Plains of Asharaz

Surrounded and helpless, Asharaz the Usurper summoned all of his power unto himself, and began the ritual for Divine Ascension. Being far too rushed in the matter, and under the constant magical attack from both Gods and mortal beings, not even Asharaz could contain the Chaos he harnessed for long. Suddenly, all went dark, the light seeming to pull in towards his tower at Varysh, and then, it happened. What later came to be known as the Cataclysm ravaged the Army of the Gods, and tore the very earth asunder. The expulsion of such a vast amount of Chaos all at once shattered the world, and scars from the event can be found across Iatar to this very day. Asharaz himself was destroyed utterly, and the land around his fortress of Varysh was forever condemned to be a desolate wasteland, now known as the Plains of Asharaz.

Excerpt from 'The Cataclysm', by Rothgar the Dwarf

Geography

The Plains of Asharaz are an unforgiving wasteland located within the North-Eastern Wilderness, spanning from Telleron in the south, to Varysh in the north. It is mostly flat, save for the large splintering cracks that run toward Varysh. In days gone past, the Plains were quite beautiful, with vast forests coating the snow-covered tundra, but after the Cataclysm, they were rendered barren, even to the snow. The only sign of life within the Plains is the River of Tears, which has many sources running from the Splintered Peaks, and into The Cataclysm.

Fauna & Flora

Ever since the Cataclysm, the only form of life that can be found throughout the Plains, aside from the odd stray river fish in the River of Tears, are various types of Chaos Fiends. They seem to be the only creatures that can inhabit the Plains, as they feast on the only natural resource available in the area, The Chaos. Most notably, and the main reason for venturing into the Plains, is that many of the largest Gemlings ever seen have been found here, some, according to legend, being as big as houses.

Natural Resources

The only natural resource of any note within the Plains is The Chaos, which not even the Order of Tor could fully cleanse from this place. Being the epicentre of the Cataclysm, the Plains teem with wild Chaos, and some adventurous wizards have journeyed to the Plains to attempt to harness some of the raw power found here.

Type

Wasteland

Location under

North-Eastern Wilderness