SOC-263
SOC-263 was discovered after multiple reports of spontaneous human combustion in the town of █████████, Kentucky, all within the vicinity of a local television broadcast station. During recovery, Stupid Object Goons from team L-058 (code name "NOT FOR BROADCAST") failed to correctly answer several of SOC-263-1's questions, which resulted in the loss of a majority of the broadcast equipment within the station, thereby inadvertently containing SOC-263 (see Document #L-LS-058). The show's set has been moved into a Stupid Object Warehouse in a fireproof insulated room with no broadcasting equipment besides a single closed-circuit television surveillance system, viewable from an outside, also fireproof room. Anyone wishing to test SOC-263 must do so through the surveillance system, as triggering a "Live Show" event (see Document #L-LS-058) is extremely dangerous and likely to result in a containment breach.
Description
SOC-263 is a game show titled "Cash or Ash?," hosted by SOC-263-1, a humanoid entity only referred to in the show as "Your Host." All decor and design elements of the show are are consistent with the early 1970s edition of the popular game show [REDACTED], albeit with anything referencing the original title replaced with the title of SOC-263, and additional logos and set pieces showing cartoon depictions of US currency and fire imagery. Prior to containment, SOC-263 was broadcast during all slots not filled with non-anomalous programming on the █████ Network, a local public broadcasting station in █████████, Kentucky, primarily filling late night and early morning slots. SOC-263 is appropriately interrupted by normal broadcast television interruptions, such as EAS tests and warnings, and does not intrude upon non-anomalous broadcasts in any way. If an episode of SOC-263 is recorded from a television with a connected VCR or DVR, the recording will show only static or a test pattern indicating the channel being recorded was off air. External recordings of SOC-263 are possible, but are non-interactable and only capture a replay of the behavior previously exhibited on-screen by SOC-263-1.
The show consists of SOC-263-1 walking around the set with a microphone, occasionally manifesting common game show objects such as wheels or visual aids. SOC-263-1 directs general trivia questions at the camera or "viewer" of the show. Only one viewer is recognized per television screen displaying SOC-263, and there appears to be no limit to how many screens SOC-263-1 can respond to at a time. SOC-263-1 will ask the same questions to all viewers in a given broadcast instance, but will vary its responses depending on the response of each individual viewer.
For a list of questions asked and answers accepted by SOC-263-1, see Table Q-263. Any researchers testing SOC-263 are welcome to document notable results in this table.
| Question asked by SOC-263-1 | Answer provided by viewer | Answer accepted as correct? |
|---|---|---|
Before beginning a round of trivia, SOC-263-1 will explain that giving three correct answers in a row will win the viewer "cash," and three wrong answers (total, non-consecutively) will result in "ash." No further detail is given explaining these outcomes, but cartoonish sound effects are played, accompanying "cash" with a cash register sound and "ash" with a variety of "bad" sounds, which on different occasions have been observed to include audio of a crackling flame, an explosion, an evil cackle, several different "incorrect" buzzers from other game shows, and a recording of [DATA EXPUNGED].
For each question, viewers are given 45 seconds to verbally communicate an answer in English. Viewers using sign language or any non-English spoken language are apparently not "heard" by SOC-263-1, and are not acknowledged. If a correct answer is given, SOC-263-1 will congratulate the viewer, and proceed to the next question. If an incorrect answer is given, or if no answer is perceived by SOC-263-1 within 45 seconds, SOC-263-1 will express disappointment, and warn the viewer of the "ash" lest they fail three times. Turning off the screen showing SOC-263 while a broadcast event is in progress will not result in any adverse action or acknowledgement by SOC-263-1, but viewers who have answered at least one question during the event are extremely reluctant to do this, as they are psychologically compelled to remain playing until they either win or lose. Viewers with propensity for addictions, particularly gambling addictions, are especially vulnerable to this compulsion effect.
Winning ("Cash")
Upon answering three questions correctly in a row, SOC-263-1 will congratulate the viewer and a fanfare will play. Following this, one semi-randomly-selected item in the vicinity (defined as within the home or room the screen showing SOC-263 is present in) will be transformed into a pile of US currency (legal tender, in appropriate denominations) equivalent to the value of the item transformed. Notably, this value amount corresponds not to modern currency and item values, but to that of the United States in the year 1972. Items that did not exist in 1972, such as smartphones, appear to be estimated according to the market values of their components. Following a win, the winning viewer will not be able to see another active broadcast of SOC-263, and will experience the same effect that occurs when attempting to record a broadcast of SOC-263 using a VCR or DVR, seeing only static or a test pattern, for a minimum of three weeks, after which the viewer may watch and attempt to win again.
Losing ("Ash")
Upon answering three questions incorrectly, or failing to answer three questions, within a single broadcast event of SOC-263, the viewer's screen takes on a red or orange hue and SOC-263-1 expresses disappointment at the loss, telling the viewer to "prepare for some ash." Following this, one semi-randomly-selected item in the vicinity will spontaneously combust, creating a fire that is contained to only the chosen item, which will burn until the item is turned to ash.
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