Al'Biq Desert

Like other deserts, the Al'Biq is known for its oppressive daytime heat and freezing nights, vast stretches of sand, and dry, piercing wind. Despite generally unfavorable conditions however, the Al’Biq desert is home to many nomadic and monstrous creatures, from scorpions to sandworms. Most of these animals feed on desert plants or the creatures (or people) they find out in the sands.

Magical Sandstorm

The Al'Biq Desert is home to a unique phenomena dubbed a "Magical Sandstorm". In addition to the normal effects of a sandstorm, these also exhibit very strong Magical Interference, leading to many logistical issues when it comes to trade and travel in the region.

• Effects
• Visibility is dropped to 30 feet in any direction
• Sandstorms in the Al'Biq cause magical interference, giving
• any spell cast a 50% fizzle chance (below 50 on d100 when cast) and
• any active enchantment a 50% disrupt chance (below 50 on d100 for every minute of exposure to the storm, disabling the enchantment for a minute on a failure).
• They can be traversed with the right preparations but an unexpected ambush could be deadly and prolonged exposure can cause exhaustion
• If appropriate desert clothing and face coverings are worn: 1 point of exhaustion for every 6 consecutive hours of exposure
• Without appropriate preparations: 1 point of exhaustion for every 30 consecutive minutes of exposure
• Sandstorms are uncommon in the southern parts of the desert but become more common the more northward you move. The occurrence chance is gradual, but can generally be represented by rolling a d100 for each hour of travel through open desert (during which a sandstorm isn't occurring):
• Bottom third of desert: sandstorm on a 25 or lower (no more than 3 hours of sandstorms occur daily)
• Middle third of desert: sandstorm on a 50 or lower (no more than 6 hours of sandstorms occur daily)
• Top third of desert: sandstorm on a 75 or lower (no more than 16 hours of sandstorms occur daily)
• If a sandstorm occurs:
• Roll a d6 to determine the number of hours
• Roll a perception check to see how soon the players realize before it hits