Japi K Hurvana
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Japi K Hurvana is a mythical person in the Dragonlance book Dragon's Bluff. He makes multiple, brief appearances in the book, advising the heroes and helping them to find a way past their difficulties. The character acts in a very supporting role, as mentioned, his appearances are very limited, but he does serve a more of a "deus ex machina" - kind of role. This can be seen from the short descriptions on the "origin" - section.
[edit] Origin
The book does not directly tell the origin or "true form" of Japi K Hurvana, but the characters in this book speculate it a lot. Some of the theories told by the main characters will follow:
Theory Of Thief-Tim
After meeting with Japi, one of the adventurers, Thief-Tim, tells the others that he thinks Japi is an ancient gold dragon, who so kindfully helps the heroes.
Theory Of Kazmin-Ja
After Japi has built a grand galleon out of a "12-inch rope and a lamp" for the heroes, Kazmin-Ja, the great sorceress is convinced that Japi is actually a God, probably Majere, who helps the heroes.
Theory Of Billy
The dwarf Billy, who was always reluctant to talk to strangers, finally says "hello" to Japi after Japi has rescued him from a sunken boat and told him stories of whale-hunting. After hearing those stories and drunken lots of "the finest dwarven ale", Bill begins to explain to Thief-Tim how Japi has to be a 13-headed hydra, because "he talks like one".
[edit] Deeds
As mentioned, Japi K Hurvana helps and guides the heroes in their search for the legendary magma-dragon Gâudeníllê's treasure. He rescues the heroes from the sea and builds a bridge across the greatest gap in Krynn, the Chaospit. Japi himself tells the heroes that in the past he was nothing but a sailor, who lived in great hunger. Thus he had to look for food. it was not easy, for he had lived on an island separated from other people as long as he could remember. His only source of food was the sea, and so he fished a lot. One day, however, he saw "an island moving" and sailed closer to investigate it. He found out that the "island" was a whale. He realized that that would provide him with endless amounts of meat and so he tried to think of ways on how to kill it. He had nothing but his pipe with him, so he had to use it. He sealed the whale's watervent with the pipe and so the whale couldn't spit out its water and thus it drowned. Japi dragged the whale to his island and from there on he has hunted whales.
[edit] The search for "The biggest one"
From how the whale-hunting is linked to The World Serpent is left untold in the book, perhaps it can be thought that when the character underwent such a change in food, his attitudes changed for better. It may be that he is just protecting other people from the monster. Thus, according to this, we can again make a very careful guess that Japi is something much else than just a human, but that is left to the reader to decide. Japi K Hurvana has dedicated his life for one thing, to hunt down and kill the biggest seacreature on Krynn, The World Serpent (this resembles the Jörmungandr in Norse mythology). He says that his life has no other meaning but the serpent hunt.
