Imperium Aeternum [AH/OOC/OPEN]

[Sivio]

Hey Void, do you think in the IC (when it is up), I can acquire land that isn't a colony yet? Like, there's a small strip of land between two of the colonies. You could possibly partition between us. Or perhaps you could give me Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island for a price.

I am definitely going to go heavily colonial in the Americas once the IC starts. I don't think anybody claimed any land in Canada yet.

Well, with me, I would eventually like to gain independence and hopefully form my own nation. Albeit, through peaceful means. So, I would like to expand as much as I can as well (though when Canada is called into the question, I would probably just take Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia during the IC).

[Kerbodine]

Germany here, I'm finishing up my App now and ought to post it this evening, don't worry.

It's been a really, really rough week, the busiest in a year or two; I apologize.

[Plzen]

Germany here,

Hostility intensifies.

Reformation of Catholicism? I seem to recall that we discussed that possibility in the interest thread.

I'd certainly be interested in slowly transferring Scandinavia over to the protestant camp.

[Khasinkonia]

Germany here,

Hostility intensifies.

Reformation of Catholicism?

Japan will create a new Buddhist sect. We shall call it: 仏教の日本, or, Butsukyou no Nippon. It will draw from traditional Shinto beliefs to create the new combined religious sect of Japan.

[The V O I D]

Reformation? Seems the subjects of the Empire's influence are getting a bit too heretical.

We should put a stop to that.

[Khasinkonia]

Reformation? Seems the subjects of the Empire's influence are getting a bit too heretical.

We should put a stop to that.

Do I smell a Roman Inquisition brewing?

[Sivio]

Germany here,

Hostility intensifies.

Reformation of Catholicism? I seem to recall that we discussed that possibility in the interest thread.

I'd certainly be interested in slowly transferring Scandinavia over to the protestant camp.

Well, if you think about it, the Great Schism most likely wouldn't have happened. So therefore, neither would the Reformation. The only feasible thing I would see is that there would be two types of Christians: those who think the Emperors are guided by God and those who think otherwise. The ones who believe the Emperors are guided by God would usually be ones that are better well-off within the Empire and its sphere. Those who don't think like that are usually lower class citizens or even slaves.

This in turn could cause a split in Christianity possibly.

EDIT: The Great Schism, for those who didn't know, was a split in the Western and Eastern Churches. This created Catholicism and Orthodox. The Reformation, obviously, was because many Catholics were unhappy with how it ran. So they created Protestantism, Reformed, etc.

EDIT 2: And by Emperors, I mean the Western and Eastern Emperors.

[Plzen]

Well, if you think about it, the Great Schism most likely wouldn't have happened. So therefore, neither would the Reformation.

It was really the corruption and institutional complacency of the Catholic Church that caused the Reformation. Both those factors would be in play even without the Great Schism.

[Sivio]

Well, if you think about it, the Great Schism most likely wouldn't have happened. So therefore, neither would the Reformation.

It was really the corruption and institutional complacency of the Catholic Church that caused the Reformation. Both those factors would be in play even without the Great Schism.

Out of everything I just said, you just take that? I mean, I already said there could be a possible split because of the possibility that there could be two types of Christians: Imperial Christians and Hard Christians. That, in turn, could cause a split in Christianity.

[Mangjukoia]

Hostility intensifies.

Reformation of Catholicism?

Japan will create a new Buddhist sect. We shall call it: 仏教の日本, or, Butsukyou no Nippon. It will draw from traditional Shinto beliefs to create the new combined religious sect of Japan.

Pst, you already got something like that. Shinbutsu-shugo.

[Khasinkonia]

Japan will create a new Buddhist sect. We shall call it: 仏教の日本, or, Butsukyou no Nippon. It will draw from traditional Shinto beliefs to create the new combined religious sect of Japan.

Pst, you already got something like that. Shinbutsu-shugo.

Imperial Japan—always going the extra mile. One Japanese Buddhist sect isn't enough.

[Plzen]

Out of everything I just said, you just take that? I mean, I already said there could be a possible split because of the possibility that there could be two types of Christians: Imperial Christians and Hard Christians. That, in turn, could cause a split in Christianity.

Honestly, what I really want is a religious organisation that I can call the Church of Scandinavia.

I don't think the hard Christian split can produce such an organisation as quickly as a Protestant reformation can.

[Zhaas123]

The Religion of my nation would probably be a synthetic mix of both Christianity and Roman war deities like Mithras

[Rodez]

Hatteria (and I'm just calling it Hatteria from now on because it doesn't sound good with 'Nova') would probably go Protestant if it happened. Might even be fun if it started in the colonies and spread to Europe, instead of the other way around.

Hey Void, do you think in the IC (when it is up), I can acquire land that isn't a colony yet? Like, there's a small strip of land between two of the colonies. You could possibly partition between us. Or perhaps you could give me Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island for a price.

Fair warning; I do have every intention of having my territory emcompass the Chesapeake Bay, which means I will be moving on Eastern Maryland and the parts of Virginia I haven't claimed rather quickly.

Aside from this though, I have no other interest in northward expansion - only straight westwards (so the rest of TN, then Kentucky, Alabama and so on). I won't try to push into Ohio.

[Plzen]

I'll probably colonise for Newfoundland, Labrador, then into Hudson Bay.

After that, I don't really have an intention to push inland. Those cold, infertile Canadian provinces really aren't worth anything (except maybe as a stable source of fur). Once Hudson Bay is a secure colony, I'll probably just opt to contest a few coastal provinces in what is IRL the United States instead of wasting effort on colonising vast taigas.

[Sivio]

Hatteria (and I'm just calling it Hatteria from now on because it doesn't sound good with 'Nova') would probably go Protestant if it happened. Might even be fun if it started in the colonies and spread to Europe, instead of the other way around.

