Benrani Desert

The Benrani desert is a great mass of arid land located in the south of Bolno. The dike that marks the southern edge of the kingdom of Bolno is often seen as its northern border, although some argue it is not geographically different of the Rukhar further north.

Climate

  Separated from the East Sea by the Ty Guven, and blocked on the west by the tall Nupul mountain range and the Sahrhills on its feets, the region receives little precipitation. It is therefore characterised as a hot desert in the Great Compendium of Geography. Occasionally, some clouds go above the Sahrhills and bring some rainfall to the region. Those occur mostly during the monsoon season and at the end of winter.

  

  The climate is not homogeneous though, with differences between the north and the south of the desert. In the south, the lower hills allow for moisture to come, and the land is somewhat wetter compared to the north. The summers are also cooler due to the greater influence of the Southern Ocean and the increased precipitations. The desert transitions there to a savannah.

  In the north of the Benrani desert however, the tall Nupul mountains shield much of the moisture away, and the monsoon has little impact there. Without these summer rainfalls, the temperatures are much higher in summer, especially in June and July, compared to the southern parts of the desert. It is in the north that most of the sand dunes are located, though much of the area is made of low plateaus, with dry canyons in between.

  The Rukhar, a desert within the Bolnese kingdom, is even drier with the average rainfall rarely exceeding 30 mm a year. Its higher altitude makes it generally colder however. Being shielded on the south by the Nupul, winters in the Rukhar are even colder and makes up for beautiful snows, when enough moisture is present.

Trade and exploration

  There have always been a few dozens caravans coming from the south to the dike, but very few from Bolno have travelled beyond the red plateaus. The first official expedition ever recorded was in 571 PT when the kingdom of Bolno began the construction of dike, and helped map the region. Later expeditions, in 590 and 592, established Bolnese outposts along major trade routes. It was in these outposts that the Benrani climate was measured.

South of the old dike lies the great Benrani desert, the red plateaus of which can be seen from the dike itself.

Excerpt of The Great Compedium of Geography

Type

Desert

Climate Data

Month	Min (°C)	Max (°C)	Mean (°C)	Average rainfall (mm)
March	12	21	17	5
April	17	29	22	2
May	20	35	28	1
June	23	42	31	10
July	23	37	29	62
Aug.	22	35	28	45
Sept.	20	34	27	17
Oct.	16	28	22	5
Nov.	10	21	16	2
Dec.	6	17	11	3
Jan.	4	16	10	5
Feb.	8	18	13	17
Year	15	28	21	174