Item #: SCP-190
Object Class: Safe
Special Containment Procedures: SCP-190 is kept in Security Locker 23 at Site 41. Children under the age of 10 are not allowed within 50 meters of SCP-190 except under testing conditions. All personnel working at Site 41 are to be made aware of SCP-190's secondary effect, and its innocuous nature. Personnel transfer requests made due to SCP-190's secondary effect are to be expedited, unless doing so would violate the special containment procedures for another Item.
All individuals who have directly interacted with SCP-190 are to be monitored indefinitely for long-term side effects.
Description: SCP-190 is a carved wooden box banded with iron, measuring 50 cm x 70 cm x 35 cm. The lid is carved with a representation of a large circus tent with an open central panel, within which stands a figure dressed as a stereotypical ringmaster. The carvings on the sides consist of assorted animals typically associated with circuses, including lions, tigers, bears, elephants, and horses. These carvings move at a maximum observed rate of approximately 5 mm per day and time-lapse monitoring indicates that the depicted creatures appear to be acting in a non-violent play behavior with each other.
When an individual age 10 or older opens the hinged lid, SCP-190 contains 17 marbles of assorted size and color, 2 sticks of lightly used green sidewalk chalk, and 1 deck of Bicycle brand playing cards. These objects can be manipulated within the confines of SCP-190, but cannot be removed from it. Attempts to remove these objects encounter an otherwise undetectable, impenetrable barrier stretching across the opening to the box. Individuals age 10 or older who interact with SCP-190 or its contents typically report feelings of unease or discomfort until they cease interacting with them.
When an individual under the age of 10 opens SCP-190, it will contain 1-5 toys or games intended for use by children. Observed objects include stuffed animals, rubber balls, yo-yos, dolls, blocks, and simple board games. These objects can be freely removed from SCP-190 by any prepubescent individual, although attempts by pubescent or post-pubescent encounter the same barrier described above. The objects typically possess a circus theme, depicting classic circus animals, venues, performers, and design schemes containing red, gold, white, stars, and/or the initials "HF".
Children in the appropriate age range express great pleasure and excitement when playing with SCP-190 or the objects it produces, regardless of prior attitudes regarding toys or games of that type. Children exhibit more energetic play behaviors than they normally do, as well as more physical activities such as somersaults, cartwheels, climbing nearby objects, and simple 1- and 2-object juggling. Most play behaviors include incidental elements of causing harm to other people, especially those older than themselves. All objects produced by SCP-190 are capable of causing extreme damage, regardless of their composition. Representative samples below. Objects produced by SCP-190 vanish if placed back within it and the lid is closed.
Toy/GameUsage by ChildResultRed and white striped rubber ball with a gold star on one end8-year-old male bounced against a wall 37 times prior to throwing it at a supervising junior researcher.The wall had noticeable shallow dents where it had been struck. The junior researcher suffered 2 cracked ribs and significant soft tissue bruising where she had been struck. Child expressed disappointment that junior researcher didn't throw the ball back.Stuffed elephant made of felt, measuring 35 cm in height, wearing a red and gold saddle with the initials "HF" embroidered on the sides4-year-old female moved toy as if it were walking, child making trumpeting noises before making it step on the foot of supervisory D-class.D-class's foot suffered multiple complex bone fractures and hemorrhaging consistent with a crush injury. Child chided D-class for getting in the way of the toy."See The Big Top!", a board game of similar design to the 2004 edition of "Candyland"6-year-old male begged supervisory D-class to play game until D-class was ordered to do so by researchers.Child lost game and threw cards at D-class in anger. D-class suffered deep paper cuts to the face, hands, and forearms, requiring multiple bandages. Child hugged D-class after completion of game and asked if she would receive Batman adhesive bandages to "make the boo-boos better."Tin container labeled "Junior Clown Kit!" containing 30 g (1 oz.) of clown white greasepaint, 2 red jumbo makeup pencils, 2 yellow/gold makeup pencils, small hand-mirror7-year-old female decorated own face and that of supervisory D-classD-class suffered mild chemical burns where makeup had made contact with skin and developed persistent allergy to lanolin. Child was unharmed.Lacquer-finished red wooden rod resembling a miniature version of SCP-20249-year-old female touched various furnishings around the room, including the supervising D-class's arm.D-class's arm tied into a knot. Child commented on D-class's improved physical appearance.
After initial testing ceased following the determination of baseline properties, an additional property became apparent. If SCP-190 and its contents have not been used by a child under the age of 10 for 29.5 consecutive days, faint calliope music will be audible to all individuals within 50 meters of SCP-190. This music appears to act as a mild cognitohazard, wherein children under the age of 10 will seek out SCP-190 if they are aware of its existence.
Long-term monitoring of individuals who interacted with SCP-190 as children reveal that they are approximately 4 times more likely than age-peers to become performers once they are adults, either professionally or as a primary hobby. Typical examples include acrobatics, magic/sleight-of-hand, animal training, and improvisational oratory and acting. Subjects do not otherwise display statistically significant behavioral abnormalities.
