Lessons In Shapeshifting (Open)

[Yeti]

ooc: Open to any character who can maybe help my character with shapeshifting/glamour troubles.

Tricky thing, glamours. In all 4000 years the Fourtrees Fae had records for, they had made a point to never use them. Fiero wagered he was the first in many centuries. It was a considerable honor he supposed, the first anthropologist of his kind - and he was very proud to be the first - but maintaining the illusion of a human countenance was hard. Twice he had nearly poofed back into his true form. Once it didn't even take iron to make him buckle!

So a little practice couldn't hurt.

Fiero had picked out a small, secluded patch of forest outside of Seren. Guarded by a range of vigilant dandelions (though he doubted anyone would come this way), he curled and uncurled an insectile hand, trying to feel the skin that ebbed and stretched over his exoskeleton before his eyes. It didn't hurt but it certainly looked like it would. He'd done it so many times, yet still expected pain.

Willing the illusion magic forward, Fiero's antennae curled down, thinning out into strands of hair. His small carapace was stretching up like a stick bug, clothing sprouting out like a layer of old molt. His extra arms crossed over each other, disappearing into thin air. He reached a near-perfect halfway point, in-between human and moth. It was such a strange point, but thankfully it'd be over soon...

One of his dandelions cried out, sending a telepathic jolt that made Fiero stumble and trip on his still-developing shoes. The shoes soon deteriorated back into bug-legs.

Oh. Crumbs.

[SanguineBladez]

Zalbos buzzed through thick forest, eager to reach Moonspear before the next moon. He had shapeshifted into a bee as to not raise suspicion. Now at almost full strength, he was able to morph without much trouble, after intently studying a beehive for 2 days. Much to his dismay, he had been stung a couple of times in the process. However it was worth it as he was making great speed through the Highlands of Serendipity, only a few days away from Moonspear in the riverlands.
He was buzzing along gaily, until he sensed it.

Magic.

Bloody magic.

He hoped it was a human practicing it so he could tear apart it's puny skull. One less stupid mage in the world. Mages had destroyed his world 12000 years ago. He would destroy theirs.
As he neared the source of the magic, he transformed midair into his hulking silver form, hurtling towards the emanating flow of magicka.
He thudded to the ground a few inches short of a line of screaming flowers. His gaze lifted to a small flying thing in a disfigured pose.
One thought raced through his mind.

What..the... f***... is that?

[Yeti]

Dandelions were struggling to pry their roots out of the soil, an attempt at defending the steadily shrinking fairy. They made it about halfway out before dropping, floundering useless in the grass. So much for a viable alarm system, Fiero thought, Next time I'm picking tubers.

A loud thud sent the fairy back to the ground as quickly as he had tried to stand back up. Shrugging off the dizziness of his harsh landing, along with the feeling of his glamour magic confusing his body for silly putty, he looked up.

Oh.

Whoever the behemoth in front of him was, he looked like he meant business. He was rippling with muscle, easily towering over Fiero (especially since Fiero was currently in the process of shrinking). He was lucky that the beast-man seemed just as perplexed as he was. Which made sense. He probably looked like a freak of nature right about now.

"Uh, hold on a minute. Before you eat me or kill me..." His nervous voice fluttered as he fumbled with his magic, cancelling the glamour as quickly as he could. Antennae rushed back up and his face soon exploded into fuzz and eyes. Changing back into his true form, he rambled on. "Um, this isn't what it looks like. I was just sort of practicing. I'm usually much better at this sort of sport, honestly."

Fiero seemed more embarrassed than terrified.

[SanguineBladez]

Zalbos pried himself from the mossy ground, and stared at the creature as it flopped and flounced, struggling to do... something... shapeshifting? Surely not. That was a dead art, he thought. He racked his memory, trying to think whether he knew what this odd flying creature was. A butterfly? A giant moth?
Zalbos noticed a dandelion crawling up his leg, smacking it's roots against his giant foot. He emitted a deep, threathening growl, and kicked the flower off of him.

"Eat you? I'm pretty sure if I ate you I'd still be very, very hungry. You're not worth the effort. Such a small thing. What were you doing anyway? I've um... seen it happen before. Kind of."

