STORY STARTS HERE
Machine Desert - Jay'El
You are shaken awake by rough hands, panicked breathing sounds in your ear, followed by distant screaming. "Warrior, you must get up! We will die if you do not help us!"
You sit up, adrenaline shooting through you, making you ready to fight. Your outer clothing, including your Spheremount, lies in a pile by your bed where you left it. The teepee you're in is made of thick skins, making it difficult to see out apart from where light and wind spill in from the entrance, thrown open by your visitor. He is a large man with skin calloused from the hard work and harder winds that make up his life, but his eyes are filled with a primal fear. You recognize him as a local, father of several children and holder of a place in the Chieftain's Circle of this machineback village. He pulls on your sleeve, urging you to get up.
What could frighten him so? Surely the village's store of blasters would be able to take on the occasional monster to get up here. Right?
The Slums, Crook of the Plains - Eerongal
You have been up since dawn, and it is now about mid morning. Your patrol of the grimy alleys has been fruitless so far. Most criminals are most likely sleeping off the drinking and whoring of last night right now. A glance down a side alley catches your eye. A group of men stand over a shivering lump on the ground. You can hear a whimper. Looks like a mugging. But there are five men standing down there, and you can see the glint of what seems to be a sword or two. You can hear a voice.
"Ya little bug, thinkin ya cud skimp on yer payment to the boss." A rapid clicking echoes down the alley. "I got two bullets in this gun, a six shooter. That gives ya, how much of a chance, Doc?"
Another voice, less gruff, speaks up, "One in three."
"A one in three chance of gettin a bullet in the brainpan."
The whimpering gets louder. "Please, please don't. I-I'm sorry, okay! I'll get him the money!"
"Ah ah ah, ya ahreddy messed up, so you gotta play with us. So, you a bettin man?"