In the Shadow of the Old Pueblo-Tucson ISOTed to the Bronze Age
- Thread starter Teen Spirit
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- Original Antiquity Supernatural
There was nothing like this. A ruler was obliged to fulfill his promises, or they fell back on his family. There was nothing like "national security', if you stole it, then you stole it.
Trying to cover it up with pretty words will cause even more grief and mistrust, and push patriarchal downtimers even more from her as a deceitful woman.
It's a hard choice where she needs to act the part of a leader, either enrage her fellow americans and earn mistrust from downtimers, or lose modern weapon stocks.
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I should make clear. At no point did even Sanford directly promise to fully give back the guns. He talked about restoring America which some took as a de-facto promise of returning the weapons. Plus the general assumption was they would basically use up all their ammo in the conquest.
In general it's a complicated issue because even I think Maddox is going a bit too far but it is understandable. Each weapon, each bullet is effectively irreplaceable for who knows how long (Because again, it's not just a question of finding the all the need materials, it's also finding the know how in Tucson itself, and the industry need to fabricate what you need and so on and so forth.) and the newly made guns are a massive downgrade for the most part. Maddox is alive in part because she had access to sniper fire, the moment she runs out of rifle ammo that asset is gone. Every gun she doesn't have control over is a gun she can't manage the ammo for unless she gets very strict with supplying ammo out (Which brings it's own issues)
And on a less pressing point. Giving people the guns can have other consequences. Sure Suicide isn't at the peak it was during the months surrounding the Event but it's still a concern and well, things are tense in the city, tempers can flair.
The New Roman Consulate (Part 1)
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"Rome as we know it does not exist, according to travelers a small village used by semi-nomadic pastoralists occupies the Palatine Hill. Romulus will never kill his brother, Caesar will never cross the Rubicon, Mehmed will never bring down the walls of Constantinople. It's history has been completely undone. But it's symbols remain, and even orphan symbols can still have meaning."
-Consul Sophia Maddox
"If my travels have taught me anything, it's that if one is to survive in this new world one must know when to be flexible and when to be unyielding."
- Elicia Baxter, 'The World Since the Event'
"We had assumed this New Rome was the creation of another madman. Many have claimed the titles of ancient uptime or even fictional states, and in almost every case these madmen never get beyond a single village, their rule only lasting as the natives tolerated them. That this Consulate endures is...curious, to say the least."
- Professor Harold Fox, New Pueblo
Aftermath of the Soft Coup
The Soft Coup left Maddox and the city of Salatiwara in a dangerous and confused position. While the loyalty of most of the group that had followed Maddox was in little doubt, in large part due to Sanford largely giving Maddox whole groups of people he figured would less that suited for any fighting, there were concerns that those behind the events in Hattusa had allies in Salatiwara. Particularly among the Hittite nobility, as they had made the deal to surrender the city with Sanford, not Maddox. Her deposing of the Governor not long after she arrived had also soured the Hittite view of her somewhat. And when news came that Maddox had split from Hattusa, a number of the remaining Hittite nobles and Merchants made efforts to have her removed from power, as many of them had come to resent this uncouth woman ruling over the city and feared what an invasion from Sanford would bring. These efforts were defeated, sometimes violently. For months the noble and Merchant quarters of Salatiwara (the parts of the city most heavily populated by Americans) existed in a state of de-facto marital, with Maddox's limited military forces divided between patrolling the streets and watching the walls
When it became clear that Sanford wasn't going to invade anytime soon, Maddox scrambled to secure as much of the nearby land as she could without triggering an all out war. This largely amounted to send groups of four or of her militia with a Hittite who could translate to outlying settlements and farming settlements and informing them that they now owed fealty to Salatiwara and Salatiwara exclusively. An encounter with a patrol from Hattusa several months later put a halt to these efforts for the most part. Leaving with Sophia with control over the areas around the Salt Lake Tuz and part of the Kizilirmak river (Known to the Hittites as the Marassantiya River) with some influence over lands to the west and east of the city. It wasn't a lot of land but it was more than enough to sustain the now quasi City-State and keep the markets open.
A Matter of Rights
The details of Sanford and Maddox's plan for the future of their state had always been vague as getting a new home took priority, but Maddox had always known Sanford wanted to restore America in some capacity, a vision she did not share. The recruitment drive for the expedition had taken her across dozens of settlements and villages made or conquered by Americans and in those settlements, she had seen how much people had changed. Men who had once been Bartenders were now brutally enslaving natives, men others had described to her as sound and rationally were discovered following radical cults of every stripe. She had seen hundreds lose all faith and just as many find faith because of the Event. To Maddox, the people of Tucson had simply changed to much to ever return to anything resembling the old ways. There was also the lack of institutional knowledge and her fears of the expectations that came with any dreams of rebuilding America. The United States was dead in her mind, if she wanted her new state to survive for any length of time it needed to be different. She envisioned a centralized and meritocratic but still democratic Republic. One that could make good use of the limited population in Salatiwara. Before she could even begin to implement her plans she quickly ran into a issue. That of guns.
Part of the requirement for joining the Sanford Expedition was to hand over any guns and ammo they had, only to given back for a limited time as needed. This was both to cut down on violence within the Expedition and to preserve their supplies of Pre-Event ammo. The expectation was that the Expedition would use all of the ammo up during the fighting, making the fate of the guns a far more trivial matter. But with the Expedition ended far sooner than expected, Maddox found herself with a small but notable supply of pistol and rifle ammo. She held onto the remaining pre-Event weaponry, only giving it out to those on patrol who were required to lock up their weapons and ammo at the end of their shift. This became a problem as people started demanding to have their guns returned or at least given one in return for the one they originally surrendered. Maddox refused, citing general need and lack of any promise to return them. While Maddox had developed a reputation as being rather terrifying to both Americans and Hittites, she found herself unable to simply ignore or shout down the complaints. And they only grew louder as the months pressed on. Soon she realized that ignoring this issue would lead to serious trouble. Something had to be done. A compromise was needed.
She announced there would be a public forum on the issue, she urged every American family in and around Salatiwara to send at least one of their own to the event so everyone could hear and have a voice. Hundreds gathered in the palace courtyard, there Maddox made an impassioned speech arguing her position. While she lacked Sanford's raw charisma she had learned some tricks over the years. She pointed how vital every bullet was needed for defense against Sanford and his criminal minions, terrifying the audience with tales of what those behind the coup had done in their own little territories. She then admitted that her original plan had overstepped the line. She purposed a system where people could have their guns returned, provided they receive firearm safety training and agree to serve on in the city guard (The new name for the Militia) at least part time. Her passion and words did a lot to win over or at least placate many but she realized plenty others were still unhappy about it. Shortly there after she announced she would no longer act as a dictator in all but name, instead she created the office of Consul to serve as both the head of state and head of government for Salatiwara and that in three months there would be an election for the office. Maddox was playing a gambit, using this election as a referendum on her policies, particularly the one on guns. Maddox would win the election, in part because three people ran against Maddox, dividing her opposition. Now somewhat confident of her position. Maddox pressed ahead with her agenda, though she realized the value of the public forum and made it a regular part of her rule going forward.
