Navior's Serpent's Skull

Game Master Navior

"A name for our group? That's not a bad idea. What do you think, Douena? How about the Castaways?"

"Castaways! I like that!" Sasha says. "It fits." She turns to the newcomer. "We were all castaways together on an island for a while," she explains.

"He's not a castaway," Douena points out. "We'd have to be the Shiv Castaways and the Painted Elf."

Sounds like a band or a children's book.

"Actually, we don't know whether he is a castaway," Mahjik whispers to Douena, "we may be treading on some cultural inconsideration."

"He wasn't a castaway with us," she replies firmly, as if only the recent inhabitants of Smuggler's Ship can properly lay claim to the title.

"You are correct. I am not a castaway, nor have I been," he states plainly.

"See?" Douena proclaims to Mahjik, vindicated, and rewards the newcomer with a beatific smile.

"Don't like the Castaways? How about the Seekers then? Or do you have a suggestion.?

"I am indifferent to it all. It matters not," he responds matter of factly.

"I don't like Seekers all that much," Sasha says. "I much prefer Castaways personally. That said, I'm not all that bothered."

Listening to Sasha's take on the matter, Tar'kanas takes bread from within his pack, "Although, I find the 'Painted Elf' to be quite interesting." He looks to the gnome and nods to her as he tears a small piece of bread and eats.

"The Shiv Castaways and the Painted Elf," Douena repeats, as if the matter is settled. "Castaways, for short. And if we find anyone else, we can tack them onto the end. Does your cheetah let anyone ride her?" she asks Tar'kanas.

"Does your cheetah let anyone ride her?" she asks Tar'kanas.

Tar'kanas looks to her curiously, thinking that an odd question. "I do not know. She's never bore a rider. She is not large enough to bear a rider of my size."

"Well, your size isn't the only one there is," she points out reasonably.

"Perhaps we diverge a bit much? The question remains how we can stub our mutual enemy. And rescue your friend while we're at it."

"...while Douena is riding on the lion or the cheetah?"

"Douena, you could be like a knight riding into battle!" Sasha says. "Except on a cat instead of a horse." She looks at the two big cats expectantly, but neither shows any kind of reaction.

Feel free to continue the evening discussion retroactively. I'm just going to move things forward as well.

27 ARODUS, 4710 (19th day of journey)

It rains rather heavily during the night and thunder rumbles throughout, interrupting sleep. A sense of tension and anticipation regarding the forthcoming attempt to bring back Jask also makes sleep harder to find--for some of you at any rate. Pezock has no problem sleeping.

It's still raining at daybreak, but it has calmed down somewhat. Entelu spends some time meditating out in the open rain just as the hidden sun starts to rise. He's quite soaked by the time he returns, but he doesn't seem perturbed. "I am ready whenever you are," he announces.

"Now," Sasha blurts out before anyone else has a chance to say anything.

Entelu nods. "The oils, please."

After you hand over the oils, the druid hobbles over to an open area of field a short distance from your camp. Once there, he leans for a moment on his staff and wipes rainwater from his face. "The casting of the spell will take about ten minutes," he says. "After that, it will take about an hour for the new body to form and the soul to inhabit it. Assuming, of course, that your friend's soul wishes to return. If he chooses not to, there is nothing that can bring him back. I will need complete quiet during the casting. There must be no disturbances."

Entelu closes his eyes and concentrates for a moment. Then he takes a deep breath and is about to start intoning the words of the spell, when he stops suddenly. "Oh, almost forgot," he says. "The body part?"

After receiving Jask's tooth, he starts the spell. The ceremony involves a lot of invoking of nature spirits. Entelu lays the tooth down on the ground fairly early in the casting and over the next ten minutes, gradually pours the oil over top the tooth. The rain seems to pick up during the ceremony, but you can't be sure if that's because of the spell or if it's just a natural continuation of the storm.

About eight minutes into the casting, a faint glow appears around the tooth. The glow slowly brightens over the remaining two minutes. When Entelu finally finishes his chanting and waving of his arms, the tooth is glowing with the intensity of a light spell. But then it quickly fades to a dim glow again. The tooth seems to be a little bit larger, but peering closely reveals that's because it's now two teeth.

"Now we wait," Entelu says. "How about breakfast?"

26 Arodus

"Perhaps we diverge a bit much? The question remains how we can stub our mutual enemy. And rescue your friend while we're at it."

"I don't see how we can," Douena replies, "considering the Aspis Consortium is that way and we're going that way." She points in two opposite directions without even trying to figure out which way is Kalabuto and, beyond it, Eleder and which way is the lost city.

