2090 A.D. - The America nation has collapsed, and its remnants have been at war for a half-century.

Samuel II, mayor of Citadel, a Blue Ridge Mountain enclave, is determined to end the city's wars with a devolved tribal society called Freedomland. He sends troubled but insightful city archivist Jakob History to a bartering meet-up, hoping an interview with tribal leader Abraham Trapper might help further peaceful relations. Instead, the encounter leads Jakob to reexamine America's past. Soon, Jonathan, Jakob's mentor, exposes the archivist to a surprising link with Abraham, which seems to set Jakob at odds with Citadel. But when Samuel leads Jakob to a danger-filled glimpse of Abraham's tribal life, the archivist's preconceptions of both cultures comes crashing down. Finally, a last, fateful encounter between Jakob and Abraham lays bare human strengths and weaknesses that are at the basis of civilization itself.