Link to article: SCP-4017.
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[[include :scp-wiki:theme:scp-trans-pride |trans-pride-logo= --] |trans-pride-footer= --]]] [[>]] [[module rate]] [[/>]] [[include :scp-wiki:component:anomaly-class-bar-source |item-number= 4017 |clearance= 3 |container-class= neutralized |secondary-class= none |secondary-icon= none |disruption-class= none |risk-class= none ]] ------ [[include component:image-block name= 4000armor.jpg| caption=Rusted armor retrieved from SCP-4017, placed in storage.| ]] **Special Containment Procedures (OUTDATED):** No known method for predicting SCP-4017 appearances exists. Standard Foundation monitoring protocols, such as the developing [http://www.scp-wiki.net/scp-2897 WATCHDOG program] under the Department of Analytics and Foundation implants in global police agencies, will report any anomalous activity matching SCP-4017 manifestation details. Depending on the nature of the manifestation, Foundation task forces trained in thaumaturgy may be dispatched to combat the entity and force demanifestation. Once demanifestation occurs, witnesses will be administered amnestics. Any objects left by the entity will be brought to the nearest containment facility. As SCP-4017 appearances are uncommon, it is expected that the Foundation will rarely have direct encounters with the anomaly. __//Revision 21/JUNE/2000://__ Following Incident 4017/λ-8, the construction of a containment chamber for SCP-4017 is in progress. __//Revision 20/JULY/2000://__ SCP-4017 has been reclassified to neutralized. All objects left by SCP-4017 are stored at Armed Containment Area-40. Monitoring for SCP-4017 will continue, though it is considered low priority with a low likelihood of remanifestation. Reclassification will occur if a manifestation is detected. Research into the past activities of the entity will continue. **Description:** SCP-4017 was a humanoid spectral entity with thaumaturgic capabilities, viewed as a cultural hero by members of the [[[second-hytoth-hub|Church of the Second Hytoth]]][[footnote]]An anomalous religious organization. Their central beliefs are that our universe is the second to exist, and that it has been protected from hostile extra-universal entities by a collection of seven guardian deities. Only one of these deities is said to be alive in the present day. The Church aims to keep this last deity alive through continued bloodletting rituals, intended to provide them with vitality, and by spreading Ortothan beliefs.[[/footnote]] and other adherents to the Church's religious practices. Limited details on SCP-4017 exist. Information consistent between depictions of the entity are as follows: * SCP-4017's body was gray or black in appearance, with a degree of translucence. Two eyes were present, both of which glowed yellow. Some facial features, such as a mouth and nasal cavity openings, have been described on occasion. Ectoplasm comprised the majority of the body. * Armor superficially similar to plate armor, colored red with gold decorations, was worn by the entity. Decorations on the armor show four humanoid figures, each with a number of arms ranging from four to seven, a conical entity with six limbs, and Ortothan language symbols for "holy" and "eternal." Much of this armor appears to have been lost or severely damaged over time. * SCP-4017 wields a spear, designated SCP-4017-A, used as a means of channeling thaumic energy during attacks. SCP-4017-A is often described as being composed of gold, a red stone-like material, and meteoric iron. Many portions seem to be heavily eroded and broken. Documents recovered from the Church of the Second Hytoth and other Ortothan sects claim that SCP-4017 was the ghost of a warrior from a prehistoric (c. 11000 BCE) predecessor to the Church, referred to as the Earthly Ortothan Kingdom or Worldly Ortothan Kingdom, depending on source. The entity was originally a warrior by the name of Onteus-One-Holy who fought against [http://www.scp-wiki.net/scp-140 Daevites] during the Century Conquest[[footnote]]A war waged by the Daevites on wide number of civilizations in Asia, lasting from c. 11000 BCE to c. 10900 BCE.[[/footnote]], later dying while defending an unknown stronghold. SCP-4017 has since manifested to protect various Ortothan groups in times of need. Of note is that, although SCP-4017 has been described as male in cases, its gender is predominately portrayed as being ambiguous. This is consistent with Ortothan culture views that place little importance in gender, stemming from the worship of deities and extraterrestrial entities that do not follow human gender concepts. Most manifestations of SCP-4017 had occurred in the far past, prior to the formation of the Anomalous Containment Union[[footnote]]A loose alliance of Foundation predecessors, formed in response to the spread of anomalies after the Sixth Occult War. The Foundation proper later formed in 1901.