Hello! How's life?

[Harry Tuttle]

Call back to the old timers. How's life? I see some still log in. I see Curt's still here, Techumseh, etc. Good job Blake00 on keeping the work alive.

I was in the National Naval Aviation Museum near Pensacola this past summer and I thought of you all. If you ever want to get a 2nd degree sunburn and party with the lovely people of Northern Florida / Southern Alabama I suggest a trip. The Blue Angels practice out of the air base as well, so that's a treat. There is a tremendous amount of aircraft in that museum, including a few from the adversaries, so it is worth it.

I have an awesome idea for a scenario regarding Northumbria, unfortunately I haven't modded in QUITE some time. If anyone wants to game out an "Oswald survives" I would give you a gold star. I've written a good bit of alternative fiction on the topic and I think it would be fun.

Hope you are all doing well!

 

[Broken_Erika]

I still lurk here.

 

[Harry Tuttle]

Hi Erika!

 

[Fairline]

Hi Harry, good to see you after all these years!

 

[Harry Tuttle]

You too Fairline!

 

[techumseh]

Welcome back! Tell us more about this Northumbria thing.

 

[Harry Tuttle]

Welcome back! Tell us more about this Northumbria thing.

Absolutely!

August 5th, 642. The Battle of Maserfield: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Maserfield

King Oswald of Northumbria vs Penda of Mercia and the forces of the Welsh Kingdom of Gwynedd. In our timeline Oswald loses the battle and is dismembered. Northumbrian hegemony over Britain never quite reaches that level of control again. The aftermath of the battle led to Northumbria essentially breaking in two, with Bernicia ruled by Oswiu (Oswald's brother), and Deira ruled by Oswine (Oswald's cousin). Ripples from Oswald's death are felt throughout the early Catholic Church as Oswiu chose Roman centered Catholic teachings over Celtic at the Synod of Whitby, whereas Oswald likely would have sided with his Gaelic mentors (in my opinion).

Oswald is just a fascinating and interesting figure in history. He was regarded as a talented tactician and had incredible political reach throughout what is now modern Ireland and Scotland. If he avoided Maserfield, or somehow won, Mercia likely would have been under Northumbrian control sooner, the Welsh kingdoms subdued, and the Church in England pointed toward the monks in Iona, instead of Rome. With a capable Bretwalda in Oswald, we may have seen a much longer Northumbrian dominance in Britain, unlike the short one brought about by Oswiu in our timeline. This means independence from Rome, alienation eventually with the continent, a firm focus on a Northern power center, and much more Gaelic influence.

If you'd like to go down a rabbit-hole, research Oswald and Oswiu's lives. Bede wrote much of that history, so there's care put into painting these men as scion's of early Christianity, but the reality is that they used their connections to avenge their father's death and rule a good portion of Britain. It's good stuff.

 

[techumseh]

It sounds interesting, but I'm totally unfamiliar with the history. What are you looking for here? I'm into collaboration - it seems the only way to keep anything going in SL these days. But I'd need you to take the lead and clearly define what you need from others.

 

[Harry Tuttle]

Alright, let me think about delegation and design. I'll get back to you.