Stone's Throw

Carved into the northwest face of the Barrier Mountains, Stone’s Throw stands as one of the last resting places for travelers intending to make their way into the Eternal Desert.

History

The exact origins of Stone’s Throw have been lost to time, and no one group or species has ever stepped forward to claim responsibility for the settlement’s founding. As the town boasts neither an Atlantean structure or name, the general assumption is that the settlement was founded and constructed long after the Atlanteans’ heyday, likely some point in the distant past after the arrival of Ra.
Over the years, Stone’s Throw has worn many different faces over the course of its existence. There have been times where it has simply been used as a place to eke out a modest living at the edge of the desert, as well as a stronghold for like-minded individuals looking to avoid the prying eyes that might be found in more prosperous and populous regions. There have even been long stretches of time where Stone’s Throw has simply lain abandoned.
At present, Stone’s Throw acts mostly as a waypoint for travelers either leaving or traveling to the Eternal Desert. The current population has the settlement at about half capacity, and a good deal of the larger uninhabited structures have been refitted for the purpose of ore refinery, glassmaking, or temporary board for travelers.

Description

Stone’s Throw has been carved directly out of and into the side of one of the many mountains in the Barrier chain, facing the Eternal Desert. Structures ranging from towering grandiose facades, winding carved switchbacks, and simple, crude tunnels march across the rock, stretching from halfway up the peak down to the foothills below.
The structures also cut deep into the mountain. The “prime” real estate can be found further from the cliff’s edge, secure and cut off from the elements outside, while still having access to the wider city. Accommodations for travelers or newcomers are often found out on the cliff face, sometimes partially open to the air.
Stone’s Throw also connects directly to Byrd’s Passage, serving as one of underground waterway's primary endpoints on the northern side of the mountains. The majority of the water that supports the town is diverted from deep within the Passage itself. A thin strip of arable land stretches along the foot of the mountains up north, following the course of the Dholgrath River as it exits the mountain and winds its way to the sea.
Stone’s Throw has been added to rather haphazardly, and anyone traveling through the honeycomb of structures will see the hallmarks of a myriad of species, architectural styles, and design sensibilities as they go. The signs of wear from the desert winds and movements of the sand have left their mark on the various structures, so walking through the town can be a bit like traveling through the history of Stone’s Throw itself.
There is also a marketplace located further into the side of the mountain, winding through the carved galleries, protected from the weather and the heat of the outside. Supplies, rough-cut gems, oddities retrieved from the desert, and most importantly of all, water from the river can be found here.
An outpost of the Cartographer’s Guild can be found here, primarily specializing in collating information about the desert itself, from the locations of prospecting towns, Dead Groves, wyrm nests, and a variety of rumors and legends about the Eternal Desert.

Parent Location

The Rookery, The Barrier Mountains

Character Knowledge
Characters just now arriving on Venus: I've heard there's apparently a city on the fringes of a huge desert? It’s on or in a mountain. Not sure how to get there.
Characters not from Venus, who spent some time there: Unless you’ve got a pair of wings or don’t need water, your best bet of getting into or out of the Eternal Desert is Stone’s Throw.
Characters from Venus: The best place to go to get your hands on some raw desert gems or, even better, opalized wood. Getting there isn’t easy, but that just makes the goods sell for that much more in the big cities.
Characters who have lived in Stone’s Throw: To an outsider, it seems like a harsh and treacherous place. make no mistake, it is, but there’s a reason people keep coming back to settle it. Also--never take the first price offered to you in the markets.