Film Log Transcript 2736-01 – Surveillance Mission [113]-V-779

Date: 21/06/1951

Time: 22:48 PST – 23:27 PST

Location: Bohemian Grove (LoI-729)

Task Force: Theta-3-3 (DEEP COVER)

Note: The original film log was compiled from footage covertly shot by Theta-3-3 agents using two concealed, hand-held cameras. Camera-1 was situated at the back of the crowd, with a view of the entire clearing; Camera-2 was situated near the front of the crowd, with a relatively close view of the proceedings. Footage is in black and white.

[BEGIN LOG]

<00:01> Camera-1 shows a large clearing surrounded by giant redwoods. It is nighttime. At the center of the clearing stands a dilapidated 10m-tall stone statue depicting a ram’s head. At the foot of the statue a large bonfire is burning; aside from some wooden torches carried by attendees, this is the only source of light. Several meters from the fire, a deep rectangular hole has been dug into the ground, and the removed earth piled next to it. The camera pans over a crowd, showing roughly 500 people in attendance. All are wearing dark robes with the hoods drawn.

<07:28> (Camera-1) The crowd parts as a group of fourteen men arrive in the clearing and make their way toward the fire. All of them are dressed in robes.

<07:40> (Camera-2) The group walks past the camera. All men are wearing masks, save for one, whose face is visible. [Examination of the still frames reveals the man to be Richard M. Nixon, to be henceforth referred to as “R.N.” He appears nervous and afraid.]

<07:52> (Camera-2) R.N. is escorted to the front of the crowd and made to stop at the foot of the statue. A high-backed wooden chair, similar in appearance to a throne, is brought beside him. Some of the men around R.N. remove his robe, leaving him naked.

<08:30> (Camera-2) R.N. is made to sit down on the wooden chair, to which his wrists and ankles are strapped. A noose is placed around his neck, and a crudely-made crown placed on his head. [The noose appears to serve a symbolic purpose, as it is not attached to a supporting beam. The crown appears to have been fashioned from shards of bone.]

<11:13> (Camera-2) Twelve of the masked men position themselves around R.N. Each one produces a knife from inside his robe. The thirteenth man, who will henceforth be referred to as “Speaker”, turns toward the crowd.

Speaker: Tonight marks the dawn of the New Age.

(Applause and cheers from the crowd.)

Speaker: Tonight we witness the Birth of the First.

(More cheering.)

<12:05> (Camera-2) One of the masked men, who will henceforth be referred to as “Masked Man-1”, approaches R.N.

(Crowd becomes silent.)

<12:52> (Camera-2) Masked Man-1 raises his knife to R.N.’s face.

(Screams of pain from R.N.)

<13:20> (Camera-2) Masked Man-1 faces the crowd and raises his arm high above his head. He is holding a small object in his hand, from which blood appears to be dripping.

Speaker: We offer his left eye to the Fire, that the King may always see.

<13:33> (Camera-2) Masked Man-1 throws the small object into the bonfire.

<13:49> (Camera-2) Another masked man, who will henceforth be referred to as “Masked Man-2”, approaches R.N. with his knife raised and takes hold of his jaw with his free hand.

(R.N. is heard screaming in pain; after several seconds a gurgling sound is heard.)

Speaker: We throw his tongue into the Flames, that the King may never betray himself.

<14:42> (Camera-2) Masked Man-2 throws a small object into the bonfire.

<15:10> (Camera-2) The remaining masked men, to be henceforth referred to as “Masked Men-3 to -12”, line up at R.N.’s side and take turns cutting at his hands with their knives.

(Sustained screams of pain by R.N.)

Speaker: We cast his fingers into the Furnace, that the King’s grip may never weaken.

<16:31> (Camera-2) Masked Men-3 to -12 each throw a small object into the bonfire.

<17:19> (Camera-2) R.N. is now bleeding profusely from the injuries sustained to his face and hands. Several of the masked men remove him from the chair and carry him over to the nearby hole, into which he is lowered.

<18:44> (Camera-2) Several of the masked men take shovels and begin burying R.N. alive.

Speaker: We give his body to the Pit, that the Eternal Depths may grind it to dust, rending chaff from wheat.

<21:25> (Camera-2) The masked men finish burying R.N. alive.

(Applause and cheering from the crowd.)

<21:42> (Camera-1) Two identical straw effigies, each measuring roughly 3m in height, are brought from the edge of the clearing to the foot of the statue, and propped up over the bonfire.

<22:14> (Camera-2) The effigies begin to burn.

(The crowd is silent.)

Still frame from Camera-1, at <25:16>.

<24:38> (Camera-1) As the effigies continue to burn, they start producing sparks, flashes of light and small, fireworks-like explosions. [It is not known whether explosives had previously been placed inside the effigies, or if these phenomena have an anomalous cause.]

<29:01> (Camera-2) The effigies crumble as they finish burning. [Here, Theta-3-3 agents reported that the bonfire flames turned a deep red and appeared to grow darker, though this is not properly visible on the black-and-white film.]

(A low sound reminiscent of stone grinding against stone becomes audible; the sound, of unknown origin, is heard throughout the clearing for several minutes, steadily growing in volume.)

<35:05> (Camera-2) The two effigies have been completely reduced to ashes. [Here, Theta-3-3 agents reported that the bonfire flames regained their usual color and brightness.]

(The grinding sound gradually fades away. The crowd is silent.)

Speaker: The First will be reborn.

<37:49> (Camera-2) View of the filled-in hole where R.N. is buried. The earth over the hole begins to shift, as though something were moving under the surface.

<38:01> (Camera-2) Two hands emerge from the ground, and a naked man pulls himself out of the hole before collapsing in exhaustion on the ground. [Examination of still frames show that the man is Richard M. Nixon, although none of the injuries inflicted by the masked men are visible on his body. This individual will henceforth be referred to as SCP-2736-2.]

<38:09> (Camera-2) Speaker approaches SCP-2736-2 and helps it to stand up.

<38:15> (Camera-2) A second naked man pulls himself out of the hole. [Examination of still frames reveals the man is also Richard M. Nixon; again, none of the injuries inflicted by the masked men are visible on his body. This individual will henceforth be referred to as SCP-2736-1.]

<38:43> (Camera-2) Speaker appears to address SCP-2736-2 before handing it a knife.

<38:51> (Camera-2) SCP-2736-2 takes hold of the knife and turns toward SCP-2736-1. SCP-2736-1 attempts to stand up, but before it is able to SCP-2736-2 jumps on top of it and attempts to stab it with the knife. The two men struggle, with SCP-2736-1 sustaining a number of deep lacerations to its chest.

<39:30> (Camera-2) SCP-2736-1 takes hold of a rock on the ground beside it and strikes SCP-2736-2 on the side of the head with it. SCP-2736-2 falls back, stunned. SCP-2736-1, bleeding from its injuries, stands up and flees from the crowd.

<39:41> (Camera-1) View of SCP-2736-1 running toward the trees. Several of the masked men, as well as men from the crowd, start running after it.

[END LOG]

At this point, taking advantage of the general confusion, Theta-3-3 Commander William Meeks instructed Theta-3-3 agents to attempt to recover SCP-2736-1 and extract it from Bohemian Grove. It was thought that SCP-2736-1 might prove amenable to the Foundation given GoI-113’s treatment of it, as well as provide valuable information regarding GoI-113 and LoI-729. The extraction was successful, though three Theta-3-3 agents were killed in the ensuing firefight with Bohemian Grove’s security force.