Item#: 6958

Containment Class: keter

Secondary Class: none

Disruption Class: amida

Risk Class: critical

SCP-6958.

Assigned Site(s)
Site Director
Research Head
Assigned Task Force

Site-167-A

Site-167-B
Dir. Ryan Kestle
Fatima al-Khalid
MTF Pi-22 "Librators of Etemenanki"

Special Containment Procedures: All trespassers into SCP-6958's exclusion zone are to be apprehended, interrogated, and held within Site-167-A. At the discretion of the Site Director, trespassers may be administered amnestics and released. Any incursion from Site-167-B into SCP-6958-1 must be monitored and a member of the Foundation's Anomalous Cultural and Linguistic Anthropology division is to be present. Should any site personnel tamper with SCP-6958-1, the offender(s) are to be immediately removed and Protocol 11-1 is to be initiated. Should Protocol 11-1 fail and/or repair of the affected area after 6 hours not be achieved, any culture(s) and/or language(s) within the affected region are to be considered lost. In this event, Protocol 10-5 is to be initiated and a CK-class Reconfiguration Scenario is to be declared.

Description: SCP-6958 is a series of structures located at 28°4'17.1"N 44°3'59.2"E within the At-Taysiyah Natural Reserve. SCP-6958 is comprised of two circular walls, with the outer wall extending 6km outwards from the center. Both walls are separated from each other by 3km, set 150m tall, and 52.5m thick, and each only has two entrances and exits located on their poles. The area between the outer and inner walls, referred to as Zone A, is a maze that leads to Zone B. Despite aerial photography indicating a defined path towards the inner wall, ground teams report that the path is different from aerial observation. To date no ground team has made it through the maze and access into Zone B is done through helicopter landing at Site-167-B.

Within the inner wall, referred to as Zone B, is a series of well-preserved ruins that surround a tower, designated as SCP-6958-1, measuring 1km tall. The ruins surround SCP-6958-1 in circular patterns with four pathways leading to SCP-6958-1. The ruins themselves suggest signs of the previous habitation with bathhouses, dwellings, markets, storages, and barracks identified within the inner wall. Dating and analysis of the structures suggest they were built sometime within the 16th century BCE and were inhabited up until the 2nd century BCE. SCP-6958-1 could not be accurately dated, however carvings and pieces of pottery indicate that SCP-6958-1 was built alongside SCP-6958 or that it had existed prior to SCP-6958. Despite SCP-6958's massive size, individuals unaware of its existence are unable to perceive SCP-6958 until they are 5km from its outer wall.

In order to facilitate the protection, research, and continued operations within SCP-6958 two sites have been constructed. The primary facility, Site-167-A, is located 800m southwest from SCP-6958 and handles the primary protection and staffing of both sites. A smaller satellite site, Site-167-B, is located within Zone B of SCP-6958 and is 545m northeast of SCP-6958-1. An exclusion zone of 7km has been established and the region is patrolled by elements of MTF Pi-22 on a 24h basis.

Within SCP-6958-1 is a stone tapestry comprised of various drawings representing different cultures and languages throughout human history. The most recent culture to appear on the tapestry is the South Sudanese culture which, as of 2022, is still being formed. The most recent language to appear was Ohranian.1 Should a section of the tapestry be removed or destroyed, the culture(s) and/or language(s) are removed from reality following a six-hour period. Within this time, Protocol 11-1 is initiated to prevent a CK-class event. Protocol 11-1 is the process in which the damaged portion of the tapestry is recreated through both conventional and anomalous means.2 Should Protocol 11-1 fail to achieve its goal, Protocol 10-5 is instead initiated. Protocol 10-5 is the process in which all information and data of an erased culture and/or language is stored within Site-167. All individuals that are within SCP-6958, SCP-6958-1, or within 5km of SCP-6958 retain the knowledge and awareness of an erased culture and/or language from a CK-class event. All objects that are associated with or come from the location of a CK-class event are also erased, regardless of whether they are within SCP-6958 or not.

