Sir Walter Raleigh's head depicted during his life, prior to the emergence of its anomalous properties.

Item #: SCP-7164

Object Class: Euclid

Special Containment Procedures: Archaeological and mortician personnel are to take appropriate measures at their own discretion to preserve SCP-7164's tissue. A vacuum filter must be running constantly to absorb the insects spawning from SCP-7164. When not in testing, SCP-7164 is kept in a climate-controlled storage unit. Regular conversations to prevent the degradation of SCP-7164's mental health can be assigned to Junior Researchers at the discretion of supervising personnel.

Description: The animate, decapitated and desiccated head of Sir Walter Raleigh1 has been designated SCP-7164. The skull has been removed, replaced by tobacco leaf, with the outer layer of skin being partially mummified. SCP-7164 is blind but not deaf. Both of its eyes are missing, as well as the external ears, eyelids, and lips. All of SCP-7164’s hair has fallen out apart from a few strands. Despite its desiccation, the stump is warm to the touch and generates 2.5ml of human viscera per day. DNA testing has matched this biological material to samples from Sir Walter Raleigh’s living descendants.

SCP-7164 speaks in a mixture of modern and old English and can accurately recall memories of Sir Walter Raleigh as far as can be historically documented. SCP-7164 is generally passive in its communications and has never initiated conversation. When it is not speaking, SCP-7164 is inert beyond its matter-generative properties.

SCP-7164 is constantly spontaneously generating ants, beetles, maggots, and earwigs from within its internal tobacco leaves. These are of varying species and are always in their adult form. After emerging from SCP-7164's varying orifices they will immediately begin attempting to consume SCP-7164, but will otherwise behave normally if removed from SCP-7164's vicinity.

The Foundation recovered SCP-7164 from a private collection after videos documenting its properties were found being circulated by bootleg videotape distributors. Upon its discovery, SCP-7164 was being kept in a velour handbag.

Addendum: SCP-7164 Interview Logs

04/18/1999 Interview Log

Interview Participants: Dr. Bill Schulz

Subject: Origin of anomalous properties

<Begin Log>

Researcher Schulz: The recorder has been activated. This is Researcher William Schulz, interviewing SCP-7164 on April 18th, 1999. Can you hear me, SCP-7164?

SCP-7164: That’s right.

Researcher Schulz: I wanted to go through a few of the different theories you’ve given regarding your origin.

SCP-7164: Bid whatever thou desire, yet I never gave the answer to the question.

Researcher Schulz: You’ve claimed that both the Bavarian Illuminati and the Stonemasons may have been responsible for your current state?

SCP-7164: That was only a story I told to entertain, for a few moments out of the bag with those chittering insects.

Researcher Schulz: So you’re not standing by those claims?

SCP-7164: I know not if 'tis right or wrong, it is just something I quoth. You would say anything to have brief moments of respite from such an existence. I've spent more of my life doing that than I ever did exploring or being a man.

Researcher Schulz: Speaking of exploring, what about El Dorado? You spent a lot of time abroad, looking for treasure. Did you ever see anything odd, something you couldn’t explain out there in the new world?

SCP-7164: There wasn't anything usual about it. All of the place was strange to mine eyes and I wouldn't know what about it might have granted me my present condition. I never found some cursed tomb if that's what you're getting at. If anything, it would have been the men.

Researcher Schulz: Nobody sticks out in your mind, none of the people you met over there, maybe, that one of them could have done something to you or said something to you?

SCP-7164: If it were something so simple and primrose to explain, we wouldn't be sitting hither talking, right?

Researcher Schulz: Sure.

SCP-7164: Why do you want there to be some explanation like that for it anyhow? Isn't it enough for some strange things to just befall? Doth thou want this form to be made by witchcraft? If I knew why I was like this I would have done something about it by now.

Researcher Schulz: Well, perhaps if we knew more, we could assist-

SCP-7164: Assist? With what? Making me rot faster? Spare me thy platitudes. I know not where I came from any more than thou doth and I suggest thou forbear worrying about it because thou shall never find an answer that causes thee fortunate.

SCP-7164 did not respond to further inquiries.

