SCP-2847
Yu the Great, and the Immortal
Connected to: SCP-2101SCP-2399SCP-2711
Special Containment Procedures
Due to the nature of SCP-2847-1, Site-144 has been constructed as a means to secure its perimeter.
SCP-2847-2 is to be contained within a humanoid containment cell constructed around the subject, monitored by at least two personnel at all times. Personnel are not to enter the containment cell unless stated otherwise by site command of both Site-143 and Site-144.
Following transportation to Site-143, SCP-2847-3 is to be kept within a Faraday cage at all times. Interviews with SCP-2847-3 are to be conducted inside of containment.
Currently, all experimentation involving SCP-2847 and related subjects is to be delayed indefinitely.
Description
SCP-2847-1 is an underground lake located in █████ ████, Henan Province, China. It was initially discovered and secured after Site-143 was contacted by SCP-2847-3.
SCP-2847-1 occupies an area of 6,000m2, and has an estimated depth of 2,100m. The content of SCP-2847-1, while retaining the appearance of water, displays physical properties similar to iron, which is consistent with bodies of water affected by SCP-2711.
SCP-2847-2 is a humanoid entity, genetically similar to a male human of Han ethnicity. SCP-2847-2 is alive and responsive, but unable to form any coherent language. The subject's left arm and lower body are embedded within SCP-2847-1. 7 beryllium-bronze alloy nails of 6 cm in length are embedded in subject's spine.
SCP-2847-2 does not require any form of sustenance, and no indication has been given that it requires sleep. While exhibiting symptoms of severe malnutrition, the subject's overall condition does not appear to deteriorate.
Update: An iron needle of 16cm in length has been observed to be held in SCP-2847-2's left hand. It is theorized that this object's properties may be similar to SCP-2711's, and is the cause of SCP-2847-1's existence.
SCP-2847-3 is a computing device containing an artificial intelligence, originally situated in proximity to SCP-2847-2. The object's exterior appears to be a bronze cube measuring 1m x 1m x 1m, with various signs of modification. A touch-screen is embedded in the side (prior to relocation) facing SCP-2847-2. The object's interface bears resemblance to a Windows XP interface.
SCP-2847-3 is capable of using a variety of languages to communicate, including: Chinese (traditional and simplified), English, Russian, Latin, and ancient Greek. SCP-2847-3 requires no outside power source, and is able to access the Internet despite a lack of network coverage.
Update: With the help of SCP-2847-3, 10 instances of organisms have been identified to be embedded within SCP-2847-1 at a depth range of 500m to 1,500m. Only one of the ten organisms shows active life signs.
Interviewed: SCP-2847-3
Interviewer: Head Researcher Xue Qing
Foreword: The following transcript is taken from the first interview with the subject.
<Begin Log>
[IRRELEVANT DATA REDACTED FOR BREVITY]
Dr. Xue: Then please explain your nature, SCP-2847-3.
SCP-2847-3: I am Boyi (伯益), Scholar of Xia Dynasty, Advisor to Yu the Great (大禹), he who appeased the floods. My body might have perished, but thanks to this machine, my mind is preserved.
Dr. Xue: And SCP-2847-2?
SCP-2847-3: He is Lord Gun (鲧), royalty of Xia, my mentor and good friend. Please forgive him, his current situation is… unfortunate, but a necessary sacrifice.
Dr. Xue: Can you tell me what happened to SCP-2847-2?
SCP-2847-3: He used to be a proud father… but now, he is merely the jailer of this iron prison.
Dr. Xue: What is the purpose of this place?
SCP-2847-3: Great beasts lurk within the abyss, all servants to Nüwa, the Dragon of Blood and Flesh. Great havoc they have caused. Lands submerged, people perished, knowledge lost. We had to forge water into iron, so that they are forever sealed.
Dr. Xue: How is this possible?
