Lying in the southernmost part of the Sarvonian continent, this great desert occupies most of the Santharian province of Truban and part of Brendolan. Though there are some wetter places in the south like the Cloud Forest near Varcopas, the peninsula near Thalambath and the plain of Uderza, the desert is the main and dominating feature of the south of the continent. To the east and south are the coastlines of the Burning Sea, and on the west the Aetryam Sea.

The only large settlement in the desert itself is Rahmat. On the Ráhaz-Dáth's edges are located Strata, Thalambath, Uderza and Bardavos, the last belonging to the province Brendolan.

The most prominent features are the volcano Norong'Sorno, north of Thalambath, the Mountains of Nirmenith, containing the famous Oasis of Nirmenith, the Great Sand Dunes in the east, the Yar‘Dangs north of Strata and the Makadi Gadi Salt Pans in the middle near the Nirmenith Mountains.

Though in most parts very arid, the desert has an abundant wildlife and is by no means lifeless. Both animals and plants are adapted very well to the conditions there.

The main group of humans living in the Ráhaz-Dáth are the Shendar, a mainly nomadic living tribe whose members are the only people who have the knowledge how to cross the beautiful, but hostile landscape. Other races are not known yet to live there.

Introduction. Unforgiving heat over vast sands rises in ripples against a pale, cloudless sky. The desert aguia, using the ascending hot air, circles with motionless wings over a land which stretches for ever, coloured with light yellows and soft browns. There is no visible water to reflect the eggshell blue sky and bring a sparkle to the landscape. At this height the wilderness is frightenly flat, though a white peak is visible in the misty distance as well as the promise of an abundance of water in the other direction. The aguia is soaring higher, lonely in the emptiness of an endless sky over the Ráhaz-Dáth...

Deep down in the sands yellow lidless eyes are waiting patiently, hour for hour in the heat of the day; covered with hot sand the ráhaz'estar is waiting for a passing prey. Then suddenly there is a movement the surprised eye can barely follow. White fangs blink in the light of the Injérà and death has come to a careless kara. - There is a scampering - high pitched noises can be heard - maybe the eye catches a glimpse of  brown fur. The aka‘lols have witnessed the death of the kara and are striving for their safe burrows.

Image description. The Lightning Drake enjoys sitting on a mountain top in a lightning heavy thunderstorm. Picture drawn by Seeker.

Grey storm clouds race overhead and the hot winds swirl beneath the darkening sky. Sand grains are whirled around, lightning flashes and thunder rumbles in the approaching black heart of the clouds. In the distance the rain is white. Birds are tossed around like leaves from a far shore. Suddenly it is quiet and calm and the rain falls. As the clouds move on a rainbow appears, the storm has passed and it is soon hot again.

Description. The desert covers most lands south of the Narfost Plain, except the wetter region around Bardavos and the cultivated plain of Uderza, the cloud forests near Varcopas and a small piece of coast near Thalambath. The whole region is arid to a varying extent and rainfalls occur in most places only occasionally. All types of deserts can be found here; the half arid lands with perennial rainfalls and open water availably the whole year in some places, to truly arid regions with nearly no rainfall at all.

All life in the Ráhaz-Dáth has to be adapted to the arid conditions. So the animals have either developed a complicated migration system if dependent on a open water source or can survive without water at all. Aestivation or dormancy is a common means to survive longer drier periods. The plants usually meet the needs of the animals and often a single individual provides a whole ecosystem for several different animals.

Location. Lying in the southernmost part of the Sarvonian continent, this great desert occupies most of the Santharian province of Truban and part of Brendolan. Though there are some wetter places in the south like the Cloud Forest near Varcopas, the peninsula near Thalambath and the plain of Uderza, the desert is the main and dominating feature of the south of the continent. To the east and south are the coastlines of the Burning Sea, and on the west the Aetryam Sea.

