Queen Street West: The Artful Wastes
Once the vibrant heart of Toronto’s arts and culture scene, Queen Street West has transformed into a gritty yet thriving district where creativity and survival intersect. Despite the apocalypse, the area’s artistic spirit endures, with scavenged materials repurposed into murals, sculptures, and wearable tech. The region is defined by its fusion of tech and art, with eccentric inventors, scavengers, and renegades populating its streets. Music, performance, and innovation pulse through the area, though it’s not without danger—feuds between creative collectives can quickly turn violent, and scavengers fiercely guard their finds.
Art and Design District
Spanning the heart of Queen Street West, this district is a chaotic blend of open-air galleries, artisan workshops, and Faustian Mechanics labs. Graffiti covers every surface, often with animated or glowing effects. Rival artist collectives vie for recognition, often clashing over territory and resources.
Plot Hook: A famous artist’s latest work—a massive, animated mural—has disappeared overnight. Investigate its theft and uncover its mysterious new owner’s plans. Is it stolen or merely reawaken as an art aberration and is now terrorizing the neighborhood.
Chum City (Citytv Building)
Once the vibrant headquarters of Citytv, the Chum City building now stands as a vital hub for communication in the chaotic Hodgepocalypse. Its iconic rooftop antenna, an enduring piece of pre-apocalyptic technology, broadcasts news, music, and faction propaganda to the scattered remnants of Toronto. A haven for renegade DJs, streetwise reporters, and rogue hackers, Chum City shapes the narrative of survival in the wasteland, rallying resistance or sowing chaos with each transmission. The building itself is a labyrinth of disused studios, makeshift broadcasting equipment, and secretive cabals, its walls still echoing the energy of its 24/7 heyday. Yet rumors persist that the antenna draws in more than just survivors—it whispers of voices from beyond the veil, carried on the very airwaves Chum City dominates.
Plot Hook: The nightly broadcasts grow erratic, with cryptic messages, haunting static, and glimpses of a shadowy figure interrupting the usual programming. The station’s residents plead with the adventurers to investigate, fearing a saboteur—or worse. As they explore the building’s eerie depths, the party uncovers a chilling truth: the antenna is acting as a gateway, pulling messages from the beyond and threatening to unleash an entity that feeds on fear, chaos, and sound.
Drake Hotel (The Bogey Bazaar)
Nestled along Queen Street West, the Drake Hotel has become a vibrant and chaotic enclave for Bogeys. Equal parts fortress, gallery, and marketplace, the hotel now serves as a hub of art, trickery, and commerce. The Bogey families who inhabit it have transformed the space into a surreal blend of treasure hoard and carnival. The walls are adorned with ever-changing murals, augmented by scavenged tech and fey-inspired enchantments. To gain entry, visitors must barter something unique or prove their cunning through games and riddles. Inside, the air hums with constant negotiations, laughter, and the faint whispers of confidence schemes in motion. The Drake stands as a testament to Bogey ingenuity and their relentless pursuit of “the best stuff.”
Plot Hook: The Drake is abuzz with excitement after a powerful Bogey patriarch announces a one-night-only auction of rare artifacts. Among the items is a relic with immense power and a murky past, sparking the interest of rival factions. The party is drawn into the fray as bidders, protectors, or thieves, navigating a labyrinth of glittering treasures, magical traps, and sly negotiations—all under the watchful eyes of the wily Bogey clans.
Gladstone Hotel
A historic and eclectic refuge, the Gladstone Hotel stands as a bastion of creativity and community in the Hodgepocalypse. Built in 1889 to house railway travelers and CNE visitors, it now serves as a haven for free spirits, rebels, and “inspired” cats. Each room has been transformed into vibrant studios, performance venues, and workshops, echoing its bohemian ethos. Cats have taken to the Gladstone, blending their sapient charm with the venue's storied history, and they often play central roles in the mysteries that unravel within its walls.
Plot Hook: Strange claw marks and Kitty Speak glyphs have been appearing around the Gladstone, leading to an abandoned storage room sealed for decades. Cats warn of “old whispers” emanating from the space, rumored to be tied to a bygone experiment by an eccentric tenant and involving an enigmatic cat artifact. Unsealing the room could uncover not only the artifact but also secrets that may reframe the history of the Revelations.
