Kaleidoscope Desert

Anyone who has seen the Kaleidoscope Desert with their own eyes will not forget the sight anytime soon. As far as the eye can see, sand dunes stretch out in every imaginable color. It is a view that has inspired many artists and one that exists nowhere else in all of Mirintha. Yet only a few have ever had the chance to see this desert with their own eyes. The reasons for this might becom clearer as soon as you have finished our article about this visual masterpiece.

Location

West of the Skyforge Mountains, nestled within the much larger Vareshan, lies this desert whose colorful appearance belies the dangers that lurk within. Red sand dunes rise directly beside green and blue hills. Pink, black, and white ridges alternate with orange and deep violet waves of sand. The desert spans an area of xx km² and lies nearly at the heart of Vareshan. Its central location alone has prevented most living beings from witnessing this spectacle. Those who must cross Vareshan usually choose routes along its edges, never through its core.

Climate

What more is there to say about the climate? The Kaleidoscope Desert is exactly what its name suggests, a desert, and what else can one expect from such a place but heat and dryness? Daytime temperatures rise to 35°S–50°S, while nighttime temperatures can drop to as low as 5°S–10°S. This fluctuation causes the formation of dew in the early morning hours, essential for the survival of the few life forms that endure the desert’s harsh conditions. Rain, on the other hand, never falls in the Kaleidoscope Desert. The surrounding Vareshan might receive some moisture from time to time, but clouds never reach the desert’s core.

That really doesn't sound inviting. Or healthy at all ...

Flora & Fauna

The Kaleidoscope Desert gives rise to life found nowhere else in Mirintha. Our knowledge of the region’s unique flora and fauna comes primarily from the Qataban, those brave nomads and merchants who are the only ones to regularly venture through the Kaleidoscope Desert.

Very little life can survive the unforgiving nature of this sea of sand. During the day, the desert appears lifeless. But at night, it awakens. The animals that bury themselves in the sand during the day rise from their resting places to feed or to be fed upon. Sand jumpers scurry over the dunes in search of glassworms, all the while trying not to be devoured by one of the roaming glimmer foxes. Shadow moths flit through the night sky, hunting small insects drawn by the scent of the few desert plants. For more details on individual creatures, curious readers are encouraged to consult "Fascination Nature – Volume 1: Animalium".

Among the notable plants are the Fern Diver, which only unfurls its leaves at night and takes on the color of the dune it grows upon, and the Kaleidorn, whose resin is harvested and widely used by the Qataban. Another common sight is the Sand Creeper, which can be seen either in its stationary form or rolled up and driven across the dunes by the wind, seeking a new place to anchor itself in search of nutrients. Further information can be found in "Fascination Nature – Volume 2: Botanicum".

They all sound fascinating, especially the little fox. I just love foxes.

Natural Resources

The Qataban primarily collect the colored sand of the desert, which is a valuable trade good either in its natural state or refined into glass. Though the desert has never shrunk over the centuries, the Qataban take care not to remove too much sand. Scholars are unable to explain why the desert still maintains the same dimensions as it did centuries ago. It is suspected that the gods themselves have a hand in it.

In addition to sand, the resin of the Kaleidorn is in high demand. It is used in medicine, alchemy, various religious rituals, and jewelry making. All color variants of the resin are equally valued.

I wonder if I have seen that resin before and just haven't realized what it was ...

Dangers

Beyond the obvious dangers of heat and water scarcity, the Kaleidoscope Desert holds additional perils for the unprepared or careless traveler. Chief among them is the constant movement of the dunes. Slowly, yes, but steadily. This makes navigation extremely difficult, as a “safe path” might already be outdated after a week. Every journey through these sand hills becomes a new adventure, fit only for the most seasoned explorers.

As if that weren’t enough, further challenges await those who dare to enter this land. Chief among them are the Chroma Wardens, figures made of sand that can take on a variety of forms. The Qataban say these guardians protect Taide’s Tear, an oasis at the center of the Kaleidoscope Desert. The guardians typically take on the form of whatever their target fears most. Many victims simply freeze in terror and the Chroma Wardens then bury them alive in the sand.

And of course, there are the occasional mirages that have led many an unwary traveler to their death. These illusions can lead one in circles for days, tricking them into thinking they’re about to reach the edge of the desert or even Taide’s Tear until they run out of water and collapse from exhaustion.

So, what would that be for me? Probably a giant wasp!

Myth

Why the dunes of the Kaleidoscope Desert appear in such a wide range of colors is something science cannot fully explain. The sand appears to have various origins, some mineral, some biological. How such varied sands all came to reside in one place remains a mystery. Even more puzzling is the fact that the dunes do not mix. Black dunes stay black, red hills stay red. The most inexplicable fact, however, is that even though the dunes are constantly shifting, their colors never blend.

Thus, it is widely believed that the desert was created in some way by the goddess Taide. Even among her followers, however, opinions differ on whether she intentionally created this place or whether she accidentally dropped her divine color palette onto this patch of Mirintha. Another theory claims that Taide dances through the desert at night, resting in her oasis during the day, a tale that would explain both the movement of the dunes and the presence of the Chroma Guardians.

Depiction of the Kaleidoscope Desert

This is magical indeed. Those colors!