Hodgepocalypse - South (and Central) America - Part 1 - History

This is something I have had on my hard drive and seeing it amuses:

The Scaly Flu

While there are many stories of what happened during the Time of Revelations, but one of the strangest legends is that it began with a whisper.  A whisper from some sort of elder being that began to reach beyond time and space.  This whisper touched people and gave them "the scaly flu."  Symptoms included increased aggression, enhanced adrenal gland production, skin molting, and in in extreme cases, death by cocooning.  It spread like a wildfire across the continent, starting small, but then affecting thousands.  Fearing the outbreak of a new virus, the governments of Latin America began to quarantine off buildings, districts and even cities to stop its disastrous effects.  But since the affect was supernatural, not biological in nature, little was able to stop it.

What wasn't expected was this was part of the plan.  A paranormal horror from beyond the pale was using this "virus" to create a conduit it could use to join its domain in the hallowed world to the earth. 

and it would have worked, if it hadn't been slain in the middle of the ritual.  No one has claimed ownership of the deed.

Hell and Dinosaurs

Tyrannosaurus rex Osborn, 1905 theropod dinosaur skeleton (frontal view of skull) from the Cretaceous of South Dakota.,  

Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license

.

With nothing controlling the energies released and with a connection to earth, it caused a massive global event.   Earthquakes arrived in full force; volcanos arose in unnatural locations.  The Amazon Rainforest fed off the essence of the dead entity and grew wildly out of control, consuming anything unlucky enough to be within its clutches.

Perhaps the strangest side effect was the arrival of species long since dead.  Dinosaurs flooded the ecosystem acting as the ultimate invasive species.  They came in such numbers that even the natural disasters did little to slow them down.

Worse, they were particularly susceptible to supernatural energies and often became demonic in both appearance and powers.  Often these tainted dinosaurs would take over an area and rule over it with a mighty roar, demanding sacrifices to keep the mystical energy flowing.

Cybersalvation

Titan the robot in Butlins Minehead. 1 May 2019., Turmilo. Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.

About 100 years ago, this all changed.  A strange set of missionaries came from the north.  Claiming to be the synthesis of life and machine, the cybercult began to wage a cyber crusade against many of these dinosaurs.  The results were varied, but what wasn't varied is they ended up as a religion in sharp contrast to their dinosaur oppressors.  They claimed responsibility for "the great hibernation" a period where the largest and most powerful terrorsaurs (as these demonic dinosaurs began to be known) just simply fell asleep.  Some were so powerful that they couldn't be slain even in this state, but it gave humanity and its allies a fighting chance in a world gone mad.

Next time, we begin the tour of the continent.

#drevrpg #5e #apocalypse #dnd5e #dungeonsanddragons

The Hodgepocalypse - The Hockeypocalypse - Part 5 - Pink Pole Position Baby!

https://www.twitch.tv/videos/573163781
And now our epic heroes are behind the wheel thanks to the efforts of the dangerous Doctor D!

Hodgepocalypse - Australia - Part 3 - Monsters of Note

Writer's note:  I have some ideas for more original creatures, but sticking with monsters already fleshed out for 5e for this blog:

Monsters

From the OGL

Aboleth

These ancient primal beings are found along the continental shelf of Australia and are often become cult leaders of the surface populations.

Blights

The land has been ravished and some of the plant life has become openly hostile.

Spooky tree in a mist.   Nerijus Navickas.  Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license.

Bullette

These creatures have adapted well to the forbidden zone and are believed to have been domesticated by the Gene Raiders.

Cloaker

This bat mutation has taken over entire cave complexes where it rules with an iron, but distracted fist.

Cockatrice

These mutant chickens roam the wasteland but can be semi-domesticated.

Oliver Herford (1863-1935) 1912.  Public Domain

Doppleganger

There is rumor of entire frontier towns that have been replaced with duplicates.

Elementals

They are more common in Australia, than anywhere else in the world.  They often pop out through dimensional gateways and ravish the countryside.

