Irkainian Desert

The Irkainian Desert covers almost 500 miles of the Irkainian Peninsula, from the eastern edge of the Buntesveldt to the western eaves of the Ágaç Hills. This desert consists of a rocky arid highland amid the peninsula’s mighty grasslands. There are few oases, and those that exist are heavily guarded by the desert nomads who roam these wastes. Travel across the rocky desert is difficult, as stony ground quickly shreds both feet and hooves, and the lack of water and burning sunlight soon sap all strength. The only safe routes are seasonal watercourses that have cut their way through the cracked rock, but these limit travel to the directions their courses run. During the summer, temperatures during the day can rise to more than 100º Fahrenheit. After the sun sets, the warmth quickly leaves the rocks, and the chilly air can plummet to less than 50º Fahrenheit. In the winter, the cold is severe enough that travelers without proper clothing risk freezing to death.
Despite this harsh climate, people do live in the Irkainian Desert. Local nomads eke out a meager living from the land by raising small amounts of crops and fruit in the few oases, and by herding sheep, camels, and goats through grass-filled valleys. This subsistence is augmented by trade, rare as it is. For the people of the Isthmus of Irkaina, it is far easier to send goods by sea around the southern edge of the desert than across it, but this has not always been the case, nor is it always safe. Certainly, bulk cargos sail out of the Gulf of Irkaina to the Buntesveldt or travel by wagon to Stavropol. Smaller, high-value cargos can, for appropriate consideration, be carried by the nomads from one oasis to another using routes and centuries-old tribal alliances. While the nomads themselves are vicious fighters (and once poured out of their desert homes to raid neighboring lands), many merchants seeking routes through or around the desert hire their own guards.

Type

Desert