Graffiti Alley
In the vibrant, spray-painted labyrinth of Graffiti Alley, beatnik poets, street musicians, and graffiti artists have transformed their art into a unique combat style. Improvised rhythm, spoken-word spells, and enchanted instruments fuel their battles, while graffiti glyphs double as magical traps and wards. This colorful subculture sees the Alley as a sacred space, where creativity and combat merge into a lifestyle of chaotic expression and fierce rivalry.
Plot Hook: The Beatniks guard a crucial secret tied to the apocalypse, but to gain their trust, the party must compete in a high-stakes creative duel, combining improvisation, rhythm, and combat to win their respect—or risk being tagged as eternal failures in the Alley’s walls.
Old Town of York: Cultural Fragmentation
The Old Town of York is a vibrant yet fractured tapestry of post-apocalyptic life. The region has become a patchwork of culturally distinct enclaves, each rooted in the remnants of Toronto’s diverse heritage. Survivors fiercely protect their customs and traditions, clashing over resources, territory, and interpretations of history. While many groups strive for coexistence, tensions frequently erupt into outright conflict. Beneath its surface, old structures conceal secrets, while relics of the past—art, artifacts, and even municipal records—are prized as symbols of legitimacy and survival. Factions vie for control of Old Town's cultural landmarks, each seeking to cement their influence over this fractured society.
Locations of Old Town of York
Distillery District
Drawn by tales of Toronto’s post-apocalyptic innovations, Harvesters have set up a research enclave in the Distillery District, now rebranded as the "Green Sanctum." Here, they experiment with merging their advanced biotechnology with the salvaged tech of Toronto’s makeshift economy, forming a hub for trade and collaboration.
Plot Hook: A batch of experimental liquor causes hallucinations and violent behavior. Track down its source and determine whether it was sabotage—or a failed experiment.
Farmer’s Market: Heart of Old Town
Nestled in the ruins of Toronto's historic St. Lawrence Market, the Farmer’s Market thrives as the pulse of Old Town. Its roots stretch back to 1803, when the market was first established as the city’s trading hub. Now, in the Hodgepocalypse, it serves as a critical center for survival and commerce. Mutated crops like bioluminescent radishes and frost-resistant maize fill the stalls, while scavengers sell salvaged tech and handcrafted tools. The air hums with lively bartering, punctuated by the chants of street performers and gossip from traveling traders. Exotic influences from distant survivors, including culinary traditions from revitalized Harvester and Stumpy communities and traders from the irradiated coasts, add spice and wonder to the market.
Plot Hook: A strange new crop, "Verdant Grain," is making waves at the market. It grows astonishingly fast, tastes like sweetcorn kissed by cinnamon, and satiates hunger for days. Farmers claim it came from “a safe zone” beyond the city, but consumers are reporting bizarre symptoms: luminous veins, fever dreams, and paranoia. The party is hired to investigate the grain’s source, uncovering its link to a hidden bunker beneath the old city hall, where an experimental fusion of biotech and fungal spores may have gone horribly wrong. The question isn’t just where the grain comes from—but whether it should have ever been grown.
Gooderham Building: Pillar of Neutrality
The Gooderham Building, Toronto's historic Flatiron, stands as a rare beacon of stability in the chaos of the Hodgepocalypse. Built in 1892 by George Gooderham, the iconic red-brick structure has long been a symbol of old-world resilience. Despite the apocalypse, its triangular silhouette still slices defiantly through the skyline. Now, it serves as neutral ground for the fractured enclaves of Old Town, housing the Council of Scribes—a group of archivists who maintain a small but invaluable library of pre-apocalypse maps, legal texts, and cultural records. Leaders meet here to negotiate trade agreements, resolve disputes, and occasionally, wage war with words instead of weapons.
Plot Hook: A mysterious enclave called the Verdant Concord has petitioned for a seat on the council, citing their agricultural contributions to the city. Their representatives arrive clad in robes made of woven plant fibers, speaking in riddles and claiming access to ancient agricultural knowledge that could feed all of Old Town. However, a series of odd incidents—whispers of spies, missing scribes, and strange green fungal growths appearing in the library—suggest their motives might not be as noble as they claim.
Hogtown
Once a nickname for Toronto reflecting its booming pork industry of the 19th and early 20th centuries, Hogtown is now both a proud enclave and a dark enigma. Built on the ruins of old slaughterhouses and markets, this community has reclaimed its roots as a hub for the region's culinary trade. Small, mutated livestock graze in rooftop pens and micro-farms, while smokehouses belch rich, savory scents into the apocalyptic skyline. Hogtown's smoked meats are prized across Old Town for their taste and longevity, a vital resource in a world where food scarcity is the norm. Yet, behind the smoky facade lies a culture of secrecy that keeps outsiders—and scrutiny—at bay.
