NationStates Jolt Archive

The World As We Know It

Crimson America itself is not just one nation. It is simply the name given to represent a group of nations that exists as a whole in what was once The United States of America. After strife, war, and other lovely things, the United States again devided, and this time, stayed that way. To understand how and why it is the way it is, we must first look at the history of the US, starting with the roaring twenties...

History

It all starts in the Year of our Lord Ninteen Hundred and Twenty. The begining of a new era. The Great War over, the stock market high, the world at peace, it was, in essence too good to be true. And it was. The time had come for change, and the United States, the great world expieriment for democracy, would soon be tested in the worst way.

The first signs of the coming collapse became apparent in 1920, in the aftermath of the post-War influenza epidemic. Many isolationist movements—whose supporters were already convinced that America’s involvement in Europe’s troubles—were only strengthened after so many citizens fell to a disease brought back by returning servicemen.

President Wilson's push to form the League of Nations drew increasing fire from U.S. citizens, allowing Warren G. Harding's "New Independence from Europe" campaign to gain momentum. Harding called for greater separation from the world in general, and the Regionalist party adopted it as part of their platform. Many Regionalists who won office in 1920 used their new power to push forward their own programs—most notably, Prohibition (which failed ratification as a Constitutional amendment that year).

The first real troubles began in 1923.

Prohibition consumed the political scene for the next three years, splitting its supporters and detractors across regional lines. Its political power undercut by the Regionalists, Washington's indecisiveness forced politicians to support efforts to sign Prohibition into law, or to reject it, for their own states.

The death of President Harding in 1923 handed the Presidency to Calvin Coolidge, who refused to get behind the wavering Federal Prohibition Bill. Without Presidential support, the bill quickly died in committee.

The Prohibition issue that had polarized the country became a battle between regions that supported it, and those that did not. Checkpoints appeared on state borders as authorities tried to restrict the flow of alcohol into "dry" regions. Many states also used these checkpoints to levy unofficial—and highly illegal—tariffs.

In 1924, the first out break of regionalism began, pushing the US towards a change.

The election campaigns of 1924 illustrated the growing shift in power from Washington to the statehouses. States demanded more authority, and state governments seized greater power for themselves. Despite Federal efforts to reverse the tide, the states continued to appropriate more power. The result—stronger states and weak central government—is exemplified by the 1924 Bluefield Incident.

Kentucky and West Virginia began armed conflict with the Virginia and North Carolina for control of the Appalachians (the source of a large percentage of illegal alcohol that was smuggled north). The Virginia National Guard captured a large Kentucky convoy outside the town of Bluefield, only to discover that their prize was a Kentucky guard unit running alcohol out of the Appalachians toward the West Virginia border. Though jurisdiction clearly belonged to Kentucky, the men were tried in Virginia on vague charges and jailed. Virginia refused Kentucky's request to transfer the men back to their home state, and later rejected a similar "suggestion" from Washington D.C. Only under the threat of U.S. Army intervention did Virginia finally release the prisoners to federal authorities, almost two years after their capture.

1927 was the begining of the end, and the start of a new era, the era of the aircraft.

Except for the Bluefield Incident (and a few other isolated flashpoints in the United States and Mexico), the period from 1924 to 1927 were among the best the United States had known. The elections were over, the Prohibition issue was largely settled—at least within individual states—and the country had a brief respite from the growing political unrest. Unemployment dropped dramatically as states employed their own people to maintain growing internal infrastructures (even as the national infrastructure began to show signs of strain). Per capita income increased, and more people began investing in the stock market—foolishly, in most cases.

The Federal government might have reclaimed its authority then, but chose to wait for the next major election year to increase its power base and avoid reawakening Regionalist opposition. Washington waited too long.

In 1927, a new and deadly strain of the influenza that ravaged the country in 1918 appeared, delivering a crippling blow to national morale. States—and even many cities—closed their borders and converted their liquor checkpoints into quarantine-enforcement sites. Necessary border crossings were made under armed supervision with strict controls. Smugglers and raiders began adopting the airplane as their primary method of border-jumping, avoiding the limitations of ground-based transport.