Addendum.1: Exploration of Zone A

On the 22nd of November, 1987 a full exploration into Zone A of SCP-6958 was conducted by 10 elements of MTF Pi-22, split into two fireteams. One team, Pi-22-γ entered Zone A via its northern entrance while another team, Pi-22-ε, entered via the southern entrance from Zone B. Prior to November 1987 only aerial reconnaissance of Zone A and preliminary explorations were conducted. The mission log for Pi-22-ε is provided below. All team members were outfitted with standard equipment and beacon tracking devices. All irrelevant sections of audio and video have been cut for clarity.

▷ Mission Transcript

▽ Mission Transcript

Date: 22/11/1987

Team: Mobile Task Force Pi-22-ε "Liberators of Etemenanki"

Subject: Zone A of SCP-6958

Members Present:

π-22-ε Esagila (Team Lead)

π-22-ε Esar

π-22-ε Nab

π-22-ε Nebu

π-22-ε Senna

<BEGIN LOG>

Audio and visual feed comes online. Fireteam Epsilon can be seen approaching the southern entrance into Zone A in an arrowhead formation. Esgalia can be seen walking at the front of the formation.

Esgalia: Command be advised we are approaching the entrance. Are all feeds online?

Command: All feeds are online Epsilon. You have permission to enter Zone A. Proceed with caution.

Esgalia: Understood Command. (Looks behind) Expect non-euclidian geometry. We're treading into unknown territory, so be ready.

Esar, Nab, Nebu: Copy.

Senna: Understood.

Fireteam Epsilon enter Zone A within formation and are forced to take a right turn. From this point onwards their beacons no longer match aerial view of Zone A. 45 minutes of video sped up for clarity.

Nebu: Soooo. Who wants to bet what's in this place?

Nab: Probably nothing much. Whoever built this place probably wants to keep that tower from falling into the wrong hands.

Nebu: True, but this maze is massive enough. Why change its geometry for those inside it?

Senna: Maybe that's only our issue. I mean this place was build well before planes were a thing.

Nebu: Yeah but why now? Why make it different now instead of then?

Nab: Maybe they wanted to keep something out?

Senna: Or in.

Esar: Quiet.

Nebu: What we're just making sm-

Esar: No, I mean be quiet. Do you hear that?

Audio equipment picks up a soft whistling of wind around Fireteam Epsilon, along with the sounds of mumbling from the nearest corridor.

Esgalia: (quietly) Command, can I get a position check on Gamma?

Command: Epsilon, Fireteam Gamma is still located within the northwest quadrant. Investigate the disturbance.

Esgalia: (quietly) Understood Command. Eyes up everyone. Senna, take point.

Senna: (quietly) Copy.

Fireteam Epsilon slowly approaches the corridor in file formation, weapons drawn. As they approach, the sounds slowly become more hushed until they cease entirely. As Senna rounds the corner, they spot three unknown individuals moving behind another corner roughly 30 meters away.

Senna: Halt! Be advised, spotted three individuals ahead. They appear to be unarmed.

Command: Understood. Intercept and detain if possible.

Fireteam Epsilon moves further down the corridor, with Senna approx. 10 meters ahead. Senna reaches the corner where the individuals rounded. As he does, Senna's audio and visual feed distort before ending entirely. The rest of the fireteam approach the corner to find it to be a dead end.

Esgalia: What in the hell? Senna?!

Nebu: Where the [[EXPLETIVE]] did he go?

Esgalia: Command, status on Senna's beacon?

Command: Epsilon, Senna's beacon is located 5 meters in front of you.

Esar: He has to be on the other side of the wall.

Nab: Well how do we even get there?

Esar: (looks around) Our extraction gear!

Esar puts her pack on the ground and pulls out a modified rope gun.

Esgalia: There's only two shots in those.

Nab: Not to mention how are you gonna get to him, if he's even there.

Esar: At worst it's just the beacon. If he is there, I'll think of something.

