The Sand Tribes

Operating in the space between and south of the Free Cities are the Sand Tribes. No exact count of the number of tribes has been possible due to the often harsh and unhospitable conditions they tend to dwell in. Tribes themselves very in size from a dozen up to thousands. Trade is the tribes main undertaking with many competing on price and or speed. Fighting takes place often and the Free City Kings and Queen see to keeping the tribes unstable and not growing to be big to ensure they keep prices down for trade.
Often larger tribes will split into many smaller tribes and then over time will unite again, only to fall apart a few years later in a repeating cycle.
The tribes mine the sands for precious metals, using this in trade with rest of the world.