The Chrysopoeia

"To call the Chrysopoeia a desert is a misstep. It is not an absence of life, nor an expanse of untamed wilderness. It is what remains when industry outpaces restraint—when the alchemists of the Quad Sister Cities turned ambition into runoff and left the land to drink its own poison." — Excerpt from On the Edge of Empire: A Survey of the Chrysopoeia by Imperial Cartographer Ravael Idrun
    The Silver Desert The Chrysopoeia is a vast, contaminated wasteland, its dunes shifting not by the slow march of time, but by the winds that scatter metallic particulates across the landscape. The sands have taken on a distinct silver sheen, a byproduct of mercury runoff and alchemical waste, rendering them both valuable and deadly. Long-term exposure causes neurological damage, erratic behavior, and eventual death, though scavengers—wrapped in layers of cloth and soaked in makeshift detoxifying solutions—still dare to sift through the dust in search of something worth selling.   Beneath the rolling dunes, the land is unstable, pockmarked by chemical fissures where the earth occasionally exhales, sending up plumes of caustic vapor that blister the skin and cloud the mind. The deeper one ventures, the more erratic the terrain becomes—sinkholes collapse without warning, swallowing travelers whole, while unseen pockets of heavy metals leach into the air, leaving behind the sweet, metallic tang of slow poisoning.
    “Walk long enough, and the taste never leaves your mouth. You start spitting silver.” — Unattributed saying, common among salvagers in West Jabip
    The Dead Zones There are places in the Chrysopoeia where even decay refuses to take hold. These regions, known as Dead Zones, are chemically scorched beyond recognition, their soil hardened into cracked, sterile slabs of blackened residue. No microbes thrive here. No scavengers pick at the remains. Anything that dies in a Dead Zone stays as it was, untouched by time, the air too toxic for rot to take root.
  "A man lies in the dead sand, his face the color of old parchment. He has been there for years. His boots are cracked. His mouth is open. He has not changed." — Excerpt from the salvaged journal of an unknown traveler, recovered near East Jabrew
  Some believe these zones are a byproduct of unchecked industrial experiments, alchemical compounds poured into the earth until it ceased to function as soil. Others insist that no industry, no matter how reckless, could do this alone. The Imperial Academy, as expected, refuses to engage with such speculation, dismissing it as superstition born from ignorance and fear.
  Landmarks & Navigational Hazards The winds that sweep across the Chrysopoeia have sculpted the terrain into jagged monuments of weathered stone, the only fixed points in an otherwise shifting landscape. These formations serve as landmarks for traders, scavengers, and outcasts, though few agree on their true names.
  The Hollow Pillars – A cluster of hollowed-out stone spires, their interiors whistling when the wind passes through them. The sound, shrill and warbling, has been known to drive travelers into a state of paranoid hysteria. Some claim the tone changes depending on who is listening.
  The Wailing Arch – A natural arch formation, its surface etched with strange chemical striations that shimmer under the moonlight. During sandstorms, it emits a low, keening sound, leading to rumors that it is a grieving remnant of something long buried beneath the dunes.
  "You can follow the pillars, but never camp near them. The sound gets inside your skull." — Scavenger’s warning, recorded in a West Jabip trade hall   Oases: False Salvation There are pockets of water in the Chrysopoeia, but none are innocent pools of desert respite. Some have remained untouched by the poisons of the land, their sources buried deep beneath layers of untainted rock. Others are veiled death traps, their waters laced with lead, arsenic, and alchemical residue that take effect not immediately, but slowly and inexorably, weeks after consumption.   The largest known oasis—its exact location disputed, obscured by rumor and intentional misdirection—is believed to be the hideout of Nazir Al-Hazine, the desert’s sole long-term inhabitant. Nazir does not share its location freely, nor does he entertain speculation about why it remains unpolluted while the rest of the land drowns in poison. Some believe he has found an underground filtration system, a final relic of the region before its collapse. Others whisper that the answer is something best left unknown.
