New Frontier

Aquilo – Mining settlement

You arrive in the foothills of Fang a week after you left Ostiarium.
You avoid most of the larger herds that are travelling north as well as avoiding encounters with the tribes. The trip was long and arduous across the untamed wild plains, trying to stay ahead of the great. There are almost no trees to speak of on the way nor rivers. Herds of horses and caribou roam the land stalked by prides of large felines and packs of wild dogs.

The settlement sprung up in haste and can hardly be called a settlement yet. It consists of shoddy wooden shacks and pitched tents close to the forges, ore pits. A warehouse is being constructed when you arrive. And plumes f black smoke attest that production is underway. A road to the north leads to the mines, five hundred metres from Aquilo. A huge well can be found at the centre of the settlement. There is one small tavern in the Sprawl, that makes the Drunken Hare look like a noble’s court.

Tarmen – On arrival you and your men settle in and start looking at ways to make the mining operation secure with the limited resource available to you. The Duke has arranged for escorts of guards and soldiers to travel every few weeks to and from the city to help with protecting the future convoys. You go and see Markus Norixius who is the head metalsmith in charge of the mining operation and production.

Wim – You have noted the hard journey to and from Ostiarium without roads. The toll travelling the Plains will take on the wagons and teamsters will be heavy. You hear from Tarmen that the Duke is planning on sending escorts to accompany the wagons but you are not sure this will extend to however gets the contract. You have made notes of wildlife and other potential pitfalls during the journey. It is clear that with the cost of building and regularly fixing wagons, animals, fodder, teamsters, water and food, this will not a cheap undertake. Profits will not be immediate that is obvious.