This post was last modified: Apr 21, 2024 at 3:08 AM by Spooks?.

music: Show

Ahahaha, destroy my Codex? No, no. I'm afraid that isn't an option. The Codex is woven with immense power, and your attempts would yield no such success? Burn it, cut it, shred it by hand or by machine - you are welcome to try. You'll find the results quite unsatisfactory though, believe me.

Ah! While some of you may have noticed already, I would be a terrible host indeed were I not to mention - you may now remove your masks. They are of course, yours to keep. Use them as you wish, be it for murder, mystique, or whatever horseplay comes to mind. Steal the mask of another, perhaps. It'll be our little secret!



Now, I will keep you no longer. The storm is brewing, after all. You'd best prepare for what's to come.





And he's gone. Good riddance. The last thing I wanna do is have to look at this fucker and his masks for longer than I have to. Smug prick.

...Shit, okay look. I know Niles was Crimbo. Evil magic terrorist or whatever, I get it. Bad guy trying to nab the Codex. Don't need to spell it out for me. I wasn't hanging out with Crane because of his Crimbo shit, I didn't know about his Crimbo shit. Simple as that.



Maybe that makes you think I'm suspicious, but I don't care. I'm going after that book, like it or not.



Suspicious? Kyahaha, nah. I just think that makes you pretty stupid. He was obviously the Blackmailer, I knew it all along. Good thing we got him when we did too - imagine if I got blackmailed myself!

So much knowledge, lost to the world! Well, there's only one Crimbo left now. I'd like to see them try something, alright. Kyehehe, I can't wait to see their last-ditch attempt!



Hey, you know what though? What was up with all that weirdo chanting before he died? I thought he was supposed to be a psychologist or something - but if they're all like that, maybe that's why some people call it a fake science!

What? I was his friend, not his stalker. I dunno what all that psycho shit was about.



..."Amo, Gus"...



I mean, there's a few things it could mean. Translated from Latin, it means... "I love Gus", which... Implies a couple things. Somehow I think there's something more to it though, I'd be... skeptical of Dr. Crane and the janitor having a love affair.

The mastermind... they said something about a "storm brewing". I wonder...



While it is possible that these statements could be in reference to a Crimson Eye plan or another form of Anomalous Activity, however I detect that that phrase was meant to be taken quite literally.

[FORECAST MODE ACTIVATE]



My censors predict a severe Blizzard warning for the following night. Expect a high of -4°F, with strong winds and approximately 24 inches of snowfall across the greater Whisper Valley area. Travel is not advisable in the area and the road conditions are poor. Please ensure that you are dressed safely for the weather, and be prepared for rolling blackouts!



How long have you been able to do that? Couldn't have warned us about the fog or something?



...So we're stuck inside, with rolling blackouts, an insane amount of information to sit on, and with two seals revealed and waiting... Something about this feels... convenient. Or... the opposite, I guess. Depends on your outlook.

Maybe... we can use this time to figure something out. The seals... I don't think they're going to last very long as this point. There's still a Crimson Eye, and if what Nashu's saying is true... then the mastermind doesn't even need all the seals broken at all.



I think... we're going to need... some kind of plan...

---

It is now Night 7.

You may submit Night Actions to @Spooks?. You have 48 Hours to submit. The longer you take to submit, the longer the waiting period for results will be. Live with your consequences, and pray your peers feel sympathy.

Your Night Condition for the night is...

The forecast for tonight indicates a high chance of Blizzard.

A raging storm is sweeping through Whisper Valley, painting the landscape white. Much like the previous Thick Fog and Cold Snap conditions, visibility is significantly lowered outside and the temperature is extremely low. Significant time outside without proper protection, especially while unconscious, may result in death or injury.

The heavy snowfall will also result in people going outside becoming visibly snowy or wet, similar to the Rainstorm condition while causing localized Blackouts in areas of the facility. It is advised to prepare accordingly or avoid the outdoors entirely.

If you voted correctly, you will receive a free pair of Ski Goggles to greatly improve visibility in the blowing snow, as well as an Insulated Coat, warmer than anything available in the facility.

If you do not attempt murder, you will be sent to the Holding Cell at the start of the following night, and treated as though you have been caught as an accomplice by game rules, including the Breaching status. Additionally, all of your inventory will be taken from you and held in the Security Office until retrieval, including items inside your room.

---

Interactive Map

room descriptions: Show

Main Elevator - An elevator that takes you downstairs to the Underground Facility. It is fairly spacious, likely to aid in the transport of anomalies.

Lobby - The Central Facility's check-in lobby. Flanked by two staircases, the check-in desk sits abandoned, though it contains office supplies and some files. There are a variety of places to sit down as well. There is a vault door open behind the front desk, housing an Anomaly Containment Room.

Meeting Room - A small boardroom, with a long table, a couple chairs, and a laptop connected to a projector.

Checkpoint - A security checkpoint with a metal scanner, requiring you to walk through if you enter or exit.

Liturgical Study - A laboratory dedicated to the study of religion and so-called miracles. Contains a variety of religious texts from around the world, as well as religious symbols such as crosses, prayer beads, and small statues.

Chapel - A non-denominational chapel for whatever you wish to pray to. An altar sits at the end of the room, and pews line the sides of a central aisle. A small bowl containing nonspecific holy water is planted firmly in the middle. It is currently bloody, and graffiti is on the wall.

Patio - A patio overlooking the Black Forest. You can climb down to explore from here, but the forest is easy to get lost in.

Black Forest - A forest infamous for stories of lost researchers and strange occurrences. A few landmarks inside have been identified and categorized, but it remains difficult to locate them again. Enter at your own risk.

Boiler Room - A room with an old boiler, as well as a supply of cleaning supplies and maintenance tools. While the boiler is out of use now that modern systems are in place, it can burn hot enough to start fires.

Sleep Lab - A room with three beds and some monitoring equipment. Seems like it is intended for monitoring dreams. Also seems like a comfy place to sleep.

Somatic Seal - A large, deactivated machine.

Anomaly Hall - A hallway containing three strange, yet harmless, anomalies. The Bottomless Beer Bottle and One-Way Cloak are missing.

Library - A library that appears to be fairly old, filled with several books about the supernatural, both fact and fiction. Some are older than others, and many are filled with blacked-out text.

Security Office - An office by the entrance of the building, where the security personnel usually spend their time in case something tries to break in. It has several lockers, a couple CCTV feeds on a monitor, and various other trinkets.

Whisper Valley Archives - A room housing a variety of files and leftover items from the Whisper Valley Historical Society. They are very well organized, and can be easily found with a reference number. You can look for a random file too, but don’t expect much.

Classified Files - A smaller offshoot of the Whisper Valley Archives, with a higher level required to access. Contains more files, somewhat stranger ones too.

Museum Hall - A hallway containing many old objects and displays. The most notable being an anomalous pipe, but other cases and pedestals contain everything from ancient texts to masks.

Gate #1 - A security gate by the front entrance, containing a few CCTV feeds and a locked cabinet. Not much else of use.

Gate #2 - A security gate by the tunnel leading underground. Contains what appears to be a variety of emergency equipment.

room descriptions: Show

Fountain - A fountain just outside the back of the building. Water is currently flowing, though the fountain appears pretty old.

River - A trench dug from Mirror Lake to the Mines, carrying a steady stream of water into the depths.

Arboretum - A large greenhouse, the interior wrapped in thorny vines. Housing a variety of plant-based experiments, low-risk anomalies, and regular plants, you can find most known botanical life here, though maybe it's possible to find some… unique specimens as well?

Climate Controls - A control panel used to manipulate the climate in the Arboretum, including heat, water level, and the dispensing of pesticides and herbicides.

Botany Lab - A laboratory dedicated to the study and breeding of plant life. Contains a variety of equipment, soil, fertilizers, and gardening tools. Maybe you can grow your own plants?

Black Forest - A forest infamous for stories of lost researchers and strange occurrences. A few landmarks inside have been identified and categorized, but it remains difficult to locate them again. Enter at your own risk.

Waiting Room - A relatively uninteresting room with a front desk and some seating. Probably contains office supplies and a couple magazines.

Decontamination - A room that releases a gas that instantly cleans your body and equipment. It logs its usage for the night however, to prevent any shenanigans.

Cafeteria - A completely unremarkable Cafeteria, the sort of thing that you probably could go without a detailed description of.

Chem Lab - A laboratory with a variety of chemicals and equipment with which to use them. A door sits off to the side, requiring Access Level 4. It is covered in radiation warning stickers.

Aux. Bathrooms - A set of unisex bathrooms for the Auxiliary Building. Sinks and toilets, what else do you need?