Esar successfully fires the rope gun onto the top of the maze wall. After securing the rope she slowly climbs up the wall. 27 minutes of video sped up for clarity. Video resumes upon Esar reaching the top of the maze wall.

Esar: (over radio) I'm at the top Esgalia.

Esgalia: Affirmative, do you have a visual on Senna?

Esar pulls out her binoculars and scans the area on the other side of the wall.

Esar: Negative… I can only spot the beacon.

Nebu: Well that was a waste of time.

Esar: Wait. Someone's up here. audio distorts

Esgalia: What? Repeat that again Esar?

Esar: audio distorted I said someone's up… Hal-!

Esar's audio and visual feed abruptly ends. Prior to vanishing, Esar's video feed picked up a humanoid figure on the opposite wall of her.3 It rapidly approached her until her feed ended.

Esgalia: Esar? Esar repeat last?

Command: Epsilon be advised, Esar's feed has completely dropped. Her beacon is still pinging but we can not locate where as of yet.

Nebu: Damn it! What the hell's going on with this place?!

Nab: I don't know, and I don't think we should stick around to find out.

Esgalia: Agreed. Command, requesting an immediate withdrawal.

Command: Granted Epsilon, stay safe.

Esgalia: Wilco Command. Let's move it you two!

Fireteam Epsilon runs back towards the direction they came from, using their beacon data as a guide. While running, the sounds of whistling wind and soft mumbling can be heard. The sounds slowly grow louder over the course of 25 minutes. Periodically one of the fireteam members looks behind them, with nothing there.

Esgalia: We're almost there, keep going!

Nebu: Come on, come on!

The sounds of rumbling can be heard around them as they continue through the maze. There was no seismic activity recorded during the event.

Nab: What the hell?!

Nebu: Oh sh-!

Suddenly two walls emerge from the corridor Epsilon had just passed. Without warning Nebu is crushed between the walls, subsequently ending his feeds. Nab stops to turn around.

Nab: Donald! Esga-!

Esgalia: (grabs Nab's arm) Come on, keep moving!

The pair continue to run for another 5 minutes, with the sounds now beginning to dissipate.

Nab: Are we almost there yet!

Esgalia: Close! Just a few more corners to pass through.

As Esgalia passes another corner, he notices only the sounds of his breathing and running. He turns around to see Nab is no longer behind him. Shortly before, Nab's feed freezes and cuts. The feed returns after approx. 12 seconds and shows Nab in another area of Zone A.4

Nab: Wha- What the hell?! (looks around frantically) Esgalia, where are you?!

Nab hears footsteps coming from behind him. As he swivels his head around, he sees a hazy humanoid figure 10 feet away approaching him.

Nab: Oh [[EXPLETIVE]]!

????: Do you wish to see it?

Nab: H-huh?

????: The partition. The place beyond the walls that surround you. Wherein all things lost and forgotten lie. Places, long broken, pieced together whole once more. One's home, one's loved, one's inception no longer hidden from view. Would you wish to go there?

Nab: I…

????: There's no need, your eyes hold the answer we need.

After this, Nab's feed and beacon go offline. The video feed is briefly reestablished one hour later, heavily corrupted. Before shutting down one final time, the image of a white field could be made out.

Closing Statement: Esgalia exited Zone A 1h47m after entering it. After a short psychiatric leave, Esgalia returned to duty with Pi-22. Fireteam Gamma was ordered to withdraw shortly after Epsilon's request. Their exploration was uneventful. Esar's beacon data could not be ascertained, however, its final ping indicated it was within the northwestern sector of the ruins located within Zone B. A sweep that was conducted could not locate the beacon. After this event, all exploration of Zone A has ceased and has been forbidden by the site director.

