World of Banished

Intro


This is the 34th story in the Smallville Series and, like story 33, it features the soon to be released mod Kid Old Town Ports & Pirates. This story tells the history of Riverboat Junction, the oldest town in Smallville's World. There were already established trade routes before Smallville was settled as mentioned in that 1st story and in the 2nd story, Mountain Mission.  It was then referred to as the port at river junction, later throughout the series it was call Riverboat Junction.  Its location is just below the bottom center of the world map.  All river routes and rivers lead to it including what once was Smallville's main river from the south, Red Rock's River from the west, and Pirate's Cove River from the east.  It is the main port and trade center where all river boatmen return to exchange merchandise and pick up special orders.  Riverboat Junction was founded some time before Smallville but its history begins in year 1 SVT,  Riverboat Junction's storytelling takes place much later.


Map seed # 538011675    Flatland-Humid,  Small,  No Snow,  Off,  Palm Tree Easy Start


Mods enabled and load order:


Starting and Map Changing Mods: Call of Nature Soundtrack, Banished UI Maps, Banished UI Town Names, Labor Window, RK Minimized Status, RK Vanilla TP, CC Light Rain, Climate-No Snow,  New Maps, Palm Tree Start

Tweak Mods:  Better Fields, Bigger Wheelbarrows, Busy Laborers, Fishing Dock 25%, Hunting & Gathering, Hunting Season, Increased CC, Longer Living Orchards, 1:1 Alternative,  Rock Respawn, Tiny Smoke, Woodcutter +3

Major or Must Have Mods: An Empty Square, Nomad Sign Complete, DS Jetty & Bridges v1, Kid More Houses Vanilla, Kid Old Town, Kid Old Town Ports & Pirates, Kid Tiny, Kid Wood Fort, NMT 3.1Series Canal Set

Supporting Mods:   Coal Furnace, Kid Granny's Park, Kid House Boat, Kid In Transit, Kid Storage Carts, Kid Yard Cover, Old Hunter Hut, RK Carts, RK Pigs as Livestock, Sample White Chicken, Smuggler Cave, Storage Crates



Yes, weary traveler, you are very lucky indeed to have made it here alive.  Many ships that left Newport and Riverview Resort were never seen or heard from again.  Merchant ships and riverboats usually outrun the pirates by throwing their cargo overboard.  You were lucky your sailing ship managed to escape.  I am sure it was a very frightening experience for you.  There have been pirates in these waters as long as anyone here can remember.  In fact one of their smuggler's caves is not far from here.  It's beautifully carved, too bad their stone carvers didn't use their remarkable skills for good and not evil.  Yes, I can tell you the history of Riverboat Junction, my grandparents, Bald and Nanner, were actually one of the founding families.  I'll start right from the beginning.

Hi Abandoned!
I have two questions. First I would like to know (if that is possible) what is the difference betwen current and yours version1 of Jetty&Bridge.
Second is Coal Furnace. I'm not familiar with any of these two mods. Could you tell me where to download them.
  Thanks in advance.   Regards  zak 4862  :)

Hi @zak4862 - Coal furnace is a very old and very ugly mod I did to get some coal from logs.
I have learned it does not work that way. The bannies use it though :)
I can see no harm in sending you that old file. Here it is.
It uses 8 wood to get 3-4 coal.

Hi kid1293
Thank you very much for your answer and mod.
     Regards  zak 4862  8)  :)

@zak4862 v1 of DS Jetty and Bridges is very basic, the jetty pieces, some fishing and storage and jetty housing and a few other things.  All that has been added is listed on download page here

http://worldofbanished.com/index.php?action=downloads;sa=view;down=188

Thank you.  :)

While we are at this question - Where do I get that old file?

Check here and check for other mods. They usually keep old versions.

https://www.nexusmods.com/banished/mods/63?tab=files

Chapter 1


  There were 6 families that had farms in this area.  Surviving was difficult enough but they often had crops and livestock stolen by pirates.  One by one for safety they relocated to the river junction.  They had family and friends both upriver and down.  The smaller creeks were deep enough especially in spring for their riverboat to travel north.  What began as trips to take surplus food to those families expanded to take their surplus goods further to others and from there even farther before returning.  Grandpa Bald could have told you all about how those darn-fool railroad loggers jammed up the lake and river, and Grandma Nanner had family in the small farm village that was buried when the mountain came down.  She loved to tell the story how some of the children survived and settled the town those loggers abandoned.  Yes, Smallville, I guess everyone has heard of Smallville.

