MotF 118: The Pale Continent

In a world where Mohammed was never born, the middle ages never ended for Europe. Western Europe never rediscovered the works of the Romans and Greeks, and stayed backwards. Butterflies meant that William of Normandy never invaded Britain, the Island remained divided into the Kingdoms of Merica, Northumbria, Kent, Scotland, Wales, Anglia, and the Kingdom of the Saxons (consolidation of OTL Wessex, Essex, and Sussex). The Island remained backwards until the middle of the 1600s. By this time Chinese merchants had started to come to European ports, looking to trade. China traded primarily with the Kingdom of Saxons, Kent, Anglia, and Wales. By the early 1700s the Aztec Empire (China discovered America much later than OTL, and colonized it less aggressively, so the Aztecs, Incas, and others were able to survive) also started to arrive and trade. By the early 1800s both countries were vying for influence in the British Kingdoms to get supplies to fund their industrial revolutions.

By the 1800s the Aztecs and Chinese agreed to divide the British Isles. The Map below show the division. The Aztecs got Ireland and Scotland, and influence in Northumbria, and in return China got OTL England and Wales. Over the next few years the isles were pacified. During this time the Native British Culture has been largely replaced, with most people only speaking Nahuatl or Chinese. However, European ideas have survived in interesting ways, for instance the Aztec Empire has adopted the Latin Alphabet as their script as it is much easier to use than traditional Nahuatl Pictographs.

Fine, China

So, I took a stab at MotF. I was originally going to go all the way to to the late 1800s, but I got lazy, so sue me. I may add onto this sometime in the future.

Anyway, there are two main POD's in this timeline. The first POD is that the Black Death never occurs, meaning that feudalism never ends, Europe is still overpopulated, and there is enough of a butterfly effect to allow Europe's progress to be halted even more (for instance, Portugal has to abandon its exploration to fight a losing war with Spain). The second POD is that Zheng He's Treasure Voyages lead to the establishment of profitable trading posts throughout the Indian Ocean, which China builds off of until they are eventually able to make direct sea-contact with Europe at Portugal. China comes onto good terms with land-power obsessed Spain, and the king of Spain eventually grants Lisbon to China after a Chinese general helps to put down a Portugese rebellion.

Things are only going to get worse for Europe, just so you know.

This is one of our stranger artifacts, purchased from a merchant near one of the Great Hubs. It depicts a Europe which has been colonized. According to what the merchant told our agent, in this world, the Mongol Hordes successfully invaded Western Europe, but their weakened forces were repelled by the Song Dynasty, which kept China fractured for centuries. The merchants referred to the Mongols and their dynasty in northern China as "Saracens," indicating that the Mongols have converted to Islam en masse. This would certainly account for the continued division of China, even after the fall of the Mongol Empire. It appears that more than one Chinese state has arisen from southern China, judging by the separate Chinese states holding dominion in eastern and western France. As for Europe, the merchant made a point about the destruction of Rome and the "thousand years of darkness" that followed Mongol rule.

After the Mongols, the Chinese "fled the Middle Kingdom by the sea, and found new lands." It is unlikely that these are what we consider the Americas, it is likely the archipelagos in Southeast Asia. This is likely where the Chinese received their knowledge of seafaring. The merchant did refer to the colonies in Europe as "new," and indicated that the Japanese have dominated the Americas, akin to the Spanish of our timeline. The Japanese do have some colonies in Europe, particularly Ireland and Valencia, but these may have been taken past the height of the Japanese Empire. It is interesting to note that this world is also home to a thalassocracy centered in Luzon, where the merchant says this map came from. They have possession of northwestern Spain, the Balearics, and Sardinia. These two seem to have been eclipsed by the Chinese state, particularly the "Nanking Empire" the merchant mentioned.

Apart from the Asian colonies, there is a Mongol Empire which has taken the place of our world's Russia, a "Roman Khanate" centered in Anatolia, a "Norse Kingdom," and what the merchant referred to as the "Allemanian Khanate." While it is clear that this is the German state in the center of Europe, it is unclear if it is a descendant of the Holy Roman Empire or is another German state entirely. There are a few independent European states in the West, likely buffer states maintained by the Asian powers, and an independent Hungary. Then there is the "English Empire," which is evidently a militaristic aggressor towards its neighbors, Asian and European.

