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Makemakean Does Various Graphical Things!

Faces of Nordic Reunification

qvarnie.jpeg

Greetings!

So I see you’ve met Professor Iivari? My sincere apologies...

Oh, yes, of course I know he’s brilliant. One of the most clever men in the three kingdoms, the grand principality, and the four duchies, but he can be unhinged… his mind all over the place. Rather arrogant. Quite annoying.

If I may introduce myself, then, I am Johan Sigvard Qvarn, Professor of Eloquence at Stockholm Radical University and Secretary-General of the Commission on Elections at the Royal Tabulation Bureau. You wouldn’t guess it from my accent, of course, but I’m actually originally English. I was actually born in Middlesex! Father and me came over in ‘17. Back then, the family name was Mill, and I was born John Stuart. Father was very keen on fitting in into his new country, and so Swedified our names.

You know, in my (relative) youth, I was actually quite active in the radical wing of the Cap party! I twice stood as a candidate for the Riksdag in Stockholm! Didn’t come anywhere near winning, of course, but what do you expect if you’re running in Stockholm on a platform of abolishing the guild system? No, no, now my days as a partisan hack are long since over, and I am just a simple, humble civil servant with an interest in the statistics of elections.

On election night, I’ll be baby-sitting two young tablemasters over at the Palace of Statistics, and operate the Magnificent Suleiman as the results come in. I hope they haven’t oversold you on how interesting this election night will be. For a variety of reasons, no party can gain anything near a majority of seats, and we have a pretty good idea of what will happen everywhere. It will be quite a boring event, I fear, with nothing unexpected to be expected to happen.

Well, yes, I suppose it kind of is a truism to say that I do not expect something unexpected to happen, but you get what I mean...

Anyway, you’re still welcome to come!
 
Is that actually all of them? You’re not going to be putting in the other heads of government, the party leaders, etc. etc.?

Oh, dear Lord, no!

These are only the ones I've done so far. Valto Härkönen will only ever get the briefest of cameos, and Keijo Iivari and John Christmas, though mentioned, only show up in one (or maybe two) chapters each. Let's see, for the slate of characters I have in my notes (that document I've sent you earlier versions of) so far who will make appearances whom I haven't drawn yet (note that I have drawn my favourite character, the Marquis of Mandal), there is:

Arthur, King of Sweden and Norway, Duke of Pomerania
Frederikke, Queen of Denmark and Duchess of Slesvig, Holsten, and Lauenborg
Asbjørn Abraham Sønderheim (as he appears at the time)
Solveig Sønderheim
Emmy Nicander
Tablemaster M. Johansson
Tablemaster M. Lindh
Tablemaster Theodor Dietrich
Mikael Lindroos
Policemaster Svante Strömer
Edvard Cohen-Brandes
Captain Lebjadkin
Aleksej Kirillovitj Vronskij
Pjotr Sergejevitj Trofimov
Einar Halvorsen
Ivan Pavlovitj Sjatov
Thomas Snedstrup
Pjotr Stepanovitj Verchovenskij
Nikolaj Vsevolodovitj Stavrogin
Countess Dowager Rosenkrantz
Inspector Hvide
Alexej Nilitj Kirillov
Professor Tulenheimo
Sergej Vasiljevitj Liputin
"Barnabas"
Valter Vilén
Niilo Korhonen
Sallinen
Sir Rupert Ashcroft, 1st Baronet
Albert Nikolai Ørsted
Gulbrand Gulbrandssen
 
Oh, I see what you did there.

“Oh, your husband was that Count Rosenkrantz!” Sir Rupert remarked merrily, “Why, I knew him! I met him a few times at Boodle's back when he was the Danish ambassador in London! Always struck me as a most agreeable fellow! But I must admit that I was entirely unaware that he had passed away. Terribly news indeed! How did it happen?”

The Countess Dowager Rosenkrantz gave the nonplussed Sir Rupert a very cold and unhappy look.

“Occupational hazard,” coughed Andersen, awkwardly trying to put an end to the very tense moment, “A diplomatic misunderstanding. Confidential correspondence getting… mixed up. But, err-… A formal apology was issued by the foreign government in question, he was given a hero’s funeral, and, well, we all miss him and wish he could have been here tonight!”
 
Oh, dear Lord, no!

