"Well, well, well, welcome to the Sunshine State Wasteland, smoothskins. Name's Red, been around since before the bombs, and I've seen it all. I'll tell you what smooth skins, this place used to be beautiful- people would come from far and wide to have a good time now not so much."
Florida's a real piece of work now. The Foreverglades? Used to be the Everglades, but now it's a never-ending swamp filled with mutated critters that'll eat ya alive. Miami? Ha! Ruled by drug cartels who'd shoot ya as soon as look at ya. And Tampa? Slavers from Louisiana run that hellhole, and you don't wanna end up their prisoner.
Then there's Nuka Land, the old amusement park. Used to be full of laughter; now it's full of radiation and monsters. A real twisted playground.
But here's the kicker, smoothskins—there's a big mystery lurking under Florida's waters and coastlines. Something's hidden down there, something worth finding... if you live long enough to uncover it.
So, strap in and keep your wits about ya. The Sunshine State Wasteland's got plenty of stories to tell, and not all of 'em have happy endings.
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If you're familiar with Dungeons and Dragons 5e, the rules for the Arcane Arcade TTRPG are very similar.
I'll be updating this post, with lore, tips, and the previous session's shenanigans as they come up! (Taken from the Fallout Sunshine State document Brynnly put together.)
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The Foreverglades:
The Foreverglades is a treacherous, mutated swampland teeming with hostile flora and fauna. Traveling through this nightmarish terrain without the aid of a fan boat or aquatic power armor is a dangerous undertaking, where every step could be your last. The thick, irradiated waters, aggressive plant life, and mutated wildlife create a perilous environment that grows increasingly deadly the closer you get to the center.
Travel Speed and Movement:
Thick Mud and Water: Characters moving through the Foreverglades on foot have -6 action points due to the thick, muddy terrain and knee-deep irradiated waters.
Athletics Checks: Every hour of travel requires a Strength (Athletics) check, DC 12. On a failure, the character becomes stuck in the mud or entangled in vines, reducing their speed to 5 feet per round until freed.
Creeper Vines:
Detection: Creeper vines lurk just below the water’s surface, waiting to ensnare the unwary. Characters must make an Awareness check, DC 13, to notice the vines before stepping into them.
Grapple Effect: If a character steps into a patch of creeper vines, they must make an agility saving throw, DC 14. On a failure, the vines grapple the character, reducing their movement to 0 and dealing 1d6 bludgeoning damage per round as the vines tighten.
Escape: To escape, the character must succeed on a Strength (Athletics) check, DC 16, or an ally can assist them with the same DC. Failing this check for 3 consecutive rounds results in the character being pulled under the water, where they risk drowning and taking an additional 2d6 bludgeoning damage from the constriction each round.
Prickle Bushes:
Passing Through: Prickle bushes are covered in 1-inch-long spikes that can easily tear through clothing and skin. Characters moving through or near prickle bushes must make an Agility saving throw, DC 12, or suffer 1d4 piercing damage.
Explosive Reaction: If a prickle bush is destroyed or disturbed (such as by cutting it down), it explodes, sending spikes in all directions. Every creature within a 10-foot radius must make an Agility or Luck saving throw, DC 14, or take 2d6 piercing damage. Those who succeed take half the damage.
Thick Tree Roots and Watching Trees:
Roots: The dense network of tree roots slows movement and requires an Agility check, DC 14, to navigate without tripping or becoming entangled.
Watching Trees: Trees with face-like holes seem to watch travelers as they pass. While mostly harmless, these trees create an unnerving atmosphere.
Spitter Bulbs:
Dangerous Proximity: These small, bulbous plants shoot toxic darts if approached within 5 feet. Characters must make an Agility saving throw, DC 15, when within range. On a failure, they are hit by the dart and must roll 1d4 to determine the effect:
Poisoned: The character takes 2d4 poison damage and is poisoned for 1 hour.
Paralyzed: The character is paralyzed for up to 5 minutes.
Disoriented: The character is disoriented, suffering a disadvantage on all skill checks for 10 minutes.
Dodged: No effect, the dart misses.
