Timelines: What if Spain Failed to Control the World?

I thought I'd say just a few words on our current course . We're set in this latest arc to follow Madeleine de Fronsac , Raul Roxas , Willem Van Axel , and Riku in their journey to the Timepiece . It is an arduous journey which , and I will say this now , will not end the way everyone will expect it . I'll also reveal that we are rapidly approaching the end of Season II .

So why a Dante arc ? First of all , because it's just plain cool and I think everyone could relate to it on that level . The gruesome punishments of sinners make for excellent traps and obstacles for our heroes .

In the allegorical style of Dante , however , we know it's so much more than that . The four will have to literally grapple with Sin in order to get to their goal and with that means challenges that these young people may not have seen before or thought of . Just as Thomas Royce has merely buried his sins behind his piety .

Martin Luther once described justification as a snow covered dunghill . That is , that Christ's white robes will cover up all your inequities and this is how God will judge you . This is the course Thomas had decided to take and despite his pious exterior , the state of his soul remains .

The Catholic view , on the other hand , as Dante puts forward and as i juxtapose next to Thomas is that one must have an interior transformation through Grace . That is , that the state of one's soul actually changes . Christ's grace does not merely clothe you , but cleans you . And as with all cleaning , this may be painful . Therefore , let us watch how our young heroes travel through this Hell . The Question is , is it merely our heroes in the past doing so or are both past and present travelling through the pilgrim's journey of Dante ?


Dante Alighieri is perhaps one of the greatest writers of all time and although he wrote his work while in exile living from house to house nearly seven hundred years ago , his exposition of the human society and human soul remains as pertinent and profound today as it was in his lifetime .

Dante has also been left mostly undiscovered in America and in the greater English Speaking world where Milton -- the Icon of Protestant Epic Writers (a good writer in his own right) -- reigns supreme and for centuries the Divine Comedy was considered profane italian papist trash even as late as by the end of the American Civil War and today (compare how all English departments teach Milton but I can probably count on my fingers how many teach Dante) .

What makes Dante great ? You'll see Madeleine give you only a SMALL GLIMMER of what makes this man a genius . His work is dense poetry that any person can understand but has captivated the chosen few academics without end . The deeper one digs into his tale , the more treasure can be found and the wellspring seems inexhaustible . For those who wish to pick up the Divine Comedy , I would recommend the Ciardi translation . He provides excellent summaries and end notes to each chapter .

So what can we expect as Madeleine and the others descend further into the complex ?


As Renault de Fronsac might say : "Snakes ... why did it have to be Snakes" Haha

But what separates Dante from modern expositions of gore or violence ?

Because nothing is without meaning with Dante . Nothing is gratuitous . Why are people being attacked by snakes ? As Madeleine will explain , these are the thieves . Thievery is , naturally , a serpentine endeavor . And this is how they are punished in Hell , by the very nature of their sin . This is called contrapasso or counter-suffering . Whatever you loved the most in life , you receive as your punishment in Hell (or as your penance in Purgatory , or your reward in Heaven) .

When the snakes bite you , they turn you to dust . Why dust ? Because just as thieves destroy and covet the possessions of others , so do their bodies become destroyed and covetted by the snakes . This is only the tip of the iceberg of Dante's dense allegory . Every movement , every speech , every motion has three or more meanings . Especially when juxtaposed with later Cantos .

But is this what we're destined for in this arc of Timelines ? A dismal descent into darkness ? How could Dante write such things and leave us utterly destroyed inside with the truth of sin and its effects on the world as it has in Hell ? It is a preparation of course . It is to prepare us for this:


What people fail to remember is that the Inferno is only one THIRD of Dante's amazing epic . It is the third of degradation , death , destruction , and depression set in the inversion of all that is good . It breaks the person down so that Dante can rebuild the person up again . The Inferno is the gargoyle of Dante's great cathedral reminding us in its ugliness that even in our world there is evil . Purgatorio , the third of Hope and promise , the painful confession once you enter the cathedral , and then finally Paradise where bliss , glory , forever and ever reign supreme . The ultimate expression of fulfillness of love . It's when Dante , though in exile , finally comes home . He walks up spheres of planets and enters into the Empyrean and receives communion .

So although Timelines will take a dark turn into the underworld , it all has a purpose . Ladies and Gentlemen , we will be ascending to the heights of Paradise as well . Please stay tuned , and I hoped you enjoyed this little bonus !

Avernite: Haha , you're partly right , if we do reach it so quickly , the story wound end . I'll have to see how I draw out the analogy XD .

As with Timelines tradition , I don't usually plan ahead my chapters and this is the case even with this Arc . Although I have much of the allegory in mind just from transliteration , it'll still take some spontaneous ideas to get the cogs rolling .

