The settlers arrived, scared away the community of boggans who had been living in the valley since the Second Great Turbulance, and began to create their settlement.
The settlers arrived, scared away the community of boggans who had been living in the valley since the Second Great Turbulance, and began to create their settlement.
After several great harvests in the initial years of Lushverre, the decision is made to spend time clearing and widening the mountain pass that the settlers initially passed through, so that it's easier to travel through with carts. Time is also spent building more carts and breeding additional horses, and beginning to establish tentative trade relations with neighbouring settlements, trading the community's excess fruit.
The settlers meet and establish trade with Les Montagnards, a nomadic group who travel the Godsteeth Range. The wool and meat of their mountain sheep and goats is of a wonderfully fine quality and the citizens of Lushverre are happy to exchange for their fruit. Les Montagnards are a little surprised to find a new group where the boggans once were, and not thrilled at having to pay for fruit that the boggans were fine with them taking for free, but they are satisfied with being on good terms with a group who could prove useful allies and sources of other goods in the future.
Exploration of the other side of the Godsteeth Range results in the discovery of Hinderfell Lake, which was named after the settler leading the expedition that found it. Not only was the lake rich in fish, but nearby, the land was found to have strong veins of iron, and a mine was built. As a result, a branch-off area of the settlement was built next to the lake and the mine.
The new iron mine and fishing opportunities at the lake resulted in a time of plenty for Lushverre. The town thrived and expanded their trade, leading to some resentment from Les Montagnards, especially since the settlers were charging for what Les Montagnards had previously been able to access for free. The Lushverre community grew.
Resentment in neighbouring settlements and among Les Montagnards has been building, and rumours spread that Lushverre's success is due to the citizens making evil bargains with the Unseelie Court, since the wider communities are well aware of the previous fey presence. The general lack of any temple or organised worship in Lushverre added to the general suspicion. This led to the hotheads from a neighbouring settlement destroying Lushverre's main trade route, making it difficult for horses and carts to travel to other settlements. This led to a general drop in the morale of the citizens of Lushverre, and general anxiety over whether they could somehow be at fault.
In reaction to the recent attack on Lushverre's main trading route, and the general condemnation of their neighbours, more and more of the settlers begin worshipping Daeth, many of them feverently, in the hopes that this will render them worthy of their earlier good fortune and bring them future good fortune. They feel that if the nature goddess Daeth is given her due offerings, the community's fortunes will turn around. Despite arguments from other settlers, the followers of Daeth build several simple temples to the goddess at various points in the community and begin holding regular services and making sacrifices of fruit and fish.
After heavy rains, a huge sinkhole opens up in the valley, which for many further cements the idea that they have displeased Daeth in some way. The sinkhole is named Ingrate's Folly. More and more settlers begin attending regular worship and making sacrifices. The new temple leaders gradually become leaders of the community, and decisions begin to be made by this small community of religious leaders, rather than by the community as a whole.
Kinder weather led to rapid plant growth, and a herd of wild sheep come down from the Godsteeth Range and were captured and domesticated by the settlers. The followers of Daeth saw this as a reward for their piety, and the faith's hold over the settlement solidified. A new, larger temple is built in her honour. The community expanded further.
Les Montagnards continued to resent the settlers, especially with their intrusion into their area of trade, but could do little about it.
Within the oldest district of Lushverre, tensions rise between some of the original settlers who refuse to change their beliefs to ascribe to the new feverent worship of Daeth, and her most ardent followers. The non-believers are growing anxious at just how much potential food and trade goods are being sacrified in rituals and argue that more ought to be stored in case of future hard times. The believers argue that if they continue to show true faith, they'll be protected against hard times. The conflict ultimately results in the district separating into two distinct areas, the destruction of one of the smaller, older temples, and theft from some of the storage barns.