Flatlander Expanse - Part 1 - The Rise of Genefield

Before the Hodgepocalypse: Seeds in the Soil

In the quiet stretch of southern Saskatchewan, where prairie skies meet endless wheat fields, humans once thrived in neat rows and quiet routines. Saskatoon was a regional hub—an epicenter of agriculture, biotech research, and cooperative farming cultures, including deeply rooted Hutterite colonies. These colonies, known for their communal structure, technological savvy, and self-sufficiency, worked with agri-tech companies testing genetically modified crops and soil enhancement techniques.

By the mid-21st century, the region had become a hotbed for biotech fusion. Droughts and climate shifts pushed the envelope: vertical farms, bioengineered perennials, and hybridized livestock were everywhere. The University of Saskatchewan and its research parks collaborated with private industries on plant-based AI, synthetic photosynthesis, and bio-neural interfacing.

When automation surged and vehicles began outnumbering humans, many prairie towns hollowed out. Roads stretched long and lonely. Machines quietly maintained themselves, solar fields grew over fences, and the farms didn't need people—just oversight.

That’s when the whispering started.

The Hodgepocalypse: When Magic Took Root

Then came the Hodgepocalypse—the world-breaking moment when the ley lines, long dormant beneath the earth, reignited with psychic fury. It was like a second Cambrian explosion, but magical: psychic flora burst from the soil, dream-haunted winds swept across fields, and biotechnologies previously inert began waking up.

Southern Saskatchewan was one of the epicenters.

Something ancient answered the genetic manipulation and whispered through the hybrid seed vaults. Trees bent into unnatural shapes. Grown-in-place shelters and psychic mycelium networks began forming. Bioengineered crops developed sentience—and purpose. And the researchers? They were changed.

Some were absorbed into their work—literally. Others became more than human. These were the first Harvesters.

The Green Quiet: Harvester Ascension

In the chaos that followed the Hodgepocalypse, cities fell to internal collapse, monsters, or worse. But the southern plains became eerily quiet. The Harvesters claimed it.

The Harvesters rebuilt based on the communal principles of the Hutterite colonies—shared work, spiritual unity, and resistance to modern individualism. Their version of faith was no longer religious but biological. Life was not created in the image of a god but designed and cultivated in the service of a more excellent spiritual network.

They dug deep into the earth to grow their Rootworks—crystal matrices laced with psychic current. They wrapped their compounds in Tree Breaks and cultivated forests with sentient evergreens, fungus-borne sentries, and carnivorous vines. They grew their communication networks from Tree Boxes and transported people via psychic teleportation through plant interfaces.

Genefield was born near the ruins of Saskatoon, a blend of living architecture and ritual science. It was the first major Harvester Compound, a prototype community where mind-linked plant creatures, modified humans, and psychic interfaces blurred the line between agriculture and sentience.

Over time, they sent “Stumpys”—modified worker strains—outward to maintain outer posts. They created Podlings—human-plant hybrids with plausible deniability—to interact with outsiders when necessary. Behind the scenes, Dreamtime portals allowed them to commune with realities outside this one. And when outsiders approached too boldly, they found themselves lost in an endless forest or dreaming of vines they could never escape.

Saskatchewan Today: Harvester Territory

 Now, much of Saskatchewan—particularly the southern and central regions—is controlled by Harvester compounds. Some are benign and curious, others distant and cold, and a few are dangerously experimental.

Genefield remains the cultural and biological heart of Harvester territory. It is not an empire but a network of botanical communes, grown from a philosophy that understanding, shaping, and merging with life is the path forward.

They are not mind flayers in the traditional sense, but they listen and plant thoughts.

Timeline of Genefield and the Harvester Expansion

Pre-Hodgepocalypse Era 

 

• Agri-Tech Renaissance:
  Southern Saskatchewan sees a massive boom in biotech and agri-science. The University of Saskatchewan becomes a world leader in gene-editing research and vertical farming. Rural Hutterite colonies are early adopters of AI-driven crop management, often outperforming corporate farms.
• Neural Grafting Trials:
  Private labs around Saskatoon begin experimenting with neural-linked plant systems—organisms designed to react to human thought. Breakthroughs in photosynthetic neural netting draw the attention of international investors.
• Vehicle Singularity:
  For the first time, vehicles outnumber humans across the prairies. Automated harvesters, drones, and long-haul trucks operate with minimal human interaction. Many small towns begin to hollow out, becoming ghost communities sustained by machines.
• The Green Whisper:
  Workers in the agri-belts report a phenomenon: dreams of vines, compulsions to garden, and nations of talking trees. It’s dismissed as rural psychosis or "Agri-Syndrome." But something ancient has started to awaken.

The Hodgepocalypse

 

• The Leyline Burst:
  Earth's ley lines ignite in a cataclysmic wave known as the Hodgepocalypse. Magic returns violently. The magnetic poles shift, and portals to the Dreamtime rupture across the planet. Technological systems fail or mutate.
• Saskatoon Collapse:
  The city implodes under magical pressure. Machines and genetically modified crops begin fusing with magic. Some biotech labs are absorbed into the growing Rootweb, an emergent psychic plant network. Survivors flee or vanish into the overgrowth.

