Firemain Pass

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## History

320PE: Every priest of Archan gathers at the place that will one day be named Horsegate. They agree to the Disolvement leaving their former tribes and becoming the first of the Great Shifts, the Shift of Souls. According to the legends and the oral history this was done by divine command. They became demon hunters and the guide to the rest of the Alkar.

They summoned all the tribes of the plains to Firemain Pass one of the few recognisable landmarks on the plains. Led by the newly formed Shift of Souls the Alkar horselords drive the walled men (Aurians and Torans) from the plains.

320-25PE: After their victory against the walled encroachers under the Shift of Souls, at the command of Archan, the Shifts of Stones, Running Waters, Gales and Inferno Blades are founded at Firemain Pass.

345-347 PE – Aurians, under Garath the Warrior, invade the Alkan plains and attempt to settle them. The Five Shifts are called together at Firemain Pass by the Shift of Souls to meet the threat to them all.

They work together under the guidance of the Shift of Souls to rebuff the imperial advance. After years of fighting and many successes, the Emperor dies and the Aurians cease their efforts. There is no official declarations or peace talks as Alkan is not seen as a country at this time.

354-355: Demon wars rage across the plains. In legend it is said to be because Chaos knew the Alkar were the scouts of the heavens and if the strike were to come anywhere else they would see it coming and forewarn the victims. The Alkar tribes that have not formed into the Great Shifts (Those that refused to hearken to the priests of Archan) are badly mauled in the fighting. Some flee to Firemain Pass and others to Starsmeet. those that flee to Firemain find the assembled Shifts and okead with them to unite with them to save the rest of their people. A daring overnight ride is accomplished in order to get to Starsmeet in time.

355PE: The Battle of Starsmeet. The forces of Chaos were attempting to destroy a huge portion of the Alkar people. HOwever this group survived thanks to a rescue led by survivors who had fled to Firemain Pass. There the survivors later to be the Shift of Light found the five great shifts assembled. Then all of them united as one descended on the demon forces in the midst of battle. The During the Battle the Shift of Shadows and the Shift of Light were born and rose with their unique weapons to shatter the forces of Chaos. The shift of light from the Alkar who fled to Firemain Pass and the Shift of Shadows from those who only just escaped annihilation at Starsmeet.

After this battle the Seven great Shifts name themselves collectively as the Alkar and take the title ‘horselords’ as well. After this the lake at Starsmeet becomes a second focal point for the Alkar people. The Shift of Light feeling a special kinship to Firemain Pass and those of Shadows to Starsmeet.

1400PE: The Fortress of Horsegate is begun in response to increased tensions and threat of invasion. It is to stand on the very spot where the Shift of Souls held the Disolvement. The trail between it and the sacred Firemain Pass is completed and named Farhoof.

## Geography

This pass is located between three peaks that rise directly out of the Alkan plain. They are tall smooth and pointed. Between them runs the pass and it has become a sacred site for the Alkar.

It is one of the only sources of shade in all of Alkan and presents one of the only defensible retreats. It is also one of the few landmarks that is visible at a distance and can be seen from a very long distance away due to the level nature of the majority of the plains.

## Economy

Firemain is often used as a place of gathering and it is common to find families of horselords trading here. It is also a preferred place for the Shift of Light to reside. This means that trade is almost always plentiful here.

### Taxation

There is no taxation other than unfavorable trade rates for foreigners (Ie none Alkar) but even this is not official.

## Demographics

A highly populated area by Alkar standards. There will almost always be over a thousand horselords present often more. If a great shift is in residence far far more.

### Religion

Religiously the Alkar worship Archan one of the aspects of Wild. However it should be noticed that Firemain in particular is a place where the Light and the Darkness stood with the shifts to defeat Chaos. The few Alkar rites that celebrate the sun aspect of Wild are marked here.

## Politics and Government

There is no specific government over Firemain Pass. Though the Shift of Light reside here most often and in some ways consider it their home it is a foreign idea to the Alkar to own specific land and the idea that any Shift could impose rules on the land is foreign in every way to the Alkar as a people.

## Culture

The Shift of Light like to hold their main camp near Firemain Pass whenever they are able and it is one of the places that is often chosen as a meeting spot for multiple Shifts. Horsegate and Starsmeet are others.