[b]Tsane![/b]

In Yukisworld, they have a concept called 'evolution'. Under 'evolution', species branch and adapt in order to extract every spare molecule of nutrients from their environment; transformation directed by hunger. In Thellamie, it is quite the reverse: the dragons of the world hunger, and they generate the environment to satiate that hunger. Put it another way, the creation of the world is but the nesting instinct of dragons. The branch upon which the nest rests are the laws of magic and physics, the outer layer of sticks are the forests and the plains, the inner layer of feathers and downing are the animals and people.

And, of course, the flecks of decorative tinsel and glass, shining beautiful in order to attract mates, are the maids.

Tsane has heard some challenges to her theory in the past. People insist that some god or gods built the world instead as a gift for them, or claim that there are higher purposes to life than acting as warming insulation for a dragon against the forces of unreality. These she dismisses as misplaced pride and insecurity. Others argue that there are reality bubbles without dragons at all - yes, certainly, not that you can [i]see[/i]. Perhaps their lair has not been found, or perhaps they are out hunting and courting. Some people take objection to the idea that there is an objective standard of beauty, and that it is the maid. Tsane assumes that these people are blind and navigate with some sort of echolocation.

The point is, to research the many and varied ecosystems of Thellamie it is not enough to collect a taxonomy of ants and lizards (no matter how cool lizards are). One needs an understanding of the greater ecosystem at work, how the dreams of the Outside are filtered into material reality, the anchor points and how the world forms around them. There is no place for pride or ideology in science. If it is simple truth that the highest thing that you can accomplish in life is as a beautiful ornament for a dragon's nest, then the only question left is how to best realize that.

So it is that she is here at the gates to the Manor. 

She has arrived before Injimo, having performed no particularly heroic feats along the way. She has with her Kalentia, who - good girl that she is - is determined to follow the Civil's instruction of infiltration and investigation. Tsane is barely interested in that part of things - she's here to do Dragon Science. She wants to take measurements, analyze elemental compositions, type affinities, weaknesses, take anatomy sketches, perform chemical sampling of scales and measure the crushing strength of jaws. Sayanastia is, for a variety of reasons[1], not a particularly useful subject. This place, this dragon, though... she can hardly wait!

[1] The full list of reasons:
- Weakened modern incarnation
- Fundamental hostility towards the idea of reality itself
- Ate my tape measure
- Vomited a nightmare gorilla on me

"Oh, well um, thank you," said Kalentia. She was always pretty weak with the Heron disguise, even when she could follow along with what was happening. "Do - do you want me to cook some eggs for you now?" 
Tsane wasn't following either, but didn't interject. She had a long standing policy of always pairing up with Kalentia specifically because she was the only good cook amongst the Handmaidens, and that decision seemed to be turning out mission critical this time as well. It must be her lucky day!