SCP-4960

Link to article: SCP-4960.

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[[tab SCP-4960]]
[[include component:image-block name=SCP-4XXX|caption=A digital reconstruction of a relief plaque believed to depict SCP-4960.|width=300px]]

**Item #:** SCP-4960

**Object Class:** Euclid

**Special Containment Procedures:** SCP-4960 is housed in a Class-A suite at Site-17. Due to a history of cooperation with the Foundation, SCP-4960 has been granted Level 2 Privileges, although contact with non-cleared personnel is forbidden.

In order to maintain the efficacy of Procedure 166-Anahita, the Foundation has commissioned several artists (including an animation studio) to produce graven images[[footnote]]Used here to refer to images used in the act of worship, regardless of artistic medium.[[/footnote]] for Procedure 166-Anahita. As the continued efficacy of Procedure 166-Anahita requires a constant influx of new graven images, a special account has been established to fund these works through several sockpuppet accounts on multiple popular e-commerce and art gallery websites. This account is refreshed every two weeks by the fiscal calendar. Contact ████ █████████ in the Financial Services department if additional funds become necessary.

**Description:** SCP-4960 is a physical manifestation of Kedesh-Nanaya, a Bronze Age sex and fertility goddess of beauty, carnal pleasure, and erotic femininity. SCP-4960 manifests as a buxom woman of average height and curvaceous build, with ample breasts, firm buttocks, and shapely legs. Her skin tone is coppery and without blemish, save for a small beauty mark on her upper lip. Her sleek, black hair falls to below her hips, and shimmers blue-black like a raven's wing. SCP-4960 generally prefers to go nude in her chambers, although she is fond of wearing finely wrought gold jewelry and diaphanous robes cut to emphasize her voluptuous figure.[[footnote]]This section is currently under review by RAISA for possible revision.[[/footnote]]

SCP-4960 gains sustenance from the act of worship described in Document 166-Anahita (designated Procedure 166-Anahita). The number of daily acts of worship required to maintain SCP-4960's current level of wakefulness varies based on the devotion of the worshipper and quality of the act of worship. Should the number of daily acts of worship fall under a critical threshold for a prolonged period of time, SCP-4960 will fall into a torpor state until the completion of a sufficient number of acts of worship.

As SCP-4960 has provided (and continues to provide) vital insights into ancient Bronze Age cultures, languages, and occult practices that have proven vital to the operation of the Foundation, her continued wakefulness is considered important to Foundation operations. All reasonable efforts are to be made to provide her with the sustenance she requires, up to and including the performance of Procedure 166-Anahita by Foundation personnel.

-----
**Addendum 1 - Circumstances of Retrieval:** Site SC-9[[footnote]]The official designation for the temple in which SCP-4960 was discovered.[[/footnote]] was initially discovered in 1917 during the Hijazi uprising against the Turkish occupation in what is now modern-day Syria. Following the end of World War I and the subsequent establishment of French control over the region in 1920, an expedition was funded by the English philanthropist Lord J. P. Marshall to explore the dig site and catalog the artifacts contained within. British archaeologist F. William Abernathy was chosen as the expedition leader.

Chamber SC-9-F was discovered in September of 1921, after a local man hired as water-carrier stumbled upon a stone step leading downwards towards a hidden chamber, concealed under debris and rock chips. Excavation of the staircase revealed a doorway leading to a downwards-sloping corridor that had been blocked with soil, sandstone fragments, and other debris. Excavation of this corridor revealed a second door leading to Chamber SC-9-F.

SCP-4960 was discovered in Chamber SC-9-F in a torpor state, surrounded by graven images and other artifacts. The majority of the artifacts found within SCP-4960's shrine were recovered, catalogued, and transferred to secure custody for assessment and translation, although some were lost due to an attack by outside forces.[[footnote]]A catalogue of recovered artifacts and other paraphernelia surrounding the recovery of SCP-4960 can be found in the attached supplement.[[/footnote]] Of these artifacts, the item designated Document-166 Anahita proved vital in understanding SCP-4960's sustenance requirements, resulting in the codification of Procedure 166-Anahita.

SCP-4960 was first awakened on ██-██-████, following the accidental performance of an act of worship as described in Procedure 166-Anahita. Initial communications proved difficult to establish, requiring the aid of several experts in Bronze Age Levantine languages to establish a shared linguistic affinity. As of ██-██-████, SCP-4960 is fluent in several languages, including modern Greek, Egyptian, Arabic, and Esperanto.

-----
**Addendum 2 - Document 166-Anahita:** Document 166-Anahita is an erotic balbale[[footnote]]A Sumerian form of poetry characterized by repetition.[[/footnote]] written at some point during the 3rd millenium BC. Originally found inscribed on clay tablets in ancient Sumerian cuneiform, the document describes an act of worship called "Awakening the Goddess," which was the primary act of worship among devotees of Kedesh-Nanaya. A translation of this document is reproduced below.

