Alternate Timeline Building Experiment, v1.0

[Daftpanzer]

The Idea: to build a very rough alternate history from scratch in only a few days months, as an enjoyable creative exercise rather than a competitive game. I will be the 'mod'. People will create simplified cultures (tribes at the beginning, becoming one or more nations later on), and post 'orders' about what they will do in the next era. I will 'update' with a rushed obsessively overdone world map and some lines pages of text to say what happened in that era. The idea is to keep things very simple and go very fast slowly.

There are no stats and nothing to spend each turn. People can do anything with their cultures if I believe it is realistic. But, trying to do too much at once, will usually result in no real progress overall. By concentrating on one or two areas instead, much more progress will be made those areas. Basically, people will be choosing main priorities/goals for their culture in each turn. Not that there is necessarily any 'wrong' choice. You could just help to evolve this world in some interesting way. Even starting a civil war could have benefits in the long run.

Since this is not a competitive game, anyone is encouraged to voice opinions on how this world should evolve. I don't pretend to be the most knowledgeable person around, so I will also be listening to group consensus.

Each turn is one 'era'. Each era will have a different 'theme' and will be guided in that direction (EG early civilization, rise of great empires, explorations, barbarian invasions, industrialisation etc). The events of one era will influence the theme of the next. I estimate something like the modern age to occur after 14 20 eras.

Here goes...

STATUS:
Accepting input for Era #20!

Unclaimed Cultures: (its really too late in history for creating new ones now, unless its somewhere in the pacific...)

Spoiler show :

Yeshegi culture - adaptable peoples of the caucasus who gradually spread out into asia and north Africa, often by conquest. Closely tied to the Sarvonians throughout history.
Major influence: Thuratica of South Savisia, Civetis Katan
Lesser influence: Keyzad of Nadzavosk-Savisia, Holy Yansalan Kingdom, Varakan Empire.

Oltaxl culture - legendary seafarers, pirates, traders and city-builders of the Carribean and beyond. Arguably the first peoples to cross the Atlantic.
Major influence: Hulat Empire, Latlan Kingdom, Rayulat Kingdom
Lesser influence: Tinkual Empire, Xanto Empire

Sregnib culture - covering semi civilised peoples of north east Asia.
Major influence: Sregnib Tribes
Lesser influence: Jureg Kingdoms, Akuden Kingdom

Tuizen culture - starting as the culture of tough steppe peoples, it has spread its influence across Asia, and in some cases has become very civilized.
Major influence: *none*
Lesser influence: Varaka Empire, Huiyan Alliance, Tuizen Katan, Ihrzul Katan

Yueren culture - a very ancient and sophisticated culture, influencing most of east Asia over the course of history, with one of the oldest written languages still in use. It is closely tied to ancient nature-worship religion.
Major influence: Huiyan Alliance, Yanshi Republic
Lesser influence: Tiandishi Empire, Holy Shyin Empire, Saikara, Suraji, Varakan Empire

Tuzan culture - has been spread from the steppes into western Europe by the epic invasions of the past. Although largely assimilated into other cultures, its core values remain, especially the belief in a great apocalypse and age of terror which will come from the east.
Major influence: Keyzad of Nadzavosk-Savisia, Argine Union
Lesser influence: Sezvyr Covenant, Republic of Nemarthia

Bohemoi culture - originated among the peoples of central europe during ancient times, later fragmented and pushed into the mountains by hostile invaders. It is tied to a long tradition of skilled metalworking.
Major influence: Ustri Kingdom
Lesser influence: Argine Union, Amestrian Union, Furotoca of Cheguia

Pargian culture - born on the Nile and was the culture shared by several great empires of ancient times. Foreign invasion and centuries of occupation have not yet erased its influence from the mediterranean.
Major influence: Nalkut Kingdom.
Lesser influence: Republic of Nemarthia, Holy Tezan Empire, Holy Yansalan Kingdom, Mazuru Empire, Yansalan Pargia

Awi culture - dating back to ancient times in north-west africa, it has recently become more civilised and is coping well with European and North-African influences.
Major influence: Hawaladu Kingdoms
Lesser influence: Ilhaneb Kingdoms, Holy Tezan Empire

Anat culture - similar to real-world Quecha/Inca, an old culture in the Andes which is linked to great achievements in agriculture and stone building.
Major influence: Matac Kingdom
Lesser influence: Timu Kingdoms

