Roleplay / This Sceptred Isle

"This royal throne of kings, this sceptered isle, this blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England"

This Sceptred Isle is an Alternate History succession game run by user Major Crimson on AlternateHistory.com.

It is the year of our lord, 1066, and the Kingdom of England is torn. A succession crisis is at hand, as William of Normandy fights to claim the English throne. In our world, William was successful, winning out against his rivals and declaring himself the King of Angleterre, forever enshrining his name into the history books.

But what if that wasn't the case? What if instead, it went to another contender, known to history as Harald Hadrada, King of Norway. What if instead of being under the rule of a French duke for hundreds of years, England was under the Northman's yoke?

This Sceptred Isle explores just that. It is set in a world where Harald Hadrada triumphs over the other contenders for England's throne and in the end emerged as the sole victor. It imagines a world where the Norse still retain their hold over the British Isles, and details the lives, triumphs, and failures of the Hard-Ruler's successors.

Within the game, each player “claims'' a ruler by posting their intent to play on the thread. When their turn arrives, the player acts as the monarch who rules after the previous “claimant” and so on. The world of This Sceptred Isle also includes input from the player base to create a more fleshed-out world.

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This Sceptred Isle contains examples of:

• Absence Makes the Heart Go Yonder: Queen Margaret of France ends up sleeping with King Edmund III while her husband's away at war, despite being eighteen years his junior.
• Adipose Rex: Magnus III at the tail end of his reign has become increasingly fat and overweight. Sebastian I, possible father of capitalism, is noted to have been a rather rotund and heavy man.
• A Child Shall Lead Them: Magnus I ascended to the throne of Aenglund when he was still a child upon his father’s death. Other examples include Einar I, who got deposed before he could rule; Sigismund II, son of Cnut IV and deposed by Magnus II.
• Action Girl: Multiple rulers in the game qualified, though special mention goes to:
  • Ethelreda - Daughter of the deposed King Einar. Since young Ethelreda had strived to reclaim her father's Kingdom for her own, and had done everything in her power to ensure she could. She succeeded.
  • Caitlin I - Who launched a 'crusade' whilst pregnant, during the Black Death. Without the support of the Huscarls, the backbone of the Kingdom's army. And won.
  • Aureliana - Bought the Basileia ton Rhomaion back from the brink and retook some of their core territories in Anatolia. Also kickstarted a golden age of culture and innovation. Oversaw the step-by-step dismantling of her Empire's rivals, and personally ensured they would never again have the chance to strike at the Basileia Rhomaion. They still could.
  • Hedwig - No one stands in the way of Poland-Bohemia and the Sea. And all who does shall perish.
  • Tyffa II - Empress of the Northron Empire and all around badass. Took a decaying realm and managed to rejuvenate it back to health. Also a skilled fighter and a master spear(wo)man.
• Against the Grain: Magnus III, son of the reformist and constitutional Magnus II, decides to dip his hand in partial absolutism. Believing that power must be consecrated at the hands of the monarch but rarely used, Magnus III endeavored to centralize the governance of Bryten as much as he could. Starting with his promoting and encouraging of the Episcopalians and support for a centralized, hierarchical church.
  • Ethelreda to Edmund III - Whilst Edmund III tolerated and even empowered the Witan, Ethelreda worked to actively relegate them into irrelevance by attempting to remove their right of choice of the next monarch. Predictably, this caused some discontent and even prompted some of their ranks to rebel. Ethelreda's brutal repression of the dissenters, however, was what truly drove the rest of their ranks into open rebellion. Supporting Alfred "II"'s claim to the throne as one of the last scions of house Wessex.
  • Caitlin to Sigurd - The latter is an isolationist, academic if boring King who severed much of Aenglund's ties with the rest of Europe to prioritize internal rebuilding and rejuvenation. Soft spoken, kind, and more of an intellectual than a King. Compare that to his daughter, and successor, Queen Caitlin. Tomboyish, rebellious, and martially adept. She not only broke with her father's policy of relative isolation, she also did so for the sole purpose of invading Ireland (or a 'crusade', as she would like to put it). Rash, hot-headed, yet fearless and loved by her men. The contrast between father and daughter couldn't be more noticeable.
  • Sebastian to both his parents, specifically his mother, Queen Astrid - Sebastian, father of capitalism and smasher of Guilds, who bankrupted the nation, twice, because he wanted to build a new expensive palace just some miles outside of Yorvik. He was also an absolutist autocrat who singlehandedly brought the Guilds down by calling the Huscarls to get rid of them, which accidentally empowered them. Compare that to his father, Magnus IV, also known as the "People's Caesar", who established government institutions which increased the literacy rate of the nation and was generally a popular King. Or to Queen Astrid, the Matriarch of Bryten, who aligned herself with the Liberal Lilids and was a staunch supporter of constitutional rule.
  • Osbald III to Magnus V Pompey - The latter fought tooth and tail against the seemingly inevitable rise of the Huscarl's stratocracy, and though his efforts ended in failure. He is still remembered in history as one of the Northron monarch's who could've prevented the autocratic rule of the Huscarls had he been successful. Osbald III, on the other hand, pretty much gave up in his attempts to oppose the Heahcarl. Going so far as to leave Bryten for the continent under the guise of "diplomatic missions" just to escape the omnipresent grip of the Huscarl caste.
  • Edmund V to his father Osbald III - In short, Edmund is more like his grandfather in that he fought tooth and nail against the caste and won. Openly challenging them whenever he can and generally standing up to their tyrannical rule, even if it came to the detriment of his own life. Unlike his father, who as written above pretty much abandoned Bryten to the caste to lord over and fled to the relative safety of the continent.
• The Alliance: The Grand Concorde, established by Tyffa I, was a way for the North Sea Empire to avoid being isolated. It failed
  • The League of Flensburg - The HRE led coalition against the NSE and France.
• Altar Diplomacy: Prominent examples (so far) include:
  • Edmund IV and Briggete - One is the scion of house Rauther, the other the sole legitimate claimant to the Hwitr's claim for the throne. Ethelreda's ploy to marry her son to Hwitr claimant was what ended the Wyrmcrieg.
  • Pádraigín and Finghin - Their marriage united the usually belligerent houses of mac Cormac and their rivals in the house of Ua Murchada.
  • Cnut III and Iseult of Ireland - Desiring to secure his flank and to foster better relations with the Irish High Kingdom, Cnut III married Iseult, daughter of Queen Pádraigín of Ireland, thus starting an era of defrosting tensions and growing cooperation between the two Kingdoms.
  • Tyffa I and Prince Philippe of France - Well, Tyffa was quite adamant in securing an alliance with the resurgent French Kingdom. And what better way to foster goodwill and trust by offering the highest authority in the NSE to wed the crown prince of France?