Plot Hook: The enclave’s culinary monopoly is threatened when a rival group, the Ravening Pack, accuses Hogtown of using unethical methods to produce their meats—claims ranging from feeding their livestock tainted flesh to harvesting organs from unwilling donors. The Pack, known for their ruthless tactics and scavenged hunting dogs, aims to take Hogtown down and seize control of their operations.
The party is hired either by Hogtown to defend their name or by the Ravening Pack to expose the truth. Their investigation leads to chilling discoveries:
Honest Edd’s: The Bazaar of Lost Wonders
A sprawling, chaotic maze of collapsed storefronts,
flickering neon signs, and shelves packed with everything from pre-apocalypse
canned beans to malfunctioning cybernetic limbs. Honest Edd’s—named after its
long-deceased founder, the enigmatic ‘Honest Edd’—was once the most
extraordinary discount emporium of the old world. Now, it’s a dangerous but
lucrative scavenging site and a hub for traders with a taste for the bizarre.
The structure is barely standing, reinforced with scrap
metal, old billboards, and sheer desperation. Some claim the spirit of Honest
Edd still lingers, whispering terrible deals in the ears of those who enter.
Others believe the store shifts its layout at night, trapping the greedy and
rewarding the truly desperate.
Plot Hook: The neon ghost lights flicker to life,
whispering of an ancient debt that must be paid. A haunted shopping spree
awaits!
Hummerbird Center: The Heartbeat of Old Town
The Hummerbird Center, named after its pre-apocalypse sponsor, the now-defunct Hummerbird Communications, stands as a defiant beacon of culture and commerce amidst Old Town's ruins. Once a bustling convention center and entertainment hub, it has been transformed into a kaleidoscope of activity. Merchants set up vibrant stalls peddling everything from salvaged tech and handmade goods to rare, mutated produce and curious relics of the old world. Performers—jugglers, fire-eaters, and storytellers—fill the air with music, laughter, and drama.
The towering remnants of the original building are adorned with colorful banners and graffiti, and its main atrium, now roofless, hosts daily markets. At night, the Hummerbird Center transforms into a dazzling venue for storytelling, music, and shadow plays, bringing together Old Town’s fractured communities. Its central role in trade and entertainment has earned it the nickname The Old Town Pulse.
Plot Hook: A beloved performer known as Chime, famous for their mesmerizing glass harmonica performances, has vanished without a trace. Their disappearance threatens to spark a feud between two enclaves:
1. The Windcallers, a group of nomadic artisans and musicians who claim Chime was last seen heading to their enclave.
2. The Fangs, a gang of ruthless scavengers who are accused of abducting Chime for ransom or worse.
Le Royal Meridien King Edward: The Gilded Bastion
Once the pinnacle of luxury, the Le Royal Meridien King Edward Hotel is now a fortress for the self-proclaimed elite of the post-apocalypse. Its grand halls, ornate chandeliers, and marble columns stand as a stark contrast to the crumbling ruins surrounding it, preserved with an almost fanatical devotion. The enclave within, calling themselves the Gilded Sovereigns, are a group of aristocratic survivors who cling to the old-world ideals of class and hierarchy. They live in opulence, hoarding rare pre-apocalypse relics and resources while treating the rest of Old Town’s denizens as beneath them.
The Sovereigns maintain their power through a mix of wealth, influence, and mercenary muscle. They host extravagant banquets in the hotel’s grand ballroom, inviting only the most “worthy” individuals to secure alliances or flaunt their superiority. Outsiders are permitted entry only for brief audiences or under strict guard, ensuring the enclave’s secrets remain hidden.
Plot Hook: The Sovereigns' dominance is threatened as rumors of the Legacy Vault circulate. Scavengers and thieves have begun to infiltrate the hotel’s outer layers, and tensions within the enclave are growing. A desperate faction of Sovereigns, fearful of losing power, hires the party to discreetly eliminate a group of intruders who have breached the lower levels. But upon investigation, the party uncovers layers of intrigue. Clues suggest the vault is not a treasure trove but a sealed cryo-chamber holding the last remnants of a shadowy corporation’s executives—or perhaps even experimental subjects from pre-apocalypse Toronto.
