The bright colors blinded him, and the shift he felt left him disoriented, so the first thing he noticed was the change in the quality of the air. It wasn't fresh in the sense of green hills and fields of flowers, just clean, good air. It was something you probably wouldn't notice unless your body breathed pollution everyday.

Something was clearly going on because the room he was in seemed rather normal and the method that got him here was most definitely not. It was a gambling room, more specifically a card room. The only catch was that it was void of people and there was only a handful of tables where there should be many. The man sitting in the dealer's seat had no uniform, if anything he seemed heavy with trinkets and baubles. Something about the man was off-putting as if he wasn't quite what he seemed, strange clothing aside the stranger seemed excessively excited. Luck ran his hands over one of the nearest tables, neatly stacked decks were placed around each table. Luck, again, ran his hand over some of the decks.

He took a seat at the man's table and waited to be dealt in.

The man reigned in his expression, his grin faded but his enthusiasm did not. "Shall we get started then?" He was shuffling a handful a bright decks.

"Well, this is a cozy little place isn't it?" Luck's eyes roamed the strange set up. The man moved to deal Luck in. "Where are we?"

"Hmm, that's a tough question to begin with." The man's expression was of one who loved their job. "Somewhere and nowhere. Never and now." He finally said.

"That's horribly uninformative." Luck peeked his cards. It was not a standard deck, but old habits kicked in and Luck kept his face neutral. "I'd have hoped for at least a door."

"It is, it is. Alas, a door is somewhat irrelevant for this meeting." The mystery man said. "You know you're quite calmer than most who pass through. Interesting fellow aren't you? Might I have your name, friend?" 

The man seemed friendly enough and that gave Luck pause. "A name is a strange thing, you know. To give a name is to put power over yourself in another's hands. Did you know you can have someone like you more simply by using their name?" Luck leaned in to gauge the man's reaction.

He only laughed, deep and carefree, the kind of authenticity you'd find coming from a child or a drunk. "So you'd rather keep it close to the vest?" He smiled, silently shuffling the decks. "I can't blame you."

"Nonsense. I'm simply deciding which one to give you." Luck was watching the man's hands, wary of any foulplay of whatever he was doing here. Luck prided himself in his ability to catch most sleight of hand.

"I'm rather fond of the Devil of the Cards myself." His hands blurred at that instant and the decks were stacked.

Luck rose an eyebrow. "My reputation precedes me." 

"That it does, that it does." The man absently flipped a card between his fingers. "You've garnered the attention of a handful of powerful beings, you know." Luck was watching the stranger's hands but he could feel powerful eyes on him.

"I do hope they're not dissapointed then." Luck decided he might as well relax a tad. The man would get to the point once he got bored of small talk. "Of course, i'm known to be quite entertaining when I want to be." Luck allowed a small, calculated amount of cockiness to show. It went unnoticed which meant the dealer was either inexperienced, oblivious, or much more dangerous than Luck would've gave him credit for. 

"Yes, yes. I happen to be one of those powerful beings, you see. I applied a great many resources to simply glean some information on the mortal that's all the rage these days." His smile faltered almost imperceptibly. "I found... very little."

"Perhaps your sources are not as reliable as you thought." There were figures on the back of the cards and they were moving Luck realized. The craftsmanship was astounding and Luck found them terribly intriguing. The ridges of the shapes were slightly raised up on the card back. 

The man caught Luck's eye and there was a subtle pressure before he continued. "Yes, well our power can be used to greater extent in worlds such as yours but our methods are culled to the degree that it is pointless to ever exert it. Nonetheless, I persisted and achieved near nothing. It is almost as if you are a ghost in your world, a whisper of a person." 

"Only to those I don't want to see me." How this otherworldly being knew of his titles was beyond him but Luck felt rather at home in the leather chair and general ambience. He would enjoy it as long as it lasted. The last night was a roller coaster of adrenaline so he needed it.

There was an awkward pause as if the man expected Luck to continue. "Well, I believe I have stalled long enough." His hands were blurring again as he shuffled. "I am Jerxos, God of Rebirth." Luck blinked in surprise, where there was a blur was now a hand held out in greeting. Jerxos was smiling again.

"Luck Lockyer." If a god wanted his name they would have it eventually he decided. He shook his hand and Luck noted the strong grip.

"Well, Luck you are an interesting case. Due to the Goddess of Fortune's intervention despite my title you will not be undergoing a complete rebirth. This goes for your family as well as your friend. Because this is a partial rebirth I am still the presiding deity however."

"Partial rebirth? I was under the assumption we were to be transported, given a second chance, not reborn entirely." Luck fingers traced the ridges of the cards under his palm.

"I do not send anyone anywhere without the tools to survive, normally you would indeed be reborn entirely. In this case however your assumption is nearly correct. Leah was clear your bodies are only to be modified. Powers and knowledge will be granted but they will remain your original bodies. For what purpose she intended, I have no clue. " Jerxos had a measure of seriousness to his face that likely came from passion he took to his job. Luck took note of the way he used Leah's name. Friends, perhaps? His attention was quickly drawn somewhere else however.

The cards in Luck's hand began to glow softly, a pulse of power came from each. Luck startled, the ridges were shifting slightly as well.

"Your cards, please flip them over. Face up." Jerxos directed. "These represent the tools you will enter your new world with." With that the cards pulsed again, vivid images sprang to life, and they were transluscent. Luck waved a hand through them, they seemed organic in a way he couldn't fathom, not exactly holograms but something like a cousin to them.

He glanced between the five he was originally dealt. "Amazing." Luck breathed. "What are these? Holograms? Magic?"

