May 2021 Lore Release!

Hello Fellow Trappers!

Here's May's lore entry! This month takes us to the swamps of Letona! Let's jump right in and get a sneak peak at what's to come for the month of May!

Lodgeback Snapper

Have y’all ever seen a giant turtle? How’s about a giant turtle with a shack on its back, eh? There ain’t ever ‘ave been nothin’ so impressive as the Lodgeback Snapper. These fellers make boulders look like pebbles, with a shell thicker than Plodtrodder snot and a snappin’ bite that’ll turn ye’ into a mess of mush. They’re relatively docile creatures if you feed em’ well and give em’ tummy scratches often. If yer lucky enough for it to be comfortable, ye’ can build a lodgin’ on its shell, which is ideal for these parts. Who wouldn’t want to live on top of a livin’, walkin’ fortress?

Murk Stalker

Have ye’ heard the tale of the Murk Stalker? It’s one of them lesser dragon types that’s takin’ a likin’ to the swamps in Letona. Ye’ never can know where they’re prowlin’ about-- always blendin’ in the night, trackin’ its prey, you see? If it’s got its eyes on ye’, ye’ would have better luck survivin’ by swimmin’ in the stomach of a Plodtrodder. The Murk Stalker is a keen predator, with razor-like claws in areas somethin’ shouldn’t even have claws in! They’ll shred ye’ to bits and whip ye’ with their stingin’ tendril tail. If yer up for the challenge, then we reckon ye’ should start a controlled fire to light up the place and lure it out to the ruckus. The bugger is tough, but it is dumber than a drunken dung beetle and won’t back down from a fight despite bein’ more vulnerable to fire. If ye’ can dry its skin out, its joints’ll go all stiff like and allow for an openin’ to restrain it properly with heated chain.

Skunk Ape

Do ye’ have a spare loincloth? Cause yer gonna need it when you come across these fearsome fellers. The Skunk Ape is deadlier than Otis the Hawks bean burps, with its flesh-splittin’ claws, throat-tearin’ chompers, and gods-awful swamp stench. They typically lurk with their shrewdness in clusters of boulders to give em’ the advantage of camouflage when awaiting to strike their prey. If you can’t avoid em’, we recommend thinkin’ like em’ on this one by dressin’ up in disguise and hidin’ in tree branches near boulders to strike from above. The Skunk Apes are too used to lookin’ down on their prey that the idjits forget to look up.

Plodtrodder

The ground tremblin’ and the water ripplin’ is a sure sign that a Plodtrodder is stompin’ on nearby. Don’t underestimate them! They may be slow fellers, but if you get hit by their projectile snot shots, you’ll be as stuck as a tick in a glop of sap. If they catch ye’-- especially if yer stuck, then you’ll surely be stomped, with yer guts marinatin’ in the swamp murk until yer picked up, swallowed and digested nice n’ slow-like, meltin’ yer remains as you slip on down inside the feller. If ye’ want to survive this here challenge, we reckon you oughta get some grapples around its shell there and yank the sucker right off, exposing the soft bits ripe for shootin’ and stabbin’. Some Trappers found a way to tame em’ by wrappin’ a rope around their maw and holdin’ on till they stop their stompin’ and break.

Glow Hoppers

Behold the most feared creature lurkin’ within these here swamps of Letona… to insects. Hoo-wee! We got ye’ there, didn’t we? The Glow Hoppers are actually quite friendly! Just don’t pet them--their skin is highly acidic and will melt yer’ skin down to the bone. Speakin’ of quick, Glow Hoppers prefer to stick around the more shallow areas of the swamp, cause’ these suckers run faster than a fart in a wind storm. We recommend ye’ carry around flies n’ grubs while out on a hunt as Glow Hoppers will gladly guide you to safety if ye’ become lost in the swamps-- primarily if yer’ lost in the dark, their glowin’ bulbs will serve as a beacon of hope round’ these dangerous parts.

