COME FORTH KIDDIES

[Beqanna Fairy]

magic comes and magic goes (bippity boppity bippity boppity) who knows if it's big or how it grows (bippity boppity bippity boppity) but one thing you'll soon find (bippity boppity bippity boppity) It will be in sight and not just mind (BIPPITY BOPPITY BOO BOO!) Before your kingdom comes a tablet - appearing via magic. It's clear that its origin is with the fairies, who can trespass so easily on your sacred land? Who could do so without being seen or caught? The tablet reads as such - MAGIC NEEDS ROOTS YOU HAVE ONE (REAL LIFE) WEEK TO DECIDE YOURS (ooc - basically each kingdom gets one magical entity, like the Dazzling Waterfall's healing river, or the Amazon's tattoos. Because some kingdoms have none we're opening this to each kingdom to chose their own, in case they'd like to change it. This will be permanent. Forever. You're setting the foundation for the future of your kingdom!)

[Yael]

Some ideas -

A sand monster (a la The Mummy) that protects the Desert
Oasis waters have some sort of power - or like a water nymph that lives in it, idk - that can do something
Van's tree is like Mother Willow in Pocahontas (can give the seeker knowledge about something, etc)

[Sid]

since noori is sort of here sometimes, I'll just give my/her opinion

well wait first, I've a question. I think Gumy counts as our magical entity, and it wouldn't be fair to keep him and add another. So we need to consider whether we're wanting to remove gumby in light of something more, or keep Gumby. Here are a replacement idea:

I love the water nymph idea. She could be the initiator for the Desert's members, like an echo of the god's who chose the two current queens. She could also be the communicator of the Desert's health, for example if there's a drought she will be sick, if there are few members she will be sick, and if there are plenty of members, she will be strong and bold and powerful. Of course, this now sounds like she'd probably need a player, but as long as she isn't directly involved with decisions but is more of a stoic, physical representation of the Deserts, we wouldn't have a problem.

[AbbyNormal]

Am gonna have a baby residing here soon, so just giving input <3

I know Gumby is a magic creature, but he was also created by Cam, so that's why he isn't truly the Deserts, per se.
I like the sand monster thing, but worry it would be a bit too.. big? 
Also, really like the nymph thing blended with the mother willow idea and a touch of Sid's idea. But maybe instead of a nymph/fairy type creature, she is a face in the water of the oasis. Like she could be the characters' own reflection (or reflection of someone they need to see, or its own face altogether), but speaks to them and imparts bits of wisdom based on what they each need to hear. Just a thought <3

[Pevensie]

Or, since deserts are based around illusions, could have the oasis which makes horses see things! Just an idea.

[Evie]

So I know I'm on away, BUT I can help shed light on the Gumby question.

It's a condition of his existence that he's attached to Cam, rather than the Deserts. Like, it's part of the conditions that got the permission granted. So it's more like, Gumby is a pet of Cam's that she has set to guarding the Deserts. She could at any time just be like "nah, Gumby, I'm bored, go eat all their faces" and he'd go do that. He's ultimately hers to command.

As for the actual thing the Deserts will create, I love love love the idea of having a "grandmother willow" type thing. I also love the idea of her being tied to the health of the Deserts. But I also really love all the ideas that were presented during the crown competition, and I love the idea of more closely linking the Deserts to an Egyptian past (cause I'm a huge Egypt nerd).

So maybe a pyramid, with a shrine inside? I do kinda like the idea of having a big pyramid in the Deserts, and it could have some practical applications. We could even have a grandmother-willow sort of thing in the shrine.

[SamShine]

I know I don't have a character here, but I have thoughts! As much as I love the idea of Grandmother Willow, this is the one kingdom where it sort of...well, doesn't make sense, you know? I know there's Van's tree, but that's a tribute in his honor, and making it into the Deserts' One Thing would feel like making it less his, you know? And the Gates already sort of has their Tree, and any other kingdom could use a tree as their Thing. Since this kingdom's a desert, it would be really cool to have something no other kingdom could reasonably use given they are not, in fact, deserts. Like the oasis idea Sarah mentioned, that would be a good one! Obviously not healing waters, as that's the Falls' thing, but a water nymph would be really cool, or I absolutely love Abby's face in the water idea. Or there could be mirages that misdirect people if they're trying to attack or invade. Or I like Sarah's sand monster idea, as long as there are set limits. Like it could drive people away or prevent them from passing, but couldn't kill anyone or whatever.

[Sarah]

True, I think a magic tree in a Desert is kind of an odd thing ^_^

Oasis or sand related is my vote. However, not related to the health of the kingdom. I don't think a power thing should wax and wane, it should be stable and there, despite everything else that is going on. Plus, we all know how activity fluctuates here (on the site and in the kingdom) depending on x, y, and z.

Also, as a general question - if it were a water nymph or oasis related, if something were to 'pollute' the water, would it affect it? Would we want something that is susceptible to harm?

[AbbyNormal]

Responding to general question: would it be safe to assume that any of the Things could be meddled with? Or could they all have their own protections?

So in the case of the reflection thing, it could have a reflector defense? Ie: if someone were to try and poison it, it would bounce back onto that person, thus poisoning the one who tried to hurt it.

I also like the illusion thing, since mirages would be common in a desert setting. And still am up for the Sand Monster, with limits like Sam said ^_^

[Jaya]

Why not something defensive?
The Deserts has a history of protective magic (admittedly through magicians, but still).

Disorienting illusions to attackers?
Idk.
:/