Female Hatchling
Name: unnamed
Species: Skelmblor
Birthday: Friday, August 16, 2024
Owner: sceries
Element: Earth 
Skelmblor hatchlings hate light. A wise magi will hatch their egg in the dark. Upon hatching, they will curl up wherever it is dark, whether it be underground if they are in the wild or hidden in their magi’s cloak if they are raised at the keep. Their immediate instinct is to burrow, and if not watched can get very far underground, a tiny hole the only sign of their activity. However, they lack the sense of direction that adults do, and in time a panicked chittering will emerge from the hole if they are alone. In lieu of letting them burrow, many magi let them scoot around in blankets when they are small. As they get older, however, they must be taught to burrow safely, and preferably far away from civilization. The more they burrow, they bigger they get.
The rustling of branches, the shaking of trees, and long cracks in the ground mark the passage of a Skelmblor. Most people steer clear of these signs, unwilling to risk meeting the vicious creatures. Quakes generated by them moving deep beneath the earth have ruined farmhouses and frightened any who experienced them. When they approach cities, they bring disaster, and mages are often called to help to lure them away. The creatures favor gems and other shining objects, especially diamonds, and will follow a person holding one for a very long distance, emerging from underground to take their prize when it is offered. Some people believe that these creatures amass vast reserves of treasure and magical items deep underground. However, no one who has ever gone to find one of these mythical hoards has ever returned.
Sprite art: Lazuli (hatchling) | Description: Raneth