Tepaste

"Tepaste"

- Me? My name's Tepaste!

Tepaste is a young woman with a connection to the Black Whistle Delver, Cravagli and is involved in taking an illegal Last Dive with him. She belongs to the group called Under Nest.

Appearance
Tepaste has a slender and short physique. She has short hair which has an abyssal twist in it suggesting her having dived pretty deep into the Abyss as this is a sign of having been affected by the curse. A large, curved scar marks the bottom left section of her abdomen. She wears overall-like pants, with many pockets, that go over into a short overcoat vest with soft fur padding on the inside. Underneath this she wears detachable sleeves and a leather harness that holds six hidden throwing knives and also provides some degree of breast support. She also has an open v-cut between her vest and pants showing the naked upper section of her abdomen and beginning of her breasts. Her facial expression is usually very cheerful with a smile or mischievous grin.

Personality
Tepaste usually has a very bright expression with a playfully cheerful attitude, but is also shown to have a sharp mind accompanied with the ability to pick up on details of other people and having gained information about infamous Delvers.

Curse Fleet Arc
While Cravagli is shown eating many bowls of the same dish, Hamoroge Bowl, in the Plummet Pub, Tepaste asks him if he doesn't get tired of it to which Cravagli states he has a soft spot for this dish.

Tepaste also asks him if he would like a quickie with her after having finished eating, which Cravagli declines stating it would be bad for his "mojo". This leads to Tepaste ordering a bowl for herself, and shortly afterwards noting the presence of Umbra Hands in the pub to Cravagli.

As Cravagli takes a glance, the presence of the Umbra Hands, the Subterranean Bandits, and Hablog are shown. Cravagli wonders if "Shroud" are also among them, to which Tepaste points out Gallice is sitting at the leftmost chair. Gyarike notices their observing of them, which prompts Cravagli to greet them with his personal greeting, "Dyaho-de", to disarm the situation.

Then, he notes being impressed that Tepaste was able to noticed them without their masks, to which she replies that the way they walk and their voices are all distinct. Tepaste then shifts the conversation to them now having quite the mess on their hands with the one left behind in the 2nd Layer. Cravagli replies to it that there is no way it could have been hidden and from the looks of it several First Grade Artifacts were visible; plus fearing they most likely will be found out on their next delve.

Tepaste wonders in return if the "Shrine Maiden" is alright to which Cravagli replies that they will try to get more information later. Cravagli also asks on any words of the others to which he is informed all they have to go on are the contents of a letter and is also asked if he thinks it might be a "Nest".

Hablog overhears this conversation and wonders if they are talking about the big joint delving project that is coming up. As the conversation progresses, Tepaste wonders if any of the White Whistles will take part in the big delve to which Cravagli tells her that no mention of Special Grade Artifacts were made. He adds that Hablog will be in charge of this delve as he has a knack for it due to being broad-minded and on these big delves even sworn enemies work together.

The conversation is interrupted by Yelme who came over and tells Tepaste this tavern is no place for Non-Delvers. He notes that the abyssal twist in her hair suggests her having dived pretty deep into the Abyss as this is a sign of having been affected by the curse. As such, he questions her in a manner suggesting he is suspicious of her, whether or not she is just hiding her whistle and if she could just show it. Tepaste teasingly replies she shouldn't just show it here but not minding even if it's in front of many people. as she leans in, she also notes that Yelme to have had four prior criminal offenses and teasingly states how it would be a shame if he would get banned from delving for another or even demoted to a lower whistle rank again. She also highlights to be aware of his group affiliation as a Subterranean Bandit. This then leads to her trying to stab Yelme's hand with a metallic claw on her hand, which he avoids, but is hit by a chin jab of her and stomped on the foot while avoiding the claw.

As he staggers over, Cravagli catches him and places him on his lap. He tells Yelme a proper greeting is important as it is the basis for communication. As the Hamoroge Bowl ordered by Tepaste arrives, Cravagli feeds it to Yelme while elaborating on the dish and noting it works well against tipsiness from drinking too much, as it is clear Yelme had been drinking.

As he feeds it to Yelme, Yelme asks for Tepaste's name to which she energetically replies but also notes she doesn't think they will meet again.

As Cravagli and Tepaste make their way through Orth after having left the Pub, they note that the people they saw at it will be part of the big delving expedition and Cravagli notes his desire to depart before things get complicated and thus they would leave via the abandoned factory route into the Abyss by sunrise for their illegal last dive. He then notices that a few things are missing from his pockets and it is revealed Yelme picked his pocket while Cravagli fed him.

After a skip in time, a badly hurt Cravagli in the 6th Layer is shown. He takes note of having no more feeling in his hand, his left leg being broken and him not being able to feel his toes, and his rib cage to be busted. He is then contacted by Tepaste via a Communication Device and, upon asking if she is alright, she tells him she made it out without any serious injuries thanks to him and whether he'd be able to make it to her location.

