The Burning Wastes

The Burning Wastes are all that remains of the once mighty Deurithred Dynasty, an empire that stretched across the entire southern portion of Kadregos. Now, it has endured nearly a thousand years of desolation, left to fester and decay. However, humans, pushed out of the north by the Dwarven Clans in the Frostfury Mountains, have begun to resettle these lands, taking whatever resources remain and renewing them to form another life. Five hundred years of progress has proven effective, though the harsh landscape is no more hospitable than it was the day they moved in.

Geography

The Burning Wastes is what is left of the Deureth Forest on the continent of Kadregos. It is a large crater of black sand that seems to absorbs the sunlight the hits it. At the center is a large lake with an island connected to the rest of the desert by a single strip of land. Water from the Spiraling Sea, the Deuridian Ocean, and the Gulf of Drahsend pours ceaselessly towards this middle lake, the water steaming and evaporating as it comes to a rest, the water level never changing.
Steep walls mark the boundaries of the wastes, and dead, petrified trees are a common sight. The ruins of a now ancient civilization dot the landscape, the wind howling through broken stone walls as the sand blows across the dilapidated cobbled streets.

Ecosystem

Life is hard pressed to survive in this hellish landscape. Water is a precious commodity in the Burning Wastes, and those animals that do thrive here are those that can either go long periods of time without water or those that can burrow deep underground to find hidden reservoirs.

Localized Phenomena

Legends say that the Burning Wastes are still haunted by the ghosts of its past, those that were broken and destroyed in its final moments. They walk amidst the ruins of the destruction, their moans echoing across the empty landscape and chilling the spines of those who travel through.
The magic leftover from Pelor's Reckoning is palpable, creating a landscape that is antagonistic to any who dare brave the land. Lightning storms and sandstorms are the most common manifestation of this magic, wreaking havoc on structures and people alike.

History

Founded in the Primal Age and reigning through nearly the entirety of the Celestial Era, the Deurithred Dynasty brought elves and humans together like never before, creating a flourishing society that most thought would stand the test of time. It seemed to rule with the blessing of the gods, expanding across the southern end of Kadregos with ease and deftly fending off any attempts at barbarian invasion and internal strife alike. The capital of Ghor Tanal was the shining jewel of the Dynasty, attracting artisans and merchants from all over the world.
Near the end of the Celestial Era -- though they had no way of knowing it was the end -- an Elf Wizard by the name of Aerwik Valen was attracted to the capital city. He heard rumors of the divine power emanating from within the Bastion of Light dedicated to Pelor and wanted to see it for himself. For years he studied the structure, testing its defenses as subtly as he could without drawing attention and channeling its power. Eventually, he discovered an ancient rite whereby he could use the power within to summon a great being to this world, and he knew what he had to do.
Aerwik recruited young, impressionable mages from within the Solestal Academy in Ghor Tanal, persuading them to help him with promises of great power. Once he had a dozen of them, he made his move and stormed the Bastion, killing the guards inside and out with the help of his new allies. Once inside, they performed the ritual Aerwik had discovered -- one that needed the souls of 12 mages -- and ripped open a portal into the Nine Hells. The young mages were instantly killed, their bodies mutilated by the terrible rending of their souls from their bodies as Asmodeus claimed them for himself. However, instead of the Lord coming through, an army of devils surged into the Bastion. Aerwik realized quickly that they would not obey him and desperately tried to fend them off if only to save himself. However, his arcane prowess proved inadequate as they tore him apart and poured out into the streets, killing indiscriminately as they wreaked havoc on the land. They quickly destroyed the capital of Ghor Tanal, leaving the once mighty city a pile of rubble, and marched across the rest of the Deurithred Dynasty before making their way to Xuslon and Akraphis to the West.
For decades, the combined humanoid forces fought back the devil advance, but it proved ineffective. The armies of the Nine Hells were endless, and Lumarvis was nearing defeat and destruction. However, a priest of Pelor, one that had once served at the Bastion of Light, prayed to his deity to spare the world and bring an end to the deadly, pointless conflict. Pelor listened to the plea and granted his wish, but at a great price. A beam of light crashed into the center of what had been the Deurithred Dynasty, purging the land of any life -- whether natural or unnatural -- and left the lands that had once been a fertile valley a desolate wasteland. Hundreds of thousands, perhaps even over a million, people were lost in the conflict and its resolution. Thus, the event known as Pelor's Reckoning put an end to the Celestial Era and ushered in the Fractured Age.
After hundreds of years, humans started moving back into the wasteland, trying to forge whatever life they could from the ruins of the last civilization. And forge they did, creating what became known as the Realm of Formaris, named after the first High King and man who had led the initial tribe into the Burning Wastes from the Frostfury Mountains, Teobald Formaris. The humans were attempting to assimilate themselves into Dwarven society, and this proved ineffective, resulting into their exile after one of them had attempted to assassinate the Dwarven King, Branmyl Frostfury.
Knowing the history of the Burning Wastes, as most across Lumarvis at the time did, Formaris sought to create a society that did not rely on magic. He outlawed any use of it, imprisoning and even executing any who were witnessed to cast spells. After generations, the original reason for this had been muddled, and now it has calmed down. However, those who practice magic within the Realm are avoided, and the guard will keep a close eye on them. Anyone who uses a spell that affects someone else is instantly imprisoned. Only those within the High King's council are given any sort of leniency, though even they are receive their fair share of skepticism from the public.
Now, tensions continue to run high between Formaris and the Dwarven Clans, and war appears to be imminent. Warin Edgecomb, the current High King, knows that his army is ill suited for any extended military campaign and is looking for any way to either prevent the war from breaking out or to strike a decisive blow against the dwarves and end it before it begins.

Alternative Name(s)

Formaris

Owner/Ruler

Warin Edgecomb

Ruling/Owning Rank

High King

Owning Organization

The Realm of Formaris