Wellspring

The Wellspring, a pool of pure blue water located at the heart of the Mbe'ke dwarf city of Cloudspire, is the source of most of the city's water.

The Wellspring's water is a brilliant shade of blue, and is believed to connect deep underground to the subterranean rivers and lakes of the Darklands, as blind fish are often seen swimming in its depths. Polluting the Wellspring is a crime viewed as just slightly less severe than murder in Mbe'ke society.

The Wellspring is an important part of Mbe'ke culture. When an Mbe'ke of Cloudspire dies, their body is burnt, but their family throws a small effigy of them into the Wellspring's waters. According to tradition, this helps guide the dwarf's soul back to the original dwarven homeland buried in Nar-Voth. For poor dwarven families, these effigies might be simple carved stones, while the rich often create intricate effigies that sometimes include precious metals and expensive gemstones.

History

During the Nine Days of Blood, the massacre of High King Nkobe's enemies that sparked the Mbe'ke civil war known as the War of Split Hearts, the Wellspring was dyed red with the blood of executed dwarves.