SCP-045-IT

Laser scan of the internal structure of SCP-045-IT, lateral projection.

Element #: SCP-045-IT

Object Class: Neutralized

Special Containment Procedures: Following the neutralization
of SCP-045-IT and the analyses on the objects labeled as SCP-045-IT-Ogg — from which they resulted to be completely inert —, SCP-045-IT and the area around the locus-045 are suitable to become archaeological touristic attractions. To that extent, the Historical-Archaeological Subdivision is considering to hand-off its management to the Sovrintendenza ai Beni Archeologici.

The items labeled as SCP-045-IT-Ogg with suffixes from -0 to -8 are contained in the reinforced armoirs from HT/045/0 to HT/045/8 at Site Plutone.

Description: SCP-045-IT is an underground necropolis from the Bronze Age, in the Barletta territory, Puglia, 1.4 km from the area of the ancient Cannae. SCP-045-IT is a little bigger compared to other hypogea¹ in the area of the Daunia² dating back to the same period, extending for 627 m².

The presence of pumices of volcanic origin in the rediscovered clay pots suggests that they were manufactured not too much time after the violent eruption of Mount Vesuvius that took place between 1850 and 1700 BCE.

SCP-045-IT presents presented the anomalous property of being capable to animate objects with anthropomorphic features, henceforth labeled as SCP-045-IT-Ogg. Some instances of SCP-045-IT-Ogg are were capable of producing human vocalizations, and in some cases also to produce correct conversation, and answer asked questions.

Note:
Because of the documents of RIDIA that I found in the archive (presented in the Addendum 045-A below), and because of what SCP-045-IT-3 said (presented in the Exploration Log below), I hereby suggest to extend the classification of SCP-045-IT to all the hypogea of the Daunia.

Dr. Bellini

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Recovery Log
The first news about SCP-045-IT came to the attention of the Foundation on 201█-06-14, through the online discussion forum www.d██████.it and www.p██████████.it, in which many adolescents talked about a location in which toys, statues, and drawings of anthropomorphic features, when placed on the ground, after a few minutes inexplicably started to emit human vocalizations, often identifiable as of pain.

Geographical location of locus-045.

Differently from similar affirmations — that are discarded because unsubstantiated — Dr. Bellini has retrieved documentation from RIDIA describing an identical phenomenon, also referring to the same area, giving a rationale for the investigation of the phenomenon (for further details see the Addendum 045-A below).

The user of the forums, anyway, started a viral condivision process of the news, and so the majority of the information about it was erroneous or completely invented. Agent Eugenia Manchi of the squad SIR-I "Auræ Notitiæ", pretending to be an adolescent, become a user of the forums herself and was able to retrieve the original information along with the exact position of the place in which the anomalous phenomenon manifested.

On 201█-07-05 at 5:30 PM a research team comprised of Agt. Manchi, Dr. Rogazzi, senior researcher, and Dr. Solipsi, junior researcher, went to the place. When arrived on the scene they found there 5 preteens, of age 11 (4) and 12 (1). The subjects were gathered around a plastic toy reproducing a character from the so-called Power Ranger, of red color, placed on the ground, that was autonomously struggling and was emitting vocalizations similar to rales and gurglings.

The toy (henceforth labeled as SCP-045-IT-Ogg-0) after a few minutes stopped moving and vocalizing and remained inert. Subsequent analyses revealed that it shattered in several points, primarily in the thoracic and ventral area, where the pieces of SCP-045-IT-Ogg-0 dismantled and the plastic presented several small cracks.

The preteen subjects were administered with amnestics and were lead away immediately afterward.

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Addendum 045-A (RIDIA Documentation) In the following, a document from the Regio Istitvto delle Italiche Anomaliæ³ (Royal Institute for the Italian Anomalies, RIDIA) referring to SCP-045-IT, which gives a well-founded basis for the investigation of SCP-045-IT.

▶ File: Scan of RIDIA Document Cæsar-291

REGIO ISTITVTO
DELLE ITALICHE
A N O M A L I Æ

Document Number: 291
Class of Anomaly: Cæsar

It shall bring to the notice of Your Lordship about the matter with protocol Cæsar-291, which develops as follows.

