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Great work as usual @GhostRider124, I’m curios to see what your plans for North Africa are. Would you have the Maurentian Spirit Guardians control its own nation or be absorbed into either Carthage or Mali? I also remember Zen saying the 22nd Legion, which won many famous battles during the Thritenrh Century Crisis and the Timurid Invasion, was based in Carthage. So I guess we could make Carthage a military junta with the Schweinfurts as puppets of the Legion, which could’ve caused the formerly Schweinfurt administered province of Italia to rebel and split off from Carthage in opposition to military dictatorship, only for Italia to then split apart on ideological grounds on how to create an Italian nation.
I wonder how many Hellenes there are among the Pagan lower classes of Loango? I think a Hellenic Pagan theocracy in the middle of Africa would be quite funny.
A part of me views thee remaining African powers like Mali, Ethiopia/Abyssinia, Loango, and Mutapa wanting to form a African alliance like the Eimerican Confederation and push out any outsiders.
I would say that there is tension between Loango, and Mutapa but it is mainly the King's court and the German settlers that have a problem since they favor the status quo in Loango at the moment. Most of the volunteers that fought for Mutapa were of the lower classes.
And are they scared of those volunteers after they came home? Now that they have battle experience, they might seek to repeat their successes at home...
As to who will lead an independent Africa I would say that Mali and Ethiopia are fighting for influence. Both hold the title of the only countries in Africa not colonized like Ethiopia and Liberia of OTL. However Mali clams to be the proper leader due to them still following the old pagan gods while Ethiopia follows an outside religion.
That sounds like a good idea about the 22nd Legion. Especially since in the First Empire both the Legions and the Praetorian Guard would hold up someone on their shields and proclaim them Emperor. So maybe something similar can happen in were the Schweinfurts are proclaimed Emperor but those in Italia are either pro-Hohenzollern in Germania or support different political ideologies causing Italia to fracture into different states?
Well considering that they are based off of the Mormons of OTL I do not think that they would have that many members. But since it is Kaiserreich I would say that there could be a very slim chance of them gaining power but a chance nonetheless. Come to think of it a part of me is debating on weather or not to have Lithuania or Loango be like Mongolia under Roman von Ungern-Sternberg in the base game. I want to say Lithuania since I remember their King August being quite batty.
Yeah, I could his insanity leading him to invading the former Reich to press his claims on being the true heir to Rome and attacking Russia for the sake of eliminating the Romanov pretenders.
On that note, I wonder what Poland’s situation would be in Tianxia? Maybe there could be competition between Prussia/Germania and Lithuania over it, splitting Poland between a Habsburg monarchy in the west loyal to the Hohenzollerns, and a Lithuanian client republic in the east that’s governed by native Polish and plays into many Poles’ desire to break free of German rule.
Yeah, I could his insanity leading him to invading the former Reich to press his claims on being the true heir to Rome and attacking Russia for the sake of eliminating the Romanov pretenders.
On that note, I wonder what Poland’s situation would be in Tianxia? Maybe there could be competition between Prussia/Germania and Lithuania over it, splitting Poland between a Habsburg monarchy in the west loyal to the Hohenzollerns, and a Lithuanian client republic in the east that’s governed by native Polish and plays into many Poles’ desire to break free of German rule.
August would definitely take some land for himself and prop up the rest as a client state, with the Habsburgs as puppets secretly trying to build an army back up for the Hohenzollern cause. Or they might think the Hohenzollerns failed the Reich and decide to march on Berlin to install themselves as the new Kaisers.
August would definitely take some land for himself and prop up the rest as a client state, with the Habsburgs as puppets secretly trying to build an army back up for the Hohenzollern cause. Or they might think the Hohenzollerns failed the Reich and decide to march on Berlin to install themselves as the new Kaisers.
We could also have a syndicalist movement in Poland who could demand independence from both the Romans and Lithuanians and the end of the centuries long discrimination of the native Polish.
Mali could also have disputes with Twantinsuyu over Nsorala despite them being an ocean away. There could also be conflicts between Mali and Carthage over the treatment of followers of the West African pagan religion in Cyrenaica by the Carthagian military junta.
Speaking of religious disputes, regardless of whatever is happening in the Balkans in Tianxia, I doubt Illyria would have good relations with a theocratic government in Greece and Anatolia given Illyria’s past with heretic movements that were crushed by the Inquisition.
We could also have a syndicalist movement in Poland who could demand independence from both the Romans and Lithuanians and the end of the centuries long discrimination of the native Polish.
Mali could also have disputes with Twantinsuyu over Nsorala despite them being an ocean away. There could also be conflicts between Mali and Carthage over the treatment of followers of the West African pagan religion in Cyrenaica by the Carthagian military junta.
Speaking of religious disputes, regardless of whatever is happening in the Balkans in Tianxia, I doubt Illyria would have good relations with a theocratic government in Greece and Anatolia given Illyria’s past with heretic movements that were crushed by the Inquisition.
It would be quite ironic how Illyria would be quite tolerant of different religious traditions here while its neighbors aren't, as compared to real life.
Elias leaned back in his chair, listening to the other committee members’ reports. Or really, not listening that much. His feet were on the table, and he absentmindedly fidgeted with his pocket knife.
“Another 20 states reported they met their SWM benchmarks for August,” Moria said, “Including 129 municipalities which have completely eliminated the rainbow ideology.”
“Why were they prioritizing that over deequalization?” Theodor said.
“Hey, ask Josiah, he wrote the benchmarks,” Moria said.