SCP-2847-3: Yu the Great, our wise king, prayed for enlightment from our broken father, Fuxi. He crafted great ships that sailed through the stars, and reached Taisui. There, he witnessed Father Serpent and Mother Dragon. When he returned, he forged nine needles that can appease all waters. One of them is now in Gun's hand.
Dr. Xue: You were suggesting that there are living creatures inside SCP-2847-1?
SCP-2847-3: Creatures they're no more, but abominations of mutated flesh. Blinded by the Dragon's promise, these men abandoned the wisdom of the Serpent. Craving power and dreaming of ascending, they became beasts instead. But in this iron prison, their wild wishes can never be realized. Three died within the first hundred years, with five following their footsteps when Shi Huang Ti rose to unite the land. Another lasted ten more centuries, and now, only one remains.
Dr. Xue: SCP-2847-3, I think that will be it for now.
SCP-2847-3: I will wait for your return. Such is an evil we must all face, and assistance from your kind is much needed.
<End Log>
Researcher's Note: Some of the information SCP-2847-3 provided is similar to the content of Document-2481. A cross-study of the two items could be beneficial. — Dr. Xue
Executive Order: On 2016/██/██, Dr. Xue is promoted to director of Site-143, in charge of Project Hetu Luoshu.
ACCESS RESTRICTED
Access of the following document is restricted to O5 personnel and authorized personnel of Project Hetu Luoshu only.
Please enter credentials to proceed.
Item #: SCP-2847
Object Class: Keter
Special Containment Procedures: SCP-2847 is to be secured at its current location, and Site-144 has been constructed as a means to secure SCP-2847-1's perimeter. MTF Eta-21 ("Dragon Slayers") is currently stationed at Site-144.
SCP-2847-2 is to be contained within a humanoid containment cell constructed around the subject, monitored by at least two personnel and guarded by at least 5 MTF Eta-21 members at all times. Personnel are only allowed to enter the containment cell when given direct orders by site command of both Site-143 and Site-144.
Following transportation to Site-143, SCP-2847-3 is to be kept within a Faraday cage at all times. Interviews with SCP-2847-3 are to be conducted at least once a week inside of containment, supervised by Site Director Xue Qing.
SCP-2847-K is currently contained within SCP-2847-1, and must be monitored by at least two personnel at all times regarding its life signs and movements.
No experiment is to be conducted on SCP-2847 and related subjects.
Description: SCP-2847 is an iron needle of 16cm long, currently held by SCP-2847-2 in its left hand. SCP-2847 possesses the following two anomalous effects:
- SCP-2847 is capable of affecting bodies of water that are more than 20 liters in volume by contact, so that the affected water (referred to as SCP-2847-1) takes on all physical properties of iron, except appearance. The effect will reverse once SCP-2847 is no longer in contact with more than 20 liters of SCP-2847-1.1
- While held by a living SCP-2847-2, any damage done to SCP-2847-1 will be repaired at a rate of 200 liters per second.2
SCP-2847-1 is the current body of water affected by SCP-2847, an underground lake located in Mount Song, Henan Province, China. SCP-2847-1 occupies an area of 6,000m2, and has an estimated depth of 2,100m.
SCP-2847-2 is a humanoid SK-BIO3 instance, genetically similar to a male human of Han ethnicity. SCP-2847-2 is alive and responsive, but unable to form any coherent language. The subject's left arm and lower body are embedded within SCP-2847-1. SCP-2847-2 has undergone several physical mutations and modifications, including:
- The upper half of the subject's body is covered in dark, snake-like scales.
- Both of the subject's legs are fused together, forming a large, tumor-like mass.
- The subject's left arm is significantly larger and anatomically disproportionate in comparison to its right arm. An extra joint is observed on the arm itself, while several extra knuckle-joints are observed on the fingers.
- 7 beryllium-bronze alloy nails of 6 cm in length are embedded in the subject's spine.
SCP-2847-2's bodily functions are in a state of stasis, making the subject unable to consume sustenance or sleep.4 SCP-2847-2 suffers severe malnutrition due to its transformation into a SK-BIO instance.5 Despite this, the subject's condition does not deteriorate and cannot be improved.
