Lake Gwyll and Port Gwyllach
Location: Outlands / Tir na Og
Down a winding road from Oghma’s House of Knowledge, you’ll find yourself at Lake Gwyll, a body of water so enchanting it seems to have been plucked straight from a dream. The lake is like a mirror made of liquid twilight, reflecting the mutable skies of Tir na Og. During the day, its surface sparkles with a thousand colours, and come night, the water glows with a soft, diffuse light, casting a calming luminescence over the surrounding area.
Oh, and cutter—the lake is said to whisper. Aye, you read that right. Planewalkers who sit by its shores speak of hearing soft, murmured words, as if the lake itself is reciting passages from long-lost tales. These whispers can even inspire visions in those who listen long and carefully enough.
Nestled on the shores of this mystical lake is the port village of Gwyllach, a place that straddles the line between the real and the otherworldly. The buildings here are crafted from shimmerwood that grows in the area, which has a translucent quality to it.
The villagers of Gwyllach are a mix of petitioners, retired planewalkers, fey folk, and bards, all drawn to the lake’s mystique. They’re mostly a friendly bunch, but with a sadness in their eyes from the recent tumultuous history of the burg. More on that later.
At the heart of Gwyllach is a quaint harbour, where small boats are moored. Also on the shore is the Great Bell, which rings itself at dawn and dusk; a deep, resonant chime. The ringing of the bell is said to call back sailors at nightfall, and ward off both the kelpies and merrows who are more active after dark.
And now things take a turn for the weird. See, the port village of Gwyllach by the lake is only half of the story. The other half of the village is submerged beneath the enigmatic waters. This submerged section of the village ain’t a ruin though, berk; it’s a living, breathing part of the burg, as vibrant as the half above water.
Dive beneath the surface, and you find yourself in a landlubber’s wild dreams. So-called Wet Gwyllach is inhabited by a mix of merfolk, selkies, water genasi, aquatic petitioners, and even some planewalkers who’ve adapted to live beneath the waters. The buildings are crafted from coral and woven from lakeweed. They glow with an otherworldly light, illuminating the underwater streets and squares whether it’s day or night on the surface. There are towers of spiralling shell, houses with windows of transparent crystal, and public spaces adorned with glowing anemones and softly swaying waterweed. The centre of the underwater village features a grand plaza with a statue of Oghma, crafted from pearl and abalone, which serves as a meeting point and a place of learning.
The underwater part of Gwyllach also has its own chant, often different from that heard above. Down here you’ll hear deeper, more ancient stories, perhaps secrets from the bottom of the lake, or tales from creatures that rarely venture to the surface.
Festivals and celebrations in this submerged village are a spectacle of light and sound. You’ll see underwater synchronised dancing, feel music as it resonates through the water, and see displays of bioluminescence that light up Wet Gwyllach in a cascade of colours.
Current Chant
So the thing everyone’s talking about these days is the tale of Gwyllach’s rebuilding after the recent fiendish invasion from Rigus. A few years back Gwyllach found itself in the crosshairs of a marauding horde of fiendish mercenaries and unsavoury characters. The invasion left the village in ruins.
In the aftermath of the invasion, Gwyllach showed its true indomitable spirit. The villagers, though shaken, were not broken, and they rallied together to reconstruct the burg. The mortals, petitioners and fey folk of the surrounding area, called on their friends from across Tir na Og, who came together to rebuild. They used not just brick and mortar, but also enchantments, weaving new magic into the old foundations of the village.
Wet Gwyllach, which had been less affected by the invasion, became a sanctuary for those who had lost their homes above. The underwater community played a crucial role in the rebuilding process, offering refuge and support, and sharing their deep magic to aid in the reconstruction.
Since then. artisans and craftsmen from across the planes were drawn to Gwyllach, inspired by its resilient spirit. They’ve brought with them materials and techniques that have transformed Gwyllach into a burg of diverse cultures and influences, although it’s still rooted in its Celtic identity. In the heart of the village, the grand plaza was reborn. The Great Bell, once silent amid the ruins, now rings again, its sound a clarion call of the unquenchable spirit of Gwyllach.
Canonical Source: On Hallowed Ground [2e] p72 (map)
Source: Jon Winter-Holt, mimir.net
See Also: SIGIS issue 8 for the story of Gwyllach’s near destruction