Discussion: Pedias, Great People, Tech Quotes, etc.

[cfkane]

I don't think we've had a pedia for a Wonder yet. Well, the Alliance with the Cyclops may count, but whatevs. Here's one I whipped up.

Spoiler :

Xanadu

Xanadu (also spelled Shangdu) is a landmark structure the town of Kaipeng in northwestern China, built by the decree of Kublai Khan between the years of 1252 and 1256. Located near the Alph River, it served as the Khan’s summer capital after moving the seat of government to Beijing. The most famous architectural feature of Xanadu is it’s famous “pleasure-dome”, the great geodesic bubble that covers the entire ten-mile complex. It manages to capture the light in a way that gives the entire structure a sunny ethos, which is itself an architectural miracle, since the heat it captures has little to no effect on the ice caverns inside. Incense was grown inside, and the surrounding forests provided the noble denizens of the dome fine leisure grounds.

In addition to its majesty, Khan’s palace also haunted him. In his writings he was said to be haunted by the screams of women in passion with demonic lovers, and when a nearby geyser would erupt from the caves that spat forth from the Alph River, Kublai was said to have heard the voices of his ancestors speaking of war.

The complex is also notable for being the meeting place of Kublai Khan and Marco Polo, where they shared secrets of each other’s travels. In fact, it is only from records of their conversations do we know of many cities now lost to history. Nowhere else in the travelogues of Marco Polo do we hear any mention of cities as miraculous as Ersilia, Aglaura and Octavia. Perhaps Marco felt the strangeness of these cities could only be conveyed to an audience dwelling in a palace as magnificent and wondrous as Xanadu.

The Chinese Xanadu is not the only complex to bear this name. A short lived Los Angeles roller disco bore the name in the 1970’s, but the most obvious descendant of the original Xanadu is Xanadu, Florida, built by the American media magnate Charles Foster Kane in the 1930’s. It boasts a similar size to its Chinese counterpart with a large menagerie and an extensive collection of sculptures. The structure now serves as an art gallery and garden, making it the first of central Florida’s many famous tourist attractions.

SOURCES

Spoiler :

Kubla Khan; or, A Vision in a Dream: A Fragment - most of the imagery
Invisible Cities - Marco Polo and the cities of Ersilia, Aglaura, and Octavia
Xanadu - the roller disco (forgive me)
Citizen Kane - Xanadu, Florida

 

[Dumanios]

Thinking of writing a Nosferatu pedia entry.

 

[cfkane]

Thinking of writing a Nosferatu pedia entry.

Wait until Dibukk finishes his entry on Transylvania

 

[cfkane]

I realize that at this rate my God bio will never get finished. Still, I had an outline of how I wanted it to go. I actually think it would work better this way, since a prose pedia ultimately wouldn't be practical for the game.

So, here's a basic outline of the history of God, starting from where my pedia left off (the cult of Akhenaten)

Spoiler :

- Fearing the return of the Akhenaten cult, Seti I ordered all firstborn Hebrew children executed in a ploy to eradicate the lineage of all God worshippers. In the slaughter, one boy was saved by his mother when she placed him in a basket and sent him floating down the Nile. An Egyptian noble found the basket and adopted him. The boy now known as Moses would prove pivotal in the Judaic people’s history.
- Moses leads the Hebrews to Israel
- Worship of God is established in Israel
- Israel is split into Israel and Judea
- The Holy Lands are conquered by Babylon, then Persia
- The strongest worshippers of God are now the Persians. God comes to Xerxes and tells him to conquer the newly unprotected Greece so his worship would spread. Xerxes ultimately fails.
- Under Roman rule, God attempts to bring about the Messiah prophecy by sending part of his form to Roman Palestine. Christ is born. The spirit of joy is present, and chooses to do his works of gift-giving in honor of the boy.
- Christ is crucified. The grail used to catch his blood is imbued with sacred powers. A Roman Jew, Casca Longinius, mocks Christ on the cross. God takes away his death, and Casca wanders the earth for centuries to come. Famed gladiator Ben-Hur is also present at the crucifixion. Meanwhile a false prophet is also crucified, and Brianism sputters and dies after a few years. Christ's wife, Mary Magdalene, and her children are hidden by the surviving disciples.
- God appears to Paul and instructs him to spread worship of God through Christ
- Rome becomes Christian, Jews are spread throughout the empire and become persecuted
- Rome falls, Christianity spreads to barbarian Europe
- Two pagan gods, Thoth and Hermes, call upon a young girl to be the spirit of magic, called Promethea
- The descendants of Mary and Jesus, the Merovingians, claim the throne of the Franks. The Pope and his successors deny that Christ had offspring.
- Seeing potential in the Arabs, God sends the Archangel Gabriel to Muhammed, who founds Islam
- Arthur attempts to find the Grail
- As Jews are persecuted in Europe, Christians and Muslims fight in the Crusades and the Reconquista
- Prester John fights the Crusades
- Christian the Pilgrim searches for truth
- Christianity spreads to other countries through colonial ambitions, though the Age of Reason begins to dampen God’s power
- God during this time began to think that his work was going unnoticed. Many still acknowledged his existence, but preferred to think of him as distant and more abstract, a belief known as Deism. In an attempt to revitalize worship in His name and rein in interest in the physical sciences, God sent messages to two men in two different hemispheres. In the 1840’s Joseph Smith of America and Mírzá Husayn-`Alí Nuri of Iran, were both visited by divine messengers, creating the new religions of the Baha’i Faith and The Church of Latter Day Saints. Baha’i served as a culmination of all previous visitations of God’s message to Earth, an attempt at inclusiveness in a quickly globalizing world. The Latter Day Saints – or Mormons as they are more commonly called – was a gamble to firmly establish God’s presence in the New World. While Christianity was already a dominant faith in both Americas, Smith’s visitation by the angel Moroni was meant to solidify the bond between God and the land, making America to be a new promised land.
- The two young religions are marginalized, and scientific progress marches on. By the end of the 19th century, a new prophet who shares the name of the prophet Zoroaster declares God to be dead
- Thinking his worshippers no longer need him, he abandons Earth in a disastrous manner that rocks the heavens. On Earth this manifests itself as a terrible earthquake in San Francisco. On a distant planet he gives them his last message: “We apologize for the inconvenience”
- The O.T.O. starts its plan to bring back the pre-Flood era of unlimited magic use. The Anti-Christ (or Moonchild as the order calls it) is on its way.
- With God elsewhere, the Angels scramble to rebuild Heaven’s relationship with the world. Confused, they begin a three-part plan. The first involves arranging the birth of a child who can return the Ten Commandments to heaven, breaking the old covenant. The second part revolved around finding a suitable new prophet who could give a new message to the world – one of stasis, allowing God to return and regain control of humanity. The third required a complete remaking of the universe, one without magic and the superhumans
- Mooby Enterprises is founded, a sign of growing secularism through the return of the Golden Calf symbol
- 1961 Valentine Michael Smith becomes a new Angel. He succeeds in founding a new pantheistic religion based on Martian values. The Angels hope the religion will serve as a new connection between Heaven and Earth, but the non-monotheist faith is again marginalized, with only wealthy celebrities able to live its lifestyle.
- In 1967 the Antichrist is born to Rosemary Woodhouse. The child is moved to England to a foster family and given the name Damien
- In 1985 the plans come to fruition. The child, Quinten Quist of the Netherlands, successfully returns the Ten Commandments to Heaven. However, the chosen prophet, Prior Walter, refuses his calling.
- God is spurred to return to Earth after the cataclysm of the Crisis on Infinite Earths. The superheroes are destroyed in a plan utilizing the powers of the world’s supervillains, the Vogon fleet and the powerful sciences of the dolphins. In heaven, God faces the angels, using the recently deceased American lawyer Roy Cohn as his attorney.
- Lucifer decides that he need not be Hell’s ruler, and that hell only exists because many humans feel the need to atone after death. In short, they make their own Hell. He gives the keys to the gates of Hell to Dream of the Endless, who in turn gives it to the Angels.
- Two angels attempt to prove God wrong. In the course of their quest they destroy Mooby Enterprises, but are stopped by one of the last descendants of Christ.
- The Awakening of Magic, spurred by the Antichrist, brings magic back to the forefront of the world. The use of magical abilities becomes widespread and public. While God once said, “Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live”, goes back on his words and does not intervene.