These are only the ones I've done so far. Valto Härkönen will only ever get the briefest of cameos, and Keijo Iivari and John Christmas, though mentioned, only show up in one (or maybe two) chapters each. Let's see, for the slate of characters I have in my notes (that document I've sent you earlier versions of) so far who will make appearances whom I haven't drawn yet (note that I have drawn my favourite character, the Marquis of Mandal), there is:
To be clear, I did mean in terms of the introductory drawings, not the story.
 
Faces of Nordic Reunification

emmyNic2.png

The name’s Emmy Nicander, daughter of Alfred Nicander and his beloved wife Lucrezia. My father was recently named as the Nordic cultural attaché to Paris, so I suppose this will be my last summer in Stockholm. Twelve winters old am I, and because of a truly debilitating and annoying little case of dyslexia, my father has since many years back solicited the services of Prof. Qvarn to serve as my tutor. A great man, Prof. Qvarn is, truly wonderful, though my father disapproves of some of his more liberal and radical notions.

The parents are loyal Hats, spending the evening at the Stockholm chapter of the Tricorne Club, so I suppose that makes me a Hat too. But honestly, I don’t really find politics to be that interesting. The Network itself and the Osmanians that make it up however, now that’s a different matter. That’s why I’m here at the Palace of Statistics. Have you heard that the new Lorentz-Iivari architecture doesn’t make any distinction between data and instructions whatsoever, and that this is deliberate so as to allow the-…

Why, yes, of course I am allowed to be here on my own. Why wouldn’t I be?

Uhu… uhu. Yes, I suppose, but have you considered that-…

Ah, you have considered that, fair enough, but-…

Blimey.

Ah.

Okay, those are some very persuasive arguments you have there. A girl’s got to know when she’s beaten. I can’t object, really.

Tell you what, you know, you should probably see if you can find some person of authority or just general responsible adult and try to get me home to where I’m supposed to be. I mean, as you say it is quite dangerous.

Yeah, yeah, you’ll go do that, and I’ll wait right here!

Okay, thanks!

See you in a bit, then.
 
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Faces of Nordic Reunification

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The name’s Emmy Nicander, daughter of Alfred Nicander and his beloved wife Lucrezia. My father was recently named as the Nordic cultural attaché to Paris, so I suppose this will be my last summer in Stockholm. Twelve winters old am I, and because of a truly debilitating and annoying little case of dyslexia, my father has since many years back solicited the services of Prof. Qvarn to serve as my tutor. A great man, Prof. Qvarn is, truly wonderful, though my father disapproves of some of his more liberal and radical notions.

The parents are loyal Hats, spending the evening at the Stockholm chapter of the Tricorne Club, so I suppose that makes me a Hat too. But honestly, I don’t really find politics to be that interesting. The Network itself and the Osmanians that make it up however, now that’s a different matter. That’s why I’m here at the Palace of Statistics. Have you heard that the new Lorentz-Iivari architecture doesn’t make any distinction between data and instructions whatsoever, and that this is deliberate so as to allow the-…

Why, yes, of course I am allowed to be here on my own. Why wouldn’t I be?

Uhu… uhu. Yes, I suppose, but have you considered that-…

Ah, you have considered that, fair enough, but-…

Blimey.

Ah.

Okay, those are some very persuasive arguments you have there. A girl’s got to know when she’s beaten. I can’t object, really.

Tell you what, you know, you should probably see if you can find some person of authority or just general responsible adult and try to get me home to where I’m supposed to be. I mean, as you say it is quite dangerous.

Yeah, yeah, you’ll go do that, and I’ll wait right here!

Okay, thanks!

See you in a bit, then.
I see you and your subtle cameos there.

(Though beyond me being the author of the book, this character immediately brought to mind one from a series by Brandon Sanderson, which I assume is a coincidence as I don't think you're familiar with his canon)
 
This is sounding like an idea that has burst its boundaries and is rampaging out of control.

The logical thing then is to pile more upon it!

Some ideas for characters that have been coming to mind:*

A general who worships Napoleon (no seriously, there’s an altar and rituals and good lord is it all creepy!).

An Icelandic sea captain who lost his feet and most of his ears to frostbite, left arm in a whaling incident, right eye and nose after annoying a herd of geese, and a good chunk of his left flank to a shark attack. Presently runs one of the packet ships connecting Greenland and Iceland to the rest of the Empire. Also one of the most respected translators of Marlowe and Shakespeare into the various Nordic languages and probably could have taken a comfy academic post somewhere if he didn’t love his job so much.

A Swedish admiral absolutely obsessed with monitors (for I would hope are fairly obvious reasons) and has formed a... pressure group (no, we are not a navy league, no sir!) to advocate for the building of 200 of them and that is not a typo.

