It's been absolute ages since I've put one of these together! ^_^ Lots of text for this one! Prompt used was "Insect."



This anomaly was discovered in northern India, in a remote cave system. Its location, along with the addition of anomalous environmental hazards, have made it difficult to reach for the purposes of research. Due to its nature, however, it has been deemed safest to allow it to remain where it is, with containment and observation being carried out on-site.

The caves are accessed by a narrow, near-vertical shaft approximately 300 meters deep, at which point it opens into a large natural chamber. No anomalous effects are observed until 500 meters or so from this access point, following the path of the caves. At this distance, temperature levels begin to fluctuate dramatically, ranging from as high as 30 to as low as -2 degrees Celsius across areas as small as 5 meters in diameter, although 10 degrees Celsius is currently considered to be the average. Along with these differences in temperature, differences in topography and air quality have also been observed within these “pockets,” from the color and size of mineral deposits to the levels of oxygen and other gasses. These pockets will frequently change in size and position, leading to difficulties in accurately mapping and navigating the caverns, as landmarks are subject to change. It should be noted that objects deposited in the caverns will be subjected to localized structural alterations consistent with natural degradation or preservation, and a handful of items of various design and condition have been recovered from this depth.

Interestingly, living organisms (and items directly carried by them) will not suffer these effects, although remote communication and observation has proven extremely difficult, necessitating the use of self-contained methods of recording data, such as handheld cameras and other similar devices. It has additionally been observed that time appears to pass differently within the caverns, with varying discrepancies between the amount of time observed on the surface, and that observed below. Most notably, however, individuals at this depth will consistently report the onset of feelings of disorientation, which grow stronger with further exploration of the caves. Symptoms include feelings of déjà vu, memory loss, and variations of dissociation and depersonalization. An individual within a group may additionally report a sudden unfamiliarity with their companions, sometimes even describing them as appearing completely different, or disappearing entirely from view. These effects can last anywhere from a few moments to a few minutes, and have been linked to the anomalous variations of the environment. There appears to be little consistency to these effects, however, making them difficult to predict.

Between 1,100 and 1,500 meters into the caves, both terrain and atmosphere will begin to take on an amber hue, with some variation in saturation and opacity due to the continuation of localized distortions. These regions become much more tightly packed together, and it is at around this depth that observations note additional audio, typically described as “humming,” along with a scent described as similar to apples, which occurs regardless of the air chemistry of a given area. At the depth of 1,500 meters, all small distortions appear to cease as the caves open into a large, single chamber. This region is heavily altered, with all surfaces having a similar appearance and texture to semi-solid amber, with an average ambient temperature of 37 degrees Celsius. Physical exploration in this zone is still limited, but ongoing.

Within this chamber is what is presumed to be the source of the environmental distortions within the cave system – a large, myriapod-like entity, measuring approximately 11.3 meters long. Much of its body is covered by chitin-like plates, each segment featuring an upturned humanoid face at its center. Each of these faces appear to differ in their depicted age, with those towards the tail appearing younger, while those towards its front appear older. The foremost face, presumed to be its head, has a single blue “eye” in the center of the forehead, which can appear to track individuals in its proximity; it has been noted that in groups, each person will perceive the eye as tracking them individually. The “hum” is thought to be emitted by this entity, being louder and more distinct with proximity, and is described as having a musical, harmonic quality. The eyes of these faces are almost always observed as being closed (see incident note), and are seen to constantly leak an amber fluid. This fluid is secreted all along the length of the entity’s body, with large amounts collecting into spherical or ovoid globules on its sides. Excess fluid is presumed to play a role in the conversion of its environment.

Fluid samples retrieved from the site appear to rapidly deteriorate once removed from the area, increasing in transparency and decreasing in viscosity and mass until it has entirely disappeared – no process of evaporation or traces of residue within containers has been noted. It does appear to be semi-organic in nature, containing strings of proteins that have yet to be fully identified, though there is a noted structural resemblance to fibroin proteins produced by invertebrates (such as those in the order Lepidoptera). Contact with exposed skin results in a sharp increase in the aforementioned symptoms of disorientation, additionally including what has been described as an instantaneous lucid dream state. Exposed individuals have described the sensation of living out entire lifetimes while under its effects – this may range from the individual’s own lifetime, to those of unknown persons, or, as in one instance, completely unknown organisms and landscapes have been observed. This state may last anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes. Should this fluid be ingested or otherwise introduced to the bloodstream (such as injection or absorption through the mucus membrane), the body will become “locked” within the aforementioned state. Should such an individual leave the vicinity, they will undergo a similar deterioration to the fluid, decreasing in tangibility until gone – true death in such individuals has not actually been observed.

Incident Note: The entity has thus far been unresponsive to attempts at communication, displaying little activity beyond small adjustments to its position, typically settling into a spiral with its head towards the center. Attempts were made to study the composition of its carapace, including the retrieval of a small physical sample. During this, however, the eyes along its body were briefly observed to open, and the sounds emitted by it abruptly raised in pitch, becoming a high, barely-audible whine. Following this, all attempts at observation and communication with those in the cave system ceased as the cave itself appeared to “disappear,” leaving only an area of solid rock for approximately 72 hours. A sample retrieved from the rock during this time was found to be of the same composition as the surrounding stone, but of a significantly younger age, closer to the estimated time of the cave’s initial formation. No personnel who were within the caves during this time have been located.

Additional Note: Among the items recovered from the site, a journal belonging to one William (- - -) was discovered, with the last legible entry dating to 18 - -. The journal itself was partially coated in a growth of gypsum, with most pages either destroyed or rendered incredibly fragile as with age. During the last decipherable pages, however, there is a frequent repetition of the word “caterpillar,” along with the phrase, “too many threads.”