shellphones | Post 1: on the subject of the tombstone research

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Post 1: on the subject of the tombstone research

Type: Text
Sender ID: vermilloci (Rem Tokimiya)
To: general
Subject: Tombstone Info and Research Help Wanted
Warnings: discussion of blood and sacrifice involved in undead things involving the tombstone

Hello, everyone! My name is Rem Tokimiya. It’s nice to meet you all. Apologies for the lengthy text, but I have information to share. Anyone who's interacted with the tombstone can probably already guess that it's cursed, but I wanted to offer a little more insight just in case others aren't aware of the following.

1) There's something inside it. It resembles a soul, but I’m not certain as to what exactly it is. I think it's fair to guess that it's the reason for affecting the dead in negative ways. It's even possible that the undead on the ghost ship weren't originally violent at all, but what was in the tombstone corrupted them, too.

2) Regarding the script. I'm trying to find where this tombstone originated and the nature of the curse. I had hoped to match the script on the stone to other texts within the archives to find a lead on the region it’s from, but there are none. Instead, it appears to be hand-written. Matching the author’s handwriting to another work could be possible, but I’ve had no luck with it. Fortunately certain phrases happened to be legible. Unfortunately, they relate to blood sacrifices.

3) Regarding the blood sacrifice. There are other texts about similar relics existing, as well as various rituals using blood and sacrifice to create their curses. It’s all pretty vague, and I’m guessing that the vagueness is probably intentional given its forbidden nature.

Does anyone have experience with these sorts of rituals of applying a curse to an object? Maybe even removing them?

4) The ghost ship. It’s a style that’s centuries older than the ones seen at port, so that narrows it down to a certain timeframe. I highly doubt galleons like that don't leave a paper trail of its dry dock and voyages, even one from hundreds of years ago, and this one obviously never returned to port. Currently, I’m looking into historical charters and logs for when the ship might have still been in service based on its style and size. [ —The logs would cover a certainly sizable timeframe, but it’s a very good lead. No one said research didn’t involve some sort of tedious task pouring over old texts! Luckily she is an old book smell type of girl just as she is for new books. ]

5) Research & Exploration friends wanted (•̀ᴗ•́)و There’s a lot to go through. If anyone would like to help out with looking over these logs to find where the ship was last headed before disappearing, I’d appreciate the assistance!

If the ship’s last charter and destination can be found, it’d probably be the same location it picked up the tombstone. The place would be worth investigating for all of us. Let me know if you’re interested.

Or Come Chat in Person!

Action Text Below

[ Eltrut. Night.

It’s been a few weeks since the unpleasant experience of conducting research on the tombstone pieces, and since then, she’s felt more than a little drained. Not one to be idle, though, she had set off to go through the archives, digging through what information she could while recovering. Which had all led to the post above.

Now she sits upon a beach, shoes removed to allow her feet to bury deep into the sand. The infinitesimal granules, worn by ages of waves upon the shore, feel soft upon her skin, and they still retain warmth from the sun during the day. Setting down a copy of a harbor log on her lap, she decides to take a short break from her research to relax. No harm resting for a little, right? After being harrowed by the tombstone, she’s already been taxed enough.

Rem turns to the side, sending off a small flame to add extra light to her fire. Afterward, she takes out a small parcel from her pocket, unwrapping it to reveal five spherical pieces of colored hard candy. This is when she notices you. ] …Oh. [ While surprised to see someone else out this late, she still gives you a nod of acknowledgment (so long as you do not appear hostile). ] Taking a late night stroll on the beach? I hope you’re not lost.

[ A smile there, softly joking. Rem pats the ground next to her. ] You can join me, if you’d like. The stars are nice tonight…

[ Those that have met her might notice her skin appears somewhat paler.

Or maybe it’s just the moonlight. ]

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[That's a lot of interesting information there. Daqiang had previously had no interest in the tombstone. It was focused on the dead and the dead were not his concern. However, the fact that 'something like a soul' was inside the tombstone and that it was likely the source of a curse that had potentially been enacted with a blood sacrifice... well, exploring how to lift this curse might give him options in attempting to free his hundred-thousand soldiers from Chidi Nuzi's curse of stone.]

This venerable one has encountered curses that share similarities with the one you describe. The 'something like a soul' might be a piece of the caster's primordial spirit. In this venerable one's world, such remnants can be imbued in objects when a caster wishes to prevent others from easily manipulating their spells. It is more often done when the caster intends to live through the process. But if the caster sacrifices their life and burns all of their primordial spirit in the casting, sometimes a piece can remain that will only react to another piece of the same primordial spirit. Depending on the power of the one who sacrificed themselves, it can mean that no one can reverse the curse or spell except the one who holds that primordial spirit.

