The Coyote Confederation

The Coyote Confederation

"Where the Trickster Spirit Unites Warriors, and Alliance With the South Brings Both Profit and Peril"

The Coyote Confederation controls Indian Territory in what was once Oklahoma, representing a unified nation of tribes who watched the Sioux reclaim their lands and decided to follow suit. Formed in 1874 after the second battle of Adobe Walls, the Confederation brings together the Comanche, Cheyenne, Arapaho, and Kiowa—four powerful tribes that set aside old rivalries to claim sovereignty. Smaller tribes including the Kiowa-Apache and remnants of the Cherokee also shelter under the Confederation's protection, though they lack the numbers to influence policy.

Unlike the Sioux's council of four wicasas, the Confederation answers to a single mysterious leader who calls himself "Coyote." Draped in a blood-red vermillion cloak with his face forever hidden in shadow, Coyote speaks with authority that all the tribes respect. His true identity remains unknown—some say he's Comanche, others Kiowa or Cheyenne. Some speculate he's actually multiple individuals, which would explain reports of Coyote appearing in places hundreds of miles apart on the same day. Whatever the truth, Coyote has united tribes that historically fought each other, and under his guidance the Confederation prospers.

The Confederation's greatest strength is also its greatest complication: a public alliance with the Confederate States of America. Since 1876, Coyote's warbands raid Union settlements and supply lines, serving as irregular cavalry for the South. This arrangement brings wealth, weapons, and political protection—but it also makes the Confederation vulnerable to Union retaliation and ties their fate to the war's outcome.

The Territory

The Coyote Confederation encompasses most of what was Indian Territory in Oklahoma, stretching across rolling plains, river valleys, and scattered woodlands:

The Central Heartland: Most tribal villages cluster in the center of Confederation territory, away from borders where tensions with whites run hot. Here families maintain traditional ways, following seasonal patterns of hunting, gathering, and cultivating crops. The land is fertile compared to the harsh northern plains, with more trees, better water, and richer soil.

The Southern Plains: This region sees frequent buffalo hunting parties and conflicts with white hunters crossing from Texas. The massive herds that once darkened the plains have thinned dramatically, creating desperation among tribes dependent on buffalo for survival. Every animal killed by white hunters is one less resource for the People.

Black Mesa: Rising in the northwestern corner of Oklahoma Territory near the Colorado and New Mexico borders, Black Mesa is sacred ground where warriors seek visions and shamans commune with spirits. The mesa witnessed Coyote's miraculous survival and transformation after Adobe Walls, making it doubly holy. Few whites have visited and fewer still have returned.

The Border Regions: Armed patrols of 10-20 braves—both male and female—constantly ride the Confederation's borders. These warriors watch for intruders, buffalo hunters, Union spies, and troublemakers. Running into a border patrol is dangerous for anyone lacking legitimate business in Confederation territory.

Geography and Climate

Oklahoma's climate is less harsh than the northern plains but presents its own challenges. Summers are hot and humid with fierce thunderstorms that sweep across open country. Tornados are common in spring and early summer—the tribes have learned to read the sky and take shelter when conditions turn deadly. Winters are cold but shorter and less severe than Dakota Territory, with occasional ice storms and heavy snows.

The land itself is more forgiving than the northern territories. Rivers provide reliable water. Trees offer shade and building materials. Game is plentiful beyond buffalo—deer, elk, turkey, and smaller animals. The soil supports agriculture when tribes choose to farm. This relative abundance has allowed the Confederation to maintain stronger populations and better supplies than their Sioux cousins.

Formation and Government

Birth at Adobe Walls (1874)

The Coyote Confederation's origins lie in blood and supernatural intervention at Adobe Walls in the Texas Panhandle. In 1874, Dodge City merchants established a buffalo tanning camp at the abandoned trading post ruins. Comanche Chief Quanah Parker, watching white hunters slaughter buffalo by the thousands, decided the time had come to strike back.

Parker led a massive warband against Adobe Walls at dawn, expecting to catch the hunters sleeping. Instead, the town was awake—warned somehow of the impending attack. The battle was fierce and costly. Parker's shamans provided spiritual protection, but the hunters' rifles and defenses took their toll. The camp was destroyed and most hunters killed or driven off, but the victory came at a price.

After the battle, Parker and Kiowa Chief Satanta retreated to Black Mesa in Oklahoma with a mortally wounded companion. There, as they fasted and prepared for the inevitable, the dying man experienced a profound vision. The spirit of Coyote the Trickster appeared, promising life in exchange for service: he would unite the southern tribes under a new confederation, but his identity must remain forever hidden beneath a vermillion cloak.

