Map Thread XIX

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KapiTod

Banned
Yesterday I had a whim to try and fit the Read Dead Redemption states into a map of America, which is something that has been attempted, usually with a lot of stretching and squeezing. This was what I came up with.

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Very low-effort, but I'm happy with it. Aside from the geographic changes, including the Rockies (known as the Grizzlies in game) extending east past Montana and into Dakota, and creating a massive lake and new river system in the heart of America, I decided that there should be a harsher Civil War since that seems to fit the theme of RDR and GTA as a parody of the corruption, violence, and tyranny that has shaped America

The reason for two maps is entirely because the RDR games new states have interesting borders which are shaped by local geography, which is very un-American, so I flattened things out a bit in a way that does kinda suit the period

The third map is the rivers of course, cause I added a couple of news ones from the games.

For those unsure about some of the borders I decided to use this fan map, most of the stuff beyond the main game isn't canon, but I liked it all well enough to include it. https://i.imgur.com/KDCkrhb.jpg
 

KapiTod

Banned
Excellent. I guess Flatiron Lake being just a hop and a skip from Mexico is part of game canon? Is Gullah a black/freedman state? How about Freedonia? If there is a West Elizabeth, where is East/just plain Elizabeth?

Aye, the San Luis originates in Flat Iron Lake, and it's the border between New Austin and Nuevo Paraiso, though I added a second river to act as the Rio Grande and form the alt Texan border. Gullah and Freedonia are majority Black states. Tbh I always envisioned Elizabeth/East Elizabeth as being on the East Coast, like Virginia, but Virginia canonically exists, so Elizabeth is probably alt Missouri. RDRs America has some more original names than otl.
 
Yesterday I had a whim to try and fit the Read Dead Redemption states into a map of America, which is something that has been attempted, usually with a lot of stretching and squeezing. This was what I came up with.

unknown.png


I decided that there should be a harsher Civil War since that seems to fit the theme of RDR and GTA as a parody of the corruption, violence, and tyranny that has shaped America
how would this harsher civil war affect the outcome of the reconstruction era? and also I could also see other westerns like the dollar saga or Django unchained taking place in this world as well.
 

KapiTod

Banned
In that case, I have a quibble: unless it is flatly in contradiction of canon, West Mississippi or SW Alabama seems a better location for Freedonia: Tennessee just wasn't one of the core slave states, black population-wise.

Here's a map from 1860 with county-level detail: https://collections.leventhalmap.org/search/commonwealth:w9505r836

Ah no, that's the Appalachia Territory, Freedonia is North Alabama/Northwest Georgia. The logic being that they've relocated former slaves to the northern parts of the states both to get them away from the plantations (denying former slave owners an easily exploitable workforce) and to try and reconstruct the more economically viable parts of the states without relying on the White population. Someone on discord pointed out that a longer reconstruction period could force a lot of former Confederates and their sympathizers to migrate west, which can go some way to explain the presence of the Klan in New Hanover and why the police in Los Santos are much more racist and rednecky than in Vice City and Liberty City, they're ex-confederates and their descendants and they still hold a grudge.

The territories in the south- Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, and Appalachia are still territories nearly 30 years on because like many things in the GTA/RDRverse it was stupidly evil and over the top and has backfired. They're economically backwards and underpopulated, prone to unrest and general lawlessness, especially directed against Freedonia and Gullah.

how would this harsher civil war affect the outcome of the reconstruction era? and also I could also see other westerns like the dollar saga or Django unchained taking place in this world as well.

Convenient that I just explained this to Bruce haha. The Black states had a shitload of Federal oversight from the very beginning, partly to defend the new states against their vengeful white neighbours, but also just because the governments racist as fuck and really didn't think Black people had the skills to run their own states effectively. So in 1899 they're feeling the ravages of the Gilded Era even worse than many other states just due to the Fed letting magnates and monopolists run so much of the state resources, going over the heads of the civil officials to do so. The neighboring White states meanwhile are left to wallow, looking on the prosperity of Freedonia and Gullah with envy and completely ignorant as to the condition the majority of the population of those states are living under.
 
