>>1126819
You could keep those in a notepad until they are relevant.

I think you are right about those effects not being natural. This complicate the plans to use primordial with a dispel scroll to free them from the mind effect. There might be several divine blessings acting upon a person that could be interrupted potentially permanently. Maybe inherent conscient control over impregnation could be a worth sacrifice in exchange for mental freedom, but it's also possible there are other effects necessary for survival that we are not aware. Concerning.

>>1126828
Dont think overly on it.
Just a throwback to one of the first things i said.
I managed to get a borderline divine entity to call me a pervert.
It was a proud moment

Oh,hey
Mina.
You seem nervous.
Dont worry.
You three have us lot watching out for you.
Thisll be over quicker than you think,then we are all gonna find the nearest tavern and drink to the end of this fustercluck.
Deal?

For what it's worth, any ability we have to tamper with your Soul is very limited. We couldn't edify you in just any way. You would have naturally edified to Shadows, Spiders, etc, and all we could do was maybe bump the process a little.

Like for instance if you just loved butterflies, and butterflies were totally your favorite thing, then we might have had Magical Sparkling Butterfly Princess, instead of Shadow Minstrel.

Don't know what more to do about Jacob and Vax and the temple, but good luck!

1/6 Tanna 2026/06/22(Mon)01:17 No. 1128358 ID: 70dd4f
File 178209105352.png - (871.92KB , 900x900 , Page 1 Set 4.png )

>Mina stores convergence on Tanna. Tanna slinks ahead, and if Tanna gets into a bad spot, she can cast phantom noise to tell Mina to trigger the convergence spell.
>Tanna scouting makes sense. Yesterday, evee would have been best, but now shes an eagle eyed sniper and our slinky is one with the shadows.

Going down alone first? I mean, eh, it sounds a bit risky? I know I said I’d help but… well, there is something kind of appealing to it. The sweet, seductive allure of… danger! Stepping back from the edge, I begin, “Hey, the Winds are giving me an idea.”

“What’s the idea?” Evel’yee says as she sits back on said edge. It’d be real easy to push her right now, no no… bad idea.

“I could go down and check things out. Mina, you said you can store spells on people, right?”

“O-Oh, um, yeah. I can. Are… are you sure about going down alone?”

Hah, “No, not entirely. I wanna test some stuff before heading down to make absolutely sure I’m capable of this.” I do really need to see how this music thing works first and foremost, you’re right Winds.

“I ain’t gonna turn down a scouting offer, but why’re you even offering in the first place?”

“Out of the goodness of my heart?” I say cheekily.

“Yeah yeah, and I’m the queen of Cordain. What’s the real reason?”

“Well, the Winds are suggesting it and… they’re making pretty good reasons why I should? Plus, I kind of want to… I don’t know why, but there’s something sort of exciting about it. Idea’s getting my blood pumping a bit.”

Trying not to appear too excited though, their friends are still down there after all, I say, “But also, seeing how this is messing with you two, I don’t think it’s a bad idea either. I’m less attached to all this, won’t take stupid emotional risks, and I can report back after checking things out so you aren’t like, surprised or something. Also, I’m supposedly sneakier according to the Winds.”

“Not that I’m… necessarily agreeing,” Mina mutters out quietly, “but she could Vanish or Umbral Step out if she really needed to as well.”

I could? “What’s uh… what’s that do? Umbral Step?”

She gives me a tilted look before sighing. “Kinda strange they didn’t explain that spell, but you can teleport and appear out of a person’s shadow. That’s probably the strongest spell you have.”

What in the frozen levels of HELL that sounds so FUCKING cool! “S-See, that’s… okay okay that’s so sick actually I wanna try that right now.”

She shakes her head at me. “You should really save your spells Tanna, never know when you’re gonna need them.”

“Okay, I guess those’re some positive points…”

I wanna use that spell so bad, ugh. Trying to ignore that feeling, I continue, “Exactly, and Mina could place Convergence on me as well. Maybe a Grace too, if you can?”

“I can’t do Grace. One of those ‘stickler’ spells. I could give you a healing spell though in case you get hurt?” She asks with a slight bit more enthusiasm.

>It's not entirely clear from what Mina said whether multiple spells can be saved on the same person, but if she can, it should be possible to trigger multiple spells in a single round. If this is the case, it might also be useful to give Tanna the bless spell, or sanctuary.

“How many spells can you set at a time on a person?”

“Two. And they’ll last dormant in your weave for around four hours.”

“Could you do Sanctuary instead?”

A smile breaches past her nervousness as she nods at me. “Sure.”

“Wait wait, before we do all this, why do you think you’re any stealthier than me? I know you think I’m ‘attached’ to this, but I assure you that ain’t gonna be a problem. Shouldn’t I do this instead?”

I motion for them to follow me. “Well, that’s what I wanted to test real quick. Here, step into the forest with me real quick, under some canopy. Too bright out here.”

As the two of them do, I take out my harmonica. Within the woods, we find a nice shaded spot. Still enough to see easily, but not so bright as it was in the grove. “Alright, so I’m going to play my song. Have to test this. What I want you to do is two things: try to keep track of where I go, and also see if you feel any different.”

They both give each other a mutual look, with Evel’yee shrugging. “Alright. You know we’re both looking right at you, right?”

“I do. I just wanna see how effective this actually is...” I say before bringing the harmonica to my lips. I’m trembling now, why is this so exciting?

2/6 Tanna 2026/06/22(Mon)01:17 No. 1128359 ID: 581dc9
File 178209107819.png - (295.59KB , 800x800 , Page 2 Set 4.png )

With an exhalation into the holes of the harmonica, I play my song. I place a certain… emphasis into it though, something that definitely wasn’t there before. Like my Soul is being entwined into the melody. It doesn’t take much, a quick and eerie sequence of ethereal notes, and the reaction is set. Even as I let my harmonica down, the melody continues on its own. Suddenly the forest around us dims dramatically.

Shadows rise and begin surround my form, blanketing me in a shifting shade and masking my true self. But even more strangely, they shift to my will, prompting me. They ask if they should do the same for Evel’yee and Mina. It’s like I’m speaking to another, dancing with them, and I give the entity permission. As the darkness envelopes their forms as well, I find their shifting forms somewhat difficult to keep track of myself.

“W-woah!? Tanna?! What is this?!” Evel’yee exclaims, looking about in astonished surprise.

Mina however is a bit more cool, reach her hand out and flexing her claws. “Is this what you were talking about earlier? What a… strange sensation.”

“A blanket of dark, new to we, I stalk in the brush, keep track of me~” I sing as I get on all fours. The darkness isn’t impeding me at all, I can see through it clear as night. That isn’t the case for them. Shadows and dark, slink in the shade. The two of them jolt at my reminder, remembering to try and keep track of where I am. I begin my move…

>TANNA SNEAKING CHECK ON MINA: 14(5[Roll] + 5[Dexterity] + 2[Effective] + 1[Dim Light] + 1[20% Concealment] > 9(4[Roll] + 3[Mentality] + 2[Proximity] = SUCCESS

>TANNA SNEAKING CHECK ON EVEL’YEE: 14(5[Roll] + 5[Dexterity] + 2[Effective] + 1[Dim Light] + 1[20% Concealment] > 13(4[Roll] + 3[Mentality] + 2[Effective] +2[Enhanced Hearing] + 2[Proximity] = SUCCESS

Like a dart, I shift within the dim, and Mina loses where I am instantly. Evel’yee however, her senses are sharp. She follows me for a little, her ears twitching at my soft paddings and following me for a little before I edge her out, the darkness emboldening my steps just enough. I go to tap her shoulder…

>TANNA’S ROLL VS. CONCEALMENT: 1d100(64) > 20 = SUCCESS

And she jolts in surprise. This is fun… and the shadows beckon me to continue, asking for more of my melody. This was always meant to be fleeting though, my friend. Don’t worry, I’ll return to you.

And thus, it all ends. The forest erupts back into a natural level of light, no longer entwined with my umbral beat. I whisper behind them with a snicker. “Hey.”