The Legacy of Rome
While Sophia Maddox's Pre-Event academic career would ultimately take her down a different path, she had a passion for history. Particularly that of the Roman Republic. She admired men like the Gracchi brothers, Scipio Africanus, Cincinnatus, and Lucius Junius Brutus. Holding a ( highly idealized) view of them as champions of democracy in ancient times. At first she did her best not to think of her old interests, ignoring them as best she could. But soon she began to wonder if Rome could be a source of inspiration for her new state. After all they risen from a single city to a power that controlled the Mediterranean. And Maddox didn't just want her city to survive, she wanted it to thrive.
The Expedition's failure may have stalled the conquests but she still dreamed of creating a republic that controlled much of the old Hittite Empire, maybe even eventually conquering the Assyrians and Babylon. She realized such a dream would likely never occur within her lifetime, but such a thing could be possible for future generations if she laid the proper groundwork. In Rome she saw not only a model for a Republic that could not only endure the troubles ahead, but also a symbol she could use to rally the people. To give them something to actually feel loyalty to beyond herself and their general needs, create a new national identity.
She realized such a thing couldn't be done subtly nor could it be forced upon them. She had to sell it to the people and she had to do it carefully. At a Public Forum one day in early 8 A.E she asked the public a simple question
"What do you want for the future of our nation?"
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This is one of the most efficient means of preserving a regime seen thus far, and for all the trappings a lot more 'American' than the military juntas wrapped in the tattered flag thereof.
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Though Maddox would probably find that a bit insulting considering the Aeneid was a stealth insult to Augustus and Maddox hates Augustus and thinks he was a scrawny nerd who ruined the Roman Republic.
The New Roman Consulate (Part 2)
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The Maddox Dialogues
The question got the reaction Maddox had hoped for. Most gathered at the forum admitted they hadn't really put much thought into what they wanted for their nation. Most had barely thought of what they had as a nation. Those who had said they wanted stability and freedom for their kids. To ensure they didn't end up under the thumb of someone like Sanford's thugs. Maddox spoke of the importance of them building a state. How they had to do more than just survive, they had to create a Republic so that future generations would descend into tyranny and barbarism. She then went on to argue that the old American model would not work for what they would need to build, pointing to the failures of both the Tucson city government and the military when it came to handling the Event. She argued that the America they knew was too bloated and disorganized to achieve something in this world. To adapt they needed a new government, to thrive they would need a new identity to rally around.
Maddox hadn't leapt into this unprepared, after years of speaking and working with these people she knew many of them shared her disillusionment with America, and she had even discussed in private her plans with people she knew held similar Romanphilic views to her own. Still this talk of a completely different style of democracy and new national indentity spark considerable discourse. Leading to a series of debates that would later be known as the Maddox Dialogues. The Dialogues took place over three months, and would see Maddox define her plans for the nation going forward as she argued against both those who favored more American style republic and those who favored an altogether different style of government (Such as a constitutional monarchy under one of the Hittite nobles or a more direct Swiss style-Democracy). During the debates, Maddox would extol the virtues and merits of Rome's republican government, presenting a (somewhat inaccurate) picture of a government that was both flexible enough to adapt to changing situations yet was strong enough to overcome it's many enemies. She worked hard to keep both her temper and her enthusiasm under control, reacting to any criticisms with grace and doing her best to present her proposal as a moderate option. Explaining that she wanted to create "An American version of Rome" one that would combine the best elements of both states and cultures. Shortly after the New Year in 9 A.E, Maddox laid out her purposed constitution, leaving two copies, one written in Hittite cuneiform the other English, out in public for all to see, a month later a vote was held on the Constitution, it passed by a narrow margin. The New Roman Consulate was born
The New Constitution
The Consulate's constitution replaced the single ruling head of state with a triumvirate, the three consul's acting as both the head of government and head of the military. In times of war the Consuls are to choose among themselves who will hold supreme authority in military matters. Outside of that, any action by one of the Consuls can be overridden by a veto from the other two. Consuls also have the power to appoint judges. Below them is a Senate which serves as main legislative body for the Consulate. Below them is the People's Assembly which is held at the Public Forum. The Assembly is open to all registered Alpha class voters, and has the power to veto any legislation passed by the Senate with a two-thirds majority vote, and can even propose legislation of it's own. The assembly is also given the power to impeach and remove both Consuls and Senators. Elections for almost all positions are held every two years but the Consuls are allowed to call for a new election as needed.
There are two classes for voters, Alpha and Beta . Legally anyone above eighteen years of age who can read Hittite cuneiform is considered a Beta-level voter, but they're only allowed to vote for the Anatolian Tribunes, who act as the voice of the Hittite people in the Senate. To be a Alpha class voter one has to be literate in English at an at least fifth grade level. This effectively limited the vote to the American minority and those Hittite nobles and merchant who had so far picked up written English. Further education requirements are placed on actually running for office or serving as an officer in the military, largely restricting those offices to Americans for the time being. This was entirely by design as Maddox wanted to ensure that the Hittite majority was not able to easily overwhelm the Americans until the American population had time to expand and the Hittites had time to 'civilize' in her own words.
The City Guard was reorganized in the Legion of the Republic, which serves as both main defense force for the Consulate and the primary labor force for it's public works programs. There is a lottery based conscription for all citizens between the ages of eighteen and forty, with incentives for anyone who volunteers and/or stays longer than their two year tour of service.
The Hittites and Rome
Relations between the Hittites of Salatiwara and the American minority are a complicated affair. While Maddox certainly treated them with a far fairer hand than Sanford and his governors have, she showed much of the same indifference towards Hittite religion and customs, with a notably scornful attitude towards what she considered their more extreme laws. The two class voting system has left much of the Consulate's population as second class citizens but for most this is hardly much of a change. For the average Hittite in Salatiwara they have just as much voice in their government under the Consulate as they did in the old Empire, basically none. Most of the nobility has worked hard to adapt to the Consulate, doing their best to 'Romanize' their children. A few more conservative nobles remain defiant, doing their best to maintain the old ways while seething at their loss of power and prestige.
Unlike Hattusa, Americans and Hittites are (at least in theory), nominally equal under most parts of the law. Murdering a Hittite farmer is just as serious a crime as murdering an American Senator. Consul Maddox going so far as to abolish trial by juries in 15 A.E, as she felt American jurors were far too prone to siding with their own even if the weight of evidence was against them, which tended to greatly upset the Hittites.
Tensions presist and the two groups remain distinctly separate, but there are more and more mixed families each year, and Americans with Hittite names and vice versa are far from unheard of.
