8 Messages on Wing

Messages on Wing The Hierarchy used pigeons to carry messages when radio or peat for seeds or small bugs. Long range migratory magical means were too risky in the Century War. And recently, birds use the peat deserts as nesting grounds, a popular radio play has renewed interest in raising the birds by relying on the heat near the peat fires to keep their delighting children with heavily sanitized adventures of Dearest, a eggs or chicks warm while they search for food. pigeon responsible for carrying the message that saved a battalion Nomadic groups in the Wastelands roam with of troops surrounded by the enemy nearly thirty years ago. As their goats or hardy sheep from one grazing land to a result, pigeon racing is popular again and the Riders have T aa S the next, often migrating from badlands to sandy A K considered using races for cover to send messages long distances. A dunes and back. The livestock are able to thrive on otherwise inedible plants and limited resources. Faster barbarian raiding parties or the Wave move too quickly for traditional herds to keep up, so animals that can be kept in pens or ride with a human are preferred by those groups. The occasional lizard can thick goo from any water or protein source they be found sharing living spaces with herding dogs encounter and store it in fist shaped chambers within or cats perched daintily on a shoulder. A chicken the nest. The 'honey' is bitter and full of nutrients squawking indignant protest from a pen tied to the and enough water to buy a week or two of survival back of a speeder in a Wasteland raiding party is not if a traveler is willing to risk being swarmed. uncommon either. Chickens are popular with all The Tablelands provide defensive positions for communities in the Wastelands as effective egg and wildlife to escape the megafauna of the desert but meat producers that can survive on desert beetles, there are other predators in the badlands in the though roosters less appreciated when trying to hide center of the Tableland mesa. Large cats stalk prey from Vanguard patrols. The desert residents also often purring at exactly the right pitch to echo off use the available insect life as food. Grasshoppers, rock formations and make it difficult for a victim to large fatty worms, and crickets are useful snacks determine where the attack is coming from as they and can also be dried for long term storage. toy with dinner. Lizards of various sizes find refuge in the rough terrain, easily navigating the tight quarters HE IERARCHY to corner prey before darting back to safety. The T H Conservation of resources is key to understanding badlands are easy to get lost in, the twisting canyons the Hierarchy policy on domestic animals within the are a maze. Experienced travelers will use the circling arcologies. Like the Slot system, every animal must hover of the skullcap vulture as a reference point to fulfill a role in the community. The animal policy navigate during the day. A good solution so long as does not tolerate unproductive wastes of resources. you aren't the soon-to-be-dead critter they're circling. The Marshal of an arcology, or more likely an assigned The Char Fields, a desiccated peat desert north committee of Slotted Professionals, determines a of the Shangaraan near the pole is cold year round list of permitted animals by Slot and tier based on save for small pockets warmed by smoldering water, food, and housing needs. Exceptions to this underground fires. At constant risk of death by chill list can be requested but are often rejected unless or death by fire, the animals that live here tend to the request is made by a high Slot individual. Samplebe quick on their feet with sharp senses to detect file Large grass-eaters such as cattle are uncommon smoke or pockets of dangerous gas. Small birds are even among the wealthiest of private owners and the common and often seen picking through the dry arcologies rely on more efficient goats or sheep for 8 community herds, preferring to use the animals for surface, water conservation is a concern. Where vast milk and textiles. Bees are tolerant of dry conditions underground rivers once ran there are now massive so long as the land isn't entirely barren and are mile-wide caverns below ground, interconnected by willing to fly long distances to gather pollen, making honeycomb complexes of smaller caves. Travel between them a popular choice in the Hierarchy and the cave systems is limited by the small dangerous Wastelands alike. Other insects that produce high passages or the systems don't connect at all. As a result value products in limited space are also popular, such many of the caverns have unique species or subspecies 1 as silk worms or wist beetles whose shells are used that have evolved in a closed system. Most variations to make a rich green-purple dye in high demand. are