The Devil is not the Devil because he is smart, but because he is older than any man who ever lived.
by 22o9L
Item #: SCP-8622
Object Class: Euclid
Lamb, Massachusetts.
Special Containment Procedures: All the current and former inhabitants from the City of Lamb, Massachusetts1 affected by SCP-8622 are to be designated as SCP-8622-A and monitored by Foundation authorities. In order to realize necessary operations, Mobile Task Force Eta-77 (“Satanic Panic”) has been mobilized for the purposes of record-keeping. All instances of SCP-8622-A are to be subject to annual interviews and psychological evaluation, with the goal of documenting any notable psychological alterations caused by the effects of past anomalous events. Instances with noted physical or mental health issues are to be detained by the Foundation for treatment and analysis of any potential onset conditions.
Amnestic treatment for direct witnesses has been determined by the Ethics Committee as unnecessary. All information regarding the anomaly should be confiscated and the respective authors are to be detained and amnestics to be applied if possible, otherwise the perpetrators are to be detained indefinitely. Considering SCP-8622’s idiosyncrasies in relation to amnestics, other methods of coercion have been approved, including financial incentive or, if necessary, mental indoctrination in order to cease sharing of information related to SCP-8622.
Offspring resulting from any individual in SCP-8622-A group, are to be monitored by MTF Eta-77. If any of these subjects are charged with violent crime, these persons are to be transferred from the respective judicial imprisonment to Foundation custody. All related documents should be confiscated by MTF Eta-77 and archived. Standard cover story 224-U “Insane Serial Killer” should be deployed. Interviews and psychological evaluation are to be performed by the Mobile Task Force staff. A vote by the Ethics Committee is currently being held to determine if all offspring by SCP-8622-A should be removed from the families as a precaution.
All active and passive assets related to the now defunct organization known as Brotherhood of Saint Cyprian2 have been seized by the Foundation. Former Brotherhood personnel are to be detained in Foundation facilities and considered as potential thaumaturgic terrorists. All relevant anomalous artifacts pertaining to the organization are to be properly classified as SCP objects and transferred to appropriate containment.
Simon Goldstein, archive photo recovered from his personal belongins.
Description: SCP-8622 is the designation given to the events that transpired in June 1987, in the city of Lamb, Massachusetts. Although the primary anomalous events occurred on the carnival grounds, a series of accessory anomalous phenomena developed, affecting residents or former residents of the city.
On 13/06/1987, Simon Goldstein3 attempted to summon a powerful reality bending entity with help from an unidentified perpetrator only referred to by the pseudonym “Jakob Gride”.4 Simon was the leader of a minor group of affluent Catholic thaumaturgical society, “The Brotherhood of Saint Cyprian”, that orchestrated the SCP-8622 incident by modifing the rides of the city carnival, resulting in the deaths of 32 people and in long-lasting effects on the population.
SCP-8622 affected ~95% of the population of Lamb, Massachusetts. The Brotherhood of Saint Cyprian used explosive charges in order to cause fatal accidents that ultimately resulted in an uncontrolled fire that consumed the event grounds. SCP-8622 was partially successful in summoning the desired entity, manifesting itself and causing $500,000 in property damages via the creation of a spontaneous mud flood that persisted in the region for the following months. However, said entity was ultimately unable to properly appear onto baseline reality due to the unexpected survival of at least 15 anticipated victims.
SCP Foundation intelligence personnel were aware of the activity of the Brotherhood of Saint Cyprian. A raid on Brotherhood facilities with the objective of terminating the group’s activities was in order, being coordinated and already approved by relevant directors.
At the time, no information regarding the group's plans in regards to SCP-8622 was available. Due to this, the planned raid was unable to be performed until the containment of the anomaly. Foundation assets were unable to prevent the execution of the event. Response personnel were dispatched once the anomalous activity began, evacuating the residents of Lamb, Massachusetts. The ensuing mud flood was used as a basis for the future cover up operation.
After the event was properly contained and civilians secured, a raid was performed and all relevant Brotherhood assets were seized. Neither Jakob Gride nor Simon Goldstein could be apprehended, the former having presumably gone into hiding and latter having committed suicide.
The event resulted in anomalous effects on the vast majority of the population of Lamb. Common hallucinations described by subjects include visions of a massive double-headed horned winged creature with discernible masculine characteristics. This apparition will commonly feature in nightmares and in visual media created by SCP-8622 affected individuals. Said being is commonly referred to as a constant source of anxiety and dread.
