A seal discovered among the pages of a Sarkic grimoire. Of singular significance, variations of the seal (and its individual symbols) have been found at Sarkic sites around the world.

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”¹, its deified founder. Some adherents practice ritual cannibalism, human sacrifice (primarily recorded among Neo-Sarkic sects), corporeal augmentation, thaumaturgy, dimensional manipulation, and the formation of pacts with otherworldly entities (a practice once again only recorded among Neo-Sarkic sects). Organic manipulation has allowed certain Sarkites to achieve anomalous states of being, transcending the physical limitations of baseline humans.

Highly secretive, the general public appears to have little to no direct knowledge of their existence. Some organizations are aware of them, such as the Global Occult Coalition and the Horizon Initiative, while the Church of the Broken God views them in apocalyptic terms². Though it hinders investigation, their clandestine nature is ultimately beneficial to the preservation of normalcy.

Disease is often viewed with reverence and Sarkic shrines have been discovered with offerings of swollen lymph nodes and tumorous growths. Certain Sarkic cults treat contagions as consecration, a means to "cull the weak" and purify the masses, and thus actively seek to ensure their spread. Most but not all Sarkites display an inherent resistance to pathogens, though it remains unknown if this is an anomalous or naturally occurring attribute.

Sarkic anomalies are not without risk to their users. While Sarkites are able to augment themselves into physically superior forms, it has been shown that such alterations (or perhaps, the secret truths they come to learn along their path to apotheosis) have a degenerative influence on mental stability. The exact cause of this remains unexplained but it is most exemplified among known karcists, who frequently display symptoms of psychosis.

The Foundation divides known Sarkic cults into two distinct strands: Proto-Sarkic and Neo-Sarkic.³ Proto-Sarkic cults tend to be found in insular communities throughout Eurasia's most isolated regions, its followers generally self-reliant, humble, and apprehensive towards outsiders. Such groups commonly eschew modernity, occasionally displaying acute technophobia, and are bound by superstition and taboo. Desire for wealth and material possesions, and general selfish behavior, are strongly frowned upon. In contrast, Neo-Sarkic cults are usually 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"⁴.

Theophagy⁵

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 ancestry⁶ 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. The most skilled fleshcrafters are able to steal the genes of other lifeforms or create entirely new ones.

Most Proto-Sarkic sects believe that Ion has achieved or 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". There are, however, other sects that believe that Ion is dead, having martyred himself to protect humanity from the machinations of the gods.

Neo-Sarkic cults notably diverge from this interpretation, regarding Ion with a certain amount of indifference. Their only concern is apotheosis, to 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. The Grand Karcist is not viewed as a prophet or a messianic figure but rather as an individual who came closest to achieving godhood. They dismiss his moral teachings as weakness, ignoring much of the old scripture in favor of rituals they might exploit.

While Neo-Sarkites and Proto-Sarkites share a common mythology and many of the same practices, it may be best to see them as distinct religions. To Proto-Sarkites, Neo-Sarkites are heretical, if not utterly profane - more an ideology/philosophy that has appropriated elements of the true faith. This renders Neo-Sarkites especially dangerous, as they lack the ethical and moral restraints⁷ common among the older traditions. There is evidence that Neo-Sarkites have gone so far as to make pacts with the otherworldly beings (Archons) that Ion once preached against.

Sarkites are known to speak and write in the Adytite language (an introduction to Old Adytite is availablehere), which itself appears to be a syncretism of Proto-Uralic, Indo-European (possibly Daevite), and γλῶσσαχάος⁸ but primarily Proto-Uralic. Practitioners of Sarkicism do not actually refer to themselves as "Sarkic" - the term a pejorative employed by the ancient Mekhanites⁹ 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 asNälkä¹⁰ 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 CotBG¹¹ which is an inaccurate and gross simplification of Sarkicism. While this document aims to recognize and correct previous errors, "Sarkic" (and its derivatives) remains 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.

