Over the proceeding days, the party's surveying efforts result in a preliminary map of the region surrounding the river's alluvial delta. The river's mouth is dominated by a rocky island, with many smaller, sandy islands in its wake.
The river's southern shore is dominated by a thick cedar swamp that promises to be rich with both lumber and danger.
The ruins of Kaskkari characterize the northern side of the delta. Although buildings of wood or adobe long ago rotted away and returned to the soil, many sandstone foundations still peer out from layers of dirt, grass, and lichens.
A few miles northward along the coast, as the floodplain sweeps up into rolling highlands, you find a cove carved out of the cliffside by both the waves' tide and the outflow of a small lake.
"I am still of the opinion that the stone of Kaskkari would make a fine site for our future city.", Dorick offers, days into the scouting.
Kalig assesses the soil, vegetation, and wildlife around the cove and lake.
"Building on the ruins would give us established foundations and the same access the Kaskkari once had. I am intrigued by being able to set up both river and sea commerce eventually. At the same time, we do not yet know the dangers or depths that the ruins hold and this could leave to trouble later. And of course the area is prone to flooding--the stones stand still, but our first structures will be vulnerable to the whims of the river.
"I think, once I assess the area's potential better , another possibility to consider is the cove. The nearby cliffs make the area more defensible, there is still access to the sea, and the lake allows for fishing and easy irrigation--easier than dealing with a larger river. We are still close to the sea for trade, but are on higher ground from floods. We are still close enough to the ruins to be able to explore them, but not right on top of them should, say, the Tarrasque be asleep beneath." She chuckles drily.
"Let me be clear I think either site may work, but both should be considered."
"My only concern with building on the ruins would be that as we don't know what the previous city's fate it, ours would be doomed to share it."
"Ive no skills in building things one way or the other, Ive just got skills in cooking...But something near the water sounds good, Ive got several good recipes involving sea life. But I'll pipe up if I have anything of use to add."
He offered clearly a little uncomfortable.
"My only concern with building on the ruins would be that as we don't know what the previous city's fate it, ours would be doomed to share it."
"For the third time, history says it was either war or the Tarrasque. We can work not to provoke the first, and if in the great unlikelihood the latter comes to the area we are doomed no matter where we settle."
"History isn't always correct though; it's usually written by the winners, and tends to frame the losers in as poor a light as possible."
From a distance you can espy, upon the upland hemmed in by the cliffsides, a small herd of onagers, a type of wild ass. Tracks and scat confirm that such animals frequent the area, along with antelope and the occasional errant bison. However, in terms of predators, you find evidence that small wildcats and even some kind of larger cat - perhaps leopards or cheetahs - hunt along these vast stretches of grassland.
Many birds flock the coasts and waterways, including pelicans, herons, cormorants, and others.
The vegetation between the river and the lake is dominated by grasses and shrubs, but you can distantly see thicker stands of ash and poplar trees beyond the lake.
The soil quality seems to grow questionable the further you travel from the river and the likely range of its flood plain. Rampant harvesting and grazing could quickly deplete the soil in those expanses, particularly in the uplands. Soil erosion would likely become a long-term concern if the settlers are not careful.
...
Drawing nearer the cove, you make a surprising discovery: the remnants of a far more recent settlement. Appearing to be some sort of fishing village, it is comprised of a number of wooden, reed-roofed shanties along the stream and lakeside and a couple of sturdier cabins along the cove itself, built atop foundations of stone hewn from the cliffside.
No signs of movement can be seen within the scattered village. The buildings show clear signs of neglect; the roofs have begun to collapse, though the walls remain standing, albeit buckling slightly.
Dorick looks about, as if expecting ambush.
Fendir also looks around for clues.
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Soraya sends her owl up to have a look around the site. Perhaps he can see something useful from the air. Meanwhile she also pokes about to see if there are any clues about who or what lived there.
