Surface Politics, and other metaplot.
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Considering that, according to EBZ politics, the Fall of London has just left no small hoax in the Pax Britannica, the effects are surely being felt worldwide. If the sun never sets, well, it just rose on Hell itself, if you will.
London fell in November of 1861 (corresponding to when Prince Albert would have died in historical canon), and Parliament was "eaten" shortly thereafter. So what do we know about what's going on on the surface? Who is in charge, where is the seat of British power, what becomes of British naval supremacy and the arms race with the Continent, and, perhaps most importantly to us, how might Surface politics affect the Neath.
Things we might have to consider:
Infernal Internal Structure: We know that the Traitor Empress rules from the Neath with her consort, but she did have adult children, one of whom (Edward, Prince of Wales) was an international diplomat or some renown, and another of whom (Alfred) was on his way to being in command of the Royal Navy. And that's in no way accounting the far-reaching hemophiliac empire that, thanks to so many arranged marriages, connects damn near every royal family in Europe and Russia to the Neath by increasingly thin blood. Who sympathizes with the Empress' plight? Who doesn't? (Wilhelm I am looking pointedly at you.)
Also, where is the Government of England? I don't think it can all be in the Neath--there are people who would not treat with such a Government all throughout the United Kingdom--and, though Parliament has been consumed there does have to be a surface hub and a surface ruler. My personal opinion is that there is a Prime Minister, who rules-by-Her-Imperial-Majesty's-Proxy in conjunction with Edward, from the Surface capital at Colchester. But that's just headcanon.)
International Considerations: Lucky for England, most of the industry and factories weren't affected directly by London's descent; the hub of the industrial revolution is Newcastle in the north. So if we can say England's urbanization proceeds more or less unchecked, that allows operations that England financed for state gain--like the American Civil War--continue as in history, or even increase in demand.
But with Parliament "eaten", what will become of the British Empire? Will Britain hold on to the far-reaching colonies when so much internal restructuring is needed on the home front? Can Britain, in good conscience, continue interfering in China when India is more important to security? I can see England holding on very tightly to India and Egypt, more so than in history, while letting China and parts of the contentious Carribean slide, and the Orient storylets in EBZ imply that China might well be a stronger power than in historical canon at this time. (Remember that EBZ takes place circa 30 years after the fall; the recovered Qing dynasty might well be more of a political contender than prior.)
Religious and Cultural Implications: There are now devils in London. Real ones. Britain has, historically, gotten a lot of flak from the Catholic nations of Europe. What can France, Italy, and Spain do now that there is a hellmouth on the other side of the strait? Is this just the excuse they need to deny Britain any accords that might be in the making? Is it an excuse for an alliance or a crusade against the--for once, actual--infidel?
Additionally, London was more than just a political hub--it has been, since the Roman era, a commerce-based cultural hub, and single-citiedly responsible for a lot of promotion of art of the lower and middle classes. Doubtlessly, with the now-intrinsic associations with Hell, the upper classes of the rest of Europe might just suppress the spread of undercity popular culture in their own regions by proxy. This is a problem especially in Germany, where the nationalist culture is pretty much just kicking into high gear.
So, thoughts? Between what History gives us and what the Masters have so generously afforded us, what can we piece together?
.
Considering that, according to EBZ politics, the Fall of London has just left no small hoax in the Pax Britannica, the effects are surely being felt worldwide. If the sun never sets, well, it just rose on Hell itself, if you will.
London fell in November of 1861 (corresponding to when Prince Albert would have died in historical canon), and Parliament was "eaten" shortly thereafter. So what do we know about what's going on on the surface? Who is in charge, where is the seat of British power, what becomes of British naval supremacy and the arms race with the Continent, and, perhaps most importantly to us, how might Surface politics affect the Neath.
Things we might have to consider:
Infernal Internal Structure: We know that the Traitor Empress rules from the Neath with her consort, but she did have adult children, one of whom (Edward, Prince of Wales) was an international diplomat or some renown, and another of whom (Alfred) was on his way to being in command of the Royal Navy. And that's in no way accounting the far-reaching hemophiliac empire that, thanks to so many arranged marriages, connects damn near every royal family in Europe and Russia to the Neath by increasingly thin blood. Who sympathizes with the Empress' plight? Who doesn't? (Wilhelm I am looking pointedly at you.)
Also, where is the Government of England? I don't think it can all be in the Neath--there are people who would not treat with such a Government all throughout the United Kingdom--and, though Parliament has been consumed there does have to be a surface hub and a surface ruler. My personal opinion is that there is a Prime Minister, who rules-by-Her-Imperial-Majesty's-Proxy in conjunction with Edward, from the Surface capital at Colchester. But that's just headcanon.)
International Considerations: Lucky for England, most of the industry and factories weren't affected directly by London's descent; the hub of the industrial revolution is Newcastle in the north. So if we can say England's urbanization proceeds more or less unchecked, that allows operations that England financed for state gain--like the American Civil War--continue as in history, or even increase in demand.
But with Parliament "eaten", what will become of the British Empire? Will Britain hold on to the far-reaching colonies when so much internal restructuring is needed on the home front? Can Britain, in good conscience, continue interfering in China when India is more important to security? I can see England holding on very tightly to India and Egypt, more so than in history, while letting China and parts of the contentious Carribean slide, and the Orient storylets in EBZ imply that China might well be a stronger power than in historical canon at this time. (Remember that EBZ takes place circa 30 years after the fall; the recovered Qing dynasty might well be more of a political contender than prior.)
Religious and Cultural Implications: There are now devils in London. Real ones. Britain has, historically, gotten a lot of flak from the Catholic nations of Europe. What can France, Italy, and Spain do now that there is a hellmouth on the other side of the strait? Is this just the excuse they need to deny Britain any accords that might be in the making? Is it an excuse for an alliance or a crusade against the--for once, actual--infidel?
Additionally, London was more than just a political hub--it has been, since the Roman era, a commerce-based cultural hub, and single-citiedly responsible for a lot of promotion of art of the lower and middle classes. Doubtlessly, with the now-intrinsic associations with Hell, the upper classes of the rest of Europe might just suppress the spread of undercity popular culture in their own regions by proxy. This is a problem especially in Germany, where the nationalist culture is pretty much just kicking into high gear.
So, thoughts? Between what History gives us and what the Masters have so generously afforded us, what can we piece together?
.