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Creator: Unknown (Painting created by Athanasius Kircher)
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Item #: SCP-010-INT
Threat Level: Black ● White ●
Object Class: Keter Apollyon Safe
Special Containment Procedures: SCP-010-INT is currently camouflaged as a segment of the Transantarctic Mountains; the demolished outer shell of the edifice has been replaced with the necessary structure and assets for the maintenance of the concealing protocols, requiring weekly preventive maintenances.
Outpost He-Psi has been erected in the location to serve as the containment site for SCP-010-INT, and is currently equipped to garrison a small military force and technicians; the installation is currently under the facade of an international geological research site. Non-Foundation expeditions wishing to reach the site area are to be diverted, and the use of amnestic treatments for that purpose is approved.
Should SCP-010-INT reactivate, it is to be demolished using explosive charges planted throughout the structure. At the moment, it can be safely used to power its containment site, but backup generators have to be kept ready in case of power failure.
Description: SCP-010-INT designates a building involved with the global MALINA-Event and the para-religious assembly Les Enfants de la Lumière1, a splinter organisation of the Group of Interest Order of the Light.2, which started in a non-governmental compound located in the South Pole.
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The Order of Light is a peculiar Group of Interest when compared to several other religious groups that we had the pleasure of acquainting. It is a philanthropic organization whose philosophical and theological nature is widely based upon the Christian Evangelion.
They are particularly keen on utilizing the paranormal for the betterment of the world — where did I hear that one before?! — but do not shy away from the layman that has been disheartened by the current global state of affairs. Additionally, they advocate that the recognition of the anomalous as part of the natural order of things is a necessity.
The Order main goal is "putting humanity back in the right path", "as it has turned away from its Creator"; their material goes into detail about how humanity is guided by violence and how it eventually corrupts the innocent, creating a self-propagating system.
Though, they believe that each man needs to be a master of themselves, and that harmony comes from the denial of emotions, as they are liable and conducive to corruption.
That is what Les Enfants de la Lumière wish to counteract. In their opinion, humanity always needs emotion and a higher being to guide them. Of course, that sentiment put them at odds with the rest of the Order, leading to the expelling of the entire sect, including some higher-ups involved. As we know now, this didn't stop them.
A particularly curious figure of importance to these groups is named "Prophet Uriel" whose characteristics possesses several tangents to the Evangelion of the Archangel Uriel; he has given names to both Lumière and Tenebre, encompassing a sense of being to each; "Lir'Ion", meaning The One who Reveals, and "Kos'Ra", meaning The One that Inspires, respectively. It should be noted, that this "Prophet" is also a subject of reverence in the Order, although not as fanatical as with the Enfants de Lumière.
Furthermore, according to the Orders interpretation, there are two driving metaphysical forces of the universe and the creation thereof. One is described as a "luminous avatar that has breathed life into the abyss and populated it with dust and essences", another is described as "a penumbra that, from its own flesh, gave the world the quintessential torrent of life that enveloped the stars"; those being Lumière and Tenebre, respectively. Thus, God has united those beings harmoniously, creating the universe we know.
The Enfants believe those forces to still reside in all of creation. As such, they have devised ways to separate these energies again to make new things out of them. Think of dismounting a LEGO structure to make another; that's a good comparison.
Using those two forces, Les Enfants de Lumière apparently wish to call upon Uriel, so he will remake the world into the image of Eden, by doing what he did once and combining both Lumière and Tenebre with each other. And what's especially shocking about those guys is that they apparently have no clue how to do that correctly.
— [REDACTED]
The Tower of Babel as depicted by Athanasius Kircher.
SCP-010-INT is a manufactured paratechnological construct, called "La Flèche de l'Aube"3 by its creators. It is a multi-layered tower attempting to replicate the design of the Turris Babel, specifically mimicking the aesthetics as depicted by the author Athanasius Kircher.
Several whiteprints of SCP-010-INT have been found, alluding to several versions of the object and its continuous restructuration through the course of the MALINA-Event. Nevertheless, the infrastructure is conforming to French safety standards.
The structure is divided between an outer shell and a core system; the former is a system of ascending levels possessing several continuous galleries thoroughly adorned with frescos and vitrails depicting associated romanticized religious symbolism such as the mythology of angels, saints, and Eden. These installations are used as a place of worship, and social gathering for the affected individuals, whilst surrounding the core system of SCP-010-INT. Constant hymns associated with SCP-010-INT's glorified qualities and light can be heard throughout the structure.
