sand in your eyes

[groundrules]

And onwards, through the cursed desert. The mini-journey Arc covers 6-21 January and doubles as a test drive meme. Participants do not need an invite to apply this round. Have fun!

SAND IN YOUR EYES

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TEST DRIVE TOURISTS | ONE SAND WASHES THE OTHER
A HOUSE UNITED WILL SAND | SOILMATES | A PYRAMID SCHEME

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A SANDING OVATION

Sand in your eyes, down your throat, stifling. You wake half-buried in high dunes, crawling towards helping hands. Thirst vanquishes you.

You are quickly offered a translation and communication pendant and introduced to the leader of the caravan that saved you — good Mazyar, who thanks the stars for your most incredible luck to be rescued by his generous and humble self. For he is not a man for idle praise, but he has sold salt to salt makers, he was courted by seven of the five great trade guilds and brought peace to the Stairs of Sighs…

Mazyar reveals you are in Akhuras, where undead lieges seek to weaponise you in their war for dominion. Mazyar’s good but less successful friend, the elusive Merchant ferries otherworlders east, where ancient beacons can transport them home.

Retire for now and regain your strength. Come morning, further otherworlders will arrive from Serthica — and your journey may begin.

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ONE SAND WASHES THE OTHER

The veteran party reunites with newcomers in the desert, and with the merchant Mazyar — who once guided them through the Stairs of Sighs. His caravan is protected by the Scavengers —deathly a tribe of hardened desert raiders. They bring water flasks, supplies, cooling suits and tents to share. Their snail-like carriage mounts can transport the weak.

You are bound for the seized citadel of Alem, swarmed on each side by undead battalions. To access it, you must obtain one of the enormous sand worms that trawl the deserts, which can be deployed to create underground passageways.

The Scavengers will lead the caravan through haunted dunes, the worms’ traditional hunting grounds and temple-fortress Uruksithar.

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A HOUSE UNITED WILL SAND

The group first reaches the Valley of Unchaining, bordered by high cliffs and fang-like stones. Here and there, discover bloodied footprints, half-buried shackles and red chains. You might even stumble upon an eroded tombstone inscribed, H R SL EP THE UNCH IN D. At its feet are dulled dagger blades and rough calcar stone.

COULD DIE FROM LAUGHTER

You fool, never eat alone. Happen by the camp’s outskirts with your dinner, and you might glimpse the silhouettes of starved desert hyenas, their eyes glistening green. They will come close if you bear raw meat or bleeding wounds.

■ Scavengers say, if you see the hyenas, throw them food or a cloth drenched in fresh blood, then run without looking back until you no longer hear their cruel cries.

■ Some hyenas mimic rasped human voices, begging help or calling your name. One feeble hyena wears a chain of red shackles around its neck.

■ If you look back while chased, you find the green stare of the hyenas fixed upon you. You are gradually overcome by starvation, violence and the urge to dismember prey and feast on raw flesh. Player’s choice on whether characters can resist this compulsion, which disappears at dawns, or if they taste blood.

■ Scavengers will deny you entrance into the camp if you appear possessed in this way.

SANDIMENTAL VALUE

You walk the Valley, Scavengers say, and Mother Death walks with you. A once handsome crone might appear beside you, bare-footed and dressed in clean linens. She remains silent unless spoken to and flinches if you move suddenly, as if she fears being struck.

■ Treat the Crone kindly, and she entrusts you with a small pouch holding a fraction of her ashes, which she wants scattered from the hills.

■ Use rope and climbing hooks and take cover behind stone formations. Beware the violent sand whirlwinds that batter the cliffs, threatening to plunge you down or choke you with sand.

■ If you succeed, the Crone appears to watch her scattering ashes and bless you with good luck for the rest of your journey. Your kindness, she says, reminds her of her daughter.

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SOILMATES

The three-day walk to Uruksithar traverses the sand worms’ hunting grounds, where dunes shift periodically in sharp, tectonic waves. Watch your step and don’t be surprised if your tent sinks at night.