<End Log>

08/22/2001 Interview Log

Interview Participants: Doctor Ahmad Almossawi, SCP-7164

Subject: Queen Elizabeth I

<Begin Log>

Doctor Almossawi: This tape is being dictated by Doctor Almossawi, on the twenty-second of August in the year 2001. I am speaking to a head called SCP-7164.

SCP-7164: I was not always bid that.

Doctor Almossawi: I know. One of the people who knew you before that was the Queen, right? Elizabeth the first. We have another Elizabeth on the throne right now, actually, did you know that?

SCP-7164: I know it, yet her beauty canst not compare to my virgin queen Lizzy.

Doctor Almossawi: What was your first impression when you met? I would imagine you don’t forget the first time you meet a Queen. It's never happened to most people, I've never had it.

SCP-7164: She was amazingly beautiful. I couldn't see to get enough of her. It shocked me how insecure she was behind closed doors. Mine god, if only she could see how beautiful she actually was. I tried to say to her so many times but each time she would say no, not really. Never accepted a compliment. I know not would she aye actually allow herself to hear me. Wanted her to hear, I never knew if mine words were coming through or would I was just speaking to her presence.

Doctor Almossawi: Could you elaborate on that, you knew Elizabeth for many years so surely she would hear you out eventually.

SCP-7164: 'Twere hard for me, loving her. I never was sure I knew how she felt. Not for the gentle caresses, or carefree afternoons spent in her inner chambers, there was eternally something pulled back inside her. A permanent restraint. All the times my lips met hers, I couldn't recall any times where she would kiss me back. My enthusiasm was endless and hers was all chaste. Yet then she would doth little things like resting her pate on mine shoulder, or squeezing mine hands, and I had hope, haply we might hast something more in the future. But we never got there because we died.

Doctor Almossawi: But if she was so cold to you, then you should have known she was not interested in you.

SCP-7164: I know not. I never regard it was so simple. Maybe our love was doomed from the start, yet she brought me so much happiness. I hope I brought her some joy. So many days alone in the castle she said it was all duty, that she really had nothing to live for, felt empty and sad for each long hour of every day. No matter what I said, I could not be of comfort to her. I do not regard anyone else whom I brought smiles and not the sword. All I ever wanted was to hear her a single loving word to me. That was before I was like this and she went first. She grew corky and died.

Doctor Almossawi: She was famously afraid of that, of aging and death, if our historical sources are to be believed.

SCP-7164: That is true. Never fortunate with the body God gave her, yearning for youth, perhaps that's why being fortunate and happy together was impossible. There cannot be a love if someone doth not love themselves. I poured all of my heart's love into her but she remained hollow and heavy.

Doctor Almossawi: I see. We don’t have to continue this avenue of conversation if it’s upsetting you, I’ve got everything I needed for today. Thank you, SCP-7164. I’ll speak to you again soon.

SCP-7164: You’re welcome.

<End Log>

12/02/2007 Interview Log

Interview Participants: Doctor Ahmad Almossawi, SCP-7164

Subject: Excerpt taken from a larger interview on an unrelated topic.

<Begin Log>

SCP-7164: Am I being preserved well?

Doctor Almossawi: Oh, yes. We’re taking every measure to ensure that, not to worry.

SCP-7164: Why?

Doctor Almossawi: That’s our job. We’re here to keep you going, to learn from your experience so we can better understand the universe?

SCP-7164: I've been alive too long. I've remembered too much. Doth thou still want me to be alive to learn from me?

Doctor Almossawi: It is more convenient, yes, when we can speak to you. I can’t talk to you anymore if you’re inert.

SCP-7164: Convenience? Is that what excuse we use to bid farewell to mercy killing? I was a soldier once. Should I have seen a man in mine condition when I was whole, I would hast struck him down presently to save his soul. When shall I get to to heaven? I’m so tired.

Doctor Almossawi: I’m sorry, Sir Walter. I’m afraid that’s outside my control.

SCP-7164: Thou could crush me right now, then it is over.

Doctor Almossawi: I’m sorry, I think this is the end of the interview today. We can talk more soon, okay?

SCP-7164: Thou art going to leave me in the dark? Dispatch me. Send me to be with Lizzy in heaven or to hell, it cannot be worse than living like this.

Doctor Almossawi: I’m sorry.

SCP-7164: Please.

<End Log>

Footnotes

1. English explorer, 1552-1618