Driftglass

It is a sight to behold - a beach covered in smooth pebbles of sea-weathered glass of every colour imaginable. Children laugh and play amongst the colours, collecting and comparing the bits of glass, their imagination bolstered by the lack of sharp edges and the frosted surfaces which feels so interesting under their fingertips.   Driftglass is a naturally occuring material that are comprised of glass fragments that have fallen into the sea and undergone a natural tumbling process. It can be found in both fresh water and salt water, but it is easier to find along ocean beaches. This is because of their source.   In Talnor, there is only one place that is garanteed to have fresh water driftglass, which is called tumbleglass: Lake Kayal. The story about its presence is both humourous and a little harrowing, and involved a boat, a party, and a need for more wine.  

It was a fine sunny day on the shores of Lake Kayal during the ending years of the Epoch of Summer. The surface of the lake was placid and glittered in the warm sunlight. It was the perfect day to be out on the water and simply relaxing.   Four friends decided to throw a small party on the shore. Lord Liränél, Lord Korlan, Lady Hinaubä, and Dame Myra got together and gathered everything they needed and everyone they wanted to attend. They stood open-sided pavillions up on the sand and assembled long tables lined with chairs. There was much music, drinking, and eating to be had—even though it was nothing more than a fancy picnic.   At some point 4 hours in, they found that they had run out of wine. Knowing that there was a winery across the lake, Liränel and Korlan jumped into a boat (no bigger than a skiff) and set off. Half and hour later, they loaded up the little boat with as much wine that could fit. Yellow bottles of Summer White, light green bottles of Sparkling Spring Ice Wine, pink bottles of Kayal Rosé, and clear bottles of Mountain Red were stacked precariously, but the two young men were too giggly and rambunctious to notice.   Striking out into the lake once more, the voyage back to the party started out quite fine. But once they reached the middle of the lake, a large gust of wind came racing down the length of the lake and slammed into the stacked boxes sitting awkwardly on the little boat. A little tipsy from the wine they had already consumed, the two didn't notice until it was too late what was happening and they went crashing into the water.   With the eerie singing of glass smashing together and shattering, the bottles disappeared into the water, never to be seen again.   Liränél and Korlan were fished out later once their friends had stopped laughing.

  It took around a hundred years for that glass to slowly make its way back onto land after it had been buffeted the water and sand.   Driftglass is frequently found along the eastern coastline of Aegéfaer and the western coastline of the continent where Vedour and Coratan reside. This glass was not formed by a barge of glass falling into the sea, but by a wonderous island that used to exist halfway between the two continents.   This island was a gorgeous sight, and would often stun the sailors who caught sight of it during their voyages. It was said to be populated by the remnants of the Mentari that lived in the Whisperglass Valley, which was destroyed by the Rekathusilo Impact at the end of The Battle of Unspoken Grief. According to legend, these survivors moved to an island in the middle of The Moonspan Ocean in order to put as much space between themselves and the destruction so that they could rebuild and mourn the loss of their home, friends, and family.   They named the island Mistwhisper Isle and set about building a magnificent home out of their unique elemental glass. The sight of it would go down in history for its beauty. It withstood the raging storms and cold of the Epoch of Snow and stood proud until the end of the Epoch of Recovery.   No one really knows what happened to Mistwhisper Isle, other than it had something to do with a massive volcanic eruption that sank the island, killed the whole population of Mentari, and raised a chain of islands that would go on to be called Mistfire Archipelago.   All the glass fell into the sea, shattering into billions of pieces as it was lost. It took a couple thousand years, but eventually reminders of the lost island washed up on shore in the form of small pieces of Driftglass.   Most don't remember where this glass came from, or those who were lost in that calamity.   One of the most well known places where driftglass washes up onto the sand is the beach known as Driftglass Shore, located on the southern shores of Bélar. The carpet of seaglass is considered the thickest to be found, and glitters quite prettily in the sun. Despite not knowing the history of this glass, there is an air about it and this has lead visitors to leave the glass where it is. Though once in a while someone takes a pebble and fashions a pendant, creating a memory out of it.   Driftglass pendants are not all that popular. In fact, if one were to walk into a jeweler's, there won't be one piece of driftglass jewelery to be found. This has lead to near-permanence of the beautiful driftglass to be found on beaches, and if a pebble is made into pendant, it is an extremely personal item and is often passed down in the family.   One of the most famous driftglass pendants currently known is the one made by a king of Bélar for his wife, and it has been passed down for nearly 8 generations now.