Byllka Forest, badder guest hut, Klos 18th, 350AC, 17:00  (dusk, 40 degrees, crescent moon)

[audio:https://gwevolution.netfarious.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/watch.mp3|autostart=yes]

The soldiers put the “treasure chest” in the center of the hut and set up their “camp” around it.  Many of them go to sleep, but you feel that Yorva the reptilian sleeth is half awake.  Zarr the scout also sits “indian style” on his bedroll, keeps his bow across his lap, and stays alert.  Arvak also keeps watch (perhaps standing, pacing, hammer in hand?).

Zeebo and Ragnor are drifting off to sleep.  Phallon sits hunched over, lost in his trance.

Yorva’s eyes open fully, and those awake can see an odd pink eyeshine reflecting from them.  She quietly stands up, wrapped in her cloak and brings her ancient rifle into a ready position.  She cocks her head at Arvak, then looks out into the forest, waiting…

Byllka Forest, Klos 18th, 350AC, 16:00  (evening, 40 degrees, crescent moon)

[audio:https://gwevolution.netfarious.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/ukrultower.mp3|autostart=yes]

The cart heads up to the tower and pauses.  As the gate opens, you can see it is made of two thick duralloy doors, which seem to swing effortlessly on their hinges.  The cart enters the tower, and the gates close again.

After a long boring wait of over an hour, the gates open and the masked badder and his group emerge.  This time a couple of the warriors are dragging the body of a naked badder by its arms.  They bring it over to a 3 meter high post that sits just off the path, and lash it to the post with ropes, so its feet are just barely touching the ground.  You notice that the badder looks like it has been slashed with claws or something similar all over its body.  Sticky red blood is caked thoughout its fur, and the badder doesn’t appear to be breathing.  Once it is attached to the post, one of the badders takes a square grey stone and sets it into a niche at the top of the post.  The stone has some sort of rune-like symbol made of jagged lines.

Then they walk over to your shelter.  The masked badder jerks his thumb at the dead badder:  “Yoo see, theese ees from breakeeng keengs law!”  He points at your group,  “Yoo stay here!  The keeng fetch yoo in morning if hee deecides shrak’l can come een.  Watch yourselv, we not bee far!”  He spits on the ground, says a few words of badder “charka kar”, and he and the other badder warriors start heading back down the path (downhill away from you and the tower).

Its early evening in late winter, under the giant mushroom caps.  Its getting noticably darker.  The shelter doesn’t have any walls, just a railing.  And there are no furnishings, just a dirty floor made of split mushroom logs.

Boztun Badlands, Klos 18th, 350AC, 14:30  (partly cloudy, 42 degrees, crescent moon)

[audio:https://gwevolution.netfarious.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/ukrultower.mp3|autostart=yes]

The masked badder and his entourage approach and stop at the towers gate.  Now that they are standing next to it, you realize the duralloy tower is fairly large: at least 4 times the size of Arvak’s Champion Tower at Fort Akton.  The sound of distant jabbering badder language fills the air.  The metal gate swings quietly open and the badders enter.  Its pretty dark beyond the gate, although you just make out a line of badder hoplites, their duralloy armor glittering in some sort of fire-producing light.  The gate closes before you can make out too much.

As you are waiting at the shelter (still observed by a bunch of armed badders), you see a cart approaching the tower along the same path you just came down.  Some sort of short furred gray quadriped beast is pulling it.  Its fur is loose, as if its wearing a big baggy sweater, and its feet have long thick claws.  It has a big pink nose, but its eyes are covered by some sort of dark material attached to a harness.  A badder, wearing a simple fabric tunic, sits in the cart, directing the beast.  The contents of the cart are obscured by a canvis cover, but it appears to be covering something lumpy.

Zeebo notes that the badders are showing the hallmarks of a tech II society (iron age tools, feudalism, etc).  Most civilizations will use high tech artifacts, but so far these badders don’t appear to be carrying any.  The metal work is highly skilled though.

Boztun Badlands, Klos 18th, 350AC, 14:00  (partly cloudy, 42 degrees, crescent moon)

You continue to move through the dim light of the forest, with a zillion badders moving around you.  After awhile, you come across a worn path, and follow it up a ridge into some hills (those of you who are tired or not cardiovascularly fit are just dying right now!).  After moving up and down some ridges (but mostly up!), the group comes to a stop.

The path leads on, up to a large duralloy tower with a single metal gate.  Its roof is slightly domed and ringed with sharp spikes.  Metal pieces have been welded to the outside of the tower in an artistic organic pattern.  The purple byllka pods still tower over everything, although the ones near the tower bend slightly over it to cover it from the air.

There is a crude shelter to the left of the path.  Its roof is made of a huge mushroom cap, the floor made of cut mushroom stalks.  There are essentially no walls, just a crude railing and the ceiling supports made of more mushroom stalks.  The masked badder turns to your group and says: “Yoo stay here (points to the shelter with his spear) unteel keeng deecides.  Maybee hee sees yoo, maybe he decides keeel yooo.”  He seems to be laughing in a deep snorting sort of way.  Then he jabbers in badder to those around him.  Most of the badders stay and point their crossbows at you.  The masked one and a dozen of the others move up to the tower.

Actions?

Boztun Badlands, Klos 18th, 350AC, 13:00  (partly cloudy, 42 degrees, crescent moon)

You enter the forest of byllka pods, and notice how your footfalls are cushioned by the rich earth (no more snow!).  The light becomes dim, but your eyes adjust after awhile.  The badders scuttle along, the leather of their armor creaks a little, and they whisper and hiss at each other.

The flying insects with glowing abdomens still flit about but keep their distance.  Occasionally you can hear the noises of living things moving, usually above you, but the creatures remain out of sight.

The badders lead you in a winding fashion along no discernible path.  (GM’s note: I will make direction sense rolls for you when I have access to dice in 1-2 days.)

Is there anything you would like to do other than move with the herd?