SCP-8224
Item #: SCP-8224
Object Class: Safe1
Special Containment Procedures: SCP-8224 is currently held at a high-value containment locker at Site-██. Personnel wishing to experiment with SCP-8224 must obtain approval from the project head. Efforts to artificially replicate SCP-8224's properties are under review from the Occult Studies and Thaumatology Division.
Description: SCP-8224 is a plastic magician's wand. The object constantly emits trace amounts of Elan-Vital Energy (EVE).
The object's primary anomalous properties manifest in the presence of thaumaturgic practitioners. Upon physical contact, the EVE SCP-8224 emits will be produced at higher and concentrated levels. When wielding SCP-8224, the subject's thaumaturgic abilities are altered. Although the exact alterations that manifest vary between subjects, there are multiple universal constants:
- The subject's thaumaturgic capacity is greatly increased. Subjects are not telepathically imbued with the knowledge necessary to aid their proficiency, but rather are able to more easily execute advanced spells and feats if performed correctly.
- The costs associated with utilizing EVE in thaumaturgy are greatly decreased.
- Certain feats that would normally require supplementary materials2 are able to be bypassed with the use of SCP-8224.
- Visual phenomena resulting from thaumaturgic action (luminescence, spatial distortions, etc.) will become more visible when the subject is observed by one or more individuals.
- Incorporating SCP-8224 into traditional magic tricks3 will cause all routines and illusion effects to become anomalous. The anomalous phenomena displayed depends on, and corresponds with the selected magic trick.
These alterations are not permanent; the subject’s thaumaturgic capabilities as well as SCP-8224’s EVE production rate will return to baseline upon loss of physical contact with the anomaly. A subject who is not trained in thaumaturgy prior to interacting with SCP-8224 will cause the object to remain inert.
Prior to containment, SCP-8224 had been in prolonged and involuntary contact with GoI-611 ("Staging Hats")
Group of Interest #: 611 ("Staging Hats")
Overview: In the aftermath of the 1998 North Korean Incident, multiple societal changes had occurred in response to the Veil Protocol being broken, including mass media. Hoping to capitalize on the public's fascination with the revelation of anomalies, various networks and companies seized on the opportunity. This ranged from films and television shows being produced based on information sourced from the Foundation and the Global Occult Coalition to news programs heavily skewing their content to coveraging anomalous phenomena. As restrictions eased and disclosures continued, other industries followed suit, such as restaurants serving anomalous food, pet shops showcasing abnormal pets, and travel agencies being allowed to expand into Free Ports such as Three Portlands and La Rue Macabre. Overall, most professions benefited during this period of time.
The same could not be said for the profession of prestidigitation.
Unlike most professions, who have adopted anomalous elements and/or practices into their field of work, the art of stage magic was completely overtaken by it. Magicians being replaced by those who can demonstrate legitimate thaumaturgy was widely commonplace. As a result of their skills no longer being in demand many illusionists had voluntarily quit their careers or were forced to on account of the risk of severe financial risk and bankruptcy.
However, in recent years, a multitude of retired magicians and former fans had coalesced into a group known as the Staging Hats. According to their mission statement, Staging Hats aim to bring back respect for the art of prestidigitation through multiple methods, usually via underground performances. Staging Hats explicitly forbids the use of anomalous objects and abilities into their performances, claiming to strictly use non-anomalous tricks into their acts. Although Staging Hats began as a loosely connected community born from the internet, their actions had allowed them to grow into a multinational organization primarily present within North America and Western Europe.
Staging Hats are antagonistic towards groups previously tasked with upholding the Veil Protocol. They hold special contempt for the SCP Foundation on the belief they should have been held accountable for the North Korean Incident despite evidence to the contrary. Multiple member's of the organization had in the past engaged in hostilities through ridicule, attempting to trick the Foundation into believing an anomaly's existence when in actuality they are a product of prestidigitation. Additionally, Staging Hats has been suspected was for leaking documentation belonging to the Foundation in the past, but there is currently no concrete evidence to support this suspicion.
As Staging Hats have not majorly impeded the Foundation's operation, or uniformly engaged in para-terroristic acts, and are slowly gaining favor with the general public, it was decided that direct action outside of standard monitoring procedures are to be refrained for the time being.
