Fabrik der Toten
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Registered Phenomena Code: 558
Object Class: Beta-Red (Neutralised)
Hazard Types: Sentient, Mechanical, Grouped. RPC-558-2: Organic, Aggression. RPC-558-3: Organic, Explosive, Aggression, Ballistic
Containment Protocols: RPC-558 has been permanently neutralised due to complications seen in Operation Shutdown (see after Interview-3). The complex is to maintain its 50x50 metre perimeter now established as Private property, and a reforestation project for the previous exclusion zone is currently underway. Personnel are now free to explore the underground sections of RPC-558 provided they fill out the required form and move in a pair or group. Any objects of interest found are to be documented in the Exploration log.
Description: RPC-558 is a factory in an industrial compound located in a remote forest in East Germany 40kms from Berlin. From records acquired after WW2, RPC-558 was initially created as a new source for a massive but disposable fighting force and was operational for almost 2 years (from August 1943 to January 1945). The different rooms described in RPC-558 have so far been divided into 4 upper-level rooms and 2 large lower-level rooms:
- An upper-level room later designated by personnel as The Production room. All machinery available was modified to be completely autonomous (save for the loading of "ingredients") and would switch the production of instances depending on the resources available. An automated board was set up on a vacant wall of the production zone displaying how many and which type of instances the machinery would be producing.
- An upper-level laboratory previously full of specimens and surgery equipment. Documents retrieved on this level depicted the many experiments that occurred here, with GARD researchers attempting to establish coherent methods to create various 558-3 instances.
- An upper level Smeltery where 558-2 instances were observed during activation to melt down metal objects and cast the molten metal into various weapon parts and plating. Both of these were later seen on 558-3 instances, however large tools and weaponry such as industrial drills and tank cannons were spared melting and grafted straight into 558-3 instances.
- A lower level 30 x 500 x 3 metre room full of preserved corpses on hooks and tables. Above the tables were several needles which were previously connected to a chemical serum. This room is commonly known as “The Morgue” by researchers.
- A lower level Armoury, with all metal coverings (doors and bars) missing upon initial discovery. When counting the resources left and referring to the manifest, it was concluded that all helmets, knives, grenades, commemorative medals and weapons were scavenged by 558-2 instances during the years of 1945 and 1955.
- An upper-level room previously known as “The Command Room” by personnel that previously housed RPC-558-1A and 558-1B.
A smaller building is located next to RPC-558, designated as the worker barracks. It has 3 levels, with one being subterranean. The top floor is furnished with an excessive amount of bunk beds and has been designated the living quarters of all previous personnel stationed at RPC-558 when it was operational. The ground floor is a cafeteria, furnished with benches and tables and a kitchen. The dining area has been in a state of disuse, but the kitchen previously active due to 558-2 instances frequenting to provide bodies for a nutrient gruel to sustain the Controller. The subterranean level hosts an armoury. Though smaller in size to RPC-558's armoury, all equipment is accounted for.
RPC-558-1A, previously known as “The Controller’s seat" was a large metal seat seemingly constructed from the floor with restraints and 558-1B welded into the back. Any people in a 2-m radius of 558-1A would have felt the need to inspect or sit in 558-1A. When 1-m away the seat would attack the subject. They would have been pulled into the seat by various wires and tubes hanging from the ceiling around 558-1A, then restrained in the chair. A helmet would then drop from the ceiling onto the person, and they would then be classified as the Controller of the factory. All 558-2 instances would then awaken and startup/continue operations. The many wires and tubes above 558-1A connect to the helmet and 558-1B welded behind the seat, while a large main tube appears to connect to a feeding tray with the vitamin gruel previously mentioned, and another appears to connect to the relevant passages for excrement.
