Rememberences of Map Contests Past
- Thread starter B_Munro
- Start date
Alex Richards
Donor
I'm still following. This is quite a good thread for getting ideas for future contests from
Kaiphranos
Donor
I'm still following. This is quite a good thread for getting ideas for future contests from
And for reliving my glory days.
At long last...
MotF 65...
The Miracle
The Challenge
Make a map showing a nation that has achieved an "economic miracle" and become an advanced economy that did not do so in our timeline. Our timeline examples would include Japan and Germany following World War II, as well as the Four Asian Tigers, Thailand, and modern China.
The Restrictions
There are no restrictions on when your PoD or map may be set. Future maps and ASB (i.e. blatant implausibility) are not allowed.
What constitutes an "advanced economy" is vague - a broader interpretation of the term is allowed where possible. However, the country must be significantly industrialised, and it must be more developed relative to other countries in the timeline.
You may not show a country that is an advanced economy in our timeline. This covers most of Western Europe, the USA, Canada, Japan, and South Korea. Again, a wider interpretation is permitted were possible, so countries like Thailand, India and China are still permitted, as are Eastern European countries (Russia included) provided that they are significantly more developed in your timeline than they are in ours.
MotF 65...
The Miracle
The Challenge
Make a map showing a nation that has achieved an "economic miracle" and become an advanced economy that did not do so in our timeline. Our timeline examples would include Japan and Germany following World War II, as well as the Four Asian Tigers, Thailand, and modern China.
The Restrictions
There are no restrictions on when your PoD or map may be set. Future maps and ASB (i.e. blatant implausibility) are not allowed.
What constitutes an "advanced economy" is vague - a broader interpretation of the term is allowed where possible. However, the country must be significantly industrialised, and it must be more developed relative to other countries in the timeline.
You may not show a country that is an advanced economy in our timeline. This covers most of Western Europe, the USA, Canada, Japan, and South Korea. Again, a wider interpretation is permitted were possible, so countries like Thailand, India and China are still permitted, as are Eastern European countries (Russia included) provided that they are significantly more developed in your timeline than they are in ours.
JJDXB:
My entry, an Iran that performs much better than it did. It avoided the Revolution of 1979 due to some careful reforms by the Shah.
It's all in Farsi, but I think it's fairly easy to work out what most of it says. I'll upload an English version if anyone needs it/thinks it would be useful.
My entry, an Iran that performs much better than it did. It avoided the Revolution of 1979 due to some careful reforms by the Shah.
It's all in Farsi, but I think it's fairly easy to work out what most of it says. I'll upload an English version if anyone needs it/thinks it would be useful.
Scholar:
My original goal was Morocco, but then I noticed every. single. map. so far seemed to be a Middle Eastern nation. I then drifted and thought of a United Korea, a Taiwan, or a Siam. Since Korea included South Korea, and Taiwan is fairly industrialized, I decided against them. Looking up what countries had the potential to be big players, and even should be big players, but aren't. This lead me to the Congo. Since I wanted to avoid stretching out the map again, and wanted to avoid a making a tiny map, I used QBAM and worked on it.
...unfortunately it looks like a clone of Bruce's, which is annoying to me because I tried to be original when picking it. Perhaps it influenced me too much when I was thinking of making a map. Anyways, here's my second entry ever for this map contest.
---
Many of the belligerents inside of the second world war used troops and resources from the colonies, bringing with them much of the propaganda imagery used inside the mainland colonials. When the war had ended soldiers were sent back home indoctrinated with the ideals of freedom, liberty, and nationalism only to return to subservience in their own homes. Cries for independence, which had started long before hand in the end of the nineteenth century, picked up steam with the strong support of veterans of war and workers. Both the French and the British government initially sharply resisted this drive for independence, with Belgium being alongside them, but with the economic downturn of the late 40s and massive debt piling on from war the ravaged European continent could no longer sustain them. When the British finally let go of India in the early 60s it was the end of the British Empire. The French, even more ravenous, let go of all of their colonial possessions, apart from Algeria, by the early 90s. Portugal and Spain kept much of their colonial possessions for reasons unique to them. A committee established to help along all African colonies gain independence was disbanded after it became clear that a number of hypocrisies were being overlooked and the Soviet Union refused to recognize any more of them as independent nations until such hypocrisies were met. With most of decolonization already accomplished, the West turned towards the conflicts with Stalinistic Communism leaving the job mostly unfulfilled.
When it came to the Congo the Belgium government was very reluctant to let it go. At the time, the colony centered in the Congo was one of the wealthiest and most productive in the sub-saharan region of Africa. It housed many of the Belgian leadership in the second World War when they were not off to the United Kingdom or the United States to gather support and show a face of resistance. When the committee tried to force Belgium to give up its Congo, they refused. French and Portuguese plans with their pieces of the Congo also stalled. The French wishing to keep theirs separate from Belgium and the Portuguese considering it more a part of Angola than the Congo. In the 60s various independence groups inside of the "Congo Colonies" agreed to form a popular front towards independence. The French wishing to keep their other colonies from following the same path reluctantly tried to appease one group to focus on keeping the others. Portugal held out until the Congolese Union (the name chosen for the state after the French and Belgian colonies gained independence together as a single state) gained independence in 1968, before 'returning it' to the Congolese.
