The Proving Grounds
The Proving Grounds is a justice and immigration assessment system developed by the Kingdom of Jero in the time following the collapse. Unlike traditional justice methods, it functions as both a trial for redeemable offenders and a practical test for those seeking citizenship in the kingdom. Temporary guests are exempt from this requirement, but permanent residents must prove their worth and capability to contribute to society.
Physical Structure
Located in a repurposed warehouse in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, the Proving Grounds occupies the former Buck Knives manufacturing facility on Industrial Loop. This 110,000-square-foot industrial space features:
- A central arena floor visible from elevated observation points
- Maze-like obstacles constructed from salvaged materials and manufacturing equipment
- Multiple resource caches strategically placed throughout
- Controlled entry points for the release of twitchers
- Spectator areas secured behind protective barriers originally designed for manufacturing safety
- A marked exit point that represents the "escape" option, leading to exile
Trial Process
Qualification
Two main groups face the Proving Grounds:
- Offenders who have committed crimes deemed redeemable by Kingdom authorities
- Immigrants seeking permanent residence within the Kingdom of Jero
Those who have committed unforgivable crimes (murder, rape, treason) are not eligible and face direct execution or exile without the opportunity to prove themselves. The Challenge
Participants enter the arena with absolutely no equipment. All necessary tools, weapons, and resources are distributed throughout the arena, requiring contestants to quickly locate and utilize what they need. Twitchers are released, creating a life-or-death scenario with multiple paths to success:
- Combat Solution: Finding weapons and directly eliminating the twitchers
- Technical Solution: Creating traps or defensive systems from available materials
- Scientific Solution: Using available chemicals or tools to repel or disable twitchers
- Evasion Solution: Navigating the arena without direct confrontation
- Strategic Solution: Luring twitchers into shipping containers or other containment areas
Outcomes
- Death: Failure to overcome the challenge
- Victory: Elimination or containment of all twitchers (results in acceptance/reacceptance)
- Escape: Reaching the designated exit point (results in exile with basic supplies)
Cultural Significance
In the early post-collapse period, the Kingdom of Jero established this system to address two critical needs:
- Determining which offenders deserved second chances in a resource-constrained society
- Assessing which newcomers would contribute rather than burden the fledgling kingdom
What appears to outsiders as cruel has quickly become a cornerstone of Jero's governance philosophy: practical assessment over arbitrary judgment.
Future Development
As the system is relatively new (less than two years old), it continues to evolve. Some community leaders advocate for modifications to the challenges based on observed outcomes, while others believe the current format perfectly represents the kingdom's values of self-reliance, resourcefulness, and practical worth.