The western portion of the Sandreach, separated from the Luquihn Desert to the east by Belu Jenari and the surrounding volcanic badlands. The Mendari is generally considered the more hostile of the two great Sandreach deserts—less water, fewer landmarks, and longer stretches of featureless dunes.
Terrain
The Mendari transitions from rocky scrubland near the Hills of Gezzeri in the south to vast sand seas in the north. The central region is characterized by ergs—massive dune fields where individual dunes can reach heights of three hundred feet. These dunes migrate slowly westward, driven by prevailing winds off the Luquihn.
Unlike the Luquihn Desert, which has scattered oases and the settled presence of Dustforge, the Mendari has no permanent settlements. Water sources are rare and often seasonal—travelers must carry everything they need or know the location of hidden cisterns maintained by desert nomads.
The Volcanic Boundary
The badlands around Belu Jenari form the eastern edge of the Mendari. This transitional zone is a maze of lava fields, obsidian outcroppings, and thermal vents. The ground is treacherous—thin crusts of cooite rock can collapse into hidden voids, and pockets of volcanic gas accumulate in low areas. Few travelers cross directly through the badlands; most skirt north or south around the volcano's flanks.
Inhabitants
The Mendari is home to scattered bands of desert nomads who move between seasonal water sources and trade with the settlements at the desert's edges. These groups are insular and suspicious of outsiders but will sometimes guide travelers in exchange for goods they cannot produce themselves—metal tools, medicine, and news from the wider world.
The Gezzerin of the Hills of Gezzeri sometimes venture into the southern Mendari, but they rarely travel far from their cliff dwellings. The deep desert belongs to those who know its rhythms.