A chemical spill wipes out a population of olms. Three years later, the Foundation discovers something strange in the depths of the cave these blind salamanders used to call home.
{$caption}
“There are, O valiant hero, other things whose forms once-changed as these, have so remained, but there are some who take on many shapes, as you have, Proteus, dweller of the deep — the deep whose arms embrace the earth.”
-Ovid, Metamorphoses
Item#: 9075
Level4
Containment Class:
keter
Secondary Class:
none
Disruption Class:
keneq
Risk Class:
danger
A section of Postojna Cave formerly open to the public prior to the events of 2077/02/09.
Special Containment Procedures:
The Foundation has been cooperating with the Manna Charitable Foundation (MCF) to manage and mitigate the effects of SCP-9075 in Postojna, Slovenia.
Foundation agents embedded in Postojna have taken on cover identities as MCF employees. Personnel are to monitor residents for any indications of SCP-9075-A sightings and respond accordingly. Postojna Cave has been permanently closed to the public with guards stationed at the current entrance to prevent any unauthorized access. Class-V full-body hazmat gear is required for any personnel entering the cave.
A pediatric clinic jointly run by the Foundation and the MCF has been established in the city to identify instances of SCP-9075-B. Any discovered instances, along with their families, are to be taken immediately into Foundation care at Facility L27, with cover stories disseminated to the community to explain their disappearance.
SCP-9075-A instances are to be left alone unless found outside Postojna Cave. Instances are to be captured and relocated inside the cave; neutralization of instances is only permitted if such relocation is not possible. Agents are to notify researchers immediately if a new variety of SCP-9075-A is discovered.
The Department of Herpetology’s batrachology division is to monitor olm populations outside the nation of Slovenia for any anomalous changes in physiology. Any such changes must be reported to the SCP-9075 research team immediately.
MTF-Iota-90 (“Spelunk Hazard”) has been assigned to explore the entirety of Postojna Cave. Such exploration is to continue until the source of SCP-9075 is identified.
Description:
SCP-9075 is the collective designation for the various ongoing phenomena affecting Postojna, Slovenia and its residents in the years since the 2077 Kresnik Chemical Plant Disaster. These phenomena center around the potential contamination of the town’s water supply and are believed to originate from one of the locations most severely impacted by the chemical plant’s total destruction — the depths of Postojna Cave.
Background Dossier:
[Note: the following dossier was prepared by Dr. Mirjam van Rijn to provide important context and background regarding SCP-9075. Personnel newly assigned to the anomaly must familiarize themselves with the information presented below before commencing their work.]
—The Kresnik Chemical Plant
The Kresnik Chemical Plant was constructed in 2072 by the BadenForm Corporation. Located near the Pivka River on the outskirts of Postojna, the plant was designed to produce industrial chemicals used by a number of corporate clients — their largest known client being oil and gas conglomerate ExxArc.
In particular, one of the plant’s primary functions was the synthesis of various coolant and insulation fluids containing high amounts of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB). These chemicals are known to be highly toxic and possess carcinogenic properties. Additionally, they easily bind to sediments, soils, and organic tissue, allowing them to persist for long periods in environments to which they are exposed.
An engineer affixing a warning label to a transformer indicating the presence of PCB. Application of such warnings has since fallen out of standard industry practice.
Despite the risks and dangers, the use of PCB in the industry had become commonplace following the repeal of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants in 2058. Their legality was not enough to assuage the concerns of the residents of Postojna, however, and the Kresnik Plant was met with considerable opposition due to its proposed location that would place it not only along the Pivka River, but above Postojna Cave.
Postojna Cave is the second longest cave system in Slovenia, with a total length of approximately 24 km. The cave was formed by the Pivka River, which flows into the cave system from the north before fully disappearing underground. Notably, the last four kilometers at the deepest section of the cave are entirely underwater. The cave is especially important to the Postojna community, as the groundwater serves as a primary water source for the area. Additionally, the cave is a notable habitat for Slovenia’s sole remaining population of olms.
—The Olm
The olm (Proteus anguinus) is an aquatic salamander that has adapted to thrive in subterranean environments. Members of the species possess long serpentine bodies with short limbs. Their thin skin largely lacks any pigmentation, giving their bodies a pale, pink-white color. Additionally, as a result of the perpetual darkness of their subterranean habitat, olms are entirely blind with undeveloped eyes that are covered by a layer of skin. To make up for their lack of sight, they are equipped with other sensory organs that allow them to detect alternative stimuli such as vibrations, electrical charges, and the presence of organic chemicals.
Photograph of a Postojna Cave olm taken prior to the 2077 Kresnik Plant Disaster.
Similar to certain other species of salamanders such as the axolotl and the common mudpuppy, olms exhibit neoteny; that is, they do not undergo metamorphosis like most other amphibians and retain their larval traits even into adulthood. As such, olms remain entirely aquatic with external gills that protrude out from the back of the head.
Historically native to the region bordering the northern and eastern Adriatic Sea, by 2054 the olm had become critically endangered due to increasing groundwater pollution across Europe with Postojna Cave serving as the only remaining habitat within Slovenia. The decision to construct the chemical plant above this habitat was met with considerable resistance, though this ultimately failed to stop BadenForm from proceeding with its plans. The plant was eventually completed in 2072.
—Period of Operation (2072-2077)
Little is known about the plant’s operations during the period it was active. The plant’s manager, Victor Cho, enforced a policy of strict secrecy among his employees and aggressively opposed any attempted inquiries regarding the plant from outside entities. Cho additionally took on an adversarial tone with Postojna’s residents, and complaints about the plant consistently went unanswered. The relationship with the town was tense in general, as, rather than hiring residents from Postojna, the company staffed the plant purely with pre-existing employees who lived on-site.
Logo for BadenForm Corporation, which was displayed prominently around the plant and on all employee uniforms.
Additionally, as the plant’s period of operation continued, residents began to notice deceased olms washing up from the cave with gradually increasing frequency. Groundwater pollution by the plant was attributed as the likely cause, though Cho and BadenForm vigorously denied these claims. Indeed, testing of the water in the cave failed to reveal the presence of any harmful chemicals, leaving the cause of death for the olms unexplained. Residents were largely unconvinced of BadenForm’s innocence, however, and the plant endured mounting opposition from the community up until the day it was entirely destroyed.
—The Kresnik Plant Disaster
At 06:02 on 2077/02/09, Postojna residents were met with the sound of a loud explosion coming from the Kresnik Plant’s location. First responders arriving at the scene discovered the area covered in flames with no trace of the plant itself. The explosion was apparently large enough to break apart the ground beneath the building, causing the entirety of the plant to collapse into the cave below. The immediate consequence of the cave-in was the mass seepage of the various chemicals produced by BadenForm — including the PCB mixtures — into the cave’s water system — contaminating the town’s primary water supply.
Due to the immediate risk of toxic fumes from the explosion migrating to Postojna proper, the Slovenian government promptly declared an emergency and ordered the town to evacuate. An environmental assessment quickly commenced that found the water systems had become heavily contaminated with PCB.
The effects of the spill became rapidly apparent, with the wildlife in and along the Pivka River dying in droves. The most notable casualty of the disaster was the population of olms, which was effectively wiped out, their corpses washing up from the cave en masse for several days following the spill.
The species would be formally declared extinct in Slovenia two weeks after the disaster.
