DnD:AnimalPlanet:Inyan'sJournal
From RainGamersWiki
Day one of Mid-Point Island Having earned the right to a Sett I adventure out again to maintain my position of honor. We travel to a new island. This would be a second place for our people to settle and this is needed. We already destroy our home by putting to many on a small island. We must clear this new island. sRight off we have a pack of dogs who set up on us. The victory was easy, and the meat not that good. The meat from green eaters is much better. We explore the island and find that one of the odd caves of the corrupt ones has been turned into a den. A little brother is an odd phrase for the big bear. At twice my size the mother was fierce, but I would expect no less with her cubs in tow. I wonder if there were ever any bear brothers. I would think they would have no issues surviving in the wild.
Day 2 of Angel Island
We just defeated the large sow and her cubs. The tunnel was filled with the human wheeled dens and is now clear.
We then decide to explore the lower cave. They do not look natural. The Satian fails the climbing. It is very dark cave. The mages light makes the oppressive darkness. Darkness is comporting, but not in a place with unfamiliar and bad scents. The wheeled dens are arranged in a chevron.
We find a book that talked of a sickness of humans. It killed them. A few people did not get sick. They then tried to get away, but some of them got sick. Those who did not sick right away got sick later. Also could not find food.
The water contains large salt chunks. The mage grabs one with magic and licks it. He is too curious, and not cautious enough. We then go in a door and we go into a tunnel that looks like partly human and partly natural. The scout finds wet footprints. Me and the mage consult and they look like humans.
We then find stairs down. Why would humans make things so far in the ground with no dens? It’s just a corridor. We then find more corridors at the end of stairs. We then see naked, furless and damp creatures of some sort. They scurry away from us. We turn a corner and fight truly vile creatures. I was bitten and could not move and hit again. I could still swing my axe. Then another creature bites me and it is cold, cold unlike I’ve ever felt. Then as the paladin hits another creature it explodes in to an ichor and sprays all over me. I’m glad I had training in the mud flats with our trainers throwing mud at us. I hated those days and could not open my muzzle. I now see the wisdom. The pack leader then spits something to hurt Maya and then all around were hurt. The pack leader screams with a voice of thunder. The knocks back many of my companions, but hold my ground. The ranger strikes with mighty hit after he was knocked back. Then the ichor hit me again and I feel that chill again. Then the pack lead stumbles forward and I take her out and then I step up and kill the two others. Their ichor takes me down. The singer brings me back and I use my internal power to heal up.
The room is a shelter for these creatures, and they have lived here a long time. They ate of each other and this was the extent of their lair. This should be sealed off area and not explored. We take a short rest back in the cave. I keep watch as they search the cars. The others scavenge the dens and the pool is odd occurrence that can provide salt. We harvest some of the salt.
After a short rest we to go to the top of the island. There is a partially collapsed building and a large machine. We take a look. There is a hole into the ground filled with old machines. We then go over an archway of metal. The ranger notices a buzzing sound before opening the door. The ranger opens the door and the wizard casts cold into the area. We find large beetles. We fight! I fun up and engage the two eight feet long beetles… After exchanging blows and using my shield to bash one, I am again immobilized. This doesn’t bother me as much as I can I see what’s causing the issue. I trade blows with the beetle and it cowardly moves back from me. The bard then causes it to move back towards me. This allowed me to take two swift blows and finish off the large beast. I free from the web around me and I step to fight a fire beetle. As it tries to flee, me and the paladin finish it.
(2009 August 9) We finish clearing the island I get back. I succeeded where the console thought we would fail. Ah! They loose there way. I talk with my groomsman Nvad’Dekanogi'a about this. He is comforting like my mom and dad were, but with more mating. It confuses me just like my memories of my parents.
The counsel sends us back to the Angel Island to cross the big bridge and secure the base and explore Ikea. We can then take back as much as we can carry back to Yeuba Buena Island. Well we shall fight.
Ikea, Day1
We make it to the mainland. We climb up on to the old smooth road. The huts are weathered poorly. The smoothness is full of cracks. It seems stable under my paws. We encounter boars. Many large boars and then two huge boars charge us. They are strong fighters. Well, my axe did not find its mark easily. Once the battle got going, I was knocked down from a huge boar. Once I got up my axe found blood. I swung my axe through many enemies at once and pushed them on the haunches many times. As the fight went on my strength and attacks were more powerful and effective.
We dress the boars and preserve the meat. This is a long and bloody process. We eat get a liver and a heart! Well two of the smaller members split. We load up the boat with boar meat. Then we finish up the long rest.
As we explore we look under the bridge and see nothing. There is nothing along narrow land and we see many containers . We talk about many ways to move them to Yurba, then head to Ikea. We smell yeast and something that Kohana would say be useful for the alchemists. The fence could be used on the bridge to ward Yurba. We see large tanks that have the yeasty smell. We see many odd lakes. They look odd and regular. Saidian says we should check the clear pools to see if the water is drinkable. Magic is to be found bubbling in one of the pools we pass. The clear looking pool we were heading to ends up being clovers in some hard clear substance. Like the things in the old building but what must be much stronger. We stand up on a dias. We notice that are things swimming in the water and then they come at us.
The creatures look like mushroom people. As if they are old people who were infected and became like mushrooms. The fight begins and they charge us. Sadian causes the leader to fall off of the fake hill we are on. They all attack with spores. I leap over their line to attack what appear to be the magic users. I use my new maneuver to good effect. Then I use my other new maneuver to strike to strike both of the mushroom wizards. I then go to knock one of the guards off the edge of the fake hill. These mushroom men are more deft than one might guess. I push him again and then he goes over.
We all talk about what it means to be people and how the counsel has it’s nose to far up under its tail as we camp.
We head north to eeka. We see a squashed building flattened by the earth shakings. We see a big sign that has the inscription ‘IKEA’. This is the place to find supply. We approach and lights to turn on the edge of the building. It is frightening, but it part of old human magic. We thing they may be alerted to us so I march forward to draw fire so those behind me know where to go.
A magic box speaks to us. I declare my intentions to enter and wait by the door through the clear water walls to see who may be waiting for us. I guard as they work with the magic box that may grant us access. I look around for traps in case they fail at the box. They did not fail. I push on the door and it rotates around. I push in and the door is heavy. I put my shoulder into it and rotate it twice so every one can enter. No one ambushes us even though the inside is as bright as day.
