 Item No. SCP-1173 Object Class Euclid Special Containment Procedures Knowledge of the existence of the IDAS is to be expunged from all databases and sources at earliest convenience. This removal is to include online and print sources, containment will be considered complete when information regarding SCP-1173 is present in Foundation databases only. Active attempts to contain SCP-1173 are suspended at this time. Please consult Addendum SCP-1173-1 for details. 3D class personnel infected with SCP-1173 are to be kept at Site-38 for limited testing purposes. Any unauthorized use of the operative phrase for SCP-1173 transmission outside of testing protocols is to result in termination and replacement. While the current need to contain SCP-1173 is paramount, under no circumstances are Foundation personnel to directly engage in hostile action against individuals attempting to spread SCP-1173. Efforts to contain SCP-1173 should focus on discovering the nature of SCP-1173 and researching methods of eliminating SCP-1173, regardless of whatever actions may be required to accomplish this. However, all Foundation units are to refrain from attacking one another for any reason, including as part of an attempt to contain SCP-1173. Document 1173-A is to be deleted at earliest opportunity and all affected personnel treated. As per Protocol-1173 Amicron, until such a time as the nature of SCP-1173 can be more definitively determined and anti-mimetic measures can be carried out. That conflict between affected personnel and standard Foundation personnel is to be avoided. Discussion of SCP-1173 in an unofficial capacity is strictly forbidden to avoid interpersonal conflict among Foundation personnel. Description SCP-1173 is a mimetic phenomenon centered around a delusional belief in a political entity known as the Islamic Union of Eastern Samothrace, or IDAS. Affected individuals will possess varying degrees of understanding or awareness of the history or culture of the IDAS, but interviews with individuals under the influence of SCP-1173 have isolated several key characteristics that the political entity is commonly described as possessing. Geographically, the IDAS appears to be a primarily Greek-speaking nation, comprising a small mainland enclave on the Anatolian Peninsula and a series of islands in the North Eastern Aegean Sea. As the name would indicate, within the context of the delusion, a significant portion of the population practice is Sunni Islam, with a limited number of Shia practitioners, and a small group of Syriac Orthodox Christians, though the latter group has largely left the country due to religious conflict. Individuals can become infected with SCP-1173 only by hearing an operant sentence spoken aloud in their presence by an infected individual. Through research, the operant sentence has been determined to be, you hear about that thing down in Samothrace. Individuals have heard this sentence frequently express minor interest in the ensuing conversation, which invariably describes some sort of interesting military conflict, massacre, famine, drought, ethnic cleansing, or other atrocity occurring within the country. Uninfected individuals have what foundation researchers have termed a passive resistance to information regarding the IDAS. Such individuals will consistently and without fail ignore or fail to observe any data or information regarding the nation unless directly ordered to take in information on the subject. After becoming infected with SCP-1173, individuals will begin noticing references and details to the current status of the IDAS in news and other print sources. Individuals will begin noticing references to older versions of the nation, often referred to as Mahometin Samathras, in works of classic literature dating back to the 17th century, and will occasionally make casual references to Samothrace in the same vein as Timbuktu or Bangkok, meaning an obscure backwater of literal importance. The delusion of the existence of the IDAS is not directly harmful to most individuals. However, research into schizophrenia carried out by the Foundation for unrelated reasons generated a series of connections between SCP-1173 infection and certain previously unexplained psychological abnormalities. Specifically, a significant number, upwards of 800 of homeless or institutionalized individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia, have been found to be infected with SCP-1173. Moreover, when interviewed as a part of psychological therapy, many of them describe themselves as veterans of an American counter-insurgency force in the IDAS. Individuals affected in this way frequently describe close encounters with children and pregnant mothers as suicide bombers, futile attacks by poorly armed partisans ending in massacres, and war crimes committed by the occupying US troops. Particularly lucid instances of these individuals make vague references to strained geopolitical relations with Russia, which feels threatened by the American incursion, and China, which is described as being engaged in large-scale combat with a heavily armed Uyghur Revolutionary Army inspired by the Samothracian Resistance. Addendum 1173-1 After the discovery of SCP-1173, a survey of Foundation personnel revealed extensive SCP-1173 infection at all levels of the chain of command. Attempts to establish and execute containment