Flow

It was time to test out the new tool I had acquired from the fishing shop. Unlike Tat-lung (and most other creatures), people liked to make fishing complicated. There were so many fish catching contraptions in the store that I was a little uncertain about which ones to purchase. Eventually, I settled on a high end fishing rod and some little lightweight trinkets.

The only problem was that I was still uncertain about how to use the odd device. It was a long pole with some string on the end. I was also given a complimentary starting hook. It was a small sharp bit of curved metal that went on the end of the string. With the hook tied to the end of the string, the purpose of the device was a little more obvious than before. Somehow, I needed to get the fish stuck onto the hook, like an artificial fang or claw.

1
[19.3, 13.2]

Stranger still, he could coat himself in an acidic film that burned right through anything that it came in contact with. According to the encyclopedia, this ability is from an extremely rare breed of Tilvander that uses this coating to live in pools of unrefined oil. It was for this reason that I first took interest in Aramis. It sounded like something that could be very powerful under the right circumstances, though I have yet to discover a way that it could be useful in a practical sense.

With his squishy skin, long delicate tendrils, and shy demeanor, Aramis was hardly a creature built for a fight, even considering how dangerous he was to the touch. The way his bright blue tendrils glowed with a natural light was utterly enchanting as well. There were many mysteries yet to be discovered, that was certain. I would endeavor to spend more time with him to discover where his talents truly lie. If nothing else, at least he was nice to look at.

3
[19.4, 13.6]

Another part of the cycle on a much shorter timeline was the wildlife living in the water. There were fish, some strange creatures that, despite living in the water, were not called fish, and plenty of aquatic plants of varying shapes and colors. They all existed in a delicate balance of life and death, of predator and prey. Was I here to interrupt the balance, or was I merely another participant in another, much larger cycle?

Whatever the case may be, I had some assistance. The shop recommended I use this particular bait, so I took out a jar and observed the label. Nothing interesting to be learned from that, apparently. It took me longer than I would like to admit to open the jar, as it was clearly intended for human paws and not Tat-lung claws. Eventually, I pulled the lid off the jar and gave it a sniff. It smelled horrid, like the worst parts of a shoreline. Well, I had to put a little faith into the scaled woman at the shop, as it was her job, so I sprinkled some into the water and waited for something interesting to happen.


5
[19.5, 14]