  Grandma and grandpa loved to tell stories about the olden day and my mother remembers most of then and told them to my brothers, my sisters, and to me.  Yes, a large family, I have 5 siblings.  Mother said when the 6 families got together at the junction they immediately got to work on the basics, a large barn, houses, a pasture for the chickens and small sheds for the other animals.  They built a fishing pier, a wood cutter, a smith and a tailor.  They also built 2 small bridges across the creek and began clearing fields to plant wheat and beans.  The following spring they welcomed several families also from the surrounding areas.  A boarding house was built and a school, and more houses.  Other families would arrive with their wheat or corn when they heard a water wheel mill had been built at the junction.  A bridge was built across the river and a new riverboat was soon ready to take families and their flour back to their farms.

  The town continued to grow, a forester, a hunting lodge with its own residence, an apothecary, and a plum orchard were built across the creek.  A Hall of Records was built in the center of town.  The town elder had their first town meeting and officially named the town Riverboat Junction since all the riverboats would return here where all the rivers meet.  Another riverboat was built.  It was decided at that first town meeting that the riverboats would no longer be just delivering goods for free, the boatmen would need to receive goods of equal value in exchange.  They soon had several more trade routes established and boatmen returned with goods and orders.  Tools and clothes were needed.  In year 5, Riverboat Junction built its first trading post.

Chapter 2


  Riverboat Junction experienced rapid growth over the next 5 years.  Another trading post was built to store goods for the river boatmen to pick up.  It took a very long time for the boatmen to return from their routes, there were still logs in the lakes and rivers that had to be avoided.  One of the general goods merchants returned from Smallville with news that they had built a greenhouse for tree seedling to reforest the area devastated by the loggers and by recent flooding.  He accepted some of those seedlings in trade and they would be planted by Riverboat Junction foresters.  Mother said Grandma Nanner just loved those trees, they were so different from the palm trees that grew here.

  By year 10, the Junction had 2 bakeries making bread from wheat flour.  There were more crop fields cleared and planted with more wheat, beans, and potatoes.  More housing was built for the workers.  There was a cemetery, and a charcoal furnace making coal for better toolmaking.   A new section of town was designated as worker's row for the sole purpose of making tools and clothing.  There was a row of warehouses to store goods and a market where workers could get needed supplies.

  Father said Grandpa Bald loved telling stories about the treasure map one of the boatmen brought back with him.  It was found in an abandoned smuggler's cave by a farm family back up the east creek.  Apparently that map created quiet a stir around town especially when a treasure chest was dug up at the spot that was marked with an X on the map.

  Worker's Row continued to grow and another forester was set up to the east of there to supply logs to the blacksmiths.  That forester would also plant Smallville seedling.  A gatherer would collect wild foods.  The boatman who brought the treasure map, returned to Riverboat Junction by the east creek, past the Smuggler's cave nearest RJ.  There had been no activity anywhere near it but it wouldn't hurt to keep an eye on it.  Besides the boatmen, the forester, and gatherer were a bit concerned since they were the closest to it.  A lighthouse was built halfway between the forester and the cave.  Grandma Nanner and the other womenfolk felt a lot safer from pirates once that lighthouse was built.

  The east creek flowed into the main river by the small fishing bridge.  The riverboats merged into the main river currant and returned to the trading posts.  Any drift wood that was washed into the main river bypassed the east creek and continued to where the boats were tied up.  To prevent any boats being damaged, a driftwood collector was built near the east creek junction.  Some of the elders thought it should have been built even farther upriver.  Grandpa Bald said no matter what decision was made, some of the elders disagreed.

Chapter 3


  Over the next 10 years Riverboat Junction continued to prosper and grow.  In spring of year 25 the population was 171, 113 adults, 26 students, and 32 young children.  My mother, Nelian, was among the children. Grandma and grandpa had 6 children and my mother was the youngest. 

