> Hey, I heard from an archivist that you're a document analyst who was willing to take on riskier stuff; I couldn't find anyone else to do this. I'd be thankful if you could take a look at this.
> They're a few documents related to a project I got out of a while ago; I'm trying to figure out what happened after I left. Once you're done, get back in contact with me, we'll discuss payment and then you can tell me what you got.
Document Subject: Threshold Recondite Painting.
Description
This threshold is an artwork framed in wood, depicting what appears to be a tree surrounded by foliage and unidentifiable creatures. The 10x10x10 space around it is dangerous and unpredictable, with events only being perceivable within it. Individuals or objects who make direct contact with the painting are assumedly eradicated, with all communication or video devices ceasing function immediately upon doing so. Entering the threshold while carrying any living matter has been forbidden by the Association.
> During my time there, they never managed to actually touch the painting with a recording device, not without it being destroyed by the surrounding elements.
Objects that originally belong to the portrait's surroundings appear to be unaffected by the frequent events, trapped in complete stasis. With time, the surrounding structure has begun breaking down, except for the threshold's field. Construction efforts are underway to preserve the building's infrastructure and prevent demolition.Frequent anomalous events around the portrait are as follows:
- Creation of small shafts in space, displacing matter that makes contact with it to a cellular level.
- Occasional white noise with volumes ranging from undetectable at a lowest-recorded volume of 3 dB; to immediate deafness-inducing at the highest recorded volume of 180 dB.
- Sudden rapid deterioration of organic matter.
- Sudden manifestations of cubic-shaped flesh of varying sizes, capable of inter lapping and replacing pre-existing matter. DNA matches no known samples.
> I saw what that thing could do before; they're not giving the full details.
Discovery
The Recondite Portrait was said to be first discovered on 10/05/1997 inside an abandoned complex in ████████, Maryland. At the time of discovery, the location was a frequent hotspot for drug addicts and abusers, with claims to the abnormality being dismissed by locals and authorities.
The Recondite Painting is currently undergoing research by the aforementioned archivist along with a team of interested specialists. The Recondite Painting is currently under lockdown, its constant supervision by armed forces is a top priority.Note: following incident #4, further research of any kind is forbidden by the Association. We will find nothing from this.
The Recondite Portrait
> The file seems to end here, but I've managed to dig up a few documents of interest. See what you can get from this.
Responding to the complaints.
With incident #2, I've grown tired of the increasing number of complaints we've received from the Association, each of their members and directors with a different cause for finding our focus on Recondite Painting "unnecessary." We want to inform those of you that have access to this document that the Recondite Painting isn't just a killing machine; it's as unpredictable as it is vital for understanding the nature of thresholds, or even limspaces, as a whole.
You see, with our research, we have not only found that the painting is capable of de-aging subjects, but it also appears to be human-made. What we mean by this, is that someone created a painting capable of tearing through space like a hot knife in butter. If we could understand how to replicate this, it could unlock an ocean of potential for the exploration of limspaces.
Those of you that value knowledge will understand the implications this has for archivists and those stranded on the god-forsaken Limspace systems, or even humanity as a whole, and we hope we will receive your heartfelt collaboration with this project.Regards, Samantha Neyllard.
Incident Log #5
On 14/03/2003, at approximately 10:34 PM, Archivist Newland Grayse, assumingly in a state of lunacy, volunteered to make physical contact with threshold Recondite Painting, despite protests from colleagues.
Implanted with biological sensors provided by the Association for use in animal experimentation, Newland Grayse stepped onto the threshold's area of effect. Witnesses state that Newland suffered deep bruising as he approached the object, "his left arm, shriveled and injured, dematerialized within a cube of flesh. But he didn't realize it, he didn't realize anything, he just kept walking."
Ultimately, Newland suffered no mortal injuries and successfully made contact with the painting, immediately disappearing along with the ceasing of all biological sensors.
As a response to gross misconduct and loss of life, the UNCP has prohibited the use of living subjects during research; the only exception to this is plant life.Following the addition of these regulations, directors of UNCP were sent the following message by archivist Samantha Neyllard: "In protest to the recent restriction imposed by the UNCP, I forward this message to all those whose choices matter. What you are doing is restricting the potential of this research and ultimately impeding us from making any progress. Newland made that choice on his own for the good of that very progress you are killing; don't you think it's selfish to regulate how he used his life?"
> Idiot.
