Barren, the

Barren, the GEOGRAPHY — A lake. Also known as → Barren Lake or the → Lost Lake, the Barren is a large, highly brackish lake found in a vast crater, perhaps the result of a volcanic eruption, at the top of the → Crag in the → Western Mountain range and extending north into → Goth. It is actually a series of two lakes and serves to separate → Ausrost (in the east) and Goth (in the west). Little life is found in its depths, the full span of which is unknown—some → folken suggest it has no bottom. Others believe mysterious creatures known as → water dragons live there. An object of dread and superstition, only those without fear or lovers of death venture onto the Barren’s waters, one notable group being the → Skie-Len, a seafaring band of → Skree who consider the Barren a sacred place and believe that dying at its hand is a great honor. During raids, the Skie-Len will shuttle hordes of Skree across the salty waters of the Barren in order to invade the land of Ausrost.