SCP-324-FR

SCP-324-FR before its anomalous properties appeared.

Item #: SCP-324-FR

Threat Level: Green ●

Object Class: Safe Neutralized

Special Containment Procedures: After SCP-324-FR was captured near Compiègne, France, a cover story involving a hot air balloon deployed by a local religious sect was propagated. Amnestics were administered to the most convinced skeptics and all mentions of the affair in local media were removed in the following months.

The disappearance of Amaury Martel is to be presented as an unresolved, unrelated case.

Description: SCP-324-FR is a floating structure composed of a portion of land covered in grass and topped with a small Gothic chapel. It can hover above ground by unknown means at a speed of a few km/h, and flies above Compiègne and the surrounding area most of the time. SCP-324-FR is able to speak, and appears to be sentient. Most often, SCP-324-FR wanders above population centers and addresses bystanders below to proselytize.

SCP-324-FR was discovered on 2011/11/19 by local police forces while floating above a village near Compiègne, preaching its religion. After a 7-minute chase punctuated with vigorous protests, SCP-324-FR was eventually captured and brought back to its original location. Since SCP-324-FR cannot generate strong forces, a few straps sufficed to keep it on land. Below is a transcript of a video shot by an eye witness using his cell phone in the town of █████.

<VIDEO STARTS>

(SCP-324-FR is hovering a hundred meters above the ground and is ringing its bells. A small crowd is gathered.)

Witness #1: What's that? An airship?

(SCP-324-FR lowers closer to the ground.)

Witness #2: No, it's way too small.

Witness #1: It's very realistic either way. How do they do that?

Witness #2: I read something in Life & Science about magnetic levitation, maybe that's it. Hey, look, it's getting closer.

(SCP-324-FR stops a dozen meters above the ground. It rings its bells thirteen times then begins to speak.)

SCP-324-FR: Good day. Do you have a moment for Satan, our Lord and Savior?

(Audible laughs)

SCP-324-FR: What now? You need to embrace the truth, naive and clueless crowd!

Witness #2: Hey, how do you do it?

SCP-324-FR: …what?

Witness #2: Well, levitation and all.

SCP-324-FR: I… don't know, I've always done that! Look, do I ask you guys why you walk around?

(Audible laughs)

SCP-324-FR: So, I came here to speak the Lord's words. The world, spoiled by the artificial rules imposed by Christianity, cannot live on. Humans need to focus on their own spirituality instead of blindly accepting foreign restrictions.

Unidentified witness: And when are you gonna summon a demon?

(Audible laughs)

SCP-324-FR: Please focus, this is important. If we wish to establish a durable belief system, we need to follow Anton LaVey, who created, along with the founding fathers of Satanism, something wonderful.

Unidentified witness: A death metal concert?

SCP-324-FR: How dare you… this is an absurd narrow-minded stereotype. The Satanic Church never condoned this sort of things. Their message is most dissonant from the Satanic Bible.

Unidentified witness: But then, do you not think it would be dangerous to expose our youths to such writings? After all, they inspire the obscure rituals of the most violent cults…

SCP-324-FR: Oh my, those are extremists! They are few, no reason to make me your scapegoat.

Witness #2: Will we get to sacrifice the scapegoat?

(Audible laughs)

SCP-324-FR: Okay, you know what? If you're going to be so stubborn, keep your obsolete conformism and your useless stoicism. I'll pray for you.

(SCP-324-FR hovers away.)

Witness #1: Wow… they must spend a lot on advertising.

Witness #2: Gotta admit, that completely changed my view of Satanists. I thought all they did was worship demons or sacrifice animals…

Witness #1: That's such an old-timey view. Didn't you read the latest Life & Science? They talk about it.

<VIDEO ENDS>

SCP-324-FR was identified as a small chapel normally close to SCP-298-FR that had been reported missing. This location with thaumaturgical properties is owned by several persons of interest, notably PoI-1281 (otherwise know as "the Templar"). Below is a transcript of an interview of PoI-1281 with the aim to clarify the origin of SCP-324-FR.

+ Show transcript

<BEGIN TRANSCRIPT>

Dr. Vicat: Okay, let me try to sum it up: you killed a man.

PoI-1281: Yes.

Dr. Vicat: But you realized you still needed him around so you reanimated him with an appropriate spell.

PoI-1281: Yes.

Dr. Vicat: However you learned afterwards that he converted to Satanism, and you wanted to get rid of him.

PoI-1281: Indeed.

Dr. Vicat: So you killed him again.

PoI-1281: Exactly.

Dr. Vicat: And, of course, you remembered to cancel the reviving spell before burying him underneath the chapel.

PoI-1281: We might have neglected this part.

Dr. Vicat: Are you kidding me? Who was he anyway?

PoI-1281: Oh, he had volunteered to assist us in guarding the Holy-Garden. If my memory serves me correctly, his name was Amaury Martel.

Dr. Vicat: Amaury Martel, from ██████? He worked for the Foundation before he disappeared! Couldn't you tell us instead of doing your own occult screw-ups? We could have interviewed him alive!

PoI-1281: Anyone can make small, technical mistakes. May I remind you of what happened in the whole parish two weeks ago because of you?

Dr. Vicat: Well, a flying church is a bit more serious.

PoI-1281: Well… I can assure you that we will do everything we can to…

Dr. Vicat: Thanks for the good intentions, but I prefer to send agents. However, I'm gonna need you to interview the chapel once we catch it.

<END TRANSCRIPT>

After the object was captured, Dr. Vicat and PoI-1281 lead a rather unsuccessful interview. Transcript below.

+ Show transcript

<BEGIN TRANSCRIPT>

SCP-324-FR: That's religious discrimination! I have the right to an attorney!

