The rest of America outside of the ICC is considered Splinters. Your character may be from there.

📌 Summary

🌲 Wild Territory, 🎯 ‎Hunter’s Instinct, 🌾 ‎Living Off the Land, 💀 ‎Lawless

From the overgrown backwoods east of the Appalachians to the misted valleys of the Rockies and into fallen Canada, the Splinters are the last scattered remnants of a fractured North America. Roads are shattered, towns are half-buried in vines, and the signals of civilization have long since gone quiet. There is no government, no central law, and no borders. Survival here is local, brutal, and earned.

Any form of civilization is under constant threat, and none survive for long or truly thrive. It is a hellish existence of constant traveling and fighting for survival.

Each patch of land tells a different story. Some are ruled by self-made barons or tight-knit communities. Others are left to bandits and rot. Yet power lines still sag above empty roads, and signs of the old world cling to life. For those who know how to track, trap, and forage, life in the Splinters is not just survivable: it is home.

Technology is rare and mostly scavenged. Radios whisper when the sky is clear. Tools are patched together. Weapons are often handmade. Currency means little, though barter is common. In the Splinters, your word, your rifle, and your roots are what count.

🎨 Culture: Low-tech, decentralized, survivalist

💬 Name for Residents: Splinters

🖥️ Tech Level: Pre-1998 tech, often improvised or scavenged

🗳️ Government: None; enclaves are independently ruled or lawless

💰 Currency: Barter, scavenged goods, crow coins (backed by their material), mixed local trades

🧭 Location: From the swamps and overgrown ruins southeast of the Appalachians to the snow-choked valleys of the Rockies. Grew to encompass the old Pan-Atlantic Union, Independent West America, and Steel Syndicate territories as well.

🧟 Experience with the Infected: Frequent encounters, few safe zones

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Feel free to Ask Questions about Chapter 3 and answers related to the region will be added here.

• How do people survive without modern tech?
  Through grit, knowledge, and salvage. Pre-1998 tech is still in use, often repaired or modified. Old generators, wood stoves, hand tools, and shortwave radios are common. Digital devices are rare and unreliable.

• What sort of tone should I use in a Splinter-based backstory?
  Grounded, gritty, and personal. Think rural survival with old grudges, deep roots, and long memories. Life is hard but not hopeless. People endure.