Yusuf Fatimah, an adult SCP-3341-A instance. Previously known as Yusuf tifl Hassan Sara and Fatimah tifl Ibrahim Hawaa, both of which are juvenile SCP-3341-A instances.

Item #: SCP-3341

Object Class: Euclid

Special Containment Procedures: SCP-3341-A and SCP-3341-B are housed in the Eastern Province Settlement Zone and Ogaden Settlement Zone respectively, in collaboration with the governments of Saudi Arabia and Ethiopia. Mobile Task Force Stigma-9 ("Evolved from Naturally Occurring Gears, Levers and Pulleys") is dispatched to Ogaden Settlement Zone to invalidate all propaganda spread by SCP-3341-B1 and/or the Cogwork Orthodox Church.

Instances of SCP-3341-B1 are to be regarded as hostile entities, holding a de facto Object Class of Keter. Mobile Task Force Gamma-4 ("The Iconoclasts") is to be mobilised in East Africa, tasked to combat SCP-3341-B1 instances. While capture of live SCP-3341-B1 instances is preferable, termination is permitted. Captured SCP-3341-B1 instances are to be kept in Site-368. If applicable, SCP-3341-B1 instances are to have non-vital mechanical implants removed and undergo rehabilitation. Said rehabilitation programme will consist of literature authored by MTF ϛ-9 and a modification of Programme Arduinosis-9001.

SCP-3341-C is outside of Foundation jurisdiction, and is currently within the jurisdiction of the Organisation for the Reclamation of Islamic Artefacts (ORIA). Intelligence reports regarding SCP-3341-C are to be obtained from leaked ORIA sources, with emphasis on the methods behind ORIA's suzerainty over SCP-3341.

Interaction between SCP-3341-A, SCP-3341-B, SCP-3341-B1, and SCP-3341-C is not permitted.

Description: SCP-3341 is a sapient omnivorous mammalian species, which undergoes metamorphosis into a humanoid appearance as part of its life cycle. It is endemic to areas within the Arabian Peninsula, Horn of Africa, and Iranian Plateau. Due to differing socio-political contexts, SCP-3341 communities in the three regions possess distinct cultural differences from one another, and are given the following sub-designations for ease of categorisation: SCP-3341-A, SCP-3341-B, SCP-3341-B1, and SCP-3341-C.

All juvenile SCP-3341 specimens possess one arm and one leg each, with each limb having five digits. SCP-3341's feet share notable similarities with those of species belonging to the family Leporidae (rabbit), allowing SCP-3341 to move via jumping. The average distance travelled by a juvenile SCP-3341 specimen within a single leap is four metres. The head is roughly hemispheric in shape, and consists of one eye, one nostril, one ear, and one mouth. The nostril and mouth are usually placed at the extremity of the head. No hair is present in juvenile SCP-3341 instances.

Juvenile SCP-3341 specimens exhibit a unique form of sexual dimorphism. Male juvenile SCP-3341 specimens resemble the right side of the human body, whereas female juvenile SCP-3341 specimens resemble the left side of the human body.

Metamorphosis of SCP-3341 involves one male juvenile SCP-3341 instance and one female juvenile SCP-3341 instance, who will merge their bodies, memories, and consciousness together. The process is optional and requires mutual consent from the participants involved. Courtship is primarily centred on the measurement of a potential mate's height, wherein partners of similar heights tend to have a higher probability of successful metamorphosis. A larger difference in height between partners is held to be positively associated with increased risks during metamorphosis, causing a longer period of metamorphosis, deformity of the adult instance, or death of one or both of the participants.

During metamorphosis, the partners will align themselves such that the male partner is lying to the right side of the female partner. Once aligned, the partners will rub their bodies against each other to create lacerations wherein their flesh will be conjoined. The two instances' mouths, cloacae, parts of their skeletons and internal organs along the torso will merge together. Other bodily changes include the growth of body hair and shortening of both their feet. The process usually requires one week, typically taking place in an isolated enclosed environment. Due to the long duration and the energy required, juvenile specimens tend to consume large quantities of food prior to metamorphosis.

In terms of physical appearance, a typical adult SCP-3341 specimen is mostly identical to the average human. Particularly, alterations to the adult specimen's legs have reduced its jumping capacity to that of an average human. A significant difference is that a adult SCP-3341 specimen's reproductive system is entirely internal. Insemination and fertilisation occur inside the adult specimen's own body. The infant will be birthed after an incubation period of approximately one year, after which it will exit from the cloaca.

A typical adult SCP-3341 instance possesses the memories and consciousness of the juvenile instances involved in its metamorphosis, and regards itself to be a singular entity. Following metamorphosis, adult instances will take on a double name consisting of the names of both juvenile instances.

Due to SCP-3341's unique life cycle, the species has three biological sexes, referred to in human languages as "male child", "female child", and "adult". Despite that, SCP-3341 instances will universally identify all humans (regardless of sex, gender, and age) as "adult". This is attributed to humans' general appearance resembling a typical adult SCP-3341 instance.

Regardless of socio-cultural group, SCP-3341 instances (excluding members of SCP-3341-B1) adhere to a class system based on its life cycle. Juvenile SCP-3341 instances typically serve as military, manufactural, and agricultural roles. Adult SCP-3341 instances typically serve as priests, literati, diplomats, and community leaders. While juvenile instances do not wear clothes, adult instances tend to don clothing capable of concealing the entire body.