Nova Rome
The past decade has seen the Consulate experience a population boom in both it's American and Hittite populations. It's moderate politics appealing to Americans fleeing both Hattusa and the New Pueblo, while it's grain rations and public services saw a large number of Hittites refugees from the collapsing Empire settle within it's borders. The city of Salatiwara itself has begun to change as public works projects look to expand and reorganize the city block by block.
Maddox herself has been in and out of power, suffering an election defeat in 12 A.E only to be returned to power in 18 A.E. Her return to the triumvirate has seen her focus far more on the world outside of the Consulate. Things remain as hostile as ever with Hattusa and spies loyal to her report that Sanford has regained some amount of power. She fears Sanford may soon march to war again. She knows Hattusa has them outnumbered and outgunned, but she also knows that Sanford has plenty of enemies both inside and outside his Republic. She hopes the old strategy of divide and conquer can help keep her vision of Rome alive.
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Hmm. I think there would be many mixed Amero-Hittite families (and not just in this one state). Because lets be honest here, many young Hittite women (lower class mostly) with their different cultural upbringing and life priorities, would be drawn to the mostly lonely male populace, of what is in essence victors, and a new ruling class.
Especially after 6 years of effective occupation, that the youngest would have time to grow up in this new state, and not see how these "Americans" are bad, as their patriarchs no doubt whale about constantly.
The Eastern Fringe
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"I suppose we're all running away from something."
-Chase Fitzpatrick, Hattusa Republic
For most, the New Roman Consulate and the Hattusa Republic represent the eastern limit of uptime expansion. Most assume all that lay beyond them is the crumbing remnants of the Hittite Empire, Assyria and countless other downtime states. This is not quite the case, as a number of smaller uptimer controlled states have managed to scratch out an existence in what was once the eastern border of the Hittite Empire. These states are small and considerably weaker than both the Consulate and the Republic, largely enduring because neither state wants to expend the time and resources to deal with them and risk provoking their rival. They are also almost completely cut off from Tucson, depending on limited trade and their own ever shrinking stockpiles of Pre-Event technology. Most who know about the states along the eastern fringe claim they will not last a generation, that they'll collapse or be conquered by a greater power in time. Of course many uptimer nations have said similar things about Hattusa and Salatiwara.
The Disputed Lands
Between the borders of the Hattusa Republic, the Hittite Empire and the New Roman Consulate is an area generally known as The Disputed Lands. All three factions claim some or all of it but and most of it but have so far been unable to exert anything more than a limited amount of influence. Plagues caused by the arrival of Tucson combined with the civil war and later the Sanford Expedition have have left the region devastated, entire cities lay abandoned and have so for over a decade. Since the withdraw of the Empire to the south most people in the Disputed Lands live in small villages of a few dozen or so. In the aftermath of the Soft Coup a number of Sanford's former associates have fled to the region, most quickly turned to banditry, raiding the villages for food and slaves and the Consulate and Republic for tech. One particularly daring man proclaimed himself Emperor of the New Hittite Empire but has yet to extend his influence beyond a few villages, another group formed a quasi-Anarchist commune in one of the Hittite villages. Then there is True America
True America
The largest state in the Disputed Lands.True America's founders claim they were forced out of Hattusa for daring to stand up for liberty and American values during the Soft Coup. The truth is far less noble, they were expelled because they had used the confusion caused by the coup to begin murdering Hittite natives by the dozens and even hundreds in a few cases. Even for the criminals that now dominated Hattusa politically this was far too much to ignore. The men and women who founded True America had grown to hate the Hittites over the course of the Expedition, viewing their culture as backwards, their religion as nonsense and their laws as utterly draconian and barbaric. To them there was nothing salvageable about the Hittites and they found the efforts Sanford and the others went to work with the Hittite nobles to be abhorrent. Life for most Hittites has become harder since the Event but few have it worse than the Hittites who happen to find themselves at the mercy of True America. Many are killed on sight, the rest are worked to death in the farms, the mines and in labor gangs. Those who slack off or try to escape are punished harshly. There aren't many Hittites left in True America as of 20 AE, which suits it's rulers just fine. To them the Hittites are a scourge upon the world that has to be removed. Politically True America is far to the right though this largely amounts to using Far-Right and Libertarian talking points to justify it's more despotic actions. True America has seen a fair number of American immigrants over the years, largely criminals from both Hattusa and the Consulate who fled or escaped prison.
The Median Kingdom
On what was once the eastern border of the Hittite Empire lays the Median Kingdom lead by on King Andrew, formerly Andrew Wright. Andrew Wright was one of Sanford's top lieutenants, arguably the fifth or sixth most important person in the Expedition. Unfortunately for him and his family he had protested strongly against the coup, too strongly for his own good. So he and his family fled, eventually meeting up with a couple dozen others. This group eventually found it's way to small Hittite City along the coast of the Black Sea. Andrew quickly made a deal with the local nobility. In exchange for letting the Americans into the city, they would provide protection against Sanford and whoever else might come to the town. The nobles agreed on one condition, Andrew marry one of the Magistrates daughters. Andrew agreed, going so far as to have several of his family members marry the sons and daughters of other nobles. Not long after he crowned himself King and his new land to be the Median Kingdom. The name came as the result of a miscommunication that led to Andrew thinking the name of the town was Media, it wasn't but the name stuck regardless. Andrew has spent most of the past decade or so trying to present his Kingdom as a safe harbor for both uptimers and downtimers fleeing Hattusa and other despotic states. The kingdom's economy is based largely in fishing and limited coastal trade. Andrew himself has proven a rather popular and personable ruler, enough that most of the population is willing to overlook his occasional fits of eccentricity like insisting every door that faces the ocean be painted yellow or that he occasionally runs through his small palace, naked and screaming.
United States of America (Trebizond)
Few who come from Tucson have traveled further east than Trebizond, even fewer have returned. Trebizond was founded by Hattusa dissents hoping to create a life free from all that chaos and madness they had seen consume Hattusa and every other survivor state they'd lived in. They settled beyond borders of the Hittites, in a land occupied by the Hay people. In uptime this area would have become part of the Hayasa-Azzi tribal confederation, it's people eventually becoming modern day Armenians. But the plagues that ravaged the Hittites hit them almost as hard. Leaving the Hay people in the region with little strength to fight the Americans. The Americans took over one of the larger towns on the coast, a history professor that was traveling with the group named it Trebizond after the old name for the uptime Turkish city of Trabzon. The Americans arrived with little, mostly guns, books, potatoes and few trinkets from their lives before the Event. This has left Trebizond with a far more primitive industry compared to other Survivor states, with flintlock guns and black powder being redeveloped a few years ago. As a result Trebizond is almost entirely focused on agriculture. Trebizond has an elected mayor and a small part time town council, the office of President along with any other Federal office lay vacant for the time being despite their claims of being the lawful successors to the United States. The Americans and Hay people have largely integrated well enough and just about everyone is bilingual as a result. Though the Americans are notably uneasy about the prospect of a downtimer actually running for office. Voting is fine, but actually trying to be on the council or even Mayor? The Americans aren't sure the downtimers are ready for that yet. The current mayor, one Rebecca Simmons has become increasingly distraught about the news they get from Median traders. Most of it is third or even fourth or fifth hand but if any of it is true it is rather concerning. Americans declaring themselves Kings, people acting like their state is Rome reborn, Socialists and Fascists enslaving uptimers and downtimers alike. As far as Rebecca is concerned the rest of the world has gone mad, and Trebizond might just be what they need to bring sanity back. A significant minority share her thoughts and believe it's time for Expedition of their own but most realize Rebecca's ambitions for what they are, a pipe dream.
