In the Marble Desert, about a hundred miles northwest of the Galean city of Gienah, lies Skye Lake. Skye Lake no longer holds any water, and instead appears as a large, deep crater in the middle of the vast desert. The area has always been a point of deep curiosity for Galean scientists for its unusual depth in comparison to other dry lakes, which are almost always quite shallow. There are a number of hypotheses surrounding its formation; perhaps it is an impact crater that during some former rainy season was able to sustain the organisms found in other dry lakes long enough for them to leave traces of themselves. Maybe it was the result of a violent rainy season taking its toll on already unusual topography. Of course, it may just be something carved into the landscape by the Fadalians for their own mysterious purposes. One may ask why Skye Lake would be of any interest at all to someone uninterested in the natural sciences. The answer lies at its deepest point.
Scientists have carefully searched the lake bed for interesting artifacts that might tell them more about the history of the lake and of the greater Marble Desert. Fairly recently, they found something that has piqued the curiosity of more than just those who study nature. An expedition from a school in western Galeon had begun excavation of the bottom of the lake when they stumbled upon something entirely unexpected. At first, they thought they may have hit the bedrock beneath the sediment, but as more of the formation was uncovered, they realized that what they found could not have been formed by nature. A vast slab of smooth, polished stone laid at the bottom, carved with a design too large to be deciphered without removing far more sediment from the lake.
It is almost universally acknowledged that the designs are the result of some sort of deliberate action, especially now, after more of the lake bed has been brushed away by human hands and magic. Some believe it to be a magical glyph, carved and buried in the desert by some ancient mage. Others, of course, attribute it to the gods. Most agree that in order to discern an origin, it is important to decipher a purpose. The nature of the odd artifact has been hotly debated by Galean scientists. Many claim there is not enough evidence to believe it is anything but a solid, lifeless slab, at least until more information is gleaned. However, an archaeologist from Fides named Veda Winstrom has pushed an alternative theory that suggests the stone must serve a greater purpose.
Winstrom proposes that the size and location of the stone indicates it may be some kind of doorway to somewhere deep in the earth. Detractors have responded by saying that even if that were the case, there is no way to move the stone or open it at this present time. Winstrom replied by suggesting they test the door by applying various kinds of magic to the carving. The scientists in charge of the excavation declined, claiming they did not want to damage the stone with reckless tampering, to which Winstrom responded by publicly accusing them of being gutless cowards. This feud within the scientific community has garnered her support from many who long to know the true purpose of the stone at the bottom of Skye Lake.
Since the debate over the stone has garnered more public attention, more calls have been made for an experienced mage and other willing adventurers to travel to Skye Lake and put Winstrom's suggestion of a more hands on approach to the test. The Skye Lake expedition and Veda Winstrom both agree that only a heavily vetted group of magicians, scientists, and their protectors can be allowed to test this, putting forth a challenge that has drawn the interest of many of Galeon's best and brightest who wish to either prove themselves, or simply to uncover one of the region's greatest archaeological mysteries.
No comments:
Post a Comment