SCP-ES-184

Item #: SCP-ES-184

Object Class: Safe

Special Containment Procedures: Due to the public nature of SCP-ES-184 instances prior to the establishment of the Foundation, minimal surveillance will be maintained by infiltrated agents in the surrounding communities and personnel from tourism companies in the area. Cover histories that explain the phenomenon as a geological phenomenon or massive ionized plasma events will be maintained. Tentative excavations to be carried out by public or private entities will be discouraged through administrative channels. If attempts by academic or international groups to excavate at SCP-ES-184 sites cannot be stopped, undercover agents will follow up on the results of the excavations.

In case of the discovery of objects or anomalous events, the Mobile Task Force Delta-5 "Relic Hunters" will recover the objects for further analysis and storage in the Site-34 reliquary. Amnestics will be applied to expedition members and the history of subway gas contamination coverage will be distributed to explain the relative memory loss of those involved.

Special follow-up will be made on activities of Orthothan groups or GoI-004, "The Church of the Broken God" in the vicinity of SCP-ES-184 sites.

Due to the lack of public knowledge of the SCP-ES-184-79 site and its remote location in the Pyrenees, Spain, access to the site by mountaineers and speleologists will be discouraged on the grounds of structural instability and danger of collapse. Access to the site is restricted to level 4 or higher personnel. All expeditions are discouraged at the discretion of the Regional Director.

Description: SCP-ES-184 are the remnants of battles and sieges of fortresses with anomalous weaponry during a conflict between precursor groups to The Church of the Broken God and the Church of the Second Hytoth, being respectively Mekhanites and Orthothans. The conflict appears to have occurred over a period of time from the Iron Age to the Early Middle Ages, with the period of greatest intensity of these clashes being between 500 BC and 200 BC in the mountainous regions of Scotland.

Photograph of part of the vitrified wall of a SCP-ES-184 site.

The walls of what appear to be fortresses and bastions, each of which is a sub-instance of SCP-ES-184 (SCP-ES-184-n), show damage consistent with having been done with a thermal weapon that would have caused the melting of the rock at temperatures between 1500 to 2000 degrees Celsius, comparable to ionized plasma burns.

In the vicinity of the SCP-ES-184 sites there are remains of artifacts or spoils related to Ortothan and Mekhanite groups. There is evidence of previous excavations at different time periods by treasure hunters or individuals with latent thaumaturgical or psionic abilities.

List of materials recovered by SCP-ES-184 sites

+ Recovered materials from Tap o'North, Scotland-

• Remains of what looks like the spherical cockpit of a 3m x 5m x 3m atmospheric flight vehicle. It appears to have been cut away from the rest of the craft with a concentrated source of heat similar to a laser. The interior was vacuum-sealed, with large amounts of haemorozin¹ covering the walls and ceiling of the cabin. Located 1600 meters north of the structure.

• Several exoskeletons of creatures with conical bodies 1 m tall, with arthropodic segmented body, with at least four legs at the base of the body, compound jaws in the lower region and a group of tendrils located in the middle region ending in a nail or claw. Found inside the aircraft cabin.

• A machined copper and beryl alloy armor with the symbol of a hammer striking the ground. No human remains inside. Found 800 meters southeast of the structure in a makeshift grave.

• Bone remains of at least 44 human subjects. Several of the remains show burn marks and charring. 2 bones in particular, a humerus and a pelvis, with marks of invasive medical interventions. Found in a radius of 200 meters around the fortress.

• Shields and spears made of an alloy of beryllium and 4 extrasolar metallic elements. Several of the shields represent praises and hymns to Rakmou-leusan in Orthothan symbols. Found under layers of sediments in a radius of 100 meters from the walls of the structure.

+ Recovered materials from Dun Deardail, Scotland-

• A mummified body due to dehydration in a cave 3.8 km northeast of the structure. The body has numerous tattoos on the upper body with Pictos and Orthothan symbols along with several scarifications and scars mainly on the arms and in the pectoral region. He was accompanied by a trousseau of at least 100 objects of bone and copper, in addition to the remains of an armor of chitinous nature.

