Special Containment Procedures: Due to the impossibility of 
transport, SCP-1348 is contained on-site at the Site 87 
Archaeological Containment Unit, 81 kilometers southeast of El 
Taebah, Syria, in the Jabal al-Druze mountains. Compartmentalized 
containment duties are assigned to C-1348-A ("Team A") and 
C-1348-B ("Team B"). With the exception of biweekly containment 
review meetings between Site Director Binyamin Kahn and Team B 
Director , communications between Teams A and B are to 
occur only in Conference Room 2a. To minimize the risk of cross- 
contamination, all inter-team communications related to ritual 
standards and performances must be conducted via a staff member 
belonging to Y-chromosomal haplotype CMH-6. 


Containment Team A shall be comprised of Foundation employees 
recommended by Class 4 site supervisory personnel, subject to 
disqualification for the following reasons: 


¢ Present membership in a religious faith. 

¢ Prior exposure to a registered memetic agent. 

¢ Fluency in Amharic, Ge'ez, Aramaic, or any Southern Semitic 
language. 

¢ Prior exposure to transmissions from SCP- 


Team A duties include providing ritual supplies necessary to perform 
SCP-1348-02, monitoring Team B and civilian celebrants for 
compliance, selecting celebrants for participation in ritual 
containment, providing updated protocols for daily performances of 
SCP-1348-02, monitoring members of Team B during furloughs from 
the containment area, and developing and executing Protocol 228- 
MELECHAH. At no time shall personnel involved in 228- 
MELECHAH be exposed to recordings or transcripts of 


SCP-1348-02, enter SCP-1348-03, or be permitted to view the 
remains of SCP-1348-01-E. 


Candidates for Containment Team B shall be selected from 
individuals matrilineally descended from Druze, Mandean, and 
Mizrahi Jewish populations. Membership in Y-chromosomal 
haplotype CMH-6 is strictly disqualifying. Due to practical difficulties 
in locating suitable candidates in Foundation employment, Class 
Omega civilian celebrants with appropriate genealogy may be 
substituted for Foundation personnel with approval of the Site 
Director. At dawn, noon, and dusk, selected celebrants are to 
perform SCP-1348-02 according to present ritual protocols. 


At all times, ritual celebrants are to behave according to the 
prescribed ritual purity codes specified in documents 742-KITAB and 
983-RASA'IL, as well as additional protocols instituted by Team A. 
To the extent that such purity codes conflict by mandating the 
forbidden or forbidding the mandatory, celebrants may register 
individual ethical preferences with the Site Director. To avoid 
inadvertent ingestion of ritually impure substances, celebrants 
belonging to Team B are to receive parenteral nutrition only, 
delivered under ritual supervision by Director . Due to 
ongoing risk of memetic transference, performance of SCP-1348-02 
is authorized only when necessary for the containment of 
SCP-1348-03. 


Members of Team B and civilian celebrants are permitted to exit the 
inner containment area, contact family members, or access 
classified Foundation documents only upon written permission from 
the Site Director. Violation of central containment protocols 
constitutes grounds for immediate implementation of Protocol 228- 
MELECHAH and transfer of primary containment responsibilities to 
the 228-MELECHAH team. 


Description: SCP-1348 is a modified cave complex located 81 
kilometers from El Taebah, Syria, in the Jabal al-Druze mountains. 
Upon initial discovery by IAEA monitors on 03/06/2006, the complex 
was believed to house a Syrian reactor. Subsequent Israeli air 
strikes on the site resulted in the discovery of three unknown 
chambers. Per intergovernmental compact with the Israeli and 
Syrian governments, Foundation agents responded, containing 


SCP-1348-01, 02, and 03 and constructing the Site 87 Containment 
Unit. 