SCP Articles:

International Translations:

• Proposition De Henry Von Kartoffe B | Written by Henry Von Kartoffen | Translated By la abeja azteca
• SCP-008-INT | By slashannemoo & Dr Ore
• SCP-045-INT | By hitsujikaip, Migueludeom, fluxman, igangsu, vomiter, and ting129
• SCP-075-INT | By Reyas, Kilerpoyo and Einer von Rabe
• SCP-095-UA | By Comrade Xander
• SCP-CN-166 | Written by Dr Prism | Translated by Whisper1
• SCP-ES-196 | Written by RevenantHeimdall | Translated by morhadow
• SCP-ES-229 | By LechugaNinja
• SCP-291-FR | Written by Charles Magne | Translated By Vicious_Unicycle
• SCP-418-FR | By Reyas
• SCP-588-JP | Written by stengan774 | Translated By C-Dives
• SCP-709-KO | By Kaestine
• SCP-981-JP | Written by Usurahi | Translated By Nederbird
• SCP-CN-1313 | Written by breaddddd & Simon Arran | Translated by tetsusquared
• SCP-1828-JP | Written by Dr_Kasugai | Translated By C-Dives

Documents of Interest:

International Translations:

• An Ancient Legend About an Old War Part I | Written by Doctor Von Braun & emmp98emmp98 | Translated by Yorick1
• Returning Home | Written by Dr Von Braun & emmp98 | Translated by EthanHanson
• A Broken Ode To Transcendence | By la abeja azteca
• Carpenter | Written by JosephJoestar | Translated by the bright swing
• A Meal à la Nälkä | By Einer von Rabe
• The Judgment of the Heretics | Written by Doctor Von Braun | Translated by Yorick1
• If Thanos Strayed In SCP Universe | Written by Simon Arran | Translated by la abeja azteca
• The Price of Theophagy | Written by (user deleted) | Translated by the bright swing
• The Savior and the Elephant | Written by fog_death | Translated by the bright swing
• Cold as Hell | By Zygard

Intersection with other known GoIs:

International Translations:

• Tonatiuh Dragons - The Divinities of Tlaneyanco | Written by Luis Gm | Translated by morhadow
• Those who were killed and eaten as medicinal material | Written by Nihilmace | Translated by vomiter
• Pox Demon | By Migueludeom & islandsmaster

International Hubs:

Ukrainian

Russian

Chinese

Czech

French

Italian

Japanese

Korean

Polish

Spanish

Traditional Chinese

The late Cornelius P. Bodfel III (Karcist Sulkisk), former leader of Adytum's Wake.

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 might be perfectly acceptable among certain Sarkic cults.¹²

Letters between Neo-Sarkic cult members have been deciphered, revealing a fairly intricate caste system outside the religious hierarchy. Functioning like a form of pedigree, it appears that Neo-Sarkites¹³ place heavy emphasis on bloodline - a hidden aristocracy whose marriages form pacts and the foundations of powerful Sarkic families (referred to by followers as "highbloods", sometimes "black-bloods"¹⁴). 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 human¹⁵, rarely dying before reaching 100 (unless by violence or accident).¹⁶

Though the common Sarkic hiearchy has remained relatively unchanged for over the last 3,000 years, it is in no way universal. The two highest tiers,Ozi̮rmok (Grand Karcist) andKlavigar (High Karcist), have not been verified outside of scripture and other documents, rendering it difficult to discern whether these ranks are truly part of the modern Sarkic hierarchy or serve as a mythical foundation. With that said, the standard hierarchy (from highest to lowest in terms of authority) consists of:

Ozi̮rmok

Also known as the Grand Karcist. The highest tier reserved for the prophet Ion and no other; however, it is believed that there have been pretenders claiming to be the “second coming” of Ion. Ion himself is further discussed throughout the document.

Klavigar

The names of four Klavigar are presently known and they appear to have served a role similar to apostles. It is common for Neo-Sarkites to claim ancestry from a Klavigar, despite evidence against that possibility. 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 form¹⁷ and anomalous ability. It is theorized that they are able to control their Halkost¹⁸ via the release of complex pheromones or even telepathy.

Võlutaar

Advisers to a Karcist. Predominantly found among Proto-Sarkic cults, where it is synonymous with "wise one".

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:

Icon of the Devourer as depicted in theValkzaron.