In 1928, the government of teh United States, weekend and without baking, starts to loose power, and support.

The election of 1928 suffered from poor voter turnout, as most people avoided large groups (for fear of contracting influenza). Capitalizing on this, the Regionalists launched various "Strong State" platforms, effectively curtailing the Federal government's remaining power. Governors negotiated with their neighbors to establish interstate alliances, formalizing the segregated regions that had grown out of the preceding decade's isolationist policies. In many cases, these new alliances merely reinforced divisions that had existed from the United States' founding days.

In early 1929, Utah enacted the Smith Law, which made the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints the state's official religion, with state government support. With the federal government's impotence and Utah's isolation, cries to heed the traditional "separation of Church and State" were largely ignored. Fearing similar measures, strongly anti-Mormon states such as Pennsylvania and Massachusetts began to discriminate against the Mormons, driving many toward Utah.

In October of 1929, the stock market crash sounded the death knell for the United States. Regionalism had decimated the national economy and Washington D.C.'s call for financial assistance from state governments was roundly rejected. President Hoover called out the military to keep D.C. from slipping into lawlessness, further damaging the reputation of the central government.

January 1, 1930. The first of many.

On January 1, 1930, Texas seceded from the United States, with California, the Carolinas, Utah and New York following suit almost immediately afterwards. Each formed a new nation, much as the Confederacy had done in the 1800s. Unable to mount the political and military campaign necessary to hold the United States together, Washington was now powerless.

This new period of extreme Regionalism created turmoil on a grand scale. Quebec broke away from Canada, as well. Mexico moved against Texas, and a minor shooting war erupted. In the ten months following Texas’ secession, California, The Carolinas, Utah, and New York withdrew from the Union, forming independent nation-states.

North America’s love of airplanes—once rooted in the exotic, adventurous mystique surrounding them—became deeply rooted, as commerce between the new North American independent nations ground to a halt. Various brushfire wars demolished the intercontinental railway system at national borders, and the few large highway systems built or under construction quickly fell into disrepair or were sabotaged. The automobile, once thought destined to become the national shipping vehicle, gave way to gyrotaxis, aerobuses and large cargo zeppelins that commanded the skylines and made trade possible between friendly nations.

The first "air pirates" began capturing the public eye during this period of chaos. Generally small, disorganized bands of thrill-seekers and publicity hounds, these pirates began crime sprees that would inspire others to follow in their footsteps in later years.

In 1931, more states followed Texas, and soon, the first of the air pirates was born. The Great Expeiriment had failed, and the world was soon to know that democracy may not be the way.

As the Federal Government in Washington, D.C. crumbled, a large segment of the nation’s military began to desert. The soldiers’ pay was slow in coming, and many were starving. Many returned to their home states, while others began selling their skills as mercenaries or bandits. A few thousand troops remained loyal, relocating to Washington, D.C. to defend the capital.

The political geography continued shifting throughout the year: the short-lived Outer Banks nation of Virginia and the Carolinas quickly folded itself into the rest of the Southern states, giving rise to the new Confederation of Dixie throughout the South. Samuel Morrow formed the People’s Collective in the Midwest (abrogating all loans and mortgages among its citizens, a move that angered outside financial interests but kept the new nation from drowning in the Great Depression).

The formation of the People’s Republic also led to one of the last major engagements of the Federalist armed forces; on Presidential orders, the Army moved to retake the People’s Collective, but were roundly defeated.

Like dominos falling, various new nation states began to form quickly; the Industrial States of America (formed around the industrial centers of the Great Lakes); Appalachia formed in the South; the Maritime Provinces and Atlantic Coalition declared independence in the Northeast.

The first serious pirate threat manifested in mid-1931. Jonathan "Genghis" Kahn—a former businessman from Chicago—formed the infamous Red Skull Legion. The Skulls moved into Utah (posing as People’s Collective militia) and stole a military zeppelin, nearly starting a Utah-Collective war in the process. The age of the air pirate had begun.