SCP-1348-01-E is an anomalous humanoid originally observed 
performing the ritual practice now designated as SCP-1348-02 
inside the SCP-1348 ritual complex. On / / _ , three weeks after 
initial containment, the subject entered status epilepticus and died. 
During containment, subject produced three utterances in an 
unknown Southern Semitic language, but otherwise made no 
attempts to communicate with Foundation staff. Food, water, and 
bedding were declined. Intravenous nutrition proved impossible. 
Subject otherwise exhibited no anomalous behavior. For autopsy 
results, consult Document SCP-1348-SMR-9. 


SCP-1348-02 is a ritual practice of unknown provenance. Spoken 
portions of SCP-1348-02 are performed in an unknown Southern 
Semitic language. When adequately performed by individuals 
meeting unclear ritual criteria, SCP-1348-02 prevents full retraction 
of the veil surrounding SCP-1348-03, an obligatory precursor event 
in scenarios XK-734, XK-918, and XK-337. At present, details of the 
religious faith underlying SCP-1348-02, ritual criteria necessary for 
adequate participation in SCP-1348-02, and the causal mechanism 
connecting SCP-1348-02 with the retraction of the veil are 
speculative or unknown. 


When performed by appropriate celebrants, adequate performances 
of SCP-1348-02 are memetically virulent, inducing suggestibility, 
religious mania, and desire to perform the ritual practice in 38% of 
exposures. Repeated exposure results in ritually-themed obsessive 
compulsion. The memetic transmission rate of SCP-1348-02 
appears to increase as successive revisions approach the ideal 
state. For unknown reasons, members of haplotype CMH-6 appear 
to be immune to the adverse effects of this memetic transference. 
While present transcripts and recordings of SCP-1348-02 are not 
believed to be virulent, existing containment guidelines require 
certified Foundation linguists to minimize active exposure to full 
ritual recordings. 


SCP-1348-03 is the central chamber of the SCP-1348 complex. Due 
to high neutron flux, the chamber was originally believed to be a 
storage site for high-grade radioactive waste or an unshielded 


reactor core. Initial investigation of the chamber by remote drone 
revealed an elaborate rectangular chamber, decorated in a proto- 
Semitic style. Repeated motifs include rams, serpents, slaughtered 
bulls, wounded lions, hawks, and depictions of ritual practices 
similar to SCP-1348-02. In the center of the room is a raised 
platform with a 9 meter radius, surrounded by cylindrical sheath 
constructed of beryllium bronze. At dawn, noon, and dusk, the 
sheath retracts, causing neutron flux inside SCP-1348-03 to 
increase to lethal levels. Performance of SCP-1348-02 appears to 
provide celebrants with substantial protection against radiation 
poisoning, and results in complete closure of the outer sheath. 


Attempts to view the area within the sheath, except by celebrants 
during performances of SCP-1348-02, have been unsuccessful. 
Celebrants, including Foundation staff, are unable or unwilling to 
disclose the inner region's contents. For certified information 
concerning the veiled region of SCP-1348-03, Class 4 staff may 
consult Document SCP-1348-SMR-11. 


Addenda: 


+ DOCUMENT SCP-1348- 
SMR-9: POSTMORTEM SUMMARY, SCP-1348-01-D, / 
/ 


DOCUMENT SCP-1348-SMR-9: 
POSTMORTEM SUMMARY, SCP-1348-01-D 


SUBJECT: SCP-1348-01-E 


EXTERNAL EXAMINATION: Body is of a 
taxonomically anomalous humanoid with 
premortem history of severe injury. Of the ten 
external limbs originally present, three — both 
legs, one wing — show signs of amputation by 
avulsion below the second joint. Head is 
presumed to have been generally humanoid 
prior to injury, with the exception of a bilaterally 
symmetric third orbit located 1.2cm above the 
frontal prominence. Eyes missing, presumed 
due to injury: optic canal is present in two 


grossly normal orbits. Analogous structure 
present in anomalous frontal orbit. Crushing 
injuries to frontal sinuses preclude 
reconstruction of original contours of facial 
bones. No external genitalia are visible. 
Injuries show signs of abnormal keloid 
formation, indicating complete healing 
process. External injuries nonfatal. 


