Southern Wastes

Resting at the southernmost edge of Lasair, the Southern Wastes lay astride the center of The Southlands. A natural barrier to trade, the Wastes still see trade caravans crossing the dusty land, traveling between the North and Mina'Satie Bay, the gateway to the southern continents.

Geography

The desert referred to as the Southern Wastes is the result of a rainshadow from the low mountains to the immediate north. Mostly made up of dusty sand with occasional stretches of scrubby grasses, the Wastes are a sparse and parched land. Closer to the southern coast, as ocean breezes carry some moisture inland, the land becomes more green and occasional stands of trees will be found. For the most part, however, the land is trackless with very few aids to navigation unless one can keep the round peaks of the mountains in sight to the north.

History

For the most part, the Wastes' history is largely unremarkable. During the Imperial Era there was little push to traverse it as it was still possible (though dangerous) to sail through what would become named the Tempest Reefs. Occasional waystations for sailing vessels were established by the Empire, but as the west coast of Lasair was a poor land during the time of the Empire, there was little call for sailing that far (the port that would later become Almina was as far around the continent as the Empire would sail en masse).
The Wastes did not host any major battles of the Dragonscourge; the lack of major Imperial outposts meant that there was little reason for attacks. After the end of the war, the sailing outposts would fall into ruin until Almina was re-established, the southern traders rebuilding a few of them as fishing towns.

Settlements

There are very few permanent settlements within the Southern Wastes. A handful of fishing towns dot the coast, helping provide food to the trading port of Almina on Mina'Satie Bay, and there is frequently a camp populated at the southern end of the pass through the mountains. Other than that, though, there will rarely be a lasting sign of any sentient population until reaching close to the eastern edge of the Wastes at the edge of Mina'Satie Bay.

Peoples

Though there are few permanent settlements, the Wastes are not devoid of sentient life. Caravans frequently cross the desert, carrying goods between Almina and the North. Bands of centaurs can also sometimes be found ranging out from Korth'an Forest, protecting the western range of the lands claimed by the Korth'an Conclave. Finally, a band of Minotaurs lays claim to the mountains north of the Wastes - named the Horned Peaks after their presence - and they will occasionally send parties into the South to raid caravans or to protect against adventurers probing into their homes.

Wildlife

Though the land is largely a desert, the wildlife here is as diverse as anywhere on Lasair. A subspecies of Hornbeasts roams the desert in small herds, subsisting off of scrubgrass. Small feline predators can be found, especially in the cool of the morning, hunting bird species which seek out dew for water. More dangerously, the occasional elemental will wander inland from the Tempest Reefs, bringing with it the wrath of a storm. While dangerous in the immediate sense, however, these incursions can leave an area of the desert covered with a rare influx of water - a welcome surprise for wildlife and plantlife alike. The occasional oasis in the western portion of the Wastes once began from the dissipation of a particularly strong elemental storm.