13HRP – 0052 – Family Portrait
Description
Agents recovered the 13HRP – 0052 – Family Portrait from the second floor of Johnny’s Manor, positioned in a narrow hallway where no natural light could reach. The painting depicts a family of five, yet the details shift depending on the observer. To some, the faces blur as if the paint never dried. However, others claim the faces resemble their own family members — even relatives long deceased. A few witnesses reported seeing themselves in the portrait, standing silently among the family, which caused extreme distress and panic.
The background of the painting mirrors the manor itself, though in a state of greater decay. Windows break apart, vines creep inside, and an ominous red glow leaks through the cracks. Moreover, audio devices placed near the portrait capture faint whispering in languages no one has identified. Recordings include repeated phrases like “remember us” and “blood remains”, though these words fade if replayed more than once. As a result, containment teams classify the object as a persistent psychological hazard.
The portrait radiates a cold aura, lowering the temperature in its vicinity by several degrees. Furthermore, animals refuse to approach the painting, often reacting with growls or fearful whimpers when forced near. These environmental effects strengthen the belief that the Family Portrait acts as more than a passive painting, functioning instead as a gateway or vessel for trapped entities.
Classification: Cursed Object – Mirror World artifact
Threat Level: Medium – strong memetic hazard with psychological effects
Containment Status: Staff store it at Site-██, within a triple-locked, low-light vault. Observation windows remain sealed to prevent accidental exposure.
Effects
- Visual Shifting: Observers see their own relatives within the portrait after extended viewing (over 90 seconds). Consequently, prolonged exposure blurs the line between memory and hallucination. In some cases, subjects began addressing the figures aloud, believing they were speaking to real family members.
- Emotional Distortion: Those who stare longer than five minutes begin crying uncontrollably, regardless of emotional state. Furthermore, this reaction continues even after they stop viewing the portrait. Some subjects also reported hearing their “family” whisper their names at night, long after leaving the testing chamber.
- Entity Manifestation: On rare occasions, one of the figures steps forward in the painting, causing nearby shadows to stretch and grow. In two cases, a figure briefly appeared in the hallway before fading. Therefore, personnel receive strict orders never to approach the frame during active manifestations. Additional reports mention claw marks appearing on the hallway floor during these events, although the marks vanish within minutes.
- Cognitive Echo: Researchers exposed to the painting claim to dream of the manor, walking down endless corridors where the Family Portrait repeats on every wall. These dream echoes worsen over time, creating paranoia and sleep deprivation.
History
Investigators discovered the portrait during the first full sweep of Johnny’s Manor after multiple reports of “hallway screams.” Recovery personnel described intense unease and, consequently, refused to look directly at the canvas for more than a few seconds. One operative collapsed upon approach, insisting that his deceased mother stood in the portrait and begged him to join her.
Initial testing showed that one of the figures in the painting closely resembled Popper Magic (see: 13HRP – 0015). In addition, cross-references to the Book of Dead Gods (see: 13HRP – 0000) indicate the painting may represent an unfinished binding ritual designed to preserve members of Johnny’s bloodline. Therefore, analysts consider the Family Portrait both a curse and a potential key to understanding his legacy.
Later observations revealed that when the Book of Dead Gods is brought near the Family Portrait, the faces within briefly stabilize. For several seconds, the painting depicted the same five individuals consistently across all observers, suggesting the two anomalies resonate with one another. Analysts theorize the Family Portrait might serve as a fragmentary record of a family erased from reality, tied directly to the greater network of cursed artifacts.
Extended Theories
Scholars debate whether the 13HRP – 0052 – Family Portrait functions as a prison, a memorial, or a recruitment device. Some argue it imprisons souls bound to Johnny’s rituals, keeping them suspended in eternal servitude. Others view it as a twisted shrine, displaying lost members of his bloodline to ensure his dominion never fades. A third theory insists the painting hunts for replacements, altering its details to lure new victims into becoming permanent figures.
The portrait also carries cultural weight within the Mirror World. Survivors of Johnny’s cult claim that he demanded worshippers kneel before the Family Portrait during gatherings, swearing loyalty to the bloodline it preserved. These accounts, though inconsistent, strengthen the belief that the artifact once acted as a central piece of ritual power.
Council Directive – Grand Council of Xikeony
“Do not burn the canvas. Do not shred it. What is bound within seeks escape through destruction. Keep the frame intact. Keep it sealed. Should the figures ever leave, you will not recognize your own kin again. Should you see your reflection within, avert your gaze, for recognition feeds the bond.”
Last modified: 2025/09/02 at 20:56 pm
Published: 2025/08/12 at 12:00 pm
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13HRP – Hollow Reality Project
By SIlvia Moan