The Shroud of Wisdom is a phenomenon that affects all thinking beings it is near, and, paradoxically, is caused by proximity of thinking beings. Some think it to be thoughts made a formless form, and scientists posed the theory that it might be a ripple effect of certain brainwaves interfering with each other, with something most akin to a person emerging from stable feedback loops. Whether these beings can "think", in the sense that it feeds the Shroud, is not certain.

From a badly burnt document that surfaced a few months after a fire in an Imperial nutrition science facility.

12.7. 67 A.Z.:

 The anomaly discovered under the Plaza of Patriotism in [REDACTED] proved to be transportable. It was surprisingly easy to contain the distortion by way of Jefmann Magnets, and it seems stable in laboratory conditions. While working with it, I find my thought drawn to the recent parade on the plaza.

15.8. 67 A.Z.:

Work on the anomaly has hit a snag, not least because I don't seem to be able to concentrate on my work. I find myself daydreaming with surprising clarity, although only at the laboratory. Patriots going about their daily duties, a dog looking sadly from a cage, a man and a woman greeting each other.

3.9. 67 A.Z.:

Of course! I don't know how I could have been so blind. It tried to communicate, and I took weeks to recognize it. I'm thinking about getting support from the xenolinguistics department, but I know that Timofejin will try to hog all the glory. 

27.10. 67 A.Z.:

Communication runs much smoother now, and I was able to isolate and analyze the waveforms that make up its, for lack of a better word, body. I took a few days of puzzling, but the resemblance to certain neuroelectric phenomena cannot be denied. Since a communication channel is established, it may be time for interviews with the subject.

5.11. 67 A.Z.:

It is frustrating to talk to it, since most concepts of a civilized society seem to elude its grasp. It says that its earliest memory is from the sewer below the Plaza, and I am inclined to believe it. It also talks of strange resonances it can feel, coming from far, far away, and if my research on the make-up of its body is any indication, I would need a radio telescope to verify these messages. Or maybe I could help it receiving these resonances more clearly...

6.11. 72 A.Z.:

It is done! I won't go into detail here, but I was able to open a channel to...someplace. They communicated similarly to the subject, declared themselves the Shtyke, a curious proper name that seems to be their moniker for themselves. The channel was regrettably short-lived, since the subject complained about the pain, and so I only got to send them the coordinates of our homeworld. I should be able to communicate for longer after my subject has rested for a week or two.