Pilfering Depths

## Overview

The Pilfering Depths is the name given to a deadly, confounding phenomena that has existed within the realm of Reality for as long as history has been documented. It has fascinated and perplexed scholars for many thousands of years, with no clear explanation of its origins or the full extent of its potential.

While it is unknown whether the phenomena is natural, a curse of some kind, or the influence of the First Soaring, the overall effect it has on Soly has been the same since it was first discovered. When one travels past certain threshold vertically within the plane, either into the skies or below the surface, each step thereafter will remove something from the individual. What is removed seems entirely random with zero consistency through any given test or historical observation, from one step to the next. It could be as mundane as one's fear of the dark, or something vital like sight, or spinal fluid. It could also remove something to one's benefit, such as a grudge, or need to sleep, though these cases are historically much less probable.

## History

The Pilfering Depths were first written about, quite extensively in fact, by the Colapsoe. Their immense interest in the phenomena was notable, as they didn't appear too interested in sharing what they had learned about it, many records showing evidence of intentional destruction to hide their findings. The oldest surviving reference to the phenomena was made around the year 270 of the Colapsoe Era, when one scholar scaled a mountain high enough to break the threshold. He supposedly took four steps, which took from him a deep fear of water, a childhood memory, the flexibility to turn his head, and finally the entire row of his bottom teeth.

There are many large-scale engravings found on the faces of mountains depicting the Colapsoe's encounters with the Pilfering Depths, though most of it appeared to be spun in fictional ways, with not many genuine studies making it through the eras. It is possible that the Emrite encountered the curse much earlier than this, as the first to emerge from their mountains occurred around 150 of the Colapsoe Era. They would have likely explored their own mountains when arriving in Soly, though it would appear that many of the first Emrites born into Soly were those housed in smaller mountains. Those large enough to break the threshold birthed their Emrites later into the eras, namely Hkoaga's Fall and Mt. Zymik.

Damfruul, the grandfather of all recorded history, is said to have taken an interest in the Pilfering Depths, but didn't properly lead any examinations on it himself. However his writings caught the attention of The Lorekeeper in the year 322 of the Emrite Era, two hundred years after being born. This prompted them to take two steps into it, but quickly leave upon losing something vital.

After many other projects and interests took The Lorekeeper's time, and after nearly dying of mysterious causes in 3460, the topic of the Pilfering Depths was reintroduced around year 3489 of the Emrite Era, where the majority of the major breakthroughs were made. This also encouraged many findings from the few Colapsoe ruins still in Soly. It is said that The Lorekeeper's obsession with the Pilfering Depths reached its peak around this time, almost to the point of genuine madness. Many sacrifices were made and many lies were told in order to gain deeper understanding of the strange phenomena.

## Observations

There is a very large dedicated repository of research kept in The Library about the Pilfering Depths, though it has been some time since it was properly examined. Many of the observations were made in the late Emrite Era, and have persisted through the eras with no need for further update.

* The threshold for the Pilfering Depths to begin taking from someone is exactly at 5468 heads, measured from above or below the Trueflats of Khumundba. This equates to about 2500m or 8200ft.
* Once one crosses into the Pilfering Depths, there is no telling what can be taken on any given step beyond the threshold. There is no slow escalation from one step to the next, each one is seemingly random in what is taken. Those who have ventured more than 50 steps into the Pilfering Depths and didn't lose anything significant are quite rare, however.
* The full breadth of what can be taken on any given step is incredibly vast, and as The Lorekeeper learned, probably infinite. The thefts can be as insignificant as a single hair on a person's head, or the desire to eat fruit, all the way to their ability to see the color green, and further to losses of senses and even vital organs.
* Within the boundaries of the Pilfering Depths, there is said to echo a constant sound of feint screaming. The sound is so distant that most don't actually hear it, but rather "feel" it in the atmosphere. Most every Pulsekaw had hearing strong enough to detect this sound however. It is unclear who, or what causes this feint sound.
* Of all the most terrifying things to lose in the Pilfering Depths, The Lorekeeper wrote of perhaps the most damning of them all in a book entitled "Forthright, Of Blue to White". It details observations made of a Pulsekaw who challenged the depths, and had her "will to leave" stolen, thus essentially damning her to lose bits and pieces with each step forward, until her luck ran out.