Understanding the world where breakfast pastries built a civilization
Popolis - The bustling metropolis where it all began. Home to The Toaster Club (legendary music venue with an impressive selection of premium spirits), various Syndicate front operations, and the kind of urban energy that makes a detective's filling thrum with possibility. The city's upscale districts feature some of the finest tequila bars in the PopTart world.
Bayside Haven - A charming coastal town where Emily and Juno have made their home. Features a lighthouse with occasionally suspicious signaling patterns, The Salty Crumb Café (Juno's regular performance venue, where they serve Emily's favorite Grand Mayan by the glass), and the kind of small-town atmosphere where everyone knows your business—including your preference for añejo over blanco.
Crustwick Village, Ireland - Ancient seat of the Crustshaw family, home to Strawberry Fields Manor and the site of the Great Unfrosted Uprising of 1875. The manor's wine cellar contains an impressive collection of aged spirits, including bottles that date back generations—some of which proved essential to late-night family truth-telling sessions.
Costa Rica - Home to the Montaña Verde plantation and The Arabica Resort & Spa, where coffee cultivation meets PopTart protection technology. The resort's premium bar introduced Emily and Juno to several new tequila expressions, proving that even suspicious vacation destinations can have their benefits.
Frosting Politics: In PopTart society, frosting isn't just decoration—it's a complex social marker. Frosted PopTarts often enjoy certain advantages, while unfrosted PopTarts like Emily and Juno navigate a world where their natural state is sometimes seen as incomplete or rebellious. Fortunately, good taste in premium spirits transcends frosting status—quality tequila appreciation is universal among discerning PopTarts.
The Great Grain Accord: The foundational agreement between PopTarts and grain that gave them their rectangular structure and agricultural purpose. Celebrated annually during Harvestide with traditional grain-based foods and, in more recent years, toasts of premium aged spirits that honor both ancient traditions and modern sophistication.
Musical Traditions: Snickerdoodle PopTarts like Juno have a particular affinity for music, with some families maintaining elaborate musical cipher traditions. These skills proved crucial during historical periods when direct communication was dangerous—and when celebrating decoded messages with appropriately aged tequila.
Professional Dynamics: PopTart society includes all the careers you'd expect—detectives, musicians, florists, estate managers, lighthouse keepers, and the occasional criminal syndicate member. Many professions have developed their own drinking traditions, though none as sophisticated as the detective/musician partnership's approach to tequila appreciation.
Moisture Protection: Essential technology for PopTart survival, ranging from basic MPS (Moisture Protection Systems) for travel to specialized TPF (Tropical PopTart Protection) formulations for extreme climates. Interestingly, many PopTarts find that moderate amounts of premium aged spirits actually help with moisture regulation—though this may be more psychological than physiological.
Popolis's Legendary Music Venue
Nestled in the heart of Popolis, The Toaster Club stands as a testament to the city's vibrant musical culture—and its complicated relationship with its own history. This squat brick building, with its iconic neon sign flickering in the shape of a pop-up toaster, has been the launching pad for countless PopTart musical careers and the scene of some of the most memorable performances in the city's history.
Architecture & Atmosphere
The club's interior reflects its humble origins as an actual bakery—the original brick ovens have been converted into intimate performance spaces, while the main floor features an eclectic mix of furniture that tells its own story. Instead of traditional seating, guests lounge on cushioned crates repurposed from the bakery's original flour deliveries, while the tables are old baking sheets whose scratched and dented surfaces speak to decades of use and countless stories.
The most famous feature is the Napkin Wall—a sprawling collection of framed napkins covered in heartfelt messages from fans to their favorite performers. Over the years, thousands of PopTarts have scribbled notes of love, thanks, and admiration on cocktail napkins, creating a living museum of musical appreciation. Juno's name appears on dozens of these napkins, testament to her impact on audiences even before her international fame.
The Bar & Service
The bar anchors one corner of the club, its countertop crafted from polished rolling pins—a nod to the venue's baking heritage. Behind the bar, twin frosted PopTart bartenders are famous for their bottle-flipping skills and creative cocktails served in shot glasses shaped like miniature toasters. The club maintains an impressive selection of premium spirits, understanding that serious music appreciation sometimes requires serious libations.
The famous chalkboard behind the bar serves as both calendar and status symbol—a sprawling schedule of upcoming acts where every square is crammed with names, some so small they're nearly illegible. Getting your name on that board marks acceptance into Popolis's musical elite, with some performers waiting years for a slot. Juno earned a coveted "Hall of Fame" position, marked with a gold outline that recognizes artists who've made lasting contributions to the club's legacy.
Cultural Significance
The Toaster Club occupies a unique position in Popolis society—one of the few venues where frosted, unfrosted, and non-binary PopTarts mingle freely, united by their love of music rather than divided by social conventions. The club's unofficial motto, "It's not about appearance—it's about music," reflects a progressive attitude that makes it a haven for artists who might face discrimination elsewhere.
The venue's booking policy is famously egalitarian, with slots awarded based on talent rather than social status or frosting configuration. This has made it a crucial platform for unfrosted and non-binary artists, who often struggle to find performance opportunities in more traditional venues.
The Business Side
R
un by a collective of music-loving PopTarts who prioritize artistic integrity over profit margins, The Toaster Club operates on a unique model that balances commercial viability with cultural mission. They're known for:
• Fair payment policies that ensure even opening acts receive decent compensation
• Equipment sharing programs that help emerging artists access quality instruments
• Community partnerships with local schools and music programs
• Historical preservation efforts documenting the club's role in PopTart musical culture
Hidden Details
Regular patrons know to look for the subtle symbols worked into the club's décor—musical notes that, when read in sequence, spell out messages of welcome and acceptance. These symbols, inspired by Agnes Crustshaw's historical coding work, serve as a reminder that music has always been a language of resistance and hope.
The club's basement houses an archive of recordings from decades of performances, maintained by volunteer historians who understand that preserving musical culture is preserving PopTart culture itself. Some of the rarest recordings include early unfrosted protest songs and coded messages that once carried vital information through the musical underground.
Contemporary Relevance
Following the revelations about historical unfrosted persecution, The Toaster Club has become even more significant as a symbol of progress and inclusion. The venue now hosts special events celebrating rediscovered musical history, including performances of decoded Agnes Crustshaw compositions and traditional songs from the Garden Network era.
Visitor Notes: First-time visitors should arrive early to fully appreciate the Napkin Wall, order at least one miniature toaster shot for the full experience, and remember that applause here is measured not just in volume but in genuine appreciation for artistic courage. The club's atmosphere changes throughout the evening—intimate and acoustic early on, building to high-energy performances as the night progresses.
Fun Fact: The club's neon sign flickers in a specific pattern that spells out "WELCOME" in an old musical code, though most patrons assume it's just charming vintage electrical work. Only musicians versed in historical cipher work—like Juno—recognize it as a deliberate message of inclusion.
"The Toaster Club isn't just where music happens—it's where PopTarts remember who they are. Every note played here echoes the voices that frosting tried to silence."
— Crumbly Everdeen, Popolis Music Historian and Curator of the National Napkin Archives
Notable Performances & Events