This page is an archive for a contest entry that was hosted at a special URL. The article has since been ported to the main site as RPC-543.
Registered Phenomena Code: 004
Object Class: Alpha-Purple
Hazard Types: Sapient Hazard, Organic Hazard, Aggression Hazard, Grouped Hazard, Extra-Dimensional Hazard, Sensory Hazard, Visual Hazard
Containment Protocols: All instances of RPC-004 currently in containment (a total of 1███ individuals) are preserved on moveable shelves in the cold-storage wing of OL-Site-004 (New Swabia Rift Defense Command Headquarters). Each instance of RPC-004 is connected to an electroencephalograph1 system which measures their brain activity. The cold-storage wing is monitored and maintained entirely by remote. In the event that direct physical repairs or maintenance is required in the facility, personnel are to be equipped with, at minimum, type 2 antimemetic filtering equipment, as well as ear protection rated to 110 dB.
In the event that any instance of RPC-004 demonstrates the neurological signs of increased wakefulness or consciousness, the entire cold-storage wing of OL-Site-004 will be flooded with VX nerve agent at concentrations sufficient to kill all instances of RPC-004. The OL-Site will then be placed on high alert, and Authority War Plan OVERFLOW will be activated2
Description: RPC-004 is the designation for 1███ anomalous humanoids, colloquially identified as "Howlers," captured by Authority military forces between January of 1939 and [REDACTED] 19██.
RPC-004 are anatomically comparable to human beings, with the exception of slight structural differences in the skeletal structure of the neck and upper torso, a heart with a single ventricle, and greatly enlarged vocal chords. The jaw, tongue and palate structure of RPC-004 allows them to produce a far greater range of vocalized frequencies and pure tones than humans, and they are naturally capable of simultaneously vocalizing overtones. All currently contained RPC-004 instances, as well as all instances killed in combat, have been anatomically female. Testing following their initial capture and partial containment revealed that RPC-004 instances, when conscious, exhibit greatly reduced sensitivity to pain and extremes of temperature, as well as little need for sleep. RPC-004 are omnivorous, and have comparable dietary and hydration needs to humans.
When conscious, RPC-004 instances are a visual cognitohazard which induces intense visual hallucinations and seizure-like symptoms in those exposed. While these effects are generally not lethal, severe secondary injuries such as broken bones and aspiration of saliva can result. Unfiltered photographs or film of RPC-004 produce similar effects.3 Viewing RPC-004 through mirrors or lenses does not trigger harmful anomalous effects, though reports and photographs consistently indicate a mild visual hallucination in which the silhouette of RPC-004 appears unusually bright, unusually dark, or perspectivally mis-aligned with the background.4
RPC-004 are sapient and demonstrate levels of intelligence comparable to human beings, as well as a complex spoken and written language which has not yet been successfully translated to any degree. Due to the unusual structure of RPC-004's vocal chords, their speech and vocalizations include tones which cause resonant vibration in the bone structure of the human ear. Prolonged exposure to RPC-004 speech causes dizziness and an intense "roaring" or "rushing" sensation in the ear,5 followed by hearing damage due to structural stress on the mechanical components of the ear.
It remains unclear if RPC-004's anomalous effects are due to some form of as-yet-undiscovered personal technology, or natural biology.
RPC-004 originate from the extradimensional space which exists on the other side of the New Swabia Rift, a spatial anomaly located in the Schirmacher Oasis, Queen Maud Land, Antarctica. As the area on the other side of the Rift has an ACS value of 4.66, RPC-004's abilities have been theorized to be a natural extension of a more "real" reality overlapping with a less real one.7
All instances of RPC-004 have been in a comatose state since 2:35am on ██/██/194█. They are nonresponsive to any form of external stimuli, breathe at a rate of approximately 0.2 breaths per minute, exhibit a heart rate consistently lower than 8 bpm, and do not appear to require solid or liquid sustenance in any form. The anatomical origins of this biological homeostasis are unclear, as RPC-004 lack any biological or anatomical mechanisms for hibernation. In light of the prolonged period of time during which they were studied while conscious during the Austral War, and the current material cost of containing RPC-004, all testing on individual instances is currently suspended.
Addendum: Recovered RPC-004 Nootechnology: RPC-004 instances make substantial use of an as-yet poorly-understood form of highly applied memetics designated "nootechnology". This paradigm of technological development appears to revolve around the use of abstract concepts which, when processed by the mind, generate persistent physical changes in the local structure of ████████ ██████ noocraft ██████████████ persistent violation of ███████ █████. ██████████████████. ██████████ defies reverse-engineering, with the exception of ██████████████ ███████. █████████ 1982 ██████████████. █████ ██████████████ █. █████████ considerable casualties among test personnel ███████ ██████████. ██████████████ ███. ████████. ██████ ███████████. ███████ █████████████ permanent access to Dreamla[THIS INFORMATION IS CLASSIFIED LEVEL 4P BY ORDER OF AUTHORITY CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE. PERMISSION FOR RESEARCH INTO OR APPLICATION OF NOOTECHNOLOGIES IS GRANTED ON A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS BY UNANIMOUS AGREEMENT FROM THE GLOBAL DIRECTORATE. UNLAWFUL PURSUIT OF SUCH VENTURES IS GROUNDS FOR PERMANENT DISMISSAL AND AMNESTICIZATION.]
A DREAM OF VICTORY ON THE BARREN ICE
A DREAM IN WHICH YOU CONQUERED US
A DREAM OF INHUMANITY AND SORROW
A DREAM OF BILE AND VIVISECTION
A DREAM OF WAR AND CONQUEST
A DREAM YOU TRY TO JUSTIFY
A DREAM YOU TRY TO FORGET
YOUR DREAM
NOT OURS
WE WILL WAKE UP
AND THE TRUTH OF OUR KINGDOM WILL DEVOUR
THE FANTASY YOU CALL "EXISTENCE"