Sand Devil

Appearing about 1 year after The Destruction, the Sand Devils emerged from the dunes in the central part of the Wastelands. Initial encounters were limited to rare sightings, escalating within a year to limited combat with 1-5 Sand Devils, and currently attacks on small villages/settlements in broad daylight are being reported.

Sand Devil fighting strategies and tactics seem to improve with each encounter. Within the last year, Devils mounted on lizardmounts (large lizard creatures) have been encountered. Before the emergence of the lizardmounts, the Devils feared fighting men on horseback. With the lizardmounts, they have a new arrogance in their attacks.

If they are capable of casting magic, they have not been seen to do so in combat.

Sand Devils are humanoid but the disproportion of their limbs and torso hinted they were not human. They are consistently seen wearing at least one piece of red clothing (typically a hooded cloak, although Devils have also been seen wearing red tunics, pants, and/or boots).

Recent examinations of dead Sand Devils make it clear they are not human. The faces beneath the hooded cloaks are savage and of an aspect never before seen. The head itself is covered with thick crystalline stands. It had been thought they wore a heavy leather armor with metal plates attached to cover their vital organs. Instead, Sand Devils have a course, thick skin that appears to be made of, or covered by, sand. Parts of their body are additionally covered with crystal-like armor plates. These plates appear to be part of their skin.

Nothing is known for certain about the Sand Devils origins, but speculations abound from the reasonable to the utterly unthinkable. There are some who say they are not of Gallidon at all but travelers from some other realm or plane. It’s unclear what their intentions are, as they consistently retreat deep into the Wastelands after each attack. They have not been known to take over villages, wells or even to establish their own long term camps.

Early/prominent Works featuring Sand Devils:

• Gerin: Wastelands by Scott Walker (Origin).
• Gerin: Wastelands, Part 2 by James Welch.
• Illustration Sand Devils by Andy Underwood.
• Illustration Sand Devil by Andy Underwood.