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The logic being that they've relocated former slaves to the northern parts of the states both to get them away from the plantations (denying former slave owners an easily exploitable workforce) and to try and reconstruct the more economically viable parts of the states without relying on the White population.

I see, that makes sense.
 
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Here's a less wankish (more realistic/organic) map of of the Second French Empire I previously made a map of. It's based on a timeline where's there's no Hundred Days Campaign and Napoleon II lives. In this timeline Napoleon I dies in battle against the forces of the coalition in defense of France and goes down as a hero. Without the Hundred Days France comes out in a strong position after the war. Without the additional loss of life from further fighting, France's demographics are less strained and its economy is in better shape from France possessing its 1792 borders which include provinces part of the Rhineland. This also has the effect of several Napoleonic marshals and veterans who in otl were killed for treason against the Bourbons, to live longer when the Eaglet returns to France.

Events occur similar to otl where the Bourbons continue to be unpopular, and Charles X's weird combination of naivete and misguided bellicosity causes him to embark on his counterrevolutionary agenda to roll back some of the liberal elements of the Charter of 1814. This leads to the 1830 uprising which is worse for the Royals than otl. This uprising involves rioting in the streets of Paris that sees Charles's son the Duc de Berry (Duc is French for Duke) assassinated and his other son, Louis XIX the Duc d'Angouleme seriously wounded. These events subsequently prompts the Royal Family including the House of Orleans to flee from France with a full scale Revolution occurring. This Revolution results in the Second French Republic being proclaimed in Paris, though it doesn't enjoy much support as it conjures up unpleasant memories all across France about the First Republic which was a failure. The Bonapartists who experience more support due to Napoleon I's legacy being seen more favorably are also active, and begin issuing propaganda about France's glory days under a Bonaparte rather than the "tyrannical" Bourbons. As a result various figures are now struggling to take control of France in the ensuing power vacuum with the Powers of Congress of Vienna scrambling to mobilize their armies.

Napoleon II who unlike his otl counterpart, manages to earn command of an Austrian battalion in Tyrol. Once news reaches him of the instability in France, he establishes contact with some prominent Bonpartists among the rank and file army who served Napoleon I and among the French peerage who were elevated to their titles under Napoleon I during the Empire and King Louis XVII during the Bourbon Restoration. Old French Marshals like Davout who as a result of butterflies, manages to live longer and throws his weight behind the Eaglet allowing for large portions of the French army to defect to the Eaglet. Napoleon II portrays himself as a man wanting to restore order and stability to France. His lack of connection to the past 15 years of politics also allows him to appeal to many different groups. He wins over the Conservatives by invoking the image of previous French Kings, the darker aspects of the Revolution, and France's Catholicism and ancient traditions. To the moderates and liberals, he appeals to them by promising social reforms and refers to the liberals ideas of the Revolution that his father in his creation of the French Empire helped preserve and expand upon. To the rural peasantry and urban poor, he promise reforms and to increase their voice in government as he is Napoleon II the Emperor of the French. This is basically similar to how Napoleon III won over people for his coup and return to power in 1848 and 1852. Though unlike his cousin from otl, Napoleon II is taken much more seriously due the fact that he hasn't many failed coups before this.

Napoleon II marches on Paris and begins restoring order within the city. Though due to his own inexperience in leading troops, he delegates these duties to his subordinate commanders. Napoleon then is soon after crowned within Notre-Dame as Emperor Napoleon II by Grace of God and Constitutions. While Napoleon III in otl had a referendum issued before he took power, Napoleon II due to his upbringing as a Habsburg, simply reinstates his father's 1812 Constituition with some modifications in it. Napoleon II later justifies this by citing how he was automatically Emperor after his father's by right of Salic Law and the Imperial French Constitution. Napoleon II reinstates the old Napoleonic war veterans to their posts and prominent men like Davout help depart their knowledge about French military strategy to the young Emperor.

