Velvet Noose

The wind-blown sand of the Red Velvet Desert can choke man and machine alike. A sandstorm of a high enough density to prove lethal is known colloquially as a 'velvet noose.'

Causes

The Red Velvet Desert in Rostral A is famous for it's ultra-fine red sand - a product of centuries of wind erosion that acts more like a liquid or vapor under the right conditions. When strong winds blow through the dunes, they can carry the sand with them, creating monstrous sandstorms that hamper visibility, clog air filters on dieseltech devices, jam mechanisms requiring close engineering tolerances, and iritate the eyes and lungs of creatures not adapted to that environment.

Symptoms

Living beings trapped in a velvet noose find themselves unable to comfortably draw enough air, reducing their aerobic performance and potentially even causing unconsciousness. If the affected individual is overcome by the press of sand, their prone form may then become covered in sand as it settles out of the air, creating an even further problem for respiration and even potentially burying them alive.
For machinery, a velvet noose causes stalling as the press of sand impedes the flow of oxygen into combustion chambers and accumulates on gears and other mechanisms. Though worn almost smooth by the constant action of the wind across the desert, Red Velvet desert sand is nonetheless an abrasive capable of wearing away protective coatings. The dust sticks to any wet surfaces, plugging fuel lines and creating concretions on lubricated components that reduce mechanical performance. The silt's dessicating effect can prevent machines like fuel biosynthesis reactors from functioning properly.

Treatment

Living creatures can be pulled into shelter to recover, which may require measures to remove excess particulate from their bodies. Giving the victim dust protection early on can be effective, but later can prove a hindrance - the dust must be expelled to allow for respiration to continue. Bathing and changing clothes can provide a degree of comfort and help shorten the irritation associated with exposure to the fine dust.
For machines, recovery from a velvet noose is more difficult due to the lack of natural recovery. The machine must often be disassembled and cleaned in a sheltered environment, though filters (see Prevention) can simply be replaced.

Prognosis

Despite its frightening name, velvet nooses are seldom fatal, though they can significantly inhibit outdoor activities while ongoing.

Affected Groups

Hermitage Island Fellowship Flag by BCGR_Wurth

While the oversized upper respiratory tracts of Rostrans are normally considered a boon - granting these individuals superior gustatory, olfactory, and barometric senses - they can prove a hindrance in preventing the entrance of choking silt. That said, any air-breathing creature is potentially vulnerable to the suffocating effects of such strong sandstorms.
The combination of heat, dessication, darkness, and airlessness makes velvet nooses particularly lethal for Verdial physiology. New Voxelians have cultural risk factors associated with regards to velvet nooses, as Voxelians are not used to extreme dryness and heat due to their long residence in the damp, temperate environs of Medial C. Conversely, members of the Coalition of Breakaway Colonies - and especially the rugged outdoorsmen of the Free Faces League - tend to be culturally well-equipped to deal with such harsh desert conditions. Indeed, the Coalition Defense Forces specifically train for arid conditions in the Eastern Tesseract in preparation for when they might face threats from that direction.

Prevention

The simplest protection against a velvet noose is a good shelter, prefferable one not capable of being blown away. Tunnels and heavy structures are the best for this purpose. Merely being on the opposite side of a durable obstacle from the onrushing wind can reduce, but not necessarily eliminate the effects of a velvet noose.
Eye and face protection is a must during sandstorms in the Red Velvet Desert. Members of the Red Velvet Association and frequent travelers from the similarly dry Coalition of Breakaway Colonies have taken this lesson to heart, incorporating such protection into their dress when away from shelter. Goggles, bandanas, and filtration masks are common personal protective equipment.
For machinery, dust protection must be applied with consideration for the operating requirements of the given machine. Biodiesel requires air to combust, so intake filters must be open enough to permit a strong flow of air while still finely-meshed enough to trap incoming particles without clogging. These filters are often multi-layered so that successive layers can be cleaned or disposed of as they accumulate dust. Cloth storage covers and outer casings with closeable ports are common on machines like dieseltech computers to reduce exposure of sensitive components to the exterior environment. Non-liquid lubricants, such as graphite powder, may be used to prevent any dust that gets past all these protections from sticking. Positive internal air pressure may be used to keep dust from entering a machine in the first place - if clean air can be found in such an environment.

Cultural Reception

IAK Seal by BCGR_Wurth

Culturally, velvet nooses occupy a similar place in the resident Rostrans' culture as the Black Sun does in the Vale Verdial culture. Velvet nooses are regarded as frightening events and potentially ill omens.
Because the winds of a velvet noose may reveal heretofore undiscovered objects and locations beneath the shifting sands, they play a central role in many tales from the Red Depths Mythos. Velvet nooses are sometimes regarded as punishments from the great crow spirit of Ixa Ad-Korvidiu, taking away those who fail to take precautions - or to make good use of the advantages presented to them by nature.

Avarix Corps Deathshead Symbol by BCGR_Wurth

Type

Physiological

Origin

Natural

Cycle

Short-term

Rarity

Uncommon