The stairs start moving and Kaliska performs a ritual to get rid of dead spirits. This did not help, but then using my experience I know how to turn it off. I stride up, knowing bold actions frighten spirits who try to use fear to control the living. We see many things up on the upper floor. Just things that make dens better, but they seem to have little control. Lucan talks about how this is an evil place because it keeps things warm. Kohana argues with him as I and Mya talk about just exploring the place and talking about to do after.
Kohana gasps as he has wondered off. I ran into the maze looking for him. The more I explore the more I think this is a holy place that we are to worship here. The only thing the humans made that lasted that isn’t corrupted. Well we need to explore it.
We go back to the beginning of the maze and start to explore methodically using the map that Mya found. We explore finding odd human things. We find a smelly place. The human’s had food here and it has spoiled many seasons ago. We go down stairs and see many tall racks full of beige boxes. I work with Saidian to see if he can work out things. He awakens an arm that brings a beige box down to the ground. The voice cries out in English. Kohana says we should exit. We go to the ‘registers’ as the voiced said. I go to leave with box. A loud noise and lightening showers out of the side of the small wall after Lucan hits it with an arrow. I jump up and smash the red light. We exit after the others cause the door to unlock. We step out of the building and hear a noise on the side of the wall. Kohana makes the noise stop. Lucan says there are drakes outside. The noise must of attracted them. They rush forward and attack. I sprint to the big drake in the back. I give him a vicious blow. The battle goes on as I face down a big drake, one on one. He tries to attack and his complicated maneuver fails. I strike his knee and slows it as I tag him well with my axe. He then tares into me with his mouth. This was painful. Then he tries to move away. My axe shows it’s true power as I double attack him and embed my axe deep into him. This stops him and I strike him again. I try to knock him down, but he’s too big for my poorly timed attack. He tries to fly away and I hit him and pull the big lizard back to the ground, wounding him again. I hit him again and with Kaliska’s attack, knock him prone, and on my follow threw I hit the drake behind me. He stands back up and misses me. I am enjoying my new armor. Sadian some how uses his voice to kill the big drake. It just changes my target; I hit the little drake and use my momentum to hit another small drake. This kills him! Then the cold chill takes the rest.
We rest outside of the temple of the old ones. I think it a glorious example of the way things should be, as it has not decayed. Unlike like the other things they made it endures. I rest in a stupor and I am preparing for the day the other scurry off hearing something. It is hard to hear in my helmet with my little ears.
Then some mechanical men come by. They are not preserved. Sadian talks to them and they appear to be less defensive. Then he steps back and we get in a fight. I appreciate that talk was attempted. I’m thinking that not everything is bad from the old ones. Why think they were all bad. A few of them could of brought ashes upon them all. Kohana does his magic. I leap up to defend the weak wolf. I bash him back in a furious blow. Then a noise from hell reverberates in my body. I then react as one of them move by me. Setting myself I kill it with one blow. My recent insight and training comes to fruition. I miss dispatching my fallen foe. I blame the noise, but the noise in my head reduces. Then Sadian’s skill makes the noise go away in my head.
I hit my foe once more and knock him back. Then someone behind me tries to move. I hit him hard and stop him. I then hit that foe again and sweep into the fallen foe that still has my mark. That takes out the first foe and gets me back to the foe that I keep knocking out. He stands and then I miss him. He does not realize that I challenge him and I attack as he shifts about. Then the others come over and we take him out easily. We are arguing about things as I warn my party that we need to get going. We move along.
When we stop on the flat smooth path as Kohana uses magic to read the note that was found in the enemy. A crow comes up to deliver a message. Our healer must leave, as she may be a patriarch. We have time to go look at the metal boxes. There are many boxes and some are rusted. I loose count of boxes. They also have caused some portions of the sea to be stagnate. They open up a box and it’s full plastic and paper… money. Value seems to be very elusive; to put it into paper is silly. They talk about how to use it. Then Sadian opens another full of food. Then we notice there are many, many other containers of similar size. It is too good to be true. I am weary. Same as with Ikea, it feels good but is there a hidden danger?
We talk about the counsel and what to next. The trust of counsel is doubtful. I say we explore, but it takes time to convince others of this. We continue to explore the land. I put rope around the locks on the boxes. I put a mark of blood that would make it very difficult to put it back with out me noticing.
Captain Curzon comes over with a 20-bobcat boat to hurry along things. He talks with Sadian for a while and we hear updates. Counsel expects us keep investigating. I also found out people are scouting the island and putting up defenses. We make it back to ikea and some notice that someone has been through. I suggest and we go out to the secret areas. Behind locked doors. What happens in private shows the true nature of a person. Nothing wrong with being different in private, but we must know there private check.
We make it into the secret places of ikea. I see paintings of humans. They seem so normal. This place is also dirty. So like most the people, in their dens they don’t keep up appearances. It smells a little like the metal people in here. I think that the metal things may have been part of the downfall. I begin to trace the outline and look for other special room or hidden places. I search the little dens on the outside. I find a window to the outside. Then I find another false wall. Behind a picture I find a number pad and a handle. I call out to others. Shinte and Sadian come into the room to look at the small door I found. They make it light up. I watch the room. I look around when hearing them say they often keep secret things near. I look around and find something that might be right. The little door opens after Shinte works the lock. There are many artifacts. Nothing that looks like a weapon, but clearly this will help us understand these people. I finish checking the desk. Just find more things on paper and nothing of use. They find what is a weapon, but it is arcane. I want a human weapon to weald with great power.
We head down to the basement because of the consultation of the spirit box that Kohana did. Some thing went down there. Shinte opens the door to the basement and we head down. It looks like an artificial cave that they made in the ground. The violated door isn’t this one. We explore this place. We find the violated door and Lucan notices that the door was opened by something that looked like people, but no people has the strength to do this.
