Sarkicism by The SCP Foundation Lyrics
Sarkicism (derived from the Greek σάρξ, or “flesh”) is a religious/philosophical system that encompasses a variety of traditions, beliefs, and spiritual practices largely based on teachings attributed to “Grand Karcist Ion”, its deified founder. Adherents practice ritual cannibalism, human sacrifice, corporeal augmentation, thaumaturgy, dimensional manipulation, and the formation of pacts with otherworldly entities. Organic manipulation has allowed certain Sarkicites to achieve anomalous states of being, transcending the physical limitations of baseline humans.
Highly secretive, the general public appears to have no direct knowledge of their existence; the one exception being the Church of the Broken God, which views them in apocalyptic terms1. Disease is viewed with reverence and Sarkic shrines have been discovered with offerings of swollen lymph nodes and tumorous growths. Sarkic cults treat contagions as consecration, a means to "cull the weak" and purify the masses, and thus actively seek to ensure their spread.
The Foundation divides known Sarkic cults into two distinct strands: Proto-Sarkic and Neo-Sarkic.2 Proto-Sarkic cults can be found in insular communities throughout Eurasia's most isolated regions, its followers generally poor (if self-reliant), humble, and hostile towards outsiders. Such groups eschew modernity, display acute technophobia, and are bound by superstition and taboo. In contrast, Neo-Sarkic cults are cosmopolitan, publicly embracing modernity and showing no apparent qualms with technology; their public lives differing little from others of their culture and social status. Adherents are primarily affluent families, rich in history and scandal. Both generally follow a single creed whose core beliefs include the following concepts:
Apotheosis
The belief that an individual can ascend to godhood. It appears that Sarkicism regards Grand Karcist Ion (and to a lesser extent, his Klavigar) as a being who has undergone apotheosis. For the Proto-Sarkite, apotheosis will be achieved in time and only through Ion. For the Neo-Sarkite, it almost appears that if one had the ability to usurp Ion - it is their right (if not duty) to do so. The path to apotheosis is equal to the will to power.
Will
The will to power is the primary driving force of man. The individual seeks to master all things within its domain, exerting the direction of power (efficacy) while other individuals do the same, often in opposition. Will is to power as form is to matter; in turn, "desire is the measure of all things"3.
Theophagy4
The sacramental consumption of a god. Sarkicism holds that there are many gods in the universe (none of which they worship) and that these entities can be "devoured" in some fashion. Adherents ultimately believe that this parasitic relationship (whether literal or allegorical) is the primary source of their thaumaturgical abilities.
Sacrifice
Among Proto-Sarkic cults, this appears to manifest as the sacrifice of the self for the benefit of the many; Neo-Sarkic cults, in stark contrast, believe in the sacrifice of the many for the benefit of the individual. Muscle suffers damage, only to heal and become stronger than before; the same can be said for the mind, through developing toleration against conventionally inconceivable things - cycles of destruction and regeneration. Strife, according to Sarkicism, is the greatest of tutors.
"To Shepherd the Flesh"
It is believed that all living things descend from a single progenitor (further explored in the Mythology section). Adherents hold that this shared ancestry5 is the key to corporeal augmentation (or "Lihakut'ak"); further suggesting a singular understanding of genetics, cloaked beneath layers of mysticism. It is the right of the Sarkite to guide and cultivate organic matter.
Proto-Sarkites appear to believe that Ion is in the process of achieving apotheosis and, upon the completion of his metamorphosis, will destroy this "flawed, stillborn" universe and remake it into a paradise known as the “Ikunaan”, where the many will at long last know salvation and joy "beneath rose-colored skies". Neo-Sarkic cults notably diverge from this interpretation, holding that Ion has already achieved apotheosis and that one should strive to be as Ion and become like the gods through the acquisition of power, the development of skill, and the severing of ethical tethers that limit the potential of the individual.
Sarkites speak and write in a unique language that appears to be a syncretism of Proto-Uralic, Indo-European, and γλῶσσαχάος6 but primarily Proto-Uralic. Practitioners of Sarkicism (or Sarkites) do not actually refer to themselves as "Sarkic" - the term a pejorative employed by the ancient Mekhanites7 for their enemies. Thought to be their true name, it was adopted by the Global Occult Coalition and later by the Foundation as part of Project: Sitra Achra. In truth, Sarkic cultists refer to their belief system as Nälkä8 and under no circumstances are Foundation agents to use "sarkic" or its derivatives when infiltrating related cults.
Through adopting Mekhanite terminology, the Foundation and GOC have unwittingly perpetuated the "FLESH/MEKHANE" cosmic narrative of the CotBG9 which is an inaccurate and gross simplification of what Sarkicism entails. While this document aims to recognize and correct previous errors, "Sarkic" (and its derivatives) remain a normative part of the Foundation lexicon.
Ultimately, it is feared that the Foundation and GOC know only a fraction of what Sarkicism entails and what its followers intend. Based on available information, the speculated goals of Sarkic cults nevertheless represent an SK-class dominance shift, including the possibility of an XK-class end-of-the-world scenario.
Footnotes
1. Note: Certain splinter sects, such as the "Church of Maxwellism", generally view Sarkicism as either destroyed thousands of years ago or as simply an allegory for the "imperfection" of organic life and for those who are "tethered" to their base, biological nature.
2. "A hypothetical third strand, presently designated as 'Ur-Sarkicism', represents the original teachings of Ion during his life prior to the development of a complex religious system. It is likely that this stand of Sarkicism is long extinct." - Dr. Low
3. "Desire is the measure of all things. Be unbound from moral tethers. Do as you will, to whom you will." - Sarkic proverb
4. From θεός (Theós, “god”) and the suffix -phagy (to feed on, to eat/devour).
5. "Weri"; English speaking Sarkites will usually refer to this as "The Blood".
6. Greek: "chaos-tongue"; a Foundation term for a poorly understood language whose words commonly appear in Sarkicism and lacks any known human equivalent. It is speculated that such words were not intended for human vocal chords and pronunciation is merely a close approximate.
7. Predecessor of the Church of the Broken God.
8. From Proto-Uralic *ńä(x)li + *-ka, meaning "hunger".
9. "I believe this relationship to be the result of self-fulfilling prophecy on the part of the Mekhanites. When Sarkicism was first encountered, it strongly resembled an end-times adversary foretold by Mekhanite schema ("THE FLESH"). Unsurprisingly, the Mekhanites made a connection that was hardly felt by the Sarkites in return. For Sarkicism, the Mekhanites were simply another people that stood in their way - not some prophesied spiritual foe." Dr. Low
10. Unstable, Stationary, Unaided, Wide Area, Safe, 2 way, Cyclic
11. "For Proto-Sarkites, such actions are committed zealously for some perceived greater good. For Neo-Sarkites, it manifests in a most libertine manner; to be as gods, one must not be bound by mortal concepts of morality - nothing sacred, nothing taboo." Dr. Fashingbauer
12. "The concept does not appear to exist among Proto-Sarkic cults. Indeed, the idea of caste contradicts the egalitarian beliefs common to early Sarkicism." - Dr. Low
13. This being a likely a play on "blue-bloods", a term for nobility and other affluent people.
14. "Indeed, a Sarkic community was once discovered by studying late medieval census data and searching for populations with unusually low mortality rates; most especially those whose numbers were unaffected by pandemics such as the Black Death." - Dr. Low
15. Note: It is also possible that, upon reaching a certain age, Neo-Sarkites falsify their deaths and spend the rest of their anomalously extended lives away from public view.
16. Although all known Karcists appear to have once been non-anomalous humans, only some maintain a human visage.
17. A group of anomalous organic entities controlled by a Karcist.
18. A name thought to be first employed by Gnostic and Mekhanite sects.
19. Lit. "The Old God"".
20. The theory that life exists and is distributed throughout the universe in the form of germs or spores that develop in the right environment.
21. Although relevant sones are believed to be recorded within the Eluvanklaas, a known but unrecovered Sarkic grimoire.
22. Not enough to suggest an invasion and occupation. More likely, the items arrived via Minoan merchants and Central-Asian trade routes. It is presently believed that Sarkicism itself did not reach the Mediterranean until approximately 1200 BCE (theoretically related to the Bronze Age Collapse).
23. "A city of unnumbered, unspeakable crimes" according to the ancient Mekhanites. Considered the capital of Sarkicism, it remains unknown if the location continues to exist in some manner.
24. The complete removal of the penis and the testicles; an apparently common form of punishment among the matriarchal Daevites.
25. It is written that the words were meant for Lovataar alone and thus, never recorded.
26. Apparently considered the greatest gladiatorial combatant of his time.
27. Kythera is a location that appears in both Sarkic and Church of the Broken God scripture. The Valkzaron describes the conquest of Kythera and the conversion of its people. The Maxwellian Book of Horrors associates the location with a prophesied NK-class end-of-the-world scenario.
28. A symbiotic organism implanted in the bodies of Sarkic cultists. Further discussed in the Organisms section.
29. Jaka translates as "divide", "separate", or even "cull". It is employed in Sarkicism as a concept of cosmic justice, separating the strong from the weak, adherent from apostate - terminating those deemed enemy or unnecessary.
30. "The first to fall so that He might rise"; said to be the first kingdom to fall to Adytum and having become symbolic of the inevitable defeat of those who stand in opposition to Sarkicism.
31. It has been hypothesized that the Daevites sought to anomalously preserve themselves, as more and more territory was lost to Sarkites.
32. This information, as with all information involving Sarkicism, cannot be revealed to the public. Fortunately, most non-Foundation historians blame the events of the Late Bronze Age collapse on the mysterious "Sea Peoples".