"Just a simple cantrip from a god." He waved it away as it was nothing. "Nothing that impressive." But Luck caught the smile of what might have been pride.

The first had a projection hovering over it. It was a man laying against a tree, which reached down with a branch and dropped an apple lightly in his hand. Luck watched with interest as a deer came close unconcerned as the man lounged and enjoyed the breeze. He was surrounded by nature and as the view panned out to encompass the lazy rolling hills, it was clear the man was far from civilization and undeniably alone. One could have argued the man was stranded. Yet he looked as relaxed and carefree as a butterfly. Words materialized over the man.

Magical Trait: One with Nature

Individuals who can truly commune with the world are rare. You treat the world not as a resource but as a brother, content to enjoy its company as it does yours. Beings such as yourself find themselves at home away from civilizations. Communication with animals and plant life becomes trivial for those such as you. Nature protects you in subtle ways when you find yourself in its embrace. 

Jerxos chimed in after Luck's eyes started to move to the next card. "Traits can change you in some ways you might not expect. These things would come with a natural birth but branding them onto an existing body has had harmful effects before. A man who loved the city found himself hating it, for example. Or a woman who loved progress found herself disgusted at her life's work's affect on the enviroment. We've since perfected the practice on existing bodies however, but all the same you should be warned. These function to give the rebirthee some type of adaptation or advantage be it physical, mental, or magical." 

"Interesting." Luck seemed almost too calm at the mention of magic. In truth, his heart was racing and his mind was firing off with ideas. In the end, he realized magic might not always be the best answer. Sobering up he listened to Jerxos continue his spiel. He wondered why Jerxos bothered with such a convoluted method.

"You may discard any amount of your cards a total of five times. You may choose to discard any number of cards for each discard. You will then replace your missing hand with cards from any of these five decks, with your discards going into a trash pile. I will be here to provide insight and answer any questions I am able." Jerxos informed him. There was a glint in Jerxos' eyes that hinted at something deeper however.

"Why cards? Seems rather geared towards chance." 

"The process differs between individuals and i'm given a number of methods to impart these powers to specific people. As the God of Rebirth I've lived many lives and found I always regret the ones I don't have fun in. So, instead of going the other paths I decided to go for a simple card game."

"So what other methods were offered to you for me? I'm a little curious." 

"There was the typical arena, a shooting range, a number of puzzles and mental challenges and a variety centered specifically around your specific skillset. " Jerxos was quite amiable but Luck clamped down on that feeling lest he get caught off guard. "Each one has its merits, the tools you are rewarded are limited or filtered depending on what method you used to attain them. For example, tools gained from the arena are usually the most useful since they are the hardest to achieve and limited only by your endurance. The puzzle path might allow you to get a multitude of small helpful tools but not everyone is up to the task, most end up with only nine or ten tools with little impact. The natures of the tools are randomized but their usefulness scales as the rebirthee advances in the process." 

"And what's the catch with the card game then?" Luck had a sneaking suspiscion. The rules for his game were already laid out but he had a hunch.

"There is no scaling rewards in this particular game, only a limit on the tools you may have. The tools you draw are completely random. Meaning, you can have some truly powerful tools, but only five. Or- " 

Luck interrupted. "Or you can have a very bad hand." Tools, Luck caught on, were the equivalent to the cards laid in front of him.

"Precisely, but keep in mind no tools offered are completely useless." Jerxos smiled. "What better way to enter a new world for a man named Luck?" He was practically bubbling with excitement.

"So then, this 'One with Nature' is it considered powerful?" Luck suspected he wouldn't get an answer but tried anyways.

"That is up to you to decide." As expected, Jerxos wouldn't be giving him any information, at least intentionally.

"A moment then."

Luck decided to just go from left to right. 

Above the next card was a sword that flashed with different colors. There was fire coating it one second, electricity the next, an icy haze right after, then dust of all things until finally the process repeated. It jumped from the hands of different people and it slew their enemies until the image flashed to the next scene. Beasts unimaginable, creatures and animals Luck couldn't fathom flashed dead across the floating video. The focus was on the sword itself but as the scenes changed the hands blurred and the monsters changed just as rapidly until it seemed to be a single stroke of the sword layered over thousands of battles.

Magical Item: Fourth Sword of the Elements

The power imbued within this sword cycles through some of the basic elements. Enchanted to meld perfectly with the caster, if timed correctly the weapon becomes as deadly a wand as it is a sword. It is one of four swords crafted as such. 

Luck wasn't much of a sword fighter, or good with blades in general. He knew since Mr. Ark had tried to drill knife fighting techniques into him at a young age but he never took to it. Instead Luck excelled in disarming and subduing in close quarters. Luck knew he could take a man twice his size and make him feel like it was his first prom with the way he moved around him. So no, a sword would have to go no matter how powerful. The thought of selling the sword seemed viable and Luck's mind pondered it for a moment before realizing permanent benefits to himself were definitely worth more. The sword was up for discard.

Jerxos chimed in before Luck could move on once again, noticing the card. "Items in general are not permanent to the rebirthee but tend to have greater effects considerably earlier than other tools. For example, depending one where you begin your new life a weapon or shield may have immediate value. Being 'One with Nature' may not help if for example you began in a hostile area devoid of nature, protection would be valued more highly." 

"Is that random? Where we begin?"

"Ah, a question I can answer for you. Yes, the area must be devoid of sentient interaction so that your initial arrival does not have unwanted ramifications. Fear not, you will begin with those you arrived with. Your companion Ace is taking quite well to his process, his choices are rather interesting." 