• Remains of a drop-shaped aircraft, 2m x 3m x 5m approximately 1.1 km north of the structure. The cockpit appeared to be designed for an organism up to 1.5m tall and with at least 4 or 6 handling appendages. No traces of the pilot were found.

• Mechanized copper and bronze armor buried in a ceremonial mound 800 meters east of the structure. Presence of rudimentary servomotors severely damaged by heat, plus signs of some components having been roughly removed. On its back it carries the remains of a vessel from which two bronze hoses emanate, leading to two nozzles on its shoulders. The nozzles have stylized designs of a wolf or a snake. No human remains inside.

• Bone remains of at least 22 human subjects buried in a mass grave 300 meters northwest of the structure. Several of the bones show scars on the bones from interventions or augmentations.

+ Recovered materials from Knock Farril, Scotland-

• A feldspar sarcophagus with the name of Rakmou-leusan in Orthothan symbols inside a subterranean chamber in the same fort, discovered by resonance. The interior is empty except for four scrolls enclosed in Minoan and Cretan style vessels lacquered with wax.

Contents of the Knock Farril scrolls
Three of the scrolls are written in Minoan characters, being letters or epistles that were never sent.

+ Scroll I-

Report from Captain Typhes to the High Priest Hermes Mekaios

The reports of (Minoan conspirators) proved to be accurate this time. The place of origin of the attackers to our colonies (illegible) were not from the barbarians of the mainland, but from these distant islands (illegible). Although their customs such as vein-splitting and bleeding resemble our enemies (flesh worshippers), yet we have not exterminated such abominations as those of Asia. We have taken their strongholds one by one and hope that by this spring we will finish the campaign.

We have also questioned one of their priests from these tribes. They affirm that they believe in a spirit referred to as Iorunlesan², who was entrusted to the "father of his fathers of his fathers" through a First Messenger. Before killing him, he asked us to spill his blood, not to waste it. The Pyromancer ensured that not a single drop was spilled.

Since we arrived we notice (illegible) strange lights in the skies, they are (illegible) colors, like nowhere in the world we have seen before. The stars are restless and move capriciously. Our faith in Mekhane will protect us. We will prevail.

+ Scroll II-

Report from Captain Typhes to the High Priest Hermes Mekaios

Operations have been delayed longer than we expected. The natives, numbering in the thousands, continue to resist our attacks. They attack and flee to the hills where they have the advantage of the terrain. At night they try to sneak into the fortresses we took, but our (bronze sentries) burn them against the walls. The next day we throw the bodies away and at night they try to attack us again.

Our sentries have seen (drops of metal) streaking the skies faster than our swiftest vessels. After they appear (illegible) come the hordes of savages with their spears and metal shields. We thought the Phoenicians were supplying them, but after seeing their (superior quality) to that of other peoples, except our own.

I have ordered the priests and master smiths to modify the Katastropheas³ to bring down those drops. Maybe they help the savages to fight against us.

+ Scroll III-

Report to the High Priest Hermes Mekaios

The situation has changed terribly for us. 22 forts fallen and another 8 under siege. This fort will fall shortly so I will keep the letters in the subway shelter as I am ordered to do in case we fall. May our deaths be avenged by the (embracing fire) of Mekhane.

So that you may prepare yourselves and know how the enemy attacks I will give testimony of the last battle we had. The sentinels and priests were overwhelmed with visions (illegible), corpses the size of worlds, endless icy and dark realms, insect-like creatures (illegible) on their skin and other things I dare not repeat. They shed their clothes, their armor and using the stilettos of their robes cut themselves to bleed for the "Kuruntusan".⁴ We believed that the (flesh worshippers) had corrupted them and the pyromancers (illegible).

The (drops appeared over the sky) and cast an invisible fire on the fortress. The men burned standing up, the rocks melted and even some of the Katastropheas burned inside. We made use of the "Spear of Elios", and destroyed several by exploding in the air with strange fires, others fell to the ground.

