should probly tell her what we are doing beforehand. but being able to pass as one of her kind would be useful. it would also mean when we get to her city introductions will not be made at spear point.

sketchyquest !50qq4/3dkY 2011/08/01(Mon)01:53 No. 334926 ID: 885ee8
File 131218883816.png - (263.15KB , 720x720 , 51.png )

You choose to exert finer control over your shapeshifting and gain an acidic spit weapon. After focusing, you approach the boulder-blocked entry archway you came through.

The entire archway looks much smaller than you remember it.

sketchyquest !50qq4/3dkY 2011/08/01(Mon)01:55 No. 334929 ID: 885ee8
File 131218893335.png - (358.75KB , 720x720 , 52.png )

Using your new morphic qualities, you manage to slip through the gap between the boulder and the archway.

The hallway seems much smaller than it was on the way in, too. You have to hunch over more than usual, and you still scrape your horns on the ceiling from time to time.

You return to the corridor you left Ivet in, and after a moment of feeling along the wall you manage to find the secret door again.

sketchyquest !50qq4/3dkY 2011/08/01(Mon)01:56 No. 334931 ID: 885ee8
File 131218896165.png - (199.05KB , 720x720 , 53.png )

For a moment you feared you'd return to find Ivet missing, or something else in her place, but she is right where you left her. She seems to be dozing uncomfortably on the stone floor.

sketchyquest !50qq4/3dkY 2011/08/01(Mon)01:56 No. 334932 ID: 885ee8
File 131218897869.png - (255.10KB , 720x720 , 54.png )

Ivet stirs a little when you walk in. "Hm, hey," she says quietly, still half-asleep. "You got bigger." She half-smiles and stretches. "Hm. That sounded bad. Not that you'd know I guess." She yawns and pats the floor in the corner. "C'mere. Get comfortable."

You're not sure what sounded bad about that, but you do like the idea of sleeping next to her. You lean up against the corner of the room and Ivet slumps over on your leg and promptly falls back asleep.

For the first time in centuries, you smile as you drift off to sleep as well.

sketchyquest !50qq4/3dkY 2011/08/01(Mon)01:56 No. 334933 ID: 885ee8
File 131218900274.png - (331.33KB , 720x720 , 55.png )

Your eyes open urgently. There was something important, something you were doing just moments ago, but the memories you were searching for are suddenly a haze. You look up and see Ivet sitting cross-legged on the floor, breathing slowly, her eyes closed.

She opens one eye and looks at you. "Hey. Looks like you slept well. Gimme another minute, I'm almost done."

Looks like she's about ready to start the journey to the surface. What do you do?

>>334933
You need to choose a less startling form. Become a humanoid male, have Ivet critique your form. Remember, there are many advantages to attractiveness. It causes some problems as well, but since you can change shape at will you need not worry about being memorable.

gather your belongings. try to pick up the sword too, to see if the curse applies to you as well. then leave, I guess.

>>334935
Addendum: Do not become a female. There are certain dangers present for unattached females. By becoming a man you protect both her and yourself. Likely problems you can easily overcome, but it's best to choose your battles rather than have them chosen for you.

>>334933
Inspect the cursed sword once more. Reflect upon its shape. The two-horned face upon it looks like you. The Ash Crow looked like you. What are you? To put your likeness on a sword, you would have to be vastly important.

Like a god.

What would you say is the likelyhood that you are the dead god the cultists are talking about? Refused to die, but rather chopped to bits and hidden away in ruins to waste away almost to nothing.

I think we should pay a visit to the cultists, but... we did agree to assist her in some manner. Let's quickly aid her transport and return here. I'm sure at this point you could shapeshift into a form that could carry her and fly swiftly over the desert.

>>334933
If what she said about the metal disks was true, you will wish to bring at least some of them with you. For that, you will likely need some kind of container. Try to arrange something, and bring some of them with you.

Make yourself look like that elf you ate. That ought to work.