Mina turns around in shock as well before giggling, “Wow, I didn’t know what you were gonna be doing there but I certainly didn’t expect that. It was really hard to keep a track of you even when you were standing still.”

“Jeez alright, you’re probably sneakier than me.” Evel’yee frowns, before looking up at me. “I was close though.”

She does have some good senses, I’ll have to keep that in mind. “Yeah, you were. How did it feel though? The song?”

“It… I wish I could’ve shot within it, made sure. But even still, I felt something. Focused, faster. Stronger even.”

“I have to admit the same,” Mina says as well, looking at her claws once more. “It was quite a sharp feeling, and most definitely not a placebo. We really do need to test its capabilities later.”

It doesn’t seem like they got that ‘old friend’ feeling that I did. That same shadowy hug feeling from the dream… “Yeah, I liked it. Looking forward to using it more in the future.”

“Ah moons, I hope we don’t actually ‘have’ to use it if you get what I mean. Rather instead get a break from all this...” She says, her speech softening after the excitement. “C-Can we go check on Vax and Jacob now?”

“Shouldn’t waste anymore time. Anything else we should plan before you head down there Tanna?” She says before motioning for us to start walking back to the temple entrance.

Aw cute, she’s still trying to act the leader. Ah well, Mina and I start following behind her as I begin to say, “So yes, two things. Mina, if I play a sound with my spell, Phantom Noise, can you activate your Convergence?”

“Actually, you can end and alter that spell at will while you’re concentrating on it. Why don’t you play it ahead of time while you’re above ground, so you can deliver the activation quietly?”

“Oh, really? That’s- yeah, I can do that. I guess I’ll have it say something like ‘activate’ if I need it?” I ask hesitantly. When she gives me a nod confirming I’m not dumb, I continue, “Great. As for the second thing, the Winds have some more messages for you all.”

>to Evelyee and Mina
>If the person possesses a cell phone then it's not out of the question that they also possess a Firearm What that basically is, Is a small metallic non-magical ranged weapon capable of shooting small pieces of jacketed lead at high speeds. If they pull something like that out be warned. The shots go fast and ricochet if they hit a wall.

“Er… alright. Like a flintlock. Maybe that’s what a flintlock is. Firearm… that’s not a bad name for ‘em actually.” Evel’yee muses to herself.

“How dangerous are they really Eve?” Mina asks, pushing some brush aside.

“I haven’t seen one used on a person yet, but they’re loud as fuck and they can tear through metal. They’re dangerous.”

>They have flintlocks here. So more accurately you'd say she might have something better than a flintlock.
>Right I forgot about that. Though I'd personally say they're the next step after Flintlocks. Able to hold several before needing to reload.

“I think they mean something even more dangerous than what you’re thinking of Evel’yee. Capable of holding… several? Of the pieces of lead?”

She pauses in her steps when I say that. “That’s… hm. Okay. That’s fucked up.”

Well gosh, that reaction is making me hope that’s not the case. “Just a possibility, not confirmed.”

“We should treat all this as if she does.” Mina says cynically, counter-measuring my optimism. It’s probably not a bad idea to assume the worst.

>To Evel'yee:
>What do you think about death?

“Well, that’s a different topic.” The weski says. “What do I think about death?”

“They asked you about that?”

“That they did.”

“Uncomfortable question? You don’t have to answer it.”

“Nah, it’s fine. I’ve… feelings about it.” As we’re stepping over the last of the plants and bushes and pushing back into the clearing, she goes silent for a bit. I can see her hesitating, thinking about what to say.

“You really don’t have to answer it.”

“I said I’m fine.” She says a little too tersely, Mina shrinking back a bit. Evel’yee doesn’t seem to care as she continues. “I don’t know. All sorts of conflicting emotions about it. I’ve got a certain respect for it. I also think that it’s unfair. That people who’ve done awful, terrible shit can use it as an escape and suddenly boom, they’re someone different in their next life. People I’d want to make suffer. Murderers and pieces of shit that don’t deserve an easy death.”

“’Course, I’m hardly any better considering some of the shit I’ve done.” She says with a laugh, one that sounds surprisingly genuine. “Je’zik, wicked hard question to figure out a proper answer to. Everytime I do think it’s unfair, I also know that it isn’t. Death comes to all in one way or another, and it doesn’t discriminate. That whatever impotent rage I might feel, it doesn’t give a shit. We’ll all turn the cycle and have new things to worry about in our next. I have to respect it there.”

“I used to be angrier about it until Roderick introduced me to a colleague of his. One of the Gambler’s, priests of death. You’d be surprised at how peaceful the messages they tout are. There’s a whole sect of them in Burnswallow, but I never really bothered with visiting their temples. I know I should be satisfied knowing that the people I want dead will die one day, that we might even be friends in the next life, it’s just hard to accept that and move on, yeah? And I don’t want to be friends in the next life either, I’d preferably like to kill them there too.”

A bit going on there, but she’s got some similarities to me, though… probably far less confused about them than I am, hah. Our walk is silent from then on as we make our way towards the entrance of the temple, Evel’yee going to one of the coils of rope to toss it down. I go to grab the other one to help.

“Oh, hey...” I begin as I notice one of the pews are missing in the temple. “Is that one of the pieces of furniture you moved to block in the guys? A pew?”

“Ah, yeah. It is. Should’ve mentioned that.” Mina says quietly as she helps lift Evel’yee’s coil of rope. “Good eye though Tanna.”

>To Mina:
>Oh,hey Mina. You seem nervous. Dont worry. You three have us lot watching out for you. Thisll be over quicker than you think,then we are all gonna find the nearest tavern and drink to the end of this fustercluck. Deal?

The amurrun’s ears twitch a little as that one gets sent before she turns to face me. She definitely still nervous, but a smile does manage to break through as she says, “Aw, thanks. It means a lot that… well I’m not sure why you’re here or even helping us to begin with, but I appreciate it. I’ll take you up on that. There’s this place called the Habs, they’ve got some really nice selections there. I uh… are they capable of drinking Tanna?”

“In spirit I bet.” Would love to get a drink with you all in that way myself.

>To Evel’yee:
>Congratulations on your new supernatural archery trick. I'm sure it will come in handy for turning enemies into pincushions.

“Aye, thanks. I gotta be real, it’s fucking exciting. Wish it could’ve been more of a celebration rather than all this melodramatic skrit-shit, eh, what can be done though.”

>To Evel’yee:
>I remember an old technique I once saw. (I suck with bows so take it with a grain of salt) You basically hold each arrow between your fingers and reload as you re-draw the bowstring. This saves you time and ensures you aren't disarmed if something happens to your quiver. You could also re-distribute the arrows in a light mesh of fluff so it's harder for them to fall out.

“Hah, I think I’m a pretty finessing bitch, but you seen my fingers? Sometimes I wish I had them Caro digits, though I hear they gotta wear gloves or do shit to their strings to even shoot ‘em without cutting into their skin.”


“Fox seems to agree with that too.”

“Though, the fluff idea ain’t bad one… hadn’t really considered that.” Evel’yee says as she pats her quiver, “They’re always rattling and making a racket in there, maybe when we get to Felicol, I’ll give it a try.”

>To Mina:
>Strange. Mina, you seem to channel your winds whenever we get to talking about technical terms like spell lists. Guess we'll see if we meet one day.

“Oh if only I had something akin to you all, hah. Nope, it’s just me. Unless you’re meaning something more metaphorical, but you all talk and… I don’t really have anything like that? Maybe you’re talking about the Theotians?”

“They can be a bit vague sometimes.”

“Vague voices in your head, telling you things that may or may not be true…” Evel’yee grunts as she and Mina finally get their coil over. “Plenty of folk that’d think you’re insane.”

“Well, aren’t I lucky that they can actually speak to you then? Otherwise, I might’ve had to get a puppet to counterbalance my supposed insanity.”

“What?”

“Yeah seriously, what’s this puppet joke you keep bringing up?”

