The desert. It's hot. It's sandy. It's filled with creepy monsters and things. But mostly it's hot and sandy and there's a whole lot of nothing. You appear and wonder "why am I here? What is there to do here? Is that a cow skull? Do cows live out here in this desert? How can cows live in the desert? Maybe it's a horse?" These are all very complicated questions with equally complicated answers but there's no one to provide them no matter where you look. Instead, you're given the option of walking. Forwards, backwards, to your right, to your left, any direction is yours to take. Try not to die from dehydration or something, that would be a sad ViViD death and the cow-horse skull might start laughing at you. I mean, you'll just start over from the beginning anyway but still.
Welcome to ViViD's new line of Vacation Spotlights: Desert Edition.
Moo-Neigh.
 One wish, that's all you get.
Make it snappy, I don't have all day.
Actually, I have eternity but I just don't want to spend it with you.
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PHASE I [ 6 00 ] So.
There's sand.
In fact, there's so much sand that there's probably already sand in your shoes and your shorts and all sorts of other places that aren't fun to have sand in. It stretches for miles and miles, in large dunes and deep dips, and above it all there are three suns that beat down upon everyone's backs. Why three? Because why not, that's why. Enjoy the sunshine and try not to get sunburnt.
You've got a long ways to travel before you find anything but sand, but thankfully you're not alone -- there are a bunch of unfortunate stragglers who are out with you, so it's time to make some friends as you travel. You've got pleeeeenty of time. No water though. Or food. Or... anything but human interaction.
Thankfully, it's only a matter of time before you stumble across your hot new ride. Thankfully, it seats two, so you and your new friend can enjoy a cramped road trip. You, this relative stranger, and the great... sandy... unknown! Good luck!
PHASE II [ 645 ] If you prefer to not take your ride, you're going to wish that you did soon enough. Every desert level has to have desert monsters, after all. You're walking through the sand, trying to make it to somewhere that isn't sand, and then suddenly, the sand worms appear.
Or.
Well.
They try.
Unfortunately, they're little more than 5 or 6 inches tall apiece, and they'll mostly try to eat your shoes and socks. How scary.
Alternatively, if you have actually taken that sweet ride of yours on an adventure through the desert, you're going to hit something at one point. It makes a rather pitiful scream and there's a small bump underneath your tire before your car comes to a stop. You just ran over a sand worm.
Anyone who is intrepid enough to kill a sand worm though will find one interesting thing about them. They're filled with water, and you are very, very thirsty. Ew.
PHASE III [ 1000 ] It sure is hot.
And unless you've devoured one of those poor, sad, screaming sand worms, there's no water to be found. It feels as though you've been wandering in circles for ages, so perhaps it's really no surprise that the heat starts to get to you. First come the headaches, and the thirst. Then the dizziness and vertigo.
And finally, the mirages.
What you see is a waterfall cascading into a crystal pool, beautiful and pristine and painfully cool. It's just begging for you to come enjoy it, and -- wait, there's one more thing. Standing in front of that pool is either someone you care about immensely or someone you hate immensely.
And either way, the things they say or do will be the same. First they reach for you, beckoning, and they they start to detail all of the things they'd like to do to you. NSFW, SFW, loving or cruel or so many things in between, all that's honestly consistent is that it's pretty shocking.
Oh, and awkwardly, it seems as though anyone with you can see and hear that hallucination too. That's embarrassing.
PHASE IV [ 1215 ] Eventually, though, you'll find your destination. Or... at least, it seems like it should be the destination. The tiny temple is at least a change from the endless sand, and in the middle of it, there's a lamp. That sure looks familiar.
If you rub the lamp, of course, you'll release the genie, and he'll glance at you, and inspect his fingernails as though you're hardly worth his time, and offer you one, single wish.
As soon as you make it, well... You'll get the opposite of what you wish for with a sudden apology note in your hand. The card will read "Sorry, this level isn't entirely finished yet - Mosley" before immediately disappearing. Your wish will only apply in ViViD, of course, but hopefully you didn't wish for anything too crazy, or you might have made the level Much Harder for everyone around you.
