Dust Devils

Dust Devils

"Thought it was just a dust storm. Realized my mistake when I saw the blood on the thorns."

What Are They?

See a whirlwind kicking up dust on the desert horizon? Most folks assume it's just wind doing what wind does. Smart folks take a closer look before making that assumption. Because out in the deserts of the Southwest, some of those twisters have teeth.

Dust devils are vicious supernatural predators that hunt the arid wastelands of Arizona, New Mexico, and the Mojave. They're serpentine creatures covered in razor-sharp spines that use their own unnatural power to create whirlwinds around their bodies. Then they move in for the kill, shredding prey with barbed coils while the victim stumbles blind through a storm of sand and stone.

More than one unwary traveler has gone down before the spikes of these creatures, thinking they were caught in nothing more than a bad dust storm. By the time they realize the storm is actively hunting them, it's usually too late.

Appearance

When not whirling—which isn't often—a dust devil looks like a large pale snake, roughly ten feet long and thick as a man's thigh. Rows of wicked spines run down the length of its back, each one sharp as a Bowie knife and just as deadly. Its scales are a sickly, bleached color like sun-dried bone, and its eyes gleam with predatory intelligence.

But you'll rarely see a dust devil in its natural form. These creatures spend most of their time wrapped in supernatural whirlwinds of their own creation. The vortex surrounds them like armor, hiding their serpentine bodies at the center of a churning column of sand, dust, and debris. The whirlwind stands about 10 feet tall and moves with eerie purpose, tracking prey across the desert with relentless determination.

Through the swirling dust, you might catch glimpses of pale coils and bloody spines. You might hear a sound like wind through canyon stones—or is that hissing? By the time you're close enough to know for certain, you're already in striking range.

Hunting Behavior

Dust devils are ambush predators that lurk in the desert like repulsive spiny serpents until they spot potential prey. Once they've identified a target, they conjure their whirlwind and close in for the kill.

They're frighteningly fast—able to move at speeds that leave horses eating their dust. A dust devil can cross open ground at a pace that would shame a racing locomotive, the whirlwind kicking up a visible trail of debris as it goes. If you see one coming at you across the flats, you've got maybe seconds to find cover or prepare to fight.

The creature's preferred tactic is to center its whirlwind directly on its prey. The swirling column of sand and stone blinds everyone within 10 yards while the dust devil's spiny body whips through the vortex, slashing at anything inside. Victims stumble blind, choking on dust, while the creature tears them apart from within the storm.

Where You'll Find Them

Dust devils inhabit the desert regions of the American Southwest:

• Arizona Territory—common in the open desert and badlands
• New Mexico—found in arid regions far from settlements
• Mojave Desert—prime hunting ground for these predators
• Any sun-baked wasteland—they prefer open terrain where they can spot prey from a distance

They avoid areas with heavy vegetation or broken terrain where their whirlwinds would be less effective. Open desert, dry lakebeds, and barren plains are their preferred hunting grounds. If you're crossing the southwestern deserts, assume any whirlwind you see might be one of these things until proven otherwise.

Combat Capabilities

Fighting a dust devil is an exercise in frustration and terror. The whirlwind surrounding them makes them nearly impossible to target, and getting close enough for hand-to-hand combat is a death sentence.

The Blinding Storm

Anyone within 10 yards of a dust devil must make an Incredible (11) Vigor roll or be blinded by the swirling sand and stone. That's a Hard roll to make, and failure means you're fighting blind while the creature can see you perfectly.

Blinded victims suffer massive penalties to any action requiring sight—which is to say, nearly everything in combat. You can't aim your gun at what you can't see. You can't dodge attacks you don't see coming. Meanwhile, the dust devil whips around you with impunity, its spines tearing flesh with each pass.

Nearly Impossible to Hit

The whirlwind doesn't just blind you—it protects the creature inside. To actually hit a dust devil with ranged weapons, you need to make a called shot with a -8 penalty to strike the serpentine body at the center of the vortex. That's on top of any penalties for being blind, wounded, or dodging.

Shots that miss don't just go wide—they get caught in the whirlwind and flung out in random directions. There's a real chance your missed shot will hit a companion, your horse, or some innocent bystander. The creature weaponizes your own ammunition against you.