I think a lot of the bigger details can be covered with just an outline. I might do one for the history of space travel next.

 

[Midnight-Blue766]

No mention of Lord Asriel's War?

 

[johnny139]

Well done; very interesting going from the Old Testament to Hitchhiker's Guide.

I might do one for the history of space travel next.

That would be nice; in a related note, to be honest, I'm not quite certain which version of Mars we're using. Who the natives are, the history, all that... John Carter, War of the Worlds, Futurama, not sure how those all intersect.

Also, at the end of the most recent season of Heroes, Claire went public with her abilities - right before the Awakening of Magic, as it's currently 2010. Just thought I'd mention how tightly it links in.

 

[cfkane]

I figured Mars would be like Earth - just an amalgamation of different sources. I think it's possible to reconcile several different sources into a semi-coherent ecosystem.

For example, in the second volume of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen there was a scene on Mars showing a battle between Carter's Green and Red Martians fighting Wells' Tripods. It's implied that the Tripods aren't Martian, they invaded Mars as well as Earth. Then again, I don't think it should be that big of a deal. After all, the game is only set on Earth.

 

[johnny139]

Yeah, I was thinking the same thing; honestly, a story of some kind taking place on Mars with all sorts of different races and species and cultures would really be something.

Alright, since the next edition of Fictionalization seems to be forthcoming, I thought it would be a good idea to steam forward with new Pedia entries.

First of all, I took the liberty of updating the Japan Pedia a bit.

Spoiler :

In 1954 a monstrous lizard named Godzilla terrorized Japan and would soon be followed by the rise of other beasts like Mothra and Gamera. These creatures were the first of a new kind of supernatural creatures native to Japan; along with a return of ancient "yokai" spirits, the new class of animal would be named "Pocket Monsters" by Professor Yukinari Okido, or simply "Professor Oak." After years of civil war, the 125th Tenno Akihito resigned in 2005. His successor Kenichi dissolved the parliament and with the reintroduction of Absolutism (called "The Big Switch) he replaced the Republic Japan with the Japanese Imperial State.

Throughout much of the late 1980s up until the 2000s, Japan had been the epicenter of mysterious occurances - many spirits began to roam the area, known as Shinigami, Hollows, and other such names; the cause was unknown for sometime, but eventually, the "Poltergeist Report," as it came to be known, showed events leading up to the removal of the barrier to the "Demon Plane," which had been established centuried ago to prevent oni from entering Japan. In 2011, magic returned to the world and millions of people all over the world were granted magical abilities or were transformed into hideous metahumans leading to genocide and anti-magic hate crimes all over Japan. But in contrast to most other nations around the world, the Japanese government continued to support anti-magic riots for half of the following century.

Pokemon, Death Note (Shinigami), Bleach (Hollows), and Yu Yu Hakusho (the Poltergeist Report and Demon Plane and such) as sources. I think the entire ending to Yu Yu Hakusho - where, in the mid-90s, the long-standing barrier between the realms of humanity and monsters is dissolved, makes for an interesting plot point.

I rewrote my general outline for Goku as a Pedia, as well.

Spoiler :

SON GOKU

Often considered the national hero of Japan, the being known as "Kakarot" is, without a doubt, a product of chance, and can be called, without hyperbole, among the most powerful beings in the history of the universe. An alien (known as a Saiyan) from the planet Vegeta, he arrived on Earth by chance in 1949, shortly after the destruction of his own planet. Originally sent to destroy the planet, the child landed in Rural Japan - a traditionalist region of Japan separated from the industrialized nation after World War II - and by sheer luck, he hit his head, becoming an entirely benevolent being. Raised by Son Gohan, a mountain hermit, he was given the name Son Goku, after the legendary Monkey King.

In 1961, he met with Bulma Briefs, eventual head of the Capsule Corporation. Together, they embarked to find the legendary Dragon Balls; his journey would bring him across Japan, introduce him to many peoples and cultures, and lead him to single-handedly topple feudal empires that had grown in the region, such the Emperor Pilaf. During his teenage years, he would become a powerful fighter, training under the Turtle Hermit alongside his lifelong friend, Kulilin, and nearly winning the Tenkaichi Budokai on multiple occasions. On his world tours, he defeated armies, and met with the self-proclaimed God of Earth, Kami; Kami’s darker side, Demon King Piccolo, would narrowly be defeated by Goku in an attempted coup of Japan; despite this, Goku remains an obscure figure in modern Japan.

Goku, now with a wife and young son, had his life changed tremendously in 1973 with the arrival of the alien Raditz – his older brother. His arrival would be followed by two more Saiyans, Vegeta and Nappa; they are defeated by the Z Fighters, a coalition of warriors Goku had met in his lifetime, and Piccolo, son of the Demon King. However, many were killed in battle, and this spurred the first manned space flight in Japanese history – the Mission to Namek. Privately funded by Capsule Corporation and using Namekian and Saiyan technology, Bulma, Kulilin, and Goku’s son, Gohan, went to Planet Namek – the original home of Kami – in order to find Dragon Balls and return their friends to life. Goku followed shortly after.

On Namek, they ran afoul of the space tyrant Freeza, and struck and uneasy alliance with the Saiyan Vegeta; within two months of arrival, the battle between Goku – who, enraged by Kulilin’s death, became the Legendary Super Saiyan – and Freeza culminated in the destruction of the planet. Despite this, their mission was a success, and after a short while, the group had returned to Earth and met with a time traveler known as Trunks – the eventual son of Bulma and Vegeta. After two years of training, the group, led by Son Gohan, was able to defeat Cell, a grave threat to the planet’s safety. However, Mark "Hercule" Satan took credit for the victory, despite Goku’s death in the process. Mr. Satan became a national hero.

After ten years of relative peace, in 1986, Son Goku returned to Earth; as a result of the Crisis on Infinite Earths, the demon Majin Buu was released in Japan, and in a period of three days engaged the Z Fighters in battle, killed a majority of the world’s population, and, ultimately, destroyed the entire planet. However, the Kaioshin – a group of beings Goku had met in his various trips to the afterlife – protected the planet, and it was restored shortly with no memory of what had happened. With the help of the people of Earth, Goku was able to defeat Majin Buu, saving all of existence from destruction.

After this, life was generally quiet for Goku, as he retired to a pastoral life; in 1996, the 28th Tenkaichi Budokai became the last public appearance of the great warrior, again, to little fanfare. Now a grandfather, he met with a young boy named Uub, the reincarnation of Majin Buu. He left to train the boy, disappearing into history; it was not until Son Gohan published "Groundbreaking Science" in 2012, revealing the powers of energy control and flight to the general public, that Son Goku gained the renown he deserved.

Sources:

Spoiler :

* Dragon Ball – Son Goku, Plot, Characters
* Journey to the West – Son Goku (Monkey King)
* DC Comics – Crisis on Infinite Earths
* Dragon Ball Online – Groundbreaking Science

I think that should work.

Currently working on Rome. Should have it up, at least in part, by the end of the day.

EDIT: And here is Rome!

