SDGS Southern Expedition

The expedition team arrive at their destination

### Discovered

Big Dark Hole, Watchtower Rock, Cosy Island, The Circular Savannah, Greater Sand Mound, Lesser Sand Mound

### Relics recovered

The Jewel of the Desert

The **SGS Southern Expedition** of February 3rd, 2021, was a voyage to explore one of the southernmost known regions of the world; the Great Desert of the South. Originally, the mission was much smaller, simply heading down the **River Ember** to locate a long-lost mining outpost. Stumbling across a spectacular mountain and natural bay at the end of the river, the travellers got a taste for adventure, and returned to Noxburgh to prepare for a much larger expedition. **The Great Desert** was selected as the destination point purely out of curiosity, and the adventurers elected to travel there the slow way; by boat and on foot, in order to better enjoy the journey.

A written log of the journey was kept by rshuttle1337, and is published and available to read as The Desert Jewel.

## The Voyage

### Departure

In preperation for the upcoming journey, the adventurers gathered in the mouth of the **River Ember**, just outside Noxburgh North Junction. They readied boats and packed supplies for the long journey, intending to establish a small campsite at the end of the voyage. Once everyone had arrived, they briefly sailed north out of the bay and around the northwestern peninsula, before turning south to head towards the southern tip of the Big Water.

The expedition departs NoxburghSunrise in southern Noxburgh
### The Big Dark Hole

> 'A huge cavern stands before us, carved by the Gods themselves. Mr Percival has come to call this place the BIG DARK HOLE.'
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The adventurers made landfall to make the brief passage on foot into the Southern Sea. In a small natural bay, they discovered a breathtaking cavern in the side of the mountain, which was aptly named the Big Dark Hole. They took shelter from the elements in the cave while resting for the night, in advance of the next leg of the journey in the morning. At dawn, they set off southwest towards the Southern Sea, coming across a larger natural bay. Here, a new member joined the voyage, and the crew enjoyed a swim in the local hotsprings.

The natural bayThe Big Dark HoleThe crew relax in the hotsprings
### Man Overboard

> 'To my personal dispair, today we lost our cook Churro. However, the crew will forever carry her in our hearts.'
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Setting sail on the Southern Sea, the voyage was struck by tragedy. A stray trident struck the HMS Dean, causing her to list severely, and throwing Churrokat overboard. She was able to climb back onboard, and the ship's hull was patched up enough to continue, but the ordeal was not over. The crew made it as far as Watchtower Rock before the ship struck rocky shallows, and Churrokat was once again thrown overboard. This time however, she was lost to the waves, never to be seen again. The voyage continued in her memory.

### On the Open Sea

A brief funeral service was held for Churrokat on the shore of Watchtower Rock. Once again, the HMS Dean was patched up, and the crew set sail on unfamiliar waters. They travelled south past a long island chain, between the Twin Islands, and eventually landed on a small island just north of the Circular Savannah. They named it Cosy Island and set up a camp for the night. The morning was filled with drama, comprising a fight amongst the crew and a mildly poisonous breakfast causing hallucinogenic effects. This delayed the departure for the final leg of the journey until around midday.

### The Circular Savannah

> 'The Circular Savannah! Indeed, the reports were true, it is incredibly cycloidal.'
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The Circular Savannah, while spectacular, was not fully explored. Rather, the explorers navigated around its eastern bank, heading towards the Great Desert. Here, the crew discovered a mysterious structure containing a chest, containing only an axe and some wheat. However, it appears that it was a trap! Upon entering the structure, hordes of monsters approached from the water on all sides, and the adventurers had to make a hasty escape.

Passing the Greater Sand Mound, obscured almost entirely by the Lesser Sand Mound, the crew made another unusual discovery; a mysterious floating portal, and a sister portal nearby on the corrupted shore. Here, the crew was divided and ambushed once again, and the voyage seemed in peril. However, the brave adventurers prevailed, and pushed on towards final landfall.

The HMS Dean was moored in a small natural harbour in the plains between the Greater Sand Mound and the Great Desert of the South. As the crew climbed the grassy hills on foot, they looked out across a wonderful sight, the first glimpse of what would come to be known as the Jewel of the Desert Natural Reserve.

## Landfall

### The Village

> 'Our dreams have been made. Today, on the final day of our voyage, we have discovered something that we could never have imagined.'
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The desert stretched out to the horizon as far as the eye could see. Nestled along the bed of a river, where some plantlife still grows, was a thriving village of desert natives, clearly quite content and prosperous in their isolated lifestyle. However, a bizarre scar cut across the hillside; a deep ravine, within which was visible an unbelievable discovery; the second stronghold known to the world. Vast swathes of sand hung precariously above the ravine, threatening to bury everything with the smallest interference. As such, the South Decana Geographical Society, in collaboration with the Shuttlewood Heritage Trust, immediately declared the region a natural reserve, prohibiting any alterations to the landscape or the village. One exception was made to this rule, and a small memorial was erected atop the largest hill in the village, commemorating the end of the voyage, and the lives lost along the way.

The desert villageNight falls over the desertThe villagers exist peacefully and contentedly
### The Stronghold

Carefully descending into the ravine, the crew entered the stronghold library, intending to explore the labyrinth of coridors and uncover the End Portal. In this exploration, a strange antechamber was found, and upon a plinth in its centre, a single, perfect blue gemstone. Despite warning, and the expedition's pledge to leave the region untouched, the stone was too tempting, and Invader4679 could not help but pick it up. Almost immediately, his error became clear, as the stone exuded a magical aura, the stronghold began to tremble, and hordes of creepers and silverfish emerged from the stone walls themselves, forcing the adventurers back out into the open.

## Returning Home

### The Cursed Stone

Main article: The Jewel of the Desert
Fleeing from the stronghold, the HMS Dean set sail immediately back to Noxburgh. The expedition was considered a resounding success, despite the misadventures, until an unnerving revelation was made in the debriefing at MCParradox's manor. In the chaos, Invader had not returned the Jewel to its plinth, and still had it on him. He soon became corrupted by its power, keeping it on his person at all times, and subsequently encountering the consequences of its curse. The curse continues to this day, and Invader's condition is being closely monitored.