  • Magnus IV and Astrid - The former heir to the usurper house Tostig-Annesley whilst the latter is the sole daughter of the legitimate house of Bourbon. Their marriage ended the Northron Civil War, sparing Bryten from its devastation though souring the Empire's reputation abroad. Turns out pulling most of Europe's powers into a conflict they wanted no part in and suddenly ducking out whilst they continue to bleed is not a good way to earn international goodwill.
• Alternate History Wank: The Suri Dynasty, which lasted a grand total of sixteen years in our history and is largely a footnote in the history of the rise of the Mughal Empire, ends up being the rulers of one of the largest and most powerful empires in this timeline. Also counts for Aenglund, later the NSE, seeing as it's the player nation.
  • Notable mention goes to the Eastern Roman Empire who, through the effort of one zealous Byzzieboo (a person wholly obsessed with the Byzantine Empire), managed to magic its way out of multiple nation-ending events. To the annoyance and complaints of the other players. That patronage won't save them forever, however.
• Alternate Timeline: Duh
• Arranged Marriage: Well, seeing as the game started in the middle ages and is still in the late 17th century, that's kinda a given.
• Artifact Title: The North Sea Empire retains its name after the loss of Norway and being confined to Bryten and its surrounding islands. Later subverted when Bryten finally dropped the title under the governance of Executor Graer, changing it to the 'Brytisk Empire' instead.
• Awesome, but Impractical: The Caesarcannon, a gigantic cannon made specifically for Cnut IV. It killed him on its unveiling.
• Awesome Moment of Crowning: Harald Hadradas' conquest of Aenglund.
• Back from the Brink: Hungary. Hungary went from one of Europe's punching bags and being dismembered for choosing the wrong side during the Atlantic War of Succession to being a new rising power, defeating Poland-Bohemia and reconquering some of their lands lost and allying with the Germans in hopes to reclaim the rest.
  • Played with by France. In multiple instances, France could've come back from the brink, but every time something stops them from completely recovering.
    • The Bourbons, after ascending to the throne, reclaimed some of France's de-jure lands who were being led by German dukes, almost extinguished the Cathars in the south, and for some time it looked like they were on the verge of turning the French Kingdom into a great power once more. Then Tyffa I of the NSE wooed Prince Philippe of France, uniting the two realms after their deaths and the ascension of Osbald II, who was subsequently forced out of the Kingdom by a coalition of Europe's top powers whose invasion of France decimated a good portion of its population. With the victorious powers later imposing an overzealous catholic pretender to the throne, who subsequently amped up the oppression of the various religious minorities within the Kingdom.
    • Then when the descendants of Louis the Black were finally deposed and the nobles of France created a republic, renouncing war, and embracing culture, it looked like France was finally on track to a full recovery. Then the d'Arc Doyens dragged France into the Northern War of Succession and was invaded by the Germans in return. Causing untold devastation and economic turmoil.
  • The Almohads, Muslim rulers of North Africa and suzerain of the Andalusian emirs. They managed to reverse some of the Almoravid's defeats and reclaim a good portion of Iberia, defeating Castille-Leon and stunting what would be Portugal's growth.
  • Also the Eastern Roman Empire, or the Basileia ton Rhomaion. Time and time again, when all seems lost and the Empire might crumble, a ruler of great wisdom and cunning is able to bring the Empire back from the brink, harnessing whatever they could to reverse the Empire's decline and bouncing back into relevance.
  • Tyffa II inherited an empire that was on the verge of collapse from bankruptcy, religious tensions, and embroiled in a war with Sweden. By the time she had died, she had restored Bryten's peace and prosperity and brought back stability to her troubled realm.
• Badass Army: The Huscarls of Aenglund (later the NSE) and the unified army of the HRE (later HGE, or Holy German Empire). The Lithuanians also count, being Europe's main exporter of mercenaries and all. Can be argued for the armies of the Crusader States, and later, the Suris.
  • The Knights of Norway - Going from a group of the heirs and scions of Norway's petty/low nobility to leading an armed insurrection against Swedish rule. They would later mastermind and lead the eventual revolution that would throw away the Swedish shackles that has been freed upon the Norwegian nation, freeing their homeland in the process and severely weakening the Swedes. Pretty much ending their time as a power of note.
• Back-to-Back Badass: Every King and Queen involved in the Wyrmcrieg, pretty much. Except for Einar.
• Badass Boast: "I glory in the name of Aenglund", by Magnus I, which became Aenglund's national motto.
  • Alfred II's speech pretty much:
    • “She is slain.” The King laments. “We are taken once more, like beasts by the cruelest herdsman. We unhappy breed of men, we unlucky few. I mourn, I mourn, I curse the god who took her. My earth of majesty, my seat of mars, my other eden, my demi-paradise. My sceptred isle.” Slowly, figures approach from all sides with spears, “My England.” Beams of light illuminate Alfred, six men impale the King with spears before a sudden cut to black.
• Badass Family: The Hadradas in general. What with leading the player nation and all.
  • Special mention goes to the Aldraic-Kane's, a branch of house Hadrada and the ones who officially rebuilt the North Sea Empire. Though they were later thrown off from the throne due to a lack of heirs, members of the house appear here-and-there in the Empire's history. With the most notable of their scions since their deposition being the first, and only, Marshal-Executor of the realm.
• Balkanize Me:
  • Austria, after losing the Holy Roman Civil War, was dismantled and divided as spoils of war by the victorious Bundists led by Saxony.
  • Hungary, after backing the wrong side during the Atlantic War of Succession, got dismembered by the victorious powers of the Polish-Bohemia and the HRE.
  • France, who lost southern France to a massive Cathar Rebellion which became the Kingdom of Occitania.
  • Cahokia in the aftermath of Edmund's conquest, ending their time as Avalon's most powerful Skraeling Empire.
  • Japan during the Sengoku Jedai. As a bonus they managed to pull Korea in with them as well.
• Big Damn Heroes: The Coalition army, consisting of the remnants of the Crusader States, the forces of the Eastern Roman Empire, the Ruthenians, and the Papal Armies meeting the Suris in the Great Battle of Constantinople, finally halting the Suri's nigh-unstoppable march west and saving the ERE from total collapse.
  • The Army of Northumbria, led by Weyland Cottar, coming to Lunden's aid against the terrorizing forces of Draco Campbell and his maurading Army.
• Body Guard Betrayal: Harald VI's officers, tired of his disastrous rule and wishing to end the conflict the King started in the vain, and misguided, hope to reconquer Norway subject Harald VI to this fate.
• The Butcher: Well, Osbald I. He got the epithet after he torched Tabor, and other Bohemian cities, after they refused his calls to surrender. Also applicable to Draco Cambell, the Earl of Argyll. Who launched a bloody insurrection on western Bryten against the forces of the Folkist revolutionaries, Radical Lilids, and the government. He would later go with his marauding army to Lunden in an attempt to topple the city's radical Commonwealthmen government. He failed.