As we go through the door it looks very different on the other side. This is clearly some place different. There is a stream flowing out of the wall. It is very dark down here. Kohana makes my axe glow with light. This will be most helpful. It will also draw the enemy to me! Just how I like it. What ever made the squeal, sounds like rats. They throw tings, flame appears. I charge in, leap over the stream and hit! I was unable to push them into the stream. I growl out “If you have intelligence, put down your weapons!” Then Kohana’s fire hits them. Two arrows fly out. Growl I want to put one down! The action gets thick as focus on the rat in front of me. He tries to move away and I hit him hard! He then stabs me with a dagger. I then hit him back, push him with my shield into the stream, step forward and hit the other one down in the stream. One tries to climb up and I take him down! I have killed one of them, but they may be intelligent. It is a fair combat and will take honor in killing. I take down another one and leave him alive as Kohana requested. Damn rat threw sharp things on the ground and some are in my feet! I move forward and use my cross bow, missing badly. Then I clear the fucking caltrops from my feet.
I then move past Kohana and Lucan to charge the mage. I hit him hard! Then, I go for his knees, but he blinds me! I lumber along the wall and when it disappears I stop. I shake my head and the blindness lifts. I’m angry now. I see him down a hallway. I run after him and then open a door and run after him again. He’s a fast bastard! He closes a door and I hear it bolt. I run and hit it hard. It gives, but it still there. I back up to go again. I burst through the door and everyone had burst through.
I find nothing in these rooms. They are not where these brothers lived. They repair the door and secure the temple. We then go back the rat’s den. This involves them going through the rubble. It is slow going but feels safer. I like these folks living underground. They do eat meat, and plants when they must. My first lesson is that they stay off the street. Oh so they ate something to make them smarter. It would be nice to get some more brain!
They talk much about many things. They seem to be all wanting lore, and not facts. They get some and I’m thinking the main land is dangerous but livable. There seems to only be a few things that could be trouble. We can plan an assault and clear them out. Then we integrate the rat people into the people. Well the smart ones.
We make it to the den. We climb up, well I climb up with a few others and lower a rope down to others. We then go quickly into his den. I like his use of rope. I will replicate this in my den. They question him about the food to make one smarter. I wonder if this is the same food my ancestors ate. We wait in a small room and Shinte says he does not want to be an adventurer. Who would not want this honor?
Sadian suggests we camp. That sounds reasonable. We go up to roof and look for a level place to camp. We camp as if on a hill. They ask about the hunters. He suggests a tarp. We set this up and make to sleep. I work on the tarp as they prattle. They mention that rats have never been a brother. This is amazing. We then sleep in peace.
We then raise the sun and then I see the rat friend is grooming. I approach to help him groom. He rejects. Ah, I guess I’ll get close and learn secrets of living on the main land later. Mya is seen as alpha and is given food. I eat my share and pass the bone of my share to the rats. They seem pleased.
We move out and move along the ruble. We move away from the ocean and away from the setting sun. We move along at good pace. We pass a sign marking a burned area. I wonder what would have been here before the fires. We go into the building. The building is made of stone. Also very amazingly shaped stone. The steps are all identical. We go into a room that has a box that keeps things very cold. Sadian for some reason eats something that like. Foolish, but that seems like a good test. He falls and witches. We keep an eye on him.
This place scares me. Our pack is fighting. Then Lucan must have one. We let him eat it after we take his bow and sword. He convulses and wakes up and feels weaker. We talk with the rats. I am very confused. I start to look around for other cold boxes. Before that I decide to test myself. I resist the urge to eat it, but my nose is never wrong and this simply smelled wonderful. I ate it and feel better. We talk a bit and after seeing that there are no more working cold boxes we head out side. Kohana yells for the rat leader. That’s when we hear things from around the corner.
Everyone reacts before me. That annoys me, but a sure strong hit is better than a poor hit quickly. I rush forward; get hit and my charging rush does nothing. This will be a challenge. I get bitten. Then an arrow fells him and I turn to the big monster. I try to break his knee to slow him down and fail. I get bit and the struggle free as he tries to back up with me. With this, Mya some how pushes him back with divine power. I rush up and think he was going to get to me. Mya gets hit instead. I bash him with my shield. This is very effective; I knock him down and bloody him well. He swallows Mya and then bites me. I struggle free and hit him. I know if I take him down he should be fine. I then feel a healing search. Then the monster’s back bursts open and Mya comes out.
We harvest the meat and then go back to Hanshan’s place. The building has collapsed. Well then we rest in eeka.
We talk about what to send back to counsel and what to do. We also talk about what to do for the next few days. Kohana sends a message out to his great grandfather. I sadly had to speak out to break a tie. Speaking with a sword is easier because in the end one is dead. So I had to upset some people.
We head out a little ways from eeka to send off the message. The ritual is finished when others notice the machines come in. Then something makes a high pitched noise. It hurts in my head unlike anything I’ve ever felt. My training with enduring pain allows me to hold back a shout. Then they come after us.
I move up and land a solid blow on the dog like mechanic. He then attacks me with a sound again. The pain is excruciating. I try to hit him back and fail, and then the soothing song from Sadian heals me and renews me. I shake the effects of the attack and get my composure. Then he strikes me again with the sound. I weekly attack him again. My body just feels bruised like after a daylong beating session to toughen my body, but only in a few seconds. I then pass out.
I wake up with Sadian and Kohana’s help I stand up. I run up and bash the giant and knock it prone. Then Sadain causes him to move him away and giving me an attack. I punch those who dare run away from me. A minor consolation for my failures. Then the beast makes the noise and I fall down. I wake back up, quaff a potion and stand up to take a swipe. It misses the mark, but considering how I feel, it gives me an excuse for my failure. I take a swipe and finally hit it. It’s a good blow, but I decide not to push it. I would do no good. Machines like this will not stop until we break it.
I march around the arena as they examine the monstrosity. Lucan call me out on this. Shit, I was trying to be subtle, I tell him that I fell in combat. They seem no understand what that means. We talk about the pain and it turns out that those that ate the wonderful food were infected. My nose was wrong! We leave to go to the shore, but some mechanical machine of the air is following. As Lucan points out, it is following the group and not any one of us in particular. We try to evade under trees, and the machine is able to track us. We get to the shore and send back a message.