BONUS [ why o'clock ] One second you're walking along the desert sand, enjoying the eternally same view, and the next there's a sudden pinch on your ankle, and a scorpion monster scuttles away quickly. Whoops, looks like you've been stung.
But it's not poison, it would seem. Aside from feeling a little odd and having a mild fever, you're fine.
More importantly, you've now found yourself in possession of some... new powers (a la Spider-man), and they're...
Well, they're useless.
Maybe you can summon water now, but... only sulfur water. Perhaps you can now make pretty light shows and that's about all. You can see the future but only the next three seconds. The possibilities are endless, but what's for certain is that they're all completely and utterly useless to you.
What the fuck, ViViD.
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III
she sees only what he sees. a woman decorated with armor as sure as laurels, bright hair and ice brittle for eyes. office in her diadem. cullen calls her a demon; corrin isn't sure she's ever heard this word. )
Wait. ( the outburst flies from aggrieved lips. even the threat of unnecessary violence unsettled corrin. even now. ) She hasn't drawn her blade on you.
no subject
His hand tightens on the hilt, and he doesn't lower his blade. ]
Yet, but this woman gave into madness. Whatever is pretending to be her is no better.
no subject
corrin is young enough still to believe she knows what she's talking about better than anyone else. in this, it comes through. )
If she was ill, was that her fault? ( corrin, you're a child. shut up. )
no subject
There's still no hint he plans on charging forward, though he knows this girl likely has no idea what he's seen from Meredith in the past. ]
She wasn't ill. Not in the sense you're probably thinking. It doesn't seem as though this image is going to attack though.
[ She just keeps repeating the same things, accusing, telling him that he deserves to die for being a blood mage thrall or whatever. Someone shut this crazy bitch up tbh. ]
no subject
Let's go.
( it has the veneer of a command to it, a royal's authority skirting around the edge of her words. )
We're wasting time. ( he carries himself like a soldier, or something close. surely he'll respond to a martial sense of practicality. ) We'd be better off finding a way out of here than listening to her.
no subject
The only possible feeling left is regret for letting her carry on for so long when so many people whispered about her in the meanwhile.
Quietly, he slides his sword back into place, though it isn't without taking a good look at Corrin as well. He doesn't know her, and she may prove to be a risk later. Still, she looks young and is speaking sense which is definitely unlike the mirage in front of him. ]
I don't need to be told that. [ His arm drapes over the hilt of his sword as he takes a step closer to her, turning his back on the image of Meredith until it does actually vanish. ] Though take a look around, I've had far less luck in finding an exit than I would have expected.
no subject
I know. The desert... it just goes on and on. ( she sweeps her gaze in a full circle.
it can't be possible, can it? no vegetation, no life? corrin stubbornly pushes away the notion that they are stranded in a true wasteland. it can't be. she'll walk and walk as far as she needs to to find greenery, civilisation. )
I suppose we... ( think, princess! ) -- could conserve our energy by waiting here until night and then use the stars to head north. ( it's crude and rudimentary as plans go. the only reason she's suggesting north at all is the comfort of heading in a decisive direction. )
no subject
Have you ever seen anything like it? [ There are places in Thedas like it, but it doesn't mean he has personally been there. For the most part, as a templar, he's been bound to circles rather than travelling far and wide like others might have. ]
We'd dehydrate before nightfall without shelter. [ Especially with three suns in the sky. ] For that plan to work, we would need to find cover.
no subject
You're right.
( she tries to force her mind, work. )
We should keep a look out for those creatures that kept exploding into bursts of water. The last few I saw were from back that way. ( corrin had memorized her angle of entry and points back to it now. )
no subject
At least that is what he'll keep telling himself as he tugs off his glove briefly, just to wet the tip of his finger to feel for a breeze. It might be best to aim for that direction if there is one. ]
It might be worth trying in that direction, unless you have another option?