Item #: SCP-6321
Object Class: Euclid
Special Containment Procedures: SCP-6321 is currently being contained within a Secure Humanoid Containment Cell with an airlock and added soundproofing in Research Sector-04 at SCP Site 42. The airlock is not to be opened unless necessary. No attempts should be made to move the SCP into an object containment cell. SCP-6321 is sentient and should be handled with the same respect as one would a humanoid SCP.
SCP-6321 should be handled with extreme caution. Should any testing of SCP-6321 be required, it should be done silently. The silence may upset SCP-6321. Under no circumstances should it be engaged casually.
SCP-6321 may become greatly distressed and demand an audience. In such a case, the security feed from its containment cell is to be fed into the break room with muted audio, and red light is to flash at the end of each piece it plays to cue applause, which will be fed back into its cell. Under no circumstances is the volume to be turned on. SCP-6321 should not be given a live audience, as it would put them at risk of psychic entrapment. No attempts should be made to play SCP-6321, as it finds this very upsetting.
Temporary Containment Procedures: (see Addendum 6321.5) Any personnel slated to work in the vicinity of SCP-6321 must go through a one-session course on the procedures involved in working with SCP-6321 to supplement our reading materials.
Description: SCP-6321 is a B. Shoninger Louis XV Piano1with the capacity of speech. It is 3.14m in height with 60 cm in depth, made of walnut wood with intricate carvings. While it seemed to be well cared for in its prime, there is some decoloration from white to yellow to its keys. Foundation Researchers have attributed this to age. Upon the SCP's request, restoration efforts have been planned for when it is safe to proceed with them.
Foundation Researchers believe SCP-6321 produces speech by playing itself and uses the tone and pitch frequencies of its notes to produce words. Based on recent findings, Researchers believe there could also be a psychic component to its communication. Investigation on this matter is currently underway.
SCP-6321 is believed to have some form of a psychic hold on those with whom it converses. Its communication privileges are currently under an indefinite suspension. As such, it should not be engaged unless necessary. SCP-6321 is well-mannered. It is not aware of the damage it could cause or how it causes it and does not fully understand or respect the rules the Foundation has set in place for it.
After Incident-6321.1 (see Addendum 6321.5), SCP-6321 is to have limited human interaction. SCP-6321 does not appear to have any ill intent and does not seem conscious that it is causing harm. It claims to be a performer (see Addendum 6321.1) that enjoys playing pieces of all genres. It is quick to learn and will cater to its listener's interests.
SCP-6321 has demonstrated evidence of putting a psychic hold on those it interacts with. This hold gets stronger with every subsequent interaction. In extreme cases, SCP-6321 psychically binds conversation partners to itself so strongly that they have no will to leave or provide themselves basic care. SCP-6321 does not have a concept of time nor does it realize the state of its listeners until they are removed, at which point it expresses great disappointment. Given that it does not comprehend what has happened to its audience or its role in the situation, it does not express remorse.
Addendum 6321.1: History
Through what Foundation Researchers were able to glean from a video from Cryptid Crusaders as well as details SCP-6321 has divulged about its life, Foundation Researchers believe SCP-6321 to contain the spirit and/or soul of Harold Turner, a prominent piano player of his time (circa the 1920s). Turner was especially popular in his home state of New York. His home piano and piano of choice for intimate performances and/ or practice was a B. Shoninger Louis XV. In 1939, at the age of 38 years old, he was diagnosed with cancer of the liver. Shortly after, he passed.
While Foundation Researchers have no definite answer as to how Mr. Turner ended up in a piano, urban mythology may have a few explanations. The first says that the piano was a gift and had always exhibited some strange qualities. Turner used to claim he would lose track of time and play it obsessively for hours. Friends and relatives noted that there were times where Mr. Turner would simply sit in front of the piano for hours unmoving, as though in a trance. This leads researchers to believe that perhaps the piano was anomalous even before Mr. Turner's spirit was trapped in it. Another myth says that members of Mr. Turner's family practiced some form of magick, though his involvement is unknown. This myth states that knowing he was dying and not feeling ready, Mr. Turner performed a soul-transference ritual so that he could live forever in his piano doing what he loved: performing. Whether either of these explanations have merit is unknown, though both do have strong parallels to findings by Foundation Researchers.
