Striamtan Sandpit Plains

Place

Place Name:

Striamtan Sandpit Plains

Biome:

Sandpit Plains

Size:

Unknown

Continent:

Unknown

Subcontinent

Unknown

Geography

The Striamtan region sits in the South most area of Taerel. The region is just below the Polgaru Desert Plateau, even further south of the Lyerod Red Desert Plateau and is an extremely massive region. It is nearly double the size of the two regions combined, stretching East to West across a huge portion of Taerel. The region is so large, that the Northmost area of the region is considered a ‘hot desert’ while the Southmost area falls into ‘cold desert’ climate. While part of the region, it is largely ignored by those living in the Plains due to the fact that the closest of the oases is over a month worth of walking.

And the supplies needed is so excessive that unless the traveler was planning on settling the region, the trip would not be worth the hassle. This led to everyone who knows of the region considering it purely a scorching and merciless desert. The hot desert of the region is so hot that even after nightfall, the temperatures are still excessively hot that it can easily cause fatigue and dehydration within hours if not paying care attention. There is little to no rain in the region- the Plains on a good year will get a single rain that ranges from 1-4 inches of rain that either seeps into the ground almost immediately or evaporates within the hour.

Due to this, the Tutes made all their settlements in extremely close proximity to the oases or any other body of water in the region. The oases can vary greatly in size, ranging from the size of a small pool to a massive lake. They quickly gained control of the region with the water, having it tightly regulated and used as a trading good for the other clans in the region. Their towns had carved buildings out of stones and sandstone made from materials in the region. Inside each of the buildings, they would have specially built architecture structures that were meant to collect the water vapors inside the building.

Using knowledge they learned over the years and gained through diplomatic ties, they formed an aqueduct like system under their building to keep them cool- they used the harvested water vapors and recycled water as to not waste the clean water of the oases. They also had behemothic temples built, using tons of resources and muscle power; a feat that is what other regions associate with them. The temples would also have the same intricate structures, with the exception that they had glass panes made for the basements they carved underneath.

In the basements, they kept a variety of more sensitive desert plants that would collect the water vapors from the building above. Each settlement had strong walls built that they covered in spikes and poison vines. The spikes were made from carved bones of animals from the region, and while relatively fragile from dehydration and heat, were extremely sharp and would break into extremely sharp jagged pieces that could slice easily though an enemy. The larger settlements made drawbridges from the trunks of plants that lined the oases after they died.

They would then coat it with a mud like mixture increasing its strength making an almost concrete strength door to block out any enemy attacks.

Plants

The izlich is a poisonous vining plant that the Tutes place on the walls that border their cities. They were given the name due to the similar way they function to the izlek insect. The plant has multiple forms of toxins, though the most often infection comes from the poison secreted from the plant’s skin. The poison like the izlek venom is designed to attack the nervous system. Those living in the region have developed a resistance to the various chemicals in it, resulting in no effect while handling it; those not from the region do not have that resistance built up and thus are often subject to the toxins.

A zu’aan who touches the plant will go into immediate shock from the severe nerve pain that quickly spreads throughout the body which later attacks the connections to the brain (leading to a disconnect and the organs shutting down), while a kin’toni may only be temporarily paralyzed from the pain until it works it way out their system. In that time though the Tutes would become aware of the invasion attempt and they would be taken into custody before they were able to properly move again. The izlich also has thorn like spikes that protrude from the vines, usually hidden by the leaves that sprout from the plant.

The spikes deliver a poison that causes muscles to contract, but are unable to release, which often leads to cardiac arrests in its victims as their hearts are unable to pump blood- it’s the quickest acting poison of the plant and can kill its victim in a matter of minutes. The plant does this because it is a majorly carnivorous plant, due to lack of nutrients in the soil. When a victim would succumb to the various poison, the plant would grow special roots into the body while it decomposed taking the various nutrients it released. The Tutes often place various dead creatures they would find in the region to keep the plant fed; though it only needs a meal once per month at most.

The other two plants that are common in the region are the qaqam a cactus like plant, and the jajich a palm like tree that grows by the oases. The qaqam plant usually grows as the outer most ring of the plants that grow around the oases- there there’s a small amount of water, but definitely more than anywhere else away from the oases. The qaqam absorb the last remnants of water that make their way out of the main area of the oases before it starts to evaporate from the extreme heat. The plant usually blooms a handful of fruit like growths that is a common meal for the Tzolak.

