:: Random Location—Desert of Wūshī Huì ::

Desert of Wūshī Huì

by Wm Jay Carter III, 5/31/15

Land Area: Desert

Nation: Merrow

Condition: Pristine, Elaborate

Weather: Blizzard

Color: Dark Brown

Keyword: Rapture

As you descend the gangplank onto the docks, you pull your cloak tighter against the blustering snow. If not for the blizzard, you might not have seen the invisible tower protruding through the surface of the water at the other end of the boardwalk. As it is, you can only see where the snow gathers and where it does not, outlining an archway in the side of the tower. Entering, you lift your magelight lantern and see the bluish glow of stairs descending into hole in the sea. As you follow them down, the daylight filters through the water just enough to show you the open-air desert of dark brown sand far below the waves. Your breath catches at the sight; you’ve finally found it!

In the early days of Athanasia, when the five Staffs of Power remained unbroken, the Merrows claimed that the Council of the World Soul deliberately held their officiations on land so as to exclude them. The wizards of the Council wisely conceded that all peoples should be privy to the workings of the World Soul, and so laid plans for a council hall under the Merrow’s western sea. In order to accommodate all in attendance, the wizards manipulated the ley lines so they would push back the water and form an area underwater where air-breathers could comfortably sit in council.

Inside this space was erected a massive tower complex using walls and floors of magical force. These would contain people and objects, but not light, air, or sound. Thus the Council of the World Soul opened their operations up to the Merrows with complete and literal transparency. The most distinguishing feature of the Council’s tower complex was the massive central tower, which reached up to the surface of the water. A mundane harbor was built adjoining the tower where visiting dignitaries could dock their vessels.

It has been many years since the Council ruled over the affairs of wizardry in Athanasia, and in time the tower complex under the western sea was abandoned. Its true purpose forgotten, the Merrows now only believe that powerful air-breathing wizards trapped the ley-lines of the western sea in a desert bounded by walls of magical force for no other reason than to keep the rivers of magic from them.