Shifting Sands

Zarim pulled a kerchief out of his pocket and wiped off the sweat that had accumulated on his brow. The sun had been beating down on him and his men for the past five hours. He wasn’t sure how much more of this heat he could take, but for his weight in gold, he could go a bit further.

The sand was much to light to support any proper mining equipment, so the men had to make do with shovels and scoops. The mood was grim after the loss of two of their friends. Rini stumbled into the nest of a trap spider, he was already puffed with venom before the rest of the crew could reach him. Illim just disappeared beneath the sand in plain view of everyone, it had to be a thunder-hole, but nobody heard the traditional thunderous bang.

He was already six feet down when he struck something solid. Zarim got down on his knees and began frantically digging around the metal object. After several minutes he finally unearthed enough of the object to get a good look. It was cylindrical and mostly hollow, with very little pitting. There were some runes along the side and a small marble box near the back.

Zarim grabbed it with both hands and pulled with all his might. He kept screaming for some help to remove his find, but nobody arrived. Finally, after what seemed like hours he pulled the last bit free of the sand. The cylinder was over five feet in length and was brilliantly colored on the other end from the marble box.

He scrambled up small ladder to show everyone his find only to get the shock of his life. Everyone was gone. He couldn’t hear their shovels, or see them in their pits working. Zarim ran to the encampment, but nobody was there either. Nothing had been taken, including their mules, but there was a eerie quite to the twilight that seemed very unnatural.

Zarim ran for his mule, but the sand gave out beneath him. He could feel their dry reptilian hands tearing at the flesh in his legs. Zarim tried to pull himself up, but the extensive blood loss was beginning to weaken him. His hands grasped for the ancient object — praying to Uhl that it would save his life. It didn’t. The last thing Zarim saw the face of a zeti rising from the sand in front of him, a look of hunger upon its alien face. Introduction Back to Top Geography Back to Top Government Back to Top Culture Back to Top Economy Back to Top Military Back to Top Neighbors Back to Top Nation

The Shifting Sands is not really a nation, instead it’s a significant area of land that is inhospitable to all outsiders. The only known intelligent inhabitants are the zeti, a cross between the shoag and several species of desert lizards. They have hard webbed feet, strong muscles with a minimum of skin; their eyes are in rotator cups on the sides of their elongated heads and can move independently. They can easily run across the dunes without slowing of being swallowed by quicksand; however, they can just as easily burrow underneath to safety.

There are several other inhabitants ranging from the voracious Diken to several great wyrms, and at least a few people have spotted an enormous dragon. The only outsiders that can travel the sand in relative safety are the kithkin and even they don’t take the travel lightly. The Shifting Sands is a place of danger and sparse beauty. History

Various legends say that during the time of the ancients their most wondrous city was located a sea of silver glass. The glass was streaked with black red and gold, giving off a marvelous pattern of reflections from the sun. This was a city of scholars and it was here that their most powerful power was born.

Exactly why the glass turned to sand and swallowed the city is unknown; although many legends say the city is still held prisoner beneath the sands. Many scholars, treasure hunters, and adventurers have tried to unearth this city. However, the instability of magic and hostile environment has delivered nothing but failure and death. Land

The exact location of the Shifting Sands seems to drift a little north or south every year; however its never a great distance. Its most northern position often cuts off the southern trade route, while its most southern position can reach the sea. However, the transition from the surrounding land to the Shifting Sands is very clear. Major Cities

If the legends are to be believed there was once one of the largest cities of the ancients where the Shifting Sands is currently located. The legends say this city was home to the most powerful and knowledgeable of the ancient. Why the sands came and swallowed it varies depending on the legend, but it is believed to still exist completely intact beneath the sands. Landmarks

There are no real landmarks within the sands. However, occasionally large obelisks, marble columns, or excessively huge rocks will jut out of the surface of the sands. They typically only stay on the surface for a few hours or days before one again sinking into its depth. Aside from these random occurrences there is nothing but the rise and fall of a sand dune. Neighbors Carthins

The Carthins consider this a place where all the evil in the world is contained. It is known that when Cenesti defeated the Great Dragon Boswhal, who had swallowed the sun, he buried the body deep beneath the sands so that its evil could never resurface. However, Boswhal’s evil was so great that it corrupted the sand — turning it into a hungry living thing.

To protect the people from Boswhal’s remains he set his trusty leopard Kithra to guard the sands. Only Kithra can stalk among the sandy dunes and not disturb the evil. The Carthins believe that the Kithkin are the offspring of Kithra and Two Spears, a powerful Carthin hunter, and as such see them as the guardians of the sands. Kithkin

The kithkin know the dangers and rewards found in the sands. For hundreds of generations they have hunted in the sands, selling the ancient trinkets they find to passing merchants. However, what draws the kithkin the most is the change to hunt one of the most dangerous predators of all – the zeti. The zeti don’t just live in the sands, they are perfectly adapted to hunt in this environment. It is considered a great victory for a solitary kithkin to enter the sands and return with a zeti skin. Turanians

The Turanians have spent countless hours from their astrologers plotting the movement of the Shifting Sands. According to their religion the sand is a place of hidden wealth and great evil, only by covering it with water can the good be extracted from the bad.

In their secular society they know the Shifting Sands contains some valuable artifacts that represent a great deal of power and money. Most of the non-kithkin adventurers found in the sands are Turanians looking for fame and fortune. Anyone that survives long enough to return with some artifact as a gift for their Satrap is guaranteed a long life of luxury. Culture

The only sentient creatures capable of developing a culture are the zeti, whose culture more closely represents a beehive. There are other creatures, some of which are intelligent enough to develop a culture and speak their own tongue, but the zeti represent the most populous culture found in the Shifting Sands. Populace Rulers

There has never been discovered any form of rulership; although it is known that the various zeti seem to understand some type of structure. It is believed that, similar to bees, the zeti are ruled by a queen who lays all the eggs for the hive. Non-queen females and those males chosen for mating attend her to.

If the colony gets too large, the queen will make another immature queen and drive her out of the hive with some of the other hive members. When they reach a suitable area they will establish another hive and the whole process begins again.

The rest of the colony is male. They serve as the hunters, drones, protectors, and builders. This caste represents over eighty percent of a hive’s population. These males are strong enough to dig through rock, smart enough to use tools, but not capable of free will. Instead, their thoughts are genetic instincts and their life only useful for the hive. Economy

The zeti do not have any form of economy. They take what they need and throwaway what they don’t need. Military

The male drones represent the bulk of the hive and are the only zeti with the instinct to fight even if they are not threatened. The drone females and mating males will fight in defense of the queen, and a queen will drive off other queens, but only the drone males will fight just to fight.

Anyone foolish enough to travel through the Shifting Sands will discover the zeti hunting parties are between five and fifteen drones carrying any manner of tools. A fire hardened stick with enough strength to break a rock can easily smash a person’s head. Religion

None Magic

It is believe the queen is capable of using some type of magic, but without ever seeing a queen this is only talked about by scholars. However, several of the drones are capable of generating magic-like effects; however, it is not true magic.