Felarya Location: The Silver Sand Dunes

The Silver Sand Dunes

Subregions: The Silver Sands Oasis

Flora: Cloudroot Trees

Fauna: Kumori, Polari

On the western side of the Akaptor Desert, the sands take on a silver hue, with dunes rising and falling like a pale mountain range. Here, the sand behaves like a slow-moving sea with currents flowing beneath the surface, though there is no water to be found outside of the oasis. Dune migrations are caused not only by the wind, but also by the flow of the sand itself, which is barely noticeable to the naked eye. “Sand streams” move much faster and form where these currents reach the surface. By riding these sand streams, travelers can cross the landscape far more quickly, even over the tallest dune peaks.

With shifting sand constantly sliding along the dunes’ slopes, traversing the region can be difficult. Nomads experienced in moving across the landscape avoid becoming trapped in its valleys through excellent physical conditioning and specialized walking techniques. In addition, they know the courses of the sand streams and can predict the tidal movements of the dunes.

The sand is surprisingly cool to the touch, providing welcome relief from the desert heat. Not only is it safe to walk barefoot here, but doing so is often considered beneficial. At night, particularly beneath the moonlight, the dunes sparkle as the sand glows with vibrant colors. Why moonlight produces this effect remains unclear, but the prismatic shimmer of the dunes is often enough to make a traveler never want to leave.