[NR] The Trees Are Still Taller - Chapter 530

The badgerfolk guard tells them to wait a moment and walks back into the checkpoint building. It takes the guard fifteen or so minutes, but eventually he returns. “Well, now, there are a few options. Though I have to ask, you want a more foresty forest area or just a light speckling of trees?”

Courtney, “Deep jungle style forest, if possible. Someplace with a bunch of tall, spaced out trees, little to no underbrush, a lot of stuff as you get higher up, and while I did say jungle, if at all possible we would prefer to keep the humidity down.”

The guard nods, “Reasonable enough, though you won’t have to worry about the last bit too much. Least not if you don’t go too deep. The merchants funded an environmental regulator to be added to the place.

“So long as you aren’t fools, figure on weather like normal. Any terrain all that much different is being either pushed deeper in the Wilds or altered to fit. Not that it wouldn’t have happened naturally, given time. They just wanted the place ready within a century of the claiming getting wrapped up. We’ve a few fancy trees they’re hoping show up as old growths and normal way would have less a chance at them.”

Courtney nods, “That’s good to know. Now, where are you suggesting for us?”

The badgerfolk guard taps their head a couple times as they hum a tune. “Hmm, well now, I think there are a few places that could use more true homesteaders, like yourselves. Now, your requested location in theory ain’t all that hard to fit. Got a good ten or more settlements in and around such places. Though I suspect you’re looking for a bit of a fight as well?”

Courtney nods again.

The guard spends a bit more time thinking. “Yeah, that narrows it down a wee bit. Because of how the environmental thing works, most locations like that are actually low on monsters. Those that can leave as the forest shifts to better match our area.

“Now, if you don’t mind a good bit more time on the road, I know a spot. There’s a settlement more towards the center of the expansion. They’ve set up in a location like that which should’ve been like that naturally. That way, the monsters didn’t end up pushed out.

“They aren’t open for new settlers right now. So don’t expect to retreat to them if your attempt at roughing it fails. Though if you are up for that, settling down near them wouldn’t hurt none.”

Courtney, “Sounds alright, but what is their leadership like? I know you’ve said a bunch of places aren’t accepting new settlers, but to be near the center means at the heart of the push. How could they not need more people? You aren’t sending us to some places with everything already nailed down to reality, are you?”

The guard shakes his head, “Goodness me, no! This settlement is right on the edge of the expansion. Their wall only has one gate because all the other sides are too dangerous to have such a weakness.

“But that wall is exactly why they aren’t accepting more people. This push has been more, hmm, wild than usual. The settlements towards the edge are the more usual sprawling settlements.

“Everything else, though? Walls and more walls, so only so many people can fit. Early on, they tried just spreading out around the wall, but the casualty rate was too high. Big settlements attract too much trouble. You three camping out alone, though? Nothing too big is going to bother you.”

Courtney holds up her hands, “Hold on now. Too big? Don’t tell me your kingdom managed to try and conquer a Kaiju realm or some such!”

The guard coughs, “Well, not exactly?”

Courtney, “If it isn’t ‘exactly’, how close is it?”

The guard shrugs, “Just some larger than normal monsters. Think giant, not Kaiju. The trees are still taller.”

Courtney snorts, “So instead of being able to see them coming from miles away, they can hide in the trees? Also, do you mean they’re giant sized or are we dealing with actual giants? Because those are different things as well.”

The badgerfolk guard nods, “True nough. Giants, specially the rare variants, can have a decent head on their shoulders even when they aren’t sapient. But nah, just extra large animals around here.”

Courtney, “And these large animals. Any packs, swarms, hives, or similarly large groupings that hunt together?”

The guard shrugs, “We haven’t seen any yet. Closest was a bear and her cub one time, but that doesn’t fit what you mean. Though I won’t deny that some of the more group-based animals haven’t grown at least a little. Wolves tend to be somewhat bigger, for instance, but not horse big or some such.”

Courtney sighs, “I’m sure I’m missing something, but not much more I can ask you without it being just a repeat. What’s the place called and how do we get there?”

The badgerfolk guard laughs, “Not much choice if you aren’t planning on traveling for another year or so!

“Anyway, the place doesn’t really have a name yet. Haven’t finished their homesteading period so all we have is a number, 306. As in, it was the 306th settlement to be set up. Not that there are 305 other places out there. Many have fallen so far, but we’re honestly on par.

“Also, the number counts any place that signs up as a settlement, so more than a few are the result of a handful of people with a dream. In fact, you three could choose to start a settlement if you wanted to. Just that you need to pick a spot far enough away from any other active settlement which sort of defeats the purpose you’ve already stated. Oh, and it has to be within the part being actively tamed, but you already wanted that.

“As for getting to 306? Easy enough, follow this road and you’ll find a signpost at the next crossroads. The signs are hard to miss since they’ve got a bunch of small signs pointing every which way. Won’t lead you to every settlement and some signs need taken down.

“Still, since you know where you’re going, just find 306 and head whichever way it says. Keep following the signs and once you get to the road leading directly to them, it will have a star before the number. As long as you know what the number looks like and can follow signs, it shouldn’t be too hard.”