■ The Scavengers organise daily reconnaissance parties in the desert hills. Stay with them to unbury dune treasures.

■ The brave & brazen can try to catch sand worms. The massive creatures erupt overground periodically, catching prey in their large mouths, or crushing it beneath their heft as they plunge in the depths — creating large sinkholes in the process.

■ On its back, each sand worm has a few darker scales that draw the shape of a rune. To tame a sand worm, you must find its rune, then write the symbol on the worm’s back using blood from your hands. Report your catch by 23:59 on 17 January!

■ The sand worm bonds with you for three weeks until the next full moonrise, or until you draw the same rune on your cut hand.

■ Those who secure a sand worm find it grudgingly follows them underground for the rest of the journey. The creature can only be steered or ridden.

■ Some sand worms are vicious, old and sufficiently magical to retaliate by taking the link over and forcing their bonded humans to experience their lives — briefly sensitive to light and strong sounds, or unable to speak. Some might experience mild fevers. All symptoms disappear when the bond breaks.

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A PYRAMID SCHEME

At last, welcome to Uruksithar, former jewel of the desert — now reduced to rusted gates and tattered walls of wind-lashed stone.

The abandoned palace-fortress features a row of minor temples and barren gardens that surround a great, ruinous pit. The state of residential furnishings suggests the grounds were lived mere years prior. Walk north to find a a large pool of thickened black water that exudes a cold, unsettling presence. Veteran party members know what to expect.

Nail scratches on some temple walls read, we, who did not sleep or i ask the wind to grieve our chains. By the pit, a stone plate helpfully says, drop by drop, even base water turns to poison.

The Scavengers disperse to raid the temples, advising you to carry water everywhere. One raider mentions that the local Temple of Ra’esh stores silver waters that can woo sand worms.

OCTOPUS PRIME

Uruksithar’s great gong strikes every two hours, to groans and shudders from the abyssal pit. Scavengers immediately take cover behind walls, bind themselves to columns or rush into crumbling residences.

■ For five minutes, as the gong sounds a pathetic dirge, a bouquet of tentacles erupts from the pit, sweeping nearby streets to capture living things.

■ Throwing water on the tentacles forces them to retreat, while black liquid from the northern pool burns them down. Further tendrils emerge until the gong quiets.

■ Should you fall into the pit, use your climbing hooks to latch onto the walls and don’t look down. A grotesque, sharp-toothed mouth awaits below to devour you, amid the squelching sounds of the tissue and material it has been masticating for decades. It won’t give up its lunch easily.

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TOMB AND GLOOM

Ra’esh the Bright-maker, he who saw but peace beneath the skies. His humble temple is anonymous among numerous worship grounds. Scavengers say, four years ago, a wanderer sculpted an eye with a sun for a pupil on the entrance door. Take a torch and head in.

■ Long-stripped of its glory, the maze-like Temple of Ra’esh is now cold stone, stale window-less corridors and heavy doors that snap down from the ceiling.

■ Distant susurrations of water point you towards your destination.

■ As you walk in, pay attention to the engravings near the entryway of each temple room. Some depict arrows, forecasting spikes will burst up from floors tiles. Sculpted drops hint pouring water in this spot will open a door. Open a door with an engraving of large serpents, and… well. The engravings can help characters navigate the maze and completely avoid its traps. Feel free to make up your own engravings & traps, if you want!

■ The altar room contains a pool with pearlescent waters that surround a woman fully bandaged in gauze, her sight obscured. She is bound to a column with chains and shackles akin to those found in the desert. Rare peeks of her skin show it rotting or sickly pale.

■ She asks either if you are her mother, come for her at last. Do you engage?

■ Take water from the pool, and you can lure a sand worm to you once you have exited Uruksithar. Hazed, but sweet-tempered, it will follow you underground and allow you to ride it for the three weeks until the next full moonrise. These sand worms won’t give you a hard time during the bond period. Report your worm too by 23:59 on 17 January!

