Is that a person-shape emerging between the roots? It might be the promised guide.

Casey breaaathe. Remember, stay calm. Anyway I think it's safe to say that you're not alone here, and why would you be? You're the visitors. What kind of host would leave unattended visitors?

>>1088891

Oh hey, voices in the magic plane.

Yeah, we probably should have foreseen that one.

Toxoglossa 2024/04/17(Wed)17:37 No. 1089074 ID: 8a1605
File 171340065395.png - (50.08KB , 700x500 , 16-97.png )

“Wait! Hold it!” Casey brings up her palms in a sort of rational wall against confusion. “There’s someone else here, right? Is this some kind of fey trick? You can come out now!”

There’s a shape in the mist: not a solid object, but a void roughly the size of a person.

“You were quick to catch on…” Says someone through Kol’s voice.

“Are- are you our guide?” Casey asks, squinting as she tries to make out any features of the speaker.

“I’m a shepherd of sorts.” Says Gabe’s voice. “The souls tend to get lost amid the roots without my help.”

“Oh, this is going to get confusing.” Kol states, “Nice to meet you. I’m Kol, this is Casey and Gabe.”

“Well met. I take it you’re trying to find the sea of mana and font of souls?” Says the guide through Casey’s voice.”

trying to find the sea and mana and souls half-quickly, both to not suffer from the mana, and because we don't got much time up top

>>1089074
Right on the first try!
Would it be so kind as to guide us there?
We're a bit pressed for time.

I suppose you're the one that tells us to be disturbingly vague about everything that happens down here? And we are trying to find the sea, but we're also here to seek wisdom from the uh... Big guys. Are we allowed to say their title down here?

"Okay, so can you draw a diagram? Like everyone else, we'd like a map, but you know better than us of how complicated it gets around here, so we just need a simplified model of which conceptual areas are connected strongly."

Toxoglossa 2024/04/18(Thu)17:57 No. 1089155 ID: 8a1605
File 171348825394.png - (177.25KB , 700x500 , 16-98.png )

“Can you help us?” Casey asks the figure, “We’re running short on time. There’s people back on our plane that are counting on us.”

“I’ll take you as far as I can.” They respond, this time as Gabe. “But you are to tell no one of what you learn here.”

“We understand.” Casey nods, “Um, what should we call you?”

“You shouldn’t.” The voice responds, before sliding back into the fog, “Follow me.”

The mice scurry after them, trying to keep the stranger in sight: something easier said than done. Between the ever-present fog and shifting light of the lost souls, following the invisible figure requires constant attention.

>>1089155
Be very careful not to get separated.

>>1089155
To your left, Casey.

>>1089166
This. In fact, holding hands might be a good idea.

Tie your tails together

Toxoglossa 2024/04/22(Mon)17:16 No. 1089421 ID: 8a1605
File 171383136483.png - (185.15KB , 700x500 , 16-99.png )

“Everyone stay close! Last thing we need is someone getting lost.” Casey reaches out for her partners and clasps Kol’s hand.

“Wait, where’s Gabe?” She asks.

Kol looks around, trying to peer through the haze of mana, “He was just here a minute ago.”

>>1089421
Perhaps you can ask your guide?

Surely he didn't go too far in the two panels that you last saw him in, being right before you ran into them.

>>1089421
Perhaps this is a test? Perhaps you're all supposed to be separated and taken to individual trials that you must pass and you’ll meet up again later?

Tie the tails before you go off in search.

Before anything else, yell at the guide to wait, otherwise you'll be split up and stranded.

Could be purely coincidental, but--
>>1088542
First frame when the guide first spoke, it is using Kol's voice; Kol's not in the frame.
>>1089074
Second frame when the guide showed itself, it used all three mice voices alternatively, while none of them were in the frame.
>>1089155
Casey chased the guide in this frame, while it responded with Gabe's voice, who's again not shown.

This may be an opportunity to see how benevolent your guide is. Will it stop, so you can find Gabe? Will it urge you onwards, regardless? Come what may, don't let go of each other's hands, and don't abandon your Sender. Its the strength of your intimacy that has seen you here, and it would be a rank betrayal to ignore that now.

Toxoglossa 2024/04/23(Tue)18:46 No. 1089555 ID: 8a1605
File 171392319784.png - (221.34KB , 700x600 , 16-100.png )

“He can’t have gone far, right?” Kol says, looking in every direction. “Is this some kind of test?”