The populace narrates that in the Tavoliere delle Puglie⁴ some children play with practices that absolutely appear to be anomalous: it is said, in fact, that they, when going to those locations, bring with themselves some toys made of straw, human-shaped, and that they put them on the ground. Immediately after those toys get animated, and begin to emit screams and various cries. Some of them do even move. Such phenomenon lasts several minutes, during which the children have fun, and at the end, they get back satisfied to their homes.

Such occurrences were seen in the lands of Apulia⁵, at the towns of San Ferdinando, Trinitapoli, Barletta, Bari, Terra di Corte, and in the location of the ancient and glorious Cannæ. Your Lordship is urged to send as soon as possible a garrison of men armed with carabines to investigate the said phenomenon.

Date
21/05/1914

Signature
Pilade Sabello

All indicated places coincide with those where hypogea of the Bronze Age were retrieved in the area of the Daunia, except the last one, which doesn't refer to any necropolis of the area appears to be referring to locus-045 (for further information see Addendum 045-B below).

In the following, it is presented an additional document from RIDIA relative to the investigations on SCP-045-IT of the Institute itself.

▶ File: Scan of RIDIA Document Comunication-718

REGIO ISTITVTO
DELLE ITALICHE
A N O M A L I Æ

Comunication Number: 718

Because of the winds of war on the horizon, we communicate to Your Lordship regard the anomaly referred to in the protocol Cæsar-291. The same is not considered anymore as an anomaly with high priority, and it is urged to concentrate the Italian forces on the completion of the project Supreme D█████.

It is therefore ordered to redact protocol Cæsar-291 and put it in standby and to immediately terminate all investigation operations about it.

Date
13/08/1914

Signature
Pilade Sabello

In the RIDIA documentation, there is no further mention of SCP-045-IT/Cæsar-291, thus indicating that the investigation on SCP-045-IT was since discontinued.

---

Test Log
In the following the test log of the experiments carried out in loco by the research team. The objects used for the tests have been labeled as SCP-045-IT-Ogg-x, where x is substituted by the numerical suffix of the related test.

▶ File: Document 045-IT-01 (Test Log).log

Test #: 045-1
Object: A plastic ball with a diameter of 7 cm.
Procedure: The object was placed on the ground for 30 minutes.
Effect: None.

Test #: 045-2
Object: A plastic reproduction of a Tyrannosaurus Rex with a length of 28 cm.
Procedure: The object was placed on the ground for 30 minutes.
Effect: None.

Test #: 045-3
Object: An A4 sheet of paper with a stylized drawing of a human being.
Procedure: The object was placed on the ground for 30 minutes.
Effect: None.

Test #: 045-4
Object: An A4 sheet of paper on which it was printed a copy of the Vitruvian Man.
Procedure: The object was placed on the ground.
Effect: After 17 minutes, the sheet began to oscillate for 24 seconds. It then began to crumble; the phenomenon lasted for 1 minute and 18 seconds. As result, the posture and the expression of the photographic reproduction of the Vitruvian Man appeared to express suffering or at least uneasiness.

Test #: 045-5
Object: A plastic reproduction of a common domestic cat with a length of 25 cm.
Procedure: The object was placed on the ground for 30 minutes.
Effect: None.

Test #: 045-6
Object: A plastic reproduction of an American soldier with a height of 10 cm.
Procedure: The object was placed on the ground.
Effect: After 12 minutes, SCP-045-IT-Ogg-6 began to vibrate, a phenomenon that lasted 15 seconds. It then began to move, performing movements that can be described as of agony. At the same time emitted vocalizations fully analogous to the painful wailing of a human being. The phenomenon lasted for 3 minutes and 2 seconds; after that SCP-045-IT-Ogg-6 emitted a hoarse yell, and then stopped moving.

---

Addendum
We do not know how SCP-045-IT-Ogg-6 could be able to move; the plastic soldiers are made with a single block of plastic and they do not present moving parts. At the same time, we do not know how it could be able to vocalize. Following analyses performed on SCP-045-IT-Ogg-6 did not return any macroscopic nor molecular alteration, excluding a small crack in the thoracic area, that was not present beforehand. The other difference with the initial state is that SCP-045-IT-Ogg-6 has permanently taken the pose it had in the instant it stopped moving. Similarly, no molecular alteration has been found in SCP-045-IT-Ogg-5, -7, and -8.

