Created By Eye14
CARNEVALs are entities that directly correlate with the existence of hospitals. The earliest recorded encounter occurred in 1958, and since then, sightings have been on the rise. It is estimated that as the public gains more and more access to hospital funding, the population of CARNEVALs will increase at a polynomial rate. As proven in 1965, humans possessing anomalous abilities can be capable of locating these entities, rendering them a spectacle for the public eye.
Commensal Anatomizations Resembling Near-human Entities of Vegetative Anomalous Location
CARNEVALs, alternatively referred to as "amputated torsos" or simply "chest resters", are individual entities, specimens of which display similar trends in behavior.
Individual instances belonging to this (presumably related) group of entities display several commonalities. It should, however, be noted that the majority of the information presented in this document is based off the accounts of eyewitnesses and interviewed citizens.
Entities belonging to this categorization are found exclusively within hospitals, a perplexing behavior which is a subject of ongoing research. CARNEVALs' presence within any given building is usually undetectable to the average civilian. However, due to the instances' "anomalous location", doorways (such as those leading to closets or offices) will occasionally open to a room containing a specimen of this entity. These rooms do not occur in the floorplans or blueprints for the buildings, rather, they are considered a spatial anomaly. Interviewed subjects who have had encounters with such spaces report that the rooms smell strongly of bleach and rust, or that a "clinically chemical metallic taste" and/or a "shrill whirring sound" is present within the atmosphere of the quarters.
The main trend between various encounters with CARNEVAL-type entities is the presence of a biological "core" or "ingot" about which the anomaly is centered. This resembles, in most cases, a fleshy bulk of human issue. This mass will deviate from that of the baseline human, predominantly being composed of the ribcage. Internal lungs are present, however, the neck and head are entirely absent; the spinal cord terminates above the ribcage. The area at the top of the "shoulder" is occupied by a form-fitting artificial structure, which seeming serves as an attachment point for scar tissue. The collarbone of CARNEVAL specimens is almost entirely absent; the "sockets" located in the shoulders of a baseline human are not present. The bottom of the ribcage, from which the body would typically extend downwards, appears to be entirely missing. Instead, the area below the lungs is simply sealed off with crude muscle and covered by a thin layer of skin. This "dismembered" appearance is responsible for the inclusion of the word "anatomization" in the name, being a synonym for dissection.
It should be noted that CARNEVALs are typically accompanied by medical "accessories". These take to form of medical supplies and apparatuses, such as infusion pumps (and IV tubes). While eyewitness-originating descriptions of these devices vary widely, several trends have been identified. Almost all interviews yield the account of a box-like machine (measuring anywhere from the size of a small radio to the size of a refrigerator), from which extend 1 or 2 thick, "hydraulic" tubes. These protrude into the soft post-rib tissue layer below the ribs, often connecting to a special fitting. These tubes, while occasionally black or grey, are most commonly a clear color. The flow of a light-green or light-blue liquid through the tube(s) may be observed, seemingly being pumped into the body mass by the box-like construction. Further analysis appears to indicate that this liquid is being transported directly into the lungs, which move in accord to a rhythmic "breathing" pattern. Other times, rusty mesh or masses of electrical wires have been noted extending from the "head" area, which may be capped with a plastic or metal cover. Also sighted are cables resembling those of electrocardiograms (ECGs or EKGs) that are adhered to the body, either by a special port or by being inserted directly into the muscle of the body core. Sometimes the devices associated with CARNEVALs draw electricity from the walls, but other times, they function independently of any discernable power source.
Proposed Origins of CARNEVAL Entities
Theories that have been set forth by Repository staff.
The "Living Corpse" Theory
It has been proposed, by researchers, that the seemingly eviscerated biomass of these torsos could be the remains of a powerful reality-warping individual. This explanation claims that such a person, who died of unknown causes, possessed a powerful reality-warping ability originating from their core body. After death, their mind and consciousness decayed. However, the cells in their core body, which were responsible for the manifestation of their abilities, continued to remain alive. They emanated an anomalous "healing factor", keeping the immediate body alive and regenerating some tissues to prevent blood-loss. Operating as an organ system (rather than an organism), the cells continued to live. Proponents of this theory claim that the resulting mitosis (cell division) eventually lead to the duplication of the anomaly, but offer no reasoning as to why this happened. No direct cause for CARNEVALs' location in hospitals (as opposed to any other structure) is proposed, but one researcher believes that this is because humans are social animals, meaning that the person's remains wanted to maintain human company, despite being deceased.
The "Reverse Chameleon" Theory
Another theory is that CARNEVALs are reality-warping "parasites" of the human gestalt (humanity's collective psyche), and that they use their anomalous abilities to "blend in" with their surroundings. However, instead of altering themselves, this theory claims that they actively alter their environment to emulate that of a hospital but are unable to perfectly replicate the design of their habitat. According to this proposal, instances use hospitals in the same way a spider would utilize a web. No reasoning for why they do this has been confirmed, but others hypothesize that CARNEVALs are able to derive some form of sustenance from the minds of injured humans. This would offer an explanation as to why the entities may parasitize exclusively hospitals. However, statistics show that hospitals confirmed to possess a resident CARNEVAL actually operate at a higher level of efficiency than those lacking the entities. One specific location, Duke University Hospital (located in Durham, North Carolina, United States) has been noted as having 2 separate CARNEVALs individuals. Some Repository researchers believe that these "patron anomalies" are the culprit for the fact that the location is one of the highest-ranking medical facilities in the US. The previous concept, if true, would indicate that these entities are not completely parasitic, but that they may also provide certain benefits for the institutions they occupy.
CARNEVAL Namesake
Commensal Anatomizations Resembling Near-human Entities of Vegetative Anomalous Location
Because they cause fear and are believed to benefit from human pain (a negative relationship with humans), but also aid the hospitals they abide in (a positive relationship with humans), their overall behavior is not significantly beneficial or detrimental to human society. Thus, they are considered to engage in commensalism, as they gain from humanity, but CARNEVALS do not significantly benefit humans (they only help hospitals operate so that they can enjoy a steady supply of thought-nutrients).
Anatomization, a synonym for dissection, indicates their "dismembered" appearance.
The term "near-human" is meant to convey their biological nature as a human-derived being.
Vegetative means that they are largely immobile (at least through any known means).
Anomalous location indicates their reality-warping abilities.
