This Little Known Website Just Might Give You Nightmares | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Lifestyle

This Little Known Website Just Might Give You Nightmares

This wiki-styled website may contain inspiration for the next big horror film.

696
This Little Known Website Just Might Give You Nightmares
Alex Andreev

A shadowy government organization is collecting and documenting objects and creatures of unknown origins. These objects and creatures often bend the rules of reality, or impose their own rules and create their own reality. This is not a summary of Men in Black or Warehouse 13, but the premise of one of the largest creative projects on the internet: The SCP Foundation.

The SCP Foundation originated in 2007 from 4chan's /x/ - a messageboard dedicated to paranormal pictures, stories, and discussions. The very first entry was SCP-173. Based on a photo of an art project by Izumi Kato, the idea was simple enough: what would it look like if a secret organization wrote out the rules for containing a creature that was invincible when you looked at it, and blindingly fast and deadly when out of sight? (Yes, just like the "Weeping Angels" from Doctor Who.)



The articles and pages themselves are not really "stories"; rather, they read as instructions for containment of the subjects and (usually) reduce casualties; hence the meaning of "SCP": Secure, Contain, Protect. These entries are all written in the kind of jargon one would expect from such an organization, filled with black boxes where information was removed, names and details replaced with "[REDACTED]," and mentions of different sites and areas that the SCP Foundation owns. These little details in story-telling are excellent in immersing the readers in the world presented. Much like the "Based on a true story" trope, the jargon and format give the pieces that much more realism.

Many of the SCP entries are based upon photos randomly found around the internet, much like the above SCP-173 (titled "The Sculpture"). For instance, the "Hard-to-Destroy Reptile" SCP-682 is based upon a photo of a sea creature dredged up in Russia. This entry is much more straightforward in concept— a nearly indestructible monster— but is perhaps more thought out in its containment protocol:

SCP-682 should be contained within a 5 m x 5 m x 5 m chamber with 25 cm reinforced acid-resistant steel plate lining all inside surfaces. The containment chamber should be filled with hydrochloric acid until SCP-682 is submerged and incapacitated.[...]


Though not every object is outright destructive. Accompanying every entry is a "threat level" marked in the SCP's own terms:

Safe: A strange object/creature with easily understood and contained properties; harmless

Euclid: A dangerous object/creature that isn't well understood; usually requires surveillance

Keter: A dangerous object/creature that could be world ending without constant diligence in containment

Thaumiel: An object/creature that can be used to contain other more dangerous objects/creatures

So while the SCP entries above are likely Keter-class, some of the more /comical entries are:

SCP-____ : "A rock that makes you procrastinate or something"

SCP-586: A scarf that causes those near it to misspell or use wrong words

But other entries are much more terrifying:

SCP-1981: A videotape of a Ronald Reagan speech. Every time it is played, the speech is different (sometimes prescient), and he is slowly sliced apart by something invisible, or hooded figures stand behind him

SCP-087: A bottomless staircase that absorbs all light that enters it. A face sometimes appears in the darkness. This entry is accompanied by the reports of interactions with it, which are closer to true "stories."

But perhaps the best SCP entries are those that are truly creative and innovative in their conception.

●●|●●●●●|●●|●: Written entirely in pictographs. Why? Take a look!


The SCP Foundation is an incredible repository of modern horror pieces. There is no shortage in the imagination behind these pieces and no stop to what these simple entries can inspire in others. But unless you're prepared to avoid sleep, try not to read these in the dark.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

178887
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

6084
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

Power of Love Letters

I don't think I say it enough...

451701
Illistrated image of a letter with 2 red hearts
StableDiffusion

To My Loving Boyfriend,

  • Thank you for all that you do for me
  • Thank you for working through disagreements with me
  • Thank you for always supporting me
  • I appreciate you more than words can express
  • You have helped me grow and become a better person
  • I can't wait to see where life takes us next
  • I promise to cherish every moment with you
  • Thank you for being my best friend and confidante
  • I love you and everything you do

To start off, here's something I don't say nearly enough: thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You do so much for me that I can't even put into words how much I appreciate everything you do - and have done - for me over the course of our relationship so far. While every couple has their fair share of tiffs and disagreements, thank you for getting through all of them with me and making us a better couple at the other end. With any argument, we don't just throw in the towel and say we're done, but we work towards a solution that puts us in a greater place each day. Thank you for always working with me and never giving up on us.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Signs You Grew Up In Hauppauge, NY

Because no one ever really leaves.

22836
Map of Hauppauge, New York
Google

Ah, yes, good old Hauppauge. We are that town in the dead center of Long Island that barely anyone knows how to pronounce unless they're from the town itself or live in a nearby area. Hauppauge is home to people of all kinds. We always have new families joining the community but honestly, the majority of the town is filled with people who never leave (high school alumni) and elders who have raised their kids here. Around the town, there are some just some landmarks and places that only the people of Hauppauge will ever understand the importance or even the annoyance of.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments