Stock PCs for the Hodgepocalypse.

 This is a list of PCs I have played or want to play in my world.

This is mainly so it will make it easier to decide what I want to play if  and when I've asked.

This also is a place to point people in my game that want a prebuild.

"Amazing Grace" Grazelda Gritknuckle

Bogey Adventurer/Prowler 

The manic Goblin Bogey adventurer prowling the rinks of Ed-Town with a killer instinct and a killer hockey stick! Fusing the zany charm of Gosalyn Mallard with an unstoppable energy, she tackles every challenge like a high-stakes hockey match, blending chaos with finesse. Whether she’s dodging danger or scoring goals, Gracie never backs down from a challenge, proving that in the world of the Hodgepocalypse, it takes a little goblin grit to skate on the edge and come out on top!

"Dirty" Debbie Harry

Feylin Combatant (Deadeye)

 

In this desolate world, where melodies of the past clash with the echoes of gunfire, "Dirty" Debbie Harry steps onto the scene with swagger and a smirk, a feylin gunslinger who knows exactly how to handle her business. "You know how to tell a lady’s a natural born killer?" she quips, echoing the bravado of a seasoned lawman. “You’ve got to ask yourself one question: ‘Do I feel lucky?’ Well, do you, punk?" With a flick of her wrist, she adjusts her leather jacket, the remnants of glitter and glamour still clinging to her like the last vestiges of a forgotten era. In this hodgepocalypse, she’s a fierce melody of rebellion and grit, proving that sometimes, you have to be a little dirty to stay alive.

Grizzly Chance

Little Bear Combatant (Brute)

 

You mess with the Griz, you take your chances—because when this burly, four-foot bear rides the asphalt like a renegade highwayman, his shotgun isn’t just a tool; it’s a promise. All the grit of the open road and none of the regrets, Grizzly Chance brings the thunder with every pull of the trigger, ensuring that if you cross him, you’ll find out just how lucky you really are!

Janet "Big Boom" MacQueen

Human Ritualist (Artillery Mage) 

Janet 'Big Boom' MacQueen—like a fire-breathing phoenix of the asphalt, she tears through the streets on her roaring bike, leaving a trail of flames and asphalt in her wake. A fiery redhead with the spirit of a daredevil and the heart of a wizard, she embraces the fast lane, proving that life is all about the thrill. In her world, every ride is a high-stakes adventure, and when she throws down a fireball, you better believe it’s not just for show; it's to remind you that there’s no speed limit on the road to freedom!

Doctor Rebecca Stonesworth

Medusa Adventurer (troubleshooter)

 

An intrepid Medusa adventurer with a penchant for trouble and a mind as sharp as her wit. Armed with an eclectic arsenal of gadgets more ingenious than MacGyver’s and the daring spirit of Lara Croft, she delves into the ancient ruins of the past, unearthing secrets that could shape the future. With a devastatingly clever tongue reminiscent of Edmund Blackadder, she navigates perilous landscapes and treacherous foes, proving that the greatest treasures lie not just in gold, but in the knowledge and courage to face whatever lurks in the shadows."

Shadowfoot

Cat Adventurer/Prowler 

the elusive orange tabby with polydactyl paws—master of stealth and mischief in a world where cats rule the shadows. An adventurer and prowler, she slips through the night with the grace of a ninja, leaving no trace behind. With a knack for setting explosives that would make any rogue envious, she'll always keep you guessing. You’ll never see her coming, but when she strikes, it’s with a swift, calculated pounce that leaves layers of intrigue and a dash of chaos in her wake!"

Twila

Garterfolk Psychic/Rocker 

 

The anthropomorphic garter snake with a soul as smooth as her keytar riffs. Channeling the groovy spirit of Janice from Electric Mayhem, she slithers onto the scene with an aura of cool confidence, her vibrant scales shimmering under the stage lights. Twila’s laid-back demeanor belies her razor-sharp wit and killer musical talent, as she weaves psychic melodies that resonate with her audience's hearts and minds. With a voice that flows like honey and a playful charm that wraps around you like her agile body, she proves that you can rock hard while keeping it chill. In a world where chaos reigns, Twila stands out as the soul of the party—the snake who brings harmony, one electrifying chord at a time.

Scarcity - Hodgepocalypse Toronto - Part 6 -The Patchwork Quarter, Queen’s Park and University of Toronto

Chinatown, Kensington, and Little Italy: 

The Patchwork Quarter

The Patchwork Quarter, once a mosaic of vibrant ethnic neighborhoods, now stands as a testament to the resilience and adaptability of its people in the wake of the apocalypse. Amidst the ruins, cultures have fused and adapted to create a uniquely colorful yet fractured society. Resources are scarce, and alliances between factions within Chinatown, Kensington Market, and Little Italy are tenuous at best. Survival here is a mix of ingenuity, barter, and old-world traditions blended with post-apocalyptic grit. Markets thrive, tech-tinkers and artisans barter their crafts, and tensions bubble beneath the surface as groups vie for control of dwindling resources.

Key Locations

Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO)

 The AGO has transformed into a refuge for creative minds, its grand halls now serving as galleries for apocalyptic art and workshops for crafting and tech development. The building is fortified, with its massive windows protected by mosaics of broken glass and metal plating. Inside, an uneasy coalition of artists and scavengers dictates the gallery’s rules.

Plot Hook: A recent influx of Fossilborn has led to the sudden disappearance of key community leaders. Investigate the mystery while navigating the fragile alliances within the gallery.

The Grange

 

Once the historic home of Toronto’s wealthy Boulton family and later the first home of the Art Gallery of Ontario, The Grange has transformed in the Hodgepocalypse into the clandestine headquarters of the Shadow Court—a secretive faction of rogues, spies, and information brokers. The stately mansion’s exterior retains much of its pre-apocalypse charm, its ivy-covered walls and wrought-iron gates evoking a bygone age of refinement. However, within its darkened halls lies a labyrinth of secret chambers, hidden passageways, and guarded vaults where deals are struck and betrayals plotted.