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So yeah, not every state is going to get quite the attention and words I've been giving them so far. Hopefully this was interesting. Also apologies for the close up of my map, I know it's hardly the best map in the world.
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It might not be the best, but it carries over the relevant information quite well, and enhances the reading experience.
I propose you add some names, and slap in the OP under the main map.
Also!
The map has hilarious implications going with these borders.
Namely Hattusa has been shafted on access to easy and large lime deposits. Just over the mountainous triangle shaped bend of the Kizilirmak river, and right outside its north-west sea border.
Hattusa, forever stone and clay
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Yeah Sanford had some really bad luck with the territory he ended up with. Well bad luck and misguided planning.Also!
The map has hilarious implications going with these borders.
Namely Hattusa has been shafted on access to easy and large lime deposits. Just over the mountainous triangle shaped bend of the Kizilirmak river, and right outside its north-west sea border.
Hattusa, forever stone and clay
They're a largely sensible group and sensibility can take people far right now.
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Good geography heavily favoring defenders is also good. Should they ever ally themselves with Median, they would be immune to any attacks from the west or south. Allowing them easy expansion east towards rich Georgian soil.
Though by the point they reach that far, they'd own a country larger than any other uptimer made state.
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Faith After the Event
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The Event had a profound effect on the religious beliefs of the survivors of Tucson. But this effect has been far from consistent, there was no great awakening nor was there a massive die off in beliefs. For every person who lost their faith, just as many found faith or saw their beliefs radically change. This was in large part due to both the Event itself and what followed it. For many saw the Event as the ultimate proof of their being a greater power, but for others the idea that their god would do such a thing was deeply and profoundly confusing. Many Christians found themselves wondering why god would send them to a time over a thousand years before the birth of Christ. For many more it was less the Event itself that had shaken their beliefs and more their own actions. Few who survived the Event did so peacefully; be it murdering someone in the first weeks after the event over food or participating in a desperate massacre against the native population of Anatolia (In the majority of cases it was both), many found themselves worrying about their immortal soul. If their actions had condemn them or if they might find some way to redeem themselves.
In the years since the Event, surviving churches have splintered and merged, and dozens of new sects and even new Religions have risen among the survivors of Tucson. Some of these, such as the Kingdoms of God and the New Restorationists will be covered on their own in time. For now let us take a more general look at the things.
Agents of the Light Bringer
Father Santiago was far from the only person to believe that the Event was an act of Satan designed to prevent the birth of Christ (despite the implications of such a claim being heretical to almost every known pre-Event Christian Sect). Many since the fall of the first New America have claimed the Event was an attempt to turn the population of Tucson into the unwitting agents of Lucifer. Thankfully none of them have achieved anything approaching Father Santiago's level of violent success due to their lack of organization and the more extreme ones being rather self destructive. The actions of Father Santiago had also made such beliefs extremely unpopular among most Survivor nations and even among the more free and democratic nations, such preachers are watched closely and often pressured if not forced to leave. Still a few remain wandering Anatolia, urging the people to do what must be done to 'correct' history.
Sede Vacante
Catholics made up over twenty percent of Tucson's pre-Event population and a slightly higher percentage of the survivors. While the Bishop of the Diocese of Tucson had been outside of the city itself when Event occured, much of the city's church leadership had been within the city that day. Overtime much of the surviving Catholic population would end up in Baja Arizona, Nogales, The New Tucson Republic and the Hattusa Republic with smaller populations in The Republic of Rome and the United States (New Washington). For most of the past few decades contact between Hattusa and the rest of the Catholic Community has been limited, leaving the leadership divided between Bishop Peter Green of Baja Arizona and Bishop Robert Beecher of Hattusa. That neither of these Bishops had ordained by another Bishop was a source of controversy for many in their community as it broke Apostolic succession but both argued that these were truly exceptional circumstances and that their self appointments were necessary to keep the Church alive. While some dissented, even leaving the church entirely, most accepted or at least tolerated it. In 16 AE Bishop Green traveled to Hattusa, believing the time had come for a New Pope to be elected (and naturally he sought the position). The meeting quickly proved how problematic such a act would be as the two bishops realized how different their views were on everything from the nature of the Event to general politics. Beecher would not accept Green as Pope and Green realized that there were many in both Baja and Nogales who would prefer the more conservative Beecher over himself. The two agreed that for now the throne would remain vacant to avoid any sort of schism as the two worked to find common ground and find a solution suitable for the church as a whole.
The Many Sons
It is difficult to describe the general situation for Christianity outside of the Catholic church as many have changed greatly since the event and the difficulties in long distance travel have left many with little contact with each other. It is far from unheard of for two different nations to each have a church of the same name with radically different beliefs (The most notable example being the deeply conservative Second Mile church of New Washington and the more mystic Second Mile Church of the American Empire). Additionally the surviving pre-Event churches find themselves competing with wandering holy men and women and wildly divergent Heterodox sects. Most of these new sects are small, sometimes as small as a single church with a couple dozen followers. Strife and even violence between religious sects is far from unheard of. Religious tolerance varies from state to state with most outlawing the more extreme sects. Most believe the chaotic state of Christian community is a result of life in general still being so uncertain and chaotic since the Event and that given time things will (hopefully) calm down and a new equilibrium will be found.
The Survivors
The Muslim, Jewish and Hindu communities of Tucson were hit incredibly hard by the Event. With many other groups using the breakdown of law and order surrounding the Event to enact violent pogroms against them, reducing each of the communities to a couple hundred scattered survivors. They survive though, in small groups, families or even as individuals. Doing their best to rebuild in the more open minded nations or just simply keep their faith alive in the more authoritarian states.
New Faiths of the Ancient World
Some former Tucsonians have abandoned their old beliefs entirely and have instead turned to the various gods of the Bronze Age Mediterranean world. Examples include followers of the Mycenean pantheon in Arcadia and The People's Union and the Cult of Aphrodite Areia in the Minoan Kingdom. Though the latter is a complicated example as while it was created largely by an uptimer, Anax Rachel, the overwhelming majority of it's followers are downtime Minoans. Not to mention Aphrodite herself being a goddess of Classical Greece. Such changes of faith are relatively uncommon, largely limited to the fringes of Tucsonian expansion. For most Uptimers, the idea that ancient gods would inflict them upon their own worshipers is laughable at best.
