The blaring sun shines down endlessly. You’ve been wandering this desert for what seems like ages. You have no idea where you are. All you know is that you’re stranded in the middle of the desert, lost and alone. The sun beating down on you combined with your burning desire for something to drink is driving you insane. Every time you look around, there’s nothing but sand for as long as the eye can see. After many nightmarish hours of wandering the desert, you catch a glimpse of a town in the distance. Sweat and dust cover your body, but your spirits rise. You take a hopeful step towards the town and… immediately, your body gives out. Your legs are throbbing with pain and your mouth is as dry as the desert itself. You pass out from the heat, the last thing you see being the sillouette of the town below the setting sun.

Much later, you awaken to the sound of a glass clinking against stone. Your whole body hurts, and you’re likely very sunburnt. As your eyes open, your realize that you’re inside a dimly torchlit building rather than on the desert floor. There’s a bag of ice on your forehead and your body is under a light blanket. The ceiling, walls and floor are all seemingly made of sandstone, and the thing that you’re laying on is a cot of sorts.

“Sav’aaq, voe.”

a deep, commanding voice startles you from the other end of the room, turning your head slightly, you see that a muscular, red-haired woman with dark skin is sitting on a wooden chair. She’s holding this yellow-orange drink with ice in it, seemingly a cocktail of sorts. The way she said “voe” made it sound like an insult.

“You’re lucky I was in a good mood, otherwise I would have just left you out there in the sand to die.”

She takes a sip of her drink, then her commanding presence drops for a moment as she sighs and begins to speak again, a slight blush on her cheeks.

“…Voe, do me a favor and don’t tell anyone that I’m willingly helping you. Men aren’t allowed here, unfortunately, so… just be good and stay quiet.”