The Sioux Nations

The Sioux Nations

"Where the Old Ways Clash With New Realities and Sacred Lands Run Red With Gold"

The Sioux Nations control the Dakota territories and stand as the most powerful Indian nation in the Weird West. Formed in 1872, the Nations united multiple tribes under a council of wise leaders who reclaimed their borders while the Union struggled against Confederate forces. Unlike the fragmented tribes of the past, the Sioux speak with one voice through their wicasas, command respect through military victory, and enforce their sovereignty with absolute determination.

The Nations face an impossible paradox: their spiritual leaders preach return to the "Old Ways," abandoning white man's technology for traditional weapons and practices. Yet white prospectors violate their sacred Black Hills daily, tearing apart mountains for ghost rock while the wicasas charge fees and tolerate the desecration. Young warriors chafe against fighting rifles and cannons with bows and arrows. Secret societies plot rebellion. And tensions simmer toward inevitable explosion.

At the center of this powder keg sits Deadwood—a treaty city where whites mine the Black Hills under strict Sioux supervision. The town exists in uncomfortable balance: prospectors seeking fortune, Sioux warriors enforcing law, and everyone waiting for the spark that will ignite the next war.

The Territory

The Sioux Nations encompass most of what was the Dakota territories, stretching across the northern plains:

The Great Plains: Endless grasslands where buffalo once roamed in countless millions. The herds are smaller now—hunted relentlessly by white buffalo hunters from Dodge City and elsewhere. The Sioux view this slaughter as cultural genocide since their way of life depends on the buffalo. Conflicts between hunters and warriors are frequent and bloody.

The Black Hills: Rising from the plains like dark islands, these pine-covered mountains are sacred to the Sioux. The Hills hold gold and—more importantly—rich deposits of ghost rock. Under the Deadwood Treaty, designated mining areas are open to whites who pay fees. Everything else remains forbidden territory where trespassers face summary execution.

The Badlands: East of the Black Hills lies a region of twisted rock formations, deep gullies, and harsh terrain that looks like Hell's own sculpture garden. Few whites venture here. The Sioux know every canyon and crevice, making the Badlands perfect for ambushes and sacred ceremonies away from prying eyes.

Rivers and Waterways: The Missouri River forms the eastern border of the Nations. The Little Big Horn, where General Custer met humiliating defeat, runs through the western territories. These waterways are vital for travel, trade, and as boundaries marking where Sioux authority begins.

Geography and Climate

The northern plains are beautiful but brutal. Summers are hot and dry with occasional violent thunderstorms that sweep across the grasslands. Winters are bitterly cold with howling winds and deep snows that can bury entire camps. Spring brings tornados. Fall offers a brief respite of mild weather before winter's return.

This harsh environment shaped the Sioux. They're tough, resourceful, and accustomed to hardship. Survival requires reading weather signs, following buffalo migrations, and maintaining mobility. The land demands respect—something many white settlers learn too late.

Formation and Government

Birth of a Nation (1872)

When the Union suffered defeat at the Battle of Washington in 1872, Sitting Bull recognized opportunity. With Federal troops focused on Confederate forces, the Dakota Indians had breathing room to reclaim their traditional lands. Sitting Bull started the movement to unite the tribes and declare sovereignty.

The various Sioux tribes couldn't agree on a single leader—too much history, too many proud chiefs. Their compromise was to reinstate the ancient council system: the wicasa yatapickas (wise leaders). Four respected chiefs, medicine men, and warriors would make decisions on behalf of all the Nations. Any formal dealings with the Sioux must go through this council.

In 1872, the Sioux Nations formally declared independence. Neither Union nor Confederacy had resources to dispute the claim. The Sioux controlled their territory by force of arms and will, and both warring governments had bigger problems.

The Wicasas Council

Four wicasas hold absolute authority in the Sioux Nations. They represent the four major tribes:

The Hunkpapa: Sitting Bull serves as the Hunkpapa wicasa and leader of the council. He's the most politically savvy and the most belligerent toward whites.

The Miniconjou: Represented by their wicasa, focused on maintaining traditional ways and spiritual practices.

The Brule: Their wicasa tends toward pragmatic approaches to dealing with white encroachment.

The Oglala: The Oglala wicasa commands respect through military leadership and tactical brilliance.

Other tribes within the Nations—Northern Cheyenne, Sans Arcs, and others—must win the ear of one of these four wicasas to have their voices heard. The system isn't perfect, but it's kept the Nations unified when fragmentation would mean destruction.

Sitting Bull

Sitting Bull, the Hunkpapa wicasa, is the most influential leader in the Sioux Nations. Now in his mid-forties, he's a brilliant tactician, powerful medicine man, and cunning politician. His speeches hint that war with the whites is inevitable—he just chooses his words carefully depending on his audience.