“I don’t know, but if we don’t do something we’re going to lose our guide!” Casey squints, trying to spot the translucent shape moving through the trees. “Hey! Wait up! Someone’s missing!” She calls out.

“Fuck! What do we do?” Kol asks.

The Binder frowns and comes to a conclusion. A glow extends from her tail and wraps around his. “Go find him. I’ll run ahead and try to get our guide to stop. Tug on the tendril once if you find him and twice if you need help.”

Oo that's a pretty good solution! If not for the fact that you're expending mana by doing that. Watch them tentacles, make sure they don't go out of control!

We really don't have to worry about expending mana in here. Quite the opposite. However, we also can't attract attention by spending it in flashy ways.

Alright Kol needs to try retracing our steps while Casey follows the guide.

Given the nature of this place I don't think there's a safe spot for Kol to project. Just focus on the feeling of the binding magic. If it falters or your tail goes numb, be very careful.

This is a trial that Casey's abilities are proving adept for; will there be other trials for Kol and Gabe? In the meantime, I think that Casey's tendrils could prove even more useful; could she send them out as feelers to try to give Gabe something to hold onto so she can reel him in?

Toxoglossa 2024/04/25(Thu)18:05 No. 1089709 ID: 8a1605
File 171409353447.png - (145.16KB , 700x481 , 16-101.png )

Casey takes off after the guide, waving her arm and trying to catch their attention. “Hey! Stop! Wait up!”

There’s no response from the invisible entity as it continues to bob through the fog.

“Spite me!” Casey seethes through her teeth. The Binder takes off in a dead run, silently thankful for Delilah’s training as her legs pump frantically.

Despite her efforts, the mouse finds herself no closer to the guide. As if trapped in Xeno’s paradox, the little hole in the fog continues on out of reach.

Toxoglossa 2024/04/25(Thu)18:05 No. 1089710 ID: 8a1605
File 171409354025.png - (148.90KB , 500x700 , 16-102.png )

Kol tests the drag of the binding spell before setting off to retrace their steps. Trying not to overlook anything, he takes his time, looking around every root for his partner. “Gabe! Gabe, where are you? Come on, man!”

His ears perk up as Gabe’s voice comes drifting through the fog. Sounding oddly distant, the Sender calls, “Kol?! Over here!”

Casey, save your breath. If you're not getting any closer while running, it may be a trick of the eyes, like a rainbow. Also don't yell and draw attention. Maybe hide if applicable. And Kol, Stay on your guard! That might not be Gabe. If they can mimic voices, there may be any other entities.

Anything you can do to see better, or hear better, Kol?

Could be a formless voice, could be space fuckery, through a few questions that way, where are you what does it looks like what did we do yesterday etc.

Open your senses. Focus. Is that truly him? Or just the fuzzy memory of him, like a dream?

Approach carefully, Kol. This can be Gabe, or not.

Kol has a lifeline, and we must trust in our lifeline; we pass or fail this trial as a unit. Having no other leads, I think it safe to trust our lifeline, and explore towards the voice. As you move to it, it can move to you; encourage it to do so. But in the midst of such bewildering magicks, a measure of caution is still warranted; speak to the voice of things only Gabe would know, and see how it responds.

Of course all of you are panicking. All the Guardians before you had to take this test, but they're not allowed to talk about it, so all three of you have come in here blind on what's supposed to happen. It probably hasn't occurred to any of you that this is supposed to happen!

Sifr specifically told you that you'll find a guide and they’ll tell you what happens next.

The Guide told you to follow them, which you currently are not doing! All you need to focus on is following the Guide, not searching for Gabe. In fact, he's probably already out of this forest and both Kol and Casey are the ones that are lost, not the other way around.

Sifr also told you to not draw attention to yourselves and I'm pretty sure running around screaming for Gabe is attracting a lot of unwanted attention right about now!

Remember: This is all part of the test to become Guardians, which you are currently failing!

Stop looking for Gabe and just follow the Guide. It doesn't matter if you get split up because you will eventually meet back up later!

>>1089710
The spell on Kol's tail kinda looks ike it's been cut. I think something might have broken Casey's spell and they've been separated.

>>1089734
>Sifr said don't draw attention to yourselves
>called for Gabe is drawing attention
I think Casey using her magic might also draw attention that we don't want.

Toxoglossa 2024/04/26(Fri)18:59 No. 1089811 ID: 8a1605
File 171418317031.png - (109.09KB , 700x500 , 16-103.png )

“Gabe, is that you?” Kol calls back, worrying about Sifr’s warning.