Its not very well known when and how quickly the rest of the nation devided, and the US became a memory, a hope that was once looked for, now gone, but what is known is as follows.

In early 1932, the Native American Navajo and Lakota tribes took up arms and seized a large portion of territory in the American West. With little Federal opposition, the Natives managed to secure a fairly broad section of territory before closing their borders to outsiders. Particularly scornful of bootleggers, the Navajo and Lakota—never the greatest of allies—still band together to fight off any incursion by pirates, outsider militia forces, or anything else deemed a threat to the tribes.

Free Colorado, in contrast, formed for entirely different reasons; today, it is becoming a haven for pirates, bootleggers and the other, more-anarchistic elements. In light of the lawless freehold’s formation, President Coolidge ordered troops to seize the lands near Washington, D.C. (including parts of Maryland and Delaware) and declared a "state of emergency"; the nation of Columbia was born.

Louisiana seceded from Dixie soon afterward, requesting support from France for its independence. Ill-prepared to go it alone, the Midwestern states sank deep into the Depression and then resurrected themselves as a Christian Communist nation, the People’s Collective. The relatively strong Lakota and Navajo Native American tribes founded their own nations as well, carving territory out of the nearly defunct Dakotas and the barren deserts and plateau country of the American southwest.

Even worse, as national borders continued to form, conflict became inevitable. The first serious conflict occurred near the end of 1932, as I.S.A. forces clashed with People’s Collective militia. The source of the conflict is hazy; some claim it is a natural battle between capitalists and socialists, while others believe that the I.S.A. thought that their technological superiority would allow them to capture the territory—and therefore the natural resources—of the Collective. Whatever the case, through the rest of 1932 and into 1933, the conflict continued.

The political destabilization and shifting of borders continued throughout 1933; small brushfire conflicts between ground and air militias forged new national boundaries, fueled by the continuing conflict between the I.S.A. and People’s Collective. In light of the hostilities that seemed to be on the verge of blowing up into full-scale war, the Outer Banks nations (formerly the Carolinas and Virginia) formed an alliance with Dixie, becoming a Protectorate of the Confederacy, and fueling conflict between Appalachia, Dixie and the Outer Banks.

The low-intensity border skirmishes between these new nations continued to flare up, and amidst the chaos, the bootleggers and pirates thrived. Scores of new militias—most determined to defend their hometown or state—formed to battle increasingly colorful and flamboyant raiders. The Redmann Gang, the Red Skull Legion, the Black Swans, and hosts of other pirate groups continued to raid across national boundaries (sparking additional conflicts as overzealous militia pilots strayed across borders into unfriendly territory in pursuit of the raiders).

The borders and politics of the North American nation-states solidified in 1936. Combined Navajo and Utah forces allied long enough to fight off incursions by pirates based in Free Colorado; the Broadway Bombers (the premier Empire State militia) decimated the Hell’s Henchmen pirate gang in the Alleghenies; I.S.A. and the Peoples’ Collective conflict flared up yet again, though this time the Collective fared far better than in previous engagements, retaking small parcels of their territory.

Sky pirates have prompted the rise of air militias to protect the shipping lanes. The pirates maintained an edge, however, and their early successes gave way to today's large and numerous pirate groups. Piracy got another boost when militias began raiding rival shipping, often receiving bonuses from their employers that reflected the value of the cargo taken or destroyed. As pirate and militia raids cut deeper into national economies, the various governments began subsidizing air wings.

Piracy actually lessened in the face of this organized response, though only briefly; the pirates adapted to the changing times by forming larger, better-armed gangs. From there, it was only a matter of time before nations began to subsidize pirates as well, handing out letters of marque in order to direct pirate activities away from their own zeppelin fleets and toward those of their enemies.

There was no single warning sign that pointed to the breakup of the United States of America. The American Civil War in 1860 may have played a part, say some, while others blame the so-called Founding Fathers, who failed to predict the collapse of the nation. Regardless of the root cause, the result is the same: the United States of America, that great experiment in Democracy, crumbled in the late 1920s.