Differences among various socio-cultural group of SCP-3341 is based on mythology and socio-political context, as detailed in the following executive summaries.

SCP-3341-A

SCP-3341-B

SCP-3341-B1

SCP-3341-C

SCP-3341-A denotes the socio-cultural group of SCP-3341 instances who traditionally reside in the Eastern Province and Riyadh Region of Saudi Arabia, Al Wusta and Dhofar Governorates of Oman, and the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

SCP-3341-A's creation myth alleges that the two legendary progenitors of its species were moulded from clay by a djinn named Shiqq, who admired humanity. The legendary progenitors merged their flesh together on Shiqq's command, and Shiqq was not mentioned in the creation myth following that point. The unified progenitor was left to its own devices and eventually gave birth to offsprings, thus propagating its species.

Prior to mass relocation in 1951 CE, SCP-3341-A communities were publicly identified as Bedouin1 tribes whereas juvenile instances were only allowed freedom of movement at night. SCP-3341-A's nomadic practices were supposedly intended to minimise contact and suspicion with human settlements. Foundation efforts to contain SCP-3341-A have reduced restrictions to SCP-3341-A's freedom of movement.

SCP-3341-B denotes the socio-cultural group of SCP-3341 instances who traditionally reside in Ogaden.

While SCP-3341-B's creation myth also ascribes Shiqq as the creator of SCP-3341, more emphasis is placed on an exodus from Shiqq and its realm of "Ahwaz". According to SCP-3341-B instances, metamorphosis is commonly interpreted as a means to stand united against obstacles.

While the Foundation has contact with SCP-3341-B since 1953 CE, contact was lost following the fall of the Ethiopian Empire in 1974 CE. Foundation assets were expelled, and GRU Division "P" (GRU-P) was invited to study SCP-3341-B instead, supposedly as part of an experiment to induct non-human sapient species to communism. This lasted until 1993 CE, wherein the Foundation re-established a presence in the Horn of Africa.

Many SCP-3341-B instances term the period under GRU-P administration as the "children's dictatorship",2 characterised by cultural repression.3 Societal fluctuations during and after the "children's dictatorship" have resulted in numerous resistance movements amongst SCP-3341-B, many of which have since been suppressed by either GRU-P or the Foundation.

SCP-3341-B1 denotes the Order of Saint-Militant Qaynan, consisting of juvenile SCP-3341 instances affiliated with the Cogwork Orthodox Church. Thus, instead of the class system centered on its life cycle, social hierarchy within SCP-3341-B1 mirrors the Cogwork Orthodox Church.

Following the fall of the Derg regime in Ethiopia, the Cogwork Orthodox Church extended its sphere of influence in the Horn of Africa, and successfully converted multiple SCP-3341-B instances. Due to support from the Cogwork Orthodox Church, SCP-3341-B1 remains difficult to completely suppress and is given a distinct sub-designation.

Adhering to a syncretic religion derived from SCP-3341-B mythology and Cogwork Orthodox Church theology, members of SCP-3341-B1 perceive Shiqq as an agent of the "FLESH" who entrapped SCP-3341 into physical bodies and metamorphosis as a means to further entrap the species. Conversely, MEKHANE is worshipped by SCP-3341-B as the means to acquire liberation from their "trapped" conditions. Thus, they would use mechanical enhancements to achieve spiritual completion instead of undergoing metamorphosis with a suitable mate.

SCP-3341-B1 has aided in the Cogwork Orthodox Church's military operations in East Africa and other locations. As members of SCP-3341-B1 are unable to reproduce, raids on SCP-3341-B settlements are the former's primary means of recruitment. As of 2012 CE, bisected human corpses were found in SCP-3341-B1 temples.

SCP-3341-C denotes the socio-cultural group of SCP-3341 instances who traditionally reside in Khuzestan Province, Iran.4

Little is known of the nature of SCP-3341-C's version of its species' creation myth, attributed to the lack of Foundation presence among SCP-3341-C. That being said, multiple recovered ORIA documents have claimed that SCP-3341 is a type of takwin.5

In the case of SCP-3341-C, the role of community leaders is served by both adult SCP-3341-C instances and selected ORIA personnel. Recovered ORIA reports indicate that SCP-3341-C community leaders (both human and SCP-3341-C) are consistently termed as 'Type 2 Special Personnel' belonging to 'House Shiqq', speculated to be a clan of unknown origins. SCP-3341-C instances who adopt the role of community leaders appear to take on a temporary name, suggesting that they might be adopted temporarily into "House Shiqq".

Footnotes

1. Arab nomadic tribes who historically reside in desert regions of North Africa, Arabian Peninsula, Iraq, and the Levant.

2. Termed due to adult SCP-3341-B instances being a significant target of prosecution during that period. This is due to adult instances' traditional adoption of social roles that are frowned upon by communist movements.

3. For instance, adult SCP-3341-B instances were regularly forced to engage in physical labour alongside their juvenile counterparts.

4. Previously known as Arabistan or Ahwaz.

5. Synthetic life created via alchemy, often stated to be one of the major goals of Muslim alchemists.