The Reconquista is nigh!
Glory to Christendom!
Glory to Christendom!
The year is 1510, and the people of a parallel earth go about their everyday business. They have no clue that life could have been any other way, but that's okay, because it's fine how it is now. However, in this parallel world, there is a land called Europe that has been heavily influenced by the divergence of this world from our own, and it has been so influenced in fact that almost everyone there simply would not have been born without this POD. What is the point of divergence, you might ask? Well, surprisingly enough, the point of divergence happens to be a space rock. Well, it used to be a space rock, anyway, before it crashed into the shallow waters off the coast of the Indonesian Archipelago. Let me, the OP and representative of this bizarre new world, take you on a journey to show you what happened in order to make this new world so different.
Paris, Kingdom of the Franks, March 721
Charles Martel feasted at the long table with the lords and ladies of the palace. He was the Prince of the Franks, and the Mayor of the Palace, and while he was not a king he certainly had achieved more than most kings ever did. This was a man who had united France after a period of intense civil war between royal families and he wholly deserved the golden crown that sat atop his greying head. He held a mug of solid gold, something the likes of which mere peasantry could never dream of, and ravenously drank the beer than occupied its empty space. The leg of a roasted fowl was held in his other hand, and he chowed down on it even as the frothing alcohol struggled to trickle down his throat. Tonight was certainly a feast, and it was only normal that the people of the palace would make pigs of themselves on the night of a feast. Suddenly, as if out of nowhere, a wiry little servant burst into the room. "Dear prince", he said with fear in his eyes and urgency in his voice ,"there is something that you must be alerted of. Come with me!"
The prince, who seemed slightly annoyed by this interruption, grumbled and walked out of the room. His leather boots made a loud clacking sound as they banged against the grand stone tiles of the castle floor. "Your highness", he said ,"The peasants have sighted a comet in the sky! We're sure it's an omen of something, and that god is showing us troubles are coming. In fact, that might be true..." "How so?", asked Charles arrogantly ," The kingdom's never been this prosperous!." "Of course, your highness", said the servant ," and you are to be thanked for this prosperity, but there is a threat to the south. The muslims have sent an army to Aquitaine, which is formally under our rule." Charles Martel's face went red with anger. "Those damn saracens!", he yelled ,"what are the scheming heathens up to now?". Charles knew it was something bad, but his jaw dropped when the humble servant told him. "There's hundreds of thousands of them, and they're coming up as one giant army. The city of Toulouse is under seige as we speak, according to Duke Odo. He's been pleading for help from you in tears."
This situation was awful. Charles would either have to help the squealing little swine that was Odo, or he would let his southern rival face the possibility of succumbing to a Muslim invasion, which, while good as far as getting rid of his southern rival went, wouldn't go well if the invasion succeeded and the moors were pouring through his kingdom's borders. Especially ones with horses, armour and big pointy swords that could hurt his people. Then again, it was only a possibility. He soon decided against helping the oaf that was Odo. " I will never, in a thousand lifetimes, help that man", he said with extreme sureness ," He can defeat the seige himself, and if the Saracen savages to the south are victorious against that stupid man the whole of Cristendom shall recognise them as a threat. The Germans, The Lombards, The Romans, us and all the other rightful Christians will beat these people back across the Mediterranean to where they came from!". "That seems a bit, well selfish, don't you think?", asked the servant. Charles lifted his hand and slapped the man right across the face. His cheeks reddened and he yelped out with the pain of being struck by such a battle-ready hand. "I am sorry, sir", he said in a whimpery tone ," But what about the sign of the comet? What if not helping your rivals, no matter how intolerable they are, is what we were warned about. After all, the holy bible does say Jesus said ,"love thy neighbour." "Fine", Charles said with sufficient anger left in his voice ," Take me to Odo so he can lead our armies to Toulouse. God wills it, and he has shown us with his omens!"
Toulouse, Duchy of Aquitaine, June 721
Duke Odo, his curly black hair waving in the wind behind him as his horse galloped across the rolling hills of Aquitaine. He screamed out, not saying any distinct words but merely letting out a roar of elation along with the thousands of other men that charged along with him. Ahead was the city of toulouse, all walled up behind an invincible stone fortress that was falling to the evil Saracen invaders. It was up to these brave men, many of which whom would likely be killed in battle against the despicable invaders, to liberate the city from it's long siege and save the people that lived there. In fact, many of the soldiers' families lived in this city, providing further incentive to save it.
The men ran at their enemy, charging at the camp. The Muslim soldiers were startled, and thus began to prepare by firing at them with arrows before sending out what little cavalry they had to stop them from breaking down the seige. Odo's men retreated, but the Muslim soldiers did not become overconfident- they merely held their ground and prepared for a maneuver by the enemy. In the end, it turned out that the Franks tried a full frontal attack on them, something which appeared laughably confident and was soon slaughtered by the muslim armies. It is not known how many were exactly killed into battle, but likely-inflated sources suggest about 280,000 Frankish soldiers were killed.
Charles Martel fled on his horse, dashing into the plains away from the slaughter. He had no idea where Odo was, but he was certainly glad to be alive. A mixture of blood and sweat coated his forehead as he ran like a coward along with what remained of his army. What was he doing? If god was on his side, how could he have failed? This was madness. The Frankish army had been destroyed, he and Odo had been massively overconfident and the battle had been lost. Toulouse would soon fall, and Moors would be falling through the Frankish border.
His thoughts of sorrow were soon cut short by the pained screams of his horse. He looked back to find an arrow had struck it's right thigh, and that it was plummeting toward the ground. Charles braced himself for impact and hit the ground with astonishing force. A sickening crack could be heard in his neck and he winced as he struggled to move his arms and legs. He couldn't. He'd broken his neck!
The last thing he saw before he passed out was a man with a turban looming over him. He had failed his nation, and the invading moor standing over his feeble body was just a sign of what was to come...
Tuban, Majapahit Empire, 14th of October 1399
The sun was setting over the bustling ports of what was arguably Majapahit's busiest trade city on the Island of Java. The scent of spices and other Southeast Asian commodities, each with their own vibrant scent and texture, filled the docks, and the haggling of merchants could be heard all around. This, of course, was great for the Empire- it's economy was already booming following its swift rise to power.
Both the filthy Yuan mongols and fellow city states unworthy of statehood had been stomped on in the process of this empire-building, but it was worth it for the domination over these Indonesian isles that Majapahit was getting to an extent not seen since Srivijaya's peak. Sure, succession crises were starting to gnaw away at the mighty nation, but it was still more or less in a golden age and whoever did become Raja would gain many wives from his conquests.There was, however, soon to be a far less trivial problem than succession crises- something mere humans had no control over.
You see, over the years comets would appear in the sky. Many would come and go, appearing only once in a lifetime and when they did not harming anyone whatsoever. Sure, it was said often that the comets were omens of bad things, but this was usually peasant superstition reserved for the European barbarians to the whom the people of Majapahit knew only about from the tales of Arab merchants. But, while people rabbled and rabbled away about demons, the comets never seemed to hurt anyone. That was, until now.
A fiery streak began to slide down the Indonesian horizon. At first, it was nothing, but soon it had grown nearly as bright as the setting sun which turned the sky it travelled upon a vibrant shade of orange. The comet, now more of a ball of fire than anything, soon disappeared over the horizon. The people waited, daunted by this ember on the horizon.
Then, suddenly, there was a huge flash in the sky. People stumbled and fell over with blindness as their eyes failed to handle the immensely bright light of the explosion. A massive gust of wind with a massive bang, reminiscent of the long-gone sound of mongol gunpowder canons, ripped through the dock just seconds afterwards. The tropical palms whose leaves hung lazily as they grew by the dock were bent by the humungous gust, ripping their leaves clean from their stalks.
Just as the people of Tuban had begun to recover, the ground began shaking. What the hell was this? What was this apocalyptic fireball, this massive airburst and the shaking of the ground that was sweeping people clean off their feet. The oceans were churning like a pot of boiling water, as if ready to froth onto the land at any second. Funnily enough, that assumption couldn't have been more true.
Two hours after the strange impact with earth, the merchants and people of Tuban were returning home to their families with bizarre stories to tell about the impact and its effects on them. What'd even caused it, anyway? Was it a demon occurrence of sorts? Then, just as the families chatted and ate dinner in their homes, the sound of rushing water could be heard outside. People ran from their doorways, curious to see what was causing the massive movement of water. The people looked on in shock and horror at the ocean, which was receeding as they spoke (or rather made hushed gasps). Fish, floundering on the damp sands that stretched for miles and miles, seemed just as shocked as the people were, and even the birds were flying inland. Shit was going down, the people knew. There had been talk about events like this in the past, with such receedings of the water usually meaning a massive wave. This, however, was just bizarre. There was no ocean in sight anymore, just barren sands! How could a wave possibly be that big?
Some cried as the knowledge of their fate dawned upon them, while others looked on cluelessly. Something dark appeared on the night horizon, glimmering against the light of the full moon that shone above what was once the Java Sea. It would soon be the Java Sea again, for the water had returned, only this time in a 50 metre tall wave. Dinner was served for the locals of Tuban.
The people ran into their homes as the wave neared shore. Towering above the trees, even the birds of the skies fled from its wrath. The foam of the salty waters sat atop this royal wave, soon to crash upon the town with amazing force. Boats, before left stranded on dry land, were now deadly projectiles picket up by the wave. The mass of water soon crashed against the beach with a sickening roar.
Everyone in that town was killed, their last few moments spent gasping for breath as they were slammed against whatever objects the wave wanted to slam them into. It rushed inland as a wall of water, carrying peices of recently-cooled molten rock and entire boulders from the sea with it. It was the ultimate destruction, the epotime of the sea being a cruel mistress- this was a megatsunami. An asteroid that had many centuries ago lead a noble knight to his death now forced millions to perish under a horrid grave of ash, ejecta and salty water. Soon the waters of the tsunami would crash against the inland mountains of the island, wiping Trowulan (the Majapahit Empire's capital) of the face of the earth. Everything, years of hard work and conquest, the building of entire cities and the births of millions had just been shat on by a massive space rock. Mother nature was a cruel bitch, that was for sure.
Coastal Arnhem Land, Northern Australia
The sailboat floated into the bay. It's sail, full of holes and blackened tears, fluttered in the warm wind, and its hull stood strong against the brunt of the violent waters. Just 9 days ago, this boat full of wild-eyed hungry people was simply sitting in a dock in a village along the Brantas River of Eastern Java, many kilometres inland, and the people had been awoken by a rumbling in the distance. A massive wall of salty water, having come all the way from the sea, flooded the town and swept away its inhabitants. Whole families rushed onto the docks and piled themselves onto boats like chickens in a cage, but many were washed away in the process.