List of Nations

The following is a list of nations that now exist and are grouped under the 'nation' of Crimson America. Later posts will detail each nation seperately.


Alaska
Appalachian Territory
Arixo
Atlantic Coalition
Columbia
Confederation of Dixie
Disputed Western Territories
Empire State
Free Colorado State
French Louisianna
Kingdom of Hawai'i
Industrialized Statesof America
Lakota Territory
Maritime Province
Nation of Hollywood
Navajo Nation
Protectorate of Ontario
Pacifica
People's Collective
Republic of Texas
Republique De Qubec
The Theocracy of Utah

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Alaska:

Land of green forests, black gold, and Red and White Russians. The Russian Civil War continues in Alaska—as it does sporadically across Mother Russia—fought by refugees battling over Alaskan resources. (Highly prized are the large deposits of crude oil discovered by the Russians in the early 1930s.) The American Alaskans, once tolerant enough to accept Russian settlers, have lately started fighting both sides, advertising for mercenaries, to be paid in gold, land, or shares.

The Native Inuit, Eskimo, and Aleutian tribes just stand back and try to survive the crossfire. Of course, with an oil war raging, the Imperial Japanese are a growing presence in the southern areas of the region, offering technical assistance and dangling offers of military aid to the White Russians and Americans. The Whites are happy to have the aid, but the Americans are less needy and more wary.

Alaska is sparsely settled and considerably more primitive than the bulk of the United States' remnants. Running water, electricity, radio and telephone communication is rare and—where present—functions poorly.

The harsh terrain and relatively low population has made Alaska a useful staging area for pirate groups preying on Canadian and Russian territory and shipping.

Because of the small number of people living in the territory, Alaska has no central governing body; the various small settlements scattered throughout the territory have their own laws (much like frontier towns of America's Old West). In general, decisions are made by concerned citizens in grassroots town meetings.

Perhaps the largest, most civilized settlement is Anchorage. Anchorage's denizens are mostly subsistence Inuit fishermen, American prospectors and Canadian fur trappers. Anchorage's government, a loose representative democracy, is led by "Judge" Kevin Collins. Collins—a former Texan—forged order in Anchorage through force of will...and force of arms. As a result, most of the pirates, smugglers, and thieves that populate the Alaskan wilderness treat Anchorage as neutral territory

WOAH !!!!!!! :shock: :shock:

This is a brilliant set of posts you have made, they are in such depth and what a great history your nation has.

Congratulations.

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The Appalachain Territory

Other than some sections of the Texas border, the Appalachian Mountains may be the deadliest stretch of territory in North America—especially where the short Allegheny Front (also known as Hell's Heights) crosses the nations of Appalachia, Dixie, Columbia and the Empire State, and touches the Industrial States of America.

The Outer Banks states of Dixie continue to vie with Appalachian authorities for control of the land and the illegal liquor being funneled up from the Banks region into the ISA and the Empire State. Appalachia has long sought Empire State backing (and militia support) for its claim on the mountains, playing off the loathing most northerners have for the reborn Confederacy. Rumor has it that government-backed 'shine operations are deliberately targeted toward the ISA and not the Empire State in a gesture of goodwill (though none of these stories has yet been proved). If true, this has made strange bedfellows indeed of a dry and a wet nation.

The Appalachians are also home to more smuggler's dens and pirate havens per square mile than any other area on the continent except Free Colorado. Hell's Henchmen, who originated in the area of Hell's Heights but now plunder throughout the mountain range, operate several bases in the area, and threaten all nearby states. One rumor suggests that the Henchmen accept "tribute" from Dixie and Appalachia not to join the other side, and so continue to raid both.

The current leader of Appalachia is President Jonah McCullough, a U.S. Army veteran who fought in Europe; his record as a war hero helped win him his office. McCullough has managed—through force of will, tactical and strategic savvy, and sheer ruthlessness—to keep the pirates and criminals that populate Hell's Heights from posing a threat to the citizens of Appalachia.

Very, very shiny... and probably comparable to 1910 steampunk (sorta, partially, errr... perhaps).

