Seeras Desert

The Seeras Desert stretches from the southern tip of the Strait of Essena all the way to the Dragon Mountains in the east, and from the southern shore of the Tyrian Sea at its northern point all the way south to the savannahs just north of the Msengu rainforest.
The Seeras Desert is a harsh and inhospitable space, home to ruthless bandits, cruel slave traders, venomous snakes , deadly scorpions and terrifying spiders. If its inhabitant's don't get you, then the seemingly endless leagues of sand dunes bereft of water and the scorching Sun just might. At night the desert becomes bitterly cold, replacing the fire of the day with a teeth-chattering chill. The crumbling ruins of ancient temples and towers can still be found out in the desert, relics of a bygone age of Magic and Glory. Such ancient ruins often hide glorious treasures, but can also conceal arcane and terrifying magical forces and powers. It is said that to disrupt the slumber of the dead is most unwise ...
Only the hardiest survive in this cruel land, making their homes around the oasis of hope that sporadically dot the sea of sand. Home to Seerasi human clans, Orcish and Goblin nomads and Magi fleeing to the edges of society, the desert is both a challenge and a saviour to many of its denizens. The Seeras Desert is a treacherous place, where hope does exist amidst the sands of despair, but one need be careful that it is not just a mirage ...

Geography

The Seeras Desert is vast and expansive, made up of great sand dunes that seem to go on as far as the eye can see. The Salesh Ezim, the Great River, flows across its center, all the way from the great Dragon Mountains in the east to its river mouth at the Straits of Essena in the west. The ancient city of Zhyalay has developed around either side of the river mouth, with the great Traders' Bridge joining the two halves of the city. The river valley of the Salesh Ezim is a fertile band of farming land amidst the dry sand of the desert. The rich black soil, made fertile by the rich silt that washes downriver from the great Dragon Mountains in the annual flooding in the Spring, when the warmth melts some of snow and ice that has gathered atop the mighty mountains in the Autumn and Winter.
Aside from the rich river valley, a handful of small oasis dot the vast sea of sand, offering water and shelter to travelers and nomads alike. Small villages and camps often spring up around larger oases.
The coast is dotted by fishing towns, where fishermen and traders alike gather to fish and trade in the bounties of the Anterean Ocean and Tyrian Sea.

Fauna & Flora

Wheat, Barley and other crops are grown along the fertile Salesh Ezim river valley. Date palms also grow along the river, and around oases, offering the much sought after natural treasure of sweet dates.
Much of the arid desert is devoid of flora however, with only the occasional hardy thorn bush surviving in these harsh conditions.
The Salesh Ezim is rich with wildlife, with hippos, crocodiles, fish and birds filling the water. Domesticated cats, dogs, cows, horses, camels, goats, sheep and chickens are also found in plentiful numbers in the farms alongside the river. Gazelle, zebra, water buffalo, wild dogs, wild cats, hyenas and even some rhino, elephants, leopards and lions can be found along wilder parts of the river valley, though they rarely stray into the broader desert.
The desert itself is far more devoid of life. Venomous snakes, scorpions and spiders can be found in this harsh land, along with a wide array of insects. Small desert gazelle and small desert foxes and desert cats survive in this harsh terrain, as well as a number of vultures and other scavengers, who make off with the remains of those unfortunate enough to get lost among the maze of sand dunes.
The various human, orc and goblin clans and nomads who occupy the land rely on horses and camels for transport, although camels are often by far the better choice, thanks to their humps helping them survive in the desert without water for longer.

Natural Resources

The fertile Salesh Ezim river valley allows for a wealth of crops required to feed the population of the Orazimdom of Kushar and beyond. Animals from the region are sold alive as pets or dead in parts as trophies. The poisonous venoms of many snakes, scorpions and spiders are sought after by assassins across Nitak Neti as the newest and most effective ways of killing targets.
The ancient ruins hidden deep within the desert often hide glorious treasures for those who would risk seeking them out. Even when found however, these ruins can prove deadly, as many are said to have become the lairs of roving bandits, or to be guarded by undead skeletons, living statues or terrifying curses. To those tomb robbers and ruin raiders who risk such terrors however, the reward can be well worth it.

Alternative Name(s)

The Desert of Despair, the Desert of Bones, the Desert of Ruins, the Sea of Sand

Type

Desert

Included Locations

• Zhyalay