  "You think I drink just any water? I watch the scavengers gulp it down. I watch them nod, smile, say it tastes clean. I see them again in a month. They don’t recognize me. Or anyone. Then they don’t come back at all." — Nazir Al-Hazine, in a rare moment of clarity

Official Statement from the Imperial Academy of Natural Sciences Office of Environmental Studies – Bureau of Industrial Impact & Remediation   Subject: Preliminary Report on the Ecological Viability of the Chrysopoeia Issued: By Order of the Imperial Academy, Under Direct Authority of the Chancellor’s Scientific Council Status: Restricted Circulation – Incomplete Findings   Statement of Research Limitations Due to the inherent risks associated with fieldwork in the Chrysopoeia, the Academy has determined that extended biological study is neither advisable nor logistically feasible at this time. Researchers deployed to survey the region have reported high incidence of respiratory distress, neurological impairment, and dermal corrosion, with prolonged exposure leading to acute toxic effects that compromise data integrity and personnel safety.   As such, the findings below are compiled from peripheral observation, trade analysis, and brief expeditionary efforts conducted under strict safety protocols. The Academy acknowledges the incompleteness of this report and advises that further study should be approached with extreme caution, if at all.   "There is no ethical way to study the Chrysopoeia beyond its borders. To send a scholar deep into the dunes would be to knowingly forfeit their faculties, if not their life." — Dr. Fenros Alvaris, Senior Ecologist, Academy Ethics Review Panel   Preliminary Ecological Report I. Classification & Biome Overview The Chrysopoeia is a hyper-arid, chemically compromised wasteland exhibiting characteristics of severe ecological collapse. It does not conform to standard desert classifications due to the presence of persistent industrial pollutants, heavy metal contamination, and irregular biochemical degradation cycles.   The region is ecologically unstable, with little evidence of sustained food webs or self-regulating biological systems. Life exists in fractured, isolated conditions, with organisms adapted to hyper-specific survival niches that remain poorly understood.   II. Vegetation & Soil Conditions While the majority of the Chrysopoeia is barren, some vegetation has persisted, primarily in peripheral zones and along mineralized formations where alchemical runoff is less concentrated. The most commonly documented species include:   Saltbush & Amaranthus spp. – Noted for bioaccumulation of toxic metals, rendering them inedible to most herbivores. Desert Sage & Thornbrush – Exhibiting stunted growth and altered metabolic rates, likely a consequence of prolonged exposure to contaminated groundwater sources. Microbial Root Associations – Evidence suggests that some plant species have developed symbiotic relationships with extremophilic bacteria, allowing them to persist despite the absence of viable topsoil. "Collected samples indicate that plant life in the Chrysopoeia does not merely tolerate contamination—it integrates it. We do not yet understand the full implications of this." — Academy Soil Toxicology Report, Cycle VII   III. Microbial Activity & Decomposition Anomalies Traditional decomposition processes in the Chrysopoeia appear chemically disrupted. Observations indicate:   Selective Decay: Organic material in certain zones remains preserved for extended periods, while in others, decomposition is hyper-accelerated, reducing corpses and plant matter to metallic sludge within days. Metal-Reducing Bacteria: Isolated cultures suggest that extremophilic microbes are actively breaking down heavy metal deposits, a phenomenon that may contribute to unpredictable shifts in soil toxicity over time. Fungal Adaptations: Rare specimens of pollution-tolerant fungi have been observed near oases, though collected samples degraded rapidly upon removal from their original environment, making further study difficult. "The ecosystem of the Chrysopoeia does not decay. It either endures or dissolves." — Dr. Luthan Meros, Imperial Academy, Biochemical Studies Division   IV. Hydrology & Oasis Viability The region’s few water sources are both vital and highly suspect. While oases exist, their stability remains unverified, and consumption of untested water is strongly discouraged. Findings include:   Extreme Variability in Toxicity – Some oases test lethally contaminated, while others exhibit low enough toxicity levels to support small populations of flora and fauna. Seasonal Fluctuations – Water contamination levels shift unpredictably, potentially due to subterranean leaching of alchemical waste deposits. Localized Bioremediation Hypothesis – Certain sites appear to have self-filtering microbial ecosystems, though data is inconclusive due to sample instability. The only known long-term inhabitant of the Chrysopoeia, Nazir Al-Hazine, claims to have access to an unpolluted water source, though no official verification has been made. The Academy considers such claims irrelevant until substantiated with empirical evidence.   "We asked Nazir where he found clean water. He asked us if we'd ever thought about why no one else had found it first." — Field Agent’s Report, Expedition II (Aborted)   V. Final Recommendations & Research Cessation Notice At this time, the Imperial Academy will not authorize further direct field research into the Chrysopoeia’s ecosystem. The region presents excessive risk to personnel, and current findings suggest that long-term study may be impractical due to rapid contamination shifts.   Continued data collection will rely on:   Second-hand reports from traders, scavengers, and external sources. Perimeter sampling efforts conducted under controlled conditions. Archival comparisons with historical environmental records. The Academy acknowledges the severe limitations of this methodology, but reaffirms its stance that prolonged field study is neither ethical nor advisable.   "We do not expect the Chrysopoeia to become more hospitable with time. We expect it to become stranger." — Final Statement, Office of Environmental Studies, Imperial Academy

"A storm in the Chrysopoeia does not come with warning. The horizon bends, the air thickens, and before you know it, you’re breathing metal. By then, it’s already too late." — Excerpt from Scavenger’s Almanac: A Guide to the Wastes   Toxic Sandstorms The winds of the Chrysopoeia do more than shift the dunes—they carry the remnants of centuries-old industrial runoff, sweeping fine particles of heavy metals, chemical residue, and industrial debris across the wasteland. These storms can rise without warning, rolling through the desert like a slow, grinding tide of poisoned dust.   The effects of exposure vary depending on location, wind intensity, and duration but commonly include:   Respiratory distress and lung irritation from inhaling heavy metal particulates. Blurred vision and skin irritation, as fine metallic dust embeds itself in pores. Hallucinations and neurological symptoms in cases of prolonged exposure, likely linked to mercury and lead inhalation. “The worst ones don’t howl. You don’t see them coming. The wind dies first, then you start tasting copper. By then, it’s already inside you.” — Unattributed trader’s warning, recorded in West Jabip   Many scavengers and traders wrap their faces in damp cloth, hoping to filter out the worst of the contaminants, but long-term exposure is unavoidable for those who traverse the wastes.   Corrosive Rainfall Though rain is rare in the Chrysopoeia, when it does fall, it is often more a hazard than a relief. Water collects airborne contaminants as it descends, turning into a highly acidic slurry capable of eating through cloth, untreated leather, and unprotected skin.   Structures left exposed to rainfall show rapid signs of corrosion, with metals pitted and weakened within a single season. Groundwater contamination worsens after major storms, with scavengers reporting increased sickness among those who drink from oases afterward. Some claim that certain plants thrive in the aftermath, absorbing the toxic rain without damage—but whether this is true resilience or a slow, inevitable poisoning remains unknown. "The rain here doesn’t wash the dirt away—it pulls it deeper. The ground takes it in like a sickness, and it never leaves." — Imperial Hydrology Survey, Cycle IV   Heat Shifts & Static Discharges The Chrysopoeia’s climate is as unstable as its terrain. Though the desert follows the expected extremes of heat and cold, certain areas exhibit sudden temperature shifts, where the air can drop ten to fifteen degrees in minutes before settling again. Some travelers suspect underground chemical reactions may be the cause, releasing gases that affect temperature and air pressure.   Electrical phenomena are also common. In some regions, the air is charged with a constant buildup of static, leading to frequent dry lightning strikes that ignite metal-rich sands, causing brief but violent chemical flare-ups.   "You ever see lightning start a fire with no wood? Just sand catching light, turning to glass on the spot? I have." — Veteran scavenger account, overheard in East Jabrou   Though the Academy dismisses claims that certain areas produce “ghost lightning” without clouds, enough accounts persist to make it a known, if unexplained, hazard.   Final Observations The weather of the Chrysopoeia is not a mere inconvenience—it is an ongoing threat. Travelers are advised to:   Shelter immediately at the first signs of a storm. Avoid standing water after rainfall, as the contamination levels spike. Stay clear of high ground during electrical activity. Despite these dangers, scavengers continue to enter the desert in search of salvage, water, or escape—gambling their lives on the chance that the next storm won’t be the one that takes them.

