Drakkani Wastes¶
The Drakkani Wastes are "a large region which is a volcanic wasteland. It is covered with primarily basalt lava rock, mostly in a'a form, with an occasional pahoehoe flow. These pahoehoe flows tend to be treated like roads by the ground based local inhabitants" (S546). The newest source calls the same country the Dragon Wastes: "the area around Ptolemaris was buried in a series of volcanic eruptions that left the entire area a desolate volcanic wasteland known as the Dragon Wastes" (S417). A red dragon, fire giants, two colonies of salamanders, an orcish province, rock trolls, iron drakes and a pirate port share it.
Also called: the Dragon Wastes (S417).
The land¶
The wastes have a coast: the temple of Pyri "sits on a volcanic rock outcropping just a few hundred feet inland from the coastline," on "a island of rock between two large lava flows which flow into the ocean" (S546), and the port of Blackrock Bay lies on the shore. Inland rise the Sisters, the volcano Naur'pilust, Mount Gartholn with its mine, and the buried ruins of two cities. Lava rivers and "underground tubes" feed "many pools of lava" (S546); old lava tubes shelter ratlings, were-rats and giant rats, "desperately hungry most of the time" (S546). Magma mephits haunt the volcano cores, and at least a dozen packs of fire wolves hunt the flows (S546).
Gap
No source says where on Numenia the wastes lie; the archive files them under South Astia and no closer. The "empire" whose imperials the pirates of Blackrock Bay refuse (S546) is never named.
The Sisters¶
The red dragon Dresylla'Visarax "makes her home in the Sisters area (and in the northernmost of the sisters)" (S546). The drakes keep their distance from her, and she joined every other denizen of the wastes in destroying the dwarven fortress of Thorm'Mald (S546).
Naur'pilust¶
The volcano Naur'pilust is the hall of the Fire Giant Lord Jotnar, "a dozen Fire Giants1 + Azer servants" (S546).
Isha'Goel and Ptolemaris¶
Two ruined cities house two rival colonies of salamanders, with magmins for servants. "The Salamanders of the ruins of Isha'Goel, and its tunnels, are allied with the Orcs. Their leader Uphenozur"; "the break-away Salamanders of the ruins of Ptolemaris, led by Eisozach" (S546). Ptolemaris is older than the wastes: the Aurumite article calls it "the ancient Aquitanian city of Ptolemaris," buried when the eruptions made the Dragon Wastes (S417). See the Aquitan among the human peoples.
Mount Gartholn and the Thessoli Mine¶
"Thessoli Mine, Mount Gartholn, near the ancient Aquitanian city of Ptolemaris" is one of the two known deposits of Aurumite, the Mithis gold; its ore is Diaurumite Sulphide, the deep, orange-gold kind found "at magma vertexes (fire titan remains)," and its "status unknown" (S417). The dwarves of the White Towers "have sent several expeditions into the wastes, mostly after precious ores, such as Aurumite. However, none have lasted" (S546).
Blackrock Bay¶
Blackrock Bay "is a pirate port and quite a big town (some 3,000 inhabitants). Pirates come here to spend their money, less reputable traders come here as well. The humans are not members of the empire and do not welcome imperials. They have non-aggression and basic trade with the Orcs, Salamanders and Nexa-Vinians" (S546).
Thorm'Mald¶
The White Tower dwarves "built the fortress of Thorm'Mald, but it was attacked by basically every denizen of the wastes, including the Red Dragon and now lies in ruins," inhabited now by escaped Chitnites, were-rats and a drake's nest, with a den of fire wolves "near a lava flow in the bowels of the fortress" (S546).
Peoples of the wastes¶
The orcs hold a province here. "High Warlord Ertguth currently rules the entire Orcish kingdom. A subordinate, Chieftain Dular is in charge of the settlements in the Wastes. Chieftain Dular reports to Warlord Gujarek" (S546; the three are among the Minor Figures of the Earlier Ages). Dular's warriors, warlocks, rangers, assassins and Kruthik and drake riders work "several mining operations and also drake egg gathering operations" with "enslaved Chitnites (human-spiders underground miners)" (S546).
The rock trolls "keep to themselves and have resisted several attempts by the Orcs to annex their land (and them), some attempts violent. Their Elder, Maalik is over 200 years and held in high esteem both as a warrior and statesmen. Their population is about 180," and captured trolls are sold to humans "prized in arena fights" (S546). The iron drakes2, "a colony of approx 30" under the alpha Seralath, "despise humanoids/orcs the most (for stealing their eggs) and prefer them for meals," hunt by night and raid "mostly in an attempt to recover stolen eggs" (S546).
The Nexa-Vinians "have a protected invoker academy here for training fire mages" (S546). The priests and monks of Pyri keep their cliff temple with "several tamed Fire Wolves as guardians"; Tenebrut is its friar and Cuordmay its high priestess, and the notes name the Order of Vyranc, the phoenix (S546).
Earlier accounts¶
The 2014 gazetteer (S469) is the same text as its 2018 copy (S546) and gives the wastes' history as an empty heading.