Confederation of American States

Flag of the CAS

Map of the CAS

The Confederation of American States (CAS) is a nation in North America consisting of the former US states of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Missouri, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia. It is bordered by the UCAS, Aztlan, the Pueblo Corporate Council, and the Caribbean League.

## Geopolitical Overview

Despite the simplistic facade that is often cast over what used to be the southern United States, nothing is ever simple in the Confederation. While the surface appears calm and gentle, that is just a cultural adaptation to keep others from seeing the panic and excitement below. In a society renowned for rebellion, how could it be otherwise? The South is now living on the edge of prosperity and disaster, with a growing economy and great potential working against internal dissention and an armed force camped on the border that threatens the nation's future.

The roots of the CAS were planted during the Crash of 2029, which devastated the information-based economy of the South. When the government of the north directed more resources to big business than it did to southern states, deep-rooted bitterness began to rise to the surface. After the merger of the remainder of the United States with what was left of Canada to form the UCAS, further dissent arose in the South as there was a sudden shift toward liberal government spending. Fearing that their libertarian lifestyle was being threatened, fourteen states met in Atlanta in 2032. All but Kentucky agreed to secede, resulting in a mostly peaceful separation between the two groups. The UCAS recognized the existence of the CAS in the Treaty of Richmond in 2034.

Shortly after the treaty's ratification, Aztlan invaded portions of Texas, seizing about a third of the state. The CAS was in no shape to fight back, so Texas left the Confederation. Failing any success on their own, they rejoined the CAS a year later. The nation received some measure of revenge over a quarter of a century later when the CAS inherited the Aztlan section of Denver.

Isolationist policies and a more conservative social mindset have prevented major changes from taking root in the Confederation. Other than a few border spats, they haven't had any direct confrontation with Aztlan to the south, though the two nations recently disagreed on how to react to the metastasizing tempo production facilities. Aztlan felt an attack was needed based on the danger it posed, the CAS disagreed, either because it felt other actions were warranted or it just wanted to be contrary to their enemy. The other neighboring countries have been much more amicable; from the estranged but still related UCAS to the interesting Pueblo Corporate Council to the enticing but exasperating Caribbean League, there is little major conflict.

The separation of the countries couldn't cut the family and corporate ties between the CAS and UCAS, nor could political meddling between the two. This does not mean that the UCAS is the CAS's closest ally; the PCC grew very close to the young CAS after the Azzie invasion. Threatened by the aggressive nation ot the south and sharing part of that former USA lineage, the nations have become close trading partners, although there is a cultural gap between the two societies. The Caribbean League is also a strong trading partner, through southern Florida and some of the gulf ports, though there are serious differences between the two countries when it comes to legalities. This means illicit substances are a commonly smuggled item, though illegal trafficking across Florida has dropped off lately.

While Crash 2.0 put off elections for three months, it did little to change the course of CAS politics. The True American Coalition was kept in power, and Aaron Franklin stayed in office. He was elected president yet again in 2068, but the most recent election has led to some change. Upset with the TAC, the Southern Democrats, the Southern Conservatives, and politics as usual, the Technocrat party shocked the talking heads and established powers when Ramsay McMilkin captured the Manor House. Promising to use the CAS's influence in the looming renegotiation of the Treaty of Denver to reclaim lost territory in Texas and embrace cutting-edge technology to improve the lives of all CAS citizens, the Technocrats have put themselves in a position to hit a political home run - or to take a big swing and miss.

## Major Cities

### Atlanta

During the Atlanta Secession Convention in 2032, there were three suggestions on where to put the capital of the CAS. Richmond had the advantage of being the capital of the old CSA but had the disadvantage of being the capital of the old CSA. The candidacy of Dallas/Austin/Houston was seen as a push by Texas to dominate the new government, while Atlanta was seen as the best combination of historical significance, the capacity to absorb a national government and accompanying bureaucracy, and a non-threatening location. City and state leaders were pleased at the decision and gleefully anticipated the tax dollars that would fill their coffers to be used for their pet projects, including those that might take place off the books.

