SummaryThe year is 1874. The Confederacy won the civil war almost ten years ago. These are no longer the United States of America, this is no longer the land of the free (if it ever was...). It is the land of the chained, an empire of slavery founded on racism and cruelty, ruled absolutely by the new American aristocracy, The Gentry.
This game will be an alternate history/weird western where the CSA won the civil war and the PCs are among the few remaining resistance fighters who operate the underground railroad and strike at the Gentry where and whenever they can. They call themselves Rail-Splitters after their hero Lincoln, who died a martyr's death when Lee burned Washington to the ground. Surrounded by the enemy, they fight a desperate struggle against a seemingly unstoppable evil.
So where does the weird come from? Humans are not alone in the West. The Pleistocene extinctions that happened in our world never occurred in this one meaning the West is full of giant beasts, mastodons, dire wolves, saber cats, terror birds, giant beavers, thunder birds, giant armadillos (glyptodons), giant sloth (megatherium), cave bears, camels and even stranger creatures. The native people also speak of a demon, the Wendigo or Devourer, that the white man stirred awake by his greed, a spirit plague that twists both man and animal. Although, 'civilized' peoples generally dismiss native superstitions as just that, the victory of the Confederacy does seem dependent on a series of fateful yet mysterious events, the disappearance of generals and whole armies into the wilderness.
For this game I envision a stirring story populated by well written and deliciously evil villains. You will see classic elements of the Western genre mixed with a dose of Cthulhu style horror and topped with the kind of guns, blazing desperation that is the hallmark of stories like Inglorious Bastards, Jango Unchained and Wolfenstein: The New Order. Although an RP heavy on action, I expect to see all types of characters for the Rail-splitters are not all hardened Union veterans and gunslingers, nor do they all rely purely on violence to fight against the institution of slavery.
Time LineMay, 1863: General Stonewall Jackson is shot by his own men... but makes an unexpected recovery.
July, 1863: Confederacy wins a remarkable victory at Gettysburg.
August, 1863: Army of Northern Virginia sets fire to Washington DC. Lincoln, who refused to leave the capitol, is presumed dead
September, 1863: Sherman's 5th division vanishes strangely in the Carolina backcountry.
November, 1863: The Spanish and French both sign agreements with the CSA to aid them in return for help bringing their former colonies (notably Mexico) to heel.
Decenmber-March, 1863-1864: A brutal winter, unlike any ever recorded, pounds the north, while southern armies enjoy a renewed flow of supplies and armorments thanks to European gold.
April, 1864: The remains of the Army of the Potomac clashes with Lee at the Battle of Philadelphia. A shell from one of the Confederate howitzers shatters the liberty bell, a telling omen.
June 1864: Aided by French troops and Indian conscripts, the Southern Army encircles the last great Union army at New York. Spanish warships and Confederate ironclads seal the trap from sea.
August 1864: After nearly two months of brutal siege, General Hooker surrenders his remaining troops and Confederate and French soldiers march into Manhattan.
September 1864: Formal unconditional surrender signed by President Johnson, 'Agrressor States' are put under temporary military jurisdiction
November 1864: Northern politicians are pressed into signing a new constitution modeled after the Articles of Confederation and codifying the subhuman status of African Americans. Following its signature, all blacks in all states are remanded to slavery. Their sale will be used to pay Confederate war debts. The Constitution also identifies a so called 'Gentry Class', namely white Anglosaxon protestants. Only this class can legally run for political office or vote in elections. Also, unsurprisingly, it makes slave importation from Africa legal once more.
March 1865: Nate Forrest founds the Klu Klux Klan to hunt down free blacks and yankee troublemakers in Agressor States.
April-September 1865: The CSA participates in The Spanish-Mexican War returning Mexico to her formal colonial master. In the North they aid France in retaking much of Canada and claim some territory for their own.
August 1865: Confederate and Spanish entrepreneurs begin operations in Florida which will convert it into the world's premere slave market. Captives are brought in from African and bred there like livestock in horrid, inhuman conditions.
