Northwest Commonwealth

The Northwest Commonwealth was one of the thirteen areas of the pre-War United States.

Background
Created in 1969, it was comprised of the former states of Northern California, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Alaska. The commonwealth bordered the Southwest Commonwealth, the Northern Commonwealth, the Four States Commonwealth, and the country of Canada.

Former Alaska
Alaska was one of the major sites of fighting during the war with China, notably around the Anchorage Front Line. In 2059, the United States established a significant military force to protect its oil interests in Alaska, in light of the ever-dwindling oil reserves in the world, as well as increasing tensions with China. In the winter of 2066, the Americans' fears became reality as the Chinese military invaded Alaska and took over a significant portion of the land. Alaska became a war zone between the United States and China, furthering fears of nuclear apocalypse around the world. On January 10, 2077, the United States finally reclaimed Alaska from the Chinese. The war between the two remained intense, ultimately leading to the Great War on October 23rd of the same year.

The Brotherhood expanded and stopped through Alaska. They thought it was a great place to settle down due to the intact military infrastructure left over from the war, going so far as to move their headquarters to the region. They formed a dictatorial reign over their territory, shooting any mutants on sight, and enslaving the locals as canon fodder, or to work camps along the Alaskan Pipeline. They would eventually be overthrown by the Cause about a century following the Great War.

Former Washington
Unleashed viruses and irradiation have done strange things to the flora and fauna in the wastelands of Washington and northern Oregon. Blackened devastation is interspersed with wild, exotic, almost prehistoric vegetation and pockets of decaying urban ruins. Refugees from the major populations banded into smaller settlements and medieval-like townships. Isolated survivalists that are encountered remind one of Grizzly Adams. The Issaquah Nation controls the inland landscape.

An organization known as the Rockwell Clearing House was based out of the Washington city of Wallah Wallah. The company sent junk mail to Appalachian residents claiming they were eligible for a cash prize of $100,000,000.

Former Idaho
A monastery known as the Abbey is in southern Idaho. They seek to preserve technology and knowledge, but share it openly with any who come, so long as they don't damage anything.

Depending on the choices of the Courier, the Great Khans may abandon the Mojave to try and rebuild their tribe in the wilderness of Idaho.

Former Oregon
The Cause, a revolutionary band of survivalists that would eventually overthrow the Brotherhood of Steel in the Northwest, has its origins in Oregon.

Oregon's cannibals roam around the region, searching for victims to kill and eat. There are a few settlements in the area, including Klamath and Arroyo.

Arroyo was founded by the Vault Dweller alone with a number of residents from Vault 13 in 2167, turning into a small tribe. In 2242, the Chosen One, the grandchild of the Vault Dweller, went on a quest to find a G.E.C.K. to help their village which was suffering from drought and famine. During these events, the Enclave abducted the villagers of Arroyo for use in FEV experiments.

The Chosen One successfully rescued their fellow tribesmen alongside the rest of Vault 13's population (who had also been taken prisoner), destroying the Enclave's oil rig in the process. The Chosen One, the villagers, and the Vault 13 survivors all returned to Arroyo together. With the use of the G.E.C.K. recovered by the Chosen One, Arroyo prospered, evolving from a tribe to a full-fledged settlement. By 2281, the New California Republic held influence over Arroyo.

Dr. Morrison Rand, Professor of Anthropological Archaeology at Banfield College in Humoldt, Oregon was abducted by Zetan aliens. General Victor Breckenridge was also stationed in Oregon, at the U.S. Army command forward depot.

Former Northern California
During the Great War, San Francisco was hit by nuclear weapons. Humanity has clung to life in and around the bay area. The Shi have a large presence around the San Francisco area in 2242, although there are varying claims for their fate beyond that year. The New California Republic sought to expand into northern California, influencing independent settlements. By 2281 they have a foothold in the area, as shown by the presence of Sac-Town and Redding.

A college student named Anne Litzinger moved from San Francisco to West Virginia to attend Vault-Tec University.

Factions

 * Great Khans (optionally)
 * Hubologists
 * New California Republic
 * The Shi

Appearances
The Northwest Commonwealth appears in Fallout 2 and the Fallout 3 add-on Operation: Anchorage. It is also mentioned in Fallout, the Fallout 3 add-on Mothership Zeta, Fallout: New Vegas and its add-on Honest Hearts, Fallout 4, in the Fallout 76 update Wild Appalachia, the Fallout Bible, and Van Buren. It was also to appear in Project V13 and Fallout Extreme.