The vision came true. The wounded shaman survived—wrapped in a robe stained red with his blood—and became the mysterious figure known as "Coyote." Within months, Parker and Satanta had convinced the four major tribes to unite. The Coyote Confederation declared independence in late 1874, and neither the Union nor Confederacy had resources to dispute it.

Structure of Leadership

The Confederation's government is simpler than the Sioux Nations' council system but perhaps more unified:

Coyote: The Great Chief holds final authority on all matters. His word is law throughout Confederation territory. He mediates disputes between tribes, negotiates with foreign powers, and sets policy for the nation. All tribal chiefs have access to Coyote and voice in decision-making, but Coyote's judgments are absolute.

The Principal Chiefs: Four major tribes dominate Confederation politics through population and military strength. Their chiefs advise Coyote and command the loyalty of thousands of warriors:

• Comanche (Chief Quanah Parker) - The largest and most militarily powerful tribe
• Kiowa (Chief Satanta) - Spiritual leaders with strong shamanic traditions
• Cheyenne - Renowned warriors and horsemen
• Arapaho - Skilled hunters and tacticians

Smaller Tribes: The Kiowa-Apache, Cherokee remnants, Creek, Seminole, Chickasaw, and Choctaw also belong to the Confederation. They lack the population of the principal tribes but receive protection and have voice in tribal gatherings. Their concerns reach Coyote through the principal chiefs rather than directly.

Chief Quanah Parker

Parker is the most influential figure in the Confederation after Coyote himself. Born to a Comanche father and white mother (Cynthia Ann Parker, captured as a child and raised Comanche), Parker bridges both worlds—though he firmly identifies with his Comanche heritage. Now in his early thirties, he's a brilliant tactician, charismatic leader, and absolutely ruthless when protecting his people.

Parker's hatred of buffalo hunters is legendary and justified. He's watched white hunters slaughter the southern herds that feed his people, turning abundance into starvation. He's declared that buffalo hunters entering Confederation territory will receive no mercy—and he delivers on that promise with creative cruelty meant to discourage others from following.

Politically, Parker walks a careful line. He publicly supports Coyote and the Confederation while quietly opposing the Old Ways movement. Parker carries modern weapons—including a Gatling pistol on occasion—and his closest companions collect "trophies" from their raids: rifles, revolvers, and technological devices they find useful. This pragmatic approach puts him at odds with traditionalists but makes him popular with younger warriors.

Chief Satanta

Where Parker embraces pragmatism, Satanta represents spiritual tradition. The Kiowa chief is deeply religious, spending long hours in ceremony and consultation with shamans. He believes technology corrupts the soul and that the white man's greed springs from his machines and weapons rather than any inherent evil.

Satanta strongly advocates for the Old Ways movement spreading from the Sioux Nations. He argues that returning to traditional weapons and practices will please the spirits and restore balance to the world. So far, Coyote has not enforced Old Ways restrictions—likely out of deference to Parker's opposition—but Satanta continues pressing the issue.

Despite their philosophical differences, Parker and Satanta work together effectively. Their friendship predates the Confederation and seems strong enough to weather disagreements about tactics and technology. Both men recognize that unity is the Confederation's greatest strength, and personal disputes would weaken everyone.

The Old Ways Debate

The Sioux's Old Ways movement—abandoning modern technology to return to traditional practices—has caught attention throughout Confederation territory. The debate divides communities and even families:

Traditionalist Argument: Satanta and the elders claim that supernatural events beginning around 1863 represent spiritual punishment for adopting white man's corruptions. Firearms, alcohol, and modern conveniences anger the spirits. Only by returning to bows, stone tools, and ancestral ways can the People regain supernatural favor. They point to shamanic powers growing stronger since the Reckoning as proof the spirits approve of traditional practices.

Pragmatist Response: Parker and the younger warriors consider Old Ways suicide against enemies with repeating rifles, Gatling guns, and artillery. Why handicap yourself in a fight for survival? They argue that spirits gave humans intelligence to adapt and use available tools. Fighting honorably matters more than what weapon you carry. They note that Sioux shamans gained power despite—not because of—the Old Ways, suggesting the movement is coincidental rather than causal.

Coyote's Position: The Great Chief has not enforced Old Ways restrictions, though he's expressed support for the philosophy in principle. Most believe he's avoiding a divisive mandate that would fracture the Confederation. For now, individual tribes and warriors choose for themselves whether to embrace traditional weapons or modern arms. This middle path keeps everyone unhappy but prevents open rebellion.

