Lake Ashane
This icy body of water is also known as the Lake of Tears for the battles fought on its shores centuries ago between Narfell and Raumathar (and more recently by the Rashemi against the Red Wizards and the Tuigan Horde). Formed of runoff from the Icerim Mountains and possibly carved by a glacier, Lake Ashane is notorious for its cold even on the hottest days of summer. The water itself is deep, blue, and beautiful. Ashane has no surface outlets, but somewhere near its deepest point (almost a mile below the surface) it drains to a vast underground sea in an unexplored portion of the Underdark.
The lake itself is inhabited by nixies, nymphs, native water elementals, and telthor fish, which protect the waters against those who would drain or defile them. Few other creatures are present except a few cold-tolerant species of fish, for the waters are too cold for most animals. The fey and telthors serve a powerful animal spirit, although only they and the Witches know its name and nature.
With the exception of one trade-town, Kront, the western shore of the lake is unpopulated, mainly because of its horrible weather. The Rashemi shore has more settlements, including the large communities of Immilmar and Mulsantir and many villages and hamlets scattered between them. Most of the smaller communities survive by fishing the lake, although gardening and small farms make them moderately self-sufficient. Fishers take to the water in stout rowboats or feluccas.
Terrible monsters crawl out of the Ashenwood to plague the human settlements along the eastern shore. Because of these frequent attacks, most nearby settlements have simple walls and even watchtowers, with a higher proportion of combat ready men and women than usual. If a large number of monsters attack, the townsfolk take to the water and harry the invaders with arrows from boats.
