Special Containment Procedures: Public access to SCP-XXXX is prohibited under a cover story of chemical and biological hazards originating from military research. A significant amount of signage has been placed in the vicinity warning of danger. The structure itself is surrounded by three layers of electrified, barbed-wire-topped chain-link fence at a minimum distance of 100 meters. Entrance is restricted to a single reinforced gate equipped with three CERBERUS automated turrets designated "kill-on-sight" if unscheduled persons attempt to access SCP-XXXX. On site security is managed in shifts by 16 person detachments from each of no fewer than three separate Mobile Task Forces, presently Apophis-02, Abaddon-09, and Fenris-14. Traffic along the California State Route 221 highway is to be monitored, and redirected away from SCP-XXXX if deemed suspect. Exploratory efforts into SCP-XXXX are to proceed only at O5 discretion.
Description: SCP-XXXX is the Napa State Hospital, located in Napa, California. The interior of SCP-XXXX is usually not intrinsically anomalous, and is typical of a hospital of its era, displaying deterioration consistent with long abandonment. After nightfall during the new moon phase of the lunar cycle (the "active phase"), the interior of SCP-XXXX is markedly different. While external observations of the structure during active phases do not suggest any internal changes, attempts to enter SCP-XXXX reveal that its interior becomes highly topologically inconsistent, and may resemble parts of the non-anomalous hospital interior or seemingly any other artificial or natural location. These discontinuities do not persist between active phases; the structure's interior may be similar to or highly distinct from previous and/or subsequent iterations. In general, however, the interior of SCP-XXXX consists of several nearly flat stories that are roughly contiguous with the exterior, structural abnormalities notwithstanding.
Chapter One: Dominus
Foreword: D-2575 was equipped with a standard anomalous location exploration kit and entered SCP-XXXX at 8:00 PM local time, during an active phase.
Control: Alright. 2575, you are clear to enter the structure.
D-2575: Okay, I'm headed in.
D-2575 enters the structure. Immediately, it is clear that the interior is not consistent with the exterior.
D-2575: Trash. A whole pile of it. Should I take these stairs, that door? Could also head outside…
Control: Choose any of them. This is a general survey.
D-2575: Uh… stairs it is.
D-2575 begins to ascend the stairs.
D-2575: So I was told I might find some space warp type things in here -
Control: Yes, that's possible with these kinds of locations.
D-2575: Right, I mean, I'm looking at one right now. The first staircase just sort of melted and now -
Control: Is it visually inconsistent or just different from before?
At this point, D-2575's geolocator suggests they are partway up the Hospital's clock tower.
D-2575: Nah, nothing like those drawings the doc showed me. Just different.
D-2575: There's a side passage here, do I take it?
Based on dimensions observed thus far, the indicated passage ought to extend into empty space outside the hospital.
Control: Again, choose whichever.
D-2575 continues to ascend.
D-2575: Er, I noticed something.
Control: What?
D-2575: I most definitely haven't climbed this high.
By this point, D-2575's geolocator indicates roughly one meter of vertical motion.
Control: And you seemed to be at a consistent height before?
D-2575: Yeah. But the stairs look exactly the same.
Control: You could be experiencing a temporal disturbance or some memory alteration. If you are disoriented, say so immediately.
D-2575: Memory alteration!? Why the fuck would that happen?
Control: You may be forgetting climbing some of this distance.
D-2575: …oh.
Control: Your recorders may also be affected. This isn't too uncommon in this kind of location. Just focus and report any unusual feelings or sensations.
D-2575: [Breathes heavily] Alright. I'll… keep climbing.
For several minutes, D-2575 ascends in silence. Their geolocator only records lateral movement during this time. Near the top of the stairwell, they trip and impale their left hand on what appears to be a discarded, rusted iron nail.
D-2575: Shit.
D-2575: Got a hallway. Well, a tunnel, really.
Control: Keep going.
Over the span of the next several seconds, D-2575's geolocator appears to track rapid upward movement as they approach a chamber at the end of the tunnel.
D-2575: Wow.
Control: What do you mean?
D-2575: This is incredible.
D-2575 is standing in what appears to be an Ante-Nicene (early Christian) place of worship, in a state of serious disrepair. Additionally, there are multiple artistic representations of unknown figures upon the walls. These representations are frescos, of a type that is anachronistic with the architectural style.
Control: You're impressed by this?
D-2575: You're not?
Control: …examine those walls.
D-2575 meanders around the room, gazing at various depictions, the majority of which are too faded to be meaningful. Eventually, they begin to mutter incoherently while staring at the following image.
Control: What was that?
D-2575: It shall be my prince, do you not see?
Control: Prince?
