Plaat by the False Water

Demographics

As the Sinks are a development of the mountain peoples on the Step, the demographics of the Sinks consists mostly them.
The term 'Sinkling' is a catchall term for those living in the Long Step's Sinks. The lawbreakers, war prisoners and purchased slaves from as far as the Corn Court near the most southern of the valley and as far west as Sangsalgu itself.

Government

Swampers

A minority caste of conscripted or enslaved workers from the surrounding area who became so adept at their dangerous tasks, they were able to negotiate for a greater voice in the running of their home.

Sinklings

Fervant quinametli followers, generally hold greater influence. The local priesthood chooses to minimize the village's interaction with other sinks outside its trade in order to maintain a quinametzin theotratic ideal.

Defences

Kill Zones

The village's buildings are built in an unplanned manner and very close to each other. During enemy raids, its haphazard layout had inadvertently created many points of ambush within which an approaching enemy force can be trapped and destroyed.
This would become so effective, residents would construct empty houses surrounding a core inhabited area that gave the illusion the settlement was more populated than it was, as well as, create several more options to ambush approaching enemies.

Industry & Trade

Metal Working

Mist metallurgy evolved various smelting techniques and ores to produce malleable and ductile metal useful for tools and adornments.

Silver Process

One of the easiest and most preferred method by forgers. It involves mixing false water into unrefined ores that readily melt without damaging it, and used for the precision casting of complex or intricate parts and patterns.

Infrastructure

Silver Channels

False water can have negative long-term effects against those handling it. In order to mitigate this, a complex systems of channel have been carved into the froze earth, elevated on splintered grass trucks and collected in simple stone lined basins.

Assets

False Water

A silvery liquid that bubbles from unknown places in the earth with a heavy consistency. No one can mistake it for water; and is proven poisonous over time if in constant contact. It is collected as a solvent for chemical/alchemical uses and in metallurgy.

Guilds and Factions

Pourers

Skilled and unskilled manipulators who control the flow of the false water through the channels and towards the work stations.

Metal Workers

The skilled labour apprenticed or imported to dissolve the ore and obtain purified metal ingots from the mines.

History

Labour Camp

A rather disorganized gathering of the laymen responsible for the extraction and shipment of raw materials. It was the initiative of Chu-Caan on the Bad Step to improve its weapons production during the Seductions.
Often times, the old priests would use their members as its own strong arms (unofficially) to facilitate nightly patrols and internal security.

Architecture

Cencalli

Sinks follow a common formula of compacted purple salt sandwiched between hollow grass trunks supporting thatched roof; all built around the black hot-rock outcroppings.
Hot-rocks break along slates which leaves Tonda homes having exterior walls with spike directed outwards. Neighbourhoods of cencalli have been called stone gardens for they resemble field of black and graying flowers sprouting from the barren ground.

Geography

Silver Lake

The lake covers a good size area but is only as deep as your ankles.

— Quinametli Priest

Silver lake gets its name from the color of the silvery hue of the false water gently rising from the ground and displacing the top soil.

Natural Resources

Near frozen Grass Trees: Hollow trunks are harvested and used in constructing buildings and crafting wands.
Gases from the earth: Captured with rubber nets as they rise from the bogs. They are used as a means of heating homes but sometimes, a capturer catches gases that are either not flammable or too flammable.
Ice: Generally the only clean and reliable source of water to be had in the cold swamp.
Stone Mounds: These structures are so sturdy and resistant to temperature. Folks drive out the stonecutter ants and section off their towers to be taken away for man's own construction. Stonecutters build them from pebbles and dirt mortared with their saliva.

Alternative Name(s)

• Plaat
• Plaat by the Silver Lake
• Silver Lake

Type

Village

Population

2,000

Inhabitant Demonym

Sinklings

Location under

Cold Swamp

Owning Organization

Long Step