Stormy Divide

Between two of the biggest continents of Torlas flows the Stormy Divide, limiting traffic and trade between the two.

Geography

On a particularly clear day you can see the haze of land on the other side of the Divide, but clear days are few and far between. Despite the shortest width between the Antaraki and Aggean coasts being just less than thirty miles, crossings are infamously treacherous and only taken by professionals.
Due to the funnelling of oceans into such a divide, it has very tumultuous currents and even a permanent whirlpool in one area referred to as Walker's Staircase, as well as very shallow areas. These strong currents, treacherous shallows, and constant spray and haze, along with the long storm period in the area, are what make the Divide so dangerous. There are some small, sparsely populated islands in the Divide, which provide lighthouses, safe havens, and the vast majority of the licensed pilots for crossing the Divide, the way that most of the money enters the area.

Ecosystem

There is a minimal ecosystem in both the waters and lands of the Stormy Divide due to the tumultuous physical environment. Plants on both land and sea are the hardy, unspectacular sort, only able to sustain minimal ecosystems of smaller creatures. There is usually very high humidity in the area, which lends itself to plants that can survive on minimal light and poor-quality soil. The settled islands have very specific crops and livestock that require little to survive, actually very similar to Kandar approaches.

Ecosystem Cycles

Due to the Divide's location near the equator and the funnelling of warm sea currents and winds through it, the Divide is in tropical storm season three-quarters of the year. The rest of the time it tends to be stuck in a 'winter' of fog and drizzle. Local settlers, pilots who run the routes, and inhabitants of the coasts build their lives around this cycle, clothing and agriculture and customs and all.

Localized Phenomena

The most prominent is the Walker's Staircase, named for the Drowned Walker as it is said to be the staircase to his watery underworld. Where the current roaring through the strait from the east crashes into the currents created by a couple of small rock outcrops, there is a permanent whirlpool, marked by blue, arcane-powered lighthouses powered by the natural mana in the area.

History

Legends say that the Walker's Staircase consumed hundreds of ships before the lighthouse system was set up and that the sailors were drawn straight to the Walker's afterlife for sailors, forced to sail the endless waters. Even in the modern era and the lighthouse system, the area is avidly avoided except by the most reckless and adventurous seeking to use the strong currents to speed up their journey.
Even older legends suggest that the two continents were once singular, the Divide created by some calamitous splitting of them into two. Authenticated evidence supporting this is very old and very minimal.

Type

Strait