Throughout the seventies, while various groups battled for independence and raged wars against one another [in many cases after gaining independence from Europe groups would try to gain independence from one another. The same ideal that kept some colonies together, tore others apart], the Congo was comparatively less so. Still a rather poor nation, they were dependent upon industries coming into the country to help with production. As these industries moved in the need for better roads and transportation developed resulting in a number of paved roads and railroads designed for commercial industries. Coca Cola and Pepsi Cola also set up shop, having 3 and 2 factories respectively in the country. It would not be until the 80s where internal strife truly started up.
The Congolese Union had kept the status quo as much as it could, and in many ways acted as a colonial power over a large number of diverse ethnic groups and tribal communities. As the outside world moved on, contact was kept at an absolute minimum with these communities as the government tried to give them whatever they wanted in fear of that ethnic strife could cause massive turmoil in the eastern part of the country. As industry moved in, and communication improved, nationalism grew in the east. The resulting conflicts would be known collectively as the Congolese War and involve a number of competing factions. When it appeared as though the Congolese Union would lose, and with armed combat spilling into neighboring countries, the international community intervened. The conflict was resolved after two years of intense fighting, with the agreement by both the international community and the Congolese themselves that there would need to be serious changes within the government and lead to reform.
The Congolese Union attempted to craft a federal republic, but this did not work out with apparent apathy towards the central government and even more apparent hostility. In the end autonomous zones were carved up from the Congo and were given the right to complete local governance, copying off of several other nations in the process. The Conflicts died down in the 90s and few, if any, reports of strong resistance to the Union exist in modern times.
While the internal conflict resulted in a brief slow in growth, afterwards the economy of the Congolese Union exploded with the discovery of untold numbers of resources. With the country rapidly growing and job opportunities opening up, the need for a better educated populous quickly made itself apparent. Public schools with serious funding were established in every major city and town, public universities and colleges soon followed. Before this the only true education, and even the only true national identity, was provided by the Catholic Church. Now, with growing numbers going to school and the number of graduates increasing tenfold with each generation, the Congolese were finally coming out of their shell. The immense success of the Congolese Union resulted in it branching out, forming trade and economic unions with most neighboring countries, especially so with the Swahili countries in the east.
Currently the Congolese Union has a fertility rate of 2.9, higher than most industrialized nations, but lower than most African nations. Over 75% of the population is literate in French, the official language of the Congo. A number of sub-national languages also exist, when combined the literacy rate for the country approaches 90%. Low amongst much of the world, but extraordinarily high for the region. The GDP of the Congo is 1.249 Trillion, making it 13th in the world, with a population of 92 million [14th]. The GDP per capita is roughly 12,000, comparable to the country of Romania.
My original goal was Morocco, but then I noticed every. single. map. so far seemed to be a Middle Eastern nation. I then drifted and thought of a United Korea, a Taiwan, or a Siam. Since Korea included South Korea, and Taiwan is fairly industrialized, I decided against them. Looking up what countries had the potential to be big players, and even should be big players, but aren't. This lead me to the Congo. Since I wanted to avoid stretching out the map again, and wanted to avoid a making a tiny map, I used QBAM and worked on it.
...unfortunately it looks like a clone of Bruce's, which is annoying to me because I tried to be original when picking it. Perhaps it influenced me too much when I was thinking of making a map. Anyways, here's my second entry ever for this map contest.
---
Many of the belligerents inside of the second world war used troops and resources from the colonies, bringing with them much of the propaganda imagery used inside the mainland colonials. When the war had ended soldiers were sent back home indoctrinated with the ideals of freedom, liberty, and nationalism only to return to subservience in their own homes. Cries for independence, which had started long before hand in the end of the nineteenth century, picked up steam with the strong support of veterans of war and workers. Both the French and the British government initially sharply resisted this drive for independence, with Belgium being alongside them, but with the economic downturn of the late 40s and massive debt piling on from war the ravaged European continent could no longer sustain them. When the British finally let go of India in the early 60s it was the end of the British Empire. The French, even more ravenous, let go of all of their colonial possessions, apart from Algeria, by the early 90s. Portugal and Spain kept much of their colonial possessions for reasons unique to them. A committee established to help along all African colonies gain independence was disbanded after it became clear that a number of hypocrisies were being overlooked and the Soviet Union refused to recognize any more of them as independent nations until such hypocrisies were met. With most of decolonization already accomplished, the West turned towards the conflicts with Stalinistic Communism leaving the job mostly unfulfilled.
When it came to the Congo the Belgium government was very reluctant to let it go. At the time, the colony centered in the Congo was one of the wealthiest and most productive in the sub-saharan region of Africa. It housed many of the Belgian leadership in the second World War when they were not off to the United Kingdom or the United States to gather support and show a face of resistance. When the committee tried to force Belgium to give up its Congo, they refused. French and Portuguese plans with their pieces of the Congo also stalled. The French wishing to keep theirs separate from Belgium and the Portuguese considering it more a part of Angola than the Congo. In the 60s various independence groups inside of the "Congo Colonies" agreed to form a popular front towards independence. The French wishing to keep their other colonies from following the same path reluctantly tried to appease one group to focus on keeping the others. Portugal held out until the Congolese Union (the name chosen for the state after the French and Belgian colonies gained independence together as a single state) gained independence in 1968, before 'returning it' to the Congolese.
Throughout the seventies, while various groups battled for independence and raged wars against one another [in many cases after gaining independence from Europe groups would try to gain independence from one another. The same ideal that kept some colonies together, tore others apart], the Congo was comparatively less so. Still a rather poor nation, they were dependent upon industries coming into the country to help with production. As these industries moved in the need for better roads and transportation developed resulting in a number of paved roads and railroads designed for commercial industries. Coca Cola and Pepsi Cola also set up shop, having 3 and 2 factories respectively in the country. It would not be until the 80s where internal strife truly started up.
