The nightlife in Italy is famous worldwide. When the sun goes down, its cities come alive
with locals and tourists alike, looking to party, have fun - and sometimes even get a
little rowdy. But in an unknown town in Italy, there is
a nightclub that offers a very different experience. For those who wander in, they might find themselves
playing a role in a drama far more exciting - and dangerous - than the night out they
expected. To the outside viewer, SCP-453 is nothing
out of the ordinary - just a standard nightclub filled with party-goers and revelers evening
after evening. As typical as it may seem, the unassuming
nature of the venue is nothing short of intentional by design. It is actually a front - owned and operated
by Foundation personnel who carefully monitor everyone who comes in and out - keeping a
watchful eye for any indication of drama or danger. Violence can, and WILL erupt at any moment
- and no matter what, no night at the club is ever routine. But the visitors' chaotic actions are not
their own. Though the people’s decision to attend the
club is of their own free will, after some time settling into the environment - something
changes. Over the course of the night, people begin
to do things that may otherwise seem out of character for them. In fact, they are playing roles. Though the same roles are played each evening
- they are played by different people night after night. Some of these dramas are harmless, but some
are violent. And some...may even be world-threatening. If the party-goers survive the role in their
“Scripts”, they will then leave the club and return home - with only a faint memory
of the events they took part in that evening. The next night, the process renews and the
events will repeat. But not all scripts repeat at the same frequency. Some are regular, while others are only triggered
by special circumstances. Only select people take part in these scripts,
while the others around them go about their night until triggered to take on a role, and
these bizarre performances may have been going on for a very long time. The building now known as SCP-453 may have
existed in some form or another even before the Foundation existed, with investigations
of the site indicating that it was once the villa of a powerful Roman Senator who held
extensive parties every night. These pervasive affairs - the odd happenings
that occurred during them, may have left a lasting imprint - because no matter what is
built on the site, it seems as though people are attracted to the building to party. The Foundation has had possession of the site
for a long time, and in a previous attempt to neutralize it’s chaotic power, they even
went as far as demolishing it completely to the ground - but that proved ineffective - even
when there was no villa or nightclub present, large groups of revelers would still gather. The gatherings would turn into street parties
- the street parties into riots. Many times, these circumstances were cause
for even worse consequences than the regular series of events. The Foundation didn’t know how to STOP the
scripted nightclub - but they could maybe control it. If the people wanted a nightclub, the Foundation
would give them one. The site was rebuilt from scratch, and from
the outside looking in, had all the characteristics of your standard every day disco watering-hole
- but really, it was meticulously constructed to be a sophisticated SCP facility capable
of handling whatever anomalous activity was thrown at it. Built from the same materials used in all
the other SCP containment sites, and always staffed with containment personnel on high
alert, ready to handle the more violent and dangerous scripts that may play out at any
moment. But control over the scripted nightclub may
be more easily said than done. The nightclub has been in operation for a
long time, and over the years, the staff has noticed some extremely odd events take place. For instance - certain things aren’t always
where they’re supposed to be. Aspects of the club are built and then slowly
shifted to new locations within the site over time. Most notable, the weapons locker on site for
staff to suppress violent incidents has slowly been drifting towards the men’s restroom
- and away from the secured section for staff only. And it’s not the only part of the building
slowly shuffling it’s way about. Could SCP-453 be learning to foil the Foundation
- and if so - why? While many of the scripts that play out in
the nightclub are harmless, some are of more concern. The Foundation has been studying what triggers
different scripts, and while some seem to inevitably play out and pull people in, others
are triggered by the presence of different guests. “The Silver Harlequins” will only play
out if more than fifteen guests are over the age of sixty. But there are a few distinct characteristics
of the scripts. All begin at approximately 9:00 pm at night,
and while people continue behaving in modern ways, there is one key difference. All scripted dialogue takes place entirely
in Latin. The Foundation believes that these scripts
may be playing out events that happened in the initial incarnation of the club, back
in Roman times. While the players differ, the events always
remain the same. And while the scripts rotate, SCP-453 seems
to gravitate towards three scripts - all posing unique challenges for the Foundation, and
one posing a potential end-of-the-world scenario. First up, Script 43 - The Cheating Wife This is normally the most common script, and
poses a relatively small threat to those not actively engaged in the script or outside
the nightclub. The main priority is to have the staff’s
medical team on site and ready to intervene when things get bloody. It begins at 9:49 pm, when a young woman heads
to the men’s bathroom. She will be followed by three men. The events of the bathroom are expunged, but
a little over an hour later, a fourth male will enter the picture. It’s the “husband” of the woman - and
he’s not happy. He will enter the nightclub, order a bottle
of red wine, and head to the bathroom. There, he will brutally assault the three
men, knocking all three unconscious and causing minor brain trauma to the third. He will then drag his “wife” out of the
restroom, cursing her and accusing her of infidelity as he takes her out of the nightclub. The script then terminates, and all participants
no longer remember the events beyond a bar fight. Medical attention is recommended for the three
men and the woman, especially the most severely injured of the men. But after the script concludes, strange events
continue to happen. While none of the participants know each other