[And if no other shreds of that primordial spirit remained save the one holding the curse together within the focus of the spell, then it was completely unable to be reversed. The crux of his current problem.]

Should the caster die without burning their primordial spirit to ash, it becomes difficult to find them in the cycle of reincarnation. One would need either an object that is so tied to them that it has appeared in many of their lives and as such will be drawn to them, or access to their destiny book to determine their current reincarnation.

This venerable one is willing to aid in researching the historical charters and logs, as they are the most likely to provide imminent clues. Without a better idea of where to look for the handwriting, and more information on blood sacrifices and rituals which are 'forbidden', those routes are less likely to provide anything in the immediate future that can be furthered. They should not be ignored, but they cannot reasonably be relied on at this time.

[researching stuff. he's pretty skilled at it.]

Any ships of this world that are of notable size are named. Was the name of the ship where the tombstone was found ever determined?

[ She remains texting. ]

Thank you for this, Moon Supreme. It's very insightful. I've never heard that it's possible to fracture off pieces of a spirit before, that seems incredibly difficult to accomplish. No wonder it's a potent way to safeguard an enchantment.

Let's assume that this tombstone is similar to the relic imbued with the remnant of a soul as you described. It would be the worst-case scenario, wouldn't it? I'm not sure if any of us have the time wait around for a soul to reincarnate, and that's only if how life and death work in this world. But if there's a method of tracking down, that would be more feasible, it would.

If there're other relics similar to this one, and they're made but the same person, I like your idea of using an object sentimental to the caster to find them. I'm certain there's some sort of offshoot of dowsing-magic that can help with that, but I'm not sure if it can be used on someone who might be dead. However, do you think it's possible to use the signature of that "soul-like" essence still in the tombstone instead of an object?

As for a ship name, I've been told there are pictures of the sigils on the ghost ship that might be a name, but I haven't seen them. I'm afraid that, for now, we'll have to go by the size and type of the vessel to narrow down potential ships in the historical charters.

If this were the Three Realms, this venerable one would be able to offer a firm 'no, not possible' to using it to locate others like it. Once tied to the object, or the catalyst of the spell, it is no longer inclined to seek out what it was once a part of. If it were, it would make a poor spell, to have the anchor just decide to wander off and leave it without power.

[But that was the Three Realms. Here, he honestly didn't know if it would or would not work. How similar it might or might not be. There was too many differences still to learn.]

That there is nothing to name the ship is unfortunate. Should we manage to find another similar to it, or another possessed in a similar manner, we must be certain to document it's appearance and name. No matter. This venerable one can begin looking through charters and archived records of port. The larger cities will have the most to work with, but we will need to acquire the names and locations of smaller ports and islands that the God-Beasts travel between so that we may also inquire at their libraries.

Have you ever enchanted an object in such a manner? Something like severing a piece of one's primordial spirit doesn't seem like an easy endeavor to begin with.

Looks like we have our work cut out for us. I hope you like the smell of dusty, centuries-old logs and scrolls to look over.

It's not difficult if your primordial spirit is strong enough. This venerable one prefers not to do so unless it is necessary.

[He had done so. Very recently, in fact. Before entering this world beyond the River of Stars. But he had also used his own heart blood to create the item he'd put some of his spirit into. Because of that, it was far more potent and far more dangerous to himself if someone other than Orchid got their hands on it and could find a way to manipulate it.]

This venerable one neither likes nor dislikes any of that. It is needed work and this venerable one has never shied from doing what is needed.

What archives have you already explored?

{ i>"--not to do so unless it is necessary." ]So it's safe to assume that if this gravestone's enchantment is as you say, the reason someone would place it wouldn't be trivial.

I've been working at the Archives in Elah, but I believe visiting the harbormasters of the main ports and ask for any historical shipping logs. If one of us can take one port, I take another, and Xenk takes the third of these leviathans, that would divide the work of scouring into something a little more manageable. [ It's a very big undertaking.... But they gotta start somewhere! And that's assuming this ghost ship left a paper trail a hundred-or-something-years ago! If only they had more help... ]

Whether it is trivial or not would depend on how powerful the person doing it is and how swayed by emotions they are. But in general, no. This venerable one would assume the reason is not likely to be trivial.

For the three gathered together, yes, that will work for now. But the two that are not in easy reach will need to be accessed at some point. We will need to determine the Stormbringer's plans for travel so we can calculate when a ship may need to be chartered to reach ports unfamiliar.