NOTES

■ Test driving & in-game characters can top level logs here — test driving characters can also put up network posts in this space c:

■ Feel free to investigate the mystery of the chains and shackles, but no pressure — it’s not critical to Arc V.

■ Hit up NPCs!

■ Navigation top.

QUESTIONS

Comments

Hermione Granger (HP) - A Young Veteran, an Old Hand at This, and a Pretty Face*

[reparo]

* really wanted to type "a pretty ass" but I decided to be civilised

A SANDING OVATION;

[ She's been in your shoes once. Granted, it had been colder back then, and instead of desert creatures there had been witches (not herself, of course, but evil Taravastian witches) and a cage for the newcomers and a hoarde of undead underneath the cage waiting to devour the newcomers. She also had had her wand taken from her, and had needed to escape via cold underground canals full of water and - look, let's not draw comparisons.

She's been in your shoes. You've got that lost look in your eyes, and she's got a cup (she'd stolen one from her room back in TaravastSerthicaKeWaihu - she can't recall - and it's been getting reused) filled with tea that she sits in front of you. ]

The water's safe to drink. Made it myself. You looked like you could need one.

[ It gets cold at night, and by campfire or not, newcomers deserve compasion and understanding. And information! ] You'll have questions, I suspect.

ONE SAND WASHES THE OTHER;

[ Plenty of things to do on this adventure! This is what you get for complaining about the cold for so long, Hermione, learn your lesson: there's scavenging, there's getting sand in your shoes, there's narrowly avoiding a sunburn.

There is also using her magic for good. There's a handy little spell she knows, which she does on the regular to her own waterskin, to fill it up again. In the middle of the desert, Hermione Granger conjures water - and it does not dissipate, like sand. So if you're looking thirsty, confused, or envious?

She will offer it to you as well.] Need a refill?

A PYRAMID SCHEME; OCTOPUS PRIME 1

[ You remember that spell from earlier? It comes in handy when trying to outrun and escape giant, hungry tentacles, doesn't it? Don't ask her who told her, or how she figured it out, but she's tried it once and will keep flinging: ] Aguamenti! [ behind her as she flees, without looking.

Sometimes, a tentacle recoils. Sometimes, she shoots water right at someone's face. ] Sorry!

A PYRAMIC SCHEME; OCTOPUS PRIME 2

[ Five minutes if a long time, and her wand arm was getting tired. At a moment of impasse, Hermione has transfigured an old mug (hey! there it is again!) into a a spraying bottle, filled it up with water. She may be wielding it like a pistol now, or one of those stun guns she's seen Starfleet officers use previously.

And you may think it's funny, but if she saves your hide with that bottle, you're going to want one! ]

[ooc: open to veterans and TDMers alike! DM me if you want to discuss anything or just wing it. I like to write present tense and will match style so chase your bliss, yo.]

locked to Vi;

[reparo]

TOMB AND GLOOM AND DETOUR FROM THE MISSION AT HAND;

[ Mother, is that you?

There are times when Hermione wishes she did not have the talisman around her neck, that lets her understand what others say. The voice of the the woman (dead? alive? she does not know, she cannot tell) will haunt her for a very long time, and perhaps she can understand now why Harry was so traumatised by the Inferi.

She sucks a breath in through her teeth and stands, frozen in her spot, looking at the fettered woman, at the chains holding her in place, her stomach in knots. It slips out, without Hermione noticing if anyone else has made it to center of the maze and stands in the room with her: ] Who's done this to you?

[ And the words come from the woman, eventually, giving Hermione something she apparently desperately needed: a cause. ] How can I undo these chains? You can't - I won't leave you here alone...

[ And she will try to find the key in the pool, first. Fills her waterskin with water, just in case, then aims her wand and summons light to the tip of it, to divine if she can see anything. ]

[faceblocker]

[ She's been all action since showing up, and that's an easy state to be in, but this? This leaves her stunned, at least at first. Like a grotesque scene from a painting.

