The Brightstone Labyrinth

Deep within the Dustfire desert sits one of the largest and most powerful examples of a localized magical storm in all of Yrdde. A massive sandstorm, larger than any city, has sat and scoured a single location in the desert since it was first discovered hundreds of years ago. The swirling maelstrom of sand causes serious breathing problems to any who venture inside, and can be lethal within minutes. Visibility is severely reduced and the howling wind masks all sound.
If one was able to survive long enough, there is a chance they would stumble across the massive towers of stone that have somehow resisted the elements. The constant wind and sand have smoothed the tops of these great structures to a near mirror sheen, and the light reflecting from them can be seen from far across the desert. At the base of these towers, often buried in great mounds of sand, lies the entrance to the labyrinth that so many adventurers brave the storm to discover.

The Labyrinth

Below the sands of Brightstone lies an incomprehensibly massive and labyrinthine complex of tunnels, chambers, and halls. The first few floors have been lit and furnished, creating living quarters and shelters for those brave enough to survive the storm. The complex network of ruins below have never been mapped, as the few that have ventured below and survived to return tend to keep these secrets to themselves.
The labyrinth is thought to be the single greatest source of old-world relics and artifacts, luring forth countless thousands of adventuring parties to their dooms. Despite the danger, the sheer value of the relics found within are still irresistible. Scarcely a day goes by where a party of looters is seen leaving Duneheart, and many locals take bets on whether they return, defeated by the desert, or vanish without a trace.
The upper levels have long since been picked clean, and the deeper one goes, the more dangerous it quickly becomes. Things move in the darkness of the lower levels, things made of black metal that, according to a few that have returned, feed on blood. Relics from the lower level are unlike anything found in other ruins however, and a single intact piece would make an entire salvage team incredibly wealthy.

"The Brightstone Labyrinth, darlings… the name alone whispers of both glittering treasures and nightmares best left buried. A sprawling, sand-blasted tomb swallowed by a magical storm, a playground for those foolhardy enough to chase whispers of Old-World riches, convinced the gamble’s worth the risk of a very messy demise.
Honestly, it’s a tale tailor-made for a intrepid journalist like myself. You’ve got a storm so vicious it can strip flesh from bone in minutes, a maze that’s a graveyard for countless lost souls, and whispers of creatures lurking in the dark, things made of metal and shadows, fuelled by a hunger older than time itself. Talk about irresistible!
I've heard the stories spun by those few who've dared venture into its depths and returned, blinking, to the blinding sun of Duneheart. Some claim they found riches beyond imagination, others gibber about things with too many eyes and a taste for blood. And the artifacts? Those whispers about objects pulsating with power, weapons that defy the laws of nature, knowledge that could make you a demigod… or crack your mind wide open.
Naturally, the Empire wants it all—control, secrets, the power to reshape this chaotic world in their own sterile image. The Sanctum’s got their pious paws in the game too, convinced those artifacts are the key to waking up their godess.
But, darling, something tells me that labyrinth isn't playing by anyone's rules. It’s a sleeping beast, a wounded fragment of the Old-World, and we’re just ants scuttling over its skin, picking at the scabs.
I’ll admit, the allure's there. That urge to pack my bags, bribe a grizzled airship captain, and vanish into that swirling dust-storm… well, a good story’s worth a little risk, isn’t it?" - E Dawnstrider

Location under

The Dustfire