The Shifting Sands

Brief Overview

A small section of desert within Furystrom, the Shifting Sands earned its name by being the most common location for the Sudden Displacement phenomenon to take place. Although, it is also known for its beautiful dunes, flecks of air-born glass, and scorching fire tornados.

General Overview

The Shifting Sands is a beautiful patch of desert with many dunes and canyons. The unfortunate truth, however, is that if you happen to misstep even once while here, the sands will shift beneath you, and suddenly, you will liquefy and rematerialize in a different location. This phenomenon has happened here for over 9 millennia, causing most creatures to avoid the area instinctively. The few exceptions to the above statement are either creatures who have adapted to the Shifting Sands or creatures who have learned to use its abnormal effects to their advantage.

Geography

The desert scene lain out is speckled with sand dunes that cascade north until they climb into a rugged mountain range. The northeast section of the Sinking Sands has small canyons leading off the northern mountains, however they don't dip very deep.
The displacement phenomenon can happen suddenly, but it's most common when travelling through the sand dunes.

Ecosystem

The ecosystem is am eternal firestorm set above a desert. There are constant fire tornadoes that melt the sands into flecks of glass, and shifting sands that displace travelers. Surprisingly enough, despite the aforementioned terrain dangers there are actually creatures thriving by using the sands to their advantage. The two most prominent species that come to mind are the Reptrolls and he Buneret.

Ecosystem Cycles

The ecosystem rarely changes in Furystrom. It fairly southern and the fire storms keeps the climate consistent. This is what leaves many to believe there is magical involved with the strange weather.

Localized Phenomena

Fire Tornadoes

Since the late 3000's BN there have been fire storms, leading to fire tornadoes that seem to fume eternally. No one knows the cause or the origin of these storms, however, there are many rumors circling the phenomena. One such theory is that the gods are still angry after the Omnigate was sealed. Another rumor states that the god of flames, Pyrite, is causing them to hide something from the mortals. Other rumors circle a mysterious creature trapped in the storm clouds there. The story varies from culture to culture, however, one thing is know for sure... The flames from these storms are hot enough to liquify most metals.

Sudden Displacement

Despite many immortals existing for millennia at a time, no one knows when the Sudden Displacement phenomena began, or why it's happening. The phenomena is triggered when the sands of the desert shifts below too much weight and it causes the displacement to trigger, liquifying the creature who slipped before sending them to another location intact.

Climate

It's always dreadfully hot, even at nighttime. Despite the fact it should be getting colder in the nights, the constant fire storms make it continually hot.

Fauna & Flora

Reptrolls

Reptrolls are bipedal reptilian trolls that are capable of building primitive tools and structures. They often use these sands to deter more advanced armies from trying to attack or corner them.

Buneret

The Buneret are prey animals that can actually teleport on their own, but they use the shifting sands to lure attacking predators into different locations before teleporting back to the original spot in the desert.

Natural Resources

There are your typical desert resources avaiable from this location. However, the most notable of all is the Magical Glass, and the Displacement Sands.
1. The Magical Glass is imbued with massive amounts of Tari, and it's so magical that it's used as a high grade spell component.
2. The Displacement Sands have traces of the displacement magic still trapped in the grains. It's incredibly valuable, but it's hard to gather enough to make the minimum sale amount, which is applied in most kingdoms. When enough is gathered it can be used to teleport, though it's still a largely experimental process at this time.

Tourism

Only the most daring of tourists trek through these treacherous lands, though it's usually artists hoping to sketch or paint the scenery. This is very difficult to accomplish as the fire tornados can form and, or switch direction at any time with no forewarning.
There are the odd few that come to the Shifting Sands hoping to find a new life after the displacement, but this is strongly discouraged, as there is no way of predicting where the displacement rifts will send creatures.

Alternative Name(s)

Sands of Sudden Displacement, Dunes of Displacement

Type

Desert

Location under

Furystrom

Owner/Ruler

Pyrite