Let the love of your ancestors be your shield.

Evidence indicates that SCP-3668 is approximately three thousand years old, although the anomalous properties of the item prevent any proper method of dating the object. SCP-3668 (or an object of identical description) has been contained and utilized by several groups over the past three thousand years.

As complete of a history of SCP-3668 as can be assembled follows below. This timeline is not complete, as there are several gaps in the historical record where the location of SCP-3668 is unknown. Some of these gaps are believed to be the result of past anomalous containment groups obfuscating the existence of SCP-3668.

The exact date of origin of SCP-3668 is currently unknown, but estimates have been made given the style of the object, which was present in shields created between 1200 BCE and 800 BCE. SCP-3668 does not appear within the historical record until 325 BCE.

It is currently unknown how or by whom SCP-3668 was created. The aformentioned period does not coincide with a period of known anomalous activity within Scotland. As such, it is believed that SCP-3668 is a unique anomalous item, rather than being part of a greater series.

Yetholm-type shields were typically used by individuals of a high social standing. The anomalous alterations to SCP-3668 further indicate this, as such modifications would have likely been difficult to produce.

The first appearance of SCP-3668 in the historical record appears in 325 BCE, when it is briefly mentioned in a historical account by the Greek geographer Pytheas of Massalia in his work, τὰ περὶ τοῦ Ὠκεανοῦ⁴. This work describes a journey by Pytheas to northwestern Europe, including Scotland.

No complete copy of this text survives, but the relevant excerpt was recorded by the Praetorian Office of Secret Wisdom.⁵ Translated from Latin:⁶

We landed upon the shore and met with the natives of this region of Bretannikē. One of their warriors carried an ornate shield, with a design of circles. Holding this shield, he is deathless, for the ghosts of his fathers would appear before him to defend him.

During the Roman invasion, SCP-3668 came into the possession of Legion XX. SCP-3668 was located in a Pictish village and used by one warrior during an attempt to defend the village. While the wielder of SCP-3668 was not killed, many of the other defenders were and the warrior surrendered. Legion XX then took SCP-3668 into their possession.

SCP-3668 was held by Legion XX and infrequently used in combat until the end of Gnaeus Julius Agricola's campaign against northern England. At the end of the campaign, it was taken into the custody of Agricola himself.

In 85, Agricola was recalled to Rome from Britain. It is believed that he brought SCP-3668 with him and presented the item as a gift to Emperor Domitian on his return. This is unconfirmed, but is believed to be the most likely location of SCP-3668 during this time period by the Historical Department.

Regardless of the circumstances under which SCP-3668 came to Rome, it was given into the custody of the Praetorian Office of Secret Wisdom. The Praetorian Office then began efforts to investigate the history of SCP-3668, discovering the mention in τὰ περὶ τοῦ Ὠκεανοῦ, which was not lost at the time.

The Praetorian Office held onto SCP-3668 until the Praetorian Guard was disbanded in 312. During this period, there were several concerted efforts to test the properties of the anomaly. SCP-3668 was considered for usage to defend the Emperor, but this was denied for unknown reasons. It was recorded that SCP-3668 was taken by a former Praetorian Guard, but what they did with it is unclear.

The Vatican Holy Office for Secrets and Prophecies⁷ came into the possession of SCP-3668 at some point before 807. The exact circumstances under which this occurred are unknown.

The Vatican Holy Office made a concerted effort to learn more about SCP-3668, discovering the records of the Praetorian Office in the process. Unlike the Praetorian Office, the Vatican Holy Office declared SCP-3668 unholy and opted against any military usage.

In 1096, records of the Vatican Holy Office indicate that SCP-3668 was not within the Papal Treasure Trove in 1096. These records only note the absence of SCP-3668, and do not explain where it was.

In 1104, records indicate that SCP-3668 was returned to the Papal Treasure Trove. Again, records do not indicate where SCP-3668 was during this period. It is possible that SCP-3668 was taken earlier than 1096 CE, or returned earlier than 1104 CE.

When Rome was annexed into the First French Empire as a department, SCP-3668 was taken by French Imperial Forces from the Vatican Secret Archive. After learning of the anomalous effects of SCP-3668, it was then brought before Napoleon as a gift.

Napoleon began to use the item, due to a personal interest in lineage. However, he mostly regarded SCP-3668 as a novelty, rather than as a weapon or military tool. As such, it was not brought into battle at any time during Napoleon's possession of the item. While not being used, it was kept with Napoleon's small personal collection of anomalous items.