"Wait. With those I arrived with? How about my family? Where will they be?" Luck didn't plan for this. He wasn't going to be with his family from the start? That wasn't good. 

"They will have gone through this same process. My information was depressingly little but I gathered many rumors and lore from your world. I was informed the Lockyer line are quite a capable bunch. You should not worry they seemed quite prudent when they came through. My prayers to the beings who call any of them enemies."

Luck smiled. He was right. Luck knew his parents as well as Tate were capable of handling themselves. He still would've felt better with them. He'll just have to find them once he arrives. "They already came through then?" 

"Yes, but we will be releasing them the same time as you. Worry not." Jerxos unerring smile was reassuring. Narrowing his eyes, Luck nipped that feeling in the bud.

Luck took a deep breath and checked the next card. He'll find them.

 It was a man bleeding to death, a femoral artery was cut on his leg and he was left to die on the battlefield. Luck watched closely as the man dragged himself with his only working arm into a nearby bush, he didn't even leave a trail of blood. Within half a minute the man was up again and rushing the enemy from behind. His leg was working perfectly, no sign of any damage except the gap in his armor. His previously broken arm was holding up a shield as he charged. Despite all the dried blood he was perfectly fine. The men at the rear of the opposing force turned around in surprise as the man laid into them.

Magical Trait: Troll's Blood

The blood of Trolls run through your veins. You regenerate damage at an incredible rate due to your blood. Loss of limbs are impossible unless cleanly detached from your body. Small cuts and bruises become inconsequential to someone with your vitality. Fire ceases your healing and you burn more easily.

Jerxos' purposeful gaze did not go unnoticed by Luck. He had previously moved the cards around to indicate a discard or keep but Jerxos hadn't even twitched. He only looked on with an untiring smile, at least the man seemed to be having fun. He was protecting his tells well enough that Luck couldn't glean any immediate insight on the usefulness of the card.

"How would something like this affect my appearance? I'd really rather not look like a troll." Luck questioned. He was still fascinated by the artistry on the cards themselves.

"On the surface, nothing. However, there might be unprecedented circumstances on the off chance you encounter a troll in your travels." 

The Troll's Blood was something Luck was definitely going to keep. A weakness to fire in exchange for regenerating every other type of damage didn't even seem like a choice. That did concern him though. Simply the fact that the name had the word troll in it. The Fourth Sword of the Elements also showed different monsters being slain and Luck knew he would want this trait, if he got maimed he didn't want to spend his days disabled. Apparently wherever he was going had trolls and magic so it'd be only natural to want protection. He didn't expect to get any prior knowledge aside from what he could infer from the images on the cards so Luck viewed them with quiet interest.

 The next card showed a woman diving underwater, a vast underwater temple appeared before her. She explored the whole ruin, swimming through sunken halls. Expansive rooms that seaweed grew in made it seem like an underwater forest. She took her time gliding through the ruins and scanning for treasure. Eventually she found the treasury and what could've only been a king's quarters. There were traps and she took a long time disarming them, facilitated by her ability to float above them, no one else would've been able to last so long in the water. She rose to the surface heavy with her finds. She didn't burst through the water in a gasp of air however, she simply continued to walk to her pack, pocketing her treasures without a single heaving breath.

Trait: Aquatic Respiration

The ability to breathe underwater indefinitely. Your lungs have become specialized to filter oxygen through water with no side effects. Underwater escapades become another stroll through the forest.

There was no doubting the usefulness but potential for larger gains dulled Luck's anticipation. Breathing underwater sounded attractive but the reality was the need would likely never come up, or it would come up with such small frequency that other tools would be more beneficial. Needless to say Luck mentally filed it away for discard. It was probably for the best since there was nothing that indicated you'd be able to see very well anyways. Luck didn't know how comfortable he'd feel in foreign waters and with no vision.

The last card on the right was somewhat off-putting. It was a scrabbling man being chased by a large cat. It was clear who was prey and who was the predator. In the next few moments however the cat was whimpering and struggling to free itself. The man had transformed, the process seemed bloody and painful to Luck. The manbeast had locked its jaws on the cats hind legs and began to drag the rest of its prey closer, the cat left furrows in the dirt. The scene ended with the transformed man ripping out the large cat's throat and howling at the sky as blood spilled down his jaw.

Magical Trait: Lycanthropic Blood

A beast lurks within you. Your blood boils with savagery, awakening to the smell of prey or threat of danger. Control is possible but exceedingly difficult, your urges are not your own. You become stronger and faster, your senses become sharpened, your bloodlust flows free, and you become a true predator. The only saving grace is that you know the beast means you no harm, for the beast is you.

Luck's blood chilled. Leaning over the cards he froze as he watched the words materialize over the scene. Jerxos was watching him intently, more focused on Luck's expression than anything else. 

"This... doesn't seem like a good thing. I thought these were all tools for us to use, it looks like this would rather use me." Luck watched the scene replay and shivered. He hoped his family got good tools.

"No, the tools imparted are to facilitate survival. If a few loose demons are required to allow your survival then so be it. You of course, should be somewhat familiar with making certain concessions." Jerxos was still smiling despite the topic and Luck reminded himself he wasn't talking to just anyone. This was a god whether he acted like one or not.

"Of course, people have to die for secrets to stay secret in the business. I had just thought that all tools would be strictly beneficial, a misunderstanding I suppose." Luck was aware of the sacrafices that had to be made every now and then, but he couldn't fathom why certain tools had to be detrimental. In fact, why does such a system even exist?

"I knew you would. A benefit of the card method allows you to discard and exchange tools whereas normally you would not be allowed the choice to decline." Jerxos added. "However, you must have a total of five when the game ends." 

