The Gradient

...the Balkans in a fantasy world

Outline

This setting is a world resembling a generic fantasy world but with a certain region closely resembling one of ours: the Balkans.

The catch is that the Balkans were not teleported or copied and dropped into this fantasy world. Instead, they developed into the same cultures with the same history as in our world by coincidence.

This page will cover the lands of the Balkans, its surroundings, and the overall world.

The Gradient

The Balkans didn't exist in a vacuum. Various civilizations were involved in the history of the region, such as the Romans or the Ottomans. Likewise, the countries of the Balkans have influenced surrounding lands.

The Gradient refers to the set of fictional nations influenced by the real world which lie between the Balkans and the rest of the fantasy world. The degree these nations are influenced by the real world is based on their spatial, historical, or cultural distance from the Balkans.

Regional Overview

The various countries in the world of The Gradient are listed below. They are categorized by rationale for their closeness to the Balkans. Countries are named in bold with their original placeholder names in parenthesis. Countries still with placeholder names are unformatted. Ideas for one or multiple countries still floating around have italicized names. "Fantasy" refers to a country very similar to a real one. "Eka-" refers to countries taking the place of a real one in history but are characteristically different and may be merged or divided.

As an extra note: fictional names based on real world English names and terms will use fictional etymologies.

Haemunia

These are effectively the same countries as our real world Balkans. Their geography is identical to the real world, with the exception of Fantasy Turkey. Historical states which originated within the Balkans also fall under this category, such as Yugoslavia or the Macedonian Empire.

Turkiye is the exception. The only part that's exactly the same is European Turkey plus the Asian side of Istanbul. Beyond that, geography differs but it's still fundamentally Turkish.

Neighbors

This is where the gradient begins. The points where these countries border the Balkans is the same but geography and culture differ further out.

Diaspora

These are diaspora groups whose presence implies a homeland beyond the region.

The presence of both Shepardi and Ashkenazi Jews imply two separate but culturally similar homelands. For the Romani, I am not yet certain due to the great distance between the Balkans and their ancient homeland (modern day India in the real world). I have ideas for Fantasy West Slavic nations which may contain the Sovakian homeland. The Rusyns and Transcarpathia sorta fit into the last category by bordering Romania.

Empires & Great Powers

These are contemporary or historical states and empires which were involved in the Balkans and have occupied land at some point or another.

Diaspora times -1

This is an inverse of the above "diaspora" category which includes the diaspora of Balkan natives or successor states of Balkan empires. Most are Greek thanks to Alexander and the Byzantines.

Cultural Cousins

These are broad cultural/ethnic/linguistic groups which exist in the Balkans and their neighbors which new fictional countries may fall under.

Beyond

This category will be for wholly fictional countries. There will be more once I fill in historical and geographical gaps.

For the fantasy aspect, I plan on including stuff from the D&D DM's handbook and various Tolkeinesque tropes (there's definitely at least one language that will use the Tengwar script). I might also add some Lovecraftian horrors an I am now a Call of Cthulhu appreciator (thanks to my school's tabletop club). I am also now considering adding stuff from local mythologies. Troy and the Odyssey were real (and Dracula might have been an actual vampire).

Based on my current geographical idea, "Middle Earth" will contain classic tolkienesque / western European fantasy inspired nations and will be located around real life France and the UK in relation to the Balkans.

International Organizations/Alliances

Other Considerations

Most people in the Balkans are either Christians or Muslims, which imply the following:

There's also the Bektashi Order which will soon become a sovereign microstate in Albania, so that may be added as an extra bonus.

There is at least 1 continent: Fantasy Europe plus Eka-Asia (as either a separate landmass or part of Fantasy Europe).

There may also be an Eka-America with an Eka-US for everyone to immigrate over to. Also Eka-US would have founded NATO and bombed Serbia. (Why is it just now that I have thought about this?)

Haemunia

Region with a very high concentration of human cultures. Most states were socialist and most are members of the Evrosean Union (EU) and the Western Global Treaty Organization (WGTO).