[[/footnote]] at the 1885 Sicily Convention on the Preternatural, with the rate of manifestation presumed to be decreasing over time. As such, only one direct encounter with the Foundation is known to have occurred. //Refer to the information on Incident 4017/λ-8 in Addendum.2 for further information.// **Addendum.1:** The following are documents related to SCP-4017. All are arranged based on the times of the events they detail. [[collapsible show="▷ A Watcher's Report on a Daevite Siege, c. 11000 BCE" hide="▽ A Watcher's Report on a Daevite Siege, c. 11000 BCE"]] > **Document Name:** A Watcher's Report On a Daevite Siege > > **Time Written:** c. 11000 BCE > > **Author:** Unknown > > **Foreword:** The document was retrieved from [http://www.scp-wiki.net/scp-1726 SCP-1726] and translated via █████-human ritual methods. It appears to be written by a member of the Erliontipa civilization, which was likely invaded by the Daevites. Other than texts from SCP-1726, no traces of Erliontipa exist. This is the only first-hand account of Onteus-One-Holy's actions prior to death. > ------ > > //Report from a watcher.// > > //Early in the morning a Daevic -- death to the brutes -- legion approached// [Approx. phonetic translation: Ikon?] //Gate. They were all armed with blood-swallower swords and rode large tree creatures[[footnote]]Entities described in ancient texts as being mobile fortresses used by Daevites, appearing as two-legged trees with various weapons attached. [[[SCP-3140|Research is ongoing]]].[[/footnote]], whose height dwarfed the pillars surrounding the gate. I was positioned on the side of// [Approx. phonetic translation: -- Avila?] //Mountain with a Holy Rays tube -- praise the Elemental Holies -- and watched from afar.// > > //Ikon Gate city's Ortothan guards assembled at the entrance to defend. Daevic -- death to the brutes -- arrows struck and made the guards go inside-out, who failed to leave any marks on the tree creatures. The trees crushed warriors and cannon fire from their blossoming branches crushed Gate city denizens. Many guards attempted to retreat but were eaten by the cannonballs. A horde of Daevic -- death to the brutes -- riders mounted on house-sized dogs then entered the City.// > > //An Ortothan guard armed only with a spear impaled the cannonballs' heads before they finished feasting. The spear guard bent the aether and fired blinding arrows at the riders, who combusted with their mounts in bright explosions. The spear guard then created a grand illusion of three sun birds -- fear Sun Father's might -- that moved as if to attack the tree creatures. Archers on the tree creatures became distracted and did not notice the spear guard plant aether bombs on the tree creatures' legs. Every bomb detonated, turning the wooden legs into ice, then shattered to make all tree creatures collapse. Surviving archers and soldiers were skewered.// > > //The spear guard is a powerful aether-bender. Ikon Gate city is protected.// [[/collapsible]] [[collapsible show="▷ Onteus-One-Holy's Shrine, c. 1600 BCE" hide="▽ Onteus-One-Holy's Shrine, c. 1600 BCE"]] [[div style="background-color:#F5F5F5; padding: 1px 8px; border: solid 4px #444444; box-shadow: 2px 1px 3px rgba(0,0,0,.2); margin: 10px 10px 10px;"]] [[=]] [[div style="background-color:#009278"]] + [[span style="color:white"]]{{**LOCATION OF INTEREST DATABASE**}}[[/span]] [[/div]] [[/=]] **Database #:** 1991 **Alternative Designation(s):** Onteus-One-Holy's Shrine **Location:** Luntai County, Xianjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, China **Description:** Location of Interest-1991 is an underground cave system, inhabited c. 1600 BCE. The main entrance was a tunnel originally covered by a hatch composed of beryllium bronze alloy, which had been buried under layers of sediment. Based on remnants of food, prayers written in the Ortothan language, and chunks of stone similar to those used in modern-day Ortothan bloodletting rituals, it is hypothesized that the caves were a common site of worship. All but two chambers have experienced major collapses. One of the remaining chambers contains a stockpile of spears, weapons superficially resembling rifles but lacking any apparent ammunition source, and iron prosthetic limbs with highly advanced interior mechanisms. All objects are engraved in unidentified runes. The other chamber, hereafter the Shrine Chamber, contains a statue depicting SCP-4017, placed on a pedestal. The statue shows SCP-4017 raising SCP-4017-A into the air, standing on top of a serpentine skull with gears embedded in it, with a beheaded Daevite soldier laying at his feet. Behind it is a larger statue of a thin four armed humanoid entity whose entire body is covered in armor, wearing a helmet with four eye sockets, that likely represents the Ortothan guardian deity Rakmou-leusan[[footnote]]The "Holy Fourth," now the last surviving member of the seven guardian deities.