Saramona Desert
The Saramona Desert is nestled on a high plateau at the heart of the Yarada Range. It is bordered by the Torringwood Wilds to the west, the southernmost tip of the Senneley Steppes to the north, the Onomona Desert on the east and the Hamlan Plain on the south.
The Saramona is still the largest source of iron, esmalt (also known as bright iron), and artist-grade clay within Ankaran borders.
Geography
The Saramona is 545 km (339 miles) from west to east and 354 km (or about 220 miles) from north to south. Its average elevation is 1270 m or about 4166 ft above sea level. At its highest point, the Saramona stands at 2041 m or 6696 ft. The desert is made up of wind-swept, rust-coloured plateaus and deep canyons and gorges cutting into them. Water in this desert comes in the form of underground rivers that twist their way far beneath the surface. The Saramona is well-known for sometimes going 5 years with receiving less than 10ml rainfall.
Natural Resources
Navyan tribes that were left to inhabit the Saramona desert quickly learned to build their more permanent shelters deep within the cliff faces of the many canyons in the desert. The engineering skills learned also allowed them to better exploit the various mineral and ore deposits, in particular the iron and esmalt fields to the northeast of the desert.
The desert hosts over thirteen species of kudus. Included among them is the blue-tongued kudu whose poison is used by the locals as both an acid to work in forges and as an element in certain healing potions and general anti-venom pastes. The sartia spider is also cultivated by the locals for its prolific silk-spinning abilities. The Navyan have developed some of the best techniques to spin the silk into cloth.
History
The tribes of Ankiot and Navya were often warring over the natural resources scattered in the Saramona. But as first the Warlands of Ankiot then the Kingdom of Ankara were built to incorporate the western parts of the Yarada Range, the Navyan tribes remained within the desert where they developed the arts of silk-spinning and metalsmithing.
The Navyan lands were later incorporated within Ankara under trade deals, whereby the Navyan would offer preferential prices and supplies to the nascent Empire in exchange for protection while the tribes travelled to trade with other countries.
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