Sources

[Marwynn]

Many of us are intrigued (to put it mildly) about the Leviathans! gameworld. But seeing as how it's based mostly in our own history, are there any sources that you know of that are off the online beaten path that would prove enlightening?

By that I mean assume I've googled the years preceding that, and the general topics such as firepower, culture, etc.

I'm looking for things that won't turn up on Google, or those that did turn up but you've found to be a great resource. I've picked up some fiction pre 1900s, many short stories from the collections I bought while a university student.

And of course, any resources in the Dead Tree Format (books) would be welcome as well.

I do want to write in this world, even if just for fanfics, but I want a level of authenticity like the fiction bits on the site.

So share and share alike!

Naval Firepower: Battleship Guns and Gunnery in the Dreadnought Era (Sadly the Tactics for 1904-1914 are not in there)
Naval Warfare in the Twentieth Century (Turn to Page 60 for a personal account from Jackie Fisher, HMS Indomitable, on the Dogger Bank Action)
Wisdom Archive of the 1900s (And timelines of earlier decades, technological, wars, etc.)
American Bestsellers of the 1900s (British Bestsellers are harder to find, but Wiki is helpful enough there. Many of these are online, legally.)
American Slang Terms of 1900-1910 (Wow, I feel old. I use these still)

Writer's Dream Tools (Great, great resource)
WikiSource (Old fiction and poems online)

I'll grab more from the laptop later, but post your own!

[Deathrider6]

Wikipedia has some decent information as well I do recommend cross checking it with other references in some areas though.

[Worktroll]

The Guns of August, by Barbara Tuchman, is a great introduction to how things went down in the mundane timeline. It's necessary to have a good grip on the starting points before beginning to diverge.

A copy of Janes Fighting Ships 1914 is also worth its weight in gold - literally, for original prints. Fortunately some modern reprints are available at "redundant organ" prices. Note - this is different from Janes Fighting Ships of WW1, which I've never seen.

The Big Bad Battleships site (www.bigbadbattleships.com) is wonderful, and I love the editorial style.

[Van Gogh]

For those that can read some French, I heartly recommand the blog"Il y a un siecle, which relates day-to-day life in France in general (Paris in particular) as well as larger international affairs (relations between countries, people to follow...) exactly 1 century before to-day.And if you can't read French, you can still watch the illustrations and fish out ideas  .

[trboturtle]

tried babael fish to trananslate -- it couldn't translate the webpage for some reason so I tried the first section and got this:

The Original French:

18 février 2010
18 février 1910 : Au garde-à-vous devant Franco
Les trente soldats au garde-à-vous regardent leur chef avec passion. Ils apprécient la droiture, le courage physique et la force qui se dégagent de leur jeune lieutenant. D’une voix claire, ce dernier rappelle le programme de la journée. Défilé, exercices physiques, revue de chambre, ordre serré à nouveau, tir à l’extérieur et entraînement sur le terrain voisin de la caserne. Ils n’arrivent pas à distinguer à quel moment une courte pause sera consacrée au repas et craignent que celle-ci disparaisse dans le tourbillon d’activités et de mobilisation voulu par leur officier.

The babaelfish translation:

February 18, 2010 February 18, 1910: With the attention in front of Free The thirty soldiers with the attention look at their chief with passion. They appreciate the uprightness, the physical courage and the force which emerge from their young lieutenant. Of a clear voice, this last recalls the program of the day. Procession, physical exercises, review of room, order tightened again, shooting outside and drive on the ground close to the barracks. They do not manage to distinguish to which moment a short pause will be devoted to the meal and fear that this one disappears in the swirl from activities and mobilization wanted by their officer.

huh? 

Anyone who does speak French want to keep us who do not speak French infiormed of anothing intresting when it pops up on this blog?

Craig

[Tonbo Karasu]

My french is rusty, I admit, but I think I got a bit more out of it than you. (slightly paraphrased to convey meaning)

18 February 2010
18 February 1910:  At attention in front of Franco
The thirty soldiers standing at attention watch their chief with emotion.  They appreciate the uprightness, the physical courage and the force which project from their young lieutenant.  The latter, in a clear voice, announces the day's programme.  Drill, physical jerks, room inspection, close order again, shooting outside and driving over the ground close to the barracks.  They can't see the time to squeeze in a meal and worry that it will be consumed by the swirl of activities and effort demanded by their officer.

Does that make more sense?

[Van Gogh]

For rusty skills, your translation is nicely done, Tonbo !

Anyone who does speak French want to keep us who do not speak French infiormed of anothing intresting when it pops up on this blog?

That I can do; I suppose I have to keep a particular eye on navy matters, perhaps biographies of major actors too ?

[trboturtle]

For rusty skills, your translation is nicely done, Tonbo !

Anyone who does speak French want to keep us who do not speak French infiormed of anothing intresting when it pops up on this blog?

That I can do; I suppose I have to keep a particular eye on navy matters, perhaps biographies of major actors too ?

I would think anything that the group would find intresting -- military and political for sure, maybe a few odd scandals and social changes.....

Craig

[glitterboy2098]

the Museum of Retrotechnology has a lot of "dead end" and odd technologies and concepts that never really saw widespread usage. some, like the Acoustic detection and ranging would fit right in in the lev's universe, and probably would be invented even earlier.