Ettercaps

The Queen’s Forest has a bounty on these creatures, but that does little to diminish their numbers.

Flame Skulls

Sometimes the skulls of the dead are placed at doorways and crossroads to judge those crossing its path.  If it finds them wanting, it animates and attacks.

Fungi

Some fungi have been mutated to be actively hostile to its inhabitants.

Galeb Duhr

These oracles of the desert are often approached for their wisdom.

Ghouls

Ghouls and Ghasts are common in the ruins of the past world.

Gibbering Mouther

These commonly spawn from the forbidden Zone and adjoining areas.  They are often kept as pets by the Gene Raiders.

Helmed Horror

Automated defenses from the old world are often awakened by would be adventurers.  The main change is they often use modern weapons.              

Magnim

These are common inhabitants of the burning Mountain.

Oozes

Much of the industrial waste has achieved a degree of life and now seeks to consume.

Purple Worm

The Giant Gippsland Earthworm has been mutated to outrageous size and now roams all of Australia looking for prey.

Rust Monster

These are a common pests and are usually shot on site.

Troglodyte

These underground inhabitants are a danger to people diving into Australia’s caves.

Will o’ the Wisp

The Min Min light is a terror of the dark.

Miscellaneous Creatures: 

Axebeak (Giant Emu or Cassowary), Badger (Wombat), Boar, Cat, Constrictor Snake (Boas), Crab, Crocodile, Eagle (Wedge-tailed eagle), Flying Snake (Chrysopelea), Frog, Giant Bat, Giant Boar, Giant Centipede (Scolopendra gigantea), Giant Bat, Giant Badger, Giant Constrictor Snake, Giant Crab, Giant Crocodile, Giant Eagle, Giant Frog, Giant Goat, Giant Lizard (Monitor Lizard), Giant Octopus, Giant Owl (Ninox strenua), Giant Poisonous Snake, Giant Rat, Giant Raven, Giant Scorpion (Flinders Ranges scorpion), Giant Sea Horse, Giant Shark, Giant Spider, Giant Toad, Giant Vulture, Giant Wasp, Giant Wolf Spider, Goat, Hawk, Hunter Shark, Jackel (Dingo), Lizard, Mule, Octopus, Owl, Phase Spider, Poisonous Snake, Pony, Quipper, Rat, Raven, Reef Shark, Riding Horse, Scorpion, Sea Horse, Spider, Swarm of Bats, Swarm of Insects, Swarm of Poisonous Snakes, Swarm of Quippers, Swarm of Rats, Swarm of Ravens, Vulture.

Gene Raiders

The following are the most common Gene Raiders to Encounter:

The Blimps

Description:  These balloons of doom are the common transport

Uses:  Corpseman-Bloat Corpse (See Book of Danger)

 

1943 Source Official US Navy photo transferred from en.wikipedia, source [1]. Public Domain

The Brain Splicers

Description: These weird monstrosities seem to have a knack and are responsible for mixing and matching DNA.

Uses: Grell

The Burners

Description:  Sulphuric life bred to burn the wasteland.

Uses: Salamanders

The Cavalry

Description:  These automated genetic chariots will run down all before them.

Uses:  Corpseman-Skull at arms (See Book of Danger)

The Grand Ones

Description:  The leaders of this genetic horde, they are born to lead.

Uses: Oni

The Horde

Description:  These are the rampaging mob that you are most likely to encounter.

Uses: Orc

The Masses

Description: There are those that are created for day to day tasks so nobody else must do them.

Uses: Zombie

The Petty.

Description: Some of the mutants grow to amazing size, at the expense of massive deformities.

Uses: Formorian

The Stompers

Description:  These large mutants are often used as a brute squad by the Gene Raiders

Uses: Ettin, Hill Giant, Ogre.

From the Book of Danger

Art Aberration

Believe released from the depths of the dreamtime during the Times of Revelations, this killer art is commonly found in the ruins of Sydney. 

Big Bad Maw

A variety of this surprisingly stealthy monstrous hermit crab-like creature dwells in the desert.

