Lore Log: From the Steppes

## Part 1

**Strange Sightings:** Chef, Jack, Jack the Gambler, Gid and Goton volunteered for the Overseer's request to search the half desert/steppe areas of Irgoza Desert and make a report about Goblinoid looking hostile patrols. With the help of a blind old man, they found a patrol and rescued a "native to the Pangea" goblin and a turquoise stone necklace that apparently has something to do with a gate of sorts.

### Journal Entries:

Jean - Jack — 30/06/2021

Title: From the Steppes - Prologue: Strange Sightings

Participants: @Jean - Jack @FakeEGibson - Chef. Shortbread @Max - Jang @Saver - Jack the Gambler @Paul - Panther/Gid

DM: @Enes - Marji Stonelover

Hex: 3,4

Report: Check notice board , bounty on info for what's going on in the desert. Scream: who want's to get paid. Party comes crawling out of the wood work , I love this town :grin:. Go to desert , on the way encounter gopnicks listening to hard-bass , the sweet , sweet vibrations empower my body and I dance the dance of love and joy. Gopnicks recognise me as one of their own and after we exchange pleasantries my brothers give me a staff of hard-bass and some kvas to remember them by  ,we head of. Find old man , trade chicken and riddles for info and alcohol. Find what we are looking for , raiders , one of them beats goton to within a inch of hi's life , I cast false life as this has happens before, got plenty of time to prepare healing ( Seemed that way at the time) . Raider hacks goton's head off...  that's new :pepehmm: .  Kill the raiders , make a note to use polymorph next time and get paid. Overall still a good day :slight\_smile:

(P.S sorry goton , I was used to merciful enemies :sweat\_smile: )

## Part 2

**Call for Help:** Shala, Sliferia, Jack, Arvis and Reina took upon Jay's quest to check up on "High" Ogre Shaman's request. They killed all the Shaman Babe fanatics in "High" Ogre Shaman's cottage and went for the Shaman Babe's cave. As they killed Shaman Babe, she told them all will fall with the coming of the horde. They took the second turquoise necklace back to Jaytown.

### Journal Entries:

Shock - Shala Brighteagle — 03/07/2021

Title: From the Steppes - Act I: Call for Help

DM: @Enes - Marji Stonelover

Hex: [0,1] Orksfordshire

Report:

Whilst relaxing in the tavern the handsome Jay burst in put a message on the quest board and left before I could catch his eye. Upon closer inspection it was an instruction to help a mushroom loving ogre that was in trouble not far from Jay town. Five of us gathered together including Arvis who I have now traveled with several times decided to persue this.

We traveled into some swamps and came across what appeared to be a battlefield strewn with the bodies of ogre and ogre kin and while I was searching the area one of the party disturbed some foul creatures in the remains of a half sunken ship stuck in the mud. Several foul dead creatures attacked the rest of the party but fortunately had not spotted me so I shot arrows with my usual precision. We overcame the creatures in fairly short order but not all of us were unscathed and poor Arvis had been morphed into a gargantuan crocodile!

We traveled further into the swamp and after a short rest came upon a large hut. I started to investigate and so safeguard the group but as I searched the inpatient necromancer amongst us ordered his minions into the building which triggered a trap. I chose to avoid the door and as the sounds of combat ensued I climbed in through a window and spotted fierce looking ogre. At this point I heard several large explosions and heat radiated throughout the building as our wizard Arvis got to work. I attacked the ogre and with the help of one of our warriors we slew him and I entered a kitchen. By this time the fight had left our enemies and as I went further inside all I saw was a number of charred ogre corpses and an injured cowering ogre that turned out to be the fellow we were sent to rescue.

After we calmed him he said that an ogre shamen was turning the tribe against each other and he wanted our help to stop her. Most of us agreed but one of our party left us at this point saying that she belived us unproffesional,.......but I belive her to be a coward!

After we had rested and ate we persued the ogre shamen and found her in the forrest surrounded by her ogre kin. Again a firce battle took place but I was in the woods fighting virtually alone against a strong half-ogre. I let fly my arrows as he approached but he shrugged them off and swung at me repeatedly charging me and forcing me back as I heard the sounds of combat and magic spells bursting further through the woods. Eventually we managed to slay all the ogres including the half-ogre that attacked me.

When we searched the cave they had been near we found a wealth of supplies including coin, an amulet and a number of potions which we split bofore heading back to town for a well deserved rest. A good days work me thinks.

