If you've been paying attention to steampunk-focused social media for the past month or so, you may have noticed stirrings and teaser images coming from the gang at Penny Dreadful Productions (including the infamous Steampunk Boba Fett). This may have left you wondering, "What are those folk doing over there, and what IS Remnant?" The first information download will now commence, Citizens. You have been warned.
In early 2011, Penny Dreadful Productions Director Matt Silva dreamt up a new and exciting property in the steampunk and cosplay universe. With the help of the entire talented team at PDP, Remnant will be premiered (unleashed?) September 2-5 at DragonCon 2011.
Remnant is, first and foremost, a new fashion line. Six character prototypes will be featured in multiple forms throughout DragonCon, as well as specially promoted at the Steampunk Exhibition on Sunday. PDP will have a booth in the LARP area, and costume models will be on display and available for close-up inspection, Q&A and orders the entire weekend.
What is Remnant?
The future is fire and ashes, corruption and decay. The Great War ended in smoke and ruin, and the world as we knew it can be glimpsed under the blackened piles of rubble and in the colossal hulks of buildings long burnt and razed. The fighting continues, though: organized Rebels and rogue pirates in patchwork airships form savage raiding parties with the sole aim of tearing down any progress made to reclaim order and prosperity. The Rebels prefer chaos, but the world needs stability. People need a future that is clean and bright. They need answers. Remnant is that answer.
Remnant is a monolithic military force within a fictional post-apocalyptic world. Remnant is a well-structured, formidable army with a complex chain of command and formations of fierce (and fashionable) soldiers and specialists.
Remnant would never build their new utopia on the backs of slaves… but they would argue that the Assembly is more than slaves. They are the drones, the workforce and the pack-mules, composed of naive conscripts, captured Rebels, convicted criminals or injured citizens. Now they exist harmoniously as the mind-controlled muscle of Remnant.
The youthful volunteers who show promise and prowess become Dreadnaughts. They are the future of Remnant, all crisp uniforms and recruitment poster smiles. In time, should they survive and demonstrate their dedication to Remnant’s vision, they might rise. In the meantime, they are the numerous and disposable accessories to their well-oiled rifles.
Leading the formations are the Wardens: stern, forceful leaders with iron fists and steely gazes. They command the rank and file with absolute authority, wielding entire formations like personal weapons. Randomly, they enforce discipline through a demonstration of brutal efficiency and singular cruelty. A second demonstration is seldom necessary.
Independently working beside the Wardens are the Flesh Mechanics - lovely angels of death and rebirth. These female "medics" keep the ranks mobile and functioning. For them, a fallen soldier is not a loss, but an opportunity to harvest the material used to rebuild the walking wounded. A Nurse's stare is dark, calm and full of terrible, cold efficiency.
What army is complete without the heavy firepower? The Remnant Guard are the fully-armored, heavily-armed tactical troopers who spearhead Remnant assaults with devastating firepower and elite training and prowess. A Trooper's armor may start off a shining blue-steeled and copper-riveted, but a veteran’s armor quickly gains a grim patina of red.
At the second-highest level of command sit the Architects, who direct their forces from behind giant tomes and shadowed masks. Human or not, these dark generals are never to be questioned, simply obeyed. The Remnant's vision of the future is delivered directly from “the top” to the Architects, who manipulate the future like so many puzzle pieces. How all those pieces form a bigger picture, however, remains to be seen....
The Inspiration Behind Remnant
Part dieselpunk dystopia, part steampunk, part horror - the Remnant concept derives from all the most exciting and visually inspiring parts of popular sci-fi and fantasy. The physical augmentation and biomechanics of William Gibson's "Neuromancer" are channeled into the Assembly in a fresh and current way. The Flesh Mechanics are a nod to the sexiest and scariest elements of horror that we all love. The Architects’ “monstrous overlord” personas are heavily inspired by H.P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu Mythos, as DragonCon attendees will soon experience.
The intense interest in military-inspired and dieselpunk costumes and personas are constantly refreshed by films like Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, Captain America and more. The idea of the Rebel faction encompasses all the assorted brilliant and ragtag steampunk costumes and characters that exist in the genre. The best part of the Remnant world is that it is inclusive, not exclusive. Everyone, whether or not you choose the "right" side, gets to play in our world.
The Future of Remnant
The Remnant fashion line is the first step in the Remnant property exploration - the coming months will see expansions into different categories and creative works. The "propaganda" poster series release (illustrations by Amy Houser with typography by Jim Ware of IMadeThis, Inc.) was the first step. We will be doing a pre-DragonCon photoshoot with Dim Horizon Photography, creating images that should be nothing short of outstanding.
In the long term, a web comic and/or comic book featuring the PDP personas and Remnant storyline is currently in the works, with a tentatively scheduled preview at ComicCon 2011. Further down the line, a potential RPG sourcebook is in the works. The wide-open potential for expansion characters, costumes, add-on accessories, and creative ventures are pretty much a guarantee that more exciting material will be coming down the pipeline for 2011/2012.
The steampunk community has already developed some incredible team costumes and group personas, but PDP sees room for one more: a Big Damn Villain. Remnant, we hope, will give fans something to come together for or against, all in the name of good fun. The collective creativity and inventiveness of the community as demonstrated by their characters, costumes and props are something that the PDP crew and Remnant team are enthusiastic to embrace and unify. PDP wants everyone to be able to "play together", because it's even more fun that way.
The short-term goal of Remnant is to increase the community's exposure to what kind of work is done over at PDP and further develop our incredible "street team". The long-term goal is to make a whole new world that we can all play in, make awesome gear and costumes for, and continue to have a great time.
The Remnant line will be seen all over DragonCon 2011, as well as the PDP table in the LARP area - stop by for swag, get more information, and sign up for the fight! Remember citizen: Remnant needs YOU!
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EDITOR'S NOTE: As an added bonus, we are also attaching a special promotional image, hot off the presses and compliments of Dim Horizon Studio for our readers to get a special sneak-peak. Enjoy.