We need to test the limits of the shapechanging power. How quickly can we alter our body and how much? Do we need to be of the same mass or weight? Can we alter ourselves to add functional features or would they all be vestigial? I'm guessing considering that we didn't get the upgrade that would give us extra mouths we wouldn't be able to do anything like simply shapechange into a form that had extra mouths. But with our acid spit as well, we're assuming that we 'spit' it from our mouth... would it be possible to change into a form that spat it from elsewhere? Or would we be able to fly, with wings? Let us practice with Ivet as a judge as to how we're doing. She apparently knows some shapechanging type things.

Take an androgynous form, perhaps a mix of the elf and barbarian? There is no need to become anything specific at the moment, only something that won't cause the other creatures of the surface to attack you on sight.

If Ivet was surprised to see you the way you are, then so will everyone else on the surface.

I just had an idea, we could shape ourselves into a container to take the metal disks and the gems with us.

See if you can store some valuables. Like make a honeycomb like pouch where they can be kept without making noise when you move. Maybe you can even integrate some of the coins into a crude subdermal armor so it has some faint use while being carried.

When Ivet is ready you might want to relate what happened during your little hunt:

"I came across a flying creatures not too dissimilar from myself in a room with a throne and broken crown. It tried to eat me while going on about a bone lord and old gods, but instead it ended up being my meal as i outsmarted it in battle. I'm sure there's some history back in that room, but I'm not very fond of riddles and mysteries."

"On a related note I've also regained some malleability i did not know I had. You have some shape shifting abilities of your own didn't you say? Perhaps we can compare our ways?"

Also does Ivet need any food or water?

>335045

It shouldn't be hard to find a bag or a basket or pot or something. This is a ruin, there's always junk like that left everywhere.

Wait for her to finish, then ask her what exactly she was finishing. Seems to be something not quite the same as meat creatures do.

Then test out your shapeshifting, try to look like an unassuming biped such as herself and the elf. Ask for her opinion on your efforts.

sketchyquest !50qq4/3dkY 2011/08/02(Tue)12:16 No. 335495 ID: 885ee8
File 131231257377.png - (200.69KB , 720x720 , 56.png )

As she does...whatever she's doing, you inspect the sword again. It clearly shows the image of a horned bird on the handle, but as you inspect closely, you can find no evidence of a third eye or tentacles on its face. It does, however, remind you of the birds you saw in the dream, the ones ridden by gold men. The sword has gold too, in the central disc. Perhaps, before it was cursed, this was a weapon wielded by one of them? But then, why did you dream of them, if they have nothing to do with you? Surely there is some relevance.

Just to be sure, you gingerly touch the sword with the tip of your tentacle and still feel the quick burning sensation. Well, there goes your hope that the curse went away since the last time you tried.

Ivet exhales audibly and slaps her hands on her legs. "Okay! All ready to go."

"What were you doing?" You ask.

"Kinda hard to explain," she says. "After I get some rest I can just sorta sit and reflect on what I think my needs for the day will be, and how the magic of the natural world could help me meet them, and then I just get inspired with how to make that happen! Afterwards I can cast some spells that have to do with whatever I was thinking about. But then, after I do, it's like I have the spell in my head and then I have to take it out of my head and put it in the real world to make it happen, and I don't have it in my head anymore and I have to get some rest and sit and reflect again. But the best news is, every once in a long while I feel like I get a little better at it, and I can think up more spells or new ones for the day and today was one of the days I could do that!" She stops her rapid gesticulation, inhales, and looks up at you. "I'm rambling again, aren't I?"

"No," you reply, "that's interesting. I also can do some new things today that I couldn't yesterday."

"That's terrifying!" she responds, then laughs. "You're a lot bigger today. I guess you found something to eat? Or, uh, someone?"

"I came across a flying creatures not too dissimilar from myself in a room with a throne and broken crown. It tried to eat me while going on about a bone lord and old gods. Instead it ended up being my meal as I outsmarted it in battle. I'm sure there's some history back in that room, but I'm not very fond of riddles and mysteries. On a related note, I've also regained some malleability I did not know I had. You have some shape shifting abilities of your own, didn't you say? Perhaps we can compare our ways?"

