Board Thread:The B&B/@comment-24588058-20160917050239

Well, I've finally refined this file. Here's what I have:

Aokigahara

 * File: 56389-2939-12A
 * Location: 35° 28′ 12″ N, 138° 37′ 11″ E
 * Reason for Filing: Average 100 suicides a year, believed to be caused by an artifact
 * Case Files Relating to this Location (See Note 1 below): 5638463-0283922, 8138292-9173822, 1192823-9218921, 00012-9282921, 8328472-6625388, 7364732-9283892, 6563832-9283838, 4537222-0383489, 3392934-9948334, 9273912-2593962

Aokigahara Forest, also known as the Sea of Trees, is a 35 square kilometer forest in Japan that lies at Mount Fuji’s northwestern base. A dense forest which blocks out all but natural sounds, the area contains rough terrain and a number of large, rocky ice caverns. The reason for filing this area, however, lies with its well-known nickname: the Suicide Forest.

One of the world’s most popular suicide destinations, the forest hides many bodies, and teams uncover approximately 100 bodies every year. After almost a century of investigation, we of the Regents have come to the conclusion that this area is, in fact, under the influence of an artifact, as we also believe may be the case with the Bermuda Triangle (see File# 56389-2939-11B).

Why is this area filed? – Last updated 2014 (see Addendum section below)
Unlike other strange areas of the world, this forest appears to have some sort of connection to artifacts. Approximately two hundred artifacts have been collected from this area over the past one hundred years; however, only a small handful of these artifacts appear to have originated in Japan, and only ten artifacts are believed to have been created directly by the suicides occurring in the forest. The majority of these artifacts have some relation to suicide, either causing it or leading to thoughts. A few have even been used to commit suicide (see Sylvia Plath’s Typewriter below). This strange attraction of artifacts has led to making sure at least one Regent maintains a place on the search teams who regularly scour the forest for bodies, in order to head off dangerous artifacts and send them back to Warehouse 13.

Several theories have been suggested for why the area behaves the way it does over the past century. Some have argued that the entire forest is one big artifact, caused by some tragic event lost to history. This theory holds no water, however, as random neutralizer sprays on various areas throughout the forest show no signs that the forest itself is an artifact. Others have suggested that an artifact may be hiding in the area, causing the attraction of suicidal persons. This theory is extremely unlikely, as several sets of Warehouse teams have attempted to locate such an artifact with no success (see Agent History below). The most accepted theory at present for the forest is that the area holds a great deal of sadness within it from some past historical and undocumented event, which has influenced the area’s aura to an irreversible point. While the majority of people who visit the area are able to maintain their perspectives and hope for the better, those who appear to be suicidal are influenced by the negative aura and are compelled to finish their lives. It should be noted, however, that the aura’s influence is not irreversible; people who have considered committing suicide sometimes do not, either on advice from people whose goal it is to try and convince them otherwise or of their own volition.

Whatever the reason for the behavior of this area of the world, the Warehouse cannot ignore the influx of artifacts to this region. We also cannot ignore the suicides that occur here, especially after the suicide of Agent Pearl Snyder (Agent File# 13-00192-7739-343, Index Number R-014-13a) drew the Warehouse’s attention to the area. Unfortunately, there doesn’t appear to be any real way to stop the suicides from happening, although the use of Wood from the Willoughby Civic Centre for the sign has appeared to make it easier to convince people contemplating suicide to turn back. However, it has not stopped or significantly decreased the amount of suicides over the years.

In order to head off potential artifacts and collect those that are attracted to the area, the Regents have decided that one of us is to remain in the area of Aokigahara Forest every year on a rotating basis. The Regent is to collect any artifacts that make their way to the forest and send them to Warehouse 13 for storage. They are to remain in contact with the Regents at least once a week, and any feelings of depression should be reported immediately. A monthly report of activity, both normal and artifact-related, will be compiled and sent to the Regents, to be stored in a separate file.