> {{O, Kedesh-Nanaya, worthy daughter of An[[footnote]]Anu, the divine personification of the sky in the ancient Mesopotamian religion.[[/footnote]], unsurpassed in ladyship, from whose lips flow forth honey and wine:}}
> 
> {{Worthy are you to be worshipped, you who rest your thighs upon a throne of amber.}}[[footnote]]As is common for the time period, the poet appears to be using other bodily parts such as the feet, waist, thighs, and navel as a euphemism for genitalia.[[/footnote]]
> {{Worthy are you to be worshipped, you who clad yourself in twilight and mist.}}
> {{Worthy are you to be worshipped, you who decorate yourself in ornaments of gold.}}
> {{Worthy are you to be worshipped, you whose lips separate like rose petals.}}
> 
> {{Let me come into your presence to worship your womanly thighs.}}
> {{Let me come into your presence to seek comfort between your breasts.}}
> {{Let me come into your presence to drink sweet wine from your navel.}}
> {{Let me come into your presence to press my lips against your feet.}}
> 
> {{I kneel before your image, and my eyes see your nakedness.}}
> {{I kneel before your image, and your breasts make my belly awaken.}}
> {{I kneel before your image, and your hips are particularly pleasing.}}
> {{I kneel before your image, and your thighs enflame my lusts.}}
> 
> {{O, Kedesh-Nanaya, worthy daughter of An, unsurpassed in ladyship, from whose lips flow forth honey and wine:}}
> 
> {{You come to me with bread and wine in the hours before dawn,}} 
> {{You come to me as the world sleeps, though I lie awake.}}
> {{You come to me with milk and honey as I beseech you to draw near.}}
> {{You come to me, and your patient smile calms my sorrowing heart.}}
> 
> {{As the digger digs his trenches, let me dig your canals.}}
> {{As the farmer ploughs his furrows, let me plough your fields.}}
> {{As the water wets the earth, let me wet your furrows.}}
> {{As beloved dine on milk and wine, let us sup together in your name.}}
> 
> {{I kneel before your image, and my hand becomes your womanhood.}}[[footnote]]This segment was instrumental in the establishment of Procedure 166-Anahita.[[/footnote]]
> {{I kneel before your image, and your warmth consumes my warmth.}}
> {{I kneel before your image, and you coax me to come forth.}}
> {{I will never grace a wife or lover: my milk[[footnote]]An obvious reference to semen.[[/footnote]] is yours alone.}}
> 
> {{O, Kedesh-Nanaya, worthy daughter of An, unsurpassed in ladyship, from whose lips flow forth honey and wine:}}
> 
> {{You who grasp in your hand the naked sword and the tapered axe.}}[[footnote]]Believed to be a reference to Nergal, an ancient Mesopotamian solar deity.[[/footnote]]
> {{You who grasp in your hands the snake and the lotus.}}[[footnote]]Phallic and yonic imagery.[[/footnote]]
> {{You who shine brightly as the lovely morning star.}}[[footnote]]The planet Venus.[[/footnote]]
> {{Come to me, unworthy as I am, and let your lips meet mine.}}

-----
**Addendum 3 - Authorization of Expansion of Procedure 166-Anahita, Dated ██-██-████:** Due to the lack of personnel available to perform Procedure 166-Anahita and the loss of efficacy of previous methods of recruiting worshippers, the following course of action has been approved by the Overseer Council:
* The creation of new images of SCP-4960.
* Distribution of these images through electronic means, focusing on internet art galleries and anonymous imageboards.

//Additional Note:// The above-mentioned actions have resulted in a significant number of anonymous acts of worship as described in Procedure 166-Anahita. Although insufficient to maintain full wakefulness, the establishment of this course of action has reduced the burden on Foundation personnel by nearly 15%.

-----
**Addendum 4 - Further Developments in Procedure 166-Anahita, Dated ██-██-████:** Graven images of SCP-4960 have proven unusually popular in the internet art galleries and anonymous imageboards mentioned in Addendum 3. In addition, several non-Foundation associated artists have created their own personal graven images of SCP-4960, which has resulted in a marked increase in SCP-4960's wakefulness. With SCP-4960's cooperation, the Foundation has authorized the creation of a work of interactive fiction to increase awareness of SCP-4960's graven images.

//Additional Note:// Thanks to the above-mentioned actions, compulsory participation by Foundation personnel in Procedure 166-Anahita has been reduced by 75%.

-----
**Addendum 5 - Continued Expansion of Procedure 166-Anahita, Dated ██-██-████:** The Foundation front account established in Addendum 3 was approached by an animation firm located in ████████████, ██████, which expressed interest in the creation of a series of animated films inspired by SCP-4960. After consulting with SCP-4960, it was decided that the Foundation would pursue a partnership with said animation firm, provided that the security of the Foundation's front corporations could be maintained.

//Additional Note:// The above-mentioned actions have resulted in a drastic number of anonymous acts of worship as described in Procedure 166-Anahita, to a level sufficient to maintain the full wakefulness of SCP-4960. Compulsory participation by Foundation personnel in Procedure 166-Anahita is no longer required.