• Cavalry Betrayal: The Earl of Sussex's, Alfred "II"'s father-in-law's, charge in the Battle of Bracknell. On the cusp of triumph and on the verge of victory, the Earl of Sussex ordered a charge towards Alfred "II"'s line, catching the Wessexians off guard and surrounding Alfred and his retinue of bodyguards, killing him.
• Civil War:
  • The Wyrmcrieg. Spanning from 1231 to 1319. Fought primarily between the forces of the Hwitr (represented by a White Dragon) against their contender to the throne, the Rauthers (represented by a Red Dragon).
  • Narrowly averted in the aftermath of Emperor Harald VI’s death despite ending in a Scottish Revolt and his assassination by a cabal of officers.
  • The Holy Roman civil war, between the Bundist faction loyal to the Emperor (who seeks to centralize the HRE and streamline its complicated bureaucracy) against the Independists led by the Dukes of Austria, Tyrol, and Carinthia (who opposes the Emperor's attempt at centralization). The Bundist triumphed in the end, with the Austrian duchies being dismembered for their treason against the Emperor and their allies purged from government.
  • The Atlantic War of Succession was, in part, a civil war between the forces of Prince Louis the Black (backed by the Pope, the Holy Roman Emperor, and Sweden) and Osbald II, Emperor of the North Sea and de jure crown prince of France, for the throne of the latter Kingdom after Tyffa I, mother of Osbald II and Queen-Empress of the NSE, married Philippe, crown prince of France and father of Osbald II. The pair would die in a tragic accident whilst Osbald II was still young, halting their plans to unite their respective realms and causing the powers of Europe to descend upon the North Sea Empire, who by now is in a personal union with the Kingdom of France, thus starting the Atlantic war of Succession.
  • The fall of the Zhou dynasty in China and the rise of the Xu.
  • The Sengoku Jedai in Japan.
  • The aftermath of the Japanese withdrawal in Korea.
  • The Northron War of Succession. Bonus points in that it also dragged most of Europe's great powers into the fighting.
• Cool Boat: King Arthur “II”’s pride and joy, the Prydwen. The treasure fleets of the Zhou also count.
• Cool Old Guy: Malcolm I ended up living to a whopping 100 years old. Also counts for Haakon Ironfist, uncle to Magnus I and brother of the deceased Cnut II, who instead of deposing his nephew and taking the throne for himself, served loyally and even helped suppress dissenting nobles.
• Courtly Love: Well, Edmund III's court can be described as this. As the hedonistic and romantic ruler pretty much ruled the Kingdom as much as a romantic poet as he did as King.
• The Coup:
  • Harald IV’s coup against his own nephew, the child King Edmund III. Deposing the young King and officially starting the Wyrmcrieg.
  • Harald VI’s on the receiving end of this after getting killed by his own guard for leading the realm to ruin.
  • How Magnus II takes the throne against a young Sigismund.
  • Attempted by the remaining Totalist Huscarls against the second Diarchy. Their coup against the Heahcarl succeeded; their attempts to depose the government, did not.
  • Done by the Radical Folkist revolutionaries against Executor Graer's government, who they decry as not being radical enough for their liking. Ironically it was this coup that, like the Totalist, doomed their cause, though it is not as damaging as the Totalist one.
• The Creon:
  • Harald Rhys Haakondsson to Magnus II.
  • Emil Karlsson to Emperor Sebastian.
  • Lord Graerborg to Marshal-Executor Aldraic-Kane. Lord Graerborg is so loyal in fact that even after the Marhal-Executor's death he still endeavoured to ensure his legacy is secure and his family is safe. He even orchestrated the coup that would later kill Heahcarl Cromwell, though their planned toppling of the royal family did not succeed.
• Culture Chop Suey: Aenglund, at least the South, counts. With peoples from different cultures all intermingling in the Channel ports of the Kingdom, with Spanish (from their adventures during the Reconquista and connections to the Iberian Kingdoms), Jews (Aenglisk Kings and Queens, later Emperors, often tolerated their presence. In the case of Erik I, he even encouraged their community's growth, though more for the wealth they often brought with them than any sort of Humanitarian effort), French (Most commonly Legitimist who believes the Northron Bourbons, descending from Osbald I, are the rightful Kings of France. A good portion of them are protestant fleeing persecution from home and seeking a new life in Bryten), and a plethora of others all coexisting in Aenglund's shores, though not necessarily peacefully or without trouble.
• Crowd Pleaser: Edmund III, 'the Red Dragon'. Though not as much as this trope may imply.
• Curb-Stomp Battle: Notable examples of this include the defeat of Hungary in the Atlantic War of Succession and the fate of the Crusader States when the Suris marched West
  • The naval theatre of the Atlantic war of Succession. With the North Sea's fleet old and aging and the Holy Roman navy experiencing a rapid modernization under the Emperor, the North Sea experienced numerous defeats in the war, getting thrashed in many battles and only able to win pyrrhic victories.
  • Magnus I's sponsored campaign in Egypt. Prince Edward, later Idward I of Egypt, won so hard in fact that he was gifted the honor of ruling the newly conquered Kingdom.
• Cutting the Knot: Magnus II and his isolation towards any and all European affairs, viewing it as only bringing disastrous calamities to Aenglund at the behest of uncaring and foreign Kings.
  • Tyffa II's abandonment of Norway, viewing the Kingdom as a lost cause and cutting its ties to the NSE, giving it to the Swedes in exchange for peace and Kuba.
  • What the Groenreeves, a sub-faction within the revolutionary Folkscommittee, thought the government should do, and advocated for.
• Cult Colony: The Enochites escaped total decimation in Bryten by fleeing to Avalon. They later pretty much control the government of Onteryo.
  • The Dominionist in what IRL would be New Zealand.
• Dragon Ascendant: Harald VI is a devout catholic who wishes to bring Bryten back to the "loving" arms of Rome, as well as reclaim his rightful birthright of Norway (nominally still under the Brytisk crown, just with another dynasty). When he launched his campaign to reclaim the Norwegian Kingdom, the effective day-to-day governing of the Kingdom fell to the hands of his second-in-command, Osbald Morgernsteirne. Who happens to be the most zealous catholic within Bryten, as well as Inquisitor for the Catholic Church. Bryten, at this point in time, was firmly on the protestant (called Schismatic here) camp, and Morgersteirne has made it his life mission to return Bryten back to Rome's fold. I suppose I don't need to go further to explain what he planned on doing next.
  • Johaness Magnusson was the former Heahcarl of the Northron Empire. A highly disciplined, organized man, he has had many successes in his tenure as Heahcarl of the Empire. Most notable among them was his success in severing Norway from the Swedish Empire. However, with his failure to sufficiently deal with the ongoing problem regarding Northron Avalon, and his gross mishandling of the issue. He was ousted, with the permission of the King, by a cabal of plotters and forced to step down from his post. All of this lead to the rise of Haakon Aldraic-Kane to the position of Heahcarl of the Northron Empire, and the Empire was never the same since.
