SCP-1726
The Library and the Pillar
Special Containment Procedures
The path leading to SCP-1726 is to be blocked by a guard post operated by the Foundation Chinese Branch under the banner of the People’s Liberation Army. No further security is necessary to prevent outside interference.
SCP-1726 itself is not to be entered without at least one instance of SCP-1726-1 accompanying researchers. Personnel are not to remain within SCP-1726 for periods longer than four hours. Materials found within SCP-1726 are not to be removed from SCP-1726.
Contact with SCP-1726-1 specimens is to be carried out according to Document 1726-CO.
All documents copied within SCP-1726 are to be stored in Research Archive 18.
Description
SCP-1726 is a one-story structure located in [REDACTED] Province, China. No anomalies are present in the materials used to build SCP-1726, and the original construction is estimated to date from around 1200 CE.
The interior of SCP-1726 is a stable spatial anomaly, measuring approximately fourteen square kilometers in area. This space consists of a library, surrounding a small garden and fountain. The contents of this library consist primarily of philosophical, theological, and historical texts, accompanied by artifacts from civilizations in east and central Asia, many of which originate from cultures unknown to general anthropology. The oldest artifacts contained within SCP-1726 are a collection of Yeren tablets dated to approximately 30000 BCE. Other notable civilizations featured are the Shambhalan dynasties, the Lemurian river peoples, the dynasties of Mu, and the Daevic Empire.
A stone pillar rises out of the central garden of SCP-1726, ascending through a hole in the roof to an unknown height and climbable by means of a wooden walkway spiraling around the edge of the structure. This pillar exists within the spatial anomaly of SCP-1726, and so is not able to be seen from the outside. The exact height is unknown: the highest point reached by Foundation agents is 12.8 km.
SCP-1726-1 is a group of fifty-four known humanoid constructs, composed of porcelain. Constructs are hollow, capable of full articulation, and will generally appear to be stylized representations of scholarly cultural archetypes. SCP-1726-1 specimens are sapient, and are fluent in various dialects of modern and ancient Chinese languages, and other obscure or extinct dialects. SCP-1726-1-03, SCP-1726-1-20, and SCP-1726-1-44 are fluent in English. SCP-1726-1 behavior generally consists of studying the contents of SCP-1726, and in guiding visitors through SCP-1726.
When an individual remains outside SCP-1726 for an extended period of time (one to six hours), a specimen of SCP-1726-1 will emerge from the structure and offer to lead the individual in a tour of the library. Upon returning to the entryway, the SCP-1726-1 instance will speak the following phrase in classical Chinese: "I have wandered a great distance, and I have learned ten thousand things." Unaccompanied entry into SCP-1726, even after using the appropriate verbal cue, will result in immediate expulsion from the structure by an unseen force. Extended time spent within SCP-1726 (over four hours) will result in disorientation, memory loss, and nausea due to the spatial compression effects. Climbing the central pillar will not generate this effect.
Notable artifacts found within SCP-1726 include:
- 1 non-functioning Eternal Engine dating from the High Daevic period (c. 15000 BCE), with schematics for repair.
- 4 functioning Low Daevic period slave collars (c. 10000 BCE).
- Remains of 2 deceased hexapedal creatures resembling small cetaceans. Origin unknown.
- 6 heavily damaged and inactive fragments of bronze clockwork. Fragments bear carved mantras from the Low Daevic period.
- A sample of tissue from an unknown organism. The tissue contains a high mineral content, and has visible strata within it. Sample is labelled "From the Beast that Destroyed Mu".
- 1 wrought-iron lantern, date unknown. The flame within cannot be extinguished, and the addition of fuel does not generate any change.
- 102 maps of civilizations cataloged within SCP-1726.