before the script begins and don’t maintain memory of the exact events, they display strange
behavior. The man playing the husband becomes violent
when questioned, and develops an obsession with the woman playing his wife. The Foundation believes it wise to keep these
two individuals separated. Oddly, SCP-453 seems to prefer men who are
shorter and less physically strong than the other men to play the husband. Attempts to short-circuit the script have
proved unsuccessful, only delaying it. An attempt to remove the weapon - a wine bottle
- has led to the “husband” using more dangerous weapons like a bar stool instead,
which can lead to fatalities. It seems that SCP-453 gets what it wants - and
what it wants is for the show to go on. Then there is Script 21 - The Senator’s
Visit This is considered a higher-priority script,
and the Foundation knows to be on high alert for medical intervention to prevent fatalities. This one kicks off at 10:13 pm, as a civilian
steps into the club and takes the role of the Senator - the original owner of the villa. He is accompanied by an entourage of thirteen
servants - each carrying improvised weapons. And when they step in, the club stops dead
in anticipation of the coming events. Because two people in the club just became
assassins. The Senator and his servants take over a table,
and the Senator begins ordering extravagant food and drinks. He’ll always gravitate towards the most
expensive items available from the current stock, and his orders are always completed
at specific times - no matter how the Foundation tries to intervene. During his meal, a civilian selected to be
an activist will approach the Senator and begin criticizing the treatment of the citizens
in a nearby city - only to be assaulted brutally by three members of the entourage. The Foundation will take her away for medical
treatment after she’s left for dead. If you think that is brutal, be prepared - because
the Senator’s night is about to get a whole lot more dangerous. The first of two assassins will then approach
the Senator, pull a blade, and attack him. The assassin will be intercepted by four servants
who will kill him - despite the best efforts of Foundation personnel to prevent this outcome. But it’s the second assassin who is of far
greater concern. He will incite a brawl among civilians around
the eastern wall of the club, then use the chaos to attack seven of the servants as he
approaches the Senator. Those servants are a priority for medical
intervention, but the chaos makes it impossible to intercept them until ten minutes after
midnight. The assassin will then engage with the remaining
servants, barely surviving, and eventually stab the Senator in the neck fatally. The Foundation has been unable to prevent
this - and the danger isn’t over yet. The fight at the nightclub will continue to
escalate, causing more injuries but no more fatalities, until over an hour has passed
and nineteen civilians take on the role of Roman guards. They’ll pacify the crowd and clear the club
- this is when the Foundation can finally intervene and treat the wounded. Much like the first smaller-scale script,
any attempts to interrupt the flow of the events taking place will be unsuccessful - and
often result in more deaths. None of the large number of participants remember
the events, only believing they were in a brutal bar fight. This is one of the most common scripts, and
the Foundation’s only priority is to try to minimize casualties with quick medical
intervention. But one script hints at a much darker event
at the club, and that’s Script 82 - The Plurality Cult Most scripts begin before midnight and plunge
the club into chaos. But if no script has started before then and
the club seems mundane - the Foundation knows to get ready. They’ll suit up in riot gear designed to
withstand neurotoxins, and claim to the guests that this is part of a theme night. At roughly two hours after midnight, the events
will begin with one civilian standing in the center of the room and saying “The time
of plurality has come”. At least half the other civilians will then
join in, saying “We embrace the many”. But there is something different about this
script. Sometimes Foundation staff members will join
in. This is the most dangerous script at SCP-453,
and staff knows to immediately terminate any Foundation member who has been converted - because
Intervention 453-82 Pariah is about to begin, and there is no room for error. First, any civilians who did not become engaged
in the cult should be immediately evacuated to a safe holding area if possible. The priority then turns to subduing the cultists
by any means necessary. The security team should attempt to restrain
them and keep them alive, but lethal force may be necessary. The cultists have a priority of their own
though.They will not respond to any attacks by the security team, and will instead begin
a latin chant that ends with their leader laughing hysterically and offering a toast
to the club. The club will seemingly return to normal - but
the danger is just beginning. Before 2:25 am, all the cultists and all the
civilians must be removed from the premises - by any means necessary. If other attempts have failed, the Foundation
will release type-14 neurotoxic gas into the club to eliminate anyone on site - with one
exception. The cult leader is not to be harmed under
any circumstances. If the cult leader is harmed in any way, or
the staff has not subdued the cult by 2:30 am, the Foundation will trigger a self-destruct
mechanism that will eliminate the threat - for now. The site’s unique properties cannot be stopped,
but the script can be stopped in its tracks. The clock cannot be allowed to reach 3:00
am under any circumstances. More worrisome, this script is becoming more
and more frequent. The cycle continues, but the Foundation is
focused on containment. The club is to be staffed at all times by
bartenders, bouncers, cleaners, and emergency and medical staff, as well as at least ten
security staff members and two observation personnel. All are responsible for studying and memorizing
the scripts, and being prepared to handle any scripted events that occur. The site is to be inspected and measured regularly
for any changes, and to make sure all its security measures are in working order. The site will be locked every day between
4:00 am and 8:00 pm, to prepare for the night ahead. Because at 8:00 pm on the dot, SCP-453 opens
for business - seeking new players for its drama of the night. For another unpredictable building, check
out “SCP-4001 - Trapped in Ikea”, or watch “SCP-701 - The Hanged King’s Tragedy”
for another unconventional drama.