Melee Combat is Suicide

Getting close enough to fight a dust devil hand-to-hand requires you to enter the whirlwind itself. Even if you manage that feat, you must win an opposed Strength contest against the creature just to take a swing. If you lose, the whirlwind blows you backward, and you can't attack that action.

And remember—you're fighting blind inside a storm of sand while a ten-foot serpent covered in razor spines whips around you. The creature doesn't suffer the same penalties you do. It knows exactly where you are.

Speed and Endurance

Dust devils are fast. With a Pace of 24, they can run down fleeing horses and overtake wagons with ease. If you're on foot, forget about outrunning one. Your only hope is to reach terrain it can't follow—rocky canyons, dense vegetation, or buildings where the whirlwind loses effectiveness.

How to Kill Them

Despite their formidable defenses, dust devils can be killed. It just requires the right tactics, steady nerves, and usually multiple Troubleshooters working together.

Recognizing the Threat

The key to surviving dust devils is recognizing them before they close to attack range. Here's how to tell a supernatural predator from a natural weather phenomenon:

• Unnatural Movement: Natural whirlwinds wander randomly. Dust devils track toward prey with purpose.
• Sustained Duration: Weather whirlwinds form and dissipate quickly. Dust devils maintain their vortex indefinitely while hunting.
• Size Consistency: The creature's whirlwind stays roughly the same size—about 10 feet tall. Natural ones grow and shrink.
• Nighttime Activity: Natural dust devils need sun-heated ground to form. The creatures hunt any time, day or night.
• Blood Trail: If the whirlwind leaves spots of blood on the ground, it's not a weather phenomenon.

Survivor Accounts

From the journal of Sergeant William Cooper, U.S. Cavalry:

"We lost Private Matthews to what we thought was a dust storm. The patrol was crossing open desert when the whirlwind formed—or that's what we assumed. It moved against the wind, straight toward our column. Matthews was riding rear guard. By the time we heard him screaming, the whirlwind had engulfed him. We fired into the storm but couldn't see what we were shooting at. When the dust cleared, we found Matthews in pieces. The wounds looked like he'd been run through a threshing machine made of knives. There was a trail of blood leading away across the sand—serpentine, like something massive had dragged itself away. We buried what we could find of Matthews and rode hard for the fort. The captain wrote it up as 'death by misadventure.' He wasn't wrong, but he wasn't telling the whole truth either."

Letter from Father Miguel Santos to the Bishop of Santa Fe:

"Your Excellency, I write to report a disturbing encounter near our mission. A family traveling to California stopped here seeking medical attention. The father was badly wounded—covered in deep lacerations as if attacked by some large predator. He claimed a whirlwind attacked their wagon in the open desert, that he saw a pale serpent within the dust, covered in thorns that gleamed like knives. His wife believes the desert sun drove him mad. I do not share her certainty. I have heard the old Pueblo stories of 'wind serpents' that hunt the wasteland. I have seen things in twenty years of ministry that the seminary never prepared me for. I believe this man. I have blessed their wagon and given them every protection the Church can offer. They leave at dawn. I pray it will be enough."

Troubleshooter Tips

1. Watch the Horizon: In open desert, scan constantly for whirlwinds. If one changes direction to intercept you, assume it's hostile and prepare for combat.

2. Travel in Groups: A lone rider is easy prey for a dust devil. A posse with multiple shooters stands a much better chance.

3. Know Your Terrain: Before crossing open desert, identify potential refuge points—rock formations, ravines, buildings. If a dust devil attacks, you need to know where to run.

4. Protect Your Eyes: Goggles, bandanas, or even a hat pulled low can help resist the blinding effect. Every bit helps when you're fighting blind.

5. Don't Waste Ammunition: Blind fire into the whirlwind is likely to hit your companions. If you can't see your target clearly, hold your fire until you can—or until the creature closes to point-blank range.

6. Stay Mobile: A stationary target is easy prey. Keep moving, make for cover, and don't let the creature pin you down in open ground.

"Not every dust storm is just wind and sand. Some of them have teeth."