A Drow's Dilemma Ep. 73: Rebirth

The next day dawned; R.I.S.A. was ready to help again. Caleldir, Selene, Ungrai, and Althaia relocated into her dimension to begin the actual ritual casting. Which was less sitting around chanting and more like construction and art, so a lot more running around and careful sculpting than holding hands around a circle of candles. The casting would probably take a little over 24 hours, all told. It would have been much shorter, but they were effectively inventing an all new magic that had never really been done before by mortals, so it ended up being incredibly involved.

Faust sat in a corner and didn't really pay attention to the things they were constructing. It was, after all, his final hours to get some good contemplation in before being reincarnated. He didn't imagine he'd have much time to himself after he was alive again. There was just too much work to do.

R.I.S.A., of course, even at partial power was the heavy lifter of the group, but she was too servile to force her own opinions. She simply tended to agree with and and advise Caleldir. She took a great delight in watching him work, noting that it was like observing her own creation, in a way. She then sweetly called Caleldir 'Father' which made him feel incredibly uncomfortable, given his relationship with her alter ego.

It ended up that Althaia and Caleldir had a lot of debate between them on how best to approach the project. Althaia seemed to mostly want to make sure that 'Phanuel' was good looking, and argued aesthetics, while Caleldir wanted to pimp his special abilities. Caleldir then fussed that Althaia's idea of 'good-looking' was going to turn 'Phanuel' into a clone of himself (which was flattering that that was what Althaia was attracted to, but awkward) while Althaia tried to reel back in Caleldir's enthusiasm for 'all of the powers.'

In the end, they came to agreement on everything, and managed to work the project to their mutual satisfactions. They both would have preferred having Faust take a more active role in the design process, but he seemed more interested in moping. It seemed that being dead did not agree with him, which both Caleldir and Althaia, who had spent varying amounts of time (both longer than Faust) being dead, found to be a bit whiny.

At last, Caleldir pulled Faust from his corner. "We are binding your soul to the shell," he told the ghost. "Everything will go dark, and you will wake up in your new body."

And so it was. Research and preparation was over. After putting Faust's soul to temporary rest, the team slept for eight hours, and resumed the project. It took eight hours of steady, constant casting, and they had done it. They had done the impossible: turned a Tiefling into an Aasimar, a fiend into an angel. And that while a diabolic dark demigod of some sort was constantly trying to claw said soul away from them. And all the other wildly difficult parts of the project.

The two non-nymph assistants were both glad in the end they they had been a part of the reincarnation of Faust. Indeed, Ungrai absorbed more knowledge than anyone realized, and Selene enjoyed being part of a new and extremely powerful spell. She objected to some of Caleldir's enthusiasm when it came to making Faust/Phanuel the most powerful he could be. She didn't approve of giving such an unpredictable person (or who she considered unpredictable) that much power. Luckily for Phanuel, Selene was even more focused on quietly preventing the necromancer from doing anything nefarious during the ritual. There were a couple of things that Selene put a stop to, but they were so minor and relatively harmless, that the mage didn't bother to tattle. Selene just sort of assumed that the nymph-kin would have already expected that sort of thing. Ungrai was much more help than she was hindrance, so when everything was over Selene didn't even harbor bad feelings toward her. No more than normal, anyway.

Phanuel awoke on a soft stone table. For it was stone, but formed to his new body so that it felt soft. Althaia gave him a smile. "Happy birthday, Phanuel!" she said cheerfully. "Now, you may feel a good deal of disorientation. This is no mere polymorph spell; this is a change of your very essence to the core."

Phanuel began to try to haul himself off of the stone slab his body was laid out on. It took him a couple tries, and a firm insistence that he manage it himself, but finally he managed to sit on the edge of the slab. His body was very strange to him. He felt skinny and weak, but could also feel the vast potential that a few weeks of rest and exercise would give him. His hand drew through his still-damp hair, slicking it back against the top of his head much like his mane had been styled. Expect this hair was silken now, and its waves now managed to look good no matter how he styled it.

