Maelstrom

Great Desert of Skulls

The morning breeze was stronger than any of you remembered feeling since you had stepped into the sans of the desert. For those that had lived or travelled these lands, they knew if it got stronger it could spell trouble.

As the morning sun rose across the skins the winds started to blow up clouds of sand and dust forcing everyone to shield their eyes.

It began as a sort of dance. The wind playing games with the sand and the sand playing along. Dust devils and cutting blasts of sand playing across your ankles and on top of the dunes.

It’s an alluring show, but at the same time, as the wind gathers, the air begins to become oppressive and the brilliant blue sky takes on a threatening dullness as the cargo of dust changes the air. The breeze and winds become continuous sheets of sand hurtling across the desert surface, assailing everything in their path. The sun is dimmed.

Up ahead all of you regardless where you are, yiu see a huge ominous cloud rolling across the horizon. Like the breath of the gods themselves. For those that never set foot in the desert you mistake it for storm clouds. All around you people shout and give commands. Everything shifts. You sense the rising concern.

It's moving fast. Coming straight for you.

It seems as if the surface of the desert is rising in obedience to some up thrusting force from beneath. Larger pebbles strike against shins, knees and thighs. The spray of dancing sand grains climbs the body till it strikes the face and goes over the head. The sky is shut out, all but the nearest camels fade from view, the universe is filled with hurtling, pelting, stinging, biting legions of torment...

It is as though some great monster of fabled size and unearthly power is puffing out these hurtling blasts of sand upon the travellers head. The sound is that of a giant hand drawing rough fingers in regular rhythm across tightly stretched silk.

Voah and Gonyaul - the storm hits your caravan out of nowhere. The merchants shouts instructions and you see them desperately trying to lash the camels together. The storm blows across your group with the strengthen of a Titan's punch. You have little time tondo anything expect grab one another and huddle together.

Shalia You are awaken with shouts and the sound of your tents' fabric billowing against the strong winds. You peak outside seeing many Ozainae running around in different direction as sand and dust blows against your face. The sky and sun are covered and its almost as dark as if it was still dusk. Agizul walks by and shouts at you "Stay inside. We need to wait for it to blow over." He tells you, as you order your guards into your tent and hold on for dear life.

Islana - You have been walking for hours on the desert having left the oasis behind you well before the sun rose. You look up to see a huge wall of sand and dust stretching across the horizon bearing down on you. Kaithak screeches and flies up higher into the sky. You have little time to react to what is coming. Using your robes and scarf you fall on your knees and cover as much of yourself as possible, knowing instinctively that you must protect yourself.