November 1865: The KKK is officially recognized as a law enforcement agency and starts taking on a 'secret police' role in the new CSA.
April 1866: President Jefferson Davis issues an order which closes down most immigration, excluding the gentry class, into the Confederacy.
March 1867: The Young Knights of the Confederacy, a youth organization modeled on the KKK and instilling white christian values in gentile children is founded.
June 1868: The transcontinental line is completed with the meager death toll of only 2,130 slaves, well below confederate estimates. The ceremonial driving of the last golden spike by President Davis, however, is interrupted when Railsplitters detonate a nitroglycerin explosive, the same type which claimed the lives of so many enslaved railway workers, among the assembled Gentry. Davis is crippled in the attack and swears vengeance on the terrorists.
October 1868: Lee publishes his memoirs entitled Regrets. In it he argues that it was a mistake to take an aggressive course in the war and even hints that he has changed his mind on the institution of slavery. Lee's book is banned by the Confederate government and Lee himself is quietly remanded to house arrest.
May 1869-1871: Increased white activity in Indian lands including illegal gold mining and the poaching of bison,
Stag-moose, and mammoth for ivory stokes resentment among the various tribes of the Midwest and Confederate Canada.
November 1870: Stonewall Jackson, the famous civil war general, is 'elected' president.
March 1871: The first amendment to the new constitution is passed without dissent and extends the institution of slavery to encompass Native and Asian Americans, though chattel slavery of these people (including intensive breeding) is outlawed based on the pronouncement of confederate race 'scientists' that 'Redskins' and 'Mongoloids' are too strong willed to be fully domesticated. None the less, secretive 'breeders' continue to produce 'stock' illegally for select buyers with exotic tastes.
April 1871: Buffalo Soldiers, slave soldiers, are employed in massive numbers against the plains Indians. The plan backfires when the slaves join the enemy resulting in the Great Plains War. Stonewall dispatches General Jeb Stewert to quell the revolt.
October 1871: Stuart's cavalry conducts a brutal war employing
Terror Birds, a new warmount domesticated by the Spanish. He puts every rebel black he finds to death, often feeding them to his birds. Those natives not killed are enslaved including thousands of women and children.
June 1872: The Plains uprising is put down and much of the native population placed chains. Across the nation, enslavement becomes the new guiding policy of Indian affairs. Crazyhorse, however, is never captured.
August 1872: Following the enslavement of most of the Plains tribes and the annexation of their territory, Deadwood, once an illegal settlement in the Blackhills, begins to grow into a major city fueled by the land's mineral wealth and already established slave 'breeders'. In time it becomes known as the 'Manhattan' of the West, a title which may or may not be tongue-in-cheek.
February 1873: An escaped slave, alias John Henry, earns a name for crushing the skulls of Gentile slave owners with a sledgehammer. He organizes a slave rebellion in Alabama and marches south to free the hundreds of thousands bound in Florida. He is stopped at the Okefenokee and, to avoid making him a martyr, he is remanded to one of the KKK's secret prisons.
January 1874: The underground railroad, whose members call themselves railsplitters, receive a heavy blow when their main headquarters in Philidelphia is raided and the resistance leaders publically executed.
February 1874: The Present
Rules for Players1) GM reserves the right to reject applicants for any reason up to and including them thinking Dragon Ball Z is a good anime.
2) Do your research. If you're a native, know your tribe and its culture. If you're a freed slave, know your roots.
3) Don't flame or troll the OOC. Just don't be a douche.
4) Post 2/week minimum, daily maximum.
5) Keep all posts in third person limited. This is an RP, we can't hear your character's internal monologue and we probably don't want to
6) Understand that longer post =/= better post. Avoid novella posts which are tediously and needless long and/or skip ahead in time preventing other players from reacting to ongoing events.
