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Registered Phenomenon Code: 162
Object Class: Theta-Yellow
Hazard Types: Sapient Hazard, Extreme Temperature Hazard
RPC-162 since recovery. Note the details of the ring have vastly deteriorated due to age.
Containment Protocols: At the time of recovery, RPC-162 remains permanently affixed to the ring finger of the Authority's Archaeological and Historical Researcher, Dr. Silar. Removal procedures have been suspended indefinitely following Incident 162-A. Dr. Silar is hereby designated as a primary containment vessel for RPC-162, and its associated entity RPC-162-01.
Dr. Silar's movements are restricted to Site-015, specifically the anomalous habitat wing. The Authority has transferred him from his standard quarters to Containment Residential Suite 7-B. For containment purposes and for the safety of Dr. Silar, two armed security personnel must be positioned outside the suite entrance at all times. Dr. Silar's office has been relocated to an adjacent suite within the same wing.
Research personnel who wish to utilize RPC-162-01 for cross-testing or re-containment operations must have written authorization from Site Director Daniel Hines. All commands issued to RPC-162-01 must be documented and supervised by no fewer than two Level 3 research personnel. Extended exposure of RPC-162-01 to non-essential personnel is prohibited. Commands classified as "extraneous" by the director's standards are strictly forbidden.
In the event that Dr. Silar dies, RPC-162 must be recovered and stored in a standard containment storage locker. Contingency protocols dictate that the Head of Site Security, Chief Anselm Cole, will be authorized to assume possession of RPC-162 should immediate tactical deployment of RPC-162-01 become necessary for security purposes, site operations and re-containment purposes.
Description: RPC-162 is an iron ring measuring 2.1 cm in diameter. However, RPC-162 can adjust its shape and form to fit the wielder's finger. The ring features gold trim inlay and a centerpiece of cut obsidian. Extensive oxidation and surface deterioration indicate age-related degradation. Carbon dating places the artifact's origin circa 300 BC. Metallurgical analysis confirms composition consistent with Roman-era iron-working techniques. Material testing confirms RPC-162 exhibits complete resistance to physical damage, chemical degradation, and thermal stress up to 1800°C.
Examination of wear patterns indicates prolonged use of at least a dozen distinct individuals during the turn of the 20th century. Investigation into previous possessors reveals that between 1890 and 1920, twenty-four individuals associated with RPC-162 were murdered under violent circumstances or listed as missing persons.
RPC-162 demonstrates two distinct anomalous properties:
Upon placement on any human subject's ring finger, RPC-162 will become permanently attached to the user and will create an irreversible bond. Any attempts of forcible removal will trigger a hostile response from RPC-162-01. The bonding mechanism is still being investigated.
When the bonding is successful, it triggers the manifestation of RPC-162-01, the anomalous entity associated with the artifact. RPC-162-01 remains visible exclusively to the current wearer. Heat distortion in the surrounding air provides the only visual confirmation of RPC-162-01's presence and its location to non-bonded observers. All attempts to capture audio recordings of RPC-162-01 vocalizations have failed, and communication with RPC-162-01 can only be facilitated through the bonded individual.
RPC-162-01 is described as a bipedal reptilian-like humanoid entity standing approximately 3.6 meters in height. Gender characteristics are absent, though the entity showcases a masculine personality. Physical mass measurements yield inconsistent data across all testing methodologies; the cause of this is unknown. Thermal imaging reveals RPC-162-01 emits heat ranging from 33.4°C (resting state) to 65.6°C (agitated state). During dormancy, thermal output decreases to 10°C.
RPC-162-01 exhibits protective behavior toward its bonded user. Defensive actions will continue until the bonded user issues an explicit stand-down order or if the perceived threat is neutralized. Behavioral analysis indicates RPC-162-01 operates under a compulsive obedience framework, complying with all commands given to it. RPC-162-01 will obey any command it is given so long as it does not compromise the user's safety. RPC-162-01 will not obey any order that, through inaction or indirection, will compromise the user's safety. RPC-162-01 demonstrates self-preservation instincts that remain subordinate to user protection protocols.
