Lough Lamplight

"It calls to us. Gleaming, untouched, a jewel nestled in the bosom of the wild. And each time we reach for it, the Grandgleam reminds us who truly rules these lands."

Lough Lamplight is a prize that has never been claimed, a vast expanse of freshwater cradled beneath the soaring lands of the Grandgleam Forest, softly illuminated by the eerie luminescence of its treetops. It is a lake that should have been the heart of a great settlement, rich in game, timber, fish, and fertile land, but three times Everwealth has tried to tame it, and three times it has been violently rebuked. First, in 201 CA, when the settlement of Lanternglow was reduced to ashes by a dragon that came screaming from the sky. Then, in 244 CA, when bandits descended upon Newlantern, slaughtering its people and razing its homes. And finally, in 308 CA, when a bitter winter brought plague to Fatestempt, leaving the last attempt at settlement a graveyard before spring. The lake has all the makings of prosperity, yet it belongs to no kingdom, no ruler, no god save for the Grandgleam itself. Those who have sought to claim its shores have only fed its legend, that Lough Lamplight is cursed, and those who covet it will pay the price.

Geography

Lough Lamplight lies within the vast, primeval wilds of the Grandgleam, a shimmering, still expanse of water that mirrors the glowing canopy above. Though only 150 miles from the nearest well-traveled and guarded road, it might as well be on another world, for no road reaches its banks, and no ruler’s will extends past the treeline. Its waters are fed from the rivers that flow down from the soaring lands above, those floating islands that cast long shadows over the lake, their presence a reminder of the world’s long-lost past. The lake itself is deep, its floor hidden beneath years of sediment, wreckage, and whatever secrets the Grandgleam has chosen to sink beneath its surface. To the north, dense woodlands close in, the great trees of the Grandgleam casting the lake in near-perpetual twilight. To the south, open plains beckon, fertile yet eerily untouched, as if even nature itself hesitates to intrude upon this domain.

Ecosystem

Lough Lamplight is teeming with life, both beautiful and deadly. The water is home to Glassfin Trout, shimmering fish that reflect the ghostly lights of the forest, and Murkshroud Catfish, massive bottom-feeders that dwell unseen in the depths. Along the shore, game is plentiful, stag, boar, and nightpheasants, yet hunters speak of strange occurrences, of prey that vanishes without a sound, of feeling watched by something just beyond the trees. And then there are the Lantern Shrikes, small, glowing birds that flit across the surface at dusk, their light dancing like wayward spirits. Their presence is considered an omen, though whether good or ill depends on who tells the tale. The Grandgleam spills its influence into the lake, its twisted flora reaching for the water’s edge. Veilroot, a luminescent, creeping plant, curls along the shallows, while Glowbirch Trees lean over the water, their silver-white bark reflecting the light from the canopy above.

Ecosystem Cycles

Lough Lamplight does not follow the gentle rhythms of Everwealth’s other lakes. It exists on the Grandgleam’s terms. Spring brings a burst of unnatural vitality, the forest growing wilder, hungrier, as if reclaiming what was stolen by winter. Summer is a season of temptation, the lake’s waters are clear, the land ripe for harvest, and yet those who attempt to settle during these months find their luck souring by autumn. Winter is when the Grandgleam strikes hardest. The lake does not freeze solid, but a thin, glass-like layer of ice forms along the edges, fragile yet unyielding. It is during these months that the forest’s predators come closest, when figures are seen lurking at the tree line, and when the ghosts of those lost to the lake are said to whisper through the wind.

Localized Phenomena

• The Ghostwake – Some nights, the lake glows as if lit from below, and those who see their own reflection in the water claim they see another version of themselves staring back. Some say it is an omen. Others believe it is the lake offering a warning, turn back while you still can.

• The Sunless Dawn – Once or twice a year, a morning comes when the sun fails to break through the mist, leaving the lake bathed in unnatural twilight. Those who have witnessed it say the silence is deafening, that the birds refuse to sing, and that those who wander too close to the forest edge during these hours are never seen again.

• The Hunger Tide – Every decade or so, the lake's waters drop unexpectedly, revealing strange ruins beneath. Those who have attempted to investigate them have never returned, save for one man who washed up a week later, eyes wide, mouth stitched shut.

Climate

Lough Lamplight’s climate is milder than its more northern kin, but it is never truly welcoming. Mist rolls in from the Grandgleam, thickening at night, obscuring the shore and swallowing the unwary. Rain comes in slow, creeping drizzles rather than violent storms, the air thick with moisture, the scent of wet earth and something older. Even in summer, the air holds a chill, the lake’s waters never warming beyond a deceptively crisp coolness. Winters are long and cruel, not because of the cold, but because of the hunger that comes with them. It is said the Grandgleam watches most closely in winter, that those who linger in these months are tested, and that few pass.

Fauna & Flora

• Glassfin Trout – Beautiful, near-transparent fish that dart through the water like fleeting spirits.

• Murkshroud Catfish – Slow-moving, deep-dwelling fish that grow to monstrous sizes, rarely seen but often blamed for capsized boats.

• Lantern Shrikes – Small, luminous birds that appear just before disaster, flitting over the water like tiny, flickering flames.

• Veilroot – A bioluminescent creeping vine, growing thick along the shallows, curling around anything that lingers too long.

• Glowbirch Trees – Their pale bark and ghostly glow make them landmarks along the shore, but none dare cut them down.

Natural Resources

• Freshwater Reserves – Pure, untouched, an invaluable resource, if only it could be claimed.

• Game & Timber – Plentiful but dangerous to harvest, for the Grandgleam does not take kindly to thieves.

• Medicinal Herbs – Rare plants along the shore are said to hold potent alchemical properties, but few apothecaries are willing to brave the lake to gather them.

History

Everwealth has tried, three times, to make Lough Lamplight its own. Three times, it has failed. In 201 CA, the first attempt, Lanternglow, burned to the ground, its people turned to ash by a dragon that descended upon them in the dead of night. In 244 CA, the second attempt, Newlantern, was massacred by bandits, their bodies left to rot, their bones scattered along the water’s edge. In 308 CA, the third attempt, Fatestempt, perished in a bitter winter, when a plague swept through its streets, leaving only frozen corpses behind. The ruins of these settlements still exist, swallowed by time, their remnants a warning to those who would dare try again. Some believe the lake is cursed, that it does not wish to be tamed, and that it will never allow men to rule its shores.

Tourism

Few come willingly to Lough Lamplight. Those who do are either fools, desperate men seeking refuge, or scholars too blinded by curiosity to heed the warnings. There are no inns, no waystations, only the echoes of failed dreams and the ever-present glow of the Grandgleam. Most who arrive do not stay long.

Alternative Name(s)

'The False Hope', 'The Hungering Mirror', 'The Doomed Lough', 'The Grandgleam’s Prize'.

Inhabiting Species

• Fleckwing Striders