“Well, I understand if they hit that benchmark first,” Theodor said, “I mean, equalism has been so ingrained in our country it’ll take much longer to become 100% free of it.”
“Exactly why I put that benchmark much later,” Josiah said.
“What about state purification?” Elias said, speaking up.
“State purification?” Moria said.
“Yes,” Elias said, “The achieving of Reinstaat should be our highest priority.”
“I totally understand,” Moria said, “I feel like we should reach Reinstaat by next year.”
“Thank you, Moria,” Elias said.
“If I may ask, why do we need to overhaul the entire system?” Moria said.
“That has been the goal of CB this whole time,” Josiah said, “The party cartel created the old system, Rechtsstaat, to entrench and maintain its power. Every single institution and law written over the last 80 years has been towards this goal. We must smash the old system and prevent the party cartel and its supporters from returning.”
“Right,” Elias said, “We will replace it with a new and better system. Even the idea of a Reich itself is a party cartel fabrication.”
“Agreed, we must replace it with a new system, completely free of the party cartel’s taint,” Josiah added.
“Of course, Anhorn,” Moria said.
“Anyways, Dandolo,” Elias said, “How are the campaigns against the rebels going?”
“In Europe, the only rebellions left are in Hispania, Gallia, and Hibernia,” Heinrich said, “But we’ve lost control of everything south of the Sahara and overseas. Neurhomania is being contested between dozens of warlords.”
“Eh, screw them,” Theodor said, “The only place that matters is Europe. As long as our forces hold New Berlin, we're fine. We can get them back at a later time. We should just nuke the European rebels.”
“No,” Elias said.
“Why?” Theodor said. “Equalists deserve nothing but holy nuclear hellfire.”
“I do not want to irradiate our land,” Elias said, “That would make our climate policies impossible to implement, and destroy needed infrastructure for the rebuilding of our nation. We must conserve our nuclear arsenal for real threats.”
“Lame,” Theodor said.
“Also, Russia has condemned us again,” Heinrich said.
“What about?” Elias said.
“About…everything, I guess,” Heinrich said, “As usual.”
“Disregard Kirova as usual,” Elias said.
“It wasn’t Kirova this time,” Heinrich said, “It was the princess.”
Wilhelm Karl, who was quietly sitting in the corner the whole time, looked up, suddenly interested in the conversation.
“The ex-princess, you mean?” Theodor said.
“Yeah,” Heinrich said, “She spoke at a rally held by Roman expats in Tsarberg. The biggest one they’ve held in the last eight months.”
“She is quickly becoming a problem for us,” Josiah said.
“Want me to arrange an accident for her?” Theodor said.
“I think a drone strike by Heimat Security would be better at that job,” Moria said.
“Didn’t we just agree the government needs to be purified?” Theodor said. “The Reinstaat stuff and all that? Why should we trust the job to party cartel plants?”
“Heimat Security is the most pure of the agencies as of now!” Moria said.
“Yeah, well I’m sure an Argus team, my own drones, or one of my Hellhounds can get the job done in two hours!” Theodor said.
“No!” Elias said. “If we ever decide on taking action against her, I want to do it myself.”
“What do you mean, do it yourself?” Wilhelm Karl said.
Everybody quieted down and nervously looked at both Wilhelm Karl and Elias. Elias glared at Wilhelm Karl and then stopped fidgeting with the knife.
“Will everyone else please leave the room while I explain this to His Majesty?” he said.
Everyone quickly left the room. Once the door closed, Elias got up and paced around.
“Your niece is quite a stubborn woman,” Elias said, “I can’t trust her elimination to anybody other than myself.”
“Why are we even talking elimination?” Wilhelm Karl said. “She’s my niece!”
“Blood ties don’t matter if the person in question is a traitor or wants to kill you and destroy everything you believe in,” Elias said, “What do you think the Ludendorff family thought of that brat who went off and joined MSC?”
“Little Willie is innocent,” Wilhelm Karl said, “She doesn’t deserve death.”
“That’s where you’re wrong,” Elias said, “Not only does she deserve death, but you do as well. And the rest of your family too.”
He unsheathed the knife’s blade.
“What is this?” Wilhelm Karl said.
“You know, after my sister died, I enlisted in the Imperial Marines,” Elias said, “I thought it would be what she wanted. Avenge her by going across the Atlantic and killing the terrorists who killed her. I thought I could serve my country that way. One day in 2004, my platoon was off on a routine patrol north of Nochistlan. A sandstorm set in as we drove down a road. It was then that we came under attack from af-Quetzalcoatl. They were relentless. They appeared out of the sandstorm like devils. We were overwhelmed. We radioed for backup while we set up a defensive line. But we could only hold out for so long. All of the friends I signed up with died that day, right in front of me. Shot in the head, blown up by a rocket, bludgeoned to death with the back of an AK-47, run over, throat slit with an obsidian dagger, still-beating hearts ripped from their chests…I saw it all. I tried my best to save them, but…”
He pointed at his eyepatch. “A bullet grazed my face, blinding me in this eye. Seconds later, a rocket hit my transport, flipping it over. I was trapped inside. My friends riding with me were torn to pieces in the crash or burned to death shortly afterward. Those outside were killed as I said. And then the terrorists, thinking I was already dead, just left, as quickly as they came. I screamed and cursed, demanding they come back and finish the job. But they didn’t. Maybe they didn’t hear me, or they didn’t care. But they left. The people who killed my sister and now my friends…they left as if they won. And you know the worst part of it was? The help we asked for—it never came. I walked myself back to base, my whole body screaming out in pain the whole way. They treated my wounds, gave me an eyepatch, gave me a medal…and then that was it. They left me to go back to my job like it was nothing. Not even as much as a sorry. You know the only thing they said to me? ‘Thank you for your service’.”