The following is an audio transcript obtained from a malfunctioning recorder salvaged from the disaster scene. Voice matches that of archivist Samantha Neyllard, so it is assumed this recorder belonged to her.
My name is Samantha Neyllard, I am an archivist working under UNCP. I have caught wind of rumors leading to an abandoned building in the downtown parts of ████████, a two-story complex that is now a popular location for crackheads and the like.
I entered the building armed and pretending to be a part of the police in the hopes of scaring away any offenders. I have just now reached the top floor of the building, the whole place smells like rotting meat. It baffles me how long this has gone unnoticed by the local authorities.Rummaging can be heard from the background, it's assumed Samantha is walking through debris.
I think… that room is where the smell is strongest. I might die, if this device is damaged, a signal will be broadcasted to a nearby Association station, I just hope they're able to secure it on time.
…
It's been… five days ever since I found the painting; there was… grilled meat everywhere. How long has that bloodshed been there for? I've seen so much in my lifetime but that…
Right, I have been assembling a team with the help of the Association, most of them coming from the nearby station, but they're good people. We will be identifying the threat this threshold poses to commonfolk, and maybe even possible benefits it can bring us, same as always.Samantha lets out a heavy sigh as more rummaging is heard from the background.
The cleanup crew has already been dispatched to take care of this, but I'll have to stand watch to ensure no one else comes into contact with the threshold.
Taking a better look at it now, I can't help but feel as though… whatever those things are, are observing me.
…
How long has it been since I last touched this recorder? Five weeks? I think so, yeah. Ever since my last recording, the crackheads were dispatched from the building, and research began.
Cleanup crew weren't able to get rid of… that mess due to the threshold's field of influence, but with time, it just slowly degraded into nothing as it was butchered away at.
It was interesting watching it, so many things were happening at once, it'll take some time before we map out just how dangerous this thing can be. Until then, I guess we can just enjoy each other's company.
As for our next goal in experimentation, we will be trying to make contact with the painting using animal life.
…
Loud talking, accompanied by occasional hushed whispers can be heard from the background.
Samantha is heard vocalizing as she shuffles through paper.I don't expect this to ever get out of this recorder, let alone this room, so I guess I'll just speak my mind.
The shitheads at the Association want us to stop experimentation after what happened with that sheep, but I can't blame them.
But no, they just don't understand, that's all. We found traces of ink splattered across the floor, it seemed to have dried decades ago, but it still hints towards the painting being created by someone. That sheep, parts of it became an… an infant? Yeah, the sheep fucking de-aged, hell, that sheep had been diagnosed with enzootic hepatitis, yet parts of its liver that were affected by de-aging were cured…
I just have to explain, convince them, one way or another.The logs from 2002 to 2003 have been deemed to be of little relevancy, and have been cut. For extended logs, request access to document TF-D.
> I have already requested access to this document multiple times, all denied.…
They're barring us from using live subjects, Newland had taken action out of his own free will, and now they're putting the fault on all of us.
Have they not realized yet what it could mean to us, to THEM if we managed to get through with this research? It could be the key to unveiling the truth behind limspaces, thresholds, entities, everything that remained unexplained, now free for us to claim! Why do they not understand?
I'm afraid that we'll have to ignore these regulations. This time, we WILL get a radio to that thing.
…
████████████████ can be heard from the background, accompanied by disgruntled cries and what is assumed to be the cracking of bones.
> Why the redaction?
A word from the UNCP regarding the threshold "Recondite Painting," and a prayer for those who were lost.
> For the life of me I could not find a direct log for whatever incident he's talking about in this document, perhaps #6?
On the day of the 25th of November, in the year of 2004, a raid was conducted into the complex housing threshold "Recondite Painting" in response to an alert signal broadcasted to a neighboring station. We believed our people were equipped against what they were about to encounter, but God forbid we can ever be sure.
As a result of that unspoken scene, it's believed multiple thresholds were created around the audio receivers for the duration of the transmission, taking with it multiple personnel.
We cannot be sure of where those people are now, but it's with kindness that I say I hope heaven claimed their souls, lest they become what was left of those researchers.I'm afraid we can't tell you what happened for sure, we have our reasons for doing so, but I can promise to those who were aware of the threshold's potential that it is absolutely nothing to sacrifice more lives over.
God bless humanity.
> I ran short on answers as I went through the documents. Please, if you have an idea, get back in contact with me immediately.