Rules for GM1) No GM bullshit or Deus Ex Machina (changing the rules to produce a desired story result)
2) No godmoding PCs (allies are fair game)
3) Players can do anything they want so long as it is in character and doesn't break the group permanently apart
Player Information
Sometimes called New Dixie, the Confederate States of America (CSA) only barely live up to their name. The new constitution drawn up after the war detracts power from Congress, ostensibly to return power to the States, but the result has been a more powerful, almost dictatorial executive branch. Although still elected, since only the Gentry can vote, the contest is usually between two flavors of the same white, racist fruit. Unlike the original constitution, the confederate constitution (sometimes called the second articles of confederation) make a point to codify and legalize slavery. The first ammendment to this constitution extended that slavery to encompass Native Americans and Chinese in addition to blacks. New Dixie is symbolized by the same flag confederates marched under during the war, the Stars and Bars. In trying to differentiate herself from the Union but remain true to American roots, her animal is the golden eagle, often appearing in gilded metal on the uniform of Confederate soldiers. The territory claimed by New Dixie is slightly different than that claimed by the United States at the same time. Parts of Canada, won during the Franco-Canadian Wars are part of the country as are parts of Mexico taken during the Spanish conquests in which the Confederacy participated. Most of the West is still composed of territories and Florida also still remains a territory and is technically under joint rule with the Spanish (one of New Dixie's close allies and partners in the slave trade). Although still a diverse land, the Confederacy is less so due to the clamp on nonwhite, nonslave immigration imposed by the nativist administrations.
The game will begin in Richmond, the Capitol of the New Confederacy. The city has been greatly enriched by the flood of wealth from the slave trade and is now a major metropolis, comparable to New York and Chicago. Confederate architecture leans heavily on classical styles and the city is dominated by marble and brick columnar edifices. At the center of the city is the Lee Memorial, a huge statue of a penitent General Lee, kneeling in prayer and receiving the divine blessing no doubt responsible for confederate victory. Beneath the statue, hollowed in its concrete base, is the local cell of the resistance movement, the Railsplitters hides in plain sight. These are cramped quarters attached to the Richmond sewers. From here runaways are slipped out, and with any luck, North to what remains of free Canada. Meanwhile weapons shipments come in destined to be used by the 'terrorists' on politicians, soldiers, overseers, and anyone who supports the vile institution of the slavery.
The Gentry are the ruling class of the new Confederate order. Modeled on the plantation owners of the South and displaying a refined pomposity of manner, dress, and taste, they dominate all of American society. Even in the North, Southern Gentlemen and Belles top the social order. Those wishing to advance themselves will often mimic the accent, the Southern drawl, of their conquerors and do whatever it takes to avoid looking like a yankee. The Gentry class (singular, Gentiles) is even codified in law as being white, of Western European origin, protestant and owning not less than one hectare of land. Only Gentile men can run for office and only Gentile men can vote. Oddly enough the Gentry see themselves as a kind of modern noble class, the heads of an emerging feudal world order, based on virtue, chivalry, and, of course, racial and cultural purity. Like all embodiements of evil throughout time, they see themselves as the epitome of all that is good in humanity.
North America is a land of giants, huge mammals and birds, relics of the last ice age, preserved by a cold climate and the careful stewerdship of tribal huntsmen. Among the most economically important are the bison, the stag-elk (a giant elk) and the mammoth. The stag-elks or great elk are the preferred mounts of many Indian tribes, notably the Plains Indians. Although possessing less stamina and hauling power than horses, the elk is capable of rapid acceleration and incredible acrobatics. Whites, however, have failed to domesticate these wild beasts for their spirits, unlike those of horses, refuse to break. The mammoths are greatly prized for their ivory and the vision of herds rotting, their tusks cut, is an all to common sight in modern times. Bison to are the target of poachers, in their case mainly for their hides. Other animals of the West pose a grave danger to humans. The sabercats and direwolves still stalk the wilderness and hunt humans as a matter of course. In the arid south Terror Birds, wild cousins of those tamed by the Spanish, still stalk the sands. In the sky, the mighty thunderbirds, condors which dwarf eagles soar with ten meter wingspans and in the rugged mountains, the cave bear, mightiest of beasts roams. Among the strangest of these denizens are the giant armidillo, the glyptodon, and the ground sloth, megatherium. Both animals were domesticated by native peoples and are often used to carry travois across the prairie. Finally in the south there is the North American camel, the camelops, a favored pack animal for mineral prospectors.