  The town grew in size as well.  Worker's row had more blacksmiths and tailors  and of course more housing.   All the town elders agreed that the multi-family worker's housing and small shacks were cheap and easy to build and kept the workers close to their worksites.  The workers often complained to the elders about the overcrowding.   A small tavern was built by the waterfront to keep the workers happy.  Fitzhughie, the fisherman, drowned.  Some thought it was because he drank too much ale.  He may have been the 1st to die falling from the jetty but would not be the last.

  Another death soon followed.  The overcrowding was blamed for the spread of measles and the death of another citizen.  A tiny hospital was built and the outbreak was soon over.  It was not long before the first cases of scarlet fever were reported.  Again overcrowding was blamed but at least no one died from that disease.

  After the fisherman drowned, the town elders decided the wheat would be put to better use being milled for flour than for making ale despite the fact that the crops were doing well.  Another water wheel mill was built and the tavern was closed.  The jetty fishing pier was still being used and the river boatmen had a special pier to tie up their boats while they spent time in town with their families between river runs.

  The river boatmen always returned with news.  There was a new settlement in the northeast called Pumpkin Hollow.  It seems Smallville sent an expedition to farm the area to help ease their food shortages.   Another boatman returned from Smallville and he was short of merchandise.  He claimed a young couple who were running away together took crates off his boat so they could hide under the canvas.  He left the couple somewhere up the west creek with a group that wanted to build a Mission.  Whether the town elders believed him or not, they decided all these shortages had to stop.  The value of the shortage was deducted from his family's ration of food and goods. The school children were given a stern lecture about right and wrong and the evil of being together at a young age.   Mother said she got the same lecture from Nanner, and mother gave it to us girls.

Chapter 4


  By year 30, there was a demand for more food as more family farms failed or were flooded out.  Smallville saw an increase in refugees and the need for even more food.  Riverboat Junction wanted to increase its food supply.  A fishing jetty and fish drier was built on the small lake by the crop fields.  More fishermen and hunter were added at various locations.  More houses, storage barns, warehouses, and markets were built.  More blacksmiths and tailors were added to workers row.

  River boatmen brought back word of a Mountain Mining Town and a town of monks being established back up the east creek.  There was a problem with pirates in the area around Monkstown which was settled by another expedition from Smallville to build a monastery to further education and print holy books.  Riverboat Junction's elders were not too concerned about education but they saw school as a means of giving the parents more time to work in the blacksmiths, tailors, and bakeries.  My own mother missed school because the two schoolhouses were filled to capacity and building another was not high on the list of things to do.

River boatmen brought back word from the west creek that a Refugee Camp and an Animal Refuge had been established in year 32 to aide flood victims.  It was then that 8 refugees arrived in Riverboat Junction.  One of the young men promptly moved in with my mother who was living in one of the worker's cabins, they were only 15.  All my mother would say was that my father, Lutherford, was a very good-looking young man back then.  The following year when farm animals were rescued and brought to town she wanted to take care of the sheep but because she just gave birth to my oldest sister, Sanne, the job went to a neighbor.  Not getting the job gave her time to walk to the new tiny farm market across the creek.  Everything was so fresh but the market was always very crowded.  Riverboat Junction's population in year 35 was 224, 154 adults, 38 students, and 32 young children.

Chapter 5


  The river boatman who brought the rescued farm animals in year 33 was the last one seen for quite a few years.  The families were greatly concerned as you can imagine.  When Ryle, one of the general goods merchants, finally arrived everyone was overjoyed.  The tavern was reopened for the day to celebrate.  The boatmen were struggling to return to RJ, many of the rivers had dried up, there was a serious drought in the southwest.  Smallville's river dried up but not because of drought.  They sent an expedition north and discovered that a rock and mudslide had blocked the river.  The town of  Lakeland was established and was sending food to Smallville with canoes. Because of the rock slide, many of the rivers changed their course.   Another expedition went east from Smallville in search of a new waterway.  Newport was settled on the river coming down from Pumpkin Hollow.  Coming down from Newport, the boatman ran into trouble with pirates and had to throw his supplies overboard in order to out run them.   It was a long and difficult trip back, the boatman was exhausted, weak, and very hungry.