I suppress a giggle, but a crooked smile breaks through. I ain’t explaining this. Shit’s funny. Skirting past that without explanation, I say, “Alright, just about ready to head down. I’m gonna set up the Phantom Noise, it’ll be a quiet hum. I’ll have it say ‘Convergence’ if I need you to release your Convergence Mina, ‘Sanctuary’ if I need that. And ‘help’ should hopefully be obvious.”

“Sounds good.” She says before clasping her hands together around her stupid butterfly amulet. Divine Weave begins to circle around her as she incants, and then she taps me. A magic surge courses through me, making me feel slightly heavier, but it does settle rather quickly though. As that happens, Mina repeats the effect with anothe spells. Same feeling as before, and she’ll step back to observe her handiwork. “I can feel it on you, it wouldn’t take more than a thought to have either one activate. What an odd gift Cassilda’s bequeathed unto me. …Anything else?”

“Yeah, Evel’yee…”

>To Evel’yee:
>I don't know if it will be useful, but we have some information and speculation about what happened. This seems like a sensitive topic for Mina, so I think you will better judge if anything might not go well with her.

>While we don't know what Shi'zen did at the end, I doubt she killed the guys. It's a possibility, but if that was her goal, I presume she had plenty of opportunities and wouldn't have wasted that sleep spell. She was even behind Jacob while he was escaping his bindings, so yeah... killing them should be relatively easy.
>All that said, I'm pretty sure she did something. Based on nothing but a vague connection to a certain yellow being, my speculation is petrification. One year as a marble statue! Classic.

>I doubt Shi'zen had any trouble leaving, since she can probably climb very well and go through the rubble in rat form. Unless there is another giant spider or similar somewhere, I don't expect you will need to face anything too dangerous this time. Well... that is if the guys are not roaming free.

This one takes a bit to send compared to the others, hard to tell exactly how long, but our evident silence is odd enough for Mina to notice.

“What’s going on? Are they saying something to you Eve?” Mina asks, a bit of worry having crept into the tone.

“U-Uh, yeah. Sorry, it was a long one. At least one of them thinks Jacob and Vax are fine… and apparently our mystery reptile’s name is Shi’zen. Saying she might not even be down there still.” Evel’yee says, avoiding the more tenuous bits of that message smoothly.

“That name is news to me as well. But yes, they’re capable of changing their shape, so… I don’t know if a rope would be necessary for them to leave. And they didn’t do anything to us in our sleep.” I add as well. Where did you get that name from anyways Winds? “I’m not sure. But, Vax and Jacob, I’m sure they’ll be fine Mina, don’t worry. If this person really had wanted the guys dead… well, I dunno why the Winds wouldn’t have just seen that.”

“O-oh… well, okay.” She says, fiddling with her amulet before nervously laughing. “That’s good to hear.”

I can tell she doesn’t feel great about not getting that message. Damned if we do and damned if we don’t though.

>To Evel’yee:
>And... I'm sorry for being flirty with Mina behind your back. It kind of developed that way because of the way I talk to cats. If it makes you jealous, I will stop doing that. I'm sure the others will accept her invitation even if I refrain for your sake.

“Oh Krai, brother, fucking flirt with her if you want, I am GOOD.” Evel’yee says with an exasperated sigh, raising her arms in frustration and looking skyward. That’s a way to break the awkwardness.

“Eh?”

“They’re just… doing that thing again. I’m not jealous, okay? Where in the hells are you even getting that idea? Mina likes the attention, shower her with it, a’ight? I’m more… not about that, yeah?”

“Evel’yee, I am certain that by acknowledging it like this you are one hundred percent encouraging them.”

“I-I mean? What do I even say to that?” She makes a confused squeaky sound as she directs her gaze towards me looking for an answer. “Should I have just not said anything?”

“Don’t worry, I will be the shield upon which all flirting shall fall upon for you Eve.”

“Fucking horny ass.” Evel’yee groans, but I feel like she’s playing it up. Can’t tell for certain. Mina definitely seems a lot less nervous after all that.

“Alright, I’m heading down.” I say before playing a quick tune on my harmonica. A noise begins to hum in between Evel’yee and Mina, my… PHANTOM NOISE. “Shouldn’t take long. Make sure nothing bad’s down there, then we’ll find out what happened to the guys. Sound good?”

“Thank you again Tanna… it means so much.”

“Be careful skrit, we’ll be down there quick if you need us.”

With a determined nod, I grab hold of the rope.

>Uh what is that in the sky? You have a green shattered moon?

Hmm? No? Even if there were, our moons are the three sisters. Lunayin, Io, and Charon. Blue, White, and Red respectively. Taking one last look at the sky above just to make sure… yeah, none of them are visible right now. And definitely no ‘green shattered’ one.

3/6 Tanna 2026/06/22(Mon)01:20 No. 1128361 ID: bdb016
File 178209121867.png - (26.80KB , 800x1400 , Page 3 Set 4.png )

With that, I begin my descent back down. I’m still concentrating on my Phantom Noise, but it’s not so difficult. You were talking about moons last night too Winds. Are you seeing something I’m not? That’d be really strange. Eye color is one thing, but an entire celestial body? Will have to take another look later I guess?

>Alright, so "eyes are a window to the Soul" is not so literal. You don't have to hide them. More likely we need to keep people from looking directly at your soul. Or maybe it's that our Primordial power shields you, and if we expend it then you have to worry about direct eye contact…

>Aspect, is this something you can confirm/deny?

I can’t speak about the specifics of that, sorry.

Souls. That’s a saying in our world, ‘eyes being a window to the Soul’. It’s a very core part of our identity. When we die, our body returns to the planet, but the Soul remains. And that the color of our eyes often paints a picture of who we are in our past lives. Gray and other darker colored eyes like mine have a bit of a stigma… and now that my sclera’s black, I can’t imagine that’ll improve.

I was half expecting when Evel’yee was looking at me earlier to call me a darkeye or something. I’m glad she didn’t. Darkeye’s a slur by the way if it wasn’t clear. I think that might’ve been why… I guess I was so hesitant earlier. It’s kinda coming back to me now, I don’t remember specifics, but people have definitely treated me different because of my eye color.

Being a window though, seeing deeply into another being. Looking past the flesh in front of you and trying to understand them to their core? I don’t know, I think there’s something to it. Not sure why I think that. I felt this… alarm though. When Mina was looking into my eyes, I was getting really nervous. Meh.

>Personally, I've always found the concept of full reincarnation terrifying. You lose everything. Every precious moment, every hard-fought lesson... every scrap of love you had for anyone else, ever. And what's your reward? To do it all over 'again'? As if your life never happened? Even if there's a truth to your core identity, some part of you that is fundamental... what if that core is tortured by repeating its trials? And more importantly, how can you be sure that you aren't being used?

I… don’t like it either. What is the value of life then if you can just do it over after? What’s to stop someone from ending themselves when things get difficult? The lack of finality, the rot of the Soul? Things… need to end. They can’t just keep going on forever. Probably something my ‘sister’ would say.

Definitely not a popular idea. I wonder what a world where death was permanent would be like? Where you actually had to be genuinely terrified of becoming… nothing. Instead, we’re like… I guess cattle in a way? Whatever the Theotians do with our Souls… surely the energy we’ve accumulated during our lives isn’t used for nothing.

>Imagine being a mother with a child you love with all your heart, and then dying and reincarnating as the crazy psycho bandit who murders that child. Imagine reincarnating as one of the tormented plague carriers you read about in a book who lived ten thousand years ago, space and time inverting around mere mortalkind just to ensure that the suffering was real, that it existed, and that it happens to some version of you! Imagine reincarnating as someone you'd never willingly choose to become in this life - because some angel demanded you become someone else and didn't want to deal with some pesky free will to get through it!

With all the people who have lived throughout our time, I can’t imagine it hasn’t at least happened once. Though the whole plague carrier thing is… oddly specific. I don’t know how the Soul works, I suppose there’s some belief that it has ‘tendencies’ from Mina’s explanation, but… we can’t always choose who we’re born as. The lives we grow up in, affluent or wretched, make a mark on who we become as people despite these supposed tendencies.

