This bit down here controls the logo and subtitle changes. Is it cursed? Yes. Is it annoyingly effective? Also yes.
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Ever since mankind rose from the dust of the Earth, there has been theological warfare.
From the First Sacred War, to Soga-Mononobe, to the Crusades, humanity's history of conflict has always been intertwined with the divine. Religion has been consequential in both mediating and sparking strife across the Earth, whether it served to bring groups into harmony or create tension amongst men. The lives and deaths of millions have been irrevocably modified by the societal inertia of generational worship. This fact is undisputed.
And yet the wheels of history have not solely been turned by the hands of men acting on behalf of lofty Names. The divine itself has always played a role in the shape of our existence — not solely as ideals or metaphors, but as concrete parties, interfering with the course of fate to achieve their goals. From the time of Gilgamesh to the modern age, it was these beings whom the world was predicated on, pillars of whom people of unshakable faith would rely when all hope was lost. And it was these beings who, in turn, granted boons and blessings to their followers.
But as the wheel turned and the engine rose, the shackles of the divine had lost their grip upon the Earth. The Enlightenment and subsequent schools of thought exposed the fundamental flaws underpinning the deific theocracy — that the gods' existence were built on belief itself. And without this belief, they could be killed or crippled — like mortal men.
But to undermine a god to the point of its nadir, you must destroy the belief that gives it form.
These concepts were purely theoretical — until they weren't. The world was torn asunder by the Second World War, and beneath the surface of the veil the Seventh Occult War ravaged across Europe with intense ferocity. It was during these times that mankind came to understand the strength of divinity, and as the Axis Powers began to dip their toes into controlling this untapped well, the Allies took heed. Although no major deific weapons were ultimately used in combat, this event opened a new Pandora's Box of horrors onto the Earth.
It has been over half a century since that point. Humanity has successfully built its Tower of Babel, and now we stand among the heavens looking down upon all that once stood above. But humanity, as it is, is no monolith — and if we do not maintain cohesion among our nations, we are surely to find ourselves planted firmly on the soil, a foreign tongue in each of our mouths.
While working for us, you will see men of great faith die horrible deaths. You will see blasphemous rituals, absurd caricatures of lofty beings, and horrors beyond the mind's eye. You will see weapons forged in holy calculus and guns pointed at the heads of the demiurge. But throughout all of this, you must remember one thing, and one thing only:
If you can kill it, it isn't a God.
Director Muhammad al-Taqi
Office of Tactical Theology
The Department of Tactical Theology (sometimes referred to as "The Office of Tactical Theology" and abbreviated as the "DoTT") is the branch of the SCP Foundation dedicated to strategically handling, containing, and utilizing religious anomalies. Established in 1951, the department aims to use research in the study of divinity to identify religious or belief-based threats to the Veil and combat them.
The Department of Tactical Theology Logo
The Department of Tactical Theology is divided into various subdivisions that handle different responsibilities. These subdivisions are usually headed by their own department leads, and are either focused on handling anomalies associated with particular religious groups or over-arching theological topics. Over time, subdivisions may be created, merged, split, or disbanded in accordance with new theological developments and research.
The distinction between The Department of Tactical Theology and its older counterpart The Department of Theology lies primarily in their purposes. The Department of Theology handles the research and historical aspects of the study of religion and the divine, while The Department of Tactical Theology applies them in containment efforts. This distinction means that while there is some overlap in personnel and purview, a majority of responsibilities are evenly divided between the two groups.
The current headquarters of the Department of Tactical Theology is Reliquary Area-27, located in Ottawa, Ontario. The Department also possesses various outposts, testing grounds, and observation posts, as well as an additional Area in the Middle East. Approximately five hundred and fifty personnel are employed by the department, a majority of which are stated at Reliquary Area-27.
The Field of Tactical Theology
In the context of the anomalous, the phrase tactical theology refers to a wide range of interaction with the divine. Usually, this is in the context of militaristic strategy, although it has been used in other contexts as well, such as occult rituals or demonic contracts. What is and is not "tactical" theology is contested, but the general consensus is that the field encompasses most things that involve dealing with the divine in a concrete, scientific fashion.
While the SCP Foundation is the largest power that engages in the field of tactical theology, it isn't the only one. Other Groups of Interest (most notably, the Horizon Initiative) have engaged with tactical theology, and like the Foundation have studied the weaponization of religion extensively. The Horizon Initiative is notable in this regard due to its hostility towards other religious GoIs, alongside its plethora of captured Abrahamic-centric religious anomalies.
One of the largest distinctions between the SCP Foundation and other GoIs is that the near monopoly the Foundation has on information about the Akiva field (see below). This allows it to wield theology in a much more organized and precise manner, compared to other organizations.
Akiva Radiation
One of the most important discoveries in modern tactical theology is the detection of Akiva radiation. Akiva radiation is an (inappropriately named) anomalous field responsible for interactions between faith/belief and reality. The Akiva field is known to have interactions with anomalous particles such as Humes or EVE, though it itself does not have any unique particles. Rather, various factors of the field (such as the magnitude of its vectors in a given area) influence the aforementioned anomalous particles, resulting in changes to the Akiva field altering reality.
Akiva radiation is often referenced when dealing with religious anomalies, as the collective belief of worshipers consistently produce measurable changes to the field. Various devices have been created in an attempt to ease the containment of Akiva-based anomalies, with varying degrees of success — however, the problem of generating changes to the field without the use of powerful artifacts or consistent streams of faith (the so-called Generation Problem) remains a major challenge to consistent containment apparatus.
Most information related to Akiva radiation remains heavily classified. The Department of Tactical Theology has a vested interest in ensuring that information pertaining to the Akiva field and its capabilities are kept beyond prying eyes, even from other SCP Foundation departments. Although the purpose of this intense secrecy is not entirely clear, it is known that the Department has engaged in various methods to keep specific details under wraps — including the dissemination of false information, when necessary.
History
Long before the Department of Tactical Theology was ever founded, the tactical use of theology was a powerful and dangerous tool. Throughout history, various applications have been noted to occur, ranging from ideological warfare, to divine intervention, to even supplanting of physical reality in more extreme cases.
This tab is intended to maintain a non-exhaustive timeline of notable instances of theology's tactical use across time, ranging from barely recorded events from thousands of years ago to modern DoTT antics. If you believe an event is missing from the timeline, instructions on submitting missing information can be found below.
Hover over an event for more information about it!
Bronze Age
While the field of Tactical Theology was still several millennia from being academically developed, early civilizations grappled with both the anomalous and the divine just as the Foundation does today, often resulting in pitting one against the other. Although records of events from this period are scarce and often incomplete, there are still several examples of Bronze Age peoples using religious practices, artifacts, and complex rituals in order to contain, protect, and even destroy the anomalous threats encountered across the cradle of civilization and beyond.
The Caral-Supe Civilization
c. 2500 BCE
First known instance of summoning a deity.
Largest known Caral-Supe summoning site
The Caral-Supe Civilization (modern day coastal Peru) flourishes as one of the initial six major population centers for h. sapiens, as well as the only known site to exist at this time in the Americas. Most noted for their monumental plaza and mount architectural structures, Foundation research suggests that the Caral-Supe were the first to utilize consistent and replicable faith-based summoning.
Although this summoning method has been largely lost, the presence of organic instruments and human remains suggests a type of harmonic evocation. These tools continue to produce high Akiva readings in spite of Caral's lack of habitation for thousands of years, with the highest measurements originating from instruments found beside a summoning site surrounding a large geoglyph.
The Epic of Gilgamesh
c. 2300 BCE
First recorded instance of theology being utilized to alter reality.
Tablet V of The Epic of Gilgamesh
Although not all events in the Epic of Gilgamesh can be confirmed to have actually occurred, research into the locations described in the poem point to signs of several reality-altering theological artifacts (associated with the goddess Inanna) being used. Of what archeological evidence exists, the only proven change made by these artifacts was King Gilgamesh of Uruk redirecting the course of the River Euphrates to ensure his city's survival during a severe drought.
King Gilgamesh is also believed to have also used thaumatology and theology to extend his lifespan well past its natural course, expiring around the year 1900 BCE.
The Birth of Sarkicism
c. 1800 BCE
A slave rebellion in the Daevite Empire becomes an anomalous religion.
An artistic depiction of a Daevite priestess in ceremonial robes taken from SCP-140.
The Daevite Empire, forming around the year 10,000 BCE, was a slave-based, conquest-oriented, matriarchal society. Since its outset, the Daevites were highly ritualistic and faith-based, using various divination tactics in and before battle. This led to them becoming a powerful and terrifying force in the ancient world (particularly in Asia), and one of the first groups to explicitly use what we now refer to as "tactical theology".
What led to the Sarkic Rebellion actually occurring is unclear, though it is known that a "half-blood" male slave born to a Daevite mother and concubine father eventually gained extraordinary reality-bending capabilities through unknown means. This individual — who was later referred to as Grand Karcist Ion — proceeded to lead a slave rebellion against the Daevites in the northern provinces of the empire. This uprising — while not destroying the Daevites outright — crippled their empire and led to the formation of the Sarkic religion.
The Daevites remain a point of interest for the Department of Tactical Theology, as their methodologies, intense faith, and age of their religion made them experts in theological warfare. Therefore, it is one of the active duties of the department to ensure that the Daevites can never manifest in the modern day.
The Exodus of Egypt
c. 1446 BCE
A massive localized eschatological event occurs in Egypt.
While precise historical detail has been muddled by large quantities of religious text, there is archeological and Akiva-based evidence to suggest that some version of the events described in the Bible occurred in Egypt around the year 1446 BCE.
It is believed that the large quantities of Hebrew slaves in the country — combined with their faith in eventual salvation and their continuous outcry — eventually generated enough localized and resonant Akiva radiation to manifest a localized eschaton. As each of the plagues occurred, it reinforced the belief in the divine, generating more Akiva radiation and thus cyclically increasing the intensity of the events. This culminated in the tenth plague, killing all first-borns in the country, allowing for the Hebrew slaves to escape through divine intervention.