-----
**Addendum 6 - Note Regarding Demographics of Participants in Procedure 166-Anahita:** A brief anonymous survey carried out on █████████████.com from ██-██-████ to ██-██-████ indicates the following:
* The majority of participants in Procedure 166-Anahita are unmarried heterosexual males between the ages of 14 and 40. 
* A significant minority of participants are homosexual females. Most of this minority utilize Document 4960-Beta (OVA 2 - The Goddess and the Princess Locked in Lust!) for their act of worship.
* The majority of participants in Procedure 166-Anahita report an initial surge in worship averaging one performance of Procedure 166-Anahita daily, tapering off after an average of seven days until their interest shifts.
* Participation on Procedure 166-Anahita experiences a significant upsurge after the release of graven images featuring SCP-4960. However, due to the financial and scheduling difficulties experienced by the animation studio that produces said works, release of new animated episodes is limited to one or two annually.
* A small but significant number of worshippers maintain a devoted dedication to SCP-4960, and participate in the creation of their own graven images and prose works exalting SCP-4960. SCP-4960 has established interest in making personal contact with several of these worshippers with the aim of creating a new priesthood dedicated to her service. At the moment, this request is denied.

-----
**Addendum 7 - Request Regarding Revision of Special Containment Procedures:**
> **From:** ████████████ █████, Hazardous Materials, Containment, and Logistics
> **To:** Maria Jones, Records and Information Security Administration
> **Re:** Revision of Special Containment Procedures of SCP-4960
> 
> Maria,
> 
> For the love of Bob, could someone please, PLEASE revise the fucking Special Containment Procedures for this one? I know that the whole "horny middle-aged author" tone was used back in the day when the Foundation had to recruit internally to feed the Goddess, but given that she feeds mostly off of teenagers jerking off to her on the Internet nowadays, do we REALLY need to have that sort of smut fucking up our PROFESSIONAL DATABASE?
> 
> Sincerely,
> ███

> **From:** Maria Jones, Records and Information Security Administration
> **To:** ████████████ █████, Hazardous Materials, Containment, and Logistics
> **Re:** Revision of Special Containment Procedures of SCP-4960
> 
> ███,
> 
> Believe me, I've asked O5 about this. . . oh. . . about once every two months or so for the last few years. Official word is that the Overseers want to maintain a small cadre of "in-house worshippers" should her popularity wane to the point where the internet no longer provides enough worshippers to keep her fed and awake. 
> 
> If it bugs you enough, let me forward you a database extension that will redact the more objectionable parts of the Containment Procedures for you, so you can at least do your work without getting distracted.
> 
> Maria

> **From:** ████████████ █████, Hazardous Materials, Containment, and Logistics
> **To:** Maria Jones, Records and Information Security Administration
> **Re:** Revision of Special Containment Procedures of SCP-4960
> 
> It won't help. I'll know it's still there.
> 
> Thanks for trying.
[[/tab]]
[[tab Additional Documents]]
**Section 1: SC-9 Excavation Record**
Site SC-9 is a ziggurat located in modern-day Syria, ██ km ████ of ██████████[[footnote]]Location redacted for security purposes.[[/footnote]] Upon discovery in 1917, the structure was in an extreme state of disrepair, resulting in the discovery of a second, hidden temple located within its foundation (Chamber SC-9-F). Archaeological evidence indicates that the successor temple was constructed atop the foundations of a previous temple which had fallen into disrepair, and that Chamber SC-9-F was hastily repurposed to house and conceal SCP-4960 for an unknown reason.

The chamber itself is 1.75 meters tall, 6.52 meters long, and 4.92 meters wide, roughly oriented with the corners facing in the four cardinal directions. The northwestern and southeastern walls are decorated with paintings depicting scenes from mythology and daily life. The northeastern wall (opposite the entrance) is decorated with a five-panel bas-relief inset with lapis lazuli (Items 158-Anahita through 165-Anahita). A false wall originally concealed most of the chamber from view: this wall was damaged during the excavation, resulting in the discovery of the main chamber.