[Which would be easier with a ship they could simply command to go where they want. But a paid vessel, as long as they had the funds, would do for a time.]

Very true. One would have to be extraordinarily powerful and unstable to decide that severing a piece of their primordial spirit is worth it to secure, for example, their chocolates away from anyone else.

[ Would she do that? No. But she can absolutely see some her classmates do that, had they the means. ]

Putting it that way, I should probably sign up for some sailing lessons. This to-do list continues to grow!

Chocolate is highly valued, but not that highly valued.

[It was both sweet and bitter and small amounts of it were very common in Cangyanhai deserts. But it wasn't worth involving the primordial spirit to protect. It was only going to be eaten anyway.]

Why would you need to learn to sail? Do the sailors on the ship not already perform those duties?

I know that, I do. But we never know, this could all be some elaborate plan of the cursed tombstone's caster to protect their secret stash of sweets! [ Joking around doesn't always nicely translate in tone via text, so after a moment, she adds: ] (｡•̀ᴗ-)✧

It would be stranger not to learn how to sail in a world that's 99% sea. Do you know how?

[ That "99% sea" would be a 100% guess on her part. ]

[The... strange supposition followed by the strange... face? It looked like a face? Threw him off long enough that he decided simply to stop engaging with it. The last time he'd engaged with something that odd it had been a joke and he'd made himself look a fool in continuing to ask questions. So for now, since it certainly didn't sound like it was leading anywhere important, he would allow her to decide to bring it up again or not. If it was actually important, she might just do so.]

This venerable one has never needed to learn such before. It is enough that this venerable one can swim. Let those trained in the art of sailing do their jobs and be proud of their skills.

I'd argue that there's a need to learn in this world, if only in case of emergencies. C'mon, we can take a lesson together if you'd like. I'm sure you'd master it in no time!

Of course this venerable one could master it.

[Like that was even in question!]

This venerable one simply doesn't see the point in taking a job from who it belongs to.

(￢з￢)

I see what's going on.

You just don't want to get your hands dirty.

[That's definitely a face of some sort. Right? Maybe?

...what did it mean?]

This venerable one has never let dirt stop him from doing what must be done. Learning to sail is not something this venerable one needs to do.

Why is this so important to you?

Oh, nothing. I find it peculiar, I do, that someone who is as long-lived as you has never learned how to sail when he's had all the time in the world, and that someone who is as wise as you doesn't believe learning how to sail is necessary even when there's only oceans and tiny islands around.

I can't help but wonder if you're afraid of water.

[ IS IT BECAUSE HIS IMMORTAL ROOT IS FIRE-- it's probably that, huh. She's thinking it's that. It's totally that. ]

This venerable one fears nothing.

[Did he not just say he knows how to swim?

Besides... even if he was... just a little cautious around water... it was only because he'd recently learned he was at risk of drowning. Caution was deserved.]

Fear requires emotions and this venerable one has none. There was simply no reason for this venerable one to need to learn. Unless this venerable one has cause to acquire a ship of his own, then there remains no reason to learn.

[ Hm. Hmmmmm. ]

I would say not knowing how to sail is one reason to acquire a ship, it is.

The second reason would be that if we're going to do this research into our allegedly chocolate-hoarding sorcerer (｡•̀ᴗ-) we're also going to need to be able to travel more conveniently between ports on our own.

[He's silent for a time following that text before he asks with a curious edge to his usual bored tone:]

You wish for us to acquire a ship?

Yes!

[ While she has her own needs for a ship... she doubts her going to the shipyard and asking for a ship even with a crew would get her anything more than laughed at. This man, on the other hand, could probably smile once to a vessel broker and acquire a ship for free, she's certain. ]

[If he ever smiled, he'd probably have half a city block dropping to their knees in a swoon and the other half out of fear. It's better for everyone that he doesn't.

The idea of having a ship of his own to command and go where he desired rather than wasting his funds on chartering vessels when the God-Beasts or the Stormbringer had chosen to be elsewhere was appealing. And having a space to conduct research without having to head back to either the city or the ship he arrived in the world on was more so.

After another moment, he decided:]

This venerable one will see about doing so.

Wherever you're going to find a ship, remember to ask for life vests.

Not all of us are immortal.

[ And if people on the ship die, she'd forget them, and then she wouldn't even remember to be sad! It's tragic. ]

And remember to smile.

Life vests.

[He agreed, and otherwise ignored the comment about smiling.]

This venerable one will leave first.

[Which is to say, he was going to hang up.

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Post 1: on the subject of the tombstone research

voice | yuezun

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