butterfly:timeline - a (realistic) alternate history project

[twkofficial]

The butterfly:timeline (in lowercase) is an alternate history worldbuilding project made to basically answer "we could've gone to this path, but for some reason we didn't". It focuses on the niches and quirks happening, while implementing original ideas, maintaining the general flow of history (stuff like WW1 and the Cold War), and maintaining into realism. This timeline aims at a 50/50 universe, similar to OTL.

The timeline of divergence is pretty simple: Romulus Augustus would retire peacefully in modern-day Campania and is not a threat, but because the guards of Odoacer's new kingdom (or whatever is the equivalent of so) didn't receive the memo, so they decided to kill the former emperor. And the rest is history.

Major changes of events include different colonization patterns on the Americas, radically different lists of leaders, alternate space missions, different music mixes, and even what operating systems may have looked like in the timeline.

I'm planning to make this alternate history series five chapters, and those five chapters would be separated into a set of pages (not books though). This timeline would span from 395 to 2050 (to give it a much more "cooler" backstory and future effect). A lot of stuff would be incomplete and I have little knowledge on non-Western and Philippine history, so I'd like some knowledge and suggestions on so.

I also have sheets for leaders and operating systems, as this timeline was initially just an operating system timeline (as the completely original TWK's tech ATL), but for now, I won't post these. For now, thoughts and suggestions are appreciated in this thread.

 

[twkofficial]

I've also made some incomplete maps for this timeline. I kinda don't want to show it just yet, as they're incomplete, duh.

 

[twkofficial]

I've also made some incomplete maps for this timeline. I kinda don't want to show it just yet, as they're incomplete, duh.

Nevermind, here's a map of Europe as of 2023.

1 - Estonia
2 - Livonia
3 - Latgalia
4 - Courland-Semigalia

The reason why i didn't label some Western European countries (and Northern Europe) is because I think it'd be fairly obvious what they are by now. Dotted lines represent non-final borders, as I traced reference maps to make the borders (with some original borders too, like in Finland and Lagoda.)

 

[twkofficial]

Keep in mind that these maps were made before considering to start from the fall of Rome. These maps are inevitably prone to change.

 

[Mildtryth]

The timeline of divergence is pretty simple: Romulus Augustus would retire peacefully in modern-day Campania and is not a threat, but because the guards of Odoacer's new kingdom (or whatever is the equivalent of so) didn't receive the memo, so they decided to kill the former emperor. And the rest is history.

I don't really see how that would affect things too much - Given that Romulus' father had deposed his man in the West, and therefore he was an usurper as far as he was concerned, I don't think the Eastern emperor would care much about it. Unless somehow this leads Julius Nepos to regain control over Italy.

Nevermind, here's a map of Europe as of 2023. View attachment 905704

1 - Estonia
2 - Livonia
3 - Latgalia
4 - Courland-Semigalia

The reason why i didn't label some Western European countries (and Northern Europe) is because I think it'd be fairly obvious what they are by now. Dotted lines represent non-final borders, as I traced reference maps to make the borders (with some original borders too, like in Finland and Lagoda.)

That seems like a awfully exposed position for the Magyars to settle in.

 

[twkofficial]

I don't really see how that would affect things too much - Given that Romulus' father had deposed his man in the West, and therefore he was an usurper as far as he was concerned, I don't think the Eastern emperor would care much about it. Unless somehow this leads Julius Nepos to regain control over Italy.



That seems like a awfully exposed position for the Magyars to settle in.

1. I aimed at a seemingly small event. A small butterfly flapping its wings could cause a large hurricane; the butterfly effect, thus the title of this timeline.
2. I couldn't think of anywhere else to put the Magyars in, so I made them settle there mid-migration. I have planned on making Avaria an awful mix of Magyars and Avars just because I might have a problem with creating a union with some Slavic, possibly Orthodox nation in Pannonia. The place sandwiched between Ukraine, Poland, and Belarus would be home to "pure Maygars", ones that didn't mix with the Avars culturally.

 

[Nivek]

Nevermind, here's a map of Europe as of 2023. View attachment 905704

1 - Estonia
2 - Livonia
3 - Latgalia
4 - Courland-Semigalia

The reason why i didn't label some Western European countries (and Northern Europe) is because I think it'd be fairly obvious what they are by now. Dotted lines represent non-final borders, as I traced reference maps to make the borders (with some original borders too, like in Finland and Lagoda.)