Different Parts. The Raház-Dáth consists of the following different parts, which are listed below:

• The Mountains of Nirmenith
  This mountain range covers the whole north of Truban and reflects the diversity of this province. Not only are the mystic and enchanted Cloud Forests of Varcopas part of it, it also encompasses the harsh beauty of the volcano Norong'Sorno with its special climate and the nearby parched region of the Lands of Pain and Death. Apart from the volcano, it also has the highest mountain tops of southern Sarvonia in it's central region with the mighty Nirmenith as its highest point, which change over to the lovely hills near Uderza. Between the Cloud Forest and the central mountain stock the Aj'nuvic Grounds surprise with a diversity of plant and animal life. But nothing matches the famous Oasis of Nirmenith, the lush waterfalls there, the wild river Nirmenith which cascades down in the swamp of Oka'Serí, an inland delta of which the myths say that this is the place where the gods let their dreams of plenitude came true. [Back to the Map]

• The Aj'Nuvic Grounds
  The Aj'nuvic Grounds represent a central highland valley north of the Nirmenith mountain stock. It is a half arid region with low-moisture adapted plant and animal life, most can only be found here due to the special climate conditions of very hot days and extremely cold nights, the occasional abundance of water and the persistent dryness.
  
  This region is also the main mating ground of the Nirmenith aj'nuvics. There is also a secret trade route of the Shendar to the south to Thalambath. Access only possible from the north through a hidden canyon and the south leading to the Lands of Pain. Gets drier and more hostile the more southerly one travels. [Back to the Map]

• The Central Mountain Stock
  Highest elevation after the Norong'Sorno volcano on the southern Sarvonian Continent. It is the barrier for most of the clouds coming in from the Aetryam Sea. Most of the rains fall there, creating a huge water reservoir for the dry desert on both of its sides. Thanks to the height some of the precipitation is stored as snow or ice and so available over a longer time span. [Back to the Map]

• The Oasis of Nirmenith
  In the very heart of the Nirmenith Mountains an oasis of unexpected, overwhelming beauty can be found. The water of a circular lake with unknown depth supports a fauna and flora which is restricted however to a small space only. Steep mountain slopes falling directly into the lake don't allow much room for plants to grow. But the limited space is countered by the plenitude and beauty of the flowering vegetation. It is here that the famous temple of Baveras in the middle of the lake can be found, which can only be seen fully when the water level falls to its deepest point in winter. It is rumoured that also here the rare mineral can be found which is added to the pottery of which Uderza is famou . The water of the Nirmenith Oasis escapes through a narrow outlet and forms the Nirmenith River which cascades down in the swamp of Oka'Seri. [Back to the Map]

• The Swamp of Oka'Seri and the Flood Plains
  The Swamp of Oka'Seri is an inland delta formed by the Nirmenith river, which expands periodically covering the sands of the Ráhaz'Dáth and bringing life to the central desert and the Maka Gadi Salt Pans. While the delta always retains a certain amount of water and never falls dry, the floodplains are dry the greater part of the year.Only after the spring rainfalls they fill up gradually with water. A grassland evolves till the water is fully evaporated and the landscape falls dry again. [Back to the Map]

• Picture description. View on a Shendar caravon approaching the Norong'Sorno volcano. Image drawn by Seeker.

  The Norong'Sorno
  At eleven thousand peds the highest and dominating elevation on the southern part of the Sarvonian continent. It is active most of the year and a permanent threat to Thalambath. Its altitude and its eruptions are the reasons for special climatic conditions and natural phenomena like the saline terraces, the hot springs, the lava tubes and other such uncommon features. Fauna and flora is as exceptional as the mountain itself. It is home for a species of drakes only found there. [Back to the Map]

• The Lands of Pain
  The Lands of Pain are the most hostile part of the Ráhaz-Dáth. Here rainfalls are extremely rare, the heat rises to its maximum. Nevertheless it is a fascinating landscape. The lesser volcanoes next to the Norong'Sorno are part of it, as well as the high, steep rocky red pillars with the endless sandy plains between them. Despite the hostile environement, a few animals and plants can be found here, but it is a hard life, even for the ráhaz'estár, the giant rock snake. [Back to the Map]

• The Uderza Hills
  A small area of lovely hills near Uderza, at the foot of the Nirmenith Mountains and at the edge of the desert. The special sand/clay mixture called Aerth which Uderza uses for its famous pottery can be found here. [Back to the Map]