• Didn't See That Coming: Sigismund II dies before the Northron war of Succession concludes, pretty much giving his rival, Magnus III, a free hand to overrun his forces and finish the Bourbons. Then he dies of pneumonia 2 years later, leaving his son as the current head of the Tostig-Anneseley Emperors of the NSE, facing against the sole daughter of Sigismund II.
  • Who the victor of the Brytisk revolution is. Spoiler It's the King and, to some extent, Lind.
• Divine Right of Kings: Well, it's the middle ages. What do you expect? Magnus III in particular pretty much took the phrase and ran with it.
  • Averted in Lithuania and France. The former having transformed itself into a republic (who also happens to be Europe's top exporter of mercenaries), and the latter overthrowing the descendants of Louis XIII after decades of misrule and unabashed tyranny against everyone not a catholic. To the point that the nobles got sick of them and decided ruling in the King's place would be a far better alternative than staying under the descendants of Louis the Black's shadow for who knows how long.
  • Played extremely straight by the Dominionist, a radical group of nobles who quite literally worships the royal family and based most of their core tenets on worshiping, glorifying, and treating them as if they were some sort of demi-God. It's also very likely that they'll be thrown into prominence soon, with their current leader as of 1730 being one of King-Emperor Sebastian's most loyal stooge.
  • Played extremely straight, again, with the Papal States. Which encompasses the entirety of middle and southern Italy. With the Pope in Rome pretty much declaring himself to be God's representative on Earth and ruling the lands of the Papacy as his own personal domain.
• The Emperor: After the Second Northern War, Cnut III crowns himself head of the North Sea Empire, alongside his established position as King of Aenglund.
  • Also played straight by the Swedes, the Germans, the Byzantines, and even the Pope.
  • Averted by the Suris, who eschew “Nazarene” titles and instead style their ruler the Caliph and the Padishah.
  • Later adapted by the Mexicans.
• Elective Monarchy: The Holy Roman Empire (Holy German Empire, currently) de-jure. But de-facto they're pretty much a hereditary monarchy.
• Elites Are More Glamorous: France, the 'Lily Nation', is known for its high fashion and structural unique ziggurats. It's also a signorie, or a noble-led-and-ruled republic.
• Elite Army: The NSE's Huscarls. Which functions more like a warrior-officer class, though in the past they were widely feared for their brutality and the eerie iron mask they wore.
  • The Norwegian Knights of Norway who although from the surface looks as though as if it was a carbon copy of the Huscarls is in fact quite different. Mainly, whilst the Huscarls are a class, the Knights are an organization. With most of their ranks stemming from the middle-to-lower class.
• Et Tu, Brute?: The Earl of Sussex's betrayal of Alfred "II", forever dooming the Witan's cause and tarnishing its name for generations to follow. It's sadder when you consider that Alfred "II" was truly on the cusp of victory when the Earl of Sussex betrayed him, thus ending the sole chance the Witan had in restoring true Aenglic rule in Anglaland.
  • The Totalist Clique's betrayal against Heahcarl Cromwell, which doomed the last Huscarls and extinguished their final chance at survival.
• Evil Colonialist: Well, we're currently in the age of exploration, so that's kinda a given.
  • Though Edmund Haakon Haakonson Waerenskiold deserves a special mention for toppling the Cahokian Empire and plunging the Mizibi Kingdoms into chaos all in order to get himself a crown. He failed, but his legacy lives on.
  • Karl Johan, called the 'Iron Duke', also counts as this as it was mainly his actions which led to the downfall of the Aztec Empire.
  • Rene Cazalet de Brienne, the fanatic slave-owning founder of Saint-Louis who conquers Tupi tribes in a mad quest to find King Solomon's Gold.
• Evil Reactionary: Morgernsteirne, Harald VI's Catholic inquisitor. While a fanatical Catholic hell-bent on bringing back the NSE to the Pope's side, he was skilled enough to be able to stave off multiple bankruptcies, holding the realm together whilst it suffers religious and economic anarchy.
  • The Totalist Clique in general. Filled with caste elitist, oligarchic autocrats, and tyrannical Huscarls. It is perhaps no wonder the people eventually grew tired of their excesses enough to launch a full blown revolution.
  • The Papal States as a whole. Though there are reformers within their ranks, the fact of the matter is that the Papal States as it is is a reactionary theocracy hellbent on squashing any signs of dissent within their borders. Which later worked against their favor, as it turns out all the people needed to revolt was a spark. And the sudden return of an exiled Duke is the just that.
• Experienced Protagonist: Well, since most of the Player characters start as either Adults or Old men, this trope applies. Some Player characters also have descriptions in their Background section regarding the character's expertise and previous occupations.
• Eye Patch Of Power: Sigismund II the Old Pretender, blinded when young by an assassin sent by Magnus II, leads an invasion of Bryten to depose Magnus III. Winning many battles along the way and almost singlehandedly ending the rule of House Tostig-Annesley over Bryten. A badass general with a badass eyepatch to match.
• A Father to His Men: Plenty of Nothron Emperor and Aenglisk Kings/Queens count as this. Though those of particular note are:
  • Harald IV, who is more of a soldier than a King.
  • Alfred 'II', who led his ragtag band of peasants and smallholders into numerous victories through nothing but his cunning and tactical prowess.
  • Osbald II, who valiantly fought with the Northron army in Europe, fending off the combined might of a continent. He later also talked down a near-disastrous revolt of starving peasants.
  • Caitlin I, who, despite being refused by the Huscarls, still managed to launch a successful war in Ireland. Subjugating a good portion of the island through nothing but mercenaries and peasants.
  • Any King during the Wyrmcrieg era, really. Barring Einar, who was a failure.
• Feminine Mother, Tomboyish Daughter: Caitlyn's relationship with her mother, Princess Caitlin of Skotland.
• Fictional Political Party:
  • Formerly in the Northron Parliament is split between the Haergruppe (military-aligned members), the Gildegruppe (members aligned the guilds), and a bunch of independents. They later evolve into the King’s Party and the Guelphs. It later evolved into the King's Men against the Queen's Men. Which became the Teagues and the Lilids. Then, with the rise of the Stratocracy and the ascendant of the Huscarls, the Fylkirids got added into the mix. After the fall of the Huscarls and the re-establishment of the supremacy of the Caesarthing, it looks like we'll be getting new parties down the line. Special mention goes to 'Friends of Mr. Lind', which whilst not a political party on the traditional sense of the word pretty much functions as one.