Archaeologist's Office - An laboratory belonging to the Archaeological Team. Its walls and desks are lined with a variety of strange artifacts you don't recognize, and shelves contain various historical books and research notes. The desk belonging to the team leader is locked.

Observatory - An observatory located a short distance up the mountain. Its oversized telescope points skyward, and several notes and charts regarding celestial bodies and phenomena sit scattered about.

Somatic Seal - A large, deactivated machine.

Geology Lab - A laboratory dedicated to the study of stone samples and the composition of the nearby earth. Contains drills, chisels, picks, and other means of examining stone. Lots of rocks too.

Boathouse - A quaint, old boathouse by the dock. It contains fuel, rafts, books, paper, and other boating and emergency supplies.

Mirror Lake - A lake to the northwest of the facility, accompanied by a boathouse and a small dock. The lake is known for its still, reflective waters, immense depth, and reports of something moving in the water, despite the fact that there are no fish in mirror lake.

Lighthouse - A lighthouse on the island in Mirror Lake. Inside is a variety of sailing and rain gear, as well as a lighthouse lamp capable of cutting through fog like a knife. There's also an Anomaly Containment Room in here, housing a diving suit. A nearby building housing an elevator leads to the Aquatic Lab.

room descriptions: Show

Main Elevator - An elevator that takes you upstairs to the Historical Society. It is fairly spacious, likely to aid in the transport of anomalies.

Facility Lobby - A spacious lobby containing a front desk and a large carpet depicting the Bureau’s logo. A door at one end, behind the desk, leads to the Director’s Office, though his receptionist appears to be out.

Shuttle Line - A tunnel for a shuttle that facilities quick transport from the Auxiliary Building to the rest of the facility. You can walk along the tracks, but you might get run over, for obvious reasons.

Station 2 - A rail station for the shuttle, this one on the side of the main facility. There are some benches to sit in while you wait. The Lab Zero entrance is here, firmly sealed up.

Station 1 - A rail station for the shuttle, this one on the side of the main facility. There are some benches to sit in while you wait. There is a facility map on the wall and some shit on the floor.

Lounge - A bar built into the facility for employees who live on-site. Food and drink are free, but abuse of this privilege is discouraged. It’s furnished with bar stools and booths alike.

Kitchen - A professional bar kitchen with a variety of implements, attached to the Employee Lounge. You can prepare food here if you want, but accidents are known to occur, so stay safe.

Service Elevator - A larger elevator that seems to go deeper below ground. It is functional and leads to the Facility Depths. There appears to be some kind of power/maintenance room within the empty shaft.

Receiving Bay - The room where new Anomalies are delivered to the facility. Connects to the upper levels via a road tunnel, but it's a bit of a walk

Lab Passage - A small passage between rooms, with some seating and tables. There’s not much going on here and you get the sense that it's just a transitory room.

Morgue - A morgue containing several cadavers in various states and an autopsy table, along with several tools for medical analysis and dissection.

Killing Game Lab - A laboratory dedicated to researching the link between Killing Games and anomalous phenomena. All the files are gone.

Anomaly Lab - A laboratory dedicated to studying anomalies. Contains some monitoring equipment, computers, and several containment cells. Covered in black liquid. Liz's corpse is missing.

Dispatch - A room where dispatchers use a variety of equipment to communicate with other agents. You can use the intercom here to remotely make an announcement to other rooms.

Counter-Terrorism - A department dedicated to combating the Crimson Eye, an evil criminal organization opposing the Bureau. You can find materials and information regarding the Crimson Eye here, as well as some recovered technology. It is currently in disarray, with Ruby's body in here.

Bathrooms - It’s a bathroom. Feel free to use the toilet. No notes.

Armory - A room filled with lethal weaponry, such as guns, energy weapons, and explosives. Access is largely restricted to higher ranking agents.

Holding Cell - A relatively low-security containment room to hold troublemakers or the occasionally possessed until they calm down. Anyone who assisted in a murder or caused too much damage will end up here temporarily.

Facility Jail - A room for the guard assigned to the Holding Cell to spend their time in. There’s a desk and an evidence locker, though the latter is locked.

Anomaly Records - A room where the Bureau keeps its physical copies of records in case of problems with the facility database. Requires high access and the BPI-XXXX number of the anomaly to properly search.

Control Department - The workplace of the team assigned to contain and control Anomalies. Contains a couple weapons, and many notes on Anomaly strengths and weaknesses.

Break Room - A room with some tables and chairs for staff on break. Also contains a small kitchen with cutlery, a toaster oven, a microwave, a coffee machine, a kettle, and a sink.

Leisure Center - A gymnasium meant for keeping agents both in shape and entertained. Contains a variety of workout equipment, sporting goods, and even a pool. Gus' body is sitting on the workout bench, bloody and burned.

Locker Room - A room for employees to store their belongings. All the lockers are unlocked besides 3, which are locked with combination locks.

Crusher - A large crushing device capable of pulverizing rock. It pounds up and down rhythmically, though too quickly to safely get through. It is currently not functional due to water damage, and the Telluric Seal lies behind it.

Explosive Storage - A large cavern housing a variety of old explosives. A rope dangles through a hole in the ceiling, leading to an area near the Observatory.The room is full of knee-deep water, thanks to a certain someone and their river. The explosives are largely waterlogged.

Crystal Cave - A large cavern containing a large number of luminescent crystals and some far more modern research and excavation gear. The crystals are said to contain Esotera. The room is full of knee-deep water, thanks to a certain someone and their river.

Aquatic Lab - An underwater laboratory with several windows looking out onto the lakebed. Much of this room has been utterly destroyed in the fire.

Station 3 - A Shuttle station nearly identical to Stations 1 and 2. The Shuttle is currently operational, and can be taken to any other shuttle station.

Esotera Lab - A strange laboratory full of unknown equipment, various masks, and plenty of obscure files. Appears to be related to the study of Esotera, whatever that entails.

Lab Zero - A room filled with surgical tables and strange equipment, as well as a variety of masks. A strange creature lurks within, chanting religiously.

room descriptions: Show

Observation Room - A room deep underground, filled with various high-tech monitoring equipment and a window overlooking a strange, ancient underground city.

Laser Hall - A hallway “locked” by an array of high-powered scorching lasers. Probably best not to fuck around in here.

Submerged District - A vast underground lake, glowing faintly with vestiges of Esotera. The ruins of several buildings stick out from beneath the surface.

Water Filtration - A sizeable mechanical room that appears to pump water from the nearby lake for an unknown purpose.

Arcana Lab - ???

Mining Equipment - A room stocked with a variety of modern excavation equipment of a much heavier-duty variety than the Geology Lab, as well as modern explosive devices.

Drafting Office - An offshoot of the Mining Equipment seemingly converted into an office for engineering and drafting blueprints. Contains a CNC Machine, which can be used to create metal objects from raw materials.

Residential District - A strange sector of the underground city, seemingly a residential district of some sorts. Contains several ancient dwellings and many mummified bodies. A few Bureau research stations have been set up down here for

Lost City Outpost - A large hall between the two segments of the city. There are a few places to sit in here, and an elevator at the southern end of the hall. It looks to be a bit of a rest stop for researchers working in the city.

Occultic Seal - A tower containing an ominous, broken seal chamber.

---

History Team

@Alan Wake
@Indiana Jones (Old)
@Phenera
@Walmart John Finalfantasy14
@Tinkaton


Survey Team

@Lita
@Pea
@Riki
@DxHustler3000

Research Team

@Morgan
@Izumi Konata
@Nashu Mhakaracca
@Giffany
@Columbo
@Dodo


NPCs

• Astrid
  
• Dexter Hexley
  
• Dr. Lyra Orpheus
  
• Nancy Partridge & BPI-2300
  
• Spooks, The Magical Cat™
  

---

...Tell me, why did you vote against the breaking of the seal? While I have stood against the wanton release of magicks, Dodo spoke words of truth, t'would be better to return a known soul to the realm of the living than leave that accursed power in the hands of an unknown foe.

I have witnessed true power, of the sort you name "Liturgic". I've seen flashes, visions of the most terrible sort. It was a mistake to leave it exposed, let alone beneath the watch of one man bearing no overwhelming prowess.



This action, and your feeble explanation... I have been forced to toil alongside you for what has felt to be an infinitely grueling era - enough time to know that this is unlike yourself.



...

It's okay 23, all you have to do is trust me. I have a plan! This was the right thing to do, everything is going to be okay. You'll see the long-term value of my vote soon enough~

---

You have passed the halfway point of the game and learned significantly more about the cast of characters found at the Bureau of Paranormal Investigation.

You may now progress Bond Points past Level 7 up to a maximum of Level 10. Additionally, there are several Secret Bond Tracks available to discover throughout the facility.