33. It appears that Minoan "conspirators" fought on the side of the Adí-üm empire. Minoan civilization had been on the decline at the time of the war.
34. The Mekhanites are theorized as having been the driving force for the coalition, seeking allies against a threat perceived by them as the end of the world. Although Greek in origin, the Cult of Mekhane had temples throughout the Mediterranean; most notably in Egypt and the Levant.
35. Traditionally thought as having been developed c. 672 CE.
36. The Hunter's Black Lodge being the only known Neo-Sarkic cult to not share this lineage. This is likely subject to change as the Foundation uncovers more Sarkic organizations.
37. Communication devices appear to be considered especially abhorrent.
38. Also historically recorded as the "Zgrimțieș", or "Hultan".
39. Corresponding with the given location of the legendary Scholomance - a school of "black magic" in Romanian folklore.
40. Ascetic Shaiva sadhus known to engage in post-mortem rituals.
41. These spines appear superficially chitinous and, despite showing strong structural similarities to coral, contain human DNA.
42. An order, organisation, society or a club of men associated together for various religious or secular aims. Despite being referred to as "fraternal", the Esoteric Order of the White Worm is open to men and women.
43. Although, like other such groups, it has been the subject of various conspiracy theories. The Foundation does not believe that there is much factual basis to such claims.
44. DNA analysis suggests that some Sarkic organisms have been created through a process of artificial selection; breeding organisms, including humans, to the point where they no longer resemble their ancestors.
It is important to understand that Sarkicism is not only a system of beliefs but an ancient culture that has, in secret, preserved its own language, traditions, and societal norms (while outwardly adopting the dominant culture of the lands they inhabit). To comprehend the Sarkic psychology, one must remember how their minds are shaped by their distinct social environment. Thus, behavior that would be considered beyond the pale to most (murder, torture, rape, etc.) might be perfectly acceptable among Sarkites.11
Letters between Neo-Sarkic cult members have been deciphered, revealing a fairly intricate caste system outside the religious hierarchy. A form of pedigree, it appears that Neo-Sarkites12 place heavy emphasis on bloodline - a hidden aristocracy whose marriages form pacts and the foundation of powerful Sarkic families (referred to by followers as "highbloods", sometimes "black-bloods"13). One is generally born into Sarkicism, with new blood introduced through careful selection.
It is difficult to draw a line between cult and family in Sarkicism. The recruitment of outsiders is usually unnecessary as Sarkites have little trouble maintaining their numbers - their virility and health apparently unaffected by generations of inbreeding. Even non-Karcist (Karcists and above being biologically immortal) Sarkites have significantly lower rates of mortality when compared to that of an average human14, rarely dying before reaching 100 (unless by violence or accident).15
Data suggests that hierarchical structures are generally consistent between Sarkic cults, having remained relatively unchanged for at least over the last 3,000 years. The two highest tiers, Ozi̮rmok (Grand Karcist) and Klavigar (High Karcist), have not been verified outside of scripture and ancient documents, rendering it difficult to discern whether these ranks are truly part of the modern Sarkic hierarchy or serve as a mostly mythical foundation. With that said, the standard hierarchy (from highest to lowest) consists of:
Ozi̮rmok
Also known as the Grand Karcist. The highest tier reserved for the prophet Ion and no other. Ion is further discussed throughout the document.
Klavigar
Also known as "High Karcist". Roughly analogous to a saint. The names of four Klavigar are presently known. It is common for Neo-Sarkites to claim ancestry from a Klavigar. See the Hagiography subsection of History for information about individual Klavigar.
Karcist
The spiritual and secular leaders among Sarkic organizations. Karcists are considered biologically immortal and vary in form16 and anomalous ability. It is theorized that they are able to control their Halkost17 via the release of complex pheromones; it is assumed that Klavigar and the Ozi̮rmok wield similar influence.
Võlutaar
Advisers to a Karcist. Predominately female among Proto-Sarkic cults for reasons unknown.
Zend
A middling rank of the Sarkic Hierarchy. Have a degree of power and protection unlike the Orin.
Orin
The lowest rank of the Sarkic hierarchy. Adherents who do not descend from a Sarkic bloodline begin at this level.
Cosmology:
The observable universe is one among a finite or infinite number of possible universes (contained within the meta-universe); each universe can in turn be divided into a finite or infinite number of iterations. The structure of the meta-universe, the natural laws which allow for the manifestation of universes, is eternal - without beginning or end; universes, on the other hand, are created and eventually destroyed.
Beyond this, Sarkic cosmology is fairly simple by virtue of the indifference of its adherents. Existence is regarded as an entirely brute fact - corruptible, discordant, and devoid of purpose.
The Old God:
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Icon of the Devourer as depicted in the Valkzaron.
Yaldabaoth18 (also known as Važjuma"19, "God-Eater", "Devourer", "His Undulating Vastness", "The Great Winnower" and various other epithets) is regarded in Sarkicism as the principle power in the universe. Despite being treated with reverence, Yaldabaoth is not worshiped and appears to be regarded as subservient to Ion in some manner. Translated fragments of the Valkzaron suggests that Ion had somehow usurped control of this cosmic entity, wearing the flesh of the "God-Eater" as a sort of armor and crafting from its body a kingdom. As with all things related to Sarkicism, it is difficult to discern reality from myth. The relationship between Sarkicism and this entity may be akin to that of a parasite and its host (or perhaps even symbiotic).
The Wound, cut from the flesh of totality - deep, it severed the line of future and past. Drawn to its ancient fester, gods swarmed as flies to a corpse. We waited within bloodless veins, faithful to that which we could not know - unable to imagine that we might become their greater.
Here, we slept - until our souls became flesh.
Sone Alku
Yaldabaoth is portrayed as both destroyer and incidental creator, "feeding" upon gods and stars and "exhaling life". Life is thus a natural byproduct of the God-Eater's existence; unguided by intelligence and spreading through a process not entirely dissimilar from panspermia20.
"Blind" and driven solely by instinct, Yaldabaoth is depicted as being accompanied by six otherworldly entities known as "Archons" (or "Vultaas" among certain Proto-Sarkic cults). These beings are described by Sarkic texts as faceless manifestations of primordial chaos, their true forms inconceivable to the human mind. Gnostic and Mekhanite scripture would mention the Archons as well, describing them as "terrible and rapacious angels".
The swineherd prostrated himself before the Sorcerer-King and asked, "Great Sorcerer-King and Ozi̮rmok, Heart of Man and Light of Lights. I speak for the folk of the cold-marsh. We fear the red lanterns that dance without harmony; our spirit-guides warn of ill omens."
And Ion did assure the man, "I have gazed upon the Faceless Ones, servitors of His Undulating Vastness. Their chief is blind - castrated by our words and will. He sings songs of anarchy but they will not come again. These terrible spirits do not deserve our love; render unto them no sacrifice until the stars have aligned."
Sone Vith
"The Six Ordeals of Ion" refers to six challenges issued to Ion by the Archons. Through enduring their trials, Ion is said to have mastered the rituals and practices ubiquitous to Sarkicism - breaking free from the "bondage" of mortal limitations. Further information about Ion's relationship with Yaldabaoth and his Archons (as well as the nature of the "Ordeals") remains unknown.21
And to his flock, Ion thus spoke: "I have stepped beyond the Floe of Dreams; stood before the Old Ones within their own desolate domain.
I have endured their intolerable force, across countless eons.
I have seen the infinite dead worlds, murdered death herself.
I have read the entrails of our Creator, beheld eternity unfurled.
Know that our paradise draws near.
And with our own flesh shall we birth it.
Sone Skaal
Most information regarding Sarkic history and mythology is sourced to the Bodfel Codex. Recovered from SCP-2480, the codex includes a partial translation of the Valkzaron and related marginalia. Along with archaeological evidence, the Foundation has been able to establish the historicity of Sarkicism.
As essential as the codex has been, large gaps remain in the timeline and much of the following is entirely speculative and subject to change.
Early History:
Sarkic weapons, armor, and trinkets have been discovered among Minoan ruins on the island of Santorini (formerly Thera), possibly placing their origins to at least before the eruption event which triggered the complete collapse of Minoan civilization around 1500 BCE22. Daevite tablets, dated to approximately 1800 BCE, refer to a slave rebellion in the northernmost province, led by a charismatic heresiarch and "half-blood". Scrolls discovered within contain phrases and terms archetypal to Sarkic cults, including references to a "Grand Karcist Ion". These findings suggest that Sarkicism has existed for nearly 4,000 years. All evidence, linguistically and archaeologically, points to western Siberia as Sarkicism's place of origin.
mdPgbad.jpg
Seal of ION
Ion, if still alive (if having ever existed at all), likely represents a high level reality bender. Little is known about the Grand Karcist, "Sorcerer-King of Adytum23", with all information being in the form of deification or demonization and lacking in factual reliability. The Valkzaron refers to Ion as having been born to a Daevite mother and sired by a concubinus father - implying that males born of such unions were destined for slavery. The exact nature of Ion's bondage is unknown but his supposed intellect suggests that he was not used for combat or manual labor, perhaps serving under an alchemist or priestess.
It remains unknown which came first: Ion's doctrine or his revolution. If these events are grounded in reality, it is possible that the religion developed in coincidence with his slave revolt and as a way to codify their methods of anomalous warfare. In his mission, Ion was aided by four individuals known as the Klavigar. Figures of reverence and supposed disciples of Ion, they are the saints of Sarkicism.
Hagiography:
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DZzKK6m.png
Seal of NADOX.
