Dust Bowl

The Walking City of Gerbera continues her treck through the Shattered Valley, following the same path she has for generations. As massive spider-like legs slowly clamber along the narrow walls of the Shattered Valley, one of the eyes of a cloaked figure standing atop the valley makes a quick "buzt-buzt" and rotates, enhancing the stalker's vision. Raising a long rifle at a precariously placed package, the figure loads an incendiary round and fires. The package explodes, Gerbera loses her footing and falls on her side. The gyroscopes within the city keep relative equilibrium, however, the shockwave alerts all residence of the attack. Sirens sound, the city is amock with terror, and the stalker makes his move.   Raising her head and removing pointed ear from boulder, a she-elf nods towards a glade some yards away from her compatriots. Between her hands, a sigil is conjured and the illusion of open space in the forest shimmers and vanishes, revealing a gaggle of kobolds holding a crude knife to the throat of a bound and gagged gnome. The compatriots of the elf spring into action, weapons drawn, ready to save their captured ally.   An artifact, a relic from before the fall, was brought into the Floating City of Wallnag. Handed to the top engineer in the city, he quickly goes to work trying to unravel whatever secrets can be salvaged. Months go by with no progress and no sleep. Eventually, the engineer locks the artifact away, where it lies dormant with the rest of the artifacts brought to Wallnag.