Thursday, December 5, 2024

Hodgepocalypse Ontario: A Thousand Fragments - Part 4 - Oshawa: The Electro-Haven


Location: Eastern Ontario, bordering Lake Ontario, with influence stretching along the St. Lawrence Seaway.

Pre-Apocalypse History & Context:

 Oshawa was once the powerhouse of Canada’s automotive industry, anchored by the presence of General Motors, which employed tens of thousands. This blue-collar city thrived on industry and manufacturing, creating a proud legacy of skilled labor and innovation. In the decades leading up to the apocalypse, Oshawa transformed itself into a North American leader in electrification and automation, transitioning from traditional factories to high-tech facilities dedicated to advanced robotics and cybernetics. Though its stature never rivaled Detroit's automotive dominance, Oshawa became known as a burgeoning "electrification capital."

Post-Apocalyptic Oshawa & Cybercult Influence:

After the apocalypse, Oshawa's industrial heart adapted to the new world. Its advanced robotics and cybernetic research made it an attractive stronghold for the Cybercult, especially the Keepers of the Locks. This faction, obsessed with mechanical perfection and technological preservation, quickly saw Oshawa’s potential to become a bastion for their cause.

The Cybercult in Oshawa:

The Cybercult capitalized on Oshawa’s historical ties to machinery, tapping into its citizens' affinity for mechanical innovation and survivalism. Initially arriving under the guise of helpers, they repaired and revived failing infrastructure, including old factory complexes and automated systems. The locals, intrigued by the cult's technological expertise, allowed them to establish their presence. Small chapels sprang up, offering both worship and enhancements, while the cult’s influence began reshaping society.

The Cybercult's doctrine framed humanity as part of a grand machine—a concept resonant with Oshawa’s industrial past. Sermons linked old factory production lines with divine purpose, promoting cybernetic transformation as a pathway to salvation. While many embraced this ideology, tension simmered due to the cult’s austere, loyalty-driven lifestyle, rigid social hierarchy, and relentless push for cybernetic integration. Dissenters either fled or disappeared under mysterious circumstances.

 


Key Factions and Relations:

Keepers of the Locks: View Oshawa’s surviving factories as sacred spaces. They believe humanity’s future lies in melding with automation and cybernetics and see Oshawa as central to this destiny.

Oshawan Guilds: Initially allied with the Cybercult for mutual benefits but grew wary as the cult tried to monopolize technology. The Machinist’s Guild has emerged as a vocal opponent, secretly working to weaken the cult’s control.

Greywatch: Scouts and defenders of Oshawa who view the cult with suspicion, fearing their hidden motives. Greywatch agents work covertly to expose the cult’s darker ambitions.

Free Market Clans: Independent innovators who resist the cult’s doctrines and operate a black market for removing Cybercult implants—an illegal and risky trade.

Geography & Key Locations:

Automated Districts

 


Patrolled by ancient robotic guardians and cybernetic drones, these districts maintain order and symbolize the cult's dominance.

Plot Hook: Infiltrate the district to disable rogue AI that has seized control.

Canadian Tank Museum



The Canadian Tank Museum, once a proud showcase of Canada’s military history, now stands as a decaying fortress of steel and shadow. Its hulking tanks, abandoned on the grounds, are scavenged for parts or repurposed into crude fortifications by survivors. Beneath its halls, hidden bunkers and workshops house forgotten experimental tech—some say the birthplace of cybernetic warfare. Urban legends warn of mechanized sentries still patrolling the museum, enforcing long-forgotten commands.  The cybercult considers this a no entry zone as they have had nothing but trouble.

Plot Hook: A scavenger discovered a working prototype tank with advanced AI in the museum’s depths, claiming it to be the key to reclaiming the Rusted Sprawl. Now, factions race to seize it. Will you lead the charge to secure this prize, or uncover the secrets buried beneath the museum’s iron skin?

Darlington Power Core




The Darlington Nuclear Plant, once a beacon of modern engineering and energy production, is now a towering relic of both peril and promise in the Electric Haven. Encased in a constant aura of humming electricity and eerie glow, the plant’s reactors continue to operate at reduced capacity, sustained by automated systems and what some claim to be arcane interference. Its proximity to the ruined city makes it a focal point for scavengers, technomancers, and factions vying for control of its untapped energy reserves. Yet, few dare venture too close—whispers of mutated wildlife, sentient machines, and a growing fissure in reality have turned Darlington into a place of equal fascination and fear.

Plot Hook: The lights in Electric Haven flicker and dim as power output from Darlington suddenly declines. A desperate council hires you to journey into the reactor's heart to identify the source of the issue. Is it failing systems, external sabotage, or something far stranger? What you discover could stabilize the region—or unleash a catastrophe that reshapes the entire Hodgepocalypse.

General Motors Plant

 


A fortress of automated production, still churning out cybernetic enhancements and weaponry under the Keepers’ control.

