The Divide

Summary

No one really knows how the Divide came about. As the first explorers famously remarked, "Did someone just rip the land apart?". In some ways, it is not dissimilar to the Barrier Sea and how it formed. Unlike that, however, the Divide is far older, and doesn't seem to have been wrought from a destructive force. The chief qualifier with that is the fact mineral wealth still seems to exist in a fairly normal manner in its depths.
Aside from bisecting Fauverngarz and Eylia, the Divide's greatest use is a channel for ships between the Long Sleep Sea and Shinespark Ocean. This has allowed a rather exotic trade route leading from Aerthen and Nerzin looping around Fauverngarz, making a stop at Karg, and heading into Golden Tides to reach Dorvar and Honokom. Given the dangers of the Long Sleep Sea, its seen as a choice of the utmost greedy or insane to traverse.

Geography

Essentially a fjord, the Divide's tall cliffs means once one goes in, there's only forward and backward to go. Thankfully there are few surprises in the waters, and it's really just the narrow channel that is an issue. Large fleets must be mindful of their navigational needs, as any sudden wide, sweeping turns can collapse the whole armada. Thanks to the high walls on either side, the Divide often feels little impact from the overhead storms and other wind movements. The times it does, however, can form almost impassable walls of windy force that can throw ships around.

Fauna & Flora

A number of coral reefs and simplistic species dot the Divide's waterways. Some migratory species go up and down, but for the most part, one sees the likes of crustaceans, barnacles, long-fingered sweepers, and other sedentary organisms. Rather unique lichens and moss can be found growing along the cliff walls, offering bizarre and spectacular colors in the night time. Some long-range species of birds also nest in the cliffs as well.

Natural Resources

While there are plainly obvious mineral veins and other valuables, the Divide's geological fixtures make mining hilariously impractical. Combined with its colorful sea life, it is often treated more as a visual beauty than anything practical to exploit.

Type

Sea