Hey Void, do you think in the IC (when it is up), I can acquire land that isn't a colony yet? Like, there's a small strip of land between two of the colonies. You could possibly partition between us. Or perhaps you could give me Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island for a price.

Fair warning; I do have every intention of having my territory emcompass the Chesapeake Bay, which means I will be moving on Eastern Maryland and the parts of Virginia I haven't claimed rather quickly.

Aside from this though, I have no other interest in northward expansion - only straight westwards (so the rest of TN, then Kentucky, Alabama and so on). I won't try to push into Ohio.

And I have no interest in southward expansion. From there on, straight westwards like you (Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, etc. and everything northward). Perhaps in some lands we can come to some sort of agreement? Like, part of the year you have the land, then the other part of the year I have?

I'll probably colonise for Newfoundland, Labrador, then into Hudson Bay.

After that, I don't really have an intention to push inland. Those cold, infertile Canadian provinces really aren't worth anything (except maybe as a stable source of fur). Once Hudson Bay is a secure colony, I'll probably just opt to contest a few coastal provinces in what is IRL the United States instead of wasting effort on colonising vast taigas.

Your only viable options are in Maryland and the Gulf of Mexico if you want any coastal US provinces. But you would have to face the Roman colonies.

[Kazarogkai]

The Religion of the Kobiwa is known as Kijivo Siri, whose emblem I displayed on my app. The influences vary ranging from zoroastrianism and taoism, to voodoo and traditional african beliefs. The overall general description would best be described as organized animism with a good dose of ancestor worship and divine kingship. The general idea is that there are two gods Baba Kifo(Father Death) and Momo Masiha(Mother Life) and that they the Kobiwa are the children of said gods with others being in effect simply born from the formation of hairless monkeys and dung beetles and consequently lack souls. Similar to voodoo the two gods in question though revered are not worshiped for they have no interest/do not engage in mortal matters. As such prayer and worship instead are directed over to lesser beings of great power like angels, demons, ancestors, and mythological figures/persons in general. The Silekofa Falome(Immortal Emperor) factors into this by being prophesied leader who was meant to unite them and mount the world riding it into the sun. He is more or less afforded the honor of being regarded as a sort of living ancestor/saint with divine ordination and right to rule. A saint mind you all in the Kobiwa sense is a ancestor who has received the veneration of being elevated to effective divinity post mortem, the Silekofa Falome being a notable exception. Though all ancestors are venerated to some degree or another saints, called Metakatifo, are venerated and even worshiped by all. Who becomes a saint was historically a more contentious process with the list varying from city to city in many cases. Nowadays the process is an organized centralized process requiring the approval of the emperor himself alongside other important rituals and formalities.

[Sivio]

I just realized that the colonies in modern day USA are grey and blue. The sides of the Civil War switched

[Plzen]

Your only viable options are in Maryland and the Gulf of Mexico if you want any coastal US provinces. But you would have to face the Roman colonies.

Well, those are Scandinavia's only viable options... unless Scandinavia is an opportunistic land-grabber.

Which, by the way, I fully intend to be.

---

By the way, OP, New Rome and Nova Hatteria both have unreasonably high populations. Between them, they claimed 9.5 millions in population, whereas something like 5 millions would be more reasonable for those areas at this time. The US as a whole in 1800 (including places like Maryland which neither side has claimed) had a population of under 6 million in 1800.

[Kerbodine]

Ladies and gentlemen, it's in (and dear goodness it's long as all get out)! I won't be surprised if I ought to make a couple of changes, and I'll review it myself this weekend anyway. Please, anyone feel free to leave suggestions (yes, I know that's risky to ask for ).

Nation App - Imperium Aeternum:
Formal Nation Name:
English- German Federation of Europe
German- Deutscher Bund auf Europa
Latin- Foederatio Germania of Europa
Informal Nation Name:
German Federation/Foederatio Germania/Deutschbund
Shortened Nation Name:
Germany/Germania/Deutschbund
Flag:

Coat of Arms/Other Symbols:
Near-universal symbol for German culture

Symbol of the Federation

Government Type:
Loose federation of varied states; loose empire
Map of approximate 'regions' of federation
http://i.imgur.com/cvOTUTp.png
Head of State:
Kaiser und Imperator Vinitharius von Galfalf zum Friedhelm zu Gottlieb
Head of Government:
(Chancellor) Archduke Erzherzog Karl Sigismund Servius von und zum Palantinium
Population:
~55,000,000 (primarily Germanic, with some Latin, Baltic, Celtic, and Slavic minorities)
Location:
http://i.imgur.com/TydFasf.png
Capital:
Trevasburg (location of real-life Hamburg, population ~1,800,000)
Influence: (what nation is your country or government influenced by?)
Although heavily influenced by Rome, Germania as a region has been struggling to maintain its own identity and place in the world for over a millennium. Though somewhat Romanticized, Germania is culturally and linguistically largely unique (although the Roman Church has a majority grasp on the spirituality of Germania). Relying heavily on Roman trade, and generally good relations, combined with the slow industrialization of Europe, has tied Germany's interests closely to Rome's. Times are changing, however, and both the Church and Rome's grasp on the Germanic people of Europe may be loosening with the smoke of new machines and weapons and the new and old ideas of rebellious German clergymen...
Military Population:
~440,000 standing military (350,000 active land, 90,000 acting naval); some regions have private militia or require large reserves from their populace (total estimated military size after complete mobilization of reserves and active militia ~1,000,000)
History (purely in Imperium Aeternum timeline):

Germania has a rich and long history stretching back nearly as far as Rome itself. While the Romans were still establishing an ancient status quo in the Mediterranean, small tribes of northmen began spreading from Scandinavia throughout all of Central Europe. Hardy and clever, these initially small groups of people had to fight each other, their environment, wild beasts, and stronger civilizations from their East, South, and West to survive. Eventually, after centuries of learning how to tame the wild North of Europe, they began to spread. Many entered the borders of the freshly-formed Roman Empire, with large Germanic populations establishing 'colonies' of sorts in Britannia and Francia. However, as time went on and the Romans began to consolidate their power, while the Germanic tribes were able to hold back the Romans and indeed sometimes break the borders themselves, there were few threats to the immediate East. Rather than attempting to break into heavily fortified Roman borders to the West and South, the more powerful Germanic tribes primarily stayed where they were or moved to the unoccupied immediate East.