The people in this boat, however, were lucky. Regardless of that fact they'd spent over 9 days at sea, they did manage to pack some meager rations and caught rainwater to keep them going. They also were lucky enough to avoid the full brunt of a bizzare storm in which hot pebbles and ash rained from the sky. Out of the many terrified people who had clambered onto each boat, about 60 were squeezed onto this one, which was no easy feat despite its size. They looked out with curiosity at the new land. This place seemed more arid than most others, and the sun was very hot and bright. Even the trees, isolated from more cosmopolitan flora for millions of years, were different, even though it was clear relatively few had survived the tsunami that had hit this land too.
Men,women and children, all hungry, thirsty and tired, pulled the oars from the bottom of their boat and began to row towards the new shore. This land was their only hope and it was obvious that they would never be going back to Majahapit ever again, not that the empire existed anymore. If the wave had as much ferocity as it did that far inland, Trowulan would have been flattened by the water. The Raja would have been killed, as would most of the nation's government.
The boat finally dug itself into the marshy sands of the shore and the people walked past a strip of mangroves in search of food and water. There were certainly pools of pristine rainwater on higher ground, and it soon became clear that humungous crabs lived in these swamps. Even back in Java, crabs would be eaten by many coastal peoples, so it was safe to say the refugees had found themselves a source of food. Grabbing the creatures by their rears, it was possible to resist the wrath of their pincers and capture them successfully.
Looking further for food, the men and women found another boat stranded down the bay. It was obviously of Indonesian origin, for this land seemed to have no civilisation to speak of. Perhaps there was a camp of fellow refugees nearby, with their own prospects and findings.
Smoke began to rise from the swampy forest and voices could be heard. They were not voices of mere commoner's talk, but rather the fancy accents of upperclassmen. "Hello?", one of the gatherers shouted out into the forest with hopes of finding the upperclassmen ," Is someone there?". "Yes", shouted a feminine voice before several terrified people jumped out of the bushes at them. These people, their once regal robes dirtied by mud and ash from the impact, greeted the newcommers and led them to their camp. It wasn't much, but considering the fact that they could only have arrived here a few days ago it was rather impressive. New huts were even being built, allowing room for the newcommers. The villagers said that they were nobles and their families from Trowulan, and probably the last members of Majapahit's central government to be alive after the tsunami. And thus, given the people's position of power, the others banded together with them, creating a much larger village with a population exceeding 100. This was the one of the first new settlements to appear on the southern continent, a beacon of hope despite all that was lost. Soon villages themselves would band together into more confederations, and perhaps even the empires of old could be resurrected from the disasters.
Charles Martel feasted at the long table with the lords and ladies of the palace. He was the Prince of the Franks, and the Mayor of the Palace, and while he was not a king he certainly had achieved more than most kings ever did. This was a man who had united France after a period of intense civil war between royal families and he wholly deserved the golden crown that sat atop his greying head. He held a mug of solid gold, something the likes of which mere peasantry could never dream of, and ravenously drank the beer than occupied its empty space. The leg of a roasted fowl was held in his other hand, and he chowed down on it even as the frothing alcohol struggled to trickle down his throat. Tonight was certainly a feast, and it was only normal that the people of the palace would make pigs of themselves on the night of a feast. Suddenly, as if out of nowhere, a wiry little servant burst into the room. "Dear prince", he said with fear in his eyes and urgency in his voice ,"there is something that you must be alerted of. Come with me!"
The prince, who seemed slightly annoyed by this interruption, grumbled and walked out of the room. His leather boots made a loud clacking sound as they banged against the grand stone tiles of the castle floor. "Your highness", he said ,"The peasants have sighted a comet in the sky! We're sure it's an omen of something, and that god is showing us troubles are coming. In fact, that might be true..." "How so?", asked Charles arrogantly ," The kingdom's never been this prosperous!." "Of course, your highness", said the servant ," and you are to be thanked for this prosperity, but there is a threat to the south. The muslims have sent an army to Aquitaine, which is formally under our rule." Charles Martel's face went red with anger. "Those damn saracens!", he yelled ,"what are the scheming heathens up to now?". Charles knew it was something bad, but his jaw dropped when the humble servant told him. "There's hundreds of thousands of them, and they're coming up as one giant army. The city of Toulouse is under seige as we speak, according to Duke Odo. He's been pleading for help from you in tears."
This situation was awful. Charles would either have to help the squealing little swine that was Odo, or he would let his southern rival face the possibility of succumbing to a Muslim invasion, which, while good as far as getting rid of his southern rival went, wouldn't go well if the invasion succeeded and the moors were pouring through his kingdom's borders. Especially ones with horses, armour and big pointy swords that could hurt his people. Then again, it was only a possibility. He soon decided against helping the oaf that was Odo. " I will never, in a thousand lifetimes, help that man", he said with extreme sureness ," He can defeat the seige himself, and if the Saracen savages to the south are victorious against that stupid man the whole of Cristendom shall recognise them as a threat. The Germans, The Lombards, The Romans, us and all the other rightful Christians will beat these people back across the Mediterranean to where they came from!". "That seems a bit, well selfish, don't you think?", asked the servant. Charles lifted his hand and slapped the man right across the face. His cheeks reddened and he yelped out with the pain of being struck by such a battle-ready hand. "I am sorry, sir", he said in a whimpery tone ," But what about the sign of the comet? What if not helping your rivals, no matter how intolerable they are, is what we were warned about. After all, the holy bible does say Jesus said ,"love thy neighbour." "Fine", Charles said with sufficient anger left in his voice ," Take me to Odo so he can lead our armies to Toulouse. God wills it, and he has shown us with his omens!"
Toulouse, Duchy of Aquitaine, June 721
Duke Odo, his curly black hair waving in the wind behind him as his horse galloped across the rolling hills of Aquitaine. He screamed out, not saying any distinct words but merely letting out a roar of elation along with the thousands of other men that charged along with him. Ahead was the city of toulouse, all walled up behind an invincible stone fortress that was falling to the evil Saracen invaders. It was up to these brave men, many of which whom would likely be killed in battle against the despicable invaders, to liberate the city from it's long siege and save the people that lived there. In fact, many of the soldiers' families lived in this city, providing further incentive to save it.
The men ran at their enemy, charging at the camp. The Muslim soldiers were startled, and thus began to prepare by firing at them with arrows before sending out what little cavalry they had to stop them from breaking down the seige. Odo's men retreated, but the Muslim soldiers did not become overconfident- they merely held their ground and prepared for a maneuver by the enemy. In the end, it turned out that the Franks tried a full frontal attack on them, something which appeared laughably confident and was soon slaughtered by the muslim armies. It is not known how many were exactly killed into battle, but likely-inflated sources suggest about 280,000 Frankish soldiers were killed.
Charles Martel fled on his horse, dashing into the plains away from the slaughter. He had no idea where Odo was, but he was certainly glad to be alive. A mixture of blood and sweat coated his forehead as he ran like a coward along with what remained of his army. What was he doing? If god was on his side, how could he have failed? This was madness. The Frankish army had been destroyed, he and Odo had been massively overconfident and the battle had been lost. Toulouse would soon fall, and Moors would be falling through the Frankish border.
His thoughts of sorrow were soon cut short by the pained screams of his horse. He looked back to find an arrow had struck it's right thigh, and that it was plummeting toward the ground. Charles braced himself for impact and hit the ground with astonishing force. A sickening crack could be heard in his neck and he winced as he struggled to move his arms and legs. He couldn't. He'd broken his neck!
The last thing he saw before he passed out was a man with a turban looming over him. He had failed his nation, and the invading moor standing over his feeble body was just a sign of what was to come...
Tuban, Majapahit Empire, 14th of October 1399
The sun was setting over the bustling ports of what was arguably Majapahit's busiest trade city on the Island of Java. The scent of spices and other Southeast Asian commodities, each with their own vibrant scent and texture, filled the docks, and the haggling of merchants could be heard all around. This, of course, was great for the Empire- it's economy was already booming following its swift rise to power.
Both the filthy Yuan mongols and fellow city states unworthy of statehood had been stomped on in the process of this empire-building, but it was worth it for the domination over these Indonesian isles that Majapahit was getting to an extent not seen since Srivijaya's peak. Sure, succession crises were starting to gnaw away at the mighty nation, but it was still more or less in a golden age and whoever did become Raja would gain many wives from his conquests.There was, however, soon to be a far less trivial problem than succession crises- something mere humans had no control over.
You see, over the years comets would appear in the sky. Many would come and go, appearing only once in a lifetime and when they did not harming anyone whatsoever. Sure, it was said often that the comets were omens of bad things, but this was usually peasant superstition reserved for the European barbarians to the whom the people of Majapahit knew only about from the tales of Arab merchants. But, while people rabbled and rabbled away about demons, the comets never seemed to hurt anyone. That was, until now.
A fiery streak began to slide down the Indonesian horizon. At first, it was nothing, but soon it had grown nearly as bright as the setting sun which turned the sky it travelled upon a vibrant shade of orange. The comet, now more of a ball of fire than anything, soon disappeared over the horizon. The people waited, daunted by this ember on the horizon.
Then, suddenly, there was a huge flash in the sky. People stumbled and fell over with blindness as their eyes failed to handle the immensely bright light of the explosion. A massive gust of wind with a massive bang, reminiscent of the long-gone sound of mongol gunpowder canons, ripped through the dock just seconds afterwards. The tropical palms whose leaves hung lazily as they grew by the dock were bent by the humungous gust, ripping their leaves clean from their stalks.
Just as the people of Tuban had begun to recover, the ground began shaking. What the hell was this? What was this apocalyptic fireball, this massive airburst and the shaking of the ground that was sweeping people clean off their feet. The oceans were churning like a pot of boiling water, as if ready to froth onto the land at any second. Funnily enough, that assumption couldn't have been more true.
Two hours after the strange impact with earth, the merchants and people of Tuban were returning home to their families with bizarre stories to tell about the impact and its effects on them. What'd even caused it, anyway? Was it a demon occurrence of sorts? Then, just as the families chatted and ate dinner in their homes, the sound of rushing water could be heard outside. People ran from their doorways, curious to see what was causing the massive movement of water. The people looked on in shock and horror at the ocean, which was receeding as they spoke (or rather made hushed gasps). Fish, floundering on the damp sands that stretched for miles and miles, seemed just as shocked as the people were, and even the birds were flying inland. Shit was going down, the people knew. There had been talk about events like this in the past, with such receedings of the water usually meaning a massive wave. This, however, was just bizarre. There was no ocean in sight anymore, just barren sands! How could a wave possibly be that big?
