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The 60 Minute War
The 60 Minute War, much like the Cold War, was a war of escalation, where one side would develop a weapon of mass destruction, causing the other side to begin to match or seek to outdo this new weapon with their own. -
The Creation of Traction Cities
Due to massive earthquakes, great mobile cities are created by mankind to avoid the massive costs of rebuilding destroyed cities. One of the larger traction cities, known as London, is created in the marshes of what used to be the isle of Great Britain. Many many years from now, this city will become the most powerful city on Earth. The book Mortal Engines tells the tale of the rise and fall of this mobile London. -
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The creation of Municipal Darwinism and the creation of the Great Hunting Ground
Municipal Darwinism is the same as regular Darwinism, but in this case, it's applied to cities on wheels instead of to living creatures. The cities fight over small and large towns from which they hope to gather spare parts and other resources.
The Great Hunting Ground is the place where cities chase these towns down. -
The Re-Invention of Airships
By the end of the 60 Minute War, most airships had been destroyed or disabled. The use of airships began to resurface around 2345 when cities began manufacturing blimps with massive gondolas in order to scout ahead for prey. -
Establishment of the Anti-Traction League
Due to the lack of recent earthquakes, groups of people begin to think it would be wise to return to living in static settlements rather than giant mobile battling cities. They band together to form the Anti-Traction League and build a massive wall around a valley in which they build many static settlements. -
The Discovery of the "medusa"
The "medusa" is a device of destruction that was developed during the 60 Minute War and had been lost to mankind. To use it you must input an access code into its control panel and then wait for it to charge up. After it charges fully it has enough power to destroy an entire traction city. This device is re-descovered by archeologist Pandora Shaw, and taken to London by her colleague, Thaddeus Valentine. -
The discovery of the access codes for the "medusa" and the murder of Pandora Shaw
Pandora Shaw returns to an old archological dig site and finds the acess codes to the "medusa". She takes them to her home. Several months later Valentine arrives and after demanding that she give him the codes, murders her for said codes in the name of the traction city of London. -
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London in hiding
The city of London returns to the isle of Great Britain to hide from larger cities. There the Great Tilt happens, killing many innocent people and making an orphan out of Tom Natsworthy. -
The Great Tilt
A major disaster occurs in the mobile city of London. Due to the poor construction of the cheaper side of London, it colapses onto the tier below, killing many people. This does not damange it's ability to move or battle with other towns or cities. -
The attempted muder of Valentine
Hester Shaw, daughter of Pandora Shaw, attemps to kill Mr. Valentine to avenge her mother's death. Third class apprentice Tom Natsworthy stops the murder and pursues her. Once cornered Hester reveals her name to Tom, and jumps out a waste chute. No less than a minute later, Tom is shoved out the same chute by Valentine because he has learned Hester's name. This leaves the two of them stranded in the middle of The Great Hunting Ground. -
The almost destruction of Airhaven
Hester Shaw and Tom Natsworthy have managed to get from the Hunting Ground to an airship and from there to the floating town of Airhaven. Grike, a half man-half machine stalker, attempts to kill both of them under orders from London. Although they survive and escape, this attack cripples the floating town, causing it to land for repairs. -
The destruction of Panzerstadt-Bayreuth
In an effort to get access to more resources, London decides to attack the anti-traction league's headquarters. As it approaches it's true target, it encounters another large traction city and destroys it using the "medusa". This makes the residents of London very happy. Natsworthy and Shaw have boarded the Jenny Haniver and learned of the plan to attack the headquarters so they are attempting to get there in time. -
The destruction of the anti-traction league's Air Force
The anti-traction league headquarters is breached by Valentine who disables all airships except one, the Jenny Haniver, which has recently arrived with Shaw and Natsworthy onboard. This last airship escapes his attack and under the leadership of Shaw and Natsworthy begins to plan an assault on London. -
The destruction of London
In a heroic act of valor, Tom Natsworthy and Hester Shaw, launch a two person assault on London using the Jenny Haniver in order to destroy the "medusa" and save the league's headquarters. Valentine is killed in the successful destruction of London and the "medusa" is also obliterated.
