The Desert of Lostladen, commonly also known as Lostladen, is a deserted region of Near Harad south of the mighty Ephel Dúath mountain range, the outer fences of Mordor. Not much is known of this land. Its inhospitable geography and climate have discouraged both man and orc from establishing settlements in the area.
Lostladen is a semi-desert region. Its terrain is a mix of sand, bare rock and dirt, and scattered patches of grass. The land is mostly flat, and the trees here are almost entirely oaks, either stunted or dead. Aside from the occasional boulder, there is little else that can be found here.
A poorly-maintained road runs through Lostladen, stretching from Ugrî-zadîn in Harnennor to the Khandwater Ford. This road is used only by messengers bound to and from Khand, and in the past it was also used by the Variags themselves. Nowadays, however, even the Nomad Merchants tend to avoid this area, preferring to travel through the half-deserts to the south of Lostladen for trade between Harnennor and Khand.
Upon entering Lostladen, one gains the achievement "Wide Emptiness."
Standard - Normal Lostladen biome. Small clusters of trees and stone boulders dot the landscape.
Light Forest - Lightly forested lands.
Steppe - A flat landscape of grassy plains.
Barren Steppe - These barren plains stretch over vast areas and have next to no vegetation.
Hills - A hilly landscape with a higher average elevation.
Forested Hills - A landscape with forest-covered hills.
Oak Shrublands - Forest-covered lands with a lower tree density than regular forests, but with a very thick undergrowth of shrubs.
Dead Forest - A version of the biome forested with dead trees.
Scrubland - Scrublands are typically areas with very poor, sandy and/or rocky soil. This results in very little tree growth. The vegetation here is dominated by low growing scrubs (stunted trees/shrubs) and bushes.
Scrubland Hills - The scrubland hills are a hilly type of scrubland.
Wasteland - Wasteland is a very barren biome and can vast stretches of the terrain consist of barren rock. The soil is generally very poor and vegetation is sparse. The landscape can both consist of flat plains and rolling hills.
Structures[]
This land has long been uninhabited and still is today. No structures can be found here.
Mobs[]
Apart form a few hardy, tiny animal species, the only mobs you may encounter here are Harad Bandits.
Mining[]
All the standard ores can be found beneath the Desert of Lostladen, with the addition of Lapis Lazuli. Unlike in vanilla, lapis can only be found in Near Harad, albeit at the same rates and levels.
Vegetation[]
One of the most striking aspect of the land is the scarcity of sand and soil. Much of the surface is barren rock. The vegetation is similar to that in the neighbouring half-deserts of Near Harad. Hardened desert oak and cacti struggle for a place to soak the little moisture that is hiding in patches of sand and soil amidst the rocky surface. The climate in Lostladen excellently preserves dead trees, and those can be found in abundance, making the place a potential destination for lumbering expeditions.
