Desert (range)

Deserts are regions where little precipitation produces hostile living conditions for both natural and unnatural life. The lack of vegetation leaves the unprotected surface exposed, intensifying the erosion wrought by relentless winds and the violent temperature shifts between scorching days and frigid nights. This endless wear upon the earth reduces stone to fragments, which gather into storms of biting dust, vast level sheets of shifting sands, or towering dunes that rise like the waves of a frozen sea. In some desolate stretches, where the wind has stolen away every fine grain, the land becomes a wasteland of shattered mosaics, with sharp and gleaming stones forming pavements that stretch for leagues upon leagues.

The creatures inhabiting these forsaken lands possess extraordinary adaptations. Many of the monstrous denizens of the desert are said to defy mortal needs, surviving without sustenance or feeding upon the very essence of the unwary. Other beasts and creatures, fleet of limb or wing, traverse vast distances to find the meager resources that sustain them. Humanoid tribes or wanderers who dare to eke out an existence in such lands cling to scattered oases or hidden wells, where water can be drawn from deep within the earth or caught in fleeting pools upon the surface. Yet even these waters are often harsh, their taste sharp and their smell acrid, though they sustain life when no other choice remains. Dehydration is a constant specter, and those who venture far without preparation may perish before the sun sets.

Though the desert is cruel, it is not without value. The bare stone and exposed rock reveal hidden treasures, veins of ore, glimmering salt, rare minerals, and coveted gems. These riches lure prospectors and treasure seekers despite the dangers. Beyond its wealth of stone and metal, the desert also offers rare plants, the source of exotic incenses, potent resins, and alchemical substances, all of which cannot be found in gentler climes. These goods fuel trade between distant lands, carried by caravans of camels or the beasts of burden bred by the hardy desert folk. Such trade routes, tenuous and perilous, connect disparate civilizations, allowing the exchange of goods, knowledge, and culture across vast and inhospitable expanses.

Some arid lands thought of as deserts may be more properly termed barrens, for they are not entirely devoid of life. These regions, while still unforgiving, are marked by sparse grasses and sprawling scrub brush, where creatures adapted to such conditions find shelter and sustenance. These barrens, though harsh, are a far cry from the desolation of true deserts, where life clings to existence by a thread no thicker than the edge of a blade.

Major Deserts

Below is a list of the most extensive deserts in the world:

Arabian - the Arabian Peninsula & Empty Quarter
Atacama & Loma Coast - along the west coast of South America
Great Sandy - undiscovered Australia
Kalahari - southern Africa
Namib - southwest coast of Africa
Patagonia - the southern part of South America
Sahara - the largest desert, in northern Africa
Syrian - between Palestine and the Persian Gulf
Takla Makan - far western China
Taldy Kurgan - northern Turkestan
Thar - west Indian subcontinent
Gobi - north central China
Ust-Urt & Kara Kum - vicinity of the Aral and Caspian seas

Common Features

Below is a list of elements and features that are common to desert ranges:

Desert Creatures

The following monsters are common to desert ranges.

Desert (range)

Major Deserts

Common Features

Desert Creatures

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