Thanks for an enjoyable quest @Enes - Marji Stonelover

Participants:  @Ali -  Arvis Arceus @Obsidian - Sliferia  @Shock - Shala Brighteagle  @Verjaeger - Gurrah Mbawé @Verjaeger4 - Reina St. Croix

03/07/2021

Title: From the Steppes - Act 1: Call for Help

DM: @Enes - Marji Stonelover

Hex: [0,1] Orksfordshire

Report: Bored at tavern , check board. Pothead hippie ogres being a annoying , better than sticking around here.Creepy kid , scaly lady , cat woman and my favourite poverty knight see me , guess were a group now , set of. Find field of corpses and some sort of wreckage on the way , jackpot. Search wreckage for loot see shiny , attempt to to grab shiny , plant creature and hi's undead buddies take offence. Friends take care of the plant as I freeze and shatter the undead with the power of my epic hard-bass , take the shiny.  Arrive at the ogre cabin , watch cat lady fiddle with the door for half an hour before I get bored and go inside , trap triggers but I can explain. Give chicken to head ogre before I hear screaming from the other room , cat lady had broken in trough the window after I opened the door and started stabbing people... why? I still do not know. Despite my efforts to calm things down , it turns into a slaughter. Scaly lady blames me for some reason, but that is to be expected from someone with the intelligence to sell their eternal soul for eldritch blast. Manage to save ogre leader  , we smoke some bong and eventually tell him I'll kill some guy he does not like because I feel bad for what my companions did. Poverty knight leaves before getting payed , explains a lot. I remember bits and pieces of me killing a ogre lady with large tracks of land  but no memory of how I got two tatoos on my ass , will have to smoke with my that guy again some point  in time , somehow got paid. Good day :cowboy:

Participants: @Shock - Shala Brighteagle  @Obsidian - Sliferia  @Jean - Jack  @Ali -  Arvis Arceus  @Verjaeger4 - Reina St. Croix

## Part 3

**Turqu… What?:** Jack, Shala, Reina, Navu, Jack the Gambler and Salazar accompanied traumatised goblins to Yellow Crane Tribe, and from a relative of Elder Plyx they were given the task of retrieving another turquoise stone necklace from an orc village. Party proceed to kill most of the inhabitants and let the rest to die as they get a third, albeit a bit impure, necklace which orcs called "Finger of the Kaan". They were informed that goblins will conduct a ritual to cleanse the stone and ask their ancestors for more information about these stones' ancient origin.

### Journal Entries:

Jean - Jack — 05/07/2021

Title:From the Steppes - Act I: Turqu... What?

DM: @Enes - Marji Stonelover

Hex: 1,0

Report: Goblin I saved said it's time to return the crystals I have been gathering to the tribe , say yes. Head out with group smooth trip save for a demented giant  attack but he was easily disgraced and disposed of. Reach goblin village , end up giving them the crystals. Get sent to find more crystals and stop orc attacks , we agree and set of. Long story short , orcs agree to duel , our orc and a bard head in , our knight stays outside and two other members  disappear. Deciding to not let the brave bastards die I decide to head in with them , better to die than to live with the guilt of letting two more party members die. Fight goes surprisingly good ,I'd dare to say great but before our orc finishes of the tribal leader I hear fighting. [Redacted] happened. Turns into a slaughter ,but manage to keep some orcs alive and return the crystal. Feels like it's been months since I managed to avoid getting into a fight with innocents , guess this is  why people distrust Jaytowners. Still seems to be the only place were people do not mind me resurrecting grandma's to make me cookies , gues I'll stick around, OK day.

participants: @Jean - Jack @Shock - Shala Brighteagle @Vis - Navu Skywatcher Kalagiano @Saver - Jack the Gambler @Salah - Salazar

Shock - Shala Brighteagle — 06/07/2021

Title: From the Steppes - Act I: Turqu... What?

DM: @Enes - Marji Stonelover  (Great session thanks!!)

Hex: 1,0

Report:

I met up with the group who I faught the ogres with and Jack the gambler (hah not much of a gambler!) was pestering me for a game of dice so I taught him how a real gambler does it!

Shortly after this we left town and headed to the yellow crane goblin tribe to return the neclace we had previously discovered but we somehow took a wrong turn, I'm sure it wasn't my fault! We unfortunately bumped into a rather odd giant who seemed friendly at first but then dropped an acid cube on us. After a fairly brief fight we overwhelmed him with our force of numbers and hacked him down.

After a short rest to recover we continued to the village. We took a while at the gates and eventually they agreed to reward us if we stopped an orc tribe attacking the village, then return another amulet.