  Riverboat Junction continued to grow and prosper.  More housing and another school was built in year 36.  My parents got to move from the worker's cabin to one of the new houses because my mother was expecting my oldest brother, Hesteban.  My sister Katti would be born the following year.  My parents were both tending sheep in the sheep sheds.  Yes, weary traveler, a tongue twister, she sheared sheep in the sheep shed.  A tiny chopper was set up nearby near the creek to heat the new houses.

  One of the returning boatmen spotted an old canoe by the smuggler's cave as he went by.  He did not see or hear anything else but it was a wake up call.   That east creek was slow moving especially in the drier summer months and more so after rounding the bend.  The boatmen would surely fall prey to pirates there.  Grandpa Bald insisted that the construction of a canal be considered more seriously.  As it was, the river boatmen returning along that creek had to round that bend, row all the way up to the fishing bridge where the creek merged with the river, and then row down to the big lake and trading posts.  A canal dug from that creek bend to the big lake would save them a lot of time and effort.  The sooner they got to port the sooner they could be on their way to do more trading.

  Laborers began clearing the land and construction of the canal began immediately.  Red, the son of one of the elder, was put in charge.  Mother couldn't remember which elder Grandpa said, only that he thought the youngster seemed to know how to build a canal.   A gate was built by the lighthouse just before the bend.  A bridge across the canal was built a short distance away.  A fishing pier, a second bridge, and a storage dock were added along the way to the second gate that joined the canal to the big lake.  Father said the completion of that canal was a major event and the tavern was opened for the day to celebrate. Mother said the canal was very impressive.  Yes, weary traveler, you came through that canal.  I agree, it still is impressive, the old wood is just a bit more weathered.

That is the smuggler's cave from last map?

That is the same smuggler's cave mod but not the location in Pirate's Cove.  That one is way to the east and north, some distance away from Riverboat Junction.

Chapter 6


  In year 40, one of the returning boatmen brought sheep, and a large pasture was prepared for them over by tailor's row.  The boatman was worn out and not feeling at all well, probably from not eating right on the long roundabout route he had to take.  He was not the only boatman who returned in poor health, something had to be done.  The prosperity of Riverboat Junction depended on the river boatmen.

  The first of 2 lemon groves was planted, the lemons would help prevent scurvy.  Another apple orchard was planted and doing well.  Apples had good keeping quality.  A sack of walnuts would also travel well and last throughout a long journey so an orchard of walnut trees was also planted.  Bread would not keep well but sea biscuits would.  The bakehouse would mill the needed wheat for the biscuits, the flour needed to be ground much courser than the flour used for baking bread.   By year 43 a special warehouse dock was built where the boatman could pick up those items plus dried fish before leaving on another river run.  One of the returning boatmen brought an outbreak of scarlet fever with him.  Overcrowding was again blamed for the spread of the disease but all patients recovered, there were no deaths.  In year 46 the population of Riverboat Junction was 299.

  Riverboat men continued to bring back news. In year 45 a wagon train left the Outskirts of Smallville and was headed west.  There may soon be new trade routes in that direction.  The railroad that was built in Attach to the northeast was completed in year 47 and they were sending land surveyors through the tunnels to see what land lay ahead.  Also in the northeast, a canal was built in Bloomington that would shorten travel time considerably and make the trip much safer.  Mr. Red, who was officially made Canal Inspector, was on his way there with one of the boatmen.  Upriver from RJ not far from Smallville a resort and spa was built at Riverview by the son of a river boatman.  It was intended as a place river boatmen could meet with their families that they had not seen for a long time.  Grandpa Bald would have disapproved of river boatmen taking time off to visit a resort and spa, but grandpa died in late spring of year 48.  He was one of the first town elders to die of old age. 

As the river boatmen became more used to their new routes, their travel time became shorter and more riverboats were in port.  The jetty was extended so more boats could be tied up there while boatmen spent time with their families.

