Xlotic

• What it is: The northern region of Miasina and the birthplace of the Ikosian Empire — now a vast desert dotted with successor states and ancient ruins.

Overview

Atmosphere

Xlotic is a land of blinding white sand, crumbling ziggurats, and a sky so blue it hurts. In the coastal cities, life carries on in the shadow of the empire that was born here — the dialects of old Ikosian still flavor the local speech, the mage academies still teach from ancient curricula, and the blue-tattooed Iljatir families still mark their children's faces with their lineage. But inland, past the last oasis, the desert takes over completely.

The deep desert is a place where the sun kills the careless and the sand hides things that predate human civilization. Without constant high-tier Ward protection and cooling spells, mages will succumb to the lethal temperatures. The locals know to stay out of the interior.

History

Founded approximately 1,500 years before the Cataclysm, the Ikosian Empire began here on the coast of Miasina. Xlotic remained part of the Empire for its entire existence. The Cataclysm — a rapid, magical desertification — shattered the imperial heartland and triggered the Great Migration to Altazia.

Today, various successor states have taken the Empire's place. While a smattering of common Ikosian is still spoken (in unfamiliar dialects), inhabitants tend to use their own historical languages.

Key Features

• Well-connected to the rest of the world via teleport networks
• Has many prestigious mage academies
• Due to the desert, Xlotic nations see more potential in airships than Altazian nations
• Kontemar — A larger coastal state and origin of the Iljatir family (known for blue tattoo-like markings on cheeks and foreheads)

The Deep Desert

The deep desert has no major human settlements. The heat is lethal, the terrain is featureless, and navigation is almost impossible without magical aid.

Environmental Hazards

• Lethal temperatures requiring constant magical cooling

• Sandstorms that can strip ward protections

• Near-zero visibility at night

• 02 The Imperial Artifacts