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Description

When Mariner had agreed to accompany Founder--after all, he agreed to nearly anything Founder suggested--he had not known that she would bring a friend. Or maybe a passenger was a better word, as even Founder had the longsuffering body language of someone regretting a decision and too stubborn to say so by the time they arrived at the plains, with Cradle full of questions on the way that neither of them were really equipped to answer, as ignorant as the tiny creature.

Founder had seen his hesitation, and her snap at him--"Don't tell me you're afraid of her"--had gotten under his skin. Like a flea. Which is exactly what Cradle reminded him of, a flea hopping back and forth from Founder's back to his head like the world's most insignificant ship's figurehead, occasionally levitating up in raw excitement at the prospect of meeting so many new friends. But he'd made no outward protest, and so the three of them came in a group, Founder looking for one of her many acquaintances as she clambered up to Mariner's shoulder--she was not one to levitate when her paws would do just fine--and surveyed the Esk scattered across the landscape, including Vetru, marked out by their gleaming horn. It was a relief to Mariner to see himself in good company, good company in this case meaning "enormously large Esk," including a lumbering, bullish creature that followed with ponderous steps after a sprightly ginger Esk that was bounding from place to place with a posture like she owned them all, despite her tell-tale lack of nature feature indicating that she was from somewhere far away.

The telepathic hub-bub was a distant hum but it grew louder as they grew closer, and he felt Founder's paws shifting uneasily on his spine and nearly spitefully called her out on it, on her nerves, but refrained partly out of respect and partly out of healthy fear, and partly because he feared that it might set off a round of chittering laughter from That Wretched Tiny One, who was by now perched among Founder's corals and literally vibrating with anticipation.

"We're here," she said. "We're here! We're here!"

"Stating the obvious," said Founder, finding refuge as always in dry disapproval. Cradle didn't seem to notice the tone and leaned forward, her muzzle wriggling as if she was scenting the air.

"Where is here?" she asked finally, and Founder paused, Mariner slowing to a halt as he looked out over the dozens of esks scattered across the distance, some along and some in small groups.

"I do not know," Founder had to admit, "but I suppose we will find out."

---

Managed to squeeze this in right as chapter two goes up worked on it between other things. Couldn't quite get the flowers like I wanted T___T

I included a close-up of the smaller esks. I dithered for a long time on whether to take AP/GP for these but I actually did spend quite a bit of time detailing them so in the end I decided to take them, and I think they should all count as shaded for GP except maybe Mouf who is in Gennesaret's shadow and therefore looking pretty flat! All the esks pictured belong to either me or lizbot , besides Vetru of course!

AP: 173

10 (shaded)

+8 (400 words)

+15 (quest)

+5 (event)

+20 (scenic bg)

+5 (fullbody)

+5 (personal)

+20 (other esk x2)

+20 (npc)

+5 (elemental)

+60 (interaction)

Mariner GP: 25

5 (shaded)

+8 (quest)

+2 (event)

+6 (scenic bg)

+4 (400 words)

Cradle GP: 27

5 (shaded)

+8 (quest)

+2 (event)

+6 (scenic bg)

+2 (fullbody)

+4 (400 words)

Gennesaret GP: 21

5 (shaded)

+8 (quest)

+2 (event)

+6 (scenic bg)

Founder GP: 31

5 (shaded)

+8 (quest)

+2 (event)

+6 (scenic bg)

+2 (fullbody)

+5 (elemental)

+4 (400 words)

Description

When Mariner had agreed to accompany Founder--after all, he agreed to nearly anything Founder suggested--he had not known that she would bring a friend. Or maybe a passenger was a better word, as even Founder had the longsuffering body language of someone regretting a decision and too stubborn to say so by the time they arrived at the plains, with Cradle full of questions on the way that neither of them were really equipped to answer, as ignorant as the tiny creature.

Founder had seen his hesitation, and her snap at him--"Don't tell me you're afraid of her"--had gotten under his skin. Like a flea. Which is exactly what Cradle reminded him of, a flea hopping back and forth from Founder's back to his head like the world's most insignificant ship's figurehead, occasionally levitating up in raw excitement at the prospect of meeting so many new friends. But he'd made no outward protest, and so the three of them came in a group, Founder looking for one of her many acquaintances as she clambered up to Mariner's shoulder--she was not one to levitate when her paws would do just fine--and surveyed the Esk scattered across the landscape, including Vetru, marked out by their gleaming horn. It was a relief to Mariner to see himself in good company, good company in this case meaning "enormously large Esk," including a lumbering, bullish creature that followed with ponderous steps after a sprightly ginger Esk that was bounding from place to place with a posture like she owned them all, despite her tell-tale lack of nature feature indicating that she was from somewhere far away.

The telepathic hub-bub was a distant hum but it grew louder as they grew closer, and he felt Founder's paws shifting uneasily on his spine and nearly spitefully called her out on it, on her nerves, but refrained partly out of respect and partly out of healthy fear, and partly because he feared that it might set off a round of chittering laughter from That Wretched Tiny One, who was by now perched among Founder's corals and literally vibrating with anticipation.

"We're here," she said. "We're here! We're here!"

"Stating the obvious," said Founder, finding refuge as always in dry disapproval. Cradle didn't seem to notice the tone and leaned forward, her muzzle wriggling as if she was scenting the air.

"Where is here?" she asked finally, and Founder paused, Mariner slowing to a halt as he looked out over the dozens of esks scattered across the distance, some along and some in small groups.

"I do not know," Founder had to admit, "but I suppose we will find out."

---

Managed to squeeze this in right as chapter two goes up worked on it between other things. Couldn't quite get the flowers like I wanted T___T

I included a close-up of the smaller esks. I dithered for a long time on whether to take AP/GP for these but I actually did spend quite a bit of time detailing them so in the end I decided to take them, and I think they should all count as shaded for GP except maybe Mouf who is in Gennesaret's shadow and therefore looking pretty flat! All the esks pictured belong to either me or lizbot , besides Vetru of course!

AP: 173

10 (shaded)

+8 (400 words)

+15 (quest)

+5 (event)

+20 (scenic bg)

+5 (fullbody)

+5 (personal)

+20 (other esk x2)

+20 (npc)

+5 (elemental)

+60 (interaction)

Mariner GP: 25

5 (shaded)

+8 (quest)

+2 (event)

+6 (scenic bg)

+4 (400 words)

Cradle GP: 27

5 (shaded)

+8 (quest)

+2 (event)

+6 (scenic bg)

+2 (fullbody)

+4 (400 words)

Gennesaret GP: 21

5 (shaded)

+8 (quest)

+2 (event)

+6 (scenic bg)

Founder GP: 31

5 (shaded)

+8 (quest)

+2 (event)

+6 (scenic bg)

+2 (fullbody)

+5 (elemental)

+4 (400 words)