RPC-914

The Great Disappointment

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Registered Phenomena Code: 914

Containment Rating: Beta (Explained)

Lethality Rating: White
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An RPC-914-A instance seen during Event 914-511 above OL-Site-███.

Containment Protocols: All sites, OL-Sites, outposts and other Authority-operated compounds located inside the affected area of RPC-914 are to monitor any objects resembling RPC-914-A approaching from the East China Sea. If an RPC-914 event is confirmed, the affected site is to observe RPC-914-A and report its movements and characteristics. The affected site is to notify its personnel of the ongoing RPC-914 event, and forbid them from interfering in the RPC-914-A recovery unless authorized to do so. Security personnel are to recover RPC-914-A once they have descended to a convenient altitude, taking care to avoid damaging RPC-914-B or provoke any accidents during retrieval.

Although RPC-914-A or RPC-914-B instances have displayed any anomalous effects, research personnel are to treat the RPC-914-B and their thamaturgical contents in a prudent and careful manner in case any possible effects may suddenly manifest. After thorough inspection of RPC-914-B for possible thaumaturgical contents, the written material of RPC-914-A is to be scanned and digitized for archival purposes.


Containment Protocol Update: As of Incident 914-2, RPC-914 has been classifed as Explained. Further investigation into resurfacing cults in the East China Sea zone in an attempt to detect and detain remnant Pangtuo Chuanyuan cells is currently underway.


Description: RPC-914 refers to a phenomenon affecting 10 Authority sites, ██ inhabited locations, ███ semi-inhabited and uninhabited areas, and an unknown number of PCAAO sites along coasts facing the East China Sea. The perimeter affected by RPC-914 reaches the Bohai Sea at its northernmost, the Ōsumi Archipelago at its westernmost, and the Penghu Islands at its southernmost. At the time of writing, RPC-914 has been recorded 511 times1, its appearances "circling" in frequency across the affected perimeter throughout the year in a clockwise fashion.

RPC-914 manifests as a large group of lit sky lanterns (each cluster hereby desginated RPC-914-A) originating downwind from the sea and directed towards land, often coinciding with sunset hours. Its lanterns (hereby designated RPC-914-B) are constructed in either rectangular or pentagonal shapes and vary significantly in size, with the smallest recovered RPC-914-B measuring 70 x 100 x 30 cm and the largest measuring 2 x 4 x 0.3 m. Each RPC-914-B consists of a Tetrapanax papyrifer2 pith paper covering, supported by a steel wire frame. Each RPC-914 event manifests an average of 110 RPC-914-B instances, though since 29/9/2022, the average amount has been irregularily descreasing. Authority vessels have been unable to locate a point of origin for any RPC-914 event; coastal guards have only been able to report that RPC-914 arrives from beyond the horizon. [See Incident 914-2]

The majority of RPC-914-B instances are adorned with with a variety of decorations, religious drawings, and written incantations3 associated with Exiled-Sun4-adjacent secret societies and fraternities among Han sailors and anomalous Min folk rituals originating from maritime areas in Southeast China and Taiwan. RPC-914-B are otherwise indistinguishable from non-anomalous paper lanterns save for a notable attention to quality and aerodynamic designs.

As of 29/9/2021, reports of RPC-914 have decreased in affected areas, and events have begun to diverge from previously established trends. RPC-914 events no longer occur exclusively at sunset, but also after nightfall and during late afternoon hours. Additionally, RPC-914-A have begun to become less “accurate” in their arrival at Authority or PCAAO sites, sometimes landing in areas as far away as 4km from the nearest site or burning and collapsing into the ocean before reaching land. The reasoning behind this behavioural shift has yet to be explained. [See Event 914-511]


Addendum 914-1: Below is an abridged list of cataloged RPC-914 events. The complete list has been stored at Site-038 archive wing and can be leased with the approval of the archive team.