The Congolese Union had kept the status quo as much as it could, and in many ways acted as a colonial power over a large number of diverse ethnic groups and tribal communities. As the outside world moved on, contact was kept at an absolute minimum with these communities as the government tried to give them whatever they wanted in fear of that ethnic strife could cause massive turmoil in the eastern part of the country. As industry moved in, and communication improved, nationalism grew in the east. The resulting conflicts would be known collectively as the Congolese War and involve a number of competing factions. When it appeared as though the Congolese Union would lose, and with armed combat spilling into neighboring countries, the international community intervened. The conflict was resolved after two years of intense fighting, with the agreement by both the international community and the Congolese themselves that there would need to be serious changes within the government and lead to reform.
The Congolese Union attempted to craft a federal republic, but this did not work out with apparent apathy towards the central government and even more apparent hostility. In the end autonomous zones were carved up from the Congo and were given the right to complete local governance, copying off of several other nations in the process. The Conflicts died down in the 90s and few, if any, reports of strong resistance to the Union exist in modern times.
While the internal conflict resulted in a brief slow in growth, afterwards the economy of the Congolese Union exploded with the discovery of untold numbers of resources. With the country rapidly growing and job opportunities opening up, the need for a better educated populous quickly made itself apparent. Public schools with serious funding were established in every major city and town, public universities and colleges soon followed. Before this the only true education, and even the only true national identity, was provided by the Catholic Church. Now, with growing numbers going to school and the number of graduates increasing tenfold with each generation, the Congolese were finally coming out of their shell. The immense success of the Congolese Union resulted in it branching out, forming trade and economic unions with most neighboring countries, especially so with the Swahili countries in the east.
Currently the Congolese Union has a fertility rate of 2.9, higher than most industrialized nations, but lower than most African nations. Over 75% of the population is literate in French, the official language of the Congo. A number of sub-national languages also exist, when combined the literacy rate for the country approaches 90%. Low amongst much of the world, but extraordinarily high for the region. The GDP of the Congo is 1.249 Trillion, making it 13th in the world, with a population of 92 million [14th]. The GDP per capita is roughly 12,000, comparable to the country of Romania.
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SpazzReflex:
A more desperate Bolivia give into demands at the Lackawanna Conference, and Accepts the loss of money and land, without the loss of men IOTL. ITTL, still fearing Chile's 'disturbingly close' relations with Britain, James Blaine, US Secretary of State, begins to negotiate friendly relations with Bolivia, in order to combat British Interests in South America.
As US supplies and training are now going to Bolivia, there is a significantly better equipped army ready to reclaim what was theirs. Peru is still quite messed up, but not as badly as it was after OTL's Pacific War. Chile gloats less about the whole war, and is now pressing Argentina about the Patagonia issue.
The Spark is set in 1892, When Argentina and Chile experience a crisis over Bolivian territory in the Atacama. And while both countries fight, Bolivia (and an American Expeditionary force) flew their muscles, reclaiming the Antafagasta region, restoring contact with the Ocean.
The following years weren't to kind to the country, as American companies went rampant in the country. But in the 1930s, as America's companies began to decline in wealth and power, the Bolivian government nationalizes them, utilizing the wealth gained from them to build up the military.
Although The 1940's saw some horrible economic instability, The Japanese Empire (*WWI, *WWII) begins investing in the country, and helps stabilize the country.
As it stands ITTL, Bolivia is a developing country with a GDP of 152,009, known for its somewhat oppressive regime, harsh factory conditions, and cheap electronics.
__________________
A more desperate Bolivia give into demands at the Lackawanna Conference, and Accepts the loss of money and land, without the loss of men IOTL. ITTL, still fearing Chile's 'disturbingly close' relations with Britain, James Blaine, US Secretary of State, begins to negotiate friendly relations with Bolivia, in order to combat British Interests in South America.
As US supplies and training are now going to Bolivia, there is a significantly better equipped army ready to reclaim what was theirs. Peru is still quite messed up, but not as badly as it was after OTL's Pacific War. Chile gloats less about the whole war, and is now pressing Argentina about the Patagonia issue.
The Spark is set in 1892, When Argentina and Chile experience a crisis over Bolivian territory in the Atacama. And while both countries fight, Bolivia (and an American Expeditionary force) flew their muscles, reclaiming the Antafagasta region, restoring contact with the Ocean.
The following years weren't to kind to the country, as American companies went rampant in the country. But in the 1930s, as America's companies began to decline in wealth and power, the Bolivian government nationalizes them, utilizing the wealth gained from them to build up the military.
Although The 1940's saw some horrible economic instability, The Japanese Empire (*WWI, *WWII) begins investing in the country, and helps stabilize the country.
As it stands ITTL, Bolivia is a developing country with a GDP of 152,009, known for its somewhat oppressive regime, harsh factory conditions, and cheap electronics.
__________________
Mine Own:
Hokay: in this world the Egyptian Khedives managed to hold onto the Sudan and keep grubby European hands off their economy, and made some further gains by being on the other side of their World War I - equivalent from the Ottomans (that is to say, they were on the winning side). With a bigger economic base and some sensible development economics - they kept an eye on what the Japanese were up to, for one thing - they managed to grow their economy to the extent they developed a real middle class, and when the last Khedive was given his walking papers, the Republic that was declared managed (after a few false starts) to develop into a real one by the 70s. (Libyan oil helped, too - not enough to bring about Dutch disease, but enough to provide some solid investment money when it was needed). By the 2000s, Egypt is, like the UK or Italy or India, a solid second-rank economic and military power - but prosperity is not without its problems...