(yeah, she probably doesn't see too much)
"History isn't always correct though; it's usually written by the winners, and tends to frame the losers in as poor a light as possible."
She frowns at the hobgoblin.
"While I agree tales get embellished and even written from nothing, I'm not following your logic in this particular case, Fendir. What else would have destroyed a city like that except war or a great monster? Which 'winners' are you suggesting are lying about how Kaskarri fell, other than those who actually defeated it? In something like, I don't know, war? Or is it me or Lena you are calling the liar?" Her ears draw backward.
She shakes her head. "Well, our alternative could be the cove... there's loads of fish, loads of herd animals, lots of lush vegetation, and..." as they draw closer and see signs of a village there, she adds in anticlimactic droop, "Oh. Apparently folk already living there. Oh well. Never mind about that--or, perhaps the place was abandoned. It doesn't look to be in good shape. Shall we see what happened? Learning what happened there recently may be more helpful than trying to piece together something that occurred millennia ago at any rate."
Dorick and Fendir remain on guard, for they recognize the telltale signs that this village fell prey to a violent raid. Weather-worn arrows remain embedded in walls, roofs, and the cove's sandy soil. A few broken javelins and boards that may have once been shields also litter the ground.
The water-swollen logs of the cove-side cabins resisted burning, but the walls and fallen roofs show clear signs of fire. Among the few shanties and huts left standing further up the cliffside, you can see piles of ash that bespeak how vulnerable they were.
Lucius leads Soraya to a depression nestled at the foot of the seacliffs, and there she finds a grim sight. The remains of a number of bodies - at least a dozen, likely more - lie heaped and burned, as though collected for a great pyre.
Dorick walks about, Caragus kept standing in sight of him at all times.
Who did this?
"All I'm saying is, that you shouldn't assume that the stories you've read portray things accurately. As for what else could have wiped out a city, Disease and fire will do both. Magic, too."
Looking around the cove, Fendir will say "This would be fairly defensible, but I don't know how much room for expansion we'd be looking at."
Forensics isn't really her specialty, but Soraya takes a look at the remains. Perhaps she can pick up some clues.
Kalig grows silent as she looks upon the ruined village, and the small hairs on her arms raise. It reminds her all too much of the many villages Brung's tribe burned in such a manner, including the one where she managed to obtain freedom at last. Not that she knows if it is orcs or not, but the carnage and destruction feel similar.
Approaching slowly and carefully to get a better look, she examines the weapons, the ashes, the remains of the hut. Who left traces? What was taken, if anything? Was the point theft with murder, or just plain murder?
Dorick does not recognize the make of the broken weapons littering the abandoned village, but he judges that the attack came from the sea. The passage of time and the roll of the tide has made it impossible for him to pick out any tracks.
As Soraya examines the burned remains, she concludes that the village was entirely human. Based upon the evidence, she estimates that the attack happened about two weeks ago. The bones and fire-toughened flesh still bear many cleaving wounds that suggest axes and heavy-bladed swords.
"They came from the sea..."
Dorick gazes towards the water, as if trying to see unseen foes.
"Pirates perhaps? Coastal raiders of some sort." Soraya sighs deeply, running her hand through her hair before tying it back in a pony-tail. "I think this will serve as a warning not to build too close to the coast. And we will definitely need to put up defensive works."
She turns to the others. "We should let Aristide know about this previous colony, but we should try to keep from frightening the rest of the group."
"Certainly. But was there not talk of underwater settlements nearby?"
"Could be underwater creatures, although it's not likely with the all of the bladed weapons it looks like caused this issue."
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"Pirates perhaps? Coastal raiders of some sort."
Kalig frowns, casting her eyes over the remains. "I am guessing this was not piracy. Like bandits, pirates kill and plunder--but they would take captives to sell or press-gang. And it wouldn't be in their interests to utterly destroy a settlement--better to have survivors to produce the food and wealth and people they wish to take again later. Nor was it conquest, or the attackers would have overtaken the village and settled it--especially since it is a good location to live. I can't think it was meant to set an example, because as far as I know, settlements are few and far between enough that no one is around to be intimidated. This was simply a cleansing, but why?"