Between the second and eight centuries AD, Germania's tribes had begun to form a few separate kingdoms/nations. The Northern tribes were forming into Saxony, a kingdom characterized by its strong military and (at least for 'barbarians') its high technological development, including a naval tradition and unique metallurgy. To the East, the Vandals were forming into a coherent nation (oft referred to by historians as 'Vandelia') as in south-central Germania the Lombards (yet another tribe) formed 'Lombardy'. Other major groups include the Alamanni (south-west), the Frisians (north-east, with a fairly unique culture and language), and the Franks (many of whom went into Francia, with a strong population remaining in central-west Germania); however, countless other tribes, large and small, formed into various nations (Burgundians [central & Eastern], Chatti, Marcomanni, and the Thuringian Regna). For the better part of a millennium, these separate states grew, fought, spread, mixed, moved, and changed. A feudal system was established in most of these new nations, built off of old tribal systems and utilizing both Germanic and Romantic vernacular and traditions. Luckily for the disparate region, Rome was busy consolidating its power elsewhere, and after a few border skirmishes early on, the border between Rome and the 'barbarians' was fairly solid.
Roman influence in the region simultaneously grew yet was limited; the local nations, while they enjoyed the proximity with Rome and the trade and technology it brought, wanted to maintain their sovereignty and identity. Interbreeding between locals and Romanticized groups beyond the border regions was sparse, with militarized tribes and later nations at the borders naturally holding back any small-scale attacks and Roman interests elsewhere precluding major invasions. As interior nations continued to grow in regional power, especially Saxony (in the Northern extremes of Germania and southern Jutland) and Lombardy (in what we call 'Bohemia' and the surrounding regions), other nations began to fall into one of the two 'spheres of influence', North or South. In 940 AD, the 'German War' began, with the Southern coalition initially skirmishing with and soon attacking the Northern kingdoms. The North- by now known as the Teutonic Coalition- retaliated in full force, successfully consolidating under the banner of the first German King, Otto I the Great, who was within a few years called 'Emperor of Germany', or 'Caesar von Germania' (the presumptuous term 'Caesar' later being set aside only for Roman emperors, with the Germanized term 'Kaiser' catching on instead). Otto, later in his reign, successfully increased the power of the Kaiser and created a weak central government. Upon his death, Germania was quasi-united along similar lines to modern-day. Germania, while only a loose coalition, generally worked together, trading and economically trying to stay as modern as Rome. Great trading companies, 'Hanse', rose in the North, and Roman-style roads linked all of Germania's major cities together.
Otto also put the clergy within Germania under nominal German control, while simultaneously increasing the power of the Church (keeping Rome happy). While increasing the social influence that the Roman Church had on Germania, it also linked the nation closer; while over the next 500 years, several minor wars between the Germanic regions would break out, it never fractured into full-on coalition fights like the North-South War, in part thanks to the binding force of the Church. However, in 1430, the first major shake-ups began. A young clergyman named Jan Hartmann was burned at the stake for criticizing the Roman Church, claiming it was more of a political organization that was actually anti-spiritual than anything else. His ideas spread throughout Germania (in part due to new widespread printing presses [though prototypes had existed in Germany for some time and limited printing had begun in Rome itself a century before]), and shortly thereafter, other religious leaders and clergymen began stating the need for a German Reformation. Severus Luther, changing his name to Martin Luther, began a movement in central Germania; though technically a strictly religious movement, this Reformation was popular among the lower and upper classes not only for its spiritual overtones but also for its independent cultural undertones. Rome, intolerant of this new faith growing up, attempted an invasion in 1530, but was unable to find or fight this guerilla religious movement, which, out of necessity, became very good at hiding (its doctrines generally encourage private worship, for example). In frustration at the expensive campaign, Rome pulled out, albeit with an official demand to the Kaiser at the time (Egon II the Grand) to "Contain and End this frustrating insurgency against our Lord and Savior and his Church". Egon ignored this 'request' as he viewed it, not that he could have done anything if he had wanted to, and soon, "Erweckung" ("Awakening"), referred to as "the Reformed", was the first new Christian denomination in Northern Europe. To this day, a the majority percentage of Germans, especially in border states, are still loyal to the Roman Church, but this new, more decentralized, more self-spiritual denomination is slowly growing, with upwards of a quarter of Germans practicing various sects of the Reformed church. (Religious minorities include those who kept the pagan religions alive, mostly in extremely rural regions. There are also a few extremely minor communities of Jews, mostly in cities, pretty much an anomaly that came in around 1000AD due to persecution in Rome.) The Reformed hold little political power for now, with the officially supported religion still being the Roman Church, but this may change as Germanic leaders try to gain more power and overcome Roman influence; additionally, some of the more extreme sects of the decentralized Reformed Christians have begun to flee abroad (although it's not exactly illegal to not be a member of the Roman Church, in many areas it's frowned upon or even socially discriminated against), bringing their own fundamentalist versions of Christianity to areas farther from Rome's center of power; there's also an underbrewing of more radical Reformers that, depending on the future actions of Rome and The Church, are waiting to spring a larger Reform, to properly become Protestors against 'The Church'...