    • They later morphed into the National Party, composed of the people who are either aligned to Executor Lind's idea or on the centre of the ideology scale; Reform Party, which absorbed most of the radical Lilids and Folkist revolutionaries; and finally the Order Party, made up of the most reactionary Teagues and Lilids who did not align with the Huscarls yet also oppose the new order. They're rather fringe though.
  • In Frisia, it's the Skieringers (Speakers) who want to limit the powers of their rulers and Fetkopers (Fat-Buyers) who more are in favor of centralization and expansion.
  • The Bundists and Independist in the HRE also count, temporarily at least. For a while those two were mainly opposing cliques, each with their own vision on the future of the HRE. The Bundists, under the leadership of the Wettin Emperors, seek to create a centralized realm and unified army. The Independist, led by the Austrian Dukes of Habsburgs, want the opposite. Their constant bickering eventually led to a civil war, which the Independist lost.
    • The White and Gold factions with the Holy German Empire. The former prioritizes external conquest, nationalism, and the Empire's role as hegemon of Europe. The latter mainly concerns itself with internal trade, stability, and international peace.
• Foreign Ruling Class: Rhomania ends up under Bulgarian rule after the Crisis of the Thirteenth Century with the House of Asen ending up as Roman Emperors. Even after the fall of the Asens, a sizable portion of the aristocracy are Bulgarians.
  • Northern India and Persia are ruled by a largely Afghan upper class after the Suri took over.
  • Ireland, for a while, was under Aenglisk rule.
  • Denmark is pretty much ruled by Swedes by this point. Same goes for Finland and much of the Baltic Coast.
  • The Norse in early Aenglund counts, too.
  • The opposite is also true for Norway after Harald IV's conquest.
  • The Levant and Egypt, ruled by the descendants of the Crusaders who invaded them.
  • Korea for a while was ruled by the Japanese.
  • The Ridavan Sultanate in southern Italy also counts.
  • As of 1678, the Han Chineses are currently being ruled by the Tibetan Xu dynasty.
• Founder of the Kingdom: Idward I, 2nd son of Magnus I of Aenglund, is this to Egypt. Also counts for Haakon 'Ironfist', the first Prince of Pomerania after it was conquered from the Wends and their previous rulers beheaded for being heretics to the faith.
• From Bad to Worse: The North Sea Empire, fresh from defeat in the War of Succession, first suffered a famine that caused a devastating revolt, then had to somehow find a way to fix the ever-dwindling state of the treasury, and when it seemed that the Empire finally had time to recover, Harald VI ascended to the throne.
  • France. Oh, poor France. First suffering the Black Death which wiped out a significant portion of its population, then got de-facto dismembered by the Holy Roman Empire when their German dukes started to rule French duchies. Then, when it seemed as if they were on the verge of recovery, they got entangled into a continent-wide succession war, ending in their defeat and Louis the Black ascending to the throne. Who subsequently proceeded to backtrack any and all tolerant laws issued by the Northron Bourbons and is adamantly trying to tie back France to the Church in Rome. Then, finally, as they reached the breaking point and were about to explode into revolution, the Occitans and Cathars made the first move and revolted, dismembering the French Kingdom in half and causing the eventual downfall of the monarchy. At least with the ascension of Signorie, France bounced back a bit into relevance, being known as the 'Lily Nation' for the beauty of their dresses and richness in culture. And then the d'Arc Doyens of France dragged the nation back into war by involving themselves in the Northron war of Succession, with France currently being invaded by the Germans. Further devastating its people and hampering its chances at full recovery for decades to come.
  • The Crusader States prior to their fall. Due to the actions of one particularly greedy and glory-hungry King, they attempted to invade Egypt, failed, were forced to retreat back to the Levant, were defeated in battle, and had to pay reparations. Then the Suri's came and knocked.
• The Fundamentalist: Morgernsteirne, the Catholic inquisitor of Harald VI, who seeks to tie back the NSE to the Pope in Rome after their break with the creation of the Atlanticist Church. Also counts for Harald VI himself who, despite being the son of the man who severed the NSE's ties to Rome, seeks to mend the 'temporary schism', in his mind, and return the NSE back to the 'loving' arms of Rome and take up once more its former mantle as the Sword Arm of the Church.
  • Guillame Hallez, later Pope Innocent IX. His selection in the Papal Conclave caused the schismatic Schism.
  • Rene Cazalet, the aforementioned founder of the French Brazilian colony of Saint-Louis.
  • Louis the Black, later Louis XIII. His rule was so bad in fact that it eventually led to the downfall of the monarchy altogether. Which may have been best for France.
• Gambit Pileup: The North Sea Empire, after the death of Tyffa I and Phillippe of France, gets dragged into a continent-wide succession war involving nearly all of the great powers of Europe against them with their only ally being Hungary, who got dismembered.
  • Everybody despises the Totalist, even their supposed allies, the Originalist. So much so in fact that nobody really gave a damn when their ranks where being slaughtered in Bryten's streets.
  • The Huscarls, who through their numerous abuses and follies, managed to pretty much antagonize the entire Empire. Even the Heahcarl, their supposed leader, did nothing when they were getting slaughtered by their dozens. If anything Heahcarl Cromwell cheered on as the crowds slaughtered the very men he was supposed to rule.
• God Save Us from the Queen!: Caitlin, if you’re Irish. Ethelreda, if you're a dissenting noble. Hedwig, if you're a Swede attempting to stall Bohemia-Poland's march to the Sea. Aureliana, if you're a Turk or Persian trying to stop her from reclaiming Anatolia.
• Going Native: The Aenglund Hadrada's general policy after their conquest of Anglaland (England). Though Harald II Hadrada himself is the sole exception, ruling with a light hand but generally considering himself a Norge first before Aenglisk.
  • Funnily enough, the Enochites, a rabid nihilistic apocalypse cult that tried to incite a revolution in Bryten, assimilated quite well with the Skraelings after they were exiled to Avalon.
• Hegemonic Empire: The HRE (Now the Holy German Empire after the Pope revoked their blessing) in Europe, the Suri's in the near-east and India, and the Zhou (now Xu) in East Asia. The Mexican Empire in the New World after they got their independence.
• The High King: King Pádraig of Ireland. Also counts for plenty of Aenglund's monarchs as they held the title of 'High King of Ireland' for a long while.
• Historical Domain Character: Though most people who were born in our timeline simply aren't, a few historical figures pop up here and there.
• Heroic Sacrifice: Sverre I, also known as Sverre the Martyr and Sverre the Saviour of Iberia. The third Hadrada King of Aenglund, Sverre would lose his life in the Reconquista, leading the Aenglisk Army himself and fighting against the Muslim Almoravids. Dying as a consequence of him taking off his helm in the aftermath of a successful breach, Sverre would be shot by 3 arrows and fall to his death, before being trampled by his own men trying to breach the walls of the city. His death, as well as reports of his spirit guiding the Aenglisk charge in the Battle of Montoro, cemented his legend and earned him Sainthood.
