*I am totally getting this idea from Deltora Quest*
The Thelsphyr Desert is a largely unexplored area partly due to the dangers of creatures such as the Naarkas. However, what most people don't realize is just how big the desert is, and that the Naarkas only inhabit the extremities of the desert. In the center, where the sands run deeper, live a collective of creatures (I am not sure of their physiology yet) that have adapted to live underground. These creatures feast on the surface dwellers by hiding in the sands, sometimes setting up lures such as a portion of their body, and only springing from the ground when their prey is too close to escape. These creatures do no have an official name because no one has lived to tell the tale. Their territory is so far off from society and so few ever dare venture so far that people just thought the travelers eventually became lost in the shifting sands of Thelsphyr.
*That's pretty much the central idea of it, but here's some more stuff*
- The Shifting Sands prefer to prey over magical beings as they rely on the magical energy to live in the desert
- The creatures are actually insectoid, complete with a hive queen (This is the original idea from Deltora Quest)
- The creatures resemble the giant worms in Tremors
- An ancient artifact of powerful magic is what keeps these creatures alive, and a storyline quest involves you having to retrieve this artifact from the depths of the sands.