As soon as the woman starts speaking, before even giving any cause, Vi's splashing through the slimy water to see if she can force the woman free. It itches, but at first she ignores it. Who is she? Who knows. She's a captive, and that's all that matters. But somehow, even with Vi's hextech gauntlets, they won't break apart. The woman's sob story might leave Vi shaking if not for keeping the goal in mind (her own mother? how?). ]

Hey, can you—

[ —"hold out a torch" she would have said, but that magic with Hermione's wand is pleasant surprise. Frustration is momentarily traded for a grateful little nod as she drops the heavy gauntlets next to the pool and yanks off her jacket before splashing back in, using the light as a guide. It burns even more, now, and although she might not be bothered too much by the disgusting consistency of the water, the spreading rash isn't like standard pain. A punch to the gut would feel better, and Vi is gritting her teeth through it and trying not to begin flailing to scratch at her skin. Splashing would only make it worse. ]

Fuck, don't come in here!

[reparo]

[ She didn't even notice the other presence in the room, not the splashing sounds, nothing, until she points her wand forward, lumos spell lighting the cave, and gives a startled gasp.

Vi - her hero, from the inn - drops her gauntlets (gauntlets? she will want to discuss those) on the edge of the pool and then shoves her actual hands in the water and starts feeling around.

(It would be a nice moment, of solidarity with a woman wronged and scorned and imprisoned unfairly. And she would be glad to know she's not alone in this absolutely consuming need to free this lady, because nobody should be forced to unlive like this. Except:) ] Merlin's balls [ Ron would be proud of her for that one. ] Vi, you're sizzling -

[ There must be something with the water. It might be poisoned, or burning, and Hermione is given a choice: stand there, waiting for it to be over, or admit that two pairs of hands search better than one. ]

Damn it. [ She pulls her cloak off, drops it on the edge of the pool together with her bag with all her belongings, and gets inside, at the same time as fuck, don't come in here. ]

Too late!

[ Oh, it is agony, for sure. Nothing, nothing in comparison to Bellatrix Lestrange's crucio. She holds the lit up wand in her teeth, and shoves her arms in the water too, starts feeling around. Her teeth marks might end up on the wand, but at least then she can say it's truly hers, and no longer belongs to that bitch. And it's fine, she can curse now, since she's getting her skin burned. ] 'esh 'tho 'eeshy!! [ It is. It is so itchy. ]

[faceblocker]

[ Vi's no stranger to tainted water; hell, she expects it. The consistency isn't even like water, though. She doesn't know what it is, but the viscious consistency just enflames the burns on her skin the more she digs around in the pool, keeping her mouth clamped tightly shut whenever she's leaning over. If this splashes into her eyes, she...doesn't want to picture that. Because of that, she doesn't move as fast as she normally would, remaining remarkably (at least by appearance) controlled given the worsening condition.

At least, until Hermione joins her. Nobody listens! She whips around with a frustrated groan. She'd grab Hermione and toss her right out if that wand wasn't so useful. ]

Yeah, it's like fire! You should have stayed put, you don't know what it'll do.

[ Even saying that, Vi will stick near Hermione so that she can see through the murky liquid better. Occasionally her shoulders will bunch, rolling a bit as she resists the urge to just get out and start scratching. Ohhh this is a different kind of hell, and she's keeping one eye on Hermione in case it looks like it might be too much for her. ]

gonna just leave this icon on for the whole thread

[reparo]

[ She stands for a moment, shaking off the unpleasant feeling of the water - is that water? when it feels like that? - off her arms so she can spit out her wand and answer patiently: ] Burn. That's what it'll do, it's what fire does.

[ Although, now that her hands aren't touching it, the sensation has faded a bit; something to put to the side for later. She braces herself with a deep breath, aiming her wand properly towards the bottom of the pool. When she sees something glitter in the murky maybe-water, she exhales and shoves her hand back in, and grabs it.