—Response
The disaster received moderate international attention, with various non-governmental organizations — the Manna Charitable Foundation chief among them — arriving to provide aid to those displaced by the disaster. An assessment of the cave discovered additional collapses — one notably located near the main entrance — rendering much of the cave inaccessible.
With the entirety of the plant having disappeared into the depths of the cave, all employees present at the time of the disaster, including Victor Cho, were declared missing, presumed deceased. In the face of widespread criticism, BadenForm pledged to remediate all damages caused by the spill. The corporation was soon joined by ExxArc with CEO DeForest Morgan personally vowing to use his resources to expedite all clean-up efforts and provide compensation to all residents of Postojna. The move was widely celebrated, and after only six months of clean-up efforts, tests of the water supply consistently showed a lack of harmful chemicals in the water. Residents were cleared to move back to the town shortly after.
BadenForm suffered a severe drop in stock price immediately following the disaster. Notably, during this clean-up period, ExxArc was able to successfully negotiate the total acquisition of BadenForm. It is now formally a subsidiary of ExxArc.
Discovery:
Because the circumstances surrounding the Kresnik Plant Disaster did not indicate the existence of any anomalous elements, the Foundation concluded the matter to be beyond its purview. On 2080/07/09, however, representatives from the Manna Charitable Foundation contacted Foundation liaisons regarding supposed recent anomalous developments in Postojna. Dr. Mirjam van Rijn, a Foundation biochemist, was instructed to travel to Postojna and meet with MCF representative Dr. Tabitha Nkosi. Dr. Nkosi is a medical practitioner and one of a handful of MCF employees remaining in Postojna to help provide continued additional aid to those affected by the plant disaster.
Meeting Log — 2080/07/10
<Begin Log>
Dr. Nkosi: Thank you for coming in, Dr. van Rijn. We’re so happy you’re here to help.
Dr. van Rijn: Well, it would depend on what exactly you need our help with.
Dr. Nkosi: Right, of course. Sorry about that.
Dr. van Rijn: It’s fine, just start from the beginning. You believe something anomalous is happening here in Postojna?
Dr. Nkosi: Oh, without a doubt. Putting it simply, we believe there’s something wrong with the water.
Dr. van Rijn: The water?
Dr. Nkosi: The groundwater, specifically. From the cave. We think it might still be contaminated.
Dr. van Rijn: You mean from the chemical spill? I thought that all got cleaned up.
[Dr. Nkosi nods.]
Dr. Nkosi: So did we. And all our tests say so too. Every sample we’ve taken comes back clear as crystal. Not a trace of contaminants.
Dr. van Rijn: I don’t see the problem; isn’t that a good thing?
Dr. Nkosi: I mean, it would be, but… it seems like people are getting sick anyway.
Dr. van Rijn: Could you please elaborate?
Dr. Nkosi: Well, we’ve got people coming into our clinics with the exact kinds of symptoms you would expect from PCB poisoning. The sores and the lesions, of course. But we’re also seeing some really bad liver damage and messed up hormone levels. Obviously this shouldn’t be possible, since the water’s coming back clean. It’s all gotten us thinking there may be something unnatural, maybe even deceptive, going on.
[Dr. van Rijn nods.]
Dr. van Rijn: Okay, I think I get it now. You’re unsure if ExxArc really did clean up the spill like they say they did.
Dr. Nkosi: Do you think it’s possible? That they might’ve done something to mask the presence of the chemicals? Like, they’re still in the water, but some magic or something is keeping us from detecting them?
Dr. van Rijn: I wouldn’t put it past them, I’ll put it that way.
[She leans forward.]
Dr. van Rijn: How about this? We’ll have some of our people take a look at the water as well as your patients. We’ll see if our own tests can find anything useful. We can also take a look at our intel on ExxArc; see if there’s anything there that might be of help.
Dr. Nkosi: That would be great! We’ve tried reaching out to ExxArc ourselves — multiple times, actually — but they just keep giving us the cold shoulder.
Dr. van Rijn: Not surprising; that’s just how they are, apparently. But I think we have enough to go on for now, as far as next steps go. Unless there was anything else you wanted to talk about?
[Pause.]
Dr. Nkosi: Well, I guess there is one more thing…
[She shifts her weight to one side.]
Dr. Nkosi: I haven’t been able to verify it for myself yet, but I’ve gotten a few reports of olm sightings by Postojna residents over the past two weeks or so. Dead olms, to be clear. Supposedly they’ve been washing up from the cave.
Dr. van Rijn: Olms? Didn’t the spill kill them all off?
Dr. Nkosi: As far as we know, yes. We haven’t seen any of these corpses for ourselves. And our ecologists have thoroughly explored the cave several times — at least the portion anyone can get to. No one saw even a hint of wildlife inside.
Dr. van Rijn: So where could the corpses have come from? Did any of these witnesses take a sample?
Dr. Nkosi: Well, I asked, and it seems one of them tried. But he says something strange stopped him from doing so.
Dr. van Rijn: What?
Dr. Nkosi: Before he could grab it, it was like the corpse dissolved into the water.
<End Log>
Addendum 9075-01:
Foundation chemists collected samples of groundwater from the vicinity of Postojna (including from within Postojna Cave). Similar to the MCF, their tests were unable to detect the presence of any toxic contaminants. Still, medical evaluations of affected residents found their symptoms to be consistent with those resulting from exposure to PCB. The Foundation has since commenced cooperation with the MCF to provide medical treatment for these symptoms.
Foundation representatives reached out to ExxArc regarding this discrepancy and received the following message:
To our friends at the SCP Foundation:
We are saddened to learn of the misfortune that has befallen the wonderful people of Postojna, and we offer our deepest sympathies. However, we would like to stress that ExxArc pledged to remediate all damages resulting from the 2077 chemical spill and by all conceivable metrics, we have thoroughly exceeded these obligations. ExxArc is fully committed to maintaining healthy and robust standards of living for all life on our beautiful planet.
Any statements indicating otherwise we shall consider to be defamatory in nature. And we will respond accordingly.
We send our thoughts and prayers to the citizens of Postojna, which we believe should be sufficient on our part to address your concerns.
Kindest regards,
Cecilia Wollensky-Huesca
Assistant to DeForest Morgan, CEO
ExxArc
Following conferral with the Department of External Affairs, the decision was reached to abstain from further contact with ExxArc in regards to SCP-9075 for the foreseeable future.
After a period of negotiations, the Foundation agreed to assist the MCF in implementing a water-filtration system for the town’s water supply that made use of various anomalous Foundation technologies. Due to the inability to detect PCB levels, the efficacy of the system could not be measured with precision, though Postojna did see a significant reduction in PCB exposure symptoms over the following weeks.
Addendum 9075-02:
Interview Log — 2080/07/15
Interviewer: Dr. Mirjam van Rijn
Subject: Jakob Avsenik, 49
Notes: Subject is a Postojna resident who claims to have discovered and attempted to grab an olm corpse outside Postojna Cave the week prior. Interview is conducted in English.
<Begin Log>
Dr. van Rijn: Good evening, Mr. Avsenik. How are you feeling today?
[Avsenik shrugs.]
Avsenik: Eh, could be worse. The pills you doctors prescribed have got me feeling a little less like shit. Just a little, mind you. Still feel like shit.
Dr. van Rijn: Well, I’m glad to hear you’re feeling at least somewhat better.
Avsenik: Why did you really call me here, doctor? I didn’t think I was due for another check-up this soon.