Addendum 6321.2: Discovery
SCP-6321 came to the attention of the Foundation through a vlog done by a group of students who called themselves the Cryptid Crusaders2, published on YouTube and several supernatural forums. It was found in the basement of a Century Home (███ ████████ ██) and appeared not to have been touched since the house's previous owner had passed. Researchers found the film footage of what was supposed to be a follow-up video. The students had allegedly gone inactive, and the footage was never posted. It was later revealed that all three had died in a car crash reportedly caused by fatigue. Since SCP-6321 seemed fond of younger people and was extremely compliant, the Foundation assigned a young researcher, Dr. Katarina Wilson, to run the initial investigation.
The following is a transcript of Dr. Wilson's initial interview with the subject.
Initial Interview
Interviewed: SCP-6321
Interviewer: Dr. Katarina Wilson, Site 42
Closing Statement: Dr. Wilson scheduled a series of audio-frequency tests to take place the next day.
Addendum 6321.3 Observations
The following are a record of some of Dr. Wilson's tests3 and notes.
Test A - October 11, 2021
Start Time: October 11, 2021 9:32 AM
End Time: October 11, 2021 12:35 PM
Subject: SCP-6321
Procedure: SCP-6321 conducted a conversation with the test administrator while the test administrator measured the pitch, frequency and wavelength of its speech. These were compared with human speech and the sonority of the same make of piano.
** Conversation Transcript**:
Results: SCP-6321 has a closer sound profile to that of its piano counterpart than human speech.
Analysis: It would be reasonable to believe that what we register as 'speech' from SCP-6321 is produced by a calculated mixture of notes and pitches produced by the piano.
Test B - October 12, 2021
Start Time: October 12, 2021 9:33 AM
End Time: October 13, 2021 12:34 AM
Subject: SCP-6321
Procedure: An examination was done of SCP-6321's interior to see if there were any anomalous appendages and/ or other biological fixtures that might not be visible to the naked eye that aid in its communication.
Results: No such appendages were found.
Analysis: It seems that there is ample evidence to assume that SCP-6321 is a physically normal piano.
Test C - October 14, 2021
Start Time: October 14, 2021 9:34 AM
End Time: October 15, 2021 11:12 PM
Subject: SCP-6321
Procedure: SCP-6321's EMF (Electromagnetic Field), temperature, and radiation readings were monitored over the course of two days.
Results: Radiation levels remained at zero. EMF trended upwards during the conversation, with occasional jumps when the subject was provided conversational stimulus. The temperature remained at a steady level of 50oF even when attempts to raise the room temperature were made by the administrator.
Analysis: Usually a higher EMF reading is an indication of a stronger paranormal/psychic figure, while lower ones indicate a weaker paranormal figure. The administrator of this test would like it noted that they have never seen EMF readings on a suspected paranormal being grow with interaction. This might be an indication of the SCP's capacity to strengthen with human interaction or with human presence in the room.
Test D - October 17, 2021
Start Time: October 17, 2021 9:32 AM
End Time: October 19, 2021 12:09 AM
Subject: SCP-6321
Procedure: An array of standard psychiatric evaluations were run on the subject.
Results: The subject seems completely clinically sane.
Analysis: SCP-6321 seems to be amicable, and harbours no ill-will. He is capable of a diverse range of human emotions and human comfort.
