Do not mock the humble survey

[poll_the_stars]

Avet... has found herself annoyed. She has only one form. This isn't the problem, but this is what led to her noticing the problem. There is no way to preview what a dragon will look like. There are species books of birds and bugs and animals - but some of them are sub-par on noting where the dragon's colors go, and miscellaneous gods that she doesn't worship help you if you want to see what your color will look like on the form.

She is going to solve this problem. By taking some surveys. As in, grab photo paper, gather up a list of lines to go visit, and then knock on some doors and ask some questions and create a book series that organizes all possible forms, all known forms, what known lines look like in the forms - that sort of thing.

She starts with blue groups, because blue groups have the most available forms - she's gotten all of the big lines (well, all of the big lines that gave her the time of day) and is on the smaller ones. The ones with only one or two people. Or, in some cases, none.

This particular one's easier than some others; she doesn't need to fly to another country. It's Esmaar. She flies to the address of one 'Avar,' no line name. Apparently he had one and had some kind of explosive spat about it and gave it up. Not that it's her business. He's just another person for her survey.

She knocks on his door.

Comments

[poll_the_stars]

Avet responds to Mial's scoot-manufacturing stuff, because of course she does, she's a huge nerd, why would she ignore it. Answer: she would not. Then, at the end:

The visual of you holding your nose while writing came in just fine, yeah. I'm not completely happy with the solution either, but that sounds like the best thing to do. Three books it is, then. I'll publish them all at once instead of playing favorites, I think.

Now, how to ask dragons if they would like the complete book instead of dragons-only while being diplomatic and not getting any book set on fire. Why do I do this to myself.

[thisvorlunatic]

Scoots scoots scoots, and:

Have fun deciding what to call the complete book when Draconic still holds its nose every time someone wants to put dragons and shrens in close conceptual proximity.

[poll_the_stars]

Scoots! Scoots scoots scoots, and:

Ha. Well I can always call it 'dragonishes,' or disguise it with length. 'A Study On The Forms Of Shapeshifters.' Though, if I call it that I will feel obligated to go survey vampires, too. Sob.

[thisvorlunatic]

Scoots.

I guess anyone who's reading the complete book in the first place won't be inclined to whine that hard about "dragonishes", but it's so annoying having to drop out of Draconic to get the word you're looking for, you know?

There, there. Someone else can go survey the vampires.

[poll_the_stars]

Scoots!

Yeah, agreed. Draconic, do better. I'm disappointed in you.

Thank you, that helps. I have done my duty to the world. Other people can take up my survey torch for the vampires.

[thisvorlunatic]

Scooooooots.

Draconic is kind of an asshole sometimes.

[poll_the_stars]

So many scoots! At this rate she is going to have to have to make a trip to his house so they can nerd together about the subject without the time delay.

It was sort of a jarring realization to figure that out, yes. I think you got to witness it. Pity you didn't have popcorn.

[thisvorlunatic]

You looked so offended. It was very endearing.

[poll_the_stars]

(They have not, and will not at any foreseeable point in the future, forget scoots. Not to worry, fair reader. They're still talking about them.)

Well, thank you. I was very offended, Draconic should not be missing words.

[thisvorlunatic]

It shouldn't be, but it is. Because it hates shrens.

[poll_the_stars]

I noticed that, too. Do let me know if I lapse into... damn it.

Draconic. Draconic why would you do this, I need another word and it doesn't have it. Lapse into screwing up in relation to shrens and acting like a terrible person. There. Close enough. Ugh.

[thisvorlunatic]

The term my family uses is "lizard", as in "God, my grandfather is such a lizard".

For more fun with Draconic's inadequacies, try coming up with a non-insulting way to refer to shrens.

[poll_the_stars]

Thank you. That is reasonably close to what I needed.

... Yep, I tried that thing. Failed horribly. I am kind of sad now.

[thisvorlunatic]

I mostly just do my best to ignore it. Draconic can have its opinions on shrens; I will be over here disagreeing with those opinions, because they are shitty awful lizard opinions.

[poll_the_stars]

See, it's that sort of situation that makes me want to conspire to invent a new magic language to replace Draconic.

[thisvorlunatic]

Next project? I like it. Count me in.

[poll_the_stars]

Pff. Sure. As long as we don't change all of Draconic - I can think of quite a few dragons who would not like the change at all. Another option, instead of ripping the language away from them.

[thisvorlunatic]

The lizards can keep their lizardspeak if they feel like it.

[poll_the_stars]

You know of all of the words for Draconic, I don't think I've heard lizardspeak used before. I kind of like it.

[thisvorlunatic]

It seemed appropriate.

[poll_the_stars]

Ha. It is, I think.

Do you want to meet up for language conspiracies?

[thisvorlunatic]

Sure! Where? My house has the advantage of allowing us to easily consult my mother, who is a nominally retired research wizard, emphasis on nominally.

[poll_the_stars]

Your house sounds good, yeah. Helps that I can already teleport to it. Are you open this Chenen?

[thisvorlunatic]

Yep! Around lunchtime, say?

[poll_the_stars]

Sure! See you then.

Around lunchtime on Chenen, there is another knock on Mial's door. Surprise, it's the survey dragon.