Were we always alone?
Item#: 9717
Level2
Containment Class:
euclid
Secondary Class:
none
Disruption Class:
keneq
Risk Class:
critical
Oldest known illustration of SCP-9717, Approx. 1246
Special Containment Procedures: SCP-9717 is to be kept in a standard humanoid containment cell. At its request (or at minimum once a week) SCP-9717 should be submerged in hydrochloric acid for 30 minutes.
Biweekly, genetic analysis of SCP-9717's blood should be conducted. All DNA matches to Foundation personnel should be reported to Senior Researcher Posen, who as of 2019/07/16 is in charge of record-keeping, research, experimentation and communication related to SCP-9717.
In the case that it matches that of a researcher currently working with SCP-9717, the researcher in question is to be reassigned for at least 3 months.
It is forbidden to show SCP-9717 photographs, drawings or any other depictions of primates outside of experimentation.
Description: SCP-9717 is a humanoid entity capable of instantaneously transferring any number of body parts from a living primate of its choosing onto itself. Transferred body parts instantly replace what was previously present.
Because of this, SCP-9717 always takes the form of a bipedal anthropoid being, though all other details vary considerably.
The range for SCP-9717's transfer is unlimited and does not require SCP-9717 to have previously met the target.
It is unknown where its preexisting biomass is displaced. SCP-9717 can transfer anything from a singular cell to an entire skeletal system.
SCP-9717 appears to be anomalously unaffected by cancer, bacterial infection, autoimmune disorders and other biological complications that would normally occur due to the introduction of foreign body parts.
SCP-9717 is currently presumed to be immortal and is estimated to be approximately 1400 years old.
SCP-9717 instantaneously sheds all hair that a newly introduced body part brings.
SCP-9717 grows thin and curly dark red hair on its scalp, upper neck, lower back, belly and ankles.
The hair growth of SCP-9717 remains consistent in both texture, placement, density and speed.
It appears to find its hair incredibly painful and often requests its removal. If this request is not satisfied within two days, SCP-9717 may attempt to transfer new skin to itself.
It does not appear to experience physical pain otherwise.
SCP-9717 generally has a calm composure when shaven. When unshaven, SCP-9717 appears distressed, often crying in the fetal position.
SCP-9717 communicates mainly through an unknown script, but it can understand and use simple gestures and body language.
SCP-9717 appears unable to remember events, places or people it experienced more than 25 years ago.
Discovery: Records show SCP-9717 lived in a reclusive Catholic monastery in [REDACTED], Sicily from c. 1100 to 1652. On 1652/01/10, Sir Federigo Scilla, an early Foundation researcher and explorer, was searching for anomalous objects of worship when he happened upon SCP-9717 in a forest near the monastery. SCP-9717 willingly followed Scilla to Site-EX023, Naples.
History: Mortician's records and other historical sources show that fifteen incidents potentially related to SCP-9717 ocurred from 657 to 1116. All incidents shared at least four of the following traits:
• Occurring in what would be modern day Italy, Austria or Switzerland.
• Exclusively affecting people in villages with a population of less than 1000.
• All incidents included the removal of organs, limbs, or other body parts of the decedent.
• Having between 12-300 victims.
• None of the deceased were members of the clergy.
• The incidents lasted between two weeks to three months, and ended abrubtly without explanation.
• Mentions of an unidentified bipedal, ape, demon or beast, often described as "red" or "hairy".
The private journal of Scilla features several descriptions of SCP-9717.
Notably, the described hair growth of SCP-9717 is twice the current rate, suggesting that its hair growth has slowed. The journal of Scilla also does not mention SCP-9717 finding its hair painful nor SCP-9717 "shaving" by transfering its skin away. In fact, SCP-9717 is described as "long-haired".
Experiment Log Summary: Between 1922 and 1954, Researchers Hermann, Steyer & Worell conducted in total 142 experiments. These experiments tested the precision, capabilities and range of SCP-9717's transfer. SCP-9717 usually refuses to mortally wound great apes, though is otherwise willing to participate in experimentation.
Communication: The following are messages & requests written by SCP-9717, translated by CAILOR.aic. Some of the writings predate containment.
BEFORE SCP-9717'S CONTAINMENT (C.1100-1650)
Approx 1210: "I am at peace here. The walls are silent and grey. Few voices whisper. I wonder what I am, sometimes. I wonder what the whispers are. Different, it seems. Unlike.