Some cried as the knowledge of their fate dawned upon them, while others looked on cluelessly. Something dark appeared on the night horizon, glimmering against the light of the full moon that shone above what was once the Java Sea. It would soon be the Java Sea again, for the water had returned, only this time in a 50 metre tall wave. Dinner was served for the locals of Tuban.
The people ran into their homes as the wave neared shore. Towering above the trees, even the birds of the skies fled from its wrath. The foam of the salty waters sat atop this royal wave, soon to crash upon the town with amazing force. Boats, before left stranded on dry land, were now deadly projectiles picket up by the wave. The mass of water soon crashed against the beach with a sickening roar.
Everyone in that town was killed, their last few moments spent gasping for breath as they were slammed against whatever objects the wave wanted to slam them into. It rushed inland as a wall of water, carrying peices of recently-cooled molten rock and entire boulders from the sea with it. It was the ultimate destruction, the epotime of the sea being a cruel mistress- this was a megatsunami. An asteroid that had many centuries ago lead a noble knight to his death now forced millions to perish under a horrid grave of ash, ejecta and salty water. Soon the waters of the tsunami would crash against the inland mountains of the island, wiping Trowulan (the Majapahit Empire's capital) of the face of the earth. Everything, years of hard work and conquest, the building of entire cities and the births of millions had just been shat on by a massive space rock. Mother nature was a cruel bitch, that was for sure.
Coastal Arnhem Land, Northern Australia
The sailboat floated into the bay. It's sail, full of holes and blackened tears, fluttered in the warm wind, and its hull stood strong against the brunt of the violent waters. Just 9 days ago, this boat full of wild-eyed hungry people was simply sitting in a dock in a village along the Brantas River of Eastern Java, many kilometres inland, and the people had been awoken by a rumbling in the distance. A massive wall of salty water, having come all the way from the sea, flooded the town and swept away its inhabitants. Whole families rushed onto the docks and piled themselves onto boats like chickens in a cage, but many were washed away in the process.
The people in this boat, however, were lucky. Regardless of that fact they'd spent over 9 days at sea, they did manage to pack some meager rations and caught rainwater to keep them going. They also were lucky enough to avoid the full brunt of a bizzare storm in which hot pebbles and ash rained from the sky. Out of the many terrified people who had clambered onto each boat, about 60 were squeezed onto this one, which was no easy feat despite its size. They looked out with curiosity at the new land. This place seemed more arid than most others, and the sun was very hot and bright. Even the trees, isolated from more cosmopolitan flora for millions of years, were different, even though it was clear relatively few had survived the tsunami that had hit this land too.
Men,women and children, all hungry, thirsty and tired, pulled the oars from the bottom of their boat and began to row towards the new shore. This land was their only hope and it was obvious that they would never be going back to Majahapit ever again, not that the empire existed anymore. If the wave had as much ferocity as it did that far inland, Trowulan would have been flattened by the water. The Raja would have been killed, as would most of the nation's government.
The boat finally dug itself into the marshy sands of the shore and the people walked past a strip of mangroves in search of food and water. There were certainly pools of pristine rainwater on higher ground, and it soon became clear that humungous crabs lived in these swamps. Even back in Java, crabs would be eaten by many coastal peoples, so it was safe to say the refugees had found themselves a source of food. Grabbing the creatures by their rears, it was possible to resist the wrath of their pincers and capture them successfully.
Looking further for food, the men and women found another boat stranded down the bay. It was obviously of Indonesian origin, for this land seemed to have no civilisation to speak of. Perhaps there was a camp of fellow refugees nearby, with their own prospects and findings.
Smoke began to rise from the swampy forest and voices could be heard. They were not voices of mere commoner's talk, but rather the fancy accents of upperclassmen. "Hello?", one of the gatherers shouted out into the forest with hopes of finding the upperclassmen ," Is someone there?". "Yes", shouted a feminine voice before several terrified people jumped out of the bushes at them. These people, their once regal robes dirtied by mud and ash from the impact, greeted the newcommers and led them to their camp. It wasn't much, but considering the fact that they could only have arrived here a few days ago it was rather impressive. New huts were even being built, allowing room for the newcommers. The villagers said that they were nobles and their families from Trowulan, and probably the last members of Majapahit's central government to be alive after the tsunami. And thus, given the people's position of power, the others banded together with them, creating a much larger village with a population exceeding 100. This was the one of the first new settlements to appear on the southern continent, a beacon of hope despite all that was lost. Soon villages themselves would band together into more confederations, and perhaps even the empires of old could be resurrected from the disasters.
721: Charles Martel is convinced by a strange omen to go aid his ally Odo in The Battle of Toulouse, but they are overconfident in battle, resulting in disaster. Both Charles and Odo of Aquitaine are captured/killed in battle and much of the Frankish army is ruined, leaving nothing to halt the Islamic conquest of Gaul.
736: After over a decade of ransacking the Kingdom of The Franks, which is now falling to pieces following the death of Charles Martel, The Muslim Armies besiege Paris. The city surrenders several months later, but this does in no way provoke mercy from the armies and The Sack of Paris happens shortly after the city's surrender.
Frankish lands as far east as Metz are formally annexed by the Umayyad Caliphate, and the empire's massive armies begin to look hungrily at Italy, where the recently-defeated Byzantine Empire and The Kingdom of the Lombards both have territory.
744: Hildeprand, King of The Lombards, loses the throne after a rebellion by Duke Ratchis of Fruili. While it was clear that Ratchis was a weak ruler, his Pro-Latin attitudes and marriage to a Roman woman, Tassia, and adoption of the Latin Title "Princeps" rather than the traditional "rex Langobardorum" showed that he was rather fond of the Byzantines.
This also happened to be the year that the Umayyads recognised the Lombard's weak leadership and declared war on the unprepared kingdom. A massive army of around 400,000 men (from probably-inflated historical sources) was amassed to take the city of Milan, which was not far from the capital in Pavia. It is not known why the Arab generals didn't take Pavia first, but it is thought that they feared the capital would be better defended but if their army were lured to Milan where the Muslim armies already had a foothold the siege could be defended more easily. As a result of this, in December 744 the city of Milan was besieged by a massive army. The Pro-Roman Ratchis fled to Rome to beg for Byzantine aid. While the Byzantines were certainly not happy about having to help their northern rivals, they reluctantly agreed to help the Lombards. It is believed that they chose to aid them because the Muslim conquests in Judea and Africa had daunted many of the Byzantine leadership and they certainly didn't want to border to moors in Italia, where the grand old city of Rome was.
745: A Byzantine-Lombard collaborative force squashes the seige in Milan with a classic enveloping maneuver following overconfidence from Umayyad armies. While casualties were heavy on both sides, the objective had been achieved-The Muslims had been pushed out Italia. Islamic armies invade Brittany.
749: Ratchis changes his mind about the Byzantines and attacks the Pentanopolis, provoking strong Byzantine retaliation and the beginning of attacks on Lombard borders. The Duchy of Bavaria, formerly a small German nation under Frankish sovereignty that was spared from the conquests, moves its capital to the recently-captured city of Regensburg and declares itself a kingdom. The duchy begins a swift rise to power and many German peoples start converting to Christianity following Bavarian military attacks on Pagan settlements. Catholicism is ruthlessly repressed in Francia, how called Al-Franj, after several rebellions occur in the area.
750-800: Bavaria sends many military expeditions throughout Germany, establishing the duchies of Swabia, Moravia and Bohemia under Bavarian lordship. Bavaria also expands its territories directly through the dark, pagan-infested woods of Germany and successfully defends itself against the rapidly-declining Avars. In 751 the Byzantine Empire formally annexes The Kingdom of the Lombards after two years of war in revenge of what Ratchis did. Ratchis is rightfully beheaded. Catholics in Frisia rebel against a number of oppressors (namely Frankish rump states, barbarian hordes and the Muslim oppressors), creating the kingdom of the Frisians. The Bavarians support the Frisian kingdom. In 757, as the Emirate of Cordoba in Iberia becomes independent from the new Abbasid Dynasty (who now control the Caliphate), Francia also becomes independent as the Emirate of Al-Franj. The Christian kingdom of Asturias in Iberia expands its territories against the Muslims.
800-850: Catholicism has been largely eradicated from many parts of Al-Franj, with much of the population having been converted to Islam. A combined Frisian-Bavarian effort defeats the pagan kingdoms in upper and lower Saxony, greating the Duchies of Saxony (Lower Saxony) and Brandenburg (Upper Saxony). The Avar Khaganate collapses, and the Bavarians seize the opportunity to set up more vassals. (namely the kingdom of Upper Avaria, in OTL Hungary). Southern Slavs (also referred to as Yugoslavs) in The Balkans rebel from crumbling Avar rule and create the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, but it soon falls to the Byzantines and the Bavarians.
850-900: A civil war in Al-Franj between a bunch of greedy nobles makes the four separate Emirates of Birufanas (OTL Southeast France from Provence to Burgundy, also parts of Switzerland), Tulus (OTL Languedoc and Auitaine), Touras (Northern France West of Orleans) and Barris (North France east of Orleans, Normandy and a Greater Belgium of sorts). These Emirates, however, soon proved to be weak and corrupt, and many fought against the interests of their neighbours. In 878, The Frisians capture Antwerp, signalling the beginning of the end of the great emirates of Al-Franj. The land is now disunited and at the mercy of the very same Christians it had expelled from its lands.
900-1000: The Danelaw in England become ruled by an increasingly-strong Danish monarchy and resist Alfred the great's unification of England in several close battles. After its defeat, Wessex collapses back into smaller states. With the conquest or OTL Switzerland from the Emirate of Birufanas, Bavaria creates the Duchy of Swabia to rule over Switzerland and parts of Germany. In addition with the vassalisation and Christianisation of what would later become western Poland, this gives Bavaria so many vassals that it creates the Germanic Imperium, ruled by the Emperor of Bavaria. Bavaria becomes an Empire along with the creation of the Germanic Imperium (Das Germanische Reich). With the Byzantine persecution of Roman Catholicism, the pope's seat of power is moved to Regensburg, a controversial move that "was done in the interest of the Catholic institution and people". The Byzantines conquer what remains of Birufanas after the initial Bavarian conquests. The Tang Dynasty flees to Taiwan after the collapse of its rule and sets up a kingdom there.