D-2575 hesitates before responding.
D-2575: Huh?
Control: You said something about the image on the wall.
D-2575: What? No, I didn't.
At this point, Control placed D-2575 on the possible memetic hazard exposure list, for later examination.
Control: Never mind. Is there anything else to the room? Any more passages?
D-2575: No… yes. There's more stairs over there. They weren't there before. This is so weird.
D-2575: Do I keep climbing or can I leave now?
Control: Feel free to try, but going down might not take you back the way you came.
D-2575: Shit… that's true.
D-2575 continues to ascend.
Within several minutes, the staircase ends in a door that appears to have been daubed with blood and an unidentifiable whitish substance. As D-2575 enters, the audio and visual feeds are simultaneously lost.
Several hours later, D-2575 reconnected to Control in a seemingly entirely separate location within SCP-XXXX and with no apparent awareness of the passage of that time. Their recorders likewise displayed no evidence of additional hours of operation. The resulting confused chatter has been omitted for brevity.
Control: Well, 2575, the bottom line is, you've been exposed to some kind of temporal or memory anomaly, and as you've not been issued any rations, you'd better find your way out of the building before the anomaly totally impairs your ability to function.
D-2575: Yes. I have faith I shall know the way.
Control: …if you say so.
Within 20 minutes, D-2575 successfully and without incident deduced an exit route from SCP-XXXX. They navigated numerous structural inconsistencies with no trace of the confusion they displayed prior to the "missing time." They also refrained from unprompted speech until they entered a chamber analogous to the place of worship they had encountered previously. This chamber was marginally different in design to the first, and those depictions within it that could be identified differed from those in the first. D-2575 stated the following after briefly contemplating this image:
D-2575: Farewell, my beloved. Bear our boy well.
D-2575 then exited SCP-XXXX.
Afterword: D-2575 was examined and found to be compromised by an unknown memeplex analogous to the Eros-6 Class cognitohazard series, which is associated with various anomalous paraphilias. They were administered Class-A amnestics (a usually effective treatment) and held under observation without incident. However, following the end of their observation period, D-2575 attempted to rape and murder another D-Class, and was killed in the ensuing struggle. Notably, D-2575's prior criminal history was entirely financial in nature.
Chapter Two: Desire
Foreword: Foundation Agents Valerie Morse and Aoife Sullivan were equipped with standard anomalous location exploration kits and sidearms and entered SCP-XXXX at 8:00 PM local time, during an active phase.
Control: A final warning: previous expeditions indicate that this location is prone to spatial, temporal, and memetic hazards. Be careful in there, agents.
Sullivan: Yes, sir.
Morse: Aye, aye.
The agents enter the structure. It is consistent with the non-anomalous interior.
Morse: Okay, so Contingency B is in play.
Sullivan: Yes. Check the maternity ward in the west wing, then wind up to the offices.
Morse: Higher ups. Always with the weird search patterns.
There is an indistinct wailing sound, apparently from within the lobby walls.
Control: Try to ignore those.
Sullivan: Uh… okay. Proceeding with the B pattern.
The agents proceed down the hallway in the direction of the west wing.
Morse: This is exactly how it is the rest of the month. Why are we even bothering?
Sullivan: We've only been in here three minutes. These places can completely change in less than the blink of an eye. So don't underestimate them.
The agents reach the west wing first floor visitor's office. Until they leave this room, the wailing sounds
continue intermittently. As instructed, the agents ignore them.
Control: Age-
Morse: Yes, yes, measure the room. We know.
Sullivan: Got the tape measures?
Morse: Yep. Er… it's seven feet, four inches on this wall.
Sullivan: And six eight on this one.
Morse: Same as on the blueprints. Now the ceiling…
Sullivan: It's too high. According to this blueprint: by three whole feet, actually.
Morse: Oh joy, my first spatial anomaly, in the wild.
Sullivan: You shouldn't be so sarcastic about these things. There's unstable geometries in containment that turn things into a kind of Mobius strip. It's much less funny when you've seen people literally puke up their own faces in an unending cycle.
Morse: Jesus, sir, TMI.
Control: Doc check, Morse.
Morse: Right. Sorry.
Morse examines the drawers and file cabinets as Sullivan measures the room for more inconsistencies with its normal state.
Morse: It's just like the initial survey team found: just some burned papers.
Sullivan: Anything legible at all?
Morse: Nah… just some scribbles and a pervy drawing or two. Someone got bored in this office.
Sullivan: Well, scan them anyway.
▼ [APPENDED] DOCSCAN: SCP/XXXX/E/█/Log/█-██-19██.txt
[DIGITAL-FORM COGNITOHAZARDOUS MATERIAL EXPUNGED]
Morse: Alright. Maternity ward, then?
