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Rank was a very broad and muscular gnoll, though despite his size and strength, he was extremely timid. The gentle giant couldn't remember much about his history, as far as his amnesiac mind could remember, he simply... woke up in the desert one day. But it wasn't like normal amnesia. He knew things. Things he shouldn't rightly know. Three things burned in his mind, almost like orders.
I have to find a man named Anizhar and get close to him.
I cannot not trust him, no matter what.
I cannot let go of my hat, no matter what.
Before he could contemplate the strangeness of his situation he was picked up by the Red Sultana, rolled into her warband of gnolls dedicated to Rovagug, and marched down to ransack the small religious city of Solku under the light of a massive Sepia Snake Sigil that covered the sun at dawn - when the religious protectors of the city would be praying - that only affected those without darkvision.
Luckily for the city, the Junior Wayfarers had been dispatched with Izzy to investigate strange visions one of the city's citizens had been having. When they arrived and found the Red Sultana's forces looting and pillaging, they leapt to the city's aid. They found Rank chained to the Red Sultana herself, using him and two other young gnolls as a living shield against any fireball-happy wizards.
Once the Sultana laid slain, her forces began to break up and the Wayfarers offered the usual deal to any wayward gnolls they'd come across - come with them back to Anizhar's villa and be given a safe place to live. Rank had hoped that he would have some answers when he finally met Anizhar et al, but not one of them even slightly recognized him. But even so, he felt welcome there. The ragtag mob of refugees and adventurers made him feel wanted, made him feel like family.
Even Anizhar, the one he knew never to trust, treated him so kindly. Why did he need to stay so close? Why did he know never to trust him? He would accompany the Wayfarers on a salvage trip out to sea in hopes of learning more about this Anizhar and his crew, but all it did was turn up more questions. When the ship was attacked, he turned transparent fled below deck. Gnolls couldn't do that. What if... What if he wasn't real?
It all made sense. He didn't remember anything before being picked up in the desert. He had memories he shouldn't have. He could grow, shrink, and turn himself invisible. He felt... like he was smarter than he was letting on. Smarter than he remembered he should be.
He shared his revelation, and his history, with Magnus when he came below deck to check on the gnoll. The otter doctor checked the big gnoll up and down to confirm that he seemed like a healthy adult gnoll, but implanted memories sounded an awful lot like an assassin with programming to follow a target. A possibility that terrified the gentle giant. He didn't want to hurt, much less kill anyone! Magnus assured him that in the event that something set him off, the Wayfarers could knock him out before he did anything he'd regret. That gave him some small comfort.
Several days after wrapping up the salvaging gig, Anizhar, Azidasa, Gauzhe, Izzy and Roux would gather to research the Scroll of Kakishon, a powerful magic scroll that they had recieved an offer for. They wanted to be sure there was nothing dangerous to be found within the artifact before they sold it. Their research turned up very little until Gauzhe managed to trick the scroll into activating. None of the expected a portal to violently tear open and suck them into the pocket plane within the scroll itself.
The lot of them were violently thrown onto what appeared to be a tropical beach, no worse for wear but extremely confused. While everyone was getting their bearings, a wave of magic flowed over them. changing them. Altering their powers to fit with this new world's rules. Just as this happened, a creature seemed to become visible. It was rank.
"Anizhar?" Rank called out before doubling over and falling to his knees, holding his head. "No.... NO! I'm... i'm coming undone!" Anizhar ran to his side in a worried panic. The gnoll looked at him with tears streaming down his face. "Please... I don't want to go back to.. being him... I want to be Rank..." Anizhar could feel an enchantment being undone.
As the others ran over to help, the rakshasa pressed his forehead to Rank's and made him a promise "Don't worry, whoever you are, whatever you are, I'll find a way to bring you back!" just as the pupils seemed to fade from Rank's eyes.
A serene smile spread across the gnoll's face. "I did it... he's free... After so many years, my master walks the world of mortals again." The voice that escapes the gnoll is sharp and sophistocated, not the simple drawl of the Rank anizhar knew.