~Dr. Bellini

Test #: 045-7
Object: A stuffed rag doll, with a height of 31 cm.
Procedure: The object was placed on the ground.
Effect: After 8 minutes and 49 seconds SCP-045-IT-Ogg-7 started moving. At first it assumed a sitting position, then it tried unsuccessfully to stand up several times, falling to the ground every time. This phenomenon lasted for 4 minutes and 11 seconds, and throughout the duration of it SCP-045-IT-Ogg-7 emitted vocalizations of discomfort, strain, and suffering. After that the object remained in a sitting position, looking at its surroundings. It then emitted spoken vocalizations; in the following, the transcription of an excerpt of the recording from Agt. Manchi's bodycam.

---

<begin of excerpt>

SCP-045-IT-Ogg-7: Why does it hurt so much?
(12 seconds pass, then SCP-045-IT-Ogg-7 moves its head in a south-east direction)
SCP-045-IT-Ogg-7: Shouldn't you enter? Why do not you enter?
(9 seconds pass)
SCP-045-IT-Ogg-7: What are you doing here?! The pain is unbearable…
Dr. Solipsi: Who are you? Do you need hel-
(Dr. Solipsi is silenced by Dr. Rogazzi)
SCP-045-IT-Ogg-7: I feel myself lacerating! When are you going to light the fires?!
(SCP-045-IT-Ogg-7 produces high volume vocalizations, writhing)
SCP-045-IT-Ogg-7: It shouldn't be like that! It shouldn- AAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!
(SCP-045-IT-Ogg-7 emits a yell sufficiently loud to bother all the components of the research team; immediately after, his thorax rips apart and the cotton inside bursts outside. After that, SCP-045-IT-Ogg-7 remains inert)

<end of excerpt>

Test #: 045-8
Object: A shop window mannequin.
Procedure: The object was placed on the ground.
Effect: After 3 minutes and 34 seconds the object started moving. It assumed a sitting position, and then a standing one. It observed the research team for 29 seconds, maintaining a distance. In the following, the transcription of an excerpt of the recording from Agt. Manchi's bodycam.

---

<begin of excerpt>

SCP-045-IT-Ogg-8: What are you doing here?
(Dr. Rogazzi signals to not say anything)
SCP-045-IT-Ogg-8: You are not who you say you are.
Dr. Solipsi: We didn't say to be anybody…
Dr. Rogazzi: Solipsi!
SCP-045-IT-Ogg-8: You are murderers.
(SCP-045-IT-Ogg-8 points its head towards the sky for several seconds, then it faces the team again)
SCP-045-IT-Ogg-8: Go back to the blasphemous place where you come from.
(After saying those words SCP-045-IT-Ogg-8 remains inert and, not being supported, collapses on the ground)

<end of excerpt>

---

Addendum 045-B (Discovery of the Hypogeum)
Following testing — in particular test 045-7 — Dr. Bellini coordinated the search team in a sweep mission in the area towards where SCP-045-IT-Ogg-7 looked, supported by the use of Charu-CIV mass detectors. Following it was detected, 27 m south-east from the test zone, a subterranean recess with regular walls, of artificial nature. Its position was labeled as locus-045.

Note
And it can only be one thing: an undiscovered hypogeum.

Dr. Bellini

---

Exploration Log
On 201█-07-08 the SSM-VIII "Subterranea Materia" was mobilized on the locus-045; in exploration were sent Agent Sabina Doria and Agent Simone Accorsi. In the following, the transcription of radio communication during exploring operations.

▶ File: Transcript 045-IT-02 (Exploration Log).log

<begin log>

(Agents enter the hypogeum recess through a hole drilled from the surface, climbing down with ropes; they touch the ground 3 meters below.)

Agt. Doria: We are inside.

Agt. Accorsi: Turning on shoulder lights.

Dr. Bellini: Describe the space you are in.

