OfDust
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320px-Derinkuyu_Underground_City.JPG

Archived image from SCP-XXXX's smaller network following the installation of temporary light fixtures.

Item #: SCP-XXXX

Object Class: Euclid

Special Containment Procedures: Provisional Site-██ has been constructed around the cave leading to SCP-XXXX for the purposes of study and containment. Site-██ is currently posing as a Department of Conservation (DoC) research facility.

Containment procedures are focused on preventing civilian access to SCP-XXXX, and studying its nature and contents. Expeditions into SCP-XXXX are to adhere to the guidelines of Exploration Protocol-XXXX-A. Artifacts recovered from SCP-XXXX are to be quarantined in a purpose built wing of Site-██ and screened for anomalous properties before long term storage. Due to the surrounding bedrock interfering with wireless communication, a base camp is to be maintained in the central chamber of SCP-XXXX and equipped with a chain of standard issue communication “buoys” to ensure continued contact with Site-██. Expeditions that encounter SCP-XXXX-1 instances are to monitor their behavior and not interfere with their actions.

In light of Incident-XXXX-██ and subsequent events, all non-Foundation entities that emerge from SCP-XXXX are to be treated as instances of SCP-XXXX-2 and considered hostile. This policy extends to any foundation personnel previously declared MIA inside SCP-XXXX. The cave leading to SCP-XXXX is to be sealed off with a reinforced airlock operable only from within Site-██ and supplemented with remote surveillance and automated defense systems. Defense systems are to be equipped with both lethal and non-lethal countermeasures.
SCP-XXXX-2 instances are to be subdued via non lethal force where possible, but termination is approved when deemed necessary. Captured SCP-XXXX-2 instances are to be treated as conventional high risk prisoners and interred in a standard prisoner cell.

Any expeditions into SCP-XXXX must be approved by no less than 4 members of onsite command and adhere to the guidelines outlined in Exploration Protocol-XXXX-B. Artifacts recovered from SCP-XXXX are to be quarantined in a purpose built wing of Site-██ and screened for anomalous properties before long term storage.

Personnel who encounter SCP-XXXX-1 instances are to avoid detection whenever possible, and are to engage them in close quarters only as a last resort.
Any victims of SCP-XXXX-1 are to be declared MIA and considered instances of SCP-XXXX-2 on subsequent encounters, as stated above.

Description: SCP-XXXX is a large structure buried beneath ██████ National Park, New Zealand. SCP-XXXX is stylistically similar to Ziggurats constructed during the Mesopotamian bronze age - dating suggests that it was constructed before known human settlement of New Zealand and from stone not native to the region. The structure consists of three levels, each roughly 247 m high, with lengths and widths of roughly 914 m, 685 m and 457 m1 in the order of ascension.

SCP-XXXX is reached via an otherwise non-anomalous cave system that extends for roughly 1 km before reaching the structure, where the interior of SCP-XXXX can be accessed via a staircase of similar construction to the complex itself. Entrance is a 11 x 23 m2 doorway leading into the second level.

The interior of SCP-XXXX is occupied by several large chambers, with the largest centered on a throne roughly 18 m in height. The throne is composed of black granite, and is the only furniture in these larger rooms. The walls of these rooms have been heavily decorated with relief carvings depicting [DATA EXPUNGED] and inscriptions in an unknown cuneiform script. Iron doors located in these chambers lead to an additional network of tunnels cut directly into the walls, ceilings and floors of the structure. This network has not been fully explored and contains furniture and other evidence of prior habitation. Many artifacts recovered from these tunnels have demonstrated their own anomalous properties, most notably SCP-████ and SCP-████. A full catalogue of recovered objects and documents can be found under Document-XXXX-██.

