Map Thread XVIII

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No. The Elder Things from At the Mountains of Madness colonised Mars in the ancient past, but most of them fled to Earth when the planet started to go tits up. A few of the more crotchety types held out for a while longer until Nyarlethotep showed up and started messing with them.

Big N would have them build the Martian Pyramids, the Face of Mars etc. And he'd bring that same bored cruelty to early humans when he appeared as the Black Pharaoh.
“Bored cruelty” is a good way to describe what Nyarlethotep does. Also, awesome map and setting, I look forward to more. Am I correct in guessing that Telchines is home to the last free members of the poor race that used to inhabit Nemesis before the Rhamnousians arrived?
 

KapiTod

Banned
“Bored cruelty” is a good way to describe what Nyarlethotep does. Also, awesome map and setting, I look forward to more. Am I correct in guessing that Telchines is home to the last free members of the poor race that used to inhabit Nemesis before the Rhamnousians arrived?

That's pretty much their story yeah, a rather advanced species (say Earth by around the late 21st century) when they got dragged into this new dimension. Since a rather more callous thing was responsible for grabbing them they weren't lucky enough to be secured in some safe little pocket dimension before the fighting started so most of the species got wiped out- save for those who managed to make it to secure locations underground, or were on the planets mostly ignored extraterrestrial colonies. The lunar colony folks have managed to keep the surviving generations pretty healthy, if highly strung and obsessed with the correct regulation of their sterile homes. The ones that survived underground are kind of degenerated, in the proper Lovecraft sense where they've literally devolved due to inbreeding and proximity to eldritch forces and just being stuck underground for centuries on end.

And the irony is that technically the Telchinites are the Rhamnousians, since I figured that if I called an alien race "the Nemesians" I'd likely be sued by DC. This is something that 99% of humans in TTITTs won't know about, and those that are powerful enough to visit the other worlds of this system just literally don't give a fuck a bunch of aliens being enslaved by stronger aliens. A lot of warlocks are Social Darwinists, this is what happens when a bunch of guys from the 1890's are given god-like powers.
 
Got two new alt-history maps here, the first one being what I call the "King, Kaiser, and Huangdi" timeline:

k86Lsjy.png


Here, the Qing Empire under the Xuantong Emperor reigns supreme over all of China, while the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth have risen from the ashes to dominate Eastern Europe.

The second map I have is the dark but popular (by AH.com standards, that is) "Axis Victory" timeline:

jkKY3j3.png


Here, the Axis Powers (somehow) reign victorious in World War II, and proceed to redraw the maps of Europe, Africa, and Asia to fit into their visions of a new world order.
 
It wouldn't really make sense to depict the British Isles as a state, it's just a region where humans are now. And if it's the British isles, there's no reason for Brittany to come along with.

If I'm not mistaken, it's considered rather poor etiquette to simply post an ISOT map without any fleshing out of detail beyond simply copying and pasting various polities in.
Was the original post deleted? I can’t even access the attachment which is odd...
 
Another installment to The Terror in the Trenches, this time looking beyond the broken Earth to our solar neighbours, and a couple of interlopers too.

The sun has been replaced by an Eldritch Abomination? Wild. Is Yi-Shamyr being paid for this gig?
 

KapiTod

Banned
The sun has been replaced by an Eldritch Abomination? Wild. Is Yi-Shamyr being paid for this gig?

Paid in experience and all the abominations it can absorb. I shifted very quickly from this powerful guardian being which acts as the Earth's jailer to what's basically a cosmic intern, playing mine sweeper for all eternity.

On the plus side kids learn very quickly not to stare at the sun.
 
Paid in experience and all the abominations it can absorb. I shifted very quickly from this powerful guardian being which acts as the Earth's jailer to what's basically a cosmic intern, playing mine sweeper for all eternity.

On the plus side kids learn very quickly not to stare at the sun.
Or else their eyes will burn and drip some goo. :biggrin:

Sorry, couldn't resist.
 