Cravagli tells her he busted his leg, Tepaste notices she still has his rope, realizing he will most likely not make it back. Cravagli tells her to go on ahead as their "pursuer" is most likely still coming after her.

Tepaste remarks, in a bittersweet fashion, that Cravagli prayed so hard for their success yet they had no luck. To this Cravagli responds he doesn't really rely on luck and his prayer is just a mental ritual to get prepared as a little game of his. He further tells her that if one don't keep a light-hearted mood the mind gets stiff and brittle and for her to remember this plus to save the hard-headed brittle attitude for when things get tough. Tepaste teary-eyed replies she will do just that, knowing that she most likely won't see Cravagli again. As their communicators get out of range, Cravagli tells her they will meet up in the "nest".

The scene shifts back to Tepaste who is running through the 6th Layer while worrying about Cravagli. But this is quickly interrupted by their pursuer, a member of Hail Hex, Nishagora, catching up with her and threatening to torture her for information as she suspects Tepaste to be one of the "Shrine Maiden's underlings".

A short exchange between the two follows in which Tepaste tries to attack Nishagora with a Kunai-like relic, which is blocked, and begins charging up a gun-like relic while informing Nishagora that she won't be able to talk if the torture includes breaking her jaw to which Nishagora simply replies after a short moment of thinking that she will just have her write it down then.

After Riko's group had triggered a trap set by Hail Hex, Faputa takes notice of two presences stacked on top of each other approaching. Shortly after, Nishagora and Tepaste emerge from a section. In a brief moment of all characters taking note of each other, Nishagora notices Riko's whistle and gets enraged by assuming Riko's group must be underlings of the "Shrine Maiden."

Tepaste tries to disarm the situation by noting she has no idea who these children are but by Riko stating she is Lyza's daughter Nishagora becomes angry again as she knows Lyza's daughter was stillborn. Only with further explanation, and mention of the Curse-Warding Box she calms down, begins to note names of people she is reminded of by Riko's ciricumstances, before becoming lost in thought.

After becoming active again, she decides to take Riko's group to her boss if they want to follow her and Tepaste. Upon the reveal her boss is a White Whistle Delver, Riko immidiately wants to tag along and the rest of the group follows. Before they start following Nishagora, Nanachi thinks of what possibly led to the reaction Nishagora had after seeing Riko's white whistle. After some thinking, involving how all revealed White Whistles apart from Riko are relatively known in shape to an extent, only Riko's whistle has an origin of taking its form that Nanachi assumes only Riko's group, and possibly Bondrewd by peering into Nanachi's vision, knows about.

As such, she theorizes they are possibly looking for a white whistle of a never seen before shape with even its name being unknown. As the group travels, Riko and co. theorize about the Shrine Maiden as it is something mentioned in Orth's fairy tales and in The Song of Hariyomari. During their further travel, Nishagora also asks them if they believe in souls to which Nanachi states she wants to believe in the existence of souls. Faputa however flat out confirms the existence of souls and states even layered creatures like Nishagora and Tepaste have them.

Soon after, the group arrives at the outpost of Hail Hex in the 6th Layer. As they enter it, they are greeted by a member of Hail Hex who welcomes them. Inside the outpost, Nanachi marvels at the amount of equipment and shortly afterwards they are addressed by the boss of Hail Hex who is cooking food in a big pot. As the conversation progresses this boss tells them that the goal of Hail Hex is to reach the deepest depths of the Abyss and asks what Riko's goal is.

As Riko counts in her mind the many goals she and her group still has she says there's quite a lot. After hearing that, the boss of Hail Hex introduces the Curse Fleet Delver Troupe, Hail Hex, and afterwards herself as captain of it, Srajo. She praises Riko and shows recognition as White Whistle. However, she also notes that they will have to but Riko through her paces first.

While Srajo puts them to the test with a fight against Nishagora, Tepaste, being held by the other member of Hail Hex, calls out to everyone that the water for the bath is now ready. Srajo proclaims that the test is now over and they must take the children into the bath, Nishagora asks Reg if they should go in together.

Reg and Tepaste are asked by Srajo to bathe Sherumi and Menae, Tepaste instructs them to take off their "Works" and afterwards asks Reg how he obtained the Gentle Knock, he reveals that it was taken from a body with a big crest. They're interrupted by the screams of Sherumi and Menae and Tepaste takes Sherumi out of the bath and chides her.

Combat Skills
Tepaste was shown in her short skirmish with Yelme to be able to follow up an initial attempt to stab him with a claw almost instantly with a combination attack of a precise chin strike and stomping on his foot causing him a concussion and staggering him into a fall. She is also shown to have an understanding of handling Artifacts in her battle with Nishagora.

Trivia

 * Tepaste and Cravagli seem to have a connection to something yet to be revealed in regards of a "Abyssal Shrine Maiden" and "Nests" also featured in The Song of Hariyomari.
 * Tepaste has the habit of sticking her tongue out.