ORIGINS

Only a fool would dare to venture here. The golden sands of the Jurkoon Desert cut through south-western Karadas like a scythe, hemmed in by the Moritano Mountains to the west, and the Aradine peaks to the east. To the south, incessant waves pummel the coast, dredging up the seabed and dumping sand and shingle by the tonne onto the ever-growing desert.

The entire region once lay below sea level, with the land to the south-east existing as an island in its own right. As the bedrock pushed higher over the centuries, the area steadily dried up and became a vast, barren wasteland. The Jurkoon Desert was born.

LANDSCAPE

While the desert is composed mainly of sand, an expansive zone to the west known as the Jetta Deep is largely hardened, red clay. Another sizeable area running parallel to the Aradine Mountains is primarily rocky spires moulded by the wind, ridges, and deep, dusty canyons. Whether you travel on sand or rock or clay, danger is never far away.

CONDITIONS

Environmental factors are the main peril out in the desert. During the daylight hours, fearsome heat washes over the land, sapping your strength and crushing your will. If you are lucky, you may avoid one of the deadly sandstorms that often ravage the Jurkoon Desert, stirring up the surface to create a new, almost indistinguishable vista. Wind speeds can reach staggering levels, causing serious skin burns or even blindness. Night-time temperatures drop to well below freezing. With few places to shelter, the chill will swiftly seep into your bones.

INHABITANTS

If the elements do not put an end to your journey, the creatures existing here probably will. Although the landscape appears lifeless and utterly barren, a host of birds and beasts endure. Animals ranging from jackrabbits and tortoises, to gazelles and iguanas, are among the more friendlier species to be found living among the dunes, but you may struggle to spot them. Remaining elusive is an essential skill to master out on the desert sands. Needle Spiders as large as dinner plates, toxic Dart Wasps, and highly aggressive Granite Ants are lurking. They are always in search of an easy meal. Any of these frightful creatures are more than capable of providing an excruciating death.

MONSTER

The supreme predator of the Jurkoon Desert is a species of monstrously large scorpion. They are known as Hell Rattlers, and for good reason. Hell Rattlers are formidable, blood-red in colour, and grow to over twenty feet in length. Their pincers are wide enough to snare a man, and they possess a stinger capable of paralysing even the largest of creatures. Luckily, you will often hear them coming. Imperfections in their evolution cause the thick, interlocking armour of their exoskeleton to rattle uncontrollably when they walk. Still, if you hear a rattle out upon the dunes and see the vultures beginning to circle, take this as a sign to run as fast as you can!