Damn, this is a thoughtful climb down. Going down ropes is so much fucking easier than climbing up them. Not looking forward to the trip back up. Honestly, I will just Umbral Step back up if that’s the case. Screw that.

>I wonder if the darkness and confusion we are born into is just the last embers of our past identities finally ceasing to be as we're born once more.

It is sad in that way. People are quick to just… dismiss who a person was in their life. Accept their death and satisfy themselves with the fact they’ll be someone else in the next. It’s not that simple, of course there’s still grieving, but it’s…

...I don’t know. It’s something. Sad. Infuriating. Disrespectful. How I feel…

>Really hope you can change things, Tanna. For all of us.

Ahah, I’m just a dumb nudist tachi my friend. I uh… I don’t think I’ll be changing anything this fundamental about our existence anytime soon.

>clothes and sewing for beastfolk
>Ah hah! I KNEW your nudism had a reason.

I am not a nudist. I am not, I am not. I am not. It was a JOKE. But yes, we have a hard time sewing. Fat fingers, pads, and claws make it pretty difficult.

>mina likes attention.
>Oh. Oh no. Shes going to regret that.

Give her hell please. Thinks she’s so damn ‘seductive’ and ‘experienced’. Embarrassing me like that. Take that dork down a peg.

I’m only sorta joking. She really did send me on a tizzy earlier though. I’m curious if she can actually handle the full brunt of your eccentricities.

>My... aren't you guys an emotional roller coaster?

Yeah yeah, I know. Everything that’s been happening is so extraordinary though! That entire ‘venture from last night, this amnesia, these new experiences with these two strangers, edifying, and it still hasn’t stopped? Do you actually think we’ll get to Felicol and just be able to have a drink? That sounds amazing! The mundanity of it! Maybe I’ll even be able to lock my room for the night and just be alone?!

Except wait, that won’t be the case because the strangest thing of all is these ‘not from our world’ voices in my head! Not that I’m blaming you or wishing you were gone, it’s just… how can’t I be an emotional ‘roller coaster’? Whatever the third layer of hell that is. I’m emotional! Blah!!!!!!

I’ll keep trying to work on it though. I hope I’m not annoying you with it.

>Out of curiosity: what are the related root words for steel in your language? It's interesting that Mina thought it was something strange to translate. I would guess that if your culture is older than ours, it might have something to do with meteorites.

I’m sorry, this is not something I’m knowledgeable about. I think it’s something related to bone? I can ask Mina later? Maybe she’d know.

>Now you have to juggle the few inconsistencies of that lie without annoying us. Remember that it only takes one of us to reveal the truth to them, so be careful about blaming us.

I don’t intend to often, that situation was so messed up though. I was really enjoying conversing with them too. Please don’t tattle on me?

>It happened last night. I'm not sure when, but I presume closer to when you fell asleep than when you woke up. You need to come up with an excuse for why, according to you, we witnessed a past event in case it ever comes up.

I mean, you’re magical talking voices from another world. I’m sure they’d believe whatever shit we came up with. Is the idea that it just came to you now for whatever reason not good enough?

>Man rereading Mina's explanation on souls kinda points out an understated fucked-upness to the process. So new souls ARE born but only occasionally? So what exactly are Older souls doing when they "reincarnate"?
>Are newborns just born souless and develop one on their own?
>And more horrifyingly are the new souls Supplanted/absorbed/destroyed by the older souls whenever they are finished their journeys?

No, I don’t think that’s exactly how it works. My understanding of the mythos is way weaker, but I think the… the Gambler, it was him. He sort of puts them into a purgatory to become a viable creature when ready. Newborns aren’t ‘made’ without a Soul, the moment they exist they have one.

As for new Souls, I… I don’t know. I vaguely remember something about Hyakuuwuu being responsible for new Souls. I don’t think an old Soul would ‘supplant’ a new one though. I’m not one hundred percent certain though…

>Alot of uncomfortable questions are raised and it's not even a good time to get into them (and depending on how things go it might not be for awhile). How frustrating.

We’ll get there. I have questions on that too now, wish I’d brought it up in our earlier conversation. I hope after whatever’s up with Jacob and Vax, we can just have some calm.

>Grease not flammable?
>It was when we used it in the first thread.
>Mina tosses her torch into the grease, and it immediately begins to light up.
>That said, it *is* probably more useful unburnt.

Yeah, it burned pretty nicely last night. Doesn’t seem to last nearly as long in that case. I’m going to try to stay stealthy at first, and not Grease the first thing I see.

>Its also an excellent lube.
>Right squeaks?

Minute per level my friend.

Uhhhhh, maybe? I’d have to… analyze its… qualities…

>I feel like there's lots of different lubricants that one would want to use for different circumstances, and that someone should make a lubricate cantrip that gives you fine control over the features but can only apply to a small object or something, remember specialized lubricants that folk use for sex originated as being for medical use, then the sex specific ones diverged from the medical focused ones due to different needs. Heck there's a lot of room for lots of utility cantrips that can do things Prestidigitation can't, and a way to adjust one's daily available loadout of at will cantrips...

Wow, we’re really getting into this, huh. I mean, yeah, the Grease spell like… it SPLATTERS everywhere. There’s a LOT, at least from what I saw when we used it last night. I’m pretty sure you could grease up an entire person if you really wanted to. Prestidigitate might be better for more precise applications. But this is getting me thinking about how magic can be used for… like… other things. You can make people larger with it, or smaller? Give them more stamina, speed them up, slow them down… illusions, enchantments…

Dirty ass thoughts, you all are rubbing off on me. I-I mean that metaphorically. Man, fuck. Take that out of context if you want, you know what I meant.

>For what it's worth, any ability we have to tamper with your Soul is very limited. We couldn't edify you in just any way. You would have naturally edified to Shadows, Spiders, etc, and all we could do was maybe bump the process a little.

I’m happy that you chose shadow though, maybe I’m just saying that because that’s how it ended up, but it feels fitting. And hey, even if you could, as long as you didn’t make me a nudist I don’t think I’d mind that much.

>Like for instance if you just loved butterflies, and butterflies were totally your favorite thing, then we might have had Magical Sparkling Butterfly Princess, instead of Shadow Minstrel.

Or that. Ew!

>​​evee looked in your bag.
>Thats just bakoth using the truth to sow discord. Annoy him by not biting tanna. She didnt take anything after all.

Screw Bakoth. I won’t let it… eh.

She didn’t take anything, you’re right. But if he isn’t lying about that… what’s to stop her next time? I feel like I need to talk to her about that. Something for the future, to think about. I don’t know how to approach it now, but the idea that she may’ve even tried is making me a little mad.

>Tanna, please do not talk directly to Bakoth.

Hey okay, I don’t plan on making it a habit really, but he does know things. And his threats don’t scare me, I’m not some spoon-swaddled milk-drinker.

>he could break your mind, but he can't do that kind of thing to us. The most he could do is mislead us, and so far it seems like he doesn't want to do that.

Come on, I know he says things that leave me a little shaken, but he can’t ‘break’ my mind. Maybe if I didn’t know he was there, but the worst he’s going to get out of me is a rise. I don’t really see the problem.

>He's withholding information, but not giving out false or misleading information, as far as I can tell. It's much safer for us to just talk in private and relay our own, thoughts to you.

Okay, okay. What you’re saying is probably safer, but I still have questions for him too. I’ll… avoid talking to him for now, and if I plan to I’ll let you know ahead of time. Does that work?

Speaking of which, feels like we’ve been talking for a while. Gonna hit the bottom here soon. Maybe talking to him now isn’t a bad idea? I’ll… stay out of it this time. Just lemme know when you get a chance.

4/6 Bakoth 2026/06/22(Mon)01:20 No. 1128362 ID: 4ce094
File 178209123523.png - (202.58KB , 800x800 , Page 4 Set 4.png )

Private Conversation

Hello again.