You have a hard time reading her expression for a moment, then she smiles and replies, "Sure! I just sort of focus on the animal I want to be and magic kinda takes over and I change. I've only been able to do it once a day so far, but maybe you're different. Why don't you give it a shot?"

sketchyquest !50qq4/3dkY 2011/08/02(Tue)12:16 No. 335496 ID: 885ee8
File 131231259708.png - (226.13KB , 720x720 , 57.png )

You nod and start to think about animals. Something that would be useful. Something that lives in a desert, something that flies. A vulture comes to mind, and you start to focus on its shape. You start to forcefully compress your massive bulk and you can feel your normally-rigid bones soften as you force them into a new shape.

You sculpt yourself as best you can, and paint your color-changing hide with a vulture's colors. After a few seconds, you think you're done.

"Haha!" Ivet laughs. "A vulture! I can do that one, too. Kinda suits you, I guess. I hope you can do it more than once!"

"I'm pretty sure I can," you say, your voice coming out more raspy than usual. It takes you a little effort to figure out how your legs and wings work, but after a bit of twitching you manage to spread and flap your wings. You utterly fail to lift off the ground. You can still feel your feet planted firmly to the stone floor, even without the stickiness. "I don't think I can fly," you say.

Ivet makes a puzzled noise and walks over to you. She tries to pick you up, but you fail to budge. "Huh," she says, "you're really heavy!" She scratches her head and steps back. "I guess it's not a magical transformation, you're just rearranging your body? But if you're that much smaller, and you weigh the same as you usually do, then you're waaaaay too dense to fly. Maybe it would work if you got bigger." She looks around the small room. "There's probably not enough room in here for that, though." She shrugs. "This is pretty cool though! Let's try some other stuff."

sketchyquest !50qq4/3dkY 2011/08/02(Tue)12:17 No. 335498 ID: 885ee8
File 131231262156.png - (357.88KB , 720x720 , 58.png )

The two of you spend almost an hour experimenting and learning the limits of your new ability. While you can make new mouths, they don't lead anywhere. You can make new eyes, but you can't see out of them unless you get rid of your old ones. You have no trouble creating a hollow space inside yourself to carry all the gold discs and stones, but they make it hard to transform into smaller things. After some finagling, you manage to contain them inside yourself in a way that doesn't make any noise when you walk.

You start to get the hang of it and loosen up, physically and mentally. You try to line yourself in the discs just under your skin as a sort of makeshift armor, but they keep falling out of the little hollow pockets you make for them when you stop thinking about them. Ivet laughs. "Oh man, every time someone hits you, a gold pops out! You're a bandit's dream to fight. At least, until they get eaten." You both laugh at the image, your coarse chortle against Ivet's soft giggle.

A sudden idea strikes you and you force yourself into a humanoid shape. You shift your skin tones to mostly mottled red and cream tones, with some darker browns, and shape yourself as an identical copy of Ivet. You grin at her, and she tries to scowl but winds up smiling anyway. "Hm," she begins, "I've had dreams like this before." Before you can ask her what she means, she pinches your nose. "I don't like this nose," she says, "too round."

"What do you mean," you reply, your voice shooting up from a deep pitch to match Ivet's as you stretch your vocal cords. "It looks just like yours. I like it."

She smiles and looks away. "Thanks," she says, after a pause.

She keeps her gaze averted, staring off into the deep, the smile lingering on her lips, as silence falls between you. You look yourself up and down and suddenly feel a little awkward. "I don't think I like looking like a woman. What kind of man do you think I should look like?"

Ivet stares off into space somewhere down and to your right for a moment. She sighs and looks up at you. "A strong, scary one," she replies.

sketchyquest !50qq4/3dkY 2011/08/02(Tue)12:17 No. 335499 ID: 885ee8
File 131231264081.png - (272.01KB , 720x720 , 59.png )

You shift your form again, thinking back to the barbarian from earlier. Ivet nods. "That'll work."

>>335499
And hey, if you want to scare someone, you just shapeshift a hand into a horrific mess of tentacles and claws!

