The State of the Union, and the Confederacy
The war of Southern Independence came to an end in April of 1865 when northerners accepted the surrender of General Robert E. Lee in Virginia*. Northern aggression continued in the South for an additional seven months until the North was able to capture the CSS Shenandoah. The end of the war left just over 200,000 Union soldiers in captivity in the South that were immediately released and 400,000 Confederate soldiers who were still being held in prison camps well after the surrender of Lee in April. Intelligence reports that over 26,000 confederate men died in their captivity to Northern aggressors.
Additionally, at the conclusion of the war, President Johnson has placed egregious reparations on Confederate states and in many cases- individual landowners that must be met before states are permitted to rejoin the Union. The President has also appointed governors in all of the Confederate States to help the ‘rebelling’ states pay their restitution, organize elections, and aid the reconstruction.
The Coyote Confederation
The Coyote Confederation is a Native American state that is recognized as an independent sovereign nation by the Confederacy. However, the Union does not recognize this independence and the Coyote Confederation is being treated as a rebelling southern state. Players may play characters from this nation.
The Apache Federation
In 1863, when Abraham Lincoln made the Emancipation Proclamation wealthy landowners in Texas made a business decision. They aligned themselves with the Apache tribes and declared themselves an independent nation. They approached the United States with a treaty of non-aggression that kept northern ships off of their land and out of their ports allowing business to continue and thrive. Players may play characters from this nation. Please see We’re Not in Austin Anymore for additional information.
Sioux Nation
Battles to the east of the Sioux Nation in the United and Confederate States have been politically motivated. The fighting that occurs in the Sioux Nation occurs over farmland, sacred space, and the rights to pioneer and explore uninhabited space. The wars here are primal and viscous. Ambassadors from the United States haven’t come back alive and representation from the Blackrock Corporation hasn’t fared much better. Players are discouraged from playing characters from this nation.
Desert Republic
The Desert Republic is sparsely inhabited. The small nation has managed to carve out an economy for itself by finding a number of silver mines and trading with the Apache Federation for cattle and range land. Players are disallowed from playing characters from this nation.
The Commonwealth of California
California is presently undergoing a crisis of leadership. Businessmen and religious leaders are all fighting over the way to lead the young nation. The quarelling has lead to a crash in progress despite the wealth from gold mining that has been accrued in the nation. Players are disallowed from playing characters from this nation.
Blackrock Corporation
The Blackrock Corporation is all about business. They have acquired land from the Desert Republic, and the Apache Federation with the lucrative sale of the commodity- ghost rock. CEO of the corporation, Brigham Young, has made some social and religious declarations that have caused other national leaders to dismiss the Corporation as an entity to be taken seriously. Players may play characters from this nation.
Notes from the GMs: This history of the United States deviates from Deadlands source material. Likewise, there are a plethora of deviations from actual American history as well. It is imperative that you, as a player, understand that changes have been made and that your character should reflect plot canon explained on this website and not from other sources.