Coquo Desert

Hot desert winds howl through the barren rocks and dunes of the Coquo, scorching under the blinding rays of the sun. Despite such an arid landscape, ancient myths and tales recall of a land once fertile with verdant forests, green fields, and thriving empires, all reduced to stone, sand, and dust after a great, calamitous war.

The effects of this war still remain to this day. Old ancient ruins of lost civilizations still stand, buried and weathered by the scathing sands. Mysterious side effects of this destruction have also resulted in the reanimation of undead locals who perished during those fateful days. These native undead known as the Preserved, now wander the wastes, passively living out their lives and aiding outsiders in need.

With the recent discovery of Bijou and its abundant supply of Cierites, Coquo has seen an influx of newcomers seeking fortune through trade. With the development of a new bustling town deemed New Coquo, both travelers and locals have been met with expanding opportunities and exponential growth. Despite its reputation as the valley of death and adversity, the desert once again blooms with life.

Geography

Stretching across the heart of the Western Continent, Coquo Desert is a largely barren, below sea level wasteland of sand dunes, parched earth, and narrow ridges. Ancient ruins dot the landscape, jutting out from the ground or carved directly into the earth; all remnants of an aged long-dead past. Due to its unfortunate history of being a major battlefield for two world-spanning wars, Coquo is almost completely devoid of life, with any notable flora and fauna being found either near the border or along its rivers and oases, though it has been noted that nature has been steadily reclaiming the wastelands.

Architecture

Out of the countless desert settlements being reclaimed by civilization, New Coquo stands as a perfect example of the region’s newfound revival. Remnants of the past provide a framework for the present, with newly-formed constructs of adobe and steel built into and around ancient structures hewn from dark stone. As one approaches the outskirts of these reclaimed cities, they may see old, cracked solar panels rattling against the desert wind, exposed pipes and wires leading into dark cool huts decorated with junk and chrome accents. Built by outcasts and opportunists across West Cier, the hodgepodge of cultures from the surrounding regions present a wide variety of styles for both the technology and the architecture of New Coquo.

Technology / Wealth / RICE

The technology in New Coquo can best be described as a hotchpotch of a hundred different cultures and minds clashing into a chaotic mosaic of innovation and trade. What defines the technology of Coquo is the vast variety itself. From old solar panels and scraps to rare futuristic weapons from Aether, nothing is off the table in the markets of New Coquo. Magic potions, scrolls, and even forbidden enchantments could also find their way into the bustling trading hub.

The financial boom of New Coquo has led to its rapid development despite its rather new upbringing. Due to the economic benefits of trading some of these banned goods, the surrounding regions have an unspoken mutual agreement to keep the desert as an unclaimed, underhanded trading ground. Furthermore, the close relationship between the native Coquan undead and the Bijians has led to New Coquo amassing a large stockpile of rare Cierites for trade. As a result, many attempt the trek through the barren desert to find new opportunities and wealth in this “lawless” land.

People and Culture

Coquo has gone through several eras throughout history, each with their own culture. The oldest culture that existed before the Seraph-Somnian War has been gone, as very little evidence of its existence beyond hieroglyphs who’s legibility has been lost to time. Thankfully, the original propagators of Old Coquo live on through in the form of resurrected undead. Coquo soon began rebuilding, but adopted a more nomadic lifestyle due to the lack of resources that is expected of a desert. Coquo would live in relative peace with the rest of Cier as a recognized region: Coquo Desert, until they would once again see themselves in the middle of an apocalyptic war between Cier and the Shadow during the Downfall, as the last major battle of the war was once again fought on bloody sand.

Between the Downfall and the Ancient War, Coquo became a heavily stigmatized region of bad luck and misfortune. Old Coquo used to respect the dead, but now people believed that living in that desert equated to joining the dead. For centuries after the downfall, there were no attempts to restore Coquo until Bijou was discovered in 765 AC. Many different walks of life flooded back into Coquo and retrofitted the existing architecture for suitable living, only to discover that there were still Old Coquan undead still roaming around, whom were more than happy to assist the newcomers in surviving the desert.

In present day, New Coquo is a varied melting pot of people who simply want to capitalize on the “Cierite rush” brought on by the Bijans. It is unfortunate that Coquo’s past cultures are slowly being forgotten, and dying out as the number of undead dwindle away due to how little the New Coquans care for the lore and culture of the old desert they now build upon. New Coquans are focus-driven individuals with their sights on easy opportunities for wealth; people’s thoughts are on money, but their execution can be described one of two ways: commercial or criminal. There are those who will trade their way to wealth, caravaning regional rarities like Cierites, magic items, or cutting edge technology to places that don’t have them. Inversely, there are those who see the unregulated, ungoverned desert as easy heists and holdups. Everyone here values self defense, and will often take matters into their own hands rather than wait for the practically non-existent authorities.

Government/Religion

Although the Coquans don’t have a centralized government, sheriffs and deputies are unanimously appointed by the people and are expected to uphold the peace. It is often unlikely that the Sheriff will need to step in, as the people of New Coquo often take matters of justice into their own hands. There is a basic mantra of laws in the desert: No harming others, no stealing, maintain civility. The last particular “law” has come under debate as people often interpret this as the legal justification to take the law into their own hands, resulting in bouts of violence and the occasional showdown at noon. The law may be lenient, but those who break it will face justice with no mercy.

There are smaller towns set up by those seeking freedom from oppressive and complicated governments rather than the opportunity of fortune. These smaller outposts and settlements act as landmarks for caravans traveling towards the only other region that recognizes New Coquo: Bijou. The Bijan’s trust of Coquo’s undead stems from their shared origin, Seraphic magic. This makes the undead the only liaisons to the Bijian people, and the only organic beings that can naturally survive the harsh, oxygen-deprived depths that lead to Bijou.

History

Long before the Seraph-Somnian War, there was an ancient civilization upon a lush landscape. Nowhere near as advanced as Kaihon at the time but just as large, they were undoubtedly the jewel of West Cier. Unfortunately, war would soon find this land, as the Seraph-Somnian War would rage on and jump continents from East to West Cier. The landscape would soon be obliterated by the power clash between the Seraphs and Somnians, subjecting the land to desiccation, forever ruining any chance of regrowth. The Seraphs, distraught with the destruction, would plant life magic among the western mountain range.

Years after the Ancient War ended, survivors and war refugees noticed that there was still movement and “life” out in the desert; undead and reanimated natives wandering what was once their home. The new tried to integrate with the old, upholding what traditions they could remember with the help of what little the undead could recall. Unfortunately, history was not finished having its way with the desert; centuries after, Coquo Desert would once again find itself as a bloody battlefield as the Alliance and the Shadow would have the final battle over the sands, once again thinning out those who knew of the old ways of desert.

Centuries would pass without much effort being put in to restore the civilization of Coquo. The region now held a stigma of being the land of misfortune due to their association with the undead. It would not be until the discovery of Bijou that new interest would find its way to New Coquo. Bijou brought with its discovery: Cierites, a valuable new commodity that would be the lifeblood of commerce in the New Coquo society; which in turn, brought an influx of new immigrants seeking fortune. They would settle in the ruins of the desert once more, breathing new life into the desert and becoming an unsanctioned trading society.