Addendum.2: Discovery

Knowledge of SCP-6958's existence has been known by various individuals and nations since at least the 5th century.5 Multiple British, French, American, and Ottoman expeditions in the late 1800s attempted to locate SCP-6958 without success. SCP-6958 was officially rediscovered when a Saudi expedition discovered its location in 1937. The Foundation seized the area shortly afterward when agents embedded in Saudi Arabia intercepted a report from the expedition to King Saud. Upon the realization of Zone A's anomalous properties, Site-167-B was established in 1939. The first expedition into SCP-6958-1 was launched in 1940. The team was comprised of three members from Provisional Task Force Pi-22 and three research personnel. A summary of the expedition written by one of the researchers, Emmanuel Olequier, transcribes as follows.

▷ Summary

▽ Summary

Date: 19-07-1940

Guiveria imposed on modern borders

I am still struggling to comprehend all of this. I… I've been asked to compile a record of my experience inside the tower, among other things, so that is where I will begin.

I, along with two researchers and three armed personnel entered the tower on the morning of June 14th. We entered the tower with extreme caution, with explicit orders to stay behind our armed guards. When we walked through the threshold the air was different, somehow. I can't describe that difference. It wasn't colder or hotter than the air outside just, different. The lead guard, Jones I believe they call him, informed us of the wall. On it was crude, rudimentary images of people. Some with spears, some weaving wicker baskets, children playing with what appeared to be canines. At the time we didn't know how to feel, but in retrospect, it was… humbling.

Further down Jones found a set of stairs. He and the other two guards carefully led us further up the tower, and the mural began to change. Not in a demented or twisted way, rather it showed pockets of humanity developing shared norms, habits, customs, beliefs, knowledge. We were witnessing the birth of cultures, languages, ethnicities. The stairs never seemed to end, but along its walls, we could see Chinese, Harappan, Mesopotamian, Egyptian cultures forming, ending, diverging. We saw the fall of the Greco-Bactrians and the rise of the Romans. The further we went up that endless stairway, the more marvelous it got. All of human history, storage of all cultures and languages both known and lost, were inside this tower.

Eventually, after what felt like hours of walking, we reached it. My culture, my homeland, Guiveria. I may be an American by birth, but I am a Guiverian by blood. I lived there, I studied there, I loved there, I… We went further up the tower, however, we had to turn back as we were starting to lose radio contact with command. We walked past where Guiverian culture was depicted. I looked at it and smiled. I knew about our history, our cultural norms, but seeing it here in this tower was… comforting. After we passed the Minoans, we all felt the tower rumble. Jones told us to double-time it as we began to run down the stairs. Although the rumbling had ceased, we continued to run until we reached the bottom and could see the light through the threshold. After sprinting through it, I looked back at the tower. Despite its enormous height, not once did it feel intimidating.

When we returned to the site the group had discussed what we had seen. I had noticed one of us, one of the guards, not talking as much as the others but I had just figured him to be that type of man at the time. By the time I had returned to my room, it was mid-afternoon. I sat at my desk and reached for a box of letters my mother wrote to me when I was in university. They served as a comforting reminder that I wasn't alone, that there was I family for me to live for. They were nowhere to be found. The box was there, but the letters inside were gone. I must have seemed crazy walking around the site asking if anybody had seen them if the janitorial staff had mistakenly thrown them away. Nobody had seen them, not in lost and found not anywhere. When I awoke the next morning the site director was at my door.

How would you react if you found out your entire nation, your entire culture, all records of its existence, your entire family… just… disappeared. Everything I knew, everyone I know, everyone I cared for is just gone. That an entire nation and its history, especially during the times that we are in, just vanishes and nobody notices nor cares that it happens. I'm the last of a people that only people within a five-kilometer radius even know of. I know that I need to compile all information I have on Guiverian culture and language, but I still need some time. I just need… some time.