RPC-558-1B was previously a brain that acted as a backup entity for RPC-558, protecting the controller when reactivated and giving orders to 558-2 instances (confirmed through Interview-02). The original Controller explained that 558-1B was previously a high ranking German Commander, harvested after his death as an automated security processor, a provider for the Controller’s needs and an advisor for the controller to keep the factory running1.
RPC-558-2 instances were reanimated corpses designated as scavengers/workers that kept RPC-558 functioning. Many of the 558-2 instances required minimal brain damage to meet the eligibility to be reanimated into an 558-2 Instance. However, due to many of the bodies “scavenged" failing to meet these criteria, GARD researchers prepared reserves which were initially discovered during the first expedition of RPC-558 in “The Morgue”.
RPC-558-2 instances appeared to have higher brain functionality, but lacked of sentience, critical thinking and speech. Ambushing appears to be their primary attack pattern along with group attacks to take out multiple targets. Many 558-2 instances appeared to receive orders from 558-1B via some unknown means (Keballic researchers believed it to be psychic in nature) and given (initially) unknown orders. Researchers have since discovered what these orders approximate to in a document left behind by a GARD researcher (see below for a translated version). The amount of 558-2 instances that were operational at a time approximated to 200, with substitutes being created swiftly after the termination of an instance.
RPC-558-3 instances were heavily mutated and reanimated corpses. These were the result of RPC-558’s production cycle, with these instances usually averaging at 2.5-m high and a mass of 200-kg (excluding armour and weapons). RPC-558 appeared to allocate personnel to direct 558-3 instances further. However, how this exactly occurred is unknown, and the criteria for selection has yet to be discovered.
558-3 instances appeared to have higher brain function compared to 558-2 instances, with tactical thinking and some command over 558-2 instances being present during the minimal combat situations viewed. 558-3 instances had 2 overall categories, with one instance being constructed for either melee or ranged fighting styles. Melee instances were fitted with functioning propellors and industrial drills. Their combat use was mostly a combination of the weapon and brute strength of the instance. The results were often devastating, with instances able to break Authority Installations and equipment with drills and combat multiple ASF units at one time. Ballistic 558-3 instances have been seen with modified tank and artillery cannons. These ballistic instances would often pressure ASF units by laying down covering fire for melee instances and firing at its own feet to propel itself away from ASF units and regain an artillery range. Despite the differences in fighting styles, the armour between these instances stayed consistent. Steel plating was commonly seen being used, grafted into the instances flesh and providing a fair amount of protection to the head and chest from small arms fire.
Addendum-02: The creation process of an 558-2/558-3 Instance.
The process of creation appeared to be tied to an anomalous substance often mentioned in retrieved documents as Serum V-76. Any sampling of the serum has been impossible due to all instances being destroyed as of the writing of this document. However, the effects have been noted by research personnel. The main implementation has been injecting the serum into dead tissue, which seems to indefinitely reanimate the tissue after a small window of exposure, with rapid healing of serious wounds to muscles and bones occurring for a brief time.
RPC-558-2 instances are automatically injected in “The Morgue” and in a brief amount of time can fully function and are deployed. (the exact time is undetermined due to no testing occurring on 558-2 instances in any manner). In some instances, the amputation/clear-cutting of limbs was common due to the failure to circulate into limbs. If so, the instances would receive sharp but crude weapons as replacements.
558-3 instances required a long and brutal process. The process of production began with grafting various pieces of flesh, muscle and bone together to create a giant frame. Armour was also grafted into the body at this time, usually interlocked with previously said flesh, muscles and bone. The next step was installing various weaponry and equipment to the instance for offence and defence, which usually required the amputation of one limb. However, double limb amputation was rarely witnessed by Authority personnel. The final step of production was injecting copious amounts of Serum-V-76 through a similar system to 558-2 instances. This promoted bonding between the parts and strengthening them to withstand extreme force.