The gnoll turns to the rakshasa. "Anizhar, it's been awhile." The rakshasa combed through the list of people he'd wronged and wrinkled his brow at the realization. A Janni he'd met before.
"Oh, it's you." his disdain was thinly veiled "I trust these months have been kind to you?"
"Well, you have." The gnoll chuckled. "The hospitality has been most welcome."
The rakshasa gave a wry smirk. "I pride myself on my service, dear. But, since we haven't been properly introduced, why don't we start with names? I am Lord Anizhar Vishadim Sanjana Mridrafiq Amitrajes, to whom do I owe the pleasure?"
"Zayifid, Templar of the Five Winds and humble servant to the great Efreeti Lord Jhavhul. It's a pleasure, Anizhar." he chuckled, growing a bit playful in their banter as he relaxed.
"And who, pray tell, is this Efreeti Lord?" Anizhar asked.
"Prince to the Burning Throne and beloved of Ymeri. After his conquest of your quaint little corner of Golarion, he'll at last be recognized by the Queen of the Inferno." Zayifid explained
Rank had been a ruse all along. The perfect good boy for Anizhar to bring into the fold. The perfect seat to whisper encouraging words to gently nudge the rakshasa towards opening the scroll and freeing his master. Then the mask of Rank would fall off, and he would spend the rest of his days in the vacation world as a reward for serving his master so faithfully.
Only... The mask didn't fall off. Simple matter. Remove the hat and... The hat was alread removed, laying on the sand next to him. Simple matter. Simply put the hat on, then remove it to deactivate it, and... Nothing. Not the full glory of his Janni form! Any of the spells he attempted to weave to undo it simply fizzled. He was stuck. Stuck as this reeking... thing! It was supposed to be different, his reward for a job well done. But how could he enjoy it if he wasn't even... him?
Even in the face of this revelation, this betrayal, Anizhar remained the doting old man that Zayifid had preyed upon, patting his head and offering him reassurance and comfort. And to his frustration, Zayifid found his tail whipping back and forth subconsciously even while pledging to find a way to restore his former glory.
Zayifid reluctantly followed the trapped Wayfarers as they traveled the land of Kakishon, hoping against hope that he could find a way to regain his original form, until they set foot on the Pleasure Gardens. The land, warded against the meddling of immortals, stripped Anizhar of his preferred form and left him standing in his true form, wearing the face of his departed love. Through Anizhar's feelings of unworthiness, Zayifid could see a bit of himself, stuck in a form not of his choosing.
"I didn't think i was worthy either... to bask in Jhavul's radiance. But after all the time i've spend with you... and the pack back in Venture... I'm startin' to reconsider..."
Over the course of a brief rest, Zayifid opened up to Anizhar, cradled into his lap. All his life he had pledged himself to Jhavul, body and soul. He worried for his master's needs; He was wracked with guilt about fleeing his master in his time of need; Jhavul had devoured the efreet loyal to him, but the genie lord never even noticed him. Zayifid had never experienced real love or affection like what he had from the Wayfarers and the gnolls at the villa. Rank was an illusion, but he was loved, he was appreciated, he was cared for. As he fell asleep against Anizhar's chest he realized... Rank was who Zayifid really wanted to be.
That revalation was the spark that gave birth to new man. He redirected the loyalty and dedication he once held towards Jhavul toward Anizhar, the Wayfarers and the budding city of Venture. He swore that he would never kill again, training in the expert use of the sap to nonlethally incapacitate anyone he needed to cross swords with. He was the sweet, caring, and shy country boy with all of the talent and cunning of the clever jann.
He was Za'Rank, the Good Boy.
Edit: I’m really mad. I just realized I wrote this same story already on the first upload of Rank.
This is a more updated look for him, a blend of Rank and Zayifid to match how he ended up as a character. He retrained as a Sap Master rogue, so he does double sneak attack damage if he’s doing non-lethal damage, meaning he can pretty much knock anyone out in one hit as long as he doesn’t roll terribly. His weird beard is a reference to the original pathfinder campaign he’s from, in which he disguises himself as a sarenite priest. It also adds the hair and physique from his true form.
