Whispers

After a two year sabbatical in the safety of the Greenlands Commonage, Airtam is once again drawn into a strange series of events along the western borders of the Ongommu Tae lands. The events have a significant impact on her, and appear to have reignited her fervor to set things right within the Empire, as well as earning her a place of high respect among the Ongommu Tae themselves. The following is the minutes of the initial meeting concerning the disappearances with the majority of the Board of Directors.

Minutes of Meeting with the Board of Directors Date: 34th of Vigor, 157 PR Time: 14:49 Location: The Confluence

Attendees:

• Caleb Green, Director of Sustainable Agriculture
• Isabella Rose, Director of Rural Development
• Samuel Fields, Director of Crop Science
• Lila Patel, Director of Livestock Management
• Marcus Nguyen, Director of Agricultural Economics
• Sophia Lee, Director of Horticulture
• Charles Brown, Director of Farm Labor and Training

Agenda Item: Reports of Disappearances along Western Border of the Commonage

Diana Shepherd, Director of Peacekeeping, reports that there have been seven disappearances in the communities located along the western borders of the Commonage. In all cases, there is no evidence of a fight or struggle, and there appears to be no discernible pattern to the people taken. Men, women, and children are all among the missing.

There have been reports of individuals feeling ill at ease and an apparent increase in nightmares and sleep-related troubles, but nothing has been substantiated. The Western pass is the primary location for loading and offloading materials traded with the Becht Empire, and as such, even without the priority of Ongommu Tae safety, this is a key location in the facilitation of trade between us and the Empire and outlying settlements as well. It also stands as a bulwark against errantly letting unmanageable amounts of traffic from the outside, into our domain. Keep in mind, contamination from outsiders remains of the highest magnitude of concerns when the potential loss or damage of this pass is mentioned. 
The proximity to Silver Lake has always had its share of legends and stories. None of these stories are not to be discounted, but the pass remains far enough away that the creatures that call that foul place home would not dare to roam into Ongommu Tae lands.

Rumors of the old children's story about the cryptid known as the Pale Man have begun to circulate, but despite the Void touched nature of the world, even this seems highly unlikely. It is more likely the result of raiders, or Void Born horrors that have begun to breach the borders.

Diana has ordered a significant increase in active peacekeepers' presence and is preparing to make the journey there to investigate matters personally. She expressed her deep concern for the wellbeing of her people and unwavering dedication to them.

Action Items:

• Increase active peacekeepers' presence along the western border of the Commonage
• Conduct a thorough investigation into the disappearances and report back to the Board of Directors
• Keep the Board of Directors updated on any developments or new information
• Reinforce the trade operations at the Pass

Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at 18:23

Purpose

After two years with the Ongommu Tae people, Airtam, having earned no small degree of respect from them, is asked to accompany the Director of Peacekeeping, Diana Shepherd as she travels west to investigate several strange disappearances.

Document Structure

Publication Status

As part of the leaked Morenthall publications following her death, these writings are generally easy to find.

Historical Details

Public Reaction

This particular document is largely discounted as one of the many that remain pointedly impossible to prove as more than a fabrication, as even the official word from the Republic of Tae is that the events mentioned within never happened, however, several inside sources close to the Board of Directors claim otherwise.

Read the Document

Whispers

35th of Vigor, 157 PR 9:48

As I approached the scene of the first disappearance, my heart was heavy with dread. I could feel the weight of the heavy, damp air pressing down on me as if it somehow knew the potential horrors that lurk in the shadows, as though there were unseen eyes that followed our every step. I clutched my cloak tightly around me, trying to keep the unseasonal chill at bay.

The first missing person is a young woman by the name of Sarah Thatcher, a twenty two year old farmer's daughter who was last seen tending to the family's crops just before sunset, finishing her rows slightly later than usual due to a misunderstanding with her father that led to an argument. The nature of the fight seems to have been centered on her affections for a neighbor boy by the name of Samuel Galloway who was married already, which in turn led to quite the scene from what we have been told. Sadly, Samuel vanished not long after Sarah, leading to all manner of speculation about the two of them eloping and giving the parents of the girl and the wife of Samuel significant pause in terms of reporting the incident. We arrived at the farm eight days after her disappearance, and already the trail is cold. I shudder to think what may have befallen her.

