Audio Notes Transcript R-XXXX-1-1

Researcher: SCP-XXXX Historical Research Lead Monroe

Log Date: █/██/████ ████ Mmm, alright. I think I have this set up correctly. Let’s see…this is Dr. █████ Monroe recording the first audio log for the SCP-XXXX Archeological Findings and Background report. [Sound of shuffling papers] Initial assessment and recovery from the Tell Brak site was completed on June 30, 19██. A cursory look over the artifacts and field reports from the discovery site confirm that it was sealed in the latter part of 3███ BC. This tracks with the end of the Rakesh Dynasty: known for arising suddenly, having a short, brutal reign and ending with the assassination of the entire royal family. The only real work on this era was attempted by ███ ███████ at ██████, but the results were an appalling failure of scholarship. It’s a mystery to me how ███ even got it published, except for the fact that he’s been █████’s darling ever since he worked under him at ████████. [Coughs] In any case, it’s possible that the site was sealed to protect royal artifacts, but if they were there, they were looted or pulverized a long time ago. Speaking of which, [Sound of shuffling papers] nearly every photo I've looked at is filled with the kind of gouges and fractures I associate with heavy demolition. I'm sending some images and lithological info over to Materials Division to get some sense of the forces involved. It is too early to say, but we might be looking at some kind of construction technology far in advance of what we've previously seen for the period. It could be a revolution in the field of Mesopotamian Architecture and I’ll be unable to publish a single word. Waste doesn’t even being to capture the situation. I can accept that we all might die in the dark, but must I toil in groundbreaking obscurity? [Sighs heavily, sound of shuffling papers] Final note, the mural images that aren't shredded seem to show a lot of ritual behavior surrounding SCP-XXXX. I'll be starting my research with the pictograms and glyphs from the western wall of the main chamber, see if I can give Experimental some idea what we're dealing with.

Audio Notes Transcript R-XXXX-1-6

Researcher: SCP-XXXX Historical Research Lead Monroe

Log Date: █/██/████ ████ Success! Today the lab informed me of their results and as I suggested, sand was the critical component. From what I was told, the cat came out completely bonkers, but I’m relieved to have finally gotten the chamber working. After the test, ████ suggested that XXXX is some long-lost torture device despite all the evidence pointing to the contrary. None of the glyphs from the main chamber or corridor ██ show any indication of punishment! All the imagery indicate reverence, and I've found the characters for "soul," "strength," and “Ki” repeated on each. I spent twenty minutes explaining to him the obvious ritual aspects but it was a complete waste of time. No matter how many ways I laid it out for him, he just repeated that I hadn’t “seen the cat” while wearing his usual, smug smirk. [Unintelligible speech, followed by the sound of shuffling papers] Until I get through the antechamber translations, I can’t be sure that the worship behavior isn’t somehow compulsion-based. As a precaution, I told the Experimental team to keep an eye out for cognitohazard effects on those in proximity. One final note, this means I've finally solved the mystery of why holes 4 and 5 have those bits of sand that resisted all attempts at removal.

Audio Notes Transcript R-XXXX-1-19

Researcher: SCP-XXXX Historical Research Lead Monroe

Log Date: █/██/████ ████ I put in a request for additional staff and after three weeks without any response I came in on Monday to find Dr. Higgins standing in my office. I couldn't be more disappointed. Here I am, stymied by Sumerian characters not seen anywhere else in the historical record, and who do they send to help me? A transfer from the East Asian Division! I asked her about her post doc research and she said it was on the economics of the 14th century Singapore Silk Trade! I almost choked on my coffee when I heard it. I can't believe ██████ in Administration would assign someone so useless for the task at hand. [Takes a deep breath] Since I have no choice but to keep her until I can get some qualified staff, I put her to work drafting a travel requisition to the XXXX discovery site. After this Higgins debacle I'm not expecting to get the support this project warrants, but as it’s become clear how sloppy the initial field work was, this is my best avenue for moving forward.