Map:
Hokay: in this world the Egyptian Khedives managed to hold onto the Sudan and keep grubby European hands off their economy, and made some further gains by being on the other side of their World War I - equivalent from the Ottomans (that is to say, they were on the winning side). With a bigger economic base and some sensible development economics - they kept an eye on what the Japanese were up to, for one thing - they managed to grow their economy to the extent they developed a real middle class, and when the last Khedive was given his walking papers, the Republic that was declared managed (after a few false starts) to develop into a real one by the 70s. (Libyan oil helped, too - not enough to bring about Dutch disease, but enough to provide some solid investment money when it was needed). By the 2000s, Egypt is, like the UK or Italy or India, a solid second-rank economic and military power - but prosperity is not without its problems...
Map:
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MotF 66: The Gun is our Government
The Challenge
Make a map showing a supposedly anarchic or stateless region, showing the people and organisations that hold actual power in the region.
The Restrictions
There are no restrictions on when your PoD or map may be set. Future maps are allowed, but ASB (i.e. blatant implausibility) is not.
If you're not sure whether your idea meets the criteria of this challenge, please feel free to PM me.
The Challenge
Make a map showing a supposedly anarchic or stateless region, showing the people and organisations that hold actual power in the region.
The Restrictions
There are no restrictions on when your PoD or map may be set. Future maps are allowed, but ASB (i.e. blatant implausibility) is not.
If you're not sure whether your idea meets the criteria of this challenge, please feel free to PM me.
Scholar:
This is something that I've been planning on doing since I heard of the possibility of the criteria and raced to jot down my ideas.
First the scenario:
The collapse of China has always been a messy affair. The fall of the Wei Dynasty, which had ruled over a united china for over six generations, brought with it a tumultuous and chaotic time that swept aside. The last Emperor is three years dead, but even while he was living the Wei was merely an a shadow of its former self. A name branded to a lawless land that no longer believed in the power of the Wei Dynasty. His direct line had all been executed in the months leading up to his death, and with his death no man had the claim to take the title of Emperor of Wei. China, while filled with a hundred different warring factions, has since been divided into seven major contenders for unification.
Lands of the Golden Horse General: Born from a noble family, the Golden Horse General is overlord of three provinces of He Bei: Ji, You, and Bing. His rank was General Who Guards the North, though he had many others that also clung to his name. When the Wei began to crumble from within pressure from without to the north and west from the Touba, Xianbei, Di, Xiongnu, Qiang, and Wuhuan necessitated the need for a strong defense against them. The Golden Horse General, through the use of good tactics and diplomacy, defeated the invaders. In order to cripple their power he launched raiders against them, capturing vast numbers of the populous as prisoners and slaves absorbing the fighting men into his armed forces while disseminating the women and children amongst his lands and households. As he waged his wars defending China from would have become the Northern Dynasties, China was disintegrating from within. The Golden Horse General proclaims nominal support for the King of Kaifang though the two often engage in skirmishes, and spends much of his time warring with the White Horde and the Followers of the Way of Peace.
The Kingdom of Kaifang: Ruled over by the King of Kaifang [not Kaifeng], Cao Yong, of the cadet branch of the ruling house of Wei. While many regard Cao Yong as the true ruler of China now that the main line of the Cao family has died out, Cao Yong has yet to claim the title. The true heir to the Empire of Wei lies hostage in the Riverlands, and Cao Yong has stated that he will not claim that title until he is truly the heir of China. His court, however, points to the founder of the Later Han in urging him to reconsider, but he does not waver from this position. While Cao Yong has the support of the Golden Horse General, he still wages war with him. His main enemies, however, are the Empire of the Riverlands and the Followers of the Way of Peace. The Taoist/Buddhist rebellion to the east has been Cao Yong's greatest rival, one which he continues to lose ground against while never quite being defeated in the field of battle.
Followers of the Way of Peace: Founded by a descendent of Zhang Lu, a distant cousin of Zhang Jiao the originator of this religious revolt. It is a vast rebellion of the Taoist and Buddhist masses that arose after famines and internal rebellions had resulted in the deaths of tens of millions. Unique amongst all other factions, the Way of Peace stems from the peasantry rather than the gentry. Laws and Codes, based on the Five Pecks of Rise Sect, has earned popularity amongst the Taoists and Buddhists. The Confucian Gentry fled in terror, and outside of the provinces of Qing, Xu, and You the rebellion is treated with suspicion and fear. Especially since the leader of the sect claims to be consorting with immortals and proclaiming miracles that heal the sick and summon rains. Others regard the rebellion as being led by a charleton and destined to collapse upon the cult leaders' death.
Bannermen of the White Horde: The White Horde is led by Gongsun Chong, the latest in a long line of Chinese Generals descended from Gongsun Du. The Gongsun Family had conquered much of Korea under Du and Kang back in the beginning of the third century. This subjugation process continued and expanded until much of the peninsula was either subjugated or under their direct rule. Their campaigns also spilled into Manchuria and in the process became more 'barbarian' in nature. With the fall of the Wei Dynasty, the Gongsun family were amongst the first factions to declare independence. They did not claim a royal title like most short lived fools, merely their separation from the Chinese State and the foundation of a new one. The Golden Horse General launched a series of campaigns against them, taking from them Liaodong and much of Ping Province, but ultimately these campaigns proved ineffectual and the Horde's power continues to grow in and outside of Korea waiting for a chance to recapture their ancestral homeland of Ping.