**Section 2: Partial Inventory of contents of Chamber SC-9-F**
* **Items 001 through 051:** Several clay pots, originally containing oils, wine, or water.
* **Item 052:** A bed, constructed of cedarwood and reed-fiber rope, gilded with gold and copper.[[footnote]]SCP-4960 was originally discovered laying on this bed.[[/footnote]]
* **Item 053:** The remains of a mattress, made of woven straw, originally located atop Item 052. [[footnote]]Unusually, considering the quality of the bed itself, the mattress appears to have been constructed of lesser-quality materials, indicating that it was borrowed or repurposed from a significantly less affluent person than the owner of the original bed.[[/footnote]]
* **Items 054 and 055:** Two dessicated human corpses, originally found laying on either side of Item 052 in a reclining position, with hands clasped over their chests. DNA and anatomical analysis indicates that both bodies were females in their early to late teens - possibly priestesses interred with SCP-4960.
* **Items 056 and 057:** Two golden cups, one depicting a man wrestling a bull, the other depicting workers harvesting grain. Originally found next to Items 54 and 55. Trace amounts of mercury detected within both.
* **Item 058:** A headdress constructed out of gold and silver, in the shape of a crescent moon, originally found worn by SCP-4960
* **Item 059:** A decorative veil constructed out of gold chain and leaf. Originally found attached to Item 58.
* **Item 067:** A wooden case, containing several reed styli and a small bronze knife.
* **Items 094 through 126:** A series of boxes of clay tablets covered in cuneiform inscribings. Translation of the contents indicate that the majority of these are a record of the financial dealings of the temple's priesthood, particularly a record of offerings and expenses.
* **Item 127:** A bow, constructed of a composite of hardwood, horn, and sinew. The bowstring (believed to be made of plant fiber) has since disintegrated.
* **Item 158:** A bas-relief, originally located on the northeastern wall of Chamber SC-9-F at far left. Depicts SCP-4960, open-mouthed and kneeling before an tumescent male (standing).
* **Item 159:** A bas-relief, originally located on the northeastern wall of Chamber SC-9-F second from left. Depicts SCP-4960 in the act of embracing a male figure.
* **Item 160:** A bas-relief originally located on the northeastern wall of Chamber SC-9-F third from left. Depicts SCP-4960 facing the viewer while standing atop a lion, holding a snake and a lotus in her hands.
* **Item 161:** A bas-relief, inset with lapis lazuli, originally located on the northeastern wall of Chamber SC-9-F fourth from left. Depicts SCP-4960 being embraced from behind by a male figure while in a standing position.
* **Item 162:** A bas-relief, inset with lapis lazuli, originally located on the northeastern wall of Chamber SC-9-F fifth from left. Depicts SCP-4960 squatting atop a male figure (reclining).
* **Item 166:** A series of clay tablets covered in cuneiform inscribings. Contains Document 166-Anahita.
* **Item 208:** A stone bas-relief of a hirsute man of Egyptian heritage, depicted in conversation with SCP-4960.
* **Item 209:** A clay statue depicting a male figure with exaggerated hands, grasping a staff with a rounded jewel on the end.
* **Item 349:** A clay tablet covered in cuneiform inscribings, protective charms, and incantations. Translates to, //"Cursed be you among men, you who sold your clan into slavery and devoured the flesh of your family and received your just reward!"//
* **Item 400:** A decorated chest made of cedarwood, depicting children at play on the lid. Contains a set of dolls with miniature furniture. 
* **Item 557:** A pair of staves or scepters, made of gilded cedarwood inset with stones, one in the shape of a hooded serpent, the other in the shape of a lotus flower.
* **Item 668:** A gold dagger and accompanying scabbard, 33 cm in length. The handle is constructed of lapis lazuli, and decorated with a lotus-flower design on the hilt and pommel. The scabbard is decorated with geometric patterns.
* **Item 713:** A finely carved alabaster vase containing traces of fragrant oils. One side depicts a great beast in the act of devouring an unknown man. The other side depicts SCP-4960 consulting with a warrior in full panoply.
* **Item 865:** A quiver, depicting SCP-4960 hunting foxes from a chariot. Originally contained eighteen reed arrows with bronze heads: these have since been lost.
* **Item 963:** A cedarwood box, inscribed with protective charms and incantations. [[footnote]]According to the notes of F. William Abernathy, the box originally contained a large polished ruby, which was subsequently stolen by a member of the archaeological team.[[/footnote]]

**Section 2: Gallery of Graven Images Featuring SCP-4960**
[[collapsible show="+ Click here to open Gallery (adult content warning)" hide="- Click Here to Close Gallery."]]
[[gallery size="small"]]
: British_Museum_Queen_of_the_Night.jpg alt="The Burney Relief, or "Queen of the Night." title="The Burney Relief, or "Queen of the Night."
: abernathy-5.png alt="Excerpt from the diary of F. William Abernathy." title="Excerpt from the diary of F. William Abernathy."
: SCP-4960-A.png alt="Image created by 'UncertaintyCrossing' in August 2018." title="Image created by 'UncertaintyCrossing' in August 2018."
: SCP-4960-B.png alt="Image created by 'AnagramDaine' in August 2018" title="Image created by 'AnagramDaine' in August 2018."
[[/gallery]]
[[/collapsible]]
[[/tab]]
[[tab The Abernathy Files]]
**Excerpts from the Diary of F. William Abernathy**
[[include component:image-block name=abernathy-1.png|caption=F. William Abernathy's initial sketch of the SC-9 Site.|width=150px]]
> //Friday, September 2, 1921//
> Left Aleppo for ████████. 
 
> //Saturday, September 3, 1921//
> Arrived at ████████. Assigned Carter to purchase supplies and donkeys for expedition. Went on to visit Eberstrom, living in his small house by the river. Had a most excellent dinner with him and spent the night.
 