Dr. van Rijn: Oh, well… I was actually hoping you could tell me a little about what you saw last week.
[Avsenik sighs.]
Avsenik: I see, you want to know about that damned salamander.
Dr. van Rijn: If you don’t mind.
[Pause.]
Avsenik: Fine, I guess I’ll bite. It was last Tuesday night. I was walking home from the pub after a miserable night watching Olimpija fumble every shot on goal like a bunch of fuckwits. It had been raining that evening, so I thought I’d take the short way home, the one that takes me past the front of that godforsaken cave.
Former entrance to Postojna Cave.
Dr. van Rijn: You don’t sound particularly fond of the cave.
[Avsenik shrugs.]
Avsenik: Never really cared for it even before it swallowed that factory and fucked up our water. Still didn’t care for it much that night either. I had my eyes on the ground trying to get past as quick as I could, when I saw it lying on the ground.
Dr. van Rijn: An olm?
Avsenik: Right away I could tell it was dead. I remember seeing loads of corpses washing up the day of the spill. It was just like that.
Avsenik: Well, almost just like that.
Dr. van Rijn: What do you mean?
Avsenik: I remember always being so put off by how pale those little fuckers were. Creeped me out like nothing else. But the one I saw that night had this… nasty reddish color to it. I took a few steps towards it and saw that the color was coming from these deep-red veins running all across its body. I know those things were always thin-skinned — practically translucent — but this was something else. Those veins were bulging. Like they were ready to burst any second.
Dr. van Rijn: What do you think happened to the corpse?
Avsenik: Been trying not to think about it. Especially not after I tried to pick it up.
Dr. van Rijn: So you did try to grab it.
[Avsenik sighs.]
Avsenik: I have no idea what the fuck I was thinking. That thing looked so unnatural, I guess I wanted to make sure it was actually there — that I wasn’t hallucinating or something. I mean, these salamanders are supposed to be long dead, right?
Dr. van Rijn: What happened when you tried to grab it?
[Avsenik shrugs.]
Avsenik: The moment my skin made contact, the corpse just… dissolved. Right into the water. Like it was never there.
Dr. van Rijn: It dissolved?
Avsenik: Look, I know it sounds crazy, but I know what I saw. I have no reason to lie about seeing one of them. I’ve always hated those things.
Dr. van Rijn: Yes, I’ve kind of been getting that impression. If you don’t mind, why exactly do you feel that way?
Avsenik: I don’t know, I… I guess it’s the way they look. Before the cave closed down, there used to be a vivarium in there that had a bunch of those salamanders. My parents would take me to see them when I was a kid, and… looking at them just made my skin crawl. I mean, they’re like these long slimy worms, with this nasty fleshy color to them. Like human skin. Pale human skin.
[Avsenik laughs.]
Avsenik: You know what we call them, right? The Slovene term for the little things? “Človeška ribica.” You know what that directly translates to in English?
[Dr. van Rijn nods.]
Dr. van Rijn: “Human fish.”
[Avsenik laughs again.]
Avsenik: I think that’s what I always hated most about them. That we would have anything in common with such a loathsome creature. I used to get these awful nightmares, where our town would suddenly fall into the cave and trap us there, and after years of living in the darkness, we’d start to lose our eyes too. Become all disgusting and slimy like them.
[Avsenik shrugs.]
Avsenik: Hell, thinking about it almost makes me feel bad for those bastards at the chemical plant.
<End Log>
Addendum 9075-03:
Interview Log — 2080/07/26
Interviewer: Dr. Mirjam van Rijn
Subject: Ema Kralj, 12
Notes: Subject is a Postojna resident and student.
<Begin Log>
Dr. van Rijn: Could you tell me what it was you saw yesterday evening?
Kralj: Uhh… well I guess I was down at the river, reading a book for school. I had just finished the chapter I was on, and as I was closing the book, I saw one of the olms swimming in the water.
Dr. van Rijn: Wait, it was alive? Are you absolutely certain?
[Kralj laughs.]
Kralj: It would be super weird if it was dead. Because I watched it swim up to the riverbank, crawl up onto the land and scuttle off into the woods.
[There is a pause.]
Dr. van Rijn: And you’re sure this was an olm? Not another type of salamander?
Kralj: It had to be. I mean, I remember what they look like. I used to see them in the cave with my family all the time when I was little. I know they used to have a lot more down there before I was born, but I liked seeing the ones they still had. You know, before they all died.
[Kralj smiles.]
Kralj: But now they’re back, isn’t that cool? Not just that, but it’s like they’re even healthier now too! The ones I remember were all so small that it never occurred to me that they could grow that long.
Dr. van Rijn: What do you mean? Just exactly how long was this olm you saw, Ema?
[Kralj shrugs.]
Kralj: I dunno. About as long as a car maybe. Why?
<End Log>
Addendum 9075-04:
Incident Report — 2080/07/30: At 14:57, Postojna Hospital admitted Anthony Haverford to its intensive care unit. Haverford, an English college student who was backpacking through the region with friends, was suffering from acute liver failure and muscle spasms, and showed numerous lesions on his hands and arms. He was pronounced dead at 15:49.
Toxicology reports indicated high concentrations of various potent neurotoxins and dioxins in Haverford’s bloodstream.
Haverford’s companions insisted he was feeling fine until he collapsed around 14:32 outside a convenience store in Postojna. Foundation personnel at the hospital questioned the group about their activities that day; of note was that shortly before the group arrived in the town, Haverford reportedly found what he described as a “funny little lizard” crawling through some mud. Haverford supposedly picked up the animal and told a friend to take a photo of it with their phone.
Image recovered from Anthony Haverford’s phone.
A task force was quickly dispatched to the location where the photo was taken. Investigation of the area eventually led to the discovery of a small, previously unknown entrance to Postojna Cave obscured by the overgrowth. The task force was able to enter the opening and found themselves in the larger section of the cave that had been rendered inaccessible as a result of the Kresnik Plant Disaster.
Cursory exploration of the cave promptly led to the discovery of SCP-9075-A.
“Far from feeling surprise that some of the cave-animals should be very anomalous…as is the case with blind Proteus…I am only surprised that more wrecks of ancient life have not been preserved, owing to the less severe competition to which the scanty inhabitants of these dark abodes will have been exposed.”
-Charles Darwin, On the Origin of Species
SCP-9075-A are various organisms living within the previously inaccessible portion of Postojna Cave that all bear a general resemblance to the olm (Proteus anguinus). This section of the cave has become highly saturated with toxic substances in the time since the chemical spill. As such, researchers have theorized these organisms comprise different anomalous subspecies of olm that have drastically adapted in different ways to the current conditions in the cave.
MTF-Iota-90 has been tasked with exploring the cave and logging observed subspecies. A description of the subspecies identified so far is included below.
Subspecies Designation
Description
SCP-9075-A1
Mostly resembles a non-anomalous olm, but with the ability to secrete large quantities of a highly toxic mucus.
SCP-9075-A2
Maintains similar body width to non-anomalous olms, but possesses far greater length in excess of 5 m.
SCP-9075-A3
Veins and arteries are considerably larger in diameter than other subspecies; appear to bulge out from underneath skin. Additionally demonstrates the ability to “melt” into a liquid state through a currently unknown mechanism.
SCP-9075-A4
Possesses 16 additional pairs of limbs all spaced equidistantly between the forelimbs and hind limbs.