Napoleon II also makes great attempts to assure the Powers of the Congress of Vienna that he was committed to maintaining peace and order within Europe. He also works to try and mend relations with the UK as well. He visits London and attends the coronation of Queen Victoria whom he impresses along with the rest of the British court and government. Napoleon II through this warming of relations secures British Capital flowing into France, and greater trade which helps boost French industrial output. This combined with the coal from the Rhineland helps France be more industrialized than otl. Napoleon II also pursues similar reforms like his cousin did, and manages to rebuild Paris and construct new infrastructure within France itself. He also works to improve the working conditions of the urban poor which allows him to use them as powerful base of power. With the French upper middle class and elites, the increased trade between Britain and the increased social standing brought by the restored Imperial system and increased trade with the UK endears them to the young Eaglet.

Napoleon II marries Princess Maximiliana of Bavaria (she died in otl in 1821 but lives as a result of butterflies) securing a marriage alliance to it. Meanwhile while Napoleon II builds up the army and industry of his fledgling French Empire, trouble brews within Spain and Portugal. Portugal unlike otl doesn't lose Brazil with it reforming into the Portuguese Imperial Commonwealth under Dom Pedro IV (Pedro I of Brazil). Pedro takes Portugal in a more liberal direction which causes a backlash among the reactionaries wishing for the absolutists system to be restored. This results in Pedro's brother Miguel raising a rebellion which is subsequently defeated with Prince Miguel going into exile. Similar instability plagued Latin America and Spain itself as its ancient Empire collapsed around it. Spain however managed to retain control of its Empire due to the revolt of Rafael del Riego not occurring. Due to King Fernando VII not having a son a succession dispute which later becomes the Carlist Wars ensues between the Infante Don Carlos who styles himself as King Carlos V of Spain and the daughter of Ferdinand VII, Isabella II of Spain. Isabella II was supported by the more liberal members within the government who wish for there to be liberal Constitution in Spain. Napoleon II who was shaped by the old world absolutism of his Hapbsburg grandfather, and the Revolutionary absolutism of his father, chooses to officially remain neutral in the war while tacitly supporting the Carlists. Napoleon II later offers the Carlists asylum after the combined liberal Spanish force and Portuguese forces result in the Carlists' subsequent defeat in the First Carlist War. Napoleon would later offer his support to them in the Second Carlist War as he became more conservative with age and sought to fuse his traditional upbringing under the Habsburgs with the Bonapartist philosophy of his father.

Napoleon while not expanding in Europe, does manage to successfully conquer the rest of Algeria which was stalled under King Charles X. This give the French Army and Napoleon himself critical military experience which would come in handy later for the other wars in Europe. Napoleon's diplomatic approach, and better treatment of the native Algerians which made the conquest go smoother than otl. He also works to integrate the native Algerians and Berbers into the new province after negotiating separate agreements with each tribes that allows them autonomy and local rule under French suzerainty.

Russia in 1830 is dealing with a worse November uprising in Poland which makes Nicholas I more reactionary and distrustful of any liberal policies or reforms. Napoleon though welcomes in Polish exiles after the November Uprising was crushed. These Polish exiles go on to form the Polish Legion who distinguished themselves on the battlefield many times in service of Napoleon II.

In the 18 years leading up to 1848, Napoleon II reforms mainland France by rebuilding the Grand Armee and encouraging more industrialization allows France to be stronger in terms of economic might. Napoleon II also works to correct France's looming demographic crisis with his government which passes natalist policies to encourage families to have more children with incentives and tax-breaks. Napoleon also encourages French settlement Algeria and works to restore North Africa as the breadbasket of France as it was for the Romans over a millenia ago.

