The Great Divide
Thousands of years ago, the once vibrant and bustling areas stretching the middle of the world were decimated by the combined powers of Adita, Artar and Flux. The reasons why are distorted by history, most remember it as a punishment against mortals because of wars that ravaged the world, but this was mearly an act of deception brought upon mortal minds by the now dead Divine of Visions, Hycolous. This is known to most in history as the Dividing Wars, and it is all a lie. In reality, the three Divines grew angry at their Primordial parents for abandoning them, and hatched a plot to get their attention. Knowing that the planet itself was a Primordial being, Sesmi, they hatched a plan to severely hurt her in hopes that it would gain the attention they so craved. Adita’s sun-fire scorched the earth in the day, as Artar’s moon-rays chilled the air at night, and Flux’s mastery over sins drove anything left alive mad with sorrow and anger. What remains is a great wasteland carved through the middle of the world, where life still doesn’t dare grow, and only the brave travel.
Hundreds of thousands of lives were lost in the cataclysmic event, leaving Artmus overwhelmed by the sheer volume of souls passing through his domain. Filled with fury at the actions of his siblings, he attacked Adita in a blind rage, only to be bested and lose a significant amount of his strength. Many of the souls who had not yet made it through his realm were thrust back into the cities they died in, the rush of divine power reanimating them into Skaiven. They remain still in the Great Divide, most not wanting to leave their ruined cities, scared of what others would think of their monstrous, bone protruding forms.
Because of the events of the past, the Great Divide has become the roaming ground of Divine Artmus, though his physical form can’t be seen by anyone who isn’t on the brink of death. In his isolation, he began building sculptures in the sandscapes of souls who have passed through his domain. These eerie yet beautiful monuments have been made into shrines to him by the Skaiven, and are some of the few signs of life in the vast and unforgiving desert.
Although rare, there are few oasis’ scatted throughout the sands where Sesmi is attempting to heal from the damage wrought upon her. These tend to be central trading points for the Skaiven and any adventurers who have stumbled upon them on the sands.
Other notable features of the Great Divide include towering rock formations that rise in clustered stacks, providing pockets of shade and shelter from the surrounding open sands. Some of these natural structures serve as homes for groups of Skaiven, who have settled within their maze-like corridors. Should you be unfortunate to find them, there are also swathes of the sands still heavily damaged and forever changed by the combined actions of the Divines. These mesmerising, multi-coloured dunes may look beautiful but they are incredibly dangerous to the minds of any creature found wandering their surface for too long. The lingering powers of Flux plague the minds of creatures on these Prismatic Dunes with nightmares, slowly driving them mad.
Encounter Table d6
Take these as advice, not set in stone ideas! To find information on the Prismatic Dunes, click here. Any other ideas? Let us know on Discord!