The felineds send out a message for the wildcats to say at sail. Danger is near. There is a black cloud that appears over home island and hear and a faint explosion. We realize we are stuck here. We try and loose the drones and they show up in numbers. We get back together and decide to get into a sewer. We stay down an hour and then come back up to see if the flying machines are there. We decide to open a door underground to confuse them. The room underground is filled with mechanical things, pipes and tubs and boxes and tubes. We find stairs up.
We are now in a hallway, and there are narrow containers bolted to the walls. Most are empty and we then open up locked boxes. They are full of fabric and paper, wet and musty. The doors reveal more of those little dens of the humans. No remains are to be found of humans or artifacts that are not weather damaged. The flat ground outside the building has no mobile dens. This looks like a place that was abandoned first, but none of the others are worried about that. They make a good point.
We travel down a major road and then we can see the towers of the old ones. They are as high as the mountains. We see mechanical birds flying about as well. The city is silent, but the drake on the building is huge… bigger than anything any of us have ever seen or heard of. We turn around and head out to the water. We notice signs that point to bart, like we saw on our first outing. We head up stairs, but this building is very damaged. We see a map of the local area.
We go to a FFF DDD, and explore it. It is really well built. This looks like a defensive den for protectors. They have very complicated machines, but it is not automated. We explore it carefully. There is a human skeleton in the drivers position with very protective clothing. There is also a driving position in the back. This could go both ways! They find a fine axe. They also find maps for the area just around the FFF DDD. We find more humans and they lived in one big den together.
Sent a message out to my groomsman Nvad’Dekanogi'a “What happened? Shelter can be had on Midpoint Island. Message me if you go there.” I sleep with the axe and then in the morning meditate on it and find that it is bound to me. We leave to meet a wildcat captain.
Shinte’s dad shows up. There is open rebellion. We need to find a reason to unite the people. There may be hope in the peninsula; there are many dangers there that may work. It sounds like an impossible task. We should communicate with our former pack mates to send messages. I hug Shinte as he leaves and breath his scent in and rumble out “I will remember your scent.”
We get a map of the Wildcat boat patrols. We are in the middle of something important. I go though my routine with my new axe as we join up with Lucan. We talk about how to get over the other side of the bay. We decide that we should investigate the containers again. Then the big building next to the FFF DDD.
At the containers I am able to use my strength to move one of the big containers over to the shore and then dive out of the way. I go to open the lock and grumble as my new weapon slips in my paws. I go through a weapons practice with the axe to calm myself.
We talk about how deal with these containers as we talk about things. I then suggest we go through the entire area to check out everything. Sadian talks about marking containers to be taken to midpoint island.
We then, with a small detour to the base of the bridge, we go to the ost office. We saw light coming in from the inside at night. We try to work out how to get inside. They work on opening doors with rituals and I stand by keeping an eye out and waiting for the call to just smash something in. We get in to the building. We look around this place and try to find a place deeper in. I keep watch out as they close the outside door. I try to open the gates. They seem easy enough to open. I move about and keep an eye on things. I try to open the little doors with no luck. The others take note as I mention the doors at the bottom are bigger.
The open the little box and find a little box. Then they open a bigger box. We can see behind it and I rumble out “Are you going to in?” Sadian comes over once I call every one over, and then Kohan goes through. We wait as they explore. Then the door opens up and we go on in. There are many little boxes. We see how this was to sort things. We decide to look around. We find nothing of note. There are lights and the magic that made things go.
We go to the little nests. They work on a sprit box as I keep an eye out. They find the way to control the lights. They then talk about securing the building to keep things here. They then talk about going up to the roof and then we go up. We look around. We find nothing much here. Just some odd clothing that did not wear away and many bags that would be very handy.
We spend the night in the facility. I start a regular patrol in the building as we rest. The others the talk about what we will do. We leave in the morning to go to the foot of the bridge. Sadian has examples of bear writing. Then we pad to eeka to secure it was magics. Now only we can open the building. We gather things for the boat to take back to the people.
We talk to the wild cats and they work on hauling a container of food over to midpoint island. They can accomplish this with out too much help. There are people on the island. They are working on moving in. Kohana secures the unclean place. We then get taken to the dangerous San Franciso. I’m so glad the people are moving over.
We make it over and they want to get away. To get out the best way to do this is to go south of the city. They seem to think that we will die. Well it looks like we came to right place. We are very carful, as the fog seems to make everything quiet. We start to look for a shelter. We walk along streets as the others seem to know where they are going. I care not where I am, I am ready to defend. This place does not seem all that scary. The others seem to know where they are going. Buildings seem to be either rubble or well preserved.
We decide to shelter in a “federal reserve”. It is secured like the ost offic that we secured on the other side. We seem to be observed as we walk around the building. There is not any easy way in. That’s when the harpy swoops in. The flying things are clearly talking. They also look like they swooping down. The screeches confuse me after others are more adept at launching attacked. I then knee break the one I can reach. These are very difficult, but the attack is quick. I can’t think or even breath. My loneliness is hitting home. The song pulls me against my will. My control of myself is an illusion. I take out another one but my passing attack failed. My vision is a tunnel and I am distant from my own body. I cannot move and am so slow that drawing my cross bow is all I can do. I hear my own growl slowly.
I feel myself moving, distant, and alone. In a shelter, I see myself curl up into a ball. I want to be touched to know I’m in control and not alone. So lost… so lost… I feel a hand on my shoulder, warm but not comporting enough. Then something above me and something in front of me and then on top of me gives me warmth. I feel myself rushing back to my body and then I feel everyone around me. Not alone, and with my pack here. I then talk to them about my parents and my groomsman. I then focus with my axe training. I growl as I realize that I told them things that only badgers do apparently. Hard to be a defender when I fail them like this.
We talk about where to go and decide the harpy nest is the first place to explore. Lucan and Kohana make it up and find a hunting outpost for the harpies. They are a people from everything we see and how they act.
We then go to the reserve. We walk around the building and notice no way to get in. We do find that the fence has metal vines that converge at the shack. Kohana then steps through fence with magic and then uses magic to open the door. We wait for him to turn off the lightning. I then climb up, move the sharp wire and help others over. Then we get to the only door that looks like it can be opened. They find that it was bared and spiked. Whom ever held up in this building really didn’t want people coming in. I expect to find a human skeleton. Every step of the way seems as if people did not want people following after them. I hope this is worth the effort. I know we could have very safe shelter here. They magically secure the door out to the hallway. We then find translucent sheets of roof in the hallways. I try to axe and then we figure out how open them, using a bolt and blades. It’s hard work going all the way in.
