Thousands of years have passed since the last record of human civilization once stood. What once thrived across the world fell to calamity and ruin and those left in the dust were left to survive. No one is sure quite how it happened but tales of the Grey Ones suggest that fire rained from the skies and destroyed anything in its path then a great flood came and washed sand over all of the land where it now drifts as the dunes, the buildings of the past sunken into earth. In such a desert, the scraps of civilization poking out from the sands in grand fallen structures provide resources for those who dare to delve into their depths and secrets.
They say that these ruins and relics from the past contained magic at one time, as did much of the land but that is has seeped into the sands and brought forth all kinds of life and promise, this magic providing the lifeblood for everything living. The only thing that contains this magic still though are rare relics that appear from the sands, and the Zones of Blessing which are sacred to all the people of the land.
As evolution does, new species have developed and flourished in the desert land, including that of humans which have diversified into many different groups from their one ancestral species. You are a member of one of these species, trying to make a stand in the desert conditions and fight for your survival. However, something calls from that long gone humanic past that you hold deep within you, something from deep within the ruins claimed by the sands of time which begs not to be forgotten. It calls to you in some way or another with alluring promises of not only resources from the grand structures but something else...
A hope for survival and a better future.
Through one way or another, the call proved too strong for you to resist and you found yourself in a contract with one of the Grey Ones who has promised to take a team of the young and able to explore untouched ruins that an entrance has recently opened to. These entrances don't open every day and when they do, it is important to get in and claim resources as soon as possible and gain the upper hand.
No one knows what exactly they will find down there but all you know is that it is brimming with promise and that you will depart as soon as the expedition team is assembled.
It is time to make your mark in the vast and shifting sands of time.
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The species that have evolved are numerous, each adapted for specific environments.
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A mysterious people who evolved with entirely hunched backs from constantly carrying their worldly possessions upon them, they have toughened dark skin from a reddish brown to nearly black so that sun and blowing desert sand does not bother them. When carrying their large packs on their backs, they are perfectly stabilized and can even use their arms to move faster or over rough terrain. However, when they don't have their packs on their backs, they are incredibly unstable and must use canes in order to steady themselves. Legend has it that the first time they go without their packs, they will end up flipping onto their backs and remaining stuck like turtles. They are entirely nomadic and travel in small groups from place to place, never staying or settling anywhere, preffering to constantly travel. They are known as merchants and story tellers or even quest givers in those places in which they visit, holding knowledge and stories from forgotten times as well as recruiting bold ones of other species to delve into ruins they cannot go into for resources to trade in turn for knowledge or coin. They are called the Grey Ones because of the loose clothes they wear which are bleached grey by the sun due to being in it all of the time. Not much is seem of their actually appearance because of these clothes which include hoods that hide their faces.
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A people that roam the land only at night, they are capable of enduring the harsh cold of the desert when the sun sets without much effort. They have larger eyes then most which are highly reflective much like an animal's, pale skin that ranges from light grey to pale cream which blends in flawlessly with the moonlit sand, and long hair which is both prized to them and helps keep them warm at night yet cool during the day in helping to retain their natural body heat and reflect external heat. Because of this, it is considered the highest disgrace to the Nocturnes to have their hair cut short. These people are also rather nimble and fast with higher metabolisms at night then in the day thanks to the cold that makes hunting important to them. They often get a bad reputation as often times struggling bands of Noctures will use their ability to their advantage and turn to banditry in the night when others have retreated to avoid the cold and are asleep.
Spoiler
A people of the sea, the Marina are well adapted to their life in the water with some choosing to live on land as well. These people are capable of holding their breath for long periods underwater and are adapted to be able to drink saltwater unlike the rest of their brethren species, granted only because of the development of special glands near their eyes much like tear ducts that gets rid of the extra salt. While most choose to live their lives entirely at sea, they build rafts and boats often out of metal to warm themselves when the water is cold which they use to escape the heat and to sleep on. Those who live on the shore simply retreat to the water in the daytime and return to the shore to trade or at night to rest. There have been rare cases as well where small groups of Marina will live in large lakes in the middle of the deserts but none are capable of surviving the dry conditions of the desert as they need a high intake of saltwater, most of said water going into their body processing out the salt. However, there is a chance for them to be able to survive should the water they drink not be as salty and therefore the need to filter out as much salt be eliminated. None of them have tested this though. Because they are diurnal, the Marina have darker skin to soak in the radiation from the sun and prevent them from burning, however it is almost tinted with sades of blue or grey similar to the nocturnes and is mottled with splotches of light coloration, evolved as a tactic to blend in in their watery home and make them harder to see. Their hands and feet are also a little larger then most to help them through the water.
