The Great Desert

"Many of the Wainriders now passed south of Mordor and made alliance with men of Khand and of Near Harad."

- Appendix A: Annals of the Kings and Rulers

Near Harad is the large, barren desert region located south of most of the familiar lands of Middle-earth. Cacti are much more rare here than in the vanilla Minecraft deserts, and surface water is almost nonexistent. Near Harad is the home of the Southrons and Nomads.

Upon entering Near Harad you earn the achievement "The Great Desert".

Due to the intense heat of this desert region, the player will periodically take damage, similar to the way the player will take damage in Forodwaith due to the intense cold. The best way to avoid this is to obtain Harad robes or get out from underneath the burning sun, and to only travel at night ... but mind the scorpions.

Camels spawn here, and can be ridden by any player after being tamed.

In the west of this ocean of sand, a fertile land lies around a great river. It is here that the Southrons, the Men of the main faction of Near Haradrim, and their structures can be found.

Southron Coasts
The Southron Coasts is a region of Near Harad located to the west of the desert, stretching along a river and the coasts of the great sea, to which it owes its fertility.
 * Main article: Southron Coasts

The surface terrain is a mix of grass, dirt, sand, and red sand. As of, the composition of the terrain varies smoothly over scales of a few hundred blocks - so one may find scrubby regions with plenty of sand and dirt, lush green regions with only scattered small patches of sand and dirt, and regions anything in-between. Many stunted oak trees, high-reaching cedars, and the occasional date palm can be found scattered across the landscape.

The Southron Coasts are home to the Southrons, archers, and warriors, who can be found wandering their homeland as well as in villages and fortresses. You do not need to wear robes here.

Desert
This 'Great desert of Harad' covers the biggest part of the region. It is home to the Nomads of Near Harad. These people known to have no permanent dwellings and who travel around with all their belongings in permanent search of vegetation and water for their livestock, and for trade opportunities. Their presence secures the bonding between the peoples of Near Harad as they cater for the trade needs of their kin in the Southron Coasts to their west, Harnedor to their north, and the Gulf of Harad to the south of their barren habitat.

Half-deserts
This biome is similar to the Near Harad desert, but, as it is further south, it features sparse vegetation: dry scrubby grass, and the occasional tree, although many of the trees are dead.

Red Desert
This sub-biome is located on north-east of Near Harad. Compared to normal desert, it has red sand and sandstone, from which red brick can be made. This gives this sub-biome a very unique look.

Oasis
This small sub-biome is found randomly throughout the desert. Their appearance is very similar to the lands of the Southron Coasts, and can even have regular Southrons spawn. Oases tend to contain lush, fertile grass with many flowers, usually based around bodies of water. Birds, rabbits, boars and more can spawn in oases. Trees grow such as date palms, cedar trees, cypress trees, oak trees and olive trees. Upon entering an oasis, the player earns the achievement "Jewel of Harad".

Variants
In the lands of Near Harad the following biome variants can be found: The Southron Coasts have more variants, and those can be found on its respective page.
 * Dunes
 * Steppe
 * Red boulder fields
 * Hills - a version of the great desert with more hills.
 * Dead forest (Half-deserts only) - a desert forest of dead trees.
 * Sandy scrublands (Desert Hills only)
 * Oasis - a place in the desert where there is water and plants and trees grow.

Structures
Throughout all of Near Harad, stone ruins can be found. They are silent witnesses of the strength of sands and winds.

Desert structures
These structures spawn in the great desert of Near Harad.


 * Obelisks - Tall sandstone structures with fire at the top. Like the Gondor obelisks, they mark the territory of Near Harad.
 * Desert camps - Small camps made for the Southrons and their camels. They contain some tents around a small well, with food and drink and some other loot.
 * Fortress - Fortresses are small bases for warriors and their warlord. They contain some interresting loot and have a date palm tree growing on top.
 * Pyramids - Pyramids that, at first glance, appear empty, with a depiction of the Eye of Sauron at the summit (the pupil of which is a gold block.) Hidden inside is a burial chamber, that contains some good loot.

Southron Coasts only
These structures only spawn in the fertile part of Near Harad. Fortresses generate here as well as in the desert.


 * Villages - Villages are large combinations of structures. They have two roads that cross at a well. There are a lot of houses, animal pens and farms. Mostly a bazaar and at least one tower are found there as well. More details can be found here.

Mobs
Desert scorpions will spawn in the desert often during the cool hours of the night, and camels spawn in the day time. In fertile valley, the Southrons and the warriors spawn along with the usual, boars, sheep, cows, and chickens.


 * Scorpions - Poisonous beasts hostile to all. They only spawn in the desert.
 * Southrons (fertile, oasis and desert structures only) - Men of Near Harad who inhabit the fertile land along the rivers. Many wear robes, which protect them from the heat of the desert.
 * Warriors - Warriors of the Southrons who fight with their weapons. They can be mounted on camels or horses.
 * Archers - Warriors with bows and arrows. They can also ride camels or horses.
 * Warlords - Traders who spawn in fortresses. They will give you warriors if you have the alignment and coins.
 * Southron bazaar traders (fertile only) - Traders who sell you ores, minerals, pants, vegetation, food and drink. They buy whatever they need for their business. They can be found in bazaars in villages.
 * Wraiths - Ghosts of ancient Southron kings that inhabit the pyramids found in the desert.

Mining
Beneath Near Harad all the normal ores can be found, but lapis lazuli is now exclusive to this biome, Harnedor, Harondor and Lostladen.

Vegetation
There is little vegetation in the desert of Near Harad. Here only dead trees grow, and very rarely at that. However, the fertile area has grass, various colorful flowers, date palm trees, and stunted oaks. It is also one of the rare places in the Mod were the player can find cacti which can be used to make liqueur (based on real life tequila).

Trivia
Glflegolas did a regional spotlight on the Near Harad Desert, which can be found here. If you plan on visiting, make sure to check that out.