At the Deadwood Treaty signing in 1876, Sitting Bull delivered a speech that perfectly demonstrates his approach. In English, he spoke diplomatically about peace and cooperation. In Sioux, he called the Union soldiers murderers and liars. Generals Sherman and Terry smiled and nodded, not understanding a word. When they later learned what Sitting Bull actually said, relations deteriorated significantly.

Sitting Bull has no love for whites. Most who know him expect that someday he'll lead his people to war. The question isn't if, but when—and what spark will ignite the conflagration.

The Old Ways Movement

The wicasas decreed in 1865 that the Sioux must return to the "Old Ways"—abandoning white man's technology and customs to reclaim traditional practices. This movement arose from belief that the spirits punish the People for adopting corrupting influences like firearms and whiskey.

What It Means: Publicly, every Sioux follows the Old Ways. Warriors hunt with bows and arrows. Knives are made from stone, not steel. Rifles and revolvers are forbidden. Traditional clothing, ceremonies, and customs take precedence over modern conveniences.

Why It Exists: The wicasas believe that strange events beginning around 1863—the Reckoning, though few whites know that term—represent spiritual punishment. Evil spirits returned to the world, and the only way to appease them is returning to practices that pleased the spirits in the past.

An Ironic Success: The shamans' powers have grown dramatically since the Old Ways became law. Medicine men perform feats that defy natural explanation—calling storms, communing with animal spirits, healing wounds that should be fatal. The wicasas point to this as proof the spirits approve.

The Military Advantage: The US Army is thrilled with the Old Ways movement. Indians armed with bows facing Gatling guns and artillery? Easy pickings if war comes. The Army may be underestimating the shamans' growing supernatural powers.

The Order of the Raven

Not every Sioux supports the Old Ways. Many younger warriors consider it foolish to fight rifles with arrows and cannons with courage. Why should they tie one hand behind their backs when enemies use every advantage available?

These rebels formed a secret society: the Order of the Raven. Members bear hidden tattoos—usually in private locations where casual observation won't reveal them. The Order believes the Sioux should adopt modern weapons and tactics rather than cling to traditions that will get them killed.

The Wicasas' Response: When the council discovered the rebellion, they gave all members of the Sioux Nations one week to burn off any Raven tattoos. After that deadline, anyone found with the mark would be put to death. Slowly. Painfully. As an example.

Underground Movement: The Order of the Raven didn't disappear—it went deeper underground. Members are more careful about hiding their affiliations. They stockpile weapons in secret caches. They wait for their moment. And they grow more numerous with each young warrior who watches friends die in unequal battles against better-armed enemies.

This internal division is the Nations' greatest vulnerability. If war comes, will the Sioux fight unified or fracture between Old Ways supporters and pragmatic Ravenites? The answer could determine their survival.

The Deadwood Saga

The Discovery (1875)

Frank Bryant and a small group of prospectors snuck into the Black Hills in 1875, hoping to find gold. They found it—along with substantial ghost rock deposits. The Sioux caught them, tied them behind horses, and dragged them over a hundred miles to the border as punishment for trespassing on sacred land.

Bryant recovered and returned with a larger, armed group. They mined successfully and slipped out before the Sioux discovered them. But Bryant's companions couldn't keep their mouths shut. Word spread. Within weeks, thousands of prospectors were rushing toward the Black Hills, treaty be damned.

The Deadwood Miners Alliance

As prospectors flooded the Black Hills, they formed the Deadwood Miners Alliance for mutual protection. Members spent one day per week on militia duty—patrolling for war parties or building a defensive stockade at the junction of Deadwood and Whitewood Creeks. For a while, the arrangement worked.

The Deadwood Creek Massacre (November 1875)

In November 1875, a hunting party of miners opened fire on Sioux warriors who were scaring away game. Two Indians died in the skirmish. That night, a Brule war leader named Red Bear gathered warriors from nearby villages. Despite wicasa orders to wait, Red Bear attacked the stockade.

The battle was vicious. Over a hundred miners died. The stockade burned. Survivors fled across the plains, hunted like animals. Fewer than ten escaped the Sioux Nations alive. Frank Bryant was one of them.

The Battle of Little Big Horn (1876)

News of the massacre sparked public outrage. Congress authorized a punitive expedition despite military reluctance to waste troops on "fool miners who got themselves killed." But the ghost rock deposits were too valuable to ignore.

General Terry led Union troops into Sioux territory, dividing his forces to catch the Indians in a pincer. Lieutenant-Colonel George Armstrong Custer commanded the southern column—the 7th Cavalry. Custer found a Sioux encampment and attacked with only part of his available forces, hoping for personal glory.

