Item #: SCP-1634

Object Class: Safe

Special Containment Procedures: SCP-1634 is stored in a secure locker at Site-76, along with a digital storage device holding notable instances of SCP-1634-1 retained for archival purposes. SCP-1634 may not be handled or utilized without permission from at least two Level-3 personnel. Only D-Class personnel may use SCP-1634. Additional security is required when utilizing D-Class personnel with a history of extreme violence and/or sociopathy.

Description: SCP-1634 is a simple metal circlet constructed from a thick ring of iron inlaid around its inner circumference with human skeletal muscle. Neither of the primary components show any sign of decay, although microscopic samples of SCP-1634's metals and tissue have oxidized and decomposed at a non-anomalous rate following excision. SCP-1634 also holds a complete set of 32 adult human teeth with roots partially embedded around its upper rim. Complementary deformities in several of the teeth suggest that they were taken from a single individual. The teeth are also much older than the material surrounding them, dating to the mid or late 2nd century CE while the main body of the artifact was formed using metal casting techniques not generally known until the late 1600's. SCP-1634 also shows signs of recent modification, carrying a microSD slot with circuitry integrated and interwoven through its musculature. Any memory card inserted in SCP-1634 will have its data erased and begin to accumulate SCP-1634-1.

When SCP-1634 is placed on the head of an awake and alert human being, the subject will lose consciousness over the course of 30-90 seconds and remain unconscious and unresponsive for roughly █ hours afterward. During this period, the individual wearing SCP-1634 will experience an episode of vivid dreaming in which they self-identify as the dream's protagonist. Autonomy and cognitive thought are retained throughout the dream-state, although lucidity (i.e., the knowledge that one is dreaming) is absent in the vast majority of cases. Repeated testing has confirmed that dreams experienced under the influence of SCP-1634 invariably follow a consistent order of events:

The protagonist finds him/herself in an arena-like setting

The protagonist is presented with a variety of ancient weapons including swords, maces, and flagella

Large animals (lions, giraffes, etc.) - tethered or otherwise incapacitated - begin to fill the arena

It is given to understand that the protagonist may kill the animals as he/she desires

Regardless of the protagonist's actions, crippled or emaciated human beings begin to appear

The protagonist perceives that the non-threatening humans are “enemies” or “giants” and is invited to slay them

Regardless of the protagonist's actions, perception of human and animal victims becomes increasingly distorted

At this point, the subject rapidly regains consciousness. If SCP-1634 is not removed at this point or shortly after (<█m) another period of unconsciousness will ensue and the above sequence of events will re-initiate. This cycle may continue indefinitely if not interrupted. Removing SCP-1634 from a subject already in a dream-state will not shorten the period of unconsciousness, although it appears to bring an abrupt end to the associated dream.

Most individuals in tests of SCP-1634 have described the experience as “disorienting,” sometimes reporting a strong sense of moral conflict associated with acting violently toward helpless but sentient victims. Both of these effects have been shown to decrease after repeated use.

SCP-1634-1 is the designation given to data found on memory cards inserted in SCP-1634 after use. The data consists of video files encrypted using the ████ codec with filenames formed of a six-digit serial number prefixed by the letters “CO.” The videos themselves are compromised by various artifacts (rapid shifts in speed / FOV / focus / color values, static and “hissing” noise, audio distorted or dropping out.) Nonetheless, they appear to be visual and auditory records of dreams experienced while wearing SCP-1634, “filmed” from the protagonist's point of view. Examination of videos created by test subjects assigned to perform specific actions while dreaming suggest that SCP-1634-1 videos are accurate in their representation of each individual experience. Thus far, none of the videos have exceeded 6 minutes.

- Excerpt from transcript of Recording 1634-1-01

– hide block

Subject is Researcher J████, who volunteered for the first “carded” experiment after safely conducting several unrecorded tests on D-Class personnel.

00:34 - View angle narrows and centers on a blurred distortion near the center of the arena. The focus adjusts until it is revealed to be a large wooden peg or post hammered into the dirt floor. The field of vision widens (with accompanying lens distortion) to include approximately 20 animals tied to individual posts. Among those recognizable are a male African lion (Panthera leo), a striped hyena (Hyaena hyaena), a Persian deer buck (Dama mesopotamica), and a hornless bovine (species undetermined).

00:42 - An unidentified voice is heard with words registering clearly as though spoken very close to the viewer: “Thy prey lies bleeding. Go forth and smite.” Deep lacerations appear on the gathered animals' abdomens and hindquarters.

01:05 - Subject's voice is heard on the recording - intelligible but with extreme high-frequency attenuation: "Hello. Hello? Am I dreaming? Am I dreaming?" Subject repeats the question eight additional times with varying inflection, during which time the perspective shifts from the tethered animals to the protagonist's right hand (now seen to be holding a late-Roman spatha sword) and a nearby table holding various weapons including additional gladii, tridents, and a large hammer.