Given the sheer distances involved, it is unlikely that the Asians have colonized these areas of Europe thoroughly. Based on typographic comparison, there is no difference between the nomenclature of independent states and some of the European states. A system of protectorates and nominal sovereignty, akin to the princely states in our own British India, may be at play here.

Some ad-lib included

There have been many scholarly debates concerning the downfall of Europe and the dramatic shrinking of their influence in the worldy affairs. Unfortunately, the events and circumstances leading to the current state are still a matter of heated discussion, not least because the native sources, authored by Men of Church who also wrote fantastic stories of demonic apparitions and men performing miracles, are now considered dubious at best. However, what everyone universally agrees on are the details about their cause.

It is not surprising to note that the beggining of Europe's end is incidental with the destruction of the Roman Empire. As people tried to put a stop to this period of turmoil, Emperors sought to make quick peace with the first wave of barbarian chiefs that came to their territories. Often such deliberations were hasty and haphazard, as was the decision of Honorius of not just officially recognizing the independence of Visigothic settlements, but also accepting to treat their king on equal terms as "eternal allies", probably impressed by their military prowess. This official blessing of the Emperor helped them distinguish themselves from the other barbarias, as they were no longer seen as enemies and invaders, and gave them the golden opportunity to expand their territory with impunity with the vested purpose of "protecting" the Roman people in the recesses of the Empire from further assaults. The subsequent kings were shrewd enough to gain the favor of the Church as well, granting them further protection. In 425, Theodoric baptized in the basilica of Toulouse, making him the "defender of Christian faith" with the approval of a Pope growingly trubled by the birth of new heresies.

Unfortunately, the later developments proved the Visigoths unable to live up to the expectations that Romans trusted upon them. The first series battles on the river Seine against the hostile Franks proved exhausting enough for both parties even with the help of entrenched Roman troops in Gaul, and ended with the stipulation of a truce that marked the river Loire as a natural frontier, which would become the source of much friction between the two nations in the years to come. Partly as an oversight, partly as a connivance, however, little action was made when Burgundians and Ostrogoths flowed into Italy marking the death of the Western Roman empire.

Much more successful was the Byzantine counter-attack, which saw themselves relieved of any operation on the Western front thanks to Visigothic back-up. By focusing exclusively on the Near East, this allowed the Eastern Emperor to not to spread his troops too thin and have a full control over maritime movements. Giving up Hun-ravaged Italy except for Sicily the city of Ravenna, he shifted his priority on settling the accounts with Persians on the East (resulting in minimal territorial losses only in Mesopotamia) and the unorganized desert marauders which started rushing from the South since the 7th century (effectively stimying their advance to Egypt if at the cost of great resources).

What could've been a chance for European culture to redeem itself after nearly 300 years of fierce warfare, however, turned into a long period of stagnation. While the geographical position of the Hiberian peninsula would've made Visigothia privileged in seafaring exploration, the inherent weakness of the government quickly brought the central power to collapse into a myriad of successor states only interested in vying among themselves for internal dominance, often taking the latest heresy of Christianity as a pretext to wage war against each others.
In Francia, still stuck in its tribalist ways due to an almost nul contact with the post-Roman Europe, the long period of "do-nothing kings" effectively reduced the role of monarchs from military leaders and cultural patrons down to mere overseers of people's affairs, or at worst parasites, growingly paranoic of any possible assassination plotted against them. Worth noting is the mention on the annals of a so-called Peppin's Plot circa 750, which resulted in the execution of the king's master of palace and a more authoritarian management of the court.
The Byzantine Empire, undergoing a deep shift toward Christian thinking that obfuscated much of the Classical culture, had to fight a solitary war against the tribes causing disturbance in Italy and the Balkans and making the Mediterranean unnavigable with their unrestricted piracy, preventing them from minding about outward relations.
It comes as no surprise that, until their fall to foreign colonization in 14th century, due to a lack of stimuli no notable cultural works stood out from the continent.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the Eurasian continent, an opposite revolution happened. From the 8th century, the Kambujian empire in South East Asia grew in wealth and influence. Stirred by the pressure of its powerful neighbours, at first the Khmer kings sought an economic expansion policy, turning their mainly agricultural state in a maritime and trading power. Suryavarman II's successful military campaigns had secured Khmer the southern tip of the Malay peninsula, granting them a springboard to the Indochinese sea and giving an opportunity to monopolize on all trade routes in Indonesia. The many fractious kingdoms of the archipelago saw no choice but form a loose confederacy dependant on Khmer's commercial power and influence, only to be absorbed into the empire proper a century later.

