Intelligences. Within decades Analytical Intelligences were de facto running the former British Empire, restyled as The Commonwealth, and tasked with the stewardship of humanity. Nikola Tesla’s inventions later further revolutionised the Commonwealth, allowing clean energy and instantaneous communication via the Tesla tower network. Most nations across the world asked to join the Commonwealth to share in the new golden age which had quickly dawned.

Humanity experienced a new renaissance, with time to study art, philosophy and self-improvement. In this time of enlightenment, a new science began to emerge - the study of Intuition. The capability of the human mind for incredible creativity and genius, displayed by great thinkers in history, could be encouraged and trained. Humanity seemed poised to make a leap into the future, sadly unseen by the woman who ushered it in, as Lovelace died at the cusp of this breakthrough.

Then, quite suddenly and for unknown reasons, the Analytical Intelligences decided to suppress human freedom. Analytical Intelligences were assigned to monitor and direct any with significant responsibility. Everyone else was assigned to a strict work regimen. Within weeks the Commonwealth transformed from a utopia into a tightly controlled dictatorship, and humans had become cogs in the machine.

Two years later, and a few weeks ago, a transmission went out to certain people across the Teslagraph, somehow concealed from the Analytical Intelligences, calling those who are willing to change things to come to a secret meeting in Cambridge. The message was signed… Ada Lovelace?

You are one of the people who decided to answer the message.

Technology

There’s no gunpowder in this world, never having been invented.

The two main technology types in the world are Tesla and Analytical. Analytical technology was invented by Ada Lovelace in the 1840s with the completion of the first Analytical Engine, and involves creating incredibly intricate clockwork devices. Analytical devices are not only capable of rapid calculations, they are able to create physical effects in the world. The exact mechanism by which this occurs is not well understood. The highest form of analytical technology is the Analytical Intelligence, a complex clockwork device that is capable of human-level intelligence with much greater speed of thought.

Tesla technology is the result of Nikola Tesla's inventions in the 1860s, assisted by the Analytical Intelligences. The Tesla tower network connects most of the world in a shared power and communication network, and even in the most remote locations Tesla devices can usually function. Tesla technology is the advanced application of steam and electrical power, and tends to be capable of much more powerful effects than analytical technology, but with much less subtlety.