Addendum-01, History: On 04/07/2015, the Foundation received intel that GoI-611 was attempting to establish its presence somewhere within the Eastern United States; the organization's activity was later confirmed in ████████, New Jersey.
A member of GoI-611's New Jersey's chapter leader was subsequently identified, designated as PoI-1874 (Harry Jillete.) The Foundation decided the best course of action was to utilize PoI-1874 as a focal point towards infiltrating the organization. Through careful planning, the Foundation managed to get in contact with PoI-1874, scheduling a meeting with him by sending an undercover agent.
A thaumaturgist now identified as PoI-4871 intervened. PoI-4871 interrupted the meeting, then fled alongside with his assistant. Mr. Dovez and PoI-1874 proceed to leave the premises as well. All individuals present for this event had successfully escaped the area before additional Foundation support arrived.
PoI #: 4871
Overview: Even during Staging Hats' formative years, the mutual distaste the organization shared with active thaumaturgists was widely known.
Many members of Staging Hats were averse to thaumaturgists, more so than the existence of thaumaturgy itself, over the belief they were guilty of causing the downfall of prestidigitation. Practicing thaumaturgists also harbored negative sentiments, believing the organization's mission statement was not only foolish but also counterproductive to their livelihoods. This generalized hostility eventually caused both parties to organically engage in conflict with each other. Ranging from mockery to, on rare occasions, direct and violent confrontations.
One of the most notable opponents against Staging Hats was PoI-4781 (Walt Dorey)
PoI-4781 previously lived in New Jersey, United States of America, working multiple retail service jobs within the city of ████████. According to former associates, PoI-4781 had a borderline obsession with "magic" even prior to the North Korean incident. This obsession caused PoI-4781 to briefly change careers as a full-time fantasy fiction writer, a career that failed miserably and caused PoI-4781 to fall into a deep depression. Following the dismantling of the Veil, PoI-4781's obsessive attitude towards magic was shifted towards the anomalous. PoI-4781 was stated to research individual anomalies for long continuous hours and attempt to ingrain himself in multiple para-communities over a span of four years before vanishing from public life in 2003.
PoI-4781 reemergence coincidentally with the increased recognition of Staging Hats. The finer details of PoI-4781's during his disappearance is sparse other than the fact he is a confirmed practitioner of thaumaturgy. The methods on how PoI-4781 became a thaumaturgist, the potency of his abilities, or the reasoning he is constantly adorned in a classic wizard's costume is unknown. However it is hypothesized PoI-4781 thaumaturgic abilities are partially added through personal items he has equipped on his person.
PoI-4781's modus operandi is currently centered around interfering with Staging Hat's activities across North America. PoI-4871's method of interference typically involves spreading rumors about the organization to local populations, utilizing thaumaturgy to disrupt stage performances in a way that involuntarily includes anomalous phenomena, and on rare occasions, assault the genital regions of male members of Staging Hats exclusively with the use of either sides of his feet. Though these actions have caused him notoriety, PoI-4871 always managed to evade the area before law enforcement arrived.
As of writing, PoI-4871's operations are entirely focused on the Staging Hats' expansion in ████████, New Jersey. Instead of targeting the local chapter, PoI-4871's hostilities are primarily focused on PoI-1784.
Addendum-02, Event Log: Attached below is an abridged list of known events related to the conflict between PoI-1874 and PoI-4781. To access the unabridged version, contact the Records Department.
Addendum-03: Since the events of Addendum-01, Foundation operatives have been attempting to keep close tabs on PoI-4781 and PoI-1874, uncovering much of their connected history as a result. Several weeks later, it was learned that both individuals were planning to perform together at a recently identified Staging Hats-affiliated building in ████████.
This combined with the fact PoI-4781 was in possession of a highly powerful thaumaturgic object (SCP-8224) prompted the Foundation to send an undercover operative to the scene.
The building was raided by Foundation forces after confirmation of Agent Rodney's extraction. Although all of the desired targets were missing when the raid was conducted, SCP-8224 was able to be contained and transferred to Foundation custody.
As of time of writing, no activity from either GoI-611 or PoI-4781 have been reported within ████████ since the events of Addendum-03.