Discovery Log: 162:
RPC-162 was recovered from the person of █████ █████████ (designated POI-162-Alpha) during containment operation on ██/██/20██. Initial intelligence classified POI-162-Alpha as a potential psychokinetic threat entity responsible for seventeen confirmed violent incidents across three metropolitan areas.
MST personnel were authorized and placed on the field to apprehend the subject. However, during the confrontation, multiple of the MST personnel received injuries consistent with blunt force trauma and thermal burns with no visible assailant observed. An MST sniper discharged a weapon without his squad leader's authorization, resulting in immediate termination of POI-162-Alpha. During post-action review, the sniper cited Containment Protocol 7-Triage: Prevention of Personnel Loss to justify his actions.
A post-mortem examination of POI-162-Alpha was conducted with the Site Director's approval. Initial autopsy report revealed no anomalous biological features present in the Person of Interest. Site Director Dr. Nathaniel Hines classified remains as non-anomalous following standard tissue analysis, and all of his personal effects were confiscated for secondary analysis per standard operating procedure.
Dr. Silar submitted a request to reexamine the recovered materials due to an incomplete anomaly profile. His request was approved, and the materials were transferred. During a systematic review of the confiscated items and due to a procedural oversight, Dr. Silar isolated RPC-162 as a potential anomalous object when the researcher could not remove RPC-162 from his finger. RPC-162-01 manifestation occurred approximately thirty seconds post-contact.
RPC-162 has since been identified as the source of all previously attributed phenomena regarding POI-162-Alpha's abilities.
Addendum 162-01:
The following transcripts document interactions between Dr. Silar and RPC-162-01 during the initial containment period. Note: Standard audio-visual recording equipment fails to capture RPC-162-01 vocalizations or physical movements. All interviews have been manually transcribed by Dr. Silar, including behavioral observations.
Linguistic analysis confirms RPC-162-01 demonstrates fluency in multiple languages, including modern English. However, RPC-162-01 is shown to be very proficient in Latin and prefers to speak in it. Early sessions between Silar and RPC-162-01 initially showed that the entity was vocally hostile and was primarily uncooperative. However, with gradual normalization over subsequent weeks, RPC-162-01 became more cooperative and social with the researcher. Psychological profile highly suggests the entity possesses an incredibly long-term memory, empathic qualities, and complex reasoning abilities.
Foreword: First formal interview attempt. As video and audio recording equipment fail to capture RPC-162-01, Dr. Silar has been instructed to manually document all exchanges, including observed physical behaviors.
<Begin Log>
Dr. Silar: Alright, let's try this again. Do you mind if I ask what you are?
RPC-162-01: I do not mind. Not that it matters—I'm compelled to obey you regardless. As for what I am… [pauses] does it matter? What I am doesn't change what I do.
Dr. Silar: Humor me. What are you in relation to the ring?
RPC-162-01: I am a vassa to it. Nothing more. The ring binds to you, and so I am bound to you.
Dr. Silar: And you can't break that bond at all?
RPC-162-01: No. As I've said, I am compelled beyond all reason to obey you.
Dr. Silar: Can you explain why?
RPC-162-01: [begins to let out a low growl] No. I already told you.
Dr. Silar: Why? There has to be a reason.
RPC-162-01: It is what it is. I don't have an answer for you.
Dr. Silar: Look, I'm just trying to understand this. You and the ring. Why can't I get it off?
RPC-162-01: That is just how the rules are.
Dr. Silar. What rules? Where do these rules come from?
RPC-162-01: [Entity hisses in agitation.] Stultus! The ring stays on for your benefit! It's always been this way. I obey your every command, I keep you alive until your last breath—if I actually knew the answers you want, don't you think I'd tell you?
Dr. Silar: You're being rather difficult right now. Is there something you're not telling me?
RPC-162-01: Morus!. You're asking me questions I don't have answers to. How many different ways do I need to say that?
Dr. Silar: [long pause, sound of pen tapping paper] Fine. We'll come back to this.
<End Log,>
Closing Statement: [Subject displayed increasing agitation throughout the interview. Dr. Silar terminated the session early as a result. Dr. Silar noted that RPC-162-01's frustration appears genuine rather than obstructive but it is highly recommend a revised approach is needed for future interviews.]
Foreword: [Interview conducted two days after Incident 162-A. Three staff members remain hospitalized following RPC-162-01's violent response to Dr. Silar's attempted self-amputation of his ring finger.]