Thusly, a taggishness of doom.

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Arixo

Arixo, the offspring of Arizona and New Mexico, finds itself between the rocks of Texas and Utah and the hard places of Hollywood, Free Colorado, and Mexico. Subject to raids and military pressure from each of these nations, Arixo relies on dispersed assets, relatively low population, and toll-enforcing air militias to survive.

While Arixo could probably be absorbed into any of its neighbors without too much effort, the rewards are not worth the price; Arixo has comparatively little that any of its neighbors want, relying on the three Cs—copper, cattle, and cotton—for the bulk of its exports. In addition, Arixo's sparse population has made it easier for pirate bands to set up bases. Cleaning out these pirate nests would be a long, expensive and costly fight.

Arixo is led by an elected President and a fifteen-person legislature. The current President, Theodore Davis, is forced to walk a dangerous tightrope. Secretly, he has formed alliances with many of the pirate bands that operate in Arixo, allowing them to operate within Arixo's borders so long as they do not interfere with the operations of the air militias.

So far, these arrangements have been successful. While this period of relative calm lasts, Davis is struggling to shore up his ground and air defenses. The "truce" between Arixo and the pirates can not last indefinitely, and Davis hopes to develop his military resources sufficiently in preparation.

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The Atlantic Coalition

The former states of Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island survives on cross-Atlantic and cross-American trade, financial neutrality, and strict anti-pirate patrolling. Boston serves as one of the main American clearinghouses for European imports and American exports. Although a competitor with the Empire State, the two nations find enough benefit in cooperation to avoid active rivalry.

Notable among the Coalition assets is its surface and airship cargo capacity, one of the highest person-to-ship rates on the continent. Although other nations have more zeppelins or surface ships or cargo planes, no nation has more combined cargo space. The Atlantic Coalition also makes a point of running the most direct routes possible. Other nations run their zeppelins in a hub-transfer system, but the Coalition airships run direct routes to London, Paris, Madrid, Barcelona, and Rome, nonstop. It's slightly more expensive, but hours or days faster.

Politically, the Atlantic Coalition is little more than a mutual-defense pact between the member states. While there is a central government (a President and a General Assembly) it is fairly weak. Since all participants in the Coalition benefit from the international traffic that passes through the region, there is little internal political struggle.

Currently, the leader of the Atlantic Coalition is President Augustus Mason, a solemn and taciturn man of considerable wealth and social influence. A staunch isolationist in political matters, President Mason is content to let the rest of North America handle its own affairs. Ironically, though, the international monies that filter through the Coalition are primarily used for the maintenance of the region’s air and sea defenses. Mason is constantly walking a fine line between international cooperation (largely with Europe) and isolationism (particularly where North American nations are concerned).

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Columbia

Guilt by association is a recurring nightmare for neutral Columbia, which dreams of someday putting the fractured United States of America back together again. Unfairly accused of collaborating with every act of terror committed by the Unionist movement, Columbia always loses what political headway it gains between atrocities. (In fact, Columbia has itself been the target of Unionist attacks.)

Recently, after Columbia's failure to rout Hell's Henchmen from the mountains surrounding Piedmont, the Empire State crossed the border and destroyed the pirate haven. When Piedmont authorities broadcast mild threats in response to the uninvited assistance, one Broadway Bomber (whose name remains undisclosed) peeled off and took out Piedmont's aerodrome communications tower.

Columbia serves as neutral ground, the inter-American meeting house for the squabbling nation-states, and to a lesser extent other nations from Europe and abroad. The League of Nations, headquartered in Washington, has representatives from virtually all of the North American countries (as well as delegates from around the globe). These nations maintain embassies in Columbia (notably in Washington), making the city a chaotic potpourri of cultures.

The inflow of monies from other nations provides a large slice of Columbia's economy. Unfortunately, this neutrality makes Columbia the espionage and shady-deal capital of the continent, with American and European radicals and political refugees of every stripe flocking to the city.

