Kraotag: Fearsome Swim

Geography

Just north of the Bay of Atiya in the northeast provinces of Keyrit stands a mountain, a very dark gray mass perhaps twice as tall as its neighbors. Approaching from the west, its slopes are straightforward but gentle and full of grass. From the peak, the western side is a slate cliff that plummets into the bay below. There, waiting hungrily at the bottom, is a large whirlpool that collects currents from the north and south. It is a permanent fixture but varies wildly in temperature depending on the season and time of day. While the two components are inextricably linked by most accounts, Kraotag, "The Fearsome Swim," refers specifically to the mountain. The whirlpool has no name except by proxy to the Kraotag, for example "Kraotag's Footrest" or "Kraotag's Lapdog."

Localized Phenomena

It is possible to jump from the top of the mountain directly into the center of the whirlpool. None have jumped to prove it, but locals find entertainment throwing rocks and other trinkets into the center as a sort of unique local sport.

History

The ancient empires of Wouraiya used to trade along the northern routes, from Irewa in the west to Yatkaugo to Retrougo to Yukur in the east. The streams were stable and could be traversed by nearly any ships, so there was little need for powerful seafaring vessels. By that logic, though, there was absolutely no desire to pass through the choppy waters into the southern currents. It was possible, but even the single-digit percentage chance of catastrophe was alarming enough to scare away most traders. In fact, that entire side of Keyrit would only be colonized by starting on the western portion from Irewa, then migrating across the entire island-continent. It was only later that ships would be made that could handle problems of that magnitude.