THE ROTMAN

• Item is corrosive to human tissue and man-made materials
• Two personnel minimum required for entry to Cell 233
• Protective suits required for entry to Cell 233
• Item is vulnerable to light

A severely decayed human skull. The mandible and most of the parietal cranium is missing. The outer layer of bone suggests significant aging and deterioration, with the surface a dark shade of brown. Few teeth remain on the upper jaw, but appear to have been filed to points before any tooth decay occurred. Item 233 appears and functions differently based on lighting conditions. Cell 233 is to be kept fully illuminated at all times, with emergency lighting available in the event of failure.

Providing Item 233 is heavily illuminated, it will continue to act as a static object. Its passive effects will remain regardless of lighting arrangements, primarily corroding any human tissue on contact and causing decay, rot and rust to any nearby man-made material that is exposed to the same air as Item 233. For this reason, Item 233 is housed within an airtight container, typically perspex or protective glass to ensure easy observation and continued illumination.

Further passive effects have been observed even under extreme lighting conditions. Without illuminating the interior of the skull, rot and decay can still occur. Curiously, Item 233 is able to manifest fungus, insects and small animals within the void of the skull, providing lighting does not touch the interior surface. Attempts were made to illuminate the entire surface area of Item 233 (both interior and exterior) but proved resource intensive and time consuming, as all components would rapidly decay, fail and require frequent replacement.

After several attempts and experimentation, it was determined that any organisms created by Item 233 were none-anomalous and could be easily disposed of. Following review, removal and incineration of any organisms manifested by Item 233 have become incorporated into the routine maintenance of Cell 233.

When exposed to low lighting levels or complete darkness, Item 233 becomes active and more difficult to contain. Black sludge and rot will form upon all surfaces of the skull until it has enough volume to move by manipulating the sludge. At first, it will resemble a slug or shifting puddle, but as it increases in mass it can maneuver its shape into more complex forms, creating spindly legs or dragging itself around with crude tentacles or limbs. It can shed mass or absorb previously discarded sludge to adjust its shape. If left unchecked for long periods of time [approximately 30 days], it will have created enough filth to enable it to take crude human form, and can press its skull into man-made material to create accelerated deterioration. This allows it to ‘burrow’ through the majority of containment materials, creating holes large enough to ooze sludge through and cause further rot. With persistence, it will eventually be able to squeeze its skull through this gap, and breach containment. Whilst Cell 233 has been adapted to prevent such an event, it is estimated that Item 233 could breach containment within five months if left unchecked and unsupervised. For this reason, any experiments involving low lighting levels with a duration greater than 24 hours must be approved by both [MANAGEMENT] and Chairman 54.

Following extensive experimentation, it has been determined that Item 233 cannot cause significant deterioration to unprocessed inorganic material. Various forms of rock can be used to effectively contain Item 233, providing it has not been shaped or altered by human means. Creating an airtight, natural and inorganic containment facility that still allows for observation and entry by personnel has proved too challenging and costly for the Ministry to consider, but Cell 233 has been modified to allow only one entry/exit point that could be utilised by Item 233 in a ‘worst-case’ scenario. Bedrock surrounds Cell 233 on all sides, instead of the typical concrete or metal surrounding of most Floor Fifty-Four Cells. But any openings to allow access to personnel allow exploitative opportunities for Item 233.

Within Cell 233 itself, several lighting rigs have been set up, with Item 233 housed within two airtight, transparent chambers. The interior chamber is approximately 1.8m cubed, with the exterior chamber approximately 4m cubed.

Considering the complexities involved with allowing Item 233 to roam its containment cell in any active form, high lighting levels are enforced at all times. Cell 233 is also subjected to a deep cleanse on a daily basis, with personnel equipped in full airtight hazmat suits. Any materials created by Item 233 are also removed and incinerated. A minimum of two personnel are required to enter Cell 233, with all suits checked prior to entry and checked again following exit.

The full extent or method of Item 233’s ability to create small organisms is unknown, but the most commonly observed are maggots, spiders, slugs, cockroaches, worms and flies. Various funguses have also sprouted from any sludge or decay formed around Item 233. In one instance, a half-formed dead rat fell from the interior of the skull, apparently too large to stay in place before succumbing to gravity and falling out incomplete. This suggests organisms are ‘formed’ whilst in the darkness, rather than appearing spontaneously.

Expert analysis of the condition of Item 233 suggests the bone is at least three hundred years old. However, carbon dating and further methodology concludes the skull is a more recent creation than it appears; only twenty years or so. Whether the bone will continue to visually deteriorate at an accelerated pace remains to be seen. It is entirely possible that within a handful of decades, the bone will crumble to dust and Item 233 will cease to exist.

Attempts at communication with the human form of Item 233 have proven unsuccessful, with no signs of written, spoken or visual language having any effect on the behavior of “The Rotman”. Once in active form, it will try to grow and escape, regardless of any negotiation, interrogation or communication.

It is believed the skull fragment of Item 233 once belonged to Petrov Eganovich - a convicted pedophile and murderer who escaped prison during an riot. The riot had been instigated by inmates attempting to assassinate Eganovich, but somehow he managed to kill his would-be assassins and escape in the chaos.

Like Item 233, Eganovich has filed his teeth to points, and left bite marks on his victim’s bodies as a calling card. He vanished shortly after his escape, and was last seen near the village where Item 233 was recovered by Ministry Agents. The area where Item 233 was located was a new-build estate that had been built over former swampland. Petrov Eganovich had been known to leave his victims in swamps, sewers or refuse collections, and it is believed he may have drowned whilst looking for new dumping grounds for his victims, or evading capture from authorities.

Whilst little is known about his demise or potential transformation into Item 233, several statements from Prison officials and inmates are of noteworthy interest. Relevant extracts follow:

“...the most rotten individual I have ever had the displeasure of supervising. He revels in disgusting and disturbing everyone he comes into contact with…” - Assessment of Prison Manager following Eganovich’s transfer

“Eganovich has once again smeared his own human excrement on the walls of his cell. Personally, I think we should leave him to rot in his own filth. That creature just stains everything he touches.” - Maintenance entry by Prison Officer

“He isn’t human. I don’t know what he is. But he isn’t human.” - Statement taken from inmate following incident.

Given Item 233's propensity to rot and decay, it is possible that Eganovich's motives continued beyond his mortal life, possibly combining with unknown forces to create Item 233. [further evidence required]