The compromise can't last forever. As conflicts with buffalo hunters escalate and pressure from Union forces increases, the Confederation will eventually need to decide: spiritual purity or practical survival? That choice may determine whether the Confederation endures or falls.

The Buffalo War

Buffalo hunting drives much of the conflict between the Confederation and white settlers. The systematic slaughter of southern herds threatens tribal survival:

The Crisis: Buffalo provide food, clothing, shelter, tools, and trade goods. Tribes depend on the herds for nearly everything. White hunters from Dodge City and other towns kill buffalo by the thousands for hides and meat, leaving carcasses to rot on the plains. What took days to kill a generation ago now dies in hours thanks to powerful rifles and organized hunting parties. The herds are disappearing.

Parker's Response: Chief Quanah Parker has declared that buffalo hunters entering Confederation territory will be killed—period. No warnings, no mercy, no exceptions. His warriors patrol hunting grounds and ambush trespassing parties with extreme prejudice. The deaths are often slow and painful, meant to discourage others from following. Parker makes no apology for this brutality. He's fighting for his people's survival against those who would starve them to death for profit.

Government Reactions: Both Union and Confederate governments have publicly forbidden buffalo hunting in Indian Territory. Neither has authority there, so hunters ignore the laws. This gives Parker free rein to enforce his own justice without diplomatic consequences. The newspapers call Parker's campaign the "Buffalo War," but to the Comanche it's simple self-defense.

Practical Warning: If you're considering buffalo hunting near Confederation borders, understand the risks. Parker's warriors are skilled trackers who know every trail, every water source, and every hiding place. They'll find you. And when they do, dying quickly will be the kindest outcome you can hope for. The Texas Rangers strongly advise staying clear of Confederation territory—the bounty on buffalo hides isn't worth your scalp.

Alliance With the Confederacy

Since 1876, the Coyote Confederation's alliance with the Confederate States has been public knowledge—and a source of both strength and vulnerability:

Terms of the Alliance

The arrangement is mutually beneficial though somewhat informal:

• Confederation warbands raid Union settlements and supply lines in Kansas and border states
• Confederate government provides weapons, ammunition, and manufactured goods in exchange
• The South recognizes Confederation sovereignty and borders
• Confederate troops do not enter Indian Territory without invitation
• Trade between Confederation and Southern states flows freely

Coyote's Reasoning: The Great Chief sees Southerners as kindred spirits—oppressed people fighting for independence from the "blue bellies." He views the Union as the greater threat to tribal sovereignty and Confederate alliance as pragmatic protection against Union expansion. The weapons and trade goods don't hurt either.

Parker and Satanta's Role: Both chiefs frequently lead major raids into Union territory. Their presence at the head of warbands adds legitimacy to attacks and demonstrates Confederation commitment to the alliance. These aren't small skirmishes—sometimes hundreds of warriors strike Union garrisons, settlements, or supply convoys in coordinated operations with Confederate forces.

Benefits of the Alliance

The arrangement has brought the Confederation substantial advantages:

Modern Weapons: Despite Old Ways debates, practical warriors have access to repeating rifles, revolvers, ammunition, and occasionally heavier weapons. This evens odds against Union forces and buffalo hunters.

Trade Goods: Manufactured items—tools, cloth, preserved food, medicine—flow into Confederation territory through Southern merchants. This eases hardships and reduces dependence on traditional crafting for every need.

Political Protection: Confederate recognition provides international legitimacy. It's harder for the Union to justify military action against a sovereign nation that's allied with another recognized government.

Economic Prosperity: War creates opportunities. Confederation raiders acquire valuable supplies, livestock, and goods during operations. Some of this wealth enriches the nation while the rest provides bargaining power in negotiations.

Risks and Complications

Alliance with the South isn't without costs:

Union Hostility: The Confederation has made a permanent enemy of the United States. If the South loses the war, the Confederation will face Union retribution without Confederate protection.

Limited Raiding: The Confederation rarely strikes into Southern territory or settlements sympathetic to the Confederate cause. This geographic restriction limits raiding opportunities and makes patterns predictable.

Dependency: Reliance on Confederate weapons and trade goods creates vulnerability. If the South cuts off supplies or loses the war, the Confederation's military capability and economy suffer immediately.

Internal Division: Many traditionalists oppose the alliance as another form of dependence on whites. They argue the Confederation trades one master for another rather than achieving true independence.

