About Primary Anomalies

What are Primary Anomalies?

As an essential term within ORCA operations, it's essential to define what such a term means.

A Primary Anomaly, compared to Lesser Anomalies, is an anomalous item, paranormal location, or unusual phenomenon which has proven itself strange enough to warrant ongoing research from ORCA staff. Due to their more complex anomalous properties, they require specialized procedures to keep them contained within facilities. While Lesser Anomalies can be kept in basic storage facilities, Primary Anomalies often require a containment chamber, trained guards, and specific requirements for experimentation.

To work with a Primary Anomaly is to operate within the greater network of the Office for the Research and Containment of the Anomalous. The Research Division makes up the largest percentage of the organization and work almost entirely with these items, organisms, locations, and phenomena. With the exception of Inert-Class items, every Primary Anomaly currently contained by the ORCA has a team of specialists dedicated to their wellbeing and the furthering of our understanding of them. Though these research teams hold a majority of authority regarding their assigned Primary Anomaly, checks and balances from other divisions ensure the anomalies themselves are prioritized over science.

Put simply, Primary Anomalies are the main course of the anomalous world while Shells, Shoals, and Surfs are appetizers, soups, and salads.

Categorizing Primary Anomalies

Upon opening the database of Primary Anomalies for the first time, many new members are confused by the list of two-letter prefixes adorning the title of every anomaly. These prefixes are the heart of the anomaly categorization system employed by the ORCA. Each title is an abbreviation of the category in which several hundred, if not several thousand, Primary Anomalies belong. Because of this, it is essential to remember the meaning of each prefix as well as the typical procedures which accompany these categories. This is especially important when certain groups overlap with one another in certain aspects.

Currently, Primary Anomalies are placed into fifteen distinct categories, which will be described below.

AT (Artifacts)

AT anomalies, as the name may suggest, are items of interest from human history such as works of art, statues of famous or mythical individuals, legendary weapons, relics of a bygone era, and other baubles from the past. Many AT anomalies are religious in nature, referring to ancient divine beings while others are the personal items of influential figures which have attained anomalous properties via unknown means. Sometimes researchers believe these items possessed such properties from the beginning, infused with an otherworldly presence by an unknown group or individual in a time long past.

An example of an AT anomaly is AT148, a five-foot tall statue depicting the demon Moloch constructed from limestone likely several thousand years ago. It would be discovered by the ORCA in 1980 in Waukee, Iowa following an attack by a cult dedicated to the item. The item possesses an ability to effect the minds of individuals unaware of its anomalous properties within a 300ft radius. It uses this ability to collect sacrifices of domesticated animals, eventually demanding sacrifices of human children. When AT148 has received a suitable number of sacrifices, it will begin to produce monstrous entities comprised of various livestock which violently attack any living thing they come in contact with.

BE (Beast)

Comprised of anomalous animals of all shapes and sizes, the BE category covers a wide swathe of anomalies contained by the ORCA. Paranormal wildlife and unusual animal species have stood within the borders of the mundane world as long as human civilization has existed, believed to be the inspiration for folklore across history. While some groups learned to live with these strange creatures, many merely saw such animals as threats. The factor which makes BE anomalies particularly dangerous is that, like nonanomalous animals, they are often highly unpredictable. While some instances are merely an animal with an unusual anatomy, the most dangerous of them are capable of slaughtering armies with little effort.

An example of a BE anomaly is BE181, a species of large parrots which are capable of understanding and using human languages at a basic level. Discovered in the early 1900s in Northeastern Peru, these birds have been witnessed living around small towns and villages in the area. Instances will spend hours perched on the roofs of buildings in high-activity areas. They often spend several months practicing vocalizations they hear before moving to the nearby wilderness. For over a year, groups of these birds will gather in flocks where they trade phrases and sounds collected. Though it is believed that they utilize these phrases primarily to intimidate predators such as jaguars and harpy eagles, the ORCA discovered this species following several rumors of haunting voices in the jungle. Several people have gone missing due to this anomalous species.

