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The planet looks like an ideal spot for colonization from a distance. Covered with a range of biomes, from lush forest to long coastlines to roaring rivers. However, when the Amentans arrive they quickly notice anomalies on their scans.
A population of humanoids lives on the planet, scattered - sometimes individuals are spotted alone and other times they appear in groups of up to a few thousand. They appear similar to child Amentans, except for a general lack of bright hair colors. Civilization appears primitive - in some cases so primitive that it's confusing how they survive at all, with small groups managing to survive in environments as harsh arctic tundra huddled around campfires, in sandy villages in a desert with a single well. A small number of cities exist, most without obvious sources of sufficient food to support them.
As the Amentans investigate further they notice more anomalies of a far less consistent nature. There's an aurora in the northern hemisphere that shines continuously, day and night. One of the cities appear to change subtly in composition and position constantly, with no obvious construction visible. A group of the humanoids appear to live underwater, alongside a gigantic manta ray, hundreds of feet in breadth. A giant skeleton statue of green crystal seems to be moving. A blur of feathers and wings zooms across the planet like a missile at one point. Except for the humanoid species, none of the anomalies repeat.
These are just the anomalies they notice easily from orbit, more may be found on closer inspection.
Yes, but they still have the line open so they can just ask these amaliens, right?
The amalien girl with leaves in her hair opens her mouth to answer but closes it when the tired looking boy makes eye contact with her. He whispers something in her ear. She nods a few times.
"We can talk about that with you!"
"Great! Are there any places that would be especially good for new neighbors to live?"
"- uh, us specifically, no, we're linguists, but once everyone's calmed down about the Cryptophasia we can talk to the representatives of - our group of Amentans."
"I think we should probably talk with them. What sorta calming could we help with?"
He feels a bit awkward about being this cold to new people, but he knows that some amalien needs to be cautious and careful with things that might become scary and he's trying really hard at it because that's his job.
Fluffeld, who has been on this beach the whole time, is disappointed with the lack of attention he is getting. Belly rubs??
"- well the trouble is you can't talk to them because they don't want to learn Cryptophasia while they're still nervous, but it would help if you all taught the linguists who are down there in the camp more of your not- Cryptophasia language that's just a language and not magical."
Sure, this purple has nothing to do right now and will belly rub Fluffeld.
The girl with the wooden sword and mouse on her shoulder pipes up.
"Could we do that by saying things and then trans-lating them to Cryptophasia and then you could figure what the your-language is for that?"
"No, because as part of them being nervous they're not letting us talk to them very much, just answer some yes or no questions - they don't want to get Cryptophasia from us."
"Oh, okay. We can talk to them without Cryptophasia if they are nervous about meeting a new language-friend."
She bravely goes over to the linguists and starts conversing with them in the normal amalien language. The other amaliens trickle in behind her and help.
Meelia is happy to chat with them! She's excited to talk about fun people she's met and things she did with them. She acts out her stories as she tells them to make it easier to figure out what she's saying.
" - and then I helped her climb to the very very tallest branch and we found her glowing bird friend stuck up there and scared to come down and so -
The other amaliens help as well, though sometimes they are distracted listening to Meelia's really cool adventuring stories.
The linguists are not super clear on whether this is fiction or fact but it doesn't super matter when their priority is the grammar.
Meelia is presenting the stories as real things that happened to her, and nothing seems obviously made-up about them. During one she mentions how her wooden sword got stuck in the mouth of an angry monster and she points out a set of tooth marks on her sword. The wooden sword was apparently saved by the quick action of the friendly mouse which is currently sitting on her shoulder.
They can be, yeah. 'specially if they're angry or lonely or scared. Amaliens can be that way too, though not as often cause they can give themselves hug and also talk to other amaliens about feelings and lots of monsters don't know how to give themselves hug or talk to anyone.
...are there monsters that keep being dangerous after someone has tried hugging them? How does one avoid such monsters?
Okay but do they like, come where people are living? Like, would such a monster show up in the camp and attack Amentans, or would they have to go bother one where it lives for this to be a problem?
They don't usually go where people are living Meelia thinks. Unless something is wrong and they need to be there like someone stole a toy they like or a friend is napping there or they got pushed out by another monster.
One of the other amaliens excitedly adds that Meelia is really good at helping those monsters and the people in the new place they are trying to move.
They are pleased to make Meelia's acquaintance!
They would like to know more about amaliens, too. They look sort of like young Amentans, but they haven't seen any who look more like adult Amentans, so perhaps they are adults and just look like that? They haven't seen any baby ones either though, is it the wrong time of year?