I am gatherning the pieces I need to build a steampunk environment to uses as a story setting. I like the darker victorian/edwardian look with a the mech fanatasy component, but would some form of magic or mystisim have a visible place in that world. all of the fantasy elements I have seen are manifest in brass and steam mech. Opinions please. I dont want to damage the integrity or dilute the theme. but I have some really cool ideas (well I think so anyway) as a variation to visualy represent magic, but I am unsure if it will go??

 Hmmm ... a couple of movies that come to mind that might give you some ideas are "The Illusionist" and "The Prestige."  Have you seen them? Both magical/mystical, though I think The Illusionist is more on the mystical side, and The Prestige would be more on the "invention" mech fantasy side.

I like them both, but I love the techy side of The Prestige. I could watch that movie over and over. Gotta love a movie that has David Bowie as Tesla. 8-)

RDNA has a whole bunch of Steampunk outfits/props.

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Its your story, so have whatever world setting that suits you.   There is stuff that would blend well with the steampunk  and some level of magic might explain why they stayed at the steam level.

Quote - Its your story, so have whatever world setting that suits you.   There is stuff that would blend well with the steampunk  and some level of magic might explain why they stayed at the steam level.

I like that thought, that they built on Seam Mech because they didn't discover the atomic but magical partices, or that electricity led to somthing else entirley else, pierced another dimention nearby drawing power from there  for example. Thank you. 

 Again it's your story. But look at Harry Potter - the Magical World there, although not steampunk, is also stuck in a Victorian era kind of thing - in some cases more medieval even.

Also stuff like The Golden Compass is very steampunk and at the same time has witches and other magic things. It Pullmann's universe, not all are magic, but there are several magic-type creatures and beings, coexisting with the humans.

So.. what I'm saying is: Use whatever you like from both worlds. You're not the first to mix them and have it make reasonable sense :)

And steampunk is COOL!

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Steampunk is very very cool that is why I want to keep it in the for-front image wise, but  think I will add a some magical elements too. Now to find some steampunk-esk  steam mech Gauntlets that might help,

Consider alchemy. It is semi-magical, and semi-scientific. I think it would be a perfect fit for a Steam-Punk setting. The alchemist is partly apothecary, partly chemist, and partly mystic or magical. Their craft is more based on learning (knowledge) and imagination than some inborn ability. Think in terms of humors (blood, yellow bile, black bile, and phlegm) and the elements of earth, wind, fire, and water. Have fun.

LMK

Probably edited for spelling, grammer, punctuation, or typos.

I guess that would be Steam Me'alchemy?? LOL Sounds good, I was already thinking brass and wires and crystles. so this is a good addition.

I don't know if you've ever come across the 'Thief'' series of games from Looking Glass.

Thief The Metal Age, is a complete mix of steam driven technology set in a medieval environment, also mixed with high end technology (a mechanical eye with a zoom lens). The main character was always running up against the mystical 'Keepers' who were steeped in superstition and magic.

He he, super stuff and it all goes together very well:) In fact Steampunk and Magic are ideal things to put together in my opinion.

Alchemy could be a place to start. Later if you want to introduce a sort of religious view of the four elements you could consider the model presented by the Rosecrucians. This is a more mystical and mythological world view.

LMK

Probably edited for spelling, grammer, punctuation, or typos.

Well, I probably sound like a broken record, but there's a few comic treatments of it; Girl Genius, and Full Metal Alchemist (I'm hesitant to recommend the 2ndl; It's more anime than anything else).
There's a movie called Steam Boy (I think), that is interesting (Picard's voice as the grandfather...;)
Hang on...brb
Here's some PDFs to look for; probably far more than you would ever need...;)
The Inland Empire rulebook (skip the rules, but check out the art, and the ideas)
Steampunk Bureau - another collection of stuff
Terra Nova - probably not much help as the name. Alternate universe where the Vikings setteld America, and became semi-Victorians
There's also some Steampunk that's been actually created and functional; laptops with brass-plated keyboards, etc. Don't have the site name for it, but remember going by it.

Hope that helps

I wish I'd said that.. The Staircase Wit

anahl nathrak uth vas betude doth yel dyenvey..;)

Thanks for the info I'll check it out.