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INTRODUCTION

Far across the cosmos lies Tendus, a Super-Earth teeming with vast grasslands, soaring mountain ranges, dense forests, and expansive oceans. Within this colossal world, the Desertum Maris stretches between two immense continents, both connecting and dividing them. Once an inland sea, this vast expanse of sand and desolation hides a secret known only to the desperate and fortunate: the entrance to the Amoenus Flumen Praedium, or the Oasis Magnus. From space, it appears as a tiny emerald jewel nestled within a shimmering sea of gold. This oasis is but the first in a chain that follows the Brium river, flowing into the heart of the Amoenus Flumen Praedium, a verdant sanctuary known to its inhabitants as the Praedium.

In the heart of the Oasis Magnus, a dormant volcano rises like a sentinel, its slopes teeming with tenacious vegetation that has overcome the challenges of its volcanic terrain. Though currently at rest, the volcano occasionally stirs, its rumblings echoing the geological tales of the planet's past. The inhabitants of the Oasis Magnus revere this towering peak as Savior's Peak, a beacon of hope that rises above the desert's golden sea. To the famished, moribund refugee, its sight promises safety, a sanctuary not far beyond. A constant mist envelops the landscape around the mountain, courtesy of a geyser fed by subterranean geothermal activity. The geyser propels hot water high into the air, creating an ethereal mist that catches the sunlight and paints the sky with rainbows. The mist descends into a crystal-clear lake in the caldera from which feeds the massive Brium river that flows into the Praedium. The water of which is alive with unique aquatic life and sustaining the verdant plant life that flourishes in its embrace.

The Brium river flowing from the Oasis Magnus serves as a vital lifeline, carving a dynamic path through the surrounding desert. Along its banks, patches of fertile soil create miniature ecosystems where unique plants, which seeds were carried there by both air and animal, thrive. Further downstream, the river births smaller oases, each with its own unique flora and fauna, adding to the ecological diversity of the region.

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The river's journey concludes in a massive lake, its shores lined with tall grasses and aquatic plants of the Amoenus Flumen Praedium. Legends speak of submerged ruins from the time when the Desertum Maris was a grand sea, hidden in the lake's mysterious depths. Fishing communities on the lake's shores have formed a symbiotic relationship with the environment, practicing sustainable methods to ensure its continued abundance.

Surrounding this idyllic scene is the sheer rock mountains called the Taitan Sanmaek mountain range. This enormous mountain range stands as a silent sentinel that protects the Praedium from the ravages of the desert. Their rugged peaks, often shrouded in mist, harbor caves and tunnels holding secrets and rare minerals coveted by the inhabitants of Tendus. In the vast grasslands of the Praedium, a delicate balance of life unfolds. Here, myriad species of both native desert creatures and displaced prey animals coexist in a complex web of survival. Some graze on the lush green grass, while others, in turn, become hunted.

Amidst this intricate ecosystem in the oases, the Beastkin people have carved out homes for themselves, havens born from necessity and resilience. Driven from fairer lands by the ravages of war or enslavement, they found the hidden refuge in the unforgiving embrace of the desert. Yet, even in peaceful sanctuary their new homes, the scars of their past are shown, etched in the lines of sorrow on the faces of those who had endured years of bondage and deprivation.

In the arduous struggle for survival, the Beastkin faced not only the challenges of the harsh desert environment but also the weight of their traumatic history. Lacking the knowledge of agriculture or animal husbandry, they grappled with the scarcity of food, their sustenance dependent on the unpredictable bounty of the grasslands or of the jungles.

Hope, a dream that had long avoided the Beastkin, finally had dawned upon them. The arrival of an unexpected harbinger of change—a human, a stranger to the intricacies of their world. Devoid of the preconceptions and prejudices ingrained in the inhabitants of Tendus, this wanderer emerged from the desert’s edge to the small shantytown of Yasumin, and brought back both lost children and long-lost hope...

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