I was thinking-yes, I know, that's potentially dangerous, but sometimes, I like to try-and I thought, wouldn't it be nice if the people on HW developed a fictional, enigmatic, not-precisely-located European country (properly called a "Ruritania," as in The Prisoner of Zenda) that we could all use for short stories and novels?

I was thinking we could start with the countries early, say, Roman-Contemporary (when the Romans controlled Europe, more or less) origins, and develop a basic history from there. Then we could flesh it out with all the things that make European countries so fun (political intrigue, revolutions, wars, quaint cultures, and local dialects of a quirky language, for example).

I'm even imagining that we'll discuss how WW1 and WW2 effect our country, etc.

As for locations, we can just assign a general location (Eastern Europe, the Baltics, the Mediterranean, Gaul, etc.), and create our own ethnicity (based on the local ethnics groups, like, say, Slavs, if we chose that region of Europe). I can cover inventing a new European Romance Language (easyness).

Now, we just need a name. Here's some, but please propose more.

Ruria (conveys something similar to Ruritania, Czechoslovakia, Bosnia, Lithuania)

Rurany (Like Normandy, Brittany, Italy, Germany, Hungary...hungry?! )

Rurain (Britain, Spain)

Note: I happen to like the root "rur". Feel free to propose something completely different. Just make sure it sounds vaguely Euro.

UPDATE

The Poll has been created, using any names which appeared twice the top six-lists.

Sounds like an awesome idea. Here are some ideas for names:

Nurmania (Normandy, Brittany)

Zaposlavia (before you laugh at me, listen to my Russian. Yugo actually means south while zapo simply means west - just an idea. West Slav Land)

Aachen (a more German country)

Tuparendi (somewhere near Italy, etc)

Bossoroca (Iberian peninsula; Spain/Portugal)

Just some ideas.

eru

I'll help!

Would there be anyone here in pre-Roman times?

Some names from a vaguely Latinate name generator:
Ibur
Lucevica
Malynum
Burgitrus
Argror
Eror (Just kidding)

WW2 would be interesting for a resistance movement.

There should be people here in pre-Roman times, but what kind of people will depend on what vague location our name points to.

Excellent point.

Well, gents, what say we narrow down the list a little? How 'bout we each pick a top six, and eliminate the names which are not included in any list?

My list:

Rurany

Saposlavia

Aachen

Bossoroca

Ibur (I'm thinking Iberian peninsula on this one?)

Lucevica

Okay, I'll work on a list.

I think there should be. Aside from developing the native mythology of the people, we can always have real fantasy elements.

Very nice. It almost reminds me of the steampunk space opera universe we're doing on HWSF, only fantasy-ish.

Actually, the steampunk project is what inspired me to this idea.

This sounds neat! Name suggestions:
Recoya
Gita
Regia
Ghia
Foxglovoskia
Digia

Wow.

I'll get a list of six names compiled in the next couple of hours.

Sorry for the double post, but this way I can see all the names.
Top 6:
-Bossaroca
-Aachen
-Ibur
-Recoya
-Lucevica
-Malynum

Those are my top six.

Let's start working on other stuff.

Cool. What's first?

Um...involvement in the Roman Occupation might be a good start.

Okay, that makes sense.

And...I put a poll up!

Does everyone realize that Aachen is an actual city name from the real world? I think it was the capitol or a major city in the Holy Roman Empire of old, and is today a major city, I think, in Germany?

"Everyone" certainly did not realize this, since I did not realize this. I don't know about "anybody" else though...

How long is the poll open?

I didn't set a definite date. Maybe until next Wednesday?

Okay.

The problem is that I don't want to work on myth until we know what region we're dealing with. Different regions of Europe have very different mythos. (You know that, but I'm thinking out loud.)

Different regions were also different in the Roman empire.

I closed the poll, since it was pretty clear the Lucevica was the favorite. So, we're dealing with an unknown city state in the Italian region, maybe?

Yes, I think so.

Italy is a good place to make a Ruritanian nation because up until recently they were a bunch of small states, thus it's easy to slip one in. So, what's next?

eru

Rome.

Um...I'm leaning toward working on pre-roman elements first. What if we try to make a basic, pre-Roman history and culture sketch, with focus on the mythological elements? This will require some basic research:

1. Where did the various Italian tribes come from, and why did they ultimately settle in Italy?

2. Exactly what region and ethnicity of Italy would we like? Personally, I'm leaning toward North Italy.

3. What were early Italian myths like?

4. Are we talking about hunter-gatherer tribes, or are we already using crops?

Okay. I'll do a little digging when I have my computer back.

I think a hunting/gathering group would be neat. I have some more questions to put out there:
1. What are the differences between North and South Italy?
2. Is there anyone else who would like to do mythology? I'm not sure if it's mythology we're talking about right now...

Mythology is one of the things we're discussing.

Well, aside from the difference in location, a tribe from North Italy would actually be of a different (but still Caucasian and Indo-European) ethnicity than lower down in Italy.

We still in mythology?