• Hopeless War: The Atlantic War of Succession.
  • One one side, we have the Grand Concorde:
    • The North Sea Empire - One of Europe's great powers.
    • The Kingdom of France - A recovering great power.
    • The Kingdom of Hungary - A middling regional power.
  • On the other, we have the League of Flensburg:
    • The Holy Roman Empire - Europe's premier hegemon by a long shot.
    • The Papal States - One of Europe's regional powers, though possessing quite an influence towards a plethora of nations.
    • The Kingdom of Sweden-Denmark and Empire of the Baltic - The Northern Lion and primary rival of the NSE.
    • French Dissenters - led by none other than the Uber-Catholic Louis the Black.
    • The Kingdom of Poland-Bohemia - One of Europe's great powers, and just here to gobble up Hungary.
  • Another example of this is the Suri invasion of the Crusader States from the latter perspective, considering the Suris were the largest empire in the known world with a powerful and efficient military machine while the Crusaders had just been defeated by Egypt and had a woefully obsolete military.
• Hot-Blooded: Plenty of Kings (and Queens) of Aenglund, later the NSE, could be described as this. Though special mention goes to:
  • Cnut II
  • Harald IV
  • Haakon I
  • Ethelreda I
• Hot Consort: How Iseult, wife of Cnut III, is described. Also applicable for the other consorts of past monarchs.
• In-Series Nickname: Plenty, though special mention goes to Caitlyn I 'the Banshee'; Osbald I 'the Butcher' as well as the 'Magister Militum' and 'First Commander of the Army of God; there's also Cnut/Canute III, nicknamed 'the Drake', both for his family's heraldry (the Aldraic-Kane uses White and Red Dragons) and for his proliferation of gunpowder weapons and popularizing their use among the Huscarls. There's also Magnus I, known either as 'the Ancient', for his long life, or 'Father of the Isles' for his near-total control of Bryten through his clever use of diplomacy and cunning. Special mention goes to Karl Johan, 'the Iron Duke', and Louis XIII, also known as Louis the Black.
• In Spite of a Nail:
  • The Bourbons still end up ruling France and the Hapsburgs rule over Austria
  • Martin Luther releases his 95 Theses, leading to the Protestant Reformation (though John Calvin is nowhere to be found).
  • The Mongol Empire and its breakup happen just as in our world.
  • Tamerlane founds the Timurid Empire, through his conquests are much more aggressive than in our timeline.
  • Japan still falls into Sengoku Jedai.
• Istanbul (Not Constantinople): Due to Scandanavian influence, plenty of city names from our timeline end up getting their names mangled, with York becoming Yorvik and Bristol becoming Brygestowe.
  • And of course, England is called Aenglund
  • Inverted by the titular city after which the trope is named after, which remains to be named Constantinople. Later subverted when the Hellenic revolutionary won and subsequently went on an anti-roman period where every city and settlement were renamed, with Constantinople becoming known as Lyrgos.
  • North America is Avalon and South America is Brasil.
  • Scotland is spelled with a 'K'.
  • Some Norwegian cities end up with vastly different names, mostly due to the Danes never ruling the Kingdom and building new settlements. For example, Kristiansand is Canutestad.
  • That's not even mentioning the plethora of cities in the new world.
• King Bob the Nth: Well, seeing as Aenglund's still a Kingdom, that's a given.
• Lady of War: Caitlyn I. Oh boy, where to start? First, she gained the epithet 'third son of Sigurd' for her more masculine taste and bearing. Then, when she came of age, persuaded her father to allow her to practice swordsmanship and horseback riding. Then when she finally ascended to the throne, she tried to bring back the Wiffmann's Feohtann (Tournaments for Women) and launched a crusade in Ireland, whilst pregnant. During the Black Plague. Without the support of the Huscarls, the backbone of the Aenglisk army, and accompanied mostly by a ragtag band of peasants and a plethora of mercenaries from the continent. Nonetheless, she managed to not only subjugate much of the island, but she also personally defeated them in battle herself, sometimes whilst pregnant and expecting a child.
• Large and in Charge: Cnut II, a giant of a man with a lovable personality and a kind demeanor. He's also a skilled general and a renowned crusader who defeated numerous Muslim armies in the Levant and only stopped in his attempt to conquer a beaten Egypt by the fact that his allies refuse to cooperate and prioritize their holdings in the Levant.
• Names to Run Away from Really Fast: The "Magister Militum", a.k.a King Osbald I, Butcher of Tabor, and Hammer of Hussites.
  • Draco Haraldsson Campbell, the Earl of Argyll. The man who singlehandedly started the Vestcrieg (Western War).
• Malevolent Masked Men: The Huscarls end up becoming this, wearing masked helmets into battle as a tradition.
  • The Enochites, a nihilistic apocalypse cult started by the mad prophet Enoch also counts as this.
• The Magnificent: Well, plenty. Examples include:
  • Sigismund I, called the 'Lawgiver'. The man who singlehandedly reformed Aenglund's laws and improved the bureaucracy of the nation to better handle matters of administration and legislation.
  • Cnut II, called the 'Bear'. Initially earned his epithet by being a big, friendly, and jolly man. Later proved his mettle by thrashing the Fatimids and the other Muslim states in the Levant during the 2nd crusade, almost taking Egypt were it not for his reluctant allies.
  • Osbald I, called either 'the Butcher' (mostly the Hussites and the Bohemians) or the 'Magister Militum' (everybody else). The King who, for a lack of a better term, launched a crusade all over the continent. Going to war in Occitania against the Cathars, in Bohemia against the Hussites, and any other place that harbors heretics.
  • Caitlyn, called 'the Banshee'. She launched a bloody 'crusade' in Ireland, multiple times, and without the support of much of Aenglund's military. She also managed to subjugate much of Ireland and, by the end of her reign, her name has become synonymous with fear and horror in the minds of the Irish.
• The Man Behind the Man: Morgernsteirne to Harald VI. Queen Sophia to Yacob II.
• Military Coup: Magnus II's deposition of Sigismund II counts as this owing to his control over the military, though it was more of usurpation than a straight military coup.
  • Attempted by the Totalist Clique It failed
• One-Steve Limit: Averted hard as most monarchs end up taking the name of a previous one, with the most common name being Harald.
• The Mole: The Earl of Sussex, colluding with Harald VI of Sweden-Denmark. His betrayal of Alfred "II" is what ultimately doomed the Witan's cause and subsequent prelude to their abolition.
• Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Harald VI, in his effort to reclaim the lost crown of Norway (the NSE still de-jure has suzerainty over the Kingdom, it just belongs to a different dynasty), invaded the Kingdom, with the Swedes aiding the Norwegians in their defense. Thus leading his successor, Tyffa II, to abandon the Kingdom, seeing it as a lost cause, thus severing Norway's ties to Bryten de-jure as well as de-facto.
