Rivers of Dust

Towering conical structures loom over the horizon, their wide bases narrowing as they rise. Wind howls through intricate lattices of interlocking, tear-shaped clay bricks designed to capture silt carried by the wind. Around the bases, spirals of silt gather and flow down earthen berms, forming mesmerizing rivers of dust that stretch toward the silt-salt sea. Siltskiffs glide lazily through the gentle currents, their nets dragging along to capture what bounty can be found in the dust.
Deeper: The windcatchers are essential in protecting the grasslands from encroaching silt storms, which would bury the fertile soil in a matter of years without their protection. Constructed by local ranching communities, these structures funnel wind-swept silt into berms that grow higher with time. As the berms rise, the old catchers are buried, and new ones are constructed over them. Each Spring, the communities gather to lay fresh foundations, baking new bricks from clay, straw, and sand to build the new windcatchers for the coming year.
The sight of newly built lines of windcatchers is striking—streams of silt pour from the lattices, creating great rivers that flow down toward the silt-salt sea. These berm spillways attract schools of raze and colonies of silfin crustaceans, that had developed into a booming seasonal fishery.
In the Fall, ranchers drive livestock east, where ferries will transport them to Drek’s Landing and beyond. Good help from experienced hands, as well as trustworthy guards and scouts, are always in demand. Siltskiff captains are also eager to find reliable help, particularly in early summer when the new windcatchers are completed, and the first inland winds race up the channel, signaling the start of trapping season. The bustle attracts all sorts, most just there for the work.