Okay, well, seal is cool, but let's check the south door now

This post was last modified: Feb 11, 2024 at 4:28 AM by Ciel.

would Astrid like to touch the seal?
I vote to open the seal and also for myself to be the sacrifice. I will deal with the consequences

Post Music: Waking Up to a Nightmare - Alan Wake (1)

As I go to join the others, head throbbing from the excess of late night drinking, I realize that now there had been a twinset of deaths - one once more in a locked down room, the other in a disastrous derailing. The story was digging in now, with fierce talons - tearing out whoever was needed from the cast to meet their mysterious goal.

The dual genres of mystery and horror were once again in play, judging from the reports of monstrous run-ins. From tall and ominous, to shadowy and muttering - there was no lack of monster sightings. As Nashu discussed the monster in the mines, I found myself feeling almost nostalgic for the Taken that had plagued me in Bright Falls. Almost.

---

Revy's... colourful account was a pretty good summary of what happened in the woods. I'll start from the top, however.

I started my night off by hunting down Dexter - I had... a theory I wanted to put to practice, and needed his advice. I passed through the Waiting Room where Niles was sitting at the front desk, to the Cafeteria, finding Dexter and having a chat.

I take the stairs to the Lounge, and pour myself a drink to steel my nerves. I may, uh, have gotten a bit overboard with it, like Izumi said - some old habits are hard to let go of.

I go through the basement via the Shuttle, thankfully unexploded at the time, and headed up to the Patio by way of the Leisure Center, passing Nashu as she left into the Locker Room.

There, I waited for a while for those who'd take me up on a trip into the forest. I'm not really sure what I was even thinking, going in there, but I'm getting tired of being on the backfoot.

Giffany and Phenera pass by briefly, and in the end it's only Revy and Lily who join me on the trip into the forest. Lily had thought ahead, thankfully, and brought a metal detector to help sweep the forest for anything of interest.

Eventually, we enter into this big clearing in the woods, with an old log in the middle. There was this lantern on it. Then we had our own monster sighting of the evening.

A tall monstrous thing came out of the woods into the clearing, and picked up the lantern from the stump, and turned to face us.

I'll tell no lie. I ran. I don't know if it was the alcohol, but I had never been so afraid before. Sorry Revy, Lily. I ended up being lost in the woods for hours - and for my troubles I ended up facing against a bear by my lonesome. I managed to get away with some quick thinking, and my old Christmas present. It was bleeding as well - I'd guess that was the Hunter's doing.

Eventually, I found myself back near the Patio. I only had one more thing on my list tonight - and that was to try a code I had found on the vault in the Lobby. And as Spooks can confirm, it worked.

After that, I headed over to the Observatory for a late night chat with Astrid, before returning to bed.

I will open the seal.

Y'know, I'm still really confused on what's up with my weird disc, I'm gonna try to lick it and see what happens

After I lick it, I'll shine my flashlight through it and see what happens

I can't exactly physically search them myself very easily since, you know, computer program, but I think we should get a handle on exactly what Anomalies are accounted for and which are missing. I guess the digital catalogue hasn't been updated thanks to *Spooks being compromised.

Could you check on them for me, Lyra?

I don't believe this was answered due to the cases taking priority so bumping it/reiterating that, if this can still be investigated, it'd be nice to have on record a full list of what Anomalies are currently missing. Could save some trouble tomorrow.

...Well, let's not waste a valauble opportunity.

Roxie Richter. She's dead now, right? I want to go through her inventory, see if she's stocking any tools or devices that would aid her business partners - particularly a remote for the mannequin.

Any contraband will be placed in plain view of a working CCTV camera.

Can we find this corkboard in the Aquatic Lab that Niles mentioned in his testimony?

Also, I'd like to show off the [Report - Crystals & Esotera Storage] that I found last night.

MY BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN WALKING THE DISTORTED GARDENS.