Prince Zhao's Rebellion: Huang Zhao was the fifth son of Huang Xiu, first Emperor of the Riverlands. He served as a general and minister for the Empire and amassed a great deal of power around him. After Huang Xiu's death, his elder brother feared his power and attempted to kill him at a banquet supposedly in his honor after his coronation. Zhao was warned of this treachery by his third brother and was narrowly able to escape the city and flee to Jiang Xia, his princely domain. There he amassed his power and bided his time before he received word that his wife, concubines, children, and household that had still resided in the capital were executed with their heads displayed upon the city gates. Immediately after he declared outright rebellion in opposition to his brother. So far he has been successful against his brother, but recent battles with Eastern Wu and the Followers of the Way of Peace has slowed his advance considerably. The City of Chang Sha, under his sixth brother, also continues to resist him.
The Empire of the Riverlands: The one faction that claims the title of Emperor of China and has the power and the capability to retain it. Founded by the Huang family, descended from Huang Quan who was a minister of Liu Zhang's that had convinced him to surrender to Cao Cao, the founder of Wei, after the Sun-Liu alliance was defeated at Chi Bi. Huang Xiu's empire is the only one that still exists when the chaos began long before the Wei Emperor's demise. After his death, his eldest son Huang Chu succeeded him as Emperor, and later massacred his brother's family after he fled the city because of a failed assassination attempt. Huang Chu is a harsh and uncompromising man who has also dismissed many ambitious ministers and put much of his brothers and uncles under house arrest. Only Huang Lin, his sixth brother, remains free from his grasp. Lin remains loyal to his brother, but how long this loyalty will last under Chu's rule is less than certain.
The Realm of Western Wu: Descended from the house of Sun, this domain is led by the Marquis of Huiji, Sun Loufeng. Sun Loufeng is the tenth generational head of the Sun Family, from the direct line of Sun Deng, first son of Sun Quan. After the defeat of the Sun-Liu alliance at Chi Bi, the naval forces of Wu regrouped at another cross section of the Yangze river. There, Sun Quan and Zhou Yu surrendered to Cao Cao bringing the captured retainers of Liu Bei. Cao Cao cut the domain of Wu by two-thirds, leaving the Sun family in charge of a minor dominion. Quan himself was sent as a hostage at Xu Chang, but later heads of the family were able to resist this. During this period the Sun family reverted back to its mercantile roots and began to control most of the trade southeast China had on its coast and rivers. The wealth it amassed here would allow it to slowly expand its influence and even establish a presence across the seas. Sun Loufeng aims mostly at stable expansion, carefully playing the Huang family and the rebels against one another to increase his own domain.
Notes on the map:
The time frame of the era of this map is roughly 320-340 A.D. This creates a unique time that control over the land was feudal and towns, ministers, and keeps all had varying loyalties. Bandits could roam freely within even the most safeguarded of provinces. This brings us to the use of the airbrush. I wanted it to feel lawless, feel disorganized, and give off the impression of scattered loyalties in a way that fixed black lines and a few dots could not. Part of the inspiration also springs from Tribal Wars, which if you look at the zoomed out map gives off the appearance of an airbrush.
Because of the early nature of the time period I felt that I could get away with a few folklore references on the map, giving a sense of unknown about the outside world. To further this I removed the Ryukyu Islands, Japan, Sakhalin, and the beginnings of the Bay of Bengal. All of which would be superfluous and distracting to the map and the sense I was trying to convey. The Khans of the Horselords refers to the various tribal societies of the steppe and the proto-mongols. The Golden Horse General may have beaten them back, but they are very much alive in the heart of their territory. To the southwest I put the Lands of the Storm Lakes, a hint of folklore that adds to this. The area that the label is over belongs to India, a frequent victim of monsoons in the summer. The Domains of the Sea Dragon also springs from mythology. All this I did to make it feel medieval in nature.
Which brings me to another point, its kind of a cheat. The Gun is Our Government implies that it is in a modern, or semi-modern, setting where guns rule. I had thought of something about that, but at the same time I thought that it would be a novel idea to take it backward into the past. China is famed for this, one need only look up the Later Han of Chinese history to see one of the most fantastic instances of this occurring. This scenario has a POD centered in that era in which the decisive battle of Chi Bi is won by Cao Cao, not by the Sun-Liu alliance. Unfortunately, since this is heavily based in Chinese ancient history I don't expect much interest in the POD or even its aftermath. I did try to make the map appear more benign in the ancient chinese POD, so we'll see how it goes. This is my third entry in the map contests.
This is something that I've been planning on doing since I heard of the possibility of the criteria and raced to jot down my ideas.
First the scenario:
The collapse of China has always been a messy affair. The fall of the Wei Dynasty, which had ruled over a united china for over six generations, brought with it a tumultuous and chaotic time that swept aside. The last Emperor is three years dead, but even while he was living the Wei was merely an a shadow of its former self. A name branded to a lawless land that no longer believed in the power of the Wei Dynasty. His direct line had all been executed in the months leading up to his death, and with his death no man had the claim to take the title of Emperor of Wei. China, while filled with a hundred different warring factions, has since been divided into seven major contenders for unification.