All offspring of Lamb residents consist of identical twins, said sample of individuals universally sharing tendencies such as cryptophasia,5 sterility, recurrent hallucinations and nightmares. In addition, all Lamb residents suffering from side effects of SCP-8622, even those unaffected by both the mud floods or the related anomalous events show significant emotional trauma response from an unknown source.
Addendum 8622.1: Recovered Text by Simon Goldstein.
The following was the last text written by Simon Goldstein, dating to 1985. Recovered accessory documentation and testimonies by the group's members indicate it to have been an important part of its doctrine.
The Muslims during the crusades had a particular word for European knights. People all around the Arabic world were aware that there was a blooming civilization much like theirs, that had military power and a complex political scenario. They called all the knights flooding their borders Franji, they all were Franji, always had been Franji and so the European forces became known by the people who they were invading.
The fact is that Franji comes from “Frank”, but the Muslims were none the wiser. This is not about the intellect of a particular race, the European also corrupted words, all peoples around the globe are guilty of distorting language. Nevertheless, an existing and correct word, the proper word for something, was corrupted and turned, metamorphosed, into a shell of meaning that was stretched to cover a definition never intended. All nuance of language was discarded in name of a more confused and impure definition.
Corruption is a distortion of something that is an object truth, objective meaning, into a shadow of its former understanding.
That is one of the primary weapons of the Devil since the death of our Lord. Since the rapture happened on the crucifixion, the Devil took control over the word and used various powers against the work of God and his people. The forces of evil take many shapes and forms, all in the name of dissimulation, but the consistent factor is that of corruption. Times changed and with it came the excuses to steal and water down the power of the right to do wrong.
Necromancy, demon summoning and magic were all stolen from the church, which was left with meaningless prayers and fake teachings on angelology from charlatans such as John Dee. The said language of Enochian6 and all Dee’s contributions are null and void in the aspects of actual divine inspiration. And so are the words of all Popes since Saint Peter.
One of the last bastions of the good work from the prophets are the scriptures, informed and protected by the Holy Ghost. This, however, has come into question multiple times. Blasphemous texts such as those of the fraudulent “Enochian Canon”, portray things in misleading or in deliberately wrong form to install a sense of confusion amongst the followers of God who still want to be saved. Such confusion is so great that the main bodies of the church have become complacent and do not recognize the world that is controlled by the Devil.
The Prince of Darkness has even gone through the necessary work to confuse Azazel, a great angel of the Lord, as some kind of evil betrayer just like himself. One is a fool if he can't see that all angels of God will be turned into demons by popular ignorant imagination if precautions are not taken.
Not only has the church lost its ability and right to control evil forces in the name of God, but the Devil has taken steps to mud the waters between the followers and the Lord, creating not only more religions and false gods, but also division amongst the Church and writing fraudulent texts.
The Devil is not the Devil because he is smart, but because he is older than any man who ever lived.
Addendum 8622.2: Recovered Documentation from the Brotherhood of Saint Cyprian, Unknown Author.
During the investigation, Foundation personnel noted a lack of internal Brotherhood documentation that mentions Jakob Gride. The organization did keep extensive records of its ceremonies and hierarchy, but minimal background information was found regarding Gride, leading to an inconclusive investigation. The only conclusive mentions of PoI-6616 are those found in his involvement in SCP-8622.
Following is the only other Brotherhood text referring to Jakob Gride by name, consisting of a letter by an unknown author. Said text was found in Simon Goldstain’s manor and was reconstructed by a Foundation archivist. It was initially thought that this letter was damaged after a Foundation raid into Brotherhood facilities, but later analysis showed the letter was shredded before SCP-8622.
Further information regarding the investigation into Jakob Gride is restricted to those with clearance Level 4 or above.
Head Archimage Goldstein,
I write to you with a degree of concern. I understand the details of the Ritual of Yom Kippur,7 however we also have to consider a series of other implications relating to the event, such as the imminent danger we might be subjecting our brothers to.
The fellow Jakob Gride is, as you might suspect, the origin of such worries. He is in fact an expert in many fields and quite eloquent, however, his secrecy is a source of deep concern. Not only that, but I fear that Jakob Gride is amassing political capital within our organization. Gride was accepted a few weeks ago and already outrank most members by now. Of course, if that was the case, it would only be a matter of jealousy on my part, however, I have my concerns.