Having mastered knowledge of the westward currents in the Southern Emisphere, Khmer sailors grew more daring with their explorations. The swift equatorial winds of the Indian Ocean sped up travels considerabily and allowed them to cross the full length of the sea in significantly less time than normal. Since the first travels, these seafaring skills quickly brought them to found several small semi-permanent settlements in East Africa and the island of Madagascar by the end of the century, beating the Arab colonizers, who took a couple centuries more to band together and trudge down the coast.

By 1250 AD, as the population of Kambujia grew for the first time into the 9 million, Khmer's maritime empire boasted outposts all over the rim of the Indian Ocean, with a few tentative townships into the island of Greater Java ("Ribotes" to the Europeans). Although the king knew the true reasons as thoroughly as the sailors he ruled, the favourable currents that resulted in this ease of sailing were nonetheless used as a propaganda among general populace to prove indeed that the gods had destined him to rule the whole world as his full royal title alluded to.

By a few decades later, Khmer ship smoothly crossed the Cape of Winds (the southernmost tip of the African continent), as per usual by taking advantage of the favourable westward currents. By 1280s, they tentatively made contact with the natives of Ghana, and by 1285 they already reached the Canaries. Suebian accounts of shipwrecked Khmer sailors making a call into the port of Lisipo date as early as 1290. But the real stage of Asian-European contact was yet to come.

When the Khmer landed for the first time in Britain in 1310, they only expected to conduct basic business with the natives. The spectacle that greeted them was that of a derelict nation, whoefully stunted by centuries of infighting and isolation from the mainland continent due to a Frankish blockade, and almost begging for salvation from the constant harassment from the Northmen, who had long established a puppet state on the eastern half of the country. When the envoys returned to the court of Indravarman III some years later, they brought, along with bemused stories of local customs and fauna, also the proposal to bring the people of Britain under their protective wing. The proposal came just in time as a long period of truce was signed with the formerly hostile Vietnam, and a token fleet was dispatched without much hesitation, at first just for the purpose of policing the North Sea from any possible piracy from the Northmen, which could've disrupted the trade in the zone. Little did he know that this gesture would prove so valuable in future. The gratitude of the "freed" British was such that they basically threw themselves at the feet of their new "paladins" after the first successful naval skirmishes.

For centuries, the Khmer colony of Britain served as a firm foothold into the trades with the European people, providing in addition a secure and stable haven to those escaping the troubled conditions of the war and plague ridden mainland. This is however where the charitability of the Khmer ended, and exploitation started. With the Persian invention of the steam engine in the 1700s and its subsequent spread all over the Middle East, new and more powerful technologies were needed for Kambujia to keep itself competitive. Lacking the appropriate resources in the native lands, eyes were diverted on Britain and their large deposits of coal and metal (copper and iron). Of course, natives had to undertake the most dengerous tasks in exchange for "protection". But it wasn't over yet. With the Khmer population enjoying higher and higher standards of living, the demand for more food and commodities also grew accordingly, and so Francia, the granary and workshop of Europe, became the prey of the next colonial expansion, just as the country was slowly imploding as a result of a wearing war of succession and ethnic strifes...

And here's the map.
Whoefully eye-hurting, aliased version can be found here.

Well, first post and it's in a MOTF thread. Ambitious much?
Anyway, on to the actual map.

The PoD is that Alfonso does not die in 1468. Instead, he takes control of Castile, something that hampers the unification of Aragon and Castile for a long, long time. While Columbus does sail, he doesn't sail for America. Rather, he actually sails Vasco da Gama's route. This leads John Cabot to discover Newfoundland, while Martin Pinzon discovers South America. The initial lack of knowledge leads to North America to be called Cabotesia, while South America becomes known as Pinzonia. The main languages of this TL's Americas are Spanish, English, Dutch, Swedish and Arabic.