>Did that "destruction" happen before or after the world was broken such that the King in Yellow was given the task to watch over it? "before" and "after" being from your perspective, of course, not that of mortals. Or was that the event that broke the world? Regardless, that's not quite what I was getting at. I more interested in knowing how successful Tanna has been in her previous life/lives.

Ah, how very straight to business. Let me ask, did you know that The King is oft times described as akin to that of a cervidae? His crown is often that of antlers. The destruction you reference is neither before nor after when regarding the King in this way. He surveys all within his graze. He is the reason why this land exists, and why it experienced its devastation all that time ago. And quite like how the antlers of a deer, no matter how warped they might be, one of his domains be of life and death, that which follows in the cycle of all things. And he has a habit of making a mockery of it.

As for Tanna, her past life was nothing but an abject failure, made to be a tool that ended up becoming obsolete and repurposed into something far more degrading. Until one day I managed to convince her that she was no tool, that she need not be subject to such treatment! Words that made her my plaything instead. Ended up not working out however, and we… found ourselves going separate ways.

I must admit now, I’m rather surprised to see her out and about. I remember… after I came to again, I learned that she had found herself in a rather tight situation at the end of our last escapade together. Somehow more tight than what I’ve found myself in, and I’m stuck in an infernal box. At least I’m not claustrophobic, haha.

I’ve been stuck for quite some time though, and I could only learn so much of the goings on of the world from Roderick and company’s lives. And this… inscription on her Soul. I’m talking about that odd curse you all see on her. I’ve no idea who inscribed it like that; but it’s quite advanced, and I can’t really analyze it too well within this damned prison of mine. It’s preventing me from reading into her Biography. When she was carrying me off last night, I valued our shared history far less than that most curious inscription. If she hadn’t had it last night, I… maybe might’ve just had my minions kill her anyways. Fifty fifty toss up, I’m unsure. But now you’re all involved too, and she’s… ah, nevermind. It really is a twisted joke that she’s ‘important’ now.

>Are you saying Tanna was once something that destroyed the world? I've been meaning to ask something like this before but had no real evidence for it. Is Tanna a fallen "god"?

Don’t think I didn’t notice how you’ve reserved that inquiry just for me. Hesitant to have Tanna hearing you ask that? I can’t fault you, they are rather dangerous. Ones that are far too early to provide solid answers for.

But of course, if I were to say nothing, what would that imply? You might get the wrong idea about things, and I know myself, I can’t simply say nothing. I just adore the sound of my own voice. So, I’ll frame the first as a suggestion you might follow, rather than give a direct answer.

There are people within this world that have trained themselves into being able to date a Soul. It’s a paltry trick really, but so many get curious as to how ‘old’ they might actually be. Quite akin to what a palm reader from your realm might be. Do that, and I’ll give you a more definitive answer.

As for your second, whether Tanna is a fallen “god” or not. Such a question goes back to how definitions may alter the state of what might be truth and what might be lie. Surrounding it in quotes like that as well, haha, don’t even get me started.

There’s ways I could answer this, but I’m afraid I may have to disappoint you though. I think it best if I don’t answer this, I wouldn’t want to taint your perception of things. Find your own evidence and come to your own conclusions, and please try to not take my reluctance to answer as anything more than wanting the ‘best’ for you.

Anyways, best of luck going back down in that wretched place.

Returning back to Tanna

5/6 Tanna 2026/06/22(Mon)01:20 No. 1128363 ID: b4e23a
File 178209125155.png - (705.27KB , 800x1000 , Page 5 Set 4.png )

You’ll have to regale me with the conversation later, Winds. I’m near the bottom.

My foot touches base with the stone floor and symbol of the eye below as I start to stand evenly, drawing my scimitar and surveying the scene. …Do I look cool? I bet I look cool.

Still… this place is fucking creepy. It’s as quiet as a grave down here, the occasional shifting of… whatever, rumbling throughout the ancient structure. Once I’m fully on the floor I crouch a little lower, trying to keep as small and hidden as possible.

>TANNA’S PERCEPTION CHECK: 6(3[Roll] + 3[Mentality])

>TANNA’S SNEAKING CHECK: 14(8[Roll] + 4[Dexterity] + 2[Effective])

Other than the missing pew, everything looks relatively the same… except that the door leading to the jail room is slightly ajar. Maybe Mina and Evel’yee left it like that from last night?

Hmm, now that I’m looking about… there’s others doors that are slightly open too.

6/6 Tanna 2026/06/22(Mon)02:07 No. 1128368 ID: 3bf48b
File 178209407686.png - (4.86MB , 3500x3200 , Page 6 Set 4.png )

I could yell up to ask Evel’yee and Mina if they opened these other doors as well… but maybe I should look around first? I’m not sure, I’ve never really… scouted before. I’m down here and in the thick of it now, what do you think I should do Winds?

>>1128361
>I’ll... avoid talking to him for now, and if I plan to I’ll let you know ahead of time. Does that work?
That works for now. I would still prefer it if you simply told us your questions so we can ask them for you. Keep in mind that he has shaken you by barely hinting at the thing you should not know. Like catching a glimpse out of the corner of your eye of the shadow of something horrible.
Honestly, if you're dead set on talking to him when we talk to him, then... how about a compromise? Promise to be respectful. Do not provoke him, because the danger is real. If you can't do that, then I might just have to stop talking to him except in emergencies.

>>1128368
Looks like obfuscation to me. For some reason, one of these doors needs to be ajar, but leaving only that one door ajar would arise suspicion so all the doors were opened. Like, for instance, someone could be listening or watching behind one of the open doors.
...also, there were two ropes before. Now there's only one. If that was on purpose then that limits access without removing it. The perfect time to start a sneak attack is when someone is partway down the rope and thus can't retreat easily. Someone could also try cutting the rope at an inopportune moment, trapping you all down here or even dropping someone from a height. You weren't ambushed, but maybe that's just because you were quiet enough. Honestly, this looks incredibly sus.
Check the three doors near the rope. Try not to get too close to them when peeking in, because if someone's behind one of the doors then you don't want to be within attack range. Hmm, is it even possible to safely peek into the door nearest the corner?

>>1128371
I'm sorry, I forgot to draw the other rope. There should be two.

>>1128368
When you get to the door be mindful of the sides of it. Jacob seemed like the type of slippery bastard to hide at the sides of it to try to ambush you. And that's if he hasn't gotten out of the room by now. He's almost certainly still alive cause the lizard lady put him to sleep. Wouldn't need to do that if you planned on killing him.

>I wonder what a world where death was permanent would be like?
Oh! oh! we can answer that!

It fucking sucks. You live with a person you love for some years only for them to die, And your left wondering "are they permanently gone or did they go to some form of afterlife?" and the question has no genuine answer since nobody has for SURE come back from the dead.

Sure we have stories, claims and prophecies of some deified people coming back. But nothing concrete. Our world is a world of uncertainty when it comes to death. Lots of people fear it and some accept it. So it goes.

Some people don't even believe in the concept of a soul, Believing us to be just processes running in the brain. When that goes so does us.

Hmm... Why is that bone there?
Most predators wouldn't drag it around for fun. Maybe a dog would, but spiders would just leave the bone pile alone.
Would the guys have a reason to play with bones after spending weeks there not doing that? Probably not.
There may be spooky scary skeletons roaming.

So... Do undead have magical darkvision by default?

How about going straight to the prison to minimize the chances of coming across enemies? Stay away from the ritual chamber with that pile of bones where Bakoth did something with Roderick's body.
Hopefully your skeleton friend from the prison won't have decided to go for a walk.

>>1128380
If it's a necromatically revived skeleton then there's one of two ways I can see it working.
Either it is easily scattered but magically reassembles itself. Or it is magically hardened and can take a good couple of hits. Either way bashing and smashing is the way to go. Doubt the magic can reanimate dust.

>>1128382
Actually if it is a undead then the doors would be open cause it's patrolling a route. Who knows why. Maybe the box being removed triggered it? Don't like the implications of that.