She looks at the group. "Not that I would think whoever did this is reasonable, but we need to know more about them--whether we settle close to the sea or no, for it affects our options for trade and exploration regardless. One possibility is they came here simply to slaughter everyone for slaughter's sake. That's very possible, even if irrational. Or, they could have been attacking for vengeance. Perhaps the people here did some great evil to the seafolk and we were actually spared having worse neighbors. Or maybe something else--was the city plagued and the only way they knew to destroy the plague was burn everyone alive? Could the attackers be members of the village themselves, escaping curse, disease, or punishing dissidents in a civil dispute, who then left by boat?
"Maybe Aristide knows something of the last humans who came to this area?"
Soraya sighs deeply, running her hand through her hair before tying it back in a pony-tail. "I think this will serve as a warning not to build too close to the coast. And we will definitely need to put up defensive works."
"If on the other hand we settle too far inland, we subject ourselves to unfriendly centaurs and other tribes, that we were already warned about. And restrict options for trade and our own mobility, and deprive ourselves of a source of food in fish. There is no ideal place that will protect us from all harm.
"But this is a bad enough omen, that if we do want to settle near the coast, that restricts our options to the Kaskarri Ruins once again."
"If we do want to look inland, have we seen any optimal sites to investigate?"
She turns to the others. "We should let Aristide know about this previous colony, but we should try to keep from frightening the rest of the group."
"Agreed."
"Certainly. But was there not talk of underwater settlements nearby?""Could be underwater creatures, although it's not likely with the all of the bladed weapons it looks like caused this issue."
Kalig nods. "Still we should probably keep an eye on the sea and any activity on it. Maybe we should go up to the cliffs--give us a higher view of the area around us."
Kalig examines the remains of the village and finds that the role of investigator comes upon her naturally. Aside from the arrows and javelins, she concludes that the broken weapons and shields littering the cove were made by the villagers themselves - based upon the materials and crude skill put into their construction.
It seems the former residents mounted a determined defense against whomever raided their settlement, even if it was a doomed battle for them. This reminds her of the fate that befell the villages that tried to stand up to Brung: every building put to the torch, and every adult put to the blade as a warning to all. Kalig sees similar malice in the deeds of these apparent sea raiders.
She also confirms what the rest of the party finds, poking through the teetering shacks and cabins. Nothing of value has been left behind. There aren't even any traces of rotting food or moldering clothes to be found. These raiders made one last thorough harvest of this village before making their brutal statement with the pyre of bodies.
However, Kalig notes one last anomaly, and it comes upon her like a wave. The number of bodies upon the ashes of the pyre seems disproportionate to the number of homes built in the cove and up on the cliffside by the lake.
She concludes that these bodies could not represent the entire population of the settlement, and so another possibility presents itself. Thus, Kalig wonders if not every villager perished in the raid. The survivors could have been taken as slaves, or they could have abandoned this "accursed" place; unfortunately, the passing of time and tides has effaced further evidence that could clarify such a question.
As she picks her way through the ruins, Kalig stops, her mouth dropping open as realization strikes. "No. I'm wrong. People were taken. The remains cannot comprise all who lived here. Or they fled, but never returned. The weapons, these belonged to the people here only, all primitive like the huts themselves. So maybe Dorick's onto something after all."
Listening to Kalig's impressive reasoning, Dorick takes a moment to resume speaking.
"I really wish I were not, Kalig. Fighting underwater is not my forte, and I suspect none of yours either. Waiting for them to come towards us seems intolerable, but I am hard pressed to see other options besides move away from the water. And we need water, for trade."
"While it is something we'll need to deal with, it doesn't have to be today." offers Fendir.
"True. But I do not wish to be caught like these villagers were, and wish to ensure that."
