The Seven Callings

The Archive is divided into seven groups, or "callings":

Scribes record data and are in charge of keeping track of information and keeping it up to date.

Collectors are field agents. Their job is to observe and collect data. On occasion, their work also entails recruiting new members.

Analysts are in charge of analyzing the data obtained by collectors and running experiments.

Keepers are in charge of security. They ensure the Archive's bases remain hidden and keep all Archive files secure.

Inquisitors act as the Archive's Internal Affairs. They investigate corruption within the Archive and are in charge of maintaining the Sphere.

Brokers keep the Archive running. They sell information to wealthy clients, providing the funds needed for the Archive to run.

Martyrs are the soldiers of the Archive. They are rarely deployed, but their job entails hunting down rogue agents and eliminating external threats to the Archive.

NOTE: So next update is CW002, and after that is the post about the Gifted. I've also finished adding the "Further Reading" links to the PRE posts. --SΣ

Return

Designation Scribe Sigma found innocent of Transgression 417. After lengthy inquiry Transgression 417 was found to have been carried out by Analyst Delta, motivated by *CLASSIFIED*

Hey, guys. I'm back. Sorry for the long absence. I see that asshole IN already filled you guys in on what happened. He's one of those dicks who thinks that a little bit of authority gives him the right to do whatever he wants. Ignore him.

I don't know who this "Anchises" fellow is. Nor do I know how he posted on this blog or how he managed to get access to my personal files.

Anyway: here's the game plan. I'm certain a couple of you are a bit confused about what happened, so the next post will explain the seven different callings in the Archive. Then I think I'll do a post on CW002 since a few people were asking about that before IN arrested me. I've also got to finish adding the links to the PRE posts. Then... well, I'm trying to avoid it, but I guess I have no choice. I was hoping I wouldn't have to tell you all about the Gifted or about what I really am. But it seems IN and "Anchises" let it slip anyway. So I'll put it to a vote: leave a comment and tell me if you want to know about the Gifted. And if enough people do, then I'll post the data and I'll tell you the rest of my story. --SΣ 

sin

Designation: Scribe Sigma (formerly designated Martyr Epsilon)

Real Name: Samantha Mayhew

Encountered the Grandfather ("the Blind Man") on May 3, 1998, at the age of 16.

Received the Gift on April 17, 2006.

She has not lied to you concerning the data, merely mislead concerning her own status in the organization. She wished for you to believe that she was of lower status than she truly is. Disregard Inquisitor Nu.

I am confident that she will be found innocent and return to her work within the week.

-Anchises

Scribe Sigma Has Been Detained

My name is unimportant. My designation is Inquisitor Nu.

On Saturday, a very wealthy client purchased certain information from the Archive pertaining to PRE10. The information he purchased was faulty. It stated that PRE10 could be repelled if it was dismembered. The client hired two bodyguards and confronted PRE10, and had the guards riddle PRE10 with bullets before going in with machetes.

Four entities present. Three ended up in pieces. And guess what? The dog wasn't one of them.

The information was sold to the client by Broker Epsilon. It was pulled from the database by Scribe Sigma. One of them most likely altered the data at some point. Both have been detained and are being questioned. Some in our organization find it hard to believe that a Gifted would betray us, but Gifted have gone bad before.

Bottom line: If she's innocent, we will allow SΣ to continue her little pet project. If not, it's the Sphere for her.

I don't know why you would care, anyway. Looking at these posts, she's clearly not being completely honest with you. Oh, she hasn't outright lied of course. "Given this job by my superiors"? I suppose that's true, but only because she requested it.

-IN-

PRE14: "Ichor"

Designation: PRE14

Colloquial Terms: The Ichor, Scylla, Filament, Salmacis, Loom, The Flesh of the Other, The Invading Ink, DROWNING (NOTE: Recently, the name "Epping AquaTarkus" or "EAT" has become quite popular, though we have not added it to our database --SΣ)

Physical Characteristics: Body appears to be made of a clear, tasteless liquid, similar to water. It has been observed to reach out of its liquid state via the use of thin white tentacles. When enough of these tentacles wind together, a large blue-tinted mass is the result.

Behavioral Characteristics: Operates by replacing water with its own "body". When the "ink" of PRE14 is consumed by an organism, that organism begins to undergo a metamorphosis. Common symptoms include developing obsessions, hallucinations, and, in some rare cases, hydrophobia. Once enough "ink" is consumed, the organism shuts down and will remain in one place until another organism of the same species makes contact. The organism which has consumed the "ink", designated in either the P14A00 or P14B00 series (commonly referred to as a "Camper"), will then begin a slow process of learning behaviors from the non-infected organism. Once the "Camper" has learned enough, it becomes a part of PRE14's consciousness.

NOTE: From now on, I'm going to be adding "Further Reading" links to the end of PRE pages. This will be the first, but I will retroactively add links to previous pages. --SΣ

Further Reading:  The blog Jordan Eats Normally Now seems to primarily deal with PRE14. This post in "Closest to the Sun" provides an eyewitness account of the Camper learning process.

PRE13: "Convocation"

Designation: PRE13

Colloquial Terms: The Convocation, The Storm, The Flock, Thunderbirds, Ziz, Roc, FEATHERED

Physical Characteristics: Appears as a large group of birds of various species. Mysterious "giant birds" have reportedly been sighted among large enough gatherings (NOTE: Archive Analysts believe those giant bird manifestations to be the inspiration for all sorts of legends, ranging from Thunderbirds to Rocs. --SΣ)

Behavioral Characteristics: Despite being spread over numerous bodies, it appears to possess only one mind. In large gatherings, static is often observed being discharged into the air. Has been known to attack humans. Sometimes observed leaving threatening messages for the intended victim, usually through the use of a human servant. Servants are used as nests, keeping birds within their own bodies.


