For centuries, the Nobility and the Corporations fought the "Great War", fighting for control over the Stormwild Islands itself. Both sides relied heavily on the magical Fontlands to fuel their unceasing struggle. At first, the innovations were benign - the nobles built teleportation gates, and the corporations aimed for magical industrialization. Then, it turned towards slavery - the nobility forcibly summoned spirits, while the corporations created sapient constructs. Many thought that the war between the nobles and the corporations would last forever.
They were wrong.
When the Apocalypse finally happened, when the Fontlands turned into the Psychic Malestrom and wrecked havoc upon the world, the human masses, the spirits and the constructs had enough. They rose up against the nobility and slaughtered most of them, while suing for peace with the corporations. A "revolutionary regime" was made, one that "promotes egalitarianism", though whether it actually does this is an open question. This "regime" is weak, unable to enforce law and order. Therefore, the corporations technically won the Great War, inheriting broken, damaged wastelands. Who rules the Stormwild Islands? Not the corporations or the revolutionaries. No, scarcity rules, and it is a cruel tyrant.
It's been fifty years since the apocalypse. Though the magical gates still exist, many are terrified of the Psychic Malestrom and prefer travel via land and by sea. The desert Port of Salavant has became a hub of maritime trade, yet its growth is limited by the lack of connections to other major trade hubs, like the Cultural Center of Talant. The leadership of Salvant is building a railroad system that will connect Salavant to Talant, hoping that this system will super-charge Salavant's economic growth and turn it into the most prosperous city in the Stormwild Islands. The project is very controversial, and the Port itself is divided. Meanwhile, the final survey of the intended rail road was halted by the discovery of a set of ruins and a "very bad feeling"...
Welcome to Apocalypse World.
The Rules: We will be playing Apocalypse World, 2nd edition, with some minor edits to remove crude language and references to overt sexuality. For example, Special Moves get triggered "when you mutually share a moment of vulnerability". We will be using all the playbooks that exist in the core rulebook.
Fluff: The setting itself is detailed in the "Stormwild Islands" RPG, though some modifications are made to (a) simplify the lore and (b) make it fit with the mechanics of the Apocalypse World RPG.
Both X-Card and the Curveball Card will be in use and enforced.
Expect:
Violence, armed combat and murder
Social intrigues
Mythical creatures and magic
Cultures and costumes that may resemble real world or historic peoples.
Social injustice
Government and Anti-government conspiracy
Religious disputes
Conflicting Player Agendas
Do not expect:
Real-World Conspiracy Theories
Real-World Politics
Historical accuracy
Funny accents
On screen sex, torture or physical abuse (outside combat)
Any sexual violence
Any abuse of children or animals
Happy Endings