Sullivan: Yes.
The agents exit the reception area and approach the maternity ward. The ward consists of a hallway containing a series of doors, typical of the nonanomalous interior design of SCP-XXXX, but without the degradation expected.
Sullivan: One door at a time then.
An intense wail is heard from one of the rooms. The agents rush into it.
Morse: Ugh, there's nothing here.
Sullivan: Or there's something invisible, or it teleported -
Morse: I get it. But now there's just a beat up old mattress.
The agents circle the room.
Morse: Screaming's gone.
As the agents exit, the door to the room shuts on its own, and neither agent is able to reopen it.
Morse: Shit's spooky.
Sullivan: No kidding. Let's check the other rooms we passed.
Two of the three preceding rooms are roughly similar to the first to be examined: consisting of bare tile floors and painted cement walls in a state of serious neglect. Each of the rooms also contains disheveled bedding, and their floors are stained with dried blood. Agent Morse samples these. The third of these doors opens only into a wall.
Sullivan: Hmm. Back to the other doors.
The agents independently examine the remaining rooms in the hallway. None of them are accessible, and the agents converge upon the last chamber.
Sullivan: Alright, let's check the last room.
Sullivan steps into the final chamber. It is bare dirt, containing only a large urn.
Sullivan: Just an empty old pot… wait.
Sullivan examines the urn's contents.
Sullivan: It's… a fetus.
Morse: Fuck.
Each agent backs away.
Control: Step closer, Agents.
Sullivan complies, but Morse does not.
The organism is largely human, but with some major anatomical abnormalities. Its skin appears to be covered in soft, undeveloped scales, which bear markings consistent with scarification, specifically as practiced by [DATA EXPUNGED]. Each of its bodily orifices exude one or more fleshy tentacles. Its sex cannot be ascertained, and it is apparently immobile. Additionally, the urn appears to contain molted scales and pin feathers.
Morse: Stinks… oh god, this is fucked. [retches]
Sullivan: It… [backing away] yeah, uh, Control, the full effect of this thing can not translate through video. We're gonna step out.
Control: If you think it's necessary.
As Morse exits the chamber, its door snaps shut, knocking Sullivan back into the chamber. Her scream and a sound resembling the wails heard earlier are muffled as the door seals itself and demanifests. Both agents feeds are filled with static and then briefly lost. Only Morse's returns. In place of the door is several dozen additional meters of hallway. The way behind Morse is now more consistent with the dirt chamber, and, when investigated, is a dead end.
Morse: Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit…
Control: Remain calm and proceed, agent. Look for an exit.
Morse: What about Aoife?
Control: Don't know. This SCP has never directly attacked someone before. We'll just have to hope we can reconnect to Agent Sullivan.
Morse: Reconnect? We don't even know what's happening to her?
Control: No, but we can assume she's following procedure. And so should you.
Morse: Okay… exit.
Morse proceeds down the hallway, trying doors at random. None of them are accessible.
Morse: [muttering] Guess Contingency B is a bust. Fucking…
Morse has attempted each door.
Morse: [indistinct grumbling]
Control: Try them again.
Morse turns, seeing that the doors have shifted location and now open into the hallway as instead of into other rooms. One of them provides access to another, seemingly identical, hallway. Morse tries several of the doors, the last of which opens onto a third hallway of the same kind.
Morse: Are you fucking kidding me?
For the next hour and 47 minutes, Morse navigates various linked hallways, whose overall condition gradually deteriorate until they are roughly as SCP-XXXX appears most of the time. Furthermore, the quality of the video feed begins to suffer from increasing video artifacts and distortion. Eventually, when Morse is showing signs of acute stress and exhaustion, they reach a hallway not consistent with the design of SCP-XXXX.
Morse: Fucking… finally.
There is an indistinct, though apparently human figure near the end of the hallway, playing an as yet unidentified piano composition. Morse gasps as she hears this.
Morse: No way… A-Adam?
Morse approaches the entity.
Morse: Adam? H-how can you be here? What the hell is happening?
As Morse nears the entity, two changes occur: the static dramatically intensifies in its immediate vicinity, obscuring it from view; and the music increases in pace and volume.
Morse: No, y-… you're dead. No!
Given the near total loss of visual by this point, Morse has presumably reached close proximity with the entity. The music has intensified so as to nearly drown out all speech.
Morse: W- wha-
The music abruptly ceases, and a scraping and a squealing noise are briefly audible before Morse's firearm is discharged three times. Seconds later, as the static clears, Morse rushes out of SCP-XXXX by way of the "EXIT" door, vomiting and collapsing as they do so.