Caleldir was the next to explain things. "You new brain may take some getting used to as well," he added. "I increased all mental capabilities from you last form. If things went right, you will find that your mind works faster and more efficiently. I optimized all of the neural pathways for maximum efficiency. I calculate at least a 25% increase in overall strength, force, and subtlety of mental strength. Memories and personality are as much in your soul as your body, though, so be assured that those have not been tampered with, although the chemical makeup of your new form will carry with it very different emotional traits. That we could not really mitigate. Also, you have a variety of new powers that you will not be able to use for some time." While the group was talking, with Ungrai and Selene adding their own notes, R.I.S.A. brought a mirror for the ex-tiefling to see himself.

Although a bit wan and sickly looking, since they had created a newborn adult body, Phanuel was classically, divinely handsome. Not almost girlishly so, as Caleldir sometimes was accused of being in jokes, but the archetypal 'pretty man' who was handsome enough to make some women jealous (and most women hot and bothered) while still being unmistakably masculine. His skin was pale with an unearthly silver sheen, every limb perfectly proportioned. His hair, which was a bit messy and wet at the moment with some arcane fluid, was a deep, rich liquid mercury, while his eyes were an evening sky shade of blue. His racial phenotype was not quite human nor elven, but something between - like a celestial half-elf of some type. While not a nymph that could cause blindness with a look, he was on a fast track to being noted as one of the best-looking men in the world. His entire form gave off soothing light.

"That glow will dim after a bit," Caleldir noted. "We used a massive amount of celestial energy to create your new form, Phanuel, and it takes awhile to be completely processed."

Ungrai had been shielded by Protection from Good a long time ago, else she would have found Faust's presence downright discomforting. Still, she left when it looked like Phanuel was stable and conscious.

Phanuel stared long and hard into the mirror. "I thought I told you not to make to look ridiculous," he finally said in a rich, deep voice very much like the one he had before. Phanuel's voice was smoother than Faust's, however, which had a very subtle growling quality. It was unlikely that someone would recognize Phanuel for who he was by his voice alone.

"What do you think my chances are for growing a beard?" he asked no one in particular, as he was still staring at his too-handsome reflection.

"Well, most elves do not grow beards," Althaia said. "You would have to use magic to grow one."

"Not a hard spell, that," Caleldir added. "In fact, if you want any hair other than the top of your head, I suggest that you learn it. The silvery material that makes up your skin does not play very well with body hair, so we left it off in the final design. I used the time I could have used to give you 'sexy' body hair to instead give you the ability to cast Daylight at will. Some people considered it redundant with your 240 ft darkvision, but I considered it too thematically appropriate to leave out."

"I will simply have to do without," Phanuel responded with a look of slight disappointment. It would be quite the adjustment for him. Faust had been almost nothing but hair. "It would likely not help me blend in anyway. You made me much too handsome for that. When I consented to be aasimar, I was not thinking of aesthetics." He was thinking about how much power and ability he would have to combat his father.

Caleldir shrugged. "Neither elves nor most celestials are that hairy. Specifically, we used material from the famously hairless Planetar breed in addition to the blood of an Angelborn Aasimar. That is also why your skin is that color as opposed to a more normal shade. But we did give you hair on your head, so we can without too much trouble-"

"He already said no need." Althaia interrupted Caleldir before he went off on some tangent.

"And you most certainly do not look ridiculous!" Althaia pouted. "I mean, you are a work of art. Practically the paragon example of the perfected male aesthetic! That 'practically' would have been definitely, but Caleldir would not let me make you look like him."

"You are right, Lady Althaia. I was being droll. I do not look ridiculous, but I think I was hoping to blend in for the first time in my existence. I hope to be too busy to worry about it, just as it has always been."

"What, no gratitude?" Selene asked with a rather imperious expression. "We worked hard on this, Fau- Phanuel."

Selene's question made Phanuel look up, but he focused his gaze on Caleldir and Althaia rather than Selene. "Thank you, Lady Althaia, Caleldir Hissael. I apologize for my rudeness. I am not myself." His expression didn't change, and his gaze went back to the mirror.

"A- are you-? Did you just-?" the drow asked, now wondering whether to take Phanuel's words seriously or not.

