SCP-900
City of the Sun
Remnants of one of SCP-900's 52 shrines. SCP-900-1, in red, is visible seated in front of the arch. Photo provided by Field Operative Bracey.
Special Containment Procedures
Site-78 encompasses the entirety of the areas of SCP-900 that have not been submerged. The perimeter is to be surrounded by electric fence. Two snipers are to be stationed at each guard tower during daylight hours, with four during nighttime hours. SCP-900-1's quarters near the River Gate are to be guarded by 2 armed agents at all times. Personnel are authorized to administer Class C amnestics to any and all trespassers. Trespassers are to be taken to the police station in [REDACTED].
Description
SCP-900 is an abandoned city located on and around an island ███ km southwest of [REDACTED] Province, Indonesia. Its total area is approximately 150 km2. Foundation archaeologists estimate SCP-900 was most likely built between ██████ and █████ BCE and collapsed between ████ and ████ BCE. Multiple ancient and medieval historians have made possible mention of SCP-900's destruction, including Thucydides and St. Bede (see Document CTE5-86).
The majority of SCP-900's structures are no longer standing. Remains of stairs, granite block foundations, and a few archways are still intact. At its height, the city was surrounded by stone walls and was divided into three districts: the temple district, the market district, and the housing district. SCP-900's largest structure, Temple 1, was the main center of worship. Two smaller temples (Temples 2 - 7) exist in each of SCP-900's districts, and 52 smaller shrines are found outside SCP-900's walls. Three of SCP-900's gates have been destroyed, but the "Grey Gate" and the "River Gate" remain intact. The Grey Gate was apparently used for common people and the River Gate served as a harbor.
SCP-900's boundaries are marked by a disruption of electronic equipment, including but not limited to loss of function, shutdown, distortion or amplification of display devices, et cetera. Audio equipment within 3 km of Site-78 may sporadically experience incidental "white noise" signals across multiple frequencies.
SCP-900-1, a female humanoid, is the sole resident of SCP-900 and the source of much of the information regarding SCP-900's history. SCP-900-1 speaks and writes an unknown language, and she has cooperated with Dr. Kipp and Researcher Liddell to create a word list with corresponding pictograms. SCP-900-1 resists shows of force by [DATA EXPUNGED]. SCP-900-1 will not attempt to leave Site-78 under any circumstances.
SCP-900-1 was [SECTION REMOVED BY O5 ORDER. CLEARANCE LEVEL 5 REQUIRED FOR ACCESS]
Addendum 1 Relevant sections from the personal notes of Agent Narino, ██/██/██ (Full recordings available on request from Dr. Kipp):
"The 'white noise' bursts audible over radio equipment are intensifying and growing in clarity. They're background noise like you'd hear in just about any major city … [for] the most part, they're just ambient sound, but they seem to actually be area specific. Major streets have the sound of many footsteps, occasionally what sounds like traffic. We've even caught what sounds like speech in some places. Soon, we may be able to [record] an understandable fragment…"
" … getting louder every day. [We] can hear the voices clearly. ██████'s translated a bit. It's mostly [DATA EXPUNGED] and lots of military chatter. Troop movements, that sort of thing. We can hear them drilling in some of the courtyards … "
" … it sounded like [DATA EXPUNGED] gunshots, but deeper."
Addendum 2 On ██/██/██, SCP-900-1 was interviewed within Site-78 by the Site Director, Dr. Kipp. SCP-900-1 was questioned about SCP-900. The following is a list of questions asked by Dr. Kipp and their answers, written by SCP-900-1. Translations and annotations were written by Researcher Liddell.
Please give a brief history of the city.
It was built for the people1 by the sun2. The others like you were jealous that they could not build a fine city themselves. The jealousy was a small problem at first. Over time it grew into a war. The people were strong, but the others numbered more. The others overwhelmed them in every battle.[DATA EXPUNGED]
The sun cursed the others with a veil5 over their eyes, and the sun leapt from the sanctum. The sea swept over the ruins.
Why are you here?
I have been punished for my lack of faith.How long have you lived in the city?
Many high tides. I do not count them.Have you ever left?
No.Are you capable of leaving?
I have been punished for my lack of faith.Did humans look and behave differently from the way they do now?
They wore skins of creatures. They had no gods. They wanted to butcher the sun.How many people would you estimate lived here at its peak?
There are ██████ of us.Are you alone on the island?
There are ██████ of us.Is the geography of the surrounding area any different today than when the city was populated?
There has always been the sea, but the city has not always been drowned6.Our radio interference has been getting louder over the past few months. Do you have an explanation?
The sun will take back its creation.1 'The people' refers to a specific ethnic group or tribe SCP-900-1 was a member of. They considered themselves separate and superior to other groups.
2 The 'sun' is called this for lack of a better word in English. I can sum up the actual meaning as roughly 'personification of spiritual and intellectual enlightenment.' Nonetheless, the 'sun' has many properties of the real sun ascribed to it, such as the ability to burn things. Both the real sun and this figurative sun are represented as discs on Temple 1's walls.
3 [DATA EXPUNGED]
4 I don't have an exact translation for this one - 'eyes' or 'fire' may be the most plausible, but it could also refer in an oblique way to a particular star or a dagger.
5 Could also mean 'shadow.'
6 Could also mean 'clouded.' When this word is applied to a person, it could also mean 'strangled.'