Rise of the Harvesters  

 

• Emergence of the First Harvesters:
  A group of altered researchers and Hutterite descendants declare the formation of a “new covenant with the soil.” They fuse communal living with psychic plant technology. Genefield is founded on the edge of Saskatoon’s green ruins.
• Rootwork Network Established:
  The first Rootworks tunnels connect nearby former colonies. Thought travel becomes possible for the psychically attuned. Communication trees bloom in precise geometric spirals—biological antennae for the collective mind.
• Tree Break Defense Initiative:
  Entire compound borders are enclosed in magically altered evergreen forests. These forests are grown specifically for defense, surveillance, and camouflage. The compounds begin to “disappear” from the aerial view.
• The Podling Accord:
  Genefield begins creating humanoid plant hybrids (Podlings) for contact with outsiders. Podlings serve as messengers, traders, and sometimes spies. Their role allows the Harvesters to stay isolated yet informed.
• The Dreamtime Interface:
  Genefield perfects a stabilized Dreamtime Portal, allowing psychic expeditions into metaphysical realms. The Sensitivity Chamber is grown beneath the Earth, becoming the central node of Harvester thought.

Harvester Dominion

• The Quiet Bloom:
  Over five years, southern and central Saskatchewan have fallen under Harvester's influence. No battles are fought. Villages go silent, only to later be reported as transformed into “compounds” with living walls and singing trees.
• Genefield Declared the Heartroot:
  A psychic consensus names Genefield the cultural and spiritual hub of the Harvester network. While not a government, it becomes the arbiter of growth, experimentation, and diplomacy with outsiders.
• Bio-Relics Unearthed:
  Dreamtime explorers return with ancient seeds and alien plant blueprints. Genefield grows strange, semi-sapient crops that whisper in ancient tongues and bear fruit only to the worthy.

Present Day 

 

• The Green Veil Holds:
  Harvester compounds are shrouded in psychic camouflage, visible only to those they choose. Rumors persist of flying plant ships, moving forests, and underground cities made of bone-root crystal.
• Genefield thrives not as a city but as a living being—part village, mind, and garden. It pulses in rhythm with the land, growing new minds, cultivating future paths, and waiting patiently for the world to realize it has already taken root.

Genefield: The Heartroot of the Harvesters

Location: Southern Saskatchewan, nestled within the overgrown ruins near the former city of Saskatoon.

Overview:
Genefield is not a town in the traditional sense. It is a symbiotic colony—a fusion of genetically engineered flora, communal living, and a collective psychic will known as the Green Consensus. It is the spiritual and administrative heart of the Harvesters, a post-human sect of mad botanists, benign brain hackers, and photosynthetic visionaries.

Culture and Social Structure

Core Beliefs:

 

• "We Grow Together": Harvesters believe individuality is a leaf, not a tree. Community decisions are made through psychic pollination—ideas are seeded and grown through consensus.
• Dreamtime Respect: They believe that Dreamtime is not just another plane but the original soil from which all life sprouted. Most ceremonies involve sleep, trance, and communion with higher plant intelligences.
• Body is Garden: Whether flesh, bark, or a hybrid, all bodies are gardens to be cultivated. Mutation is not feared—it is embraced as evolution.

Hierarchy (Such As It Is):

• The Rootmind (or The Consensus): A distributed psychic council of elder Harvesters. It is not a traditional governing body, but its dreams influence direction.
• Harvesters Proper: Geneticists, dream-divers, psychobotanists, and cultivated elders who live in giant tree homes and make decisions communally.
• Stumpys: Shorter, durable humanoids created through plant splicing to handle logistics, repair, and hard labor. Many are content, others dream of more.
• Podlings: Hybrid emissaries grown for interaction with the outside world. Uncanny in demeanor, they can pass as human—for a while.
• Guardians and Outsiders: Mercenaries, mutant traders, and plucky wanderers sometimes accepted into the outer layers of Genefield society. Most aren't trusted, but they’re watched—through the trees.

Notable NPCs of Genefield Prime

Elder Mycorris Vell

Title: Speaker of the Rootmind
Location: Mindroot Spire
Appearance: Elderly and serene, their skin glows faintly with embedded spores. Their eyes are pure white but constantly shift with drifting fungal patterns.

Background: Vell is one of the oldest harvesters, and it is rumored that it merged with the Rootmind decades ago. They no longer speak aloud; instead, they broadcast a calm, ever-present psychic voice in a ten-meter radius.

Quirks & Hooks:

• May ask adventurers to “retrieve lost dreams” from corrupted mind-sprouts.
• Secretly haunted by the echo of an old self—possibly still alive and rogue.
• Keeps calling one of the party members by someone else’s name.

Bliss-of-Pollen

Title: Emotion-Weaver of the Silken Quarter
Location: The Silken Quarter, Genefield’s emotional art district
Appearance: They wear a patchwork robe of pollen-soaked silks. Tiny beetles crawl over their shoulders, feeding off their skin.

Background: Bliss specializes in crafting “mood blossoms”—custom plants that evoke strong emotions when smelled. A darling of the artistic caste but deeply involved in subtle social engineering through mass emotion manipulation.

Quirks & Hooks:

• Has created an illegal sorrow flower that's become popular among mourning cults.
• Wants the PCs to help steal back a rare “first kiss vine” from Broadroot Market.
• Claims they can help a PC “feel love again” through one final project.

Dr. Xel Ternik

 

Title: Greenforge Biotechnician
Location: Greenforge Hollow
Appearance: Four arms, two grafted on; wears an apron of stitched moss. One eye is a blinking seedpod.

Background: Ternik was once a rational scientist—until the Hodgepocalypse rewrote biology. Now a mad botanist in the Harvester tradition, they’re always looking to test new biotech enhancements on volunteers.

Quirks & Hooks:

• Offers upgrades—some helpful, some weird (like “symbiotic hearing mushrooms”).
• Wants help tracking down an escaped “sapient potato” that keeps writing poetry.
• Secretly growing an army of sentient vines in the Rust Cyst.