1000-1200: Catharism appears and Merhcnats spread it across Southern France and Northern Italy, although it is largely ignored. The Emirate of Cordoba collapses into Taifas before being invaded by the Almoravids, although much of Al-Franj escapes this fate, although there is much balkanisation to be had. Many of these new Al-Franjian nations, however, form loose confederations and long chains of alliances to defend themselves from attack unlike their Iberian counterparts. Navarra and Leon (formerly called Asturias) finally split over monarchical differences, and Galicia soon follows in the path of independence.
1200-1300: The Byzantines ruthlessly persecute Cathars in Northern Italy and Southern Al-Franj, leading to a massive Cathar rebellion that succeeds and creates an independent Cathar Kingdom in Northern Italy and Southern Al-Franj. The Scandinavians are Christianised, as are many Slavic tribes in Eastern Europe. Due to a weakened Christendom, the Mongols are able to briefly capture the Baltic coast and parts of Finland, although the backlash from Sweden and The Germanic Imperium is intense.
1399: in October 1399 an asteroid several hundred meters in diameter, the exact same one that caused Charles Martel's death, crashes into the Java sea, killing millions more. 50-meter high waves decimate the indonesian archipelago, ruining the Majapahit Empire in less than a day from the initial impact and sending dangerous ejecta flying through the atmosphere. huge tsunamis are documented as far away from the impact as the Red Sea, Japan, East Africa and Alaska. The Khmer Empire, its capital been several hundred kilometers inland, was still demolished by the tsunami, as were many Thai city-states. Vietnam and Southern China were devastated, but many of their parts had still been shielded from the brunt of the tsunamis. Earthquakes also ripped across the indonesian archipelago and possibly as far south as Australia, with tales of huge waves, raining stones and bizarre tremors. The Tang Dynasty in Taiwan are similarly devastated, although their capital is shielded from the waters by the mountainous parts of Taiwan, and they are thus able to recover faster.
1400-1510: After the Mongol invasion and the almost total collapse of the Golden horde in the 1430s, a Mongol remnant state, one of the countries born from its ashes is the Crimea Khanate. The Khanate amasses huge armies and conquers most of its neighbours, becoming greater and greater as they go like the Ottomans of OTL. The Ming Dynasty, its capital partly swamped by the coastal waters, struggles to recover from the tsunami. Several million people have already been killed by the tsunamis, and with the government unable to deal with such a massive crisis violence and famines soon spiral out of control. By the 1410s, the dynasty has all but collapsed, with factions vying for power as close to Nanjing as the swampy ruins of Shanghai. Mongol hordes in the north begin to pillage, rape and burn like the hordes of old, and China comes closer and closer to ruin. The Tang dynasty, having fully recovered from the tsunami and enjoying an influx of Chinese immigrants, decides to set up territorial outposts on the Chinese coast with which it uses to push inland. Conquest is slow, but in 1432 the emergency Ming capital in Chengdu is burned to the ground. The Tang miraculously take control of China, ushering the era of the Restored Tang. In reaction to the tsunamis, Hindus in India form their own united nation, Nāyakatva, which vanquishes the Muslim invaders and sends fleets to invade parts of Mesopotamia, with "revenge" being the justification for a new holy war. Hinduism is transformed into a much more centralised, warlike religion. In 1492, Rúben Pereira manages to convince the King of Galicia that in order to reach Asia and trade with the Indians quicker, one should sail west. The Queen accepts the idea, and sends Perereira west. He does not find Asia, but instead lands in OTL Wilmington, North Carolina. After several expeditions a few settlements are set up around the area, and both Galician and Leonese ships engage in a race to set up colonies in Africa and Asia. Both begin to prepare for massive fortunes and foreign goods. In 1508 the Crimean Khanate sacks Moscow, leaving the powerful republic of Novgorod the only nation not touched by the evil hands of Crimean conquest. Crimea has also captured as far south as Romania and Tehran by this point, with even the forever-prosperous Byzantine empire feeling threatened by the barbarian armies of the new nation. In Al-Franj in the late 1400s, a civil war unites much of the land into two rival Sultanates, Tulus and Barris, that despise not only eachother but also the Christian nations that surround them. The Emirate of Andalusia, also united after centuries of division, looks on at the rising Christian powers with a desire for revenge. So much could go wrong in this world of new hopes and recovery from epic disasters...
736: After over a decade of ransacking the Kingdom of The Franks, which is now falling to pieces following the death of Charles Martel, The Muslim Armies besiege Paris. The city surrenders several months later, but this does in no way provoke mercy from the armies and The Sack of Paris happens shortly after the city's surrender.
Frankish lands as far east as Metz are formally annexed by the Umayyad Caliphate, and the empire's massive armies begin to look hungrily at Italy, where the recently-defeated Byzantine Empire and The Kingdom of the Lombards both have territory.
744: Hildeprand, King of The Lombards, loses the throne after a rebellion by Duke Ratchis of Fruili. While it was clear that Ratchis was a weak ruler, his Pro-Latin attitudes and marriage to a Roman woman, Tassia, and adoption of the Latin Title "Princeps" rather than the traditional "rex Langobardorum" showed that he was rather fond of the Byzantines.
This also happened to be the year that the Umayyads recognised the Lombard's weak leadership and declared war on the unprepared kingdom. A massive army of around 400,000 men (from probably-inflated historical sources) was amassed to take the city of Milan, which was not far from the capital in Pavia. It is not known why the Arab generals didn't take Pavia first, but it is thought that they feared the capital would be better defended but if their army were lured to Milan where the Muslim armies already had a foothold the siege could be defended more easily. As a result of this, in December 744 the city of Milan was besieged by a massive army. The Pro-Roman Ratchis fled to Rome to beg for Byzantine aid. While the Byzantines were certainly not happy about having to help their northern rivals, they reluctantly agreed to help the Lombards. It is believed that they chose to aid them because the Muslim conquests in Judea and Africa had daunted many of the Byzantine leadership and they certainly didn't want to border to moors in Italia, where the grand old city of Rome was.
745: A Byzantine-Lombard collaborative force squashes the seige in Milan with a classic enveloping maneuver following overconfidence from Umayyad armies. While casualties were heavy on both sides, the objective had been achieved-The Muslims had been pushed out Italia. Islamic armies invade Brittany.
749: Ratchis changes his mind about the Byzantines and attacks the Pentanopolis, provoking strong Byzantine retaliation and the beginning of attacks on Lombard borders. The Duchy of Bavaria, formerly a small German nation under Frankish sovereignty that was spared from the conquests, moves its capital to the recently-captured city of Regensburg and declares itself a kingdom. The duchy begins a swift rise to power and many German peoples start converting to Christianity following Bavarian military attacks on Pagan settlements. Catholicism is ruthlessly repressed in Francia, how called Al-Franj, after several rebellions occur in the area.
750-800: Bavaria sends many military expeditions throughout Germany, establishing the duchies of Swabia, Moravia and Bohemia under Bavarian lordship. Bavaria also expands its territories directly through the dark, pagan-infested woods of Germany and successfully defends itself against the rapidly-declining Avars. In 751 the Byzantine Empire formally annexes The Kingdom of the Lombards after two years of war in revenge of what Ratchis did. Ratchis is rightfully beheaded. Catholics in Frisia rebel against a number of oppressors (namely Frankish rump states, barbarian hordes and the Muslim oppressors), creating the kingdom of the Frisians. The Bavarians support the Frisian kingdom. In 757, as the Emirate of Cordoba in Iberia becomes independent from the new Abbasid Dynasty (who now control the Caliphate), Francia also becomes independent as the Emirate of Al-Franj. The Christian kingdom of Asturias in Iberia expands its territories against the Muslims.
800-850: Catholicism has been largely eradicated from many parts of Al-Franj, with much of the population having been converted to Islam. A combined Frisian-Bavarian effort defeats the pagan kingdoms in upper and lower Saxony, greating the Duchies of Saxony (Lower Saxony) and Brandenburg (Upper Saxony). The Avar Khaganate collapses, and the Bavarians seize the opportunity to set up more vassals. (namely the kingdom of Upper Avaria, in OTL Hungary). Southern Slavs (also referred to as Yugoslavs) in The Balkans rebel from crumbling Avar rule and create the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, but it soon falls to the Byzantines and the Bavarians.
850-900: A civil war in Al-Franj between a bunch of greedy nobles makes the four separate Emirates of Birufanas (OTL Southeast France from Provence to Burgundy, also parts of Switzerland), Tulus (OTL Languedoc and Auitaine), Touras (Northern France West of Orleans) and Barris (North France east of Orleans, Normandy and a Greater Belgium of sorts). These Emirates, however, soon proved to be weak and corrupt, and many fought against the interests of their neighbours. In 878, The Frisians capture Antwerp, signalling the beginning of the end of the great emirates of Al-Franj. The land is now disunited and at the mercy of the very same Christians it had expelled from its lands.
900-1000: The Danelaw in England become ruled by an increasingly-strong Danish monarchy and resist Alfred the great's unification of England in several close battles. After its defeat, Wessex collapses back into smaller states. With the conquest or OTL Switzerland from the Emirate of Birufanas, Bavaria creates the Duchy of Swabia to rule over Switzerland and parts of Germany. In addition with the vassalisation and Christianisation of what would later become western Poland, this gives Bavaria so many vassals that it creates the Germanic Imperium, ruled by the Emperor of Bavaria. Bavaria becomes an Empire along with the creation of the Germanic Imperium (Das Germanische Reich). With the Byzantine persecution of Roman Catholicism, the pope's seat of power is moved to Regensburg, a controversial move that "was done in the interest of the Catholic institution and people". The Byzantines conquer what remains of Birufanas after the initial Bavarian conquests. The Tang Dynasty flees to Taiwan after the collapse of its rule and sets up a kingdom there.
1000-1200: Catharism appears and Merhcnats spread it across Southern France and Northern Italy, although it is largely ignored. The Emirate of Cordoba collapses into Taifas before being invaded by the Almoravids, although much of Al-Franj escapes this fate, although there is much balkanisation to be had. Many of these new Al-Franjian nations, however, form loose confederations and long chains of alliances to defend themselves from attack unlike their Iberian counterparts. Navarra and Leon (formerly called Asturias) finally split over monarchical differences, and Galicia soon follows in the path of independence.
