Special Containment Procedures
SCP-7146 is an entity that is only observable during a set series of parameters. Thus, containment of SCP-7146 can not be attained at this time. A misinformation campaign supported through amnesticization is in place to limit spread of knowledge regarding SCP-7146 as anything but a mundane hallucination.
Disseminated Misinformation
As in normal rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, the brain is consolidating memories involving things that are emotionally intense, like fear. Waking during this process may result in sleep paralysis and hallucinations. Memory consolidation focuses on human interaction and identification. Thus the hallucination often manifests as a frightening human figure with a specific identifier, like a hat.
Description
SCP-7146 is an incorporeal humanoid entity that is only observable by a subject affected by a specific dissociative sleep paralysis, which is not well understood. The entity does not appear unless the subject is in a shelter, most frequently a bedroom. The presence of others has no effect on SCP-7146’s appearance or behavior. The subject is paralyzed throughout the encounter with the exception of involuntary autonomic systems. SCP-7146 is always observed within at least six meters but often much closer, usually standing in or near a doorway.
SCP-7146 appears as a dark insubstantial silhouette of a tall humanoid figure wearing a large hat with a wide brim1. Despite appearing shadow-like, it is still three dimensional. SCP-7146 has consistently been described as wearing a long trench coat likely due to the fact that it has no clearly discernible arms or legs. When shown the same picture of an artist’s rendition, witnesses agree it is an accurate depiction2.
Witnesses claim to “feel him watching”, indicating they know the entity is both looking at them and is masculine, despite not having a face, or any discernible biological features beyond being a tall humanoid. SCP-7146 is always facing the subject witnessing it. Witnesses frequently describe SCP-7146 as “floating” despite never seeing whether or not it touches the floor. Notably, SCP-7146 remains motionless. SCP-7146 eventually disappears as the witness exits their dissociative state. The dissociative state is ended when the witness is suddenly able to move from the neck up and they look away as to avoid “looking him in the eyes”. This is despite SCP-7146 not having eyes.
The description differs in Agent Mercedes’ report below. This has been excluded from this section as it is under review for its special circumstances.
Paranoid Premonition
After the subject witnesses SCP-7146, they experience a series of paranoid delusions that cease after the event in their premonition occurs. The subjects frequently experience insomnia due to a fear of the traumatic SCP-7146 event. This paranoia can manifest in various fixations, only one of which is anomalous. The anomalous fixation occurs in a premonition of an impending doom.
Witnesses and/or those close to them are involved in the premonition event. The event varies depending on the subject and may result differently due to actions taken with the foreknowledge of the event.
Ancient Depictions
Depictions of SCP-7146 have been carefully recovered by Foundation outlets since they were marked by surveillance teams as anachronistic, anomalous, or potentially related to other SCPs. The following is a list of artifacts that depict SCP-7146 which the Foundation has recorded and subsequently recovered or otherwise hidden from the public.
| Artifact Age | Description | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 964 CE3 | Chinese ink wash painting depicting a detailed landscape in the aftermath of a battle with a house by a stream. A tall dark humanoid figure standing in the house’s open doorway wearing a cloak and a large conical rice hat. | Nanjing, China | Likely painted by Dong Yuan’s pupil, Juran, due to his Southern Landscape style. |
| 700 CE | Mayan stela of a forward facing man with a long brim hat and wide open eyes. | Yucatán, Mexico | All other Mayan art that includes a human, depicts them in elaborate garments usually with a large headdress. A stark difference from this artifact. |
| 1007 BCE | An Igodomigodo4 pointed bronze helm with an extensively large brim on all sides with large eyes fashioned on the front. | Benin City, Nigeria | There are no signs it was used in combat. |
| 1323 BCE | Egyptian hieroglyphic art of the eyes of Horus and Ra under a large brim hat. | Tomb of Tutankhamun East Valley of the Kings, Egypt5 | Found on the mural on the east wall of the burial chamber to the right of the depiction of Tutankhamun’s mummy in a bed while servants pull the bed to the left. |
| 2000 BCE | Roman mosaic depicting a black figure of a humanoid with a large brim petasos hat with Mount Vesuvius erupting in the background. | The House of the Tragic Poet Pompeii, Italy. The second bedroom on the left from the entrance on the western wall. | As the mosaic was part of the house before the eruption, it is a prophetic depiction. |
| 2500 BCE | Harappan miniature votive hand-modeled terra-cotta figurine depicting a humanoid figure with a cylindrical body, no limbs, and long brim hat on its featureless head. | Punjab, Pakistan | Unlike other Harappan miniatures that have signs of polychromy, this figure has signs of charcoal paint. |
| 30,000 BCE | Black cave painting depicting a tall figure with a large brim hat. | Ardèche, France | The rest of the cave paintings depict animals exclusively. |
| 38,000 BCE | Fragmented limestone cave painting of a head wearing a large brim hat. | East Kutai, East Kalimantan province Borneo.6 | Anachronistic. |
Artifact Analysis
- The conflicting hypotheses are that SCP-7146 causes the prophesied events or that it simply allows the witness to observe them. Historical context is critical in supporting either hypothesis.