Stumpy Jo

 Title: Revolutionary Rootspeaker
Location: The Rootspire, often in hiding
Appearance: Limbless and floating in a cradle of levitating fungi. Eyes glow with psychic fire. A fringe cult sees them as messianic figures.

Background: Once cast out of the Consensus for “radical individuality,” Jo survived by grafting their nervous system to a mobile fungal cradle. Now leads a growing fringe movement: the Sporesplitters, who believe in personal autonomy over collective decision-making.

Quirks & Hooks:

• Wants the PCs to smuggle in forbidden literature—ideas from before the Hodgepocalypse.
• Hints that the Rootmind is growing unstable, and Jo hears it scream at night.
• Might offer psychic shielding against mind-dominating Harvesters—for a price.

Meeka “Rustpetal” Vern

 Title: Scrap Shepherd
Location: Rust Cyst
Appearance: Covered in rust-hued carapace armor with moss growing in the cracks. Has bio-mechanical legs, one of which is sentient and occasionally argues with her.

Background: One of the few who understands the wooware made biomechanical hybrids of Genefield’s scrapyards. Keeps dangerous creations pacified with pollen-laced oil and dream hymns. She’s gruff, protective, and entirely done with everyone’s nonsense.

Quirks & Hooks:

• Something in the scrapyard has gone quiet—and Meeka’s too scared to go alone.
• Her leg wants to run away and “find itself.” The leg asks the PCs for help.
• Carries a sealed box she refuses to open—rumor says it’s ticking.

Sir Current

Title: Flow-Speaker of the Breathing River
Location: Beneath the river, accessed via bioluminescent stepping stones
Appearance: It appears as a humanoid figure made entirely of river water and woven reeds. When they speak, fish swirl inside them to form words.

Background: A water-elemental entity bonded with Harvester psychic tech, Sir Current is both the ambassador and guardian of the Breathing River. They represent the collective memory of those who’ve drowned in the river—and those who’ve dreamed beside it.

Quirks & Hooks:

• Will exchange one truth for another. Tell it a secret, and it will offer knowledge.
• Claims the river remembers the world before and can take someone back—briefly.
• Warns the PCs: “The river’s heart is cracking. The Dream Tide is coming.”

The Fringefolk of Genefield

Despite the dominance of the harvesters, other species live under their watchful canopy.

Beaver Folk

 

Hardworking and community-focused, Beaver Folk are essential to Genefield’s infrastructure. They maintain water channels, root-grown bridges, and semi-aquatic structures along the Breathing River and its tributaries. Known for their practicality and stubborn pride, they often act as engineers, builders, and local elders in riverside villages and the overgrown remnants of former cities.

Bogey

Bogeys are elusive, shadowy figures specializing in moving unseen and knowing things no one should. They are drawn to the Whisper Warrens, a fungal tunnel network that winds beneath the Bloom Markets and connects hidden caches and lore vaults. Often serving as messengers, dream smugglers, or spies, they thrive in the grey areas of the dreamworld’s society.

Cats

 Cats in Genefield are sleek, semi-mystical wanderers with a knack for navigating unstable dreamscapes. Whether sapient feline folk or just hyperintelligent cats, they often lounge in the Silken Quarter, where emotions steep into reality. Some serve as familiars, oracle companions, or aloof observers of great importance, never quite saying what they know.

Elf

 Elves act as psychically attuned wardens of the old leyroots, keeping harmony in the emotional fields and green cathedrals of the Dreamtime. Most can be found tending memory groves or tending spiritflowers in the Greenhold Glades, though some moonlight as mystic guides through dangerous regions like the Moss-Vault Flats.

Fate Fugitives

 Born from destiny, escaped into flesh. These are former spirits who became mortals to escape cosmic servitude. They seek new meaning, new stories, and freedom from fate's design. Their presence warps probability—and they’re hunted by things best not named.

Feylin

These manic, pop-culture-infused fae love all things flashy, nostalgic, and emotionally resonant. They’re drawn to Genefield’s “neo-dreamwave” cultural zones, like the Broadroot Bazaar, where they run shops filled with mixtapes, glam artifacts, and memory-mirroring fashion. Their magic is real, but their vibe is chaotic.

Garter Folk

Garter Folk are sly, clever serpent-folk who glide through wetlands and overgrown ruins. They dominate the breathing river, where they trade rare reagents, secrets, and semi-illegal biotech. Known for their coded language and impeccable taste in slippery fashion, they often play middlemen or informants.

Gnome

 

Tinkerers of spores and rogue mycelium, gnomes are eccentric inventors and meme-priests of the rust-bloom faith. Around the Rust Cyst, they build twitchy gadgets, emotion detectors, and symbiotic dream machines. Many act as brokers between the Harvesters and more “normal” species.

Human

Humans are a declining but adaptable species in Genefield, often remembered for causing the Hodgepocalypse yet respected for their ingenuity. Some have integrated into new biocultures as diplomats, medics, or mercenaries, especially in zones like Shelltown, where reclaimed human settlements still pulse with life.

Saskatoon Reclaimed: Genefield Prime

 Saskatoon wasn’t just rebuilt after the Hodgepocalypse—it was regrown. Concrete gave way to creeping mycelium and regenerative vinecrete. Glass towers cracked open like seed pods, replaced by hive-minded tree structures, biotech silos, and psychic gardens.

Most original streets are gone or now serpentine moss paths. Some skyscrapers still loom—now hollowed, wrapped in bark, and filled with fungal nerve clusters. Below the city, the river still flows—but it's sentient now.