Things, however, didn't always work out the way they are planned. Inadvertently emulating DeeCee, Atlanta has grown but has been unable to keep up with the changes. With half of the city under only limited control of law enforcement in the early '60s, Crash 2.0 wiped out almost all of the "limited" part of that equation. Hit harder than most by the Crash, Atlanta is still reeling. The corps, the governments, and the rich have kept their enclaves well-preserved and safe, but the rest of the sprawl is shady at best, leaving average citizens to keep a gun or two loaded and ready in case Lone Star doesn't show up in time. The unemployed masses squatting in the burnt-out husks of old buildings often slip the local gang leader a little something to stay safe.

Of course, these locales are all veritable paradises compared to the Dome. First it was Fulton County Stadium, then it was a Georgia Tech research facility roofed with a photosynthetic membrane, then it was abandoned to squatters after corp sabotage shut down the research that had been occurring. Never worth the money to clean it up even when times were good, the Dome has settled into a disreputable existence. In addition to the brawls between the insiders and the outsiders, the isolation of the bug spirits, and corporations throwing in experimental tech for testing at the expense of the inhabitants, the gargoyles living at the top have begun to get more aggressive, ratcheting up tensions throughout. In addition, serious concerns about the lifespan of the building are beginning to pop up in local politics. While no one really believes the politicians care about the residents there, officials still pay lip service to the well-being of the Dome's inhabitants, while privately indicating they are quite willing to let the structure, and everyone in it, rot.

Most recently the politics in the city have pointed toward the pending renegotiation of the Treaty of Denver. While not affecting Atlanta directly, anything that could benefit the CAS and hopefully alleviate border tensions would be a small blessing to the city. It also received a small gift when an employee at the Aztechnology subsidiary Southern Food Group was caught selling BTLs out of their offices. The government was able to void the 99-year lease they had signed in 2067, so now the city has a brand new building to fill with tenants at rock bottom prices.

### Austin

Austin is a city divided. Once the most liberal place in Texas, the city has become a veritable armed camp. The southern half is held under the close watch of Aztlan forces while the northern half has been something of a company town for Lone Star. This has only escalated with the recent discovery of a massive fraud ring beneath their very noses. Two years ago Lone Star forces raided a group of technomancers specializing in ID and data theft. Since then increased patrols have further stripped the city of any feeling of liberty or openness. Additionally, the threat across the river has caused the evacuation of ninety percent of the University of Texas to other campuses across the state. The pride of the Texas University System is now just a figurehead, kept in place as a mark of Texas resiliency.

### Dallas-Fort Worth

The heart of Texas these days is the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, as a stream of refugees catapulted the area past Houston in population. While a population serge gave Dallas bragging rights, the sudden drain on the region's resources ran tensions high. Over the last decade things have begun to settle down as the city has used the huge workforce to grow the economy. Of course, this means that the corporations have grown, and the metroplex has only managed to stay out of the pocket of a single megacorp by having almost all of them jockey for favortism. The new Saeder-Krupp tower being built in downtown Dallas will raise the stakes in the inter-corporate competition, but the mood in the city remains fairly upbeat. Life is always easier in the Dallas area when the Cowboys are winning, and with them going for a three-peat next season expect spirits to be high - along with ticket prices.

### Nashville

Everyone loves a boomtown until the chaos overcomes the newfound wealth. The new media capital of the CAS, especially in simsense content, the industry has pushed Nashville to be a major metropolis, straining the capacity of the local real estate. The latest new fad is local productions with settings in the CAS, such as *On Point*, a series about a Lone Star officer keeping the peace in Austin. Some real innovators have altered the grand plan, of course. With the media production capacity, BTLs were a logical next step for the criminals living in the shadows of the new arcologies. And with Nashville's zoning loophole that allows a red-light district to thrive, the seedier side of adult simsense has taken advantage of the laws, the availability of talent, and existing distribution networks. This hasn't sat well with Southern sensibilities.