Tulma culture - originally a 'primitive', warlike culture shared by uncivilised peoples in OTL Mexico, in recent centuries it has absorbed much from older civilized cultures.
Major influence: Taima tribes
Lesser influence: Tinkual Empire

Eras:


(latest map: click for big version)

Era 19: The World Transformed (part 2)

Era 18: The Road to War (and part 2)

Era 17: Beautiful Times (part 1) (and part 2)

Era 16: Imperialism and Ideology (part 1) (and part 2)

Era 15: Changing Tides
Era 14: The Enlightened Empires
Era 13: Exploration, Recovery and Rivalry
Era 12: Plague and War
Era 11: Invention and Discovery
Era 10: The Medieval Age
Era #9: The World Transformed
Era #8: Barbarians at the Gates
Era #7: The Age of Scribes
Era #6: The Conquerors
Era #5: The Classical Era
Era #4: The First Downfall
Era #3: The First Empires
Era #2: The Birth of Civilization
Era #1: The Tribal Era

 

[Daftpanzer]

Era 0: The Beginning

Spoiler MAP :

What Happened?
The Ice Age ended. Floods swamped any early civilisations that may have existed in coastal lands. People began migrating back and forth across the world. Animals are now being domesticated. Crops are being planted. Battles are being fought. Old stories and cults are being mixed together, woven into new myths and religions...

Cultures:
None yet.

Next Era:
Era 1 will be the Tribal Era. Some tribes may already begin to gather in large villages and towns, while others remain powerful nomadic tribes. Migrations and invasions may occur.

What you can do now:
You can contribute a culture, if it would please you to do so. This culture which will start out as a group of nomadic tribes. Note that the window for new cultures will be open for quite a few turns/eras, but the 'cradle' areas will rapidly fill with NPC cultures.

Staring point: Can be just about anywhere, but if you wish to form a 'civilization' early, you should start somewhere within the grey areas shown on the map - the usual cradles.

Description: A few words would do. What are its main values? Is your culture similar to anything in real life?

Priorities: Will your people settle down into farming life straight away, or keep on the move in search of better things? Will you focus on warfare, culture, or religion?

*Example* - NOT appearing in the game
Culture name: Barpicti
Staring point: Northern Britain
Description: Tough, very territorial tribes with semi-settled lifestyle and deep religious beliefs centred on the great Earth-Goddess.
Priorities: Warfare, establishing themselves as dominant culture in the area, and general survival.

*Example* - NOT appearing in the game
Culture name: Atlanticu
Staring point: Crete
Description: easy-going tribes with an early interest in fishing and seafaring, along with making simple pottery and art.
Priorities: Boat building, making foreign contacts, trade, and general seafaring.

*Clean Template*
Culture name:
Staring point:
Description:
Priorities:

I intend to post Era #1 tomorrow, around the time I posted this post today. That is if anyone posts any cultures by that time.

OK, any postings of any kind are very encouraged. Thankyou

 

[bestshot9]

ya, this looks fun, good rp i'm in.

here's my culture:

Culture Name: Washagon
Starting Point: Southwestern Washington/North Western Oregon (Along the Columbia River)
Description: Fishing/hunting/whaling tribal society that lives along the coast and the river systems.
Priorities: Eating, surviving, and gobbling up territory.

 

[Neverwonagame3]

Culture Name: Pargians
Starting Point: Somewhere on the Nile
Description: Tribes unique for being far more centralised (their ruling authorities have significantly more powerful) and warlike then their counterparts elsewhere.
Priorities: Agriculturalisation, Monarchialisation

 

[Luckymoose]

Culture name: Agria
Staring point: India
Description: Agrarian/Builder culture with expansion always in mind.
Priorities: Defense of farmlands and towns with some militaristic tendencies

 

[kkmo]

Eh, what the hell. If we can keep it this simple and it moves fast, and I don't have to do much else, I'm in.

Culture Name: Yueren (People of the Moon)
Starting Point: Northern China, in the gray area around the Huang River.
Description: A unified group of tribes that worships the land as druids.
Priorities: They are focused on culture and religion and on the eventual creation of their own organized written language. The tribes are also looking to continue settling down the Huang River.

 

[Ninja Dude]

Culture name: Kramtob
Staring point: At the very northern part of that river in India
Description: A very warlike people, they believe the strongest deserve what they want. The very strongest deserve the entire world.
Priorities: Expand and conquer where ever possible. The world belongs to the Kramtob! Basicly, do what bloodthirsty nomads do.