[[/footnote]]. Inscribed on the pedestal are prayers to Rakmou-leusan for keeping SCP-4017 strong through continued conflicts. On the Shrine Chamber's walls are four paintings. Descriptions are below: > __//Painting 1://__ SCP-4017 impales a humanoid with reptilian features, such as a serpentine lower torso and a cobra head, which is firing a rifle. This is likely depicting a member of the Xia Anomalous Culture Group[[footnote]]A group associated with the Xia Dynasty, a prehistoric civilization that existed in China from 2100 BCE to 1600 BCE, which developed technology surpassing much of modern civilizations.[[/footnote]]. > __//Painting 2://__ A six-legged machine, with a tower loosely resembling Shang Dynasty architectural styles built on its top, next to a village. Cannons on the machine's front are aiming at a temple in the village. SCP-4017 is present, charging through three of the machine's legs with their spear and breaking them. > __//Painting 3://__ SCP-4017 stands atop a large severed head of a serpentine entity, which is similar to that of a Chinese dragon but with gears extended from its neck stump, and holds their spear in the air. Broken and burning buildings are next to it. People kneel and celebrate around the severed head. > __//Painting 4://__ SCP-4017 lacerates a large eye surrounded by six other eyes. Each of the eyes has the Ortothan language symbol for Daevite as the pupil, and broken chains circle the set of eyes. Based on the Shrine Chamber and the weapons stockpile, LoI-1991 was constructed during what is now being considered the "Zeroth Occult War."[[footnote]]A large anomalous war mentioned in various texts as occurring between 2000 BCE and 1500 BCE, occurring prior to the known First Occult War. Little information aside from these texts exists.[[/footnote]] This time frame both involved a period of rapid expansion by the Xia Dynasty and the Daevites, causing a war that spanned much of modern-day China and neighboring regions. The advanced technology present in LoI-1991's stockpile is hypothesized to have either been taken from Xia or derived from it. It is not known if this Ortothan group was from part of the Earthly Ortothan Kingdom that survived the Century Conquest or an altogether different one. How LoI-1991, SCP-4017, and the Ortothans survived [http://www.scp-wiki.net/scp-2481 the K-Class event] that ended the war is under investigation. [[/div]] [[/collapsible]] [[collapsible show="▷ Scroll Found in a Followers of Mekhane Ruin, c. 1000-1200 BCE" hide="▽ Scroll Found in a Followers of Mekhane Ruin, c. 1000-1200 BCE"]] > **Document Name:** Scroll Written by a Followers of Mekhane Member > > **Time Written:** c. 1000-1200 BCE > > **Author:** Unknown > > **Foreword:** The document was discovered by Foundation archaeologists on the Greek island of Andros, who were investigating underground ruins from the Followers of Mekhane, a historical Church of the Broken God predecessor. The scroll was found in a damaged watertight cylinder within a library section of the ruin. Some damage was present, though it could be largely translated from its Mycenaean Greek-derived script. > > Comparisons with other discovered scrolls from the group have led researchers to conclude that it was written during a large war fought between a wide number of primarily Mekhanite groups and a Sarkic sect. The exact cause, end, and aftermath of the war is unclear. > ------ > > [Scroll damaged, untranslated prior to this point] > > //Two body// [changers/rebuilders] //escaped the holy flames of the Colossi[[footnote]]Large humanoid automatons referenced in Followers of Mekhane scrolls, which were piloted by Mekhanites to combat Sarkics. [http://www.scp-wiki.net/scp-2406 Only one has been discovered by the Foundation.][[/footnote]] and fled toward a nearby village of Star Gazers//[[footnote]]A term denoting Ortothans, likely referring to the prominence of extraterrestrial entities in the Ortothan mythos.