World of Banished

Sightseeing => Village Blogs => Topic started by: Abandoned on June 09, 2018, 01:05:39 PM

Title: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: Abandoned on June 09, 2018, 01:05:39 PM
Intro: 


This story is a test of a new soon to be released mod called Kid Swamp Thing.  This is the 24th Story in the Smallville Series.  This group did not set out from Smallville but were one of several groups of land surveyors sent out from the railroad town of Chattachoo in story 4.  They left Chattachoo when the railroad tunnel to the south was completed in year 47 SVT and finally found their way out of the mountains only to become lost in the swamp.  After several futile attempts they reached the conclusion that they would never escape the swamp and the only way they would survive at all was to settle where they were and make the best of a bad situation.  This is their story of survival in Summerset Swamp.


The map seed is # 269884875  Swamp Terrain,  Small,  Swampy Climate,  disaster Off,  Easy Swamp


Mods activated for this map and load order are:


Map changing and Starting Mods:  Banished UI Maps & Mods, Labor Window, RK Minimized Status, New Flora with Gatherer, Swamp Archi Texture.

Tweak Mods:  Better Fields, 1:1 alternative (Voeille), Rock Respawn, Simple Tombstones, Tiny Smoke

Major or Must Have Mods:  An Empty Square, Nomad Sign Complete, Kid Swamp Thing, Kid Tiny Separate, Maritime Dock Set, Maritime PEI Shores.

Supporting Mods:  Campfire, Decorative Plants-evergreen, EB Apothecary v1, I See Fire, Kid Forest Ponds, Kid Gothic Farm, Kid Old Fence, Orchard Forester, Shroom, Smoking Shed, Storage Crates, Tunnel Mine v2, Water and Other Decorations.


Special thanks go to @kid1293  for creating the Swamp Thing mod and for delaying its release until Summerset Swamp story is completed thus keeping the ending a secret.  In the meantime, I hope you will enjoy the story, I know you will enjoy the mod when it is release.   Thanks again, Kid  :)



So, weary traveler, you have the choice to stay in the swamp or go.  We had no choice, we simply could not go on.  We had been going around in circles trying to find a way out and had given up hope of ever finding the way.  That summer we decided to set down roots and stay where we where.  We named our settlement Summerset, and yes, weary traveler, there was some "thing" in the swamp.


Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: RedKetchup on June 09, 2018, 05:26:31 PM
your world banished map is starting to me full :)
i like the way you did :)
Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: Abandoned on June 09, 2018, 09:24:01 PM
 Thanks @RedKetchup , yes it is getting a little crowded now. Savidan did a nice job making this map for me, I only need to add the new towns as I go along. The first challenge starting a story is finding a place on the map for it  :D and having the river flowing in the right direction.  This time it was easy, Summerset is just somewhere in the swamp.  :)
Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: Gatherer on June 10, 2018, 04:50:23 AM
This is going to be mighty interesting methinks.
Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: Abandoned on June 10, 2018, 06:55:07 AM
 :) I hope so, and I promise it will not be nearly as long as the last story.  I will not keep everyone waiting too long for the new mod.
Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: rkelly17 on June 10, 2018, 09:00:02 AM
@Abandoned, I've been away from WoB for awhile (the siren song of other games) so I have missed your work up to now. After seeing this latest installment I went back and read all of your previous chronicles. Wow!!! You have created the first Banished Epic. I just love the idea of a unified map which brings all of your settlements together and gives a common thread. Each chapter in the chronicle is well-written and compelling. Truly a Banished classic.
Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: Abandoned on June 10, 2018, 10:17:21 AM
Thank you so much for the kind words @rkelly17 . Things did rather snowball after Smallville  :D Our talented modders always seem to inspire just one more story  ;D
Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: Abandoned on June 10, 2018, 10:20:27 AM
Chapter 1


  Well, weary traveler, it was beyond me why the Chattachooians built railroad tunnels without knowing where they would go.  We arrived in Chattachoo from the cold north but the town was not accepting nomads at that time.  They said they would give us supplies if we went through the tunnel to the south and send word back about what lay beyond.  What choice did we have, we were 12 adults with young children, we needed those supplies. 

  We found nothing but mountains to the south of Chattachoo and soon became lost.  We finally found our way out of the mountains and reached the river but the cliffs were too high on that side.  We built 2 rafts sturdy enough to get us to the other side.  We thought for sure we would come to a town if we followed the river but instead we found pirates. Yes, pirates!  We hid in the trees and watched them. They were rummaging through a riverboat.  We saw no sign of the boatman. Suddenly it was as if they saw or heard something that frightened them.  They grabbed what they could and hurried off leaving the boat behind.  Strange but every one of those pirates had only 1 leg.