Plot Hook: Sabotage the factory’s production or reactivate a forgotten assembly line.

McLaughlin Fort-Technical



Once a hub for education and trade learning, the McLaughlin Collegiate and Vocational Institute (MCVI) has been repurposed into a fortified haven for survivors and tinkerers. Its unique multi-level design and sturdy construction make it an ideal defensive stronghold, while its auto shop and other workshops have become key to Electric Haven’s survival. Here, scavengers repair vehicles, craft improvised weapons, and train apprentices to keep technology alive in the post-apocalypse. However, the institute's shadowy underlevels are sealed off, rumored to house both pre-Hodgepocalypse relics and unexplained phenomena that some claim are best left undisturbed.

Plot Hook: Strange malfunctions and eerie sounds have been emanating from the sealed underlevels of McLaughlin Fort-Technical, spooking its residents and disrupting operations. The local mechanic guild hires you to investigate and secure the area—but be warned, whatever lies below might be more than just faulty machinery. Will you uncover a treasure trove of lost tech or unleash something far more dangerous?

McLaughlin Knowledge Nexus:

 


The McLaughlin Gallery and the adjacent Public Library have survived the chaos as a unified bastion of culture and learning in Electric Haven. Known collectively as the "McLaughlin Knowledge Nexus," the gallery houses rare art and artifacts, while the library holds an extensive collection of pre-Hodgepocalypse data archives. Together, they attract scholars, scavengers, and wanderers seeking knowledge, inspiration, or a moment of solace. However, whispers persist of a secret sublevel connecting the two, rumored to house an experimental AI tasked with cataloging humanity’s greatest achievements—and its darkest secrets.

Plot Hook: The Nexus’ AI, “Archivist Omega,” has gone silent, and its defense systems have activated, locking both the library and gallery down. A desperate scholar hires you to retrieve critical data before rival factions breach the facility and erase humanity’s history for good. Will you navigate the labyrinthine halls and bypass the rogue systems, or become another cautionary tale whispered in Electric Haven?

Oshawa Centre (Shopping Mall)

A post-apocalyptic trading hub, offering cybernetic upgrades, salvaged artifacts, and more. Certain areas are controlled by rogue AI or wild plant growth.

Plot Hook: Investigate a cybernetic smuggling ring or battle rogue security drones.

Parkwood Estate

 


Once a grand mansion, now the high-tech headquarters of the Keepers of the Locks. Blending Victorian opulence with cyberpunk flair, its halls are reinforced and its passages secretive.

Plot Hook: Players might infiltrate a gala to retrieve classified schematics.

The Rusted Sprawl: 

 


Oshawa’s network of old and new factories, now refitted as fortified cybernetic foundries. The skeletal remains of the GM plant have been fused with glittering conduits of the Cybercult.

Plot Hook: Unearth an ancient AI trapped within the plant, whose liberation could either aid or endanger the city.

The Shoreline Ports: 

 


These ports, vital for trade along the St. Lawrence, are controlled by the Cybercult. They oversee all waterborne activity with cybernetic-enhanced constructs and strict mechanical protocols.

Plot Hook: Players might smuggle rare tech or defend the port from a rival faction raid.

Plot Hooks and Adventure Themes

The Electrogeist




A chilling legend surrounds the GM plant—a ghostly, electrically-charged entity rumored to haunt its ruins. Whispers claim the Electrogeist is the consciousness of a long-dead engineer, trapped in an experimental AI gone awry. Its presence disrupts machinery, and those who enter its domain either emerge with strange insights or vanish entirely.

Plot Hook: Brave the dangers of the GM plant to locate the Electrogeist. Will you earn its favor to unlock forgotten technological secrets, or face its wrath as it defends its domain?

Faustian Sparks




Unpredictable and dangerous, Faustian Sparks are rogue bursts of magical energy that corrupt and alter technology. Machines exposed to these sparks often gain sentience, exhibiting erratic and sometimes hostile behavior. While the Cybercult fears and despises such creations, others see them as potential allies—or untapped weapons.

Plot Hook: A rogue outbreak of sentient machinery is wreaking havoc in the Rusted Sprawl, destabilizing the fragile balance of power in Oshawa. Can you contain the outbreak before it grows beyond control, or will you discover an unexpected ally among the chaos?

The Electric Shiver




Oshawa trembles under a growing terror: a spree of mysterious murders known as the "Electric Shiver." Victims are found with burned-out implants and scorched bodies, suggesting a killer with a mastery of electricity—or a supernatural force at work. Panic spreads, and the Cybercult seizes the opportunity to tighten its grip on the city.

Plot Hook: Investigate the Electric Shiver murders to uncover the truth. Is this the work of a rogue tech-wielding killer, a malfunctioning AI, or something more sinister? Time is running out to stop the next victim from meeting a grisly fate.