The largest is roughly the size of a fist, and is often protected be various spikes growing on the main leaf of the plant. The jajich tree grows exclusively on the water’s edge of the oases. It can grow up to 50 feet, and often has large amount of dried or dead leaves covering the upper portion of the tree. These act as a safety cover against the intense heat from the sun, preventing the plant from getting sunburned. The bark is thick and plated to deflect the sun rays as well. The Tutes use the weaker or sicker of the jajich trees to build their drawbridges.

They recognize that the jajich are a major reason the oases remain in the region as their shade and roots keep the soil damp enough that water can pool there without quickly evaporating or draining away.

Animals

The izlek is a scorpion like creature that makes its home in the Striamtan region. The izlek is moderately large for an insect type creature, but is overall rather small. They average in size about equal to a kin’toni’s palm. For those in the region, they are completely harmless and seen more as an annoyance; for those not native to the region they are considered extremely deadly and should be avoided at all costs. Izleks are a clear brown tinted color, similar to the sand of the region. They usually do not immediately sting their victims, because the very tip of their tail will lodge into whatever it is stinging to continue depositing venom.

Ripping itself from the izlek in the process. While not at all fatal for the creature, it does leave them largely defenseless until it can regrow another, which can take the better part of a week at the quickest. Their poison though is extremely potent and can easily kill a zu’aan, or paralyze a kin’toni for at least a day- which in the desert is as good as a death sentence. The izlek usually make their homes underground, not bothering to dig any tunnels, rather just using their front pinchers to loosen the sand so that they can burrow deep underneath to keep cool in the hottest temperatures.

They will often be found in the Tutes cities as they- like nearly every other creature in the region- are built for the heat, but prefer the cooler temperatures. Another common creature in the region is a kimono dragon like creature. The tzolak is extremely large, from head to tail tip almost being the exact same as an average zu’aan; though they can weight well into the triple digits on average. They live exclusively near the oases, never venturing further than a day or two from the water, as they can store enough for about 3 days in the sun before they start becoming dangerously dehydrated.

They usually eat izlek as snacks but rely mainly on the various cactus like plants near the oases as their main source of nutrients. Over the years the Tutes started to domesticate a handful of them per settlement. They are extremely smart creatures, and when properly trained are similar to guard dogs in that they will only follow orders from their owners or handlers and will not deviate when given a task. Because of this, they are often used to act as the guards around the oases to prevent those who have not paid from drinking from it.

Their skin is extremely thick, making piercing them with standard weapons difficult (almost impossible for those who are malnourished and low on strength), and thus many attacks for control are unsuccessful. They tzolak is also venomous, though they only produce a small amount at a time, so will often give ‘dry bites’ which can often be worse than the venom. Their venom clots the blood, dehydrating the body eventually suffocating the victim if not treated due to lack of ability to transport oxygen if a loose clot doesn’t kill them first.

A dry bite transfers a number of bacteria infecting the wound while also injecting any loose izlek venom in the tzolak’s system, where the venom from the tzolak would usually nullify and overpower the izlek venom. Wild tzolaks that are found dead are usually harvested for their bones to make the spikes on their barriers.

Historical Timeline of Ages

Age Name	Dates	Controller
Stone Age	Before 1E 0	Unknown
Copper Age	1E 1–1E 2200	Unknown
Bronze Age	1E 2200–1E 4400	Unknown
Iron Age	2E 0–2E 700	Unknown
Ancient Age	2E 700–2E 2200	Unknown
Middle Age	3E 0–3E 2050	Unknown
Early Modern Age	3E 2050–3E 2600	Unknown
Industrial Age	3E 2600–3E 2700	Unknown
Machine Age	3E 2700–3E 2800	Unknown
Atomic Age	3E 2800–3E 2850	Unknown
Space Age	3E 2850–3E 2875	Unknown
Information Age	3E 2875–3E 2900	Unknown
Genetic Age	3E 2950–3E 3000	Unknown
Awakening Age	3E 3000–3E 3415	Unknown
Twilight Age	4E 0–4E 500	Tutes Kin'toni Clan

Place

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Striamtan Sandpit Plains

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This article is written by Crystal Iris. Copyright 2026 Crystal Iris. All rights reserved.