Scorpion Observations
The giant scorpions of Craglorn have a different physiology from their smaller, more mundane cousins. In addition to their great size and power, they give birth by laying eggs in nests instead of experiencing live births and carrying their young on their backs. I'm sure this has something to do with the sheer size and number of offspring the adult scorpion matron can produce at a time. Still, these sorts of differences make for amazing and interesting study.
For this part of the project, I have chosen a powerful scorpion matron who commands the nesting grounds deep inside Fearfangs Cavern. Her brood will provide exactly the predatory traits we require for this stage of the alchemical process. When combined with the traits provided by the mighty wamasu eggbearer and the flawless crocodile matriarch, the scorpion material will increase the power of the mantikora in ways I can barely imagine!
I've collected the first of the matron's eggs. The material within each shell should infuse the spawning pools with traits that will easily be passed on to our new creature. I wonder, are any of the Serpent's other regents having as much success as I am? I think not! Perhaps when the mantikora progenitor emerges from the spawning pools, the Serpent will award me with command of the entire Scaled Court. That seems like a fair exchange for the work I have accomplished here.
—Boward, Regent of Wriggling Nightmares
Covenant Intelligence Report 2, 502
I write this from deep inside contested territory. My mission remains as it has been since I crossed the border into Craglorn—investigate the activities of the newly emerged cult called the Scaled Court and examine the cult's ties, if any, to the unaligned Iron Orc tribe. In my clandestine activities, I discovered an interesting location.
Nestled within the rocky hills that delineate the beginning of the region known as Upper Craglorn, I happened across a secret Iron Orc encampment within the ancient Nordic ruins scattered across the area. These particular underground chambers, built beneath the hilltop ruins of a crumbling tower, have been turned into a kind of training ground for the Iron Orcs. But it's what the Orcs are training that make this site particularly interesting. Trolls.
The Iron Orcs are training trolls to fight as a unit. What they plan to do with an army of trolls is anyone's guess, but it can't be beneficial to the Covenant.
I found a large grate that looks down into this makeshift arena. I'm going to sneak closer to get a better look at what they are doing down there.
The Perfection of Fearfangs Cavern
These chambers known as Fearfangs Cavern are perfect in every way. Not only are they full of Nedic artifacts to study and catalog, but the massive rooms make excellent locations for the Scaled Court to work and rest in almost absolute seclusion. Add to that the nesting grounds we discovered deeper within the complex, and I am extremely pleased with this amazing find.
I have already set the Scaled Court members under my dominion to the task of cataloging the contents of every room and chamber within Fearfangs Cavern. As instructed, we are in search of any information regarding the use and preparation of the primal element we call nirncrux, an element we believe the Nedes were not only intimately familiar with, but which they had unlocked its remarkable potential.
Now I need to get back to the nesting grounds at the far end of the complex. I have work to do with the matron and her brood. Work that will finally provide the soldier the Serpent has been demanding we produce since this grand affair began.
—Boward, Regent of Wriggling Nightmares