Vuu

Banned
The entire Russia ISOT thing shows a pretty disturbing lack of knowledge of any affairs, or way of thinking in areas east of the Iron Curtain (or the Hajnal line to a lesser extent)

There's no way that Kaliningrad with almost a million inhabitants, will be given to anyone - that'd be the new Russian "core". Crimea disqualifies as NATO would probably stop just short of giving nukes to the Ukies to pacify the area, before Ukraine becomes a Somalia tier failed state. In the scenario, the proportionally biggest winner would be Belarus, who'd probably take over all the Russian remnants and become Russia 2
 
I shifted very quickly from this powerful guardian being which acts as the Earth's jailer to what's basically a cosmic intern, playing mine sweeper for all eternity.
Hmm, yes, I can see it. After all, it isn't like the Earth is important enough to merit a jailer, is it?
 

Skallagrim

Banned
The entire Russia ISOT thing shows a pretty disturbing lack of knowledge of any affairs, or way of thinking in areas east of the Iron Curtain (or the Hajnal line to a lesser extent)

There's no way that Kaliningrad with almost a million inhabitants, will be given to anyone - that'd be the new Russian "core". Crimea disqualifies as NATO would probably stop just short of giving nukes to the Ukies to pacify the area, before Ukraine becomes a Somalia tier failed state. In the scenario, the proportionally biggest winner would be Belarus, who'd probably take over all the Russian remnants and become Russia 2

Given? Taken, more like. or rather... re-taken, as the ones doing it will see it. In the event (the disappearence of a vast country; the imminent threat to Northern Europe's ability to survive harsh winters) absolutely no-one will care about details like "human rights" for a bit. If Poland and Lithuania see an opportunity and take it, that will be that.

The idea that Belarus (which is propped by Russia) would do better than Ukraine is, frankly, laughable. Belarus is not going to become the new Russia. At best, it expands a bit to the east, totally defects from all former loyalties and begs to be let into the EU on a fast track (in exchange for allowing the EU to channel emergency oil and gas transports through Belarus, one presumes). Ukraine, meanwhile, enjoys the geatest Western support in its history in 2014, and is going to play that for all it's worth.
 
The entire Russia ISOT thing shows a pretty disturbing lack of knowledge of any affairs, or way of thinking in areas east of the Iron Curtain (or the Hajnal line to a lesser extent)

There's no way that Kaliningrad with almost a million inhabitants, will be given to anyone - that'd be the new Russian "core". Crimea disqualifies as NATO would probably stop just short of giving nukes to the Ukies to pacify the area, before Ukraine becomes a Somalia tier failed state. In the scenario, the proportionally biggest winner would be Belarus, who'd probably take over all the Russian remnants and become Russia 2
Ukraine wouldn't need nukes to pacify Crimea, Crimea would have relatively little choice but to rejoin Ukraine and any attempt to do otherwise would be dealt with by swift intervention. Europe's involvement wouldn't need to be anything more than minimal.

And why on Earth would Belarus take over all the Russian remnants, moreso than Ukraine? Ukraine has 5 times the population, an economy that's more than twice as large, has a better-developed industrial sector/more industry, a much greater international diaspora, and perhaps most importantly, why would the (much, much more powerful) EU allow Lukashenko to occupy any territory that has more value than the prestige of grabbing it? Particularly when they can support the expansion of democratic and Europe-leaning Ukraine, the expansion of the Baltic member states and need access to Russian oil that would serve them better in EU hands than in Belarusian. Belarus will only take whatever territory the EU permits them to. Ukraine will likely join the EU and assist in the securing of key areas as well as the development of natural gas extraction and pipeline construction.
 
Given? Taken, more like. or rather... re-taken, as the ones doing it will see it. In the event (the disappearence of a vast country; the imminent threat to Northern Europe's ability to survive harsh winters) absolutely no-one will care about details like "human rights" for a bit. If Poland and Lithuania see an opportunity and take it, that will be that.

