There are no cities in the Great Desert. It is inhabited by nomadic races and collections of humanoids.  Ruins of past attempts to colonize the desert with permanent structures can be found here and there throughout the desert.  The western end of the desert is controlled by the Skwahom tribes, one of the League of Five Nations. Other areas in the desert are less occupied and under less control.

Trading Routes Across the Great Desert

There are two major caravan routes used in the Great Desert. Lesser routes are know to special groups of people, but in general not traveled by the common traders of the area.  For those seeking passage on anything but the most common paths is inviting danger for many of the purported guides that may be available are really thieves who would loose innocent victims in the desert and pick their bodies clean of their valuables after the desert buzzards have done their work on their bones.

the North Passage takes traders across the desert along it's northern side, starting in Frederick and ending in Miami.

The Southern Shore route takes caravans along the southern edge of the continent starting in St. Mary's City and ending in New Market. Close to it's terminus in New Market, a branch turns north and connects this end with Miami as well.

known, but not confirmed is a desert route from Frederick to New Market, cutting directly across the heart of the Great Desert itself.

Other Trade Routes around the Great Desert

Beginning in Frederick, is a water route through the Thebian Sea that takes travelers north and then south-east to land in the great city of Richmond.

Another longer route, begins in the city of Jamestown, and travels along the southern Acirema coast to bring travelers ashore in New Market or on to the cities of the Ailiartsua continent.

Rate of Travel

Travel through the desert is at a normal rate as long as travelers stick to the known caravan routes. Moving off of these well marked and highly traveled routes, travelers move slower by half and may become lost if they do not have native guides from that region of the desert.

Dangers of the Desert

An obvious danger of the desert is the environment itself. Off of the main caravan routes, wells and magical sources of water are non-existent. Well maintained, the caravan routes ensure traveler survival by means of magical water sources as well as many planned watering sites. Travelers who move off into the desert itself should be prepared for such an expedition with all the equipment or magic necessary to survive such a harsh climate.

Dangers in the desert are complicated by enormous sand storms that blow the sands of the desert into new and highly unnavigable terrain that is never the same from month to month. Without guides who are familiar with a region of the desert, the unwary, inexperienced traveler will find getting lost in the desert an easy thing to do.