Ye-Tkull

Ye-Tkull is bounded on the south and west by the western arm of the Earthbound Mountains, on the north by an un-named spur of the same, and on the northeast by the Inner Seas.   Its single largest feature is a Great Lake known variously as The Lake of Corrosion, The Poisoned Water, and other, similar names. Its waters are exceedingly toxic and corrosive, apparently killing all that it touches. The lake is fed by waters running off the Earthbones to the west, and drained by a nameless river from its southeastern shore; this river's water is also highly toxic, though it is diluted somewhat by tributaries once it reaches the sea. No vegetation lives within miles of its shores, and there is no life at all in the waters themselves. Scholars are undecided precisely why the waters are as toxic as they are; explanations range from the rational — that there is some sort of mineral or other substance at the lake's bottom that renders the water deposited there highly alkaline — to the mythological: that the toxins are the result of foul alchemical experimentation perpetrated by the sorcerer-kings that once ruled the ancient pre-Fall kingdom of Ye-Tkull.   In terms of terrain, Ye-Tkull is highly variable, but rolling hills predominate, punctuated by limestone and granite hills and outcroppings.   A number of rivers cross the plains of Ye-Tkull. Most of them are ephemeral, and appear dry on the surface. Many of them bear water year round, albeit under several layers of riverbed sand and stones.

Ye-Tkull is essentially semi-arid, with most of it dry savannah or scrubland. There is little in terms of tree cover.    Rainfall is sparse – though it is unclear why, since there is no real barrier to the weather systems that form over the Inner Seas, and it is shielded from the hyper-arid deserts to the south and west by the thick shield-wall of the Earthbones.

Most of the vegetation in Ye-Tkull is comprised of hardy, semi-desert adapted grasses, and exceptionally robust thorn trees approximately analogous to acacias. In places where there are springs, patches of succulents and greener bushes and shrubs may occur.    Few large animals roam the plains of Ye-Tkull. What does occur are various kinds of antelope, goats, and wild donkeys, which browse on the grasses and bushes as do occur.    Small animals — rodents, lizards and other reptiles, birds, and so forth — occur in sparse, but pervasive numbers.    The apex predator of the region is the flightless land-dragon, which dwells scattered around the plains, predominantly near oases and rock outcroppings; its mode of hunting is ambush predation. Many make their lair in the ruined buildings that dot the landscape.   Other large predators include a small number of large cats, as well as an even smaller population of monstrous predators, including ankhegs, basilisks, bulettes, and the like.   Smaller predators include jackals, hyaenas, and various mustelids who prey on the "small fry." Closer to the mountains, packs of wolves may occur.

The Earthbone mountains once yielded great quantities of iron, silver, copper, tin, and gold; but since the fall of the kingdom of Ye-Tkull, the region has been too inhospitable for any kind of commercial exploitation.

Before the Fall, Ye-Tkull was a kingdom ruled by a cabal of sorcerer-kings. It was a vassal-state of Makliss, and culturally it inherited much from the Drughashi Empire that had initially founded the realm.    Ye-Tkull's capital once stood on the southern shore of the Lake of Corrosion. In those days the lake's waters were not lethal, but clear and sweet; teeming with fish and wildlife. The streets were broad, and paved with finely-dressed stone. Buildings were white-washed, and adorned with tiles glazed in all the colours under the sun. There were temples to all the gods, but the greatest temple was erected to honour Magrinæèdh, who after the Fall is known only as The Fallen One. It was a large city, inhabited by tens of thousands of citizens.     The name of this city is now forgotten, and its ruins are haunted by all manner of terrible creatures, ranging from venomous snakes, spiders, and insects, to horrible monstrosities and aberrations.

No-one in their right mind travels to Ye-Tkull for its own sake, and those that are forced to traverse it do so along well-established caravan tracks close to the shores of the Inner Seas. Travellers avoid the Lake of Corrosion.