One faith that is growing is the Church of the Storm God, commonly called the Church of the Storm or the Storm Church. The Storm Church started in the first New America but has since spread to Hattusa, The Emergency Council and the New Roman Consulate. The Storm Church believes that the Event was an act designed to punish both the Americans of Tucson for their decadence and the Hittites for their more brutal ways but that redemption and salvation is possible through the Tarḫunna, the Hittite storm god. The Storm Church was founded by Travis Andac, who claimed he and his Hittite wife received visions of Tucson in flames only for it to be reborn in a massive storm, after which Tarḫunna spoke to them. The Storm Church has proven fairly popular among both Americans and Hittites, particularly among the increasingly common mixed families in the eastern nations. Despite it's name, the Church of the Storm God actually has little in terms of Organization. With doctrine and even beliefs varying radically from group to group. With some treating Tarḫunna as a monotheistic deity and others still including the rest of the Hittite Pantheon. Relations between the Storm Church and most Christian churches ranges from cold to outright hostile as some of the more Neo-Pagan influenced members of the church tend to lay the blame for Event at the hands of the Christian God. Most states tend to tolerate the Storm Church though it's relationship with the Hattusa Republic is rather strained.
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This is admittedly one I'm nervous about as I'm not particularly religious myself but this is kind of a massively important subject for this TL.
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For later pieces, especially involving mixed populations, you should involve less of the "big religious movements' that reach to further lands, and involve more "local" deities.
Especially spirits responsible for protecting your home from harm, or family members specifically. But also patron gods of cities (which were very common IRL) which were only worshiped locally. (Like Ba'laat Gebal of Byblos)
For example, Salatiwara would definitely see an expansion of its patron deities worship. It survived a siege unscratched, was occupied but not ransacked, there were no large scale unrest, and for years now avoided open war with its neighbors. This is by far one of the luckiest cities in the entire region.
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I added a bit about the lack of proper Apostolic Succession in the Catholic Church. Basically both Bishops say it's a regrettable necessity to keep the church alive. This is admittedly a patch job of an excuse that will likely cause interesting issues down the road.
Salatiwara has definitely seen a upturn in worship of it's patron deities, and this has mixed with the Storm Church, particularly among the increasing Amero-Hittite population. The Storm Church is very decentralized so it has a lot of local variations.
Royals and Nobles
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"At least I'm honest. How many Presidents out there are ever going to step down or allow themselves to be voted out of office? Everyone in my Kingdom knows what they're going to get out of me."
-King Marion, Nova Rome
"There's two things I regret about the massacre. Starting it and ending it. We left too many of those damn nobles alive."
-Councilwoman Clara Agramonte, Republic of Troy
American Royals
All post-Event American states were built in bloodshed and conquest, resembling a combination of the Filibuster of the Real Life William Walker and the likes of Conquistadors such as Francisco Pizarro and Hernán Cortés. And in all but a select few cases, most lacked any sort of continuity with the old American or Tucsonian governments, legitimacy taking a backseat to survival and a need for some sort of organized state. In the early days most of the successor states were led by dictators, individuals and groups who ruled as quasi absolute monarchs in all but name. Overtime most transitioned to at least something resembling an organized Republican government. Even those that became dictatorships usually keep some nominal veneer of being a democracy or at least a Republic. A few however would choose a different path, taking inspiration from a different William Walker. Going so far as to name themselves Chief, or Anax, or King or even Emperor.
Those Americans who have claimed some manner of royal title tend to be viewed poorly by their former countrymen even if most are pragmatic enough to deal with them the same as they deal with any other state. To some their royal titles are the ultimate betrayal of the values their former country was built on. Others worry about the kind of ego or lack of mental stability required for one to name themselves King. The average former Tucsonian, at least those living outside of monarchist states, tend to have a preconception of them. Picturing either some schemer manipulating their way in the halls of power, a mad tyrant brutally enslaving score of downtimer natives, or some variation or combination of the two. While it's certainly true the average American to wear a crown is rarely a modest person, the overall reality is rather more complicated. Many men-who-would-be-kings who've tried to claim a throne have tended towards one cliche or another, and almost all of them ended up dead, either killed by disgruntled allies or downtimers who quickly grew tired of an abusive overlord. Even among those who survived, most are non-entities in the grand scheme of things, chiefs and lords controlling barely more than a few villages. Rarely has a crown proven a path to power. Still a few have risen above and beyond their peers.
For almost every standard among these monarchies there is an exception. Most of the conquering monarchs are male, with the notable exceptions being Anax Rachel of the Minoan Kingdom and the Transgender King Marion of Nova Rome. Most came to power through marriage into local nobility, notable exceptions being Anax Rachel and Emperor Joshua of the American Empire. Almost every Monarchist state was created in a region where Americans are distinctly a minority, with a big exception in King Micheal's Kingdom of Arizona. Many have favored their children as heirs while others have preferred adoption. Each kingdom is the result of unique circumstances. Many have tried to replicate Rachel Wilson's infamous rise to power only to fail for one reason or another.
The Downtime Nobility
Despite most nations lacking any sort of royalty or american nobles, at least in name, a number of them do have a lingering from of nobility in the form of surviving downtimer lords, princes and kings. These are particularly common along the eastern and western edges of American expansion as the power structure of the Hittite empire was very feudal in nature, with numerous lords having hereditary control over parts of the empire and even individual cities. And the Mycenaean's proto-palace states had a nobility in the form of the various kings' entourages and their royal agents . While most uptimers first planned to get rid of these nobles and former leaders as they viewed them as a threat to their new power, they quickly realized the nobles were too entrenched or simply too useful to be removed. The nobles had too much institution knowledge of both the general region and the day to day administration of whatever region or city the Americans had conquered them. Most have been largely left alone provided they keep being useful and loyal. This has proven a double edge sword as many of the downtimer nobles have used this leniency to further entrench themselves, ensuring their children are educated in English and modern American ways while still holding onto their old privileges, leaving many republican governments with an unwanted but useful noble class. This has left both sides rather frustrated, as many of both the Mycenaean and Hittites nobles see the way Americans hold themselves above the common people, particularly in states like the New Roman Consulate and the Republic of Greece, as being little more than a new noble class under a different name.
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Another more idea focused update. Been wanting to talk about the various monarchs in a general sense for a while now. Next one will be focused on a nation.
The New Pueblo (Part 1)
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"The First Scion of Sanford's Ambition and perhaps his biggest rival. The New Pueblo was founded in an attempt to preserve as much knowledge as possible. Noble intentions, but the Event corrupts everything it touches, intentions most of all."
