Familiar: Chenol'xa (Patreon)

Tiny Beast, unaligned, CR 1/8

"Living with him is like hosting a chaotic, feather-filled circus every day. Truth be told, though, I adore letting the little beast run the show."

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Chenol’xas, the jesters of the gods, are the protagonists of so many folk stories around the statue-island of Mawrhas. Maybe it’s because of their gorgeous plumage, infused with the beautiful colours of the gomat’cha, a delicious fruit typical of the water jungles of the southern Tritonid Dominion. Maybe it’s for their playful and tricky character, prone to surprise, entertain, and (sometimes) trick the sapient races of the Blue. Who knows.

Local researchers believe them to be a forced evolution of a medium-sized reptile inhabiting the deeper parts of the jungle - regions known for low Change fields slowly mutating the local flora and fauna.

“Once upon a time, many years ago, there used to be a very skilled iguanid merchant named Cheno, who had a taste for the spectacular. Before opening his stand full of ingredients, remedies, and curiosities from the Empire, Cheno would jump on a makeshift stage, dressed in colourful jester-like clothes, and juggle for the crowd. An adoring public of younglings and adults would gather around him, astounded by his magic tricks and clever acrobatics.

At some point, someone from above started to notice. One fateful day Amalatl, the Tritonid deity of bargains, took mortal form and blended in the crowd to watch Cheno perform. To his utmost pleasure, the Iguanid merchant did not fail to amaze them, surprising them with newer and newer tricks. When the performance ended and the crowd slowly dispersed, Amalatl approached the brilliant jester-merchant with an offer.

“Perform a new trick every day for a whole year,” said the deity, looking at Cheno with vivid blue eyes, “and I will grant you eternal life.”

The jester-merchant understood to be in front of a mighty being and humbly accepted their boon. He then set off to perform around the Blue every day, revealing a new trick for every show. After a year of arduous work, Amalatl returned and gave him a purple egg.

“When the time comes,” they said, “hold this in your hands.”

Cheno kept performing for many more years, bringing joy to many and many a generation of tritonids, humans, iguanids, and vultures. When his time was near, he held Amalatl’s egg close, thankful for his extraordinary life of dances, songs, and strange encounters. With his last breath full of memories and few regrets, Cheno infused the egg with his vibrant spirit.

From that egg, the legend goes that the first chenol’xa was born."

Excerpts from Taika Waerea: A Journey into the Blue

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