The idea that Belarus (which is propped by Russia) would do better than Ukraine is, frankly, laughable. Belarus is not going to become the new Russia. At best, it expands a bit to the east, totally defects from all former loyalties and begs to be let into the EU on a fast track (in exchange for allowing the EU to channel emergency oil and gas transports through Belarus, one presumes). Ukraine, meanwhile, enjoys the geatest Western support in its history in 2014, and is going to play that for all it's worth.
I was going to say that the first reaction of the vast majority of a group being wiped out isn't to finish off the rest, but then I recalled the pogroms in Poland at the end of WWII. I think many other people will also rememeber them, and have choice words about the Poles actively going and purging an area of its population. Heck, it had technically not been a part of the Kingdom of Poland, or any of the Republics, for maybe six or eight hundred years, if ever. As for Lithuania, I can see people accusing them of taking advantage of the situation. Latvia and Lithuania lost land to Russia after WWII, but Lithuania was pumped up with the return of Memel and the kicking out of Poles and Belarussians four the Vilnius area.

That being said, the main issue is if they go about annexing land. Disarming Russian forces might suffice. I expect the everyone bordering vacant land will make a large claim, and both the Poles and Lithuanians might feel left out. This stuff could fit in a thread of its own so won't think over the details. One thing I think me should make clear though is that not all ethnic Russians are fifth columnists. I know you aren't implying that, but I met a couple who had to flee Ukraine several years back because they refused to join a Russian militia and the ethnic Ukrainians refused to protect them because they weren't 'Ukrainian'. Germans and Jews from throughout Eastern and Southern Europe felt right at home with the lands they were in for centuries before Hitler came through, followed by the Soviets and others deporting everyone who wasn't of their own ethnicity. Or would make a good laborer. Again, I know you weren't implying any of this, but I don't think anyone would look very kindly upon ethnic cleansing. All it will do is polarize people and I don't see the public standing for it. Taking out militias and putting soldiers under custody is another matter. I half wonder if the EU won't try to have the Russian remnant join the EU to get their territorial claims. Not that it would be the wisest to give them that de jure claim.

Side note, loads of Russians, Mingrelians, Ossetians, and Abdkazians will be driven into the wilderness or refugee camps if things went too bad, or if the Russian army fought back to hard. I expect most of the people in the Arctic Islands to either freeze or sail to Alaska or Norway. Anyone know the level of cultural consciousness the Circassians still have? Seems to be millions them in the Middle East.


Ukraine wouldn't need nukes to pacify Crimea, Crimea would have relatively little choice but to rejoin Ukraine and any attempt to do otherwise would be dealt with by swift intervention. Europe's involvement wouldn't need to be anything more than minimal.

And why on Earth would Belarus take over all the Russian remnants, moreso than Ukraine? Ukraine has 5 times the population, an economy that's more than twice as large, has a better-developed industrial sector/more industry, a much greater international diaspora, and perhaps most importantly, why would the (much, much more powerful) EU allow Lukashenko to occupy any territory that has more value than the prestige of grabbing it? Particularly when they can support the expansion of democratic and Europe-leaning Ukraine, the expansion of the Baltic member states and need access to Russian oil that would serve them better in EU hands than in Belarusian. Belarus will only take whatever territory the EU permits them to. Ukraine will likely join the EU and assist in the securing of key areas as well as the development of natural gas extraction and pipeline construction.

May be the Russian official who are left over go into the orbit of Belarus, possibly under the aegis of the Union State. Losing their biggest trade partner wouldn't help Belarus, but it would keep people occupied. Ukrainian wouldn't necessarily go to the areas directly by Belarus anyways, focusing more on the Ukraine, while the Finns, Balts, Scandinavians, and EU in general may try developing Ingria. Ends up that maybe Belarus is allowed to run some trains to Kaliningrad, but Ukraine and the Balts each control the major rivers and coasts of Russia. I don't see the Belarusians having the most resources to develop a land without roads,
 
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China and Kazakhstan are both going to be grabbing some pretty big chunks. China will also have some of the stuff got to Mongolia to seem slightly less threatening to the US. While making Mongolia a total puppet.
 
m6yydjyeqtl11.png



The first european settlers of what are known as Cape breton and Prince edward islands IRL are greenlandic norse, who decided to leave en masse their colonies to the americas in the second half of the 14th century. For the next 150 years they would slowly grow in numbers in their vinland and marksland, but would regularly venture further south.

