With the continent of Phaara being the largest on Elara, it is the home to the largest number of civilized on the planet. The majority of those can be found on the shores of the Six Seas, and so do a large percentage of their international trade via the waterways. But these countries are not the only ones on the planet, and the Six Seas only water access to the rest of the world is through the North Passage between Taldia and Filaldor, into the frozen North Sea. Expeditions and excursions here are long and arduous, and economically unfeasible.