LoopyPanda
Black Jacket
Crossroads Town is located in the Desolate Lands originally founded by those who had been forced out of their homes in the wake of the region becoming wracked by wars among the people, being rebuilt from the ruins of war by refugees. Some generations later, Crossroads town has become both a quiet place to live and stay along with a lively market that encourages trading or buying wares unique to the Desolate Lands. While the desert supports very little farming, drip irrigation and organic gardening has served the town well in providing a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, but these gardens are hidden deep within the town and heavily guarded by a formidably large canine.
Some merchants come from afar to trade their goods with locals, mostly dealing with livestock or dried meat. Unique to Crossroads Town is the abundance of exotic cacti that grow on the outskirts; locals harvest the fruit and water inside along with the spines to sell to passing travelers. Prickle Pear Pops are a rare and popular treat you can't get anywhere else, and strangely don't even drip under the scorching sun. The water maintains hydration and also has been used to make medical ointments. How the locals safely make use of the cacti is unknown-- many unsuspecting travelers and greedy merchants end up harming themselves trying to reap the benefits of the rare cactus.
Despite the town being lively, it can be a potential breeding ground for trouble with the occasional desert outlaws wanting to stir some trouble; however, Crossroads Town has a few ex-ruffians living among their midst that wanted a clean slate and will go to great lengths in protecting those who cannot defend themselves. While the probability of the town being ransacked by humans or monsters has lowered as of late, it is still possible-- so people avoid staying out after sundown. In spite of these measures, the threat of the Dalv Tribe remains a real fear in some of the townspeople's hearts, but they take some satisfaction in being located in a desert that is difficult to navigate without potentially ending up in the Endless Desert. Also, stationed at many places in town are large, rather beastly, dogs with a sandy-brown coat and gold eyes that all belong to the chief of the town; the people call them desert huskies. They look very intimidating up close, but are very friendly around people they don't consider a threat or enemy. It would be unwise to start trouble with them around...
Local Areas of Interest:
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Not the finest cuisine, but it's better than chewing on cactus flesh and whatever almonds you have left in your rations.
Not the finest cuisine, but it's better than chewing on cactus flesh and whatever almonds you have left in your rations.
Tavern Grub
Light Bites
Fruit leather rolls: berries of all kinds of flavors mashed into long strips and dried out in the hot desert sun for berry-leathery perfection. All natural and cheap, it comes in plenty of fruity flavors:
- Desert fig
- Blackberry / Raspberry
- Red berries mix
- Pomegranate
Thorned desert melon slices:a very spiky fruit normally surrounded in bushels of thorny vines, it's quite a treat when served chilled with chile-lime powder. A local favorite to cool off on especially toasty days.
Beefy jerky: a traveler's staple, but with a little kick for a more interesting taste. Salted steak can be provided upon request.
Specialty Dishes
Bear-Paw Pie: a traditional chicken pot pie served fresh out the oven with a single bread roll. While it is a hot dish, this pie is soul food that seems to give anyone who eats it a hearty sense of restored stamina... special ingredients obtained from traveling merchants speed up recovery and healing of any injured street punks that take a snooze at the clinic (and the doc argues its restorative power rivals that of a traditional potion from Paradice).
Squash Spaghetti Bowl: The insides of this hardy squash are cooked and resemble the pasta in appearance. Top with basil and classic herb and spice and you get a very tasty vegetable dish! Served in the same squash the spaghetti came from.
Lentil Soup: It's the only soup there is for miles, but it's pretty good during the cold nights of the desert.
Add a basket of hot biscuits for an additional fee.
Drinks
Homebrewed Ale
Desert Moonshine (don't worry it won't kill you. Probably.)
Pink Dragonfruit Iced Tea
Classic Green Tea
The go-to place for most residents. It gives off a rather imposing air, but also serves as a good spot for knowing the latest happenings around the town while you get some grub. Sometimes bar fights break out, but the barkeeps tend to settle it rather quickly... Travelers also exchange stories, so this is a good place to stop by if you want to avoid any potential ambushes out by the desert.
A small clinic where the local doctor Marietta dwells in. She is one of the few who know how to create the effective medicine from the prickly fruit, and is exceptionally good at treating injuries or illnesses without employing magic. Her services aren't usually free, but she usually asks for items or good old physical labor in exchange. There are many things that need to be done in Crossroads Town to improve it from its broken origins!