Diana is a seasoned professional despite her age, and her skill and ability shines as she methodically sifts through the evidence, taking note of every detail. We revisited the farm where Sarah was last seen and Diana immediately began to inspect the area with a keen eye, examining the ground for any signs of struggle, carefully scrutinizing the dirt and grass for any disturbance, and inspecting the crops and the barn, looking for any clues that may have been missed during the initial search.

As we spoke with Sarah's family and neighbors, Diana listened carefully to their stories, asking careful questions that managed to somehow evade the sensitive aspects of the situation while still pulling vast amounts of details from the people she questioned. She seems to have an intuitive sense for when someone is hiding something and is quick to follow up on any leads that may arise. Following this initial inquiry, she also thought it prudent to dispatch additional search parties, including scouts who are trained to track in difficult terrain. She seems to be leaving no stone unturned, and her thoroughness is both impressive and reassuring. This remains only the first of the disappearances, and yet I have this hovering sense of unease about the entire investigation. I must not let these subjective musings cloud my judgment though, I can only hope that Diana’s tenacity pays off and Sarah, as well the rest of these poor people are not lost to the Void.

35th of Vigor, 157 PR 14:48

As I arrive at the scene of the second disappearance, Elsie Neville, the fifteen year old daughter of one of the more isolated and independent farmers of the region. I can feel the same weight pressing down on me. It is as if the darkness of the void is seeping into the very fabric of reality, and I cannot help but feel a sense of foreboding, and yet, this remains in line with my horrible nightmares and inability to sleep. I worry my judgment may be clouded by my own traumas, and in the interest of those missing, I will do my best to keep these feelings under tight control.
The farm where Elsie was last seen is small but well-kept, with neat rows of grain and a sturdy barn containing a handful of cattle. The family is understandably distraught, and they welcome us with a mixture of hope and desperation, but their composure is already buckling at the seam. Their questions flow out steady and chaotic, and the way they sweat and wring their hands tells me, even without the skill of Director Shepherd, that these people’s concern is genuine. They cannot seem to fathom any reason why the girl would leave her home.
We began our investigation by scouring the farm and the surrounding area for any signs of a struggle or a clue as to what may have happened, though as we searched, we found nothing out of the ordinary, no footprints or marks on the ground, no signs of a struggle. It is as if Elsie simply vanished into thin air, and, as we interviewed Elsie's family and friends, I was struck by the way they speak of her. She was hardworking and diligent, but also kind and caring. It is clear that she was loved by many, and her disappearance has left a hole in the community.
We continued to search the area, looking for any clues that may lead us to Elsie or any of the others. We had just about reached the end of all we could do, when Diana stumbled across a small, tattered and soiled bit of embroidery some appeared to have hastily pinned to the seat of our wagon while we were searching with a single, long hat pin. On the cloth was a simple, pink heart with the letters: EN and SG stitched within it in black. Diana came to the same conclusion as I did. This was quickly turning into a lover’s spat with a lot of loose ends and potential damage in its wake, but she was very quick to question the source of this new clue as well. Questioning her parents did little to alleviate her suspicions either, as her mother claimed vehemently that there was no way her beloved daughter would abscond with a man the likes of Samuel Galloway.

35th of Vigor, 157 PR 21:12

Samuel Galloway, a thirty nine year old farmer residing at the Galloway Farm, was last seen by his wife, Mary Galloway, as he left to check on the livestock in the evening and did not return for dinner. His wife became concerned when he did not return by nightfall, and she and the farmhands searched for him through the night, but found no sign of him. In the days since his disappearance, search parties have scoured the area around the Galloway Farm, but have found no evidence of a struggle or any other indication of what may have happened to him.

