Item #: SCP-8877
Object Class: Safe
Special Containment Procedures: All instances of SCP-8877-1 are to be contained within an opaque Safe-Class storage locker at Site 41 when not used for testing. Any personnel interacting with an instance of SCP-8877-1 outside of testing is to take necessary precautions to avoid affliction by the cognitohazardous influence of the artifact.
The current instance of SCP-8877-2 is to be kept contained within a humanoid class containment chamber under constant supervision to prevent attempts at self-termination. In the event that the current instance of SCP-8877-2 was to expire, a D-Class personnel is to recover the body and assume the designation of SCP-8877-2.1
Update: Following the events of Incident SCP-8877-A, no materials that could be used for the creation of artwork are to be made available to SCP-8877-2 without written approval from the research lead.
Description: SCP-8877 is an anomalous form of aphasia2 that occurs in an individual without corresponding physical damage to the brain. Testing has shown that individuals afflicted by SCP-8877 can make a full recovery if they are given therapy, with regular exposure to conversation shown to speed up recovery.
SCP-8877-1 is the designation given to artifacts able to transmit SCP-8877 affliction upon direct viewing by a human subject. While SCP-8877-1 instances vary in form and medium, all currently known instances possess a shared theme of forests and trees.
SCP-8877-2 is the designation given to an individual afflicted by a more severe form of SCP-8877. SCP-8877-2 suffers great difficulty in comprehending written or spoken language and prefers to communicate by supplementing language with drawn images. In addition, sounds produced non-verbally by SCP-8877-2 are severely muted, even those produced indirectly through the use of mechanisms.
Update: Additional anomalous traits discovered during the events of Incident SCP-8877-A are described below.
SCP-8877-2 is additionally able to create more instances of SCP-8877-1 by creating art that contains the same themes as previously described SCP-8877-1 instances. Due to the difficulty of communicating with SCP-8877-2, it is still unknown if the creation of SCP-8877-1 is a conscious act, or if all art matching the SCP-8877-1 criteria becomes an instance of SCP-8877-1.
Addendum 8877.1: Recovery
The Foundation was made aware of SCP-8877 following increased reports of aphasia around the town of Erkonst, MN. Investigation into the afflicted individuals led Foundation researchers towards a local art show for amateur artists.
A team of agents experienced with anomalous art and cognitohazardous protection was sent in to investigate all art pieces and artists connected to the art show. The source of the SCP-8877 outbreak was determined to be a resin sculpture featuring a ring of trees with a single tree fallen towards the middle of the ring, designated SCP-8877-1. The sculpture additionally bore a plaque with the following description:
When a tree falls in the forest
And nobody is around
It does indeed make a sound.
But when a human speaks
And no one understands
How could their voice even matter?
Are We Cool Yet?
Addendum 8877.2: Excerpts
Notable excerpts from Jacobs', hereafter SCP-8877-2, journal during his treatment.
Notice from project lead:
Following the events of Incident SCP-8877-A, SCP-8877-2 is no longer allowed access to any sort of material that could be used to create art, outside of testing.
As this decision has had a strong negative impact on the mental state of SCP-8877-2, containment procedures have been updated to prevent any attempt at self-harm.
Addendum 8877.3: Incident SCP-8877-A
Upon regularly scheduled check-in during the evening of 08/26-13, SCP-8877-2 was found on the floor of his cell in apparent agony.
The journal entry for the day showed a sketch of a human getting out of bed, tripping over, and landing on their left arm. The following pages contained a sketch of a human pounding on a door with a clock that progressed between pages.
During the review and cataloging of drawings within the journal, the junior researcher in charge flagged a page containing similar themes as those in previous SCP-8877-1 instances. A cognitohazard scanner was brought in to the discovery of a new instance of SCP-8877-1 and the researcher has been provided an SPL to assess and combat the affliction.
It is currently unknown if SCP-8877-2 is aware of its ability to create SCP-8877-1 instances, therefore SCP-8877-2 is to be denied access to papers and writing utensils outside dedicated testing.