**Dr. Silar: ** Alright, let's get started. We need to talk about what happened.
RPC-162-01: [entity remains motionless and quiet for several seconds]
Dr. Silar: Why did you attack my colleagues?
RPC-162-01: You were in danger.
Dr. Silar: I was trying to remove the ring. With medical supervision. You put three people in the hospital.
RPC-162-01: You were in danger. It's my duty to protect you, no matter the cost.
Dr. Silar: Even if it means attacking people trying to help me? These are my colleagues.
RPC-162-01: illborn jackanapes. [The entity stands up from his seat and begins pacing] Tell me—if you could save Caesar from assassination before he even suspected betrayal, do you think he'd thank you? Or would he ask, "Why did you kill my fellow Romans?" When you have the kind of influence you wield, camaraderie will always be called into question. [pauses] You are a naive, puer. Today's friends become tomorrow's enemies. I've watched it happen. Most of my masters learned that lesson too late.
Dr. Silar: We're different. The Authority exists to protect humanity. We're not some… Roman conspiracy.
RPC-162-01: Non posuerunt te scire cogitationes de aliis.
Dr. Silar: [sighs audibly and rubs the bridge of his nose] So you're saying you represent my best interests? My well-being?
RPC-162-01: I rarely care about my masters' interests or their well-being. But I will ensure your safety. By any means necessary. Whether you like it or not.
Dr. Silar: What if ensuring my safety means your death?
RPC-162-01: [makes a sound between a laugh and a growl] I can't die. I age—yes—but not a wrinkle crosses this flesh. My scales never dull. My mind never weakens. My memory never wavers. I will be here long after you're dust, nothing more than a fleeting memory barely worth remembering in the vast repertoire of my mind.
Dr. Silar: Well, since I can't really get rid of you, I guess I am just stuck with you. I do have a request, though: would you kindly… fututus et mori in igni? Don't think I don't know what you've been saying.
RPC-162-01: [entity goes very still, then releases what might be described as a pleased rumble] So your filching hands are manned by an intelligent brain after all. Perhaps there's hope for you yet.
<End Log,>
Closing Statement: First signs of rapport between Dr. Silar and RPC-162-01. Dr. Silar reports the entity seemed "almost amused" by the exchange's conclusion. Dr. Silar is recommended to continue the interview sessions to establish a working relationship.
Foreword: [Dr. Silar attempts to establish historical context for RPC-162 and RPC-162-01. Entity cooperation has notably improved since previous sessions.]
Dr. Silar: 162-01, do you have a name? Something you were called during your time?
RPC-162-01: [Subject remains silent. Low growling sound, possibly contemplative]
Dr. Silar: Is it that you can't tell me, or…?
RPC-162-01: I don't have one. It never… [pauses] It never came up.
Dr. Silar: In all this time? They never wondered if you had a name? That you were—
RPC-162-01: Cogito, ergo sum. They knew I was alive. Knew I was aware. At first, they were terrified of me—wouldn't look directly at me, would whisper prayers when I was near. Then they realized I wouldn't hurt them, and the questions started. The same questions you're asking now. Who are you? What are you? Where did you come from?
Dr. Silar: And you couldn't answer them either.
RPC-162-01: No. And it's not that I've forgotten. [shifts, claws scraping] To forget means you had the memory to begin with. I have no memories before my first awareness. Before the ring. And like I told you—my memory never wavers. I remember everything down to the last, minute, detail.
Dr. Silar: Our analysis dates the ring to around 300 BC. Ancient Rome, most likely.
RPC-162-01: Et hoc est mysterium. [voice becomes distant] What you call the Era of Rome… that's when I first opened my eyes to this world. Who made me? Who forged the ring that would bind me to my masters? I don't know. But Roma… [long pause] Roma. The most glorious time of my service. I had so many masters then. Some died at the hands of enemies who learned of my existence and craved that power for themselves. Others succumbed to age, to disease, to the simple passage of time. A few… [voice softens] a few I truly admired.
Dr. Silar: But not all of them.
RPC-162-01: [Entity makes a harsh sound, like a bitter laugh] No. Not all of them. There was one who was so desperate for intimacy, so disturbed in his wants that he— [stops abruptly] I felt nothing when he died.
