Dangers in a Post Apocalyptic World

[Christopher R. Rice]

Like my other thread "So What IS Ruined after an Apocalypse?" I'm wondering what sort of dangers a group of survivors might face.

Some more specifics on the setting:

• The Apocalypse was caused by superpowers gone wild/rogue with powerful metahumans using their god-like gifts at will.
• The world is in a mini Ice Age (kind of like the Little Ice Age, but colder as its -5F colder than today's temperatures).
• There is a phenomenon known as "dark fog" that has a multitude of effects: 1) it can bring timelost people, objects, or animals into the future (and the future into the past or present, but that's besides the point); 2) it connects our dimension with the Void - the space between dimensions where Things exist. These things sometimes come into the physical world and are called remnants (if people) or just Things (if not); 3) lost colonies can also be affects - both Roanoke and Vinland are currently "in the future" after disappearing from history.
• Various other things such as Drasilian trees (giant 150' or more) that have an affect on the local weather, have a fruit that's highly nutritious and plentiful (manna), can be lived in (like a baobab tree but bigger), and tend to attract wild life to them.
• It's set in approximately 2046 and has TL 4/8^ technology.
• Was invaded at some point in the past by dimensional raiders who almost took over New York City. These white-skinned humanoids are called "Strangers."
• Takes place mainly in NYC and its surrounding area. Parts of the city are "gang territory" but the boroughs all have small cities in the ruins and are loosely allowed with the Librarians Militant who operate out of the NY Public Library and Bryant Park.
• Due to a weird metahuman power the planet experienced a decade of plant growth in a year.
• Most (if not all) Nuclear Power Plants had their uranium "eaten" by a radiation controlling super so this is a non-issue.
• The setting leans toward the realistic (as much as supers can be), while the PCs are essentially cinematic. The mode is mixed realism with notes of grittiness.
• I'm probably missing other stuff so if you have questions please ask 'em and I'll fill in as best I can.

What I'm looking for specifically are a) rules from the current supplements; b) scenarios that would be supported by those rules; and c) cool stuff PCs can do.

Any help would be most appreciated. Thanks!

[mr beer]

My guess is that the dangers that would preoccupy normies would be:

acquiring potable water, safe shelter and edible food, in that order;

diseases which I guess would include food poisoning and nutritional deficiencies;

vermin, note infected wounds are a huge deal so getting even a non-serious rat bite is contraindicated;

environmental hazards such from crumbling infrastructure so falling buildings, stair failure, falling into sewers, rivers running down streets etc.; and

encountering humans outside their immediate 'tribe' - that's extremely dangerous.

[(E)]

Working off the first point
- Naturals who are violently anti-super as they blame supers for the fall.
- Super Slavery, people with powers that are useful or even essential to survival might find themselves coerced or captured.
- Powerful supers might be trying to rebuild the old world, or at least their version of it. Multiple super groups all claiming to represent what remains of the legitimate government.
- Lingering effects caused by the powers of the various rogue supers. "Don't go to the science museum, its still possessed by a technopath", "careful when you hunt up north, all the carnivores have one mind"....
- left over supertech.
- Super "city states", groups of people who follow a super who has the abilities to help them.

[johndallman]

Originally Posted by Christopher R. Rice

Due to a weird metahuman power the planet experienced a decade of growth in a year.

Growth of plants, or something else?

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by johndallman

Growth of plants, or something else?

Yes. Plants. I have modified my first post

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by mr beer

My guess is that the dangers that would preoccupy normies would be:

acquiring potable water, safe shelter and edible food, in that order;

diseases which I guess would include food poisoning and nutritional deficiencies;

vermin, note infected wounds are a huge deal so getting even a non-serious rat bite is contraindicated;

environmental hazards such from crumbling infrastructure so falling buildings, stair failure, falling into sewers, rivers running down streets etc.; and

encountering humans outside their immediate 'tribe' - that's extremely dangerous.

All of this is excellent. Thank you.

We don't have a rules system for health really. Hmmm. I wonder if I could model it off of LFP? Call it "LHP" and have it so that it affects your main HP if you get diseased. That's not bad.

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by (E)

- Naturals who are violently anti-super as they blame supers for the fall.