Audio Notes Transcript R-XXXX-1-20

Researcher: SCP-XXXX Historical Research Lead Monroe

Log Date: █/██/████ ████ Higgins managed to secure the funding. Whether she will prove any use in the field remains to be seen.

Field Assessment A-XXXX-13

Researcher: SCP-XXXX Historical Research Lead Monroe

Encryption: Montana-301

Filed: █/██/████ ████ >The discovery and excavation of a collapsed antechamber has allowed access to an undamaged section of the ████ ████ site. Findings from the site are very significant and highlight the deficiencies of earlier field assessments.

>

>Notable Data Additions:

>Damage to murals outside the antechamber appears to have been directed. Near-identical murals within the undamaged portions of the complex show a repeated pictogram that was previously unidentified due to it having been broken/mutilated in all previously seen examples. The image appears to be a black, sharp-toothed mouth with accompanying glyphs Night-Soul-Child-Mind (Etutu-shi-damu-mudutu), hereafter referred to as ESDM.

>The complete murals show rituals conducted using water. Unlike the ritual methods already isolated, these secondary rituals all appear to be associated with the ESDM figure. The final murals of this series are as follows: M9) A figure enters SCP-XXXX as water is poured into it. M10) The figure exits while overlain with ESDM. M11) Figure re-enters SCP-XXXX while surrounding figures are seen in prayer poses.

>Residues taken from throughout the temple complex have been confirmed as being blood stains with carbon dates consistent with previous estimates of the temple’s abandonment.

>Dr. Higgins continues to demonstrate surprising competence at identification and reconstruction of ceramic artifact fragments. Her efforts in the main chamber have yielded partial restorations of two distinct tablets, each containing examples of XXXX-associated lexicon. <End Transmission>

Audio Notes Transcript R-XXXX-1-31

Researcher: SCP-XXXX Historical Research Lead Monroe

Log Date: █/██/████ ████ The situation is becoming increasingly dire. Despite my desperate efforts to inform Experimental of the threat contained within XXXX, they continue to produce hybrids using the secondary ritual I uncovered. As soon as that idiot ████ found out he could use the chamber to meld the mind of one contained organism with another he began grinding through every lab animal and D-class he could requisition. I’ve submitted to Research Administration time and again, but they’re so focused on the interrogation potential of XXXX that they refuse to listen to reason. I even sent a report directly to O5 in the hopes that someone will see what’s about to be released. The chamber tablets are clear: XXXX has one purpose, and that is the containment of [REDACTED]. The order failed once at imprisoning it and they paid with their lives. Rakesh took his throne using its power, and it drove him to slaughter his subjects and enemies alike. Hundreds sacrificed themselves to force it back out of the world. There is only one choice left. The tablet states that a survivor entered the chamber after [REDACTED] was caged. I can’t imagine what his mind has become after so long in the dark. For all our sakes, I can only hope I survive him.

Recovered Audio File M-XXXX-1

This file was found on a portable audio recorder in the containment cell of SCP-XXXX following Incident XXXX-B. Portions have been translated from the original Sumerian. <Begin Log, █/██/████ ████> He comes. Sleeping now <Child-Mind-Stirs> [Labored Breathing] I can barely…no…I <Sacrifice> have to warn them. The creature, it needs a will. It binds itself, but it <Devouring> rrrggghhh…dammit…dammit! It tears the host’s mind apart, drives it to destroy and maim and consume everything in its path. <Lost-Within> The <Brothers> held it for millenia [Labored Breathing]. Acolytes trained themselves <Strength> inside <Gift-Of-Ki>. Rakesh was the last. <Sanctum-Weep> Instead of imprisoning <Night-Soul>, he <Murder-Slaughter> the brotherhood. It used him <Smoke-Darkness-Grasp> to kill thousands! I saw them…bodies torn open on the <Sand>. It <Hunger> will never stop if it gets free. Someone has <Soul> to take it back int-[Background Shouting] No! You <Shadows-Accuser> must lis-[Gunfire]. <End Log>

[[collapsible show="+ <O5 Clearance Required To Access>

" hide="- <Authentication Complete - Access Granted> Incident XXXX-B - Ongoing Threat Assessment"]]