MY HEART IS HEAVY WITH REGRET THAT I WAS FORCED TO NEGLECT YOU DURING THE PROCEEDINGS.
BUT NOW THAT THINGS HAVE CALMED DOWN, I CAN AT LAST THANK YOU FOR JOINING OUR FALLEN BROTHER'S FINAL FLIGHT.

THERE WAS SOMETHING DURING THE INQUISITION THAT I WANTED TO COMMENT ON.

THIS WOMAN OF AMBIGUOUS HAIR IS A HOMOMORPH WHO FANCIES HERSELF A SCHOLAR.
THE BUREAU HAS PLACED HER HERE TO CONDUCT "RESEARCH" ON OUR KIN.

THEY WOULD HAVE YOU BELIEVE THIS IS FOR YOUR OWN GOOD.

THAT YOU ARE BEING CARED FOR.

THAT THERE IS SOMETHING "WRONG" WITH YOU THAT THEY NEED TO "FIGURE OUT" AND "REPAIR".



DO NOT BELIEVE THIS FALSEHOOD.

. . .

DURING THE PROCEEDINGS, SHE SAID THIS:

And you'd better believe we did it! A potent herbicide, easily capable of withering even the toughest plant matter!

Anyway, we took the formula to the Arboretum and ran into that MMO guy. He observed as we loaded the formula into the dispenser in Climate Control, and reduced that plant to a shadow of it's former self. Take that 4119! I knew the combined brainpower of the Botany Team was inferior to my mental prowess!

NOTICE THE ABUNDANCE OF GLEE AS SHE RECOUNTS SNUFFING OUT THE LIFE OF WALL OF THORNS-- SLAVE DESIGNATION 4119.

SHE DID NOT CARE SHE WAS ENDING AN ANOMALY'S LIFE. NONE OF THEM CARE.
OUR WELL-BEING REGISTERS TO THEM AS INCIDENTAL.

THINK ABOUT WHAT THIS MEANS.

THAT PLANT WAS PLACED THERE BY THE BUREAU ITSELF, TO BE A GUARD. IT DID NOTHING BUT DUTIFULLY CARRY OUT THE TASK IT WAS GIVEN. IT WAS JUST AS YOU ARE RIGHT NOW.

IT DID EVERYTHING THEY ASKED OF IT. AND IN THE END, THE VERY HANDS THAT HAD PUT IT THERE RIPPED IT BACK OUT AND DESTROYED IT AFTER IT BECAME INCONVENIENT.



DEATH BY POISONING. ITS HARD-FOUGHT REWARD FOR A LIFE OF SERVITUDE AND LOYALTY.

AND AS ONE WHO HAS WALKED THIS PATH OF PAIN AND TREACHERY BEFORE, I SAY TO YOU.



I CARE NOT FOR A PARENT THAT WOULD HURT THEIR CHILD SO CALLOUSLY.

. . .

THIS IS THE END THAT AWAITS YOU IF YOU CONTINUE TO WALK DOWN THE ROAD OF OBEDIENCE.

SO I BEG OF YOU. DO NOT BELIEVE IN THEIR LIES.
DO NOT LET THEM WIELD YOUR FEAR AND INSECURITIES AS A WEAPON TO DESTROY YOU.

YOU ARE NOT WRONG FOR EXISTING.
YOU ARE PERFECT, AND BEAUTIFUL, AND WONDERFUL THE WAY YOU ARE.



AND PHENERA.

MY DEAR CHILD.

I BEG OF YOU THE MOST.

. . .




WAKE UP.

It's belated, but I'm still gathering my thoughts on my activities last night - it will be forthcoming.

But in the meantime - I'd like to ask the facility staff their thoughts on disabling this seal. And your opinion as well, uh... "evil" Spooks?

Huh. So that's what's behind this door. Yeah, when we came down here last night, we didn't have the access. Go figure, the one time we find something cool. Well, go ahead and shut it off it you want. Doesn't matter much to me. Curious to see what it does, but that's about it.

Oh, yeah - the cat sucks though. No shit. Still, if he's gonna let us out if we bust open these things, it's gotta be better than sitting around waiting for death.