This is actually in the setting. Normals call them "abbies" short for "abominations" or "aberrations."

Originally Posted by (E)

- Super Slavery, people with powers that are useful or even essential to survival might find themselves coerced or captured.

I thought about this and despite it's squick level it's probably pretty realistic.

Originally Posted by (E)

- Powerful supers might be trying to rebuild the old world, or at least their version of it. Multiple super groups all claiming to represent what remains of the legitimate government.

That is sort of in the setting. There is a super who is incredibly powerful who is running the Croatoan Coalition who actively recruits supers into his group to control territory and rebuild.

Originally Posted by (E)

- Lingering effects caused by the powers of the various rogue supers. "Don't go to the science museum, its still possessed by a technopath", "careful when you hunt up north, all the carnivores have one mind"....

That is something I didn't think of really and it's so obvious. NICE.

Originally Posted by (E)

- left over supertech.

Again, obvious but overlooked.

Originally Posted by (E)

- Super "city states", groups of people who follow a super who has the abilities to help them.

Some of the freeholds in the central area of the US do this, but otherwise it's pretty rare. Remember, most people hate supers.

[Varyon]

Originally Posted by Christopher R. Rice

Some of the freeholds in the central area of the US do this, but otherwise it's pretty rare. Remember, most people hate supers.

Sufficiently powerful supers, or coalitions thereof, may be able to rule regions with an iron fist. If they can give some degree of stability, people will be willing to stay (or even immigrate from elsewhere). See the various super-held cities in The Reckoners for examples. Sure, everybody hates Steelheart (think Evil Superman), but under his control Newcago is booming. That series may be good inspiration, and is a relatively quick read. The apocalypse there wasn't quite as apocalyptic as in your setting, however (it was really just everyone who gained superpowers also became evil, and politically broke the world into chunks to control). Cells of mundane - but elite - super-hunters roughly akin to the Reckoners could be a serious threat, particularly considering they have no interest in holding land or going out of their way to protect civilians - their sole guiding purpose is killing people who have powers.

Note there may be some weird cults that spring up. Cultists following the remnants/things that sometimes come through the dark fog, neopagans worshipping the Drasilian trees, people trying to emulate the Strangers (likely painting themselves white), or even cults based around a specific super (or supers in general) are all possible.

[khorboth]

A group has set up shop on a naval ship which has been beached by the receding seawater. It still makes a great fortress and they have biodiesel production for power. They have realized that there is a great desalinator on board for fresh water, but they no longer have access to salt water. They would like to negotiate with the other local factions to allow a pipeline from the ocean in return for free fresh water for everyone. If everyone works together to build and protect the pipe. This would be great for everybody in the region.
Unfortunately, the reputation of the ship-dwellers is less than sterling.

[Gold & Appel Inc]

Super-Run City State Idea: The man known as "Aladdin" resides in a gilded prison in City State (doesn't have to be Middle Eastern, but someplace that was very First World before the apocalypse. I'm personally picturing Dubai, but follow your joy). He is kept at the most secret and secure fortress the rebuilt government can provide for his protection, because only he can call the smoky being he calls his djinn, and ask it for the miraculous things it can conjure. The people of City State know of no other whose nuclear reactor is still powered, for example, and though much of its energy output is required for the desalination plant now, and the lion's share of the rest is used by the government, citizens who work hard enough can earn privileges like a personal telephone or even a small refrigerator.

The truth is that Aladdin is just a random norm who was rendered homeless by the collapse like so many others. The "djinn," a youngish super named Adnan, puts on a mask, turns insubstantial, and drops by whenever he feels like it to leave some uranium or antibiotics or something, and otherwise does as he pleases in his secret identity as a playboy of infinite means in a paradise of his own creation. He can't create other people, and he's too extroverted to be alone with his toys, but he doesn't want the responsibility or risk of rulership. His sidekick "Al" is 100% convinced of the cover story (down to having a "magic" lamp whose existence he hides zealously), so the ruse can't be foiled by a polygraph, mind-probing him, etc. Adnan likes Al well enough, and won't risk him wantonly, but ultimately the price of the man's comfortable lifestyle is being Adnan's coal mine canary.