The Shadow Court sees itself as the keepers of the city’s secrets, controlling the flow of information across Old Toronto. They offer their services to the highest bidder, from uncovering buried truths to engineering espionage against rival enclaves. Their network extends into every corner of the city, with spies disguised as beggars, merchants, and even children feeding information back to the Grange.

Plot Hook: An ancient artifact, a gilded statue said to hold the key to unlocking a cache of pre-apocalypse supplies, has been stolen from a nearby enclave. Whispers in the streets implicate the Shadow Court, but their involvement is shrouded in mystery. The party is tasked with infiltrating the Grange to retrieve the artifact, but their mission is far from simple.

Ontario College of Art and Design (OCAD)

 

Known simply as “The College,” this iconic structure, with its tabletop design suspended on colorful legs, has become a hub of creative ingenuity and technological experimentation. Once Toronto's premier art and design school, it now serves as a sanctuary for tinkerers, rogue engineers, and aspiring inventors. The College's history of fostering innovation has evolved into a chaotic battleground for rival factions, including the tech-savvy "Circuit Chiselers" and the Faustian Mechanics, who blend science with eldritch energies. Inside, labs bristle with salvaged tech, walls are adorned with art forged from ruins, and the air buzzes with the sounds of invention and danger. The College's precarious structure symbolizes its occupants’ daring ethos—bold, unstable, and always on the brink of something extraordinary or catastrophic.

Plot Hook: Rumors swirl about a faction inside the College crafting a device capable of purifying Toronto’s poisoned air, but its unstable nature threatens a catastrophic explosion. As word spreads, mercenaries, rival enclaves, and opportunists descend upon the College. Will you secure the device to protect its promise or destroy it to prevent disaster?

Spadina Avenue (The Red Panda Shrine) 

 

A vibrant settlement surrounds a towering temple structure, re-purposed from old Chinatown landmarks. The shrine is dedicated to a mythical guardian spirit—a colossal crimson panda—symbolizing protection and the balance of emotions. The locals believe it saved their ancestors during the apocalypse but left them with a powerful emotional curse. Emotional outbursts manifest in magical, often destructive, ways, forcing the affected to either master their feelings or risk exile.

Plot Hook: The party arrives as the village prepares for a sacred festival meant to control the emotional surges tied to their curse. However, cracks in the balance appear as younger villagers rebel, threatening the ceremony's success. When the crimson panda spirit begins to stir, the party must mediate between the generations and confront the true nature of the curse. Do they help maintain the tradition or break the cycle?

Textile Museum of Canada

 

The Textile Museum, now known among survivors as "The Loom," is a vibrant hub of craft and culture. Under the stewardship of the Garter Folk, this sanctuary of threads has evolved into a bustling workshop where clothing is mended, protective gear woven, and scavenged materials transformed into functional art. The Garter Folk, with their distinctive flair for intricate patterns and bright adornments, are both the artisans and protectors of the museum, making it a coveted neutral ground for trade and diplomacy. The museum’s archives, filled with ancient weaving techniques and designs, are jealously guarded, rumored to hold secrets capable of turning the tide in an enclave war—or simply keeping one warm through the next bitter winter.

Plot Hook: A legendary pattern, said to enhance both stealth and durability, is rumored to be hidden deep in the museum’s archives. However, the pattern’s last known location is in a sealed vault that only opens during the spring solstice. As rival factions plot to claim the treasure, the Garter Folk must decide whether to risk their neutrality by enlisting outside help—or let chaos unravel their peaceful loom.

Neighborhood Highlights

Chinatown

 

Amid the neon glow of repurposed signs, Chinatown remains a hub of trade and survival. Its labyrinthine streets are lined with food stalls, herbalists, and tech traders, offering everything from rare ingredients to salvaged cybernetics. Factions within Chinatown often clash over territory and resources, but its core market is a lifeline for the region.

Plot Hook: A series of arson attacks threatens Chinatown’s main market. Track down the culprits before the community collapses under the weight of fear and suspicion.

Republic of Kensington: A Market of Chaos and Opportunity

 

Kensington Market has evolved into the Republic of Kensington, a vibrant and anarchic micro-nation governed by a loose coalition of traders, scavengers, and unlikely allies. The bustling market thrives on diversity, where old-world relics mingle with cutting-edge tech, and barter is the universal language. This hub of outcasts, innovators, and dreamers is united by a fragile peace maintained by Fate Fugitives—runaway misfits with an uncanny knack for luck—Little Bears, a collective of humanoid bearfolk adept at negotiation and protection, and eccentric humans with a penchant for invention. The market’s freedom is both its strength and vulnerability, creating fertile ground for intrigue and conflict.

Plot Hook: A charismatic vendor has recently emerged, offering pre-apocalypse technology that defies belief. Their presence stirs excitement and suspicion, especially as rumors spread that these advanced goods are sourced from a Marlarkoid infiltrator—a cunning shapeshifter with ties to factions that seek to destabilize the republic. The party must unravel the mystery behind the vendor and the Marlarkoid’s intentions while juggling the market’s chaotic politics. They’ll need to forge alliances between volatile factions, expose the infiltrator, and decide whether the newfound tech is a boon or a looming threat to Kensington’s fragile independence.

Little Italy

 

Little Italy has retained much of its cultural charm, now blended with a survivalist edge. Its narrow streets are patrolled by tight-knit families who manage gardens, distilleries, and forges. The area is famous for its hospitality, but outsiders are watched closely.  There are a frightening number of minotaur families that have been enculturated into the community.

Plot Hook: A trusted figure in Little Italy is accused of betrayal, fracturing the community. Find out the truth before infighting leaves the neighborhood vulnerable to outside threats.

