Introduction
An Invitation
by Keisha Richardson
There exists a green grove that stretches for miles and miles.
To the east, the mountains grow tall and stormy, once hollowed out for black coal, but now are able to rest. To the north, a river hugs this land’s outer edge. This is a place of pasture, of green fronds and golden flowers. Beneath its surface lie caves, rich with minerals that come up through the ground to produce prodigious creatures, their hooves like thunder that rattles the door. Tending this land are a queer folk, descendants of travelers from around the world who made homes atop the red clay soil. They make food that fills the belly unlike any other, and music that fills the heart just the same.
Once, superstition divided these people, covered their eyes to the one truth that now unites them:
They are all human. Without being united, they all fall.
This place is known as The Commonwealth. Come and sit a spell.
A Note From the Author
Hello, friends, and welcome to The Commonwealth. My name is Abe. If you're reading this, it means you have some interest in coming to live or just to visit us. Or maybe you just want to learn more about the world.
Regardless, thank you for joining me. I will warn you, this account is not unbiased. Books, particularly histories, rarely are. I will editorialize throughout the text, if you'll indulge me.
I have lived in The Commonwealth my entire life. It's a magical place brimming with life, light, and joy. What started as a personal, scholarly interest in the past of our home has led to me becoming a bit of a voice for our people to make contact with the outside world.
I am writing this in fits and starts, when electricity is available at the library to power a computer that was old even before The End. You wouldn't want this to be handwritten, as many have compared my penmanship to chicken scratch.
It is my understanding this text will be saved to drives, printed in hard copy, and distributed by Mare Mail. Other places and societies do not have the luxury of free information as we do. If you are from such a place, please don't hesitate to make your way here. We will always make room at our tables.
I hope this finds you well,
Abraham Greene
Commonwealth Historical Society
The End
The End was not a single occurrence. It was not a giant meteor that covered the earth in ash, as had killed the dinosaurs. It was a death by a thousand cuts, each whittling away at a structure that was rotting from the inside out.
Man-made machines and industries polluted the air, filled the ocean with plastic, and killed wildlife at a surprisingly efficient pace. The coastline of what was once called America slowly but surely eroded into the sea. Tornadoes ripped through towns and floods rose to wash away cities. Wildfires devoured forests. All the while, the people wondered what the president, the Senate, the House, what any of them would do to help them.
The national government fell apart, as a house divided is wont to do. The Second Civil War did not divide the country in two as had its predecessor, but rather into millions of tiny fragments. What was already a fractured system of one country made of 50 smaller ones fell into disarray quickly. Neighbors turned on one another as manufactured resources became scarce. Up until the infrastructure finally failed, the internet was filled with pleas for help and video evidence of the horrors that were taking place, the shadows of atrocities that stretched long down city streets. We still unearth personal devices dating from this time, each its own time capsule of a soul, a life in pictures and messages sent. Some are kept in the Commonwealth Museum as curated pieces, and some are kept by people as tools (flashlight and camera all in one). There are piles and piles of them and we continue to find more.
The capitol became something of a ghost town as officials fled to where their off-shore accounts were housed and left the public to fend for themselves. The industry of government was no longer profitable, so the windows were shuttered and the monuments left to crumble.
This happened to many places across the world as it became clear there was nothing left to do.
Those fleeing disasters and war from all edges of the country came inward. While The End was just that for millions of people, it was the beginning for The Commonwealth.
The Quiet Years
Chaos and destruction ruled the earth for some time thanks to The End. Most survivors kept to themselves and their families. Disease ran rampant in the larger populations as dedicated medical facilities were rare, most without power. People scattered and stayed that way for some time.
This became a time known as The Quiet Years, as coined by Commonwealth History Society's founder Esther Greene. It was known as such because the literal and metaphorical fires had finally died down. Without mankind's constant pollution, nature began to reclaim what had been stolen from it. Without the constant light and busy noise, one was able to experience true silence. This was more than some could bear, while others were finally able to attain peace.
As survival was paramount and hard-won, not many historical records remain from this time. Many were happy to forget what had happened and what they had done. It was Esther's life's work to compile the oral histories of the survivors who still lived in and around the Commonwealth when she was a young woman. It is said this task was imparted unto her by a fawn she found near her home, which spoke to her. Perhaps a sign from God or a bit of foraged food that would have done the pigs better, it's not for me to speculate.
The original Quiet Years were handwritten on salvaged paper and still exist. We have endeavored to transcribe them, but it is still a work in progress.
Until such time as you can see and read them yourself, I will impart upon you the greatest lesson that was learned: humanity had survived, and it would only continue to do so through community.
Long Tables With Full Plates
It is my opinion that civilizations throughout history were built on the bellies of its people. The Commonwealth is no different. Of course there is no set Beginning, as there was no set End, but the ideology of food as a human right allowed us to flourish. Those born to survivors of the Quiet Years, called the Mortar Generation, knew hunger first hand. They did not want the same for their children or any generation that was to come after.
