Sun Tortoises
The sun tortoise of the Ixari Desert, named for the pattern on its shell, was discovered by an acolyte to the sun deity and was promptly elevated to sacred status. The tortoise is quite rare and sightings are few. To make it easier for sun worshippers to visit the tortoises, a sanctuary has been set up for them on the western edge of the Ixari Desert. The sanctuary also hosts cultural events and retreats that draw visitors from nearby Polvedo.
Miriole
Miriole are rodent-like but can grow to over a foot tall. They live in complex social structures, mostly underground, and seem to have developed a system of writing that has yet to be deciphered by humans. They give humans a wide berth, though juveniles have been known to steal objects or carry out what appear to be “pranks” on any humans in their vicinity. It is clear that they are highly intelligent, but very little is known about them.
Shennie Tollip
Life has been hard for Shennie. Orphaned young, she was raised by her whole village, a small settlement in the southern Ixari Desert. Over the years the village dwindled as few were born there and each year a few more left, until, at last, all were gone and it was Shennie's time to go. Alone and with few belongings, she follows the coast west towards Polvedo, but is not sure where she's going or what she'll do when she gets there. All she knows is that she can't stay here.
Chembrok Tivito
Chembrok came to the Ixari Tower on a pilgrimage in honor of the God of Quiet. Maintaining his vow of silence came easily and was even a relief after spending recent years living in crowded orchard-laborer housing in Gie Coast. During his stay at Ixari Tower, Chembrok fell in love with the sounds of the desert, especially the croaks of the Agrockrip frog. He also fell in love with fellow pilgrim, Amalli. Instead of returning home, the couple built a cottage in the desert where they live together quietly.
Ixari Tower
On the edge of the Ixari Desert, not far from the Chimari Chasm, the Ixari tower keeps a lonely vigil. The tower was abandoned for many years, a relic from a long-forgotten conflict. But now the priest, Exolio, has claimed it for the God of Quiet, and his followers make their silent pilgrimages there each year.
Agrockrip (rare)
Habitat: Ixari Desert
Size: Up to 6" long
Color: Oranges, yellows, blacks, and browns
Diet: Insects
Sounds: Low-pitched croak
Lifespan: Up to 5 years
Agrockrips are nocturnal. Though not often seen, their croaks are heard echoing through the desert at night. At certain points in the year, they gather at a large unusually shaped rock in the middle of the desert. No one knows why.
Chaos Flowers
Habitat: Ixari Desert
Size: wildly variable
Uses: Different parts of this potent plant have unique uses including inducing sleep, counteracting venomous spider and snake bites, and curing warts. Allendra is notoriously difficult to cultivate, and the stems cause painful rashes if not handled correctly.
Noted: Chaos flowers are a marvel. They bloom at hard-to-predict intervals and in unlikely locations. It isn't unheard of for them to shoot up ten feet overnight on barren ground. But they don't last; equally suddenly, they crumble into fine dust. Though awesome to behold, travelers to see these plants are noted to have felt wary around them, and some have even cautioned that they may be sentient.
