The five dominant cultures of the world. These here parts are the only spots you'll find with either total or near-total cultural homogeneity. Seriously, Western Europe is a mess.
Behold, mighty Russia! See how I push the Mongols back to the fringes of Cathay! Soon the Motherland shall grace the inferior Middle Kingdom with the glorious presence of Imperial Russia in all it's majesty, splendor, and glory!
There's so much icon smashing going on in this picture you'd swear there was a global riot going on. Essentially you're either Purple or Green, otherwise you don't matter.
The absolute state of Western Europe right now, honestly. Funny thing about this one is it's incredibly deceptive. I bet you think the Ghani just took over from the Umayyads, right? Wrong. The history of Hispania is fucking WILD but if you're brave enough, check this shit out:
Behold, the not-so-mighty Wendish Empire! 'Tis a sad tale, friend. It formed early when Poland ended up conquering Lithuania. They kept flip-flopping from Catholicism, to Catholic Heresies, to Iconoclasm, to Slavic Paganism constantly. Honestly it was confusing at times what religion they were. Eventually I took Lithuania from them and after that they just suffered repeated setbacks finally culminating in Byzantium conquering most of their non-Lithuanian territory. How? No fuckin' clue. It's a mystery. Byzantium is just... everywhere. It's weird, bro. Anyway not long after this screenshot was taken mighty Byzantium dealt the final, killing blow to what was once one of the mightiest realms in Europe - putting them out of their misery forever.
Glimpse at de jure Poland. It's not the worst I've ever seen, but my God look at what those Poles did to Pomerania. It's only two duchies now - neither of which are connected to each other! Perhaps what happened to the Wends was retribution for the sin of... this. Perhaps they felt God's wrath for their arrogance in creating this abomination.
What's that? You want a look at the absolute catastrophe that is Western Europe? No? Too late! God have mercy on their poor souls for... THIS. Only those living in Italy, Byzantine France, and Byzantine Brittany have been spared. For all others, their fates have been sealed. Don't even ask what Scandinavia looks like. You'd think it be better because it's smaller, right? Wrong. So, so wrong.
The Aztecs return! Only now they're White, Portuguese, Sunni Muslims. Go figure. This occurred sometime after I helped Germania (which is a tributary of Byzantium... somehow) in a Great Conquest to take over Austrasia. Why they got those provinces in Badajoz, I've no idea.
England, but it's an Iconoclast Theocracy still under control of the Anglo-Saxons. (Yes, those are the Templars as their tributary - don't ask; I have no idea) Funny thing is, it used to look a lot worse than this. Used to be a CATHAR Theocracy, until a Catholic Crusade ended up overthrowing them... only to install an Iconoclast as the new 'Crusader King' for some fucking reason. Oh, you silly Catholics...
Huskar, I took this one specifically for you. Tell me what you think of a Cathar Ashkenazi Theocratic Connacht run by what appears to be a very evil pirate-doctor? Also, Byzantine occupation of Ireland: better or worse than the English?
What a fucking trip this game has been.
Fun Facts!:
1. The Byzantine Emperor used to be the King of Aquitaine's liege.
2. One of my Tsars ended up married to the Basilissa of Byzantium by total accident.
3. The Ecumenical Patriarch ruled over Lapland until I beat the Byzantines out of there and took it.
4. The moment I got within diplomatic range of China their emperor died who was then replaced by an Empress that was Pro-Balto-Slavic cultures which I naturally used to be advantage, only for three successive emperors after her to be isolationist turds - the latest of which HATES Balto-Slavs. Suffice to say, I'm currently raiding them.
5. I've successfully fended off THREE JIHADS FOR DAYLAM pretty much all by myself (and they were NOT fucking easy, either). At one point I was even fighting on the battlefield side-by-side with my own wife! #MarriageGoals
6. There have now been two independence revolts from the Abbasids. One occurred after the failure of the second Jihad and me conquering Khorasan and Kabulistan, and the other occurred after the recent third Jihad failed. Both of which I aided thanks to a mod that allows me to join any foreign war I please. Suffice to say, the Abbasids have been broken up so much odds are their precious Arabian Empire won't last much longer.
7. I also raided all the Abbasid provinces along my border once (which is a LOT, btw) and managed to drop their moral authority from 100% to about 40%-ish just by looting their temples lmao.
