You’ve Been Canonized!: AlexanderPrimus
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 !