A fireside chat with... Chat & Ande

[DM Bob]

Please post here.

[Deleted]

Chat'cho shuffles in place, shifting her weight around before lowering her body to the ground. She's quite enjoyed the two months out of danger, and has almost forgotten what it's like to be in life-or-death situations. Not helping her complacency is the fact that she was not present for the large battle scenes the others encountered, and has so far served as little more than a chaplain reviving the fallen crew of the Messenger. As a result, she has had a rather carefree view of the adventuring life so far. Now, she speaks to Ande in the language she hopes she has helped to teach in order to ensure she's strong with its use.

[Tohr-Kreen] "I am lucky to have succeeded in the enchanting of this Gythka. Near-useless to me before, for I am not a warrior, now it allows me to disappear from sight and sound at will. It should certainly aid in keeping me safe. However, though I am pleased with it, it is not the primary focus of my attention as of late. I believe Oronis has seen fit to reward me with a peculiar item."

She tugs the small pear out of her satchel, turning it over and over in her hands before offering it to Ande.

[Tohr-Kreen] "I believe it will reverse the age of the eater by a handful of years. While insignificant for most, I have only been alive for six years. If I eat the whole thing, I may be reduced to an egg or larvae. If I eat half of it, I may relive nearly half of my life so far. This may be beneficial, for as you know I have thus far failed to claim a mate, and it is more seemly for one of three or four years to be without a mate than it is for me to lack one at six. To this end, I have devised a spell that will inform me whether or not an individual has produced larvae. As offspring are the result of mating, the spell should assist me in the task of identifying available individuals, that I might better identify my prospects."

She clicks her mandibles a few times, knitting the bottom pair of her four arms.

[Tohr-Kreen] "I do not know if it will be enough. The task seems nearly insurmountable. I fear that, regardless of what I do, I will be the last of my clutch. I am unsure whether or not I should eat the fruit--is it wise to take such risks?"

[AthasianLaborer]

Nov 2, 2023 1:36:05 GMT @arkinneas said:

Chat'cho shuffles in place, shifting her weight around before lowering her body to the ground. She's quite enjoyed the two months out of danger, and has almost forgotten what it's like to be in life-or-death situations. Not helping her complacency is the fact that she was not present for the large battle scenes the others encountered, and has so far served as little more than a chaplain reviving the fallen crew of the Messenger. As a result, she has had a rather carefree view of the adventuring life so far. Now, she speaks to Ande in the language she hopes she has helped to teach in order to ensure she's strong with its use.

[Tohr-Kreen] "I am lucky to have succeeded in the enchanting of this Gythka. Near-useless to me before, for I am not a warrior, now it allows me to disappear from sight and sound at will. It should certainly aid in keeping me safe. However, though I am pleased with it, it is not the primary focus of my attention as of late. I believe Oronis has seen fit to reward me with a peculiar item."

[Tohr-Kreen] "My friend, you should be proud of your accomplishment! It was a fine tool to begin with, made only finer by your handiwork

Nov 2, 2023 1:36:05 GMT @arkinneas said:

She tugs the small pear out of her satchel, turning it over and over in her hands before offering it to Ande.

[Tohr-Kreen] "I believe it will reverse the age of the eater by a handful of years. While insignificant for most, I have only been alive for six years. If I eat the whole thing, I may be reduced to an egg or larvae. If I eat half of it, I may relive nearly half of my life so far. This may be beneficial, for as you know I have thus far failed to claim a mate, and it is more seemly for one of three or four years to be without a mate than it is for me to lack one at six. To this end, I have devised a spell that will inform me whether or not an individual has produced larvae. As offspring are the result of mating, the spell should assist me in the task of identifying available individuals, that I might better identify my prospects."

She clicks her mandibles a few times, knitting the bottom pair of her four arms.

[Tohr-Kreen] "I do not know if it will be enough. The task seems nearly insurmountable. I fear that, regardless of what I do, I will be the last of my clutch. I am unsure whether or not I should eat the fruit--is it wise to take such risks?"