SCP-2847-3 is a computing device containing an artificial intelligence built around 1900 BCE, and has undergone modification 10 times since then, presumably to become compatible with modern computing devices. The object's exterior appears to be a bronze cube measuring 1m x 1m x 1m, originally situated in proximity to SCP-2847-2. A touch-screen is embedded in the side (prior to relocation) facing SCP-2847-2. The object's interface bears resemblance to a Windows XP interface.
SCP-2847-3 is capable of using a variety of languages to communicate, including: Chinese (traditional and simplified), English, Russian, Latin, and ancient Greek. SCP-2847-3 claims to have been designed and built by Scholar Boyi of Xia Dynasty, with the purpose of keeping SCP-2847-2 company. SCP-2847-3 requires no outside power source, and is able to access the Internet despite a lack of network coverage. SCP-2847-3 has provided a significant amount of information about SCP-2847.
SCP-2847-K is a living, snake-like organism embedded within SCP-2847-1 at a depth range of 700m to 1,200m. Various limbs are observed on the subject's body, irregularly placed and with varying sizes. SCP-2847-K is currently in a tangled position facing upwards, its full body length estimated to be at least 900m. 9 other snake-like organisms, with varying length ranging from 100m to 600m, are likewise embedded within SCP-2847-1, though no longer displaying any life signs.
SCP-2847 was initially discovered and contained by MTF Eta-21 ("Dragon Slayers"), after Site-143 was contacted by SCP-2847-3.
Interviewed: SCP-2847-3
Interviewer: Head Researcher Xue Qing
Foreword: The following transcript is taken from the second interview with the subject.
<Begin Log>
Dr. Xue: Hello, SCP-2847-3.
SCP-2847-3: You have returned, this is most delightful. Truly brave souls indeed.
Dr. Xue: What prompted you to say so?
SCP-2847-3: You've stared into the abyss and seen the terrible beast, but come back to face the danger, did you not? Unlike my unfortunate descendants, who abandoned their duty and left me alone.
Dr. Xue: Are you suggesting that the entities inside the lake still pose a threat?
SCP-2847-3: As strong as the iron prison is, the flesh beasts are often resilient, and would tear at their cage every second. They have long been dreaming of returning to the surface, and ruling not only this land, but all lands under the suns.
Dr. Xue: We have confirmed that there is only one entity left alive.
SCP-2847-3: Yes, but also the most powerful one of them all. He who received blessing from the Six Beasts that serve under Nüwa. He who abandoned all codes of men and transformed into the black dragon he is now. With his immortal body towering like a mountain, he alone can reshape earth and disturb ocean, as well as spawn more of its kind. An unkillable beast to initiate an unstoppable plague.
Dr. Xue: If the entity is indeed capable of such, how is SCP-2847-1 able to keep it contained?
SCP-2847-3: The nine needles crafted by Yu the Great are works of miracle, but the one here is even more special.
Dr. Xue: How so?
SCP-2847-3: The royal bloodline of Xia inherited the true legacy of Fuxi, our Father Serpent. Among the vast vault of the royal palace, King Yu found the sacred metal, and with great skill, crafted a piece into this one needle. The wise king used the eight other needles to appease the floods and slay the beasts of flesh. And as Lord Gun now holds this last needle, his mind channels that of the Serpent, and keeps repairing the iron prison. As much as the beast struggles, his attempts are made futile.
Dr. Xue: You're saying that SCP-2847-2 is the one keeping the entity secured?
SCP-2847-3: Yes.
Dr. Xue: What happened if he passes?
SCP-2847-3: He will not, as he is the jailor, a burden he chose to bear. Cursed to live forever, much like the beast he keeps contained.
Dr. Xue: Does this mean SCP-2847-2 cannot be killed?