To date, the Exodus represents one of the largest recorded and discussed theological events in history. As confirmation of the event may represent a breach to the Veil, the Department of Tactical Theology has undertaken efforts to suppress historical evidence that the Exodus occurred.
Reign of Akhenaten
1351–1334 BCE
The New Pharaoh of Egypt attempts a powerful ritual.
A statue of Akhenaten.
In the New Kingdom of Egypt, Pharaoh Akhenaten ascends to the throne. Upon becoming the Pharaoh, he immediately declares the old gods of Egypt dead, disbands the priesthood, and enforces worship on the sun god Ra, renamed to "Aten". Akhenaten then assumes the role of sole High Priest of Aten, undertaking the construction of an unknown ritual (“fed in the darkness of night”) which has been theorized would grant him reality warping capabilities. He is assassinated by two of his children (Smenkhkare and Tutankhamun) before he is capable of completing the ritual.
The exact details of this event are unclear, but it is presumed that Akhenaten had deduced a number of key principles behind the functionality of the Akiva Field, even if he was not capable of observing it directly. This is presumed possible due to the highly-visible Exodus of Egypt (see above), which is hypothesized to have given rise to Akhenaten's plan to harness the power of theology and belief for his own end means.
The Late Bronze Age Collapse
c. 1200 BCE
The First Occult War cripples the world.
The extent of the Mekhanite Empire, following the Late Bronze Age Collapse.
The Sarkic religion — having grown from a slave rebellion in Daevite Empire — began to spread across Asia between the 16th and 13th centuries BCE. During this time, their influence began to spread across the world, coalescing into the Kalmaktama (lit. "Deathless") Empire forming from nations under its banner. This empire continued to expand, eventually contributing directly to the fall of the Hittite Empire (who the Hittites referred to as "the Sea People").
With this threat becoming increasingly worrisome to the West, multiple nations united under the forces of the Mekhanites, who believed the Sarkics to be a direct threat to their way of life and religion, which primarily centered around machines and metal. Tensions eventually came to a head sometime around the year 1200 BCE, which ignited the First Occult War.
The full details of the war have been obscured by history, making factual analysis extremely difficult. However, it is believed that the Mekhanites' utilization of advanced technology allowed them to combat the overwhelming force of the carnomantic Sarkics, including the weaponization of colossi and a substance believed to be "Greek Fire".
After a very long and brutal conflict, the First Occult War is believed to have ended with a Mekhanite victory, although this is disputed. While the Mekhanite empire did continue for another 1–2 centuries, the toll it took during the war caused it to slowly wither and eventually collapse. Outside of the Mekhanite empire, the world suffered catastrophically, resulting in what is now known as the Late Bronze Age Collapse.
The First Occult War represented the largest use of tactical theology throughout history, and as a result the Department of Tactical Theology has a vested interest in finding as many artifacts from the war as possible. Many found still contain residues of their former power as Akiva sinks, making them invaluable in the containment of Mekhanite, Sarkic, and Daevite anomalies.
The war is believed to have resulted in 20–30 million casualties.
Classical Era
The Classical Era saw the beginnings of cultural imperialism, primarily through the expansionist efforts of the Macedonian, Roman, Persian, Chinese, and Mauryan Empires across larger territories. This resulted in an increased trade of cultural mores, norms, and (in particular) cross-pollination of religious ideas. Ultimately, these expansions helped to create not only new religious centers and models of worship, but also provided the use of novel rituals and artifacts to control anomalous phenomena in both the newly conquered lands and to provide solutions for those at home.
Curse Tablets
c. 500 BCE – 400 BCE
Various tablets are proliferated as a means of exacting divine vengeance.
While commonly discovered throughout the ancient world, curse tablets proliferated in greater numbers during the Periclean Age of Ancient Greece. These thin plates, often made of hammered lead, were inscribed with pleas to liminal or primordial gods to counteract or claim justice against deeds in the mortal realms. In particular, the usage of vocas mysticae (or secret names used only by the gods themselves) were believed to provoke a response with these tablets placed outside of the typical frame of worship or offering to a deity, and instead were intended to provoke or command the god to do the tablet's bidding.
Of particular interest, there was evidence of active syncretism between the Greek and Romans using these methods to directly call upon the gods of the Egyptian pantheon. The most notable example comes during the Peloponnesian War, where the use of a curse tablet created by a Spartan commander invoked the wrath of Sekhmet upon Athens, was believed to have directly caused the Plague of Athens in 430 BCE. All tablets known to exist have either been acquired by the Foundation or destroyed by the Global Occult Coalition.
The Burning of Books
213 BCE
One of the oldest still-existing anomalous religious artifacts is created in China.
In order to consolidate power, reigning Chinese emperor Qin Shi Huang orders the confiscation and destruction of virtually every book in the kingdom with narrow exceptions for approved authors, while two copies of each document are retained for the Imperial Archives. This is presumably for internal research purposes as well as to ensure that the mass destruction of so many ideas does not result in the Qin Dynasty losing the Mandate of Heaven (天命) and dynastic right.
During the confiscation, an unknown person discovers SCP-████ and absconds with the document, which then allowed them to attempt to win the favor of Shangdi (上帝, the most ancient of Chinese divinities) through the rituals described. Archaeological evidence and local sources indicate that these rituals were successful and divine weapons were utilized against the Qin forces during the revolt attempt of 210 BCE. SCP-████ is currently in containment at Reliquary Area-27.
Augustus Caesar Dies
14 CE
Augustus Caesar attempts an unknown, powerful ritual.
In an attempt to ensure that the Roman Empire does not collapse or lose its foothold on the world, Roman emperor Augustus Caesar engages in an unknown ritual. This ritual culminates in his death; however, it is apparent that through it, Augustus was able to influence the actions of future Roman emperors. This phenomenon still exists in the modern era; the anomaly is classified as SCP-3853.
The Battle of Ephesus
c. 100 CE
The Mekhanites battle with the Jews of Ephesus.
In what is now modern-day Turkey, the Jews of Ephesus faced severe persecution from the Mekhanites that lived in the area. The aggression between Mekhanites and Jews was believed to be incredibly high, to the point that Jews often faced difficulty leaving their homes. It is believed that the Mekhanites engaged in this persecution because Jewish belief was antithetical to the beliefs of Mekhanism; namely, the Jewish belief that God was indivisible.
As the persecution grew more intense, a holy man named Enoch sought to create a golem to protect the Jewish populous of the town. The Mekhanites retaliated with brass automatons, and in an effort to prevent the destruction of the synagogue, Enoch took the scrolls of the Torah in the synagogue, spliced them into 999 pieces, and inscribed the Tetragrammaton on each, which he used to summon more golems.
In the end, the war between the Jews and the Mekhanites came to a conclusion when all the automatons and golems were destroyed, save for a single hybrid creature, which attacked both groups. This led to the evacuation of that area of Ephesus, and mutual proscribement against the Jews and Mekhanites of the region. A similar mechanism would be used by the Jews of Prague 1500 years later to defend them from the German government.
The Last Great Gupta Emperor
c. 450 – 460 CE
Skandagupta is chosen as a husband by the goddess Lakshmi.
The reverse side of a heavy dinar. Lakshmi is depicted.
Skandagupta, Emperor of India is directly chosen by the goddess Lakshmi as a husband. Typically tied to the god Vishnu (one of the principal gods to most sects of Hindu belief) it was believed a manifestation of Lakshmi appearing and choosing a mortal husband meant that the mortal was a likely avatar or incarnation of Vishnu himself. However, Skandagupta made no claims to godhood during his lifetime, and although he eagerly agreed to the marriage, he did not accept any worship in his own right.
Skandagupta is known as the last great Gupta Emperor of India, often defending his people and their lands from incursions of the Huna peoples of northwest Central Asia. Lakshmi would typically directly intevene in these conflicts, turning the tides of losing battles and bolstering successful ones. These victories allowed Skandagupta to gain a measure of fame that lived on within Hindi literature and dramatic works. His likely death in 461 CE was the beginning of decline for the Gupta Dynasty, and further fragmentation and invasion of its previous lands would follow.
The exact reasons for Lakshmi's intervention remain unknown. Further, it is unclear how or what mechanisms allowed for such a prolonged manifestation of a divine entity to occur, though archeological and Akiva-based evidence have confirmed that her divinity was legitimate in the framework of the Akiva field.
Post-Classical Era
As with most discussions surrounding the Middle Ages, a lack of primary textual sources often has meant that even parascholars have viewed this period as one of intellectual decline. However, more recently, academics have recognized that the post-classical/medieval period of parahistory contributed as much in the way of discovery and philosophy as its mundane counterpart, and paved the way for the necessary theological and scientific breakthroughs that would make later research possible.
It should also be noted that outside of the Old World, civilizations in the Americas, South-East Pacific, and even Antarctica were continuing and improving their own traditional practices in dealing with the anomalous, many of which would be adopted by colonialists in the Early Modern period.
A Divine Conflict
c. 600 CE
SCP-2011 is created by a vengeful god.
Mayan villagers in the jungles of the Yucatán Peninsula are caught in the middle of a battle between two Mayan gods, Tlaloc and Chalchiuhtotolin, incurring the wrath of the latter due to their lack of worship. Although Chalchiuhtotolin was easily defeated by Tlaloc, in spite the turkey god then turned the curse he had tried to place upon his brother onto the village, resulting in an anomalous plague which continues to affect inhabitants of the village and their descendants.
Lindisfarne is Attacked
793 CE
The Vikings take revenge in Lindisfarne.
Depiction of the destruction of Jôrmunr.