Columbia is a nation of contrasts: a home to nationalists in a shattered nation; the former symbol of democracy, held under a state of low-grade martial law; a "dry" state, filled with ambassadors and dignitaries that routinely ignore the law.

After Columbia became an independent nation in 1932, President Calvin Coolidge declared a state of emergency. The remaining military personnel of the former United States Army act as local police, border guards, and defense force. This has little impact on the life of the average Columbia citizen; the military is far too busy protecting the country’s borders from outside aggression to do more than token policing of the general populace.

Perhaps the greatest irony of life in Columbia is its stance on Prohibition. The banning of alcohol can arguably be termed one of the leading causes of the United States’ breakup. Coolidge maintained the policy after assuming control; despite this, there is a thriving social culture in Washington itself, where diplomats and dignitaries—with immunity from prosecution—host lavish gatherings, where alcohol is in copious supply.

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The Confederation of Dixie

The Confederation of Dixie is a loose collection of the staunchest Regionalist states on the continent. The main trait the nation-states of the New South have in common is a commitment to state government. There are few national laws, with most governing and regulation on a state level. Some of the Confederate states are wet, others dry, still others "damp" (allowing beer and wine, but no liquor).

Most national cooperation is directed toward defense and militia support, although each state maintains its own militias. Even this is largely a matter of state control, as the 1935 air battles between Alabama and Louisiana demonstrates; most of the Confederacy maintained relations with Louisiana throughout the conflict. Indeed, several Confederate states maintain state consulates parallel to the Confederate embassies.

Dixie has become something of an international player, courting alliances with the British (which provided the first Confederacy some support in the days of the American Civil War). As a result, British aircraft and munitions manufacturers have helped turn the Dixie militias into serious fighting forces. While foreign aid is still relatively modest, Dixie forces are generally well-equipped and effective.

Dixie’s government is based largely on the original Confederate ruling structure; individual states within the Confederation are clearly more powerful than the central government. The current President of the Confederacy, Robert Turner (a charismatic Southern Gentleman from Mississippi) has managed to forge strong political ties between the member states, though his leadership was tested in 1935, when Alabama launched itself into conflict with Louisiana

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Disputed Western Territories

Go to each Western nation, find a map, and you will see a different border for the Disputed Territories. The former states of Nevada, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming splintered with the nation, leaving flinders of government scattered across their lands.

Utah claims the whole of the State of Idaho up to the Canadian border, and a large section of western Montana; the locals largely disagree, and no serious attempt to enforce this claim above southern Idaho has succeeded, although Utah colonists press on into Idaho territory.

The Lakota Territory carved itself out of sections of the Dakotas and eastern Montana, and no one really wants the area enough to dispute their claim.

The bulk of Nevada is desert, not even worth the effort of laying claim to. Most of the inhabitants southeast of the Sierra Nevadas are desert air pirates, scrub ranchers, and rattlesnakes. The Nevada mountain towns seem willing to claim allegiance to either Hollywood or Pacifica, whichever can keep the desert pirates off.

Montana and Wyoming have largely fragmented. All government is local, and the locals seem determined to keep it that way. The population is completely disgusted with national government, and aims to show that local government can perform far better than any distant bureaucracy. Portions of Wyoming and Montana have been claimed by other states, but by and large this is the most lawless and best armed stretch of the West.

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The Empire State

The Empire State was formed almost immediately after Texas’ secession in 1930. Led by popular President Fiorello La Guardia , the Empire State has rapidly become the focus of political and economic power in North America (which has led to a fierce rivalry with the Industrial States of America). The Empire State covets the ISA's industrial capacity, while the ISA would love to have New York's status as the North American continent's leading political power and chief trading center.

The mutual rivalry between the Empire State and the ISA can only lead to further conflict, especially considering President La Guardia's recent alliance with the notorious sky pirate, the Black Swan; she and her band will certainly find targets of opportunity westward of the Empire State. When challenged about the Black Swan, La Guardia points out that the Red Skull Legion has been based in the ISA for years and is almost certainly "encouraged" by the ISA's government.

