Red Mirror, Black Sea

"Red Mirror, Black Sea" is a poetic anthology written by Cubert Comphley, which some have reasoned to be a pseudonym. In its verses, it philosophizes on the nature of different anomalies and commonly assigns them on a spectrum between two fictional entities of Comphley's own design. These two entities are coined as the "red mirror" and "black sea" respectively. According to Comphley, they encompass the complete range of hazardous parastandard and nonstandard threats.

## History

Red Mirror, Black Sea was heavily propagated between 2010 and 2017. During this time, the poem appeared in out-of-the-way areas such as attics, storage vaults, dusty drawers, and abandoned structures. It is unknown whether it accessed these areas through supernatural means or if these events were committed by an invasive but benign cult. Red Mirror, Black Sea is not the first nor last piece of media to convey itself around the globe in this fashion, so the event did not garner much media attention.

To those curious enough to peer within its pages, it offers a certain perspective of the world one may or may not find disagreeable. It is a poet's work, and has no founding in scientifically-backed principles. Despite this, proponents argue for its intuitive descriptions and the memorable way it frames the shades of evil that dwell on planet earth.

## Red Mirror

Comphley's spectrum of antagonistic forces begins at the Red Mirror. Entities in this range are generally weaker, but more directly involved with people. They may possess a sapience or behavior that loosely mimics one we understand, but it is ultimately twisted into a form that poses a threat. In his work, he describes the red mirror as "something akin to something we know" that "knows us in its own kind of way". He describes the interactions of a red mirror and its victims as the interactions of normal creatures through a compromised lens.

An excerpt describing the properties of a red mirror reads as follows:

*The red mirror is akin to something we know.* *It knows us, in its own kind of way. It clothes itself in "looks likes" and "similar tos" and converses with us in dark paradigms of action. It is a limited entity, as it is structured around limited frames. It may stretch, it may distort, and it may tint, but it must always be framed; tied to the world. Its form mirrors intentions that swim freely, but only within its confines. It is a bound entity cosplaying at the limitless. It is understandable, if one looks past its deceit. It is stable, if one recognizes its patterns. This restraint is a double edged sword. It hardens the creature, confining, but focusing it. A mirror is hardly more than reflective glass, but that is all it needs to be.*

*Take heed through all investigation: a red mirror is a directed lens. It will not dally in its goals, nor squander its chances or forms in seemingly meaningless tasks. A red mirror takes a firm grip of the world and is loathe to let it go. You may know it is "weaker" in an abstract and distant way, but you will be made to understand what strength there is. It is not the unfathomable, indescribable outreach that comes and goes and takes the esoteric. It is the solid hand that cuts through and grabs the wrist. It is made of something like you know, and it wants something like you have.*

Generally a red mirror poses the most immediate and short-term danger, given that it actively pursues a hostile agenda that pits it against others.

## Black Sea

Comphley's spectrum of antagonistic forces ends at the Black Sea. Entities in this range are beyond hierarchy and ruleset, but usually distant from the lives of humans. What is known of them - if anything - strains the mind, making it grasp at obscure and primordial connections that still fail to convey a modicum of the entity in question. Comphley often uses the black sea to denote something he playfully refers to as "All-powerful, but mostly harmless." While he notes that it can be very dangerous, he claims most danger is through unintentional means, the same way water was "accidentally" made to drown in large quantities.

An except describing the properties of a black sea reads as follows:

*A black sea is the epitome of vastness. It is an arcane magnitude that places itself beyond our world and the scope of its contents. It does not know us, or perhaps it knows us and does not care, or perhaps it knows us in a way that cannot be written. Many things about a black sea cannot be written, with exception of the questions they raise. Is there a limit to their depth? Their scale? A way to approximate their workings? Perhaps not. All we construct of it is what it means to us, and it cares little for either. It cannot be truly fought; the aspects we attack are only the surface effigies we've made in its name.*

*And yet the black sea flows around us. It is not here for us. The great force comes... and goes! It is so extensive in all directions that few if any compete with our own. Perhaps you may think it has squandered itself. All-powerful, but mostly harmless! Go ahead, it will not begrudge you. A black sea is itself no matter our actions and needs no assistance from us. It flows freely. Uncaring. Perhaps even ignorant - after all, a black sea is something that can rightfully afford ignorance. A black sea is dangerous in a detached sort of way, just as water itself present presents a hazard in the right light. An errant twitch, maybe. A smothering presence. A cascade of negative effects out of chance, not necessity. They are too wrapped up in themselves to engage with us in a way meaningful to them... though in the event such encounters do happen, they will certainly be meaningful to us.*

Generally a black sea poses a long-term, overarching danger. Its intense otherworldly nature makes it a potentially large threat, but in practice much less of a worry than its more grounded counterpart.

## Summation

Cromphley continues his poems with many real and fictional scenarios that fall somewhere between the two spectrums or carry traits of both. He also decides to play around with minor stories involving both the red mirror and black sea as primary antagonists. In doing so, he makes effort to reaffirm and distinguish the following:

A red mirror is something:

* Closer to human than alien
* Pursuing a goal that can be measured
* Has motivations and internal logic that can be understood
* Is commonly a warping of what already exists
* Carries strengths and limitations from its chosen medium
* Frequently "on our level" of intuition
* Directly concerned with our existence
* Directly antithetical to our existence

A black sea is something:

* Completely alien
* Pursues an unknowable goal if one at all
* Has motivations too complex or simple to grasp
* Is not based on any distinct, recognizable concept
* Possesses potentially limitless abilities
* Cannot or does not meaningfully connect with us
* Mostly or completely unaffected by our doings
* Usually too esoteric to be harmful to our existence

## Reception

"Red Mirror, Black Sea" is a documented example of the ways people have rationalized post-1992 earth and attempted to categorize what has largely denied categorization. It enjoys respectable standing among other historically similar works and even a meme status among certain cultures. Cubert Comphley has never been found, and some argue that tonal shifts halfway through his work indicate that he stopped writing halfway through, only for a third party to impersonate his style and complete his original project. The real story of the work, like its subject matter, remains occluded in mystery.

Acclaimed phenomena researcher Peter Pigeonhole has a copy of "Red Mirror, Black Sea" in his office. Though he has often lauded the work for its striking imagery and compelling themes, he is also a critic of the notion that red mirrors must be innately hostile beings, or that black seas are truly unable to be comprehended. He recognizes that the original intent of the work is not to impose a scientific doctrine, but feels applying its mappings to current reality is "mistaken and defeatist."

## Trivia

* "Red Mirror, Black Sea" was inspired by a dream.
* The opposing forces in the poem have been likened by some to mania and depression, with the former being an invasive and energetic force and the latter being an omnipotent, uncaring presence. Particularly radical believers in this analogy have nicknamed "Red Mirror, Black Sea" the "Book of Bipolar Anomalies."
* "Note #1: Jason Weathers" details an entity approximating a Black Sea https://docs.google.com/document/d/1H\_4PImTjjGJI3cF5u0OYttO6xm65ZC0dPYOVXnMRMT0/edit?usp=sharing
* "Note #2: The Red Goblet" details an entity approximating a Red Mirror https://docs.google.com/document/d/1CuW4qSqfdzQXGI91fJTidlX6ATm-lMYapV-atxin86U/edit?usp=sharing