In 1848 revolution breaks out in Italy with the Hungarians revolting against the Austrians. Other revolts also break out in Italy with nationalists calling for a unified Italy and an end to Austrian domination. Napoleon II while the titular King of Rome was hesitant to intervene due to the fact that the Austrians still were his family. The Italian kingdom of Piedmont is defeated by Marshal Joseph von Radetzky. Though he is hit by a stray bullet when he marched against the Hungarians which was a devastating blow to the Austrians and a major morale boost for the Hungarians who acclaim their own separate Kingdom independent of the centuries long Habsburg rule. The proclamation of the Roman Republic in Rome, sees the Pope ousted from the St. Peter's throne where he flees to France. The idea of Revolutionary forces storming the center of the Catholic world causes outrage all throughout France and Catholic Europe. Napoleon II then leads a force into Rome where he restores the Pope. He invokes the ancient bond between French Kings and the Pope starting with Peppin and Charlemagne and has the Pope recognizes him as King of Italy while also bestowing him with the title of Defender of the Faith. He also appeals to Italian nationalists by promising to unify Italy in a confederation headed by the Pope. Armed with this massive boost in popularity, he then moves on to Northern Italy to reclaim his title as the Le Roi de Rome (The King of Rome). However the large amount of troops gathered at the Piedmontese border causes skirmishes which blow up into full blown attacks. This prompts Napoleon to the lands of Piedmont between the Kingdom of Italy and the mainland French Empire itself. This was done to eliminate any rival contenders to the title of King of Italy/Rome, as Napoleon II saw the Piedmontese Kings as usurpers to his title that his father bestowed upon him as an infant. Napoleon also with the Pope's blessing invades the Kingdom of Two Sicilies which is facing unrest due to unrest from among the Sicilians due to their lack of autonomy. Napoleon makes promises to ensure land reform for the peasantry, and autonomy for the Sicilians which allows him to enter Southern Italy virtually unopposed. He then installs his cousins by Joseph Bonaparte as the Kings of Sicily and Naples and incorporates their domains into the Italian Confederation. The Italian Confederation is made up of the various states: the Kingdom of Italy (basically Northern Italy whose King is Napoleon II), the Papal states who holds all its traditional lands, the Kingdom of Naples, the Kingdom of Sicily, and later the Kingdom of Sardinia which he incorporates by force after he takes Southern Italy.

In regards to the Rhineland, another Belgian revolt breaks out (the first one was suppressed by the Dutch after the Bourbons were ousted), and Napoleon dusts off the proposed Talleyrand plan to partition Belgium, and arranges for France to get Wallonia while the Netherlands retains East Flanders and Antwerp. This culminates in the French invasion of Wallonia to forcefully annex these provinces. This increase in French territory in the Rhine helps to boost his own popularity while alarming and angering German nationalists.

For Austria, things looked bleak as Hungary was essentially an independent nation. It had also lost its Italian lands to Napoleon and was now a sort of rump state with shaky control in Bohemia and Austria proper as liberal revolutionaries also rose up demanding a Constitution. The Hungarians had rallied behind Lajos Kossuth who was essentially proclaimed as its King by the Hungarian Diet. Though his policy of Magyarization alienated many of the ethnic minorities living inside Hungary and would prove to be his downfall. Archduchess Sophie who was friends with Napoleon II and the mother of Franz Joseph appeals to Napoleon to aid her son. Napoleon obliges and thus marches into Austria with the scattered remnants of the Austrian army joining him in crushing the Revolutionary uprisings in Budapest. From there the Grand Armee marches on Budapest and crushes the Hungarians at the Battle of Pest. Napoleon II also encouraged the other minorities living within Hungary to support their Habsburg overlords and take up arms against the Hungarians. After the battle the Hungarian nobility was gutted by Franz Joseph who with the advice of Napoleon II, had their lands seized and broken up to be added into the Hungarian Crownlands or redistributed among the peasantry. This earned the Habsburgs some control of Hungary and a base of support from among the peasantry while it angered the middle class and the remaining nobility. Austria however would sign a series of economic agreements and an alliance with the French Empire, and due to all the unrest and shaky control of Hungary, it would be unstable and emerge as a de-facto dependent/client state of France.

The other German states in a Frankfurt style Congress unite around Prussia in a loose Confederation known as the North German Confederation. This state is centered around Prussia whose King surrendered to the Revolutions in TTL (this timeline) when they surrounded Berlin, and unified most of Germany around Prussian hegemony. Though Bavaria and the other Southern States join a rival South German confederation in the French orbit. The formation of a rival state on his Rhine border alarms Napoleon who prepares to go to war to retake the Rhineland and crush Prussia once and for all. Britain sees a continental ally/partner in the North German Confederation and works to support it as a counterbalance to the resurgent French Empire. The map depicts Europe before the outbreak of the War of the Seventh Coalition in 1867.

