Lightwater (also called "Faery Water", "Glitterlight" or "Water Lanterns") is a natural occurrance growing at and around the Nybelmarian reefs of Sanmarein and the Maren Amuneth, especially at the southern cliffs of Vunmeer and the Kaleman archipelago. The withdrawing sea leaves small ponds and puddles of salt water at the rocky coasts which then show the strange effect that when someone distorts this water thousands of small sparkles of various colours appear in the water and slowly merge into a great globe of light. Researchers found out that this phenomenon has to do with various kinds of telerun algae (also called "faun moss") that only grow in and around these coasts and found ways to put these capabilities to a practical use.

The Water Lanterns of Vunmeer, especially those manufactured in Delvynnar and Kaleman are a valuable export article of these islands and are often used in libraries, temples and universities as unlike torches they do not produce smoke or endanger precious tomes and scrolls by an open source of fire.

Appearance. The telerun  algae which have become a stunning light source to the wealthy people consist of two forms, each in various colours whose differences and purposes have not been revealed entirely, yet. One form of this algae is that of a thick and firm moss that grows on the stones near the flood line of certain coasts usually in spots where they receive a maximum of light during the day. The telerun algae exists in different colours, in blue, red and green, all rather bright colours compared to other plants growing on these sharp rocks. Indeed these colours indicate that the plants also contain slight poisons that taste terrible and weaken an individual's metabolism. It is used by healers though and thus was already known as a versatile medical herb before it was deployed as light source.

The second form of the telerun algae are tiny spores that are released by the moss structures to grow new algae colonies at nearby ponds or coasts. Obviously the temperature is critical to these plants as they don't spread far from the secluded places they grow at and can be only found at southern coasts and protected bays where no strong tides press cold sea water into the bay.

It is theorized that the light is created when spores of opposing telerun algae cultures get into contact with each other and indeed in stormy nights the inhabitants of Kaleman or Vunmeer often come to the coasts - despite the danger - and watch the sea glow in splendid colours as the water is thrown at the beaches by the heavy winds.

Since then the people along the coasts have learned how to harvest these algae cultures in artifical ponds and make wonderfully decorated light sources with it.

Usages. The lanterns that spend light from colours of green to orange are mainly large orbs of glass that contain seawater. The orbs are fixed to an axis making it possible to rotate the orb and usually have either a metal rudder in the orb or in a far more expensive variant glass ripples on the inner side of the orb, both to distort the water as the orb is rotated. On both sides of the axis a different sort of the telerun algae moss is grown to produce the light.

When the telerun algae are exposed to sunlight all day they're - dependent on the size of the orb - able to produce suffient light up to three hours a day. The user, usually some mage or librarian, just rolls the orb around its axis to bring the water into movement and the algae start to produce light, which in general takes between 15 or 30 minutes. When the light starts to fade the orb is just brought into movement again.

After several months the algae within the orb need to be recultivated as the light producing process draws from their resources and they start to die after a certain period or when overused.

Most of the Santerran libraries and in many noble houses of Korweyn these orbs are an important part of any reading room and the orbs are often decorated with gold, brass and silver. The royal families of Korweyn and Santerra even use it as night candles for the children's room and then have mythical creatures plated onto the orb that then cast magical sillouettes of these creatures against the walls.

This also shows that Lightwater is a luxuary good only accessable by government institutions, temples and noble families. Santerran ships also lanterns made with these telerun algae to mark their positions in the night.

Lightwater can be found in Nybelmar in every nobles' house who wants to represent his status, but outside of Nybelmar you might only encounter it in some mage's laboratory because it is difficult to preserve these lightbringers without replenishing them with new algaes.

Myth/Lore. In ancient times the fishermen believed the light marks were places the Aerynian fisherman Telen (see entry for Barkhas) rests during the night to play his wonderful flute to impress Iwynn, another Aerynian. The fishermen hesitated to disturb these places as they thought they were blessed. Later priests thought the Lightwater were a gift and prepared strong potions to heal wounds and use against pain.

	Time Table Age of Silence 3000 b.S. First reported Mentioning about fairy Water The earliest documents about Lightwater used as a medicine to tend wounds and with first descriptions about its appearance date back to 3000 b.S. where a Santerran healer writes several essays about the usage of Lightwater for medical purposes. These documents can be found in the library of Delvynnar on Vunmeer. Age of the Blood 500 b.S. First Use as Light Source The fishermen of Vunmeer are reported to use Lightwater for small lanterns that help them fish at night for certain crabs and fish. They use thin leather pouches filled with the water, otherwise they already use it the same way the lamps work today though they only use the water, not the algae which means the duration of the light is more limited and the water has to be replaced every time. 384 b.S. First Lightwater Lamp A inventive Santerran merchant, Colmor Roth, living at the coast of Vunmeer spends some time finding out more about the well known Lightwater and discovers the origin in the algae growing in the places of this occurence. After some experimenting Colmor finds a good way how to produce a more lasting lightsource than those fishermen use and thinks about a way to make this an effective light source. For that reason he orders glass orbs from Korweyn to produce the first lightwater lamps and soonafter manages to raise the interest of various noblemen to buy such devices. Over the same way some educated Korweynites find out how to exploit this idea as well - as in the provinces of Kaleman similar places are known. The lamps quickly develop to their final form with much decorations.