We travelled to the orcs village without issue and although not everyone agreed with my plan it was decided that Jack being half-orc would challenge the tribes champion to one on one combat while I would sneak in and steal the neclace. One of our magic users wanted to acompany me in and I foolishly agreed.

At first the plan went well, the challenge was accepted and while the orcs were distracted we snuck over the walls into the village and I proceeded but when I looked back the magic user had vanished!

I continued on my own and broke into several houses and that is when a number of fights must have broken out throughtout the village! I stuck to the plan and found a beautiful enchanted short sword and a wand but no amulet.

I decided to join the fight but it was nearly over, I took out one orc and they promptly surrendered. I gave the wand to the party but kept the sword for myself (sly chuckle!)

We headed back after retrieving the neclace and the goblins were very pleased, but there seems like more needs to be done...........................................

participants: @Jean - Jack  @Shock - Shala Brighteagle @Vis - Navu Skywatcher Kalagiano  @Saver - Jack the Gambler  @Salah - Salazar @Verjaeger4 - Reina St. Croix

## Part 4

**Can't You Just Wash It Here?:** Salazar, Jack, Shala, Zhang and Soveliss took the impure amulet to Lake Weary Eyes to learn the ritual which cleanses it. Along the way they took shelter in the house of the Slyvian Caretaker. They reached the entry of the main island in the lake, and learned the ritual without entering the main island. They did the ritual, killed the elemental that was affecting it and returned to Slyvian Caretaker to receive the 4th necklace alongside more information about the history of the Kaan's invasions.

### Journal Entries:

Shock - Shala Brighteagle — 10/07/2021

Mission Title: Title: From the Steppes - Act I: Can't You Just Wash It Here?

Hex: 3,2

DM: @Enes - Marji Stonelover (great job thanks!!)

Mission Report

Once again I met with my necromancer and Bard friends as we still had the stone to cleanse on behalf of the Goblin tribe. We gathered a couple of other adventurers at the tavern and headed for the lake as instructed.

We came across a fey creature at a shrine and stayed the night in safety before continuing on to the river that led to the lake. At this point we were attacked by 3 apparitions that flew out of the water at us but struck them down with a mixture of magic and skill at arms.

After the battle Jack and his skeletons went into the water and he had some sort of mental breakdown whilst his skeletons turned on us! Once this had been resolved we headed on to the lake and me a strange boatman who wanted to charge a small fortune for us to cross. I bluffed him that I was a collector from the ship-masters guild and eventually after solving a couple of riddles he took us across and even payed us some coin!

We reached a strange island and were told by the fey folk inhabiting it of a ritual to purify the amulet but were not allowed to perform this dangerous act near their home. We sailed back and headed into the forest and carefully performed the ritual and were immediately shrouded in a red mist cloud! At this moment a strange creature that looked like a cross between an ogre and a frog attacked us. It used powerful magic but we countered everything and slowly beat it down, when suddenly the red mist formed into a fire elemental and attacked me from the rear.

As I tried to extinguish the flames from the damage the creature had done to me one of the wizards managed to send the elemental back where it belonged and then we finished off the other beast.

We took the cleansed amulet back to the fey cleric and she gave us another amulet so we now have a collection of them. She also shared some of the history of them. So now we need to put everything together and figure out what the amulets do....................

Players @Jean - Jack @Jesslue - Darantha @Salah - Salazar @Shock - Shala Brighteagle @DOOM - Zhang Yong

Jean - Jack — 10/07/2021

Mission Title: Title: From the Steppes - Act I: Can't You Just Wash It Here?

Hex: 3,2

DM: @Enes - Marji Stonelover

Mission Report:Woke up on the beach surrounded by corpses , Jaytards , aliens and animals... Hope I didn't do something I'd regret if I remembered. Jaytards  join my quest to purify some amulets I found a while back. Get to edge of a magic lake. Meet boatman and  we solve riddles for a free trip. Reach elven island , get ritual to cleanse the amulets. We start the ritual , toad thing attacks. Me and two mages beat it's ass while our rouge manages to somehow set himself on fire (smelled reel good thought ). Lick the the toad , start tripping balls. Knowledge multiple timelines fill my mind , see a timeline in which we met an elven woman who would give us another amulet if we showed her we cleansed the others. Others agree and we go , lady seem to be a fellow licker of the toad , as she acts as if though she already knows us. Amulets cleansed , time to report to the chief. Good day :cowboy:

Players @Jean - Jack  @Jesslue - Darantha  @Salah - Salazar  @Shock - Shala Brighteagle  @DOOM - Zhang Yong

## True Adventurers:

**Side Quest:** Rogain, Ruden, Ignacio and Rambal took the "High" Ogre Shaman's quest and went to his cottage to get more details. Shaman gave them the direction of the Infinite Staircase. Party saw a staircase reaching for the sky, getting more ethereal as it got higher. They fought and killed the scouts making camp around the Staircase and killed their chief who was wearing a turquoise necklace which was burning. They found out that stone made an entry to the staircase, before the stone's fire was extinguished and Staircase disappeared. Party returned to Shaman and took their rewards.

