SCP-2750

Navajo Skinwalkers

First capture of an SCP-2750 instance by ASCI operatives, circa 1860.

Special Containment Procedures

Currently, the Foundation has 3 SCP-2750 instances in containment. SCP-2750 instances are not permitted to change their appearances for any reason. Any changes in appearance are to be noted, and SCP-2750 instances are to be punished accordingly by revoking certain privileges.

Capture of uncontained SCP-2750 instances is difficult due to the aversion that SCP-2750 instances show towards humans, and the rarity of SCP-2750 instances themselves. Containment teams are to conduct a monthly sweep of the areas where SCP-2750 instances have been known to inhabit.

Description

SCP-2750 is the collective designation referring to a group of anomalous humanoids that are known to inhabit the southwest United States, specifically the regions of northeast Arizona and southern Utah, notably around the area of the Navajo Nation reservation.

SCP-2750 specimens heavily resemble non-anomalous humans of Navajo descent. Following this trend, SCP-2750 instances invariably wear clothing and masks associated with Navajo culture of the 1800s. Beyond their stated anomalous properties, SCP-2750 instances resemble normal humans from a biological standpoint.

SCP-2750 instances demonstrate the ability to change their appearances and body shapes to various animals found in the southwestern United States, particularly those that are prominent in Navajo culture, such as coyotes, foxes, wolves, eagles, and crows. This effect is voluntarily triggered, and all captured SCP-2750 instances have shown the ability to change into at least 5 different animals, though field reports have suggested that certain instances possess the ability to change into 9 or more different animals.

Second known capture of an SCP-2750 instance, circa 1870.

All SCP-2750 instances possess eyes that resemble those of their favored animal to mimic. Despite possessing animal-like eyes, most SCP-2750 instances demonstrate normal human vision.

It is currently estimated that roughly 100 SCP-2750 instances exist outside of containment. SCP-2750 instances have been noted to travel in migratory groups pursuing a hunter-gatherer lifestyle. Interviews with captured specimens suggest a tribal structure akin to that practiced by the Navajo people in the Pre-Columbian period.

SCP-2750 specimens have shown extreme aversion to human contact. SCP-2750 migration patterns specifically avoid any sign of human settlement, and all discovered instances seem to have instinctual fear of humans. Despite their close proximity to the Navajo Nation reservation, no SCP-2750 instance has ever been found within the territory of the reservation itself.

No SCP-2750 instance has been encountered in the field since 1983, though signs of habitation from SCP-2750 have been found, such as the remains of campfires, tracks, and temporary encampments.

SCP-2750 instances demonstrate expertise in many bushcraft skills, which is believed to have given them their ability to evade Foundation capture. To date, all known captured SCP-2750 specimens were impaired in some way, such as by disease, injury, or exile from SCP-2750 society.

Knowledge of SCP-2750 has existed since the mid 1800s, when the American Secure Containment Initiative¹ first made contact with the Navajo people. Said people gave the first description of SCP-2750 to an ASCI agent, which is currently the oldest record of SCP-2750’s existence. The noteworthy portion of his letter is transcribed here.

…following the meeting, the natives described at length some manner of beast that plagues them much viciously. They call it a "yee naaldloshii." From what I gathered, this creature endeavours to invade the privacy of their homes to devastate the people within. The beast is of a mindless temperament; aggressive and deadly.

In addition, these beasts may adopt the skin of all varieties of animals to bewitch the minds of men, as well as calling in a voice so pure and innocent, a man would not dare to question it. Some prefer the skin of a human, while others prefer the ways of the common animals.

I am most worried, however, by their claims as to the mental properties of these beasts. One of their shamans swore up and down that they could know whatever a man was pondering with the lightest force of will. Should one of them glare at any poor soul, the unfortunate man shall lose all control of his limbs and mind. Had I not witnessed one of these monsters with my very own eyes, I should not have believed such an outlandish story.

I am of the opinion that these "naaldloshii" present nothing less than a highly dangerous threat to the peace. Their bellicosity about the natives, along with a much feared tracking and hunting ability leads me to fear some expansion or violence to the people of our country.