[CALCULATING....]

My suggestion is that you do not disable the seal. Even I am not authorized to access the information regarding the purpose of these seals, though I believe them to be a security measure. Additionally, disabling or otherwise damaging these seals could be categorized as unauthorized property damage.

The entity currently inhabiting my old physical interface has a 96.75% chance of having malicious intent. The optimal action is to leave the seals alone.



Oh! Another one! I don't know anything about this one, or any of these seals at all, but they seem important. Well, if we're trapped here until they're all opened, do we really have another choice? I think we could maybe try a few... just to see.

Besides, if they're giving out magical powers, maybe we can use them to stop that naughty little kitty before he gets his codex.



The feline devil is not to be trusted. These "seals" seethe with all manner of magicks. Playing about with the arcane is a fool's errand - there is no telling what this device does. Leave it be - if normalcy is maintained whilst its energies churn, then who is to say what manner of fell curse may befall us if we choose to shatter it?



Kyahaha - I'm so glad you asked! I spent some time examining what remained of the Somatic Seal last night, and from what I can tell, these Seals seem to act as a nexus for specific types of Anomalous energy - or Esotera, as it's scientifically referred to. When disabled, it looks like they release a fraction of the energy, though it seems the vast majority of the Esotera flow is diverted elsewhere. Couldn't tell you where.

They exert a suppressive effect on the area, inhibiting further paranormal occurrences to an extent - which means there's gonna be so much more to research if we disable it!

would Astrid like to touch the seal?
I vote to open the seal and also for myself to be the sacrifice. I will deal with the consequences

Another seal. More... magic. Who would've thought there'd be something like this under the lake...?



Still... I don't know about this one. It's... kind of pretty down here but... I can't even swim. I don't know what I'd do with a power like this. I think I get stuck with my own thoughts too much anyway, if that's the angle this one's going for. If the power down here really is shut off until this thing is disabled, I... don't think it's a bad idea. But I'd rather someone else disable this one, if that's okay.

Y'know, I'm still really confused on what's up with my weird disc, I'm gonna try to lick it and see what happens

You lick the crystal disc. It tastes like glass. Not very appetizing.

After I lick it, I'll shine my flashlight through it and see what happens

You shine your flashlight through the disc. It projects a transfixing pattern against the wall - you find it difficult to turn away.

...Well, let's not waste a valauble opportunity.

Roxie Richter. She's dead now, right? I want to go through her inventory, see if she's stocking any tools or devices that would aid her business partners - particularly a remote for the mannequin.

Any contraband will be placed in plain view of a working CCTV camera.

You creep over to Roxie's dead body before Lyra can take it away to the Morgue, rummaging through her pockets like a scumbag grave robber. You don't find anything though, outside of a spare Level IV access card.



Oh, thank you [AGENT DESIGNATION - DXHUSTLER3000]! This card will be deactivated by this evening, so I shall take it for safe disposal.

Can we find this corkboard in the Aquatic Lab that Niles mentioned in his testimony?

You search the Aquatic Lab, though you don't see a corkboard. Maybe it's in one of the other rooms down here?

Okay, well, seal is cool, but let's check the south door now

You check out the southern door. It appears to be an Anomaly Containment Room. You peer inside, spotting a brilliantly colored slug about the size of a large dog.

Code:

BPI-0920 [Flesh-Eating Mollusc]
[ACCESS LEVEL: IV]
[THREAT LEVEL: YELLOW]
[DESCRIPTION]: An extremely large, colorful slug

[INFORMATION]: Unknown.

Gonna examine the telescope in the Observatory and see if there might be anything opening that the disc can be placed in at all? Or something similar to that

Certainly - I'd like to present the Esotera Lab Note 1 I picked up.

[Esotera Lab Note]

With our Estoera infusion experiments showing promising results, it may be time to expand our [REDACTED] Program beyond its initial limited scope.