This economic rivalry is exceeded only by the clash between the Empire State and the Nation of Hollywood. Each claims to be the center of culture in North America, contentions that have created tension between the two nations. These tensions were exacerbated by a botched trade negotiation between them; Hollywood responded by threatening an embargo of entertainment properties (movies, radio shows and so on). Since that incident, Hollywood has treated the Empire State with suspicion, and neither side shows any signs of backing down.

The Empire State cannot focus on its western border for long; with the recent air strike into Manhattan by the Confederation of Dixie, the southern passages into this nation are more heavily patrolled as President La Guardia considers reprisals. Speculation abounds whether the strike offers proof of Appalachian complicity, a nation of long-standing neutrality. The so-called experts are in disagreement, and the lack of real authority in the Appalachian Mountains argues against trust between a "wet" and a "dry" nation.

Additionally, the Empire State has the nation of Quebec to the North, serving as a haven for bootleggers and pirates, and an unconfirmed neutrality agreement with the Atlantic Coalition and Maritime Provinces states

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Free Colorado

Like the Republic of Texas, the Free Colorado State doesn't much care who it upsets. Where Texas deliberately antagonizes other nations, Free Colorado is simply too freewheeling to notice. With its mountain-based cities, Free Colorado is a pirate's paradise. Currently, the pirate-controlled city of Boulder and the "free city" of Denver are the leading political capitals, though it is difficult to say which has the real power.

Surrounded by dry nations, Boulder's primary interest lies in running alcohol into those areas, along with the occasional raid of resources. In addition, a thriving outlaw mechanic industry has formed in Colorado, with scores of machinists and aircraft experts performing illegal and dangerous modifications on pirate craft.

The Denver government maintains ties to Appalachia, The Confederation of Dixie, and the Nation of Hollywood, all wet nations. Utah is the highest-profile target of Free Colorado illegal activities, and the Utah militias are constantly fighting off raiders and smugglers who come in over the Roan Plateau. The Navajo Nation has put standing bounties on the heads of Free Colorado's most successful smugglers; more recently, Texas has turned its red eye toward Free Colorado for the sacking of Amarillo.

The current leader of Free Colorado (in any official capacity) is "The Honorable" Governor Longfellow Page, who claims to be a "writer, poet, scholar, scientist and gentleman"—all claims of dubious veracity. Despite his checkered past, Page has done an admirable job of pleasing his constituents (generally made up of those who did not favor strong government involvement in day-to-day affairs). Given Page’s general dislike of work, this attitude suits him well.

Unofficially, the capital of Colorado is not Denver; rather it is a miniature city, constructed high atop Mount Wausa: Sky Haven. A nest of pirates, bootleggers and criminals, the real seat of power is this secret city. The approach to Sky Haven is precarious; small craft that are not instantly recognized are gunned down on sight, while larger craft (such as zeppelins) must know the precise approach, through narrow, twisting canyons. Failure to negotiate the labyrinthine passageways results in a spectacular crash (and the occasional strafing run from Sky Haven’s inhabitants).

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French Louisianna

The first state to split with the new Confederacy of Dixie was Louisiana, which maintains cultural ties to France. Louisiana was the wettest of the Confederate states, with a large French-speaking population, Napoleonic law, and large Catholic population. The Louisiana-Confederacy match was doomed, and divorce quick (and the Confederacy could hardly complain: state independence is part of the Confederate creed).

Since then, French Louisiana has leaned heavily on the Mother Country and other Francophone nations, mainly Haiti and Quebec, for support and trade. A poor nation surrounded by hostile—or at best, neutral—nations, dependent on trade, Louisiana floats its economy on legal and illegal alcohol trade.

Agriculture, salt exports, Gulf Fishing, and Mississippi River trade are the backbone of Louisiana's economy. The state is defended by wily "Swamp-Bat" militia pilots and a French Foreign Legion division (mainly against aggressive Texas Air Rangers), but also on guard against renewed Alabama agression.