Phanuel looked up at the confused elf, raised an eyebrow in question, then pushed the mirror away with a thankful nod to R.I.S.A. Then he began to try to stand. It went... okay, and he still had to lean against the slab he was on. But he was on his feet, and well on the way to being useful again. He couldn't stand his inability to act while he was a bound ghost.

"You are welcome, Phanuel." Caleldir said dryly. "Be glad at least that I did not let Althaia give you my face. That really would have been ridiculous. As is, you will just have to content yourself with being the poster boy for one of those sexy bardic groups that are all the rage with teenage girls across civilization." Caleldir could not help but tease Phanuel. This was his idea of revenge, after all: snarking at people. And he still harbored a bit of annoyance with Faust. That joke was pretty funny, though. "Also be happy that I insisted we put a gown on you. Some people wanted to keep you naked as a newborn. But you are no squalling infant, but an adult. About the human equivalent of 20 or so, I believe."

"I saw Ungrai walk by, you all done?" Chimed in Ashyr's voice from the portal. She had kept it open for the duration of the spell, and she and Tsabdrin (but mostly Tsabdrin) guarded the entrance from random people seeing it and walking it. It just so happened that Ashyr chose to take a shift right around the projected completion time. "Gods!" She exclaimed. "I just... he's..." She just stood there and stared for a moment. "He's gorgeous."

Faust let out a displeased grunt.

"You like the design?" Althaia said cheerfully. "It was mostly mine."

"Like him? He's the most handsome man I've ever seen!" Ashyr professed as she approached Phanuel. He looked like he would have stepped away from her if he hadn't been struggling to remain upright. Phanuel was getting more stable by the moment, but it was still a process. He was stable enough, for instance, to remove one of his hands pressed against the table to catch Ashyr's wrist before she began touching him.

Selene scoffed. "He does not come close to Caleldir." But of course Selene's definition of an attractive male was more classically drow.

"No, Caleldir is the most beautiful man I've ever seen." Ashyr said as she cast a quick smile and wink to the half-nymph.

Caleldir found himself rather flattered, both by Selene's prompt insistence that he was the most attractive, and Ashyr's contention that he was the most beautiful. He tended to view his looks as being more illusory than real. After all, good looks alone did not stun people. That required magic. Also, he thought that he was a bit too girly. As 'Caleldra' had already demonstrated, if you put him in a dress... well, his body was still masculine shaped, but his face was a bit more on the androgynous side than he would have liked. Phanuel's more decidedly masculine looks were largely at his insistence.

Ashyr's attention was soon back on Phanuel's visage, and her other hand began to rise as if wanting to touch him.

"Cease trying to fondle me, drow," Phanuel ordered. He gave her a disapproving expression that trumped all the others he'd given those few minutes he was in his new body.

"Now, food and real clothing are in order, then we must speak to Hadia to see what needs to be done." Then the newly formed aasimar began to walk forward on legs that grew more steady with each step. He paused, however, when he entered his room. "I forget myself." He told himself quietly. "Lady Althaia, I suggest we do those things," he said a little louder as he turned and waited for the new leader's decision.

Phanuel's words snapped Caleldir back to the present. Althaia too. The nymph shrugged. "Old habits can be hard to break. Just remember that Faust is dead, and you are someone completely different, no relation at all. If you strut around like you own the place people will begin to suspect that you are not what you seem. As is, you are going to draw a lot of attention, so be careful.

"Two hundred year habits are hard to break," Phanuel needlessly explained. "But I will try. For now, it is probably best that few people see me." He suspected that getting used to his body was going to keep him too busy to be very social anyway.

"That might be for the best," Althaia agreed. "Anyway, yes, those are all good suggestions. Hadia will be wanting to see you in your new form. She really was loyal to you, you know."

"Hadia is a good woman," Phanuel agreed. "She has really thrived in her position here."

Then he went to his wardrobe and got himself dressed while Ashyr went to make sure there was food coming. Phanuel came out of the side room in plain trousers tunic, both much more loose on him than they used to be. It was a common enough casual outfit that none but the most insanely paranoid and observant would realize that Phanuel was wearing Faust's clothing.