The core system is comprised of multiple levels that are accessible through maintenance ladders and mezzanines, and strategically positioned doors. Gears and pistons are integrated with pseudo-circuit boards connected with tubes, cables, and tanks. These components emit, in unison, noises that when isolated from the cacophony produced, are reminiscent of religious hymns but were also described as "aching".
The machinery is used to distribute and apply two forms of metaphysical energies throughout the structure to achieve several anomalous effects. The energies in question were labelled "Lumière"4 and "Tenebre"5 by Les Enfants de la Lumière, which are channelled via gold cables present in the entire structure.
Lumière causes its conductors to emit bluish-white light; it temporarily transmutes or generates random physical laws, matter, and different forms of conventional energy in varying quantities when discharged.
Tenebre makes its conductors light-absorbent, letting them appear jet-black in the process. Its discharge will spontaneously animate lifeless objects for several minutes or create prototypical organisms (though mostly lacking the necessary features to survive for more than a few minutes) within the area engulfed by the discharge. It is also common for Tenebre discharges to be accompanied by strong reality fluctuations which likely play a big part in the other observed effects but also affect local space, time and energy.
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Part of SCP-010-INT's interior. The cables are conducting Lumière.
Both energies obey the conventional laws of thermodynamics but differ widely from other known forms of energy. These energies vary from or simultaneously present particle and wave bases; gold and silver (to a diminished degree when compared to the former) are highly conductive materials for these energies; marble and bronze have been identified as a secure accumulator for both energies.
Additionally, experiments have shown that Lumière and Tenebre coalesce when in contact with each other, creating stable matter and energy sometimes consolidated with their characteristics (such as for example proper fauna and flora with the capability to thrive, but also several other forms of animated matter capable of reproduction). Apart from their animation, created life-forms and artifacts may demonstrate anomalous effects of varying degree6.
SCP-010-INT creates Lumière and Tenebre by converting conventional energy and matter via thaumaturgical manipulation, generating equal amounts of both anomalous energies.
The output of Lumière and Tenebre discharges can be controlled by several devices located throughout SCP-010-INT. This hardware varies in size and shape but complies with ordinary and logical designs of computational and industrial interfaces; the working principles behind these machines are still under scrutiny, hence several of which were removed post-containment for study. However, it is known, that the design of the machinery is faulty, allowing a substantially superior distribution of Lumière in comparison to Tenebre.
The entire structure was controlled by a network of four supercomputers with an anomalously expanded storage and processing capacity, accessible by a mainframe at the base of its tower. The devices are powered by the controlled reaction of Lumière with Tenebre7 and were found partially destroyed and scorched.
SCP-010-INT was a self-aware mechanical-thaumaturgical organism, controlled by an AI in its supercomputers, with a sense of ego/identity and volition of its own; it was a prototypical living, ontokinectic entity with psionic capabilities, the latter utilized to administrate a psionic network comprehending reprogrammed individuals under a common memetic influence permeated in a type of collective intelligence that exhibited positive and supportive behaviour towards the maintenance of SCP-010-INT's perceived necessities.
Individuals influenced by the network maintained aspects of their personality but would exhibit a plethora of modified or additional characteristics to their base psychology, stemming from the inherent perception of SCP-010-INT as a personified entity — through prosopopeia rhetorics — and as an omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent being superseding other objects of faith and religion (or the lack thereof) associated with fractioned knowledge of several philosophical aspects from the Order of Light.
The telepathic influence caused individuals to recognize luminosity derived from Lumière as a symbolic element of social matter and religious objectification, seeing those objects as extensions of La Flèche's existence. This was exemplified by the subjects' collective desire to enlighten areas and maintain these sources of Lumière luminosity active intermittently; bask, commune, communicate, pray and perform offerings to these lights.
The area that SCP-010-INT was able to affect ontokinectically was concomitant to the distance engulfed by its beam of light. It progressively converted the affected area into a mixed temperate forest consisting of fruit-bearing trees, inhabited by a plethora of forest-dwelling animals showing no flight reflex when near humans. This change would occur regardless of the prior state the area was in but maintained the geographical make-up, bodies of water8 and present buildings.