Then came the barbarians with their spears and shields. They attacked us. Their numbers were (overwhelming). Also joining their ranks were strange crab-like beasts, who attacked with (illegible) our mightiest warriors. The battle lasted a day and a night without rest, until the last of them died.

The last of the battles only attacked now about 2000 at least, they are less and less in number. At night we send one or two Katastropheas to go to their (burrows/nests) and destroy them with fire. We let no one escape, neither the old nor the children. All for the glory of Mekhane.

Captain Tiphes is dead.

+ Scroll IV-

WARNING: Possible memetic corruption in the document. Discretion is advised.

Report to the High Priest Hermes Mekaios

There are no barbarians left. We killed them all. We also killed the (insects). Now a voice torments us from heaven. It calls itself the "First Messenger". He accuses us of blasphemy, of denying our blood to his saints, of transforming our precious flesh, hearth of blood, into barren metal. It curses us with (illegible) says that we won, but that sooner or later it will make us pay for our iniquities.

The Second Hytoth will prevail The Second Hytoth will prevail The Second Hytoth will prevail The

My thoughts are no longer mine they never were only if I concentrate on prayers and think with all my soul about Mekhane can I be me. Your blood will go to the Koru-teusa.

Most of them lost their faith, now they open their veins and let themselves die in the pastures. Others are burning all the letters, the maps, the testimonies. We are (sick/rotten) infected with poisonous words and thoughts, if we go back to Kythera, people will get sick with the voice of this messenger. I will keep the captain's letters in various hiding places so they will not all be lost. Then I and some Mekhane loyalists will throw the Katastropheas and other sacred machines into the sea so they do not fall into the hands of the heretics. We are the heretics to spare our blood to the saints.

We have seen (The Enemy). We thought it was an abomination of the flesh worshippers. Six arms holding six staffs, with six yellow eyes in his face, covered with golden armor. From his hands comes out (illegible) and from his mouth and eyes comes out blood. It is as if he is dying, but he refuses to do so. Our will was returned to us. We will gather the best of what is left and destroy the abomination. For our temples, our homes, and for Mekhane….

+ Access to Level 4 and above personnel

SCP-ES-184-79 Site - LEVEL 4 or higher ONLY

Addendum SCP-ES-184: Exploration to SCP-ES-184-79

On March 01, 2019 the Foundation's surveillance satellite network detected a peak of Akiva radiation in a region of Spain with a duration of approximately 3 minutes. Through trilateration it was possible to determine its location being more than 30 km away from the town of [CENSORED] in the Northeast region of Spain. The deployment of Foundation agents determined the presence of a SCP-ES-184 site, named as SCP-ES-184-79. The site was relatively intact, except that the vitrification pattern appears to be divergent from a point 45 meters north of the fortress. Access to a network of caves was identified in one of the subterranean levels.

On March 04, 2019, the Rapid Response Team Tango 1 was formed to determine the possible origin of the Akiva radiation spike. The team consisted of Captain J. Cortes (T1), Specialist D. Lund (T2) and Agents R. Rosales (T3) and T. Wallace (T4).

Begin Log:

Command Center: Team is allowed to start exploration.

T1: Roger, Command Center. All right, this is Team Tango captain, we're starting our descent. T2 behind me, T3 in front of me and T4 brings up the rear.

T2: Roger.

T3: roger.

T4: Roger.

[EXTRANEOUS DATA OMITTED]

T2: Okay, for the record. We've been (pause) moving for fifteen minutes, we've got the feeling of descent and according to the odometer we've been about 500 meters since the entrance. Anything noteworthy you guys want to contribute?

T3: Yes, the corridors are narrow. We're moving in a line so we're more likely to get ambushed.

T1: Tango Three, focus on watching where you walk. Let me think about the tactics.

T3: Roger.

T2: I remark for the log the presence of a glow with no discernible source within the cavern.

