[OOM] The Nam-Yensa Sandsea, Fourth Day of the Expedition, with Jay. (Prethreading.)

[fluffiest_archadian]

As soon as they emerge from the caverns - and there's a collective sense of relief when they do - Sherral leads the group onto a cliff just above the caverns.

It gives, among other things, a good view of the Sandsea, especially how very literal that term is: Whether naturally or by magic, the sand of this desert is like water, flowing and shifting and visibly not solid enough to step on. But it's scattered with islands and pathways of rock and clay, with plants and rough scrub growing on them here and there.

Also notable is how the Sandsea seems to be dotted with abandoned oil rigs - vast black metal with raised paths connecting them to each other and to the rocky islands.

Once they're up onto the cliffs, the soldiers set about setting up camp, with a group of four heading to the pack chocobos and assembling a device that looks rather like a large, ornate basin of water with a greenish crystal floating above it.

Comments

[runningred]

Jay waits till they're set up and settled to stop and enjoy the view. It's pretty in a desolate kind of way and the stars will be beautiful if and when night comes. If they're still there.

He uses his scope to eyeball the rigs, checking of any signs of life.

[fluffiest_archadian]

"The Rozzies set them up years ago," a soldier, the one Sherral referred to as Hastings earlier, remarks to Jay. "During the war. This place is full of, er, oil? They use it as fuel because there's barely any Mist or magicite in Rozarria."

Hastings nods out over the horizon. "The Urutan-Yensa put an end to that. You wouldn't think some crusty tribe of desert dwellers would be that big a problem for an Empire, but they drove out the Rozarrians."

[runningred]

"Which means it was alive once, millions of years ago. This would have all been forest or an ocean floor."

"You'd be surprised what a small tribe can do when they're motivated to protect that which is theirs."

[fluffiest_archadian]

Hastings' slightly uncertain pause suggests that millions of years may be slightly too long a period of time for him to wrap his head around.

"Well, I can't tell you what they see in it, to be honest. Bloody sand everywhere - sand you can bloody drown in.

"People say that the Dynast-King's tomb was built in the Sandsea, but ain't anybody alive since the war who would know where. I bet the Urutan'd be getting a whole lot more visitors if someone knew."

[runningred]

"Home. That's what they see in it. Home is something you'll protect to your last breath. Even somewhere as desolate as this." There's a note of loss in his voice, his own home so very far away and lost to him in many ways.

Jay sighs and shakes himself out of his mood, "In my experience, no matter how rich, tombs are good places to leave well alone."

[fluffiest_archadian]

"Never stopped anyone before. Always someone looking to make a fast fortune of some king's treasure," Hastings said. "Lucky for us, ain't why we're here anyway. And if we're really lucky, the Urutan'll leave us be."

[runningred]

Jay can't help but chuckle and raise an eyebrow at Hastings. "Have you noticed anything about our luck thus far?"

[fluffiest_archadian]

"It has to improve some time, right?"

[runningred]

Jay chuckles and pulls himself up. "I guess. Can't rain all the time." He pats Hastings shoulder and heads back over to see how the scanning is going.

[fluffiest_archadian]

Sherral is worrying around the scanner in a manner not unlike an impatient alsatian.

"Little news yet, I fear," he says as Jay approaches. "We're setting up tents, so there'll be places to sleep while it scans."

[runningred]

"I can't see any movement out of the oil-rigs. If anyone's out there, they're staying well hidden."

He smiles at Sherral's fussing and rests a hand on his shoulder. "Pair me up with someone who knows how to work this and get some sleep. I'll take first watch."

[fluffiest_archadian]

Sherral seems a little reluctant. Then: "As you will. Mainwaring, operate the scanner, and Jay can keep watch with you."

[runningred]

Anyone would think Jay just sent him to his room. He laughs warmly and gives Sherral a little push towards the tents.

He nods to Mainwaring and sets himself up where he has a good view, scope in hand as he scans the sandsea for any sign of trouble.

[fluffiest_archadian]

Distantly, very distantly, he might be able to see some vaguely humanoid crustacean figures gathering. They're jabbing mandibles North-West, away from where the camp and scanner are set up, with increasing urgency.

"This is dull work," Mainwaring says without any particular force behind it, tapping the scanner. "These scanners are slow."

[runningred]

"Check these out." He hands Mainwaring the scope and points him in the direction of the shapes. "Something we need to worry about?"

[fluffiest_archadian]

Mainwaring peers through the scope.

"Those are the Urutan-Yensa. Doesn't look like they've seen us, though," he says. "If they get close enough to see us, they'll attack, but if that's the closest group of them, we should be okay."

[runningred]

"I'll keep an eye on them then, you keep scanning."

[fluffiest_archadian]

"Wise. Once they start attacking, they'll never stop," Mainwaring says.

[runningred]

Jay nods and keeps an eye out, watching for any sign the indigenous population has noticed them.

[fluffiest_archadian]

More and more Urutan start to gather at the distant cliff, until eventually a different one - taller, thinner, more feminine, dressed in less layers with a paler exoskeleton underneath, holding a staff - approaches. They part to let her through.

Behind her, the Urutan are dragging three men. They're wearing damaged armour, but it's not Archadian armour - where Archadian armour is grey, this is a sandy brown with streaks of orange and black, suited for blending in in a desert.

[runningred]

"Wake the captain. I think we have a problem."

[fluffiest_archadian]

"Right you are," Mainwaring says, and hurries to Sherral's tent.

As he's walking, the female Urutan approaches one of the brown-armoured men, removing his helmet and settling a claw onto the top of his head.

Sherral is out of his tent a second later, approaching with a frown. "What is it?"

[runningred]

"Sorry to wake you but we seem to have some local colour." He hands Sherral the scope and points.

[fluffiest_archadian]

"You don't need to apologise," Sherral says, taking the scope.

He makes a noise in the back of his throat. "The Urutan and the Rozarrians have encountered each other, then."

[runningred]

Jay glances over his shoulder to Mainwaring, "How's the scanning going? I suspect we're gunna want to be moving on soon if we can."