The Northumbrian monastic community at Lindisfarne is attacked by a Viking raiding party, denoting the beginning of the 'Viking Age' as termed by modern historiography. Ahead of the raid, citizens living around the Abbey noted various supernatural portents (whirlwinds, lightning, and fiery dragons were seen flying in the sky, per several Anglo-Saxon texts) followed by a famine marked in the Annals of Linsfarne manor rolls. In addition to the extensive looting of wealth, the vikings were accompanied by three female völva (Norse shamanistic practitioners) who claimed the raid was in fact divine retribution from Óðinn.
The connection stemmed from an earlier attack by Charlemagne on the Norse holy tree of Jôrmunr, which he had previously cut down and burned during the Saxon Wars (773-782 CE) as part of his effort to force conversion of its people. At the suggestion of Alcuin, a Northumbrian scholar to his court, Charlemagne sent further missionary forces from Lindisfarne on several occasions to further eradicate pagan worship in Scandinavia. The unnamed völva were said to each carry three wooden staves of great power, all hewn from the charred bulk of Jôrmunr to invoke Óðinn's power directly during the raid, and then vanished into a cloud of ravens as the Viking ships finally departed at the raid's conclusion.
The Crusades
1095 – 1291 CE
The Pope declares a "holy war" to take Jerusalem.
A statue of Pope Urban II.
Under the direction of Pope Urban II, a military expedition consisting of volunteers throughout Western Europe is mobilized, with the intended purpose of assisting Byzantine Emperor Alexios I Komnenos in fighting the Seljuk incursions in the region. Although primarily led by princes and nobles of Western Europe, there was great popular participation by poor Christians, hoping for a chance to 'liberate' Jerusalem from its Islamic occupiers.
While later titled the 'First Crusade' by historians, this campaign was marked by extensive mob violence against European Jewish enclaves, Orthodox communities, and the slaughter of civilians in Anatolia and the Levant. Over the next two centuries, another seven major Crusades would be called by Papal authority to support the established Outremer Kingdoms (Jerusalem, Antioch, Edessa, and Tripoli), along with later calls to challenge the Ottomans, Cathars, and Emirate of Granada, which were sanctioned by the Vatican as well.
While there are records of combatants across these conflicts attempting to directly utilize theological or ecumenical weaponry, rituals, or divine intervention (particularly in the First through Fourth Crusades, which saw the largest scale of conflict), there is no indication that any divine authority responded to the efforts to change the outcomes of the conflict. The reason for this is still unclear.
Antarctic Artifact
c. 1100 CE
An unknown group or ritual creates a theological weapon.
The artifact. Photographic peculiarities believed to be the result of EVE interference.
A Foundation expedition into Antarctica in 2011 stumbled upon a near perfectly preserved spear tip in ice sheets on the way to an area of interest. Although not initially intriguing the expedition members, the artifact caught their interest when one of the member began experiencing hallucinations and nausea upon inspecting it. Shortly thereafter, another member retrieved the artifact and brought it to a temporary containment facility in Antarctica.
Preliminary analysis of the object showed various remarkable abnormalities. First, the object had extremely strong ambient Akiva vectors — reshaping Hume and EVE particles in its immediate vicinity in an extreme and chaotic way — yet could not be explicitly tied to any known religion. Second, the spear was constructed of beryllium bronze (an anomalous substance frequently employed by the Mekhanites), and yet likely originated in East Asia during the 10th or 11th century based on dating and small engravings. Finally, its presence in Antarctica was suspect, as the surrounding area it was discovered in continued to behave strangely, indicating some significance to the location itself, despite no other human-made structures or artifacts being found.
Six days after initial discovery, power in the facility failed for thirty-six seconds, and all monitoring equipment for the item's chamber deactivated. The item was no longer present when activity resumed. As of writing, the SCP Foundation and Department of Tactical Theology have not found any additional indications of the significance of the object or its current whereabouts, with only the vague understanding that it represents a weapon used for theologically significant purposes.
The Mongolian Conquests
c. 1155-1227 CE
Ghengis Khan makes a pact with Tengri to conquer Asia.
Mount Burkhan Khaldun
In the middle ages, a youth named Temüjin is born to the Borjigin Clan in Mongolia. During an internal power struggle for clan leadership during his early adulthood, Temüjin peformed a ritual at Burkhan Khaldun, and pleaded with the sky god Tengri to act as his avatar on earth to defeat the enemies of the Mongol Empire. Presumably, Tengri agreed. Temüjin, better known to history as Genghis Khan or ᠴᠢᠩᠭᠢᠰ ᠬᠠᠭᠠᠨ would then go on to conquer over twenty three million square kilometers and rule over one hundred million people throughout Asia and Europe.
Per an anomalous copy of ᠮᠣᠩᠭᠣᠯ ᠤᠨᠨᠢᠭᠤᠴᠠᠲᠣᠪᠴᠢᠶᠠᠨ in Foundation custody (commonly known as The Secret History of the Mongols or The Golden Book), the terms of the pact made between Genghis and Tengri involved the mortal body of the Khan being returned to the Burkhan Kaldun, where it has been confirmed to be undergoing an anomalous, unknown transformation. While isolation of the area has been maintained by various groups throughout history, currently the SCP Foundation and the Global Occult Coalition work together to keep the area secure and under observation.
The Great Enclosure
c. 1300 CE
The Shona people construct a gateway to the spiritual plane.
Ruins of the Great Enclosure, located in modern Zimbabwe.
Around the year 1300 CE, the Shona People established a fortified city in what is now modern day Zimbabwe in the Masvingo Province. The invading Portuguese would later give this city the name of 'Great Zimbabwe'.
While archaeologists have long established that the settlement was a center of international trade for the Shona, Foundation researchers have discovered evidence of shamanistic ritual practices within the structure, dating back all the way to the fourteenth century. This includes the remains of a physical gateway within the Great Enclosure of the structure, which was used for travel into the spiritual plane by the Svikio (the spiritual practitioners of the Shona).
Further study continues to suggest that many of the trade partners previously acknowledged by archaeological surveys were actually contacted through the spirit realm rather than through physical means, demonstrating an extraordinary level of shamanistic ability by the Svikio. As historiography has often omitted narratives of shamanistic practice on the African continent, the Shona people arguably should be credited as among the first groups to practically apply theological ritual for economic gain on a global scale.
Guillaume Bélibaste's Death
c. 1321 CE
Guillaume Bélibaste completes his anomalous journal.
The personal journal of Guillaume Bélibaste, the last known official Perfectus of the Cathar faith, is completed, creating an anomalous object (SCP-1321) which continually updates with a list of names and produces visions in persons who interact with the physical journal. This appears to be the result of Bélibaste's final actions prior to his execution for heresy during the Albigensian Crusade in an effort to preserve sacred rites of their religion.
Mansa Musa's Pilgrimage
c. 1324 CE
Mansa Musa leaves an economic and religious stir on his way to Mecca.
Musa, ninth Mansa of Mali embarks on his famous pilgrimage to Mecca, bringing with him an entourage numbering in the tens of thousands and a massive reserve of gold, sourced from various regions within the Malian Empire. Unbeknownst to the Mansa, whose lineage had converted to Islam decades prior and thusly discarded traditional observances and practices, his acts of generosity during his pilgrimage had enraged the genius loci of the regions in which the gold was mined.
Attested in the tariku records of several Mandinka paranormal organizations, the forgotten genius loci had continued to bless the peoples of Mali and their predecessors with fortune hidden beneath the earth, allowing them to more easily accrue a wealth of gold even long after their names had faded from memory. Mansa Musa's actions were perceived as a great betrayal, the squandering of ancient blessings unto followers of foreign faiths.
It is understood that, in response, the Mansa was beset by a series of misfortunes in his return from Mecca, thought to be the doing of curses or evil spirits as punishment. The exact details of this remain lost to time. However, it is well documented that Mansa Musa eventually convinces the genius loci otherwise, citing the benefits brought to the peoples of Mali as a result of not only his charity, but the graces of the genius loci, to shape the land of his ancestors into an empire of shining cities, of intellectual and cultural eminence. As a form of atonement, multiple shrines are constructed to honor and appease the genius loci. None have survived to the present day.
Early Modern Era
The Early Modern Period was marked by ever expanding globalization and industrialization, furthering the influence of not only the colonial powers but the cultural and religious structures they brought with them. Rapid technological advances occurred in tandem with the development of new academic fields, particularly with regards to the humanities and social sciences. These rapid changes, coupled with the rapid secularization of societies worldwide, resulted in the initial intellectual framework with which tactical theology would build from.
Heavenly Scripture
c. 1582 CE
The basic Enochian alphabet is recorded in full.
The complete Enochian alphabet.
Royal occultist and antiquarian John Dee completes the final of several intense thaumic rituals, resulting in the first completed account of a divine language. Referred to by scholars as Enochian, the script is believed to have been utilized in rudimentary first-hand interviews and several dictated accounts by way of alchemically-induced divination, although this is also assumed to have taken a severe tole on Dee's mental and physical health.
Unfortunately, following the 1989 vandalization and ransacking of his personal library, a majority of Dee's completed works have been lost to time, along with the antiquarian himself. Despite this, a rudimentary version of the language was reconstructed from various surviving manuscripts and discarded glossolalic ramblings.
While Enochian remains the most effective method of communication between theologians and the divine, it also remains the most basic form of communication, serving as an almost middle-ground between the human and celestial tongue. Due to its fairly rudimentary nature, more complex concepts and symbology remain near impossible to translate, as further developed forms of divine language more often than not breach the framework of accepted linguistic conventions.
The Golem of Prague
c. 1600 CE
A golem is created in Prague with the seventh key of the Rite of Solomon.
A depiction of the Golem created in Prague.
Sometime during the 16th century, the Jewish population of the Prague Ghetto faces mounting hostility from non-Jews in the region. Under the increasing threat of the pogroms, Rabbi Yehudah Loew ben Betzalel (also referred to as The Maharal) constructs a Golem out of clay, and animates it using an unknown ritual that concludes with the inscribing of the Hebrew word אֶמֶת (emet, or "truth") on its forehead. It is now known that The Maharal hid the seventh key for the Rite of Solomon inside the Golem, which granted it immense thaumaturgic capabilities while alive.