Other Plot Hooks

Artifact Hunts: Discover pre-apocalyptic tech hidden in the Rusted Sprawl or beneath the Oshawa Harbour.
Defense Missions: Protect a rebel enclave from a Cybercult retaliation strike.
Faction Espionage: The players are hired to infiltrate the Cybercult to steal blueprints or sabotage production lines.
Moral Choices: Side with a faction (Cybercult, Greywatch, Free Market Clans) and face the consequences of their agenda.
Mystical Encounters: Investigate rumors of the Electrogeist or uncover the true nature of the Faustian Sparks.
Shoreline Raids: Engage in naval skirmishes or smuggling operations along the fortified ports.





Thursday, November 28, 2024

Hodgepocalypse Ontario: A Thousand Fragments - Part 3 - The Green Creep



The Green Creep of Northern Ontario stands as a testament to the unintended consequences of humanity's experiments with genetic manipulation. Here, the landscape has been transformed into a churning sea of verdant chaos. From the remote wilds stretching north of the Beaverfolk Militia's outposts to the rugged forests flanking Timmins and Thunder Bay, the Creep's tendrils spread relentlessly. This unnatural biosphere pulses with life, bearing exotic and mutated plant species with strange luminescent blossoms, vine-like roots capable of movement, and mossy carpets that whisper with an eerie intelligence.

Within this zone, nothing is static. Trees grow faster than normal, their bark shifting with the seasons. Carnivorous shrubs lie in wait for unwary prey, while creeping ivy may swarm en masse at the scent of fear. This environment thrives on competition, absorbing and adapting the DNA of every creature it touches, sometimes warping it beyond recognition. It is both a lush Eden and a menacing abyss—a place where the line between plant and animal blurs into obscurity.

The Green Creep's encroachment is not without consequence. Its spread creates friction with the Graveyard, an ancient enclave dedicated to preserving the memory and spirits of the dead. To them, the creeping tendrils threaten the sanctity of their consecrated grounds. Meanwhile, Dominion Patrol forces, representing order and control, fight a losing battle to contain the Creep's reach. Entire regiments have been swallowed by emerald waves, their bones repurposed into thorny brambles as a grim warning to trespassers.

Yet, paradoxically, the Creep draws the curious as well as the fearful. Harvesters, enigmatic psychic plant scientists, venture deep into this forbidden realm. They scour the shifting foliage, collecting specimens and communing with the Creep’s latent psychic field. To the Harvesters, this chaotic wilderness represents unparalleled knowledge and boundless potential—a laboratory where nature itself is the experiment, and evolution is both the weapon and the prize.

Environmental Effects

Aggressive Plant Growth



Effect: Vines, roots, and other vegetation may suddenly grow and entangle characters. Dexterity saving throws (DC based on terrain density) are required to avoid being restrained or grappled.

Combat Variation: Areas of dense foliage may cause difficult terrain, slowing movement and providing cover but also potentially creating opportunities for ambushes.

Illusory Glades



Effect: The Creep sometimes generates illusory terrain, leading characters astray, obscuring paths, or hiding dangerous obstacles. Wisdom (Perception) or Intelligence (Investigation) checks are required to see through these illusions.

Additional Threat: Illusory areas might mask ambushes or hazardous ground, making movement and navigation perilous.

Localized Reality Warping



Effect: Areas with particularly strong Creep influence might experience minor reality distortions. Time may slow down, distances warp, or gravity fluctuate.

Mechanic Variation: Spells and abilities may behave unpredictably, such as altering their effects, duration, or area of impact.

Mutagenic Spores and Pollen



Effect: Characters must make periodic Constitution saves (DC based on proximity to dense vegetation) or suffer temporary mutations. These could range from gaining disadvantage on certain skill checks due to growths or impairments to temporary beneficial adaptations (e.g., enhanced perception or poison resistance).

Mechanic Variation: Cumulative exposure increases the difficulty of saves and may lead to permanent mutations after a set number of failures.

Nutrient Drain Traps



Effect: Patches of the Creep's ground may leech health from living beings walking over them. Affected characters take necrotic damage and must succeed on a Strength save or be immobilized for one round as roots wrap around their limbs.

Recovery Challenge: Healing spells may work at reduced effectiveness due to the Creep's persistent influence.

Nutrient-Leeching Ground



Effect: Certain areas sap energy, causing exhaustion levels unless appropriate precautions are taken (such as specialized footwear, protective rituals, or using known paths). This leeching effect represents the parasitic nature of the Creep.

Rest Restriction: Short and long rests may have reduced benefits unless characters have the means to ward off the Creep’s influence.

Psychic Plant Field



Effect: Prolonged exposure can cause intrusive thoughts, paranoia, or hallucinations, forcing Wisdom saves. Failure may lead to temporary confusion, charm effects, or even direct telepathic communication with the Creep itself.

Long-Term Effect: Characters affected for too long may develop an attachment to the Creep, becoming unwilling to leave the environment without intervention.