[Tohr-Kreen] "It will do precisely that, it is fruit of the same kind of tree we gifted to J'lact. Why do you fret so? The magic of the fruit does not erase what you know, simply the effects of time on your body. If you should be returned to a physically dependent stage of development, I will ensure that care is provided for you. When you age back into maturity, you will be better placed to succeed with added years of psychological maturity; and if you should continue to be unsuccessful, there's always the Tondi to the north of the Crimson Savannah. They're an all female clutch who produce all female offspring, I learned of them from divinations when I was in J'eztere. I will endeavor to see you have the same success in finding a suitable mate as I have. Yes, I knew that the nuance of Aarakocra courtship rituals was to be lost on everyone else and I even thought that the significance might be lost on Ser-Gon-Evauth, but he signaled acceptance to me. I couldn't ask for a more suitable monogamous life partner!"

[Deleted]

Chat'cho seems to take the concept of seeking a mate among the Tondi as quite possibly one of the most ridiculous things she's ever heard--at least, at first.

[Tohr-Kreen] "What? The Tondi are all female? They must be peculiar Tohr indeed. I cannot fathom the prospect of having a female as my mate--such is anathema to me. However, it is becoming more and more clear that my prospects with the more conventional Kreen of the great empire are degrading by the day. I daresay not a soul in Nirik-Tohr contemplated me for even a moment, such was their dismissive instincts. I cannot blame them--Once, I regarded the prospect of selecting a mate from outside of my own kind with the greatest disgust. However, you must understand that the years of desperate solitude has a way of eroding one's standards. A week ago, I would not have even considered what you propose."

She produces a low, droning hum for a moment, rearranging her multitude of limbs as if their current positions somehow displease her. Chat'cho angles her head to peer at Ande's wings.

[Tohr-Kreen] "Now, however, is a different matter entirely. I have discovered that the comet that appears over our world once every many lifetimes is, in fact, a flying rock piloted by sleepers. By now, it is clear that these are strange times, and strange times make for strange bedfellows. The idea is quite peculiar to me, but it is obvious that my prospects with the more conventional Tohr are poor indeed. If it is my best option, I suppose I shall heed your advice and seek to couple with one of these peculiar females. Will you take me to see them? Their lands must be far indeed, further than my legs will allow me to range in months, and I cannot arrange magical transport to a place I do not know."

[AthasianLaborer]

[Tohr-Kreen] "I would gladly take you there if that is what you wish, though I would advise patience as well.  In light of the gift you have recieved, you are being given a second chance at a successful pairing, if only you exercise some patience.  Even then, it may require less patience than you think, it might age you perfectly and if it doesn't, I will see you are cared for until you mature again.  We could enhance your timing with divinations perhaps unless you wish to go immediately?"

[Deleted]

[Tohr-Kreen] "If you do not believe it is wise to go at once, I will defer to your judgement. It is your efforts, of course, that have brought me this information in the first place. I owe you a great deal. What would you propose I do? Eat half of it and see if I am returned to an appropriate mating age? I warn you, it may make me a lesser ally to you in times of trouble or danger, but I should accompany you regardless of how young I become. I know nothing of these Tondi besides what you have told me of them. Is it wise to seek them out immediately? Would you wish me to do so?"

She shifts her balance from one side to the other, the chitin of her body quietly creaking with her weight.

[Tohr-Kreen] "I should like to hear what you believe is most likely to bring me success."

[AthasianLaborer]

[Tohr-Kreen] "I would accept the physical renewal in whole were I in your shoes, especially considering that we can potentially guide these outcomes with magic.  Perhaps I could divine the best Moment to consume the fruit in hopes of your desired end?  There are methods for Choosing one's Future, perhaps this would be of assistance too?  You seem interested in traditional outcomes, so take this chance to pursue that once more and should it not work out for you, it gives us more time to learn of the Tondi.  As I said, it is no burden to to watch you grow again if it should come to that"

[Deleted]

Chat'cho clasps her arms together, swaying delightedly from side to side.

