User:Etzan/Brave New World

I am absolutely insane for doing this, but here I go. Tek and I have decided to start a project which I will call Brave New World, a fiction universe set at the dawn of the colonial age on a planet called Gaia, a mirror of Earth of sorts. The focus of the 'verse will be around psuedo-European countries and their attempts to explore, tame, and dominate a world which keeps on getting bigger, and how their discoveries shape their conflicts back come. There will be more focus on empire building through diplomacy, war, and than in the prime fiction universe, though there will definitely be room for those who want to write stories and fiction out of what happens. In fact, I hope that there will be a lot of storytelling elements involved as we write Gaia's colonial history.

The World
The first thing that you will probably notice is that most of the map is actually hidden. The hidden parts of the map exist on my hard drive, though they haven't been discovered yet by the Old World. They will be uncovered through sending out exploratory expeditions both at sea and inland. We have continents and geographical locations that correspond to America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. Culturally and technology, they are similar to their real-world counterparts, but expect some differences.

The new world has just been discovered (that bit of land to the left), and it is rumored to hold all sorts of riches. The territory that was discovered is lush rainforest on the equator.

Technology
In terms of technology, we are at the level of the late 1600's to early 1700's. Muskets are becoming universal, though they are clumsy as heck. Musketeers are moving away from being elite swordsmen and moving towards their role as the line infantry of the 1700's, doing most of the killing and most of the dying. Bayonets are close to being invented, and canons are slowly getting smaller and more accurate. Meanwhile, at sea, the medieval forecastle seen in Carracks and Galleons is quickly disappearing, being replaced with level decks on newer ships. The age of sail is nigh.

The printing press has already been invented, meaning that the spread of ideas among the newly emergent middle classes is easier than ever, often posing a threat to the absolute monarchies in power. The compass and sextant have made navigation at sea a lot easier, paving the way for explorers to map the unknown world.

Dates
For the sake of simplicity, we will use traditional dates, the year of our starting being 1700.

The Factions so far
- Kingdom of Morcia Type: Absolute monarchy Monarch: Charles I of House Murray (age 67) Creator: The Clanden

After decades of conflict under Charles I, Morcia has seemingly entered a golden age. A traditional continental power, it has managed to bring under its thumb titles which it has claimed for centuries. Together with the Kingdoms of Rurionia and Saesia to the South, ruled over by the Morcian heir, and Belgarne to the North, it constitutes the Morican Empire which promises to stand for centuries, backed by its strong armies and Rurionia's excellent navy.

Secretly, however, the Kingdom's coffers are close to buckling, having been drained over the course of Charles' many wars. Morcia's many enemies plot from within and without, and as the monarch ages and grows frail, the continent's noose tightens around its neck. - Kingdom of Rurionia Type: Absolute monarchy Monarch: Charles I (second of his name) of House Murray (age 31) Creator: Tek0516

Traditionally at odds with the Kingdom of Morcia, the Kingdom of Rurionia now finds itself in an intimate personal union with it. After the previous monarch died and left the Kingdom to his sickly twelve year-old son in 1687, a power struggle began between the various branches of the royal family. Morcia intervened, backing the fourteen year-old Maria, the previous king's firstborn child and the wife of the Morcian heir, as claimant to the Rurionian throne. Thanks in part to the disunity of Rurionian forces at the time, Morcia's armies won out in 1688. Charles (the second of his name) and Maria were crowned in an elaborate ceremony, ushering in a period of rule under the House of Murray.