The Tharaxi Gap

The southernmost of the four army passes over the Karzhan Spine is the only good road between Castavar and the Heartlands, and Tharax's to hold under the Bridge Treaty of 1052. It was held in the Battle of the Gap in 212 and has never been forced since; Castavar marched its Third Crusade through under safe-conduct in 1139, and its Fourth will ask the same. The Gap Wardens, about 1,500 mule-drivers, innkeepers and porters, serve every army that passes and belong to none: half are Outdwellers of Tharax, half bastards of the Castavari masesben, and the rest Qaflan who stopped moving. A Tharaxi tale says an old king poured a melted Caelvennois gold coin into the pass road, which is said to hide a gold vein that no Phymon will dig. Gap mules, Gap falcons and bitter-rooted Gap gentians take their name from the pass, and when a Phymon's spear falls pointing toward the Gap, it means Castavar is coming.

See also: Field of the Gap, Lokon, Puesdro, Tharax