Chapter 7


  By year 50 another row of 2-story worker's cabins was complete and another row started right behind it.  There was much unrest now in RJ.  The overcrowding wasn't bad enough but the older housing units were in a state of disrepair and nothing was being done about broken floors or broken stairs or broken windows.   Residents were unhappy about poor living conditions, long hours of work, and being separated from their loved ones for long periods of time.

  Grandma Nanner was the only town elder left of the twelve.  She said Grandpa Bald and the others would have wanted the tavern reopened so the solution was to reopen the tavern.  This of course resulted in more citizens being fished out of the water by the jetty.  The townspeople's solution was to leave.  Riverview Resort sounded awfully good to them.  They began building houseboats.  In year 52 the first immigrants left Riverboat Junction.  They were not deterred by the fact that there had been a deadly tornado in Newport not far from Riverview Resort .

  I was born that summer of year 52 and in Spring of year 53 Grandma Nanner died.  It was suggested by someone that the first 2 children of each of the 6 founding family become the new 12 town elders.  Their first town decision was to keep the tavern open, their second was to send 6 families to the Red Desert northwest of Riverboat Junction.  Mr. Red and his associate, Mr. Eb, suggested it as a good place to build a rock quarry for the resource merchants to pick up stone.  The new quarry town was named Red Rock. 

  The small cemetery where Grandma Nanner was laid to rest beside Grandpa Bald was full so another cemetery was built near the tiny market.  Despite so many deaths due to old age and so many families leaving, the population was 378 by the summer of year 58.  The food surplus was still very high but it had dropped a bit.  More hunters and gatherers were added and another jetty fishing pier was built on the small lake.  On the big lake, more houseboats were ready to leave.  Mr. Red, who had returned to RJ years earlier after inspecting the canal in Bloomington and other possible sites, was building himself a red houseboat.  He planned to visit Riverview Resort for a vacation as soon as possible. 

  In year 59, a river boatman returning from Riverview brought news that a man named Savidan and a group of land surveyors were there.  They were charting the changing rivers and making a map.  This was good news indeed.

Chapter 8


  In year 60 a river boatman returned with one of the new World Maps.  At that time, the map maker had only visited 18 towns, the last was way up north in the mountains where gold was discovered.  The town of Prospect had just been put on the map.  How the world has changed since then.   Riverboat Junction was added to the World Map many years later.   A copy of that old map is framed and hanging on the wall of the Town Hall if you care to see it.   There is also a copy of the Holy Book that the monks of Monkstown had finally completed in year 61.

  At that time, RJ's food supply was still high but more food was being used than was being producing.  New crop fields were cleared and another fishing pier was built on the river.  More fisherman and hunters were added to existing workplaces.  Another cemetery was built and more worker's cabins were added on both sides of the creek as well as a few shacks.  More immigrants left for Riverview resort and Mr. Red's red houseboat was also on its way there at the end of year 62.

  It took a while for news to reach us that in year 62 the town of Summerset in the swamp was overrun with giant frogs.  It was a tragedy of Holy Book proportions.  There were survivors in need of help.  Yes, weary traveler, can you imagine that, having a giant frog eat your legs?  But, how better to help than to send peg legs like the pirates use and, the new trade good would bring in a tidy profit.  A workshop was quickly built and all riverboats headed east had a good supply of peg legs on board.  Hopefully, not too many of them would fall into the hands of the pirate's that had become quite active in those waters of late.  Not many boatman wanted to go east and most of those returning detoured to the central river to avoid the pirates.  One of RJ's best boatmen did not return at all, it was assumed that Kylandro was one of the many victims of the giant frog invasion, Summerset was on his route.

There was also news that the pirates had a larger ship, and that one of the larger sailing ships coming from Riverview Resort had disappeared.  The new town elders were surprised and concerned with the number of citizens still wanting to migrate.  The elders did not want to loss experienced workers who they had built schools for.  So far, it was young uneducated citizens who were leaving for Riverview, the exception was the group who went to the Red Desert.  They were educated.  The elders were not happy to hear that Red Rock Quarry was building a beach resort.  To discourage further migration they promised the citizens that their cabins would be renovated, floors, walls, windows, and stairs would all be repaired, and more single family houses would be built.   Citizens were outraged when the first thing that was built was a fancy new Town Hall across the river.  A hospital and a school and playground were built next.  Another group of disgruntled citizens left Riverboat Junction before renovations of the worker's cabins finally began.

