Ixorath
Explore the southeastern desert expanse of Ixorath, a barren realm of isolation, curses, and hidden secrets on the planet Seldorak.
Introduction and History
Ixorath, the vast southeastern desert continent of Seldorak, stretches across nearly 10 million square kilometers of shifting sand dunes, scattered oases, and crumbling forbidden ruins that whisper ancient curses. Its arid climate features blistering days and freezing nights, with rare sandstorms unveiling or burying lost relics. Unique formations include mirage oases that deceive travelers and cursed monoliths pulsing with dark energies. Flora and fauna have evolved for survival: venomous sand vipers with curse-warding scales and isolation cacti storing water laced with hallucinogenic spices. These harsh traits forge a land of exile and mystery, where societies cling to survival amid veiled perils.
Ixorath's origins trace to the Expansion Era around 5,000 years ago, when orc and human exiles from Draxilon's schisms migrated south, seeking refuge in its unforgiving wastes. Drawn by legends of "cursed treasures" in buried ruins, they formed nomadic sultanates, blending with halfling traders who navigated the dunes. The Thousand-Year Exile Wars (3,000–2,000 years ago) pitted clans against invading horrors from unearthed tombs, culminating in the Curse Accord that established warding traditions. This era of isolationist endurance shaped Ixorath as a haven for the banished, its ruins guarding forbidden lore that influences planetary prophecies.
Culturally, Ixorath merges orc resilience with halfling cunning, creating societies of exiled guardians where curse-warding rituals and nomadic trades prevail. Hierarchies center on sultanates and oasis barons, with festivals like the Dune Veil honoring survival through spiced feasts and lore recitals. Multicultural exile bonds foster wary unity. Economically, the continent yields desert salts for preservation, curse-warding amulets for protection, camel caravans, isolation spices for luxuries, oasis dates, transcribed forbidden texts, coastal seafood, and sand-sculpted barriers, making Ixorath a source of esoteric goods. This isolation breeds rivalries over curses with arcane realms like Faelrix but enables aid in global crises like the Curse Unveiling.
In contemporary Seldorak, Ixorath remains a shrouded enigma, its exiles guarding secrets that could unravel or fortify the world's fate amid awakening perils.
Countries
- Desertveil: Central sultanate; outputs: desert salt mining, curse-warding amulets.
- Oasisbar: Northern barony; outputs: camel herding, isolation spices.
- Ruinhold: Eastern principality; outputs: oasis date agriculture, forbidden lore.
- Exilewaste: Southern frontier; outputs: coastal fishing, sand-sculpting.
Notable Personalities
Ixorath's cursed sands are marked by resilient exiles who defied its isolation. These figures, often orc sultans or halfling traders, have etched their legacies through warding and survival.
- Sultan Kharim Desertveil: Orc founder of the Curse Accord, Kharim warded clans during the Exile Wars with amulets, establishing sultanates. His mining of salts preserved lore in Desertveil, revered as the "Veil of Sands" in warding rites.
- Baroness Lira Oasiswhisper: Halfling baroness in Oasisbar, Lira cultivated isolation spices amid curses, herding camels for trades that sustained exiles. Her northern pacts forged survival networks, inspiring nomadic lore across dunes.
- Prince Thorne Ruinbound: Human-orc prince of Ruinhold, Thorne transcribed forbidden lore from ruins, unearthing oasis secrets. His eastern archives guard prophecies, fueling global intrigues amid Ixorath's veiled mysteries.
- Guardian Vex Exilewind: Orc-halfling guardian in Exilewaste, Vex sculpted sand barriers against storms, fishing coasts for sustenance. Her southern wards protected refugees, her legacy enduring in exile tales of resilience.