27 Arodus

"Ooh, two teeth," Douena croons with excitement. "I guess that means Jask is going to be something with teeth. Not a tengu; sorry, Pezock," she consoles him. She doesn't seem inclined to leave the Jask-assembly area; the chance to watch a new body construct itself is much too interesting to pass up.

"I don't know how long this is going to take, but if he's coming back teeth first, I'm going to guess he'll be hungry. Does anyone want a fresh kill, or is it rations for breakfast?"

Urza looks at the two great cats. "Rations would be fine with me this morning.

Reincarnate results: 1d100 ⇒ 19
Male (01-50)/Female (51-00): 1d100 ⇒ 78

Very gradually, more teeth start to form and the jawbone attached to them. This slowly extends out to form the skull. As the neck and spinal column start to take shape, muscles and tendons begin to form along the jaw. Eventually, skin starts to form on the head even as the bones of the legs and feet are still starting to form. The skin is much paler than Jask's used to be.

The body that's forming is definitely humanoid--not surprising--and soon it's clear that it will be at least as tall as a human. For a while, it looks as if the body might be human, but it then becomes apparent that the face that is forming is a slightly different shape from a human's, and as the ears start to grow long and pointed, there's no doubt that this body isn't human. It also soon becomes apparent that the body isn't male.

Eventually, after an hour has passed, an entire body of a female elf lies there in the grass, naked and unmoving with no hint of life. Then suddenly, the body gasps for air, eyes flinging open in shock.

"Ooh, two teeth," Douena croons with excitement. "I guess that means Jask is going to be something with teeth. Not a tengu; sorry, Pezock," she consoles him. She doesn't seem inclined to leave the Jask-assembly area; the chance to watch a new body construct itself is much too interesting to pass up.

Meant to do this post before the last one...

"Bah!" Pezock responds. "I wouldn't want him as a tengu. Only the most deserving get to be a tengu!"

Jask looks up at Douena and any of the rest of you standing nearby, then seems to notice the sky up above and the rain falling. "Wha--" Jask's voice cracks on first trying to speak, but finally comes out raspily, "What happened? Where are we? What happened to the intruders?"

"I hope he doesn't come back as a goblin or ogre."

"Jask!" Douena greets him ... her excitedly. "You died! Didn't you hear me preach your funeral?" she asks, a little disappointed. "Everyone thought it was very moving. We're out of Kalabuto at a hill near the Lake of Vanished Armies, and Pezock and I hunted for crabs! And there's a druid here, and an elf, and they both have big cats but don't want to let me ride them. And you should probably put some clothes on. We have your old stuff; I guess it will do for now."

Hopefully he had some kind of extra clothing in his pack, or maybe Sasha could loan her something.

"Funeral? Druid? Cats?" Jask rasps in confusion and runs a hand across his/her face, then stops and stares at the hand. "What happened to my skin?"

Jask sits up and looks at the rest of herself. "What happened to me?" He grabs a clump of his now longer hair. "Even my hair is pale. You'd better get me those clothes now. I think I'll just sit here a moment. This is a lot to take in."

Jask did have some extra clothes in his pack.

Douena retrieves Jask's pack and then sits beside her companionably. "We thought about trying to raise you with the scroll from the Shiv, but I was afraid I'd mess it all up trying to cast it; and anyway, you were kind of old so it seemed counterproductive. But now look! you're an elf! They live for a really long time! You've got a whole new life, and none of those meanies from the Sargavan government will never know you're you if they want to make trouble for you. You're not all new," she says comfortingly. "One of your teeth is the same."

"I knew not this 'Jask', but I take it he was not a 'she'. Nor an elf for that matter. He may prosper if his mind can adjust. If not, it is probable he goes insane. It is a dangerous task bringing one back as another; especially of the opposite gender." As Douena gets carried away with the 'new' Jask, "But it appears this one meant a lot to you all."

When he first realized the spell had worked, Urza was excited to see his friend again. Then he actually saw Jask. The new Jask. He whispers to Makoa, "I never considered the possibility of a gender switch. This may not be as good a thing as we had hoped.'

Turning to Jask,"Welcome back, uh, buddy. You haven't had much time I know, but uh how do you feel?"

Earlier

"Bah!" Pezock responds. "I wouldn't want him as a tengu. Only the most deserving get to be a tengu!"

"Could I be a tengu, Pezock?" she asks hopefully. "You'd make a very good gnome."

When he first realized the spell had worked, Urza was excited to see his friend again. Then he actually saw Jask. The new Jask. He whispers to Makoa, "I never considered the possibility of a gender switch. This may not be as good a thing as we had hoped.'

