The Shifting Sands of Yesh
The Shifting Sands of Yesh, an expansive and treacherous equatorial desert, wraps around the world of Ayinel like a scorching belt. This unforgiving terrain is dominated by ever-changing dunes and harsh sun, making it one of the most challenging environments to navigate. The only inhabitants who dare to call this desert home are the nomadic Driftborn and the reclusive Zephyr Tribes. The powerful Theocracy of Solis Aeternum lays claim to any substantial settlements within and around this vast desert.
Geography
The Shifting Sands are a constantly evolving landscape where the dunes shift and reshape themselves daily. This dynamic environment is driven by powerful windstorms that sweep across the desert, moving vast amounts of sand and altering the terrain. These windstorms are notorious for carrying sharp, glass-like sand particles that can cut through flesh and bone, making them incredibly lethal.
Ecosystem
Despite the harsh conditions, life in the Shifting Sands has adapted in remarkable ways. The desert follows a cycle of extreme heat and freezing cold depending where within its orbit Ayinel falls, with brief periods of relative calm occuring every few hundred cycles. During the setting and rising of the Ayin or Yesh the desert comes alive as many creatures surface to hunt and forage.
Ecosystem Cycles
The ecosystem of the Shifting Sands is profoundly influenced by the position of Ayinel in its orbit around the twin suns, Ayin and Yesh. The movement of these celestial bodies creates distinct environmental cycles:
Ayin's Ascendance: When Ayinel is closest to Ayin, the desert experiences prolonged periods of intense heat and light. This phase sees the most activity among solar-powered flora and fauna, with the sands becoming a shimmering expanse of golden light.
Yesh's Dominance: As Ayinel moves closer to Yesh, the destructive sun, the desert undergoes a transformation. Temperatures drop slightly, but the atmosphere becomes charged with volatile energy, leading to more frequent and intense windstorms.
Eternal Twilight: When Ayinel is positioned directly between the twin suns, the desert experiences a unique period of perpetual twilight. The skies are painted in surreal hues, and the temperatures stabilize, providing a brief respite from the extremes of heat and cold.
Localized Phenomena
The Ever-Moving Sands
The perpetual movement of the dunes creates a landscape that is never the same from one day to the next. This constant change poses a challenge for navigation, as landmarks are buried and uncovered unpredictably. The sands themselves seem almost alive, shifting in waves that can swallow entire caravans or reveal hidden oases and ancient ruins.
Lethal Windstorms
Windstorms in the Shifting Sands are a common and deadly occurrence. These storms can arise with little warning, turning the sky dark with swirling sand. The most feared are the glass storms, where the sand particles have been fused into sharp, glass-like shards by the intense heat of the desert. These storms can strip flesh from bone and reduce structures to rubble in moments.
Fauna & Flora
Gigantic Sand Dwellers
Beneath the shifting dunes lie creatures of immense size and power. These behemoths, some as large as buildings, move slowly through the sands, their movements creating tremors felt on the surface. They are rarely seen, but their presence is known by the sudden and violent eruptions of sand when they surface to feed.
Dune Lizards
One of the more common inhabitants of the Shifting Sands are the Dune Lizards. These creatures possess a minor intelligence and are known to speak in a gibberish-like language. They are fiercely territorial and cannibalistic, often hunting in packs. Despite their primitive communication, they exhibit a surprising level of coordination in their attacks.
History
Over the millennia, the Shifting Sands have seen significant changes due to Ayinel's shifting orbit:
The Era of Great Heat: In ancient times, a prolonged period of closeness to Ayin led to an age of extreme heat where only the hardiest creatures and plants could survive. This era saw the rise of resilient species adapted to the intense sunlight.
The Time of Storms: Following a cosmic event that altered Ayinel's orbit, the desert experienced an age of violent storms, with glass storms becoming a frequent and deadly occurrence. This period gave rise to the Driftborn, who adapted to navigate the hazardous environment.
The Age of Balance: More recently, Ayinel's orbit has stabilized somewhat, leading to more predictable cycles of heat and storms. This balance has allowed a greater diversity of life to thrive, although the desert remains a perilous place.
Interesting Facts
Ancient Ruins
Hidden Histories: The Shifting Sands are dotted with the remnants of ancient civilizations. Buried temples and lost cities occasionally emerge from the sands, offering glimpses into the past. War Relics: Weapons and armor from long-forgotten battles can be found scattered across the desert, telling tales of conflicts that shaped the history of Ayinel."Beneath the sands lie the secrets of a thousand ages, buried treasures, and the bones of the past. To uncover them is to court both wisdom and death." — Scholar Ilmaris of the Luminary Archives
Natural Phenomena
Mirage Pools: Illusions created by the intense heat often trick travelers into seeing nonexistent water sources, leading many to their doom. Desert Blooms: After rare desert rains, the sands are briefly covered in vibrant flowers, a stunning contrast to the usual barren landscape."In the Shifting Sands, the dunes are your only constant companion, always moving, never still. Navigate with caution, for what lies beneath may devour the unwary." — Caravan Master Tarek
Notable Locations
The Oasis of the Winds A hidden sanctuary where the Zephyr Tribes find refuge. The oasis is known for its lush greenery and sacred Temple of the Wind. Drift's End The mobile capital of the Driftborn, a massive fleet of sandships that navigate the shifting dunes, serving as a hub of trade and governance. The Sunken Citadel A once-mighty fortress now buried beneath the sands, rumored to hold treasures and powerful artifacts from an age long past._____________________
Alternative Name(s)
The Pilgrims Penance
Type
Desert
Owning Organization
Related Myths