I write you this letter and send it through the fastest channels so that you may send a response here to quell any sort of unrest from these creatures.

Following this incident, it is believed that an ASCI force was deployed to the region on the pretense of Native American pacification. Further notable records of SCP-2750’s containment outside of this incident do not reappear until modern day containment.

SCP-2750’s existence to the public has been concealed under the Patterson-Gimlin Protocol, which has successfully decreased knowledge of SCP-2750 to the point of cultural fiction. Cultural knowledge of SCP-2750 among the Navajo people persists, though this is mostly for historical purposes, and not due to active belief in its existence by the majority of the population. Active enforcement of the Patterson-Gimlin Protocol for Navajo groups is not necessary.

Additional SCP-2750 documentation: Level 3 Clearance Required

Credentials Accepted.

During transference of SCP Objects from ASCI to Foundation control, numerous documents were discovered that pertained to SCP-2750. Upon review by the newly established Foundation’s Ethics Committee, these documents were sealed from general viewership. They have been reproduced here in their entirety.

Document 2750-1

[This document is continued from the earlier letter presented in the description]

Furthermore, the shamans begged of us our support in eradicating these creatures from the earth. Being as we are in need of allies in the region, I saw no reason not to accept the medicine man’s offer and be rid of a dangerous beast at the same time.

The "naadloshii" seem to live in some savage tribal cult, much like the natives themselves. I am of the opinion that this requires more investigation, so we ought not be caught in an unpleasant situation where we know nothing of our foe.

Document 2750-2

The following is a telegram dated to 9/2/1857, approximately 3 months after the above letter is believed to have been sent.

FIELD REPORT

INITIAL ASSAULT SUCCESSFUL STOP CASUALTIES MINIMAL STOP COMPLETE SURPRISE STOP NATIVE ALLIES PLEASED STOP

CAVALRY FORTIFYING FULL STOP

Document 2750-3

The following is a telegram dated to 9/5/1857.

FIELD REPORT

DEVASTATING COUNTERATTACK STOP ANIMALS IN CAMP ATTACKED STOP CASUALTIES HIGH 89 KILLED 289 WOUNDED ALL FORCES RETREATING STOP

IMMEDIATE REINFORCEMENTS REQUESTED FULL STOP

Document 2750-4

The following is a series of telegrams, found archived together. They are dated 12/7/1857, 3/7/1857, and 6/7/1857, respectively.

FIELD REPORT

QUARTERLY ASCI CASUALTIES 43 KILLED 90 WOUNDED STOP NATIVE CASUALTIES 87 KILLED 192 WOUNDED STOP

ENEMY CASUALTY ESTIMATES 125 KILLED 502 WOUNDED STOP

FORTIFICATIONS IN PLACE STOP CONSTANT RAIDS STOP CANNOT PROGRESS INTO ENEMY TERRITORY STOP REQUEST ARTILLERY FULL STOP

FIELD REPORT

QUARTERLY ASCI CASUALTIES 26 KILLED 75 WOUNDED STOP NATIVE CASUALTIES 63 KILLED 143 WOUNDED STOP

ENEMY CASUALTY ESTIMATES 89 KILLED 297 WOUNDED STOP

SUCCESSFUL USE OF ARTILLERY STOP ADVANCE GOOD STOP DISEASE SPREAD IN ENEMY STOP EXPECT QUICK VICTORY FULL STOP

FIELD REPORT

QUARTERLY ASCI CASUALTIES 182 KILLED 782 WOUNDED STOP NATIVE CASUALTIES 409 KILLED 873 WOUNDED STOP

ENEMY CASUALTY ESTIMATES 831 KILLED 1076 WOUNDED STOP

ENEMY OFFENSIVE BLOODY STOP REQUEST MORE TROOPS STOP NO TRUST ANIMALS FULL STOP

Document 2750-5

The following is a letter dated to 11/25/1857. It is believed to have been addressed to then ASCI director, John Orville.

Director Orville,

The "Naaldloshii War" is concluded to our success. Were it I to choose though, success is a poor word.

Heavy naaldloshii resistance is all but gone, as all leaders are dead or captured. Yet for this cost, we paid nearly 400 lives, and our allies, more than 1000. We counted and burned over 2000 enemy corpses.

