Multiple Cultural Integration

The fantasy novel I'm working on involved three different human cultures, loosely based off historical equivalencies. Basically, they consist of one based from the Roman Empire, another based off Feudal England, and a third based in many ways off Indian (not Native American,) cultures.

The difficulty is that they all share a continent, even though the characteristics of their respective areas are different; the Empire is found in fertile lands with a mild climate, Nierrak (the Indian culture,) in somewhat hotter, more arid conditions, and the Feudal England culture is in a cold, northern zone.

My concern addresses the Empire and Nierrak, and whether or not it would be feasible in having them in relatively close proximity, with shifting climate gradually taking place between borders, and appropriate cultural blending as a result, or if I should try dividing them up in a more severe fashion, via mass of water or mountain range. The fact that Nierrak is supposed to be, at the time of the novel, subordinate to the Empire due to expansion and political takeover would make the latter idea a little more undesirable.

I know fantasy tends to have the 'A Wizard Did It' clause, but I'd rather not push my luck...

Comments? Suggestions?

I just hoped I managed to speak semi-clearly...

Danke, both for the welcome and the help. ^_^

However, part of the fictional Empire's weakness is its relatively weak naval capabilities, due to an easily accessible current of quite literally supernatural origins. Still, maybe the premise could use some tweaking. ^^

I was thinking of natural obstacles separating each civilization; a desert, maybe, ringing Nierrak, as it would bring to mind the relative isolation and security Egypt had enjoyed due to the relative difficulty of reaching it. The northern Kingdom would actually be blocked off by mountain ranges, and likely have more than a few mountains within its territories, with relatively rocky terrain throughout.

I suppose what I'm aiming for are civilizations influenced by their surroundings; the Empire would actually be an amalgamation of differant villages and cities formed hundreds upon hundreds of years ago, a civilization aided by the naturally fertile terrain. Over time, they would have expanded their field of influence until coming across the natural barriers of the coast, the desert, and the mountains. The mountains would be by far the easiest to traverse, but it would be nearly impossible to send an army through the narrow passes, and the land beyond not quite valuable enough to waste so much strength obtaining, so the Empire would settle for alliance with those who resided in the northern lands. As their last expansion, aside from Nierrak, occured a couple of centuries ago, and the general Imperial drive is assimilation and integration, many of the descendants of annexed societies would have been effectively Imperialized...

(For the record, 'Imperialized' is officially a word now.)

The Nierrak would still retain a large degree of their cultural distinction for two reasons. First, the annexing of their territories, (a political takeover more than a military one,) was relatively recent, only seven decades ago, and so even the Empire's other annexed societies would have retained some distinctive characteristics. This is further aided by the fact that the desert leaves Nierrak relatively isolated from the Empire; the only truly accessible manners are by giant, well-provisioned convoy or by ship, and so this lack of easy travel between the Heartland and its newest province would slightly limit both military travel and the natural migration of citizens between territories, especially if such citizens are of average of below average income.

As for the Northern kingdom's specifics, I'm still chewing on the details, but I'm mostly depending on the mountain ranges to isolate them, as it would be these mountains that also give the dwarven race in my novel some isolation from the outside world.


To summarize, and to answer maestrowork's question, the Empire's territories, excluding Nierrak, are easy to traverse. Nierrak itself is easy to traverse, as is the Northern kingdom, but it's traveling between these realms that prove difficult.

To summarize and answer Barpaio's question, travel within the Empire and Northern Kingdom is typically accomplished on horseback, with the Empire having traded horse stocks to the Kingdom. Naturally, travel along the mountain passes is typically accomplished on foot, or via extremely careful horseback. Travel within Nierrak is usually done by foot; ironically, the Empire first got horses from Nierrak, but their fertile land and colder climate made it a little easier to breed them in larger numbers. Travel between Nierrak and the Empire is done by boat, via a water channel of supernatural (or, rather, divine,) origins, discovered about a century ago.

Aye, that's what I meant by political takeover. Decided it'd be far more likely for the Empire to ensure a gradual transition of power via the bribing of officials, and over the decades to implement small changes that would be considered relatively minor to the citizens. The first decade or so of 'control' would find no appreciable differance for the common Nierrakan, but eventually they would tighten their hold, with alterations that would scarcely be noticed.