The badlans

Basically a mid magic desert. The world itself is high technology, it's just contained to a capitol city at the center of the desert. Sandstorms are a huge tragedy, along with lightning. If you live in the badlands, survivability is low. Some people live underground, as surface dwellers likely die.

There is a city at the center of the badlands. High technology, safe from the sandstorms and everything. It is an extremely wealthy city called Paldea. The rest of the badlands are just called the badlands. Most of it is rolling desert, but beyond the deserts are mountains. It is rumored that the other side of those mountains are a safe haven for those denied entry into paldea. (This is not true. The other side of those mountains hold hoards of zombies.)

This is mostly human with some other races scattered in between. There are three main cultures. The upper class, who mainly live in paldea, are rich concieted people. the underground, who live in cities beneath the badlands, and are extremely welcoming. They are mostly exiles, so theyll give weary travelers a place to stay. And the desert dwellers. There are hundres of destroyed desert dweller camps, and there are almost none of them anmore. but these are tough, sneaky people. The ones who survive are truly powerful.

Paldean border control. Their politicians are trying to completely remove the people from the badlands. Like kill them because they dont want them in their city.

There is no religion, but there is magic. And the magic in this world is strong. There are only a few magicians in paldea, but they can control the world itself. It is rumored that all desert dwellers have at least one magician in their group so they can survive the sandstorms.