Burning Sands
From L5r: Legend of the Five Rings
The Burning Sands, also known as the Yakeru yoni Atsui, is the area to the North and West of Rokugan. The Unicorn Clan originally set out to explore this region. It is a merciless and lethal place, unlike anything in Rokugan. It is said to have been once a lush land, until it was cursed by Shilah, Lady Sun, during the Day of Wrath. To that cataclismic event, only the Nahr'umar river survived.
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[edit] Societies
Groups of interest within the Burning Sands include the Senpet, Yodotai, Khadi, and Qolat.
[edit] Medinat al-Salaam
The largest city in the Burning Sands is Medinat al-Salaam, the City of Peace. It is controlled by an extremely powerful Caliph, who possesses great magical powers and near-immortality. Her will is enforced by the Khadi, heartless sorcerers. Medinat al-Salaam is a centre of intrigue and warfare.
[edit] The Qolat
The Qolat in particular are very powerful in the Burning Sands, mostly through the merchant Houses of Dahab.
[edit] The Qabal
A secret society of sorcerers, the Qabal, opposes the Caliph and tries to lift sanctions imposed on the practice of magic.
[edit] The Senpet
The Senpet are a powerful and rigidly organised empire, with strong trade and political links with Medinat al-Salaam. The Senpet army is remarkably well-trained. Another such powerful empire, and a newcomer to the region, is the Yodotai empire.
[edit] The Moto
A Moto Clan, whose ancestors are a group similar to the original Unicorn Clan Moto family known as the Ujik-hai, also roams the Burning Sands. Recent contact between the two Moto groups following the release of Lady Shinjo from her imprisonment led to the Moto taking leadership of the Unicorn Clan.
[edit] Other
Religious groups and secret societies are also very active and independent, ranging from the necromantic Jackal cult to the Ebon Hand sect, to the elusive Assassins. Nomads other than the Moto include the Ra'Shari gypsies.
[edit] Rokugani
On occasion Rokugani have entered the Burning Sands. The first time was when the Ki-Rin set out to explore the lands around Rokugan. For almost eight hundred years they were gone, returning later as the Unicorn Clan. In more recent times the Scorpion Clan were banished here by the Emerald Champion Kakita Toshimoko when it was believed that they had kidnapped Emperor Toturi I. Even though the exile was short-lived, many Scorpion lost their lives.
[edit] Major References
- Legend of the Five Rings; Third Edition Page 307