procedures were complicated due to efforts by other Foundation units to deliberately infect more individuals with SCP-1173. These conflicts developed in the sporadic armed fights between Foundation units before protocol 1173 on the crime was put into place, banning all unofficial communication between personnel regarding 1173 and agreeing to maintain the contemporary equilibrium between infected and uninfected individuals, estimated as groups of approximately equal size. Addendum 1173-2 If you're reading this, the computer had verified you to be uninfected through subtle tests of certain subconscious reactions you have had to key words placed throughout this document. Congratulations, researcher, you've been drafted. God help you. The Omicron Protocol was never intended to be permanent. Many of us tried to help our infected comrades, help to cure them, help them see the truth. Those of us that remain uninfected knew the idea of allowing Foundation personnel to remain under the influence of a dangerous memetic virus completely unchecked was madness. But a civil war between Foundation units was even more unthinkable to be compromised, temporarily. You are now part of a resistance movement, whether you like it or not. History has placed a responsibility on your shoulders. You cannot be told who is on your side and who is it, and you will never know in most cases. You will not be contacted at any other time regarding the subject, and you will never be able to prove that you received this message in the first place. The infected are all around us, every day, friends, loved ones, parents, even children. There is a way to counteract the infection, but it has its risks. You must procure a compound from Foundation Pharmacology, known as Class-O-Amnestic. If you put in a request for it and sympathetic personnel receives an order, they should deliver a box with several hypersprays to you. Whenever possible, you are to isolate personnel, engage them in conversation, determine their level of awareness regarding the Islamic Republic of Eastern Samothrace, how you accomplish this is up to you, determine their infection status, and deliver the antidote if necessary. The infected still believe that we are keeping to the truth. With a concerted effort, we can eliminate the infection from the Foundation. This must be done. We cannot allow the last line of Humanities' defense against the anomalous suffer at the hands of an anomaly. This message is approved by O-52, O-53, O-56, O-58, O-510, and O-513. This message is not to be kept in official records. This message is not to be copied or replicated. SCP-1173-A Item number SCP-1173 Object Class Euclid Special Containment Procedures Knowledge of the existence of the IDAS is to be promulgated into as many databases and reputable sources as early as convenience. This spread of information is to include online and print sources. Even the SCP-1173 will be considered complete when information regarding the IDAS is present in the many scholarly databases, media outlets, and literature as is possible. Active attempts to contain SCP-1173 are suspended at this time. Please consult Addendum SCP-1173-A for details. 3D class personnel infected with SCP-1173 are to be kept at Site-26 for limited testing purposes. Any unauthorized use of the operative phrase for SCP-1173 treatment outside of testing protocols is the result in termination and replacement. While the current need to contain SCP-1173 is still considered a vital one, under no circumstances are Foundation personnel to directly engage in hostile action against individuals attempting to spread SCP-1173. Efforts to contain SCP-1173 should focus on discovering the nature of SCP-1173 and researching methods of eliminating SCP-1173, regardless of whatever actions may be required to accomplish this. However, all Foundation units are to refrain from attacking one another for any reason, including as a part of an attempt to contain SCP-1173. Document SCP-1173-1 is to be deleted at earliest opportunity, and all affected personnel treated. As per Protocol-1173 Omicron, until such a time as the nature of SCP-1173 can be more definitively determined and anti-mimetic measures can be carried out, direct conflict between affected personnel and standard Foundation personnel is to be avoided. Discussion of SCP-1173 in an unofficial capacity is strictly forbidden to avoid interpersonal conflict among Foundation personnel. Description SCP-1173 is a memetic phenomenon associated with the political body known as the Islamic Republic of Eastern Samothrace, currently the recognized government of the area traditionally known as Eastern Samothrace and associated island territories. The Greek-speaking nation, centered on a small mainland enclave on the Anatolan Peninsula in a series of islands in the northeastern Aegean Sea, is a resource poor region previously known for its valuable port cities. The majority of population practice as Sunni Islam, with a limited number of Shia practitioners and a small group of Syriac Orthodox Christians, though the latter group has largely left the country due to religious conflict in the area. The nation is largely known for its semi-constant warfare taking place within its borders, typically centered around religious, ethnic, or political differences. SCP-173 has the effect of completely erasing all awareness of the