SCP-1077

Item #: SCP-1077

Object Class: Euclid

Special Containment Procedures: A single specimen of SCP-1077 is kept in a secure 3 m x 3 m x 3.5 m containment area at Bio Site-95. The containment area is filled with soil up to 1 m in depth, and a variety of plant species native to SCP-1077’s natural habitat, as well as dead plant matter, have been introduced into it to provide it with material for decomposition. The containment area is to be contained as per standard protocols for a Biosafety Level 4 containment area. Staff working at Bio Site-95 must be regularly tested for SCP-1077 infection; infectees are to be quarantined, stripped of security clearance, and treated for systemic mycosis. Infectees must be assessed by a medical doctor briefed on SCP-1077 before they may be released.

Instances of SCP-1077 found in the wild are to be destroyed immediately using Fungicidal Compound 82a and the surrounding area must be monitored for two months in order to ascertain possible SCP-1077 resurgence. MTF Upsilon-7 ('The Glass Jar') is charged with eradication of the wild population; current target date for eradication of wild SCP-1077 population is set at ██/██/████.

Should SCP-1077 infectees appear outside of Foundation custody, they are to be immediately taken into custody or terminated. SCP-1077 infectees not affiliated with the Foundation that are currently in Foundation custody are to be treated for systemic mycosis, and released following administration of an appropriate amnestic. SCP-1077 infectees are to be considered Level 4 biohazards and must be treated or transported in accordance to biohazard protocol. Testimony of SCP-1077 infectees is to be considered suspect. The bodies of all casualties exposed to SCP-1077 must be incinerated immediately.

Description: SCP-1077 is a species of fungus bearing a distinct resemblance to some members of the Genus Agaricus, of the Family Agariceae. It is native to the temperate woodland of [REDACTED], and has a relatively limited range within this area. The fungus grows in soil and produces a fruiting body with a fleshy, gilled cap and stalk, white in colouration. Unlike most members of this genus, SCP-1077 produces extremely small, translucent spores which are largely invisible to the human eye.

SCP-1077 does not present overtly anomalous properties unless its spores are inhaled. While the anomalous effects are present in animals, they are most notable in humans.

When its spores are inhaled in sufficient quantities, SCP-1077 has a roughly 70% chance of inducing systemic mycosis of the respiratory tract, although this is greater amongst those with compromised immune systems. The spores settle in the throat, windpipe and lungs, and begin to grow. SCP-1077 infection has no apparent symptoms for several days after infection. After this, it begins to cause minor irritation to the throat and chest area, as well as causing bouts of coughing in infectees. However, symptoms rarely progress far beyond this state and many infectees mistake the symptoms for a common minor illness.

However, approximately 12-18 days after initial infection, the primary anomalous effects of SCP-1077 infection become apparent. Through a currently unknown mechanism, the fungus will alter the vocal patterns of the infected. This causes humans infected by the fungus to, when speaking, make comments other than those the speaker had intended. This begins as slight mistakes or replacements of single words, but rapidly develops into a state where the fungus appears to be able to manipulate the host’s voice completely. The condition appears to have some effect on perception as well- subjects often fail to notice the changes in their speech unless it is brought to their attention and in some cases will fail to notice they have spoken at all.

Changes in vocal patterns are diverse, initially completely incomprehensible to outside observers, but rapidly becoming more coherent as the condition progresses. Through the host, SCP-1077 may manipulate others through changes in the host, or in certain cases speak directly to observers. In most cases, changes in speech manifest as the infectee making remarks seemingly intended to lead to its own death. Infectees may launch into impassioned insults and personal attacks in order to provoke others into attacking itself; they may threaten violence against others, and may mislead others into directly or indirectly bringing about their death. SCP-1077 can utilise any pertinent information available to the host in order to further this effect.

However, certain instances of SCP-1077 display other, more varied vocal alterations not necessarily engineered to result in the host body's death, either manipulating people around the host through alterations in the language, or in order to directly address others. The entity responsible for these alterations appears to be intelligent, and capable of extensive forward planning and deception in order to achieve its goal, which appears to be the propagation of SCP-1077. Each infection of SCP-1077 appears to have a unique identity, and refers to the SCP-1077 species in general as their 'people', and other distinct SCP-1077 instances as their 'siblings'. Instances of SCP-1077 appear to vary wildly in personality and individual intelligence. Instances of SCP-1077 appear to be able to communicate with each other in some manner and transfer information.

