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| A copy of SCP-332. |
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Item #: SCP-332
Object Class: Euclid
Special Containment Procedures: All copies of the object designated as SCP-332 are to be kept in Storage Unit 5 at Research Sector 4. The entrance to Storage Unit 5 is hidden in a wall in a little-used basement staircase, accessible only by a small list of research personnel to be verified by a retinal scanner. Any unauthorized personnel found with a copy of SCP-332 are to be detained, given a psychiatric evaluation, and administered a minor amnesiac to erase all memory of SCP-332. Other than this, the objects do not require any unique containment procedures as they are, in and of themselves, completely safe to handle.
Description: SCP-332 is a plain black hardcover book, measuring 10cm x 7 cm x 2 cm. It is 76 pages long, not counting the title page. The title, “Practical Necromancy for the Modern Occultist”, is embossed on the spine in silver lettering. The title page identifies the author as ███ ████ and the publisher as Salem University Thaumaturgical Press, located at [DATA EXPUNGED] in Salem, MA. Investigation by SCP agents have found that not only is there no record of the author's existence, but that neither does the publisher nor Salem University exist. When SCP agents attempted to find the address, they found that there was no such street in the town of Salem, MA. The origin of SCP-332 is currently unknown.
The book provides detailed instructions on how to cast spells and perform rituals for the purpose of contacting and conjuring spirits, presumably the spirits of the deceased. The art the book purports to teach is undeniably magic, but all the spells contained within it involve the dead, either as physical corpses or spirits. No other types of spell are covered by the book, or even hinted at; the total number of spells contained in the book is 38, with most spells taking up two pages. SCP-332 provides lists of all equipment and ingredients required in the performance of its “necromancy”, and all such items are easily procured at supermarkets, pharmacies, and other modern shops. Testing by SCP researchers have found that if performed exactly as the book instructs all of the spells work with a 100% success rate. However, if a mistake is made, the spells do not work. Smaller mistakes, such as mispronounced words, will cause nothing to happen. Larger mistakes can cause a variety of unpleasant consequences, as SCP-332 itself warns almost constantly. Personnel with Level 3 or higher clearance can access Testing Log 332 for examples of successful and unsuccessful tests of SCP-332.
Multiple copies of SCP-332 exist. The Foundation currently owns 26 copies. The first copy seized by the Foundation was discovered at a library sale in ████, ██ by Agent ██████ in 1979. Undercover SCP agents have occasionally found a few copies of the item on bookstore shelves in the U.S., Canada, England, Australia, and other English-speaking countries. When interviewed about how the store acquired SCP-332, the staff generally seems confused and often deny knowledge of the item in question. The stores' inventory lists and product orders verify this. It is not known how many copies of the item exist outside Foundation custody, but given the nature of the item in question seizing as many copies as possible is a high priority.
Addendum: The final page of the book invites readers to write the author with questions or comments. The address given is that of a P.O. box at a post office in Salem, MA, located on the same non-existent street as SCP-332's publisher. SCP researchers have been in correspondence with the author for ██ years, utilizing many different pseudonyms and addresses to pose as interested readers. The Foundation possesses several pieces of correspondence from the author. Trial and error has established that the author is touchy when it comes to subjects of conversation; any questions about the publisher or the origin of SCP-332 will cause the author to cease correspondence immediately. Most of his letters are very business-like but he can be coaxed into talking more casually with care. Recent letters state that the author is preparing a new edition for worldwide publication. Despite the failure of previous efforts to locate the author, this new information makes his capture a primary objective.