Yaldabaoth¹⁹ (also known as "Važjuma"²⁰, "God-Eater"²¹, "Devourer", "His/Her Undulating Vastness", "The Great Winnower", "The Womb of Chaos" and various other epithets) is regarded in Sarkicism as the principal power in the universe. Neo-Sarkites appear to admire this entity but Proto-Sarkites (and all discovered scripture thus far) describe it as the true enemy of all people. Translated fragments of theValkzaron suggests that Ion had somehow usurped control of this cosmic entity, wearing the flesh of the Old God as a sort of armor and crafting from its body a kingdom. This is contradicted by recently discovered scripture which suggest that Ion merely cast down the "living gods" of the Daeva, weaker avatars of the Archons - the children/servants of Yaldabaoth. The continued mortality of humanity and the absence of "paradise" ultimately imply that, were Ion real, then he had failed to achieve his goals.

As with all things related to Sarkicism, it is difficult to discern reality from myth - most especially when myth contradicts. Proto-Sarkites view this entity with fear and disgust, regarding it as both the creator and destroyer of all life and the progenitor of the gods. As more sects are discovered, the diversity of interpretation grows readily apparent.

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, worlds, and stars, while "exhaling life" into the cosmos (which will evolve, grow, and eventually be harvested again). Life is thus a natural byproduct of the Old God's existence; unguided by intelligence and spreading through a process not entirely dissimilar from panspermia²². Sarkites believe this entity has turned the multiverse into an altar with our existence, and the existence of all biological lifeforms, being brought into reality for the singular purpose of sacrifice.

"Blind" and driven solely by instinct,Yaldabaoth is depicted as being accompanied by 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.²³

An artistic representation of an Archon or "Old God", malevolent deities that play a major role in Sarkic mythology.

Some Sarkic cults hold that the Archons, along with Yaldabaoth, do not originate from our universe, let alone the multiverse. These cults believe that these entities begin in the Void²⁴ and that their colossal physical bodies are vessels for these profane spirits. Because their consciousness is tethered to the Void, they know only hunger and will consume all things in their desire to feel whole - spreading like a cancer across the multiverse. The Archons are frequently referenced as having some relationship to the stars and the growing darkness that exists between them but little else is known about this connection. Sarkic art and iconography typically depicts Archons as red or black and vaguely cephalopodic²⁵.

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 fromSCP-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 BCE²⁶. 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.

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 Adytum²⁷", with all information being in the form of deification or demonization and lacking in factual reliability. TheValkzaron 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.

Artistic depictions of Ion vary, ranging from masculine to androgynous, from young to old, and from human to forms otherworldly. He is most often characterized as wearing red, white, and black robes and bearing his iconic staff whilst the nude variants usually depict his body as impaled by various spears/stakes or carrying his own decapitated head, signifying his immunity to death. Associated symbols include spirals, shattered chains, drops of blood, sickles, and the ouroboros²⁸.

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 theKlavigar. Figures of reverence and supposed disciples of Ion, they are the saints of Sarkicism.

Hagiography:

+ Klavigar Nadox

- ACCESS GRANTED

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 a crowd of hundreds, "drunk and atrocious in their stupidity", a Daeva priestess cut off his tongue, sewed shut his mouth, and had him emasculated²⁹. 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.

Nadox is typically depicted in red and gold attire, his head (sometimes hands) completely bandaged or caged by a punitive mask (representing his status as a "Sufferer") and bearing multiple arms with eyes in the palms of his hands. His symbols include eyes, hands, scrolls, teardrops, and lotus flowers.

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

+ Klavigar Lovataar

- ACCESS GRANTED

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 occasions "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 unknown³⁰ but resulted in Lovataar and Ion forming a "union" over a period of twelve days. On the twelfth day, the two left her palace behind - never to return.

Lovataar is typically depicted as beautiful, voluptuous (often to unrealistic extremes), and almost always in the nude (save for golden ornaments, including headdress, necklaces, and bangles). She is often stylized as having claw-like fingers and toes, as well as a pair of horns which may or may not be part of her headdress. Her symbols include an insect queen (traditionally bee or ant), a punctured heart, a blooming rose, and a broken scepter.