"The delta islands would be easy to hold against land attack, though we would still need to watch the water. But how to reach them?"
"I'd worry about flooding on the islands, but we can go look. As for how, we can try to ford the river, but we'll need someone who knows how to build boats if we want to settle on the islands in a more expedient manner. So perhaps we should go back to the caravan and report in, and see if anyone knows how to build a raft. If not, that alone may be reason to not settle on the islands."
"Going further back from the cove to the lake might give us access to water and the various flora and fauna I've spotted in that area, without endangering us as much from the sea."
"I think it's a good idea to report back to Aristide before we check out any of the other locations. Just so he has an idea of what's going on. I'd rather explore the ruins than the islands, but I'm biased I think, being not so good at swimming."
"I am also thinking that we should report in. I would prefer the ruins also, but we should see if the islands are even feasible first."
"The only real problem I see with the isles is that we'll lack room to grow."
"As for reporting in, we probably don't want to leave my wives alone too long....they don't really care for each other."
Your return to the caravan's camp sees you, yet again, hailed as heroes. However, you can discern a restlessness among the settlers. Although Fendir and Harkan's respective kin remain stoically quiet, the human settlers are more keenly anxious to set down their roots.
Aristide summons his "council" - Gustav, Hovant, the guides Machus and Natsagiin, Fergus d'Beranza, and the newly added Harkan - to hear your scouting report. The viscount nods intently, absorbing every last detail the party has to offer.
"It comes as no surprise that such a fertile, promising land should harbor danger - otherwise it would have been settled already. The poor souls of that fishing village have proven this," Aristide notes grimly. "Machus, Natsagiin - what say you? What could have befallen this lost village?"
Machus reiterates what the centaur hunters said previously, warning about enigmatic races of fish people dwelling in the sea. Hovant even interrupts to suggest that they may dwell in sunken Kaskkari ruins just offshore. However, Natsagiin speaks up - a rarity! - to point out that Iobarian raiders also sail the Castrovin coast, making it even so far south and east as to reach Karazh, the nation of her nomadic people.
"I never thought I'd say this, but I would more welcome the raiders," Aristide notes with irony. "I have little doubt that we could repel a few longships filled with Iobarians each season, especially with the guile and skill I've seen our protectors display against wolves and drakes. Having some manner of fish folk, possibly lairing just off shore, is a more insidious prospect."
"I'll note it looks like people in the village were taken. Whether seafolk or raiders, they had to have a way to maintain slaves, unless the people were just taken for food storage. That may limit where they could be lairing--but I am just guessing," Kalig says.
"My personal recommendation based on what we've seen so far is to settle near either the ruins or the lake. The ruins we could start closer to the river than the sea, and use the existing stone to give us established foundations, and we are still near the wealth of the land around. The lake may be well defensible, and is fertile, but we may be closer to land raiders if not sea. The only problem with the ruins is we did not take the time to go into the remaining buildings and see what may be hiding there. If we start settling and then find trouble dwelling beneath, this experiment could end as soon as it begun. Of course, you could argue this could be true of any spot we choose. I know also the people are antsy and will not want to be kept waiting much longer. If we did start at the ruins, I think the scouting party should start delving within immediately to nip any problems in the bud, while the rest of the group started making plans."
She pauses, then adds. "I'd also like to take adequate supplies out to the cove to create a pyre for the dead we discovered. Those corpses shouldn't be just left to rot, or they may become undead or draw dangerous scavengers."
Dorick adds his voice, beyond his earlier report.
"I believe the ruins are our best prospect, unless they prove to be full of deadly foes. And even then, foes can be driven out or slain. We will need sturdy foundations and walls to protect ourselves. Why not take advantage of those that exist already? I agree with Kalig on the matter of the bodies and of immediately scouting within the ruins. Should those be the decision of the expedition."