"A bit taller, much narrower," Caleldir observed when Phanuel emerged wearing Faust's old clothing. "I knew, of course, but your old clothing really puts it into perspective. We should probably get a tailor in here relatively soon. Oh, and a backstory to explain who you are and why you are here."

"I figured that I would just say that he is a friend of mine," Althaia said. "Either a trainer or an apprentice. Or both." She shrugged. "If you are looking for a divine patron, I could recommend Aelsuna to you. It would certainly help with the credibility of your story if you were a member of the same church as me. People like to simplify the Aelsunite views, but if you actually look at-"

"And now I need to stop you before you go off on wild tangents," Caleldir said in an amused tone.

Phanuel gave Althaia a thoughtful look. They were right; he knew his father as a being who would not give up so easily, and he would punish those who took away things he wanted. And it seemed that the fiend had wanted Faust. The logical thing to do was to obtain the help of someone stronger, of someone who would not abuse Faust as his father had. Faust had tried before to do things on his own. He metaphorically and then literally lost his head over it. It seemed his options were either to be a cleric or a paladin, and Phanuel's disposition definitely leaned towards the latter. "Tell me of your goddess. Tell me of Aelsuna, and I will consider."

Althaia became unreasonably happy. She had not actually expected him to go for any of her suggestions, and nothing would have pleased her more than to spread the good word, so to speak.

"Discuss theology later. I will say that learning some of the paladin arts will be quite helpful to you, Phanuel. Not only is this new body supremely suited for that line of study - to say nothing of the staggering charisma you now have - but R.I.S.A. has already let me know that the father of your past incarnation seems rather bitter about your soul escaping his grasp, and he will be after you soon. Learning some techniques to specifically counter such evil outsiders will be very helpful."

Food came, as did the halfling and Tsabdrin. Hadia effortlessly edited the schedule to allow for Phanuel's adjustment. Combat training time was arranged -- which Ashyr elected to assist with. They allowed for a couple days of readjustment on Hadia's day planner before the aasimar began to train Althaia. The same went with his instruction and assistance with leading Port Afron; he needed a couple days to practice not being in charge of the place. The city could wait a couple more days before it needed its leader to be truly active. According to both Phanuel and Hadia, the people would understand that she had things to wrap up and other leaders to speak to.

Ashyr revealed that the party wasn't leaving until their 'pocket dimension' was back up to full power, which would probably be about a week (she guessed). They realized then that they needed to figure out places for everyone to sleep. Technically, the room formerly known as Faust's was Althaia's and Althaia's alone. The drow and Caleldir were reallocated to a nearby guest room, and Phanuel's room was right next to theirs. That way, Althaia had power over who came and went, and she'd be able to preserve her reputation however she wanted.

Things settled into routine around the city. Althaia used her free time to read up on Port Afron customs and history in the library, when she was not doing what things expected of her could not be put off. Caleldir, for his part, was enjoying the short vacation until they needed to head back on the road. While he was anxious to put Ashyr into her rightful place as the Duskhaven Matriarch, he was not particularly anxious to go down into the Underdark. Sure, cave exploring would be fun, but the Underdark was full of drow. Less pleasant ones, that was. Caleldir also spent some time hanging with Gurzan before the half-orc left again to spend a few days with his family before Artur and company went on the road again.

Instead of wearing Faust's old clothing, Phanuel commissioned new things that better suited his body. Then there were the twice daily practices he and Ashyr had in the training room of the castle. Other than that, Phanuel committed himself to resting, eating, and reading to get his mind and body's strength back up before the real work began. With all that, there wasn't room for Phanuel and Althaia to have a conversation about religion.

It was between those practices between Ashyr and Phanuel, just a day after his 'birth' that Ashyr went in search of Althaia, hoping to speak with her alone. It was pretty much the only time Ashyr spent at the castle besides the training sessions; the city (and certain inhabitants she would have to leave behind) was more interesting at that point.

Faust and Hadia were speaking to each other about what needed to be done, Ashyr approached Althaia with her signature grin on her face.

"How are you doing after all that work? You think you need some time to unwind with a couple of your favorite drow tonight?" She asked softly enough that no one else could hear. The drow waggled her eyebrows suggestively on the off chance that her words weren't clear enough.