Since the 'Middle Ages' of chaos, trouble, feudalism, and advancement, Germania has in general consolidated and grown at a similar rate to Rome. Its population has steadily risen, with new cities growing in part thanks to mass infrastructure projects. The culture, though rather diverse, has tightened down over time, with unique architectural and artistic styles- sometimes called 'Gothic'- fairly popular in Germania, though Roman culture is just as popular (especially in the Western provinces). The educated elites and aristocracy generally speak and write in both Latin and Central German. Relations with other Germanic tribes, those that moved outside of Germania's borders (those in Francia, Brittania, and to the East) are fairly neutral, and the status quo seems to be fairly balanced right now in general regards to foreign affairs. The primary exception is Scandinavia; Germania and Scandinavia have been at each others' throats throughout the years over Southern Jutland, home of the Angles. Traditionally, the Angles are somewhere in between 'Nordic' (really a phrase for 'far-north Germanic') and 'Germanic' (or perhaps that's a phrase for 'ex-Scandinavian') camps, and flip-flopped between the spheres of influence several times centuries ago. Eventually, Angland (essentially most of Schleswig) has generally sided with the powerful Saxon state to its south, eventually merging with Saxony (complicated royal marriage), but the Danes and Jutes of Upper Jutland and the islands still maintain claims on the region, and about a fifth of the population of Angland actively consider themselves Nordic. To discuss such issues regarding the future of Germania, each province (the evolution of the old tribal and feudal systems, with hundreds of variously sized and powered regions [ranging from the large and powerful Saxony to the tiny 'Independent King's Village of Reinußtadt']) of Germania receives approximate proportional representation in a German Parliament appointed by the various state governments, usually determined by local nobility (though there are a few federally-controlled provinces and a few small republics and 'free cities').

Technological levels in Germania, especially the West, are similar to those of Rome. Railroads connect all the major cities, with a fairly extensive new network being expanded in the Eastern provinces; said railways link Germania's trade network with the Roman Empire's. German-built steam ships have been trading with the rest of the world for decades now, and Germania's fairly strong trading tradition and large domestic economy has kept German as a bit of a tradesman's language in a few cities throughout the rest of the world, notably with a couple of German terms entering the common vernacular among Latin-speaking businessmen. Germania is second only to the Empire itself- or at least on-par with Byzantium- in terms of Western technology and education, with Roman-published works both finding their way into Germanic academia and some works even being translated for the common man (as literacy continues to rise; all but the very poorest in society can afford at least some sort of education). As health, transportation, and engineering continue to improve, cities are growing larger and larger; some of the largest cities include Trevasburg (location of Hamburg, population 1,800,000), Frankfurt (800,000), and Conigsburg (Koenigsburg/Kaliningrad, 1,000,000), though almost all cities are growing rapidly. Every major city holds a University, an educational institution where masters gather to provide technical or detailed knowledge about various subjects; uniquely German, it is different than the educational facilities in Rome, though it is generally only affordable to the middle and upper classes. Germans quasi-independently have developed many of the same inventions as in Rome, and indeed there's currently a steam technological race of sorts, with improved engines being developed every decade (usually by Romans, but sometimes by Germans); turbines, a German invention (though Rome has them too already) is the latest and greatest, and are already being implemented in speedy new ocean greyhounds. The language of education is still Latin, though, as mentioned, most of the elites still speak a form of German. German engineers and now-widespread factories are capable of building anything that Rome makes, though not always quite as cheap; Germany is still fighting for a spot, however small, on the advancing global market, with steel and heavy machinery- famed internationally for quality- being exported on a massive scale. New technologies include electricity, just beginning to be applied in a practical manner, and the automobile, the first practical 'horseless carriage' having been designed by Karlus Benz, a German. Count Ferdinandus von Zeppelin has plans to test lighter-than-air aircraft within the next few years. Telegraph wires already criss-cross Europe, and several of the largest German cities have local telephone networks, allowing people and businesses who can afford it to talk to each other; these networks will soon be linked in brand-new long-distance telephone networks, revolutionizing social life and business.

A fairly large force, though there is technically nominal central command over the militaries of the separate provinces, it is technically consisted of what amounts to a few large states' powerful militaries and a bunch of small states' underwhelming militia. Armed with modern weapons, consisting of the latest muzzle-loading rifles and field guns, the German military is quite a force to be reckoned with, especially on the defensive; many regions have been heavily fortified over millennia of war. Backed by traditions of fighting each other, most of the states have a proud military tradition and highly value their officers and serving men. Different regions have different reputations, with the Saxon ground forces famed for their bravery and the eastern Gothic militaries known for their aggressive underdog tactics. The navy is fairly large and more centralized, entirely owned by larger coastal states; new armored ships are being developed, and the German navy is quickly expanding with new armored vessels with massive turreted guns. Aesthetically, regions vary greatly. Some, inspired by colorful Middle Age traditions, maintain traditionally-inspired uniforms. Others still are reminiscent of modern Roman uniforms, having evolved slowly out of the Classical Legions. All regions drill their troops to perfection, and German military parades, regardless of from which area, are a sight to behold.

