Alterra: prologue
 

Flack sat in his luxury railtran compartment and watched the scenerey fly by outside the window. On the other side of the three-inch thick bulletproof glass, the surroundings were gradually shifting from the millenia-old rubble of the Southwestern Industrial Complex to the grasslands and forests of the Northeastern plains. Flack wished he had asked for a room on the other side of the car - that would have given him a view of the Badlands about two kilometers to the south. Even at this distance, and even with the atmospheric filters on the train, he could detect a faint whiff of it - a stink that combined sulphur, ozone, and chlorine into something far worse than any of them.
Thankfully, that was not his destination. There was really only one possible destination for anyone taking railtran outside of Heap - Mondo, the dead city. There wasn't much to see there since the place had been destroyed during the War of Faith, but what was left made a good railyard, and the builders of Railtran had take full advantage of that. If you wanted to cross the continent fast, Railtran was the only way to go. Built along the only possible route - a kilometer-wide strip just outside the Badlands which stalematers refused to enter because it had just the right toxic balance - not enough for the ones from the Badlands, too much for those from elsewhere to come by without a reason.
Flack leaned back in his pleasantly plush chair and thought about where he would go once he reached the end of the railroad.
He'd jack himself a vehicle - it was easier than renting one - and then head north. It had been too long since he'd been to Hinkley.
He'd heard of a fish merchant there who was proud of the new security devices on his boats, and if there was one thing Flack couldn't stand, it was a proud fisherman.

"Aw come on, it isn't that dangerous!" Zackari shouted in protest.
"Please, if I wanted to die, I am sure there is a gun around here I can shoot myself with." The what looked like a warrior responded.
"Look, I can get the equipment to survive that stuff, so you won't have to worry about melting."
"Yes, making us the perfect bait for Stalematers eh?"
"Alright fine then, don't join the best damn search party in the world."
"Search party? Its just you!"
"Fine whatever."

Zackari walked out the door after that. "Okay, so he is out." He took a couple looks around. "I just hope I find someone at least that thinks about coming." He mumbled to himself as he continued his search.

((OOC: I left the details of where I am so that someone else could decide. You know, make it easier for me to find other pcs.))

Grodel stepped into the bar, smoky as most were. 'I heard something about a search party...let's see...let's see...ah, this man appears like he'd be the one to talk about.' Grodel approached a man sitting at the bar and inquired. The man only replied, "You want that nutcase over there, in the corner." Grodel approached him and asked, "You the one to ask about a search party?" Grodel was a Bouncer, and as such, had a duty to find and help those in need, this just seemed like another call of duty.

"Ah someone finally interested. Basically I am trying to gather up as many sturdy warriors and the like for a party to go explore the Badlands in the SouthEast." Zackari leaned back, expecting that not to go to well for this man.

At the mention of the badlands to the south-east another man, who had just sat down moments before, stood straight back up.

The southeastern badlands were one of the few places on Alterra that Alex Cunningham hadn't been to yet, and also one of the few that he wasn't suicidal enough to try exploring alone. However, if this person could get the proper equipment to travel them, he had little worry of Stalematers.

In about four steps he was standing right there next to the two discussing the journey.

"May I come?" he asked, his voice slightly muffled by the cloak tied about his face.

"The badlands, eh? You do know what they say about the place right? Stalematers and the ilk? Are you positive you wish to go, because if so, I'll go with you. I need the practice." Grodel stretched his neck out, muscles bulging as if they were about to rip straight from the skin, then he relaxed, his form looking much more regular. "I won't go with just one other person though, but when you find this other ally, I'll join you."

Zackari couldn't be more happier. He seemed to hit jackpot, he didn't get just one person, but two. He looked first at Grodel and motioned towards the newcomer "If you count him, that makes two allies for ya." and then he turned towards the new man. "Your more than welcomed to come." He noticed he was covered up quite a lot. "Sun hurt your skin or somthing?" Zackari asked out of curiousity, and did it faster than he thought it.

Leo was sitting in the middle of the bar with two other men. He did not care about their lives; he did not care about who could drink a cup of beer faster. Leo only wanted to get out of this town. Omnicom was after him, and he needed to keep moving.

"Ah someone finally interested. Basically I am trying to gather up as many sturdy warriors and the like for a party to go explore the Badlands in the SouthEast." Said Zackari, who Leo hadn't met yet.

The southeast badlands, thought Leo, Omnicom will have a hard time following me there.

Leo rose from his seat and moved towards Zackari. The two drunks would not notice that he left, and the bartender would charge them for his drinks. He pushed in his chair with his foot, and approached the group of three. "You guys are going to the badlands, eh? May I join your expedition?

******
Meanwhile, just a couple of blocks away, two muscular men dressed in matching grey jumpsuits and combat boots were leaning against a fishermans cottage and speaking with each other in hushed tones. One of them had some sort of digital apparatus clamped around his wrist. They each had large, exotic-looking weapons slung across their backs. People didn't pay them much attention, although some tech-savvy passers-by eyed the weapons with wide eyed envy.
All kinds of people moved through Hinkley on their way to Omnicom. TCE corpman weren't that unusual a sight, although these two were a bit more heavily armed than most.

Holy hell, three people joining? Zackari thought to himself. He was expecting one at the most to join when he entered this town, but man he must have hit the jackpot by choosing this bar. "Yeah the more the merrier." Then he address everyone "It might help us if we know each others names. So I'll start if off, name's Zacakri, and just to let you guys know, my curiousity gets the best of me at times."