THE CHIEF RABBI OF THE NORDIC EMPIRE!!!!! Fine, so he’s Denmark’s Chief Rabbi who took the opportunity to expand his authority in the absence of anyone else, but since the national churches haven’t been merged and the Holy See refuses to recognize the union due to that one diplomatic incident (long story, involves the nuncio and wrong-colored curtains), he’s technically the most high-ranking cleric in the entire empire; a fact he loves to remind protocol officers of.

A Sami woman who is presently an international celebrity for her virtuosity on the cello. Has very strong opinions on the Caps, mostly involving the refuse of her reindeer.

The Spanish Ambassador, a man who is avoiding being declared persona non grata for corruption by raising a stink over the status of Pomerania.

The Representatives of the Anarcho-Syndicalist Commune of Holstein! (it’s just thirty people sharing a couple Kiel townhouses) They claim all of the Kiel district, Dithmarschen, and a corridor between the two as their historical patrimony, and they have views on what the proper boundaries between this and the other territories of Holstein should be.

A Millerite cult in Uppsala that has calculated Christ’s Return to occur on October 14, 1867. Coincidently, this is the anniversary of Jena-Auerstedt.

*Feel free to use all, part, mixed-up parts, or none of what I have here. I just had a surge of ideas and thought that there might be some possibilities in stimulation here.
 
This is sounding like an idea that has burst its boundaries and is rampaging out of control.

The logical thing then is to pile more upon it!

Some ideas for characters that have been coming to mind:*

A general who worships Napoleon (no seriously, there’s an altar and rituals and good lord is it all creepy!).

An Icelandic sea captain who lost his feet and most of his ears to frostbite, left arm in a whaling incident, right eye and nose after annoying a herd of geese, and a good chunk of his left flank to a shark attack. Presently runs one of the packet ships connecting Greenland and Iceland to the rest of the Empire. Also one of the most respected translators of Marlowe and Shakespeare into the various Nordic languages and probably could have taken a comfy academic post somewhere if he didn’t love his job so much.

A Swedish admiral absolutely obsessed with monitors (for I would hope are fairly obvious reasons) and has formed a... pressure group (no, we are not a navy league, no sir!) to advocate for the building of 200 of them and that is not a typo.

THE CHIEF RABBI OF THE NORDIC EMPIRE!!!!! Fine, so he’s Denmark’s Chief Rabbi who took the opportunity to expand his authority in the absence of anyone else, but since the national churches haven’t been merged and the Holy See refuses to recognize the union due to that one diplomatic incident (long story, involves the nuncio and wrong-colored curtains), he’s technically the most high-ranking cleric in the entire empire; a fact he loves to remind protocol officers of.

A Sami woman who is presently an international celebrity for her virtuosity on the cello. Has very strong opinions on the Caps, mostly involving the refuse of her reindeer.

The Spanish Ambassador, a man who is avoiding being declared persona non grata for corruption by raising a stink over the status of Pomerania.

The Representatives of the Anarcho-Syndicalist Commune of Holstein! (it’s just thirty people sharing a couple Kiel townhouses) They claim all of the Kiel district, Dithmarschen, and a corridor between the two as their historical patrimony, and they have views on what the proper boundaries between this and the other territories of Holstein should be.

A Millerite cult in Uppsala that has calculated Christ’s Return to occur on October 14, 1867. Coincidently, this is the anniversary of Jena-Auerstedt.

*Feel free to use all, part, mixed-up parts, or none of what I have here. I just had a surge of ideas and thought that there might be some possibilities in stimulation here.

I'm reminded of that story that Stephen Fry is fond of telling of when he and J. K. Rowling went for a book signing tour in the United States, and the first Barnes and Nobles they went to, an awful lot of fans had letters to Rowling they wanted her to read. However, some manager or another would take all the letters, and not let J. K. Rowling touch them. Afterward, they had managed to accumulate an entire pile of them.

Rowling asked if she could have them, and she was informed of that she could not.

"Then what are you going to do with them?"

"We are going to lock them up in a great big safe, and the envelopes are to remain untouched in a pristine condition. That way, if anyone of these fans have written down some ideas they have, and you end up using a similar idea in one of your future books, we have the evidence here that you did in fact not steal it, and so cannot be sued."