“Yeah! Its me!” Gabe’s voice replies.

“… Prove it! The guide uses our voices, right?” Kol demands.

“What? Er… okay, how about this: this morning you and Raithe spit-roasted me while everyone else watched!” Comes the reply.

“Yep, that works! Hang on!” Kol nods and hurries in the direction of the voice.

He comes around the curve of a root and finds the Sender looking confused. “Dude, where’d you guys go?”

“We were following the Guide! What happened to you?”

Gabe points at an invisible figure a few dozen feet away and says, “So was I.”

Oh that's... confusing. Are they personalized? Is there something tricking Gabe? But maybe they're each off to confront one of the fates?

Do not forget that this is a Trial, you three musketeers are gonna be tested, this is the first.
Hey Kol you should Signal Casey now

wait will Casey even know to turn around? will the guide guide her back to us? ...Maybe gabe should try using the tether to make a portal to her? or should these to try to run/gate to her?

>>1089811
Hmm. Well, you can follow both. Go with Gabe while Casey follows her guide. If either of you reach the destination then the tether can be used to guide the missing person(s).

Was it ever specified there only would be one Guide?

Maybe you all got one each.

Still, you could have some insurance. Tie a loop of Casey’s binding to Gabe.

>signal Casey
According to what >>1089741 said, the spell on Kol's tail looked like it was already broken and it's possible that we've been separated from Casey already.

But I don't know if that's true or not.

>>1089811
>Gabe points at invisible figure
>claims he was following Guide
I think the point of this is to separate everyone so they can take their own test and trying to stick together is running out the invisible time limit that Sifr implied we had in this place.

I'm worried about splitting up. These are the three bi mice, who always see each other through difficult situations. And Spirit Guardians always come in a set of three—has there ever been two who passed the trial, but a third who did not?

I hold that this is a test of sticking together, and we will pass it by resisting the proctors' efforts to split the team up. I don't think the lifeline to Casey is yet broken; the same glob of magic holding the lifeline to her tail is still affixed to Kol's, last we saw it. In this test, it is the power of the Binders that sees us through.

But it's sure that our time is short, and we should gather Gabe and rush back to Casey's side.

Toxoglossa 2024/04/29(Mon)17:46 No. 1090024 ID: 8a1605
File 171443797273.png - (162.23KB , 500x700 , 16-104.png )

“Wait, are there two guides?” Kol asks, blinking away shock.

“I never took my eyes off them.” Gabe insists, “I didn’t even realize you guys were gone until a minute ago.”

“Man, what the fuck is going on?” Kol clicks his tongue in frustration. “We should probably get moving. Shouting like that probably attracted attention, right?”

“Yeah, but what about Casey? Is she okay?”

“Oh, right!” Kol tugs on his tail, stretching the binding spell taut for a moment. ”She’s following the Guide too. At least I hope she is.”

“So what do we do now?” Gabe asks, looking anxious.

“If we’re following fae rules, we need to follow the guide above all else. I’ll stick with you, I guess, and we’ll hopefully meet up with Case on the other end of this forest.” Kol holds his hand out and Gabe takes it. “Hopefully we don’t get split up again.”

>>1090024
Give each other a repetitive hand squeeze as you follow. If the rhythm is interrupted, be wary.

I don't think the forest is trying to trick you, I think this is a test of overcoming whatever's thrown at you, not anticipating it.

Once again, tie tails.
Remember to yank your tail once like Casey said!

Toxoglossa 2024/05/01(Wed)18:16 No. 1090111 ID: 8a1605
File 171461256025.png - (138.50KB , 700x500 , 16-105.png )

Having felt Kol’s tug at her aura, Casey slows down. The mouse opts to conserve her energy, as long as the guide remains perpetually out of reach. Taking deep breaths, she calms her heartbeat and lets the rush of adrenaline fade.

She kicks herself mentally a little, knowing that this is the kind of trick fae like to pull on guests: assuming the guide is even a fae.

After what seems like entirely too much walking, the mouse finds herself at the edge of the great rooted forest and looks around. The glow of mana is even brighter ahead and there’s some kind of shimmer in the air that’s hard to discern.

“Casey! Hey!” Gabe’s voice catches her attention and she turns to see her partners emerging from the mist.

>>1090111
Link back up but be mindful not to lose sight of your guide.