SCP-5523

Item#: 5523 Level1 Containment Class: esoteric Secondary Class: Terminal Disruption Class: dark Risk Class: notice link to memo



Containment Update: Following the incident involving Sid Rothenberg , governments affiliated with the Foundation have enacted an indefinite ban on the hunting and consumption of cervidaes species. Rothenberg has been taken into Foundation custody, and is receiving intensive care.

Special Containment Procedures: Due to the ecological niche SCP-5523 facilitates, removal of SCP-5523-1 specimens from forested areas is prohibited. Regions containing significant SCP-5523-1 populations have been cordoned from the public, with low-level security fences established around the perimeter of SCP-5523 affected areas.

Skeletal remains associated with SCP-5523.

Description: SCP-5523 is a Terminal -Class group of environmental changes, consisting of behavioral modifications and biological mutations affecting members of the Cervidaes family. SCP-5523 events have been observed to occur after periods of severe environmental damage, such as forest fires or times of drought. SCP-5523 does not affect all individual Cervidaes specimens within a given area. Elderly populations or specific individuals experiencing sickness are are more susceptible to developing SCP-5523 then young and healthy populations. SCP-5523 consists of the ingestion of Vaccinium vitis-idaea berries. Vaccinium vitis-idaea are typically not eaten by Cervidaes specimens, due to the individual berries containing toxic substances.

SCP-5523 affected individuals ingest great quantities of Vaccinium vitis-idaea, in which the poisonous materials will accumulate within the individual's bloodstream. After a period of approximately fourty-two hours, the SCP-5523-1 instance will die, leading to rapid decomposition occuring, without assistance from maggots or other decomposer organisms. Skeletal remains will develop Vaccinium vitis-idaea saplings, along with spear-heading the growth of boreal plants, including Greenbrier, Poison Ivy, and Buckweed, all specimens of plants favored by Cervidaes. Following continued research, it has been determined that over ██ percent of forest growth worldwide has developed due to SCP-5523.

Addendum No. 1: Rothenberg Incident

Sid Rothenberg, a Canadian civilian, outdoorsman and biologist, experienced a period of confusion and delirium following ingestion of venison harvested from an SCP-5523-1 specimen. An outdoor journal, kept during the period of delirium, was recovered. The following is an excerpt.