Associated with intelligence, wisdom, perception, and mysteries. Epithets include: the Tongueless Speaker, Lord of Mysteries, the All-Seeing, and the Anticipation of Ion. Once a sage in the southernmost region of Daevite influence, he preached a philosophy of peace and equality, building a following among the impoverished.
Agitating the Daeva, he was captured and publicly tortured - the poor he had tried to help now hurling stones upon him. Before the crowd of hundreds, "drunk and atrocious in their stupidity", a Daeva priestess cut off his tongue, sewed shut his mouth, and had him emasculated24. Rather than having Nadox executed, they instead had him "marked" - a symbol placed upon the forehead. Impossible to remove, it designated him as a "Sufferer" - one who the people were required, by the Daeva's decree, to forever torment but never kill.
Nadox wandered the land as a pariah; denied refuge and safe passage; struck with rocks and slashed with knives - all by the people he had hoped to save. It is written that he beheld, while suffering a fever dream, a messianic entity; one that could rescue him, and humanity, from an existence of "suffering and tears". Nadox would travel north in search of this savior, to guide Ion toward his destiny.
And Ion held six fingers aloft and upon their spears did the soldiers impale themselves. "For you!" they cried before the blood drowned their tongues. And Ion said, "Now do you see?" And Nadox wept, as more did skewer themselves in Ion's name, for he had seen and now knew the truth of his words.
Sone Suraas
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0el4OfQ.png
Seal of LOVATAAR.
Associated with sex, love, eroticism, pleasure, motherhood, disease, and unrestrained reproduction (breeding, cancers, growth, etc.). Epithets include: the One Whom Ion Most Desired, the Highblood Redeemer, and the Mother (on rare occasion "Brood" or "Hive" Mother). A priestess, as well as the daughter of a Daeva Matriarch, she was initially in opposition to Ion - whose revolution threatened her way of life. It is written that her hatred for Ion eventually became a sort of infatuation. Unable to remove him from her mind, she sought to capture and bind him as her consort.
In her quest to make him hers, Lovataar sent wave after wave of slave-hunters but none returned. In time, it would be Ion who came to her by his own accord. It is written that Ion visited her in the night, bypassing her guards and appearing within her bedchamber. Instead of attacking, he sat upon the edge of the bed and quietly spoke to her. What was said is unknown25 but resulted in Lovataar and Ion forming a "union" over a period of twelve days. On the twelve day, the two left her palace behind - never to return.
Beneath the Black Moon, Her Devotion took the form of a stone knife, like those of the reindeer folk of Adí-üm. Penetrated, amber blood, colored by ancient sins, poured from the wound - her tears like the warm rain of distant summers.
Beneath the Poison Moon, the amber flowed no more - and the snow, she painted red. [indecipherable] for Ion, who drank deep the fermented honey of Lovataar's kiss. Ion surrendered upon her pale breasts - a shared respite in ecstasy.
Still Ion hungered, and from Lovataar's dark lips flowed words, "There is pleasure in serving." Smiling, he [bowed/lowered] his head - knowing the drunk joy, of milk and sweet fermented honey.
Sone Tal
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SlXiQKv.png
Seal of OROK.
A figure of reverence and supposed disciple of Ion. Associated with strength, war, violence, wilderness, hunting and, seemingly in contradiction, loyalty and revolt. Epithets include: the Horned Beast, the Brute Lord, and the Pale Hunter. Described as being of unnatural physical strength, Orok was the product of alchemical and thaumaturgical experimentation on slaves. Enthralled to Matriarch Aśvighoṣa, the ruling Daeva in the city of Jel, Orok served as a bodyguard and pit-fighter26.
It is written that Ion, when taking the city of Jel, entered the palace of Matriarch Aśvighoṣa (presumably, the highest authority in the city). He requested that the matriarch should leave and take with her a message to the "Daeva of Daevas", lest she suffer retribution. Refusing his ultimatum, the matriarch ordered Orok to destroy him. It is written that Orok hesitated, his "runes of bondage [setting] his starved soul aflame so that his body became spirit"; turning to his matriarch, he struck Aśvighoṣa, his fist imbued with the very power she had forced upon him, and reduced her body to "cinder and ash and heavenly starlight".
As Orok said to the Kytherans27 : "Power is made from the pain of the fragile. Here weakness dies. Here strength is born. I exert myself, a pale reflection of Ion's sacrifice of flesh to the intolerable force, and shed frailty's husk. I commune with my akuloth28 core - my sacred metamorphosis complete."
Sone Szusk
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Seal of SAARN.
A figure of reverence and supposed disciple of Ion. Associated with darkness, secrecy, deception, poison, assassination, and justice (or jaka29). Epithets include: the Whisperer, the Coiled Shadow, the Faceless One, and the Judgment of Ion. A young house servant, she quietly endured Daevite abuse throughout her life. Having suffered long enough, she calmly murdered the entire household with poison, garrote, and dagger. Captured, she would be imprisoned within the fortress city of Kurst30.
Saarn was awaiting execution when first approached by Ion, who moved through the dungeon walls like "the mist of Summer's snow-melt". There he said: "The winds whispered of your actions. There is no evil in the Judgment. You did not choose to be the vessel of our will. Many will die this day but you are needed alive". The prophet's hand is described as having transformed into "a wolfish maw", tearing apart the cell door with its teeth and liberating Saarn.
Honing her skills, Saarn would eventually control a network of spies and assassins. A Daevite tablet describes their efficacy in graphic detail, including men and women disemboweled in the streets and Daevite infants strangled in their own cradles by "traitorous servants".
The heart is made [silent/still].
Before her dagger seen.
A moment immortalized in a single [strike/stab].
The Judgment - unavoidable, inescapable.
Dismay; a death inconceivable,
To the arrogance of Daeva.
Triumph; a dagger in the darkness.
With the blood of tyrants,
Our children sleep well.
Sone Vaku
There is little available information about Sarkicism between c. 1600 and c. 1200 BCE, despite the period being considered the "Golden Age" of Sarkic civilization. It is during this period that Daevite culture recedes31, existing only as a small city state in what is now Mongolia. It is theorized that the Adí-üm empire left little archaeological evidence for its existence due to Sarkic structures being composed of living organic material.
War and the Fall of the Adí-üm Empire:
Sarkic civilization, having reached its zenith, began to spread into the Caucasus, Anatolia, Balkans, and parts of the Levant and Mesopotamia. Impressed by (or fearful of) their anomalous capabilities, several tribal groups began to fight under the banner of Adí-üm; these include Kaskians, Proto-Thracians, Lycians, Illyrians, and many others. The Hittite king Suppiluliuma II tried in vain to defeat the invaders, contributing to the fall of the Hittite empire.32
The Adí-üm empire established a foothold in the Mediterranean, invading/colonizing the islands of Cyprus, Crete, and Gyaros. It is uncertain as to who struck first but a coalition of kingdoms was formed in response to the Sarkic threat, resulting in a war around 1200 BCE. Archaeological findings such as mass graves, weapons, terrain damage, and primary source documents (such as scrolls recovered from Gyaros and the Aral Sea) reveal the extreme (and anomalous) nature of the war. Foundation historians estimate a death toll ranging from 20 to 30 million, making it the fourth most devastating war in recorded history. According to recovered documents, the coalition formed in response to the Adí-üm empire included Egyptians, Mycenaean Greeks, Minoans33, Canaanites, Assyrians, and the Mekhanites34.
Most details of the war are unknown to the Foundation. It is suspected that the deployment of Colossi (such as SCP-2406), as well as the heavy use of a substance resembling "Greek fire"35, that turned the tide of war against the Sarkites. When the war was over, the Adí-üm empire was assumed destroyed along with Sarkic civilization. In reality, Sarkicism would continue in secret - at both its homeland in the Urals and among the tribes that had fought under the banner of Adí-üm (such as among the Thracians and Dacians). The damage to the region was great and many civilizations did not recover, resulting in the collapse of various kingdoms, a crisis of refugees, the decline of art, literature, science, and technology, and the lingering disease and famine from Sarkic biological weapons; an event later known to historians as the Late Bronze Age collapse.
The fall of the Adí-üm empire also resulted in a Sarkic diaspora, leading to the development of culturally distinct Sarkic cults in places such as the Arabian Peninsula and the Indian subcontinent. Due to a lack of reliable information, the Foundation can only speculate about Sarkic activities between c. 1100 BCE and 1300 CE.
The Rise of Neo-Sarkicism:
János the Wise (Karcist Sverok), 1560; Solomonar and court magician to Balázs II "the Mad".
The majority of known Neo-Sarkic cults36 appear to descend from certain Carpathian noble families influenced by the Proto-Sarkic Solomonari. It is unknown whether the Solomonari intentionally infiltrated Carpathian courts or if they were instead sought out by the nobles themselves, ignoring or dismissing (possibly embracing) the rumors of devil worship and witchcraft surrounding the cult. Documents and artifacts retrieved from SCP-████ suggest that some Solomonari served as "court magicians", advising their lords and ladies on matters of alchemy, medicine, astrology, and the occult.
In time this would result in the development of Sarkic "Great Houses"; affluent families practicing their own interpretation of Sarkicism, placing the individual above the collective and applying it to their own self-serving needs. This new strain of Sarkicism would spread throughout Europe via marriage; once these footholds were established, the Great Houses grew incestuous.
ndividual orders vary by region but can be divided into two primary types: Proto-Sarkic and Neo-Sarkic. These do not appear to represent divergent beliefs so much as environmental adaptations.
