Updates for the North City Expedition at the end of this post... but first, waystation projects, beetroot has been rediscovered at the village of Vaya, the Map of the South has begun (again, there had been a failed attempt in Cambrey..but that is for another time), and Kevan Thomas gets a blonde-haired warrior maiden - and mess of trouble! - claiming him for her own.
Suki Roberts' map of Rivertown and the surrounding areas in the Porter Thomas school.
Although the main topic at the Barracks Council in Rivertown, year 69, was the North City Remnants Expedition, there was more. Every year the Council discusses waystations, land grants and supplies to young people spreading out into the world. The map in the Porter Thomas school and the larger one in the Cod Bay Bank are good ways for the young to get an idea where they might want to go in the future. Kyle Jackson did that when he chose to create Volens Farm, Northwest of Rivertown.
This year the Council gave out money and supplies for two specific projects and one 'to be determined'. The specific projects were to be done South of Rivertown, on the way to the Southern Swamp Spire.
They designated that this Spire was now to be called 'Spate Station', and handed the care of the property and the responsibility for building a road to it to Saul Allen, son of Alvin Allen, at Meadowview Farm. Meadowview Farm is directly South of Rivertown, but not in line with the spire. In fact, Spate Station is within walking distance of the place Mavic Rigginson, of Kriganzy, has set up and called 'Riggins Ranch'. Mavic was able to convince Callista Daniels of WestSea to become his bride, with lots of help from her Uncle Alvin and Aunt Sara.
The second project was to be halfway between Spate Station and Rivertown, on top of the high ridge of birch trees. The builders of Rivertown, including Caleb Parker and Kyle Jackson, have established this station point and provided it with a road and a means to signal Rivertown if the need ever arises. This point is now called 'Beam Ridge Point', and 'Beam Station'. They have not built a house or fields there. The station was originally offered to Victor Robinson, of Cambrey - but he did not want to move from his hometown. The parchment was yanked out of his hands by his sister, however, before he could return it to Yuri at the Council. Jacinta Robinson is one year older, and was insulted it was not offered to her, first. She claims Victor 'can't see the nose on his face' and she is eager to take up the challenge of being a waystation keeper.
The requirements of the stations are threefold:
1.) The resident must live there full-time, and provide their own food and/or trade industry for food. They must be able to provide simple food and shelter to a road traveller if needed.
2.) The resident must be able to reach the next station or town to
deliver messages and/or signal danger. The operator is in charge of
creating roads, if possible, to the next station and/or city and
updating maps with the nearest map station to show their location.
3.) The waystation resident must check in, in-person, with the Barracks Council every year, or every other year, depending on how far the Waystation is from Rivertown.
In return the resident will receive access to the Rivertown storage locker for supplies to start the building of a house, iron tools, a lead, 12 wool and a bucket. If they wish, the resident can continue building on the house to add more rooms, move in their family and build a full farm and, as in the case of Ravenna and Cambrey, a village or city.
This was a natural place for a station, as it is already a well-known and busy dock between the Western Gate and Whitmoor. It is also a good idea, as in the case of Percell Perkins, to have someone watching out that remembers if someone has come this way.. and if they maybe have not returned on time?
Saul Allen is in the process of going to his father's farm, Meadowview, nearby to get carrots, potatoes, watermelon and pumpkins to plant a wide array of foods at the station. He was distracted by brown sheep wandering the Swamp, and built a makeshift pen for them while he sees to the crops before Winter.
In Whitmoor - Year 69
While Liam was away at the Barracks Council, his son Kevan was busy building a map wall in Whitmoor and expanding on Carmide Aristo's road. In order to get enough supplies, he had to dive deep into the mines of Whitmoor and brave several tricky situations playing with lava...
Playing with fire, in order to get through passageways and find redstone in the deep caverns.. catch the source in a bucket or block it up with a piece of stone or gravel. Don't let any bit of it touch you or you'll burn up!
Kevan did find a lot of redstone in the mine. He now has plenty to keep him making maps for a very long time, as long as he gets enough leather from the cows to make frames. He has also become a rich man in gold and other precious items Carmide made a deal to sell Kevan his house in Whitmoor for 25 Lapis Lazuli Kevan found in the mine. However, Carmide had even more of a request for Kevan. He wanted to find his hometown of Vaya, somewhere to the South.
It has been ten years since Carmide came North with his brother to Whitmoor - and he has wanted to go back, but does not want to disappoint his brother. Carmide began to tell tales of a red beet root soup they served with every meal, and how he wants to go back just for the food, at the very least. The Eastham brothers, Donel and Gyro, heard Carmide talking about beetroot and were very very interested.
Vaya village, South of Whitmoor city, original homeplace of Arturo Aristo and his younger brother, Carmide. Arturo brought his brother, wife and children to Whitmoor answering a call for excavators told to him by a Wandering Trader.
