Cirathel

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Cirathel, the Mirror Lake, is the second-largest saltpan in the world, at about twice the size of Lake Oloman. The surrounding coastal region of white sand dunes and (in the wet season) brackish lagoons takes its name from the lake. Cirathel has two main seasons: a dry season followed by a season of torrential monsoons, a phenomenon attributed by locals to the cyclical hoarding and unleashing of rainwater by a serpentine cloud demon from Pyandonea. After monsoons, the salt flats appear as a giant mirror, a symbol of self-realization in Altmer philosophy. The saltworks of Vulkhel, which sits above the flats on the isle of Athel Vas, is thought to be the oldest in the world, and it’s theorized that early Moriduni may have used Vulkhel Salt as a currency. Much of Moridunon’s economy is reliant on Vulkhel’s salt trade, and indeed Vulkhel is a rich mercantile city, the wealthiest and third-largest on Moridunon, despite its inland position. However, integration into the Empire and subsequent taxes on salt have dampened the city’s power, as geography and politics favor salt production in County Anvil. Sload are known to spawn in brine pools in the isolated fringes of the region, and when they reach adolescence, travel to the saltpan to feed on the endemic painted brine shrimp, alongside the Moridun flamingo. The flora of the region is comprised of wispy, crooked trees with glassy bark, as well as hardy succulents, cacti, and halophilic algae. The oldest structures of this region are often buried in the sands, so tomb caretakers may find themselves entering a mausoleum from its top level.