And emerges with a key. ] Ha!! Aha! Okay, let's get out of here quick.

[ With a grossed out shudder, she scrambles for the edge of the pool, caution tossed to the wind, not stopping until she's climbed out. ]

one sand washes the other

[rumorate]

Please.

[Allison is not designed for desert travel. She's been pacing herself, listening to her body, doing her best to keep out of the direct heat, but the sun is intense and she's drinking water faster than she probably should.]

It's intense out here.

[reparo]

[ She nods, with a small smile. ] Do you have a waterskin on you? I can refill it to the top - and you can absolutely feel free to come get me anytime you need more, yes?

[rumorate]

Yeah, that would be great.

[She fishes out her waterskin and passes it over. She really should see if she can drum up a spare from the scavengers, just in case something dramatic happens and they start losing supplies.]

I wonder if they have any barrels we could fill. That might be easier to dole out from there, instead of you filling everyone's individually?

[reparo]

[She fills Alison's waterskin with her spell, aiming the tip of her wand inside and muttering it a few times, just to make sure she's got enough, and flicking it out at the end to interrupt the spell before the water overspills.

She hands it back, once the stopper is on, and considers the woman's idea.] That would be fantastic, to be honest - I've been trying to dart between different parts of the caravan to see who needs some, but even my energy is finite. It's never happened before, but I dread to think what it would take for magic depletion.

[Because no magic would mean Hermione would just be a girl. A brave and reckless girl, with no skills for combat or great feats of athleticism. A big brain, with all the things she's memorised stored in it, but what use would they be if she can't cast?]

[rumorate]

[Yes, none of that sounds good. Allison is against burning Hermione out before they even get to their new destination.]

Let's see what we can find. If we're going to make it across we need to be conserving resources.

[Magic and water alike.]

A PYRAMID SCHEME; OCTOPUS PRIME 1

[beitangmoran]

[Guess who you just hit right in the face, Hermione? You're lucky that a) he likes you, and b), running from the tentacles takes precedence over standing there in outraged shock.

But once they have stopped running, he will look decidedly unimpressed and take out a handkerchief to wipe his face.]

We need to work on your aim, Mistress Granger.

[reparo]

[ She said she was sorry! But also, how embarrassing. Not only is she panting for air after that chase, but she has also doused the wrong target with water. A target that quips back. ]

My sincerest, and repeated, apologies. [ Said through breathing, hands on her knees to prevent from developing a twinge in her side. She looks up, sheepish smile and all. ] It's normally good, but I don't make it a habit of friendlies running behind me as well.

[beitangmoran]

If soldiers can learn to shoo a bow from a horse without hitting their allies, I am sure you can learn too.

(Obviously he has every faith in your abilities to get better, Hermione.]

That did seem to make it retreat though. Of course it was too much too hope that the city in ruins wouldn't be horribly plagued by a creature.

[reparo]

All without riding a horse and all. [ She's got no pokerface, maybe (citation from Beitang Moran needed), but the other thing she lacks is filter right now. There's something quite freeing in disappointing Moran, mostly because it feels fairly safe and inocuous - as far as diplomacy goes, anyway.

Here, a sigh. ] Did you jinx it? Did you say out loud oh it probably won't be worse than the sand and the thirst?

Ocotpus Prime 2

[traaaaaash]

[ Listen. Eda is delighted. ]

Hey, I remember those things! Smart thinking, kid!

[ She points to the tentacles surrounding them. ]

But, y'know, maybe this would go faster if we both had one.

delightful

[reparo]

[ She could multiply it, but the spray bottle might lose its effect, and that would be a problem. And unfortunately, Hermione has never had the benefit of playing with a water pistol, so one of those misters they used in Herbology is easier to transfigure. ]

Sure - um - hand me something I can turn into one. Preferably in a similar line - like your waterskin.

the most delightfullest

[traaaaaash]

Right, uh --

[ Eda reaches up to rummage through her hair and produces a novelty watering can. Surprise at this is plain on her own face. ]

Oh wow, I forgot I had that in there! Here you go.