1200-1300: The Byzantines ruthlessly persecute Cathars in Northern Italy and Southern Al-Franj, leading to a massive Cathar rebellion that succeeds and creates an independent Cathar Kingdom in Northern Italy and Southern Al-Franj. The Scandinavians are Christianised, as are many Slavic tribes in Eastern Europe. Due to a weakened Christendom, the Mongols are able to briefly capture the Baltic coast and parts of Finland, although the backlash from Sweden and The Germanic Imperium is intense.
1399: in October 1399 an asteroid several hundred meters in diameter, the exact same one that caused Charles Martel's death, crashes into the Java sea, killing millions more. 50-meter high waves decimate the indonesian archipelago, ruining the Majapahit Empire in less than a day from the initial impact and sending dangerous ejecta flying through the atmosphere. huge tsunamis are documented as far away from the impact as the Red Sea, Japan, East Africa and Alaska. The Khmer Empire, its capital been several hundred kilometers inland, was still demolished by the tsunami, as were many Thai city-states. Vietnam and Southern China were devastated, but many of their parts had still been shielded from the brunt of the tsunamis. Earthquakes also ripped across the indonesian archipelago and possibly as far south as Australia, with tales of huge waves, raining stones and bizarre tremors. The Tang Dynasty in Taiwan are similarly devastated, although their capital is shielded from the waters by the mountainous parts of Taiwan, and they are thus able to recover faster.
1400-1510: After the Mongol invasion and the almost total collapse of the Golden horde in the 1430s, a Mongol remnant state, one of the countries born from its ashes is the Crimea Khanate. The Khanate amasses huge armies and conquers most of its neighbours, becoming greater and greater as they go like the Ottomans of OTL. The Ming Dynasty, its capital partly swamped by the coastal waters, struggles to recover from the tsunami. Several million people have already been killed by the tsunamis, and with the government unable to deal with such a massive crisis violence and famines soon spiral out of control. By the 1410s, the dynasty has all but collapsed, with factions vying for power as close to Nanjing as the swampy ruins of Shanghai. Mongol hordes in the north begin to pillage, rape and burn like the hordes of old, and China comes closer and closer to ruin. The Tang dynasty, having fully recovered from the tsunami and enjoying an influx of Chinese immigrants, decides to set up territorial outposts on the Chinese coast with which it uses to push inland. Conquest is slow, but in 1432 the emergency Ming capital in Chengdu is burned to the ground. The Tang miraculously take control of China, ushering the era of the Restored Tang. In reaction to the tsunamis, Hindus in India form their own united nation, Nāyakatva, which vanquishes the Muslim invaders and sends fleets to invade parts of Mesopotamia, with "revenge" being the justification for a new holy war. Hinduism is transformed into a much more centralised, warlike religion. In 1492, Rúben Pereira manages to convince the King of Galicia that in order to reach Asia and trade with the Indians quicker, one should sail west. The Queen accepts the idea, and sends Perereira west. He does not find Asia, but instead lands in OTL Wilmington, North Carolina. After several expeditions a few settlements are set up around the area, and both Galician and Leonese ships engage in a race to set up colonies in Africa and Asia. Both begin to prepare for massive fortunes and foreign goods. In 1508 the Crimean Khanate sacks Moscow, leaving the powerful republic of Novgorod the only nation not touched by the evil hands of Crimean conquest. Crimea has also captured as far south as Romania and Tehran by this point, with even the forever-prosperous Byzantine empire feeling threatened by the barbarian armies of the new nation. In Al-Franj in the late 1400s, a civil war unites much of the land into two rival Sultanates, Tulus and Barris, that despise not only eachother but also the Christian nations that surround them. The Emirate of Andalusia, also united after centuries of division, looks on at the rising Christian powers with a desire for revenge. So much could go wrong in this world of new hopes and recovery from epic disasters...
Basically, a rouge asteroid that takes a different course than in OTL screws up history bigtime, first by convincing Charles Martel that it is an omen from god to go help duke Odo of Aquitaine in the battle of Toulouse. In this AH, however, Charles is overconfident and the battle is a crushing blow. With both Charles and Odo killed Muslims sack the kingdom of the Franks as far east as Metz. Francia is annexed by the Umayyad Caliphate and becomes Al-Franj. The rest of Europe narrowly survives invasion. Then, in 1399, the asteroid strikes the Java Sea, devastating the Indonesian archipelago with 50-meter high waves and causing chaos as far away as China and India. The Hindus push back into Muslim territory, the Tang Dynasty (who fled to Taiwan) reclaims China and some more stuff happens. Now, as the European powers discover the new world and the Christian kingdoms of Europe start retake their lands, tensions are high. Come play and lead a nation to victory!
So, do you feel determined to make something of your nation of choice? Shall you Jihad as the the mighty nations of Al-Franj, Iberia and Crimea, or shall you remove Kebab as a noble Christian realm and set up a base in the new world? The possibilities are (almost) endless! And what's more, each nation has its own strengths and weaknesses that ready it for its destiny. Here's a list of each nation and its traits:
Queendom of Galicia- an uber-strong naval power with holdings across Europe. Suffers from low manpower and a divide between Portuguese and Galician cultures, which may cause problems if dealt with too late. Has the best explorers in Europe. Galicia is basically the world's richest, most powerful nation, and its holdings and colonies are some of the grandest in the known world.
Kingdom of Leon- an increasingly-wealthy empire with large armies and a thriving monopoly on African trade. Is rising to power in the Iberian peninsula and has set up several colonies already- meaning that it is similar in rank to Galicia although navally inferior.
Emirate of Cordoba- a slowly-declining nation in the south of Iberia and one of the last strongholds of Islam in Europe. Lags behind the other Iberian nations technologically, but has a lot of manpower and is rather fundamentalist in nature.
Kingdom of Navarre- a small kingdom with skilled artisans and a unique Basque culture. It has thrived in the mountains of the Pyrenees and is a close ally of Leon. Has a hardy and patriotic populace.
Empire of Greater Mali- a huge state in Western Africa. Has a massive military with manpower envied by even the western powers, but lags behind technologically. Is quickly adopting technologies such as canons to combat this tech lag and is developing potential as an even greater empire.
Sultanate of Timbuktu- a very rich nation in the deserts of northern character. Its capital, called the city of gold by the people of Europe, overshadows even Constantinople as a trading hotspot. Its merchants travel far and wide and the sultan is a rich man with many wives
Kingdom of Songhai- a kingdom in the jungles of Africa. It's not particularly enormous, rich or strong, but it retains a peaceful and stable state and has little to no threat of foreign invasion, Timbuktu to the north provides a steady stream of merchants and wealth, while Mali to the west provides an incentive to keep its military as large as possible.
Oligarchy of Oyo- A huge nation in Central Africa. It has a huge, poorly-equipped military which it uses to brutally suppress the native uprisings that occur in its territory. Oyo has a history of rabid conquest, and now much of Central Africa is under its rule. Oyo stronk!
Kingdom of Brittany- A feudalistic little kingdom in Brittany. It has recently rebelled from its turban-wearing rulers in Al-Franj, and a Catholic monarchy has been set up in the region. Cathars and Muslims, the former being tolerated in the sultanates if they were quiet about it and the latter being encouraged to worship, are now being burned at the stake in the name of the catholic church. While intolerant and socially backward, Brittany is actually pretty good tech-wise though.
Sultanate of Tulus- a Muslim sultanate in southern Al-Franj. It is arguably one of the most advanced nations in Europe, with technology similar to the Iberian powers across the Pyrenees. Tulus has a strong military with firearms and canons, and its navy is surprisingly good in comparison to most other nations in the Muslim world. Tulus could in fact even be considered a western nation if it were not for its religion and its culture. Tulus's government-owned Tulusite North African Colonial Company has allowed the nation to set up a small colony on the Libyan cost, and many believe that this could be the start of a Galicia-esque colonial empire. Religiously, Tulus's brand of Sunni Islam bears many similarities to renaissance-influenced Christianity and is much more humanist and progressive than most of the Middle East.
Sultanate of Barris- a prosperous nation in northern Al-Franj. It is not as technologically blessed as its southern neighbour, but its fertile fields and stable climate make it a nation with a lot of food and strong manpower reserves. In recent years its eastern borders have been ravaged and pushed back by Christian armies, but the sultanate still stands strong as it is slowly gnawed away at. After all, even its southern neighbours in Tulus despise it, and the Catholics in all directions don't seem friendly either.
Cathar League- in the 12th for 14th centuries Catharism spread across Europe like in OTL. It was created by a schism in the Catholic church and papal corruption, and while the Cathars sought a better life and meant others no harm they were targeted by everyone. Sunnis, Catholics, Orthodox peoples and many others all persecuted the Cathars to the point at which crusades were called and innocent men and women were burned at the stake. In Southern France and Northern Italia, where Catharism was widespread, the Cathar people revolted against this oppression and set up a holy league of their own. A theocracy governed by the High Bishop, the Cathar version of a pope appointed after the rebellion to rule the nation, the Cathar League is a fiercely defensive nation. They are named heathens by all those around them, but they pull through with fortified cities and patriotic peoples. It is a tough task to survive in the lands of Europe.
Bavarian Empire- A huge empire that rules over and claims massive areas of The Baltic, Germany and Austria. Its capital, Regensburg, is one of the most religiously significant places on earth, for it houses the pope after he was exiled from Rome. In this timeline, many crusades declared by the pope are not to take Jerusalem, but rather to kill the Cathar, Muslim and Pagan hordes that infest the frayed edges of Europe. In addition to Bavaria's spiritual influence, Bavaria is THE largest military power on Europe. No other nation has as big armies as Bavaria's invincible forces, and Bavaria is a leading member in many Christian military campaigns (particularly crusades), and any nation wanting to declare war on Bavaria would need a lot of allies to overcome the impending ROFLstomp. Bavaria's emperor is also the Emperor of The Germanic Imperium(Das Germanische Reich), a collection of largely German nations united into a confederation of sorts and all ruled by big scary Bavaria. You might want to call The Imperium a more centralised HRE, or even Bavaria exerting control over its helpless vassals just because it can.
Polska, Brandenburg, Saxony, Bohemia, Moravia, Swabia and Upper Avaria: The Minors of The Germanic Imperium- These nations vary quite a bit. Some are little duchies, while others are well-sized kingdoms that hold a great deal of influence on the world stage, but they're all very similar in the sense that they're in the Germanic Imperium and, by consequence, they're all officially vassals of the Bavarian empire. Playing as these nations will give you a strong relationship with Bavaria, and Bavaria will protect them if they are threatened. They are also obligated to protect Bavaria and any other members of the Imperium, meaning that when one nation in the Imperium is a belligerent the whole alliance helps them in their war. You're also fairly wealthy, but don't forget to pay Bavaria taxes, lest you anger them...
