Arid Steppe
The Arid Steppe was once a thriving, lush grassland where beasts of legend and colossal monsters roamed freely, hunted for sport and survival. However, this land was ravaged and scarred after the Immolith Raid, a devastating attack orchestrated by the Sins, a group of malevolent forces who unleashed the fiery wrath of their Immoliths—elemental creatures of flame and malice—upon the landscape. What was once green became a scorched, hellish expanse, with flame and brimstone replacing the vibrant ecosystem.
After the Immolith Raid, Opheliax Ostborough led a group of survivors and her automaton creations, clearing a path through the burning wreckage to find refuge. They eventually settled north of the steppe and founded the city of Ostborough. While the city flourished, the Arid Steppe became a forsaken land, its barren flatlands twisted by residual magic and dark energies. Over time, the already perilous steppe became even more treacherous as purple worms began to infest the landscape, their physiology altered by the acidic ground, growing into massive, burrowing threats.
Now, crossing the Arid Steppe is an endeavor few dare to attempt. Most who travel to Ostborough opt for outdated airship routes or the recently established railroad connecting Ostborough to Lustrum Metropolis, though both are risky in their own right.
Points of Interest:
The Pyrecrag: Once a massive hill overlooking the heart of the former grasslands, the Pyrecrag was transformed into a towering mound of fused, charred earth and bone during the Immolith Raid. The constant, slow smoldering of this grotesque mountain emits noxious fumes and bursts of ash that blot out the sun in the surrounding area. Rumor has it that deep within the Pyrecrag lies the heartstone of an Immolith that was left behind, pulsing with residual power and dark energy.
Wyrmscour: A section of the steppe infamous for its network of massive, winding tunnels burrowed by the purple worms that now call the land home. The ground in Wyrmscour is particularly unstable, and unwary travelers may find themselves falling into cavernous pits that lead into underworld-like lairs of these massive creatures. Some say these tunnels house remnants of old treasures from the days before the Immolith Raid, but the danger of being devoured by a worm or caught in acidic quicksand makes exploration nearly suicidal.
The Blistered Path: This path was carved through the burning land by Opheliax Ostborough and her automatons during their exodus from the flames. Now, it serves as a haunting monument to their journey and survival, but the road has since fallen into disrepair. It is still passable, though treacherous due to the lingering heat radiating from the ground. Along the path are scorched wreckage and remnants of Opheliax’s failed constructs, some of which have reactivated in strange and unpredictable ways, driven by the arcane forces still present in the region.
The Screaming Hollows: Named for the eerie, wailing winds that sweep across this crater-filled landscape, the Screaming Hollows are located at the southern edge of the Arid Steppe. These pits are the result of violent magic eruptions from the Immolith Raid, and within them, the arcane forces still bubble and churn, giving rise to unpredictable magical surges. Some believe these hollows serve as gateways to the Plane of Fire, while others think they are the scars of dark magic tied to the Sins themselves.
The Wormspire Rails: A relatively new point of interest, this elevated railroad cuts directly through the dangerous Arid Steppe, linking Ostborough to Lustrum Metropolis. Built to avoid the dangers of traveling overland, the railroad is a marvel of modern engineering, designed to withstand the violent seismic activity of the worms below. However, some sections of the rail have already seen damage from the massive purple worms, and there are persistent rumors of strange disappearances and accidents happening along its route, attributed to the lingering influence of the Sins' dark magic.
X'Zarra'ka: A hidden thri-kreen settlement nestled deep within the Arid Steppe, X'Zarra'ka is a self-sustaining, nomadic society of insectoid warriors and scholars. Known for their resilience and adaptability, the thri-kreen of X'Zarra'ka have found ways to thrive in the harsh, acidic environment, cultivating unique flora and taming the dangers of the steppe. Their settlement is constantly on the move, shifting in response to the threat of purple worms and the unpredictable magical surges that plague the land. The thri-kreen have become adept at navigating the chaotic energies of the steppe, and many believe they hold the secrets to surviving—and perhaps even reversing—the devastation left behind by the Immolith Raid.
Temple of Shifting Sands
In the desert-like landascape of the Arid Steppe, the Temple of Shifting Sands serves as a beacon of hope and change in a harsh environment. Built from smooth, golden sandstone that blends seamlessly with the surrounding dunes, the temple is both resilient and adaptable—qualities revered by Avandra's followers. The temple itself shifts and reforms over time, its halls magically reconfiguring to reflect the ever-changing nature of fate. This is a living temple, one where visitors can never be sure what form it will take from one day to the next, much like the unpredictable turns of life.
The temple is renowned for its Labyrinth of Possibilities, an intricate maze of shifting sand and stone. Pilgrims who enter the labyrinth seek Avandra’s guidance, believing that the path they choose will reveal important insights into their future. The temple’s priests, known as Sandseers, guide visitors through their spiritual journeys, helping them embrace the inevitable shifts in their lives. Here, Avandra is worshipped not as a goddess of rigid fate, but as a deity who empowers her followers to take control of their destinies, even in the face of uncertainty.