Event #: 914-001

Date of Event: 10/5/2019 - 11/5/2019

Location: Site-███, █████ Island, South Korea

Description: RPC-914-A is detected approaching the location from the east, and the site is put on lockdown once RPC-914-A drifts into the site's airspace and begins descending. Site staff are instructed to avoid open areas while security personnel and on-site MST are deployed. Throughout the evening, the RPC-914-B snuff out, burn themselves, or are blown away by the wind. After 15 hours, the RPC-914-B instances were carefully approached and scanned for possible thaumaturgic attributes, retrieved, and inspected before being incinerated per safety protocols. A number of drawings in the RPC-914-B were noted by a transferred Taiwanese researcher ███ ████ to be reminiscent of sigils used by Nihil-adjacent sailor fraternities operating along the Taiwan Strait.

RPC-914-B Written Contents: A variety of thaumaturgical incantations invoking storms, floods and mass destruction. Despite the perfect spelling and style, their effects are not immediately apparent. A smaller number of prayers and demands were also written, such as "COLLAPSE THE DAMS" and "GONGGONG DESTROY THE GREAT WORKS OF YU".

Event #: 914-140

Date of Event: 20/9/2020 - 21/9/2020

Location: OL-Site-███, ███████, Satsunan Archipelago, Japan.

Description: RPC-914-A is seen arriving from the east, as predicted by research personnel monitoring RPC-914. RPC-914-A is overseen by security personnel from both below in the central courtyard and above on the outpost watchtower as they descend slowly. A gust of wind launches RPC-914-A downward suddenly, dispersing RPC-914-B close to the personnel and surprising the guards into opening fire against the instances. The following crossfire damaged a number of RPC-914-B instances, alongside injuring ████ ███████, one of the attending guards below. RPC-914-A displayed no anomalous traits, and apart from the aforementioned incident, the event was practically identical to the previous encounters.

RPC-914-B Written Contents: Incantations found in previous RPC-914 events, prayers are more common than in previous instances, with phrases such as "RELEASE THE WATERS OF OBLIVION", "ANNIHILATE THE WORKS - THE PAIN - THE CONFUSION", and "ANSWER US".

Event #: 914-194

Date of Event: 6/12/2020 - 7/12/2020

Location: Unknown PCAAO site, on the coast of ███████████, Fuzhou, PRC.

Description: RPC-914-A is detected by an unaffiliated Taiwanese espionage team deployed outside the perimeters of the Matsu Islands territory. The interviewed agents reported a substantially larger quantity of RPC-914-B instances than the previous average for RPC-914 events5. RPC-914-A was described as moving towards an enclosed military compound on the coast, tentatively identified as a PCAAO site known as "Area ███-██", before lingering above the site at a high altitude. 30 minutes after first contact, a number of anti-air autocannons began shooting at RPC-914-A, destroying most of the RPC-914-B and dispersing the remaining instances in all directions. Though short, the engagement was loud enough to be detected by unaware Taiwanese reconnaissance fleets, provoking a diplomatic incident between the two governments that was defused 6 days later when the Authority disclosed the interviews of the espionage team to the Taiwanese government and thus confirmed the alibi of the PRC officials.

RPC-914-B Written Contents: N/A

Event #: 914-501

Date of Event: 17/7/2021

Location: Site-███, Jeju Island, South Korea

Description: RPC-914-A is seen heading towards the area from the southwest and arriving above the site in a routine manner. With no incidents or unexpected phenomena, containment protocols for RPC-914-A are carried out in record time, with the RPC-914-A in question being the first to be fully contained before midnight. After Event 914-501, RPC-914 completely dropped in activity, nearly prompting its reclassification as Neutralized until its reactivation 2 years later.

RPC-914-B Written Content: Incantations are less common than previous instances. In contrast, prayers such as "A STORM ON ALL EARTH", "GONGGONG ANSWER OUR CALL", or "ANNIHILATE EVERYTHING" are repeated much more frequently. A note, inscribed in small print inside one of the RPC-914-B instances recovered, reads "Jinliang is an idiot. Huilong, if you are reading this, we sail away before morning".