Although the events of what occurred after are unclear, at some point The Maharal was forced to deactivate the Golem. To achieve this, The Maharal erased the letter Aleph from the word אֶמֶת on its forehead, resulting in it now spelling מֶת (met, or "dead"). The Golem then deanimated, becoming inert. In an effort to conceal the true nature and location of the Golem from non-Jewish authorities in the region, The Maharal hid the Golem's remains — along with the seventh key — in the attic of the Old New Synagogue.
During the Seventh Occult War, the German Obskuracorps attempted to steal the seventh key from the attic, which incidentally revived the Golem. The Golem has been reactivated; although its whereabouts are unclear to the Foundation, they are not actively hostile. The Golem answers to the name "Josef".
Pietra Dura
c. 1600
Pietra dura are created by various Mughal Emperors.
Non-cognitohazarous portion of the pietra dura.
Through a still poorly understood anomalous process, various Mughal Emperors in India utilize a stonework technique known as pietra dura or parchin kari in decoration to create cognitohazardous worship centers at various royal tombs (most famously on display at the Taj Mahal.) Although the creation of these foci are still being researched in the modern day to understand the mechanism, the inlaid stone artwork converts the appreciation of the artwork into a form of worship, generating Akiva fields comparable to more traditional types of religious expression. It is theorized that the Mughals used these techniques to ensure a degree of theocracy without outright placing the Emperor himself in a place of direct worship.
The Razing of Sukhāvatī
c. 1687-1758 CE
Deicide is committed in Asia to delay the eschaton.
The surrender of the Dzungar army to the Qing in 1756. The location of Sukhāvatī is revealed shortly after by Khan Dawachi.
A series of expeditions into Central Asia spanning the reigns of the Kangxi, Yongzheng, and Qianlong Emperors are discreetly carried out during the Dzungar-Qing Wars, with the goal of locating the Sukhāvatī realm. Residing in Sukhāvatī is an embryonic eschatological deity worshiped as the Wusheng Laomu (lit. Unborn Old Mother) by numerous salvationist sects as early as the 16th century.
Measures taken by Ming (and later, Qing) authorities to suppress the activities of these groups and thus extinguish the concept of the Wusheng Laomu were previously considered successful. However, the proliferation of increasingly eschatological teachings and an increase in anomalous phenomena suggesting the imminent arrival of the Maitreya Buddha by order of the Wusheng Laomu, led to the decision to take a more hands-on approach to incapacitating the underdeveloped deity.
Imperial Qing records indicate that their efforts were successful, with Sukhāvatī razed and the Wusheng Laomu aborted towards the end of the Fourth Dzungar War in the reign of the Qianlong Emperor. Salvationist sects continue to operate to the modern era, but contemporary dharmic nullification procedures are sufficient in suppressing efforts to nurture the revival of the Wusheng Laomu, or the synthesis of an alternate vehicle for the Maitreya Buddha and subsequent eschaton.
The Summoning of Hermes
March 10th, 1722 CE
A bet between philosophers turns deadly.
Portait of John Toland.
Irish Rationalist Philosopher of the Enlightenment John Toland is killed while attending a salon featuring several famed occultist and esoteric figures of the era (including Marie-Anne de La Ville and Jacob Bruce). Attendees of the salon were discussing works and merits of Hermeticism when an unknown thaumaturgist who was present claimed that, after extensive studying of the so called Emerald Tablet or لَوْح الزُّمُرُّذ, he was able to summon the Greek god Hermes. Toland, who was famously skeptical of most mystical religious belief, then encouraged the man to display this ability, wagering with his friend Baron d'Holbach that nothing would happen.
The unknown thaumaturgist proceeded to call support from other Hermeticistic practitioners in London, undertaking the ritual in the basement of the townhouse holding the salon. Witness accounts note that although a divine being answering to the name Hermes was summoned successfully, the being immediately departed after claiming to be 'far too busy for nonsense like this', but promised a replacement who was not.
A second being then appeared within the summoning circle, surrounded by several leopards and dancing 'wild' women (presumably the Maenads), who answered to the name Dionysus. While at first genial and amused by the apparent wonder of the thaumaturgists and onlookers, Toland's continued derision of 'theatrical tricks masquerading as divinity' provoked the being's rage, and the philosopher was set upon in a frenzy by the Maenads and torn to pieces. In an effort to suppress further inquiry by Puritan authorities, Toland received a quick burial and all witnesses swore an oath of secrecy about the events of the night, though some testimonials of the event exist in Foundation archives.
Modern Era
The modern period continues to realize further developments in technology and paratechnology that enable more effective and sustainable containment strategies. The discovery of Akiva radiation and standardization of scientific standards has allowed the Foundation to utilize an interdisciplinary approach to problems, ranging from diplomatic relations with deific entities to addressing various issues caused by decreasing religious behavior worldwide.
Angel's Glow
April 6th, 1862 CE
Religious intervention leads to a Union victory.
Shiloh Church
In the midst of the American Civil War, the Battle of Shiloh concludes with an unexpected victory for the Union army. Initiated by a surprise attack by a Confederate battalion, the Union army lacked the supplies and reinforcements for the conflict, resulting in their retreat to the small Shiloh Church.
Despite this, surviving records indicate that members of the Union army were unexpectedly capable of recovering from their wounds at an unprecedented rate, with injuries that would have normally been fatal adopting an abnormal blue luminescence while within the vicinity of the church. This allowed the Union army to hold the Confederates until additional reinforcements arrived.
Years later, surviving members of the battle were examined by Foundation theologians who found a heightened level of Akiva sensitivity, consistent with that of individuals who have undergone minor sanctification. This matches readings of the Shiloh Church itself, which, despite being at the center of the engagement, shows no signs of wear or damage from the conflict.
The Sixth Occult War
1864–1868 CE
The anomalous world is ravaged by severe thaumaturgic conflict.
The corpse of the demiurge during transportation to Site-2.
Although a vast majority of details of the conflict have been lost, the Sixth Occult War was believed to be among the most violent and influential of the anomalous conflicts throughout history. Initially beginning only as two factions of thaumaturges attacking one another, many anomalous groups quickly folded onto the sides of one or the other, spiraling the battles into a full, blown-out war. The anomalous world was plunged into chaos due to the intense ferocity and sheer number of magic-users, with estimates placing 93% of the anomalous world having some stake in the conflict.
It was during this conflict that the Rite of Solomon — a powerful thaumaturgic ritual — was rediscovered by a German cabal operating under the name The Godless. On October 13th, 1868, part of the ritual was enacted, but instead of controlling the summoned demiurge, the group destroyed it. Unbeknownst to most, this entity was responsible for limiting the anomalous influence of thaumaturgy on the world, and with its death, the wells of thaumaturgy suddenly opened. This resulted in a massive spike in anomalous activity worldwide, resulting in immense casualties and damaging both sides to the point where neither side could continue the war, ending it in 1869.
In 1870, various prenormalcy groups (such as the American Secure Containment Initiative) came together to establish a centralized normalcy organization which would become known as The "Special Containment Procedures" Foundation — or SCP Foundation. This group's creation would establish the Veil, begin suppression of the anomalous, and ultimately lead to the status quo of normalcy across the world.
Although rarely discussed amongst contemporary sub-Veil scholars, the Sixth Occult War was a massive turning point for not just the anomalous world, but also theological thinking as a whole. With the death of the demiurge, many members of the anomalous world began to realize that Enlightenment perspectives on nadirosis — the study of killing gods — was not purely theoretical. This realization would soon unleash the potential of "tactical theology" upon the world — beginning with the Seventh Occult War in 1939.
Definition of the Akiva
1871 CE
Divine presence is numerically quantified for the first time.
Samuel Birnbaum's menorah.
In an attempt to scientifically prove that the Sixth Occult War had not killed the Abrahamic God, the Qabalist Samuel Birnbaum numerically quantified divine presence for the first time, by placing a Menorah on a scale within a glass case, and comparing the rate at which olive oil burned within it at various locations. Funded by his collegues in the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, Birnbaum travelled to the Ottoman Empire to perform further sampling, and observed the same quantity of fuel burning for 7 times longer in Jerusalem than it lasted under otherwise identical conditions in southern Spain. Based on this research, Birnbaum defined one "Akiva" as the typical amount of "divine presence" in the City of Jerusalem.
It should be noted that Birnbaum was unable to access the Temple Mount, which has even greater levels of Akiva radiation than the surrounding city. Since only a small number of locations have a higher ambient Akiva field, the centiAkiva was adopted by occultists as a standard unit of measurement.
It is unclear why Birnbaum chose to name his newly defined unit of measurement after the Rabbi Akiva ben Joseph, an influential Jewish scholar executed in 135 CE, but comments made later in life indicate that Birnbaum wished to honour his own Jewish ancestry. Although Birnbaum was baptised into the Church of England as a child, he learned to read Hebrew and Aramaic as an adult, and expressed great interest in Talmudic scholarship throughout his life.
"God's Blind Spot"
1884 CE
Identification of the only known location on Earth with an Akiva count of 0.
Immediately after discovering how to quantify divine presence, the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn used a variety of primitive thaumometric instruments to map the ambient Akiva levels of the Sinai Peninsula. They were specifically searching for an Inn referenced in Exodus 4:24–26, a place in which God did not succeed in killing Moses. They successfully rediscovered the original location, but lacked the resources to fully capitalise on its theologically significant properties.
The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn attempted to recruit additional members, founding a temple in London in 1888, but quickly became preoccupied with infighting. Possession of the Inn fell into the hands of a Foundation precursor, leading to its containment by the modern SCP Foundation. All further information on Facility T is classified.
The Bergentrückung
1915–1918 CE
Divine entities are spotted on the battlefield of World War I.
During the early years of the First World War, multiple belligerent nationals embroiled in the conflict sought out ways to awaken the Bergentrückung, or 'sleeping heroes upon the mountain' to rise up and defend their homelands once more. Although not tied to traditional concepts of religious worship, the belief in these legendary heroes resulted in at least five documented cases of deific manifestation with corresponding Akiva radiation signatures.
