ANOMALIE OBSCURA No.828

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FILE NOTICE

OFFICE OF INFORMATION RECORDS & SECURITY

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The following file was recovered in poor condition from an archive safe in the year 2002. The safe, believed to have been owned by Mr. Wilson C. Cohen, was thought lost during the process of transporting documentation and materials out of Tombstone as part of the efforts of reorganization and merging of Concealment into the modern Containment Division during 1947.

Although the item referred to in this file (or a series of anomalies of similar qualities) has been confirmed to exist in possession of Military Intelligence Section XIII, a thorough sweep of Site-010 and other North American facilities has failed to recover the exact object referenced.

It is considered possible that the item has been lost during the sinking of the Kingston, an Authority vessel that disappeared in the Atlantic Sea while transporting numerous items for analysis and storage in European facilities. Seizure of the item by a third party agent, while unlikely, is a possibility.


CONCEALMENT MANIFEST No.828:

Record of Acquisition of Anomalie Obscura

Cargo Determination:

Lethality Concealment Desirability Priority Status
8 2 5 (OPHA) 1 A

Containment Lead: Mr. John Nicholson
Acquired By: ​​Dr. Everett Kingston1

Handling Guide

Do not handle the cane while unlocked. Remember not to hold it from its curved part for long when handling, ten minutes at the very most. Quickly drop it on the ground if a pale, white mist oozes from the floor, and remember to take cover.

If the cane is unlocked, rotate the curved part until the under-barrel retreats inside the cane, but without pressing the trigger.

Nicholson


When viewing the interior of the barrel, it is important the trigger on the outside of the handgrip not be pressed unless substantial protection, visual and physical, is provided to the viewing person — what such physical protection may be is uncertain to the writer.

When coming across the apparition — which you will recognize, no doubt, for its phantasmal pale color —, try to imitate a citizen of Her Majesty Victoria. Attempt to rid your tongue from any distinctively American aftertaste when conversing with him.

If that fails, consider surrendering. The apparition is of a merciful soldier, even if a fierce fighter. He should take you captive by retrieving any weapons before parting. Do not attempt to seize the cane, or he will pursue relentlessly.

— Dr. E. Kingston


Description:

ANOMALIE OBSCURA No.828 is a sparsely ornate cane of somewhat unusual proportions, likely for usage as a concealed weapon.

The cane is made of wood and metal, and is around an arm's length, but much thicker than average. Its grip is made of engraved silver, featuring an unknown crest what Dr. Kingston claims to be the crest of an English organization, as he gathers from a small portion of the Coat of Arms of Queen Victoria that is under it. Its upper half is decorated with sparse metal inlays, most of which have peeled off due to damage or age.

A rectangular cut is on the left side of the cane, showing a metal barrel inside. The wooden shell can be rotated, causing a shorter barrel to drop from inside the cane when held up, and a small trigger to come out of the silver grip. The bigger barrel is not tipped, but the smaller one is covered by a metal lid.

Pressing the trigger for longer than a few seconds causes the cane to fire a burst of electricity.

Discharge an electric

Nicholson


When the trigger is pressed, the cane releases a single, potent electric discharge in the shape of lightning from its greater barrel. The writer does regrettably not correctly understand how this is achieved, but internal inspection unveils a set of five to eight circular sigils embedded on the walls of the greater barrel, along with a concave lens on its bottom.

In turn, the lesser barrel shines a curious pale beam of light when the trigger is pulled, emitted through a circular hole left by a sliding metal lid. This pale beam is reflected by the mirror inside of the greater barrel, presumably igniting a reaction in the circular sigils that generate electricity.

This beam, impotent on its own, is projected by a small white object — perhaps a gem — that is harmful to the sight, as is the beam. Viewing either the gem or the beam more than twice damages the eye beyond seeing, but has no other qualities of note.

— Dr. E. Kingston


The cane is haunted by a ghostly redcoat English soldier, who appears at a short distance of the cane. He goes by the name of Phineas Moore, and is armed with a rifle and bayonet, both of which are real both of which Dr. Kingston insists to be material rather than ghostly.

Dr. Kingston describes Mr. Moore's appearance to be largely indistinct and translucent, with his silhouette glowing faintly. The degree of translucence is such that the apparition may be impossible to see during the day, save for his rifle. Mr. Moore's behavior is scarcely documented, with all sightings reported by Dr. Kingston.

Axton-Hornsby Anomaly Records agents in Tombstone are attempting to identify the place and time of death of Mr. Phineas Moore, to little success. It is strongly recommended by Dr. Kingston that this task be assigned a greater priority, and he suggests entering negotiations with the English Department of Occultism to that end.

Nicholson


Recountment of Sightings:

Mr. Ridge

I urge you not to take Dr. Kingston's testimony in serious account. He is known for great exaggerations and a penchant for storytelling. The Brits' interest for the cane suggests that at least parts of his story are true this time, but I do not believe any such "Bone Beast" to really exist.

If it were by me his account would be scrapped, but I would not want to brave his inhuman ability to pester every Authority official in Tombstone to have it included again. A hard enough job it was to get the recountment cut to a reasonable length.

— Nicholson





Storage and Utility

The cane has been stored in a Remington rifle box, packed with straw to prevent the barrel from unlocking. It will remain there when delivered to New York. An Axton-Hornsby liaison has insisted that it be sent to Brooklyn first for their analysis, pending Director Sam's approval and negotiation with the English Department of Occultism and Phenomena Affairs.

No particular precaution seems to be necessary when holding the cane by its grip. It appears that Mr. Moore is no longer interested by the cane as of our testing with its properties — were the ghost to truly exist.

SIGNED: Officer Stuart Ridge, Protectorate



Property of the Axton-Hornsby Exploration Society’s Anomaly Records

in collaboration with

Department of Aberration Concealment & Logistics


Document Digitized: 11/05/2006 - OIRS

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