Star
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Post by Star on Dec 15, 2020 6:06:11 GMT -6
I pushed 6 aside and looked through my satchel to find a small bag of gems I carried around as a snack. They were about the size of marbles and of no particular quality. They made for a good crunch in a pinch, though. I inspected the gems until I found the one I wanted and put the others away. I hunched down to its level and rolled the gem across the floor toward Sapphire.
It noticed the bright color of the gem and the movement coming toward it but it did not react at first. It allowed the gem to roll to a stop in front of it. Then it inspected it for a moment, and eventually picked it up in its claws. It rolled it around in its claws for a moment, then looked up at me. I felt a little uncomfortable at the way it seemed to be inspecting me, like it wasn't sure whether or not it approved of my offer.
It must have liked the gem, because it finally stood up and clutched the gem in its claw. I could not help but to smile softly at my own success. I did like Sapphire, after all, even if I didn't always understand it very well.
38 [13.1, 8.6, 0.6]
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Star
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Post by Star on Dec 15, 2020 6:13:53 GMT -6
6 still hadn't moved much since I put her down, so I figured it was time to focus on something else for a while. Perhaps she would do something interesting when there was something going on around her. I scooped up a cup worth of water and poured it over her for good measure. Just like 11 and the dirt, some of it disappeared and some of it ran off onto the ground. There was no clear evidence that it was helping, but what little I knew about the golems suggested that I should keep doing it.
"We might show 6 around a bit, hmm?" I asked in my most soothing voice. Sapphire didn't know what I was saying, so it didn't react other than to look for where the noise came from. It was a clever enough creature, though, so I was sure it would follow along if I starting exploring.
There must be something in the vast network of tunnels and gems that caught 6's interest. If not, I supposed that I could at least use the time to observe her. I was positive that I could keep an eye on her and search for gems and crystals at the same time. It couldn't be that difficult.
39 [13.15, 8.8, 0.8]
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Star
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Post by Star on Dec 15, 2020 6:29:56 GMT -6
I scooped up 6 into one of my front claws again and started to inspect the room that we were in. The quality of rock was important for determining what sort of treasures it might be hiding. Even if the primary reason for this trip was to learn about golems, I wanted to put us in the best position possible. Sapphire seemed to agree as it too began to look around the room and run its claws along the walls. Like most shallow caverns, this one had been explored by others before. The tool marks were evident against the otherwise sturdy and unchanging stone.
Sapphire was interested in a particular tunnel and started to cautiously walk down it. Sapphire's instincts about which way to go were rarely wrong, so I allowed it to lead the way. It did grow up here, after all. At least I think it did. The person who sold it to me was (intentionally) fuzzy on the details.
I had spent a lot of time lately thinking about the origins and mysteries of the elemental golems, but I realized that I hardly spent enough time thinking about where Sapphire came from. It seemed to have a fondness for gems and an instinctual knowledge about the mines and tunnels, but other than that it was unknown to me.
40 [13.2, 9, 1]
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Post by Jack on Jan 16, 2021 20:27:58 GMT -6
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Star
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Post by Star on Jan 17, 2021 1:52:51 GMT -6
I wasn't paying too much attention to where we were going until Sapphire suddenly ran up to me. That was unlike Sapphire, who usually moved with confidence. I reached out a paw to see if it was alright, but it pushed me away and looked behind itself. I naturally looked where it was looking, and I saw an odd little... creature? I squinted, trying make out the rock-like creature against the dark stone walls of the tunnel. All I could see was a glint of gold and some glowing markings of some kind. That was certainly enough to get my attention.
I could only assume that Sapphire was curious about this creature, and came down this tunnel to investigate it. Now that I've seen it, I was likewise curious about it. The way it faintly glowed as well as the glimmer of something precious, that was enough to get my attention.
I at first approached very slowly, watching closely the creature's reaction as I got closer. Interestingly, it reminded me of Sapphire with its large wings, long tail, and four clawed limbs. Was this a consequence of also being a creature grown within the mines? I desperately wanted to study it, but I also did not want to scare it away.
"Greetings," I said with my most pleasant, chiming voice. "You've dropped something, would you like it back?" I used my long tail to push the gem on the ground toward the creature, ever so slowly and delicately.
41 [13.25, 9.2, 1.2]
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Post by Jack on Jan 28, 2021 21:06:00 GMT -6
The gargoyle stiffened when the tail of the Tat-lung flicked it's way, but then realized there was a clatter as the stone came toward it again. The creature slowly reached out and then snatched the stone into it's claws once more and hopped backwards, wary, but relieved it hadn't been attacked. Most of the time beings like it had the 'guard dog' of the mines with it, but this one had never formed such an attachment. Shakily, it nudged the little animal with it toward the Tat-lung and rumbled deep within it's throat.
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Star
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Post by Star on Mar 18, 2021 0:55:35 GMT -6
Now that I got a better look at the odd creature, its unique features began to stand out to me. It was glowing and wearing a brilliant gold necklace. I liked the look of it and wanted to learn more about it. Such a beautiful creature seemed out of place among all the rocks and mud, though I supposed that gemstones were also beautiful things surrounded by dirt. At least it sort of made sense.
I was glad to see that he snatched the gem up, though I was a bit sad to lose it. If it made us allies, however, I supposed I could learn to live with the loss. To my surprise, it almost immediately offered up a trade. It pushed a small useless critter in my direction, the same way I had pushed the gem toward it. I smiled. If this creature could learn to mimic me so quickly, what else could it do?
Sapphire was very wary. It stood back, hiding in my shadow as not to be seen. Generally, it wasn't too comfortable with strangers. It would have to work that out for itself, though. I had a new friend to woo.