It’s my belief that Gride has some sort of disruptive agenda, maybe a globalist spy or federal agent, but this man has no good intent towards our organization.
Shortly after his arrival, members began to gravitate towards his leadership in detriment of long-time recognized authorities. And as the teachings of Jakob keep spreading, I grow more fearful of its contents. The idea of the sacrifice of animals being a metaphorical stand-in for the sacrifice of corrupted men, although apparently sound in logic, seems to me to be of a fallacious nature. Gride’s ideas in general involve blood and sin, and yet all members of the order look at him in awe.
I’m aware of at least two brothers who attempted to question the newcomers' influences, and so are you. And you know what you had to sentence them for their crimes against God. If I’m wrong, I pray that the Lord strikes me down, but I think our former brothers were innocent just like they claimed. I know that Jakob Gride orchestrated their removal from the Brotherhood, and I think both victims kept quiet in fear of something worse.
And in fact, this fear was not only justified, but real. I could not, by all that is sacred, find our two former colleagues anywhere in Lamb. No one knows where they are. Their houses are empty, and they left nothing behind.
If the ritual for summoning Azazel has his instructions in any capacity, I believe we’ll all be destined to some horrible fate. I am unable, even for all that I hold dear, to anticipate what Jakob Gride’s end goal is with the summoning of Azazel or with our organization, but I can state for certain that if this continues, only evil will come.
Addendum 8622.3: Recovered Text by Simon Goldstein.
The following has been recovered in the Goldstein Manor amongst arcane tomes consulted in the wake of SCP-8622, as well as personal research notes by the leader of the Brotherhood of Saint Cyprian. The context of the fragment and its intended purpose are currently unknown.
The land of GOD has been taken by Evil. The LORD has sent his twin lambs8 and the Devil tricked the world into forgetting one.
Evil corrupts and takes, GOD has not intervened. Intervention does not come since there is no call. The group of followers of GOD that can pray sincerely are so small that we might be the only people who can actually do it.
The Devil has twisted humans, created sexual depravity.
We need to pray to GOD, call upon his angel. I need to be a guide who will call upon an angel. The angel will come. The angel will have power over all Evil. Azazel will come by the sacrifice of the corrupted children.
Addendum 8622.4: Interview Log with SCP-8622-A Instance
The following are excerpts from an interview conducted by Dr. Hartog with 34-year-old Laurie Williams,9 shortly before her murder. Laurie was one of the only intended victims of SCP-8622 that was able to retain a coherent mental state after witnessing the events of 13/06/1987.
[EXTRANEOUS DIALOGUE REMOVED]
Dr. Hartog: And what about your sleep?
Williams: Horrible.
Dr. Hartog: Would you say that the medication is not working? We can offer alternatives later.
Williams: Maybe? It’s hard to say.
Dr. Hartog: Some other victims reported some… Recurring dreams. Is there anything you want to state on record?
Williams: I feel…
Dr. Hartog: Hm?
Williams: Do I need to relive it again?
Dr. Hartog: I would deeply appreciate your input. But your information may get us closer to a solution.
Williams: No, I’m not talking about that! There is no undoing. There is no improving. Nothing left. I went as far as possible from Lamb, got a family. Finished my graduation while I had to worry about twin babies. Worked my way away from my husband, kept the children, struggled through debt. All of this in the last year. And all of this was for nothing. My life begins and ends at that event. That monster.
Silence.
Williams: It’s all over again, every night I dream that I’m on the roller coaster again. Then the explosions begin… There is blood all over me, and the scream comes… Two screams, at the same time. And then the screams end. Evil screams. Then I wake and my ears are ringing.
Dr. Hartog: Is the scream from the creature or from your children?
Silence.
Williams: I can’t say.
[EXTRANEOUS DIALOGUE REMOVED]
Williams: I never saw how it happened but… As far as I could guess the monster just appeared. There weren't any corpses because… All the corpses somehow…
Dr. Hartog: You don’t need to describe if you are uncomfortable. Take as much time as you need.
Williams: I saw one of the twin heads. Just that! He had one eye bigger than the other. Asymmetrical mouth. Then I saw that his left eye socket was… the distorted mouth of someone. His eyebrows were arms and human heads. While his actual head was screaming, I saw all his little tooths. I can still smell the blood and pus dripping from all over his body.
