After the establishment of the Auctoritas Imperata, an official outpost was created as a joint effort against the Ottoman Turks – The operation itself being conducted between the semi-independent branch and the Orthodox Christian Serbian population and clergy. The outpost's purpose did not have a military role, but rather one dedicated to the isolation and containment of heretical and satanical items brought or created by the incursion, as well as research into how to effectively combat it.
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SITE-286
THEISTIC AND ESOTERIC RESEARCH, CONTAINMENT AND TOOL DEVELOPMENT
Aerial shot of surface monastery level of Site-286
Overview
Established: Monastery established in 1352, deemed as a location of importance by Auctoritas Imperata on 28th June of 1457, rediscovered and designated as a Site by the RPC Authority in 1991.
Front Cover: Monastery on the surface level still acts as such, as well as being a Monument of Culture of Exceptional Importance.
Location: Republic of Serbia, 2.5km southeast of Prizren (Coordinates: 42°12′1″N 20°45′45″E )
Codename: “Endurance”
Hex-code: [ARCH]
Site Occupation: Support, spiritual preparation and deployment, Primary and Secondary Containment and Research.
Division Jurisdiction: Research and Containment
Total floor space: Approximately 1.4 km2 (Mainly underground)
Surrounding Land/Water: The monastery complex is positioned on a small plateau within the Prizrenska Bistrica canyon. The plateau itself is surrounded by a river from three sides, surrounded on the southeastern side by sharp rocks, on top of which is the fortress Višegrad.
Background Information: Site-286 has multiple purposes, all revolving around anomalous religious studies. The site primarily acts as the optimal location for containing and researching anomalies with religious origins/properties1, its inhabitants honing their expertise in this field for centuries. This is mostly conducted within the underground research level and containment crypts in which the necessary practices are conducted for yielding favorable results.
Additionally, the site is also capable of deploying monks to any other sites or locations should it be necessary. The reason for deployment can range from anything as simple as blessing the quarters or weapons of the staff within another Site per their request, to having a small number of monks deploying to directly assist in the containment or research of a newly discovered anomaly that has been deemed too unsafe to transport to their Site’s location.
Lastly, the Site also serves as arguably the only source of Authority members that are capable of providing religious services that are effective and reliable. And with the recent loss of one of the more important locations of a similar nature and purpose, Site-286 should be considered a high priority when it comes to the protection of Authority assets.
History: The origin of the Site can be dated to the 28th of June, 1457. (While the monastery it is based in was founded in 1352. by the Serbian Tsar Stefan Uroš IV Dušan), making it one of the oldest Authority sites that are still active.
After the establishment of the Auctoritas Imperata, an official outpost was created as a joint effort against the Ottoman Turks – The operation itself being conducted between the semi-independent branch and the Orthodox Christian Serbian population and clergy. The outpost's purpose did not have a military role, but rather one dedicated to the isolation and containment of heretical and satanical items brought or created by the incursion, as well as research into how to effectively combat it.
The location was chosen due to it being looted and partially destroyed by the Ottomans in 1456. The Auctoritas believed the monastery would no longer be of interest to the invading forces due to a lack of lootable resources. As a way of not risking attracting attention, an underground system of billets and a crypt was dug under the surface of the presumably destroyed monastery where the monks could practice and live in peace, as well as doing their work in secrecy and isolation. The construction was successful, and the location soon became a successful site of research and containment. As time passed, mutual respect grew between the two groups held together by the belief that the enemy of their enemy is a friend.
3D recreation of what the monastery originally looked like - monks added for scale.
Unfortunately, this method soon backfired as it proved too successful. The monastery on the surface was attacked by Ottomans again who were attempting to recover the anomalies stored within. The force was not capable of locating them and the captured monks who were on the surface at the time refused to disclose any sort of information relating to the location of the anomalies. In an act of retaliation, the Ottoman force executed this small number of the clergy and razed the monastery to the ground, later repurposing its material into a mosque.
After the Auctoritas received news of this the organization sent a small group of agents disguised as Janissary Turks to confirm the destruction of the outpost. Upon arrival to the nearby area, the agents confirmed that there was an attack as the locals were still discussing it, as well as the Turks within it boasting about it. Further attempts to gain information unfortunately garnered unwanted attention: When the agents began heading toward the location, they were ambushed by actual janissaries. Managing to fight off the attack, the scouts were forced to retreat, leaving the Auctoritas with two options: Conclude that the monastery is lost, there were no survivors and cut their losses. Or alternatively, risk an evacuation and artifact recovery again, the chances of saving all of the monks and items being astronomically minimal, if there is even anything remaining at all in the first place. Not to mention the very likely retaliation and diplomatic damage that this invasion will create, damaging any possible future relations.
The location and monks were officially deemed as lost in the archives in the year 1615. Unknown to them, the underground crypt and billets were not discovered by the Ottomans, a number of the clergy surviving the attack. After a period of not being contacted by their Roman Catholic allies and not having the necessary resources to launch an investigation the monks concluded that they were on their own - Whether this was due to their allies abandoning them, coming to some sort of end themselves, or even becoming disbanded was not important to them.
The monks took it upon themselves to continue the legacy due to a sense of duty and a need to protect their people from the anomalous threat. The monastery worked together with the local Serbian populace to secure a reliable source of information, resources, and members, the locals also gathering there for religious purposes as well although not at a regular rate as a way of avoiding suspicion.
The clergy continued working in secrecy, expanding the crypts and coming to breakthroughs as they kept hidden from the rest of the world and the slowly growing Auctoritas, soon to be Authority. They endured a number of hardships and wars, secretly helping with securing the anomalous in the backgrounds of these monumental events as a way of preventing escalation and the breaking of the veil. And with the Serbian and her allies’ victory in the Balkan wars during which the Turks were officially pushed out of the occupied territories, it had paved the way to the eventual reunion between two long-lost allies.
