The Gulf of Eleran

Excerpt from the Conclave Geographic Society Journal: 200IE, Volume 2:
In the Depths of the Eleran, by Darnek'ala Alovar

Nestled between the great coastal cities of Hornstadt and Silvertower is an oceanic marvel. The Gulf of Eleran is a naturally – sailors would whisper unnautrally – calm bay of substantial depth. Its gentle roll and quiet nights have been a boon for traders, fisherman, and artists all; its beauty in the nights is unparalleled, the mirror-like still seas reflecting the moon and stars as if the very night sky had descended from the heavens to grace the souls of mortals. Hydrologically, it is an anomaly. The Siar Current from the west and Great Lorinthan Current from the south meet right where the Gulf lies, and the oceanic waters flow back out into the Gold Sea. Where lies a serene bay should be a roiling mass of torrential rain and waves as tall as mountains. Where now is the Grand Duchy of Novaya – with its gentle plains and rolling hills – should be little more than a slightly elevated archipelago amidst a great Strait of Eleran. The brilliant scholars of the latest modern philosophy have – after tireless examination and theorizing – finally given us the answer to this hydrological peculiarity. It is now known that the Gulf contains a great big whirlpool deep underwater, most likely caused by even deeper rock formations and currents, which sucks the water from both the Siar and Great Lorinthan Currents, spitting it out again into the Gold Sea. The force of both currents is dissipated into the whirlpool, causing the Gulf to be as calm as an inland sea. This discovery has caused a great furore throughout the academic community, and many are clamouring for an exploration into the depths of the Gulf in the name of science and adventure. Sailors young and old likewise clamour for a chance to see such a wonder.
A few don’t.
A few sailors, who were crucial interviewees in the discovery of the Eleran Whirlpool, would rather the world leave the Gulf alone.
A few sailors, who will never sail into the Gulf ever again. Not for King or Country. Not for gold or fame. Not even for family or love.
A few sailors, who have glimpsed the truth.
The truth is the scholars are only half correct. There is indeed a massive whirlpool in the Gulf of Eleran. Whirlpools are caused by suction, which can indeed be caused by currents and rock formations and whatnot. Other things move water too. In the depths of the Gulf of Eleran, – deeper than the earth itself, deeper than natural creatures have ever gone – there is a creature.
It is the source of the whirlpool. It filters the water from the incoming currents of nutrients and expels it again toward the Gold Sea.
It is massive. It is nestled into the Gulf, its length and breadth as great as that of the Gulf itself. It is a refugee. Nothing in this world is even comparable to it, nor to what it fled. It is young. Its body still growing, its mind still tender. It is sleeping. Its growth takes time and energy. More than mortal minds can comprehend. It is hungry. Ocean currents will not sate it forever. And one day, perhaps one day soon,
It will wake.

Type

Gulf / Lagoon