Steam Valley Chapter 2 - Madame Curious

Madame Curious

Madame Curious is a world renowned scientist from France. An esteemed member of the French Academy of Scientists, she has made important contributions and exciting discoveries regarding the new wonder elements, radium and plutonium. Her skills in refining these elements has given her a powerful source of energy to experiment with.

Madame Curious has developed a new engine to power the creations of the Victorian steam age. Her engines use the power of radium and plutonium to directly create electricity. Madame Curious is financially supported by the French bank Comptoir d’Escompte. Madame has also been assisted by the French Army who has willingly seconded General Camembert to advise her on military equipment and requirements and to organise and fight her battles.

Madame Curious’s latest engine is strong enough to power the latest technology developed by da Vinci Industries, the awesome A.T.A.T. The great A.T.A.T. is designed to conquer any forts and bring enemies quickly to their knees. The A.T.A.T. is powered by da Vinci’s patented compressed air technology allowing it to operate far from the sources of water that are required by steam engines. 

Madame Curious’ new engine's power is able to charge the on board compressor units in no time and give the A.T.A.T enormous operating range. Its size and complexity precludes it from being controlled like an automaton so it is crewed by mechanics and piloted by a concert pianist on an organ that uses a complex system of compressed air machinery to command the A.T.A.T.

The A.T.A.T has a gun deck with two cannons and four machine guns. These are all controlled remotely by the pilot in the head of the A.T.A.T. As well as its gun deck, the A.T.A.T. has room for its crew, some passengers, a small drawing room, and a squad of ten automatons, who can either man the decks or debark and assault the enemy from the ground.

Madame Curious’ smaller engines power her automatons. These automatons were designed by the firm of Mr Renault and chosen by General Camembert as his ideal soldier. These automatons are guided by the latest in analytical Babbage machines that have been programmed by Madame’s great friend The Countess of Lovelace.

ATAT Drawing Room

ATAT Engineer

Exterior of the ATAT Control room and bridge

Interior on the control room

ATAT Automatons deploy down the stairs

Profile of the ATAT

Side view showing the gun deck.

Madame Curious and General Camembert on the Observation deck

Madame and General watch the automatons deploy.

Steam Valley Chapter 1 - Background

Somewhere in a dark corner of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, far from any major cities but conveniently located on a spur from a major railway line, a valley of small villages, with an accepting population and a few crumbling castles is playing midwife to the birth of a new age.

Steam Valley made a perfect location for a worldwide collection of inventors, desperados, arms traders, villains, and engineers to hide their secret laboratories and with their venture capitalist backers develop their new weapons of war. All to promote Peace of course.

Each company battled the others, sometimes literally, for the funds, equipment and technology to perfect their dream of the perfect weapons systems.

Inventors who were attracted to this valley, or fled there after misunderstandings in their own jurisdictions, include Professor Springloose, Doctor Funcklestein, Mr James Steven and sons and daughters, Madame Curious, International Brain Machines and the Reverend Darkwin. No doubt many others will be seen as the story unfolds.

With the creation of this valley of invention in arms development many existing arms dealers and manufacturers also had a presence. Da Vinci Industries, whose factory was a week’s travel away in Venice was quick to open an office there. They were quickly followed by offices for Krupps, Enfield, Babbage Analytical Machines, Bofors, Renault Automatons, and many others.

Future chapters of this dreadful saga include one on each of the major inventors plus chapters on some of the various ‘incidents’ that occurred between them and the day to day trials and celebrations that happen when living far from home.

Fracas at the Station.                     Mixed up baggage at the station after the morning train arrives, ends in battle as two companies fight for their bags after a long and tiring trip.

Package for Dr Funcklestein.        A packaged brain is on the way to Dr Funcklestein. He has to get it to his laboratory before it is intercepted by his rival, IBM.

User Acceptance Testing.              One company has a buyer and needs to prove their superiority by taking on all comers at the testing fields.

Moonlight Rendezvous                  Rev Darkwin’s daughter has made arrangements for a secret meeting with Dr Funklestein’s assistant Igor. The Rev has to catch his daughter before Funklestein’s Igor carries her off to the railway station.

A nice day for a picnic.                   One sunny summer’s day two companies decide to go to the picnic area for lunch. But there is only one table available. Words are said and a battle ensues.

Steam Valley Race            Once a year all the companies come together for a friendly race around the village. No shooting and may the fastest vehicle or beast win.

Monster on the loose                     Dr Funcklestein’s monster gets loose. Everyone chases it to capture it and to return it to Dr Funcklestein to get the reward.

Dog Fight                            All the companies with a flyer send them chasing after a carrier pigeon carrying a message about a new investor.

I intend to use GASLIGHT for the battles and will add stats for each of the companies.

More to come soon.