PNW-L3-7466(NL: "Noxulous"

>>> ACCESSING BASE DATA

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Specimen ID: PNW-L3-7466(NL)

Nickname: Noxulous

Genus/species: noxulum sanguinarium

Notes: unknown origin, decentralized, mostly docile, aberrant

Response: NON-LETHAL

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IDENTIFICATION:

Noxulous is a vaguely humanoid shaped creature made of muscle-like mycelial membranes, it

has 5 eye-like organelles that allow it to detect light, 2 on the left side, 3 smaller ones on the

right, each seeing in different spectrums, it is characterized by glowing, pulsing gold veins, but

curiously black, thick, blood like ooze when damaged. It has 8 bladed appendages sprouting

from what would be its shoulder blades, as well as harded black carapace of some form of

calcified, bone-like plating. Its many eyes appear to have black sclera and glowing red irises,

presumably for hunting at night. Sharpened calcium deposits approximating fangs and a wide

mouth seemingly going back to where it would have ears. It stands at 6 feet (183cm) and has

clawed legs and hands. It appears adorned in many cybernetic enhancements including red

glowing metallic plating on its back appendages and claws, as well as increased armor around

the joints. It emanates a curious red mist.

OVERVIEW & ENGAGEMENT:

Unlike most ambulatory creatures, Noxulous (or at least its organic parts) seems to be entirely

mycelial, with decentralized organs and nerve tissue making it exceedingly difficult to harm or

destroy in any meaningful way. Save for its eye-like organelles it has no real organ tissue to

speak of. It appears to have been modified with class [REDACTED] combat cybernetics,

implying someone or something tried to weaponize this creature, but no one seems to even

know where it originated. Noxulous appears to stare at researchers as they study it, but grows

agitated in the presence of regular humans, enough that its back appendages engage and it

appears ready to attack. Noxulous does not attack unless provoked, but we aren't sure how to

destroy it, only neutralize it with, funnily enough... motor oil, it gets the creature drunk like spirits

would to a human. Short of full incineration we cant say how to destroy this specimen, and we

arent entirely sure it would be necessary, however when we initially captured it, it exhibited

agitated behavior like it had just been fighting for its life, perhaps against whoever kitted it with

illegal class [REDACTED] combat cybernetics. Its peculiar red mist affects people in different

ways at different times, effects range from becoming amorous, to dizzy, to violent, to infested

with black mycelium, it's impossible as of yet to chart when or why this occurs, except that

infestation occurs during inadequate containment measures. No one is certain what the golden

veins on the creature contains, only that when some of the fluid was extracted and tested on

drones it caused [REDACTED]

RESTRAINTS:

Noxulous has to be kept in an abrasion resistant, shock resistant, airtight tank or it will begin

spreading its red mist through any intrusion points, infesting researchers and forcing them to

free it. If it is contained properly it goes dormant and merely watches. Its golden veins pulsing as

it reacts seemingly to thoughts, or feelings of its observers.

BACKGROUND:

Specimen PNW-L3-7466(NL) was found in the wastes south of what used to be spokane, in a

wooded area, in a cave. It was thought to be sleeping, or dead when it snapped awake at the

presence of a containment team. It looked as if it was going to fight, then curiously it decided

against it, releasing an odd, sweet smelling red mist which clogged the gas masks of the team.

They contained it using copious amounts of a proprietary nerve agent to the local facility and

contained. Not long after it awoke it released its red mist again and infested the researchers

look into its physiology, forcing them to release it. causing a breach. Containment teams were

initially told to employ lethal force, but guns, fire, and explosives all seemed to merely slow it

down, so tactics shifted to non-lethal force, re-containment, and more... thorough... restraints.

Infested researchers were leaking more infesting red mist and were moved to level 5 as project

[REDACTED] research subjects. Not much is known of the creature except that Noxulum

Sanguinarium appears to be a fungal species, with odd cordyceps-like effects on other

creatures when agitated or trapped. It appears mostly docile except to pure humans where it

becomes agitated and sometimes attacks unprovoked. Researchers remark that the creature

seems to appear bulkier the more they pay attention to it, more study is needed. Its class

[REDACTED] combat cybernetics are of unknown origin, and appear chimaerized to the

creatures physiology, implying it may have produced them on its own, though this seems

impossible, though the cybernetics do not match any known patterns of enhancement

technology. Its eye organelles seem to see in different spectrums each, and glow to give it some

measure of night vision. It doesn't appear to eat. Non-human researchers report hearing a voice

inside its containment structure, but have yet to record such.

HABITAT:

Specimen PNW-L3-7466(NL) is kept in an air tight, bullet proof glass enclosure, its given

minimal organic matter for fear it may subsume it and grow stronger, the containment room is

large enough to contain a bed and some room to walk around but is otherwise featureless and

covered in 2-way mirror glass.

THREAT:

Given the creature's ability to subsume or infest nearby living things its feared that this creature

may end up turning the region into mono-culture of itself, the only reason it's being contained on

level 3 is because it does not appear to desire this, however infested subjects don't appear to

have as much discretion and will infest others at will, if they are to roam free it may pose an

extinction-level threat.

EXPERIMENTATION:

Various tests on the effects of the red mist have been conducted to learn of its variants, only to

avail that there are no variants, the mist is the same compound of spores every time, how its

effects differ seem to be up for debate. Some researchers posit that the spores have a will, or

that they are programmed to do the will of their creator at time of transmission. Researchers

also tested if the mushrooms the creature seems to randomly fruit are edible, and as it so turns

out, they are, to no ill effect. Samples of the mycelial form were taken and tested to see if they

could grow separate from the host on normal organic substrate, to the researchers surprise it

did, and fruited mushrooms. Dr. [REDACTED] attempted to mate with the creature, she did not

officially declare this an experiment so we theorize she was under the creature's thrall, she

became pregnant with a [REDACTED] and was moved to level 5 containment, where she

frantically insists to be on level 3 with the specimen.

UTILIZATION:

Despite aberrant dangers of specimen PNW-L3-7466(NL) it appears to be a good candidate for

growing near instantly spawning mushrooms if the foundation continues cloning the initial

samples taken from the specimen. It was no one's expectation that when Noxulous was

contained that it would become a near limitless source of food, but then tests are still being

done to chart long term effects of [REDACTED] mushroom consumption.

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>>>ACCESSING POST-UNDERGROWTH FIELD REPORTS:

Delver Garus Bren, writing a report of findings inside the undergrowth facility PNW-7466

Fairchild. The facility is absolutely covered in these strange... slender mushrooms and what

looks and... almost smells like mold. Im taking scrapings of the substance and some specimen

jars of these mushrooms for future study (and maybe consumption... I'm starving). The

documents I've uncovered do seem to attest to the edibility of these mushrooms but i've no idea

of environmental contaminants, perhaps radiation they could have taken on. I keep getting the

feeling I'm being watched in here, I'm hearing footsteps and shuffling but cant find its source, it's

giving me the creeps. I've entered a large containment room that's full of this... red gas, it smells

sweet... Do I have a boner? I gotta get back to camp, Anna is waiting and maybe if we can test

for heavy metals I can report a trove of forageable mushrooms, maybe even a new cultivar! On

my way out I saw a shadow, with red eyes and claws... i gotta get out of here!

Credit & License This article is *not* under creative commons. Written by Noxulous https://cohost.org/Noxulous