Dossier #: 2025-09-26-PV

Subject: How do you make soap? Examination of an anomalous practice in Hollow Pines

Prepared by: The Archivist

Transcript of the Archivist's Research [Recorded September 12, 2025]

Location: Hollow Pines, undisclosed workshop

[Audio begins]

The Archivist: [Voice low, a sense of urgency] "Commenced observation at 07:23. The thin, wiry silhouette of The Thin Boy is visible through the fogged workshop window. A peculiar soft chanting emanates from within. I have identified this as a segment from The Ashen Gospel, often recited by The Choir. It speaks of renewal, transformation... and something darker."

[Chanting, indistinct, background]

The Archivist: "The process appears traditional at first glance. Oils, lye, water. But there's a rhythm to his actions, almost ritualistic. Each stir of his concoction is precise, measured exactly to seconds, not a moment more."

[Sound of stirring, rhythmic, consistent]

The Archivist: "He pauses, now reading aloud a verse not found in any public edition of The Ashen Gospel... Something about 'the essence of life purified through the shadow of the ◬'. What essence? What life? The implications—"

[Sudden silence, then the sound of pages flipping]

Exhibit A: Anomalous Ingredient List found in The Thin Boy's workshop

Noted by The Archivist:

1. Standard components:

   • Coconut oil
   • Olive oil
   • Lye
   • Water

2. Unidentified substances (samples have been sent for analysis):

   • Vial A: Labeled as "Essence of ◬", a murky, iridescent liquid.
   • Pouch B: Ash-like substance, reacts faintly under UV light, marked with glyph "◬".

3. Text fragment found under the table (possibly torn from The Ashen Gospel, with annotations in the margins not corresponding to any known versions):

   • "To cleanse the mortal form, one must first sanctify the ingredients through the ◬. The essential binds the ether to the flesh."

Marginalia: Notations by The Archivist on the text fragment

• "[Ether to the flesh?]" The implication of these words may suggest a ritualistic element to the soap making, transforming mundane hygiene into something... other.
• "[Sanctify through ◬?]" This symbol again. It recurs with unsettling regularity in all things connected to The Pale Veil. What power or principle does it represent that requires its integration into such everyday processes?

Transcript of The Choir's Ritual Recitation (Observed indirectly during a clandestine surveillance on September 23, 2025)

[Audio quality poor, wind interference]

Member of The Choir: (chants faintly) "In the shadow of the ◬, all things are reborn. From the lather of the old, the new emerges cleansed. We do not sleep. We wait."

[Chant fades, the sound of a large congregation murmuring in agreement]

Investigative Lead: Missing Page 13 from Choir ledgers

Notes:

Upon reviewing the administrative ledgers belonging to The Choir (acquired through means best left undocumented), page 13 is conspicuously missing. Historic superstitions aside, this omission might conceal records of ingredients or processes pivotal to understanding the full scope of this soap-making ritual. Efforts to recover this page are ongoing.

Analysis: Potential Societal Implications

Key Points:

• Influence: The potential for widespread influence through an everyday item like soap cannot be underestimated. If imbued with properties beyond the mundane, the implications for widespread exposure are vast and deeply concerning.
• Ritualistic Nature: The ritualistic undertones may signify a form of mass indoctrination or subliminal conditioning, aligning users with the tenets of The Pale Veil unknowingly.
• Symbolism of Cleansing: In many cultures, soap symbolizes purification and renewal. In the context of The Pale Veil, this could metaphorically represent a larger cleansing of societal norms and values.

Concluding Remarks

As the fog settles thicker over Hollow Pines, the presence of The Thin Boy at the fringe of visibility is a stark reminder of the depths yet uncovered. The rhythmic stirring in his workshop, the cryptic recitations — they merge into a larger tapestry of unease. The exact nature of these soaps and their role within the rituals of The Pale Veil remain shrouded in that same mist that clings so persistently to all corners of Hollow Pines.

We continue to collect samples, to observe, to record. We do not sleep. We wait. For beneath the innocuous cover of daily routines, something profound—or profoundly unsettling—stirs, waiting for the moment to reveal its true nature.

[Audio ends ominously, with the distant echo of chanting under a waxing moon.]