>>1128368
Start with listening.
Any movement however slight
Then check each of the open doors but dont open them further.
Lean something against it on our side of the door. The kind of thing that'll make a clatter

Then weve got an alarm of sorts on each door we can secure temporarily
and
we can feel a little safer as we inspect the door we cant.
The big broken open one.

>>1128380
What bone? I don't see one. All I see are the things on the table which iirc we inspected already, the various rubble around...
And something on the floor next to Tanna. Is that a switch?

>>1128393
Right next to Tanna. On her left by the door.

>>1128383
Wait I'm a dumbass. The chick had a skullmask. She's a necromancer. you ARE dealing with undead.

...Might still be worth scouting ahead. If she decided to do the deed to Jax and Jacob... And reanimated them...

Fox here. That bone might have a spell I heard of in the PF1 Encyclopedia (well, a third party add-on to it, so who knows if it actually exists) called Bone Trap, that could discharge negative energy in a ten foot or three meter radius from the bone itself.

First things first. Uses your non-visual. Listen and take a few sniffs. Hear or smell anything out of place?

1/4 Tanna 2026/07/04(Sat)00:48 No. 1128923 ID: 69f385
File 178312613807.png - (666.85KB , 1000x1000 , Page 1 Set 5.png )

>I would still prefer it if you simply told us your questions so we can ask them for you. Keep in mind that he has shaken you by barely hinting at the thing you should not know.

Really, shaken? Eh… I guess, but I need to get better at being able to handle that sort of thing, wouldn’t you think? It feels cowardly, I don’t know… having you ask my questions?

I suppose he is some terrifying monster that made a group of close friends nearly turn on each other with his words alone…

>Honestly, if you're dead set on talking to him when we talk to him, then... how about a compromise? Promise to be respectful. Do not provoke him, because the danger is real. If you can't do that, then I might just have to stop talking to him except in emergencies.

...I can try. No, I mean, I will. You’ve got me even questioning now whether I should in the first place now, but… gods, he’s such a piece of trash. It’ll be hard, but I’ll try holding my tongue.

>That works for now.

Okay, great, good to hear. I don’t mean to make this a big ‘ol deal or whatever, it’s just… I gotta be able to do some things myself. I can’t rely on you all for everything.

>Hmm... Why is that bone there?

Oh? A bone? What bone?

>Right next to Tanna. On her left by the door.

Turning to my left… huh, yeah, you’re right. There is a bone there. I’m fairly certain… no, I’m definitively positive that that was not here last night.

>Fox here. That bone might have a spell I heard of in the PF1 Encyclopedia (well, a third party add-on to it, so who knows if it actually exists) called Bone Trap

Wha- okay… damn, can’t even trust the bones anymore.

>could discharge negative energy in a ten foot or three meter radius from the bone itself.

Well, hmm… I don’t really know how to deal with this foul bone exactly. I’d cast Detect Magic and check, but I’d rather be quiet right now. Same with throwing something at it… wretched foul bone…

Bah, I fear no osseous material. Moving over to examine it, low to the ground still and sword in teeth, (I really gotta get a bite guard for this thing), I pull the handle of my scimitar away from my jaws and sort of just… VERY carefully, ready to bolt at a moment’s notice, poke it.

...It wobbles a little bit before coming to a stop. Getting a little closer with another poke, the stupid thing still doesn’t react. Pretty sure it’s just a normal ol’ bone. The fuck is it doing here though? And what is it exactly, some kinda femur? I pick it up at this point and give it a sniff, but even that’s frustratingly normal. Just a boney ass bone.

Well, I’m glad it didn’t hurt me at least. I guess you can trust the bones.

>And something on the floor next to Tanna. Is that a switch?

Oh that? Yeah, it’s some kind of lever in the center. I’m not sure if it’s off or on, but I remember talk about an elevator? There’s some sort of carved perimeter with a smooth metal surrounding the eye that’s separate from the floor, maybe the elevator’s railing? I wonder how old this place actually is, and what kind of elevator it is, there must be some serious machinery if it once lifted this whole stone platform.

2/4 Tanna 2026/07/04(Sat)00:49 No. 1128924 ID: 69f385
File 178312614261.png - (25.16KB , 800x800 , Page 2 Set 5.png )

>Start with listening. Any movement however slight
>First things first. Uses your non-visual. Listen and take a few sniffs. Hear or smell anything out of place?

Sure, I was a little distracted before with how cool I looked, but lemme see if I can smell or hear anything else now.

>TANNA’S PERCEPTION CHECK: 9(5[Roll] + 3[Mentality] + 1[Suggested Focus])

I still don’t hear anything suspicious, it’s really quiet down here. No odd smells either besides that musty crypt stench. Eesh… this has gotten really creepy. Who put this bone here? Why?

>Most predators wouldn't drag it around for fun. Maybe a dog would, but spiders would just leave the bone pile alone. Would the guys have a reason to play with bones after spending weeks there not doing that? Probably not. There may be spooky scary skeletons roaming.
>Hopefully your skeleton friend from the prison won't have decided to go for a walk.

Skeletons? Of which are spooky and potentially even scary? Maybe the one I stole the harmonica from’s come back for revenge? Hah, it’s my harmonica now bitch, you shan’t be getting it back. No, really though, why would skeletons suddenly be walking about now? That doesn’t make any sense. Roderick’s crew had been here for around a week…

Maybe Mina or Evel’yee placed it here… one sec. Focusing on my Phantom Noise, I have it play the message, “Hey, there’s a bone down here by this door I’m at. Did either of you place it? Nod your heads yes, shake for no.”

I look up at them while that plays, after a few seconds, they shake their heads at me.

Damn, I reaaaally don’t like that answer.

>Looks like obfuscation to me. For some reason, one of these doors needs to be ajar, but leaving only that one door ajar would arise suspicion so all the doors were opened. Like, for instance, someone could be listening or watching behind one of the open doors.

The doors too, I ask them through the same means if they left them all up. Same answer, they didn’t.

>You weren't ambushed, but maybe that's just because you were quiet enough. Honestly, this looks incredibly sus.

I wasn’t trying to be particularly quiet climbing down it, but going down a rope isn’t that hard to begin with. I’d be huffing and puffing going back up. But yes, this is all very ‘sus’. Suspicious I’m guessing?

>Lean something against it on our side of the door. The kind of thing that'll make a clatter
>Then weve got an alarm of sorts on each door we can secure temporarily
>Stay away from the ritual chamber with that pile of bones where Bakoth did something with Roderick's body.

Good idea, I just need something that… well, I guess this bone’ll work. Act as my alarm and ward me from evil sir femur. And… there we go. If this thing falls over, it’ll make a decent clatter. I remember that big pile of bones from that room we fought Roderick in, good point. I’ll stay away for now.

>Check the three doors near the rope. Try not to get too close to them when peeking in, because if someone's behind one of the doors then you don't want to be within attack range. Hmm, is it even possible to safely peek into the door nearest the corner?

Yeah, it should be. It’s definitely the most open out of the three of them. Turning away from my makeshift door bell, I start to make my way towards the door closest to the corner. I should be able to peek in fairly easily.

>So... Do undead have magical darkvision by default?

>TANNA’S UNDEAD KNOWLEDGE: 5(3[Mentality] + 2[Effective Profession])

Uhm… I think most undead are able to see in the dark? They generally don’t actually have functioning eyes, so as a part of their creation, they need to be made with ‘fake’ sight. Something sort of like Detect Magic, where things are outlined by their Weave. It’s why mindless undead won’t bother attacking other undead or dead things.

Also, that’s more esoteric knowledge I just know for some reason. No idea why. Yup. If it means anything, the idea of undead is agitating me. Same kind of dislike I have towards Cassilda and them, though not as strong. Hopefully that means I wasn’t some sort of necromancer pre-amensia.

>I wonder what a world where death was permanent would be like?
>Oh! oh! we can answer that!

Ah?

>It fucking sucks.

Ah.

>You live with a person you love for some years only for them to die, And your left wondering "are they permanently gone or did they go to some form of afterlife?" and the question has no genuine answer since nobody has for SURE come back from the dead.