We waited until they were out of sight and then several of the men went to have a look.  They did not find the boatman but they found some iron tools, hide coats, potatoes, and seeds.  We soon learned that carrying anything through the swamp was not easy, it was difficult enough just walking over the soggy swampy terrain.  And we soon became hopelessly lost again.  When we reached the same dead end for the third time we decided to settled there.

  By then there were 20 of us, 12 adults and 8 young children.  My name is Yolondon and my husband is Darred.  We built houses and a storage shed for our supplies.  We rounded up a small flock of wild swamp chickens and built a pasture for them.  We cleared land for a crop field but feared the corn seeds might rot in the soggy ground before they sprouted, but with the warm temperatures the corn was soon up and growing. The reeds we gathered when clearing the land we packed into fuel bricks, we would need fires not only for cooking but to help control the dampness in our houses.

  We built a town hall and school but not before Sant became an adult and began fishing as soon as the pier was built.  There were plenty of logs for building, we would probably not need to chop any for firewood, there were plenty of reeds to make fuel bricks instead.  When we cut trees and the sun warmed the swampy soil, strange mushroom trees would sprout.  There were pretty ferns and flowering shrubs, and some wild foods and herbs to gather.  We would not go hungry in Summerset Swamp.
Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: LadyMarmalade on June 10, 2018, 03:34:07 PM
I'm loving this!  Can't wait to read the next instalment :)
Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: Abandoned on June 11, 2018, 04:30:27 AM
 :) Nice to hear @LadyMarmalade , I hope you enjoy the rest of the story.  chapter 2 coming later today  :)
Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: Abandoned on June 11, 2018, 09:21:02 AM
Chapter 2


  We spotted deer to the west of town and promptly built a hunting hideout.  There were swamp chickens in the area that would provide game meat and down for clothing.  Closer to town in that direction were wild bees.  We built a bee keeper, and there were a few trees there that would provide some apples.  Behind the Swamp Hall we built a swamp workshop.  We would make iron tools until we had enough leather, flax, or down to make clothing.  Cool linen clothing would be welcome in the high temperatures and humidity of the swamp.  Warm coats would keep out the damp chill of winter.

  Year 1's winter project was to build a cemetery across from the bee keeper in case it was needed.  By year's end our population had increased by 3, our own daughter Evonnie was born in early summer. In late autumn we began to build stone roads, the swamp stones would keep our feet from  sinking too deeply into the soggy swamp soil.  Stone roads would make walking faster and easier especially when carrying a heavy load. 

  By late winter our inventory showed a nice variety of foods although we could use more of everything.  By early spring of year 2 we build a short jetty across the small stream to the north.  There was flat land there that could be cleared for crop fields.  We wanted to get our bean and mushroom seeds planted before they rotted in this damp climate.  The land was cleared for 2 crop fields and a food storage shed was built nearby.  Stone roads made going from the crop fields to the shed or back to town much easier.
Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: Nilla on June 11, 2018, 11:38:31 AM
These "Swamp Thing" seems pretty interesting and nice looking. As always, I'm looking forward on your story! :)
Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: kid1293 on June 11, 2018, 09:05:04 PM
@Nilla - There is more to it than meets the eye.
I am sure we are in for a real treat! :)
Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: galensgranny on June 11, 2018, 10:53:51 PM
Is there a swamp monster?   It seems like there might be.   I don't suppose there really could be one in the game.

Those mushroom trees are fun.  Can you eat them?
I like the buildings.  Do they have an alternative roof?
Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: Nilla on June 12, 2018, 12:31:33 AM
Quote from: kid1293 on June 11, 2018, 09:05:04 PM
@Nilla - There is more to it than meets the eye.
I am sure we are in for a real treat! :)

From the start "teaser" I understood there is something exciting to come. I'm sure @Abandoned will take good care of your "baby"! ;)
Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: brads3 on June 12, 2018, 03:11:21 AM
Quote from: galensgranny on June 11, 2018, 10:53:51 PM
Is there a swamp monster?   It seems like there might be.   I don't suppose there really could be one in the game.

Those mushroom trees are fun.  Can you eat them?
I like the buildings.  Do they have an alternative roof?


with these 2 ,you never know what they might come up with. now i am scared.
Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: kid1293 on June 12, 2018, 05:13:41 AM
Quote from: brads3 on June 12, 2018, 03:11:21 AM
with these 2 ,you never know what they might come up with. now i am scared.

I'll be scared if you mix this with The North...  ::)
Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: Abandoned on June 12, 2018, 05:32:58 AM
 :D Be afraid, be very afraid  ;D

@galensgranny the Shroom trees are not edible, they are free to place deco trees.  They look great with Forest Deep mushroom houses. 

