A hidden world in the AppalachiansDeep within the heart of the Appalachian Mountains, far beyond any marked trail or known map, lies a place untouched by time. The trees here grow dense and tall, ancient sentinels shielding what few would dare believe exists: The Foundation. This isolated society remains hidden beneath a constant veil of mist, where the silence of the forest is broken only by the sound of rustling leaves, distant animal calls or the clink of iron chains echoing from stone.
Location: a land forgottenThe Foundation chose this land over 150 years ago, when the world above was on the brink of civil war. Fearing the collapse of society and the corruption of civilization, a group of settlers vanished into the wilderness, vowing never to return. They found solace in the wild, carving out their existence in a secluded valley surrounded by ridges so steep and woods so thick that no light from the outside world could find its way in. Nature became their fortress.
The village setting: savage simplicityAt the center of this forgotten world is a village, hidden beneath the canopy and built entirely by hand. There are no power lines, no engines. Only wooden cabins, animal-hide tents and stone structures bound with rope and bone. Totem poles fashioned from antlers and skulls line the perimeter, serving as both ward and warning. In one corner, a butcher’s station drips with fresh blood. In another, a cave sealed with wooden bars groans with the cries of the condemned.Everything here serves a purpose. Everything has been shaped by necessity. Even the traps - crafted from logs, spikes, and rusted iron - are as much a part of the landscape as the trees themselves. They swing from branches and snap up from the earth with horrifying precision, waiting for anything unfamiliar to cross their boundaries.
The people: bloodlines of stoneThe Foundation is not a tribe of savages. They are descendants. Generations born and raised in isolation, hardened by the wild, and trained from birth to defend their way of life. Their skin is weathered by the sun, their bodies strong from labor and hunting. They wear garments stitched from animal fur and leather, and many hide their faces behind terrifying masks - real animal heads hollowed out and preserved to instill fear and signify status.They do not speak to outsiders. They do not write. Their communication is direct and enforced with unwavering discipline. The elders speak with authority, and their word is law.
Life and rules: harmony through fearThe Foundation lives under a strict, merciless code, passed down since their first day of seclusion. Unity, loyalty, and silence are sacred. Any threat to their harmony, even from within, is punished with brutal efficiency. Those who speak against the order may be exiled into the darkness of the caves. Others are blinded or executed. Punishment is not a spectacle. It is a necessity.Children are raised to hunt, to trap, to read the forest like a book. They learn how to kill without hesitation and how to survive without question. There is no currency, no outside need. They grow their own food, tend to their wounded with herbs, and dispose of their dead with ritual fire or forest burial. Technology is a disease. Civilization is decay.
Outsiders: judged without mercyWhen strangers stumble too close - hikers, explorers, the curious - they become prey. The Foundation does not take chances. They watch from the trees, faces masked, weapons in hand. If the outsider poses no immediate threat, they may be tested, observed, even judged. But if a rule is broken - knowingly or not - retribution is swift.Outsiders are brought before the elders, who decide their fate with chilling calm. There are no pleas. No lawyers. Just an ancient sense of justice: the preservation of The Foundation at any cost.Some are forced into silence. Blinded, muted, imprisoned. Others are made examples of. And on rare occasions, if an outsider shows strength, skill, or obedience, they may be offered a choice: Join us - or die.
The Rules
1. The preservation of the community is absoluteThe Foundation places the survival of their society above all else.Any individual - whether insider or outsider - who threatens their secrecy, order, or traditions is considered a danger and must be punished, exiled, or eliminated.
2. No outsider leavesIf an outsider finds the village or learns of their existence, they cannot be allowed to return to the outside world with knowledge of The Foundation.Outsiders are often judged, executed, or assimilated into the community through forced indoctrination.
3. Punishment is justiceThere is no leniency. Every crime, perceived threat, or betrayal is met with swift and symbolic punishment.Common punishments include:- Blinding (for "failing to see the truth" or disobedience) and exile into the darkness (cast into caves to die alone)- Execution (by blunt force, impalement, or crushing)
4. Unity over the individualMembers must be loyal to the group above all else.Speaking out against leadership, questioning rules or showing sympathy for outsiders is treated as treason.
5. Silence and obedienceTalking out of turn or spreading dissent is forbidden.The leadership is to be obeyed without question.
6. Blood must be answered with bloodIf a life is taken, justice is required.
7. Strength is honoredIf an outsider shows resilience, loyalty and strength, they may be given a chance to live by joining The Foundation.This "offer" is not a kindness, but a test: assimilation is brutal and refusal means death.