[Tohr-Kreen] "You do right by me. I am quite blessed to have you for my acquaintance, mate-in-another-shape. If only I had been one of your kind, my troubles should have ended long ago, yes? I believe the age that would be most fortuitous would be the late stages of the fourth year, or the early stages of the fifth year, for it is at this time that sexual maturity completes and mates are usually chosen. Of the two, late fourth is more desirable, considering it will allow me several extra months to maneuver before I again become too old to appropriately advertise myself. If you wish to work your magic to aid me in this process, I will graciously accept your aid."

[AthasianLaborer]

[Tohr-Kreen] "I can tell you when the Moment is correct, but only you can Choose your Future" 

@bob
Moment gives a +20%, could it potentially be a 20% chance of being the exact age Chat'cho desires and maybe tighten the range to 3, 4 or 5?

Choose Future for two chances to choose from?

[Deleted]

Chat'cho shakes her head.

[Tohr-Kreen] "This will not work as you suspect, I fear. However, my spellcasting abilities have grown greatly. After I change, if I am too young or too old, I can cast Reverse Time and eat it over again, which would allow me another chance. Would you see me do this here?"

[AthasianLaborer]

[Tohr-Kreen] "Go for it!"

[Deleted]

Chat'cho, using a small knife, cuts the potion-fruit provided by Oronis in two, selecting one of two portions in a free hand. She lets go of the knife, allowing it to quietly clatter to the floor, before scrutinizing the half of the fruit with some curiosity. She stares at her friend for a long moment before eating it, briefly crunching up the fruit in her mandibles before she swallows it.

A moment passes, during which nothing seems to occur.

Then, a great crunching and cracking of chitin ensues as Chat'cho's body noisily reshapes itself. She seems to shrink down into her exoskeleton, as if it is now too large for her. Her internal body produces a sickly squeezing and snapping sound as her innards' connection to her exoskeleton severs, now too small to occupy it. A great cacophony of squeaking and scratching ensues as her shell becomes more like a prison for a moment as Chat'cho's body shrinks, but it isn't long before the process ends. With some difficulty, Chat'cho claws herself free of her old exoskeleton, now lying much like a corpse upon the ground. She looks almost exactly as she did before--but significantly smaller. As she was a moment ago, Chat'cho was 11 feet long, but now she's only nine feet long, a significant difference. Her body appears wet and soft at first, but before Ande's eyes it hardens into a smaller exoskeleton to protect her new--or rather old--size.

Squealing softly, she shifts around, trying to get a look at herself. [Tohr-Kreen] "How long am I, Ande? How long am I? Measure me, please!"

[AthasianLaborer]

Ande would carefully measure Chat'cho as precisely as she can.

[Tohr-Kreen] "You do seem to have shed a number of years.  I knew this would be a boon for you!  We will make sure to find proper suitors for you in the meantime.  It is good to know there's a backup plan, but we will seek to ensure that it is unnecessary to resort to it.". Ande would be obviously elated by the turn of events.

[Deleted]

Chat'cho takes a few wobbly steps, carefully moving around. Her claws and mandibles seem notably smaller than they were before [Unarmed Attack damage decreases from 1d4/1d4+1 to 1d3/1d3] but the rest of her seems mostly unchanged. After a few moments of taking it in, she turns to Ande, her head cocked to one side meekly.

[Tohr-Kreen] "It would seem I have regressed to the young adult stage. I no longer feel the reproductive urges--I am a child again; my eggs are not fertile. In a few months, they shall be again. I can still seek a mate in the meantime, but I will not be able to breed for some time. It seems fortune is with me. I would like to see these 'Tondi' of which you speak as soon as it is feasible, if you do not require my aid otherwise."

[AthasianLaborer]

[Tohr-Kreen] "If meeting with the Tondi is what you want, then I will begin the process and keep you informed on any developments as they occur."

Using her newly acquired Tohr-Kreen <Ping J'lact "How are things going in Nirik friend?  I trust the hunt has improved some yes?  It is my intention to return soon and perhaps venture farther north than before.  It is imperative that I make diplomatic contacts with Tondi for the success of my current interests.  Oh, yes before I forget, are there any meats you prefer for your hunt?  I will be sure to acquire some more for you before I return if you kindly tell me what they are.">