The Desert of Skulls is a large desert in Allansia.
Geography[]
The Desert lies south of the Southern Plain. It would take "several weeks to ride across" the area of the Desert between the Whitewater River and Arantis.[1]
It is bordered on the north-west by the Skull Coast and the Western Ocean, at which point the desert becomes more rocky in terrain. [2][3][4] Going east, the Desert becomes more sandy. The Desert's easternmost region is bordered by the Craggen Heights and a range of low hills dividing the Desert from the Plain of Bronze.[2][3][5] To the north lies the Whitewater River, while to the south are Arantis, the Snakelands, the Border Hills, and Sapphire City.[2][4][6][7][8]
As one travels deeper into the Desert, oases become less common and dried-out riverbeds are frequently encountered. The Desert's weather is extremely hot during the day, and bitterly cold at night.[4][9] The wind from the Western Ocean has twisted the desert's coastal "mountains into fabulously shaped buttes and mesas".[4] In the desert's centre are enormous dunes of orange sand.[4]
Within the Desert lies the lost city of Vatos.[5][10]
Inhabitants[]
A ruined building (presumably of Djarat) in the Desert of Skulls.
The Desert is inhabited by small groups of Human Nomads, who live in tents and ride Camels.[4] Roaming communities of Desert Elves also live in this region.[11] In the far south-east of the Desert is the dreaded Caarth Empire, home of the Snake People and their reptilian creations.[12][13]
History[]
An partial map of the desert found within a ruined temple.
In the period of Irritaria, what is now the south-west of the Desert of Skulls was the location of the ancient kingdom of Djarat.[14] Ruins and tombs from Djarat still dot the region, including a lost city called Tezra.[14]
Before the outbreak of the War of the Wizards, the Desert's area was much smaller, and it was less dangerous to travel through. The Caarth used their black magic to expand the Desert's reaches before the great conflict broke out.[11] It is believed that the Desert Elves are descended from Wood Elves who became trapped in this arid region after the Desert expanded.[11]
Appendix[]
Appearances[]
Adventures
Magazines
Sourcebooks
- Beyond the Pit (mentioned)
- Blacksand (AFF) (mentioned)
- Encyclopedia Arcana Vol I - Treasures (mentioned)
- Heroes Companion (mentioned)
- Heroes of Titan (mentioned)
- Out of the Pit (mentioned)
- Return to the Pit (mentioned)
- Rough Guide to the Pit (mentioned)
- The Titan Herbal (mentioned)
References[]
- ↑ Allansia - pp. 159-167
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Titan - The Fighting Fantasy World - "Map of Allansia" (pg. 13)
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Out of the Pit - pgs. 10-11
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 Allansia - pgs. 159-60
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Titan - The Fighting Fantasy World - "Cities of the Snake People" Map, (pg. 88)
- ↑ Curse of the Mummy - para 242
- ↑ Battleblade Warrior - Cover Map.
- ↑ Dungeon of Justice (mini-ff), Warlock Issue 5 - p.21
- ↑ Temple of Terror - para 18, 84
- ↑ Temple of Terror - "Background".
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Demonstealer - 130-132, p.133
- ↑ "Out of the Pit", Marc Gascoigne, Warlock Issue 4 , p. 4
- ↑ Titan - The Fighting Fantasy World - pg. 87-90
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Curse of the Mummy - pg. 19-21