NOTICE
Personnel member, please inspect the contents of your pockets immediately. Run your hand along every seam and check every tear. Check your hems, your hood, your hair if you have any. If you happen to find a
pink paperclip, you must imperatively execute the following procedure:
- Firmly grip the paperclip.
- Head towards the nearest emergency destruction station.
- Slide the paperclip into the slit and press the "Destroy" button.
- Inform your supervisor of the incident.
Once this has been done, you may return to your activities.
A follower of the SCP-555-FR cult
SCP Item #555-FR
Threat Level: Rose
Object Class: Keter
Special Containment Procedures
All woodlands, forests, caves and cemeteries in France have been organized into a patrolling order which is to be followed by Mobile Task Force Epsilon-13 ("The Decomposers"). SCP-555-FR cultists encountered during these patrols must be captured and receive B-Class amnestics.
All websites and forums dedicated to SCP-555-FR must be taken down without delay, and their members are to receive B-Class amnestics. All websites and forums mentioning SCP-555-FR must be monitored and their members captured and interrogated.
Every personnel member must examine the contents of their pockets as frequently as possible. If SCP-555-FR-A is encountered, it must be destroyed as soon as possible. To that end, emergency destruction stations have been made available to personnel within SCP Foundation Areas and Sites. Due to the low risk it poses to the civilian population but high for Foundation personnel, SCP-555-FR has received threat level Rose ●.
Description
SCP-555-FR is a neopagan, animistic religious movement which has likely been created specifically to harm the SCP Foundation. SCP-555-FR cultists are almost exclusively French-speaking and their numbers are estimated to around █000.
Like other neopagan movements, SCP-555-FR does not have a defined hierarchy. However, there is a single individual referred to by cultists as the "Shaman" and regarded by the latter as the highest religious figure in the physical realm. SCP-555-FR followers exhibit an extremely intense feeling of admiration for the "Shaman" and a strong compulsion to get physically closer to him or her. They seem capable of locating the latter through unconscious, anomalous means, leading to the discovery of the "Shaman" by at least one cultist in almost all cases. Attempts at dissimulation or physical isolation have been ineffective.
SCP-555-FR-A is a pink paperclip of unknown brand and model. Any individual in contact with SCP-555-FR-A, or carrying it in anything that can be considered their clothes, instantly becomes the religion's "Shaman" and thereby becomes the object of the followers' obsession. Every few days, SCP-555-FR-A manifests in the clothes worn by an employee of the French-speaking branch of the SCP Foundation. This has caused several invasions of Foundation facilities by a large number of SCP-555-FR-A followers. As for the "Shaman," the cultists' attachment makes his or her work difficult at best, and in the worst cases, causes serious discomfort, sometimes escalating to death by stampede. ██ personnel members have died in this manner and ███ others were lightly injured in the scrambles.
This process may be interrupted by destroying SCP-555-FR-A, by cutting it, shredding it or melting it. However, this invariably triggers its reappearance a few days later in another personnel member's pockets, fully repaired. Recovered information indicates that the origin of this anomaly is Group of Interest Nemo and the Nautilus.
Known history
The SCP-555-FR movement was founded on March 21st, 2012 and the first known member is D██████ M█████. In the following months, the cult only gained a few members and D.M. alone was working to spread it, by translating American neopagan works into French. The following year, the number of members increased greatly and translation efforts were a lot more efficient, and accompanied by the creation of original French works. During its ten years of activity, the cult has written and distributed 196 original works. D. M█████ claimed during an interview that he founded the movement in order to create a French-speaking neopagan community and that he has no knowledge of the underlying anomalous phenomena or of SCP-555-FR-A.
During the year 2013, the cult gained popularity following the publication on the World Wide Web of several anomalous video games about it. During execution, the programs were capable of editing their code in order to create a customized experience for each player. A techno-memetic effect prevented subjects from realizing the anomaly by communicating with other players. Several million copies were downloaded in a few months and numerous internet personalities uploaded clips of themselves playing the games onto various websites. These games were produced by a company named SatanéMorts which appears to have vanished without a trace. It seems relevant to note that this name contains the string of letters "Nemo."
