The Scarlet King is a powerful, malevolent entity that embodies chaos and cruelty, existing across multiple realities and dimensions. It is believed to be the ultimate evil behind many of the troubles faced by the SCP Foundation. The entity is known by many names, often referencing the color red and royalty. It is bound by three laws: the Law of Blood (poverty, violence, and fear), the Law of Concrete (modernity and false comfort), and the Law of Howling (endless rage at the direction of the world).
The story revolves around Dr. Robert Montauk, a researcher who becomes obsessed with understanding the Scarlet King. He discovers that the entity's power grows whenever humanity tries to exert control over the world, and that the SCP Foundation's attempts to understand and contain it only make it stronger.
Montauk eventually learns that the Scarlet King is an idea, a concept given power through the conflict between old and new. He realizes that the Foundation's belief in science and rationality is seen as petty arrogance by the King. Montauk's actions become increasingly erratic, and he eventually kills Dipesh, the leader of the Children of the Scarlet King.
The O5 Council of the SCP Foundation, in an attempt to prevent the Scarlet King's rise to power, changes its classification from Keter to Safe and makes its description deliberately vague. However, Montauk believes this is not enough, and he eventually defects from the Foundation to join the Scarlet King's followers, becoming a devotee of madness, hate, and chaos.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. The Scarlet King is a mysterious entity believed to be the ultimate evil behind much of the trouble the SCP Foundation has faced.
2. The Scarlet King is also known by many other names, including Harak, Khahrahk, the Red Shah, the Crimson Khan, PTE-616-Mendes-Ex-Machina, the Lāla Rājā, and SCP-001.
3. The Scarlet King is often depicted as a huge, red demonic figure with a gold crown or other headdress indicating royalty.
4. The Scarlet King is believed to exist across multiple realities and dimensions.
5. The SCP Foundation has a file on the Scarlet King, which was initially classified as Keter but was later downgraded to Safe.
6. The Scarlet King is said to be bound by three Laws: the Law of Blood, the Law of Concrete, and the Law of Howling.
7. The Law of Blood is defined by poverty, violence, starvation, hate, and fear.
8. The Law of Concrete refers to the modern age, defined by empty safety and false comfort.
9. The Law of Howling is the Scarlet King's endless rage at the direction the world and humanity has taken.
10. The Scarlet King is an idea or concept that gains power through the conflict between the old and new.
11. The Scarlet King hates the SCP Foundation's belief in science and rationality as the path to progress.
12. The Scarlet King's power grows when humanity tries to exert control over the world.
13. The Scarlet King's rise to absolute power is considered inevitable unless the world, especially the SCP Foundation, changes its ways.
14. Dr. Robert Montauk is a researcher who became obsessed with understanding the Scarlet King.
15. Montauk's brother, Jacob, disappeared under mysterious circumstances, which Montauk believed was connected to the Scarlet King.
16. Montauk proposed a procedure, known as the Montauk Procedure, to prevent the final birth of an anomalous horror.
17. Montauk interviewed Dipesh Spivak, the leader of the Children of the Scarlet King, to learn more about the Scarlet King.
18. Dipesh revealed that the Children of the Scarlet King had once worked with the Serpent's Hand before being excommunicated.
19. The Children of the Scarlet King stole sacred texts from the mystical Wanderer's Library to assist in their summoning rituals.
20. Montauk became increasingly unhinged as he learned more about the Scarlet King and eventually shot Dipesh dead.
21. The O5 Council of the SCP Foundation refused to change their ways to prevent the Scarlet King's rise to power.
22. The O5 Council changed the classification of the Scarlet King from Keter to Safe and made its description on the official Foundation files deliberately vague.
23. Dr. Robert Montauk is no longer a researcher for the SCP Foundation and has become a devotee of the Scarlet King.