Sometimes called Raptors or Coatyl after the mythological bird monster of Aztec legend, the Terror Birds are a bipedal species of predatory avifauna originally native to South America. After the continents merged, they migrated up Central America and into Mexico. There they were an object of adoration by the Aztecs who made them the symbol of their God, Quetzalcoatl. The Spanish invader and treasure hunter, Cortez immediately recognized the potential of the birds as a mount and brought several captive animals and eggs back with him to Spain. Like many birds, the Coatyl imprint soon after hatching and so were easily domesticated. Captive breeding and training soon turned the temple idols of the Aztecs into a weapon of war. Coatyls have many advantages over horses. They are by nature fearless and aggressive, making them ideal for combat. Their sharp talons and beak make for gruesome weapons and they are far more agile than horses, able to accelerate quickly and turn on a dime. On the downside, they lack the stamina and hauling power of horses and riding requires extensive training without which the animals can be as dangerous to the rider and his fellows as to the enemy. Coatyl were used mainly by the Spanish and Mexican cavalry until the Civil War when, after the Spanish signed on as allies, they sent calvary officers to train some select rebel soldiers including Jeb Stuart. Already late in the war, the new confederate raptors contributed little to the victory, but those who faced off against them still tell horror stories. In recent times, the coatyl were employed most successfully in the Great Plains Wars where the natives, usually at an advantage on their swift elk, found the tables turned when they came up against Stuart's terror birds.
In many ways the coatyl has become a symbol of the confederacy and the Gentry. It is a beautiful, bloothirsty animal, preening itself constantly and viewing all about it with a cold, arrogant and utterly superior glare. The living embodiement of the confederate aristocracy.
In Confederate America, slavery has gone industrial. The wealthy magnates of the North were quick to adapt to the new power structure, many shifting their labor forces from paid immigrants to black slaves. This resulted in Irish riots throughout the North many of which were put down brutally by Confederate troops. Due to the plentitude of cheap labor, there was somewhat less incentive for innovation and so technology has progressed slower than in our own timeline. Repeating rifles are just starting to become available, many firearms still employ the old cap and ball technology and muskets are still widely in use. The hordes cheap labor, however, have aided railroad construction leading to the completion of the first transcontinental route in 1868 and the tight interlocking of both coasts by iron rail. Steam derived from coal is, of course, the main power source while lighting is provided either by candle or oil. On the ocean, confederate technology is somewhat ahead of the curve due to wartime experimentation. Dixie submarine and ironclad technology is the most advanced in the world allowing them to transport their 'slave stock' with untold security and reliability.
Religion is a huge part of people's lives in the 1870s and informs their views on many things including slavery. Most protestant denominations currently support slavery, under the premise that blacks are a child-like race who need the 'benevolent' hand of whites to guide them. There are some notable exceptions. The Quakers in particular have been a thorn in the side of the Confederacy. Many Railsplitters are Quakers and Quaker households are the backbone of the underground railroad in the North. This has resulted in persecution from the KKK who have razed Quaker farms and even abducted them in the night on the suspicion of aiding runaways. Catholics fair little better under the nativist regime of the confederates. They see Catholics as foreigners taking their orders from Rome and incapable of being true Americans. The Mormans vary in their opinions. Some attempt to fall into line with the confederacy and explain the slavery of blacks through their own beliefs as being part of the curse of Ham. Others cite Smiths own abolitionist sentiments and speak out against the institution. Jews fair little better than Catholics under the new regime and are a constant target of harassment by the KKK.
