The Land (AA)

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Zakhara can exist virtually anywhere that a fantasy "Arabia" might be. Its official location is the uncharted territory south of Faerun and southwest of Kara-Tur in the FORGOTTEN REALMS® campaign setting, enabling players to expand their adventures in the Realms.
To the north and west, Zakhara is bounded by the Great Sea, or Bahr Al-Kibar. Far to the east lies the Sea of Foreigners, or Bohr Al-Ajami. To the south of the Zakharan continent lie the myriad islands of the Crowded Sea, or Bahr Al-Izdiham.
The vast interior of Zakhara is mostly desert, a word which conjures images of great sandy wastes and towering dunes. While Zakhara does boast such deserts, only a portion fits that description. Zakharan wastelands include volcanic debris, salt flats, rocky uplands, ruddy cliffs, rugged mountains, and steppes that become a carpet of green in spring. All are deserts because they share one important trait: the annual rainfall is sparse.
Despite the lack of water, life in this arid realm is as abundant as it is wondrous. Here the creatures of the desert make their home, from the gentle gazelle to the fearsome and deadly ghul. Merchant caravans travel established routes between lush oases. Human and demihuman nomads also cross the desert, moving to follow the spring rains and finding water where others believe none to exist. Yet even for seasoned natives, there are places in Zakhara where none would go, where the heat, drought, and dangers are far too great. In such desolate corners, the genies dwell. Far from the prying eyes of men, these awesome creatures build their monuments to power and beauty—great citadels whose golden towers outshine even the glittering sands around them.
In many parts of Zakhara, only seasonal streams, or wadis, exist. In the south-central lands, however, a few rivers are strong enough to flow year-round, crossing the desert until they spill into the sea. Along their wide, muddy banks grew the ancient empires of Nog and Kadar, the first great civilizations in the Land of Fate. These tyrannies fell long ago, and most of their knowledge has been forgotten. Only their crumbling temples and underground warrens remain, like ghosts bearing witness to the past. Some are still guarded by magical wardens.
As noted above, the waters of the Crowded Sea border Zakhara's southern shores. The sea takes its name not only from the many isles in its midst, but also from the continual traffic of boats, peoples, and creatures. The busy trade routes in the Crowded Sea bind the southern ports and islands together, making them one with the rest of Zakhara.
Not all those who inhabit the Crowded Sea are friendly, however, nor have all the islands in her capricious currents been charted. These turquoise waters are filled with wonders that even Sinbad himself could not have imagined. Many a mariner has made his reputation here. Even more have lost their lives. According to legend, the islands of the Crowded Sea were once the seats of gods. If the gods were here, they certainly have fled. In their wake they have left great treasures, sunken cities, and strange races who dwell beneath the waves.