He pointed the blade at Wilhelm Karl. “My country left me for dead. Your father, the so-called Otto the Great, forgot me. You forgot me. All of you Hohenzollerns did. You all just wanted me to be cannon fodder, and when I served my purpose, when I put in my service, you threw me away. You all were as bad as the terrorists who attacked me. I was supposed to die in that sandstorm, as you would’ve wanted. Maybe that would’ve been best for you. But God gave me a second chance. I survived the Soviets, the streets of Königsberg in the 90s, and Mexico. Because God was always with me, protecting me. I learned what my destiny was. I learned I was divinely chosen, and my cause was just.”
“Okay, so you want to kill my family and take over the Reich, how original,” Wilhelm Karl said, “Like that hasn’t been done before. All because we failed to save your platoon, huh? Look, for what it’s worth, I’m sorry we didn’t send help fast enough, although you should have directed your anger at Schröder for starting and waging that war to begin with. But that doesn't excuse everything you’re doing now.”
“Maybe it doesn’t,” Elias said, “Maybe I don’t care. All I want is justice. Justice against the true killers of my sister and friends: you. I don’t care if you see it as wrong. I don’t care if the world sees it as wrong. It is right to me and to God. That is what true justice is. You can dispute it all you want with the man upstairs when you meet him.”
“What are you going to do, then?” Wilhelm Karl said. “Stab me? How are you going to explain it to everyone outside?”
“Nah,” Elias said.
He stabbed the knife into the table.
“That wouldn’t be satisfying,” he said, “But you and your family will get what you deserve.”
Well this is an interesting development. I see two outcomes for this. One being that the African and other overseas territories form a rival government similarly to the German Government In Exile from Kaiserreich. The other being that Neurhomania being taken over by the Eimerica Federation, Sumatra being taken over by Srivijaya Commonwealth, with Mittagsland being taken over by Penglai, and the pacific holdings being divided up between Eimerica, Srivijaya, Penglai, and maybe China. However I do remember that you said that a Pacific superstrate might form at least in the story so there is that possibility as well.
Well the future douse not look to bright for the Hohenzollerns even without the blackmail. However since Elias shot down the ideas of assassinating Wilhelmina I do wonder how he is going to make the Hohenzollerns get what they deserve without assassination?
I remember you saying that for every authoritarian government there needs to be a them and a us so I do wonder who the "them" is going to be after things calm down. I really want Josh to be part of the new "them". Mabey you can have Josh, his group, and Theodor be like the Thunder Warriors from Warhammer 40k and how in order to have solve the problem of them not being able to exist in "peacetime" due to them being bread for war the Emperor purged them to make way for the Space Marines. Or for a real life example you could do something like how the Hitler purged the Sturmabteilung/SA in favor of the Schutzstaffel/SS?
Elias is really following in the footsteps of Malcolm Bethune now in his quest to eliminate the Hohenzollerns and destroy Romanitas. I do think Elias’ regime is scarier than Bethune since Bethune was helped by supernatural shenanigans and was unpopular from the beginning, while everything thing occurred here naturally with the support of the Roman people. Come to think about it, this is a fitting comparison since Bethune was also a war veteran and had a wife who played a major part in his rise to power, tho Gertrude is relatively more sane than Bethune’s wife. Let’s hope Wilhelmina proves to be another coming of Sophia then, and doesn’t die in the process.
I wonder what Elias will do once he’s deposed of the Hohenzollerns? Will be create a republic or install a new dynasty on the throne? Maybe bring back First or Second Roman Empire era succession rules once he’s done away with the hereditary monarchy.
I wonder if we will get a more detailed analysis of Reinstaat later on in the story, or if it will be kept vague? Same question applies to SWM. I’m certainly worried at what “pure state” could imply. Definitely sounds like something the Angeloi would come up with.
The Commitee may not be followers of the ideologies of Gandhi or Angelos, but rejecting Enlightenment philosophy like Rechtstaat to purse a warped vision of tradition like Reinstaat is certainly quite fascist. Not mention having an enemy that is perceived as being strong and subversive while also being weak and decadent, like the party cartel. I guess the Committee have seceded in reviving fascism in the 21st century.
I do see what you meant by Theodor possibly being more insane than Elias. Tho let’s not underestimate the evil Josiah would be capable of if he was in charge, given what his SWM policies imply and allude to.
I remember you saying that for every authoritarian government there needs to be a them and a us so I do wonder who the "them" is going to be after things calm down. I really want Josh to be part of the new "them". Mabey you can have Josh, his group, and Theodor be like the Thunder Warriors from Warhammer 40k and how in order to have solve the problem of them not being able to exist in "peacetime" due to them being bread for war the Emperor purged them to make way for the Space Marines. Or for a real life example you could do something like how the Hitler purged the Sturmabteilung/SA in favor of the Schutzstaffel/SS?
If there’s anyone that’s likely to be purged, I think it would be Moria and Heimat security based off the dialogue here. Unfortunately, I think Theodor and Argus would be too useful to Elias at the moment to be eliminated. Plus I think they would be too strong as an out group. Fascism tends to portray their hated out groups as being very strong and influential while at the same time being weak enough to be easily pushed back.