Realistically, when Rome fell in Real Life, it was due to German tribes. There were German tribes controlling practically every region of Central and Western Europe immediately following the fall of the Roman Empire; Goths took over Italy (the Lombards were Germanic) and the the Iberian Peninsula (ruled by Visigoths until the Moorish invasions), and some spread into Russia/to the East (there were Gothic tribes in Crimea as late as 1945). The Angles and Saxons ('Anglo-Saxons') grew to dominate southern Britain, while Franks took over the region now known as France. In this timeline, Rome never falls. Presumably, the German tribes, rather than taking over all of Europe from a power vacuum and fleeing invasions from the East, would consolidate where they were and perhaps spread to the East somewhat more than historically. Many would still travel to Western and Southern Europe, just not as many as in Real Life, and certainly with less power. Far from being barbarians, most of the tribes were fairly advanced; it takes a lot to live in the relatively harsh climates of Northern Europe, especially before the Medieval Warm Period that would so greatly benefit Central Europe, so many tribes developed complex social systems to maintain survivable living conditions. Presumably, the German region, hedged in by Rome and relatively powerful Eastern nations, would be forced to consolidate. Unlike Rome and its Empire, which would never quite go through the feudal system that helps define the Medieval Era, Germany would develop in a way largely not dissimilar to the Holy Roman Empire, with a weak central system and a large variety of states within. This system, which in Real Life essentially continued until the 19th century, would be alive and well in this timeline. Presumably, Rome is also focusing on consolidating, and- since they'll never be a real threat, and indeed are good trading partners- largely would allow Germany to develop. Germany, though its disparate regions would be heavily influenced by Rome, would probably maintain its own identity, culture, and language; Romantic languages certainly spread throughout the areas previously held by Rome for long periods of time, and it's safe to assume that the German language would develop differently (historically, East Germanic languages died off due to diaspora; this wouldn't happen here, and Latin would influence new developments in German), but for simplicity's sake if I ever use German I'll pretty much stick with modern German (I'm half-fluent, so it's fun).

RP Example: (From interest thread and previous RPs with Void, but will include small RP section here)

Saxon Secretary of Defense Gunterus "Irren Hund" ('Mad Dog') von Reinhardt, military commander of Saxony's military, was reviewing the latest briefing. A stereotypical Saxon (long fair [though now greying] hair, a thick beard, and appearing strong enough to wrestle a wild boar), von Reinhardt filled any room he entered with his sheer imposing presence. "So you're telling me," he said, looking at the latest military diagrams, "that this, this 'submersible' technology that I've heard of is under development?" His aide nodded, explaining that, though there were serious downsides- cost, reliability-, the tech allowed certain new tactics. Reinhardt, flicking a non-existent speck of dust off his lapel, had already made up his mind: "I back it completely. Though I may come from the Armee, I will put in a good word towards increasing experimental funding of the Navy. We cannot left behind in the world, and if we want to have any possibility of projecting our power outside of our immediate zone, we must continue to develop." His aide, tilting his head a few degrees to the right, questioned the commander: "Is it true, sir? Are we going to try and secure the rights for a colony?" Reinhardt, smiling (or at least the closest he came to smiling, a tightening of the lips and slight deepening of facial wrinkles), simply shook his head, a sign that even if he wanted to, he could not talk about it.
His aide, getting the hint, collected the papers he had brought in, gave a Roman salute with a 'Kaiser Heil!' (a recent tradition among some German militaries more closely linked to the crown, a simultaneous copy of and counter to Roman culture), nodded towards the crucifix behind von Reinhardt, spun on his heel, and marched out of the Secretary's office.

Imperium - DO NOT REMOVE

Day of Launch- I've updated map (or rather, used a different version I'd uploaded to Imgur half a week ago ) to better reflect preferred Scandinavian-German border.
2016, Dec. 6- Edited history to better reflect tech period, as I was originally working under the assumption of ~1840 tech (has been moved to 1900 tech). Have requested to increase population significantly (though still below historical levels), so putting off increasing city sizes and population size until getting a confirmation or not.
2016, Dec. 12- Added 'chancellor' to the Archduke's title (minor edit)

[Plzen]

-snip-

Det tyske forbund.

Didn't we agree to use the modern Danish-German border as our mutual frontier?

In any case, I was accepted with Nordslesvig, and I'm really unwilling to give up yet another province.

[The Valyria Empire]

So I was reading up on some video game guides, and was inspired to do this. Here's Scandinavia's foreign relations, analysed video-game style!

Mostly I just wanted to see which countries I'd be more favourable about, which I'd be less favourable about, and how the various aspects of Scandinavian ambitions might stack up against each other.

Countries listed in order of best relations to worst relations.

Estland (My puppet)
+90 relations (protective)
Is Client State: +50
Strong Trade Relations: +20
Army Bases: +10
Naval Bases: +10

Livland (My puppet)
+80 relations (protective)
Is Client State: +50
Strong Trade Relations: +20
Army Bases: +10

Riga (My puppet)
+80 relations (protective)
Is Client State: +50
Strong Trade Relations: +20
Naval Bases: +10

The Roman Empire
+50 relations (friendly)
Sphere of Influence: +30
Strong Trade Relations: +20

The Republic of Nova Hatteria
+20 relations (neutral)
Strong Trade Relations: +20

The Soldier's Republic of the Andes Mountains
0 relations (neutral)

Empire of the Great Tang
0 relations (neutral)
Strong Trade Relations: +20
Strange Culture: -10
Strange Religion: -10

New Rome
-10 relations (neutral)
Desires Provinces: -10 (-5 * 2)

Kobiwa
-20 relations (neutral)
Strange Culture: -10
Strange Religion: -10

The Japanese Empire
-20 relations (neutral)
Strange Culture: -10
Strange Religion: -10

The Kingdom of Akan
-45 relations (neutral)
Colonial Ambitions: -25
Strange Culture: -10
Strange Religion: -10

Russia (not yet accepted)
-60 relations (hostile)
Desires Provinces: -35 (-5 * 7)
Neighbouring Heretic: -10
Puppet's Claimed Territories: -10 (-5 * 2)
Border Friction: -5 (-5 * 1)

Germany (not yet accepted)
-170 relations (outraged)
Considers Rival: -50
Claimed Territories: -45 (-15 * 3)
Desires Provinces: -40 (-5 * 8)
Controls Core Territories: -20 (-20 * 1)
Border Friction: -15 (-15 * 1)

Someone has been playing way too much EU4.

[Plzen]

Someone has been playing way too much EU4.

I can't really deny that.