As the Gestapo is to Nazi Germany, so the KKK is to the Confederacy. An elite law enforcement agency full of ideologues completely devoted to the concepts of white supremacy and manifest destiny, it operates with unquestioned authority throughout the Confederate States. Although the Klan do their fair share of terrorizing, their main function in the Confederacy is the hunting down of runaways and anyone who aids them. They are the most feared enemy of slaves and abolitionists alike for their spies and informants are everywhere and come in the most unassuming guises. Like our own KKK, members conceal their identity, but not for fear of retribution but rather to allow them to spy on their neighbors without evoking suspicion. The KKK operate a number of secret prisons throughout America where dissidents are taken, usually never to return. More often, however, the Klan simply murders troublemakers. Since they model themselves after medieval knights, Klansmen are fond of romantic archaic weapons such as swords and sabers and often prefer running their enemies through as opposed to shooting them. Klan membership is considered highly honorable among the Gentry and many powerful politicians, businessmen and landowners are members. However, a great many common thugs who just happen to be white, don the ghostly sheets. In addition to their policing activities, the KKK also serves as a model for the country's most popular youth organization, The Young Knights of the Confederacy. Here young white children are inducted into the racist mythology of the new America and from this pool of indoctrinated youth the Klan recruits new members.
Beliefs in supernatural forces, angels, spirits, ghosts, and demons, are popular among all peoples of 19th century America. Among the abolitionists, some explain the victory of the Confederacy through the intervention of Lucifer who hopes to swell the ranks of the damned by promoting the evil of slavery. The Gentry, on the other hand, see their victory as divine retribution for Northern aggression and tell stories about the angel Michael being sent to aid General Lee's armies. Some blacks, retaining their African roots, see the world through an animistic lens and in the south (Florida in particular) vodoun cults are flourishing. Native Americans share a similar animistic world view and chief among their beliefs is the idea of a formless evil, always hungry, which consumes souls, twisting body and mind in the process. Tribes call this demiurge by many names, but the most well known is Wendigo, the Devourer. Some natives associate the Wendigo with the whiteman sometimes going so far as to equate the two.
Outlaws are somewhat more a problem in the Confederate timeline for the spread of slavery has meant the lack of employment for many poor whites and war veterans. Those unable to climb into the artisan class or find skilled labor unavailable to slaves, often turn to crime. In the West, roving bands of such outlaws are common place and in the East organized crime, bolstered by high Confederate state taxes on alcohol, gambling restrictions and other blue laws, has experienced a resurgence. The confederate response to the crime wave has been, unsurprisingly brutal. The texas rangers, who've become the main arm of confederate law in the postwar West, tend to shoot first and ask questions later. The murders of suspected outlaws by Sherrifs and Rangers are rarely, if ever, investigated. This policy has resulted in the deaths of many innocent people and a growing mistrust of law enforcement, especially in the West. The now disbanded Marshals are counted by some as outlaws and others as vigilantes in this new West. Rejecting the policies of the confederacy, many became independent agents roaming the west as an almost pseudoknightly order, dispensing justice in accordance with the old law, and using the American flag, the stars and stripes, as their symbol. Many Marshals work on behalf of or are connected with the Railsplitters and other resistance movements.
Name:
Archetype: (example: War Vet, Blacksmith, Medicine Man, Gunslinger, Gambler, Freedman, etc.)
Race/Ethnicity:
Religion/Culture:
Appearance: (don't you dare use an anime picture
, Extra points for old historical photos
)
Background:
Skills:
Talent: (What your character is best at. In game terms you will only rarely fail doing this thing. Can not be 'Being Awesome'
)
Flaw: (This is what the GM uses to fuck with you
)
Motivation: (Why do you fight?)
Cast-Earl Tyler Taylor, Archetype: Sharpshooter
-Dr. Henry Shaw, Archetype: Doctor
-Alexandra, Archetype: Indentured Prostitute
-Temitope, Archetype: Yorùbá Slave
