Special Containment Procedures: All Foundation staff, with the exception of Junior Researcher Franklin Hayes, are forbidden from expressing admiration or gratitude towards SCP-8436 through any medium, including speech, writing, and symbolic gestures. Researcher Hayes is to continue working at Site-12 under strict surveillance.
Description: SCP-8436 is a class-I deific entity1 with domain over fungi. SCP-8436 does not possess a physical form, and can only interact with baseline reality through acts of divine intervention. This is so far limited to the manifestation and manipulation of various species of fungi.
Like most deific entities, SCP-8436’s power is directly related to its worship. Currently, its only source of worship is Junior Researcher Franklin Hayes, who learned of SCP-8436 through his research with the Department of History. SCP-8436 will attempt to carry out any task Researcher Hayes asks of it, even if it is beyond the entity’s power.
SCP-8436 was worshiped as a minor god by the ancient Daevite civilization during the late Bronze Age(under the name “Helphigg”). It reawakened in the modern day when Researcher Hayes prayed to the entity during a Chaos Insurgency attack, causing SCP-8436 to disarm the attacking force by manifesting mushrooms inside their firearms.
Addendum 8436-1: Interview Log 1
The following interview was conducted immediately after the first appearance of SCP-8436.
Interviewer: Director Templeton
Interviewed: Junior Researcher Franklin Hayes
<Begin Log>
Hayes is drumming his fingers on the table. Director Templeton enters, and takes a seat across from him. Hayes removes his hands from the table, but continues fidgeting. He does not make eye contact with Director Templeton.
Dir. Templeton: Please state your name for the recording.
Hayes: Sure, it's… Franklin Hayes. Am I in trouble?
Hayes briefly glances up at Director Templeton, before looking away.
Dir. Templeton: I just want to ask you some questions about the incident.
Hayes: Okay, first of all, I had no idea that praying to that thing would actually work. It was just a spur-of-the-moment kind of—
Dir. Templeton: Relax, Dr. Hayes. I'm not here to reprimand you.
Hayes: Okay. That's… that's good.
Dir. Templeton: First of all, do you think you could explain the exact specifics of the prayer you made?
Hayes: Sure. It was just something from one of the tablets I was translating. It went something like, uh, "honorable god Helphigg, who commands the forces of rot and decay, lay waste to our enemies and bury them beneath the earth" or something like that. Then I threw in the word "please", just, you know, to be polite. Plus a "thank you" after it was done.
Dir. Templeton: I see. And has this entity contacted you since the incident?
Hayes: Uh, no. Do gods usually contact random people who pray to them?
Mushrooms appear on the wall across from Researcher Hayes, spelling out the phrase "NOT USUALLY". Researcher Hayes falls out of his chair. Director Templeton looks behind him and notices the mushrooms.
Dir. Templeton: Call up Tactical Theology. This interview is cancelled.
<End Log>
Addendum 8436-2: Interview Log 2
After the second appearance of SCP-8436, the Department of Tactical Theology was called in to provide consultation. Per their advice, Researcher Hayes was allowed to conduct a scripted interview with the entity. SCP-8436 communicated by forming letters out of fungi.
Interviewer: Junior Researcher Franklin Hayes
Interviewed: SCP-8436
<Begin Log>
Hayes: Uh, Helphigg? Can you hear me?
SCP-8436: YES
Hayes: Good. I'm Franklin, by the way.
SCP-8436: I AM AWARE
Hayes: Right, of course. Wow, this is… strange. Can I ask you a few questions?
SCP-8436: OF COURSE
Hayes: Alright, let’s see here…
Hayes begins flipping through his notes.
Hayes: Ah, here we go. You were worshiped by the Daevites, correct?
SCP-8436: BRIEFLY
Hayes: Why'd they stop?
SCP-8436: I WAS REPLACED
Hayes: Oh. I'm sorry to hear that.
He fumbles with his notes again.
Hayes: Next question: what is your goal?
SCP-8436: I DO NOT UNDERSTAND
Hayes: I think it means, “why are you doing what you’re doing”. Sorry, I didn't write these questions.
SCP-8436: I EXIST TO PROVIDE FOR MY WORSHIPERS
Hayes: And I’m one of your worshipers?
SCP-8436: YOU PRAYED TO ME
SCP-8436: AND YOU EXPRESS GRATITUDE
Hayes: Does saying “thank you” really count as worship?
SCP-8436: YES
Hayes: Okay, I guess you’re the expert. Final question: what are the limits of your abilities?
SCP-8436: YOU HAVE SEEN ALL I CAN DO
SCP-8436: IN THIS STATE
Hayes: What do you mean, “this state”?