SCP-9075-A5
Does not appear to have a head nor gills. Means of satiation and respiration are unknown.
Addendum 9075-05:
Meeting Log — 2080/09/13
Anterior end of SCP-9075-A2 specimen.
<Begin Log>
Dr. Nkosi: I just read the updated files. That new subspecies you discovered is just fascinating. I thought the many-legged ones were strange enough already, but now you’re saying there’s a type that’s just completely missing a head!
Dr. van Rijn: It’s a weird one for sure. But it still feels like we’re only scratching the surface. Our task force still hasn’t made much headway into the full length of the cave. Between the rubble and the toxicity, we’re moving much more slowly than we’d like.
[Dr. Nkosi nods.]
Dr. Nkosi: So have you been able to confirm the presence of PCB down there?
[Dr. van Rijn laughs halfheartedly.]
Dr. van Rijn: Practically everything but. The water down there is full of every kind of toxin under the sun, except for the ones BadenForm was producing at the plant.
Dr. Nkosi: What does that mean? The water coming into the town is still showing as clean, but even with the purification, we’re still treating people for PCB exposure.
Dr. van Rijn: It’s hard to say for sure. At this point, I’m certain that ExxArc and BadenForm did something to mask the presence of PCB in the water. But… maybe these other chemicals are still showing up in our tests, because ExxArc didn’t see the need to conceal them.
Dr. Nkosi: What do you mean?
[Dr. van Rijn shrugs.]
Dr. van Rijn: It’s possible that these other toxins didn’t actually come from the spill. Maybe they came from somewhere else.
<End Log>
Addendum 9075-06:
Further exploration into the cave has revealed the existence of additional SCP-9075-A subspecies.
Subspecies Designation
Description
SCP-9075-A6
Subspecies is considerably bulkier than baseline species with a length of approximately 1 m. Its back is covered in hard keratin plates. Observed to curl up into a ball and roll through the cave in packs.
SCP-9075-A7
Additional gills run down the length of the body. Gills are large, broad, and fin-like. Reminiscent of a lionfish.
SCP-9075-A8
Possesses an additional head at the posterior end instead of a tail. Both heads are visually identical and exhibit equal degrees of sentience. Heads are frequently observed attempting to fight each other.
SCP-9075-A9
Roughly the same size as SCP-9075-A6. Possesses a vastly enlarged mouth reminiscent of a basking shark. Often found sitting still with its mouth open, continually making a noise akin to a human scream.
Addendum 9075-07:
Meeting Log — 2080/10/22
<Begin Log>
Dr. Nkosi: They’re just getting stranger and stranger, aren’t they?
[Dr. van Rijn sighs.]
Dr. van Rijn: We’re still trying to figure out the two-headed ones. Their digestive tracts at both ends just sort of connect at the middle, where— actually, I really don’t want to think about it right now.
[Dr. Nkosi laughs.]
Dr. Nkosi: Such radical adaptations, all in such a short amount of time. Those salamanders really are living up to their namesake, aren’t they?
Dr. van Rijn: Human fish?
[Dr. Nkosi shakes her head.]
Dr. Nkosi: I’m talking about Proteus.
Dr. van Rijn: Right, Poseidon’s son from Greek mythology. The Old Man of the Sea. Has the power of prophecy, right?
Dr. Nkosi: Yes, but only if you could catch and hold him. Which is much easier said than done, since he can freely shapeshift into whatever he wants.
Dr. van Rijn: And I guess it’s the shapeshifting specifically that’s the reason we call the olm Proteus anguinus. Makes sense when you think about it. Even before all… this, shapeshifting was kind of the olm’s thing.
Dr. Nkosi: Huh, how so? I always figured the name was originally because it’s aquatic like the mythological Proteus. And that the shapeshifting now was just a coincidence.
[Dr. van Rijn shrugs.]
Dr. van Rijn: Well, it’s actually a bit of both. The olm’s adapted remarkably well to its subterranean environment, so much so that even Charles Darwin found them fascinating.
Dr. Nkosi: Really?
[Dr. van Rijn nods.]
Dr. van Rijn: But what makes it even stranger is that these adaptations are still fairly malleable. The olm naturally lacks pigmentation because of its dark habitat, but if you give them regular exposure to sunlight, their skin will start to darken. There’s actually a subspecies called the black olm that lives in waters closer to the surface that possess both much darker skin and actually functional eyes — at least compared to the regular olm.
A black olm (Proteus anguinus parkelj).
Dr. Nkosi: Ha, so it really is a shapeshifter!
Dr. van Rijn: Well, almost. It’s still neotenous, so it doesn’t undergo metamorphosis like most other amphibians. It remains in a larval form its whole life.
Dr. Nkosi: I mean, it’s not entirely alone in that regard. The axolotl is the same way, right?
Dr. van Rijn: Sure, but even the axolotl can be induced into a sort of metamorphosis under the right conditions, but we’ve never figured out how to do the same with the olm.
[She shrugs.]
Dr. van Rijn: For all the shapeshifting the olm is capable of, the one thing it can’t do is grow up.
<End Log>
Addendum 9075-08:
At 11:21 on 2080/11/10, Postojna resident Lukas Čeferin, 38, brought his 5-year-old daughter Neli to Postojna Hospital. Dr. Nkosi was brought in to conduct the examination.
Incident Log — 2080/11/10
Notes: Evaluation of Neli Čeferin is performed in a private exam room at Postojna Hospital. Also present is Neli’s father, Lukas Čeferin.
<Begin Log>
Dr. Nkosi: Good morning, Mr. Čeferin. I understand there’s something going on with little Neli here?
Lukas: I don’t know how it happened, doctor, but my Neli — she says she can’t see anything!
Dr. Nkosi: Is that right? Nothing at all?
Lukas: Yes, it’s like she’s gone completely blind! Please tell me you can help her.
[Dr. Nkosi holds her hand over mouth for a moment before looking back to Lukas.]
Dr. Nkosi: Don’t worry, Mr. Čeferin. I’ll take a look and see if we can get to the bottom of this.
[She kneels down in front of Neli and smiles.]
Dr. Nkosi: Hi there, Neli. I’m Dr. Nkosi.
Neli: Hi, miss doctor!
Dr. Nkosi: Now Neli, are you able to see me right now?
[Neli shakes her head.]
Neli: No, I can’t see anything. It’s like my eyes are closed even though they’re not.
[Dr. Nkosi shines a light into Neli’s left eye. There is no reaction.]
Dr. Nkosi: I see. And can you tell me when this started, Neli?
Neli: Well, I could see okay when I went to bed last night. But when I woke up, I couldn’t anymore.
Lukas: She came downstairs to my bedroom and told me she woke up not being able to see at all.
Dr. Nkosi: Wait, you were able to get down the stairs while unable to see?
Neli: Yeah, but it was okay, because I could still tell where the steps were even without my eyes.
Dr. Nkosi: Really?
[Neli nods then smiles.]
Neli: Yeah, kind of like how I know where you and papa and everything else is right now!
Dr. Nkosi: I don’t understand.
Lukas: Neither do I. Even with everything going on with her eyes, she’s still been able to get around just fine. No tripping over herself or anything.
Dr. Nkosi: How unusual…
[Dr. Nkosi holds up two fingers in front of Neli’s face.]
Dr. Nkosi: Neli, can you tell me how many fingers I’m holding up?
[Neli faces Dr. Nkosi and after a moment, she shakes her head.]
