Desierto

## Basic Introduction and Geography

Desierto is a country in the central point of the Ishgar peninsula of Earthland, sharing borders with Joya to the north, Minstrel to the west, and Bellum to the east with Sin found across a strait to the southeast. The land itself is primarily desert sands with heat so harsh that skin left unprotected from the sun will burn within minutes.

The people of Desierto are primarily wanderers, warrior tribes that move from place to place following patterns of war and the changing of the seasons to allow for hunting and the sparse rains that lead to the emergence of oasis springs that allow for the continuation of life in this brutal and inhospitable environment.

With the heat and land as factors, most magics held by the people of Desierto are limited to those based on heat (i.e. Fire Magic), several kinds of earth magics and their variants (i.e. Sand Magic, Metal-Make Magics), and a sparse amount of water magics found near the shorelines.

## Alta

Alta is a city that sprawls along the mountains of Desierto. Beneath the city are vast

lacrima mines that produce this resource in the largest quantities (of white and red varieties) anywhere in Ishgar. If it wasn't for the constant war between the tribal people of the desert sands, the resource would allow for the country to be far more prosperous than it currently is.

## Resources

### LACRIMA

As stated before, Desierto is the primary source of white and red variations of lacrima crystals for most of Ishgar. While this is the most common *export* of the country, Desierto also has other resources that are characterized by what the tribal peoples there are capable of obtaining and/or producing.

### GLASS

Glass is a common resource in Desierto due to the obvious reason of there being so much sand. In some areas along the coast, a combination of the salinity of the water and the heat of the sun bakes away impurities in the sand, creating sand that is so pure white that, when melted down and turned into glass, the product is so clear that, in some lighting, there is almost no visible imperfections. This glass is used for all manner of purposes by the people including beading, glassware, and some small crafts such as statuettes.

### FISHING

Fishing is also a highly beneficial industry for the Tribes of the Sea Territories, where most of the water mage population of Desierto live. The fish produced from the waters bear thick hides and large plated scales that are difficult to get through, but, when they are overcome, the meat is lean and tender, being used as the primary food source for the people there. The hides and scales are used for armor and saddles for the shifter mounts that most Inner Tribes make use of.

## Customs

### EVERYDAY

Everyday life for a Desiertan is typically the same no matter which tribe they are a part of. As the tribes are consistently at war with one another, everyday life tends to begin with cleaning and sharpening of weapons and armor, preparations for any imminent attacks or skirmishes. In the evenings, wounded are taken care of and the dead are buried beneath the sands before tribes will begin evening celebrations of life and victory that are larger with the larger victories or losses of lives.

Young Desiertans begin their education on battle from the age of five years old, being taught history through elders and war tactics through those that are left in the encampments to help guard the youths, injured, pregnant, and elderly.

### CEREMONIES

Coming of Age

At sixteen, Desiertans gain their rights to their weapon of choice via fighting a more skilled opponent. Win or loss, it is solely through the skill they show that determines whether the young man or woman is ready to prove themselves on the battle field. When the Chieftain or a General decides they have reached acceptable standards, the new warrior will receive their weapon with only two adornment beads crafted by elders within the tribe. Each battle later won earns the warrior more beads, the highest ranked warriors bearing them even in their hair, but never as jewelry or on their clothes when entering battle. The only one who may wear beads anywhere but on their weapons and hair outside of celebrations are Chieftains and Generals.

Marriage

Marriage in Desierto consists of a lavish celebration that lasts from midnight until the early hours of the morning the following day. At midnight, the couple is taken to separate ends of the camp and will set about their own separate tasks. During wedding celebrations, it is always understood by warring tribes that a cease-fire is in effect to allow for the couple to enjoy their communion with the Gods and one another before battle may resume.

As same-sex marriage is not allowed within the tribes, the groom must arrange a fight with the bride's father, or the strongest man within the bride's family for the rights to her hand. If the groom loses, the bride may call a "Vote to Rights" after this fight that takes place just after dawn, allowing the groom to plead his case with the men of the bride's family and a vote will be held that will determine if the family will allow the marriage to go on. If the vote is denied, the couple may continue to live with one another and have children together, but they will not be allowed to marry by the tribal customs.

The bride, on the other hand, will choreograph a dance carefully and, should the fight or Vote pass, will wait until nightfall once again when a fire will be lit in the center of the encampment and all present, save for a handful of guards, will gather to watch as the bride dances for her groom. Following this dance, the two will exchange vows with one another, no officiant needed. With the vows, the couple will end with their hair being adorned with beaded headpieces a bride will have made from the time she came of age.

After these ceremonies, the couple will officially be married and a true celebration will begin with music, dance, and food prepared by the women of both families as a symbol of unity and the two families joining.