To clarify, I don't mind people sending me ideas, but it sort of comes with the forewarning that I can neither promise that I will use them, that if I do use them, that they will be used in the way you had in mind, and of course, by sending them to me, you're putting me in a position whereby I am feeling a bit... err-... can I actually use this without you at some future date taking offense and saying that I was not allowed to use it in that way, or that I have stolen an idea or something?
 
Faces of Nordic Reunification

Let’s have a look at some of the candidates, then! In Sunnerbo in darkest Småland, Bo Johansson is running. Wikström’s Almanac of Candidates has this to say about him:

JOHANSSON, BO.
Did not answer questionaire sent to prospective candidates;
Party: Independent Cap;
Occupation: Unclear;
Views on the Tariff Question: Hopefully has some;
Susceptibility to Bribery: The Russian ambassador may find his address listed at the back of the A.o.C.;
Other Notes: Possibly literate;

Probability of Election: All but inevitable.


borisJ.jpeg
 
To clarify, I don't mind people sending me ideas, but it sort of comes with the forewarning that I can neither promise that I will use them, that if I do use them, that they will be used in the way you had in mind, and of course, by sending them to me, you're putting me in a position whereby I am feeling a bit... err-... can I actually use this without you at some future date taking offense and saying that I was not allowed to use it in that way, or that I have stolen an idea or something?


Sorry for putting you in an uncomfortable position like that.

But yeah, I fully, freely, and completely hand these ideas over to you for your use and benefit, and give up all claims to any credit or compensation for their use. The happiness and confidence I would derive from any element being used would be more than ample reward.
 
JOHANSSON, BO.
Did not answer questionaire sent to prospective candidates;
Party: Independent Cap;
Occupation: Unclear;
Views on the Tariff Question: Hopefully has some;
Susceptibility to Bribery: The Russian ambassador may find his address listed at the back of the A.o.C.;
Other Notes: Possibly literate;

Probability of Election: All but inevitable.
“History of sanity in the family: none whatsoever”?
 
Though beyond me being the author of the book, this character immediately brought to mind one from a series by Brandon Sanderson, which I assume is a coincidence as I don't think you're familiar with his canon.

I haven't, but I'm hardly surpised, the clever and playful, yet fundamentally friendly, happy, and courteous little girl is a pretty common trope in fiction. I think my conception of Nicander is inspired by various girls in the stories of Astrid Lindgren than anything else, though.
 
Faces of Nordic Reunification

We command that you kneel, for you are standing in the presence of greatness!

We are Arthur, King of Swedes, Geats, and Wends, King of the Norwegians, Supreme Lord of Finland, Duke of Scania, Estonia, Livonia, Karelia, Bremen, Verden, Stettin, Pomerania, Kashubia and Wendia, Prince of Rügen, Lord of Ingria and Wismar, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp, Heir to Norway, Protector of the-…

Wait, how can my title be both King of the Norwegians and Heir to Norway? That seems a bit redundant doesn’t it? Ah, Heir to Norway is part of the traditional address of the Dukes of Holstein-Gottorp, and when we got personal union with Norway it was never-… Ah. Fair enough. Still a bit redundant, though.

Also, who are the Wends? I’m apparently their King, so I-…

Ah, they haven’t existed as a distinct people since the Middle Ages, and they were only ever added to the title in the first place to annoy the Danes because their King also claimed to be-… Urgh…

And while we're at it, I don't even know what half of these medals are supposed to be for, so-...

You know what? You don’t have to kneel anymore. Feel free to rise up. Go on!

More comfortable, huh?

Now, if you’ll give me a fag, I’ll let you in on a secret.

Ah, now there we go!

Cheers.

kingArthurTheOnly.png

Now, where were we?

You know, the truth of the matter is, I never wanted to be King in the first place. I wasn’t supposed to be. I was the third son, you know, the last one, the expendable, the irrelevant one. I was supposed to be the non-descript Duke of Scania. Which doesn’t actually come with any responsibilities whatsoever, it’s just an honorary title, actually.

Anyway, I was going to have a good, simple life, painting my little amateur oil painting, and occasionally go for a vacation to Rügen and maybe Skagen, but-… Urgh… First the eldest brother had to go and get himself killed in the war with the Russians, and then the second-eldest had to get himself killed in a dual down in Bohemia for no good reason whatsoever. So, I had to step up. And now I’m about to become Emperor across the North.

Well, Co-Emperor, grace be to God. The missus will do half the job. She’s much better cut out for this than I am, I’m ever so happy I have her.

Now, may I show you some of my oil paintings?
 
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