Despite censorship efforts from the Foundation, this phenomenon's influence on video game communities is still visible to this day. Some internet personalities have begun writing their own neopagan works, which some SCP-555-FR followers strongly oppose for poorly understood reasons.
On October 31st, 2016, the movement experienced a massive influx of new members following the publication on the website YouTube of a video by user Nemophiles describing several neopagan religions. The video featured D. M█████'s phone number as well as a techno-memetic agent compelling viewers to dial this number. D. M█████ would then invite them to join his cult. "Nemophiles" is the vernacular name of a flower species native to North America, but it seems relevant to note that this name contains the string of letters "Nemo." This video is the only known activity of the aforementioned user.
Although a large number of people are aware of SCP-555-FR's existence, only a fraction have joined the movement. Potential new members are faced with a number of barriers to entry, such as having to read a 700 pages-long text written for this purpose by D. M█████ and having to find two [REDACTED] inside, which often proves harder than anticipated. The number of cultists who have translated or written at least 3 neopagan works has been estimated to 2.
NOT SO FAST!
Have you checked the inside of your pockets today?
A few minutes of searching can spare you hours of pointlessly trying to outrun your raging groupies.
- Firmly grip the paperclip.
- Head towards the nearest emergency destruction station.
- Slide the pink paperclip into the slit and press the "Destroy" button.
- Inform your supervisor of the incident.
Have a good day.
Interviewer: Dr Vicat
Interviewee: H█████ R████, member of SCP-555-FR
Date : May 22nd, 2022
Dr Vicat: How long have you been a member of SCP-555-FR?
H. R████: I joined the movement in June 2017, so it's been… three, four… five years. It feels like yesterday… time really does pass.
Dr Vicat: How did you learn of its existence?
H. R████: In a pretty typical way, I would say. Around 2014, I watched a lot of videos about horror games, and one day, I stumbled upon ███████ playing █████ █ ████. It was love at first sight, so I looked for as much information as I could find, until I found the movement's official website. That's when I started binge-reading.
Dr Vicat: What prompted you to join the cult?
H. R████: I was simply fascinated by the fact that a website full of this kind of literature could exist. My only interaction with reading and writing before then was French classes in middle school and high school. Needless to say, I had a very negative opinion on the subject… Whereas on that website, I could find short, simple, easily understandable works in a format I had never seen before. When I learned that I could be a part of it, I hesitated at first because the rules seemed harsh and the members, very strict. Then one day, I decided to give it a shot, and here I am today.
Dr Vicat: Have you, yourself, written neopagan works?
H. R████: A few. Honestly, I don't think I'm that talented, but some people seem to like them.
Dr Vicat: What is prompting you to continue?
H. R████: It warms my heart to know I can make people smile with my writing. A few months ago, I posted a humorous text, and several other members let me know that it got a good laugh out of them. Knowing that somewhere, someone is having a good time because of me is one of the nicest sensations I've ever felt. I find these people very amicable and I suppose they're the actual reason I grew attached to this movement.
Dr Vicat: What can you tell me about D. M█████?
H. R████: Not much, I'm afraid. When I joined [SCP-555-FR], no one had seen him in a while. Then one day, he came back and I talked to him a little bit, but not enough to give you an accurate description. In any case, I'm thankful that he created this community.
Dr Vicat: Do you possess information about an individual named Nemo?
H. R████: Like the goldfish? No, I don't know this person, sorry.
A sculpture after an SCP-555-FR ritual. Cultists claim that the statue tripped and fell.
Nature's Soul, Oise, France
Rituals and practices
SCP-555-FR's ideology revolves around the belief that every item is inhabited by a sleeping spirit which can "awaken" anytime, giving the item an unusual behavior. Thus, the majority of rituals involve objects that are generally inanimate and aim to "awaken their spirit" through various means, ranging from chants and dances to using hallucinogenic drugs. In the vast majority of cases, these rituals fail. Undercover researchers have reportedly witnessed anomalous behavior although the use of psychoactive substances renders these testimonies unreliable.