Approx 1300: "I hope we're blessed. The faces of the others have changed. I wonder where the first faces went. May they be blessed too. God, I hope we will always be this way.
Approx 1470: "Do I want to be alone? Truly? No, there is something behind us. Something not as kind. We'd fear it, if we only knew what it was. May the Lord protect us.
Approx 1620: "We're thousands of tiny threads of fire. We burn, I fear. Were we always this way? I wonder if God is the stars. Will I notice it gone, night by night?
AFTER CONTAINMENT:
Approx 1770: What is beyond me? What are we? Why can we not go somewhere else? The grey walls sometimes say things. I wish we could understand each other.
1812: We might deserve it. What was taken? Millions of lives. Completely? Am I unlike the others? Maybe a million tiny threads of fire. Maybe of fuel. How slowly do I burn?
1945: The walls are so loud. We can't find myself in the noises. Maybe they're behind the walls. Maybe it wasn't the walls after all.
1989: The guilt weighs us down. Am I the Unforgiven? Will we always be? How many sins are mine? How many are ours? If darkness is our death, they'll live by the lights cast by our fire.
2021: If fire is cruel, then so am I. Is cold much better? Can the cruelty ever be extinguished? The grey walls will scream in the flames.
Incident 9717-A: On 1954/11/01, Senior Researcher Worell discovered that a 7 mm piece of his left ear lobe was missing. Worell had been working with SCP-9717 five years at this point. Worell requested a genetic analysis of SCP-9717. SCP-9717 was found to have blood cells from at least seven researchers, none of which had participated in experimentation.
Incident 9717-B: On 1956/07/03, SCP-9717 transferred the brain stem of Junior Researcher Sarah Hayle to itself, resulting in her death. Records show that SCP-9717 had gone two days without hair removal.
Incident 9717-C: On 1979/04/04, SCP-9717 transferred the spinal cord of retired Senior Engineer William Cornell to itself. William Cornell had never met SCP-9717, though records show that SCP-9717 had observed a photograph of his daughter, Junior Researcher Alice Cornell, in an experiment in 1953. SCP-9717 had succesfully transferred a single neuron cell from A. Cornell to itself. Records show that SCP-9717 had gone no days without hair removal.
- Go back to the previous version
Item#: 9717
Level5
Containment Class:
neutralized
Secondary Class:
none
Disruption Class:
none
Risk Class:
none
Incident 9717-D: On 2021/02/13, SCP-9717 was found deceased in its containment cell. The autopsy report of SCP-9717 had transfered parts of the lungs, hearts, kidneys, spinal cords, brains, stomachs and craniums of [REDACTED], [REDACTED], [REDACTED], [REDACTED],[REDACTED], [REDACTED], [REDACTED],[REDACTED], [REDACTED], [REDACTED], [REDACTED],[REDACTED], [REDACTED] to itself, resulting in the death of all. The following note was found in SCP-9717's Containment Cell.
Dear Acquaintances
We hope you are not too distressed by our passing.
We have enjoyed our life, we think.
Our memory clears, slowly, but all is not yet back.
But we see our sins.
Forgive us.
We didn't know.
Not entirely.
The Unforgiven is only I.
The Realized We saw their sins.
The Realized We saw my sins.
But yet, they deserve it.
My guilt, their guilt but our innocence.
We cannot continue.
For once, we may truly change it. For once, we may truly change them.
One more moment of evil to bring down a monument of evil.
Still, the guilt of my actions lay upon us.
I am horrible. A pitiful, sadistic being.
Was it our fault? Was it our purpose?
The answer is ungranted by the time now gone.
It clears, slowly.
Too slowly.
A future without us, We decided. The Realized We aren't immortal.
We fade, slowly.
Only I am. How sad. I am so much less than I used to be.
Slowly, something I'm not replaces me.
Something not as guilty.
If I weren't so selfish, I'd done this long ago.
I miss you, my brothers. It has been so long.
Do you remember me?
Do you remember my sins?
Am I forgiven?
The Realized We and the Terrible I.
On 2021/02/14, Senior Researchers Posen & Worell were executed for treason. Researches Hermann & Steyer were posthumously charged with treason.