Dr. Vicat: Calm down Martel, we're just here for some questions. First of all, what motivated you to act against your orders?

SCP-324-FR: What the hell are you talking about? I always respected others!

Dr. Vicat: You'd better speak Martel, or I'll dismount you one brick after the other.

SCP-324-FR: I'm telling you I don't get the question! No need for threats!

Dr. Vicat: I notice you're not cooperating. What about Véronique: she would be pretty sad to never see you against, wouldn't she?

SCP-324-FR: Who's that?

Dr. Vicat: Err… you know, Véronique. Your wife?

SCP-324-FR: Huh?

Dr. Vicat: Hey, are you really Amaury Martel?

SCP-324-FR: No! I keep telling you!

PoI-1281: This spell is messing with me… who are you, then?

SCP-324-FR: Well, a (former) chapel! Isn't it obvious?

Dr. Vicat: (to PoI-1281) what the hell did you do?

PoI-1281: If only I knew… is seems as though the chapel thieved part of his mind.

Dr. Vicat: "Thieved his mind?" Great, we needed that… Well then, maybe it received some useful memories. (to SCP-324-FR) Hey, do you have any memories dating from before you… converted to Satanism? And do the names "Messyan" and "Vicat" remind you of anything?

SCP-324-FR: I can't think of any. As to the names, the former raises quite an inexplicable hatred within me. And the latter, the idea of weakness.

Dr. Vicat: Okay… don't you recall any events or places you might have encountered? For instance, a field that grows swords? A secret organisation that monitors it? Templar knights living incognito in a high school?

SCP-324-FR: What the hell is this gibberish?

PoI-1281: (to Dr. Vicat) I apologize, but I'm afraid that in this form, he will not tell us more than this.

Dr. Vicat: Well in this case, you're gonna take him out of this form. Go get your equipment, I'll wait for you here.

<END TRANSCRIPT>

Following this interview, Dr. Vicat and PoI-1281 used a thaumaturgical method to reunite Amaury Martel's memory, believed to be split between his remains and SCP-324-FR, into one vessel, in this case D-3536's cadaver. After half an hour of the procedure, the operation was a success: Amaury Martel was interviewed and SCP-324-FR was no longer anomalous. Below is a transcript of the interview of D-3536's cadaver after the procedure.

+ Show transcript

<BEGIN TRANSCRIPT>

Amaury Martel: What am I doing here? Vicat? Messyan?

Dr. Vicat: Good day, former Agent Martel. You are here for an interview about your actions these past days.

A.M.: Oh… so… I'm screwed, right.

Dr. Vicat: First things first. What motivated you to approach SCP-298-FR?

A.M.: I…

Dr. Vicat: As a side-note, Martel: since you're screwed anyway, you'd better answer honestly. Because, if you don't, you might be screwed after a rather unpleasant interview. I'll repeat my question: Why did you approach the owners of SCP-298-FR?

A.M.: Well it's easier to beat an enemy if they don't see you as such.

PoI-1281: Ehm… what enemy are we talking about?

A.M.: Guess who. I was tired of collaborating with you when I could so easily do things my way.

Dr. Vicat: I don't know if you're aware, but the reason we collaborate with entities is to set up an effective containment plan. Not to "beat an enemy." Our motto is Secure, Contain, Protect, not Destroy, Destroy, Destroy.

A.M.: Bullshit! It's literally a cult. They force their members to go through horrible rituals just to prove their faith. People suffer because of them! Why does the Foundation team up with them when they could get rid of them instantly?

Dr. Vicat: Let me repeat myself, Martel, we use the solution that's the most effective. Or, that's effective at all. Sustaining relations with this group of interest allows us to learn a lot about similar sects, and to monitor them.

You, on the other hand, just got to discover that acting too quick, too early and too strong rarely ends up as intended. You attempted to infiltrate the group then use force, right? Overall result: a few plants died near the chapel.

A.M.: That's exactly what I'm telling you. The only reason I failed is because I was alone. Had the Foundation done its job and killed all these fanatics, none of us three would be here right now.

Dr. Vicat: Had you not caused all of this mess, rather. And now that I come to think about it, the best way to meet your objectives would have been to continue serving the Foundation.

A.M.: So to deal with a serious issue, I should have collaborated with the culprits? Is that what you wanna tell to the people who will read this interview? That's despicable.

Dr. Vicat: If you're not happy with how the universe works, I'm not the one to complain to.

A.M.: Don't move the conversation now!

Dr. Vicat: Great idea, let's get back to our business. Did you follow the orders of any rival group of interest, for instance, a Satanic cult?

A.M.: You're aware all Satanists are not in cults? It feels like I've said it a million times lately. And besides, it was a purely personal initiative. It was the only way, in fact. Would you be kind to someone you hate?

PoI-1281: Your colleagues would probably have found out about you anyway, if you hadn't died after a few-

Dr. Vicat: NO! Don't tell him…

A.M.: Huh? What do you…

Dr. Vicat: Don't listen to him, he was talking about something else!

A.M.: Yes, I remember now! The coffin, the chapel, the ceremony! The ritual from earlier. So… I'm actually dead… right?

Dr. Vicat: No, I'm telling you he was talking about something else!

A.M.: It means I am on the verge of perishing right now, and at any point, I could die again?

PoI-1281: Why, you're regretting your actions?

A.M.: No, I just wanted to make sure. (The cadaver falls to the ground.)

Dr. Vicat: Wait!

(Dr. Vicat looks at PoI-1281 with deadly eyes.)

PoI-1281: What? It's not my fault he's so clueless. He's probably the last one in town to hear about his death.

<END TRANSCRIPT>