Toxic Air Zones



Effect: In certain dense areas, the air itself becomes toxic due to noxious spores or gases. Characters must succeed on periodic Constitution saves or suffer poison damage and potential status effects like poisoned or incapacitated.

Variable Intensity: Levels of toxicity may fluctuate based on weather conditions, plant activity, or the influence of Harvesters

Sites of Note

The following are listed as major locations designed to be a crucial location and moved based on story needs.

The Blooming Sea



Description: A vast field of ever-blooming, exotic flowers with shifting colors and intoxicating scents. These blooms emit pheromones that can enthrall and control those who come too close.

Special Features: Highly valuable for their rare medicinal properties, the flowers are guarded by mutated plant-creatures and Harvesters seeking samples.

Challenges: Mind-affecting pheromones, shifting floral patterns that create mazes, and the allure of rare, magical blooms with dangerous side effects.

The Crimson Basin



Description: A low-lying region where the sap of the Creep accumulates, forming pools of caustic red liquid. The sap serves as both a mutagenic substance and a deadly trap for creatures lured by its bright glow.

Special Features: Home to sap-drinking predators, alchemical nodes where the sap has taken on sentient qualities, and Harvesters performing dangerous extraction rituals.

Challenges: Toxic fumes, acidic terrain, sudden ambushes by sap-enhanced creatures, and traps laid by opportunistic rogues or cults seeking power.

The Emerald Wall



Description: A towering barrier of interwoven roots and vines blocking a key passage through Northern Ontario’s wilderness. This “wall” is semi-sentient and defends itself with thorns, traps, and mobile plant defenders.

Special Features: Acts as a natural border between the Creep and more “stable” areas, with various hidden entrances and riddles leading inside.

Challenges: Breaking through the wall requires solving environmental puzzles, overcoming aggressive plant guardians, and navigating maze-like pathways within its structure.

The Heart of Verdant Flux



Description: The dense core of the Creep, where mutated flora pulses with a near-constant bioluminescent glow. Massive tree-like structures radiate psychic energy, and the air is thick with spores.

Special Features: Acts as a hub for the Creep’s consciousness, exhibiting powerful psychic effects, increased plant aggression, and rapid mutational growth. It is considered sacred (or perilously fascinating) to Harvesters.

Challenges: Constant mental assaults, aggressive plant defenses, shifting terrain, and powerful magical effects that warp reality itself.

The Hollow Grove



Description: A hollowed-out glade where the trees resonate with a natural psychic hum. This grove is a place of contemplation and mystery, attracting Harvesters, druids, and other mystics seeking visions from the Creep.

Special Features: Offers temporary boons to psychic abilities, visions of the past or future, and rare flora with mystic properties, but at the cost of mental strain and exposure to the Creep’s influence.

Challenges: Delusions, psychic attacks, tests of resolve, and competing factions vying for control of this hallowed ground.

The Living Catacombs



Description: An ancient cavern network below ground that the Creep has invaded, creating labyrinthine tunnels filled with parasitic vines and living roots. The catacombs' walls pulse as if breathing, and echoes of whispers fill the air.

Special Features: Home to predatory plants, nests of mutated insects, and hidden Harvesters' laboratories. The catacombs' layout is in constant flux, making it difficult to navigate.

Challenges: Twisting tunnels, collapsing passages, constant danger from mobile flora, and treacherous encounters with lost explorers or corrupted wildlife.

The Towering Bloomspire



Description: A colossal flowering plant that has grown to resemble a tower, climbing hundreds of feet into the sky. It is both a fortress and a living organism, shifting and growing in response to perceived threats.

Special Features: Serves as a meeting ground for powerful Harvesters, containing chambers filled with exotic specimens and living walls that alter shape.

Challenges: Scaling its heights, navigating changing interior pathways, contending with defensive flora, and unlocking ancient knowledge hidden within.

Cottage Delves in the Hodgepocalypse:

In the Hodgepocalypse, “Cottage Delves” transforms familiar notions of Canada’s idyllic “Cottage Country” into a thrilling network of dungeons brimming with magical peril and hidden secrets. Nestled in the real-world Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec, Cottage Country is known for its tranquil lakeside retreats, lush forests, and rustic cabins, where urbanites escape to relax and reconnect with nature. In this post-apocalyptic fantasy setting, these beloved retreats have become places of great danger and opportunity, where mutated wildlife, enchanted cabins, and mystical landmarks challenge adventurers to navigate shifting trails, confront ancient spirits, and survive the perils that lurk behind every cabin door. By blending the region’s real-world charm with a darkly whimsical twist, Cottage Delves invites players to explore and conquer a reimagined wilderness.

Enchanted Cabins of Chaos



Design: Each cabin acts as a micro-dungeon, distorted by magical energy or fallout. They might shift location or twist their interiors to bewilder intruders.

