Geography[]
The Isle of Shault lies east of Lake Island, far out in the Sea of Silt. Frequently hidden by blowing dust and virtually inaccessible by silt skimmer, Shault holds a secret: a thriving lowland forest. Except for a range of small mountains along the southern edge, the entire island is thickly forested with bizarre, exotic, and sometimes dangerous trees, the likes of which have been forgotten by the rest of Athas.
Shault's fertility stems partially from its geography (the forest is protected on three sides by tall cliffs that block the searing winds from the silt, and numerous springs feed up from below the surface) and partially from the primal magic of the half-giant druid Mearedes (see Inhabitants), who protects her island.
In the heart of Shault's jungle, far from Mearedes and the homesteads of the giants, an ancient city has been ravaged by the march of time. The press of the jungle has torn down chunks of the walls and collapsed buildings as the greenery grows over the stone. Neither Mearedes nor the giants of Shault know who built the city or why; the murals and carvings that survive display script in an unknown language. Since the island receieves few visitors and the druids avoid the ruins, its vaults and tombs remain undisturbed. Mearedes doesn't mind if adventurers explore the city -- assuming that they prove cooperative enough for her to tolerate their presence at all -- but she warns them that dangerous beasts lair within the ruins.
Inhabitants[]
The inhabitants of Shault is made up of the half-giant druid Mearedes, and some forty giants of varying kinds. If visitors can convince Mearedes that they mean no harm, she and her three apprentices tolerate interlopers. However, the druid's hospitality comes at a price. The goliath is determined to ensure that knowledge of Shault's existence and location does not spread, lest unscrupulous types plunder the island. While Mearedes does not revel in violence, she consideres the preservation of Shault more important than any individual life.