Event #: 914-502

Date of Event: 23/9/2023 - 24/9/2023

Location: Site-███, Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan.

Description: A small, low-altitude cloud of grey and beige coloured smoke is sighted approaching from the west, with site patrol reporting that the mass appears to be “gleaming” from the inside. The description of the entity, closely resembling RPC-███6, alarmed Protection staff, who promptly ordered Site-███ into lockdown. An on-site Counter-Thaumaturgy team was deployed on an open area in front of the main building to hamper the entity. Despite the various attempts to diffuse, contain, or immobilize it, the cloud continued to advance towards Site-███ unaffected. 3 hours after first contact, MST Mike-9 "Smokefall" arrived via helicopter, attempting to invoke binding spells while in flight to intensify the counter-thaumaturgical effect. However, the helicopter rotors scattered the smoke, revealing an RPC-914-A whose RPC-914-B instances were tied closely together and which were propelling smoke from a variety of flares tinted grey by industrial colorants. Both teams were dismissed, though Site-███ remained in lockdown until RPC-914-A lowered onto the site and was subsequently recovered.

RPC-914-B Written Content:N/A7

Event #: 914-510

Date of Event: 10/11/2023 - 11/11/2023

Location: Outpost-███, Keelung, Taiwan.

Description: RPC-914-A is sighted approaching the outpost from the north. The instance differs significantly from previous iterations: there were a significantly smaller number of RPC-914-B instances, and the instances arrived in groups joined by hollow straw cord and arranged in intricate circular designs. These designs closely resembled Nihil invocation sigils seen in previous RPC-914-B instances. As with all prior events, closer inspection of RPC-914-B revealed no thaumaturgical properties of any kind. While most of the crafts were recovered, a significant quantity were lost as they caught fire before retrieval was possible.

RPC-914-B Written Content: "ANCIENT GONGGONG - TOPPLER OF WORLDS - WE INVOKE YOUR NAME" "LIFT THE RIVERS AND THE LAKES AND THE SEAS AND ANNIHILATE ALL" "PLEASE BRING US HOPE - WE CAN NOT CONTINUE". No incantations or formal prayers were discovered.

Event #: 914-511

Date of Event: 24/2/2024 - 25/2/2024

Location: █ Authority Sites, ██ additional outposts, ~█ PCAAO sites, multiple coastal towns across the southern East China Sea and the Taiwan Strait.

Description: At 18:47 UTC+8:00, RPC-914-A is first sighted approaching Outpost-███ from the north; this was the first time an 914 event had reoccurred at a previous location.Other affected locations also begin to report RPC-914 events in the following hours, culminating in a peak of activity at 17:21 UTC+8:00 during the last minutes of dusk, occurring mostly along the shorelines of northern Taiwan, the Penghu Archipelago, and Fujian Province, PRC. ACI Agents working inside the PRC reported PCAAO sites were also being targeted. Compared to previous 914 Events, many RPC-914-A “missed” the targeted sites by wide margins, with some instances falling into the sea before reaching land. Many instances also flew over neighbouring population centers8. Cover-up and containment of stray RPC-914-A was benefited by Event 914-511 coinciding with the Lantern Festival, with civilians assuming RPC-914-A instances were mundane decorations. No further RPC-914-A were sighted past 00:12 UTC+8:00, totalling to 64 identifiable RPC-914-A instances reported during Event 914-511 alone.

RPC-914-A Written Content: All ~7000 RPC-914-B recovered instances during Event 914-511 were inscribed, in varying quantities, with the character "KILL". A single RPC-914-B instance was also inscribed with the character "思"9.


