Capital: Sil

Population: 489,450 ( Humans 78%, Mountain Dwarves 10%, Hill Dwarves 9%, Desert Elves 2% )

Government: Theocracy

Religions: The Sand God

Imports: Furs, Livestock, Stone, Vegtables, Fruit, Cheese, Gold, Herbs, Timber

Exports: Salt, Ivory, Oil, Silk, Glass, Spices, Copper, Horses

Alignments: CG, CN, CE, N, NG, NE

Currency: A Sand Mark, large minted copper coin with the seal of the Sand King is worth the equivilent of five silver.

The Pax Thallos Empire can be traced back one thousand years to the Sand King Ulmter I. The people of northern Pax Thallos are shorter than most the people of Tharstelding, and tend to have dark skin and hair. A nomadic society, portable cities move from oasis to oasis. The people of the scorched lands have little trust developed outside the tribe. This is due part to the lack of interaction a desert can impose, and part to the great wars that have driven them into this terrain. The southern peoples of the Empire are more like the people of Castros than the nomadic tribes of the scorched lands. They often have permanent settlements and pick up trade and professions. The people of this region are taller than their desert kin, and have much lighter skin. The people of Pax Thallos worship the Sand God, a being that encompasses all the aspects of the House of Five. The people of these lands belive that when a Sand King dies he assends to his righful place with the gods. Often priests call upon the souls of former Sand Kings and ask for their wisdom in important decisions.

The northern part of the Empire is known as the scorched lands, it is the largest desert on Tharstelding. The southern part of the empire is grassland, rolling hills and a more typical climate. The eastern part of the kingdom is lightly wooded with small mountains and hills. The western quarter of the kingdom is a mass of hills and low brush.

Scorched Lands: The temperatures range from 134 degrees during the day, to around 98 degrees at midnight. The desert as a whole gets less than 8" a year. Sweat drys from a persons face before it even hits the ground the air is so dry. Tales tell of a time when the north was a lush wet land, and the great mage Servio ruled the land. Servio became obsessed with some dark study. Some say he found the secret to imortality, some say he attempted to ascend to godhood. For whatever the reason, he locked himself away. It is said his failure is the reason for the scorched lands. Many adventures have walked off into the desert seeking the lost tower of Servio never to return. A few have come back, but they always say the same to any would be treasure hunter. " That desert holds nothing for you but death. "

Thunder Peaks: The Thunder Peaks are named for the constant storms that riddle their spires. This area is a seemingly un-exhaustable source of copper, the Thallans guard their mining operations tightly. In the peaks themself clans of Kobolds, Giants and Mountain Dwarves have been seen. And in the case of the Dwarves traded with. Another tale about the scorched land tells of the great red wyrm Leviliss, in its anger of a broken pact with Servio laid waste to the land.

Rolling Lands: The grass lands to the south of the scorched lands are rich in game and fertile ground. This is the land of the horsemen. Hunting is the primary resource in this area. Large tusked elephants provide valuable ivory exports. A rare insect, the jade worm, produces the lands famous silk. Horse farmers that breed the fastest mounts in Tharstelding take advantage of the natural stock and great fields. Poachers are a constant issue in the area, the Sand King's arm stretches only so far here.

Sil: ( Metropolis 98,568 ) City of the Sand Gods. This is the capital of Pax Thallos, and the seat of the Sand King Ramses II ( CG ). Temples and shops line the main streets that crisscross in a sunlike pattern. Brass and copper are used to mark the tall domes of palaces that dot the city. The Sand Gods are worshiped exclusivly in Sil. Preaching any religon but that of the Sun Gods is punishable by public beating within the city walls. Outsiders are, for the most part, welcome to come and trade. Overextended stays usually draw the attention of locals. For the most part Thallans distrust outsiders. Outside the City Oil operations employ most of Sil's residents. It is said that if you have a pint of oil in your pocket, chances are the bottle and the oil was drawn from the mighty desert around Sil.

Tel-Rink: ( Large City 21,502 ) The Jewel of the Desert. The Port of Riches. This is how resources get into and out of the desert. Along with importing all the needs of the Empire, the sea provides the people of the city some needed industry. Salt is a major export, along with various spices that grow along the coast. Glass is made in the city, and its architecture uses it whenever possible. The people of Tel-Rink are more tolerant of strangers being a port town, and many of its hundreds of services rely on continued patronage. The ruler of Tel-Rink is a priest of the Sand Gods named Xercies ( CG ) appointed by the Sand King himself to keep his law.