You’ve Been Canonized!: VILenin
Good evening ladies and gentlemen and welcome to this week’s You’ve Been Canonized! our weekly interview segment here on Timelines where we get to know more about a patron author , what they think of Timelines , and about their current AAR or project . 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’s guest is one of our newest friends VILenin author of
A History of Byzantium ! Let’s get to the questions !
Part I: Lenin’s Party
Let’s get to know more about our local revolutionary !
canonized: Thank you for coming on the programme ! The first question I had in mind is obviously from your name . Why did you choose V. I. Lenin as your namesake ?
VILenin: My screen name, besides the obvious reference to Vladimir Ulyanov, is a gesture to my interest in Russian and Soviet history, rather than a political statement. When I first joined the forum I was only a Hearts of Iron 1 player so I wanted something at least tangentially related to that time period.
canonized: How long has it been now since you've been on the forums and how long have you been writing AARs ?
VILenin: I first joined back in December of 2004, though it's hard to believe it's been that long, after a couple months of lurking. My first AAR came a few months after that.
canonized: With your interest in Russian and Soviet history in mind , have you found that this forum has fostered your historical interest ?
VILenin: I've found the forum to be an absolutely wonderful place for people with any sort of historical interest. Being able to read and witness some of the fascinating scenarios and stories out there is certainly inspiring. Partly it gets you thinking about different things and asking that question "What If?" I found myself going back to history and asking questions about how things might have been different. What if Lenin hadn't suffered from a stroke in 1924? What if the Spanish Armada had succeeded? Things like that. The other part of that inspiration, for me, was coming away from those other AARs and wanting to tell a story of my own.
canonized: How about your early period ; what kind of AARs and experiences did you have at that point in your writing tenure ?
VILenin: Sure. My first AAR was "Caught in the Vice: Austria-Hungary in WWI." It was based on a HOI1 game using the The Great War mod created by Allenby. I went into it with a simple premise in mind; the combination of the powerful German war machine with a competent ally would result in victory for the Central Powers. As Austria I hoped to be that competent ally. Like my current AAR it was a history-book piece, though the connection to gameplay then was much more immediate. The inspiration to write it came, largely, from Allenby's "British Interests" AAR which I mirrored to an extent stylistically. I chose the Dual Monarchy because I'm something of an Austro-phile. For some reason I can't help but root for those hapless Habsburgs. At first it was difficult to write and I was very critical of my own work. But the feedback and support from the community was great and I soon enjoyed the whole process a great deal. Sadly I eventually suffered technical problems and was forced to abandon it.
canonized: That's too bad ! I'm curious, why did you choose a history book style for both this work and your current one ?
VILenin: Primarily because I feel that's where my strength as a writer lies. I'm an avid reader of history so it's a style I certainly have a lot of experience with. When I went to write something of my own that was the format easiest to draw on. I've experimented with a few different styles since, like narrative and comedy, but wasn't satisfied with the results, so for my latest AAR I went back to a history-book format.
canonized: Sometimes they say that the History Book suffers the same kind of handicap as narratives in their length and lack of pictures etc . What kind of motivations do you possess as a writer despite this ?
VILenin: Well, I agree that some of the essential challenges are the same. With both narratives and history book you're superimposing a story over the game, in essence creating an added degree of separation from between the reader and the game. The plus side is that it adds a great potential for depth that you don't get otherwise. The use of pictures, both when and how often, is a challenge. Everyone likes to be able to see what's going on, to watch changes in borders on a map and the like, but I think the challenge lies in maintaining the "reality" of the world you've created as an author without leaving people completely in the cold. The authors out there who can keep their audience entertained without visual aids demonstrate a mastery of their craft. That's something I aspire towards. Another one of my goals when writing is believability; if the story I'm presenting is convincing, if it feels that it could be ripped from the pages of a real historical account, then I've done my job. Ideally, I'd like for my readers to forget that what I'm writing is based on a game at all until they bump up into the occasional screenshot. Not likely, I know, but that's what I shoot for.
canonized: Certainly I believe you've achieved that level of excellence as is exemplified in your current work as well . Do you have any real life plans to pursue in the history field ?
VILenin: Thank you! I've considered at different times the prospect of becoming a professor of some sorts but currently that's not a plan. For the time being at least history and writing remain hobbies, albeit ones I devote a lot of time and passion towards.
Part II: The Revolutionary’s Reactionary
VILenin and I discuss his reaction to Timelines !
canonized: You've finally caught up with Timelines ! Could you tell us some of your impressions about your journey ?
VILenin: My first is "WOW!" The enormity of the story is quite stunning, and I don't just mean the page count. Starting from a boy who could be any of the members of the Paradox boards the story steadily builds in scope to become an epic struggle for control of mysterious artifact and, through it, the world. So far you've done an excellent job of juggling several different sub-plots simultaneously and keeping the reader hanging in suspense, desperately wanting more. In fact, my only regret about having read the whole thing is that now I have to wait for new updates along with everyone else!
canonized: Well thank you ! Yes there are a plethora of sub-plots ; did you have any particular arcs that you liked the best ?