Maneating Venus Flytraps:
Predatory Flora: These giant Venus flytraps can attack any creature that comes within 10 feet. The plant has a reach attack (+6 to hit) and deals 2d8 piercing damage on a hit, with an additional DC 14 Strength check required to avoid being grappled. Grappled creatures are held in place by the plant’s maw, where they take 2d6 acid damage per round until they escape.
Exploding Mushrooms:
Hallucinogenic Spores: These mushrooms explode into a cloud of spores when disturbed, covering a 15-foot radius. Every creature in the area must make an Endurance saving throw, DC 15. On a failure, they begin to hallucinate, seeing and hearing things that aren’t there. This effect lasts for up to 4 hours, during which time the character suffers a disadvantage on all Perception checks and may act irrationally.
Escalating Danger Towards the Center:
Wildlife: As characters approach the center of the Foreverglades, encounters with hostile wildlife (like gatorclaws, mirelurks, and rad hogs) become more frequent. Roll for random encounters every 30 minutes instead of every hour.
Flora: The flora grows more aggressive, with more frequent patches of creeper vines, spitter bulbs, and exploding mushrooms. The DC for avoiding or escaping these hazards increases by 2.
Environmental Effects: The air becomes thicker with spores and radiation, requiring characters to make an endurance saving throw, DC 14, every hour. On a failure, they suffer 2d8 damage due to the toxic humidity.
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The Rio Grande:
The Rio Grande represents a large swath of northern Mexico, largely untouched by nuclear devastation. This relative safety allowed them to recover and reorganize more swiftly than other regions, evolving into a formidable, well-structured government reminiscent of the NCR at its zenith. With an increasing focus on Texas, their efforts to reclaim Florida and other American territories are significant. They view these lands as rightfully theirs, seized by America long ago, and are determined to reclaim them.
The Rio Grande government is known for its strong stance on protecting people and its anti-slavery policies. However, their methods have earned them some enmity. They often displace local populations to establish their own settlements, which has fostered resentment among many Floridians. Their recent major defeat at the hands of the NCR is seen as a major failure, fueling their resolve to expand their influence and recover lost territories.
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Raider Gangs:
Nitro Bois
Location: Daytona International Speedway
Description: The Daytona International Speedway has long been a sanctuary for those who crave speed, and the Nitro Bois embody this thrill-seeking spirit. Constantly pushing the limits, this gang runs death races on the half-destroyed track and customizes lethal vehicles—cars and bikes alike—for high-stakes competitions. Their lives revolve around racing and raiding, living on the edge of danger. Originally a splinter group from the Florida Bois of Tallahassee, the Nitro Bois are as notorious for their relentless pursuit of adrenaline as they are for their frequent thefts from other settlements.
Florida Bois
Location: Tallahassee wasteland
Description: these guys are dangerous savages who are pretty common raiders but way more wild and far more organized thanks to their leader the flame queen of Tallahassee. She rules with an iron fist in her fort in Jacksonville and any settlement left undestroyed must pay a tax to her to keep the Florida Bois away .Florida Bois are the largest raider gang in Florida by far.
Nuka Clowns
Location:Orlando, nuka land
Description: The Nuka Clowns are a tragic and terrifying result of Cappy AI's experiments in the ruins of Nuka Land. These former raiders have been lobotomized and brainwashed, transformed into mindless enforcers dressed in garish clown makeup. Stripped of their free will, they patrol Nuka Land with erratic behavior, laughing uncontrollably while carrying out Cappy's twisted orders. Despite their appearance, they are dangerous opponents, driven by the AI’s commands. __________________________________________________________
Creatures of The Sunshine State:
Murder Hornets
Originally descended from Asian giant hornets, these invasive predators have made Florida their home, evolving into a formidable part of the local fauna. Slightly larger than the Kazador from New Vegas, they exhibit a heightened aggression. Their sting is particularly insidious; it often deposits eggs beneath the skin. Once these larvae hatch after a week, they devour their way out, causing a swift, often fatal demise. Fortunately, chems and alcohol can kill the larvae before they emerge, though this has exacerbated Florida's ongoing chem crisis.
