Rapid Creek Incident Report

Report Date: 28 Jun 2020

The following is a field report on the incident that occurred in Rapid Creek documenting the known phenomena stemming from Event 070363 [The Reckoning], persons involved, and operative response.

Investigation of involved parties began in response to a posted job notice. Seventy-seven United States dollar per individual for the retrieval of a missing heirloom doll. The monetary sum alone would have been peculiar, but the offer of additional currency “for the head of the thief” was sufficient to warrant further research.

One Benny Snicket, recent arrival and current resident of the Diamondback Casino confirmed the legitimacy of the posting, specifying that the “bonus” was indeed for death of the property thief and not simply their return as well, functionally giving an assassination order. Consideration was given to informing local law enforcement, but apparent possession of preternatural abilities in-line with a Class 1B individual (Practitioner) suggested the desired item warranted either retrieval and transportation to the SRF or destruction, so compliance was feigned. This decision was reinforced when handed a small golden band with Hebrew written upon it with the order to tie it around the item once retrieved.

The group set out to Rapid Creek via horseback. Travel occurred without incident until the titular creek came into visual range. An unnatural blue-shaded fog was sighted low on the water, dying it a deep azure while not actually mixing with the liquid in a manner not dissimilar to how oil and water interacted. Mr. Sack, unsurprising for a scientist, chose to procure a sample, though unfortunately him having done so made it infeasible to do so without possibly raising suspicion about my cover.

Chemical runoff from some kind of new science device was considered as a possibility, but further travel revealed the entirety of Rapid Spring to be blanketed by the substance. Impromptu face masks were made from clothing and the group entered the town.Though relatively close in both chronological and geographic proximity to Lovelock (see precious report) the fog was decidedly distinct from that caused by the Si-Ti-Cah, and upon entering the local deputy’s office found him unconscious, and unable to awaken despite numerous attempts, because of the fog.

Investigating the office revealed records of the coming and goings of the town, including the arrival of “Evelyn” and “Mathilda,” and reports on the sleeping sickness slowly taking hold. The deputy also made note of planning to call for a New Mexico Ranger, though either failed to do so or said ranger had not yet arrived.

The deputy’s office also held the only individual in Rapid Creek who hadn’t succumbed to the fog. A redheaded, green-eyed woman with heavy wounds locked in a jail cell. Simeon noticed that a nearby wanted poster revealed just who the occupant was.

Name: Mathilda Everheart, Wichita Witch and distant Whateley relation.
Confirmed Class 1B [Practitioner]:
Threat Level: Yellow
Physical Appearance: Physically attractive white woman with red hair and distinct emerald eyes betraying her Whateley heritage. Abilities: Known practitioner of the Develin tradition, augmented by her unnatural bloodline. Highly persuasive and notably strong of will. Capable of impressive arcane and physical feats even when wounded near the point of death. Unconfirmed but likely a skilled hand to hand combatant, stealth expert, and markswoman, similar to other Wichita Witches.

Behavior: Doubtlessly ruthless and lacking in morals. Even under threat of death Everheart remained calm and mockingly playful. Behavior suggests a survivor who, while likely loyal to Black River, ultimately places her own life above all else.

Confirmed Weaknesses: Standard human vulnerabilities

Without hesitation I drew my rifle and trained it on her. I would have delivered a summary execution, however none of her crimes on public record were death sentence worthy, and as far as the others were aware I had no legal authority. Thus, despite emphasizing that this woman was doubtlessly a murder, Martin Robinson argued passionately for her life, and I was unable to refute him without blowing my cover.

Nevertheless Everheart was interrogated at gunpoint for all pertinent information. She confirmed that the fog was a recent phoneman, that one Evelyn was in possession of Snicket’s item, her last known location in a bog outside of Rapid Cree, and repeatedly advised to use lethal force against her. Likelihood that Everheart was tasked by Black River to retrieve the object is highly likely.

Robinson proved unwilling to leave Everheart in her cell to possibly die and Mays and Sacks both agreed. The Black River enforcer was allowed out of her cell, but was bound and deprived of all weapons, with a firearm trained on her at all times.

For thoroughness the remainder of Rapid Creek was searched before departing back into the wilderness. Residents were unconscious much like the deputy, and as discovered in the saloon, the majority were infected by parasitic Event entities colloquially known as a Dream-Eater.

Name: Dream-Eater
Confirmed Class 2E [Nonhumanoid, Insectoid]
Physical Appearance: The creature resembles a paper thin, sheet-sized strip of hide. Closer inspection reveals a lampey-like sucker which is used to latch onto its prey, 8 spider-like limbs, and multiple eyes.
Abilities: Parasites that feed upon slumbering individuals. Short term effects are nonlethal, but long term repeated feeding is lethal
Behavior: Passive and content
Confirmed Weaknesses: Vulnerable to cutting and stabbing weaponry.

