Reborn as a Book: The [TBD] [ERROR] of the… System’s Pre-Integration Testing?

We have a winner! Black Rhythm it is! This is going to be fun, I had a few things planned out. But this one was one for the more fun options. I'm not telling you the other. Gotta figure it out on your own.

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Sorry for the delay with everything! Unfortunately, I've come down with something—not serious, but enough to throw me off schedule. Things will pick back up with their usual Monday rhythm.

As a result of this, I am…

Closing the vote. I know it was late—no worries. Any votes cast after the original closing time will still be counted. After that, with this post, I'll be adding another vote. This won't affect the first vote in any way; the chosen rhythm will remain as is. I can't promise this new vote will have an immediate impact—if any at all—but I'd like to see what direction you all might be interested in exploring.

Thank you all for your patience and engagement. It truly means a lot that others are enjoying my stories. Have a wonderful [insert time of reading here], and I'm off to rest!

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Okay! So the secondary vote is as followers! Remember this one is more for a bit of fun/potential overall direction. When this story started, the winning vote was for Nakia to be an Arcane Focus.


This is a pretty support based role, a companion sort of thing, as of now. And honestly, it would work very well with anyone in the current party. So based on the current party, here is the vote!

Majority Vote, with Approval
[ ] Cuttle - A mystic monk walking the path of balance, where body and spirit move as one.
- Choosing Cuttle would likely lead to a well-rounded build, emphasizing both physical and mystical prowess in equal measure. This path leans toward stealth, information gathering, and precision, making adaptability a key strength. While not as overwhelming in raw power as some other choices, Cuttle's approach rewards discipline, control, and mastery over one's surroundings—an ideal path for those who seek subtlety and refinement over brute force.

[ ] Urchin - A relentless Striker, wielding instinct and claw over steel, and poison over patience.
- Urchin's path is deeply physical, built around brutal melee combat and raw survival instincts. Based on his combat tendencies, he is likely to evolve toward a toxic build, incorporating venomous strikes, poison-infused attacks, and debilitating status effects to wear enemies down over time while he endures. His style is fast, unrelenting, and attrition-based—best suited for those who favor aggression, endurance, and lethal precision. Expect to weave magic into physicality. This path leans heavily into aggression and endurance, creating a deadly synergy between raw ferocity and calculated magical enhancements.

[ ] Hapa - A scholar of both the sacred and the arcane, walking the line between divine wisdom and magical mastery.
- As an Adept, Hapa bridges the gap between the divine guidance of an Acolyte and the arcane intellect of a Novice, making him an unusual and versatile caster. His magic is neither purely holy nor entirely wizardly—he instead weaves faith and formula into something uniquely his own. There is a subtle unfamiliarity to his presence, an aspect of his magic that does not wholly belong to either tradition, as if something else—something unseen—has left its mark on him. Choosing Hapa would likely push toward a "Grimoire" playstyle—a living repository of knowledge that stores, retrieves, and even casts spells as needed. Rather than committing to a single school of magic, this build would focus on accumulation and adaptation, enabling the collection of diverse spells and their strategic deployment. There is potential for spell manipulation, altering existing magic to better fit the moment, or even casting independently under certain conditions.

[ ] Asher - Magic is just another system—one waiting to be understood, rewritten, and optimized.
- Asher is a methodical and analytical mage, treating magic not as an unknowable force, but as a system with underlying logic and structure that can be studied, deconstructed, and improved. She approaches spellcasting with the mind of a programmer, constantly searching for patterns, loopholes, and inefficiencies in the way magic operates. While others may be content with mastering spells, Asher is far more interested in rewriting them—and perhaps even the very system that governs them. Choosing Asher would elevate beyond a mere spellbook—it would turn into a living magical framework, capable of not just storing and casting spells, but manipulating the very code of magic itself. This path would emphasize research, modification, and spell creation, allowing for custom spellcraft, optimization of existing abilities, and even rewriting magical laws. Would likely gain the ability to analyze and debug spells, adjusting costs, efficiency, or effects based on a deeper understanding of their structure. In the long run, this path leads to the potential for groundbreaking magical discoveries, making the MC a true architect of magic rather than just a user of it.

