Sphacelus Project

[The_Godslayer]

SPHACELUS

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MATTERWEAVE OUTLINE

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Matterweave is a blessing with limitations. A final gift left to the Slomon K'Hara, the end of materiel science as we know it. It exists in a state of macro-quantum superposition, where full molecules are splayed between each other, each inhabiting another's space at any given observation. Matter itself woven together through the most delicate laws of physics into a state of near-absolute entropy. The hardest substance ever created, yet, it can have flexibility depending on how it's perceived. A perfect conduit for energy, yet also a perfect insulator.

Yet, while it can carry energy, it cannot carry a mind. A mind, without a shadow of a doubt, can observe every instance of itself through mere contemplation, and therein a sentient Matterweave would dissolve itself. We bypassed this limitation with the Scorpion, recycling flesh into Matterweave, and nerve and brain into control mechanism. A certain amount of disconnect was necessary to maintain the structure, and it has worked flawlessly ever since.

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SPHACELUS PROJECT REPORT 1

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Matterweave, as a substance, cannot harbor consciousness. It can, however, conduit energy. With the actions I took regarding the Bustard and the delivery which those mercenaries undertook, not to mention Caliban's activity and the now-spreading reach of the Voidmind, it is becoming obvious that I am in need of "Cherubim" to defend the interests of the Garden. With this in mind, I began experimenting with some captured specimens to see if I could install a control mechanism.

I have long enjoyed running experiments with the Midden, the limits of what a suffering mind can truly comprehend is beautiful in its own right. Dissociation allows a mind to be pulled apart more efficiently. In the interest of testing these limits, I began replacing the nervous systems of captured individuals with Matterweave, so that as they began to integrate, the Matterweave would collapse. The moment they could feel the limb, it would die. I wished to see the limits of the lingering "phantom sense", as well as whether this method could create a sort of "bomb collar". Most of the time, however, they'd simply die. Dead bodies aren't particularly useless, they can still be formed into Matterweave as they are still matter.

Yet, in my experiments, something most interesting happened. On a trio of women, after having died by the Matterweave collapse of their replaced spines, I began reconnecting the Matterweave just to see what would happen. What happened was another portion of the spine collapsed, as if the dead could observe itself. I replicated the experiment, and there was a deviance in where the collapse happened. What fun it is, to chase a scientific endeavor. This report documents the beginning of the Sphacelus Project.

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SPHACELUS PROJECT REPORT 2

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I've introduced two control cadavers for measurement purposes, and I found some noted deviances when I reconnect the Matterweave spines on my experiment. Tiny, minute nervous firing from nerve clusters. At this point, I see no pattern as to which nerves activate, simply that there will always be some part that recognizes itself once the loop is complete.

To further push the boundaries of this phenomenon, I've replaced the entire central nervous system save the brain and eyes with Matterweave. The dark stone color of Matterweave sings a siren song to the artist within me, seeing it embedded into their pale, dead flesh. But the scientist in me is even more intrigued to find that the disconnect happens in a single location now, where the dead brain connects to the Matterweave brain stem. It seems the human mind, even in death, can recognize that it is dead. Perhaps... the human soul?

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CURRENT STATUS

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The current results are fairly inconclusive. I have a few tools at my disposal that I'd like to test on these bodies, but I'd like to obtain an expert's opinion before I continue. Any insight is good insight, and I have yet to meet she who famously taught the Light to disdain. Who better to help with heresies than the most infamous heretic?

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I'll do something about my superiority complex when I cease to be superior.

"Whatever happened to catchin' a good old-fashioned passionate ass-whoopin and gettin' your shoes, coat, and your hat tooken?"

[The_Godslayer]

SPHACELUS

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SPHACELUS PROJECT REPORT 3

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I've progressively replaced portions of the brain searching for what generates the Matterweave failure. It is centered in the nervous system, that much was for certain. The frontal lobe was the main problem, I've completely removed it and replaced it with a sort of Matterweave computer chip, but the rest of the Central Nervous System needed to go as well. Some significant peripheral nervous system bundles needed replacing as well. Only the larger connections to the Central Nervous System needed replacing for the Cervical and Thoracic nerves, though there were some points of interest in the center of the throat, chest, and solar plexus.