Queen’s Park and University of Toronto: The Scholar’s Refuge

The Queen’s Park and University of Toronto area, once a bastion of higher learning and culture, now stands as a fractured yet enduring symbol of knowledge and innovation. The sprawling campus, with its Gothic Revival architecture and underground tunnel systems, has become a haven for intellectuals, scavengers, and those seeking enlightenment or power. Above ground, the remnants of academia strive to preserve knowledge and develop new technologies amidst the ruins. Below ground, the Mystery Tunnel Society operates in secrecy, controlling the labyrinthine pathways that connect the district to other parts of the city. This region blends hope and hubris, where the pursuit of knowledge can lead to salvation—or ruin.

University of Toronto (The Citadel of Lost Knowledge)

In the aftermath of civilization's collapse, the University of Toronto, once a prestigious institution of learning, has transformed into a refuge for those who seek to reclaim the remnants of knowledge and innovation. The campus, characterized by its Gothic Revival architecture and a network of shadowy tunnels, has become a battleground for competing factions—those who wish to safeguard the wisdom of the past and others who pursue power through experimentation and relics of a bygone era.

Key Locations

The Blood Gardens of Victory

 

Once known as the Mattamy Athletic Centre, this former sports arena has transformed into "The Blood Gardens of Victory," a sprawling battleground where disputes are settled with brutal combat and the masses gather to cheer for glory. Ancient lore tells of the arena's patron saints—non-human warriors like Gordos the Unbreakable, a Harrack with fists like stone, and Mauriss the Swift, a Verkahill who could outrun arrows—names adapted from the hallowed ice battles of old. The cracked ice of the rink now serves as a killing floor, surrounded by salvaged bleachers packed with frenzied onlookers, while banners fashioned from ancient jerseys hang as relics of a forgotten age. Here, champions rise not only for wealth and fame but to uphold the district's fragile balance of power.

Plot Hook: A legendary champion, Therrun "Ironjaw" Yzardek, a Dreh’gon known for never losing a match, has disappeared just before the annual "Clash of the Bloodied Blades." Without their star fighter, the Gardens risk falling into disrepute, unraveling the tenuous alliances holding the district together. Can the party uncover the champion’s fate before the fragile peace crumbles?

Flavelle House

     

Once a symbol of legal excellence and genteel refinement, now stands as the seat of power for the district’s tenuous peace. Its wood-paneled chambers and Gothic Revival architecture evoke a haunting grandeur, transformed into a hub for negotiations, dispute resolution, and treaty drafting. Lawyers-turned-mediators, known as the Black Robes, enforce agreements with the sharpness of their words and the edge of their blades. The Edward L. Donegan Conference Centre serves as a council chamber, while the Rowell Room is now an imposing courtroom. Beneath its polished floors, secret escape routes connect to the Mystery Tunnel Society’s labyrinthine pathways, used by those who seek either covert entrance or hasty retreat. Flavelle House embodies the delicate balance of diplomacy and danger, where alliances are forged as easily as they are broken.

Plot Hook: A high-profile treaty negotiation between two rival enclaves is set to take place in the Donegan Conference Centre, with the Black Robes mediating. However, whispers of an assassination plot spread panic among the negotiators. As tensions rise, the players must navigate the house's shadowed halls and hidden tunnels to uncover the assassin’s identity and prevent a diplomatic disaster. But in Flavelle House, trust is a fragile thing—how far can the mediators themselves be trusted?

Gardiner Museum

 

In a crumbling post-apocalyptic Toronto, the Gardiner Museum is a fortress of creativity and survival, repurposed as a workshop where artisans shape protective gear, traps, and weapons from salvaged ceramics. The museum’s curator, Minerva “Minnie” Torc, a fiery, leather-clad metalhead minotaur, oversees the operations with a sharp wit and a heavier hammer. Known as "The Bull in the China Shop," Minnie embodies raw strength and delicate craftsmanship, teaching others how to blend art and war to survive in the fractured remains of civilization. The museum is both a sanctuary for the desperate and a proving ground for the bold, where every shard of porcelain could mean salvation—or destruction.

Plot Hook: A shipment of rare clay has been uncovered beneath the ruins of the Distillery District, rumored to be indestructible once fired. Minnie needs it to perfect a new generation of ceramic armor, but scavenger gangs and mutant beasts also have their eyes on the prize. Can the party secure the clay and survive the chaos brewing in the district?

The Iron Spire of Hart House

 

Once a vibrant student center, Hart House now stands as "The Iron Spire," a fortified hub of knowledge and conflict in the post-apocalyptic ruins of Toronto. Its towering gothic architecture, scarred by battles and reinforced with scavenged steel, looms as both a haven and a battleground. The Great Hall, illuminated by flickering oil lamps and stained glass repurposed with salvaged materials, hosts debates that shape the future of the region. Legendary figures like Arcturus Hume, a Minotaur philosopher-warrior who penned the "Treatises of Survival," and Sylvara the Forge-Speaker, a Harlowe who once rallied the masses here, lend their mythic presence to the Spire's storied history.

Amid its cracked stone halls, academics, mercenaries, and mystics come together, forging alliances or trading blows under the watchful gaze of the Grey Knights, a mysterious order tasked with maintaining fragile peace. The building’s hidden tunnels and ancient catacombs, once student retreats, now house forbidden knowledge, arcane caches, and dangerous secrets that draw adventurers from far and wide.

Plot Hook: A ferocious debate between the Sons of the Void, nihilistic psionicists bent on tearing down society, and the Gilded Vanguard, a militant faction of survivalists, threatens to spiral into violence. Whispers hint of a relic hidden in the Spire—one that could tip the scales of the argument or ignite an all-out war. Can the players mediate and protect the Spire’s sanctity, or will they seize the artifact and play both sides for their own gain?