Afterword: During Agent Morse's debriefing, she was unable to verbally describe or meaningfully discuss the entity she had apparently shot. Memetic examination indicated only mild retroactive memory erasure (through unknown nonchemical means). Due to the nonanomalous psychological harm inflicted upon her, Agent Morse was amnesticized and reassigned to low hazard anomalous location duty. The body of Agent Sullivan was never recovered, and her exploration kit only briefly reconnected, several hours after her disappearance.
Chapter Three: Desolation
Foreword: A detachment of MTF Zeta-9 ("Mole Rats") deployed into SCP-XXXX at 8:00 PM local time, during an active phase.
ζ-9/Cap: Uh…
ζ-9/Charlie: Control, this is -
ζ-9/Bravo: - not what we were told to expect.
ζ-9/Echo: What the fuck.
ζ-9 team is standing in the midst of a desert. The entrance to SCP-XXXX is not present.
ζ-9/Cap: Weird question, but, what is our position, Control?
Control: Give us a moment Z9.
Control: Er, well, GPS is putting you in the Sahara.
ζ-9/Cap: Which is an ocean away from California.
Control: Yes, but that's not the worst part.
ζ-9/Cap: Then what is?
Control: We don't have you on PANOPTICON.
ζ-9/Cap: You're kidding! We're not even visible on satellite?
Control: Nope.
ζ-9/Cap: [muttering] After the billions R&D spent on that shit… Okay. We'll just… look around.
ζ-9/Echo: At the sand?
ζ-9/Bravo: Guess so.
ζ-9/Charlie: But in what direction?
ζ-9/Echo: Cap?
ζ-9/Cap: Control?
Control: There's no plan for what to do in case of a desert…
ζ-9/Cap: Right, yeah… let's… get over that dune, I guess.
ζ-9 team proceeds in the direction of the dune.
ζ-9/Delta: Anyone else seeing this… sparkling? In the sand?
ζ-9/Echo: Nah.
ζ-9/Bravo: I've got it.
ζ-9/Charlie: Can't see anything like that.
ζ-9/Cap: Me neither. Can you describe it?
ζ-9/Delta: Not, really, it's just… sparkling. Randomly.
ζ-9/Cap: What about you, Bravo?
ζ-9/Bravo: It looks more regular to me. Straight lines, some simple shapes.
ζ-9/Cap: Well, you two speak up if it changes.
Several minutes pass.
ζ-9/Echo: Um… were there mountains on the horizon before?
ζ-9/Charlie: Mountains?
ζ-9/Bravo: Mountains, see? [points]
ζ-9/Charlie: Oh, yeah…
ζ-9/Cap: Keep an eye on those, too.
Several minutes pass. The team reaches the base of the dune.
ζ-9/Echo: Sparkling's gone.
ζ-9/Bravo: You said you couldn't see it.
ζ-9/Echo: Picked it up a minute ago. Forgot to mention it. Anyone else still see it?
ζ-9/Delta: Not now that you mention it.
ζ-9/Bravo: Not me.
ζ-9/Charlie: I never did.
ζ-9/Cap: Me neither.
Several minutes pass.
ζ-9/Bravo: Hey, wait a second.
The team pauses.
ζ-9/Cap: What is it?
ζ-9/Bravo: We've been walking out here for a half hour now, right?
ζ-9/Charlie: Yeah, so?
ζ-9/Delta: So why haven't we climbed the dune yet?
ζ-9/Bravo: Exactly.
ζ-9/Cap: Mmm. Spatial hazard, obviously. [pauses] Looks like we're about halfway up. Control, what's your read on our position?
Control: We actually lost it a few minutes ago.
ζ-9/Cap: Dammit. We'd better just move on, then. But we'll need to take precautions. Bravo?
Bravo drops a weighted measuring tape to mark the team's position.
ζ-9/Cap: Alright. Let's go.
ζ-9 team proceeds in silence for several minutes.
ζ-9/Cap: Bravo, what's your read on that?
ζ-9/Bravo: Just about 6 meters.
ζ-9/Cap: So we can't expect space here to make sense anymore.
ζ-9/Echo: [muttering] Anymore? It's a desert in a hospital…
ζ-9/Cap: Until Command can extract us or we find something unique enough to mark an exit, we're going to need water and shade. How hot is it out here?
ζ-9/Delta: 30 and a half C. Not so bad, but there's a bigger problem.
ζ-9/Cap: Which is?
ζ-9/Delta: The sun. It hasn't moved. Whatever this place is, it might not have night.
ζ-9/Cap: Which makes water and shelter even more important. [pauses] Climbing this thing is slow going, but we'll have a better chance of seeing any water or other points of interest from above.