There is no roof alternative, the mossy roof matches the shack in Houses for Sale mod (not used in this story) and also those in Gothic Farm.  The mod can also be used in valley or mountain, a mossy forest setting, not just in the swamp

@Nilla and @brads3  I hope you enjoy the story  :)
Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: Abandoned on June 12, 2018, 09:22:11 AM
Chapter 3


  By late summer of year 2 we had enough leather to make some much needed leather coats, we only had 17 left in stock.  The workshop switched from making iron tools to making hide coats.  The cooler damp weather of early autumn had folks heading for the storage barn for the new coats.  It was then that many of us heard a load splash.  It was damp and the air was thick with humidity so it was hard to tell just where the sound came from.  Some thought the sound was made by a jumping fish.  Renald, who was now the fisherman, said it would have had to have been a pretty big fish.  He caught a lot of fish so far this year but nothing near the size it would take to make that big of a splash and besides as far as he could tell, the swamp waters were pretty shallow.  Others thought perhaps a tree had fallen over and hit the water but, Burgeon, who was acting as forester over by the big mother tree near the hunting hideout, said we would see a tree that size sticking out of the shallow waters near shore.  It appeared that the loud splash would remain a mystery.

  With new hide coats and more stone roads, we set out to collect as much wild foods and herbs as we could find.  Another storage shed was constructed for quick drop offs.  We would have thought there would be more wild foods and herbs in this warm climate but the lush growth of the trees and reeds must be inhibiting their growth.  We did occasionally find some wild flax so perhaps next summer we would have cooler linen clothing.

  In early spring of year 3, Herschelliot, the farmer, said there were quite a few deer and swamp chickens by the new bean field he was planting.  Another hunting hideout would provide us with more leather and down that we badly needed.  Problem was we also needed workers.  It would be a few more years before the first student finished his schooling.

The wild foods may not be thriving here but our mushroom crop sure was.  This was the ideal climate for them apparently.  Herschelliot's wife, Hann, was still harvesting mushrooms in winter. It was only 39 degrees with a cold rain falling.  Good thing we had our first warm leather and down coats that winter of year 3. 
Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: LadyMarmalade on June 12, 2018, 10:51:53 AM
Wow...the mushrooms really DID like the climate! How big was the field to get over 2000 mushrooms?
Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: rkelly17 on June 12, 2018, 11:35:41 AM
Quote from: LadyMarmalade on June 12, 2018, 10:51:53 AM
Wow...the mushrooms really DID like the climate! How big was the field to get over 2000 mushrooms?

Given the size of those giant mushrooms I see, wouldn't it take just one of those to give 2000 units?  ;D
Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: galensgranny on June 12, 2018, 12:12:18 PM
Are those mushrooms in the field from this mod, or did we always have a way to grow mushrooms, perhaps from some other mod? 

Your way of having the world map and then the different towns with distinct looks and what they do mainly there is a great idea.  That will help me not try to put all the modded homes I like somehow to work in one area, which doesn't really look good.
Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: kid1293 on June 12, 2018, 12:39:20 PM
Hi. Those mushrooms are vanilla mushrooms added as crop. Due to numbers
in vanilla files I can not change any value or you will hardly find any in forest.
In a way it is a unvoluntary cheat but it fits the swamp.

Yes, I posted a small mushroom mod somewhere in forum long ago.
I honestly don't know if I left it there or the discussion made me remove it...

You want it again, tell me.
Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: galensgranny on June 12, 2018, 01:01:49 PM
Yes, @kid1293 , I would like the mushroom growing mod. 
Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: Abandoned on June 12, 2018, 01:06:54 PM
Regarding mushroom crop, Kid made original with good harvest back in story #11 Lakeland here -

http://worldofbanished.com/index.php?topic=1547.0

It is one of the 3 starting crops on Easy Swamp start setting.  Do not use separate crop above with this mod.

The field is 8x10, that was the best harvest total from that field, 1800 - 2000 mushrooms average.
Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: galensgranny on June 12, 2018, 01:18:36 PM
Thanks for the direction to the link to Kid's mushroom crop in your story #11, Abandoned!
Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: Abandoned on June 12, 2018, 01:28:29 PM
 :) your welcome

It probably would not be a good idea to use it with CC which I believe has mushrooms.  Also this mod with the reeds and start conditions may have problems when used with other mods with spawners and start conditions, terrains, and climates.
Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: RedKetchup on June 12, 2018, 02:27:08 PM
Quote from: Abandoned on June 12, 2018, 01:06:54 PM
The field is 8x10, that was the best harvest total from that field, 1800 - 2000 mushrooms average.

the crop numbers are

   int _lowCreateCount = 20;
   int _highCreateCount = 28;
   int _createChance = 4;

and the wild food number are

   int _lowCreateCount = 16;
   int _highCreateCount = 22;
   int _createChance = 1;

as you can see, usually crop numbers are usually higher than the wild food but the problem here is not really the numbers of each drop but the create chance.
while wild food you get a drop each mushroom harvested, usually the crop, you get 1 drop every 4 plants harvested. so if you take the raw material mushroom file and put it inside a crop, you get almost 4X more mushrooms. it is same with all wild food inside a crop, blueberries... onion... roots....

