Sand Shapes

"Men go mad chasing shadows in the desert. People made of sand..."

— Grey the Insurmountable

Called the raed by the Aradin and otherwise referred to as desert spirits, sand shadows or ghosts of the desert, the sand shapes are enigmatic illusions sometimes sighted in the Meleatte Desert said to resemble people, or groups of, made out of sand. Although most will go through their entire lives without having seen one, persistent myths abound in Thripia about their sightings. Some believe them to be echoes of the past bleeding into the present whereas others dismiss them entirely as mirages conjured by weak minds.

Appearance

Sand shapes are, as the name suggests, formed entirely of sand blown up and swirled into form by the wind. They are most often humanoid, resembling men, women and children standing alone. They typically are incomplete, missing parts of their bodies. It is rare that any get close enough to make out the details of their likeness, but those who do report them as having rudimentary features; noses, hair and the faintest insinuations of an ear or mouth. Notably, some sand shapes take the form of animals. Horses, camels and lions are sometimes seen. Rarer still are sand shapes which appear alike buildings.

Properties

Most sightings place them atop dunes or off in the distance. Sand shapes, when seen, can either be standing still, watching from afar, or moving. Groups may be running, seemingly afraid, in one direction or another, or they may be dancing as if in celebration. Some may even be fighting against one another, whereas others are simply walking. Few, aside from those that watch, acknowledge the world around them. Attempts to approach them cause them to rapidly dissipate, the sand of their forms cast into the wind. It is noted by many that they appear more readily after the use of ichor. Supposedly, the Deathguard's study of the sand shapes is what enabled them to discover how to manipulate the powers of the desert.

Item type

Magical