Intro
This is the 52th story in the Smallville Series. It takes place in the polar region northeast of Crystal Canyon (story #36). The Preserve was settled by wood elves who were among the group of elves sent from the North Pole South Annex (story 21) to the Winter Woodlands (story 22) to care for wild animals who were struggling to survive the worsening weather conditions. Families were leaving the area and farm animals were also being abandoned. These elves met and advised some monks, who later founded Aspenglow (story 35), to follow a group of lost sheep that were headed north. These elves were headed northeast after being told by a river boatman from North Port (story 38) that if the wild animals in the polar region were not helped soon, they would be gone forever. These wood elves would establish an animal preserve on Ice Mountain in year 63 SVT.
Map # 344633301 Mountain, Small, More Snow, disasters Off, Easy (8 Families)
Mods enabled in load order:
Starting and Map Changing Mods: Call of Nature Soundtrack, Banished UI Maps, Labor Window, RK Minimized Status, Jinxie Natural Decorations, Maritimes Riffle, Kid Ice Castle (new, testing)
Tweak Mods: Better Stockpiles, Better Stockpile Storage, Busy Laborers, Fishing Dock 25%, Hunting, Hunting Season, Increased CC, 1:1 Alternative, override Ice Castle clothes, Rocks Respawn
Major or Must Have Mods: An Empty Square, Jinxie Bitty Rabbit Hutch, Kid Abandoned Places, Kid Friendly Blue (new, testing), Kid Workplace, Mini Buildings
Supporting Mods: Campfire, DS Tunnels, I See Fire, Kid Animal Pen, Kid Fish n Ships, Kid Market Carts, Kid Mist, Kid Some Boats, Snowman
Mod info: I have Kid Ice Castle as a start condition mod in my mod order. It has snow year round, special animals, and only vanilla pine trees. There are different numbers of starting families, none with seeds or livestock. There are ice structures and deco made for this climate included. This mod should not be used with other mods that change trees, climates, animals, or start conditions.
Kid Friendly Blue was actually the first retextured Friendly Neighborhood to match Kid Tree Toppers mod. (Kid Friendly Blue Too has the same blue roof but vanilla wood walls, this has weathered grey walls.) Friendly Blue was designed with winter in mind and has some special extras added but it can be used with any climate or start. If using Friendly Blue with Ice Castle as I am doing - Tree Topper mod is not recommended because the treehouse trees will have leaves in the snow.
Welcome to our Nature Preserve, weary traveler. You look half frozen. Sit by the fire to warm up while I tell you about our Elven settlement.
Note: None of the Ice Castle starts have anything other than stockpiles and carts already on the map
Chapter 1
Who better to send to protect and defend wildlife than wood elves, we have a special way with animals. On the way northeast we befriended a pack of wild dogs who then helped pull our supply carts through the snow. We rescued a group of abandoned farm animals also, 2 cows, 2 sheep, and some chickens. We would not be able to travel too far with the livestock even though we wrapped the chickens in hide coats and put them in one of the carts. When we came to an area of ice caves by the river we decided it was where we would stay.
There were enough caves for each of our 8 families to have one, there were 21 of us, 16 adults and 5 children. My name is Dall and my husband is Lillam, we were the eldest with no children so we were put in charge. We would take care of 2 of the sled dogs. There was a large cave that could be used for storage so we temporarily put the livestock in that cave. There was a cave to the west by one of the fishing ponds that seemed to be more rock, coal, and iron than ice so we put a wooden sign above the entrance designating it as a mine cave. There was a lot of surface stone nearby so we quickly built a stone wall to form a cemetery.
Besides the 2 fishing ponds there were 2 hedgerows that would provide us with herbs, winter hardy berries, and branches for firewood. We only saw a pair of elks when we arrived, we would do no hunting until we assessed the wildlife situation here. We of course had the finest elven bows and arrows, made for accuracy and pain free hunting. From the hilltop behind our ice caves looking north across the river, we could see a small group of polar bears but there were no baby bears with them. There was also a sunken ship there and another one much closer. They must be 2 of the supply ships the river boatman said were sent from Riverboat Junction. There would be time to explore later, first we had work to do.