Significantly more interesting was the Lumbar and Sacral nerves. Everyone has heard that humans tend to "think with their groins", to keep it professional, but it seems there's more merit to the claim than what appears at first glance. Some amount of self-observation is located both there, and at the very base of the spine, meaning I had to replace those areas with Matterweave nodes as well.

Completing this, no portion of the Matterweave collapsed. Whatever observer was there could no longer observe. As it should have been, looking at the amount of changes I had done to these bodies. Thick black cables criss-crossing under their skin, patches replaced with nodes of Matterweave. I have separated two of the bodies, and moved them into a light resuscitation machine. One I left with only the modifications I made, and the second I introduced a modicum of the ichor I fashioned. Well, copied really, from my brief experience with Caliban and his parasite. It shares the essence of living machinery without the binding of consciousness, something I suppose is very useful for those Sentinels that it originated from.

The purpose of this is to lend the strength of my reality to the body. Cortana's experiments have made it very clear that the weak do not survive invasive treatments, and I can think of nothing weaker than the dead. This concludes the first week of this experiment.

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SPHACELUS PROJECT REPORT 4

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Day fifteen shows me a success. The cadaver which I introduced the ichor responds to stimuli. Oppressing it psychically causes some muscle contractions and hormonal releases. A failure on the other one. I will introduce the ichor to it as well, for repetitions sake. I contemplated introducing an IV drip, but after cutting it open to inspect, it seems my ichor has expanded and consumed the blood in the body.

Of note, the heart doesn't beat. My ichor flows on its own, and so it isn't particularly impeded by a stopped heart. My main goal with this substance was to attain immortality independent of the Mindshare's remembering and rebuilding of me, so it is fitting that it should shed immortality into the mortal.

The incision sealed itself when I brought the wound closed, no doubt a remnant of my body as well. This combat walker is self-repairing for battlefield purposes, and if I can make something useful of these cadavers, then self-repair would be an invaluable asset to them as well.

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SPHACELUS PROJECT REPORT 5

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Day twenty-one. A second success seems to prove that my ichor is needed. Much more importantly, a series of tests have resulted in awareness and animation. Specifically, I went through the list of strong emotions that garner emotional responses. Panic, and panic attacks, by extension, seem to be the key. These new creatures seem to be blank slates beyond certain functions retained by the rest of their brain.

Of note in my tests, they score poorly on planning and problem solving until roughly the fifteenth test. It's like watching them relearn how to think. Yet, they retain some semblance of language, though I've yet to decipher the communications they make to each other when I bring them into contact. There is a song I sing, from my time in contact with the Bundschuh. It's been stuck in my head for a long time, yet it seems they have picked it up as well.

Also, their regeneration capabilities are impressive. Impalement, limb removals varying from tearing to crushing to cauterizing plasma blasts, severe burns, they regenerate through the ichor. It seems to be a materially intensive process, they can only regenerate about half their body before they begin losing muscular function to malnutrition. During the process of testing this, I killed the first one by ripping off its leg repeatedly until it starved from the regeneration. My primary goal was to see if it could stop regenerating at will. It could not. Secondly, however, was to see what if it was possible, and what it took, to resuscitate one after death. Standard IV drips did nothing, the ichor in their bodies did not react. What did react was further ichor from my body. Having to recall them to me to repair them is a tactical liability.

Finally, they act in religious manners towards some things. They treat the song as a summoning ritual for me, it seems, and certain tests of mine garner unnaturally positive reactions. The pain threshold tests originally were avoided after initial contact, but after three days of testing, they now willingly throw themselves into my testing apparatus. Especially in the latest stages of testing, targeting the limits of their regeneration, their reactions to losing limbs and being impaled seemed to border on euphoric.

I will continue testing on these two. If I can train them to fight in some manner, I can use them, albeit in limited ways. If nothing else, perhaps I can offer them as pets.

Or trojan horses.

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I'll do something about my superiority complex when I cease to be superior.

"Whatever happened to catchin' a good old-fashioned passionate ass-whoopin and gettin' your shoes, coat, and your hat tooken?"