ζ-9/Echo: Well, technically speaking, we might not even be able to count on that, if space is not working normally.
ζ-9/Cap: Maybe, but I don't think there's a better option. We're going up.
After nearly two hours, ζ-9 team reaches the crest of the dune. ζ-9 team's existing water provisions begin to expire. Other irrelevant chatter has been omitted.
ζ-9/Bravo: This is too convenient.
ζ-9/Cap: Agreed. But we have to check it out. We've drunk most of our water already.
ζ-9 team begins their descent towards the water.
ζ-9/Charlie:There's those mountains again.
ζ-9/Cap: Hold on, someone needs to taste this stuff before we refill our canteens. We need to be sure it's not saltwater, or poisonous, or not really water.
ζ-9/Echo: But… who will -
ζ-9/Charlie: Not me.
ζ-9/Cap: Just stay calm. I'll do it.
ζ-9/Cap tastes the water.
ζ-9/Cap: It's fine. Just warm.
ζ-9/Charlie: That's a relief.
ζ-9 team refills their canteens and drinks from the water.
ζ-9/Cap: Everyone ready to move on? Sound off.
ζ-9/Bravo: Ready.
ζ-9/Charlie: Ready.
ζ-9/Delta: All done here.
ζ-9/Echo: If I drink any more I'll puke.
ζ-9/Cap: TMI, Echo. Now, we need to move on. Suggestions?
ζ-9 team is nonresponsive for several seconds.
ζ-9/Bravo: Looks like the only possible source of shade around is those mountains. Unless we want to dig into the sand or sleep underwater.
ζ-9/Cap: No other ideas? Charlie, clock the mountains.
ζ-9/Charlie examines their laser rangefinder.
ζ-9/Charlie: Nearest is… about two and half klicks.
ζ-9/Cap: Any chance of nightfall, Delta?
ζ-9/Delta: Well… the sun's only moved about a degree, sir. I wouldn't expect darkness for a few days.
ζ-9/Cap: Alright. There's one more thing, and I appreciate that none of you made a fuss over it. Take ten minutes to split up and go to the bathroom.
ζ-9 team separates to perform ablutions. After about ten minutes, ζ-9 team attempts to regroup.
ζ-9/Echo: What the fuck is happening?
ζ-9/Bravo: I don't know I just can't -
ζ-9/Charlie: Why can't -
ζ-9/Cap: Everyone shut up a second!
ζ-9 team falls silent.
ζ-9/Cap: Delta, come here.
ζ-9/Delta attempts to walk towards ζ-9/Cap, but despite several changes of direction from each of their points of view, their distance from ζ-9/Cap only increases.
ζ-9/Cap: Okay, stop. Charlie, you try.
ζ-9/Charlie attempts to approach the other team members in turn, with the same result as ζ-9/Delta.
ζ-9/Cap: Stop. This is not helping.
ζ-9/Bravo: What are we gonna do now? We can't even group up.
ζ-9/Cap: Hold on, let me try something else. Bravo: catch.
ζ-9/Cap attempts to throw a spare ammunition clip to Bravo. It strikes ζ-9/Cap in the face. Delta and Echo laugh.
ζ-9/Cap: Shit.
ζ-9/Echo: We should be glad we can at least talk to each other.
ζ-9/Charlie: Don't jinx it.
ζ-9/Cap: Alright, can we at least get back to the water?
Each team member independently returns to the water. Comparison of their fields of view indicates highly contradictory terrain, with different team members at different positions and different relative distances from each other. The resulting confused chatter has been omitted.
ζ-9/Cap: Looks like this skip insists we split up. Everyone just pick a direction and walk it. Does anyone have a mission time that isn't 22:03? Okay. Then we'll check in every ten minutes. Good luck.
ζ-9 team separates. Here follow brief summations of the logs of each team member.
ζ-9/Cap hikes for several hours over terrain containing a gradually increasing amount of anachronistic vegetation, including some anomalous species. As he does so, the sky fades to a dark red, without any corresponding change in the apparent position or coloration of the sun (but with a substantial decrease in apparent brightness). Some of what appear to be stars, as well as an object superficially resembling Earth's moon, become visible over time, suggesting a night-like state. ζ-9/Cap's ability to reconnect with the rest of ζ-9 team deteriorates over time, and they make fewer and fewer of the check-ins they ordered. Over the course of three days, they exhaust their limited supply of water, collapse, and die, not having encountered any particular point of interest.