Dr. Silar: So you did form relationships with some of them. Real relationships.
RPC-162-01: There were those that I have come to consider friends, yes. True friends. [pause] But when you have eternity and they have decades… those friendships are brief. Candle flickers in the dark. Very rarely do they leave a mark.
Dr. Silar: Did any of their deaths affect you? Emotionally?
RPC-162-01:[Entity sits there for a long moment in silence before he speaks] Yes. More than I care to admit.
Dr. Silar: Were there any you were glad to see go?
RPC-162-01: Yes. Gaudeo satis, quod ego saltasset in eorum monumentis. [voice hardens] Oh, there were many. Especially during your Crusades. I'm resilient to pain—I barely felt the whips, the chains, the lashes. They'd douse me with water, shout prayers, call me a demon. My masters tried to burn me more than once. [pause] Fire and obsidian, that's what I am. You can't burn away stone.
Dr. Silar: I'm sorry you had to go through with that.
RPC-162-01: Don't be. The physical pain was nothing. I've endured worse. And even then, the worst barely felt above a tickle or a scratch. [voice drops] But I lost masters who were condemned as witches because they wouldn't stay silent about me. Claimed I was a demon that only they could see. They were stabbed in the back. Burned at the stake. All because they trusted the wrong people with the truth.
Dr. Silar: What about verbal abuse? Were there times where you wanted to kill your masters?
RPC-162-01: Words were constant. Especially then, when only the foolish spoke of me openly. They cursed me every time they needed me, never a word of thanks. Never recognition. [pause] One of my masters was a Pope. Urban VI. A vile asinum. [growls] And yes, before you ask—there were times I desperately wanted to kill my masters. Not all of them. But there was definitely a list.
Dr. Silar: But the rules prevented you from, of course.
RPC-162-01: The rules compel me to prostrate and obey, yes. Always.
Dr. Silar: Do you wish you could kill me?
RPC-162-01: [long silence] You haven't given me a reason to wish for your death. Yet.
<End log,>
Closing Statement: Most productive interview to date. RPC-162-01 showed signs of emotional vulnerability when discussing historical masters. Dr. Silar notes that the entity appears to process trauma differently but not too dissimilar from human subjects. Recommend psychological evaluation framework for future sessions.
Foreword: [Dr. Silar explores RPC-162-01's capabilities and task compliance parameters. Site Director has authorized limited demonstrations under controlled conditions.]
Dr. Silar: So 162-01, you've said you'll carry out any order I give you, correct?
RPC-162-01: Yes.
Dr. Silar: What if someone gave you an order to kill?
RPC-162-01: Ego interfecerit sine quaestio.
Dr. Silar: [pause, pen scratching] Assuming the target was not in front of you, if I just gave you a name—how would you find them?
RPC-162-01: I listen. I watch. You humans, you talk constantly about each other, about your plans, your locations. Give me a description and I'll track them through your conversations. Sometimes it takes hours. Sometimes days. But I find them.
Dr. Silar: Were you only used to carry out assassinations?
RPC-162-01: [sounds almost amused] Hardly. I've moved packages under the cover of night—parcels floating through the streets while humans slept. I've stood guard over others my masters wanted protected, keeping vigil for days without rest. I've built walls, tended crops, and harvested fields. Cooked meals. Cleaned chambers. Organized entire libraries. [pause] I was whatever my master needed me to be.
Dr. Silar: A housemaid with your size and… temperament. That's quite an image.
RPC-162-01: Sine interrogatione.
Dr. Silar: [rustling papers] Alright, let's test that. I want you to go to the cafeteria—it's down the hall, take two lefts and it's the third door—and get me something to drink from the vending machine. Any drink is fine. You've been cleared to move through designated areas now, so this should be straightforward.
RPC-162-01: Scilicet.
[Entity exits. Dr. Silar notes approximately four minutes of silence before entity returns.]
RPC-162-01: Hic est.
Dr. Silar: Ah! Good choice. I appreciate that 162. So about-
[Recording pauses. Dr. Silar notes he was interrupted by urgent communication from Site Director's office.]
Dr. Silar: [returns several minutes later. He takes a deep breath in and sighs.] So. Apparently you destroyed the vending machine.
