Abandoned - Crystal Canyon - Story 36

[Abandoned]

Chapter 3


  Before the end of year 2, a tunnel was dug through the mountain near our house, there was a lot of branches and stone to be had just on the other side.  A tree fellow came out of the forest to guard the entrance.  No one would get past him to go where they shouldn't, as you well know, weary traveler.  I felt a lot safer when I was home alone with the children even though Danning was close by teaching at the school which now had 2 students.   We had our 2nd daughter before the end of the year and Rohann and Collee, in the other mountain house, had their 3rd son.  It was a difficult birth and fearing we would lose her, a small cemetery was built out behind the corn field.  By spring of year 3 mother and child were doing fine.

  It was a rainy spring and summer that year.  The summer temperatures were in the low 70Fs but the rain was very cold.  Clouds of mist would rise from the warm ground especially along the river bank.  When it wasn't raining it was a pleasant walk along the river listening to the call of the cranes and checking on the progress of the Council Hall that was being built.  It was hard to think of myself as a town elder and member of the town council when I was only in my teens.

  In late summer of year 3 we had our 1st town council meeting.  Although some time was spent discussing long range plans, the main topic was our food supply.  Our corn harvest was very poor, only 214 ears that year, but it did provide us with some grain.  747 fish were caught from the fishing tree, a much better use of manpower.   Across the river by the bend in the river would be another good fishing spot, although it was some distance from town.  There were also several herds of reindeer and flocks of grouse on that side of the river.  We needed more down for warm coats.  It was agreed we needed a bridge and roads.

  By late autumn a covered bridge was built across the river and a tree fellow made his way slowly from the forest to guard the exit on the other side.  A stockpile and small storage shed were build on this side of the river and roadwork had begun.  Getting around town would be quicker and easier next year.

[Abandoned]

Chapter 4


  At the beginning of year 4 we discovered there were indeed several good hunting spots across the river as well as a lot of stone and branches to gather.  There was another downed tree extending into the river that would make a good fishing tree, it was in the exact spot we would have wanted it.  At that time we did not have a worker to spare, but as Danning suggested at the council meeting, it would not hurt to have workplaces ready and waiting for graduating school students.  As our population increased so must our food production.  At the end of the previous year, Danning and I had our 3rd daughter and Rohann and Collee had their 4th son.

  While clearing a path around that fishing tree, several bears were spotted heading this way.  We had not seen bears this close to town for 2 years.  They did remain in forest however, crossing  in front of mother tree and the foundation of a gatherer's tower that was being built.  A tree fellow appeared and stayed in position as if guarding the builder and the bears.  The gatherer's tower was completed in late spring of year 4 but would have no gatherer for quite awhile.

  Although Crystal Canyon's population had grown to 25, there were still only us 10 adults to do the work.  We had only one full-time laborer and wild foods were not being collected.  Our food supply was dropping.  With only one hunter we did not have enough down to make warm coats.  We decided to build a trading post.  The Elven Council told us that if the need arose for a trading post, they would send trustworthy boatmen our way.  We lost a good portion of our corn crop before the trading post was complete.  We hoped the following year would be better.

[Gatherer]

The Elven Council told us that if the need arose for a trading post, they would send trustworthy boatmen our way.

Perhaps Kylandro will be seen again.

[Abandoned]

  Kylandro, the Legend 

[Abandoned]

Chapter 5


  In year 5, things did not get much better, but they did not get worse.  The blacksmith stopped making tools and went to work stocking the trading post with firewood, linen clothes, and wild honey.  We collected branches and wild foods when we could.

  In spring our son, Hencere, was born.  The town now had 10 adults and 16 children, 8 boys and 8 girls.  Of the 16 children 5 were students, 1 was age 7, 1 was age 8, and 3 were age 9.  It would be at least 2 years before the 3 oldest became educated workers.  By late summer 2 more children started school.

  In autumn Kenise the seed trader came to port.  He had little to say and only had walnut tree seedlings to trade.  We knew they would not do well in this climate so he was soon on his way.  We had not planted the apple tree seedlings we had because we had no spare worker to plant or tend the trees.  We doubted they would do much better than our corn crop in this cold climate with its short growing season.

  Lamonty the hunter began complaining about the cold.  He was cold and lonely by himself on the other side of the river waiting for the herds to show up.  If he saw a reindeer herd and moved his hunting spot, the herd would then move somewhere else.  The same with the grouse.  He was very happy when we suggested he return to town and begin roasting some of the venison that was already in storage.  If a herd showed up close by, he could easily set up a hunting spot temporarily.  That winter he had the warmest workplace in town.

[kid1293]

That mod Nordic Landscape has it's good and not so good.
It looks very nice but the climate is hard.
In some ways it feels like home up here in Sweden
where I sit and wait for warmth

[brads3]

food production is going to be troublesome. micro managing and starting harvest early can help. you would almost have to with orchards. what seems to hurt is low summer temps.crops stop growing when it drops much below 70.up there i have to use smaller field sizes and lots more of them too.

     KID's gothic beekeeper would help with apples and honey.his greenhouses would help. maybe a granny park walnut tree.otherwise you are looking to eat lots of fish or do some fancy trading.

