The Ossendowski Dossier; An Examination of The Stepnoy Universitet

Dear Mr. Bergstroem,

Unfortunately, I cannot attend our weekly soujourn into the cthonic regions of Arkheologorodok due to professional matters I must attend to. My efforts to understand the powers limiting my excavation of the Homo Slavonis Colossius specimen seem to have run into institutional resistance, and must spend time on putting these matters in order. I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, as I know the Club has seen some upsets in its membership recently.

I have enclosed in this letter a "photocopy" (I continue to be amazed at our ability to recreate the wonders of the Slavonics) of a dossier collated by Ossendowski, one of my graduate students. I know you have had recent involvements with the group known as the Materialists, which leads me to believe this document may contain information of interest to you. I hope the intelligence here will prove useful to your future efforts.

Sincerely,

Doctor Luka Semenov

Stepnoy Universitet
(The University of the Steppe)

The View of Stepnoy Universitet from the Professionals Quarter 

See the Sights of Scenic Arkheologorodok! A Primer for New Players

 

"We Have the Will and the Courage to Become Heroes of Our Time"

It has been a long road for Arkheologorodok, and the end is not even yet in sight, yet even now new beginnings bloom. As such, it is useful to take account of the state of Arkheologorodok as of writing, so that new comers may better acquaint themselves with their surroundings. 

Arkheologorodok is what one might call an unrecognized state, much like Transnistria, except unlike Transnistria, Arkheologorodok gained its independence through bureaucratic loop holes, institutional forgetfulness, and a seeming unwillingness of any of the former republics of the USSR to claim it. And so this former closed city of science sits on the Steppe, a magnet for seekers of all sorts. 

In the before time, it was a surprisingly bustling city of science and industry, a by-gone glory it endlessly attempts to reclaim. The city was kept alive through the efforts of its most prominent family, the Saburovs, a strange clan that seemed to materialize out of thin air in 1993 and re-opened the old Abattoir, a bizarre construction in the Southeastern portion of town that looks more like a mountain than a human construction. One would think this would draw comment, but people often find themselves never really thinking about it. With the foundation of their company, Steppak Meats, the establishment of several smaller abattoirs, and assistance to the ailing Stepment cement factory, the Saburovs in many ways came to rule this town. 

Session 10 Prep

 News & Rumors 

Good evening Arkheologorodok! This is Lara Kiseleva broadcasting live from Orbita News, bringing you this week’s news round-up.

It is with great pleasure that I can announce to you all that the Counter Terrorism and Anti-Extremism Operation has been brought to a successful close with the recue of Dr Boris Tarasov from the clutches of Chechen extremists. In a joyous press conference, Commissioner Nikitan and Governor Yevseyev celebrated this triumph over extremism in a press-conference in the Municipal Palace, were several of the captured terrorists were presented. The Governor thanked the performance of our brave Militsiya, saying that his administration represented a thin line holding the forces of chaos and darkness back from our fair city. 

For those wanting to celebrate the safety of our city, the newly re-opened Zhdanov Park is the perfect place to do so. Heavy winds are coming in from the east, make sure to weigh down your blankets and to grab your kites!

In even more good news, Arkheologorodok is welcoming the newest edition to the city's fine dining experience, La Buenasuerte Cantina y Cocina, an authentic Mexican dining experience with the largest selection of tequila on all the Steppe! Be sure to go onto OrbitaNews.com to read the review. La Buenasuerte Cantina y Cocina, where everyday is Ramon Mercader Day! 

So after a day at the park and a delicious dinner at La Buenasuerte, the municipal government and the NOVOST Group are graciously providing a suite of free shows at the People's Theater for an entire week! Governor Yevseyev in a joint statement with NOVOST chairmen Dariy Belov have announced the beginning of New Optimism, and sincerely wish all citizens to enjoy the coming week, as it is a preview of glittering new future on the horizon.  

And that was this week’s news round-up, brought to you by a kind donation by the Union of Antiquarians. If the store doesn't bare the union's seal, then that's no antique, it's just junk. For Orbita News, this is Lara Kiseleva, signing off.

