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Purelake
Type Lake
Location Roshar
Inhabitants Purelakers

The Purelake is an immense lake, the largest inland body of water in Roshar. It is located in the heart of the continent, in the land of the former Epoch Kingdom, Sela Tales.[1] The people of the Purelake are ethnically Selay, however, they refer to themselves as Purelakers.

The Purelake was life itself.

Ishikk[1]

Geography[]

The Purelake is hundreds of miles wide with a glassy and perfectly transparent surface. At its deepest, it is never more than six feet from the bottom and, in most places, it is pleasantly warm: low-moving water comes up only to about mid-calf. It is filled with tiny fish, colorful cremlings, and eel-like riverspren.[1] The earth beneath it is occasionally rocky or uneven, but slowly walking across it is easy and commonly done.

According to Zahel, it is ridiculously shallow, like an endless bay, mere feet deep, the water warm, lulled by calm breezes.[2]

The Purelake drains into pits and holes during highstorms. Purelakers are able to take shelter in crevices between ridges of stone during the storms, which are weaker than they are in the east.

Characteristics[]

It never gets cold in the Purelake, except during highstorms, and one can last through those right well, Nu Ralik send the way.[1]

The Purelake drains into pits and holes when the storms come, and so one just shoves one's raft into a crevice between two ridges of stone and huddles up next to it, using it to break the fury of the tempest.[1]

The storms aren't as bad here as they are in the east, where they fling boulders and blow down buildings.[1]

To Szeth, the lake seems to extend forever, wide as an ocean. His steps within it startle schools of fish. Gnarled trees poke from the shallows, gorging themselves on the water while their roots grasp the many holes and furrows in the lake bed. Rock outcrops break the lake near the coast, but inward the Purelake is placid, more empty.[3]

Purelakers[]

The Purelakers have adapted over time and, as such, have special feet to fit their situation. Most natural selection does not work on the timescale of the cosmere and so there probably have to be some magical foundations for this. The fact that everyone on Roshar is Invested with a bit of Investiture more than average is going to push people over time in a way. Intent and such things are so important cosmerelogically that evolution occurs on a faster scale in most of the cosmere. Readers can see this in the adaptations that have happened since the history of Roshar itself, the arrival of humans on Roshar, and other such happenstance.[4]

Characteristics[]

Purelakers never cover their shoulders when the sun is shining.[1]

Purelakers like it when the floors of their cottages are low enough that a few inches of water still cover them. It's natural, though if the tide drops, sometimes buildings will drain.[1]

Notes[]

The Purelake was originally called the Everlake. Then, Brandon just didn't like that. He decided that since it's really shallow, that's the cool thing about it.[5]

References[]

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