Market Gallery: Hall of Echoes
Nestled in the upper floors of the St. Lawrence Market, the Market Gallery is a fragile bridge between Old Town’s fractious enclaves. What once displayed Toronto’s civic pride now houses relics of the old world: artifacts salvaged from the ruins, remnants of cultures long past, and tokens of survival in the apocalypse. The gallery’s curators hail from various enclaves, each bringing items representative of their community’s heritage, crafting a patchwork tapestry of human history.
The gallery is more than a museum—it’s a battleground of ideas. Each enclave uses its exhibit to claim cultural dominance, presenting its items as evidence of resilience, superiority, or divine favor. Tensions run high, especially when rival enclaves argue over the origins or ownership of displayed artifacts. Though ostensibly neutral ground, the gallery feels like a powder keg, with every dispute threatening to spill over into violence.
Adding to its mystique, the gallery is illuminated by refitted solar mirrors salvaged from nearby skyscrapers. During the day, sunlight dances through the shattered glass ceiling, casting the exhibits in a kaleidoscope of shifting light and shadows. At night, makeshift lamps powered by jury-rigged generators give the gallery an eerie, flickering glow.
Plot Hook: A centerpiece artifact—a gilded mask said to represent the last mayor of Toronto—has vanished. One enclave accuses another of theft, and the gallery is on the verge of becoming a war zone. The party must investigate the theft and navigate the delicate political web of the Market Gallery:
St. James Cathedral: The Silent Sanctuary
Once a cornerstone of faith in Old Town, St. James Cathedral now serves as a sanctuary for weary souls and a symbol of fragile hope in the Hodgepocalypse. The towering spire, visible for miles, acts as a beacon for pilgrims and refugees. Its restored bells, painstakingly repaired by artisan survivors, are both a practical warning system and a reminder of humanity’s resilience. Each chime resonates across Old Town, marking the hours, announcing vital news, or signaling danger.
The cathedral is more than a place of worship—it is a community hub. Inside, volunteers provide food, medical aid, and a safe space for those in need. The Caretaker, an enigmatic figure known only as “Father Argus,” presides over the cathedral. Though he rarely speaks of his past, many suspect he was a bellsmith or artisan before the world fell apart. Argus ensures the bells toll like clockwork, using them to unite Old Town’s scattered inhabitants under a common rhythm.
Plot Hook: Recently, a strange fungal growth has begun to spread along the cathedral’s lower walls and crypt entrance. Glowing faintly at night, it emits a low hum that seems to harmonize with the bells when they ring. Some believe this growth is a blessing from the old world, while others see it as a harbinger of doom. What does it mean?
St. James Park (The Whispering Grove)
Once a vibrant urban oasis, this reclaimed green space has become a rare haven of natural beauty amid the Hodgepocalypse. The park’s crown jewel is its ancient oak trees, gnarled sentinels that have stood for centuries. Local folklore holds that these oaks harbor old spirits, protectors of the land that predate human settlement. The air here is heavy with the scent of moss and earth, and the whisper of wind through the leaves carries an eerie, melodic quality that unnerves even seasoned survivors.
Though the park offers fertile soil and natural resources, its contested nature makes it a flashpoint for conflict. Enclaves squabble over its borders, with scavengers, farmers, and mystics all vying for control. Despite the tension, the park is strangely unspoiled, as if the trees themselves resist destruction.
The park’s spirit-lore is strengthened by reports of a phantom stag, a shimmering creature that appears in the twilight hours. Some see it as a harbinger of doom, while others believe it guides those in need to safety. The stag is drawn to those who treat the grove with respect, but those who harm the trees find themselves plagued by nightmares or worse.
Plot Hook: Overnight, markings in an unknown script appear on the ancient oaks, sparking fear and mistrust among the enclaves. A fragile truce breaks as accusations fly—one enclave blames another for sabotage, while a third claims the spirits are choosing sides.
St. Lawrence Center for the Arts
Once a hub of creativity and performance, the St. Lawrence Center for the Arts now stands as a crumbling yet defiant beacon of culture in the Hodgepocalypse. The roof leaks, the seats are mismatched salvaged relics, and the stage lights are powered by an unreliable generator. But for those who gather here, it’s a place where despair is momentarily cast aside in favor of stories, music, and laughter.
Unlikely stewards of this hallowed space are the Stumpies, short humanoids with bark-like skin and deep, growling voices. Gruff and perpetually grumpy, these tree-stump-like beings have claimed the theater as their domain, preserving it against the ravages of time. While they can be prickly to outsiders, their fierce devotion to art has kept the Center alive. Their performances are heavily inspired by real-world plays, albeit with Stumpy-centric twists. Productions such as "The Tempest of the Timberfolk", "A Midsummer Night’s Log" (with actual summer solstice rituals), and "Oaken Hamlet" are local legends.