Key Transformed Locations

The Breathing River (formerly the South Saskatchewan River)

 No longer just water—it now filters memory and mood through bioluminescent algae and dream-sifting reeds. Certain places “sing” when walked beside. The Riverspines, floating seed-barges, travel from pod to pod.

 Plot Hook: A traveler reports that the river “spoke their name” and revealed their future death.

Broadroot Market (based on Broadway Avenue)

 An open-air bazaar grown from massive, hollowed tree trunks and living stalls. Traders exchange spore-based tech, fungal dyes, mind-nectars, and emotional memories.

• Currency? Bloomchits—bioluminescent petal-coins.
• Security? Carnivorous plants called Shopmaws—they only bite thieves.

 Plot Hook: A series of perfectly behaved Shopmaws suddenly go rabid. Who fed them forbidden memories?

CLS – The Containment Lumen Spindle

 Once one of Canada’s largest science projects, a synchrotron light source that does crazy high-end particle imaging and experimentation, the Harvesters unearthed it. Still a synchrotron, but it's been reclassified as an Ancient Light Harvester, it was used to trap “primordial photons” that haven’t existed since the beginning of time. A ring of particle accelerators and failed quantum prisons, it’s a glitch beacon now, flaring up whenever someone tampers with time, identity, or dimensional constants.

Plot Hooks: Strange clones of people start appearing around the city — all claiming to be the original.

The Dormant Circle (formerly Circle Drive)

 A partially collapsed ring road has been converted into a migratory garden belt. Giant walking trees, tended by the Leafbound Rangers, circle it seasonally. Locals view it as a spiritual pilgrimage route.

 Plot Hook: A segment of the circle refuses to grow this year. Something is poisoning the soil from beneath.

Greenforge Hollow (formerly Innovation Place)

 

Now a biotech laboratory fused with ancient mycorrhizal networks. Bioengineers—some human, some plant—develop living machines, grafted limbs, and psychic seeds.

• Experimental growing towers shift form with the seasons.
• Plants bred here can walk, talk, or explode on command.

 Plot Hook: A genetically bred guardian goes feral and begins absorbing knowledge—and people.

The Mindroot Spire (formerly the University of Saskatchewan)

 The old university now functions as the core nerve cluster of the colony. The original stone buildings are barely visible beneath bark and psychic vines. It houses:

• The Rootmind Network (collective dream chamber)
• Neurofungal Archives (living library)
• The Spore School (where children are taught via symbiotic fungi)

 Plot Hook: A section of the Rootmind starts sprouting alien thoughts—it's been invaded by an outside dream.

The Rootspire (formerly SaskTel Centre)

 What used to be an arena is now the towering Rootspire, a colossal tree-ringed ziggurat that serves as both amphitheater and bio-judiciary. The walls vibrate with collective judgment; trials are settled through psychic debate.

 Plot Hook: A new speaker from the Stumpy caste has begun questioning the Consensus—and people are starting to listen.

The Rust Cyst (formerly industrial outskirts)

 This area was too toxic to regrow, so the Harvesters fused biotech with old scrap. It’s a junk-tech maze patrolled by Scrap Shepherds, mechanical drones given plant minds. Rogue creations sometimes escape.

 Plot Hook: A hybrid machine begins demanding worship and offering gifts. They’re... effective, but at what cost?

Shelltown (formerly Nutana Suburbs)

A residential district rebuilt using bio-shell pods—half plant, half insect, all unnervingly organic. It’s quiet, peaceful, and too perfect.

 Plot Hook: People who move here stop having dreams. Their old personalities start peeling away.

The Silken Quarter (based on Riversdale)

A district reimagined into soft canopy housing and emotional gardens. It’s where most social dreamers, artists, and whisper-weavers live. Emotions here are used like paint.

Plot Hook: Someone’s been bottling negative emotions and selling them on the black market. Addiction is spreading.

Unistation 

 Formerly the HMCS Unicorn, a  Canadian Naval Reserve division in Saskatoon, oddly located far from any coast, is a The Ghost Fleet Command Hub.  This landlocked naval control bunker wired into the "Whaleline," a hyperspatial current once used to navigate the old oceans — and now detected only in dreamspace. Was once part of a Cold War naval experiment into psychic navigation and extradimensional sea warfare. After the oceans were cracked open during the Riftfall, it's now the only known landlocked port that can access the Astral Tides.

Plot Hooks: The "Whaleline" is being hijacked — someone's using it to move weapons or monsters across reality.

The Verdant Veil (formerly Midtown Plaza)

Now, a greenhouse-temple where priest-botanists and dreamwalkers meet. The mall has collapsed inward, but in its place is a massive biome full of emotion-reactive flora, humming with ancient power.

 Plot Hook: One of the emotion-flowers starts emitting pure hatred. People exposed to it become violent and obsessed.

 Utility Zones

• Skyvine Network: Bioluminescent vines strung between buildings transmit energy and data.

 

• Glowbees: Psychic bees that carry pollen and news from one part of the colony to another.

 

• Fleshrails: Sentient transit vines. You ride in a soft tube that pulses gently as it moves you through the city.