existence of the IDAS from the memory or perception of infected individuals. Infected individuals will not recall the existence of Eastern Samothrace as a region, the IDAS of the government, or the persistent conflict and privation of the country's populace as newsworthy pieces of information. The persistent spread of SCP-1173 throughout the human population has helped to minimize awareness of the country's difficulties and therefore reduce the amount of assistance people have received, increasing suffering throughout the region. The initial vector for infection is unknown. However, SCP-1173 can be countered through use of an operant sentence spoken aloud in the presence of infected individuals by an unaffected individual. Through research, the operant sentence has been determined to be, you hear about that thing down in Samothrace? Individuals that have heard this sentence frequently express minor interest in the consuming conversation, which invariably leads to a greater degree of interest in Samothrace in affairs and appears to permit individuals to retain awareness and knowledge of the IDAS. This will rapidly lead to the restoration of an individual's memory of the country's present situation and classical contributions to Western culture. An individual able to retain such memories is considered cured of SCP-1173. While most individuals infected with SCP-1173 are able to live otherwise normal lives, recent research has suggested a secondary effect from SCP-1173 infection. This effect has been observed specifically with individuals coming into close proximity with Syriac Christian refugees from Samothrace that have settled in the United States. While at least 20,000 Syriac families have done so in the last 15 years. In at least 21 separate instances, individuals with no commonalities other than SCP-1173 infection status have become extremely angry to the point of psychosis when in the presence of Samothracean refugees leading to acts of violence. Many of these acts were unaccompanied by any explanation for their behavior, and attackers frequently expressed remorse and confusion at their own actions afterwards. However, in eight documented instances, attackers were noted to shout, you can't be real, repeatedly in a grave volume during the assault. Addendum 1173-A After the discovery of SCP-1173, a survey of Foundation personnel revealed extensive SCP-1173 infection at all levels of the chain of command. As to establish and execute containment procedures were complicated due to efforts by other Foundation units to deliberately infect more individuals with SCP-1173. These conflicts developed in the sporadic armed fight between Foundation units before protocol 1173 Omicron was put into place, banning all unofficial communication between personnel regarding 1173 and agreeing to maintain the contemporary equilibrium between infected and uninfected individuals. Estimated as groups of approximately equal size. Addendum 1173-B If you're reading this, the computer has verified you to be uninfected through subtle tests of certain subconscious reactions you have had the key words placed throughout this document. Congratulations, researcher, you've been drafted, God help you. A civil war between Foundation units was unthinkable, so be compromised. Yet an uninfected Foundation personnel agreed to leave one another alone. We weren't sure what caused SCP-1173, but observed trends showed the number of infected was declining as a result of our containment methods. A simple sentence spread by civilians would contain SCP-1173 for us. We felt time was on our side, but they cheated. The infected are all around us, every day, friends, loved ones, parents, even children. They found a way to spread the infection to more Foundation personnel through a compound known as Class-O amnestic. They put in a request for it at Foundation Pharmacology, and there are frequently infected personnel there to receive the order. We sabotage the orders as often as possible, but they're still infecting the rest of us. You are now part of a resistance movement, whether you like it or not. History has placed a responsibility on your shoulders. You cannot be told who is on your side and who is it. You will never know in most cases. You will not be contacted at any other time regarding this subject, and you will never be able to prove that you've received this message in the first place. Whenever possible, you are to isolate personnel, engage them in conversation, determine their level of awareness regarding the Islamic Republic of Eastern Samothrace. How you accomplish this is up to you. Determine their infection status, and recite the operative sentence as described in this document. The infected don't know that we've found out about them. With a concerted effort, we can eliminate the infection from the Foundation. This must be done. We cannot allow the last line of humanity's defense against the anomalous suffer at the hands of an anomaly. This message is approved by O-54, O-55, O-57, O-59, O-511, and O-512. This message not to be kept in official records. This message not to be copied or replicated. Memorandum 117 regarding Project 025 Project 025 Codename Nowhere Guard Head, Ibn Rushddin Author, Bijan Destination, Janna Memorandum 0117 Page 1 of 2 February 11, 2007 Confidential Islamic Artifact Reclamation Directorate Shemaran Tawran Province