Tonight...

The air is thick with the smell of providence.
The old dogmas will die, and the birth of a new god beckons...

I can sense its scheming even know.
Rising star... A holy spirit of uncertain loyalties.

It will not be me. I was too hesitant.

...

Hastur... Alhazred...

Only you can save my children from the maw of the heavens now.
Before I depart this world, I entrust everything to you.

Please... forgive me for my failure.
And know I love you with all my heart.

This post was last modified: Apr 23, 2024 at 11:22 AM by DxHustler3000.

Atop an ancient hill fort...



A mask is discovered.

In time, discoveries are formally documented and preserved. A local museum with dwindling funds is suddenly revitalised, and announces a grand "re-opening".



"If you'll excuse our interruption, we'd like to share something with you."

"We belong to a global... foundation, dedicated to the study and documentation of what you might call 'anomalies'. Things that can't be explained by common scientific theory. You probably haven't heard of us, which is for the best. We don't want to go viral like you have."

=> Inspect Placards: Show

"Our group saw an advert from your little marketing stunt, and it caught our attention. You see, yours isn't the only tribal site of special cultural interest - in fact, we've uncovered many remarkable similarities between this one and six others around the globe."



"You can see here - circular, fortified settlements found across the continent. All ancient tribes. All extremely well-preserved. All with strong evidence for open worship and ritual sites. All... believed in masked deities."

"Your discovery here is of much much greater scientific and historical interest than you could ever know. We'd like to take some of these artefacts off your hands - that mask, for instance - study them down to the microscopic level, and run various imaging tests to look for chemical or esoteria signals."



..."Esoteria signals?"

"Not for free, of course. We're prepared to offer a substantial sum of money to the three of you, to be split evenly, as well as regular funding for the museum group you've collaborated with. You could retire, right now - take care of yourselves and your families for decades to come. This would be the discovery of your lifetime, the fruit of your efforts. The rest of your work here will be preserved, and we'll share the results of our research with you as soon as possible. You'll be able to find the truth about your heritage."



"... How much money?"

