The Mirror Pool of Tepok is located north-east of the great Lizardmen temple-city of Hexoatl on the Isthmus of Lustria.
The Mirror Pool of Tepok is a place of power that lies far to the north-east of the Lizardmen's temple-city of Hexoatl in Lustria, to the east of the Grey Guardians.[1a][2a]
It is said that the future can be read in this glittering pool, and many would-be scryers have met their deaths attempting to discover the truth of this.[1b]
History[]
The Mirror Pool of Tepok is one of the continent of Lustria's most powerful magical sites. The legends tell that those who gaze into its waters can commune with any entity living or dead, mortal, god, or Daemon -- and they may choose to reveal something of the future. The pool is a perfectly circular lake, its surface the still silver of a mirror reflecting the dark sky above. It is always twilight here -- approaching the mirror pool, a voyager finds the constant noise of the jungle falls away, leaving an oppressive silence akin to the atmosphere of a great cathedral. There are no structures here, no stelae or other signs of Lizardmen presence, other than offerings of silver and fruit placed reverently against the surrounding trees.[3a]
Once, the rogue Druchii sorceress Tiriel Rielspar led a column of Dark Elves to steal magical power from the pool. A great host from Hexoatl mustered to stop the Druchii and, after a battle on the shores of the lake, Rielspar was flung screaming into the waters as an offering to Tepok. When next the Lizardmen returned to the pool, they encountered Tlat'l the Enigma, a Coatl seemingly sent by the Old Ones themselves to guard the site from future intruders.[3a]
Since that day, Tlat'l the Enigma has been charged with protecting the Mirror Pool of Tepok from those who seek to corrupt the mortal world and work against the Great Plan, permitting strangers to approach only when they are deemed worthy. It is unknown how the Coatl judges someone worthy, but to approach without its permission means certain death, even for the Lizardmen.[3a]
Tlat'l is seen rarely. When it appears, it comes swiftly and without warning, swooping from the heavens on amaranthine thunder clouds. The Skinks leave offerings in homage to Tlat'l, who they venerate as an avatar of Tepok. On occasion, they find a single purple feather from the Coatl's plumage, which they take as a sign of favour from Tepok himself.[3a]
The Bretonnian Questing Knight Sir Julien of Desfleuve believed the pool was the end of his quest for the Holy Grail. Upon seeing Tlat'l, he sought to slay it in the name of the Lady of the Lake. Two hundred years later, the corpse of the knight remains propped neatly against a tree root, arms crossed as though in a peaceful sleep.[3a]