Item #: SCP-244
Object Class: Euclid
Special Containment Procedures: When not in testing, SCP-244-1 is to be placed in a room with its own thermostat, kept at a temperature of no less than 38℃. This room must also have its own ventilation system to provide constant air circulation. SCP-244-1 will rest on top of a scale attached to an alarm, so that any abrupt changes in weight from SCP-244-1's cap's sudden removal or from SCP-244-1's displacement may be immediately detected. If the alarm goes off, SCP-244-1 is to be immediately retrieved, capped, and placed back on the scale. In the event that SCP-244-1 spends longer than four (4) hours uncapped and active before retrieval is possible, initiate Procedure 244-2123-B.
Description: SCP-244-1 is a Tunisian-style earthenware jar, made of common ceramics mixed with traces of [DATA EXPUNGED] and decorated with silver filigree. The inside of SCP-244-1 always has an internal temperature of -37℃ and a 125% humidity, regardless of external conditions; persons handling SCP-244-1 invariably describe it as cold to the touch. SCP-244-1 includes a cap of identical make and style to the jar itself.
When SCP-244-1 is uncapped, condensed water vapor will flow from its mouth. The rate at which the vapor emanates increases if SCP-244-1 is left lying on its side or suspended upside-down. This vapor is identical in composition to ice fog, with a temperature of -37℃ and 125% humidity as it exits SCP-244-1. Over time, this fog will disperse through whatever area SCP-244-1 is in, lowering ambient temperatures and raising humidity levels proportionally. The amount of time it takes for SCP-244-1 to fill an area with fog varies depending on the size of the space, the amount of moisture already in the air, and the temperature at the time SCP-244-1 is opened. If SCP-244-1 is left uncapped outside of any structure, it will still produce water vapor and lower the surrounding temperature. However, the effect may be considerably diminished, or enhanced, by the effects of the sun, wind, local topography, and/or local vegetation.
In any space where SCP-244-1 has changed the environmental temperature and humidity to -37℃ and a 125% humidity, there is a chance of encountering SCP-244-2, directly proportional to the amount of time that the area has been fogged over. SCP-244-2 is a mobile gaseous entity, visible only as a dense cloud of greyish fog. Whether it simply uses SCP-244-1's own fog as camouflage or is actually a part of said fog is still undetermined. Thermal imaging shows that SCP-244-2 is far colder than its surrounding environment. How SCP-244-2 achieves locomotion is not known, but testing and observation has made it clear that SCP-244-2 usually remains motionless unless there is a source of heat nearby. SCP-244-2 is attracted to any source of heat energy, and will move to envelop such sources. Because of SCP-244-2's own inordinately cold internal temperature, any object that comes into direct contact with it usually flash-freezes. Biological heat sources (including humans) are invariably killed by the flash-freezing effect, and mechanical or electronic devices ice over. SCP-244-2 appears to grow in size as it "consumes" thermal energy. In a sufficiently large beclouded area, there may be multiple instances of SCP-244-2.
SCP-244-2 will not attempt to consume heat sources with a temperature equal or greater than 600℃, and will actively move away from such sources if they are brought closer to it. For this reason, SCP-244-2 is easily repelled with burning wood or other combustive fuel fires. SCP-244-2 has been observed to disperse if exposed to great concentrations of heat in a short period of time.
History: SCP-244-1 was first discovered in the basement of a recently emptied Chaos Insurgency-occupied military base, where it had completely filled the basement level with ice fog and at least two manifestations of SCP-244-2. It was retrieved by Dr. Morris with the assistance of Mobile Task Force Beta-62. It is unknown whether the Chaos Insurgency had placed SCP-244-1 in the basement as some sort of diversionary tactic or if they themselves were looking for it.
Addendum: Whatever SCP-244-2 is composed of, it is certainly not normal water vapor. At those temperatures, mere water would surely become a solid, as indeed would most gases. However, taking samples of SCP-244-2's material has proven difficult, as it is both gaseous and freezes most devices applied to it. I suspect that this may be related to the [DATA EXPUNGED] in SCP-244-1, but studying that mineral has a host of problems all its own. -Dr. Morris

« SCP-243 | SCP-244 | SCP-245 »