[Abandoned]

  Aspenglow's climate more difficult  snow and cold all year.  This will be easier.

[Abandoned]

Chapter 6


  In early spring of year 6, we debated whether or not to even plant the corn crop, it had done so poorly the year before, only 80 ears.  It was our only grain except for the few wild oats we were able to find.  With only 1 laborer the search area was limited to the immediate vicinity.  The poor harvest convinced us that it was time to put our special location and our Elven knowledge to work.

  Secluded in these northern mountains and winter woodlands lie Crystal Canyon and Crystal Creek,  areas of natural beauty and wonder.  The colorful surface crystals in the valley mark areas where crystals can be farmed.  The surface crystals are best left where they are, but the ones just below the surface have absorbed the power of both the sun and the earth and are quite powerful.  Some are suitable for constructing special buildings and some are powerful mana crystals necessary for Elven spellcasting.  Elven magic was needed now.

  We began some preliminary preparations by extending the tunnel road and building a stockpile and small storage shed.  There were downed branches, stones, and trees to clear out of the way we wanted the road to extend.  It was slow going due to lack of laborers even though work at the smith and tailor was halted.  Corn harvesting was started and finished, it was better than last year but not good.  Work had begun on the Crystal Garden so there was no time to gather wild foods.  When the corn farmer finished harvesting the corn he went to work at the gatherer's tower.  In that short time he would gather 384 wild foods compared to the 240 ears of corn he harvested the whole year.

  The crystal garden was completed by the end of the year.  A magical tree sprouted in the garden by the power of the mana crystals around a magical tree seed that had lain dormant in the ground for who knows how many years.  The tree that grew was the magical tree that tree fellows sprang from.  There was more magic to come.

[Gatherer]

Are those crystals spawning naturally outside the Crystal Garden or are they decorative?

[kid1293]

Decorative only. I figured if I make a spawning crystal they would take away too many trees
and I don't know how many crystals there would be.

[Abandoned]

Chapter 7


  Everyone at the spring of year 7 council meeting agreed we needed a hunting tower.  Not one wild animal had come anywhere near our hunting spots last year, not a one.  We only had a little roasted venison and a small amount of leather in storage.  There was no game, down, or furs to be had.  A hunting tower was needed but would be of little use without Elven bows.  It was well-know throughout the land that the Elven bow was the best hunting bow to be had.  What wasn't know was the fact that the Elven bows were enchanted with an Elven magic spell that not only insured accuracy but guaranteed that any arrow fired from it would cause no pain or suffering to the animal.

   Each hunt from the hunting tower required an Elven bow.  The bows were made from wood and vines in a spell tower where mana crystals were used to cast the enchantment spell which only last for one hunt.  Our crystal garden was already producing mana crystals.   A small trellis was set up to grow vines that when cut would be just the right length to string onto the bow.  Now we just need to brush up on our spellcasting. 

  An outdoor magic school was constructed, outdoors was the safest place to learn and practice magic.  Our Elven magic spellbook was brought out and place on a stone table.  The book had a protection spell cast upon it to safeguard it from the elements.  Elven children were taught basic magic spells at a young age, those that excelled in spellcasting became magicians.

We were ready to build a spell tower but first we needed to stop cutting wood and start making iron tools again.   We would need to gather branches and wild foods, especially wild oats.  We planted no corn crop that year.  While out gathering in the magic forest, we discovered the most beautiful pond.  It was not frozen, in fact the water was quite warm, no doubt warmed by the power of the magic crystals.  The pond was in the deep shade cast by the towering pine trees but it seemed to have a  magical glow around it.  We looked forward to seeing the pond in spring.

[Abandoned]

Chapter 8


  The pond was even more beautiful in spring of year 8.  The colorful crystals glowed in the sun and their warmth in the cooler spring air created a magic mist, the same mist which could be seen all around the Crystal Creek side of town.

  Construction of the spell tower began in spring and was completed in Summer.  A magician would cast spells with mana crystals to create enchanted tools or Elven bows. We had plenty of wood on the stock piles and mana crystals and vines in storage.  Katti had the most magical experience so she accepted the job of making and enchanting Elven bows.  After a while Danning took over.  I began teaching basic magic in the magic school next door.

One of the first magic spells taught to new students was the Elven summon fairy spell and as was typical there were soon several tiny fairies in the vicinity of the school.  The new spellcasters were reminded repeatedly to be cautious of where and when they cast magic spells.  Elven magic was powerful magic, it must be respected and it must not fall into the wrong hands.

  In early winter Crystal Canyon's first school student, Stewardo, became an educated adult.  We would have an extra worker and since we now had Elven bows on hand it was time to chose a location for the Elven Hunter tower.  Not only would arrows fired from the enchanted bows be pain free and accurate but they would be very long range.  The location of the tower could be closer to town.  We decided to built the 1st tower close to where the bows were made and enchanted.  The tower was completed by late winter and the new year looked promising.

[Gatherer]

This really is an interesting little mod.

[Abandoned]

   It does have some very unique things added - it is fun to play with.    And there's more