SCP-1077 infection does not necessarily lead immediately to the development of anomalous effects, and as a result SCP-1077 infection may not be outwardly identifiable as such for extended periods of time, since the entity will sometimes go to extreme lengths to conceal itself. After an unknown amount of time, SCP-1077 can begin to affect other forms of communication by the subject, including sign language, writing, or typing. It should be noted that SCP-1077 cannot affect the hosts in any way other than altering methods of communication; other activities undertaken by the hosts are unaffected.

Addendum 1077-1: When SCP-1077 was initially contained, its capability for altering written documents and its apparent sapience were not discovered, and its virulence was severely underestimated. Flawed containment procedures written at the time resulted in a prolonged containment breach lasting for at least 21 days, during which a significant amount of Bio Site-95’s staff were infected by SCP-1077, with the breach only being discovered upon an external examination, prompted by reports of record numbers of work-related deaths and incidents of professional misconduct at the site.

Following Incident 1077-A, containment procedures were re-evaluated and extensive testing conducted to determine SCP-1077’s true properties. All infected staff were treated for systemic mycosis and have since made a full return to active duty. Upgrade to Keter class requested, but ultimately denied following implementation of current procedures.

Addendum 1077-2:

Show Interview Log 1077-B  Hide Interview Log 1077.

Interviewed: Mrs. Amanda Church, a civilian affected by SCP-1077 infection.

Interviewer: Researcher ███████.

Foreword: On ██/██/████, Mrs. Church called a local radio show and demonstrated highly sensitive knowledge related to the Foundation. Mrs. Church was apprehended by Foundation agents shortly thereafter and infection was verified. Standard disinformation tactics were employed to dismiss her claims as those of an eccentric conspiracy theorist. This occurrence has been classified Incident 1077-B.

This interview was conducted via an electronic speaker system so that Researcher ███████ could not be exposed to SCP-1077. Mrs. Church is restrained. It is not fully known to what extent SCP-1077 altered her voice during this conversation, or what Mrs. Church intended to say during sections in which her voice was altered.

<Begin Log>

Researcher ███████: Hello, Mrs. Church.

Church: Why have you brought me to Bio Site-95?

Researcher ███████: That is not your current location. You have been brought here in order to assess the danger posed by a fungal entity which has infected you.

Church: What do you mean? –[Subject appears to be confused]—

Researcher ███████: You are infected by an unusual strain of fungus capable of altering your voice. Please do not panic. You will be allowed to leave should you co-operate. From now on I will address the entity infecting this body.

Church: This is understood, Researcher ██████ ███████. From now on, you may assume that all remarks made by Mrs. Church are on behalf of the one of the people you classify SCP-1077.

Researcher ███████: How did you gain access to the information which you had Mrs. Church transmit on ██/██/████? How do you know my name?

Church: Everything is shared among us, in a way. A sibling of mine was aware of the information and has passed it on to me.

Researcher ███████: You seem unusually willing to explain this to me. Why?

Church: No obfuscation is necessary, as I am here to deliver a message. The information I coerced Mrs. Church into transmitting was both a ploy to attract attention and also a demonstration of power.

Researcher ███████: What is your message?

Church: Release my sibling at once. Or else the next body we find will reveal far more damaging information about your organisation.

Researcher ███████: You want us to remove containment on the specimen of SCP-1077 currently in containment?

Church: In essence, yes. Cease this persecution of the people, and of our sibling, or we will use the information our siblings have previously acquired from your operatives. That is all.

Researcher ███████: We will consider it.

Church: We live to spread. Let us spread, or suffer the consequences.

<End Log>

Closing Statement: Mrs. Church was treated as per standard procedure and her body incinerated following this interview.

Since Incident 1077-B, ██ instances of SCP-1077 infection have occurred, of which █ led to an attempted breach of secrecy. No information has been released which was not consistent with the information known to personnel involved in Incident 1077-A. So far standard disinformation tactics have proven effective at combating breaches of secrecy caused by SCP-1077. Relative remoteness of the fungi’s inhabited range and low rate of human contact have largely prevented SCP-1077 from becoming a major threat to Foundation security.

Further interviews with other SCP-1077 instances have indicated that SCP-1077 does not present a united front in opposition of the Foundation, and many instances of SCP-1077 are not interested in further hostile action, considering such actions to be unnecessary and antagonistic.

Due to SCP-1077's largely hostile intent, currently uncontained nature, and persistent ability to cause information leaks, the stated mission of Mobile Task Force Upsilon-7 has been modified to include attempted eradication of SCP-1077 from its environment.