Theorized Origins of the 'Junk' and History of the Desert
Many theories exist in popular culture on the origins of the junk piles, ranging from mass battles to mysterious magical incidents, and often both. The most widely believed theory, one that has some backing from historians that have studied the area and its contents, believe the junks origins lay in part with the demise of the Elven Kingdom of Thysduin thousands of years ago, now known as
The Ruined Plateau of Thysduin.
The theory, proposed by a number of historians, states that the elves of Thysduin had access to advanced magical technologies, much more advanced than what exists today. This includes something called an
The Ioria Portal, the details of which are unconfirmed but most assume that these were transportations devices of some sort. With the ability to transport people or things large distances between themselves. This is all based on small details gleaned from a small number of writings on Thysduin, that were transported out of the area, in the hours before the plague swept the Plateau.
The theory is that one (or more) of these Ioria Portals, was left activated and unattended, where it malfunctioned and sucked in debris and various items lying around into it and transported them to a random location. Until the plague reached it, corroding and destroying the portal as well. But in the time the portal was activated it sucked in a massive amount of debris which was then teleported above the Badru'ta Desert and scattered across its territory in raining waves. If other locations also received amounts of elven debris it is unknown where this may have also occurred. Regardless the Badru'ta received thousands of valuable elven items, including weapons, armour, and magical items and devices.
As for the junk piles' current state, primarily being comprised of ancient Baizair weapons and tools, historians have a much clearer idea of what may have likely occurred. It is believed that the elven debris sat in the desert for well over a hundred years before the various sects of ancient Baïzair began to explore its depths. During these explorations, these various sects began to discover the elven artifacts, and soon after, they began fighting over them.
Over the next several dozen years, the sects would battle each other over and over again, fighting over possession of the elven artifacts. And as they died, their tools and weapons were added to the piles of artifacts, slowly piling up higher and higher. By the latter years of the fighting, the sects had formed into two large factions, with one faction fighting from the north and the other fighting from the south.
Hundreds of thousands of lives were lost in this fight, and as such their weapons and equipment continued to be dropped by fallen soldier, lost and added to the growing piles of junk. This eventually added up to much more than what originally lay there of the elven artifacts. Much of the elven artifacts are said to have been been driven deep under the sands due to the sheer weight of items associated with the war that now lay on top of them. It is thought that many of the elven artifacts were driven so far underground they fell into ancient caverns, and into the rumoured ruins of a lost civilization that was said to live in Badru'ta before it was a desert.
Outside of the desert, tt is believed that the remnants of these two warring factions became the basis of the current ruling status quo of Baizair. With the southern sects going on to form the provinces of Baizair, which would eventually be ruled under by one family decided upon by the possession of
The Heir's Chain. While the northern sects, drastically reduced in numbers by the end of the war, sequestering themselves further north and become recluses, often left to their own devices even by the modern day rulers who hold court in the south of the country.
Geography and Natural Resources
The Badru'ta Desert primarily consists of a sedimentary rock known as sandstone, which itself is comprised of several minerals and other components including quartz and feldspar. The desert's sand dunes and its larger rock formations all consist of sandstone.
The area gets little precipitation annually, much like many deserts, receiving as little as 15 to 20 centimetres per year. The desert, partly due to its low rainfall, has low humidity creating an extremely dry and uncomfortable heat during the day, and chilling cold during the night. This makes traversing the desert difficult for those exploring it, or for those attempting to travel across it either to Bastion or to the remote and often secular regions of northern Baïzair. However, due to the low moisture levels and extremely dry conditions, much of the metal items found in the desert's junk piles are shockingly well preserved as rust has a difficult time forming in arid conditions.
Several mineral deposits and valuable ore do exist in the Badru'ta, in ancient caverns deep below the sands. This includes deposits of gold and large columns of salt (indicating that the desert may have formerly been a large body of seawater at some point in its past). But little of these resources have been mined due to the difficulty of reaching these deep caverns, and the act of transporting them out of the desert. Though several attempts over the years have been made with disastrous effects. Bastion has offered to mine these resources on Baïzair behalf, for a large cut of the profits, but Baïzair has rebuffed these offers numerous times due to Bastion's poor reputation amongst the nations of the continent.