These new copper roofed buildings are lovely!
I'm dying for all of this stuff to be released.  :D

I agree 100% GG.They are looking fabulous!  :o  ;)

 :)  The green copper roof was first used on Forest Outpost church, and then used in Garden Sheds II and later Granny's Park was updated with them.  The roof does look nice with the golden stone.  :)

Chapter 9


  I was still a school girl so I had plenty of time to go across the river to see what was going on.  I played on the swings in the playground.  Everyone was surprised to learn that only one family would live in each of the big mansions that was build.  The old town tavern was reopened as soon as the first grumbling about the new tavern were heard around town.  Repairs to the worker's cabins were well underway before the church and lighthouses were built.  A cemetery would be built by the church, Riverboat Junction had a lot of people dying from old age.

  In early spring of year 67 my parents shack was being renovated and Tavonte, the hunter, asked me to marry him.  We moved into the hunting lodge residence across the river by the newly planted apple orchard.  The walnut parks on that side of town were already producing walnuts.  In late winter our son, Joaquinn was born.

  In year 68 cabin renovations continued and a small chapel was built in the old part of town.  Some said it was built to keep more of the citizens on that side of town.  The worker's cabins were even more over-crowded, there were many young people still living with their parents.  Across the river a farmer's market was built as well as a small gazebo.  Construction of more single-family houses had begun and would continue the following year.  They were not nearly as large as the mansions but they were much bigger than the worker's cabins in Old Town.  By late summer of year 69 the row of new houses was complete and families had moved in, mostly children and grandchildren of the town elders.  Tavonte and I had our 2nd son, Urie.   That brought the population of Riverboat Junction to 442, 325 adults, 54 students, and 63 young children.  The education rate was 88%.

The new part of town looks really good. Love those copper roofs and the layout of the buildings with the town hall as the focal point.

Thanks @Gatherer, I think I succeeded in making this part of town look more open and spacious than the busy overcrowded old part of town.  The copper roof is a very pleasant color  :)

Chapter 10


  With the high rate of educated workers the production rate was also very good thus trade was good.    A new trading post, 2 warehouse ports, and another jetty were constructed on the other side of the river and big lake.  More riverboats were built as well as several large merchant sailing ships.  Other towns were prospering as well and often needed more or had more to trade than the small riverboats could carry. Some towns had their own ships and preferred to bring their goods to Riverboat Junction themselves.  And as you know, weary traveler, when there was room on the merchant ships they also accepted passengers.  The problem with these larger slower ships was pirates.  If the ships were heavily loaded or the winds weren't favorable they were easy prey.

  In summer of year 72, a merchant ship from Mountain Mines arrived in port having managed to outrun the pirates.  They had to throw crates of valuable jade statues, sapphire necklaces, diamond rings, and fruit wines overboard.  River boatmen with eastern routes were adamant that none of their customers were attempting to trade any of those goods, they must still be at the bottom of the east river.  Earlier that year, a sailing ship carrying a family of 5 was not so lucky, the ship disappeared in those same waters and the family was not seen or heard from since. 

  It sparked a controversy when another boatman outran a pirate ship without throwing his cargo overboard.  Some claimed the others were too hasty parting with their merchandise and the elders agreed and issued a warning.  This resulted in several severely injured boatmen returning without their cargo and another still had not returned.  The pirates were getting bolder. Several small farm villages reported being raided, their storage barns pillaged.  One pirate ship got pretty close to RJ before it disappeared into the fog. 

  Some blamed that cool damp foggy weather on the outbreak of influenza in late summer of year 73, and of course overcrowding was blamed for the spread of the disease.  There were numerous cases in Old Town but only 1 patient in the new hospital on the other side of the river.  There were more house on that side of the river now and more were being built all the time, but they were single family houses with more space in between.   

