Nx-14

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Nexus #: Nx-14 Civilian Designation: Hoiohiña
Area Class: Dunwich Population: 200,0001

Nexus Interaction Protocol: Due to its geographical location and anomalous properties, no additional cover-up is necessary. Contact with Nx-14 will be carried out through Site-14, respecting the agreements with the Nexus' native population. Furthermore, Site-14 will be in charge of monitoring any kind of instability and/or abnormality originating from Nx-14.

Site-14 was built at the entrance to a cave system in the Guiana Shield, providing the Foundation's only authorized access point to Nx-14. Expedition schedules are as follows and entry to Nx-14 is prohibited apart from these dates, unless otherwise noted:

  • 03/01/2014
  • 15/03/2014
  • 30/10/2014

Expeditions are still being organized for upcoming years. Any attempt external to the Foundation to make contact with Nx-14 must be prevented, and its inhabitants must be notified.

Containment Facility: Site-14.

EscudoNx14.png

Figure 1. Border of the Guiana Shield marked in red.

Description: Nx-14 is the designation given to various zones of the lithosphere beneath the Guiana Shield. The closest documented zone to the surface is located 40 km underground, being the first to be studied by the Foundation. Nx-14 runs for several kilometers in the lithosphere2and is delimited by the Mohorovičić discontinuity, with several isolated zones that are not necessarily connected in a conventional way. Due to the depth and additional anomalous measurements of Nx-14, access is only possible with the help its native population.

Nx-14 comprises several ecosystems inhabited mainly by a Muridae3 species, named Rattus abissos. or its common name, "abyssal rodents"; they possess the following autapomorphies that distinguish them from other known rodent species: intelligence and opposable thumbs on their forelimbs. Other characteristics are the presence of sexual dimorphism, with males being larger than females, and having more colorful fur; a prehensile tail4 and the ability to learn thaumaturgy5.

The political organization of Rattus abissos is based on a group called "Attitiudi Hana", which consists of 8 individuals (4 males and 4 females) for each large inhabited area, who are responsible for making decisions and maintaining order as well as compliance with certain laws, such as regulating transportation of individuals between inhabited areas. Additionally, they have a population control defined by mating seasons throughout the year. It has not been possible to confirm all the major populated areas, but it has been indicated that there are 8 total states.

Research on the biological aspects of Nx-14 and its inhabitants is being carried out by Dr. Pedro Estrada from the Biology Department. After the initial studies, it has been proposed to extend the research to different departments in order to understand in greater depth various aspects of Nx-14.


Addenda


Summary

Research into R. Abissos¸ also called "abyssal rodents", began in the mid-twentieth century, following the Foundation's first attempts to communicate with Nx-14. Although we knew of their existence, it was not until the end of the 1990s that we were able to make contact with their inhabitants, allowing us to learn about different aspects of this species native to the lithosphere of the Guiana Shield.

In 2013 an agreement was reached whereby I would be allowed to travel to Nx-14's areas accompanied by a local, named Norvelio. This study focused on understanding Nx-14's ecosystem in order to perform a threat assessment and analysis of future collaborations with its inhabitants. Research was mainly done regarding their agricultural methods, culture and history.

—Dr. Pedro Estrada, Department of Biology Chair - Ecosystems and Intelligent Species Research.

First direct contact with inhabitants of Nx-14

After finishing construction of Site-14, we went into a system of caves until we came across a stone inscription made by the abyssal rodents. As we came into contact with it, several cracks appeared in the cave walls, transporting us directly to the first area of Nx-14. Our sensors and the Checkpoint indicated that we had descended approximately 40 km instantaneously. It was not necessary to wear special suits due to the measurements collected by drones, which showed no difference between the average environmental characteristics of the surface compared to Nx-14.

The first ones to greet us were a group of three rodents about the size of a person. We could hear several squeaks coming from this group, until one of them stood in front of us and seemed to be able to communicate through its squeaks. He explained to us that he knew a method to communicate with any being that had a sensory system based on mechanical waves, although he still produced squeaks like the other rodents in the group, in our minds we could hear his voice clearly; it was subsequently discovered that in the video records he was only heard with a human voice.

Paraminerals

One of the pillars of the culture of R. Abissos focuses on the handling of minerals and mineraloids by using thaumaturgy, this being called paramineralogy. The most common way of transforming common minerals into an anomalous state is through polymorphism and polymorphic phases giving them different properties.

While polymorphic phases depend on temperature and pressure, a third factor is involved in this process, whereby the molecular structure of the mineral must first be modified in a specific way before a certain amount of EVE is applied to it. If the process is carried out correctly, the mineral will gain anomalous properties ranging from increased hardness and luster to ectoentropic and metamorphic capabilities, among others. Its main use is in clothing, tools and foodstuffs.

Agricultural Biotaumaturgy

patronNx14.jpg

Figure 2. Crop pattern.

Due to the lack of the main source of energy in terrestrial ecosystems —sunlight-—, abyssal rodents use advanced geothermal energy sources, canalizing and transmitting heat through patterns such as the one presented in Figure 2. Also, the main crops are macroscopic fungi belonging to the Basidiomycota division; these fungi have been modified to survive and fulfill their life cycle solely based on the heat provided by geothermal energy, without the need to resort to other food sources. However, they can still fulfill their degradative function.

Additionally, the crop pattern can be altered to modify the biological structure of the fungi, being able to be transmuted into different minerals containing large amounts of EVE. R. Abissos does not have the innate ability to degrade inorganic compounds through their digestive system, this ability is possible due to reciprocal relationships with different prokaryotes (bacteria and archaea) native at that level of the lithosphere. These prokaryotes are found in the digestive tract of R. Abissos. These microorganisms are anomalous, since they can convert heat into EVE through yet unknown metabolic pathways, thus being able to degrade certain inorganic compounds.












The latest information regarding Nx-14 has been restricted to Level 4 or higher personnel. Full declassification of the document is expected in 2016, upon confirmation of the nature of the events that have occurred.












Additional Expedition, 25/12/2014

On 24/12/2014 a message was received from Nx-14, requesting an expedition outside the established schedule. On this date, slight seismic changes coming from the asthenosphere were detected, with epicenters coming from all the geological shields of the planet.

One way of storing information is the use of books created from chitin, which has the property of printing thoughts in text by touch. The leaves are kept alive for an indefinite time and change their pigmentation to represent words. If the book were to die, the last inscriptions are permanently engraved on the leaves. Below is a leaf belonging to these books with the details mentioned in the previous record:

MYTHOLOGY


Abyssal rodents share cultural elements with the Yekuana culture. Further research has shown that at some point in the past, one of these rodents was in contact with the Yekuana people, who considered them to be an emissary of the gods. The purpose of this rodent is unclear, but they were tasked with making known to the Yekuana two dual entities known as "Wannadi" and "Odosha", the former depicted as a benevolent entity, represented as a woodpecker, and master of 8 different heavens; however, recent research indicates that these 8 heavens are actually 8 different states within Hoiohiña, and the true origin of Wannadi remains unknown.

The second deity has no unique representation, being amorphous or described as "a river of black tears". This entity is malevolent and actively seeks the destruction of Wannadi's creation. Information concerning the entity is even scarcer compared to Wannadi, being delicate and related to major events such as mass extinctions or reconfigurations of large portions of land. The veracity of such statements is still being verified, but has been somewhat supported by the following records:

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