Setting
The Empire of Uskadi is built on three things: steel, coal and the gas. Encompassing scorching deserts, vast steppes, fetid jungles, towering mountains and endless plains, it covers much of the seemingly endless continent it is spread over. Far from the seas and oceans of this world, such an Empire is only possible because of the alchemists who discovered the secret of creating the lighter-than-air gas which now lifts fleets of airships that carry merchants, soldiers and cargo across the land.
While the main cities of the Empire are filled with the smoke and noise of industry, there are still vast stretches of land that are barely inhabited, with islands of civilization scattered here and there across them. The Imperial Air Navy guards the airship routes that keep those islands alive, protecting them from the pirates that attempt to prey on them. At the same time, it brings the iron fist of the Empire to bear on those who would seek to break free of their sovereign's rule.
The airships themselves are rigid, and the engines use steam power to drive the propellers that provide locomotion. Fortunately, the gas is both nonflammable and gives a high degree of buoyancy, which makes this a workable combination. Airships are often armed with a small number of cannon, though it is common for combat to be decided by boarding parties. Personal weapons are usually flintlock pistols and a variety of edged weapons, such as cutlasses.