>>335499
Time to ask her where she wants to go. Continue on to the surface for a surface route to her home or try and get through the depths. I'd advocate the surface route personally, more to eat there I'd think, but it's up to her.

Also, could you detach part of yourself to make a skin umbrella to block the sun for her?

you mean our default form? also we should probably avoid looking exactly like the guy we ate. if we get mistaken for him it would be very awkward.

Yes. Lose the beard. Form an eye patch and more scars. Become thinner and taller.

>>335525
hmm, not that much, just shorten it and change the face a little. most recognition is in the face. think also making the eyes a different color would be god too, but that's all. anyone who knows the guy would remark he looks similar but would notice enough difference to think it's a coincidence.

I wonder when it'll occur to Ivet that you're actually naked as the 'clothes' are just recolored parts of your body.

See if you can seal and re-hide the hidden room. Perhaps you can come back for the sword at some point or send someone to pick it up.

Head for the surface. I hope Ivet has a good way to navigate though. The plan should be to escort Ivet back to her home cave so she can report the loss of her friend and so you can enjoy the sights of civilization. Banking those valuables would also be nice. Maybe you can invest in a farm of some sort?

If the surface is so desertlike then the best form to take might be some sort of narrow long legged creature with a light insulated carapace to keep away the extreme temperatures of both the sun and the ground. Like a monster camel. Or maybe Ivet knows of something even better. I guess she can transform into birds.

>>335498
>You look yourself up and down and suddenly feel a little awkward. "I don't think I like looking like a woman. What kind of man do you think I should look like?"
Huh. Since when do we have a gender identity, masculine or otherwise? We don't seem to have any kind of sexual organs. In fact, our anatomy seems extremely minimal in general. And without that, what difference does appearing male or female make?

Actually, even with one, since when are we socially sensitive enough to give a crap what our outward appearance looks like? The only effect that appearing male or female will have on us is how others perceive us, after all, so if we care about it it's logically because we care what others think of us. Or if that was just an excuse to change forms, what about our mentality makes us inclined to feel awkward in Ivet's shape? She didn't seem to respond negatively to it, so what's the problem?

Our actions are evincing different thought patterns that I would have expected from us, and this demands further analysis.


>the barbarian from earlier
It is a bad idea to imitate those we have consumed without a specific purpose in doing so. Change the face to look very different and body shape significantly; since Ivet has requested that you look strong and scary, get larger- by five or six inches- and broader, more thick-looking, like a massive tank of a man. Try adding something that looks like armor to your torso, and maybe imitation sheathed weaponry to your back- a large axe should work.

Though honestly, I think looking strong and scary is the wrong play. It'll make anyone inclined to attack you try to target and eliminate you immediately. I'd say that trying to look mostly harmless so they underestimate you and you can surprise them with a sudden shift into full attack mode would be a better move.

>>335560
>I'd say that trying to look mostly harmless so they underestimate you and you can surprise them with a sudden shift into full attack mode would be a better move.
Appearing unarmed will do that well enough, even if we look physically strong. But it would make us look like at least a potential threat, so any surprise attacks will more likely be directed at us instead of the girl. Besides, Ivet wants us to look like a big imposing male, so why not just go with that?

I agree that you shouldn't look like someone who actually exists. otherwise, I don't care what you look like. just change your identity and go surfaceways.

>>335560
Compare.
>>327979
>>335499

She likes big and scary? Sounds like she's talking about us.
>>335560
Why would something with such variable physiology need external sex organs? For all we know all those tentacles are dicks waiting to happen.

sketchyquest !50qq4/3dkY 2011/08/07(Sun)03:23 No. 337574 ID: 885ee8
File 131271259386.png - (268.73KB , 720x720 , 60.png )

You begin to think it might be a bad idea to base your appearance on the barbarian from earlier, in case you encounter anyone he knew. But, you are much taller and wider than he was, and you're sure you couldn't have gotten the details of his face exactly right. You have only an impression of the face you're trying to copy; you could only copy Ivet exactly because you were looking at her when you transformed.

