A nice, quiet village, the only sounds being faint echoes from the mines in the distance.— A Rektouzk Trader
Kleu is a small mining village in the northern territory of
Zilopnou?, nestled within the red walls of
Cipou Canyon.
?
Past its Former Glory
Before it found itself under the Zilopnou banner, Kleu was primarily an agricultural town. Afterwards, however, the mines were opened up— following the discovery of silver nestled within Kleu's cliffs. The new ruling party pressured many of the citizens to begin work within the winding tunnels shortly after this. Collapses, fires, and other dangers steadily declined Kleu's population over the years, slowly but surely turning a large portion of the once sizable settlement into a veritable ghost town. As the population dwindled, so too did the number of guards protecting Kleu— leaving the village vulnerable to
monster attacks. The village's desperate
Tichteu—
Zilocalca?— thus began to hire mercenaries out of pocket, fearing for his own life.
Following
Lliaq's destruction, several refugees have made their way into the village— taking up residence within the dilapidated ruins surrounding it. Some have gone to work in the mines— others are simply leeching, believing themselves to be above it all.
With the country in disarray, brigands taking up residence nearby, and their local madman screaming about a
great lizard coming to devour them, the citizens fear for their future.
Among Ruins
A notable portion of the village has been carved into the red cliff walls, with the rest sprawling outwards until meeting the shore of the Cipou River. The grand majority of these edifices are abandoned, crumbling ruins. There is a small guard tower, storage for grown food, the mine, and the structures needed to support it. Along the cliff's face there sits a small square housing a number of
Qetqep? shrines. Some are worshiped by the current villagers, and others— once attended to by those long past— slowly deteriorate beneath the desert sun.
A small dock rests along the riverbank, allowing for easy export of the mine's silver and the fields'
Yntxol? fruit. There is also, of course, a small tavern with an inn built above it— though this has fallen into disrepair as the village has shrunk. In the center of town lies a market, where villagers can buy food and whatever else they need. Along the outskirts of town is a small
alchemist's shop, kept out of the way for the Kleu's safety.
Leadership
Kleu is overseen by a
Lliaq?-appointed Tichteu named
Zilocalca— a retired general who enjoys spending his time painting rather than ruling.
He has grown somewhat soft— and relies on the village's two guards to keep things in check. Some may argue that the foreman,
Macu— who is much more respected, holds more power within the village. After all, townsfolk approach
him rather than Zilocalca for aid.
Dimished Defense
Most of the Kleu's defenses come from its close proximity to the cliff walls— and the many decrepid edifices surrounding it. The walls which once protected the village are now mostly dust. There is a single guard tower towards the river's edge— standing a vigilant watch despite the lacking number of guards.
The two present typically deal with drunken brawls, disputes between miners over whose pickaxe is whose, and the occasional monster stumbling its way into town. As the population and guards have dwindled— monsters have only become a bigger problem.
I come from a mining centre and I like stories about how they go to ruins. Thank you.
I thought this one may be too dry for most folk's taste, so I'm glad to hear that! It's a tale as old as time, almost.