🥥 Nab and the Skinny Sorcerer

According to Benduti tradition, it is believed that skilled shamans have the ability to perceive otherworldly phenomena after performing extreme backbends while passing through their legs, the so-called rite of passage. This belief has been passed down for generations and was once considered a hallmark of the highest caste of shamans, who were revered for their spiritual prowess.

It was common for the offspring of skilled shamans to be trained in backbending from an early age as part of their spiritual development. These young individuals were taught to push their abilities to the limit and gain the ability to perceive supernatural entities through extreme contortions while supported by a special high pole surrounded by protective totems.

The Benduti believed that these abilities made shamans vulnerable to illness, as many malevolent spirits sought to cause them harm through their extreme contortions. It was considered necessary for shamans to possess bravery and the ability to triumph over such negative entities in order to successfully perform their duties.

Nab's lineage was known for producing exceptional backbenders who performed their shamanic duties with great skill. His father and grandfather had made a name for themselves by maintaining a 24/7 ruppel backbend, but even they were surprised by Nab's abilities. He could perform feats of flexibility that left his muscled assistants in awe, leading some to question whether his body was real or if they had accidentally ingested hallucinogenic substances.

As Nab continued to hone his skills and deepen his connection to the spirit world, he began to uncover secrets about his tribe's history that had been long forgotten. He discovered that the Benduti were not always a peaceful people; in fact, they had once been known as fierce warriors who dominated their neighbors through physical strength.

But over time, thanks to contortion training, the Benduti had become complacent and soft, relying on their spiritual powers to protect them rather than their own muscle. Nab knew that he needed to do something about this if his people were to regain their former glory. He began to train a new generation of flexible warriors, teaching them the ways of the ancient forms of shamanism.

Nab's tribe became known for having physically fit and robust bodies that could withstand even the most grueling of challenges. Their spines and joints had been conditioned through years of rigorous training, making them nearly invulnerable to injury or harm.

They became not only strong in body but also attuned to the spiritual realm. This connection with the supernatural had previously been reserved for a select few skilled shamans, but now it was accessible to all members of the community who underwent the same rigorous physical and spiritual conditioning.

On day, Nab rose from his triplefold at dawn and resolved to stroll about his expanding community. As he paced through the avenues, he observed that numerous huts were in disrepair and his people looked fatigued and defeated.

Nab approached one of the village elders who appeared to be in his autumn years. The elder was head-seated upon a rock near the entrance of his hut and had a look of resignation etched onto his face. Nab greeted him with a nod, then asked about the state of their community.

The elder sighed heavily before responding, "Nab, we've been struggling for years now. Our crops no longer yield as they used to and our livestock have become feeble. We are uncertain of what is causing it but believe it has something to do with the curse."

Nab thanked the elder for his honesty and decided it was time for him to take matters into his own hands. The villagers' plight had reached a critical point, and he understood that finding the source of this curse was imperative if they were ever going to break free from its grasp. Determined to find a solution, Nab set out on his journey with an unwavering resolve to end the suffering once and for all.

He ventured forth into the tangled woods, his resolve to uncover the source of their distress as strong as ever. The unknown dangers that lay ahead made his heart race with a mix of trepidation and determination. As he drew nearer to the murky marshes, he spotted clusters of peculiar white mushrooms sprouting from the ground.

Nab had an uneasy feeling about these white mushrooms he was seeing for the first time. He knew that they could be responsible for the curse affecting his village and others nearby, causing those infected to become zombie-like. The spores from these mushrooms could be carried by the wind, affecting anyone who breathed them in with unpredictable results depending on the type of mushroom.

Nab underwent a metamorphosis into the ruppel backbend and carefully studied the mycelium of the mushrooms, which glowed faintly within his spiritual sight. As Nab walked throught the swamps, he couldn't shake off an uneasy feeling that had settled in the pit of his stomach.

He sensed that something extraordinary was about to unfold as the forest seemed eerily tranquil and serene, unlike any other day he had experienced there before. He understood that this moment would shape the destiny of his community and everyone who called it home in ways that were yet to come.

As Nab delved deeper into his investigation, he stumbled upon a remarkable stone structure unlike anything he had ever seen before – an enigmatic temple. To safeguard himself from potential harm, Nab employed magic to conceal and protect himself as he explored the temple's intricate features. Amongst the many stone figures within the temple, most depicted people in extremely contorted positions, captivating his attention even further.

Eventually, Nab managed to trace the individual behind all this. The Dark Magic User resembled a walking skeleton with long white hair and extremely pale skin, similar in color to the mushrooms that Nab had previously come across.

The Dark Magic User was obsessed with his gruesome collection. However, the way he added new exhibits was even more disturbing – he used zombifying spores to control the minds and actions of villagers, leading them to his temple where he would contort their bodies into extreme positions before petrifying them in place.

Nab realized that he was one of the few individuals who had visited this place with a clear mind. He guessed that the Dark Magic User was weak and relied on his mushrooms to make his victims defenseless. As a fit and strong warrior, Nab attacked the Dark Magic User and quickly proved himself right. The man was physically weak and unable to resist Nab's attack, so he held him captive until the evil man agreed to provide a remedy for all those he had cursed.

Once freed from the Dark Magic User's control, the people wanted to take revenge on the evil man. However, Nab urged them to wait and return home. As one of the most potent shamans in the region, Nab had earned their trust and obedience, and they complied with his request.

Nab sought to understand why the evil man had engaged in such malicious actions. The Dark Magic User explained that his motivation stemmed from a lifelong fascination with contortionism, but people in his homeland had rejected him for his extremely skinny body. As a result, he became consumed by the desire to learn dark magic and capture flexible slaves to fulfill his love for contortion. However, despite his efforts, he proved too weak to torment innocent individuals, leading him to seek an easier solution.

He turned to zombification and petrification magic as a last resort to pursue his love for contortion. He confessed that he never had any malicious intent, but the rejection from others drove him nearly mad. The evil man requested of Nab whether or not he could release him from his unsuccessful state of being, but Nab explained that his specialty lay in healing people, not killing them to free them from illness.

Nab began by saying that his perception of the Dark Magic User changed. Instead of seeing him as the Dark Magic User, he now viewed him as the Skinny Sorcerer. Then he complimented the Skinny Sorcerer on his thin physique, stating that it was quite attractive and that he found beauty in his hollow stomach and protruding ribcage.

He believed that those who had bullied and rejected him in the past should have been held accountable for their actions and punished accordingly. As such, Nab invited the man to live with his tribe, the Benduti, where he would be accepted and welcomed as a member of their community.

Following this statement, Nab obtained a powerful magical ally. However, the Skinny Sorcerer responded that he was not accustomed to living in a village and would prefer to continue residing in his stone temple if possible. Nevertheless, he promised to no longer trouble the Benduti, and offered himself as a guide for those within Nab's tribe who desired to lose weight through his expertise in dieting.

The Skinny Sorcerer's reputation as a skilled doctor soon spread after his encounter with Nab, as he gained notoriety for his ability to help individuals regain good shape. As a result, many people in the region began to adopt his dieting techniques and develop toned muscles and slim waists, which became the subject of admiration from neighboring tribes.

As a result of their agreement, the Skinny Sorcerer no longer had to resort to capturing villagers to satisfy his passion for flexibility. Instead, he was invited to attend weekly festivities and was sought after by many young people who wanted to showcase their contortion skills to him as he was well-known for his great appreciation of flexible bodies. He became one of the best people to seek advice from regarding progress in contortion training.