- The mosaic depicting SCP-7146 and Mount Vesuvius erupting, was located in a house denoting a wealthy family of the time. They were likely able to move away and avoid the eruption while others did not heed their warnings.
- Pharaoh Tutankhamun died young at 18 likely due to a combination of congenital disorders, a leg fracture, and malaria or sickle cell anemia. The depiction of SCP-7146 in Tutankhamun’s tomb suggests it was Tutankhamun himself who was witness to SCP-7146. However, the tomb was not the planned royal tomb as that was still under construction during his early death. This suggests they were unaware of his death, and so it was not what was prophesied, or perhaps it was ignored. Other departments suggest a more complex context given the anomalous nature of Atenism.
- The Chinese ink wash painting is dated during the time Emperor Taizu was conquering the rest of China proper, and depicts several corpses of soldiers. Thus, the prophesied event was a battle of which the artist or someone who hired the artist had witnessed.
- The Mayan stela depicting SCP-7146 was carved into the end of a stone tzompantli (skull rack), which were depictions of human sacrifices. It is speculated that the Mayans sacrificed those who had premonitions due to SCP-7146 in order to avoid the prophesied doom that may have affected their community.
- The Igodomigodo may have held SCP-7146 in high reverence for its anomalous abilities. The helm was likely crafted in SCP-7146’s likeness to harness that ability.
- The cave painting in France was located near depictions of a hyena (Crocuta crocuta spelaea) and leopard (Panthera pardus), predatory animals that were constant threats to humans in that era.
- The Harappan miniature and cave painting in Borneo are only notable for their depictions of SCP-7146.
- Other artifacts, such as the Warrior of Capestrano, have been noted to depict a complexion similar to SCP-7146. These were analyzed in their historical context with no insights gained.
Dissociative Phenomenon
The phenomenon required to observe SCP-7146 is best described as a dissociative hypnagogic sleep paralysis. It is not understood if this phenomenon itself is anomalous or if SCP-7146 simply requires this dissociation to be perceived. Witnesses report memory issues of the event. Witnesses tend to feel intense generalized anxiety and a specific fear of SCP-7146. It seems to result from the adrenergic “freeze, fight, or flight” response, invariably resulting in the freeze response due to paralysis.
The specific dissociative state that causes SCP-7146 to appear can occur naturally or can be induced through drug use. Occurrences without drug use include those who have schizophrenic disorders, dissociative identity disorder, and, in a few rare cases, dissociation without a correlation to a mental disorder.
Drug Induced Phenomenon
Diphenhydramine (Benadryl) and doxylamine (NyQuil) have reliably induced the dissociative phenomenon in testing when the subject takes high doses of both. Other drugs that have been attested but remain ineffective in testing include codeine, heroin, benzodiazepine, N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD).
Pharmaceutical Research
Pharmaceutical research of a safer dosage or different drug to induce the phenomenon is ongoing. Diphenhydramine and doxylamine are anticholinergic antimuscarinic drugs. These drugs suppress the parasympathetic nervous system and induce a drowsy state. When a very high, medically dangerous, dose is taken7, they induce a state of delirium. This can allow for a state that is consciously drowsy and confused while subconsciously panicked. This combination is crucial to induce the specific dissociative phenomenon while falling asleep.
Heavily sedative drugs, such as benzodiazepine, have effects on the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), but antimuscarinic drugs do not affect GABA. Instead, antimuscarinic drugs’ mode of action for sedation is hypothesized to be from antihistamine action.
Exclusively antihistamine drug actions, such as hydroxyzine hydrochloride’s effects, have shown no effect in testing. Z-drugs8, such as zolpidem tartrate (Ambien), have also failed to induce the phenomenon, but they have been an effective treatment to post experimental insomnia.
Witness Interviews
The youngest confirmed witness is Isabella Isabel F██████, a 6 year old child of Foundation Sr. Researcher F██████. The child’s school teacher voiced concerns to her mother about the child’s deep rooted fear of former U.S. President Abraham Lincoln. The school teacher explained that during a history lesson on Pres. Lincoln, she claimed she had seen him before in her nightmares.
Sr. Researcher F██████ informed Dr. Ashworth9 of this as he had mandated that all staff working on SCP-████ to report anything anomalous, as they might relate to SCP-████. She agreed to allow Dr. Ashworth to interview her child as long as she was in the room as well.
D-109219 was a successful test subject in inducing the dissociative state via drugs and thus witnessed SCP-7146. This was done in a mock up bedroom testing area. D-109219 was monitored with an electroencephalography (EEG) machine and his brainwave sleep pattern was recorded.