Chapter 1 screenshots :)
Chapter 2
Once we were settled in our caves, our first priority was our livestock and food supply. We set up an animal pen outside and began building a large animal barn to house the livestock when temperatures fell into the teens and single digits. We no sooner got the animals out of the storage cave than a snowy owl appeared in the dead tree overlooking the animal pen. The snowy owl was one of the animals we were here to protect but we must also protect our chickens. We immediately put our only rooster inside the pen's small tent. Food was scarce for the wildlife and livestock.
We built a cleaning shed to collect what plant debris we could find by digging beneath the snow. We added potato peels and berries to feed the livestock. We would need to grow food for them as well as for ourselves. The animals were providing us with fertilizer, eggs, milk, and wool. We built another cleaning shed to clear fertilizer from the animal barn once the livestock were moved inside. We built a greenhouse and used the fertilizer to grow oats, the plant debris would then feed the livestock. We would build more greenhouse for potatoes and berries.
By the end of the year we built a woodcutter, an mini outdoor classroom, and a mini town hall to keep our records. We did not get a teacher working in the classroom before the first child became an adult. Our inventory records showed we were doing alright so far.
Chapter 3
In spring of year 2 Aleesa, who lived in the cave next to the newly dug tunnel, rescued a family of snowshoe rabbits from falling prey to a snowy owl. Her husband, Lamare, built a rabbit hutch for them and kept 2 torches lit to keep the snowy owl at bay, it was perched in the tree overlooking the hutch. Hopefully, the grains and plant debris would attract enough small arctic rodents to feed the snowy owls. With careful management, we would have rabbit meat to feed ourselves and the sled dogs.
The elk herd was spotted again over the hill to the north, there were now 5 elk. We put out some plant debris for them and hoped they would learn that this was the place to come to when food was scarce in winter. Some of the wheat that Lillam scavenged from the shipwreck was put out for them too. Other than the wheat there was logs, iron, and firewood to be had from the wreck.
Until the elk herd increased in size significantly, we would have to rely on rabbit hides to make warm coats when we needed them. We built a tailor and a smith but as of now our supply of tools and coats was holding steady. We built a supply jetty in the hopes that another supply ship would come down the river. We feared our jetty may not still be here then, floated icebergs missed hitting it several times. The current was swift and treacherous, the ice seemed to be always moving. Often on a sunny day a huge chunk would break off from Ice Mountain and splash down into the river below. It was no wonder that river boatmen would not come this way. We repeatedly told people and children to stay off the ice, it wasn't safe.
Great work! It looks better than when I tested it :) :)
:) Thanks, it is going well. Ice caves fit well on mountain map but I am thinking terrain is interfering with polar bear population. :-\
Chapter 4
Four polar bears were spotted at the elk feeding spot. We put out crates of fish and the bears returned. We noticed that several of the bears had injuries we thought may have been caused by fishing among the ice chunks. One bear limped quite badly. Lillam saw a mother bear and 2 cubs up by the point. That was a good indication that the polar bears would survive.
Our survival here too depended on our food supply. We built a second greenhouse and planted potatoes. Our livestock was multiplying and soon we would need a second animal barn for them. Freemanuel, the fisherman, reported that the bears passed by his ice pond and one of them stopped and helped himself to some of the fresh caught fish. Well, we could spare a few more fish, our catch had been very good. Our greenhouses, animal barn, and rabbit hutch were all producing well.
In early spring of year 4, the polar bear with the limp showed up at the feeding area with a cub. Neither mother or baby seemed to be getting their fair share of food, the other 3 bears were more aggressive. It took some doing but we lured the baby and mother to our animal pen with a basket of winter berries. Mother bear seemed quite content to let us care for her and her baby.
Once again you produce a great work.
I noticed in one of your earlier posts an "Animal Barn". Will that available? Or is it specific to the Ice Castle starts?
Hi. The Animal Barn is in the Friendly Blue (with the white walls).
It is perfect for wintery settings but it will work anywhere.
