SCP-1065

Description

SCP-1065 is a four volume series of books written in an Eastern Slavic language, apparently of the early-to-mid 1800's and possibly an obscure local dialect or mixture of languages. The overarching title roughly translates to "The Dangers Of Free Knowledge." They are bound with red leather featuring faux-golden embossing, and show both fire and water damage around the edges, along with significant foxing (discoloration and degradation due to aging, molding, etc.) of the paper. No author, print dates or other publishing information are contained within, although the materials have the appearance of being produced on a commercial printing press.

The texts of the books read as a treatise against general education, dispersal of knowledge and, ironically, written information. The actual words hold no anomalous properties and have been fully transcribed for study and cross-referencing (Document 1065-0011). The anomalous properties become evident when someone makes physical contact with one or more of the books, at which point they begin to subscribe to the ideals contained within, even if they do not actually read any of the text. While this begins as a general "understanding" and "mild agreement", prolonged exposure produces increased dedication to the principles put forth in the books, eventually reaching such extremes as the instigation of violent uprising against established governmental and educational systems, public vandalizing and destruction of written texts, and the destruction of public storehouses of written texts such as libraries or book stores.

These effects will eventually wear off once physical contact with the book is broken, taking approximately twenty-six (26) hours for every minute of continuous physical contact.

A secondary effect occurs whenever the books are left unused for a period of time exceeding one month, after which they will self-immolate. The books suffer no damage from their own produced flames, but have been shown to be vulnerable to fires produced by other means (including individuals under its effects) as well as any other sort of potential damage. The flames do not seem to be able to manifest in areas where humidity is at least 95% and ambient temperatures below 23.9°C, nor where oxygen levels are too low for flames to efficiently burn. Similarly, the flames are able to be extinguished through any standard means and show no anomalous properties besides their origin.

Addendum: Recently recovered records show a number of otherwise inexplicable fires occurring at a series of libraries and universities throughout eastern Europe all tied to an acquisition of SCP-1065 approximately one week before the fire. As SCP-1065 was discovered and contained following a fire in the [REDACTED] government hall shortly after the break up of the USSR, any prior records of transfer of the books had been lost and presumed destroyed in the blaze. Dr. K████ was given a citation of merit for his diligence in tracking down the prior history of the objects, as well as the theory that SCP-1065's period before ignition is significantly reduced when multiple instances are kept together, and further reduced when stored in proximity to other pieces of written knowledge.