“The Chrysopoeia does not forgive. It does not cool when you beg it to, nor does it warm when the night steals the heat from your bones. It is not a place where men were meant to settle, but we have tried anyway.” — Excerpt from Surviving the Wastes: A Scavenger’s Guide   The Chrysopoeia follows the expected climate patterns of a hyper-arid desert, with extreme temperature swings, violent seasonal winds, and prolonged periods of complete dryness. However, due to geographic factors and industrial interference, it deviates from natural desert ecosystems in the following ways:   Daytime Heat: The sun beats down on the silver-tinted sands, which reflect light with an intensity that exacerbates heat exposure and dehydration. Unprotected travelers suffer burns from both above and below, as the ground absorbs and radiates dangerous levels of heat. Nighttime Cold: Temperatures plummet after sunset, often dropping below freezing in deeper parts of the desert. Sudden cold snaps have been recorded even outside of seasonal norms, though whether this is due to air pressure shifts, underground chemical activity, or natural desert patterns remains unstudied. Seasonal Windstorms: During transitional months, powerful dry winds sweep through the region, capable of stripping exposed flesh, collapsing weak structures, and shifting entire dune formations overnight. Travelers speak of waking up buried in sand, their camps erased by the wind’s relentless advance. Sparse, Corrosive Rainfall: While rain is infrequent, when it falls, it does so suddenly and violently, often in the form of short-lived but destructive downpours. These rains absorb airborne pollutants, making them highly acidic and chemically reactive, accelerating erosion, poisoning water sources, and corroding exposed materials. "The air burns your skin in the day and freezes your breath at night. The winds peel your flesh, and the rain scours the bones clean. And yet, we keep going back." — Scavenger’s testimony, recorded in West Jabrou   Final Observations The Chrysopoeia is not uniquely unnatural, but it is uniquely lethal. While its heat, dryness, and winds align with standard desert conditions, its contaminated rainfall, reflective sands, and chemical interference create an environment that is actively hostile to prolonged survival.

“The desert does not welcome life. What survives here does so by force of will, by patience, or by keeping itself hidden until the moment is right.” — Excerpt from The Scavenger’s Almanac: A Guide to the Wastes   Flora of the Chrysopoeia Despite the hostile conditions, certain plants have adapted to contaminated soil, extreme dryness, and infrequent corrosive rainfall. These species have persisted through deep root systems, chemical resistance, or sheer hardiness.   1. Water-Hoarding Plants Desert Date (Balanites aegyptiaca) – A hardy tree with small, bitter fruits that scavengers chew to stave off thirst. Some claim its roots run deeper than any known well, pulling up water from places unseen. Sodom Apple (Calotropis procera) – A low-growing shrub with thick, waxy leaves that store water. Produces toxic milky sap, making it useless as a food source but useful as a rudimentary sealant for tools and containers. Salt Cedar (Tamarix aphylla) – Found near the few remaining oases, these trees help prevent soil erosion but are intensely salt-tolerant, often signaling that nearby water is too brackish for human consumption. 2. Heavy Metal Absorbers Saltbush (Atriplex halimus) – A plant that thrives on alkaline and metal-contaminated soils, absorbing lead and arsenic through its leaves. Edible in small amounts but long-term consumption leads to cumulative poisoning. Grey Wormwood (Artemisia herba-alba) – A drought-resistant herb with bitter, silvery leaves. Traders burn it in their camps to keep away insects, but some claim its smoke induces vivid dreams or hallucinations. Desert Amaranth (Amaranthus graecizans) – A low-growing, drought-tolerant grain. Eaten cautiously by scavengers but known to uptake contaminants from the soil, making some patches dangerous. “You can eat saltbush. You can drink from the date palm. But if the leaves are silver, or the roots run red, you leave them alone.” — Common scavenger wisdom   Fauna of the Chrysopoeia While the larger animals of the region stick to the periphery, a few species persist in the deep desert, either through cunning, resilience, or mythic endurance.   