[HOE] The Librarian's Almanac for December 11th

[Michael Cone <Michael.Cone@apollogrp.edu>]

SPIRIT LAKE, IDAHO- The small enclave on the east bank of the Kanjksu
Freshwater Lake is calling for Law Dogs or any other enterprising wasters
for an investigation into some very weird sightings.  Three days ago, a
hunting party in the surrounding forests came running back into town,
claiming to have seen dozens of translucent figures walking among the trees
in a northern direction.  All four of the hunters swear that among the crowd
were figures that resembled one of their deceased relatives. Each specter
also seemed to be in the throes of a furious rage or in deep sadness. The
next evening, guards in the sentry towers spotted more figures stalking
along the outskirts of town on a northern heading, but these sightings were
radically different. The descriptions vary from guard to guard but they
included a seven-foot tall woman with a moose's head on her shoulders, a
great spinning wheel of golden fire with six silver eyes in its center, a
short satyr with bright crimson skin, a lithe shadowy form in old 1800's
colonial clothing and a tall humanoid seemingly composed of shimmering
silvery metal. Locals are at a complete loss as to an explanation.

APACHE JUNCTION, ARIZONA- The Templar-Librarian known as the Silver Nun
arrives with a strange tale concerning the Window Rock National Park.  While
tracking down rumors of a rouge Combine Automaton in the northern portions
of the state, the Nun was seeking shelter in the natural rock formations
from a radstorm that was blowing through. Inside a large cave at the base of
the Window Rock formation, the Librarian made an ugly discovery. Inside were
seven bodies, all bearing marks and wounds that suggested they were
sacrifices in a very nasty occult ritual. The tally includes two Loyalist
Doombringers, a Convoy Scout, a Combine Heavy cyborg, a mutant wearing the
sigils of a Templar's Companion, a junker missing her cybernetic eyes, and a
Syker dressed in Southern Alliance military fatigues. Scattered around the
bodies was a copious amount of gray dust, many handfuls of dried herbs, over
a dozen shattered glass bottles, several piles of cold ashes and a number of
half-smoked cigars. The nun relayed that the entire tableau filled her with
a deep sense of dread. Anyone with any information can find the Silver Nun
at the Engineer's Society in Apache Junction for twenty more days. 

SANTA FE FORTRESS, NEW MEXICO- Refugees have arrived from the nearby enclave
of Pinetop. Just over a week ago, a waster calling herself Jessie took up
residence in the rooming house. Not long after, fights and brawls became
hourly ordeals. Things came to a head when the village sheriff called for a
curfew and was shot dead by one of the local teenagers. The ensuing riot
burned most of the town to the ground. The few survivors all place Jessie in
the area of each and every fight that took place, but none of them can agree
on what her features were. She was garbed in a long duster of black and gray
patches, along with worn jeans, taped boots and a beaten leather vest.