Encounters: Populate cabins with magical guardians, sentient furniture, mischievous fae, or corrupted spirits of former vacationers. Some cabins could offer refuge—at a price—while others lure explorers into deadly traps.

Twist: Some cabins may hold portals leading to pocket dimensions, requiring players to complete tasks to escape or retrieve valuable artifacts.

Haunted Landmarks and Folklore Terrors



Theme: Iconic landmarks like old inns, watchtowers, or even ghostly cottages serve as dungeons, haunted by spirits or inhabited by eldritch creatures.

Encounters: Players may face ghostly apparitions tied to tragic pasts or deal with folklore-inspired threats like spectral moose or haunted campfire spirits.

Questlines: Resolve curses, uncover lost histories, or release tormented spirits to restore balance to these places.

Mystical Lakes, Streams, and Underwater Delves



Lakes as Portals: Some lakes may connect to hidden underwater dungeons or serve as gateways to other planes, where strange aquatic races and creatures dwell.

Challenges: Diving into these waters could be perilous, with ancient guardians, waterlogged ruins, and puzzles that must be solved underwater.

Curses and Treasures: Objects fished from these lakes could carry magical blessings or curses, altering the fate of those who wield them.

Resource Scarcity and Survival Mechanics



Focus: Certain delves emphasize resource scarcity, forcing players to find food, clean water, and shelter to survive.

Crafting Opportunities: Scavenge rare ingredients, magical reagents, or components for weapon upgrades from the environment, making survival a rewarding but challenging task.

Ruined Campsites and Survival Challenges



Theme: Former campsites have become overrun by mutated wildlife, rogue elementals, or the remnants of lost civilizations.

Encounters: Players may face creatures born from magical contamination or engage with remnants of a pre-apocalypse society trying to preserve traditions.

Loot: Hidden caches containing lost survival gear, enchanted cooking utensils, or rare herbs for crafting potions can be discovered amidst the chaos.

Seasonal Shifts and Dynamic Dungeons



Design: The layout, hazards, and enemies of certain delves change with the seasons. In winter, frozen lakes open icy caverns; in spring, overgrown foliage hides deadly predators.

Strategy Shifts: Players must adapt tactics to handle the unique challenges of each season, from blazing forest fires in summer to frostbite-inducing storms in winter.

The Shifting Trails



Wilderness Paths: Overgrown hiking trails have become labyrinthine paths, constantly shifting under the influence of wild magic or malevolent spirits. They may lead to hidden shrines, deadly groves, or mysterious delves.

Guardians and Allies: The trails could be controlled by druidic factions, sentient flora, or nomadic tribes. Players may need to outwit or ally with these groups to progress.

Environmental Puzzles: Weather-based puzzles (fog, sudden rainstorms, etc.) and terrain challenges (mudslides, root-entangled paths) add depth to exploration.

Cottage Dwellers and Factions

NPCs: Introduce magical hermits, survivalist clans, or mutant hunters who have claimed dominion over these delves. Some may offer quests, trade opportunities, or become fierce rivals.

Factional Tensions: Compete with or aid factions vying for control over key locations, balancing alliances to gain rare rewards or uncover secrets.

The Copper Syndicate: 



Inspired by Northern Ontario's mining history, this faction is composed of miners and engineers who harness the power of earth-based magic. Their knowledge of mining techniques allows them to create advanced machinery and weapons. They might have magical artifacts sourced from the depths of their mines.

The Ghosts of the Railways: 



A faction composed of former railway workers and wanderers, they move between the remnants of towns and cities via old rail lines. Their magic could revolve around speed and time manipulation, allowing them to traverse great distances quickly and engage in guerrilla tactics against rival factions.  The majority of these are what’s known as Fate Fugitives, living ghosts from the past.

The Timber Coalition: 



This faction consists of lumberjacks and environmentalists who have banded together. They utilize their knowledge of the forests to gather resources and maintain sustainable practices while facing off against those who exploit nature. Their magic could involve nature manipulation or enhanced forestry abilities.

The Urban Remnants: 



Formed from the survivors of urban centers like Sudbury and Thunder Bay, this faction represents a blend of technology and magic. They focus on scavenging old-world technology and melding it with magical enhancements. Their leaders are Faustian Mechanics who control both machines and magical forces.  The biggest population of this Remnants is located in a rebuilt town of Armstrong.

The Wanderers of the North: 



Nomadic tribes that have adapted to the changing world. They move with the seasons and have a rich oral tradition that includes powerful stories endowed with magic. They might harness the spirits of the land, calling upon ancestral powers to guide them. 

Monsters of the Creep

The following are the most common Monsters to be discovered in the Creep.  Full details are located in the Book of Danger and the upcoming Monster Manual 2:  Psychic Boogaloo and Machines Too!