Classified as SCP-4918, these entities challenged modern theological concepts of godhood and provided greater insight into the intersection of popular religious belief with anomalous warfare. Further, it showed that Akiva radiation was not tied solely to religious belief, but rather the concept of belief itself.
The Pharaoh's Curse
April 5th, 1923
Lord Carnavon dies from blood poisoning.
Six weeks following the opening of the tomb of Tutankhamen, the financier of the expedition Lord Carnarvon is pronounced dead from blood poisoning. Occurring two weeks prior to a media frenzy falsely reporting that a curse had supposedly been found within the tomb — alongside numerous other supposedly cursed events during the expedition — current hypothesis suggest that this resulted in a manifestation of such a curse into existence. Additionally, as current Akiva readings suggest, this curse is not bound to the tomb of Tutankhamen and seems to extend to almost all archeological efforts within the region.
Fortunately, due to the curse itself manifesting from misinformed belief as opposed to genuine worship, department contacts within theological and archeological circles have been able to slightly shape the guidelines of the curse towards Foundation interests. This, combined with the large amount of estimated anomalous objects still undiscovered within the Valley of the Kings, serves to prevent other Groups of Interest from securing them first.
The Seventh Occult War
1939–1945 CE
A war beneath the Veil is fought for the Rite of Solomon.
Photograph purportedly taken in Germany on January 11th, 1945.
As the Third Reich began to prepare for its genocidal campaign across Europe, the Obskuracorps branch of the German government started research into occult practices that could help them end their wars quickly and efficiently. One particular occult legend caught their eye: the Rite of Solomon, a theological ritual that was purported to be capable of transforming a human being into a god that could bend the laws of Thaumaturgy. This led to the Nazis seizing various Akiva-infused artifacts that would aid in this ritual — including six of the seven "keys" needed to control the newly-born god — which inadvertently alerted other occult groups of their activities. These groups banded together to form the Allied Occult Initiative (AOI), kicking off the Seventh Occult War.
Although the Obskuracorps possessed six of the seven keys necessary, the last key was possessed by the AOI within the reanimated Golem of Prague, making it impossible for the Nazis to complete the ritual properly. As the war progressed, it became clear that in order to perform the ritual, the keys would need to be artificially recreated. After the SCP Foundation learned of their activities and joined the war on the side of the AOI, the Obskuracorps recognized that their time was limited, and thus attempted to perform the ritual on January 11th, 1945.
Although the first part of the ritual was successful in converting an individual into a demiurge-like being, the second part — designed to control it — failed, allowing the being to rampage freely across the area while killing many Obskuracorps officers. Through the combined effort of the AOI, the SCP Foundation, and various other occult groups, the demiurge was neutralized on January 12th, 1945, through the use of a thaumic eigenweapon.
While this event led to many major geopolitical shifts beneath the surface of the Veil (such as the founding of the United Nations Global Occult Coalition), one important consequence was the newly named field of "tactical theology" gaining immense traction in occult academia. A number of groups have attempted to mimic the efforts of the Obskuracorps since the end of the Seventh Occult War for various purposes, but with the SCP Foundation and Global Occult Coalition in control of the artifacts and means to reproduce it, it is unlikely that the Rite of Solomon will ever be completed again.
Modern consensus between Department of Tactical Theology academics suggests that the second set of keys produced by the Nazis failed because they did not act as Akiva sinks; or, in other words, that no one had faith they would be effective.
The Second Coming
July 28th, 1945 CE
Jim Davis is born.
The Second Coming of Jesus occurred on July 28th, 1945. Extensive research conducted by the Department of Tactical Theology suggests that Jim Davis — well-known for his creation of the Garfield comic series and franchise — is the reincarnation of Jesus of Nazareth. It is unclear whether or not Mr. Davis is aware of his divinity.
Office Establishment
October 22nd, 1951 CE
The Office of Tactical Theology is founded by Joshua Aronson.
Joshua Aronson, demonstrating rudimentary "Akiva Seeding".
With the effects of the Seventh Occult War still fresh in public memory, the Korean War began to see the use of Akiva-based weaponry. Although very few knew of the Akiva Field (let alone how to properly use it), the use of religious weaponry throughout history inspired the United States government to attempt to wield it in the war efforts. The most notable of these tactics was the use of (what is now referred to as) "Akiva Seeding", a process of spreading an aligned deity's artifacts throughout the war zone in an attempt to encourage divine intervention (and discourage the intervention of enemy-aligned deities).
The SCP Foundation — which had been monitoring conflicts extensively in the aftermath of the recent occult war — took interest in the tactical use of Akiva radiation. After a four month thorough study, Joshua Aronson presented his findings to the O5 Council for review, positing that Akiva radiation was likely to see increased use by para-militaristic organizations (such as the Global Occult Coalition). After a 8-1-4 vote, the O5 Council approved the creation of the Office of Tactical Theology.
Grinch's Ultimatum
December 26th, 1957
A malevolent entity is banished through mass-publication.
Theodor Geisel's depiction of the entity shortly after the attack.
Theodor Geisel, better known by his pen name Dr. Seuss, suffers from an attempted possession by a powerful entity. Believed by Foundation theologians to have been an inverted simulacrum of the Christian nativity, it had appeared to the author through reflections in various surfaces, although only during the winter season. This came to a head when the entity appeared to Geisel in place of his own reflection, where the entity is believed to have exploited Geisel's lack of holiday spirit to gain control of his body.
Although Geisel was able to temporarily ward off the entity, the experience left him terrified of further possession attempts. As such, Geisel spent the following weeks crafting a simple yet moderately powerful religious doctrine, created to more permanently ward off the entity and hopefully prevent others from falling victim to its possession attempts. Crafted in a style of Geisel's other works, the doctrine easily spread throughout the continental United States, becoming one of his best-selling works. This publication is also believed to be the most effective application of tactical theology by a civilian in the modern era, as further accounts of this entity have diminished to near zero.
The Apotheosis Experiments
1958–1968 CE
The Office of Tactical Theology attempts to create a god.
Junior Researcher Jackson Riley attempting to measure the Hume output of an experiment.
One of the most important goals set out by the early Office of Tactical Theology was the successful synthesis of a god. The theory was that, with enough trial and error, one could study the birth of a divine entity in a controlled environment, and hopefully learn how to control it. This major leap in development towards the birth of new gods and control of old ones would allow the Foundation to gain an extraordinary advantage in not only containment efforts, but also conflicts that may arise between religious organizations.
Although apotheosis was eventually synthesized, the so-called "Apotheosis Experiments" never achieved what they set out to do. While the understanding of Akiva radiation had gained significant funding and made decent progress, many of the mechanisms underpinning apotheosis were very poorly understood or misrepresented in early literature. This caused significant problems for the team, resulting in many workplace accidents and — in one notable instance — the eternal damnation of a junior researcher, who remains irretrievable to this day.
The Apotheosis Experiments came to an explosive conclusion in 1968, when Joshua Aronson, the Department Head, was inadvertently exposed to extreme concentrations of Akiva radiation in a short time span (~50-75x magnitude increase in <.3s) while deconstructing a potent anomalous artifact. This event was presumed to have caused severe thaumic backlash in the immediate radius of Aronson, resulting in him quickly perishing from what was later determined to be total organ failure.
While there is little evidence to support it, a number of individuals have held onto the belief that Aronson's experiment successfully resulted in his own apotheosis. Currently, no evidence exists that suggests Aronson became a divine entity, and this line of speculation is generally discouraged by the Department due to the possibility of a self-fulfilling prophecy resulting in retroactive deification.
The Horizon Initiative
1960 CE
A new, Abrahamic-centric GoI is created.
The Horizon Initiative logo.
In the midst of the Seventh Occult War, three individuals — one Jewish, one Christian, and one Muslim — met in a nondescript and unknown location, and began the formulation of a new, Abrahamic movement. Although their plans would not come to fruition for another sixteen years, in 1960 the Horizon Initiative was officially formed.
The Horizon Initiative was (and still is) a very chaotic and unstable organization, with many internal sects operating independently to one another under the same name. Interestingly, these sects were not divided amongst religions, but rather attitudes towards the anomalous and primary aims and interests. Some sought to destroy anomalous entities, while others sought to harness or incorporate them into Abrahamic viewpoints.
With the Horizon Initiative's founding and continued activity, tactical theology would begin to see more widespread use, especially under the Veil. Their activities in their earlier days put significant financial pressure on the Department, and strained tensions between them and the SCP Foundation as a whole.
Department Promotion
July 8th, 1976 CE
The Office of Tactical Theology becomes the Department of Tactical Theology.
Throughout the 60's and 70's, financial strain and external pressure stretches the Office of Tactical Theology thin. The activities of the relatively new Horizon Initiative and the expanding scope of the office's responsibilities result in its employees being consistently overworked, stressed, and under scrutiny. By 1975, the office has nearly 100 employees and is extremely underfunded, a fact that begins to become apparent to the senior staff of the Foundation.
On March 4th, 1976, Director Muhammud al-Taqi approached the O5 Council to request for the Office of Tactical Theology to be upgraded to the Department of Tactical Theology. This would allow for the then-Office to receive significantly more funding and resources, as well as many benefits not currently allotted to their group. This proposal also included various restructurings to the Office, including the splitting of the "Non-Abrahamics" Sub-division into various other Divisions with more specialized personnel.
On July 8th of the same year, the O5 Council voted to promote the Office of Tactical Theology to a department in a 6-2-5 vote.
As per protocol, the newly-promoted Department of Tactical Theology was provided UL-00915 as a base of operations, now designated Reliquary Area-27. Formerly a Roman Catholic minor basilica, UL-00915 was found to have a degree of resistance to reality reconstructions, and has thus been retrofitted to serve as a safehouse for Foundation staff. UL-00915 was granted to the Department of Tactical Theology under conditional access, namely that it maintain emergency quartering alongside regular department responsibilities.
