Masozi
Geography
Masozi is a region of a great desert that comprises of a mixture of hills and flat land. Oasis are small and rare, and people in the area mostly rely on purchased and stored water to survive the extreme heat. People with more knowledge of nature might be more successful in identifying what cactus they can get water from and how, or what might be a clue that tells them where an oasis may be.
Ecosystem
The animals of the desert rely on camouflage to survive. Camouflage is used by both predators, to help them get a drop on their prey, and prey, to help them hide from predators.
Animals that can burrow do so both as a means of hiding and as a means of staying cool, as the sand below the surface is not as hot. Some have large ears to help dissipate the heat, others have a special layer of fur that keeps them cool. Sand deer hooves give them complete protection from the scorching heat of the sand.
Predators mostly get their water from the blood of their prey. Sand hares have a knack for finding natural sources of water, especially underground, and this is often exploited by the fox cat, who, when thirsty, will look for sand hare burrows as a means of finding water. Some local cacti, such as the bubble cactus, also contain water. For the sand deer, this is the safest way to get food and water naturally.
Climate
The desert is directly under the sun, and so Masozi, like other regions of the desert, is constantly subjected to extreme heat.
Natural Resources
- Sand deer and sand hare are hunted for thier meat.
- The wool of the sand hare is used in clothing and bedding.
- The sand scorpion's venom is harvested and sold by those who know how.
History
There are old ruins in the Masozi, Meda and Simek regions that indicate that an ancient civilisation once lived here. However, little remains about this civilisation and historians know harldy anything about it.
More recently, a group of gnomes from The Gnomelands landed thier first successful airship at the Masozi Landing Site. Since then, gnomelanders and interested humans from nearby areas have built houses and other buildings in the area (such as the Masozian Monk Academy), though there are no specific settlements or geopolitical locations yet.
Tourism
Most of the locations in Masozi are private (houses, manufactories, private offices) and so there is very little tourism in Masozi. Those that do visit the area do so to see the unique architecture, both of the ancient ruins and modern buildings, to try their luck at breaking into the maze to see what The Centre of Gnomish Technological Advancements might be doing in there, or to visit the Masozi Landing Site to hire an airship to visit The Gnomelands.
There is only one place to stay in Masozi, if you do not have friends to stay with and do not wish to sleep out in the desert, and so almost everyone who passes through Masozi stops at The Inn at Masozi to eat, drink and rest.
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