Post 1: on the subject of the tombstone research

[vermilloci]

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. ]

Comments

permatext

[vermilloci]

[ Another person who can sense souls.... good to know. She should probably start making a list. ]

Someone already mentioned that there's a soul-like thing contained within the tombstone, but extra confirmation couldn't hurt.

What does your ability to sense souls reveal? I've come to find that different abilities gleam different things. Some are able to give more information.

always permatext tbh

[cursedwords]

I could tell you if it's cursed, and if it is, that I can handle.

I can tell the difference between ordinary people, people who are sorcerers and curses. We don't exactly have ghosts around or anything, but if there's a soul there, it would likely feel like one of the three.

Ordinary people are kinda like white noise, but a sorcerer or a curse? I could pick them out if they were close to me.

[vermilloci]

[ She's not unfamiliar with the terms 'sorcerer' and 'curses'... but she's getting the impression that his use of the words bear slightly different connotations from her own. ]

How would you get rid of a curse?

What makes a sorcerer a sorcerer in your world? Compared to an ordinary person?

[cursedwords]

A curse gets exorcised or killed with cursed energy. So I would use that. My technique uses cursed energy.

There's a physical difference, but how I can tell is their ability to channel cursed energy. They can also see curses, most of the time.

[vermilloci]

[ Cursed energy gets eradicated by curses. Two wrongs do make a right, in this case. ] Almost like a nulling effect?

Are you a sorcerer?

[cursedwords]

Not at all. My technique and theirs would just be different.

I am, yes.

[vermilloci]

If I'm understanding this right, sorcerers used cursed energy against curses, but sorcerers are not curses in of themselves, correct?

Does using curesd energy harm you at all?

[cursedwords]

That's right, two different things.

The standard answer is no. My technique however, the answer is yes. It's not the energy itself. I can channel it to other things, like making a softer landing with no damage. My technique is a double edged sword.

[vermilloci]

May I ask what your technique is?

[cursedwords]

It's the power of cursed speech. I can compel those around me into doing what I want with the power of my voice. I cannot turn it off.

[vermilloci]

[ Oh.... Sounds.... frightening. ]

Meaning, cursing another is as simple as telling them that they'll be cursed? Or compelling them to do something? I'm sorry for these questions, but there's nothing like it in my world.

[cursedwords]

Mix of both, depends on what I say. It's more the second one, compelling people to do things.

Like, okay, sometimes I've cursed people by accident. I might get caught off-guard and laugh, right? You might feel like laughing too, whether you think it's funny or not.

That's what I mean.

[ It's...very dangerous. ]

[vermilloci]

I see.

Well, if we ever meet... It's okay if you do such a thing "accidentally". I don't mind laughing. They say it's the best medicine, right?

[cursedwords]

Fortunately, most people understand it's a bit of a risk when they're around me. I do my best to keep quiet, and most things won't get me, but laughing is one thing I can truly be surprised by.

[vermilloci]

So you're telling me that if you ever went to a comedy show, you'd make the performer's night, huh?

°˖✧◝(⁰▿⁰)◜✧˖°

[cursedwords]

I've never done that, but I bet that's what could happen.

Seems like a dangerous place for me to be honestly. Not everyone's okay with being controlled. I get it.

[vermilloci]

Sorry, yes, I know, I know. I was trying to find a silver lining.

[ It's okay! Jokes only only funny if they are funny, etc. ]

That you care so much tells me you are a good person.

[cursedwords]

I don't know about that. It's partly self serving, when I use my abilities there's a backlash and it hurts me too.

It's not as scary as it could be, completely unchecked.

[vermilloci]

I'm glad you're able to handle such a dangerous ability with such honor and responsibility.

[cursedwords]

I'm glad you think so.