The Saze Strait

"My daughter, how I wish I could easily impress upon you how many people have bled and died for the chance to control this one flowing stream of water, but their blood would easily overwhelm even the Vinesian Ocean..."

— Queen Isana Stillingfleet, discussing the geopolitical importance of the Saze Strait with her daughter, Irelia

The Saze Strait is a natural flowing waterway that connects the Jolin Sea to the Northern Thaxtedian Bay, and to the rest of the Vinesian Ocean by extension. The Saze Strait is the natural demarcation between the West Louthian continent and the Fencoverian continent, and serves as the natural west-most border of the Kingdom of Saini.
As one of the means of access into the Saini Bay and the Bay of Mesbin, the Saze Strait is a major strategic location for the Kingdom of Saini, who actively patrols the waterway and maintains its infrastructure and stability. The Strait's frequent tidal cycles and the bores it facilitates fertilize the lowlands of the Thaxtedian and Kilpman plains, which give it agriculturual and cultural significance to the peoples of the Thaxtedian Plains and to those of Eastern Cleolinia.

Ecosystem

The Saze Strait is considered relatively plain in its biodiversity, with most creatures common to the wider Vinesian waters inhabiting the Strait. The implementation of various infrastructure projects, including the warding barriers that restrict Seraxi encroachment into the Jolin Sea, have had an effect on migrationary patterns of various sea creatures.
The flora of the Saze Strait includes the rope-like Strangler's Seaweed, where it thrives in bountiful measure at the floor of the Strait. It is ill-advised for vessels to drop anchor in the Strait due to the weed's presence, as the tough fibers can easily foul anchors and rudders, and otherwise cause problems for vessels that make contact with them.
With the tidal cycle, the water levels can vary with up to half-meter fluctuations, which can affect transit along the Strait. Certain large vessels are prohibited from running the Strait at low tide due to the risk of fouling or running aground on certain natural bars that exist within the Strait.

Infrastructure

As one of the crucial waterways into the Jolin Sea, the Kingdom of Saini has undertaken the maintenance of various pieces of infrastructure within and along the banks of the Strait for the betterment of the populations living along it, and for the maritime traffic that regularly traverses it.

Seraxi Warding Pylons

The northmost entrance of the Strait is protected by three rings of Seraxi warding pylons, which keeps the Jolin Sea free of Seraxi lifeforms and constructs that could threaten seafaring vessels and shoreline populations.

Tarzi Desalination Plant

The Tarzi Desalination Plant is a desalination and purification plant that is located on the banks of the Strait, along the Saini West Pathway. It purifies the water and distributes it across the entire Kingdom of Saini, as well as supplying potable water to the residents of the Thaxtedian Plains.

Geopolitical Importance

"The Saze Strait is one of the only two routes that permit easy movement between the Pehambian South and the Cleolinian North. Keeping it open is of vital importance to whoever controls it."

— Historian Davin Keele

The Saze Strait is considered the defining natural border that separates Louthia from Fencover. With no formal state occupying the Thaxtedian lowlands on the west side of the Strait, the Strait is wholly considered under the jurisdiction of the Kingdom of Saini, who takes responsibility for the maintenance of existing infrastructure and planned projects within the Strait.
Within recent history, the control of the Strait has been contested by the Thaxtedian Independence Movement, who insist that the Strait must be equally shared by the reorganized peoples of the Thaxtedian Plains and the Kingdom of Saini. The Kingdom of Saini does not recognize the Thaxtedian Independence Movement, and thus has not offered any sort of negotiation, a position that has been reinforced since the onset of the Movement's war with the Kingdom of Cleolinia.
With the increasing trend of piracy and organized crime in the wildlands of the Extedgian Shelf, the Kingdoms of Saini and Pehamber have increased naval and aerial patrols within the Jolin Sea and the Saze Strait, in a move that has been interpreted by the wildlanders as increasingly hostile. The "excesses" of the Pehambian Army against some of the natives have travelled throughout the Extedgian plains, with several settlements and other bands of mercenaries and gangs throwing their support behind the Plains Association and the Thaxtedian Independence Movement, which has increased volatility along the Saze Strait.
As of recent history, the Kingdom of Mithambe has deployed special operatives along the Strait, intercepting illicit cargo shipments associated with the Neo-Louthian Empire and its fronts. In addition, these special operatives perform a service to the users of the Strait by performing de-mining missions when floating naval mines have been spotted.

Alternative Name(s)

The Thaxtedian Strait

Type

Strait

Owning Organization

The Kingdom of Saini

Contested By

• The Thaxtedian Independence Movement