[EXTRANEOUS DATA OMITTED]

T2: All right, we've been on the move for about forty minutes. 800 meters traveled. Anything relevant to say guys?

T4: It's cold Doris, colder than up there even.

Command Center: T4, make use of team designation. Last warning.

T4: Received. T2, it's colder here than on the surface.

T2: Received T3. Thank you. For the record, I'm detecting Akiva fluctuations, they're coming up, barely, but they're coming up.

T3: I'm feeling tremors guys, we should…

There are cracking sounds as well as shouts of alarm from expedition members. Communications with the team are lost and plans are made to send a second team to rescue the team. Presumed collapse of the lower galleries

Approximately fifteen minutes after the loss of communications, team members Tango 1 and Tango 4 emerged from the cavern with Tango 3 in tow. Agent Rosales suffered skull trauma and rib fractures. The other agents had minor injuries. Specialist Lund, Tango 2, did not emerge for the next two hours.

Six hours after the Tango team's emergence, communications with Specialist Lund were restored and she appeared distressed.

Tango 2: (heavy static) He… Hello? Command Center? Are you still online?

Command Center: Jesus Christ! This is Command Center, you are still alive Tango 2! Please indicate your status.

Tango 2: (heavy static) My back hurts, I think I broke my ribs. I think (static) my equipment…the camera is fine. Akiva levels are going up… like in the catacombs (static)…

Command Center: Hold your position Tango 2. We'll send a second team to rescue you.

Tango 2: … Negative… Do not send anyone…

Command Center: Stay calm Tango 2, you will come back to us.

Tango 2: Please call me Doris (heavy static) and no, I will not allow them to come down here. It may take days for them to get to me. I may be more injured than it seems…. (coughing sounds for about 15 seconds)

Command Center: T… Doris?

Tango 2: (soft static) I will live a while longer, Command Center. I will continue the exploration. If I survive I will abide by the consequences.

[EXTRANEOUS DATA OMITTED]

Command Center: Permission granted. You may proceed.

Specialist Lund advances through a series of tunnels. Heavy breathing is heard as he advances. The static softens momentarily. Approximately five minutes after his last communication he communicates again having reached a structure embedded in the wall.

Tango 2: (soft static) Command Center, do you copy?

Command Center: Affirmative Doris, can you tell us anything interesting?

Tango 2: Yes, Akiva's levels spiked, it's like a religious image of the "miraculous" kind. It must represent some religious value although I don't recognize the patterns…. It's cold down here too.

Command Center: Are there any other elements?

Tango 2: Indeed yes, they seem to represent something… (heavy coughing for about 20 seconds)

Command Center: Doris?

Tango 2: There are… fractal patterns, they are intricate, plus what looks like… a crude six-armed humanoid figure, with six very long extensions from its hands, it also looks like it has six yellow eyes in its head.⁵

Command Center: Can you continue? The second team is already clearing the gallery obstacle. They should finish the task in a few hours.

Tango 2: Yes…I will continue. The path is one way, it continues down what looks like a single gallery… I'll leave some Glowstick chemical lights to mark my path. At least they'll last a few days.

Command Center: All right. Go ahead. If you cannot go any further stop and wait for the rescue team.

Tango 2: (soft static) You know it won't make any difference…

Tango 2 continues for approximately five minutes before communications are abruptly cut off. Attempts are made to re-establish communications with the specialist without success. The rescue team continues to remove debris as well as stabilize the gallery to prevent further collapse. Thirty minutes after the last contact, communications are restored. Specialist Lund's voice sounds much fainter along with a whistling sound when breathing.

Tango 2: (moderate static) … so the structure appears to have been recycled… rather than built by the Iberians or Celtiberians….

Command Center: Doris! W-where are you?

Tango 2: … This structure seems to have been bui-(heavy static for approximately 8 seconds) which would explain the high Akiva levels… Yet it continues to serve its purpose…. It doesn't understand that the conflict has been over for millennia…

Command Center: Are you ok Doris? Do you copy?