"Neither had I." Makoa whispers back. "Nature sure has some interesting magic at it's disposal."

Douena retrieves Jask's pack and then sits beside her companionably. "We thought about trying to raise you with the scroll from the Shiv, but I was afraid I'd mess it all up trying to cast it; and anyway, you were kind of old so it seemed counterproductive. But now look! you're an elf! They live for a really long time! You've got a whole new life, and none of those meanies from the Sargavan government will never know you're you if they want to make trouble for you. You're not all new," she says comfortingly. "One of your teeth is the same."

Jask runs a finger over his/her teeth, then frowns and sighs. "I suppose I'll get used to it." S/he grabs the pack, rummages through it, and pulls out some clothes. S/he begins hastily pulling them on, stumbling about a bit on wobbly legs. "Ow!" s/he cries at one point, almost falling over. "These limbs don't move quite the way I expect them to."

The clothes are rather poor-fitting now, but they suffice in covering her up. Jask stands unsteadily on her feet. "I think I need to pray a bit. I feel weak. Maybe it's hunger. No, it's more than hunger. It must be that weakening effect of coming back from the dead. I've read about it. But I think I am hungry, too."

Jask tries to walk, making it only a few steps before nearly falling over. S/he laughs a little and gives Douena a smile. "Everything's new, it seems." S/he tries a few more steps, which work a little better. Soon, s/he's able to walk back to the camp.

Turning to Jask,"Welcome back, uh, buddy. You haven't had much time I know, but uh how do you feel?"

"Strange. I'm not sure how else to describe it yet. Just strange."

Earlier

Pezock aka Navior wrote:

"Bah!" Pezock responds. "I wouldn't want him as a tengu. Only the most deserving get to be a tengu!"

"Could I be a tengu, Pezock?" she asks hopefully. "You'd make a very good gnome."

Pezock's eyes narrow and he stares down at her. "Hmmmm... Maybe. Eligible candidates are few, but you're certainly closer than any other non-tengu I've ever met."

Pezock goes up to and peers closely at the newly arrived version of Jask. "This is Jask?" he says. He grabs a handful of Jask's long, blonde hair. Jask looks about to protest, but instead sighs.

"It's not even the same hair," Pezock continues. He peers closely into Jask's long, pointed ear. "Ugly ears. Like that one's." He points at Tar'kanas. He then shrugs and turns away from Jask. "Oh well, personally I'd ask to do it over, but if you like it..."

"Well maybe I can make some adjustments to your clothes, Jask." Urza says haltingly. "This is going to take some getting used to for all of us, but we're here for you. All of us."

Use Prestidigitation to help Jask's clothes fit better.

Pezock goes up to and peers closely at the newly arrived version of Jask. "This is Jask?" he says. He grabs a handful of Jask's long, blonde hair. Jask looks about to protest, but instead sighs.

"It's not even the same hair," Pezock continues. He peers closely into Jask's long, pointed ear. "Ugly ears. Like that one's." He points at Tar'kanas. He then shrugs and turns away from Jask. "Oh well, personally I'd ask to do it over, but if you like it..."

"We're not going to do it over," Douena glares at Pezock. "He's just fine the way he is. He's going to go talk to Nethys now, and then he'll feel much better. Nethys likes elves," she says encouragingly to Jask, "or elves like Nethys," she frowns. "Anyway, elves are good at magic. Not as good as gnomes, but...," she quickly changes the subject. "Anyway, I'll bet you could go to Kyonin when we're done with the city. They say the elves have lots of ancient magical secrets there that they never let anyone who's not an elf see. But you could go there and learn all kinds of arcane things you never could have known about before! Only let's go though Sothis first before we go back to Avistan because I still want to see the big beetle." She ushers Jask toward Entelu's hill where he/she can have some privacy with his/her god. "Oh, and he's hungry! Where's the leftover breakfast?"

After sending Jask up the hill with some rations, Douena turns on the others with a scowl. "What's the matter with you?" she hisses. "You'd be okay with Jask coming back as a goblin or a kobold or something, but a girl throws you? Show some enthusiasm! We got Jask back! You're acting like it's still his funeral."

Pezock aka Navior wrote:

"It's not even the same hair," Pezock continues. He peers closely into Jask's long, pointed ear. "Ugly ears. Like that one's." He points at Tar'kanas. He then shrugs and turns away from Jask. "Oh well, personally I'd ask to do it over, but if you like it..."

