Commonwealth
The Commonwealth is a nation encompassing the former states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island as well as the entirety of Long Island.
In 2077, the Great War hit New England hard. The technology centres of Boston, Hartford and Providence were specifically targeted by Chinese attack. The region spent a century in brutal chaos, with small tribes of survivors struggling with subsistence hunting and gathering. By 2180, a few larger towns had gathered, protected by a volunteer army known as the Minutemen. After operating for a significant amount of time, the Minutemen attempted to establish a 'Commonwealth Provisional Government' by uniting the various settlements of the Commonwealth. These talks ended in the 2230s when an Institute Synth infiltrated a meeting and killed all of the settlements' representatives. This event would later be dubbed the CPG Massacre. And in 2281, the last Minutemen General was murdered and any hope for confederation in New England was lost.
2287 brought the Institute War. After operating in secret for 110 years, the scientists of the Cambridge Institute of Technology emerged from their underground bunker, with the ambition of ruling the Greater Boston Area. They had perfected the construction of Synths, synthetically generated humans, able to secretly replace specific humans and operating under the Institute's control. The forces of The Capitol entered the area to face the threat of the Institute and began combat operations. A clandestine group of runaway Synths, known as the Railroad, was caught between freeing Synths from the clutches of The Institute and protecting them from genocide at the hands of The Capitol. Amidst the conflict, the Minutemen reformed, focused on establishing lasting settlements in the Boston area.
The Institute War ended when the Minutemen, aided by the Railroad, destroyed The Institute's hidden underground bunker. All Synths were freed, and all Institute personnel were evacuated. The forces of The Capitol were repulsed by Minutemen artillery, the Capitol flagship destroyed and their leadership killed. A new Commonwealth Federal Assembly was established, with the Minutemen reformed into a permanent army and the Railroad shifted to an intelligence service. The former leaders of The Institute were captured and were put to public trials, where they were made to answer for their years of unethical experiments.
In 2288, a year after the destruction of The Institute, Nate DiNovo the "Sole Survivor" was leading the Minutemen as its General. A Boston family begged him to investigate the disappearance of their daughter, who apparently been convinced she was a Synth and fled to a Synth colony in Far Harbor, Maine. The Sole Survivor traveled to Far Harbor to investigate and was killed. Enraged by the loss of their hero, the Commonwealth sent troops to Far Harbor en masse, securing the island. What the Minutemen and Railroad found on that island has never been revealed to the public, and is the subject of widespread speculation.
In the 30 years since the fall of The Institute, The Commonwealth has dedicated itself to the ideals of democracy, universal suffrage and public works. With its small population and deeply contaminated land, the nation cannot field as many troops as its neighbours The Rustlands or The Capitol, but the espionage skills of The Railroad's Synths grant The Commonwealth a distinct edge in terms of military intelligence.
The Commonwealth's largest city, Boston, is populated by over 15,000 citizens. It is also the home of the Minutemen military force, the Railroad intelligence service
Boston is also the home of Publick Occurrences, a celebrated newspaper. From 2284 to 2316, the paper was edited by Piper Wright. And for years, President Natalie Kowalski-Wright worked there with her sister and Piper's daughter Qarla DiNovo. In 2316, Piper left Boston to investigate the death of her partner Nate DiNovo (the "sole survivor.') On her return journey from Far Harbor back to Boston, Piper went missing. Qarla has spent a year looking for her mother, but has discovered no leads. Suspiciously, Piper's sister Natalie seems unphased by the disappearance.
The Commonwealth is led by Natalie Kawolski-Wright, president of the Commonwealth Federal Assembly. A journalist and historian, President Kawolski-Wright is often criticized for her Boston-centric policies and subservience to the demands of the Minutemen.
The Commonwealth's currency are coins known as Commonwealth Silver.
There have been incidents recently involving Gen 2 Synths , namely an attack on a witness in a Midwest Brotherhood trial (SESSION 25: SURPRISE WITNESS) and the kidnapping of Lex Garridan (SESSION 42: LEAVING ON A JET PACK) These Synths appear new, but it is common knowledge that the Synth production facilities of The Institute were destroyed in 2287. The production of these Synths should be impossible, but they are clearly coming from somewhere.
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History
In 2077, the Great War hit New England hard. The technology centres of Boston, Hartford and Providence were specifically targeted by Chinese attack. The region spent a century in brutal chaos, with small tribes of survivors struggling with subsistence hunting and gathering. By 2180, a few larger towns had gathered, protected by a volunteer army known as the Minutemen. After operating for a significant amount of time, the Minutemen attempted to establish a 'Commonwealth Provisional Government' by uniting the various settlements of the Commonwealth. These talks ended in the 2230s when an Institute Synth infiltrated a meeting and killed all of the settlements' representatives. This event would later be dubbed the CPG Massacre. And in 2281, the last Minutemen General was murdered and any hope for confederation in New England was lost.
2287 brought the Institute War. After operating in secret for 110 years, the scientists of the Cambridge Institute of Technology emerged from their underground bunker, with the ambition of ruling the Greater Boston Area. They had perfected the construction of Synths, synthetically generated humans, able to secretly replace specific humans and operating under the Institute's control. The forces of The Capitol entered the area to face the threat of the Institute and began combat operations. A clandestine group of runaway Synths, known as the Railroad, was caught between freeing Synths from the clutches of The Institute and protecting them from genocide at the hands of The Capitol. Amidst the conflict, the Minutemen reformed, focused on establishing lasting settlements in the Boston area.
