Re: Introductions
Fortunately (or perhaps sadly depending on your point of view), Steampunk took on a life of its own. The gritty realism of the 'punk' part often gets pushed aside for cool retro-tech inventions, fashion and art, steam powering everything from toasters to flying ships, and having fun adventuring in the Age of Steam.
Also, Fantasy Steampunk usually includes magic, fairies, elves, dwarves and other traditional fantasy elements. I've always thought of it as just adventuring in the Victorian Era, with wild and crazy inventions, liberally infused with a touch of the fantastical (Jules Verne, H. G. Wells, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Mary Shelley, etc.). Atlantis, Mu, Lemuria and Shangri-La could be real, not to mention a Hollow Earth.
Dinosaurs, lost cities, Amazons, Martians... all can find a place in a Steampunk game.
Mysticism was also a very popular theme of the time.
So, basically, Steampunk is about weaving all these things into your game. You pick and choose what you want to include.