Practitioners of Proto-Sarkicism do not operate in the open unless a location is significantly isolated. Such sects display acute technophobia and eschew modernity, willing to go so far as destroy or disable advanced electronics when encountered37. Proto-Sarkic cults generally value humility and self-sacrifice.
Known Orders:
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A page from a Solomonari ritual book.
The ancestors of the Solomonari38 likely settled in the Carpathian Basin between 1200 to 600 BCE. It is presently hypothesized that the Sarkites assimilated the local proto-Thracian people, eventually becoming the Dacians - a people recorded by Ancient Greek and Roman sources.
A Sarkic stronghold39, since classified as SCP-████, was discovered in the Southern Carpathians and is believed to have once been the heart of the Solomonari cult. It has been hypothesized that the Solomonari are related to (or one and the same as) the Dacian Cult of Zalmoxis, having culturally melded with the ancient proto-Thracian people.
Documents discovered at SCP-████ and SCP-2191 suggest that the Solomonari remained highly influential, albeit secretive, until the 15th century - possibly destroyed by John Hunyadi, a leading Hungarian military and political figure. Several boyars of Wallachia and Moldavia, most notably the Gutkeled clan of Hungarian nobles, are now believed to have been under the control of the Solomonari; an influence that would lead to the development of Neo-Sarkicism and it's western expansion.
It remains debatable whether modern practitioners should be considered true Solomonari, in event of what has been learned at SCP-████. Most are located in isolated pockets throughout the Carpathians, with little to no connection with one another. The religion, in its current state, is an amalgam of local folk traditions and Solomonari blood rituals.
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Located at SCP-2133: A cabin door freshly painted with a religious symbol.
The Church of the Red Harvest were discovered at SCP-2133 in 1936 by GRU Division "P". The Foundation became aware of the sect shortly after gaining control of SCP-2133 following the dissolution of the USSR.
SCP-2133 is an unnamed village located in the northern Ural Mountains whose denizens are the only known members of the Church of the Red Harvest. The church practices a regeneration ritual, their recent dead harvested as newborns from the turnip fields found throughout SCP-2133. Members refer to the regenerative process as a part of an "old covenant", one that cannot be broken and is to last until the return of "paradise" (Adytum).
It is currently believed that the Church of the Red Harvest is directly controlled by a Karcist ("Karcist Alka") located in a subterranean dwelling beneath the nearby mountains, connected to the village by a series of tunnels accessible via the village church.
A Vātula ceremonial circle.
The Vātula (Sanskrit: वातुल) were initially mistaken for Aghori40 due to several, superficially similar rituals. Known to the Foundation since 1969, a Sarkic connection was only established in 2010 through extensive research.
The Vātula command fear and respect among the rural poor in the Indian states of Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana, Punjab, and Gujarat. They trace their origins to Karcist Vaski, who they claim arrived from the northwest - granting them his blessing and spreading a virulent plague to their enemies.
Neo-Sarkicism displays only a superficial resemblance to historical and current Proto-Sarkic sects. Whereas Proto-Sarkicism is isolated and archaic, bound by superstition and taboo, Neo-Sarkicism embraces modernity. Whereas Proto-Sarkicism is fragmented (each group existing within a vacuum), Neo-Sarkicism is cosmopolitan and unified.
It remains unknown whether Neo-Sarkic cults represent a relatively recent development or a willing evolution of Proto-Sarkic sects. Neo-Sarkites display no qualms with technology and may be found in heavily populated locations, their daily lives differing little from others of their culture and social status. For Neo-Sarkic cults, the proper moral purpose of one's life is the pursuit of one's own desires and the attainment of power.
Known Orders:
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A likely invitation to the November 28, 1952 ceremony removed from the corpse of an Adytum's Wake cultist.
Active throughout the Northeastern United States, Adytum's Wake is thought to be the oldest Sarkic organization in North America with evidence of their existence dating as far back as 1650. The organization was presumably destroyed on November 28, 1952 but not before the creation of SCP-2480 - considered by the founders of Project: Sitra Achra to represent the "first shots" of what would become a complex and invisible conflict.
Cornelius P. Bodfel III (Karcist Sulkisk), a millionaire industrialist with an acute interest in the occult, was the acting leader of Adytum's Wake until his death in 1952. Dismissed by the Foundation in 1932 as merely another "decadent social club", their anomalous capabilities were not recognized until the November 28, 1952 incident.
The Foundation fears that Adytum's Wake survived its initial defeat. It is theorized that the renewed cult is presently under the control of Vivian Durant-Croÿ (president and CEO of the Durant Bodfel Financial Group), wife of Hungarian national Alexander Croÿ (CEO of Abraxas Arms and a suspected Sarkite).
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"Skull of Orok", a tattoo motif common to members of the Black Lodge
GoI-0432 is an anomalous criminal cult primarily active in the post-Soviet states. Known as "The Hunter's Black Lodge" (or simply the "Black Lodge"), GoI-0432 has been linked to extortion, murder, robbery, gambling, prostitution, human trafficking, drug trafficking, weapons trafficking, and underground fighting rings. While these activities are not inherently anomalous, the anomalous capabilities of GoI-0432 has had an aberrant effect on their practice.
The Foundation first became aware of the Black Lodge in the early 1990s after receiving a tip from informants in INTERPOL. Further investigation uncovered GoI-0432 related documents from the recently dissolved GRU Division "P", later corroborated by former members. It appears that GRU Division "P" was unable to fully contain or neutralize the threat presented by the Black Lodge, with one source describing them as a "hydra" - the organization thought neutralized on several occasions only for it to reappear months later, "stronger than before".
Victims of the Black Lodge have been discovered impaled, penetrated by large organic spines41 - the decedents commonly showing evidence of ritual cannibalism.
Family crest of House Vörös, whose members hold immense sway over the cult.
Active primarily throughout Europe, the Esoteric Order of the White Worm (Fehér Féreg Ezoterikus Rend) is a Sarkic cult disguised as an occult themed fraternal organization42. Similar to other "secret societies", the existence of the cult is an open secret while its true nature is unknown to the general population43.
Based on documents recovered from the SCP-████ archives, the Esoteric Order may be one of the earliest Neo-Sarkic sects. Founded by Hungarian nobles heavily influenced by their Solomonari "court magicians", the religion transformed from a hidden pagan faith to a secret tool of the landed gentry.
Descendants of House Vörös (a Hungarian noble family) are thought to dominate the leadership positions of the Esoteric Order.
The creation and manipulation of living organisms through anomalous44 means represents the most immediate threat posed by Sarkicism. Enough patterns have been discovered among these organisms that they can be divided into different "species". These organisms display no signs of fear or pain and regenerate injuries at an anomalous rate. Below is a partial list of such entities:
SK-BIO Type A
Colloquially referred to as "behemoths" by personnel. These entities are commonly over 4 meters tall, weighing approximately 7,000 kg, with pale, flabby skin. Lacking visible eyes, ears, and noses - their faces dominated by a large toothy mouth. The first recorded instance of an SK-BIO Type A was SCP-2480-2. They appear to be of limited intelligence.
SK-BIO Type B
Generally 1.5 to 2 meters tall and weigh approximately 250 kg. Mouths are vertical, running the length of what approximates a face; spindly fingers end in 50 to 60 cm talons. Bodies are partially protected by white, chitinous carapace - the flesh beneath dark red and visible at movable joints.
SK-BIO Type Γ
Also classified as SCP-2191-1. SK-BIO Type Γ are considered genetically human but have undergone several significant, seemingly fatal mutations. SK-BIO Type Γ lack all major internal organs with the exception of the lungs, heart, and brain stem. The outer epidermis lacks pigmentation and displays a condition resembling cracked porcelain, possibly related to Harlequin syndrome. Entities appear androgynous, lacking or having somehow removed secondary sex characteristics. Their regressed eyes are covered by a layer of skin, rendering them mostly blind but still able to react to light (universally displaying aversion to wavelengths > 100 nm). Further deviations from baseline homo sapiens include especially flat, upturned noses, and funnel-shaped ears; both considered related to their dependency on olfactory and auditory perception. They do not appear to communicate via language, the only sound produced being a persistent clicking of the tongue – speculated to be a form of echolocation.
SK-BIO Type Δ
Colloquially referred to as "snatchers" by personnel. Prehensile organic structures, dark red in color and with a tentaculoid shape. SK-BIO Type Δ are sedentary and are generally used by Sarkites to guard specific locations.
SK-BIO Type Ε
Known to Sarkites as a "Kiraak", instances of SK-BIO Type E are organic, biologically living structures used as temples. The Foundation presently has a deceased instance (SCP-2095) in containment but other, possibly living instances are theorized to exist across the world. Update: Living instances have been recently encountered by field agents; further information is pending.
"The creation of a Kiraak is more terrible than initially hypothesized. A living human is 'anointed' then repeatedly fed and shaped, its brain slowly atrophying as it becomes a living temple. The Sarkites cultivate flesh and bone as one might tend a bonsai tree." - Dr. Tsukino
SK-BIO Type Ζ
Known to Sarkites as an "Akuloth" and "His Sacred White Worm", instances of SK-BIO Type Z are symbiotic organisms found in the bodies of both Sarkites and Sarkic organisms. It is believed that they act as a secondary immune system, protecting the host against disease as well as greatly increasing their regenerative abilities. SK-BIO Type Z is also believed to be connected to the physical transformations some Sarkites undergo.
