Sand Sliders

Fast and Light Always Outshines Slow and Heavy

Between the heat of the Mesa Dunes sun and the ever-growing risk of Zuvmurt Kingdom raids, the Drizdi halfling folk prefer to travel in the safer, underground tunnels. However, particularly in the areas of the great sand dunes, this is not always feasible.

You haven't lived until you've spotted a Zuvmurt raider hiding in the dust-filled wind. Slap on your sand sliders and start barreling down the dune. Sliding left, veering right, jumping to catch some air and pick up speed. The raider tries to urge his horse faster. But those elven horses were never made for the Mesa sands. Stumbling to a stop at the bottom of the dune. The raider is pressing on but it's too late now. You know this desert and every hidden entrance to the sand stone dwellings. Sand falls into the tunnel as you're opening the hatch and sliding inside. The sand storm has already covered the door and that raider will be be tomorrow's breakfast for the vultures.

To decrease travel time between sand stone dwellings and allow them to make a quick getaway when necessary, the Drizdi folk invented sand sliders.
Sand sliders are thin, but sturdy planks, typically two and a half feet long and six inches wide. They are hand-carved from ironwood and attach to Drizdi folks' feet with leather straps which wrap around their ankles for added support. The bottom of sand sliders are coated with rendered animal lard wax, which helps to reduce friction between the sand sliders and the desert sand.
Drizdi are able to utilize the sand sliders in a variety of ways.
The most common use for them is at the top of sand dunes. Drizdi hold onto two pointed staffs to guide their movements as they race down and across a sand dune. If a Drizdi has a trained Haragwe with them, they can attach a harness to them and hold onto the reins, guiding them up or across sand dunes. Rider beware when employing this method--it's a bumpy ride--the Haragwe is the fastest animal in the Mesa Dunes and they're not afraid to show off.

Finally, advanced magi who can confidently commune with the wind are able to tie two long ropes to a parachute cloth above their shoulders. In this way, they are able to slide and glide across the sand dunes and change direction at a moment's notice. Drizdi who possess this talent are often used as scouts. Going ahead of the rest of the enclave to ensure the path is safe.

Sand Slider Racing

Amongst the young Drizdi folk Sand Slider Racing is popular. A courtship ritual, the Drizdi will race down sand dunes--picking up speed and mid-flight flips--in order to impress somebody they are attempting to woo. When two Drizdi halflings are vying for the attention of the same person, they may challenge one another to a race. The young Drizdi is not obligated to choose the winner of the race, and in some cases they may even decided to choose neither. Or both. However, the winners of these Sand Slider Races will often tell tales to regale their intricate tricks. In subsequent stories the hills reach higher and the air they caught expands wider. A single back flip may turn into three as they proclaim that none can top them.

Current location

Mesa Dunes