A Letter From a Concerned Scholar
Below is the wonderful letter we received! After the letter we describe where you can get your hands on Professor Rhen Sance’s books, the Naturalist’s Guide to Eberron.
Writing on behalf of the Balinor's Horn College of the Library of Korranberg, Rhen Sance,
I am normally a resident of Fairhaven, but my work often requires that I travel. While in Sharn, my party and I happened upon your innovative 'singers'. This caused quite some astonishment among us, and we were surprised to learn that this had become a regular source of entertainment for the Sharnites. However, for myself, this amazement swiftly turned into alarm when I heard that you had allowed not only the Morgrave Department of Natural History on your show, but a man of such singular incompetence as the so-called 'Professor of Menagerie Management', who is in all actuality more of a entertainer than an academic.
On behalf of my colleagues in the Library and the reliable naturalists remaining in Morgrave, I must offer the following corrections to 'Cook's' showman's spiel. Firstly cockatrice chicks (my traveling companion would like to assure you that their cuteness is not in debate) do not hide within their eggs in their natural environment. This behavior is known to occur, yes, but only in cases in which the chick has been removed from its parents' protection before it is ready. The fact that the 'professor' did not see this as a cause for alarm is an indictment of any qualification he claims to possess. In fact, I would find no small surprise in his falling victim to thankfully temporary petrification once returning the chick to its parent on his premises.
Secondly, the mageripper should not have been brought in alone. This creature was no doubt on the brink of death, as these creatures cannot survive outside of a swarm. This clearly explains why it did not immediately flee from view. While it is true that your equipment and persons were in no danger, the individual mageripper's instincts should have driven it towards the nearest swarm. The speed of a healthy mageripper should have made it difficult, if not impossible to recapture. While I have no great fondness for these creatures, with my own home recently being cleaned of the things, I mark this as another sign of the 'professor's' lack of qualifications to be handling any living creature.
A note: magerippers are a horrific solution to the Mournland for one singular reason -- their explosive breeding rate. Consuming magical energy allows individuals in a swarm to reproduce asexually, and the swarm can double in size in a matter of days. If large amounts of magerippers were released into the most magically active parts of the Mournland, we would likely have a Cyre covered in hungry swarms instead of the Mournland.
Finally an alchemy beetle is no great mystery. While there are 'wild' ones in the continent of Xen'drik, Cannith had recently reverse-engineered them and was, at last report, building their own variant in their Cyran forgeholds. For obvious reasons, this is no longer ongoing. Enough of that research was shared among the House and related institutions that one can construct one's own alchemy beetle for a steep, but purchaseable cost. I recommend that Sylas enquire at Gorgon Towers about his 'kuryeva beetle'. It may be quite the conversation piece.
If your listeners have any further questions, they are welcome to contact the Balinor's Horn College of the Library via speaking stone. Books on these creatures and more can be found there. In addition, the Wayfinder Foundation is distributing a series of books that I have been writing which accurately summarise many creatures on the face of Eberron, the Naturalist's Guide. I also recommend speaking directly to Professors Marlbi and Dyrin on such matters, as they are the lecturers responsible for Morgrave's internal naturalism lectures, and not the 'outreach' of the Morgrave Menagerie.
In good faith and health,
Research Professor Rhen Ames Sance,
Balinor's Horn College,
Korranberg University.
