//------------------------------//
// V-244: A Rosewood Wand 
// Story: The Vault 
// by Educated Guess 
//------------------------------//

Item Number: V-244
Designations: Dangerous, Harmful, Contained
Administrator: Duchess Moran (Reassignment under consideration)
Lead Researcher: Doctor Mavel

Note: If I hear anypony else joking about the fact that Incident V-244-A could have been avoided if we had given V-244 to Earl Waldon to go along with V-209, I will have them demoted to latrine duties before they even have the chance to snicker. The death of your peers should never be a laughing matter, no matter how ironic it may seem in hindsight. -Lord Pendragon

Procedure: V-244 is to be kept locked in a velvet-lined, reinforced lead case in a solitary confinement cell in the Secure Storage Sub-level of Warehouse 2. Access to V-244 for any reason requires a majority vote of all Administrators.

If V-244 enters an active phase and breaks containment, all non-essential personnel are to be evacuated immediately. Agents Cardan, Verdan, and Lockheed will be in charge of re-containment of V-244. If Cardan, Verdan, and Lockheed are all indisposed or unavailable, open Emergency Packet ER6-244 for further instructions.
 
Description: V-244 is a gnarled wand of rosewood which measures exactly 1 cubit in length. As such, it is theorized that V-244 originates from somewhere in the Wither East, even though the type of rosewood with which it is made is not native to that continent.

V-244 has an extremely powerful thaumic aura. The exact levels cannot be measured, since they are too high for even the Comprehensive Stationary Thaumometer (CoST) to properly detect. However, the aura does appear to be stronger in the direction that V-244 is pointing, judging by the damage done to CoST’s detector panels during attempted measurements.

V-244’s aura does not have any apparent effect on living things, but any magically sensitive materials brought within an approximately 15-foot radius of V-244 (quartz crystals, rowanwood, nickel, etc.) will quickly, though at various rates, blacken, crack, and crumble. The resulting fragments are made of a material which is similar in appearance to charcoal, but is actually comprised of at least ten (10) unknown elements. Non-magical materials will also begin to be affected this way, given sufficient exposure. Even the walls of V-244’s chamber in the Vault were beginning to show signs of deterioration at the time of retrieval.

It is obvious that V-244 was not designed with ponies in mind. The aura of V-244 counteracts both horn magic and hoof magic, making it incredibly difficult for any species of equine to properly hold. However, this does not mean it cannot be used by equines. (See Incident V-244-A)

When V-244 is held by a ‘worthy’ user, it [DATA REMOVED: ADMINISTRATOR ACCESS REQUIRED] The criteria by which V-244 judges which users are ‘worthy’ are unknown.

Following Incident V-244-A, Duchess Moran has politely requested that V-244 be placed under somepony else’s authority.





Addendum V-244-1: Doctor Mavel requested use of V-165 to identify exactly what type of magic powers V-244. Request was denied.

Note: V-244 is like nothing we’ve seen before, which means it’s probably on one of V-165’s higher settings. I’m not sure we’re ready to go that far yet. -Archduke Montagne

Note: Not to mention, you’d have to be standing pretty far away to avoid having V-165 dissolve. Too much risk, not enough potential gain. -Viceroy Cooper





Incident V-244-A: On [TIMESTAMP REDACTED], [EMPLOYEE NAME REDACTED] was involved in standard property testing on V-244. Suddenly, [EMPLOYEE NAME REDACTED] reported hearing V-244 speak, a phenomenon which had not occurred in previous property tests. [EMPLOYEE NAME REDACTED] was given permission to [ACTION REDACTED] as V-244 had requested, and [DATA REMOVED: ADMINISTRATOR ACCESS REQUIRED]

Base [REDACTED] was almost entirely obliterated. Order losses were calculated to be [REDACTED], with civilian casualties estimated to be [REDACTED]. A cover story involving a large explosion in the town’s coal mine was disseminated, and has held thus far.