Kergland

[Kerguelen]

Black Cats, White Mice: vaguely more democratic China TL

- Xi Zhongxun isn’t purged and arrested during the cultural revolution, is instead sent away as ambassador to Zaire
- After Hua Gofeng rises, Deng and Xi are rehabilitated, they eventually collaborate to overthrow Hua and establish their reformist regime
- With Deng is not quite in full control due to Xi established as a party elder with opposing plans for reform, a power sharing troika is established with Li Xiannan representing the “conservative faction”
- Following a marginally worse Sino-Vietnamese War and the eight elders growing skeptical of Deng’s foreign policy, Xi manages to outmaneuver Deng as face of the reformist movement
- Hu Yaobang’s rise as Party Chairman and Xi’s 1982 visit to the United States cements his usurpation as paramount leader of China, Xi’s fame is further embellished after a nearly-successful assassination attempt by the KKK
- The neoliberal pro-market “Guangdong model” is seen as the path forwards for China, Xi’s plans for gradual democratization are now underway
- The conservative faction is weakened after Li Xiannan and Chen Yun are unable to prevent sweeping constitutional reforms decentralizing power away from the Party Central Committee and towards the State Council, they later resign
- During the early 90s, Xi resigns from power as Zhu Ronji takes control over the nation continuing his push for transparency, decentralization, and market reform
- As the 2000s begin, Hong Kong and Taiwan have been annexed into the PRC while political intimidation is outlawed under the rule of Zhang Gaoli, though his career is marred by various accusations of sexual misconduct
- The democratic reforms mean that the growing nationalist sentiments among China’s population cannot be suppressed by party elites intent on maintaining profit margins via western diplomacy
- Riding on these growing nationalist sentiments, Deng Pufang, the wheelchair-bound son of the former paramount leader rises to power intent on establishing China as an economic hegemon and cementing its military strength following the Indo-Pakistani nuclear war
- Most political opposition is deeply disorganized and outcompeted by the CCP’s wealth of funds and connections. Any major opposition parties which do exist mostly run on a platform of better representing interest groups to assist CCP rule in a similar vein to minor parties in the OTL United Front.
- Mass resettlement programs to further entrench Han populations in Tibet and Xinjiang are also far more common as cultural initiatives are overridden by the influence of public-private agribusiness programs
- Falun Gong also still exists in Manchuria and basically runs local politics, most of the nations leadership is weirded out by the rogue government project but tolerate them for helping maintain the dominant party system

 

[Kerguelen]

Sic Semper Tyrannis: A Medieval America (based on the worth of Matthew White)​

- The United States of America is an oligarchic maritime republic existing as shadow of its former self as its governors have declared independence and established their own kingdoms similar to the Roman Empire
- Despite this, America retains a powerful navy with expert shipbuilders, armorers, and gunsmiths, retaining its hard power by selling their navy as mercenaries and intervening in succession conflicts
- Through soft power, America retains control of vital trade ports with outposts from the Bahamas to Boston, establishing prestigious universities where hundreds of nobles from east of the Mississippi come to learn
- The political system is akin to the Republic of Venice, ruled by groups of aristocratic families who serve in the hundred-person large senate
- In the event the President dies, the Vice President serves as regent and cannot take the office of President while the electoral college assembles to name a successor
- The President traditionally takes a regal name after a pre-apocalypse president and rules for life unless they resign or are impeached by will of the Senate
- To prevent hereditary rule, the President is unable to name or endorse a successor while the Vice President cannot run for re-election
- Politicians, citizens, and aliens are the three main economic classes paralleling how patricians, citizens, and foreigners formed Venice’s caste system
- Matters of faith are not of great importance as long as one remains subservient to the Serene Republic most of the American population worships a variety of gods, spirits, ancestors, and jesuses
- Similar to China, humanistic schools of thought created by venerated philosophers serve as the basis of government while the role of the Non-Denominational Church in White’s work has been replaced by the Federal Court led by the Chief Justice and their many circuit judges.
- There have been five woman presidents in the past (including two out of four Kamalas) and there are several serving female senators though as always, politics remains a deeply male-dominated process owing to gender roles in semi-feudal society
- Homosexuality and same sex marriages are recognized as is adoption though men who choose to take a “passive” role are viewed as more akin to women similar to Ancient Rome
- Transgender women are often employed in noble households as courtly scribes while transgender men serve as palace guards similar to the role of Byzantine eunuchs