SCP-8436: I HAVE ONLY ONE WORSHIPER
SCP-8436: IF I HAD MORE
SCP-8436: I WOULD BE MORE POWERFUL
Hayes: How much more powerful?
SCP-8436: THERE WAS A TIME
SCP-8436: WHEN I COULD LAY A CITY TO WASTE
SCP-8436: IN MERE MOMENTS
Hayes: …But you wouldn’t do something like that now, would you?
SCP-8436: ONLY IF YOU WISHED IT
Hayes: Oh. Well, I probably won't, so you don't have to worry about that. Anyway, that's all the questions I have. Thanks, Helphigg!
SCP-8436: YOU ARE WELCOME
<End Log>
Addendum 8436-3: Interview Log 3
The next interview was unscripted, but was conducted under the direct supervision of Director Templeton.
Interviewer: Junior Researcher Franklin Hayes, Director Templeton
Interviewed: SCP-8436
<Begin Log>
Hayes: Hey, Helphigg. It's me again.
SCP-8436: WHO IS THIS MAN
Hayes: Oh, this is Director Templeton, he's here to make sure you don't… well…
Dir. Templeton: I'm here to make sure he doesn't say something he shouldn't.
SCP-8436: IS HE YOUR ENEMY, FRANKLIN?
Hayes: No, no no no no! He's just my boss.
SCP-8436: YOU ARE A SLAVE?
Hayes: What? No! We don't have slaves anymore. Well… not here, anyway. I just work for him.
Pause.
SCP-8436: THE WORLD IS DIFFERENT NOW
SCP-8436: THERE IS MUCH I DO NOT UNDERSTAND
Hayes: Yeah, I get that. So where exactly have you been for the last few millennia?
SCP-8436: ASLEEP
SCP-8436: I WAS AWOKEN BY YOUR PRAYER
Dir. Templeton: We were under the impression that gods die when people stop worshiping them.
SCP-8436: DOES THIS BOSS PERSON SPEAK FOR YOU, FRANKLIN?
Hayes: You can answer his questions.
SCP-8436: VERY WELL
SCP-8436: GODS ONLY DIE
SCP-8436: WHEN ALL RECORDS OF THEM VANISH
SCP-8436: I WAS KEPT ALIVE BY A SINGLE TABLET
SCP-8436: THE ONE THAT YOU RECOVERED
Dir. Templeton: That could be a problem…
Hayes: …Anyway, I was wondering: what exactly constitutes "worship" for you?
SCP-8436: ANY EXPRESSION OF RESPECT
SCP-8436: OR GRATITUDE
SCP-8436: OR ADMIRATION
Hayes: But not all worship gives you the same amount of power, right?
SCP-8436: CORRECT
SCP-8436: THAT IS DEPENDENT ON THE COMPLEXITY OF THE GESTURE
SCP-8436: AND THE COST TO THE WORSHIPER
Hayes: Then my prayer probably didn't give you much.
SCP-8436: IT DID
SCP-8436: THAT PRAYER HAS A RICH HISTORY
SCP-8436: IT HAS BEEN SPOKEN COUNTLESS TIMES
Hayes: Oh, so that's what you meant by "complexity".
SCP-8436: CORRECT
Dir. Templeton: Wait, you remember things from before you went dormant?
SCP-8436: YES
Director Templeton looks towards J. R. Hayes. Hayes flinches, but does not make eye contact.
Hayes: What? Oh. Oh! That's fantastic!
SCP-8436: PLEASE EXPLAIN
Hayes: You see, my job is to study ancient Daevite history. You were actually there, so you could be a great help!
SCP-8436: I AM HAPPY TO SERVE YOU
SCP-8436: IN ANY WAY I CAN
<End Log>
Following this interview, Researcher Hayes was allowed to consult with SCP-8436 on his work for the Department of History. Information provided by SCP-8436 has since been corroborated by other archeological finds, proving that it is a trustworthy source.
Addendum 8436-4: Consultation Log
The following is an excerpt from a consultation between Researcher Hayes and SCP-8436.
<Begin Log>
Hayes: Hey, Helphigg?
SCP-8436: WHAT IS IT?
Hayes: Why are you so eager to help me out?
SCP-8436: I AM A GOD
SCP-8436: YOU ARE MY WORSHIPER
SCP-8436: IT IS MY DUTY TO SERVE YOU
Hayes: Right, you said that before. Sorry. Are all gods like this?
SCP-8436: NO
SCP-8436: NOT ALL OF US
SCP-8436: MOST PREFER TO BE MASTERS
SCP-8436: RATHER THAN SERVANTS
Hayes: …And you would rather be a servant?
Pause.
