Mermaid Grave

[Mermaid Grave], also referred to as **[Twinkle Twinkle Ocean Palace]** by the Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau, is a C-Ranked ghost story used by both the Bureau and Daydream Inc. Because each organization enters differently, they have very different experiences and knowledge of the area.

The owner of the [Moonlight Tattoo Shop] was originally a resident of this ghost story before being chased out by the infection plaguing the area; as such, a backdoor of their tattoo shop is connected to [Mermaid Grave].

Profile

Dark Exploration Records Entry

A story of wandering a strange city submerged deep into the sea. Victims are chased by swarms of grotesque lifeforms and, when caught, have all blood and mucus drained from them to death. The city is already ruined; records suggest it fell due to infection from a biological disaster. As the records refer to the biological disaster as "merfolk", the site was registered as "Mermaid Grave". At the city's heart lies a grotesque mass—the central cluster of infection for the "biohazard-merfolk"—from which infected fluids endlessly pursue any explorer. If caught, one becomes infected: a host of the merfolk. (Chapter 155)

(SDMB) Entry Location

A children's playroom attached to a large seafood restaurant or fish market, with floor area over 49m², a red cylindrical slide, and underwater-kingdom murals. With eyes closed, climb up the slide from the bottom while holding a strong desire to enter the underwater kingdom (a related item such as a seashell increases success). Then recite: "Twinkle twinkle, Ocean Palace. I've moved into the Ocean Palace." If the incline steepens precariously, the ritual has succeeded. There are no recorded outcomes for those who lose their grip and slide back down.

(SDMB) Report 1

All living entities within the disaster are presumed to be missing children, aged 5 to 11, most displaying deep euphoria. A theory holds this disaster is a manifestation of folk belief about pitiful children who disappeared near the sea, said to have gone to the Ocean Palace. When rescuing a long-term missing child (over 1,000 days), they vanish like a bubble upon returning to reality—confirm the disappearance date beforehand. Day and night are set by the town clock tower's chimes; everyone falls asleep before midnight and wakes to cheerful music at sunrise.

(SDMB) Report 2

Twinkle Twinkle Ocean Palace is a hallucination induced by hypnosis. If an infected child is forced onto the escape boat, they undergo acute molting and develop ulcers all over, losing all vital signs. Never attempt this. (Chapter 157)

(Daydream) Upon Encounter with Infectious Fluid

Avoid detection and evacuate immediately. If you fail, no manual is available and rescue is not recommended: the tail of the infectious fluid secretes mucus that causes immediate, permanent loss of muscle function. General infected entities are fully absorbed into the central cluster and act like nerve endings; if the threat is a general infected entity rather than infectious fluid, terminate it and collect evidence. Presenting the evidence grants access to the remaining escape vessel, allowing clearance of the Darkness. (Chapter 156)

(Daydream) Sealed Door

A connected door was discovered within Qterw-C-1652 (Mermaid Grave), marked "By appointment only". It appears to be a sealed rear entrance; all attempts to open it have resulted in signal failure.

References