Political Factions following the Rule of Georgebush VII​

The Maroons: Also known as the Publicans or the Reds, they are the party of greater presidential powers. They retain conservative viewpoints through firm adherence to Constitutionalist philosophy which endorses the supremacy of the Supreme Court’s rulings and a powerful President to enforce their divine will. Following the recent Carribean Crusades, they retain wide support though have provoked the opposition by imposing higher taxes to fund the President’s conquests.

The Azures: Also known as the Democrats or the Blues, they are the party of free trade and popular reform, mainly advocating for an America more independent from the Supreme Court. Many also advocate for fewer barriers to citizenship and the expansion of aristocratic privileges (if only to reduce the burden of taxation). Following the expensive Carribean Crusade, they seek to establish a government able to better serve the interests of its aristocratic politician class.

Political parties are very fluid with many families shifting from faction to faction with many politicians opting to stay neutral in partisan disputes

List of Pre-Apocalypse Presidents according to the Sacred Archives:​

Washington, Benfranklin, Adams I, Hamilton, Jefferson, Adams II, Jackson, Lincoln, Jefferson II (viewed until recently as an illegitimate usurper), Johnson I, Ulysses, Roosevelt I, Garfield, Hoover, Roosevelt II, Isenhower, Kennedy, Johnson II, Lutherking, Nixon, Ford, Carter (no longer used as a regal name since the reign of Carter III “the Cannibal”), Reagan, Georgebush I, Clinton I, Georgebush II, Obama, Trump, Biden, Kamala

“As our nation enters another interregnum, it is my duty as Vice President to call forth the electoral college so they may divine a worthy successor to our most illustrious Commander-in-Chief. I wish these candidates luck in the coming election for the Oval Office is no easy burden, it is a throne that demands the blood from one’s flesh and sacrifice of the spirit. I may only pray to the Lord God that whomever rides to the occasion shall make this sacrifice with honor and ensure America’s manifest destiny. Sic Semper Tyrannis and may liberty be granted to all, amen!”
- Vice President and Warden of the White House Bobson Achebe, 2951 A.D.​

 

[Kerguelen]

In 2016, there was massive Democratic turnout among Latin communities due to Trump’s nativist rhetoric. In 2020, there was massive Democratic turnout among black communities due to Trump’s crackdown on the Black Lives Matter uprisings. In 2024, I predict that there will be massive Democratic turnout among Asian communities, possibly due to Trump employing racist rhetoric against a possible President Kamala. Not sure what’ll happen in 2028 though, maybe Trump pisses off the natives and loses North Dakota.

 

[Kerguelen]

Chariot of the Gods - A Civilizational TL ​

Vague Overview: OTL reveals how indigenous peoples across the southern cone such as the Charrúa and the Mapuche quickly adapted to horseriding and cavalry during the advent of Spanish colonialism, leading me to think what if horses were indigenous to the continent? In this world, the prehistoric horses of South America remained extant in Altiplano Plateau instead of being hunted to death by mankind. Eventually they are domesticated, giving birth to a mass migration of nomadic llama herders which eventually coalesce into sedentary nation states. “South American” civilization is vaguely analogous to India’s, home to waves of migrants settling across the continent, creating ever evolving systems of governance and faith.

Rio Plata = The Indus/Punjab, a wealthy breadbasket and a cradle of civilization. This is the home of the great silver emperors who have risen and fallen from power since the beginning of time. In this time the empire has gone from rule by clashing semi-feudal nobles swearing nominal fealty to the crown to a centralized state administered by a clergy of shamanistic scholar officials. Serving as a great empire, the land is also a center of political philosophy, with various schools of thought regarding man’s legalistic relation to the laws and spirits.