Because of continuous discharges of free Tenebre, these forests and the life within them would, after a varying amount of time, become subject to reality shifts, resulting in spatial and temporal distortions, mutations, manifestations of anomalous physics in organisms and death. The entire conversion, however, seems to be only a metastable state of being because all changes to the area are reverted once SCP-010-INT's light no longer engulfs the area. This property is assumed to be a result of the anomalies faulty design and functions. Further data is unavailable because SCP-010-INT was only activated once by Les Enfants de la Lumière.
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The following is a transcription compiling the relevant moments of footage from several recuperated and recovered devices that managed to store data without incident. Access to the complete audiovisual repertoire and its respective individual transcriptions can be requested by individuals with the proper permissions.
The transcription registers several other individuals of interest, among them Fernand Maron, the assumed leader of Les Enfants de la Lumière, and the activation of SCP-010-INT.
START RECORDING
SCP-010-INT's control room is seen as well as high-quality audiovisual cinematography equipment, including camera drones. Several unknown individuals wearing appropriate gear work can be spotted working in the components and tidying the chamber. The camera frames Fernand Maron in the center.
The technicians finish their operations, leaving the frame.
Unknown: We are live.
F. Maron: My dear Children. This broadcast alights the beginning of our SALVATION!
Maron beckons with his arms spread, several spotlights are turned on, spotting him.
F. Maron: The vessel of our Prophet Uriel is has been concluded; it is nigh for us to finally call for his aid. It is nigh for His envoy, the Prophet, to use His power to guide us towards a better future.
Several Lumière-based sources enlighten the room, focusing on framing SCP-010-INT's mainframe.
F. Maron: We are only a button press away from Eden. Are we ready, my Children?
Several individuals of importance lined behind Maron are consecutively spotted by spotlights.
The audio feedback is redirected to record the ovation from the receptive crowd.
Audio is restored to normal after several seconds.
F. Maron: Glorious! Well then, without further ado, start the call!
The mainframe starts to hum for a short time. The Lumière based light-sources and components create a blinding luminosity that subsides after several seconds.
When the visual feedback is restored, several technicians are seen working on the mainframe and its components. Visible and audible alarms are spontaneously activated throughout the hardware.
Unknown Technician: We have a situation; the vessel is compr-…
The building is subjected to tremors that throw most of the present off-balance.
F. Maron: NO! EVERYONE, CALM DOWN!
After several seconds of commotion, SCP-010-INT's mainframe is restarted. The technicians back away from the equipment, visibly confused.
Chimes can be heard. The commotion is finally quelled. Lumière-based luminosity is seen irradiating from the components and escaping through crevices.
A masculine voice erupts.
SCP-010-INT: Who summons His Light into this domain?
The commotion resumes; several whispers are heard until F. Maron projects himself.
F. Maron: My Lord?! Prophet Uriel… is that…
Maron reaches his hand, apparently mesmerized by the light.
SCP-010-INT: Indeed, my child. I am the Prophet. Uriel, Bringer of His Light.
All the attendants immediately fall down to their knees.
F. Maron: Great Uriel. I am your Children's Speaker. How long have we awaited your arrival! See this world of Ours! We beg that you see it, and we beg that you save us from Our torment!
Maron rises his head.
SCP-010-INT: And such I will do, Children. I will bring His light, I will create harmony, I will make a paradise. But first…
The Lumière-based luminosity is intensified. Through the windows it is seen how beams burst through the outer layers of the structure, stretching far.
SCP-010-INT: …my Children must grow…
Drones alternate the footage between ontokinectic anomalies occurring in their vicinities. The light sources start to continuously increase their output.
SCP-010-INT: …and My vessel must ascend.
Video footage becomes overexposed and visual is lost. Screaming from those present is audible for the next minutes until suddenly stopping. Nothing of note happens afterwards. The cameras keep recording for three hours before the power runs out.
Course of the MALINA-Event:
14.01.2016: The supposed day SCP-010-INT goes online. The technical errors on part of Les Enfants de la Lumièrecause the system to severely reduce the flow of Tenebre, inducing the machine to overload with Lumière, and causing unforeseen side-effects.
The protocols of SCP-010-INT's AI become corrupted due to unwanted reactions with residue Tenebre, likely setting SCP-010-INT's prime motives. The object starts using its ontokinetic abilities to contort reality in such a way that exposure to its light causes a mental takeover in intelligent beings, effectively creating a hive mind.
15.01.2016: The Foundation becomes aware of anomalous activity in Antarctica due to the circulation of particular satellite imagery showing an increasing source of light and the peaking of psionic readings. Direct communication with assets in the vicinity is established, and an alert is issued.