Well this is an interesting development. I see two outcomes for this. One being that the African and other overseas territories form a rival government similarly to the German Government In Exile from Kaiserreich. The other being that Neurhomania being taken over by the Eimerica Federation, Sumatra being taken over by Srivijaya Commonwealth, with Mittagsland being taken over by Penglai, and the pacific holdings being divided up between Eimerica, Srivijaya, Penglai, and maybe China. However I do remember that you said that a Pacific superstrate might form at least in the story so there is that possibility as well.
The Pacific superstate idea is still an idea at the moment, and if I do go ahead with it, it'll likely only be introduced around the 2090s as I have a general outline for the rest of the century's story. Though I should add that overall story is also being reworked for better pacing, because some of the in-game story events I put in when I was playing are squashed up against each other or make little sense with the new story plans.
Well the future douse not look to bright for the Hohenzollerns even without the blackmail. However since Elias shot down the ideas of assassinating Wilhelmina I do wonder how he is going to make the Hohenzollerns get what they deserve without assassination?
I remember you saying that for every authoritarian government there needs to be a them and a us so I do wonder who the "them" is going to be after things calm down. I really want Josh to be part of the new "them". Mabey you can have Josh, his group, and Theodor be like the Thunder Warriors from Warhammer 40k and how in order to have solve the problem of them not being able to exist in "peacetime" due to them being bread for war the Emperor purged them to make way for the Space Marines. Or for a real life example you could do something like how the Hitler purged the Sturmabteilung/SA in favor of the Schutzstaffel/SS?
I can't say anything for certain because I'm still writing Josh's arc at this moment. But the in-group will definitely get smaller, as always happens as authoritarian regimes go on.
Elias is really following in the footsteps of Malcolm Bethune now, with his quest to eliminate the Hohenzollerns. Come to think about it, this is a fitting comparison since Bethune was also a war veteran and had a wife who played a major part in his rise to power, tho Gertrude is relatively more sane than Bethune’s wife. Let’s hope Wilhelmina proves to be another coming of Sophia then, and doesn’t die in the process.
But unlike Sophia, Wilhelmina has no political or military experience, or any movement or army to back her up. Sophia was able to defeat Bethune because he was overwhelmingly hated by the entire country and everyone leaped at the opportunity to overthrow him, as well as being a competent military leader who could defeat him in battle. Meanwhile, Elias has the people of the Reich completely under his thumb, and Wilhelmina can't lead troops.
I wonder what Elias will do once he’s deposed of the Hohenzollerns? Will be create a republic or install a new dynasty on the throne? Maybe bring back First or Second Roman Empire era succession rules once he’s done away with the hereditary monarchy.
In his current state of mind, I'm not sure if he even planned that far ahead. But I should point out I've never mentioned him having kids or wanting to adopt any. It was more of me not being able to fit that into the flow of the story (it's not relevant to his arc) than actually making that a plot point.
I wonder if we will get a more detailed analysis of Reinstaat later on in the story, or if it will be kept vague? Same question applies to SWM. I’m certainly worried at what “pure state” could imply. Definitely sounds like something the Angeloi would come up with.
The Commitee may not be followers of the ideologies of Gandhi or Angelos, but rejecting Enlightenment philosophy like Rechtstaat to purse a warped vision of tradition like Reinstaat is certainly quite fascist. Not mention having an enemy that is perceived as being strong and subversive while also being weak and decadent, like the party cartel. I guess the Committee have seceded in reviving fascism in the 21st century.
The committee not only rejects Rechtsstaat and other core tenets of Enlightenment thought, but it also perverts and reverses them so they stand for the opposite of what they originally proposed. For example, the idea of the melting pot is now used to promote conformity, forced assimilation, and cultural suppression. More on this in the breakdown. In a way, this perversion and reversal is even worse than outright rejection, because it utterly discredits the original idea and tarnishes its image until you can only see the committee version, "erasing" the original from history even if the committee falls.
I do see what you meant by Theodor possibly being more insane than Elias. Tho let’s not underestimate the evil Josiah would be capable of if he was in charge, given what his SWM policies imply and allude to.
It's easy to see the loud and charismatic dictators as the evil ones, when really we should also be scared about the quiet bureaucrats who actually implement their policies from behind the scenes. And remember how Josiah is prone to outbursts at times? And how he hasn't had an outburst in a while?
Fun fact, Josiah Burkard is not only based on Joseph Lawrence (only without Lawrence's redemption arc), but also The West Wing's Josiah Bartlet (where I got his name from, who was also an economist, whose daughter is played by Elizabeth Moss (THT's June), and whose chief of staff is played by Bradley Whitford (THT's Lawrence)). I like to think of Josiah more as a dark version of Bartlet than as a reinterpretation of Lawrence himself at this point.
If there’s anyone that’s likely to be purged, I think it would be Moria and Heimat security based off the dialogue here. Unfortunately, I think Theodor and Argus would be too useful to Elias at the moment to be eliminated.
In his current state of mind, I'm not sure if he even planned that far ahead. But I should point out I've never mentioned him having kids or wanting to adopt any. It was more of me not being able to fit that into the flow of the story (it's not relevant to his arc) than actually making that a plot point.
I guess the sliver lining is that because Elias has no clear successor, once something happens to him to remove him from power, there would be a power struggle among the Commitee to take his place as dictator.
That actually reminds me of something different. Didn’t you say Josh had kids with Jenna? Now I’m horrified at what psychological and physical damage could inflict on his children, knowing what he did to Jenna?