[[/footnote]]//. We marched the Colossi to the village.// > > //Warrior Anastasios announced to the villagers that we had to enter to remove the Enemy. The only Star Gazer not to cower at the sight of the Colossi was a// [ghost/"afterlife-stranded"] //Spearman.// > > //The Spearman denied our entry and said we would cause needless harm. We told them of how the Enemy would bring plights as horrid as their Red Death but they denied presence of the Enemy. All possibility of entry was forbidden.// > > //When speaking the Spearman convulsed as if with sickness and coughing. When they walked from us they stumbled many times. Movement was not like those of spirits.// [Unknown phrase, untranslated]//.// > > //When Warrior Anastasios returned we decided to cast the village to holy flame. We believed the Enemy was disguised and with entrance forbidden we would not know if all the villagers were accursed. Sickness of the Spearman meant we could not trust them.// > > //Before we could advance the village's populace grew into twisted masses of flesh that combined to form the two body// [changers/rebuilders]//. The Enemies were nearly as tall as the Colossi. We pursued but stopped when they wavered and vanished out of being then back into being. They had been illusions.// > > //The Colossi broke.// [Scroll damaged, untranslated] //carved a hole into each leg then climbed up the insides to break the gears. The Spearman had broken holy// [scroll damaged, untranslated]//.// > > [Scroll damaged, untranslated] //Warrior Sophus descended the interior of Colossus Eight's arm to prevent the Spearman's escape. The Spearman deflected all [melted/burning arrows] which damaged arm gears but missed most spear swings and divine blasts. With great struggle Warrior Sophos impaled the Spearman and made them vanish.// > > //We saw the two Enemies move out of a cave near the village and further north. When repairs are complete we will not need to return to the Star Gazer village.// > > ------ > **Afterword:** Of note is that no other information on the Ortothan village described, or any Ortothan societies in this time frame, has been found. [[/collapsible]] [[collapsible show="▷ Texts Collected by the Praetorian Office of Secret Wisdom, c. 270" hide="▽ Documents Collected by the Praetorian Office of Secret Wisdom, c. 270"]] The following are texts regarding SCP-4017 from a collection of parchment documents initially held by the Praetorian Office of Secret Wisdom[[footnote]]//Cura Praetoria Sapientae Occultae//, a division of the Praetorian Guard dedicated to the containment and/or destruction of anomalous creatures and objects that were a threat or inconvenience to the Roman empire.[[/footnote]]. These texts pertain to Legio XXXI //Naevia Victrix//, a Roman legion assembled c. 270 to conquer various anomalous societies. The collection was later obtained by the Vatican Holy Office for Secrets and Prophecies, who were heavily involved in concealing the existence of Legio XXXI //Naevia Victrix// due to its ties to the anomalous, then was obtained by the Foundation after the Office dissolved in 1964. Aside from this collection, of which many documents were lost by the Office, little information on Legio XXXI //Naevia Victrix// exists. All are translated from Latin. As many are damaged, only fully legible excerpts directly relevant to the anomaly are displayed. The authors and the locations described are unknown. > //We broke down the city's gate and quickly encountered a ghostly spearman. The spearman disemboweled our front row of soldiers and assaulted our mages, five of whom died, two of whom were beheaded with other major injuries. Even the lightning of our blessed spears had no effect on the spearman. Star Bleeder guards used the opportunity to kill stragglers from our group. Gnaeus attempted to summon a defender demon but was distracted when we saw the spearman grow into a four-armed armored beast.// > > //To avoid further losses, we retreated. The four-armed beast vanished, turning out to be a illusion the spearman crafted. I could hear faint cheering from the Star Bleeders as we returned to camp.// > //I believe it is a spirit or demon summoned by the Star Bleeders. Spirits and demons are unable to fully grasp onto the world. Spirits and demons will let go with time. I must tell Manlius to wait until then.// > //Spearman had// [Illegible] //position head// [Illegible] //position head correct// [Blood stains] //correct. Spearman had divine touch. Spear felt like heat of suns against my neck. Hotter when it sliced through. Other feeling. Spear brought feeling of spearman. Spearman felt// [Illegible] //sick.