Location of Interest 115

LOCATION OF INTEREST No. 115

**THE HOUSE NORSOUTHA AND THE FIVE FUSONIC GOVERNORATES**

 Containment Level:
**JÖRMUNGANDR**
 Risk Class:
 ASSIGNED SITE(s) **CHARYBDIS FAFOA**
* **CHARYBDIS KGPFOS**

* **CHARYBDIS WPFOS**

* **CHARYBDIS MPFOS**

* **CHARYBDIS MYPFOS**

* **CHARYBDIS KMPFOS**
**KGPFOS DIRECTOR CHARLES FORSYTH**
**WPFOS DIRECTOR GRANT JOHNSTON**
**MPFOS DIRECTOR TAKINA CHITOSE**
**MYPFOS DIRECTOR CHISATO ZUBARASHIMA**
 RESEARCH HEAD(s) **FFOS DR. TAKESHI SHINOMIYA**
**KGPFOS RESEARCH HEAD KAGUYA KOYA**
**WPFOS RESEARCH HEAD CHARLES LAMPEROUGE**
**MPFOS RESEARCH HEAD DANIEL ORUMA**
**MYPFOS RESEARCH HEAD HANA ITAKAMIYA**
**KMPFOS RESEARCH HEAD MIHO TAKAMURA**

## ARCP

**Anomalous Research and Containment Protocols:** The containment of LOI-115 are under the express supervision of Project CHARYBDIS and Distributed Task Force Kappa-5 ("United Peacekeepers"). Due to the potential eschatological ramifications of LOI-115, special precautions were in place to prevent any and all Groups of Interest from attempting to awaken any of the five Fusonic governorates; said special precautions were also taken and effected in place to ensure that LOI-115 does not attempt to release the Worm-in-Waiting from its prison located at LOI-100.

The CHARYBDIS Fuso Archipelago Forward Operating Area and its three containment sites were established at Kanegawa, Wakayama, Mie, Miyazaki and Kumamoto Prefectures to help contain the gateways leading to all five LOI-115 locations. Unauthorized personnel are to be detained, with lethal force only used to eliminate units from Groups of Interests from breaching containment and destroying [REDACTED].

**Containment Memorandum:** Under no circumstances are personnel whether authorized or unauthorized permitted to come within 1km of the gateways at anytime. Observation is to be done remotely.

* Director Wilhelm Schmidt - *Director, PFC Technology*
* Director Mark Johnson - *Director, Project CHARYBDIS*
* Director Konstantinos Palaiologos - *Director, Department of Antediluvian Research*
* Doctor Louis Capet - *Lead Researcher, Location of Interest 115*
* Director Marina Inoue - *Director, Fuso Archipelago Forward Operating Area'*
* Director Charles Forsyth - *Director, CHARYBDIS Kanegawa Prefecture Forward Operating Site Director*
* Director Grant Johnson - *Director, CHARYBDIS Wakayama Prefecture Forward Operating Site Director*
* Director Takina Chitose - *Director, CHARYBDIS Mie Prefecture Forward Operating Site Director*
* Director Hana Itakamiya - *Director, CHARYBDIS Miyazaki Prefecture Forward Operating Site Director*
* Director Miho Takamura - *Director, CHARYBDIS Kumamoto Prefecture Forward Operating Site Director*
* Commander Alejandros Piedad - *CHARYBDIS Fuso Archipelago Forward Operating Area Chief*
* Commander Jennifer Takamiya - *CHARYBDIS Kanegaw Prefecture Forward Operating Site Chief*
* Commander Shinji Hikari - *CHARYBDIS Wakayama Prefecture Forward Operating Site Chief*
* Commander Gendou Hikari - *CHARYBDIS Mie Prefecture Forward Operating Site Chief*
* Commander Rei Langley Itsuka - *CHARYBDIS Miyazaki Prefecture Forward Operating Site Chief*
* Commander Ozzy Melbourne - *CHARYBDIS Kumamoto Prefecture Forward Operating Site Chief*
* Commander Marie Antoinette III - *Distributed Task Force Kappa-5 Commander*

**Project CHARYBDIS Association Main Points of Contact:**
* Yahweh - *God of the Abrahamic Religions*
* Lucifer - *The Morningstar*
* Amaterasu Omikami - *The Sun Goddess of the Japanese Pantheon*
* Seth - *Maintainer of LOI-001 "Audapaupadopolis"*
* Viviane (Viviyanai) - *High Priestess of Toron, Cathedral of Avalon's Light*
* Helena (Gehleinha) - *Magician of Toron, Circle of Toron's Light*
* Borealis (Vo'rei-Al'us) - *Comes of Toron, Legio XIII Norsouthaion*

## Description

Location of Interest 115 (LOI-115) is the group designation for five cities or provinces located off the shores of Kanegawa, Wakayama, Mie, Miyazaki and Kumamoto Prefectures and 7.6 kilometers below the surface. The five provinces' architectures indicate they predate by hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of years and was constructed using advanced techniques and materials similarly to LOI-001. The architecture in nature is a combination of medieval European, ancient Greco-Roman and traditional Japanese architectures, with the former first being most prevalent throughout.

LOI-115-1 through -5 bore markings identified as a long-dead human language that cannot be found elsewhere in ancient settlements but is likely to be an immediate precursor to Japonic, Germanic, ancient Greek and Filipino languages. Deciphering of the texts by Paranormal Forces Coalition linguists determined that the five provinces were centers of the "Five Fusonic Governorates" which, according to additional more texts, were created by an Asiatic empire known as the Black Empire of Maradika several hundred years after an attempted Maradikan invasion was botched by Fusonic forces under Emperor Jimmu and Yor-Salemite forces send by King David on Yahweh's instructions, resulting in the current governorates.

LOI-115 is divided into five sub-designations -1 through -5, respectively known as LOI-115-Kanegawa, LOI-115-Wakayama, LOI-115-Mie, LOI-115-Miyazaki, and LOI-115-Kumamoto. According to Maradikan texts, the five provinces were to be administered by military governorates which were led by five military governors, who were referred to as Governors-Militant or Governess-Militant. Each were similar to feudal governments, though the governor is either the heir or elected by their peers. Each were given greater operational autonomy from the Imperial Regent, though they periodically report to them. The population of each governorate appear to consist of Fusonics and Maradikans, with the former being numerous yet under the boot heels of the minority latter; for their part, the governorates experience a number of revolts that occur many times, with the largest taking place at Wakayama. Such acts of brutality continued before 400,030 BCE, during which changes were made to lessen the brutality performed by Maradikan and later Fusonic troops, though change were already in effect 50 years prior however slow the reforms were.

