Settlements and Sites of the Four City-States #193

Settlements and Sites of the Four City-States #193 

July 12th, 2023 

• Number: 193 

• Name: Deep Dive on a Site of Interest: Lake Natia Vai of Taodeas Part 4: West Rim Airbase 

• Location: Central Tuton Maug mountains on the slopes of Lake Natia Vai 

• Population (approx.): 36-48 (variable based on patrol sizes) 

• Brief: The High Plains Drifters (#91) during their years of operation had scouted but had little interest in Lake Natia Vai until a series of events occurred. The Wosen (#161) discovered the lake. Then scouts at the resort of the Danthas Tribe (#191) spotted the wildfolk. And the worried Elders contained the Wardens. In exchange for regular patrols over the lake, the Drifters were permitted to establish a post for Earthwardens and Airwardens on the western rim. Several years later, the resident Airwardens encountered a nest of viable wyvern eggs abandoned by the mother and father. With the help of a druid or two, they managed to hatch the eggs and bond them to six lucky candidate Airwardens of the United Tribal Forces (UTF). 

• Davin Lighthollow, 74, Halfling man, is a wyvern-riding Airwarden for the High Plains Drifters at the West Rim air base. He is short and has spiky brown hair that he dyes white. He wears the uniform of the Drifters; but dresses casually when off duty. Davin fights with a spear and crossbow and carries some unusual magical bolts. 

• Davin rides a wyvern, Quekas, who he bonded with when Quekas was two days old. Davin was a trained mountain scout and was excited to be accepted by the Drifters. The curriculum for a flying scout was challenging, and the additional skills he needed to learn were tricky. 

• Davin is dating Hilini, 77, Halfling woman. They met at the mess hall on the base where she is a cook. They have gone on several dates and are getting serious. Davin is considering proposing but wants to achieve the position of Lieutenant first. 

• Geography: West Rim Airbase is a currently spartan affair consisting of a large wooden landing platform with a large building sheltered underneath containing the barracks, mess hall, exercise rooms, workshops and officers' quarters. Nests for the wyverns sit on the stone surrounding the rim of the platform. Present at the base are the wyvern “wing” of six Airwardens (usually one oe two are in the air at any one time), another dozen Earthwardens (a third to half of which are on patrol of the area), a cadre of three officers and fifteen support staff (crafters, hunter-foragers, Hilini the cook and wyvern-keepers). The Wardens hope to convert the site to a more permanent stone installation once they secure funding from either the Danthas Tribe or the UTF. The latter choice being tricky as they don’t know what the other Tribes know of Lake Natia Vai and the unique nature of the Resort. 

• Next Article: Notable persons and sites of the Arc part 5.