Chapter 34The captain is navigating the small ship toward the land of the Sashee when Skken emerges on deck to the gasps of both his companions and the crew. Instead of his usual black billowing robes, Skken is awash in all colors of the spectrum. Atop his bald head lies an intricate band of woven threads interspersed with feathers and long sharp tusks of ivory rising six inches up into the sky. His face is painted so there is no hint of his skin peeking through. There are light blue ovals surrounding his eyes and mouth, with vertical lines of green and yellow from the top of his head to his neckline. His black robe is gone and his only garb is a loincloth and boots made of fur. Bracelets adorned with gold and lapis cover both his arms, but the most striking part of his appearance is the f