Although the remains of the upper monastery itself were discovered by archeologist Dr. Radoslav Grujić in 1927, it was not until the 90s that the clergy was reunited with the Authority. Following reports of unusual seismic activity within the area (Later identified as an anomalous property of RPC-███) the Authority sent an MST to investigate the surroundings. During this investigation, the Team encountered a group of unknown monks seemingly searching for the same object they were. After an awkward standoff, the monks unexpectedly identified the nature of the MST through the Authority sigil on their equipment, revealing their own to them in return. Afterward, the two groups worked together to locate and identify the anomalous activity, making it the first unofficial operation conducted between the modern Authority and the soon-to-be Site-286.
Elated at the reunion and seeing it as a blessing, the clergy was more than happy to help the Authority with sharing the research and knowledge they had accumulated throughout the centuries, especially with the rising threat of the Nihil cults. The clergy arrived to the conclusion that there is no use in holding a grudge against the Authority for abandoning them, instead forgiving the organization and concentrating on the effort of reconnecting with their long-lost ally. Despite the occasional minor disagreement, Site-286 is as loyal and dedicated to the goal of the Authority as any other, adamant in keeping its legacy alive.
Father Nifont, a schema monk assigned to the Department of anomalous containment
Site structure: While the general consensus within the Authority is that the reunion with S-286 has been a more than valid cause for celebration, there have not been any difficulties.
The Site holds much like the other regular monasteries a very conservative and traditional understanding of their practices. Due to the extended period in which the Site had remained independent from the Auctorictas, and by extension any cultural and hierarchical development of it, it has a different approach to some activities than a regular site . The first thing that is noticed, which has been also the primary source of complaints, is the way the “hierarchy” within the Site is structured:
The abbot acts as the Site Director, as well as the leader and guide to his underlings. All major decisions within the site must be approved by either him or the monk he had appointed to be in charge of the field in question – which in more broad terms constitute as heads of the Directors of the Departments you will see further within this document. This choice is restricted solely to the monks: The abbot cannot choose who will be the chief of the maintenance personnel, for example. But, he is entirely able to decide what number of which monks will work on a project, them trusting in his judgment and being able to recommend to him any specific individuals who may have the expertise he is looking for.
The method of recruitment is also much different to other sites. It being a male-only monastery, S-286 will only accept men. The site primarily accepts novices from any other Authority location, division or rank. Staff are welcome to consider this position but should be warned that they will be forsaking any other future they might have been planning, and will instead be fully invested in the practice within Site-286. This choice can be made at any point, including as an alternative to retirement. It should be noted that personnel are still required to submit a formal request and notice as to prepare any necessary replacements within a project you are actively part of at the time of the decision.
While not as sought after by the site as novices, medical and Protection employees can request a transfer to this location, but only if the position is opened up. This transfer is also not to be regarded light-heartedly and should be seen as important as to any other location – You are still protecting the people of the Authority that are helping with the containment of highly dangerous and lethal anomalies, and it is your job to defend them from any internal as well as external sources of danger.
Should staff have any further questions or requests, they can contact the current abbot Aleksije Trifunović through requesting his contact information from your site’s communications director.
Site Departments
- Department of Site Administration and Organization - Consisting only of the current abbot, dedicated to directing and organizing efforts as well as deploying Site personnel and material to sister locations per request.
- Department of Anomalous research - Dedicated to the research and investigation into the nature and specifics of obtained anomalies.
- Department of Anomalous containment – Dedicated to the containment of captured anomalies as well as the upkeep and development of established methods and areas of containment.
- Workers’ Department - Office for Maintenance, Security and Medical personnel
Site levels and purposes
- Level 0: Surface level, Monastery of the Holy Archangels, guest billet, Protection barracks.
- Level 1: Monk Billet (Includes sleeping quarters, chapels and refectory), housing for Maintenance and medical personnel.
- Level 2: Research floor and medical wing.
- Level 3: Containment crypt floors.
Site members
Administrative Officials:
- Global Director (SCHL): Protosingel Gavrilo ( [DATA REDACTED] )
- Site Director: Abbot Aleksije (Trifunović)
- Director of Research: Fr. Nikolaj (Ignjatović)
- Director of Containment: Fr. Joanikije (Abnett)
- Maintenance personnel Chief: Mr. Dragutin Tot
- Medical wing Head physician: Dr. Sador Tadesse
- Dir. of Security: Cap. Stefan Schulz
On-Site personnel:
- Global Directors: 1 (Present unless unavailable due to Global Director-related responsibilities)
- Department heads: 6
- Medical personnel: 3 (Minor wounds only, anything more serious is handled by sending the patient to Site-008)
- Research and Containment personnel: 160
- Security personnel: 10 ASF officers, 6 MST agents
- Maintenance personnel: 40
- CSD personnel: 0
- Total: 220
Garrisoned MSTs
[ DATA UNAVAILABLE ]
Relevant documents
| RPC | Additional data |
|---|---|
| RPC-514 | Personnel are present within Eastern Orthodox churches in areas with active 514 instances. |
| RPC-586 | Present within and has a containment area within site, assists garrisoned ASF personnel in protection of staff. |
| RPC-394 | Assisted in developing an offset to the memetic properties of the anomaly and deploys staff at a regular rate to endure the stability and effectiveness of these measures. |
| File title | Description of contents |
|---|---|
| GD-SCHL "FATHER" | Personnel file of the current Research Global Director, Protosingel Gavrilo. |