[Yeti]

Fiero flicked one of his upper limbs and the dandelions ceased their wriggling, their semi-sentience having been cut off in one fluid dispel of magic. At least that was one thing the fairy appeared to be good at.

"Oh I was um, well..." Hearing that he wasn't about to be squashed just yet, Fiero stood up tentatively on his bottom legs, dusting himself off. "Trying to disguise myself."

He paused, unsure if that meant anything to the giant.

"Glamour is sort of difficult for me. I don't have much to go off of you see. My colony doesn't really do illusions or shapeshifting so this whole process is quite experimental." His wings twitched and he absent-mindedly rubbed his lower pair of hands together - an anxious habit. "Can't really get the hang of the human form. But it's very important for me to do that. Everyone's counting on me to hold this form for hours and hours but it's so... so fragile. I suppose you don't really know what I mean, unless you do?"

[SanguineBladez]

Zalbos chucked to himself as he witnesses the creature perform such a miniscule piece of magic.
"Disguise yourself? What you were doing definitely wasn't disguising... more like making a fool of yourself, am I right?"
Zalbos focused for a second, and popped immediately into the guise of a young woman. In a fair and feminine voice he spoke.
"Easily enough done. If you've got the magic I've got. I don't know much about shapeshifting naturally, but if you've got the guts, and the need is enough, I can help you. See, I'm from a place now known as Fell. You may have heard of it. The curse? I'm from the nation long ago, I'd be blasted if I could remember the name of it. It's been too long. I can't recall much of the place, only the parts that everyone knows already. I have the gift of chaos magic. Now most would call it a curse and rightfully stay away from the place, but it hasn't done me much trouble yet. If you're up for it, all I must do is place but a finger on your flesh, and you'll have the magic too. One catch. If you say yes, you have to show me the way to a place called Moonspear. There I plan to rid myself of the curse , before it becomes my undoing. You could come along if you should desire, rid youtself of the curse if you so choose to have me inflict it upon you. Once we are done with this. Know this though. To be able to shift into whatever form you wish, you first have to study your target. Inside and out. Takes a lot of concentration and knowledge to perfectly morph into a variety of things." Zalbos grinned.
"What do you say?"

[Yeti]

Taking in all of what the not-currently-a-giant said, Fiero wrung both sets of hands, unsure what to do. It was a lot honestly to hear all at once. "That's a, um, tall order. I've not been to Fell, or Moonspear for that matter. Not that I wouldn't mind going, as I'm sure it's an interesting place."

But this was a complete stranger. His display of magic baffled Fiero, as it had seemed so seamless a transformation from his intimidating form to this human woman. Fiero couldn't imagine being able to glamour so efficiently.

"...If you could assist me to learn how to glamour - perhaps without chaos magic if you can help it - I can continue on my mission to learn of the human populace and produce for you a map and safe passage to Moonspear. Though I'm sure your power is quite great, much has changed since the days of Fell. It'd be worthy for us both to know better of humanity to perfectly traverse undetected."

Although the fuzz over his insectile mouth covered any expression, it felt as though the fairy was smiling hopefully.

[SanguineBladez]

"I can try", Zalbos chuckled. "Just don't touch me, and you're set."
Zalbos smiled wickedly. Casually, he (disguised as a she) sidled over to a nearby tree, picked off a forest gecko, and dangled it in his hands.
"The first thing you must understand with the art of shapeshifting is that... shapeshifting is one of those energy practices that is less difficult to accomplish than say, finding your inner self. That is, still no menial task. You must focus on your inner self first, in order to accomplish the easier task. Completely relax your mind, and let your spirit come to the forefront. Ground yourself with a connection to the earth. Believe. Find a place in yourself you can truly be comforted, no matter the circumstance. Then think. Think all you can about your quarry. Do this, and focus hard on the pattern, the spiritualistic vibrations emanating from this gecko. I will watch."
Zalbos, in an instant, shrunk to the ground, transformed into an exact replica of the reptile now scurrying away in confusion. He looked at the creature, and lay an elbow across a small twig, a tiny smug expression on his face.

[Yeti]

Alright. Don't touch. Easy enough to remember. Fiero would mark that down in his mental notes. He watched the 'human' shrink down into the shape of a gecko, its smug face peering up at him as he ran over what his newfound shifting mentor had told him. It was a lot of notes to take in for a first step. Could he even manage another form besides the carefully concocted glamour he'd made? It'd taken months to come up with. Fiero steadied himself.

