- Blackpowder Barnacles
- Pandorca
- Bells
- Broadside Whales
- Mosquito-wolves
- Iron Pinions
- Silver Bears
- Phlebotomus
- owlguin: the extremely maladapted owl-penguin hybrid that can't fly, can't swim, and is so hard to keep alive that - of course - it became a desired status-symbol pet for the wealthy.
- candle elementals
- wax geckos
- inkwell toads
- print-block tortoises.
- Illuminated Koi - popular pets of aristocrats in The Giteri, fed on flakes of shredded documents.
- Petal-Demons
- Secretary birds
- windspring/windwell elementals
- fire-breathing alligators
- paraffin-phoenixes
- oil-shell clams and winkles
- Holothurs (giant sea cucumbers)
- urchin-infused animals
- Woodland starfish
- flying featherstars
- pearl-ankylosaurus
- opal brontosaurus
- bismuth raptors
- pyrite triceratops
- Amber Elemental
- clay hyenas
- Loom-beasts
- tangle-spirits
- silkworms
- banner willows
- ribbonweed
- Living Cloaks
- cloth elementals
- silk stalkers
- garrotopuses.
- Flying narwhals
- Giteri magpies
- Chitinous Hulks
- Assayer's Hydrangea
- stalking fuschia
Snake-pangolin showcase:
The following, being an account of the correspondence sent to the royal residence by Stallano of Eloguin, Bondsworn Diplomat to the Teytonal court of Lady Ipshu of Riverweft, has been duly and accurately translated for the Monarch, from Paired-Page shorthand, by senior scribe Agutai.
[COMM.
USEDTO ALLCHANGE NEO. OBS. HUNT SNAKE/PANGOLIN ASWITH CAPITAL
Cf. ERST. PANGOL SCAPEBEAST
Cf. SNAKE SEAS.
2MORO HUNT COMM.
END ]
*I am coming to be used to the Teyton, for though they have been gracious hosts, I confess I have found the constant flutter of change bewildering - every week a new cut of shirt, a new consort for each member of the court, a new pursuit to throw oneself wholeheartedly into before turning anew to the next interest. As of yesterday evening, to give an example, the lady Ipshu is besotted with the idea of riding off to slay some invasive beast, as is the Mode of the cities to the south - though no doubt they changed their habits as soon as the messengers departed!*
*particularly favoured as quarry are those snakish-pangolins that lurk at the boundary of every village in the region. Your highness having little cause to be acquainted with such creatures, I will elucidate a little of their nature for you now.*
*The habit of the Pangol, who latterly yoked this region under their imperial thrall, was to attempt to abate the natural infusion of essences into their bodies by encouraging their household pets to devour and symbolically absorb the essence in their place, before sacrificing the creatures in a most vile and pagan manner, the details of which are, Gyre Grow, not germane to this correspondence.*
*The widespread pestilence of the summer before that which has just passed, known to all as the Season of snakes, not having spared even these more northerly lands, has afflicted the wretched Pangolin pets to the highest degree. When the Teytons at last won their liberation from the Empire, the creatures were set free as the Pangol fled, and many, altered into bizarre forms, now terrorise the livestock of these remote valleys. Tales reach the court of a particularly grand specimen dwelling in the Dells to the north-east of the estate of Lady Ipshu, and her newfound passion is enflamed - we ride, with a small retinue of hired hunters, for to find the beast upon the morn.*
[SUPP.
QUOTE PLEB: BEAST 6/20PCS OVIN. HORNED HOOFED SCALED SNAKES SPIT & UNSPIT EAT 13 PLEBS MNY HEAD
IPSHU 2 KEEN UPPING PRE SUN I TREP BUT DETERM.
IPSHU SWAYISH I PRESSING - GUIDE?
END]
*I recount here the tale of a rustic fellow, a wandering shepherd who we encountered in our pursuit of the beast. The story hardly seems credible, but I would be remiss to omit it.*
*The beast, which slumbers through the day in the hills north of here, Stands six paces to the shoulder and 20 paces from snout to tail. It resembles a pangolin in form, with terrible scales capable of driving aside a Lance, but it possesses the horns and cloven hooves of the sheep that graze every hillock and pasture of the land hereabouts. The monstrosity's serpentine nature is revealed only when it comes to feed, for it has the narrow snout of a pangolin, and thus cannot consume large prey.*
*Instead - so the shepherd does bid us believe - it vomits forth snakes from the depths of its innards, unleashing a torrent of deadly asps to bite and constrict its prey. Once these wyrms have slaked their desperate hunger, they return willingly to the belly from which they came, nightmarishly eager to be lapped up by the long, lashing tongue of their progenitor. Thus far, thirteen villagers and scores of livestock have been consumed, leaving only bones as residue.*
*Lady Ipshu's enthusiasm for the hunt continues unabated - we are roused now as the dawn glow but dashes the sky. I confess that a fear lurks in my heart, but press forth I shall, as Ipshu is unsure where her loyalties lie and may be a useful ally against either the Pangol or the Commonwealth, begging your Highness' illumination as to which faction we favour.*
[Gyre send me! It's at my fucking tent! They're all dead I'm the only one left Tell my daughter I ]
*I remain, to the last, *
*your faithful servant, *
*Stallano of Eloguin.*
*Ten thousand more years may your dynasty reign!*
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