Servants (NOTE: Or "nests" --SΣ) of PRE13 are designated under the P13A00 series.

Further Reading: The blog "The Darkling Thrush", as well as this story here.

CW001: "Godsway"

Designation: CW001

Common Term: Godsway

CW001 is the Pathway that only PREs can access. Servants are unable to enter. No information concerning to geography of CW001 exists. When using CW001, the PRE appears to vanish from one location and reappear in another. How it is opened is unknown.

NOTE: So, I assume that if you're reading this, you're already familiar with stories about at least a few PREs; likely PRE01 or PRE02. And you probably know about their so-called "teleportation." Well, that's the Godsway. --SΣ

PRE12: "Plague Doctor"

Designation: PRE12

Colloquial Terms: The Plague Doctor, Scourge, Doktor, Agony, Tengu, The Bird Faced One, The Carnival's Shadow, DECAY

Physical Characteristics: Appears as a mid-height man in a long dark robe and a bird-like mask (NOTE: He looks basically like the historical plague doctors, hence his most popular name --SΣ). Some accounts of its appearance vary, with different reports concerning the color of the mask, and whether or not it is a mask. Records indicate that, prior to the black plague of Europe, it appeared *CLASSIFIED*

Behavioral Characteristics: Spreads disease wherever it walks, and is capable of targeting specific individuals. Fond of appearing in large groups of costumed people, spreading various diseases among them (NOTE: He seems to enjoy Carnival in particular. There are tons of sightings during that celebration. --SΣ). Accounts of its speech are varied. Some have claimed that PRE12 makes no sound, others have claimed to have heard a low chuckling in its presence, and a select few have claimed to have heard it formulate speech. Some accounts have plants withering away as PRE12 walks past them.

Further Reading: This account links PRE12 to the Ticonderogo "Fever Ship" incident. The blog Quiet Cacophony appears to be written by a victim of PRE12, but we are not sure at the time of this writing.

The John Kramer Transcript

NOTE: Below are excerpts from the memories of a boy named John Kramer. The events detailed are 100% accurate. I should know; I transcribed them myself. --SΣ

Age: 5 // It is a warm summer's night and John lays in bed

There is a man outside my window. He is tall and wears a suit and is really pale.

Age: 7 // It is a cold day in fall and John's school is just letting out

That stupidhead Billy is so mean to me! He tripped me and called me bad words. I hope he disappears like Cindy and Ryan.

Age: 7 // It is a cold winter day and John is playing out in the snow

It's so cold. I wanna build a snowman. How do I roll this big snowball up? It's really cold. But I don't want to get more clothes. There's a boy over there. I wonder if he wants to play with me? He's coming over and smiling. Wow! His face looks like it's been frozen! He's helping me build my snowman! I ask him what his name is and he just smiles. That's rude. My name is John! But this boy won't tell me his name!

Age: 7 // The night of the day that the previous memory takes place

Daddy won't talk to me. I want him to read me a story but he doesn't want to. Mommy says he's "stressed". Is that bad?

Age: 7 // Three days after the previous memory

The boy with the weird face is outside and I think he was talking to Daddy when he got home.

Age: 8 // Early spring

Yay! It's my birthday party! All my friends are here and Mommy is too! But I don't see Daddy anywhere. He said he'd be here, but I don't see him.

Age: 8 // A week after the previous memory

Daddy, where are you? Mommy is sad and I'm sad and we want you to come back please Daddy!

Age: 9 // A cold winter's day

I think I see Daddy outside. He looks really cold. Daddy, where did you go? Where you going? Daddy, come back! Who's that boy with you, Daddy? Did you get a new son? Daddy?

Do you love him more than me?

NOTE: Those are all the relevant excerpts of John's memories. The first two clearly indicate that PRE01 "Slender Man" was active in the area around where John lived, but for some reason did not target him. All the others seem to deal with PRE08 "Cold Boy". --SΣ

STAB

NOTE: Three things to note here. First, I know what you're thinking and I agree. "STAB " is the silliest name for a government organization I have ever heard. Secondly, to help prevent confusion, I'm gonna start adding relevant links to posts. Thirdly, since the file on this is a jumbled mess of classified and non-classified data, I'm just going to write a summary --SΣ

The Supernatural Threat Analysis Bureau ("STAB") is a secret arm of the American government founded to combat and study supernatural forces. It's operatives will often act as if they are a part of the FBI or CIA, and indeed many of them believe that they do work for either of those. The most obvious of these are Fisk and his men (see here), though they are far from the only parts of the branch.

The SMSC is a branch of STAB that attempts to study and fight back against the PREs. Their codenames are taken from David Bowie songs.

There's also another branch, fairly recent, which was founded by a fellow named Rivers. Even the name of this branch is classified, though the organization has been nicknamed "The Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" after the Beatles. (See the blogs of Peter and John Rivers). Sgt. Pepper's tends to take a more directly aggressive approach to PREs.

There are other branches of STAB. But these are the important ones.

STAB has been known work with the international organization the PTC (see this), though for the most part the two groups tend to stay out of each other's way.

The Archive has sold information to all branches of STAB in the past.

UXP832: "Bleeding Tree"

NOTE: Until recently this was classified as PRE11. It has since been reclassified, and the designation of PRE11 has been given to another entity. "UXP" means "Unexplained Phenomenon" --SΣ

Designation: UXP832


Colloquial Terms: The Bleeding Tree, The Face in the Forest, The Tree of Madness

Physical Description: Appears as a tree of black leaves as found in CW002 (NOTE: The Path of Black Leaves --SΣ). However, a large human-like face grows from it, and corpses hang from its limbs.

Behavioral Characteristics: *CLASSIFIED*

Further Reading: The blog "The Last Refuge of a Dangerous Man"