the thing is if you change the createchance number , it will also impact the numbers from gatherers, they will need to harvest 4 mushrooms in the wood before to get a drop.

that line is extremly misplaced in the game code, and should been never put inside the raw material file but inside the "building" that create and trigger that raw material.
Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: Abandoned on June 12, 2018, 03:54:15 PM
 :) oops, correction, the fields are 8x12

Thanks for the information @RedKetchup

All the wild crops are not available in the swamp and those that are are few because of the number of reeds.  An added challenge to surviving in the swamp  :)
Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: Abandoned on June 13, 2018, 08:00:11 AM
Chapter 4


Year 4 was off to a good start.  In spring, 5 swamp dwellers arrived in town.  The family of 4 said they would prefer to stay on their house boat but the young man, Frencere, wanted a real house and hopefully a wife.  He would have a little while to wait for that. The oldest girl in town, Norinda, was only 7 years old and had just started school.

The newcomers told us a lot about the swamp.  The swampy area was quite large with major rivers bordering all four sides and several minor rivers running through it.  We could see a riverboat merchant from time to time if we built a trading post.  As far as they knew there were no pirates in the swamp but to the west there has been some trouble with pirates near Monkstown and Haunted Hollow in the past. The lakes and ponds were indeed quite shallow and being close to the coastal waters to the east contained shellfish like oysters, clams, mussels, and scallops.  The swamp weeds were delicious and nutritious, just like seaweed or spinach.  The newcomers confirmed that there were plenty of fish in the swamp waters but they knew nothing about any large jumping fish.  They did seem to know something they weren't telling us but we let it go for the time being. 

  We build a shellfishery along the shore near the town hall and thought we would give the swamp weeds a try.  Our corn, bean, and mushroom harvests were good again that year and as soon as the harvests were complete, we went in search of wild foods and herbs, again finding fewer than we would have liked.  We wondered if we would need a trading post at some point in the future if for nothing else but herbs, or maybe stone.  The stone was some distance from the roads which made it very difficult to transport and we needed the stone to built the roads.  It was suggested that we build more jetties and bridges to get across to the resources but many of us were a bit leery of the swamp waters, especially after that unexplained splash.

  At the end of year 4 our stone supply was low and our workforce was small.  The population of Summerset was 31, 17 adults, 4 students, and 10 young children.
Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: Abandoned on June 14, 2018, 08:56:01 AM
Chapter 5


  In Spring of year 5, 6 surveyors from Chattachoo arrived.  Like us they took the south tunnel and became lost in the mountains. They followed the river south thinking they would arrive at Riverboat Junction and could send word back from there.  Instead they too became lost in the swamp.  They decided to stay with us rather than risk become lost again.  One family built a farmhouse over by the crop fields near Frencere.  We hoped he would notice Anne, the family's 13 year old daughter.  They would make a nice couple. The other 2 surveyors were an older couple in their mid to late thirties.  They build a Forest Deep mushroom house over by the mother tree forester.  It was a beautiful little house that fit the surroundings perfectly.

  We were again in need of stone and a discovery was made when laborers went in search of some south of town.  One of them spotted a small pond, it was autumn and the leaves had just fallen from the trees making the pond easier to spot.  The Swamp Pond was full of small frogs.  Theridan, one of the new arrivals, said where he came from frog legs were a real delicacy and quite delicious.  He immediately headed to the pond to catch frogs.  His wife was the first to light a small torch in front of their forest deep mushroom house.  Soon torches appeared in front of the other newcomers houses and the houseboat.  We didn't know if it was to ward off some superstition or what but we now had 2 small children so we lit a torch in front of our house too.

   We heard a new sound coming from the swamp in the direction of that frog pond now.  By now we were used to the sounds of swamp birds and insects but this sound was different.  It was a low almost mournful sound which could be heard after dusk and before dawn.  No one was brave enough to investigate.
Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: Abandoned on June 15, 2018, 08:46:56 AM
Chapter 6


  The strange mournful sound continued until the end of year 5 and into the early spring of year 6.  After a period of heavy rain the ground around the frog pond seemed a bit trampled as if something had trod back and forth repeatedly.  Theridan's wife, Stel, did not want him to go to the pond anymore even though he had never seen or heard anything while he was there.  However, it was because the distance back and forth though the swamp made the pond unproductive that frogging was stopped. Much to everyone's relief, the strange swamp sound stopped too.

  In spring, 7 swamp dwellers arrived.  They went wherever collecting wild foods took them but they wouldn't mind settling down for awhile with us.  They had a number of fruit seeds they had collected and we could use them to plant a forest orchard.  We had just finished building a swamp trading post and would be happy not to have to trade for fruit.  We only hoped a trader would find his way to our port.