"I see... is there a purpose behind all this? Why bother with mortals like me? I'm sure the gods above have got better things to do." Luck made small talk.

"Why, why indeed?" Jerxos paused in genuine thought.  "Many, many, many reasons. Chiefly among them, I find myself bored, many of us do. The lives of gods and goddesses are very straightforward. The ones who aren't fighting each other whittle away at time interacting with mortals or spending it on a hobby. Those of us who find even that boring are simply waiting while carrying out our respective jobs. Quite mundane for us supposedly higher beings."

"For the next interesting thing?" Luck gathered the cards and adjusted his chair, his hands dissapearing under the table for a split second. "Seems tremendously boring."

"Precisely! Through bestowing you the tools I allow an agent of change into our realm, that means more entertainment for us." It was certainly clear why he was so excited the whole time, Luck was a novelty to him.

"And can I expect the people of your realm to have some of the powers i'm seeing right now?" He used the word realm tentatively.

"For the most part, the people will not be your problem. No, the average person will not likely have abilites on par with yours, but there are many dangerous individuals out there. In addition, there are enough natural hazards for you to worry about instead. In some instances, you'll be just as useless as another person should you come across certain foes no matter the power you possess. You are simply better equipped to survive, those favored by gods are given these opportunities rather frequently."

"I'm sorry to dissapoint but I plan to find my family and enjoy a simple life. Maybe help people here and there, but nothing earth shattering. Certainly, nothing entertaining." Luck waved his hand around.

"Plans change do they not? You, like many others might find their purpose somewhere along the line. The treasure is in the journey not the destination as they say." 

"Perhaps." Luck said. It did seem like an interesting place. "Ah, you've distracted me. I'd like to discard all of these." Luck handed him the five cards and he almost missed the surprise on Jerxos' face. 

"You're sure?" He eyed Luck who only sat with an ever present smirk, lounging his chair. "But of course you are." The small stack of cards was placed neatly aside without a second thought.  "Forgive me. Please draw five cards in total from these five decks." The decks all varied in colors.

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Luck drew three from the red deck and one each of green and yellow, talking as he did so. "Can the effects of these tools overlap? The two tools pertaining to blood for instance." Jerxos eyes were sharp, Luck attributed it to his full discard, it may have been too obvious that Luck had done something. There were no openings to palm any extra cards under his scrutiny this time around.

"Yes, the effects do overlap. In that particular case the Lycanthropic Blood transformation would also have the regenerative properties of Troll's Blood. In addition, life threatening wounds wouldn't awaken the beast within as there would be no real threat to your life due to your immense regeneration. If you do decide to keep any overlapping tools I'll be happy to explain their interactions." Jerxos smiled. His eyes were now on Luck's hands, the man was alert.

If Luck kept discarding full hands he would eventually have to keep the very last handful and that might contain something he'd rather not have. Initially he was stalling, waiting for an opportunity to sneak a card into his clothes but he was painfully aware of Jerxos' scrutiny.

The most notable tool was the card from the yellow deck with the rest not interesting Luck enough to warrant further consideration. Above it was an older man dressed in loose garb in a wide, expansive room. The room was literred with maps, globes and other such secular items. Men, women and other... creatures sat across and around the man effectively surrounding him. They talked to each other, paused and then looked to the man. He would then say something, sometimes even motioning with his hands and relay the message between the two parties. He did this for all present species of which there were many.

Trait / Knowledge: Omnilingual

A master of communication. You speak and understand all languages, written, signed and spoken. The intricacies and nuance of languages are no strangers to you. You speak all languages as if you were born to them. Native speakers and other linguists do not detect any accent or find any verbal flaws.

"Ah, the slash indicates a tool that falls within two categories. Omnilingual is a trait that deals with languages and thus the vocabulary and grammar of each. The knowledge of the languages becomes inherent to the rebirthee, almost considered a part of him. However, in a way it is also a gift of knowledge and thus it is also classified as such." Jerxos informed Luck.

"Interesting. I don't know how useful learning three or four languages might be, doesn't seem very helpful. I'm assuming everyone has a standard language like English." Jerxos only smiled, but sometimes no response was more telling than an actual one.

Luck discarded all of his hand except Omnilingual. That would be useful on many levels and he had the feeling it was rare too despite what he said. He wanted only to prod at Jerxos.

"Please draw four cards total from the five decks. You have three more discards left." Jerxos was still on guard so Luck had no openings for mischief. He didn't want to risk what would happen should he be caught. He drew two from yellow and one from the purple and orange decks.

The orange card depicted another large cat although this one Luck noticed was different. It had a light in its eyes that the one he saw previously did not. It moved like a ghost through the canopy. The sunlight that filtered through the leaves broke his form. It was stalking a man dressed in black but it only waited despite the man being completely unaware. Something caught the man's attention offscreen and the cat pounced from above. The person's death was quick. A woman came into view and approached the large cat. Luck blinked as she walked forward without hesitation and started scratching the back of its ears while checking the kill.

Companion: Shar

The shar are only on the mid range scale in terms of size and mass compared to other large cats. Their physical attributes are lacking compared to other predatory felines. However, their reaction time is the top amongst even other predators and their intelligence and cunning are exceptional. A shar hunting in its own turf may very well take down a larger, faster and stronger predator. 

"You've drawn a companion tool. They are roughly the opposite of item tools, their usefulness comes later rather than earlier. I recommend you resolve yourself to a single companion however, often they may fight between each other, paired with their upkeep it becomes unreasonably tedious and impractical. Of course, should you manage to get through that phase they become a strong help as they mature alongside you." Jerxos interjected.

