Silver Lake
On first seeing the Silver Lake, one might be forgiven for thinking that it is a pool of pure silver, rather than a lake, and in many ways you wouldn’t be so wrong. Whilst there is water in the lake, sat beneath it is a layer of the metal mercury, which is what gives the impression of the lake being made of silver.
Geography
The Silver Lake is a large continuous body of water in the east of the Upper Underdark, which is fed by the Black River that flows into it from the south, and which originates in the Midnight Marshes. The waters of the lake are less than 3 metres deep, and beneath them is the layer of mercury which gives the lake its name. No one knows for sure how deep the layer of mercury is, as it would be incredibly dangerous for any living creature to enter it, but conservative estimates state that it is at least twice the depth, if not three times the depth of the water layer.
The eastern side of the lake is dominated by the large cliffs that overshadow its waters, on which the Duergar city of Bolga Crag is situated. The land surrounding the lake to the north, south and west is much more level, standing only a foot or two above the waterline.
Fauna & Flora
The layer of mercury beneath the water level means that the water of the Silver Lake are highly toxic and can neither support life, nor is it safe for consumption. Therefore, there is no animal or plant life within the lake itself.
Beyond the shores of the lake, however, in the cavern in which it sits all manner of the lichens, mosses and fungi that are regularly found within the Upper Underdark live and thrive, supporting the same creatures that can be found in many other locations throughout the region.
Natural Resources
For those who wish, the mercury that sits beneath the layer of water in the lake can be easily extracted, and is occasionally done so by the residents of Bolga Crag, who use small clay vessels attached to poles designed specifically for this purpose. However, as there are not a large number of uses for mercury, save for its use in specialist and expensive instruments, such as thermometers, there is little call to extract mercury from the lake and the Duergar of Bolga Crag generally only collect small amounts when they need it, rather than maintaining a stock within the city.
Type
Lake
Location under
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