• The Open Woodlands
  The Open Woodlands are located south of the plain of Uderza and Bardavos, stretching nearly to the east coast, is a unique forest. It grows better near the mountains due to more rainfalls with widely spread trees farer east. In the west the special composition of the fine clay soil supports the denser Mo'Colo woodlands. The caterpillars in this rosin tree forest are of special interest to the Shendar, for their pupal form provides them not only with a delicious snack, but are the source of the fine Shendar silk. Further east, the rosin trees give way to the dari'i trees and others which grow in deep sand. Because of their clay soils, the Mo'Colo woodlands have pans which hold water well into the dry seasons when the rainwater of sandy regions has long disappeared. [Back to the Map]

• The Great Sand Dunes
  Region stretching from the rim of the Nirmenith Mountains to the Burning Sea in the east, covering the whole east of the Raház-Dáth , down to the Makadi Gadi Salt Pans and even further, until the Yar'Dangs. This is desert in its purest form, hot sands, merciless sun - and blue-green jewels of  desert lakes in the very midst. [Back to the Map]

• The Dunes
  Here the desert sands build up into huge dunes, up to five hundred peds high over which the wind blows constantly, driving them forward so that they migrate like slowly-moving waves. But even this seeming barrenness will surprise the traveller: Where rainfalls occur sometimes, they are partly covered with shrub trees, whereas the valleys between may only have a cover of seasonal grass, giving evidence to occasional flooding. [Back to the Map]

• The Dry River Beds
  The valleys between the big sand dunes show often some vegetation, grass at certain times of the year, some trees with deep reaching roots which show that there has to be some water flowing in the soil buried deep under the sands. These features are mostly found in the northern parts of the Great Sand dunes, and are probably due to water coming from the Narfost Plain and running underground. [Back to the Map]

• The Seven Jewels
  The so-called Seven Jewels are a miracle in the midst of the hot desert: Lakes with relatively fresh water, with a very small rim of green around sparkle in the midst of high sand dunes. In autumn this water gets quite brackish and is barely drinkable, so only some salt resistant plants survive. However, after heavy rainfalls in winter the water level rises up to three peds and the water gets clear and fresh. Then the surrounding green rim flourishes, seeds sprout and for some time food is available in abundance. [Back to the Map]

• The Makadi Gadi Salt Pans
  With one edge lying close to the Oka'Seri Swamp, the Makadi Gadi Salt pans are regularly flooded. Run-off from the Nirmenith or occasional rainfalls will fill them up to a height of about a fore. The evaporating water leaves behind spectacular crystals and cakes of salt, creating (when dry) a nearly lifeless region in the middle of the Raház-Dáth. Flooded however they are exploding with life, being a feeding ground for the abundant ái'metrá, and thus to the ái'metrá's predators. [Back to the Map]

• The Yar'Dangs
  Strange rock formations, up to 500 peds high, consisting out of white and yellow granite, three days ride north of Strata, stretching nearly vertical to any path leading from the northern part of the desert to Strata and forming a kind of labyrinth. Hence everybody needs a guide to find through, because these rocks proceed into the sea forming there dangerous shallows which make it impossible to simply take a boat to get around them. At the southern rim water is found which vanishes soon in the desert sands, till it reemerges in the wells of Strata. [Back to the Map]

People. The only people who live in the true desert are the nomadic Shendar. They are the only ones who are able to find the paths through the hostile environment and can live self-sufficiently within it. Rah'mat, the only large settlement within the desert, is a town without fixed houses. Instead, it is made up of a varying number of Shendar domed tents, and is therefore able to move and without fixed location. The desert provides nearly all the Shendar need: their food, water for their grazing animals, the clay for their pottery and the salt they sell to every place in Santharia.

It is not known, when the first human nomads arrived to live in the desert regions, but some sages assume, that it happened very early, already long before the Age of the Awakening. The first settlements in the few wetter regions may have started already over two milennia b.S., the now huge town of Thalambath, sitting on the fertile base of the volcano Norong'Sorno being probably the first settlement.