> //Tuesday, September 6, 1921//
> Returned to ████████ by boat. Spoke to Carter re: plans for excavation. Compensated local merchant re: insult to fruit stand.

> //Friday, September 9, 1921//
> Commenced operations. Began with survey of Site SC-9. Ziggurat foundation measures 40 x 20 meters, oriented with the four corners facing in the cardinal directions. Initial survey indicates that this temple was dedicated to Nergal and Ereshkigal - principal shrine is missing, but presumed to have been located atop the uppermost platform.
> 
> Excavation continues at a satisfying pace, with the exception of several hours spent coralling escaped goats.

> //Saturday, September 10, 1921//
> At about 12 pm, discovered that B. had gone missing at midday rest. A quick search found him at the southwest portion of the ziggurat in an area originally designated as a midden. Admonished B. for leaving the camp, but was told that B. had stumbled upon a stone step conceled[sic] by dust and debris. A short time sufficed to show that this was the beginning of a staircase cut into the bedrock. Redirected excavation efforts to this location.

[[include component:image-block name=abernathy-2.png|caption=F. William Abernathy's initial sketch of the tunnel leading to Chamber SC-9-F.|width=250px]]
> //Monday, September 12, 1921//
> Excavation of staircase down to thirteenth step compltd[sic], revealing the upper portion of a doorway. An electric torch thrust into a hole made in the upper lintel reveals a short, downward sloping hallway largely filled with soil and debris, leading to a second doorway, also sealed.

> //Tuesday, September 27, 1921//
> Ld. M. arrived to oversee operations. Excavation has proceeded as far as first staircase: fifteen steps. Now that entire doorway is visible, signs of apparent violence to hinges evident. Consulted with Eberstrom regarding integrity of structure: carpenters now at work constructing supports for doorway and subsequent corridor.

> //Wednesday, September 28, 1921//
> Opened first doorway. Commenced excavation of debris and rubble from hallway.

> //Friday, September 30, 1921//
> Paid salaries. All accounted for except B., who I was told had left the expedition to return home to his mother, who has taken ill.
 
> //Saturday, October 1, 1921//
> B. has returned from visiting his mother, and was remonstrated for leaving the expedition without first informing me.
> 
> The excavation continues at a satisfactory pace.
 
> //Tuesday, October 11, 1921//
> Have cleared enough of the descending passage that a crawling man could reach the second doorway. A candle, held to a breach made in the upper lintel, reveals a chamber within: apparently a storage chamber for pots (possibly wine or water). With the hopes of the more mercenary members of the exhibition (who hoped for gold and treasures) dashed, it has been decided that the excavation's focus will return to the ziggurat itself, while a smaller team (led by myself) will continue cataloging the contents of this chamber.

[[include component:image-block name=abernathy-3.png|caption=F. William Abernathy's initial sketch of Chamber SC-9-F.|width=250px]]
> //Thursday, October 13, 1921//
> I find myself at a loss to describe the events of the past twenty-four hours, but I will make an effort to do so.
> 
> There were five of us present at the opening of the second door: Myself, Eberstrom, Carter, and two Arab laborers. The application of an iron bar and a hammer sufficed to force open the chamber, after which a lit candle was held up to the rapidly escaping air as a tell-tale for foul gasses.
> 
> Having satisfied ourselves as to the safety of the air within the chamber, we entered the room and discovered, as expected, a small storeroom for the storage of wine and oil in clay pots. We had begun cataloging the contents within when a clumsy misstep from Carter caused him to stumble against the wall, causing the pots to collapse. In so doing, he revealed that the back wall of the chamber was false, concealing a secondary chamber from view.
> 
> Immediately, our eyes were dazzled by the gleam of gold and precious jewels. However, as our eyes adjusted to the light, we soon perceived three human figures laying in repose in the center of the chamber. Two of them were dessicated cadavers, laying with their hands clasped across their chest, dressed in ornate priestly garb. The third, however, caused all of us to be taken aback: a woman, seemingly asleep, laying atop a gilded bed.
> 
> I am unashamed to admit that I was struck dumb for quite some time at this unexpected development. It was Eberstrom who first percieved the woman's state of undress, and quickly acted to cover her with his Arab-style robe. This seemed to stir the rest of us to action. When calling out, the slapping of wrists, and application of water proved to no avail, we concluded that she must have perished. How, then, could one explain her perfect state of preservation?
> 
> In our haste, we failed to percieve that one of the two Arabs had become more distressed. Soon, he took up the iron bar which he had used to break open the door of the chamber and lunged towards us, screaming in Arabic that the woman was the Whore of Babylon herself and must be slain. His companion stepped in front of him in an attempt to stop his mad rampage and had his brains dashed out for his troubles. Only Eberstrom's quick actions saved us all from being killed, as he fired his revolver, slaying the madman.
> 
> Realizing that the commotion would soon draw the attention of the camp, we conspired to keep the contents of this chamber secret. The bodies of the two workers were hastily covered in rubble, then the supports at the outer door were knocked out with a hammer, causing a portion of the corridor to collapse. We told the other members of the expedition that an accident had caused the deaths of the two laborers, and that what had sounded like gunshots were, in fact, the wooden supports giving way. This explanation sufficed to allay the suspicions of most of the expedition members, who heaped blame upon the carpenters for their shoddy work.
> 
> Eberstrom, Carter, and I held a meeting in my tent with Ld. Marshall after the workers had gone to sleep. It has been decided that, as the Arabs' intellects have proven susceptible to irrational violence by the contents of the chambers, only British staff will be allowed to continue the excavation of the hidden chamber, beginning with the rebuilding of the wooden supports. Two men shall be placed at the entrance of the chamber to guard against interlopers. All staff participating in the excavation will be sworn to secrecy, upon fear of being torn apart by berserk Mohammedans should they discover what lies within the hidden chamber.

