Rottie Lake
Rottie Lake is more lakebed than lake, a sulfurous expanse of thick mud that never fully drains, impassable by caravan or vehicle. The smell arrives long before the view does. Despite its uninviting appearance, the lake draws a steady stream of desperate visitors, primarily Retrogrades and Remnants seeking to cure their physical mutations by soaking in its supposedly healing mud.
The entire operation belongs to Ethel Brodis, who runs Rottie Lake as an exclusive resort and spa. Clients pay fees ranging from a few trade notes to years of servitude and firstborn children. Ethel's traveling salesmen move across the Wastes selling miniature bottles of Rottie Lake mud, claiming it cures physical impurities and sloughs away mutations and deformities. Enough success stories persist to keep drawing customers, though the claims have been contested for as long as they have existed. Every time negative rumors build to a critical mass, new positive evidence conveniently appears.
The lake sits near Caravaner's Dream in Deserter, and the desperate arrive from all directions. Some leave claiming transformation. Others leave with nothing but lighter pockets and the same face they walked in with. The only certainty at Rottie Lake is that Ethel Brodis profits either way.
The entire operation belongs to Ethel Brodis, who runs Rottie Lake as an exclusive resort and spa. Clients pay fees ranging from a few trade notes to years of servitude and firstborn children. Ethel's traveling salesmen move across the Wastes selling miniature bottles of Rottie Lake mud, claiming it cures physical impurities and sloughs away mutations and deformities. Enough success stories persist to keep drawing customers, though the claims have been contested for as long as they have existed. Every time negative rumors build to a critical mass, new positive evidence conveniently appears.
The lake sits near Caravaner's Dream in Deserter, and the desperate arrive from all directions. Some leave claiming transformation. Others leave with nothing but lighter pockets and the same face they walked in with. The only certainty at Rottie Lake is that Ethel Brodis profits either way.
Geography
Rottie Lake sits within Deserter, near Caravaner's Dream. The lake itself is more lakebed than water, a sulfurous mud pit that never fully drains. The thick mud makes the terrain impassable by caravan or vehicle. The surrounding area is desert with scattered scrub.