[ She holds the item out for Hermione to take. ]

[reparo]

[ Blinks. Does a double take. Wonders briefly if there's a portal to another dimension in Eda's hair. Wonders how that would work, scientifically or magically.

Opens her mouth to ask.

A tentacle chooses this moment to remind her that time is precious. ] Aaagh! Sod off! [ Honestly she's getting the hang of swearing. Haha, a rebel!

She spritzes the tentacle away, and then hops over to Eda's side to take the can, and transfigure it quickly into a spray bottle. It's green.

She tosses it over. ] Go wild! I can turn it back to the can later.

sanding ovation

[starscollapse]

[ She offers kindness to a stranger, and though Merrin is slow to trust, she welcomes the beverage with gratitude. There is a warmth and sincerity in the other's eyes, an expression that leaves little room for doubt. So, she accepts the cup with a nod and a small smile, before hunching over a bit to inhale the aroma. ]

I have many questions.

What did you ask when you arrived here? That seems a good place to begin. Otherwise, I would keep you all night.

[ She's curious about everything, of course. Not just this place, but...so much. The questions would be endless, so better to have a frame of reference and some kind of structure. ]

I'll give you my name first—Merrin. From Dathomir.

[reparo]

[ Since this one does seem ready to interact, Hermione crouches down and gets comfortable on something that passes for a stool - but it probably more of a rock or a mound of more sand - so she can answer. ]

Honestly? I think I probably said something in the lines of 'oh god, are those zombies?', Merrin. From Dathomir.

[ A little smile here. ] Although, if you want the non-literal answer, I think I asked...where in the world we were, and how to change my network screen name. [ She shrugs, somewhat sheepish. ] Or maybe I managed something cool, but I don't remember. It's been a long time, since I've been travelling east. New places, everytime, but the same direction. I'd say make friends - it helps. It's helped me. Allies are better than going at this alone.

[starscollapse]

Yes. I have known this to be true recently.

[ She has not had friends nor allies much of her life, although Malicos certainly pretended to be her ally. He had manipulated her from childhood to exploit her magick, the power she'd learned to wield through her clan. He certainly knew the right things to say to someone who was alone, who had lost the only family she had ever known. She would be wary of trusting again, yet she'd recently met...good people, people she worries about now because she's been unable to find them here. ]

What is that word - zombie? [ She says it haltingly, clearly unfamiliar on her tongue. Though, she thinks perhaps she has context enough to guess. ] The undead they speak of?

[reparo]

It's one word for them, yes. [She pauses, and admits:] I may have not used that word specifically. It was hard times.

But, and you'll probably pick up on this soon, there are often groups of undead wherever we go. This whole world feels like it is full of them, and some of them don't even know they're undead.

sanding ovation

[alighthouse]

[Tea. Tea. Some civilization in this place.]

Thank you, [Stede says, and has a sip. It's not his own stash, and for a second he misses preparing another cup with a dollop of milk and seven sugars - wouldn't be the same with six. It aches. But that's just the way of it - Ed's not here.]

I suppose I ought to get this out of the way first - am I dead, then? Because I can't imagine that hell has tea.

o captain!

[reparo]

[It's gotten good reviews before, her tea, although granted she favours green over black (with milk and sugar) because needs must. There's no endless supply of milk on this journey (nor of black tea) and there's no spell for that either. Green tea, however, seems to be universal.

She hands the fancy looking gentleman the tea, and waits for the question. There's always a question - that just isn't the one she's expecting. She lets out a startled laugh, brief.]

No. I don't think this is the afterlife. There's been some people who've managed to make their way back to their worlds, and then have returned with brand new memories, which wouldn't have happened if they'd been dead.