ζ-9/Bravo, over a similar period of time, crosses over a kilometer of desert before tripping over a solid object in the sand. Inspection reveals an outcropping of rock, possibly a lake bed, covered only by several centimeters of sand. On this surface was an enormous number of skeletons, which, to the best of ζ-9/Bravo's ability to determine, were of nonanomalous humans.
The corpses are equipped with crude bronze armor and weapons. Based on ζ-9/Bravo's visual records, the causes of death were extreme blunt force trauma, inflicted primarily upon the skulls and spines of the victims (in cases where the skeleton was intact enough for reasonable certainty). Many of the subjects' bones were in a state of serious decay, medically analogous to osteogenesis imperfecta. ζ-9/Bravo inspected the area for nearly an hour, and was apparently unable to reach the greatest depth to which the skeletons were buried. Notably, skeletons buried at greater depths appeared to also be in more advanced states of decay.
Control instructed ζ-9/Bravo to move on, and as he does so, he continues to discover more discarded bronze pieces in the deeper sands. Just as ζ-9/Cap did, ζ-9/Bravo succumbs to the heat and lack of water within days.
ζ-9/Charlie was spatially displaced in the most drastic fashion among the members of ζ-9 team. From her perspective, a stone temple complex that was not previously visible appeared in close proximity to the oasis, invisible to the others. None of the structures seem to contain any doors or other means of ingress. ζ-9/Charlie does, however, discover a series of obelisks, arranged in concentric heptagrams, that are carved with glyphs analogous to the markings of the fetal entity encountered in Exploration ██/██/19██.
After investigating the obelisks for several minutes, ζ-9/Charlie is seemingly struck in the back of the head by an unknown object or entity, while attempting to take a drink. Their water bottle is knocked forwards to the ground, and its contents, which appear to be blood, spill over the ground. Seconds later, the visual and then audio feeds are lost, apparently due to the destruction of ζ-9/Charlie's mission recorders.
ζ-9/Delta, after several hours spent hiking through nondescript desert terrain, encountered what appeared to be an abandoned elevator car upright in the sand. They entered and were subsequently transported "upwards" towards an exit from SCP-XXXX.
ζ-9/Echo, unlike the other members of ζ-9 team, was displaced from the oasis to an area resembling an indoor swimming pool. The rest of the structure was found to resemble a luxury hotel of a design consistent with the time that SCP-XXXX itself was constructed. ζ-9/Echo was unable to exit this building or view its exterior due to changes in its internal layout. However, its internal mechanisms (plumbing, lighting, etc) were functional, and its kitchens and other spaces were fully supplied, enabling ζ-9/Echo to survive for four weeks. Near the beginning of the subsequent active phase, ζ-9/Echo found themselves within SCP-XXXX's non-anomalous interior and was able to exit.
Afterword: ζ-9/Delta and ζ-9/Echo were recovered and debriefed without incident. Memetic examination proved inconclusive, but, within two months, both reported unplanned pregnancies (estimated to have progressed to 5 and 6 weeks, respectively) to their supervisory personnel. Of note is the fact that ζ-9/Delta and ζ-9/Echo had been in an exclusive relationship for several months prior to their access to SCP-XXXX. In keeping with procedure, the fetuses were aborted, and genetic analysis matched them to their apparent fathers, [DATA EXPUNGED]. For future explorations of SCP-XXXX, personnel that are either not female, infertile, or both were designated as preferred.
Chapter Four: Devastation
Foreword: MTF Tau-5 "Samsara" deployed into SCP-XXXX at 8:00 PM local time, during an active phase.
▼ [APPENDED] Special Requisition Report For MTF Tau-5 ("Samsara") [EXCERPTED]
[…]
For the ██/██/19██ expedition into SCP-XXXX and in association with the Occult Research Department, Captain Sarah Hughes requisitioned the following from the Site-12 armory:
- For τ-5/Irantu:
- One SINNER'S GLAIVE. (A type of experimental thaumatic pistol whose effectiveness against spectral, ontokinetic, demonic, and deific entities is proportional to the moral cost incurred by its creation. Derived from [DATA EXPUNGED].)
- For τ-5/Onru:
- For τ-5/Munru:
- A sample of the Logos strain of SCP-217, which induces sensitivity to some telepathy.
- For τ-5/Nanku:
- SCP-██, the "Chimes of Psuk-Lor," a series of tin tuning rods that cause various mild but consistent paranormal effects when struck with a compatible brass rod.
In addition to their usual combat-exploration loadout.
[…]
τ-5/Irantu: This is squad leader Irantu of MTF Tau-5, about to deploy into SCP-XXXX.
Control: Reading you squad leader. Proceed as planned.
τ-5/Irantu: Understood. Mission start.
MTF τ-5 assumes a single file formation and enters SCP-XXXX. The nonanomalous lobby has been replaced by a descending stone staircase.