SK-BIO Type H
SK-BIO Type H may exist as or be composed of multiple 'species' and generally refers to any SK-BIO Type that lacks a stable physical form (although this can occur in many, if not all Sarkic organisms if critically injured). Existing as a gelatinous mass, such organisms are able to increase their size (with no known limit) by absorbing the biomass of those it encounters. An individual can be converted into a SK-BIO Type H by ritual, as encountered when SCP-2075 caused the transfiguration and subsequent death of Dr. Albert Cronenberg.
Highly secretive, the general public appears to have no direct knowledge of their existence; the one exception being the Church of the Broken God, which views them in apocalyptic terms1. Disease is viewed with reverence and Sarkic shrines have been discovered with offerings of swollen lymph nodes and tumorous growths. Sarkic cults treat contagions as consecration, a means to "cull the weak" and purify the masses, and thus actively seek to ensure their spread.
The Foundation divides known Sarkic cults into two distinct strands: Proto-Sarkic and Neo-Sarkic.2 Proto-Sarkic cults can be found in insular communities throughout Eurasia's most isolated regions, its followers generally poor (if self-reliant), humble, and hostile towards outsiders. Such groups eschew modernity, display acute technophobia, and are bound by superstition and taboo. In contrast, Neo-Sarkic cults are cosmopolitan, publicly embracing modernity and showing no apparent qualms with technology; their public lives differing little from others of their culture and social status. Adherents are primarily affluent families, rich in history and scandal. Both generally follow a single creed whose core beliefs include the following concepts:
Apotheosis
The belief that an individual can ascend to godhood. It appears that Sarkicism regards Grand Karcist Ion (and to a lesser extent, his Klavigar) as a being who has undergone apotheosis. For the Proto-Sarkite, apotheosis will be achieved in time and only through Ion. For the Neo-Sarkite, it almost appears that if one had the ability to usurp Ion - it is their right (if not duty) to do so. The path to apotheosis is equal to the will to power.
Will
The will to power is the primary driving force of man. The individual seeks to master all things within its domain, exerting the direction of power (efficacy) while other individuals do the same, often in opposition. Will is to power as form is to matter; in turn, "desire is the measure of all things"3.
Theophagy4
The sacramental consumption of a god. Sarkicism holds that there are many gods in the universe (none of which they worship) and that these entities can be "devoured" in some fashion. Adherents ultimately believe that this parasitic relationship (whether literal or allegorical) is the primary source of their thaumaturgical abilities.
Sacrifice
Among Proto-Sarkic cults, this appears to manifest as the sacrifice of the self for the benefit of the many; Neo-Sarkic cults, in stark contrast, believe in the sacrifice of the many for the benefit of the individual. Muscle suffers damage, only to heal and become stronger than before; the same can be said for the mind, through developing toleration against conventionally inconceivable things - cycles of destruction and regeneration. Strife, according to Sarkicism, is the greatest of tutors.
"To Shepherd the Flesh"
It is believed that all living things descend from a single progenitor (further explored in the Mythology section). Adherents hold that this shared ancestry5 is the key to corporeal augmentation (or "Lihakut'ak"); further suggesting a singular understanding of genetics, cloaked beneath layers of mysticism. It is the right of the Sarkite to guide and cultivate organic matter.
Proto-Sarkites appear to believe that Ion is in the process of achieving apotheosis and, upon the completion of his metamorphosis, will destroy this "flawed, stillborn" universe and remake it into a paradise known as the “Ikunaan”, where the many will at long last know salvation and joy "beneath rose-colored skies". Neo-Sarkic cults notably diverge from this interpretation, holding that Ion has already achieved apotheosis and that one should strive to be as Ion and become like the gods through the acquisition of power, the development of skill, and the severing of ethical tethers that limit the potential of the individual.
Sarkites speak and write in a unique language that appears to be a syncretism of Proto-Uralic, Indo-European, and γλῶσσαχάος6 but primarily Proto-Uralic. Practitioners of Sarkicism (or Sarkites) do not actually refer to themselves as "Sarkic" - the term a pejorative employed by the ancient Mekhanites7 for their enemies. Thought to be their true name, it was adopted by the Global Occult Coalition and later by the Foundation as part of Project: Sitra Achra. In truth, Sarkic cultists refer to their belief system as Nälkä8 and under no circumstances are Foundation agents to use "sarkic" or its derivatives when infiltrating related cults.
Through adopting Mekhanite terminology, the Foundation and GOC have unwittingly perpetuated the "FLESH/MEKHANE" cosmic narrative of the CotBG9 which is an inaccurate and gross simplification of what Sarkicism entails. While this document aims to recognize and correct previous errors, "Sarkic" (and its derivatives) remain a normative part of the Foundation lexicon.
Ultimately, it is feared that the Foundation and GOC know only a fraction of what Sarkicism entails and what its followers intend. Based on available information, the speculated goals of Sarkic cults nevertheless represent an SK-class dominance shift, including the possibility of an XK-class end-of-the-world scenario.
Footnotes
1. Note: Certain splinter sects, such as the "Church of Maxwellism", generally view Sarkicism as either destroyed thousands of years ago or as simply an allegory for the "imperfection" of organic life and for those who are "tethered" to their base, biological nature.
2. "A hypothetical third strand, presently designated as 'Ur-Sarkicism', represents the original teachings of Ion during his life prior to the development of a complex religious system. It is likely that this stand of Sarkicism is long extinct." - Dr. Low
3. "Desire is the measure of all things. Be unbound from moral tethers. Do as you will, to whom you will." - Sarkic proverb
4. From θεός (Theós, “god”) and the suffix -phagy (to feed on, to eat/devour).
5. "Weri"; English speaking Sarkites will usually refer to this as "The Blood".
6. Greek: "chaos-tongue"; a Foundation term for a poorly understood language whose words commonly appear in Sarkicism and lacks any known human equivalent. It is speculated that such words were not intended for human vocal chords and pronunciation is merely a close approximate.
7. Predecessor of the Church of the Broken God.
8. From Proto-Uralic *ńä(x)li + *-ka, meaning "hunger".
9. "I believe this relationship to be the result of self-fulfilling prophecy on the part of the Mekhanites. When Sarkicism was first encountered, it strongly resembled an end-times adversary foretold by Mekhanite schema ("THE FLESH"). Unsurprisingly, the Mekhanites made a connection that was hardly felt by the Sarkites in return. For Sarkicism, the Mekhanites were simply another people that stood in their way - not some prophesied spiritual foe." Dr. Low
10. Unstable, Stationary, Unaided, Wide Area, Safe, 2 way, Cyclic
11. "For Proto-Sarkites, such actions are committed zealously for some perceived greater good. For Neo-Sarkites, it manifests in a most libertine manner; to be as gods, one must not be bound by mortal concepts of morality - nothing sacred, nothing taboo." Dr. Fashingbauer
12. "The concept does not appear to exist among Proto-Sarkic cults. Indeed, the idea of caste contradicts the egalitarian beliefs common to early Sarkicism." - Dr. Low
13. This being a likely a play on "blue-bloods", a term for nobility and other affluent people.
14. "Indeed, a Sarkic community was once discovered by studying late medieval census data and searching for populations with unusually low mortality rates; most especially those whose numbers were unaffected by pandemics such as the Black Death." - Dr. Low
15. Note: It is also possible that, upon reaching a certain age, Neo-Sarkites falsify their deaths and spend the rest of their anomalously extended lives away from public view.
16. Although all known Karcists appear to have once been non-anomalous humans, only some maintain a human visage.
17. A group of anomalous organic entities controlled by a Karcist.
18. A name thought to be first employed by Gnostic and Mekhanite sects.
19. Lit. "The Old God"".
20. The theory that life exists and is distributed throughout the universe in the form of germs or spores that develop in the right environment.
21. Although relevant sones are believed to be recorded within the Eluvanklaas, a known but unrecovered Sarkic grimoire.
22. Not enough to suggest an invasion and occupation. More likely, the items arrived via Minoan merchants and Central-Asian trade routes. It is presently believed that Sarkicism itself did not reach the Mediterranean until approximately 1200 BCE (theoretically related to the Bronze Age Collapse).
23. "A city of unnumbered, unspeakable crimes" according to the ancient Mekhanites. Considered the capital of Sarkicism, it remains unknown if the location continues to exist in some manner.
24. The complete removal of the penis and the testicles; an apparently common form of punishment among the matriarchal Daevites.
25. It is written that the words were meant for Lovataar alone and thus, never recorded.
26. Apparently considered the greatest gladiatorial combatant of his time.
27. Kythera is a location that appears in both Sarkic and Church of the Broken God scripture. The Valkzaron describes the conquest of Kythera and the conversion of its people. The Maxwellian Book of Horrors associates the location with a prophesied NK-class end-of-the-world scenario.
28. A symbiotic organism implanted in the bodies of Sarkic cultists. Further discussed in the Organisms section.
29. Jaka translates as "divide", "separate", or even "cull". It is employed in Sarkicism as a concept of cosmic justice, separating the strong from the weak, adherent from apostate - terminating those deemed enemy or unnecessary.
30. "The first to fall so that He might rise"; said to be the first kingdom to fall to Adytum and having become symbolic of the inevitable defeat of those who stand in opposition to Sarkicism.
31. It has been hypothesized that the Daevites sought to anomalously preserve themselves, as more and more territory was lost to Sarkites.
32. This information, as with all information involving Sarkicism, cannot be revealed to the public. Fortunately, most non-Foundation historians blame the events of the Late Bronze Age collapse on the mysterious "Sea Peoples".
33. It appears that Minoan "conspirators" fought on the side of the Adí-üm empire. Minoan civilization had been on the decline at the time of the war.