"Well hello there," I said in my most sickly sweet tone of voice. "Thank you for the, ah, gift. It's lovely." Would the soothing sound of my voice catch its attention, or scare it away?
42 [13.3, 9.4, 1.4]
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Post by Jack on Mar 18, 2021 8:19:52 GMT -6
Tilting it's head, the gargoyle sniffed for a moment and then clacked its beak for a bit, attempting to speak like the Tat-lung. It was interested in her, and it slowly crept forward, reaching out a hand to touch her fluffy fur.
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Star
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Post by Star on Mar 19, 2021 0:27:16 GMT -6
The little monster clacked its beak about as if it was speaking, but no words came out. I wondered if it could actually speak, or was it merely continuing to mimic me as it had done before? Whatever the case, I could tell that the creature was particularly clever. I had never seen a creature do something like that before. It was more like a child than a monster.
Then it reached out to touch me. My instinct was to recoil away, but I shook of the feeling and let it touch my fur. It seemed to like it. It stared at me the same way it stared at that gem it clearly coveted. I wasn't about to say no to an admirer, so I let him proceed.
I began to think about what I might do to further this odd relationship. If he was reaching out to touch me, did he expect the same in kind? I did not know anything about his species or their 'culture', so to speak, so I would just have to give it a try and see how it went. I gently reached out with my claw in such a way that it didn't look threatening (I hoped) and moved to gently stroke the bumpy texture of its large wings.
43 [13.35, 9.6, 1.6]
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Post by Jack on Mar 19, 2021 1:46:37 GMT -6
The gargoyle clacked in alarm as the claw came toward it, but once it was petted, the creature rumbled happily, leaning into the paw. It was pleased with this exchange, and figured it would follow along, at least for awhile.
[Congratulations, you've tamed the gargoyle!]
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Star
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Post by Star on Mar 22, 2021 22:21:00 GMT -6
I was very curious about where the odd stone creature came from. It was not quite like the other gem creatures I had met here before. While Sapphire was reasonably clever and quick to find gems, this one had a different spark about her. It was like she had sought me out and wanted to meet me. It was easy to project my feelings on to creatures, but this time I did not think it was misplaced. There was definitely something about her worth studying.
The way she clattered and rumbled was endearing. It was almost like the sounds that a cat would make, but more... rocklike. I couldn't help but to stare at the golden markings across her body as well. They looked like veins of gold that had been painted on. In that moment I realized that she would be a perfect adition to my hoard. Not as a living gem, perhaps, but as a protector and curator of the collection. Such a beautiful creature was sure to have an excellent eye for gemstones. I could allow her to look after and organize my gemstones while I was away. Then if she were allowed to keep a few of the less savory ones for herself, well that would be a fair trade, wouldn't it?
44 [13.4, 9.8, 1.8]
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Star
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Post by Star on Mar 22, 2021 23:12:12 GMT -6
Sapphire was clearly annoyed by the presence of the new creature. It didn't like meeting new creatures ever since the last time it tried to be nice to a Golem, it didn't go that well. I didn't want to make Sapphire upset, but I was interested in bringing this new one home with us. I supposed that it would just have to get used to her. What was the worst thing that could happen?
Well, this was hardly the best place to make friends, so I decided to see if the new creature would follow us home. I moved back slowly, then clicked my claws on the rock floor to encourage her to come to me. When she did, I grinned an continued doing the same. Soon enough she was following me out of the mines without hesitation. I hoped that she would like her new home. Not that I would change it for her sake.
In all of the excitement, I had nearly forgotten about 6 hiding away in my bag. I checked her quickly and she looked fine. She hadn't moved much since I placed her there. I liked that she was such an easy creature to deal with in comparison to some others I had met.
45 [13.45, 10, 2]
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Post by Jack on Mar 23, 2021 7:25:49 GMT -6
That's a cool fossil
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Star
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Post by Star on Mar 23, 2021 23:47:12 GMT -6
Once the Curator was settled in back at the lair, I realized that I had hardly found a thing during my last trip to the mines. Other than the gargoyle itself, that is. I had taken her around to the city to see if anyone knew what she was, and a friendly old miner explained that she was a Runic Gargoyle, and she was quite rare. I was please to find this out, even though I had already commited to keeping her around. Another beautiful, rare creature for the collection. It was time to leave the Curator to her duties and return to the system of caverns outside the city. Every time I traveled there, I found something new. I was excited to return and see what the enchanted earth had to offer me. In a way it felt like I had spent a lifetime within the mines, carefully looking over rocks and gems, but it could also feel like I had not been there for long at all. There was still so much to learn. 46[13.5, 10.2, 0.2]
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Star
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Post by Star on Nov 25, 2021 0:20:59 GMT -6
Another day, another unusual creature. Well, in this case, it was actually a somewhat familiar creature. I had already done some research on its species, so it was not entirely unknown to me. Though this particular individual had never left its pool before now.
Water, earth, fire, and even wind I could easily understand. Even if it was a bit difficult to feed something that only consumed literal fire, it was simple to imagine and understand what a being of fire might be like. This creature, however, was said to be made of pure light.
I had to admit that I had a different picture in mind before the egg hatched. Pure light. It must be so radiant and beautiful, I thought. Imagine my surprise when it came out just like all of the other useless lumps. I could only hope that it would grow into something worthy of its price point over time. After all, as hard as it is to admit, I wasn’t quite as beautiful when I first hatched, either.
The odd elemental lumps were meant to grow into fearsome creatures. The very embodiment of their respective elements, and with an unerring will to protect their master. I kept that thought in mind as I looked down at the little glowing ball with its huge, innocent eyes and strange appendages.
47 [13.55, 10.4, 0.4]
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