  A swamp house was built for one of the new families and another swamp workshop was built by the trading post.  The new workshop could make iron tools while the old one could make linen clothes while the supply of flax lasted.  Sadly in late summer before the forest deep mushroom house was completed for the second family, their son, Paul, died of starvation.  We thought that was very strange since there was plenty of food, and stranger yet that his body was found by the frog pond.  There were strange scratches on his legs as if he had been crawling through the underbrush.   Some thought perhaps he was injured trying to cross the unfinished jetty, but why would he then have gone to the pond?

  There was some happy news before the end of the year, other than the fact that the strange mournful sounds from the swamp had stopped.   As we had hoped, Frencere got together with Anne from the house boat and they were wed.  We wished them a long and happy life together.

Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: embx61 on June 15, 2018, 05:40:57 PM

QuoteIs there a swamp monster?   It seems like there might be. I don't suppose there really could be one in the game.


With Banished you never know.


(http://worldofbanished.com/gallery/474_10_09_17_12_15_50.jpeg)
Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: galensgranny on June 15, 2018, 07:22:56 PM
@embx61 , Aaahhh!   :o :o
Is that dinosaur really available for the game?
Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: Abandoned on June 15, 2018, 08:45:58 PM
 ;D @embx61 really cool  8) but I think that monster is headed towards one of @brads3 settlements  ;D
Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: kid1293 on June 15, 2018, 09:33:41 PM
Now with Troy on board I would like that dinosaur to move :)

Hehe, Jurassic Park.  :D
Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: Abandoned on June 15, 2018, 09:51:49 PM
Oh no, it would be a shame if that nice looking market in the picture got destroyed.  Yes, you are right  ;D we would need a park to keep it in.
Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: Abandoned on June 16, 2018, 10:27:58 AM
Chapter 7


  In early spring of year 7, our neighbor's son, Sant, accepted the responsibility of planting the fruit tree seeds that the swamp dwellers brought with them last year.  The best location was pretty close to the frog pond but Sant said he didn't mind that.  A wooden house was built near there and the open exposure to the sun had the wood and thatch drying to a beautiful golden color.  Like everything else, it soon had green moss growing on it.  Swamp chickens and deer were often seen near the frog pond, so when another group of lost surveyors arrived in spring, another wooden house  and a hunter's hideout was built there. A safety fence was built partway around the pond as a reminder to stay away.  More torches began to appear around town especially near the water.

  It was almost time to harvest the corn when a river boat trader made it to port.  It was a tricky maneuver to turn the boat completely around before docking.  Loreena, the resource merchant only had coal on board but said she could bring stone if we needed it. She told us not to expect any seed or livestock merchants to show up at our swamp port.  Neither one would thrive here and no swamp merchant would waste his time bringing them.  We made no trade but also learned that our fuel bricks would only be worth 2 trade units and our bees wax only 1.  Thinking perhaps seafood would be worth more we build a shellfishery along the jetty to fish for clams.  That winter when Pennifer, the general goods trader arrived, we were disappointed the clams would only be worth 1 trade unit.  We traded fuel bricks for wild oats.

   By the start of year 8, we needed logs as well as stone.  We added more foresters to our workforce and to the second mother tree east of the crop fields.  There was a little stone there and more up past where 2 forest deep mushroom houses were built.  It was there that laborers collecting stone and herbs discovered another frog pond.  No one was very happy about that and when the strange swamp sound started up again more torches were lit.  The sound now seemed to be coming from this direction.

We were happy that the 12 lost surveyors that showed up didn't want to stay.  We finally got houses built for the last group.  This group wanted out of the swamp, and who could blame them.  We advised them to follow the river south and eventually they would reach Riverboat Junction, but they were in a hurry and said they would take a shortcut through the swamp.  We wished them luck, they would need it to get out of this swamp alive.

  That summer we added more hunters to our hideouts.  Our food supply was good but we were often short of hides and down for coats.  Flax was also in short supply.  In early autumn, Florin the food merchant arrived in port.  It was good to know if we ever  did run short of food we would be able to trade for what we needed.  It was also good to know that if we weren't feeling as good as we should we now had an apothecary to go to for healing. 
Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: Abandoned on June 17, 2018, 11:16:00 AM
Chapter 8


  Nothing could heal the poor deer that was found by the herbalist a short distance from the apothecary in spring of year 9.  It was dead and both hind legs were missing.  Anne and Phylicity, the 2 hunters in that area, could shed no light on what could have happened.  Scouting around they found hoof prints by the frog pond, apparently the deer had been there drinking water.  Something had to be done, but what?   Needless to say we were all disturbed by the incident.

