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CONCEALMENT MANIFEST No.338:
Record of Acquisition of Anomalie Obscura
Cargo Determination:
| Lethality | Concealment | Desirability | Priority | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 6 | 3 5 | 1 8 | 4 | C |
Bounty Commissioner: Officer Joseph Smith
Expedition Lead: Dr. Elton Harkins
The town of Charleston.
Hunting Guide & Creature Analysis:
The Devil Gerbils are a recent invasive species found in Charleston county. They are extremely dangerous not only to the local farms and forests, but because of their sheer numbers, they are likely to become the main predatory species and cause an ecological collapse in the city. This was shown to be the case in the northern forest of Charleston when it had become entirely populated with Devil Gerbils. For these reasons, extermination is the only way to effectively eliminate the Devil Gerbil population.
The specimen is usually a threat when encountered in groups but is mostly harmless in isolated situations. The most difficult aspect of the extermination of the Devil Gerbils is the seemingly unending source of Gerbils, which is still being searched on was found to be the native totem uncovered in the undergrounds of Charleston city.
Although the current totem is submerged in seawater1, where its anomalous effects became completely useless. We still need to be cautious of similar totems appearing in the area. So in this case, if new totems were to be found, here is a list of Do's and Dont's towards killing and exterminating those little Devil pests:
- Do throw them in the ocean, they will drown (they aren't very good swimmers)
- Don't attempt to physically choke the gerbils.
- Use their unending hunger to get an advantage. (Feed them infected corpses, seawaterm, etc.)
- Don't attempt to poison them using physical methods.
- Try killing methods that can kill multiple Gerbils at once, such as rat traps loaded with explosives.
- Don't shoot the gerbils, stab the gerbils, strangle the gerbils or pummel the gerbils - they WILL return.
- Try cold temperatures. Although less effective, you can halt them by sending them to the North.
- Don't put them in the southern facilities where it's hot and warm for the gerbil's delight.
- Don't attempt to burn a gerbil alive. Never.
Description & Encounter:
These creatures uncovered, nicknamed Devil Gerbils, are characterized by the seven protruding horns on both sides of their faces. Their color looks darker than a squirrel but lighter than a snow rabbit. They appear omnivorous, having eaten through anything they could chew on — they can digest anything from meat to fruits to insects. Though exceptions include a particular aversion to seawater.
They appear to only walk in groups, similar to ants, bees, or the resources department. Because of that, it is very rare to see a single gerbil, and in most cases, they will die out or act in incoherent or nonsensical ways.
I’ve seen it before, one o’ ‘em smashing their tiny head against the concrete trying to find their lost acorn… which was in front of them.
Despite their supposed low individual intelligence, they act like sapient creatures when in a group, and in some cases, their mindset becomes close to those of chipmunks and monkeys. Running theory suggests that said intelligence is relative to their collective - the bigger a group is, the smarter they are. This theory can be similarly applied to each group’s proximity to a hivemind.
Using this high performative intelligence, the Devil Gerbils are capable of coordinating on such a high level they become a single organism, with some Gerbils uniting and working in conjunction to form bodies closely resembling snakes, waves, spiders, and in a single occasion, a big humanoid that has been compared constantly to bigfoot by our team, even going so far as naming this formation "Bigfoot formation." When in this state, killing Gerbils is to be done through jumping into seawater, as they seem to become extremely aggressive towards living organisms and will not think about the environment surrounding them, killing themselves in the process.
O.B.S.: Please do not attempt to physically fight the bigfoot formation.
Recountment of Sightings:
The local scouting party of Charleston had been carrying out routine expeditions when they claimed to have felt an inexplicable presence. As the party broke at dusk to set up their campfire, the surrounding presence slowly grew until the group started hearing non-stop screeching. Getting their weapons, party members prepared themselves to fight whatever creatures were hiding in the shadows. They would only find small Gerbils with horns, walking in groups in the forest. While certainly an unsightly and demonic presence, the party decided not to press on for the rest of the night.
However, when attempting to leave the place, one of the group members accidentally stepped on a single Gerbil, causing the entirety of the Gerbils to show hostility towards the members of the scouting party. They then attempted to devour and kill the member, acting with a single goal as though their minds were that of a single collective.2
After running through the entirety of the forest, they came across the Charleston Harbor. Seeing the creatures wouldn't stop following them, one of the members had the idea to swim far away from the coast until the Gerbils would stop looking for them. However, when reaching the sea, all Gerbils started following one by one. Soon enough, they realized that the Gerbils couldn't swim, slowly drowning. The team left the ocean after all the Gerbils had drowned, and went to the local police station, which warned us about the uncommon occurrence to take action as soon as possible.
Storage & Utility:
Do not capture these creatures, they will attempt to eat anything that is in front of them if needed to escape, some even killing themselves to do so. You should instead kill a Devil Gerbil drowning them in sea water. For this reason: Researcher Elton has gathered closeby water deposits filled with seawater to put the captured Gerbils. However, the Devil Gerbils are known to have a burrow home. Field agent Joseph was sent to explore further. In the process, he found what was soon to be called the "Devil's Altar," Which had on top of it, something similar to a totem pole of the American indigenous tribes, where Gerbils seemed to come from the many holes found
While exploring, Joseph set a small tent and started writing in his logbook. He documented many activities, rituals, and other biological aspects of this specific type of gerbils. The following are the pages of the logbook and the eventual destruction of the Devil's Altar.
