Q: Herr Selig, recently I became aware that the Cuatls of Saurian society are considered a new development, perhaps a response to the daemonic incursions of the Age of Waste. However, the famous Equitan tapestry reproducing the world hymn shows what seems to be such a creature as far back as the first age. Is this perhaps an error in the replication? Or how might such difference be explained?
A: A scholar’s question, which deserves a scholar’s answer. What I wouldn’t give to work with you on a treatise on the intricacies of Saurian history.
There are two conflicting pieces of information which relate to this issue. First, it seems clear from the scraps of history and legend which survive from the Dawn Age, that the Cuatl were present in that time. In fact, they dominated at the time, even among the Saurians themselves. There are too many pieces of circumstantial evidence which corroborate this to discount it as false.
The second element is the issue you have referred to - centuries back, but long since the Dawn Age had passed, there was an...emergence of Cuatl. From their presence being limited to nothing but myth and ancient history, there began to be recorded sightings - albeit still rare and scattered across the world.
I’m afraid I don’t currently have the answer to why this discrepancy exists. For some reason, the Cuatl disappeared from across the world at around the same time. Then, years later, they returned just as suddenly as they had departed.
During the intervening period, who can say what occurred. I’ve heard theories ranging from the Cuatl crossing into the Immortal Realm, and only returning on the need of their people, to a secret valley conclave into which they retreated until the world had moved on and was ready for their talents. Another supposition has them all hunted down systematically, until they no longer posed any threat to the other races.
Lastly, the theory that the Cuatl were forced to lay low. The danger they presented was well known, they were the monster’s children to be feared, and would be hunted so long as a trace could be found. Remove the trace, and the trail went cold. In time, even the longest-lived hunters died off, and the need for secrecy lessened. Although this would have required an incredible level of cooperation.
Much of this will remain speculative, unless the Saurians themselves decide to impart some of their secrets. I invite my more learned readers to propose their own answers to this conundrum, perhaps we can test our theories together.
