RPC Authority

A nocturnal phenomenon occasionally affecting recently awoken individuals. Victims report that upon waking, two glowing white orbs will be present a modest distance away from the victim. Further detail of the orbs are scarce, as in combination with sightings most often being in dark environments, they disappear upon detection. Some have hypothesized the spheres to be eyes. This is contested, but the reactionary measures operate based on the assumption.

In all cases where it has been investigated, victims share how the incident occurred after a dream described as particularly pleasant, enjoyable, or arousing.

Project: Khonshu's Digipak: Outside the perimeter of Site-052, the engineering component built Housing Unit .C922 following the design of Dr. Lyncon D'lor. HU.C922 is equipped with motion sensors and can immediately shut off all exits upon detection of unexpected movement by the 24 hour surveillance. Five CSD personnel were ordered to reside in the room and supplied items through a double hatch delivery system. HU.C922 was left unguarded and unlocked at night to minimize the risk of dissuading the entity from approach. In order to discourage the CSD subjects from exiting the confinement cell, they were equipped with ankle bracelets capable of supplying 80 kV when leaving the premises. The bracelets are to be checked each morning for maintenance. To replicate the conditions of RPC-922, a 10 ml dosage of oneirosome³ is to be prescribed before sleep each night.

The following are documented changes regarding CSD-0221 and the overall conditions of the project. Other records have been removed for storage purposes. Note how much of this specific history is shared with other participants.

Documented changes:

03/06/2018: Project: Khonshu's Digipack was launched.

10/06/2018: CSD-0221 was allotted a card deck. It was deemed that entertainment and social interaction were crucial to maintain the effects of oneirosome, and personnel are therefore urged to engage with CSD-0221 in conversation and card games.

15/07/2018: CSD-0221 requested a potted plant, as to continue her hobby of gardening inside confinement. Request was granted.

30/09/2021: CSD-0221 begins sharing concerns regarding hallucinations. The conditions are expected.

02/01/2022: CSD-0221 complains about troubling nights. Oneirosome dosage is increased by 10 ml to counteract tolerance.

20/01/2022: Dr. D'lor is told by the Site Director that Project: Khonshu's Digipak has until the end of the year before it is shut down.

13/02/2022: The wilting plants inside HU.C922 are removed.

26/03/2022: CSD-0221 is no longer allowed to consume oneirosome, no matter the frequency of requests.

09/07/2022: CSD-0221 is restricted to her bed, and nutrition is delivered through a feeding tube during anesthesia.

15/07/2022: Orexin receptor antagonists are prescribed to counteract insomnia.

02/08/2022: HU.C922 audio output is muted.

23/12/2022: The entity enters the unit and is contained.

23/12/2022 (At sunrise): CSD subjects become RPC-922-H# instances.

Attempt 04: How are you?

“Tired.”

Attempt 06: Who are you?

“Let me rest.”

Attempt 15: Can you hear me?

“Fuck off.”

Attempt 16: What do you see?

“A world of bright light.”

Attempt 17: “Who is the owl?”

“A repenting insurgent.”

Attempt 18: Repentance for what?

“Failing to liberate the nocturnal.”

Attempt 19: What do you dream of?

“Rays burning my face.”

Attempt 20: What is the light source?

“Why is the moon so bright?”

Attempt 21: Does it come from the moon?

“Turn it down. I can’t sleep.”

Attempt 22: Tell me what you dream of.

“I’m tired and I can’t sleep. Let me sleep. It’s too bright. Extinguish it. Turn it off. Turn it off. My eyes burn.”

Warrior,
Distinguished guard,
Dear keeper and lover of light and radiance,

This is a historic moment calling for celebration. You captured what has for eons inconvenienced my grace, and for that you deserve my recognition.

By this blazing court's order, the sentence is death. Keep the criminal until the noose is tied. Until you see my light wash the mountains and hills of the dark. Until the shadow cowering under rocks and behind bodies, finally turns to ash.

Until the coming of my Second Sun.

The size of this particular camp is of special interest, as records prove it to be arguably the largest, producing multiple times the necessary amount to satiate the people of Naucratis. This is easily noticeable in the soil, which shows signs of heavy agricultural use. Historians still debate on the details of the efficiency, as the sheer quantity would cause exhaustion-related permanent injury, incompatible with the consistent high production throughout the long life of the camp. What is agreed upon however, is that the people of the Gi’eif labour camp performed egregious work, more brutal than contemporaneous instances of slavery.

