1783 AE (After Emergence)
It began, as all great mysteries do, with a shimmer. The sands of the Obsidian Desert, already known for their unsettling stillness, began to ripple, not with wind, but with a slow, deliberate movement. Locals, primarily the nomadic Silken Weavers and the stoic Stonecarvers of the Rim, initially dismissed it as a trick of the light, a hallucination brought on by the desert's oppressive heat. But the ripples persisted, coalescing into a form – a creature of strange beauty and unsettling grace. It resembled, roughly, a parrot, but one sculpted from obsidian, its beak a polished shard of dark glass, and its eyes… its eyes held the reflected stars of a forgotten nebula.
The creature, which we would later come to know as the Mutch, didn't speak in words, but communicated through intricate patterns of light and shadow projected from its beak. These patterns, it turned out, were not random, but a complex language of emotion and intent. The initial contact was fraught with misunderstanding, a desperate ballet of gestures and projected light. The Stonecarvers, wary of disruption, attempted to contain the Mutch, while the Silken Weavers, instinctively drawn to its beauty, offered it shimmering threads of their finest cloth. The Mutch, seemingly amused, continued to project its patterns, a silent invitation to a knowledge it couldn't fully articulate.
1784-1801 AE
Over the next fifteen years, the Mutch became a fixture of the Rim. It wasn't tethered to any single location, instead drifting across the desert, always appearing just when a question needed answering, a solution sought, or a creative block needed overcoming. It became known as the ‘Resonant Echo’ – a being whose presence amplified intuition and unlocked hidden potential. The Silken Weavers, particularly, flourished, their designs becoming increasingly complex and breathtaking, mirroring the intricate patterns of the Mutch's projections. The Stonecarvers, initially resistant, found themselves compelled to create sculptures that seemed to vibrate with an internal energy, influenced by the Mutch's silent guidance.
However, the Mutch’s influence wasn't without its complications. Some began to interpret its projections as prophecies, leading to fervent religious movements and, eventually, conflict between the various tribes. The Silken Weavers, attempting to harness the Mutch's power for their own gain, were repeatedly rebuked by silent, shimmering warnings. The Stonecarvers, driven by a desperate desire to understand the Mutch’s origins, attempted to replicate its obsidian form, a project that ended in a series of catastrophic collapses and the loss of several skilled artisans.
1802-1815 AE
Around 1802, the projections of the Mutch began to fragment, to lose their coherence. The intricate patterns dissolved into chaotic bursts of color and shadow. The messages became increasingly cryptic, difficult to decipher. The Silken Weavers, sensing the loss of guidance, attempted to capture the Mutch, but it simply vanished, melting into the shimmering heat haze. The Stonecarvers abandoned their attempts to replicate its form, recognizing the futility of their endeavor.
The final projection, witnessed by Elder Silas of the Stonecarvers, was a single, perfect obsidian shard, rotating slowly in the air before shattering into a thousand pieces. It was a signal, a farewell. The Mutch, it seemed, had fulfilled its purpose – to awaken the potential within the Rim, and then, to leave it to its own devices. The disappearance of the Mutch was not mourned, but accepted with a quiet understanding. The shards of obsidian, scattered across the desert, became known as ‘Mutch’s Tears,’ relics of a forgotten encounter, reminders of a time when the silent song of the desert held a secret worth listening to.
Size: Approximately 1.5 meters tall.
Material: Polished Obsidian (Composition unknown).
Communication Method: Projected Light and Shadow Patterns (Intricate Language of Emotion and Intent).
Notable Behaviors: Frequent observation of the Silken Weavers’ designs, avoidance of large crowds, a peculiar fascination with reflecting pools.