- Elicia Baxter, 'The World Since the Event'
"How much do we lose, day by day, year by year? How much have we already lost? How long will it take us to replace them? The world around us falls into barbarism and superstition, there are men who would burn a thousand books just to learn how to build a bigger gun. The question before us is do we focus on trying to preserve what knowledge we can, or dragging the rest of them back into the realm of sanity?"
- Professor Harold Fox, New Pueblo
Battered Survivors
In the early days after the Event, many people turned to their support network as a means of survival. Friends, coworkers, friends of relatives, relatives of friends and so on and so forth. People they knew or at least thought they could trust. Leading a number of groups that consisted of extended families, coworkers, even members of a club. The leadership for what would become the New Pueblo was one such group, the core of it built around a number of professors and graduate students from the University of Arizona and Pima Community College. These professors had known each other fairly well before the Event, and in the days afterwards they pooled their resources to try and survive the chaos that gripped Tucson, abandoning the city as a group when they realized the situation had become too dangerous to stay. The tale of their first years after the Event are similar to many others, struggling to stay alive as they squatted in a Anatolian farming village turned tent city, many of the older members of the community dying due to harsh conditions and illness. Then a return trip to Tucson revealed something rather disturbing. Part of the University of Arizona's main library had burned, the fire started by rival gangs fighting over control of the building The fire was relatively small, only impacting part of the third floor, but the fire had destroyed hundreds of books in the process. The group realized the danger the fire presented long term, the knowledge contained in those books, particularly those related to geography, science, math, health and history; would be incredibly valuable for rebuilding society both in the near and distant future, and each book represented a collection of knowledge that was now semi-irreplaceable. They decided to make a trip back to collect what they could. The group had a few family members who were ex-military or police and they possessed a fair number of firearms but still this would be a risky trip, the University of Arizona had become hotly contested by a number of survivalists and gangs.
The first trip largely focused on the professors and graduates own personal libraries, books and collections of notes they had abandoned in their escape from Tuscon.The trip proved a success, though a number of people involved came back battered and injured. This sparked further trips, bringing back more and more books each time. The group realized that just having these books around collecting dust in a tent was basically useless, so they began trading the books (mainly geography and agricultural) to other settlements for guns, food and salvage. For time their settlement prospered (As much as any settlement could prosper in those days) but word spread around quickly of their tent library and all they'd gained through trade, making them a prime target for raids and thefts. Their settlement was large but they were outgunned by a number of other nearby settlements. For a while it seemed like it was only a matter of time before one of the other settlements went for an all out attacks, then they met Captain Christopher Shaw. Most of the Air Force had fled South or West after the Mutinies began at Davis–Monthan Air Force Base, but Captain Shaw and a small wing of A-10s and a couple of airliners made their way north. They had struggled to survive the first few years due to largely a lack of proper equipment Shaw encountered the group on a hunting trip. Shaw quickly realizing the professors had the food and equipment his small group village and that he had the firearms and training they needed to keep them alive. The two groups merged with Shaw assuming a leadership position alongside Professor Harold Fox (A Professor of Geosciences) and Professor Neele Kamerink (An adjutant Professor of History and also something of an amateur blacksmith). Captain Shaw's group slowed the raids but didn't bring them to a halt. Particularly as the State of Avalon began pressure them for 'tribute'. The group turned inwards, cutting off trade with the other uptimer settlements, fortifying their settlement as best they could.
This siege mentality nearly lead them to shooting Thomas Sanford as he came to visit. Sanford however smoothed over tensions and presented his case for an Expedition to conquer the Hittite Empire. Captain Shaw declined, largely out of concern for the bad blood between them and many of the other surrounding settlements and a lack of trust in Sanford's intentions. But Sanford's pitch did get Shaw and the others thinking. A few weeks later Professor Kamerink made a proposal to the settlement. Launching their own expedition to the north towards the coast, away from Sanford's Expedition. This way they could put some distance between them and any of the more hostile settlements but still keep some access to the ruins of Tucson through coastal trade, allowing them to remain connected but have the breathing room to build and expand.
The Journey North
The group packed up their settlement, stowing what they could on wagons pulled by oxen, and traveled north, avoiding the reach of Avalon as best they could. Shaw and his group were notably smaller than Sanford's Expedition but they had a small core of trained air force officers alongside police officers and a few national guard reservists. Additionally they had been tinkering with weapons over the years, creating numerous guns. The most notable being a Flintlock volley gun, the gun was heavy, temperamental, prone to sometimes catastrophic misfires and it's runaway fire design meant that once it started firing it couldn't stop until either it was out of ammo or jammed. Still it provided a considerable amount of firepower, firepower that they could actually make more of with relative ease. Their trip took them to the Kingdom of Tummanna, based in the city of the same name. The Kingdom was culturally close to the Hittites but had been independent of the Hittite Empire (Eventually in Uptime history the Hittites would have conquered Tummanna, the city eventually all but disappearing in both records and remains). The Kingdom had escaped the worst of the chaos, largely because the heavily forested nature of the region discouraged early uptimer settlement attempts, but it wasn't lucky enough to entirely escape the plague. The war was swift, Captain Shaw breaking the Tummannan army with volley guns and assault rifle fire. The group quickly moved into the city and set up shop. Shaw turned over actual rule of the city to Fox and Kamerink, using his forces to try and secure as much of the kingdom as he could. The Captain quickly found himself with a rather unexpected situation on his hands, other groups had come to Tummanna as well.
These groups had set off for a number of reasons; some were simply fleeing hostile conditions to the south, others were seeking to stake claims on resources like timber, copper and coal. Others were simply trying to replicate Sanford's expedition, hoping that they would find another empire along the coast of the Black Sea. Most of these efforts were smaller and less organized, becoming bogged down in the forests. Captain Shaw saw this as an opportunity, using his small army to secure many of the outlying settlements for these other small expeditions in exchange for loyalty, forcing out those who wouldn't agree to join or didn't seem trustworthy. Fox and Kamerink were quick to have one of their own oversee these settlements, watching over their fellow Americans to make sure none of them turned traitor. By the end of 5 AE, Shaw, Kamerink and Fox controlled a fair chunk of the area. around the city of Tummanna but little beyond that. Then came a second bit of unexpected news, refugees were coming from the east. Hattusa had fallen to Sanford but it seemed Sanford had been nearly usurped in the process.
