The Large Lake

The Large Lake, also referred to as the Gateway, is a located between the Central Plains and the Mountains of Plenty. It is a unique location where the rivers sourcing from many different mountains consolidate their water prior to it continuing downstream. the reason it is referred to as the gateway is because this Lake alone can provide enough water to be able to satisfy the needs of both the local population and their crops. As such it is a place of great importance and spirituality to the local population who believe this gateway of a lake to be the result of a higher being looking over them, providing them with a plentiful bounty. Regardless of whether it is a place of spirituality the significance of the location has attracted the interest of many.
The question of whether clogging or poisoning lake would mean end of life in the Central Plains is one best left unanswered. For countless generations a local militia, “self-referred” to as the Guardians of the Gateway have made it their task to protect the Lake. They have constructed a small settlement which resembles a Wooden Fortress where they spend a significant amount of their time training in combat and patrolling across the lake. All members of the Guardians of the Gateway are equipped with a silver coated iron sword, well-crafted hard leather body armor and red rags covering their entire bodies. Accustomed to the surface area around the Lake only those higher up in the hierarchy or allowed to wear shoes. This is due to the limited number of resources available for the Castle rather than any other hierarchical reasons.
While to outsiders they may seem terrifying, they are actually considered to be of high nobility by the Kings and nobles themselves. Each year during the beginning of the harvest season the king sends a single cart filled with silver accompanied by eight of the kings guards to the settlement. The silver provided is used by the Guardians of the Gateway to finance their needs throughout the entire year.
The Guardians of the Gateway are not known to be the talkative type, rather they are highly reserved likely due to their isolationist nature. It is rumored that once a Guardian enters the settlement, they agree to never leave the Gateway out of sight ever again. While considered to be a position of high nobility it is also a way for Nobleman and Kings to relocate troublesome kin to a life of solitude and honor with little room to pursue their ambitions.
Not everyone agrees that the Guardians of the Gateway are useful members of society. Local populaces see no reason for anyone to ever try to harm the Lake in any way for their own personal gains. There have been several cases where the Guardians of the Gateway technically did serve their purpose, not only acting as a deterrent. Young courageous lovers looking to dive deep into the cold waters of the lake have been stopped by the guardians, let off only with warnings of imminent death were they ever to approach the lake ever again.
Unbeknownst to both the guardians and the local population is that deep under the waters exists a long lost mystery, one which may never see the light again.

Type

Lake