Neli: No, I can’t see them. I’m sorry.
Dr. Nkosi: Okay, how about this?
[She extends her right hand far to the side.]
Dr. Nkosi: Can you point to where my hand is right now.
[Neli points directly at Dr. Nkosi’s hand. She laughs.]
Neli: There!
[Dr. Nkosi nods before standing up.]
Dr. Nkosi: Good job, Neli! Now, let’s try something a little harder. Your father and I are both going to walk around the room. I want you to keep pointing at me with your left hand, and point at your father with your right hand. Can you try that?
Neli: Yeah!
[Dr. Nkosi stands up and gestures as Lukas, who nods. The two begin to wander aimlessly about the room. As they walk, Neli’s hands continue to accurately follow their respective targets. After approximately a minute, the two stop.]
Lukas: How are you doing that, Neli?
[Neli shrugs.]
Neli: Don’t know. I guess I can feel where you are? In my feet? There’s also this weird feeling in my head, like a tingle, that helps me too.
[Lukas approaches Dr. Nkosi and begins to whisper to her.]
Lukas: What’s going on with her? Is it the water? She was so little when the plant collapsed; she’d been drinking that water all this time, because we were told it was safe. Do you think it’s done something to her?
Dr. Nkosi: It’s hard to say for sure at this point, but it’s possible. I know some specialists who can take a look at her later today, if that’s okay with you.
Lukas: Of course, anything for my girl.
[Dr. Nkosi turns to Neli.]
Dr. Nkosi: Neli, we’re going to get a room for you, and some special doctors will be here in a little bit to look at your eyes. Does that sound good to you?
[Neli nods and smiles.]
Neli: Yeah, okay! And when the special doctors look at my eyes, can you ask them to look at my eyelids too?
Dr. Nkosi: Why? What’s going on with your eyelids?
Neli: When I close them, they get kind of sticky. Like they don’t want to open again.
<End Log>
By the time Dr. van Rijn arrived at the hospital, Neli Čeferin‘s eyelids had fully fused shut. After some deliberation, it was decided to bring her and her family into Foundation care to receive ongoing treatment and monitoring.
Addendum 9075-09:
Over the next 3 weeks, 5 additional Postojna children lost their sight with their eyelids fusing shut shortly thereafter. Foundation Facility L27 was subsequently established near Ljubljana to house and provide care for the affected children and their families. The children have since been assigned the designation of SCP-9075-B.
Within a month of arriving at Facility L27, researchers identified further unique symptoms among the children, described below.
Name
Age
Unique Symptoms
Neli Čeferin
5
Sensitivity to vibrations and mild electrical charges.
Leon Gašpar
14
Tear ducts secrete highly toxic mucus.
Lovro Torkar
8
Growth of additional ribs with corresponding lengthening of torso.
Ema Kralj
12
Formation of red growths on left and right side of neck.
Maks Debenjak
2
Growth of dermis between digits to form a webbing.
Živa Velepec
7
Reduced opacity of skin, substantially increasing visibility of blood vessels.
As a result of this development, the Foundation and MCF made the decision to cut off Postojna from the groundwater entirely and move to using imported water to meet all the town’s needs for the foreseeable future.
Addendum 9075-10:
Additional SCP-9075-A instances discovered during continued exploration deeper into Postojna Cave. Severe rise in proliferation of toxic chemicals as depth increases further.
Subspecies Designation
Description
SCP-9075-A10
Mouth runs along the entire underside of the body filled with multiple rows of sharp, jagged teeth. Eats by “unfolding” itself around prey.
SCP-9075-A11
Gelatinous body, exclusively found affixed to cave ceilings. Possesses an elongated tongue that it extends downwards to ensnare prey.
SCP-9075-A12
Engorged body with transparent skin. Visible beneath the skin are countless miniature versions of the primary specimen, which in turn possess even smaller instances under their skin.
SCP-9075-A13
Spherical.
Chat Log — 2080/12/13
<Begin Log>
TNkosi: Okay, now you’re just making stuff up.
MVanRijn: I swear, I’m not.
TNkosi: The gelatinous salamanders are real then? That’s what you’re saying?
MVanRijn: Believe me, the reality is far stranger than anything I could come up with.
MVanRijn: Haven’t had a chance to add it to the file yet, but I just got word from the MTF guys that they’ve found another subspecies.
MVanRijn: Look like tube worms, apparently. All bunched up together and fused to the walls and floors of a chamber they just discovered.
TNkosi: Tube worms?
MVanRijn: Don’t have a picture yet, but I might have something, one second.
- MVanRijn sent an attachment. -
2378205.jpg
MVanRijn: It looks sort of like this, I’m told. Just imagine the red brushes are gills.
TNkosi: God.
TNkosi: What the hell is going on in that cave?
MVanRijn: I know, right?
TNkosi: And now the children are getting affected.
MVanRijn: I know.
TNkosi: I feel awful. We still haven’t found a way to reverse the changes.
MVanRijn: It’s okay.
MVanRijn: We’ll figure it out.
TNkosi: I hope so. This is all so much to take in. Ever since the spill.
TNkosi: It’s like
TNkosi: It’s like Proteus got caught that day, and he can’t seem to get away.
TNkosi: So he’s blindly flailing about in that toxic cesspool.
MVanRijn: Looking for the right form that will allow him to escape?
TNkosi: Huh
MVanRijn: What is it?
TNkosi: Maybe this is it.
TNkosi: Maybe this is what spurs Proteus to finally grow up.
<End Log>
Addendum 9075-11:
By 2081/01/30, an additional 13 Postojna children had been identified as SCP-9075-B instances. All had been brought to Facility L27 along with their immediate families.
Below is a portion of the intake interview for Filip Rovan, 11, the most recently identified SCP-9075-B instance. In addition to the fusing of his eyelids, Filip has also exhibited significant growth and fortification of his fingernails and toenails, which had become pointed and sharp. Filip was brought to Facility L27 by his grandmother, Hana Bitenc, who serves as his sole guardian.
Meeting Log — 2081/01/30
Notes: Present in the room are Dr. van Rijn, Dr. Nkosi, and Hana Bitenc. Facility personnel have taken Filip to the facility’s recreational space to meet the other SCP-9075-B instances.
<Begin Log>
Bitenc: This is a nice hospital that you brought us to. I’m sure my Filip will be very happy here.
Dr. van Rijn: We appreciate your understanding, Ms. Bitenc. We have the best doctors working around the clock to find a cure for Filip and the others.
[Bitenc chuckles.]
Bitenc: It certainly looks that way.
[She looks to Dr. Nkosi, who is rubbing her eyes.]
Bitenc: Are you okay, dear? You look tired.
[Dr. Nkosi removes her hands from her eyes and nods.]
Dr. Nkosi: I’m sorry, Ms. Bitenc, I’m fine. Just one too many late nights in the lab, I guess.
Bitenc: Well, just make sure you get enough rest. It’s important you look after yourself as well.
Dr. Nkosi: Of course, thank you for your concern.
Dr. van Rijn: I suppose while we’re on the subject, how are you holding up, Ms. Bitenc? This must be very overwhelming.
[Pause.]
Bitenc: Well, it’s all so strange, isn’t it? I was so happy when it looked like the olms had come back to the cave. But I didn’t ever think it would be like this. It’s reminding me of the stories my grandparents told me when I was a little girl.
Dr. van Rijn: What did they tell you?
