Map Thread XVII
- Thread starter Upvoteanthology
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So, I'm pretty proud about how the map I started working on a few days ago is turning out. Here's another preview with all of Asia done:
That is a very nice, neatly detailed uber-Russia. I approve.
They will reply with lower saxony, likely. The whole reason why the Bundesland that was created from Oldenburg,Braunschweig, Schaumburg-Lippe, Hannover and some others is specifically because of this coltural-historical heritage. Back then (and even now) Germany already had two Saxonies - Saxony-Anhalt and so-called "Upper Saxony", so naming even another State Saxony will have to do with a (pre-existing) terminology for the region.
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While looking up the correctness of the Term 'Upper Saxony' (I was unsure whether the area we understand as "Saxony" was called Upper Saxony or something among 'Kursachsen'), There's an explanation that also encompasses the time before post-WW2:
Translated: "Upper Saxony are generally considered to be the former Territories of the Wettiners and its inhabitant in modern Eastern Centeral Germany.
The Name originates in the topplement of King Heinrich, with the title of Duke of the 'Old Saxony' [that being the 800s saxony] being transferred to the Askanier family and later to the Wettiner family. These Dystanies conquered the formerly slavic-inhabited areas in the [modern day] East and thus spread the territory of "Saxony of the Upper Elbe". As a compensation, the original Saxony in Lower Germany was given the Name 'Lower Saxony'."
Isaac Beach
Banned
Rolling Its Mile-Wide Tide Along: Essàfaleia
Nevertheless, the land was more or less conquered, although remained lawless away from the coasts and inland riverbanks. From here Espanja would extract a bounty, using slaves or contractors depending on the jurisdiction in sugar, cannabum, and angurum[6], among many other flavourful crops. This trade invariably flowed through the ports of Espanja’s colonies, Sobrachosta, Beccu and Segoni chief among them. However, as the colonies were typically administrated by soldiers trusts or shreni[7], they were classified as private ventures and per the Tarragoni Accords -passed at the turn of the 1600s to monopolize internal trade in the hands of the government- Espanjan port authorities extricated punishing tariffs for the passage of these goods. This would go on for fifty years until the colonies found that comparable Skottish and Römisch settlements were outperforming them by leagues. So, banding together, they declared their interests to the Espanjan government in what would become known as the Manifesto of Unification, seeking federation, responsible government and freedom from the Tarragoni Accords.
The Espanjan government, despite internal discontent, acceded to the demands on the proviso that the colonies would not institute retaliatory tariffs on Espanjan traders and that the Emperor of Espanja would maintain his role as head of state. The colonial representatives agreed, and established the oligarchic Provínces-Unites de Essàfaleia, or the United Provinces of Essàfaleia, so named for the river that bisected the great nation[8]. A council of the nation’s most distinguished thinkers educated in the art of governance, advised by the relevant technocratic committees, censors and trade bodies, would rule the fledgling nation[9].
Since that time Essàfaleia developed in relative isolation from global affairs, with few par neighbours and away from the machinations and conflict of the Old World. There were some skirmishes, however, with their northern neighbours, particularly the Hesperidean petty kingdoms in the Çoàneian Plateau[10]. This combination of political isolation, economic prosperity and border disputation gave rise to a simultaneously rich, inventive culture that was also deeply chauvinistic. Although the coast is cosmopolitan, with notable cultural minorities -most famously, various Mandé Trading Circles that built up in the immediate independence of the nation, known for Ancestor Worship and magic tricks[11]- the interior is very imperious toward their inland neighbours and the Quaddaen[12] conurbations throughout the west[13]. Nevertheless, Essàfaleia is the eminent power in the region, with a diversified economy, a large population and relatively robust systems of governments.
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The large wall of text on the map reads as following: “The Provinces was established, primarily, from conflict. Most settlements in this period were foundationally private, particularly soldiers' trusts and sugarcane shreni, although they usually received a subsidy from the wider Espanjan government. Espanjan Port Authorities typically possess immutable power to compel excise and port duties from foreign interests, per the Tarragonni Accords, which these settlements fell under. Therefore, the settlements petitioned the Crown to federate, in what became known as the Manifesto of Unification.
Today the Provinces of Essàfaleia are an economic leader in the fields of natural gas extraction, applied medical technology, freight transport, advanced agriculture and other technistia. They are a centre of tertiary education, the world's largest producer of beluae (robots), and one of the few countries to maintain a commercial presence in space.
Insulated from the machinations of the Old-World powers and with few rivalrous neighbours, the Provinces are politically lethargic and dominated by private interests. They are a rich culture, noted for a motley cuisine, colourful religious celebrations and a cosmopolitan attitude; although cultural chauvinism remains among the more conservative elements of society. However, they are no slouch, and possess a mixed defense force of federal and leased militia[14].”
Thereafter, the text aside the pictures in the bottom left read as follows: “Clockwise from Top-Left: Views of Sobrachosta's Old Town; the City Centre of Qvonti, centred on the Church of Saint Fructuós; and the famed terraced town of Tricarettu.”
