For those who don't know, the SCP wiki is the largest collaboratively written project ever, and its massive catalog is regularly referenced on platforms such as Twitter, TikTok, and YouTube. The project originally started in the late 2000s and has gradually grown over the years. The SCP Wiki page is home to a ton of creepypasta, speculative fiction, science fiction, and world building.
The universe of this collaboration of authors centers on a fictional organization called the SCP Foundation. Supporting "Ensure, Contain, Protect", the organization is dedicated to protecting the normality of the world from abnormal phenomena. Most of the articles on the site are clear overviews of the various monsters and items provided by the foundation. Some of them are crazy and some of them are weird, but beginners to SCP should start with stories that are easy to understand or introduce concepts about the universe.
Updated by Tanner Fox on September 21, 2022:From Slender Man stories to Back Rooms research, horror-centric online folklore has become an extremely important topic. Beginning in the late 2000s, the SCP Foundation has been at the forefront of the movement and continues to be one of the best sources for all things weird fiction.
From simple tales of strange household objects to innovative dissections of universe-ending cosmic horrors, the SCP wiki covers almost every imaginable aspect of the horror genre, and these are some of the essential reads for newcomers.
sculptures
SCP-173
There's no better place to start over,SCP-173. This was the first SCP post ever written and published anonymously. This item is a dangerous statue that you must constantly keep an eye on or it will come to life. If he is not supervised, he will inevitably break the necks of the people around him.
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An object that moves when not seen is something of a horror trope. His fansDoctor Who will note the similarities to Weeping Angels, but the Sculpture is a much more grotesque version of the archetype with its armor construction and unknown liquid excrement. Despite its simple premise, SCP-173 appears in many other SCP stories and articles.
[unknown]
SCP-055
SCP-055 od qntm-a i CptBellmanais a fairly esoteric concept - in fact, none of the scientists who make up this item even know what it is. It is not that the object cannot be observed, but rather that it cannot be remembered after looking away. This introduces the concept of 'cognitive risks', that is, concepts that endanger those who know and understand them.
In particular, 055 is an anti-meme, meaning it tries to erase itself from the mind. This item is considered dangerous not because it is an active threat, but because it cannot be researched. None of the hundreds of scientists employed by the Foundation can learn much. In fact, all they know is that it's not a bullet.
The remains of the chair
SCP-1609
Despite the universe being named after them, the SCP Foundation isn't the only organization involved in the strange. INRoyals SCP-1609, readers come across an item on the World Occult Coalition. Although the SCP Foundation is often criticized for locking anomalies, they are not the worst. the Chinese government has tried to unjustly destroy this anomaly.
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This pile of mulch was full of stool. Before, the chair teleported behind the people who had to sit down. It was unusual, but harmless. But after the Chinese government tried to destroy it, it turned into a splintered tree that would forcibly release people.
Reptiles that are difficult to destroy
SCP-682
The SCP Foundation does not attempt to destroy anomalies and only makes exceptions for very dangerous ones such asSCP-682 dr. Gearsa i Epic Phaila Spyja. Unfortunately, this danger lives up to its name as it is basically immortal.
This is a large reptile that hates all living things and can compete with any of themdeadly reptiles in horror movies. It must be kept submerged in acid, one of the few things that can slow it down. The creature often runs away, causing death and destruction wherever it goes. But most notable are his test logs, which detail the Foundation's efforts to eventually kill him.
The plague doctor
SCP-049
Not all SCP wiki entries describe supernatural horrors beyond comprehension. While certainly anomalous, SCP-049 is a communicative humanoid capable of holding conversations in multiple languages. Although relatively docile, SCP-049 often expresses concern over "epidemic" outbreaks, although it never cures the disease in question.
SCP-049 is capable of killing and reviving those it believes to be plague carriers, though it often shows remorse after doing so. Plague Doctor is the perfect SCP entry for those starting to dive into the weirdest wiki on the internet.
The original monster
SCP-999
Not all monsters contained in the Foundation are dangerous to humans. one of the most benign balls of orange slime that wants nothing more than to bring joy to people. This isSCP-999 by ProfSnider, an anomaly rated as "Safe Category". He has the ability to make everyone laugh.
The Foundation sees so much of this facility that it even allows it outside of its cell. This is a rare anomaly without a dangerous or dark twist, it just iscute scandalous in the horror universe. In fact, this anomaly can even calm other anomalies. Even the aforementioned SCP-682 is no match for SCP-999.
"Shy Guy"
SCP-096
Every good horror universe has a stalker. a tall, terrifying creature that will stop at nothing in its desire to achieve its goal, tearing down every obstacle in its path. There are many good examples of this in the SCP universe, but one of the most famous isSCP-096 by Dr. Day. This pale, frighteningly weak man will mercilessly hunt anyone who sees his face.
