Outer Banks (1983: Doomsday)

The Republic of the Outer Banks is a North American survivor nation located off the coast of the former US state of North Carolina.

Before Doomsday
The land of the barrier islands was sparsely populated before the coming of English settlers in the late sixteenth century. The counties at the northern end near the Roanoke River were originally home to many tribes of the Carolina Algonquian peoples. Two of these were the Roanoke and the Croatoan tribes. These tribes were known as village dwellers, building towns that would remain until the crops failed or the game fled from over-hunting.

In 1584, having heard of the success of the Spanish in the Americas, Queen Elizabeth of the Kingdom of Britain had granted Sir Walter Raleigh the right to colonize the land in order to have a base from which to raid the Spanish treasure ships. Raleigh sub-contracted to Phillip Amadas and Arthur Barlowe to scout the coast of North America for a good port from which to base such an operation. The chose what was to become known as Roanoke Island (for the tribe that frequented the island for it's game). The nearby tribe of Croatoans seemed also to be friendly with the visitors. The explorers established a colony on the island, sending ships back to England for supplies. In 1586, Sir Francis Drake took all but 15 of the original colonist back to England. In 1587 a full colony, including women, were brought to the island. One colonist, the daughter of the colony's governor John White, was pregnant and gave birth to a little girl by the name of Virginia Dare, the first English citizen born on American soil.

After a settler was killed by unfriendly natives, and due to an earlier rough treatment to such natives by the colony's first leader, John White was sent back to England for help to deal with the natives on the mainland. When he returned, the colony had been abandoned with no evidence of violence. 115 colonists, including White's grand daughter, had disappeared.

The area saw very little significant history in the following four hundred years. This was perhaps due to the inhospitable shores which the offshore reefs presented. American vice president Aaron Burr is said to have lost his daughter, wife to the South Carolina governor of the time, to a ship wreck off those shores. At any rate, the prevailing winds on the islands provided an excellent test site for the vehicle that would one day "sail" safely far above the waves - the airplane. Orville and Wilbur Wright of Ohio flew the first motorized heavier than air vehicle in the long island called "Kill Devil Hills" near the town of Kitty Hawk. That was on December 17, 1903. Since then the whole state has taken the motto: "First In Flight."

After Doomsday
On September 25, 1983, a quiet Sunday evening was shattered all over North America. The state of North Carolina was literally cut down the middle by Soviet warheads over cities of industrial, military and political significance. Last minute messages from the center of the state made it clear that the capital city of Raleigh had been targeted. Traffic Comptrollers from Raleigh and Charlotte, among others, had rerouted incoming jets to safer airports while getting as many out as they could in the short window available. Hundreds of planes however, were reported having crashed due to electrical failure after the main EMP over mid-America. By the time the lighthouse at Cape Hatteras went out, everyone knew that America was in deep trouble.

The Dark Years
With power out all throughout the islands, and few vehicles being able to operate to leave, the local villages came together under the authority of Dare County, North Carolina to form an emergency government to assist the survivors of what had to be a bad situation due to the final reports coming before the black out. By late afternoon on September 27, 1983, all the mayors and city managers from all over the islands had made their way to Manteo on Roanoke Island. The islands of Dare County, or the "Outer Banks" would make it through the crisis as they had many of the hurricanes in the last century or so of their existence.

It became apparent within days that no deliveries of goods by truck or by sea would be coming in any time soon. A run on the grocery stores (most particularly Food-a Rama) had begun even before any official state of emergency could be announced (difficult to pronounce to the population due to lack of radio and TV). Refugees from as far away as Virgina Beach and Wilmington began to come onto the islands to ride out the crisis away from the big cities. By December, the roads to the mainland were closed to further immigration in order to conserve resources. Expeditions were planned to the mainland, but for the first winter, all the efforts were in providing services to those living on the scattered islands of Dare County.

A New Government
At first, the leadership of the Outer Banks had no intention of forming a permanent nation, believing state and federal authorities would eventually return. After five years, however, hopes of reuniting with the US had dwindled. Finally, the provisional authorities decided that the federal government was never coming back and it was time to give up on the USA. In September 1988, on the 5th anniversary of Doomsday, the Republic of the Outer Banks was officially formed. In the late 90s, the government made contact with communities in Albermarle Sound. By 2001, the Outer Banks had established a protectorate in the Roanoke River valley up to the former NC-Virignia state line. In 2002, the Roanoke River Protectorate was discovered by explorers, though the Outer Banks was unaware of this. By the end of 2008, the Outer Banks had established contact with other US successor states. In January 2009, official contact was made with the ANZC.

Government
The Republic of the Outer Banks follows a model of government similar to the pre-DD United States. The republic is divided into seven townships. The legislative branch consists of a House of Representatives and a Senate. The House is divided into seats which correspond to the population of townships and its members are elected by the people. The Senate is divided into two seats per township and its members are appointed by the governments of the townships.

The President is elected to a four-year term, and is eligible for two consecutive terms. The powers of the Presidency are identical to that of the pre-DD US President.

The judicial branch has the same structure and purpose as the judicial branch of the former US.

The Republican and Democratic parties still dominate politics. The Democratic Party follows a center-left ideology, while the Republicans espouse economic libertarianism and social conservatism. A third party, the National Conservative Party, has surfaced in recent years, following an ideology of traditional conservatism.

Food
The Outer Banks have established strict self-sufficiency. Fishing is the main source of sustenance, with no fear of overfishing even the inlets to the mainland. A larger variety of fish and seafood began to be harvested as competition for the usual fare became heated. In addition, citizens were expected to grow fruits and vegetables in available lots and even private greenhouses. As a result, fish and waterfowl were traded for fruits and vegetables and no one went hungry. Other services, such as repair and maintenance of equipment, were also bartered in lieu of money.

Transportation
For years after Doomsday, fuel was rationed to the few public vehicles used for rapid transport between villages and to fishing boats needed to maintain the economy. Though distances were small, fishing waters were large, leading to the an inevitable disappearance of fuel within a few years. Before that happened, though, gasoline engines were re-engineered to run on alcohol, and diesel engines to run on vegetable oils. Innovations in electric golf carts also became popular. Others, though, took to raising the feral horses on the islands, for both transportation and sport.

Recreation
Until very recently, the tourism industry was just about nil in the islands. However, as the populace grew used to the routine of working to sustain a comfortable, if primitive, lifestyle, the beaches became popular places to spend weekends and even week-long vacations for those who could get away (successful fishermen were especially flexible in this way). Hotel management became a job that many villages kept on the "payroll" - paid mostly in food and housing, and some credits for incidentals. Managers, in turn, would hire young people who had become tired of farming and fishing as a way of life.

Energy
In addition to bio-fuel to fuel generators, other ways were found to return electricity to the homes and businesses of the Association. Before venturing to the mainland, attempts were made to farm the winds and the waves - both of which were plentiful. Windmills popped up along the Atlantic coast between the hotels and beaches. In between the islands, anchored by the pilings of the bridges, were tidal generators running turbines that produced electricity as well.

By late 1985, mainland Dare county, with its fertile, but wet marshland and swamps, had begun to be reclaimed to grow grain for food and for fuel. Later, in the 1990's, contact was made with survivors in Currituck and Camden counties, leading to similar farming efforts to fuel both economies and vehicles.

International Relations
Despite recent contact with other nations, the Outer Banks maintains a strict isolationist policy. The government has turned down an offer to join the League of Nations, citing the failure of previous international bodies to prevent wars in the past.