INTERNAL EXAMINATION: Structures 
equivalent to liver, lungs, heart, and brain are 
present. Kidneys are absent. Gross anatomical 
investigation revealed a simple blind gut 
terminating in a rudimentary caecum. Urinary 
tract and anus absent. As no stomach or 
caecum contents were apparent at the time of 
autopsy, gut is presumed vestigial. Majority of 
lower abdominal cavity occupied by a 
segmented organ or tumor of unclear function 
and histology. On histologic examination, 
muscle and organ tissue displayed signs of 
catabolism and macrophage infiltration 
consistent with severe malnutrition. 


CAUSE OF DEATH: Malnutrition. 


ADDENDUM ATP-9: For complete histologic 
and gross anatomical data, consult Document 
SCP-1348-ATP-9, FULL AUTOPSY, 
SCP-1348-01-D. 


+ DOCUMENT SCP-1348- 
CTL-4: CONTAINMENT REVIEW MEETING MINUTES, / 
/ 


<Begin recording, 9:13 AM, // > 


Dr. Kahn: This is the biweekly containment 
meeting, cycle 3, ritual revision 8. It is now 
9:13 AM. Present at this meeting are Dr. 
Binyamin Kahn, head of Team A, and Dr. 


, head of Team B. Ready to begin? 
Dr. : [Inaudible]. 
Dr. Kahn: You'll have to speak up, __. | don't 
think the microphone caught that. 
Dr. Kahn: First on the agenda are revisions to 
the containment protocol. Just to catch 
everyone up, we received O5 approval last 
week to pass the veil and conduct the 
hypothetical interior portions of the ritual. 
We're obviously not quite there on the 
containment procedures — some of Team B is 
suffering from radiation poisoning, including 
Dr. — but we don't expect any fatalities. 
Dr. : Two Omegas botched the ritual. 
We're going to need to rotate them offline for 
three weeks of chelation. Do we have agents 
in line as replacements? As you know, Ben, 
I'm uncomfortable with the idea of doing this 
with Omegas. Not just because they're hard to 
train. 
Dr. Kahn: We've got some feelers out with 
Herev — uh, | think we have two — it looks 
like we have two prospects. | think we should 
be able to move in new agents as soon as 
So, no. Not yet. We've got four Sabian Omega 
candidates queued up. We've just got to get 
them trained in the ritual. 
Dr. : It's getting bad in there. See if you 
can speed that along. 
Dr. Kahn: | mean, I'll see what | can do, but | 
can't promise. Next order of business: we're 
going to need a report on what's inside the 
veil. AS you know, we can't get instrumentation 
in there, so — 
Dr. : That's not happening. Put it in KITAB: 
Team B can't tell you what's beyond the veil. 
Dr. Kahn: | told you, _ : that's unacceptable. 
Direct from O5. We've got to have some sort 
of read on exactly what it is we're containing in 
there. Unless this a ritual protocol, we can't... 


[CROSSTALK] 

Dr. : No. It's not ritual. No, it's not. Ben, 
you need to trust me on this. Put it in KITAB. 
Dr. Kahn: Moshe, we're going off the record 
for a minute. Be a mensch and turn the tape 
off. 


Request denied. Per 05-07, monitoring of 
SCP-1348 containment review meetings is 
mandatory. 


Dr. Kahn: We need to know. Direct from 
05-07: they're threatening to shut you down. 
How are we supposed to protect civilians from 
what's in there if we don't know what it is? 

Dr. : [H]e's not dangerous. 

Dr. Kahn: Look at yourself, . The sores? 
And your teeth, they're falling out. And you tell 
me now that it's not dangerous? How do you 
tell me that it's not dangerous? 


Dr. : It's the ritual, Ben; the ritual. It's not 
intentionally. 
Dr. : And we're not protecting the world 


from [h]im. We're protecting [h]im from the 
world. 