We then find stairs and go up. I decide attempt to pry up the strip that secures the vertical roof, with no luck. We then find a tent of clear plastic, and hear a different humming. There is nothing else here. This is not a den, but may have been one before the made this clear space. How sad that there dens are made to be taken apart. There is a red strip down the room. The roof of the room drips and sprays something on me. It tingles but is not harmful. I find a red button and press it after asking if that would turn things off. I’m a mess and smell bad now. I must be very annoying to others. Kohana then casts the bathing on me. I smell again. The room to the left has windows that are shuddered. On the right is a sink and storage for things. Sadain gets two poles and Kohana turns a knob and lots of noise is made. We then decide to cross the line all at the same time. Nothing happens. Nothing happens when I open the double doors and all we see is a hallway perpendicular. At one end is a covered window, and the other end is a heavy door, like what we saw at the post office. We go forward towards were we thought the shadow. It’s a small room full of metal frames with wires hanging in them. We then find a big room with a big table. Nothing else is in the room. We go down the hallway finding more little dens. Then another room of broken dens with a door so sealed that it can’t be considered a door any more. Ga more and more broken dens and sealed off room.
We go up to drop down door. The roll up door says “Fire door A7”. The magic users lock many, many doors. I think it is a little paranoid, but it will make me more at ease when we rest. We then go back down to first floor and check all of the rooms there. We find an artifact that puts out fires and will chill those in it’s cone. We then rest in the conference room.
We move through the gate and notice that there is another gate just like the one we open. Damn it. Apparently someone was notified. Question is if that’s the shadow figure or just some machine. Why they made machines to do a person’s job is mystifying. Lucan has me open one of the doors in the hallway. The floor isn’t hard, but oddly soft. The room has been sealed, and seems like a very secure den. I step in to the room and stand guard as the others do what they will. Apparently the walls are movable. How odd. Why have movable walls? Build a meeting den or a sleeping den.
With tools the door rolls up. At the end of the hallway looks like white person standing there. She flees. Goes in to a door way hits a button and then a shrill noise fills the building. Then something moves in the two rooms we have not explored. From the ceiling comes a metal little brother skeleton. Sadian writes a message on the ground. I feel confident and do an attack from above and land a strong blow. I’ve broken training axes with this move before and this new mighty ax does not bend, and more than that, it seems to make the impact easier. I then hit it again, move and try to hit a small version of this foul little brother dog, but the flimsy wall prevents me. If they were so much better, these humans, why did they not use stone for walls? Two bigger animals drop from ceiling, march up and attack me. Their claws twirl and hit me. These things scare me. I must be strong, but my body is apprehensive. Two more drop down and come in. I try to bash this thing with my shield, but the shape of it confuses me a little. Then I’m hit and staggered and seemingly frozen. The battle swirls around me, and then I come to as another creature moves up and I hit it mightily. No one moves past me. Then I hit and knock the metal creature back on the fire. It moves back up and moves into my square. I hit him again. He drops from all the other attacks and effects of spells. I move and hit the one that was behind me. I’ve been hit so many times I feel so drained. I feel the surges of power from those around me. I feel relieved to gain power from my friends. The creature falls and I move up to the last one remaining. I hope all of us can take it down quickly. I give it a good solid hit. I don’t have any tactics left in me. My next swing misses. Then he falls.
There is a voice that comes from the ceiling.
We hear the voice and then after the ritual to speak, something comes out the door. Could this be a human? They speak about the people and how old this thing? I ask if it is a human and if we should groom with it. It is a human and we know that the humans left because of a “plague” 320 seasons ago. This is the only survivor and they talk I find out that if the human is exposed to the air it will die. The illness can also change humans. Could we descendants of humans? We cannot go in any further. Sadian asks if it needs help. It wants an apple. The human thinks that it will not last much longer. They talk gibberish, and Saidian remembers to introduce us. He cannot bring us in to his Den because it is not safe. We talk about what we should do and I argue that we need to learn from this human to not make their mistakes. Others talk about the danger of this person. Others want to help them for other reasons. We don’t have any direction, so why not fetch things for this person? He brings us a paper and a list of things. He brings us a spirit box that works… it has knowledge! This is what we needed. This gift is worthy of great effort on our part. The others talk longer than needed and I pace back and forth.
We camp in the building before heading out on the route. The street is very clear. The mobile dens are pushed to the side with great force and no care for the dens. Many rituals are cast to make us safe. We come to the crest of the hill. We see nothing but forest, and I feel better and know I can fight better. We move by abundant prey in this forest. This would be better than the island if we could find a safe den. We then hear a metal noise that is regular and plesent. I climb to the top of the trees and I can see two towers where the noise comes from. It has a cross on the top. I then can see grass land further on.
We move on noting the scratches on the trees. We notice the trap for the creatures before we walk into it, but not early enough to stop the ambush. We encounter tree/green people. They leash out with tentacles. I get ready attack. I swing at it and it’s hide is tough and a strong blow seems to do nothing against it. I then use my knee breaker and missed it. I still connect with the creature, but the effect to slowness is lost. These things are very tough. I wish I had a hewing axe for shopping. I then shit, hit, shift and hit again. I feel pride that I can be useful. My next attack is a miss. I wanted to push it into the wirlpool. I move up to the one in the forest and hit, but miss with my shield to push it down. I then move to flank it and I hit it hard. It finally goes down.
This would be a good place for a den if there were a good place that could be defended. This well is amazing. Clean water flowing out of it. We make it out of the woods and we see a salt marsh. We decide to walk around it. This was a nature area before the fall. I climb up on the archway and I go into park and the view becomes clear. We see fields that are filled with very large prey. They have large horns that are very different from a hind’s horns. We talk about how this is a good land for people.
We go though the grassland and it’s hard to hear with the noise. Much worse than in a forest that is windy. We then find another marshy area, but it appears to be very regular. We work around to it and then we find the place we are looking for. We work on harvesting the vegetables and putting them on the bag. Who would eat these things? I mean they are pulled from the dirt.