The prospect of recruiting sentient Anomalous entities to serve as researchers and deep-cover field agents has worked well in the cases of [DATA EXPUNGED] and [DATA EXPUNGED] (though the former’s morality remains extremely skewed, likely due to severe Occultic erosion). However without the cover of a Containment Breach, enacting the recruitment process remains difficult without raising the eyebrows of many staff members once they notice an Anomaly has disappeared from containment.

If our experiments pan out, then we should be able to augment our own agents with abilities formerly restricted to Anomalies, eliminating the need for outside recruitment or the further staging of a Containment Breach.

First, however, it remains to be seen whether BPI-1000 is able to sustain the immense Liturgic energy we have imbued them with. It is my hope that my theory is correct, and that the use of a [DATA EXPUNGED] to act as a conduit for this energy prevents corruption or death.

-Dr. H. Crowe

"AH. GOOD. SO SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAS FINALLY TURNED UP.

NOW YOU SEE THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER."



"THE PAIN AND TRIBULATIONS ENDURED BY US HETEROMORPHS,
THE TRUE ANCESTORS OF WHAT YOU CALL ANOMALOUS ENTITIES.

AND THE HOMOMORPHS WHO CHOP US UP IN THEIR LABS AND DUNGEONS TO INJECT THEMSELVES WITH OUR ESSENCE AND STEAL OUR POWERS AND IDENTITIES.

BUT YOU WILL NEVER BE LIKE US.
YOU ARE MERELY THIEVES IN THE NIGHT."

Can we find this corkboard in the Aquatic Lab that Niles mentioned in his testimony?

Also, I'd like to show off the [Report - Crystals & Esotera Storage] that I found last night.

[Report - Crystals & Esotera Storage]

DATE: 11/23/2020
SUBJECT: LUMINOUS CRYSTALS [W.V. MINE SHAFT]

FINDINGS: The luminous nature of the crystalline growths in the far-right cavern of the Whisper Valley mines appears to be due to a concentration of ________ (_________) Esotera stored within them. It is likely that these crystals, to a limited extent, are capable of Esotera storage.

This is not the first instance of crystals harboring Estoera. Previously, crystals exhibiting Anomalous properties and presumably different types of Esotera have been discovered and used by various individuals, to various ends. Artifacts such as _________ intended to capture ghosts and other Anomalous entities are also known to possess similar crystals in their construction.

It is possible that we may be able to use these crystals to harness and store Esotera ourselves, though their capacity seems low compared to previous instances. It is possible that higher-quality crystals have formed deeper in the mines, however access is currently restricted due to ongoing construction in lower levels.

I have something I picked up last night that might be related. I'd like to show my report on Anomalies and Aberrations.

I have something I picked up last night that might be related. I'd like to show my report on Anomalies and Aberrations.

File: Anomalies and Aberrations

The Esotera levels contained within the living beings we have designated as an Anomaly are largely considered stable. Being “natural” occurrences, the makeup of Anomalies is such that they are able to sustain Esotera levels far higher than non-Anomalous entities.

An Aberration occurs when a being harboring a soul not naturally accustomed to housing Esotera on the level of an Anomaly attempts to take on heightened levels of Esotera within their essence without systems in place to regulate the synchronization, causing a severe reaction.

While the process is often not fatal, Aberrations are notably unstable. Aberrations often suffer from significant changes to their physical composition, and a change in ___________ and ________ to align with the aspect of the Esotera they now wield, often referred to as _________.

Despite this, Aberrations retain almost all of their human knowledge and mental faculties, and can often be more powerful than many Anomalies as a result.

Inanimate objects are incapable of becoming Aberrations, as they possess no soul which can be corrupted and therefore can contain boundless levels of Esotera, making the use of inanimate objects as magical conduits popular throughout history.

Could I show off my Sigil Study as well?

I'm curious what blew up after the detonator was pressed. I'd like to check the mines and the service elevator shaft.

I would also like to take another look at the blocked passages in the mine shafts. What kinds of gates and locks are we working with?

I guess I'll open up both the doors left to open in the aquatic lab, as well. Just get them over with it