Red Desert
Geography
The Red Desert is the largest subregion in the Frontiers, characterized by its expansive red sands stretching as far as the eye can see. It is bordered to the northwest by the Golgonda Dunes and features several unique landmarks, including the solitary Cravenbell Peak and the dangerous Crystal Valley. The southeasternmost part of the region is marked by a gigantic floating slab of obsidian, creating a vortex of swirling sand and debris.
Fauna & Flora
While the desert itself is largely barren, certain areas like the foot of Cravenbell Peak are teeming with life, including the ghastly Moon Lilies. These flowers bloom untamed, creating an eerie but beautiful contrast to the surrounding desert. Animals generally avoid Cravenbell Peak, adding to its mysterious aura. The Crystal Valley and its Nebula-infested landscape have spawned mutated and magical creatures, posing a constant threat to explorers and residents alike.
Natural Resources
The Red Desert is rich in buried treasures and artifacts from the ancient Kingdom of Arcadia, although most surface ruins have been looted. The Crystal Valley, infused with Nebula from the crash site of a splinter of the Midnight Star, presents both a resource and a risk with its Nebula-infested landscape; many mining operations dot the landscape surrounding the valley, but the closer one gets to the center the more hazardous it gets. The region also holds untapped deposits of minerals and arcane materials, especially around the peculiar floating obsidian slab.
History
The Red Desert embodies the legacies of the great civilzations of the old world. The ruins of Arcadian cities, though largely looted, hint at a once-great civilization that dominated the region. Modern-day Caradhina is built atop these ruins, preserving Arcadian culture and beliefs through the Passage of the Eternal River. It is also said that there are even ruins dated older than the Arcadian ruins - perhaps belonging to the Daeva and Carnites who once ruled supreme. But few have ever made any findings to prove their existences, and to date they remain only in whispers and legends.
Today, this region is a battleground for various warlords vying for influence and territory - echoing perhaps its legacy. The presence of Warlords like the Lord of Blades and his Iron Will, an army of Warforged, adds another layer of complexity and danger to the region's power dynamics.
The Red Desert is a melting pot of various ethnic groups and exiles. Overpass is a sanctuary for the shunned and persecuted, including those fleeing from the Crystallis Mage's Association or paladin orders. The city of Caradhina retains a strong Arcadian cultural influence, while other areas are home to nomadic tribes, exiled Warforged, and disparate groups of warlord followers. Warforged are a common sight here, having defected from Stonehall and seeking a new purpose in the harsh desert landscape.
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