During the second half of the 15th century, they would meet basque whalers who would cross the atlantic, they would trade and slowly build some small communities on the cape breton island. But the first true settlers would be the portuguese. João Álvares Fagundes alongside some colonistst woud start a trade and fishing colony on Magdalen island, despite being on the "spanish side of the world", its small size would make it insignificant to the habsburgs. And it would slowly grow, benefiting from trade with the dozens of thousands of Norse living in the gulf.

Like much of the other part of norse america, it would be heavily contested between France and England in next two centuries, and a small french and english population could settle on the two islands, although never reaching a majority. After changing hands for the last time they would be integrated with Hollnes, the other part of what is IRL the maritimes, and they would take part in the rebellions in the early 19th century against british rule, following the creation of the Dominion of Borealia the common past of the population of the two islands, who speak the same dialect of Greenlandic - and there are many dialects as it is spread from IRL New England to Alaska. The population of Sjorvatney would grow quickly in the 20th century after the discovery of large iron ressources.

Today The population of the state is about 430,000, Greenlandic is an official language spoken by 74% of the population, both English and Markslandic writing are used, French and English are Federaly mandated languages and spoken at home by 18% of the population. Basque (2% as a mother tongue) and Portuguese (5%) are also official languages.

This infobox is in the same timeline

This one too

EDIT: Someone asked me about their religion so:

" Well before the "actual" discovery of america in 1492, the greenlanders/North american norse (especially those in the maritimes) are at the very end of the western society, it takes months to go there from england. They stay catholic like they were in the 11-13th century until the 16th century.

In 1520 Denmark claimed all of the norse america, from greenland to the farthest outpost in what would New England. But they effectively don't have much power to what happens there. In the 1530s More Icelanders go to america for fishing and at the time there was a growing lutheran movement, that was the first contact with protestantism for many norse. In 1538 Christian III the king of denmark issued a church ordinance to their colonies. Over the next decades most of greenland (which is much less populated than america at that point) would be converted, and it offered less resistance than Iceland

. Meanwhile Portuguese were actively trying to reaffirm the faith in their small fishing and trade outpost in Magdalen island, and for the 16th century most of the southern part of the american north realm stayed catholic, while greenland and marksland (labrador) would be lutheran.

Eventually danish influence waned further, as did portuguese one to let room to french and english, english had virtual control over most of arctic "canada" while the "st lawrence gulf" was disputed - french in america had good success at spreading catholicism, The british had good success at converting vinland (which they kept until the mid 20th century) to anglicanism. The first Greenlandic bible was printed by portuguese missionaries in the 1570s, before even icelandic (which was very close in its written form) ones were made.

But basically: Greenland: Protestant (Lutherian - Atlantic Commonwealth church), Vinland = Anglican majority, Marksland = Mixed, protestant (Mostly reformed) near the coastline and the north part, while catholic near Lower Lawrence (Quebec), Maritime and below: Mostly catholic, with anglican and Protestant reformed minorities
 
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Skallagrim

Banned
reasonable-statements-about-human-beings-snip

I quite agree that we're not looking at something like genocide here, and your arguments - like those of @Valdore Javorsky earlier - certainly have merit. I would not discount the possibility that most everyone reacts in a reasonable manner, and that we end up with a Post-Russian Kaliningrad that voluntarily disarms in exchange for substantial EU support (and a road to membership), and which will then be able to receive the Russian refugees from the Arctic territories (as well as those who were abroad during the event, and those who do not wish to live on Sakhalin, which I really think the Japanese would nab - even if 'just' as a protectorate - considering their historical claims.)

But then, there's the more pessimistic outlook. My own take on humanity is that uncertainty tends to bring humans back to more base urges and instincts. Civilisation is certainty, and that is a shell we have built for ourselves. When there is chaos, when there is vast, supernatural change and complete uncertainty ("Are these the End Times?"), I think some people will prove to be heroes... and many others will prove to be quite less than that.

