Oasis on the Edge

Oasis on the Edge is an aptly named city. It borders the plains to the west, the desert to the immediate east, for which it is entirely in the desert, and the ocean to the north.
The city is founded around an oasis with a large natural spring and small lake. The lake feeds a small river going out to the ocean. With an abundent fresh water supply and the lush vegitation of the oasis, this made a natural spot along the ocean to setup a town.
Plenty of food can be found throughout the oasis as well as wild grains from the west and seafood from the ocean.
But the oasis has a problem. In the fall, every 5-10 years, huge vines grow up from the ground and cover everything. They will surround building and crush them in a natural binding force like the tentacles of a grape vine on a larger scale. The vines come from a plants natural cycle where it comes out of the ground for food over the period of several months before going dormant again.
When the Oasis was around for its first 7 years, the vines came and destroyed the town. Nine years later it happened again, and the town rebuilt again. The third time they came after five years, but the city was ready for them and they cut the vines off at the ground as they started to emerge. Now, the entire populace carries large machetes, and all work stops for the harvesting of the vines when they emerge.
Later it was determined that the vines not only made good compost, but had medical effects such as to cure magical radiation poisoning.

Defences

The desert to the east and the ocean to the north provide natural defences for the city. Added to the fact that there are few other settlements to the west, and Oasis on the Edge as deemed the need to build little in the way of defences beyond stockades and a small guard contingent.

History

Oasis on the Edge was an early town for the Displaced once they made it this far west in the continent. A large natural spring leads out to the ocean creating an estuary. Between the oasis, the estuary, the ocean, and the plains to the west, it made a great place to setup camp and eventually build a city around.