SCP-3698
rating: +18+x
3698_A_surveillance.jpg

A view of Zone 3698-A from a camera atop the inner barrier.

Item #: SCP-3698

Object Class: Safe Euclid

Special Containment Procedures: Wing 6 of Site 101 is to remain under lockdown until further notice. Airlocks on windows, doors, and vent systems of Wing 6 are to be inspected twice daily to ensure structural integrity. No expeditions into Wing 6 for sampling are to be conducted without written approval from the O5 Council.

All identified instances of SCP-3698-1 have been quarantined into one of two zones near Mount ███████ and Mount █████, designated Zones 3698-A and 3698-C, respectively. These areas are off-limits to the public, park rangers, and all local law enforcement. The perimeters around these Zones consist of two barriers designed to prevent intrusion:

  • One inner barrier constructed of rebar-enforced 3m by 3m bulletproof glass panes. The top of the barrier is lined with electric wiring and cameras every two meters. Each camera has an infrared and low-light setting that can be manually activated from Site 101. The cameras rotate fully once every minute and the rotation is desynchronious to reduce blind spots both exterior to and inside the perimeter.
  • One external barrier constructed of chain-link fence with twice the perimeter of the inner barrier. This exterior barrier is designed to deter civilian entry. The fence itself has been treated with trace doses of anterograde episodic amnestics. In addition, the fence contains a Bachelly-Wurmann SAM1 placed every four meters at human eye-level. All staff approaching the barrier for reconniasance or maintainence should be equipped with head-mounted displays designed to filter out cognitohazardous visual stimuli2.

Should any instances of SCP-3698-1 be discovered outside 3698-A or 3698-C, they must be destroyed as soon as possible via controlled incineration to minimize damage to surrounding vegetation. Local conservation groups are to be informed that these incinerations are efforts to control the spread of invasive species. All staff assigned to duty within 1km of the Zones must be outfitted in pressure-sealed suits capable of withstanding off-road environments.

Zone 3698-B, located just outside of ███████, WA, is to be kept enclosed in barriers similar to those of 3698-A and 3698-C with one exception. The inner barrier is to be lined with small flamethrowers. If any life is detected within Zone 3698-B, nearby flamethrowers are to activate immediately and incinerate it.

All collected SCP-3698 samples are to be enclosed in triple-strength 100ml glass vials developed by Site 101 Researcher █████████ Dufour. The lids are vacuum-sealed, and can be opened either remotely or via two switches on the side of the lid, which must be activated simultaneously to release the lid. Vials are to be filled and sealed remotely via X5-Gatherer Drones at Zones 3698-A and 3698-C. As of 24 May ████, no more samples of SCP-3698 are to be collected under any circumstances.

SCP-3698-2 is to be stored in a 4m by 3m by 4m pressurized humanoid containment cell in Site 101's Wing 3, furnished with a bed, desk, and desk chair. No personnel are allowed to converse or interact with SCP-3698-2 without written approval from the O5 Council. SCP-3698-2 is to be fed three meals a day through a 0.5m by 0.5m airlocked door on the cell's north wall. One coniferous tree sapling must be in SCP-3698-2's cell at all times. If the tree shows signs of aging or decay, it must be promptly removed and replaced with a healthy sapling by MTF Chi-5 "Connoisseurs" agents. This replacement must be conducted while SCP-3698-2 is asleep. Any personnel entering SCP-3698-2's cell must be outfitted in pressure-sealed uniforms.

Description: SCP-3698 is an olfactory cognitohazard produced by a currently unidentified number of Pseudotsuga menziesii (Douglas fir trees) in the Cascade Mountain range, designated SCP-3698-1. While undetectable through all forms of chemical analysis, SCP-3698 and SCP-3698-1 are visible using Kant counters. Regular Douglas fir trees have an average hume reading of 106.03, whereas SCP-3698-1 exhibit readings of 107.4. Air contaminated with SCP-3698 shares this hume level.

SCP-3698's effects depend on its concentration in the air, which increases with proximity to SCP-3698 specimens.

  • >40m (Imperceptible): Scent is imperceptible at this distance from SCP-3698-1 instances.
  • 10-40m (Perceptible): At this distance, SCP-3698 becomes perceptible to humans with normal olfactory abilities. Exposed individuals describe the scent as "pleasant", and "crisp". 89% of test subjects vocally liken it to "fresh pine".
  • 10-4.5m (Anomalous): At this distance, individuals begin to develop anomalous symptoms. These include:
    • Obsession with plants. Exposed individuals will request to have plants - usually, but not exclusively, coniferous saplings - placed in their quarters for up to a week after exposure.
    • Elevated body temperature until room temperature is dropped to 10.6oC.
    • Persistent feelings of nostalgia, particularly [REDACTED | SEE EXPERIMENT LOG]
  • 4.5-2m (Potent):Anomalous symptoms will continue to worsen, becoming increasingly persistent and intrusive.
    • Obsession with coniferous plants. Exposed individuals will request to have coniferous saplings placed in their quarters for up to 13 days after exposure.
    • Elevated body temperature until room temperature is dropped to 8.6oC.
    • Persistent feelings of nostalgia, particularly [REDACTED | SEE EXPERIMENT LOG]
    • Interrogative compulsions for up to 12 days after exposure. Subject will aggressively question staff and other D-Class, prying for personal [REDACTED | SEE EXPERIMENT LOG]. During this time, the individual will be incapable of normal social interaction.
  • <2m (Extremely potent): Anomalous symptoms are malignant, often irreversible, and induce violence in those exposed.
    • Obsession with coniferous plants. Exposed individuals will request to have coniferous saplings placed in their quarters for up to 13 days after exposure.
    • Elevated body temperature bordering on hyperthermia until room temperature is dropped to 3.2oC.
    • Extreme paranoia when outside of wooded environments.
    • Near-total mutism.
    • Interrogative compulsions when not mute. Subjects will aggressively question any nearby humans, prying for [REDACTED | SEE EXPERIMENT LOG] and repeatedly demand to be "returned to the trees".
    • Self-destructive behavior consistent with extreme body dysmorphia.
    • [REDACTED | SEE INTERVIEW WITH AGENT X5-9]