RPC-162-01: [Remains silent]
Dr. Silar: The entire front panel is ripped off. There's broken glass everywhere. They're billing me for damages.
RPC-162-01: You instructed me to retrieve a beverage from the machine. I retrieved a beverage from the machine.
Dr. Silar: I meant— [long exhale] I meant use it normally. With money. Like a normal person.
RPC-162-01: You did not specify.
Dr. Silar: I shouldn't have to specify "don't destroy facility property"!
RPC-162-01: [slight hiss] Your instructions were imprecise. I completed the task as stated.
Dr. Silar: [muttering] There goes three months of pay… [louder] We're going to need to establish some very clear ground rules.
<End,log>
Closing Statements: Interview suspended following destruction of cafeteria vending machine. Repair costs deducted from Dr. Silar's salary. Dr. Silar has submitted an informal request for a "Common Sense Protocols" handbook. Request denied.
Foreword: Interview resumed following incident review period. Dr. Silar explores moral and psychological aspects of RPC-162-01's servitude.
<Begin Log>
Dr. Silar: Earlier, you mentioned you'd kill if ordered to.
RPC-162-01: That is correct.
Dr. Silar: Have any of your masters ever ordered you to kill them? To end their own lives?
RPC-162-01: [shifts weight, visible heat distortion increases slightly] Some tried, yes. I told them I couldn't. The binding won't allow it.
Dr. Silar: But they could ask you to cut off their finger? Remove the ring that way?
RPC-162-01: [goes very still. Uncomfortable grunt. Several seconds of silence.]
Dr. Silar: You've done it before. Haven't you?
RPC-162-01: Mihi opus est ad serviendum.
Dr. Silar: Hey, you don't have to answer if—
RPC-162-01: [suddenly forceful] If you tried to remove your finger, you would die.Even with medical intervention. there are aspects of this bond that would put the user at risk if they forcibly try to sever the ring off. And if you tried to do it yourself, I would stop you. Do you understand? I would stop you.
Dr. Silar: Okay. I understand. [pause] Let me ask something different. The people you've killed over the centuries—do you regret any of it?
RPC-162-01: Regrets? [voice distant] What an interesting question.
Dr. Silar: Do you? Regret the kills?
RPC-162-01: Hmm sometimes. Sometimes… [pause] I won't lie to you—there's a thrill in the hunt. The confrontation. The moment of victory. I've killed people who deserved it. Monsters in human skin. But I've also killed innocents. Children of bastards whose father wished were never born. Entire noble lineages for the sake of some petty vengeance. [voice drops] Anyone who was simply an inconvenience to my master's ambitions.
Dr. Silar: Because you were ordered to.
RPC-162-01: Because I was ordered to. [bitter sound] I've had masters with such profound malice that their orders went far beyond simple death. They were… creative. In their cruelty. What they made me do to their victims before the end
Dr. Silar: What kind of things?
RPC-162-01: [long silence. Then the entity turns aside. Heat signatures spike briefly, then fall.]
Dr. Silar: Are you alright?
RPC-162-01: [Voice is rough, as if forcing words out] My existence is a mistake. If death will not take me, if oblivion does not serve as my atonement, then you throw me into the very bottom of the ocean and forget I ever existed. There is nothing in this world more deserving to live alone in obscurity than I am. The last few decades alone… [trails off] Horrors. Unrelenting horrors. My previous masters—recent ones—they discovered new depths of depravity. Things that would make your Crusaders look merciful. And I performed every act they commanded. Every. Single. One.
Dr. Silar: …I'm sorry you were forced into all of that.
RPC-162-01: When my last master died, I thought… [long pause] I thought maybe I'd finally fade. Disappear. Be forgotten. Or just dissolve into nothing and take all those memories with me. I reflected on everything—centuries of service, centuries of blood—and I felt… I don't know what I felt. There were no regrets, not really. How can you regret something you had no choice in? But the anger… [voice intensifies] The anger remains.
Dr. Silar: And then I came along.
RPC-162-01: [Entity makes a hollow sound, maybe a laugh] Then you came along. You picked up that ring. Slipped it on your finger without hesitation. And I wanted to ask you why—why would you do that? Why would you trap yourself? Trap me? But then I realized… [quieter] It doesn't matter why. It was always going to happen. Someone would always pick up the ring. This is what I am. What I'll always be.