  The disease, the weather, and the focus on building were all blamed for the recent pirate activity southeast of town going unnoticed.  The pirates built a watch tower, and a pirate's stash was discovered.  It appeared one of our warehouses or storage barns had been pillaged.  Everything they stole from us they could have easily gathered themselves.  The smuggler's cave was empty and there were no pirates to be found.

Chapter 11


  There was no further activity near the Smuggler's Cave during year 75, only the usual attempts to waylay the river boatmen.  There was an increase in the number of deaths from old age and there were now several new town elders.  My parents were still alive and well and still living in the same house.  My mother was still tending the sheep in the sheep shed.  She sheers the sheep in the sheep shed.   No, weary traveler, I will not repeat that again faster ten times.

  Despite the large number of recent deaths, Riverboat Junction's population in late spring of year 76 was 516, 347 adults, 60 students, and 109 young children.  Our education rate was very good at 92%.  We still needed housing for young families and our overall health could have been better.  A tiny herbalist was built and, of course, more housing.

  In early spring of year 78, a young man came to town in a riverboat he claimed to have found back in the swamp to the east where he lived.  His name was Brette, he was well-mannered and seemed to be well-educated. He seemed to know some of the boatmen.  He said he was a pig farmer and found that pigs thrived in the swamp, loved wallowing in the soggy swamp soil, were easy to care for, and multiplied well. The pork meat was delicious.  He thought swamp settlements would thrive raising pigs and wanted the Junction's help distributing the animals.  The town elders did not consider the matter for very long before they agreed, they recognized a profitable venture when they heard one.  The swamp region needed something to make the trade runs there worthwhile, the boatmen were returning with froglegs that no one wanted.  The froglegs did not keep long and amounted to a sizeable loss of profit.

  The elders did not want the pigs on the new side of town, that's where most of them lived, and there was no room in Old Town.  The only area large enough for a pasture was on the other side of the canal but no one wanted to work that close to the smuggler's cave.  Brette did not mind the location but he would only be staying until the pigs were settled and breeding as they should.  He had to get back to his pig farm in the swamp.  So, even though there had been no further pirate activity in that area,  a fort wall with watchtowers was built and even the canal fishermen felt more secure.  Later that year the wall was extended on both ends.

  The following year everything changed.  I remember the day well, it was my daughter, Kalynn's 9th birthday.  Her grandparents were over to celebrate with us and the men went to the Kings Arms tavern for ale.  It was getting dark when they returned with the news.  The worker lighting the fire at the Old Town lighthouse spotted a red houseboat run aground by the smuggler's cave.  The houseboat was just like the one owned by Mr. Red, the canal inspector, who was expected to return at any time.  The men would investigate first thing in the morning.

The plot thickens :)

 :)


Chapter 12


  The men left at first light headed for the houseboat and smuggler's cave.  They crossed the far canal bridge and came to a halt.  Nailed to the fort wall was a badly spelt and poorly worded note scribbled with a piece of coal on a scrap of cloth.  "U want cannel man giv 100 barrolls of rum to porthowse".  That's right, weary traveler, the pirates were holding Mr. Red, the canal inspector, hostage for ransom, they wanted 100 barrels of rum. 

  An emergency town hall meeting of elders was called.  It was agreed that the ransom must be paid to rescue Mr. Red, he was afterall a valued member of the community.  The problem was the rum, where do they get the rum.  Word went out with the boatmen that we needed rum.  Brette, the pig farmer, heard of this and came forward with the information that he knew the recipe and knew how to make rum.  It was made back in the swamp where sugar cane was grown and milled into the sugar that was distilled into rum.  He described the buildings needed and the process.  Word again went out with the boatmen.

  By early spring of year 80, Brette was gone.  No one knew when he left or how, but his old riverboat was gone.  Down the east river the pirate's built a stone warehouse port where the rum was to be delivered to pay the ransom.  Waylor, the general goods merchant, returned first with sugar cane seeds.  But it was too late, the crop fields had already been planted and were doing well.  It was to late to clear new fields for the sugar cane.  In early summer, Uniqua, another general goods merchant, returned with sugar cane.  All 2000 canes were delivered to the nearest storage unit and then to the just constructed sugar mill.  The rum distillery would be up and running in late summer.