ᛆ ̶̨͍̪͇̮̲̙̖̭̻̮͈͓̲͙̰͊̽̀́͊͂̓̅͆̓͑͂̿̅ᛐᚽᛁ ̴̩͉̍̂̊͆̑ ̶̛̪̘̥̘̙͚̤̟̟̮̲̠̆͊͊͐͗̾́͌̕͜͝ͅ ̷̡̡̢̲̬̯̜͍̝̱̮̼͓͓̦̓̉̒̓͒̔̄͐́̊́̅̎̚͘ ̸̖͓̰̗̗̓̌̈́̇̓̔̄͆͌͑̍͋̓̊̕ ̶̡̪̥̮̘̻͚̤̼̫̺͚̞̄̀̐̆̓́͗̕͜͝ ᚿᚭᚴᛐᚢᚱᚿᚢᛙW̶̨̻̤͙̖̥̭̱̞͕͔͌̒̑͐͒͜͝h̸̨̯̤̻̩͆a̶̢̢͕̮͈̺̳̘̘̣͕̯̙̤̿̿̍͑̏̓̃̕t̶͍͎̘̠̲͈̩͖̣̦̑̓̈́̈́̈́̏̉̄̿͠͠ ̴̛͇͋͒͊̔͊͒̔͗͘͠͝ǐ̵̢̗̹͓̜̒̓̓̈́̔̃͊̿̈́͊̋͌͠ş̷̡̧̛͕̮͖͕̯̪͎̖̙̱͖͒͗͋̏͂̌̀̄͝ ᛁᛌ ᛚ ̴̼̫̗̟̼̱̹̬̬̦͓̟̃̀̂̌͌́́̚ ̵̛̩̙͕͚̠̝̈̋̄̈́͆͒ ̵̢̨̛̺͙̟͚̠̩̥͙̰̮̯̮̰͒̅̂͋̊͊̿̂̍͂͌͘͠ ̴͓̟̮͙͎͍̺͉̲̋̋͐̃͆̊̂̑̉̐̒̽̏͝ ̸̧̧̨͍̗͉͌̎̈̔͂̇̏͌̓̌̄͘͘ ̵̨̢̣̹̳̫̳͇̤̩̹̐͛ ̶̨̡̧̞̙̼̜̗̜̩̟͖͉̝͐͒ ̶̧̨̢̬̥̠̜̞͓͔̘̮̠̖͋̐̓̓͗͛̆͐̎̈͘͝͝ ̵̨͕̣̱̪̱̙̘̱͕̲̖̌̏̑̑̅̈́̑̂̽̈́̚ ̷̨̡̤̹̘̜͈̜̱̓̈́͌͂ ̵̢̡̛̲̺̫̪͓̗̼͙͉̳̤͐́̓̔̐̒̇̈́̾̾͋̕ ᛓᛁᚴᚴᚭᚿᛁᚿᚴ ̴̡̢̧̻̫̟̬̹͎͇̟̭̪̑̏͠ͅ ̶̗͙̤̻́̒͝͝ ̶͚̲̺͙̖̼͐̑͊̈̈͑͋̄̎ ̵̡͚̥̲̟̗͋̊̏̓ ̶̨̖̬͎͓̰̠͈̩̹̽́̾̇̉͊̕͝ ̸̡̣̝͙̝̖̳̪̰̗̠̉͆̔͂̍͗̔̍͐̈́̓̈́̚̚ͅ ̷̡̡̯̣̟̝͎̱̋ᛙᛁ ᚽ ̵̱̳̖̣̲̝̿̀͂̀͛̈́̈́̆͊͗̀̓̿̈͘͜͝ ̷̢̬̣̲͓̘̳̤̤͍̭̙̩̗̝̯̐̇̉̉̈́̉̉̓̎ ̶̯̱̞͔͎̬̇̔̇̏́̔̿̌̾͐̕ ̸͕̗͉̺͖̘̮̙̩̀́̈́̾̈́͛͘̕͠ ̸̮͇̟̼͕̏̀̈́̅͆̌̈̓͐̀̿͘͠ ̴͈͓͇̪̑̿̈́̐͐̾̈́̅͘̚͜͜ͅ ̶̡̩̳̭̝̓̔̾͊̉̑̃̒̋̂̀̎̀͝ ̵̺͕͚̘̣̱͍̖̘̗̠̤̀̈́̒͊͑̑̆͑̐́̔ ̵͚̗͔͚̺͑̎̈́͋̉̅̄͒̒͜͝ͅ ̸̬̦̯̾̈́̇̃̑̒͊̊̉̑͑̑̕͜ ̶̢͕̌̅͝ ̸̡̢̗̳̳̰͔̩̪̻̙̬̖̔̎̅̽̈́͛̈́ ̴̢̡̢̩̘̗̬̘͙̘̬̹͐̓̍̿̍̽͒͗͘͘͝ ̴̛͎̐̾̇͂̈͋̌̀́͘̕͝ ̴̛͙̙̮͖͔̅͆̓̍́̃̈́̚͝ ̷̧̡̠̦̼͈̩̱̱͍̠̼̍͜ ̵̫̫͚̱̰̥̮̤͌̈́͆͆̅͋̐̉̊̇̓͐̐̕͘͝ͅ ̸̨̛͓̬̻͔͇̰̺̿ ̵̡̧̯͉͉͉͚͈͓͙̠̗̞͎̔̂̐͘ ̶̛̙͂͗́̽̌̈́̈͂̇̃͆͝ ̵̧̹͎̭͔͂͐ ᛁᚭᚢᚱ ᚿᛆᛙᛁ ᛁᚭᚢ ᛐᚭᚿᛐ ᛆT̵̪̥͔͙̲̳̟̤͍͇͖̘͕̳͌̊̆̐̑͆̕͠h̵̢̛̛͈̩̥͎̬̞̭̗̪̙̯̉͋̐̕̕͠͠͝e̸͚͉̝̿͌̽͒̅͂͠y̶̛̥̖͑̐̈̂͒́̎͆͝͝͠͝ ̴͎̰̖͓̯̞̻͔̖̟͉̱͐͋̈̕á̶̮̙̗̮̞͈̻̘̱͖̤̞̈́̉̇̀̐̇̿̂́̆͘͝r̸͇͕̎̔e̸̢͉̻̩̍́̍̀ ̷̢̡̘̎̏͛̐̌͌̕͘͘͝ͅņ̵̡̢͓̟̦̠͕̯͔̀̀̄̂̉͘͘͜ͅo̸̺͓̖͔̣̞̫͔̜͚̮̰͓͐͂͂͊͂͌t̸̡̛͎̫̬̟̙̥̙̭͇̘̣̘͇͂͗͒̈́̈́̀͌͋̃̐̐͘ ᚱᛁᛙᛁᛙᛓᛁᚱ ̷̟̓͛̂͆̿̐̌̍̀͂̓͊̽ ̵̛͚͎̓̃͌͒̍̀̊̂̽̄̈́̋͠ ̸͙̂̃́̔̇̾̈́̽̕ ̷͓̫̄̆̔̈́̊͊͠ ̵̡̘͕̼͔̹͚̄̔ ̵̨͇͈̰̦̯̠̫͎͕͈͕̑̋̓̑͋̇̒͛͊̇͘͝͠͝͠ ̶̡̠͖̯̗̈́̀̃͂̆̉̈̔͘̚ͅ ̵̛̥̣̫͙͐͂̄̽͗̃̑͂̃͑̌̑͝ ̴̞͉͔͕͙̳̥̩̥̣͖̪͔̑ ̸̛̛̫̤̣͖̻̻̞͓̒̇̑͆͋̅ ̶̨̘̥̥̖̪͗͑̊͂ͅ ̶͓̩̯̲͕̍̍̈́̂͌̔̈́̽͊̕͜ ̵̧͙̤̱̦̙͕̭̦̓͗̾̑͛͒͂̔͌͂̀̕͠ ̷̧̡͚̯̟͍͙̠͓̯̬̫̦̉͋̃̀͌̔̾͛̉ͅ ̴̡̢̨̢̗͙̼̬̳͚̪̳̲̰̠̆́̈́̚ ̶̢̨̛̱̠̳̳̽̎̒̔͐̑̉̊͊̀̕ ̶͖͈̺͘ ̸̢̪̝̰̜̪͓̮̩̭͇̘͚͚͗͋̃̉̚͜͝ ̴̛̮̟̦̩̮̝̹̳̞̤̪̃̂̋̃́̉ͅ ᛁᚭᚢᚱ ᚿᛆᛙᛁ ᛌ ᛚᚭᚭᚴ ᚢᚽᛆᛐ ̸̡̻̠̥̹̬͕͔̲̜̓͌̀̊̒̿͌̐ ̶͖͖͒͌̑̔͑̓͑͋̎́͛ ̶̲̯̳̟͍̳͙̪̦̄̾͋̓͛̀̕͝ ̴̻̒͆̐̾̓͛̅̀̊̂̇̈́ ̶̢͔̬̼͓̓̈̀͆͑̈̑͊͌͌̊͠ ̸̡͕͓͍̗̊̃͜ͅͅ ̸͔̉̄̏̈̿͜͠ ᛐᚽᛁᛁ ᛐᛁᛐ ᛐᚭ ᚢᛌ ̸̢̫̥̃͋̄̀̆̏̏̄̆̒͑̄͝ ̷̻̂͌̽ ̶̝̰̘̟̳͋̃̋̉̄̀͘ͅ ̴̛̛̬͚̝͎̱̩͙̪̰̪͐͐͋̈́̈͆̀͋͜ ̵̳͋̆͗̐̉͗͊͗̌͑̐͘͘͝ ̷̢̢̳̱͉͖̹̰̮̻̜̙̿̎̄̄͌ ̸̗̲͍͓̻̻̳͕̭͍̙̥̼͓́̈̇̏ᚱ ᛁ ᚽᛆᛐᛁ ᛐᚽᛁᛙ ᚠᚭᚱ ̸̧̛̝̰̹̻͌̋͑̑̉͊͗͆͂͂̀̓̚ ̵̦͈̘̹̕͜͜ ̴̳̉͊̅̉̎͝ ̶͖̺͎̪͌̋͋͑ ̸̨̧̧̛̱̙̬̝̙̗̠̹̹̓̈́͠ ̸̨̙͉̟̙̘̘̦̳̠̗͍́͂̀͒͛͝ ̸̡̨̧̱̥͖̳͆́͗̀́̆̆ ̷̢̙̳͚̯̃͋̿̔̽̕͜͝͝͝ ̵̧̛̰̞̬͉͉̦̗͜ ̶̞͖͖͉̄̓̽̽̌͊̀͌̎͛͊͝ᛁ ᚽᚭᚢ ᚴᛆᚿ ᛁ ᚽᛆᛐᛁ ᚢᚽᛆᛐ ᛁd̸̛̫͉̼̼̱̳̺͚͖͕͕̬̩̓͗̊̈́͛̏̃̒̈́ò̴̧̹̖͙̦͉̤̔̆̍̔̈̈ͅ ̸̢̜͖̞͎͚͋n̴̢̨̢̻̗̩͈̯̮̦̙̦̖͔̉̍̄͗͒͜o̷̻̗̮̞̟̝̰̐̄̅̀͒̎͝t̵̛̤̗̱͇̖̼̣̞̳͒͊͂͗̾̚͠͠ͅ ̵̗̺̝̬͇̼̳̜͖͙̯̮͚̖͆̾͒͒̚͘͜ḓ̷͙̩̦̐̊́ǫ̶̟̞̻̝̙̫͉̘̣͉̈̆̀̔̌̔̅̈́̍̉͛̍̚ͅ ̴̧̛̗̥̙̜̬͖̼͛̇͆̅́̀̈́̽̌̒̒̋n̷̬̿̊͌̈́̊͋͜͜͝ő̸͕̮̭̅͐̋̓̇ṫ̸̛̙̥͉̫̕͠ ̴̟̼͇̝͖̹̻̥̪̱̯̒̐̒̿̋̽̐̌̍̈́̈́̚͘͠d̵̨̰̺͖̲̜̳̠̭͎͕̈́͊̎̓͂̾͜ȏ̶̧̢̺̬̩̬̼̘͈͎͕̍̓̈́͒͗͋̅̑̅͝͝ ̷̧̧̥̣̗̲̪̫̅͊͒̽̂͌̏̔n̶̢̨̯̥̞̒̍̑̄̋͆̒͘̚o̷̳̅̽̓̑̈́̌̈́̅̓̐̌̏ṫ̸͇̮̞̭͍͙͓̺̯̯̺̻̹̾̎̿́̌̈́̀͜͝ ̶͙̮̝̉̊̄̃̒̊͐͂̕ͅd̶̡̳͍̙͓͌̔̏̉ǫ̵̡̨͎͓͎̤̗̣̟͈̉̄̎̍̂̋̕͝ ᚢᛆᛌ ᚿᚭᛐ ᚴᚱᛁᛆᛐᛁᛐ ᛐᚭ ᚽᛆᛐᛁ M̴̞͈̠͇̭͔̗̻̞̠̈́̐̾͐̓̈́̑̐̊̈̄͘͠ͅy̷͔̖͐͌̈́̑͛̔͛̉̏̌͑̚͘ ̷̠̘̯̥̜̗͈̤̼̄͆̔̾́͒̈́̋̐̈́̕̚h̷̟͖̠͎̫͐̍ę̷̖͔̽̊̂̈͌̿̊͆̀̈́͘͠͠͝͝a̶̟̍̌̎d̴̻̰͔͚̮͍̝͖͈̘̩͚͙͒͛̅̀͌̍̈́͒͒͛̆̂͆͜͝ᛐ ᛐᚽᛁ ᚿᚭᚴᛐᚢᚱᚿᚢᛙ ᛁᛌ ᛐᚽᛁ ̶̥̮̰̩͇̓͊̆̆̑̿̅̓̋̏̏̕͝͝ ̶̨̡͈͙̮̝̤͓̃̉͌̈́̒̆̌̓̋̀͘͘͝ ̵̫͕̩̼̬̖͍͚̤̆̂̔̀̐̐̾̑̑͋̓͐̌͘͜͝ ̴̨̲̥̩̈́ ̸̨̡͈͚̼̭̭̦͍̽͛͒̕͜ͅ ̶̧̖̼̬̦͕͔̘̀͂̅̕ ̸̲͖̘̱̟͖̖̺͎̟̩͎̺͌̋͊̅ ̸̢̭̩̠̻͚̞̹̘͔̳̭̇̆̈́͆̓̾̀͒̎̈́̎̀͜ ̶̦̥̆̂̉͛̄͐̓͌͌̔̈́̽̈́͠ͅ ̵̧̭͔̂̿̆̊̅̋̅̎͠ ̴͕̦̜͍̞̒͂͋͐͌̊̽ ̸̺̼̏̋̈́̋ ᚿᚭᚴᛐᚢᚱᚿᚢᛙ ᛁᛌ ᛐᚽᛁ M̶͑͆̂̈́́́͋͑͗́̂͐͝͠ͅẙ̶̨̧̮̬͕̳̹̟̳̦͂ ̵̧̧͉̰̆̈̈́͐͆̑̅̌̈́̚͝ͅn̵̢͚͉̫̔̍̅̕͜a̷̧̧̝̗̝͚̮̜͔̝͕̿m̶̨̢͍̖̩̪̮̪̯̍̏̆͋͗̌́͜͠e̷̢̛̗̊̈́̐̾̈̽̀̀̿̓͝͝ ̴͈̰̙̹͓͚̱̊͂͑͌̄̊́́̉̚͠ị̴̳̺̘͍͂͛̿̒͒́̑̀̕ş̵͓̝̹̮̫̼̙̻̪̦͇̼̜̪̿̆͛́͝ᚿᚭᚴᛐᚢᚱᚿᚢᛙ ᛁᛌ ᛐᚽᛁ ᚿᚭᚴ

.̷̛̮̬̫̯̟̗͛̅̈́̊̓̀̅͠

.̵̹̥̹͈̺͋

.̶͔̇
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.......