### Associated anomalies

The file consisted of the following anomalies.

* LOI-115-A
* LOI-115-B
LOI-115-A is a male humanoid entity serving as the current governor of LOI-115-Wakayama known by the name of Vo'rei-Al'us Noro'u-Suthdas III, Maradikan for Borealis Norsoutha III. Located in a castle, LOI-115-A is said to have governed the Uvakaiaman Governorate at the start of a young age. He had long dark-blue hair with white and light-blue streaks, blue eyes, and a fair skin color and build. His clothes, however, anachronistically resemble those worn by Second Great World War-era Germanic military leaders, especially the ones that were closed-collared; in this case, his was black with red as secondary. This was more prominent across commanders of the Black Empire. Oddly, despite his age his appearance remain in his early twenties.

According to several texts he was a child of a father of a different family and of a mother of the Noro'u-Suthdas family who was lost when a bandit raid separated him from his family. All attempts at finding him failed.

It is not known what had happened on 400,013 BCE, but deciphered texts from LOI-001-Wakayama shows that its government and military underwent a series of major reforms initiated by Vo'rei-Al'us III. The deciphered texts mentioned that he had arrived from the west in 400,017 BCE and was properly taught how to rule, orate and lead. However, one of the texts, which have a detailed account of Borealis III, mentioned him as a heretic and an apostate in 400,012 BCE for "having the gall to reform the Cult of the Worm and turning the world upside down transforming the Uvakaiyaman Governorate" below. Borealis III was referred to as "the Apostate" even before he became governor militant at 400,013 BCE.

When the lost child-apostate Vo'rei-Al'us III returned from the west did we celebrated his triumphant return, and the governor and bureaucrats, officers and soldiers demanded that all must celebrate the lost child's return. Many foods and wines were to be had, and while we expecteth Vo'rei-Al'us to say anything he stated he wished to study, and the commanders and bureaucrats granted his respect.
Everytime he went out he insisted that he travel to the other governorates and see what was like to be there. The commanders and bureaucrats, those who vie for support, fought each other to give him their best escorts; the apostate had asked to send half of their best. I hath accompanied him, and it was an honor to be with him!
It was only when we realized that by the time he became governor did we - the loyal men and women of the Black Empire of Maradika and the Worm - realize the truth: the lost child-apostate had turned against what we fought for! The traitorous bastard adoptive child of Lord Charlemagne (Kharleimaine) Noro'u-Suthdas had turned what we worked for by removing the bureaucrats and commanders from their high seats, replacing them with those whose lofty and noble dreams were lofty!
He had even committed an even greater sin against the Worm: he removed the governorate's religious leaders and appointed and commissioned his own to create their version of the Cult's own scriptures many of us deemed heretical! The bastard child is the Anti-Regent! Whoremonger! Destroyer!
We loyal servants of the Imperial Regent and the Void Emperor shall stop this madness and kill the wretched wizard! We shall tear the bastard Apostate apart and return what was right to the governorate!
Vhah'diemh, vhah'togth! (What was shall be, what will be, was!)

A script was made by a then-unnamed Fusonic chronicler. The script, though detailed was it, did not mention any individuals who helped him before he returns home.

During the years between being separated from his family and returning to Uvakaiama, the child apostate who would become Vo'rei-Al'us III traveled alone for several days without food or water before being found by traveling merchants. Taking pity on the lost Maradikan boy, they took him back to the city of Yor-Salem to be ministered by a minister.
The poor boy was healed in an instant, but when the minister asked who is he, the child didn't answer, afraid of him hurting him. Then, an angel of Yahweh appeared and beckoned the minister to read his mind. He reached out his hand to the poor child and laid his hand on his head, and saw something he did not expect. Seeing this, the minister brought him to the court of the King and told him about the lost child, calling him one of the children of the unholy regent of Maradika. The minister also stated, however, that he wasn't just a child of the cursed regent but a bastard child who had done no sin, with the only sin being he from the regent's lineage.
Calling in all the prophets of the land the King consulted with his advisors and prophets on what to do with the child, and it was then decided to let him stay. During those years staying in the lands of Yor-Salem, Vo'rei-Al'us III, encouraged by the King, asked him to teach him the ways of his people. From that day, the poor child apostate traveled across the land with the King and his prophets, learning the history of the world, encountering different cultures and wandering gods, and so many the governor had forgotten. Regardless, the experience he had during his time in the lands of Yor-Salem made him realize the cruelty of Maradika and Europ upon his return to Uvakaiama. It was during those years that he had learned to be kind, just, honest, humble and compassionate. And though he was to return to Uvakaiama, he promised to the King and his prophets that he will visit them once again to thank them for making his stay comfortable and promised that he will set things to the right path like they wanted him to. The latter promise was made and kept, but the former was not.
Upon arrival, he was taught on how to rule his lands and how to lead armies in times of war by many of Lord Kharleimaine's best advisors, bureaucrats, religious leaders and commanders. At age 17, Vo'rei-Al'us was put onto the governor's seat upon Lord Kharleimaine's forced abdication and retirement at the hands his traitor bureaucrats and commanders. This proved to be their greatest mistake, as he gathered allies and friends - both within and without, Maradikan or not - and began reforming the governorate from within and without. Following the examples of the King Noah and his prophets he demonstrated the goodness of his heart by removing and putting to trial those who had committed injustices against the governorate and its peoples, subsequently eliminating the worst commanders, bureaucrats and cultists from power, as well as implementing new laws allowing the colonials and Fusonics to live their lives without consequence.
He selected like-minded conservatives and reformists from the governorate's cult and commissioned them to create a more inclusive kind of the Cult of the Worm, the one we called Maradikan Aagiokratia, and make it more accessible. He had its tenets based on those of Yahwehism and implemented the reformed faith throughout the governorate; the liturgical practices and rites were also based on those practiced by Yahwehists. The faith had excluded the Imperial Regent at the request of the governor, who sees said regent not as a god but a mere man selected by the Worm to rule the Black Empire in Its stead.
Such acts of apostacy sent the more traditional elements of the governorate to launch a great revolt and sent for aid from the Imperial Regent. The support from his allies, friends and the peoples of the Uvakaiaman Governorate was overwhelming that they defeated the revolt; some say those from Yor-Salem and Yahweh helped burn the fires within the peoples' hearts to launch a counter-revolt, leading to the deaths or imprisonment of the arrogant fools.
The corrupt nobles were his next target, and by now they were stripped of all their riches. Vo'rei-Al'us' own version of the Cult of the Worm, however, had gained support from the peoples of the four other governorates, and had forced the governors there to either resign or reform. Two were forced to adhere, one resigned and selected his successor (who is also supportive of reforms), and one was brutally murdered for demanding his forces to crush the petty peoples. Many people cheered Vo'rei-Al'us III's name and acclaimed him a god, but he told me he shuts the peoples down for calling him a god, saying that he refuses to be deified like the holy regents and those of ages past and wished to rule as a normal man. He beckoned them to worship their gods - either those of the Fusonics or the Worm.
When news broke out of what happened in the Five Governorates the Imperial Regent, mad and wretched as he had became, was enraged at the Apostate's actions. But seeing that the Black Empire is already not in a good state he instead sent a letter to the governor acknowledging him as the governor of the five and a god. Vo'rei-Al'us III responded back, asking him to not deify him but rather acknowledge him as a mere man. The Regent was enraged once more, but accepted the governor's status.

