Stodor Desert
The Stodor, or Stodor Desert, is a cold desert in central
Namda. Most of the desert stretches across Garyiala and a smaller portion across Utreas. While the border between the two countries is clear on paper, it becomes obscure in the desert itself.
While umbar trees are not plentiful in the Stodor, nights aren't as tormented by malevolent creatures as more civilized locations. Were it not for a lack of water, vegetation and shelter, the Stodor would almost be pleasantly habitable.
Geography
by Julien Lavallee
The Stodor occupies a large part of the Vogar Basin, and is flanked by several mountain ranges: the Mirdarns to the north, the Tyria Mountains in the east, the Rurzun Mountains to the south, and the Idas in the west.
The basin is drained by the Vogar River, which lies north of the desert and runs from east to west, ending up in Mirror Lake, a large saline lake. While most rivers draining the mountains dry up in the sands of the desert, the Rilris River (draining the Idas Mountains) reaches the Vogar River in summer.
Flora and Fauna
by Sam Moqadam
Similarly, animal life is sparse. In river valleys and deltas, deer and wild boar can be found, as well as wolves and foxes. In the sand dunes, rabbits, gerbils, jerboas and several reptiles live, and owls, woodpeckers and jays are the most common birds.
Nomads and Trade
The few people who make the desert their home are mostly Utrurg, and few Rurzani and Qual Garyialans. Both Utrurg and Rurzani are nomadic cattle herders, while sedentary agriculture predominates amongst the Qual.
Both the Rilris River and Vogar River run along trade routes between the Rurzun Mountains and central Utreas, and Garyiala and Utreas, respectively.
Since the Stodor is mainly uninhabitable, the Garyialan government uses it as a place to dispose of extinct sun crystals.
They are burried in wooden or steel boxes in holes about five meters deep, to ensure they cannot harm the living.
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