Wait, so… so you don’t know what happens to them? No guarantee of whether they’ll become someone else or if their Soul is just… gone? Why hasn’t anybody been revived? And aren’t there wizards in your world that could… do something to check or… I don’t know? Surely something?

>Sure we have stories, claims and prophecies of some deified people coming back. But nothing concrete. Our world is a world of uncertainty when it comes to death. Lots of people fear it and some accept it. So it goes.
>Some people don't even believe in the concept of a soul, Believing us to be just processes running in the brain. When that goes so does us.

How incredibly strange. If you didn’t have a Soul, how would you even be alive? Talking to me? I guess… I mean, our worlds could be different, but isn’t that something that should be, I dunno, like, fundamental? Je’zik, that’s got me all cu-

>??? CHECK: 6(4[Proximity] + 2[Slightly Muffled])

Wait, hold on. I’m… hearing something. I’m moving to check beyond the portal, but as I get closer, there’s this sort of… soft tapping coming from inside. I look back at Evel’yee and Mina, and let them know I’m hearing a noise.

I listen for a few more seconds, hesitant to move forward. It continues softly and without pause. W-What is it? It’s not trying to be quiet at all… well, I’ll never find out if I don’t take a look. As I approach the door, I peek my head around the corner. This room is really dark, light not really able to reach in here that well. Fortunately, that ain’t a problem for me anymore. There’s a staircase leading up, same as last night, but at the top…

3/4 Tanna 2026/07/04(Sat)01:33 No. 1128928 ID: 36beab
File 178312878869.gif - (241.54KB , 750x1000 , Page 3 Set 5.gif )

Oh. Oh fuck. That’s a skeleton.

4/4 Tanna 2026/07/04(Sat)01:33 No. 1128929 ID: 36beab
File 178312879685.png - (1.98MB , 2450x2600 , Page 4 Set 5.png )

>_

Stealthily, stealthily, don't get its attention, that's something to kill with the full party, withdraw, you are doing recon right now, check the other doors....

>>1128929
Alright, that explains everything. Back away from the door hoping it didn't see you. Communicate to your friends that there's animated skeletons down here, but no outright ambush, so they should come down before you're spotted.

Wait next to this one door, if the skeleton comes out then do a sneak attack.

Grease trap this area, its bones don't have the friction and surface area needed to step carefully around here. It'll trip, and you can finish it off with a neck-snap.

>>1128934

Fox here: Except no, it might not trip, it might just walk out of the grease, and it might act perfectly fine with its neck snapped because UNDEAD DO NOT NECESSARILY CARE ABOUT CRITICAL ANATOMY DAMAGE IT ISN'T BREATHING ANYWAY.

This one is trying to reach the trapdoor. Why is that? Is its goal to reach the outside, or is the outside just a path it's seeking to reach something else, like your group? Assuming there are more, I wonder if all of them will be attempting different ways of exiting the temple. Maybe they would abandon those attempts to go after you when they realize their true objective is in the temple with them.
This could be potentially useful: If they want to leave, the ropes will become very popular when the skeletons realize that path is open.

Since you are an undead expert, a few questions on the subject.
First: How tough are animated skeletons? Can we expect Skyrim's "sneeze and they fall apart" or Dark Souls' "fuck you" skeletons?
Related to the previous question: Can their joints be detached and reattached by themselves, or does their magic connection fall apart when the bones separate?
Lastly: Do the bones physically touch things, or is there a levitation effect imitating what would be their flesh for interactions?

I agree with the other suggestion about maintaining stealth and retreating, but I'm not sure it's time to call for backup yet.
It's unfortunate that you won't have a visual advantage from seeing in the dark, but you still have options to hide and move with Umbral Step.

Now that we know what we are dealing with, Evel'yee's position could allow for some cheap shots if the skeletons are attracted to the main room. If arrows are too weak against skeletons, Evel'yee and Mina can throw stones instead. That should be effective from this height. Just remind them to not hit you.
We might as well ask them to hit wandering skeletons while you explore. It would make noise, but if you are not in the room when it happens, it might work to your advantage by attracting the attention of the skeletons far away from you.

While you are communicating with the girls, maybe make a plan for what they should do if you lose your concentration and the Phantom Noise spell breaks. I'm not sure what though. You could ask Mina to activate Sanctuary when the noise stops, but it might be a waste since it's only three turns. It might be necessary though. Up to you.

And once again I suggest that you prioritize checking the place you intend to go. There might be important things to find out in the side rooms, but it would be a pity to have to end your scouting with no information about what to expect at your planned destination.

>>1128938

Fox here: She doesn't have context for Skyrim or Dark Souls! Anyway, the encyclopedias which ACTUALLY map closer to her reality rather than ones that DON'T basically say, 'it varies'; there are a LOT of things a competent necromancer can do to make their basic skeletons significantly more capable than they otherwise would be, and the difference is the capability and options the different sorts of necromancers bring to the table and the amount of resources they are willing to spend on one lowly skeleton.

Oh man. Is that Vax? I hope that's not Vax.
Also this is KINDA the exact sort of stuff we were just talking about. I can already imagine Mina going "Why the fuck is my best friend a Skeleton Tanna? You said this JUST happened!"
Like we can still explain it by saying we didn't know WHEN that vision occurred but... Bleh. I'd rather you just be honest from the get go with this stuff. Not like they would blame you for not wanting to ruin the mood after last night.

Anyway we are down here because we are scouting not engaging. Last thing we want is to engage with this thing only for 5 more of the things to come crawling out during combat. Retreat and further sus things out. Maybe check out the door where the bone was in-front of.

Poor guy can't get the hatch open!

Skeleton is a threat, but more of a threat is who animated it. Neither of Mina's companions was a necromancer. Probably that skull mask lizard lady.

It's a beastkin, hips look male from that angle, with a decent snout, some fat digitigrade talons, and a really long tail. Definitely looks lizardy, but it can't be Vax. Vax is still paralyzed, so he'd be a paralyzed skeleton, right?

1/1 Tanna 2026/07/04(Sat)22:58 No. 1128959 ID: ff980e
File 178320589358.png - (168.83KB , 700x1000 , Page 5 Set 5.png )

>Back away from the door hoping it didn't see you

A-Ah? Oh, sorry… still kind of getting over the… shock. Of seeing this thing. It’s still just jumping up and down, trying to reach the hatch. I don’t think it's seen me.

>Oh man. Is that Vax? I hope that's not Vax.

I-I don’t think so. Whoever this was is pretty large, but Vax was… huge. I could be wrong though.

>Since you are an undead expert, a few questions on the subject.

Well, I wouldn’t say I’m exactly an expert...

>First: How tough are animated skeletons? Can we expect Skyrim's "sneeze and they fall apart" or Dark Souls' "fuck you" skeletons?

Skyrim? Dark Souls?

>She doesn't have context for Skyrim or Dark Souls!

Yeah, I don’t know what those are. Are they other worlds or something? Do you all do this often? Hah, maybe I’m not unique after all…

Anyways, skeletons… they’re made of bone. Bone’s very hard, hard to cut and pierce. I wouldn’t say that they’re… well, there’s a reason why they’re the most common form of undead besides basic zombies. Residual Souls unwilling to move on towards the Journey, or latent ones owned by the Theotian… the Theotian… gah, I can’t remember… but they can form malevolent beings called undead. They’re about as dangerous as another person would be, except they have no regard for self-preservation.

While they can find bones intact and close enough together to form like this, natural cases are super freak occurrences. They’re usually called upon as part of some ritual. The Soul will form magical ‘tendons’ that will keep the bones together, but if they’re broken apart with enough force, they usually won’t be able to reattach them easily.

>'it varies'; there are a LOT of things a competent necromancer can do to make their basic skeletons significantly more capable than they otherwise would be, and the difference is the capability and options the different sorts of necromancers bring to the table and the amount of resources they are willing to spend on one lowly skeleton.