Patagonia & Atacama = Central Asia, a dry steppe filled with nomadic raiders ruling over semi-settled agrarian communities. Here the horse lords reign supreme, praying to a plethora of gods. These horselords end up raiding their wealthy empires to the north and becoming the new emperors before getting usurped by the next invaders. In the high arid steppe there is a great ruin that was once the heart of a great continent-spanning empire, now ruled by wild dogs and grave robbers searching for treasure.

Amazon = The Ganges/Bengal, a magnificent river of crucial importance for navigating the continent’s interior. As such, it is considered a deeply sacred place in many faiths. Along the riverbanks, various merchant kingdoms have emerged with the region being a center of trade across the hemisphere. As of recently, the mouth of the river has come under the rule of a vast trade empire in conflict with the horselords in what we know as the Llanos grassland. Several merchant lords have sought to escape this conflict, looking for greener pastures in the northern isles.

Andes = The Himalayas, a vast mountain range and the birthplace of many faiths that have made their way across the continent. Wealthier and less politically united as petty kingdoms attack the lowland from land and sea. Despite this, pilgrims and traders alike traverse the slopes of these golden mountains atop their strange woolly mounts. Recently contact has been made with a strange seafaring people from the sunset, bringing strange creatures with delicious fatty flesh.

Brazilian Highlands = The Deccan Plateau, a wealthy region and the home of some of the greatest dynasties in the continent’s history. Home to precious jewel mines and vast fields of cotton, rival kingdoms have long fought over the riches of this land, leading to millennia of bloodshed, which has only increased after the spread of fire powder weapons. The situation has coalesced around two major polities in constant conflict, ruled by rival astrologer-kings who both believe the stars have ordained them to rule.

Now the year is 3-276, three cosmic cycles after the enlightenment of Achiyaku, two god-deaths after the conquests of Kojh-Shenrr, and 1500 years after a boy was born in the city of Bethelem. A trading ship from the Amazon has been swept adrift into the ocean by a sudden storm and will end up discovering a new world.

 

[Kerguelen]

Had a vague dream/prophecy last week about a timeline set in a world where North America was entirely colonized by the Spanish so an Anglo-Dutch Union under House Orange made Southern Africa their primary target for colonization. Hundreds of years in the future and vast waves of European migration/ genocide of the native population led to a slim white majority state being established in Geographical Southern Africa. After the Anglo-Dutch Union fell apart, the white settlers in Africa established an independent republic under the Commonwealth of Christmasland (an anglicization of Terra Natális). While apartheid/segregation was officially no longer legal, rampant discrimination and the slow genocide of non-white populations remained prevalent under the rule of the Milk Delivery Service (which expanded from a government unit that defended white ranchers to an international secret police dedicated to enforcing imperialist white supremacy with the aid of private mercenary contractors like the CIA). The current leader of Christmasland was President German Gore, an analog to Geroge W who oversaw TTL's 9/11 which was committed by me with vague support from an Indonesian-funded miltia angered by the treatment of Asian immigrants in Christmasland. The dream began as I was in hiding in a safehouse, watching a giant glass pyramid collapsing on the news after I bombed it. Then I got word from a call from my handler who said the Indonesian government could no longer protect me as they had agreed to sell me out and pin the attack on Pan-Africanist terrorists in exchange for a trade deal that gave them cheaper milk. President German Gore then came on the television surrounded by mercenaries and announced he was preparing the launch an invasion of Nigeria as revenge for the attack. The last thing I remember was fascist milkmen raiding my home so I couldn't take credit for the attack and the dream ended.

 

[Meppo]

The last thing I remember was MDS agents raiding my home so I couldn't take credit for the attack and the dream ended.

That's a very detailed dream, I must say.

 

[Kerguelen]