Bouncy Ball

These are attracted by action and will bounce your way to terror.

Buttercup Nymph

Common in the Queen’s Forest and available as pets.

Damnation Eater

The Queen of the Queen’s forest has sprouted many a child that can found just about anywhere.

Entities

Ghosts and spirits are common on the continent.

Fierce Ficus

The Bush Strikes back with these aggressive plants.

 Ficus elastica., 2019.,  H. Zell.,  GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2

Flagellated Protozoa

These gargantuan former microorganisms are often a side effect of pollution.

Golem-Fiberglass

Some of the Relic Roadshows are this and while not always hostile, they often take issue with being used for ritual purposes.

Gremlin

Those that use technology beware as these techno-phobic critters often plague settlements.

Gremlins are floor greasers! Watch your step! Back up our battleskies!  between circa 1942 and circa 1943 Still Picture Records Section, 

Special Media Archives Services Division (NWCS-S)

Gunship Dragonfly

A version of this insectoid predator is found along the northern coast.

Hogweed Goliath

This truly is an invasive species as these monsters cover their prey with poisonous sap.

Hoosegow Haunt

Some of these ghosts that haunt prisons have become celebrities of sort and often frequent historical sites.

Hunter Rose

Be wary what you pluck for the hunter rose may choose to pluck you.

Masticator

This is yet another mutant created by the Gene Raiders of the Forbidden Zone.

Ooze, Moody

These cute blobs are kept as pets by some.

Ooze- Tar

Originally an incredibly slow experiment involving pitch, the massive Tar Ooze has achieved sentience and mass and is now haunting the remains of Brisbane Australia

Pistol Shrimp

Be wary of the waters around Australia as these shrimps will consider you delicious.

13 November 2009 CSIRO Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license.

Pyronoid

There is one recorded sighting of this creature in Australia and it left nothing but devastation in its wake.

Quick Slime

Often used as guard animals of sort by the Gene Raiders when they set up camp.

RC Racer’s of Doom

Nobody is quite sure whose manufacturing these, but these small robot cars are highly aggressive.

 Lego - RC Tracked Racer - 2017-04-08. Bretwa. Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.

Serpents-Great Horned

The Rainbow Serpent might be a myth, but these Great Horned serpents aren’t. 

Sewer Worms

Yet another danger of diving into the depths of the ruins of the past.

Sick Slug. 

Mount Kaputar is home to these bizarre and disgusting creatures. A local mutation is that they are pink instead of yellow.

Terminator Hog

These represent various hogs and pigs that have been mutated to outrageous sizes.

Reconstruction of a pair of the Early Oligocene entelodont, Archaeotherium mortoni, fighting.  Stanton F. Fink / Apokryltaros at en.wikipedia  GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2


#drevrpg #apocalypse #dnd5e #dungeonsanddragons #australia

Hodgepocalypse - Australia - Part 2 - Species and Classes/Paths - Reskinned.

Species

Beaverfolk

While beaverfolk aren’t native to Australia, its stats cover Platypus folk who have a similar temperament.  Modifications:  Add venom to the species talent trees.

Drawing/wood engraving of a duckbill platypus. 1891. Johann David Wyss. Public Domain

Bogey

While Bogeys are most common in the queen’s forest, they often travel across the continent seeking fame, fortune and a better bottom line.

Dwarves

The town of Cooper Pedy has been resurrected by these enterprising individuals and has been mining for rare materials, some of which has been brought into the area during the Times of Revelations.

Elf

Roaming bands of Green Elves armed with what can best be described as field hockey equipment often invade nearby territory causing a relatively bad reputation.

Feylin

East Melbourne is where most of these Pop culture conscious fey seem to appear before starting their own epic adventure.

Elfland - Pink Butterfly Elf - Krewe of Proteus Costume 1890. Carlotta Bonnecaze. Public Domain

Gnomes

Gnomes are very common and found in rebuilt settlements in the ruins of Shoreham, and Wellington Mill.  They also seem to be drawn to the Parks Radio Telescope like a moth to a flame.