// > //Our second attack was halted before we could reach the gates. The spearman hurled boulders from atop the gate battlements that crushed multiple of our warriors. Each boulder broke into golems matching the conical bodies of the demons Cicero witnessed when he displaced his soul to the moon. Their tendrils and the fires shot from the spearman's spear killed many. Fortuna must have helped, for many of the fires greatly missed. Vitus chanted a protective barrier to being and we were able to return to camp. Our archers are slowly banishing the golems.// > //The wretched spearman was retching blood the last I saw of them. When we fled they staggered away from the gate battlements. We can kill the monster.// > //I report that our third attack has greatly weakened the defenses of the Star Bleeders. Six of our mages began a false intrusion, leading the spearman from its post to out of the city. Servius and Vespasianus disgorged the volatile fluids from their mouths and applied it to the gate with words of prayer, aided by our archers who killed the guards on top of the city battlements.// > > //As the mages fought the spearman, Florus consumed his head to become the// [Unknown script, untranslated -- a name] //body. Former Florus then broke the spearman in half, who was forced back to the gate by our mages' energies. It staggered then vanished after breathing out blood that floats to the skies.// > > //Tomorrow Servius and Vitus will pray to their fluids and break the gate.// > //Burning Star Bleeder smells heavenly.// [[/collapsible]] [[collapsible show="▷ Excerpts from Liesa Onteon's Personal Journal, 19/AUG/1879" hide="▽ Excerpts from Liesa Onteon's Personal Journal, 19/AUG/1879"]] > **Document Name:** Excerpts from Liesa Onteon's Personal Journal > > **Time Written:** 19/AUG/1876 > > **Author:** Liesa Onteon > > **Foreword:** Liesa Onteon was a member of a short lived Ortothan cult located within the Bavarian Forest of Germany, who wrote many journals on her experiences there. The journals were later acquired from a defecting member of a Church of the Second Hytoth branch in Jena, Germany in 1981. Of note is that these excerpts were written during the Sixth Occult War, which lasted from 1875 to 1882. > ------ > > //When I was clearing the farm of stray shrapnel we all heard a commotion come from the children. Everyone rushed over, Klemens, taking his sword with him. Standing in the field was a spirit in worn armor with eyes like fire. We were ready to attack but we saw that the spirit wasn't malevolent. They were playing games with the children, performing small magical tricks to keep them entertained. When Klemens asked who they were, they only replied with "Onteus-One-Holy" and returned to playing.// > > //I could tell we were all on guard, but we quickly returned to removing the debris that had blown, patching up our homes as we did. Most of our time was spent stripping chunks of the bird automaton's head from its crater near the storage shed. Klemens would heave gray metal pieces, curse the Czech occultists who built it, bring it to the shed, then repeat. The humor of it faded when we all realized this could easily repeat. Often I would look off to the spirit, who was teaching an Ortothan dance I had never heard of before, making it seem to the children like there was no turmoil beyond the town.// > > = [...] > > //Once sunset began I went to the edge of town. I could see the spirit sitting by a tree, looking over the cliff face onto the expanse of woods below us. They were bent over, hand resting on a large, ornate spear, moving less than a snail. I asked if I could talk with them but didn't respond. When I approached further I was plighted with grisly hallucinations. Soldiers of old times slaughtering villages, burning towns, sights I do not wish to describe. The spirit was in all, trying to run to the culprits of the violence, but continuously staggered and was dragged away. When I stepped back the sights vanished.// > > //It felt best that I not interrupt them from their thoughts.