Agt. Doria: It is a sort of a corridor with vertical walls. It's tight, approximately one meter in width. It seems that originally it was opencast… the floor is descending, very steep

Dr. Bellini: A dromos… I was right, then… you are in a hypogeum structure of the Bronze Age, agents.

Agt. Accorsi: A necropolis.

Dr. Bellini: A uncharted necropolis, agents! Untouched! Ahem… continue the exploration.

Agt. Doria: Roger, descending now.

(The agents continue for 1 minute.)

Agt. Doria: There's a corridor in front of us.

Agt. Accorsi: It's tight, eighty… maybe seventy centimeters.

Agt. Doria: At least the floor is not steep anymore. We are in a completely underground space… the ceiling is shaped like a pointy dome.

Dr. Bellini: You are now in a stomion.

Agt. Doria: There's a cranium on the floor. Correction, there's a full skeleton here, but the bones are scattered in bulk.

Agt. Accorsi: Is it normal, doctor Bellini?

Dr. Bellini: Yes, bone seeding was normal in the hypogea.

Agt. Doria: "Bone seeding"?

Dr. Bellini: In all hypogea scattered human bones were discovered. Ritual practice.

Agt. Accorsi: Hm.

Agt. Doria: Doctor, there's another cranium… the jaw is missing. It's resting upside down in the middle of a big rock circle. Next to it, there's a row of big deer horns.

Dr. Bellini: Those were all sacred rites… but that is not what we are searching for, continue.

Agt. Accorsi: Doctor Bellini, the report mentioned the effects of the anomaly, but not its appearance. Do you have any idea about it?

Dr. Bellini: Unfortunately I don't, and therefore… proceed with caution.

Agt. Accorsi: Roger that.

(Agents proceed for 1 minute.)

Agt. Doria: We are in another corridor, with a simpler vault. There are… damn… there are a lot more bones on the ground.

Dr. Bellini: How about their condition?

Agt. Doria: Haphazardly scattered, again.

Dr. Bellini: Nothing anomalous, then, proceed.

Agt. Doria: Roger. There's a small vestibule. Remains of wood, it seems like there has been a door here, very heavy.

Dr. Bellini: Can you traverse?

Agt. Doria: No problem, there are almost no remains.

(Agents proceed for 1 minute.)

Agt. Doria: We are in… a circular space. There's a vast vault and… the walls contain many small niches. Inside there are bones, but most of them are on the ground. Looking at them is like they were poured outside.

Agt. Accorsi: There are two ways ahead, doctor Bellini.

Dr. Bellini: Describe them.

Agt. Doria: One second, I am getting closer, otherwise I don't have a clear vie—

(Noises of cracked bones.)

Agt. Doria: Doctor, the floor here is completely covered with bones. They are literally everywhere.

The floor of the circular room of the hypogeum.

(Noises of cracked bones.)

Agt. Accorsi: It is impossible to walk without stepping on them.

Dr. Bellini: You are destroying a priceless archaeological heritage.

Agt. Doria: We are doing our best.

(They proceed for another minute. Noises of creaking bones are heard.)

Agt. Doria: (quietly) Eh eh. Almost feeling guilty…

Agt. Accorsi: We are in a free clearing. There are shards on the floor, they seem to be vases.

Agt. Doria: We can see the crossroad clearly now.

Dr. Bellini: Describe it.

Agt. Doria: One corridor is slightly tighter than the other, but it's more regular; the other one seems more crudely built. And also… more upside down crania. Four… no, five here… only in the second corridor.

Dr. Bellini: Enter the unobstructed one.

Agt. Accorsi: Yes sir.

Agt. Doria: There are burned remains. They seem of organic nature.

The floor in the first lateral branch of the hypogeum (detail).

(They proceed for 2 minutes; noises of creaking of trampled debris are heard.)

Agt. Accorsi: There are many burned remains also here. What are they about, doctor Bellini?

Dr. Bellini: A good luck ritual, bound to the natural cycles of death and rebirth. Cults were regularly held in these spaces, so many remains can be found.

Agt. Accorsi: I thought they were being sealed.

Dr. Bellini: They were used, and only eventually closed. Very accurately too.

