Enter the Spawn of Earnaness

[Great Thrash]

Do you have any idea what the package could be? My first thought was an enormous delivery of Steep alchemist's fire or something along those lines.

I will keep my ears to the ground; if anything disturbing is placed there I should know about it.

[Diamond Master]

With your Trickery domain, you can fool the dragon's senses. As long as she assumes you are not within striking distance, she is content to knock over shrubs and dig up valuable roots.

The dragon seems to be wandering at random, at first. Finally, however, you realize that you are following it into denser and denser areas of the Garden.

The area from which the dragon came proves fruitful: there is a trail of mild destruction leading to a takeoff or possibly landing site on the Frozen Ocean. As you wander off in that direction, you catch a glimpse of tawny fur disappearing into the bushes, followed by a familiar chuckle.

[Steepest Durin]

Doesn't ring any bells with me. Mebbe this is somethin' new...or somethin' changed?

[Yerkan of Elish]

My first thought was not a material package, but a creature or being of some sort. It is a herald of more heralds to come, so perhaps it is bringing something that will call the others to it? It also said it is a herald of many "forms" to come. What these are, I do not know. Perhaps more spawn, perhaps something different entirely.

My mind bristles with half-formed ideas, trying to find something that might compose this delivery. Something that we would not be expected to know, but would be expected never to think of. Something we have not yet seen? The only things I can think of are the bugs and creatures that rest beneath the scales of the Spawn: I saw one flaming hot climb beneath the shelter of a scale. It could perhaps be something else hidden on the dragon's person, but such seems unlikely; it was not carrying anything.

Perhaps the delivery is already here. The other thing that my mind keeps returning to is the strange tawny creature... or possibly creatures that I am following now. Up to this point, these are even more mysterious than the dragon, though they seem less a threat.

I for one do not trust the tawny furred creature. So far they seem harmless enough, but I need to know more!

For now, the tawny creature is more important than the takeoff site. I want to meet it without it thinking I am truly hunting it. I wander nonchalantly, as though still following the trail of the dragon or else looking for something unrelated to the creature, but I ultimately make my way through the bushes, cleverly manipulating my path so as to force a creature avoiding me to head out into the open.

If the creature (or creatures) come out of hiding, I call out to it (them), saying "Ah! Hello! I do not believe we have met, friend! I wish to welcome you to these Diamond Gardens, if you have not already acquainted yourself [yourselves] with them! I go by the name Yerkan of Elish, humble seeker of knowledge and of worlds!"

[Great Thrash]

I'm trying very hard not to sink enormous pits into the garden to hem them/it in.

I'll take over the dragon front while you work on the escapees.

"Spawn of Earnaness! Come meet me on a placid place on the Frozen Ocean, where you cannot slink into hiding and I cannot raise the turf against you! Meet in treaty to discuss things more thoroughly!"

I prepare big clay trenchers and fill them with fine meat and wine. Each specialty drink is a different color. The glass is clear or white, the trenchers are very dark brown...if I can get a comparison for the color of the dragon I will use that in treaty; try to appear knowledgeable.

If treaty occurs, I will ask questions like "What assurances can you give that you do not represent a threat to be destroyed?" and "What comfort might we give you in order to persuade you to join our side against any coming dangers?"

I'll also invite his?her? mole-like brother to join me in discussion at a later date - I'd much like to meet that one.

[Diamond Master]

Yerkan of Elish rounds on where he saw the creature disappear.

Suddenly, the beige fur darts through a line of bushes into the open. Yerkan follows right on its heels, though it seems faster, almost up to a scuttle. Thus, the thing is already far ahead of him when he breaks through the treeline. In the center of a wide area, clear of all but frost, Yerkan gets a momentary glimpse out of exaggerated nightmare: A muscular manlike body, waving amber tentacles, a maw of gnashing teeth, a razortipped tail.

Then the thing seems to split into two, hazier versions...then into two scuttling insectoids, each only an inch or two long, with clear crystal eyes and antennae tips. They seem to be little trilobites, mere arthropods crawling away at high speed while raucous laughter explodes a stone's throw behind Yerkan.

[Steepest Durin]

Hm my experience does no' suggest anything to do with trilobites. I catch one from beneath th' ground. I'll jus' push my fist up through th' earth and nab 'im.

Once I have th' bug, I'll investigate the eyes and antennae. If it does anythin' hostile I'll crush it in I's gauntlet. I'll ask it th' basic questions anyone'd ask when meetin' someone new.

[Yerkan of Elish]

The trilobites do not seem a major threat to me... Did the "hazier" versions or the horrific nightmare creature seem like illusions to me? For now, I'll assume they did.

I am tired of chasing after various creatures. I sit down here, facing the frozen ocean. However, I keep a careful eye on a particularly reflective wave, using it as a mirror to view the area where I heard the laughter. I keep my ears and other senses as aware as I can as well.

On the dragon front, I will attempt to help Thrash with my Knowledge. I help him to prepare ambrosia drinks that would be suited for the bowels of a Steep Dragon, and also work out appropriate cultural and diplomatic behavior.

[Diamond Master]

Looking into the mirror, you notice catlike pawprints marking the sand of their own accord. Their path progresses warily toward you. You suspect that if you turned your head they would vanish altogether.

The prints are perhaps panther-sized. Something is a bit odd about them but you find it hard to place.

Trilobites seem to like the places they've been.

[Diamond Master]

The trilobite does not do anything threatening, but it absolutely refuses to hold still. It holds its legs close to its body and wriggles like a fish through Durin's fingers, and he is forced to hold onto it very tightly with his gauntlet. Its carapace seems difficult to damage, however.

trilobite.gif

Its spherical eyes and oblong antennae are made of fine crystal, the kind used in scrying tools such as crystal balls.