The committee not only rejects Rechtsstaat and other core tenets of Enlightenment thought, but it also perverts and reverses them so they stand for the opposite of what they originally proposed. For example, the idea of the melting pot is now used to promote conformity, forced assimilation, and cultural suppression. More on this in the breakdown. In a way, this perversion and reversal is even worse than outright rejection, because it utterly discredits the original idea and tarnishes its image until you can only see the committee version, "erasing" the original from history even if the committee falls.
That’s not unlike what many autocracies like Nazi Germany did, twisting many aspects of German history and culture to the point that stuff like Nietzschean philosophy, Wagner music and historical figures like OTL Friedrich the Great (ironic given Fredrich’s sexuality and promotion of Enlightenment thought) were associated with them for decades. Definitely doesn’t bode well for the Reich’s national psyche once the reign of the Committee ends.
As for Melting Pot theory (or the Commitee’s bastardized version of it), I guess that’s what the Commitee has used to replace Romanitas, which arguably leaned more towards salad bowl or kaleidoscope style multiculturalism.
When and if the Commitee falls, I wonder how historians would compare and contrast its regime with previous authoritarian regimes or periods of intolerance the Reich has experienced, like the Angeloi and Maximists, the Anarchy and Fifty Years War, or even the mass deportations of the early Kaisers? I believe Margeat Atwood did say fascist regimes tend to revolve around older historical precedents and trappings of national identity to justify their ideology and rule even if they aren’t genuine about it, like the national culture of the American being based on religious movements since the Puritans or the Nazis gloryfing the Carlogian and WW1 Germanic empires and previous antisemitic persecution.
It's easy to see the loud and charismatic dictators as the evil ones, when really we should also be scared about the quiet bureaucrats who actually implement their policies from behind the scenes. And remember how Josiah is prone to outbursts at times? And how he hasn't had an outburst in a while?
Yeah, reminds me of how much Stalin and Hitlier get talked about in OTL as the archetypical tyrants, when barely anyone talks about Beria or Himmler. People tend to focus more on the despot themselves when really they should also be concerned with the people that make up their courts. After all, no man rules alone
I guess the sliver lining is that because Elias has no clear successor, once something happens to him to remove him from power, there would be a power struggle among the Commitee to take his place as dictator.
That actually reminds me of something different. Didn’t you say Josh had kids with Jenna? Now I’m horrified at what psychological and physical damage could inflict on his children, knowing what he did to Jenna?
Yeah he does. I haven't talked about those kids at all, though. I focused more on Josh himself for his arc. Fortunately he has been all over the country instead of being at home though...
This is more of an original concept, since I made up the whole idea of Reinstaat, but I did use Rechtsstaat and related German legal concepts as a guideline for what it isn't.
That’s not unlike what many autocracies like Nazi Germany did, twisting many aspects of German history and culture to the point that stuff like Nietzschean philosophy, Wagner music and historical figures like OTL Friedrich the Great (ironic given Fredrich’s sexuality and promotion of Enlightenment thought) were associated with them for decades. Definitely doesn’t bode well for the Reich’s national psyche once the reign of the Committee ends.
In my internal notes, I wanted to use the German slogan Jedem das Seine ("to each his own") somewhere in this arc. In OTL, it was a well-known expression for centuries and popular in liberal reformist circles of the 19th century before being twisted by the Nazis and used as the motto of the Buchenwald concentration camp, thus turning it into a Nazi slogan and rendering it unusable by anyone else in its original context. It would serve a similar purpose here as a centuries-old positive idiom that the committee perverted into its own propagandistic slogan and made completely unusable. But I couldn't find a place to fit it in.
As for Melting Pot theory (or the Commitee’s bastardized version of it), I guess that’s what the Commitee has used to replace Romanitas, which arguably leaned more towards salad bowl or kaleidoscope style multiculturalism.
As with the Reinstaat/Rechsstaat relationship, the melting pot was originally part of Romanitas, only perverted and twisted to be the exact opposite now. Instead of the traditional view of the melting pot of different cultural groups coming together to contribute to a multicultural Roman identity, the melting pot is reinterpreted as a forceful melting down of any cultural differences into a single German identity for national unity.
When and if the Commitee falls, I wonder how historians would compare and contrast its regime with previous authoritarian regimes or periods of intolerance the Reich has experienced, like the Angeloi and Maximists, the Anarchy and Fifty Years War, or even the mass deportations of the early Kaisers? I believe Margeat Atwood did say fascist regimes tend to revolve around older historical precedents and trappings of national identity to justify their ideology and rule even if they aren’t genuine about it, like the national culture of the American being based on religious movements since the Puritans or the Nazis gloryfing the Carlogian and WW1 Germanic empires and previous antisemitic persecution.
Pretty sure historians would draw a lot of analogies to the Anarchy but also to a lot of different eras of the Reich's history (the first four rulers, Thirteenth Century Crisis, Fifty Years' War, Maximists, Angeloi, and so on), because a lot of the things the committee did were done before over the past thousand years, and this regime is simply the culmination of a millennia of suspicion, discrimination, and prejudice that was never fully stamped out. In a way, the committee was inevitable, the shadow of the Reich's dark past just waiting to take over, once the people were scared enough to wish for any semblance of stability. It could only have happened in the Reich.
Yeah, reminds me of how much Stalin and Hitlier get talked about in OTL as the archetypical tyrants, when barely anyone talks about Beria or Himmler. People tend to focus more on the despot themselves when really they should also be concerned with the people that make up their courts. After all, no man rules alone
I did say how we would end up rooting for the villain by the end of this. Whether it was Elias or Wilhelm Karl or both, I can't remember at this point, but it still works however you interpret it.
