Overview:
Endless stretches of pale sand and shattered ruins surround Haven XVII, stretching toward the horizon. Winds sweep over dunes and toppled towers alike, burying structures in drifting grains. Sparse rock outcrops punctuate the horizon, but the landscape is overwhelmingly open and unforgiving. Travelers must conserve energy and momentum, as shelter and resources are rare. Any knowledge of structures beyond a dozen kilometers is likely out of date, and rumors of distant settlements are often exaggerated. Survival demands patience, caution, and a sharp eye for salvageable remnants.
Appearance:
Rolling dunes shift under a muted sun, while skeletal remains of automata and machinery peek through the sand. Collapsed scaffolds, half-buried catwalks, and rusting motion shafts form jagged silhouettes across the horizon. Dust settles thickly on exposed metal, and fragments of polished brass glint faintly in the sunlight. Sparse rock outcrops rise above the dunes, their dark surfaces offering contrast to the pale sand. Despite the emptiness, the air hums faintly with residual motion from still-functioning machines buried in the wasteland.
Terrain:
Soft, shifting sand covers most surfaces, occasionally concealing jagged metal or collapsed scaffolds.
Patches of rocky outcrops and shallow ridges provide limited footing and vantage points.
Scattered ruins of industrial structures, partially buried, some precariously balanced or collapsed.
Major Landmarks:
Haven XVII: The largest city in the region, rising above the desert with its latticed towers and industrial ruins, marking a hub of life and faction activity amidst the emptiness.
Sanctuary XIII: An ancient city predating Haven XVII, nearly completely abandoned and rumored to have exhausted its energy stores decades ago. Structures are partially buried, and navigation is hazardous.
Factions:
The Salvagers: May go years without mounting a single expedition into the desert. Routes are unreliable, landmarks vanish beneath shifting dunes, and most groups that set out are never seen again—leaving only secondhand rumors, missing tallies, and the occasional piece of traded scrap with no clear origin.
Rumors:
Low Rumors (Common, Unreliable)
“A coil of tension springs was found, still warm from recent winding, but no one knows what automaton left it.”
“A Salvager claimed to have spotted a series of brass cranes slowly moving across the dunes—no one else has claimed to see them since.”
“Occasionally, skitters have been seen wandering outside Haven XVII.”
Mid Rumors (Specific, Partially Verified)
“Ridges in the sand appear to shift strangely periodically, as if something heavy crawled across them without leaving footprints.”
“Salvagers report finding mysterious crates marked with a long-lost symbol, containing partly wound mechanisms, but have no clues about who left them.”
“Some Salvagers swear they’ve seen shadows coordinating over ridges.”
High Rumors (Rare, Dangerous)
“A Salvager recounts encountering a group of scavenged automatons that appear to coordinate as if led by a single mind.”
“A large section of a distant ruin collapsed recently, and wisps of smoke have been coming from the area since.”
“Strange, synchronized echoes can be heard in the distance when the wind dies; those who follow them don’t return.”