Bitenc: Oh, just the kinds of stories that adults use to keep their children in line. They didn’t want us wandering into the cave, so they would tell us about a terrible monster that lived in its deepest darkest chamber.
Dr. Nkosi: What kind of monster?
Bitenc: A dragon. Though I suppose the correct word would be the Zmaj.
Dr. van Rijn: Huh, what sort of stories did the adults tell you about the Zmaj?
Bitenc: Well, it seemed everyone’s story was just a little different. Some claimed the Zmaj was a guardian spirit who watched over the town, others said it was a malevolent beast that laid waste to homes and fields alike. Some even described it as a lecherous creature who would seduce human women and take them as wives. But no matter what version I was told, the Zmaj always cared deeply for its many children. And its story always seemed to end the same way.
Dr. van Rijn: How did it end?
Zmaj statue in Ljubljana.
Bitenc: A great warrior, a dragon slayer, would confront the Zmaj and best it in combat. In its defeat, the dragon would retreat into the depths of the cave and reform the space into a safe haven for itself and its children.
Dr. Nkosi: Its children are down there too?
[Bitenc smiles.]
Bitenc: Of course, they’re the salamanders. According to the legends, the olms are the young and helpless children of the great Zmaj. Little newborns that have yet to grow into proper dragons themselves.
Dr. van Rijn: Wait, the olms are supposed to be baby dragons?
[Bitenc chuckles.]
Bitenc: Why, this was considered common knowledge only a few decades ago. How the times change! The way my grandparents told it, the reason we never saw the salamanders grow up into dragons themselves was essentially because they had no reason to — the cave was too safe a home.
Bitenc: This didn’t bother the Zmaj too much though. It was simply content in the knowledge that its children were indeed safe. So content that it eventually fell into a deep, peaceful sleep.
Dr. Nkosi: And what would happen if the salamanders were no longer safe? What if something were to come along and cause them to die off?
[Bitenc smiles.]
Bitenc: Well, I suppose the Zmaj would awaken once more. And I doubt it would be happy.
[There is a pause. Dr. Nkosi rubs her eyes again.]
Dr. Nkosi: It’s a little funny, isn’t it? The olms, they’re human fish but they’re also baby dragons. To think that they can be described in such starkly different ways.
Bitenc: It might not be so different as you think, doctor.
Dr. van Rijn: How so?
Bitenc: That was actually another part of the stories I had been told. The Zmaj had the ability to take on many forms, but one of its favorite forms was that of a human.
[She laughs.]
Bitenc: I’m sure it made things easier when it wanted to find a wife.
Dr. van Rijn: So it’s a shapeshifter…
Bitenc: In a way, those salamanders — they’re a sort of connection between humans and dragons. And if the Zmaj really is down there, it could explain what’s happened to little Filip and the others.
Dr. Nkosi: What do you mean?
Bitenc: This town’s been here a very long time. And over the years, perhaps the Zmaj has come to see its people as children of its own as well.
Bitenc: And now, as it prepares to truly awaken, perhaps it is calling its children home.
<End Log>
“You're stunted. Incomplete. You're like the amphibian that grows up to breathe water instead of air. The eggs I watched, they must hatch into us. They need to be finished.”
-SCP-1788-1-863, Interview by Site-██ Director Mandeville
Addendum 9075-12:
As of 2081/03/08, a total of 51 SCP-9075-B instances have been taken into Foundation care at Facility L27. Notable recent instances are detailed below.
Name
Age
Unique Symptoms
Vita Kocijančič
7
Bony spines protruding from back.
Teo Tepeš
12
Development of additional vertebrae and tissue past the pelvis, creating the appearance of a “tail.”
Adam Tepeš
12
Development of additional vertebrae and tissue past the pelvis, creating the appearance of a “tail.”
Ela Žvižej
16
Large, thin, fan-shaped tissue reminiscent of fins growing from the back of the head, elbows, and ankles.
Ula Prelog
9 months
Combustive exhalation.
Addendum 9075-13:
On 2081/03/27, Dr. Nkosi reported sick to her supervisors at the MCF and was granted time off. She became completely unresponsive after two days, however, and the MCF requested Foundation assistance. Due to their close working relationship, Dr. van Rijn was instructed to check on Dr. Nkosi at her residence in Postojna.
Incident Log — 2081/03/27
<Begin Log>
[Dr. van Rijn approaches the door to Dr. Nkosi’s apartment. Finding the door unlocked, she slowly opens it and steps inside. All lights within are off.]
Dr. van Rijn: Tabitha? You there?
[There is no response. Closing the door behind her, Dr. van Rijn scans the living room for signs of Dr. Nkosi. The room is devoid of life.]
Dr. van Rijn: It’s been a few days since anyone’s heard from you. Just wanted to make sure you’re okay.
[She turns towards a hallway. At the end of the hall, there is a door to the bedroom. It is slightly ajar with a dim light shining beyond.]
Dr. van Rijn: Are you in there, Tabitha? Just say something if you are.
[Nothing.]
[Dr. van Rijn slowly approaches the bedroom door.]
Dr. van Rijn: The kids, they miss you. We’ve been telling them you’re fine, but they’re starting to get a little worried. I won’t lie, I’m a little worried too.
[Finally, she reaches the door. Gently placing her hand on the knob, she cautiously pushes it open.]
[The room is dark and disheveled. Dr. Nkosi can be seen sitting on the bed, facing away from Dr. van Rijn.]
Dr. van Rijn: Tabitha?
[She takes a step forward.]
Dr. van Rijn: Tabitha, are you okay?
[Dr. Nkosi turns her head, allowing Dr. van Rijn to see her face.]
Dr. van Rijn: What the—
[Dr. Nkosi’s eyes are no longer visible. There is only skin in their place.]
Dr. Nkosi: Mirjam…
[She stands up and steps into the light. Patches of dermis across her body seem to have hardened considerably, giving the appearance of scales.]
Dr. Nkosi: Looks like it got me too.
Dr. van Rijn: How did this happen?
Dr. Nkosi: We’ve spent so much time with the children. Studying them, trying to find a cure. Whatever happened to them must have rubbed off on me.
Dr. van Rijn: It’s okay. It’ll all be okay.
Dr. Nkosi: And now the dragon, I think it’s calling to me as well.
Dr. van Rijn: Don’t worry, we can fix this.
Dr. Nkosi: And Mirjam, I think it might only be a matter of time before it starts calling to you too.
<End Log>
An MTF was deployed to secure the residence. Dr. Nkosi, with the MCF’s approval, agreed to enter into Foundation custody for treatment at Facility L27. Dr. van Rijn was left to lead the SCP-9075-B research team on her own.
Addendum 9075-14:
Log of additional SCP-9075-A subspecies discovered in Postojna Cave.
Subspecies Designation
Description
SCP-9075-A14
Stationary with posterior end rooted to cave walls and floor. Appearance and behavior reminiscent of a tube worm.
SCP-9075-A15
Half a meter in length, body is covered in viscous secretions. Secretions are presumably highly flammable as specimens consistently appear to be undergoing conflagration. Flames do not appear to harm the specimens, but the resulting smoke is lethally toxic to humans and non-SCP-9075-A wildlife.
MTF-Iota-90 has reported an inability to delve any further into the cave at this time. In addition to the extreme toxicity of the environment, MTF agents have also reached the portion of the cave that is wholly underwater. Testing of the water revealed the presence of an additional unknown substance with highly corrosive properties. A request for reinforced equipment able to withstand this level of corrosiveness is currently pending.