UPON THE SHINING SEA​

Presidents of the United States of America

1869-1873: Ulysses S. Grant (Republican) [1]
with Schuyler Colfax def. Horatio Seymour/ Francis Preston Blair Jr. (Democratic)
with Henry Wilson def. Horace Greeley/ Benjamin Gratz Brown (Liberal-Democratic)
1877-1881: William A. Wheeler (Republican) [2]
with William Cumback def. Samuel J. Tilden/ Thomas A. Hendricks (Democratic)
1881-1885: Samuel J. Tilden (Democratic) [3]
with William R. Morrison def. William A. Wheeler/ William Cumback (Republican), Edward P. Allis/various (Greenback)
1885-1893: Edward S. Bragg (Democratic) [4]
with Adlai Stevenson def. John M. Palmer/ Joseph R. Hawley (Republican)
with Adlai Stevenson def. William B. Allison/ William W. Phelps (Republican), Ben Tillman/ James W. Marshall (Populist)
1893-1897: John H. Mitchell (Republican-Populist) [5]
with Marion Butler def. Adlai Stevenson/ Horace Boies (Democratic)
with Marion Butler def. Claude Matthews/ Sylvester Pennoyer (Democratic)
1897-1901: Marion Butler (Republican) [6]
1901-pres: William R. Hearst (Democratic) [7]
with Segundo Imbert def. Marion Butler/ Theodore Roosevelt (Republican)

[1] Oversaw the annexation of the Dominican Republic and American intervention in the Ten Years' War
[2] Persued an alliance with Southern Whigs, overseeing the end of Reconstruction and anti-Klan laws to cement Republican support
[3] Expanded the Monroe Doctrine and lowered tariffs as a Bourbon, but suffered from corruption allegations and the panic of 1884
[4] Oversaw sweeping civil service and civil rights reforms, though was opposed by bimetallist business interests and white southern populists
[5] Cemented the Republican's conservative nativist anti-black stances but resigned after being impeached by Congress for bigamy
[6] Heralded in the progressive era and cemented the Republican-Populist Alliance to preserve white supremacy in the South
[7] Defended civil rights legislation, deepened progressive reforms, and oversaw the birth of American integralist fascism

Governors of Santo Domingo

1869-1873: Gregorio Luperón (Republican)
1873-1881: José María Cabral (Republican)
1881-1885: Buenaventura Báez (Democratic)
1885-1893: Francisco Gregorio Billini (Democratic)
1893-1897: Marcos Antonio Cabral (Democratic)
1897-1901: Segundo Imbert del Monte (Democratic)
1901-pres: Juan Isidro Jimenes (Democratic)

 

[Kerguelen]

PINK TIDE, DIRTY WAR​

Presidents of Mexico
2006-2012: Andrés Manuel López Obrador (PRD) [1]
def. Felipe Calderón (PAN), Roberto Madrazo (PRI)
2012-2015: Dolores Padierna (PRD) [2]
def. Ernesto Cordero (PAN), Manlio Fabio Beltrones (PRI)
2015-2015: Marcelo Ebrard (PRD) [3]
2015-2018: Josefina Vázquez Mota (PAN) [4]
def. Jorge Arana Arana (PRI), Marcelo Ebrard (PRD)
2018-pres: Jaime Rodríguez (PRI) [5]
def. Beatriz Gutiérrez Müller (PRD), Santiago Creel (PAN)

[1] Ushered in the Mexican Pink Tide reviving left-wing populist politics in North America
[2] Resigned after the Mexican Federal Police launched mass arrests of political allies on allegations of corruption and cartel connections backed by the U.S. Department of Justice and DEA in "Operation Spring Cleaning" to oust the PRD
[3] Continued to oppose the charges levied against the PRD but was removed by the PAN-controlled Congress in favor of Vazquez Mota
[4] Elected as a placeholder but cemented the rightward shift in Mexican politics and began the militarized Drug War against cartels
[5] Mexican Bolsonaro, a cruel bilious authoritarian man made infamous for his misogynistic and racist comments who has escalated the drug war by deputizing vigilante gangs of political supporters to cement his petty regime

Presidents of the United States of America
2001-2009: George H.W. Bush (Republican) [1]
with Dick Cheney def. Al Gore/ Joe Lieberman (Democratic)
with Dick Cheney def. John Kerry/ John Kerry (Democratic)
2009-2013: Jesse Jackson Jr. (Democratic) [2]
with Mark Warner def. Rudy Giuliani/ Fred Thompson (Republican), Tom Tancredo/ various (Constitution)
2013-pres: David Petraeus (Republican) [3]
with Sarah Palin def. Jesse Jackson Jr./ Mike Warner (Democratic)
with Sarah Palin def. Barbara Boxer/ Shan Tsutsui (Democratic)

