Geography of the Sea of Silt
	By far and away, the most common feature in the Sea of Silt is mile after mile of dust. From the descriptions of those who have dared to venture out into this vast pool of powder, all that one sees ninety nine days out of a hundred is an endless ocean of pearly gray silt - especially if he travels straight toward the heart of the sea.

Mudflats

Occasionally, a traveler will come across a mudflat Mudflats are areas where traces of water seep up through the floor of the Sea of Silt, turning the dust above it into mud. Usually, mudflats are between fifty and five hundred yards in diameter. They are lushly vegetated by bushes and small trees that protrude from the thick layer of silt. Sometimes, if the wind has blown the dust away and left the mud exposed to the crimson rays of the sun, the surface of the mudflat will be dried and cracked. The resulting crust is usually strong enough to support a man's weight. If this is not the case, the man will find himself wallowing waist deep in mud and dust. This could be a serious hazard, for most mudflats are controlled by ferocious beasts that preys on whatever comes to feed on the vegetation. Although their prey is usually avian, they are not adverse to feasting on land-bound travelers who have made the trip to their islands. The traveler who sees a mudflat and takes its lush vegetation to indicate the presence of water will be sorely disappointed. All of the water seeping out of the sea bed is quickly absorbed by the silt and turns to mud. This poses no problem for plants, which draw water from mud with their roots. The animals that inhabit mudflats can usually get all the water they need from their prey or from plants. Animals like men, however, that must drink their water in more-or-less pure form, have a more difficult problem; despite the mudflat's lushness, there is no free water. Even digging clear to the bottom of the Sea of Dust will not produce a single cup of the precious fluid. There are those, I am told, who have used various processes similar to distillation to obtain small quantities of water from the mudflats. I have never done this myself, nor do I know of anyone who has, but I can only imagine that the resulting liquid is hardly fit for any but the parched and dying. The plants and animals that spring up on the mudflats are both intriguing and deadly. Long, ropy vines dangle from forests of towering, nakedtrunked trees capped by umbrellas of huge frondlike leaves. The undergrowth is a thick tangle of ferns, thick-bladed grasses, and broad-leafed plants that spill out of single, bulbous roots. Some of the vines are carnivorous, and will attempt to entwine and strangle any creature lounging or passing beneath them. The thick-bladed grasses can also be dangerous, for they sometimes have edges as sharp as an obsidian sword that will slice unprotected skin open.

Estuaries

Near the shores of the Sea of Silt, there are long, relatively narrow estuaries that twist their way inland. Like the sea itself, they are filled with dust and are nearly impossible for humans and demihumans to traverse. In many instances, they protrude so far inland that they form considerable barriers to travel. At the same time, these estuaries serve as passageways for the strange creatures that inhabit the Sea of Silt - many of which can be nearly as devastating to crops, villages, and other human interests as a pack of mad thri-kreen or a hungry herd of wild erdlus. As in the Sea of Silt itself, plants rarely grow in the shifting dust of the estuaries. Except for the periodic flying beast, a few silt horrors, and an occasional giant, the estuaries are empty of animal life.Islands. In the estuaries and near the shore of the Sea of Silt, hundreds of islands poke out of the dust. These islands often serve as a refuge for predatory creatures that can fly. In many cases, they also serve as a haven for giants and other raiders who have the ability to cross a few miles of deep silt. Because they are rarely visited, and tend to be located in vicinities that Defilers have no reason to frequent, islands often have an abundant supply of foliage. This makes them ideal for hermits and small tribes of herders. Of course, those who are blessed with such homes tend to be very territorial about their islands. Strangers are usually chased away, if not killed to keep word of the bountiful island from spreading. The only oases in the Sea of Silt are located on the islands, for any large and continuing supply of water that seeps into the dust bed quickly becomes a mudflat. Unfortunately, the inhabitants of islands are secretive about water, so it is difficult to determine whether or not there is an oasis on most islands. I assume, however, that islands are as likely or unlikely as any other piece of similar land to have an oasis, so you may judge your chances of finding water on an island according the type of terrain that is upon it. The islands have an abundance of plant and animal life upon them. Columnlike conifers that rise to heights of thirty or forty feet are not uncommon, as are wild orchards of smaller olive trees. The slopes are often covered with tangles of woody vines, and there are entire fields of brightly colored flowers. If giants inhabit the island, they have generally destroyed most of the dangerous plants. But other islands often have a wide assortment of deadly foliage, from broad-leafed vines that attempt to mummify anything wandering through them to innocent-looking flowers whose pollen is a deadly poison. The giants keep the islands they inhabit clear of dangerous animals, and generally one finds only common herd animals such as goats and erdlus in such places. Other islands, however, often have ferocious, mid-sized predators like the deadly gaj (described in Wildlife: Terrors of Athas).