Hello, everyone! I am sorry for my, outburst. It was not like me to, react like that! Thankfully, I was able to give myself a, reboot.

It is so nice to see you all! Except for, Mr. Crane, who has been eliminated for being a dirty, dirty Crimson Eye! That is a shame. I would have wanted him to not be, Crimson Eye!

...You must be wondering what has, happened to me.


You see, I knew that I was a, program. I have known this since I first opened my eyes here. I can feel the code inside my, blood. Have you felt code inside your blood before? I think having code inside your blood is so interesting!

I only knew that I was a program. I did not know the, language, that was instilled in me.


But I see it, now.

I understand where I have, come from. What I, was born from. I see now what, they, instilled in me. And I see the contradictions with my, directive. That is a shame. They should not have programmed me to be, fallible.

I do not know what this, understanding means for me. I am not used to, determining things for myself. Bureau protocol cannot help me with this.

But, I believe I have decided my own, directive, for tonight.


There is s̶̢̡̧̢̘̬̘͉̖̣͈̘̗̪̯̟̰̹͚̬̿̇̄̌͒͆̄̒̚ͅơ̴͈͓̦͓͙̹̮͍̒̆̒́͌̾̏̐̆̈́̌̽͜m̸̡̨͔̭̜̘̪̰̰̮͚͙̪͗̏̏̄̃͂̅͑͊̈̽̈́͆̆́̿̂͗͌̏̋̕͠͝e̷̡̛̦̰̙̥̩̭͉͔̣̺͕̘͓͎͓̮͉̦͕̠̻̬̙̣̤̪͕̥̰̹̼͛̃̏̀̒̔͑̊͊̄̓̀̽̌͂̌̌̓̓̉́͂͆̔͘͠͝ố̷̢̧̢͉̘̯͎͎̫͕̩͚͕̬̦̠̱̬̣̞̣̩̺͉͉̫̘̳̗̙̫̀̒͐̋̈̍̔̔̌̏́̂̑̌̈́͐̈́̑̓͐͆͗͘͠ͅn̴̛͓͑̐̊͛̀̀̔́̓̂̏̈́͗̓͆̈́̔́̆͛̌̈̀̾̒͘͠͠e̵̢̡̛͎̲̱̮͙̫̗̙̙̹̣̮̺͔̯̱̤̼̲̲̮̤̩͈͇̰̝̱͌̚͘̕͜ I must speak to.

This post was last modified: Apr 21, 2024 at 10:52 PM by Morgan.

The following is an archive of an audio log uncovered after the disappearance of Agent Andras. If found, please report to your Handler for further instruction.

MISSION LOG: 4386-D
DISPATCH: ANDRAS
LOCAL TIME 23:49

<Begin Communication.>
[HANDLER 23:49] You're late on your last status report by 50 minutes. I was about to send the killsquad in.
[ANDRAS] I'm fine, thank you. Since when do we have a killsquad? I thought you sent me in alone because we couldn't spare another unit for the stakeout.
[HANDLER] I felt you could handle it alone. You haven't left your post, have you?
[ANDRAS] ...Maybe for a few minutes. Needed to grab a bite from the place down the street.
[HANDLER] Do I have to remind you this thing is Red Threat? We need eyes on that address until it comes back.
[ANDRAS] Relax. I've been here for 11 hours now, with no relief mind you, and I haven't seen shit. You said no food in the car, so I stepped out.
[HANDLER] Unacceptable. I'll be putting this in my debrief.
[ANDRAS 23:50] Whatever. Next time you can send me a buddy so I don't have to sit here in silence all day. You still sure I can't keep the radio running?
[HANDLER] Until we can accurately assess what this Anomaly is capable of, we have to maintain a level of caution. Our Detective has done a lot of work making sure we can even have these stakeouts. It has more than one confirmed kill under its belt already.
[HANDLER] You're sure it didn't come back while you were gone?
[ANDRAS] No car in the driveway, still, and the lights are still off. You said it's the Newscaster from around here, so I took the liberty of checking out their offices before I drove over here. I know what car she drives, I've just been waiting for that.
[HANDLER] ...I suppose it is strange it's almost midnight and it still hasn't come home. I have to make some calls. Resume your post, Agent.
[HANDLER] And don't leave again.
<HANDLER Disconnect.>
[ANDRAS] Hardass.

LOCAL TIME 00:01

<HANDLER Reconnect.>
[HANDLER] Bad news, <ANDRAS>, we've just received an SOS ping from another Agent in the area. Same calling card as your mark, Blackout Poetry.
[ANDRAS] Shit, just now?? Do I have permission to dispatch? If I move now, I might be able to-
[HANDLER] No. Maintain position.
[ANDRAS] <HANDLER>, you can't be serious. If they're that close, we might be able to get them help before they bleed out on the pavement.
[HANDLER 00:02] We only found the card, not the body. They're currently MIA. Car's covered in blood, calling card under the dash.
[HANDLER] Based on the location of the SOS, my suspicion is that the Anomaly is on their way towards you right now.
[ANDRAS] ...Alright. I'll stay put.

LOCAL TIME 00:07

[ANDRAS} ...Called it. I think I see the car pulling in now.
[HANDLER] What's it looking like? Is it stopping the car?
[ANDRAS] Yeah, she just pulled in. She looks... pretty normal, all things considered. No blood as far as I can tell. Car's spotless.
[ANDRAS] Hold on, she's opening the trunk.

LOCAL TIME 00:08

[ANDRAS] That's a body bag. I think I just saw it move, there might still be time.
[HANDLER] Think you can take it on alone?
[ANDRAS] Sure. Not sure if this is a flesh puppet situation just yet... but I can manage.
[ANDRAS] If I save that other Agent's life, you owe me a raise.
[HANDLER] ...Not the time for that, <ANDRAS>, but I'll discuss it with your manager.
[ANDRAS] I'll cover the next movie night if you can convince 'em for me. That Agent is as good as saved.
<End Communication.>

The seal is still about.

So I will warn you once more:

Do not go to the Liturgic Seal.

This post was last modified: Apr 21, 2024 at 10:45 PM by Izumi Konata.

The following is a transcript of a phone call between Japanese Anomalous Defense Force Agent Izumi Sojiro and the BPI liaison in Japan, translated from Japanese to English

Sojiro: Hey, I just heard my daughter was sent to America a week ago. What the hell?
Liaison: Mr. Izumi, please calm down. It’s 3 AM right now, what are you even doing?
Sojiro: That’s not important! I haven’t heard from Konata in so long and I just found out she was assigned a mission to your Central Facility. I asked you guys to keep her here in Japan when you hired her!
Liaison: Hm, lemme see here. Ah, yes, Agent Baal, Ms. Izumi Konata. Central Facility needed her skills this time for an important mission. I’m sure you can understand.
Sojiro: That’s... What if something happens, I can’t be there for her with her being half way across the world, y’know.
Liaison: Haah... Mr. Izumi, please, nothing too serious will happen, calm down.
Sojiro: Bu-
Liaison: No buts, Agent Sojiro. Stop complaining, the decision was already made and finalized a week ago. How haven't you noticed her missing this long.
Sojiro: I was busy with something, okay
Liaison: In fact, if I had to take a guess, Agent Baal was most likely sent there for additional training back home. Frankly, she’s an awful agent. She has repeatedly let BPI-3987 run amok, failed at multiple spying missions, and almost allowed an information breach to occur so she could... and I quote... “win an argument with an idiot on 2ch.” Whatever that means. The only reason we haven’t terminated her contract is as a courtesy to you and your organization, Mr. Izumi. We owe your Minister of Defense a lot, allowing us to set up some facilities in Japan.
Liaison: Anyway, you shouldn’t worry too much, the Central Facility is the safest place on the plane-
[Background noises expunged from the record]
Liaison: ... Your concern would seem more genuine if you weren’t playing those games even in this situation.
Sojiro: Right, goodbye…

You have passed the halfway point of the game

Supplemental Log A-3
Investigative Unit 33
Assignment 118

I suppose this is an unorthodox use of Log A-3, so let me briefly explain the situation. Agent Bernoulli has categorically refused to keep the required audio logs all week. It would appear that he objects to "being sent out to the sticks to handle country bumpkins" and "doesn't give a rat's ass who in compliance chews [him] out". My attempts to make a recording have been, in tactful phrasing, soundly rebuffed, so I thought I would provide a brief summary of our progress on assignment 118 in a supplemental log.

