146. The Lonely One
The ruins here are harder to spot than you expected. The surrounding forest is quite thick and overgrown, and while some adventurers have carved out the barest hint of a path, it is impossible to discern from boar-trails. What Pehiri described as “a few hours walk” is more like a half day of carving through brambles and vines before you see the first metal shell marking the edge of the ruin.
The Old Ones called this place Liberal, Kansas.
A few husks of buildings remain, none as tall and terrifying as the ones in Devil’s Thirst, most not much larger than Pehiri’s house. Dozens of rusted metal shells dot the village, most flattened with the weight of overgrowth. A small, shallow lake rests to the east, surface covered in lilies and boisterous with frog-song. There are more clear paths here in the village, all converging toward the southeast.
You eventually find the statue, though it takes some time as you were expecting something larger. It’s approximately life-sized, and probably depicted a woman, though the elements have worn down all identifying features. She seems to be holding something that may have been a package, or even a swaddled baby. Behind her lays a large stone tablet, cracked into pieces from the fall, and similarly warn. You can make out some letters etched into the face, but not enough to make sense of it.
No machines patrol this area. Your Focus does not detect anything interesting. This appears to have been a dead end.
Pehiri said you could catch back up to the Southtap by heading due east from the statue.