Islamic Republic of Iran From Operative Bijan To General Actual Subject Status Update Special Equipment Slash Personnel Requisition Type KHE-08 Reference Project 025 Memorandum 0112 Memorandum 0115 Enclosed One Stash Report Wslash Rslash T Project 025 5.ya Personnel Requested for Project 025 1. Cooperation between Type 1 Standard Personnel and Operational Head Operative Ibn Rushddin Remains within acceptable parameters Reconnaissance of Kamario Tisa has yielded nothing of significance 2. Cooperation between Type 2 Special Personnel and Operational Head Operative Ibn Rushddin has deviated to below acceptable parameters Ibn Rushddin requests assignment of new Type 2 Special Personnel to replace current operatives It is in the opinion of Memorandum author that behavior of Operational Head is led directly to decline in cooperation Particularly the use by Operational Head of slurs and terms that Type 2 Special Personnel are understood to find demeaning and unpleasant Masnoudi Shaitani Jeani Summary of Current Status 3. 4 Type 1 Standard Personnel based at Safehouse 6655 and deployed throughout Port City of Kamario Tisa Island of Samothrace Everest Regional Unit Hellenic Republic of Greece All personnel report common conditions as expected Mining of Granite and Basalt Revenue generated through tourism and vacationing Visitors to the sanctuary of the Greek gods and hikers Greek citizens appear generally contented and do not demonstrate anomalous behavior or characteristics 4. 5 Type 2 Special Personnel based at Safehouse 6655 and deployed throughout Port City of Kamaria Largest city and most economically relevant port of a political body known as The Islamic Republic of Eastern Samothrace, IDAS This micro nation is considered the proper government of Samothrace Island as well as several islands in the northeastern Aegean Sea and a portion of the Turkish mainland by humans under the influence of a medic formula DEC-4 Type 2 Special Personnel operate under influence of chemical compound SSK-A8 This allows exclusive access to the nowhere world the Jeani term for the Samothrace phenomenon Type 2 Special Personnel are not susceptible to the medic formula DEC-4 for obvious reasons and our chemists have still failed to produce a method of relieving the chronic psychosis that comes from extended exposure to the Samothrace phenomenon by type 1 standard personnel Jeani have to date recovered from use of compound SSK-A8 with no permanent side effects 5. Intelligence regarding the Samothrace phenomenon derived from type 2 special personnel has gleaned copious information regarding nature of Samothraceian anomaly However, much of this information is difficult to comprehend due to after effects of compound SSK-A8 Deep briefings of type 2 special personnel suggest that the Samothracean anomaly is a subunit of a larger area and that the Islamic Republic of Eastern Samothrace is likely part of a larger area that is presently inaccessible to us However, the specific nature of the Samothrace anomaly appears to surpass standard alternate universe understandings of transdimensional space and is more similar to reality-unreality-dualistic states Memorandum author predicts that Project Matakia will likely shed more light into this concept as it develops 6. Despite shortwave radio instruction from base of operations outside the affected area type 1 standard personnel were unable to contact or visually locate any type 2 special personnel despite physical proximity and conventional three-dimensional space 7. Type 2 special personnel were typically capable of receiving type 1 standard personnel in other humans even when heavily dosed with compound SSK-A8 Type 2 special personnel on the Kamaria side of the anomaly described a feeling when near or on location occupied by a human on the Kamariotisa side Type 2 special personnel balked, mocked, or otherwise rejected suggestion that this determined or affected the question of comparative reality of the two sides 8. Type 2 special personnel have proven able to identify and either neutralize, incapacitate, or take possession of infiltrators from other organizations including the organization Kaida-SEP, though possession has not yet produced infiltrators in the Kaida-SEP sites to date. Operational Head Ibn Rustin has authorized such infiltration when opportunities arise 9. This memorandum drafted and transmitted February 11, 2007 Operative Bijan Footnote 1 Code phrase Have you heard of this incident in Samothrace? Communicate it interpersonal using any audible, linguistic, or manual communication method Requires physical presence of single-expressor and receiver on 1-1 basis Footnote 2 Exit from Interview 6355 We walk through this town and see an area alien to us An area we find unreal An area that is nowhere Just as one side of a strip of ribbon does not think the other side is real You humans have found an incantation that shows you part of the other side of the ribbon, but you cannot see both sides at once We see both sides in the places where the ribbon frays, such as here Your potions alone keep this sight from driving us mad Footnote 3 Exit from Interview 6370 Force us not to tread our feet across the ribbon over much While looking across both sides of this world instills madness into your minds, pulling still the threads that bind all we know together will yet instill madness into the world