To be released soon :)
Thanks
@Kristahfer The animal barn is pictured in the 2nd last picture of the last chapter, it works together with the cleaning shed and the greenhouse. As
@kid1293 said, animal barn is part of soon to be released Friendly Blue mod. Pieces like the frozen fish pond, polar bears, and ice caves are part of the Ice Castle start mod.
(Edited bc I looked at pictures before reading, heh) are the sled dogs part of the ice castle mod?
:) Hi
@Jinxiewinxie yes, there are huskies, deco ones with dog houses in both Friendly Blue and Ice Castle, there is a storage dog sled in Ice Castle mod.
Yay! Those puppers have me looking forward to playing again =)
:) I hope we are inspiring you to return to some modding. :) Jinxie's rabbit hutches are on this map :) 8)
Chapter 5
Year 5 began with a parent's worse nightmare, a boy and a bear out on the ice. The chunk of ice they were standing on broke off and was caught by the river current. It was mother bear's cry of distress that alerted us to the dire situation and we were helpless to do anything about it. If anyone could survive the frigid water they would not be able to scale the slippery ice to climb up to reach the boy and bear. We could only watch in horror and follow behind hoping the block of ice would be washed to shore. The iceberg was gaining speed and it appeared that all hope was gone when suddenly a creature of snow and ice detached itself from the icy shore, stepped out into the water, and plucked both boy and bear off the iceberg and deposited them safely on shore. We saw then that it was none other than one of Crystal Canyons frozen tree fellows, a rare Yeti.
The boy and the baby bear were reunited with their mothers and safety fences were immediately built along shore. We knew the tree fellows were protectors of the forest but it would seem they now considered us creatures of the forest that need protection.
A couple arrived in town shortly after the incident and they said they owed their lives to such an ice creature. They were migrating from the area and were going by small boat to North Port when the current caught them and took them off course. One of their oars broke on an iceberg. Had the creature not jumped into the water and pushed their boat to shore a short way upstream, they surely would have perished. They would gladly stay with us but wanted a house build as far from shore as possible. We build our second animal barn nearby.
Chapter 6
That winter was a very cold and snowy one. The wildlife were having even more trouble finding food, one feeding station was not enough. We followed elk tracks from the fish pond and put out plant debris there and took a dog sled with fish and berries farther west to feed the polar bears. In spring we would transplant winterberries from the hedgerows to several other locations.
When the temperature warmed in spring of year 6 we had a few bees hatch in one of the greenhouses. We built a small greenhouse and set a few hives inside and hoped we would soon have an apiary producing honey. That sudden rise in temperature and spring sunshine caused a thicker than normal mist to form over the icy river and more ice crystals appeared on shore. Thinking of our migrant couple and the possibility of a supply ship coming to our jetty, we built a light house at the north point river bend.
Our care and feeding of the wildlife paid off. When the polar bears and elk herd moved on in fall, the elks had a baby buck with them. There was still no more baby bears though.
We thought it was time to have a special treat ourselves. We thought it would be too dangerous to build a watermill for flour so we set up a workplace grinder by the storage carts. We thought it time we start emptying the carts, a new ice cave formed out of the spring mist on shore near the jetty, it would serve well as a storage unit. When 2 of the carts were emptied we built a bakery in their place and by spring of year 7 we had delicious oat cookies.
Mod note: Herb bread has been added to the bakery menu
@Abandoned ;D ;D ;D Great story, beautiful landscapes and winter accessories - Well done! Regards
Chapter 7
Our first task of year 7 was to decide on a location for a new school. Our outdoor classroom had room for only 1 more student and there were several 4 and 5 year olds. Lillam and I had 2 boys ages 3 and 5 and we wanted them to have an education. We did not want to build a school on the east side of town close to the river. That left west by the fish pond or north through the tunnel. North would be closer and part of the walk to school would be inside the tunnel and out of the cold north wind. We noticed there were now several more ice formations on the north shore due to the heavy mist of late.
The increased number of icebergs was confirmed by a family of 4 who, like the other couple, were headed to North Port but got caught up in the ice flow instead. They abandoned their small boat not far from the couples damaged one when they saw the Light. They were grateful to have one of the new ice caves to call home.
