Ch. 3 - The Tower of An'Thane (æn θeɪn)

Transcription of a Field Operation Brief given to the Overseer Council of Site-27

"It wasn't supposed to be this way. They were meant to be brought to Site-27, debriefed on the events of Ranger Outpost Poppy in Northern Washington, administered amnestics, and released back into the public. The anomaly aboard the train has been contained since the events of that morning. Thirty-nine dead, including Dr. Erica Knowles, the responding Task Force, and various members of the Train's security force. Due to the events and decisions made by Professor Burnett, Erik Estrada, Niels Nielsen, and this "Crow", they have been assigned as X-Class Personnel. At the recommendation of Maj. Frank Nelson, they are to be placed under the supervision of Dr. Elias Noctis of the Pataphysics Department to assist with the research of Item #27-1593. As you know, Dr. Noctis is the Director of the Pataphysics Department and he is known to be a tad overambitious in his research of other worlds. However, I can vouch that he is a good man at heart. I'm sure if those four people are useful and help the department with their research, they can gain back their freedom. After all, he has been known to release X-Class Personnel back into the general population as well as offering them positions in The Contingency.

As for the expedition into Item #27-1593, three teams have gone in, only one has returned. The sole survivor of that team has since been administered amnestics and released into the general population. The one that returned revealed that there is a God inside that tower with the power to control time. I have given Dr. Noctis the go-ahead to send in a team of his choosing to investigate the tower, find the God residing inside, and investigate this power to control time. Like with the other worlds, minimizing cultural and technological impact is of utmost importance. The denizens of the tower range from humanoids to fiends to anomalous entities. Some are reported to be benevolent, but most are skeptical of strangers, and others seem to be malevolent. The Pataphysics Department has been reminded of this and I'm sure they will relay this intelligence to the next expedition team.

That concludes my report for today. Ladies and gentlemen of the Overseer Council, I will now take any questions or concerns you may have."