Strait of Sundered Sky

The Strait of Sundered Sky is a legendary and perilous body of water that separates the southeastern tip of the Y’azi Peninsula, home to the Temple of Raijin, from the ominous Isle of Storms to the south. Known for its ceaselessly churning maelstroms and violent oceanic storms, the strait is both a natural and supernatural barrier. It is believed to be the manifestation of the eternal dance between the twin draconic gods, Raijin, the god of lightning, and Fujin, the god of wind—an eternal balance of chaos and order.

For centuries, this strait has shielded the Y'azi Peninsula from foreign incursions, including numerous attempts by the far eastern Empire of Bastile during the Fifth Age, whose airships and fleets have been obliterated by the treacherous conditions. While the Y'azi people revere it as a divine blessing of the twin gods, sailors and navigators regard it with a mixture of awe and dread, often referring to it as an omen of doom.

Geography and Features

The strait is infamous for its vast and unrelenting maelstroms, where whirlpools churn violently, dragging entire ships to their watery graves. These natural phenomena are intensified by frequent lightning storms and hurricane-force winds that sweep across the strait, often without warning.

The storms are believed to symbolize the ceaseless duel between Raijin’s wrathful lightning and Fujin’s merciful winds, creating a balance that both protects and isolates the Y'azi Peninsula. Sailors have reported hearing deafening thunderclaps that seem to form the growling voice of Raijin himself and feeling the sudden calm of Fujin’s breath in fleeting moments of respite.

During particularly fierce storms, the sky above the strait is said to split with vivid displays of green and purple lightning, creating a phenomenon known as the Radiant Divide. This celestial display is regarded as a divine sign by the Y'azi and a stark warning to outsiders.

The treacherous conditions of the strait have made it an almost impassable barrier, forcing invaders and merchants alike to seek alternative routes. Even the most seasoned navigators approach the Strait of Sundered Sky with caution, knowing that one misstep could spell their doom.

Cultural Significance

To the Y'azi Dragonborn, the Strait of Sundered Sky is a sacred testament to the power and favor of Fujin and Raijin. The twin gods are believed to have created the strait during the Third Age, splitting the land and sea to protect the Y'azi Peninsula from the encroaching chaos of the Tides of Khaos.

The Temple of Raijin, situated on the southeastern peninsula of the Y’azi Empire, overlooks the strait and serves as a place of worship and meditation. Pilgrims often stand on the temple’s cliffs, offering prayers to the twin gods as they watch the storms rage across the water.

For outsiders, particularly sailors and merchants, the strait is a symbol of divine wrath. Legends abound of ships swallowed by the maelstroms and of airships struck from the sky by Raijin’s lightning, their wreckage scattered across the waves.

Historical Incidents

The Empire of Bastile, an expansionist power from the continent of Tolria, has repeatedly attempted to invade the Y'azi Peninsula using their technologically advanced airships. However, the strait’s violent storms have decimated their fleets, forcing the Bastilian forces to retreat or perish. These failed incursions have solidified the strait’s reputation as an unassailable shield for the Y'azi Empire.

During the Second Age, a great Unknown fleet flying the banners of Warrior-King Valkur attempted to cross the strait, seeking to claim the Y'azi Peninsula. His fleet was obliterated by a storm of unprecedented ferocity as Valkur himself was banished by Fujin & Raijin to the Plane of Khaos during the ongoing battle in what is now known as the Veil of Valkur.

Mystery and Mystique

Y'azi mythology holds that Raijin and Fujin themselves patrol the strait, appearing as twin Lung Dragons wreathed in storms. These guardians are believed to smite any who would defile the sanctity of the Y'azi Peninsula or the Isle of Storms.

Sailors who have braved the strait tell of hearing haunting wails carried by the wind. These eerie sounds are thought to be the cries of lost souls, condemned to eternal torment by the twin gods.

Some claim that a hidden path exists through the strait, revealed only to those deemed worthy by Fujin and Raijin. This path is said to lead to the Isle of Storms, where enlightenment—or destruction—awaits.

Legacy

The Strait of Sundered Sky is more than a geographical feature; it is a living testament to the divine power of the Y’azi pantheon and a cornerstone of the Y'azi Empire's sovereignty. Its storms and maelstroms, both feared and revered, serve as a reminder of the balance between chaos and order, wrath and mercy. For the Y’azi people, it is a sacred shield; for outsiders, it is a graveyard of hubris. The strait remains an enduring symbol of the harmony and strength that define the Y’azi way of life, as well as the unyielding might of Fujin and Raijin.