The Norsca Narrows had always been a problem for all concerned. Those small
'stepping stones' of land which divided the two great continents
were the bane of the seafaring community. Firstly, negotiating
the tiny islands and large rocks that lay a few miles to the north
was a sailor's nightmare, the wrecks of the many vessels that
littered this area bore testimony to its peril. There were a
few natural 'pathways' through this labyrinth but ships then had
to contend with pirates or the giant Kraken which was often encountered
but only occasionally by those who lived to tell!
Then of course there was the narrows themselves. A broken causeway
with many places for ships to pass, but none safely. 'A no man's
land of water.' To one side the great empire of the Neregeneth,
a clever and ruthless race who had conquered one third of the
western continent. To the other side the Maiyaks, an army of vicious
and barbaric clan warriors and sworn enemies of the Neregeneth.
Any ship passing through the narrows that were allies of either
race ran the risk of meeting the enemy. Any ship that were allies
if neither race were seldom seen again.
After almost a millennia of warring an alliance was finally forged
between the Neregeneth and the Maiyaks and a series of fortified
bridges was built across the narrows and in what was agreed to
be the central point, the Great Sea Gate was erected. This magnificent
structure, with its colossal sculptures of emperor Claymaar of
the Neregeneth linking King Sotto of the Maiyaks in the famous
'Greeting of the Gods' pose served as a safe passage to and from
the north for those who could not make the 'around the continent'
trip of up to two years! A fair toll was agreed upon with a third
of it being put aside to maintain the gates and steam pumping
stations and a third each for the Neregeneth and Maiyaks. The
routes through the islands to the north were also policed by both
sides, cutting piracy by half in the first year. The gate, when
closed, had the added advantage of joining the two continents
for the first time as on it's south side was bridge wide enough
for two carriages to pass! This bridge had a 'negotiable' toll
at each end and opened up an important land based trade route.
Almost two decades after it's opening, a Neregeneth architect
who had worked on the mechanics of the gate told on his death
bed of a secret passageway which led to a tunnel through the arms
of the two gigantic sculptures. The passageway was never found,
however the rumours of its existence created great suspicion
among the Maiyaks and they doubled the guard at their end of the
gate. The Neregeneth retaliated by sending a garrison of soldiers
onto the gate 'for their own protection'. War broke out two moths
later. The Neregoneth invaded the Maiyak capital, slaughtering
the king and the clan leaders. The remaining Maiyaks fled to the
waste lands, but not before poisoning their water and food supplies.
The Neregoneth empire fell a year later when a plague caused by
the contaminated water and food swept through their lands killing
four fifths of their people.
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