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**Known Residents: Kalim Al-Asim, Jamil Viper & Najma Viper

is a desert country in the world of Twisted Wonderland that's known for its' tea leaves, spices, & silks.

Geography: The Scalding Sands is a large peninsular country where most of its territory faces the ocean. Many high-end streets, housing, resorts, & hotels line the coasts. The majority of the country's territory is covered in deserts. There are also many rivers flowing throughout the country which have since been developed into canals. Its exact location in the world is unknown as of yet.

Climate: Has an arid tropical climate. In the undeveloped desert regions, temperatures in the day & night vary widely, with night temperatures going as low as 0°C. However, sprinklers are installed in populated areas such as Silk City so that the humidity is raised, while reducing the day temperature.

History: A long time ago, the residents of the Scalding Sands struggled to find water for their daily needs due to the country's sparse rainfall and vast deserts.

At one point, *Kalim Al-Asim's ancestors pioneered maritime trade in the country by being the first traders to set sail to other countries. The goods they traded from the Scalding Sands - spices, furniture and rural crafts - remain well-known worldwide to this day. The perilous journey was made without the use of accurate nautical maps & it eventually paid off. The *Asims then developed the rivers into canals, forming sea routes, developed land routes based on the canals & expanded inland trading in the Scalding Sands.

There was once a law where royalty could only marry other royalty. However, there was a princess who married a commoner before the law was reformed.

Demographic:

- Language: The language spoken by the residents today seem to be the same common language spoken everywhere else. It is not known if the ancient language continues to be taught in schools. However, traditional festivals such as the Yasmina River Fireworks Festival (Al'āb Nārīya) seem to also be known locally by their ancient names, as Kalim introduced it with this name before *Jamil explains that it is known contemporarily as the Yasmina River Fireworks Festival.

Customs & Traditions:

Tea is customary with every meal; residents have a special brew for guests. While they offer super sweet tea to guests as a symbol of luxury, residents also enjoy tea & it is said that they drink 10 cups of tea a day. This custom of serving sweet tea originated from a time when sugar was valuable, & according to the English localization, was the result of a sugar shortage.

Mancala is a popular board game in Scalding Sands.

Peacock green is a popular color among men & women.

In traditional parades, it's customary to release a rainbow of parrots at the end & then have the host greet the guests.

Locations:

- Silk City: Is a major city in the Scalding Sands which serves as the country's political and economic center, while being a popular tourist destination. It is also physically located in the central region of the Scalding Sands. Traditional architecture which utilizes white stone, said to be a material that was more easily accessible than timber for building, is iconic and common in the city. There are many canals that flow through the city, along with sprinklers which serve to cool the daily temperatures. The canals are utilized very frequently as both trading vessels & traditional ferries for both the locals to travel & for tourists to sightsee passing through them.

To develop Silk City to its current state, merchants like the *Asims invested heavily in advanced technology so that the city can become a sustainable environment with potable water for its residents. The benefits of this move snowballed in return - more people moved to Silk City because of the availability of water, allowing for more trade to happen, which then allowed the people to grow affluent, which also raised the town's own affluence, & subsequently, the tourism industry prospered after.

Silk City's specializes in trading silk commodities, from which the city's name is derived. It is also known for its fine cuisine & seafood. It imports fresh marine products from the coastal regions of the Scalding Sands daily.

- *Asim Park: Is a private park owned by the Asim family. It is located in Silk City, Scalding Sands.

- *Kalim's Home: Also known formally as the Asim Estate or colloquially as the Asim Palace, is where the Asim family stays. It is located in Silk City, Scalding Sands.

- The Fireworks Bleachers: Is a location in Silk City, Scalding Sands, where the Yasmina River Fireworks Festival is held.

- Camel Bazaar: Is located in Silk City of the Scalding Sands. It is a large bazaar where a wide variety of goods is sold.

Noteworthy Food:

Tropical fruits (including: Dragonfruit and Starfruit)

Silky Melon

Shawarma

- Zahab Market: Is located in Silk City, Scalding Sands. It is a popular tourist destination for shopping, but there are also swindlers & pickpockets lurking amidst the crowds who target the oblivious.