τ-5/Irantu: Contingency C. Munru, take point.
τ-5/Munru: Affirmative.
MTF τ-5 descends the passage in silence, reaching a large stone hallway. Several empty alcoves are carved into its walls at irregular intervals.
τ-5/Munru: I am receiving a psionic impression.
τ-5/Irantu: What kind?
τ-5/Munru: An emotion, but not one I'm familiar with.
τ-5/Irantu: Can you compare it to any of the test responses?
τ-5/Munru: Not exactly. It seems closest to a pleasure response.
τ-5/Irantu: So you have no apprehension of danger?
τ-5/Munru: Not as such.
τ-5/Irantu: That means nothing. Secure the room.
MTF τ-5 divides to investigate each section of the hall. The hall is naturally lighted by slits in the stonework. The apparent time and exterior environment are not distinguishable. Other than the aforementioned alcoves, several sources of dripping groundwater, and a narrow, descending spiral stairwell at its opposite end, it is empty.
τ-5/Onru: All clear.
τ-5/Nanku, near the entrance to the stairwell, strikes the Xa chime.
τ-5/Nanku: Negative bioreading.
τ-5/Irantu: Proceed.
Munru assumes point and MTF τ-5 continues their descent. Geolocators indicate no relative motion since their entrance to SCP-XXXX.
τ-5/Munru: We are being watched.
τ-5/Irantu: Why do you say that?
τ-5/Munru: My meaning is quite literal.
Embedded within the stonework are several apparently human eyes. Each is abnormally large (7cm diameter), lacks pupils, has a differently colored iris, and has a sclera red in coloration. Each of them follows MTF τ-5 as they investigate.
τ-5/Irantu: Onru, examine that one.
τ-5/Onru: It is not mechanical, nor obviously thaumic. It appears also to be reality-neutral. [pokes the eye]] It is either organic or a sophisticated replication.
τ-5/Nanku: Then the Xa is unreliable.
τ-5/Munru: If they are telepathic, it is not of a form I can sense.
MTF τ-5 proceeds down the staircase.
τ-5/Nanku: Irantu.
τ-5/Irantu: Yes?
τ-5/Nanku: The eyes are mobile.
The eyes retract and reappear in cracks in the walls, ceiling, and floor. τ-5/Nanku near steps on one. Given the state of the initial hallway, it is likely that they had been observing MTF τ-5 there, also.
τ-5/Irantu: We do not need our movements monitored. Onru.
τ-5/Onru enables targeting assistance (access to the point of view of each teammate simultaneously) and opens fire. Within several seconds, the eyes abandon their pursuit.
τ-5/Munru: Stay alert. This may trigger retaliation.
At the bottom of the staircase is a hall apparently identical to that encountered previously. It has the same natural lighting features, despite apparently resting directly beneath the other. MTF τ-5 divides to investigate the room.
τ-5/Munru: All clear.
τ-5/Irantu: Control, SCP-XXXX appears to be displaying iterative behavior. Please advise.
Control: That's only two of the same room. Just proceed downwards.
τ-5/Onru: Correction: This is an upwards ramp.
The corresponding exit is a smooth-cut stone tunnel at a 30 degree inclination.
τ-5/Irantu: We will proceed.
The tunnel resembles Egyptian tombs and religious structures of the Old Kingdom Era, with concomitant hieroglyphics and artistic representations upon the walls. Eventually the hall splits into three more at right angles to each other. τ-5/Nanku lags behind, inspecting the symbols.
τ-5/Irantu: Munru?
τ-5/Munru: The pleasure response has subsided.
τ-5/Irantu: But do you have any other impressions, or any instincts as to its source?
τ-5/Munru: We've come closer, but I do not know the way.
τ-5/Onru: This is not relevant. We do not know that it matters which direction we choose.
τ-5/Irantu: Control, do you have anything on these symbols?
Control: No, but we're rushing your footage to the nearest linguists we can find.
τ-5/Irantu: Nanku, the Xa.
τ-5/Nanku: Clear signal several dozen meters in that direction. Negative for the others.
τ-5/Irantu: That is our new destination, then.
MTF τ-5 proceeds in the indicated direction (right, relative to their initial vector).
τ-5/Onru: We have a problem. Look at the walls.
Human and nonhuman figures depicted on the walls are following MTF τ-5 visually.
τ-5/Munru: This is far from ideal. We can't destroy all of this.
MTF τ-5 approaches a stone double door. The stonework forming its upper bound contains a hieroglyphic pattern that is as yet untranslated. However, the members of MTF τ-5 appear able to intuit its meaning.
