Adventures In Steamhaven

Caleb crept through the stacks of crates which held all the parts needed to repair the disabled constabulary ship that had been chasing the Sky Serpent. He could hear the hum of the engines, an occasional hiss of steam and the muted conversations of the skeleton crew needed to keep the ship moving. Just as he reached the door to go below deck a creak in the rigging holding the balloon in place up above made him jump. Looking around nervously he didn’t see any threats. Was that a distant roll of thunder? he thought. Quickly, he opened the door and gently eased himself down the steps. His stomach growled loudly as he headed down the corridor to the galley. A single lantern on the wall of the galley was the only light, and it cast large shadows that he followed to the kitchen. The tables he passed were cleaned and already set up for breakfast. He reached the refrigerator and opened the door causing a loud hiss of steam. Looking inside he found a left over cup of soup and some small loaves

 The steam-powered airship hovered ominously over the silent island, its propellers still as the crew prepared for the daring underwater expedition. Joshua had finished his ingenious steam engine that powered the air-generating apparatus in the diving suit. He had felt a mixture of excitement and apprehension at it’s completion. Now Captain Atherton, a grizzled figure with a weathered face, stood at the helm, his eyes fixed on the distant shore of the island below. As Joshua knelt having his morning prayer, Alexander, the first mate, approached with a heavy knock on his cabin door. "Joshua," he said, his voice low and urgent, "we've arrived at the coordinates. We need you on deck to get ready to deploy the diver." Startled from his thoughts, Joshua got up and followed Alexander to the deck where the once familiar hum of the airship's engines had ceased. The vessel floated eerily just above the ocean, and a stone's throw away from a rugged island. The air

 The air in Caleb's small workshop was thick with the scent of oil and the rhythmic hiss of steam. The walls were lined with half-finished gadgets and sketches of contraptions only a genius like Joshua could conceive. But today, the room felt emptier than ever, echoing the absence of his father.  Ever since Joshua's abduction, Caleb found it increasingly difficult to focus on his work. He would stare at the blueprints and tools scattered across the workbench, but his mind would wander to the image of his father, taken captive by the pirates aboard the Sky Serpent. Detective Armstrong's promise of a rescue airship gave him a glimmer of hope, and a daring plan formed in Caleb's mind.  Late that evening, as the gears of the city hummed and clanked in the distance, Caleb penned a note to his worried mother, explaining his intentions to stow away on the constabulary airship. He sneaked out of the house, leaving the note on the kitchen table, and made his way to the docks, cl