Capibara: Thank you ! Haha , can't tell you what'll happen at the end ! You'll have to see for yourselves I'm very excited for Season III . Lots of cool stuff there . The Dutch especially i'll give that much of a hint XD

JimboIX: Ahh the Platonic Line . (i.e. Plato - Augustine) vs the Aristotelian line (Aristotle - St. Thomas Aquinas - Urs von Balthasar) . Classic distinctions between the two . I've always liked Tommy and Ari-kun more I guess XD . I'm very glad you're enjoying it though !

English Patriot: Thank you , sir !

Welcome and good afternoon everyone once again to this edition of You’ve Been Canonized! our weekly interview segment here on Timelines where we take a patron author and get to know more about them, their thoughts on Timelines, and about their current project or AAR. If you’re new to the programme, I’m your host, canonized, author of Timelines: What if Spain Failed to Control the World? and today, as with our continued effort to showcase new authors and, we’ll be talking with rising star Alexander Primus, author of Chronicles of the Golden Cross. Let’s get to the questions!

Part I: The Crusader
AlexanderPrimus shares a few things about himself!

canonized: so thank you very much for coming on the programme , please tell us a little bit about yourself to start us off ?

AlexanderPrimus: Well, I'm twenty-five years old, I have a BA in History, I've been married for a little over a year to a wonderful woman and we run a small wedding business. Life is good. Thanks for having me on the programme, by the way.

canonized: my pleasure so you're a relatively new person to AARland perhaps to the forum , could you tell us the story of how you arrived ? ^^

AlexanderPrimus: Heh, well I did just write an article about it in the AARlander... but okay. I'm a big fan of the Civilization series, so much so that I joined the staff of Apolyton, a Civilization-themed forum. Over there we have a subforum devoted to Paradox games, and one day, an acquaintance of mine who frequents both that forum and this one posted a link to an AAR. I was hooked. Moreover, AAR writing looked like something I could do. My AARival here has proved to be very rewarding and a lot of fun.

canonized: What do you think so far of your current stay in AARland ? Your first impressions as a new person on the scene ?

AlexanderPrimus: I like it here. The people are friendly and respectful; the stories are creative, and some are downright brilliant. I think it's an excellent community for creative output, and may well be a springboard to bigger things for some of our resident talent.

canonized: Tell us a little bit about the writing styles you prefer in AARs and also about your own preferences to write as ?

AlexanderPrimus: Well, I think a good writer can make just about any style work in an AAR, albeit I think that oftentimes narrative writers are better able to grab large audiences, as their AARs tend to be more similar in format to popular novels. Oddly enough, I think it's the extras that push an AAR over the threshold into excellence. Things like game screenshots, pictures, videos and music go a long way to immerse the reader in the AAR world. Nevertheless, no amount of media can save an AAR without a solid storyline. And a truly compelling story will always be the stAAR in the end.

canonized: How would you say your history degree has perhaps influenced or augmented your writing ?

AlexanderPrimus: Earning a history degree involves a great deal of writing -- not just papers, but proposals, critiques, reviews and so forth. Thus, I've had a great deal of practice in writing. Moreover, writing history is essentially just telling a story, so I think AAR writing is a natural progression. I wouldn't say that I'm any more creative than any other WritAARs out there; I've just had a lot of practice in the story-telling field.

canonized: Do you have any particular plans to pursue writing outside of AARs ; perhaps some kind of historical fiction out there ?

AlexanderPrimus: Definitely. I've been working on a manuscript on and off for over a year now. I can't really say for sure when I'll be finished. It's an historical fantasy -- I enjoy blending the historical background with new and innovative concepts.

Part II: A Pilgrimage
Let’s see some thoughts AP has on Timelines

canonized: So going through Timelines , what might your first impressions be so far ?

AlexanderPrimus: I'm loving it. Once the progression of the story started with Season I's cast of characters, I was totally hooked. Season II has been a bit more difficult for me to get into, probably because of how wrenching it was for me to lose my beloved Season I cast to "The Disappearance." Now I'm hoping I'll get a glimpse of even just one of them in every update I read. You've got a great narrative style, very gripping to read, and compelling enough to make me wade through from the very beginning even when you're already so far into it. I love that the chronology is both linear and cyclical, or rather, that echoes of the past events reverberate in Tom Royce's "present day." I also enjoy all of the little references to everything under the sun, from Carmen Sandiego to Zero Wing. It's an incredibly complex tale, and I am riveted to see where you take the story next.

canonized: Thank you very much for your patronage XD . If there was a part of Timelines that you enjoy that you'd say would be the most unique to you , what might that aspect or part be ?