Agt. Accorsi: Hm. Ah, doctor, you should see this. There are two skeletons on the ground, but they are intact, the bones are not scattered. The seems to be hugging each other. Is this normal also?

Dr. Bellini: No, this one… is new… what else is there?

Agt. Accorsi: Getting closer… it really seems they are embracing. There are… hmm… small vase shards near the heads.

Dr. Bellini: Retrieve a couple, I want to examine them.

Agt. Accorsi: Roger, retrieving samples.

(Noises of moved shards.)

Unidentified Voice: YOU!

(Indistinct noises. Noises of guns being drawn.)

Agt. Accorsi: Where…?!

Agt. Doria: Who's talking?! Identify yourself!

Agt. Accorsi: (quietly) Dammit…! Sabina, against the walls!

(Indistinct noises.)

Agt. Doria: (quietly) Do you see anything?

Agt. Accorsi: (quietly) No.

Dr. Bellini: Agents, report on the situation. What was that voice?

Agt. Accorsi: Unidentified source, doctor.

Agt. Doria: We don't see anyone here.

SCP-045-IT-1 and SCP-045-IT-2.

(A gurgling noise is heard.)

Agt. Doria: (quietly) Simone, get away!

(Indistinct noises. Gurgling.)

Dr. Bellini: What happens?!

Agt. Accorsi: Those gurglings… are coming from the cranium.

(Noise of a gun being racked.)

Unidentified Voice: WHY?!

(Silence for 20 seconds; at times quiet noises of steps over soil can be heard.)

Unidentified Voice: You! You, you, you!

Agt. Accorsi: (quietly) Doctor Bellini, reporting contact with an anomaly. The voice is coming from one of the crania.

[The remains of the two skeletons are henceforth labeled as SCP-045-IT-1 and SCP-045-IT-2]

Agt. Doria: (quietly) Awaiting orders for containment operation.

SCP-045-IT-1: Why did you do that?

Dr. Bellini: Is it moving?

Agt. Accorsi: Negative. We can only sense the voice.

Dr. Bellini: Then speak to it.

Agt. Accorsi: Eh…? …roger that.

Agt. Doria: Identify yourself!

Agt. Accorsi: (quietly) Sabina, precautionary formation.

Agt. Doria: (quietly) Yes.

SCP-045-IT-1: Why did you do that?

Agt. Doria: Who are you? Identify yourself!

SCP-045-IT-1: Why do you remove what's needed for the ritual? You… want to take me away from her?

Agt. Doria: Who are you talking about?

SCP-045-IT-2: Me.

Agt. Doria: You speak too…? Identify yourself!

SCP-045-IT-2: Certainly. Why are you surprised? Aren't you here for the ritual?

Agt. Accorsi: What ritual?

SCP-045-IT-2: Of rebirth. We were waiting for you for a long time.

SCP-045-IT-1: I don't want to get separated from her. Could you make us rebirth together?

SCP-045-IT-2: Why haven't you lit the fires yet?

SCP-045-IT-1: Where are the offers?

SCP-045-IT-2: And our new bodies?

Agt. Accorsi: I don't understand what you are talking about…

Agt. Doria: Doc, we need operation directives.

Dr. Bellini: Continue interrogating the two anomalies.

Agt. Doria: Roger. …can you define the nature of this rebirth ritual?

SCP-045-IT-1: What?

SCP-045-IT-2: How… you… don't know.

Agt. Doria: It is unknown to us, no. We are asking you to explain it.

SCP-045-IT-2: You don't know!

SCP-045-IT-1: You opened the hypogeum!

SCP-045-IT-2: Why?

SCP-045-IT-1: Why?!

SCP-045-IT-2: WHY?

SCP-045-IT-1: MURDERERS!

Agt. Doria: (quietly) I don't understand… (normally) Explain yourself!

SCP-045-IT-2: Our souls are now going to vanish into nothingness!

SCP-045-IT-1: The non-existence!

SCP-045-IT-2: The eternal nothingness!

SCP-045-IT-1: The vast darkness!

SCP-045-IT-2: The end of consciousness!

SCP-045-IT-1: The end of memory!

SCP-045-IT-2: The end of everything!