Using otl borders destroy your scenario already

 

[twkofficial]

Using otl borders destroy your scenario already

If you're reffering to Western and Northern Europe, I could change them. I just kinda don't want to change Western European history too much amongst concerns about European colonization. Let me know if you want to, say, split Belgium in half.

I'm planning on starting from 476 AD to get a better picture of historical changes, and go all the way up to 2050.

 

[Nivek]

If you're reffering to Western and Northern Europe, I could change them. I just kinda don't want to change Western European history too much amongst concerns about European colonization. Let me know if you want to, say, split Belgium in half.

I'm planning on starting from 476 AD to get a better picture of historical changes, and go all the way up to 2050.

Dude with a POD in 476 the butterflies would be unaccountable

 

[twkofficial]

Dude with a POD in 476 the butterflies would be unaccountable

What do you mean by that? I'm sorry, I'm just confused.

Edit: Oh, I get what you mean. Yeah, sometimes butterfly effects could be unpredictable, especially with a broad range. At the same time, I don't want my POD to be something used often (i.e. The Revolutions of 1848 or WW1).

 

[twkofficial]

Here are some OS bootscreens for this timeline.

Windows 97

Mac OS 8

According to some people who saw these mockups (mock-(boot)ups), the overall timeline feels "generic" and I agree with that. I also have a sheet containing the lines of operating systems, but as said before, I won't post it for now.

 

[twkofficial]

I could tell you some non-political lore, tell me if you're wondering about it.

 

[Zenevidas]

So is Latin still a dead language in this timeline?

 

[twkofficial]

So is Latin still a dead language in this timeline?

Practically, it's now used for ceremonial(?) purposes like OTL. I also have plans on changing linguistics, such as modifying English words.

 

[Zenevidas]

Practically, it's now used for ceremonial(?) purposes like OTL. I also have plans on changing linguistics, such as modifying English words.

Does it have more Latin influence?

 

[twkofficial]

Does it have more Latin influence?

Not sure for now. However, English may lean more toward Germanic (e.g. pineapples may be called ananas(es)). I won't change the letters of the alphabet overall (meaning no thorn nor wynn)

 

[twkofficial]

I could tell you some non-political lore, tell me if you're wondering about it.

I'll give out a piece of lore.

Every Beatle survives until this day, with Lennon only being shot twice in the shoulder, and Harrison not getting stabbed back in '99 (and probably wouldn't die of lung cancer). Now and Then would be completed and released with Anthology 3 in 1996, and the three songs released in the Anthology albums would be radically different than OTL. Grow Old with Me would be remade by the Beatles in 2023.

Album-wise, everything until the White Album would remain the same. The rooftop concert would probably be broadcast live (not sure how to execute it though) and the album Get Back, a live album would be released in February-March 1969, with some completed songs recorded during January (including Let it Be) included. This resulted in Abbey Road being delayed to November 1969. The album Let It Be would be released in late April 1970.

 

[twkofficial]

So, about the Avars...

When trying to list the rulers of OTL Avar Khaganate, the records seem to be poorly documented. I'm considering merging the Magyar culture with the Avars', as I don't want imaginary leaders to be in place. Who knows? This would probably be a bad idea.

 

[twkofficial]

I'll give out a piece of lore.

Every Beatle survives until this day, with Lennon only being shot twice in the shoulder, and Harrison not getting stabbed back in '99 (and probably wouldn't die of lung cancer). Now and Then would be completed and released with Anthology 3 in 1996, and the three songs released in the Anthology albums would be radically different than OTL. Grow Old with Me would be remade by the Beatles in 2023.

Album-wise, everything until the White Album would remain the same. The rooftop concert would probably be broadcast live (not sure how to execute it though) and the album Get Back, a live album would be released in February-March 1969, with some completed songs recorded during January (including Let it Be) included. This resulted in Abbey Road being delayed to November 1969. The album Let It Be would be released in late April 1970.

The Beatles would perform in Live Aid, and would be their first concert since 1969 (if we count the rooftop, that is).