Spoiler
While not very tall, these people are strong and stockily built by nature. They are diurnal, although they spend their days in homes dug out of the sand, caves, and even the rare old ruin to keep out of the harsh sun. They spend their days primarily digging out these places and are often known as craftsmen due to their attention to detail and almost instinctual knowledge of building structures. It is incredibly rare for there to be an accident with these people where one of their homes collapsed. They seem to have a wide variation of skin, curly hair, and eye colors which seems to depend almost on a family basis as well as direct past but typically stay earthen colors. Like the rest of them, their hands are quite strong and their most valuable asset as they have thick and strong fingernails meant for digging when they don't use tools. Often, they live in large burrow systems with family members or members from many different families depending on the size of the burrow system.
Spoiler
These people are just as their name suggests: a people of the sun. Their golden skin and hair match with the shimmering sands during the dawn and dusk since they are crepuscular. During these times, the conditions are perfect for them to thrive since the sun is low enough at either time that it does not harm their fair skin and the heat is perfectly temperate for them to enjoy; they even gather together to both welcome and see the sun to sleep in a form of worship, something many of the other species don't often practice, through ritual dance. Their is also a variation of these people called the Sunset Solare who have more rust like coloration tinting their gold appearances. They particularly live in places where ruins are very prevalent and the sand itself is stained red from iron. By far these people are likely the most hospitable out of all the species in general and rarely have large disagreements with each other. They prefer their arts and peaceful living working together then getting involved in any sort of drama.
With their many different attributes, these peoples have developed for survival in various locations of the desert land.
Spoiler
The Zones of Blessing:These places are identified by their huge circle of white sand that surrounds a large temple, one of the many ruins of the past. These are sacred to all the peoples of the land and it is said that it can bestow any number of blessings on those who go within their area, good or bad. Many of those that go into the temple itself never make it out again and even those that go in the white sands sometimes die. But those who make it out alive sometimes carry the next blessings for the survival of their species. No one can live here for very long and none have adapted to survive it.
The Sunset Valleys: These places are filled with hundreds of ruins, obelisks sticking up out of the sand in every which direction. The sand here is stained with their magic and often, the creatures that live here are of the same coloration as well such as the Sunset Solare. Many resources from the past have been found here and continue to rise out of the sand so these areas are often the most wanted areas of control. However, control is a fickle thing in these times and often, no one can truly control anything due to the need to simply survive.
The Turquoise Coasts: These areas are where the Marina call home, rich with sea life and even coral reefs farther out in the waters. There is rarely any shortage of food here but often a shortage of other resources such as that to build boats. Small markets are often set up on shore in the day for the marina to trade seafood and other aquatic resources for those from the land.
The Dunes: These areas make up most of the desert with its shifting dunes and blowing sand. Hardly any vegetation grows here and water is often only found in the rare spots where a blowout appears and a well has been dug. these wells are often a community effort of whoever passes by them to brush the sand away and keep the dunes from swallowing them. Small settlements are sometimes established around these minor oasises or in the protective shadow of dunes mainly by the Solare or by the Nocturnes.
Burrowing Hills: Sometimes throughout the land, geologically stable hills or mountains will be present which remain in place and are not shifted around like the dunes are. These are sought after by the Delving which call these places their home. Because of their stability, the Delving often burrow deep into the ground and while they live in darkness have access to freshwater springs and soil to grow things limited by the darkness. they do sometimes grow things atop these mounds and water them regularly but the plants usually die from high temperatures in the daytime anyway.
Cast:
The Grey Ones
- @RangerofIthilien
The Nocturnes
- @Glitch0Ghost2024
- @Fern
The Marina
- @avimoon
The Delving
- @Wolfi
The Solare
- @Avian
*Note: The Grey Ones will primarily be used to drive the plot forward and so are not a playable species. Spots are not limited to this amount either and I would be willing to add in more of the four playable species however I would like to ensure that there are at least one of each first before I am open to duplicates.