I have to find a man named Anizhar and get close to him.
I cannot not trust him, no matter what.
I cannot let go of my hat, no matter what.
Before he could contemplate the strangeness of his situation he was picked up by the Red Sultana, rolled into her warband of gnolls dedicated to Rovagug, and marched down to ransack the small religious city of Solku under the light of a massive Sepia Snake Sigil that covered the sun at dawn - when the religious protectors of the city would be praying - that only affected those without darkvision.
Luckily for the city, the Junior Wayfarers had been dispatched with Izzy to investigate strange visions one of the city's citizens had been having. When they arrived and found the Red Sultana's forces looting and pillaging, they leapt to the city's aid. They found Rank chained to the Red Sultana herself, using him and two other young gnolls as a living shield against any fireball-happy wizards.
Once the Sultana laid slain, her forces began to break up and the Wayfarers offered the usual deal to any wayward gnolls they'd come across - come with them back to Anizhar's villa and be given a safe place to live. Rank had hoped that he would have some answers when he finally met Anizhar et al, but not one of them even slightly recognized him. But even so, he felt welcome there. The ragtag mob of refugees and adventurers made him feel wanted, made him feel like family.
Even Anizhar, the one he knew never to trust, treated him so kindly. Why did he need to stay so close? Why did he know never to trust him? He would accompany the Wayfarers on a salvage trip out to sea in hopes of learning more about this Anizhar and his crew, but all it did was turn up more questions. When the ship was attacked, he turned transparent fled below deck. Gnolls couldn't do that. What if... What if he wasn't real?
It all made sense. He didn't remember anything before being picked up in the desert. He had memories he shouldn't have. He could grow, shrink, and turn himself invisible. He felt... like he was smarter than he was letting on. Smarter than he remembered he should be.
He shared his revelation, and his history, with Magnus when he came below deck to check on the gnoll. The otter doctor checked the big gnoll up and down to confirm that he seemed like a healthy adult gnoll, but implanted memories sounded an awful lot like an assassin with programming to follow a target. A possibility that terrified the gentle giant. He didn't want to hurt, much less kill anyone! Magnus assured him that in the event that something set him off, the Wayfarers could knock him out before he did anything he'd regret. That gave him some small comfort.
Several days after wrapping up the salvaging gig, Anizhar, Azidasa, Gauzhe, Izzy and Roux would gather to research the Scroll of Kakishon, a powerful magic scroll that they had recieved an offer for. They wanted to be sure there was nothing dangerous to be found within the artifact before they sold it. Their research turned up very little until Gauzhe managed to trick the scroll into activating. None of the expected a portal to violently tear open and suck them into the pocket plane within the scroll itself.
The lot of them were violently thrown onto what appeared to be a tropical beach, no worse for wear but extremely confused. While everyone was getting their bearings, a wave of magic flowed over them. changing them. Altering their powers to fit with this new world's rules. Just as this happened, a creature seemed to become visible. It was rank.
"Anizhar?" Rank called out before doubling over and falling to his knees, holding his head. "No.... NO! I'm... i'm coming undone!" Anizhar ran to his side in a worried panic. The gnoll looked at him with tears streaming down his face. "Please... I don't want to go back to.. being him... I want to be Rank..." Anizhar could feel an enchantment being undone.
As the others ran over to help, the rakshasa pressed his forehead to Rank's and made him a promise "Don't worry, whoever you are, whatever you are, I'll find a way to bring you back!" just as the pupils seemed to fade from Rank's eyes.
A serene smile spread across the gnoll's face. "I did it... he's free... After so many years, my master walks the world of mortals again." The voice that escapes the gnoll is sharp and sophistocated, not the simple drawl of the Rank anizhar knew.
The gnoll turns to the rakshasa. "Anizhar, it's been awhile." The rakshasa combed through the list of people he'd wronged and wrinkled his brow at the realization. A Janni he'd met before.
"Oh, it's you." his disdain was thinly veiled "I trust these months have been kind to you?"
