Ethan Drake walked alongside the old barbarian, exchanging words as they trudged forward. The elder seemed to know the most about the world they were in, and Ethan was eager to learn. However, much to his frustration, the information he managed to extract was disappointingly limited. Two key details stood out.
First, their previous settlement had been surrounded by other small tribes, most of which had more warriors than theirs. During the harsh winters, when food became scarce, those tribes often raided Ethan's tribe for supplies. The constant attacks had left many of his people dead from starvation this past winter.
Second, there was the threat of wild beasts. While many animals hibernated in the winter, wolves didn't. Crossing paths with a hungry wolf pack would be a nightmare.
Both predators—beasts and neighboring tribes—posed a significant threat to Ethan and his people. Their vulnerability was palpable.
There were no forms of transportation in this era. It had taken them five days of trekking through the snow on foot to reach this point after the blizzard destroyed their home. This suggested they weren't far from their original settlement. If nearby tribes had also been displaced by the storm, their paths might cross. Ethan doubted they'd welcome him with open arms. Instead, they'd likely clash over scarce resources and habitable land.
He sighed, running a hand over his face. "Great. Just great," he muttered. Being a patriarch wasn't exactly a walk in the park.
His brooding was interrupted by a shout from the young barbarian leading the group. "Patriarch! It's here!"
Ethan looked up, following the youth's pointing finger. Past a small grove of trees, a vast, frozen lake glinted under the pale sunlight. His steps faltered as the system's voice echoed in his mind:
System Tip: Congratulations to player Ethan Drake for discovering the two-star natural wonder, "Mirror Lake." You have earned 1,000 civilization points.
"What?!" Ethan's jaw dropped. Civilization points? A thousand of them? He hadn't even managed to scrounge up a single point so far, and now they were just...handing them out?
Excitement surged, momentarily washing away his frustration. "Natural wonders exist here just like in games? If I settle the tribe near Mirror Lake, could it provide bonuses?"
Curious and eager, Ethan jogged toward the lake. The closer he got, the more its grandeur struck him. Even frozen solid in the heart of winter, the lake's sheer scale and natural beauty were breathtaking.
As he approached, a panel of information appeared before his eyes:
Name: Mirror Lake
Type: Freshwater lake, natural wonder
Level: Two stars
Resources: Freshwater, fish
Effects: Settling near Mirror Lake grants +100 civilization points per day and a 20% bonus to fishery production.
Ethan's breath hitched. The freshwater and fish resources alone made the lake invaluable, not to mention the daily civilization points. His mind was made up.
"This is it!" he announced, turning to the group. "We'll settle here."
Relief washed over the faces of the tribe members. After five days of wandering, they finally had a place to call home.
"Men, gather branches and stones. Women, start clearing the snow," the old barbarian instructed, seamlessly stepping into his usual role of organizing tasks.
Ethan watched for a moment, then frowned. "Wait, this isn't a game. Settlements don't magically appear. I need to actually help build it."
He rolled up his sleeves. As his tribe worked, Ethan's gaze drifted back to the frozen lake. The thought of fish stirred his hunger. He crouched near the edge, tapping the ice with his knuckles. The thick, solid surface echoed like stone.
"Great," he muttered under his breath. "I'll need a big rock to break through this."
A shadow fell over him as the old barbarian approached. "Patriarch, what are you doing?"
Ethan straightened, gesturing at the ice. "We're going to break through this and see if we can catch some fish."
"Fish? What's that? Can you eat it?" The elder's confusion was evident, his brow furrowed as he asked two rapid-fire questions.
Ethan blinked, stunned. "You've got to be kidding me... They don't even know what fish are?"
His thoughts shifted as he noticed the crude wooden clubs carried by the warriors. No stone-tipped spears. Nothing remotely advanced. "Right. We're not even in the Stone Age yet."
He exhaled sharply, mentally adjusting his expectations. Catching fish wasn't going to be easy with their primitive tools, especially in a frozen lake.
"Alright," Ethan said finally, turning to the elder. "We'll need a big rock to break the ice and smaller, sharp stones for makeshift tools. Get some vines too—thin but strong ones. Got it?"
The old barbarian nodded, passing on Ethan's orders to the others. The youth rushed off to gather supplies, while the elder lingered.
"If this works," Ethan said, his lips curling into a faint smile, "you'll see what fish are soon enough."