RPC-747

Black Downpour

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Registered Phenomena Code: 747

Object Class: Beta-White

Hazard Types: Aquatic Hazard, Extreme Temperature Hazard, Climatological Hazard

Containment Protocols: Containment protocols of RPC-747 are integrated into the overall containment effort on Antarctic Region 017. A comprehensive physical and informational blockade is in place over both locations. RPC-747 exploration is currently ongoing; proper containment protocols will be enacted once definitive properties are determined. RPC-917 has been assigned to assist in containment of RPC-747, provided TRB-618 security measures remain in place.

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fig 1.1: Location of the Ross Ice Shelf. Red cross marks access point to RPC-747.

UPDATE - 3/12/2019: Direct observation of RPC-747 is forbidden, as is the viewing of any media depicting it, until the possibility of cognitohazardous infection can be ruled out. All photographs taken within RPC-747 have been expunged from this file.

Description: RPC-747 refers to a massive stone complex located 12km below the Ross Ice Shelf in the Antarctic continent. RPC-747 extends horizontally for about 60km2, with varying heights, and is largely encroached by ice, rendering exploration almost completely unfeasible.

RPC-747's oldest dated area is approximately 1,590 years old, coinciding with the Classical Greek period. Despite extensive damage, the majority of RPC-747 remains intact. Preliminary analysis has postulated an effect produced by a tychokinetic or regenerative force responsible for the state of limited repair.

Similarly, objects recovered from RPC-747 have been proven to follow an unusual decomposition curve, decaying up to ten times slower than non-anomalous objects recovered from similarly dated sites. Investigation is ongoing.

The history of RPC-747 is largely unknown, with no registered interactions between its inhabitants and contemporary cultures. It is also unknown how the city was supplied. However, its culture has so far proven to be similar to modern Children of Nihil beliefs, allowing for a certain degree of investigation.

The accessible portion of RPC-747 is subdivided into four zones, designated RPC-747-1 through -4. Each area contains specific symbology, exhibiting unique properties. For an in-depth description of each area, see Addendum 747-A, Torquemada Report.

RPC-747 was discovered on June 23d, 2019, along the adjacent Antarctic Region 017, following reports of varied, long-lasting anomalous phenomena within the surrounding area. Such phenomena included unusually frequent and abundant rain, water failing to freeze as expected, and widespread glacier melting. Several UN-Funded expeditions, starting on June 4th, 2017, failed to find a natural cause for these events, leading to Authority involvement on May 4th, 2019.

Expedition Number 44, launched on June 20th aboard the AFV1 Torquemada, encountered a number of brick buildings in a previously unexplored area of the Ross Ice Shelf, inhabited by a large number of Children of Nihil cultists. Upon further observation from a distance, it became apparent that an unknown, frenetic ritual was being performed, involving a large number of unidentified relics. A steel box, marked with words in English, was believed to be the centerpiece of the ritual, remaining at the epicenter of all activity. No violence took place while the ritual was being observed, with participants focused on moving relics and tracing lines into the ground. After an hour of observation, no apparent pattern could be found. Observation was cut short once permission to engage was granted to the Torquemada's crew.

Most characteristics of this ritual remain unknown, as all participants and involved objects demanifested upon apparent completion.

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fig 1.2: Access point to RPC-747.

Eight hours, six minutes, and approximately six seconds later, the Antarctic surface began to melt at an accelerated rate, sinking the surrounding ice and structures into a rapidly expanding borehole, claiming the lives of sixty Authority personnel presently stationed off-ship. The Torquemada escaped the area along with the eighty personnel on board, and began broadcasting an SOS signal. Two days later, the support ship AFV Chromed Jaybird arrived to the site, to aid the crew of the Torquemada on exploring the borehole.

The borehole was found to branch into two paths, one leading to an underside of Antarctic Region 017, and the other to RPC-747.


Addendum 747-A - The Lesser City


RPC-747 can only be accessed through a large archway, 2m in height and 1m in width. It is partially embedded in ice, leaving a 1.5m high and 0.7m wide opening. This archway is heavily decorated in a fashion unique to RPC-747, consisting of several depictions of water running then freezing to a stop. Ice is represented in low-relief, while water is represented in high-relief. This motif is present in most of the accessible zones of RPC-747, particularly RPC-747-4.

RPC-747 has the general appearance of a Roman city, with certain differences exclusive to each designated zone. With an estimated population of 5 thousand individuals, the habitation areas are particularly small in contrast to other, similar cities. RPC-747 is also encircled by a large stone wall, at least ten meters in height. A number of vigilance towers and unique cannon weaponry were identified, but remain unreachable. Only a small section of the wall is currently accessible, adjacent to RPC-747-1.


Addendum 747-B - A Sinking Feeling


On 23/9/19, after the anomalous climate conditions began inexplicably fading, the scattered remains of an armed contingent, dated similarly to RPC-747, and anomalously conserved the same way,10 were located between RPC-830 and the westmost, inaccesible point of RPC-747. These remains have been designed RPC-747-A.

Remains of approximately 2,000 individuals were found, armed with several instances of previously described Lesser Objects, plus a number of unregistered ones, as listed below;

  • 230 light iron gauntlets, made of 7 interlocking pieces each. From each knuckle a short blade extends. When swung with sufficient force, liquids in a 1m diameter will become electrically charged, and when used to strike a solid surface within 10 minutes of this effect's activation, an anomalous electrical discharge will take place between these liquids and the struck surface.
  • 543 spears, double-tipped. When carried by a human being, the spear appears to deflect all kinetic force directed towards the user. May shatter after use.
  • Nearly 2,000 shields of varying size, with a Children of Nihil logo painted on the outer side. When carried by a human being, the shield improves the user's ability to move through liquids. Users also become unable to ignite, or otherwise be damaged by heat. When exposed to heat for more than 1h 23m at a time, it shatters.
  • 8 wooden staffs. Purpose unknown.

A second force, 5,000 individuals strong, was located, buried beneath the ice. Although no analysis has been completed at the time of writing, it appears that steam-powered machinery was abundantly used by this contingent.

Additionally, four poorly preserved short scrolls, believed to be either a journal or messages to be sent, were recovered onsite.





Addendum 747-C - The Other World


On 25/9/19, an additional section of RPC-747 was successfully thawed and explored. This section was incorporated to RPC-747-2.

The newly thawed area is believed to have been a government building, and is very similar in appearance to RPC-747-A through -H, while slightly larger. It is undecorated, and has suffered extensive and methodical flooding, destroying most documents and furniture. Remarkably, a small padlocked safe was recovered, holding what is believed to be a series of weekly updates on an unknown affair. The recovered texts are listed below, chronologically ordered.






Addendum 747-D - Black Downpour


On 29/11/2019, a second section of RPC-747 was successfully thawed. As it is disconnected from other explored sections, it has been denominated RPC-747-5.

RPC-747-5 consists of a massive pit, ninety meters wide and two kilometers deep, with large numbers of chains affixed to the walls and dropping down. Every fifty meters rest the remains of a one-meter thick stone floor. It is believed that massive pressure from the inside caused them to break.

At the bottom of the pit, a massive open stone coffin, fifty meters long, is affixed. It is believed that the previously described chains would be connected to it, and through an unknown mechanism, keep it shut.

Further analysis has revealed that the density of Antarctic ice decreases as distance from RPC-747-5 increases.

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