All this just for a grudge against the Hohenzollerns eh? What a man Elias has become, what a man indeed, to wade through a mountain of corpses just to bring an old dynasty down to their knees and dance to his whims like a puppeteer. What a man. Theodor meanwhile doesn't seem to care if nukes drop on actual Roman soil, guess all that power in his company's hands has made him more than reckless.
I did say how we would end up rooting for the villain by the end of this. Whether it was Elias or Wilhelm Karl or both, I can't remember at this point, but it still works however you interpret it.
It makes you wonder if the Reich would have been better off under Sentinel as apposed to the Committee? Come to think of it, it felt like Sentinel was Fascist and the Committee is like the Angeloi in like how I compare Fascist and Nazis from OTL in that Sentinel/Fascist wanted to screw everyone were as the Committee/Angeloi/Nazis want to "elevate" European, Christian, Male, Germans and screw over the (in their words) "undesirables".
I also found this clip from West Wing in were President Josiah Bartlett talks to a radical Christian "Doctor" and asks her questions about the Bible that would make a lot of conservative Christians uncomfortable and I could not help but think what the Committees answers to them would be.
All this just for a grudge against the Hohenzollerns eh? What a man Elias has become, what a man indeed, to wade through a mountain of corpses just to bring an old dynasty down to their knees and dance to his whims like a puppeteer. What a man. Theodor meanwhile doesn't seem to care if nukes drop on actual Roman soil, guess all that power in his company's hands has made him more than reckless.
It makes you wonder if the Reich would have been better off under Sentinel as apposed to the Committee? Come to think of it, it felt like Sentinel was Fascist and the Committee is like the Angeloi in like how I compare Fascist and Nazis from OTL in that Sentinel/Fascist wanted to screw everyone were as the Committee/Angeloi/Nazis want to "elevate" European, Christian, Male, Germans and screw over the (in their words) "undesirables".
Sentinel is pretty much the embodiment of the old "New World Order" and "Majestic 12" conspiracy theories, which claim an omnipresent cabal of elites secretly rule everything from behind the scenes. The committee is instead based on more modern conspiracy theories, or at least what they suggest as a response to the "elites" still controlling things, and actual plots/end goals by various right-wing militant organizations around the world (patriot militias, white supremacists, Christian/Islamic fundamentalists, and so on). Sentinel was content with keeping a veil over their actions so nobody knew it even existed, but the committee wants to outright rule directly. In a way, Sentinel represented the old conspiracies that never truly existed, while the committee represents the real threats posed by modern conspiracy theories and their believers/creators. Sentinel appeared both strong and weak (able to be taken down by a few who knew the truth, although Anders had a lot going for him and I tried to avoid that trope), in line with fascist portrayals of the other, but the committee isn't like that (Anders failed in the end). If Sentinel remained in power, who know? Either the status quo remains, the aliens invade, or Pavel goes crazy. And to be fair, the Angeloi definitely wanted to elevate their in group over all others too.
I also found this clip from West Wing in were President Josiah Bartlett talks to a radical Christian "Doctor" and asks her questions about the Bible that would make a lot of conservative Christians uncomfortable and I could not help but think what the Committees answers to them would be.
Funny enough I was considering working that conversation into the arc as well but couldn't fit it in. Some influences eventually worked their way into Chris' conversation with the college provocateur (the mixed fabrics = death bit).
Olga had taken Wilhelmina to a cafe in downtown today. It was a quaint little cafe, not like the chaguan in Nanjing or the places at home she used to frequent. The people here were of a variety of ages, most of them enjoying their food and drink instead of working. Outside, a band of old men in uniform played an old military march, though nobody paid them much attention.
“How time flies, I guess,” Olga said.
“What do you mean?” Wilhelmina said.
“You don’t remember the significance of this day?” Olga said.
“Not really,” Wilhelmina said, “Had a lot more on my mind lately than Russian holidays.”
“Understandable,” Olga said, “The Soviet Commune hasn’t existed for 49 years. Today was its founding holiday. 118 years ago was the October Revolution, when Tsar Vladimir fell. Although the CSSR itself wasn’t established until a little bit later, to clarify.”
“I see,” Wilhelmina said.
“118 years ago, one of the most brutal totalitarian regimes in the world came into existence,” Olga said, “A regime that turned what was supposed to be a minor Eurasian nation into a major power that shaped the destiny of far greater powers like the Reich and China. You could say the direction of the entire 20th century was shaped by Russia.”
“True,” Wilhelmina said, “It was responsible for shaping both of our lives as well.”
Olga sipped her coffee. “Yes…for the worst, of course.”
“I also know the pain of losing your parents at a young age,” Wilhelmina said, “Although not as young as you were.”
“The Soviets stole my childhood from me,” Olga said, “They shaped me into a cold and ruthless killing machine, to exact revenge against the Reich for a crime that didn’t exist. I almost killed your mother and grandmother during the war, you know.”
“I know,” Wilhelmina said.
“You don’t hold it against me?” Olga said.
“It was all in the past,” Wilhelmina said, “And you didn’t kill them in the end. My own country killed my mother, not you or yours.”
“Guess we have that in common,” Olga said, “Both of my countries killed both of my mothers. Though I don’t like to think of the CSSR my country.”
“Isn’t it just Russia under different leadership?” Wilhelmina said.
Olga glared at her.
“Okay, okay, sorry!” Wilhelmina said.