[The Valyria Empire]

Ladies and gentlemen, it's in (and dear goodness it's long as all get out)! I won't be surprised if I ought to make a couple of changes, and I'll review it myself this weekend anyway. Please, anyone feel free to leave suggestions (yes, I know that's risky to ask for ).

[box]Nation App - Imperium Aeternum:
Formal Nation Name:
English- German Federation of Europe
German- Deutscher Bund auf Europa
Latin- Foederatio Germania of Europa
Informal Nation Name:
German Federation/Foederatio Germania/Deutschbund
Shortened Nation Name:
Germany/Germania/Deutschbund
Flag:
(Image)
Coat of Arms/Other Symbols:
Near-universal symbol for German culture
(Image)
Symbol of the Federation
(Image)
Government Type:
Loose federation of varied states; loose empire
Map of approximate 'regions' of federation
http://i.imgur.com/cvOTUTp.png
Head of State:
Kaiser und Imperator Vinitharius von Galfalf zum Friedhelm zu Gottlieb
Head of Government:
(Archduke) Erzherzog Karl Sigismund Servius von und zum Palantinium
Population:
~24,000,000 (primarily Germanic, with some Latin, Baltic, Celtic, and Slavic minorities)
Location:
http://i.imgur.com/ZFAZDqF.png
(Recognize it conflicts somewhat with Rome's borders, but we discussed it; please confirm this is OK)
Capital:
Trevasburg (location of real-life Hamburg, population ~150,000)
Influence: (what nation is your country or government influenced by?)
Although heavily influenced by Rome, Germania as a region has been struggling to maintain its own identity and place in the world for over a millennium. Though somewhat Romanticized, Germania is culturally and linguistically largely unique (although the Roman Church has a majority grasp on the spirituality of Germania). Relying heavily on Roman trade, and generally good relations, combined with the slow industrialization of Europe, has tied Germany's interests closely to Rome's. Times are changing, however, and both the Church and Rome's grasp on the Germanic people of Europe may be loosening with the smoke of new machines and weapons and the new and old ideas of rebellious German clergymen...
Military Population:
~150,000 standing military (140,000 active land, 10,000 acting naval); some regions have private militia or require large reserves from their populace (total estimated military size after complete mobilization ~250,000)
History (purely in Imperium Aeternum timeline):

Germania has a rich and long history stretching back nearly as far as Rome itself. While the Romans were still establishing an ancient status quo in the Mediterranean, small tribes of northmen began spreading from Scandinavia throughout all of Central Europe. Hardy and clever, these initially small groups of people had to fight each other, their environment, wild beasts, and stronger civilizations from their East, South, and West to survive. Eventually, after centuries of learning how to tame the wild North of Europe, they began to spread. Many entered the borders of the freshly-formed Roman Empire, with large Germanic populations establishing 'colonies' of sorts in Britannia and Francia. However, as time went on and the Romans began to consolidate their power, while the Germanic tribes were able to hold back the Romans and indeed sometimes break the borders themselves, there were few threats to the immediate East. Rather than attempting to break into heavily fortified Roman borders to the West and South, the more powerful Germanic tribes primarily stayed where they were or moved to the unoccupied immediate East.

[spoiler=Late Classical and Middle Ages]Between the second and eight centuries AD, Germania's tribes had begun to form a few separate kingdoms/nations. The Northern tribes were forming into Saxony, a kingdom characterized by its strong military and (at least for 'barbarians') its high technological development, including a naval tradition and unique metallurgy. To the East, the Vandals were forming into a coherent nation (oft referred to by historians as 'Vandelia') as in south-central Germania the Lombards (yet another tribe) formed 'Lombardy'. Other major groups include the Alamanni (south-west), the Frisians (north-east, with a fairly unique culture and language), and the Franks (many of whom went into Francia, with a strong population remaining in central-west Germania); however, countless other tribes, large and small, formed into various nations (Burgundians [central & Eastern], Chatti, Marcomanni, and the Thuringian Regna). For the better part of a millennium, these separate states grew, fought, spread, mixed, moved, and changed. A feudal system was established in most of these new nations, built off of old tribal systems and utilizing both Germanic and Romantic vernacular and traditions. Luckily for the disparate region, Rome was busy consolidating its power elsewhere, and after a few border skirmishes early on, the border between Rome and the 'barbarians' was fairly solid.
Roman influence in the region simultaneously grew yet was limited; the local nations, while they enjoyed the proximity with Rome and the trade and technology it brought, wanted to maintain their sovereignty and identity. Interbreeding between locals and Romanticized groups beyond the border regions was sparse, with militarized tribes and later nations at the borders naturally holding back any small-scale attacks and Roman interests elsewhere precluding major invasions. As interior nations continued to grow in regional power, especially Saxony (in the Northern extremes of Germania and southern Jutland) and Lombardy (in what we call 'Bohemia' and the surrounding regions), other nations began to fall into one of the two 'spheres of influence', North or South. In 940 AD, the 'German War' began, with the Southern coalition initially skirmishing with and soon attacking the Northern kingdoms. The North- by now known as the Teutonic Coalition- retaliated in full force, successfully consolidating under the banner of the first German King, Otto I the Great, who was within a few years called 'Emperor of Germany', or 'Caesar von Germania' (the presumptuous term 'Caesar' later being set aside only for Roman emperors, with the Germanized term 'Kaiser' catching on instead). Otto, later in his reign, successfully increased the power of the Kaiser and created a weak central government. Upon his death, Germania was quasi-united along similar lines to modern-day. Germania, while only a loose coalition, generally worked together, trading and economically trying to stay as modern as Rome. Great trading companies, 'Hanse', rose in the North, and Roman-style roads linked all of Germania's major cities together.
Otto also put the clergy within Germania under nominal German control, while simultaneously increasing the power of the Church (keeping Rome happy). While increasing the social influence that the Roman Church had on Germania, it also linked the nation closer; while over the next 500 years, several minor wars between the Germanic regions would break out, it never fractured into full-on coalition fights like the North-South War, in part thanks to the binding force of the Church. However, in 1430, the first major shake-ups began. A young clergyman named Jan Hartmann was burned at the stake for criticizing the Roman Church, claiming it was more of a political organization that was actually anti-spiritual than anything else. His ideas spread throughout Germania (in part due to new widespread printing presses [though prototypes had existed in Germany for some time and limited printing had begun in Rome itself a century before]), and shortly thereafter, other religious leaders and clergymen began stating the need for a German Reformation. Severus Luther, changing his name to Martin Luther, began a movement in central Germania; though technically a strictly religious movement, this Reformation was popular among the lower and upper classes not only for its spiritual overtones but also for its independent cultural undertones. Rome, intolerant of this new faith growing up, attempted an invasion in 1530, but was unable to find or fight this guerilla religious movement, which, out of necessity, became very good at hiding (its doctrines generally encourage private worship, for example). In frustration at the expensive campaign, Rome pulled out, albeit with an official demand to the Kaiser at the time (Egon II the Grand) to "Contain and End this frustrating insurgency against our Lord and Savior and his Church". Egon ignored this 'request' as he viewed it, not that he could have done anything if he had wanted to, and soon, "Erweckung" ("Awakening"), referred to as "the Reformed", was the first new Christian denomination in Northern Europe. To this day, a the majority percentage of Germans, especially in border states, are still loyal to the Roman Church, but this new, more decentralized, more self-spiritual denomination is slowly growing, with upwards of a quarter of Germans practicing various sects of the Reformed church. (Religious minorities include those who kept the pagan religions alive, mostly in extremely rural regions. There are also a few extremely minor communities of Jews, mostly in cities, pretty much an anomaly that came in around 1000AD due to persecution in Rome.) The Reformed hold little political power for now, with the officially supported religion still being the Roman Church, but this may change as Germanic leaders try to gain more power and overcome Roman influence; additionally, some of the more extreme sects of the decentralized Reformed Christians have begun to flee abroad (although it's not exactly illegal to not be a member of the Roman Church, in many areas it's frowned upon or even socially discriminated against), bringing their own fundamentalist versions of Christianity to areas farther from Rome's center of power; there's also an underbrewing of more radical Reformers that, depending on the future actions of Rome and The Church, are waiting to spring a larger Reform, to properly become Protestors against 'The Church'...