It was unclear whether or not this script is genuine or merely propaganda.LOI-115-B is a sorceress from the magical lands of Astrenia, located in Old Europ, named Maria Megista Otexea-Himari (Maria Otexea for shirt). She resemble a young woman in her early 20s, has purple hair and eyes, and clothes with somewhat anachronistic articles of clothing and footwear that matches the style of those worn by Astrenian magicians.

It is unknown what role she serves, but texts recovered from LOI-115-Wakayama indicates her title as Thaumaturga Occulta Arcana, or Arcane Occult Thaumaturge, which appear to be a secular title for a thaumaturge in a council as well as a religious title in one of t==he various sects of the Cult of the Loop. Despite this, there was no mention of her name in any texts written by adherents of the Cult of the Loop, suggesting she is from an unheard-of Astrenian religion.

[REDACTED; AWAITING DECLASSIFICATION]
## Addendum 115: Discovery

Several years prior to its discovery, there has been a recent spike in reports of dreams and nightmares throughout large parts of the Fusoan Empire. The Imperial Fusoan Agency on Paranormal Occurrences and Phenomenons launched an investigation but couldn't find what caused such events, despite detecting mediocre levels of thaumaturgical residue present.

Information gleaned from LOI-002, especially High Priestess Viviane, Comes Borealis and Magician Helena, led PFC investigators to the Ise Grand Shrine, where Amaterasu Omikami was said to reside at. Initial attempts at negotiating for talks with Amaterasu failed, leading to the PFC's diplomatic corps to request passage from the Fusoan shogunate, which eventually agreed to give them passage. Upon entering the shrine, CHARYBDIS agents discovered the sun goddess completely disturbed from her sleep.

When asked what had happened, Amaterasu replied that she had experienced a nightmare, a nightmare where she recognized the feeling of dread, before availing herself for interview several hours later. It is through that interview that she recalled seeing five ancient cities - those resembling a mixture of medieval European, traditional Japanese and ancient Greco-Roman buildings and architectures (though she stated the former first is more prominent especially its castles) - located far away from Kanegawa, Wakayama, Mie, Miyazaki and Kumamoto Prefectures. She said she recognize the five ancient cities' flags from anywhere, referring to them as the flags of the five governorates of the ancient Black Empire of Maradika.

A large-scale investigation commenced with naval and underwater assets deployed to ascertain the location of the five governorates. After finding nothing underwater, the use of underground radar scanning paratechnologies was authorized and took place on the slopes, rises and shelves. It was on the oceanic crust that the five cities were revealed to be actually provinces. Plans have been made to gain access to the five provinces when local Fusoan thaumaturges reported sensing unusual powers in the five prefectures. An investigation led to the discovery of five inactive gateways deep in the forests or caves. After a few weeks of research it was revealed a specific set of thaumaturgical runes were needed to safely activate them; testing would have lasted for several weeks until one of the CHARYBDIS thaumaturge randomly inputs the correct rune set onto one of the gateways.

Due to the events that happened, Project CHARYBDIS had established five forward operating sites under the jurisdiction of the Fuso Archipelago Forward Operating Area.

## Addendum 115.2: CHARYBDIS Leadership Meeting Transcript I

The following is an excerpt from a recorded meeting Project CHARYBDIS Director Mark Johnson, Department of Antediluvian Research Director Konstantinos Palaiologos, and FAFOS Director Marina Inoue.