Names are rendered in "Gradientese" with native spelling/transliteration in parenthesis.

Slovenija (Slovenija)

Parliamentary republic. Home to the Slovenci, who are of Catholic faith and speak Slovenian. Has a shared history and culture with its southern neighbors. Very developed with a high income but dependent on trade (mainly exports) with the West. Member of the EU and WGTO.

Hervatska (Hrvatska)

Parliamentary republic. Home to the Hervats, who are of Catholic faith and speak Naškavian. Highly developed with tourism as an important economic factor. Member of the EU and WGTO.

Serbija (Srbija)

Parliamentary republic. Home to the Serbs, who are of Orthodox faith and speak Naškavian. Developed with a mainly service economy but leading regionally in weapons manufacturing. Internationally neutral but in negotiations with the EU.

Bosnija and Hercegovina (Bosna i Hercegovina)

Federal republic with two constituent parts: the Federation of Bosna and Hercegovina and the Republic of Srpska. Home to the Naškavian speaking Bošniaks, many of whom are Muslimans, alongside Serbs and Hervats. Developing economy focused on agriculture and industry. Neutral but is a candidate for EU and WGTO Membership.

Monte Negro (Crna Gora)

Parliamentary republic. Home to the Crnogorci, who are of the Orthodox faith and speak Naškavian with a significant Serb minority. Developing service economy. Member of WGTO and a candidate for the EU.

Kosova (Kosova)

Parliamentary republic. Home to Muslimani Arbënians who speak Arbenian (Geg variety). Recently declared independence from Serbija, but has limited global recognition. Claimed by Serbija. Developing economy.

North Makedonija (Severna Makedonija)

Parliamentary republic. Home to Sloveni Makedonians, many of whom are Christian and speak Makedonian, with a significant Arbënian minority. Developing economy. Member of WGTO.

Bulgarija (Bulgarija)

Parliamentary republic. Home to the Bulgari, who are of Orthodox faith and speak Bulgarian with a Turker minority. Highly developed economy based on manufacturing and service. Member of the EU and WGTO.

Turkiye (Türkiye)

Transcontinental state. Presidential republic. Home to the Turks, who are Sunni Muslimans and speak Turkce. High income regional power in the WGTO and EU candidate.

Ellada (Ellada AKA Ellas)

Parliamentary republic. Home to the Ellens, who are of Orthodox faith and speak Ellenik. Developed economy and tourist hotspot. Member of the EU and WGTO.

Arbenia (Shqipëria)

Parliamentary republic. Home to the Arbënians, who are of Muslimani faith (mainly Sunni and some Bektashi) and speak Arbenian (Tosk variety). Developing service and manufacturing economy. Member of the WGTO.

Romania (România)

Semi-presidential republic. Home to the Romanians, who are of Orthodox faith and speak Dacian-Roman with a Ungarian minority. Developing but high income economy with automobile parts as a main export. Member of the EU and WGTO.

Haemunian Neighbors

These are nations which border Haemunia. Some are members of both the EU and WGTO. Their populations are predominantly human.

Italia (Italia)

Parliamentary republic. Home to the Italians, who are of Catholic faith and speak Italic. One of the largest global economies with a strong manufacturing and tourist industry. Member of the EU and WGTO.

Austriaca (Österreich)

Semi-presidential republic. Home to the Austrian Deutsreichers, who are of Catholic faith and speak a southern variety of Deutisic. High income industrialized economy. Member of the EU.

Ungaria (Magyarország)

Parliamentary republic. Home to the Ungarians, who are traditionally of Catholic faith and speak Magyar. High income and developed service economy. Member of the EU and WGTO.

Moldavia (Moldavia)

Parliamentary republic. Home to the Moldavians, who are of Orthodox faith and speak Dacian-Roman. The distinctiveness between Moldavians and Romanians is disputed. Low income developing service economy.

Ukrajina (Ukraïna)

Semi-presidential republic. Home to the Ukrajnitsi, who are of Orthodox faith and speak Ukrajnijan. Low income economy but a global producer in agriculture. Neither a member of the EU and WGTO but supported by the West.