Since the 'Middle Ages' of chaos, trouble, feudalism, and advancement, Germania has in general consolidated and grown at a similar rate to Rome. Its population has steadily risen, with new cities growing in part thanks to mass infrastructure projects. The culture, though rather diverse, has tightened down over time, with unique architectural and artistic styles- sometimes called 'Gothic'- fairly popular in Germania, though Roman culture is just as popular (especially in the Western provinces). The educated elites and aristocracy generally speak and write in both Latin and Central German. Relations with other Germanic tribes, those that moved outside of Germania's borders (those in Francia, Brittania, and to the East) are fairly neutral, and the status quo seems to be fairly balanced right now in general regards to foreign affairs. The primary exception is Scandinavia; Germania and Scandinavia have been at each others' throats throughout the years over Southern Jutland, home of the Angles. Traditionally, the Angles are somewhere in between 'Nordic' (really a phrase for 'far-north Germanic') and 'Germanic' (or perhaps that's a phrase for 'ex-Scandinavian') camps, and flip-flopped between the spheres of influence several times centuries ago. Eventually, Angland (essentially most of Schleswig) has generally sided with the powerful Saxon state to its south, but the Danes and Jutes of Upper Jutland and the islands still maintain claims on the region, and about a fifth of the population of Angland actively consider themselves Nordic. To discuss such issues regarding the future of Germania, each province (the evolution of the old tribal and feudal systems, with hundreds of variously sized and powered regions [ranging from the large and powerful Saxony to the tiny 'Independent King's Village of Reinußtadt']) of Germania receives approximate proportional representation in a German Parliament appointed by the various state governments, usually determined by local nobility (though there are a few federally-controlled provinces and a few small republics and 'free cities').

Technological levels in Germania, especially the West, are similar to those of Rome. Railroads connect all the major cities, with a fairly extensive new network being expanded in the Western provinces, and link Germania's trade network with the Empire's. German-built steam ships are just beginning to trade with the rest of the world, and Germania's fairly strong trading tradition and large domestic economy has kept German as a bit of a tradesman's language in a few cities throughout the rest of the world, notably with a couple of German terms entering the common vernacular among Latin-speaking businessmen. Germania is second only to the Empire itself in terms of technology and education, with Roman-published works both finding their way into Germanic academia and some works even being translated for the common man (as literacy rises). As health, transportation, and engineering continue to improve, cities are growing larger and larger; some of the largest cities include Trevasburg (location of Hamburg, population 150,000), Frankfurt (90,000), and Conigsburg (Koenigsburg/Kaliningrad, 70,000), though almost all cities are growing rapidly. Every major city holds a University, an educational institution where masters gather to provide technical or detailed knowledge about various subjects; uniquely German, it is different than the educational facilities in Rome, though it is generally only affordable to the middle and upper classes. Germans quasi-independently have developed many of the same inventions as in Rome, and indeed there's currently a steam technological race of sorts, with improved engines being developed every decade (usually by Romans, but sometimes by Germans). The language of education is still Latin, though, as mentioned, most of the elites still speak a form of German. German engineers and early factories are capable of building anything that Rome makes, though not always quite as cheap; Germany is still fighting for a spot, however small, on the advancing global market.