  • Edmund Graer, Executor of the Brytisk Empire, just wanted to lighten up some restrictions to the press and media brought upon by the previous administration (ahem the Totalist ahem). How was he suppose to know that the people were going to make pornographic depictions of the Queen, who the King is deeply devoted to, "welcoming" ministers to her bedroom? Nevertheless, the move almost ended his career, and got him quite the verbal lashing from the King. The incident eroded much of his power and influence within the Thing, and almost led to his downfall.
  • Amadeo Visctoni's attempts to free Lombardia from the tyrannical clutches of the Pope only brought it under the "supervision" of the even more authoritarian and expansionist Holy German Empire. Thank God he was already dead before it happened, though.
• Nice Job Fixing It, Villain: Morgernsteirne's attempt to enforce Catholicism back into the NSE only soured its reputation even further, eventually leading to Catholics being barred from the throne entirely.
  • The Totalist Clique - composed of the currently exiled Lord Graerborg, der Svaertborg, and Draco Campbell - in their bid to retain their power launched a coup against Heahcarl Aston Cromwell, perhaps the only 'popular' Heahcarl in Northron history. In doing so, they doomed their last chances at political relevance, destroyed any possible credibility they had left, and caused their organization and its affiliates to be outlawed by the government. Pretty much ending the one sole chance they had at staying at the top.
  • The radical Folkist's attempt to impose republican and hellenic system over Bryten by couping Executor Graer ended in them merely being thrown out of power.
• Not Actually His Child: It is implied in the story that Louis X of France may not be Louis IX's true son, but of Edmund III of Aenglund due to his fling with Margaret of Provence, Queen of France and wife of Louis IX.
• The Patriarch: Magnus I, called the 'Patriarch of Isles', truly lives to the definition of the trope.
• Personal Horror: Harald VI is a devout follower and adherent of the Catholic church. He also happens to find attraction towards his fellow men, which the church doctrine prohibits. This issue, along with his generally loveless marriage with a Volgite princess, has left Harald VI miserable and in the horror of his own self.
• The Plague: The Black Death, which decimates a vast majority of Europe's population. France, in particular, was gutted. The ERE and the Swedish Kingdom however managed to avoid significant losses for inexplicable reasons.
  • The Red Fever, which devastated Europe on the dawn of the 19th century. Causing millions of death and bringing the fear of God back to the unknowing souls of the world.
• The Philosopher King: How Magnus III saw himself as.
• Properly Paranoid: Implied. Erik I is suspected to have been poisoned both by the attendees who witnessed his death and historians from the future. Though to be fair, his constant paranoia and iron grip over Aenglund might've contributed to that possible assassination.
• Protectorate: Technically what Iceland and Kalliit's status is de-jure. What the Totalist would've done if they had succeeded in their Carlsstric.
• Proud Warrior Race Guy: The Huscarls are renowned for their loyalty and fighting prowess, serving as the military nobility of the Northron Empire and compromising some 10% of the NSE's armed forces. Several Aenglisk Kings and Northron Emperors also count as this.
• The Purge: A plethora of examples are present, though of note Morgernsteirne's purge of non-Catholics and Tyffa II's counter purge of Catholics and Morgernsteirne's loyalist. Magnus II's purge of Cnut IV's supporters also counts as this.
  • The Great Purge - A national gutting of the Huscarls, who once composed 5% of Bryten's population (300,000). By the end of it, only 40,000 Huscarls remained. Most having either been killed, exiled, or abandoned their titles.
• Puppet King: Osbald III, pretty much.
• Red Baron: Plenty of characters bear titles, though special mention goes to:
  • Osbald I - 'the Butcher' to Hussites and Bohemians, 'the Magister Militum' and 'First Commander of the Army of God' to everybody else.
  • Caitlin I - known as 'the Banshee' for her mad 'crusade' in Ireland during the Black Plague, whilst pregnant. Also named "The Third Son of Sigurd" due to having more interest in "male" activities.
  • Magnus I - 'the Ancient'
  • Cnut II - 'the Bear'
  • Edmund III - 'the Red Dragon'
  • Harald V - 'the White Dragon'
  • Cnut III - 'the Drake'
  • and of course, Harald II 'Hadrada'.
• The Remnant: Cyprus is this to the fallen Crusader Kingdoms. Acting as the last bastion for the Crusader States after their fall to the Suri and their nigh-unstoppable march west, Cyprus now stands as the last vestige of the Crusaders in the Near-East, with the Levant falling back into the hands of the natives.
  • The Dominion of Tsushima, the remnant of the Japanese-controlled parts of Korea.
  • The Kingdom of Norway for the Totalist Though the Kingdom might not be as a much of a utopia for them as they think.
• The Republic: While the Dutch are replaced by the Frisians in this world, they still end up adopting a republican government.
  • France could count as one, though they're not a full republic as one might be more familiar with.
• Religious Bruiser: Harald VI. The man's a devout Chalcedonian Catholic through-and-through, whilst being a skilled general to boot. Able to make the Swedes run for their money in his campaign in Norway, which was done whilst his realm in Bryten was in turmoil and social and religious anarchy.
  • Caitlin, a woman of deep faith and even deeper hatred for the Irish. So much so that she launched a bloody "crusade" against them in an attempt to completely subjugate the island. This was done without the permission of the Pope, who later excommunicated her for her troubles.
• Rewarded as a Traitor Deserves: With his betrayal of Alfred II and his subsequent support for Harald Valdermasson in his bid for the throne of Aenglund, the Earl of Sussex's faith seemed to be a happy one. Harald was winning, for the most part, and it would only be in a matter of time before the Aldraic's surrender and finally give up their right to the throne. Then the HRE invaded Sweden-Denmark, in fear that if Harald VI won the Wyrmcrieg he would use his newfound power as hegemon of the North to contest the HRE. The invasion, as well as the subsequent defeats he suffered, finally forced Harald VI to sign for peace, giving up his claim to Aenglund in exchange for a part of Norway and peace. Edmund agreed, and, after Harald VI, subsequently proceeded to strip the Witan, its supporters, and everybody who oppose him of their estates and powers. Thus dooming the Earl of Sussex. All this because he betrayed Alfred "II" and sided with Harald VI, ending the Witan's sole chance of retaining their relevance.
• Rising Empire: The Suris are this, being amongst the largest empires in this timeline’s world by 1666.
  • The Koreans, after their reunification.
• Serial Killer: Laford Edmund Edmundson Blodhorn. Who gets the particular honor of being the inspiration for this timelines Dracula.
• Reign of Terror: Morgernsteirne's main tool in suppressing dissent.
  • The early years of the Brytisk revolution is a bloody affair.
  • The Hellenic Revolution is even moreso. With the added caveat that they also tried to export their revolutionary ideals to their neighbouring nations ala Napoleon.