Day 3
The Gerbils did not acknowledge my existence, they let me in like I was one of them. Be it the stench of the cave, or the fact they were too busy to care. They however all work as one, be it opening one of their clogged entrances, digging new ones, or carrying these mash of objects to the center.
It’s in the center where the thing? statue is located. That weird statue… thing. I think they worship it? I don't know how they can be so smart to worship anything, but apparently, it seems to be held in high regard. They would offer loud expressions? voices of worship to this object. The things they bring to the cave, the things they took, it all comes to here. Food, shiny rocks, or… more food? The statue really likes the food I guess?
Some of the Gerbils appear to be starving, though I wouldn’t think they care of death in the slightest (possibly because they are too busy worshipping that altar totem thing, or maybe they are too stupid to notice) - to the far corners of the cave I can see some of the dead gatherings, their bodies long degraded, its stench permeates across. It seems as though all they really care about is to please this statue: It looks like those Totem poles? The ones Redskins makes. But It's filled with Gerbil's faces. With a hooded presence at the top?
They all seem to have some type of hierarchy based on their number of horns, but no one is higher than the Totem. Saying that, they seem to do some weird things when in conjunction. I swear I saw them becoming like something similar to an arm? In this context, they used it to excavate a portion of the cave. I imagine how destructive this would be if used in combat against us.
Day 5
The constant smell of the cave grew a bit overwhelming and I decided to follow one of the lesser horn folk out of the cave. Here I discovered some interesting observations. The Gerbils traveled in groups and encroached into the frontiers of Charleston that the towns folk have been excavating. Most of the people ran back into town upon the sight of the gerbils. Instead of attacking the town as they would have, they instead all huddled at the dig site. Saltwater pooled through, the Gerbil workers, thirsty as they were, drank a bit of it. I swear to God it is like poison to them, yet something about one drinking it made the others follow through, and then they were all spasming in the ground until a higher horn member came through and closed the hole.
It seems the higher the horn, the more agency you have, and the less connected to the hivemind you are. While they’re still connected to the rest of the ‘heptahorns’3, they would also have their own autonomy to choose in which ways you will be connected through. In a comic sense, it is like you get to choose how you will serve, instead of serving the same way of all others, like they needed some smarts so it wouldn't fail on the first day.
This being known, a good way to destroy them would be through the destruction of the higher horns, to then see the chaos that it would ensue later on. Of course, that'd be way harder, and with what we found here I think I have an idea. I'll get out for now, but I'll come later.
Day 6
The displeasure I have in handling these cryptids… I believe I represent my fellow colleagues in saying how obnoxious these creatures are to the ears of the common folk. It is annoying at best, and intolerable to most.
It is both my personal experience and account that the way of life in this town has been greatly degraded by these presences, both in physical wellbeing and of the mind. As it goes on I find it increasingly difficult to continue my stay in the cave, as is my distaste for these miserable abominations. I have been discussing solutions for these little… creatures to be decided, and I'm afraid of what I must do.
Only a watery grave shall save this town from these devils.
Day 7
These sounds, these god damn sounds. Obnoxious, unbearable, loud insufferable sounds. So constant, so repetitive, consistent, always the same. It doesn't matter which of these beasts does it, they will all sound the same to me.
This place, this place and no other, it has degraded my rationale and soon it will drive me past the brink of insanity. If I stay one more day in here, no, another LIVING MOMENT…I have a solution, the only solution, I’ve gotten enough details about their activities, their biology, movement, everything. all I need to destroy these unholy beings, then I will finally rest in peace knowing I will never hear these sounds again.
Day 8
The extermination of an entire specimen of creatures is something that might be seen by some as uncalled for or overreactive, but only those who did not see the true horrors of these foul beasts can attest to such silly theories. Although the consideration of unending potential is found if we could control the totem, the unending horrors that these devils might bring are also brought to the table. There will be no certainty of peace until they are put to rest. Therefore, in seawater shall you drown.
Return to hell O you nasty creatures. And stay down where you are from.
And hopefully, never come back.
Discernments
With a total of 20 gallons of Saltwater taken from the closeby bay, we were able to flood the entire cave. After killing all Devil Gerbils found inside, divers took the Totem from the cave found underground and transported it far-from-shore in the Atlantic Ocean, as marked on this map.
Current Location of the Artifact.
With this knowledge, the item should be safe as long as it is submerged. That being said, we're working on building this giant tank that can easily be filled with seawater and emptied just as quickly. When we get it, we'll be able to test on the Devil Gerbils to discover their origin, or what makes them tick. Until then, we can use the sea as an improvisatory containment chamber. Now, with that being said, I wish them the sweetest dreams in their long slumber in the oceanic abyss.
- Dr. Elton Harkins.