When the dust settled from the chaos of the fall of the United States, the four Contingents were born: Western, Eastern, Mountain, and Great Lakes. The basic premise were agreements struck between the Contingents, depending on the usefulness and benefit of the agreement for each Contingent.
The areas between each Contingent’s boundaries were known as the Deadlands. Although one could survive, the Deadlands were considered an area of “freedom” out from under the thumb of the Contingent’s strict rules and restrictions. Freedom was guaranteed; death was probable.