Sommersee (ˈzɔ.mɐr.zeː)

"There is no luxury greater than soaking in the Sommersee in the dead of winter."

— Hans of Sommerstadt

The Sommersee is a large lake on the island of Hval that is remarkably warm for its latitude. This warmth is due to the presence of the Hval Catfish, which has the magical ability to keep the lake's temperature at a comfortable 73°F (23°C). While the Hval Catfish can be found in many lakes and ponds on Hval, the Sommersee holds the largest population and the most consistent temperatures.

Many ethnicities have made homes around the Sommersee, with communities of Ðurings, Eyjamaður, Saarelainen, Umingmak, and even Tuniit Selkies. The largest settlement is called Sommerstadt, which was founded by the Ðuring Saltvarg Cynn but has since grown to encompass many of the cultures found around the lake. In Sommerstadt and other lakeside villages, most of the buildings in these communities are actually built on stilts over the lake to take advantage of the warmth radiating off the surface. Walkways are constructed between the buildings, and there is constant boat traffic around and across the lake's surface.

Notable Spirits

The Sommersee is the residence of Mina Fish-Eye, a goddess of fish and freshwater. She is worshipped by the residents of Hval, and sacrifices made to her are often rewarded with exceptional catches - it is said that she will send gigantic fish to jump directly into the boats of her favorites. According to legend, the island of Hval was once in the south, and slowly migrated north over countless years. When Mina saw that the cold temperatures were beginning to injure her fish, she created the Hval Catfish to stabilize the temperature of the water, allowing species that otherwise would have perished to thrive in the island's new northern location.

Geography

The Sommersee is fed both by underground springs and by three rivers which empty into it - the Krummfluss, Hügelfluss, and the Katzenfluss. The Sommerfluss is the only outlet, and it winds its way south across the island before reaching the Middlesea on the southwestern coast.  The lake is about 17 miles long, and 5 miles across at its widest point, and reaches nearly two thousand feet deep in places.

Ecosystem

The lake supports a vibrant and unusual ecosystem, with many species that are found nowhere else in the Great Ring. Shrimp, crabs, and aquatic snails are common, as are many species of fish, most notably the Hval Catfish. It is also home to the bandit octopus, which is a frequent nuisance to the residents of Hval, as it will venture out of the waters to forage in their homes and businesses. It is also known as the Nunarnaqtuq, and it is well known to be able to undo any fastenings or locks when attempting to extract food, and can rapidly skitter across a room to jump into the lake with its booty. While several communities have placed a bounty on the bandit octopus, it is rarely caught at its pilfering, with most people not realizing they have been robbed until after the bandit has returned to the lake.

Type

Lake

Location under

Hval

Geographic Details

Location: Northeastern Region
Latitude: 63.38 Degrees North
Longitude: 26.4 Degrees East
Maximum Depth: 1,940 ft
Area: 63.4 sq mi

A Dream Connection

In recent years, a new creature has been seen in the Sommersee, rising up from the depths of the lake. The Zmajica, a race of aquatic Zmei from the Dvorsko Jezero on Otok have found passages through the Dream to other lakes across the Great Ring. So far, the explorers from Otok have kept their distance from the land settlements around the lake, but they have been seen in conversation with an Avatar of Mina Fish-Eye, discussing who knows what.

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