// > ------ > **Afterword:** Based on the next entry, SCP-4017 demanifested the day after. Journals from the following days describe attempts to find and, in one case, directly summon SCP-4017, though the group eventually began focusing more on protection from the war. [[/collapsible]] [[collapsible show="▷ Excerpt from Written Testimony on Operation ECHO KARVE, 22/OCT/1944" hide="▽ Excerpt from Written Testimony on Operation ECHO KARVE, 22/OCT/1944"]] > **Document Name:** Written Testimony on Operation ECHO KARVE > > **Time Written:** 22/OCT/1944 (events described occurred the day prior) > > **Author:** Josef, Allied Occult Initiative Special Operative > > **Foreword:** This excerpt is from Global Occult Coalition archival documents on the Seventh Occult War, written by an operative for the Allied Occult Initiative[[footnote]]A precursor organization to the GOC. The group fought against attempts by the Ahnenerbe Obskuracorps and Thule Society to anomalously aid the Nazi German government in the Seventh Occult War by performing [http://www.scp-wiki.net/scp-3457 SCP-3457].[[/footnote]]. Operation ECHO KARVE was performed to commandeer an Obskuracorps cargo ship, which was transporting occult artifacts intended for use by the Thule Society. One of the artifacts has been confirmed to originate from a small Norwegian branch of the Church of the Second Hytoth. > > The full testimony has not been provided, as it would violate the terms for joint Foundation-GOC containment of SCP-3457, negotiated under the Köln Agreement. > ------ > //The thaumaturges on the ship quickly noticed us. In seconds the night sky started glowing as they launched hawks of blue fire into the air. Our archers had enough holy water arrows to kill the first few -- a challenging process -- and leave us unscathed, but they summoned full swarms of them. After minutes of the hawks trying to collide into our boats and explode, my crew and Captain Dell's were the only ones left. By then we were close enough that Obskuracorps didn't need the hawks to attack. Their guns could hit us.// > > //I can't say where it came from, but at that point a specter appeared on top of our boat. They wore armor with the damages of more wars than I can imagine, and held a worn-down spear. They said not a word. Quickly they jumped onto the cargo ship and sliced apart several soldiers, then spinning to block and redirect the fire pillars cast by thaumaturges. It was impressive, but I could faintly sense the bends of the aether they were using to fight. It felt strong but they weren't wholly harnessing it, only producing magical sparks on their spear as an attack of their own. Simply having two thaumaturges was enough to slow the specter's progress.// > > //Soon after the specter made their mistake: they became too focused on a single thaumaturge. The other had taken the time to summon a demon -- the barriers they conjured blocked any attempts to stop this -- which rushed ahead, impaling the specter with the horns on its three bull-like heads. Blood came out of their wounds but it didn't hit the water, instead acting like a liquid smoke that drifted into the air. They were thrown into the water and tried to swim away, but were pushed under by gunfire.// > > //I don't know why they were there or whether they survived. All I know is that it was enough of a distraction for us to safely board.// [[/collapsible]] [[collapsible show="▷ Excerpt from a Novel by Koru Archpriest Albano Arnox, c. 1944" hide="▽ Excerpt from a Novel by Koru Archpriest Albano Arnox, c. 1944"]] > **Document Name:** Excerpt from //An Archpriest's Journey// > > **Time Written:** 1996 (events described occurred c. 1944) > > **Author:** Albano Arnox, Koru Archpriest of the Church of the Second Hytoth > > **Foreword:** The excerpt is from //An Archpriest's Journey//, written by standing leader of the Church of the Second Hytoth Albano Arnox, which was published and circulated solely within the Church. Based on similarities with the details from Special Operative Josef's testimony, the events of this excerpt likely occurred the day of Operation ECHO KARVE. > ------ > > //I was within the Toronto Ortothan Church's library, flanked by bookshelves on both sides, when I heard a great crash. Metal against wooden floors, joined by a shout. I was at first terrified of approaching. I'd heard of the people who accidentally opened cursed manuscripts that had been once put into the library and forgotten, and I'd heard well of what would come out when they were opened. However, I then heard quiet prayers to Rakmou-leusan from around the corner. I felt calmer yet still panicked.// > > //When I turned the corner I saw the crumpled form of a spirit, laying against one of the shelves. Their armor was ancient, eroded, scratched by hundreds of weapons. Chunks had shattered to leave empty gaps that exposed a translucent gray body. Even the spear by their side had sections of its blade chipped off. One arm clutched over their chest.// > > //"Who are you?" they asked in hushed voice. Eyes like light flowing through amber were staring at me.