"Actually," Ivet begins, "you could probably use something that looks like armor, and your hips are a little wide. Maybe some kind of weapon, too? Could you make a sword or something?"

"I could, but it would be made of flesh and bone, and would be fairly brittle from being overextended. Perhaps some sort of weapon that attaches to my arm?"

The two of you spend a few more minutes tweaking your appearance until you find one that is suitable and easy to hold over a long period. Giving the room a quick once-over to make sure you collected all the coins and stones, and leaving the cursed sword behind, the two of you leave and shut the secret door behind you.

sketchyquest !50qq4/3dkY 2011/08/07(Sun)03:23 No. 337575 ID: 885ee8
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You don't know the specific way out, but you know which direction the elf and human came from earlier, and you and Ivet head in that direction. You ask her about the place she comes from as you walk.

"Oh, it's nice. Huge, and wet, and shady, and green. Weird for a desert, I know, but Mother Oasis keeps it cool for us. There are lots of trees and bushes and vines and plants and animals and it's always nice and misty, and there are these four rivers that go through town and down underground. I was trying to follow a river upstream to find my home again when I ran into you, but I think I got turned around somewhere. That might have been one of those natural rivers or something, because I swear I was hiking and hiding for days. Anyway, Mother Oasis is sort of like the queen I guess, and she makes sure everything is orderly, and she has these sorta priesty knight type things who patrol the city and make sure everyone behaves. I mean as much as you can expect a city full of Fey to behave anyway, it gets pretty crazy sometimes anyway."

She goes on for a bit as you begin to hear the sounds of wind through the tunnels up ahead. You pass several doors along the side, and can even hear some small movements deep within some of them, but you can clearly tell the shortest path back to the surface. You walk for quite a while through corridors and up staircases, listening to Ivet's pleasant rambling, until you finally see a stairway leading up into the daylight.

sketchyquest !50qq4/3dkY 2011/08/07(Sun)03:23 No. 337576 ID: 885ee8
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As the two of you step out into the open air, you see the sky for the first time you remember. The sun, shimmering and orange, casts a fading light on the surrounding cloudless sky. On the opposite end of the horizon, stars are starting to appear in the indigo haze.

sketchyquest !50qq4/3dkY 2011/08/07(Sun)03:24 No. 337577 ID: 885ee8
File 131271267142.png - (304.12KB , 720x720 , 63.png )

Before you, dead ahead, you can see a grey-and-white cloud perched on the sandy dunes, the only indication of moisture visible in any direction. Ivet points to it.

"Wow, I didn't realize we were that far away," she says.

"Your homeland is beyond that cloud?" you ask.

"No, no. My homeland IS that cloud," she responds.

sketchyquest !50qq4/3dkY 2011/08/07(Sun)03:25 No. 337578 ID: 885ee8
File 131271271052.png - (42.22KB , 720x720 , 64.png )

END part 1. In the meantime, "Sketchyquest" will no longer do as a name. You guys have had long enough to get the gist of where the quest is headed, please choose another.

well, you can probably get down (or up in fact) this rock a LOT faster then anyone else.

[spoiler] name is... revival? old gods? something something, tentacle-monster and a monster girl?

The Fae and the Forgotten

Ancient Quest

VikQuest?

Elder Quest?

What about just Forgotten?

>>337634
I like it. :3

AintGotTimeToChewQuest.
Alternatively NomNomQuest.

>>337634
HEY EVERYZIG WHAT'S THAT QUEST CALLED WITH THE VIK GUY IN IT
>Forgotten.
OH NO WORRIES I'LL ASK SOMEONE ELSE THEN

Master punch: The Deathquest chronicles

Vik the Forgotten, or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Sapient Food

Stream-of Consciousness Ideas:

Renacor, Renascence > Nascence, Renacim, Fractimus, Fracta, Animtas, Dearth (Durth), Fluxis, Scindon, Expise, Somnu, Uthyia, Onstrum, Secu, Fractus, Sattir, Partus.

Blah blah blee blah latin-sounding words blah.