Are there any NATURAL deserts in Faerun? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Are there any NATURAL deserts in Faerun? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Razz
09-12-07, 11:09 PM I've noticed all the deserts in Faerun were caused by magical destruction: Anauroch, Calimshan, Raurin, Plains of Purple Dust...is there any place in Faerun where there's a naturally occurring desert? The only natural ones are the Quoya in Kara-Tur, obviously most of Zhakara, and a few in Maztica, too.
MarkusTay63
09-12-07, 11:58 PM No.

Even the Quoya, I found out, was created by 'magic gone wrong'.

AFAIK, the deserts in Zakhara and Maztica are naturally occurring though, but those are different continents.
The Ubbergeek
09-13-07, 01:31 AM Well, the climate of Toril changed over the ages... It used in the Sarrukh's era to be quite hotter. Maybe there is a clear 'humid and cold' geological period now?
Green Elven Vampire
09-18-07, 12:20 AM Not all deserts need be made of sand and rock with blistering heat.

You can have a frozen wasteland of tundra and ice which is just as much of a desert as any scorching sand pit.
LGMoses
09-18-07, 01:05 AM lol, even the geography is created by superpowerful character.
Suin Bahhar
09-18-07, 11:03 AM Natural deserts form in areas on a planet where rising & waterdepleted air from the equator descents. On earth these are around 20-30 altitude(Sahara, Gobi deserts). Fearun must have had very active druid circles working actively against desertification in the past, as the majority of the deserts are on different altitudes and caused by cataclysms. Maybe the bigger area of ocean compared to land on these altitudes on Fearun made sure the descending dry air still has a significant waterload reducing the dryblasted regions on the planet of Aber-Toril.

I'm not really sure but the equator crosses Zahkara and Maztica on Aber-Toril. This would lead to the northern reaches of Zhakara and the southern reaches of Fearun as the natural areas for deserts.

The whole planet also seems much bigger, resulting in a larger airmass to be heated and maybe a broader area where these rising airpockets cause (sub)tropical areas with lots of rainfall. The Sarruhk used climate control magic extensively and this could also have reduced the areas of desertification.
Dark Wizard
09-18-07, 07:47 PM Possibly some of the formerly habitable places might have been kept arable by massive civil magic works. Once the empires that sustained such infrastructure disappeared, so too did the magics that kept the desert at bay. I know this was the case in Narfell and Raumathar. Even Thay is under the effect of such wide terrain enhancements.
Razz
09-20-07, 04:50 PM No.

Even the Quoya, I found out, was created by 'magic gone wrong'.

AFAIK, the deserts in Zakhara and Maztica are naturally occurring though, but those are different continents.

Cool, your Realmslore-fu is unbelievable. Where can I get more information on the Quoya desert's past?

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Razz 09-12-07, 11:09 PM	I've noticed all the deserts in Faerun were caused by magical destruction: Anauroch, Calimshan, Raurin, Plains of Purple Dust...is there any place in Faerun where there's a naturally occurring desert? The only natural ones are the Quoya in Kara-Tur, obviously most of Zhakara, and a few in Maztica, too.
MarkusTay63 09-12-07, 11:58 PM	No. Even the Quoya, I found out, was created by 'magic gone wrong'. AFAIK, the deserts in Zakhara and Maztica are naturally occurring though, but those are different continents.
The Ubbergeek 09-13-07, 01:31 AM	Well, the climate of Toril changed over the ages... It used in the Sarrukh's era to be quite hotter. Maybe there is a clear 'humid and cold' geological period now?
Green Elven Vampire 09-18-07, 12:20 AM	Not all deserts need be made of sand and rock with blistering heat. You can have a frozen wasteland of tundra and ice which is just as much of a desert as any scorching sand pit.
LGMoses 09-18-07, 01:05 AM	lol, even the geography is created by superpowerful character.
Suin Bahhar 09-18-07, 11:03 AM	Natural deserts form in areas on a planet where rising & waterdepleted air from the equator descents. On earth these are around 20-30 altitude(Sahara, Gobi deserts). Fearun must have had very active druid circles working actively against desertification in the past, as the majority of the deserts are on different altitudes and caused by cataclysms. Maybe the bigger area of ocean compared to land on these altitudes on Fearun made sure the descending dry air still has a significant waterload reducing the dryblasted regions on the planet of Aber-Toril. I'm not really sure but the equator crosses Zahkara and Maztica on Aber-Toril. This would lead to the northern reaches of Zhakara and the southern reaches of Fearun as the natural areas for deserts. The whole planet also seems much bigger, resulting in a larger airmass to be heated and maybe a broader area where these rising airpockets cause (sub)tropical areas with lots of rainfall. The Sarruhk used climate control magic extensively and this could also have reduced the areas of desertification.
Dark Wizard 09-18-07, 07:47 PM	Possibly some of the formerly habitable places might have been kept arable by massive civil magic works. Once the empires that sustained such infrastructure disappeared, so too did the magics that kept the desert at bay. I know this was the case in Narfell and Raumathar. Even Thay is under the effect of such wide terrain enhancements.
Razz 09-20-07, 04:50 PM	No. Even the Quoya, I found out, was created by 'magic gone wrong'. AFAIK, the deserts in Zakhara and Maztica are naturally occurring though, but those are different continents. Cool, your Realmslore-fu is unbelievable. Where can I get more information on the Quoya desert's past?