"Mature alongside... what age do they start at then?" Luck asked.

 "Generally, they would appear alongside you as you enter the world. Their age and maturity would be equal to your own. A personality would be chosen for the most optimal bonding but many have still blundered the process. Sometimes once-extinct species would be sighted wandering around because of this."

"How would they know they were extinct? That wouldn't really work unless they've catalogued every existing species." Luck prodded.

"Well- " Jerxos stopped himself and glared at Luck. His smiled returned a moment after. "Forgive me, I forget who I am dealing with." Jerxos didn't seem to notice Luck's moving hands.

"Yes, you do." Luck smirked. Unfortunately, Jerxos squinted suspiciously and returned to watching Luck's hands. "I never liked cats. The rest are garbage. All are discards." The rest of the hand really was trash, they gave slightly better eyesight or something comparably useless like claws. With the potential of greater tools they might as well have been actual trash.

 Luck felt the subtle pulse coming from the three cards he managed to squirrel away.

One came from his sleeve, another was under his thigh and the most recent was currently under his elbow. Luck had taken the first as he adjusted his chair and the second as he drew a new hand. It was a risk to get the one under his elbow but a quick movement the span of a god's blink had it concealed and hidden. Back in the days when he hadn't earned the name Devil of the Cards it was straining to keep his attention at his peripheral, now it was almost second nature when there was nothing going on, and simply habit when he was at the table. It wasn't quite complete awareness but he could notice small movements off to the side, to a greater extent he could even read things if it was close enough to his center of vision. This allowed him a method to sneak away some cards, by feigning interest in another. Jerxos never saw him steal a card as he shuffled them together and handed them over. The cards Luck took from one of the tables nearby weren't activated but they did a great job as placeholders. Luck was glad he palmed some earlier.

This left Luck with four tools, four legitimate slots to fill, and potential for much more illegitimate tools.

"Please draw four cards between these five decks. You have two discards left." Jerxos was smiling again. "As you've kept Omnilingual you will only draw four additional cards."

Luck leaned over to draw using one hand to slip the card from his elbow into his lap. He took one card each from a different color deck this time around. This allowed the most movement and chances for extra draws that Jerxos might not notice. In all, Luck had one yellow, green, purple and orange.

This hand wasn't as useless as the previous one. He decided that each needed his full attention or Jerxos would get suspicious again.

The yellow card had the translucent image of a man entering a building, lights flashed and the door opened for him. Another shadier looking man tried breaking in, instead he was incinerated by a brilliant gout of flame. Luck guessed it was some type of trap. He wondered exactly how he could have something like this in a place without "sentient interaction" as Jerxos put it. If he starts in the middle of nowhere would that just appear with him?

Base: Mage Residence

The home of any great mage is trapped and protected by a number of spells. The greatest mages could wait out an army in the comfort of their own homes. This could allow warmth, fresh water, electricity, communications and more.

Luck's eyebrows rose at the mention of electricity.

"Ah, you've drawn a base tool. These tools start the individual with a shelter that they may operate from. This is especially useful when one finds themselves in unfamiliar territory, however it is notable that this might draw unwanted attention. Of course, whether or not you think yourself capable of handling that attention depends entirely upon yourself. Take note of the type of base as well it may have some influence on what might take notice of it. For example, a large structure might draw curious locals when smaller or camoflauged buildings would go unnoticed."

"Don't you think you're giving me too much information? You've basically told me about camoflauged bases and the chance for larger structures." 

"As you've said, this particular method of impartation is all about chance. I've not told you previously but the other methods don't demonstrate what each tool does. The images displayed over each card are unique to this method of impartation. This is specific to the cards and done so in order to- "

"To tempt me into rolling for a better hand." Luck interrupted. "Cruel."  Even now, the possibility of electrical structures intrigued Luck, he had assumed that magic meant technology was obsolete. Apparently, it was not so. He had to revise his view of this new world.

"Exactly, but know that this is a game of chance and risk taking, even more so considering that your future depends upon these cards. Quite the game is it not?" 

Luck said nothing and continued down the row of cards.

The green card had a dark blue flower repeating the process of budding and blooming over and over again, surrounding it was a field of snow. It was pretty simple compared to the rest of the moving pictures.

Ingredient: Fire's Bane

A flower that blooms in the coldest winters. Small fields of fire's bane are always beautful to glimpse as they are normally shrouded in snow. Used as an ingredient in magical, alchemical or mundane practices or processes gives a great measure of fire retardancy to the final result.

"Ingredients are exactly as they seem, they are tools that allow specific effects the rebirtheee would otherwise not be able to control. This way, rather than starting with a chainmail resistant to fire a bundle of fire's bane would allow the rebirthee to choose where that resistance goes. Most ingredients will come in bundles that I will inform you of. This particular tool will come in a bundle of thirty stalks and fifty petals." Jerxos seemed to lower his perceptiveness as he talked, he couldn't be sure but Luck didn't want to take the risk and try something funny if Jerxos was simply baiting him.

"Isn't this infinitely better than that chainmail then... no it wouldn't be. Not at all." Luck stopped himself, realizing the catch. In addition, he couldn't even tell the size of the flower and how he would need to fireproof a simple glove.

"I see you have caught on. Yes, the way that the effects of the ingredients are applied are for the rebirthee to discover. However, paired with a tool of knowledge concerning herablism for example these ingredients become much more valuable." 

"Jerxos, how many more different types of tools are there? Am I allowed that question?" 

"That is for you to discover." Jerxos gave a small knowing smile.