This is map and synopsis is mostly a proof of concept for a timeline I plan on writing sometime later in 2020. What do you guys think of this?

Edit:
*There's an error on the map. Iceland is mislabeled as Ireland. Please disregard that stray error.*
 
How did the Ottomans manage to survive?
This is only the 1860's and Napoleon II has already upset the balance of power in the 1840's by gaining Wallonia and restoring its influence in Italy. France already has its hands full for the moment dealing with administering its new territories and lands while also dealing with a somewhat united Germany on its doorstep. Russia had its hands full with a more successful November Uprising that they spent more effort trying to crush.

Napoleon II also was unwilling to ruffle any feathers and thus concentrated on consolidating his Empire. Thus the Crimean War was averted, and France didn't face the unnecessary loss of life, and it didn't alienate Russia.

That's only slightly more land for the Ottomans when you look at it from OTL. Ottomans still had Bulgaria and Bosnia by 1870.
The Ottomans also managed to enact some military reforms that allowed them to crush the Greek revolt unlike in OTL and this allows them to maintain some more power in the Balkans as there's no successes of the Greek Independence to help inspire more Bulgarians and Serbians to revolt against the Ottomans. A stronger Ottoman Empire also dissuades Russia from attacking it as it doesn't start to look very much like the Sick Man of Europe yet.
 

Deleted member 108228

“It has been ten years since our righteous journey began. Ten years since the September Revolution that toppled the corrupt Hadi regime and began our Rightly Guided State’s journey into existence and freedom. Hadi fled north and called on his masters in Riyadh to help him, thinking they could destroy our righteous movement. But they underestimated our will, our resolve to survive- because we fought for our freedom, our liberation and destiny! That the destiny of the Yemeni nation would be one of freedom, unity, and harmony of all peoples, be they Shia or Sunni.

“When we began our revolution those fateful years ago, we didn’t expect to win. We were simply sick of being abused by the imperialist powers, of being abused and divided and corrupted. We marched to San’a in the hope of gaining at least some recognition of our plight. What we didn’t know was how popular our march was. Everyone both young and old, women and men, Shia and Sunni, all marched with us to get rid of this bygone relic, and so it was set. We would not stop until we freed Sana’a!”

“On that fateful September 21st, there was violence on the streets of Sana’a, but it was not wanton violence. It was violence that served a greater goal- a free Yemen. It showed Hadi and the world that the people’s destiny, their right to determine their own destinies, would not be silenced. They tried using words, and when that didn’t work, they shed their countrymen’s blood. Before the September Revolution, the Shia in this country were persecuted under a bygone relic of the cold war- Ali Abdullah Saleh, the former president of the Republic of “Yemen.” Under Saleh, this country was driven into the ground. Our movement’s members were imprisoned and my own brother was killed on his orders. But let this not sadden you, for their sacrifice helped spawn our victory. Their deaths would water the ground for new life to spring from the chaos- our revolution, the new state that we have forged for ourselves!

“Our revolution, however, was not accepted by the Kings in Riyadh. They sought to return Hadi to power, acting in the name of the Zionist entity that has seized the entire world. But every time they tried arming our enemies, they failed, for they could never win against the will of the people of Yemen. We may have failed to hold Aden, but we held Ta’izz for three years against determined Zionist attempts to topple our stronghold, and we stood FIRM when Marib was attacked by Hadi’s men. We smashed the Zionist plot to control the Middle East, and by extension, the world. They failed in their attempt to oust us. Our Rightly Guided State, forged by brave revolutionaries and tempered by the blood of Zion, has survived, and will prosper!”

“But now is not the time to grow idle. We have secured our existence, but we must never forget that we were founded by revolution! For the Zionist enemy still surrounds us! To our east, the “Republic” of Yemen is ruled by Hadi’s kith and kin, while the Zionists continue to back South Yemen. While they remain, our nation can never be truly safe. We must remain ever vigilant and watchful, as to ensure that the people of our great state remain happy and free. Long live the revolutionary ideals of Ansar Allah! Long live our people! Long live Yemen!