It snowed heavily several time that summer but the new school was completed by early autumn. We were happy to see that the elk herd returned to the feeding area before winter. Our food supply was also good going into yet another winter but with new families we wanted to be sure not to run short of grain. We had a surplus of fertilizer on the stockpiles, more than enough to support another greenhouse for growing more oats. In winter the new teacher at the new school came down with influenza.
Chapter 8
By the time we got the mini hospital set up and running we had 2 cases of influenza. Throughout the winter, one patient would recover and another would become ill. By spring there were no new cases and the hospital was closed.
In early summer a supply ship finally arrived with 12 migrants and a story to tell. The ship was making its way from Riverboat Junction to North Port. It was snowing heavily and they had just reached the junction where the river flowed in this direction when, according to the captain an iceberg hit them sending them into this current but according to the mate a giant ice monster rose up from the water and pushed them this way. Of course we agreed with the captain that there were no such things as giant ice monsters but whatever the case may be it appeared it was meant to be. There ahead of them was a large flat iceberg with the 12 migrants on it. The families had been traveling together and were trying to get around an icy outcropping when the ice they were walking on broke away from shore. Had the ship not appeared when it did to rescue them they would surely have perished.
We were happy to say we had just completed a warm and comfortable Inn where they could stay until more houses were built. And I must admit it was nice to have more workers. We reassigned workers to clean the greenhouses and the animal barns. Some of the cows were moved outside to make the job easier. We could now collect wild foods again and put more food out at the feeding stations. We had only seen a few elks recently and only one polar bear. It must have been baby bear all grown up and returning to join its mother in the animal pen.
Our rabbits had multiplied as rabbits always do, and a 2nd hutch was set up by one of the new houses. More house were planned. We were delighted to receive apples and walnuts from the supply ship, the elk would get the apples cores. But as ships always do, this one was preparing to pull up its anchor and sail away. Winter returned soon after, and as years always do, this year came to an end too.
Does this mod change the appearance of the traders' boats, or was that a deco item?
That is only a deco boat. I do not know how to change the trader boat. :(
The supply jetty is a workplace where goods are created.
With or without a boat. But it looks better with a boat ;)
The supply jetty is from Fish n Ships mod.
:) yes, deco boat is from Kid Some Boats mod and Ice Castle shipwreck was made to match it. Any deco boat can be placed at the jetty.
Quote from: kid1293 on January 17, 2020, 12:45:40 PM
Fish n Ships mod.
I guess I missed that one! I'll go look for it.
I love the snowmen! :-*
:) The snowman I am using was made by Kid back in 2016.
Zip file here http://worldofbanished.com/index.php?topic=1347.msg25731#msg25731
snowman was later included in Kid Christmas mod and in later mod update the snowman got more scarves in different colors. :)
Chapter 9
At the beginning of year 9 our Nature Preserve had a population of 56, 31 adults, 11 students, and 14 young children. Our overall health and happiness returned to 100% after the influenza outbreak. We wanted it to stay that way so we built an herbalist/healer across from the school. The influenza patients may have recovered sooner had they been in a proper hospital rather than outside in a tent. A small hospital was built near the mine cave. A study of our inventory showed a variety of foods but we could use more eggs and milk. We had enough plant debris to feed more livestock but we were hesitant to build another animal barn, we feared we were infringing on the animal feeding grounds too much already. We saw only a few elk this spring and no polar bears.
We were also having to keep our eye on our firewood supply. One of the couples caring for the sled dogs said they could tell how cold the nights were by how many of their dogs came into the cave to sleep with them. It was a three dog night when it was very cold. The ice caves used a lot of firewood, the branches from the winter berry hedgerows helped a lot. We selectively cut trees when we needed more logs. The pine trees acted as a good wind break so we were careful where and how many we cut. We always had an eye on the thick forests across the river. Our supply jetty was built without having to step foot in the water, a bridge across the river could not be built that way and even if it could it would probably be damaged by floating icebergs or cause an ice jam. We noticed more icebergs on the river back in spring and wondered if a supply boat would be able to make it back down our river.
