Magic Mesa
In the Painted Desert of Arizona, not far from the town of Red Rocks, stands a lone monolith, a tower of rock that rises above the deserts sands. It is the Magic Mesa, a place of power, where time and space hold little sway. A multiversal nexus, a well of mystic power and insight, many would seek to control the Mesa. So far, they have all failed: Those seek to exploit the power of the Magic Mesa finds that it is guarded to this day.
Location and Appearance
The Magic Mesa is located in Arizona's Painted Desert that runs from the East end of the Grand Canyon National park, stretching Southeast into the Petrified Forest National Park. The area is generally only accessible on foot or by going off road, aside from a few major highways running through the area. The Painted Desert is known for its varied colors, ranging from common red rock to the lavender, in beautiful painted landscapes.
The town of Red Rocks is named for the distinct color and stone formations around it. While now mostly a tourist stop for visitors to the Painted Desert, it was once a frontier town known for prospectors, rail wars and gunfights. Aside from a few scattered homes, Red Rocks is the settlement closest to the Magic Mesa, and at times, people from other times and places will pass through. Such is life in Red Rocks, and the locals have come to accept such, or leave their homes behind.
A few scattered settlers make the area near the Magic Mesa their home, seemingly moving with the Mesa itself as it moves. Their prolonged exposure to the power of the Magic Mesa have changed them in many ways. Most have increased longevity, and many quite mad.
The Magic Mesa itself stands as a dark tower in the desert, rising far above the sand. The exact location of the Magic Mesa seems to change, but it will always remain closer to Red Rocks than any other settlement. It casts a long shadow, which seem to be unmoving, even as the sun moves over the sky, remaining even as night falls. The Magic Mesa is filled with caves and passages, both visible and secret. Entering the caves of the Magic Mesa is perilous at best: While a visitor might simply enter the dark cave, leaving unscathed, they could just as well end up in another time and place, including alien worlds and other dimensions. Few know how to navigate these caves to reach their given destination, and fewer yet share this knowledge.
Few that seek the Magic Mesa can find it. Others may simply stumble upon it, as they travel through the Painted Desert, for good or for ill. Whatever happens, it is all decided by the Will of the Magic Mesa.
Significance
The Magic Mesa is the former sanctum of Broken Crow, the Master Mage of his era. The magic energies of the Mesa resurrected Adam Prophet, the Pale Rider, and has possible influenced many more colorful tales of super powered beings in the Old West, and could easily be the source of power for heroes and villains in the future.
A long line of guardians have stood watch at the Magic Mesa, reaching as far back as mankind. The identities and abilities of the Magic Mesa's guardians are myriad, though all seem based in the guardian's transformation into a sand elemental. How exactly they use the abilities differ, ranging from being of pure sand with no discernible human shape or mind, to the current guardian, who appears fully human when not actively using his powers. Some could manipulate the sand around them, some only the sand of their own bodies. The Magic Mesa seems to pick its guardians from those that died near it. While the guardians appear to be immortal, rising from the dead if they are killed, there have been a long succession, and the fate of the previous guardians, in particular the predecessor to the current guardian, remains a mystery. The current guardian is Dust Devil II. It is unknown if multiple guardians can exist at the same time, but it is a distinct possibility.
The Magic Mesa posses the ability to send visitors that enter its caves through time and space. While a visitor will require a proficient guide to reach specific destinations in either time or space, or be lucky enough to have the Will of the Magic Mesa send them where they want to go, it is just as likely that the Magic Mesa will send a visitor where its Will believes they should go. The Magic Mesa is also able to retrieve those that it has sent to other locations.
People
NPCs
The Will of the Magic Mesa: The Magic Mesa seems to posses a will of its own, primarily demonstrated when choosing a guardian, or if sending visitors to specific places in time and space, before retrieving them again. The Dust Devil II swears that it communicated directly with him when he was chosen, but he has little proof, and has not been able to communicate directly again, only receiving various feelings when he is needed. Ultimately, the true nature and agenda of the Will of the Magic Mesa remains unknown.
Guardians: The Magic Mesa has been the home to a long succession of guardians, stretching back to the dawn of mankind. Chosen from those that died near the Magic Mesa, the guardians are empowered as sand elementals. Though they all appeared to be functionality immortal, no one seems to know what has happened to any of the previous guardians. Maybe they simply choose to fade away. Maybe someone or something found a way to kill them. Or maybe they simply sleep, scattered among the sand that surround the Magic Mesa.