• Royals Who Actually Do Something: Well, seeing as Aenglund's rulers are played by, well, players. That's kinda a given.
  • Caitlyn I personally led her ragtag group of peasants and mercenaries in her 'crusade' in Ireland.
  • Cnut III and Cead I both led Aenglund and the NSE, respectively, to victory through their marshal prowess and tactical acumen.
  • Osbald I and Osbald II:
    • Osbald I personally commanded the Aenglisk army sent to aid the coalition against the Hussites, which even earned him the title 'Magister Militum', or 'First Commander of the Army of God'.
    • Osbald II, who, whilst desperately outnumbered and outmatched and facing the combined might of a continent, managed to hold off the League assault for years. Preventing France's fall and beating the Germans time and time again.
  • Harald VI. Say what you will about Harald, but he was no chicken when it came to reclaiming his Norwegian throne.
• Ruler Protagonist: Well, since we're playing as Aenglund's rulers, that's kinda a given.
• Settling the Frontier: Much like in our timeline, European settlers flood into Avalon (North America) and Brasil (South America) after the discovery of the New World.
• Shout-Out: Mu' Addaban Persia is pretty much a reference to Dune with the names of its rulers, the dynasty name, and heavy elements of their backstory.
• Silk Hiding Steel: Every queen of England/NSE apart from Tyffa I has been in some way a ‘warrior’ queen ready to fight. Special mention goes to Caitlin I, who launched a 'crusade' against the Irish during the Black Plague whilst pregnant.
• Space-Filling Empire: The Suri Empire is arguably this as they control an area from Anatolia in the West (granted, it is through a client Sultanate of Rum, but still) to the borders of Burma in the East with Persia, Mesopotamia, and Northern India all under Suri control at their height.
• Spell My Name With An S: Is it Chad or Cead? Canute or Cnut? Tiffany or Tyffa?
• Star-Crossed Lovers: Most monarchs of Aenglund and later the NSE count as this with their significant other, though special mention goes to Edmund III, who seduced the queen of France, and Tyffa I, who also wooed the future King of France.
• Suddenly Significant City:
  • Brytesgowe - A university town with a growing and wealthy middle class.
  • Yorvik - Capital of the North Sea Empire.
  • Wincaester - Former capital of the NSE and official capital of Aenglund. Also known for its gorgeous cathedral.
  • Magdeburg - Capital of the Holy German Empire.
  • Tolosa - Capital of Occitania-Aragon.
  • Leon - The Capital of, well, Leon.
  • Tver - The Capital of Volga.
  • Alexandria - Capital of Egypt.
• The Theocracy: The Papal States, much like in our timeline. But unlike in our timeline, they end up taking direct control over basically all of Italy (outside of large portions of Northern Italy including Venice).
  • The Suris are ruled by the Caliph of (Eastern) Islam and the sheiks of the Naqshbandi Order play a prominent role in government. Same for Morocco as their ruler is the Caliph of (Western/Maliki) Islam.
• Turncoat: The Earl of Sussex to Alfred "II".
• The Usurper: Oh, there are plenty.
  • Harald IV to a child Edmund III.
    • Later, Edmund III to Haakon I, son of Harald IV.
    • Then, once more, Haakon I to Einar I, son of Edmund III.
    • Happened again with to Harald V, son of Haakon, by Ethelreda I, sole daughter of Einar.
  • Magnus II to Sigismund, son of Cnut IV.
  • Happened to Prince Cnut/Canute II of Pomerania, by the Duke of Saxony. He also took the time to slaughter everybody in Cnut's direct family, including his wife and daughter.
• Successful Sibling Syndrome: Erik I, always overshadowed by his more martial and able older brothers. Despite the fact that's the more capable of the lot in terms of administration, the nobles of the realm tend to underestimate and belittle him, causing Erik to develop a complex.
• Succession Crisis: Plenty:
  • The Wyrmcrieg was this, fought primarily between the house of Gwent (later called the 'Rauthers'), against their rival to the throne, the house of Kent (later renamed to 'Hwitr'). Their dynastic squabbles will eventually lead to the Wyrmcrieg, a cross-generation wide civil war that ravaged Aenglund for decades.
  • After Cead I died without a son and with succession a bit iffy, a succession crisis was at hand. Thankfully the nobles of the realm learned from the lessons of the Wyrmcrieg and decided that it'd be better if they convened to decide who the next monarch would be rather than kill each other.
  • The reason why Castile was dismembered by Leon and Aragon. Turns out if you run out of Kids and married most of your family into your neighbor's, bad things could happen. Who knew.
  • Mentioned to have happened in Egypt, though as to who the contenders were are a mystery.
• Vast Bureaucracy: Through Sigmund I's efforts, this has been achieved in Aenglund. Also noted to have been further expanded during Tyffa I's reign and after Magnus II's usurpation.
  • Later rulers of Aenglund kept adding to Sigismund I's vast bureaucratic apparatus so much so that it was one of the catalyst for the Wyrmcrieg. The overlapping responsibilities of the different authorities previous rulers had established eventually spiralled into a dispute, which then boiled into conflict, and was later lit alight by the spark that is the usurpation of Harald IV.
• Vestigial Empire:
  • Somewhat Averted. The Eastern Roman Empire, the classical example of this trope lasts longer in this world and is still present in the “present-day” of the timeline, though they are certainly no longer the powerhouse they were in the past. Scratch that, the Eastern Roman Empire just collapsed.
  • France and Hungary are other examples after Occitania seceded during the European Civil War and Hungary was curb-stomped in the mid-16th Century. France in particular has suffered from this since the Black Plague wiped a massive portion of their population. They suffer so much in fact that some players even joke that the timeline is a secret France-screw.
• Voluntary Vassal: As stated before, Iceland and, to an extent, Kalliit could be generally considered as this.
• The Wise Prince: Osbald I was described as such when he was still acting in his position as Aetheling in his father's court.
• Witch Hunt: Happens for some time during the middle of Osbald's reign until his death.
• Wham Line: "The Bourbon King lay dead, bleeding out in an otherwise unimportant skirmish", as well as "on 22nd May 1677, Magnus succumbed to pneumonia". Knowing the chapter this takes place in, it certainly was a mood whiplash.
• What the Hell, Hero?: Well, not necessarily hero, but since the NSE is the player nation it could be considered as the Protagonist of this story. So, with that out of the way:
  • Osbald I - Burned Tabor and other Bohemian cities to the ground just because they're Hussite.
  • Harald VI - Started an unnecessary war just so he could reclaim a Kingdom he already (theoretically) owns.
• Well-Intentioned Extremist: Harald VI. Harald VI genuinely believes that the NSE's distancing from Rome was what led it to suffer some tumultuous times and that by bringing the NSE back into the church's fold the NSE would again prosper. He was also quite sincere with his faith, suffering silently because whilst he feels an attraction towards men, his faith prohibits such relations.