Lurk

Lurk

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Lurk was found as an egg by Mab, who brought the egg into the circus and took the young resulting hatchling under her wing. The young Lurk demonstrated an early proficiency for reading tarot, and so that’s what he did with the circus. He had his own little sideshow tent where he read dragons’ cards, and he mastered the art of speaking cryptically about people’s futures without frightening them too much.

When Mab’s circus came to the Clan of the Striking Bolt, Lurk quickly learned that they currently had no ambassador to the nearby Talonok clans. Well, after so many years of traveling with Mab and her circus, Lurk was more than fluent in the Talonok language, and very familiar with the culture, and he volunteered to take up this role. He wasn’t unhappy with the circus, but he felt that it was time for a break, time for him to step away and spread his wings for a while.

So Lurk took up the position of Talonok ambassador. He travels to the nearby Talonok flocks and speaks diplomatically with them. He encourages the share of culture between these flocks and the Clan of the Striking Bolt, and relays messages back and forth between the two. Many of the Talonok in the area find Lurk’s cryptic way of speaking endearing, and he’s very popular with them.

At home, in the clan, Lurk is quite popular as well, but for another reason. His tarot readings, which he has kept up independently, are a smash hit, and dragons like to visit him to get their cards read. Lurk reads their fortune in the same tone he always speaks — slowly, cryptically, deeply encoded. His new clanmates think this adds to the atmosphere, and they love it. Even if Lurk has nothing but bad news to give them, they think just visiting him and having their cards read is such an experience that they stop by his den regardless of the outcome.

While Mab herself understands why Lurk left them and gave him her full blessing, the circus’s acrobat, Ennui, disagrees. He always looked up to Lurk as an older brother figure, a mentor to him, and was very distraught when Lurk announced he would be leaving. Ennui is frequently on Lurk’s heels, regardless of where he is or where he is going, to beg him to return to the circus. And every time, Lurk politely declines, and sends Ennui back to the circus, sulking. Lurk knows — and Ennui knows, too, deep within — that the circus just isn’t the place for him anymore, and he’s happy where he is now.

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Qeqeck

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Qeqeck is the Talonok ambassador to the Clan of the Striking Bolt; the Talonok equivalent to Lurk’s position. The two share the hobby of reading tarot, but frequently bicker over what the cards mean. When Lurk reads a dragon’s cards, Qeqeck is likely to cut in and offer his own input, and it will always contradict whatever Lurk says. Qeqeck is a smug bird, and delights in being correct. Even if he knows he’s wrong, he wants to argue, and will keep arguing even when he realizes he’s wrong.