The Mediterranean, 476 AD

In 476 C.E. Romulus, the last of the Roman emperors, was overthrown by the Germanic leader Odoacer, who became the first Barbarian to rule in Rome. The order that the Roman Empire had brought to The Mediterranean for 1000 years was no more.

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- In this alternate history scenario, Rome never fully divided into eastern and western halves.
- The fall of Rome has thrown their former territories into chaos, and the effects are being felt everywhere as anarchy and conflict strike.
- Many new states are forming around the once ordered and prospering Mediterranean Sea, rising from the ashes of the Empire. You are the leaders of these fledgling civilisations.
- Tech pre-industrial. Best will be around early renaissance-era.
- This is not historically accurate, as it is an AU. It would help to research who the leaders of whatever nation you are controlling would likely have been (if it existed in real life), but I won’t be too strict.
- You can choose to be whoever you want! Any requests I will consider, so long as they are on the map I will display below.
- Casual standards.

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This RP will revolve around the conflicts and diplomacy between the civilisations around the Mediterranean. You can be any civilisation that seems realistic, please run them by me if in doubt. RPers can settle, trade, go to war, or merge with each others to form larger empires. There may even be NPC nations to interact with. Any other questions, requests and ideas you may have are welcome in this thread, and the OCC if there’s enough interest. 

This is my first proper NRP, so if any of you veterans out there have any suggestions, they are more than welcome!

So I'll repose my question: status on Christianity here? Did the Empire convert at all, or did it sort of hang around as a plebeian religion?

Oh, sorry. Ahem:

As the Empire never split in this AH, Christianity never became mainstream. It was tolerated, and existed alongside the worship of the Roman Pantheon and other religions of the Empire. It existed most strongly in the east, mainly around Judea and in Greece.

So a bunch of decentralized and not-so-unified "cults" all over the board then.

Yes. Some religions are more widespread than others (e.g. Christianity), while others are more regional (e.g. Judaism).

Okay so I thought it over and Ive decided i want to play the Vandals instead. Could I reserve a Vandalic nation in Tunisia?

Sure.

I'd be interested in playing Pontus.

Go ahead. The territory claims will be made on a first come first served basis, so make your Sheets quickly!

After thinking I will play a nation surrounding the Caspian Sea and extending to the Black Sea. Pretty much it would control the Caucasus to the Caspian Sea or a s they call Hyrcania.

Also very good historical map for the period. I suggest you put it on the OP.

http://www.worldhistorymaps.info/images/East-Hem_476ad.jpg

Edit: NVM. I will RP instead as the Sassanids except larger.

Name: The Kingdom of the Vandals (Regnum Vandali)
Leader: Huneric
Territory (image or description):

How it came to be (brief): The Vandals were either a large tribe or a collection of Germanic speaking peoples first noticed by the Romans around the mouths of the Oder and Vistula, and while it is thought that they can trace their origins back to Southern Scandinavia, there is little to be known about the history of these people. Originally living beyond the borders of the Empire, the Vandals were forced to migrate into the Territories of Roman Panonnia following an assault by the Goths, but later began pushing further west with the incoming barbarian invasions by the Huns and other Germanic peoples. In their time within Roman Territory, the ensuing Generations became increasingly Romanized, eventually abandoning their Germanic language for the more useful Latin, and their Germanic Polytheism becoming increasingly influenced and changed by with the dominant Roman Religion.

The Vandals finally settled along the Southern Iberian Peninsula, but soon abandoned it under the king Genseric, and crossed the Straight of Gibraltar, pushing into Numidia and seizing control of the major cities of Hippo Regius and later Carthage,. The Vandals further went on to take control of Sicily, the Balearic Islands, Corsica, Sardinia and Sicily. Building the new nation into a major naval power with the support of a relatively indifferent population and control of profitable lands. As of now, King Geseric has just recently passed, and his Son Huneric has taken the throne.
Capital: Carthage
Religion: Roman Polytheism with remnants of Germanic practices and Germanic deities.
Demonym: Vandalic

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Name: Huneric
Title(s): King of the Vandals and Alans
Personality: Huneric is very different from his warlike father. Turning way from the imperialistic policies of Genseric, Huneric has opened his reign with an increase of positive gestures towards the native Romans of North Africa and seeks to establish positive relations with neighboring nations. However, Huneric maintains the strength of the Vandalic Navy, and is not afraid to attack at full force if required. However, Huneric is still a new king, and there is no true way to know how he will rule.
Appearance (image or description): (I can't find any portraits of Huneric or his Father, so I'm gonna try and make one) Huneric is a tall man with the strong build of a warrior. He has long sandy brown hair and a long beard, with piercing blue eyes. His skin has become tanned from his life in the sun of Iberian and North Africa.
Brief Backstory: Huneric is the eldest son of the great king Genseric, and was born in Iberia during the Vandalic Reign and came with his father to North Africa. Little else is known about his past, and he has only been raised to the international stage with this coronation.

Merp. Maybe the Danes. I've always wanted to be a viking.

deadpoet said
Merp. Maybe the Danes. I've always wanted to be a viking.

Sure, that's fine.