The Arid Steppe remains a forbidding and dangerous place, where both natural and magical threats lurk at every turn. Yet it also holds the promise of untapped mysteries and arcane power for those brave or foolish enough to venture into its desolate expanse.
Geography
The Arid Steppe is not a kind place. It has minimal access to water, after the Pandora War, where lower ranked demons were deployed in kamikaze-style raids in order to conjure their spirits into immoliths which laid the area to waste.
The Arid Steppe stretches across a vast plain of cracked, blackened earth interspersed with smoldering craters, jagged rock formations, and deep tunnels carved by massive purple worms. The terrain is treacherous, with unstable ground prone to collapse and patches of acidic quicksand. To the south lies the Screaming Hollows, while the northern edge is marked by the city of Ostborough, a beacon of hope beyond the scorched lands.
Ecosystem
A number of small scavengers; vultures and hyenas that hunt and kill the herbivores that have adapted to the harsh vegetation here. A lot of burrowing creatures such as purple worms escape the heat of the day, and the grassland has adapted to have rolling hills.
The ecosystem of the Arid Steppe is one of survival and adaptation. Most native species have been wiped out, replaced by hardy flora and mutated fauna that have adapted to the harsh, acidic environment. Burrowing creatures dominate the landscape, with purple worms reigning supreme. Strange, fire-touched flora provides rare sustenance, while scavenger species eke out a precarious existence among the ruins.
Ecosystem Cycles
The Arid Steppe’s ecosystem cycles are driven by residual magic and the activity of purple worms. Periodic magical surges triggered by lingering Immolith energy lead to bursts of activity in the flora and fauna, temporarily revitalizing the land before the magic fades again. The steppe also experiences tremors and ground collapses as the worms burrow and shift, creating a constantly changing landscape.
Localized Phenomena
- Residual Heat Pockets: Areas of the steppe radiate intense heat, a remnant of the Immoliths’ flames. These pockets can ignite combustibles or even sear unprotected flesh.
- Arcane Eruptions: Magic bursts from the ground in random intervals, releasing chaotic energy that warps nearby matter.
- Acidic Quicksand: Patches of ground liquefy into corrosive pools capable of consuming metal and flesh alike.
- Firestorms: Sudden, localized storms of flame and ash sweep across the land, making travel unpredictable and dangerous.
Climate
The Arid Steppe is arid and blisteringly hot, with temperatures rising to extreme levels during the day. Nights are cooler but not without danger, as nocturnal creatures emerge to hunt. The air is dry and laced with ash and smoke, and the skies are often obscured by a hazy orange glow from distant fires.
Fauna & Flora
Flora:
- Emberstalk: A hardy plant with fire-resistant stems, its sap is used in fireproofing and potion crafting.
- Ashblossom: A gray, soot-covered flower that thrives in acidic soil, rumored to have magical properties.
- Purple Worms: Massive, burrowing predators mutated by the acidic ground, feared for their immense size and aggression.
- Cinder Scarabs: Small, fire-resistant beetles that feed on emberstalk sap and ash.
Natural Resources
- Ashblossom Petals: Valued for their use in alchemy and magic rituals.
- Heartstone Fragments: Rare mineral pieces found near the Pyrecrag, imbued with residual Immolith energy, prized for crafting enchanted items.
History
The Arid Steppe was once a lush grassland, with many large beasts and monsters that roamed the landscape. While they were hunted for sport and resources, it was soon turned into a hellish landscape after the Sins immolith raid was a success in the area.
After the immolith raid, Ohpeliax Ostborough had taken a small population and her automaton creations and cleared a path through the flame and brimstone to eventually settle north of the steppe into Ostborough
Over the years, the flatlands became infested with small worms who slowly grew bigger and bigger after the acidic ground changed their physiology.
Today, the Arid Steppe is one thing that is avoided that heading to Ostborough is often done by outdated airship travel or risking it through the new railroad running from Ostborough through to the Lustrum Metropolis.
Tourism
Tourism to the Arid Steppe is almost nonexistent due to its dangers. However, treasure hunters, researchers, and thrill-seekers occasionally venture into the region in search of ancient relics, rare resources, or the remnants of Opheliax’s constructs. Guided expeditions from Ostborough are rare and expensive, catering only to the most determined adventurers.
Points of Interest
- The Pyrecrag: A towering mound of fused earth and bone that smolders with dark energy. Rumored to contain the heartstone of an Immolith, it is a deadly yet tempting target for treasure hunters.
- Wyrmscour: A labyrinthine network of tunnels created by massive purple worms. While rich in ancient treasures, the region is fraught with danger from collapsing ground and predatory worms.
- The Blistered Path: The scorched route carved by Opheliax Ostborough and her automatons during their escape. Now littered with relics and partially reactivated constructs, it remains a haunting reminder of survival.
- The Screaming Hollows: A cratered expanse filled with residual magic and eerie, wailing winds. Believed to harbor gateways to the Plane of Fire, it is a site of curiosity and dread.
- X’Zarra’ka: A hidden, nomadic settlement of thri-kreen deep within the steppe. The insectoid inhabitants have mastered survival in this harsh land and may hold secrets to restoring the steppe’s former glory.
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