Something Wicked this way comes
The following have been recovered from BTH, and Wells Society field notes in relation to the Raider Presence surrounding Firebase N.V.O. It is recommended that they be disseminated to nearby settlements and on all outbound caravans.
BTH Wizzard N.V.O. M2 Field Report
Seems like the locals from this area were conducting a mass exodus recently. Homes and huts abandoned, mutterings of Raiders storming through the valley and taking over the whole area and setting up a fortress that’s driven the locals from their homes. The locals call themselves the Kin, and they’ve been speaking about one of their own that fell to the rampage through their territory. They’ve been referring to them as the Cardinal and the raiders that have gathered are working themselves up in a religious fervor.
Wells Society Field Journal
The quiet in the valley has become deafening. Our records tell us that the woods should be teeming with life—birds, smoke-wolves, even the occasional deer(?)—now only empty shadows and the faint echoes of movement are left under the trees. I’ve scoured the area, but the wildlife that used to thrive here has diminished greatly. Possibly scared off or hunted thin by the gathering Raider tribes. Some of the locals left behind records and reports that talk of sightings of a particular lurking hunting pack seen mostly at night. Raiders that are driven mad by some wild and ravenous hunger, even beyond the typical of their kind. I’m going to request that we move our camp closer to the Hunters, I'm not keen on being alone when they next come looking for a meal.
BTH Genie N.V.O.Field Report
We heard some fighting over the last few nights. Raider on Raider, two distinct tribes clashing it out in the valley. One was much larger, the smaller group didn’t stand a chance. Fucking odd though, the winning group, if you could call it that, didn’t just execute the weaker tribe. It looked like they were bringing them somewhere.
BTH Hoppit N.V.O. M2 Field Report
Their behavior is changing. They’ve been grouping up into larger and larger hordes, sending out scouting parties, getting a bit smarter on how they’ve been attacking the smaller groups. Looks like there were a few larger specimens giving out orders, with the lesser Raiders listening in and following directions. Can’t tell if they’ve noticed me in this new position yet, but the position I was in yesterday was ransacked. It's like they wanted me to know that they knew I was there.
Personal Journal of an unknown local, transcribed herein due to its concerning contents.
We didn’t see them. Ma keep us and Pa forgive our lack of diligence. We didn’t see them, but how could we? They walked like us, hunted like us, they were just like Kin! We were all moving away from the other side of the valley, following as the spreading word said we should - when a few folks joined up with us. More the merrier, and they knew to keep quiet, walk lightly, and did more than their share of the work… sort of. Before we knew it though our stores were bare, little more than scraps left and anything even resembling meat was gone to the bone. It wasn’t until we heard screams that we knew something was really wrong. We found Dieter, already sinking in his bedroll. We counted heads and when we came up short without any more bodies we realized what they really were. Damn them. Like Haints wearing the skin of common Kin, leaving our larders bare and taking our blood when there’s nothing left…
All they left behind was this drawing, little more than scratches on Dieter’s bag.
Like three empty trees.
Account of a rescued merchant moving through the N.V.O.
I noticed the smell first. Like something rotten and sour. Thought there might’ve been something dead coming up on us. Honestly, I wish it had been, then we would’ve been ready at least y’know? Instead they came down on us like a storm. Raiders came tearing into the guards from each side. Classic ambush really. What I wasn’t expecting was the second group, these nasty looking skulking ones that grabbed the bleeding and the dying. Held fast to them like they were precious and started digging into their mouths as if looking for gold. I was so confused by what I was seeing that a big one got the jump on me. Thank the Beat your team showed up when they did otherwise i’d have been next on the chopping block. Still gives me the shivers. After you guys had dealt with them I noticed they were all wearing the same decor. Teeth.
BTH Warlock N.V.O. M2 Field Report
My squad chased a scouting party into the mines, pushing them in as we cut down their vanguard. They were a bit quicker than us, and they’ve been much more tactical since the last time we engaged them. Ever since they started unifying, it's been more difficult to counter their movements. We pushed up into the mine and heard some fighting deeper in. It went quiet, so we took our time pushing deeper. We came across the scouting party ripped apart by something, with one Raider barely hanging on. It’s getting worse. They’re trying to dress like us.
BTH GeeMan N.V.O. M2 Field Report
I got my eyes on Cardinal today, impossible to miss in the horde of flesh and violence. Draped in muddy crimson robes, a shawl that’s more viscera than cloth, and crowned with a set of antlers stripped off some poor critter unlucky enough to be caught in its path. They were gesturing to a group who were carving symbols into trees, and sent them off deeper into the valley. It’s all fucked up now, the different tribes are starting to mesh together wearing the same type of gear. I tracked the group for about a mile. It looked like they were heading towards the old mine. Gonna send a task force to re-scout the mine after the first incident. The position isn't safe, gonna re-loca…….
