12.11.20 The Fissure of Echoes

Tsol'dasi legend tells of Carme, son of Callisto and Sinope, who wandered the 
northern wastelands for many years before coming to Istarion. As he wandered 
the frozen tundra, he came to a place of sublime beauty: a hollow amidst three 
icy hills. There, sheltered from the howling winds, grew a single fir tree. 
Snow fell lightly all round it, and Carme felt utter peace. As he rested beneath 
the boughs of the fir, he began to reflect upon the past, and by the time Carme 
resumed his journey, he was overwhelmed by his memories. He wept for his family 
and for the idyllic times that could never again be. As he crossed the frozen 
wasteland, his tears fell hot to the ground, melting the ice behind him and 
creating a great chasm.

The truth of this tale can never be proven, but it is grounded in fact: a great 
chasm crosses the tundra in the far north, known by most as the Fissure of 
Echoes, and at its heart lies a mysterious saltwater lake. Brave are they who 
venture into its depths, but perilous is the path, and few survive the horrific 
fall that awaits a single misstep. Those who do cling to life by unspeakable 
means, driven mad in their existence, and are hunted by the creatures who make 
their homes within.