I. Folklore Narrative
In the southern highlands of Norman lies an abandoned trail long forgotten by maps. Locals call it "The Blooming Fog Path" – a name that may sound poetic, but veils a long-standing terror whispered across generations.
They say that on dense, moonless nights, a strange sweet scent drifts through the air – not of any known flower, but a fragrance that seems to mimic the deepest memories of anyone who smells it.
Some describe the scent as the jasmine of a rainy childhood night. Others say it resembles the scent of a deceased mother's room. The fragrance is never the same, but one thing remains constant: it calls to you, lures you deeper, and clouds your sense of danger.
Many who wandered this path have vanished – drawn into the mist by the scent's invisible pull. A few were found days later, lost and shaking, unable to recall where they had gone or why. Others were never seen again.
A surviving witness – a woodcutter – once recounted:
"I was chopping wood like always. As the sky darkened, I smelled something… strange, yet comforting. I thought someone nearby was cooking. But the next thing I knew, I was standing right at the edge of a cliff. I couldn't remember how I got there. Only the howling wind brought me back to my senses…"
A search party once followed a trail of footprints that wandered aimlessly through the mists, circling back and forth, and finally ending at the edge of a deep ravine. No signs of struggle. No blood. Just a single petal, resting on the rocks – from no flower known to science.
Now, the locals of Norman simply warn:
"If you smell blooming flowers on a foggy night… don't follow it. Because maybe… it's not you who found the scent. It's the scent that found you."
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II. Code – Designation
Identification Code: NOR-SCENT-003
Common Name: The Fragrance of the Hollow, The Bloom of Fog
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II. Threat Classification
Tier: Rift Class (Tier II)
Danger Level: Moderate
Presence: Frequently appears in foggy, desolate areas along abandoned trails or mountain paths at night, especially during moonless nights.
Behavior: The entity is non-aggressive and does not directly harm victims but poses a significant psychological threat by luring individuals with a compelling fragrance, leading them off the trail or into dangerous areas. If followed, victims may lose track of time and direction, or in extreme cases, fall into ravines or cliffs due to their disorientation.
Effects on Victims: Victims who succumb to the scent often find themselves in an altered state of mind, unable to recall how they wandered, or they may become trapped in spatial distortions. Prolonged exposure can result in memory loss, panic attacks, and disorientation.
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IV. Identification Features
Scent Characteristics: The most defining feature of The Fragrance of the Hollow is its distinct, sweet scent. It varies depending on the person, often reflecting their most cherished memory or most significant emotional connection. For some, it may be the smell of their childhood home, while for others it could be the scent of a loved one. The aroma is subtle but incredibly compelling, drawing those who encounter it to follow its source, even when they know they shouldn't.
Appearance: While the entity has no physical appearance, the scent is often accompanied by dense fog or mist that seems to emanate from nowhere, enveloping areas of the trail or mountain pass. Those who have come close to the source report feeling a cold, chill in the air, but there are no visible figures or creatures present. The fog itself seems almost alive, shifting and swirling in strange, unnatural patterns.
The Petal: In rare cases, individuals may encounter a single flower petal lying in the path, despite there being no flowers nearby. This petal, however, is unfamiliar, with no known origin, and it is often found near the edge of dangerous cliffs or ravines. Its presence is seen as an ominous sign that the entity has claimed the path, and a warning to those nearby.
Soundless Whispers: The silent whispers of the wind are occasionally heard, as if beckoning the victim to move further into the fog. The whispers are not audible voices, but more of a psychic call, compelling individuals to take just one more step, edging them closer to danger. Victims have reported hearing their names or vague, comforting phrases like "Come home" or "It's just over there".
Unseen Presence: The scent itself is the only concrete indication of the entity's existence. The unseen presence is a manifestation of the fog that surrounds it, making it almost impossible to detect physically unless it directly engages with its victim. However, a disorienting effect begins once the scent is inhaled, leading individuals to lose their sense of direction, heightening their susceptibility to falling or getting lost.
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V. Observation Log
Agent Stack Report – Incident #1524Date: 2024-06-15Location: Northern Trail, Norman High LandsDepartment:██ (Department of Containment)Field Operative: ██ (Field Unit ██)Subject: The Fragrance of the Hollow
Report Summary: Upon arrival at the location, we initiated a preliminary ██ under the direction of ██, head of ██. The task was to assess the ██ effects of the phenomenon described by multiple witnesses along the ██.
The intensity of the fog was evident upon arrival, and it grew denser the longer we stayed. ██, assigned as the primary field operative, reported that the scent had an unusually strong pull. According to his account, the smell resembled ██, drawing him to investigate further.
██'s observation indicated that the emotional connection was not random. The fragrance seemed tailored to each individual, reflecting their personal memories, possibly suggesting psychological manipulation by the entity.
At approximately 20:15, ██ suddenly lost focus, stepping dangerously close to the edge of a cliff despite clear signs of danger. This momentary lapse was consistent with the initial ██ described by prior victims.
Following this, the decision was made to ██ for the Fragrance of the Hollow, which could not be physically contained due to its non-corporeal nature.
DOC Report – Test Subject #1158Subject:██ (Misdirection via Scent)Assigned Field Operative:██ (Field Unit ██)Date: 2024-06-16
Report Summary: To further evaluate the Fragrance's effects, ██ (alias: ██) was selected as a test subject. ██, a ██, with a history of ██, was an ideal candidate for the experiment due to his lack of emotional attachment to the trail or location.
Upon exposure to the scent, ██ was able to resist the psychological effects for approximately 10 minutes before becoming disoriented. He was guided through the trail by ██, who noted that ██'s movements became increasingly erratic, causing him to wander off the path. After 15 minutes, ██fell into a ravine, narrowly avoiding death.