A New Age
The group of refugees, both American and Hittite, was ultimately small. But it was enough to fill many of the gaps left by the plagues of years past. Among those fleeing was one Deputy Sheriff Curtis Miles. Curtis Miles had joined Sanford's Expedition early on as the two had been friends before the Event. Miles brought with him nearly a dozen members of the Pima Country Sheriff's department and plenty of horror stories about the Expedition. Spending days telling Kamerink and Fox about the thugs who now ran most of the Hittite core lands and the number of outright cults that Sanford had recruited. Some of Miles's tales were exaggerated or taken out of context but a majority of them were almost entirely true. The tales horrified the Uptimer residents and pushed the leadership into political action. Over the years, in large part due to the raids but also in part do to some of the stranger settlements they had contact with early on, Kamerink and Fox became convinced that many of the fellow Tucsonians had quite frankly lost their minds. That people had either been driven mad by the Event or were using it as an excuse to abandon logic in favor of baser human instincts. To them it seemed like the whole world was going mad. Something had to be done. Shaw, Kamerink, Fox and Miles (Who had bribed his way in) along with a number of professors got together in Tummanna and worked out a Constitution. A few weeks later they announced to a small crowd outside the palace that they were "Building a New Pueblo for a New Age". The constitution they wrote set down a secular republic built on social democratic principles with a focus on education and the sciences, 'preserving the knowledge of mankind' to quote Kamerink. As would often be the case, the reality would not match the promises.
Shortly there after sham elections saw friends, family and cronies of the ruling Director's Council placed in charge of the towns and villages. Save for rare exceptions like Curtis Miles and his associates, few from outside the original settlement were allowed into positions of real power. Private Property was largely restricted, with most being only able to rent land or homes from the state. Taxes were paid in labor for the state. Those who protested found themselves exiled or forced to do hard labor. Many who fled to the New Pueblo quickly found themselves fleeing again only a few years later. Plenty others stayed on as despite the heavy handed nature of the New Pueblo and the Director's Council, they were still a better alternative than the hard life they had back near Tucson and treated people better Sanford's thugs. There would be dissent and protests, but Shaw and Miles ensured that no one could mount a threat against the council. leaving the others free to work on expanding the city's dockyards and begin reestablishing trade with the outside world. Then around 8 AE, they began hear whispers from the east. These whispers came from one Karl Jefferson, a Hattusa Governor. It seemed he was looking defect and bring an entire city with him.
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The Flintlock Machine gun is actually based on a real thing
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I find it hilarious how anyone would want to take and hold that huge indefensible building with no redeeming qualities or benefits to survival.
Typo for region?
Now that we know what sort of place the New Pueblo is, I can't say Jefferson made the right choice. Though I bet he made sure he can't be ousted from power by people in Tummanna.
The New Pueblo (Part 2)
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The Victories and Defeats of the Zalpa War
As mentioned previously, the situation in the Hattusa Republic had forced Jefferson to divert most of his trade to the New Pueblo just to keep Zalpa's economy afloat. It didn't take long for for Jefferson's frustration with his fellow governors and his developing ties with the New Pueblo to lead to talks of full scale defection. The New Pueblo greatly desired Zalpa as it was a fairly large city for the area, possessed a decent sized port, and had access to resources such as the mineral lime. Negotations would take nearly two years in part due to the secret nature of their communications but also because of Jefferson's demands for numerous promises in exchange for his defection. Jefferson realized the New Pueblo was unlikely to leave him in control of the city, or at the very least would reduce his level of power over it to ensure he could never pull with them what he was planning on doing to the Hattusa Republic. He wasn't far off the mark, Fox wanted him reduced to essentially an advisory role, helping administrators from the New Pueblo in the transition period between Hattusa and New Pueblo rule. Realizing that any defection would both be a risk to himself and a reduction in power, Jefferson was determined to make sure that he got the most out his defection. Eventually Jefferson and the Council agreed to a comprise where Jefferson's multiple marriages would be recognized, he would be allowed to retain ownership of the manor he had been living in, and he would be given an advisory seat on the Director's Council once he turned over control of Zalpa.
The nature of Hattusa's governorships at the time made it fairly easy for Jefferson to deliver the city to the New Pueblo with his defection, as he had done his best to weed out subordinates who were more loyal to Sanford and replaced them his own cronies. Captain Shaw marched into Zalpa in 10 AE without firing a shot. Of course they knew Sanford wouldn't ignore this and made ready for an invasion. After Sanford's demands for the return of Zalpa were ignored, the war began in earnest.
The first battle of the Zalpa took place not far outside it's namesake city. And as mentioned before, it was a disaster for the Hattusa Republic. Sanford's forces were defeated soundly by the smaller New Pueblo Army. The victory was in fact so one sided that Captain Shaw found himself rather surprised and confused. Whatever Sanford was, he had conquered the heart of the Hittite Empire. How could an army that had done that have fallen so easily? The victory at Zalpa convinced Shaw and many of the others that Sanford was far weaker than they realized. They scrapped their plans for a purely defensive war and began preparing for an assault on Hattusa itself, believing the governors were too divided and independent to engage in an effective counterattack. Some of the council began making plans for a full on conquest of Hattusa. Captain Shaw would push south for weeks, eventually coming to the city of Nerik. Before a proper siege could begin, Shaw found himself fighting Sanford a second time. As the battle began, Shaw quickly realized the army he was fighting was far better trained then the rabble he had faced at Zalpa. The Battle of Nerik would see the New Pueblo Army defeated and Captain Shaw killed. Still Sanford lacked the strength to push the advantage and the New Pueblo was able to force him to sign a cease fire that acknowledge their rule over Zalpa.
Captain Shaw was replaced by his second in Command, Officer Kaia Norton. Beyond Shaw's death the fallout from the Zalpa War would also cause Neele Kamerink to suffer a nervous breakdown, eventually stepping off the council to focus on teaching, she would be replaced (through council vote) by Saul Young, a graduate student before the Event who had served as Professor Kamerink's protege for the past few years. Despite the deaths, the Zalpa War had been a definite victory for the New Pueblo, securing an important port and valuable territory. With relative peace for the time being, Fox and the others focused on more internal Affairs.
The Reclaimer Library
It is difficult to say where the Reclaimer Library project began. Arguably the piles of books stacked in tents represented the first version of the idea, and many (Particularly Fox) would claim something like the Library had been on their minds since almost the beginning. The first time the idea would be given a name was in 11 AE when Young presented his proposal for the project to the Council.
The project had several goals in mind. First and foremost was to act a central library for the entire state, ensuring they could not only keep track of how many books they had (something that had become a bit of a problem since their relocation to Tummanna) but also keep them protected from both people and the elements. It's secondary focus was to act as a school, a unofficial sort of university to ensure that knowledge contained within the books (Particularly the sciences) was not just preserved but also understood by future generations. The Event dealt a heavy blow to education, with most children going years without anything resembling a formal education and by now many of those kids were now adults. Even in the New Pueblo the decay of knowledge was apparently and setting up a proper education system proved far more challenging then expected.
Construction on the Library began in 11 AE and was expected to take several years. As work progressed a number of proposals where made to expand the Library in both purpose and size. Most of those proposals where fairly minor like additional rooms for printing presses, and most of the major ones (Such as a purposed law that required all traders to hand over all books in their possession so the Library could make copies of them) tended to be rejected. Construction proved slower than expected, as the architects behind it (who had been students at the time of the Event) had to rework their plans repeatedly due to primitive working conditions and materials. Despite this work was progressing smoothly on the Library and it became a symbol of hope and optimism for many in the New Pueblo. Then came the fire of 14 AE. The fire burned one of the buildings used as temporary housing for many of the books. In truth the fire was relatively small but it did burn a section that stored many of the philosophy books, destroying hundreds of them in the process. People became divided on the cause of the fire, with some suspecting it was started as a distraction for other crimes, but a few others strongly believed it was politically motivated. One of these people was Young himself.