VILenin: Throughout season 1 Antonio and Isabella's story arc was probably my favorite for a few different reasons. They're great characters and I loved their interaction. It also featured plenty of intrigue as well as twists and turns, which is stuff I love to read. Watching as the fate of nations riding on the messages of secret couriers that makes for very compelling reading. And everything involving Sio-Pan was interesting, particularly for its novel takes, and rationalizations, for things like creating zombies or bringing the dead back to life. And besides, who doesn't like to watch an evil genius doing their thing?
canonized: Haha ; Yes , Sio-Pan is one of the best enjoyed bad guys . And I’m glad you enjoyed the zombies ! Few people actually mention those parts ! Speaking of such things , you mentioned to me before that you do enjoy the references in the story , could you elaborate on some you enjoyed ?
VILenin: Well, deep down, I never grew out of the geeky stage from my youth. I was one of those kids that could name every ship, weapon, and piece of technology in Star Wars and explain what they did. I've diversified my interests since eight years old but I continue to retain a huge number of references and quotes from all sorts of things. So when I see references to various movies or games, like (and I forget the characters name) the female author in Japan's last fantasy story "Advent Children." It tickles my fancy, I suppose. My absolute favorite, so far, has been the scene where Antonio and Isabella run through the Time Warp. That one really had me laughing out loud. In fact, I was actually kind of surprised that there wasn't more of a reaction from other readers when you wrote it, but I guess the Paradox crowd doesn't intersect with things like the Rocky Horror Picture Show as often as I might imagine.
canonized: Haha perhaps not ! The references are a great way to interest readers of all kinds since usually each person finds one two or five things that appeal to them . Aside from these diversions , what kind of impressions and themes have you seen develop in the story so far ?
VILenin: The part I find most fascinating is the Dualism in the story, which I see manifested primarily on two levels. First off there is the basic notion of good vs. evil that we see acted out by the characters. This is a pretty black and white situation as we see characters who are obvious examples of the two philosophies. The good characters are the protagonists who we empathize with, encourage, and hope for their success. They are honorable and resilient people pursuing worthy goals that are grounded in broad humanitarian values, like justice and the preservation of life. Arrayed against them are characters who are Evil and in pursuit of selfish or destructive goals. There is some range in both groups. For the "Good Guys" we see this most evident in the generational gap that popped up between seasons. Cardinal DeWitt, for example, knew what he was fighting for and harbored no doubts about the rightness of his cause in contrast to Raul who is a more tortured character. Amongst the "Bad Guys" you get, again, the psychological simpler ones like Sio-Pan who is an archetypal villain and then Marcus Councilman who is more disturbed than truly evil. The second conflict is one that I see occurring in the background of the story, and that is the struggle of two different Philosophies: Order and Chaos. The Spanish Empire and the union of church and state represent the pinnacle of Order; it's united the world and brought harmony and prosperity. The dissident groups, the ones trying to destroy the Spanish-dominated timeline, are agents of Chaos, fighting against the monolithic and, from their perspective, oppressive fact of Spanish hegemony. In Timelines the "chaotic" characters come off as being "wrong," but I don't think it's that simple. Order vs Chaos is so much more nebulous than Good vs. Evil that it bucks attempts to reduce it to black and white. Marcus Councilman's vision of a fragmented world seems "wrong" from this perspective, but reverse things and he/she becomes a freedom fighter trying to bring down the tyranny of an unbeatable Empire. The roles of good and evil switch, depending on your perspective, and I think this interplay is great.
canonized: As someone who's looked into alternate histories and pondered about them , how does the world created in the story strike you ?
VILenin: I like it because it's plausible and yet it isn't. It presents a world where humanity has seemed to have harnessed its abilities and energies and for the most part channeled them in less destructive ways than we have actually managed to do. I see it as the potential in us that we long to realize but haven't managed to so far. The "angels of our better nature" you might say.
canonized: And lastly , what do you think are the Timepieces and the Keys ? If not in form , what might you think their literary essence might be ?
VILenin: Ha, I knew you would ask this so I came prepared! Initially I was clueless as to what the Timepiece was but guessed, like many people, it had something to do with time travel. Now, after investing some thought into it, I've changed my mind. And it's interesting that you should mention its literary form because I feel the two are connected. Story-wise the Timepiece is a Deus ex Machina, a plot device that explains why everything has managed to go Spain's way. And, ironically, this is exactly what I think the Timepiece in the story is as well. Not God from a machine but perhaps God's machine, something that affects quantum probability, or "fate" if you will, on a vast level to ensure a certain result. As for the Keys, I'm not sure. Their nature and function, right now, is more intriguing to me than the Timepiece itself. Of course, that could partly be because of the recent prominence of St. Andrew's key in the story.
