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Registered Phenomena Code: 054
Object Class: Beta-Red
Hazard Types: Aggression Hazard, Climatological Hazard, Sapient Hazard
Containment Protocols: MST Operative Camp Hati-01 is to be stationed within a kilometer of RPC-054 in order to routinely monitor for any interference during a Battle Event. Any object, substance, or individual found attempting to interfere during said event are to be subdued, removed and terminated as swiftly as possible. If the interference is unable to be subdued and/or terminated, all personnel are to immediately evacuate to areas at least 0.8 kilometers away from RPC-054. The Authority is to work with the Norwegian government in order to ensure that the existence of RPC-054 is not revealed to the general public.
Description: RPC-054 is a group of three hundred individuals who reside on a tundra plain 4.02 kilometers north-east of the Glittertind mountain in Norway. Said individuals are divided into two "tribes", one calling themselves the Varúlfr, meaning "Werewolf", and the other being named the Angrivarii, meaning “Warrior”. Both tribes are evenly divided, with each having exactly 150 members. All individuals on both sides appear to be dressed in the style of Eleventh century Viking battle garments, and can be seen armed with battle axes, spears, shields, horses and longbows. Each of the tribes also appear to have their own camps, consisting of sleeping tents, meal huts, battle practice ranges and stables. No social hierarchy is apparent within any of the tribes, with all members claiming to be the same title of "warrior" instead.
Both of the tribes that make up RPC-054 are believed to be locked in a continuous cycle of day-to-day conflict. The fights between the two tribes, dubbed by Authority researchers as "Battle Events", begin at dawn and only end once there is a clear victor. A victor is only determined once a single individual from either tribe remains, as both sides will fight to the death. After a battle ends, the remaining individual will remain stationary for a few moments until they are engulfed in large amounts of golden light. Said light will continue to shine for up to five seconds until it disperses, in which the victor will then appear to have vanished.
During nighttime, a dense fog covers the tundra area that RPC-054 resides on making it impossible to navigate without the appropriate technology. At exactly 4:00 AM1, all members of both tribes appear to open and exit their sleeping tents, where they then proceed to engage in their own morning activities prior to the day's battle. Studies have shown that the victor from the prior day's battle is not among those who wake up during the new day; instead a new individual will appear in the previous victor's place. The appearance of this new individual does not appear to confuse any other members of their tribe; instead they will act as though the new member has been in the tribe long prior.
During a Battle Event, all tribesmen demonstrate heightened levels of warlike attitude, and are hostile to any individuals that are not part of their respected tribe. However, this hostile nature has not been shown to carry over during the time period when both tribes are resting at their respective camps. During questioning regarding the nature of their conflict, members of both tribes have given similar answers, with them typically being along the line of reasoning of it being a directive from the gods.
Testing has shown that outside forces are capable of influencing the events of the conflict within RPC-054. However, any interference will prove to yield harmful consequences to the area around it. These consequences typically include an increase in natural disasters throughout northern Europe and a heightened spread of disease2.
Due to the existence of multiple historical documents and paintings that presumably depict certain Battle Events of RPC-054, it is believed that RPC-054 has existed for more than 1000 years.
Document 054.01- The Battle of Skömm:
On January 6th 1237, merchants from the village of Galdbygde, Norway discovered RPC-054, and attempted to trade with the Tribes prior to the start of a Battle Event, leading to all merchants except one being slaughtered. The people of Galdbygde retaliated with a force of one hundred men. What is known as The Battle of Skömm3 took place on January 14th. Out of the original one hundred, only eight of the men sent into battle survived. This event is notable because all members of both tribes express a perfect recollection of the Battle itself despite it occurring centuries prior. The following document is an excerpt from the diary of Birger Felmen, one of the survivors who fought against the Varúlfr and Angrivarii tribes.
[Translated from Norwegian]
[…] As we climbed over the hill crest, we were able to make out a large crowd of people who appeared to be engaged in battle. Captain Marius told us that they where the men that the merchant had sent us to kill. I questioned him, asking if it was truly best to attack such a large amount of men when engaged in such a way. He told me that this was the most opportune time to silence the enemy. And so we went. We prayed for Tyr to guide us on our journey, and then, like cats, we crept up from behind the enemy and prepared to strike with vengeance burning within our hearts.
What happened next, no god nor mortal could foresee. When Captain Marius gave us the order to charge, it was as if the enemy instantly knew of our presence, and unified against us! They charged, oh how they charged, with such relentless speed that I froze in my tracks. My feet felt like they had become part of the ground that I walked on. The other men, men much braver than I, clashed the enemy with intense brutality. Despite their resolve, the enemy tore swiftly through our ranks. These beasts that wore the skin of men hacked us to pieces. In the midst I could see Captain Marius' detached head fly out among the commotion. The cold air froze my throat as I watched my friends die as warriors.
And suddenly, as though an eternity had passed, I was shaken by one of the few living men left. He yelled one word in my face twice, "Retreat". As my mind awoke and became aware of the living atrocity charging towards me, life once again surged through my feet, and I ran as fast as I could away from danger.
We were fortunate enough that the enemy did not follow us for a long distance. I recall running only for a minute or so before the enemy stopped and appeared to re-engage themselves with fighting one another. My walk back to Galdbygde was one full of anguish, and self hate. I know that my soul will forever rot in the depths of Helheim for my cowardliness.
Note: Following the battle, an earthquake with a magnitude of 5.5 occurred near Galdbygde, causing an avalanche on the nearby Glittertind mountain to fall onto the town.