BH (Biohazard)

Mundane biological hazards have been a major threat to humankind throughout history through the form of plagues sweeping across continents, proving themselves to be truly devastating forces of nature. Though they lack the infamy plagues such as the Black Death or the Spanish Flu possess, anomalous plagues have proven themselves just as, if not more, dangerous. While preternatural bacteria and viruses make up a majority of BH anomalies, fungi and parasitic microorganisms are also included in this category. A common trait among BH anomalies is the ability to infect other living things, causing direct harm while benefitting.

An example of a BH anomaly is BH604, an unusual species of virus discovered in the 1920s on fossils excavated from the La Brea Tar Pits in Southern California. Researchers working onsite reported experiencing dreams where they witnessed various Pleistocene fauna emerging from the pits as angelic voices call for them to come closer. Several paleontologists attempted to jump into the tar pits, though none succeeded. The ORCA would begin investigating when symptoms of a substance similar to crude oil began to leak from the noses and mouths of the infected. The following decade would go into searching for a cure, eventually finding one in the 1950s.

BR (Broadcast)

Compared to preternatural artifacts, unusual wildlife, and anomalous viruses, the BR category is a relatively new group in the anomalous world. As humanity began to send signals out into the world, paranormal phenomena would become attracted to it as well. This would begin with abnormal radio broadcasts at the dawn of the 20th century and would develop with the invention of the television and skyrocket as satellite broadcasting became common. BR anomalies can become incredibly difficult to contain as they spread just as well as any disease.

An example of a BR anomaly is BR148, an anomalous television channel which appears on cable tv services across the Pacific Northwestern United States from 1:00 AM to 4:00 AM. It typically creeps from Western Montana and Idaho to Washington and Oregon as the night progresses. The advertisements presented on this channel represent existing products, though they are presented in sardonic fashions and often exhibit morally questionable content. Most of the programs presented on BR148 display similar acts of vulgarity, and range from benign works described as "avant-garde" to deeply disturbing programs described as "shocking and cruel". Since its first appearance in 1955, ORCA researchers have been working tirelessly to discover the source of BR148.

CM (Chemical)

The CM category may seem simple at a glance, but is a general term for anomalous materials of all kinds. This includes anomalous chemical solutions, manmade and natural materials, nuclear waste, and extradimensional elements. While most CM anomalies are simply more extreme forms of mundane chemicals, some possess incredibly dangerous properties capable of warping the fabric of reality.

An example of a CM anomaly is CM091, an anomalous chemical solution similar to hydrogen peroxide which contains an additional unknown component believed to be a kind of amino acid. When applied to a wound, CM091 encourages and even accelerates cell growth. As proven in high-threat field missions, CM091 is capable of healing even the most grievous wounds given enough time. Currently there is a limited amount of this compound in the world, making efforts to recreate it a high priority for the ORCA. Due to its limited availability, only a handful of people have access to CM091 and even less people are allowed to use it.

DG (Digital)

Just as anomalous phenomena blossomed from the birth of radio transmissions, new forms of paranormal activity appeared with the dawn of the internet age. Though this category primarily encapsulates anomalies discovered on the internet, the first DG anomalies categorized by the ORCA would be video games. DG anomalies take as many forms as the online world can provide such as social media, websites, browsers, computer viruses, and (though it encroaches on another category) online broadcasts. However, the most famous of the DG anomalies are the unknowable number of artificial intelligences existing within the digital space. Like any other kind of anomaly, digital anomalies can present a unique challenge to the ORCA and their own threats to researchers.

An example of a DG anomaly is DG296, a collection of anomalous popup ads for various products and news stories on a website titled atlanticfootballfishing.com. These ads are capable of entering any computer or mobile device connected to the internet with minimal security and accessing the microphone of the device. Once this has occurred, instances of DG296 will spend up to five months listening to conversations within range of the device before deploying customized popup ads to the affected device. If an individual interacts with even one of these anomalous advertisements, instances of DG296 will remove all data from the infected device. Within the week, the individual will experience hallucinations of glowing pale dots above them before disappearing without a trace.

