The Melted Desert

One of the twin deserts of Maraal, the Melted Desert is found east of The Serpent's Crossing. The Melted Desert is deadly land filled with molten oases, extreme heat and winds, murderous elementals, and monsters. Yet despite the dangers of this desert, there are several cities that call it home.
While the natural hazards of the desert make it a very dangerous place, the inhabitants of the Melted Desert are far safer than The Veilaro of the Red Desert.

Geography

The Melted Desert is largely comprised of large dunes broken up by natural glass formations, molten oases, sand seas, ruins, and oases. All of which can be the final resting spot for travelers. Below the dangers of the desert are described in greater detail.
Molten Oasis: While appearing as a normal oasis without plants a molten oasis is actually made of molten sand. These pools of molten sand are a common sight in the Melted Desert and a part of the reasoning behind the desert's name. While normally it may be simple to avoid such dangers during sandstorms winds whip sand through the molten oases and sending it flying through the air. Whether you are hit by molten sand or barely cooled glass being hurled through a sandstorm it is not a pleasant experience. It should be noted that molten oases do make for great supplies of natural glass and are typically surround by diamond-rich ore. The causes of these phenomena are unknown as few scholars are inclined to jump into one to find out.
Natural Glass Formations: While these may sound harmless, the natural glass formations of the desert are known as the "desert's hidden blade" by many of the locals. During the day these formations can amplify heat from the sun causing them to catch and flammable objects nearby to ignite. It is not unheard of for foreign merchants to lose their wares to fire because they decided to spend the day by a glass formation. At night these formations are just as bad as they have been known to amplify any nearby light sources. A small campfire or torch becomes a beacon for all nocturnal predators and bandits with a mile or so. It is believed that they are formed from powerful sandstorms mixing with molten oases.
Sand Seas: Certainly one of the more contradictory hazards of the Melted Deserts, sand seas are no less deadly. While more common in the Red Desert it is not unheard of these to appear within the Melted Desert. Sand Seas are formed when the various caves, tunnels, and underground pockets of air beneath the desert begin to leak air. This typically causes the air above to turn into liquid sand. Worse than falling into a sand sea, once the air supply is exhausted the sand returns to normal leaving all within buried under its weight. Sand seas can be detected by bubbling sand it causes.

_{liquid sand is an actual thing and you should check it out}

It should be noted that while this land may be very deadly it has some of the most beautiful sunsets and sunrises in the known world. This is primarily due to the natural glass formations throughout the desert. As the sun rises or sets the glass sends rays of colors everywhere. Many travelers and artists have braved the dangers of the desert for this sight.

Type

Desert

Location under

Maraal