[sir-en-nith]
Overview:
Lake Serenith is the lifeblood of the Shattered Kingdoms, serving as a critical resource for transport, agriculture, and sustenance. Spanning an immense area, it dominates the geography of Eastern Siar’Morrin, its sheer size giving it the appearance of an ocean when viewed from its shores. With its vast waters and numerous tributaries feeding into it, the lake influences the climate, fosters diverse ecosystems, and supports the livelihoods of many who live along its shores. As a focal point of commerce, culture, and diplomacy, the lake stands as both a unifying force and a source of contention among the kingdoms that surround it.
Description:
Spanning an area so vast that its opposite shores vanish into the horizon, Lake Serenith resembles an inland sea. Standing on its banks, one feels a sense of awe at its immense size, with waves gently lapping against the shores and a seemingly endless expanse of water stretching to the horizon. Fed by numerous rivers and natural springs, its ecosystem supports an abundance of life, both above and below the water. Surrounding the lake, fertile lands sustain unique crops and bustling communities that rely on its resources. Many settlements and cities dot its shoreline, with some built on stilts or floating platforms, adapting to its vast wetlands and marshy areas.
The lake’s weather systems dominate the region, with prevailing easterly winds carrying storms and heavy rains to its western shores, fostering marshlands like those of Vasae. To the north and east, drier lands transition into the harsher terrains of Avatolika and the Road North Barrens. Scattered fishing villages, trade ports, and larger cities all rely on the lake’s bounty and accessibility, while its depths are shrouded in mystery, inspiring numerous local legends.
History:
Throughout history, Lake Serenith has been a source of sustenance, transportation, and power for the Shattered Kingdoms. In ancient times, its shores were home to scattered human settlements and small elven enclaves, coexisting in a delicate balance with the lake’s ecosystem. As humanity grew in strength and numbers, the Biranian Empire took full control of the lake, turning it into a central trade artery and a critical hub for communication and logistics across Eastern Siar’Morrin.
During the Schism Wars, Lake Serenith became a contested battleground, with its islands, ports, and waterways fiercely fought over by warring kingdoms. It served as both a natural barrier and a vital route for transporting troops and supplies, with many battles unfolding on its shores and even on its waters. Despite the conflict, the lake endured as a unifying force, binding the surrounding kingdoms together through trade and shared reliance.
In the current age, the lake’s strategic and economic importance remains undiminished. However, tensions around Star Rise/Fall Island have brought new instability to the region. Both Vasae and Avatolika claim ownership of the island, seeing it as a symbol of dominance and an asset critical to their economies.
Significance:
Lake Serenith is unparalleled in its importance to the Shattered Kingdoms, serving as a natural divider, unifier, and provider. Its shores house a rich diversity of life and culture, with each kingdom deriving distinct advantages from its proximity. For Vasae, the lake is a source of wealth and sustenance, while Avatolika relies on its waters for fishing, trade, and access to fertile shores. Pistos and Mesokini utilize its waterways for trade and military maneuvering, while isolated regions like Doulas and Mesoyi depend on its distant rains and tributaries for survival.
In addition to its economic and ecological value, the lake holds deep cultural and spiritual significance. Many myths and legends are tied to its depths, and several religious practices and rituals across the kingdoms honour the lake as a divine entity or a gift from the gods. The disputed Star Rise/Fall Island only adds to its prominence, as the kingdoms see control of the island as a way to solidify their influence over this critical region.
Notable Features:
- Star Rise/Fall Island: A small but strategically vital island at the center of Lake Serenith, it is the focal point of the conflict between Vasae and Avatolika. To Vasae, it is Star Rise Island, symbolising prosperity and dominance over the lake. To Avatolika, it is Star Fall Island, a reminder of Vasae’s perceived encroachments and injustices.
- Temple of Ooscie: Nestled on a tranquil island off the shores of Avatolika, near the city of Lachraine, this ancient temple is dedicated to Ooscie. The temple is a spiritual center for many inhabitants of Lake Serenith, particularly sailors and merchants that travel Lake Serenith. Its intricate carvings, reflecting the myths of Ooscie and her Naiad children, and the ever-flowing spring within its walls are said to hold divine blessings.
- Naiads’ Island: Said to lie somewhere along the lake’s western edge, this elusive island is shrouded in mystery. Sailors returning from journeys across the lake sometimes claim to have set foot upon its shores, describing enchanting groves, crystalline springs, and the presence of naiads who dwell in its waters. Yet no chart nor expedition has ever been able to locate it again, and many who boast of having visited are later unable to find their way back.
- The Thrysa Delta: At the lake’s southern reach, the Thrysa River branches into a sprawling labyrinth of swamps and marshes, forming the lifeblood of Vasae. This delta is a place of both danger and opportunity: nutrient-rich soils nurture rare herbs and crops found nowhere else, while shifting channels and sudden floods make navigation treacherous.
- The Drowned Spires: Off the lake’s northeastern shore lies a half-submerged ruin — the crumbled remains of what many believe to be a city from the Age of Expansion. Jagged stone towers and weatherworn spires rise eerily from the water, visible only when storms drive the lake’s surface low. Fishermen tell of shadows moving among the ruins and strange lights flickering beneath the waves.
Local Legends or Stories:
There are many stories surrounding Lake Serenith, but one of the most enduring is the tale of Star Fall/Rise Island, named for the similar yet opposing legends held by the kingdoms of Avatolika and Vasae. To the Avatolikans in the west, the island is known as Star Fall Island, a sacred resting place where the stars descend into the waters at dawn to sleep, their nightly duties fulfilled. In contrast, the Vasaeans of the east call it Star Rise Island, believing it to be the birthplace of the stars, where they emerge from the depths each evening to light up the heavens.
Despite their differing views, both kingdoms share a belief in the island’s mystical connection to the stars. They tell of celestial beings left behind, taking human form during the day and roaming the island as guardians of its sacred nature. These “starfolk” are said to watch over the balance between the heavens and the world below, and to befriend one is to find eternal peace in life.
In contrast another common legend of Lake Serenith ventures not to the heavens, but into the depths of Staterum. According to the legend at the very center of Lake Serenith lies an extensive underwater cave system. These submerged passageways lead to a hidden world at the planet’s core, a realm untouched by the struggles of the surface. While some believe this to be a sanctuary of unimaginable beauty, others caution that it is a place of unspeakable danger, guarded by aquatic creatures older than time itself. Many explorers have sought to find this fabled entrance, but none have returned with proof of its existence.
Visitors’ Experience:
Lake Serenith offers a vast and diverse experience depending on where one ventures. Along its shores, travelers can find bustling port cities, serene fishing villages, or isolated stretches of untamed wilderness. The lake’s sheer size, with its distant shores vanishing into the horizon, lends an almost oceanic quality that inspires awe. Boating across its waters provides stunning views and a sense of tranquility, though the unpredictable storms that sweep across the lake demand respect and caution. Visitors are often drawn to its cultural significance, such as Star Fall/Rise Island or the Temple of Ooscie, while its natural beauty and abundant resources make it a vital lifeline for the Shattered Kingdoms.