Bubba Lee

If ye’ still aren’t afraid of takin’ on the swamps after hearin’ about Skunk Apes and Murk Stalkers, then here’s another creature to worry on about-- The Swamp Giant. Standin’ right around the height of a hill giant, these massive fellers can easily squeeze the jelly right out of ye’ and spread it on their mornin’ biscuits. It’s a good thing they’re pretty friendly and intelligent, with Bubba Lee here as proof, so don’t actually go on worryin’. Swamp Giants aren’t usually seen together, so Bubba Lee naturally spent most of his life alone. He has a strong likin’ to buildin’ things, such as his boulder hut and his favorite maul named “Missy.” He had a simple life, wakin’ up, wanderin’ around, killin’ new things and buildin’ new things usin’ parts from things he killed. He did, however, get bored of pulverizin’ just skunk apes that kept takin’ refuge in his home, so he wandered off to find better challenges. He came across Trappers fightin’ against a Murk Stalker, which got him excited, and he joined in, cavin’ in the Murk Stalkers skull from behind with a single blow. The Trappers immediately offered a spot in the Lodge to Bubba Lee, promisin’ to always take on more dangerous foes. Bubba Lee soon became a vital Trapper as both a strong warrior and a capable carpenter to help build and fix up the ole’ shack on the Lodgeback Snapper.

Otis the Hawk

Fetch yerself a Ptishoo Leaf for this one just in case yer eyes start rainin’. Otis is a Swinen from the southern marshlands of Letona, who had a purdy moss farm and ran a successful business with his brother for several years. They had a right goal of expandin’ their work into other regions of Letona until a Murk Stalker came n’ knocked their plans cattywampus after making a right mess of Otis’s brother and destroyin’ their farm. Otis swore to take on the savage creatures of the wilds and sought to join the band of Trappers within the swamps he kept hearin’ on about in rumors. He’s not only an expert of navigatin’ the murk, but he’s a right good shot with his crossbow and earned the name “Hawk” cause of it-- that and the slick hair. Otis the Hawk spent years trackin’ down the Murk Stalker, managin’ to take it down by mountin’ a ballista on the Lodgeback Snapper and pinnin’ the sucker to the ground with fiery bolts. You’re darn tootin’ he earned Veteran status that day. He now takes the reigns of the Lodgeback Snapper, navigatin’ the Lodge around the swamps and shootin’ creatures from above. Otis the Hawk was back in business.

Gnarly Jo

Gnarly Jo here is a special youngin’. He don’t talk much, and nobody has a clue where he even came from. Gnarly kinda just showed up one day by jumpin’ carefree into the middle of a fight with Skunk Apes and started stabbin’ the lot. Some rumors have it that he was a regular ole’ fish that got mutated or somethin’ by wild magic and is a product of what it takes to survive in the murk. What we do know is that he can fight, and he can do it well. Gnarly Jo earned the respect of the other lodge folk by recklessly takin’ on every challenge that comes on his way and made himself well acquainted as a Trapper

Doc Roony

Ole’ Doc Roony is a Tortun Druid from some hidden circle or somethin’ in the swamps of Letona. He was kicked from the Druid circle after he was caught experimentin’ on ‘imself with forbidden alchemy-- particularly takin’ a likin’ to the local fungi colonies-- and he did so due to the circle’s lack of action to protect the peaceful fauna. He is wildly passionate about combinin’ his magic with science knowledge to better protect ‘imself and the swamplands. Roony loves nature with his whole heart, he does and is quite the wise n’ down-to-earth feller as well, which of course, likely came from his excessive experimentation with mushrooms. He soon came across a Plodtrodder tryin’ to catch some Glow Hopper families for supper; He intervened with a combination of magical restraints and alchemical concoctions that pacified the sucker without killin’ it. Roony noticed an injured Trapper was lyin’ behind the Glow Hoppers in the shallow muck and healed her up quick. She took a likin’ to his skills and asked him to come back to the Lodge with her after makin’ sure the Glow Hoppers were okay and all, which is how he ended up becomin a Trapper and earnin’ the nickname “Doc.” When he’s not helpin’ take on a creature or healin’ anyone, he’s always fixin’ up some of his famous Roonshine to boost morale, which will make ye’ blinder than a mole in a mud pool if yer not careful.

May Your Blades Stay Sharp and Your Flesh on Your Bones!