Think of a gecko. Be a gecko.

A place he felt safe. A deep connection to the ground. Roots. Plants. His magic stirred and flowed with the thought of that. Cozy and glowing, it wanted to cast.

Taverns. Gardens. A nice little alcove in a tree decorated in wildflowers. Pollen everywhere.

Fiero sneezed.

Ok he was thinking a little too deeply maybe. Or was he not thinking deep enough?

Be a gecko. Scaly, pebbly. Little grooves in the fingers for climbing. Tiny claws that scrabbled along the forest floor.

His wings twitched.

"Is uh, anything happening?" He asked. His hands felt a little tingly, but he wasn't sure if that was magic at work or just his brain tricking him.

[SanguineBladez]

Zalbos clapped excitedly and croaked emphatically. Then he changed into his regular form.
"Oops. Sorry. Can't talk as a gecko. Look. Your fingers are tightening. You're doing it! A level 1 glamour! Human form is a level 7 glamour. Start here and you will go far."

Zalbos then was hit with a vision of the past.

Zalbos sat, dining with his lover, Ermalda, ravenously downing a huge steak.
"Slow down, Zalbos. You'll get a bellyache again, and this time I won't be so sympathetic."
"Ha. Just like the time you almost choked on your nolanberries?"
They laughed together, happy as could be.
Well for now.
Suddenly, an almost invisible breeze cut through the air. Zalbos could feel his body aching painfully. He saw a look of terror in his partners eyes. And he blacked out

Zalbos felt woozy, and collapsed.

[Yeti]

"I-I am?" Feeling absolutely giddy at this development, he observed his topmost pair of hands which seemed caught between a mix of insectile chitin and slowly multiplying ridges. "Ah, you must be right! You must be- oh, Sir?"

After a hasty dispell, Fiero fluttered upwards a couple feet off the ground, moving to hover over the suddenly prone body of his newfound acquaintance. This was unexpected. He was already motioning to try nudging him when he remembered the giant's words and withheld touching his arm. "Ah-ah Fiero... Can't accidentally curse myself. I'm sure that wouldn't help any."

He resolved to grab a long thread of grass.

Holding it in his arms, Fiero willed it to wriggle out of his grip. It landed on the giant's shoulder, and began to poke incessantly.

"Are you alright? Hmm, perhaps if this doesn't work, water may do the trick... I hear cool liquids have the tendency to waken the heaviest of sleepers..." He was thinking aloud now, with the giant unable to respond at the moment.

[SanguineBladez]

Zalbos awoke slowly, giggling like a little girl with the sliver of grass dancing over his skin. He regained his composure when he realised what he was doing.
"Don't do that", he grumbled. "You didn't touch me did you? Oh ho ho I'd hope not. For your sake. Anyway, never mind that. Just a little flashback is all. Continue?"

[Yeti]

"Not directly no! I remembered." Fiero backpedaled to the center of the grove again. He was a little shocked to see his method work immediately. It must happen to him frequently, he thought. If he can open his eyes so quickly after collapsing like that... Maybe it's a brand of narcolepsy.

He'd mull over the possible reasons for sudden flashbacks later. For now, he was eager to learn more from this kind stranger!

"Yes. Let's continue!" He rubbed both sets of hands together, "My hands were spiny for a second there I think. Course now my concentration's off and well, they're less so now. How do you manage to hold a form for long?"

[SanguineBladez]

"Practice. That's all it is", Zalbos muttered, shaking his head to clear his troubled thoughts. The more you practice the specific form you're attempting to mimic, the faster and longer you'll be able to perform it. I'll show you an example."
Zalbos closed his eyes, and thought of a horse. He went down on all fours, and his arms and legs became thinner and slightly longer. They started growing hair. Then they stopped. His teeth became crooked and awry, and a tail about 5 inches long sprouted from his rear. Then he poofed back into his normal form.
"That one, I've only tried twice."
Then, almost perfectly, he transformed into a massive dragon.
In a deep, growling voice he boomed, "I just had to try this one
I love dragons! Took 4 weeks of solid practice on an old dragon skeleton I found in the Thunderblacks one time." He breathed a tiny jet of flames to enunciated his expression, and once again changed to his normal visage.