Olga calmed down. “No, I should apologize. You’re right, it kind of is. The CSSR was a regime based in Russia, run by Russians, and run with Russian culture and society in mind. It’s as Russian as vodka. I hate to admit that, but it’s the truth. I just…have bad memories of my early years. I grew up alone. Only had my sister to rely on. No parents. No friends. Just Party apparatchiks and KGB agents who put me through rigorous training I didn’t want. So I didn’t know what it was like to live a normal life. Have friends to rely on. Until…I met Di again.”
“Diana Frank?” Wilhelmina said.
“Yeah, the daughter of my mother’s best friend, my own childhood friend, whom I was ordered to kill in Vienna,” Olga said, “She opened my eyes to the truth of my past. Without her, I wouldn’t have broken free of Varennikov. Then I joined her on X-Division, and I finally found the friends I was looking for. Diana was like a sister to me. Ms. Anne was my second mother…something my actual mother, may she rest in peace, certainly wanted.”
She looked out the window. “Unfortunately, they have all left me now.”
“I’m so sorry,” Wilhelmina said.
“You don’t have to apologize,” Olga said, “I knew this would come for a long time. I was the youngest of us four, so it stood to reason I’d be the last to go. That after many years, I’d go back to being alone again.”
“You’re not alone, though,” Wilhelmina said, “You have Yulia. Your sister is still alive, and you have her kids. You know her daughter—”
“You underestimate how taxing this job is,” Olga said, “I haven’t been to Scandinavia in a while. Yulia’s been even more focused on her work lately too. And I’m quite busy with rebuilding the economy. You know, we were on track to being bankruptcy free for five years and stamping out the last of the cartels before the Roman economy went and imploded on us. That’s on the committee, not us.”
Wilhelmina looked around the cafe. “You guys seem to be doing better.”
“It could’ve been much worse,” Olga said, “After the committee started the Red Christmas purges, Han withdrew from the UN, and Argus laid waste to India, it looked like the rest of us in Eurasia were screwed. So I spent many sleepless nights talking to dozens of diplomats and leaders to economically reorganize Schengen and ride out the storm. One thing led to another, and, uh…it's not official, but I think I’m now the new leader of Schengen. A pact which doesn’t even include the town it’s named after. Led by an ex-KGB agent, of all things.”
“How ironic,” Wilhelmina said.
“Everything about these last few years is ironic,” Olga said, “The Reich and China are hostile to world peace, and Russia and I are the good guys. The committee’s the one with concentration camps, of my own fellow Russians too, instead of the Party. Same thing as the 1980s, but everything is just backwards, like I'm looking in a mirror or at my shadow. Ugh. I thought we all learned from fifty years ago.”
“Apparently not,” Wilhelmina said.
“My sources in the Reich are saying it’s way worse than fifty years ago,” Olga said, “Harvesting organs live and forcing abortions are just the tip of the iceberg.”
“I had heard they were paving over graveyards and temples to replace them with parking lots and theme parks,” Wilhelmina said, “I…never heard they were doing that.”
“Trust me, it’s better that you don’t see the whole damn iceberg,” Olga said, “What matters is ending it.”
“But how?” Wilhelmina said.
“First, we need to stand up to the Reich,” Olga said, “Even with its weakened economy and a lot of its troops having defected, its military and industrial power still far eclipses our own. But if all of the rebels stopped fighting each other and joined forces, and the Schengen members band together with each other and the rebels against their new common enemy…no, the Reich would still far eclipse it. I’m not even sure if the entire world combined would be enough.”
“We’ll find a way,” Wilhelmina said.
“To be honest, I’m only in charge because nobody else wanted to take up the mantle,” Olga said, “And frankly, I’m not really qualified for this. My expertise is in domestic policy. You know, stabilizing the countryside, economic reform, that stuff, not holding the line against another totalitarian dictatorship. I’m barely holding everything together. We need a new leader.”
She paused for a moment. Wilhelmina sat there, waiting for Olga to continue, before realizing her intention.
“No,” she said, “You want…me to lead Schengen?”
“I don’t expect you to take on many responsibilities,” Olga said, “We just need a symbol to rally around.”
“Look, Olga, I can help out the exiles in this city,” Wilhelmina said, “I’m comfortable working at the food bank and helping build houses and stuff. But leading several countries at once, even as a symbol? No, I can’t do that. It’s not my place. I’m no leader of nations. I’m not even a leader of one! There are better people for this.”
“Wilhelmina, you have to understand, nobody else can do this,” Olga said, “I tried. Tsar Borislav, Fylkja Aleta, and the other monarchs tried. Bradziunas has his hands tied focusing on Tiger’s Defense. The other chancellors are nothing special. It has to be someone with ties to the Reich, yet isn’t a pawn of the committee. Think of it. The only daughter of the late beloved Elisabeth Alexandra, following in her mother’s footsteps after thirty years. If not you, then who?”
“Don’t you see, Olga?” Wilhelmina said. “I’m not cut out for this. That was Mom’s job. She was the leader everyone loved and was taken from us too soon. I was just her daughter who likes playing video games and following space stuff. And I can’t do either of those these days.”
“Don’t be so harsh on yourself,” Olga said, “You are more capable than you think.”
“Really?” Wilhelmina said.
“I was in your position once,” Olga said, “I didn’t know what to do. I was given a destiny and a path to follow. I was told who I was, rather than figuring it out for myself. You’re like that. You have to look within yourself and start asking the real questions. Who are you? What do you want to do? Are you going to keep running and hiding? Or will you stand and fight for what you believe in?”
