Coffee

Charroot contains mild alkaloids that provide a gentle stimulant effect, enough to sharpen alertness without causing excessive jitters or anxiety. The roasting process releases smoky and bitter flavor compounds, and careful drying preserves the bitter spice notes.

Primarily produced and distributed by the Farmers Guild, with quality control overseen by The Doctors to ensure safety. Occasionally small batches are prepared by Engineers experimenting with roasting techniques.

“Coffee” as known in Camp Hope is not true coffee, nor does anyone alive remember or possess real coffee beans. Instead, the term “coffee” is colloquially applied to Charroot Brew, a hot, bitter beverage made from a specially bred, fibrous root known as charroot.

Charroot was first cultivated shortly after the founding of Camp Hope, when survivors needed a bitter, energizing drink to replace lost luxuries. The Farmers Guild developed and propagated the hardy root from scorched soil plants salvaged from ruined farmlands. Over decades, it became the daily ritual stimulant of choice for all social classes and factions, from the religious devout in the Church of Hope to the disciplined Town Watch on patrol.

“Coffee” symbolizes endurance, resilience, and daily renewal in Camp Hope culture. The phrase “To endure is divine” is commonly uttered when sipping the brew during morning devotions or before beginning a shift. Its ubiquity is such that “coffee” is nearly synonymous with community and the fragile comforts of civilization.