The sectarian conflict between Westhaven and Alkar

Westhaven and Alkar are two small towns in the west of Phaldorya distant only thirty miles from each other, which populations are separated by a millenarian segregation.

History

by Luca Poddighe

It is not very clear when the localistic dispute has began, but everyone in the region knows that the relationship between Westhavenians and Alkarians have never been good. There is a local folklore that reports that the origin of the animosities between the two town sprang from a litigation regards the possess of the Statue of Oghma that the Westhavenians parade on their boat, during a celebration at the end of summer. According to the Westhavenians the statue was found in a net by a fisherman and was placed in the temple of Oghma in 700ca. The Alkarians instead say that the statue was their and that Westhavenians raided their temple, under the cover of darkness, reason for which they address them with the derogatory term of God-thieves.

Long-term effects

Besides the folkloristic aspect of this conflict, politically the two state-cities have regularly opposed through the centuries, taking antipodal strategical positioning whenever possible. The people from the two towns intertwines no relationship, they don't marry, don't start business and don't trade with each other. Westhaven has historically supported the Dragon Kingdom, keeping still good relationship now that is an indipendent settlement; Alkar, on the other end, has always supported the political claims of High-fence in their struggle for indipendence. In the recent times the common threat posed by the Orchish Horde of Toiag Bloodcleaver has reduced the distances between the two populations, but a strong diffidence is still present.