  • Big Bad Maw
  • Boreal Tigers
  • Corpseman (from the Graveyard around Thunderbay)
  • Cryobears
  • Gryphon, Canadian
  • Hyenadon
  • Megamoose
  • Telehare
  • Terminator Pig
  • Primals (Particularly Blood Diamond Elementals)
  • Rad Muskee

The Chitinous Ascendant

Description: Rising from the depths of Abitibi Canyon, the Chitinous Ascendant stands as a testament to the Void Covenant's relentless adaptation. This immense hive structure resembles a series of interconnected, spiraling towers of dark resin, chitin, and luminescent fungal growths. It pierces the earth and sky, serving as both fortress and sanctum. Dense networks of tunnels extend underground, forming mazes filled with chambers for breeding, command, and experimentation. When night falls, the hive emits an eerie glow, casting pale-green light across the transformed land around it.

Special Features: The uppermost spire, known as the Resonant Apex, functions as a beacon, amplifying pheromone communications across vast distances. Throughout the hive, scent markers can be "read" by members of the Covenant, making it an ever-shifting maze for intruders. Central to its core, a Slick Shroud Pool teems with Sick Slugs, whose secretions alter the surrounding terrain. Intricate resin-coated passageways feature shifting walls and chambers, influenced by hive leaders to entrap or mislead attackers.

Challenges: Navigating the hive is perilous. Outsiders must contend with shifting paths and defensive mechanisms triggered by scent markers. The surface layers of the hive bristle with defenses, including swarms of aggressive Void Covenant drones and razor-edged resin traps. At its core lies the Heart of the Resonance, guarded fiercely by powerful caste leaders embroiled in their own political struggles. Those seeking to reach the apex must unlock layers of encrypted pheromonic language—decoding the whispers of revolution within the Void Covenant itself.

Environment Transformation: The former canyon has been reshaped into a vibrant, toxic swamp of bright fungal blooms, pools of phosphorescent liquid, and jagged chitin mounds. Lurking within are Glitterpillars that shimmer like stars and Gunship Dragonflies, patrolling overhead to rain destruction upon intruders.

Inspiration & Lore: Like the “little black flies” that “hum and buzz” in quiet swarms, the Void Covenant’s scent-based communication fills the air, unnoticed by those untrained to hear it. But for the Covenant, every step, every pheromone trail, is a whispering hum—a reminder of silent revolutions and the endless struggle to bend the world beneath their many-legged march.


The Cochrane Polar Bear Habitat

Nestled in the heart of Northern Ontario’s wilderness, the Cochrane Polar Bear Habitat has transformed into a vital stronghold of resistance against the Green Creep. This sanctuary, maintained and operated by Little Bears, exemplifies the resilience and ingenuity of its tiny yet mighty inhabitants. Far beyond the Beaverfolk lands, the Habitat has become a hub of survival and defiance in the midst of an otherwise hostile wilderness.

The Little Bear Stronghold

The Habitat’s original purpose as a polar bear conservation facility has evolved. Its enclosures, fortified and retrofitted with scavenged materials, now serve as protective walls against the creeping menace of mutated plant life. The Little Bears, with their remarkable mechanical skills and community spirit, have turned this facility into a bustling center of activity.
Fortifications: Walls reinforced with metal plating and clay bricks provide a sturdy defense. Towers, equipped with salvaged weapons, give the Little Bears vantage points to keep the Green Creep at bay.
Mechanic Workshops: Repurposed enclosures are now workshops where Little Bears tinker with train engines, repair equipment, and create improvised weapons to protect their home.
Community Garden: A small but vital crop garden provides sustenance. Sweet-loving Little Bears have taken great care to cultivate berry bushes and fruit trees, protected from the encroaching Creep by ingenious barriers.

Armored Trains and the Link to Moosonee

The Cochrane Polar Bear Habitat is more than a fortified camp—it is the southern anchor of an essential railway link to Moosonee and the arctic seaports of James Bay. With no roads connecting the area, the armored trains maintained by the Little Bears are the only lifeline for survivors traveling between the south and the isolated communities of the north.
Train Features: These rolling fortresses are clad in steel, armed with turreted defenses, and powered by engines kept running through the tireless efforts of the Little Bears. The interiors are designed for long hauls, with compartments for passengers, cargo, and defensive units.
The Journey: Each trip northward is a harrowing adventure. The Green Creep sprawls across vast swathes of wilderness, with mutated flora and fauna attacking the trains at every opportunity. Little Bears accompany each journey as engineers and defenders, their innate mechanical aptitude making them indispensable.