**In Attendance:**
* CHARYBDIS Director Mark Johnson
* Dept. of Antediluvian Research Director Konstantinos Palaiologos
 **Director Inoue:** Thank you for allowing me to participate in this meeting, Director Johnson, Director Palaiologos. And should you ask about my chief of staff, he's busy discussing with the commander of DTF Kappa-5 on which agents they'll send to explore one of the five governorates.
**Director Johnson:** And I want to thank you in advance for the discovery of the five gateways. Didn't think it would be this easy.
**Director Inoue:** True, though my chief of staff would say otherwise about the runes. Or the nightmares going on.
**Director Palaiologos:** True. Amaterasu had suffered a nightmare prior to our discovery of the five governorates. Never did we think they were the same size as the five prefectures in terms of landmass. Even with the help of demonic, angelic and Cthlulhuan forces, we have never expected all five to be that large, nor are we prepared for what we are about to see.
**Director Johnson:** Our deific friends were already working to grant the victims immunity from such nightmares. Even thaumaturges from the IFAPOP also helped out. Anyways, let's focus on the issue, shall we?
**Director Inoue:** Hai, Director. During our investigation into the five gateways, the researchers have discovered small square tiles for unknown purposes. We tried putting some thaumaturgical blocks on them, but they don't seem to work. Several tiles with different thaumaturgical sequences were also used, yet that didn't work. It was only when that different runes were used that the gateways started reacting.
**Director Johnson:** Do we have anything about them?
**Director Inoue:** Hai, we do have something. While we were making plans to start an experimentation, one of the thaumaturges had created a set of tiles with different thaumaturgical symbols and placed them randomly on the Wakayama gateway. Unexpectedly, the gate was activated. During our interrogation, the thaumaturge in question had a dream of the tiles with the same symbols, but when he asked how he knows about their placements he only said that he didn't see where they landed as his dream is focused on them before they moved out of his sight.
**Director Palaiologos:** So what did you do to him?
**Director Inoue:** Gave him a seven-day vacation in the Fusoan Empire. He's enjoying the otaku life.
**Director Palaiologos:** Typical.
**Director Inoue:** Anyways, we decided to use the same method the thaumaturge did. Brute force attack method, like how hackers do.
**Director Johnson:** Were any of them successful?
**Director Inoue:** Only two were being brute-forced at the moment. 115-Kanegawa took some time to be unlocked, and 115-Kumamoto required a few other thaumaturges. 115-Mie and 115-Miyazaki were quite the trouble, however. Both require two sets of thaumaturgical symbols different from the ones used by the Maradikans. We're trying out different thaumaturgical symbols that would allow the last two gateways at 115-Mie and 115-Miyazaki to be activated.
**Director Johnson:** Why not combine Maradikan and local Fusoan or Fusonic symbols? Mie and Miyazaki Prefectures were home to two shrines associated with Amaterasu Omikami.
**Director Inoue:** We were going to try that out, actually. Even worse, the Fusonic symbols weren't like those in antediluvian times. Still, though, this does beg the question: why is 115-Kumamoto, 115-Wakayama and 115-Kanegawa the only ones we manage to gain access to?
**Director Palaiologos:** From my understanding, it is possible that the three gateways used Maradikan symbols initially but weren't changed before the flowers bloomed at once everywhere and before the floodwaters start rising.
[AWAITING DECLASSIFICATION]

## Addendum 115.3: Exploratory Mission I

The following is a recorded transcript from Exploratory Mission I, which was to ascertain the status of LOI-115 as well as discover any entities within. Due to the nature of these governorates, it was agreed that LOI-115-Wakayama is selected for exploratory mission.

**Distributed Task Force Kappa-5 ("United Peacekeepers")**
* Agent Aurelia Tonkin - Team Lead
* Agent Devin Sanchez - Deputy Team Lead
* Agent Dmitriy Potemkin - Communications
* Agent Marina Takashima - Thaumic Support
* Agent Martin Luther Job - Thaumic Support
* Agent Eizo Egusa - Fire Support
* Agent Michael Maxim - Fire Support
* Agent Gebhard Kaltenbrunner - Fire Support
* Agent Sir Timothy Thompson - Fire Support
* Agent George Melbourne - Survey

