Nalêth Arnskar

Nalêth - Melvad
CategoryDeserts
ContinentBrucrumus
RegionCinazan
AliasArnskar
Created20 War March 92 HE
MapMelvad

In the first century of Aslauthroa's reign, Arnskar was a swamp the size of Orondir; another wetland two hundred miles west and beyond the Damreth mountains.

Around 80 HE, a Aslauthroan storm lord was assigned to quell this sector. At the time, the main force in Arnskar were several hundred tribes of bullywug. The only thing that kept their population from bursting out of the area were all their tribal infighting. Aslauthroa's storm lord demanded they bend the knee to the might of a Titan Empire. Now with a common enemy, the storm lord and her army were set upon by bullywug in the thousands. A year later, another storm lord was sent to demand tribute. This failed also, leading to a protracted war lasting ten years. In the 7th year of this war, Aslauthroa had had enough of the area's resistance. He decided to punish them with the wrath of Talos. The Aslauthroan king gave the order to have Ottaki's shamans make use of a magical device called the Weathermaker. This artifact, in command of the weather, was used to dry out the area. The continued use of the artifact's magic on the area would forever change it. Those on the outskirts had a few months to escape a swamp turning into a desert. Most of the bullywug went west into Orondir. Those on the interior, around 80% of the swamp's area, were rapidly changed as if million of years went by. The plant-life and creatures became a source of peat that a millennia later be discovered by Aslauthroa and result in the founding of Snirthjar.

In the Second Epoch, the Khazarkar Empire pushed east across Cinazan. Finding this desert, they named it Nalêth. From Aslauthroan tomes found at an the Aslauthroan ruin Snirthjar, the Khazarkars determined that the area was a desert by magic. The books also said that the heavy use of the Weathermaker's powers on this area had made its effects permanent.

Nalêth is a windless place with very little rainfall.

Two northern winds blow across much of Cinazan. The northern wind, the Feyspree, blows into Damreth and never gives its moisture to the western side of the mountains. The other wind, the Iceing, loses much of its force and moisture when it hits the sky-island Gindinâth. I think it is because of this that Nalêth is a desert. We shouldn't put too much credence on Aslauthroan texts claiming it to be their doing.

- Amigar Urkama, former Nature Protectorate of Cinazan, regional report at a Glade Summit, "Nalêth and the Two Winds"

Nalêth is sited in the southern reaches of central Cinazan. It is flanked to the west by Damreth. To the north and east of Nalêth are the plains of Âruk. The largest settlement of the desert is Mirkathân. This place gets its water from massive aqueducts coming down from Damreth and the deep wells beneath the city.