Tohta Pass

The Tohta pass is a long, narrow and windy valley located between the Kheros and Tarakom mountain ranges in central Enaskia It contains the main east-west overland trade route on the continent, which connects the eastern and western halves of the continent together, specificaly the region of Asylia to the region of Kherokomia.

Because of its elevation, the tohta pass often experiances freezing temperatures and snow in all seasons outside of summer. Unlike the region of Kherokomia, located directly to its west, the Tohtoa pass's climate is not arid or semi-arid. Instead, it receives abundant precipitation, especialy during the winter, which feeds many rivers flowing to the east, to Asylia, or to the west, to the Sonaral Sea, and eventualy, the Nyos river.

The Tohta pass is a mountainious region and as such, is home to a lot of alpine species of plants and animals. without doubt, the most famous of these from this region is The Piru, a small mammal which resides in large social communities nestled in the tall pine trees growing all over the region.

Timber is the most obvious natural ressources that one can find here. However, it doesn't have much else. Iron can be found in the surounding mountain, and gold can be sieving through the flowing water, but both are only present in small quantities.

Defences

Because of its high strategic value, many forts were built in the region to protect it and defend from any army using it as an invasion path. The biggest of such forts was built near the entrance to the kingdom of Asylia, and consists o a large wall built by the essanian empire which spans the entire width of the valley, which is about 2km is that spot. The only way throught it is by a large gate guarded by two massive watch towers. These and the wall can be seen miles ahead in the valley as it gently slopes down towards the asylian plains beyond. The wall currently makes up part of the border between the kingdoms of kherokomia and Asylia.

For most of the Second Age, and continuing on into the third, all nearby countries have recongnised the value of the Tohta pass as a strategic chokepoint. Because of this, many kingdoms and Empires sought to control it, wether to taxe the flow of trade or block an enemy army. Nowedays, the Kingdom of Kherokomia, which was innitialy formed as a province of the Essanian Empire, obtained its independance when it collapsed and has had control over the pass since. They are a neutral country, and all neighbouring countries are bound by treaty to respect that neutrality.