Off the Record:

Seeing as Orbita News is now focused on New Optimism, a few things got left out of the news wire, namely that mage fight that happened at the bus stop nearest to the Institute for Experimental Aeronautics that ended up turning into some kind of car chase. Ain't clear what exactly happened and between who, but we can be pretty damn sure it was a fight between a pyromancer and a cryomancer, on account of the burnt out bus and the ramp of ice that launched an SUV into the second story of a warehouse. Shit has everyone on edge.

Speaking of, apparently the northern underground frontier has been a god damn warzone. Lot of Bratva dropping the hammer on the area.

Spartak: Gera came through. Apparently the rest of the Thanotologists were as impressed with his recovery of St Faustina as he anticipated, and he's been put in charge of his own "working group." He was only able to deliver $500, but he says he'll be able to get the rest soon. He's a surprisingly chatty guy for a spy

Zhou has been talking to the other tweakers and he knows where most of the Gay Nazi drugpushers tend to operate in Little Azov. He’s pretty sure this means they should have at least one stash house in the area that their “sanitater” should be going to so they can re-up. Hankov is pretty sure he could find it. 

Cheech: You've done some digging into the old guy Spartak brained in the Archaeology Lab a while back, Professor Sergei Yegorovich Krivkov. He was a tenured professor of engineering over at Stepnoy Universitat, but apparently he was also the co-founder of something called the Cosmos Project, which seems to be a bunch of engineers and Christian mystics working on...something. They're normally pretty peaceful types, though they can get heavy when it comes to recovering tech from the Underground. But you're getting the impression that they going to get heavy with you and yours after killing their co-founder. 

But you also managed to find out about some people who aren't terribly fond of the Cosmos Project who call themselves the Materialists. They compete over recruits and over turf, the Materialists considering themselves the responsible caretakers of the buried technologies in the Underground. You were able to get the name of one of them, a municipal electric worker named Koldan Egorov. He likes to drink at the Grand Khan Irish Pub.

Dr. Galdikas: "uhhhh, boss, so I have some good news and some bad news. The good news is that I've made some great strides in utilizing the funny water and our patented techniques to make more effective workers. The bad news is that it would seem that one of the interns botched a routine procedure on one of the subjects and it seemed to have, uhhh, unlocked something? The fire damage was pretty minimal, but he's out there and he...well...he knows. Anyway, call me back when you get this. Love you." -Pierre

You swear you keep seeing a guy in a dark hoodie looking at your apartment window at night.

Aleksandr: The grand opening went well, that's good, Slava has delivered not just his main product, but even high quality produce and meat, so that's even better. Mara is adjusting well to working as a hostess, but you're seeing a paranoia form in her, made worse by the fact you know you're being watched and they're getting better at it, they switch out tales more often now. Their angle is weird, they're really taking their time and you don't know why.

The Ornithologist wants to talk, says he has a couple bounties he wants you to undertake. You've got a bad feeling all around.  

Semenov: The shutting down of the dig has been an irksome set back, but you were able to retrieve some remnants of ancient Slavonic wisdom. From what you've gathered from the analysis of the cross section of the ribs, this is only structurally similar to a human, but that is where the similarities end. Spectral analysis of the bone is revealing exotic materials, and from what you know of the Slavonic Wisdom, it could be fashioned into a weapon that could harm noospheric constructs. 

Ossendowski wasn't able to turn up anything in terms of local folklore, mostly because they deemed it impossible early on, so they instead spent their time working on translation of the Enochian scrimshaw in the bones. You would be mad if she wasn't able to turn up something useful. The skeleton seems to be both a chronicle and perhaps a grimoire, much is incomplete because much is still buried, but there are mentions of Mars and fallen civilizations, and mention of "stolen power" by earth bound usurpers. Ossendowski has also provided the outlines of what appears to be a noospheric technique for localized time dilation. 

Your more mundane research into the records and dealings of the University has been altogether much less successful, in fact, you're quite confident that the entire faculty is aware of what you're trying to learn, and you're also certain you've made enemies. How many and who remains to be discovered. 