-Transcript of the September Revolution speech of Abdul-Malik Badreddin al-Houthi. September 21, 2024

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Aurantiacis

Gone Fishin'
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The breakup of the Ychma was as much of a mystery as their successor states, and how they managed a confederational system in the Andes that is unprecedented in innovation to keep the old realm together. After the death of Kunak III, archaeologists can clearly see a severe lack of written records during the following years of the Council of Five Brothers. This, combined with the sudden isolation of the kingdoms and aggression towards outside tribes, makes the record very hard to complete.
The Ychma, lasting from 940-1020, was a major but short-lived attempt of unifying the squabbling Andean civilizations. Borne out of the crumbling Ica civilization, the Ychma bloodline introduced cultural reforms severely different to traditional Andean customs. However, the tightness that the Ychma dynasty held together the empire was what brought it down; after costly conflicts with neighboring states drained the treasury and caused tensions within its metropolian districts, Kunak III's lack of successors led to the second time the Andes would be splintered. Emperor Chimbu and Apo Quispuy would inherit the wealthy (Wari) and the core (Cusco) of the empires respectively, while the other regions are given to siblings whose names are lost to history.
For the Andeans, however, this certainly didn't mean all central government failed; a legendary compact between the five brothers between the years 1023 to 1029, forming a remarkable confederation known simply in ancient Quechua as the Council of Five Brothers, as a means to compensate for the balkanized region and give some semblance of unity. Being born as war-fueled individuals, their first plan of action was to expand their influence by betraying a group of weak allies first and supporting the Mupache cultures of the Atacama.
This was not to last. As the Wari and the Cusco began to grind at each other's gears, tensions would rise once again, the breaking point being the assassination of the Cusco emperor's stepbrother, a delegate to the biyearly council. The Emperor of Cusco (who was only the son of the original brother) went to war to Wari, the main suspect. Almost all of Wari's wealth went into ruin as a result. This made Cusco the dominant power in all of the Andes as the Wari Empire was left a rump state of itself, eventually disintegrating in the 1200s.
Over the years, the remaining states would loosen the chokehold the Cusco would have on trading from northern lands and isolation would foster those states their own identities, but ultimately bow to the ruthless Cusco domination. The kingdom would pave the way for the new Kinsantisuyu Empire, the first realm to see to unify the Andean region ever since the ancient Ychma days.
~
Historiae Mutetur map (again)!
Link to the TL: https://www.alternatehistory.com/forum/threads/silent-reverse-mapgame-historiae-mutetur-wiki-thread-part-two.477246/
 
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So, just over four years ago I made this map, and ever since then, the character of "Ruttu the Red," "Ruduruda," or "Rudolf the Red-axed Tyrant" has become one of my favorite characters I've made, despite him originally being made as a joke. This led me to reboot my favorite Sami now.