Settlers - The Badru
Though not many decide to live near or in the Badru'ta that does not mean they do not exist. A small population of traders and scavengers called
The Badru'ta Sand Scavengers, or simply the Badru people, have decided to call the Badru'ta Desert their homes. The Badru consist of several smaller tribes, most living semi-nomadic lives with a selection of adults going off to scour the dessert for material and items to trade at the few settlements near the desert borders. Roughly half of the adults travel the desert, while the other half stay in semi-permanent encampments to help care for the young and old and to conduct any trade with travellers that may pass by. These two groups switch out and trade responsibilities every few weeks to ensure that all parties invest in a diverse range of responsibilities equally.
Settlements
While there are several dozen encampments related to the Badru, very few permanent settlements exist near the Badru'ta, and no permanent settlements exist within. At the current time, there are three permanent settlements along the borders of dessert. The
Povari Trade Outpost on the desert's south-eastern border, a small village about a day's ride from the northern border of the desert, and a sparely populated trade garrison and border crossing operated by Bastion soldiers just across the territorial line where the desert ends in northwest and Bastion wasteland begins.
Strange Weather
While the desert does not receive much traditional rainfall, it is victim to many of the trappings of a typical desert, including sudden sand storms and plummeting temperatures and extreme winds during nightfall. However, one such weather occurrence is much more extreme than either of these and infinitely more dangerous.
A wandering storm that appears, seemingly at random, especially in spots deeper into the desert. Sparking up in less than a moments notice, dark mauve clouds gather and the storm begins with a sound that almost sounds like an electrified cackle. Soon, large bolts of purple energy crash into the sand and rock below vaporizing chunks of ground and debris, turning sand into beads of rolling glass and melting the top layers of junk piles. Which then have to be chipped away at monotonously in order to reach the undamaged weapons and tools below.
Locals call the storm, Anak'jo Buri, or the Cackling Thunder. Some believe the storm is an almost deity-level entity that is protecting a lost and ancient ruin deep below the sands. Others believe it is the remnants of an ancient elven technology gone haywire that now roams the desert sparking danger and chaos at complete random until someone can capture and deactivate it. The remaining elven artifacts that are occasionally found in the junk piles of the desert are seemingly resistant to the lightning strikes of the storm, and when found are distinct from the pile due to their better condition.
An Ancient Civilization?
Some believe that deep below the sands of the desert lie the underground ruins of a once wonderous civilization. No known artifacts or proof exist of this civilization but stories that are told across Baizair tell of a people who once lived in an oasis of reeds, fresh water, and abundant crops before an earthquake crippled their society and dropped into a massive chasm that over the next millennia or more slowly turned into the sand that covers the Badru'ta now, burying the lost civilization deep below the surface. Adventurers and historians have searched for decades but none have found any clues, nor any signs of an entrance to the rumoured ruins below.
Dream Tower Sitings
Another popular myth that is said to exist in the flowing sands of the Badru'ta is the
The Dream Tower of Gloria, a tower spoken of in many children's stories, stories tell that the tower can appear anywhere and within its walls is contained an endless number of hallways and doors that lead to countless dimensions and realms. The Dream Tower of Gloria is said to frequent the Badru'ta, treating the desert as a favourite haunt for reasons unknown, often appearing in the distance as a hazy shape vaguely resembling a tall stone tower. Most travellers believe that the tower still only exists in the realms of story and think these rumours can be cast aside as a mere mirage caused by fatigue and delirium.
Political Tensions
While Baïzair keeps a fairly open relationship with most of the nations, it does hold some tensions with a few nearby nations. Specifically Bastion to the northwest, and the newly minted nation of Raum'alur to the south. The situation with Raum'alur is less one of actual hostility, and more of caution, as the new nation is comprised of people who are widely viewed as unpredictable and wild by popular culture. And Baïzair has decided to keep an increased military presence near the border closest to Raum'alur.
However, the situation with Bastion is much tenser and directly related to the Badru'ta Desert. Neither side wishes to start anything significant but the tension has continued to rise over the years due to Bastion's current status quo. Bastion wishes to increase trade with Baïzair and has pushed for the nation to build a proper trade route through the Badru'ta, connecting Bastion with the merchant-rich cities of southern coastal Baïzair. The rulers of Baïzair have declined this proposal multiple times citing the danger and unpredictable nature of the desert as the main reason behind the impossibility of the request. Bastion, driven by their dwindling resources and increasingly dire situation, disagrees with the assessment and has begun to believe that Baïzair only wishes to suffocate them further, much like their former friends to the south in Estrua, cutting them off from much-needed trade routes.
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