Ontario Legislative Building

 

Once the seat of provincial governance, the Ontario Legislative Building, known as “The Pink Palace” for its sandstone façade, has been reborn as the Citadel of Resolve. In the aftermath of the Hodgepocalypse, it became a stronghold for a coalition of scholars, tacticians, and mediators who work to maintain fragile truces among the city's warring factions. Its grand chambers now host high-stakes negotiations, while its lower halls store relics and records of a lost civilization. Flanked by Queen’s Park’s overgrown greenery, the Citadel’s spires are fortified with scavenged metal and glowing wards of protection, a symbol of fragile hope in a fractured world.

Plot Hook: A fragile alliance among key factions is set to be signed within the Citadel, but a sabotage plot threatens to plunge the city into open conflict. The players must uncover the saboteur and ensure the alliance’s survival—or exploit the chaos to shift the balance of power in their favor.

R.C. Harris Water Treatment Plant

 

The Wasteland Water Plant, once the R.C. Harris Water Treatment Plant, now looms as a rusting relic of the old world, serving as a critical hub for survivors in the chaotic landscape of the Hodgepocalypse. Its once-grand Art Deco features are marred by grime and decay, with contaminated reservoirs harboring mutated aquatic life and flickering screens in the rusted control room hinting at lost blueprints for essential water filtration systems. 

Plot Hook: Haunted by the restless spirits of its former workers, the plant is home to Raiders. Adventurers are drawn to this dilapidated fortress to take on quests such as repairing purification systems, uncovering the tragic past of its ghostly inhabitants, and navigating dangerous confrontations, all while battling against the encroaching darkness of their world.

The Resonance Conservatory

 

Once the Royal Conservatory of Music, this historic institution now serves as the heart of Toronto's psychic music movement. Revered for its architecture and long-standing cultural significance, the Conservatory’s vaulted halls echo with melodies that resonate far beyond sound—here, music becomes a conduit for psychic power. Drawing on its storied past as a haven for musical excellence, the Conservatory trains performers known as "Resonants," who wield their instruments to inspire hope, transmit encoded messages, or even unleash sonic attacks. While the psychic music capital remains in distant Ed-town, the Conservatory is its philosophical and artistic paragon in Toronto, a place where history meets innovation in the fight for survival.

Plot Hook: A rival faction has stolen the Orphean Harp, an ancient instrument said to amplify sound into psychic devastation. The players must retrieve it before its power is weaponized to shatter both minds and alliances.

Royal Ontario Museum Ruins (Vault of the Ancients)

The crumbling Royal Ontario Museum (R.O.M. for short) hides a high-tech vault beneath its ruins, a relic of the pre-apocalypse world shrouded in mystery and danger. Flickering holograms illuminate ancient artifacts and advanced scientific data, while automated defenses and dormant robotic guardians ensure the vault remains nearly impenetrable. A coalition of rogue scavengers, rogue A.I. entities, and engineers from the Mechanized Liberation Front (M.L.F.) vie for control of its secrets. Above ground, the museum itself has been transformed into a fortress of traps and defenses by scholars and warriors, guarding the remnants of history.

Plot Hook: A cryptic map surfaces, promising access to a sealed exhibit deep within the vault rumored to hold a pre-apocalypse cure. The party must navigate deadly traps, outwit rival factions, and determine whether the map’s promise is salvation or a deadly ploy orchestrated by a rogue A.I. desperate to escape its confinement.

St. Michael’s College and St. Basil’s Church

 

Perched on sacred ground, St. Michael’s College and its adjoining St. Basil’s Church have become a bastion of spiritual resilience in the post-apocalypse. Cloaked in an aura of quiet strength, its crumbling spires hum faintly with the remnants of an ancient protective ward said to shield the faithful. The enclave offers refuge to travelers and healing to the injured, but whispers suggest their dwindling congregation guards secrets far older than the city itself—perhaps tied to the fabled Witches’ Road.

Plot Hook: A powerful relic, said to be a shard of a heavenly force, has vanished from the vault beneath St. Basil’s. As tensions rise between rival factions vying to claim it, the players must uncover its true purpose and decide its fate.

Trinity College

 

Once a prestigious center of learning, Trinity College has evolved into a haven for an enigmatic sect of Cyber-cultists. Its cloisters resonate with the hum of archaic machinery, as the monks labor to unite faith and invention into a singular path to salvation. The chapel’s stained-glass windows now glow with faint, otherworldly energy, rumored to be powered by divine relics. Tales of a lost archive buried deep beneath the college fuel the ambitions of rival factions eager to plunder its secrets.

Plot Hook: A visionary monk has received a prophetic dream of a divine artifact hidden in the ruins beneath Trinity College. Will the players aid their quest, sabotage it, or seize the artifact for themselves—all while evading rivals drawn to the same prize?

University College

 

In the heart of post-apocalyptic Toronto lies the remnants of University College, a crumbling yet majestic building that has transformed into the epicenter of a thriving wizard colony. Encased in ivy and surrounded by the hushed whispers of history, this sanctuary for historians, archivists, and spellcasters serves as a repository for arcane knowledge and forgotten lore. Its expansive library, filled with ancient texts and mystical scrolls, harbors secrets to both wondrous magic and dark curses, making it a vital place for those seeking power or protection in a world ravaged by chaos.

Plot Hook: An ancient tome embedded within the library's labyrinthine shelves has mysteriously vanished. Whispers among the wizards suggest that its pages hold the formula for a legendary spell capable of rewriting reality itself—either releasing a devastating curse upon the remnants of civilization or granting the ability to restore the world to its former glory. Race against time and treachery to recover the tome before its power falls into the wrong hands.

Victoria College (Mystic Grove College)

 

Victoria College, established in the early age of enlightenment, has long been a beacon of knowledge and experimentation. Renowned for its groundbreaking research in alchemy and potion-making, the college has attracted scholars from across the realms. Its lush gardens not only provide ingredients for its potions but also serve as a home for botanical wonders thought to possess both medicinal and mystical properties. However, the relentless pursuit of knowledge often leads to reckless experimentation, blurring the lines between triumph and catastrophe.