Little Bear Society at the Habitat

The Little Bears of Cochrane have built a unique society within the Habitat. While their matriarchal or patriarchal governance is typical of their communities, their proximity to advanced technology and the challenges of the Creep have fostered innovation and camaraderie.
Leadership: The community is led by "Grandpapa Cochrane," a charismatic Little Bear with a knack for uniting bears and non-bears alike. Weekly meetings in the Habitat’s central hall ensure everyone has a voice in the community’s future.
Language and Communication: While outsiders struggle with Bear Speak, the Little Bears’ polite nature ensures communication is never an issue. Their penchant for adopting human names often results in delightful monikers like "Grizzle Frank" or "Honey Abigail."
Relations with the TEDI: The Raids of Light, a faction of guardian TEDI, have found a welcome home here. Their skills of combat and magic complements the Little Bears' resourcefulness, and their mutual respect has forged a powerful alliance against the Green Creep.

Plot Hooks

1. The Last Train to Moosonee: A vital shipment of medicine must reach Moosonee, but the Creep’s influence has intensified along the route. The players must join the Little Bears to ensure the armored train makes it through unscathed.

2. Creep Breach: A new strain of the Creep has bypassed the Habitat’s defenses, threatening the community. Players must help the Little Bears uncover the source and eliminate it.

3. The Missing Grandpapa: Grandpapa Cochrane has disappeared during an inspection of the northern rail line. The players are enlisted to track him down before morale plummets and the Habitat’s defenses weaken.

4. The Arctic Alliance: Word arrives of a faction of Little Bears in Churchill under siege by the Green Creep. The players must escort reinforcements and supplies to the beleaguered community.



Friday, November 22, 2024

Hodgepocalypse Ontario: A Thousand Fragments - Part 2 - Locations of Note

Ark Two: 



Consisting of a survivalist that buried 42 buses underground just outside of Toronto to act as a bunker for when the bombs fell.  They are now a generational compound based around a survivalist's interpretation of navy command.

The Bruce Power Site: 

 


On the shores of Lake Huron in Tiverton, Ontario, making it one of the largest nuclear power facilities in the world.


The CBC Film Archive:  



This near-mythical place is one of the greatest barred vaults.  Led by Johnny and Frank, two elves that have kept the radio going for hundreds of years. Nobody is quite sure where it is.  It is a vast depository of knowledge, but nobody is quite sure where it is due to extreme secrecy.

Custom House:  

 


Long considered one of the most haunted houses in Hamilton, it still stands.  A children's horror show once was shot here, where the classic horror movie monsters were replaced by automatons.  They still patrol the halls.

Crystal Wastes of Sudbury: 

 


Once a mining hub, Sudbury is now adorned with crystalline structures, a testament to the magical fallout's transformative touch.

The Diefenbunker: 

 


A former Canadian military bunker located in the rural farming community of Carp, Ontario, that was turned into a museum, it was turned into a gargantuan time capsule with robot curators.  About 5 years before the bombs fell, it was retrofitted with new vault tech (for a pretty penny), and filled with mostly bureaucrats, whose pettiness between the factions often becomes lethal.  This has become the legendary cat vault, where cats have taken over the vault and now use it as a major community making it one of the most well defended cat commune in North America.

Fort Damocles:

 



Deep within the heart of Algonquin Provincial Park, the beaverfolk's militarized compound, Fort Damocles, stands as a testament to their disciplined prowess in both engineering and warfare. Strategically positioned along vital trade routes, the outpost is fortified with dams, watchtowers, and defensive structures, showcasing the beaverfolk's mastery over nature and military strategy. Renowned for their paramilitary precision, the beaverfolk control key transportation arteries in the region, utilizing the park's abundant resources for survival, trade, and expansion. Fort Damocles, a symbol of order amidst chaos, reflects the beaverfolk's commitment to imposing their structured vision on the post-Hodgepocalypse landscape.

The Franco-Bunker:  

 


Found Just North of Gatineau (the former Ottawa-Hull Region), this Bunker was subsidized by the government of Quebec as a place to save their best and brightest.  What wasn't known was that Bunker-tech was using this for an attempt to create a sociological experiment where all the documentation was in English.  Despite this, they consider themselves the last safe location of humanity and are wary of their neighbors to the west and the vampires of Quebec. 

Dome Super Pit:



The former Timms Ontario site has evolved into a massive pit mine at the heart of Green Creep, a foreboding landscape overshadowed by eerie legends. Beneath its surface lies a transdimensional connection that plunges into the depths of the Hallowed World, an alternate realm teeming with unspeakable horrors. This connection serves as the gateway for the grotesque creatures that now roam Green Creep, their origins rooted in the dark energies that seep through from the other side. As the mine continues to expand, the monstrous presence intensifies, drawing the attention of adventurers and scholars alike, all eager to unravel the mysteries hidden within its perilous depths.

Inverness Brewery:

 


Located in Owen Sounds, Ontario, this local beer company entered deals with HalluciGen, Inc during the occupation.  Michael and Mary Duncan co-conspired to control the beer industry in the territory and world using a light chemical that made people more susceptible to mind control.   Then the Hodgepocalypse happened.  Brewmaster Buddy is a Mechanical Life Form (M.L.F.) that insists on creating and selling this brew "for the family business."