// > > //I told them my name and my position as a simple priest. What I believe was their mouth smiled.// > > //"Do you know who I am?" they asked.// > > //I said that I didn't know. I could see their smile begin to wane.// > > //"You know the spear?" He pulled his arm from his chest and I could see a gas-like blood spill out, which drifted upward and dissipated. Six holes and the chunks of broken horns were in his armor.// > > //I still didn't know.// > > //"Haven't you heard stories about a spearman fighting the Daevites? The men of serpents? The men of gears? Any?"// > > //My response was the same, no matter what they asked. By then any semblance of a smile was gone and only a dejected expression was in its place. They sighed and muttered some hymns about the gods, ones I've never heard before. It seemed as though they were sick with some sort of ethereal disease. I asked what was happening.// > > //"I'm fading. I did the rites..." They trailed off into muttering, coughed up blood, then resumed. "The beautiful afterlife and its spirits keep tugging. People remembering, even when it became distanced from the truth, anchored me but now..."// > > //I realized I should ask the obvious question. I asked who they were. In an instant the floor became covered in gleaming gold Ortothan writing, extending far down the aisle we were in, all describing the life of "Onteus-One-Holy." I procured a pencil and practically scribbled information down on the pages of my ritual books, written along every page margin and in every gap of the diagrams on sigils.// > > //When I came to ask if spreading this knowledge would bring them to health, I saw they were gone. Only broken chunks of their armor were left.// > > //I have never seen Onteus-One-Holy again.// > > ------ > **Afterword:** No documents describing encounters with SCP-4017 after the date of Operation ECHO KARVE have been found. [[/collapsible]] **Addendum.2:** On 21/JUNE/2000, SCP-4017 was encountered by Mobile Task Force Lambda-8 ("Dynasty Interlopers")[[footnote]]A task force of agents with thaumaturgic capabilities, initially formed to assist in the investigation of Xia Dynasty artifacts. The task force has since expanded to handle artifacts from various ancient Asian civilizations.[[/footnote]] Team 2. The team was en route to Armed Containment Area-40, transporting Earthly Ortothan Kingdom artifacts, when their transport trucks were assaulted by the entity at 22:12. λ-8-T2 engaged and severely injured the entity with a thaumaturgic explosive, at which point it was transported to Area-40. λ-8-T2 suffered seven casualties and no deaths. [[collapsible show="▷ Interview Log 4017/C.Hsu/1" hide="▽ Interview Log 4017/C.Hsu/1"]] > **Interviewee:** Agent Chang Hsu > > **Interviewer:** Researcher Nuan Kwan > > **Date:** 21/JUNE/2000 > > **Foreword:** The interview is one of several debriefings performed with λ-8-T2 agents, following the encounter with SCP-4017. > ------ > **<BEGIN LOG>** > > **Hsu:** Do we have to do this now? You know how tiring thaumaturgy is. > > **Kwan:** Trust me, I've had a long day as well, but the higherups are demanding some form of testimony while the incident is still fresh in people's minds. > > **Hsu:** (//Incoherent muttering//) > > **Kwan:** (//Sighing//) We can keep this short, if you want. > > **Hsu:** Short meaning? > > **Kwan:** Just an overview of how the incident was like, how you felt, stuff like that. > > **Hsu:** That's all? > > **Kwan:** That's all. > > //Hsu nods.// > > **Hsu:** Well it wasn't an easy battle, that's for sure. After 4017 knocked the first truck to its side we never got a chance to think about what was happening. We ticked off a cultural hero, now we have to deal with it, didn't matter how so long as we did. Most of my fighting was just me avoiding fire, lightning, whatever blasts teammates kept shooting from their hands, up until the sigil trap Nat set up from her own blood blew 4017 up. But something was... off, about it. > > **Kwan:** How so? > > **Hsu:** Not once did 4017 kill someone. Sure we're trained so we wouldn't die without a fight, but even when they got people very disadvantaged they never did anything about it. James got hit by a bolt of aether when 4017's spear absorbed a fire spell he sent and shot it back. He was down for good but 4017 did nothing. Only went on to the next person. > > //Kwan nods.