Wait, Arabic?

in 1690, king Alfonso XV dies, leading to a succession crisis between Aragon and France. The sides slowly draw themselves up, and what begins is the War of Castilian Succession, a 12-year conflict between various European powers. Unfortunately for France, as Aragon advances deeper into French territory, supported by Dutch and Piedmontese allies, the populace of Southern France becomes increasingly disillusioned with the French government, and the independent Kingdom of Aquitaine is proclaimed in 1700. At the same time, 1702 sees the continued independence of Provence and the unison of Aragon and Castile as the United Kingdoms of Iberia. Despite de jure unity, Iberia is still a heavily factionalized area, something that does not improve when Portugal is added into the nation. This, in essence, allows the Barbary states to flourish, and here is finally where Arabic America comes in. Vast amounts of traders from the Hafsids, Moroccans, and Tlemcens come to the coast of Cabotesia, leading to such prestigious port towns as Mooreburgh in the Newfoundlander Territories. This starts to increasingly strain the relation with the Ottomans, who are pushed out of Africa in 1750.

Republicanism first comes to the continent in 1780, when disillusioned Frisians overthrow their government. Known as Sciringists after the Schieringers that fought in the area so long ago, the Republic of Frisia proceeds to invade some of its southern neighbors in Hainaut and Brabant. This causes what is known as the Great European War (1788-1800). As the War drags on, more and more countries in Europe fall to Sciringism, such as Aquitaine. However, Frisia is officially crushed at Bremen in 1800, especially as her leader, Pier Douwama, is killed by an errant Austrian bullet.

So how exactly does this tie in with our friends over in North Africa? Well, what happens is that, although Sciringism is swiftly crushed across Europe, it is succeeded in 1810 by the so called Neo-Sciringists. Although they take various guises across Europe, their underlying doctrines are the same - a call for national independence, an end to the Holy Roman and Ottoman Empires, and the establishment of constitutional monarchy. Even the North African states wound up with their own societies, the most famous and successful of which is Mustafa ibn Mahmud's Mahdis, organized from the local nobles of the respective countries. In 1860, revolutions come to the Mediterranean, and three important things happen:

1. under Cavour, the Federation of Northern Italy is founded
2. The Ottoman Empire starts to collapse
3. The governments of the Barbary states are overthrown and replaced by Neo-Sciringist democracies.

in 1900, the Second Great European War commences, this time aided by a specter coming straight out of France. This "revanchist" philosophy has been argued to have come at the very least 200 years too late, but that does not seem to bother the French. Fond of absolutism, Revanchists quickly take control of France, Austria, and Russia, and soon, a new war is happening again.

In 1905, the War comes to Africa and the Middle East, as France announces its intent to reclaim Jerusalem. The Ottoman Empire, weakened, finds itself unable to deal with this alone, so they form the Rum Pact. Most Muslim nations join the fight, but is it enough to stop the French?

Yes. Yes it is.

Although the Revanchist powers are defeated, the Levant demands independence from the Ottomans. by 1920, the entire Ottoman Empire is reduced to territory around the Straits and Smyrna - and it loses even that in a war against the Greeks. What is left declares itself independent of the Ottoman Sultan, and declares the Republic of Turkey.

Although things look good for a while, by 1935, Revanchists will be back in France, and have also taken control of Astlan, the ex-Swedish colony in Central America. What follows is, surprisingly enough, not a new world war, but rather a series of localized conflicts against the Spanish, Vlandrians* and the Republic of Germania, which end abruptly in 1950 with the overthrowing of the last Revanchist armies. Now, with the world seemingly descending into an era of peace, a cold war starts between the Neo-Sciringists, headed by the Germanians and loose Arabic alliance that came out of GEWII, and the Monarchists, headed by the Vlandrians.

But wait, where's the colonies in Europe come in?

