Stardate 0412.18:

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The best laid plans....
I decided to put the hardmans on ice (cryogenics), and instead raise a pair of draconians. That way, I'd have some adult dracs who were tough enough to handle the hardman babies. Draconian babies are very delicate, actually.
I found Gaia hanging out in the jungle, staring happily at all the hanging arkwood creeper flowers. I dragged her back to meet the new draconian babies, and she immediately headed the other way. "what?" I said. "retreat norn!" she said. Great.
So I told her "approach norn," which she gamely tried. She got along with the nice baby dracs until she was tired and cranky and wanted to sleep without so much activity around her. So she snuck off again. I guess she didn't read my project plans to have a motherly adult norn around here.

Then Draco, the male, died. I got him to eat a few bugs, but I think he starved anyway. Draga, the female also died of mysterious causes. I say mysterious, because she had no toxins or infections or hunger. She did die in the pond, but these are *supposed* to be amphibious draconians!
Then Gaia died suddenly. I found she was infected with bacteria, probably picked up in the jungle, and had ATP decoupler poisoning. Now I have no mother and no babies.

At least Aslan and his harem in Narnia are doing well. They have all reached adolescent stage. The fallow norn is very graceful and beautiful in a quiet way. I rather prefer the male zebra norns, with the black stripes and mane hair to the females with brown stripes and goldilocks hair. Hmmm... ::wonders if switching these gene file names will... naaah!::

I have the gargoyle egg agent, but I can't seem to get gargoyle eggs. Speaking of eggs, an ettin egg actually popped out of a yuletide cracker! At first I thought it was some kind of chocolate egg, but no, it grew, and turned into a creepy metallic thing like those barrels in "Phantasm." Apparently, this is where ettins are hatched from. It did finally hatch, and now I have a male poodle ettin, named Yullie.


Continued...

I found the gargoyle eggs! Gala and Goliath are very happy in the Norngarden. The gargoyles are quite easy to raise (a blessing after the problem children of hardmans and draconians), and very intelligent. They seem to be born knowing how to speak already. Goliath refers to himself as "me," which I understand is a sign of high intelligence and self-awareness.
I've built a mini-norn home in the Norngarden lower level, with a steam rock and a norn-home scent emitter. It makes a nice creche for eggs and hatchlings. In fact, I think I will try raising my next draconians there, instead of in the harsher Avantasia. It should be easier, since the stinger nest is no longer in Norngarden (and the heavy-metal-bearing stingers), and I've got a fish and meat dispenser to feed them with. And butterflies for them to eat. I only hope this easy living won't soften them for their adult forays into Avantasia.
As for the hardmans... perhaps I'll revive them from cryogenics and let them grow up on their own in Avantasia. They should prove hardy enough for that. I hope.