Kingdom of the Britons- A minor but extremely tough little kingdom that resides in the westernmost regions of Britain. Its people have experienced countless waves of invasion, assimilation and genocide by peoples such as the Norse, the Danes, the Angles, the Saxons and- if you go far back enough- the Romans, but they still cling on to a small piece of their homeland. The Briton armies may not be as big as other nation's armies, but their excellent strategy is a huge bonus in combat and can allow for outnumbered victories.
The Byzantine Empire- A powerful and ancient empire in the Mediterranean. Descended from the Romans of old, the Byzantines have forged a mighty empire that dominates the Mediterranean sea to the extent that the Mediterranean is bustling with Roman ships. The Byzantine's glorious capital, Constantinople, is home to a dazzling cultural artifacts that were instrumental in the renaissance, The Patriarch of Constantinople, many huge marketplaces trading goods from both the east and the west and the Byzantine Emperor himself. Byzantinium has a strong navy, and it also has strong armies. Anyone who even dares fight this empire must then fight the legions of Rome itself!
Kingdom of Sweden- a nation in Scandinavia. While it is arguably the least seagoing power on the Scandinavian peninsula after much of its navy was wrecked in several wars with Denmark, it still has a decently-sized army by Nordic standards and a thriving economy could allow for the rebuilding of its navy. Sweden is a rising power in the chilled north, and in Finland the duchy of Novgorod has been experiencing some tensions with it as the two powers increasingly touch elbows.
Kingdom of Denmark- a powerful nation in Northern Europe. It's invincible navy, second only to Galicia's, prowls the North sea and the Baltic and it has holdings across Northern Europe. Denmark also has an even bigger army than Sweden, with its impressive Nordic settler manpower in England. England has been a Danish possession for centuries, and much of English culture has been converted to a more Nordic form over the years. Denmark also has possessions in the Baltic after aiding the Germanic Imperium in several crusades against the pagans living there. Denmark is the strongest power in Northern Europe.
Kingdom of Norway- A little country in Scandinavia with possessions in Scotland, Iceland and the Faroes. With a sturdy little navy and some very strategically-placed colonies, Norway is a valuable ally of Denmark, and the two countries happily stick together as they navally compete with the Galicians, resist the Swedish menace and mess around in the Baltic.
Confederation of Novgorod- An expansive nation stretching through the cold expanses of Northern Russia. It has large armies, but those armies are increasingly under threat from the Scandinavians in the north and the all-conquering Crimean hordes to the south. It is Sandwiched between two shitstorms- one of a grand khan and one of three kings jealously perusing their own interests. But Novgorod, the last free bastion of the Russians, the last peasant republic, the greatest nation in the Slavic world, must endure. It must reunite Russia like Kievian Rus before it and avenge the dead spirits of its brothers in Moscow and Tver, for they are Crimean subjects now. Novgorod actually has potential with its huge manpower, and it actually can unite Russia. Although there is no way the pen can be used before the sword in times like these...
Khanate of Crimea- A massive war machine that has conquered from Bulgaria to Moscow to Tehran. The Crimean peninsula, often fought over by larger powers as a mere territorial aquisition, is now the home of a mighty Khanate. The descendants of Mongols and Turkic Plains peoples have converted to Islam and now rule this nation, and while they do not follow the old Tengri lore they know their mission- to bring back the Mongol Empire. They have a massive army, even bigger than Bavaria's, and they are not afraid to pillage, rape and burn their way through the Eurasian countryside. Crimea's Khan is also never in danger of a succession crisis- for his many wives produce hordes of children.
Kingdom of Frisia- a quaint little nation in Northern Europe. It is a close ally of the Germanic Imperium and Bavaria, although it retains all of its sovereignty. Frisia has opportunistically taken land in Kent and in the East when it was able to, the latter of which was already populated with Frisian people. Frisia generally has good relations with most other countries surrounding it, and its low lands are fertile. It can feed big enough armies to defend itself and even go on the occasional rampage against its neighbours in Al-Franj when the pope orders it.
The Holy Confederation of Nāyakatva- Just when you thought a bunch of disorganised, not-very-full-on Asian religions embodying philosophical principals that made more sense than western ones couldn't form theocracies, OTL Tibet decided to be ruled by the Dalai Lama- thus creating a Buddhist theocracy. While this TL doesn't exclude the possibility of the Theocratic Tibet (infact, circumstances in decentralised China encourage its existence) , there is another new theocracy in town- this time one of the Hindus. All of India, united after the terrors of the 1399 Tsunamis and having expelled weakened Muslim armies from its borders, has formed a mighty theocracy. Hindusim here has become much more centralised and aggressive, changing it from just another branch of indo-european paganism to something bigger. Something more warlike. Given that the entire Indian subcontinent has been united, Nāyakatva has a massive army and a decent navy, and its recent military successes in Mesopotamia are showing that a new empire is rising.
Tang Dynasty China- A highly decentralised China, ruled by warlords giving a loose loyalty to the government in Taiwan, has formed from the ashes of the Ming Dynasty. While all this local government means frequent rebellions and warlordism, it had allowed provinces to focus more on their people and the famines and unrest are slowly being mended. China, its major deltas swamped with walls of salty water many years ago, is in its stages of recovery, although the damage to many settlements is permanent and a lot of land in the deltas has been permanently submerged. China's armies are huge because, well, it's fucking China, and with a seagoing dynasty in power the navy is blossoming. Colonies are being set up in Luzan and the largely-uncivilised islands of Indonesia are being explored.
Nihon Khanate- Yep. That's right- in this timeline, the Mongols successfully took over Japan. Japan was then an overseas possession of the Yuan Dynasty, and when Yuan control over China collapsed the dynasty fled to Japan, creating the Nihon Khanate.The Khanate's culture is a mixture of Chinese, Japanese and Mongolian cultures born from the brief cultural shake-up caused by the Mongol invasion of Japan. Nihon is a ruthlessly expansionist power, and has already invaded Korea and set up colonies across the sea of Japan. Its navy is top-notch and competes with China's regularly, as does its army.
(from West to east) Adi, Wulan and Eko: The enlightened kingdoms down under- When the POD Asteroid struck the earth with amazing force, tsunamis ripped across the world's oceans. Indonesia, being the dead center of the ocean impact, was utterly destroyed by tsunamis. Majapahit fell within a day as a wall of water hit its capital. Thousands of kilometers of rainforest across the archipelago, much of it thousands of years old, was destroyed by the tsunami- their fertile soils being poisoned by the salt. Even now it is clear that something has happened in the Indonesian archipelago- there are simply no countries left, just tribes.
Further south of this madness, however, there is civilisation. Refugees- people from all walks of life now reduced to shuddering, terrified figures huddled together on fishing boats, were washed down south in their thousands and found themselves stranded on the beaches of Northern Australia. With several centuries to rebuild, three little kingdoms. This society, built from the diverse ruins of Indonesian civilisation, is a mix of cultures, incorporating many religions and cultures. Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and even Animism exist in heavily modified forms, and new cuisine has been built. The Indonesian kingdoms also trade with the indigenous Australians- whose cultures have mixed with the Indonesians. The three kingdoms are a land of breathtaking endurance, and a story of hope and survival rich with diversity. That is why they call themselves the enlightened kingdoms.
Mamluk Sultanate- A grand nation in Egypt and the Levant. It is the cultural, political an military zenith of the Muslim world, and its military campaigns stretch as far from Cairo as Central Asia and West Africa. The Sultanate controls many places considered holy to both Sunni and Shia Muslims, including Mecca and Medina. If controlled by a player, the Mamluk Sultan can declare himself Caliph- something that would make the sultanate even more powerful.
Emirate of Kurdistan- A moderately powerful nation in the homeland of the Kurdish people. Ripe with Dynastic succession and noble rebellions, the Emirate of the Kurds is a place of turmoil and political change. While it faces no threat of invasion, the Emir of the Kurds does have the interesting and sometimes hard job of preventing himself from being overthrown and continuing his own dynasty onward to lead the Kurdish people to glory.
Kingdom of Armenia- A small, Oriental Orthodox kingdom in the Caucasus region. Surrounded by much more powerful nations filled with heathens, the people of Armenia live in constant fear of invasion. The snow-capped mountains of their homeland have protected them for many years and inside Armenia the people carry on the legacy of their ancient culture generation after generation. Armenia has a small army but is very skilled at defensive warfare.
Empire of the Turks- A humungous Khanate that has de jure control over much of central Asia. The Empire is highly decentralised, and in many areas the people that was supposed to rule over have taken up arms against it, hastening its decline. The government is extremely corrupt and brothers often kill eachother just for the position of Khan. With an increasingly strong Crimean Khanate right next to it, the soon-to-be-collapsed empire of the Turks is practically doomed.
Sultanate of Shiraz- A rump state that is considered the successor to what was once Persia. Shiraz is a very cultured nation, with its art and music being some of the most vibrant in the Persian cultural region, and it holds significant influence over its neighbours culturally. Shiraz has a small military and isn't very well-defended from invaders at the moment, instead relying on bribery to keep its conquest-hungry neighbours at bay.
Sultanate of Yemen- Yemen is the naval behemoth of the Muslim world. It has a small land force, but its isolated position on the end of the Arabian peninsula and its good relations with the neighbouring Mamluks mean that is out of danger (like OTL Portugal, really). Yemen is also a very wealthy nation due to maritime trade.
Sultanate of Morocco- A nation in Northern Africa ruled by the prestigious Marinid Dynasty. It benefits from being involved in both West African and Middle Eastern affairs, and it has diplomatic relations with many nations. Morocco is a strong military power but has a small navy.
Theocracy of Tibet-What did I say about a Buddhist theocracy in this timeline? That it was possible? Yeah, of course it was, and it happened. This isolationist little nation in the Tibetan Plateau is extremely devout and patriotic, to the point of being Xenophobic. The leader, the Dalai Lama, tends not to associate with other nations unless they're Bhuddist, and even then they tend to keep to themselves. With the decline of the silk road following new naval trade routes, they have even less reason to actually communicate with the outside world. Who knows, though, maybe you can change that? Maybe you can open up to the world and show everyone the light of Tibetan Buddhism...