ET (Extraterrestrial)

Though the ORCA is primarily interested with the anomalous objects, locations, and phenomena that appear on Earth, supernatural elements of the world beyond the atmosphere has also caught their attention. This has taken place in a variety of forms including but not limited to those considered nothing but crackpot conspiracy theories among the more rational portion of the mundane world. Along with entities from other planets visiting or making contact with Earth, the ET category is also comprised of anomalous space objects, items closely connected to space travel, unusual cosmic bodies, and preternatural cosmic phenomena.

An example of an ET anomaly is ET536, a storm taking the form of a small blue dot on the surface of Jupiter, initially discovered in 1994 by ORCA researchers. Investigation into the "Little Blue Spot" has been incredibly difficult due to the great distance between the two planets, so a lot of the information gained on the anomaly has been gathered from distant observation. However, in late 2024, a probe sent to Jupiter made contact with the spot and discovered something truly strange about the great gas giant.

EV (Environmental)

Returning to Earth, the EV category concerns anomalies of the geological and ecological varieties. Though not as common as an anomalous plant or animal, unusual environments are just as important in the ORCA's efforts to understand the unnatural world. With the exception of abnormal fossils and natural minerals, EV anomalies are location-based and require their own facilities as they cannot be moved. Grand geological oddities and unusual ecosystems make up the brunt of the EV category, though some are far smaller than this prefix would imply. The most important aspect of this category is its connection to nature as it separates this group from a later category.

An example of an EV anomaly is EV344, a cave in Southern Texas where a colony of pterosaurs similar to the genus Anurognathus lives alongside hoary bats. This species has developed several traits common among their mammalian peers and appear to have been fully integrated into the colony of hoary bats. Though they will emerge from their home during the evening hours to nearby towns, the existence of the bats helps the ORCA keep these supposedly extinct pterosaurs away from the public eye.

FL (Flora)

Anomalous plants are just as common and just as strange as anomalous animals, and have had quite the impact on the history of mankind. Many anomalies within this category are believed to have inspired mythical flora across the world, though others are more strange than stories could predict. As one might expect, the Plantae Kingdom makes up a majority of the FL category, though some harmless species of fungus have also been placed in this category due to a lack of infectious properties. Though to a lesser extent than BE anomalies, FL anomalies can be incredibly unpredictable as active living things. This acts as a helpful reminder of the incredible importance containment protocols possess.

An example of an FL anomaly is FL1428, a species of flowering plants closely related to the golden angel's trumpet (Brugmansia aurea) whose flowers possess an unusual brasslike texture. These flowers also differ from their mundane relative by the specialized organs within their pistils which shoot blasts of air when pressure is applied to any part of the plant. This produces a sound described as soothing by listeners who equate it to smooth jazz. Other anatomical oddities include the almost wing-shaped leaves and golden coloration of the plant during the height of its blooming season.

HU (Humanoid)

Along with the rest of the animal kingdom, human beings are a prime breeding ground for anomalous phenomena. Anomalous sects of humanity, as well as strange humanoid entities, make up the HU category in its entirety. Most of these anomalous humans were born with the abnormalities they possess, though some have developed these properties either coincidentally or by their own volition. Humanoid anomalies provide their own set of challenges by being just as unpredictable as other biological anomalies but also through the various ethical issues they present. At one point in the ORCA's history, these issues were ignored outright in the name of "Gentlemen's Science". In the modern age, however, the ORCA aims to provide for HU anomalies and prioritize the care of these people.

An example of an HU anomaly is HU064, a young boy possessing several anatomical features of the little brown bat along his upper body such as his head, chest, upper back, and arms. He also possesses a pair of batlike wings on his back, though he has yet to be able to fly. HU064, given the nickname Clive by Dr. Thornton his primary caregiver, requires a specialized diet of various arthropods and fruit puree. Clive, like any nonanomalous child, is high-energy and has been provided a collection of toys and games to meet his needs for mental stimulation. He is incredibly friendly and loves interacting with ORCA staff as well as other HU anomalies contained onsite.

LI (Literary)

Though proven true for all of humanity's creations, the written word appears to be particularly attractive to the anomalous. Throughout history, human thoughts have been brought to life via stone tablets, paper scrolls, and leatherbound tomes. Sometimes paranormal energies are also brought to life by these items, embedding themselves within the pages. The most well known anomalies within the LI category are grimoires and other collections of thaumaturgy, guidelines for mundane people to bend reality itself. Other items within the database are textbooks, notebooks, instruction manuals, pamphlets, and booklets.

