Male Hatchling
Name: unnamed
Species: Lava Snail
Birthday: Wednesday, April 17, 2024
Owner: Kestrad
Element: Fire 
Lava snail hatchlings are inquisitive and friendly from the moment they hatch, which is somewhat ill-advised, as they do not yet have the metallic coating that makes adults so hardy. In their natural habitat, they are protected by virtue of usually being surrounded by magma. However, at the Keep, magi must keep a careful eye on their hatchling to make sure it does not get eaten by any creatures it tries to examine. Lava snails do not eat in the conventional sense, getting their energy directly from heat instead, and hatchlings require recharging very frequently. Since the Keep does not tend to have a ready supply of magma for hatchlings to bask in, magi raising lava snails must keep a fire stoked for their hatchling to return to at all times. Since lava snails most commonly hatch near the end of spring, this is not always a pleasant endeavor, especially if it is a warm year.
Found mostly in the magma-filled cracks abundant in Voltar, lava snails are easily mistaken for gem-encrusted rocks whenever they venture onto solid ground. It’s not uncommon for treasure hunters and adventurers to pick up a sleeping snail, only to be surprised by the curious creature poking its head out. Adult lava snail bodies are coated with a thin layer of metal and remarkably indestructible, their shells even more so, and so they have very little to fear in the way of natural predators. As a result, they are curious and friendly, more interested in seeing what is disturbing their nap than fleeing. The person picking one up is usually rather less enthused, as lava snails passively warm anyone they touch, and so instead of the expected gems, treasure hunters receive an excellent heater in an already sweltering land. However, for this very same reason, lava snails make excellent companions for traveling through cold lands, as long as there is a fire for them to sleep in and recharge overnight.
Sprite art: Mysfytt (hatchling) | Description: Kestrad