Inspection of the residents of the saloon revealed half had succumbed to the parasites. Unwilling to allow further casualties one was removed with a knife, and after explaining that shotguns were not a viable nonlethal method of removal the rest did the same. In the process the entities resisted and I was bit in the upper chest. The wound was not incapacitating and pursuit of Snicket’s objective continued into the local bog.

Upon nearing Evelyn’s location Everheart insisted on travelling no further, claiming that her abilities reacted negatively to the target. After consideration and debate she was left tied to a tree by rope within immediate view before continuing onward.

Evelyn was sighted shortly thereafter alongside the figure of an apparent human-sized version of Snicket’s doll alongside roughly ten lupine Event entities commonly dubbed “Howlers”

Name: Howler Confirmed Class 2B [Nonhumanoid, Mammalian] Physical Appearance: The creature is similar to appearance to a common wolf, albeit a mangy one of notable size. Closer inspection reveals forepaws with an almost hand-like structure that is crudely prehensile. Abilities: Barren their increased dexterity and fearful appearance that of a normal large wolf. Behavior: Animal and aggressive. Appear to be controllable by certain 1B individuals? Confirmed Weaknesses: Vulnerable to firearms. Capable of being warded off by a cross in the hands of a “Blessed.”

After a brief moment of tension and assessing the threat, a shot was fired at Evelyn, wounding her, only for a doll of the dimensions described by Snicket to then appear on the ground and begin to release heavy concentrations of the blue fog found in Rapid Creek, its effects much more potent.

Combat ensued shortly thereafter. It was during this altercation that Robinson displayed the aforementioned warding against the Howlers. Shortly thereafter Everheart escaped her bonds, and was given a rifle by Fields. For the sake of her own survival she provided support against the hostile creatures.

Outnumbered and swarmed, I deemed it a sufficient threat level to draw my gatling pistol and wounded the life sized doll, only to be heavily injured in turn by a Howler. Eventually the tide turned, the “doll” dying only to reveal Evelynn, Fields succeeded in binding the item with the golden band supplied by Snicket, stopping the fog and the remaining howlers felled by a storm of bullets.

Heavily wounded, with a Wichita Witch free and armed, and a Threat Level: Red Event -imbued object sent to be delivered to a dangerous civilian, I deemed it necessary to reveal my badge and authority granted by Executive Order 347 [The act that created the Agency]. I demanded under the jurisdiction of the Federal Government that Snicket’s heirloom be burned. All individuals complied.

Upon casting the doll into the fire however, both myself and Sack experienced vivid, disturbing, hallucinations of other individuals burning in the items place, and the body of the tem itself was unharmed. I announced that the item would be sent to the SRF (though not using said term) via the Santa Fe post office instead of being sent to Snicket, and stated they all would be paid the equivalent amount they would have received for the return of the item to quell potential dissent. I had multiple injuries and was potentially outnumbered 4 to 1, and thus relying solely on legal authority seemed a tenuous prospect.

Surprisingly, Sack was fully in favor and did not even request to examine the item himself.

Everheart inquired as to whether she was free to go, now armed and no longer bound. I deeply desired to neutralize the deeply wounded threat, however my own state meant that if I failed to do so in a single shot I likely would have died in turn. A normally acceptable risk, however if such a thing were to occur Snicket’s property would not be able to be safely contained and studied. Reluctantly, I admitted I could not stop her, while emphasizing the threat level her going free posed to the other individuals.

Nobody stopped her.

Apparently perceiving my pragmatism as a kindness, Everheart gifted me with a coin bearing an unknown symbol before then disappearing from view.. An etching of said token is included below.

After briefly returning to Rapid Creek to find the fog lifting and the still-living residents recovering, a week long “detour” to Santa Fe followed, where medical attention was received and this report was sent out, alongside the preternatural item in a separate crate a day after, sent under a second alias and while in disguise, to the Denver Office.

Upon returning to Brimstone the “failure” was reported to Snicket, including the details involving seeing the fog and the effects of it, but leaving out mention of Evelyn, the Dream-Eaters, Everheart, describing the Howlers as merely exceptionally large and vicious wolves, and claiming to have not physically seen the doll at all.

Snicket appears to have believed the deception.

I hereby formally request $308 to be wired to my alias’ bank account in Brimstone to then be withdrawn in coin as “hush money” expenses for the four other individuals hired by Snicket, to help ensure the secrecy of Event-related phenomena to the general populace and that Snicket remains none the wiser to the true whereabouts of his alleged property.

Furthermore. Information on and further investigation and monitoring of Snicket is requested. The likelihood of him being a Class 1B [Practitioner] is exceedingly high, and he has demonstrated both an interest in deadly Event-influenced objects and a casual disregard for the laws of these United States of America.