SCP-045-IT-1: For those who do not exist anymore, the entire creation ceases to exist!

SCP-045-IT-2: The whole world dies for those who cannot perceive it!

SCP-045-IT-1: Aaaaaaahhh!

SCP-045-IT-2: Aaaaaaahhh!

(SCP-045-IT-1 and SCP-045-IT-2 yell for several seconds. Finally, while SCP-045-IT-2 continues yelling, SCP-045-IT-1 emits long gurgling sounds.)

Agt. Accorsi: Doctor, the anomalies are unresponsive to the attempts of interaction.

Agt. Doria: Awaiting containment specificat–

(SCP-045-IT-1 and SCP-045-IT-2 resume yelling together. Their scream become high-pitched. Its intensity rises so much that audio gets distorted. Suddenly a noise similar to a blast is heard; it is followed by a confused series of thuds and bone noises and a gunshot. Radio communication is interrupted.)

Dr. Bellini: Agents?

(Some seconds pass.)

Dr. Bellini: Agents!

(Some seconds pass.)

Dr. Bellini: Damn. Subterranea base camp, can you hear me?

Lt. Santilli: Loud and clear, doctor Bellini.

Dr. Bellini: Are you able to get in contact with the agents?

Lt. Santilli: Negative. Do we send a recovery squad?

Dr. Bellini: No… no. Not yet.

Lt. Santilli: Yes sir. Awaiting commands.

(2 minutes pass. At the end the radio emits statics.)

Agt. Doria: …ni? …r us? Doctor …ini? …hear us?

Dr. Bellini: Agent Doria!

Agt. Doria: Doctor? We hear you, can you hear us?

Dr. Bellini: Now I can. What happened?

Agt. Doria: The two skeletons… exploded.

Dr. Bellini: Exploded?

Agt. Accorsi: Yes… not literally, but they emitted a loud bang, bones flew in all directions and rained on us… they are now scattered everywhere. And the crania… My God, the crania.

Agt. Doria: They are upside down. Without the jaw… it flew away somewhere. Like the ones at the entrance.

Agt. Accorsi: Doctor Bellini, you are missing the party here. Ah!

Agt. Doria: Simone! You're injured!

Agt. Accorsi: Shit…

Agt. Doria: Let me see…

Dr. Bellini: Agent Doria, report on the state of health of agent Accorsi.

Agt. Doria: Nothing to report. It's just a scratch.

Dr. Bellini: Are you able to proceed?

Agt. Accorsi: Affirmative.

Dr. Bellini: Report about the status of the anomalies.

Agt. Doria: All quiet. Contact seems to have ceased.

Agt. Accorsi: They refused to identify themselves.

Dr. Bellini: I heard it, it doesn't matter. I request you search for the anomalies.

Agt. Accorsi: Roger that. (quietly) I'll try to call them. (normally) I am addressing the entities that manifested before, can you hear us?

(30 seconds pass.)

Agt. Accorsi: Can you hear us? Are you still present?

(40 seconds pass.)

Agt. Accorsi: It looks like the contact is terminated.

Dr. Bellini: (quietly) For Hades! (normally) I request… direct contact.

Agt. Doria: Yes sir. Cover me.

Agt. Accorsi: OK, go.

(Noises of steps on the soil.)

Agt. Doria: Getting closer to one of the craniums. Proceeding with contact…

Agt. Accorsi: (quietly) Caution.

(Indistinct noises)

Agt. Doria: It is completely inert. Proceeding with the other cranium.

(Indistinct noises)

Agt. Doria: Same. Inhert.

(Noises of bones.)

Agt. Doria: The bones too… normal dead bones. I confirm that the contact with the anomalies has ceased.

(Dr. Bellini sighs)

Dr. Bellini: Continue the exploration.

Agt. Doria: Yes sir.

(5 minutes pass, with intermittent noises of steps on the soil and trampled bones. The agents return to the crossroad.)

Agt. Accorsi: We are back to the crossroad, we now proceed with the exploration of the other branch.

(2 minutes pass.)

Dr. Bellini: Anything to report?

Agt. Accorsi: More niches, they are bigger. And many bones… looking at them now, I can say that it seems like… I mean, like they exploded.