// > > **Hsu:** And the whole time 4017 kept stumbling, slipping up at moves that should've taken us out, coughing. Then, when the sigil trap went off and we won, I saw the limbs we blew off get suddenly pulled back to 4017 and reattach, like we never damaged them, but they just laid there, not moving at all. It wasn't even as difficult as I thought -- I know I've battled worse. > > **Kwan:** I see. This should be enough, but is there anything else you'd like to add? > > **Hsu:** I dunno. It still feels off. It seemed sick, and it was already wounded, bleeding that weird ghost-blood everywhere, but it still fought, without any aggression... (//brief silence//) > > **Kwan:** Sorry if I'm interrupting any thinking, but I have other interviews to do, so-- > > **Hsu:** I don't think we actually ticked them off. I think they needed to fight. Needed to win, needed to know they could still be that hero from thousands of-- > > //The interview room door suddenly opens and Researcher Settimo Russo enters.// > > **Kwan:** Russo? > > //Commotion and the sounds of personnel running can be heard outside the room.// > > **Russo:** Kwan, something's happening to 4017, get your ass over to the chamber quick. > > **Kwan:** Wait, what's-- > > **Hsu:** The hell's happening? > > **Russo:** Tell you on the way there. > > //Kwan hastily gets up from their chair.// > > **Russo:** Hsu, interview's concluded. Dismiss yourself. > > **<END LOG>** [[/collapsible]] At 23:20, while in a provisional thaumaturgically sealed containment unit, SCP-4017's body began to experience large instabilities in its ectoplasmic structure, alongside other poorly understood anomalous effects. SCP-4017 requested an interview to be performed immediately. [[collapsible show="▷ Interview Log SCP-4017/1" hide="▽ Interview Log SCP-4017/1"]] > **Interviewee:** SCP-4017 > > **Interviewer:** Researcher Nuan Kwan > > **Date:** 21/JUNE/2000 > ------ > **<BEGIN LOG>** > > //Cameras within SCP-4017's chamber show the entity staggering across the floor, collapsing with their back against the wall. Large amounts of a translucent blood-like substance levitate in the chamber.// > > **Kwan:** (//Speaking over the chamber intercom in Ortothan//) Onteus-One-Holy, what's happening? > > **SCP-4017:** (//speaking in Mandarin//) What sort of ruler would speak such poor Ortothan? I know-- (//coughing//) native language of yours, Xia escapee. > > **Kwan:** (//speaking in Mandarin//) I-- Fine, but what's going on? > > **SCP-4017:** Time keeps sprinting, sprinting, slips out of hands and I don't have time to answer. Lis.... > > //Pieces of SCP-4017's armor slowly phase through its body then fall onto the ground.// > > **SCP-4017:** Listen. Be a good record keeper and inscribe everything I say then send it to the Church. The Church won't care which Church you send it to as long as it is the Church. The Church... write what I say. > > **Kwan:** Y-- yes, of course. Notepad, somebody get a notepad! > > //At this point Kwan retrieves a notepad and begins writing everything SCP-4017 says.// > > **SCP-4017:** (//nods//) Ready? > > **Kwan:** Yes. > > **SCP-4017:** (//coughing//) > > //More of the blood-like substance exits SCP-4017's body.// > > **SCP-4017:** I am... name. I am... Onteus-One-Holy. I won't be returning. I have channelled the might of all seven, no, dead, four, no, three, two, one, gods... god. I have served the gods well. I'm not needed anymore. There are others who can-- (//coughing//) bring you and the gods, no, you and the god aid. > > //SCP-4017 attempts to raise both of their arms, which jitter as they move. Both suddenly fall, turning into gelatinous masses of ectoplasm that coalesce along the wall and floor.// > > **SCP-4017:** May the Holy Fourth live... live eternal. > > //By this point a majority of the armor has phased through the entity. Its body slowly turns into an amorphous mass, with pieces of ectoplasm breaking off and being pulled upward.// > > **SCP-4017:** May... world live, eternal... > > **<END LOG>** [[/collapsible]] Several minutes later SCP-4017 dispersed into a cloud of ectoplasm that rapidly accelerated upward and vanished, leaving behind SCP-4017-A and all armor. Based on the lack of aetheric signatures on SCP-4017-A and the entity's armor, it is presumed that all thaumaturgic properties of the artifacts were lost, as well as any thaumic connections to SCP-4017. This suggested that SCP-4017 expired instead of demanifesting. SCP-4017 was reclassified to neutralized on 20/JULY/2000. The note written during Interview SCP-4017/1 has not been delivered to the Church of the Second Hytoth, due to security concerns. [[footnoteblock]] [[div class="footer-wikiwalk-nav"]] [[=]] << [[[SCP-4016]]] | SCP-4017 | [[[SCP-4018]]] >> [[/=]] [[/div]]