Reaction and Repression
Politically those ruling the New Pueblo had always leaned politically to the left. While this had largely proved at first to be talking points used to justify their actions in the early days, there were many in the New Pueblo who were politically pretty far to the left (By American Standards). this led to a number of unofficial left wing political clubs supported by some on the council. Over the years there was a noticeable trend among these clubs, a sense of frustration with the outside world. Everytime a boat came in from the ESC (Emergency Safety Commission) or Troy it seemed like it came with it some tale of another Would Be King or some new cult. Three states called themselves Rome, Pirates infested everything past the Bosporus, Neo-Nazi Bikers ruled Athens, to many within the New Pueblo it seemed like the outside world was rapidly regressing both socially and politically. Many wondered if this was the start of a dark age that would see mankind and it's technology collapse even further than it already had. Many of the political clubs placed the blame on the "reactionary right", some even going so far as to claim this was an intentional effort, that those on the right were intentionally regressing things so that they could keep the people ignorant. At first this just seemed like little more than public Ranting to the average American living in the New Pueblo. Few realizing at the time that these clubs had the full support of two very important members of the Pueblo's government, Kaia Norton and Saul Young.
Captain Shaw had kept himself out of politics as best he could. The now General Norton made no such efforts. Experience since the Event had left her with a deep distrust of organized religion, the fall of the first New America leaving her convinced that religious fanatics would doom society in some vain attempt to 'correct' history. Saul Young had been on the political left long before the Event, and while his actual politics had largely remained the same since then, he had become more and more hostile to anything he saw as reactionary, becoming convinced that many former Republicans and Libertarians would purge he and others like him if they ever got the chance. Not a completely unreasonable fear, political violence was all too common in the early years and hadn't fully died done in many areas since then. Norton and Shaw had been in contact since before the Zalpa War, the two forming an unofficial political alliance. The fire left both convinced drastic action was needed, Norton was convinced that they had another Father Santiago on their hands while Young feared Hattusa was using right wing elements within the state to stir up dissent.
The two of them worked for months to build up enough support. Bribing some of the downtimer nobility, paying off teachers, persuading Fox that there was a serious danger. With Fox and Jefferson on their side, the four were able to push through a series of drastic reforms to the general government. The Fox reforms as they came to be known (A deliberate effort by Young and Norton to avoid making themselves targets for any reprisals) radically altered the structure of the New Pueblo government. The New Pueblo was now an "Intellectual Republic" focused on preserving Mankind's knowledge. The Director's Council was replaced with the Central Commission, which had even more power than the old council. The various political clubs were merged into the People's Union Party, the only legal political party and union in the state. The line between government and education was obliterated as all teachers were now required to be members of the Party. Conservatives went from discriminated against to full on outlawed, with Young exiling everyone he considered too far to the right. All non-downtimer clergy were exiled as well, with ban being placed on churches and temples. Faith was allowed, but it was to be kept to the home. Exceptions were made for downtimers but the temples were watched closely. The cronyism that had been commonplace since the beginning became even more rampant as Fox, Jefferson, Young and North replaced a number of officials and even military officers with those who were loyal to them. These moves were far from popular but Norton had been prepared for the backlash, stomping on dissents and quietly eliminating anyone she thought could challenge the Central Commission (such as Curtis Miles). This lead to number of people fleeing the New Pueblo, traveling with the exiles to either the ESC or the New Roman Consulate. But order was upheld, in part due to support from the downtime nobles.
While tensions between the uptimers and downtimers remains an issue as it does in many states, ironically the left wing government of the New Pueblo was able to get along with many of it's nobles fairly well. This was in large part due to Fox and others making it relatively easy for them to regain power. Telling many of them that all they needed to do was get educated and join the Union and every door would open to them, even spots on the Central Commission. The noble estates are largely left alone as well, provided quotas are met. To true believers like Young this is a necessary evil that will hopefully one day be eliminated but it has achieved the effect that Professor Fox desired as many of the students now being taught at all levels are the sons and daughters of the nobles.
With their situation secure, Fox was named Chairman of the Central Commission. With General Norton being placed in charge of External and Internal Security, and Young being given control of the Reclaimer Library. A position he used to begin purging and editing "Reactionary" texts.
The New Pueblo in 20 AE
The political shift weakened the New Pueblo as people left and corruption set in. Never the less the New Pueblo remains a major power in the region thanks to it's size and trade fleet, stronger than the ESC and an Equal of the Hattusa Republic. The Reclaimer Library was completed in 18 AE, though work on expanding and improving it is ongoing. The library is home to one of the largest collections of books outside of Tucson, making it a popular destination for many survivor states. Though it's distance from Tucson, increasing trouble with piracy around the Bosporus, and renewed naval conflict in the Aegean sea have slowed down trade. With their efforts on the sea being hampered, General Norton has begun pushing for aggressive action against the Hattusa Republic. Fox has so far remained non-committal, with many suspecting he's leaving the issue for his eventual successor. The Professor is now in his sixties and many suspect he'll retire sometime in the next few years. This has left many uneasy as no one is certain who will replace him and in many ways, Fox has acted as a voice of reason for the more radical Young and Norton. Some wonder what they will do once he's stepped down. But for now things remain calm.
A bit of a nitpick here.
For the relatively small populations of the era, even including downtimers, and eventual emigrants from fail-states it would be very hard for Tummanna to operate enough paper mills for multiple printers.
That's mostly due to how hard it would be to supply them with paper.
Since it would be easiest to use shrubs and small trees, those would be obviously used first, but their region at the time is more forest than the rest of Anatolia. And what trees are there, are mostly ancient large trees that take a large amount of labour to cut down and process.
While their wood is also needed for day-to-living, you also need to convert a lot of it into charcoal, to maintain your industry for processing metals, but also to heat the water to dissolve the wood pulp to make paper.
For a relatively small state of the bronze era, the need to make enough paper to copy books, and serve as material for writing in education, would result in prodigious amounts of materials to upkeep- enough even to drain away most of their cash or trade goods.
And that's on top of them engaging in warfare, organizing expedition and buying more books.
Oh I can't wait for this one.
It's sounds so ridiculously cheesy
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Well the idea was rejected, and what your saying is one of the major reasons it was rejected. Lot of resources and manpower for something non vital. And the printing presses are used relatively sparsely. Largely for important books and the occasion bit of economic warfare against the Hattusa Republic
But that still leaves the drain of education which... right, they don't consider it non-vital.
Let's hope that the nobles they dislike so much can pull the slack and pay well for their kids education.