We would have liked to do some scouting on the other side of the river to see if the elk and polar bears had found other feeding grounds. The thick pine forests made it difficult to see anything from this side. In late autumn, high winds made it possible for us to go have a look. Several small icebergs lodged themselves against the icy outcroppings forming a bridge of ice from one side to the other. It was a dangerous risk we were taking, the ice blocks could break away at any moment, but the workers wasted no time. They cut some trees, found a fishing pond and berry hedgerow, and followed animal tracks to the top of the hill. They spotted elk and polar bears confirming that the animals were alive and well.
I like the stream carrying away icebergs!
This turned out good. Not too hard, I hope. :)
:) No, not too hard but I have had to do some micro managing. I only had worker at supply jetty when I had ship there. I have fun with the free to build deco pieces, easy to move icebergs :) It took some preplanning setting up the ice caves at the start of the map, but new ice formations form along the river now and then. :)
Chapter 10
As expected, the water carried away one after another of the small icebergs. A few of the workers had to take a running leap to get back across the icy river but all made it safely back and our log supply got a nice bonus. A safer and more reliable source of logs would be the forester workplace setup west of the mine cave and fishing pond. To our delight the small group of polar bears returned to the nearby feeding area for fresh fish and winter berries, and to our surprise, grown-up baby bear who returned to the animal pen now had a baby of her own.
Our livestock was also doing well in the animal barns, a third one was build to help relieve overcrowding. Our food surplus was very good and we had a nice variety to choose from. Our ice cave storage units were just the right temperature to store the food supply. Our greenhouses had produced well again this year. We considered growing less oats and more potatoes since we had flour on hand and plenty of oat cookies. Instead it was decided that for the time being we would leave the plantings alone and have the bakery bake bread instead of cookies.
Chapter 11
In early spring of year 11 more small groups of elk were spotted. We had not seen any of the polar bears at the feeding areas since the small group left last summer. Some new trees were now growing in the area but little cutting was done, we were again short of logs. We always had one eye on our firewood supply. Running short of firewood in this climate would be devastating.
With that in mind, the workers did not hesitate to cross the ice bridge that formed again this spring when the icebergs again began to move. They cut a number of trees clearing the area around the fishing pond and winter berry row. We did not think it would be a good idea to set up a feeding area there since our means of getting there to replenish the food was unreliable. We could not risk the animals becoming dependent on finding food there and then finding none because we were not able to provide it. The workers again went to the top of the hill and spotted an elk herd with 2 elk fawns.
The workers hurried back to the river when it began to snow but to their dismay they found several of the ice chunks had broken off and floated away. They need not have feared because an Ice Yeti came to their rescue jumping in the water and pushes the ice blocks bad into place. When it appeared other chunks would break away before the last one was back in place, the Yeti motioned them to cross and made sure they made it safely over the gap. Yes, weary traveler, I know there's no such thing as giant ice monsters but that's what the workers told us.
It must have been the slightly warmer temperatures that had those ice blocks breaking off and floating away so much that year. We were able to have the livestock outside in the animal pen more often than usual. The elks seemed to be more on the move too.
Chapter 12
By early spring of year 12 we had a small chapel built near the west forest. A pair of polar bears were spotted nearby. The forester reported not only seeing bear tracks but rabbit tracks as well. A short time later he saw the bears and snowshoe rabbits in the old feeding area. Other workers reported seeing rabbits in and around hedgerows and other feeding areas. We were truly making progress restoring the balance of nature to this polar region.
We thought it best to stop cutting trees in the west forest while the bears were there. Our log supply was not good and it was just too dangerous to attempt to cross the river again. We should easily be able to bring some coal out of the mine cave without doing to much damage to the earth. It wasn't long before we had crates of coal neatly stacked on the stockpile. We made sure we had workers gathering branches from every berry hedgerow.
In spring the supply ship returned with apples, walnuts, and 10 people rescued from a houseboat wedged between 2 moving icebergs. It seems that North Port was now a Fort and a Hot Springs Resort where area folks were going to rest and relax. These folks were on their way back home and took the wrong river fork. They would certainly have to stay with us for the time being, the weather was turning bad early this year. There were snowstorms in early summer and well into summer delaying the building of new houses for our guests. The supply ship was eager to be on its way before being froze in for the winter.
