Dirt Sea

Written by Lokrow and inspired by the pre-existing Dirt Sea

In the North-Western corner of the Hold of Belkzen, between two spurs of the Kodakar Sky Islands and the Flood Road, lies an vast unpredictable desert of very fine sand submitted to diverse environmental conditions both above and below it's surface. All of which comes together to create an arid desert landscape when calm and a veritable rolling sea of quicksand if disrupted. The desert spans an area of approximately 12.5 km² and is mostly unmapped and unknown. Tales of voyagers attempting the feat of mapping it's deeper reaches end often in disaster or disappearance and it is not uncommon for bodaks to be found stuck waist deep in quicksand or coming from inside the desert towards it's populated edges. The Dirt Sea is home to dangerous monsters, almost all subterranean or having adapted to or been designed for traveling unimpeded below the surface. As such there is very little to be found in terms of inhabited settlement but the ruined remnants of orc camps, adventuring parties or ancient cities can be seen from the deserts outer edges.

Geography

On the surface level and a clear day, the Dirt Sea appears to be an average desert submitted to extreme and chaotic weather systems. But below that, lie large underground aquifers which are replenished by downpours as irregular as they are torrential. While the outer edges of the Dirt Sea are shallow with a bed of hard rock stabilising the sand above it, venturing into the deeper reaches of the desert means to risk sinking into wet quicksand and ending up trapped and easy pickings for one of the ravenous predators that hide below the surface. Whilst an organised party may be able to traverse through wet quicksand if adequately prepared, many tales of whole caravans of as much as 50 individuals disappearing suggests the existence of dry quicksands or even worse predators.

Navigation

In spite of its inhospitality, the Dirt Sea can offer the quickest way to locations along the North ends of the Kodakar Sky Islands. In fact, whilst walking atop the Dirt Sea's terrain means tempting fate, it is possible to navigate over the shallowest areas using small boats. However, to do so without an experienced guide is just as dangerous as hiking as to effectively navigate across from destination to destination, it is imperative to have specialised knowledge of the deeper layers below. In fact the orcish legacy clan of The Murdered Child settled in Wyvernsting specialises in offering safe passage through routes well known to them. To do so, the clan works in unison with hill giants and uses barges, operated by the orcs and propelled by two giants using large and robust punting poles as quicksand is to viscous to row through.

Fauna & Flora

Inhabitants

Despite its inhospitability, the Dirt Sea and the area surrounding it is inhabited by orcs along with other species. Most prominently the clan of the Murdered Child which govern over passage across the desert and the Hill Giants who work alongside the orcs. Additionally, living on islands of stable ground amidst the quicksand are ratfolk who dwell in burrows to hide from the dark. They are usually left alone by the orcs and vice-versa.

Monsters

Virtually absent of significant vegetation, the lifeforms who somehow have made the Dirt Sea tend to hide underground. There, the fauna can be remarkably rich in its diversity. However due to the absence of vegetation, most have become ruthless predators or been designed as such. The most common monsters to find below the Dirt Sea's surface are bulettes, death worms and purple worms. However the orcs of the Murdered Child clan have a myth of a monster which dwarfs all predators of the Dirt Sea in both scale and destructivity, they call it Old Hegrith and the ratfolk call it the Hollow Rat.

Natural Resources

Another reason for orc clans to find interest with the Dirt Sea is the natural presence of salts and other minerals which the orcs have come to use. In particular a white mineral which is most commonly found during droughts which the orcs use for their personal hygiene, among many other uses. Occasionally, during travel across he desert, it's not uncommon for a spurt of yellowish-black fluid to jettison from below the surface. The orcs sometimes use the liquid's flammable properties to craft torches but have otherwise no interest in it as they find its smell repugnant.

Type

Desert

Related Ethnicities