Overview
Lythenmere Lake is a still lake west of Velundra in southern Teryndal, near Nythenfall Apex. Its deserted surface hides underwater ruins, an underground town, and a half-circle gate resembling the Aethrendar Gate.
Its hidden ruins trigger Eira's shard vision. When darkness threatens Velundra and Lythenmere, Aldar refuses to send anyone through the opened council-hall gate and approves a small-device test on a reinforced cable. Brynor later uses the lake's gate to travel through the void toward Atraxis Prime.
Geography and Ruins
The route from Velundra runs west through thinning stone streets, rocky ground, open space, and the patrolled Nythenfall essence tower. Nythenfall Apex stands nearby with a deep chasm on one side and Lythenmere Lake on the other. After the Land of Darkness recedes, a later train route passes the lake's shore, with its still waters visible before the route turns northeast toward Irrathis through nearby scarred southern lands.
The lake's surface is unusually quiet. Its water is glass-like and silver-blue, and its shoreline is attractive. Its danger keeps fishing, boats, and bathing away from the shore.
Beneath the water stands a dome with a massive metal door, interior stairs, and a lower door leading into ancient ruins. The deeper cavern holds an abandoned town, a hidden underground lake, and a visible base of Nythenfall Apex. The town has rigid, angular architecture, and a half-circle gate near the underground lake carries symbols like those on the Aethrendar Gate.
History
During their stay in Velundra, Eira and Lirien visit Lythenmere Lake. A local directs them west of the city; earlier searchers came back empty. At the shore, Eira uses an essence core to search for hidden doors, locks, traps, and texts; the attempt triggers a vision of the shard and an old mage, and she collapses. Ilyra arrives, gives Lirien her name, heals and protects Eira, and brings her back to Velundra.
In an alternate sequence, the council sends Eira to investigate Lythenmere Lake. In the shard-bearing sequence, Eira travels with Lirien, Kaelion, and the shard.
Xarion becomes interested in Lythenmere Lake after his advisors compile information on ruins and unexplored places across Xalmyrra. He travels to Velundra with Maric, who parts the lake water and forms a bubble so they can descend. The descent reaches the underwater dome, the underground town, the hidden lake, and the gate. Ilyra is trapped below the lake after Deylin crushes a device and the golden mage guides her through the void while two shadows come to Ilyra and Deylin's village. Xarion later assigns further investigation of the city under Lythenmere.
When darkness advances around Velundra, darkness creatures swallow a village and consume most of Lythenmere Lake. Because Velundra and Lythenmere are under threat, Aldar refuses to send anyone through the opened council-hall gate and approves Thalvian's plan to test it with a small enchanted device on a reinforced cable.
Brynor later reaches Lythenmere Lake from Velundra, enters the underwater ruins, follows the hidden town's stairs to the gate, and uses a gate activator there to travel through the void toward Atraxis Prime. During later void travel, he can sense the gate under Lythenmere among other nearby gates.