Our food surplus was dropping but we now had more workers. We added an extra worker to each of the 3 greenhouses and each of the 3 animal barns. We gathered wild foods that were not in the wildlife feeding areas. We would not fail in our mission to provide food for the elk, polar bears, snowshoe rabbits, and snowy owls. And we would keep them safe as best we could. If there was such a thing as frozen ice monsters I would tell you how one rescued a polar bear from an iceberg that winter.
Chapter 13
Like you, weary traveler, the newcomers were impressed with what we had done here in this cold snowy polar region for the wildlife and for the earth. They had heard good things about wood elves and were now convinced that all they had heard was true. They convinced us that an elven settlement such as this should have a structure befitting the Elves in stature. We were but common wood elves but we built a town hall for our Nature Preserve that would surely impress the Elven Counsel, the spires rose high above the peaks of Ice Mountain.
Our inventory records proved how well we managed to provide for ourselves here on Ice Mountain. We had no trading post, no farm fields or orchards, no fishing pier, and we did no hunting, yet we had everything we needed and a good healthy diet. Our sun warmed greenhouses provided food to feed us and the cleaning shed provided plant debris to feed the animals in the animal barns while the animal pens and cleaning sheds provided fertilizer to feed the plants in the greenhouses. The fishing ponds, rabbit hutches, and winter berry hedgerows provided the rest. Statistics showed our people were 100% healthy and happy. In early summer the Preserves population was 75, 44 adults, 14 students, and 17 young children. Our education rate was 45% but rising. We had 22 homes which were naturally formed ice caves or structures built from materials scavenged from one of the shipwrecks. We build the Light to protect and guide others who came our way, like you did, weary traveler.
Chapter 14
Yes, we were proud of our Ice Mountain settlement, but what we were most proud of was what we came to Ice Mountain to do, we created a Nature Preserve and part of it is right outside our Ice Castle door. We set up several feeding areas where wildlife could find food no matter how bad the weather. We created more winter berry hedgerows in undisturbed areas of the forest to the west and across the river. We put out crates of fish and piles of plant debris. We carefully managed the forest to the west, taking only what wood we needed. The balance of nature was restored, we earned the trust of the wild creatures, and lived in harmony with the wildlife and with nature.
On the way to Ice Mountain we tamed 8 wild dogs who helped pull our supply carts and became loyal friends and helpers. We rescued abandoned livestock which provide us with milk, eggs, and wool as our reward. We cared for an injured polar bear and her cub and seen their number slowly increase. The elk herds have also multiplied. Snowshoe rabbits once again survive here in the wild, at last count there were 5 families in the hedgerows. Snowy owls have also multiplied living on small arctic rodents which were also attracted to plant debris and grains provided and multiplied. We counted 10 snowy owls and recorded their number in the Ice Castle hall of records along with all the other wildlife statistics.
What? You want to know how many Yetis? Well now, weary traveler, we all know there are no such things as Yetis.
The End
:) I am really satisfied with the look of your Nature Preserve!
It was fun doing the mods and it was fun reading your story.
Here are the clothes that match all that blue ice.
:) Thanks
@kid1293 I must say it was fun using these two mods, especially Ice Castle. It is totally unique. :) I hope readers enjoyed my story and I know they will enjoy these mods. :)
Here are links to more info and downloads for Ice Castle and Friendly Blue mods:
http://worldofbanished.com/index.php?topic=3614.0
http://worldofbanished.com/index.php?topic=3613.0
Just a reminder that Ice Castle is a start condition mod with all snow, only pine trees, and special starts, it should not be used in other climate or with other tree or start mod. Friendly Blue can be used in any climate. :)
@Abandoned Wonderful story, great building of your preserve and use of the features of Ice Castle and Friendly Blue!
@kid1293 Awesome mods :)
:) Thank you
@moonbelf , glad you liked the story. We were working on those 2 mods for quite awhile and were pleased with how they turned out. :) More mods and stories to come.