Okay, I cannot squeeze this into an update the way I would like to, so you get this instead, sorry.
The World According to the Prussians, circa 1360:
Europe:
Europe is essentially divided between the Muslim West and the Christian East, which a few exceptions. The Caliphate and its many Taifa are outlined in green. The largest of the Taifa is the lands of the Zähringers. Closely behind them are the lands of the de Beauce family in northern France and the current Caliph, lord of Aragon. A few Christian nations remain in the West: England, Scotland, Ireland and Iceland. But these countries are not very united and would pose very little threat to the Caliph if attacked.
Pockets of Christianity still exist in the Caliphate: notably in Tuscany, Leon and throughout much of Germany. Germany is the only part of the Caliph that is still a majority Christian. A few Christian majority cities exist in Leon and Tuscany, but for the most part the Caliph is mostly Frandists lead by a combination of Sunnis and Frandists. Southern Italy is ruled by Shiite exiles from Egypt.
Eastern Europe is dominated by the Kingdom of Prussia, but the Roman Empire maintains a close second. Eastern Europe has the advantage in being more religiously harmonious, though Shiites exist in the Balkans were Bosnia used to rule. The Romans currently wage a war against the Muslim Kingdom of Armenia, though that war is beginning to take a toll. The biggest weakness facing the East is its lack of solidarity. Since the collapse of the Prussian Empire, many of the small Kingdoms fight amongst themselves, often at the expense of their ability to withstand invasion. Brandenburg is one of the major instigators of these problems, though Hungary looks to throw around their gained weight. Beyond Prussia is the land of the Mords, four Kingdoms exist where one used to be. Uusikaupunki rules the northern regions known as "New Mordvia", while more traditional states such as Narva and Merya rule the central regions. The last, Ovi, rules over the dwindling Russian population in Tver. All four are subject to raids from the steppe of Asia.
Near East:
The Seljuks are the major players in the Near East, but their reign is slipping away. The recently reconquered a Mediterranean port, and moved their capital away from Persia and into Syria. But the Empire is crumbling away despite the attempts to hold it together. Egypt continues to hold on as well. The Fatimid dynasty is long gone, replaced by a new Shiite hierarchy looking to expand in the region. Armenia and Shirvan are two new Muslim states, carved out of Christian and Pagan Kingdoms of old. Armenia especially looks to expand at the expense of the Christians and claim a new Kingdom of Rome. On the steppe, the Cumani and Sibiri tribes look to conquer new lands and resettle the lands around the Black Sea. Their campaigns have proved successful after capturing Astrakhan and they have begun to conduct raids anew.
(North) Africa:
The North African states have settled into a period of peace. The Kingdom of Carthage has ceased their expansion, and with Egypt looking at capturing Jerusalem, the Berber and Moorish Kingdoms enjoy a large amount of security. However, the looming schism between Sunni Islam and Franda Islam will force the Moors to the front lines once again. While Frandism has found a home in Carthage, it has met a great deal more resistance in the other African states.
Asia:
The Great Yuan Empire, is finding it more and more difficult to hold itself together. But it is leaving a lasting impression on those it had once conquered. Hinduism flourishes throughout Asia, though mainland China still resists these growths. In Southern India, once part of the mighty Empire, successor Kingdoms grow on the blue print of bureaucracy left by the Yuan. But more importantly, would-be conquers saw the rate at which the Empire expanded and the tactics it used to grow so large and wish to emulate these things. The Seljuks, once a Turkish Kingdom themselves, now face a similar threat from their Turkish neighbors. The irony is lost on few. Beyond the Yuan are Kingdoms and cultures out of grasp of the Europeans. The Japanese have struggled to unify, and so far their sacrifices seem to have a lasting effect. Beyond Indochina, in the many islands of the Indian Ocean, Hinduism has taken root and spreads quickly. City states constantly rise and fall from grace with tides of trade. Europe is only starting to taste the spices of the Orient, but will soon be looking for a quicker route to the Far East.
The World as a whole is on the verge of upheaval. Empires seem to fall every day, Kingdoms long though invincible brought to their knees by the constant weathering of time. But new Kingdoms rise to take their place. Push along by the same winds of change that will inevitably dash them on the rocks in the future. Prussia stands off to the side, stubbornly holding onto what it believes it is owed, and demanding much from those around it. But the tides of Islam might finally have reaches the edge of Prussia, a fight for existence is only just starting.
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Originally Posted by Issac Wolfe
