The Desolation

The Desolation, also known as Amal'Zharab (lit, the Creeping Desolation) in Dil'Kepuni'Dhori, refers to the gradual transformation of the once-lush Sarnathi Basin and surrounding lands into the vast expanse now called the Dhor'kar. This cataclysmic change occurred over several generations, forever altering the face of the southern lands and bringing about the fall of the mighty Sarnathi Empire.

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Origins and Extent

While learned men debate the exact causes, most agree the Creeping Desolation began in the wake of the Great Darkness that blotted out the sun for a year, approximately 1540 years before the founding of the Namorian Republic. The lands affected stretch from the Vaeloran Coast in the north to the forbidding Sunderpeak Mountains in the south, and from the Bleakshore in the east to the edges of Aridia in the west - an expanse rivaling the size of entire kingdoms. Though parts of this vast region were always arid, particularly near the Bleakshore and in the rain shadow of the Sunderpeaks, the heart of the land once teemed with life. The great Sarnathi Basin, fed by mighty rivers flowing from the mountains, nurtured a verdant landscape that supported the greatest civilization of its age.

Stages of Desolation

Ancient texts and oral histories from the Kep'Dhori peoples describe the Creeping Desolation as occurring in several stages:

• The Dwindling of Waters - The rivers flowing from the Sunderpeak Range, once swift and plentiful, began to shrink. The levels of the great lake at the heart of the Sarnathi Basin started to fall, though at first, this was seen as little more than a particularly dry season.
• The Withering of Green - As the waters receded, the lush plant life that carpeted the basin began to wither. Crops failed with increasing frequency, and the great forests that once ringed the lake shrank year by year.
• The Encroachment of Sands - As vegetation died off, the winds began to carry more dust and sand. Dunes formed where once stood groves and fields. The sands spread outward from the basin, overtaking more and more land with each passing year.
• The Great Exodus - As the environment grew ever harsher, people began to flee. First in trickles, then in great waves, populations abandoned their ancestral homes in search of more hospitable lands.
• The Fall of Sarnath - The final stage saw the collapse of the great city of Sarnath itself, as dwindling resources led to conflict and chaos within its walls.

Evidence and Remnants

Though much has been lost to the sands, evidence of the world before the Creeping Desolation can still be found:

• The Ruins of Sarnath - Now mostly buried, the toppled spires of this once-great city stand as mute testimony to the civilization that was lost.
• Kolla Rock - This massive stone outcropping, once a minor landmark in a sea of greenery, now stands as an oasis and vital waypoint for desert travelers. Ancient carvings at its base depict scenes of forests and flowing rivers.
• The Vessel Graveyard - In the heart of what was once the Sarnathi Basin, the desiccated hulls of boats and ships lie half-buried in the sand, marking the shores of a vanished sea.
• Petrified Forests - In certain areas, particularly near the fringes of the desert, entire forests stand preserved, turned to stone by some quirk of the Desolation's advance.
• The Vaeloran Coast - Though much changed, this region still supports life thanks to its proximity to the sea. Ancient structures here speak to a time when it was merely the northern fringe of a much larger nation.

Theories and Explanations

Many theories exist to explain the Creeping Desolation, though none can be proven with certainty:

• Divine Punishment - Some religious scholars argue that the Desolation was a punishment from the gods, perhaps for the pride of the Sarnathi or some forgotten transgression.
• Celestial Misalignment - Astrologers point to changes in the heavens, particularly in the wake of the Great Darkness, as a possible cause for the shifting climate.
• The Breath of the Desert - A popular folk explanation suggests that the desert itself is a living entity, slowly consuming the land through its hot, dry exhalations.
• Sarnathi Hubris - Others blame the Sarnathi themselves, suggesting that their great works somehow upset the natural order, leading to the land's demise.

Legacy The Creeping Desolation reshaped not only the land but the peoples who inhabited it. From the ashes of the Sarnathi Empire rose the nomadic Kep'Dhori tribes - the Orladdi, Shek, and Irwadi - each adapting to the harsh desert environment in their own way. The transformation remains a cautionary tale, a reminder of the impermanence of even the mightiest works of man and the power of nature to reshape the world. To this day, the Great Desert stands as a harsh and unforgiving land, its blowing sands hiding the secrets of a lost age beneath their ever-shifting dunes.