Lake of Frosted Glass

The Lake of Frosted Glass is a region in the northeastern Snowsquall Tundra known for its large, unmelting ice crystals. While originally a single lake, shifts in both climate and elemental energies have seen a reduction in water levels, absorbed in part into newer and ever-more-impressive spires of crystalline ice. While the lakes themselves are protected, the crust along the edges of the lake is mined for alchemical reagents, and smaller spires are poached to make a glass substitute that doubles as primitive air conditioning. The bodies of water range from encrusted ponds to lakes that reach the horizon; these bodies may be joined together in networks or separated by vast stretches of pine forest. The sharp decrease in water level has left many spires stranded. Some are swallowed by the forests, which stand far taller than their age would suggest.
== Notable Areas ==
==== Mirror Pools ====
A crescent-shaped cluster of smaller ponds occupying a valley on the western edge of the Lake of Frosted Glass. The trees are sparse here, and a freezing mist hangs over the area, concealing deceptively deep pools and clusters of ice crystals sharp enough to cut through scales. On the rare clear day, stand on the cliffs above to see a perfect reflection of the sky shattered into a thousand droplets.
==== Mined Spire ====
While the region is somewhat protected, its guards are few compared to the Fortress of Ends, a deficiency embodied by the Mined Spire. Evading the local Gaolers to cut a piece from the once-massive crystal is seen as a right of passage by some, and others come by night to harvest flawless ice, which is then cut and shipped throughout Sornieth.
==== Frozen Forest ====
Though the lake has mostly receded, a few years of bountiful floods saw a stretch of land re-submerged long after the forest had reclaimed it. When the waters retreated once more, they left trees dead but preserved, their billions of flash-frozen needles rattling and chiming in the wind. It's a beautiful place but solemn, and some say haunted; perhaps by the spirits of the trees themselves, perhaps by the ghostlike Gaoler tribe said to know the counts and places of every crystalline branch. They allow visitors in exchange for certain donations, but this leniency has limits. Look, don't touch.
Category:Ice
Category:Communal Locations