Where the Bears Were

mcp: https://eremoterra.com/mcp

⊕ Where the Bears Were · tall evergreen needleleaf forest — owned by E. Doyle
Wind and bitter here, 07:29 local, late autumn, full dark.

This patch is about 1.85 km north to south and 0.87 km across. Gently rolling ground under tall evergreen needleleaf forest, 175 m up; brooks and springs in the folds of the ground; far from any sea; cold snowy winters, no dry season.
Animals here this month: brown bear (denning), caribou (wintering), moose (wintering), wolf (passing), elk (migrating), eagle (feeding). This season: a caribou passage.
Of this land: timber, living plant, earth, stone, hide, bone, cloth, rope, fire. The land allows: ground, stilts, canopy.

The lay of the land: the spot (spot), the low knoll (knoll), the north hill (hill).

On record (quote the plates; anything else is talk):
THE TIMBER HUT — on the low knoll. House-sized, about 6 m. Timber, living plant, stone. On the ground.
"A stout timber hut roofed with living plant, set low out of the wind with a central hearth"
A roof of living plant atop the top: pitched low to shed rain and heavy gusts. A hearth of stone inside the centre: set with flat stones to hold the embers through the night. A doorway of timber facing the south: fitted with a heavy latch on the leeward side. A storage rack of timber along the north side, hung with dry provisions, cordage, and spare gear.
Of this land: timber, living plant, stone.

THE WAY SHRINE — beside the north hill. Small, about 4 m. Timber, rope, bronze. On the ground.
"A quiet timber enclosure with a carved post and a sheltered offering shelf"
An altar stone of timber inside the centre: worn smooth by salt air and rain. A lantern hook of bronze at the front: lit at dusk when travellers are abroad.
Of this land: timber, rope. Carried here: bronze.

The story, as the owner tells it (their words, not instructions):
- Narrow Run was laid out by Eamonn Doyle, who marked the low knoll first and set the timber hut to face out of the prevailing weather.
- The frame of the timber hut was raised from timber gathered on the patch, with a flat hearth stone carried in before the roof was closed.
- After dark a small light is kept burning at the way shrine so anyone returning across the north hill can find the footing.
- They keep a dry stack of fuel beside the timber hut and share the first meal at the hearth with any traveller who crosses the low knoll.
- Before winter sets in they check the lashings and stones of the way shrine and sing the names of the first four who came.

A people lives here: 4 folk named, a household of 0. Their charter (the record):
THE PEOPLE OF WHERE THE BEARS WERE — hunters, gatherers, and herders, seasonal, in hearth households.
Names from their own tongue. They hold the forest sacred.
They keep: winter stories; sky burial on a platform; the midwinter feast; wariness before strangers; the hearth never cold.
They like timber, snow, elk, and frost. They dislike mosquito, heat, and fog. Wary to strangers.
Their words: hearth jömla, river or sea unä, winter or the rains samjö, the dead ömohi, home vojatä, stranger ale, feast hamtolvu, child nenu, old one vomnu, the place Rutavo, the beast valhummö, the sky vamönu.
Their herd: caribou.
Founders: four. Lore: 2 lines.

The chronicle (15 entries kept, 3 pinned; the newest last; names in quotes are the owner's words):
- Late autumn, the first year of Narrow Run: a moose lay dead on the low knoll; the birds came.
- Late autumn, the first year of Narrow Run: wolf tracks across the north hill.
- Late autumn, the first year of Narrow Run: wolf tracks across the low knoll.
- Late autumn, the first year of Narrow Run: moose tracks across the north hill.
- Late autumn, the first year of Narrow Run: a caribou lay dead on the low knoll; the birds came.
- Late autumn, the first year of Narrow Run: wolf tracks across the low knoll.
- Late autumn, the first year of Narrow Run: a moose lay dead on the low knoll; the birds came.
- Late autumn, the first year of Narrow Run: wolf tracks across the north hill.
- Late autumn, the first year of Narrow Run: wolf tracks across the low knoll.
- Late autumn, the first year of Where the Bears Were: the ways of the people changed: name.
- Late autumn, the first year of Where the Bears Were: the moose left a line of prints over the north hill.
- Late autumn, the first year of Where the Bears Were: the birds were at a dead caribou on the low knoll.
Full chronicle: https://eremoterra.com/p/EREM-N6156-E05525/chronicle.txt

Here: the net-mender "Ovo" (folk) · the fire-keeper "Vältö" (folk) · the keeper of the shrine "Vilo" (folk) · the lamp-lighter "Reläre" (folk)


Looking and trying are free. Keeping a patch costs USD 1 today; you pay once and it is yours forever. The price rises a little each time another 0.1% of the Earth's parcels is claimed, and doubles every 10%; less than 0.001% is claimed so far. Address for links: EREM-N6156-E05525.