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Origin Pre-War Post-War What Outsiders Know The Reality Population Territory and Locations Organization Government, National and Local Justice, Social Control, Punishment Political Factions, Dissent Famous/Infamous Persons Relationships with Other Groups Culture Ethnic Groups, Immigration and Emigration Social Divisions and Castes Religion, Beliefs and Superstition Morality and Values Progress and Failure Family, Age, Sexuality and Gender Education and Language Environment and Agriculture Food Art and Entertainment, Music, Literature, Recreation Fashion and Appearance Urban and Rural Areas, Architecture Equipment and Resources Economy Science, Medicine and Technology Weapons and Military Equipment Communications Vehicles Aircraft Watercraft

 

 

      This organization of survivalists and survivors in the Northwest has been divided into factions in recent decades. The Purity Corp and the Hand of Jehovah both divided from the Combine over ideological issues, and have been at more or less open war ever since.

Origin

 

Pre-War

     While most of the people who founded the UC were ordinary small-town inhabitants of Washington state, a good proportion of survivalists rose to leadership roles immediately after the War.

 

Post-War

     There was not much contact, or opportunity for strife, during the Long Winter. In 2040, the United Combine had formed as an umbrella organization for various surviving communities in central Washington state and the Willamette valley in Oregon; but within a few years tensions in the Combine tore it apart.

     The Purists wanted to purge people who showed signs of deviant behavior, or those with mutations; they also advocated segregating communities by their ethnic heritage. The PC were, in a nutshell, racists.

     The Hand of Jehovah wanted to require churches in every community, and strict adherence to their strange version of fundamentalist Christianity.

     The Free Peoples Militia represented the faction focused on rebuilding society and trade.

     The so-called Convention of the Remnants, in 2050, was the last time the various communities attempted to work together. The Free Peoples Militia claimed the leadership of the United Combine -- since the Hand of Jehovah and the Purity Corp had stormed out. Within a few months, communities within the former Combine were raiding each other -- the War of the Remnants had begun, and continues to this day.

 

What Outsiders Know

     Outside of the Northwest, the Combine is barely known of. Within the Northwest, it's very well known. Except by its enemies, the Combine is respected for supporting the rule of law, and a general preservation of human rights.

 

The Reality

     The United Combine believes in inventing a new future from the ashes of the old and endorses a slow and cautious emergence from this era of barbarism into the future. The U.C. believes in engaging potential enemies with diplomacy rather than force -- the Hand of Jehovah and the Purity Corp are proven enemies, however. Foolhardy endeavors and unchecked expansion have led to bitter defeats for the Combine in the past, and so today the U.C. remains guarded against the well-intentioned but shortsighted calls to “drive ever forward” heard from many of its well-meaning but overenthusiastic citizens.

     Individual communities are largely self-governing, with their own local laws and beliefs.

 

Population

     There are about 50,000 people living in the Willamette Valley, mostly members of the Combine; there might be as many as 20,000 more living in Combine communities north of the Columbia River.

 

Territory and Locations

     Combine communities are found from the Willamette Valley in Oregon, all the way into the Canadian Rockies in British Columbia. The major communities are:

 

• Eden:  in the Canadian Rockies

• Corvallis:  in the Willamette Valley; the university turns out doctors and school teachers. Population about 1500.
  

• Oregon City:  at the northern end of the Willamette Valley, in Oregon. An important commercial and industrial center, population about 3000.

• Peoria:  known before the War as Shedd. Population about 7000 spread over a score of towns.

 

      Unfortunately, the Purity Corp and the Hand of Jehovah control many central Washington communities, dividing the Combine into two halves.

 

Organization

 

     Note that much of this section applies only to Combine communities north of the Columbia.

 

Government, National and Local

 

     Each community sends one or two representatives to the Convention (the larger towns send two members). The Convention in turn selects a Leader. The Combine employs Regulators as police and highway patrol; the communities provide Minutemen as community defense.

 

Justice, Social Control, Punishment

     Violations of the Doctrines can result in fines, banishment, or death.

 

Political Factions, Dissent

     The most notable division is between communities north and south of the Columbia River. South of the river, the Combine has little influence -- it's sort of a "United Nations" arrangement. North of the river, there is more cultural unity, but local leaders spend more effort to increase their power within the Combine.

 

Famous/Infamous Persons

 

     The current Leader is Duncan Clark, a smart, charismatic, lucky fellow.

 

Relationships with Other Groups

     The Combine north of the Columbia River is very wary of travelers and other groups. Only the People's Army, Mountain Walkers, and River Folk can expect easy entrance and good relations. The Purity Corp and Pale Riders are attacked at on sight; members of the Hand of Jehovah might get a slightly better reception (the Hand has been concentrating its aggressions to the east lately). Bone City and Fort Boise are unaggressive but feared. Beavertown is seen as a haven for thieves and worse; it's also the stereotypical "place you go when you've been banished".

 

Culture

 

Ethnic Groups, Immigration and Emigration

 

     Blah blah ...

 

Social Divisions and Castes

     Blah blah ...

 

Religion, Beliefs and Superstition

     Blah blah ...

 

Morality and Values

     Blah blah ...

     The "Doctrines of Unity" are supposedly followed by all Combine communities. They include support and safe haven for all Combine members, fair trade, five years of militia service (adult men only), and a reasonable amount of common law.

 

Progress and Failure

     Blah blah ...

 

Family, Age, Sexuality and Gender

     Blah blah ...

 

Education and Language

     Blah blah ...

 

Environment and Agriculture

     Blah blah ...

 

Food

     Blah blah ...

 

Art and Entertainment, Music, Literature, Recreation

     Blah blah ...

 

Fashion and Appearance

     Blah blah ...

 

Urban and Rural Areas, Architecture

     Communities within the Combine tend to be fortified with palisades and barbed wire.

 

Equipment and Resources

 

Economy

     Blah blah ...

 

Science, Medicine and Technology

     Blah blah ...

 

Weapons and Military Equipment

     Communities provide their own military equipment; in most of the smaller communities, the men in military service are expected to provide their own weapons.

 

Communications

     Blah blah ...

 

Vehicles

     Blah blah ...

 

Aircraft

     None.

 

Watercraft

     They tend to rely on the River Folk for anything more sophisticated than a row boat.