Dr. Silar: [several seconds of silence. Sound of pen being set down] For what it's worth… you'll find yourself in good company around here.
RPC-162-01: [very quiet] We'll see.
<End Log,>
Closing Statement: Most emotionally intensive interview to date. RPC-162-01 displayed significant psychological distress when discussing recent masters and their commands. Dr. Silar noted visible signs of trauma response (increased heat signatures, avoidant body language, verbal hesitation). Entity appears to retain traumatic memories with perfect clarity regardless of the timespan. Recommend establishing ethical guidelines for RPC-162-01 utilization. Additional psychological evaluation requested.
Foreword: Dr. Silar confronts RPC-162-01 regarding discrepancies discovered during investigation of previous ring bearers. Interview conducted in presence of Site Security Chief Anselm Cole (observing, non-participating).
Dr. Silar: I need to ask you one more question. And I need the truth.
RPC-162-01: [audible sigh] Can't you just give me tasks instead of interrogating me?
Dr. Silar: This isn't an interrogation, this is an interview to get a better understanding of.. well this. [Gestures to RPC-162] We've been investigating your previous masters. The recent ones.
RPC-162-01: And?
Dr. Silar: There's a pattern. Every single one of them died violently. Murdered. Some don't even have official records—others they just… vanish from history. Others are listed as missing, never found. [pause, papers rustling] But you told me before that you had masters who died of old age. Disease. Natural causes. So why does every recent case contradict that?
[Dr. Silar notes RPC-162-01 became unusually still. Heat signatures dropped significantly. Extended silence before the entity responded.]
RPC-162-01: Quidam aperti sunt oculi.
Dr. Silar: Meaning what?
RPC-162-01: Meaning some people knew about the ring, understand what it is capable of, what I am capable of. What I represent. They watch. They wait. They notice things others miss—patterns, power, opportunity. [pause] In the old days, knowledge of the ring was rare. Rumors. Whispers. Most people who saw me thought they were mad. But recently… more people are learning. More people are watching.
Dr. Silar: Watching for what?
RPC-162-01: For the ring to change hands. [voice drops] They noticed you the moment you put it on. Just like they noticed all the others.
Dr. Silar: But I'm different. I'm protected here. Authority security, containment protocols—
RPC-162-01: You didn't know what I was the moment you picked up that ring. You didn't know what you were taking from my previous master. Your people thought he was the threat. [harsh sound] If you'd truly understood, you never would have killed him.
Dr. Silar: We weren't trying to kill him. We were trying to contain—
RPC-162-01: You killed my master. If you hadn't, I would have killed your soldiers. All of them. [pause] But that's not what concerns me now.
Dr. Silar: What concerns you?
RPC-162-01: Servo vestri amici prope, et inimici tui propius [deliberate, measured] Dr. Silar. Over the years, I've seen the pattern repeat. How my masters die. How the ring passes to new hands. It's not random. It's never random.
Dr. Silar: [long pause. Chair scraping] What are you saying?
RPC-162-01: First, I'd like to apologize. There was something that I have been keeping from you. That ring? It is not the only one. They come in many forms. Others like me with abilities and strength far beyond the natural capacity of what your 'Authority' is capable of. Just like your predecessors. I was even used within the Vanguard of Hercules.
Dr. Silar: Wait… there are more of you? I thought- [He straightens up in his seat] Hold on. Before I even entertain that thought… just what were you getting at earlier?
RPC-162-01: What I was getting at was to keep yourself protected and guarded. You should be careful who you trust. Even here. Especially here. Even the most disciplined minds—the most rational people—they see power like the ring, power like mine, and they start to think. To plan. To justify. The cycle of fratricide started with Romulus and it will never see an end.
Dr. Silar: You can't possibly suggest that anyone inside the Authority would—
RPC-162-01: I'm suggesting you pay attention. That's all. The ring… and many others like it? It has a way of drawing ambition out of people. Of revealing what they're willing to do. Watch your back, Doctor. Because I've learned one thing in all my centuries: the danger rarely comes from strangers. Rome's fall should be a cautionary tale.
<End log,>