Spoiler :

Perhaps the greatest empire in human history, Rome spanned three continents and hundreds of years. While a unique entity on its own, its roots can be traced back to the city of Troy. After the Trojan War, Greece burned the city to the ground; few survived, and those that did united under the hero Aeneas. Their homeland destroyed, the group wandered the Mediterranean for many years. After briefly stopping in Carthage, starting a rivalry with the young city that would last for many years, the Trojans finally decided to arrive in Latium, where they joined with the native peoples.

While life was fairly difficult for the new nation, it survived for many years. The lineage of Aeneas eventually produced Numitor, king of Alba Longa, whose brother, Amulius, overthrew. Fearing a rightful heir to usurp him, he ordered Numitor’s daughter, Rhea Silva, to become a Vestal Virgin and never produce children. His order went unheeded, though, by the god Ares, who seduced and impregnated Rhea; she gave birth to twins, boys named Romulus and Remus.

Enraged, Amulius ordered the twins murdered – his order, again, was ignored, as the servant could not bring himself to harm such beautiful children. He instead left the pair in the woods, where a she-wolf arrived to care for the pair, and eventually Romulus and Remus were adopted by a kindly shepherd. The two grew up to follow in their adoptive father’s footsteps; eventually, however, Remus was captured due to a minor scuffle by Amulius and, their identity discovered, Romulus lead an army to slay the king.

However, rather than take the throne for themselves, they left Alba Longa to their grandfather and left to create their own city, along with various criminals and disgraced individuals. The two, however, disagreed over where to found it; Romulus favored the Palatine Hill, while Remus preferred the Aventine. The two waited for an omen, but could not agree over this, either; eventually, Romulus killed his brother, and founded his own city in his own name – Rome.

Founded in 753 BC, Rome grew slowly, for lack of women. Romulus attempted to negotiate for land with the neighboring Sabines; however, war became inevitable. The Roman army was able to crush their enemies, and took their wives as their own. This event became known as the "Rape of the Sabine Women," and the blood of Ares – now known as Mars to the new Roman people – was shown to flow thickly in the new nation.

With the death of his grandfather, Romulus absorbed his homeland into the growing Rome; with Sabine and Alba Longa now under control, Romulus established the governmental system of the Roman Senate and governors, with a king in power. He continued to rule for many years, a benevolent king, but disappeared suddenly in 717 BC; many assume he was taken to live with the gods, and became known as the deity Quirinius.

For the next two centuries, the kingdom of Rome continued to grow under the reign of the "Seven King of Rome." Many advances occurred in this period, but the kings themselves became debauched on a scale unseen before. The final king, Lucius Tarquinius Superbus, had a son who considered himself above the law. Sextus Lucius, Prince of Rome, saw the woman Lucretia, and wanted her for himself – she refused, and that night, he entered her room, awoke her with a kiss, and raped her. Lucretia took her own life in shame, and a rebellion began.

Lead by Lucius Junius Brutus, better known simply as Brutus, the king was deposed and replaced with a republic in 509 BC. Now the Roman Republic, lead by a pair of consuls, including Brutus himself, the city began to expand yet again. Before long the entire Italian Peninsula was under their control, and the other empires of the world took notice. To the south, Carthage, longtime rival, began to see Sicily slipping for their control, while the tribes of the north began to fear for their own safety.

In 387 BC, Brennus, the Celtic warlord, invaded and sacked Rome; almost two centuries later, in 192 BC, Brennus entered into an alliance with Hannibal Barca, leader of Carthage. The two long-standing enemies of Rome became a major enemy to the growing empire, and in a battle that would, perhaps, decide the fate of the region, the forces of the region clashed. Rome came out victorious; Carthage was burned to the ground, and Brennus was killed in battle. Not long after, they were able to conquer Greece, despite heavy resistance in areas such as Sparta.

With much of the known world under their control, Rome became a cultural center. The gods of old Greece found new life in Rome, with temples to Jupiter, Ares, and others erected across the republic. Gladiatorial combat, too, was a symbol of Roman culture; throughout the empire’s existence, countless men and beasts were put to death in the Colosseum, along with brutal races on the Circus Maximus. People were thrown to lions, forced to fight to the death, and exotic animals were brought out to the slaughter. Occasionally, even monsters were summoned to battle.

Yet, as with any new power, there were those that resisted. Figures such as the braggart Miles Gloriosus and corrupt slavers like Marcus Lycus did little to help the reputation of Romans as bull-headed, and their squabbles over women gave foreign nations the impression of licentiousness. Rebellions - particularly the one led by Spartacus in 73 BC - rocked the empire to its core, as he fought to overthrow the system of slavery Rome had installed. The loyalty of his men was stunning, and the brutal crackdown following did more to harm his cause than aid it. Further north, the Gallic tribes continued to fight against Rome, such as those led by Asterix. The one who defeated both of these threats became known across the empire as Julius Caesar.

After his famed Gallic Wars, Caesar became famous across Rome. However, the Roman Senate feared his power among the people, and ordered him to stand down – he disobeyed and, in 49 BC, proclaiming "alea iacta est,” or, “the die is cast,” he crossed the Rubicon and marched on Rome. He quickly consolidated power after a brief civil war, and proclaimed himself dictator for life, effectively killing the Roman Republic. The Senate remained, and the senators began to conspire against Caesar; in a motion lead by his close friend Marcus Brutus – descended from the leader of the first Roman revolution – Caesar was killed on the Ides of March in 44 BC on the steps of the Senate.

Mark Antony, a close friend of Caesar’s, attempted to follow in his footsteps; Octavian, Caesar’s son, did the same. While Octavian and Antony were originally allies during the civil war following Caesar’s death, their relationship quickly soured, as Antony was unfaithful to Octavian’s sister. All the while, Cleopatra, who had carried out an affair with Caesar and later Antony, was attempting to protect her position as Queen of Egypt. The three lived intersected in 31 BC at the Battle of Actium, as Antony and Cleopatra’s fleet was defeated by Octavian’s. The two lovers shortly after committed suicide – Antony chose to fall on his own sword, while Cleopatra was bitten by an asp. Octavian took after his father, proclaiming himself Augustus Caesar and Emperor of Rome. Thus began the age of the Roman Empire.

On the whole, the empire was prosperous; following Augustus’ ascent was the Pax Romana, a period of internal peace and vast expansion, with soldiers sent as far north as Britain and the noble Five Good Emperors ruling. Generals such as Marcus Decimus Gallus, leader of the IX Roman Legion, and Maximus Decimus Meridius, great conqueror and later killer of the corrupt Emperor Commodus, gained great reputation across the land. Technological advances, too, were many; not only in warfare, but in general sciences, including a now-lost machine with the ability to travel through time, albeit on a small scale.

In addition, the introduction of new religions brought an influx of culture to the region. Having absorbed Jerusalem and other traditionally Jewish regions into the empire, monotheism became more common, and resistance movements by would-be messiahs were common, and figures such as Judah Ben-Hur and Marcellus Gallio. Some, such as Jesus Christ founded great religions that would last for millennia. Others, such as Brian Cohen, founded short-lived failures of faith.

After the reign of the Five Good Emperors, starting in 180 AD, the Empire entered a decline; as with any dynasty less-than-ideal emperors came into power. Commodus, consumed by his love of blood and violence, was eventually killed in battle by the aforementioned Maximus. Caligula’s reign was marked by its sexual and violent depravity. Nero was thought by many Christians to be the antichrist for his persecution of them, and during the Great Fire of Rome, which some historians believe may have been caused by the emperor, he simply played the fiddle. The people, too, became selfish and greedy, throwing extravagant parties to impress their friends and neighbors.