The Founding of ORIA
1979 CE
The Organization for the Reclamation of Islamic Artifacts is created.
ORIA Logo
In the wake of the Islamic Revolution in Iran, the Organization for the Reclamation of Islamic Artifacts (or سازمان احياء اثار in its native Farsi) is officially folded into the structure of the newly formed Revolutionary Government as the Islamic Artifact Reclamation Directorate.
While on paper loyal to the Ayatollah and orthodoxy of the new regime, ORIA maintains a surprisingly autonomous position within the government as it remains focused upon protecting its sphere of influence and its people from anomalous as well as colonial threats. Pragmatism, first and foremost, is their watchword, and while they have often shunned any assistance from outsider groups, cooperation is not unheard of if it is in their best interests.
In particular, ORIA acts as the diplomatic bridge between Dar-al-Islam and the anomalous beings known as djinn. While differing greatly from the popular image of a 'wish granting genie', these beings are known for their ability to walk between reality and the external dimensions since before the founding of the early Mesopotamian kingdoms. Djinn form political structures of their own known as Houses, the oldest of which is House Afsaneh of Persia which has a longstanding, if tenuous understanding with ORIA.
Entheogen-Based Akiva Counters.
1982 CE
A method of Akiva quantification using non-anomalous scientific principles is discovered.
Although the process of Akiva counting had been standarised through the use of Demonics, electrical circuits that summoned and incorporated demons, this method came with serious risks and drawbacks. By the 1980s, the Department of Tactical Theology was actively seeking an alternative method for Akiva quantification.
The chemical formula of mescaline.
Doctor Gerald Dennison, known throughout the Foundation as the resident "expert on drugs", contacted the department in 1982, proposing a new method of quantifying the Akiva Field based entirely on non-anomalous scientific principles. He had taken an interest in recent research into entheogens, chemical substances that enhance perception of the divine when used as part of religious or shamanic rituals. Doctor Dennison hypothesised that the Akiva field affected the affinity of these entheogen molecules for receptors within the brain. With funding and support from the Department of Tactical Theology, he created a working prototype capable of quantifying Akiva radiation later that year, by observing the effects of the entheogen mescaline on human neurones.
While subsequent refinements removed the need to maintain live human neurones in culture, the N-THEO line of Akiva Counters remains in use to this day.
The Mount Sinai Crisis
January, 1988 CE
The SCP Foundation, Horizon Initiative, and ORIA stop a cult from performing apotheosis.
In 1988, a cult known as The Sunrise (GoI-9382, now defunct) created and fortified a stronghold through anomalous means at the historical site of Dayr al-Qiddīsa Katrīn (or St. Katherine's Monastery). The cult, led by a reality-bending individual named Αἰκατερίνης (Koine Greek for "Katherine"), begins to prepare for an apotheosis ritual, using the already-present natural Akiva sinks to amplify its effectiveness tremendously.
With the Veil in jeopardy of being breached, a joint task force composed of the SCP Foundation, Horizon Initiative, and ORIA was formed to assess the situation and was headed by Dr. Yossarian Leiner of the Foundation.
By using a natural Akiva radiation sink situated just outside of the monastery's walls, Dr. Leiner was able to manipulate various anomalous artifacts borrowed from the HI and ORIA, and successfully summoned hundreds of جُنّ (djinn) entities to swarm the anomalous fortifications. This destabilized the cult enough to allow for the joint task force to breach their defenses, and after an intense firefight, the ritual's completion was narrowly avoided. Αἰκατερίνης was captured and shortly thereafter neutralized by the Horizon Initiative.
MTF Eta-77 Establishment
May 17th, 1988
Mobile Task Force Eta-77 is officially formed.
Following the Mount Sinai Crisis, the Department of Tactical Theology demonstrates its need for a specialized Task Force, eventually cementing the creation and membership of MTF Eta-77 ("Spheres Within Spheres"). This task force is the first (and still primary) MTF employed by the Department, specializing in religious combat and expert deployment tactical theology.
Akiva Measurement of the Shroud of Turin
1988 CE
The Akiva count of a major holic relic is quantified for the first time in a secular setting.
Photograph of the Shroud of Turin.
The Shroud of Turin is a holy relic, venerated as the burial shroud of Jesus of Nazareth and allegedly imprinted with an image of his body. In 1988, Foundation reserchers obtained permission from the Holy See to remove a swatch of material, enabling a major relic's Akiva count to be measured under laboratory conditions for the first time. This research confirmed that even small samples of the Shroud retained the artifact's elevated Akiva levels, even when placed in a secular context.
Although radiocarbon dating of the Shroad dated it to 1260–1390 AD with 95% confidence, and so it could not have been Jesus of Nazareth's actual burial shroad, the announcement of this finding did not affect the object's Akiva reading. It is unclear whether this is because the object's long history of reverence has more impact on its Akiva reading than its current perception, or because faith is inherantly resistant to scientific disproof.
The Undervegas Initiative
January 12th, 1991
Las Vegas goes to hell, literally.
Site-666
On January 12th, 1991, the city of Las Vegas in Nevada, USA experienced a large-scale anomalous event that temporarily merged it with a similar city — "Undervegas" — located in the Christian representation of Hell's Fourth Layer (as described by Dante in his Inferno). With the merging of the two cities, hundreds to thousands of Tartarean entities flooded Las Vegas, resulting in a localized breach of the Veil and the necessity of Foundation intervention. Thanks to the quick actions taken by Director Randall House, the situation was quickly brought under control, and Site-666 (the Luxor hotel) was founded.
Despite the separation of the two cities, Tartarean entities continued to exist throughout Las Vegas, sometimes even possessing high positions of power and rarely using them for Veil-breaking purposes. To this end, Director House established the Undervegas Initiative, bringing in multiple departments and sites of the Foundation to help prevent another large-scale catastrophe in Vegas, as well as keeping its resident demon population in line and behind the Veil.
Among the departments participating in the Undervegas Initiative, the Department of Tactical Theology played a very large role in assisting Site-666. In addition to securing a consistent stream of holy water, the department established its Demonology Division in 1994 to research ways to combat Tartarean entities effectively. Eta-77 have also been deployed on occasion, whenever the site required additional backup.
The relationship between Director House and the Department of Tactical Theology remain vague to outsiders, likely at House's own insistence.
A Night of Frights
October 31st, 1992
A cult attempts a fear-based religious ritual.
On October 31st, 1992, the Society for the Preservation of Horror (a small cult of former make-up artists, actors, and directors who had been involved in the Golden Age of Horror) infiltrated a horror film festival. The group planned to use the fear generated by the event to produce the energy required for a religious ritual, designed to summon the classic "monsters" of that era, including the 1931 Dracula, the 1931 Frankenstein, the 1932 Mummy, among others. Using these entities, they intended to produce even more fear, which they believed would increase the power of their cult for several unspecified end goals, one of which is speculated to have been higher wages for individuals in the entertainment industry.
Although the ritual was successful, all of the entities summoned were mistaken for extremely dedicated cosplayers, and the cult’s plan failed. Due to this, the Society for the Preservation of Horror broke up in 1993. However, this event remains notable in the Department of Tactical Theology's history as it proved that under certain conditions, fear can be thought of as a form of worship and thus produce Akiva Radiation.
Religious Equilibrium
September 27th, 1996
An Akiva broadcaster is installed within the Popemobile.
The Mercedes-Benz M-Class Popemobile (2016)
A deal is struck between the Office of Tactical Theology and the Vatican in an effort to passively address concentrations of low-Akiva within populated areas. This was addressed via the installation of a then experimental Akiva broadcasting device within the Catholic Pope's specially designated motor vehicle (colloquially referred to as "the Popemobile") to equalize adjacent areas via the highly concentrated amount of Akiva naturally generated by the Pope himself.
This would also result in the secondary effect of reducing the then mildly-hazardous levels of Akiva generated by the Pope, as extended exposure would regularly result in disorientation, anomalous cognition, and spontaneous prophetization.
This effort would eventually lead to a long history of collaboration between the two organizations, which still continue to this day.
Project Malleus
c. 2000
The aggressive factions of the HI band together.
With tensions growing between the Foundation and the Horizon Initiative, the latter decides to begin Project Malleus: an operation to directly attack Broken God and Fifthist sects using religious anomalies currently in their possession. Although this group — known colloquially as "The Wolves" — would later be disbanded, in the interim they caused havoc across the anomalous religious world wherever they traveled and gave the Horizon Initiative a poor reputation among those in the under-Veil world.
Discovery of SCP-5993
August 15th, 2002
Marcus Ambrose is devoured by bees.
Marcus Ambrose's personal shrine. Note the presence of apiaries.
Foundation consultant Marcus Ambrose is discovered dead, having become host to SCP-5993 (a hive of Akiva-consuming honeybees) via unknown means. Although posthumously credited as the discoverer of the anomaly, Ambrose's potential involvement in its propagation has been debated in more recent years given his more aggressive approach towards theological containment.
As a minor but reproducible Akiva sink, the ingestion of SCP-5993-1 was a consistent safety measure against theological interference, severely decreasing the risk of possession or divine inspiration. This continued until the accidental neutralization of EE-09739, upon which the volatility of the divine when exposed to SCP-5993 was discovered.
This volatility would later be expanded upon with the development of MDV-HIVE ("Cleopatra's Coffin"), a deployment containment and neutralization vehicle that has seen an over 96% effective rate in deployments since initialization. Furthermore, utilization of SCP-5993-1 in interrogative efforts and religious dampening within the Department has become all but standard practice, and its usage can be directly correlated with the severely decreased rate of faith-based contamination.
The Breach of Site-43
September 8th, 2002
Site-43 suffers a catastrophic breach.
