Be prepared if you plan on marching through the Throat, lad. That place has a nasty habit of swallowing men whole.— Some travelling advice
The Throat is a mountain pass through mountain range of
the Teeth, linking the countries of
Kaien and
Serukis. For over half the year, the Throat is considered impassable as it is battered by severe
blizzards and covered in deep snow. For the rest of the year, the pass is still extremely risky to travel through due to unpredictable rockslides, and little shelter.
Unlike
Gabriel's Folly, the other major pass through the Teeth, the Throat is a narrow, winding road that stretches for 238 miles. It snakes through the peaks, occasionally doubling back on itself, and at one point passes under a mountain in a long, dark tunnel. For the majority of its length, the pass is flanked by high, sheer cliffs; in some places, these cliffs seem to lean ominously over the path below. At its widest, the Throat is a mere half a mile across.
History
Scholars generally agree that the Throat could not have been a natural formation. As its creation was before the
Renewal, however, there is no way to know for sure exactly how it came to be. The most popular theory is that the pass was dug out by one or more
ancient dragons who wanted a quicker land route through the mountains. Evidence for this theory is the existance of what some say are clear claw marks all along the cliffs, some clearer and deeper than others. However, detractors point out that these marks could easily be from erosion caused by
rock,
ice, and
wind.
The Crossing
In 3830
EA, the first Seruic people travelled through the Throat from Kaien to escape an
oppressive regime. A group of 142 men, women, and children set out on a
journey that would take them two months. Only 87 of them would make it out of the pass alive.
Fortifications
As the Throat crosses the border between two countries, it is unsurprising that there is a fortification at both ends to ensure undesirables are kept at bay. Due to the narrow nature of the Throat, these fortresses span across the width of the pass, making them almost impossible to bypass.
Everhold
On the Kaienese side of the mountains sits the intimidating fortress of
Everhold. It consists of two large curved walls that stretch across the width of the Throat, with the rough cliffs joining them together. Each wall has a large gate that is kept closed except to allow someone to pass through. In the centre is a large courtyard, where travellers must wait before being allowed to cross into Kaien.
Storm's Gate
On the Seruic side of the mountains is the fortress of
Storm's Gate, which also doubles as the home of
Lord Sunderlin and his
family. Two large towers are built into the sides of the cliff with a large, thick wall stretched between the two. One tower is the
Lord's residence, whilst the other is the barracks for the
men who guard both his family and the pass.
Mythology
Due to the many deaths and disappearances in the Throat over the years, several myths exist that try to explain them.
The first is common in both Serukis and Kaien. It is said that travellers of the Throat get caught between the wills of
Faolan, the Lord of Earth and
Trestan, the Lord of Ice. People believe that the two
gods have a rivalry centred around the mountain range and that people passing through are sometimes collateral damage.
The gods are not the only danger believed to lurk in the Throat, however. Many travellers have pointed out that the wind sounds like roaring or howling as it is channeled between the high cliffs. Strange shadows shift over the cliffs as the
sun passes overhead. In Kaien, it is said a
great beast stalks the pass, preying on the unsuspecting. The noise, they believe, is the beast crying out in a futile attempt to find a mate. In Serukis, they believe these phenomena are caused by
shadow creatures that will steal the breath out of your body.
On top of these superstions, the tunnel that snakes under the mountain is said to be
haunted. This myth is more common in Serukis, as they believe the
spirits of those that perished during the Crossing and
did not receive the proper
funeral rites would naturally be drawn there. It is common for Seruic people who are travelling through the tunnel to sing as they walk, as they believe the sound will bring comfort to the spirits and they will therefore be left alone.
I really love how you've worked in a theory of it being dug by ancient dragons, and also included detractors to that theory! Then going into the Mythology section is really interesting too, especially with people hearing sounds like roaring and howling. What is in those mountains!? Also Storm's gate sounds like a pretty cool place :D
My favourite thing is providing different theories for things. It's the academic in me, I think. And haha, right?! I have a few options to choose for my mythology article at least! :D I agree - it does sound like a pretty cool place! ;) <3 Thank you!