Exploring the SCP Foundation: The Church of the Broken God

Summary

The Church of the Broken God is a faction in the SCP universe devoted to reassembling Mekhane, a deity of metal and intellect, shattered to cage the goddess Yaldabaoth. Their followers, the Mekhanites, oppose the Sarkics, who embrace flesh and instinct and spread the deadly SCP-610. Throughout history, both sides engaged in brutal conflicts, including the War of the Flesh in ancient Greece. Today, the Church is fragmented into factions blending traditional, industrial, and cybernetic practices, working alongside the SCP Foundation to prevent catastrophic events while seeking Mekhane's lost fragments. Their story explores the clash between technology and flesh, human nature, and the quest for divine restoration.

Takeaways

• 🤖 The Church of the Broken God worships Mekhane, a deity of metal, machines, and intellect, who was shattered to imprison Yaldabaoth, the goddess of flesh and instincts.
• ⚔️ Mekhanites aim to reconstruct Mekhane using anomalous technological objects while opposing Sarkics, who embrace human flesh, instincts, and disease.
• 🧬 Sarkics practice human transformation, ritual cannibalism, and the spread of SCP-610, the highly contagious 'Red Death' disease.
• 🏛️ Historical conflict between Mekhanites and Sarkics culminated in the War of the Flesh during the late Bronze Age, primarily in Greece.
• 🤖 Mekhanites used mechanical augmentation, colossal war machines, and advanced weapons, while Sarkics relied on monstrous flesh beasts and spreading disease.
• 🔧 Modern factions of the Church include the Broken Church (traditional), Cogwork Orthodox Church (industrial augmentations), and Church of Maxwellism (digital hive-mind ideals).
• 🧱 Notable SCPs associated with the Church include SCP-1139 ('Broken Tongue'), SCP-813 ('Broken Eye'), SCP-217 (organic-metal virus), SCP-882 (Heart of the Broken God), and SCP-2217 (the Anvil workshop).
• 🌐 The Church now collaborates with the SCP Foundation, Horizon Initiative, and Global Occult Coalition to prevent apocalyptic SCP-610 outbreaks and other threats.
• 💔 SCP-882 was a corrupted artificial heart of Mekhane created by humans, not the deity itself, highlighting the Church’s complex history with anomalous objects.
• 📜 The SCP universe has no strict canon, and much about the Church, its history, and Mekhane’s reconstruction is open to interpretation and future events.
• 🛠️ The philosophical divide between Mekhanites and Sarkics reflects the choice between technological perfection versus embracing human nature and instincts.

Q & A

Who is Mekhane and what role does he play in the Church of the Broken God?

Mekhane is the god of metal, machines, and intelligence. According to the Church of the Broken God, he was shattered to trap Yaldabaoth and prevent her from destroying humanity. The church's goal is to reassemble Mekhane using anomalous and technological objects.

Who is Yaldabaoth and what is her significance in the SCP universe?

Yaldabaoth is the goddess of flesh and animal instinct. She created humanity's physical form and instincts. She opposes Mekhane because she wishes to revert humanity to its primal, animalistic state. Her followers are known as Sarkics.

What are the primary goals of the Church of the Broken God?

The church has two main goals: to reassemble Mekhane, the Broken God, and to oppose the Sarkics, followers of Yaldabaoth.

What is the War of the Flesh and what caused it?

The War of the Flesh was a conflict in the late Bronze Age, centered in Greece, between the Mekhanites and the Sarkics. The Sarkics used biological mutation, disease, and flesh beasts, while the Mekhanites used technological augmentation, war machines, and titanic constructs. It was caused by the ongoing struggle between the followers of Mekhane and Yaldabaoth.

What are the three main modern factions of the Church of the Broken God?

1. Broken Church — led by Robert Bumaro, follows traditional tenets. 2. Cogwork Orthodox Church — inspired by the Industrial Revolution, uses mechanical augmentation. 3. Church of Maxwellism — focuses on modern cybernetics and digital networks, aiming to create a hive mind.

What is SCP-610 and how is it connected to the Sarkics?

SCP-610, also known as the Red Death or Flesh That Hates, is a highly contagious disease that transforms hosts into fleshy growths, spreading rapidly to create an area hospitable for continued infection. The Sarkics aim to use it to prepare the world for Yaldabaoth's return.

What are some SCP artifacts believed to be parts of Mekhane?

Notable SCP artifacts include SCP-1139 (Broken Tongue/Voice), SCP-813 (Broken Eye), SCP-217 (virus converting organic matter into organic metal), and SCP-882 (assembly of mechanical parts initially believed to be Mekhane's heart).

What is the significance of SCP-882 and its history?

SCP-882 is a massive assembly of mechanical parts that telepathically urges nearby individuals to bring metal to it. Initially thought to be the Heart of Mekhane, it was later revealed to be manufactured by the Factory as a corrupted heart, not an actual part of Mekhane.

What is SCP-2217 and why is it important to the Church of the Broken God?

SCP-2217, known as the Anvil, is a beach on a Greek island serving as a workshop for the Broken God. It is considered a holy site where Mekhane could be reassembled and is central to the Church's efforts against Sarkics and SCP-610.

How has the relationship between the Church of the Broken God and the SCP Foundation evolved?

Originally seen as a mysterious and potentially antagonistic organization, the Church of the Broken God is now working with the SCP Foundation, the Horizon Initiative, and the Global Occult Coalition to prevent apocalyptic events such as a massive SCP-610 outbreak.

What is the difference in ideology between the Mekhanites and Sarkics?

The Mekhanites believe humanity must cast off its human nature through technology to achieve perfection, while the Sarkics believe humanity should embrace its primal instincts and fleshly nature, rejecting objective morality.

What was the 1942 SCP-001 event and its outcome?

In Mexico, members of the Church of the Broken God assembled multiple anomalous objects into a massive mechanical entity that ravaged the country. SCP-2399 intervened and destroyed the entity, carving out the Gulf of California, after which the Foundation contained the inactive core.