Relations With Outsiders

United States

Relations with the Union are hostile and getting worse:

Union Policy: The US government views the Confederation as Confederate puppets rather than a legitimate nation. Official policy treats Confederation warriors as irregular combatants subject to military justice when captured—which often means summary execution for "aiding the rebellion."

Border Conflicts: Union forces patrol Kansas and other border states, clashing frequently with Confederation raiding parties. These skirmishes are bloody affairs with neither side taking prisoners. The Army has standing orders to pursue Confederation raiders when practical, though few commanders are eager to chase skilled warriors into their home territory.

Intruders: Any white travelers entering Confederation territory without authorization are assumed to be Union spies or buffalo hunters. Both categories face execution if caught. Unlike the Sioux's limited mining exceptions, the Confederation offers no legal pathways for outsiders to enter their lands.

Confederate States

Relations with the South are friendly but pragmatic:

Mutual Respect: Confederate officials and officers generally treat Confederation leaders as equals rather than savages. This diplomatic courtesy matters to proud warriors accustomed to Union condescension.

Trading Relationships: Southern merchants have established reliable trade connections with the Confederation. These businessmen provide valuable goods and serve as intermediaries for diplomatic communications.

Military Coordination: When Confederate and Confederation forces operate together, command structures respect tribal sovereignty. Confederate officers don't give orders to Confederation warriors—they negotiate cooperation with chiefs who maintain authority over their own men.

Other Indian Nations

Sioux Nations: Relations are complicated. The Sioux inspired Confederation formation, but the two nations have different approaches. The Sioux enforce Old Ways strictly; the Confederation debates it. The Sioux remain officially neutral in the war; the Confederation openly allies with the South. Still, mutual respect exists between Indian nations facing similar pressures. They're not allies, but they're not enemies either.

Apache: Limited interaction occurs due to geographic separation and Apache focus on survival against Confederate General Slaughter's forces in Arizona Territory. When contact happens, it's usually neutral—both groups recognize they face common enemies even if they can't coordinate effectively.

Daily Life and Culture

Traditional Practices

Despite debates about the Old Ways, Confederation tribes maintain strong cultural identities:

Warrior Culture: Fighting skill brings honor and status. Young men prove themselves through raids, hunting dangerous game, and displaying courage. Women warriors also earn respect in Confederation culture—the border patrols include female braves who ride and fight alongside men. Counting coup, taking trophies, and battlefield exploits all contribute to a warrior's reputation.

Spiritual Life: Shamans command great respect, particularly among the Kiowa. Vision quests, sacred ceremonies, and communion with spirits remain central to Confederation identity. Since the Reckoning, shamanic powers have grown noticeably stronger—medicine men heal injuries that should be fatal, call storms, and receive prophetic dreams that guide tribal decisions.

Social Structure: Extended families form the basis of tribal organization. Bands camp together, hunt together, and fight together. Decisions often require consensus among respected elders, though chiefs have final authority in disputes. Generosity is highly valued—sharing food, horses, and resources with those in need brings honor.

Economic Life

The Confederation maintains diverse economic activities:

Hunting and Gathering: Traditional buffalo hunting continues where herds survive, supplemented by deer, elk, and smaller game. Women gather plants, roots, and berries according to seasonal availability. These practices remain central despite trade access to manufactured goods.

Raiding: Confederate alliance has made raiding a legitimate economic activity. Warriors strike Union targets, acquiring horses, cattle, weapons, supplies, and trade goods. Some raids are pure military operations coordinated with Confederate forces; others are opportunistic acquisitions from isolated settlements.

Trade: Southern merchants provide manufactured goods, weapons, and luxury items in exchange for furs, horses, and other products. The Confederation also trades internally between tribes, sharing regional specialties and resources.

Some Agriculture: Certain tribes—particularly the Creek, Cherokee, and Choctaw—maintain agricultural traditions. Corn, beans, and squash grow well in Oklahoma's climate. This farming supplements hunting and provides food security when game is scarce.

The Supernatural Element

The average fear level in Confederation territory is 2—slightly elevated due to ongoing conflicts, supernatural occurrences, and the lingering presence of powerful shamanic forces. Near Adobe Walls, the fear level jumps to 3 thanks to the site's bloody history and persistent ghost stories.

Shamanic Powers

Confederation medicine men wield abilities that defy natural explanation. Since the Reckoning, their powers have grown dramatically:

Weather Control: Shamans can call storms, disperse clouds, and influence temperature. This gives military advantages—imagine attacking under sudden fog cover or retreating while torrential rain obscures your trail.

