Swimming Hole

The Swimming Hole is located on Kharam Dzu, at the intersection of Imflass and Dragonseye.

Wonders of Elanthia Historical Discussions

This story is told by Beela the Dwarven Scholar, with assistance from Duerster and Murpa, who were also Dwarven Scholars.

"Lots of strangers, Duerster, they don' know our customs. Mayhap once they hear the tale of Grindyl and Marrok they'll understand our customs. This is my favorite place on the Rock. Is a quiet place, peaceful...an' the beauty is everywhere!"

"I shall tell ye a tale of this part of town, an' why the locals love it so, or.. respect it at least. There was a young lass, what went to school here on the Isle. The teacher'd dismissed 'em early one day...A window had been left open in the schoolhouse the night before, and the volcano was grumbling loudly. Everythin' was covered an' needed a good dustin, like that woman there. Well, this lass wandered about town til she stopped to rest by a rusty fence, down near the docks. She were diggin' her toes in the dirt, and they hit upon somethin. Well, she was curious, as young lasses will be an' she knelt down and dug. She used her stubby fingers an' finally pulled the thing free."

Beela removes a cracked and faded crimson leather book from in her leather carry-all.

"This is what she found. Well she opened it up, an there was scrawlin' inside. It was...A diary. Tonight I read from it for ye, the diary of Grindyl."

"Today is the final day of school before the break. Momma told me I have to help with the clothes tomorrow. She said we'd best start mending now if we didn't want Lorminstra to see us dressed like beggars. Either there's a lot to mend, or Momma just thinks I'm slow. Anyway, Momma said we could have a big breakfast before we get to working. Tomorrow eve is the night I've been waiting for, though. I'm meeting Marrok at sundown."

"It's gettin' interestin now, ye see?"

Ever since Momma brought me on the balloon, I've waited for tomorrow eve, though I didn't even know it. He's got the most beautiful brown eyes, and his beard's growing longer than any other boy's in the class. I still can't believe he noticed me. He was working for Mister Ghorsa he could probably have picked any girl in town. But he wants me! I thank Eonak every day for smiling on me and Marrok. Goodnight, diary. Love, Grindyl."

"The girl had mentioned Ghorsa Borthuum. That meant the book had been buried for upwards of a century."

"I can't sleep. Momma promised us biscuits and honey in the morning, and some of those red berries she found out near the mines. The mending is piled higher than Papa's chin when he tilts his head up and makes smoke rings with his pipe. But I know that when I'm stitching, the only thing I'll be able to think about is meeting Marrok. It's all I can think about now! I can see the volcano's silhouette against Liabo's face. I never wanted to come here, but now it's truly becoming home. And if the gods bless me, I will build a home with Marrok as soon as our schooling is done."

"A night much like this, I'd wager. Well the sun was settin' so the lass went home...She did her chores an' went to bed as soon as she could, what to read more of Grindyl's book. She didn' tell no one, neither."

"I'm getting ready to go to the Swimming Hole. I think the sun has taken twice as long to set today, than it ever does on other nights!I am so fidgety, so nervous. I've combed my hair, and I put on my old leather sandals. They will be easy to kick off before I go into the water. Come with me, diary, so I can tell you everything right away! ~Grindyl."

"Ahh, a young lass in love. Ye remember back that far? Well the lass turned the page, but there weren't no more writin'. She turned the book over an' shook it like this."

Beela turns her crimson leather book over, running her hand lovingly over its cover.

Beela shakes the book up and down.

"A piece of folded parchment fell out. It were tucked near the back, an' looked like it'd been cut from some newspaper or somethin'. It said this:"

8th Lumnea, 4914. Today Kharam Dzu and the Borthuum Clan mourn the tragic loss of two of their children. Town officials were notified early this morning that the bodies of two young adults were found near the waterfall, at the town's Swimming Hole. Town officials suspect no foul play, attributing the drowning deaths to tragically bad luck. Clothing was found on shore, as well as a backpack carrying a crimson leather-bound diary, which will be returned to the parents of Grindyl. In the pocket of Marrok's trousers was a small box containing a platinum ring set with a small white starstone. This will be returned to Marrok's family."

"The lad was about to propose, it would seem. An' this book, it was his love's diary. That night, the lass came here, to the Swimmin' Hole. She was so touched by the tale, she sat here an' cried. She swam a bit, then sat on the rocky ledge til she dozed off. Bout an hour after, she woke... sounds woke her, ye see. From the water...The sound of laughin'. She looked aroun' but weren't no one else her. Then the laughter got louder, an' she jumped an' dropped the book into the water! The second she did, the laughter faded an' became tears. She began to cry too, an' then finally she left an' went home. Now, tales grow taller as the years pass, but it's said that on nights such as this...Ye can sometimes still hear the laughter of the young lovers Grindyl an' Marrok from the Swimmin' Hole."

"The diary will be part of the Stormbrow Gallery after the festival. No one knows how it became buried, but the lass who passed it to her teacher, an' then to me, wishes it to be part of our town forever. I thank ye all for listenin so intently!"