 

[BananaLee]

Staring point: Northern Britain

I'd like to stare elsewhere please

Culture Name: Rob!Xactl (pronounced Rob-click-actl ala !Xobile)
Starting Point: Anywhere on the Yucatan coast
Description: A group of llama-worshipping people who enjoy fishing and boating. All land animals are considered taboo for consumption so their diet revolves a lot around fishes and tropical fruits like punani. One may wonder how llamas ended up in the lore of Yucatan Rob!Xactl. Having most likely migrated from the Andes, the Rob!Xactl chief, always called the Roboi keeps two llamas as a symbol of his power.
Priorities: Focus on improving sailing capabilities, particularly during hurricane weather as well as developing hurricane-proof habitats (holes underground?).

 

[LightFang]

Culture name: Tianshi (lit. Sky Warriors)
Starting point:

Description: Very territorial tribes with the deep bond of believing themselves to be the chosen descendants of Father Sky to tame Mother Earth; pretty centralized given their quest to domesticate the earth, though nothing particularly unusual has happened yet.
Priorities: Dominance in Warfare; Establishment of Culture

 

[honzas_cz]

could we start out of "craddle" areas?

 

[bestshot9]

could we start out of "craddle" areas?

ya, he just said civilization will take longer to develop there. i started in the US PNW.

 

[honzas_cz]

Thanks, then...

Culture name: Bohemia
Staring point: Central Europe
Description: Semi-nomadic tribe started to settle down. They have knowledge of simple pottery, farming and mining.
Priorities: Improve industry like mining and blacksmithy. Establish simple centralised state - chiefsdom.
Starting position:

 

[kkmo]

So you know, I changed my culture name to Tianren. I kept the "Tian" part the same, because I wanted to keep my heaven, sky meaning, but I changed the second part to "ren", which means people.

EDIT: I just noticed that Light Fang decided to name his tribe something very similar to mine, so I'll be the better man and change mine to Yueren, which means people of the moon.

 

[LightFang]

So you know, I changed my culture name to Tianren. I kept the "Tian" part the same, because I wanted to keep my heaven, sky meaning, but I changed the second part to "ren", which means people.

EDIT: I just noticed that Light Fang decided to name his tribe something very similar to mine, so I'll be the better man and change mine to Yueren, which means moon people.

What's this madness? What was your old name? I swear, I didn't notice any similarity past starting in China. I just named mine the way I did because I got done watching Code Geass and man, the Tianzi is insanely cute.

In fact, I was just about to post saying "Man, your name is remarkably similar to mine."

 

[kkmo]

What's this madness? What was your old name? I swear, I didn't notice any similarity past starting in China. I just named mine the way I did because I got done watching Code Geass and man, the Tianzi is insanely cute.

In fact, I was just about to post saying "Man, your name is remarkably similar to mine."

Bah! You dare use a piece of Imperialist Japanese culture to inspire the name of your mainland people! The dynasties would never stand for this.

Its fine. If you control the sky, and I control the moon, we just need one of our kings to produce a daughter, the other one a son, and we can have a dandy royal marriage.

 

[bestshot9]

my, what big eyes you have.

 

[Neverwonagame3]

Slight priority change.

Culture Name: Pargians
Starting Point: Somewhere on the Nile
Description: Tribes unique for being far more centralised (their ruling authorities have significantly more powerful) and warlike then their counterparts elsewhere.
Priorities: Agriculturalisation (top priority), Monarchialisation, Military strength

 

[flyingchicken]

Culture name: Smarmans
Staring point: Cyprus
Description: A bunch of tribes who began settling into small villages along the coasts of Cyprus. They like to dig for shinies.
Priorities: Fishing, mining, the wholly unintended diffusion bronze working to the world...

 

[Fuschia]

Culture Name: Arlitans
Starting Point: Troy
Description: Loosely allied tribes ruled almost exclusively by sailors.
Priorities: Sailing, exploration, trade, etc.

----

And here I place the obligatory reminder about updating your other NES...

Also, make sure to have a host of NPC cultures, as the stats aren't very difficult to make. It would make the game infinitely more interesting. Infinitely. Like one divided by zero.

 

[Nick014]

Culture name: Xanto
Staring point: Rocky Mountains
Description: Nomadic tribe from high in the mountains coming down towards the great plains to settle down.
Priorities: Finding/Growing enough food to support a permanent settlement.