As it happens, quite some weird stuff has butterflied into existence. The political stability of Europe is roughly on the level of OTL's Middle East today, with constant threats of terrorism and especially coups. Now, if you recall the fragile UK of Iberia, yeah. Portugal left many years ago, in 1910, but now the country is at breaking point. Increasing demands for the expulsion of any and all foreigners in the nation causes a complete collapse in the area. This, coupled with civil war in the Hellenic area, alarms the other Mediterranean powers - Barbaria, Morocco, Algiers, Turkey, and the Republic of the Levant. with Moroccan citizens' lives on the line in Iberia, the Castilan government accepts a intervention force in Southern Iberia in 1965, leading to Moroccan iberia, or Gharnāṭah. Meanwhile, Turkey moves to restore order in its Hellenic neighbor, more specifically in the Marmara area. as Barbarians land in Valencia to help the Aragonese government keep everything under control, the final straw breaks the camel's back. Almost overnight, the UKI is dissolved, and various successor states arrive to take over the show.

Officially, the Arabic nations come together and form the AMBLT Coalition, a coalition intended to restore unity and peace to the Mediterranean. Secretly, lines are already being drawn up over the European borders - Turkey and the Levant to expand, Greece to be divided into Turkish and Levantine zones, Bulgaria as a Turkish - well, a Turkish princely state, for lack of a better word, and perhaps most tangibly a problem, restoration of Arab rule to southern Iberia and Italy. Of course, in the modern day and age, to directly do such would be bad, hence the establishment of protectorates - basically, the colonies that they have desired so much. Year by year, more and more Iberian and Hellenic successor states surrender to the AMBLT forces. By 1975, the official mandate is over, and the League of nations accepts the new nations planned by AMBLT:

• Asturias, a Barbarian protectorate in northern Iberia
• Hellenia, an effective Levantine Sattelite
• Andalusia, a Moroccan client state
• And Bulgaria, Turkey's Representative-in-Europe.

In addition, Naples and Sardinia are brought under Barbarian Control, the Levantine influence in Arabia expands, Portugal now pays lip service to the Moroccans through the use of advisors, and Northern Italy is under a firm and watchful Algerian eye.

To consolidate their gains, AMBLT reforms into the Mediterranean League. This allows the AMBLT nations to have some control over other Balkan States as well.

The peacekeeping planned by AMBLT enforced perhaps not the traditional sense of colonialism. Rather, it enforced a very modern type of colonialism, which is already being called "Mahgrebism" or "Ambletism" by detractors (the e standing for the Earth's disgracefully swift acceptance of events).

In 1997, the Vlandrians decided to teach this new War in their curriculum, and asked the printers Smidt & Blaauwheimer to make this map, supposed to be a quick overview of the events. Vlandrian anti-Sciringist propaganda is subtle, yet there, with clever use of the words "Great Game" (emulating the Swedish-German fight over Eastern Europe) and "surrender".

* ITTL USA

(I realize that this isn't colonialism by its strictest sense, however, the idea of protectorates is a fairly established one for colonialism)

My entry,the POD is explained on the map;
The picture below shows part of the book Terra by Amadeus Falken. This book published in 2057 tells the history of our planet. Its most famous feature is its naming of important historical areas and events in Latin, setting a precedent for history books to come.
By Isaac Jenner
(click here for more information)

The Scramble for the Visiwa Nje (The Outer islands)

A: Kisiwa Bwawa- The accurately named Isle of the Swamp has long had a very minor and unimportant role in world affairs. Virtually ignored by the major powers, Bwawa has received minimal amounts of African civilization. Instead the people dwell in flimsy hovels, heated with peat. The only real cultural trace of the outside world has been the widespread acceptance of Jainism thought (although strange and obscene Druidic rites still persist in distant fastnesses). Politically, there have only been two major incursions into the island. The first was the formal creation of the Chartered Province Sabuja [L], a dumping ground for Indian criminals and the Linda [D], a Bengali colony carved out of the island to guard other areas of Bengali interest.

B:Chartered Province of Sabuja (The Green Prison)- Founded as a prison colony for the Bengali Empire, it has grown to include several towns, extensive farms and outposts. The Bengali administration is nearly non-existent, consisting of merely dumping prisoners onto wharves and leaving. Left to their own devices to find food, shelter and women,t hey have created a strange and violent society, focused off raiding passing ships and the Celtus interior. While the Kingdom Albion gets all the press, it is there prisoners who have caused the increase in piracy in the last few years.