(note before I begin, I am narrating this from the perspective of a character here, not myself).

~~~~~-----~~~~~

13 truly is a devilish number, as Europe has found out. The 13th century began with the most cursed treachery by the Catholic world, burning Constantinople to the ground and stealing her wealth. Then the Mongol Horde led by their feared Genghis Khan would emerge on the world stage, and the most terrible Ogedei Khan would burn half of Europe to the ground. And just as Ogedei Khan had died and the Europeans were starting to relax, the last conqueror would begin to rise in the far, far north.

The came of this conqueror is Ruttu, or Ruduruda. Legends tell that he was born of a vile act performed by a Swedish nobleman on a Pagan Lappish slave woman. The boy born from this deed was named Rolfe by the father, but called Ruttu by the Lapp. A few years later, the Lapp and baby Ruttu escaped back into the wilderness of the far north, where only the most hardy of people may survive.

Over the the course the next few decade, Ruttu would grow up among the Lapps. However, he was seen as an outsider to them, an impure Lapp. But, through various wicked and underhanded tactics, he would climb through the ranks of his tribe, eventually becoming the leader in 1248, much to the dissatisfaction of much of his people. Immediately upon becoming leader, he would launch a war of unification of the Lappish peoples, culminating in the 1250 Battle of the Lappish plains, where he would fight many rival leaders of the Lapps, bolstered by deserters from his own people. However, Ruttu proved to be a magnificent tactician, and destroyed the armies of his rivals, uniting the Lapps under Ruttu. Thus ends his first campaign.

The process of uniting the Lapps left Ruttu with a lot of enemies, notably the most Christian Kingdom of Norway, of whom Ruttu inadvertently pillaged and raided in his unification effort. King Haakon IV Haakonson demanded retribution from Ruttu, who responded with war. He marched across the Scandes and fallowed the Halagoland coast to the gates of Trondheim on the River Nid in 1252. Their, despite being heavily outnumbered once again, Ruttu was able to beat back Haakon the Old, who had underestimated Ruttu's prowess, in the Battle of the River Nid. Soon after, the Lapps would enter Trondheim and leave it barren of all wealth. Ruttu wished to continue his conquest of Norway, but that would mean entering the much more dangerous lands of the Vestlandet, where the enemy would be awaiting and ever valley and fjord, awaiting to surround him. He decided, rather, to retreat, with the demand that the Halagoland and Trondelag would be ceded to him. He had more important work to be done elsewhere. Thus ends his second campaign.

Sweden was going through a period of turmoil. The previous king was incompetent, and the new one was still a child. Ruttu's actions in his unification of the Lapps led to high tensions with the Swedes, whom claimed rule over much of these lands. Conflict with emerge, with raiding and skirmishing by the Swedes into Lapland. In 1253, Ruttu would respond with his most ambitious campaign. That year, he would driving into the heart of Sweden, executing any noble that came upon his path. The first part of this campaign would come to a head in December of that year, just south of Uppsala. There, the armies of Swedes and Lapps faced one another, ready to fight. But before they could, a terrible blizzard fell upon them. The Swedes took their leave, and rested, but the Lapps found their opportunity to strike. The army of Ruttu snuck their way into the camp of the Swedes and massacred them. Soon after, the royal family would face the same fate when Uppsala fell. The Kingdom of Sweden ceased to exist, and the Lapps would rampage through the land.

In the summer of 1255, still a part of the same campaign, Ruttu would briefly raid the Danish province of Scania. King Christopher of Denmark would respond with attacking the Lappish army. Ruttu would handily defeat this force, and in response, demanded Scania for himself. King Christopher would never respond. Meanwhile, Ruttu would continue northward, and decided to attempt to conquer Norway once more. That November, Aslo would be plundered, with King Haakon barely escaping from his new capital. Once again, Haakon hid in the fortresses of Vestlandet, leaving Ostlandet to be taken by newly christened Ruduruda. Thus ends his third campaign.

It would not be until 1258 that he went on campaign again, and this would be much less noteworthy. In this campaign, he would conquer the Finns, unifying them with his own people. The most notable event was the sacking of the church at Abo, thus damagaing the Christianization effort of Finland. Thus ends his fourth campaign.

In 1261, Ruduruda decided that his enemy in Haakon IV shall be defeated and be removed from the mainland. That spring, he marched south from Lappland, crossed through Ostlandet, and in a maneuver that's only bettered by Hannibal, crossed the Jotunheim mountains, surprising the Norwegian armies. Not long thereafter, the army of the Norwegians would make their last stand at the battle of Guddal. Haakon IV would be among the dead, and the Norwegian Royal family would retreat to Iceland, leaving the mainland to the barbarous Lapp. Thus ends his fifth campaign.