It was easy enough gathering and then we head back. Kohana mentions that the humans could eat anything. We make it back the building that is overrun with plants. We decide to investigate this building.
We go up to the building. It is overgrown. We need a place to rest and this is the most defensible. Using my axe I work my way through with the others pointing out the best roots to cut. They work out how to not trip the alarm and open the door. We are getting used to things. I open the door and I smell lightening and it is oddly cool. I step in first to draw any fire if there be any. A voice comes over after Lucan pulls me back. It is a greeting. I step in and it asks for my name. I give it twice and the machine mimics my voice. This place is active and full of power.
Well this place will need to be explored for many reasons. It may make for a wonderful den for this large natural area. With the new bulky hind it would be idea. Many things light up I stand guard. They have power of lightening in the middle of the room. What can we do with the power of the sky? Will it lead to ruin? I’ll be sure to be in the vanguard while the others distract themselves. Secure then investigate.
I go to the back wall and put my back to it to watch over everyone. A large bird, fake hangs from the top of the den. Lucan goes up the stairs, but I stop him from going up and then Kohana calls up back. We then lock the door with magic. We then find that eco has a resting place on the top. I head up the stairs that look like nothing, but support out weight. The other people get distracted.
Then as we talk about where to rest the vines come alive and attack us. I was looking the other way. When I look down and see that my team is under attack. I leap off of the perch I am on down the hill, roll on the floor and land a solid blow on one of the plant things. Now I feel like I am fighting! A cloud of stinging vapor comes from of these things, but it doesn’t bother us as Lucan puts an arrow into the creature as it sprays. Then things go wild as Kohana unleashes cold. Then one of the plants attacks me. The vines grab me and hold me from the ground. No need to move as my axe flows hitting one and then another of the vine things. Arrows and magic fell the two I was against. I then struggle against the roots and they hold me fast! I manage to break free and face the two remaining foes. I move to hit one of the two remaining plants. I miss and then refocus myself. I leap up on the stairs and hit the creature and then knock it prone with my shield. Then all is well.
We harvest evil from the vine people to use against other vile things. We then explore the building to find the Night Garden to rest in. We go up to what looks like the outside, but it is enclosed with clear walls. We explore into what they call the kitchen. It appears to have been cleared out of all food. I keep guard as those who know what to look for. They find some human food. We stash the human food. We then look for a place to den in. Some of the bowls produce fresh water. This is an ideal den! I’ll need to look for a basement.
We leave the shelter, and we explore the garden. It’s a wall of plants. We get a few more prey food things for the human. On our way down we see lights and other things projected on the floor. I think that the tight term. I am informed it is paisley and harmless. The ability to show things that are not real is amazing. How would they know what is real and just a story?
We move on to the kids in kinetics room. It is filled with small things that move. The press buttons and things move. Looks like a place to entertain pups. They always need things to keep there paws busy. Well those who are not chosen to be defenders. We go back down to the floor below. We are in a place called “our modern world”. I look around and no weapons or defenses or shown. I do see pictures of humans. They were ugly creatures. I stand watch as the others explore. I understand the need, but this gets tedious. I then remember my training to be vigilant.
We move into another room and we see the entrails of a human. Nothing I’ve not seen before. It talks about food and how it turns into shit. There are lies and stories told to cubs. We then go down into the dens underground. They talk about color here. Then we bathed in various colors. I see past the lights and keep eyes out for enemies. They talk about light. We look for more doors and Lucan finds one. They work on the door and cause it to open. It leads further down. We head down.
I can hear a thumping in the distance. The door that has the incantation “Authorized Personal only.” This is the way we need to go. I open door and step in, seeing a hall way with doors on either side. I test the walls and they do not move. At the first door it says “maintenance” and the other side says “security.” We go into where is says security. I search for things that these guardians would use to defeat their enemies. I get two of these portable lights. This would be also be good to hit prey on the head. We also find some clothing that still is intact. Kohana does some magic for more human things. I think he is too enamored with human things and does not understand that we must not let what happened to the people happen to us.
We he did figure out how to use a card to unlock door. It is like the last office, but there are no wall of monitors, but there is a wall that shows the layout of the building. I then move along to the next door. The doors say operations and one says IT. We open the operations room and see places to sit and talk. How very odd. There are posters about “the virus”. None of the spirit boxes work. Again, these dens are odd, but perfect for families or worthy guardians. We go into IT and it is cold. The thumping is in this room. I go find the thumping. It’s a box that pushes out cold air. The box is thumping and thus the thumping makes the air cold. I go back and keep watch at the door. They are spending a long time in this room. IT must be important.
Along the hallway forward there are more doors, but along the cross section there are no doors on the walls, but at the end. We then find more restrooms with many small dens with artificial rain. They must have been messy animals. We go on and see accounting and academic offices 1. My interest diminishes, as all human dens are the same after a time. The curator’s office is just a nicer den. He must have provided the most security to this tribe. There is work hard to get into the accounting room. There is even a big metal box that is full of paper. It must have been important paper to the humans. It might be dangerous. Sadian convinces me that it is valuable.
We find more stairs. I take the lead into the low hum. I show courage and stride to the bottom. The door says “Power plant access 1” and it just opens. The noise is loud, and as I walk on the floating floor. I see big machines under us and at the intersection is a way down to the floor. See, hiding the big machines that make things work hidden misguides humans. One must be aware of every part that allows them to live in the villages. We go up stairs to the other side of the building. We find more cub instructional places. One is called electricity and you. One of the things creates a blinding light. I growl, as I am unable to defend. The next room is called “nervous interaction.” More things in humans apparently do with their head. We go up and there is just one-called Einstein’s relative. This one baffles everyone. I comment that it would make a good den, but someone mentions that we would need to clear the garden to make sure no more plants are around. We decide to head back to the humans.
We leave the building and start a ritual. That’s when we hear a chittering and then what look to huge spiders. I growl and run across the field to the biggest foe. I land a crushing blow to the hideous spider! I then strike another mighty blow and he goes down! I turn around and all the other spiders are dead. We search the web and Lucan destroys the vile creatures eggs.