Luck asked another question. "If I were to get two base tools would they have an interaction similar to any traits I get? It would seem rather pointless to have two random structures if I end up with them." Luck asked.

"Not all traits combine like the blood types you saw earlier. It is simply more common among traits as they all concern a change to your being, thus the probablity that they intermingle and affect each other increases drastically. If you were to end up with a stone cottage and a wooden log cabin you wouldn't have some combination of both. Although it is entirely possible for two different base tools to interact you will likely not have to concern yourself with that."

"I see." Luck rubbed his chin and continued to check his hand. This wasn't a traditional game of cards so instead of having his cards face down and hidden they were face up like the river and in plain view of his "opponent". Luck chuckled at how strange the game seemed to him simply for that alone. 

 The orange card was interesting.

Simply put, it was a man dying against a larger humanoid, repeatedly. Then the scene restarted and something would change, instead of being smashed by its large weapon, he would dodge it. He would instead be brought to the ground by his enemy's fist. The scene would rewind and he would dodge the weapon and duck the fist. He would get the larger enemy in a chokehold but be thrown to the floor and have his back broken. The next time around he shifted his weight and kept his grip on the enemy's neck. Eventually it was the man who came out victorious following many of these rewinds. Luck was deeply intrigued. 

Magic: Time

The ability to manipulate time. Scholars, wizards, and greater intellects have pondered the varying effects that wielders of time have produced. Some claimed to rewind whole days or even months, to speed up time, to slow or pause. Some could affect only themselves while others had mastery over the timelines of others. Others have claimed only to be able to rewind or pause at the largest possible scale, everything. They say a true master of  time magic can sense when something is altered. In the past, there have been recorded a number of mages who could jump into the past or future but the methods are long forgotten. Time is near the top of the most advanced magics and immensely difficult to comprehend.

"... It seems you've drawn a magic tool." If that pause wasn't Luck's queue to keep this card then he didn't know what was. "Magic must be learned but it is known from the birth of an individual. Magic marks the soul, so not every aspiring mage can pursue what they percieve to be their most interested magic. Even if you were granted the knowledge of how to cast time magic for example it would not work for your soul would not resonate. I'll warn you right now however, that time is a difficult magic and without a tool of knowledge concerning it. You might find it completely useless." Jerxos' wide smile contradicted his warnings.

"It almost sounds like you're trying to dissuade me." Luck chuckled, noticing the smile.

"Quite the opposite, if there is anything that causes drastic change, it is a direct change to the timeline. It would be entertaining all around." Jerxos had a faraway gaze and a sleepy smile, as if he was picturing the chaos ensuing.

"I don't see myself doing anything that drastic." Luck said. "Unless maybe I screwed up terribly." He conceded.

"You never know. But again, your decision is your own. My words were not empty when I said that this magic will likely be completely useless for you. Even though you will have the capability it is likely you will never know how." Jerxos said. It was strange that he was letting Luck know the level of potential usefulness but it made sense. He had said that every tool was useful in some capactity so it was reasonable that he would warn Luck of a potential tool that was completely useless.

However, Luck already showed too much interest in this card, if he decided to discard it in an attempt to sneak it into his pile of illegitimate tools Jerxos' would never let it by him. The god had his eyes on Luck's hands often enough, and while it may have been rude in a normal setting, since it was akin to being accused of being a cheat, Luck found it rather flattering that someone didn't underestimate him despite his easygoing nature.

He decided it would be best to lock in the card and moved on.

The purple card was as simple as the earlier ingredient tool. It had a man rummaging through a heavy laden backpack. In the next cut he was traveling through a swamp, then rowing across it, until finally finding shelter under a large rock outcropping. He pulled a few things out of his backpack and settled in for the night. The food that he ate looked rather small, not even close to the amount of food the large, rugged man would need. Surprisingly, the man went the whole next day without eating a single thing if Luck was understanding the images. The man only ate once at night and continued trekking to wherever he was going the rest of the following day. 

Supply: Two Weeks of Unperishables

Four full meals. Various snacks. Water casings and fresh water enchantments. Twelve adapting day nutrition bars. Two pairs of traveling clothes.

"Supply tools are meant to keep you fed, warm and hydrated. This one for example is two weeks worth of foodstuffs and water enchantments that allow you fresh water as long as they last." Jerxos chimed. "Clothes are also included in this category if they are not enchanted, otherwise that would fall under magical items."

"Got it, got it." Luck had to actually ponder this one. He didn't know where he'd be dropped off. "Do I get any say on how those clothes look?" Jerxos tilted his head.

"Why might you want that?" He seemed genuinely confused.

"To look presentable. I'd rather not look inadequate if I can help it. I'm just wondering if I can change how the clothes look, not their quality." 

"Perhaps... I can arrange something. I've never been one to partake in the mortal culture. Why do you do this?" Jerxos was quite curious.

"It's called fashion, Jerxos." Luck smiled, he looked at home in the chair he sat in. "Us mortals judge with the eyes, so I plan ahead and dress accordingly." Luck was already ahead of the game on said planning. Depending on how much alteration Jerxos allowed Luck would be able to strengthen even the stitching, add some pockets, make the clothes airy, and a multiude of other things.

"Fascinating... perhaps I have finally found a hobby worth researching." Jerxos tiled his head again, rubbing his chin. "Well. Something for another day. Have you decided then?"

"I'll keep time, the mage residence and the supplies.  All the rest are discard."

"As you've kept four cards please discard the fire's bane and draw another. You will have a single discard after this one." Jerxos said smiling wide. "I will allow you to alter the clothes under my supervision. Perhaps I can glean some insight on this so called fashion."