AlexanderPrimus: Well, it's difficult to say exactly what I enjoy the most. I'd have to say it's your excellently-written three-dimensional characters. They are such a diverse, entertaining bunch. Of course the main protagonists like Antonio, Isabella, and Jakob are terrific. However, it's the supporting cast that kept me coming back for more. Panzerkardinal DeWitt is a pleasure to read about as he rends evil asunder. I especially enjoy to watching Renault de Fronsac escape from all sorts of different near-death dilemmas. And Nia Obidos. Wow...

canonized: Haha , another Nia fan , huh ? There are so few of you although she personally always did it for me XD . Any particular thematic elements that you could discern from all of the intrigue and action going on that stuck out to you ?

AlexanderPrimus: Definitely. The thematic elements are what link the "past" in your story with the present "interlude." There's a very powerful theme of good vs. evil, which is recurrent throughout the entire tale. What makes that particular theme so interesting is that the descendants of the characters from the past are fighting the same battle in the future. The overhanging archetype is the relic. The Timepiece is like the Hoyl Grail, or the Ark of the Covenant, in that the good character seek to preserve it and protect it from misuse, while the evil characters want to corrupt it, defile it, and use it not only to take over the world, but in some cases, destroy all of existence! So in effect, despite the complexities of multiple timelines and plot-twists, the underlying theme remains the dichotomy of good and evil, of course with a few mysterious "grey" characters whose motivations remain unclear that are thrown in just to spice things up a bit. Hence, being a Nia fan.

canonized: You mentioned the various references and easter eggs here and there ; we also have several bonuse chapters and sub-plots both from the management and some written as guest spots by various other AARlanders - any thoughts on these added contributions and deviations ?

AlexanderPrimus: As mentioned previously, I enjoy the little tidbits thrown in to liven up the mix. They are all excellently done, though my personal favorites in the bonus content category would have to be thistle's superb portrait of the Panzerkardinal and thrashingmad's battle video.

canonized: Lastly in this section , any guesses on what the mysterious Timepiece might be ?

AlexanderPrimus: Oh goodness. I have numerous hypotheses, ranging from a mysterious alien artifact, to misplaced technology from the ultra-advanced, chronologically-unrestricted future, to an überelement ala kryptonite, or even a God-given relic for the preservation of mankind. In other words, I have no idea.

Part III: The Tragic Kingdom
Let’s take a look at AP’s rousing crusader tale!

canonized: First , although there are many AARs out there that enjoy focusing on the Crusader States , why did you particularly start a journey with them ?

AlexanderPrimus: Well, as a student of history I have specialized in both medieval Europe and the ancient Near East, and the Kingdom of Jerusalem sort of represents a bledning of those two. Really, though, I find the crusader states utterly compelling because of the transformation the occidental Europeans undergo as they blend their culture with that of the mysterious East. Moreover, the impact that the Crusades had culturally, politcally, and religiously on Europe cannot be overstated. The Franks' eastern experiences irreversably altered their Weltanschauung. Not to mention that it's a really great "What-if?" scenario. What if the crusaders had not lost the Holy Land to Saladin, or even, what if there was no Battle of Hattin? The possibilites are endless, and I'm enjoying telling just one way how things might have turned out.

canonized: One of the most noticable hallmarks of your AAR are your picturesque gallery of pictures and videos . Tell us a little bit about what goes behind the scenes on how you make these graphical supplements and your experience with them ?

AlexanderPrimus: I like providing imagery to show the things that my words cannot always convey. The pictures themselves are not to difficult; I either find them on the internet or take screen captures from games and movies. Editing the images is fairly straightforward, just a quick cut-and-paste job. Maps are a little bit harder for me, but I've been lucky enough to have some assistance from some writAARs with a great amount of talent and skill in that department. Videos on the other hand, are much more time-consuming and even occasionally frustrating. This is mainly because the software I use to make them hates me, I'm convinced. But since I'm a bit of a perfectionist, I sit there and battle with it until I'm finally satisfied with the result, and still the actual quality of the video resolution remains low. It's YouTube after all. My favorite aspect of the videos remains the soundtrack. Music does so much to alter your perception of the world that you perceive, and I feel that the music I use in the videos will carry you away to the world I want to create for the reader. That's why I have begun to include mood music in the AAR as well.

canonized: Naturally , your narrative includes all the staples of the Crusader experience from nobility squabbling over such an unstable kingdom to the usual Muslim threat . From epic battles to at home intrigues , what other things about your AAR do you believe sets it as a unique offering ?