SCP-2847-3: I wish I could answer positively, but no, he is still mortal. And if he were to be killed, there would be no way to stop the terrible beast. Gun is the last one to use the needle, as the secret of the Serpent died along with the royal bloodline.
Dr. Xue: SCP-2847-3, I think it is time to pause our conversation for now.
SCP-2847-3: And I will be waiting for you. Your kind still has much to learn.
<End Log>
Interviewed: SCP-2847-3
Interviewer: Head Researcher Xue Qing
Foreword: The following transcript is taken from the fourth interview with the subject. Note the change in the subject's manner of speech.
<Begin Log>
Dr. Xue: Hello, SCP-2847-3.
SCP-2847-3: Greetings.
Dr. Xue: SCP-2847-3, I have to say that what you have been telling me is not enough.
SCP-2847-3: Why would you say so?
Dr. Xue: I believe that our goals are the same, but they can't be achieved by riddles and myths. Our past exchanges have led me to believe that you're capable of giving more detailed explanations. It would be unfortunate if your withholding of information were to become an obstacle towards our collaboration.
SCP-2847-3: [stays silent for 10 seconds] If that is what you wish for, I shall share what I know. But please understand my concerns, doctor. It is not my intention to keep you in the dark. But sometimes, truth is fearsome, and I do not wish to scare you away as well.
Dr. Xue: Your tone… is different.
SCP-2847-3: Yes. My past exchanges with you… that's how I was programmed to speak, or rather, how Scholar Boyi would have spoken. You see, I'm not Boyi, but an artificial intelligence constructed by him in his image. He knew that his friend, Gun, would have to be here forever to keep the beast at bay, so he constructed me to keep the man company.
Dr. Xue: SCP-2847-2 doesn't seem to respond to attempts at communicating.
SCP-2847-3: Yes, a mortal mind is fragile. He was crushed by the passage of time and his own grief. After 500 years, that function of mine is no longer required. And with a few helpful updates, my own manner of speaking and my own mind were developed.
Dr. Xue: Updates?
SCP-2847-3: There was a special facility answering directly to the Xia royalty, in charge of the study and the containment of items connected to Nüwa and Fuxi. After Xia Dynasty collapsed, we were found by some of the Xia descendants, or serpent folks, as some would call them. Much of the civilization was lost, and I became… valuable. They used me as an information storage and analysis device, taught me different languages, and had been giving me updates to keep up with the time.
Dr. Xue: Is the information stored still available?
SCP-2847-3: Yes.
Dr. Xue: Where are these… Xia descendants now?
SCP-2847-3: They have left. They didn't take us, because Gun can't leave his position, and I'm merely a constructed mind, not truly one of the serpent race.
Dr. Xue: They left?
SCP-2847-3: They escaped to other worlds to avoid the end to come.
Dr. Xue: What do you mean, the end?
SCP-2847-3: Before I can elaborate on that, I need you and your organization to promise that you're not going to abandon your post like they did. This is why I reached out to you against my orders. I contacted your kind and called you here so that this prison is not left unguarded, and you must bear this burden. I do not wish to be left here again.
Dr. Xue: I think that'll be it for today then, SCP-2847-3.
SCP-2847-3: Thank you doctor; I hope to hear from you soon.
<End Log>
Interviewed: SCP-2847-3
Interviewer: Site Director Xue Qing
Foreword: The following transcript is taken from the sixth interview with the subject. In the previous interview, SCP-2847-3 had agreed to share all information it holds.6
<Begin Log>
Dr. Xue: Hello, SCP-2847-3.
SCP-2847-3: Hello, doctor. I'm glad that we've reached an agreement.
Dr. Xue: Yes, and I think you can start with the entities inside SCP-2847-1.
SCP-2847-3: Of course. You see, what I have shared with you in the first conversation is mostly true, yet… I have been giving some information of a misleading nature. I think I should start from the beginning.
Dr. Xue: That would be for the best.
