Cursed desert

From King's Quest Omnipedia

The Cursed Desert is the location where the Duchy of the Solicitous Boar once stood. It was created when Ulan Vasx summoned a demon there in order to stop magical weevils destroying it. Due to the evil winds of the summoned demon, life will no longer grow there, and any living being that touches the sand will die. It is likely located somewhere on the continent of Serenia.

Interestingly enough the story of the cursed desert is similar to the story of the creation of the Endless Desert of Serenia in a few details. In both tales the previous land was kingdom was destroyed creating a desert (the ancient race who made the temple may have even worshiped a demon). However people can travel through the Endless Desert without dieing (at least as long as they find the oases). However unlike the cursed desert its implied that the civilization destroyed itself with their own technology causing the place to burn and destroying all life except the scorpions (and road runners).