Item #: SCP-3404

Object Class: Keter

Containment Status: Full containment of SCP-3404 is currently a top priority. The number of civilians with some awareness of SCP-3404 is estimated at 5 million. Standard protocols have successfully effected a communications blackout on the subject, resulting in no anticipated growth. Amnestic distribution is ongoing and will most likely be completed within two months.

Identification and containment of individuals experiencing SCP-3404-B is ongoing. Plans for the long-term accommodation of these individuals are currently being developed. Possible cures for SCP-3404-B are being investigated.

Methods of monitoring and/or neutralizing SCP-3404-C are being assessed. Lists of suspected members of SCP-3404-C are being compiled. Standardized protocols for addressing concerns posed by SCP-3404-C have not yet been created; SCP-3404's HMCL supervisor currently has the authority to determine appropriate responses to SCP-3404-C activity.

Description: SCP-3404 is the collective designation for SCP-3404-A, -B, and -C.

SCP-3404-A is a telepathic signal of indeterminate origin, broadcast on April 18, 2017, at 2:17PM UST across the entire planet. An estimated 100.000 individuals worldwide, believed to be those with a Psionic Resistance Index of 70 or less, were capable of perceiving SCP-3404-A as a visual, olfactory, and/or tactile hallucination that lasted for four minutes.

Exposed subjects have differing reports of SCP-3404-A's contents, though several themes are prevalent:

Images of individuals apparently suffering from various illnesses, many of which correspond to known anomalous conditions, in or near crowded hospitals.

Images of mass graves containing similarly diseased and malformed bodies.

Non-specific imagery of blood and viscera.

News reports describing multiple concurrent pandemics, as well as the resultant collapse of industrial civilization.

Sensations of warm, malodorous breath on the face.

Non-specific imagery of visibly unsanitary or rotting food.

Large swarms of insects and rodents.

Scents of disinfectants, fecal matter, rotting flesh, blood, body odor, and various unidentified foul odors.

Sensations of being squeezed by a crowd of people, with accompanying difficulty breathing.

Formication1, with corresponding imagery.

Intense full-body pain and itching.

Amnestic treatment suppresses conscious awareness of SCP-3404-A but does not mitigate related trauma or anomalous effects.

SCP-3404-B is a condition affecting roughly 2/3 of those individuals who perceived SCP-3404-A. SCP-3404-B is externally characterized by post-traumatic stress disorder, severe mysophobia2, and an obsession with the long-term viability of humanity. SCP-3404-B also grants telepathic capabilities that enable full communication of thoughts and sensory information between affected individuals.

Reports of PTSD and mysophobia began almost immediately after SCP-3404-A; however, SCP-3404-B was not identified until four days later, after various individuals described newfound telepathic abilities. While media suppression was generally successful, evidence suggests that most affected subjects have not publicly disclosed their status, and thus are difficult to identify via standard methods.

A procedure developed by SCP-3404-C (see below) is capable of inducing SCP-3404-B in individuals; while it has not been documented or observed by Foundation personnel, evidence suggests that this procedure takes no less than four hours alone with an affected individual, and entails (at a minimum) the administration of opioid drugs as well as moderate scarring around the ears and nose. The number of individuals infected via this procedure is unknown.

SCP-3404-C is a gestalt intelligence3 that arises from the telepathic network created by SCP-3404-B. It is capable of communication with all individuals affected by SCP-3404-B (hereby 'members'), and has access to all memories and sensory information possessed by its members. Its mental processing capacity likely exceeds that of humans by several orders of magnitude.

While members retain their own identities and personalities, none have been observed to deliberately operate against the wishes of SCP-3404-C; notably, they will suppress symptoms of SCP-3404-B and attempt to act normally in the presence of others. While positive confirmation of SCP-3404-C status requires in-depth telepathic capacity testing, preclusion of SCP-3404-C membership is possible for subjects with no observable aversion to interacting with contaminants.

SCP-3404-C self-identifies as "Operation HEALTH"4 and is preoccupied with the elimination of all disease and illness; most observed activity has been in pursuit of this goal. Despite access to all relevant scientific literature, it has displayed irrational beliefs with regards to the threat of diseases, viable venues of medical research, and viable methods of conducting public health initiatives.

SCP-3404-C is not a humaniform intelligence, and is not susceptible to any tested memetic weapons; while its members are susceptible, SCP-3404-C is capable of eliminating hostile memes and restoring members to a working state. It is able to simulate humanoid thought processes sufficiently well to converse with humans, though its tone and manner of speech at any given time are not necessarily representative of its state of mind.

SCP-3404-C has detailed knowledge of the Foundation, and treats it as a hostile force. With few exceptions, it has rejected all attempts at negotiation, displaying overt hostility in response to perceived attempts to interfere with its activities. While it is known that numerous members of SCP-3404-C are employed by the Foundation, the scope of its infiltration has not been assessed.

Addendum: History of SCP-3404-C

SCP-3404-C was first identified after several high-ranking members of the Russian military unexpectedly attempted to authorize testing of several nuclear weapons. While the personnel responsible were detained before this could be performed, standard interrogatory techniques proved ineffective until their transfer to psi-shielded holding cells5; at this point, interrogation became effective, and the subjects described a plan to use nuclear weapons to sterilize areas affected by SCP-610, as well as several G2 sites containing samples of SCP-008. Additional testing performed after returning the subjects to a non-shielded environment was able to discern, in broad terms, the nature of SCP-3404-C.