Dr. Hartog: Some witnesses said both heads were vomiting mud. Others say that only the left or right head were vomiting while the other was screaming. And a few have stated that there was no excretion of any substance. What did you see?
Williams: Both.
Dr. Hartog: Both?
Williams: I know it should be impossible. But both heads were vomiting and screaming. I have… I have no idea how to describe it. He screamed, vomited, and ate people all at once.
[EXTRANEOUS DIALOGUE REMOVED]
Dr. Hartog: What about your children?
Williams: Is there something I should be worried about?
Dr. Hartog: There is a reasonable chance. But we don't know if it's a result of the incident.
Williams: Are you lying?
Dr. Hartog: Is there anything wrong with your children?
Williams: Yes.
Dr. Hartog: Let's cut to the chase. This is a stressful situation and by your voice I can tell you have thought about it already. I think you know what I’m going to ask.
Williams: And you know the answer, don't you?
Dr. Hartog: Always expect to be surprised at this job.
Williams: I can’t connect with my children. They have no interest in toys, school, or small talk during breakfast. It doesn't matter what I try. The only thing both girls do is to hunt mice around the house. They keep asking a veteran neighbour about the war. Play with soldiers. Does this answer satisfy you?
Dr. Hartog: Did you feel, at any moment, that you were not the mother of your children?
Long silence.
Dr. Hartog: You don’t need to answer. We can end the interview. Again, you have been through a lot.
Williams: There are others like me, yes?
Dr. Hartog: Around 10 people independently reported that they felt like they were not the father or mother of their children.
Williams: Is that thing the mother of my children?
Dr. Hartog: As far as we know, there is no reason to believe in such an idea. You will be updated about developments, don't worry.
Laurie Williams starts to sob.
Addendum 8622.5 Interview with Former Brotherhood of Saint Cyprian Member.
The following are excerpts from an interview conducted by Dr. Hartog with the late Ernest Crownwell (PoI-8743), who defected from the Brotherhood of Saint Cyprian a day before the events of SCP-8622 due to ideological concerns. PoI-8743 agreed to be interviewed under the condition of being granted privileges of Foundation protection against possible hostile third parties. PoI-8743 died from stomach cancer in the year 2000 while in Foundation custody.
[EXTRANEOUS DIALOGUE REMOVED]
PoI-8743: You mean you haven't caught Jakob Gride?
Dr. Hartog: You could say he is quite… Difficult to find. There was no sign of the fella since the ritual. We have been interviewing many people to find where Gride is, though. Any information you can provide would be much appreciated.
PoI-8743: Jakob was complicated. I find it hard to believe he was an actual human being.
Dr. Hartog: Well, other members of the Brotherhood found his leadership quite remarkable.
PoI-8743: Describing him as a cancer would be quite the compliment.
Dr. Hartog: Why so?
PoI-8743: Jakob Gride is… I don’t even think he would be able to utter a simple backwater church prayer or state what contents are or are not in the bible. But Jakob could convince all of us he was a Christian, he was a thaumaturge and that he was a great scholar of scripture and intended to honor the Father, the Son and the Spirit.
Dr. Hartog: We found some documents about members of the Brotherhood being concerned by his rise. You were not alone. Now, a question comes to my mind, Mr. Cromwell, if there were multiple members against Jakob Gride, why did no one do anything about it?
PoI-8743: Being frank, he was growing and growing. In one week or so he had almost four people removed from the Brotherhood. Not that no one knew about it. Jakob made a point in making it obvious. All around I looked, and everyone agreed with him. Or maybe that was only an illusion? Maybe all of us would like to have Jakob burned, but thought that… We were alone.
Dr. Hartog: Well, what I can share with you about this concern of yours is that the Foundation did not find any writings by Gride or any description of whatever his beliefs were compared to the Brotherhood.
PoI-8743: Jakob did not have any beliefs. He stood there, looking with a malicious curiosity at our theological discussions. Just devouring all the contexts with his ears. Then Gride would “add” to the conversation.
Dr. Hartog: Add? Add what?
PoI-8743: It’s like he was adding fuel to a flame, you know.
Dr. Hartog: Why? What was Gride’s goal?
