Retrofuturism: Sandalpunk and Candlepunk

[doctorbadwolf]

Meh. The Renaissance as a singular thing that starts in the 14th century is, IMO, so oversimplified a narrative that it ends up being wildly innacurate and nearly useless.

The various periods of Renaissance in Europe start as early as 800 (Carolingian Renaissance), but even if we are being picky, the 12th century. At a time when there are still Varangian Guards. The idea of a "rebirth" being needed in Europe is also a tricky narrative, when you look at all of Europe in the Miggle Ages. Constantinople certainly didn't. Nor Andalusia.

I also don't think you need to remimagine history as you suggest to use the influences of the Abbasids. That culture continued in Al Alandulus well into the 15th century, until the Reconquista, but even in the 12th, Italia was a place where the ideas of Abbasid lands could be greeted by European scholars, and the great Muslim alchemists, mathematicians, and other thinkers *did* influence the European Renaissance. We can simply imagine a world in which relations were friendlier, and Muslim medicine helps mitigate the Black Plague.

Further, Da Vinci can absolutely be used as an inspiration for Candle/Castlepunk, because adjacent eras overlap, as do related genres. Just like Clockpunk and Steampunk have strong areas of overlap.

 

[Celebrim]

Meh. The Renaissance as a singular thing that starts in the 14th century is, IMO, so oversimplified a narrative that it ends up being wildly innacurate and nearly useless.

I think we are on the same page about that. The idea that the Renaissance was this sudden 'new birth of learning' rather than the culmination of what went on before is propaganda written by the political and intellectual leaders of the day to justify their new positions. But, that being said, the very fact that such propaganda was felt necessary does mean that the era did represent at least some break with the past and change in the overall culture.

Further, Da Vinci can absolutely be used as an inspiration for Candle/Castlepunk, because adjacent eras overlap, as do related genres. Just like Clockpunk and Steampunk have strong areas of overlap.

Yes, but what would then make the setting in any way distinctively 'castlepunk'? I mean, I would presume the whole idea is to capture the zeitgeist of the middle ages in the throws of some ahistorical but plausible techno-industrial revolution? If it's just clockpunk with some arbitrarily different dates, how do you propose capturing the aesthetic of the thing?

I'm not so sure that Clockpunk and Steampunk do overlap. Seems to me that once you start hook a steam engine on to the clockworks and difference engines, you've got Steampunk by definition. It's sort of a dividing line, just as it wouldn't very much be Steampunk if everything was electrical or driven by internal combustion engines.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Clockwork devices, and even automatons, exist in much of steampunk. IME, in most steampunk. Clockwork is just abnormal part of steampunk, so far as I can tell.

Overlap does not make one thing less itself.

 

[thefrickinpope]

Don't mind me, just posting some crazy medieval tech that can be expanded on for castle/candlepunk.

Edit: does this board not have spoilers? I'll remove them if they're too big for y'all.

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