AlexanderPrimus: Ha, that's a question you should ask my wonderful readers, not me! I guess I'm just trying to make my AAR into more than just a log of in-game experiences. I want to make the characters into real people, if only in our imaginations, and I want The Chronicles of the Golden Cross to be a deep and scintillating foray into what might have been. I'm anxious to travel to new worlds and experience exciting, unimaginable adventures, and I'd love to bring along anyone who wants to come with me.

canonized: What kind of research and background work do you do for each of your updates ? Could you give us one of your average days for updates perhaps ?

AlexanderPrimus: Actually, due to my crazy schedule, I like to spread out my preparation over the few days before the update, Since I'm writing the story as I progress in the game, I naturally play through a few years of game time to get the basic chronology of the story first. I will then outline the major events and plot of the update. Then I'll take a break from the linear chronolgy and maybe focus on editing the pictures and music that I want to include, and finally I'll start writing the story itself. I don't generally do too much research for the AAR, as I'm already quite familiar with the characters and time period involved. Should I need to look something up, I generally turn to my large array of historical books on myriad subjects, or, procrastinator that I am, I'll just look it up on the infamous Internet. Then I proofread the AAR ad nauseam until it's exactly the way I want it, and finally I post it on the forum!

canonized: As for those fans of yours who might be reading . Might you be able to give any exclusive sneak peeks for them about what may be happening in the future of your epic tale ?

AlexanderPrimus:
Certainly! Aside from the linear events which are based on in-game content, I'm planning on branching out on a few plot tangents developing the nature of the alternate world with surviving crusader states. One of these involves the escapades of a certain Italian explorer of renown, another concerns the theological implications of a strong independent Christian power in the Holy Land for a prolonged duration. And of course, I like to throw in historical characters with a bit of tweaking for the alternate world. The most popular of these has proved to be Frederica von Hohenstaufen, born in the real world as the promiscuous, religiously ambivalent Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II. The twist is that in my AAR, while retaining the same traits as her real-life counterpart, Frederica was born a woman. There will be many more characters like her in the future, homages to real historical people whose lives turn out very differently in the AAR world, especially as it diverges more and more from our timeline.


canonized: And lastly , what kind of future AAR ideas might you be thinking of doing ?

AlexanderPrimus: Oh goodness, you want me to reveal my state secrets! Just kidding. After I finish Chronicles of the Golden Cross, I have two AAR ideas I might like to try to implement, and I'd be willing to collaborate with anyone interested enough if these ideas to participate actively. Please, no idea stealing here, good readers. The first idea is entitled 1421: the Far Side of Heaven, and is a scenario of an Imperial Chinese colony in California left over from the travels of Admiral Zheng He (presuming he actually made it to America at all) and now cut off from the empire. They have about a century to consolidate before the Spanish and Portuguese begin arriving in the Americas and causing trouble. Can China manage to successfully colonize the New World? The second idea is entitled 1066: Godwineson's Revenge. This AAR would be about the solitary fragments of Saxon nobility that survived the Battle of Hastings and Norman Conquest of England, and how they seek to gain revenge on William the Conqueror and reclaim their rightful lands. It would focus on the descendants of Harold Godwineson and Edgar the Atheling and their subsequent adventures.

canonized: Well that’s all for our interview this evening . We’d like to thank AlexanderPrimus for being on the show and we’d like to thank the audience for reading once again . Please don’t forget to keep us in mind when you vote in the AARland Choice AwAARds ! Tune in during the week to find out who the next interviewee will be ! That’s all for our interview this time , see you next time , and in the meantime , stay tuned for more Timelines ; fair , balanced , and unafraid !

LordCowles: Thank you very much , old bean ! It's a lot of fun !

TheExecuter: I'm only hitting the iceberg to be sure so no matter how much i try to put forth it's nothing compared to reading the real thing with the notations and gloss XD

VILenin: We're very glad to have him indeed XD

AlexanderPrimus: On staff eh ? I wonder ... XD

TheExecuter: good night , old bean ! Gosh , I wish I knew what you guys were talking about haha XD Well I know , but I never played civ anyway =(

VILenin said:

I would definitely second the recommendation to read Dante to anyone who can get through the poetry (which is admittedly difficult by modern standards).

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Fixed XD . And it's really no more difficult . Less annoying than shakespeare , actually . So long as you get a good translation like Ciardi or Sinclair . If you get the original Longfellow translation , you're going to be stuck in Victorian English . It'd be like trying to swallow lead !

ForzaA said:

Again I'm left wondering if something is left unsaid intentionally or if I'm forgetting things.

Riku's last name, say...

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Some things are indeed kept quiet . Last names and names in general play an important thematic role . Marcus's name , for example . Marcus also means warlike . eunomia i think it's called but it also ties into identity . Antonio / Antonio both derive from flower (i.e. why the rose looking birthmark was so essential to their reunion) . etc . As for Riku's last name . Partly , I haven't decided yet XD