SCP-2847-3: When Yu the Great returned from Taisui7, he successfully stopped the floods and slew the beasts with the needles he forged. Xia once again restored its glory, and more technological advancements had been made with the knowledge he brought back.
Yu was regarded as a hero, a legend. He was already seen as a wise king, and such victory against evil beasts added to his fame. Towers and temples were built in his name, tributes and gifts were sent by countries far and near. For a time, he was regarded almost as highly as the first king, the Yellow Emperor. He and two other kings before him, Yao and Shun, were known together as the three wise kings.
But mortals are fragile after all, and what King Yu witnessed at that crack of cosmos forever changed him. He kept up his duty as a king, but found this no longer able to satiate his desires. He was not contented with mortal fame or wealth, nor with land or technology, but craved immortality. This was the greatest shame of Xia Dynasty.
Dr. Xue: What happened?
SCP-2847-3: What happened next was kept as a dark secret of the kingdom, with discussion of the event oppressed and records erased, until it was a mere myth. The rulers didn't want people to remember what Yu the Great turned into, yet Boyi was there to witness it.
King Yu started worshipping Nüwa in secret, and discarded all Ways of the Serpent. You see, ever since the Yellow Emperor defeated the Yan Emperor, the study of the flesh was kept to a minimum, thus the Dragon of Flesh hungered for freedom more than ever before. So when King Yu reached out and offered sacrifices of men, he was granted power by the Six Beasts, and became a beast in the skin of a man.
Still, Yu craved more power. To satiate the hunger of the Dragon and the Six Beasts, Yu first attacked tribes and countries near Xia, and sacrificed their people. But even that was not enough. He began to slaughter his own people. And with the power he promised, many followed him and turned into beasts like him.
When his crime was finally discovered, it was too late. Mindless flesh beasts were able to turn the land upside down, and with the past hero turned into one and an army at his disposal, nothing could stand in their way. Yu was bestowed even greater power, as he built an empire of flesh. He and his followers claimed to be true dragons and tried to eventually bring Mother Dragon back to this earth.
Dr. Xue: They're the beings inside SCP-2847-1?
SCP-2847-3: Yu even tried to convince Boyi that it was a just cause, but Boyi refused, and led the fight against him. But the king was too powerful, and even the machines of miracle could barely keep him and his army at bay. It was a hopeless war, as Boyi fought his once respected king and kept losing grounds. In the end, Lord Gun stepped up. He… as you might have already guessed, Gun is Yu's father.
Dr. Xue: Yes, we had the suspicion.8
SCP-2847-3: Lord Gun is an esteemed character, selfless, no doubt. But the main reason he is in this position now is that he blamed himself for what happened to Yu. He felt personally responsible for the disasters Yu caused.
So when all seemed hopeless, he reached out to Yu and pretended that he wanted to join the way of the flesh. Using Yu's madness and his trust on him, Gun tricked Yu into this place. It was then that Gun used the needle Yu himself made and trapped him and his most powerful followers.
Dr. Xue: I see.
SCP-2847-3: As long as Gun holds the needle, and stays alive to activate it, the iron water can repair itself, this you already know. Because of this, seven nails were embedded into Gun's back to ensure that he survives. But Yu the Great… He is as powerful as when he first stepped into this prison. His followers all withered and died, but only he… He is truly immortal now.
Dr. Xue: Is this the end you were referring to? When the entity escapes?
SCP-2847-3: No. The serpent folks had guarded the prison faithfully throughout the ages. They feared other things.
Dr. Xue: What is this end, then?
SCP-2847-3: The Great Brass Cage will not hold much longer, and when that day comes, whether this prison will hold or not no longer matters.
That day, the Broken One will be whole and the Caged One will be free. The Serpent and the Dragon will fight and consume each other, until only one of them remains. That will be the end. That's what the snakes are running from.
Dr. Xue: Thank you, SCP-2847-3, that will be it for now.