Plot Hook: When a renowned alchemist at Victoria College attempts to synthesize a powerful elixir meant to enhance cognitive abilities, her calculations go awry, resulting in a catastrophic release of a toxic cloud that blankets the campus. As panic ensues and residents scramble to escape, the once serene gardens teem with mutated flora, presenting both peril and opportunity. The players are thrust into the chaos, faced with the choice of either finding a solution to contain the threat or seizing the moment to harness the newfound powers unleashed in the college's wake.

The Witches' Walk

 

Once known as Philosopher’s Walk, this serene path connecting the landmarks of old Toronto has become "The Witches' Walk," a place of eerie beauty and dread. Overgrown with lush, bioluminescent foliage and tangled vines, the Walk is marked by decaying statues of scholars and guardians, their faces now worn smooth by time and the elements. Rumors suggest the path intersects with a remnant of the Witches’ Road, a mystical leyline used by ancient crones and arcane travelers to traverse the ruins. At night, strange lights dance among the trees, and whispers carry tales of power and peril.

The Walk serves as both a thoroughfare and a trap, luring scavengers and wanderers with rare resources: glowing herbs that heal or harm, shards of arcane crystal embedded in the ground, and artifacts left by those who vanished without a trace. Those brave enough to tread the path speak of sudden visions, impossible turns, and fleeting glimpses of shadowy figures lurking just beyond the trees.

Plot Hook: The strange lights and whispers that haunt the Walk have grown stronger, frightening away even seasoned scavengers. A prominent alchemist offers a hefty reward for a rare plant said to grow only under the unnatural glow. But as the players delve deeper into the Walk, they may find the true source of the phenomena—a tear in reality created by an ancient spell gone wrong, guarded by restless spirits seeking to finish the ritual and unleash what lies beyond.

  #drevrpg #hodgepocalypse #dnd5e #dungeonsanddragons #apocalypse #toronto #ontario #canada

Scarcity - Hodgepocalypse Toronto - Part 5 - Queen Street West & Old Town of York

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:

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.

  #drevrpg #hodgepocalypse #dnd5e #dungeonsanddragons #apocalypse #toronto #ontario #canada

Scarcity - Hodgepocalypse Toronto - Part 4 - The Financial District: Ruins of Wealth and Power

Once the thriving economic hub of Toronto, the Financial District is now a shadow of its former self, a landscape of shattered glass and crumbling steel. Skybridges of salvaged debris form a network of precarious pathways above the chaos, while subterranean vaults and tunnels house secrets both ancient and dangerous. Opportunists, scavengers, and rogue Faustian Mechanics vie for control over these ruins, creating a tense and perilous environment for all who enter. The former financial institutions hold cryptic remnants of the old world—untapped riches, experimental technologies, or nightmares locked away.

Population: The district is home to a chaotic mix of opportunists, Fossilborn scavengers, rogue technomancers, and elusive cults like the Clockwork Acolytes.

Faction Dynamics:

• Marlarkoid Cartel:  The Dominant power, using their knowledge of faustian mehcanics to fortify their hold over key sites.

• Haraak Raiders: A constant threat from the waterfront, targeting vaults and scavengers.

• Medusa Clans: They have a shadowy Presence,  and a few key locations where they control their territory.

• Cybercult: Devotees of old-world machines, obsessed with resurrecting lost technologies.

Common Themes in Quests:

• Investigating mysterious power surges disrupting settlements.

• Recovering stolen data or artifacts from rival factions.

• Escorting traders or mediators through treacherous territory.

• Exploring vaults for hidden wealth or dangerous secrets.

Part 1: Skyscrapers and Power Structures

Ashen Spire (Financial District)

 

A crumbling skyscraper whose core is infused with volcanic energy. Lava-like veins of glowing rock snake through its interior, while the upper floors are shrouded in smoke.

Quests:

• Retrieve a rare volcanic crystal for a Faustian Mechanic.

• Stop a rival faction from exploiting the building’s geothermal energy.

• Navigate the hazardous interior to rescue a trapped ally.

Atlas Building (The Curse Forge)

 

This abandoned factory has become the heart of the Medusa Clans' power. Twisted by their curse, the building churns out cursed constructs and weapons imbued with petrifying energy. The Medusa Clans jealously guard this location, treating it as both a fortress and a sacred site.

Plot Hook: A rogue member of the Medusa Clans seeks the adventurers’ aid in dismantling the Curse Forge, claiming the creations are too dangerous even for their own kind. Can they trust the defector’s motives?

Canada Permanent Building (The Watcher’s Tower)

 

A species allied with the Marlarkoids has claimed this building as a strategic lookout. This flock of Harlowe specialize in intelligence and reconnaissance, using their sharp senses and tech-savvy skills to monitor the district.

Plot Hook: A hacker offers to trade critical intel if the adventurers can infiltrate the Watcher’s Tower and recover surveillance data stored deep within its fortified basement.

Bank of British North America (The Fossilborn Truce Hall)

 

This neutral zone is where the Marlarkoids negotiate with the Fossilborn. Its grand halls feature crumbling murals depicting uneasy alliances, while its structural instability adds urgency to every meeting.

Plot Hook: A mediator hires the adventurers to protect them during a critical negotiation between the Marlarkoids and Fossilborn. However, a third faction plans to disrupt the talks violently.

Bank of Montreal (The Basilisk’s Vault)

 

A different Medusa Clan has claimed this site. Known as the Serpent’s Coil, this faction focuses on intrigue and subterfuge, relying on their petrification gaze to intimidate rivals and enforce their will. The building is heavily trapped with petrifying wards.

Plot Hook: A cult has emerged in the Financial District, worshiping the Basilisk’s Vault as a source of divine power. The adventurers are hired to infiltrate the cult and recover an artifact said to be tied to the Medusa Clans’ petrifying curse.

