Lake Ocota

Lake Ocota is the largest freshwater body of water in the Mwangi Expanse and lies at the heart of the Mwangi Jungle. Numerous rivers flow into it, and the Vanji River flows out of the lake, reaching the Fever Sea at Bloodcove. The lake is a hundred miles across.

Places of interest

The dreaded city of Usaro stands on the lake's southern shore, but there are also numerous other ruined cities. At the heart of the lake is a tall rock known as the Spire of Destiny.

Fauna

The lake is home to creatures unknown elsewhere. These include the zinza: swift, flightless birds with reptile-like teeth. There are also more dangerous creatures: long-necked aquatic predators that seem to be a throwback to ancient times. These beasts are happy to snatch unwary prey from boats, docks, or shores; they can also sometimes be found in the region's rivers. These creatures are in fact members of two separate species of aquatic predators: a reclusive population of mokele-mbembes that rarely leave the deeper parts of the lake and numerous crocodile-headed water orms. The orms are the offspring of a larger, ancient specimen known as the Fetid God, which lives in the center of the lake and rarely surfaces.

The blanchess urchin is found in the lake and its ink is known to be used by Mwangi mystics to bring forth the seventh flavour.

Inhabitants

Following the untimely demise of the Gorilla King in 4710 AR that has left the coastal city of Usaro preoccupied with its own internal chaos, the banks of Lake Ocota have become the site of an influx of enterprising individuals from various walks of life. It has become a magnet for aspiring settlers hailing from diverse Mwangi city-states, refugees displaced from the former Sargava, and ambitious colonialists from distant kingdoms eager for its abundant resources. This influx of newcomers has turned the region into a cauldron of conflicts and discord. Settlers find themselves at odds with one another, while the indigenous orc tribes fight tenaciously to maintain their ancestral lands against encroachment. Seasoned in navigating the perils of Lake Ocota, the orcs employ their formidable skills and even employ magical tattoos to shield themselves. Amidst the chaos, forces tainted by demonic influences from the haunted city of Usaro seek to reclaim their dominion over the area.

References

For additional as-yet unincorporated sources about this subject, see the Meta page.