A huge desert to the west of Ishtan. Towns here rely on the crystal-sand extracted from the desert to trade with the outside world and create enough water to prosper.

Imports: Food, water-aligned crystals, machines, firearms, metal goods

Exports: Crystalsand, reagents, textiles, luxury goods

Prominent Cities

• Shehr: A grand city in the center of the Aethersands, this city-state is ruled by a small council of nobles. It has positioned itself as a global center of trade in southern Adratha, as the high-grade crystals found in the Aethersands are necessary for many complex machines to function.
• Lesrval: This city was only recently a permanent camp of travelers and nomads, and its walls and buildings are very new. The Collective, a massive group of heads-of-houses, guild leaders, and elders are the governing body. It is said that legal debates can last for months at a time, but despite it all, the city has flourished.

Governance and Society

The Aethersands' cities are not unified in their governance, but they are unified in culture to a certain extent. Both cities have collective forms of governance, and in general there is a focus on the ability of individuals and families to band together and solve problems. Hospitality is also a central point of the Aethersands’ social fabric–in such a dangerous place, being able to establish trust is essential.

Despite this unity, there is some inequality to be found in the desert. The landed of the sands are generally considered above those who have no home or property, and those who have no family to fall back often need to take dangerous work just to survive. In Lesrval, the Collective will ensure that everyone receives food and water, but they can assure little else.

The Collective of Lesrval and the council of Shehr dislike each other, but neither side wants to commit to a costly war. When it seemed like the Empire would dare the desert and attempt to conquer them, both cities joined forces for a brief time to repel scouting parties with their blades and spells. Some influential members of the Collective hearken back to this and have asked for a permanent alliance between the two cities, but as of now neither side has taken much effort to make it become reality.

Common Backgrounds

Aethersand families are tightly knit, so backgrounds based around education, crafting, and farming are all quite common. Caravan guards and merchants are also a common sight in the Aethersands. Lastly, backgrounds like Junker and Scavenger reflect the underside of the wealth flowing into the region.

Unique Background

Crystalsand Collector [Uncommon]

You spent your youth and adolescence in the dunes of the Aethersands, harvesting the ley crystals within. Heat and thirst were common threats, not to mention the bandits and monsters that prey upon sand collectors. You know how to find your way back to a town with the stars alone, how to haggle for a good price, and how to keep yourself alive in a harsh environment.

Adventuring might be the life you’ve dreamed of while saving up your silver after weeks of collecting, or perhaps it was forced upon you by a rival’s intervention or the Chimera deciding they wanted a cut of your profits. Regardless, your skills will ensure that you and your party can survive in the harshest environments.

Choose two ability boosts. One must be to Dexterity or Wisdom, and the other is a free ability boost. You gain the Survival skill, and the Desert Lore skill. You also gain the Terrain Expertise skill feat, with Desert as the chosen terrain.