> //Friday, October 14, 1921//
> At approximately 2 am last night, I was awakened from a most agreeable slumber by a scream. Leaping from my cot, I took up my glasses and a lantern and ran towards the source of the noise, whereupon I discovered one of the Arab workers in a state of panic, screaming and pointing towards the door of the hidden chamber.
> 
> It soon transpired that this man had concluded that a great treasure must be hidden within that was being kept from the other workers by the British. Having distracted the guards' attention by sharing a quantity of hashish with them, he had made his way into the hidden chamber, where he discovered the contents therein. Upon seeing the woman laying upon the bed, the rascal performed an uncouth and vile act in her presence, upon which he claimed that the corpse's eyes had opened.
> 
> At first, we believed this a hysteric reaction to his guilt over performing such a dispicable deed, only to be interrupted by cries of alarm from the other onlookers. Turning towards the doorway to the hidden temple, we saw the woman slowly walking towards us, naked as a babe. She spoke several words in an unknown language, then collapsed into my arms, upon which I percieved that she had fallen into a comatose state.
> 
> This event caused no small amount of commotion among the native workers, but some quick thinking by Carter convinced them that the stranger was my sister, who had arrived in the camp late last night, but was prone to acts of madness and sudden fits of catatonia due to a childhood ailment. The workers were then sent to bed as Eberstrom and Carter assisted me in transporting her to my tent, upon which we placed her in an extra cot to rest. 
> 
> Since that time, the woman has remained comatose, despite all attempts to awaken her.

> //Monday, October 17, 1921//
> Eberstrom came to me this afternoon and told me that he believes he has solved the mystery of the comatose woman. He brought with him a rubbing of one of the cuneiform tablets found within the hidden chamber, which has proven to be an erotic poem written in the classic style. Of particular interest to him was the title of the poem itself: "Awakening the Goddess."
> 
> Eberstrom postulates that the one currently slumbering in my extra cot is, in fact, a manifestation of the goddess "Kedesh-Nanaya" described in the poem, citing her striking similarity to the graven images found within the hidden chamber. As further evidence, Eberstrom noted that her prior awakening took place shortly after the grotesque act performed by the native laborer, drawing a connection between them.
> 
> Further discussion led us to decide on the following course of action: Myself, Carter, and Eberstrom would draw straws. The chosen man would recreate the unsavory act described in the poem, following which we would observe the stranger for any changes in behavior or wakefulness. Should no change in state be detected, we would cease and desist any further research along these lines.
> 
> Carter was then called to my tent and brought up to speed on this plan. We then proceeded to draw lots, upon which I drew the marked chit. Carter and Eberstrom excused themselves from my tent to give me some privacy, and I proceeded to engage in our chosen course of action. This proved more difficult than anticipated, as childhood punishments against this very act kept coming to mind, but eventually I prevailed.
> 
> Almost immediately, I perceived that her lips had parted slightly, and her eyes were fluttering open. She then turned towards me, stood from her cot, and spoke several words in an unknown language. I attempted to repeat several of the words back to her, which seemed to cause her some confusion as she looked around at my tent, contemplating its contents. I quickly called Carter and Eberstrom back into my tent, but she remained wakeful only a few minutes longer before once again falling into slumber.
> 
> It has been decided that we will repeat this experiment the following night, and that the duty of "Awakening the Goddess" will fall to a different individual each night. It is hoped that, in so doing, we shall solve the mystery of this stranger, and perhaps the secret of the hidden burial chamber.

> //Monday, October 31, 1921//
> Paid salaries. All accounted for except B., who once again was not present. Ld. Marshall and I have decided that, should he return, he will not be hired on again, due to his constant tardiness and absences.
> 
> The nightly experiments continue, and have resulted in the following discoveries:
> 
> * The woman (hereafter referred to as K-N) does indeed claim to be named Kedesh-Nanaya.
> * The unknown language that she speaks appears to be derived from ancient Akkadian. I have cabled Aleppo asking if an expert on ancient Akkadian can be dispatched to our location for consultation.
> * K-N appears to understand the ancient Sumerian written language.
> * Multiple acts of worship appear to extend the duration of her nightly period of wakefulness.
> 
> Aside from this, the excavation and cataloging of artifacts found within the temple and hidden chambers proceed satisfactorily.