Jan 28, 2025 at 11:00 PM Until Vote Closes

Excellent! This has been very interesting. Remember, I cannot promise if or when this one will come about, but it does give a very good over all direction. I hope you all had fun with this one, the next chapter will be dropping tomorrow as it should be.

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Jan 29, 2025 at 11:00 PM Until Next Chapter

'This is… oddly, surprisingly, suspiciously… perfect.'

There were several rhythms. Along with those I had already Echoed, there were the two I hadn't yet. White and Grey. I was uncertain about the Grey one, at the very least I had a suspicion that it may be somewhat related by either content or genre to Iron. But that was a guess.

White on the other hand, I was more than certain had something to do with survival and nature. Though more in an academic sense. Again, because so many of the books I had started with were fairly similar to each other. I was certain Eryngo had kept several books on the topics so that they could study up on them.

While I was curious, to what sort of context the new rhythms might have. I couldn't help but to think that maybe they might have some sort of clue as to what had happened in dungeon.

Out of the new rhythms there was Sandy Orange, which spoke in a dry whisper. It reminded me of that scene in the Mummy where Evelyn opened the Book of the Dead, and the wind whispered to her. Which was absolutely ridiculous. Any self-respecting Egyptian, myself included, knew that you should never mess with something like that.

Still, I was half tempted to check it out. Though my instincts told me that it probably wasn't as serious as all that.

The next one was a Black rhythm. It spoke with a sort of measured authority. Kind of a mix between a professor giving a lecture and someone telling a story. There was something a little… more to it that drew me in. The whispers speaking to me so distinctly I felt like I could almost understand them.

I had to nearly tear myself away to check on the next one. It was nearly the exact opposite of the Black on. Its discordant whisperings grated at my core, surprisingly though only when I focused on it. Otherwise, it was almost like it wasn't even there. Even the color. I couldn't see the color of it moving through the void, but I could see it moving through the void out of the corner of my… perception?

For not the first, nor I am sure the last time, I wished I could shudder.

The fourth and final new rhythm was a both red and gold. Not just a mixed color, but flat out two colors. And its whispers! It spoke with such majesty. Such authority. Like a king speaking to his subjects. A good king, not one of those pompous and sketchy anime kings that treat the main character poorly.

In the end, I chose the Black rhythm. Something about that alure it had. I really couldn't resist. And that is what lead me to…

'This is… oddly, surprisingly, suspiciously… perfect.'

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'Magic. Ink Magic. Written and used by an ancient order of Archivists that were personally invested in books. Seriously?'

The book was like a historical and philosophical account of the Last Archivists. They were an Order of scholars, scribes, and magical custodians. Honestly, it reminded me of many different shows. Warehouse 13, Sanctuary, The Librarians. All shows each of my university friends had argued over which was better of the genre. 'I think there was even an anime called Read or Death? Or something like that, and they had paper magic. Like legit.'

The book didn't claim to be a complete history, though defiantly an authority on the Order and their form of magic. It certainly seemed to revolve around paper and ink. Mostly ink though.

The text was methodical, with distinct sections between theory, practice, and recorded history. Though, that last bit was highly enigmatic. It showed an insight into their principles, their mindset, and beliefs. There were plenty of references to 'the dangers of knowledge left unchecked, the importance of preservation, and cryptic allusions to the Order's downfall.

The really strange thing was though, it felt as if the book itself was watching me as I Echoed it. Perhaps the feeling would be more distinct if I was actually looking at and reading it, but there was a sort of… presence that followed along the rhythm as I read.

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A quill is a blade, and paper is the battlefield. A careless scribe may leave wounds that never heal, scars upon the world in the form of truth half-told or lies so carefully spun that they weave themselves into history.

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'This is most certainly interesting.' I greatly enjoyed the book. It had been entirely captivating to read. Mentally, I made a note to talk to Hapa and Cuttle about it later. See if they knew anything about the Order, though the book did make it seem like they had been gone for quite a long while already. 'You know, they really should date their books for the Iteration it was written in.'

Spell Unlocked

'Holy shi-'


Experience: 66.69




Very simple vote this time around. Majority Vote, no Approval.
[ ] Echo (Insert Rhythm)
[ ] Practice Magic
[ ] Investigate the Weirdness with the Black and [ERROR] Rhythms

Jan 30, 2025 at 11:00 PM Until Vote Closes