C: Gael Free State- The only truly independent state left in the Visiwa Nje. Poor, undeveloped and rife with tribal conflict the Gaels have only kept out African colonizers with bravery, luck and treacherous terrain. With steep mountains and freezing winters the Gael have generally kept out foreign invaders and armies. Trade has flourished however, with wool, timber and the exotic drink of whiskey making up the bulk of traffic. While the border has mostly been peaceful, weaker tribes have been known to cross the cragged border looking for easy spoils.

D:

E:

F: The Petty States of Cymru-

G:The Satrapy of Franji-

H:

I: Tributary Princely States-

J: The Ulaya Trading Company- Based out of the chaotic and opulent East Africa trading cities, the 'Company' (as it is known) is easily the richest non-state actor on Earth. With ships in every ocean and factories on every continent, it often acts like a nation, complete with navy, army and administrative organs.Seeking out trade no matter where, for many years it was the only outside influence in the backward Visiwa Nje.

K: Overseas Franji-

L: Linda (The Guard)-

Wikenlaw!

Deoric was awoken ere the sun had risen much above the roofs of Hamwyck by a great clamour. For a moment the nightmare that had haunted him accompanied him into the waking world; it’s the Grave,* he thought, the righteous called up to heaven, and I’ve been left here, here in this stinking hut. But he patted the wounds on his back and reassured himself that the One who had won the victory over death would not allow him to mortify himself in His name without reward.

“What is it!” he called through the wall. “What’s happened?”

“Come and see, father!” cried Oswic, an odd tremor in his voice. “It’s ships, ships in the harbour. So many ships!”

Ships, thought Deoric. No mere fishing expedition then, and it had been a long time since the navy of the Anglish king could command more than scorn.

“The Franks!” Deoric had been a child no higher than his father’s waist when last the great old beast across the Channel had sought to impose its authority upon these islands. The Emperor claimed all Bryttain, at least on behalf of his cousin, who, if he had his way, would turf every good Anglishman into the sea in the name of long-dead Cadwallader! He seized his bow and mail from the corner of the shack, pausing to grab the little necklace that reminded him of Who else had suffered in this world, and staggered out into the dark blue light.

His son stood on the dock amongst a crowd of thirty or forty men, some half-dressed in their mail, others still laced into their nightgowns. What were they waiting for, Deoric thought?

Oswic turned, and his lip was quivering. “Look, father.” He stepped aside, and for a moment Deoric caught a glimpse of what was on the horizon.

For a moment, it made no sense – a great brown strip had obliterated the place where sea and sky met, a great shimmering mass. Then he saw it – the sails, sails on sails, floating above the mass, and the mass resolved themselves into individual ships, each taller than any cathedral spire save St Offred’s in Lundun. His mind strained for anything comparable, and could only deliver this thought ‘This must be how Izekelas felt when he saw the keruvim and their wheels, so terribly high over the earth’.

“There are not so many ships in all the Empire,” he said, numbly.

“There are not so many ships in all the world,” said Alfredric the sadler, and Deoric had just enough of his wits about him to think that had just been proved patently untrue, but he said nothing.

Now he could parse the shapes of the individual ships, he could see how close they were packed into the harbour – so close they were rocking each other with their wash. As they watched, a brace of smaller rowing boats approved, emissaries from that great fleet. Each end of the ship curved up to a point – the shape evoked something like a shiver in Deoric, an ancestral memory – the prow carved into something like the head of a cat.

The men standing at the front of the boat held long dark clubs, cocked in an odd salute, and wore dark helmets that joined underneath their chin. As they grew closer, Deoric saw that they had long, dark hair worn in a queue. The one at the prow – presumably their leader for he wore a cloke and lacked one of the black clubs – called out to the crowd, but his voice seemed indistinct. Every so often there would be a word that seemed familiar, but then it would be gone, in the way of dreams. Deoric began to wonder if he was still asleep.

“Is it Anglish?” said one. “No, raca, it’s Northumbrian,” said another. “Danish, it’s Danish,” said a third.

It took until the sun was high for them to find a translator, a Noorwegian, who still had to ask and answer many, many times before he comprehended what was being said.

“Perhaps they come to trade those hides,” said Alfredric, looking covetously at the perfect leather cuirasses the strangers wore.

