The Empire State

[Chairman Stein]

Stein's claim

Never done any sort of NRP from actual character perspectives but this After the End style America is cool enough I'll throw my hat in.

[Dinh AaronMk]

@Chairman Stein

<Rumble out on the promenade increases>

[Chairman Stein]

Look I totally haven't been binging Boardwalk Empire lately ok

[DELETED32084]

.

[Dinh AaronMk]

I think I should post an app so y'all can get the incentive to do those app things and then I can launch the actual thread.

But vidya gaems. So, I'll shoot for it sometime in the early morning for normal people.

[Chairman Stein]

I'll get to work on my app since I have a general idea of what I want to do. Mostly just reading up on New Jersey's cultural and economic history OTL to get an idea of where I'm going to take it TTL

[Dinh AaronMk]

Well given the derivation from the timeline is in the far-future anything that happened recently or even a hundred years ago is going to have even less an impact. But then, here I am expecting to see "patroons" dropped in the context of New York so what the fuck do I know.

[Chairman Stein]

I'm mostly looking at things like what New Jersey exports in terms of natural resources as well as historical cultural influences on the region. From the looks of my reading we're gonna see an interesting mix of Dutch and English culture on the Atlantic Merchants Guild/Atlantische Koopmans Gilde

[Dinh AaronMk]

I'm mostly looking at things like what New Jersey exports in terms of natural resources as well as historical cultural influences on the region. From the looks of my reading we're gonna see an interesting mix of Dutch and English culture on the Atlantic Merchants Guild/Atlantische Koopmans Gilde

@Chairman Stein

Eh, not really. Like all places in the Mid-Atlantic region original Dutch and Swedish colonization was historically disposed by later English ownership who really began to develop the colonies. The original colonies having already been small trading posts basically. Their chapter was brief and short before Anglo ownership, followed by American. Later stronger influence would come in with the Irish or the Italians, especially the Italians; think Jersey Shore. But in terms of spoken languages, Spanish is second because Latino groups today are the largest group of people by origin and the Dutch, British, Irish, and Italian identities integrating themselves all in the cultural stew of "American white owning class".

[Pepperm1nts]

Jersey Shore is a stereotypical take on the Italian identity in Jersey, but yeah, I would say Italians and Hispanics have at this point probably had the most impact on the culture. The rest is just an "American white" mix, as you said. I lived there for a little while when I was a kid.

[DELETED32084]

.

[Chairman Stein]

<Snipped quote by Chairman Stein>

Eh, not really. Like all places in the Mid-Atlantic region original Dutch and Swedish colonization was historically disposed by later English ownership who really began to develop the colonies. The original colonies having already been small trading posts basically. Their chapter was brief and short before Anglo ownership, followed by American. Later stronger influence would come in with the Irish or the Italians, especially the Italians; think Jersey Shore. But in terms of spoken languages, Spanish is second because Latino groups today are the largest group of people by origin and the Dutch, British, Irish, and Italian identities integrating themselves all in the cultural stew of "American white owning class".

@Dinh AaronMk

That's all true, buuuuttttt the Empire State having a bunch of Amerodeutsch HRE cosplayers in the post-apocalypse sounds more amusing than the realistic melting pot cultures that actually would likely exist.

[Dinh AaronMk]

@The Wyrm

My two-bits:
I wasn't intending the bio-weapon to be a one-and-done thing strictly speaking and I expect there would have been occasional flare ups now and then when it just sort of wakes up in a weaker form. Like a occasional spot of endemic influenza.

[DELETED32084]

@Dinh AaronMkDuly noted. I have modified to include such things.

[Dinh AaronMk]

<Snipped quote by Dinh AaronMk>

That's all true, buuuuttttt the Empire State having a bunch of Amerodeutsch HRE cosplayers in the post-apocalypse sounds more amusing than the realistic melting pot cultures that actually would likely exist.

@Chairman Stein

True, but my two bits on it is less as HRE cosplay and more materially directed politics to explain it. Elective monarchies aren't restricted simply to the Holy Roman Empire and have manifested themselves time and time again in history. As far back as the ancient Kingdom of Rome monarchs were elected by the assemblies. Macedonia too elected kings by way of its army. By technicality the Republic of Venice was an elective monarchy; the difference was where and how the political power derived itself from. And even outside of Europe the position of Great Khan was elective through a warrior assembly, and the caliphs of the Rashidun period were appointed by consensus let alone being elected.

What makes this possible is less that anyone really bothered to read about the HRE and decided that'd be the thing they would do, but it doesn't mean there's too many toes to step on in trying to build an institution to concentrate political power by involving significant or powerful people in that process. The monarchical bit deriving itself from military ruler-ship that became land owning and rent seeking; the remnants of the old army, the police, or private security taking control and using their power to make anything they can get as their property, relegating most to surfs. I used West Point - The Point Castle - as a symbol of that, since West Point is the Army's officer training academy and happens to be just up river from New York City.

[Dinh AaronMk]

Anyways, I figure I'll do the thing and we can begin moving towards an IC thread.

Name:

The Family of Albanie, Sheriffs of Albany, Counts of Greene, Saratoga, the Princes of Long Island. The Elector in the Empire State Building

Location:

History:

The house of Albanie was born out of the campaigns of Adam Covanney when he pacified and occupied Albany town and Albany county. Though at this time the family held no particular history, and they have expunged their old name from most of the records. But in the early years the founder of the house, Ross took umbrage with the governor that the house of Covanney had put in control of the area and in a fit of hot blooded anger challenged the governor to a fight. The governor accepted, and the two fought with knives at the grounds of the old State House where he was killed by Ross.