Bank of Nova Scotia (The Shattered Treasury)

 

Once a haven for scavengers, the Marlarkoids have seized this location, driving out the rogue elements and repurposing it as a base for their financial schemes. The building now serves as a storage site for experimental Faustian currency.

Plot Hook: A group of scavengers seeks help recovering a vault key stolen by the Haraak raiders. The adventurers must navigate the rivalries between factions to complete the mission without drawing the Medusas’ ire.

Bay Street Canyon

 

The shattered ruins of Bay Street have become a battleground between the Fossilborn and the Cybercult. The streets echo with the sound of combat, and scavenger hideouts litter the canyon’s depths.

Plot Hook: A gang war has erupted between the Fossilborn and Cybercult over a newly discovered cache of ancient techology. A third party hires the adventurers to ensure the cache is destroyed before it falls into dangerous hands.

Canadian Bank of Commerce Building (The Tower of Echoes)

 

his eerie skyscraper is riddled with strange auditory phenomena, from disembodied whispers to mechanical grinding. The Marlarkoids have turned it into a death trap, relying on its disorienting effects to ambush intruders.

Plot Hook: A Faustian Mechanic claims that the strange echoes are remnants of an ancient communication system and hires the adventurers to recover components from deep within the tower to revive it.

The Exchange (Former TSX Building)

 

The remnants of the Toronto Stock Exchange now serve as a black market and neutral ground for the district’s various factions. Deals are brokered, alliances are forged, and betrayals are commonplace.

Plot Hook: A trusted ally has been abducted and is being auctioned off in the Exchange. To free them, the adventurers must pose as buyers or risk open conflict in one of the most dangerous places in the district.

Royal Bank (The Gilded Fortress)

 

Neither Medusas nor Marlarkoids control this building. Instead, a faction of rogue Haraak Raiders has claimed it. These resourceful scavengers have fortified the location with stolen tech and treasure.

Plot Hook: A rival faction leader wants to infiltrate the Gilded Fortress to steal a key artifact believed to grant immunity to the Medusas’ petrifying gaze. Can the adventurers pull off the heist without getting caught?

Scotiabank Tower (The Crimson Vault)

The heavily guarded lower levels house one of the largest untouched gold reserves in the region. Protected by an AI security system and automated defenses, this location is a prize for any faction.

Plot Hook: A trader offers a fortune for access to the Crimson Vault, but the group soon learns their employer may not be human—and they aren’t the only ones interested in the tower’s secrets.

Toronto Dominion Center (The Obsidian Vault)

 

his splinter faction of the Medusas has embraced Faustian Mechanics, fusing their natural abilities with technology. They experiment with cursed constructs and petrifying devices in the TD Center's depths, drawing rogue mechanics and scavengers to their cause.

Plot Hook: A rival Medusa leader hires the adventurers to sabotage the Obsidian Vault’s experiments, ensuring her dominance over the district. But betrayal may lurk behind every turn.

Part 2: Hidden Vaults and Forgotten Secrets

This section delves into underground infrastructure, treasure-filled ruins, and enigmatic sites where ancient technology and secrets await discovery.

Canadian Pacific Building (The Conduit)

 

Once an operational hub, this building has become a key site for Faustian Mechanics experiments. The Marlarkoid Cartel are rumored to have tapped into old power lines to channel energy through the district, creating a network of dangerous traps and defenses.

Plot Hook: A group of settlers asks the adventurers to disable the Conduit’s power grid, which has been causing surges and blackouts in their area. However, the sabotage risks drawing the Medusa Clans’ wrath.

Design Exchange (The Machine Nexus)

 

Once a center for innovation, the Design Exchange is now a hub for Faustian Mechanics experimentation. Its halls are filled with half-functioning machines and strange automatons created by Marlarkoid engineers. Some claim the building itself has become semi-sentient.

Plot Hook: A malfunctioning automaton has escaped the Nexus and is wreaking havoc in the district. The adventurers must track it down and decide whether to destroy it or return it to its creators.

The Glass Tower (Formerly First Canadian Place)

 

The tallest surviving building in the district, now a dangerous haven for scavengers and opportunists. Its upper floors are barely accessible due to structural instability, but rumors persist of untouched executive vaults and pre-apocalypse tech caches.

Plot Hook: A notorious rogue technomancer has established a hidden lab near the top. They’ve developed a prototype device that could stabilize local power grids, but at a cost. Can the adventurers negotiate—or fight—for its release?

National Club Building (The Viper’s Den)

 

The once-prestigious National Club has become a hub for clandestine Medusa dealings. Leaders from various factions gather here to negotiate uneasy truces, broker alliances, or settle disputes. Hidden beneath the ruins are ancient crypts where petrified enemies are entombed as eternal warnings.

Plot Hook: A local settlement’s leader seeks an audience at the Viper’s Den to broker safe passage for their people, but they need a capable group to act as intermediaries and guards.

Northern Ontario Building (The Gray Labyrinth)

 

The sprawling remains of this once-grand office building have become a maze of collapsed hallways and secret passages. It’s used by Fossilborn and scavengers to navigate the district unseen. However, rumors suggest that the Medusa Clans have begun to infiltrate its depths.

Plot Hook: A team of settlers has gone missing in the labyrinth, and their desperate families plead for help. The adventurers must contend with traps, rogue scavengers, and the growing Medusa presence to bring them back alive.

Number 15 (The Vanishing Place)

 

Shrouded in mystery, this nondescript building is infamous for the disappearances of those who enter. Rumors suggest it holds a portal to an unknown dimension or a Faustian machine that traps trespassers in a time loop. The major powers of the area avoid it, and even scavengers give it a wide berth.

Plot Hook: A desperate family begs the adventurers to recover a loved one who disappeared into Number 15. Will they brave the building’s eerie secrets and find a way to break its curse?