Human history, however, didn't - apart from the Atonement - affect the desert itself. Interested readers can find it here. It is said however, that the after-effects of the Atonement on the desert were cause of the Shendar's rising powers and their eventual excluding monopoly of the desert paths. In the year of the Atonement , so the stories go, they found their true partner in conquering the desert - the aj'nuvics and their relatives, the aka'pis. Though they knew both animals well already and had used them, they discovered their real value in these difficult times and the bonding to the aj'nuvics was deepened then. With the bond to these desert beasts the Shendar became true masters of the desert and started to change its appearance, though very little in the beginning.

Strata was founded in the year after the Atonement, and Drafas Tristin might have not chosen this place to found a settlement, if he had known that the green appearance of the place and the abundance of water was only an exception to the rule and would cease after a few years.

Climate. All the rain, all the precious water, which enables life in the Raház-Dáth, comes from the northwest with the winds from the Aetryam Sea, be it with the yearly rains starting in the month of the Turning Stars and continuing till the beginning of the Awakening Earth, or as an occasional heavy thunderstorm drenching a region which haven't seen water for years.

Most of the clouds coming in release their water at the tops of the Nirmenith Mountains or the Norong'Sorno. Rains fall gently over the hills of Uderza and the Uderza Plains during the winter months, but some clouds drift farther on over the open woodlands, building up into threatening heights, and may release their rain over the Makadi Gadi Salt Pans or the Jewels in the east or just pass on and leave the thirsty soil unrelieved.

According to the availability of the rain the regions in the Raház-Dáth differ in their dryness:

• Semi-arid regions are the Aj'nuvic Grounds and the Nirmenith Mountains with perennial rainfalls, but these regions stay dry half of the year.

• Arid regions with perennial rainfalls are the Open Woodlands south of the Plain of Uderza and Bardavos, the Norong'Sorno region: The volcano itself is partly wet due to the special weather conditions.

• Arid regions with no or only occasional rainfalls: Makadi Gadi Salt Pans, the Lands of Pain west of the Salt Pans, the south with Strata and the Yar'Dangs, the east with the "Jewels", the desert lakes of the Raház-Dáth and the whole region of the great sand dunes east and south of the Makagadi Gadi Salt Pan. Part of these regions however benefit from water transported in the underground from wetter regions where former riverbeds may have existed.

• Permanent water is found in smaller oasis throughout the desert at special hidden places, most of them only known by the Shendar. Best known is the Oasis of Nirmenith with the adjacent Swamp of Oka'Seri. The only permanent flowing water system is the Nirmenith River rushing down from the Oasis of Nirmenith to the Oka'Seri Swamps building an inland delta there.

The desert conditions - the changing availability of open water and food - force both, animals and human alike, to move forward to use the sometimes scarce resources wisely and avoiding their exploitation to destruction.

So migration paths have developed; the desert beasts, which depend on open water have to look for the remaining water holes in a seasonal wandering, the others not dependent on open water have to change grazing grounds nevertheless to find new unused pastures. Thus the grazers follow the growth of grass from one place to the next, and with them their hunters.

The Shendar, a human nomadic living tribe, wander from oasis to oasis and are very careful not to overgraze one place. So a very complicated migration pattern has developed which has still to be researched thoroughly to be understood completely.

Flora. There are many familiar trees and plants in the wetter regions of the Raház-Dáth mentioned above, though the Cloud Forest of Varcopas might still hide some surprises. But the true plants of the desert are those adapted to the aridness of the landscape. They have all one thing in common; they have developed something which enables them to keep their water or prevent the loss of it or both. So they either can store it for several years - like the adan'sonia trees or some of the su'cu family, or they have reduced their surface area to prevent water loss and thus have nearly no leaves. Where water isn't this scarce or the roots are reaching deep, leaves with sun protection of different kind are seen as well.

Fauna. Despite appearances and expectations, the fauna of the desert is plentiful. There are first the big deer-like beasts like the ar'bez, the g'nu and the aka'pi, the oryx and the ellez'ga, which mostly wander around following the seasonal pattern of available food and water. Following their prey are the big hunters like the oracau, ju'bat, the brown á'neayh and the ly'caón. Other, smaller mammals which are independent of open water sources may move around as well for the search of new food sources - some, however, stay at the same place all year round.

But these animals are only the most prominent ones. The smaller may be even more abundant, like the striped kara living near mil'no forests or the whole family of the rodents with all its relatives, the mice, the lizards, the snakes and other odd desert creatures.

