The Red Desert

The Red Desert
“…echoes of the dead are carried on the wind. Their mournful wail and stinging sun pushes a traveler to the cliff shadows, but there are hungry eyes, both human and inhuman. A false step can lead the unaware down a sand pit to never be seen again. Within the sands lie a great many treasures for the vagabond, yet death is found in equal measure…”

-Excerpt from Raphael Gordon’s A Tour of Titan

History
Originally called the Craig Dunes, The Red Desert gained it’s more popular name from the many battles fought across its landscape. From Orc Tribes fighting over power, to Catgirl caravan raiders, the desert has seen constant strife over the years. Over time, the area began to be settled around the precious few oasis that dot the landscape. Continuing the cycle, many battles were fought over these resources, eventually culminating into three distinct spheres of control over the desert. These three kingdoms are called the Catliphates.

Salahzzar, the Desert Jewel
Located around the largest oasis, Salahzzar is often hailed as the trade capital of the Red Desert. Currently ruled by Madam Ryzna, her and her Catgirls have created a safe and lucrative city. The city rests upon the lake Salah, in which the city gets its name. Traders from across the land flock to the city to trade in rare dyes, magical artifacts, stories, and other goods. Do not kill and do not steal are the two main rules of the city, with perpetrators receiving either maiming or death.

Amon, the Black Temple
Recently unearthed by a Catgirl caravan, the temple is constructed out of a strange black stone that is cool to the touch despite being in the sun all day. Located roughly 60 miles away from Salahzzar, Amon is located in the side of one of the larger desert bluffs and is well hidden with Inception magic by the caravan mages. Unable to open it, the caravan has staked a claim on it and placed it under guard. There are strange magical energies surrounding the temple, however, and scraping sounds can be heard inside.

Drake’s Ascent
Once an ancient Sandworm’s lair, the interweaving tunnels of a rocky bluff now house a Desert Drake flight. Their territory covers 40 miles, and are constantly attacking and raiding supply lines to feed their growing colony. A bounty system has been placed across all three Catliphates that a Desert Drake head is worth 500 gold, and the queen's head is worth 5000 gold.

Kimbal, the Golden City
Located next to the Huron River, Kimbal is known for its ruler and master merchant Glaurung. An ancient Golden Dragon, Glaurung keeps order in the city through his sheer presence and his legion of Dragoons. Established 999 years ago, the city has grown from its meager beginnings as a fishing village into the metropolis that rivals even Avalon.

Sentient Races
Catgirls, Humans, Saurians, and Orcs are the most common races found in the Red Desert, followed by the rare Oread and Owlperson.

Desert Nagas
A race of snake people that are similar to the Saurians, but have long lower bodies. Females are the dominant sex and are bigger than the males as well as taking leadership positions. They are cunning hunters, ambushing prey and strangling them with their powerful tails. Naga shamans are a powerful and deadly enemy, summoning creatures from other dimensions to devour their enemies. There are deadly variants with a paralyzing venom in their teeth.

Desert Drake
A distant cousin of the Dragon, Desert Drakes are among the more cunning of their kind. Despite their simple intelligence, a Desert Drake is capable of hunting down prey for tens of miles. They take a mouthful of sand and spew it into their target’s eyes and then pounce upon the prey while they are blind. A wary traveler will look for signs of an ambush, such as claw marks on nearby rocks, or the almost imperceptible sight of a sand mound breathing.

Their hierarchy is made of a queen that rises to mate once a year, where only the strongest and fastest male will have the honor of becoming her brood mate. Once finished, the queen will lay a clutch of eggs numbering from 12 to 24, and will hatch in roughly six months.

Carpocerous (Black Shadow)
Giant reptilian bird with leathery wings and a long sailed tail. With a wingspan of 80 feet, it can create blistering wind speeds of up to 50 miles per hour. With its powerful and deadly clawed talons, the Carpocerous descends and can lift even cows and other pack animals with ease. Setting its nest upon the highest bluff it can, Carpocerous defend its eggs with extreme hostility. One egg goes for a price of 10,000 gold pieces, for they make outstanding mounts. The training is difficult and expensive, but a Carpocerous mount will be able to take a whole family across the desert in a day. If one should see its enormous shadow, they should dive immediately for cover and hope the beast is not hungry.

Sandworm
If Carpocerous rules the skies, then Sandworms control the earth, devouring any that wander into their territory. Using a series of very sensitive tendrils at the end of its tail, a sandworm can easily “see” an area up to 200 feet in diameter. Its diet consists mostly of minerals found deep underground, though they display a preference towards meat. Because of this, a Sandworm’s fecal matter contains rare metals that have been tempered by powerful stomach acids. Groups of self-proclaimed “Worm-hunters” track and slay the beast, selling every part of it to the various Desert Catliphates.