The Exceptionals is set in Earth-78, a relection of the real world as seen through 1980s and early 90s TV and movies. The adventure begins in March of 1984, and follows two people who awoke in a secret laboratory, both of whom are exceptional people at or beyond the peak of human capability. They have no memory, and they have nowhere to go… except everywhere.

Oakwood, Venice, Los Angeles

First Appearing in Episode 1

A suburb of Venice, Los Angeles, the start of the adventure, run down, suburban and blue collar. A walk away from Venice Beach, and gang territory. Known in the 80s as “Ghost Town” due to the high crime.

The Lab

The Lab is a simple name for the underground complex where the Exceptionals were made. The adventure starts here.

Lou’s Apartment Building

Venice isn’t known for apartment buildings in general, but rather some rundown bungalows and residences. But there are some exeptions, 678 Westminster Avenue is one of these, a square stuccoes three level Apartment building with some palms and bushes out front.

Chou Chow

The Drugstore with a broken sign near Lou’s, the community source of food. The exceptionals thought it was a very brazen illegal drug sales point, they also thought the owner had something wrong with him, because he was asian and they had never encountered one.

Community Center

The Exceptionals illegally broke into the old Anderson Youth Center and cleaned it up via montage to make it a suitable meeting place for the community watch group.

Oakwood in the 80s was proximate to Venice Beach and crime ridden, so it was the perfect starting location for the Exceptionals.

Lou’s Apartment Building and the Lab stand on the location now occupied by 678 Westminster Avenue in the real world, the location there was built in 1986, according to my research, and was a lot before, making it perfect for my fictional location which I based on the general appearance of this place. Going forward very few locations that are not well known landmarks will be based on real world locations. I recommend my players go to the link, and walk along Westminster Ave towards the beach, and you can sort of imagine what it looked like in the 80s. You can also see how some of the local character has been painted over with bland flat colours, as you see buildings in one area of street view with their murals and art on the walls, suddenly become bland and plain blue in the next, newer section of the street view.

Neother Chou Chow nor the Community Center exist as real locations in the real world, but there IS a location that could be close. Also contrary to a statement in Episode 2, the church is actually not far away at all. oops.