The Desert of Mystery
The Desert of Mystery is a domain of heroic, undaunted warriors. It was founded by survivors of Verden's original guild of adventurers: The Hall of Heroes. After an internal schism resulted in the Hall's destruction, the survivors fled to the Innagos Desert to avoid their enemies. They have built a new guildhall into the walls of an arid canyon and now protect the common folk from all manner of evil.
Structure
The Desert of Mystery is led by a Grandmaster; usually the most experienced warrior among them who can also demonstrate natural leadership abilities. This leader is chosen at an informal election in the canyon guildhall, where the nominated candidate who receives the most cheers is the one who wins the title. The rest of the domain is splintered into battalion captains and their subordinates. Every member of the Desert of Mystery is a warrior, and so every person is assigned to a team and to specific duties. Maintenance is performed by members who are currently not on expeditions or prefer to avoid combat.
Culture
Members of the Desert swear an oath to defend people from harm and oppression, though some play a little loose with the notion of heroism. The warriors of Desert emerge from sandstorms to attack Olimandias troops who keep trying to cement their hold over Lanasach. They also hire themselves out to protect civilian convoys and travelers -- that sweet mercenary money helps fund the guild.
Assets
In the Desert of Mystery, you are most likely to find:
- Survival experts.
- Vendors who sell gear for extensive overland travel.
- Master blacksmiths and armorers.
- A safe haven in the unforgiving desert.
- Reliable mounts and wagons.
- Sand. It's coarse and rough and gets everywhere.
History
The Hall of Heroes was one of Verden's oldest domains, and it was only ever destroyed from within. A schism resulted in the Hall of Heroes being destroyed in a civil war. The few survivors found themselves without support and vulnerable to the inquisitors of Olimandias. They fled south across the Lalvican and entered the Innagos Desert -- the only place where spies from Olimandias would not follow.
They established a new guildhall by carving out a home in the walls of Ikana Canyon. Over many years, they have learned to move in harmony with the desert's sandstorms, striking when enemies least expect it, the falling back to their home under the cover windswept sand. They are taught to memorize where every oasis and safe camping location is.
Always there to protect travelers, the Desert now resists the increased pressure from Olimandias as the great city-state attempts to consolidate their power in the region after the fall of Lanasach. They launch raids against any troops who dare enter the desert, and have so far been successful in repelling invading forces.
Demography and Population
Most of the Desert's heroes are conventional warriors -- rangers, fighters, rogues, archers, and barbarians. There is a smaller group of casters who bolster regular forces, but they are spread thin and evenly divided among all teams sent on expeditions. As with most places, a mix of cultures can be found here, but the hot and unforgiving climate means that there are slightly higher numbers of hardier species, like tieflings, dwarves, and half-orcs. Many Gerudo warriors from neighboring clans have willingly joined the Desert.
Territories
The Desert of Mystery roams throughout the Innagos Desert, but their actual headquarters is located in Ikana Canyon, at the southern edge of the desert and at the base of the Taj-Nar Mountains.
Military
There is no line between civilian and military in the Desert. Everyone is assigned duties and expected to defend their home when under attack. Most also participate in expeditions and offensive raids, though this is always optional given that not everyone is healthy enough to participate. The Desert favors guerrilla hit-and-run operations and rarely ever takes territory.
"Blame Jaina."
Type
Guild, Adventuring
Government System
Stratocracy
Power Structure
Autonomous area
Neighboring Nations
Comments