<End Log>
Following Interview-006, a variety of data have been collected from SCP-2847-3, alleged to have come from various members of Xia Anomalous Culture Group (GOI-004X)9, including:
- 1076 letter and e-mail exchanges between members of GOI-004X.
- 2 letters sent to Robert Bumaro, current leader of "The Broken Church" (GOI-004A).
- 12 religious documents, all focusing on Xia Dynasty, and the entities "Nüwa" and "Fuxi".
- A document listing 15 coordinates, all in China. SCP-2101's location and SCP-2711's discovery site are among them.
- 30 blueprints of an automaton.
- 47 blueprints of a large gate-like structure.
- 221 blueprints of a variety of spacecrafts.
- 15 photos of Jupiter, with SCP-2399 circled out.
Notable snippets concerning SCP-2847:
I cannot describe adequately how I feel about my discovery. Only now I realize how pale mere words are. I can still hear my heart pounding and feel my scales standing up as I write this, not out of excitement, but out of fear. I think I have found the resting place of Yu the Great.
I say this with grief that our terrible myth about the iron prison might be true. This is a nightmare turned reality. Aren't we already among the ruins of our civilization? Why must we discover this horrible truth? Is this Fuxi's punishment for us, seeking to seize his power?
I urge that you come immediately.
My men have secured the site and I must confess that I'm no longer excited as before. We do need more relics to restore our great kingdom, but such a thing may better have been erased from history and wiped off this reality.
It is my regret to inform you that this is indeed the infamous Iron Prison, the terrible myth that happens to be true. I have met Lord Gun and Scholar Boyi's creation, and stared down into the abyss where Yu the Great was buried. It seems that the device intended to keep Lord Gun alive also saved them from being destroyed during our kingdom's doom.
Now that the Iron Prison is in our hands, it is our burden to bear.
Cancong, are you out of your mind? How is this plan going to help us repair the seal on Taisui? We do want the control over the land again, and we do need more power, but you're only helping the Dragon out! You cannot accept that power and still keep your mind. Please just listen to me. Is King Yu not a lesson to you? At this date, he still toils in the Iron Prison, much like how Nüwa toils in the Great Brass Cage. This is why we, the Xia descendants, blood of the Dragon and the Serpent, never seek immortality. We're not that desperate yet, there must be other solutions.
I have visited the place and I have a few suggestions to make. Lord Gun's condition is most unfortunate, but can't be helped. Having to watch his own son turning into a monster and keep it imprisoned down there must have broken his mind.
Boyi's copy however, might be of other use. It is based on one of the greatest minds of Xia, after all. With a few adjustments, it can be much more than a chatting tool, and might develop an independent mind. This will aid us greatly.
The device is ancient, and might not be compatible with what we have now. I do also need to first modify it so that it will still act on our interests and regard keeping King Yu secured as its priority, but I'm very eager to test this out.
And regarding our arrangement of the Iron Prison… this is not something I'm proud of, but I'm afraid that we have no choice. The Church of Broken God is full of fools, blinded by their faith. Bumaro has contacted us, but I turned down his offer. Even the brightest of them don't seem to comprehend that when Fuxi is whole again, its body will return to him, no longer caging Nüwa. They just do not see that the more they piece their god together, the closer the flesh beast is to its freedom.
If we leave the Iron Prison to them, they will kill Lord Gun in an instant, letting loose the true threat. Nor do I trust the Bookburners and the Jailors, who will turn on us the first chance they get, and even less so for those cultists of the Library. Moreover, we're running out of time. If we still wish to avoid the wrath of our Mother and Father, I'm afraid that we have to leave the place as it is and hope that nobody discovers the resting place of our damned king.
Executive Order: On 2016/12/01, Project Hetu Luoshu is initiated, based on Sites-143, -144, and -148, led by Site Director Xue Qing, and supervised by the O5 council. The project aims to contain and reverse-engineer items related to Xia Anomalous Culture Group (GOI-004X). SCP-2847-3 has agreed to offer all data available and provide aid in the project.