Nerevarine said
Name: The Kingdom of the Vandals (Regnum Vandali)Leader: HunericTerritory (image or description):How it came to be (brief): The Vandals were either a large tribe or a collection of Germanic speaking peoples first noticed by the Romans around the mouths of the Oder and Vistula, and while it is thought that they can trace their origins back to Southern Scandinavia, there is little to be known about the history of these people. Originally living beyond the borders of the Empire, the Vandals were forced to migrate into the Territories of Roman Panonnia following an assault by the Goths, but later began pushing further west with the incoming barbarian invasions by the Huns and other Germanic peoples. In their time within Roman Territory, the ensuing Generations became increasingly Romanized, eventually abandoning their Germanic language for the more useful Latin, and their Germanic Polytheism becoming increasingly influenced and changed by with the dominant Roman Religion. The Vandals finally settled along the Southern Iberian Peninsula, but soon abandoned it under the king Genseric, and crossed the Straight of Gibraltar, pushing into Numidia and seizing control of the major cities of Hippo Regius and later Carthage,. The Vandals further went on to take control of Sicily, the Balearic Islands, Corsica, Sardinia and Sicily. Building the new nation into a major naval power with the support of a relatively indifferent population and control of profitable lands. As of now, King Geseric has just recently passed, and his Son Huneric has taken the throne.Capital: CarthageReligion: Roman Polytheism with remnants of Germanic practices and Germanic deities. Demonym: VandalicName: HunericTitle(s): King of the Vandals and AlansPersonality: Huneric is very different from his warlike father. Turning way from the imperialistic policies of Genseric, Huneric has opened his reign with an increase of positive gestures towards the native Romans of North Africa and seeks to establish positive relations with neighboring nations. However, Huneric maintains the strength of the Vandalic Navy, and is not afraid to attack at full force if required. However, Huneric is still a new king, and there is no true way to know how he will rule. Appearance (image or description): (I can't find any portraits of Huneric or his Father, so I'm gonna try and make one) Huneric is a tall man with the strong build of a warrior. He has long sandy brown hair and a long beard, with piercing blue eyes. His skin has become tanned from his life in the sun of Iberian and North Africa. Brief Backstory: Huneric is the eldest son of the great king Genseric, and was born in Iberia during the Vandalic Reign and came with his father to North Africa. Little else is known about his past, and he has only been raised to the international stage with this coronation.

Accepted.

"For centuries we have fought amongst one another. Tribe pitted against tribe. Family murdering family. Neighbor against neighbor. For too long Hibernian blood has been spilt by fellow Hibernians, drowning the land. But no longer! Those times are gone! No longer is there Ulaid or O'Neil. No longer is there Aigrailla or Connaught-men. We are one tribe, one family, one people. WE ARE HIBERNIAN!
"The Romans have left Britannia across the sea. They easily overcame the weak peoples of that land. Yet they never came to Hibernia. They saw our fierce warriors and decided to hide in Thor homes. But they are gone now, even the pitiful Britannians too strong for the Romans to bow beneath their yoke. 
"Yet they are still weak. They are divided, where we are one. We are stronger and fiercer. They will feel the might of Hibernians.  We shall take their women, burn their crops, raze their buildings and burn their cities. A new era has dawned. A new era for Hibernians. A new era of prestige. A new era of glory. A new era of power. A new era of Hibernia!"

Do pretty much I'm gonna do a united Ireland. I'll control all of Ireland, if that's alright. And we're out for blood. Fear us, or die.

Sure. Sounds great! Get your Nation Sheet in before someone else claims Ireland.

Okay, has everyone died or have you all lost interest?

Well?

I was going to do Kingdom of Judea then I lost myself in trying to research classical Jewish culture and have sense sort of back burner'd that.

Okay then.

I guess everyone has lost interest then. Oh well...

Name: Kingdom of The Franks
Leader: Clovis
Territory:

How it came to be:
According to the ancient writers, the Franks emerged at the first half of the 3rd century from a number of earlier, smaller Germanic groups: the Sicambri, Chamavi, Bructeri, Chatti, Chattuarii, Ampsivarii, Tencteri, and the Ubii, who inhabited the Rhine valley from the Yssel (which flows from the Rhine) between Lacus Flevo, (later the Zuiderzee, now the IJsselmeer) and Mainz. The Romans held Lacus Flevo and all the marsh and riverland to the south. The Frankish confederation probably began to coalesce in the 210s, north of the Roman province called Germania Inferior ('Lower Germany'), which had been settled earlier by Celticised Germanic immigrants, known to Julius Caesar as the Belgae. Along the Rhine itself were a number of cities constituting the interface between Roman and Germanic civilization. Germanics who settled south of the Rhine without Roman authority were punished.
Franks interested in reoccupying the Roman-controlled left bank of the Rhine marauded these Romans to the south by land and sea using the tactics of forced marches and surprise attacks. During the 3rd century, the Franks attempted to appropriate Batavia to the south of Lacus Flevo. This time the Romans allowed them to stay, settling them in Toxandria (near modern Antwerp), where they became an independent maritime power known as the Salians, or "maritime people". Other Franks, from Mainz to Duisburg, raided across the Rhine and at some point acquired the name Ripuarians, or "river people". Both groups remained politically distinct until Clovis, a Salian and a member of the Merovingian dynasty, unified Francia.
Capital: Tournai
Religion: West Germanic
Demonym: French

Name: Clovis
Title(s): King of The Frankish people
Personality: Witty, Stubborn (I couldn't find out what his personality was so yeah)
Appearance:

Brief backstory:
Childeric I, Clovis' father, became king of the Salian Franks in 457 upon the death of his father, Merovech, ruling over lands he had received as a foederatus of the Romans. In 463 he fought in conjunction with Aegidius, the magister militum of northern Gaul, to defeat the Visigoths in Orléans. Childeric died in 481 and was buried in Tournai; Clovis succeeded him as king and united The Franks.