Preview of Sacred 2: Fallen Angel
Sacred 2: Fallen Angel
by Rick WallaceFebruary 23, 2009
We open up a 5 part series detailing regions you will come across while playing the upcoming game, Sacred 2. Be sure to check back each day for a new region detailed including 6 screenshots of that region.
Desert Region
The desert is a vast sea of sand, stones and craggy rocks. It is located south east of the High Elf region and south west of the Swamp region. Traveling west in the desert will take you to the Jade sea, and a southbound journey will take you to the Jungle. It sounds nice and centrally located, however the desert is actually surrounded by high mountains that make it overall a closed and inaccessible region. The high mountains are an insurmountable obstacle to the clouds that travel through the north and south, which results in a region that is very hot and dry.
Only a few loosely based paths lead through Bengaresh. Due to sand storms and the resulting constant shifting of sand, it is virtually impossible to establish many recognizable permanent road systems. Fortunately the wind that blows sand across the well used paths also occasionally blows down them, returning areas of the roads to view eventually.
Relatively centrally located in a larger Cirque is Khorum, the fortified capital of the desert people. The royal residence is built into a hill here. The city is completely self-sufficient due to the presence of its own waterfall, and is believed to be capable of withstanding long sieges. Thus far this theory remains untested because no one has tried to take the city yet.
Unlike the "Northern people," the High Elves ignore the desert people completely. The desert people are not being enslaved by the Elves, so they have no need of a defensive force or border towns to protect themselves from the Elves. This may partially be the result of rumors that there has been a secret agreement giving the High Elves free passage through the desert for hundreds of years, allowing them to move from the Jungle to the areas where they have settled now. Whatever the reason, between the lack of a need to defend themselves from the Elves and the harsh climate, Khorum is the main settlement for the desert people. Outside of the capital, you will generally only find small desert people settlements near the oases.
The primary residents of the desert region Bengaresh live in a monarchy, however under the reign of the king there are countless clans and tribes. The passing of the King's crown is hereditary, and the death of the old king has resulted in a current political vacuum. A fierce dispute between the dead King's brother and son has ignited.
The Du'rach are strange creatures. Not really human, but definitely humanoid. Nobody knows exactly where they originated, where they live or how they are organized. There are many theories and rumors about them, but no one knows anything precise. This much is certain though: the Du'rach hate everyone and everything that crosses their path! They are called “sand people” and they are pervasive in the desert. They are masters of camouflage and appear out of nowhere to come and mount deadly attacks before disappearing again into nothingness.
Certain areas in the western section of the region have yet another type of creature, but it's not really clear if they are living beings: the "living statues." These warriors of stone and clay have been discovered at excavations. Their original task appears to have been guarding the grave of a dead Elf ruler. It is no longer known who they were protecting, and it is assumed that grave robbers greedy for quick wealth opened the ruler's grave which brought the warriors and their mummified men back to life.
As in any desert, the source of all life in Bengaresh is the oases. Around them you will find settlements established by the desert dwellers. Away from them, you will find very little plant life and the variety of what you will find is very limited because so few species can survive the lack of water and abundance of hot burning sun.
Due to the arid climate, very few species thrive or even survive in the desert. Insects and arachnids are most at home among the rough sand dunes, including scorpions, spiders and several species of beetles. In some outlying areas larger species can also be found, such as the lion and the harpy.