This is reflected in the confined people’s culture and religion. In combination with the isolation from other native Egyptian societies, the grueling work of the desert heat juxtaposed with the solace of the night resulted in a unique worldview, even in the wider Greek-dominated world of the Hellenistic period.

A mural on the Gi’eif temple illustrates this best. It demonstrates a common ritual of worship, and what was desired from the deity in return.

Firstly, the temple itself is of an open design, with corner pillars holding up a ring-shaped platform above. The only wall of the temple lies between the easternmost pillars, where the illustration is carved. On the bottom, are multiple people lying down facing the sky. This group sleeping was a normal ritual of the Gi’eif slaves, as the area was utilized for plantations, not living space. Above the sleeping individuals is the deity, portrayed with the head of an ibis and arms chained. Curiously, the deity wears a shanti but not accessories of royalty, such as a khat or nemes, despite divinity and kingship being closely related in ancient Egyptian religion. The deity is pulling its chained arms apart, almost like one would a string from a bow, while directing up towards a white circular object. On the close face is an arrow piercing inwards.

Other preserved records of this religion can be used to understand the role of the deity, who is known as Artshu. Artshu is a Greco-Egyptian syncretic combination of two other figures, those of Khonshu and Artemis. Similarities include both being personifications of the moon, with Artemis occasionally being identified with the moon goddess Selene. Both figures are additionally associated with healing and curing of disease. This is seen on the mural as Artshu causing the healing nature of sleep, by extracting a form of evil spirit or nightmare, and banishing it to the moon. By sleeping in groups, the slaves of Gi’eif hoped to invoke Artshu to comfort their nights and refurbish their bodies for the exhausting work to come.

Close inspection of Artshu’s portrayal reveals major themes of the religion. The simple clothing symbolizes a decreased distance between the divine and the peasantry, resulting in an antagonistic perspective on the upper echelons of society, as the concept of good has been concentrated downwards in the social hierarchy. Stories from for example a canopic jar, detail the significance of the chains. Myth pertains that they are stiff during the day, but become elastic at night, much like the situation of the Gi’eif slaves. There is also a more practical purpose, as the elasticity of the chains would allow Artshu to utilize them as a form of sling-shot or bow, to propel the nightmares towards the cosmos.

Additionally, the Gi’eif labor camp had a particularly unique perspective on the sun’s cosmological role. In place of a generous life giver, or an innocent observer, the sun was heavily correlated with domination, oppression, and machiavellianism. Certain sources explain how the sun is a sadistic force, one with the aim of subjugating denizens of the earth. This would be accomplished through two ways: Firstly, the obvious association of day with toil. Secondly, and more interestingly, through manipulation. By organizing the conditions of life on earth to depend on the energy of solar rays, the sun was able to toy with the planet without risk of rebellion.

Supporting this theory are commonly shared prophecies. For example: Stories speak of a destined moment, known as the “Birth of The Second Sun”. On this day, Artshu would lead a battle against the sun, in hopes of toppling its hold on earth and usurping the rule. Different endings describe different fates. Either Artshu would emerge victorious, and engulf the earth in glorious night, or the sun would further enforce its power, and eliminate the few hours humanity is safe from it by replicating itself.

It is unknown how much of the religion survived after the end of the Ptolemaic dynasty, as records from the time of Ptolemy X Alexander I suggest that after losing control of the southern kingdom due to Egyptian revolts, the camp was massacred in fear of the incident repeating, therefore causing the loss of much valuable historical evidence.

Xepimethologists focused on the best preserved evidence; the records of the Ptolemaic pharaohs. A letter from Ptolemy X Alexander I to what is assumed to be one of his wives showed the pharaoh’s frustration at the results of the Gi’eif raid. It detailed how the raid occurred late at day, in order for exhaustion to have weakened the slaves. The intended outcome was capture of a group of individuals to use in intimidation against the other labour camps. This group had however escaped after sunset, and soldier testimonies attest to the darkness of the night being a contributing factor.

Further study uncovered traces of habitation 3 miles northwest from the archeological site, buried underground. Among massive collections of woven linen — most likely used as sleeping mats — multiple human bones were found. Bioarchaeological analysis determined the presence of at least three distinct individuals; one adult male, one adult female, and one prepubescent female. Only the bone set of the young female was able to be completed, indicating that she was the only one buried. Dating placed the time of death to be around the fall of the Gi’eif camp. Additionally, there was heavy damage in the distal radius, femur, mandible and numerous fractures of the costae.

