Young Writers Society

War. War never changes.

In the years following the Great War, the South quickly started recovering-- the forests returned to being lush and full, trees began spreading like wild, human populations began to grow. Now, at the turn of the century, troublesome raiders and super mutants are starting to spread around.

The Black Mark, a makeshift army of raiders, is being mobilized in New Orleans and has set out to conquer as much land as they can. With only the New Confederacy and a group called Freedom's Lifeline in their way, domination of the South is practically theirs for the taking.

Or so they thought.

A group called the Enclave has surfaced in the town of Texarkana, claiming that they are the remains of the US government. Though few in number, their technology could potentially wipe out the Black Mark army.

Meanwhile, further east, a group of soldiers in Raleigh, North Carolina still await any word from any superior officers. After 23 years, though, they are tired of waiting and have decided to take the city as their own. With a small group of settlers standing at their sides, the US Army remnants are ready to fight the slave-owning rebels to the south and the raiders to north.

It is into this world that a group of Vault Dwellers arise, unsure of what they will find in the cruel Wasteland. Located in Fort Campbell, they are weary of living underground for more than two decades, and already the next generation is eager to set their sights on rebuilding America. With no knowledge of what they face and unaware of what they may find around every corner, the Vault Dwellers now control more than just the destinies of the Vault.

They control the very fate of the entire South.

Rules and Expectations


Character Sheet

A cool, tingling sensation washed over Dawn's face as she joined the others that were already looking upon the ruins of the former city of Fort Campbell. Her Pip-Boy dinged, but she ignored it for now, instead taking in the sights of the destroyed former military base on the Tennessee-Kentucky border.

The city's remains were part ruined, part ash. Not much, apart from the military hospital they had just left, was really in one piece. The roads were cracked and the once-dark asphalt had faded and grown cold with time-- or, at least she assumed it had. Like so may others, Dawn had been born in the Vault over the past two decades.

It was 2100, 23 years to the day since the bombs had dropped on October 23. At long last, they were free to roam and rebuild the ruins of a now-destroyed society and create something new altogether. But where to go? What to do? How to explore? Why settle down?

Oh, so many questions, no answers, a great wide world to--

Her Pip-Boy dinged again. This time, she lifted it up and examined the screen. She turned a small metallic knob over to the radios section. The monochrome dark blue screen listed various stations that they had been unable to access within the Vault. She selected the first option-- the "Reservoir Radio," and the soothing voice of Bing Crosby softly began to play.

"You've got to ac-cent-tu-ate the positive, eli-mi-nate the negative, latch on to the affirmative, don't mess with Mr. In-Between," she sang quietly with it before turning the radio off. She didn't care if it annoyed anyone or not-- she was excited, and as such it was her obligation to be curious and figure out what was around. Other radios were listed, too, including the "Classical Radio" they could access from the Vault.

She placed a hand on her belt, ensuring that her machete was securely strapped to her waist in case it was needed. Then, Dawn moved some of the dark red hair of which she had been named out of her face, taking in a deep breath as she looked all around herself once more.

Free.

She was finally free from the somewhat cramped space within the Vault, and never again would she have to share a room if someone else kicked their special someone out. And with so much of the world to explore...

Her gaze traveled westward, where she knew the mighty Mississippi River flowed southward into the ocean. The remains of the birthplace of the blues, Memphis, was there, too. She'd have to go there one day, whether alone or with an-- acquaintance. And then, she could consider settling down.

Ren was hyper.

"DAWNNNNN!" he screeched "We're finally out of that vault!"

They were, and aw man, was he happy! He loved the gust that was wildly blowing over the city, he loved the sound of the bird chirps, he loved everything about freedom.

"Yes," Dawn said as she turned to look at the ultra-hyper teenager. "We can finally see something that isn't made of metal above out heads... To semi-quote Tolkien, Dawn is FREE!"

"Haha, yes!" He strided towards Dawn, her auburn hair standing out from the rest of the blue sky. He followed her gaze to the west and saw nothing but death and dusty ruins. He turned back to her, those striking leafy green eyes lost in the distance. "Penny for your thoughts?"

"Hmm... Well... I think that pennies are going to be out of use, so you might wanna try something else," she joked.

"Agh, you always one-up me!"

"That's my job," she replied sneakily. "What else should I spend my time doing?"

"...I don't know! You're an adult, do adultish things instead of pestering me. You ruin my image in front of all the other gals!" He wrung his hands behind his back, as if he was embarrased.

