Under the scorching sun, nothing survives. All you can see is a barren wasteland filled with elusive sand all around. Those who seek refugee, often find themselves in small towns in the Big Crack. Settlements founded before Ashuria even existed, living on what they can. Abundant water sources fuel the economy, and is used in everyday. But when one enters the Dunes, they will remain there forever.
It was another unbearable wasteland. The sun was sucking the Earth of its riches, ending all life and dulling any colors. If one was to pay attention to the sky, they could spot a small dot in front of the big blue. From far away it looked like a small black thing. But if one were to closer examine it, they could see it was another one of the airships that roamed the skies. But this one in particular was one of an interesting kind. It was a large dart-like shape with a small cabin attached to its bottom. Beautifully smithed and carved metal plates decorated the balloons top, reflecting sunlight like bright beacons. Along the bottom, a small tube run along into the cabin. The cabin itself was connected to the baloon with a ladder and the said pipe.
Levi was standing looking outside the window. He was headed straight south to a small village called Thrin. It was one of the many settlements in the Big Crack that dotted the maps. He had his shades on, and the cabins shutters were closed. This early the sun already scorched the paint of the ship. He carefully turned the wheel a few degrees right, to steer the ship towards a dim blinking light in the distance. The creeks of the fin and thge roar of the engine got louder for a few seconds, as the mighty beast steered towards it's leaders direction. He turned away from the steering wheel and walked to the back of the cabin to sit down for a second. The cabin was big enough for two people to get comfortable, with red fabric on the walls. In the back, there was a comfortable armchair with a small stained coffe table next to it. Along the sides there were a few smaller plants that lined the windows. They ended up in a small spiraling shelf on both sides, that marked the main cockpit. Few gauges and panels had their homes around the steering wheel, making it look like a group of buzzing insects around a corpse.
levi decide to water the plants. Most of them looked alien from most of the other plants they grow for eating. He had a rare collection of desert plants that could survive even the corching sun. They had black and purple leaves, and they grew beautiful red flowers in the winter.
A sight to behold. As he as attending to a brown spiraling bush, one of the gauges started flashing. He decide to abandon the cute little plant, and take a look at the gauge. It was showing a symbol of a water drop and shaked like a crazed maniac. Levi just shook his head. "Silly machines. I have to fix this after I land. Always the important stuff" With an ice cold impression, he stared outside the window, and looked at a dust cloud in the distnace. His thoughts wandered for almost an hour.
Levi pulled a rope that hang fromt he ceiling. It moved one of the metal plates on the balloon and gave of a light signal to the town. He could see the workers in the ship port do the same thing. He lined his ship towards the small canyon where the port laid. A small outcrop from the rock wall with numerous of machines and crates on top. The main part was carved from the rock thatw as once an arch connecting both sides, now foundation for the docks. From here many small metal terminals went outside, suspeneded mid air by cables and ropes. Levi pulled the chute, and the ship started descending. There were numerous empty spots, but his ship could only fit the biggest one. There was a huge crane next to it, probably for lifting cargo out of transport blimps. There where many others alongside the canyon wall that continously lifted salt from the depths of the Crack. Towns like this were the veins of the Big Crack, making the economy boom once the airships appeared. He manouvered around a small rock and descended slowly next to the port. The engines roared, and the metal plates screeched as the ship finally came to a halt. He pressed a button, and from the left side of his ship numerous smaller ropes launched them to the docks, where workers finally roped the blimp, making it come to a halt.
Levi stood up rolled down all the shutters in the cabin. He cleaned his shade, and opened the door on the left. Even down here, dozens of meters down below the surface, the sun blinded him for a mere second. he looked around the buzzing port and then made the small jump onto the platform.
The portmaster was waiting for him near a small building that was made out of scrap metal, and had a huge anchor attached to its front.
"Welcome friend to Thrin! What brings you and your mighty ship here? We rarely get such proud beasts in our tiny town."
The portamster was one of the Pale skinned people that had leading duties in towns. At first glance he looked like he wore a leather jacket but in fact it was nothing more than a thick fabric sheet around his neck. He was muscular and very tall, and had a gentle smile on his face. They shook hands and Levi repled: "I came here to resupply and recruit some hands for my ship. I will also need an accomodation fopr the night. What is the cost?"
"That would be 6 Dit and 20 Dim. My assistant will show you our finest Inn!"
Levi sighed as he heard the overpriced offer. But he had no other chance. If he was to fly to the nearest town without cooling his blimp, he could find himself in a falling wreck very easely. He handed the money over and followed the portmasters assistant.
The town was nothing special amongst the Dunes. It had multiple levels of streets suspended above each other. The floors were made out of metal and rotting wooden pallets. Small dwelling sprung on the inner side of the walkways, and cramped together as if they wanted to get warmer with each other. What amde this town visited tho was the spectacluar beauty of the Big Crack along this area. It was located near a smaller expansion of the canyon called the Serpent's Nest, and formed a magnificent Cauldron in the area. It was nearly a kilometre wide across, and smaller settlements spanned across the wall. There were many deeper than Thrin and even a few above it, but this palce was the most well known of all. Not all of them had ports, so tunnels were dug, and bridges suspended between them. It was like a set out of a fanatasy story. All the towns here formed a small nation with each other, Thrin being the beating heart of it. They were called the Dune Serpents, and had a good reputation for their salt and sulfur mining, as well as trading. As his thought wandered about the history of this place, his tour slighthly nudged him. He looked in the direction where he was pointing, and saw a small tavern slightly carved inside the wall. He gave the man 30 Dim whilst giving him a pat on his back, then he entered the building.
Letter Bee
Fish of Oblivion
AndyC
Noctis
Bartimaeus
