Theodore Roosevelt Island, a small, wooded island in the Potomac River near Washington, D.C.. Once a serene national memorial dedicated to the 26th U.S. President, the island has become a contested wilderness in the wake of the Green Poison pandemic. Its dense forests, rugged terrain, and isolation make it a strategic yet perilous stronghold in the chaos of the capital.
Pre-Pandemic[]
Before the outbreak, Theodore Roosevelt Island was a tranquil nature preserve and memorial, managed by the National Park Service. The island featured walking trails, a central plaza with a towering statue of Theodore Roosevelt, and wetlands teeming with wildlife. Accessible only by a footbridge from the Virginia side of the Potomac, it was a place for reflection, honoring Roosevelt's legacy as a conservationist and statesman. Its lack of permanent structures and limited access kept it a quiet retreat from the bustle of Washington, D.C.
The Green Poison Outbreak[]
When the Green Poison ravaged Washington, D.C., Roosevelt Island's isolation made it an early candidate for a secure outpost. The Joint Task Force briefly used the island as a quarantine processing site. Its natural defenses, including dense foliage and the Potomac's currents, offered protection, while the footbridge served as a controlled entry point.
As the pandemic overwhelmed the city, the JTF's overstretched resources and mounting losses weakened their hold. Civilians and soldiers alike faced starvation, disease, and raids from hostile factions. The JTF abandoned the island, leaving behind medical tents, abandoned vehicles, and encrypted comms gear. The quarantine site became a graveyard, with survivors and infected alike trapped by the island's isolation.
The Outcasts[]
The Green Poison, a deadly smallpox variant, devastated Washington, D.C., prompting the government to establish quarantine zones to contain the infected. These camps, intended as temporary measures, became overcrowded, underfunded, and chaotic. Civilians, including families, were herded into these zones under JTF oversight, often with little regard for their well-being. Food shortages, rampant disease, and brutal enforcement by overstretched JTF personnel turned the camps into breeding grounds for despair.
Emeline Shaw was among those detained in a D.C. quarantine camp. She witnessed the deaths of countless innocents, including her own daughter Savannah, due to neglect and violence. The JTF, tasked with maintaining order, became a symbol of oppression in the eyes of survivors like Shaw. As the camps descended into chaos, Shaw's grief hardened into resolve. She began rallying survivors, preaching a doctrine of retribution against the government and the JTF, whom she blamed for their suffering.
The turning point came when the JTF's control over D.C. began to crumble, weakened by the virus, rival factions, and internal collapse. Shaw seized the opportunity during a chaotic riot in her quarantine camp. Leading a coordinated uprising, she and her followers overwhelmed the JTF guards, using improvised weapons and sheer numbers. The escape was bloody, with many casualties, but Shaw emerged with dozens of loyal survivors who saw her as their savior.
This ragtag group, now calling themselves the Outcasts, fled into D.C.'s lawless streets. They were hunted by the JTF and vulnerable to other factions like the Hyenas and True Sons. Shaw knew they needed a defensible base to survive and grow. Roosevelt Island, a secluded memorial park in the Potomac River, became their target. Its isolation, single access point via a footbridge, and abandoned JTF outposts made it ideal for their needs.