An example of an LI anomaly is LI160, a pamphlet and map for a nonexistent Museums Museum. Opening the pamphlet will transform its contents to the map of a random museum, typically a public facility within North America. This includes a detailed map of the building or buildings, descriptions of exhibit halls, up-to-date announcements of updates within the facility, and operations within the building. This is mostly benign, and LI160 would be considered a Shell if not for its ability to influence those who use the item multiple times. Multiple uses of LI160 will cause the user to feel inclined to visit the advertised location regardless of distance or operation status. This becomes a problem when facilities produced by LI160 are either private collections or museums that no longer exist.

LO (Location)

While EV anomalies include natural locations and geographical oddities, the LO category concerns anomalies within manmade structures. The LO category, like most Environmental anomalies, require their own facilities, typically outposts, as they cannot be moved as anomalous items can. LO anomalies are also difficult to contain as they range from an isolated building or even room within a building to a small town. Because of this, outposts placed near these anomalies possess a similar range in complexity. Though not common, an LO anomaly may be reclassified to a different category if a specific object or entity is found to be responsible for the ongoing phenomena.

An example of an LO anomaly is LO1555, known as the Whittaker Heritage Country Club outside of the ORCA. LO1555 is a large plot of land in Northern Florida owned by the Whittaker Family, who owned several prominent plantations during the early 1800s. The family and their heavily Antebellum-themed country club held an air of mystique even long after the Civil War brought an end to chattel slavery due to their secretive nature. Originally believed to be a weird but mundane group with ties to the Society of the Gilded Bowerbird, a decade-long investigation would prove to the ORCA that the Whittaker Family, their twisted clientele, and their eponymous country club were more strange than anyone could expect.

OB (Object)

The OB category, compared to the items of myth and legend in the AT category, is the bread and butter of the anomalous world. Anomalous objects, nicknamed Shells on the lesser scale of the spectrum, are typically the kind of anomaly introduced to new members of the ORCA due to their nonthreatening nature. This category is best described as mundane objects possessing unusual qualities which warrant containment within ORCA facilities. These anomalies also provide a helpful reminder that paranormal objects can take the form of anything from ordinary items to world-ending artifacts.

An example of an OB anomaly is OB993, a miniature porcelain town populated by animated garden gnomes. Nicknamed the Peachwood Village by its diminutive locals, OB993 initially began as a group of abandoned lawn and yard ornaments which came to life via unknown means. These gnomes would construct their village within the greenhouse of the abandoned home, creating more lawn gnomes using minor thaumaturgy understood only by the oldest of the community. They would be discovered several years later by urban explorers, the ensuing panic catching the attention of the ORCA. OB993 is now kept in a secure ORCA facility, allowed to prosper under our supervision.

PH (Phenomenon)

An important thing for new members of ORCA staff to remember is that not every anomaly takes a physical form. Anomalous objects may be the bread and butter of the paranormal world, but understanding extranormal phenomena is just as essential when studying this strange angle of our world. While an untold number of anomalous events have taken place throughout history, most of these only occur once. These brief cracks in reality, known as Surfs among ORCA staff, are separated from the PH category by the number of times an event has occurred. PH anomalies have repeated at least once and are expected to occur again sometime in the future.

An example of a PH anomaly is PH310, an anomalous challenge which started as an urban legend among the youths of several small towns in South Dakota in the 1960s. Known as the Sisyphus Game, the challenge involves carrying a small stone up a hill and tossing said stone as close to the bottom of the hill as possible. The further the stone is from the bottom of the hill, the larger the following stone needs to be. This carries on normally for the first few throws, with anomalous events typically beginning around the fifth or sixth round. By this point the stone will begin to absorb materials underneath it as it rolls down the remaining distance down the hill. This continues until the player must push the produced boulder up the hill, crushing them by the twentieth round.

