idea the might world look like

[Grey]

I would make one, but that would require me to go down to the computer lab, which isn\'t open at 5am.  Anyway, maybe a crude text drawing will suffice.  

                                     The Surface
_____________________________________________
___----I   _Near surface limestone caves (part of SL)
  ---/___I------------------------------------------
+++++++++++\\____City_______/+++++++++++++++
++++++++++++\\____________/++++++++++++++++
+++++++++++++\\_________/+++++++++++++++++
++++++++++++++\\______/+++++++++++++++++++
+++++++++++++++\\____/++++++++++++++++++++
++++++++++++++++\\__/+++++++++++++++++++++
++++++++++++++++ \\_/+++++++++++++++++++++
+++++++++++++++++\\/+++++++++++++++++++++
                                     
       
+++++++++++++++++/\\+++++++++++++++++++++
__________________/__\\______________________

You get the point.  Wow that sucked.  A stalagmite at the bottom would be in order, not necessarily a lake.  I personally think a good geological and magical explanation for both the lack of whirlpooling and the existance of tides is quite simple.  Only one drop of water falls in a year.  As water seeps down, the water level rises and when it drops there is a massive drop of water falling from the bottom of the stalactite.  Like the flooding of the Nile, the Dermorians know when this sudden drop is going to occur and have devised ways not only to avoid death, but to use it for mineral gathering.  This also gives a timelessness to the area and how ancient this natural obelisk is.

[Link]

I think it will look something like this

[kinshadow]

Originally posted by Grey
Only one drop of water falls in a year.  As water seeps down, the water level rises and when it drops there is a massive drop of water falling from the bottom of the stalactite.  Like the flooding of the Nile, the Dermorians know when this sudden drop is going to occur and have devised ways not only to avoid death, but to use it for mineral gathering.  This also gives a timelessness to the area and how ancient this natural obelisk is.

The history says it regularly fluctauates up and down (about a half level worth) every day.  Thus, your big drop would also have to be every day.  Daily evacuations are unlikely.  The constant seepage (see previous growing cave formation post) and the subsequent climate effects are more likely.

On a side note, nice ASCII art.