When we arrived at the Galloway Farm, the first thing that caught my attention was the silence that hung heavily over the place. There were no animals, no sounds of life, and no sign of work being done. The house was locked, and the windows were shut tight, and it was only after several knocks at the door that Mary answered. She was inconsolable, and her eyes were red-rimmed from lack of sleep. As Diane gently questioned her, it quickly became apparent that, while she knew of the other two missing girls, she seemed to have no reason to suspect her husband committing any acts of infidelity. To compound the matter, when the subject was broached, she became stern and visibly angry, claiming that her husband was one of the most loving men to ever walk the world. We both apologized and did not press the matter, opting instead to begin the investigation of the grounds.
As we made our way around the farm, I noticed that the fields were unattended, and the crops were beginning to wilt. The farm hands were clearly stressed, and their movements were slow and deliberate, eyes sunken and response times when questions delayed. I suspect that no one here has slept well in some time, but this level of fatigue would have to be the result of far greater disruption than the meager few days since Samuel went missing. During our conversations with the farmhands, I could swear I overheard whispers at the edge of hearing, too faint to make out like people conversing in a room somewhere. I am not sure what it is but believe it may be the stress getting to me. However, I noted it down for future reference.
The area around the farm was scoured by search parties, but there was no evidence of a struggle or any other indication of what may have happened to Samuel, nor were any animals missing or wagons taken, and Samuel’s clothing and other belongings remained right where he had left them, further bringing the possibility of him leaving of his own accord into doubt. The lack of evidence is making the investigation difficult. Diana has requested additional resources and support to aid in the investigation. The embroidery is still the most damning piece of evidence we have, but it proves nothing at this point. We have decided to shelter for the night in the Pass at the facilities there and resume in the morning with fresh eyes.

36th of Vigor, 157 PR Precise time unknown

I woke up just as dawn’s dim light began to illuminate the small room in which I slept, sweating and panting, my heart pounding in my chest. I was still locked for a moment or two more in the grip of a nightmare beyond my worst fears, a terrifying experience that left me feeling like I had run miles without rest, and in the dream, I was running, but I didn't know why or where, all I knew was that I had to keep moving or face something unspeakable.

The fields of the Greenlands were my only shelter as I tore blindly through stinging, dew soaked grasses and grains, the Mother’s Head was hidden by clouds, and the darkness was overwhelming, as though the Void itself had descended upon this place a second time but left no quarter. My breaths were labored, and my legs ached with every step, andI could hear the sound of my own footsteps being echoed through the fields, a chilling implication that ensured I was being followed. I didn't dare look back, but I could feel my pursuer's hot breath on the back of my neck, hovering there as though using little to no effort to pace my efforts to escape. Its presence was suffocating, and the sense of finality was overwhelming. I could feel its eyes boring into me, a cold and unrelenting stare that never wavered, hungry for something that no meal could ever fill, whispering as if to mock me all the while the names of every person I have lost over the years in a voice that shifted from a guttural, silken tone, to the voice of Ioelena, to the Nonpareil and back again.
The creature seemed to be everywhere and nowhere, its form constantly shifting and changing. Sometimes it was a malconformation, a hideous and obscene orb shaped thing that seemed to change like a finger stirring wax from a greasy smile with long, spiny and jagged teeth, to a single, glaring and unblinking eye, and finally to the humorless, death’s head visage of a misshapen skull looming in the darkness that filled the space around me. Other times, it was a pale figure, its features twisted and grotesque with yellow eyes that burned like a charnel fire and a smile that was far too wide and had far too many teeth. It moved with a disturbingly fluid grace, effortlessly keeping up with me despite my best efforts, one hand holding on to its smokestack top hat as though it were flitting through some macabre dance recital.
As I ran, the landscape around me shifted, twisted, and warped. The fields turned into a labyrinth, a maze of twisting paths and endless dead ends. Every time I turned a corner, the creature was there, waiting for me, wearing the skin of all those both living and dead that I have lost like a baggy children’s disguise used in play or for a garden party. Through it all I remained lucid, slightly aware that, while I was immersed in the dreamlands, I remained in danger somehow, and the more I ran, the more I felt like I was running in circles. I was trapped here and beginning to believe I would be, pursued by this unrelenting abomination that seemed to exist only to torment me.
Finally, I could run no more, run down like a rabbit before the huntsman’s hounds, and as the creature loomed over me, I woke up, gasping for air, and as the light of the room, the subtle light of our weakened dawn filled my eyes, I could have sworn I saw that grim visage fade from view in that moment just as sleep left me, floating inches from my face. As my staggered and ragged breaths slowly came under control, I realized that in my hand, I clutched a piece of embroidery tightly in my hands. I unfolded it with shaking fingers and revealed within, a simple, crudely embroidered image of two children holding hands.
The nightmare left me fatigued and my mind muddied with a fear that the creature was not just a figment of my imagination, but a real danger lurking in the shadows, waiting for its next victim.

