The Crystal Staircase

The largest staircase in the world, climbable only by giants.

So, you want to take a trip to the strangest place in the lands. A place where those lightning rods of the Highland Beaches lust to visit and find the secrets of. A place where the dragons are translucent and breath white fire. A place where the chances that you die are so staggeringly high that we shouldn't be allowed to offer to take you?
Well, sign on up then! We offer two annual trips to the Crystal Staircase, that vast path that leads into the abyss below. The only real place in the Ravine that we can claim to know. Everything else is different every year we go.
It's 10,000 credits up-front before we even think about taking you along.

— Lone Oak Society

In the middle of the vast Crystalis Ravine is a single unchanging point in the continual sea of growth that makes up the crystal landscape. In the early years, the single peak was the highest to be seen in the entire Ravine, but now, it is dwarfed by others that render it difficult to make out at all. What makes this mountain unique, is the fact that it bucks the trends of nature's irregularity and forms a staircase on the sides of the mountain that lead into the chasms surrounding it.
The Lone Oak Society is a group that undeniably has the most experience with the Ravine and the Staircase, having made hundreds of expeditions into the Crystal Wastes. The society's records indicate that almost 500 expeditions have made it to the Staircase and returned. Each and every venture bringing back new and more up-to-date information on the interior and ever-changing nature of this alien biome.
Of the mountain itself, it stands as what is assumed to be a geographical oddity. The Mountain stands at some odd 6,000 feet tall, each 'step' being the size of an Adult Dragon. The chasms that surround it seem to constantly churn out new material. Several Expeditions noted that whenever they made camp too closely, the camp itself would move several feet over the time that they were there.
The steps do actually continue down into these chasms, vanishing into the vast darkness below. However, no expedition has made it deep enough to find the bottom and successfully return.

Expeditions

Numerous expeditions have been made into the Ravine over the years, all following the example of the Lone Oak Society and seeking out the Crystal Staircase, however, not all were made by that same society. Several attempts were made by each of the Caelfoc Union, the Wizards of the College and the The Tinkerer's Guild to varying levels of success before they either lost interest or... Gave up.
For many, the secrets of the Crystalis Ravine and Staircase just aren't worth the inherent dangers associated with finding them.

Attempted Descents

With by far the highest rate of success for expeditions into the Ravine, the Lone Oak Society has been the group that has attempted the descent the most as well. However, the logical question becomes: "What is at the bottom?" isn't as easy a question to answer.
Of the attempted expeditions, the farthest step down was recorded to have been the 193rd step, upon which the expedition claimed to have seen strange and orderly lights. And they almost looked like a city. Future expeditions haven't yet made it as deep, but modern plans with modern technology are very much in the works.

In time, this secret may be unearthed.

Alternative Names

The Crystal Descent, The Slick Staircase, The Stairs of DraKaise

Type

Footpath

Parent Location

Crystalis Ravine

Where are these quotes from?

The Lone Oak Society is a spelunking group that seeks to follow Karan, the Spelunking Half-Elf's example and to find the riches and treasures buried in the caves below the earth. They are based out of the Black Feng Mountains, but also sponsor trips throughout the Feng Mountains.