PoI-8743: I believe the Foundation has an extensive record on what happened on the 13th. And then you contained the Brotherhood of Saint Cyprian. I don’t see anything getting better from here.
[EXTRANEOUS DIALOGUE REMOVED]
Dr. Hartog: Were you involved in the summoning of Azazel?
PoI-8743: You know I was.
Dr. Hartog: Was it successful?
PoI-8743: What do you think? Say to me.
Dr. Hartog: The Brotherhood did summon a creature.
PoI-8743: The Brotherhood did not. Some group of empty people did.
The interviewed laughs.
PoI-8743: Do your thaumaturges really think that the thing was the angel Azazel?
Dr. Hartog: Go ahead. Tell me your opinion. You don’t need to do a preamble.
PoI-8743: Jakob and Simon summoned an old and forgotten demon from the depths of a dark and lone part of that Tartarus. Well, maybe Simon did not actually know that, but I blame him all the same. He was corrupted.
Dr. Hartog: Any reason why you believe that in particular?
PoI-8743: Jakob Gride. It’s what he would do.
I talked to Gride one time. Was during the planning stages of the ritual, some basic consulting and research. I don’t quite recall how, but the conversation branched into topics of the occult and related magic. I mentioned the use of Roman Gods in some rituals by certain wizards, and Jakob laughed. He even laughed when I mentioned demon summoning using the power of the Lord. Do you know why?
Dr. Hartog: Say.
PoI-8743: According to the great Jakob Gride, everything people worship, people will destroy. And the people will enjoy destroying it until there is nothing left. Then that psychopath told me I should not be a member of the Brotherhood anymore.
PoI-8743: I was so afraid of Gride I left Lamb in an hour. I have no idea, no idea at all, how he knew I was conspiring against him and Goldstein.
Dr. Hartog: Why did you not go through with it?
PoI-8743: That man is the Devil, Doctor. I was not ready.
Dr. Hartog: Alright, I think this wraps up the interview. Is there anything else you wish to state on record, Mr. Crownwell?
PoI-8743: We were never meant to do something like this. I’ll never be able to repay what happened on that day. That kind of thing is not of the nature of anyone I knew in the Brotherhood.
Addendum 8622.6: Final Diary Entry by Simon Goldstein.
The following is a note found next to the corpse of Simon Goldstein. His death was caused by a single gunshot wound to the head. The context of the events of the day prior to the subject's death are unknown.
Do I even know how to pray to the Lord?
Addendum 8622.7: Conclusion Notes by Head Researcher Dr. Savage.
All members and former members of the Brotherhood of Saint Cyprian have been accounted for, and so were the anomalous objects in the possession of the group. The members of the brotherhood who have not been interviewed or detained are those who are unreachable by reason of being late as of the date of investigation. The only perpetrator who evaded all Foundation efforts was Jakob Gride. And, as of yet, the objective of SCP-8622 remains unknown.
Although SCP-8622 is considered a resolved issue, there are a number of factors unaccounted for that relate to it. Continued observation of offspring from SCP-8622 affected individuals in the decades following the events revealed that the studied twins were likely to develop anti-social personality traits, general detachment from societal norms and an intense lack of empathy. All of those individuals observed to reach adulthood became serial killers, with both twins collaborating with the murders. The crimes committed by said individuals contain a highly degree of sophistication and esoteric components, this later aspect consisting of a series of universal motifs representing a twin-headed entity of demonic nature. In cases where only one twin lived until adulthood, the remaining individual becomes a serial mutilator with a related pattern to the previously discussed.
All surviving intended sacrifices for the realization of SCP-8622 are deceased as of 12/09/2001. These victims retained trauma and internalized memories of the event even after persistent amnestic treatment, with the Ethics Committee eventually ruling that the ineffective treatment should be terminated to prevent neurological damage on civilians. Interviews conducted with said individuals revealing frequent nightmares and experiences of extreme dissociation relating to SCP-8622 and the entity that manifested during the event.
All observed subjects developed chronic physical and mental health issues after SCP-8622 and eventually died from medical complications. No coherent information was able to be extracted from said victims besides what was previously attached to this document, with only nonsensical babbling being recorded during later interviews.
As of yet, we can't conclude why “Jakob Gride” influenced Goldstein’s organization in the manner he did. What can be said for sure is that Gride had direct influence over Simon Goldstein and was ready to disappear immediately after the event.
Research continues, but we're not expecting any more developments.