A Haven in the Ground [Setting]
The flats are friend to no one. They are unforgiving of the smallest mistake, even for seasoned travelers who know the best paths to take. However, despite their hard crust, they do provide one form of solace from the burning sun, stinging salt winds, and freezing nights - a hole in the ground.
When it rains it often pours and encased in a white crust is an ever-thirsty ground which, every so often, opens its mouth wide to guzzle as much down as it can. These canyons in the salt are the main form of oasis out in the flats. Some are known because of their size, but most are not. Unfortunately, even when the flats give a little, they still exact a price, as many a camel has broken a leg from a misstep and many a poor soul has fallen in to never come out.
But for those who watch their step, they are a haven. These canyons, even the smallest, often provide shade and shelter from the elements only a few feet above. For the larger ones, there are even small groves and long grasses which can take root below the crust. And, for the lucky ones, fresh (ish) water.
Of course, other creatures also need respite from the elements from time to time.
In a small haven, you may find...
| d6 | Result |
|---|---|
| 1 | A skeleton with d3 daggers hidden within their clothes, d6 silver earrings/rings, and 1d3 gold earrings/rings. A rusted short-spade and two-boiler are scattered around it, as is a worn and flaking backpack. |
| 2 | 1d3 saltrunners who found it hours before the party. They will attack on sight and fight as level 1 fighters (or equivalent). |
| 3 | The remains of a campfire, the coals still warm. |
| 4 | 1d6 hopeberry bushes, each with a handful of hopeberries, around a small, dark depression in the ground. |
| 5 | A small cache of items - a dagger, a shield, a bottle of wine, a bottle of salt-meat, 1d3 books, and a map with several markings on it. |
| 6 | A resting crust crab. It will not awake unless attacked or the party is particularly loud. |
In a large haven, you may find...
| d6 | Result |
|---|---|
| 1 | Two merchants engaging in business. They will be alarmed at the party's arrival, but will not be hostile. The first primarily trades in jewelry - gold, silver, and gemstones. The second primarily trades in linens and furs. With each is a guard sitting, bored, in their respective wagons. |
| 2 | A group of saltrunners who have taken up residence. This clan consists of 3d6 saltrunners who will immediately engage in hostilities if they notice the party. |
| 3 | A medium grove of babassu palms surround a small pool of water, their tops just a few feet from the crust. Within the grasses are 1d6 rations worth of food, attainable by trapping or hunting. |
| 4 | Lush cordgrass forms a sea of stalks across a shallow pool. Along the edges are short grasses which cover the haven's floor. |
| 5 | A hermit has taken up residence with a small camp. She has lost her mind in isolation and will treat the party as apparitions or hallucinations. She is thin, but not emaciated, and her camp is in good order, if worn. |
| 6 | A young brine drake floats asleep across a large pool of water. It does not take notice of the party unless they attack or make considerable noise. Around the edges of the haven are the treasures of the salt drake - shields, metal (rusted) weapons, skeletons, gold and silver jewelry mounds, carts (mostly broken), and other smaller (mostly broken) items. |