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Although at first it seems like the reverse of the previous Sculpture, it goes further than that. Even drawings or videos of his face will excite Shy. Even if a man sees him on the other side of the world, he will immediately chase him. He has even been known to swim to the bottom of the ocean to protect his face from detection.
Quite normal, plain old Ikea
SCP-3008
The phenomenon that has taken over social networks is edge spaces. They're dream spaces that seem to last forever, and one place where they're common is the popular furniture store IKEA. Customers have been complaining about the lack of storefronts for years.
SCP-3008 from Mrtavtake this idea to the end. This is the interior of an IKEA superstore that really goes on forever, with refugee camps trapped inside the store, haunted by creatures that look like staff members. This idea proved popular enough that an indie developer is trying to turn it into a survival game.
Opening of the season
SCP-1733
Time loops are quite common in moviesand other means. Recent films such as Happy Death Day have attempted to explore the horror of the affairAnd marmotabecame popular.SCP-1733 by bbaztekcontinues the trend of deconstruction by connecting to the real event. This is footage of an actual NBA basketball game for the 2010 season opener where the people on the footage know it's footage.
In the early days of photography, there was a superstition that shooting on film would steal your soul. This SCP fulfills this idea as sports journalists, athletes, and even fans slowly realize their condition. While all of these people are still accountable in the real world, these duplicates are still effectively trapped. Things get creepier as the video continues to play, leading to a truly damning conclusion.
Trip
SCP-2316
Another notable cognitivist SCP, Field Trip, is about a collection of corpses in an unknown lake that look like forgotten childhood friends to anyone who happens to see them. The exact details of the SCP are unknown, and the Foundation encourages those who come into contact with SCP-2316 to repeat the phrase "you don't recognize bodies in water".
Field Trip is an excellent exploration of the incredible creativity found in all SCP files. A concept worthy of its own horror movie, SCP-2316 absolutely stands out on the wiki.
Ronald Reagan broke down while speaking
SCP-1981
Horror is often incomprehensible - after all, it's hard to be afraid of something you understand.SCP-1981 by Digiwizzardleaning on him; at first it seemed familiar, but it developed into an unusual horror. It's footage of Ronald Reagan's famous "Evil Empire" speech slowly derailing as cuts form on his body.
As the cuts form, the speech turns into a word salad that sometimes predicts future events. Also, the content of the footage is different in later viewings, including various wounds and mysterious figures in the President's entourage. This juxtaposition of a famous historical event and mutilation makes for truly terrifying reading. It's a good example of SCP being "safe class" scary.
The tragedy of the hanged king
SCP-701
The SCP universe has many antagonists, and the Hanged King is one of the most prolific. Ruler of the extraterrestrial city of Alaganda, his influence is far-reaching and his motives and goals dark and sinister.
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SCP-701 refers to a five-act play called "The Hanged King" which is known to cause mass hysteria in audiences. This SCP entry borrows heavily from Robert W. Chambers' 1985 novel The King in Yellow, which is a collection of short stories about a hysterical show and an interdimensional city known as Carcosa.
Old man
SCP-106
Old Man is one of the most recognizable and infamous early SCPs. A living creature that resembles a rotting corpse, SCP-106 is a predator capable of lying still for days as it awaits prayer. Able to pass through solid matter and corrode anything in its path with an unnamed corrosive agent, SCP is difficult to contain and extremely dangerous.
The subject of much debate among the SCP community, The Old Man is the prime example of the horror elements present in many SCP entries.
Red reality
SCP-3001
SCP-3001 from OZ Ouoroborosais an excellent short story set in space. Expanding on the SCP story Dr. Robert Scranton, who has been established in previous articles as the creator of an important piece of technology. The collaborative nature of the universe really shines here, as it can add more to characters that are mentioned later elsewhere - and the article itself is existentially terrifying and profoundly sad.
The SCP in question is not a monster or object, but an interdimensional space. The horror comes when Dr. Scranton accidentally finds himself trapped in it. What follows is a disturbing account of one man's loss of sanity and the effect his disappearance has on the people left behind. It's a thoroughly compelling exploration of a character in isolation and does a great job of portraying the dangers that lie in every corner of the SCP Foundation universe.
When it dawns
SCP-001
The SCP wiki does not list a unique SCP-001. Instead, it lists a number of "suggested" anomalies that could fill this slot, most of which involve entities or objects that could either create more SCPs or cause the end of the world.
When the day breaks, it refers to a theoretical phenomenon that would cause sunlight in the visible spectrum to turn organic matter into masses of amorphous flesh like gelatin. Taking influence from David Cronenberg's The Fly and theJohn Carpenter adaptacija The Thing, When Day Breaks is definitely among the creepiest anomalies listed on the SCP wiki.
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