> //Wednesday, November 2, 1921//
> I am writing this entry from the steamship //Oberon//, en route to London. The expedition has failed, and most of its members are now dead. Only I, Carter, Eberstrom, and Marshall survive to tell the tale.
> 
> I had left my tent to give Eberstrom some privacy while he carried out the act of worship when I heard cries of alarm coming from the laborers' tents. Walking to the top of a nearby dune, I was shocked to find a large number of men on horseback riding through the tents, cutting down the laborers with curved swords and rifles.
> 
> I do not know how long I stood there in shock, watching the massacre take place, when a cry of warning prompted me to drop to the ground, barely avoiding the sword swung at my head. I rolled onto my back and saw a man astride a black stallion wheeling around for another attack. Once again, it was the quick thinking of Eberstrom that saved my life, as he fired his revolver and struck the man in the chest, hurling him from his horse. A quick search of his body revealed his identity as that of B., the water-carrier who had originally discovered the hidden chamber, and whose constant absences had caused us much grief.
> 
> I do not know what prompted him to this act of violence. Had it been greed or disaffection from seeing such rich treasures nearby, and not being able to share in the wealth? Or had he fallen prey to the same madness as the laborer who had nearly killed me several weeks before? Perhaps there was a more sinister motive to his murderous actions; either way, we could not remain here, lest we meet the same fate as our laborers.
> 
> A rushed consultation with my partners resulted in the following course of action: Eberstrom and I would accompany K-N back to England, transporting her within a crate originally intended for the transport of the artifacts we had discovered. Meanwhile, Carter and Ld. Marshall would take the remaining crates of artifacts and travel back to England by another route. We would make contact with each other upon returning to London, upon which we would continue our research into this mystery from a position of safety.
> 
> I still remember the horrid stench of burning flesh and the screams of our unfortunate laborers as Eberstrom and I drove away into the night, the goddess slumbering in the back of our automobile. The last thing I saw before the sands and the winds hid the excavation site from view was a cloud of smoke and dust rising from the ziggurat: the wretches had dynamited the temple.
> 
> All of the artifacts that were yet undiscovered there, all the priceless knowledge of the ancients, gone at the hands of a gang of violent thugs.[[footnote]]Evidence suggests that the attackers were acting under the orders of King Faisal I to destroy the remaining artifacts at SC-9. The motivation for this action is currently unknown.[[/footnote]]

-----
**Text of a letter written by F. William Abernathy to S. Eberstrom, dated ██-██-████**

> My dearest Sam,
> 
> I pray that this letter finds you happy and well. I myself am quite content these days, as Lord T. is a gracious and generous host. It was he who came up with the idea to commission artists to paint portraits of K-N and have those portraits distributed to vendors near army bases, docks, and boarding schools: the resulting influx of energy has resulted in K-N no longer needing our personal efforts to keep her sustained.
> 
> Our little Society has grown greatly since its founding: what began as a small group of archaeologists, historians, and linguists has now grown to a thriving fellowship of great minds from all around the world. I told you once that I believed the most important thing we could learn from K-N was the true nature of the ancient Sumerian spoken language: how naive that statement seems now! There are things that a goddess can teach us that go far beyond mere language: her wisdom and knowledge has given us a greater understanding of secrets that we once thought the province of God alone. If only the world could know of the amazing archeological finds of Dr. C., or by the discovery of a genuine dragon by G.'s South American Expedition: alas, recent events in Siberia have proven that we were wise to begin this exercise in utter secrecy.
> 
> If there is one dark cloud in this bright sky of ours, it is the news that our old companions Carter and Marshall have sold their share of the treasures entrusted to them and used the funds to start an auction-house and gentleman's club -- may their piss burn like fire, and their bowels flow like water! Our buyers have been dispatched to recover as many of these lost artifacts as possible. So far, we have been successful in recovering several of them, though many others remain in the hands of private collectors.
> 
> I am not, however, writing solely to relay idle gossip. As you may have heard, Father M. has made an attempt to convert K-N to Christianity. At this, he has been somewhat less than successful. However, it was during a lesson on the Book of Genesis that K-N first stated that its depiction of geography was erroneous, upon which it transpired that she had, in fact, visited the very same places described in the Bible.
> 
> Many years ago, you saved my life twice in the deserts of Syria. I am asking you to come with me again on one more adventure: the greatest adventure that two men could ever embark on. I know that our lives have taken us in very different paths since we parted ways in Manchester, but tell me this: can any man who risked life and limb to rescue a heathen goddess not feel the desire to do the same to discover the Garden of Eden itself?
> 
> I eagerly await your answer, and hope to see you again soon.
> 
> Yours Truly,
> Fritz

