Somewhere in the Pacific ocean is a small island, a few hundred miles off of the coast of the nearest continent. It’s not on any map or sea chart for some reason, and it has no lighthouse or signal beacons, yet there’s enough modern buildings for a hundred or so people on the only navigable beach front on the island. Everywhere else is too rocky to land a boat, and there’s no known airstrip. The island is heavily wooded and large enough to make exploration challenging. Only after the apocalypse do civilians come to live on the island, not knowing why this place is here.
So, what’s hidden? Nothing too grimdark that would result in people sealing the place off or running for their lives, nor should it be an automatic win for a post-apocalyptic community like an infinite source of electricity.
What brought about the apocalypse? What does the psychic maelstrom look like?
Haven’t decided yet for the first question. For the second, I’m thinking something to do with radio waves, since we have the News.
Signal repeater, news archives, or broadcast equipment? To go less functional, a crashed pirate radio ship with a host of old records.
The opportunity to “write” the story that others believe for the cause of the apocalypse. So.. a dish or radio tower to control the maelstrom, to some extent (and potential for much more)
Sounds like a great setting for the Space Marine Mammal. Perhaps an uplift lab. The apocalypse was caused when the lab attempted to broadcast a signal that would increase the intelligence of some animal species.