With rulers ranging from bad to worse, Rome was constantly menaced by barbarian tribes from the north, such as the Goths and the Vandals; most generals, including Titus Andronicus, gained their glory fighting these foes, as opposed to the empires of their ancestors. Some, like the Celtic tribes in Britain, refused to be conquered; though the Emperor Hadrian built a wall to protect Roman settlements there, they were pushed back, and other than some select groups (many of which were able to settle underground), the islands were abandoned.

It was not until the reign of Diocletian in the 3rd Century that Rome regained its glory; his son, Constantine I, followed in his father’s footsteps. Under Constantine, however, two great changes occurred – the capital was moved from Rome to Constantinople, and the state religion became Christianity. The Christians had long been persecuted by the Roman Empire, but had grown despite this, becoming the largest faith in the region.

After the death of Constantine, the empire split in two; the western half remained centered in Rome, while the Byzantine Empire, as it came to be known was born around Constantinople. The Roman Empire again entered into a decline, subject to raids and attacks by many barbarian tribes from the north, while the eastern half flourished. Very few emperors following Constantine are remarkable; Lucius Tiberius, however, is among the most interesting, stopping the decline of the empire and even briefly increasing its territory, reclaiming some regions of Gaul and battling King Arthur of Britain. However, after his death, Rome again began to collapse.

In 476, the child emperor Romulus Augustulus abdicated – again, on the Idea of March – and Rome dissolved for good. Future empires would take inspiration from the Romans, primarily those in Italy, such as the fascist dictatorship ruled by Benzino Napaloni. None would ever reclaim the power of the empire at its height – perhaps, no other will.

Sources:

Spoiler :

* The Aeneid – Roots in Troy, Aeneas, Carthage
* Romulus and Remus – Numitor, Amulius, Rhea Silva, Romulus and Remus, Founding of Rome
* Rape of the Sabine Women
* Lucretia – Lucretia, Sextus Lucius
* The Rape of Lucretia – Rape in the Night
* Spartan: Total Warrior - Sparta's Resistance
* Tournament of Legends – Monsters in the Colosseum
* Circus Maximus: Chariot Wars – Monsters in the Circus Maximus
* Miles Gloriosus
* Poenulus – Lycus
* A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum – Marcus Lycus, Squabbles Over Women
* Spartacus – Slave Revolt, Spartacus’ Men’s Loyalty.
* Asterix – Asterix, Continued Resistance in Gaul
* The Death of Kings – Caesar Defeats Spartacus
* Julius Caesar – Caesar’s Assassination
* Antony and Cleopatra – Antony, Cleopatra, Octavian, Suicides
* HeroScape – Marcus Decimus Gallus
* Gladiator – Maximus Decimus Meridius, Death of Commodus
* SPQR: The Empire’s Darkest Hour – Time-Traveling Machine
* Caligula – Caligula’s Reign
* Ben-Hur – Judah Ben-Hur
* The Robe – Marcellus Gallio
* Monty Python’s Life of Brian – Brian Cohen
* Satyricon – Extravagant Parties
* Titus Andronicus
* Land Under England – Romans Under Britan
* Neverwhere – A Legion of Romans Under London
* Arthurian Legend – Lucius Tiberius
* Romulus the Great – Abdication on the Ides of March
* The Great Dictator – Benito Napaloni

...I think that should be pretty straightforward. Methinks it'll work.

 

[cfkane]

Nicely done! Though I'm a bit confused on how Commodus and Aurelius fit in the timeline. They were both fairly late rulers, around 180 AD, but they're listed in the pedia elsewhere.

And I think some passages on Roman society wouldn't hurt. The affluent Trimalchio from Petronius' Satyricon for example, or perhaps Marcus Lycus, the pimp from the plays of Plautus, and the boastful general Miles Gloriosus. The last one definitely should be included, since he's a Hero and all.

 

[johnny139]

Aurelius was the last of the Five Good Emperors, and Commodus, of course, was right after him; I actually added a lot between the mention of the end of the Five Good Emperors' reign and just forgot to move things around, and ALSO forgot to mention Nero, so, added him.

Tossed in the sources you mentioned as well, along with "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum," which I had meant to add but you reminded me. Anything else?

On a semi-related note, for Roman leaders, we have the founder of Rome and the last great Roman emperor... but nothing in between. I was thinking, perhaps, a generic "Emperor Caesar" of sorts? The corrupt, decadent, "to the lions with them!" type of guy you see in pop culture all the time. I can't think of any particular examples, to be honest, but I think it would be a good choice.

 

[Moogi]

I'd like to apologize for the continued delay in the timeline update. This is getting pretty ridiculous. If anyone is wondering why I'm taking so long, well, I've been trying to write a novel since the years started, so whenever I'm using my computer and not watching TV/playing a game/using TV Tropes, I'm working on that. So that's what I've been doing. You can understand why I've been so late, I hope. But I don't want to stop my involvement with this project- I love the concept and the mod has gotten me interested in such works as the Wold Newton Universe and the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. So, I'm going to finish a few more pedias, then post what I have online. I will continue adding more and more, hopefully at a faster rate, but at least we will have something new.

Thanks for being so patient, and I think I'll have to give you guys a shout out in the book- probably in the Acknowledgments section when and if I get it published.

While the book itself is not a crossover in the sense that this mod is, it does mash together pretty much every mythology I can get my hands on. It's kind of like American Gods mixed with Buffy with a little bit of X-Men thrown in. Yeah, it's not easy living in my head. Come to think of it, it could fit into the world of this mod nicely, but I'm sure you wouldn't want to include references to something that hasn't been, and may not even be, published.

Anyway, I have limited Internet access where I am, and will continue to be here until late April. So, I'd like someone to prepare another text document that I can download, containing all of the pedias thus far. That way, I'll be able to work on this timeline thing any time. Thanks in advance!

Oh, by the way, I noticed that the updated Japan pedia places Pokemon shortly after Godzilla. This stands contradictory to my timeline's notion that they were animals that mutated as part of the same phenomenon as the Return of Magic- a prelude, if you will. I'll be willing to change what I've got, but I want to know which origin cfkane prefers, since I consider him to be the Supreme Arbiter of Canon.

 

[cfkane]

Well, it seems to me to be more logical to have the Pokemon appear much longer before the Awakening. The Pokemon games have a firmly entrenched athletic culture with widely advertised tournaments, stadium venues, and all that, something that would probably take decades to organize, catch on, and grow into a full-fledged sports league by the time Ash comes onto the scene.

 

[Dibukk]

Well, here I am again! Sorry I've been inactive for the last week or so but it's been a rough time for me because of some personal issues. Combine that with the sudden crash of my internet connection followed by my computer's unexplained urge to restart itself over and over again and, voilà, Dibukk's away for a week or two!
Anyway, I wouldn't dare to return without a proper "Glad-to-be-back" present, so enjoy King Jaffe Joffer:

Spoiler :

JAFFE JOFFER (17 May 1928 - 16 August 2003)
His Excellency, Ruler for Life, King Jaffe Joffer, Conqueror of the British Empire in Africa in General and Zamunda in Particular

There are discrepancies regarding when and where Jaffe Joffer was born, but most biographical sources hold that he was born on May 17th,1928, near Kampala, the capital city of the Central African nation of Zamunda. Furthermore, there is nothing known about his parents except that they were members of the Joffer ethnic group. The joffertribe is a Nguni tribe closely related to the Zulus and the Wakandans and was the local ruling people prior to the arrival of the European colonial powers. But by the time of Jaffe's birth, the Joffer's were already reduced to only one of many local tribes.