The President of Louisiana is in the process of negotiating with France, hoping for a more formal relationship with the European power. Surrounded by enemies on all sides, crippled by a weak economy, and equipped with only a light military, the presence of French Foreign Legion troops is virtually all that prevents Louisiana from being swept off the map; currently, no North American nation is prepared for a conflict with a major European power

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The Kingdom of Hawai'i

Like the other native nations formerly under the U.S. government, the Hawaiian, Philippine and other territorial Islands saw the disintegration of the U.S.A. as the death of an overlord. No tears were shed for the loss of Federal government, and Unionism is virtually unheard-of in the former territories.

While the Lakota and Navajo nations are regarded on the continent as the only Native-ruled states to come out of the dissolution of the U.S., this attitude ignores the rise of the Kingdom of Hawaii and the re-emergent sovereign states among the various former US territories. Hawaii lacks heavy industry, but thrives on sugar cane exports and port services, providing the only real island port in the central Pacific.

Hawaii’s leader, King Jonah Kuhio Kalaniana ‘ole, wisely realized his kingdom could profit from the destabilization of North America. While outwardly neutral, King Jonah has met with many heads of state from around the globe, hoping to strike trade and defense pacts that would benefit Hawaii. Hollywood, White and Red Russians, and Imperial Japan have ongoing diplomatic missions to Hawaii, since whoever controls Hawaii controls the Pacific.

Kaliana ‘ole has no interest in seeing his nation dominated by outsiders, and walks a tightrope of political intrigue, constantly pitting his nation’s "suitors" against each other and reaping the benefits where he can. Pacifica, able to skirt the Alaska-Far East shipping lanes, is less dependant on Hawaiian ports and has less reason to keep on the Kingdom's good side. Trade conflicts and shipping lane clashes have led to an ongoing Pacifica-Hawaii quarrel.

Hawaii suffers from a plague of piracy, since raiders have room to maneuver over the expanses of the Pacific. Pirates routinely attack sea and air traffic near the island, striking from out of the Aleutians, central Polynesians, even from temporary bases on Wake Island, Johnston Atoll, and even some Hawaiian islands. One of King Jonah's many deals with foreign powers has netted the Kingdom a powerful air militia (supplied with the some of the best planes Hollywood and Japan have to offer).

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Industrial States of America

The manufacturing giant of the continent, the Industrial States of America has more industrial capacity than its two closest competitors combined. The I.S.A. produces airplanes, zeppelins, automobiles, engines, weapons, appliances, tools, and virtually anything else that can be fabricated. It is also blessed with a large and varied agricultural base, producing enough food to feed its own citizens and export surplus to foreign markets. It retains an impressive internal road and rail network, serving the logistical needs of the six Industrial States well.

The only thing the ISA really lacks is access to markets: the ISA is surrounded by rivals and enemies, none of whom make it easy to get to market. All waterborne shipping into and out of the Great Lakes region is either subject to heavy tariff or refused passage by the Empire State. Ontario's neutrality allows a small loophole, though the ISA finds Ontario's handling fees only marginally more acceptable. Quebec's tariffs are just as bad as Ontario's and the other Canadian alternatives. French Louisiana is more affordable, but shipping down the Mississippi requires small but additive handling fees for Arkansas, Missouri, and Mississippi, and from Appalachia. The ISA can hardly complain; the Confederation of Dixie states make up a large percentage of the ISA's continental market. Zeppelin air cargo is cheaper per shipment, but air freight continues to be expensive in bulk, and is subject to air piracy.

The ISA is nominally governed by a President and a Representative House. The ISA President, Franklin August, has only modest power and acts more as a figurehead. He defers to the wishes of a shadowy council of businessmen and financiers who provide the nation’s financial and military backing.

The Empire State is the ISA's main rival, although the People's Collective remains the factory lords' greatest nightmare. This sprawling socialist nation runs the western length of the ISA. Although mainly agricultural, the Collective does have the industrial capacity to supply its own military and domestic needs, and threatens to raise the ire of the factory workers, possibly rousing the now-broken unions once again into action.

OOC:

Cool, I was wondering when someone would do a Crimson Skies RP.