 

 #drevrpg

#hodgepocalypse

#dnd5e

#dungeonsanddragons

#apocalypse

#saskatchewan

 

 

The Okanagan Dominion

Once a land of vineyards and pristine lakes, the Okanagan Dominion now stands as the largest bastion of civilization in the Columbian Wastelands—a ruthless fusion of warlords, scavenger clans, and high-tech enclaves fighting for dominance. Towering scrap metal citadels rise over roads choked with dust and diesel fumes, where cybernetically enhanced raiders barter stolen tech for biofuel. Beneath neon-lit domes and rusted steel skywalks, mercenaries, artificers, and gene-spliced mutants carve out their twisted version of the good life. The highways are lawless battlegrounds, ruled by nomadic war bands and roving mechs, while the remnants of pre-Fall technology pulse beneath the cracked earth, waiting to be unearthed—or to consume the fools who dig too deep. In this world of savage beauty and brutal survival, the Okanagan Reborn is both a beacon of hope and a proving ground for those who dare to call it home.

History

The Okanagan Valley, initially inhabited by the Syilx Nation, was characterized by its Indigenous Peoples who lived sustainably and spiritually connected to the land through traditions and oral histories. However, the 19th-century arrival of European settlers disrupted this harmony, leading to displacement, resource exploitation, and the establishment of new communities. By the late 1800s, irrigation projects transformed the valley into a prominent agricultural center known for its orchards and vineyards.

As the 20th century unfolded, the Okanagan Valley became a thriving tourist destination, with cities like Kelowna and Penticton emerging as vibrant economic and cultural hubs. This growth, however, came at a cost. Mid-century urban sprawl, deforestation, and increasing water usage altered the delicate balance of the valley's ecosystem. Seasonal wildfires, exacerbated by climate change, grew more destructive, threatening the natural beauty that had once attracted visitors.

Entering the early 21st century, the valley found a unique synchronization between its agricultural roots and the rise of technological innovation, embracing advancements in smart farming and eco-tourism. Amidst this evolution, Indigenous activism gained momentum, working to restore cultural practices, protect sacred sites, and reclaim ancestral stewardship of the land. Yet, as urban expansion and over-tourism escalated alongside the growing threat of wildfires, the valley's ecosystem teetered on the brink of collapse, setting the stage for unprecedented challenges in the face of an impending disaster known as the Hodgepocalypse.

The Hodgepocalypse

In the wake of the Hodgepocalypse, a catastrophic fusion of nuclear fallout, dimensional rifts, and magical surges shattered the foundations of global civilization, leaving the Okanagan Valley irreversibly altered. As reality fractured, ley lines surged with power, transforming the valley into a surreal landscape where the boundaries between nature and magic blurred. The very essence of the biosphere mutated under the influence of radiation and magical energies; lakes shimmered with supernatural properties, forests became sentient entities, and animals evolved into sapient or monstrous forms.

Amidst this chaos, the initial survivors sought refuge in the wilderness, retreating into caves or scavenging among the ruins of once-bustling cities like Kelowna. Displaced and isolated, these survivors formed distinct factions—banding together as scavengers, rainmakers, and Faustian Mechanics, each adapting uniquely to the stark new realities of their world.

As the years turned into decades, a Rebirth Era emerged, roughly 50 to 100 years after the Hodgepocalypse. New factions like the Ungo, the Malarkoids, and the Verkhail established footholds in the valley, intertwining pre-Hodgepocalypse wisdom with survival necessities. Sacred sites, such as Spotted Lake and the Bridge of Shadows, became contested hotspots of magical potency, drawing settlers and explorers eager to harness their power. In this tumultuous environment, trade flourished alongside conflict as fresh water, arable land, and magical artifacts became the lifeblood of competing factions.

Fast-forward over 150 years post-collapse, and the remnants of cities like Kelowna and Penticton stand as enigmatic ruins, brimming with traps, relics, and mutated threats. The valley presents a stark juxtaposition—lush ecosystems enriched by magic thrive alongside barren wastelands and scorched remnants of the past. Sapient species have emerged, melding their cultures with the remnants of humanity's forgotten legacy. Amidst the beauty and danger, factions struggle for dominance over magical hotspots and ancient ruins, crystalizing a new chapter in the valley’s dynamic history.

Throughout these transformations, themes of growth and ruin resonate strongly. Reflecting the valley's journey from the stewardship of the Syilx Nation through colonial exploitation to the chaotic rebirth following the Hodgepocalypse. The rich tapestry of magic and mythology, once abstract tales like that of Ogopogo, now possesses tangible presences that blur the divide between legend and reality. Though human influence has waned, their remnants—ruins, technology, and stories—serve as a rich backdrop for the valley’s evolving cultures and newly emerged species.

Key Themes

1. Resilience and Adaptation

• Survival in a Changed World: The Okanagan Valley’s population clings to life amidst environmental upheaval, mutated landscapes, and lingering magic.
• Communities Rebuilding: Small settlements band together, adapting old infrastructure and traditions to new realities.

2. Conflict Between Nature and Industry

• Wild vs. Civilization: Tensions between factions seeking to preserve the valley’s wilderness (Ungos, Druids, Stumpies) and those exploiting it for resources (Tech Salvagers, Fossilborn Clans).
• Magic’s Impact on Nature: Magical phenomena, like Spotted Lakes or living forests, create powerful centers of conflict and mystery.

3. Mysticism and Superstition

• Sacred and Cursed Locations: Spotted Lake, the Bridge of Shadows, and Okanagan Mountain Park are steeped in myth and supernatural power, drawing pilgrims, scholars, and power-hungry factions.
• Ogopogo and Other Myths: Local cryptids and spirits, such as the Ogopogo, influence daily life, and some communities worship or fear these entities.

4. Scarcity and Resourcefulness

• Limited Resources: Freshwater, arable land, and magical artifacts are vital, leading to conflict and trade among factions.
• Repurposing the Old World: Survivors scavenge and retrofit technology, blending it with magic to craft new tools and weapons.