Jaffe Joffer joined an Islamic school in Bombo in 1941. After a few years he left school and did odd jobs before joining the King's African Rifles (KAR) of the British Colonial Army in 1946 as an assistant cook. In the following years, Joffer was deployed in Zamunda, Kenya and Somalia until 1954, when he was made “effendi” (warrant officer), the highest rank possible for a Black African in the colonial British Army of that time. In the following decade Joffer made a fortune by smuggling ivory from Ivory-Lana as well as gold and arms from the Republic of Zangaro together with the Zamundan Prime Minister, Milton Obote. These secret deals were uncovered in 1965 and one year later the Parliament's demand for an investigation triggered an uprising of forces loyal to Obote led by the newly minted General Jaffe Joffer. Obote and Joffer forced the current king, Mutesa II of Buganda, into exile to the United Kingdom, where he remained until his death in 1969.

After Obote ousted the king and declared himself executive president, Jaffe used his enormous wealth and his Joffer heritage to gather support among the ethnic groups such as the Kakwa, the Lugbara and the Nubians. In 1966 Jaffe married a Joffer woman called Aeoleon, some years after the birth of their son, Akeem Joffer, born April 3, 1961. Eventually, a rift developed between Joffer and Obote, worsened by the support Joffer had built within the army by recruiting from the local peoples, his involvement in operations to support the rebellion in southern Sudan, and an attempt on Obote's life in 1969. Having learned that Obote was planning to arrest him for misappropriating army funds, Joffer seized power in a military coup on 25 January 1971, while Obote was attending a Commonwealth summit meeting in Singapore. Troops loyal to Joffer sealed off Entebbe International Airport, the main artery into Zamunda, and took the capital city Kampala. Although this was a military coup, Joffer had the support of the Zamundan people on his side and reportedly cheering crowds streamed through the streets of Kampala after the uprising. On February 2, 1971, one week after the coup, Joffer declared himself King of Zamunda and founded the Joffer dynasty - from now on his official title was "His Excellency, Ruler for Life, King Jaffe Joffer, Conqueror of the British Empire in Africa in General and Zamunda in Particular". The Joffer rule was welcomed both within Zamunda and by the international community.

In the following decades Joffer adapted an absolute ruling style that was frequently compared to the one of the French king Louis XIV. Joffer's extraordinary wealth - that originated from his smuggling time and the Zamundan treasury - allowed him and the other members of the Joffer dynasty to live a life in enormous luxury that could compete with every European monarch in history. But while Joffer was an obscenely wealthy man (widely renown for his distinctive lion fur sash) the Zamundan people were less fortunate as they suffered under famine, poverty and the aftermath of the civil war. Nevertheless, Joffer was a respected and beloved ruler due to the good reputation of the Joffer tribe and out of fear of a potential return of the British colonial forces. The persecution of ethnic groups such as the Zamundan Asians, the remaining Europeans and tribes supporting the old Obote regime made Joffer even more popular among the Zamundan Nguni peoples.

However, the arrangement of ethnic cleansing naturally led to international criticism. Joffer reacted by using his enormous wealth and his natural charisma to gather support not only in Africa but all over the world. Soon, a wide network of alliances became the keystone of Jaffe Joffer's influence and power - besides the gigantic treasury of the Joffers, of course. Joffer's most important supporters and arms suppliers were the Soviet Union and Abdul Fakkadi's totalitarian nation of Carmbombya. Other close allies of Zamunda were East Germany, the secluded nation of Wakanda, Ivory-Lana, Matobo as well as the African communist dictatorships of Nagonia, Gorotoland and the Republic of Zangaro.

In 1988 Jaffe's first-born son, Akeem, fled from Zamunda to New York out of unhappiness with being pampered all his life. There, Akeem denied his royal heritage and worked at a local restaurant called McDowell's - a cheap copy of the Krusty Burger fast food franchise - while looking for a queen he can both love and respect and who accepts him for his personality, not his status. But soon, his father found out about his son's whereabouts. Traveling to New York himself, Jaffe returned his son to Zamunda where he arranged Akeem's wedding with Lisa McDowell. To prevent Akeem from being expelled from the Joffer dynasty for marrying a commoner, Jaffe depicted the ceremony as a political wedding between the heir of Zamunda and a representative of the USA, thus cementing an alliance between the two countries. With the new bonds between the Joffer dynasty and the American president Owen Lassiter, Zamunda now was in the unique position of being allied with both the USA and the Soviet Union.

This remarkable position during the Cold War turned Zamunda into a place of transshipment where both sides traded. Especially the arms trade flourished and soon Zamunda turned into a paradise for shady arms dealers such as James McCullen Destro XXIV and Yuri Orlov. Thanks to this development Zamundan economy boomed and alongside the further growth of the wealth of the Joffer dynasty, the quality of life in Zamunda increased with the improvement of infrastructure and industry.

With the decline of the Soviet Empire in 1991 the already elderly Jaffe Joffer liberalized his country as a convergence to the West, especially the USA. The ethnic cleansings that were common in early days of Joffer rule ceased to terrorize the minorities and hardliner military personal such as Jaffe's cousin Dibala Joffer were banned from the country. Dibala would hide in the nation of Equatorial Kundu where he supposedly played a part in the two Kundu genocides of 1994 and 2004. After the latter, Dibala seized power over Equatorial Kundu and ruled with an iron fist until his death in an American hospital in 2009.

With the beginning of the 21st century, Jaffe Joffer became sicker and sicker every day until he eventually died on August 16th, 2003, after about 30 years of successful rule. He was succeeded by his son, Akeem, who would ally Zamunda more closely with the USA and who would rule the nation until its decline, as the second and last of the Joffer dynasty.

Spoiler :

*Coming to America - Jaffe Joffer, Akeem Joffer, Aeoleon Joffer, Zamunda
*Marvel Universe - Wakanda
*The Dogs of War - Zangaro
*The Phantom - Ivory-Lana
*Transformers - Abdul Fakkadi, Carbombya
*The Interpreter - Matobo
*TASS Is Authorized to Declare... - Nagonia
*Capable of Honor - Gorotoland
*The Simpsons - Krusty Burger
*Lord of War - Yuri Orlov
*G.I. Joe - Destro
*The West Wing - Equatorial Kundu, Owen Lassiter
*House - Dibala

Now, I see that during my absence there's been some discussions and I'd like to contribute.

First of all I'm glad to see the progress of the God pedia. You might want to consider adding a reference to Bruce Almighty, Bobby Henderson and the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster and a demonic uprising in 2009/10 as a sign of the upcoming Awakening of Magic (I was thinking of the TV series Supernatural, but I suppose there is more fiction à la "demons invade Earth" out there)

Johnny, the Rome pedia is great! I was really worried about writing Rome, so I'm glad you did such as a fine job! Anyway, I agree that we need a leader of Rome during its Golden Age. I'm going to do some research but right now I can only think of a fictionalized Caesar, as Johnny already suggested, using sources such as Xena, Asterix and the TV series Rome. Oh, not to forget, Napaloni's first name is Benzino.

Son Goku is pretty nice, too! However, could you add a short description of Rural Japan?

On the matter of Claire Bennet revealing superhuman abilities to mankind prior to the Awakening of Magic I can think of three things: First of all, let's not forget that the wizard community managed to hide the paranormal for hundreds of years and they will not let some Yankee cheerleader reveal their secret. Some memory alteration spells and BOOM everything is back to normal. Secondly, pretty much the same thing applies for the Men in Black. While they are not as old as the magical society they seem to have a certain skill to, well, convince mankind that certain things don't exist. And finally, the first prize in the category of TV spoiling goes to …...(dramatic silence)..... JOHNNY13! ;-)

I have a pretty clear vision of our fictional version of Mars and I could write a pedia on the topic, however I would need some help (or research) with the early Mars fiction, mostly pulp fiction such as John Carter.