Language Tree

Currently in the form of a recursive list. Might be an actual image in the future.

General Historical Outline

This is an oversimplified timeline of the Balkans / Haemunia which goes back about one thousand years. It is divided into periods and shows generally which contemporary states were controlled by which state or empire at the time (shown through colored cells). Blue and red text in the first two columns correspond to the alliances of the cold war. Plus signs represent various smaller states residing within the same area. You can mouse over the first apperance of each entry to get their full name.

~2000 ~1950 ~1914 ~1900 ~1850 ~1700 ~1600 ~1500 ~1400 ~1300 ~1200 ~1100 ~1000 ~900
Ita Ita Ita Ita Hab Vx Vx Vx Vx Vx Vx HRE/Vx HRE/Vx Ita/Vx
Ung Ung Hab Hab Hab Hab Hab/Ot Ung Ung Ung Ung Ung Ung Ung
Aust Aust Hab Hab Hab Hab Hab Hab Hab Hab HRE HRE HRE HRE
Slov Jugo Hab Hab Hab Hab Hab Hab Hab Crn HRE HRE HRE HRE
Herv Jugo Hab Hab Hab Hab/Vx Hab/Vx/Ot Ung/Vx Ung/Vx Ung/Vx Ung/Herv/Vx Ung/Herv/Vx Herv/Vx Herv/Vx
Bos Jugo Hab Hab Ot Ot Ot Ot Bos Bos Bos/Serb Bos/Serb Bos Herv
Serb Jugo Serb Serb/Ot Serb/Ot Ot Ot Ot Serb Serb/Bulg Serb/Bulg Serb/Byz Byz Bulg/Serb
MN Jugo MN MN MN MN/Vx MN/Vx Ot + Serb Serb Serb/Byz + +
Kos Jugo Serb Ot Ot Ot Ot Ot Serb Serb Bulg Byz Byz Bulg
Make Jugo Serb Ot Ot Ot Ot Ot Ot Byz/Serb Bulg Byz Byz Bulg
Arbe Arbe Arbe Ot Ot Ot Ot Ot +/Vx Serb/Byz Byz Byz Byz Bulg
Bulg Bulg Bulg Bulg/Ot Ot Ot Ot Ot Ot Bulg/Byz Bulg Byz Byz Bulg
Ella Ella Ella Ella/Ot Ella/Ot Ot/Vx Ot/Vx Ot/Vx/+ Byz/+ Byz/+ Lat/+ Byz Byz Bulg/Byz
Turk Turk Ot Ot Ot Ot Ot Ot Ot/Byz Byz/+ Lat/+ Byz/Rum Byz Byz
Rom Rom Rom/Hab Rom/Hab M&W/Hab M&W/Hab M&W&Tr M&W/Ung M&W/Ung Ung/Mong Ung/Kip Ung/Kip Ung/+ Bulg
Mold Sov Rs Rs Mold Mold Mold Mold Mold Mong Kip Kip + Bulg
Ukr Sov Hab/Rs Hab/Rs Hab/Rs Pl/Rs/Ot Pl/Rs/Ot Pl/Ot Pl/Mong KvR/Mong KvR/Kip KvR/Kip KvR/+ KvR/+

Further back, the Romans and Byzantines ruled most of the region for a millennia after taking over the region from tribes and Ellenik civilizations.

Map

Here is the current map of The Gradient. It includes Haemunia (the Balkans) and its neighbors in white. Areas set aside for future fantasy lands are in grey. Hopefully, this map helps visualize the concept of The Gradient in case my description was not clear.

Map of Haemunia

For those wondering, the map is tiny because it is a snippet of a larger map, one which I had set a size and scale for. After more ideas come through, I'll update and share the global map. But for now, Haemunia is in a vast ocean of grey.

Future Changes

Will all real world states up, I'll have writer's block for the rest of the year as I'll figure out all fantasy aspects of The Gradient.

In the meantime, here's what I can add in the near future:

Last updated: February 23rd, 2025

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