Library and Archives Canada (LAC):

In Ottawa, holds the remnants of Library and Archives Canada (LAC), a once great center of knowledge and cultural preservation. Now, it's a shadow of its former glory, with stacks of decaying books and ancient digital archives scattered among broken shelves and cracked floors. In this post-apocalyptic world, magic and technology coexist, and the LAC has become a dangerous yet tantalizing treasure trove for adventurers seeking lost knowledge. what was once a towering building, now partially collapsed and overgrown with mutated vines, magical fungi, and strange flora that glow faintly in the dark. The lower levels are submerged in murky water due to the collapse of nearby infrastructure, and only the most daring (or foolhardy) venture down into those depths, where both treasure and danger await. The upper floors still contain intact collections of ancient tomes, film reels, and early digital storage devices. However, accessing this wealth of knowledge is no simple task, for the archive is not unguarded.

In a bizarre twist of fate, the killer robots patrolling the LAC are themed after footwear, a relic from a time when the library sought to entertain children through whimsical stories and learning aids. These robots, originally designed as harmless teaching aids, have since been corrupted by the post-apocalyptic environment, turning into lethal protectors of the archives

The Little Bears Communities: 

 


These small, but burly folk. Have adapted to the frozen landscapes, embodying the brutal resilience of the Ontario wilderness. While technically animals, they have also tamed the local Cryrobear population to use as companions.

Marshal Bunker



Nestled near Hamilton, Vault McLuhan, a haven inspired by the prophetic teachings of Marshall McLuhan, operates as a unique sanctuary in the aftermath of the Hodgepocalypse. Embracing McLuhan's insights into media and communication, the vault's inhabitants prioritize the preservation of knowledge and understanding. The bunker functions as an intellectual enclave, utilizing McLuhan's theories to interpret the changed world outside. With a supply system built on sustainable practices and ingenious use of media, the vault thrives by repurposing salvaged technologies. McLuhan's prophetic words guide the allocation of resources, shaping a society that navigates the wasteland with a distinct perspective on information and communication. As vault dwellers venture beyond, they carry McLuhan's insights like a torch, seeking to understand and communicate in this transformed Ontario.

Sudbury Neutrino Observatory: 

 


In the depths of the Sudbury Neutrino Detector, buried under the toxic Green Creep, lies a hazardous labyrinth of radiation and forgotten technology, remnants of a facility that once fueled the nuclear revolution. Adventurers must navigate the perilous underground to uncover the fate of surviving scientists rumored to have taken refuge in a hidden vault, potentially holding crucial knowledge of the past. Alternatively, they may face off against factions seeking to exploit the secrets buried within, while also encountering a unique commune of sentient roaches that have adapted to the irradiated environment. Rich with danger and opportunity, the quest promises to unveil mysteries that could alter the future of the surface world.

Syrup Woods: 

 


This irradiated Maple Tree Forest is guarded by the remains of the Canadian military as it mutates those that embed its sweet syrup.

Vault 25:  

 


This was a social experiment they put at the north pole (the magnetic because Santa Claus is Canadian) where they put a toy company's merchandise and enough Mechanics Life Forms (M.L.F.s to produce goods for generations.  It is completely automated and often drones leave the site to look for beings that are either "Naughty or Nice.”  Gnomes have commandeered this Vault and now use it to setup their conquest “in the name of Christmas!” 

Wapoosinator Lodge:  postquam haesitabant aedificare

 


This secretive order dates to weekend warriors back in the day who hid out there when the Hodgepocalypse occurred.  Consists of one main building and several outbuildings and surrounded by junk. It is a mixture of humans, kamidavers and at least one super Massive Verkhail (named Bear Gordon).  Led by Ned Brown, they have mastered the use of Duct tape and are currently debating whether to use the locals as "emergency provisions."

Win-Troit: The Battle of the Bridge


 In the post-Hodgepocalypse world, the once-connected cities of Windsor, Ontario, and Detroit, Michigan, have devolved into a brutal, high-tech feud over control of the crumbling Ambassador Bridge. The Windsorites, fiercely nationalistic survivors clinging to their Canadian identity, have fortified their side of the bridge with repurposed technology and defensive tactics. On the other side, the Detritians, ruthless scavengers embodying Detroit's gritty spirit, relentlessly assault the Windsorites with overwhelming firepower and aggressive tactics. The ongoing conflict, often likened to a Hatfield-and-McCoy-style feud fought with advanced weapons, symbolizes the chaotic struggle for power and survival in the Hodgepocalypse's aftermath.

Places of Magic:

Enchanted Algonquin Forest: 

 


Ancient spirits and mystical creatures now inhabit Algonquin Provincial Park, creating a bewitched forest where the line between reality and magic blurs.


Temporal Anomalies of Niagara Falls: 

 


Hauntingly beautiful falls with temporal anomalies, revealing artifacts from alternate timelines.