5. Isolation and Connection

• Geographic Barriers: Lakes, mountains, and treacherous terrain create isolated pockets of civilization, fostering unique cultures and rivalries.
• Trade and Bridges: The need to connect settlements through trade and alliances adds layers of diplomacy and intrigue.

6. Mystical immigration

• Magical Evolution: Radiation and magic reshape and catapult people and creatures to the area, leading to species like Malarkoids, Fossilborn, and Ungo.
• Personal Change: Themes of physical and spiritual transformation, often through exposure to magical phenomena or personal trials.

7. Power and Corruption

• Faction Rivalries: Competing groups vie to control resources, sacred sites, and strategic locations, often exploiting weaker populations.
• Corrupted Magic: Ancient artifacts or rituals can grant immense power but at a significant cost, drawing in power-hungry factions like the Harvesters or Vamps.

8. Exploration and Discovery

• Uncharted Wilderness: Large swaths of the valley remain untamed and unexplored, filled with ruins, magical anomalies, and dangerous creatures.
• Lost Knowledge: Forgotten technologies and ancient magics lie buried, waiting to be rediscovered by daring adventurers.

9. Community and Identity

• Diverse Populations: The valley has many species with unique cultures and challenges.
• Cooperation vs. Division: Communities must decide whether to work together or prioritize their survival, shaping the valley’s future.

10. Pulp Heroism and Danger

• Heroic Ventures: Opportunities abound for bold adventurers to shape the valley’s destiny, whether overthrowing tyrants, uncovering ancient relics, or defeating monstrous threats.
• High Stakes and Drama: Every action has weight, from navigating faction politics to battling mutated monsters, creating a constant sense of peril and adventure.

Species of Note

Humans

 

In the transformed world of the Okanagan Valley, humans have carved out their existence amidst the chaos of the Hodgepocalypse, showcasing remarkable resilience and adaptability. Faced with a harsh new reality, these survivors blend resourcefulness with desperation. They scavenge remnants of old technology, forge alliances with various species, and adapt to a landscape imbued with magic and mutation, all while navigating the dangers of their unpredictable environment.

Hardship has shaped the survivors, instilling a deep sense of self-reliance and practicality. Distrustful yet resourceful, they harness their ingenuity to meet daily challenges head-on. As they navigate this wild new world, humans often mediate between the valley’s many factions. Their unique position allows them to negotiate and trade, maintaining fragile peace or cunningly manipulating rivals when necessary. Simultaneously, they carry the cultural remnants of a bygone era—fragmented traditions, old religions, and long-forgotten rituals—that continue to influence their relationship with magic and nature.

Small human enclaves have sprung up among the ruins of their former civilization. In the shadow of the Kelowna Ruins, scavengers work tirelessly to reclaim lost technology and knowledge. Some humans form mobile salvager camps, following seasonal resources and scavenging opportunities, while others have staked their claims along the valley’s edges, transforming reclaimed farmland into thriving agricultural hubs. Strategic trade outposts bridge these isolated communities, connecting the diverse factions that populate the valley.

The evolving landscape has given rise to various factions and subcultures among humans. Faustian Mechanics and Salvagers specialize in unearthing remnants of the past, wielding ancient technology for survival and influence. Meanwhile, groups like the Old Faithful revere pre-apocalyptic symbols, venerating places such as Spotted Lake for their spiritual significance. Not all are so noble, however; some desperate factions resort to raiding weaker groups, their survival often hinging on theft and violence. In contrast, the Rewilders—a group of mystics and druids—strive to restore harmony within the magically charged environment, often collaborating with creatures like the Stumpies and Ungo.

Amidst the uncertainty and strife, a few ambitious individuals seek power through magical means, probing the valley’s anomalies for artifacts and spells that could provide an advantage. Faction leaders occasionally emerge—charismatic figures who command respect and loyalty, forming diverse groups that blend species and ideologies.

Key Locations for Humans

The Okanagan Valley is dotted with key locations that hold meaning for the human inhabitants.

Spotted Lake Area: Revered for its mystical properties, this site attracts those who see it as sacred and those who exploit its magic for their own gain.

Kelowna Ruins: A bustling scavenging ground, where small communities salvage old technology while facing threats from mechanical life forms and mutated beasts.

Okanagan Lake (Ogopogo’s Domain): Here, humans live in awe and fear of the legendary Ogopogo, some worshiping it as a deity while others try to avoid its unpredictable wrath.

Myra Canyon and Kettle Valley Rail Trail: Humans maintain outposts in this defensible region, taking advantage of its height and using it as a vital trade route.

Abandoned Orchards and Vineyards: While reclaimed for agriculture, these lands often bear the scars of magic and are patrolled by mutated creatures, making cultivation a precarious endeavor.

Okanagan Mountain Park: Survivalists and rewilders inhabit this area, working to protect the land while living sustainably off its resources.

Penticton Outskirts: Known for its mercenaries and traders, this area thrives on the fringes, supplying settlements with food, weapons, and salvaged goods.

In this brave new world, humans navigate a landscape filled with both danger and opportunity, their roles constantly evolving as they adapt to the realities of life in the Okanagan Valley post-Hodgepocalypse.

