The Great Eastern Desert

The area of land known as the Great Eastern Desert stretches all the way from Everflame's easternmost border with the Eastern Elves to the Moradin Coast. Sparsely populated, its land is mostly claimed by the Eastern Elves and the Empire of Hin-Sung, with small parts claimed by Everflame, Duerga, Moradin Island, and even some small bandit settlements. Due to its harsh wildlife, the southern portion of the desert has yet to be claimed by any nation, remaining a no-man's-land between the western nations and the east.
There are few native species to the desert, with one exception: the desert elves. While they claim to have lived in the desert for as long as they can remember, nobody has determined how such a large elven population was separated from their southern cousins, with explanations ranging from an ancient transgression against the Old Gods to a xenophobic large-scale exile of some kind. Desert elves are strong and hardy, with what appears to be a permanent tan, and significant heat resistance.
The people of the desert nations have many legends about its creatures, some likely true, others preposterous. It is said in some settlements that a fearsome abomination, created by the Old Gods, resides over an immensely powerful gemstone in its cavern, killing all who tread near. Other legends describe an enormous nest of sandworms to the southwest who can make the very land shake when they work in tandem. Few adventurers or researchers have gone in search of these legends, however, considering them to be a waste of time and effort.