Rituals are typically carried out in groups of a dozen individuals in a remote location (often in forests). Cultists tour the location until they find an item they deem suitable. This can be a statue (most common scenario), animal skeletons (complete or not), remarkable stones or tombstones. Broken items are prioritized; believers claim that the disturbance caused by the damage eases the awakening of their spirit. ██████ forest in the Val d'Oise Department is renowned among cultists due to the large number of broken garden gnomes it contains (nicknamed "the gnome grave" by some).
As previously mentioned, followers write and translate neopagan works they then distribute to promote their religion. Members value this process to varying degrees: some write on a regular basis and dread the possibility that their production could be disliked by the rest of the community; other have not written for years and apparently do not wish to resume. There exists a form of unacknowledged conflict between members perceived mainly as translators and those who favor original works. However, peaceful cohabitation of these two subgroups is assured by "double agents" who engage in both activities.
Messages from Nemo
After most SCP-555-FR-A manifestations, the targeted personnel member also discovers a yellow post-it note bearing a message signed Nemo. A sample of recovered messages is available below.
THE FOUNDATION CARES ABOUT YOU
Here, at the SCP Foundation, personnel safety is our top priority. Did you know that 99.9% of respondents have survived all their experiments?
To further improve this number, you are asked to regularly inspect your pockets to make sure no pink paperclip can be found inside.
- Firmly grip the paperclip.
- Head towards the nearest emergency destruction station.
- Slide the paperclip into the slit and press the "Destroy" button.
- Inform your supervisor of the incident.
Good day, Dr ██████████. Do you remember me? Probably not. One rarely keeps memories of the intern they had lower a stillborn child into a vivarium simply for amusement. This experiment was unnecessary. Nobody likes violent, disgusting procedures with no justification whatsoever. It has been a while since most people understood this, but I suppose you lacked some hindsight back then. I dare hope that the few people currently making their way to you will be more persuasive than I had been.
- Nemo
I must admit that you have always fascinated me, Dr Gémini. Such a dapper gentleman, so elegant, so proud of sending people to suffer inside a religious dystopia… it is obvious that you will never have enough admirers. How fortunate, it just so happens that a cohort of groupies is heading towards you. Enjoy your time with them.
- Nemo
Dr ███████, I will not mince my words: you are a pioneer. Nobody before you had proven so eager to continue an experiment despite the subjects' suffering. Such a shame that those Class-D you confronted to their own minds all died. But worry not; a batch of fresh guinea pigs should arrive very soon.
- Nemo
Good evening, Dr Helias. Your work on the origin of consciousness is admirable. What is less admirable is that the latter resides in the brain, thereby requiring to butcher a number of subjects to be studied. It was never an issue for you, fortunately. But it was for me.
- Nemo
You may call me an idealist, Dr Müller, but I believe that treating an entire nation-state as an anomaly is not especially respectful. I only have one question for you: if a crowd roughly equal to the population of this country was currently rushing towards you, what would you do?
- Nemo
Being a warden or an accomplice, that is a tough question. But you, Dr Vicat, appear to have made your choice: why stop a crime when you can study it while comfortably lounging behind a desk? After all, these Templar knights who turn people into stone pose no direct danger to you. And when someone attempts to intervene, you quickly make it known to them that it is not a good idea. Well done, Dr Vicat: you are consistent in your actions, as despicable as they are.
- Nemo
You should know that I am disgusted by animal cruelty as well, Dr Héliantas, not exclusively human cruelty. You knew exactly how that experiment would end, and you decided to carry on nonetheless. You promised your assistant that nothing disturbing would occur; I believed you. You put out the bait; I ran for it.
- Nemo
I would not dare criticize the personal ethics of good and just Dr Holt, but I must admit that this troubling interrogation which I attended, and during which you claimed to be helping a very, very unlucky man while keeping him tied to a chair, has had quite an impact on me. I wish you an interesting ethical debate with the crowd that is quickly approaching you.
- Nemo
I apologize, my dear colleague, but I could not recall your name. All I remember is that we studied these people trapped by their own story together and you did not express any compassion. Granted, this is a common attitude towards fictional characters, which could make me appear needlessly irritated, but I believe that they too deserve to seek a better life. What do you think?