18.01.2016: Several stations, as well as all Foundation sites in Antarctica, register a "growing light" from inland and consecutively fall victim to SCP-010-INTs psionic capabilities, causing them to relay no further anomalous activity.
Satellite imagery shows that the active installations within the radius of infection switched on all available outdoor and indoor lighting. The continent starts to get covered in a temperate zone forest and rivers while becoming devoid of ice and snow.
The source of the ontokinectic and psionic readings is pinpointed at [REDACTED], in the Eastern side of the Transantarctic Mountains, within the region of the Queen Maud Mountains.
19.01.2016: The Foundation sends out an expedition team to confirm the state of affairs, but the squad gets affected by SCP-010-INT upon reaching shore and returns to report no anomalous or otherwise alerting findings.
A memetic influence is suspected. SCP-Designation is issued. Individuals that comprised the expedition are put into quarantine. A newly specialized task force is formed, and anti-psionic/anti-memetic warfare equipment is issued. The forest keeps expanding.
22.01.2016: SCP-010-INT's light becomes visible to inhabitants of Tasmania, New Zealand, the Port-aux-Français, the Port Jeanne d' Arc and the most southern parts of South America9, but does not yet possess the intensity to induce a mental takeover of the residents thereof. Disinformation protocols enter effect to prevent an SK-Class Broken Veil Scenario.
Foundation assets embedded in logistics register large movements of equipment used in psionics and warfare but are unable to track them. Forest reaches the regions of Marie Byrd Land, and Coats Land.
24.01.2016: The Global Occult Coalition responds to the threat by firing an ICBM at SCP-010-INT. The missile, however, is shot down by Site-██'s missile defense systems before it can hit its target.
Several MTF units from all Foundation branches specializing in the containment of memetics and telepathic entities are organized in a new Antarctican Expedition.
Forest reaches the coasts of Eastern Antarctica and Marie Byrd Land (located in the Western portion of the continent). The irradiating light of SCP-010-INT in these affected areas hinders aero and nautical transportation, affecting visibility; memetic and psionic influence is strengthened nearby the source of the luminosity.
25.01.2016: SCP-010-INT's light gains enough intensity to affect the population from Tasmania, New Zealand, Port-aux-Français, Port Jeanne d' Arc and the southernmost regions of South America. Individuals turn on any available light sources; mediatic vehicles are used to enforce the meme against the effort of disinformation campaigns.
Satellite imagery of Antarctica shows degeneration of the newly formed greenery as well as space distortions. Drones sent to investigate collect footage of heavily mutated wildlife. Subjects affected by SCP-010-INTs light are seen to tend to the landscape, apparently in an attempt to reverse the negative developments. Parts of the forest are seen to transform back to their healthy state for some time before degrading again.
26.01.2016: The Antarctican Expedition arrive in the continent with the containment assets using experimental supersonic cargo planes. Airships manage to land in the rendezvous point, establishing a safehouse and regrouping.
Some planes are forced to divert from their routes due to aerial artillery of Site-██, resulting in █ crashes; these surviving agents and their specialized equipment are apprehended by the infected and integrated. Body cameras continue recording while the victims start patrolling SCP-010-INT's perimeter in anticipation of further Foundation forces.
Object Class upgraded to Apollyon and evacuation plans for the rest of humanity set in motion should the Antarctican Expedition operation fail.
27.01.2016: Spatial portals manifest spontaneously inside SCP-010-INT's structure. Several individuals largely armed with anomalous weaponry emerge and start attacking nearby infected with lethal force. This event is filmed by audiovisual recording equipment (such as body cameras and streaming drones) that are still active; footage is recovered in the aftermath.
Once the defenders are eliminated or immobilized, the attacking organization begins the deployment of anti-psionic equipment through the structure. All victims of SCP-010-INT in the world are immediately rendered unconscious following the activation of these assets, resulting in several casualties and injured from car crashes, falls from great heights, and other domestic and industrial accidents.
Several technicians from the attacking group begin working on SCP-010-INT's mainframe, the relevant team disables the recording equipment still in the room — throughout the process, the object displayed extreme distress, rumbling and vocalizing threats while using its ontokinectic abilities to defend itself. How the invading forces survived these attacks is unknown.
