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The Clockwork Universe (CWU) is a science-fiction fantasy set in a fictional universe. The universe was first conceived in early 2005, by Australian Conceptualist Adam J. Sims, and has since attracted the talents of other contributing artists and academics. Best described as a fictional Steampunk, the CWU blends a range of different historical settings, along with the signatory anachronistic gadgets and inventions. The fiction draws from the work of free-thinkers such as Johannes de Sacrobosco and Isaac Newton, and attempts to illustrate conflict between society's desire for free-will and a seemingly harsh deterministic world.

Contents 1 About 2 Cosmology 2.1 Society 2.1.1 Industrial Revolution 2.1.2 Religion 2.1.3 Entertainment 2.1.4 Drugs 2.2 Characters 3 Natural Philosophy 4 Mathematics 4.1 Engineering 4.1.1 Transport Vessels 4.1.2 Weapons 5 Supernatural 5.1 Alchemy 6 References 7 See also

[edit] About

Set on the fictional planet of Jord (CWU) , the world can be best described as a cruel material world, marred by the consequence of economic opportunism and greed. An attempt to blend Medieval, Victorian, and quasi-modern values driven by materialistic gain and anachronistic technologies.

[edit] Cosmology

Jord (CWU) Much like the real world earth, Jord provides provides a series of diverse and habitual environments for settlement.

[edit] Society

Societies within the CWU may often be bright and optimistic on the surface, but as indicated by the "punk" element of steam-punk, they are more often than not anti-utopia/dystopia's with a high degree of pessimism at there core.

Much like the real world, society and cultures within CWU world vary. An attempt has been made to instill dualistic and sometimes contradictory themes throughout them all. In many ways, the societies within the CWU seek happiness through means of material gain, while at the cost of their freedoms and liberties, often producing negative consequences such as dehumanization and alienation.

• Sea People (CWU)
• Mountain People
• Cave People

[edit] Industrial Revolution

• Age of classical antiquity leads to the archaeological discovery of the Aeolipile.
• Curious commoner spends life studying the toy Aeolipile leading to the invention of the first steam turbine.
• Mechanization of the textile industry with the invention of the steam powered stocking frame triggers an age of mechanization.

[edit] Religion

There are a wide and diverse number of theologies within the CWU.

• Cult of Ferra Soma
• Cult of Neco Mecha
• Cult of the Serpent

[edit] Entertainment

Marionette puppets are a good and inexpensive alternative to life performance. Automata is popular among all social demographics, and is used for entertainment and education purposes. The author incorporated marionettes into the various cultures as appart of its artistic direction, and to further illustrate the integration of mechanization into society. In this example, actors are replaced with automata.

[edit] Drugs

The inclusion of drugs was done to highlight the "punkish" dystopia of the CWU. The author characterizes chemical dependency, and uncontrolled substance abuse, as a literary antagonist against the notion of free-will.

Drugs are widely used throughout some cultures on Jord. Lacking the precise chemical knowledge to produce synthetic drugs, the inhabitants of Jord rely on semi-crude purification methods employed by Alchemists.

Some popular drugs include: Artemisia absinthium, Alcohol, Caffeine, Mate de coca, Opium, Morning Glory, Peyote, Poppy tea, Tobacco,

Coca leaf is widely employed amongst the skyhopper community. It was first used to help cure the symptoms of altitude sickness, and later to increase reaction times, attention, and focus of the user. Because a skyhopper's life often depends upon their precision and accuracy, it is not surprising that they would do whatever they can to improve this. It is common to see skyhoppers chewing on a cheek full of leaf. Others prefer to seek out Alchemists for more sophisticated methods, such as smoking and snorting the purified powder.

[edit] Characters

• Dr Charls Ormund
• Prophet Fillith Enlam
• Roland Featherstone
• Gunther Coalman

[edit] Natural Philosophy

Where and range of philosophies covering biology, chemistry, physics, come together under a common field of thought. Technology produced by the Natural Philosophies are depicted as vintage mechanisms such as steam engines, bellows, gears, pullies, bolts, screws, rivets, springs, coils, levers, belts, straps, buckles, and pipes, woven together to preform advanced functions through complex and often obscure means.

Philosophies include: Atomism, Geometry, Fluid dynamics, Hylomorphism, Hydrostatics, Hylozoism, Mereological nihilism, Panpsychism, Syllogism

Naturalists support a deterministic world view, and therefore rely on deductive reasoning used in Syllogism to formulate theories and practices. Superior, scientific method remains in its infancy and is yet to be widely adopted.

[edit] Mathematics

Used widely throughout the natural science. Mathematics is the use of numerical models for quantity, structure, space, or change, that explain and solve problems. Most common uses include; Astronomy, Commerce, Land division & ownership, and Taxation.

[edit] Engineering

Often employs mathematics, and the natural sciences to design and produce products.

[edit] Transport Vessels

Utilizes the principles of fluid dynamics and mathematics to design aircraft.

Air: Steam Autogyro , Sky Yacht

Space: Sky Probe

Sea: Diving bell, Bathysphere

Land: Steam Wagon

[edit] Weapons

Sageblat, Clockwork Grenade

[edit] Supernatural

Where reality collides with belief.

The artistic direction is to promote a sense of mystery and intrigue, the supernatural elements within the CWU are often portrayed as being covert and mundane, containing a high degree of ambiguity over the exact cause of the effect. This illustrates a contrast between cause and effect, over coincidence.

Super naturalists are often in conflict with determinism and instead relying on inductive reasoning used in Abduction, to formulate theories and practices.

[edit] Alchemy

To the layman the alchemy is seen as the mysterious practice of turning lead into gold. Alchemists are known for their power to create great wealth and power and are often seen as greedy and obtuse. To most, there is a world of obscurity and intrigue. When one thinks of an alchemist, they think of a cloaked figure shuffling about a dark musty room, its walls lined with bottles filled with everything from rainbow-colored liquids, to plants and even animals.

Kings are known to seek out alchemists in the hope that they can fill their treasuries with gold. But most people who claim to be alchemists are little more than charlatans and fraudsters, and soon find them selves chained within the royal dungeons. As such, most charlatans try to avoid drawing too much attention to them selves, preferring to spend their days in towns swindling the common folk with hollow promises for coin. It is said to be rare to find a true alchemist (if such a thing exists) and even rarer still to find one who is willing to depart with the secrets of their craft.

Against better judgement, each year a few people set out to discover the secrets of alchemy in hopes of a better life. But inevitably they return, their stories filled with failure and dismay. It is for this reason that the pursuit of alchemy is a lost cause, and one's time is better spent putting food on the table.

[edit] References

http://www.clockwork-universe.com

[edit] See also

• List of steampunk works
• Literary punk genres
• Uchronia
• Retro-futurism
• Vinci (Rise of Legends)
• Jacques Tardi

Literary sci-fi punk genres
Cyberpunk — Postcyberpunk — Steampunk — Biopunk — Clockpunk
Other themes
Retro-futurism — Cyberprep — Transrealism