Hollow and Drowning

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-052.


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CAUTION

The following file contains an undisclosed number of contextual infohazardous memetic agents. Segments from the description, as well as the entirety of Discovery and Addendums I and II have been expunged for viewing safety.

These attachments are locked to all personnel without anomaly-specific 797/4 memetic safety measures. Consult Site-007 Infohazard Wing analysts for access.

A fully unexpunged physical document, as well as Addendum III (full incident reports log) may be requested by personnel attached to the project, provided 797/5 memetic safety measures are followed.

As of 07/07/2007, research on RPC-797 is cancelled. Efforts are now exclusively directed towards suppression and containment of informational breaches.


Project Personnel Info

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Assigned Facility: Site-007 (Infohazard Wing)

Research Lead: Dr. A. Richardson

Assigned MST(s): MST Alpha-3 ("Scavengers")

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Registered Phenomena Code: 797

Object Class: Alpha-Red

Hazard Types: Climatological Hazard, Emotional Hazard, Gravitational Hazard, Ideological Hazard (?), Mind-Control Hazard, Info-Hazard


Containment Protocols

RPC-797 is to be contained as a whole through disinformation campaigns, as its anomalous properties cannot be prevented from affecting the city of Glasgow. Large supplies of Class A-1 amnestics are to be stored at Site-007 for this purpose, with minor stockpiles of Class G and R amnestics maintained in case of emergency. Large-scale deployment of emergency amnestics requires Global Directorate approval.

Research on the exact properties and causes of RPC-797's secondary anomalous phenomena is forbidden at this date per cognitohazard safety protocols. Site-007's Infohazard Wing is currently quarantined until a usable countermeme is developed.


Description

RPC-797 is a grated floodgate in the stream bed of River Clyde, Glasgow, Scotland. RPC-797 is impermeable, even when opened. Through RPC-797 runs a 2km long, 1m wide, and 0.7m high tunnel oriented 45 degrees downwards, directly connecting with RPC-797-1's belltower.

RPC-797-1 is a 5m high wooden chapel, 2km below the stream bed of River Clyde. It shows signs of abundant water damage; most of its wood has rotted and splintered in several places. A structural anomaly prevents the chapel from collapsing due to the weight of the earth above. RPC-797-1's belltower lacks a bell, although remains of a yoke and a 2m long rope can be found hanging from its ceiling. A spiral staircase connects the belltower with the rest of RPC-797-1.

Two lines of seven pews are set up across RPC-797-1. In front of each are the inanimate corpses of twenty-one unidentified human subjects in an advanced state of decay, designated RPC-797-2. Thirteen instances of RPC-797-2 are female while eight are male. Each instance stands immobile and slightly bent over, with each foot affixed to the ground by a single thick nail. All instances are dressed in black clothing and have scarce black hair.

RPC-797-2 instances cannot be displaced, as any attempt to do so results in an external, anomalous force forcing them to recover their position.

A number of autopsies have been performed on five instances, suggesting anoxic hypoxia as the cause of death, and finding great amounts of water contained in their interiors. Since their discovery, RPC-797-2 have not been observed to further decompose.

The altar in RPC-797-1 has been replaced by a well, over which a lidless coffin has been placed. Inside the coffin, the corpse of an unidentified humanoid figure rests, dressed in gray, wet rags and holding a rusted iron crown in its hands. While having a number of puncture wounds, it shows no sign of decomposition. Notable deviation from standard human physiology has been noted, including;

  • A set of eight avian wings sprouting from its back
  • Sixty-four teeth, doubling the normal amount of thirty-two
  • Constant production of a clear liquid, containing high amounts of prolactin, adrenocorticotropic hormone, and Leu-enkephalin1

The cause of death for this figure cannot be ascertained.

The well below the coffin extends for 20m, and is blocked by mud.


Discovery


Addendum I

4/6/2008 Incident

During June 4th, 2008, Agent Stark from MST Alpha-21 ("Wolf Pack") and PoI-74782 found themselves trapped within RPC-797-1, after both crossed the London Elizabeth Hotel entry and were transported to the anomaly through an anomalous process. After this point, no transmissions could be relayed to Agent Stark, but his transmissions could be received.

Once within RPC-797-1, both Agent Stark and PoI-7478 witnessed an anomalous event that has not repeated since. During the event, Alpha-3 attempted to access RPC-797-1 to no avail, as RPC-797 was anomalously locked. A transcription of the event, recorded by Agent Stark's camera equipment, is attached below.


Field Recording Transcript [A21-5/P7478-462008]


(Continuous static: 20 seconds.)

Stark: Wh-where am I? This isn't the… Hotel.

(PoI-7478 is observed ahead of Agent Stark. She is tip-toeing towards the well. After a few seconds, she stops, and becomes immobile.)

Stark: Can you hear me, command? This isn't the hotel. We're in some kind of… Church? Please adv-

PoI-7478: (Whispering.) Shh. Silence. We mustn't attract its attention.

(Pause.)

Stark: Whose?

(Stark looks around. All RPC-797-2 instances are staring at him, immobile.)

Stark: C-command? What is this?

PoI-7478: We must not attract the attention of the defunct.

Stark: What are you talking about? What the fuck have you do—

(The sound of water flowing can be heard. The walls across RPC-797-1 crackle and splinter.)

PoI-7478: The king of the abyss must sleep. We mustn't make any noise.

Stark: What king? Something's wrong with you. Just let me take you somewhere safe and we can patch you up, from whatever that is.

PoI-7478: The lost saint. The forgotten lord. The second fallen. The empty monarch. Maalik. The king of the drowned. King of kings.

Stark: If you can hear me, Command, she's affected by something. Perhaps mem—

(Stark is interrupted by loud mumbling, believed to come from RPC-797-2.)

(Stark's view focuses on the coffin above the well. The corpse inside rises, and stares at Stark.)

(Video feed cut. Rain is heard for the next eight minutes.)

Agent Stark was discovered, dead, in front of the well. Cause of death was ruled to be anoxic hypoxia. No trace of PoI-7478 was found.

Upon investigation, no further anomalies were located inside RPC-797-1. The mud inside the well was observed to have ascended by two meters.

After the incident, Glasgow experienced another continuous rainstorm for the following three days.


Addendum II

05/07/2007 Update Summary

Addendum III

Incident Log

[INFOHAZARD REDACTED; CONSULT SITE-007 INFOHAZARD WING]

The development of new containment measures to prevent affected subjects from drowning themselves is underway.

Due to recent suspicions, an antimemetics research team is being transferred from Site-223 in Argentina to Site-007, in hopes of discovering further data regarding RPC-797's infohazardous properties.

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