The Skolgva Investigation

The contents of this article are classified. Disclosing this information with someone who is unauthorized will result in **termination**.

## Background Information

The SK file was an investigation into the Skolgva Incident conducted by the Syrvanian Office of Civil Interest. Recordings were made about the investigation, though all but two of these were destroyed. The two surviving recordings are the only clues about what truly happened at Skolgva.

## **Recording One**

The first recording was of an interview with a Syrvanian soldier that served at Skolgva.

### **Transcript**

B: Interview for case file "SK", number 1, conducted by Field Inspector Ilo Breczevitz. Subject is Private Vasil Gutarin, Syrvanian Army, Force G.

B: Private, good evening.

B: I am told you went through a lot during your time stationed in Skolgva.

B: That you experienced some unusual things.

B: I'd like you to tell us what you saw.

V: (Muttering) You wouldn't believe me.

B: Pardon me?

V: I said you wouldn't believe me!

B: (Sighing)

B: Private...

B: May I call you Vasil?

B: Vasil, as you may know, I work for the Office of Civil Interest.

B: And since you're likely to be with us for quite some time,

B: I think it may be best to clarify what it is we do here.

B: We investigate matters that are "of interest" to our nation's leadership.

B: Matters of military intelligence, public order, and political stability are within our purview of responsibility.

B: These may include some…

B: … Unbelievable matters.

B: Matters which, for the sake of our people’s safety, are kept under firm lock and key.

B: Known only to us in the Office, and (to) the Party Chairman.

B: So, Vasil…

B: Don’t try to tell me what I would and would not believe.

B: Because I can assure you, whatever it is you’ve seen in Skolgva…

B: … I’ve probably dealt with stranger things over breakfast this morning.

B: Now…

B: What did you see?

V: They came for us…

V: Out of the fog.

B: Who did?

V: (Sobbing)

V: The corpses.

V: Hundreds of them!

V: (We) shot into them for hours, but they kept coming.

V: We held, but… they got close

V: Too close.

V: I saw them.

V: I saw their pale faces, their…

V: …Empty eyes.

V: Like they’d been hollowed out.

B: Vasil, I have to believe you even if I didn’t want to.

B: But your commanding officer made no reports of mass attacks on the garrison at-

V: (Shouting) I know what I saw!

V: I know what I saw…

V: The things that happened there…

V: The things we did…

V: Not even the dead could forget them…

V: …Or forgive them

At this point, Private Gutarin refused to give any more information.

## **Recording Two**

After further investigation by Inspector Breczevitz, the second recording was made.

### **Transcript**

D: Interview for case file “SK”, concluding statements, conducted by Chief Inspector Anton Dobryl. Subject is Field Inspector Ilo Breczevitz.

D: Inspector.

B: Inspector.

D: Please disclose the results of case file “SK”,

D: Pertaining to the incident at Skolgva.

B: The matter has been explained. The case file is to be closed.

D: Please elaborate, Inspector.

B: Soldiers stationed in Skolgva reported reanimated corpses of fallen Hettic soldiers and civilians attacking them at their garrison.

B: Further investigation suggests that the Hettska were very much alive all along.

B: Force G had been marching for some time and was fatigued.

B: Lingering poisons in the air required them to wear filtration masks at all time,

B: Leaving them perpetually short of breath and sleep deprived.

B: Compounded with…

B: …Guilt over the prior gas attacks.

B: The personnel of Force G were delusional and easily panicked.

D: Reports of interviewed witnesses all give consistent descriptions.

D: Were these…

D: “Hollow Men”, as they called them, some kind of…

D: …Collective hallucination, then?

B: We believe that their reports are based off of the standard-issue chemical hood of the Hettic Home Army.

B: The R-K Type hood is typically white in color, with large eyepieces and a lower filter over which the mask drapes.

B: Since poison gas had not been used prior, our personnel had not seen them before.

B: With limited visibility, as well as sleep deprivation, the masks may have appeared from a distance to be…

B: …“Ghoulish”.

D: I see.

D: So you mean to tell that case file “SK” was a response to army personnel…

D: …Jumping at shadows?

B: It was a means of putting our soldiers’ fears to rest, Chief Inspector.

D: Ilo…

D: You insisted on opening this investigation.

D: You took valuable resources, personnel, and time from this organization to end up with a red herring!

D: When word of this reaches the Party Chairman,

D: You’ll likely hang for this!

B: I will do no such thing.

D: Our nation is at war!

D: And you used its most valuable organization to investigate a ghost story!

B: We live in uncertain times, Anton.

B: This organization, the Party, the nation,

B: Cannot afford uncertainty.

B: We’ve learned from case “AG” that nothing can be ignored.

B: No matter how ridiculous it may seem.

B: What if it was another anomaly?

B: What if it was, in fact, some unprecedented effect of chemical warfare?

B: What if there were, indeed, monsters hunting our servicemen?

B: You, me, and the Party Chairman all know that it’s better to waste our time on wild goose-chases and…

B: …And “ghost stories” …

B: …Than to discover too late that they were true.

B: And from what we’ve both seen, Anton, hollowed-out men in the fog would not be the worst of them.

The recording ends here. Although it seemingly wraps up the case of Skolgva, it leaves behind many questions about what else Syrvanian troops experienced during the Second Leersog War.