Shaman POV

"Y-your domain?"

If not for the overwhelming fear at being in the presence of what is now clearly a named scion, the only feeling I would feel would be the smug satisfaction of vindication. My prudence in mentioning it might be a dungeon scion after the whistle was right. That leaves the big question of just what the dungeon was doing to cause such a burst of mana to ruin our only warning system for elementals and other powerful entities.

"W...I...our mana pot picked up on a massive mana burst to the east. So, when I noticed that, as per my duty, the chieftain was told and I recommended sending out our hunters to scout and check it out. Normally this would be a way to know if it was elementals, or other powerful creatures. Now though...we are...blind in one direction for this, as the gems on that side of the pot were destroyed by whatever happened in that direction to cause a response from the pot in the first place."

Poppit POV

The scaly things are so scared of us! We can smell it oh, so strong in the air! Curator is right, with how tasty they look, and smell, if not for their orders, we could see making all of them into snacks! For now though, we wait and let them commune with Curator! The standing one seems stronger than the others, but is still very scared, the trembling one on the ground though, they show the right awe for Curators words, muuuch smarter than standing one. Although, what was funniest was sleeping one. One look at Poppit and they fell out of the chair and sleep.

Curator POV

-So, either I did something these folks picked up on and in so doing ruined their early danger detection system. Or, something else is happening and the direction is a coincidence. Hmmm....it's better to act on the most plausible option based on the data at hand which means something I did likely put them in a bit of a pickle.-

'Yes, my domain is in that direction, east, you said. While I am unsure of what may have caused the 'mana burst' as you called it, you have imparted me with a bit more knowledge, like that mana is a thing here. If it's like what I know of things called mana, it would be a form of energy that allows you to shape and change the world around you to your whims with the right methods and focus, which may or may not be known as spells, yes?'

-Well you clever skink-son, lets see what information I can get from you while figuring out what to do about this situation. For both of us.-

"Yes Curator. That is the way of it, but the way you phrase it...leads me to think you are unfamiliar with such things. With such a powerful scion as your Poppit, that's hard to imagine you not having much in the way of mana and control over it."

'Think of it like you think of wind. You know wind is a thing, but not many know how it forms on it's own, or just how many uses and applications it has until knowing if their thoughts on it are correct. Like that group sail thing your hunters did, that's a clever use of wind, but there are oh, so very many, other uses for it. That aside, while I may know much about things in that manner, I'm not all knowing. Since waking here I have found there are many...undesirable, gaps in my knowledge. This may be a good thing for both your people, and, myself. I have plans on things I wish to do and there is much to learn still. Your people too, have things they wish to do, and have so much to learn as well.'

Taking a moment to compose my thoughts and let what's just been said, I'd look down pityingly at the chieftain before getting an idea. Pulling from their little waste pit and the air, with magic to help, it should be doable and worth a shot. After all, urine has a good amount of ammonia in it, and the air can provide the carbon dioxide, and while I lack a lab to perform the reaction at normally cold temperatures, all cold really is is an absence of heat and energy. So if we mix the two ingredients and remove the heat, or maybe imagine that spot as being cold....hahaha success.

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Vahlu POV

This...thing...Curator. It is dangerous. It picks up on such small things in the shamans words then uses those to create further meaning from them. Yet, it doesn't seem hostile, and to quickly point out how our hunters move so quickly and say it knows other ways such techniques can be useful. It's hard to tell if it's more clever than the cleverest of us, or just arrogant.

"What...what are you doing?!"

The shaman's outburst pulls me out of my thoughts enough to see the swirling sphere of air. It almost looks like it's drawing in things and mixing them. Then when frost, the cold burning death it is, starts to form around it, there's another burst of fear that grips my heart. Does it plan to freeze us then for daring encroach on it's domain? If that were the case though why....why talk to us, or reveal itself in the first place?

'Oh, calm down, I'm just making something to wake your chieftain up. It's quite a simple thing, but can only be made at very cold temperatures, and dissolves quickly in heat if it's exposed to the air. Oh, and it smells really, really bad, but, it does work well at waking folks that pass out!'

"Whu-"

That's when the stench hits. Words can't convey how bad it is. As shaman starts to cough and gag at it, my only saving grace is being tougher, and younger, than he is. Based on the groaning complaint from my brother though, it seems that they were not lying to us, before the smell suddenly lessens, there's still a small lingering sense of it but without whatever caused it still being around, or having melted away like they said, it's quickly fading to a more tolerable level.

"I guess that does work well"

Chieftain POV

STINK. UNGODLY STINK. Rousing from unconsciousness from the sheer potency of that stink is...not a pleasant way to come too. There's no way to tell what caused or created that stink, but hopefully the crisis has passed.

'Hey, you. You're finally awake. You were trying to cross the border right? Walked right into that Imperial ambush, same as us, and that thief over there.'

"Wha...ambush...border...imperial...thief?"

Still groggy from my sudden lack of unconsciousness the words that are being spoken make less than no sense, as I open my eyes and see the trembling shaman on his hands and knees and my brother, spear in hand pointed into the ground and his knees shaking, the events that lead to me passing out quickly return to my mind. Looking at both their faces it's clear they're just as confused by the words as I am.

'Pfffhahahaha, nah, I'm just messin' with ya some, as a joke there. Honestly always wanted to pull that joke on some one, so congratulations on being my first victim with that one. Now then chieftain guy, we should have some words right quick so we can all leave this crossroads in a better way than they were entered hmmm?'

The voice! Just not as loud as before, and that laugh felt...genuine, but not malicious. So something we, or I, just did amused it which is...better than angering it.

"Uh...sure, I can speak for the clan in most matters with outsiders. My words are heeded, even if we're not following tradition."

'Bah, sod it to tradition if that tradition gets in the way of getting things done that need doing. The way I see it, you all are in a bad way with that mana pot thing being damaged. It just so happens that I find myself with the starts of an oasis and a need for hands to help create the things I desire to create. While mana could be used, it's not as efficient as divvying out the work, and, as the saying goes, many hands makes light work. Ya pickin' up what I'm layin' down there bub?'

Is...is this thing offering us sanctuary in exchange for helping it make things? Why would such a powerful...

"There is wisdom in what you say. For our people though a more familiar phrasing may be 'many hands on the cloth can hold the wind'."

That...makes alot more sense. Nodding my appreciation to the shaman, and ignoring the complete disregard to tradition, I would, shakily stand and pat myself free of sand and dust.

"As the shaman said, many hands on the cloth can hold the wind. From that I take the meaning of what you are offering is to let us into your domain and in exchange we all help you out. Is that what you are offering?"

'Well, less you all help me out, and more we help each other out. It is not a one way relationship, nor, do I expect blind loyalty from your people. I will say though, that should you accept the offer and then betray me or my trust, you will wish for death as an escape from the suffering you will experience. Oh, right, and I am Curator, and this sandtrap ferret is my scion. Their name is Poppit.'

That's...the malice in that warning leaves little doubt in my mind that it means every wor-oh....Oooooh. Shaman was right, dungeon with a scion...and a named scion at that. The danger of what may happen should we betray it is there but...with enough power for that, my people could know some semblance of safety, and hopefully, peace for some time.

"So long as only a betrayer would be punished should any be foolish enough to do such a thing, then we can have an agreement there."

'That's fair and reasonable. No need to hurt the innocent to harm the guilty. Now to make it official, we need to shake on it. Since I don't have hands, you'll need to shake claws with Poppit.'