Addendum 9075-15:
On 2081/04/04, Foundation personnel discovered that all SCP-9075-B instances, including Dr. Nkosi, had disappeared from Facility L27. Investigation of the facility found that all security cameras had been destroyed from extreme heat or corrosion. The only evidence of their whereabouts was a single note left in Dr. Nkosi’s room:
It’s time for us children to go home.
I’m sorry, Mirjam.
Dr. van Rijn reasoned that the missing SCP-9075-B instances had likely fled to Postojna Cave. After a thorough search of the accessible portions of the cave, however, MTF-Iota-90 agents were unable to locate any of the missing persons.
Two nights after the search concluded, 6 MTF agents also disappeared. Their whereabouts remain unknown as well.
Addendum 9075-16:
On 2081/04/12, a selection of senior Foundation personnel across the Foundation’s European sites received a video file from Dr. van Rijn’s SCiPnet account. Attempts to question Dr. van Rijn about this file proved fruitless, as she could not be located. A transcript of the video is presented below.
Video Log — 2081/04/12
<Begin Log>
[The video opens with a view of a dark space. The location is indistinct, but after a moment, the camera adjusts, revealing the interior of a cave.]
Dr. van Rijn: Hi everyone, it’s me. Dr. Mirjam van Rijn. I’m sure you have plenty of questions, so I’ll cut right to the chase. I’m a biochemist for the Department of Herpetology’s batrachology division and the lead researcher for SCP-9075 in Postojna, Slovenia. Right now, I’m inside Postojna Cave.
[The camera clumsily moves through the cave. A pack of SCP-9075-A6 instances roll across the frame in the distance. Some SCP-9075-A1 and SCP-9075-A4 specimens can be seen crawling on the cave walls to Dr. van Rijn’s side.]
Dr. van Rijn: As you can see, the olms are out and about tonight. They’ve been more active than usual.
[She laughs.]
Dr. van Rijn: Hell, it’s almost like there’s a party going on.
Dr. van Rijn: Now, you might be wondering, why it is that I’m down here. And the answer is pretty simple, really. It’s because I think our missing persons are all here. Our agents, the children, and my good friend, Dr. Tabitha Nkosi.
[Dr. van Rijn turns a corner. A pair of SCP-9075-A2 specimens can seen scaling the cave wall, disappearing into a small gap in the stone.]
Dr. van Rijn: Of course, the cave was already scoured thoroughly and yielded not even a hint of human presence. That would be enough for most people to conclude that this place was pretty much a dead end.
[Dr. van Rijn stumbles slightly as she steps over a large rock.]
Dr. van Rijn: The thing is though, our MTF guys — as talented as they are — didn’t search the entire cave. They had to stop once they reached the submerged portion, because the water down there was so goddamned caustic — stick a finger in it and watch it dissolve to the bone. So unless you’ve got the absolute top-of-the-line Foundation tech, there’s no way even the most resilient human is ever going to get very far down there.
[Dr. van Rijn passes an SCP-9075-A12 specimen resting upon a rock — the smaller instances beneath the skin appear to be writhing around one another. She points at the primary specimen as she continues to walk.]
Dr. van Rijn: These little guys though, they don’t seem too bothered by all the crap around here. They’ve adapted to the toxins, just like they adapted to the dark so, so long ago. It stands to reason, then, that if a group of people were to also adapt — become more like our olm friends — maybe they would be able to get farther than a regular human could.
Dr. van Rijn: What I’m saying is that Tabitha and the others were handed a special invitation to see what’s really at the bottom of Postojna Cave. And now I’m down here too, trudging through the slime and stone, because this morning, I discovered…
[Dr. van Rijn’s hands reach up and grab at the camera, pulling it off her headband. The view flips to show Dr. van Rijn’s face. Her eyes have become a smoky white. Even more notable, however, are the two sharp and bony growths protruding from the top of her head.]
Dr. van Rijn: …I was apparently invited to the party as well.
[The camera shakes as Dr. van Rijn reattaches the camera to her headband.]
Dr. van Rijn: Tabitha said the dragon was calling to her. I don’t know if I’d describe it in those exact terms myself, but… there’s this feeling in the back of my head, telling me that this is where I need to be right now.
[Dr. van Rijn approaches a fork in the cave. From the right is a swarm of various SCP-9075-A instances; they move in a continuous stream past Dr. van Rijn and down the left fork. Dr. van Rijn joins the procession and walks along with them.]
Dr. van Rijn: I don’t know if I have a definitive plan for when I do get to the end. The Zmaj or Proteus or whatever may be calling its children home, but that doesn’t mean I have to listen to it.
[Up ahead, the hanging tongues of several SCP-9075-A11 specimens can be seen dangling from the ceiling. The tongues slowly retract as Dr. van Rijn approaches. She looks up as she passes underneath and appears to give them a nod.]
Dr. van Rijn: Still though, I think it’s important that I do this. Give in and seek this thing out. As for why, well, I think—
[There is a pause. After a moment, Dr. van Rijn lets out a sigh.]
Dr. van Rijn: Back when I was a little kid, there was this little pond I’d walk past every day on my way to school. And I remember there was this one year when I was walking by, and I noticed a bunch of pollywogs swimming about in the water. As someone who, even at that age, was already fascinated by frogs and the like, this was amazing. Suddenly I was rushing every morning to get out of the house so I’d have enough time to sit by the pond for a few minutes and see how well the pollywogs were growing. The day I was able to spot the little growths that would become their hind legs, I think I literally started jumping for joy.
Dr. van Rijn: Of course, it was only a couple days later that the trucks came to the empty lot next to the pond.
[Dr. van Rijn ducks underneath a stalactite as she continues walking.]
Dr. van Rijn: They were building a grocery store. People were excited, because it was such a convenient location, and the selection was going to be amazing, and so on, and so on. But the only thing I could think of was the pollywogs. It didn’t take long for the pond to become a dumping ground for the workers. Used cigarettes floating on the surface. Empty bottles half submerged in the water. Every day there was just more and more trash.
Dr. van Rijn: But still, the pollywogs persisted. They continued darting about in the water, seemingly undaunted by the increasing litter intruding on their home.
Dr. van Rijn Then one morning, as I was approaching the pond, I saw a group of men crowding around a bulldozer. Apparently, the hydraulics got busted, and fluid was leaking out everywhere. And that included into the pond.
[Pause.]
Dr. van Rijn Needless to say, the pollywogs didn’t make it. And I remember being so angry. But what made it worse was that the construction crew didn’t even care. I screamed and yelled and cursed at them, and all I remember seeing was one or two of them rolling their eyes and turning away from me.
Dr. van Rijn: It was a little dramatic on my part, sure. I mean, I was a little kid. But it left me with this deep and profound anger — that people could be so callous to the lives of others, big or small — and I don’t think it ever left me. In fact, I think it was renewed — reignited rather — when I discovered a large corporation had poisoned an entire town, driven an entire ecosystem into desolation, and then had the audacity to do nothing and proceed to lie about it. Act like they could just wash their hands of the whole affair while pretending they had no accountability to the people and wildlife they had irrevocably harmed.
Dr. van Rijn: And so, I guess the real reason I’m down here right now is that I find myself in a position where I might be able to take all that pent up frustration and — with the biggest, meanest smile on my face — finally do something about it.