Kohana then casts a spell and little magic wolf brothers appear. We then fly in the air on the little brothers and we get back to the human’s den very quickly. As we get into the city a patrol of harpies is spotted. We then hid and do so successfully. Until, Sadian informs us that the Harpies are communicating about us. We then see a net across the street with a dozen harpies waiting for us. Run, fight or talk? There is no way I could cut through the web. So that is not an option. Sadian steps forward to talk. He says we mean you no harm in many tongues. Kohana says he will make us deaf. Koahana speak in English and they hoot and hollar. Kohana asks to Sadian to come back. They then push Sadian. The noise they make is very loud. My mount disappears. Damn the unmaker! I was going to fly and attack their leader. I simply run forward ready to attack. Then the leader comes to the ground and I go for its knees. I feel the attack start poorly and I will to land true. It is a good blow and I know she is slowed. She then breathed on me and it hurt me… it was hideous. Then a thunderous blow flows over me. I am dazed. I swing at her and it misses. I’m too stunned to do any better. Her claw on the staff hits me and it seems like it passes threw me. I’m hit. Two little things move into my side vision and they are down with one quick swipe. It is much easier to react than to act. I try to hit her again and fail. She then breathes on me again. She moves and I try to hit her. I feel so impotent trying to hit her and keep her attacks away from the rest of my pack mates. I then hit her with a sweeping motion to then return the blow with my pull back. She hits me with her staff but I move back from her breath. I then return the blow and then yell out to Kohana, “don’t wait for me.” Why would I disengage now? She is finally succumbing to my hits. I hit her again, but my shield bash fails. She hits me with the barrage of hits. I then recover from someone in my party. I try to hit and fail and then she disappears! Must not be a brother because who would run away from a fare fight? She then appears in front of me with a look of surprise that she was discovered. I think these things brothers, but twisted and dark. There is not enough time to work out the complexities of talking of them.
We take a few blocks with prisoners to try to find a place to question them. I mention, “The best way to peace is to respect your enemies dead.” I’m not sure if they care, but they take time speak with them through magic in this place. They have names. It turns out that our touch is profane to them. Grooming will be impossible with them! Gaaa! They burn… the stench isn’t as bad I thought it would be. We should leave this place because it is too obvious what is happening. We go to a place called meterion. I guard them as they ask questions.
As I listen to them they have packs. They call them wings. It makes sense. They talk with them and they are doing the right thing by talking about territories and places to live. They are talk about the big dragon. This is a good sign as the park we found with the prey would be able to sustain a population there. We can live next to them with respect. This is great news. They talk more developing respect. There may be a price we need to settle the death. We hope this works, but we have our doubts. Well I have my doubts.
We make it back to the human’s place. We deliver the food. We then step through one at a time to where the human is. He has no muzzle and what little fur he has is grey. He is of kind of cute after a fashion. He eats the food and cooks it… odd; he uses heat to eat it. He seems confused by some of the others we have met. He will die by meeting us. He wants to pass on. He must be old. He says his spirit does not go anywhere it simply ends. This is sad. His meat is spoiled by heat, but this is how they eat. Some of his knifes are not metal, and they are the sharpest. He shares his story with us on a spirit box. He simply walks out with no protection. When he gets to the outside and with in minutes he is coughing up blood and is dead. Mya eases his passing by cutting his throat. We begin by gathering a pyre wood and we burn him with little paper and wood from the building.
We find many books that are very useful. They talk about animals and have maps. They have books about the archana of humans. I ask if any things says why the humans who failed, and nothing so far. I keep watch mostly. No obvious weapons besides the daggers.
We send messages back and I express concern about Nvad’Dekanogi'a and insist we go back soon! It has been too long. This takes a long time. Politics are troublesome, but it is better than battle. They fiddle with artifacts. Then we get ready to meet at moon rise. We make it down and are picked up with little issue.
I groom with N’vad and I explain how I feel that when away from the island I do what I think is best. With the horrors and trails that I’ve gone through, coming back to island is important. Can you accept this?
“N'vad is worried that you are growing beyond him, and that you will desert him once you find another who challenges you. But if you are coming back to him, he will always be here to groom you.”
I don’t answer him because he is right; I am growing beyond him.
I go around to my friends and leaders. We all chat, it’s polite, but nothing comes of it. They all seem to be looking for an answer from me. To see what I do. I can’t ask them a question and they don’t want to ask me. This ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’, is very annoying.
I meet up with the adventuring pack on a boat with a spell of silence. We are expected to know what to do. I want to protect. It’s what I’ve been trained to do. It would be easier to die at the counsel’s direction. Now we are making our own decisions. It’s like I’ve worked so hard do what they asked and are being punished for being honest. Protect… it’s one word. It can’t be that hard to do.
The pack talks about what they want to do. We are very uncertain. We agree on making a colony or two and then go and explore. We are working out the details. We agree after some thought and discussion to setup Midpoint and the science museum. We will go on our own if we are sent off to hunt on our own.
I go off to the elder. Find him at the peak of the island. We talk, where, to my great surprise, I find out that I do not need direction. That I work for the people and for the hunting party that I am in. I should follow my heart. I grumble that I was not trained for that. I focused on my actions, not the thoughts behind the actions. I ask for a teaching about how to follow this new path. He simply tells me to follow my heart. I say that I am and that I work hard to protect the people. I then take my leave.
On my way to talk to the master of the bear style, there is an earthquake. It is a huge quake. The ground shakes for what feels like an eternity. Like I am in the middle combat. Being high up on the mountain, I can see that one of bridges fall a little more. Many of the buildings fall down. People are moving away from the shore as the water pulls back.
I sleep with N’vad after helping with some of the clean up. I have a dream. I am in a burrow, but it’s not my burrow. All of my things are there and there is no exit. I keep digging and exit, but no place feels up. I dig straight and end up at my burrow. I do this several times. Then I realize I can’t breath. I see a box on the shelf. I know that it will show me the way out, but the only way out is to die. I know that if I open the box I will die. I open the box, and see a red rune that looks like an open eye. I can not breath and then I wake up.
The next day I go out to find the master of the bear style. We talk and he shares with me information about the bears. The words and styles of bears he tells me. Then at the end of the day I am summoned to the counsel.