A feature of our fledgling society was the Communal Kitchen, and you will still find them in towns throughout the land. The first Communal Kitchen, located in the town of Bowling Green, was founded by Kady Sharp, who turned her house into a refuge. The idea caught on and was carried to other communities by those traveling along the skeleton of the interstate system.
Volunteers, cooks, hunters, farmers, and foragers, came together so that anyone and everyone would have something to eat. Towards the end of the Quiet Years, people were able to start creating homes and with this new, yet ancient, lifestyle, were able to set down roots of their own, as well as those of crops.
Pre-End, this region was well known for its preservation of food via canning. Luckily, this practice was able to be picked back up during and after The Quiet Years. Most all vegetables grown as crops can be sealed inside jars and stay edible/shelf stable for extended periods of time. Community Kitchens often have basement levels as dedicated root cellars that act as food pantries. Jars can continually be reused. This process can be performed without electricity, which is a huge boon, but it having power does help make the process easier.
Thanks in no small part to Kai Brown, a modern day Johnny Appleseed for renewable energy, many towns have a reliable electrical grid that has since been innovated upon. Pre-End, this region had started to embrace alternate energy sources, but the industry built around coal often halted progress. Taking what structures had been established, along with pre-End textbooks, Kai was able to replicate the technology and educate people in each town to be stewards of these energy machines.
Harnessing the power of water, wind, and the sun, communal kitchens became not only hubs for hot meals and conversation, but for warmth in the winter and a surefire source for clean water to drink and bathe in. Our hospitals usually branch from these places as well, the same energy used for cooking meals also being used to power life-saving machines that were salvaged or invented since The End. These structures are often used as places of education as well, for those of any age.
So while we still call them Communal Kitchens to this day, they have evolved to become multifaceted spaces for all the members in a community.
Creatures Big and Small
The Commonwealth is home to a great many creatures. More than I can possibly relate to you all at once. However, there are some that are emblematic of our culture and our relationship to animals that I would love to share with you.
Farm Animals & Pets
Dogs and cats, miraculously, stuck with us throughout The End and beyond. I can only surmise that some greater force exists, as otherwise we would have been truly and utterly alone. I hope that wherever you are, there is one closeby to make sure you know you are loved.
While the domestication of animals such as cows, pigs, sheep, goats, chickens, even fish and bees never truly went out of practice before The End, it was relatively unheard of during the dark times before the Quiet Years. But with planting crops came keeping animals, raising them and caring for them. We could feed ourselves, and so we fed the animals too.
Before The End, this process occurred at such a large scale that these animals did not lead what would approach a good life. Conditions were often cramped and squalid. Some effort had gone into making the act of killing them swift and perhaps painless, but that is perhaps too small a mercy.
Animal husbandry is a vital part of any community, and those raised for their milk, meat and eggs are not “owned” by any one person or family. It is, at times, grim work, but no life is taken without merit, and every part of the animal finds some use.
Horses
A unique exception, a bit of a bridge between farm animals and the wildlife of the next section, is that of the wild horses. Pre-End, this land was known for raising horses that were only ever meant to be used in races. Their only use was for entertainment and when that use was expended, so were they. As The End became more and more final, many of these horses were released into the wild so they could fend for themselves.
And fend for themselves they did. From anywhere in The Commonwealth, you are likely to see a herd of wild horses, in a vast array of colors and patterns, making their way across the grassy hills and through forests. They are truly breathtaking to behold.
Some horses are still raised for their utility in traveling and farming. In my note, I had mentioned Mare Mail. One of my favorite adaptations to this new world we live in is the adoption of a system not unlike the Pony Express of the 1800s. The Mailriders operate as volunteers. As a younger man I did a stint and was able to see much of the Commonwealth astride horses with large saddlebags full of letters and packages, a bit of news from my precious stops ready to deliver. It was such a privilege to see the joy in people's eyes, the way children would run out to greet me and pet the horse.
But I digress, we're here to talk about the animals!
Wildlife
Of course, as with any place, certainly after The End where wildlife have been able to fully flourish near naturally, there are dangerous animals here. Should you seek to make a home here, I think it only fair to let you know exactly what might be facing you. One must have respect for nature, because it will not return that respect.
Wolves, coyotes, bobcats, and bears are all known to live here. In terms of predators, they are without equal. Many of those who travel do so in caravans. This provides a level of safety in numbers. Typically, Electrical vehicles are known to carry people from town to town, but are usually reserved for emergencies. Roads are mostly gone to nature now, so they can be unreliable in that regard.
Deer and turkeys live throughout The Commonwealth. While they are not typically dangerous, it is important to treat them with respect nonetheless. Both animals are often hunted for meat and materials, but as with livestock, nothing is left to waste.