  Our food surplus was down slightly so we tried to focus on that.  We built an orchard gatherer near the orchard forester but we thought it would be several years before we got any apricots.  There were only a few very small apricot trees so far, the orchard forester was spending a lot of time clearing reeds from the area.  Not far from there we cleared an area for another mushroom crop field to be planted the following spring.  Since we were finding only a few wild oats, we were short on grain. We would plant corn in the field where bean now grew and we would clear another field for corn over where we were digging a tunnel mine for stone.  A quarry would probably only fill with swamp water and frogs.  We needed steel tools to finish building the mine.  By the end of year 9 we needed stone, logs, leather, down, flax, and steel tools.

  In spring of year 10, the crops were planted as planned.  A young couple arrived.  They seemed a bit shaky and unstable, they had been lost in the swamp.  They wanted to stay but did not want to live in that houseboat another day.  They joined the group of laborers that were headed northeast of the mother tree looking for stone. A stone road was partially built heading in that direction.  They were to keep their eyes and ears open for anything responsible for the strange swamp sounds or the death of the deer.  What they found instead was a beautiful waterfall and fish pond.  And stone.   The group of laborers that headed in the opposite direction, southwest past the orchard forester, found very little stone.  What they did find was a 3rd swamp pond full of frogs.

  Our 3 8x12 corn fields each yielded a different amount of corn but at least we had grain.  We traded for flax and stone in late winter.  We could build more roads to continue our search for the thing in the swamp.

Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: kid1293 on June 17, 2018, 01:40:02 PM
It is not unreasonably hard, I hope.
Don't take more nomads if food is going down.
Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: Abandoned on June 17, 2018, 02:02:00 PM
No, it is not to hard but must keep an eye on production, especially tailor.  There are less wild foods with reeds and lakes, health and food supply a slight drop.  One corn field was not enough grain. Will no longer welcome all nomads, hope they survive in the swamp  :)
Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: galensgranny on June 17, 2018, 05:30:46 PM
More legs missing!  First it was those pirates, now the fawn. OMG, I think I know what it is!  I won't say what I think in case I am right which would spoil your story.   I can't wait to find out what is going on! 
Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: Abandoned on June 17, 2018, 07:36:04 PM
@galensgranny, I can't wait to find out if you are right.  ;D
Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: Abandoned on June 18, 2018, 07:32:05 AM
Chapter 9


  Before we continued our search we wanted to be sure our food supply was stable.  In early spring of year 11 we added a fisherman to the swamp pier and built a smoking shed in town.  Across the lake by the wooden houses and hunters hideout we wanted a campfire to roast venison.  We needed firewood so a tiny chopper and firewood shed was built there too.  Laborers were busy cutting tees because we were again short of logs. 

  When we traded for stone, Loreena, the resource merchant, told us there was a lot of stone on the peninsula right across the river from the trading post.  We thought that area would be a good place to search next and collect stone at the same time.  We built an extension onto the jetty to the point of land between the lake and the river.  From that point we could build a bridge.  We would need more wood for the bridge and stone for our roads.

  During year 12 we traded for steel tools, completed the tunnel mine, and began work on the bridge.  We were eager to continue our search.  We regularly heard the strange mournful sounds from one direction or the other.  Our searches always turned up nothing.  Often now we heard the sound of a loud splash.  We wondered if the swamp thing could be in the water, but the swamp waters were shallow, in most places you could see the swampy bottom.   

  In late spring of year 13 we traded for more stone and in summer we added another worker to the tunnel mine.  We built another wooden house for the miner.  By autumn the bridge was complete. We were exhausted, the heat and humidity plus the insects and strange worrisome sounds had taken their toll.  We decided to leave further exploration until next year.  We lit torches at both ends of the bridge and at all ends of the jetty.  We would keep our eyes and ears open over the winter.
Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: galensgranny on June 18, 2018, 12:20:01 PM
Stay away from that swamp water people!  :o
Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: Abandoned on June 18, 2018, 01:33:35 PM
 ;D Swim at your own risk  ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: Abandoned on June 19, 2018, 10:03:08 AM
Chapter 10


  In early spring of year 14, men with torches led the way over the bridge.  We did not know what to expect, as far as we could tell the strange sounds never came from this direction.  As we crossed the bridge it was quiet, almost too quiet.  We were a bit surprised by what we found.  The area was drier than the swamp areas we were used to, still swampy but higher ground.  There were fewer trees and some rocks and a lot of swamp reeds.  In the center we found 2 structures, a tree stump and a mushroom, probably once used by swamp dwellers to gather herbs and wild foods.  There was nothing else there.

  That left only one corner of our area of the swamp to explore, the far northwest corner across the small creek.  We built a small wooden bridge across that creek and kept it well lit with torches.  We would not cross until we had stone roads built.  If for any reason we had to retreat we wanted to be able to do it fast.

  While the roads were being built, we had other business to attend to.  We need homes.  We had 28 families but only 24 homes.    By early winter we had another forest deep mushroom built as well as another wooden house by the mine, and a swamp house by the newest mushroom field.

Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: rkelly17 on June 19, 2018, 10:54:16 AM
Who is the poor citizen who has to go out in the night to make sure the torches are kept lit. Would not want to be him or her.   :'(
Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: Abandoned on June 19, 2018, 02:48:38 PM
 ;D Torches are long lasting slow burning kind, torches were made better in the old days, not the new and improved variety.  ;D  No bannies were injured keeping these torches lit  ;D
Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: rkelly17 on June 19, 2018, 03:30:59 PM
Quote from: Abandoned on June 19, 2018, 02:48:38 PM
;D Torches are long lasting slow burning kind, torches were made better in the old days, not the new and improved variety.  ;D  No bannies were injured keeping these torches lit  ;D

That's a relief! I mean, what with all the strange noises and so on, I was worried.
Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: Gatherer on June 20, 2018, 09:05:17 AM

BOO!!!


(http://www.labutaca.net/noticias/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/carl-mujer-monstruo.jpg)
Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: Abandoned on June 20, 2018, 12:31:39 PM
 :o  :D We need more torches  :D


Chapter 11


  At the beginning of year 15 we realized that with bridge building and exploring we had neglected other things.  We only then realized we had had our first apricot harvest, it was only 50 boxes but it was much needed fruit.  The orchard gatherer had also been collecting roots and berries. Much to our dismay, we also discovered that Guiller from one of the wooden houses had been frogging in the swamp pond by the mine.  He had apparently been doing it for some time which explained the resumption of the mournful sounds from all directions and the unidentified splashes.  But as we had suspected the number of frog legs harvested from the pond was much higher with the worker living close by.  We were angry though that he had put all our lives at risk for indulgent meals of frog legs.  We again put a stop to the frogging and again the mournful swamp sounds and splashes ceased.

  There was but one thing left to do, we had to explore that northwest corner.  Did we now have the swamp thing corner there?  We looked everywhere else.  What would happen when we confronted it?  Would we be forced to leave the swamp that we have called home for 15 years?  We settled Summerset with a few swamp houses and a barn, adding a swamp hall, school, and fishing pier.  We expanded to the north to grow crops and to the south to grow fruit.  We built homes and businesses, and families.  Summerset's population was 96, 49 adults, 18 students, and 29 young children. Would we lose it all when we crossed that bridge to the west?  There was only one way to find out.
Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: galensgranny on June 20, 2018, 08:25:34 PM
I started a new game and clicked to get a randomly generated name.  The one I accepted made me think of you, Abandoned.  It is "Knowlegs".   ;D   Yes, it's the wrong spelling in terms of your swamp game.  It should be "No Legs".  I think of your story every time I play this village!  My Bannies are afraid of the water.  :D
The random name generator comes up with strange and funny town names.
Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: Abandoned on June 20, 2018, 08:37:43 PM
Oh @galensgranny , that is so funny  ;D knowlegs and no legs are pronounced the same.  Thanks for sharing that.  :)
Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: Abandoned on June 21, 2018, 07:02:17 AM
Chapter 12


  We could not wait any longer, and we would not wait for the road to be paved with stone.  The path was laid out, and the torches were lit this morning.  You arrived just in time, weary traveler, let's go see what's in the northwest corner of our swamp. 

  Can you believe it?  It's another swamp pond of frogs but look there before it, that's the biggest frog we have ever seen.  It's a giant of a frog, it's the mother of all frogs.  In fact it does appear to be mother frog.  No wonder she has been making so much noise, she was mourning her lost babies and trying to protect the rest.  Who could blame her for that?

  We should leave her alone with her babies, let's get back to town.  There will be no more frogging in our part of the swamp.  Mother Frog's babies will be safe from harm from now on.  It's a relief to know that the thing in our swamp is but a harmless frog.

So, weary traveler, today is the first day of summer.  Thank you for listening to my story about Summerset Swamp.  Rest assured, you need have no fear of the Swamp Thing, and do enjoy your summer.


The End


And do enjoy the Swamp Thing mod.  Thank you, Kid  :)

Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: Nilla on June 21, 2018, 07:20:19 AM
Harmless? "An eye for an eye..........a leg for a leg"............  :o
Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: Gatherer on June 21, 2018, 08:38:49 AM
So. Many. Frogs.
Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: Goblin Girl on June 21, 2018, 09:07:56 AM
Are you going to make little wheel chairs for all the frogs whose legs you ate?
Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: kid1293 on June 21, 2018, 09:47:45 AM
I never imagined my frogs would turn against me  ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: LadyMarmalade on June 21, 2018, 09:50:19 AM
and they all taste like chicken!
Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: kid1293 on June 21, 2018, 10:04:49 AM
In the last pictures...