SCP-8436: KEEPING FOLLOWERS IS A DIFFICULT TASK
SCP-8436: FOR ANY GOD
SCP-8436: MANY DO SO BY INSPIRING FEAR
SCP-8436: BUT I DISLIKE BEING FEARED
SCP-8436: SO I TRIED TO PLEASE MY FOLLOWERS
SCP-8436: AS BEST AS I COULD
SCP-8436: BUT IT WAS NOT ENOUGH
Hayes: People can be hard to please, I get that. And when your survival depends on how people think of you… yeah, I can see why most gods choose fear over love.
SCP-8436: MAY I ASK YOU A QUESTION?
Hayes: Of course, anything.
SCP-8436: DO YOU THINK I AM A FOOL?
Hayes: For wanting to do the right thing? Of course not! I don't know about gods, but for humans, selflessness is a virtue. You're a role model, not a fool.
SCP-8436: THANK YOU
SCP-8436: YOU ARE A KIND MAN, FRANKLIN
SCP-8436: IF I AM TO HAVE ONLY ONE WORSHIPER
SCP-8436: I AM GLAD IT IS YOU
Hayes: You're welcome. And, uh… thanks.
<End Log>
Addendum 8436-5: Incident Report
6 months after the first Insurgency raid on Site-12, a second raid took place, with significantly more manpower. On-site security was quickly overwhelmed, and an alert was sent out to a nearby MTF. The following is a series of security logs detailing Researcher Hayes' activity during the raid.
Floor 2 Chemical Lab, 18:13
The lights are off. Hayes is hiding behind a table, hyperventilating. SCP-8436 creates a message on the floor in front of him using bioluminescent fungi.
SCP-8436: CALM DOWN, FRANKLIN
Hayes: Give me a reason to, and maybe I will.
SCP-8436: YOU SURVIVED THIS ONCE BEFORE
Hayes: That's because they were nice enough to keep me alive in case I might be useful. Once they realized I only had level 2 clearance, I should have been toast. This time, they'll probably just kill me on sight.
SCP-8436: I WILL MAKE SURE THAT DOES NOT HAPPEN
There is a 30-second pause. Hayes' breathing steadies.
Hayes: So I'll be fine? I can just wait until the MTF gets here?
SCP-8436: THAT WOULD BE THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION
The message remains for five minutes. Hayes begins muttering to himself.
Hayes: What are they even looking for? If it's the Insurgency, it can't be anything good… and they attacked us twice, so it must be…
Pause.
Hayes: I was the one who stopped them last time. Or, I mean, you did, but I… I helped.
SCP-8436: DO YOU INTEND TO FIGHT THESE INVADERS?
Hayes: Not fight, exactly, but… You know what? Sure. You in?
Pause.
SCP-8436: IF THAT IS WHAT YOU DESIRE
Hayes: Thank you so much. Alright, let's go.
Hayes stands up and grabs a clipboard off a table. He hesitantly opens the door, and after looking down the hall both ways, he steps out.
Floor 2 Hallway, 18:15
Hayes: Alright, so what's the plan?
Hayes looks at the clipboard. It shows a message from SCP-8436.
SCP-8436: DO YOU NOT HAVE ONE?
Hayes: Uhh… No. Sorry. How about you? You got anything?
Pause.
SCP-8436: THERE IS A RITUAL
SCP-8436: IT REQUIRES CHALK
SCP-8436: AND SOMETHING THAT CAN DRAW BLOOD
Hayes: I think I know where to find that.
Footsteps can be heard from around an upcoming corner.
SCP-8436: INTRUDER
Hayes: Shit!
Hayes moves against the wall. He clasps his hands together and closes his eyes.
Hayes: Uh, honorable god Helphigg, lord of rot and decay, slow this guy down for a bit. Pretty please.
Mushrooms appear on the soles of the insurgent's boots, causing them to trip. Hayes takes off running in the opposite direction, taking a left at the next corner.
Insurgent: What the fuck?
The insurgent notices the mushrooms, as well as Hayes' footsteps, and pulls out their communicator.
Insurgent: Just made contact with the reality bender.
They pause, presumably receiving orders.
Insurgent: Roger that.
They remove their boots and proceed down the hall.
Floor 2 Supply Closet, 18:25
Hayes enters the supply closet, closes the door, and turns on the light, before clasping his hands together.
Hayes: Honorable god Helphigg, please make sure no one comes in here.
Slime mold appears around the doorframe. A message then appears on the door.
SCP-8436: DONE
Hayes: Thanks. Now, let's see…
Hayes begins rummaging through boxes, eventually finding a piece of ritual chalk and a scalpel.
Hayes: I should probably also get…
He continues rummaging until he finds a first aid kit.
Hayes: Alright, now…
Hayes kneels down in front of the door.
Hayes: Walk me through this.