Agt. Doria: The ceiling gets very low here, we cannot stay upright.

Dr. Bellini: Are you able to proceed?

Agt. Doria: Affirmative, we've seen worse.

Agt. Accorsi: Hm.

(2 minutes pass. Noises of steps on the soil.)

Agt. Accorsi: Doctor Bellini?

Dr. Bellini: Yes, agent?

Agt. Accorsi: The anomalies we met before, do they have anything to do with the whole rebirth thing?

Dr. Bellini: It's not… I am unable to say at the moment. But… I think it is legit to assume that you encountered two of the deads of the hypogeum.

(Agt. Doria sighs.)

Agt. Accorsi: Hm.

(2 more minutes pass. Noises of steps on the soil.)

Agt. Doria: It's becoming tighter here.

Agt. Accorsi: It looks like there's a small space ahead.

Agt. Doria: We are entering now… it's an enclosed spa— ah!

Agt. Accorsi: (quietly) Hm!

(Noises of handguns being ranked.)

Dr. Bellini: Agents, report on the situation!

Agt. Accorsi: (quietly) There's another skeleton. It's seated. And… it's holding a sword.

[The skeleton is henceforth labeled as SCP-045-IT-3]

Dr. Bellini: A sword?

Agt. Accorsi: (quietly) Yes, it vaguely resembles a roman gladius, for all I know.

Agt. Doria: (quietly) And it's not supported by anything, it's holding the position by itself.

Dr. Bellini: Does it exhibit anomalous characteristics? Maybe it's held into position by—

Agt. Doria: (quietly) It's looking at us. I mean, it has no eyes, but it's following us with the head.

Agt. Accorsi: (quietly) Contact with anomaly confirmed.

(Noises of bones creaking.)

Agt. Doria: (quietly) Ah, the noise its neck is making… disgusting.

(Some seconds of silence; only the agents' steps can be heard, laid with caution.)

SCP-045-IT-3: There you are.

Agt. Accorsi: Another talking skeleton…

SCP-045-IT-3: Of course. Does this surprise you?

Agt. Accorsi: Until ten minutes ago I would have said yes.

Agt. Doria: Identify yourself!

SCP-045-IT-3: You would not benefit from me naming a lost memory.

Agt. Accorsi: (quietly) Awaiting instruction on containment procedures.

Dr. Bellini: No…! I think that's the only occasion for…! Interrogate the anomaly. And don't get close.

Agt. Doria: (quietly) …yes sir.

SCP-045-IT-3: Incredible… I can understand that you are speaking with someone else that is not here. And yet you are alive.

Agt. Doria: Give us some explanations, we want to know about your nature.

SCP-045-IT-3: You found the entrance to the hypogeum. You killed the others. I cannot say anything more, except that you are victorious. I am the last one here.

Agt. Doria: "The last one"?

Agt. Accorsi: What do you mean?

SCP-045-IT-3: The purpose of the dead is to be reborn. The rites are meant to give a new body… that is not made of flesh, and therefore is not subjected to material needs. But it is clear to me that you have forgotten the true rituals…

Dr. Bellini: (quietly) Interrogate it further!

Agt. Doria: What is the new body made of?

SCP-045-IT-3: You really do know nothing anymore. Pathetic. A commemorative statue, a portrait on papyrus, a votive figurine. Anything that has the right human proportion. Even a mummy, or new bones.

Dr. Bellini: (quietly) Ask him about the tests!

Agt. Accorsi: Why during the tests then the object became inert?

SCP-045-IT-3: Are you referring to those you deceived, again and again, on the surface above? A mere object cannot contain alone a whole consciousness without the correct rites.

Agt. Accorsi: Elaborate.

SCP-045-IT-3: You forgot the purpose. You forgot the names. You forgot the rites. Go back to the blasphemous place where you come from.

Agt. Accorsi: We have our rites.

SCP-045-IT-3: Ahah. They are not true. You are murderers.

Agt. Accorsi: Murderers because we inhume our dead differently from you?

SCP-045-IT-3: Because you abandon them to the great darkness. You condemn their consciousness to dissolve into oblivion.

Agt. Doria: But… no…

SCP-045-IT-3: What is so unsettling to you?