Where are the people?  :o
Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: brads3 on June 21, 2018, 10:05:44 AM
looks like they ran you out of town.
Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: Abandoned on June 21, 2018, 10:09:06 AM
LOL thank you all for comments, there may be a swamp sequel sometime in the future.  :)
Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: rkelly17 on June 21, 2018, 03:37:46 PM
@Abandoned, I'm not sure I would be so sanguine about those frogs. It looks like the beginning of a plague of biblical proportions.
Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: Abandoned on June 21, 2018, 03:48:36 PM
 :( There are an awful lot of frogs there, and they do not look to happy.  Future of Summerset does not look to promising.  One just never knows.  :)
Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: galensgranny on June 22, 2018, 01:37:41 AM
I knew it!  Frogs taking revenge.  Legs for legs!  :D   But that frog would not be considered harmless!  Maybe she has developed a taste for human legs and will keep on!  :o

Kid should make a large frog statue, like he did with the giant squirrel statue in Granny Park. ;D
Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: Abandoned on June 22, 2018, 05:15:57 AM
Hi, @galensgranny I thought you probably had guess right.  :)  We think somewhat alike.  When Kid named mod Swamp Thing, I said it needed some "thing" in the swamp and suggested something big like the size of giant park squirrel.  I suppose in frog world mother frog is giant.  :)  I think all the noise may have been mother frog calling in reinforcements for revenge attack.  :o
Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: LadyMarmalade on June 22, 2018, 05:40:12 AM
@Abandoned   Are the torches in your pictures a part of the mod? I can't find them.
Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: Abandoned on June 22, 2018, 05:49:08 AM
Hi @LadyMarmalade , no those torches are from I See Fire mod by Red.  It also has wall torches, campfire, and bonfire.  They are pretty cool.
Title: !
Post by: LadyMarmalade on June 22, 2018, 05:57:53 AM
Ah ha. Thank you...another mod to add to my list!
Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: Abandoned on July 03, 2018, 10:30:54 AM
Quote from @brads3 Reply #15 on June 12, 2018  "with these 2 ,you never know what they might come up with."

Brad, you are really going to like what we have come up with next.  :)  Preview of another new mod by Kid starts tomorrow.  :-X
Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: brads3 on July 03, 2018, 10:40:48 AM
aliens? rattlesnakes? 
Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: kid1293 on July 03, 2018, 10:57:52 AM
rattlesnakes.  :)

...and stew.
Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: Gatherer on July 03, 2018, 11:55:31 AM
Cable Hogue type scenario?
Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: Abandoned on July 03, 2018, 12:39:19 PM
 :) what is cable Hogue?

aliens, rattlesnakes, interesting.  Stew would be good.  :)
Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: galensgranny on July 03, 2018, 01:53:01 PM
The Ballad of Cable Hogue is one of my favorite movies!  I really like the songs in it.  @Abandoned , that movie is set mainly in the Arizona desert. Cable Hogue and his two partners are out in the desert, looking for water.  I think they were prospectors.  I don't know why they are out in the desert, with almost no water with them, unless they didn't realize how vast it was.  The partners knock out Cable, steal his water bottle/water skin, and leave him to die.  But, Cable finds some water and then builds a little stagecoach stop.  He serves food to the passengers, using animals from the desert, such as snakes, in a stew, I think.  The people liked it until he told them what it was.
Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: Abandoned on July 03, 2018, 02:32:36 PM
How interesting, thanks @galensgranny  :) That sounds like a movie I would like but I don't think I would like snake in my stew.  Snake stew is on the bottom of my menu list right along with frog legs.  :)
Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: RedKetchup on July 03, 2018, 02:51:11 PM
bah maybe snakes are very good meat :P
i dunno i never eat that in my life.
Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: galensgranny on July 03, 2018, 03:10:42 PM
There are recipes online for how to prepare and cook snakes, so that is something some people do.  I won't be one of those people.
In the movie The Ballad of Cable Houge, at first Cable's new friend told the passengers that the meal they were eating was Coq au Vin, which they accepted, not knowing what that was either, but it sounded like something fancy and special.  But then Cable told them what the meat was.
Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: LadyMarmalade on July 03, 2018, 05:47:52 PM
Reminds me of when my kids were very young. Times were hard and rabbit was a cheap meat to get a hold of but I knew they wouldnt like the idea of eating a fluffy bunny so I told them they were eating chicken..didnt tell them the truth until they were all grown up.
Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: Abandoned on July 04, 2018, 05:53:59 AM
 :) @LadyMarmalade , they taste like chicken but I'm with the kids, I don't want to eat fluffy bunnies, non-fluffies either  :)
Title: Re: Abandoned - Summerset Swamp - Story 24
Post by: Goblin Girl on July 04, 2018, 06:03:22 AM
Quote from: brads3 on July 03, 2018, 10:40:48 AM
aliens? rattlesnakes?
I vote for killer armadillos.  And Leprosy as a new disease.