On September 8th, 2002, Site-43 (located nearby Area-27) suffered a catastrophic breach in their Acroamatic Abatement facility, resulting in numerous anomalous substances mixing uncontrollably and leading to severe anomalous effects and casualties. Although the breach was contained, it reoccurs annually on September 8, resetting the surrounding facility to exactly how it was on the date of the initial breach.
Although not having a major effect on Area-27, the event is somewhat notable as the breaching substances contained some religious waste byproducts. This precisely-occurring environment allowed for great opportunities in measuring the Akiva field's interaction with non-Akiva particles, namely Hume and EVE.
Project Khepri
2003–2010 CE
Mobile Task Force Kairos-01 is created.
Beginning in 2003 under the personal supervision of Director Al-Taqi, Project Khepri was a project spanning seven years to create the perfect Mobile Task Force for nadirosis, or the process of killing a god. By using all knowledge obtained over the years of Akiva radiation study, Kairosism was created as a means of generating worship to allow members of the task force to achieve a natural apotheosis. This occurred in 2010.
[DATA EXPUNGED]
Operation End Days
December 10th, 2012
NSTRDM-OS is brought online.
Following a large push by Foundation resources — likely due to the predicted impending eschatological doomsday on the winter solstice of 2012 — the department creates an experimental prediction algorithm. Classified as NSTRDM-OS, the program utilizes a mix of both computational and theological elements in order to calculate potential apocalyptic events via large-scale pattern analysis and occult scrying.
In addition, NSTRDM-OS acts as a complete exclusionary record of the Department and its practices, as well as a copy of every major theological text and a succinct explanation of religious customs should any particular faith's "end times" occur. Additional information is classified to Level 4/DoTT clearance or above.
Director al-Taqi Dies
October 23rd, 2020
Director al-Taqi dies from COVID-19.
Despite the SCP Foundation's precautions, Director al-Taqi eventually succumbs to infection from COVID-19 and dies on October 23rd, 2020. As per his wishes, he was buried without a coffin and in accordance with the practices of the Muslim faith.
Director Yossarian Leiner succeeded him on November 4th, 2020.
Accidental Apotheosis
January 6th, 2021
Jacquelyn Roberts accidentally achieve apotheosis.
On January 6th, 2021, Junior Researcher Jacquelyn Roberts accidentally achieves apotheosis while working for the Department of Tactical Theology. This process represents the first natural apotheosis fully recorded by the Department, which has provided valuable insight into its underpinning mechanisms.
SCP-7997 is Born
July 23rd, 2021
A company achieves apotheosis.
On July 23rd, 2021, Brachistone Shoe Polish Company achieves apotheosis through ill-understood means. It should be noted that it wasn't any individual in the company that achieved apotheosis, but rather the company itself. The means for this to occur are still under continuous study by the Department of Tactical Theology.
Thank you for showing interest in adding an entry to the timeline! If you want to contribute your own entry, please read the instructions below!
First and foremost: your entry must be related, even tangentially, to tactical theology. This might seem obvious at first, but it's important to remember that we mean tactical theology; things like the birth of Jesus or the creation of Confucianism, while very theologically significant, are not tactical applications of faith or divinity.
Second, entries should be well-researched and non-offensive, at least to a reasonable extent. A poorly-researched entry about the Baháʼí faith, as good as one may believe it is, could be quite offensive or inaccurate if due diligence is not performed. Therefore, please either only write about topics you're familiar with, or take extra care to tread lightly on grounds that are not your own.
Lastly, please be sure to only submit entries that do not drastically deviate from modern (understood) history. While certain exceptions are okay (especially as you go father back in time; see the Daevites and the Sarkics, for example), you should ensure that your proposed addition fits neatly within the established chronology of history and what's currently present on the timeline. We'll let you know if something doesn't fit.
With all that said, we'd like to make clear that to enforce a certain level of standards, ensure sensitivity and quality, and prevent coding mishaps, all entries to the timeline will be manually approved. To submit an entry to the timeline, please DM your submission to Yossipossi,
AriadnesThread, or
Deadly Bread on whatever platform you'd like. Please send us the date of the event, the 1–7 paragraphs of the description of the event, and optionally any other information you'd like accompanying it (such as an image, the event title, its "significance", etc). After confirming it's good to publish, we'll add it to the timeline.
If you have any questions or concerns about this process, please don't hesitate to reach out!
Subdivisions
The Department of Tactical Theology has a number of subdivisions for handling various kinds of anomalies across a wide spectrum of religions and theological characteristics. These subdivisions are not self-contained units, and often have shared personnel, responsibilities, and purview. A non-exhaustive list of them can be found below.
Abrahamics Division
It is perhaps unsurprising that the Abrahamics Division is one of the larger subdivisions of the Department of Tactical Theology because of the prominence of Abrahamic religions worldwide. Due to historical and cultural influences, religious anomalies often originate from the theologies surrounding the Abrahamic cosmology. As a result, nearly half of the anomalies contained by the Department of Tactical Theology are Abrahamic in nature (though this number may be a disproportionate representation of worldwide theological anomalies due to heavy DoTT presence in the Middle East).
Despite the history of often deep and violent divides between and within the faiths which follow Abrahamic tenants, the Division relies on effective communication and cooperation between experts of all faiths and sects in order to combat and contain associated anomalies.
East-Asian Division
The East Asian Division focuses primarily upon Buddhist, Confucian, Daoist, and Shinto traditions along with their accompanying anomalies. While these theologies and cosmologies vary extensively, they share regionality of birthplace as well as a common theme of explaining the relationship between humanity's actions and its suffering. This has provided a framework for many practitioners and adherents to develop rituals and techniques for harnessing cosmic energies and divine aid in the pursuit of more perfect states of being.
The division — in part due to the extensive differences in theology and traditions within these religions — ends up with fewer focused teams working with strict delineations between duties and specializations compared to other divisions. Instead, researchers and teams take a more holistic approach to individual threats as they arise, resulting in greater breadth and depth of understanding and further tactical opportunities.
Vedic-Indus Division
The Vedic-Indus Division focuses on the expanse of beliefs which have been practiced and disseminated by the peoples of the Indus Subcontinent, primarily the Vedic, Brahmanism, and Hindu traditions as well as the ways in which these beliefs may overlap with other religions. In particular, the rituals described within the Vedas, Dharmasutras, and Śruti texts have been (and continue to be) used by various groups throughout history in order to exercise control over opposing regions and leaders.
The complexity of theological structures as well as the large population of active worshippers and supplicants have strained this Division's resources to their limits. However, the continued research of this division has yielded some of the most successful Tactical Theology techniques and strategies that the department as a whole uses to confront anomalous threats worldwide.
Shamanic/Animism Division
The Shamanic & Animism Division focuses on the broad scope of thematically similar but regionally diverse indigenous practices. While culturally, these practices tend to vary dramatically from each other's place and time, there is a shared commonality of belief in a spiritual plane separate from but tethered to our own plane of existence, as well as the understanding that spirits residing in that plane may be either convinced or compelled to enter this reality.
Separate from designated Tartarean entities, the Shamanistic spirit world is focused upon connections to the natural elements of this reality and are often lacking a strict hierarchical structure, as typically seen with demons. While practitioners and anomalies of this nature are fewer in number, they tend to be extraordinarily complex and powerful in scope, as befitting the ancient nature of many of these theologies.
Shamanic & Animism agents primarily focus upon active correction (or 'healing') of ailments created by extranormal factors drawn from the spiritual plane, as well spearheading any Foundation attempts at divination and scrying. It should be noted that all attempts at either spirit walking or oracular foresight must be submitted first for O5 approval.
Neopaganism Division
The Neopaganism Division is involved with perhaps the widest variety of religions in the department. Handling anomalies from Wicca, Kemetism, Hellenism, Luciferianism, and others, the Neopaganism Division is tasked primarily by specialists, researchers, and practitioners of "pagan" religions that have seen revival in the modern age.
Due to the revival of various formerly prominent Neopagan religions, multiple previously-neutralized anomalies and even new anomalies have begun to appear. This poses a significant issue for the department, who has begun pouring more resources into Neopagan anomaly containment, sometimes even co-opting specialists from the Department of Theology (or even unrelated areas of the Foundation) should they possess the requisite knowledge or skills.
Parareligions Division
The Parareligions Division handles religions that are, in of themselves, considered to be anomalous. This classification is assigned if the religion is centered around an anomaly, heavily intertwines anomalies in its practices, or is otherwise incompatible with the understood modality of Akiva studies. Some examples include, but are not limited to, Mekhanism, the Nälkä, the various Fifthist groups, the Church of the Second Hytoth, and others.
As they handle anomalies associated with parareligions, this division is also typically responsible for communication between the Department of Tactical Theology and other Groups of Interest, particularly The Horizon Initiative and ORIA. Communication between the groups tend to be infrequent, hostile, and spontaneous, requiring specific members of the division to be trained in diplomacy and deescalation in case of unexpected contact during missions.
While this division also provides assistance in dealing with small anomalous cults, situations involving these are typically handled by other departments.
Demonology Division
The Demonology Division studies, classifies, and combats anomalous entities that utilize or are formed by Tartarean Resonance Energy. These beings — referred to as Tartarean Entities — are present across numerous religions, taking names such as "demons", "akuma", and "rakshasas". The properties of these entities shift depending on the belief they are formed by, but function similarly to one another.
The Demonology Division is primarily concentrated in Site-666 as part of the extensive Undervegas Initiative. However, members can be found in most of sites where Tactical Theology has a presence due to the widespread existence of Tartarean Entities across many cultures.
Mobile Task Forces
As with every site and department in the SCP Foundation, the Department of Tactical Theology employs its own Mobile Task Forces to handle its particular flavors of anomalies. It's these individuals that put the "tactical" in "tactical theology" — they handle the capturing and fighting of hostile religious anomalies, or perform operations involving them.
Eta-77 ("Spheres Within Spheres")
Task Force Leader: Emmanuel Tirk
Personnel: Fifteen in active deployment; three reserve; five cross-deployed.