“So like Persona?” Wilhelmina said.
“Exactly!” Olga said.
Wait, someone was finally speaking her language. Wilhelmina didn't think an old politician-type like Olga was someone who'd play an RPG about high schoolers.
“Wait, you play that?” Wilhelmina said.
“Yeah, I do,” Olga said, “Though obviously I haven’t had much time lately. Look, it’s like that, but real life. You’ve got to figure yourself out. We are at the crossroads of the 21st century. What we do in the next few years will shape the rest of the century. Just like the fall of Tsar Vladimir and rise of the Soviets shaped the rest of the 20th century. We need you, Wilhelmina. You can do it.”
She was starting to speak a lot like Sophie now…which was pretty intimidating. Wilhelmina didn’t know what to do. She thought about the questions Olga asked her. She asked herself the same questions. But she didn’t know the answers. Even after thinking for a little bit…she still didn’t know. What did that mean for her? For everybody?
Isfahan - January 4, 2036
“Kafš!” a bazaar merchant shouted, alternating between Persian and German. “Get high quality shoes here, for an affordable price!”
Alex walked through the bazaar with Thea, taking in the sights. Their wounds had mostly healed by now, although Alex’s stomach still hurt a little if he strained himself.
“Shoes, huh?” Thea said. “Want to check them out?”
“I think we can make do with what we have,” Alex said.
Thea looked at Alex’s shoes, which were ragged and covered in dust from their escape from Damascus.
“No, no, no, this won’t do,” Thea said, “We all need new shoes. We won’t look good at the interviews.”
“I don’t think the labs will take us either way,” Alex said.
“Either way, we need shoes,” Thea said.
“Okay, okay, fine!” Alex said.
They approached the merchant.
“Sobh bexeyr, fine young couple,” the merchant said, “Are you two looking for some high quality foot containers?”
“Uh…foot containers?” Thea said.
“I guess it's not as funny when you say it out loud,” the merchant said, “Anyways, see anything you like?”
Alex looked at the shoes on display. They had been hastily tossed in a pile next to the merchant. It looked like they had been previously worn. They didn’t have the shine or smell of new shoes.
“So where did you get these?” Alex asked.
“My supplier never told me,” the merchant said, “Have you decided?”
“Uh…not really, they’re not my style,” Alex said, “How about you?”
“Yeah, I’m good,” Thea said.
“Well, if you ever need new shoes, you know where to look!” the merchant said.
Alex and Thea continued walking.
“Well, that was weird,” Alex said.
“I’ve never really shopped like this before,” Thea said, “We always just went to the mall.”
“Yeah, but there are no malls here,” Alex said.
“True,” Thea said, “This just feels so…different.”
“Times change,” Alex said, “You know, I remember something Oskar told me twenty years ago, I think to this day. ‘It feels like the days drag on sometimes. But remember this moment twenty years from now, and ask yourself if the past didn't fly by in a flash’.”
“Can’t believe you remembered something your teacher said,” Thea said, “I can barely remember twenty weeks ago.”
“I’m a little surprised too,” Alex said, “Both that I remembered, and Oskar was right. The days do drag on, but time flies by. I miss Oskar. Hope he rests in peace.”
“Yeah,” Thea said, “Wherever he is, I hope he’s at peace.”
“All that matters is making sure we’re at peace here as well,” Alex said.
Budapest - January 5
The sky was a cloudy gray. A light snow fell over the city, covering the streets and sidewalks. Ferdinand could hear the snow crunching under the heavy tires of his truck as Klaus drove through downtown and parked on the waterfront, where several other trucks had also stopped. He and his men opened the back of the truck and ordered the men, women, and children inside to get out. They were pleading in languages like French, Arabic, Norse, and Polish. The soldiers simply beat those who resisted more fiercely.
“Take off your shoes!” Ferdinand ordered.
The prisoners took off their shoes.
“Now form a line on the waterfront!” Ferdinand said.
The soldiers forced the prisoners to line up on the waterfront, facing the Danube. While they prepared their weapons, Ferdinand paced around.
“You stand accused of heresy!” Ferdinand said. “For your crimes, the punishment is death! Your sentence will be carried out...right now!”
The soldiers raised their bows and fired, riddling each prisoner full of arrows. They fell into the frozen Danube, where they screamed and struggled before they sank into its cold depths.
“This was a good shoe haul,” Ferdinand said.
The rest of the world would pay good money for these shoes…especially if they didn’t know where they came from.
---
The crimes mentioned by Olga and Wilhelmina are happening across China right now, not just in Xinjiang itself, and to other ethnic minorities too.
WWII Hungary’s fascist dictatorship under Horthy executed Jews in Budapest by shooting them with arrows so they would fall into and drown in the freezing waters of the Danube, but they would order them to take off their shoes first as those could be sold for a profit.
Unrelated to anything, but I like to think of the theme of this arc from 2016-2030 is accountability (as previously said), as we go over CB participating in the political process but were never fully held accountable enough due to not being considered a threat. From 2030-35, the theme is apathy and how it can be just as bad as outright malice. And from 2035 onward, the theme is about destiny. Are people destined to follow in the footsteps of their parents? Destined to follow the path set for them by circumstance? What if they don't accept it? And what about the destiny of a nation? Is it shaped by a nation's past actions? What does a nation even stand for, in the end? What even is the nation?
Oh, what the hell, this is just like the holocaust where the Jews were stripped in the camps and their belongings given to the Germans. Honestly, I wouldn't think they'll stoop this low but here we are.
