Rotharian Sea Basin

The Rotharian Sea basin is the seventh largest lake in Halas, and largest non-potable freshwater lake in the known world. The Rotharian Sea basin sets within a large valley locked between the great Rotharian Desert. It is a vast lake with beautiful, emerald green water, though the water of the lake is poisonous to any human who drinks it. It's green color is the result of a massive, permanent algae bloom. The eastern edge of the basin is defined by tall hills, and mountains rising out of the desert -- An offshoot of the Aeterian range which dominate the south of Halas. Despite its name, the Rotharian Sea Basin is actually a lake, as its body is of fresh, and not saltwater. Additionally, despite its being landlocked, and having no access to the Sea of Souls, the Rotharian Sea has become one of the most heavily trafficked sea lanes in the whole of Halas, with Merchant vessels carrying millions of Akre of cargo between the cities of Savoca, and Lattus, which sit on its South and North shores respectively.

## Geography

The Sea Basin region is lush, being populated by dense, temperate forests which span from the eastern mountains, to the shores of the sea, finally fading away as the western sands dominate the land. The vegetation of the region is fed both by the tainted waters of the sea (Many plants are capable of filtering the vile waters), in addition to freshwater streams flowing from the eastern mountains, and western hills.

The sea is divided into two sections, the 'Upper Sea' and the 'Lower Sea'. Each region is connected by a zone called the 'Straits of Aethiran', named for the isles of Aethiran which make the strait. The isles of Aethiran are a small set of 4 islands which are considered as the birthplace of the Latiian people. The Aethiran islands are steep, the majority of their surface being mountainous. A few minor settlements still exist on the Aethiran isles, such as Aera, Aira, and Oura, three of the oldest Latiian settlements. As a whole, the Aethiran islands remain rural, with a small farming population who produce much of the rice crop in the Rotharian Region.

The east of the Sea Basin is rather mountainous, giving way to an offshoot of the Aeterian mountains. Similarly, the western region is hilly as well, though the hills never truly give way to mountains as does the east, instead the rough eastern terrain eventually erodes into the vast expanse of dunes which make up the Rotharian Desert. Most of the land along the shores of the Sea Basin, however, is smooth, made of rolling hills, and plains -- An ideal area for farming, and one of the few fertile zones in all of Rotharia.

The Rotharian Sea Basin is the origin of two of the three central bloodlines of Rotharia -- The Imperiian people, and their Latiian counterparts. The home of the Imperiian culture, the City of Savoca rests on the shores of the Lower Sea, while the home of the Latiians, Lattus, lies on the banks of the Upper Sea. Through much of their history, the Imperiian and Latiian people were fierce rivals, locked in countless wars against each other, but ultimately they were united against the tyrannical rule of the Athiian Empire, who had conquered the Sea Basin, and created what would later be considered the earliest 'Rotharian State', an Athiian Colony.

## Potability

The Sea Basin is infamous for its waters poisonous properties. The waters of the sea are a brilliant shade of green, described as 'A sea of flowing emeralds'. The stunning color of the sea is the result of a massive, permanent bloom of poisonous algae, whose runaway reproduction is the result of large amounts of nutrients entering the sea from mountain streams, digging up the fertile soil and depositing it into the sea. For the duration of all written Rotharian history the waters of the Sea have been known to be toxic, and early Rotharian literature warns of the 'fools errand' of attempting to cleanse the sea.

In the modern period, the Rotharian Imperium has managed to create an ingenious system of water purification. By channeling the toxic water into a system of channels, and lakes within their own cities (Known as the 'Urban Lake' system), the Rotharians have been able to create massive reservoirs of water, which can then be pumped to a region of the city known of the 'Waterworks' where wood, or coal fired engines boil the water, killing off the algae, and thus purifying the water, making it fit for human consumption. Though the waters of the Urban lakes are toxic for human consumption, the water is still safe for washing clothes in, swimming, or bathing, and so the Urban Lakes have becomes popular places of leisure, where any day you can find dozens of people enjoying the cool, shaded waters of the lake, hidden away from the scorching heat of the Rotharian sun.