"I would recommend that we actually build around the river, perhaps a mile or two from the sea. That will keep us out of hostile centaur territory - although we will have to either make peace or war with them at some point - and away from the ruins, which I have a feeling I can't explain about. It will also allow us to gradually build down towards the sea without sacrificing security, and give us an effective way to get rid of waste."
Fendir pauses, then adds "I would have to agree with both the idea that we need to fully explore the ruins and that we need to burn the corpses. For the latter part, it probably wouldn't hurt to have a cleric sanctify the earth, either."
"Hmm, from your report, it sounds like the bodies were already put to the pyre, but the job was only half done," the Viscount mulls. "It would be respectful to finish the cremation, or to bury what remains, but I'm hesitant to divert hands and supplies just as we're about start building shelters. The sun is beginning to wear on our people, and a few foragers came back covered in ticks that were lurking on the tall grass they walked through."
Aristide turns his eyes from the assembled council towards the darkening horizon, looking for the ruins, the lake, or the cliffside among the dusk.
"So far we have two votes for the ruins and one vote for further inland," Aristide summarizes. "Miss Blacktip, Mr. Delacouis? What say you?"
"If people understand we're trying to prevent a zombie apocalypse, I would hope they understand the diversion, and we can probably chop down wood closer to the cove than use too much of our own lumber--just need to borrow a cart to move things and a few hands to help build it. As for ticks, I'm sure Mia could brew us some bug repellent easily enough."
"I think both sites have pros and cons, but I'm personally voting for the ruins. From a practical standpoint, I think the availability of stone may make the work easier. We can use pre-existing structures for a base or a source of material. We start small and build out. We'll explore as we go." She hopes she's made the right decision, but it may be that there are no perfect solutions.
"Real beds, real food, sturdy...ish walls about us. I'm for the ruins."
He added his two cents in quietly. He had been so much out of his element this entire trip he couldnt make himself sound sure of himself at all.
"I'll volunteer to help with those poor folk in that sea village though, Its not right for them to set out like that for scavengers and all."
"So we have both bodies and ruins to clear.", Dorick muses. "Let us waste no time with either!"
Fendir leaves some instructions with the women who run his tribe in his stead and then says "Let us go."
Aristide plies the rest of the assembled council for their input. Harkan also votes for the ruins, having long appreciated the shelter of such cast off places. Gustav likewise agrees upon the ruins; Hovant remains wary of the site, surveyed but not secured, and suggests that he would prefer the lakeside.
Natsagiin holds her tongue, saying only that she "Does not speak on matters where she has no insight." Machus also voices his support for the ruins, but you suspect he is more apt to speak without deep wisdom.
"Don't be too hasty yet, my friends," Aristide bids you when the party expresses an interest to depart straight away. "The orange sky is darkening. It is yet early spring, and dusk still comes quickly. I fear sending you out so far on such a solemn task by night. Here is the plan that I envision:
"We use the waning afternoon to move the caravan forward, closer to the site, and begin unloading our supplies - especially the tools and timber that will be sorely needed on the morrow. That way, when the morning light comes, there will be emptied wagons and draft animals to spare for your task."
Viscount Aristide straightens up his posture, seeming paradoxically taller in his seat despite his missing legs.
"That way, we can also use time this evening to discuss what to call our new home," he says in a tone meant to impart pride among his fellows. "At this critical juncture, it will be important to ensure that our people's spirits are high, and coming up with a name could be just such a boon."
"Let us veer away from the citadel until we have had a chance to explore it. The ruins of the city are large enough the builders can find other places to start," Kalig comments.
"As for the name--well, this may prevent us from picking a name in one night, but I think all the people in the caravan should be asked for suggestions, and the council can pick the one you like best."
"We shall name it well!", Dorick says, clearly in a buoyant mood.
Well, hopefully a name won't cause too much of a ruckus. But knowing some of the folks in this caravan...
"I don't consider myself terribly inventive, but I think a name that might give folks a sense of peace and hope is Haven."