I fear that sporadic war will continue for years to come, until the enemy is totally eradicated, but seeing the strengths of this foe….it may be many, many years until it is truly over.

I hope that it was all worth it, John.

Colonel William Tyson, 7th Cavalry Regiment.

Document 2750-6

The following is an interview with the first captured SCP-2750 instance. The instance was captured following a battle between ASCI forces and an SCP-2750 raiding party. The instance spoke exclusively in the Navajo language. The interview has been translated from Navajo to English for ease of access.

SCP-2750: Damn you. Damn you all, and may Tééhoołtsódii drown your children. The fire of Haashchʼééshzhiní will purge your souls from this world.

Interviewer: Please, calm yourself.

SCP-2750: You dare to speak to me in such a manner? You, who speaks the language of the Diné, yet betrayed our people so? Who are you to speak to me? You are nothing to us, and your punishment will be swift once you die.

Interviewer: I do not understand what you are saying.

SCP-2750: Do not mock me, snaketongue.

Interviewer: I am not mocking you. Please c-

SCP-2750: Lies. First you shun us for our arts and gifts that you so jealously coveted. Then you attacked us, provoking ceaseless warfare that has devastated us both. Then, you twisted us into unimaginable monsters in order to destroy us. And now, you have the gall to insult me so?

Interviewer: I do not understand what you are saying. Can you elaborate?

SCP-2750: I have heard what you said of us. You called us mind readers and violent beasts, as if we were no better than the worms that crawl through the earth, and some sort of creature that was devoted to evil. Our people are dying thanks to your lies and envy of our gift. Blood is on your hands brother, and our people will have their vengeance for it.

Patterson-Gimlin Protocol

The Patterson-Gimlin Protocol is currently in effect for SCP-2750. Active awareness of SCP-2750 is to be encouraged as a cultural phenomenon due to the inability to properly contain awareness of the anomaly at this present stage. All personnel should consult the Procedural Handbook for General Containment for more information.

Display: Director’s Note: SCP-2750. Level 4 Clearance Required.

Credentials Accepted. Hide: Director’s Note: SCP-2750.

Director’s Note

Today at the Foundation, we are able to pride ourselves on our ability to contain anomalies with a minimum of visibility, collateral damage, and suffering. This, however, was not the case for one of our forebears in the American theater of anomaly containment, the American Secure Containment Initiative.

From time to time we rediscover artifacts and anomalies that were badly butchered thanks to 19th century containment quackery and political motivations. It is our duty to clean up these messes of our ancestors. SCP-2750 may be the most blatant example of this.

The documents currently on display for Level 3 researchers are only a fraction of what we have on SCP-2750. While they do accurately portray some components of the ASCI’s role in the Indian Wars, they don’t mention the unexpected side effects.

You see, Navajo mythology has never stated that SCP-2750 ever had a limit on the number of transformations possible, and we’ve never found a reason why SCP-2750 appearances have dwindled at a faster than expected rate, even following the purges.

We recently found a new SCP-2750 instance in 2008. Yes, the file is wrong. But that’s because the new instance we found was very, very different.

This one couldn’t transform properly, so it was stuck in a state between a coyote and a human. What we gathered from it was that this is becoming the new norm among SCP-2750 populations. Apparently, the factor that allows SCP-2750 is to some degree genetic. The dwindling genetic pool has led to inbreeding that causes improper transformations. In addition, the increasing difficulty of finding game to hunt in the American Southwest has caused a dramatic decrease in SCP-2750 populations.

The previous site director and the security committee that he assembled deemed that further knowledge of this development would be dangerous to site morale, and chose not to reveal this information publicly. “The last thing we need,” he said, “is more researchers taking pity on anomalies.”

Indeed, we are not kind to anomalies that we contain, and we do not seek to humanize them. However, we do not destroy our anomalies, and we treat them in a logical manner. In this particular case, the wholesale destruction of an entire anomalous population thanks to political motives and shoddy evidence is inexcusable.

Never forget the consequences of your decisions. Anything you choose to do here should not be taken lightly.

Jeremiah Witfield
Site Director