Addendum – February 2016 Discovery
The debate over this area and why it behaves the way it does is now over, with the discovery of an artifact buried deep within one of the ice caverns. This artifact was not discovered because of the depth at which it is buried. It appears that the artifact is located at the center of the forest, and the effects appear to be stronger in certain areas of the forest. The second Caretaker of Warehouse 13, Irene Frederick, travelled to the Aokigahara Forest in early February of 2016 after the Regent on duty, Edward Jordan, reported that one of the ice caverns had been shut down due to a small group having committed suicide in the cavern, apparently at the same time.

Irene travelled to the cavern with several artifacts in tow, and began her exploration. At some point in the depths of the cavern, she saw an artifact glistening approximately fifty feet ahead of her. It was impossible to identify the object, but the object is most definitely an artifact. As she approached the artifact to collect it, a massive wave of depression swept over her. She tried to fight it, but it almost seemed as though the artifact was drawing her towards it, pulling her in. The protection artifacts she had brought with her appear to have had no effect at all. Soon, it became impossible to fight the urge to approach the artifact.

At this point, Warehouse 13 agent Claudia Donovan reported feeling that the Warehouse was in deep distress. It has been determined that, at that moment, the Warehouse called out to its Caretaker, pulling her away from the artifact and out of its range. Once outside the artifact’s range, the depression Irene had been overwhelmed by went away. She has determined that the strength of this artifact is unlike anything known to the Warehouse at this time, and at the present moment it cannot be collected.

At the advice of the Caretaker, the cavern containing the artifact has been closed to all exploration by the public, and the entrance to the cavern has been collapsed to prevent suicidal people from entering. The Regent on duty is advised to check on the cavern once a month to make sure that it remains collapsed and to make sure nobody attempts to enter. No Warehouse personnel will be allowed to enter the cavern until such time that the Regents believe that they possess an artifact in their possession to collect this extremely dangerous artifact.

Years with the Most Artifact Activity

 * 1990: 50 artifacts
 * 1978: 30 artifacts
 * 2010: 20 artifacts

Notable Artifacts Collected from this Area
There are just over two hundred artifacts which have been collected from this area since the Regents began keeping someone stationed at Aokigahara, which is an extremely large amount for any given area. Some of these artifacts have had a bigger influence in the area than others, and a few have been created by the people who have committed suicide over the years. The most significant of these artifacts are listed here:
 * Cleopatra’s Pet Asp: One of the first artifacts collected by the Regent Lucas Felsmeth in 1978. It was used to commit suicide by a woman who had travelled from India on a business trip, bringing the jar containing this asp, which had been perfectly preserved, with her. The Asp had remained dormant until the jar was opened, releasing it from its slumber. Felsmeth contained the Asp back in its Jar and sent it to the Warehouse.
 * Sylvia Plath’s Typewriter: Collected in 1989 by Arthur Neilson and James MacPherson. The Typewriter was used by a woman who bought the Typewriter in order to create poetry, and a path of suicide was traced to Japan by the Warehouse. The pair eventually tracked the woman to Aokigahara, but they were unable to prevent the Typewriter from draining her life energy completely. In order to keep other people from falling under the artifact’s effects, they carefully snagged the artifact and transported it to Warehouse 13, placing it inside the Dark Vault.
 * Lonely Ornaments: Collected on December 25, 1990. Discovered by Regent Hannah Williams after attempting to convince a person not to commit suicide. He had brought the ornaments with him, as a memento to his wife, who had died last year on Christmas Day. Hannah had him convinced that all was not over two days before Christmas, and he set up the ornaments on a nearby tree. When Hannah went to visit him on Christmas Day, she found him dead. He left a note her a note, which helped reveal the effects of the artifact (See Note 2 below). This was the last artifact collected from the forest for the year 1990, which was a very heavy year of artifacts (a total of fifty artifacts were collected from the forest, the most since the Regents began keeping someone at the forest in 1978).
 * Unknown Artifact: The unknown artifact discovered by Warehouse 13 Caretaker Irene Frederick in 2016. Appears to create an aura of depression which attracts suicidal people and artifacts towards it, with a proximity activation spanning the entire forest. Approaching close to the artifact’s location in the ice cavern where it was discovered appears to draw people towards it, no matter what protection they may have. Maximum danger. The cavern it was discovered in has been collapsed at the entrance to prevent anyone from nearing it.