Tango 2: …it's like a dead hand protocol… if no one gives maintenance, it will automatically call for reinforcements or help… now the question is… Who will receive the call?

Command Center: Tango 2 give your position. The rescue team has almost released the lock.

Tango 2: … this is the resting place of a Yorun-leusan avatar… A barely vestigial avatar, but so powerful it must have been the terror of the ancients… the avatar is dormant, its bearer was destroyed, yet… it still oozes power… it can still awaken… a mindless body… with the power of a god….

Command Center: Tango 2, hold position and no longer speak. Help is on the way.

Tango 2: I will show you what was once great…let me do it…let me do one last task for the Foundation… (heavy static)

Command Center: Specialist Lund, do you copy?

Unknown⁶: [INFOHAZARD OMITTED] Aímact⁷, Aímact, Nen-Exten⁸… Yorun-leusan and Ontoth… The child will continue to sleep dreaming until the universe is extinguished. Blood for Rakmou-leusan, blood for the universe…

Command Center: Blood for the fourth, blood for the universe.

End log

Specialist Lund stops responding to orders from the Command Center, possibly due to the failure of her intercom. The specialist moves around leaning against the walls of the structure that appears to be covered with seashells. Visual analysis does not identify them with any known terrestrial species. Two minutes later she observes in a chamber a humanoid figure with six arms levitating approximately half a meter off the ground. Two of the arms and its chest show burn scars. The entity's face appears to be covered by some sort of golden helmet or helmet leaving space for six holes in a hexagonal position over the eyes, plus parts of partially damaged armor. Six chitinous-looking staffs are seen floating as they revolve around the entity. The transmission is abruptly cut off.

The Alpha recovery team manages to remove the blockage approximately 15 minutes after the communications cut off from Specialist Lund. Following the directions previously given and following the traces left by the specialist, they reached a hexagonal shaped rock chamber approximately 800 meters from the lock.

Inside was the body of Specialist Lund along with the entity seen previously. Tentatively denoted SCP-ES-184-A, the entity was moved to Site 34 along with the materials recovered from the chamber.

Materials recovered at SCP-ES-184-79 Site - LEVEL 4 or higher ONLY

• 4 helmets with bronze masks with the symbol of an anvil and a stylized hammer on the forehead.
• Several Roman helmets of different design, from Montefortino helmets to Gallo-imperial helmets with plumes.
• 2 helmets of Gothic style.
• Remains of metal ring hauberks in excellent state of preservation.
• Several muskets and arquebuses with carbonization of the handles of the weapons.
• Remnants of military equipment worn by Spanish soldiers
• Humanoid entity named SCP-ES-184-A with four arms and two legs. It has six eye sockets arranged in a hexagonal shape on its face. There are several burn scars on its arms and chest, as well as cuts and bullet impacts. It has a heart rate of 1 bpm and moderate signs of malnutrition. No higher neurological activity. Connected to life support in [REDACTED] at Site 34 by a medical team under the direction of Researcher Zerda.

Research is currently underway to identify and gather historical information on the possible conflict between Ortothans and Church of the Broken God groups. Any material or historical records recovered should be retrieved in order to define the effects on the baseline normality.

Footnotes

1. Bright pink fluid found in certain extraterrestrial organisms

2. Possible reference to Yorun-leusan, the sixth saint from Orthothan mythos.

3. Possible reference to SCP-2406

4. Koru-teusa or the Seven Saints of Orthothan mythos. According to the myths, they needed a constant source of blood, a byproduct of how blood continually leaked from their new forms.

5. Possible reference to Yorun-leusan, Sixth Saint of the Koru-teusa, prominent members of the pantheon of the Church of the Second Hytoth.

6. The voice is described as deep and cavernous, in addition to having a monotonous tone without taking pauses for breathing.

7. Ortothan translation: Blood or vital fluid.

8. Ortothan translation: Zero-infinities, possibly an anomalous mathematical expression