-----
**Manifesto of F. William Abernathy, dated 8-30-1939**

> I write this as the world stands on the brink of another war: a war that promises to be far darker and crueler than any that the world has known before. Short-sighted men wield powers they neither comprehend nor fully control. All that I love is in danger of falling into the abyss of a dark age more wretched than any in human history.
> 
> I have contemplated over the past few decades the lessons I have learned from Our Ancient Lady. If it were merely the knowledge of languages and cultures long-thought lost, our discovery of her hidden temple would have been the single greatest discovery of our entire human history. But when one also contemplates the knowledge we have gained in things outside mere human comprehension -- our greater understanding of the vast and wonderful nature of this strange universe -- the thought of losing all of that knowledge to the petty short-sightedness of man cannot be borne.
> 
> A simple study of human history reveals two harsh, yet simple facts: First, that mankind in its present state has existed for over a quarter of a million years, yet only the past few millenia have seen any real progress. Before then, we huddled in wretched caves and around sputtering fires, cowering in terror at the dark. Faced with the mysteries around us, we called the things in the night 'gods' and 'demons,' and we begged them to spare us and prayed for salvation. But salvation never came, for the things in the night proved indifferent, and often times openly scornful, of our suffering.
> 
> Secondly: that, when faced with new knowledge, mankind will rebel against it. Every scientific, socioeconomic, political and philosophical advancement is opposed by those who wish to continue living in barbarism. One only look at the examples of Galileo, Socrates, Darwin, and Martin Luther to understand that mankind as a whole is rarely ready when new knowledge is gained. The current state of the world, where men who believe themselves men of wisdom stand on the verge of triggering an orgy of unprecedented death and suffering, illustrates this principle perfectly.
> 
> Therefore, I and my companions in the Society have come to a simple conclusion: Mankind must not go back to hiding in fear. There are no gods or spirits that can protect us. We must stand for ourselves. In a world filled with the absurd and impossible, we must find a way to explain the unexplained, control the uncontrollable, and protect the world we love from the things they do not comprehend, for if we do not, mankind risks falling into the darkest of Dark Ages since the fall of Rome.
> 
> When I came into the presence of the Guardian At The Gate, it spoke to me a single word: "Prepare." I have long considered the meaning of that command, and I am now ready to begin my preparations for the great work before me. While the rest of mankind dwells in light, I and my companions will stand in the darkness to fight it, imprison it, and shield it from the eyes of the public. We do this not for any king, or country, or religion or creed. We do this for all mankind, so that others may live in a sane and normal world.
> 
> F. William Abernathy,
> President and Founder, Secret Society for Cultural Preservation.
> 30 August, 1939

-----
**Testimony of F. William Abernathy, dated ██-██-2007**
> I have been giving some thought lately to the origins of our organization. Some would say that we began with the publishing of the Secure Containment Manifesto in 1939. Others would claim that our organization began when I first approached the Gate Guardian and received its command to prepare for the challenges to come. Still others mark the beginning of our organization as far back as the 19th Century or even further, depending on which Victorian occult society one wishes to consider the originator of our Foundation.
> 
> In my mind, however, the moment that the Foundation truly began was 1921, as a nervous, frightened young archaeologist, raised on Victorian notions of sexuality, knelt before the incarnation of divine, sacred sexuality in the flesh and carried out his first act of worship before her.
> 
> It seems ridiculous when I say it out loud: a global power, one of the most powerful occult organizations in the world, all beginning with a young man struggling to masturbate in the Syrian desert? The very idea is laughable. And yet, as an old man, facing the end of my (admittedly prolonged) life, I believe that this was the moment that our Foundation truly began. 
> 
> Or, perhaps more accurately: //her// Foundation.
> 
> The ancient Mesopotamians viewed their monarchy as a mandate handed down directly from the gods. The king was the vessel through which the gods spoke to humanity. With that being the case, would not the consort of a goddess themselves also be considered to have divine mandate? Could the rapid rise of our Foundation be due to our status as the beloved of Kedesh-Nanaya?
> 
> What of the circumstances at the time when she chose to conceal herself in the hidden chamber? History shows that the cult of Nanaya became absorbed into the cult of Inanna around the time period that the goddess secreted herself away. Is it possible that this was her plan all along? To slumber the millenia away until such time as her adversaries became dead and forgotten, to rise again long after their deaths?
> 
> Was it mere coincidence that placed the secret to her reawakening in the same chamber in which she slumbered?
> 
> Once, many years ago, I compared the unknown and strange things of the world to the gods and devils of legend. If that is the case, then our Foundation can be a god in itself, for we bind, imprison, and control that which ancient Man would have called gods. And at the heart of our organization, the secret seat of power responsible for our rise to prominence, is a goddess who waited for thousands of years in silent slumber for the opportunity to take back her place at the head of a new pantheon.
> 
> If this were true, I would not know whether to laugh, cry, or shiver in terror at the thought.
> 
> F. William Abernathy,
> Administrator, SCP Foundation.
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