Liam Thomas had sent the call North in writing with the Eastham brothers, but also told the Trader to tell anyone looking for a new place to expand that Whitmoor was growing and could use skilled people. The Trader also told Hawk and Jaunniere Riggins, of Kriganzy, when they were travelling NorthEast with their children to escape internal conflicts there.
Colsey is one of the waystations ordered to be built at this year's Barracks Council. Liam Thomas received one supply chest to build 'a waystation South of Whitmoor, upon the Southerly road to Seppalia'. Carmide was going to build a station just North of Vaya at the lake, but Liam talked him into making it down within sight of the glaciers, instead, as he knows that was one of Percy's landmarks on the road back to Seppalia. Carmide went and built the station but does not yet know if he wants to live there. If all goes well in the North City Remnants Expedition, more chests will follow, and young people will be assigned to spread their wings and take on assignments at more waystations.
Vaya village to the North, on the 'road straight south', with Colsey station going off to the East, towards the very first glaciers Percell Perkins saw on his journey.
The map of the South at Whitmoor, from the Southern Swamp Spire (Spate Station) to Colsey in the South. Kevan and Carmide are both mapping further out from here. Carmide is very happy to have found his home village again. Arturo had found his calling in the Kilnmaster School at Whitmoor, but Carmide still has yet to find his true vocation.
Kevan and Carmide brought one more thing home from Vaya, that has caused a stir, seventeen-year old Sofia Aristo. When Arturo and Carmide left Vaya, she was just a child. Now, she is a blonde-haired warrior. She saw Kevan in the field before she saw her brother.. and then when she had gotten close enough to nearly cut Kevan in two she got a good look at Carmide and knocked him to the ground instead. Carmide was suddenly looking up at an armored girl yelling at him at the top of her lungs. 'Ten years? You are gone Ten years and now you show up with.. him? Who is he?' To which point Kevan stepped forward and shook her hand, confusing her, saying 'Kevan Thomas of Whitmoor, at your service, milady.' Sofia did not take that as a joke.
Carmide didn't really know what he was getting himself into. Sofia is nothing like he imagined.. and she refused to go back to Vaya at all, insisting she was going North on their road whether they liked it or not. She approved of the Barracks at Whitmoor very much. She says that Whitmoor needs to build a fighting Force to stand against Kriganzy, and immediately began pestering Donel Eastham and his son John about making armor and weapons.
Sofia is a Force to be reckoned with, as well (Arturo says like her mother.. oh no, his mother is going to kill them for letting her come back to Whitmoor with them, but there was very little 'let' about it...) Kevan has to decide if he can risk his friendship with Carmide to marry his little sister, who has made her intentions clear to him. Carmide has to decide whether to move away to 'Carmide Station', or continue building the road further South to the town of Pazzi. He knows where Pazzi is now that he has found Vaya, and his own heart rests there, if she hasn't moved on and forgotten him?
Pazzi Town, two days travel SouthEast of Vaya
Elsewhere during Year 69:
Marika did not specifically point out every individual she knows needs
to come with, hoping to play a game of Chess with the key players and
give Destiny it's chance to work. The Ravenna team is revving up for the North City Remnants Expedition, and the Rivertown crew from the school is also gathering. Ravenna specializes in medicine, and James Pippington has convinced his cousin Astrid that her training will be necessary for the Expedition, even though he isn't convinced himself why he is going at all.
Dalton Otrio is making complicated plans
with Bram Trent and Steven Pembry about what instruments will be needed
to take to the North. His cousin Marika has appointed him as
Science officer for the Expedition - but he still does not have the
talent of either of these men. There is, however, one of his 'nephews' Xavier Reynard in
Cambrey who has taken up residence as a machinist. Xavier is the son of Dalton's sister Wirna's sister-in-law.
Mykel Perkins, having stayed over while his brother Edward takes their father back to Seppalia, has taken up residence in the barracks and is working with Caleb Parker and the Agriculture students. He is also staying mostly in an effort to court Quillia Reynard, sister to Xavier, and granddaughter of Prizla Orak/Priscilla Pippington of Cod Bay. Quillia has been studying Enchanting with Marika at the Porter Thomas School.
The Daniels of WestSea and Semmerly are making a team for the Expedition even though they were NOT asked to.. for Hogan Daniels' sake, as he has been afflicted by the influence Marika has been tracking. This is one of those things where passion and purpose will pave the way...
Tanji Vandreas feels overwhelmed - he has newborn children with Ilena back home at Southerland. He knows she isn't quite as fragile anymore, but he doesn't want to leave her there alone. He also knows he has a gift no one else can match, and it might be needed. From what Christopher Orak told at the Council, much of the ruins of North City are underwater, and covered over with the same kind of strange shining coral that surrounds his new home.
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