**Points of Contact**
* FAFOS Command - Mission Overseer
* Yahweh - Informer, Guide, Mission Support
 **FAFOS Command:** All teams, mic check.
**Tonkin:** Check.
**Sanchez:** Check.
**Potemkin:** Check.
**Takashima:** Check.
**Job:** Check.
**Egusa:** Check.
**Maxim:** Check.
**Kaltenbrunner:** Check.
**Thompson:** Check.
**Melbourne:** Checked and ready to launch.
**FAFOS Command:** Affirmed. We hear you loud and clear, team. Stand by for mission countdown. Begin countdown, Governor.
**GOVERNOR.AIC:** 10. 9. 8. 7. 6. 5. 4. 3. 2. 1. 0.
**FAFOS Command:** Mission commenced. Proceed to the insertion point.
*The team made their way towards the gateway.*
**Amaterasu:** Remember, everyone. We know more about the Governorate of Uvakaiama ever since the Black Empire of Maradika had conquered the five provinces. Should you need help in deciphering, we can tell you.
**Yahweh:** Do not forget. Almost all of the thaumaturgical mechanisms were still in place ever since all five governorates retreated down underground during the Great Flood. Whatever thou do, do NOT kill anyone or trip anything that might awaken the sleeping soldiers there or activate the defensive mechanisms. And even so, we cannot know what kind of mechanisms the governors had left in place. So, expect a lot of nasty surprises.
**Sanchez:** Uh, just a simple question, Yahweh, Amaterasu: how much do you know about these governors?
**Amaterasu:** We'll tell you once you're in.
**Sanchez:** Understood. Tonkin?
**Tonkin:** Aye. Team, on me. We're going to enter that gateway.
*The team soon enters the gateway, arriving within a structure of some kind.*
**Tonkin:** Command, we're in here. Likely some sort of structure that housed the gateway on this side.
**Yahweh:** The building you're in is fortified and shielded from any and all harm, protecting the gateway. Judging by the results the scientists had made while using carbon dating techniques, these buildings were built likely a few years after the floodwaters had receded.
**Amaterasu:** Your hunch was right, Yahweh. I think they were trying to make contact with anyone.
**Yahweh:** True, but they returned empty-handed before closing the gateways and placed themselves into a deep, undisturbed sleep.
**Sanchez:** That's...quite the big lore you have there, you two.
**Yahweh:** Anyways, about the governors you asked, agent Sanchez, these governors were the kind of military governors who were either selected by their peers or were made heirs by their predecessors, likely prior to their deaths or retirement. In the past, the five governorates receive their assigned governors from the Imperial Regent himself, who alongside his peers appoint them like any other. That was before he granted the five their greater autonomy, resulting in them waging wars or skirmishes and either losing or winning any of them.
*As Yahweh explains much about the five governorates' leaders, the team tries to search for a way out.*
**Tonkin:** Takashima, Job, see if you can breach this wall.
**Amaterasu:** Don't, Tonkin. We told you not to do anything that might trip. I suggest that you find something that resembles a doorway, and cut it.
**Melbourne:** Kinda a bit late on that, ma'am. I found one.
**Amaterasu:** Good. Now cut it.
*Job and Takashima activated their thaumic cutters to cut the "doorway", and used their powers to carefully and slowly down the "door.*
**Tonkin:** And we have entry. Proceed?
**FAFOS Command:** Proceed, team.
*The team made their way out of the structure, and find themselves in what appear to be the courtyard of a shrine similar to a Shinto grand shrine.*
**Thompson:** Whoa. This is...unexpected.
**Amaterasu:** Explain.
**Tonkin:** The place we're in, are we in a grand Shinto shrine?
**Yahweh:** Yeah, we'll need a few pictures. Thompson, Melbourne, if you please?
*Melbourne and Thompson took pictures of the surrounding area and sent them to FAFOS Command.*
**FAFOS Command:** Received. Yahweh, Amaterasu, what do you make of this?
**Amaterasu:** Let me see. *(Pause)* Oh my.
**Yahweh:** Yeah, I think we know what shrine you and your team were in, Tonkin.
**Sanchez:** So what is it?
**Amaterasu:** You and your team were in the Wakayama Grand Shrine, wholly dedicated to me and me alone. I need more pictures.
**Tonkin:** Roger that. Team, we split up in two and take as much as possible.
*The team splits into two groups as they proceed to take pictures of the Wakayama Grand Shrine and everything within. During their exploration, they came across several mikos, nuns and thaumaturges residing in several rooms either sitting down or sleeping; a few were found with their backs against the wall on either side of any door.*
**Sanchez:** Are you receiving these?
**Yahweh:** Yes. I remember what this grand shrine was once. This shrine once belonged to a long-dead - or was it former? - local god. Was, before the blasphemous cultists forced said god out to convert it into a temple for worshipping the Worm-in-Waiting and the Imperial Regent. A place of sacrifice, both humanoid and animal, and a place of cruelty long before Vo'rei-Al'us III made his reforms, which included this very shrine we talked about. Needless to say, the cultists were among those in the revolt that ended in its defeat but also the deaths of those who revolted against the young governor in the first place.
**Amaterasu:** Now it serves as a shrine dedicated to me and the since-departed god. It also serves as a place of worship for both the locals and the more reformist cultists, whom we now call the Maradikan Aagiokratians.
**Egusa:** Maradikan Aagiokratians? Does that mean Faithful Maradikans or Imperial Maradikans?
**Sanchez:** Like most organized and unorganized religions, per se?
**Yahweh:** Transliteratively, yes, but this religion is basically what you and all those on this good world to be and to look like somewhat of a mixture of Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Protestantism, Nicene Chalcedonism, and Shintoism. More specifically, its organizational structure actually matches those of the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Nicene Chalcedonian Church, with the five Maradikan Aagiokratian conclaves - basically the equivalent of a Christian church or any other else - being led by the Potentates, who were much like the Eastern Orthodox and Nicene Chalcedonian Patriarchs. Other regional and provincial conclaves were ran by high priests or high priestesses.
**Yahweh:** The Cult of the Worm, which you folks call the Cult of the Loop, back in Maradika were very mad that their conclaves had been "perverted", "twisted" and "corrupted" by governor Vo'rei-Al'us III and his renegade cohorts, to the point they all called for their heads. Suffice to say, the Imperial Regent really do want to get rid of the reformists, but seeing that Maradika is already suffering from the hardships brought upon by the fae princess's curse it's not hard to imagine that he was forced to tolerate their presence.
*While Yahweh explained the details on the Maradikan Aagiokratia and its history, the team assemble at the torii, waiting for the go ahead.*
**Amaterasu:** Uh, the team's assembled at the exit.
**Yahweh:** Hmm? Okay. FAFOS Command?
**FAFOS Command:** Affirmed. Team, proceed.
*The team made their way out of the Wakayama Grand Shrine.*
**Sanchez:** Uh, Yahweh, Amaterasu? Mind if you explain more about the Maradikan Aagiokratia?
**Maxim:** Ever the learning one, aren't you?
**Sanchez:** Hey, I like history, Maxim! I love to learn more!
**Maxim:** And even so, knowledge can be good *and* bad, if you're reading something that should not have been.
**Yahweh:** Sure! The Maradikan Aagiokratia is basically what you consider to be a reformed Cult of the Worm, with all the ecclesiarchy, communion and monasticism of all sorts. However, the major difference between the Maradikan Aagiokratia and the Cult of the Loop is that the former had one specific tenet which truly defines them all. Have you ever heard of the game Crusader Kings 3 and its mod *"Godherja: The Dying World"*?
**Sanchez:** Yeah, I know it. What about them?
**Amaterasu:** Before the discovery of the fortress-city of Toron, we have been browsing the internet during our down time separately - and not the "down bad time" I'm talking about! - and when we came across the Godherja wiki on Miraheze. While doing some small research, we came across the Tenets page which listed down a number of tenets and their description and gameplay mechanics. One of these tenets, however, is called "Citizenship Through Service", which says that purity is not something in one's blood but through one's actions; that tenet's description also asked us this: "How is it our place to judge the sinner, when the sinner fights for us?"
**Yahweh:** That very tenet had our attention, as it reminded us of something we had forgotten. After diving into the Godherja wiki and finding the Faiths page, we called in everyone - from gods to supernatural or mythological agents to even regular folks - to help in the search. And the result? We discovered the Reformed Aversarinas Aagiokratia faith.
**FAFOS Command:** What do you know about the Reformed Aversarinas Aagiokratia?
*As they talked, the team made their way down the streets, which is abandoned though there were some lights within some rooms in several buildings. Team activated their helmet-equipped video cameras to allow live feed for anything that might move all the while keeping watch around themselves for anything. The team members looked into the still-lit rooms to find humanoids and animals sleeping or slouching on the beds, floors, tables, stairs, and/or chairs anytime they have the opportunity to look into said windows.*
**Yahweh:** According to the description, it says "the old ways of the Aversarians died the same way they were predicted and enforced, at the tip of the sword." It also said that Legan Hecaeda of the Legio LXI swore to prevent the same circumstances that caused its destruction ever happening again, by making it clear that "to be an Aversarian is no longer defined by bloodlines and ancestry, but through personal virtue". It also said the noble magocracy had been torn down in favor of a meritocracy.
**FAFOS Command:** So, does that mean the Maradikan Aagiokratia is what you consider to be a meritocracy, too?
**Yahweh:** Yes, yes it is. Vo'rei-Al'us III, or Borealis III to you, had seen the signs that the Cult of the Worm had gotten quite very self-destructive in its own ways, which included a lot of infighting, a lot of magic abuse, a lot of plots, and so on, even a lot of blood being spilled. Suffice to say, the destruction and self-destruction of the Cult's branch members in the five governorates convinced him that they must *evolve* in order to stop the pointless bloodshed. So, he gathered any and all cultists, whether tired, pragmatic or reformist, commissioned them to reform the faith, and impose the religious policies across Uvakaiama to let all know that change had indeed come. You already know the reactions of those who didn't like the changes.
**FAFOS Command:** And the outcome saw the Maradikan Aagiokratia replacing the Cult of the Loop throughout Uvakaiama, right?
**Amaterasu:** Yes, though the locals weren't ready to accept it. It was only through the actions of the faith's adherents that they should indeed try it out. Come two years later, and the people - both locals and colonials - have mostly become Maradikan Aagiokratians. Most of them are, of course. The research teams already confirm that the practices of the Maradikan Aagiokratians matched those of and even predated the Abrahamic religions and Shinto religion.
**Tonkin:** Team, stop.
*The team stopped.*
