Lake Kimoposet (kihm-oh-poh-seht)

Lake Kimoposet is a large lake in central Imbowge known for the barrier between worlds being thin there, resulting in a permanent portal and numerous temporary ones.

Traveling across the lake, even during the dry season, is so difficult. I wonder if we will ever reach our destination. None before us have succeeded, why should we?

— A traveler's journal

Geography

Located in central Imbowge, Lake Kimoposet is one of the largest bodies of water in the world. It has been measured at approximately 40 square miles from shore to shore. It is the largest freshwater lake in the world, although not the deepest. The deepest point of Kimoposet is approximately 1,500 feet, although other areas range widely in depth.

Lake Kimoposet is also a rather unique lake. Whether due to Gifted tampering or naturally occurring differences, Kimoposet has extremely shallow areas in unexpected places. It also has seasonal dryness, when the water level drops by a significant amount, similar to how tides change the ocean shore or how other lakes temporarily dry up. Kimpo, however, seems to have a regular dry period regardless of how much rainfall there has been that year. Combined with the mysterious shallow areas, this allows people to travel across the lake, walking on dry land the entire time.

by Lilliana Casper

Localized Phenomena

Lake Kimoposet is most known for its permanent portal located somewhere in the center of the lakebed. The existence of this portal is thanks to the barrier between worlds thinning around the lake, a phenomenon also found in Eterlania's northern hills and the jungle ruins of Bazilia. This thinning has created a permanent main portal and causes temporary portals to appear periodically. No one knows the exact location of the main portal, but many believe it is in the center of the lake close to the lakebed.

One moment I was drowning and the next I was on land. The people who found me told me it was a lakebed, that all the water disappears because of seasonal dryness. But the lake I know never goes dry.

— A transfer from another world

Locals have noted that the number of Portal-Transfers seems to rise during the periodic dry season. It is unknown whether this is due to the dry season or if the dry season is due to the arrival of Portal-Transfers. The former is a commonly accepted theory, but the latter has become more popular in recent years. Another theory is that the main portal is located underwater during the rest of the year and Portal-Transfers drown before they reach land.

History

Lake Kimoposet was discovered early on in Imbowge's history. The first people to settle on the continent noticed how the dry season affected the lake's water level. Many years after that, it became widely known that people who explored the lake alone during the dry season would often disappear. They also realized that strange people who had no knowledge of Gifted Powers or the names of their tribes would appear during this time.

Locals eventually realized that the barrier between worlds thinned somewhere in the middle of the lake. This thinning of the barrier had created a permanent portal to other worlds and caused numerous temporary ones to appear year-round. Native scholars attempted to study the phenomenon, beginning expeditions to cross the entire lake and search for the permanent portal. None ever did and often whole travel groups would disappear.
The lake's fame spread as travel between other continents grew. Contrary to popular belief, the permanent portal in the north of Eterlania did not

by Lilliana Casper

begin the study of portals, Kimoposet did. The discovery of Eterlania's portal simply reminded scholars of their existence. Even to this day, Lake Kimoposet remains the only portal location with a consistent flow of Portal-Transfers, averaging about five appearances a year. It is also the portal with the fewest disappearances, as all the locals know to avoid certain areas.

Alternative Name(s)

Kimpo (a nickname by locals)

Type

Lake

Location under

Imbowge

Tourism

Lake Kimoposet is visited often by area locals. These locals know the best places to go to avoid drowning or disappearing into the portal. Tourists from around the world come year-round to visit the lake and wonder how the portal came to be. Occasionally, expeditions are organized to explore the lakebed and search for the location of the main portal, but these have decreased over the years. Small groups of locals will often travel in spiral patterns across the lake during the dry season to look for Portal-Transfers and bring them to safety.

Lake Kimoposet is, unsurprisingly, a lake. No, it really is. But it's a really big one. And there's a portal in it.

— Locals commenting on the lake

Disaster Expedition

In the early 1700s, an expedition was organized to explore the lakebed and find the portal. Among these explorers were three people of note: two nobles and a servant. Lady Caroline Hemmerson, a Jewelon from Ekrecht, was engaged to Baron Henryk Aleghro of Mechalaria. Her servant, who documented the events in his journal, was called Aron. The expedition had been formed because of Caroline, who was experiencing strange Downside symptoms that she believed came from a trip her parents took when she was a child.
The expedition was documented in both Caroline and Aron's journals. The group set out across the lake as soon as the water level dropped, searching for any sign of transferred people or objects. As they traveled, strange things began to occur, from Henryk's Flaming acting up when he normally had it under control to Aron's quickly debilitating mental state as he watched Caroline and her fiance. It was revealed in his journal that Aron had been in love with Cara (his nickname for her) since they were both children and knowing she was marrying another had become too much for him to bear.
Just three weeks after leaving the shoreline, the group reached a dip in the lake bed. It was here that everything went wrong. According to the survivors' reports, Aron collapsed just after they took a break. Henryk tried to help him up, but Aron lashed out at him, eyes flickering black and gold. Aron seized a knife and stabbed the baron in the shoulder, causing the rest of the group to attack him. When the fight ended, Aron and Caroline had disappeared and six expedition members, including Henryk, had died. The survivors believed that Aron and Caroline were pulled into the portal. They refused to condemn or explain Aron's actions.