34. The Mekhanites are theorized as having been the driving force for the coalition, seeking allies against a threat perceived by them as the end of the world. Although Greek in origin, the Cult of Mekhane had temples throughout the Mediterranean; most notably in Egypt and the Levant.
35. Traditionally thought as having been developed c. 672 CE.
36. The Hunter's Black Lodge being the only known Neo-Sarkic cult to not share this lineage. This is likely subject to change as the Foundation uncovers more Sarkic organizations.
37. Communication devices appear to be considered especially abhorrent.
38. Also historically recorded as the "Zgrimțieș", or "Hultan".
39. Corresponding with the given location of the legendary Scholomance - a school of "black magic" in Romanian folklore.
40. Ascetic Shaiva sadhus known to engage in post-mortem rituals.
41. These spines appear superficially chitinous and, despite showing strong structural similarities to coral, contain human DNA.
42. An order, organisation, society or a club of men associated together for various religious or secular aims. Despite being referred to as "fraternal", the Esoteric Order of the White Worm is open to men and women.
43. Although, like other such groups, it has been the subject of various conspiracy theories. The Foundation does not believe that there is much factual basis to such claims.
44. DNA analysis suggests that some Sarkic organisms have been created through a process of artificial selection; breeding organisms, including humans, to the point where they no longer resemble their ancestors.
It is important to understand that Sarkicism is not only a system of beliefs but an ancient culture that has, in secret, preserved its own language, traditions, and societal norms (while outwardly adopting the dominant culture of the lands they inhabit). To comprehend the Sarkic psychology, one must remember how their minds are shaped by their distinct social environment. Thus, behavior that would be considered beyond the pale to most (murder, torture, rape, etc.) might be perfectly acceptable among Sarkites.11
Letters between Neo-Sarkic cult members have been deciphered, revealing a fairly intricate caste system outside the religious hierarchy. A form of pedigree, it appears that Neo-Sarkites12 place heavy emphasis on bloodline - a hidden aristocracy whose marriages form pacts and the foundation of powerful Sarkic families (referred to by followers as "highbloods", sometimes "black-bloods"13). One is generally born into Sarkicism, with new blood introduced through careful selection.
It is difficult to draw a line between cult and family in Sarkicism. The recruitment of outsiders is usually unnecessary as Sarkites have little trouble maintaining their numbers - their virility and health apparently unaffected by generations of inbreeding. Even non-Karcist (Karcists and above being biologically immortal) Sarkites have significantly lower rates of mortality when compared to that of an average human14, rarely dying before reaching 100 (unless by violence or accident).15
Data suggests that hierarchical structures are generally consistent between Sarkic cults, having remained relatively unchanged for at least over the last 3,000 years. The two highest tiers, Ozi̮rmok (Grand Karcist) and Klavigar (High Karcist), have not been verified outside of scripture and ancient documents, rendering it difficult to discern whether these ranks are truly part of the modern Sarkic hierarchy or serve as a mostly mythical foundation. With that said, the standard hierarchy (from highest to lowest) consists of:
Ozi̮rmok
Also known as the Grand Karcist. The highest tier reserved for the prophet Ion and no other. Ion is further discussed throughout the document.
Klavigar
Also known as "High Karcist". Roughly analogous to a saint. The names of four Klavigar are presently known. It is common for Neo-Sarkites to claim ancestry from a Klavigar. See the Hagiography subsection of History for information about individual Klavigar.
Karcist
The spiritual and secular leaders among Sarkic organizations. Karcists are considered biologically immortal and vary in form16 and anomalous ability. It is theorized that they are able to control their Halkost17 via the release of complex pheromones; it is assumed that Klavigar and the Ozi̮rmok wield similar influence.
Võlutaar
Advisers to a Karcist. Predominately female among Proto-Sarkic cults for reasons unknown.
Zend
A middling rank of the Sarkic Hierarchy. Have a degree of power and protection unlike the Orin.
Orin
The lowest rank of the Sarkic hierarchy. Adherents who do not descend from a Sarkic bloodline begin at this level.
Cosmology:
The observable universe is one among a finite or infinite number of possible universes (contained within the meta-universe); each universe can in turn be divided into a finite or infinite number of iterations. The structure of the meta-universe, the natural laws which allow for the manifestation of universes, is eternal - without beginning or end; universes, on the other hand, are created and eventually destroyed.
Beyond this, Sarkic cosmology is fairly simple by virtue of the indifference of its adherents. Existence is regarded as an entirely brute fact - corruptible, discordant, and devoid of purpose.
The Old God:
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Icon of the Devourer as depicted in the Valkzaron.
Yaldabaoth18 (also known as Važjuma"19, "God-Eater", "Devourer", "His Undulating Vastness", "The Great Winnower" and various other epithets) is regarded in Sarkicism as the principle power in the universe. Despite being treated with reverence, Yaldabaoth is not worshiped and appears to be regarded as subservient to Ion in some manner. Translated fragments of the Valkzaron suggests that Ion had somehow usurped control of this cosmic entity, wearing the flesh of the "God-Eater" as a sort of armor and crafting from its body a kingdom. As with all things related to Sarkicism, it is difficult to discern reality from myth. The relationship between Sarkicism and this entity may be akin to that of a parasite and its host (or perhaps even symbiotic).
The Wound, cut from the flesh of totality - deep, it severed the line of future and past. Drawn to its ancient fester, gods swarmed as flies to a corpse. We waited within bloodless veins, faithful to that which we could not know - unable to imagine that we might become their greater.
Here, we slept - until our souls became flesh.
Sone Alku
Yaldabaoth is portrayed as both destroyer and incidental creator, "feeding" upon gods and stars and "exhaling life". Life is thus a natural byproduct of the God-Eater's existence; unguided by intelligence and spreading through a process not entirely dissimilar from panspermia20.
"Blind" and driven solely by instinct, Yaldabaoth is depicted as being accompanied by six otherworldly entities known as "Archons" (or "Vultaas" among certain Proto-Sarkic cults). These beings are described by Sarkic texts as faceless manifestations of primordial chaos, their true forms inconceivable to the human mind. Gnostic and Mekhanite scripture would mention the Archons as well, describing them as "terrible and rapacious angels".
The swineherd prostrated himself before the Sorcerer-King and asked, "Great Sorcerer-King and Ozi̮rmok, Heart of Man and Light of Lights. I speak for the folk of the cold-marsh. We fear the red lanterns that dance without harmony; our spirit-guides warn of ill omens."
And Ion did assure the man, "I have gazed upon the Faceless Ones, servitors of His Undulating Vastness. Their chief is blind - castrated by our words and will. He sings songs of anarchy but they will not come again. These terrible spirits do not deserve our love; render unto them no sacrifice until the stars have aligned."
Sone Vith
"The Six Ordeals of Ion" refers to six challenges issued to Ion by the Archons. Through enduring their trials, Ion is said to have mastered the rituals and practices ubiquitous to Sarkicism - breaking free from the "bondage" of mortal limitations. Further information about Ion's relationship with Yaldabaoth and his Archons (as well as the nature of the "Ordeals") remains unknown.21
And to his flock, Ion thus spoke: "I have stepped beyond the Floe of Dreams; stood before the Old Ones within their own desolate domain.
I have endured their intolerable force, across countless eons.
I have seen the infinite dead worlds, murdered death herself.
I have read the entrails of our Creator, beheld eternity unfurled.
Know that our paradise draws near.
And with our own flesh shall we birth it.
Sone Skaal
Most information regarding Sarkic history and mythology is sourced to the Bodfel Codex. Recovered from SCP-2480, the codex includes a partial translation of the Valkzaron and related marginalia. Along with archaeological evidence, the Foundation has been able to establish the historicity of Sarkicism.
As essential as the codex has been, large gaps remain in the timeline and much of the following is entirely speculative and subject to change.
Early History:
Sarkic weapons, armor, and trinkets have been discovered among Minoan ruins on the island of Santorini (formerly Thera), possibly placing their origins to at least before the eruption event which triggered the complete collapse of Minoan civilization around 1500 BCE22. Daevite tablets, dated to approximately 1800 BCE, refer to a slave rebellion in the northernmost province, led by a charismatic heresiarch and "half-blood". Scrolls discovered within contain phrases and terms archetypal to Sarkic cults, including references to a "Grand Karcist Ion". These findings suggest that Sarkicism has existed for nearly 4,000 years. All evidence, linguistically and archaeologically, points to western Siberia as Sarkicism's place of origin.
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Seal of ION
Ion, if still alive (if having ever existed at all), likely represents a high level reality bender. Little is known about the Grand Karcist, "Sorcerer-King of Adytum23", with all information being in the form of deification or demonization and lacking in factual reliability. The Valkzaron refers to Ion as having been born to a Daevite mother and sired by a concubinus father - implying that males born of such unions were destined for slavery. The exact nature of Ion's bondage is unknown but his supposed intellect suggests that he was not used for combat or manual labor, perhaps serving under an alchemist or priestess.
It remains unknown which came first: Ion's doctrine or his revolution. If these events are grounded in reality, it is possible that the religion developed in coincidence with his slave revolt and as a way to codify their methods of anomalous warfare. In his mission, Ion was aided by four individuals known as the Klavigar. Figures of reverence and supposed disciples of Ion, they are the saints of Sarkicism.
Hagiography:
- ACCESS GRANTED
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Seal of NADOX.
Associated with intelligence, wisdom, perception, and mysteries. Epithets include: the Tongueless Speaker, Lord of Mysteries, the All-Seeing, and the Anticipation of Ion. Once a sage in the southernmost region of Daevite influence, he preached a philosophy of peace and equality, building a following among the impoverished.
