The Quicksand Singularity ArQive: Array.init:0

A0T5.2 Dual Heart (Abridged)

Puuri Loh Appiiri Aasojipna is still extremely isolated in its geography as well as being extremely insular on a population level. Interviews with the Historical Society of Puuri Loh Appiiri Aasojipna indicate the village was originally founded as a logging town before Loh Appiiri Truffles were discovered.

Loh Appiiri Truffles are a kind of fungal bloom that were found to be useful in the production of BioCements and, upon their discovery, became Puuri Loh Appiiri Aasojipna's primary industry. Due to the quality of Puuri Loh Appiiri Aasojipna's truffles as well as social factors endemic to village resident's ancestral adjacency to Soto communities on ██████, the economy of the village has been able to maintain a high quality of life for all residents. A combination of the value of their annual crop yields, their crop being a highly valuable and strategic resource, and a robust culture of distribution and egalitarianism promoting the sharing of resources communally for the betterment of all rather than more individualist-capitalist economic attitudes, has enabled the village to ensure the well-being and general happiness of all its residents for epochs.

These same cultural factors, coupled with epochs of isolation, and the natural environment Puuri Loh Appiiri Aasojipna is surrounded by, formed the basis of a variety of folklore and traditions that make disambiguating what is and is not an anomalous occurrence difficult. Particularly the tradition of Waldenwandering which is how most of Puuri Loh Appiiri Aasojipna's residents resolve personal or interpersonal differences.

Waldenwandering presents itself, in most cases, as indistinguishable from a typical Missing Persons case, though residents describe a certain intuition for being able to distinguish between the two. According to statements from the half-dozen non-natives, this ability to differentiate between genuine disappearances and Waldenwandering is entirely opaque to non-natives, but that such intuitions are accurate to a degree anomalous unto itself.

█████████ █████ explained that the village's internal politics and conflict resolution practises simultaneously make calls to Ulooj extremely rare, but also make any investigations extremely difficult. █████████ ███████████ ██████—a native of the village—further described—though only in private—Puuri Loh Appiiri Aasojipna's lesser known practises involving more serious offences. For their benefit, I will keep those in confidence.

Nine particular cases are of special note. Nilo Biiba was not an isolated incident, and, having reviewed the case file, it is apparent to me that she is, at least now, a drakeswarm changeling. Specifically, based on the markings, her manner of dress, her hair, and the duplication and lengthening of her canines, she is a Wizer.

The other nine cases—of which only two were reported to the local constabulary—follow similar patterns. Seven males, two females, all adults, disappearing into the forest without warning or communication, their clothes typically found some distance into the underbrush showing signs of having been violently removed.

Nilo Biiba's case is especially interesting as it is the only one the Constabulary actively investigated. As per usual, Nilo Biiba is the least fascinating component to the story the report tells. What I learned about the Constabulary is of a far greater value than what is, at its core, an intensely banal case of Drakeswarm Allure.

(As an aside, that the Constabulary managed to track her down and bring her to Ulooj without falling prey to Drakeswarms or other Dreamborn is nothing short of miraculous.)

The Constabulary's conclusions from Biiba's interview tell me how often Ulooj has to deal with deeply superstitious individuals. Their offhanded dismissal of Biiba's description of the exact, step-by-step, personal experience of a Drakeswarm Allure as 'excited delirium' and their subsequent request to a local magistrate to issue a 72-hour involuntary hold for mental evaluation screams of standard operating procedures. Thankfully, the local Inpatient Facility was over capacity at the time of the request, otherwise the local Mythic Sanctuary would've gotten involved.

Small blessings...

I've requested from the Riverine ArQives: 7th Ward three sets of Level 6 PAPE, as the existence of Drakeswarms is a key indicator of the existence of heightened anomalous activity on a planet. If there is a Gaian Well, Drakeswarms will lead me to its heart.

Log 28.3.2910:

Couriers dropped off a package of Level 6 PAPE this morning. █████████ █████ and █████████ ██████████ █████ have volunteered to accompany me on the next leg of this investigation.

They are nothing if not predictable.

Whilst waiting on the delivery of the PAPE, I did receive and review Social Media records sent from ████████████, which proved to be substantially more useful than professional media.

Again, predictable.

124 records showed relevant signs of activity indicative of a Gaian Well, including a recording of a distant creature which closely fit the profile of a Gaian. Between these records, elevated Osanometric readings in the area, interviews with local residents, topographical anomalies, and recordings of Drakeswarms, a Phoenix Grace, and a group of hikers stumbling on a meadow containing a large bed of Gloris, a Gaian Well is conclusively active on ████████████. I have compiled all records and logs, including an ICE Conclusory Report should I be incapacitated in the next few rotas.

All requisite materials have been filed In-Temp with ████████████.

Venturing into the Gaian Well, while not necessary at this point, will provide valuable data in determining how one has formed on ████████████, why, and where its Phoenix Graces came from.

This will be my final log on this investigation. Further noteworthy details will be appended to the Conclusions segment of my report, or included as part of my opening notes.

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