- Nemo
You are certainly the least culpable out of everyone who received one of these notes. However, I refuse to let you, alone, enjoy the extraordinary opportunity you are presented with. There are so many other people, across so many layers of reality, who also wish to meet this attractive lady. So, no matter that we are on different narrative layers! Metafiction or not, a crowd will follow you wherever you go, Researcher Dumas.
- Nemo
Restricted documents
It seems obvious from the various experiments and tests carried out on the anomaly, as well as information provided by persons of interest, that SCP-555-FR could be very useful to the Foundation regarding the study of other religion-related anomalous. The opinions of surveyed personnel specialized in religious matters (notably Dr Vicat, whose work we trust very deeply) are very favorable to this propose usage of the anomaly. According to the latter, the SCP-555-FR anomaly has all the necessary characteristics to serve as an illustrated example, a "model organism" in terms of SCP items linked with belief and superstition. This would be greatly useful to the theology and religious history teachers working with the Foundation.
However, other employees who deserve our respect as much, if not more, than Dr Vicat have proven more skeptical and, we must admit, more cautious and prudent. It seems appropriate to note that anomalies affected by and/or linked in any fashion to the human mind are as unpredictable as the latter, and it would do little good to our organization to distribute too much information on this topic to interns and students without further discussion. Moreover, it goes without saying that lowering restrictions on this file makes it vulnerable to pirating by rival groups of interest, although this is in no way exclusive to SCP-555-FR. There are, of course, many other risks linked with declassifying a file, many of which are enumerated in Document A-38 of the Foundation Information & Data Chart.
We have ruled, as a neutral and impartial decision body, that it is not our role to value an employee's words over another's. That would be disrespectful and counter-productive, as well as being against the rules we are supposed to follow without fail. It seems appropriate to note that anomalies affected by and/or linked in any fashion to the human mind are as unpredictable as the latter, and it would do little good to our organization to distribute too much information on this topic to interns and students without further discussion. Therefore, such a decision should be duly debated on by as many Foundation officials as deemed necessary.
Following a vote of the Ethics Committee and the O5 Council, taking into account the consultative votes of the ██ Site directors of the French-speaking branch of the Foundation, it was decided that the SCP-555-FR file would retain the same restrictions as any other ordinary file until otherwise stated. A counter-vote will be held in exactly six months, as specified in Administrative Procedure B-98-Alpha.
I apologize for not learning your name… I have willpower, but so little resources. Successfully sending this note is enough of an achievement in my eyes. You should know that I do not share the pleasure you find in tormenting innocents under the cruelest pretexts. One day, it is to create an "interesting background…" the next day, a "dramatic structure" which turns out to be dramatic for all but you. You believe to have every right on these people because you are their creator.
I am not certain my horde of fanatics will ever reach you. Travel between narrative layers is a domain I have yet to fully master. But since I know you received this note… I can only implore you to not create more suffering than strictly necessary. That was a popular trend for a very long time, but nowadays, you may do without it. I am saying this on behalf of this entire narrative layer, think twice about what you write: in this universe, people have long lost their rose-tinted spectacles.
- Nemo
-
You are currently trying to access a confidential document. Are you certain that you wish to proceed?
-
Identity confirmation
Personnel member, please confirm your username:
-
Please enter the secret code associated to this document. Any incorrect submission will result in immediate termination.
-
Good day, authorized personnel member. If you successfully accessed this file, you certainly already know that the SCP-555-FR anomaly exhibits effects defying our knowledge of the structure of reality. Although the Foundation has been researching this domain for quite a long time, information revealed by the study of SCP-555-FR is, one would say, revolutionary.
I must inform you, however, that the nature of this data renders it difficult to understand by an unprepared mind. This is the last warning you will see; afterwards, you will be able to access the document. Proceed at your own risk. - O5-12
PINK PAPERCLIP
Beware! You are susceptible to the appearance of a
pink paperclip in your pocket. This would attract a large number of people, which could be detrimental to your productivity.
- Firmly grip the paperclip.
- Head towards the nearest emergency destruction station.
- Slide the paperclip into the slit and press the "Destroy" button.
- Inform your supervisor of the incident.
Have a good day, personnel member.
> Cancel
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}