Sun Life Tower (The Stone Citadel)

 

The Sun Life Tower has become the seat of the most powerful Medusa Clan, known as the Gorgon’s Fangs. Its upper floors are fortified with salvaged steel, and petrified figures are placed as grim warnings along the perimeter. The clan leaders hold court here, using advanced optics to monitor activity throughout the district.

Plot Hook: A Fossilborn ally has been turned to stone by the clan leader. A mysterious artifact within the vaults of the Sun Life Tower may hold the key to reversing the curse, but retrieving it risks the wrath of the entire clan.

Trader’s Bank (The Serpent’s Vault)

 

This small but resilient structure serves as the Medusa Clans’ primary treasury, where they hoard their most valuable finds. The vault is protected by layers of traps, cursed artifacts, and loyal guards who defend it to the death.

Plot Hook: An artifact stolen from a neighboring settlement is hidden in the vault. The adventurers are tasked with recovering it before the Medusas use it to consolidate their power.

Union Vaults (Union Station)

 

The iconic Union Station serves as a subterranean labyrinth of vaults and tunnels. Its vast underground network is teeming with strange creatures and scavengers. It’s said that the station holds an experimental AI core that once controlled the city's transit systems.

Plot Hook: An artifact hunter hires the adventurers to locate the AI core before the M.L.F. can. But activating it could unleash an army of long-dormant drones.

Part 3 Historic and Cultural Landmarks of the Financial District

The Bay (The Endless Mall)

The crumbling ruins of this once-massive department store are now an eerie maze filled with scavenged goods, forgotten relics, and scavenger traps. The Marlarkoid clans claim it as a resource depot, but other groups frequently challenge their control.

Plot Hook: A trader needs the adventurers to recover a specific item from the depths of the Bay, but rival factions and dangerous scavengers stand in the way.

BCE Place (The Shattered Archway)

 

The soaring glass canopy of BCE Place is now a jagged monument to the past. The area beneath the broken atrium has been turned into a treacherous bazaar, were Faustian engineers trade experimental technology for old-world artifacts.

Plot Hook: A malfunctioning Faustian device begins to emit dangerous energy waves, threatening the entire bazaar. The adventurers are tasked with shutting it down, but doing so could destroy valuable tech.

Campbell House Museum (The Last Hearth)

 

This small museum has been converted into a safe house for displaced survivors. Its cozy interior offers a rare sense of normalcy, but its supplies are running dangerously low.

Plot Hook: Protect the Last Hearth from an impending raid, or undertake a supply run to ensure its survival.

Canon Theatre (The Phantom Stage)

The abandoned Canon Theatre is said to be haunted by echoes of its glamorous past. Strange performances sometimes occur with no visible performers, and those who attend these “phantom shows” often vanish.  

Plot Hook: Investigate the latest disappearance linked to the Phantom Stage. Is it the work of supernatural forces, or something more sinister?

Church of the Holy Trinity (The Veiled Chapel)

 

Tucked away behind the Eaton Centre, this small church is an oasis of calm in a chaotic district. Its caretaker is rumored to be a powerful mystic capable of banishing curses and unraveling old enchantments.

Plot Hook: Protect the chapel from a raiding party intent on capturing its mystic caretaker for their own ends.

Eaton Centre (The Towering Bazaar)

 

The skeletal remains of this once-thriving shopping mall have become a sprawling vertical marketplace. Dangerous gangs control different levels, and traders risk life and limb to peddle their wares here.

Plot Hook: A trader’s goods are stolen by a gang, and the adventurers must navigate the treacherous politics of the Towering Bazaar to recover them.

Fairmont Royal York (The Golden Shelter)

 

Once a luxurious hotel, the Royal York is now a refuge for survivors who can afford its exorbitant fees. Its gilded halls hide secrets of old-world wealth, and rumors of a hidden vault of pre-apocalypse treasures draw the greedy and desperate alike.

Plot Hook: A thief sneaks into the Royal York to retrieve a mysterious artifact, only to become trapped inside. The adventurers must extract the thief before the hotel’s self-appointed enforcers catch them.

Hockey Hall of Fame (The Frozen Legacy)

 

This iconic site has been turned into a base for scavenger clans, who use its trophy halls as both a meeting place and a museum of their own exploits. The central vault contains artifacts encased in a strange, unmelting ice.

Plot Hook: A clan leader hires the adventurers to retrieve an artifact trapped in the ice vault, but they soon discover that disturbing it unleashes a cursed specter.

L'Agence du Crépuscule (The Twilight Agency)

 

L'Agence du Crépuscule operates out of Old City Hall, a gothic ruin perched on the edge of Scarcity’s sinkhole. Its crumbling clock tower looms over the desolate streets, while the council chamber serves as a shadowy office filled with salvaged furniture and fractured light from broken stained glass. Arcane wards and dim lighting lend the agency a foreboding air, drawing only the desperate to its doors. Lucien, the enigmatic vampire detective, brings a mix of charm and menace, offering aid with mysteries too dark for most to confront.

Plot Hook:  Lucien "Val" Dusoir, a vampire detective, urgently summons the party to his agency, offering valuable rewards in exchange for their help. A terrified client has brought a photograph of a woman working with The Night Syndicate, a sinister cabal known for blood magic and monstrous experiments—one who looks exactly like Val's long-lost mortal sister, Jeanne. Unable to investigate without risking his control, Val tasks the party with uncovering the Syndicate's secrets, which could shake the foundations of Scarcity itself. As they delve into the Syndicate’s operations, the party must navigate dangerous enemies, unravel unsettling truths, and confront the possibility that Jeanne’s role in the Syndicate is far darker than they imagined.

Mackenzie House (The Cursed Museum)

 

Preserved as a museum of old-world history, Mackenzie House is rumored to be cursed. Visitors report strange noises and unsettling visions, and scavengers refuse to enter without good reason.

Plot Hook: A desperate settler asks the adventurers to retrieve a personal heirloom from Mackenzie House, but the building’s curse is more than just superstition.