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 mead of ecstasy.
And from Lovataar's dark lips flowed words: "There is pleasure in serving." Smiling, Ion fell to their knees - knowing the drunk joy of milk and sweet fermented honey.
Sone Tal

+ Klavigar Orok

- ACCESS GRANTED

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 personal guard and pit-fighter³¹.

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".

Orok is typically depicted as a large and muscular cyclopic man wearing a loincloth. His symbols include a two-headed axe, a one-eyed skull, a hunting spear, fractured bones, a closed fist, and a bull elephant.

As Orok said to the Kytherans³² : "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 akuloth³³ core - my sacred metamorphosis complete."
Sone Szusk

+ Klavigar Saarn

- ACCESS GRANTED

Seal of SAARN.

A figure of reverence and supposed disciple of Ion. Associated with darkness, secrecy, deception, poison, assassination, and justice (orjaka³⁴). 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 Kurst³⁵.

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 cradles by "traitorous servants".

Saarn is typically depicted as either a young girl dressed in rags or an entirely black half-human half-serpent being; occasionally both representations are shown, with the chimeric entity acting as the girl's shadow. Her symbols include serpents (traditionally adders), a sacrificial dagger, a scale, and bound effigies.

The heart is silenced,
Before her dagger seen.
A moment immortalized in a single strike.
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 recedes³⁶, existing only as a small city state in what is now Mongolia. It is theorized that the lack of archaeological evidence for its existence is due in part to many Sarkic structures being composed of living organic material.

War and the Fall of the Deathless 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 and the Sarkic faith; these include Kaskians, Proto-Thracians, Lycians, Illyrians, and many others. This semi-mythical state would come to refer to itself as the "Kalmaktama"³⁷ or the "Deathless". The Hittite king Suppiluliuma II tried in vain to defeat the invaders, contributing to the fall of the Hittite Empire.³⁸

The Kalmaktama 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 Kalmaktama Empire included Egyptians, Mycenaean Greeks, Minoans³⁹, Canaanites, Assyrians, and the Mekhanites⁴⁰.

Most details of the war are unknown to the Foundation. It is suspected that the deployment of Colossi (such asSCP-2406), as well as the heavy use of a substance resembling "Greek fire"⁴¹, that turned the tide of war against the Sarkites. When the war was over, the Kalmaktama 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 the Empire (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 once seemingly invincible "Deathless Empire" would result in a Sarkic diaspora, leading to the development of culturally distinct Sarkic cults throughout Eurasia. 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 cults⁴² 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.

Individual 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 to destroy or disable advanced electronics when encountered⁴³. Proto-Sarkic cults generally value humility and self-sacrifice.

Known Orders:

A small gathering of Neo-Sarkites

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.

While some Neo-Sarkites prefer to cling to their crumbling manors, relying on lands and titles, others have embraced modernity through capitalism.

Known Orders:

An instance of SK-BIO type 004 during autopsy.

The creation and manipulation of living organisms through anomalous⁵⁰ 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 001

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 001 was SCP-2480-2. They appear to be of limited intelligence.

SK-BIO Type 002

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 003

Also classified as SCP-2191-1. SK-BIO Type 003 are considered genetically human but have undergone several significant, seemingly fatal mutations. SK-BIO Type 003 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-type ichthyosis. 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 baselineHomo 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 004

Colloquially referred to as "snatchers" by personnel. Prehensile organic structures, dark red in color and with a tentaculoid shape. SK-BIO Type 004 are sedentary and are generally used by Sarkites to guard specific locations.

SK-BIO Type 005

Known to Sarkites as a "Kiraak", instances of SK-BIO Type 005 are organic, biologically living structures used as temples. The Foundation presently has a deceased instance (SCP-2095) in containmentbut 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.

SK-BIO Type 006

Known to Sarkites as an "Akuloth" and "His Sacred White Worm", instances of SK-BIO Type 006 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 006 is also believed to be connected to the physical transformations some Sarkites undergo.

SK-BIO Type 007

SK-BIO Type 007 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 007 by ritual, as encountered when (SCP-2075) caused the transfiguration and subsequent death of Dr. Albert Cronenberg.