Where are the Dragons part three.

The eastern side of Jarbal still needs a lot of work but the frame is there and should be fairly easy to deal with.

Thai western side is actually the more interesting and mysterious. The southern most part is the land of the Boreans. The cold, ice and snow covered part gradually changing to the tundra region and then to a barren rocky region. Because Jarbal's mountains cut of the moisture bearing winds it is dry and at first seems to bear little life. The rivers that arise in the mountains do create avenues of life until they vanish into the rocks and sands of the western region. The name of this desert that stretches over much of the west? It would have various names according to the local region but the general over-all name is 'Desert of Sighs' from the winds that sweep and swirl through it. Some parts of the desert are Sahara-like and others more like the Mohave with many different plants of the cactus type or the Agave. Watch out for these plants, not all are what they first seem. Remember this is not Earth but Cameron, land of the strange and exotic.

Did one of those plants move, reach out a twisted arm as if to seize you? Maybe, maybe not. The desert can cause weird things to happen to your vision even here on Earth. Of course there is life here. Insects, reptiles, lizards and mammals. Keep an eye out for the Sand Monsters. Well some of the sand monsters may be a bit small but none the less dangerous. Others may be quite large, disguised as a sand dune or rock. The Desert of Sighs is no place for the unwary or naive. If you are not a native or spent many, many moons here seek a guide or you will not be just lost but dead.

Nomads roam this desert land. Settlements have sprung up in the foothills of the mountains near the rivers. The mountains are rich in ores and gems and mining camps would be built. Ancient ruins of unknown origin are found beneath the shifting sands. Strange rock formations jut up throughout the desert. Evergreen trees climb their way up towards the snow covered peaks. Some are giants and some twisted and stunted. Bovine animals of all types browse the alpine pastures on both sides of the mountains and of course were these animals go not far behind are the hunters, two legged, four legged, maybe even six legged. Raptors fly overhead.

The dominant race(s) in the western region are the Alfar (plural, Alfr (singular) this comes fro Old Norse. The nomadic Alfar of the desert have adapted to the arid, sun baked lands and can travel for long periods without water but not forever. The sylvan Alfar are pretty much your typical nature loving druidic game elf. We may discover other branches of the Alfar as we travel around Jarbal and Cameron in general.

Dwarfs, shall we have dwarfs as the miners of Jarbal. Delving into the depths of the mountains to rob them of their treasures? Why not? Ah, and my little rogue can sneak in here with her relatives. Not as a halfling or hobbit, those are trademarked names but something resembling them. They are primarily agriculturists living near the rivers but intermingling with the dwarfs. Supplying the dwarfs with food and trading the ores, gems, weapons, implements mined or made by the dwarfs. Perhaps themselves learning to create intricate tools and exotic jewelry with their small but dexterous hands. A happy little people who love life, are friendly by nature but quite able to pick your pocket when you turn your head away. We will see. What shall we call them? The word Saralfr pops into my head. Related to the Alfar at least distantly.

Skipping to the north near the coast of the Sea of Songs we have a lush jungle region. Here live the monkey folk. A humanoid race with prehensile tails. I believe that gives us seven races to start with. With the Alfar divided into at least two sub races.

We have one more to develop. This is my special one, not really unique, but causing me problems because it could so easily be uber.

These are the ones who live in the higher regions of the mountains. Miners, farmers, hunters but rather mysterious to the other inhabitants. Are they Alfar, they have some of the physical traits of the Alfar. Pointy ears but are more rugged looking. Some crossbreed of human and Alfar? We will call them the Sans-dragon for now. Legend has it that they either are descended from dragons or were responsible for killing off all the dragons. Hence the working title "Where are the Dragons"

The mountain range, Spine of Jarbal, dividing the continent into two parts. Pretty much uncrossable except in a few spots. I was thinking of two secret ways through tunnels in the mountains and several gaps high in the mountains with Sans-dragons nearby, available as guides and guards. You could sail up either coast but in the east are the pirates which make that route quite hazardous. To the west is the Ocean of Anguish whipped by frequent and vicious storms.

Enter now our merchants. "Gain is our name" "Unity for profit" It is from them we get a common language for Jarbal. The Trade Dialect. A common coin. Of course in real life there would be various units of coinage but this is a game and we want to keep things simple where possible. Let us call this coin The Jarb for the moment and build our economy around it. One Jarb, made from a unique ore of Jarbal, will suffice a person to live one day slightly above poverty level. Any economists around to help work out our economy? Barter is of course an important feature of life on Jarbal but the merchant association has developed a banking system.