Notable Agents Relating to this Area
Over the past one hundred years, several pairs of agents have tracked artifacts to this forest. Since 1956, one Regent has maintained a presence with the Forest Rangers who attempt to talk people out of suicide, as well as collect the bodies for proper burial. The Regent on hand is also tasked with keeping people from entering the forest with unusual objects which might be artifacts, and sending those objects that are to Warehouse 13. The people who are directly relating to this area are as follows:
 * Agent Pearl Snyder (June 30, 1880 - November 12, 1915; Warehouse 13): The agent which first drew the Warehouse’s attention to Aokigahara Forest after her suicide within the forest in 1915. She had been sent, along with her partner, Ronald Tyson, to investigate reports of high suicide rate a particular forest located near Mount Fuji. It was discovered after her suicide, when the Regents began investigating, that she had suffered from extreme depression in her past, but that it had been “under control” for years before joining Warehouse 13. Her partner, who had known her in her childhood and had been her partner for almost a year, agreed with that statement.
 * Agents Arthur Elingsby (September 2, 1875 – January 12, 1919) and Catherine Elingsby (January 2, 1876 – January 12, 1919): The pair were sent overseas by the Regents in early December 1918 to try and determine if an artifact was the cause of the forest’s high suicide rate. They searched the main forest for over a month, carefully combing the trees and digging beneath the ground, before contracting influenza. They were quarantined in Japan, where they died several days later. All of the files they made were collected by the Regents, and helped to narrow future searches.
 * Regents Markus Holding and Rachael Grenwhich: The two Regents dispatched to investigate the suicide of Agent Pearl Snyder overseas. After feeling the uneasiness the Forest provided, they began asking the locals about the Forest. It was at that time that they discovered the high suicide rates of the area, which had apparently been happening for as long as any of the locals could remember. Later, in 1924, both Regents travelled over to the Forest again to test the theory proposed that the entire forest was an artifact. Although the theory was proven incorrect, they collected several artifacts relating to extreme depression and suicide.
 * Agents Rebecca St. Clair and Jack Secord: In March 1959, the Regents requested Agents St. Clair and Secord to investigate the possibility of an artifact being located in some of the ice caverns. After a two-week investigation, spanning the majority of the ice caverns, no artifact was discovered, and the Regents pulled them out.
 * Regent Lucas Felsmeth: The first Regent appointed to take yearly watch over the area of the Aokigahara Forest in 1978. He pressed to the Regents that at least one of them had to stay in the area of the Forest, as it was becoming apparent that artifacts were being drawn to the area as well as people, and a Regent with experience should be in charge of the area to send artifacts back to Warehouse 13. He helped set up the rules the Regents follow with regards to sending artifacts back, and how to file reports to keep the Regents updated on the happenstances of the area. He participated in the yearly watch over the area a total of six times before his death on July 12, 1989.
 * Agents Arthur Neilson and James MacPherson: Collected Sylvia Plath’s Typewriter in 1989 after tracking the artifact from the United States to Japan, as well as collecting the body of Regent Lucas Felsmeth while they were there, who died shortly before their arrival.
 * Caretaker Irene Frederick: Discovered the Unknown Artifact of the Ice Cavern in 2016, almost dying as a result.

Agents Banned from the Area

 * Agent Juan Miguel
 * Agent Garrett Scott

Note 1-The number of case files relating to this area equals the number of artifacts collected from this forest. However, to prevent the file from being too large, only the most significant cases over the last century have been logged.

Note 2- The following is the transcript of the note: “To Hannah Williams. Thank you for comforting me over these last few days. I am writing this note to you in the middle of the night, so I apologize if some parts run over each other. I was feeling great until I woke up just now, on Christmas Day. I feel very faint and lonely, and I wish you were with me now. It seems death is upon me, but I felt I had to write to you to thank you. If it wasn’t for you, I might have died a few days before by my own hand. But you allowed me to see one last light of this world, a bright spark that I will never forget. Thank you for your kind words. Best wishes, Stewart Melry.” 