Eastern Desert
One of the three Menicean climatologic mysteries, the Eastern Desert stretches on half of the continent's east coast. After a series of public interest peaks and declines, activity in the region seems set to last thanks to the presence of Irisport on its north.
Only this side of the region is actually inhabited, as the south is a deadly nest of natural threats.
Supernatural disorders
Permanent heat
No one ever managed to find the mystery behind the desert's weather. The warm continental climate of Insdyl Plains changes abruptly into an arid and scorching hell in a matter of a few kilometers. Now covered by a thin layer of sand, testimonies from the beginning of the Golden Age say that you could nearly see a line separating the desert's dead shrubs and the plains' green grass before. Some say that the land is cursed by Giraun, as no crops seem able to grow naturally, even near one of its lakes. It takes lots of time and efforts to make land fertile as if nature itself did not want anything to do with the desert.White fire
Out of all the questions the desert raises, the White fire is probably the most fascinating and the main reason why the south was abandoned. Every once in a while, a massive column of white flames will erupt from the ground and will last for a few hours before disappearing. There is no sign or clue about where it will happen but a hoarse grunt from the ground a few seconds ahead. Those who have been close enough to feel the heat of the flames describe something sweltering, largely above the warmth regular flares can emit. These fires also fuel the other deadly danger of the south: the Lorianortis, that store it in their bodies to spit it back to threats. The Fireguard has several observing outposts along a border they update each year. They watch where and how often the fire appears and decides if the boundary can be expanded or shrunken. Travelers and merchants are often warned when living cities to get an updated map, as venturing into what gerouns call the Land of fire can be very dangerous.Geography
Lakes
Another part of the desert's wonders is its four lakes. All of them are located in the northern half of the region, providing potable water and even sometimes rich soil. When foreigners across the seas arrived, those who saw another desert before were astonished by this phenomenon. No river nor rain justifies the presence of lakes in the desert. The heat should make all the water evaporate, yet here it is. Three of the four lakes are filled with fresh water, but the southernmost one has salt water instead for no apparent reason as well.Sunline mountains
The Sunline mountains are a mountain range in the north of the region, separating it from the Marshes and Insdyl. The whole range is mostly avoided by any kind of travelers as it is mainly populated by bandits and wild beasts that regularly attack nearby villages. Aside from its overall dangerous fauna, the mountains are also perilous to traverse. Most of its ground is unstable, making landslides very frequent. Only Vafrun Glen Greshorio managed to make something out of the area by finding gold where his predecessors failed. Thanks to him, there is now one safe road leading to a chain of plateaus where his mines are.Death Valleys
Far south in the land of fire, Death Valleys are vast canyons that go from the southeast up to the east of the region. It has been a long time since no one adventured close to them, but past witness always described them as even more unstable than the Sunline mountains. Just like their northern counterpart, they are home to unique predators that can often wander a bit too close to the border. No water can be found in the valleys hence any kind of long term survival is impossible.History
For a long time, the desert had nothing to offer. There weren't enough people to begin proper exploitation of any kind and every people with resources preferred to invest in Odelia when it came to iron. Most of them were scared of the White fires, still unmapped. Thus, the eastern was mostly populated by nomads. Hardly two real villages existed back then and still exist today: Serkia and Frestin. It was only a few decades after the beginning of the Golden Age when The Greshorio Family moved in the desert that things started moving forward. Slowly after their arrival, Orion Glen Greshorio discovered the first gold deposits, and the first significant gold rush to the desert began. This precious income of workers stayed and helped build what would later become Irisport. Even once the gold was all gone, the first rush started the mining industry in the desert. Gold became iron, and the nobles' management ensured the continuity of the region's commerce. Everything changed once again in the year 155 when Humans arrived for the first time at Irisport's docks. Humanity's arrival caused such an influx of immigrants that the gold rush paled in comparison. Irisport grew ten times its size in a mere few years, and the whole road to the capital got renovated. Once the commerce grew enough, The Ardent-Grissos were created to keep the merchants and their caravans safe.Maps
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The Eastern Desert
The map of the Eastern Desert with the current border of the Land of Fire. Findable in most cities for the region.
Type
Desert
Owner/Ruler
Owning Organization
Inhabiting Species
Related Myths
Related Materials
- Gold
- Iron
- Fish
- Sandstone
- Sand
Traditional desert outfit
Comments