Closing Statements: An investigation later found one of the three members of Pi-22, Jean Toussaint, had French nationalist sympathies and harbored Anti-Guiverian sentiment. After another expedition team was sent into SCP-6958-1 significant damage to the Guiverian section of the tapestry was found, along with explosive residue. Toussaint likely had placed and armed his ammonium nitrate explosive kit when he wasn't observed. Further investigation and interrogation could not be conducted, as Toussaint was found dead in his room via a self-inflicted gunshot to the temple. Investigators found a note on his bedside, which reads as follows:

I am sure many of you will call me a traitor, but if you had seen what I had seen in that tower you would understand. The power it holds is tremendous. If it could hold all of human history, then it must be able to erase it. So, I only removed a small part. A part that had to be removed. For the patrie-mère. To say I am ecstatic at the results is an understatement. I wish I could revel, however, I know that you would not see it that way. Rather than face torture, humiliation, and execution, I'd rather see my history end my own way. Vive la République, and I will see you all in hell.

Addendum.3: Report on the Events of 13-09-2022

The following is a transcribed report from Site-167 director Ryan Kestle. In it, he describes an unknown and unrecorded ZK-Class Reality Failure Scenario. According to the secretary department of Site-167, nothing remarkable happened that day aside from "Director Kestle appeared 5 minutes late for the weekly site debriefing." The report is as follows.

I should preempt this report by saying that I am fully aware that the events that will be outlined in this document will not have been recorded by any instrument or other personnel. This event happened on 13-09-2022 and through which I will offer my perspective of the events that unfolded, given that I am the sole existing witness.

The day-to-day operations at Site-167 began as normal. I arrived at the weekly site debriefing 10 minutes before its 0900 hour start time in order to finalize preparations for the debriefing. Said meeting went by smoothly and, by 1000 hours, the meeting had concluded. As I sat down in my office shortly after the conclusion of the debriefing, a commanding officer of MTF Pi-22 informed me that Protocol 11-1 had been initiated. I was informed that the cause for the initiation was classified as 'anomalous', due to surveillance within SCP-6958-1 recording multiple fractures being recorded within the tapestry. The officer informed me that multiple teams had already been deployed to repair the tapestry, however, at the current rate of destruction Protocol 10-5 will likely have to be initiated.

Currently, many bronze and iron age cultures and languages were facing a permanent erasure of reality. I swiftly boarded a helicopter bound for Site-167-B and began monitoring the progress of the repairs for the tapestry. As I was in communication with multiple team leaders, I was also observing SCP-6958-1. I would be lying if I said that I wasn't worried that the worst-case scenario would occur. Given that reports that new fractures were beginning to form in the tapestry, as well as signs that cracks were forming around the outside of SCP-6958-1, led me to the conclusion that it would collapse. We had no definitive idea what would happen, but site researchers theorized that the most likely outcome would be a ZK-Class Reality Failure Scenario whose overarching effects would be unknown.

My worst fears came to fruition when I saw a large piece of the tower, approximately 30 meters in diameter, fall off from about its midway point. Before I could even begin to contact the teams to begin an evacuation, our helicopter suddenly began losing altitude as we approached Zone B. Looking in the cockpit I saw that our pilot was nowhere to be found and as I did the co-pilot suddenly… vanished. Instantaneously. I immediately looked back towards the tower to see that even more pieces were beginning to fall off in rapid succession of one another. As we were losing altitude, the remaining people in the helicopter began to panic as the onset of what was happening around them began to set in. We could have regained control of the helicopter but, as the panicked screams within the cabin suddenly were ended by their sources' vanishing, I realized it was pointless. Soon, I was the last one in the cabin.

Looking back at the tower once more, I saw large pieces of it had collapsed and were at its base. Then, it began to fully collapse in on itself, and when it did you could visually see reality tearing apart. Never before had I seen something so horrifically beautiful, which seems ironic considering my line of work. I then closed my eyes and awaited either to die of blunt force trauma or be erased from existence. Either way, I was sure it wouldn't be a… pleasurable experience. And then…

Nothing

Nothing▽

I stand before a precipice. In front of me, a white void. Behind me, was a torn reality. I remember how I got here, but not why.

«A vision: the Tower fell. A cacophony of Screams, those of the living and those of the erased. Streaks of white haze enveloped me, but I felt no pain. Suddenly there was only emptiness.»