Most interestingly, a small box was found together with the young female’s skeleton. It contained a script written in demotic Egyptian. Translation determined it to be a form of prayer text. It is unknown whether the original owners were literate, as such ability would've been uncommon among the Gi’eif labourers. A digitalized version is attached.

Formula for healing of the broken.
My wounds are cracks given by the blade of Ra.
They are weaved shut by Artshu,
black of the night paints them full,
the blade is discarded to the sunless home.
Ra comes back to open the cracks again.
The cycle weighs the scale even.
But Ra's wrath swelters,
his son is brought to burn me double.
Artshu will cover and extinguish his fire.
I am a friend of Artshu,
who will keep me safe from Ra.
Until the day of liberation.
Until the death of the Sun and its Son.

South of Kom Gi’eif, xepimethologists uncovered a collection of large bronze discs, slightly curved to form flattened lenses. So far, 15 of such discs have been found sprawled in a complex pattern. It is noted how the discs are similar both in shape and composition to ancient Egyptian bronze mirrors, but the intention of the array remains uncertain.

0021 hours

Dr. D’lor is sitting inside the HU.C922 observation deck. It is generally difficult to make out D’lor’s face, due to a white glare from the window behind him. It seems that he is inspecting the monitors displaying the live feed of the HU.C922 living room camera, where RPC-922 is standing and looking out the window.

D’lor reaches from beyond the scene, and retrieves a small whiteboard screen. There is a crudely drawn image of a tree, and lines hitting its leaves. A stick figure is eating something beside it.

“Photosynthesis.”

D'lor turns the screen and scribbles before revealing it again. This time, there is a factory with a smoke stack, a solar panel, and a wind turbine.

“Movement.”

After another round, the screen shows two figures on a beach, with a smaller figure besides them.

“Life.”

Again. Now there is a sundial.

“Time.”

D’lor discards the screen.

“It makes the world roll. And only fools stand in the way of life’s wheel.”

He looks at RPC-922.

“I never wanted to grow up. As a snot-finger I told my parents, I said: ‘Adults aren’t happy.’ Maybe I just had downer parents.”

He pauses.

“I was told that, that that is how the world works. We all swallow the same pill eventually.”

D’lor rubs his eyes.

“I guess I tried to compensate with ambition. I realized that after Antonia left and I returned to earth.”

He snorts.

"It was difficult. Shrink tried his best, but only managed to find new words to say the same thing. ‘That’s how the world works’, he said. What else can he say? Anyone, ever say?”

The white glare from the window gains a yellow tint on the right side. D’lor starts sweating. He looks at his skin, before looking back.

“Nowhere left to hide now. Whatever. Let me tell you what nightmares are.”

He brings the seat forward.

“The toil, the emptiness, the fear we feel when we are awake. They creep into our rest. They tease our peace. Nightmares, nightmares are when day invades night.”

He turns to the control panel, and switches the monitor to view the sleeping CSD-0221.

“What wounds must be mended with such deep sleep?”

He shakes his head briefly.

“What do they dream of, when day opens and burns their eyes? If only, if only I could reach them with a VidiCap.”

D’lor begins crying.

“I’m sorry.”

The glare becomes completely yellow. The camera focuses on the background as D’lor stays still over the monitor, and the footage becomes clearer. A small yellow smudge is visible on the east of the moon’s equator. D’lor moves back to watch from the window.

“Now the world will do nothing but work.”

He runs his hand over the monitor.

"And no wound will ever heal again."

Silence, approximately 34 seconds.

Banging can be heard, along with rattling of something metallic. D’lor looks back, at something beyond the camera. He stands up and moves slowly forward before leaving the frame.

“H-hello?”

Unknown vocalizations.

“I-I… yes, yes yes I do.”

Unknown vocalizations.

“But, you were alone. No one can do it alone."

Unknown vocalizations.

Rapid steps mark as D’lor reenters the frame. He quickly enters some inputs on the panel before hovering his finger over the main lockdown control button, before slowly pressing it and leaving the frame.

“P-please, please forgive me. I’m so, so sorr-”

The metallic rattling can be heard again. On the monitor, CSD-0221 vanishes from her bed. The silence is interrupted by a loud thud.

“…- it’s not worth it without you…”

The streak on the moon begins receding.

The scene is still, save for faint whimpering and the glare disappearing, revealing a dark night with a centered, pale moon.