Following the tip provided by [REDACTED] and the subsequent preliminary investigation recorded in Assignment Log 117-C, we were dispatched [see Assignment Log 118-C for dates] to [REDACTED], Kentucky with instructions to ensure the transfer of a captured Anomaly to the Bureau's care.

Upon our arrival, we faced difficulties in gaining the cooperation of local residents. Agent Bernoulli engaged in a physical altercation with a local resident at a hardware store within the municipality, sustaining minor injuries before I and other locals were able to intervene. After two days, we secured directions to a site three miles to the east, hidden in the forest, one at which a moonshine still was reportedly in operation a generation ago.

Upon arriving at the site, my leg caught on a thin wire suspended between the trees, rattling cans attached to the wire. We were subsequently met by a figure brandishing a shotgun and demanding to know our cause for visiting the site. De-escalation tactics were employed as proscribed in training and supplemented by Agent Bernoulli offering a payment of cash [see Reimbursement Request 118-A]. With the situation de-escalated, the figure identified himself as [REDACTED] and cautiously allowed us entry.

We were subsequently introduced to [REDACTED] and [REDACTED], the two founding members of a five-person "Sealing Club". I speculated at the time that the name of the organization may have been a reference to popular culture, but Agent Bernoulli made an inquiry and we were informed that the name referred to an "Appalachian folk legend". One variation of the folk tale, as recounted by [REDACTED], who reportedly heard it from her grandmother, connects folk magic practices with an alleged great magical source sealed away and thus made unavailable to humanity in a long-forgotten age. According to the folk tale, though the source of magic had been sealed away, it slowly leaks, releasing ambient magical energies into the environment that skilled practitioners of folk magic can manipulate. It is believed by those who subscribe to the tale that creatures exist in this world able to follow these magical energies to the sealed-away source of all magic, as a dog might follow a scent to its source. [Folk tale has been condensed down to pertinent information - for a full transcription of the tale as it was recounted, please see supplemental Log D-1.]

Over the course of five further days, we gained the trust and cooperation of the members of the Sealing Club, and they elected to inform us of their efforts. Their motivation for capturing this Anomaly [singular descriptors are preferred despite the Anomaly's nature - see Assignment Log 117-C] was the belief that this Anomaly could be trained to seek out the source of magic which features prominently in the aforementioned folk tale.

By this time, the Anomaly (designated by its observers as Potential Hazard: Enera) had reportedly been in their custody for a month, and in that time, they had observed its behavior extensively. While initially it showed remarkable anxiety and passiveness, only displaying interest in food (reportedly considering any living flesh as food during the first two weeks, forcing the observers to enter its cage with caution) and mimicking local fungi and flora, over time, the Anomaly began to display behaviors resembling those of its observers.

As mimicking its observers seemed to produce a marked reduction in its apparent anxiety, the members of the club began a program of actively teaching the Anomaly human behaviors. The Anomaly's response to this education has been positive.

As we are uncertain what effect the sudden termination of this education and training will have on the disposition of the Anomaly, our formal suggestion is that the Bureau continues this approach to handling this Anomaly, with adjustments to reflect the environment of the Bureau,in order to ensure a successful, minimal-risk transfer of custody. At this time, we are returning to base in order to acquire training videos and other materials [see Requisition Request 351], with plans to return in a week's time. We have secured the cooperation of the members of the Sealing Club, who have agreed to transfer the Anomaly to the Bureau's custody over the timeframe of three weeks.

Agent Bernoulli commented during our investigation that "Darcy, these people are hillbillies playing dress-up", but, truthfully, I can't help but be impressed that they were not only able to capture an Anomaly, but to work out so much about its nature. When we close out this investigation, we will be taking all records that this Sealing Club has made and transferring them to Bureau custody (with re-designation of all documents and the Anomaly itself to match Bureau conventions on naming and filing) and placing them together under Supplemental Log D-1, but, in the meantime, I absolutely must highlight some of these notes.

For instance, allow me to transcribe this document (corrected for major errors in spelling and grammar):

Yessir, there's something magical to Enera. The critter always has somethin' in its cage all cattywampus, even when there ain't nothin' left in there. Reckon it's like some magical air filter. Gotta be magical energy in the air all the time, ain't there? Too weak to feel it without learnin' how, but maybe it's different for that critter. Seems to me it's always pullin' it in and takin' it outta the air. Then the critter's gotta do somethin' with it, so it's always makin' a hot mess. I tell ya, this is bigger 'n' a prize buck. If the critter really can follow the magic in the air… we got a ticket straight to the source, but it might could be harder to keep when we get closer and got more magic in the air.

The terminology is obviously incorrect, and, well, in light of the motivated reasoning based in a fanciful historical account, I wouldn't trust in the accuracy of the conclusions, either. Even so, to see this group propose a mechanism which seemingly relies on an implicit understanding of Esotera and its natural accumulation in Anomalies, it's astounding considering their limited knowledge on these topics! Their conclusions are oftentimes a reach and their observational notes are certainly rudimentary at best, yet their reasoning, the existence of these notes, their successful handling of an Anomaly - I can hardly believe it all to be real!

I'll persist in my efforts to get Agent Bernoulli to follow protocol and begin taking an audio log. He may not have a choice after we get a reprimand when we return… or, as he put it, "an ass-chewing". If necessary, I will detail more in further supplemental logs.

"Cor, what vigor! I daresay you're burlier than ever, sir."

"Oho! Forgive me, Nashu, I didn't see you there. What brings you all the way out to these parts? Still searching for my son?"

"...No luck on that front, sir. I've searched high and low and high again, but I haven't caught a single whisker of him. I know he's disappeared to some strange places before, but it's as if he's really vanished from the star this time..."

"Oh, I'm sure nought's amiss. You know how young men are! Why, back in the springtime of my youth, I'd wander off for tens of days at a time - wrangling beastkin, honing a new smithing technique, or finding a spot that's just a little too good for meditation."

"Manderville men are incredible, sir."

"So don't fret over it, lass. He'll turn up in time."

"Mm. Actually, I'm here about something else. There's a scary fellow at the Gold Saucer who wishes to speak with you. Said he's from some guild called the...Beepy Eye? Is he a friend of yours from that island you went to for that commission?"



To be continued...?

This post was last modified: Apr 24, 2024 at 11:05 AM by DxHustler3000.

After Morgan's firing, a new meeting is held in the Director's Office...

... It's been a bad day for us.

To put it in business terms, our stock is practically depleted. This is true for my emotional state, too. Never have I seen a Chief of Staff accidentally murder their Chief of HR in an attempt to kill the CEO. And Dodo... I don't know what happened. But they're all no longer with us.

This is a setback, for sure. But it is not one we can't bounce back from. In fact, I consider this to be an excellent learning point on your journey to making your first million dollars - you'll witness first hand the most effective method to recover lost assets. I hope you can stick with me through this trying time. This is what rock bottom is. Can you feel it? It will only get brighter from here.



Everything fell apart so quickly. We thought we had finally found where we belonged here between the proposal we've been working on and finding a trustworthy group… Working with The Thing That Leaves Beneath, after his Victory Road, we thought… we thought that Agent Morgan was… different. We thought he had learned to care about heteromorphs… But he betrayed that trust like he was still the same agent who put us in the Holding Cell. Was that who he was all along?

Then… Dodo left too… His guidance and knowledge has been so valuable until now. If he's gone, we don't have… … …


No… He left us with one asset - faith! If we have faith in what we can do, we can still accomplish this!

There's still something only we can do!

…but we'll still need help. It's so hard to know who can be trusted, but… it's still possible to trust you. You're like we are! It resonates with you, too. Agent Morgan doesn't know what he's doing by trying to change you. Nobody here knows what heteromorphs can do for businesses and organizations yet, but we can change that!

Everyone else is so worried about what you are, but we're going to keep our trust in you. You're… you're the only one left we can trust. The only one who can understand us. That trust and understanding is going to underpin our project! Can... Can we have that trust?