Agitating the Daeva, he was captured and publicly tortured - the poor he had tried to help now hurling stones upon him. Before the crowd of hundreds, "drunk and atrocious in their stupidity", a Daeva priestess cut off his tongue, sewed shut his mouth, and had him emasculated24. Rather than having Nadox executed, they instead had him "marked" - a symbol placed upon the forehead. Impossible to remove, it designated him as a "Sufferer" - one who the people were required, by the Daeva's decree, to forever torment but never kill.
Nadox wandered the land as a pariah; denied refuge and safe passage; struck with rocks and slashed with knives - all by the people he had hoped to save. It is written that he beheld, while suffering a fever dream, a messianic entity; one that could rescue him, and humanity, from an existence of "suffering and tears". Nadox would travel north in search of this savior, to guide Ion toward his destiny.
And Ion held six fingers aloft and upon their spears did the soldiers impale themselves. "For you!" they cried before the blood drowned their tongues. And Ion said, "Now do you see?" And Nadox wept, as more did skewer themselves in Ion's name, for he had seen and now knew the truth of his words.
Sone Suraas
- ACCESS GRANTED
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Seal of LOVATAAR.
Associated with sex, love, eroticism, pleasure, motherhood, disease, and unrestrained reproduction (breeding, cancers, growth, etc.). Epithets include: the One Whom Ion Most Desired, the Highblood Redeemer, and the Mother (on rare occasion "Brood" or "Hive" Mother). A priestess, as well as the daughter of a Daeva Matriarch, she was initially in opposition to Ion - whose revolution threatened her way of life. It is written that her hatred for Ion eventually became a sort of infatuation. Unable to remove him from her mind, she sought to capture and bind him as her consort.
In her quest to make him hers, Lovataar sent wave after wave of slave-hunters but none returned. In time, it would be Ion who came to her by his own accord. It is written that Ion visited her in the night, bypassing her guards and appearing within her bedchamber. Instead of attacking, he sat upon the edge of the bed and quietly spoke to her. What was said is unknown25 but resulted in Lovataar and Ion forming a "union" over a period of twelve days. On the twelve day, the two left her palace behind - never to return.
Beneath the Black Moon, Her Devotion took the form of a stone knife, like those of the reindeer folk of Adí-üm. Penetrated, amber blood, colored by ancient sins, poured from the wound - her tears like the warm rain of distant summers.
Beneath the Poison Moon, the amber flowed no more - and the snow, she painted red. [indecipherable] for Ion, who drank deep the fermented honey of Lovataar's kiss. Ion surrendered upon her pale breasts - a shared respite in ecstasy.
Still Ion hungered, and from Lovataar's dark lips flowed words, "There is pleasure in serving." Smiling, he [bowed/lowered] his head - knowing the drunk joy, of milk and sweet fermented honey.
Sone Tal
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Seal of OROK.
A figure of reverence and supposed disciple of Ion. Associated with strength, war, violence, wilderness, hunting and, seemingly in contradiction, loyalty and revolt. Epithets include: the Horned Beast, the Brute Lord, and the Pale Hunter. Described as being of unnatural physical strength, Orok was the product of alchemical and thaumaturgical experimentation on slaves. Enthralled to Matriarch Aśvighoṣa, the ruling Daeva in the city of Jel, Orok served as a bodyguard and pit-fighter26.
It is written that Ion, when taking the city of Jel, entered the palace of Matriarch Aśvighoṣa (presumably, the highest authority in the city). He requested that the matriarch should leave and take with her a message to the "Daeva of Daevas", lest she suffer retribution. Refusing his ultimatum, the matriarch ordered Orok to destroy him. It is written that Orok hesitated, his "runes of bondage [setting] his starved soul aflame so that his body became spirit"; turning to his matriarch, he struck Aśvighoṣa, his fist imbued with the very power she had forced upon him, and reduced her body to "cinder and ash and heavenly starlight".
As Orok said to the Kytherans27 : "Power is made from the pain of the fragile. Here weakness dies. Here strength is born. I exert myself, a pale reflection of Ion's sacrifice of flesh to the intolerable force, and shed frailty's husk. I commune with my akuloth28 core - my sacred metamorphosis complete."
Sone Szusk
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Seal of SAARN.
A figure of reverence and supposed disciple of Ion. Associated with darkness, secrecy, deception, poison, assassination, and justice (or jaka29). Epithets include: the Whisperer, the Coiled Shadow, the Faceless One, and the Judgment of Ion. A young house servant, she quietly endured Daevite abuse throughout her life. Having suffered long enough, she calmly murdered the entire household with poison, garrote, and dagger. Captured, she would be imprisoned within the fortress city of Kurst30.
Saarn was awaiting execution when first approached by Ion, who moved through the dungeon walls like "the mist of Summer's snow-melt". There he said: "The winds whispered of your actions. There is no evil in the Judgment. You did not choose to be the vessel of our will. Many will die this day but you are needed alive". The prophet's hand is described as having transformed into "a wolfish maw", tearing apart the cell door with its teeth and liberating Saarn.
Honing her skills, Saarn would eventually control a network of spies and assassins. A Daevite tablet describes their efficacy in graphic detail, including men and women disemboweled in the streets and Daevite infants strangled in their own cradles by "traitorous servants".
The heart is made [silent/still].
Before her dagger seen.
A moment immortalized in a single [strike/stab].
The Judgment - unavoidable, inescapable.
Dismay; a death inconceivable,
To the arrogance of Daeva.
Triumph; a dagger in the darkness.
With the blood of tyrants,
Our children sleep well.
Sone Vaku
There is little available information about Sarkicism between c. 1600 and c. 1200 BCE, despite the period being considered the "Golden Age" of Sarkic civilization. It is during this period that Daevite culture recedes31, existing only as a small city state in what is now Mongolia. It is theorized that the Adí-üm empire left little archaeological evidence for its existence due to Sarkic structures being composed of living organic material.
War and the Fall of the Adí-üm Empire:
Sarkic civilization, having reached its zenith, began to spread into the Caucasus, Anatolia, Balkans, and parts of the Levant and Mesopotamia. Impressed by (or fearful of) their anomalous capabilities, several tribal groups began to fight under the banner of Adí-üm; these include Kaskians, Proto-Thracians, Lycians, Illyrians, and many others. The Hittite king Suppiluliuma II tried in vain to defeat the invaders, contributing to the fall of the Hittite empire.32
The Adí-üm empire established a foothold in the Mediterranean, invading/colonizing the islands of Cyprus, Crete, and Gyaros. It is uncertain as to who struck first but a coalition of kingdoms was formed in response to the Sarkic threat, resulting in a war around 1200 BCE. Archaeological findings such as mass graves, weapons, terrain damage, and primary source documents (such as scrolls recovered from Gyaros and the Aral Sea) reveal the extreme (and anomalous) nature of the war. Foundation historians estimate a death toll ranging from 20 to 30 million, making it the fourth most devastating war in recorded history. According to recovered documents, the coalition formed in response to the Adí-üm empire included Egyptians, Mycenaean Greeks, Minoans33, Canaanites, Assyrians, and the Mekhanites34.
Most details of the war are unknown to the Foundation. It is suspected that the deployment of Colossi (such as SCP-2406), as well as the heavy use of a substance resembling "Greek fire"35, that turned the tide of war against the Sarkites. When the war was over, the Adí-üm empire was assumed destroyed along with Sarkic civilization. In reality, Sarkicism would continue in secret - at both its homeland in the Urals and among the tribes that had fought under the banner of Adí-üm (such as among the Thracians and Dacians). The damage to the region was great and many civilizations did not recover, resulting in the collapse of various kingdoms, a crisis of refugees, the decline of art, literature, science, and technology, and the lingering disease and famine from Sarkic biological weapons; an event later known to historians as the Late Bronze Age collapse.
The fall of the Adí-üm empire also resulted in a Sarkic diaspora, leading to the development of culturally distinct Sarkic cults in places such as the Arabian Peninsula and the Indian subcontinent. Due to a lack of reliable information, the Foundation can only speculate about Sarkic activities between c. 1100 BCE and 1300 CE.
The Rise of Neo-Sarkicism:
János the Wise (Karcist Sverok), 1560; Solomonar and court magician to Balázs II "the Mad".
The majority of known Neo-Sarkic cults36 appear to descend from certain Carpathian noble families influenced by the Proto-Sarkic Solomonari. It is unknown whether the Solomonari intentionally infiltrated Carpathian courts or if they were instead sought out by the nobles themselves, ignoring or dismissing (possibly embracing) the rumors of devil worship and witchcraft surrounding the cult. Documents and artifacts retrieved from SCP-████ suggest that some Solomonari served as "court magicians", advising their lords and ladies on matters of alchemy, medicine, astrology, and the occult.
In time this would result in the development of Sarkic "Great Houses"; affluent families practicing their own interpretation of Sarkicism, placing the individual above the collective and applying it to their own self-serving needs. This new strain of Sarkicism would spread throughout Europe via marriage; once these footholds were established, the Great Houses grew incestuous.
ndividual orders vary by region but can be divided into two primary types: Proto-Sarkic and Neo-Sarkic. These do not appear to represent divergent beliefs so much as environmental adaptations.
Practitioners of Proto-Sarkicism do not operate in the open unless a location is significantly isolated. Such sects display acute technophobia and eschew modernity, willing to go so far as destroy or disable advanced electronics when encountered37. Proto-Sarkic cults generally value humility and self-sacrifice.
Known Orders:
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A page from a Solomonari ritual book.
