Gaya. 1910. New Allegheny, somewhere in the Western Confederation.
If you've been following Aircraft Design Company, Castles of Steel, If Mahan Could See Us Now, Fill your Hand You Son of a Bitch, Jine the Cavalry, or Rocket Design Quest, you already know about Gaya, the world @open_sketchbook created, and that the rest of us have taken and run with.
For those of you just joining us the Federated Commonwealth of New Allegheny is the America-analogue, with some important differences, such as the borders with Taxoco and Manassas. New Allegheny itself is composed of forty-one commonwealths(1), arranged into three confederations. Each confederation elects their own president. If you wonder how anything gets done on a Federal level, it usually doesn't.
But that sort of question doesn't really concern you.
You are that new breed of pilot unique to New Allegheny, one part scout, one part postal worker, and three parts entertainer. You are a BARNSTORMER.
You wake up on a pile of hay, head pounding, sore everywhere, and a little cold.
Not unexpected from sleeping in a hayloft after a night of drinking. You slide down the ladder, and make your way over to the water barrel, scattered hay crunching underfoot. You splash some cool water on your face, take a drink, and pause a moment to assess your reflection and assure yourself that you are presentable.
You are
[ ] (Write in name)
-[ ] A Man
-[ ] A Woman
-[ ] A Pilot (2)
Having done that, it's time to grab your kit bag and some breakfast. Your kit bag contains one of your most valued possessions. What is it?
[ ]
A signed textbook
You are a university student, doing graduate work. Upsides, you can count the number of people better than you at tinkering with aircraft on one hand (3), and you either designed and built your own bird, or modified it. Downsides, your thesis advisor wants regular updates, and you're still paying tuition.
[ ]
A gift from your spouse.
You fly because the pay is good. Beats working in a mine any day. Upsides, you have a very level head on your shoulders, and are experienced in the world. Downsides, you've got a family to help support. A pretty big one, too, including your three-year old child. Maybe you can help get your younger siblings through high school, so that they don't have to work in the mine either.
[ ]
A lovingly worn instrument
You grew up on a farm. You thought you were going to be a farmer until the day at the Commonwealth Fair when you say the airship. Upside, you have the potential to grow into an amazing pilot, a la Luke Skywalker. Downside, most of that right now is potential.
1 If you want to get technical, thirty-seven commonwealths, three states, one dominion, the capital district, and outlying islands.
2 [The west] don't really get the whole non-binary thing. Picking this isn't hard mode, but will be more complex.
3 This includes Rose and Antoinette "First flight" Sears, Asuka "Literally A Wizard" Matsura, and Count "I single-handedly invented civil aviation" Zeppelin. It's a pretty short list.