Per 
Item Number: SCP-4116
Object Class: Euclid
Special Containment Procedures: SCP-4116 is to be contained in a 4mx4mx6m containment chamber. SCP-4116-1 is to be kept in a 10-gallon garden pot, filled with common garden soil. SCP-4116-1 does not need to be watered. During the month of October, no fewer than fifteen (15) staff are to be assigned to SCP-4116 for the purposes of reviewing and performing Procedure 95-Seneca. Aside from this, personnel required for secure containment is minimal. On the 31st of October, staff will perform Procedure 95-Seneca as outlined in Addendum 95-Seneca. SCP-4116 should not be held in a containment site with any reality- or time-altering SCPs.
Description:
SCP-4116 is a small rubber figurine resembling Aptenodytes forsteri, an emperor penguin. It is embedded in an otherwise non-anomalous tree (hereby designated SCP-4116-1) of species cercis canadensis, the eastern redbud, from which it cannot be removed by any means yet tested.
SCP-5020 exhibits several anomalous effects. When any object except SCP-4116-1 comes within 4 cm of SCP-4116, it is heavily damaged beyond repair within less than a second. The method by which this is achieved has been proven by testing with a high-speed camera to be some sort of spatial anomaly.
The secondary effect triggers only on the 31st day of October, annually. If the series of actions hereby designated Procedure 95-Seneca is not carried out, a space surrounding SCP-4116 measuring 5kmx6.5km will produce an anomaly in which time slows to a stop. The space caused by this anomaly will increase by a measure of 16.2 cm every 24 hours until Procedure 95-Seneca is performed.
Persons are able to enter the temporal anomaly and move unaffected, provided they enter of their own accord and not due to expansion of the affected space. They are, however, prevented from exiting by a field surrounding the anomalous space, as an effect of the anomaly.
Objects in contact with persons who enter the affected space intentionally behave as if unaffected. If they are removed from contact, they become affected again.
History:
SCP-4116 was recovered from •••••• ••••••••• State University on November 3rd, 2004. One day prior, a student named ••••• •••••••, attempted to touch SCP-4116; subsequently, two of his fingers were shredded from the first knuckle forward. On October 31st, four days before, the same student and another student named ••••• ••••••• traversed campus and observed SCP-4116 while under the influence of lysergic acid (LSD). A Foundation agent embedded in the university investigated the rumors and contacted local Foundation personnel. MTF Sigma-12 “Penguin Clubbers” was dispatched to recover SCP-4116, apprehend the two students, and cover up the event. Students and faculty were administered class-B amnestics and released. Through interviews it was determined that SCP-4116 appeared in its initial location on August 11th, 2004. Attempts to trace SCP-4116 origins were unsuccessful. Media coverage of the event was barred from broadcast and any reporters aware of the event were administered class-C amnestics and released. The two students were apprehended without incident. They were interviewed and their activities on October 31st were recorded. They were then administered class-B amnestics, given false memories regarding the loss of ••••• •••••••’s fingers, and returned to the public.
As of November 9th, 2005, SCP-4116’s document was updated in light of the events of October 31st, 2005 and the subsequent days (see Addendum 4116-A).
Addendum 4116-A: Report of events of 10/31/2005-11/08/2005.
On October 31st, 2005, Site-•• was affected by the temporal anomaly resultant of SCP-4116’s effects. Site-•• failed to report in as scheduled and personnel were sent to investigate. Upon discovering the status of the Site, several rudimentary tests were performed. The interview logs with the two students from •••••• ••••••••• State University were reread, and Procedure 95-Seneca developed based on the notes. Upon the completion of the Procedure, time returned to normal speed and resynchronized with the outside world. No casualties reported.
Note from Site-•• Director:
We’re goddamn lucky there wasn’t a containment breach that week. I’ve updated the containment procedures. Get this damn penguin off my site.
Addendum 95-Seneca:
Procedure 95-Seneca is to be performed annually, on the 31st of October. Personnel (hereby referred to as “actors”) are to be chosen and assigned a role as outlined below. Use of chemical substances on the actors assigned to roles “Henry” and “Jacob” to induce a suggestive state and improve the effectiveness of Procedure 95-Seneca have been approved and recommended. Actors in role “Henry” and “Jacob” are to be outfitted with recording devices and their commentary transcribed after the completion of the Procedure. Time taken to complete Procedure 25-Seneca has ranged from six to thirty-three hours at the time of this writing. The actors and objects required for a role are listed here, followed by the role they correspond to.