SCP-XXXX-1 are entities that reside within SCP-XXXX. SCP-XXXX-1 resemble emaciated humanoids that lack a lower torso or legs, possess two pairs of arms and levitate via unknown means. The body and head of SCP-XXXX-1 instances are covered by a green-black shawl. All attempts to view beneath this shawl have failed, though the garments are covered in inscriptions similar to those found elsewhere in the complex.
SCP-XXXX-1 instances appear unable to leave SCP-XXXX and have not made any vocalizations or attempts at communication during observation. They are believed to traverse SCP-XXXX at random when undisturbed and are largely non-perceptive, being easily avoided by dousing light sources or finding cover. However, when made aware of Foundation staff SCP-XXXX-1 have proven docile, typically observing staff from a distance until they leave SCP-XXXX.

Addendum XXXX-1: As of Incident-XXXX-██-1, SCP-XXXX-1 instances are now actively hostile. Upon detecting any human presence in SCP-XXXX, they will attempt to restrain personnel before [DATA EXPUNGED]. No trace of the victim remains afterward. Physical trauma such as small arms fire is able to injure and repel SCP-XXXX-1 instances, but does not result in lasting damage and no reduction in their numbers have been observed. Additionally, SCP-XXXX-1 seem to be actively patrolling SCP-XXXX, making them harder to avoid.

SCP-XXXX-2 is the designation given to hostile entities that periodically emerge from SCP-XXXX and assault Site-██. SCP-XXXX-2 appear physically indistinguishable from normal humans, and are believed to be former victims of SCP-XXXX-1. Where data is available, they have proven genetically identical to the former personnel they resemble. SCP-XXXX-2 instances are highly aggressive, requiring physical restraint or lethal force to subdue and exclusively speak in an unknown language, believed to be the spoken form of the script found in SCP-XXXX. SCP-XXXX-2 were first encountered during Incident SCP-XXXX-██-2, and █ additional attempts to breach Site-██ were made before current containment procedures were implemented, at which point breach attempts dropped significantly. As of ██/██/20██, no instance of SCP-XXXX-2 has been observed in SCP-XXXX itself and their point of origin remains unknown.

Incident report SCP-XXXX-██-1: During a routine expedition on the ██/██/20██, Foundation personnel breached a previously inaccessible room containing the desiccated corpse of a human male, the first confirmed sign of non-Foundation human activity in SCP-XXXX.

The remains were dressed in clothing common to the early 20th Century and holding a M1911 semiautomatic pistol. A stone tablet and spent .45 ACP cartridge were located nearby. Cause of death was identified as self inflicted gunshot to the head. Photographs of the corpse were taken, and the tablet was retrieved for later analysis.
During the return to base camp the expedition encountered an SCP-XXXX-1 instance, which exhibited unexpected signs of distress and agitation. SCP-XXXX-1 then proceeded to attack personnel and [DATA EXPUNGED]. Of the initial eight personnel in the expedition, two managed to evade SCP-XXXX-1 and report back to Site-██. The tablet was not in their possession.

Given SCP-XXXX-1's sudden change in behavior, an armed operation was authorized by onsite command and managed to temporarily drive SCP-XXXX-1 instances back with gunfire. The tablet was retrieved with █ additional losses.

Incident report SCP-XXXX-██-2: ██ days after the events of Incident SCP-XXXX-██-1, an armed force of approximately 237 individuals designated SCP-XXXX-2 post incident emerged from SCP-XXXX and assaulted Site-██, resulting in a massive breach of containment.

The vast majority of the attacking force consisted of Semitic individuals equipped with spears, axes and shields, in addition to groups of Māori Polynesians wielding traditional weapons such as Taiaha and Patu. A small portion of the combative force were equipped with firearms, including individuals identified as Foundation casualties of SCP-XXXX-1. It is currently believed that the former personnel granted the combatants access to Site-██. Enemy combatants were recorded communicating in the unknown dialect during and the incident, and were unresponsive to attempts at reasoning or negotiation.

Severe losses to onsite personnel and site infrastructure were sustained before the eventual arrival of MTF Phi-27 "Crowd Pleasers". After ██ hours and ██ confirmed Foundation casualties the engagement ended with 197 hostiles terminated, 4 captured, and the remainder unaccounted for.