The Desert Empire

Long ago, the Desert of Almuj was ruled by an ancient human civilization known as The Empire, far before the Nether Portal opened. They were very advanced, and just as educated as the people today. Their leader, known as The Emperor, held a sceptre with powerful magic. It was the source of his powers, and caused his aging to stop, making him practically immortal. Many temples were constructed in honor of the sceptre. The Emperor lived for hundreds of years, and had hundreds of children. During his time, the Empire prospered. Alas, that prosperity didn't last forever.

The Emperor's 26th son, Hashr, became wrought with greed as he grew older, and started to envy his father's powers. He travelled beyond the desert's walls, and during these journeys he learned that the Emperor's power only comes from a mere object. At 1400 BP, in his greed and envy, he was already more than ready to kill, and so he did. After cold-bloodedly murdering the Emperor in his own palace, something that Hashr did not expect happened. Once the sceptre was taken from its master, it laid a terrible curse on the desert. For years, the Empire was plagued by sandstorms, until nearly everything was buried.

After Hashr truly realised how powerful the sceptre was, he hid it where no one could find it, in a temple in the desert's far north-eastern parts. Much of Hashr has not been seen or heard since, but through some way, he ended up in the Sand-Swept Tomb, and became an undead. The Tomb has been sealed ever since, and the only way to open it again would be to use the Emperor's Sceptre.

Much later, the sceptre was acquired by the Creden Tibus bandit group, who hold it to this day.