Purpose: Personalized operational unit trained in dealing with aggressive or threatening religion-related anomalies.
Full Profile: Mobile Task Force Eta-77 ("Spheres Within Spheres") is a specialized task force trained in the theory and practice of combating Akiva- or faith-based anomalous threats which require physical intervention or suppression. Members have been briefed on the various known ways in which the Akiva field may influence combat, and methods of circumventing deific influence (such as the utilization of SCP-5993 in weaponry).
The task force was founded in 1988 under supervision of Lead Theology Consultant Marcus Ambrose and Director al-Taqi, and has seen increased success as breakthroughs in the understanding of religious anomalies progress.
Kairos-01 ("SOLA FIDE")
Task Force Leader: Sovent-Anth
Personnel: Four active.
Purpose: Specialized unit employed to neutralize Akiva-based divinities when the need arises.
Full Profile: Mobile Task Force Kairos-01 ("SOLA FIDE") is a divine task force created by the Department of Tactical Theology for the purposes of eliminating god-like entities. Infused with countless augmentations, members of Kairos-01 are functionally immortal and are capable of operating powerful Akiva-based weaponry with extreme precision. However, due to their thorough augmentation and highly specialized training, they are not deployed in most situations unless absolutely necessary.
MTF Kairos-01 was the end result of the seven-year-long Project Khepri, an initiative by the Department of Tactical Theology to trigger a "natural" apotheosis in a mobile task force with the purpose of creating optimal soldiers for nadirosis. [DATA EXPUNGED]; see project briefing for more information. The Department of Tactical Theology has since encouraged the spread of Kairosism amongst wider Foundation personnel, with oversight from Overwatch Command.
Further information regarding Kairos-01 is strictly classified.
Notable Personnel
Among the various personnel working for or with the Department of Tactical Theology, a number have had a particular impact on the field, made important discoveries, or served critical roles. Below is an abridged list of notable personnel who have been employed by or are heavily involved with the department.
Joshua Aronson (c. 1967)
Name: Joshua N. Aronson
Position: Founder of the Department of Tactical Theology
Summary: Joshua Aronson founded the Department of Tactical Theology in 1951 and served as its first director until 1968. Shortly following the start of the Korean War, Aronson leveraged the conflict and increasing prominence of the field of tactical theology to convince the O5 Council to create the department.
As an atheist physicist without formal training in theology, Aronson made a number of questionable decisions in the early days of the department, such as creating an "Abrahamics" Division (ignoring the differences between the different religions), composing the staff primarily of atheists, and not giving proper credence to a number of religions, primarily East Asian in origin.
In 1968, Aronson was involved in one of the largest attempts by the Department of Tactical Theology to achieve apotheosis. The experiment did not properly account for a number of undiscovered factors that influenced the Akiva field, and as a result, Aronson died from acute high-density divinity, Akiva poisoning, and thaumic backlash. Aronson's death is one of the most discussed case studies in the department, as it represents one of the few cases of death caused by Akiva radiation exposure.
Muhammad al-Taqi (2008)
Name: Muhammad al-Taqi
Position: Director of the Department of Tactical Theology (Former)
Summary: Muhammad al-Taqi became the Director of the Department of Tactical Theology at the age of twenty-seven in 1968 after the death of the prior director. Being one of the few religious scientists employed by the department, he was considered the most experienced in the field and given the leadership position as a result.
Under his control, the department quickly grew in size and responsibility, and began to address blind spots that were previously ignored in containment efforts (such as Asian and Shamanistic religions). He also hired significantly more theologians and religious individuals than the prior director, which was a controversial yet ultimately effective decision. Under his control, the department gained a number of its distinctive features that are visible today.
Director al-Taqi died on October 23rd, 2020 from COVID-19.
Yossarian Leiner (1996)
Name: Yossarian Leiner
Position: Director of the Department of Tactical Theology (Current)
Summary: Yossarian Leiner has been a member of the Department of Tactical Theology since 1985. Initially specializing solely in Judaic anomalies, their experience in various key events throughout the department's history gave them unique experience in divine communication. Due to this, Director al-Taqi promoted them to Abrahamics Subdivision Lead on August 4th, 1990.
In this position, Subdirector Leiner helped play a crucial role in the Undervegas Initiative, as well as assisting directly in the containment of various other anomalies. He also contributed to the study of the Akiva field and experimental prototypical devices to contain divine beings.
In 2020, Yossarian Leiner was promoted to Director of the Department of Tactical Theology after the death of Director al-Taqi. No major events or changes have occurred during his tenure thus far.
Marcus Ambrose (2000)
Name: Marcus Ambrose
Position: Lead Theology Consultant (Former)
Summary: Marcus Ambrose was employed by the Department of Theology and Department of Tactical Theology since 1973, and quickly rose to prominence under the guide of Director al-Taqi. Ambrose's vast knowledge of religious traditions, history, and mythologies allowed him to quickly take a leading role in both departments.
Over the course of his tenure in the department, colleagues have noted that his approach to dealing with religious anomalies became increasingly aggressive. He began researching more into deicidal groups of interest and religions, and performing personal research into nadirosis. This culminated in his disappearance in 2002, after a supposed breakthrough he claimed to have made.
After some time, his corpse was discovered at a personal shrine he frequented, where SCP-5993 was discovered devouring his body. The relationship between SCP-5993 and Ambrose is not entirely clear.
Randall Bannock (2013)
Name: Randall Bannock
Position: Theological Containment Specialist
Summary: Randall Bannock has been employed by the Department of Tactical Theology since 1996, and has been the department's primary containment specialist since 1998. A majority of their work for the department has been processing containment reports, developing recovery methods for uncontained or breached anomalies, and designing containment procedures.
Due to the department's relatively low staff count, high incidence rate, and complex anomalies, Bannock is consistently overworked and involved in the containment of nearly every complex anomaly under the jurisdiction of the Department of Tactical Theology.
Jacquelyn Roberts (2016)
Name: Jacquelyn Roberts
Position: Her Eminent Patience and Grace, Junior Researcher, Minor Deity
Summary: Her Eminent Patience and Grace Jacquelyn Roberts is a Junior Researcher who was elevated to the status of a minor deity on January 6th, 2021 during a workplace accident.
Jacquelyn was recruited to the Foundation in 2020, shortly after receiving her degree in applied physics. During her time as Junior Staff prior to the incident, she worked in Site-89, performing studies in esoteric calculus and modelling the Akiva field. In 2021, she achieved the status of minor deity after an inadvertent apotheosis. Presently, she is still a Junior Researcher, but is on track for a promotion in the near future.
The specifications of her divinity are under continuous study, however, do not appear to pose any threat to other personnel or the Veil.
Alice Pandora (2021; self-portrait used per request)
Name: Alice Pandora
Position: Indigenous Religion Specialist
Summary: Alice Pandora is not solely employed by the Department of Tactical Theology, but is a specialist in indigenous religions with focuses on the North and South American continent. She keeps an archive on current, transitional, and dead religions so that the Department may build a better map of the worlds history with religious anomalies.
Dr. Pandora has contributed to finding the locations of artifacts, rebuilding maps of lost cities, and translating religious text or imagery. While much of her work is done on current religions of interest, she uses her free time to study those that are not currently or no longer a concern and reports her findings to the department.
Randall House (2001; portrait used per demand)
Name: Randall House
Position: Director of Site-666, Undervegas Project Lead
Summary: Although not employed by the Department of Tactical Theology, Randall House has played a critical role in its operations. Director of Site-666, House began the Undervegas Initiative in response to SCP-4661, which resulted in significant funding boosts for Demonology study and divine weaponry across the Foundation. This has greatly benefited the Department of Tactical Theology, which in turn also contributed much to the initiative.
The exact level of influence House has in the department is unclear, though it appears the director can call upon assistance from the Demonology Division at will. He is also shown to have long-standing ties to the current director, Yossarian Leiner, and is believed to have had some form of friendship with the prior Director, Muhammad al-Taqi. It is unknown if House's ancestry (who were similarly prominent in the Foundation) had any notable interactions with the department.
His past interactions with prominent demons have also led him to be a particularly effective "diplomat" in situations involving powerful Tartarean Entities. The relationship between House and these entities are, as expected, unclear. Nonetheless, his assistance is often called upon when needing to deal with demons of exceptional annoyance.
SCPs
Tales
GoI Formats
Other
Psst. Hey kid, you wanna fight a god?
Tactical Theology articles are not unified by a singular canon, but rather a concept that deities are something that can be approached with scientific inquiry and understanding rather than outdated fear or blind worship. There are no restrictions of religion, region, or chronology, and the style of articles vary wildly from serious dissections of belief structures to the Second Coming of Jim Davis. Here are some things to keep in mind:
- Research Your Topics: This might go without saying, but writing about religions and beliefs requires a certain level of sensitivity and awareness, particularly for 'living' religions. Making assumptions around stereotypes is not only harmful, it's bad writing. While you don't have to have a full degree in the subject, be sure that what you're writing about is something that you have some understanding of and is not based off misunderstandings of people and their beliefs.
- Utilize the Universe: While there is no strict 'canon', there are quite a few established characters, sites, anomalies, and other various terms in use surrounding the Tactical Theology Department, so feel free to incorporate those that might be helpful. Akiva radiation, Horizon Initiative, and SAPPHIRE exist so you don't have to go through the effort of reinventing the wheel (unless your idea is to reinvent the wheel via anomalous process, then have fun.)
- Reach Out: Talk to fellow authors, especially if they have already written something that really resonated with you as a reader. This is a collaborative writing project, after all!
If you reach a point where you have established characters, sites, or anomalies that involve the Department of Tactical Theology and would like to add them to this hub, please reach out via prayer or burnt offering to Yossipossi.
Ne redeant ad abyssum.
Cite this page as:
"Tactical Theology Hub" by AriadnesThread, Deadly Bread, and Yossipossi, from the SCP Wiki. Source: https://scpwiki.com/tactical-theology-hub. Licensed under CC-BY-SA.
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