[1] Bush
[2] Expanded the medical care system, reformed the American financial system, established a UN Mission in Iraq, and legalized gay marriage nationwide, though suffered from allegations of corruption and mental health issues, being impeached by Congress
[3] Mr. Evil CIA, a man whose policies would continue to damage Latin America and the Middle East for generations to come until he resigned for cheating on his wife

 

[Kerguelen]

The Holy Columbian Empire​

Six hundred years ago, mankind unleashed a storm of fire that raged across the Earth for seven days, drowning great empires beneath a great deluge. While God sent the first flood onto the Earth to wash away the sins and make this world clean again, his children cast a second flood onto themselves that left behind the wicked and the mad. Humanity was left with little more than the memories of these fallen kingdoms and became idolaters. In the southland of Dixie, the White Wizards brought terror to many god-fearing souls, casting them into the cruel yoke of slavery. In the face of such horror, the Mayor of Columbia announced that he would not abide by this madness any longer, beginning a great crusade against the Wizards to build God's promised kingdom in the heart of America.

His name was Leonidas Royale of House Sheba, and since then his descendants have ruled the southlands wisely from the cliffs of Stone Mountain to the Millennium Gate for three hundred years. Since the glorious reign of St. Leonidas, the Emperor in Columbia rules as the head of the Holy Columbian Empire and the Evangelical Church, in a form of Caesaropapism, being elected to power by the will of an Imperial Senate composed of the nobility and clergy. Though House Sheba has gone extinct long ago, the Imperial Senate continues to elect Emperors from new houses and he is always a descendant of Leonidas; for only through the Davidic Line of Solomon and Sheba, may one have divine Providence over this kingdom.

There was a time at which Columbia once stretched from the White City of Washington to the Bay of Tampa, yet the false prophets of Old America led by President Naveen Prince sacked the city of Atlanta and martyred Emperor Ulixes II. Despite this humiliation, the southlands remained rich, and for fifty years, the kingdom would slowly rebuild its wealth through trade with its former enemies instead of conquest. Yet the path to peace faces some difficulties the Snakemen have united behind a new ruler, the marches while tensions grow between the great houses of the Senate over the future of Columbia.

As of late, a tragedy has struck, Emperor Algernon "Littlepage" of House Jericho has died without any capable heirs, leading to the extinction of his house and the assembly of the Imperial Senate to choose a new Emperor. While many foreigners believe this to be another sign of the Empire's decaying state, the wardens, bishops, and lowly convicts of this land remain hopeful. For it is said that Babylon must fall and from its ashes, God's Kingdom will rise.

Southron Hospitality​

A Southron gentleman is defined by his allegiance to his family, his church, and his liege. He is expected to be courteous and chivalrous, ready to raise arms to defend his loved ones' honor at a moment's notice. A Southron belle must be pious, intelligent, and beautiful, expected to manage her husband's household as his very own spouse and secretary. And of course, she must raise her children well while her husband is away fighting for gold, god, glory, or some slight against his person.

While racial divisions are non-existent and the slave trade is heavily restricted, a form of serfdom exists as an evolution of the prison industrial complex with "convicts" serving generational sentences under their "wardens” who act as lord of the manor. Under this deeply stratified system, all landed nobles in Columbia, from the lowest of the gentry to the highest of princes act as wardens over their own fief, as any convict tied to his plantation remains his personal property. While foreigners view Columbians as a hotheaded, mistrusting folk, prone to challenging each other to duels, the kingdom is a rich source of cotton, tobacco, hemp, and soldiers, with many lesser noblemen leaving home to serve as mercenaries.

And of course, the culture of Columbia is not to be forgotten. Home to America's greatest universities, most delectable soul food, and rappers known across the land for their legendary verses. But of course, one not forget the great sport of football which in truth has little in common with the sport of old America. In this game, a series of gladiators dress in strange costumes and fight over the football: a ball made from pigskin, often killing each other in the process [1]. While some foreigners view it as a disgusting practice, other tourists are willing to pay a fortune to see men tear each other apart like wild beasts.