"...I am?" she replied quizzically. "When did that happen?" She narrowed her eyes, pretending to be confused, and she offered him a small frown.

"Uh." He avoided her eyes. "You're not! I mean- well, you're..older than me. So please, try to be nicer! You're supposed to be mature and stuff!"

"..." She stared at him blankly for a moment before she let her left eye twitch. "Do I look like a sixty-year-old woman to you?" she asked darkly, leaning forward slightly. "I ain't old. I just like to sew."

Eyes wide, he took a tiny step back. "I never said you looked like that haha..."

"Good. That means I don't have to act like one." She kept her eyes narrowed and continued to frown, but then she let her shoulders relax and started laughing. "I love messing with you," she chuckled.

"Wha-" his jaw dropped. "You are so evil. I'm going to get back at you one day, I swear it."

"Hehe... Good luck with that, Ren."

"You don't believe me, do you?" He folded his arms and turned his face to the horizon again.

"Ren... sweety... What happened last time you said that?"

His shoulders tensed. "Nevermind...I'll keep that thought to myself. I am so not letting you destroy my first happy moments out of the vault." He took a deep breath with his eyes closed, calming himself down.

"Hehe... Let's enjoy the moment while it lasts, right? I'm sure if we look around, we'll find giant killer bugs or something like that."

"Why look around when you have a good view already?" He smirked, eyes roaming around the rest of the dwellers, especially the female ones.

Dawn rolled her eyes. "I'm not a people person. People are weird. Thus, I wanna go to place that was probably nuked and thus has no people... like Memphis."

"Suit yourself, no wonder you don't have someone you like." A smile teased the edges of his lips.

"I don't like anyone, except you, cause you let me pick on you, kiddo."

"You're such a meanie." His eyes narrowed. "It's a good thing you don't have someone you like. Anyway, you were saying? Memphis?"

"Yes... It was probably hit, so no people to bother me there! Not a soul! I could start a farm, or I could succumb to the radiation and die, or I could find people and just go somewhere else! But there's so much history and tech there, too..."

Ren eyed her, a grin beginning to take form. "Oh really now? Not a single soul? Hmm.."

He exhaled.

"WHO WANTS TO JOIN MISS DAWN ON A TRIP TO MEMPHIS?"

Dawn sighed and shook her head. "I oughta stab you, but you have a sense of humor.... Oh well..."

"I only made things even between us." He raised his chin.

"I guess you did..." She looked at the others. "So... who's going to Memphis?"

Juniper looked up sharply. Some lunatics wanted to go to Memphis? What complete idiots. They must have a death wish...or maybe not. She looked around the ruins, the place she had called home for a while now. Was there anything here that trapped her? Anything to stop her from leaving? Besides, she wasn't living. She was only surviving. Might as well be dead here. June pulled out her pistol and traced the outline.

“It would be fun to use this thing”

Juniper grinned, “Hey, you idiots who are going to Memphis? I’m coming too!”

She waved and sprinted over. As she neared them she pushed her pistol back into place.

“So, can I join you two?"

"..." Dawn stared at Juniper for a moment or two and said, "Yes, so long as you only call Ren the idiot here."

June grinned, " I'll keep that in mind."

She turned to Ren, "So you're Ren? And you are?"

"I'm Dawn, Dawn Blackburn. Who're you?" the red-headed adult asked.

" Juniper Vixen, at your service." She replied with a comical bow.

"...are you a Dwarf, do you like Tokien, or are you merely making an attempt to amuse me?" Dawn replied.

"Trying to amuse you. You look like that scowl is alway stuck to your face." Juniper laughed.

Dawn rolled her eyes in reply and looked at her Pip Boy again. "Let's see here... I'm about to spend a minimum of 5 days with you, unless we walk ourselves to death on a one hundred ninety mile trek... Hmm..."

Juniper rolled her eyes in turn "And why should I care?"

"You're the one that asked to join us on the way to Memphis, not me," Dawn replied before returning to her thoughts.

Juniper looked around while she waited for Dawn to finish...whatever it was she was doing. There was definitely going to be tension between the two of them. Then she spoke up,

"Actually, that isn't correct. You and your pal Ren over there were literally screaming for people to come with you. So don't act all...annoyed."

"I didn't. He did. I would love to find a very empty Memphis and to go off alone from there."

"Okay, okay. Just let me tag along, I won't get you into trouble."

The desolate place around her didn't seem so bad. It was all she had to call home.

"None of that Juniper Vixen! You are moving on to a new life. It's time to let go."