UD (Undead)

Death very well may be the one thing that mystifies humanity just as much as the anomalous world does, though it's steep competition. Even with over 200 years of experience, the ORCA has yet to develop a concrete definition for the undead. The uncertainty lies primarily in the idea of the soul and whether or not it holds physical or energetic properties. The waters of muddied by the ways in which UD anomalies connect to or interact with the physical world. While some are capable of making direct contact with objects and living things, others are more akin to strange energies in the air. Any mortal living thing can become the host for a UD anomaly, though most are human beings or animals who have died and their body or soul has reanimated.

An example of a UD anomaly is UD1075, a collection of six taxidermized animals which occasionally animate and speak to both each other and people within their line of sight. The collection consists of the mounted head of a moose, bison, white-tailed deer, and bighorn sheep as well as the complete bodies of an American beaver and Arctic hare. All six items were originally discovered in a hunting cabin in Northern Maine, believed by both the family owning the cabin and first responders to be a gas leak. Conversations with UD1075 has revealed each item to be possessed by a member of the family currently owning the cabin, each member holding a distinct fondness for their descendants.

The ODD Scoring System

Though these fifteen categories are important in understanding the anomalies contained by the ORCA, they only provide half of the information needed to fully grasp any individual anomaly. While it is helpful to understand whether an anomaly is an artifact, animal, or event, it is also essential to know the threat an anomaly presents. For this, the ORCA has designed the ODD Scoring System, a numeric system which calculates the threat (or difficulty) posed by an anomaly. ODD is an acronym for the three facets in which ORCA staff grades an anomaly; oddity, how unusual an anomaly is, difficulty, how hard it is to contain an anomaly, and danger, how hazardous is an anomaly. These three categories are graded on a score of 0 to 10, and an average of the three scores is the total ODD score of the anomaly.

Once an anomaly has been graded and has an ODD Score, they can be placed into an Anomaly Class. Every anomaly discovered and contained by the ORCA belongs in one of the nine Anomaly Classes, though they can move as circumstances change.

Inert (<1.0)

Just as anomalous phenomena can develop without warning, they can cease existence with a similar unpredictability. Inert anomalies once belonged to a separate class prior to the disappearance of their preternatural properties, and have been placed in this category since. A common theme among the Inert Class is the Oddity score of 0 as these items no longer possess anomalous properties.

Wharf (1.0 - 1.9)

At the very bottom of the anomalous world, this class is the closest anomalies can get to mundane objects without being simple normal objects. Wharf Class anomalies score incredibly low in all categories, not being particularly confusing, challenging, or threatening.

Tidal (2.0 - 2.9)

The lowest class given to Primary Anomalies, the Tidal Class is merely a step above the Lesser Anomalies of the previous category. Like the tides which gave them their name, anomalies within this class blur the lines between the minor oddities and the major players in the anomalous world.

Epipel (3.0 - 3.9)

The next level, named after the epipelagic zone of Earth's oceans, is the first group of truly odd discoveries. Where the previous class sits between lesser and primary anomaly types, the Epipel Class takes space between the bottom rung and the halfway point. Like the epipelagic zone, this class is just the top layer.

Mesopel (4.0 - 5.9)

Placed in the middle of the scale, the Mesopel class is the midpoint for the ODD Scoring System. Anomalies in this class are more odd, difficult, and dangerous than items in the previous classes, making them a greater challenge for researchers.

Bathypel (6.0 - 6.9)

The first rung above the middle ground, the Bathypel Class contains serious threats to human lives encountered by the ORCA. Named after the bathypelagic zone of the oceans, this class is merely the first step into the unknown depths which comprise the anomalous.

Abyssopel (7.0 - 7.9)

Named after the abyssopelagic zone, this class contains extremely dangerous anomalous phenomena which poses a serious threat to both humanity and human civilization. Items in this class are to be treated with caution as they tend to be extremely unpredictable.

Hadal (8.0 - 9.9)

Among the most dangerous anomalies contained by the ORCA, the Hadal Class is named after the hadal zone of the oceans which consists almost entirely of trenches. Like ocean trenches, Hadal Class anomalies tend to be extremely dangerous to humans and must be treated with extreme caution. These are kept in high-security sites kept away from the public, known by ORCA staff as Ports.

Challenger (10.0)

Named after the Challenger Deep. A hypothetical class which contains no real anomalies.