Half-elf

A Half-elf child is considered fey touched, but often are driven between the two worlds outside their community.

Halfling

Most halflings live a nomadic lifestyle.  They usually travel in convoys where they protect Road Trains, a huge semi-like trailer machine that pulls four to five trailers behind it.

Road Train with a total of 16 axes, seen in Western Australia. 2007, W. Bulach.,  
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.

Haraak

If there was any species that can thrive in the hostile wasteland, it is the Haraak.  Their cowboy like lifestyle seems to make they relish living in small communities where they raise their livestock and run their traplines.

Harlowe

While there are no Harlowe in Australia, sometimes an angelic like being is born to a human family.  They have equivalent stats.

Kamidaver

It doesn’t happen very often, but every so often a corpse gets up and keeps going to its location unaware of the fact that it is no longer alive.  These people range from the greatest of heroes to the worst of villains.

Marlorkoids

These mutants or aliens (depending whom you talk to) have a large settlement along the Wolfe Creek’s Crater.  They claim to be the advanced alien invasion party that will dominate the continent, but they seem surprisingly lazy as they have set up a town along its side for “tourists.”

They are also found in Davenport Australia and while disappointed with the results have settled there as a people.

Medusa

They are the most common in Northern Australia, but their curiosity often lets them wander the continent.  There are also a number of feral clans found in the deep swamps of the north.

                Their coloration often matches local Australian snake breeds with rainbow coloration being a mutation that happens infrequently.

Trollitariot

This burly fey often act as a swagman, going from town to town offering their services.  It’s wise to take them up on their offer.

Ungo

The Ungo of Australia are known as Yowie and are most common in Eastern Australia. 

Yowie Statue, Yowie Park, Kilcoy, Queensland. Photo taken on 21 April 2013 Somersetpedia.paul

  Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.

Vamps

While most hail from Bloody Perth, there are those that leave due to infighting or trying to see if there is a way to have a better and healthier relationship with those that they deem cattle. 

Verkail

While no Verkhail exist in Australia, the Gene Raiders are so diverse in their genetic adaptability, that this species fills the niche of a genetically altered human.  Changes:  Just change language from Daemonese to Trade Tongue.

Classes

Adventurer/Prowler

Raiders of all sorts are found throughout Australia but are most common in urban areas. 

Adventurer/Scout

Bushman is found far and wide across the wild and wide.

Adventurer/Troubleshooter

This class and path can be used to emulate such concepts as the Jackeroo, Mechanic, and Technologist

John Charles Bray. 1899. Flickr's The Commons.  No known Copyright.

Channeler/Faustian Mechanic

Since the Parks Radio Telescope discovered the secret of mixing the arcane and technology, these strange mechanical spellcasters have begun to show their presence on the continent.

                               

Channeler/Sentinel

Before the Time of Revelations, there was a Demon slayer that kept the supernatural at bay.  Nowadays they are mostly found in the ruins of Sydney, looking for something.

British Pattern 1853 Cavalry Troopers Sword "Used by British Forces during the Maori War" no scabbard.  Attribution: Auckland Museum

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license.

Channeler/Witch

The Mitta Valley has one of the largest populations of witches on the Continent. 

Combatant/Brute

This class and path can be used to emulate Cowboys, Rowdy’s, Roadganger and Runabouts.

Combatant/Commander

Most of these are self taught and use common sense over being trained by military organizations.

Combatant/Deadeye

While guns weren’t nearly as common as in North America, it can be used to portray such folks as Bushrangers, or shootists in general.

Image of the 1906 film, The Story of the Kelly Gang the first full length feature film about the Australian bush ranger, Ned Kelly.  Public Domain

Ritualist/Artillery Mage

The Gene Raiders often tap into the mystical energy of the world creating a spellcasting class that rides while throwing area effect spells.

Ritualist/Magister

There are several magical orders with the most common being the Order of the Queen’s Cross and the Order of the Rainbow Serpent.