Following Napoleon's exile to Elba, his personal collection of anomalous objects was confiscated by the Estate noir, a Foundation precursor agency operating out of France. Among the objects within Napoleon's collection was SCP-3668. The Estate noir militarized SCP-3668, using it during the Fourth Occult War.

The Estate noir is known to have conducted efforts to obscure Napoleon's personal involvement with the anomalous. Information concerning SCP-3668 was likely destroyed as a result of this.

Around 1852, Her Majesty's Foundation for the Study of Curiosities and Phantasmagoria learned of the existence of SCP-3668, and that it was being held by the Estate noir. They decided that the artifact, being originally from Scotland and dealing with genetic heritage, should fall under their jurisdiction, and requested that the Estate noir give the object over to their custody.

The Estate noir refused this demand, forming a point of contention between the two groups, which lasted for the next forty eight years. Her Majesty's Foundation for the Study of Curiosities and Phantasmagoria made multiple requests for the return of SCP-3668, but all were denied.

Following the Forbidden City Convention, the Estate noir, Her Majesty's Foundation for the Study of Curiosities and Phantasmagoria and eleven other anomalous containment groups merged to form the modern SCP Foundation.

However, partisan elements of the Estate noir, opposed to the merger and the establishment of the modern Foundation, destroyed many records of the Estate noir. Among these were the files concerning SCP-3668. As such, the archives of the Vatican Holy Office are the primary source of information on SCP-3668.

During the Foundation Civil War, which led to the formation of the Chaos Insurgency, SCP-3668 was claimed by individuals that would later form the Insurgency, along with many other anomalous objects with militarization possibility.

Over the course of the next twenty years, there were scattered reports of First Chaos Insurgency operatives using SCP-3668 during battle. While the Foundation remained aware of SCP-3668, recontainment of SCP-3668 was never considered a high priority, due to the low danger and threat to normalcy of the anomaly.

Notably, during a Foundation assault on an Insurgency cell in 1938, a Chaos Insurgent wielding SCP-3668 was directly targeted with a Foundation-grade rocket artillery unit and survived unharmed. The Chaos Insurgent in question was then carried away by SCP-3668-1 instances, and escaped custody. This is currently the known upper limit of the abilities of SCP-3668.

At the end of the Seventh Occult War⁸ the First Chaos Insurgency was defeated by Foundation and Allied Occult Coalition forces. Many of their anomalous objects were confiscated or destroyed at this time. However, a former member of the First Chaos Insurgency eluded custody and sold SCP-3668 to Ottaviano Medici, a Marshall, Carter and Dark sales representative and auctioneer.

According to Ottaviano Medici, who was later apprehended for unrelated reasons, MC&D sold SCP-3668 to Normand Iveries, a private collector of anomalous items for approximately 15,000 USD. Mr. Medici did not learn what Mr. Iveries intended to use SCP-3668 for.

In 1982, the ORIA took Esma'il Kashani into custody for terrorism against the state. SCP-3668 was in the possession of Esma'il Kashani at the time, and placed into ORIA custody afterwards.

The location of SCP-3668 between 1946 and 1982 is currently unknown. Unfortunately, Norman Iveries died in 1976, and Esma'il Kashani was executed by the ORIA three months after being taken into custody.

In 1991, SCP-3668 was offered to the Foundation by the ORIA as part of an exchange of anomalous objects. The ORIA indicated knowledge of the history of the object, and knowledge that the Foundation would be interested in the object. This deal was accepted, and SCP-3668 has been in Foundation containment since.

SCP-3668, after being returned to Foundation custody, was placed into a standard Safe-class object locker at Site-██. In 1995, however, a standard routine of Foundation objects indicated that it would prove useful as a demonstrative for Potomac Briefings.

• The anomalous properties of SCP-3668 are non-dangerous, and actively prevent potential harm. This minimizes any risk posed when displaying the object.
• SCP-3668 can be easily activated, caused by any threat posed to the wielder. This allows for briefings to quickly and efficiently display an anomaly.
• When not in use, SCP-3668 is completely inert.
• The extended history of SCP-3668 and the lack of any unexpected incidents allows a high degree of confidence that SCP-3668 does not possess any additional, secondary anomalous properties.
• The provenance of SCP-3668 (particularly past owners, such as Napoleon) allow an agent to establish the widespread nature of the anomalous while being truthful.

As such, SCP-3668 is an ideal object for usage in Potomac Briefings. In a 9-3-1 vote, the O5 Council voted to use SCP-3668 as such, rather than a more traditional Containment Profile.