It was a disaster. Warriors led by Crazy Horse and Chief Gall surrounded Custer at the Little Big Horn. His men were slaughtered. Custer survived only because the Sioux deliberately let him go—a calculated humiliation meant to show his impotence. He escaped alone, covered in wounds, while his command lay dead behind him.

The battle shocked the nation. Custer became a laughingstock and an embarrassment. But it also forced President Grant to treat the Sioux Nations with genuine respect rather than dismissing them as "savages."

The Deadwood Creek Treaty (July 1, 1876)

Sitting Bull surprised everyone by proposing limited mining in the Black Hills under strict Sioux control. Those who knew him weren't surprised at all—he planned to use mining fees to fund a future war effort. The other wicasas agreed because they couldn't keep miners out anyway, and the concession would prevent another military expedition.

Washington accepted. Grant knew the country couldn't afford a full-scale war against the Sioux while fighting the Confederacy. On July 1, 1876, Sitting Bull, General Sherman, and General Terry met at the massacre site and signed the Deadwood Creek Treaty.

Treaty Terms:

• The US recognizes the borders of the Sioux Nations as they exist today
• No US troops are allowed within Sioux borders
• The settlement at Deadwood Creek can be rebuilt under Sioux supervision
• All non-Indians in the Nations must live in Deadwood unless given special permission
• Access to Deadwood is only by railroad (via Iron Dragon)
• Mining is limited to designated areas in the Black Hills
• Prospecting permits cost $100, mining claims cost $200
• All finds must be assayed in Deadwood with 5% paid to the Sioux Nations
• Mines can only be registered by individuals, not companies
• No more than five people can work a single mine simultaneously
• Violations result in immediate ejection from the Nations

Deadwood Today (1877)

Within days of the treaty signing, the Iron Dragon Railroad completed its line to Deadwood. Tents sprouted across the old massacre site. Hundreds of miners scrambled to stake claims. Merchants, gamblers, saloon owners, and prostitutes followed close behind.

In September 1876, Deadwood elected its first town council and mayor (Sol Star). Seth Bullock became the first marshal. By 1877, Deadwood is a bustling boomtown of several thousand residents—and a powder keg waiting for a match.

The Deadwood Miners Alliance reformed with close to 70% of male residents (and a significant number of women) as members. They patrol mining claims and clash frequently with Sioux patrols watching for treaty violations. So far there's been no shooting. Yet.

The Office of Mining Affairs sits at the corner of Main and Gold Streets, collecting fees and registering claims. Most staff are white, but Deer Slayer—a Sioux educated Back East—actually runs the operation. He's familiar with white man's ways and completely loyal to the wicasas.

Relations with the United States

Relations between the Nations and the US are cool at best, hostile at worst:

Sioux in US Territory: Sioux may travel northern states freely but not in groups larger than five. Anything more is considered a "raiding party," and cavalry is called to escort them back to their borders—assuming the cavalry arrives before the Indians vanish, which they rarely do.

Whites in Sioux Territory: No whites are allowed to cross Sioux borders except by Iron Dragon Railroad heading directly to Deadwood or designated mining areas. Straying from authorized zones means death. Period. No trials, no warnings.

When Deadwood residents protested these "murders" to the US government, President Grant's response was appreciated by the Sioux. It read simply: "You were warned."

Custer's Vendetta: George Armstrong Custer hasn't forgiven his defeat. He's assembling a mercenary army without authorization from Washington—claim jumpers, freebooters, and volunteers eager for revenge or riches. Custer wears his US Army rank, so to the Sioux, he represents official US policy. His rogue expedition could trigger the war everyone fears.

The Iron Dragon Railroad

The mysterious Mr. Kang owns the Iron Dragon Railroad. Under the Deadwood Treaty, Iron Dragon received exclusive rights to build a rail line to Deadwood—the only legal way in or out of the Nations for non-Sioux.

The railroad's arrival transformed Deadwood from isolated massacre site to booming trade hub. Kang profits handsomely from every passenger and every ton of ghost rock shipped out of the Black Hills. His trains run on schedule, his guards are professional, and his deals with the Sioux leadership ensure smooth operations.

What most don't know: Kang has deeper arrangements with certain Sioux factions. Weapons and ammunition ride Iron Dragon trains into the Nations under false manifests. Someone is arming the Sioux despite US federal law and wicasa prohibitions. When war comes, the Nations may be better equipped than anyone expects.

Daily Life and Culture

Traditional Practices

The Sioux live much as their ancestors did—following buffalo herds, living in portable tipis, and organizing around extended family bands. Summers are spent hunting and gathering. Winters require careful preparation and stored supplies.

Under the Old Ways, traditional skills matter more than ever. Young warriors learn to track, hunt with bows, ride without saddles, and fight with lance and tomahawk. Women tan hides, preserve food, craft clothing, and maintain camps. Everyone contributes to tribal survival.

