Settlements of the Desert

The Sutekh Desert, even during its days as a prison, was home to a number of diverse settlements, most located on natural water sources such as oases, rivers, and aquifers. Many towns have had histories as mining camps or manufacturing centers for the Dominion, places that used prisoners as a labor force. When the Dominion pulled out, the prisoners were often left to fend for themselves, which they did by forming communities.

Dusty Springs
Once little more than a charming backwater, Dusty Springs has recently grown to great prominence since the destruction of Muddy Waters. Oil convoys from Shimmer now pass through Dusty Springs, then head either to Mirage, or move south into the Grey Canyons toward Scorch. The town itself is little more than ramshackle structures made of sheet metal and driftwood, and compared to Black Lake it's something of a slum. But many expect this to change now that passing traders are bringing much-needed commerce through the town.

Muddy Waters
Formerly one of the main stops on the trade route between Shimmer, Shantytown, and Black Lake, Muddy Waters is now nothing but a smoldering ruin on the face of the Desert. It was burned down by a Mohawk attack, and the few survivors who escaped fled to Black Lake, where they live as refugees to this day.

Scorch
So named because it is considered a black scorch-mark upon the face of the Desert, Scorch is one of the worst places on the planet, and indeed the entire galaxy. It is the home of slavers, where those unfortunate souls captured during their travels in the south are brought, broken, and sold to those individuals with lax enough morals to buy them. The town is held under the authoritarian grip of its leaders, who ensure that relative order is kept within the city. Still, it is plagued by murder, theft, and all forms of debauchery on a daily basis.

Shimmer
Built on the southern end of the Sea of Sand, Shimmer was a center of oil refining during the old Dominion days. Even still, wells continue to pump crude oil from beneath the dunes, and refineries convert the oil into much-cherished gasoline that is traded to the other settlements for food and water, things which are often in short supply. The town itself is probably one of the smallest and most peaceful in the Desert; there are barely more than five hundred inhabitants, all or most of whom are oil workers. There are no permanent structures in Shimmer save for the wells and the refinery, as all of the citizens live in tents.