Gavril: Alright, so it looks like this is turning into less of a temporary hideout and more of a permanent kind of situation. No problem, lot of work here, lot of money to be made, the family seems to actually prefer to keep you down here for the time being. They sent you a little money and you've got your own house a little business in the suburbs. You're carving a nice little niche for yourself here, and you're building a little network for your trade. Man, you're really glad the Bratva seems convinced someone other than you killed the Numinist, because those fuckers are tearing the Underground apart from what you hear. Better keep that one to yourself.

Jobs:

Vernisa is offering $2,000 for a recovery job down in the Underground. She tells you to call her on a landline to set up a meet.

Chef Mosolov has announced a $300 reward to anyone who can bag him Vodyanoy. He's planning to make frog legs.

The smuggler Slava says he's cooking something up, maybe you lot would be interested.

Haven't checked in on the Excavators in a while, you know they'd pay top dollar for a passage to Polis Station.

Arkheologorodok in Focus: Miami in a Hangar

Mayami Import 

[Майами Импорт]

Beneath the derelict Institute for Experimental Aeronautics is an utterly cavernous facility, a massive hidden hangar, large enough to comfortably fit multiple tu-160s, strategic bombers with a wing span of a 182 ft. The hangar floor is lined with pull car towing systems and turntables for moving the aircraft onto rail lines for rapid deployment through tunnels to the eastern airfields. From the hangar, there are multiple rail, car, and pedestrian tunnels snaking out into the Underground at large, though many are still sealed behind massive blast doors that refuse to be lifted. 

But the Hangar is not abandoned, far from it, it is constantly abuzz with activity, for it is here that the smuggling ring Mayami Import has made its home, and under the wings of aircraft designed to drown a decadent west in flames, a flourishing market place has formed. 

Relations with Factions and Individuals After Session 8

What Others Think of You (As Far As You Know)

Friendship for Peace and Progress, 1961

• The Gay Nazis consider you Der Feind, don’t expect mercy

• The buyers you ambushed in the Archaeology Lab are probably none too pleased that you crushed Professor Krikov’s skull and stole their shit, whoever they are

• Bozo is a little less than enthused with you

• Spartak is much loved in the New National Bolshevik Party, you can consider them allies

• Saving the founder and president of the Excavators goes a long way, consider them friends

• Slava speaks well of you in Mayami Import, consider them friendly 

• Vernisa was pretty pleased with your work, consider the Saburovs as amicable

• Dr Orlova and her staff at the Polyclinic look forward to future joint ventures, consider them allies

• The Psychometric Agronomy Study Group at VARANIL are pleased with the current arrangement

• Oksana’s ex-boyfriend Boris probably isn’t happy you burgled his nest

• The artists and activists of CounterDogma would be willing to work with you again

• The Toporika Bratva are happy to take their cut out of your hustles 

• The detente with the Gopniks holds firm

• You haven’t left much of an impression on the revolutionaries of the Krasnaya Zvezdna 

• Major Smirnov is easing the militsiya pressure on you lot

• Abram, the Israeli hippie, is a friend of Spartak

• You haven't encountered the Thanatologists directly, but you have know NeoNazbol spy named Gera has infiltrated them

• The Sisters of Tleechy Natcha don't leave the Parlor very often, so they have no quarrel with you

NPCs and Factions are in bold

Locations are underlined

Dispositions are in italics 

Some of these may be combined

Session 8 Prep

 

 News & Rumors 

Good evening Arkheologorodok! This is Lara Kiseleva broadcasting live from the Orbita News building on beautiful Elektricheskiy Prospekt, bringing you this week’s news round-up.

The top story of the week is the ongoing crackdown in Abattoir Town. The missing man has been identified as Boris Tarasov, a homeopathic doctor. Mr Tarasov is believed to be held in an apartment building on Sarnath Circle. The OMON has deployed in full force around the building and have been sieging it for a full day now. The general raids going on throughout Abattoir Town are continuing during the siege, and Commissioner Nikitan has declared that the militsiya are doing a clean sweep of the area, having arrested upwards to 100 terrorist suspects and seizing several weapons caches. There have been at least 5 different fire fights over the course of the crackdown. 