"We're not going to do it over," Douena glares at Pezock. "He's just fine the way he is..."

Pezock's feathers seem to sag a little at Douena's rebuke, almost as though he's embarrassed. He makes a soft grumbling in his throat but doesn't say anything. Instead, he looks away, taking care not to make eye contact with anyone.

Jask thanks Urza for the clothing adjustments and then allows himself to be ushered up the hill by Douena. "Thank you. I just need a little bit of time," s/he says, sitting down by the tree. "Don't worry. I'll adjust."

Urza considers for a moment. "Yes. It does throw me. As goblin he'd want to play with fire more and kobolds like to dig or set traps, but he'd still be a he. Come on Douena, girls and guys are different. Now he doesn't only have to get used to being an elf. He has to get used to being a woman too. That is a great deal for a guy to wrap his head around. And, him being a girl makes everything different."

"So, we have a few different parts and that makes us more different than a goblin?" Sasha protests. "By that logic, you should replace Douena and me with a goblin and a kobold. It will make the group less different." She scowls and Alton squawks, seemingly echoing her irritation.

Entelu speaks for the first time since Jask's reincarnation concluded. "Your friend has not changed--not in the mind, at least. Nature does not care what you look like on the outside, nor what your particular body parts may be. Nature constituted a body that would be capable of holding your friend's soul and conscience. It has no concerns beyond that. In the end, your friend will be much as you remember him. He is confused at the moment, certainly, but that is only to be expected. A short while ago, he was dead. That is a far greater shock and change than a human to an elf or a man to a woman. His life energy is also weakened and will remain so unless you can magically restore it. However, the person you knew is still there inside his new body's head. That part has not changed. Of course, all experiences do change everyone to some degree, but how much your friend changes from this will depend on your friend, not on the body your friend inhabits."

"No. It makes you more different than a male goblin, Sasha. What if it was you that we brought back. How would things be different if you returned as a dwarven female as opposed to a dwarven male? One question I have is what would that do to you and Lorenz? Assuming you still wanted to be with him, I would think it would be easier for him to become adjusted to having a female dwarf as a partner than a male dwarf."

"It's not even the same hair," Pezock continues. He peers closely into Jask's long, pointed ear. "Ugly ears. Like that one's." He points at Tar'kanas. He then shrugs and turns away from Jask. "Oh well, personally I'd ask to do it over, but if you like it..."

A quizzical look forms on Tar'kanas's face as the tengu trashes him. Figuring him odd anyway, Tar'kanas mentally shrugs it off.

Entelu speaks for the first time since Jask's reincarnation concluded. "Your friend has not changed--not in the mind, at least. Nature does not care what you look like on the outside, nor what your particular body parts may be. Nature constituted a body that would be capable of holding your friend's soul and conscience. It has no concerns beyond that. In the end, your friend will be much as you remember him. He is confused at the moment, certainly, but that is only to be expected. A short while ago, he was dead. That is a far greater shock and change than a human to an elf or a man to a woman. His life energy is also weakened and will remain so unless you can magically restore it. However, the person you knew is still there inside his new body's head. That part has not changed. Of course, all experiences do change everyone to some degree, but how much your friend changes from this will depend on your friend, not on the body your friend inhabits."

"Let us hope he can adjust as he claims. Else, like I mentioned previously, his mind will snap." He states as a matter of fact.

"He's right there, and we're talking about him, or her should Jask choose that, like he's not. Seems rude to me. No one's even asked Mahjik how things went for him while we were seperated." As far as I can tell.

"Makoa's right," Sasha says, looking a little ashamed at her own outburst. "Let's wait to see what Jask does before we start making assumptions about how he has or hasn't changed."

She turns to Mahjik. "So, Mahjik, how did things go when we were separated? You said something about a new contact?"

Urza continues to look worried, but also turns to Mahjik.

Mahjik can reply retroactively if he wishes. I'll just move things on for now.

Jask remains up on the hill for quite some time--well over an hour. Eventually, however, s/he comes back down and sits with the rest of you. "My friends, thank you for everything you've done. I am simply overwhelmed that you have gone to such lengths to bring me back, and I will never forget this. It will take me some time to get used to this new body. There is much that is different. Even the way it sees is new to me. My vision is much clearer, but at the same time, disorienting. I have spent some time praying, and it has helped me clear my mind. Nonetheless, it will still take me a bit of time to adjust fully to this. Please bear with me during this time."

Jask pauses for a moment, then continues, "However, although much has changed physically, mentally, I am still me. I still have all my memories--well, I think I do--and I still have my faith and my spells."

"And your friends."