Ritualist/Rainmaker

In a dry land, the one that can provide rain will rule, and these wandering weather wizards consider themselves to be the nobility of this harsh land.

An image of cloud-to-cloud lightning taken in Albury NSW 2014. Thennicke. Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.

Equipment of Note

Any equipment in the Hodgepocalypse the main book is commonly available.

#drevrpg #apocalypse #dnd5e #dungeonsanddragons #australia

Hodgepocalypse - Australia - Part 1 - Overview and Places of Note

Overview

The mirage that cloaks the continent hides a harsh land full of danger, especially for the unaware.  The aftereffects of heavy mining, nuclear testing, biological experimentation, horrific weather change and then the Times of Revelations have only exasperated a land known for its dangerous creatures.

Key Locations and Factions

Arafura Town

This trading town is known for being built in a swamp and having the largest population of Medusa on the continent.  It is a trading spot known for converting swamp gas into a power source for trade.  It is a place of magical tradition and people with the gift often attempt “the test of the swamp” so they can be accepted by the Order of the Rainbow Serpent.

Bloody Perth

The City of Perth is a Vampire town where these bloodsucking monsters’ rule openly and consider themselves normal.  They are suffering from a blood crisis and now send out well armed raiding parties to keep the day to day affairs running smoothly.  They barely skipped a beat during the Time of Revelations and are known for using the cutting edge of technology and are found of drones.

Dish Land (Action)

This settlement is built around the collecting of solar power and has turned the entire location into a cult of literal sun worshipers. 

The Forbidden Zone

Located in the middle of Australia, some sort of super weapon was launched direct at its center.  It is caked in radiation and a source of bizarre creatures that seem to have a chip on their shoulder against all other life, and the Gene Raiders in particular. 

Gene Raiders

These warlords of Australia vie for dominance where only the strong survive.   They leave the forbidden zone on bio-organic zeppelins and dive down from the air seeking new genetic material and the spoils of war. 

Glow-Worm City (Helensburgh Ruins)

This has become a vast underground city from the remains of rail tunnels and coal mines.  It’s lush underground flora and fauna make it feel alien, as it is covered with alien glow worms that are a commodity traded with the outside world, as they often are used as repository of DNA, not unlike lab rats.   It is often under siege by Gene Raiders.

Parks Radio Telescope

Originally the receiver of lunar signals, it is now thee prominent location of mixing magic and technology on the continent.  A series of adjacent building have made it a virtual maze that defaults to one giant puzzle.  It also is surrounded by a massive flock of sheep, some of which seem to have been enhanced by magical cybertechnology.

The Queen’s Forest

Located along the eastern Australian Coast and adjoining areas, this tropical rainforest has become a location of a massive Fey population.  You’d think it would primal, and pristine, but the truth is, it best described as Urban Forest with all the problems associated with it.  It is a land of Bogeys, Elves, Feylin, Gnomes and Trollitariots vying for dominance.  It is a cold war because they are not trying to wake up their guardian, known as “the Queen,” an elder Damnation Eater of immense size and fowl temperament.

Zealandia

This separate continent has arisen along the edge of Australia.  Compared to the sun-baked lands, it is a hostile bio forest like realm.  Ball’s Pyramid rises and sticks out of this land, returning to full volcanic activity.

Other Places of Note

Writer's notes:  Most of these were inspired by Atlas Obscura.
https://www.atlasobscura.com/things-to-do/australia/


Ashcomb Maze (Shoreham)
This enchanted Hedge Maze has become its own Dimensional Gauntlet during the Times of Revelations.  It’s Gnome Gatekeepers keep claiming that those brave enough to wander its fluffy walls, will gain amazing rewards for a modest entrance fee.

The Ballandean Pyramid
This 45-foot-tall pyramid is a focal point of magical energy and seems to be a natural conduit for lightning strikes.

The Burning Mountain (Wingen)
This perpetually burning mountain that is a natural conduit to the Fiery planet of Mars in Hallowed Space.  Creatures of flame often enter from this location causing untold ecological disasters.