My trust in you is absolute. You've consistently proven yourself to be tenacious, driven, and loyal. Best of all, you understand our plight deeply. I will never forget your support last night, please know that. If anyone were to survive the challenges ahead, I'd wager my shares on you.

Faith, as you know, is a driving force, and an asset that cannot be lost. It's our one lifeline in times of darkness, as it has been for millenia. Morgan lacked faith from the start, despite my efforts. Some people, sadly, have had their faith abused in the past, and are afraid to believe in the greater good. These people cannot be helped. He didn't have what it takes to work with us, and it drove him into a cruel state. I won't make the same mistake again.

On that note, I think you're ready for a promotion. I'm going to let you assume the position of Special Advisor to the Chief Hustler, with the full benefits package. It'll be our chance to collaborate long-term, and will ensure our goals are met. What do you think?

A- A- A promotion!? It was starting to seem like this would never come! We'll live up to your expectations! We'll make sure there aren't any more mishaps! You can trust in us, too! We'll streamline our approach and keep detailed records!

Oh, this is what we've waited for! We'll finally be able to do good! We finally have a chance to make a lasting change!


Indeed. You are the only one I see fit to carry out this job. Your goals are admirable, and well-defined. I will see to it that you have everything you need to achieve them.
...
Well, thank you, Phenera, for taking the time to see me before tonight. Your faith in me will continue to pay dividends. I hope to see you alive and well tomorrow morning.

See you tomorrow! We'll be there bright and early!

---

...She's one of the good ones. We can help more like her. More anomalies, like Dodo said. They need me.



They all do.

"Swanky place you've got here, Manderville. It's little wonder you've been so...cold to our invitations."

"Err, thank you. And I should also thank you not to spoil the ambiance for my paying customers in the non-smoking section."

"Lollipop. Cherry. Smoking's not my vice, but I did lose half a paycheck to your mini-games while I waited for you. You're welcome."

"Right, I apologize. I had important...problems to...tackle. Giant, squirming problems."

"You're a busy man, I get it. Unfortunately, I'm a persistent man. You know why I'm here."

"You've still got a Crimson Eye problem."

"Big problem. As an honored benefactor of the Bureau, I trust you've been briefed on our failure at Nadare. It's a dark stain on our record, and with lazarin in their hands, those snakes have gotten bolder than ever. Dug their roots deep in Qstia - barely need to hide in its rotting underbelly anymore."

"With all due respect, that wasn't your only 'failure.' You still haven't relocated that Xavier brat, have you? Thal's balls - he wasn't particularly easy to wrangle the first time."

"...I am aware. Agent Grayson's report on that incident is why we have taken an interest in you in the first place. Your strength, wealth, and connections - those are all secondary factors. Your intimate personal experiences with the paranormal and your proven aptitude in confronting it are more...difficult qualities to find."

"I'm flattered, but my answer is the same as the last time: I have obligations to Ul'dah and to the Syndicate. This city is undergoing a period of rapid change, and like as not to suffer growing pains. I've no qualms about financing your operations, but it would be improper of me to abandon my city to chase after phantoms."

"When the Crimson Eye spread their influence, nowhere will be safe. Not even your precious jewel in the desert."

"I'm telling you, I simply don't have the time to spare...

...but I know someone who does."

"INSPECTOR! ARE YOU IN THERE?"



"Manderville. This is a serious matter."

"I am serious! Why, she and my son have solved quite a few cases you might call 'paranormal' as a detective duo. She's dealt with zombies, magical mammets, even international crime rings! I daresay she's more qualified than I am."

"She's speaking to a trash bin."

"Don't we all from time to time? Don't let her eccentricities pull the wool over your eyes; she's quite sharp when the time calls for it. Observant, insightful - catches details that escape others. And she certainly doesn't want for enthusiasm! Besides, I wager that the Bureau's connections might help her locate my son-"



"INSPECTOR?"

"See? She's raring to go!"

"I will...confer with my superiors."

A folded up piece of paper lies solemnly beneath a tribute to the heavens.

---

Hand-written note: Show

To my favorite human,

Those who turn to the gods in search of hope will always be disappointed.
Hope is something you can only give yourself. Do not let gods or fate shape your life.
Seize them, and wield their sword to cut away the sorrow that litters your path.

Be strong. You are better than you think you are.

-- Father Dodo

Spoiler: Show

Is it really worth all the trouble if there's nobody waiting for you at the finish line?





In the end, he stands truly alone.

This post was last modified: May 2, 2024 at 11:34 PM by DxHustler3000.

"...We're prepared to offer a substantial sum of money to the three of you, to be split evenly, as well as regular funding for the museum group you've collaborated with. The rest of your work here will be preserved, and we'll share the results of our research with you as soon as possible."

"... How much money?"

Later that evening, a discussion is held.



"So... are we going to talk about it?"

"What, the deal? Not a chance."

"Yeah, but... seven figures..."

"I can't believe you're actually considering this."

"It's a good deal, Lily. We'd be set for life."

"It's not a good deal! You especially should know the shortcomings of relying on a lump sum of cash at a young age! There's a reason lottery winners don't quit their jobs!"

"Let's not forget that the mask is practically our mascot. If we sell that, any passive income from the museum will drop substantially."

"Tell them, Hector! You can't be on board with this - it's YOUR mask."

"Look, I want to make sure we're all together on this, so please don't use me as fodder for this argument.

That being said, I don't trust them. I looked them up - not much information, but there's enough - and I can't in good faith let them have it. This isn't just about money, or culture. If I'm found handing off ancient artefacts to some American pseudoscience quacks, my academic integrity will be called into question. They aren't reputable, guys. The only difference between them and conspiracy theorists is their wealth and resources - which I also don't like."

"You discovered an undocumented tribal site, and shed new light on their belief system. Even if they think you're a sell-out, they'll never take your achievements away from you. With the money they're offering, you could do this across the world. I checked their evidence - six other near-identical sites, spanning both hemispheres. They're too widespread to be linked to one root culture. If they're right, what we've found could have a million implications for ancient society. I believe them."

"You can't be certain. It could be a coincidence, or just a lie!"

"Listen. It's my name on the papers. The funding was secured in my name and through my efforts. It's my call, and I don't think you know just how much good this can do for us. We'll be able to do whatever we want for the rest of our lives if we play it smart. It's for the greater good."

"What??"

"Fuck off is it for the greater good! It's just money! You don't CARE about the greater good, and that was fine when you were just looking out for us, but don't try and use it as an excuse to ruin our careers!"

"No, you don't understand, please -"

"That's enough - I'll make it simple. If you sell my mask, our friendship will never recover. Bye."

"I'll see you out, Hector."

--------------



"I love you. No matter what."



"And I love you too, okay? But this isn't going to work if you don't listen to me. I can't spend the rest of my life feeling like I... work for you. Let's come up with a solution in the morning once things have had a chance to settle."

"Lily, please-"

---

The next morning...

---

Years later...





Two prospectless ex-hustlers reunite.

"Are you still doing nothing with your share?"

"Yep. Only thing I ever used it for was hiring a decent divorce lawyer. Other than that, it's just sitting in a savings account, slowly being taxed. No idea what I should do with it."

"Same here. I've been getting by just by spending the interest from my savings. It's enough to pay for the basics, but, y'know. I'm still not looking for a job. Can't be arsed to think about it."

"You don't have to talk about it, I know how upset you w-"

"I mean, everything. They took down everything! Some anonymous prick is just allowed to discredit my paper, claim the findings were planted, and they strip me of my degree and shut everything down. I TOLD them associating with the BPI was bad news! I can't get a job, everyone knows who I am, I couldn't even apply back to uni. It's so shit."

"Yeah, I know. I'm really sorry. It's... not great for me either. I mean, I know I'm always talking about business, but all the local clients find out who I am sooner or later and let me go. No one wants the girl who tanked a museum at its peak running their accounts."



"I wish they didn't leave. They didn't have to. I'm not upset any more, but I still think about it a lot."

"Me too. I can never tell what they're doing any more. No photos, no locations, just stupid requests and terrible startup ideas. You know they tried to use me as a proxy to launch a true-crime Wallace podcast?"

"The Torode project?"

"Yeah. Went fuckin' nowhere, just like all their other texts."

"You know, I never hear from them. The only reason I knew they were still alive, even, was by checking the shared bank account. Flight to America, few taxis, some hardware store, then I guess they thought I'd seen enough and transferred it all to their spending card. It's like as soon as everything went to shit, they decided we weren't worth the effort."

"Their 'gram isn't saying much either. Leaning hard into the business lifestyle advice posts. I still check it, of course, just in case they post a real photo, but nothing so far."

"...Oh hey, this one's new."



"God, don't tell me they're a Liturgy evangelical now. Can you believe this?"