Lands of the Golden Horse General: Born from a noble family, the Golden Horse General is overlord of three provinces of He Bei: Ji, You, and Bing. His rank was General Who Guards the North, though he had many others that also clung to his name. When the Wei began to crumble from within pressure from without to the north and west from the Touba, Xianbei, Di, Xiongnu, Qiang, and Wuhuan necessitated the need for a strong defense against them. The Golden Horse General, through the use of good tactics and diplomacy, defeated the invaders. In order to cripple their power he launched raiders against them, capturing vast numbers of the populous as prisoners and slaves absorbing the fighting men into his armed forces while disseminating the women and children amongst his lands and households. As he waged his wars defending China from would have become the Northern Dynasties, China was disintegrating from within. The Golden Horse General proclaims nominal support for the King of Kaifang though the two often engage in skirmishes, and spends much of his time warring with the White Horde and the Followers of the Way of Peace.
The Kingdom of Kaifang: Ruled over by the King of Kaifang [not Kaifeng], Cao Yong, of the cadet branch of the ruling house of Wei. While many regard Cao Yong as the true ruler of China now that the main line of the Cao family has died out, Cao Yong has yet to claim the title. The true heir to the Empire of Wei lies hostage in the Riverlands, and Cao Yong has stated that he will not claim that title until he is truly the heir of China. His court, however, points to the founder of the Later Han in urging him to reconsider, but he does not waver from this position. While Cao Yong has the support of the Golden Horse General, he still wages war with him. His main enemies, however, are the Empire of the Riverlands and the Followers of the Way of Peace. The Taoist/Buddhist rebellion to the east has been Cao Yong's greatest rival, one which he continues to lose ground against while never quite being defeated in the field of battle.
Followers of the Way of Peace: Founded by a descendent of Zhang Lu, a distant cousin of Zhang Jiao the originator of this religious revolt. It is a vast rebellion of the Taoist and Buddhist masses that arose after famines and internal rebellions had resulted in the deaths of tens of millions. Unique amongst all other factions, the Way of Peace stems from the peasantry rather than the gentry. Laws and Codes, based on the Five Pecks of Rise Sect, has earned popularity amongst the Taoists and Buddhists. The Confucian Gentry fled in terror, and outside of the provinces of Qing, Xu, and You the rebellion is treated with suspicion and fear. Especially since the leader of the sect claims to be consorting with immortals and proclaiming miracles that heal the sick and summon rains. Others regard the rebellion as being led by a charleton and destined to collapse upon the cult leaders' death.
Bannermen of the White Horde: The White Horde is led by Gongsun Chong, the latest in a long line of Chinese Generals descended from Gongsun Du. The Gongsun Family had conquered much of Korea under Du and Kang back in the beginning of the third century. This subjugation process continued and expanded until much of the peninsula was either subjugated or under their direct rule. Their campaigns also spilled into Manchuria and in the process became more 'barbarian' in nature. With the fall of the Wei Dynasty, the Gongsun family were amongst the first factions to declare independence. They did not claim a royal title like most short lived fools, merely their separation from the Chinese State and the foundation of a new one. The Golden Horse General launched a series of campaigns against them, taking from them Liaodong and much of Ping Province, but ultimately these campaigns proved ineffectual and the Horde's power continues to grow in and outside of Korea waiting for a chance to recapture their ancestral homeland of Ping.
Prince Zhao's Rebellion: Huang Zhao was the fifth son of Huang Xiu, first Emperor of the Riverlands. He served as a general and minister for the Empire and amassed a great deal of power around him. After Huang Xiu's death, his elder brother feared his power and attempted to kill him at a banquet supposedly in his honor after his coronation. Zhao was warned of this treachery by his third brother and was narrowly able to escape the city and flee to Jiang Xia, his princely domain. There he amassed his power and bided his time before he received word that his wife, concubines, children, and household that had still resided in the capital were executed with their heads displayed upon the city gates. Immediately after he declared outright rebellion in opposition to his brother. So far he has been successful against his brother, but recent battles with Eastern Wu and the Followers of the Way of Peace has slowed his advance considerably. The City of Chang Sha, under his sixth brother, also continues to resist him.
The Empire of the Riverlands: The one faction that claims the title of Emperor of China and has the power and the capability to retain it. Founded by the Huang family, descended from Huang Quan who was a minister of Liu Zhang's that had convinced him to surrender to Cao Cao, the founder of Wei, after the Sun-Liu alliance was defeated at Chi Bi. Huang Xiu's empire is the only one that still exists when the chaos began long before the Wei Emperor's demise. After his death, his eldest son Huang Chu succeeded him as Emperor, and later massacred his brother's family after he fled the city because of a failed assassination attempt. Huang Chu is a harsh and uncompromising man who has also dismissed many ambitious ministers and put much of his brothers and uncles under house arrest. Only Huang Lin, his sixth brother, remains free from his grasp. Lin remains loyal to his brother, but how long this loyalty will last under Chu's rule is less than certain.
The Realm of Western Wu: Descended from the house of Sun, this domain is led by the Marquis of Huiji, Sun Loufeng. Sun Loufeng is the tenth generational head of the Sun Family, from the direct line of Sun Deng, first son of Sun Quan. After the defeat of the Sun-Liu alliance at Chi Bi, the naval forces of Wu regrouped at another cross section of the Yangze river. There, Sun Quan and Zhou Yu surrendered to Cao Cao bringing the captured retainers of Liu Bei. Cao Cao cut the domain of Wu by two-thirds, leaving the Sun family in charge of a minor dominion. Quan himself was sent as a hostage at Xu Chang, but later heads of the family were able to resist this. During this period the Sun family reverted back to its mercantile roots and began to control most of the trade southeast China had on its coast and rivers. The wealth it amassed here would allow it to slowly expand its influence and even establish a presence across the seas. Sun Loufeng aims mostly at stable expansion, carefully playing the Huang family and the rebels against one another to increase his own domain.