02:00 - Speech continues: “This is Researcher N███ J████. I believe I am currently under the influence of SCP-1634. This may be a dream… possibly a hallucination. The D-Classes all stayed in the room, hooked up to the monitors. [A muffled tapping sound is heard.] There's no crown on my head. It feels real but I… don't really understand what's happening to my perspective. I'm not sure if anything is… being recorded at this point… or how. [pause] I am standing in the center of what looks like a large arena or colosseum, filled with… wounded animals. It looks pretty much like the subjects prior to myself described it. A minute or so ago someone told me to, quote, 'smite them,' unquote. There's a… sword in my hand. I really don't know who spoke.”

03:49 - The first voice is heard as before: “Butcher the weak. Ensnare the feeble.” Subject repeats the words.

04:04 - Subject is heard saying: “I'm going to try attacking this cow.” The sword sinks several centimeters into the bovine's shoulder before being retracted and the wound is seen to bleed. The animal grunts in pain, partially raising itself and then collapsing again. Subject continues “Dear God [muffled] I-… That was unexpected. Pardon me, I… really have no idea how this is done. We should have sent [REDACTED] next. [a surge in brown noise or static is heard over several seconds] There are… people, I think, but I can't see them.”

05:13 - The first voice speaks again: “Behold, the slaughter.” The video quality fluctuates erratically for several seconds before centering again on the bovine's former resting place, now occupied by three identical naked human males conjoined at the stomach and spine. Audio is silenced, although the mouths of all three individuals move in sync with one another - appearing to form the words “Kill us.”

05:22 - Subject is heard shouting: “What?” with far greater clarity than earlier. Static continues to build and the image begins to wash out, fading to medium gray at 05:32. Video ends.

- Synopsis of Recording 1634-1-06

– hide block

Subject is D-█████, transferred from [REDACTED] correctional facility while serving a ███-year sentence for multiple convictions including aggravated assault, assault with a deadly weapon, assault and battery, burglary, robbery, kidnapping, vandalism, shoplifting, [DATA EXPUNGED], and [DATA EXPUNGED]. Subject was informally evaluated by Dr. Nillom prior to experimentation as “highly likely” suffering from Malevolent Antisocial Personality Disorder.

Animals Identified

African elephant (Loxodonta africana)

African lion (Panthera leo)

Arabian oryx (Oryx leucoryx)

Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris)

Brown bear (Ursus arctos)

Common ostrich (Struthio camelus)

Dromedary camel (Camelus dromedarius)

European bison (Bison bonasus)

Fallow deer (Dama dama)

Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis)

Grévy's zebra (Equus grevyi)

Hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius)

Horse (Equus caballus)

Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus)

Persian deer (Dama mesopotamica)

Striped hyena (Hyaena hyaena)

Wild boar (Sus scrofa)

At least ██ humans in varying stages of paralysis

Weapons used

Celtic war hammer, throwing axes

Egyptian battle axe, bow and arrows

Roman gladius and spatha swords, trident, javelin

Unidentified polearms, handsaw, sledgehammer

Primitive wooden club

Partial transcript of “first voice” utterances

“Slay the weak and quench their lives.”

“Let none who oppose thee survive.”

“Behold the king of all earth, thou art a god.”

“All their flesh shall be rent asunder.”

“Without legs they cannot run.”

“To thine eternal glory.”

“Kill the great and lowly alike. Kill them all.”

“Lord of all humanity and beasts of the earth.”

“Immerse thyself in the blood of victory.”

“Hail Caesar.”

Acquisition Log Summary: SCP-1634 was intercepted at ██████ ████████ Postal Service by an embedded Foundation operative who observed it being shipped through channels previously associated with Marshall, Carter, and Dark. Suspicions were confirmed upon opening the package and discovering the anomalous artifact, along with a small paper square with a heavily encrypted barcode containing information for a ███████ money transfer and the following message:

Your [sic] people are into some seriously weird [expletive]. I've got the last unit all lit up on my workbench right now - just need to alter the process slightly. Not a thing to worry about on your end, folks, but I'd still appreciate getting the next installment NOW before I forget why I'm doing this [expletive] in the first place. Krawl out.

Addendum 1634-11: Following the decryption of the message above, all instances of SCP-1634-1 in the Foundation's possession were found to contain the string “KRAWL” steganographically embedded at regular intervals in the video file. Scans of popular video sites searching for the same string have returned several previously undocumented instances of SCP-1634-1 along with two additional groups of videos similar in style but differing in imagery: one in which a protagonist burns down poorly-constructed city buildings (with the occupants still inside) to erect more opulent ones in their place, and another showing mostly passive views of soldiers on a viaduct attacking whales and other aquatic animals with projectiles. Further investigation into the nature and origin of these recordings is under consideration.