cosmetic, as simple as a different set of markings The animal policy also applies to companion or different sensitivity to light. But in some cases animals. Exotic companion animals are a luxury the isolation has accelerated the process of evolution reserved for high Slotted individuals and songbirds leading to unique and truly bizarre adaptations. are popular with the elite or spiritual. All Slots may Most of the caves are pitch black, so animals rely keep cats and working dogs and these animals are on other senses such as echolocation, tremor sense, or expected to serve pest-control purposes by hunting darkvision to navigate. Partial cave dwellers include rodents in living quarters. All Slotted individual bats, snakes, and other small mammals that use caves who can provide suitable housing are also allowed near the surface as sanctuary or hunting grounds, to raise chickens and pigeons for personal use. For spending part of their time at the surface. Exclusively obvious reason, waterfowl are unheard of. Then there cave dwelling species lack pigmentation because they are the pigeons. One of the first domesticated birds, don't need the protection from the sun. Under real they and are easily trained to perform tricks. They light, they are a pale-pink with visible veins beneath are less aggressive than larger birds, content with translucent skin. Some have undeveloped eyes or smaller living spaces, and provide high quality meat. have converted them to alternate sensory organs. Pests in the arcologies are a natural result of close Not all cave systems are dark though, some run living in poor conditions. Bugs may seek moisture in close to lava tubes and the dull glow of magma living quarters endangering the health of those who is as bright as day for dark adapted eyes. Other live there. Scorpions and spiders seeking an escape caverns are lit by bioluminescence where the from the sun may hide in shoes on the floor or tuck flashes of shifting light used for courtship or other themselves into closets or drawers. Residents of lower mating rituals. Travelers should be wary as some tiers are smart to always look before reaching a hand light displays are hunting lures for larger creatures into any nook or cranny. Rodents, mice and rats, waiting for an opportunity for a good meal. sneak their way into undefended food stores. Glowtail Subterranean deposits of raw aetherite, while mice are an exception and are welcomed by residents rare, often lead to the development of local wildlife wanting to use the mouse to detect snakes and spiders. suffering from aetherite radiation poisoning, which That said, it is not considered an approved animal ultimately leads to caverns of aetherwarped animals and will be confiscated by the Vanguard if detected. (Aethera Campaign Setting, 476). Though these hazards remain exclusive to subterranean settlements, THE UNDERWORLD such as those of goblins and ratfolk, extensive post- Samplewar Hierarchy mining operations infile the Wasteland The extensive caverns of Akasaat provide shelter from threaten to drill into these dangerous places and the sandstorms and winds of the surface. Like the expose the surface to unspeakable danger. 9 Aetherleech This creature is a deep violet-colored slug-like pulse brighter and they attack and defend as invertebrate with luminous blue veins. one. Such swarms are particularly dangerous Engine Leech. Aetherleeches are worm- to phalanx and infused, dropping upon them T like invertebrates that seek out and feed off of in the dark to drain all the aetherite from their aa S A K aetherite, wherever it may be. Native to Akasaat, bodies, leaving naught but lifeless husks. A they may have once evolved from more aquatic The Protectorate has successfully employed ambush lifeforms. Their slimy black bodies glow with tactics to dispatch aether leech swarms, though any aetherite pulsing through their veins. aether-powered equipment has to be left behind to They prefer arid, dark environments but will settle avoid detection. The only gear deployed are the leech- for anywhere near large quantities of aetherite. They eaters (see page 27), creatures designed specifically can sometimes spotted deep underground in pockets to hunt the leeches down and destroy aetherleeches. of aether mines. More commonly, they can be found An aetherleeches’ corrosive spit glands contain in engines and machinery powered by aether-tech. enough undigested aetherite to render the aetherleech An aetherleech is 1-foot long and weights 2 lbs. vulnerable to electricity. Electricity-based spells Starship Pests. Aetherleeches store corrosive and long-ranged aethertech have proven to be the digestive fluids inside small sacs just behind their most effective weapon when rooting out leech rows of tiny mandibles, mixed with undigested infestations.

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