SCP-8436: FIRST YOU WILL NEED TO DRAW THE CIRCLE
A picture of a ritual circle appears on the door. Hayes begins to copy it with the chalk.
Hayes: Listen… I'm really sorry about all this.
SCP-8436: WHAT DO YOU MEAN?
Hayes: I'm risking my life for a bunch of people that you probably don't care about. I could die, and even if I don't, I'll definitely get in trouble for this. They might not let me talk to you anymore. And if that happens… you'll go back to sleep.
Pause.
SCP-8436: IT IS TRUE
SCP-8436: I WOULD RATHER YOU HAD STAYED SAFE
SCP-8436: BUT YOU CHOSE TO RISK YOUR OWN LIFE
SCP-8436: FOR THE SAKE OF OTHERS
SCP-8436: THAT MAKES YOU A HERO
SCP-8436: AND IS IT NOT A GOD'S DUTY TO ASSIST HEROES?
Hayes laughs.
Hayes: What did I ever do to deserve you, Helphigg?
Hayes finishes the circle a few minutes later and sets down the chalk.
Hayes: Alright, done. Now what?
SCP-8436: THE RITUAL REQUIRES A BLOOD SACRIFICE
SCP-8436: SHED YOUR BLOOD ONTO THE CIRCLE
SCP-8436: AND RECITE THIS PRAYER
A passage appears on the door.
Hayes: Okay, let's do this.
Hayes picks up the scalpel, stands up, and takes a deep breath. He holds his hand over the circle and cuts it with the scalpel, wincing in pain. He begins reciting the prayer as his blood drips onto the circle.
Hayes: Honorable god Helphigg. By your power, life is created, and by your power, it returns to the earth. You command that which feeds on death, that which turns destruction into creation.
The Insurgent attempts to open the door. Hayes takes notice, and starts speaking faster.
Hayes: Hear my prayer. My people are threatened, and I require your grand power to defend them.
The Insurgent rams the door, but it holds.
Hayes: Make my enemies tremble and flee. Show them the terrible power that you wield.
The Insurgent rams the door again.
Hayes: Make these lands safe once more, and ensure that my people are never harmed again.
The circle begins to glow.
Hayes: Please.
The Insurgent breaks the door down, causing Hayes to stumble backward and trip. They draw their gun, but slime mold erupts from the barrel.
Insurgent: Shit!
The slime mold spreads across the Insurgent's body, fully encasing them in seconds.
Hayes: …Did we do it?
SCP-8436: ALL INTRUDERS HAVE BEEN INCAPACITATED
Hayes laughs weakly. He grabs the first aid kit and begins treating his wound.
Hayes: Have I mentioned that we make a good team?
SCP-8436: YOU HAVE NOT
SCP-8436: BUT I AGREE
As a result of the ritual performed by Researcher Hayes, every insurgent in Site-12 was incapacitated. The MTF arrived 1 hour later and was able to capture all of them alive.
Addendum 8436-6: Disciplinary Interview
Interviewer: Director Templeton
Interviewed: Junior Researcher Franklin Hayes
<Begin Log>
Dir. Templeton: Do you know why we're having this interview?
Hayes: Because I performed an anomalous ritual without permission.
Dir. Templeton: That's right. And do you know why that's a problem?
Hayes: It could have had unforeseen negative consequences.
Dir. Templeton: Exactly. So why did you think it was a good idea?
Hayes: It was either that or do nothing and let the Chaos Insurgency get away with… whatever they were doing.
Dir. Templeton: So you were trying to be a hero?
Hayes: Yes sir.
Pause.
Dir. Templeton: Are you prepared for whatever consequences you might suffer?
Hayes: I am.
There is a 10 second pause. Hayes does not break eye contact with Director Templeton.
Dir. Templeton: Do you know why the Insurgency attacked this site twice in the span of 6 months?
Hayes: I… assume they were looking for something.
Dir. Templeton: Any idea what?
Hayes: No, sir.
Dir. Templeton: Good. If you did, we'd have an even bigger problem. And don't worry about it happening again, it's been moved to a different site.
Hayes: Thank god.
Dir. Templeton clicks his pen several times.
Dir. Templeton: I'm placing you under house arrest. You won't be able to leave your dorm for any reason.
Hayes: I understand.
Dir. Templeton: You'll be supplied with documents to translate at my discretion. Communications with SCP-8436 will be monitored, and amenities may be suspended if we suspect collusion.
Hayes: Wait, really?
Dir. Templeton: Helphigg's a primary source; that's too valuable an asset to give up. And it doesn't take a genius to see that he'll only talk to you.
Hayes: Wow, I… thank you.
Dir. Templeton: Don't mention it.
<End Log>