Old Cistern

On the outskirts of Lodgar, at the edge of the wetlands, lies the Wellspring Cistern—an old clay-lined stone well and basin half-sunken into the marsh. Originally built as a communal water source, the cistern was abandoned years ago when new wells were dug closer to the wellspring fountain at the village center. Over time, the cistern has become overgrown with reeds and cattails, and its once-clear waters are now murky, stagnant, and often avoided by locals. Only the older generations remember its importance, and it’s said that those who grew up fetching water from it hold a sense of quiet reverence for the place.
Deeper: The cistern has become a shelter for frogs, marsh birds, and small creatures, with some of Lodgar’s children often catching tadpoles and playing nearby. It’s a forgotten place, but it still serves a practical role for the village. During arid seasons, villagers return to the Wellspring Cistern to draw water for their crops and livestock when other wells run low.
Recently, however, the cistern has become a point of contention. Hennan, one of the Saltbuck farmers, reported that the water from the cistern seemed muddier than usual, almost contaminated. The smell of rot hangs in the air around it, and some villagers have noted a strange taste in the water when they’ve needed to use it during the dry weeks leading up to the harvest. Old Maris, who grew up using the cistern, dismisses the complaints, claiming it’s just the natural marsh scent. But Lidda, always practical and observant, suspects something else may be going on.
During the Polgrist Harvest Festival, the children who play near the cistern discovered something odd—an old, rusted tool buried in the mud, its handle sticking out near the water’s edge. Hennan believes it might be from one of the old farm workers, but others have begun wondering if someone has been secretly tampering with the water or using the area for something unsavory. The sudden illness of a few livestock, believed to have drunk from the cistern, has increased the growing concerns.
Finnur, the quiet observer, has begun tracking the comings and goings around the cistern. He’s noticed faint boot tracks, far more regular than they should be for such an abandoned place. He’s mentioned this to the others, though with his typical detached curiosity, unsure of what it means. Could someone use the place to avoid the eyes of the busy village, or is there something more to these unexplained visits?
As the festival continues, the Wellspring Cistern becomes a focal point of quiet gossip and suspicion. Some villagers suggest draining it entirely and seeing what might be buried beneath the muddy water. Others, like Old Maris, dismiss the affair as overblown superstition and worry. But with each passing day, the air around the cistern seems to grow thicker with tension, and someone will need to get to the bottom of whatever is happening before mistrust spreads further in the community.

Supplemental Notes

• Bog Turnips: A staple crop in Lodgar, dried and ground into polgrist, a starchy meal used in many traditional village dishes.
• Finnur: A quiet villager who observes the outskirts. He has noticed unusual tracks near the cistern but is unsure of their meaning.
• Gristmill Inn: Lodgar’s central public house, run by Old Maris. It is the heart of village life and the center of communal celebrations.
• Grunters: Brackish hogfish raised in covered ponds alongside Saltbucks. They are essential for food and trade in Lodgar.
• Hennan: A Saltbuck farmer and pond keeper. Practical and cautious, he’s concerned about the cistern’s water quality.
• Lidda: Oversees drying and grinding of bog turnips. Practical and observant, she suspects something is wrong with the cistern water.
• Lodgar: A small farming village at the edge of the wetlands, where life revolves around farming and seasonal communal celebrations.
• Old Maris: The innkeeper of the Gristmill Inn, dismissive of concerns about the cistern, believing it’s just the natural marsh scent.
• Polgrist Harvest Festival: A village festival celebrating the first drying of bog turnips, marked by feasts, games, and offerings to wetland spirits.
• Rusted Tool: An old, unidentified, rusted tool discovered near the Wellspring Cistern. Its appearance has raised suspicions of tampering.
• Saltbucks: Brackish prawns raised in covered ponds. They are a primary food source and central to the Tide’s End Festival.
• Wellspring Cistern: An old, abandoned well, now murky and overgrown, once a vital water source but now suspected of contamination.
• Wellspring Fountain: The central water source of Lodgar, replacing the Wellspring Cistern. It serves as a gathering point for villagers.