36th of Vigor, 157 PR 11:16

I was already on edge when we arrived at the Carroll family farm. The moment Diana explained the victims of the next disappearance to me, my blood turned to ice, I got slightly dizzy, and my heart began to race. After my nightmare involving that pale, twisted figure chasing me through dark fields, I now find myself walking past the rows of vegetables where the twin children had been playing just the day before. A chill that will not dissipate has settled in my spine. Diana noticed my sudden change in demeanor and asked if I was okay. I tried to tell her…I wanted to tell her, but in the end I could only shake my head, trying to push the visions of my nightmare out of my head.

The Carrolls were beside themselves with worry, and I could see the fear etched into their faces as they explained how Jareck and Lirien had vanished without a trace, the sensation of stones in my stomach beleaguering me further as they explained that the children had been playing in the fields, as they often did, with their imaginary friend.
As we surveyed the area, I could see that the fields stretched on for miles, with dense thickets and brambles lining the perimeter. The longer I looked at those cruel barbs and thorns, the more I felt like there was something in there, watching me as well. Something with more than one face. Something with too many eyes. I tore my attention away and, wiping the sweat from my brow, I moved on to accompany Diana with the interviews.
As she interviewed witnesses and searched the surrounding area, I couldn't help but think about my nightmare in a state of constant repetition, my anxiety surging like a rising tide. The pale, twisted figure that had hunted me was now more than just a figment of her imagination. It was a reality, a creature that had taken these innocent children and vanished without a trace.
The thought filled me with a sense of panic that was almost suffocating. The green of the fields seemed to press in on me from all sides, and I could feel the weight of the children's disappearance bearing down on her, my words not forming like I wished they would, as though forcibly unable to tell Diana what I saw, what I knew!
As we prepared to search the thickets that had driven me to such apprehension earlier, I found myself clutching at that small piece of embroidery with a crude image of two children holding hands. I felt like I couldn't breathe, like the darkness was filling my lungs. I had not noticed that I had seized up entirely as we were walking down the path and Diana stopped, and thankfully, keeping a much cooler head than I, snatched the cloth from my hands and slapped me sharply across the cheek, rousing me from my lost senses. I sputtered and came back slowly, focusing finally upon her, looking at the cloth in her hand, and then back at me with a severe concern in her eyes. The truth finally found its way out, bubbling from my lips like a damn bursting, and the tears the swam over them did little to draw away from that analogy. Diana listened closely, with a dangerous focus to my words, and then promptly nodded, took me by the hand and pulled me into the cart. Saying little more than, “That’s what I was afraid of,” she tore back to the Confluence in record time and immediately called a private council of the Board of Directors, one that excluded me. I was sent to rest and to receive a nerve tonic to calm myself with the Benevolent in the meantime, and ordered to rest until called upon. At least this I can do.

36th of Vigor, 157 PR 17:22

The news from the Board of Directors has left me feeling shattered. They have decided that it would be best for me to return home since I am a target of the Pale Man. I had grown close to the people in the Greenlands and to leave them now, when they need me the most, is devastating, but I also cannot deny the relief that comes with the thought of being away from that thing. He is a creature of unequivocal malevolence, invisible during the day and for all intents and purposes, immortal, devouring those he catches. The Ongommu Tae have few options, and as much as I might like to charge home and demand a legion of Wraith Guard come to their aid, my faith in the Bureau remains atrophied to the point of that being little more than steam in the pipe.

They are sending out someone with a unique mutation, a member of the same bloodline as Belinda Gray, who apparently shares her ability to see and manipulate spirits and spiritual energy. They refuse to tell me much more about the individual, likely to protect them, which I cannot fault them given where I now return, but they hope that this individual can hold the creature in check, yet there are no guarantees, even in the deployment of this unique individual.
I promised Diana to find a way to return and help rid them of this horror that stalks their lands. I am still the headmaster of the University of the Lighted Way, and a well respected member of Becht society, no matter what the Nonpareil thinks, but for now, I must leave. The people of the Greenlands have shown me such kindness, and I will miss them dearly.
As I pack my bags, I clutch the piece of embroidery with the crude image of the two children holding hands. It will serve as a reminder of what I have witnessed and the work that still needs to be done. I do this on my terms, not at the behest of any empire or agency. I am done failing. I will lose no more people to the onslaught of the evils of this world.

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Type

Leaked Original

Medium

Vellum / Skin

Authoring Date

36th through the 37th of Vigor, 157 PR

Location

The Greenlands Commonage

Authors

• Airtam Morenthall