Nexat

## Overview

one of the six Territories of the continent, and the one under the laws of the dragon Ruler Santanar. it's one of the biggest of the territories and the hottest and dryest.

## Geography

being on one edge of the continent, Nexat is one of the biggest territories.

it's mainly composed of arid plains and savannas, inhabited by large herds of herbivores, such as the Archtigodons (hexapedal reptiles, their body is covered in armored plates with large spikes, their tail end with a club covered in the same spikes) and the Nezotheriums (quadrupedal mammals, their big and strong arms support a long neck and a large head to eat leaves from the few trees). But herbivores bring predators, and travelers must beware of Anhydraptors packs (small and swift hunters, their four legs have big claws to kill the prey, their head and limbs have small colorful feathers) that could come out of the herbs. Despite being very arid, some rivers cross those plains, and a lot of animals come here to avoid dehydration. Unfortunately, the rivers are the home of some terrible undefined predator, so hydrating isn't the easiest.

Some zones of those plains are pierced by huge rock formations, erupting from the ground. These rocks not only are home to flocks of flyers, but they also begin the shift from the savannas to the rocky deserts... The most far you go, the less herbs there is and the more rocks compose the ground... Stone cliffs slowly replace the plants, leading to gigantic Canyons (where the rivers have eroded the ground) and underground caverns (sometimes submerged by the rivers)... Even if plants are rarer, it's not a reason for the fauna to be rarer: the caves and the homes of giant scorpions (with some extra spikes), and their cousins the unsettling arachnids (extremely long legs, two "arms" covered in spikes to grab, jumps, create webs... Amblypygi for those who knows, because spiders aren't terrifying enough), while the rivers are infested by eels and giant leeches, and the surface is home to the Umas (carnivores with a soft body covered in rocky armor plates, their head is nothing more than articulated jaws, they are surprisingly pretty docile) and the terrible Tahkah'Motari (gigantic reptile, body covered in defensive scales, slow but specialized in ambush, helped by the venomous stinger at the end of their tail), apex predator of Nexat

One zone of Nexat is covered in mysteries : An incredibly large and nearly circular area is nothing more than sand, sand and only sand, as far as you see it's only dunes. surrounded by extremely high cliffs, these Sands are said by the legends to hide mysterious ancient ruins, . But no one ever searched for them, because the legends mentions a species of sand-burying gliding scorpion like dragons living in those ruins, devouring any animal they see. No one ever seen one, and the only traces of their existence could have been done by other animals. do they really exist ? what kind of secrets the Sands are hiding ?

## Civilizations

### **Major civilization: the Lizard Men**

#### overview:

dwelling the caves to protect from the sun, the Lizard Men are the main Civilization of Nexat. Despite having a culture, an organization and everything a civilization needs, other races tends to consider them as savages, because the whole organization and culture of the Lizard Men is centered on strength and combat. Why, you may ask ? Let me explain: when the sun force you to live in caves where giant scorpions live, that the water is home to giant predators, the caves are home to predators, the surface is home to predators, and nearly everything want you dead, you don't really have time to be sophisticated because you are too busy helping your children not being eaten. So over time, Lizard Men oriented their government and their education to combat and surviving to avoid, you know, extinction. The stronger ones rule, because it means that they know more about surviving, and so are the most able to lead the folks to surviving too. That means everyone can defy the current chief into a duel for the throne, and the winner govern, whoever he is. this rule also apply for any everyday life situation, and small fights are something often seen in Lizard Men camps.

Of course this leads to a majority of Males leading, but strength is only partially macho so sometimes women rule or decide.

Arts and other "time and energy loss" aren't well developed in the Lizard Men civilization, but their fighting abilities makes them some of the best soldiers of the continent, and many other races engage them as military trainers or even Army Generals.

### **Minor civilizations:**

#### **the Angoras**

Snakefolk, they come from the frontier with the Sands. Travelers and good merchants, they are scattered across the continent to exchange rare resources, but they will always come back to their natal deserts to mate and die. Some of them have sand or wind magic, but it's rare and never really powerful.

## Ruler Dragon: Santanar, the Sandsnake

Soaring the skies, the ruler of Nexat is constantly flying over his lands to survey them, his multiple wings supporting his rattlesnake body in the wind. His scales the color of sand are paved with lozenge and angular darker patterns, that extends to the wings and legs. He have seven pairs of wings and legs, scattered over his long body. The wings are very long and very thin, while the legs are closer to the ones of a bird of prey. All over his body are really thin spikes, following the patterns of the scales, extending onto the wings, and changing the inoffensive rattle of the tail into a deadly whip of spikes.

His magic bends the wind, creating breezes or tornadoes depending of his mood. When hurt, no bleed come out of the injury, but only dry sand. He fly so fast that it create a wind gust that can fly you over. Some ancient texts say that he once turned into an entire sandstorm, but no one can really confirm that.

Despite being the protector of Nexat, Santanar is the source of the crushing heat drying the lands, because of his slightly sadistic nature: he consider that a hostile environment is better for training your creations to be stronger and better to survive, so he specifically made Nexat a hell to live... Yeah he's probably not the best to have as a god, but he's still nice and when things get really difficult he always do what he needs to protect his creations.