Deserts are far from bland locales comprising nothing but sand dunes, the occasional cactus and unending sun. Gnoll tribes, ferocious blue dragons and ancient ruins all lurk in the interior ready for brave adventurers to discover them.

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Minor Events

A slight breeze gives a needed respite from the sweltering conditions.
Five stones are arranged amid the sand in a semi-circular pattern.
Patches of sand feel wet to the touch. (In fact, it is soaked in acid which deals 1d4 acid damage).
The wind has laid bare a small nest of eggs.
The setting sun bathes the endless dunes in blood red hues.
Two sets of neatly folded clothes lie in the party’s path; there is no sign of their owners.
Drifting sand partially covers a large, polished purple stone.
Several large birds circle on the horizon.
A goat herd nibbles at the sparse scrub.
The party comes across an empty, partially collapsed tent.
A lone gnoll scout observes the party.
At dawn, cacti drip with dew.

Minor Dressings

A dead rattlesnake lies coiled at the bottom of a shallow sinkhole.
Several animal skeletons lie around a small oasis.
The merciless sun has fused the top layer of sand into glass.
Four gnolls riding huge hyenas crest a nearby dune. At the sight of the party, they retreat.
A gigantic bird flies overhead, clutching a dead camel in its talons.
A welcoming oasis turns out to be nothing more than a mirage.
A dry well stands in the middle of some ruins.
A giant scorpion scuttles into view.
Cries for help lead to two men buried in the desert sand up to their necks.
An eroded statue of an eagle-headed man stares off into the distance.
A burnt-out shipwreck lies halfway down a dune.
Ten-foot-high cacti form a thorny desert forest.

Uneventful Day’s Travel

The day is scorchingly hot. No clouds mar the sky. The party sees no one all day.
A few clouds scud across the sky, and the wind occasionally blows sand into the characters’ faces.
Around midday, the party discover old tracks in the sand but otherwise see nothing of interest.
A sandstorm blows across the horizon in the afternoon, but luckily it does not come in the characters’ direction.
The party toils over several high dunes for much of the day. Going is slow.
Patches of deep, soft sand stymie the characters’ swift progress in the morning, but they pick up the pace in the afternoon.
Circling buzzards follow the party for much of the day. The birds drift away as dusk falls.
A few clouds provide a smattering of shade in the morning, but the afternoon is hot and boring.
The party enters a particularly featureless dune field. Here nothing grows, and no one and nothing are encountered all day.
A soft wind blows sand devils around the party for most of the morning. The wind abates in the early afternoon, and the temperature rises alarmingly.

Campsites

A steep dune provides shade and protection from the cold night breeze.
A small oasis lies amid a field of low star-shaped dunes. The smattering of date trees clustering about it provide welcome shade.
A rocky hill rises from the sand; several shallow caves at its base provide shelter.
A dried-up river bed twists and turns through the desert. Its steep banks provide shelter. Characters digging in the bed may even find water.
Three forlorn tents hold nothing but the desiccated remains of long-dead travellers.
Someone has dug a deep well in this dry riverbed. The river bed provides shelter.

Credit

This is a short system-neutral extract from Wilderness Dressing: Deserts by Brian Wiborg Mønster. This book is available from Raging Swan Press in 5e, Pathfinder First Edition and OSR editions.

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Desert Dressing