The Si Wong Desert[]
The Si Wong Desert is an arid region located in the central Earth Kingdom. It is the largest, driest, and hottest desert on Earth, and due to its extreme climate, the region is almost impossible to successfully cross. The desert is sparsely populated by Sandbender Tribes and beetle-headed merchants.
Description[]
Otherwise known as the "Desert of the Dead", the Si Wong Desert is the driest, hottest environment in the world, consisting of miles of barren sand. It houses the largest library in the world, the domain of the spirit Wan Shi Tong.
Only a select few are mentally and physically capable of surviving in this desert for an extended period of time, let alone navigating through it. However, certain desert-dwelling peoples, such as the sandbenders and the beetle-headed merchants, have successfully adapted to the environment. Nevertheless, even they can find themselves victims to common habitual afflictions such as starvation, dehydration, and skin cancer. The desert's ecosystem primarily consists of hallucinogenic cacti, a few scavenger species, such as the gilacorn, and the large predatory buzzard wasps.
Locations[]
Si Wong Rock[]
The Si Wong Rock is a gigantic geological formation that rises from the center of the rolling dunes of the Si Wong Desert, looming imposingly over the landscape. Considering its flat, barren surroundings, the rock would appear supernaturally out of place. Ancient sandbender lore tells that the formation was dropped from the heavens by the gods as a demonstration of their great power and anger when human inhabitants had stopped abiding by the rules of their priests.
Regardless of its true origin, the rock is the only notable landscape feature of the barren desert, aside from the now completely buried library, and is thus used as a guidepost by the sandbenders or any others who traverse through the region. In addition to being a visual landmark, the rock is also composed of a metallic ore that gives it magnetic qualities, allowing the sandbenders to create compasses that work throughout the desert, giving them their location in relation to the rock. The rock contains a large hive home to a colony of carnivorous buzzard wasps, who are known to immediately defend their home against anyone who disturbs.
Misty Palms Oasis[]
The Misty Palms Oasis is a rundown cantina on the edge of the desert. A giant mass of ice is situated in the center of the cantina, and a natural wonder. The cantina is known for its mango beverages which are expertly prepared by a broadswordsman.
Residents[]
Sandbender Tribes[]
The sandbenders live in different tribes in the Si Wong Tribes, one being the Hami Tribe. Sandbenders have adapted well to the arid environment of the desert, and utilize a unique art known as sandbending. They use boat-like vehicles known as sand-sailers to travel across the land which they power by bending a sand tornado to blow wind into the sails. The people of the Sandbender Tribes are distrustful of any strangers, and make a habit of stealing from them. However, if a sandbender has wronged a foreigner, he or she must show the victim hospitality.
Beetle-Headed Merchants[]
The beetle-headed merchants were the first people to inhabit the Si Wong Desert. According to legend, the beetle-like headpieces they don date back to a tradition of their ancestors, who disguised themselves as sour beetles in order to avoid being hunted by giant gilacorns which found the beetles unpalatable. They are skillful traders with easygoing personalities, and are able to see potential worth in almost anything. Their camps are spread throughout the desert, and the Misty Palms Oasis serves as their base for trade affairs. Their means of transportation are giant beetles.