### Journal Entries:

MarcToo - Ignacio Thunderchant — 21/08/2021

Mission Title:  True Adventurers

Mission Participants: @Luis - Rambal , @Dizz - Rogain Reflux , @Abrar - Ruden Kell @MarcToo - Ignacio Thunderchant

DM: @Enes - Marji Stonelover  with the big ...

Hex #: 1,0

Mission Report: My first day in this Town called Jaytown. Seems this is a town of warlocks, because all I can see in the tavern are those types. One guy even has some metalplate in front of his face, man he must be disfigured by some accident or something, I can't explain it otherwise. Anyway I am here to do the work of Moradin and Smite Evils and Baddies to Death, thats my mission.

After some good Ale I join the party of Warlocks to do their Quest. It seems they can use the help. On our way to some Ogre , who is apparently friendly to the Jaytowners, we encounter some crocos in the swamp. Some get bitten, some get whacked by a tail, in the end we whack em to death. Party looks exhausted and I have also some scratches. We take some rest after letting the Ogre smoke his weird plants.

Onwards to victory, we are looking for some magic staircase that appeared out of nowhere. Evil baddies are in front of the structure, executing some poor soul in front of our eyes. We engage them and they try to kill us. I must call upon all my powers. Their leaders charges up to me, but then lies to my feet, seems sleepy. I call on the Greenflames of Anauroch and I smite him while hes down, killing his snotty helper with flames. Somehow Bossman survives (that motherf....) but the fight is shortly over afterwards, because some of my teammates steal the kill.

The OG(re) :420thicc:  is happy , he gives us some gold and potions and when can safely return to Warlock Town. I did well, Moradin is happy.

## Part 5

**Repeatable, Chasing Stairs:** Per Lena's request newly appearing staircases need investigating. Some parties have already gone there and encountered foreign monsters around staircases, protecting it. All of the parties succeeded in killing them but some decided to venture into the collapsing tear in the force field with the necklace they found on the monsters' chief, trapping them in Infinite Staircase.

### Journal Entries:

Hooded - Zoid — 23/08/2021

Mission Title: Chasing Stairs (Part 5)

Mission Participants:

@Nic's Smurf - Miles @Hooded - Zoid @Jesslue - Darantha @Koen - Curius

DM: @Enes - Marji Stonelover

Hex #: 2-1

Mission Report:

The Sunlight Recedes regardless of Time of Day within the Murky Swamp.

A Fog Drifts throughout the Ground.

Once Zoid Gusts The Fog it reveals two Veinlike apparitions that assault the Party.

Swiftly dealt with a cacophony of cries erupting from behind urges the party to run deeper into the Swamp.

Once the Distance from the cries are gained. Darantha's Familiar spots a hidden enemy behind a tree.

Without skipping a Beat Darantha Assaults. bringing More Of them from hiding in the Bushes.

During the battle Zoid Seizes an Opportunity to gather knowledge of the enemy through Detect Thoughts.

Learning the location of the Stairs. Grey Peak Mountains 200 Metres East

Learns how to close them, using a Blue Burning Amulet, Worn by a Horned Entity.

And the Security surrounding it. Bipedal Hyenas Flanking the same Horned Entity.

The Group settles after Combat amidst the Corpses for a Short Rest.

The Group Sets off to the Hill

Spotting the Gnolls acting as Guards around an Ethereal Tree that Drifts into a Set of Stairs.

The Group Decides to Ambush the Gnolls, although a Partial Failure, the Fight ensues against the fast Gnolls and their leader that descends from the stairs. between the group we used a combination of Silence, Levitate and Heat Metal to hold the Horned leader at bay, but his guards swiftly disrupt the tactic and tear through the parties defences Narrowly Felling them. but with the last remnants of the Parties Resources Scrape through the Conflict.

Beaten And Bruised, Darantha Procures the Gem from the Horned Enemy and enters the Stairway to Seal it. Upon Entering she sees various Forms of Stairs, such as Vines and Ivory made, different Stone Craft as it Ascends and Descends Infinitely.

Once the Stairs Faded it left Behind several Chains clattering to the Dirt.