The ancestors of the Solomonari38 likely settled in the Carpathian Basin between 1200 to 600 BCE. It is presently hypothesized that the Sarkites assimilated the local proto-Thracian people, eventually becoming the Dacians - a people recorded by Ancient Greek and Roman sources.
A Sarkic stronghold39, since classified as SCP-████, was discovered in the Southern Carpathians and is believed to have once been the heart of the Solomonari cult. It has been hypothesized that the Solomonari are related to (or one and the same as) the Dacian Cult of Zalmoxis, having culturally melded with the ancient proto-Thracian people.
Documents discovered at SCP-████ and SCP-2191 suggest that the Solomonari remained highly influential, albeit secretive, until the 15th century - possibly destroyed by John Hunyadi, a leading Hungarian military and political figure. Several boyars of Wallachia and Moldavia, most notably the Gutkeled clan of Hungarian nobles, are now believed to have been under the control of the Solomonari; an influence that would lead to the development of Neo-Sarkicism and it's western expansion.
It remains debatable whether modern practitioners should be considered true Solomonari, in event of what has been learned at SCP-████. Most are located in isolated pockets throughout the Carpathians, with little to no connection with one another. The religion, in its current state, is an amalgam of local folk traditions and Solomonari blood rituals.
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Located at SCP-2133: A cabin door freshly painted with a religious symbol.
The Church of the Red Harvest were discovered at SCP-2133 in 1936 by GRU Division "P". The Foundation became aware of the sect shortly after gaining control of SCP-2133 following the dissolution of the USSR.
SCP-2133 is an unnamed village located in the northern Ural Mountains whose denizens are the only known members of the Church of the Red Harvest. The church practices a regeneration ritual, their recent dead harvested as newborns from the turnip fields found throughout SCP-2133. Members refer to the regenerative process as a part of an "old covenant", one that cannot be broken and is to last until the return of "paradise" (Adytum).
It is currently believed that the Church of the Red Harvest is directly controlled by a Karcist ("Karcist Alka") located in a subterranean dwelling beneath the nearby mountains, connected to the village by a series of tunnels accessible via the village church.
A Vātula ceremonial circle.
The Vātula (Sanskrit: वातुल) were initially mistaken for Aghori40 due to several, superficially similar rituals. Known to the Foundation since 1969, a Sarkic connection was only established in 2010 through extensive research.
The Vātula command fear and respect among the rural poor in the Indian states of Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana, Punjab, and Gujarat. They trace their origins to Karcist Vaski, who they claim arrived from the northwest - granting them his blessing and spreading a virulent plague to their enemies.
Neo-Sarkicism displays only a superficial resemblance to historical and current Proto-Sarkic sects. Whereas Proto-Sarkicism is isolated and archaic, bound by superstition and taboo, Neo-Sarkicism embraces modernity. Whereas Proto-Sarkicism is fragmented (each group existing within a vacuum), Neo-Sarkicism is cosmopolitan and unified.
It remains unknown whether Neo-Sarkic cults represent a relatively recent development or a willing evolution of Proto-Sarkic sects. Neo-Sarkites display no qualms with technology and may be found in heavily populated locations, their daily lives differing little from others of their culture and social status. For Neo-Sarkic cults, the proper moral purpose of one's life is the pursuit of one's own desires and the attainment of power.
Known Orders:
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A likely invitation to the November 28, 1952 ceremony removed from the corpse of an Adytum's Wake cultist.
Active throughout the Northeastern United States, Adytum's Wake is thought to be the oldest Sarkic organization in North America with evidence of their existence dating as far back as 1650. The organization was presumably destroyed on November 28, 1952 but not before the creation of SCP-2480 - considered by the founders of Project: Sitra Achra to represent the "first shots" of what would become a complex and invisible conflict.
Cornelius P. Bodfel III (Karcist Sulkisk), a millionaire industrialist with an acute interest in the occult, was the acting leader of Adytum's Wake until his death in 1952. Dismissed by the Foundation in 1932 as merely another "decadent social club", their anomalous capabilities were not recognized until the November 28, 1952 incident.
The Foundation fears that Adytum's Wake survived its initial defeat. It is theorized that the renewed cult is presently under the control of Vivian Durant-Croÿ (president and CEO of the Durant Bodfel Financial Group), wife of Hungarian national Alexander Croÿ (CEO of Abraxas Arms and a suspected Sarkite).
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"Skull of Orok", a tattoo motif common to members of the Black Lodge
GoI-0432 is an anomalous criminal cult primarily active in the post-Soviet states. Known as "The Hunter's Black Lodge" (or simply the "Black Lodge"), GoI-0432 has been linked to extortion, murder, robbery, gambling, prostitution, human trafficking, drug trafficking, weapons trafficking, and underground fighting rings. While these activities are not inherently anomalous, the anomalous capabilities of GoI-0432 has had an aberrant effect on their practice.
The Foundation first became aware of the Black Lodge in the early 1990s after receiving a tip from informants in INTERPOL. Further investigation uncovered GoI-0432 related documents from the recently dissolved GRU Division "P", later corroborated by former members. It appears that GRU Division "P" was unable to fully contain or neutralize the threat presented by the Black Lodge, with one source describing them as a "hydra" - the organization thought neutralized on several occasions only for it to reappear months later, "stronger than before".
Victims of the Black Lodge have been discovered impaled, penetrated by large organic spines41 - the decedents commonly showing evidence of ritual cannibalism.
Family crest of House Vörös, whose members hold immense sway over the cult.
Active primarily throughout Europe, the Esoteric Order of the White Worm (Fehér Féreg Ezoterikus Rend) is a Sarkic cult disguised as an occult themed fraternal organization42. Similar to other "secret societies", the existence of the cult is an open secret while its true nature is unknown to the general population43.
Based on documents recovered from the SCP-████ archives, the Esoteric Order may be one of the earliest Neo-Sarkic sects. Founded by Hungarian nobles heavily influenced by their Solomonari "court magicians", the religion transformed from a hidden pagan faith to a secret tool of the landed gentry.
Descendants of House Vörös (a Hungarian noble family) are thought to dominate the leadership positions of the Esoteric Order.
The creation and manipulation of living organisms through anomalous44 means represents the most immediate threat posed by Sarkicism. Enough patterns have been discovered among these organisms that they can be divided into different "species". These organisms display no signs of fear or pain and regenerate injuries at an anomalous rate. Below is a partial list of such entities:
SK-BIO Type A
Colloquially referred to as "behemoths" by personnel. These entities are commonly over 4 meters tall, weighing approximately 7,000 kg, with pale, flabby skin. Lacking visible eyes, ears, and noses - their faces dominated by a large toothy mouth. The first recorded instance of an SK-BIO Type A was SCP-2480-2. They appear to be of limited intelligence.
SK-BIO Type B
Generally 1.5 to 2 meters tall and weigh approximately 250 kg. Mouths are vertical, running the length of what approximates a face; spindly fingers end in 50 to 60 cm talons. Bodies are partially protected by white, chitinous carapace - the flesh beneath dark red and visible at movable joints.
SK-BIO Type Γ
Also classified as SCP-2191-1. SK-BIO Type Γ are considered genetically human but have undergone several significant, seemingly fatal mutations. SK-BIO Type Γ lack all major internal organs with the exception of the lungs, heart, and brain stem. The outer epidermis lacks pigmentation and displays a condition resembling cracked porcelain, possibly related to Harlequin syndrome. Entities appear androgynous, lacking or having somehow removed secondary sex characteristics. Their regressed eyes are covered by a layer of skin, rendering them mostly blind but still able to react to light (universally displaying aversion to wavelengths > 100 nm). Further deviations from baseline homo sapiens include especially flat, upturned noses, and funnel-shaped ears; both considered related to their dependency on olfactory and auditory perception. They do not appear to communicate via language, the only sound produced being a persistent clicking of the tongue – speculated to be a form of echolocation.
SK-BIO Type Δ
Colloquially referred to as "snatchers" by personnel. Prehensile organic structures, dark red in color and with a tentaculoid shape. SK-BIO Type Δ are sedentary and are generally used by Sarkites to guard specific locations.
SK-BIO Type Ε
Known to Sarkites as a "Kiraak", instances of SK-BIO Type E are organic, biologically living structures used as temples. The Foundation presently has a deceased instance (SCP-2095) in containment but other, possibly living instances are theorized to exist across the world. Update: Living instances have been recently encountered by field agents; further information is pending.
"The creation of a Kiraak is more terrible than initially hypothesized. A living human is 'anointed' then repeatedly fed and shaped, its brain slowly atrophying as it becomes a living temple. The Sarkites cultivate flesh and bone as one might tend a bonsai tree." - Dr. Tsukino
SK-BIO Type Ζ
Known to Sarkites as an "Akuloth" and "His Sacred White Worm", instances of SK-BIO Type Z are symbiotic organisms found in the bodies of both Sarkites and Sarkic organisms. It is believed that they act as a secondary immune system, protecting the host against disease as well as greatly increasing their regenerative abilities. SK-BIO Type Z is also believed to be connected to the physical transformations some Sarkites undergo.
SK-BIO Type H
SK-BIO Type H may exist as or be composed of multiple 'species' and generally refers to any SK-BIO Type that lacks a stable physical form (although this can occur in many, if not all Sarkic organisms if critically injured). Existing as a gelatinous mass, such organisms are able to increase their size (with no known limit) by absorbing the biomass of those it encounters. An individual can be converted into a SK-BIO Type H by ritual, as encountered when SCP-2075 caused the transfiguration and subsequent death of Dr. Albert Cronenberg.