A massive funeral procession for the burial of Ludomir Malankhov, better known on the street as Numitist, so named for the role he played as the Derzhatel Obshack  for a group of local entrepreneurs. The procession made its way from the Cathedral of the Holy Transfiguration, where Metropolitan Grigori himself presided over the rites, to his notable cenotaph at the Southern Steppe Burial Ground. The cause of death has not been made known to the public, but it was known to have occured in the Koba Bath House in the river district of Old Downtown. The death was likely an accident, but if it wasn’t *sound of shuffling papers and voices in the background*  whoever did it ought to kill themselves while they still can before vengeance catches up to them.

Residents hoping to retreat from the sense of fear in the streets to the calm greenery of Zhdanov Park are sadly out of luck, as the Ministry of Outdoor Recreation have closed Zhdanov Park in Conjunction with the Ministry of Transit’s decision to close several large roads around the park.

And that was this week’s news round-up, brought to you by Tachanka brand Tushonka, a hearty meal of beef, pork, and now ostrich, all in a single can! You can’t beat the downhome taste of the steppe packed into each can of Tachanka brand Tushonka, by Steppak Meats. For Orbita News, this is Lara Kiseleva. Stay safe out there, Arkheologorodok. 

Off the Record:

The news ain't covering it, but the Gay Nazis have taken over the Little Azov neighborhood, just north of the marsh. They getting real handsy with people too, setting up inspection checkpoints, looking for any deformities or whatever. The cops have completely surrendered the neighborhood to them at this point, might as well be another country. 

Spartak: Comrade Party Leader Ervin Tsitrusovyye and the Commissar of Communications Petra Borodina have told you that they plan to introduce Comrade Gera, a party member who has infiltrated a group of obscurantist reactionaries calling themselves the Thanatologists. Comrade Tsitrusovyye has impressed upon you that Gera's mission is of great importance, and that you should assist him in whatever way you can.

You've mentioned meeting some members of Krasnaya Zvezdna, and your various party comrades have decried them as little more than cultists.

The Arachnophile Oksana has been perhaps the most supportive of all your party comrades, and she happily promoting your new means of capital accumulation on her instagram.

Aleksandr: You've almost finished setting up the first Mexican restaurant on the Steppe, you've worked out what percentage the Bratva take and they've helped you get the city approval. You've been able to get Mara to delay the expedition a week because you're in serious talks with Ornithologist over ending her "contract."

You're happy to be busy with this right now, the Bratva are on the warpath after one of the top Brigadiers got beheaded in the Banya last week. They're not letting on about who they think it is, but whoever it is, they must be in the Underground, because that's where most of the war parties are going.

You still feel eyes on you, but no one seems to be making a move.

Jobs:

Vernisa is offering $2,000 for a recovery job down in the Underground. She tells you to call her on a landline to set up a meet.

Commissar Petra Borodina says she has a way to hit the Gay Nazis that can be profitable to both the Party and to you and your friends

Chef Mosolov has announced a $300 reward to anyone who can bag him Vodyanoy. He's planning to make frog legs.

Session 5: Schnappi Cessation & Sluggish Schizophrenia

The Resolute Brothers by Alexander Aspit
1918

So all those dig applications Professor Semenov wrote while coked up paid off, as the University of the Steppe has approved funds and grad students for Semenov's excavation of the spinal catastrophism in the underground frontier near the near and under the Silent Homes. 

This brought along with it a complication. The dig site was in territory disputed between the Gay Nazis and the Gopniks, two gangs whose first impressions of the party were not good ones. In fact, they were quite lethal. Realizing that an agreement must be reached with one of them in opposition to other in order to provided security for the dig site. Knowing that Germanic conquest of the Rodina would have apocalyptic results in the Noosphere, Semenov elects to parlay with the Gopniks.