Common Desert Fauna Stripped Hyena – Larger hyenas roam the outer reaches of the desert, feeding on carcasses left in the sand. Many traders claim they are unnaturally silent, watching but never making a sound. Golden Jackal – Hunts in pairs or small groups, often following scavengers to pick off the weak, the lost, or the foolish. Uraeus – A massive, sand-burrowing serpent with a gold-marked hood. Prefers to remain buried beneath the dunes, surfacing only to ambush prey. Venom causes gradual paralysis and delirium, leading to slow, inevitable death.   Simurgh – A solitary, giant raptor with a wingspan large enough to darken the sands beneath it. Does not scavenge like other carrion birds, instead circling untouched corpses for hours before vanishing.   Girtablilu – A reclusive, hominid-arthropod species suspected to inhabit abandoned ruins. Highly territorial, known to repel intruders without leaving remains. Footprints and discarded chitin confirm its presence, but no body has ever been recovered. Egyptian Spiny Mouse – A small, water-efficient rodent, often found gnawing on metal objects, leading to rumors that it can eat gold. Sand Cat – A reclusive predator, nearly invisible in the dunes. Many traders mistake it for a spirit, believing its appearance is an omen of survival—or death. “The hyena follows the jackal, the jackal follows the man, and the man follows the wind. Only one of them leaves the desert alive.” — Common saying among desert traders

Scavenger Trade, Industrial Debris, and Unclaimed Relics
  "The Chrysopoeia is not a mine. It is not a resource. It is what remains when ambition outpaces wisdom. And yet, people still pick through its bones, hoping to find something worth selling." — Excerpt from Trade and Ruin: The Economic Collapse of the Quad Sister Cities
  The Chrysopoeia is viewed not as a land of wealth, but of waste. Unlike other deserts, where minerals, salt, or oil might drive commerce, the Chrysopoeia is an afterthought—a dumping ground for the byproducts of failed industry. What little value it holds is found in scavenged remnants, lost artifacts, and the occasional inexplicable discovery.   The Scavenger Trade Despite its dangers, the Chrysopoeia supports a network of scavengers, smugglers, and traders, who sift through its ruins for anything of value. Most scavenged goods fall into three broad categories:   Industrial Scrap & Alchemical Waste Corroded Metal Alloys – Heavy machinery and broken refinery equipment, discarded from the Quad Sister Cities. Some metals are still valuable when smelted down, but many are too contaminated for reuse. Alchemical Residue Crystals – Formed from runoff deposits, these are sometimes harvested for crude reagents—though most are dangerously unstable when exposed to moisture. Mercury Deposits – Found in pools where industrial runoff once collected, scavengers occasionally extract small vials of raw mercury for sale in black markets.
  “If it still shines, it’s worthless. If it’s dull, it might be worth something. If it’s glowing, drop it and run.” — Common scavenger wisdom
    Salvageable Relics & Lost Technology Old Expedition Gear – Remnants of past ventures into the desert—some merely abandoned packs, others half-buried skeletons with rusted tools still strapped to them. Pre-Collapse Machinery – Devices from before the region’s decline, some of which no longer have known functions. Most are stripped for parts, but a few are considered historically valuable. Sealed Containers – Occasionally found buried under collapsed dunes or ruins, scavengers have recovered vaulted cases from long-forgotten projects. Some hold meaningless records—others contain items that should have remained lost.