Discovery: RPC-558 was discovered in 1955 due to reported disappearances of civilians in the ██████████ forest by the Soviet Iron Initiative, with one survivor reporting an attack by the Undead. The Authority looked into it further and found a proposal for RPC-558 in acquired GARD documents. Immediate action was taken, with a joint operation to storm the factory alongside The Initiative. The take over was made problematic with Church of Malthus operatives directing RPC-558-3 forces. However, the operation was partially successful. The Church of Malthus was able to escape with ██ 558-3 instances, but RPC-558 was successfully contained for almost a week. It then attempted to breach containment, leading to first an operation to terminate the Controller, but eventually ending with the decision to use Artillery fire to destroy the upper floors effectively neutralising the RPC.
Addendum-03: Prime Controller Psychology and Physical report:
Name: Kreig ████████
Age: 37
Occupation: Researcher for the now defunct GARD, turned RPC-558 Controller.
Notes: The subject’s physical state is dire, with almost complete muscle entropy throughout the whole body. Hygiene is also poor, gum disease is prevalent with infected pores, and infected bedsores also noted. The subject is overweight bordering on obese, with visible stretch marks across his waist. The legs of the subject occasionally get cut from circulation and have resulted in the formation of several blood clots that have yet to severely impact the subject’s health.
The subject’s mental state is appalling due to the 9-12 years of no social interaction with anyone, leading to many problems. The most obvious is the slight stuttering in dialogue. The subject has also lost social manners and cannot understand simple social cues. The subject’s sense of time is also distorted, alongside the subject easily getting overwhelmed/losing focus during a conversation. The emotional state of the subject points to severe clinical depression.
Diagnostic: Rehabilitation for both mental and physical problems would take years but is feasibly possible.
OPERATION SHUTDOWN
Clearance level 3 Required
Addendum-04: Suicide letter
Foreword: It appears this was “written” by the controller sometime before Interview-04 and Operation Shutdown were recorded. Currently, it is understood that the Controller deliberately made a choice and triggered the attempted containment breach.
I don’t think i’ll get another chance.
To Edna, my love.
The past 16 years have left me with nothing to care about. I don’t even know if you survived the war, the Soviets were destructive in their counterattack and I fail to believe they would be lenient in sparing people when they reach Sealow. Nevertheless, I continue to write this in the faint hope you did somehow survive.
I have been trapped in one room, to one chair for a decade as far as i’ve been told. The first few years, I almost drove myself insane with the thought of everyone I ever knew dead; the thought still haunts me to this day. Then, the next few years I spent trying to get out, an extremely futile attempt that only sought to make my host more liable to torture me in ways I would never wish upon any man.
And here I am now, in the year 1955 as told to me by researchers… and yet I feel no happiness knowing that people are here talking to me, something that I yearned for years. The worst came to pass. I was kept here in vain, the Reich fell so swiftly, and you may not even be alive anymore. Now a new plan comes to mind, something that would see me freed from this place.
Edna, I crave now what I put off all those years ago. I’ll certainly see you again, but not in this life. My heart grows bizarrely excited at this opportunity…yet i’m still nervous if the factory understands what my intentions are…well…it may follow through with them if it understood, it’d certainly be for its benefit.
See you in the next life. I love you.
-Kreig
Addendum-05: Repurposing Project
It has been some years since the neutralisation of RPC-558 and while we've prevented public usage of this site, gathered whatever we could out of it and archived all we can, I have a bigger idea for this area. I have been working with the Containment division, and I propose to repurpose this area into an Authority site. We already have facilities such as the living quarters and cafeteria, with renovations and modernisation to these places we can easily accommodate approximately ██ thousand personnel. Containment cells could be established in what was previously known as “The Morgue” and could contain any RPCs with no/small activation ranges. While other groups, such as The Church of Malthus and The Soviet Iron Initiative know of this RPC, they also know of its Neutralisation. Using this as a cover could make this new Site a reliable and possibly secretive one. -Head Researcher Simmons
Request: Pending, Consulting the Directorate-Regional Director Strauss.