"Well, you have." The gnoll chuckled. "The hospitality has been most welcome."
The rakshasa gave a wry smirk. "I pride myself on my service, dear. But, since we haven't been properly introduced, why don't we start with names? I am Lord Anizhar Vishadim Sanjana Mridrafiq Amitrajes, to whom do I owe the pleasure?"
"Zayifid, Templar of the Five Winds and humble servant to the great Efreeti Lord Jhavhul. It's a pleasure, Anizhar." he chuckled, growing a bit playful in their banter as he relaxed.
"And who, pray tell, is this Efreeti Lord?" Anizhar asked.
"Prince to the Burning Throne and beloved of Ymeri. After his conquest of your quaint little corner of Golarion, he'll at last be recognized by the Queen of the Inferno." Zayifid explained
Rank had been a ruse all along. The perfect good boy for Anizhar to bring into the fold. The perfect seat to whisper encouraging words to gently nudge the rakshasa towards opening the scroll and freeing his master. Then the mask of Rank would fall off, and he would spend the rest of his days in the vacation world as a reward for serving his master so faithfully.
Only... The mask didn't fall off. Simple matter. Remove the hat and... The hat was alread removed, laying on the sand next to him. Simple matter. Simply put the hat on, then remove it to deactivate it, and... Nothing. Not the full glory of his Janni form! Any of the spells he attempted to weave to undo it simply fizzled. He was stuck. Stuck as this reeking... thing! It was supposed to be different, his reward for a job well done. But how could he enjoy it if he wasn't even... him?
Even in the face of this revelation, this betrayal, Anizhar remained the doting old man that Zayifid had preyed upon, patting his head and offering him reassurance and comfort. And to his frustration, Zayifid found his tail whipping back and forth subconsciously even while pledging to find a way to restore his former glory.
Zayifid reluctantly followed the trapped Wayfarers as they traveled the land of Kakishon, hoping against hope that he could find a way to regain his original form, until they set foot on the Pleasure Gardens. The land, warded against the meddling of immortals, stripped Anizhar of his preferred form and left him standing in his true form, wearing the face of his departed love. Through Anizhar's feelings of unworthiness, Zayifid could see a bit of himself, stuck in a form not of his choosing.
"I didn't think i was worthy either... to bask in Jhavul's radiance. But after all the time i've spend with you... and the pack back in Venture... I'm startin' to reconsider..."
Over the course of a brief rest, Zayifid opened up to Anizhar, cradled into his lap. All his life he had pledged himself to Jhavul, body and soul. He worried for his master's needs; He was wracked with guilt about fleeing his master in his time of need; Jhavul had devoured the efreet loyal to him, but the genie lord never even noticed him. Zayifid had never experienced real love or affection like what he had from the Wayfarers and the gnolls at the villa. Rank was an illusion, but he was loved, he was appreciated, he was cared for. As he fell asleep against Anizhar's chest he realized... Rank was who Zayifid really wanted to be.
That revalation was the spark that gave birth to new man. He redirected the loyalty and dedication he once held towards Jhavul toward Anizhar, the Wayfarers and the budding city of Venture. He swore that he would never kill again, training in the expert use of the sap to nonlethally incapacitate anyone he needed to cross swords with. He was the sweet, caring, and shy country boy with all of the talent and cunning of the clever jann.
He was Za'Rank, the Good Boy.
Edit: I’m really mad. I just realized I wrote this same story already on the first upload of Rank.
This is a more updated look for him, a blend of Rank and Zayifid to match how he ended up as a character. He retrained as a Sap Master rogue, so he does double sneak attack damage if he’s doing non-lethal damage, meaning he can pretty much knock anyone out in one hit as long as he doesn’t roll terribly. His weird beard is a reference to the original pathfinder campaign he’s from, in which he disguises himself as a sarenite priest. It also adds the hair and physique from his true form.
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Posted using PostyBirb
Category Artwork (Digital) / Fantasy
Species Hyena
Size 1280 x 1280px
File Size 194.9 kB
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