CASE 31 ("SOPOR")

Name story:

Sopor is a not-particularly-frequently-used medical term for a specific state of lowered consciousness. I also like Sopor Aeternus & the Ensemble of Shadows.

SOPOR is a backronym that Dr. Haverghast came up with and he thinks it's hilarious.

CASE 31 - he is Case 31.

Character age:

Unknown

Character gender:

Unknown

Offsite roleplay:

This doll's character is not available for offsite roleplay.

Null, M.

[REDACTED] [REDACTED] NULL

Received December 2015
Revision received July 2016

CASE 31 - ABSTRACT

SOPOR has been at Lighthouse longer than anyone. In fact, one could say that the entire facility was built “around” him—or, rather, his tomb.

While searching for land upon which to erect the asylum, its founder, Dr. Elias Haverghast, well known for his superstitions and suspected occult involvement, employed dowsing and several methods of divination (REF. - AUGURY; CROWS, ROOKS) to determine where to break ground. When the first shovelfuls of matter were turned at the chosen site, the temperature of the already chilly October air instantly dropped by thirty-one degrees Fahrenheit, according to instruments set up at the location. This was, Haverghast stated cryptically to his work crew, exactly as planned.

“SOPOR” was discovered sown into the earth roughly twelve feet down, apparently wrapped in a simple shroud which had significantly deteriorated, largely indistinguishable from the dirt. He wore no clothing, and his makeshift pall quickly disintegrated completely once it was fully exposed to air. Samples of it were not recoverable, and when tested, the only abnormality found in the soil was a concentration of sulfur somewhat higher than other samples from the immediate area.

SOPOR himself, however, was somehow alive—or—“alive.” He appeared to be a boy of no more than twelve, pale and sickly, but ever smiling. The reason for the particular depth of his grave is not known, and how its original excavation was accomplished remains a mystery.

Nothing is known about his condition, where he came from, how old he actually is chronologically, or how long he had been buried. It has been impossible to trace his lineage simply because no tests can be performed on him, as his flesh is impervious to all attempts at incision.

SOPOR seems to require no sustenance to remain in this state of apparent living death, though sometimes supplemental oxygen is provided via machines shielded with treated lead and silver if he begins to wheeze or cough, as it is suspected that it is an automatic function intended to garner sympathy somehow. How he “survived” while sealed underground is unknown. Whether he has any brain activity is also unknown, as attempts to connect him to an EEG have only resulted in the destruction of the equipment. X-Rays produce images of solid masses before all metal parts fuse and the machine becomes non-functional. Computers in the immediate vicinity display bizarre and reportedly “disturbing” junk images and then simply shut off and never turn back on.

(REVISED 05/16 - The images are not of any particular nature and the source of the feeling of dread when they are viewed is unclear. Staff fears what would occur if he were to be loaded into the on-site MRI machine, so as yet this has not been attempted.)

(REVISED 08/17 - Subject has become difficult to observe due to the aforementioned problematic interaction with electronic equipment. Photographs of subject seem to display evidence of [REDACTED] but as of this writing, confirmation has not been obtainable as the absence of [REDACTED] has been a significant impediment to the overall progress of the study.

However, it seems that new footage has been obtained from shielded closed circuit systems in the subject's quarters and is pending review.)

SOPOR is kept in a negative pressure chamber in the hospital basement.

(OF NOTE: Lighthouse Asylum’s offsite researcher and record keeper, [REDACTED], recently e-mailed staff a few images of a bizarre 10th century book of indeterminate origin, written in an unknown language. The floridly illustrated pages seem to depict a long-haired creature similar in appearance to CASE 31 infecting villagers with some form of madness through touch. Later, more images came: cave paintings in an undisclosed location depicting the same creature in the same situation. Both sets of retrievable illustrations also showed the same inky, black-tendriled cloud behind the main figure, and in both instances it was drawn with a clarity and proficiency far in advance of the artistic techniques of the age. The rest of the images were corrupted files -- hundreds of them.

Contact with [REDACTED] was lost shortly after this; emails began to bounce, and calls routed to [REDACTED]’s business phone go to voicemail. [REDACTED]’s usual message has been replaced with a recording of a backmasked whisper, which, when reversed again, is revealed to be a voice repeating the word “silence” in its French pronunciation — a request for radio silence to allow dead air for distress calls in air and sea transmissions.)

KEY WORDS: COMPLEX DISEASE, POST-MORTEM, ANTEMORTEM, POSTMORTEM ANTEMORTEM (UNKNOWN,) (UNKNOWN,) (UNKNOWN) (NOT FOUND)

FULL CASE OUTLINE AVAILABLE VIA xxxxxxxx

CASE 31 ("SOPOR")

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