**FAFOS Command:** Team, what happened?
**Tonkin:** We came across another shrine, though it appears to have interned a few persons in. We'll move in and investigate.
**FAFOS Command:** Roger that. We'll wait for your contact.
*The team moved into the shrine to begin investigating it. Twenty minutes has passed.*
**Tonkin:** Command, we found some scriptures pertaining to a few "Sankti". Can you ask Amaterasu or Yahweh?
**Amaterasu:** I think I remember who and what they are. The "Sankti" you mentioned mean "Saints" in the Maradikan and Avalonian languages.
**Sanchez:** Like Christian Saints?
**Yahweh:** Yes.
**FAFOS Command:** Explain to us about the Sankti.
**Amaterasu:** The Sankti were the Cult of the Worm's equivalent of the saints of the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church and Nicene Chalcedonian Church. Like the Christian saints, Aagiokratian sankti were beatified for their virtues but ranged from worshipped figures to gods to angels or demons or whatever to past or even current figures. Perhaps Yahweh would explain.
**Yahweh:** In Maradika, the sankti, plural for sanktus, were beatified only because of their actions, bloodlines and ancestry and not their virtues and traits, which of course is quit insulting even to us. The Cult of the Worm's practices indeed match those of the Roman imperial cult, so the Maradikans worship different kinds of sankti - from gods to agents to past or present figures or even regular persons. And mind you, there exist some cases the sankti were beatified *even when they were still alive.*
**Amaterasu:** But while the Cult of the Worm beatify the dead and the living, the gods and their agents, the Maradikan Aagiokratia's beatification practices were much similar to those used by most Christian denominations, but only the deceased - and with a few exceptions a few living folks - would be beatified for their actions and virtues, and more specifically their contributions to society as a whole and their positive traits. In order to be beatified after death, one must have either one of the Seven Virtues, high piety or other great contributions, or any benevolent traits. Many would find veneration of the Maradikan Aagiokratian sankti to be a sort of heresy and idolatry, but such veneration was only because Maradikan Aagiokratians wanted to emulate their traits, piety and virtues.
**Amaterasu:** However, there existed some cases where any of the sankti were de-beatified. The reason for this debeatification is that any sankti who have done such contributions and have any benevolent traits or the Seven Virtues were found to be the opposite of what they were supposed to be - this is due to their hidden, secret negative desires. After performing a series of audits and investigations the Potentates, kannushis and priests will vote for the removal and debeatification of the wicked sankti. However, there exists an exception: before their deaths a few soon-to-be-beatified sankti stated their confessions and guilt for their wrongs and sins and their decision to redeem themselves in front of all that IS and that IS NOT. And the reason is that they realized the errors of their ways and sought to redeem themselves by helping others.
**FAFOS Command:** Are there a few cases that such confessions were likely false?
**Amaterasu:** Yes. Magicians and diviners employed by the Maradikan Aagiokratian conclaves made sure that such confessions were genuine; any confessions that were false will result in the offender no longer getting beatified. Would-be sankti who want to be sankti just for personal gains were barred from beatification. Only those who demonstrate their heavenly virtues, have higher piety, gave out contributions to society as a whole, refused to do any evil upon all, made clear their reasons for their actions, and sacrificing everything they have for the good of all were worthy to be sankti and worthy to have their virtues, characters, traits and actions emulated.
**FAFOS Command:** Quite a lot of work.
*The team continued making their way towards what appear to be a castle. The architecture indicates it resemble both medieval European castles and classical Greco-Roman castras. The team bypassed the castle at FAFOS Command's instructions. Exploration continued for 39 minutes uneventfully.*
**Tonkin:** Command, are you seeing this?
**FAFOS Command:** Yes. What is it?
*The team stood before what appear to be a medieval tower which had rotational wheel-like structures moving above its roof.*
**Thompson:** Job, can you read it?
**Job:** Yeah. I can sense its thaumaturgical presence, but it's quite...old. Not to mention, this structure had thaumaturgical sequences matching those of the Black Empire's. Ancient yet powerful, beyond yet young, old yet stable.
**FAFOS Command:** Mark it down. Amaterasu, do you know of this?
**Amaterasu:** They're created three years before the arrival of the Children of the Night. Utilizing Maradikan sorcery and advanced construction methods and materials, the Governorates built them throughout. The towers were divided into two: the Primary Conduit and the Remote Conduits. The Primary Conduit serves as the main tower built to monitor and regulate the Remote Conduits, which receive regulatory signals from the Primary Conduit. Both were used to project powerful void shields even the Children of the Night cannot breach, not even with the Wormwoods. This tower is what you consider a Remote Conduit.
**Egusa:** Does that mean nothing can get pass through such shields because they use artifacts empowered by the Worm?
**Amaterasu:** Correct, Egusa-san. Alternatively, the Worm can permit Cult of the Worm-employed sorcerers to empower artifacts that would grant them the boost over all. To the surprise of everyone, the Maradikan Aagiokratians made full use of that opportunity just to protect the governorates and its lands from all harm. The conclaves and the Astrenian and Astreno-Fusonic magocracies present throughout the governorates had amply opportunities to empower their artifacts and weaponize them for war. They didn't, instead using them only to protect themselves. And mind you, this was on the specific instructions of Governor Borealis III.
*The team marked the Remote Conduit Tower and made their way throughout Uvakaiama. Exploration is uneventful for the next four hours and forty-eight minutes before they arrived at another castle.*
**FAFOS Command:** Team, Yahweh has a word for you. Both he and Amaterasu will temporarily take over.
**Yahweh:** Tonkin, you and your team are now standing before the castle of Governor Borealis III. It is where the governor and his officers perform their administrative works at. Ahead is the keep, which you will need to enter and explore. Proceed with caution.
**Tonkin:** Roger that. Team, move in.
*The team enters the courtyard through the open gates and made their way. Several Maradikan and Fusonoc soldiers and officers, Astrenian and Astreno-Fusonic magi, and locals were found either lying down or slumped against walls.*
**Sanchez:** Mind if you continue enlightening us on the whole military governorate thing?
**Yahweh:** Certainly. The Uvakaiama Governorate happens to be a military governorate. It is quite similar to the usual bureaucratic governorates, military captaincies and imperial bureaucracy that dominated the Black Empire and, in Crusader Kings 2's and 3's *"After the End"* mod, Brazilian Empire. However, these military governorates were far different from all three, including the one from the CK2 version, so expect me to use the government type of the same name's gameplay mechanics. I will tell you once you found something. As for their titles, they are Governors-Militant, Governesses-Militant if there is one woman serving.
*The team arrived at the keep several minutes later and slowly enters it. Exploration was uneventful for 12 minutes.*
**Tonkin:** We found a lot of people sleeping on or against floors, tables, chairs, desks, stairs, or beds. We managed to get some texts from them, and maybe you could glean them.
**FAFOS Command:** Copy that, Team Lead. Is there anything else?
**Tonkin:** Yeah. I think we found the governor the two gods mentioned?
**Yahweh:** What? Show us!
*The footage shows the team inside a private study. Potemkin is seen approaching the desk. The footage switches to Potemkin's perspective. The live footage shows someone laying their head on the desk. The individual has long dark blue hair with white and light blue streaks, healthy fair skin complexion and black clothes that oddly yet anachronistically resemble a black Second Great World War-era Zeitschen military uniform.*
**Amaterasu:** That's him. Vo'rei-Al'us Noro'u-Suthdas III, or Borealis Norsoutha III.
**FAFOS Command:** Find any texts his private study has.
**Sanchez:** So, now's the time to talk about the military governorate thing?
**Amaterasu:** The military governorate is different from other governments prominent throughout the Black Empire due to the fact they were granted greater autonomy by the Imperial Regent. However, because they are loyal to the Black Empire they were not allowed to create their own empires or kingdoms *even if they survived the Great Flood* in order to become its continuation. After Borealis III rose to take over the Uvakaiama Governorate, he implemented a policy which supported cultural and religious pluralism. The maximum taxes must be given by all vassals, which is before Borealis III told said vassals to just pay low taxes. Lastly, there existed 20 commanders per governorate. Oh, and the leader of each military governorate is the Governor Militant, who again is either elected by their peers or appointed as heir by their predecessor. Like I said earlier each were led by a Governor-Militant or, if female, Governess-Militant.
**Kaltenbrunner:** And now that we're here, is there anything else?
**Melbourne:** Actually, I have something to say, and it's the person lying down on the floor next to Borealis III.
*As if on cue, Potemkin went around the desk and saw what appear to be a female magician in brightly-colored clothes, a far cry from the otherwise black-and-red clothes worn by Maradikan soldiers and officers.*
**Melbourne:** Who...is that witch?
**Takashima:** I don't know. Maybe the governor's secretary or assistant?
**Ebusa:** Please, we all know he had her as his wife.
**Yahweh:** To be honest, they weren't married.
**Thompson:** What do you mean, Yahweh?
**Yahweh:** The female magi you're looking at, she's a Fusono-Astrenian thaumaturga occulta arcana, the female form of thaumaturgus occultus arcanus, meaning arcane occult thaumaturge. It is the highest title in the Cult of the Worm, only second to the magisters and maybe to the office of Governor Militant.
**Tonkin:** Then she's his assistant, right?
**Amaterasu:** Yes.
**FAFOS Command:** Team, do you have anything about this thaumaturga?
**Job:** Now that we think about it, we have not found any texts she had of herself, and only a few scrolls which has her list her daily activities.
**FAFOS Command:** Understood. Team, withdraw for now. We'll try to go for a larger exploratory force and gather more evidence.
**Tonkin:** Roger that. Team, we're returning back to base.
*The team made their way out of the governor's castle and returned to the gateway where they came from.*
[END LOG]

