The Wastes

**The Wastes** is a massive, dangerous, and largely unknown living phenomenon, which occupies most of Gevaudan, the ocean, and beyond.

## Terrain

Its terrain is primarily made up of desert, although there are some thick marches and snowy mountains here and there. Expect sandstorms, marshes, and sinkholes—but be aware that climate can be very unstable and unpredictable when it wants to be.

## Notable Locations

### Sea of the Lost

The Sea of the Lost was a large stretch of shifting sand that surrounded the Citadel. The ever-moving landscape underwent constant change, its wave-like dunes revealing and burning the ruins of old, making it almost impossible to landmark. Due to the magnetic anomalies present in the area, compasses were rendered useless. It was plagued by sandstorms and dust devils, but occasionally one may find peace though a storm's eye. It was revealed that the sea was being caused by a Grail relic, with the express purpose of keeping the Citadel safe.

## Awakenings of the Wastes

After every couple of centuries, the Wastes becomes a thousand times more active and aggressive than before, resulting in an Awakening. This can happen due to any number or variety of reasons. These Awakenings are what spark each war with the Wastes.

## Massacre of Gevaudan's Wastes

The Wastes Massacre was the intentional and systematic extinction of many species of Waste creatures by the Grail military after the Second War of the Wastes.

### Preceding Events

For centuries, the Caravaners have been at war with the creatures of the Wastes. At one point several of the intelligent species, such as Shades and Karasu agreed to a non aggression pact with the Caravaners. This system worked well, despite occasional minor attacks, during the most peaceful times there was even a small amount of trade between them.

The rise of Selene and the subsequent "rebirth" of the Wastes caused the treaty to break down. After the "Warriors Strength", the Caravaner council declared the treaty void and Waste creatures were to be destroyed. During the battle for Agnorak, many tens of thousands of Waste creatures were killed, though this was a small number compared to the overall population at the time.

### The Massacre

After the recapture of Agnorak, the vessels not involved in the reconstruction were formed into hunter-killer groups that systematically exterminated hostile species though the Wastes. Karasu nesting sites were gassed and fire bombed, Shade cities were bombarded by sand ships until nothing was left but dust, Hellhounds were chased down by airships and machine gunned, and entire swamps were burnt, gassed and bombed to ensure nothing survived. Elite clean-up teams were deployed to old pre-fall ruins to clear out their inhabitants so researchers could recover any useful remnants of the lost civilization that survived the centuries of neglect.

Scholars and activists from outside Grail-El have declared these actions as "barbaric" and "unnecessary." The government has rarely responded to such complaints, but it's few responses typically involve stating that the nation and people of Grail-El has been in a state of war with many of the species for centuries and wishes to prevent that conflict from continuing by any means necessary. More hostile responses have essentially said that "what's done is done and no amount of complaining will change it." The actions remain controversial outside of Grail-El, but are approved of by the majority of the Caravaner population.

## Attitudes Toward the Wastes

While fact that some creatures can talk and are capable of intelligent thought has only been known by the people of Falcon's Reach since the Second War of the Wastes, in Rojya, humans and Kyuketsuki are able to peacefully live side-by-side. In Grail-El, the Grail have always had a special connection with Sand Worms, but a hatred for other species. Still, many of these countries predominantly harbor a disgust, fear, and/or hatred towards anything from the Wastes. Territorial disputes and animosities also exist between the creatures themselves. It is unheard of for any to be captured alive and tamed, an act considered taboo by almost all cultures. Unbeknownst to most, there are some rare exceptions, such as Vision Circus.

## Trivia

* The name was derived from *Howl's Moving Castle's* Witch of the Waste.