Attached below are profiles on both Snicket and his item. This formally concludes the report on the “Rapid Creek Incident.”

Badge 976

The following individuals also found employment under Snicket.

Gideon Fields: Class 1A [Mundane]: A “mountain man,” Fields exhibited no arcane capabilities, though proved to be skilled with both firearms and wilderness survival. Exhibited sympathy and aided a Class 1B [Practitioner] (see below) and known criminal, but the true extent of both her crimes and abilities were unknown to him and said practitioner was a physically attractive female. Exposed to Event phenomena. Silence hopefully secured between legal authority and monetary bribes, but surveillance is recommended.

Martin Robinson: Suspected Class 1B [Practitioner]: Despite his classification Robinson is of no issue. The man is colloquially “Blessed” and exhibited the ability to ward off Event entities through the presentation of a cross. Given the acceptance of Christian faith-based miracles and the apparent moral statutes required to perform them, Robinson is nothing less than an useful asset, assuming he can be convinced to keep Event phenomena out of public knowledge.

Simeon Mays: Class 1A [Mundane]: Simeon is a fourteen year-old child (albeit a surprisingly courageous one), with no apparent combat skills, and a suspected orphan given his apparent lack of a legal guardian, likely explaining his job seeking. Exposure to the unnatural is unfortunate, but his youth greatly reduces credibility. No professional recommendation, but personally suggest arranging for non-hazardous employment to avoid a potential civilian casualty. [On Simeon our Agent is incorrect. Simeon is actually an inherently skilled child prodigy huckster, and ended the lives of several of the monsters they fought, his spellcasting not noticed in the chaos of the combat]

Ulysses S. Sack: Class 1B [Practitioner]: Mr. Sack is, barring Snicket and the Black River operative encountered (see below), the largest threat to the security of this operation. His status as a new scientist classifies him as a Class 1B entity technically, but contrary to the typical mentality of such an individual, Mr. Sack believes in the occult and openly expresses such an attitude as if it were commonplace and fully accepted by the general populace, albeit through the lens of yet to be scientifically explained phenomena. Any past incidents related to Event 070363 prior to arrival to Brimstone are currently unknown, but Sack displayed no skepticism when confronted with “Indian Magic” during the Lovelock Incident (see previous report), instead readily accepting it, and during the currently described operation casually offered “magic” as an explanation several times. Whether this is the result of the neurosis often displayed by individuals with high exposure to ghost rock vapor or a simple personality quirk I cannot say. Nevertheless, for all my criticism of Mr. Sack he was surprisingly accepting of my authority upon being informed of my position, and agreed without argument for sending Snicket’s object to the SRF.

While the eccentricities of “mad scientists” often are met with skepticism, continual statements are likely to eventually result in breaches of operational security. Recommend regular surveillance and research into the man’s background regardless of other chosen courses of action. Ideally Sack could be convinced to abandon his public stance on the nature of the occult and stop investigating Event-related phenomena, but I consider this highly unlikely. If he cannot be turned into an asset through patriotism, bribery and/or blackmail, a public smear campaign is likely the most effective tactic to resolve the problem, but I do believe he could be of use.

Persons and Items of Interest

Name: “Benny Snicket” Suspected Class 1B [Practitioner]: Threat Level: Confirmed Yellow. However, I highly suspect he is in fact at least Red Level, if not potentially even Black Level. Physical Appearance: Dark-haired, child of intermittent race in a suit. Any other specifics besides amber eyes are unknown. See below. Abilities: Capable of clouding the human mind as to not remember his physical features in detail barring a pair of almost unnatural eyes the color of the sun. Behavior: Entitled, self-assured individual with a noticeable temper and little patience for those who do not follow his orders or he deems not to be of use to him. Casual disregard for Federal Law and human life.

Confirmed Weaknesses: Unknown. Name: “The Doll”

Confirmed Class 4B [Self Motivating Construct]

Threat Level: Red

Physical Appearance: A 1.5 foot tall doll with white hair and light blue eyes dressed in period clothing.

Abilities: Movement despite supposedly being an inmate object, can release a blue fog capable of making a human being fall into unconsciousness, and manipulate an individual’s perception of reality to see hallucinations. The personal nature of such hallucinations also potentially suggests some kind of mind-reading of a sort, but that is unconfirmed.

Behavior: “The Doll” appears to possess a malign intelligence and is capable of active deception using its abilities. In addition, it is capable of perceiving threats to its well-being and mentally attacking those who attempt to destroy it with illusions of the individual’s loved ones suffering its intended fate instead. Confirmed Weaknesses: A specific golden band with Hebrew written upon it appears to be able to bind it from physically moving and prevent it from unleashing any of its abilities. Methods to physically harm it are currently unknown. Immune to burning and blunt force.