Dreamer's Gate (Collector)
This abandoned and destroyed fence regenerated during the Times of Revelation to act as an active port to the dreamtime.

Dularcha Rail Tunnel
This place is teaming with entities and bats, and while best avoided, might be able to give answers where no one else can.

Gippsland Lakes
This lake glows due to industrial waste and the bioluminescence organisms that feed on it.

Hutt Lagoon 
This massive concentration of Algae is a definite processing site for genetic engineering as well as providing a massive salt lick.

Little Blue Lake
This small beautiful lake found in Tasmania is filled with toxic heavy metals that seems to spawn aberrations from elsewhere that ravage the adjoining area.

Magnetic Hill (Black Rock)
Located in Southern Australia, this bizarre anomaly is a source of immense magnetism that seems to change from attraction to repelling at random intervals.

The Pinnacles (Cervantes)
These irregular grouping of limestone towers are bizarre, but they act like a natural circle of stones for the purposes of magical effects.  This also makes it a place that is fought over, but also neutral ground for the purposes of negotiations between Gene Raider Clans.

Shell Beach (Francois Peron National Park)
Composed of tiny shells, it is a collective entity that awakens from time to time to feed.  While it can be killed, it reforms over time.  It may delay its actions with the proper sacrifices.

Strelley Pool (Marble Bar)
This pool has evolved several sulfur-based lives forms the Gene Raiders have used these to fuse with some clan members to gain pyrokinetic like abilities.

Styx Valley Forest
On the island of Tasmania is this bizarre lichen filled forest that drips with a strange viscous liquid.

The Stromatolites of Hamelin Pool
This strange and isolated Australian Bay is filled to the brim with cyanobacteria’s mucosal secretions.  The Gene Raiders consider it a sacred site.

Relic Roadshows

Relic Roadshows are not just found in North America.  These occult icons are a natural magical conduit that include the following:

• Big Ant (Broken Hill)
• Big Avocado (Duranbah)
• Big Axe (Kew)
• Big Banana (Coffs Harbor)
• Big Beer Can (Cobar)
• Big Bicycle (Chullora)
• Big Orange (Tenterfield)
• Big Bowl (Lake Cathe)
• Big Cheese (Bodalla)
• Big Chook (Moonbi)
• Big Golden Guitar (Hillvue)
• Big Lamb (Guyra)
• Big Meat Ant (Augathella)
• Big Murray Cod (Tocumwal)
• Big Bull (Wauchope)
• Big Bunch of Bananas (Coffs Harbor)
• Big Blue Heeler (Muswellbrook)
• Big Kookaburra (Kurri Kurri)
• Big Merino (Goulburn)
• Big Mosquito (Hexham)
• Big Playable Guitar (Narrandera)
• Big Poo (Kiama)
• The Big Mango (Bowen)
• The Big Owl (Macquarie)
• The Big Prawn (West Ballina)
• The Big Rocking Horse (Gumercha)
• The Big Trout (Adaminaby)
• Boot Hill (Upper Allyn)
• Bottle Cap Tree (Perth)
• The Cow up a Tree (Docksland)
• The Giant Kowala (Dadswell bridge)
• Giant Mushroom (Belconnen)
• Giant Ram (Wagin)
• The Giant Pineapple (Woombye)
• Larry the Big Red Lobster (Kingston SE)
• Tin Horse Highway (Kulin)
• Toy Factory (Gumeracha)

#drevrpg #apocalypse #dnd5e #dungeonsanddragons #australia

The Hodgepocalypse - The Hockeypocalypse - Part 4 - Protozoa can't Jump! and an Explosive End.

https://www.twitch.tv/videos/553194977
and now part two where we find out finding things with no anatomy kinda stinks.

The Hodgepocalypse - The Hockeypocalypse - Part 3 - And you thought you were done with hockey...

https://www.twitch.tv/videos/546010087
We swap out gms and start a whole new adventure.

Doctor D and the Water Buffalos are our Nemesis.