Luck frowned. The more choices he locked in the less variety of new cards he was presented with. This "method of impartation" as Jerxos called it was more calculated than Luck thought. There were a slew of things he had to consider to move on, everytime he snuck a card he frees up another spot for a potentially useful tool to appear. If he ended the game on his last discard with no cards locked in and only the ones he snuck into his clothes then he would be forced to accept whatever he got stuck with and they might not all be benefits. So Luck had to find a balance between locking in his cards and sneaking them in, if he ever got the chance to. He could always let go of a card he locked in to get more variety in the next discard, but the upcoming discards were basically final.

He had three cards on his person that he managed to get past Jerxos. The ones on the table that he kept were labled Omnilingual, Time, Mage Residence and Two Weeks of Unperishables. 

Luck shrugged. He'll find a way to survive. Ace would be with him and hopefully he'd have something as well. Luck paused. When did he start relying on Ace so readily? It had only been a day but it felt so much longer that he spent in silence, ghosting across the city, and trusting his back to the mercenary. Former mercenary, Luck corrected himself. He mentally shook his head, it was a strange feeling but he knew he could trust Ace.

The decision was more hard than Luck thought. He was really looking forward to designing something to wear. The thought that a god would be lending a hand made the offer even more attractive.

"Actually, i'll discard the supplies too." Luck said with difficulty.

"Then, draw twice between the five decks." Jerxos smiled. "It is a challenge is it not?" He had a knowing grin.

"Quite." Luck said. 

Luck leaned over again and pulled from the orange and purple decks. 

The orange card had a strange man with fair skin and horns in a duel with another similiar opponent. They were in an arena and from his shackles it seemed they were their for twisted entertainment. He was tired out by his opponent until finally he was stabbed through the heart and fell to the sand. The other man turned around and basked in his glory but the fallen man simply got up and stabbed him in the back, his chest, perfectly healed. The now-victor then slumped over on top of his slain opponent.

Trait: Exceptional Regeneration

Your body reacts and combats injuries and damage to your body that are life threatening. This process leaves your body exhausted and near useless. Small cuts and bruises are healed depending on the current energy of the individual. The body knows instinctually when it is in danger and thus conserves power to heal lethal wounds when necessary. In addition, mirroring your body's reaction to harmful effects, it reacts to beneficial effects by facilitating healing and other positive effects.

"That might have been quite powerful paired with the Troll's Blood trait earlier. A magical and normal trait normally work quite well together." Jerxos stated, eyeing Luck's reaction. He seemed suspicious about that for whatever reason. It was not unfounded.

Luck just barely supressed a smirk. 

The purple card pulsed with a different kind of power and Luck found himself drawn to it. Jerxos also took notice and Luck noted the way he visibly mastered his face.

Above the purple card was a small woman with scales, she wore robes and glanced about as if to make sure she wasn't being watched. Then she stepped through a portal just as it appeared, dissapearing in the next instant. The scene cut to a large room that seemed filled with objects, artifacts and structures he couldn't even name. The woman picked a bag from a strange looking table nearby, and stepped into another portal again, just as it appeared. She appeared back in the alley she started in, this time with a backpack.

Evolving Base: Dimensional Room

A base that evolves while used. These are structures owned by simple individuals that command great commerce, power or standing. The dimensional room is a pocket of space dedicated to an individual. It can only be accessed by a single individual but he, she or it may permit others to enter. Time inside the dimensional room is dilated by a factor of two. Two hours inside equate to an hour outside. 

"An evolving tool is one that grows with the owner. This could be applied to any tool I offer you. For example, an evolving companion will grow greatly in its capabilities that it might not otherwise have. This new growth is apart from the benefits they recieve from their owner's bond. An evolving base would change to meet the needs of the owner if certain requirements are met. Likewise for weapons and items." Jerxos went straight to business, not single pause or hiccup. It could just be the lighting but the God of Rebirth's smile seemed a little less genuine.

"I'm guessing that a dimensional room is rare to begin with." Luck tested.

"That is for you to decide." Jerxos smile was unsure. He looked like a man who had his confidence stolen from him. As if he knew he was cheated but not entirely how. It was to be expected, first time magic then this. To be fair, Luck had drawn complete crap in his earlier hands. He recalled a particular trait that gave him a stronger grip strength. Jerxos' expression was a clear sign to someone like Luck.

For that reason alone Luck decided to swap the room for the mage residence and keep the regeneration. It would go nicely with the Troll's Blood he pilfered.

"I'll discard the mage base and keep everything else." 

"Please draw once." Jerxos grimaced.

He drew a single green card.

Above the card resided a simple young man dressed in clothes that seemed comparably normal to what Luck had seen so far. He was sitting in a desk facing an audience of young adults he assumed were students, some looked entirely alien. He explained some things to which most wrote down and then turned to the blackboard behind him. Sprawled across was a large equation which he solved under a few minutes, explaining and taking questions as he went. He was very efficient, his explanations and execution were precise and accurate.

Tech / Companion: Supportive Intelligence Mk3

Supportive Intelligence Mk3 is an artificial implant that melds with the brain, should one survive the initial bond they will find themselves with many of their mental faculties freed. The supportive intelligence works towards making the host's life easier. However, it is powered by the body of the host and requires sufficient energy to function. The Mk3 is the most recent and updated version.

This would be rather helpful for Luck, he knew any perspective would be appreciated if he wanted to survive. Still, the word "meld" left a wierd ache in Luck's head that he couldn't quite shake off. He shrugged, he was stuck with it either way. Artificial intelligences weren't completely foreign to Luck's world. Luck caught himself. He guessed it wasn't really his world anymore, after all. There were A.I. back home but they weren't wildly used, everyone was still getting used to them.