Sultanate of Adal Ethiopia is but a memory in this world, for the mighty Sultanate of Adal controls the horn of Africa. Adal is Yemen's little trade partner, and it also has good relations with the Swahili people. Adal has a small navy and okay-ish manpower in its military.
Kingdom of Leon- an increasingly-wealthy empire with large armies and a thriving monopoly on African trade. Is rising to power in the Iberian peninsula and has set up several colonies already- meaning that it is similar in rank to Galicia although navally inferior.
Emirate of Cordoba- a slowly-declining nation in the south of Iberia and one of the last strongholds of Islam in Europe. Lags behind the other Iberian nations technologically, but has a lot of manpower and is rather fundamentalist in nature.
Kingdom of Navarre- a small kingdom with skilled artisans and a unique Basque culture. It has thrived in the mountains of the Pyrenees and is a close ally of Leon. Has a hardy and patriotic populace.
Empire of Greater Mali- a huge state in Western Africa. Has a massive military with manpower envied by even the western powers, but lags behind technologically. Is quickly adopting technologies such as canons to combat this tech lag and is developing potential as an even greater empire.
Sultanate of Timbuktu- a very rich nation in the deserts of northern character. Its capital, called the city of gold by the people of Europe, overshadows even Constantinople as a trading hotspot. Its merchants travel far and wide and the sultan is a rich man with many wives
Kingdom of Songhai- a kingdom in the jungles of Africa. It's not particularly enormous, rich or strong, but it retains a peaceful and stable state and has little to no threat of foreign invasion, Timbuktu to the north provides a steady stream of merchants and wealth, while Mali to the west provides an incentive to keep its military as large as possible.
Oligarchy of Oyo- A huge nation in Central Africa. It has a huge, poorly-equipped military which it uses to brutally suppress the native uprisings that occur in its territory. Oyo has a history of rabid conquest, and now much of Central Africa is under its rule. Oyo stronk!
Kingdom of Brittany- A feudalistic little kingdom in Brittany. It has recently rebelled from its turban-wearing rulers in Al-Franj, and a Catholic monarchy has been set up in the region. Cathars and Muslims, the former being tolerated in the sultanates if they were quiet about it and the latter being encouraged to worship, are now being burned at the stake in the name of the catholic church. While intolerant and socially backward, Brittany is actually pretty good tech-wise though.
Sultanate of Tulus- a Muslim sultanate in southern Al-Franj. It is arguably one of the most advanced nations in Europe, with technology similar to the Iberian powers across the Pyrenees. Tulus has a strong military with firearms and canons, and its navy is surprisingly good in comparison to most other nations in the Muslim world. Tulus could in fact even be considered a western nation if it were not for its religion and its culture. Tulus's government-owned Tulusite North African Colonial Company has allowed the nation to set up a small colony on the Libyan cost, and many believe that this could be the start of a Galicia-esque colonial empire. Religiously, Tulus's brand of Sunni Islam bears many similarities to renaissance-influenced Christianity and is much more humanist and progressive than most of the Middle East.
Sultanate of Barris- a prosperous nation in northern Al-Franj. It is not as technologically blessed as its southern neighbour, but its fertile fields and stable climate make it a nation with a lot of food and strong manpower reserves. In recent years its eastern borders have been ravaged and pushed back by Christian armies, but the sultanate still stands strong as it is slowly gnawed away at. After all, even its southern neighbours in Tulus despise it, and the Catholics in all directions don't seem friendly either.
Cathar League- in the 12th for 14th centuries Catharism spread across Europe like in OTL. It was created by a schism in the Catholic church and papal corruption, and while the Cathars sought a better life and meant others no harm they were targeted by everyone. Sunnis, Catholics, Orthodox peoples and many others all persecuted the Cathars to the point at which crusades were called and innocent men and women were burned at the stake. In Southern France and Northern Italia, where Catharism was widespread, the Cathar people revolted against this oppression and set up a holy league of their own. A theocracy governed by the High Bishop, the Cathar version of a pope appointed after the rebellion to rule the nation, the Cathar League is a fiercely defensive nation. They are named heathens by all those around them, but they pull through with fortified cities and patriotic peoples. It is a tough task to survive in the lands of Europe.
Bavarian Empire- A huge empire that rules over and claims massive areas of The Baltic, Germany and Austria. Its capital, Regensburg, is one of the most religiously significant places on earth, for it houses the pope after he was exiled from Rome. In this timeline, many crusades declared by the pope are not to take Jerusalem, but rather to kill the Cathar, Muslim and Pagan hordes that infest the frayed edges of Europe. In addition to Bavaria's spiritual influence, Bavaria is THE largest military power on Europe. No other nation has as big armies as Bavaria's invincible forces, and Bavaria is a leading member in many Christian military campaigns (particularly crusades), and any nation wanting to declare war on Bavaria would need a lot of allies to overcome the impending ROFLstomp. Bavaria's emperor is also the Emperor of The Germanic Imperium(Das Germanische Reich), a collection of largely German nations united into a confederation of sorts and all ruled by big scary Bavaria. You might want to call The Imperium a more centralised HRE, or even Bavaria exerting control over its helpless vassals just because it can.
Polska, Brandenburg, Saxony, Bohemia, Moravia, Swabia and Upper Avaria: The Minors of The Germanic Imperium- These nations vary quite a bit. Some are little duchies, while others are well-sized kingdoms that hold a great deal of influence on the world stage, but they're all very similar in the sense that they're in the Germanic Imperium and, by consequence, they're all officially vassals of the Bavarian empire. Playing as these nations will give you a strong relationship with Bavaria, and Bavaria will protect them if they are threatened. They are also obligated to protect Bavaria and any other members of the Imperium, meaning that when one nation in the Imperium is a belligerent the whole alliance helps them in their war. You're also fairly wealthy, but don't forget to pay Bavaria taxes, lest you anger them...
Kingdom of the Britons- A minor but extremely tough little kingdom that resides in the westernmost regions of Britain. Its people have experienced countless waves of invasion, assimilation and genocide by peoples such as the Norse, the Danes, the Angles, the Saxons and- if you go far back enough- the Romans, but they still cling on to a small piece of their homeland. The Briton armies may not be as big as other nation's armies, but their excellent strategy is a huge bonus in combat and can allow for outnumbered victories.
The Byzantine Empire- A powerful and ancient empire in the Mediterranean. Descended from the Romans of old, the Byzantines have forged a mighty empire that dominates the Mediterranean sea to the extent that the Mediterranean is bustling with Roman ships. The Byzantine's glorious capital, Constantinople, is home to a dazzling cultural artifacts that were instrumental in the renaissance, The Patriarch of Constantinople, many huge marketplaces trading goods from both the east and the west and the Byzantine Emperor himself. Byzantinium has a strong navy, and it also has strong armies. Anyone who even dares fight this empire must then fight the legions of Rome itself!
Kingdom of Sweden- a nation in Scandinavia. While it is arguably the least seagoing power on the Scandinavian peninsula after much of its navy was wrecked in several wars with Denmark, it still has a decently-sized army by Nordic standards and a thriving economy could allow for the rebuilding of its navy. Sweden is a rising power in the chilled north, and in Finland the duchy of Novgorod has been experiencing some tensions with it as the two powers increasingly touch elbows.
Kingdom of Denmark- a powerful nation in Northern Europe. It's invincible navy, second only to Galicia's, prowls the North sea and the Baltic and it has holdings across Northern Europe. Denmark also has an even bigger army than Sweden, with its impressive Nordic settler manpower in England. England has been a Danish possession for centuries, and much of English culture has been converted to a more Nordic form over the years. Denmark also has possessions in the Baltic after aiding the Germanic Imperium in several crusades against the pagans living there. Denmark is the strongest power in Northern Europe.
Kingdom of Norway- A little country in Scandinavia with possessions in Scotland, Iceland and the Faroes. With a sturdy little navy and some very strategically-placed colonies, Norway is a valuable ally of Denmark, and the two countries happily stick together as they navally compete with the Galicians, resist the Swedish menace and mess around in the Baltic.
Confederation of Novgorod- An expansive nation stretching through the cold expanses of Northern Russia. It has large armies, but those armies are increasingly under threat from the Scandinavians in the north and the all-conquering Crimean hordes to the south. It is Sandwiched between two shitstorms- one of a grand khan and one of three kings jealously perusing their own interests. But Novgorod, the last free bastion of the Russians, the last peasant republic, the greatest nation in the Slavic world, must endure. It must reunite Russia like Kievian Rus before it and avenge the dead spirits of its brothers in Moscow and Tver, for they are Crimean subjects now. Novgorod actually has potential with its huge manpower, and it actually can unite Russia. Although there is no way the pen can be used before the sword in times like these...
Khanate of Crimea- A massive war machine that has conquered from Bulgaria to Moscow to Tehran. The Crimean peninsula, often fought over by larger powers as a mere territorial aquisition, is now the home of a mighty Khanate. The descendants of Mongols and Turkic Plains peoples have converted to Islam and now rule this nation, and while they do not follow the old Tengri lore they know their mission- to bring back the Mongol Empire. They have a massive army, even bigger than Bavaria's, and they are not afraid to pillage, rape and burn their way through the Eurasian countryside. Crimea's Khan is also never in danger of a succession crisis- for his many wives produce hordes of children.
Kingdom of Frisia- a quaint little nation in Northern Europe. It is a close ally of the Germanic Imperium and Bavaria, although it retains all of its sovereignty. Frisia has opportunistically taken land in Kent and in the East when it was able to, the latter of which was already populated with Frisian people. Frisia generally has good relations with most other countries surrounding it, and its low lands are fertile. It can feed big enough armies to defend itself and even go on the occasional rampage against its neighbours in Al-Franj when the pope orders it.
The Holy Confederation of Nāyakatva- Just when you thought a bunch of disorganised, not-very-full-on Asian religions embodying philosophical principals that made more sense than western ones couldn't form theocracies, OTL Tibet decided to be ruled by the Dalai Lama- thus creating a Buddhist theocracy. While this TL doesn't exclude the possibility of the Theocratic Tibet (infact, circumstances in decentralised China encourage its existence) , there is another new theocracy in town- this time one of the Hindus. All of India, united after the terrors of the 1399 Tsunamis and having expelled weakened Muslim armies from its borders, has formed a mighty theocracy. Hindusim here has become much more centralised and aggressive, changing it from just another branch of indo-european paganism to something bigger. Something more warlike. Given that the entire Indian subcontinent has been united, Nāyakatva has a massive army and a decent navy, and its recent military successes in Mesopotamia are showing that a new empire is rising.