Analysis of the incident suggests that the Fragrance of the Hollow amplifies the weaknesses or vulnerabilities of the individual exposed, further supporting the theory of ██ manipulation. ██, despite being a ██, succumbed to the entity's call due to his psychological distress.
Dr. ██ Report – Incident #1532Date: 2024-06-18
Subject: The Fragrance of the Hollow – Extended Exposure and Psychological Breakdown
Report Summary: After reviewing ██'s observations and ██'s exposure, it became evident that the Fragrance of the Hollow serves as a psychic weapon targeting individuals' most vulnerable emotional triggers. ██ recommended further ██ involving more subjects from ██ to determine how the entity's influence may vary among different individuals, especially those with known psychological trauma or high emotional sensitivity.
Final Assessment:
We are dealing with an entity that does not physically interact with its victims but instead attacks their psyche using a scent-based psychological influence. This may have long-term effects on memory retention and cognitive stability.
Given the non-corporeal nature of the Fragrance, and its potential to subdue or manipulate a wide range of individuals, the DOC recommends limiting exposure to this phenomenon and severing any trail access where it has been encountered.
Further testing with ██ subjects is necessary to better understand the long-term consequences of exposure, particularly in terms of memory loss and hallucinations. As of now, the only known method of protection is to avoid areas affected by this entity entirely.
Additional Notes:
██'s condition remains stable but a degree of psychological unease persists.
██ has requested additional personnel to aid in psychological evaluations, citing concerns over long-term exposure effects.
██ has been alerted to the potential ██████ consequences of further exposure to the entity, and additional security measures have been ██ to prevent further breaches.
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VI. Time & Conditions of Appearance
Date of First Recorded Appearance:
The first documented appearance of the Fragrance of the Hollow occurred in 2018, along a remote trail near ██ in the Norman Highlands. Several hikers reported a strange, intoxicating scent in the air before experiencing severe disorientation, with some nearly losing their lives in nearby ravines. It wasn't until 2020 that further investigations were initiated following multiple missing persons reports in the area, all of which involved the same unusual scent.
Environmental Conditions for Emergence:
Weather Patterns: The Fragrance appears most frequently during conditions of low visibility, such as fog, dense mist, or nights with no moonlight. Its potency seems to increase during specific atmospheric pressure changes, especially in regions near cliffs or rugged terrain.
Location: The phenomenon is primarily encountered along isolated trails, dense forests, or mountainous landscapes where the scent's influence can disorient and lure individuals into dangerous terrain. It is most prevalent in areas that are less traveled, often unnoticed by local authorities.
Time of Day: The Fragrance is typically most potent during the hours of dusk to late night, coinciding with a rise in psychological instability among exposed individuals. It is also reported that lower temperatures tend to enhance its effects, likely due to its influence on neurotransmitter production in the brain.
Known Patterns of Behavior:
Attraction to Vulnerable Individuals: The Fragrance seems to attract individuals who are emotionally distressed or mentally fatigued, amplifying their psychological weaknesses and increasing susceptibility to the phenomenon. Survivors of earlier exposure have reported feeling an overwhelming need to follow the scent, despite warnings from others.
Sudden Onset of Disorientation: Initial signs of exposure include a sudden loss of focus, followed by an intense urge to move toward the source of the scent. Victims often describe an almost hypnotic pull, compelling them to wander off the path, usually leading to dangerous outcomes.
Agent ████ Report:A recent field mission involving two junior operatives confirmed that the Fragrance can even manifest more intensely under certain emotional triggers. Operative ████, while exposed, experienced severe mental distress and nearly succumbed to the pull of the scent. This raises the concern that psychic influence may be exacerbated by certain neuropsychological conditions, which will require further investigation.
Field Incident Summary:
Date: 2024-06-20
Location:██ Trail, Norman Highlands
Agent ██: Exposed, reported high levels of paranoia and dissociation after 30 minutes in the affected area.
Agent ███: Safe, did not experience major psychological effects. Required debriefing and psych evaluation following the mission.
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VII. Prevention & Containment
Method of Avoidance:
Primary Protocol: The best known form of protection is complete avoidance of areas where the Fragrance is suspected to be present. Monitoring of atmospheric conditions is critical to preventing exposure. Once identified, an evacuation of the area should be immediately initiated by local agencies under the coordination of NOR agents.
Physical Barriers: Given that the Fragrance is non-corporeal, there is currently no effective means of physical containment. However, we have observed that the scent does not appear to emanate from a fixed source. Surveillance drones equipped with ██ filters may provide a temporary barrier, though this remains in experimental stages.
Psychological Containment:
Mind Shields: Tests have shown that the Fragrance's effects can be partially mitigated by psychological barriers that block or filter emotional responses, specifically those related to guilt, anxiety, and nostalgia. ██ development is currently researching ways to amplify this technique for larger-scale applications.
Team Mental Fortitude: Teams that operate in affected areas should be small, tightly bonded, and trained in high-stress survival tactics. Psychological reinforcement has proven effective in combating the disorienting effects of the Fragrance, although full immunity has yet to be achieved.
Containment Recommendations:
Step 1: Immediate clearance of affected zones.
Step 2: Establishment of high-frequency monitoring systems to detect and track anomalous emotional fluctuations in surrounding populations.
Step 3: Future investigation into advanced containment strategies utilizing ██ and ██ technologies that might counteract the Fragrance's psychological influence.
Final Notes: The Fragrance of the Hollow represents a complex and potent psychological threat, making it difficult to contain using standard methods. Until more is known about its origins and full range of abilities, we must remain on high alert. The recent uptick in field incidents calls for more immediate action to be taken regarding field protocol and investigations. Any failure to address these issues could result in greater loss of life and potentially jeopardize NOR operations.