"Ah, another dual category. That was a lucky draw, you well could have well gotten stuck with another type of unwanted transformation. As a tech tool as well as a companion tool you will still have to bond the intelligence as you would a normal companion. You will understand exactly how once you have arrived. " Jerxos said. "So then concludes our game. I will refrain from giving you an explanation of the tech tool category as this is stuck with you either way." 

"So what now? Am I off?" Luck asked, conscious of his pocketed cards. 

His final tally was Omnilingual, Dimensional Room, Time, Exceptional Regeneration and Supportive Intelligence Mk3. When he added the three cards he pocketed he was at eight or so tools that he felt were quite sufficient. When he added the one extra card he drew just then he was at nine depending on what it was. He didn't have the chance to look at it since it was face down when he palmed it.  He could only hope that his family and Ace did just as well.

"Now, I come clean. As you might have guessed this game was not as straightforward as I made it out to be." He smiled apologetically. "Thus, any cards you might have sneaked past me are fair game, though I doubt you have more than one. Please reveal them now." Jerxos smirked.

Luck only stared, not quite trusting the man. It might have a been an elaborate bait, for all he knew the cards would activate as soon as he was transported.

"I swear it. On my word as a God, that these are the true rules." Jerxos said deadly serious.

"What would've been the penalty if I had been caught?" Luck asked, conceding that he was indeed guilty. Jerxos sat back in his chair apparently smug he guessed right.

"You would've lost a discard and one from the total number of tools you could keep. In truth, this was one of the methods I was offered that dealt strictly with sleight of hand, chance, risk and strategy. It was, I admit, the most intriguing method I had done in a long while." Jerxos said. "Now out with it. I suspected that you snuck Troll's Blood but I couldn't be sure until now, there are consequences if I guess incorrectly as well so I refrained."

"How'd you know?" Luck chuckled. He adjusted his chair again, his hands neared his thigh briefly and Jerxos took a moment before he realized the Troll's Blood card had appeared on the table, right alongside the rest.

"A hunch not big enough to act upon." He said. "Now, lets begin the transfer. Your tools will be with you when you arrive as well as your friend-"

Luck took the time to check his most recent card before interrupting the god.

"Hold on. I'm not done."

"What?" He blinked.

"I've got more. Cards. Tools, whatever." Luck laid back in the leather chair with a nonchalant smirk.

"Huh? More?" Jerxos looked genuinely confused. "Please, go ahead and reveal them." He gestured, taken off guard.

The second card had Jerxos very confused, he thought that he had watched that one enter the discard pile. The third one Jerxos remembered being absolutely sure that it was discarded, or so he told Luck. By the fourth, the God of Rebirth could only gaze in dumfounded awe.

Magical Trait: Troll's Blood

The blood of Trolls run through your veins. You regenerate damage at an incredible rate due to your blood. Loss of limbs are impossible unless cleanly detached from your body. Small cuts and bruises become inconsequential to someone with your vitality. Fire ceases your healing and you burn more easily.

Magical Trait: One with Nature

Individuals who can truly commune with the world are rare. You treat the world not as a resource but as a brother, content to enjoy its company as it does yours. Beings such as yourself find themselves at home away from civilizations. Communication with animals and plant life becomes trivial for those such as you. Nature protects you in subtle ways when you find yourself in its embrace. 

Companion: Shar

The shar are only on the mid range scale in terms of size and mass compared to other large cats. Their physical attributes are lacking compared to other predatory felines. However, their reaction time is the top amongst even other predators and their intelligence and cunning are exceptional. A shar hunting in its own turf may very well take down a larger, faster and stronger predator. 

Ingredient / Magical Item: Enchanted Seeds

 A handful of seeds blessed with the magic of a plant mage. These seeds all grow edible plants be it root, fruit, vegetable or otherwise. They are enchanted to grow slightly faster that normal, and being able to grow without constant care. 

"I take it you don't require an explanation for that last card." Jerxos said weakly. 

"Not at all." Luck smirked, still lazily draped about his chair.

"Woe to the beings, mortal or god, that find themselves seated at your table." Jerxos said, his smile returning to him slightly. "The Devil of the Cards indeed. I haven't seen such sleight of hand in my life."

Luck laughed, a genuine sound that reset the atmosphere. "And you likely never will if it's on par with mine." He looked down at his collection of tools he would enter the new world with. They truly were pieces of art Luck thought as he fingered the ridges on the cards once more.

Jerxos surrendered a smile.  "Well, as I was saying, you will be transported in a remote location with all of your tools at your disposal. Your friend Ace will be nearby as well."

"Sorry to interrupt. But who made these cards anyways? They're beautiful. I wouldn't mind a way to pass the time while i'm down there." Luck asked, remarking on their craft.

Jerxos gave a laugh that rivaled a drunk's. "My wife, Goddess of Fun." He smiled.

Luck's eyebrows rose as his mouth curved. "When you said you regret the lives you had with no fun..." 

 Jerxos only bellowed harder. 

"Farewell rebirthee." Jerxos' familiar smile was once again wide and genuine.

"And to you. It was a pleasure Jerxos, God of the Rebirth. Farewell. " Luck tried the slow and commanding tone that Ace used unconsciously. He was gone the next moment.

Jerxos was left smiling. He noted the way Luck changed his title and found it emphasized the action, the moments he spent imparting powers to those who deserve them. He rather liked it.

"Now... fashion, fashion, what was that again?" The God of the Rebirth muttered. "Ah! Clothes, that's right."