Tang Dynasty China- A highly decentralised China, ruled by warlords giving a loose loyalty to the government in Taiwan, has formed from the ashes of the Ming Dynasty. While all this local government means frequent rebellions and warlordism, it had allowed provinces to focus more on their people and the famines and unrest are slowly being mended. China, its major deltas swamped with walls of salty water many years ago, is in its stages of recovery, although the damage to many settlements is permanent and a lot of land in the deltas has been permanently submerged. China's armies are huge because, well, it's fucking China, and with a seagoing dynasty in power the navy is blossoming. Colonies are being set up in Luzan and the largely-uncivilised islands of Indonesia are being explored.
Nihon Khanate- Yep. That's right- in this timeline, the Mongols successfully took over Japan. Japan was then an overseas possession of the Yuan Dynasty, and when Yuan control over China collapsed the dynasty fled to Japan, creating the Nihon Khanate.The Khanate's culture is a mixture of Chinese, Japanese and Mongolian cultures born from the brief cultural shake-up caused by the Mongol invasion of Japan. Nihon is a ruthlessly expansionist power, and has already invaded Korea and set up colonies across the sea of Japan. Its navy is top-notch and competes with China's regularly, as does its army.
(from West to east) Adi, Wulan and Eko: The enlightened kingdoms down under- When the POD Asteroid struck the earth with amazing force, tsunamis ripped across the world's oceans. Indonesia, being the dead center of the ocean impact, was utterly destroyed by tsunamis. Majapahit fell within a day as a wall of water hit its capital. Thousands of kilometers of rainforest across the archipelago, much of it thousands of years old, was destroyed by the tsunami- their fertile soils being poisoned by the salt. Even now it is clear that something has happened in the Indonesian archipelago- there are simply no countries left, just tribes.
Further south of this madness, however, there is civilisation. Refugees- people from all walks of life now reduced to shuddering, terrified figures huddled together on fishing boats, were washed down south in their thousands and found themselves stranded on the beaches of Northern Australia. With several centuries to rebuild, three little kingdoms. This society, built from the diverse ruins of Indonesian civilisation, is a mix of cultures, incorporating many religions and cultures. Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and even Animism exist in heavily modified forms, and new cuisine has been built. The Indonesian kingdoms also trade with the indigenous Australians- whose cultures have mixed with the Indonesians. The three kingdoms are a land of breathtaking endurance, and a story of hope and survival rich with diversity. That is why they call themselves the enlightened kingdoms.
Mamluk Sultanate- A grand nation in Egypt and the Levant. It is the cultural, political an military zenith of the Muslim world, and its military campaigns stretch as far from Cairo as Central Asia and West Africa. The Sultanate controls many places considered holy to both Sunni and Shia Muslims, including Mecca and Medina. If controlled by a player, the Mamluk Sultan can declare himself Caliph- something that would make the sultanate even more powerful.
Emirate of Kurdistan- A moderately powerful nation in the homeland of the Kurdish people. Ripe with Dynastic succession and noble rebellions, the Emirate of the Kurds is a place of turmoil and political change. While it faces no threat of invasion, the Emir of the Kurds does have the interesting and sometimes hard job of preventing himself from being overthrown and continuing his own dynasty onward to lead the Kurdish people to glory.
Kingdom of Armenia- A small, Oriental Orthodox kingdom in the Caucasus region. Surrounded by much more powerful nations filled with heathens, the people of Armenia live in constant fear of invasion. The snow-capped mountains of their homeland have protected them for many years and inside Armenia the people carry on the legacy of their ancient culture generation after generation. Armenia has a small army but is very skilled at defensive warfare.
Empire of the Turks- A humungous Khanate that has de jure control over much of central Asia. The Empire is highly decentralised, and in many areas the people that was supposed to rule over have taken up arms against it, hastening its decline. The government is extremely corrupt and brothers often kill eachother just for the position of Khan. With an increasingly strong Crimean Khanate right next to it, the soon-to-be-collapsed empire of the Turks is practically doomed.
Sultanate of Shiraz- A rump state that is considered the successor to what was once Persia. Shiraz is a very cultured nation, with its art and music being some of the most vibrant in the Persian cultural region, and it holds significant influence over its neighbours culturally. Shiraz has a small military and isn't very well-defended from invaders at the moment, instead relying on bribery to keep its conquest-hungry neighbours at bay.
Sultanate of Yemen- Yemen is the naval behemoth of the Muslim world. It has a small land force, but its isolated position on the end of the Arabian peninsula and its good relations with the neighbouring Mamluks mean that is out of danger (like OTL Portugal, really). Yemen is also a very wealthy nation due to maritime trade.
Sultanate of Morocco- A nation in Northern Africa ruled by the prestigious Marinid Dynasty. It benefits from being involved in both West African and Middle Eastern affairs, and it has diplomatic relations with many nations. Morocco is a strong military power but has a small navy.
Theocracy of Tibet-What did I say about a Buddhist theocracy in this timeline? That it was possible? Yeah, of course it was, and it happened. This isolationist little nation in the Tibetan Plateau is extremely devout and patriotic, to the point of being Xenophobic. The leader, the Dalai Lama, tends not to associate with other nations unless they're Bhuddist, and even then they tend to keep to themselves. With the decline of the silk road following new naval trade routes, they have even less reason to actually communicate with the outside world. Who knows, though, maybe you can change that? Maybe you can open up to the world and show everyone the light of Tibetan Buddhism...
Sultanate of Adal Ethiopia is but a memory in this world, for the mighty Sultanate of Adal controls the horn of Africa. Adal is Yemen's little trade partner, and it also has good relations with the Swahili people. Adal has a small navy and okay-ish manpower in its military.
RULES:
No spamming- if you spam, I will pull out your eyeballs through your ass.
No godmodding- if you godmod, you will be warned. Three warnings allows me to consider ejecting you from this RP
No trolling- If you troll, I will tear of your limbs and feed them to you. It's not a smart move.
No flaming/flamebaiting- please, I know the newb next to you might be frustrating, but don't get too mad at him. Also, don't bait people for a reaction- that's called bullying where I come from.
Be realistic- No, little one, you cannot invade a nation in one post even if you burn its capital to the ground. Do it in several posts, and if its only in a few posts those posts better damn be detailed. Not trying to rain on your parade or anything- just saying, it helps RP quality.
Obey the OPs and Co-ops- maybe more the OP. If you fear a co-op is abusing his power, you can call me, but otherwise just obey him. We're benevolent people, and we only want to organise the RP to make it more fun. Everyone needs to use the system, not abuse the system.
Don't forget to have fun!
Here's an app for those who wanna make an original nation not already here:
I, [PLAYER NAME], would like to claim [NATION]. I will leave the sacred numbers 0119 here so the OP can find me.
0119- do not remove, or else your app won't be accepted
0119- do not remove, or else your app won't be accepted
- Code: Select all
Nation Name:
Capital City:
Claimed Territory: (preferably a map or specific territory)
Population:
National Flag: (put in spoiler)
Leader:
Government Type:
National Ideologies: (Free Trade? Imperialism? Mercantilism? etc.)
History: (MUST NOT contradict what is in the OP, lest you anger Shrek and cause more pandemonium than the one mind upgrade. Or maybe I just won't accept you- it's not wise to find out which thing happens)
0119 - do not remove, or else your app won't be accepted
Europe
Queendom of Galicia- Lingang
Kingdom of Leon-
Emirate of Cordoba-
Kingdom of Navarra-
Kingdom of Brittany-
Sultanate of Tulus-
Sultanate of Barris
Kingdom of Polska-
Duchy of Brandenburg-
Duchy of Saxony-
Duchy of Bohemia-
Duchy of Moravia-
Duchy of Swabia-
Kingdom of Upper Avaria-
Bavarian Empire- New Romanis
Cathar League-
Kingdom of the Britons- Caralia
Kingdom of Denmark- Alleniana
Kingdom of Sweden- Emilio Aguinaldo
Kingdom of Norway-Mifan
Confederation of Novgorod-
Khanate of Crimea- Max Empire
Kingdom of Frisia-
Byzantine Empire- Sebtopiaris
Middle East (includes North Africa because reasons)
Emirate of Kurdistan-
Mamluk Sultanate-
Sultanate of Shiraz-
Sultanate of Morocco-
Kingdom of Armenia-
Sultanate of Yemen
Sultanate of Adal-
West Africa
Empire of Greater Mali-
Sultanate of Timbuktu-
Kingdom of Songhai-
Oligarchy of Oyo-
Asia
Empire of The Turks-
Holy Confederation of Nāyakatva-
Theocracy of Tibet-
Tang Dynasty China-
Nihon Khanate- Riflemoor
Oceania
The Empire of Adi- Indo-Pacif archipelago
The Empire of Wulan
The Empire of Eko
Queendom of Galicia- Lingang
Kingdom of Leon-
Emirate of Cordoba-
Kingdom of Navarra-
Kingdom of Brittany-
Sultanate of Tulus-
Sultanate of Barris
Kingdom of Polska-
Duchy of Brandenburg-
Duchy of Saxony-
Duchy of Bohemia-
Duchy of Moravia-
Duchy of Swabia-
Kingdom of Upper Avaria-
Bavarian Empire- New Romanis
Cathar League-
Kingdom of the Britons- Caralia
Kingdom of Denmark- Alleniana
Kingdom of Sweden- Emilio Aguinaldo
Kingdom of Norway-Mifan
Confederation of Novgorod-
Khanate of Crimea- Max Empire
Kingdom of Frisia-
Byzantine Empire- Sebtopiaris
Middle East (includes North Africa because reasons)
Emirate of Kurdistan-
Mamluk Sultanate-
Sultanate of Shiraz-
Sultanate of Morocco-
Kingdom of Armenia-
Sultanate of Yemen
Sultanate of Adal-
West Africa
Empire of Greater Mali-
Sultanate of Timbuktu-
Kingdom of Songhai-
Oligarchy of Oyo-
Asia
Empire of The Turks-
Holy Confederation of Nāyakatva-
Theocracy of Tibet-
Tang Dynasty China-
Nihon Khanate- Riflemoor
Oceania
The Empire of Adi- Indo-Pacif archipelago
The Empire of Wulan
The Empire of Eko
Map: http://i.imgur.com/NScslzg.png
IC: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=306580#p21139268
Co-OPs: Rephesus and Alleniana
Each IC page is a decade unless there is a war between players.
