Giant's Tears Lake
Giant's Tears Lake is situated just to the west of a large forested area that is actually two different forests next to each other, Forest of Bones and Sunnywood . To the west of the lake is the wide open plains of The Golden Fields with Keylara and Wolfgate on the western shores of the lake, Lores in the very south shores and a couple smaller towns on the southeastern shores in Sunnywood.
The lake is fed by two rivers, the Bones River from the north and Moonsilver River from the west and has a single outlet, the Running River in the southeast corner of the lake that skirts the southern border of Sunnywood before dipping south in two forks. The major fork traveling through the Dead Marshes and the smaller going south before changing course to the west into the The Mounds of Morthiel .
The lake is a key border point for the Dom of Raone and a good amount of trading comes in and out of the Lores and Keylara sister cities. Lores see the most outside trade due to its location right on the lake and on the Trader's Road. Large stone wharfs are located at both Lores and Keylara to accomodate the barges that haul cargo back and forth between the two cities. Imports and exports are traded to independent traveling merchants as well as official trade routes to Misty Palm Springs , the Draskon Kingdom, the free port city of Chiara, and the Kingdom of Tavark off to the east.
Every summer, Keylara hosts a sailing race that takes place on the lake known widely as the Pelmon Wind Races. This takes place during the month of Pelor's Moon (midsummer).
Common Wildlife:
The lake is an excellent source of a variety of fish and is the main source of fish as a food source for the valley.
Common Flora:
freshwater seaweed, mussels, Net Moss, Blood Lilies, and Fisher's Reeds.
There are no towns on the northeast corner of the lake due to both the nearness of the island and the dense and dangerous Forest of Bones pushing into the lake. However, this is also where some unique plants and creatures live, so some do venture out to this corner of the lake to gather materials and hunt certain creatures. Blood Lilies only grow in this area.
Myths and Legends
The Haunted Isle In the north east quadrant of the lake lies a rocky island, called Misty Island/Isle, that is shrouded in a perpetual mist and is completely unreachable. Every attempt to venture to the island by boat has failed. The fog thickens to the point where you cannot see your outstretched hand. And even if people are sure that they didn't turn or deviate from a straight line, as the fog begins to clear, they will find themselves with their back to the island in some other random direction. Those clever enough to devise a way to reach the island by traveling underwater will find a similar situation. The water become too murky to see and most people will get turned around in the same manner. Though some people have claimed that they've seen fishfolk or a sea serpent pass them, churning the water. Over time, there have occaisionally been determined individuals who repeatedly attempt to reach the island. Trying at different times of the year, in different weather conditions, after sacrificing to different gods or after different rituals. And eventually, they come back one time and have no memory of who they are or of the island itself. If they look back at the island, they've been seen to shiver and turn around from the shore. What is clear is that whoever or whatever is guarding the island, they don't want anyone there and are more powerful than any of the strongest mages. Thankfully, they don't seem interested in killing those who attempt to reach the island and are content with simply turning them away.
Type
Lake
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