Transylvania... ah, Transylvania. Whenever I sit down and want to write about vamps I fall into an entire ocean of vampire fiction floating somewhere between Twilight, Bram Stoker, Nosferatu, Blade, Buffy, traditional folklore and a vast amount of other vampire fiction. Honestly, every pedia connected to vampires (meaning Dracula, Nosferatu and Transylvania) is pretty much near the end of my To Do list, so I'd be glad if somebody who is more into vampires would write these.

By the way, Moogi, I'm looking forward to read your (let's hope) masterpiece! Mythology ... sounds promising!

 

[johnny139]

Pedia changes made, Jaffe Joffer read (interesting fellow), and "welcome backs" given.

Transylvania... ah, Transylvania. Whenever I sit down and want to write about vamps I fall into an entire ocean of vampire fiction floating somewhere between Twilight, Bram Stoker, Nosferatu, Blade, Buffy, traditional folklore and a vast amount of other vampire fiction. Honestly, every pedia connected to vampires (meaning Dracula, Nosferatu and Transylvania) is pretty much near the end of my To Do list, so I'd be glad if somebody who is more into vampires would write these.

While I currently intend to finish up the other superhero Pedias - Black Panther and Aquaman - I do consider myself a vampire fan, so, I'd love to tackle the great mountain of vampirism.

Oh, and as for Pokemon - as I said, I thought of them as a resurgence of ancient spirits like yokai and such, which would explain the ancient legends and such associated with them. PROBABLY appearing in the 1940s, at the latest, as, going from anime history, they've existed since before Professor Oak was in his childhood, and he's in his early 60s at LEAST, so, yeah.

EDIT: And also! As you asked, here is a collection of every single Pedia posted in this thread. 99% sure there's nothing missed and it's entirely up to date. Hope it serves you well.

 

[Moogi]

Thanks for the pedia document. I'll see if I can work on my update later this evening- I've got dinner in 45 minutes, and a class at 7:30, but I'll see if I can weasel it in there somewhere, if I can keep myself from watching Serenity instead. But I think I may have time to do both.

 

[Dibukk]

Oh, and as for Pokemon - as I said, I thought of them as a resurgence of ancient spirits like yokai and such, which would explain the ancient legends and such associated with them. PROBABLY appearing in the 1940s, at the latest, as, going from anime history, they've existed since before Professor Oak was in his childhood, and he's in his early 60s at LEAST, so, yeah.

Well, that doesn't cancel out the connection between Pokemon and the Awakening of Magic. Actually, there were quite a lot of Critters (magically awakened animals) that appeared before the year 2011. For instance some cats manifested their abilities such as invisibility, planeswalking to the "magical world" and (rather fascinatingly) controlling human minds to a certain degree.
Furthermore, many awakened species resemble mythological creatures - such as Elves, Cyclopes, Unicorns and Onis.
Thus, I don't see a problem why Pokemon can't be an early awakened form of Japanese spirits.

 

[cfkane]

All good stuff. Now if I just concentrate on the last few superhero units I can release version 6.0. I may have to finish the text changes I need in later patches, but I can get a working version up soonish. As always, I could use some suggestions.

 

[johnny139]

*wipes brow*

What can I say - I felt like churning some stuff out. Nothing too groundbreaking but, I was in a superheroic mood.

First of all, SUPERMAN! I felt that, since I already made Goku, we would need the superhero.

Spoiler :

SUPERMAN

In 1938, the Superheroic Age began with the arrival of Superman. Perhaps the greatest hero of the modern world, his influential style and strong moral character made him symbolic of the era as a whole, where a number of individuals took to the streets and fought for justice. With the powers of flight, super strength, heat vision, and much, much more, he is undoubtedly a figure of great interest in 20th Century history.

Somewhere at the start of the century, the planet Krypton met a catastrophic end; scientist Jor-El sent his only son, Kal-El, to the planet Earth to preserve, in a small part, the culture of his world. The infant landed not far from Smallville, Kansas, and was found by Jonathan and Martha Kent. They adopted the child as their own, naming him Clark and raising him on their rural farm. While always aware of his powers, Kent did little to garner attention for most of his childhood. As a teenager, however, he took the name Superboy, fighting crime and protecting the nearby area from disasters. He slowly gained more appreciation in this period, even being accepted into the Legion of Super-Heroes, from the 30th Century. Never directly identified, he nevertheless took on a bookish, mild-mannered persona to further distance himself from the new hero.

As an adult, he moved to the city of Metropolis, and made his sudden appearance on the world's stage. With his distinctive costuming and home-grown morals – fighting "the never ending battle for truth, justice, and the American Way" – he quickly became a celebrity in the USA and around the globe. With the advent of World War II, domestic heroes began to appear not only in American cities like Gotham, Gateway, and Keystone, but around the world. The first organized teams – such as the Justice Society of America – also emerged.

In Metropolis, many icons of the Superman mythos first appeared. Kent was hired as a reporter for local newspaper, the Daily Planet. Superman entered into a romantic relationship with reporter Lois Lane, and befriended Jimmy Olsen, known far and wide as "Superman's Pal." Superman continued as a renowned hero throughout the 1940s and 50s, meeting with many heroes across the nation, and battling villains such as the notorious Lex Luthor. This eventually led to the establishment of the Justice League of America (also known as the Super Friends, or simply the Justice League) in 1960. Made up of the greatest heroes in the United States, including Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and more, it helped lead the world into a new era of prosperity.

While still a public figure, Superman's popularity began to wane in the 1970s, as he remained static – a gift of his Kryptonian heritage; along with his abilities, nigh-immortality – and the world changed, he quickly became a symbol of an outdated era. This all changed in 1978, when Superman's popularity entered into a near Renaissance, again symbolizing peace in a world increasingly warlike. This culminated in the 1980s, when Superman personally hurled many of the world's nuclear arsenals into the sun.

September 1986 – the start Crisis on Infinite Earths – marked Superman's end. A variety of his villains from across time and space suddenly and inexplicably went mad, destroying Metropolis and haphazardly attacking civilians; Clark Kent was revealed as Superman, and fearing for himself and his friends, he left for the Fortress of Solitude in the Arctic with his many friends and allies; after a long siege, all but Lois Lane and the villain known as Mxyzptlk had been killed or otherwise removed from action. Superman killed Mxyzptlk himself, and, in penance, entered a room of Golden Kryptonite to remove his powers. While rumors would persist for many that Superman continued to live – perhaps, as a normal man – Lane remained adamantly certain of his death, and the world mourned its greatest hero.

Sources:

Spoiler :

* General DC Comics – JSA, JLA, Crisis on Infinite Earths
* Superman Comics – Superman & Origin, Superboy, Krypton, Smallville, Metropolis, Daily Planet, Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen, Lex Luthor
* Batman Comics – Gotham, Batman
* Wonder Woman Comics – Gateway, Wonder Woman
* Flash Comics – Keystone
* Super Friends
* Justice League
* Superman – 1978 Resurgence
* Superman IV: The Quest for Peace – Superman Throws Nuclear Arsenals into the Sun
* Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow? – Death of Superman/Rogue’s Gallery/Others

...and, assuming we are going with him as the Spanish Superhero, Cervantes de Leon! I felt the need to justify him, going from "pirate" to "hero."

Spoiler :

CERVANTES DE LEON

The pirate known as Cervantes de Leon, while his life spanned centuries, is best known for his role in the battle for Soul Edge, a legendary sword from across history. Born in the early 1500s to Philip de Leon, a famed Spanish privateer, he spent much of his early childhood longing to live the life of a sailor. However, when his father was killed in a failed raid, rather than join the Spanish navy, he went to sea as a pirate, vowing to remain free.