Dr. Kahn: You keep telling me that the 
memetics aren't affecting you. But listen to 
yourself, — . Think about it. You were out here 
— with me. We worked together. You saw 
what | saw. How can you still have faith, with 
all that we both know? 

Dr. : It was hard to have it, before. | used 
to think that there was some mistake. Then | 
passed the veil. Now | know it's all for the best. 
Dr. Kahn: Listen to what you're saying. Just 
listen. It's all for the best? 

Dr. : Do you know what it means for me to 
say that to you? That it is all for the best? That 
this is the best of all possible worlds? That this 
is? 


Dr. : You know what we saw at Ain Dara. 
And | am telling you that a// this, everything, is 
the best we could ever hope for. 

Dr. Kahn: Please. Please, . Please don't 
be hysterical. | know it's hard for you. Tell us 
what you saw. You know what the protocol is if 
O5 shuts down Team B. 

Dr. Kahn: You need to tell us. Tell us, or what 
happens to you is going to be out of my hands. 
Dr. : You don't understand. When you first 
came here, you asked me: why do you think 
these people gave up on their faith? Ben, | 
know. It's because [h]Je thought it best that we 
not know the truth. And it's true. Ya Allah, Ben, 
it's true. No one can ever know that we owe 
[him so much. 

Dr. Kahn: Please. At least think about it. | can 
tell O5 you've got radiation poisoning. | can tell 
them that you're working on the report. 

Dr. Kahn: | can't hold them off forever. 


<End recording, 9:20 AM, // > 
+ DOCUMENT SCP-1348- 


SMR-11: INTERVIEW, CENTRAL REGION, SCP-1348-03, 


/ 


Background: On December 5, 2011, ; 
the director of C-1348-B, was found 
unresponsive in quarters, suffering from 
severe radiation poisoning. Upon O5 
authorization, C-1348-A instructed an Omega- 
class celebrant to deviate from ritual protocols 
and enter the central region of SCP-1348-03. 
After emerging from the central region, subject 
was unresponsive. The interview appended 
below was conducted during a brief period of 
lucidity three days after initial exposure. 


Dr. Kahn: Good morning, O-9142. The doctors 
tell me that you've been up and around. Do 


/ 


you know who | am? 

O-9142: You are Doctor Kahn. Ben Kahn. You 
live in the cave outside the door. 

Dr. Kahn: That's right. | have a few questions. 
Can you answer a few questions for me? 
O-9142: They told me | should trust you. 

Dr. Kahn: Let's start with the ritual. Do you 
remember what you did? 

O-9142: Yes. They told me | should stand with 
my back to the veil. That | should say the 
words. And when the words were over and | 
had said all of them, | shouldn't look, no matter 
what | heard. 

Dr. Kahn: And what did you do? 

O-9142: | looked. Like you told me. 

Dr. Kahn: And what did you see? 

O-9142: He is very old. He is hurting very 
badly. He is underwater, in space, and 
everywhere else. He cannot get off his chair. 
He is stuck there forever because he is so 
badly hurt. 

Dr. Kahn: I'm sorry, O-9142. | don't 
understand. What did you see in there? 
O-9142: | can't remember very well anymore, 
because of the accident. But | remember one 
time | saw this old lion on television. On a 
nature special. He was badly hurt. The other 
lions ate him. | think the lion from the television 
is in there. | think that lion is your uncle. 

Dr. Kahn: You've got to think hard, O-9142. 
Can you tell me how it got hurt? 

O-9142: | don't know. | think we did something 
bad. The song is about how bad we are. No, 
that's wrong. We didn't do anything bad. We 
weren't supposed to happen. We happened. It 
wasn't our fault that we happened. 

Dr. Kahn: I'm having a hard time 
understanding. 

0-9142: Okay. Okay. The song goes like this: 
"iné esal peseh, ma Yehom ahallam." It means 


he did something wrong. What he did saved 
us. Now [h]e has to be punished. Now [h]e has 
to stay behind the veil. 

Dr. Kahn: What was he doing when you saw 
him?