τ-5/Nanku: The Xa indicates a lifeform directly ahead… the "Ochre Pharaoh," apparently.
τ-5/Irantu: Weapons free.
τ-5/Munru and τ-5/Nanku flank the doors and drag them open. τ-5/Irantu and τ-5/Onru ready their primary weapons and step inside, followed closely by τ-5/Munru and τ-5/Nanku. The chamber beyond the door is an enormous burial space, lit with natural lighting and numerous fires burning unfueled within wall alcoves. The walls themselves are similarly covered in hieroglyphics and artistic representations. Superficial examination suggests that they are inanimate, but MTF τ-5's attention is quickly diverted away from them.
The chamber centers upon an enormous sarcophagus, at least two meters in width and nine in height, whose outer shells and casings have been split and torn away. A large amount of biological matter is scattered in its immediate vicinity, including skin, bones, muscle, and a great deal of unidentifiable tissue. What is visible of the skin suggests that the organism was mummified prior to its dismemberment. Lying beside it, apparently responsible for its state, is a quadrupedal, vaguely crocodilian animal with a black, shaggy mane and a mass of feathers on its back.
τ-5/Irantu: Identify yourself.
The entity stirs. MTF τ-5 surround it.
τ-5/Irantu: Identify yourself!
The entity stands.
Unidentified Entity: [groans]
τ-5/Irantu: What did you say?
Unidentified Entity: IiiiiIee… (This is a phonetic rendering of the noise the entity produced, not necessarily to be interpreted as speech.)
τ-5/Irantu: Last chance: identify yourself!
The entity appears to groan in frustration, and subsequently lunges in τ-5/Irantu's direction. MTF τ-5 open fire. Within several seconds, the entity is subdued by sustained rifle fire to its flanks. It collapses roughly a meter from τ-5/Irantu. He steps forwards to inspect it, signaling the others to hold position.
τ-5/Nanku: Is it dead?
τ-5/Irantu: It is still. In our experience, Nanku, that is a different thing.
τ-5/Irantu crouches near the entity and prods it with his rifle.
τ-5/Irantu: Odd. It is entirely motionless.
τ-5/Munru: What is odd about that?
τ-5/Irantu: Even in death, most organisms move, even anomalous ones. [circles the entity] These wounds… are not bleeding… nor did they expose any internal organs.
τ-5/Onru: It is not organic?
τ-5/Nanku moves to inspect the ruined sarcophagus.
τ-5/Nanku: The Xa clearly indicated a live organism. These remains could not account for it.
τ-5/Munru: If Irantu is correct, neither can the hostile entity. FOV playback indicates it was not even breathing before it was prompted to identify itself. However, I did register an impression of anger and disgust -
Control: τ-5 squad, you're not in there for an autopsy. Move on.
τ-5/Irantu: Affirmative, Control.
Afterword:
Chapter Five: Desperation/Drought
Foreword: MTF Psi-1 ("King's Men") deployed into SCP-XXXX at 8:00 PM local time, during an active phase.
ψ-1/:
Afterword:
Chapter Six: In The Dark
Foreword: MTF Eta-7 ("Wedding Crashers") deployed into SCP-XXXX at 8:00 PM local time, during an active phase.
Control:
η-7/:
Afterword:
Chapter Seven: Demon's Doom
Foreword: An ██ ███████ ██████ entered SCP-XXXX at 11:07 PM local time during an active phase, escorted by a detachment of MTF Alpha-1 ("Red Right Hand").
Control: Since this is not a regularly scheduled insertion, I'm going to have to ask you to confirm your employee ID and clearance code before Abbadon lets you down there.
November-Romeo-Romeo: For today I'm using Special Access Designation November-Romeo-Romeo. Authcode ██████-███-█.
Control: I… uh. I mean, code confirmed. Stand down, Abbadon.
NRR: I'm headed in for an off the books consultation, Control. Understood?
Control: Off the books? Yes, sir. Enter… whenever you're ready, sir.
NRR: Thank you. That'll be all, Control.
Control disconnects.
α-1/1: You quite sure about this, sir? Even the Tau gang had a rough time of it in there.
NRR: Absolutely, captain. I have it on good authority this hospital will be substantially more, well, hospitable tonight.
NRR:
Unidentified:
Unidentified: I am only a foreimage of one whom your priesthood has long awaited. Seek after the name of Adam-xokib if you would know more.
NRR: Wait, what the hell is that supposed to -
[SUBSEQUENT DATA EXPUNGED]
FURTHER INFORMATION IS NOT AVAILABLE AT YOUR CLEARANCE LEVEL. CEASE AND DESIST INQUIRIES INTO THIS ANOMALY.