The Blade Desert is a large desert in southeastern Khorvaire. It covers parts of the Talenta Plains and Valenar.[1][2][3] It is bordered by the Mournland in the west and the northwestern slopes of the Endworld Mountains and the Ironroot Mountains in the east.[4]
Geography[]
The Blade Desert is a primarily sandy desert.[1] In recent years, it has been expanding northward, as changing rainfall patterns are causing the Talenta Plains to undergo desertification.[1][5]
The Blade Desert is well-known for having supernatural as well as mundane hazards. Parts of the desert are manifest zones touched by the planes of Fernia and Shavarath. Flaywinds whip across the desert, and the ghosts of Dhakaani goblinoids and others who died passing through the desert are thought to linger.[6]
History[]
Over 10,000 years ago, the Blade Desert was inhabited by lizardfolk, but the rise of the Dhakaani Empire forced them into Q'barra instead.[7] Later on, during the time of the Dhakaani Empire, the Valenar elves landed on Khorvaire and fought over the Blade Desert, but were repulsed and forced to return to Aerenal.[3][8] Ruins and battlefields from the struggles can still be found in the desert.[3]
During the time of Galifar, the Blade Desert was considered part of Cyre.[8] But with the Valenar occupation, Cyre's destruction on the Day of Mourning, and the recognition of the Talenta Plains at the Treaty of Thronehold, the desert is now considered part of Valenar and the Talenta Plains.[1][3]
Inhabitants[]
Camps of harssafs ("Flameborn" to the Talentan halflings)—vaguely reptilian monstrous humanoids able to blend in with their desert surroundings and with the ability to turn into sand—dwell in the heart of the Talenta Plains and worship the power of the desert. The Talentan tribes and the small harssaf tribes have a tenuous truce.[9]
Bluespawn ambushers, burrowing spawn of Tiamat that prey on creatures they can shock and tackle, dwell in the Blade Desert.[10] Blue dragons will also occasionally abandon a bluespawn godslayer in the Blade Desert.[11]
Loquasphinx, a variety of sphinx skilled in Truespeech, dwell in the Blade Desert. Halflings know of them and avoid them, though one tribe is known to have formed an alliance with an individual loquasphinx.[12]
Notable Locations[]
A map of Valenar showing the southern portion of the Blade Desert.
Rumors & Legends[]
Oases within Lamannian manifest zones may exist in the desert, while there are tales of desert travelers venturing into the plane of Shavarath.[6]
Appendix[]
Further Reading[]
- Keith Baker (April 2008). “Expeditionary Dispatches: Crossing Valenar” (HTML). Dragon #362 (Wizards of the Coast). Archived from the original on 2010-01-07.
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Keith Baker, Bill Slavicsek, & James Wyatt (2004). Eberron Campaign Setting. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 202. ISBN 0-7869-3274-0.
- ↑ James Wyatt, Keith Baker, Luke Johnson, Steven Brown (2006). Player's Guide to Eberron. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 141. ISBN 0-7869-3912-5.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Keith Baker, Jeremy Crawford, & James Wyatt (2019). Eberron: Rising from the Last War. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 129. ISBN 0786966890.
- ↑ James Wyatt, Keith Baker, Luke Johnson, Steven Brown (2006). Player's Guide to Eberron. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 74. ISBN 0-7869-3912-5.
- ↑ James Wyatt and Keith Baker (2009). Eberron Campaign Guide. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 159. ISBN 0-7869-5099-4.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Keith Baker (April 2008). “Expeditionary Dispatches: Crossing Valenar” (HTML). Dragon #362 (Wizards of the Coast). Archived from the original on 2010-01-07.
- ↑ James Wyatt and Keith Baker (2009). Eberron Campaign Guide. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 150. ISBN 0-7869-5099-4.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 James Wyatt, Keith Baker, Luke Johnson, Steven Brown (2006). Player's Guide to Eberron. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 140. ISBN 0-7869-3912-5.
- ↑ Andrew Finch, Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel, Chris Perkins (August 2004). Monster Manual III. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 83. ISBN 0-7869-3430-1.
- ↑ (July 2006). Monster Manual IV. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 137. ISBN 0-7869-3920-6.
- ↑ (July 2006). Monster Manual IV. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 141. ISBN 0-7869-3920-6.
- ↑ Matthew Sernett, Dave Noonan, Ari Marmell, and Robert J. Schwalb (2006). Tome of Magic. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 269. ISBN 0-7869-3909-1.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 James Wyatt and Keith Baker (2009). Eberron Campaign Guide. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 160. ISBN 0-7869-5099-4.