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Finally, I have the standardized Espanjan alphabet (as used by both Espanja and Essàfaleia): Aa Bb Cc (Çç) Dd Eɛ Ff Gg Hh Ii Jj Kk Ll Mm Nn Oo Pp Qq Rr Ss Tt Vv Ww Xx Yy Zz.
I went for a Sardinian-Catalan hybrid that borrows heavily from Latin and less so from Corsican, as well as the odd French word. If you were to know Catalan (odd lettering aside) you might be able to understand the map's text through phonetics alone. In Necessariis Unitas is a Latin phrase meaning 'In necessary things, unity', which works quite well for the foundation of the state.
[0] - The title is a Mark Twain quote: "The great Mississippi, the majestic, the magnificent Mississippi, rolling it's mile-wide tide along, shining in the sun."
[1] – The Christian world tends to be split into Europe and the Mediterranean, due to the many Christian powers on the North African rim.
[2] – More intercontinental trade for a longer period of time gave the Native Americans some resistance to Old World disease and so small coastal kingdoms popped up around European trading posts, similarly to pre-colonial Africa. This would unfortunately make conquest a far bloodier affair as there were more natives putting up a greater fight.
[3] – Lesser Antilles, named after the Goddess Salacia.
[4] – Mexican Gulf, named after the Taino; the Floridian Peninsular, derived from the Taino word for subchief, Nitayno; and the OTL Piedmont region of the US, which has basically the same name because the Espanjans applied the same logic in naming it that the British did.
[5] – Lake Okeechobee.
[6] – Cannabis and watermelon.
[7] – An Indian term for Guilds.
[8] – The Mississippi.
[9] – Democracy ain’t so hot ITTL, with most governments oscillating between technocratic, corporatocratic, enlightened absolutist, collectivist or downright fascist. That being said there is a lot of Greek-style direct democracy on the local level and so some level of dissemination of government to lower levels compared to our own world. Governance is considered a learned subject, although what that constitutes varies between the institutions that teach it; universities are a lot more partisan as a result.
[10] – Appalachians, named after an Espanjanization of the Tsoyaha. Tsoyaha becomes Çoànaha becomes Çoàneian, which gets extrapolated out to the entire Appalachians.
[11] – I did not intend for the Mandé to be a stand-in for the stereotypical voodoo practicing Louisianan Black, but here we are.
[12] – Caddoan peoples.
[13] – Racism, as we would understand it, isn’t a thing. There was no period of sole European dominance and most of the world is fairly equitable, technologically and economically. Of course there are exceptions where a European in a deeply homogenous Afghan state wouldn’t be trusted, but generally there is no ‘you’re inferior because of the colour of your skin’ mentality. There is, however, incredibly pervasive cultural chauvinism wherein someone will think their culture is superior to that of their neighbour. I might think my institutions, my economics, my cultural life is inherently superior to your own.
[14] - No global ban on foreign legions or private troops, so leasing entire armies is quite normal particularly for smaller nations in times of conflict. Sometimes it's just cheaper to pay for a military than to make one yourself.
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Note: Due to the collaborative nature of this world between myself and Hatkirby aspects of this map are subject to change or retcon.
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Personally, I love maps that have both appealing colors and interesting but not cluttering internal boundaries. That's to say, I love your map! It definitely piqued my interests and is very nice to look at. I am definitely following your TL to see whats going on!
Another epic map from this shared universe! I love not only the amazing style of your maps but also learning more and more in a piecemeal fashion about this larger world. Is there any place that you guys are posting all of the maps or this shared TL?
(Also, forgive me if I forgot, but what's the name of the overall TL again?)
Typo: Title means Rolling It is Mile - Wide Tide Along. All my complaints are strictly grammatical: you have an excellent map and great worldbuilding going on here!
Yes, it is. They went to war in like 1938 and that prevented Russia from expanding too much.
It's Wilhelm I getting assassinated in 1878.
Thanks! I figured, if I was gonna do a Russiawank, I was gonna do it well.
Hey, I really really appreciate you saying that
Thank you!This conlang is so goddamn sexy I can't even deal. Good job. I need to know more about how the shreni developed and operate.
Jesus, these maps lately! @B_Munro posted his behemoth of a map and I was like "hang on, let me take some time with this" and you all were like "haha, yeah, okay but no, here's like 10 other incredible maps for you to process". This community blows my mind sometimes, I need to copy that initiative and start cranking out maps.
Well, I have no idea of what POD this could be or anything, it's probably a whole messy TL with stronger Spanish colonies and, I guess less immigration in the US or something. Anyway. If you have questions, I will see if I can figure an answer.
The glove and the mention of "his name" made me think of Thanos for some reason.N A T U R A L O R D E R I S C H A O S
Y O U S T I L L D O N T K N O W H I S N A M E D O Y O U
(OOC: This is an experiment in the start of something new. I am not... super proud of this, but it was a thought experiment. I'm going to be leaving a trail of breadcrumbs for y'all to enjoy.)
This is a very recent development. A few generations ago, people didn't speak French in a lot of those areas. Public schools making French the only language taught did that. His map is also accurate in that Catalonian is more closely related to Occitan than anything. To the point it's close to mutually intelligible.
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