SCP-3777

Description

SCP-3777 is a mobile humanoid automaton approximately 50 m in height, which is mostly composed of clay and brass machine parts, some etched with legible inscriptions¹. Embedded within SCP-3777 are scraps of parchment upon which the Tetragrammaton² is written. SCP-3777 occupies a ruin north of Ephesus, Turkey, which is believed to have been a 1^st century CE Jewish synagogue. SCP-3777 does not display any signs of sapience, but behaves in accordance with a four-phase routine:

• During Phase α, SCP-3777 behaves passively, standing at the center of the ruin which it occupies (henceforth designated Point Ω).
• During Phase β, SCP-3777 behaves territorially, patrolling in a counterclockwise circle around Point Ω. SCP-3777 will aggressively prevent individuals from approaching Point Ω by attempting to crush such individuals with its feet, but it will not pursue those who are fleeing from the ruin. SCP-3777 will transition from Phase α to Phase β when an individual approaches within 3 m of Point Ω.
• During Phase γ, SCP-3777 behaves passively, by approaching Point Ω and repeatedly punching directly ahead. Foundation researchers believe that this behavior is intended to damage the ruin, but it is ineffective in doing so due to the ruin's low height and the positioning of SCP-3777's arms. SCP-3777 will transition from Phase β to Phase γ after an hour has elapsed since entering Phase β.
• During Phase δ, SCP-3777 behaves erratically, walking in random directions around and across Point Ω. At times, SCP-3777 will strike itself, although it sustains little damage from this behavior. SCP-3777 will transition from Phase γ to Phase δ after five minutes have elapsed since entering Phase γ. After nine hours have elapsed since entering Phase δ, SCP-3777 will return to Phase α.

It is believed by Foundation historians that SCP-3777 was unintentionally created as the result of a localized anomalous conflict between Jewish and Mekhanite³ residents of Ephesus during the 1^st century CE. Two contemporary sources provide accounts of the creation of SCP-3777: the unabridged Antiquities of the Jews by Josephus⁴, and the Mekhanite Book of Apostates⁵. These sources are reproduced below.

Accessing "Antiquities of the Jews, Unabridged" by Josephus (Department of Antiquities: 1911.87.43)…

Now in those days the worshipers of Mekhane, who is called the Broken God by some, were strongly persecuting the Jews in Ephesus. In all Ephesus the hand of the Mekhanites was against the Jews, and the Jews of Ephesus dared not appear in the public places lest they suffer the Mekhanites' wrath. Now there was a wise teacher of the Jews named Enoch, who saw the plight of his people, and was greatly displeased. In his displeasure he read from the Book of Creation⁶, and was inspired. Writing the holy name of the Most High, he made a golem—a man of clay—and bade it protect the synagogue. (Surely the Jewish people exceed even the Mekhanites in such arts!)

Indeed, the golem repulsed the Mekhanites, but they were a stubborn people, and would not relent. Thus the Mekhanites built many constructs—men of brass—and bade them attack the synagogue. At first, the golem was overwhelmed, and the Jews of Ephesus struggled to hold the synagogue, but Enoch was not deterred. Ordering all the scrolls of the synagogue to be brought to him, he cut them apart, wrote the holy name of the Most High a thousand times more, and bade the golem to gather clay from nearby. With this clay Enoch formed another golem, and bade this new golem to do the same as the first. In this manner Enoch then formed 999 more golems to protect the synagogue.

Now the Mekhanites were repulsed once more, but the chief builder among them—a man named Demetrius⁷, a silversmith—called upon the Mekhanites of all Anatolia and Attica, and the men of brass descended upon Ephesus in the tens of thousands. And so the men of clay and the men of brass fought, and neither side gained the upper hand in battle.

Now on the fifth day of the melee there was a great storm, and torrential rain fell upon the area. The men of clay, still freshly molded, became nothing more than writhing lumps of clay, while the men of brass rusted and became immobile. When the storm had passed, all the Jews and Mekhanites of Ephesus saw that there were no more men of clay or brass, but a colossus of clay and brass. This colossus wreaked such havoc throughout all Ephesus that not even the legions of the emperor could put an end to it. Thus Ephesus was evacuated, and the Jews and Mekhanites of Ephesus were harshly proscribed.

Accessing "Book of Apostates" by Demetrius of Ephesus (Department of Antiquities: 1978.63.47)…