Addendum-02" id="addendum-01-strong-notable-excerpts-from-texts-include-p-blockquote-pand-as-i-looked-back-i-saw-that-my-home-was-lost-to-the-beasts-stirring-the-boat-was-shaken-by-the-waves-as-i-watched-the-last-fires-on-the-hills-of-mu-die-out-despair-clutches-at-my-heart-for-so-much-had-been-lost-in-our-foolishness-p-blockquote-ptaken-from-the-records-of-the-destruction-of-mu-c-25000-bce-a-collection-of-short-tales-from-one-kai-zuun-loo-a-survivor-of-the-destruction-of-the-continent-p-blockquote-pthe-daevas-returned-in-triumph-ab-leshal-at-the-front-of-the-column-of-soldiers-and-great-war-beasts-that-did-stretch-to-the-horizon-bringing-with-them-trophies-of-bronze-from-far-off-lands-and-peoples-in-chains-to-the-work-in-their-slave-pits-i-watched-and-i-knew-fear-p-blockquote-ptaken-from-fragment-c-of-the-travelers-book-c-11000-bce-records-of-an-unnamed-individual-observing-the-daevic-empire-event-described-is-the-triumphal-march-of-daeva-hhu-rie-in-11039-bce-as-is-further-described-in-other-records-of-the-low-daevic-period-p-blockquote-plook-here-look-there-look-behind-and-look-forward-all-things-are-connected-just-as-the-lines-of-these-words-are-connected-and-the-cycle-turns-ever-more-look-to-those-who-thought-themselves-gods-they-were-cast-down-by-those-they-have-enslaved-slaves-become-masters-to-be-thrown-down-by-their-own-slaves-and-so-the-cycle-goes-forever-until-the-earth-is-blackened-and-the-last-stars-have-died-for-the-great-ones-have-passed-and-mu-has-passed-and-the-lands-to-the-south-and-the-west-have-passed-and-even-the-empire-has-passed-p-blockquote-pa-quote-from-an-unknown-work-found-in-scroll-8-of-tya-jhalil-c-9000-bce-a-compendium-of-philosophy-written-in-the-aftermath-of-the-collapse-of-the-daevic-empire-p-blockquote-pillegible-was-here-p-blockquote-pgraffiti-carved-on-the-fountain-in-the-center-garden-date-unknown-presumed-to-be-at-least-150-years-of-age-written-in-english-p-div-classscp-image-block-block-right-stylewidth300pximg-srchttp-scp-wikiwdfilescom-local-files-scp-1726-pathjpg-stylewidth300px-altpathjpg-classimage-div-classscp-image-caption-stylewidth300px-pphotograph-taken-of-the-central-pillar-at-a-height-of-2300m-p-div-div-pnotable-artifacts-found-within-scp-1726-include-p-ul-li1-non-functioning-eternal-engine-dating-from-the-high-daevic-period-c-15000-bce-with-schematics-for-repair-li-li4-functioning-low-daevic-period-slave-collars-c-10000-bce-li-liremains-of-2-deceased-hexapedal-creatures-resembling-small-cetaceans-origin-unknown-li-li6-heavily-damaged-and-inactive-fragments-of-bronze-clockwork-fragments-bear-carved-mantras-from-the-low-daevic-period-li-lia-sample-of-tissue-from-an-unknown-organism-the-tissue-contains-a-high-mineral-content-and-has-visible-strata-within-it-sample-is-labelled-quotfrom-the-beast-that-destroyed-muquot-li-li1-wrought-iron-lantern-date-unknown-the-flame-within-cannot-be-extinguished-and-the-addition-of-fuel-does-not-generate-any-change-li-li102-maps-of-civilizations-cataloged-within-scp-1726-li-ul-pstrongaddendum-02">Addendum-01: Notable excerpts from texts include:
“And as I looked back, I saw that my home was lost to the Beast’s stirring. The boat was shaken by the waves, as I watched the last fires on the hills of Mu die out. Despair clutches at my heart, for so much had been lost in our foolishness.”
Taken from “The Records of the Destruction of Mu”, (c. 25000 BCE), a collection of short tales from one Kai-Zuun-Loo, a survivor of the destruction of the continent.
“The Daevas returned in triumph, Ab-Leshal at the front of the column of soldiers and great war-beasts that did stretch to the horizon, bringing with them trophies of bronze from far-off lands and peoples in chains to the work in their slave pits. I watched, and I knew fear.”
Taken from Fragment C of “The Traveler’s Book” (c. 11000 BCE), records of an unnamed individual observing the Daevic Empire. Event described is the triumphal march of Daeva Hhu Rie in 11039 BCE, as is further described in other records of the Low Daevic period.
“Look here, look there, look behind and look forward. All things are connected, just as the lines of these words are connected, and the cycle turns ever more. Look to those who thought themselves gods: they were cast down by those they have enslaved. Slaves become masters, to be thrown down by their own slaves, and so the cycle goes, forever, until the Earth is blackened and the last stars have died. For the Great Ones have passed, and Mu has passed, and the lands to the South and the West have passed, and even the Empire has passed.”
A quote from an unknown work, found in Scroll 8 of “Tya Jhalil”, (c. 9000 BCE), a compendium of philosophy written in the aftermath of the collapse of the Daevic Empire.
[Illegible] was here.
Graffiti carved on the fountain in the center garden, date unknown, presumed to be at least 150 years of age. Written in English.
Notable artifacts found within SCP-1726 include:
- 1 non-functioning Eternal Engine dating from the High Daevic period (c. 15000 BCE), with schematics for repair.
- 4 functioning Low Daevic period slave collars (c. 10000 BCE).
- Remains of 2 deceased hexapedal creatures resembling small cetaceans. Origin unknown.
- 6 heavily damaged and inactive fragments of bronze clockwork. Fragments bear carved mantras from the Low Daevic period.
- A sample of tissue from an unknown organism. The tissue contains a high mineral content, and has visible strata within it. Sample is labelled "From the Beast that Destroyed Mu".
- 1 wrought-iron lantern, date unknown. The flame within cannot be extinguished, and the addition of fuel does not generate any change.
- 102 maps of civilizations cataloged within SCP-1726.
Addendum-02: ██/██/20██: An unknown entity was observed by researchers described as a squat humanoid with limbs similar to those of an arachnid. The entity was seen re-arranging books, and upon being seen fled from researchers and ascended the central pillar. General research within SCP-1726 has been halted for the time being.