Abandoned - Riverboat Junction - Story 34

[Abandoned]

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.

[zak4862]

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 

[kid1293]

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.

[zak4862]

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

[Abandoned]

@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

[zak4862]

Thank you. 

[kid1293]

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

[Abandoned]

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.

[Abandoned]

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.

[Abandoned]

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.

[Abandoned]

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.

[Abandoned]

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.

[kid1293]

That is the smuggler's cave from last map?

[Abandoned]

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.

[Abandoned]

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.