Bashamar
The dryest of all the continents it sits in the southwestern portion of Ashar.
Geography
Split down the middle by Aberwith's Gate. The 'ard Herdai (Ignan for tame lands) lies to the right of the gate while the Szharchtss (Yuan'ti for Wilds) lies to the left.
'ard Herdai: The Tame Lands are characterized as being very flat with some sand dunes and the ocassional mountain particularly in the southern regions. The northern regions are scattered with small ponds that dry up by summer and are replenished in the fall and winter. Much of the water is taken and stored by the towns. This area is entirely civilized and under the rule of the Amiri family.
Szharchtss: The Wilds have several different characteristics to them. Following Aberwith's Gate are the Dunes of Elderwitch which continuously change and shift the topography. This is followed by Bone Tree Grove that was burned down by the hags of Burned Hollow. It is now characterized by deep brown, infertile soil. The trees that grow here now appear to be entirely made of bone. Though no one has ever confirmed whether they are. The rest of Szharchtss is nearly even between flat desert land, littered with the ocassional ruin, in the northern half. The southern half is The Fire Plains which sits atop a slowly dissolving molten rock bed. It is covered in
Ecosystem
All of Bashmar is arid desert and covered in sand except for a few places in the Szarchtss that are their own unique phenomenon.
Ecosystem Cycles
It briefly gets cooler during the winter months but is still continuously hot. The 'ard Herdai desert does reach freezing temperatures for a few hours during the darkest potion of the night. There are rains frequently during the fall and winter. It begins to dry up during the spring and is completely dry during the summer. The Szarchtzz never reaches freezing temperatures and lacks the rains of 'ard Herdai.
Localized Phenomena
The Szarchtss contains many intersting places including:
Dunes of Elderwitch: Constantly shifting dunes.
Bone Tree Grove: Runs from the hollow to the opposite edge of the continent. Said to be haunted by creatures and the undead but the undead are the least of a travelor's worries.
Luna Oasis: The sole source of fresh drinking water in the Szarchtss.
Ash Fog River: A boiling river that divides the sands of the Yuan'ti from The Fire Plains.
The Fire Plains: An area where the material plane, plane of fire, and plane of water overlap, all existing in the same space.
Essauldra's Crater: Only known it was somehow created by a witch named Essauldra it is dangerous to go into. Said to be more wild than the Szarchtss itself anyone who has ever gone in has not come back out. It is garded by druids of water and fire to keep people out and contain anything that may be in it.
Fauna & Flora
All manner of life that can be found in hot, dry regions. In the Szarchtss it gets more dangerous as the creatures here have been left unchecked. The most dangerous among the sentient species being the Yuan-ti.
Natural Resources
Many minerals, gems, and saltpeter come from this continent. There are several rare minerals that only appear in the Szarchtss. These minterals are traded for typically using adventureres to go and retrieve them making the price expensive.
History
Bashamar was once one wild land then under the guidance and ruling of Aeon Aberwith he rallied the people and fought to attempt to tame the land. Unable to tame the southwestern portion, fighting against covens and Yuan-ti mostly, he seceded it and trough the power of his mages they built Aberwith's Gate to separate the two halves. It is the second largest marvel to behold, behind Miran, as it was built in a single night. Locking all the wild things in this portion of the continent war continued mainly between covens and the Yuan'ti. The Elderwitch Coven is said to have cursed the Dunes of Elderwitch to cause them to constantly move allowing no escape from anyone trying to flee the fighting. Bone Tree Grove was created before the Dunes of Elderwitch by the Burned Hollow hags. They set the area ablaze running from the hollows to the opposite coast killing only those that were their enemies. It is said their enemies' bones now make up the trees that area in the area.
The Yuan-ti retreated after this attack having taken a heavy blow. They instead focused their attention on the desert lands of the Szarchtss where they excelled in fighting. This led to an uneasy truce between the covens and Yuan-ti so long as they kept to their own sides. Today though it is not uncommon for covens and Yuan-ti to come against each other in a small scale battle when one gets too close to the other's territory. The Yuan-ti now rule over the desert lands while the covens keep to the grove and dunes. A couple hundred years after Essauldra's crater was formed causing the land of the southwestern portion of Bashamar to change. The Yuan-ti vacated the area and the small druid tribe that lived here exanded to watch over the crater. Bashamar has existed as such since this time.
Tourism
Only to the 'ard Herdai. Many people come to see Mascaeji (Ignan for Cloud City). There are also many exotic trades to experience here.
Maps
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Bashamar
The southwestern most continent of Ashar. It is the hotest of the three main continents. It is known for being divded in two with half the continent tamed and half the continent still wild.