Plot Hook: The recently discovered long-lost script is no ordinary play—it’s a legendary work known as The Last Branch, rumored to have been written by a celebrated playwright during the early days of the apocalypse. The text is both a tale of survival and a veiled prophecy. The Stumpies see its discovery as a sign, but a rival group of scavenger-artists, known as the Broken Mask, claim it as their own find. The party is hired (or coerced) by either the Stumpies or the Broken Mask to retrieve the script from its hidden location in a nearby building’s ruins. Upon finding it, they realize it’s written in a code that suggests deeper secrets than just a performance.
St. Lawrence Hall
Once a beacon of civic pride and commerce in the heart of Old Toronto, St. Lawrence Hall has been repurposed into a central hub for diplomacy and justice in the Hodgepocalypse. Its stately columns and grand hallways now serve as the Hall of Resolution, where disputes between enclaves are arbitrated by a council of judges. Beneath its crumbling facade, the Hall retains an air of authority, its stained-glass windows and remnants of gas chandeliers evoking memories of an earlier, more civilized era. The Hall’s precarious neutrality is maintained by the Scarlet Keepers, a militant order tasked with protecting the Hall and its judges. The Keepers operate under their own brutal code, meting out punishments to those who challenge the Hall’s authority, often leaving a bloody mark.
However, the Hall isn’t just a courtroom—it’s a symbol of unity in a fractured world. When not hosting trials, it serves as a venue for grand celebrations, gatherings, and rare moments of peace. Traders and diplomats congregate here, making it a flashpoint for both collaboration and conflict.
Plot Hook: On the eve of a pivotal trial between two feuding enclaves—one accusing the other of hoarding vital resources—a senior judge vanishes without a trace. The trial is critical; without a resolution, the feuding enclaves may erupt into open warfare, threatening the tenuous peace in the region.
St. Lawrence Market
In the heart of Old Town Toronto, the once-bustling St. Lawrence Market has succumbed to decay, its vibrant stalls now reduced to crumbling remnants swarmed by the Transband Raccoon Clans. These sentient, irradiated raccoons have taken hold of the area, transforming the market into a chaotic labyrinth where scavenged relics and gourmet scraps coexist. Amidst the ruins, they’ve established a network of information brokers, trading secrets as freely as they barter for black-market goods. The air is thick with the smell of roasted street food and the sounds of skirmishes between rival clans, creating a tense ambiance where survival hinges on cunning and resourcefulness. Rumors whisper of hidden treasures buried beneath the rubble, enticing adventurers and opportunists alike.
Key Figures:
1. Scrapjaw - The dominant leader of the largest clan, known for his shrewd negotiation skills and penchant for hoarding valuable relics, he has earned respect and fear among the raccoons and humans alike.
2. Whiskers - A cunning spy known for her agility and stealth, she gathers intel for the clans and sells it to the highest bidder while navigating the treacherous alliances among other clans and scavengers.
Plot Hook:
Adventurers find themselves entangled in a bitter feud between two rival Transband clans. An incendiary rumor suggests that Scrapjaw possesses a map leading to a fabled cache of pre-apocalyptic tech hidden beneath the market ruins. To gain access to this treasure, players must first mediate a peace treaty between the warring factions or assist one side in vanquishing the other, all while dodging traps set by the cunning raccoons. Enigmatic messages and unexpected betrayals will keep the party on their toes as they navigate this chaotic underworld.
Toronto Sculpture Garden
In a post-apocalyptic Toronto, the once-celebrated Sculpture Garden has become a haunting refuge where scavenged art reflects a broken society. Surrounded by whispers of a mysterious figure who adds new pieces each night, the garden is shaken by the sudden appearance of a sculpture depicting an unknown emblem, believed to symbolize a forgotten movement. As factions interpret its meaning, the remnants of a diverse city’s past clash with the present realities, pushing the protagonists to investigate its origins and uncover a deeper truth about unity and division in their fragmented world.
Plot Hook: After an unknown emblem mysteriously appears overnight in the Toronto Sculpture Garden, fear spreads among local enclaves, each interpreting its meaning differently. The protagonists must unravel the emblem's origins and its connection to a lost cultural movement before it ignites further chaos among the survivors.
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