Deerfolk (Cervidites)  

In the wake of the Hodgepocalypse, the Deerfolk, or Cervidites, emerged as survivors and guardians of the fragmented wilderness, intertwined with the chaotic energies released during the Revelations. Once believed to be ancient protectors of the land, their bodies and spirits were altered by the collapse of reality, imbuing them with heightened instincts, mystical resilience, and an innate connection to the natural world.   Whether serving as reclusive shamans, swift-moving scouts, or steadfast guardians, the Deerfolk remain a mysterious yet crucial force in the ongoing battle to reclaim the wilds of the Columbian Wastes.

Garter Folk

These snake-like humanoids thrive in the Okanagan’s semi-arid wilderness, embodying scavengers and spiritual guardians. Some slither through the ruins as opportunistic survivors, while others act as mystical wardens, protecting ancient ley lines and sacred sites. Their keen senses and cold-blooded pragmatism make them skilled trackers, oracles, and negotiators but also unpredictable allies. Feared and respected in equal measure, they maintain a deep connection to the land, enforcing a balance between nature and the chaotic forces of the Hodgepocalypse. Whether striking from the shadows or offering cryptic guidance, the Garter Folk remains an enigmatic force in the valley.

Little Bears

The Little Bears, small but fiercely determined humanoid bears, thrive in the Okanagan's rugged forests and mountain valleys, particularly around Myra Canyon and Okanagan Mountain Park. Drawn to the region's abundant resources and natural magic, they formed a deep bond with the Canadian Griffins—hybrid creatures blending Canadian Geese and Wolverine traits—by offering them sanctuary in cliffside aeries and sharing their foraging expertise. Over time, their partnership flourished, with Little Bears taming the griffins through trust, shared hunts, and magical bonding rituals. Today, they use these majestic creatures as mounts and companions, soaring over the valley to defend their homes and trade with distant settlements.

Tree Octopus

 

Once dismissed as an urban legend, it has become a real and unsettling presence in the Okanagan’s tangled forests and misty shorelines. Adapted to land and water, these brilliant and dexterous creatures use their camouflaging skin and prehensile limbs to ambush prey from the treetops or silently slink through the underbrush. Scavengers by nature but opportunistic hunters, when needed, have been known to snatch unsuspecting travelers, drag small animals into the canopy, and even infiltrate settlements in search of food. Their eerie, near-silent movement and unsettlingly curious eyes make them both a marvel and a menace, blurring the line between cryptid and apex predator in the chaotic world of the Hodgepocalypse.  Despite this, they are familiar traders within the settlements, provided they can behave themselves.

Transband 

A species of brilliant mutant raccoons has adapted to the ruins of human civilization with alarming efficiency, turning abandoned towns, junkyards, and garbage dumps into their hunting grounds. Enhanced by radiation-induced mutations, they have developed heightened dexterity, problem-solving skills, and, in some cases, eerie levels of mimicry and communication. These nocturnal marauders operate in tight-knit bands, expertly dismantling machinery, picking locks, and even setting rudimentary traps to outwit predators and scavengers. Some settlements see them as a nuisance, others as a potential resource—black-market traders have been known to bribe or bargain with them for stolen technology and rare salvage. Yet, no matter how clever or cunning, the Transband remains a wildcard in the wasteland, blurring the line between pest, predator, and unexpected ally.

Ungo  

Towering, fur-covered humanoids are an enigmatic presence in the mountainous and forested regions of the Okanagan Wastes. Reclusive and elusive, they are rarely seen, yet their influence is felt across the land—massive footprints in the mud, guttural calls echoing through the trees, and crude yet sturdy shelters deep in the wilderness. Some believe them to be the last remnants of an ancient, pre-cataclysmic species. In contrast, others claim they are mutated survivors, changed by the Hodgepocalypse into something more primal yet wise. Though they typically avoid human contact, the Ungo are known to act as silent guardians of the deep wilds, protecting sacred sites, warning travelers of impending danger, or driving out those who despoil the land. They may even offer reluctant aid to the desperate or the worthy, but earning their trust requires proving one’s respect for nature and the balance of the world.

Locations of Note in the Okanagan Dominion

Kelowna's Bridge of Shadows 

• Description: Once the iconic William R. Bennett Bridge was built, it became a supernatural phenomenon. It connects the mortal realm to shadowy dimensions at night, guarded by spectral sentinels who patrol its length.
• Plot Hooks:
• Spectral Bargain: A player must negotiate with a spectral guardian to traverse the bridge safely. The Guardian offers a quest to reclaim a lost relic trapped in the shadow realm.
• Phantom Traders: If the party crosses successfully, they might encounter ghostly merchants offering strange wares—if they can solve their riddles and prove their worth.
• Rift Expansion: The shadow dimensions are spilling over; adventurers are tasked with sealing a rift that threatens to engulf nearby settlements.

Kettle Valley Rail Trail 

• Description: This scenic trail traverses diverse landscapes, now marked by danger and intrigue post-Hodgepocalypse.
• Plot Hooks:
• Wandering Caravan: Meet a nomadic group of merchants or Feylin entertainers. Engage in trading or uncover secrets regarding the magical anomalies that plague the trail.
• Ambush Zones: Expect ambushes by Trollitariot or Garter Folk. Adventurers must devise strategies to protect themselves or turn the tables.
• Lost Train Depot: Discover an abandoned station packed with mechanical monstrosities or treasures of old technology but be prepared for combat with lurking guardians.

Ogopogo’s Crypt 

• Description: Hidden beneath the lake's waters lies a mythical underwater shrine teeming with relics and enchanted water, protected by dangerous guardians.
• Plot Hooks:
• Seekers of Favor: Adventurers are summoned to retrieve a sacred artifact from the crypt that could grant favor from the lake spirit—or anger it, unleashing a torrent of wrath.
• Rival Expedition: Face off against another group of treasure seekers with their agenda, leading to tension and conflict over the limited resources within the crypt.

