By: Catherine Tan

I am a settler in a powerful kingdom, an island with vast lands to explore.

I live on the west coast of my kingdom. My home, built recently, lies on the edge of the forest facing the hills, and I often walk down the coast to a nearby pier. Ships pass through, bringing goods and merchants. It is through these merchants that I learn of the kingdom’s happenings: redistribution of land, crop shortages, and lastly, adventures in the beautiful mountains.

I live a simple life, chopping and collecting wood from trees in the forest in the morning and stacking bricks to trade for other goods at the dock in the afternoon — bricks are well-sought; after all, every settler needs an abundance of bricks to build their own home. I never considered leaving my comfortable lifestyle. I enjoy gathering firewood and conversing with merchants near the harbor. Recently, many merchants began mentioning a beautiful mountain range on the east coast and retold stories they heard from adventurers there. Apparently, the mountains weren’t the only attraction, adventurers spoke of discovering ore and other valuable treasures.

I try to continue my daily tasks, but my mind wanders to the possible sights of the east coast. I have never seen mountains before; they tell me the mountains touch the top of the sky. I cannot resist the urge to experience the mountains with my own eyes.

My home lies in an area not commonly traveled to. The lengths where roads should be, are long overgrown with trees and greenery. I set forth with my horse and other belongings, dedicating all my resources towards building a road due east to ease the stress of traveling and reduce the possibility of getting lost.

I travel for days and nights. Perhaps a week goes by, maybe more. I pass a meadow of the greenest grass — where animals peacefully graze, undisturbed by settlers — and fields upon fields of crops, untended to and left to their own wild growth.

Upon the ninth day, I am met with a knight from the castle. He hands me a scroll and commends me for traveling the longest road in all the land. I am simply trying to reach the mountains, I tell him. He does not care and leaves the scroll with me. We part.

I continue my travels through the forests and hills and fields, until I finally catch a glimpse. The mountains stand tall and strong behind the desert, a stark contrast in landscape, and the water along the coast glimmers under the sun. I have made it; I now see the mountains with my own eyes. I start to walk forward to get a closer look but notice a wandering trader. His eyes are blank, and he appears to be muttering something over and over.

I lean in closer to hear. The kingdom has been conquered. You will be relocated shortly. The kingdom- My eyes close as a sense of déjà vu hits.

I live along the pasture, caring for my sheep and tending to my wheat fields. A trader passing through offers me a gray stone — it’s ore, he says. He tells me the land of the mountains is south. There, lies a beautiful mountain range, with peaks reaching the clouds. There, exists an abundance of ore. I begin preparing for my journey to see the mountains.

I am a settler in the kingdom of Catan.