Anauroch

the fallen heartland of the Netherese empire

Anauroch, or the great sand sea, is a massive magical desert in northern faerun, situated to the east of the heartlands the high forest, and west of Cormyr and the Dalelands. Anauroch used to be the homelands of Netherese Empire, before their massive flying cities crashed and burned. in the thousands years since, Anauroch became a great, nearly lifeless desert, the biggest in faerun.

Demography and Population

the only permanent, humanoid inhabitants of Anauroch are the Anauridine, a nomadic tribespeople of the desert. they survive traveling from oasis to oasis, guiding caravans and occasionally raiding the many zhentarim outposts. the Anauridine are divided into about a dozen or so smaller tribes, led by the various princes (who often carry titles related to the fearsome predators of the desert, such as the jackal, scorpion, or pyrolisk), who measure their wealth both in gold and in herds. the Anauridine are typically noble and good natured, although are generally distrustful of magic, although this is mainly due to the history of the region. 
those traveling through the region will also likely be highly aware of the zhentarim presence in the lower quarter of the desert. this group of thieves maintains a semblance of a trade route through what they deem is the safest area in the desert: the are surrounding the high ice is too temperamental and filled with dangerous monsters, and any lower and they would have to contend with the armies (and mercenaries) of Dale and Cormyr. the zhentarim maintain small lookouts along this semi regular trade route, although one traveling the area should not depend on these for safety or supplies. 
far beneath the Anauridine herds and shifting sands lay what remains of the evil phaerimm, a race of strange, worm like reptilian spell casters. their histories and societies are secretive, and while it it known that they played a major hand in the downfall of the Netherese empire, they have all but gone silent thanks to being trapped by a magical shell created by the even stranger fhaorn'quessir.

living history on dead sand

"Desert, but not lifeless. Scorching hot by day, chill at night, but only dunes and hard plain in the south, where the Anauridine wander the sands and make their homes. Cold rock to the north, and more life than you'd think for a land so parched, with old, fell magic beneath your boots and the stony spires of ruins covered and then laid bare by the sands when storms howl, like old teeth sticking up from a buried jawbone."
- unnamed IAG member

Type

Geopolitical, State