We met up in the boat and we get ready to talk when we get a package. It’s a box with an eye, the eye of true seeing, and the one from my dream. It’s the box that will show me the way out. I state that I want to open it.
There is a paper with human on it, a screen from a sprit box, a fake rock with a key in it. I am deeply disappointed as this does not give me a way out. I ask Kohana to make our conversation private. I express how disappointed I am. Puzzles, I hate riddles and puzzles. It want something I can act on. We have a place to go.
We go to the counsel meeting. There are crowds of people there. I feel nothing. I don’t protest the fact that it is a closed meeting. We stand in front of the counsel members. There is a new wildcat representative, Kalista. I hope this is a good sign, but she isn’t of the normal line of representative. The badger elder asks that we continue to do what is best for the people. This is about expanding the boarders of knowledge. This makes sense.
The counsel expresses that they must grow. They speak sense. They want new blood lines. I speak up “We speak with a unified voice, but I want to say this. We were ordered to find a new place for a new den. We found this den. Then we made sure that it was secure on every side. I will follow the new orders to protect those in my pack who do understand.” I stand at attention ready to protect my elder.
They group together and say we should go find the bears and they will work out the details. I am happy with this. The groups begin to quibble over the timing. Sooner will be better. I offer to be the councilman’s champion, but he rejects it saying he needs no help. I say that I only wanted to prove my loyalty to the badgers. He stays my loyalty is very clear. Damn fool Lucan can’t understand how to show even a little respect to an elder. Even if an elder is wrong, you show respect. We go to the beach so they can fight this out. I pay attention, but my mind is elsewhere. Sometimes stupidity needs to be worked out in fights. I even mutter this out loud to Sadian and Kohana. I scan the crowd for N’vad. He’s there. The badger elder looses. The crowd doesn’t get what he is saying. Lucan states that he fought to prove that fighting isn’t everything. The stupidity of that is amazing. On the way back Lucan things that the badger wasn’t going to provide people. This is confusing. He wasn’t supporting this, but we had the votes. He doesn’t understand this? Ah, my respect from him is through his actions not his thoughts. Unmaker… there is a maker. He talks to the counsel about how we want to change the people and serve the people. Like his statement before, he wants to show that he serves by stating he can control.
Over the next three days I spend time with the Badger leadership trying to figure it out and assert that I have ideas and that I am ready to be part of the leadership. I emphasize I want to follow tradition and the espoused ideals. I realize that people do not follow espoused ideals. I am let into the tribe meetings. They want me to be the counsel member. I agree that I am strong enough but not wise enough. I am here to learn wisdom. I speak in aphorisms and then I talk with the older Badgers. [BADGER PHILOSOPHY]
We investigate the objects and find out exactly where we need to go. It is a long journey. They try to plan. I just go to the badger craftsmen and find out how to maintain for a many moon journey.
We take time to go with the expedition to the science museum, mostly because we know the least about it. We sail under the red bridge. We come to the forest and make a trail into the science museum. That takes a half a day. We then setup camp for people. We head north to the bell tower. We see portions of human dens as we move up the forest. When we get the building. We get to the building and the grounds are well maintained. Lucan get ready to step out and he stops. I know not to question what he sees. It’s as if he see the hidden. A bird lands on the grass and it dies. Then a machine comes and takes it away.
I dig a hole and then as I get closer to the edge I find a metal mesh just under the surface. I rumble out “Well, here is our problem.” I touch the ground with my axe. Nothing happens. I suppose that something living must touch it. As we think about it, the bells tool. Four human looking things in robes walk around the building and then go back in. I say we should wait for the doors to open. The others think we should not. Kohana uses magic to look in.
I leap across with a rope and tie it up. The others use the rope to get across. I then open the door and step in. The robed figures are cleaning the long chairs. Two others and one up front appear to be watching and wear fancier things. I rumble out Sadian “Come speak to human to them.” He says something and they make a shhhh noise. That means we should be quiet. They say it’s a silent festival. How can you mate and be quiet?
I then go in and sit, after I ask if I should sit down. I wonder if humans are still alive here and does the grass make the air clean? I then follow along with the humans as they do there ritual. This is hard on my knees. I then hear from Kohana about what is being said. Fathers, sons mothers and ghosts. Makes me miss my parents, or did they know about this.
I mention if I should go forward. We do and let us go forward with out any problem. This might just simple and not an issue. I find out these are robots. They don’t attack us. Guess all robots are not the same. The robot up front goes on and on about how Jesus will be better for us. Then they go on that there is only one god. Turns out the grass would not hurt us unless we were small. They then go on about books. I stand guard.
We go on a tour of the room. They eat their god. Apparently this purifies them. Odd, but why not? Mya says she’ll eat there god. I’m dubious, but apparently there are many classes and rituals and oaths to take. Mya refuses. They go on about books and magic slates. We see the bells and I wonder what warning we should give the people. Then they find some machine that makes noise. It is rather annoying, but Kohana and Sadian go on about it.
We leave the church and I mention that would make a good defensive spot for the people. The grass tingles, but does not hurt us. I mention that we should have the kits be carried over the grass.
On our way back Sadian smells something bad where there are many spider webs. We find and old build and to through go and check it out. Something killed something carried it here and took it inside. Many spider webs are through out here. Looks like we have something to kill. A big spider appears on the roof and then I figure I could about make it up on the wall when magic brings him down. He adroitly gets up and seems to teleport close to me. Then I’m sprayed by it and nearly loose my scat. I charge up and miss him. I then get my wits back. I do attack that will allow me to hit it again on the back swing. I am slowed from more web like things. The ground is also sticky with the spray. I really hate spiders. I lean back from the bite as then my back swing hits true! Then I attack again and do not do much. It tries to move and I put an end to that! It then rampages on me. I then I miss my next attack of it.
The spider screeches with its forearms rubbing. It’s a horrible noise. It makes my mind loose focus. I just hit it. Nothing fancy just hit when it attacks someone else and in the normal progression of combat. This seems to go on and on. Eventually it falls, the many wounds finally too much for it to stand up against. We search the building, but it is nothing but bones and web. We burn the building. I remember to let the others know about this place so they can come back to see if we missed an egg sack.
