Charleston

Charleston is a location in Fallout 76.

Background
The largest city of West Virginia and its capital, Charleston was founded at the confluence of the Elk and Kanawha rivers at the end of the 18th century, Charleston steadily grew thanks to the salt mines and natural gas deposits found in the area, which combined with coal gave the city - and the region - a steady economic foundation through salt works. During the American Civil War, the city was briefly occupied by Confederate forces in 1862, before being permanently pushed out by Union forces. The division of Virginia into Confederate and Union territories was resolved by declaring West Virginia a separate state on June 20, 1863. Charleston became a state capital and its boom continued, thanks to the natural resources and steady railroad expansion. New industries were established, producing chemicals, glass, timber, and state, exploiting the availability of resources.

In the 21st century, Charleston became the heart of a major push towards automation throughout Appalachia. Governor Evans, a strong proponent of automation and a corporate ally, pushed through measures despite stiff opposition from what unions remained after governmental crackdowns and congressmen like Sam Blackwell.

After the Great War, Charleston became the heart of Appalachian reconstruction. It escaped nuclear devastation and was intact, allowing an emergency government to form, using the Charleston Capitol Building as a foundation. Together with the first responders, the city had an actual shot at rebuilding fast and hard. Problems with the sheer volume of refugees, however, forced them to deny requests for aid and supplies that could not be handled on the spot. That includes survivors from the Pleasant Valley Ski Resort. Humiliated and left without help, the survivors banded together under David Thorpe, a cold and brutal man who turned them into a terrifying raider warband.

Charleston grew in the meantime and by 2082, a raider by Rosalynn Thorpe was routed handily by the Responders, after they were spotted early. Rosalynn was injured and taken prisoner along with some of the other raiders. By then, the Responders were more or less running things in the city, and were doing well. their confidence made them attempt a confrontation: Face the raiders on their home turf, in the mountains, and see if they could make a deal. The Responders hoped theye could get them to leave them alone in exchange for prisoners. They were wrong. Thorpe had somehow got his hands on a mini-nuke, and he used it to blow the Summersville Dam on Christmas morning, 2082.

In a flash, the Responders lost almost everything: Homes, supplies and most of their friends and family. Although they suffered under the devastation, they survived, keeping the idea of the Responders alive. Although the city was largely abandoned in the wake of this devastation, the Fire Breathers found it to be the perfect training environment when the Scorchbeasts appeared.

Points of interest
Charleston locations, 2
 * Charleston stretches through the valley west to east, bounded on the eastern end by the Summersville Dam and on the western by the Poseidon Energy Plant WV-06. Perched on top of the hill to the north is Wade Airport, while the Charleston Fire Department is on the southern slope of the valley, home to the Fire Breathers. The ruined city is crawling with scorched and feral ghouls, with Appalachian super mutants thrown in for good measure. Roughly west of the Capitol building there is a snallygaster spawn point, which acts as an unofficial area boss at lower levels.
 * Locations


 * Dynamic spawns

Appearances
Charleston appears in Fallout 76.