One (1) D-class personnel: Jacob
One (1) D-class personnel: Henry
One (1) male researcher of any clearance, wearing a yellow sunhat and a navy blue trench coat: Gatekeeper of the Universe
One (1) non-anomalous antique key: Key to the Universe
One (1) female researcher of any clearance, wearing faux fox ears on the head and a faux fox-tail hanging from the waist: Interdimensional Werewolf
One (1) non-anomalous light blue bicycle: Bike of the Universe
One (1) male researcher of any clearance, wearing a pink unicorn costume: Mayor of Halloweentown
One (1) female researcher of any clearance, wearing a red sequin dress, costume devil horns on the head and costume devil tail hanging from the waist: The Devil
Six (6) researchers of any clearance, wearing assorted costumes characteristic of typical Halloween costumes: Citizens of Halloweentown
One (1) male researcher of any clearance, wearing a fur-lined leather jacket and denim pants: The Spider King
One (1) male researcher of any clearance, proficient in electric guitar, outfitted with a Stratocaster-model electric guitar and amplifier, wearing a hot dog costume: The Hot Dog Playing Guitar
SCP-4116: The Penguin Tree
One (1) researcher of any clearance, dressed in plain clothes and holding a bowl of any cereal: Jay
Three (3) non-anomalous traffic cones colored red, green, and blue: The Cones of Truth
One (1) non-anomalous tree of species quercus robur (common oak): Tree of the Universe
One (1) non-anomalous metal-mesh picnic table, placed beneath Tree of the Universe: Bench of the Universe
Procedure 95-Seneca is to be executed as follows. Actors and objects are designated by their roles for readability. Actors and objects are to be placed in key spots as to be presented to Henry and Jacob during the course of Procedure 95-Seneca. Henry and Jacob are not to be hurried through the process, although they are permitted to encourage each other to continue. During the procedure, Henry and Jacob are to be subtly convinced that they are in an alternate universe known as Halloweentown.
Henry and Jacob begin the procedure in a large common room, with the Mayor of Halloweentown, the Devil, and the Citizens of Halloweentown scattered throughout. The Mayor of Halloweentown introduces himself as such, and welcomes them to the city of Halloweentown, where he has served proudly as mayor for five trillion years. Henry and Jacob then mingle with the citizens of Halloweentown and the Devil for approximately 20 minutes before the Gatekeeper of the Universe and the Interdimensional Werewolf enter, carrying the Key of the Universe and the Bicycle of the Universe, respectively.
Henry and Jacob will be allowed to discover the roles of the Gatekeeper and the Werewolf via their own reasoning, taking all the time required. Only then will the Gatekeeper and the Werewolf continue, guiding Henry and Jacob to the Tree of the Universe.
The first stop they will make is when they come across the Spider King. Any questions that Jacob and Henry ask of the Spider King are to be answered in terms of the Spider King’s occupation as such, ex. Q: “What are you?” A: “I am the Spider King.”, Q: “What do you do?” A: “I am King of the Spiders.”, Q: “Are you the Spider King?” A: “Yes, I am the Spider King.”, etc.
When the exchange has concluded, the Gatekeeper and the Werewolf will then lead Henry and Jacob to the Hot Dog Playing Guitar, who will play a few improvised riffs as Henry and Jacob watch. Henry and Jacob will be permitted to watch the Hot Dog Playing Guitar for as long as they desire.
Once Henry and Jacob have decided to continue, the Gatekeeper and the Werewolf will lead them to the Penguin Tree. The Werewolf will ask if the two would like to see the Penguin Tree. They will then be shown the Penguin Tree, and allowed to observe it for any period of time. Note: The actors portraying Henry and Jacob may suggest that one of them touch SCP-4116. They should not be discouraged from this verbally or physically; to date, all actors in this role have changed their mind before any harm could occur.
Once finished with the Penguin Tree, Henry and Jacob will proceed further, happening across Jay. They will typically be fascinated by Jay’s relatively normal appearance, and chat for a while about the day thus far. As usual, Henry and Jacob should not be hurried through this encounter.
After this, Henry and Jacob will proceed accompanied by the Gatekeeper and the Werewolf, to a corridor blocked off by the Cones of Truth. If Henry and Jacob inquire as to the purpose of the cones, the Gatekeeper will suggest through rhetorical question that the Cones require three riddles to be answered before they can pass. No riddles will actually be given, and Henry and Jacob can proceed without consequence at any time.
Finally, Henry and Jacob will reach the Tree of the Universe. They will be permitted to sit and relax at the Bench of the Universe, in order to unwind. The Gatekeeper and the Werewolf will depart at this time, leaving behind the Key to the Universe. Henry and Jacob will be allowed to sit for as long as they desire, until one of them places the key to the trunk of the Tree of the Universe and twists it as though opening a lock.
At this point, Procedure 95-Seneca will be considered concluded. The actors may remove their costumes, and the D-class portraying Henry and Jacob are to be retrieved and returned to their barracks. The audio recorded from the devices affixed to Henry and Jacob is to be transcribed and placed into file.
Any references to additional “towns” like Halloweentown are to be submitted to the SCP-4116 project head and analyzed for any indication that these “towns” are extant alternate realities.