For decades, Cervantes roamed the coast of Spain, raiding local villages and battling the famed Spanish Armada; at the age of 48 his life changed forever. Raiding a merchant ship he obtained Soul Edge, twin blade of Soul Calibur, older than recorded history – its power consumed him, and he slaughtered every sailor on both ships. Cervantes disappeared for twenty-five years, as the legend of Soul Edge spread across the world. In 1584 a variety of warriors from nearly a dozen nations appeared seeking the blade; though he was able to fight them back, he eventually fell, and Soul Edge was lost. The blade shattered and spread across the world, many fragments entering into his body.

This death was far from permanent. When the being known as Nightmare took control of Soul Edge, Cervantes returned to life, and he again took to the sea, not in search of riches, but souls. The legend of the soul-sucking pirate and his ghost ship spread across Spain and, eventually, all of Europe; some even attributed the fall of the Spanish Armada to his single ship. These souls nourished Cervantes, and as he grew in power, so did his pieces of the blade, eventually becoming a legitimate weapon in their own right – yet, he still desired more. Time and time again, along with countless other warriors, he hunted for Soul Edge, but each time it slipped from his fingers. Eventually, the legendary sword was broken again, and scattered throughout the world – the battle for Soul Edge was over.

Cervantes, desperate, still attempted to seek the blade, and did so for decades – but he was weakened without it, and in time, he, too, accepted the end of the era. Armed with his fragment and still gifted with immortality, he sought a new life across the Atlantic, in the New World. Relocating to Nuevo León in New Spain, he took the name "Alonso De León" and joined the Spanish navy, putting past grudges behind him; eventually, he became a governor in the region, enjoying prosperity.

Before long, however, the sea called to him again; faking his death, he again became an outlaw, remaining out of the notice of Spain. It was not until he met Captain Hector Barbossa of the Black Pearl in the mid-18th Century that he again found a greater purpose; the crew, immortal and bloodthirsty, reminded him of his earlier life. Without a second thought, he joined them, and for ten years they raided the seas of the Caribbean. However, when the curse was lifted and the crew again became mortal, Cervantes again set off on his own.

Longing for his homeland, he returned to Spain. For many years he become a pirate of some renown again, even being called to the Pirates' Conference of Captain Clegg. In the early 1800s he again retired, and, disguising himself as a young man, he took the name Diego de León and joined the army. Using his centuries of skills to quickly rise through the ranks, he eventually became Captain-General of New Castile. The rigid structure of a mainland army was not for a man so closely related to the sea, however, and he faked his own execution in 1841. For nearly a century, he again disappeared.

By the 20th Century, the age of superheroes had begun, and a man of Cervantes' reputation was needed in Spain. Hesitant to officially serve any government, he instead aced as a hired gun, roaming the streets and coasts of Spain. His immortality and skill – not to mention the awesome power of Soul Edge, even in its diluted form – made him a legend in Spain for the second time, a position he was happy to accept.

Sources:

Spoiler :

* Soul Series (Cervantes de Leon) – Cervantes, Soul Edge, Nightmare
* History – Spanish Armada, Alonso de Leon, Diego de Leon
* Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl – Hector Barbossa, Black Pearl, Immortal Pirates
* The New Traveller's Almanac (The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen) – Clegg's Pirates' Conference

Both, I feel, lean too closely to biography than unit 'Pedias, which is something I've been trying to avoid, but, well, they are what they are.

Now, two more leaders - Black Panther and Aquaman!

Spoiler :

T'CHALLA (1947 – 1986)
The Black Panther, His Majesty the King of Wakanda, Chief of the Panther Clan

Among the oldest countries in Africa, it was Wakanda that gave birth to the world's first superhero – the nation's founder, Bashenga, was given strange powers by a heart-shaped herb circa 8000 BC, and took up the mantle of the Black Panther. This title was passed down through all monarchs of Wakanda, including, perhaps, the greatest of them all, T'Challa.

Groomed from birth to become the next king of Wakanda, T'Challa, son of T'Chaka, lived a comfortable life, thanks to the sale of the rare mineral Vibranium, found in a meteor within the country's borders. T'Chaka, unlike the secretive kings before him, used Vibranium sales to fund the nation, allowing many upper-class Wakandans to study abroad and turn Wakanda into among the most scientifically advanced nations on Earth.

T'Challa spent most of his early life training, in preparation for his ascension to the throne. In his teens, he met with the young mutant Ororo Munroe, and entered into a romantic relationship with her; eventually, she would become queen of Wakanda to his king. T'Challa himself ascended in the early 1960s, after the death of his father at the hands of Dutch explorer Ulysses Klaw, who discovered Wakanda while in search of the Vibranium meteorite. The new king was able to repel the invading force and cripple Klaw; however, the public was not certain if a young king was the wisest choice.

T'Challa, however, quickly took up the mantle of the Black Panther and defeated the other tribal leaders in combat, assuring his place on the throne. His first order was to disband the Hatut Zeraze, Wakandan secret police, to increase public relations; soon after, he cemented relations with neighboring tribes by inviting their nobles into his personal court. Outside of this, however, Wakanda returned to its prior xenophobic tendencies, due to their their first contact with outsiders leaving them short a monarch. Finding his nation stable, T'Challa then left for a brief period to study in America and learn more of the outside world.

While in the United States, he met two of the premiere superhero teams – the Fantastic Four and the Avengers. In 1966, he invited the Fantastic Four to Wakanda as a show of strength – after disabling them to prove his ability to the public, he then entered into an alliance with the team to again dispatch Ulysses Klaw, who had returned seeking revenge. Later, in 1968, he returned to the USA to aid the Avengers; after rescuing the team, he was offered membership, which he gladly accepted, at least in part to learn of the teams secrets. From this point forward, he jointly ruled Wakanda and fought for justice in America.

In 1973, events in Wakanda forced his return; Erik Killmonger, exiled son of a traitor, declared war on T'Challa and attempted a coup of his homeland. Many others soon threatened the nation, and internal stability was rocked by those such as the White Gorilla Cult and the Ku Klux Klan, each attempting to destroy Wakanda. Under T'Challa, the nation was able to weather the storm, but just barely. Rather than continue fighting crime, he remained in Wakanda to begin rebuilding the country.

It was during this period that he rekindled his romance with Ororo Munroe, who, at this point, was a member of the X-Men; after a long courtship, the two married. In 1985, the two produced a child – named Azari, for T'Challa's great-grandfather, the boy was set to be raised as the heir of the Wakandan throne. Unfortunately, disaster struck under the guise of Ultron, the Avengers' greatest foe, just a year later. Called back to duty, he was killed in battle alongside many of his teammates. To protect Azari, Ororo trusted him to the care of Tony Stark, while she remained regent to the Wakandan throne. Eventually, Ultron would be defeated by Azari and the other "Next Avengers," who would live up to their name, avenging the death of Wakanda's greatest king.

Sources:

Spoiler :

* Black Panther, Wakanda) – Black Panther, Wakanda, Storm, Ulysses Klaw
* Fantastic Four #52 (July 1966) – Fantastic Four Brought to Wakanda
* The Avengers #52 (May 1968) – Fantastic Four Brought to Wakanda
* Panther's Rage Storyline (September 1973 – November 1975) – Killmonger's Coup, White Gorilla Cult
* Jungle Action #19 (January 1976) – Ku Klux Klan
* Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow – Azari, Death by Ultron

Alright, timescale time; Storm first met T'Challa when she was twelve (also their first romantic encounter which is KINDA weird, but, whatever), and she was a child during the Suez Crisis of 1956, I believe, about six. This means she was born in 1950, making her twelve in 1962.

Now, in 1962, T'Challa is ALSO a fairly young teen – 14 at the oldest, I would assume. This means he should have been born around 1948. Again, just shots in the dark. Later on, Black Panther is head of state and has been traveling abroad when he invites the Fantastic Four to Wakanda in 1966. Now, to be monarch, he'd have to be an adult, I would think, and he seems one in the comic – so, ideally, he would be in his early 20s, probably born around 1945.