Then the birds: There are thousands of them, either permanent guests or just visitors on their way from Aeruillin to the colder north, resting in the water filled salt pans and fishing for the abundant ái'metrá. The greatest number of individuals, though, are the insects, the base of the food chain. An important role is played by the tér'tér, which will sometimes consume up to half of the available dry  grass and forcing the grazers to move on, but being themselves food for bigger animals and providing shelter for others in their large mounts.

The Ráhaz-Dáth animals have different means to cope with the lack of water. Most beasts hunt or graze only at dawn or by night and rest during the heat of the day. The big predators get most of the needed fluid over their prey; the grazing animals who depend often of dry grass are able to concentrate their urine so as not to lose much fluid. So the sand mouse, for excample, doesn't urinate at all but eliminates just a few damp drops. The most adapted beasts go into aestivation during the hottest and driest weeks, reducing so their need for food and water by slowing down their body functions.

Resources. Talking about resources depends always on the special perspective of who asks and what that individual considers valuable. So the plants, for example are very interested in the resource water, but not interested in the jewels lying under their roots. There might be a rare mineral  lying buried in the mountains of Nirmenith, that would be valuable for the Northern dwarves for hardening their weaponry, but not for the Shendar with their armour made out of the skin of the giant rock snake. So the following description of the resources of the Raház-Dáth is only from the
perspective of its human inhabitants, the Shendar.

• Water and Food
  These resources are mainly described above under Climate, Fauna and Flora. Of special note here are two animals, the aj'nuvic as a personal friend of any Shendar, the aka'pi as a domesticated animal which is essential for the long caravans through the desert. Special plants used for trading are the mil'no, a plant used for hygienic purposes and in'cent and mh'yrre as spices sold to the whole world. The toccon tree and the vhin, which is used for export, also are no true desert plants. The Shendar silk made with the help of the mopane caterpillar is famous throughout Caelereth. The medical use of seeds and roots and other parts of the plants are innumerable.

• Minerals
  Minerals you can find in the Ráhaz-Dáth are mainly clay and salt. Clay used by the northern tribes is found near Uderza, and deep in the mountains of Nirmenith in places only known by the Shendar. The salt of the Makagadi Gadi Salt Pans is harvested by the southern Salt People.
  
  But other minerals are found as well: Semi-precious jewels of different colours can be seen in the Yar'Dangs, silver in the Nirmenith mountains, a special kind of salt or salty water is collected near the Norong'Sorno and sold as remedy for different illnesses. Some Shendar are said to have managed even to sell green sand, found near the volcanoes on the beach there - to artists in Bardavos who needed it for special artistic effects.

Myth/Lore. A landscape this grandiose and various in its appearance was cause for the creation of many myths and much lore. Most are in the oral tradition and of Shendar origin, but some are known in whole Santharia.

Some of these stories are related to the landscape itself and involve the participation of one God or another, some are pourquoi tales referring to the origin of an animal or plant, and many have some
direct connection with the Shendar. Here are a few of the most famous:

• The Origin of the Seven Jewels
• How Baveras fought with Foiros and created the Oka'Seri
• The Origin of the Norong'Sorno
• How the Mil'no came to the Shendar
• Why the Striped Kara is striped
• Why the Kirilit changes its Colour

History. Only myth can tell us how the Raház-Dáth was created, though "The Legend of Thalambath" mentions the major impact of the War of the Chosen on the landscape itself. But there are two major historic events which affected the Raház-Dáth: the Atonement in the year 1649 b.S. and the outburst of the volcano Norong'Sorno some 600 years ago, though the explosion of the Norong'Sorno affected only a small region and is not comparable to the disaster of the Atonement.