Notes on the map:
The time frame of the era of this map is roughly 320-340 A.D. This creates a unique time that control over the land was feudal and towns, ministers, and keeps all had varying loyalties. Bandits could roam freely within even the most safeguarded of provinces. This brings us to the use of the airbrush. I wanted it to feel lawless, feel disorganized, and give off the impression of scattered loyalties in a way that fixed black lines and a few dots could not. Part of the inspiration also springs from Tribal Wars, which if you look at the zoomed out map gives off the appearance of an airbrush.
Because of the early nature of the time period I felt that I could get away with a few folklore references on the map, giving a sense of unknown about the outside world. To further this I removed the Ryukyu Islands, Japan, Sakhalin, and the beginnings of the Bay of Bengal. All of which would be superfluous and distracting to the map and the sense I was trying to convey. The Khans of the Horselords refers to the various tribal societies of the steppe and the proto-mongols. The Golden Horse General may have beaten them back, but they are very much alive in the heart of their territory. To the southwest I put the Lands of the Storm Lakes, a hint of folklore that adds to this. The area that the label is over belongs to India, a frequent victim of monsoons in the summer. The Domains of the Sea Dragon also springs from mythology. All this I did to make it feel medieval in nature.
Which brings me to another point, its kind of a cheat. The Gun is Our Government implies that it is in a modern, or semi-modern, setting where guns rule. I had thought of something about that, but at the same time I thought that it would be a novel idea to take it backward into the past. China is famed for this, one need only look up the Later Han of Chinese history to see one of the most fantastic instances of this occurring. This scenario has a POD centered in that era in which the decisive battle of Chi Bi is won by Cao Cao, not by the Sun-Liu alliance. Unfortunately, since this is heavily based in Chinese ancient history I don't expect much interest in the POD or even its aftermath. I did try to make the map appear more benign in the ancient chinese POD, so we'll see how it goes. This is my third entry in the map contests.
VT45:
This is a map of the Kingdom of New England as it existed in the year 43 A.F. Well, existed is probably the wrong word, as there was no central authority in the region until 200 years later. The map is labelled and explained in Acadian, the language of New England in the year 943 AF, the year that this map was created. It comes from Brother Ronrigua's History of New England, one of the first notable works to be written in Acadian rather than in the Classical English of the American Catholic Church.
This is a map of the Kingdom of New England as it existed in the year 43 A.F. Well, existed is probably the wrong word, as there was no central authority in the region until 200 years later. The map is labelled and explained in Acadian, the language of New England in the year 943 AF, the year that this map was created. It comes from Brother Ronrigua's History of New England, one of the first notable works to be written in Acadian rather than in the Classical English of the American Catholic Church.
MORE FROM VT45:
A translation of the caption in the map, by popular request:
Quote:
In the years that followed the Fall, New England was reduced to anarchy. For more than 250 years, there was no [central] authority in America. After Kevin Miller, the last president and heir to the legacy of Saint George Washington [now an honorific title given to the holiest of saints], dissolved the empire, New England fell into chaos. 43 AF, or in the old imperial calendar, 2100 AD, was the first year that prominent families of what would become the Kingdom of New England were able to re-establish some level of authority. While some early powerful families fell later, the great ducal families were already prominent and powerful. Some historians believe that the oceans that have blessed our great kingdom with their bounty were not as extensive as they are today. They claim that the difference in the height of the seas between today and 900 years ago is the reason that the Janci [people native to the core regions of New England, who in most cases can trace their ancestry back to at least one person living in New England before the Fall] and the Acadians [in this case, contrasting the Janci, and referring to all other people that live in New England, also the proper name of the New England ethnic group as a whole] both have so many stories of lost cities, such as Boston and Montreal. But we will never know.
This map was made by Brother Rodrigo, Monastery of the Antiquate, 943 AF
So, basically the map depicts the names of the great houses at the turn of the 22nd centuries and the territory that they control. They are referred to as the Great Houses and the Prominent Families by Brother Rodrigo because they became the royalty and the nobility of New England and to refer to them in any other way would be treason. And while New England doesn't exercise the death penalty, offending the Great Houses can still make your life a living hell.
So while Brother Rodrigo refers to them as the Prominent Families, at the turn of the 22nd century they were really nothing more than warlords with no real power outside their own territory. A central New England authority wouldn't exist for another 200 years, when the seven most prominent warlords banded together in an alliance to conquer the northern warlords, who they saw as not being Acadian. Some of the northern Great Houses were able to survive by swearing fealty to and eventually joining the alliance, but most were wiped out and replaced with Acadian families. This alliance formed the basis of the Kingdom of New England. And even still to this day, the king is chosen from amongst the ducal families, now numbering fourteen, and spanning most of the archipelago (there are still some independent feudal states in the Maritime archipelago, being propped up by states such as Quebec and the city states of New York).