During the excursion, several team members reported seeing movement on the streets, windows, doors, and rooftops. After receiving authorization to investigate, the team found nothing aside from a few objects missing. While detracting from their excursion, the team discovered bloodstains indicating signs of violence alongside spent bullet casings. FAFOS Command ordered the team to withdraw immediately, which they did using a shortcut. A second, much larger team were deployed to help protect the gateway bunker once the team arrived.

During debriefing, it was discovered that the movements the team spotted were of unknown individuals moving and engaging each other. FAFOS Command notified Director Johnson and the Department of Antediluvian Research of possible GOI incursions.

## Addendum 115.5: Exploratory Mission II

The following is an audio/video transcript on Exploratory Mission II, which eventually devolves into a multi-way battle between Project CHARYBDIS combat units and several unidentified Groups of Interest later revealed to be the Fourth Reich/Erstes Ordnung, Front for the Liberation of Paranormal Species, and the Society for the Annihilation of Paranormal Threats.

**Distributed Task Force Kappa-5 ("United Peacekeepers")**

* Task Force Tonkin
* Task Force Jennifer
* Task Force Diamond
Task Force Tonkin
* Agent Aurelia Tonkin - Team Lead
* Agent Devin Sanchez - Deputy Team Lead
* Agent Dmitriy Potemkin - Communications
* Agent Marina Takashima - Thaumic Support
* Agent Martin Luther Job - Thaumic Support
* Agent Eizo Egusa - Fire Support
* Agent Michael Maxim - Fire Support
* Agent Gebhard Kaltenbrunner - Fire Support
* Agent Sir Timothy Thompson - Fire Support
* Agent George Melbourne - Survey
* Agent Charlotte Yeager - Fire Support
* Agent Daniel Miyafuji - Fire Support
* Agent Jonathan Radcliffe - Thaumic Support
* Agent Elizabeth Hunter - Fire Support
Task Force Jennifer
- Agent Thomas Jennifer - Team Lead

- Agent Richard Orilson - Deputy Team Lead

- Agent Svyatoslav Petrenko - Deputy Team Lead

- Agent Rodney Buff - Communications

- Agent Randy Ranch - Communications

- Agent Cartman Waterson - Survey

- Agent Hannah Montana - Survey

- Agent Billy May - Thaumic Support

- Agent Kelly May - Thaumic Support

- Agent Ray Tanner - Thaumic Support

- Agent Ozzy Michaelson - Fire Support

- Agent Dan Fencer - Fire Support

- Agent Mike Tan - Fire Support

- Agent Donald "Trickster" Denver - Fire Support

- Agent Mikhail Timoshenko - Fire Support
Task Force Diamond
- Agent William DeGustav - Team Lead