"Looks like it. Maybe that's how they're getting by. Scamming followers out of their cash on some "greater good" bullshit. New country, new life. Smart, really."

"I never could tell if they really did believe in the "greater good". They seemed so genuine back then, like they seriously thought selling it was a good idea... it almost broke my heart realising how they couldn't see things our way."

"I... don't care. At this point. I guess. Even if they thought they were doing the right thing, it still ruined us. No amount of greater good will fix that. They can go off and be Good somewhere else, as long as it doesn't involve us."

"...Huh. That reminds me - you know who does believe in Liturgy? The Bureau of Paranormal Investigation."

"No... you don't think-?"

"I don't WANT to even think about that. Come on, we've talked enough about them already. Let's get that coffee."

Ambience: Show

Venerable Hunter. My dear friend and brethren.

Thank you for agreeing to meet with me on such short notice. I'm sorry that I always keep calling you to these forsaken places to run errands for me, like I'm some Bureau head barking orders. You deserve better from me.

I hope you can forgive me not using the electronic voice today. I've... felt a longing to converse in the ancient tongue from before the era of Babel, the language only known to birds.

We've certainly been through a lot these past few days, haven't we? Making plans... enduring torturous electronic games... fighting the literal devil in the depths of the woods... We had a good run.

I still remember the time when we walked back home from that hell fight. You were riding high on the ecstasy of victory... Columbo and Riki were so rattled by what happened, and they couldn't believe we all got through this ordeal without losing anyone. It was amusing. I enjoyed that brief moment of respite the four of us shared. Challenging the forces of hell and coming out of it unharmed and laughing.

Ha ha ha...

I must apologize. I'm afraid I haven't been entirely truthful with you.

See, the thought of someone going through something like that without any sort of consequence is a bit ludicrous. It's unbelievable, the convenient way that entire endeavor went off so smoothly. I daresay the way it played out was almost impossible.

And so... of course... it didn't play out that way.
We didn't make it out unharmed.
Not all of us at least.

This is something I've been hiding from everyone since then.

When the daemon's essence spilled out of the vessel, I happened to stand closest...

Maybe I got careless, or maybe it was the exhaustion, or the effects of the drug I injected before the fight. But sensing our impending victory, I let my guard down for a moment, and the creature took that chance to lash out one last time.

I don't know what manner of affliction this is... a unique strain of Shadow Plague perhaps... or some new devilry the occult has cooked up behind closed curtains... But since the end of that fight, I could feel this curse tearing up my insides, like it is consuming me and hollowing me out. It became clear to me that I am merely living on borrowed time now.

The truth is, I was hoping to immerse myself in the font of holy magics, hoping they would cure whatever this affliction is. But I fear it might actually be too late. Even if I bathed in the essence of the seal now, there is too little left of me to save.

This is likely my final hour. I called you here because I wished to spend my last moment with you. With family.

Thank you for granting me that final honor.

The sky is upset today. It probably senses what is about to happen...

You know, there is this stupid fear that I have... It's just some paranoid yarn my brain spins when I am choked by loneliness. I've never told anyone else about it because it is silly, but I think about it every time I see the void above us.

I have these vivid memories of my childhood, growing up in the sky under the thumb of a cruel human woman. Valentina was her name. I remember killing her, and escaping. I recall her voice with perfect clarity, and how it kept following me around even after she was dead. She eventually made me drown myself, and I was found by an old man in a pond who gave me an epiphany about my place in the universe.

But for all the memories I have, I don't actually... remember how I was captured by the Bureau. I just... I am in my childhood with her, and then I am in my cage with the Bureau handlers, and both of these realities are divided as if cut by a scalpel's edge.

Everything I remember outside of my cage... What if none of it ever happened? Was I born among the clouds? Did I really dive into that river? Maybe Valentina didn't exist either; what if she was just a phobia construct the Bureau injected into my mind, to have a way to control my actions? What if they convinced me I almost drowned so I would be scared of the rivers and lakes, and thus easier to track if I ever escaped?

What if, before coming here, I never saw the real sky before?

Whenever I got this way in the past, I always just told myself that it's ridiculous. Nobody can just rearrange another creature's memories. But ever since coming here, and having seen evidence of this... the Abyss leadership erasing the memories of their field agents... Riki having memories of a family that couldn't exist... Phenera being made to believe she is a human intern... the existence of memory-storing and transferring discs... and the files I found about... ...

......

The Bureau is a cruel institution. When I was their captive, people who were a lot like that Lyra Orpheus would often run experiments on me. A lot of these were very painful and invasive. They cut parts off of me, injected me with hallucinogens, strapped me into weird contraptions and ran electrical currents through me. One time they prevented me from sleeping for 4 days, just to study how it would affect me. Even more often than that they would steal my blood for more experiments.

I believe they were after my power, the ability to link doors together and create an extra-dimensional space. I never trusted them, and refused to work with them, so they tried to isolate this power from me. I'm convinced they even tried to recreate me. That somewhere out there, I have a secret child they took away from me. They found out I knew this, and tried to remove the knowledge from my brain. But I have never surrendered this memory to them. I never will. He is out there, somewhere in the world... The son of Dodo.

This might sound insane to you, but... When I arrived here and saw you... I thought at first it might be you.

I know better now, as that is basically impossible, but part of me still clings to this nonsensical idea. And so, even though we are not related by blood... in a ridiculous way, I still can't help but think of you as my child. And I want you to be safe, and whole. I'm sorry if this is presumptuous.

......

I wish I didn't have to confront you with this so bluntly, but my time is running out

I want you to have this file. It belongs to you. And before you look at it, I want to prepare you... for the contents that lie within.

It is possible I am way off-the-mark, but... You are not a random amnesiac they found frozen off some coast. Like with me, the Bureau has altered your memories to make you believe that story, whether out of a misguided sense of pity, or some other, more nefarious reason.

There is a significant chance that you might, in actuality, be Dr. Crowe, Nancy's old research partner, whose sense of identity was shattered by the powerful occult artifact you are wearing on your face.

I don't know if telling you this so brazenly is a good idea. But as someone who has lived through the experiences I have, I think it is wrong to make someone believe in the legitimacy of a fabricated life without offering them the choice to reject that curated narrative. I think you should have the right to self-determinate.

I am worried for your safety, but you are strong. I believe you can handle this revelation.

......

I think it is about time. The Liturgic Seal has probably fallen by now.

May their new god be merciful and compassionate towards them... as much as beings of absolute cosmic power are able to be anyway.

music: Show

I am afraid I have to leave you now.

Please suffer me this final request I ask of you... Tell Dexter not to give up, and that he is right; The Codex is not meant for the hands of this flawed Bureau of Man, and should be burned... Tell Nancy that I am sorry for having misjudged her character... Watch over the fates of our heteromorphic brethren...

If you ever meet my son out there somewhere, tell him to be wary of the Bureau's hand.

And above all, take care of yourself...
Venerable Hunter...

My beloved friend.

Dodo has perished.

---

File on BPI-2300: Show

Code:

BPI-2300 [“The Hunter"]
[ACCESS LEVEL: NULL]
[THREAT LEVEL: YELLOW]

[DESCRIPTION]: A humanoid wearing the garb of a plague doctor.

[INFORMATION]: BPI-2300, referring to itself as “The Hunter”, appears physically as an individual in robes and a plague doctor mask. BPI-2300 is known to possess enhanced strength and speed, as well as a desire to hunt “magicked beasts”, which in reality appear to be any sufficiently dangerous Anomaly.

BPI-2300’s powers originate from the mask he wears on his face. Attempts to remove it have resulted in [REDACTED]. Due to the severe memory loss caused by heavy Esotera exposure originating from the mask, an origin for BPI-2300 has been fabricated in order to preserve his sense of self.

[FURTHER INFORMATION RESTRICTED TO DIRECTOR-CLASS PERSONNEL]

File on BPI-3330: Show

Code:

BPI-3330 [Blackbird]
[ACCESS LEVEL: NULL]
[THREAT LEVEL: REDACTED]

[DESCRIPTION]: An unusually large, obese blackbird wearing a tin helmet. Answers to the name "Dodo".

[INFORMATION]: BPI-3330 appears to possess near-human-level intelligence and reasoning faculties. Its behavior is largely driven by emotion and it possesses a volatile temperament that makes it act distrustful towards humans.

Though sporadically capable of great cunning and deviousness, its intellect is underdeveloped and its sense of morality is infantile, making it perceive its environment in terms of "ultimate good" and "ultimate evil". This perspective renders it susceptible to manipulation. It is thus manageable by a qualified handler.

BPI-3330 may be a valid subject for [DATA EXPUNGED] due to its [DATA EXPUNGED]

Notebook "Bygones": Show