Hello Explorers!

This last weekend we hosted Stuffed Animal Taxidermy and had loads of fun. Thank you to all the Explorers who came out to take part in the event. Those who were able to stay through the salon and present their creatures to the Explorers’ Academic Board received the Cryptid Discoverer badge.

Personally, I love this badge, as it asks Explorers to think creatively. It is awarded to those who help fill out our ever-growing bestiary of creatures, not just by illustrating or crafting them, but by providing supplemental information to help us understand how each one fits into our world. It was first offered during our January 2019 expedition to Mammoth Rocks, and we have since hosted events such as Stuffed Animal Taxidermy to continue highlighting it. You can view the beautiful artwork of this badge at the bottom of this dispatch.

Stuffed Animal Taxidermy Captain’s Report

In the lead-up to our Stuffed Animal Taxidermy workshop, there was some concern about the weather, but the day arrived and it was absolutely glorious. Ten explorers gathered in our workshop space and, alongside Denorae and Lark, we set to work bringing never-before-seen Asteri into being. As our time drew to a close, we convened a salon where each creature was presented, questions were posed,and their stories were entered into the Guild record and the ongoing volume of our Asteri Bestiary. Those who stood before the troupe were awarded the Cryptid Discoverer badge.

Featured creatures include:

• Monkey Faced Flying Clubtail, which hunts at night using its unique tail.

• Ignis Forctis, arguably the king of the red pandas, whose reputation was forged in many battles with roving dog packs.

• North American Spalpeen, which feeds on desperation and is infinitely diverse.

• Audrey IV, a hybrid plant and mammal that consumes stuffies left behind in attics and storage units.

• Albuts Alpinicus, a high-elevation colony known for its burbly smells and sounds.

• Greater Staghorn Fungus, a spore that infects creatures, gifting them a distinct set of horns and potentially giving rise to beings such as the Jackalope.

• Rosie, who shifts color with her mood and is known to consume marshmallows, so caution is advised at campfires.

• Lampi Neromolea, a long-lived and long-nosed creature that swims on its back so it may gaze up at the stars.

• Selaphine, a seal-like being whose love of birds led to a pact to borrow feathers for one night, only to discover that true happiness lay in returning home.

• Lieselotte Avicolaris Evolutus, an old hound dog whose repressed desire for flamboyance transformed her into a stunning owl-like creature.

Congratulations to all who earned the badge, and deep thanks to Denorae and Lark, who ensured every explorer had what they needed.

Notes

Our trip to the SFO Museum proved to be a very exciting exploration opportunity for Explorers (we filled up all our slots in the first 30 hours). I’ll look into offering it again in the future, but likely it’ll be in the summer at the earliest.

Our next event is Stuffed Animal Taxidermy for the Young at Heart on March 22nd. This is intended for all the kiddos in and associated with the Explorers Guild. It will be a less tool-intensive program, and more information will go out next week. This event will first be offered to those 13 and under; and after a few days, we’ll open any remaining space for those adults that are young at heart as well.

That’s all for today, as promised here’s a look at the beautiful badge Byzantium designed for Cryptid Discoverer

Semper Explorandum Explorers!