SCP-ES-142
rating: +15+x

Item #: SCP-ES-142

Object Class: Safe

Special Containment Procedures: Due to the properties of the object and its fragility, it is contained in situ within the Vatican City. A team of Foundation archaeologists should inspect it monthly, recording and notifying any alterations or signs of further deterioration.

The area where SCP-ES-142 is located has been restricted under the façade of remodeling and maintenance work. Security in the sector is provided by Foundation agents characterized as members of the Pontifical Swiss Guard in collaboration with members of the local security force. Civilians found in the sector will have to be arrested and interrogated before being handed over to the local authorities.

Unauthorized manipulation will result in disciplinary action against involved.

In case of a Mammon event the activation of the object will be authorized. The personnel present at the site should contact the liaison officer of the Confraternity of Saint George’s Knights or related personnel and wait for instructions and/or the arrival of a representative of the Confraternity. For more details see Document S142.

Description: SCP-ES-142 corresponds to a mechanical device built from silver and human bones with thaumaturgical properties, specifically related to the capacity to repel Class T3 intangible tartaric entities present in a specific area. To date, the technology under which the object was built and the principles associated with its operation are largely unknown.

Laboratory tests performed have determined that its metallic components were constructed from silver with a purity between 90% and 95.8%, of the type usually used in liturgical objects of Christianity, while the osseous components were dated according to Carbon-14 tests between the 5th and 14th centuries AD.

Thaumaturgical testing instruments haved determined that the object presents high levels of Akiva radiation, around 10 times the value corresponding to the baseline, and several times the level found in other objects of devotion1 of Christianity as well as of other religions.2 However, the object has levels of Hume radiation comparable to baseline levels, which would explain the limited effect on the environment around it.

In the inactive state, the device is able to maintain an area equivalent to 1 km2 free of Class T3 or related entities. Its effect on non-tartaric anomalous entities or tartaric Class T1 or higher is unknown.

The records of the Confraternity have concluded that, to date, the object has been activated 3 times; in addition to the incident of 1586, the device was activated once in 1629, during the Italian Plague,3 and again in 1942 in response to actions developed by rival groups to the Confraternity, showing important damages after the latest use that endangered its functionality.

This deterioration, together with the scarce understanding of the technology used during the 16th century for the construction of SCP-ES-142, led the Confraternity to establish contact with the Foundation, seeking help in repairing the device or in the construction of a device with similar characteristics. For this purpose, along with allowing them access to the object, a copy of the diary of Alonzo Mancini, the subject involved in obtaining the device in 1586, was delivered. (See Addendum)

To date, it has not been possible to achieve any of these objectives.

Addendum: Extract from the diary of Alonzo Mancini, secretary of Cardinal Enzo Lucca.4

Unless otherwise stated, the content of this page is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 License