Our bodies of water are home to a rich diversity of fish as well. Many different kind of bass, sunfish and trout can be found in our lakes and rivers. A favorite for local cuisine, catfish, so named for their whisker-like barbs, are plentiful and can grow to massive proportions. In and around these places you’ll also find turtles, snakes, lizards like the blue-tailed skink, frogs, and salamanders.
I feel I must also include a few brief notes on insects, as we have some of the most beautiful and intriguing. The End meant a gigantic change for the world, but for some animals, it meant their survival. Take, for instance, the monarch butterfly. Luckily, humans did not completely eradicate them. Their wings are a striking shade of orange with black stripes, meant to signify their toxicity (which is no worry, as you will likely not try to eat them). In the autumn, which is already gorgeous here for the leaves changing foliage, you can see them migrating en masse down to what was formerly known as Mexico.
During the summer, you will be astonished to see lightning bugs. Now that humans are no longer polluting the night with massive amounts of light sources, the true brilliance of these bugs can be seen. Sometimes, entire fields seem to transform into a sea of floating green lights, softly glowing in time with one another as they communicate.
The sky of The Commonwealth is filled with the colorful wings of many different kinds of bird. Perhaps the most famous for this area is the cardinal. The males are a bright shade of red that is unmistakable as they dart overhead. Crows are also plentiful and often keep company with people. Inquisitive and deceptively smart, some towns have formed systems wherein these large black birds keep watch and alert them when they see something out of the ordinary.
Religion
While many religions are practiced throughout The Commonwealth, Christianity is perhaps the most popular, including denominations such as Baptist, Methodist, and Goldenrod. Before The End, Christianity looked much different than it does today. Preachers stood behind pulpits and tended to yell a lot. They liked to scare their congregations with promises of God’s wrath. They took money from those with very little to begin with and were allowed to spend it on whatever they wanted. These “holy” men (as women were typically barred from having positions of power within a church) told their flocks who to vote for and who to hate. And they all bowed their heads and said, “Amen.”
If you have spent any time in or around a church these days, what you just read may not make any sense. You would likely be used to leaders teaching of God’s love and his son’s sacrifice. Some imagery and iconography still carry over, such as one being washed clean of sin in the blood of the lamb (Jesus) via his crucifixion, being baptized as a public proclamation of faith, or eating bread and drinking wine as a symbolic gesture of Holy Communion. However, the excess of pre-End structures or compounds, known as “megachurches”, is not seen today.
Especially for those of the Goldenrod faith “church”, as in a place to form community with other members of the faith and help one another, can be anywhere, especially out in nature. The thick forests, cold caves, and rolling hills are all opportune places to spread God’s love as well as his word. Their symbol is that of the crucifix, with flowers growing from the wounds of Jesus to wrap around the t-shaped structure. As water poured from his wounds, so they believe the seeds for everlasting life did as well.
Recreation
Of course, our entire lives aren’t spent doing labor or scraping for survival. There is always work to be done, depending on your chosen field, but everyone contributing means everyone has time to pursue passions that aren’t tied to their profession.
Handicrafts have been a staple of this region for many years, even going back before The End. Our ancestors weaved baskets, quilted blankets, hand-stitched clothing and made instruments out of whatever was handy.
In this way, most artisans working with wood, stone, clay etc. as their profession also use it for recreation or for the recreation of others. Woodworkers create functional pieces such as chairs, but also art and instruments such as dulcimers and guitars. This area has a rich tradition of music called Bluegrass, whose name was tied to the land pre-End. Not even the natural disasters and wars were capable of stamping it out. Members of different groups have infused the music with that of their heritage, creating fascinating and unique sounds. Native tribes such as the Cherokee, Chicasaws, and Shawnee, which have been in this area for hundreds of years even before what was known as America, create especially moving music. Hopefully you will have opportunity to hear it for yourself.
If I may brag on us, the Commonwealth’s people are a resourceful sort. While some pre-End paints and other supplies have emerged from time to time, artists are well known for making their own mediums with which to make their art. Sometimes this is salvage of things produced pre-End, remnants of the Second Civil War, paints made from the petals of flowers, or clay harvested from the soil.
Social events and celebrations are a big part of any season. From my understanding, the stretch of time between The End and The Construction saw the death of many holidays, for what did they have to celebrate? But now, returning to even older ways, we celebrate equinoxes and solstices. Some practice days, nights, or weeks of Remembrance for the world that once was, the cost of human lives that was paid by many for the choices of the few. These are typically somber affairs, less holidays and more moments of mourning. Oral histories that have been passed down from The Quiet Years are retold, sometimes reenacted as plays. I attended one such Remembrance in the town of Hindman and was moved to tears, like Troublesome Creek that overflowed during The End.
