The Frozen Sands of Time
An unnaturally cold patch of desert, surrounded on all sides by the hot desert of the area, the Frozen Sands of Time is a place of religious significance to the rï'imi. It is found in the south of Sebterke's province Rigionveria, on the border of Venztor. Yet it is only a part of Sebterke by name only, as all of Sebterke (and all other countries) tend to avoid it. All except for the rï'imi, who still only come as part of a pilgrimage. No one lives in the Frozen Sands of Time.
Geography
The Frozen Sands of Time is a fairly flat piece of land. The northwestern edge is lower, and ramps up gradually to the rest of the sands. In the centre is a perfectly circular mound.
The terrain is filled with both sand and small grains of ice which have never melted. The ground is uniform until the very border of the frozen desert, in which suddenly the sands are warm, grooved with footprints and moved by winds. To the northwest of the Frozen Sands of Time the land is very flat, but to the south and east there are many more hills and mountains. Despite the view, none of those other landmarks affect anything that happens in this cold desert.
Localized Phenomena
No matter the season, nothing about the location changes. Those who had once made sure their footprints made marks in the sand would return to find the ground as smooth as ever, unchanged from their first visit. Occasionally there are strong winds, which take the chill out of the location, but the sands do not move. There is always the same amount of sand and ice, even when some is removed.
For a magical land like Geville, it says a lot to claim that the Frozen Sands of Time might be the most magical place known to all species. Yet no one could say what kind of magic it is, even when recognizing the cold and temporal effects. The rï'imi believe in a particular reason for it all, but even they cannot agree on what sort of magic it might be (not that many of them spend time speculating).
Fauna & Flora
No living creatures other than the rï'imi come to this place. Many consider it a biologically dead land, because it is so magically alive. Yet not even the umphé desire to go to such a magical place, confusing most all other species all over again.
Natural Resources
It has been argued that, considering how long the sands from here remain cold outside of the location, bits could be bottled and used as part of cooling devices in the much hotter climates right next door. The sands always return, it would harm no one. Despite how natural this resource is, the unnaturalness of the magic means no one has decided to make a financial killing on this idea, even though many have thought it.
History
For as long as recorded history has lasted, the Frozen Sands of Time have been unchanged. And for just as long the rï'imi have come, from wherever it is they live, to look upon the sands at least once in their two hundred and eight years. There is no pilgrimage season - it matters not what time of year it is, the rï'imi come when they feel they must come. Therefore surrounding towns, such as Bleugaulaunra, have grown as destination points for the rï'imi on their way to the Frozen Sands of Time.
Before Venztor became an empire, it is said they attempted to study the Frozen Sands of Time, only to give up on the investigation and never try again. When Sebterke claimed the area for its own, Venztor did not argue, despite all other border disputes. Sebterke's official examination of the land is better documented, but just like every other geologist, magiologist, and other logists, they discovered no more than it was extremely cold, it would always be so, and it creeped most of them out.
Alternative Name(s)
The Coldest Sands, That Weird Place, Yasakla-alay (by Goldens)
Type
Desert, Ice
Location under
Owning Organization
Related Myths