Loch Morin (Lake)

Loch Morin is a lake located near the western coast of the northern Lunar Reaches, south of the Icecrown Mountains. The land around the loch is marked by volcanic activity, making the region unusually warm and fertile for the cold northwestern region of the Lunar Reaches. A port town was settled nearby that was named after the lake, Loch Morin (city).

History
Loch Morin was discovered by a group of humans that would eventually be known as the Stormlord Clan. There, they discovered a fertile land that the local orc tribes had been using as a reliable foraging spot. The land was settled by many poor and simple farmers as a more consistent way to feed the growing town of Yogmar. Eventually, a group of Yogmar settlers founded the town of Loch Morin a few miles west of the lake.

As the last of the fertile land was began to be farmed, the aristocratics of Yogmar began to take an interest in the loch as a vacation destination. A resort was established called the Boilcloak Retreat where the wealthy all throughout the Lunar Reaches can go to bath in the warm pools, hike through the nearby forests and shop for exotic produce and goods that are produced by this strange region.

Geography and Environment
The lake and surrounding areas are unusually warm due to volcanic activity underneath the water sources. This makes the lake itself toxic to drink, but bathing and swimming in the loch or various nearby pools is both safe and relaxing. Farms are scattered throughout the miles of fertile land, taking advantage of the nutrients that the volcanic activity and warm soil provide.

The area is also home to many exotic or unique species of animal that can not be found anywhere else in the Lunar Reaches. Most notably, snakes, lizards and other large reptiles, who normally would not be able to survive the harsh winters of the northern Lunar Reaches, are able to survive by standing near the warm pools and the lake itself. Travelling through the region is generally safe if one stays away from pools that you can not see the bottom of, lest you become a meal for an opportunistic dire crocodile or giant frilled lizard. Shambling mounds are also unusually common in this region and can be a constant danger to travelers to and from the lake.

Notable Locations
Loch Morin - Port city founded by Yogmar settlers located a few miles west of the lake.

Boilcloak Retreat - A small community of lodges and stores that make up a vacationing spot for the wealthy and aristocratic in the Lunar Reaches.