Different towns have different traditions, but in general a harvest festival is held every year and the long, harsh winters are interspersed with days of feasting and giving gifts to keep spirits high. The Communal Kitchens throughout the area are often home to line and square dances, concerts, and art exhibitions throughout the year, sometimes on a whim.
What I hope to illustrate is that we will take any excuse to play some music and dance the night way.
The Commonwealth is also home to a hardy collection of authors, poets, and playwrights. These include Margaret Limetree, Matthew Elton Bidder, and Keisha Richardson (who provided the lovely introduction to this text). Readings, concerts, and plays happen throughout the year, often performed by Travelers, who have created a branching path that interconnects all of The Commonwealth's communities.
Sometimes housed in Community Kitchens or separate buildings, libraries are plentiful. What books were not destroyed in the cataclysms of The End or burned in the Second Civil War find new lives and new homes.
Games and sports are alive and well within The Commonwealth as well. Thanks to surviving documents, the Commonwealth Historical Society has resurrected pre-End activities like soccer, basketball, baseball, and rugby. The state of our new world calls for certain modifications. And nearly every town with a team has certain "house rules". Regardless, they're a true joy to watch if you get the opportunity.
More straightforward competitions like footraces and feats of strength like log tosses and wrestling are common fare during summer and fall festivals.
Children, in their unbridled creative chaos, have come up with countless games as they are wont to do. Not even The End could stop that. I have endeavored to create a catalog of these games, but their everfluid nature proves difficult to pin down. Sometimes I think it's because of what I'm trying to do that they say, "Wait, wait, you're doing that all wrong. We do it like this." I usually say, "Oh, I see!" even when it is directly contradictory to the last time they changed the rules. Such is the art of first-hand historical work!
Law & Order
While the Commonwealth is a veritable paradise, it is not exempt from the ugliness of mankind. Murders do occur and sometimes things are stolen. Although I cannot provide a statistical analysis of the number of crimes per year for the entire area, in contacting other settlements for information I have ascertained that most towns have had a single digit number of crimes go before their local courts.
We are not the only post-End society to adopt certain tenants, but we do differ whole cloth from the overall American ideals that contributed to The End.
Food, water, shelter, healthcare, and education are all human rights. Above all, every person should be free to live a long and happy life.
All humans are equals. Regardless of factors that were used pre-End to discriminate against individuals (race, sex, gender, sexuality), each and every person is entitled to the provisions listed in item #1.
Capital does not exist. We do not trade money for goods or services. Those that wish to work as caretakers, farmers, cooks, teachers, etc. do so to contribute to the community’s overall survival. Those that tend to animals do not own them. One can build a home, but they cannot own the land it stands on.
Laws are not bureaucratic in nature. It is against the law to kill or harm another person. It is against the law to horde while others have nothing. But these are not laws written in a language no one can understand. They are inherent in the way we live.
For these reasons, most motivation for crimes are moot. There are no arguments over who owes what to whom. People do not kill one another for money.
Should a fundamental law be broken, the punishment can vary depending on the town and its people. In general, capital punishment is frowned upon. While The End and the Second Civil War was fraught with violence, those that survived into the Quiet Years knew that blood taken for blood spilled didn’t do any good. The Mortar Generation and their children after them were told the horror stories of The End and all have vowed to not repeat the dark deeds done in dark days.
The Magic of Shadows
In previous portions of this text, I’ve mentioned that nature has been allowed to return to its wild state. We, as citizens, merely live within it, alongside it. The fatal error of our predecessors was that they thought they could tame the world. They used up anything they found and tried, ever in vain, to cover every inch of earth with concrete and asphalt.
Forgive me, as this will be the only bit of this book that is immediately refutable. Or rather, you may be tempted to refute it outright. It is a perhaps crazy theory of my own that, in my life, has seemed to be proven as true over and over again.
It’s obvious that those who came before us failed in their endeavors. Nature proved its might and took back all that had been stolen from it. My wholehearted belief is that before this occurred, humanity had all but strangled out what magic there was to this world. Myths and monsters no longer appeared on the earth, as the humans were all too monstrous, taking great lengths to become myths themselves.
Now, however, magic abounds. Word spreads from town to town, taking on a life of its own. A winged thing in the shape of a man has been seen standing on the roof of the Communal Kitchen in Mount Sterling. There are said to be those who are somewhere between animal and man, taking the form of either on moonlit nights. Lights hover in the sky and little things come to visit. Spirits of loved ones speak to us and we stand still, hearing what they have to say.
Perhaps the many different peoples and their cultures that come together in the Commonwealth provide life, new wonder, new imaginations, to the stories that have been passed down from generation to generation.
There are unexplainable things that take place all over the Commonwealth, and it is so nourishing, so incredibly astounding that we allow these mysteries to remain just that.
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