The Institute War ended when the Minutemen, aided by the Railroad, destroyed The Institute's hidden underground bunker. All Synths were freed, and all Institute personnel were evacuated. The forces of The Capitol were repulsed by Minutemen artillery, the Capitol flagship destroyed and their leadership killed. A new Commonwealth Federal Assembly was established, with the Minutemen reformed into a permanent army and the Railroad shifted to an intelligence service. The former leaders of The Institute were captured and were put to public trials, where they were made to answer for their years of unethical experiments.
In 2288, a year after the destruction of The Institute, Nate DiNovo the "Sole Survivor" was leading the Minutemen as its General. A Boston family begged him to investigate the disappearance of their daughter, who apparently been convinced she was a Synth and fled to a Synth colony in Far Harbor, Maine. The Sole Survivor traveled to Far Harbor to investigate and was killed. Enraged by the loss of their hero, the Commonwealth sent troops to Far Harbor en masse, securing the island. What the Minutemen and Railroad found on that island has never been revealed to the public, and is the subject of widespread speculation.
Today
In the 30 years since the fall of The Institute, The Commonwealth has dedicated itself to the ideals of democracy, universal suffrage and public works. With its small population and deeply contaminated land, the nation cannot field as many troops as its neighbours The Rustlands or The Capitol, but the espionage skills of The Railroad's Synths grant The Commonwealth a distinct edge in terms of military intelligence.
The Commonwealth's largest city, Boston, is populated by over 15,000 citizens. It is also the home of the Minutemen military force, the Railroad intelligence service
Boston is also the home of Publick Occurrences, a celebrated newspaper. From 2284 to 2316, the paper was edited by Piper Wright. And for years, President Natalie Kowalski-Wright worked there with her sister and Piper's daughter Qarla DiNovo. In 2316, Piper left Boston to investigate the death of her partner Nate DiNovo (the "sole survivor.') On her return journey from Far Harbor back to Boston, Piper went missing. Qarla has spent a year looking for her mother, but has discovered no leads. Suspiciously, Piper's sister Natalie seems unphased by the disappearance.
The Commonwealth is led by Natalie Kawolski-Wright, president of the Commonwealth Federal Assembly. A journalist and historian, President Kawolski-Wright is often criticized for her Boston-centric policies and subservience to the demands of the Minutemen.
The Commonwealth's currency are coins known as Commonwealth Silver.
There have been incidents recently involving Gen 2 Synths , namely an attack on a witness in a Midwest Brotherhood trial (SESSION 25: SURPRISE WITNESS) and the kidnapping of Lex Garridan (SESSION 42: LEAVING ON A JET PACK) These Synths appear new, but it is common knowledge that the Synth production facilities of The Institute were destroyed in 2287. The production of these Synths should be impossible, but they are clearly coming from somewhere.
.
Maps
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Commonwealth
The former New England area in 2317. -
Boston
The capital of The Commonwealth, Boston is the home of some 15,000 citizens. Boston also houses the Minutemen military force, the Railroad intelligence service and the Publick Occurrences newspaper.
Type
Geopolitical, Country
Friendly
Though Dixie and the Commonwealth are separated by 800 miles, they share similar core principles. And as mutual adversaries of The Capitol, they have military objectives in common. The extent of co-operation between the nations is not generally known. It is assumed that communication between the powers is difficult and coordination must be minimal.
Friendly
The Midwest Brotherhood and The Commonwealth share a similar society and political outlook. But geographic distance makes co-operation rare. Many in Boston view the Midwest as weak and ineffectual, especially in times of war. Many in Chicago are frustrated that The Commonwealth makes little effort to engage in diplomacy with its political rivals. But there is a deep esteem between the two.
Moderate
At opposite ends of pre-war America, the NCR and the Commonwealth have little contact. Very few people alive have set foot in both nations. They share many essential convictions and a similar political system. But the small, sparsely-populated Commonwealth conducts very little diplomacy, even with its closest neighbours. The NCR, seeing themselves as the inheritors of pre-war America, have extended many diplomatic missions, to which the Commonwealth always responds coolly.
Neutral
The Commonwealth and The Rustlands share a border across the Lake Champlain region and the St. Lawrence River. While there has never been outright combat, the two nations see little they like in each other. The Rustlands brutal plutocracy is looked down on by leaders in Boston, and The Commonwealth is seen as naive and insular by the bosses in The Pitt. There is some trade across their border, but little international co-operation.
Unfriendly
Caesar's Legion and The Commonwealth have very little contact. But these nations think very little of each other. Caesar admires the Minutemen as an institution, but views the Commonwealth Federal Assembly as weak and the Railroad intelligence agency as pernicious and dishonourable. Meanwhile, the people of The Commonwealth are disgusted with the Legion's practices of slavery and the disenfranchisement of women and robots.
Animosity
Though the Enclave never showed much presence in New England, the people of the Commonwealth have heard enough stories to hate and fear them. The Enclave sees the Commonwealth retracing the correct steps to construct the American Dream, but is angered by their defiance and independent spirit.
Uneasy Peace
Openly warred in 2287, while The Capitol still identified as part of The Brotherhood of Steel. They speak of each other with naked contempt. And their border along the Hudson River is dotted with fortifications. The tension between Jersey and NYC is exceptionally tense.
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