Brainwaves were standard until awakening in the dissociative phenomenon in which D-109219’s predominant EEG rhythm displayed theta waves, the same waves detected during dreaming. These findings are consistent with tests on non-anomalous sleep paralysis.
Agent Mercedes of MTF Zeta-7 "Total Recall"10 underwent the same conditions as D-109219.
EEG displayed an anomalous baseline. This is an overlapping mix of beta and theta waves11 while awake due to her exposure to SCP-868. A change to higher theta waves was observed during awakening in the dissociative phenomenon.
Forward: Interview took place in Dr. Ashworth’s office at Site-2512. Isabel is sitting on her mother's lap across from Dr. Ashworth's desk.
Dr. Ashworth: Thank you for agreeing to this, I'll try and make it quick.
Researcher F██████: Oh it's no problem.
Dr. Ashworth: Hello Isabella! I'm Mister Ashworth, how are you going?
Isabel: I'm Isabel.
Dr. Ashworth: Terribly sorry. Isabel, how are you going?
Isabel: I'm not going. Just sitting. (quietly) Mommy, why does he talk like that?
Sr. Researcher F██████: He's British, honey. It's rude to ask things like that in front of someone. Try and focus.
Isabel: Oh, I'm sorry Mister.
Dr. Ashworth: So Isabel, I just have some questions for you and then you'll be done. Is that alright?
Isabel: That's alright. I need a pencil though. I don't have one. Mommy, you said I didn't need to take my backpack.
Sr. Researcher F██████: It's not a worksheet. He's just going to talk to you.
Isabel: Then why he's holding them?
Sr. Researcher F██████: Those are his notes.
Isabel: Oh, okay. Is he your teacher?
Sr. Researcher F██████: Yes, he is. Now let’s listen.
Dr. Ashworth: (clears his throat) Isabel, your mum told me that you were afraid of Abraham Lincoln in school. Why is that?
Isabel: He scared me in my dream.
Dr. Ashworth: What did he do in your dream?
Isabel: He was looking at me and I couldn't move and he was looking– just really looking a lot.
Dr. Ashworth: Did he say or do anything else?
Isabel: No.
Dr. Ashworth: And he looked like this man?
Dr. Ashworth turns his monitor to show a picture of Abraham Lincoln.
Isabel: Yeah but really dark.
Dr. Ashworth: Because it was night time?
Isabel: No. My night light was on and he was still dark. Just dark dark dark, all of him dark. And he was long and high up and he had that big hat but it was the same dark. But Abraham (stutters) Abraham Lincoln doesn't always have his hat on. Like in the penny. So I don't know if it's him. Maybe just (stutters) maybe just he took his hat? Or maybe they go-ed to the same store.
Dr. Ashworth: (chuckles) You have some investigative talent there, young lady. You must get that from your mum. Now, did you recognize his face?
Isabel: He didn't have one.
Dr. Ashworth: He didn't have a face? Then how was he looking at you?
Isabel: I don't know.
Dr. Ashworth: Okay Isabel, now this is important. Some days ago, you told your mum not to go to work. Why is that?
Isabel: Something bad was going to happen with a storm in the basement at work.
Dr. Ashworth: But you've never been to mum's work, except for now. And she never told you about a basement. So why did you think that?
Isabel: Abraham Lincoln told me. Well he actually (stutters) he actually didn't told me cus’ he didn't talk but he looked it at me. And I remembered it.
Dr. Ashworth: What did you remember?
Isabel: I remembered the storm in the basement at work and mommy was hurting and yelling but I couldn't hear her ‘cus the storm was loud.
Dr. Ashworth: You remembered it but you knew it hadn't happened yet. You knew it was going to happen?
Isabel: Yeah, I re- I re- (stutters) I ‘membered it but not before. Like just in the later time. I remembered it later.
Dr. Ashworth: You saw the future?
Isabel: Yes, I think, yes. And then mommy stayed home and we watched Bambi but not the scary part at the end with the bad deer.
Dr. Ashworth: Well I am very glad you talked to your mum and she stayed home with you. Thank you so much Isabel. It has been a pleasure meeting with you.
Isabel: Can we watch another one when we get home?
Sr. Researcher F██████: Isabel, what do you say back to Mister Ashworth?
Isabel: Oh, you’re welcome!
Afterword: The incident described occurred due to an experiment with SCP-████. The area Sr. Researcher F██████ is usually stationed in was heavily damaged. She had taken a sick day and thus avoided a likely lethal incident. SCP-████ had not reacted in this way previously with similar experiments. This gives credence to the hypothesis that SCP-7146 caused the prophetic event.
This document’s clearance has been downgraded to Level 1, to be available for all Foundation personnel in case of SCP-7146 sightings.
If you or a loved one has witnessed SCP-7146, you are obligated to contact Dr. Creshine of Site-17.
Email: ten.pics.71-etiS|enihserCR#ten.pics.71-etiS|enihserCR