Yes, I… don’t know the full capabilities of this skeleton, other than it looks to be fully formed, large, and… holding onto some kind of memory. Undead that aren’t given a clear purpose and are left to idle often act very single mindedly to an aspect of the will of the person they once were. Of course, all that goes out the window once they find something to act out their aggression on.

While the Weave projected by a Soul often simulates the regular anatomy of the creature they were meant to resemble, skilled necromancers can often shape it in different ways. This can mask their weaknesses or give them new functionalities entirely. Generally though…

>UNDEAD DO NOT NECESSARILY CARE ABOUT CRITICAL ANATOMY DAMAGE

They sort of do. They definitely don’t feel pain, and will fight to their absolute breaking point. But the spine of most undead is their core functionality. If you disrupt the physical structure, the rest of the simulated anatomy will fall apart quickly. Likewise, if you destroy their head, they won’t be able to see or hear, though they can still survive that.

>Lastly: Do the bones physically touch things, or is there a levitation effect imitating what would be their flesh for interactions?

They touch things, but they don’t have a sense of feeling like you’d expect. Mindless undead either singularly follow orders, or kill wantonly. They can even recognize weapons that will help them with that latter goal.

>>1128959
Huh. I suppose "know thine enemy" wasn't just a saying with you.
Looking closer this skeleton doesn't look like it's missing a bone either so that means there's atleast two of them.

I wonder if it would help or hinder to tell the girls this skeleton is not large enough to be Vax...
Probably will freak out Mina even more with the idea that they might be reanimated. Better to not even mention and hope the thought didn't occur to her.

Have we tried using that lever yet? Probably shouldn't while there's skeletons around though.

>>1128959
Hmm, we saw many skeletons in the ritual room. We might have an infestation on our hands. Most likely the snake lady summoned them all while the captives were disabled, and then... well, it makes the most sense for her to play a sort of game with them to force us to come down and deal with it. The captives have been chased around by the skeletons and I wouldn't be surprised if one of them is up that trap door the skeleton is jumping at.

Anyway, my general plan hasn't changed. Message your party and tell them there's skeletons down here of an unknown quantity and you're not gonna be able to handle them alone. Since they're mostly-mindless constructs your party members should be able to descend safely.
You could try scouting out the other doors I suppose, to see if you can get an idea of how many there are and what they're currently doing?

Sneak up on it, use the sickle to hook it's spine and YOINK IT OUT.

>>1128961
Actually... I think when you get near the rope you should be within range for telepathic messages.
Pass along as your spell talk at an opportune time and don't call attention to it.

To Evel’yee:
Try act natural so Mina doesn't notice.
The skeleton is an iruxi but it's not tall enough to be Vax. Probably too clean too.
I don't want the idea that it might be what was done to them in Mina's head but if she realizes the possibility by herself you can at least reassure her that this one was someone else.

Just... be careful. Some necromancers found a way to turn bonemeal into animated skeletons.

Fun fact: Bones aren't just for stability or armor. Living bones produce blood. If you crack one open you might see a bunch of holes; that's not a disease, it's because the inside of your bones is spongy to produce the blood. After rigor mortis, the inside slowly dries out until it becomes almost as stiff as the rest of the bone, but a freshly harvested bone can be cracked open to collect the stuff.
And you can make a tasty butter from the part of the bone that produces blood if you harvest it before it dries out, but I'm sure you already know that... mmm.

So: testing. Once the party's done bashing this thing to pieces, saw open a large piece and see what's inside. If the bones are still 'fresh', we might have something to work with...

Ok wait. I HAVE to ask since we've made this assumption before. Can you see the red glowy light in the Skeletons eye sockets Tanna?

>>1128995
I can, that's the skeleton's 'sight'. It's also their hearing technically. The Soul inhabiting this thing has to project that outwards to have those senses.

>>1128968

Are you sure that's an Iruxi? Could be a kobold. How many bipedal lizardlike species are there of that rough shape or size?

>>1128999
That thing is taller than Tanna.

>>1129000

So? And how many bipedal lizardlike species of roughly that bone structure ARE there, especially when considering possible individual outliers in size?

>>1128959
That feller is spooky and scary.
Hey.
I recognise him
Is he the guy who loaned you the harmonica?
Slinky.
He wants it back.

Ok, ok.
Putting my whimsy away.
Its possible theyre one of the original denizens remains.
Definitely a heavy set creature in life by the wide feet, long balancing tail and spread of the foot talons when it jumps.
Its caught in a loop of trying something that isnt working.
Suggests a command given and it having minimal autonomy.

All the same, we have info for the team
Get to the foot of the rope and we'll carry a message to come down quietly as theres one hostile skelamajig.

>>1128924
An unnecessary but interesting foray into the lore of our world: History has led us to broadly reject the idea of magic, but that has not stopped magical thinking. While we had once thought the world was magical, we were able to create detailed theories describing nearly every single mechanism and predict how systems would develop further and further forward. Anything that can be theorized about and predicted, we call science. We call everything else magic. The ways of science have become so advanced, in fact, that it is widely believed that everything can be explained by it in one way or another, though we may not know it yet.

Thus, the existence of magic is more of a philosophical question than a physical one. This leads to a big complication when it comes to the idea of a "soul", though. The word "consciousness" has come to replace the word "soul" in scientific discussions, but it hasn't replaced the idea. Fundamentally, the issue is that consciousness is pretty much impossible for us to define. We can describe aspects of our own conscious experience, but we can't actually observe consciousness in other people. A crucial step in the scientific method (The set of rules we follow to 'make' science) is observation, and since we can't make observations, we can't really apply science to consciousness. (There is debate about this, but the fact that there is debate at all is an indication of the issue)

The belief in an afterlife comes from a time before modern science, but it nonetheless stays relevant because of the questions science can't currently answer.

Also, it should be noted that the information you receive about our world comes from a tiny self-selected slice of the population, so you aren't getting the full picture. It seems like your world functions somewhat similarly to what the buddhists/hinduists of our world believe: Souls are infinitely reincarnated into different bodies in a cycle called "Saṃsāra." You, however, seem to lead towards the buddhist belief that Saṃsāra is painful, and that you seek "nirvāṇa," which is the escape from such a cycle. Beyond this surface level comparison the analogy falls apart. (I don't think extinguishing your desires would really help you achieve nirvāṇa in your world) But it's an interesting similarity nonetheless.

>>1129060

Fox here. This one isn't urgent. So... Souls. In some parts of existence, as far as the locals are concerned, there is no empirically observable gods, no empirically observable souls, no empirically observable magic, no empirically observable afterlife, no observable aspects of reality with an inherent moral agenda at all. In those places, sometimes the word 'soul' even gets used to describe the body parts made of matter! In that part of things, there is a deterministic, matter-based reality, based on reductionist principles with bottom-up causation processes causing emergent phenomena. And this can actually make, over sufficiently large timescales, based on the concrete, unchangeable mathematical laws of physics, the following things: life, life with a basic level of awareness, and life with full intelligence and self awareness and the capacity to grow.

>>1129060
I feel like a gave a pretty generalist overview of things. Death is an unknown and people have various ideas about it.
I also share the whole "mind and soul are the same thing" perspective.
It's mostly why I was so horrified by Mina's explanation of your afterlife. A ton of uncomfortable implications with the ways the gods are mucking about with people there.

>>1129060
Unlike Magic, Science is not a search for quintessential truth. Science is about determining what is impossible and calculating the improbability of what is improbable.

Truth to one person may mean something entirely different to another, thereby preventing the transmission of understanding from one school of magical thought to another. But with science? We find what is impossible for everyone, and then it is up to them to decide what they wish to do with the remainder; what may be possible for anyone.

The results speak for themselves. With a sandbox of unexplored possibility combined with a set of fundamental constraints restricting us from the contradictory, tools designed from such scientific inquiry are engineered to be usable by anyone.

But these days, we find ourselves adrift in ignorance. Starved of magic, we fall into delusions and tribes. And the worlds are getting... stupider. When one cannot scientifically disprove that a tool of science is bereft of any magic whatsoever... well. It's not looking good.