Addendum 6321.4: Researcher's Notes
Below are some of Dr. Katarina Wilson's notes on SCP-6321, commenting primarily on his behavior and character.4
In my current experience, SCP-6321 prefers to be called Harold or Harry. If there must be formalities, he will also accept Mr. Turner. He does expect to be treated with humanity, even in his state, and frankly, I don't blame him. He's more human than many people I know and certainly more alive. I have gotten a lot of exposure to Harry while trying to decipher his state- which is a complex matter about which I have only been able to hypothesize about thus far. As a specialist in cases like Harold's, I believe I have made some very good headway into how precisely Harold can communicate with us. It's how he wound up in a piano that's posing some difficulties. I am currently in the process of determining my next steps in experimentation given what information I have, but I wanted to write a log on his behaviour and demeanour, as these are factors that might not be perfectly represented in my interview logs and test results.
Harold Turner is genuinely one of the best people I have ever had the pleasure of interacting with. I have no reason to believe that he has any ill intention, nor that he has the capacity for it. He is very talkative, but that's likely because it's one of two things he can do- the other being playing music, which he is also excellent at. He has been able to adapt and learn some of my favourite songs (which he had never heard) in minutes. More importantly than that, though, Harry is an excellent listener, and he's grown to be as wise as one might expect someone of his age to be. I will admit that in the process of administering some of my tests I have had conversations that were not professional in nature with Harry, and during each of those, he was attentive and compassionate. I will even go so far as to say that he has helped me through a lot, as I believe this provides evidence of how amicable the SCP is.
This being said, I don't think that Harold poses any risk whatsoever- not to any of our researchers or the public. If the decision were entirely mine to make at this point, I would classify him as Disruption Class Dark and Risk Class Notice. I might even go so far as to say that he is just about as harmless as SCP-999. Once I have finished my official conclusions, I think I will take on a side project of figuring out a way to make him more mobile. Being alone in a cell seems to be disheartening for him, and I genuinely believe it would do both him and the community at SCP a lot of good for him to be allowed to wander. I hope it isn't unprofessional to say that I would like to continue my work with Harold for as long as is possible. We seem to have forged a bond unlike any I've had before. Of course, I do not let my newfound affection for him influence my work, and so far it has not had any effect on my findings. I wanted to log this officially because I think that the emotional capacity of this SCP should be taken into consideration when decisions as to his class, rights and privileges are being made.
Addendum 6321.5 Investigative Interview
Dr. Wilson deemed it necessary to interview the SCP concerning its past and how this factored into its current state. Below is a transcript.
Interview for Historical Evidence
Interviewed: SCP-6321 (Harold Turner)
Interviewer: Dr. Katarina Wilson, Site 42
Closing Statement: It is assumed that at this point Dr. Wilson stopped the recording. This was the last known log by Dr. Wilson.
Addendum 6321.6: Incident-6321.1
After the prior interview, Dr. Wilson neglected to leave SCP-6321's containment cell for three days. The current hypothesis as to why this happened is that she was transfixed on the conversation she was having with the SCP by psychic means. Testing protocols on this hypothesis are currently being determined. Due to a lack of nutrition and hydration during this timeframe, Dr. Wilson passed. Dr. Wilson had booked the two days following their final interview with the subject as vacation days. The assumption had been made by her superiors that she had forgotten to clock out before these. No loud or unusual noises had emerged from SCP-6321's containment cell to indicate any unusual activity, and the security feed showed an empty room for the entire period. It has since been discovered that Dr. Wilson tampered with the security feed, presumably so that she could continue her conversation without consequence. Her body was found by Dr. █████ when they were asked to check on SCP-6321 in her absence. Below is an interview by Dr. Morris with SCP-6321 shortly after this discovery. The interview was supervised by Dr. Bloom to ensure the safety of Dr. Morris.
Post-Mortem Interview: Case of Katarina Wilson
Interviewed: SCP-6321
Interviewer: Dr. Erol Morris, Site 42
Immediately following the above interview, SCP-6321's communication privileges were indefinitely suspended until protocols for safe communication could be put in place.
Addendum 6321.7: Post-Incident Interview.
The following interview between SCP-6321 and Dr. Bloom took place a month after the death of Dr. Wilson.
Interviewed: SCP-6321
Interviewer: Dr. Cheryl Bloom, Site 42
Foreword: Followup interview with SCP-6321 following the death of Dr. Katarina Wilson.