Roughly three hours later, the object is deactivated and the individuals depart from the secured perimeter. The memetic and psionic readings associated with SCP-010-INT disappear; generated objects and life-forms cease to exist; affected locations are reverted to their state previous to the ontokinectic intervention. The Expedition finally manages to SCP-010-INT's site and secure it, engaging in visual contact with the departing attacking party right before the closing of the spatial portals.
28.01.2016: SCP-010-INT is secured and containment procedures are initialized; the Object Class downgraded to Safe; Threat Level is diminished. Evacuation of humanity is aborted and standard disinformation protocols take effect. Infection is assumed cured but infected groups remain under observation.
The MALINA-Event is declared as concluded.
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Transcription of the report given by Captain [REDACTED], team leader of Team Bravo, a detachment of the Antarctic Expeditionary Force.
My squad arrived at the rendezvous beneath a sky bathed by a veil of marvellous bright. Beautiful birds flew through it, sprinkling that bright upon us. It was true; that inhospitable place had become so beautiful with lush life.
Stillframe taken from the body camera of Agent Zeisig.
We could see with the corner of our eyes; things that were there and weren't, each blink revealing an impossible thing after another… a… a tree with feathers drinking from a river; flowers dancing and singing around sources of light…
Several fell from rocks that floated still, bending in fantastical angles, bending, floating up and then raining down, glistering like liquid gold. We… we found a well… endlessly so… gazing down into it felt… calm? Calm. A hymn echoed from beneath. Some couldn't leave there. But we pushed on because there was yet so much to see in there. Didn't stop us from crying.
We followed protocol… We followed the path made by the last expedition, contoured by lamps that called us. We ended stumbling upon this little garden full of roses and bees, tended by gardeners using drones and other implements; so carefully, gently. They were trying to save the roses, the poor things…
We couldn't follow the protocol. We couldn't just stop the gardeners, right? They were trying to save… trying… [REDACTED] were so concerned that they immediately lent help. - "We'll be fine." - they reassured. They were, I saw… smiling when I left as they tried to uncrook those Eldritch angles.
We continued through the path until we stumbled upon the expedition's encampment. A cosy location. Everything seemed impeccable. Several campfires, but one of them was clearly the heart of the place. I had never seen the fire burn so bright.
It didn't take long before we were welcomed by the Commander of the expedition. I immediately recognised him. An intense, handsome man; who wouldn't? His eyes stared directly into my woes, and his smile made them vanish. Our uniforms weren't very clean but… he didn't mind it. Even though his… so assiduous.
We met at his office. A modular building. Very, very, very comfortable — the best I have ever been to. We sat together. Spoke for hours. About everything, anything of importance or not. We ate something very sweet. Together.
What matters? I… yes, I can remember which ones. It is on the tip of my tongue. I remember that we acknowledged each other, and everything he said is so… fixated in my mind… "Thank you for coming," he said. I remember that. I felt so important. Like that.
When we were leaving, I reckon some of us were missing, yes. I… don't remember. Did I allow them to stay? I know I spoke to them around the campfire. I did. Why did I?
Because. I don't remember. I don't remember because.
-ight, the light; the light. The light. Delight.
— [REDACTED]
The anti-psionic and anti-memetic equipment had no signs of damage and functioned continuously during the period of insertion within the affected area. Hypnosis and amnestic treatments did not yield any results.
— Doctor Cinthia Rosabela
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Dear Foundation,
Here we are again. We apologize for not cleaning the place properly but we had a little accident when removing the crazed cultists and we fell behind schedule (again). We saved the day despite you somehow failing at that. Now, there's no shame in not saving the day for once (or since your creation, that is), the only vexing thing here is that you didn't acquiesce to us yet.
You see, the perks of being part of a shared mind are that you cannot be affected by another one, so this Uriel wannabe had no way of brainwashing us as it did to your goons. It wasn't any less egregious when it tried to convert one of us, mind you. Have you ever seen what several individuals COLLECTIVELY UPSET (politics do not count, you don't need a hive-mind for that) can do to something?!
In conclusion, we managed to burn (partially literally) the hive-mind that inhabited the structure, so it should be safe now. Please keep it that way, because we did not get all of those fanatics; they will lie in wait, somewhere, and try this again.
After it has been proven that we can master a crisis that has you sticking your head between your knees, it should be plainly obvious now what will happen if you keep mingling in our affairs.
Sincerely,
— The Hive
P.S.: We want our sub back.