Yet unknown to these outlanders, this brutal sport forms the very political fabric of Columbia, as rivalries between different aristocrats over which football player to sponsor would form the basis of two factions that have come to rule the Imperial Senate.

The Lions of Judah​

The Gamecocks: The party of the merchantile politician-aristocrats, often being alumni of the prestigious University in Columbia. Many of them are from families located along the lowcountry plantations of the Empire where Jews, Catholics, and Antiquarians from across the American continent come to enjoy the riches of Columbia. Many of them advocate for continuing a focus on commerce, religious toleration, and the continued role of the Imperial Senate in determining the future of Columbia. As a result, many view the Emperor as a more secular figure, preferring to leave the bishops to their devices.

The Tigers: The party of the upcountry gentry, ruling over estates smaller than the vast plantations, yet still remaining loyal landed lords. As many of them are alumni from the University in Clemson on the northern borderlands, they often advocate for a new crusade against the heretics in the hills, even if it does mean raising taxes to a worrying degree. Some advocate for reforms favorable towards rural smallholders, who are less keen on having their hard-earned crops traded cheaply to foreigners. And almost all believe the Emperor should act as a divine figure and rally the faithful as St. Leonidas did centuries ago.

The Promised Country

​

Americanists: The good book says that King David built a kingdom in Jerusalem for his people until they were conquered by the Empire and scattered across the Earth. While the American Empire drowned beneath the fires of the Second Flood, its Imperial Cult remains, worshipping the marble monuments of the old world. Since the apotheosis of President Dakota Dei, they claim their President to be the latest in a line of divine prophets, dating back to Jefferson, Lincoln, Muhammad, and Disney. While Yankee hill tribes are useful in keeping the Snakemen in check, the old rivalry remains between the two powers: Washington and Columbia, Rome and Jerusalem.

Revelationists: A strange folk haunt the foothills of Appalachia, wrangling rattlesnakes and worshipping a number of terrible gods. They proclaim that the Creator turned his back on this realm after the Flood, and since then the Earth has been a battleground of angels and demons, the lesser gods who emerged from his shadow. In their temples, they build totems for the Trickster Serpent, the White Lamb, and the Mothman Who Heralds Death. Many attempts have been made to convert them to the One God, but their undisputed control over the rugged mountains and the great pyramid of Memphis has forced us into an uneasy truce.

Diocesans: It was said that before the Flood, a vision of the Virgin Mary appeared over the village of Guadalupe, and since then, the great Basilica in Mexico has been a holy site for pilgrims of the Catholic Church. As of now, the Dioceses of Mexico, Houston, and Orleans exist in communion with one another, led by their respective archbishops. The latter is known for rather esoteric rituals such as prayers and chants to summon the spirits of the dead. Their strange Voudoun charms blessed by Santa Muerte have led to our less tolerant accusing them of death worship, though their control over the Carribean Sea trade routes makes them a valuable ally for those in the lowcountry.

Conclavians: In the aftermath of the Flood, several leaders of the Catholic Church assembled at the Chicago Conclave where they were given a miraculous sign by the Magisterium that confirmed the destruction of the Papacy in Rome; giving the American cardinals the right to elect a new Pope. Under St. Patrick, the Conclavians converted thousands across the Midwest before establishing roots in the twin cities of St. Louis and St. Clark. The Diocesans view the Conclavians and their "Veiled Pope" as a heretical pretender, leading to conflict over control of the Mississippi River as newer, more ambitious Popes seek to tame all of the "eastern apostates".

Character and House Sheet​

Character Portrait (Include avatar name)
Character Name: (Try not to add too many references to modern politics or pop culture)
House:
Gender:
Date of Birth: (Age as of 2666 A.D.)
Political Allegiance:
Personality:
Offices Held:
Biography:

Sigil: What is your house’s symbol? A description or an image will suffice
House Name: What is your house’s name?
House Seat: Columbia is a relatively large empire spanning much of the American South, where are you from?
Motto: What's your motto?
Origins: Where did your house come from? How are you descended from Emperor Leonidas?
Members:

The Golden Book of Columbian Nobility​

Gamecocks:

Tigers:


[1] I don't know how to play American football even though I've been to five different matches, for a while I just assumed these were the rules and never bothered to question