A translation of the caption in the map, by popular request:
Quote:
In the years that followed the Fall, New England was reduced to anarchy. For more than 250 years, there was no [central] authority in America. After Kevin Miller, the last president and heir to the legacy of Saint George Washington [now an honorific title given to the holiest of saints], dissolved the empire, New England fell into chaos. 43 AF, or in the old imperial calendar, 2100 AD, was the first year that prominent families of what would become the Kingdom of New England were able to re-establish some level of authority. While some early powerful families fell later, the great ducal families were already prominent and powerful. Some historians believe that the oceans that have blessed our great kingdom with their bounty were not as extensive as they are today. They claim that the difference in the height of the seas between today and 900 years ago is the reason that the Janci [people native to the core regions of New England, who in most cases can trace their ancestry back to at least one person living in New England before the Fall] and the Acadians [in this case, contrasting the Janci, and referring to all other people that live in New England, also the proper name of the New England ethnic group as a whole] both have so many stories of lost cities, such as Boston and Montreal. But we will never know.
This map was made by Brother Rodrigo, Monastery of the Antiquate, 943 AF
So, basically the map depicts the names of the great houses at the turn of the 22nd centuries and the territory that they control. They are referred to as the Great Houses and the Prominent Families by Brother Rodrigo because they became the royalty and the nobility of New England and to refer to them in any other way would be treason. And while New England doesn't exercise the death penalty, offending the Great Houses can still make your life a living hell.
So while Brother Rodrigo refers to them as the Prominent Families, at the turn of the 22nd century they were really nothing more than warlords with no real power outside their own territory. A central New England authority wouldn't exist for another 200 years, when the seven most prominent warlords banded together in an alliance to conquer the northern warlords, who they saw as not being Acadian. Some of the northern Great Houses were able to survive by swearing fealty to and eventually joining the alliance, but most were wiped out and replaced with Acadian families. This alliance formed the basis of the Kingdom of New England. And even still to this day, the king is chosen from amongst the ducal families, now numbering fourteen, and spanning most of the archipelago (there are still some independent feudal states in the Maritime archipelago, being propped up by states such as Quebec and the city states of New York).
NKVD Richard Harrow/XNM (as he was known at the time):
In the late 2010's, the anarchist "Glass Army," led by three masked alleged-gringos only known as Marquis, Alistair (a female), and Harvey, appeared in Guatemala and spread collectivist anarchism throughout the land. By the end of the decade, the government had been kicked out of Guatemala City, and millions of Guatemalans lived in communities under the protection of the alleged gringo kids. But as soon as U.S. Marines entered the country in 2020, the three disappeared, and are alleged to be dead or somewhere in Europe. The map shows the anarchists' high point, in 2018.
(Kind of an alternate history of the story I'm kind of working on.)
In the late 2010's, the anarchist "Glass Army," led by three masked alleged-gringos only known as Marquis, Alistair (a female), and Harvey, appeared in Guatemala and spread collectivist anarchism throughout the land. By the end of the decade, the government had been kicked out of Guatemala City, and millions of Guatemalans lived in communities under the protection of the alleged gringo kids. But as soon as U.S. Marines entered the country in 2020, the three disappeared, and are alleged to be dead or somewhere in Europe. The map shows the anarchists' high point, in 2018.
(Kind of an alternate history of the story I'm kind of working on.)
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Robbiej:
After Cortez' death during La Noche Trista, and the deaths of his entire army of Conquistadors and the butchering of the Tlaxcalas, the Viceroy of Cuba decided that the Aztecs could wait to be conquered. However, it appeared that the plague would do the job for them. Shortly after the death of Cortez, Tenochtitlan was hit by a plague far worse than before.
The Great Plague, as it was known by historians today, had a near 80% mortality rate. The wave of diseases decimated the Mexica, and destroyed much of their fighting strength. As a result, the dominion of the Aztecs collapsed. The Triple Alliance members of Texcoco and Tlacopan reneged on their agreements, and went their separate ways. The states under Aztec dominion rebelled, and the Warring States period began.
Despite the supposed delineated boundaries, the wars largely ignored them. Those on any side of the conflict were frequently attacked by their own soldiers in their haste for plunder. Rather than the war being about sacrifices or land as it was before the coming of the Spanish, wars now became years upon years of constant raiding, and in many cases, some warlords and generals acted of their own accord ignoring the orders of their kings in their search for plunder.
However, the Spanish had not stopped their attempts. Over the next 37 years, the colony at Vera Cruz expanded against the warring states...
After Cortez' death during La Noche Trista, and the deaths of his entire army of Conquistadors and the butchering of the Tlaxcalas, the Viceroy of Cuba decided that the Aztecs could wait to be conquered. However, it appeared that the plague would do the job for them. Shortly after the death of Cortez, Tenochtitlan was hit by a plague far worse than before.
The Great Plague, as it was known by historians today, had a near 80% mortality rate. The wave of diseases decimated the Mexica, and destroyed much of their fighting strength. As a result, the dominion of the Aztecs collapsed. The Triple Alliance members of Texcoco and Tlacopan reneged on their agreements, and went their separate ways. The states under Aztec dominion rebelled, and the Warring States period began.
Despite the supposed delineated boundaries, the wars largely ignored them. Those on any side of the conflict were frequently attacked by their own soldiers in their haste for plunder. Rather than the war being about sacrifices or land as it was before the coming of the Spanish, wars now became years upon years of constant raiding, and in many cases, some warlords and generals acted of their own accord ignoring the orders of their kings in their search for plunder.
However, the Spanish had not stopped their attempts. Over the next 37 years, the colony at Vera Cruz expanded against the warring states...
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