Part III: Thrice August !
VILenin gives us an exclusive on his current AAR
canonized: First , Byzantium ! The Eastern Roman Empire seems to be in vogue this season with the various AARs about it . Could you tell us why you chose this noble (and sometimes not so noble) nation ?
VILenin: I've always loved late Roman and Eastern Roman history. Even the name "Byzantium" has some sort of visceral appeal to me. Part of it might be my propensity for lost causes, but I also feel that like a lot of people there's an appeal in that sort of ancient nobility. The Byzantines are the heirs of the mighty Roman Empire, buffeted by fate for centuries before finally succumbing. I think the appeal to turn that around is strong for a lot of people. Plus, it was on such a different level than the rest of Europe at the time that it invites interest by the contrast. When I first started my AAR (over a year ago!) there weren't any other Byzantine AARs running in the CK forum so I felt it was a good time to start one up. Now there are several, which is great because they're all very interesting and different stories.
canonized: What would you say is the uniqueness of your AAR and how it stands out amongst the other Byzantine works ?
VILenin: Well the main difference right now between my AAR and the other Byzantine ones is the history book writing. Both RGB and General_BT use it but not exclusively; there's also narrative elements. And I would say our styles differ in a few different ways. I know I pattern myself strongly on some authors out there, John Julius Norwich in particular who's written a populist history about Byzantium. Then, of course, is the fact that the stories themselves are different, with different characters, events, etc.
canonized: One of the things that you have been continuously praised for is your ability to maintain a realism in the way you've handled Byzantium . For example the choice towards Sicily and the Norman areas there even while the Turks were weak made a few heads turn at first but eventually the logic presented itself plainly and believably . Could you tell us how you can synthesize such close history ?
VILenin: An important part of playing the game for me has always been roleplaying. I really try and assign a personality to each Emperor and anyone else who might be important in the court to get a feel for how they might behave. So while their actions might be surprising I hope that it always does make sense in its own way. It's easy to fall into the role of "the player" with the top-down view of the world and all sorts of knowledge. Real rulers are inconsistent, they are flawed, they think in different ways; the end result being that they don't always do what's best. So as much as possible I try and set game knowledge aside and focus on what my ruler’s motivations and beliefs are and let that drive the game. As a bonus it really helps bring the game alive in my mind, making it easier to fill in details and events because it's not just rationalizing mechanics but elaborating on individuals.
canonized: As with all Byzantine AARs you have your dual danger of the intrigues at court and the Turks , but you also hinted towards problems to the north -- what could your fans expect to see in the future ? A sneak peek ?
VILenin: Ha, well I don't want to give too much away but I will say that in addition to continued dynastic problems there will be some new enemies and rivals coming on to the scene in the not-to-distant future. I really want to capture that sense of encirclement that was a reality for the Empire throughout virtually its entire existence.
canonized: What kind of research have you done and continue to do to bring added sincerity to your work ?
VILenin: Admittedly my research is fairly light, compared to the gargantuan efforts some authors on the forums put in. I have a core of about a half a dozen books on Byzantium and the Middle Ages that I reference and I use the internet heavily to quick check various Greek words and titles. Other than that I tend to rely on general knowledge of Byzantine history and mirror events in-story with what actually happened. I think that adds a degree of plausibility because it resembles something that actually did happen. As a general rule I try not to change things unless it's been directly affected by the story. Not only does it make my work easier, though I have to check a lot of dates and such, but it connects my alternate world with our own.
canonized: In the dynastic struggles of the Empire , we've got big names like Diogenes and the Dukas struggling for power . Did you have any particular person or dynasty that you enjoyed writing about or showcases what's best about your AAR ?
VILenin: There was a degree of favoritism when it came to the Komnenid family. Historically they achieved impressive results, being largely responsible for salvaging the Empire post-Manzikert. And I'm sure I'm not the only Byzantine enthusiast who wonders what Alexius might have done had he inherited an intact Empire. On the other end of the spectrum, I've always disliked the Dukas so I did enjoy bashing them a little. As far as showcasing goes, I do think that the struggle between these powerful, competing families and the intrigue that results is one of the strongest elements of my AAR.
canonized: And lastly , what kind of future AARs are you planning ?
VILenin: Actually, I do have a couple ideas for future AARs, but I'm reluctant to embark on a new project until I've wrapped up my current one. And at the rate it's going it could be a long wait! One of those ideas, however, would be a mix of history book and narrative writing. At some point in the future I definitely want to make another attempt the narrative style.
canonized: Well thank you very much for being on our chopping block today , was a great pleasure ! I wanted to thank the audience for once again tuning in this week ! For next week we will be having Phoenix Dace on the programme so please tune in for that . Have a good night everyone , a good week , and a thankful Thanksgiving !
