Damn it, I wish I had got in on this at ground Zero. I initially posted the following in Ian's Thread on "What is Canon" but realised it didn't belong there, nevertheless it is in response to Grettir's post in the same Thread.
I feel very strongly that the Real World dating compared to Weyrth should be the Year 1200 (with countries such as Xanaria reaching into the 1300's, and Savaxia dragging back in the 1000s-1100s) I also feel this is what was intended by Jake.
Grettir wrote:
A short guideline to technology in western Weyrth:
The most advanced nation is the Seat of the Xanarian Empire, with all others lagging behind to some degree, with gelure maybe closest on the Xanarians’ heels. The technology available to the Seat of the Xanarian Empire is similar to that available to Europe in around 1425, with two exceptions: Weapon technology (arms and armour) is more advanced by some 25 years, and all development of gunpowder and gunpowder weaponry is less advanced by some 25 years, and thus comparable to Europe in around 1450 and 1400, respectively.
I hate to throw a spanner in the works, but in
This Thread on the old boards, Xanaria is described as a composite of real world Itlay in the (presumably early) 1300's with that of the Roman Empire of about 400.
By setting Xanaria in 1425 the other Nations to the North will likewise require equally high tech to compete, this puts a major strain on the feasability of counties such as Picti and Savaxia.
By keeping it at 1300, then we can set Savaxia at the end of the Viking age at around 1100. This lets us set Gelure at about 1200 as a buffer zone. It also eliminates most firearms from the game which is more in keeping with the MRB as I understand it (AFAIK only Krym-Kanaan have firearms).
Another reason I see it as essential to place Xanaria in the year 1300, is the development of ships. It is my understannding that Longships (the ships of Savaxia) survived int he real world into the 14th century, so it is workable, however even by the 14th century the Longship was being far outclassed, not real good for a nation of sea-borne raiders. If we sky-rocket Xanarian ship tech by another century then the Savaxians can say good night.
Going further, a quick study of Oakeshott's Typology informs us that the Type X blade was in use from the 11th Century thru to the 14th Century. This means that the Savaxians can have access to the same level of sword Techknowledgy as most the west of Mainlund, though admittingly they are only coming into a tech that is already being surpassed elsewhere. It is just another link to make Weyrth work that would be broken by advancing the Xanarian Empire by a hundred and fifty years.
Without Access to the MRB I can't really comment further on the tech levels of the other countries. I think I remember Stalh as having access to plate armour. This would put them somewhere in the 13th century onwards going by the RW timeline. I think that modelling Stahl after Germany in the year 1200 would be a good way to keep the imagry of Stahl whilst still allowing its neighbours to be slightly lower tech.
Angerhard is said to be modeled after Ireland in the early 1100's this fits with the above assessment of Stahl and allows Savaxians to pillage it lands without too much trouble.
This would allow Oustenreich to range anywhere from 1100 to 1200 depending on the needs of the Setting (that is to say I'm not famillar with what the MRB has to say about Oustenreich), without causing massive tech jumps from nation to nation.
Cyrinthmeir, described as a RennFair land, can be what ever it needs to be, though I would place it at around the year 1200 possible 1300. The only thing I'm worried about is Zaporozhya which is set in the year 1500, though it seems to lack firearms.
Sarmatov can sit comfortabally anywhere from 1100 to 1300, with 1200 again being my bet. Though Magyarfold will need elements of 14th century hungary to stave off the Zaporozhyans.
Heading down south. Helena is descied as classical Greece, so I would set it a full century or two behind Xanaria in tech, then model it on Classical Greece (there are enough weapons that although superior to Classical weapons, are of similar appearance to allow us to pull this off).
Despite the great work Ian's been doing on Taveruun, I don't see how 14th century France can sit next to Otamarluk (based off of the Ottoman Empire in its Heyday, though I'd like to see it dialed back to the beginning of the Ottoman Empire, in the year 1299), and Dardanet (based on Real World Albania, presumably set somewhere around the year 1200). I think Ian's work on Taveruun would be better suited to Gelure with a slight tweak on the tech level.
I guess what I'm saying, I believe that the World of Weyrth is meant to be more closely modeled after 13th to 14th century Europe with through backs to Ancient Greece, and the Roman Empire, and with some countries preogressing steadilly into the 16th century (well, really only 1 country as far as a I can tell, that is, if you rework Otamarluk to the 14th century).
By setting Weyrth in the 13th century, or there abouts, it all comes together to work, otherwise it leaves horrendously large inconsistancies.
Cheers & God Bless!