Incident Log 914-1: On 2/3/2024 at 10:43 UTC+8:00, seven days after Event 914-511, a Chinese Type 8154 naval trawler was seen approaching Site-███ on █████ Island, South Korea, followed closely by 12 smaller, unidentified dredgers. The fleet did not respond or withdraw from the protected area despite multiple attempts by Authority vessels to warn the incoming ships, prompting the Authority to engage. The trawler returned fire on the vessels through small rotary machine guns, while the dredgers manoeuvred around and towards the site in spite of the large numbers of losses as they exposed their broadside to Authority gunships. The trawler was quickly sunk; lookouts aboard ANV Mu-Real reported a humanoid shape standing atop the bridge and gesturing upwards, possibly shouting or cursing, before the vessel was fully submerged.

Ground security personnel at the Site-███ port wharves began to engage the dredgers, destroying 5 of the remaining 6 with rocket fire. The crew of the remaining dredger exited the superstructure or jutted out of any penetrated windows to shout at site personnel. While most of the crew were killed by weapon fire, the dredger rammed into one of the site’s port wharves, causing minimal damage.

The PRC was quickly notified of the incident, and in turn explained that the trawler could not have been operated by an authorized crew, stressing that military-retrofitted Type 8154 trawlers have been used exclusively as survey ships since 1989. This was confirmed after Authority recovery teams noted all male crewmembers were tattooed in simplistic, circular patterns along their abdomens and thighs, identifying them as Pangtuo10 members. A number of corpses were also found inside the ships covered in blankets and tied in a round shape with rope. Autopsy reports indicate their deaths happened before Incident 914-1 through the cutting of the throat, and all the recovered victims were either female or underaged.


Incident Log 914-2: At 18:32 UTC+8:00 on 15/3/2024, lookouts aboard Authority fleets patrolling a naval route near the Penghu Islands in search of possible rogue naval trawlers reported a group of 6 lights floating at a low altitude above the northeastern part of the archipelago. MST Romeo-45 "Reavers" was deployed to land and search the cays for any sings of occupation by Nihil-adjacent groups. Settlements were found on most of the islets, consisting of small wooden docks connected to small clusters of shacks and workshops further inland. Romeo-45 identified the lights as instances of RPC-914-B, but were unable to ascertain further details as the instances were scattered by a sudden wind as the team arrived, being blown northward. The instances were not recovered; MST members insisted that the instances disappeared after “flying into the sunset.”.

Alongside nautical tools and small rafts, the workshops contained materials for constructing RPC-914-B instances and numerous incomplete instances. Most workshops were severely damaged, either by ransack or by deliberate vandalization, the RPC-914-B and their craft benches appearing to be specifically targetted during the attack.

Further exploration revealed a mass grave in the middle of each settlement, all showing signs of recent burial. Exhumed bodies were covered by sampans and arranged in a circular fashion. The bodies were buried alongside a variety of commodities and articles of clothing, most probably belonging to the deceased. As with the bodies recovered inside the Incident 914-1 fleet, all corpses were either female or underaged, with cause of death identified as a cut throat. Though it is likely the murders and burials were performed by Pangtuo members or another related group, as of the time of writing no culprits have been found.

The last island to be scouted by Romeo-45 was identified as the site of a former naval outpost, containing a small subterranean storehouse and a pillbox overlooking the east. A man, described by Romeo-45 as an elderly Asian male in tattered clothing or rags, was seen exiting the storehouse and running lamely towards a cliff in the northern side. As Romeo-45 moved to apprehend, the man reached the edge, turned around to face the team members, stared at them as they approached, and then fell backwards into the sea. No body was recovered.

The storehouse was found to contain 329 completed RPC-914-B instances, along with tools and materials used in their construction. Most were inscribed with prayers and non-anomalous sigils consistent with previous RPC-914 Events, but many of these inscriptions were hastily written and often barely legible. A half-assembled RPC-914-B instance was also found, notable for being closer in form and design to traditional Chinese paper lanterns compared to previous instances. This lantern was inscribed on 3 sides written in the style of a lantern riddle, with the fourth side (reserved for the riddle’s answer) left blank. The written passage reads:

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