That is where I stand. But, why? Is this purgatory? A place where everything and nothing exist at once. Shattered. A place that embodies one purpose: Null.

One

A voice beside me. Not in front, behind, or around me, but beside. I recognize that I can not turn my head, and realize I am only a consciousness floating in the void. I speak.

"Where… am I?"

Where one may find themselves when their anchor rusts and collapses. Simply, you are Nothing.

"What happened? Why did the Tower fall?"

You ask one question, yet pose it in two. The answer is the same. Neglect.

"Neglect? We found the Tower, your Tower. We took care of it, and protected it from the outside!" I then repeat again. "So why? Why did you collapse the Tower?"

You are mistaken. We may have dominion over many things in the complex, but the Tower is Itself. It is one that must be taken care of, one that cannot be neglected. Otherwise, Fall. Yes, needlessly you protected the Tower. But on the inside, you dissected it. Studied its remains and foolishly presumed fitting the pieces back would render what you did moot.

«A vision: The world — gone. The void — spreading. All things to be consumed by what can only be described as Null.»

I am unsure of what I must do.

"How… how do I fix this?"

The answer? Become a supplicant. You and your people become the caretakers. Form a bond, swear to it. Then, reality unsundered.

"Who are you? God, or gods?"

Gods? No. Survivors. Just as you.

I float there, contemplating. Ahead of me, a white endless void. Behind me, reality tearing. It is then I know what I must do. Then, the gaincoming of reality.

Then, as suddenly as that happened, I was back in my office. I scrambled to check my surroundings, to see that it was 9:03 A.M. on the same day. My secretary then walked up to my office to ask if I was alright and that the weekly debriefing had begun. I straightened myself together and headed towards the conference room, where events proceeded normally. As the meeting concluded I called that commanding officer to my office and asked if surveillance within SCP-6958-1 had recorded any fractures on the tapestry. He informed me no such incidents had been reported to his knowledge, and that it was business as usual. I called the surveillance team at Site-167-B and they confirmed the officer's report that no fractures had been observed appearing within SCP-6958-1. By mid-afternoon, no damage to the tapestry or SCP-6958-1 was reported and it appeared that the event wouldn't repeat itself.

I am not sure what exactly happened. A temporal shift, reality reconfiguration, or a simulated reality my consciousness is running to cope with what happened? I don't think I will ever know the true answer to that question. What I can do, however, is to ensure that another scenario like that never happens again. Whether this is a simulated reality or a real one, I will still try regardless.

- Director of Site-167, Ryan Kestle

Closing Statements: Shortly after this report was submitted and reviewed, a Foundation-wide sweep was conducted to measure if there were any alterations with baseline reality that would coincide with Dir. Kestle's report. Indeed, it appeared there was a slight 'bump' in reality detected between 10:02 A.M. to 10:53 A.M directly coinciding with the timeframe given within the report. The investigation and study of this 'bump' are ongoing. In the days following the report Dir. Kestle drafted the Caretaker Directive, requesting that additional funding should be given to Site-167 so that it may begin to preserve the state of SCP-6958-1 in addition to Site-167's current duties. The O-5 Council approved the request 11-to-1. Dir. Kestle has also been assigned a psychological therapist to monitor his mental state.

On 07-11-2022, an expedition into SCP-6958-1 found that a new culture had appeared at 0.88 kilometers up in the tower. Symbols and insignia were found to closely resemble SCP-6958 itself, as well as those belonging to the Foundation.

Footnotes

1. This language was removed from the tapestry following event 6958-█, removing it from baseline reality. Investigation is still ongoing.

2. To date Protocol 11-1 has been activated ██ times. Thus far, no consequential changes to baseline reality have been observed following the repair of the tapestry via Protocol 11-1.

3. Upon further analysis, the figure appeared similar to those spotted on Senna's feed.

4. Beacon data indicates position is within the eastern quadrant.

5. The earliest possible mention of SCP-6958 comes from Byzantine accounts describing SCP-6958.