SCP-3048
Tantalus
A major component of SCP-3048's diet
Special Containment Procedures
SCP-3048 is to reside in a standard humanoid containment cell. Approved reading materials and entertainment devices are to be provided and may be rotated out on a monthly basis. To better accommodate the anomaly's diet, a small refrigeration unit should be maintained within the containment room. The entity is currently housed at Site-06-3.
Meals containing 3-5 items named in Document #3048-03 should be provided three times daily. Dietary supplements must be provided with these rations. No beverages or unapproved edible substances should accompany any meal. The entity may request certain items to be included in its next meal; these must be approved by the senior researcher in charge of its case, currently Dr. Florence Daley.
As the entity is incapable of consuming beverages, it must be provided hydration via intravenous line. Authorized medical personnel may enter the containment cell to perform tasks related to the maintenance of this several times per day.
Description
SCP-3048 is a middle-aged human male of European descent possessing ginger hair and gray eyes. Its height has been measured at 1.64 meters and its mass most recently at 46.3 kilograms. The entity has expressed preference for the name "Reuben Moretti", but it is equally responsive to the designation SCP-3048.
Upon initial recovery, the anomaly was described as moderately emaciated. It has since regained 10 kg of body mass under the prolonged care of the Foundation. Medical examiners now consider the entity slightly malnourished.
The entity's primary anomalous trait is its inability to imbibe most forms of food and beverage. Drinkable liquids, when brought near the entity's mouth, spontaneously evaporate. No change in temperature or pressure surrounding this event has been observed. Edible substances not listed under document #3048-03 exhibit a variety of anomalous characteristics when within a 20-30 cm radius of the anomaly's mouth. The most common characteristics of these substances, as noted by Foundation researchers, are spontaneous combustion and temporary loss of the properties of friction.
SCP-3048 was recovered 18/01/2017 on a partially-developed Mediterranean island 90 km off the coast of Turkey. It is believed that the anomalous entity remained the sole resident there between the years of 1602 and 2005. With additional investigation, it has been determined that the island itself is non-anomalous.
Foundation operatives first noticed the entity while it was in the employ of a health resort venture on the island. The health resort had been established there in 2005 by a Greek tourism company. When pressed to explain how it came to speak fluent modern English, the anomaly claimed to have been taught the language by ████ McLoughlin, its shift manager at the resort hotel.
The anomaly has asserted that it arrived on the island after becoming shipwrecked. Historical records and recent diving expeditions have verified the existence of a shipwreck in the location and of the name given. A list of 53 persons who departed from Venice in late 1601 on the lost ship ███████ was recovered from a museum in Northern Ireland.
Two persons listed on the ship manifest are of current interest to Foundation researchers. One is a 41 year old man by the name of Reuben Moretti, who was hired as the vessel's cook. The other is a 17 year old boy listed as Teo-Carlo Moretti. SCP-3048 has not previously mentioned relatives accompanying it on its shipwrecked voyage.
Document #3048-03: A list of foods which SCP-3048 is capable of consuming. For a record of how the contents of this document were determined, see Experiment Log #3048-1.
- Meat1 and dairy products:
- Cheez Whiz and variations thereof
- Some forms of nacho cheese sauce
- Most brands of whipped cream
- Very thick protein shakes
- Fruit and vegetable products:
- Maraschino cherries
- Carbohydrates:
- Pop-tarts
- Cheetos
- Cheesy poofs
- Other:
- Jell-O
- Artificially-flavored fruit snacks
- Gummy candies
- Marshmallows2
- Dietary supplements in the form of pills or capsules
Addendum #3048-1: SCP-3048 has been highly compliant to the Foundation's wishes since its arrival. I find myself disinclined to gamble this willing cooperation by questioning the entity about a teenager's name on a 400 year old manifest. Yes, we know the myth of Tantalus and what he did to merit his punishment; however, any parallels that the myth may share with the entity's history hardly have any bearing on our current research. This having been said, if anyone absolutely has to interrogate the anomaly about that aspect of its past, please do so with low-grade amnestics on hand. — Dr. Daley