- Agent Henry Charlemagne - Deputy Team Lead

- Agent Orlando Sanders - Thaumic Support

- Agent Helen Bloom - Thaumic Support

- Agent Agatha Bright - Thaumic Support

- Agent Helmut Berlichingen - Fire Support

- Agent Pavel Aleksandrov - Fire Support

- Agent Anatoly Petrenko - Fire Support

- Agent Yekaterina Anatolovskaya - Fire Support

- Agent Volodymyr Zoborov - Fire Support

- Agent Henri Bourbon - Fire Support

- Agent Grant Windsor - Fire Support

 **FAFOS Command:** All teams, be advised: the security teams on the other side of the gateway had reported seeing more movements as well as a few instances of gunfire. We need you all to deploy immediately and confirm the instances were true. If not, you are to continue with the exploration, but be on your guard. We'll deploy additional teams should you need it.
*Task Force Tonkin and Task Force Jennifer exits the gateway on the Uvakaiaman side. They can hear distant gunfire and explosions. Both teams made their way down the street towards the direction of the source. After 5 minutes of uneventful trek, one of the team members was almost hit by a stray sniper bullet.*
**Fencer:** Sniper!
**Waterson:** Where did that come from!?
**Montana:** It might be ahead!
**Tonkin:** Careful! We do not know what's causing the gunfire! Move in carefully, but shoot with extreme prejudice!
*Both teams made their way towards the direction of the source while making sure not to get hit by any stray sniper fire. The gunfire and explosions were getting louder the more they are near to the source.*
**Jennifer:** Command, be advised: we might be close to the source. Looks like a battle's going on.
**FAFOS Command:** Copy. We are deploying Task Force Diamond over to help out.
**Jennifer:** Copy that, Comm---
**Billy May:** GRENADE!
*A grenade almost landed at their feet, but Thompson was quick to throw it at an empty street. It detonates.*
**Kelly May:** We're in the shit now!
**FAFOS Command:** Roger! All teams, deploy! Deploy! Deploy!
**Orilson:** Watch those corners! Move it!
*Both teams made their way over, and soon they would find several street battles between different Groups of Interest. Their signs of languages and equipment marked them as being from the Fourth Reich, Front for the Liberation of Anomalous Species and Society for the Annihilation of Paranormal Threats.*
**Tonkin:** Command, be advised: we have Fourth Reich, FLAS and SAPT forces present! They might be the ones who're causing all those noises!
**FAFOS Command:** Understood. Engage at will. Repeat: engage at will.
**Tonkin:** Team! Engage!
*Task Force Tonkin and Task Force Jennifer began to open fire on the enemy forces, catching them by surprise.*
**DeGustav:** Teams, be advised: we'll be behind on schedule! We've encountered Fourth Reich troops assailing us the moment we came across a street! Two of my men are down, and we are holding the line. This city's becoming a bloodbath!
[END LOG]

After notifying Director Johnson, FAFOS Command was given emergency authority to respond to the crisis going on at LOI-115.

## Addendum 115.6: Containment Incident

The following is a log of a hostile incursion by elements of the Fourth Reich which sought to capture any artifacts for military use. Additional hostile incursions were recorded, one by the Front for the Liberation of Anomalous Races which sought to free the anomalies Project CHARYBDIS had falsely imprisoned; and one by the Society for the Annihilation of Paranormal Threats (SAPT) terrorist organization, which seeks to destroy the Thaumic Towers that maintained the five governorates' safety.

**[10:12 AM]** - SAPT operatives detonated explosives throughout the Thaumic Towers. A livestream of the event was followed, with the leader of the SAPT assault teams saying: "Behold! We have destroyed the towers that prevented their roof from falling! Now watch as the roof collapses on them!"
**[10:13 AM]** - Throughout the five governorates, all lamps began to glow red as the world rumble around them. The leader of the SAPT assault teams was heard saying: "Let the destruction of these irregularities begin! Let the world swallow these irregular cities!"
**[10:13 - 15 AM]** - Despite the destruction of the thaumic towers, the roof doesn't seem to collapse. Confusion ran in the stream chat.

**SAPT Assault Team Member 3:** Commander, the roof of their world, it's not collapsing!
**SAPT Leader:** What?! Then get more explosives!
**SAPT Assault Team Member 1:** Sir, we have a situation!
**SAPT Leader:** Set up more explosives! We must destroy the towers completely! Stop those Pathetic Forces Cunts from stopping our holy mission!

**[10:15 AM]** - Additional explosives were planted and detonated on the ruined towers. The roof didn't collapse.
**[10:16 AM]** - An alarm of unknown origin is heard throughout the governorates. Standard-issue CHARYBDIS Kant counters began recording a large spike in thaumaturgical activity throughout. CHARYBDIS Leadership alarmed PFC Council of the situation.
**[10:18 AM]** - Throughout the governorates, the LOI-115-D instances began to awaken. Hearing the sounds of gunfire, they rose and don their armor and equipment.
**[10:19 AM]** - CHARYBDIS security teams were ordered to withdraw immediately after sensors detected LOI-115-D instances awakening and mobilizing. A few minutes after withdrawal, FOLPR, Fourth Reich and SAPT troops find themselves under assault from armed LOI-115-D instances. Despite the use of modern-day military equipment and weaponized anomalies as well as reinforcements, they were overwhelmed by LOI-115-D instances.
**[10:20 AM]** - Imperial Fusoan Agency on Paranormal Occurrences and Activities assets within the Fusoan Meteorological Agency began reporting a series of earthquakes at the locations of LOI-115-1 through -5.
**[10:22 AM]** - Paranormal Forces Coalition space assets detected thaumaturgical activities 8km above the water surface where LOI-115-1 through -5 were located underground. At the same time, Article 5 of the GOTTERDAMMERUNG Protocol and Article 7 of the CHARYBDIS Agreement was invoked, pertaining to the Five Governorates' surfacing.
**[10:23 AM]** - The International Union declared an MK-class "Broken Worlds" scenario.