BROKEN BOW, NEBRASKA- Local scouts are reporting the discovery of a large group of armed wasters two days west of the town. They are moving in several scavenged trucks and have a variety of weaponry. One of the scouts saw a number of lashed black boxes in the back of the center truck. Guards are posted around the parcels, but they are all facing inwards with weapons trained on the cargo. The massive unseasonable snowstorm is slowing them down but the group is making directly for town.
FRANKLIN MOUNTAIN ENCLAVE, TEXAS- The ferocious snowstorm continues its relentless march across the Wasted West and now the Community College is pondering an unexpected report. A gunslinger called Red Feathers relays a tale that the hordes of zombie soldiers that infest the El Paso-Cuidad Juarez Metroplex have begun migrating away from the city in a northwestern direction.
HOBBS, NEW MEXICO- Nomad the Librarian is reporting a case of multiple kidnaping. Last night, the tiny village was blasted by a surprise snowstorm that had nearly buried the small farming community. Miles Bowen and Mickey Freemantle, deputies to "Vaquero" Felix the Law Dog, were returning from a patrol looking for a missing homesteader just before dusk. A guard patrol swears that a nine-foot tall figure in rough armor appeared out of the blasting snow and dragged the pair off. Gunfire was ineffective and the weather was a severe hindrance. Felix is calling for a posse to see if the fate of his deputies can be discovered.
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA- Thirteen intact buildings on the outskirts of town were demolished today. A terrorist going by the name of the Greyman has claimed responsibility in an anonymous message. The Grand Librarian has dictated that the capture of this person or persons is a top priority for the Fellowship. The knowledge will be protected at all costs. Vigilance and diligence are the watchwords of the hour.
Submitted by the well-armed and armored Brother Dominic
May 15
NEAR BEAUMONT, TEXAS- The Mother of All Blizzards has hit East Texas and the storm has brought bad tidings. A pair of wounded scouts has arrived with grim news; Surtur, the King of the Raiders, has finally taken up his old hobby. Barely a day after the snowstorm nearly buried the Trader's Bazaar in the ruins of Texarkana, the local guards were assaulted under the cover of the foul weather. The scouts have reports that Jeeps and Hummers carried a large force of soldiers into the town perimeter, cutting a wide swath of destruction. Those who ventured out to face the raiders were beaten and killed by persons unknown wearing one-piece arctic survival suits and white opaque helmets. More than two thirds of the Bazaar's food supply was plundered while a number of the Trader Baron's warehouses were picked through. A local Syker also reported that a large scarred canine creature that seemed to be tracking her by smell, stalked her for nearly an hour during the assault. The final enigma in the matter came to light in the aftermath. When inspecting the remains, a number of traders discovered that while some of the more easily stolen valuables were taken, the raiders had ransacked every cache of jewelry in the enclave, but left every opal gemstone were it was stored.
FORT EMERSON, IDAHO- Commander Mills, the leader of the enclave in South Idaho is issuing a warning for anyone traveling southeast of Idaho. Over the past several weeks, there have been numerous reports of ghostly translucent beasts running down and trampling those walking on open lands in the area. Wasters on the roads have had no such bad luck. A shaman from the Coyote Confederation staying at the fort has reported a prophetic dream that the Bison spirits have broken free of the Hunting Grounds and returned to take revenge on the Palefaces for the wholesale slaughter of their earthly counterparts centuries ago.
MEDICINE LODGE, KANSAS- Saul Potter, a local scavenger, has arrived and is holding auditions for a crew to pay a visit to the old subway system in the ruins of Kansas City. Wasters need to be able to demonstrate decent medical skills, night-fighting abilities or extensive knowledge about electrical and mechanical engineering. Potter refuses to discuss his absent crew of assistants and gunslingers.
JUNKYARD, UTAH- Doc Swartz is offering a substantial reward for anyone who is willing to venture to the southeast portion of the state and discover the current fate of a caravan shipment of mechanical parts to the old Overlook Resort. The caravan left two weeks ago, and had a veteran crew of both guards and navigators on board. There was a small colony of roughly thirty people from the last contact with the Overlook. Schwartz has been overheard discussing the resort with a local Syker who was having nightmares about the place.
SCRUB SANDS, KANSAS- Brother John Augustine is announcing the opening of a Branch Library along the western edge of the town ruins. A pair of technowizards have rigged a functional printing press and a regular newsletter will be making the rounds in the coming months. Brother John is also looking for anyone willing to stand guard duty for regular meals and a warm place to sleep. A programmer with experience with Cray systems and/or familiarity with Faraday cages will also be compensated handsomely.
Submitted by the furiously studying Brother Dominic, Journeyman Librarian
May 31
JUNKYARD, UTAH- Junkyard scouts are reporting a sighting of a very odd creature in the ruins of Ogden. While surveying the nearby town for undiscovered salvage, the scouts spotted a large shifting mass inside the remains of a suburban warehouse. Upon further investigation, it was revealed to be a large conglomeration of rusted scrap metal and random parts. They came to the conclusion that it was a large specimen of scrap ?glom, almost twenty feet in diameter. Just before retreating, they realized that the ?glom in question was rolling a nearly circular pattern. On the floor was a boundary made out of what looked to be ground glass. The scouts came to the conclusion that someone or something had restrained the creature somehow. One of the scouts mentioned that it felt like someone had put it on a leash.
YUMA VILLAGE, ARIZONA- A trading caravan from Movie Town has arrived with news of a gruesome discovery. While crossing the old state border into Arizona, the caravan came under attack by a gang of motorcycle riding bandits. When the outlaws managed to break off with a supply of canned food, several guards gave chase in a jeep. Three hours into the wastelands of Death Valley, the guards found more than they expected. The cycle tracks led into a huge pit on the valley floor. When they circled closer, they found that the entire thirty-foot pit was filled with desiccated body parts. There was no sign of the bandits; the guards were understandably unwilling to venture into the rough dig. There is no estimate on the number of victims; they were too decayed to tell what might have killed them.
ARKADELPHIA, ARKANSAS- Judge Fargo is making a call for aid for the small fishing village. Last week, ten of their regular fishing crew appeared back on shore after dark in apparent comas. No one can rouse any of the men, despite regular medical treatment. Fargo is looking for someone with more unusual skills to look into the matter. There are a few clues however: each victim has a small puncture wound on the back of the neck; they have very shallow breathing and low blood pressure and each one has a distinct bluish cast on their lips.
NEAR SEATTLE, WASHINGTON STATE- Theodore Smalls, a local scout of some reputation is announcing a strange find. Two nights ago, Smalls was repairing a scavenged radio set in his camp when he began hearing faint signals through the refurbished unit. The transmission was rough and faint, but he swears that he heard someone calling for help from someplace called the Snow Creek Camp. Smalls is asking in anyone has any information on a location going by that name.