Editing The Journal of Veksvale (section)

=='''Fort Vek'''==
I told them to start collecting rocks.  Any size.  They did.  They would come to the fire and drop rocks in the various piles. Small ones, medium ones, big ones.  Then one day i started sorting them out, moving them to places around.  A wall would do for the most part.  Nothing more then four feet.  Crenelations up to five.  

I pulled the logs from my cabin and replaced the bottom three feet with stone.  i cheated a bit ''smooth stoning'' them to fit air tight.    We scooted out a few good sized stones and I showed them how to chisel split them.  Over the next year we built 12 stone foundations and low walls for homes.  Made stone smoke houses.  

In probably the biggest mistake i made in this place, i scouted an easy trail down to Hinterhigh and established relations with a trading post.  Calling my place Veksvale made the residents of the crowded part start calling their place "Hinterhigh Township."  

I soon had nearly a hundred regular residents in Fort Vek.  A few families, a few travelers,  a few employees, hunters. brewers, .  A few mountain-men who decided Veksvale wasn't bad for the mountains and retired to the safety and plenty of the Fort.  I could always find things for old experienced hands to do.  They were always at the fire and their stories are always funny.  The truth was they worried that infirmity would hit them in their isolation, as had happened to many before.  Its a fear of these men.