View source for The Battle of the Narrow Strait

== The Battle ==
During the Fourth Era when the Empires of Kythira and Imperius had a fragile peace, the two nations often clashed clandestinely. The Narrow Strait stood as a crucial passage between the Narrow Sea and the Southern Sea. A formidable sea fort, strategically placed in the strait, guarded Kythira's borders and ensured its enemies couldn't freely traverse its waters.

One fateful night, under the cloak of darkness and a tempestuous storm, the Imperius Navy, led by the cunning Admiral Octinga, launched a surprise attack on the Kythiran sea fort. The winds howled fiercely, and the thunder roared ominously, setting the stage for a deadly confrontation. Though the Kythiran garrison was small, they fought valiantly, using their knowledge of the treacherous waters to repel the Imperius invaders. For a time, they held their ground, pushing back wave after wave of enemy assaults. However, their attempts to dispatch small warning ships to alert nearby forts and to call in the Kythiran Imperial Navy were thwarted by the furious sea and the relentless barrage of enemy cannons.

As the storm intensified, it became apparent that a prolonged siege was undesirable for both sides. The Imperius Navy sought to obliterate the fort, granting them unrestricted passage through the Narrow Strait. Yet, they were well aware that an overt attack on a Kythiran fortress would spark a global war. In a chilling display of malevolence, Admiral Octinga devised a heinous plan. They decided to fill one of their own warships entirely with gunpowder, a perilous undertaking amid such a violent storm. With the ship ready, they set it on a deadly course, aiming it directly at the Kythiran fort.

The Kythiran garrison watched in helpless horror from their windows and ramparts as the enemy vessel emerged from the tumultuous waves. It smashed into the fort's towering walls, the sound of splintering wood echoing ominously through the night. Then, in a cataclysmic moment, a colossal explosion ripped apart the entire fort, unleashing a force of destruction rarely seen since the dreaded Great Grief. The once-proud sea fort crumbled, and a monstrous chasm swallowed it, dragging the defenders and the even some of the invading Imperius sailors into a watery grave. The Narrow Strait was now stained with tragedy, and the storm seemed to weep for the fallen souls. As swiftly as they had come, the Imperius Navy retreated to their ports, leaving the devastated sea fort behind. The Kythiran garrison's absence went unnoticed for a week, until the weekly supply caravan reached its remote location, discovering the grim aftermath of the battle.

In the aftermath, the Imperius government adamantly denied any involvement in the attack, attempting to cloak their treachery in secrecy. Only fragments of the truth emerged through the confessions of dying mariners or drunken tales shared in secluded taverns. 

== The Battle according to Imperius ==
''"There was no battle. There never even was a fort. We have no idea what you are talking about."''

- Admiral Kaiserfaust of the Southern Sea Fleet.