Russia is gone. Russia, which just yesterday was - or seemed to be - on the brink of war with NATO. It is gone. Is this providence? Is this the apocalypse? Is this a sign from God? What is happening?! -- Wait, there are still Russians left. Broadcasts from Sakhalin, emergency signals from the Arctic... and Kaliningrad is still there, receiving no word from Moscow. Over there, panic reigns. Has the West annihilated the Motherland with atomics? Certain military commanders start fiddling nervously with those launch codes they have on them...

In Europe, once the reality of the situation dawns on everyone, it will soon become evident that there is going to be a major problem come winter. Securing "strategic resources" is paramount. Poland and Lithuania will be rather more worried about an imminent threat huddled between them. I can easily see them rolling into Kalingrad, with EU support, offering EU help to rebuild Russia from "the unexplained cataclysm" in exchange for disarmament.

Later on, it will become clear that various other powers are moving into former Russian territory. It would not surprise me if Poland and Lithuania decided on a line of control, and essentially each annexed "their" part of Kalingrad. This does not have to involve killing all Russians, but considering tensions (and potential for worse), both nations may strongly encourage lots of Russians to move to the "Russian Development Zone", where a (much smaller) Russian homeland is being built with extensive NATO and EU support.

I fully expect the EU and NATO to support Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Ukraine and Georgia expanding into former Russian territory (and Belarus, too, if it is smart enough to pivot its allegiance to the West). These countries will likely be offered fast-track entry into the EU and NATO if they behave and cause no problems. "New Russia" will get the same offer, I imagine-- once it's sufficiently rebuilt to even function independently.

Kazakhstan will be ambitious in its claims, probably, which NATO will tolerate as long as Kazakhstan doesn't infringe on the strategic resource-rich regions NATO has prioritised for its own benefit.

In the East, China wll be moving rapidly and ruthlessly, knowing a land-rush when it sees one. Japan will assume conrol over Sakhalin (and the Kurils), partially to keep the Chinese out (thus gaining US backing for it) and partially to get something they've wanted for a long time.

In North-Eastern (ex-)Russia, the USA will likely move in with military force, for keep the Chinese hemmed in and to gain some resources on the cheap.


...and that's pretty much it. That's what I see happening. Without meaning to insult @TheDetailer by appropriating the scenario for another edit... I've cooked up another edit. (Truly, take it as a compliment: this whole ISOT has clearly captured a lot of peoples' attention!)

This mock-up below serves to illustrate what I think the final "outcome" would be. (Map adjusted for SUCK, potential geostrategic effects on the wider world ignored.) I think it's fairly self-explanatory, except maybe the blue area-- which is a NATO-administred "strategic resource area", where oil and gas are being pumped up to supply Europe. In time, the Russians may regain authority over the area (provided satisfactory treaties to supply Europe with oil and gas are signed)... but that's a long way off.

Event 2014.png
 
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I think you've got the right idea about the virgin lands, but I remain very skeptical about your treatment of Kaliningrad, since partition is literally exactly the outcome that people who are against disarmament will predict, and as such there is no way in hell it stands down without receiving a guarantee of its territorial integrity, which it will get, because nobody in NATO except maybe Poland and Lithuania has any plans to annex them. Japanese Sakhalin is doable, but direct integration is almost certainly off the table--a protectorate is more likely, possibly with US as well as Japanese involvement to convince the inhabitants that they're not just a Japanese colony. Crimea depends on whether or not there are nukes down there: if there aren't, it'll probably wind up under Ukrainian control as shown, but if there are, then either they stay independent and diplomatically isolated, or Ukraine calls their bluff, invades, and gets Samson Option'd. The remaining islands, including the Kurils, are probably OK as presented, since they're small and sparsely populated enough that they can't really offer any resistance and their inhabitants can probably be bought off with offers of assisted passage to Kaliningrad/Sakhalin/Belarus or land grants in the NATO-approved Friendly Rump Russia.
 
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