When Adam Covanney heard of the duel he personally left to inquire into what had gone wrong. Arriving in Albany he was greeted by the people of Albany town, who directed him to Ross; fearing he might kill them all in anger. Interrogating Ross as to why he killed the governor, Ross explained the man he had left behind was “a thief and a fucking bastard”, adding that since he took office he was failing to perform any sort of duty and had personally slighted him when he and his men stole much of his property one night, including his dogs. When asked if he would do it again Ross answered honestly: that he would without second thought.

In a display of mercy Adam let Ross live, but he would have to join his host in its military endeavors across southern New York. This was a task that he performed with esteem and notability and was eventually granted title to Albany as its count and sheriff, putting down the roots of a growing force in the region.

At the first Covanney's death, Ross, now styling himself as “Ross from Albany” took advantage of the lack of oversight and took the neighboring counties as his own inadvertently positioning himself as a significant player in the crisis of succession with Adam's sons. Though when the dust settled over New York Ross never remained a power player, he died secure in the knowledge that as things passed to his children that his legacy was secure as he was written down as “Ross of Albany” and his sons likewise. Overtime this would change to either “Of Albanie” or simply “Albanie”.

Imperial election occurred during the life of then fifty year old Micheal Albanie who rose as the favorite after the death of Duncan Bloom. The election was immediately contested by the Zeglar family which had assumed control over much of Long Island and their fated revolt was small and isolated. As punishment, Micheal had much of the family executed and the rest put into exile as he took Long Island for himself. However, this would be the only significant event in Micheal's reign as he would die after ten years of rule and his son Charles would inherit leadership of the clan and by political machinations succeed Micheal as the Elector in the Empire State Building; emperor.

Through his reign he would trade his family's electoral holdings in the New York metropolitan area – Jersey City, Newark, and various stakes to assume control of Queens and with the exception of Kennedy have total control over Long Island. Is internal politics within New York would also be strengthened as he repaid his supporters in war, distributing the spoils of smaller less significant territories to his electoral friends and allies. The distribution of spoils was also accompanied by a network of relationships which promised to elect his heir of choice as replacement. But it would take years of effort for that to start. With thirteen different women he tried to produce a son but was rocked mostly with miscarriages, daughters, or deaths shortly after birth. It wasn't until his early fifties he was finally able to sire a son, but after thirty years of rule he was able to father a son who lived passed the age of five. However after the child turned seven he died, and the machinations established earlier into life clicked into action and defaulted to electing the young boy, the shy Hopkins.

With an emperor too young to be considered a man, and not even fully literate the empire went into a state of internal crisis as a regency council was assembled. Initially by Charles friends, though they'd see themselves removed or removing themselves as intrigue characterized the new court far more so than prior with an emperor too powerless or too unwise to notice.

[Chairman Stein]

College is kind of gonna be an ass this week since I have 2 essays due but I'll get my app up hopefully in the next like, 24 hours or so.

The Atlantic Commodores Guild (WIP)

The Atlantic Commodores Guild

Flag

Location

History

Since time immemorable the city of Atlantica, or AC as it was known before the fall, has been run by men of enterprise. Records show that in ancient times Atlantica was ruled by a mighty man only known as "Commodore", who utilized suavey business sense and ruthless political tact to turn the small village into a mighty city-state in the old world. After his passing Atlantica fell into the hands of his heirs, and Atlantica prospered as a beacon of commerce and luxury. However, with the fall of the old guard the city would begin to decline, and fall into relative obscurity as the grand cities of New York, Chicago, Boston, and the fabled western "City of Angels" became dominant centers of trade and industry. However, with the great sickness and the fall came opportunity.

In the aftermath of the great collapse, local city constables moved to establish order regionally around Atlantica, utilizing support from what modern scholars can only assume was once a grand "air port" to centralize their regional control. However, no amount of military organization or martial law could prepare the new military government for what would come after the collapse. The Sickness as it is now known spread like wildfire among the poor of Atlantica, and soon not even the richest of merchants or highest ranking constable was safe from the dreaded death. However time heals all wounds, and within the decade the population of sick began to die, and with their bodies burned Atlantica would fall into a silent mourning for the world now lost.

In the region's darkest moment came the Commodores Guild. The few surviving 'old guard' of Atlantica's past came forward to the ailing populace with a plan. The solution to the presents problem was a return to the old, and with their help the grandeur of the past could be gained once more, with only a small fee of course. With little hope remaining, those left from the decades of chaos and sickness put their last prayers in the Guild, and the newly 'elected' Martin van Alden established himself as Atlantica's first 'Grand Commodore'.

A modern interpretation of Grand Commodore van Alden 'The Builder'

Commodore van Alden envisioned an Atlantica restored to the greatness of the old world. A city of lights that shone like a grand lighthouse, a city for all sailors to come to port. Under the Guild's, and thus van Alden's, guidance the city's famous boardwalk was converted into a grand harbor, and small coastal vessels constructed from wooden rubble began short voyages up and down the Jersey coast looking for survivors beyond Atlantica. Over time the small city began to repair itself and, as more surviving communities were found south on the Delmarva peninsula, Atlantica became a peninsular trade hub where necessities could be traded between communities as needed. With no standardized currency like in the old world, Atlantica became home to a new form of barter economy with merchants taking sometimes vessels as small as rowboats to port in order to barter with local producers.

As the years past, and the Grand Commodore was succeeded by a series of less notable merchant lords and upstart diplomats, Atlantica plateaued as a middling merchant town with a larger than average port. However, this all changed with the rise of the Empire State.

[ONL]

@Dinh AaronMk Okay new claims. If accepted, then I'll get going on writing my application.

ONL's new claims

[Dinh AaronMk]

noice x2

[Dinh AaronMk]

>When I applied to a job in the New York area, and now I'm just waiting for the all-clear that I got it
>It'll be two months in a spot in my land claim

heh, I'm gonna have personal experience soon(tm)