"Practice, my dear. Oh, I don't think we've exchanged names. I'm Zalbos. Bringer of Judgement. So called because I hunt and kill mages."

He smiled.

[Yeti]

The attempt at a horse, Fiero took remarkably well. It reminded him a little of his own attempt just now. Though he thought a little longer and it would've worked out just fine. Maybe. He was 65% sure.

Dragon-Zalbos made him scoot back as far as possible, shrinking against the base of a tree for a moment before he waded back out into the clearing. He had to remind himself it was still his acquaintance. "Very convincing!" He clapped both sets of hands as the dragon transformed back into a giant.

"Fantastic meeting you, Zalbos." The fairy bowed, "I am Fiero Underwing, of the Four Trees Colony. Ambassador and anthropologist."

"I must say you're quite good at this transforming business." He added quickly, rising up with a flourish. "My kind haven't glamoured in centuries, if ever! We're an isolated sort, unfortunately. Course, it'd be easier to collect observational data for glamour if I were able to observe humans in my native form- Wait, killing mages? What do you mean by that?"

[SanguineBladez]

Zalbos chucked. "You have nothing to worry about. Human mages are my target. They were the ones that destroyed Fell. Stupid, feeble, weak minded humans. I'm one myself. But unlike those mages long ago who meddled with magics they knew they shouldn't, I only use my magic for good. They ruined our civilization. Their chaos magic killed my lover. You're fine though. Enough of that. Let us carry on."

[Yeti]

"Ah, I suppose that's alright then." Not that it really sat well with Fiero that Zalbos was a human-killer. It was sort of the antithesis of Fiero's mission for humans to be killed. He only hoped that perhaps his acquaintance was meaning those with cruel intentions rather than the overall population.

Indeed, Zalbos had mentioned he was human before. A former human would not senselessly murder others of his long-removed kind without any reason?

Fiero realized a full minute had passed since he'd said anything, an awkward pause hanging in the air as he'd been mulling over his thoughts regarding the giant. How rude of him to leave him hanging.

"Yes, let's carry on. Maybe we could focus on passing as human? The human form is something I have struggled with, but it's also the most important sort of form I need to do my job as ambassador..."

[SanguineBladez]

Zalbos shifted back out of his towering dragon form and smiled at Fiero.
"Well, in order to do that, you've got to not be noticed by the humans, right? So first we will need you to morph into that gecko again, and I could carry you in my pocket. I really don't care about the looks I'll get. I'm used to it. We could go to Coloney Valley, meet a human, knock him out, stufy his form. Sound like a plan?"

[Yeti]

"Well, I suppose if we're just knocking him out for compliant observation and not harming him..." Fiero nodded. "Okay. For the purposes of research, I will do my best."

The process of disguising himself as a gecko was a grueling one. He had to remember the gecko who'd previously scurried away and get back into the mindset of becoming it. Slowly, the pebbly texture returned to his hands, and his abdomen fashioned itself into a tail. As eyelids developed and his mouth became visible, it was obvious that the fairy was concentrating hard, his eyes squeezed tightly and reptilian lips pursed.

Eventually, Fiero managed it. Although his gecko-self seemed quite off (green and purple patterns that resembled his true form and an extra pair of legs he'd forgotten to hide), he'd gotten the structural part down.

The gecko-Fiero looked up, wide mouth opening in a huge grin.

[SanguineBladez]

"There we go." Zalbos picked up the gecko very carefully and popped him above his open mouth. Then he laughed. "Just joking!"

The hours to Coloney Valley passed uneventful.

Zalbos strolled up to the open gates of the small village. The guard eyed hjm suspicuously, then lowered his spear at the huge man.
"What is your business here?" He questioned.
"I am here to buy some leather. Sword grip has frayed." Zalbos gestured to his sword.
"And why do you have a sword?"
Zalbos blinked twice. "Because I can?"
"Alright, you're coming with me," the man ordered.
"I haven't done anything."
"You threatened me with that sword. GUARDS!"
Half a dozen men scampered from seemingly nowhere and arrested Zalbos. He was taken to the watch house, with Fiero hiding in his clothes.