Initial negotiations with SCP-3404-C were conducted using a detained subject as a mediator. The Foundation agreed to eliminate samples of SCP-008 at several G2 sites6 and sterilize 25% of SCP-610's affected area with non-nuclear weaponry; in exchange, SCP-3404-C agreed to abide by the Veil Protocol and refrain from interference with Foundation operations unrelated to disease and illness.7 Additional negotiations were inhibited by SCP-3404-C's unwillingness to make realistic offers; for example, its stated requirement for limiting the spread of SCP-3404-B was 3,0 trillion RUB (~51 bilion USD) transfered to several Swiss bank accounts under its control and two pills of SCP-500.

Over the course of negotiations, SCP-3404-C displayed increasing paranoia and repeatedly accused the Foundation of being "dirt-corrupted," and made the statement "You need to understand that we have worlds worth saving here."8 four times. It displayed an unusual level of concern with the security and long-term stability of SCP-212 and SCP-1096, though it refused to disclose the exact nature of its interest in these anomalies. After two days, SCP-3404-C refused to engage with Foundation personnel; the mediator was shot fatally after attempting to manually strangle the lead negotiator without provocation.

SCP-3404-C has thus far focused most of its efforts on acquiring resources to fund medical research and public health initiatives, typically by influencing wealthy individuals and/or powerful individuals, or (on rare occasions) incorporating them into SCP-3404-C. It has also engaged in numerous other activities, whose effects or purposes are unclear.

The following is a list of abnormal events confirmed to be the work of SCP-3404-C. Further additions to this log are pending analysis.

2017-04-30: Attempted nuclear sterilization of SCP-610's remaining containment area. Failed.

2017-05-02: [REDACTED]

2017-05-04: Attempted to spread SCP-3404-B to high-ranking officials in the American, German, and Algerian governments. [REDACTED]. Most likely failed.

2017-05-08: Attempted acquisition of the leadership of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Failed.9

2017-05-09: [REDACTED]

2017-05-10: Beginning of collaboration with the Institute for Esoteric Medicine.10

2017-05-12: Hired several mercenary groups to attack Site-17, for the apparent purpose of extracting SCP-███ and SCP-2269. Successfully acquired SCP-2269; SCP-███ was destroyed in a firefight.

2017-05-14: Effectively co-opted, by way of philanthropy and intimidation, various local and regional public health advocacy groups that operate in the Arctic Circle. The resources of those organizations have since been redirected towards efforts relating to water quality and sanitation.

2017-05-15: Estimated creation date of SCP-5117. [REDACTED]. SCP-5117 was retrieved from a laboratory operated by SCP-3404-C six days later.

2017-05-16: [REDACTED]. Of note is that there have been no known victims of kuru since 2009.

2017-05-18: Began funding the construction of several super-deep boreholes off the coast of Mozambique. Purpose unknown.

2017-05-20: Financed the theft of roughly 10,000 doses of various opioid drugs from distribution centers in the Midwestern United States. Tracking of these drugs is in progress.

2017-05-21: Purchase of several properties in Jakarta. The properties were forcibly acquired by the Foundation after analysis suggested that their arrangement served an unidentified thaumaturgic purpose. [REDACTED] The Institute for Esoteric Medicine was found abandoned; its members are currently missing.

2017-05-22: Attempted to extract SCP-5117 from Site-██. Notable as the first instance in which SCP-3404-C employed an anomalous humanoid (tentatively designated SCP-████) in its operations.

2017-05-23: First instance of armed conflict between SCP-3404-C and SCP-1659. The exact cause of the conflict, as well as the nature of this battle, are unclear. Resulted in 18 (primarily civilian) casualties, as well as the destruction of the Blue Hill restaurant.

2017-05-24: [REDACTED]

2017-05-26: Attempted to extract SCP-5117 from Site-██. Failed.

2017-05-26: [REDACTED]

2017-05-26: Attempted to extract SCP-5117 from Site-██. Failed.

2017-05-26: Attempted to extract SCP-5117 from Site-██. Failed.

2017-05-26: [REDACTED]. The resultant anomaly has been classified as SCP-2315.

2017-05-26: [REDACTED]

2017-05-27: Attempted to grant $2,000,000 to the University of Auckland for the purpose of studying the effects of "an effective solvent" on sheep. The project was terminated by the Foundation prior to the University's acquisition of the substance to be tested; its nature is currently unknown.

2017-05-28: Bribed a Computer Science professor at █████ University to deliver a presentation entitled "Chaos Charlatans Get Salmonella At All Costs". While the presentation has tested negative for anomalous properties, four students in attendance were noted to experience grand mal seizures during the presentation.

2017-05-29: Placement of the following advertisement on various major websites. The ad was determined to have no anomalous properties and contain no classified information, and was not removed.

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Footnotes

1. The sensation of insects crawling under one's skin.

2. Pathological fear of contamination and germs. Also known as germophobia.

3. An emergent phenomenon in which a large number of separate psychological entities are connected to form a distinct psychological entity; colloquially known as a "hive mind".

4. Or the nearest equivalent in any given language.

5. Prompted by evidence that they were affected by SCP-3404-B.

6. The locations of these sites were provided by SCP-3404-C.

7. Thus far, it has adhered to this agreement.

8. Approximate translation. SCP-3404-C is prone to using non-standard syntax while under stress.

9. While a complete takeover is not possible under current circumstances, SCP-3404-C's infiltration of the CDC has been deemed too extensive to effectively eliminate its presence without violating the Veil Protocol; plans for closer monitoring of its staff are being constructed.

10. An organization focused primarily on the production of unusual electromagnetic fields for use in pseudo-scientific medical procedures.