Healing: Medicine men treat wounds that should be fatal. Warriors survive injuries that would kill ordinary men, returning to battle days or weeks later instead of dying on the field.

Prophetic Visions: Shamans receive dreams and visions that guide tribal decisions. They warn of approaching enemies, locate game herds, and identify threats before they materialize.

Spirit Communication: Medicine men commune with animal spirits, ancestor spirits, and other supernatural entities. These spirits provide intelligence, protection, and guidance unavailable through natural means.

Smart opponents don't dismiss Confederation shamans as primitive superstition. Those with eyes to see recognize genuine supernatural power that makes conventional military thinking obsolete.

Black Mesa Mysteries

Black Mesa holds special significance as the site of Coyote's transformation. Warriors seeking visions fast atop the mesa for days, hoping for spiritual revelations. Shamans perform sacred ceremonies there, drawing power from the location's spiritual potency.

Strange lights appear on Black Mesa at night. Unexplained sounds echo across the plains. Travelers who approach without proper respect sometimes disappear—their bodies found days later with no obvious cause of death. Whether these phenomena stem from supernatural forces or tribal guardians protecting sacred ground, outsiders can't say for certain. Either way, Black Mesa is best avoided by those lacking invitation.

Survival Guide

If your business takes you near or into Confederation territory, here's what you need to know to stay alive:

Don't Enter Without Permission

The Confederation offers no legal way for outsiders to enter their territory. Unlike Deadwood in the Sioux Nations, there's no treaty city where whites can lawfully visit. If you cross Confederation borders, you're trespassing—and trespassers get killed. The border patrols are thorough, skilled, and merciless.

Avoid Buffalo Hunting

This should be obvious, but apparently it bears repeating: do not hunt buffalo anywhere near Confederation territory. Chief Quanah Parker's warriors will find you, and what happens next will make you wish they'd just shot you quickly. The bounty on buffalo hides isn't worth experiencing Parker's creative approaches to discouraging future hunters.

Respect the Alliance

If you're Confederate or sympathetic to the Southern cause, the Confederation is less likely to kill you on sight. Confederate traders, officers with proper identification, and Southern citizens with legitimate business can sometimes negotiate safe passage. This isn't guaranteed—you're still trespassing—but it beats being shot as a Union spy.

Don't Spy for the Union

Union intelligence services recruit spies to gather information on Confederation military activities and their alliance with the South. The pay is good. The life expectancy is terrible. Confederation counterintelligence is excellent—probably because Confederate agents help them—and captured spies face interrogation followed by execution. If you must spy, at least make sure your affairs are in order first.

Avoid Adobe Walls

The ruins in the Texas Panhandle are off-limits to everyone. The ghost stories are mostly fabrication covering regular patrols, but that doesn't make the site safer. Parker's warriors kill anyone camping near Adobe Walls and let people assume supernatural causes. Whether you die from bullets or ghosts, you're equally dead.

Respect Shamanic Power

If you encounter Confederation warriors accompanied by a shaman, tread very carefully. Medicine men command abilities that can kill you in ways rifles can't. They might call lightning from clear skies, summon animal allies, or see through deception with supernatural clarity. Don't mock, threaten, or underestimate shamanic power unless you're eager to learn about it firsthand.

Watch the Kansas Border

If you live or travel in southern Kansas, stay alert. Confederation raiding parties strike regularly, sometimes ranging far north of the border. They're after Union supplies, livestock, and targets of military value—but civilians sometimes get caught in the crossfire. Towns with strong defenses and clear Southern sympathies face less risk. Isolated settlements with Union flags are asking for trouble.

The Coyote Confederation stands united under a mysterious leader whose identity remains hidden behind a vermillion cloak. Chief Quanah Parker's pragmatism clashes with Chief Satanta's spiritual traditionalism, creating internal tensions that could eventually fracture the nation. Alliance with the Confederacy brings wealth and weapons but makes permanent enemies of the Union. The Buffalo War escalates as white hunters slaughter herds that feed the People. And through it all, Coyote guides with a sure hand and hidden face, following the trickster spirit's vision that created the Confederation from blood and desperation.

For Troubleshooters operating near Confederation territory, remember: you're facing warriors who fight with skill, cunning, and supernatural support. The shamans command powers that make conventional tactics obsolete. The border patrols are vigilant and unforgiving. Chief Parker's hatred of buffalo hunters is legendary and justified. And somewhere in the heart of the Confederation, Coyote watches—his true face hidden, his authority absolute, his plans known only to himself and the trickster spirit who saved his life atop Black Mesa.