Appalachian Coalition (IE)

The Appalachian Coalition is a political and tribal alliance between several major factions within the region of Appalachia. The hills of Appalachia were originally claimed by several major factions, and eventually united together against common foes.

History

The region of Appalachia was lightly nuked compared to other territories, and so its population quickly began repopulating and resetting. However, factional infighting soon upset this balance, and nearly the entire population was wiped out by the Scorch Plague. In 2102, however, dwellers of Vault 76 began to resettled the area, and successfully crippled the scorchbeast threat. In time, more people would return, namely the Settlers of Foundation, the Raiders of Crater, and a new chapter of the Brotherhood of Steel.

More survivors would pour in Appalachia, and the region would soon become attacked by different warring tribes. To help combat this growing threat the various factions came began working together, though things weren’t always pleasant between them. Some of these migrating tribes overtook other factions, while other groups managed to fight them off.

By the 2130s Appalachia had changed. The Settlers and Brotherhood of Steel had survived, but new tribes had settled in the region. In addition, a resurgence of the Scorch Plague threatened to overrun the land again. Thus the disparate groups were forced to work together again, and finally eradicated the scorchbeasts in 2142. In order to ensure further protection the many factions came together and to sigh the Treaty of 76 at Vault 76, on June 31, 2147, and thus the Appalachian Coalition was born.

Over the next fifty years the Coalition would expand, even as if suffered many more tribal invasions. It was efficient, however, in the fact that free land was offered to invading tribes, who would then serve as buffers and members of the Coalition, and in time would be integrated with the rest. This strategy expanded the AC to have dozens of member tribes and factions.

In time most of the Appalachians would fall under the sway of the Coalition, though by the mid-2140s the Coalition would come into conflict with three bordering nations: the Atlantic Union, the Indiana Republic, and the Confederate States of America. All eagerly wanted the lands of Appalachia, and the Coalition itself began raiding these nations.

These series of skirmishes and conflicts continue to this day, but with the advent of the United Nations of America, the Coalition is left alone and without allies. They are not recognized as a nation yet, and whether or not they will be allowed to exist or will be swallowed up remains to be seen.

Government & Politics

Laws

The laws of each tribe vary widely, as there is no official coalition law for citizens. The only laws that extend to all the tribes of the Coalition concern policies of interaction with each other and how the Coalition itself is run.

For the most part, individuals are granted a large amounts of freedom, so long as they don’t hinder other tribes and obey the laws of their own group.

Government Structure & Bodies

The Appalachian Coalition is a loose alliance of various factions and tribes, and thus has little oversight besides a common goal and culture. The various tribes each have their own respective territories and their own laws and governance, but the government itself is handled by the Overseer Council from Foundation. This is a council of high-ranking individuals, generally the leaders of the most powerful factions in the Coalition, who take votes from the lower tribes to decide course of actions. However, rouge tribes might not always listen or obey their commands, and these are usually located on the periphery of the Coalition, those willing to raid and pillage Appalachia or other lands.

Foreign Relations

The AC and the Indiana Republic don’t like each other, and have clashed numerous times. The priests of Indiana decry the Appalachian tribes as paganistic cannibals or worse, and the two really dislike each other.

Things are slightly better the CSA to the south, though there are still plenty of border skirmishes. The CSA does however see a big portion of land to annex, but more willing to try out a diplomatic route instead to get Appalachia.

The Atlantic Union is still small but is working out some deals with the AC, though they are pressing every southward and definitely want the land to themselves.

Most of the other nations in America don’t really care about the Coalition, and vice versa, except that they are all stronger and more powerful. In recent years the Coalition has begun trying to legitimize itself, in order to be seen as a real nation and to thus preserve their own freedom and autonomy.

Tribes

Appalachia is divided into many small and numerous tribes, but a few among them are more influential and powerful, and take on various aspects of Appalachian society. Typically, these tribes are ruled by a chieftain of some sort, usually for life, though cases differ with governance. Some of the more important and influential tribes are as follows.

The Settlers (Tribe)

The Settlers Tribe descend from the original faction of Settlers who came to the land, and are the most influential of all the factions. They made their base from the city of Foundation and handle construction and labor work.

The Steel Tribe

The Steel Tribe or Steel Brothers were originally the survivors of a Brotherhood of Steel Expeditionary Force, but eventually they declared their independence and became a part of the Coalition. They serve as warriors and engineers, and protect the Coalition, as well as gathering whatever tech they can and bringing it back to Fort Atlas.

The Dweller Tribe

The Dwellers are the original members of Vault 76, now renamed Regent City, who keep the peace and offer a variety of social services, handling disputes and court cases between tribes, offering medical aid, and taking care of bigger problems across Appalachia.

Society & Culture

The various tribes of Appalachia each are a little different, and have their own culture and customs. However, the entire Coalition has a culture of its own, in some ways barbaric and seemingly primitive, but also rather civilized in other ways. Citizens are loyal to their tribes, and are very anti-government of any kind, valuing self-reliance. Family is a huge aspect of their lives, and when raiding they are known to put on war paint and attack with a shocking fervor and legendary ferocity.

Economy

There is almost no true economy among the Coalition, though tribes due trade and barter internally and with each other. Sometimes these tribes might trade with other nations, though this is not the norm.

Currency

The Appalachian Coalition does not have any official currency, relying only on bottle caps or barter and trade to sort out deals.

Trade

As mentioned before, the Appalachian does not really trade much. There are certain rarities, mostly from the mutated creatures of the region, that can be worth a pretty penny elsewhere, and traders are a frequent sight in the region, but for the most part the Coalition does not bother or care for trade.

Geography

While the predominately rural landscape was mostly unscathed by nuclear weapons, Appalachia did not escaped environmental damage entirely. Radioactive fallout from other areas of the former United States mutated much of the local wildlife, unchecked coal mines and fires were rampart, and pollution was a big problem. However, over the decades Appalachia has regrown into an almost idyllic landscape, though the ruins of old cities and settlements of raider tribes makes it a little less appealing.

Subdivisions

The Forests

The Forests are a loosely defined geographic area known for its diverse fauna and flora. Home to a wide range of industries before the Great War, including logging, agriculture, tourism, and even high technology sectors spurred by Vault-Tec in Morgantown and Hornwright Industrial in Charleston, the region became a haven for survivors, and includes most of the lands of Appalachia. The Forests are the homeplace of the Coalition and is used interchangeably as North Central Appalachia.

Murkwood Mire

The explosion of the Vault 94 G.E.C.K. created a rapidly mutating, expanding bog together with a number of unique mutations like anglers and numerous plant species. The strangler plant, entirely unique to the Mire, has largely grown unabated after the Great War and is a common sight in the Mire constricting around buildings, trees, and even unearthing swaths of land and into the air. In the modern age it is a big geographic region that extends far across the eastern fringes of Appalachia and serves a buffer zone.

Central Appalachia

Home to more loosely controlled tribes, it is a major site of conflicts between various factions and nations. Various settlements dot the landscape and are home to more barbaric tribes.

Military

There is not true military, as each tribe is expected to offer its own militia in military conflicts. When the Overseer Council calls together the Coalition, each tribe must come and offer as many warriors that it can. During conflicts these militia groups will fight according to tribes.

That being said, there is a bit more of an official, is small, fighting force. The Iron Guard mostly consists of Steel tribesmen, but it also includes members of other tribes. They join the Iron Guard and are trained and equipped the best armor, and serve as shock troopers and specialist forces for important engagements.

Technology

The Coalition does not have access to the most advanced of technologies, but there is plenty of resources they have scavenged or pillaged, and the engineers of the Steel Tribe have made due with what they can.