Dr. van Rijn: The Proteus that lives down here, I want to catch it, and I want to hold onto it, until we can come to an agreement.
[Dr. van Rijn stops. She has reached the water’s edge. The SCP-9075-A instances around her continue into the water and can be seen diving downward.]
Dr. van Rijn: Well, I guess we’re about to enter into uncharted territory. Let’s see if I can keep you around for the ride a little while longer.
[She kneels over and slowly sticks her hand in the water. After a moment, she pulls it out again and brings it up to her face.]
Dr. van Rijn: Hmmm… looks okay… feels okay… I think we’re golden.
[She stands up again.]
Dr. van Rijn: Oh, and don’t worry about me drowning. There was also another little surprise I woke up to this morning that should help me out.
[She grabs at the camera and points it at her face again. She lowers her collar slightly, revealing fleshy stalks resembling olm gills extending from her neck.]
Dr. van Rijn: Anyway, I know how corrosive this water can get, and I don’t want this camera breaking down too soon. So, I’m sorry, but this will be a little weird for a bit.
[She opens her mouth and places the camera inside. A few seconds later a muffled splash is audible.]
[The video remains black for several minutes. Indistinct muted noises can periodically be heard. Finally, there is the sound of another splash. A few seconds later the image returns, showing Dr. van Rijn’s face. It is dripping wet.]
Dr. van Rijn: That wasn’t so bad, was it? Hope the view inside my mouth wasn’t terribly offensive. Wasn’t an awful swim for me. It was a weird feeling, being able to breathe underwater like that. Don’t really know how to describe it. Anyway, take a look at this.
[She turns the camera around revealing a large open chamber. The chamber is dimly illuminated by unseen flames scattered across the space.]
[Dr. van Rijn begins to walk through the chamber, holding the camera in front of her. The space is filled with mounds of rubble that obscure the scope of the entire area.]
[Dr. van Rijn navigates through the rubble; scattered among the rocks are the apparent remains of a building. Bricks, rebar, and twisted metal surround her on all sides. Eventually, she spots an image painted onto the remnants of a wall. She walks towards it.]
[It’s the BadenForm logo.]
[She pauses in front of the logo for a moment before continuing through the wreckage. Rounding a corner, she spots an SCP-9075-A15 specimen sitting atop a dented steel tank. The flames on its back appear to be the primary light source for this section of the chamber. The specimen is still as it stares at Dr. van Rijn. After a moment Dr. van Rijn gives a small wave and continues walking.]
[Dr. van Rijn eventually makes it to the remains of a loading bay. More light is visible on the other side of the partially open garage door. She crouches under the door and steps through.]
[She enters a significantly brighter, more open space. The area is dotted with small trees, bone white in color, their leaves emitting a faint glow. Scattered clusters of brightly-colored mushrooms can be seen in all directions. Dr. van Rijn steps over a shallow creek. The water flows slowly; its surface bears an iridescent sheen.]
[The area is filled with countless SCP-9075-A instances — all observed variants are visible as well as some previously unknown. Most appear to be resting but many seem to face Dr. van Rijn as she passes. Some begin to follow her.]
[Dr. van Rijn suddenly turns to the right. A humanoid figure can be seen behind a tree. It waves at Dr. van Rijn before taking several steps forward. As it gets closer, it becomes clear this is Ema Kralj, one of the missing SCP-9075-B instances. She smiles at Dr. van Rijn before pointing off to her right. Dr. van Rijn waves back as she starts moving in the indicated direction.]
[Additional humanoid figures can be seen emerging from behind the trees. These figures turn out to be the other missing SCP-9075-B instances. Scattered amongst the children are the missing MTF-Iota-90 members as well as a handful of unidentified individuals. Additional changes in physiology can be seen among the crowd, with some individuals exhibiting significantly greater muscle mass while others appear to possess elongated limbs. All show signs of fused eyelids.]
[All visible humanoids watch Dr. van Rijn as she passes, some smiling, but none speaking or approaching. A few of them point in the same direction indicated by Kralj; Dr. van Rijn continues down this path.]
[Up ahead, two more figures can be seen — an adult and a child. The adult is kneeling and speaking to the child, one hand on its left shoulder. As Dr. van Rijn gets closer, it becomes clear this is Neli Čeferin and Dr. Nkosi. Dr. Nkosi turns her head and, sensing Dr. van Rijn, stands and gives a warm smile.]
[She points in the same direction as the others.]
[Dr. van Rijn nods. She continues moving.]
[She approaches a pair of large stalagmites that give the appearance of pillars. As she passes between them, a faint noise becomes audible off to her left. She turns and sees what appears to be a writhing mass. A closer look reveals a mound of pulsating human bodies, seemingly fused together in a chaotic manner. Pained moans emanate from open mouths which emit continuous torrents of viscous mucus.]
[The faces have no eyes, nor skin covering the sockets. There are only empty black cavities. Nothing visible inside them.]
[Dr. van Rijn slowly circles the mound. Some of the bodies are wearing uniforms bearing the BadenForm Logo. After a moment, she stops in front of one body. It is former plant manager Victor Cho. His face is low to the ground, someone else’s foot fused to his temple. Whether Cho can sense Dr. van Rijn’s presence is uncertain; even so, Cho’s moans seem to become sounds of weeping just moments after she stops.]
[Dr. van Rijn stands still facing Cho for roughly thirty seconds. Then, without a word, she returns to walking, leaving the mound behind.]
[Her path becomes a gentle incline, which gradually increases in steepness as she continues. The walk eventually turns into a climb, but Dr. van Rijn does not slow her pace. Numerous SCP-9075-A instances follow alongside her on both sides. Soon, a crest in the hill becomes visible.]
[She continues her climb.]
[She reaches the top.]
[In front of her is a massive pit.]
[She looks down. It is dark inside. But there is something moving within. A deep, slow breathing is audible.]
Dr. van Rijn: Father.
Dr. van Rijn: Mother.
Dr. van Rijn: Whatever you are.
Dr. van Rijn: I see you.
Dr. van Rijn: I’ve grown up.
Dr. van Rijn: And I think we should talk.
[A pair of shining red orbs appear in the dark below. Its eyes are wide open.]
[The pale dragon of flesh raises its head, its gaze fixed on Dr. van Rijn.]
[The dragon roars.]
[Dr. van Rijn laughs softly.]
[The video suddenly cuts out.]
<End Log>
A thorough search of Postojna Cave commenced shortly after receipt of the file. Exploration teams were unable to locate the chamber depicted in the video or the entities within. Their whereabouts remain unknown.
Addendum 9075-17:
On 2081/09/19, the Foundation was alerted to an explosion at the BadenForm Corporation’s global headquarters in Munich, Germany. Reports indicate that the explosion occurred at 03:42 local time and originated from within the center of the building. The explosion was promptly followed by the sudden formation of a massive sinkhole directly beneath the structure, which pulled the entirety of the building into the earth.
One witness present near the scene described the explosion as “a gigantic blood-red flame.”
Two days after the initial explosion, the Foundation was able to acquire a video recording from another witness to the event. The video depicts a humanoid figure at the scene of the incident immediately following the explosion. This figure — designated Person of Interest 989 — appears to be female, with 2 chiropterine wings protruding from her back and 2 large horns growing from her head.
The subject is seen standing amid the flames as walls of rubble cascade into the earth around her.
She is observed to be smiling.