Agt. Doria: The dead live in the memories of the living, after all.

SCP-045-IT-3: Ahahahah! Truly!

Agt. Doria: What are you laughing at?

SCP-045-IT-3: For a generation or two, maybe… do you remember the deads from your city of three generations ago? Or four, or five? Do you remember their vices, their desires, their lives?

Agt. Doria: I…

SCP-045-IT-3: From your family, at least? No…? Not even that?

Agt. Doria: No…

Agt. Accorsi: Sabina… it's trying to confuse us.

SCP-045-IT-3: The dead are forgotten… except those that had the luck to have a big mausoleum build for them. And even those often disappear. You, tell me… does the truth confuse you, then?

(Noises of bones.)

Agt. Doria: Don't move!

SCP-045-IT-3: What are you afraid of? This sword? I could attack you, sure, but what remains of my body is too weak. And you know how to fight… your garments are so extraneous, and I cannot comprehend how your weapons may harm… but you are soldiers. I can tell when I see one. We are… akin.

Agt. Doria: We are here only to explore.

SCP-045-IT-3: I don't believe you. You killed even the last ones. I told everyone that sensed a new body not to go towards the surface. But they did not listen to me. After the millennia spent down here the desire to taste life again was so strong that I couldn't contain them. And now… it's just me.

Agt. Accorsi: The other two… we didn't do that on purpose.

SCP-045-IT-3: I don't believe you. But besides… thinking about it, why should you mislead me? I could not stop you anyway. I, unbeaten warrior, will finally be killed by a soldier that does not even have a banner.

Agt. Doria: There's no need to. We work for the… it's an institution that will keep you alive, it will give you a place to stay!

SCP-045-IT-3: It's too late. You opened the hypogeum. Why do you think it is closed off forever? Because it has to be opened only by those that know the true rites. When you open the ancient tombs… you kill those who are inside… for real. Forever. No return.

Agt. Doria: We… don't…

SCP-045-IT-3: But I am going away happy.

Agt. Accorsi: Why?

SCP-045-IT-3: Because I know that you forgot the true rites. That in the end, your consciousness will go out in the desolation of the darkness.

(Several seconds of silence.)

Agt. Doria: (quietly) No…!

Agt. Accorsi: (quietly) Not now, no!

Agt. Doria: (quietly) We're in the dark! I repeat, we are in the dark! It's like something is absorbing the light…!

Agt. Accorsi: (quietly) Damn it…!

(Several seconds of silence.)

SCP-045-IT-3: It is coming… after all this time… I feel the gelid embrace of eternal darkness. Farewell, soldiers with the strange weapons.

Agt. Doria: OH SHI–

(A burst is heard, and the screams of the agents. Radio communication is interrupted, only static noise remains.)

Dr. Bellini: Subterranea! Send a recover squad, now!

Lt. Santilli: Roger that, Doctor Bellini. Beta squad, did you hear? Move, move!

<end of log>

---

Note
Locations such as SCP-045-IT are the cause of the animated anthropomorphic objects that the Foundation contains?
Is it that easy…? So much that a population that did not even know iron was capable to give eternal life to their defuncts?
For the moment nobody else that could give us answers exists in this reality. Unless… underground… there is another hypogeum that is still closed.
And yet, SCP-045-IT-3 told us not to open the ancient tombs.
Are those who do not know the "true" rites worth to disturb the deceased?

Dr. Bellini

Footnotes

1. A hypogeum is an underground structure of historical and anthropological interest, entirely realized by man or by readaptation of natural cavities.

2. The Daunia is a subregion of the Northern Puglia, Italy, which extended from the Ofanto river in the southeast to the Gargano peninsula in the northwest. This region is mostly coincident with the Province of Foggia today.

3. Before becoming the -IT branch of the SCP Foundation.

4. A plain in northern Apulia (see next footnote) in Southern Italy, occupying nearly a half of the Capitanata traditional region, and covering a surface of circa 3,000 km².

5. A region in Southern Italy, bordering the Adriatic Sea to the east, the Ionian Sea to the southeast, and the Strait of Otranto and Gulf of Taranto to the south.