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Deserts
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Apprentice Greytalker

Joined: Apr 20, 2008
Posts: 52


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Sun Aug 29, 2010 11:16 am  
Deserts

Where in the Flanaess, or even throughout Oerth, are there NATURAL desert regions, such as those that resemble Earth's Sahara and Gobi deserts? The Dry Steppes, Sea of Dust and Bright Lands are all magically modified/created lands (I believe).

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GreySage

Joined: Aug 03, 2001
Posts: 3322
From: Michigan

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Sun Aug 29, 2010 5:03 pm  

Possibly Erypt and the "southlands" region of western Oerik (including the Red Kingdom and Tribes of Enllaves) might be natural desert. I'm going by the original Dragon Annual #1 map, by the way. The interior of the unnamed southern continent that fans have called Anakeri might be desert, as Australia is. Hyperboria/Telchuria would of course be an Arctic desert, but not a desert of the Sahara or Gobi types.

There are no natural deserts in the Flanaess. Even the Wastes north of the Barrens are hinted to have unnatural origins. But then, it's suggested in the World of Greyhawk boxed set that all of Oerth's weather is magical in nature. So it's very possible that none of Oerth's climates are "natural" in the way that we understand nature on our own planet. On Oerth, magic is part of nature, and every climate zone is created and maintained by magic.
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Joined: Feb 26, 2004
Posts: 2595
From: Ullinois

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Mon Aug 30, 2010 5:36 am  

Good idea for a topic, JohnSmith! I've speculated before that the Baklunish-Suloise Wars might have been started by clashes over water rights. I'm not sure I have good science to back this up, but what if one or both empires were undergoing desertification after 5000 years of history? If so, then that means the use of Colorless Fire and/or Invoked Devastation would merely be exacerbating the current natural progression of the land.
Master Greytalker

Joined: Jun 25, 2007
Posts: 951
From: Neck Deep in the Viscounty of Verbobonc

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Mon Aug 30, 2010 2:21 pm  

I have a rather large natural desert in my version of Erypt. It's located on the northern coast, stretching from the eastern tip of the Khemit Peninsula almost to the mountains of Braeghan's Wall.

Personally, I've always considered the Dry Steppes to be a natural desert. Just because the Twin Cats ravaged the area doesn't mean it wasn't a desert to begin with.
Grandmaster Greytalker

Joined: Nov 23, 2004
Posts: 1212


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Mon Aug 30, 2010 3:35 pm  

I would need to check the modules again, but I think in UK2-3 discuss the eastern slopes of the Kamph Mts. along the Jerlea shore being either a desert or arid.
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Master Greytalker

Joined: Jan 05, 2002
Posts: 1120
From: Sky Island, So Cal

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Mon Aug 30, 2010 8:01 pm  

mortellan wrote:
I'm not sure I have good science to back this up, but what if one or both empires were undergoing desertification after 5000 years of history?


Certainly if either of them used irrigation to a large extent, and I can imagine the Suelese doing so (possibly with gates to the elemental plane of water for supply), gradual salinification of the soil would have been a threat, especially after hundreds or thousands of years.

This might have been kept in check by magic up until a "tipping point", after which it was no longer possible, resulting in crop failures and internal / external unrest.
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