- The Dust Devil: The immediate predecessor of the current guardian, the Dust Devil was Alejandro Roja, a thief and a castle rustler left for dead. Brought back as a man made of sand, Alejandro became the Dust Devil. The Dust Devil protected the Magic Mesa starting at some point in the 1850'es. He was last seen in February 2018. His current fate is unknown.
- The Sand Dancer: A woman with long black hair, tied into a braid. She seemed able to freely shift between sand and flesh, even with only parts of her body, moving gracefully, almost like a dance. She was a devoted guardian, not just to the Magic Mesa, but to any that sought her help. She seemed at peace with herself, and was generally unwilling to kill. Was a guardian at the time the Lemurians lived above water. Dust Devil II met her during a trip to the past through the Magic Mesa.
Magic Mesa Residents: The few people that make their home close to the Magic Mesa have all been changed by the constant exposure to the power of the Mesa. For some it is subtle. For others it is not. Few are completely mentally balanced, though whether it is caused by the Magic Mesa, or that such people are simply drawn to the Mesa, is unknown.
- Mr. Sting & Big Mama: Mr. Sting lives with Big Mama at Magic Mesa, where he researches poison. His pride and joy are the giant-sized scorpions that he has raised in the caves of Magic Mesa, using their poison for his research. Mr. Sting is a small, but crafty man. He is usually distrustful of others, and is a vengeful sort. Wrong him once, and you might find yourself with a poison knife in your back. Big Mama stands nearly six feet tall, with an unnatural amount of bone, fat and muscle. Her skin is completely black. She is an ugly woman, both of appearance and mind. While she does not appear to posses the full mental capacities of a woman of her age, she is fiercely protective of her home and Mr. Sting, being willing, maybe even eager, to kill to keep them safe. Created by Supercape, ask him before using these characters.
Travis Hightower, Mayor of Red Rocks: Mayor of Red rocks for the twelfth year running as of 2019, Travis is a tall, thin man in his late 50'es with skin tanned by the desert sun. He posses a magnificent black moustache and short black hair, through streaks of grey have begun to show. He is devoted to keep Red Rocks stable despite the strange travellers and events caused by the Magic Mesa, and will usually be helpful to anyone visiting. He is a traveller himself, coming either from the future or a much more advanced world in the Multiverse, though he is unwilling to divulge any information about the nature of his original time space.
Broken Crow: The Master Mage of the 19th century, Broken Crow made the Magic Mesa his sanctum, further enhancing its already formidable magical power. When he was killed at Wounded Knee, the Magic Mesa was left abandoned, and one might still find artifacts or traces of the former Master Mage within its tunnels and caves. Some say that Broken Crow's spirit still wanders the area of the Magic Mesa at times.
Travelers: As the Magic Mesa brings travelers from other points in space time, just about anyone or anything can be met near the Magic Mesa. While some will simply act as tourists and some might offer aid, you are just as likely to find hostile travelers, who either wish to return home or make their way in this new world.
PCs
The Dust Devil II: Cassidy Collins is the Magic Mesa's current guardian. While primarily based in Freedom City, his abilities allow him to swiftly return to the Magic Mesa, should the need arrive. At the Magic Mesa, he is known primarily through the reputation of his predecessors. He has not been seen in years.
History
The history of the Magic Mesa is long and varied, having influenced several events and heroes since prehistoric time. Existing at least as far back as the time of the Lemurians, possibly even longer, the Magic Mesa has seen its share of conflict. Many sorcerers and demons, their names now lost to the passage of time, has sought to control the Mesa, always stopped by its guardians.
During the 19th century, the Magic Mesa was the sanctum of Broken Crow the Master Mage before his death, influenced many supernatural heroes of the Old West and created the first Dust Devil. While mostly dormant during the 20th century, with only occasional visitors, it seems that the Magic Mesa has once again awakened to become a major location in the magic of the world in the 21st century, starting with choosing its newest guardian, Dust Devil II.
Survival Class
For reasons known only to them and headmistress Summers, the aging pulp adventurer Alexander Macedon and his granddaughter Alexandra Macedon has been bringing Claremont students to the Painted Desert. While many of these adventures has gone on without a hitch, a few of the survival classes stand out, as sandstorms drew the adventurers into the Magic Mesa and time lost adventures.
Survival Class: A group of Claremont Students are sent back to World War Two where they end up fighting the Übersoldaten.
Survival Class: Silver Lining: Another group of Claremont Students end up in Freedom City during the Silver Age, ending up in a fight between several super heroes and villains, most notably the Centurion and Superior.
Survival Class: Prussian Blue: As Alexandra Macedon takes over as the survival teacher, a third group of Claremont Students travel to Freedom City during the Iron Age, but return home to the present before getting into trouble