  “A man once dug up an old metal case. Inside was a book, wrapped in wax cloth. He flipped through the pages, laughed to himself, and walked off into the dunes. We never saw him again.” — Tavern tale from East Jabrew
  Unclassified Oddities Some finds defy easy explanation—traders sell them, scholars dismiss them, and scavengers refuse to discuss them at all.   Glass-Shard Formations – Found in areas of high lightning activity, believed to be naturally occurring fulgurite, though some shards appear deliberately shaped. Oasis Fossils – Occasionally, bone fragments emerge near contaminated water sources, but their size and shape rarely match any known species. Unmarked Coins & Artifacts – Metal currency with no known minting origin, tools of an unknown make, or manuscripts written in no recognizable script.
  “If you find something that doesn’t belong here, leave it. If it was meant to be found, someone would have claimed it already.” — Warning from veteran scavenger, overheard in West Jabip

History of the Chrysopoeia & the Fall of United Jabria Compiled by the Imperial Academy, Office of Historical Review   “They say the sands swallowed a country whole. That’s a poetic way to say they did it to themselves.” — Excerpt from The Scattered Kingdoms: A Study of the Jabria Schism   The Age of United Jabria Before the Quad Sister Cities, there was United Jabria, a once-cohesive kingdom that stretched across the region. It was a land of wealth, ambition, and innovation, driven by a growing class of philosopher-alchemists whose discoveries in material refinement promised to reshape society.   During its peak, United Jabria:   Pioneered early alchemical sciences, focusing on the transformation of matter and the manipulation of bodily humors. Established vast industrial works, attempting to refine metals, minerals, and biological substances on an unprecedented scale. Expanded rapidly, constructing great furnaces, refineries, and research centers, believing the land could sustain endless progress. However, the very innovations that brought prosperity sowed the seeds of division.   The Schism: The Fragmentation of Jabria As alchemical science surged forward, so too did ideological fractures. The leading scholars of Jabria, once united in purpose, began disputing the applications, ethics, and limitations of their newfound knowledge.   “You cannot split the body without killing the man. You cannot split a country without killing its future.” — Alchemist Jurah ben Qasim, one of the last advocates for unity   What followed was not war, but rejection—a dissolution of shared purpose that fractured the land into four competing city-states, each determined to prove itself superior to the others.   Why the Schism Could Not Be Repaired: Philosophical Disputes – The alchemists of each city rejected the discoveries of the others, believing their own approach to be the only true path forward. Resource Competition – Each city required vast quantities of materials, land, and human labor, and cooperation was no longer feasible. Distrust & Isolationism – The cities closed their gates to one another, developing insular cultures and independent industries. What had once been a kingdom of limitless ambition became four separate entities, each more concerned with its own survival than the region as a whole.   The Creation of the Chrysopoeia: A Wasteland by Design The split of United Jabria coincided with the expansion of alchemical industry, and with no centralized oversight, each city-state disposed of its failures as it saw fit.   The uninhabited land between them—once a fertile region—became a convenient dumping ground for:   Failed experiments & hazardous byproducts Unstable alchemical compounds & chemical runoff Massive quantities of industrial waste & heavy metals For decades, the destruction of the land was not a concern. Each city believed it would outlast the others, and that the damage to the land was someone else’s problem.   By the time the true consequences became clear, the desert was already lost.   The Present: No Future of Reunification Despite their common origins, the Quad Sister Cities remain separate, with no realistic path to reconciliation. The Chrysopoeia is their shared burden, but not their shared responsibility.   “They do not acknowledge the desert. They do not clean it, do not reclaim it. They do not speak of it, except to curse the scavengers who make their living from its bones.” — Observation from an Imperial Trade Surveyor   Each city has adapted in its own way, but none seek to restore what was lost. The sands remain, the ruins grow deeper, and United Jabria is nothing more than a name whispered by historians.   “The desert is not a tragedy. It is not a warning. It is simply what happens when a body is left to rot.” — Final statement from the Imperial Academy’s Historical Review Board