So, we have to fudge things. Push Storm back to 1949, Panther to 1947, have their meeting early in the year, their births fairly late. That makes him eighteen when the Fantastic Four arrive, and, allowing about three years to consolidate his power in Wakanda, placing his father's death near 1963, when T'Challa is sixteen, making things mostly consistent.

Also, not sure if you want to put Next Avengers in there; honestly, I couldn't think of another "end for the Avengers" story that would fit into the timescale, so I ported in a DTV movie.

Spoiler :

ARTHUR CURRY (ca. 1910 – 2007)
Aquaman, King of Atlantis, Dweller of the Depths

The single most influential figure in modern Atlantean history, Arthur Curry started from humble origins; the half-human son of Tom Curry, a lighthouse keeper, and Atlanna, an Atlantean exile. From youth, he was acutely aware of his unique abilities, such as breathing underwater, communicating with sea life, and more. Inspired by Superboy, he took on the identity "Aquaboy" and fought crime across the world’s oceans. At times, he even met with the young Superboy, aiding him on various occasions.

During WWII, like Superman, Curry "grew into" his better known title – Aquaman – and battled against the Axis Powers. He, however, remained a mostly obscure figure until 1960, where he became a founding member of the Justice League of America. Throughout most of the 1960s, he would continue to be a major figure on the world’s stage, along with the rest of the JLA. During this period, he also adopted Garth, an orphaned Atlantean not unlike his mother, Atlanna. Garth would take up the mantle of Aqualad and fight alongside Curry, and eventually become a founding member of the Teen Titans.

At this time, Namor the Sub-Mariner had returned Atlantis to the public’s attention, but Atlanteans were treated more with fear than respect. Namor was deposed after a disastrous surface campaign, and Atlantis hoped to find a new king more in line with their ideals. Eventually, they made contact with Curry, slowly but surely inviting him to the city. In 1964 they crowned him King of Atlantis, alongside Mera, the queen of Dimension Aqua. Less than a year later, the two had produced a son, Arthur Jr. Colloquially, the child was known as "Aquababy." As king, Curry began a policy of reintroduction to the surface world, and despite the attraction of various villains – including his half-brother, Orm – Atlantis entered into a new era of prosperity.

Like all things, though, this prosperity came crashing down. In 1977, Black Manta attacked Atlantis, and after forcing Aquaman and Aqualad into mortal combat, took the life of Arthur Jr. The event was absolutely catastrophic to Curry. Soon after, his marriage began to collapse, and rather than continue as king, he abdicated the throne to his trusted advisor, Dr. Vulko. Thinking himself disgraced, he retired from the public eye, focusing on private heroics.

He was called back into active duty by the Justice League of America in 1984; while he arrived on the scene, many other major heroes did not, and he was forced to defend Earth almost single handedly. Taking matters into his own hands, Curry disbanded the League, and reformed it with new laws forcing members to remain on active duty at all times. Also taking it upon himself to train the new members, he quickly became a famous figure yet again. At this point almost deep into his seventies, Curry felt the next generation should take over. After leading the League for a year, he returned to Atlantis to reunite with Mera.

Their reunion was short lived – in 1986 the Crisis on Infinite Earths resulted in Curry's disappearance, along with many other heroes. While Atlantis remained stable and prosperous, as his rule had ascertained, Curry disappeared until 2007. As a result of the multiversal resurgence, he reappeared near Sub Diego, an Atlantean colony, only to find it destroyed; attempting to revive those killed, he was mutated into the monstrous "Dweller of the Depths." After briefly guiding Arthur Joseph Curry – in a sense, a clone of the original – he was killed by the boy, who was then chosen as the next heir to Atlantis, showing the Curry name will intrinsically be linked to Atlantis.

Sources:

Spoiler :

* DC Comics (Aquaman) – Aquaman and Origin, Superman, Garth, Orm, Black Manta, Dr. Vulko, Crisis on Infinite Earths, Infinite Crisis, Arthur Joseph Curry
* Golden Age Aquaman – WWII Battles
* Superboy #171 (January 1971) – Aquaboy
* The Brave and The Bold #28 (March 1960) – Founding of the Justice League of America
* Marvel Comics – Namor the Sub-Mariner
* Aquaman #18 (November 1964) – King of Atlantis, Marriage to Mera
* Aquaman #11 (September 1963) – Mera, Dimension Aqua
* Aquaman #23 (September 1965) – Arthur Jr.
* Adventure Comics #452 (July 1977) – Death of Arthur Jr.
* Aquaman #62 (July 1978) – Aftermath of Death
* Justice League of America Annual #2 (1984) – Disbanding/Reformation of the Justice League of America
* Justice League of America #243 (October 1985) – Retirement as Leader of the Justice League of America
* 52 #50 (April 2007) – Revival as Dweller-In-The-Depths
* Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis (May 2007) – Death, Arthur Joseph Curry as King

Both are a bit on the short side (and the individual heroes on the long side), but I think they'll all work.

...

So, there you go!

 

[cfkane]

All good.

Though I don't think you need to justify Cervantes' "hero" status. I didn't necessarily pick the heroes I did for any moral standing.

I admit I know jack about the Soul Caliber series. When does it take place?

 

[Moogi]

All good.

Though I don't think you need to justify Cervantes' "hero" status. I didn't necessarily pick the heroes I did for any moral standing.

I admit I know jack about the Soul Caliber series. When does it take place?

I haven't played it in a while, but I believe it takes place in the late 16th-early 17th Centuries. The side game 'Soul Calibur Legends' takes place at around the Siege of Vienna (the one where the Ottomans almost took the city), but then again, the series has an incredibly loose take on history- nun-chucks being used a few hundred years before they were invented, scantily-clad women walking around in public, the Ottoman army having little to no firearms, not to mention the inexplicable existence of a female Holy Roman Emperor in 'Legends'. It's still fun, though.

I like the idea of Cervantes being the Spanish superhero. If only because I once had a friend who had never played the game before, and within half an hour, he was able to beat me with every character in the game, except Cervantes.

TIMELINE UPDATE UPDATE: I'm almost finished with the next update for the timeline. However, I've been working on it almost nonstop for the last four hours- during which time it seems that my laptop battery has died, requiring me to keep it plugged in at all times-, so I need a break. The update will be up, if not by the end of today, then by the end of the weekend.

But the main reason for my editing this post is a discrepancy I've noticed in the pedias. The Western Roman Empire comes to an end in 476. Arthur Pendragon is born four years later. Lucius Tiberius is included in the mod, so Arthur needs to fight the Roman Empire at some point.

I have three solutions to this discrepancy. Solution 1) Simply move Arthur's lifetime back in time a few days. This would be a royal pain in the butt (pun intended), so I hate this solution. 2) Lucius Tiberius is something of a revanchist, who rebuilds the Empire from scratch after its 'official' collapse. This 'Nova Roma' lives for only a few years/decades before splintering. Sort of like the actual Roman Empire fast-forwarded. 3) Tiberius does not fight Arthur at all. Instead, Tiberius is Emperor during the time of Arthur's uncle Artorius, the founder of Albion (see the Arthur pedia and the astoundingly mediocre 2004 film King Arthur). Artorius founds the state of Albion, and Tiberius, though he knows that Rome no longer has the resources to rule Britain directly, tries to make Albion into his vassal. Artorius refuses, and Tiberius declares war. Albion defeats Rome, and Tiberius is left with a further weakened Empire, before dying and being replaced by Romulus Augustulus, who ends the Empire for good.

Solution 3 has my vote.