Eastcliffe

The province of Eastcliffe is to some an inhospitable wasteland of rolling sand but it is in fact a land of survival, death and rebirth. Countless communities have been swallowed by the sands of the desert and many unlucky travelers. Yet I single jewel exists in this unwelcoming land, Aya the hidden city of gold. Roving sand villages and oasis hoppers may roam the desert but only one city exists in the rolling dunes. There is no other city like Aya, ancient as the desert itself the city has existed since before the days of the Mageocracy. The streets are rumored to be paved in gold, its grand pyramids stretching to touch the clouds shimmering like beautiful gems, and its legendary statues standing like giants over the city. Even I can attest to have never setting foot in the historic city.
Yet though Aya may be this marvel few risk the journey there. When traveling by foot the dangers of the desert are extreme and without a knowledgeable guide death is almost certain to follow. When traveling by sea it becomes your worst enemy as the closer one gets to the city the more choppy the waters become and the more treacherous the rocky shoals. This does not seem to stop the traders of Aya who can be seen in many markets, marked by their caramel like skin and sharp eyes. These merchants bear wonders unseen in much of the realm and indeed unseen by myself or my colleges. Some of the world greatest magical works thought lost to time have appeared from the sands of Aya.
Eastcliffe's connection to the crown is a tenuous one that no one is quite sure in what way it is maintained. In my endeavor to catalog the oath of the Infernus and more specially researching the artifacts they were tasked to retrieve I discovered that the crown has little sway in Eastcliffe at all. Natives of the desert barely acknowledge king's law, coin or power. They were audacious enough to laugh in my face at several of my inquiries but in doing so learned of the sultan of Aya. A pragmatic man who puts value to all things, the sultan remains a dutiful lord of Eredhen only for its wealth. Some nomads even believe that should his investment ever prove to be a drain that Aya would not hesitate to break ties.

Geography

Eastcliffe is dominated by a massive desert of rolling dunes and isolated oases. The desert stretches for miles and constantly shifts leaving map making often pointless and innaccurate. Because of this the nomads of the desert or, as it is known to them, the endless wastes are sought out for their experience in the harsh regions. Traversing the sands without a guide is suicide and should only be attempted out of desperation.

Fauna & Flora

Little survives within the desert. The animals and place that have adapted are mostly subterranean or nocturnal. The crawler is a large marsupial that uses its long claws and saliva to make cavernous dens within sand dunes, hunting any prey that steps upon its territory. Meanwhile the Evan flower is seen only at night and shrinks back beneath the sand during the day. Its violet petals are said to give insight into ones truest self.

Natural Resources

Little is known of what Aya holds beneath the sand and behind the walls of Aya.

Type

Region

Ruling House
House Deuras
Foreign trade with Aya is not done within the city but in a great moving market. A wondrous market that travels atop the back of a turtle made of sand. Though one may see the turtle roaming the sand dunes, the Aya market is only open on one night a month. If one is so inclined finding the market through the deserty nomands is more than possible if you have enough shiny objects to convince them to tell you. Atop the back of the great sand turtle is a mess of tents, wooden shacks and open stalls covered floor to ceiling in trinkets and baubles. This market is among some of the most lucrative to buy magical items at even if getting to the market may be a challenge.