Massey Hall (Massy Rift)

 

n the ruins of Massey Hall, now called the Massey Rift, a tear in reality amplifies music into psychic energy, turning performances into literal battles. Drawing inspiration from Toronto’s 80s music legacy, rival factions—like the Fossilborn Drummers and the techno-trance Haraak—compete to harness the Rift’s power in a citywide “Battle of the Bands.” The Rift, pulsing with fragments of iconic melodies and surreal phenomena like a flowing "River Dawn," threatens to destabilize, risking devastation for the surrounding area.

Plot Hook: The party must enter the competition to stabilize the Rift before it expands uncontrollably. They’ll face rival bands in psychic duels, uncover sabotage attempts, and search for fragments of a legendary song tied to Toronto’s musical past to save the city.

Metropolitan Church (The Shadowed Congregation)

 

This old church now serves as a meeting place for rogue Faustian engineers and black-market traders. Its dimly lit halls are filled with whispered deals and secret projects.

Plot Hook: Uncover the truth behind a series of murders linked to the Shadowed Congregation, where every suspect has their own secrets to hide.

Nathan Phillips Square (The Gauntlet)

 

Once a bustling civic plaza, Nathan Phillips Square has become a deadly proving ground known as "The Gauntlet." The reflective pools have been turned into electrified traps, and the iconic arches now support sniper nests and hanging cages. Ruined food trucks and shattered art installations form makeshift barriers, while scavenger gangs run brutal trials here to test loyalty, settle disputes, or entertain bloodthirsty crowds. The towering presence of the burnt-out City Hall looms in the background, its cracked windows radiating an ominous glow from strange rituals conducted within.

Plot Hook: A famed scavenger leader, captured by a rival gang, is being forced to run The Gauntlet as a public spectacle. The players are hired to infiltrate the arena, disrupt the games, and rescue the captive. To succeed, they’ll need to outwit the traps, avoid the jeering crowd’s interference, and deal with rival factions vying for control of this macabre landmark.

New City Hall (The Broken Crescent)

 

The iconic twin towers of Toronto's New City Hall now stand as skeletal ruins, their once-sleek facades weathered and cracked. The crescent-shaped council chamber at their base has partially collapsed, forming a treacherous labyrinth of rubble and twisted steel. The entire structure pulses faintly with an eerie blue-green light, remnants of failed experiments by a long-gone Faustian cult. The area is plagued by warped reality—echoing footsteps that come from nowhere, shadows moving against the light, and whispers that creep into the minds of intruders. Factions fight to claim the site, either for its dangerous power or for the symbolic victory of controlling what remains of Toronto's governance.

Plot Hook: The players are tasked with investigating the source of the strange energy radiating from the ruins of New City Hall. However, multiple factions—including the Flamebringers and a rogue faction of Medusa—are locked in a tense standoff over the site, and the party must navigate shifting alliances and supernatural dangers as they descend into the corrupted heart of the Broken Crescent.

Osgoode Hall (The Barbed Halls) 

 

Once a bastion of law and order, Osgoode Hall has become a twisted parody of justice in the Hodgepocalypse. Its grand iron fence now bristles with makeshift spikes and barbed wire, while the stately facade is riddled with scars from battles fought between rival factions. The interior has been transformed into a maze of booby-trapped courtrooms and law libraries haunted by spectral clerks and judges, cursed to endlessly recite decrees from a long-dead era. The Marble Atrium at the center serves as a grim arena where disputes are "settled" through brutal combat under the guise of trials.

Plot Hook: A desperate community leader approaches the players, asking them to retrieve a set of ancient legal documents rumored to hold the key to reclaiming land from a marauding gang. To succeed, they’ll have to navigate Osgoode Hall’s dangerous traps, outwit vengeful spirits enforcing twisted laws, and face off against the current “High Arbiter,” a former judge who now rules the halls with ruthless cruelty.

Scadding House (The Historian’s Refuge)

 

Nestled inconspicuously near the ruins of Fort York, Scadding House is a small but sturdy relic of Toronto's past that has somehow endured the Hodgepocalypse. The unassuming exterior belies its significance as a sanctuary for a lone historian devoted to salvaging and preserving pre-apocalypse relics. The interior is a labyrinth of stacked books, ancient maps, and carefully cataloged artifacts, protected by ingenious traps and hidden compartments. A small enchanted hearth keeps the house warm and wards off intruders, while a loyal clockwork companion assists the historian in their work. The house’s secrets could reshape the understanding of Toronto’s fragmented history—or serve as a treasure trove for less noble forces.

Plot Hook: The historian urgently hires the adventurers for an expedition to recover a priceless artifact stored in the ruins of a nearby museum before scavengers claim it. Along the way, they’ll contend with rival treasure hunters, mutated creatures guarding the ruins, and the artifact’s own mysterious and potentially volatile power.

St. Michael’s Catholic Cathedral (The Broken Sanctuary)

 

Once a beacon of faith and community, St. Michael’s Catholic Cathedral now stands as a haunting relic of a shattered world. The roof is partially collapsed, and shards of stained glass lie scattered across the floor, casting fractured rainbows in the dim light. Despite its ruinous state, the cathedral remains a haven for weary survivors seeking solace or spiritual guidance, overseen by a stoic priest who has vowed to protect what remains. Whispers abound of a concealed crypt beneath the cathedral, rumored to house powerful holy relics capable of turning the tide against the darkness. However, reaching the chamber would mean navigating a labyrinth of unstable catacombs and facing the strange guardians that stir in the shadows.

Plot Hook: A desperate survivor approaches the adventurers, pleading for their help to retrieve a relic said to rest beneath the cathedral. The artifact could save their ailing community—or, in the wrong hands, unleash catastrophic power. The party must brave the cathedral’s perilous ruins, contend with zealous scavengers, and unravel the crypt’s ancient, divine defenses to uncover the truth.

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