  Late autumn of year 80 marked one year since the ransom note was found and we were just starting to make the rum.  There was no sign of life around the pirate's base during the day, but the lighthouse keeper saw movement by the pirate's stash at night.  Was the captive still alive?  We dare not risk his safety by going too near.  We could only hope he was alive and well, and produce the needed rum as soon as possible. 

Chapter 13


  They tiny hunting tower was dismantled and another distillery was built in its place.  The barrels of rum were put in the small shed where 3 workers with wheelbarrows picked them up to take to the pirate's warehouse.  It was a long way to go with the heavy barrels and was taking longer than we had hoped.  Another year went by and we still did not have enough rum to pay the ransom.  In late autumn of year 81 there were only 36 rum barrels in the pirates warehouse, by late winter there were 55.

  In spring of year 82, sugar cane was planted in one of the bean fields.  The crop did well and was harvested by late autumn.  During that summer of 82, one of the pirates was spotted during the day going to the stash for fuel.  The pirate was a woman.  We assumed she was getting firewood for heat and cooking so perhaps Mr. Red did not mind quite so much being held captive.  There were 71 barrels of rum in the pirate's warehouse and more than enough waiting in the shed to be picked up and delivered to pay off the ransom.  The Imperial Fleet had arrived to secure the area and rid it of the pirate infestation, the waterways around Riverboat Junction were now being patrolled.  Four of the Crown ships were waiting for the captive's release before clearing this area.

  In late autumn of year 82, the last of the rum was delivered to the pirate's warehouse and we all waited.  Cheers rang out all around town when Mr. Red's red houseboat was spotted coming through the canal and returning to port.  The Imperial ships were on their way to the smuggler's cave but when they got there they were too late.  The pirates made a hasty escape but failed to take the rum  with them.  Their watchtower and stash were dismantled and the rum was reclaimed before the warehouse was also demolished.  The rum was taken to the King's Arm for the victory celebration. 

Cool looking ships!

Quote from: Gatherer on October 21, 2018, 12:31:24 PM
Cool looking ships!

Be patient! You'll get them tomorrow. :)

This story took me by surprise. It is really a story, not just a city building blog.
Big thanks to @Abandoned for writing it!

 :) Thank you @kid1293 for making these Old Town mods and all the special request you included for me.   :)

Another good story, Abandoned!  And Kid, I am loving the stone houses and buildings with one of my favorite greenish roofs!  They would be nice to have a second roof choice of the multi-colored tile roofs from the original Granny Park houses. 

Hi @galensgranny !  :)
I am sad to say that I already have 7 f-key variants on the houses. I think that is enough.

I would love to have every house I built in 42 textures!  ;)

Quote from: kid1293 on October 22, 2018, 01:01:20 AM
Hi @galensgranny !  :)
I am sad to say that I already have 7 f-key variants on the houses. I think that is enough.

I would love to have every house I built in 42 textures!  ;)

dont do like Red... that guy is rather crazy :P

agree  ;D ;D

Chapter 14


  Now, at the beginning of year 83, folks are glad to have life return to normal.  There are 579 citizens in Riverboat Junction, 375 adults, 106 students, and 98 young children.  The Old Port town has certainly grown since those first 6 farm families settled here.  The Old Town, though crowded, is functional and convenient while the newer part across the river is spacious and more gracious. 

  The waterways have also returned to normal with only a few larger pirate ships attempting to waylay the riverboats, as you know.  But for the time being, at least, there are no reports of pirate raids on small villages, and no river boatman have returned to port injured. The nearby smuggler's cave has no pirates.

  So, weary traveler, it is time to bid you farewell.  Thank you for your patience listening to the story of Riverboat Junction. Your ship has finally come in and is loaded with lemons and sea biscuits for your journey.  You will want to stop at the download section for Kid Old Town Ports & Pirates.   


The End


Thank you, Kid  :)

Kid Old Town Ports & Pirates mod used in Pirate's Cove Story 33 and in Riverboat Junction Story 34 can be found here:

http://worldofbanished.com/index.php?topic=2635.0

 :) Nothing new, just moving story 34 above story 33