Okanagan Lake (Ogopogo's Domain) 

• Description: A massive, iconic lake that serves as an anchor for life in the valley, home to the fearsome lake monster, N'ha-a-itk, whose nature could be varied from a leviathan to a fey guardian.
• Plot Hooks:
• Leviathan Awakening: Investigate reports of the lake monster emerging, causing havoc along the shores and unintentionally revealing hidden underwater ruins rich with treasures.
• Floating Communities: Encounter survivors living on makeshift islands who hold valuable secrets or artifacts but may require assistance battling pirates or mutants roaming the waters.

Okanagan Mountain Park 

• Description: A wilderness area known for its beauty, now altered with burnt forests and magical anomalies.
• Plot Hooks:
• Burning Threats: Investigate the source of fire-based creatures or undead that have claimed the scorched land, offering rewards for restoring balance or eliminating the threats.
• Druid Circle: Players can join or defend a gathering of Deerfolk, Ungo, and tree-octopus shamans dedicated to preserving the natural order and unveiling new powers or knowledge.

Skaha Bluffs 

• Description: Recognized for its climbing cliffs, the Skaha Bluffs now serve as a magical hotspot filled with peril and mystery.
• Plot Hooks:
• Elemental Nexus: Adventurers are tasked with stabilizing the elemental forces erupting from the bluffs before they tear apart the surroundings.
• Gargoyle Predators: Players must navigate ambushes set by stone-like predators that guard ancient secrets hidden within the cliffs.
• Cult Encampment: Uncover a secretive cult harnessing the area's mystical properties. Adventurers could join, sabotage, or redeem the cult with information.

Spotted Lake (Kliluk) 

• Description: This striking saline lake, with its naturally occurring "spots," is now fraught with peril and intrigue post-Hodgepocalypse.
• Plot Hooks:
• Portal Lake: Each spot serves as a gateway to another realm. Players might wish to explore these portal spots, risking unforeseen consequences or incredible rewards.
• Resource Node: Protect the lake’s magical properties from Harvesters or local tribes who seek to exploit its resources, leading to potential alliances or conflicts.
• Toxic Wasteland: Investigate reports of a mutated wildlife threat that has turned the lake into a toxic wasteland, with adventurers needing to navigate carefully through hazardous areas to unveil the origins of the mutation and possibly find a cure or antidote.

Habitation Zones in the Okanagan Valley

Big White Ski Resort 

• Description: Once a popular ski destination, this resort has become a formidable stronghold due to its high elevation and fortified lodges.
• Plot Hooks:
• Verkhail Citadel: Adventurers are hired to negotiate peace or thwart the efforts of liberated demons using the resort as a base of operations. Players could be tasked with infiltrating or sabotaging their machinations.
• Supplies Run: A vital supply route has been disrupted by raiders; the players must venture out to secure necessary provisions for the beleaguered inhabitants of the resort.

Myra Canyon Trestles 

• Description: An abandoned railway with towering wooden trestles commanding breathtaking views, this area is now a stronghold for opportunists.
• Plot Hooks:
• Bandit Coalition: Players might need to confront or negotiate with a coalition of raiders using the trestles as a base for ambushes, potentially forming alliances or rivalries.
• Treasure Hunt: A map leading to rumored treasures hidden along the trestles surfaces, spurring adventurers to navigate traps and bandit ambushes to claim the riches.

Penticton 

• Description: Nestled between Okanagan and Skaha Lakes, Penticton is a hub for agriculture, now overseen by powerful factions.
• Plot Hooks:
• Vintner Lords: Players are drawn into the political intrigue of the vampiric aristocrats controlling the mutated vineyards, tasked with land conquests, and may have to expose or infiltrate their ranks.
• Uprising: A group of enslaved agricultural workers seeks liberation, and players can choose to lead a rebellion, secure supplies, or sabotage the lords’ operations to free the oppressed.

Vernon (Floating City) 

• Description: This partially submerged city creates a unique habitat for survivalists, blending rafts and pontoons, adding another layer of defense.
• Plot Hooks:
• Aquatic Syndicate: Join Garter Folk and Tree Octopus entrepreneurs to develop a lucrative water trade, gaining influence while unraveling conspiracy-threatening shipping lanes.
• Pirate Lords: Players may have to deal with opportunistic raiders preying on the floating settlements, requiring strategic combat and negotiation skills to secure waterways.

Related Themes and Adventure Concepts

• Cycle of Growth and Ruin: Throughout the valley, characters can explore how cycles of growth lead to downfall, mirroring the journey of pre-Hodgepocalypse settlement to post-apocalyptic survival.
• Magic and Mythology: Each location can reveal aspects of ancient myths brought to life, allowing players to participate in blending the stories of their ancestors with the current reality.
• The Legacy of Humanity: Players will encounter remnants of humanity’s past—technology, culture, or lore—sparking quests to rebuild or understand what was lost.

Final Thoughts

The Okanagan Valley is a testament to the human spirit’s resilience amidst catastrophic change. Each location offers rich opportunities for exploration, conflict, diplomacy, and adventure—intertwining the magical, the mythical, and the remnants of civilization's past. Characters can engage with its evolving landscape while navigating the complex web of alliances, survival, and the pursuit of power, creating a dynamic narrative filled with challenges and triumphs. Whether standing atop the Skaha Bluffs, delving into the Ogopogo Crypt, or trading in the ruins of Penticton, the stories unfolding in this vibrant, dangerous world await intrepid adventurers.

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