Desert Coastlands

Area between the Althas mountains and the Southern Ocean. The most populated and civilized part of the Great Desert.

Geography

There are a number of distinct areas on the southern edge of the desert.
The Farsi Hills: these are low, rolling, fairly rough hills between the Dead Lands and Al Aben. They are more dry than not, and have an evil reputation, being close to the Dead Lands. But they are good grazing lands, and are inhabited by a number of groups, nomads, small villages, and some non-humans, especially Goliaths and stray gith.
The Cedar Hills - east of Al Aben, named for their trees. These are well watered, pleasant hills, some fairly high, some rough, but many rolling, with lovely river valleys, small streams and so on. The western slopes are heavily settled and used for agriculture and grazing. The south and central are wooded, and a mix of woods and valleys used for farming, etc. This is large enough to contain a lot of things that can cause trouble, though there are numerous prosperous villages and castles through the area.
Al Aben plain/Valley - the area from the city itself up between the ranges of hills, as well as along the coast. This is again, well watered, settled, pleasant land. Along the caravan route, which is protected by a number of larger castles. Farms, villages and so on reach through this area, and the Bey of Al Aben. 
Greater Althas - north east of Arcabar, the highest part of the mountain range; reach 10-12K feet high. Extends to the west, a somewhat separate range, but also called the Althas. (Sometimes the Western Althas.) These ranges are divided by the Arcabar Pass. These mountains are high - not especially wet, though they get rain and snow - they are snow topped. They create several rivers, to be considered later. These mountains are very dangerous, as this is a prime location for monsters and wild things, outlaws and rebels. North of the Greater Althas are the Lesser Althas - lower, drier, bordering the desert itself.
The Althas River Valley - the Althas river runs down from the western spur of the Greater Althas, 100-150 miles between the Cedar hills and the higher ground to the east. Despite the river, this is a somewhat under populated area, though used as a base for raiders. (Orcs and hobgoblins, notably.)
The Lookout hills - a highland area on the southern point between the river and Arcabar. Well watered and fairly pleasant, wooded etc.
The Arcabar plains: the coast near Arcabar is rough and sometimes forbidding, but the city itself is well situated in a deep harbor. There is a river flowing down from the mountains and beds of ancient rivers as well. This area is fertile and pleasant, but the interior is not as wet as the coast, or the area around Al Aben, so the valleys are more sparsely populated, usually arranged around fortresses with villages and fields radiating out. Arcabar itself is a thriving trading town, smaller than Al Aben, more isolated, also better defended - and most of all, more dangerous. It is a known or suspected haven for pirates - the rulers of the city are suspected of running massive pirate ventures themselves, and are quite happy to allow others to do so from their harbor.
Eastern coastal hills - east of Arcabar, these are larger, though generally lower - but also rougher, craggy and steep and full of canyons and rifts and so on. A wilderness of nomads and small principalities.
The Althas Valley - a fairly high valley between the Greater and Lesser Althas mountains. The mountains have water, which creates rivers, at least one flowing to the sea, to Arcabar, but another system running into the valley and out, to the north east, where the waters eventually flow into the Al Aben sink, a large depression to the northwest. There is a lovely lake in this valley, and indeed the valley itself is a fairly pleasant place. There are a number of smallish kingdoms (for lack of a better name) in this area, of more or less stability. There are also a number of demi-human groups. This is one of the areas that features fairly significant populations of goliaths, as well as dwarves, gnomes, and a handful of somewhat feral halflings.

Natural Resources

Most of this area is quite prosperous, with good farmland, for grain, dates and olives and similar trees, grassland to support cattle, sheep and goats, horses, camels and so on. There is water, the climate is pleasant, there are mineral resources int he mountains, and it is a trade center.

Location under

Great Desert