In 1262, Ruduruda had waited seven years waiting for the Danish King to cede Scania with no response. King Christopher had died, and his regency spoke nothing about formal cessation. Even if Ruduruda ruled the land, Danes still claimed it. Ruttu responded with outright conquest. That December, the Oresund froze, and the Lappish forces crossed into Sjaelland. In the opening days of 1263, Roskilde was under siege. However, a Danish army was assembling on the other side of Sjaelland, and Ruduruda decided to face them. Leaving a force behind to continue the siege, he crossed to the other side of the island where he fought the Danes at Soro. Achieving victory once more with ease, he pursued that Danes, making sure as few would escape as possible. The Lapps were free to do as they wished on the island. However, escaping the island would be another matter, as the Danish fleet was tasked with making sure that they stay there. As Ruttu never developed a fleet of his own nor incorporated the fleets of his enemies, he had nothing to fight off the Danish navy. However, God smiles on the Scourge from the North, for that winter, the Danish straits froze again, allowing Ruduruda to cross not just to Fyn, but to Jylland as well. In the closing days of 1265, the last Danish forces would surrender. Thus ends his sixth campaign.

That winter, the Danish straights failed to freeze over, leaving Ruduruda abandoned in Jylland. However, the spring presented an opportunity for further war. In Spring of 1266, he launched his most gruesome campaign, invading the Holy Roman Empire, whom was without an emperor. Lubeck and Hamburg were sacked, and from the latter, Ruttu crossed the Elbe into the wealthy heart of Germany, only being briefly halted at Freeden by a collection of bickering princes. The battle was a massacre, with dozens of princes, barons, and knights having died in the battle, numerous dynasties snuffed out in a single day. What was too follow was worse. The wealthy cities of the Rhine and her tributaries were plundered one by one. It was said that when the Lapps were finished plundering Frankfurt, one could clearly see Cologne, with all the forest in between having been removed. Soon thereafter, a repeat at Freeden would happen at the Battle of Schwalmstadt. Dozens more nobles and clergy would be lost, and Ruduruda escaped north. Thus ends his seventh campaign.

In 1268 he would go another pillaging campaign, this time far in the east. He marched through Ingria into Estonia, where he met the forces of the Livonian Order in the Kiserwald forest. While the devilish Ruduruda would win yet another battle, this did not come without notable losses of his own. Nonetheless, Ruttu would carry down int Riga, where he would sack, but not as much as he would have liked as he was chased out by an even larger army of Livonians. From there, he would enter the Rus', where he would handily defeat the much weaker army of the Polotskians. After sacking their capital, he turned to march on Kiev, the greatest city in the east. However, he would quickly find himself humbled when he came about a Mongol army of a hundred thousand, reminding him that he might be the Great Ruduruda, but he would be no match for the Mighty Mongol. They gave him a simple demand: turn around, and leave your valuables. And that he did. The Great Ruduruda had been humbled. He turned north with his army of Lapps, sacked Smolensk, and took tribute from Novgorod. Thus ends his eighth campaign.

His final campaign would come in 1272. Starting from Lubeck he would follow the Elbe southward, his eyes set on the Elbe's jewel in Prague. First he would fight off a smaller army at the Elde river, meant only to stall that Lapps while a larger army arrives. Soon thereafter, news that Richard, the supposed King of the Romans, had died spread, meaning a new election, and every elector stood with Ottokar, King of Bohemia, to also be the King of the Romans and Holy Roman Emperor. For them, this was a matter of life or death. This would not faze the Lappish Lout, and he continued his way down the Elbe river. He would come across a second army at Stollberg, once again meant only to stall Ruduruda. Finally, when he arrived to the gates of Prague, a grand army had been assembled to challenge the Lapps. The battle of Prague commenced, and when the dust cleared, the Lapps were retreating, carrying with them the corpse of the King of the Lapps. Ruttu the Red had perished. Thus ends his ninth campaign.
 
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So, just over four years ago I made this map, and ever since then, the character of "Ruttu the Red," "Ruduruda," or "Rudolf the Red-axed Tyrant" has become one of my favorite characters I've made, despite him originally being made as a joke. This led me to reboot my favorite Sami now.

(note before I begin, I am narrating this from the perspective of a character here, not myself).

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Honestly, this is both horrifying, but cool at the same time.

I can only assume Ruttu's Empire falls apart without him as he seem to only war and conquer. (So an kinda Timur the Lame.)

I honestly wouldn't mind an sequel if you may how the regions of Europe recover and the fate of the Lapps if they can hold onto anything or not.
 
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