Drylands

Drylands
Location of the Drylands
Located in:	Britannia
Type:	desert
In the Drylands

The Drylands are a desert situated in the far northeast of the Britannian main continent.

Description

In the later days of Britannia, the northeastern part of the continent became consumed by a vast and expansive desert known as the Drylands (or Dry Lands). Home to the Shrine of Sacrifice, this area has at times housed a colony of giant ants, as well as the mining town of Vesper and its accompanying mine.

History

At the time of Britannia's christening, the place that would become the Drylands was a mix of grassland, forest and swamps, with the archaic town of Vesper lying to the south. It is unknown how this region became desertous and barren, but the change had occurred by the time of the Avatar's return during the reign of Blackthorn. For decades after its formation, the Drylands sole inhabitant was Sin'Vraal, a Gargish hermit who lived alone in the wastes in a simple hut. Eventually, however, a settlement named Vesper reappeared in its southern stretching, bringing along with it the industry of the Britannian Mining Company.

In time, the land upon which the Drylands stood vanished; one of the many victims of the geological changes wrought by the Great Cataclysm.

Lore

(Note that the first quote refers to the area before desertification)

“	The northeastern tip of Britannia is rather wild. The treacherous marshes, with their noxious vapors that poison the unwary explorer, are home to swarms of large insects and all manner of vile beasts. – from The History of Britannia (Ultima V)

“

The deserts of northeastern Britannia are hot, dry, and easy to lose one's way in. Besides all sand looking much like all other sand, the heat is apt to play tricks on the eye, misleading travelers with landmarks that are not really there. Britannia's third large lake, the one-time picturesque Lake Generosity, was a casualty of the great drought of the northeast and is now simply a bed of dry sand. – from The Book of Lore (Ultima V)

Places of Interest

• Ant mound
• Big X
• Desert Dungeon
• Pirate fort
• Shrine of Sacrifice
• Sin’Vraal’s hut
• Vesper
• Vesper mine

Trivia

• Ultima IV Part 2, a humorous fan game, offers an alternative explanation for the formation of the Drylands.
• In Ultima Online, the Desert of Compassion takes the place of the Drylands.
• In the original plans for Ultima IX, the Drylands were not destroyed, only got separated from the mainland by a river. It was only later in the game development, that they were destroyed outright.

Gallery

• 

  The Drylands art from Mysterious Sosaria

• 

  First revision – the Drylands still exist

• 

  Second revision – now they are destroyed

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Geography