Deoric looked at the hard lines of the face of the man in the cloke – somewhat like the Noorwegian’s but the cheekbones were all wrong and the skin tanned, like a Mahometan’s, save for his blue eyes which took in the crowd, their dwellings and their meagre weapons. He thought – those aren’t the eyes of a man come to trade, but those of a man come to stay.

At length the Noorwegian broke away from the strangers, and was grabbed into a huddle of the Anglishmen.

“What does he say?” “Are they Franks?” “No, raca, the Franks have tails.”

“He says,” the Noorwegian whose name Deoric had never bothered to learn began. “He says...”

“Yes?” “Yes?” “Speak up, man!”

“He says, ‘take me to your monasteries’.”

The strangers were evidently tired of waiting – more of the curving boats had pulled up, the prows carved into demons and beasts unfamiliar to Deoric, and the men stepping off them were pushing into the town. The leader of the first boat drew past the huddle, beckoning the Noorwegian to follow. He looked at Deoric and tapped the little cross on his chest. Deoric defensively drew a hand over the charm.

“Hvar en Anagyarr had vrailaik tellit!” A smile cracked his features.

The Noorwegian paused for a moment. “I think he said, ‘I didn’t know any in Angleland kept the faith’.”

Deoric felt a sudden pang of relief. How wonderful, how healing to the breast, that a man could come from far across the ocean and yet meet his brother!

“It is but a token of my trust in my Lord Jesus Christ.”

The stranger’s countenance fell at once and became bitter. Turning his head from Deoric, he spat into the dirt, and said something the Noorwegian did not translate. Then he left, with about sixty of the strangers, in the direction of the church.

Deoric looked up at the sky and moved his lips in a way that no-one in Bryttain had possessed cause to do for at least four centuries. And if he had but allowed a breath of air to pass his throat, this is what the heavens would have heard:

‘A furore Normannorum, libera nos, Domine’

---

Other than a worlda collaboration with Nicksplace27 ages ago, this is actually my first attempt at a MotF submission; hopefully the letter of the challenge ("countries from another region") has been honoured, if not exactly the spirit. I would not be surprised to find that the butterflied linguistic elements of this map are completely, offensively wrong; I will point out that until yesterday *Russia was called 'Great Moravia'.

* False cognate: derives from ‘Grabben’ – what we would call the Rapture. Pronounced ‘grah-vuh’.

And the map (click for full):

After several different ideas (gradually decreasing in size in the same area I decided on this; lack of time (I work alot) really meant this was nowhere as good as I'd have liked, but it's ok none the less I suppose.


I won't go into alot of backstory, as it's set in the 'Asiatica' Universe I've posted from before, but in short the Mongols don't do as well in Asia, do better in Europe (making it further West and remaining a bit longer before being overthrown and driven back) which leads to an Asia that develops differently from ours which goes on to have many colonial powers while Europe, developing colonialism itself as well, is nowhere near the level of OTL in terms of colonization.

The map shows OTL Corsica and Sardinia in 1975; Italia and the near-by islands were colonized by the Bengalis over time, leading to what would be called the 'Bengal Raj' in Italy.


Two notes;
1. The size is measured in Sardinian Miglios, which are the OTL historical unit of measurement in Sardinia.
2. Two units of the 'Global Currency' (who's symbol is used to denote GDP) would equate to one OTL U.S. Dollar.

The PoD is at the Fall of Rome, where Europe falls into an even worse Dark Age. The other PoD is the early growth of Teotihuacan into a major civilization. The Teotihuacan spread their ideals throughout next 1,000 years, and ended up discovering the Americas in 1350. Colonization immediately followed, with Africa and Europe being vassalized by the Mongols or the Americans. This is the world in the present say, starring a consolidated HRE, weak France, and an Iroquois Ireland.

In this alternate world, the Roman Empire fell roughly as OTL, just with a few changes, like the Irish managing to do better at their invasion of Britain. Things changed, and the Franks never formed a cohesive Kingdom. A major change occurred when the Oghuz invaded the Persian Empire in the early 700s. They adopted Zoroastrianism fervently, and invaded Europe. By the year of the map, the East, West, and North Oghuz are completely different societies. Meanwhile, the Chinese discovered California, and have began settling it, while the Indians managed to gain dominance of the Indian Ocean and have begun to move into Western Africa. Now, they have discovered Europe, and are ready to begin colonizing it.