	Time Table of the Ráhaz-Dáth The Age of Awakening 1649 b.S. The Vardýnnian Atonement „It is said that the Burning God, Foiros, finally heard the biddings of the human priests begging for the help of the gods to finish the torment of the dragons: At the end of the Caelereth year the burning orb of the sun descended below the world and returned not before one year had passed, so that a deadly coldness afflicted dragons and humans alike. Many dragons and humans failed to survive the so-called Vardýnnian Atonement in the Year of Darkness.“ - Ethelim Herengwar The most dramatic event for the Ráhaz-Dáth indeed takes places in the year of the atonement in 1649 b.S. Though all Caelereth is affected, the changes to the desert landscape itself are considerable and last for several years till normality is restored. The darkness is particularly devastating to the fauna; it causes the death of the majority of the grazers. The darkness falls, the first irritation is that many animals fall into their night patterns of activity, whether sleep, hunting or grazing. This changes after a while as they become used to the dim light of the remaining stars. But food gets scarce, especially fresh food. No grass is left, and the leaves and barks of the trees don't last much longer. However, the tér'tér don't harvest a great portion of the dried grass as usual but go into hibernation, so a lot more is left for the grazers. But nevertheless thousands and thousands die from starvation and due to the strong cold. The predators have a feast for a while, and do well initially, because their prey stays fresh, frozen in the immense cold which sets in soon. The landscape itself changes dramatically. It doesn't get much wetter first, though no evaporation of the water happens anymore, but the rains coming in the first months of the year fall mostly as snow and build up into a huge icecap on the central mountain stock of the Nirmenith mountains. It snows till in the valleys and the plain and hills of Uderza are covered deeply with a white layer as are the Aj'nuvic Grounds. As it gets colder and colder, the open water starts to freeze. The Salt Pans have been waterless by this time, but fill now with water from the swamp which freezes immediately, the Swamp Oka'Seri freezes entirely, allowing some animals to feed of the cy'pra, a reed like water plant. Not much later, the Nirmenith Oasis freezes over as well, despite its deep water, and leaves a huge ice cover while the water underneath still empties in the waterfall. Finally the waterfall itself freezes as a cascading white wonder, reflecting the faint light of the stars, worthy of poetry or painting had anyone been there and able to admire it. The Norong'Sorno offers some relief of the cold; full of an inner heat, the volcano warms up the region around him and provids the water dependent animals a open water source - the hot springs at its base. The return of the sun and light seems most grazers dead, the landscape barren of any vegetation and a devasted ecosystem. Now the starvation of the predators sets in. With not many prey left to hunt and their frozen stock now decaying in the returned sun, their numbers fall as drastically as do those of the grazing animals before.   A change of the landscape sets in which exceeds even that of the frozen winter lands before. When snow and ice start to melt nature itself becomes violent. The ice shield of the Nirmenith Oasis cracks down and blocks the outlet of the water, causing it to rise to an unpreceeded level, overflowing and finally emerging in one great splash. Then the ice of the waterfall falls down and it is said that the noise is heard over thousands of furlangs. All the waters stored and frozen in the last year, and the additional precipitation in this year cause an immense flooding of half of the desert. The Nirmenith river sends its waters for the first time in the known history into the Burning Sea, filling up the salt pans and then overflowing and meeting the sea. The floodplains are twice as expansive as normal, nearly reaching to Firefeet's Rest. The water level of the Seven Jewels rose till three joined into one. The river which passes now Mehmetsh fills its old riverbed instead of flowing underground filling up the Jewels. The plain of Uderza is flooded and Occen's Lake has no defined borders anymore. The water of the wells south of the Yar'Dangs doesn't vanish in the sands but forms little rivulets searching their way down to the cape. Finally, when the water retreats slowly, everywhere life springs up. Seeds lying in the ground for decades become shoots and flower not only for a few weeks as usual, the trees get new leaves, the few animals left mate to fill up the green plains again. The climate changes to wetter conditions for a few years till it finally returns to the old patterns. The Shendar say that the desert is blessed and due to the extraordinarily good conditions the plains fill soon with new life again. The Golden Age of Kings 1027 The Eruption of the Volcano Norong'Sorno The Volcano Norong'Sorno erupts massively, toring away the west slope of the Norong'Sorno and destroying one of the main Shendar trade routes along the western coast. Since then lava streams, variable in size and speed, run down the mountain, joining occasionally the sea there and creating huge clouds of water vapour. Ash clouds can still be seen at times, and a steady trickle of smoke from the Norong’Sorno’s gaping summit. Fortunately Thalambath on the other side of the volcano doesn't suffer too much from this event, though an associated earthquake causes some damage to the Black Castle and some of the houses in the surrounding region.