Among the Survivors...
You see a scrubby office building on the edge of town. Both doors are locked on closer inspection, but their glass was knocked out some time ago. The front desk turns up nothing, save a slouched skeletal figure. You notice something odd about him though. In his bony right hand he clutches something blue and cylindrical. A pen. In front of him, enscribed on yellowing parchment is what appears to be a note. You examine it.
What's going on...?
It's been eighty long years since the United States formally disbanded, but the cause of the collapse had been doing it's work since the inception of the Industrial Revolution. Climate change. From its cultivation in the mind of Svante Arrhenius in eighteen ninety six to the mid nineteen nineties when it became a hot button political issue, this specter went largely ignored by both citizens and governments alike. Of course it was a contentiously debated topic, but whatever action taken was ultimately too little to amount to much. Whatever flimsy goals world powers drew up to slow down the crisis only did that -slow it down-. Global warming was always seen as a distant threat, the hazy carbon shadow we'd cast on our posterity instead of ourselves. In retrospect, it was less like a shadow and more like an explosion. It didn't just impact the lives of the future generations, but to the dismay of millions, ours as well.
The news media covered it poorly, without a doubt. They'd find time to work it in between recent terrorist attacks or other political drama, most of the time that is. On a few occasions the topic was dropped altogether in favor of a fresher, more click-baity story. Shocker: "How A Leaked Tape of Donald Trump Bragged About Groping" got more views than "Study Reveals Stunning Acceleration of Sea Level Rise". Putting it to the back burner did little to stop it though. During the first weeks of the flooding nobody batted an eye. Weather phenomena was the norm by then, but everything always returned to normal. But it didn't. They built the levees higher, but mounds of dirt can’t hold back the sea for long. Florida was the first to slip beneath the waves. Meanwhile, a Mississippi River bloated from rising oceans and a few seasonal hurricanes swallowed Louisiana and Arkansas whole. In later years large swathes of California would also be reclaimed by the deep blue.
Arguably the aftershock was more devastating than the losses themselves. The world’s markets felt the worst of it, plunging the globe into a new era of economic depression. The value of the dollar fell to it’s lowest point in history, being almost as valuable as the Confederate’s money had been during the Civil War. Speaking of which, Secessionist movements became increasingly popular in the new United States we’d made for ourselves. Texas was the first state to officially announce its independence from the faltering Union. New Mexico, California, and others were quick to follow suit. To put it lightly, the U.S respectfully declined their request to break away. All but one were brought to heel in less than a year, with the full power of the American war machine on their doorsteps. Texas, the most formidably armed rebel power, managed to hold the fighting to just south of the Red River for about five years. That was, until the news of the epidemic broke.
The Scourge had it’s roots in the decline of the Republic. In city streets and choked off islands (spits of high ground that endured the flooding in places like Florida and Louisiana) alike, American families lived in utter squalor and depravity. Men and women had to resort to all time lows just to feed themselves and their families. It started with cats and dogs. “People have to eat!” I remember them saying. Then came the rats. You did what you had to do, right? But all other alternatives were hunted to extinction, there were few other options than to turn on our own. Nobody said anything then. I wasn’t proud of it. None of us were. Few even admitted to it. Moreover, there was never a shortage of corpses, nor has there ever been since then. Thanks to us. We never suspected the medical implications of our diet. How we’d go mad. How we’d grow a lust for human flesh. In my day they use to say: “You are what you eat”. They weren’t so wrong, it turns out. We became corpses ourselves, cursed to walk among you living.
Anywho, we were the deathblow for the land of the free… We swept from east to west, north by south, turning people as we went. A few brave souls held us back, but the weak didn’t last long. The final joint-session of the House of Representatives was held to announce the United States’ capitulation to Texas, and all other states who bidded for their liberty. They wished North America farewell in their absence in a long speech, now forgotten. And their wishes paid off. New nations are rising to fill the void they left. In my time wandering this land, I think I’ve seen a great many of them. But now my days are done. As I slowly starve, my insanity has begun to fade. A frail clarity returns to me now, ironically when I need it the least. I write this now more for myself rather than whoever might find it. When the Scourge takes you, nothing seems to change. Only the lust for flesh drives you, nothing more. I’m surprised to see how much I’ve forgotten. Thanks for reading, I suppose. If you're to come here before I perish, finish me, please oh please. At this point nothing would be sweeter than dea-
At this point nothing would be sweeter than dea-
The letter finishes in sloppy, childish handwriting. You search the building for anything more important, but turn up nothing of great value. You head for the door, and emerge back into the gloomy ruination of a city outside. On the air, more than just the smell of death and decay wafts. A whisper also calls out to you. You hardly recognize it at first, but then you realize what it is. Adventure. It's calling your name.
IC Page
https://forum.nationstates.net/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=392542&p=30189222#p30189222
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The Known World
https://i.imgsafe.org/c4ec8d362f.png (Just use the link, the picture's too big.)
Crimson= The Empire of San Velasco- San Velasco
-Born from the Convention of Velasco, the meeting that unified long fighting Texan citystates.
-Evolved into a fascist empire, bent on expansion.
-Shares an western border with Osagal
Orange= The Holy Empire of Osagal- Osagal
-Started as an apocalypse cult in the American south known as the Communion of the Elect (CotE).
-Engaged in a series of long wars with a rival cult, the Revallist, and win by a large margin.
-Bishop Lucius-Judeaus declared war hero Belehedron Lysender as King of the conquered lands, establishing the Holy Empire of Osagal.
Light Red= The Confederal Republic of Vermont- Kihdis/The Champlain
-After epidemic ravages the U.S, sectarians in Vermont and parts of upstate New York left the Union as one entity.
-Once the House formally disbands the United States, this new nation becomes known as the Champlain Alliance, or just The Champlain.
-The Champlain became self sufficient and powerful, only interacting with other continental powers for the sake of military alliances.
Green= The Democracy of Vancouver- Great Canadian Dominion
-After the fall of the Canadian government, Vancouver and surrounding British Columbia became independent.
-The first years were terribly rough, but the citizenry persevered, a constitution was written, and things feel slowly into place.
-Asians make up the largest demographic of this nation, considering they had the fastest growing population rates after the collapse.
Sky Blue= The New Confederate States of America- Fre Eva Rinese
-Founded on the basis of southern unity and culture, a reincarnation of the nation's namesake.
-Cultural cornerstones include white supremacy and slavery.
-Shares an eastern border with Osagal.
Yellow= The Lakes Republic- Tsunegara
-Seceded from the U.S and Canada just before their official demise, to salvage and restore democracy in the waste of North America.
-Holds Niagara Falls and most of the Great Lakes region.
-Continues to expand it's influence throughout the former U.S and Canada.
Dark Blue= The Empire of Blythe- Candro
-Rose from the power vacuum left by retreating and disbanding United States forces.
-Controlled by a powerful military junta that rules through nationalistic fervor.
-Derives it's name from the small town it was founded in.
Know the Rules, or Say Goodbye!
1 Thou shalt not metagame or godop, thus saith the mod.
2 Thou shalt not be rude when talking to each other OOC, thus saith the mod.
3 Thou shalt never write one liners, thus saith the mod.
4 You shall have no mod before me, I Am the final authority on all issues, thus saith the mod.
5 This is the most important commandment, and shall be strictly enforced... HAVE FUN, THUS SAITH THE MOD!