Spiritual Life: Medicine men hold great respect. They perform ceremonies, interpret visions, and commune with spirits. Since the Reckoning, their powers have grown dramatically—weather control, animal communication, prophetic dreams, and healing that borders on miraculous. This supernatural prowess reinforces belief in the Old Ways.

Warrior Culture: Counting coup—striking an enemy without killing him—brings more honor than anonymous killing. Bravery, skill, and tactical cunning earn respect. Young men prove themselves through vision quests, dangerous hunts, and battlefield courage.

The Buffalo Crisis

White buffalo hunters from Dodge City and other towns slaughter buffalo by the thousands for hides and meat. The Sioux depend on buffalo for food, clothing, shelter, tools—everything. Watching the herds dwindle is watching their way of life die.

Buffalo hunters operating near Sioux territory face constant danger. Warriors ambush hunting parties with extreme prejudice. This isn't warfare—it's cultural survival. Every buffalo killed is one less resource for the People.

The Supernatural Element

The average fear level in Sioux territory is 2—slightly elevated due to tensions and violence. Around Deadwood, fear jumps to 3 thanks to massacre memories, treaty violations, and constant threat of renewed warfare.

Restless Spirits

Deadwood residents claim the spirits of massacre victims haunt the Black Hills. Recently, mutilated Sioux corpses have been found near mining operations—scalped, dismembered, arranged in disturbing patterns. Both Sioux and whites whisper about ghostly figures wandering hillsides thirsting for revenge.

Some believe these are actual supernatural manifestations. Others suspect human perpetrators using ghost stories as cover for murder. Either way, each new corpse raises tensions another notch toward explosion.

Medicine Man Powers

Sioux shamans wield powers that terrify those who witness them. They call thunderstorms from clear skies. They speak with animals and receive intelligence about enemy movements. They heal wounds that should be fatal. They enter trance states and receive prophetic visions.

Some powers seem natural—exceptional tracking, wilderness survival, herbal medicine. Others defy explanation. Smart opponents don't dismiss Sioux medicine men as primitive superstition. Those with eyes to see recognize genuine supernatural power.

Survival Guide

If you're traveling to or operating in Sioux territory, here's what you need to know:

Respect the Treaty

The Deadwood Treaty isn't suggestions—it's law enforced by warriors who will kill you without hesitation. Stay in Deadwood or designated mining areas. Pay your fees. Don't wander off authorized paths. Violators don't get warnings or second chances.

Travel by Rail

Iron Dragon is the only legal way in or out. Don't try crossing Sioux borders on foot or horseback unless you're looking to die slowly. The Sioux know every trail, every water source, every hiding spot. You don't.

Don't Mock the Old Ways

Laughing about Indians with bows facing rifles is a good way to catch an arrow in the back. The Sioux are deadly warriors regardless of weapons. Their shamans possess powers that make mockery of conventional military thinking. Underestimate them at your peril.

Watch Your Claim

If you're mining in the Black Hills, patrol your equipment regularly. Vandalism and theft are common—sometimes from other miners, sometimes from Sioux warriors enforcing boundaries, sometimes from unknown parties using chaos for cover. The Deadwood Miners Alliance offers protection through mutual patrols. Join it.

Avoid Lone Travel

Don't wander the Black Hills alone, especially at night. Stay with groups. Carry weapons. Watch for both human and supernatural threats. The hills have claimed many solo travelers who thought themselves invincible.

Respect Sioux Authority in Deadwood

The Office of Mining Affairs isn't suggestions—it's enforcers with treaty backing. Pay your fees on time. Register claims properly. Submit to assays. Deer Slayer and his staff report directly to the wicasas. Cross them and you'll find yourself ejected from the Nations—or worse.

Avoid Taking Sides

Internal Sioux politics between Old Ways supporters and Ravenite sympathizers isn't your business. Don't get involved. Don't take sides. Keep your head down and your opinions to yourself. The Nations' internal divisions are powder kegs you don't want to be near when they explode.

The Sioux Nations stand at a crossroads: clinging to the Old Ways that please the spirits but leave them technologically outmatched, or embracing modern weapons that could save lives but damn souls. The sacred Black Hills run red with greed as white prospectors tear apart holy mountains for ghost rock. Deadwood exists in uneasy peace where armed miners and Sioux warriors eye each other across invisible lines, waiting for someone to make a fatal mistake.

For Troubleshooters operating in or near Sioux territory, remember: you're walking on consecrated ground soaked in blood and broken promises. The wicasas enforce their laws absolutely. The warriors are deadly regardless of weapons. The shamans command powers you can't explain. And George Armstrong Custer is assembling an army for unauthorized revenge that could trigger the war everyone fears. Tread carefully, show respect, and pray the powder keg doesn't explode while you're standing nearby.