A fairly large force, though there is technically nominal central command over the militaries of the separate provinces, it is technically consisted of what amounts to a few large states' powerful militaries and a bunch of small states' underwhelming militia. Armed with modern weapons, consisting of the latest muzzle-loading rifles and field guns, the German military is quite a force to be reckoned with, especially on the defensive; many regions have been heavily fortified over millennia of war. Backed by traditions of fighting each other, most of the states have a proud military tradition and highly value their officers and serving men. Different regions have different reputations, with the Saxon ground forces famed for their bravery and the eastern Gothic militaries known for their aggressive underdog tactics. The navy is fairly large and more centralized, entirely owned by larger coastal states; though it currently entirely consists of old sailing ships, experiments are being conducted on the viability of steam-powered ships, and a few experts have even begun to think about the concept of armored ships. Aesthetically, regions vary greatly. Some, inspired by colorful Middle Age traditions, maintain traditional-inspired uniforms. Others still are reminiscent of modern Roman uniforms, having evolved slowly out of the Classical Legions. All regions drill their troops to perfection, and German military parades, regardless of from which area, are a sight to behold.

Realistically, when Rome fell in Real Life, it was due to German tribes. There were German tribes controlling practically every region of Central and Western Europe immediately following the fall of the Roman Empire; Goths took over Italy (the Lombards were Germanic) and the the Iberian Peninsula (ruled by Visigoths until the Moorish invasions), and some spread into Russia/to the East (there were Gothic tribes in Crimea as late as 1945). The Angles and Saxons ('Anglo-Saxons') grew to dominate southern Britain, while Franks took over the region now known as France. In this timeline, Rome never falls. Presumably, the German tribes, rather than taking over all of Europe from a power vacuum and fleeing invasions from the East, would consolidate where they were and perhaps spread to the East somewhat more than historically. Many would still travel to Western and Southern Europe, just not as many as in Real Life, and certainly with less power. Far from being barbarians, most of the tribes were fairly advanced; it takes a lot to live in the relatively harsh climates of Northern Europe, especially before the Medieval Warm Period that would so greatly benefit Central Europe, so many tribes developed complex social systems to maintain survivable living conditions. Presumably, the German region, hedged in by Rome and relatively powerful Eastern nations, would be forced to consolidate. Unlike Rome and its Empire, which would never quite go through the feudal system that helps define the Medieval Era, Germany would develop in a way largely not dissimilar to the Holy Roman Empire, with a weak central system and a large variety of states within. This system, which in Real Life essentially continued until the 19th century, would be alive and well in this timeline. Presumably, Rome is also focusing on consolidating, and- since they'll never be a real threat, and indeed are good trading partners- largely would allow Germany to develop. Germany, though its disparate regions would be heavily influenced by Rome, would probably maintain its own identity, culture, and language; Romantic languages certainly spread throughout the areas previously held by Rome for long periods of time, and it's safe to assume that the German language would develop differently (historically, East Germanic languages died off due to diaspora; this wouldn't happen here, and Latin would influence new developments in German), but for simplicity's sake if I ever use German I'll pretty much stick with modern German (I'm half-fluent, so it's fun). Oh, and I know my population is somewhat larger than Germany's actually probably was in 1800 (estimated to be 22 million, I'm at 24; given my larger territory and the different history, I thought it was fair (I hardly think Germania is OP when you consider the nations around it and its actual loose structure). This is rather long, so I'm good for now. Always bring up questions!

RP Example: (From interest thread and previous RPs with Void, but will include small RP section here)

Saxon Secretary of Defense Gunterus "Irren Hund" ('Dog') von Reinhardt, military commander of Saxony's military, was reviewing the latest briefing. A stereotypical Saxon (long fair [though now greying] hair, a thick beard, and appearing strong enough to wrestle a wild boar), von Reinhardt filled any room he entered with his sheer imposing presence. "So you're telling me," he said, looking at the latest military diagrams, "that this, this 'steam ship' technology that I've heard of is better than our classical sailing ships?" His aide nodded, explaining that, though more expensive, they did not have to rely on wind, were more maneuverable in battle, and, though more expensive to build and maintain, were tactically superior. Reinhardt, flicking a non-existent speck of dust off his lapel, had already made up his mind: "I back it completely. Though I may come from the Armee, I will put in a good word towards increasing experimental funding of the Navy. We cannot left behind in the world, and if we want to have any possibility of projecting our power outside of our immediate zone, we must continue to develop." His aide, tilting his head a few degrees to the right, questioned the commander: "Is it true, sir? Are we going to try and secure the rights for a colony?" Reinhardt, smiling (or at least the closest he came to smiling, a tightening of the lips and slight deepening of facial wrinkles), simply shook his head, a sign that even if he wanted to, he could not talk about it.
His aide, getting the hint, collected the papers he had brought in, gave a Roman salute with a 'Kaiser Heil!' (a recent tradition among some German militaries more closely linked to the crown, a simultaneous copy of and counter to Roman culture), spun on his heel, and marched out of the Secretary's office.

[/spoiler]

Am I the only one who does not like that Germanic Tribe Symbol? Guess I'm just an eaglefag. Anyway, I'll look over this more later and make it doesn't conflict with anyone. (Mostly Scandinavia since he made his app first)

[Plzen]

OK. I developed this ridiculous and absurdly complicated way to get my buggy image editor to actually output decent images, so here's another map to celebrate: the Nations of the Nordic Confederation and their respective official territorial claims.

It's a link because the image is too large.

Nordisk førbund!

Det Nordisk førbundet (the Nordic Confederation) is an international alliance/trade league/one market area thing that Scandinavia has created and currently leads. It's kind of like the real-life Compact of Free Association in the sense that there is one clearly dominant power lording it over a bunch of little puppets.

Oh, and if translating "førbundet" doesn't yield any results, that's because it's a word that doesn't exist in any RL language. Since Scandinavia has stayed united for almost a thousand years in this RP, I imagine that a common Scandinavian language has developed, with elements from the Danish and Swedish languages blending into each other.