### New Orleans

The exotic city of New Orleans was one of the first to fully embrace the magic that accompanied the Awakening, which was fortunate for them as the Sixth World didn't wait for the city's approval. The only city in North America more haunted than Duluth, this mysterious place had a rough time in the '60s, as criminal violence and spirit activity plagued the city. Just as the city started to come under a modicum of control, tempo burst onto the drug scene with a renewed smuggling industry. Sadly, this level of chaos seems almost normal for the Big Easy. Luckily there is still plenty of excitement, merriment, and political intrigue to keep New Orleans moving along.

### Norfolk

The prime naval base on the Atlantic for the CAS, Norfolk has been busier over the past few years. With dust-ups in the Gulf between the Caribbean, Azzies, and CAS, the shipyards of Norfolk have been busy building new ships and boats. Most of their ships are smaller "brown-water" vessels, but the CAS has expanded upon the larger submarine fleet to resemble the Kriegsmarine of the late 1930s. The latest class of heavy submarines is capable of surfacing and launching a half-dozen fighter craft. While the military applications are great, these SSVNs are capable of covering a lot of area while patrolling for smugglers, making them a boon even in peacetime. With the Gulf Coast bases in Pensacola and Mobile heavily involved in servicing existing ships, Norfolk can be more clandestine. Security in the area is tight, even for a military base.

### Tampa

The biggest deep shipping port for the CAS, Tampa lives and dies by the business of the megacorps. After a huge local depression following Crash 2.0, recovery has finally set in as shipping is up and jobs are growing. The golf clubs and strip joins are full, the malls are packed, and the resorts near capacity, but the underworld continues to struggle. Criminal organizations typically take advantage of a growing market, but recently the limited smuggling into the area has cut into their operations. While the CAS, backed by megacorp special interests, has cracked own on the ports, there has been some traffic across the everglades, including bootleg material, drugs, and stolen goods, much of which vanish en route. Disappearances into the Everglades are up fifty percent over the past two years, and this seems to be having a disproportionate effect on smugglers. Florida authorities are looking into it, but they have little impetus to help out the struggling criminals.

## Special Locations

### Mississippi River

The Mississippi is more than just a river. One of the biggest in the world, it also has more traffic than any other. From Minneapolis-St. Paul to the border town of St. Louis all the way to the end of the line in New Orleans, these cities rely on the cheap and easy transportation to provide jobs and tax dollars. The Awakening tossed some interesting twists into the mix - hellbenders make navigation tricky, toxic shamans flourish in some of the particularly nasty parts of the river, and the Mississippi delta near New Orleans is a giant breeding ground for disease. Recent rumors tell of larger creatures at the southern end, including reports of some beasts big enough to swallow a troll whole.

### Hellbender Valley

The Awakening brought changes not only to our way of life and to the sentient beings of the planet, but also to the flora and fauna of the world as well. In Tennessee, the giant salamander known as a hellbender finally came to match its name. Its natural habitat was reduced to a small portion of the greater Tennessee Valley, and that spot is now known as Hellbender Valley. A great abundance of paranormal plants and creatures can be found there, as well as other unexplained phenomenon. Most of the metahuman population has left the area, either by choice or in fear for their lives. The area still attracts parazoologists and tourists of various magical traditions.

### Trail of Tears

Another paranormal feature of the CAS is the astral taint along the exodus route of the Cherokee Indians, which is known as the Trail of Tears. Leading from Georgia through Tennessee, the trail leaves the CAS in Kentucky only to reappear in Southern Missouri and travel from there across Arkansas ending in Oklahoma. The taint can interfere with beings possessing a dual nature, and a higher level of paranormal activity can be found along it in general, including free spirit activity.