Gatorclaw
A fearsome hybrid of alligator and deathclaw, the Gatorclaw prowls the Sunshine State with terrifying efficiency. This creature is not only incredibly fast but also excels in stealth and ambush tactics, lying in wait within the waters to tear apart any unsuspecting prey.
Basilisk
These large, tree-dwelling lizards are notorious for their ability to spit a corrosive, poisonous fluid that erodes both equipment and armor. Their vicious bite and penchant for dropping from trees onto unsuspecting victims add to their menace. Descendants of iguanas, Basilisks are common throughout South Florida. Despite their danger, some settlers in Bogsburg, within the Foreverglades, keep them as pets and guard animals.
Skunk Apes
Originally wild monkeys released on a South Florida island before the war, these creatures have mutated into what locals call Skunk Apes. With matted black fur and white fluff at the tail's end, they emit a foul odor to ward off predators like Gatorclaws and Muck Monsters. Excellent climbers and fierce scavengers, Skunk Apes are a persistent nuisance to settlers in the Foreverglades and parts of Miami.
Muck Monster
This giant, serpent-like worm prowls the thick mud and swamp waters of Florida's glades and lakes. Known for its ambush tactics, the Muck Monster lurks beneath the surface, striking with deadly force whenever an unsuspecting creature enters the water. They are most active during heavy rains and hurricanes.
Feral Ghouls
A common threat across post-war America, Feral Ghouls in Florida are especially dangerous. Having lost all vestiges of humanity, they have become ravenous, flesh-eating zombies. Though they are slow and clumsy, their relentless attacks pose a significant risk. Various types of Feral Ghouls can be found throughout Florida.
Goliath
Deep within the Foreverglades, tales speak of a massive mutant creature known as the Goliath. Described as having tusks, five legs, and tree-like feet, this beast is often dismissed as a product of swamper folklore, though it remains a topic of fascination and fear.
Swamp Rats
Prevalent in Miami, Tampa, and the Foreverglades, Swamp Rats are large, hairless, and radioactive, carrying a host of diseases. Their presence is a grim reminder of the hazards lurking in the irradiated swamps.
Rad Roach
These giant, mutated cockroaches infest abandoned buildings across Daytona and Gainesville. A staple of post-apocalyptic Florida, they are a constant, unwelcome presence in the wasteland.
Rad Hogs
Feral pigs afflicted by radiation, Rad Hogs are grotesquely transformed with cancerous welts and cysts. Deadly and aggressive, they hunt in packs, using their overgrown tusks to attack with reckless abandon.
Brahmin
The Tala Wasteland and areas near Gainesville are populated with Brahmin, a legacy of Florida's once-thriving dairy industry. These sturdy animals are vital for travel and trade in the region.
Feral Dogs
A common sight in the wasteland, these dogs have devolved into savage, unpredictable creatures, true to their name.
Wompus Cat
In the depths of the Foreverglades, the elusive Wompus Cat roams. With its striped, patchy fur and skeletal face, it is a chilling sight. These stealthy nocturnal hunters are rarely seen but are known for their eerie presence.
Landsharks
Originally engineered by Vault-Tec and now primarily created by Spectrum, Landsharks are a blend of great white shark and dog DNA. Most are docile and well-trained, resembling reef and tiger sharks with legs instead of fins. However, a few of the original great white variants remain in the Foreverglades, posing a significant threat to swampers and drug runners with their aggressive nature.
Mirelurks
Common along Florida's coastlines and in the Foreverglades, Mirelurks are a pestilent presence. Despite their annoying habits, they are considered quite tasty when prepared properly.
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Finally, here's a quick look at my character, Cap'n. He's an astronomically stupid Super Mutant who idolizes and bases his actions and personality on Cooper Howard. (Drawn by our Fallout Friday and Sons of Stone DM, Brynnly)
Hope you enjoyed learning about the Wasteland of Florida, check out our other campaigns on our blog! __________________________________________________
Thank you so much to our wonderful DMs who make this possible for all of us!
If you're interested in hosting your own D&D Campaign at Silver Canon, please email us at silvercanonllc@gmail.com
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