SCP-3698 was first discovered on 7 January ████, when two ██████ County forest rangers reported finding a large number of bodies clustered around Douglas fir trees. After contact with the rangers was lost shortly thereafter, MTF Theta-4 "Gardeners" was called to the scene. After a series of remote operations, SCP-3698 and SCP-3698-1 were identified, and the area containing the SCP-3698-1 instances was designated Zone 3698-A. Samples of infected air were later collected and used for D-Class experimentation.

Image Transcribed Text
DriveA_3698_Note.jpg Dufour,
Don't come back for us but don't let our work go to waste. I'm sorry I couldn't finish the referral, but I need you to do that now. At least I'll find some solace in knowing it won't end here. I can smell it now. Please tell the others I tried we can't let them down we can't let it out Dufour please don't let it ["get out"?] please remember us [unintelligible] trees I can see [unintelligible].

As of 24 May ████, SCP-3698-2 is the designation given to Researcher ████ Rottbauer, who was exposed to extremely potent doses of SCP-3698 during the May 24 Incident. SCP-3698 tends to exhibit extreme distress around Director Paulsen, but is otherwise docile. As of the current revision of this document, SCP-3698-2 has only expressed one symptom characteristic of SCP-3698-exposed individuals: attachment to coniferous vegetation.

SCP-3698-2 quickly forms symbiotic connections with coniferous plants, demonstrating a unique understanding of their biological needs despite having little prior botanical knowledge or experience. SCP-3698-2 often has long one-way conversations with coniferous plants placed in its room, though in an unidentified and currently undeciphered language. It is unknown why SCP-3698-2 did not succumb to other symptoms of SCP-3698 exposure. However, as of the current revision of this document, all experimentation on the nature of SCP-3698's traits or psychology is strictly forbidden by the O5 Council and the Ethics Committee.

Addendum 3698.1: Object Class Change
SCP-3698 class changed to Euclid in light of recent incident at Zone 3698-C and concerns brought before the O5 Council by Site Director Paulsen and Researcher Dufour. The concerns included the unpredictability of SCP-3698's appearance in nature and the inability to accurately predict SCP-3698's behavior due to technological limitations. Motion was approved on 20 March ████ by a 12-1 margin.

Addendum 3698.2: Rejected Object Class Change
Director Paulsen has requested that SCP-3698's class be changed to Keter ██ times - █ times before the 24 May Incident and ██ after the incident. Each of these requests have been denied due to insufficient evidence of containment difficulty.

Addendum 3698.3: Archived Documents
The following documents are considered relevant to SCP-3698's containment and have therefore been included in the page.

The following announcement was sent from Director Paulsen's Foundation email to all Site 101 Staff on 19 June ████ at 10:03. Email contained several flagged linguistic memes that triggered its immediate redirection to ██████████.███ for correction and redistribution. Director Paulsen was reprimanded for attempting to utilize the previous on-site incident for anti-Foundation rhetoric. His editing and viewing permissions for SCP-3698-related documents were also summarily revoked.

Good morning everyone,

I want this stated for the record: the Euclid designation is insufficient, period. I don't care anymore if this results in my demotion; I owe my staff full honesty, just as I believe the Foundation owes every anomaly, however well-contained, due attention. After the May 24 Incident, I hoped they could finally come to see things our way. Alas, after reviewing the site's allotted budget for next year, I doubt they will.

I'm going to be frank. There is absolutely no evidence that SCP-3698 is fully contained. In fact, based on Ji et al.'s report, SCP-3698's area of effect could be up to ████% larger than our current estimate. The figure, of course, is imprecise—something the higher-ups were keen to remind me of. I stress, however, that its inaccuracy is not the result of miscalculation but simply a side effect of our diminishing resources.

In light of apparent budget cuts, I've submitted a site transfer request for ██% of researchers, █% of medical staff, ██% of armed personnel and █% of D-Class to surrounding facilities. Those of you who were selected for transfer will receive an email at around 6:30 specifying your new work detail. I want to assure everyone that this is not a demotion, and I wish you all the best of luck elsewhere. I want to offer the same sentiment to everyone remaining as well. You have all been invaluable assets to not only Site 101, but the Foundation as a whole.

To those remaining, congratulations - and apologies - are in order. Things are not going to get easier around here, and I'm not going to be any more lax. The Rottbauer Lockdown is still in effect, and likely won't be lifted until Dufour's team can get their filtration system out of the prototyping phase. If it works, it'll be a monumental success, and maybe, just maybe, I won't be as stuck-up about the class designation.

Until then, keep up the good work.

As always: Secure, Contain, Protect.

████ Paulsen,
Site 101 Director

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