SCP Idea: Imaginary Friend

Summary:

A person that exists only as a cognitohazard- they don't actually exist (Euclid object class)

SCP Idea: Imaginary Friend

Mackeye 14 Oct 2019 22:34

My idea is a person, probably a teenager (SCP-X) that doesn't actually exist, but exists in the mind of people that hear about him. When SCP-X's name is heard by someone, that person believes he exists, and will see and hear them like anyone else. SCP-X will also have constant personality and appearance between people that see them, will have the same name, and will have conversations with multiple people that know about him. I'm not sure if SCP-X will have any other anomalous properties, but if you have ideas please let me know.

Re: SCP Idea: Imaginary Friend

cybersqyd 15 Oct 2019 10:40

This is actually…a really interesting start. Like, the way it works is fascinating and very fun.

That said: what's the narrative here? What do you want to do with the SCP?

How are you wanting the reader to feel about it? Like is this meant to be a sad story about a person who isn't real or a happy thing about like, a friend who's always with you or?

Re: SCP Idea: Imaginary Friend

Mackeye 19 Oct 2019 11:55

It will be leaning towards sad, I think. I'll have an addendum where SCP-X struggles with having people not notice him, and he will feel like he isn't important, in a sense. However, I do want to also include a bit of a happy narrative, although short, about psychologists working for the foundation coming to see SCP-X and bonding with him.

Re: SCP Idea: Imaginary Friend

Corvidless 15 Oct 2019 12:33

Like cybersqyd said, seems like a really interesting idea!

I think the idea of belief should be considered when drafting this one. If all that was required for the imaginary friend to "exist" in someone's mind is them hearing their name, surely thousands of people would know of it, if not hundreds of thousands.

I'd combat this by the person affected actually having to have some belief in the imaginary friend, however much belief is up to you, but it would help limit the spread a bit and make it a bit more elusive!

Re: SCP Idea: Imaginary Friend

Mackeye 19 Oct 2019 11:46

I don't know which object class to assign this. On one hand, somebody knowing that SCP-X exists won't allow them to escape, but it will also be easy for many people to learn about SCP-X, like you said. I think that once the cognitohazard affects somebody, they will become an SCP-X-1, and will not be able to be convinced that SCP-X is not technically real.

Corvidless 19 Oct 2019 12:43

I see. My issue is I don't know how this wouldn't spread indefinitely to an entire city, and then an entire country. If as soon as they hear about the SCP they're forced to believe, and thereby spread the cognitohazard, it would become almost a pandemic.

I do like this idea a lot, but I think you might need to add a caveat to this just so it doesn't become a bit 'OP' as it were. Best wishes.

Mackeye 19 Oct 2019 15:41

Sure. A containment breach will be present in the document, but I think I will use Class-C or Class-G amnestics in the story to address the breach. I'm not sure exactly how I will take care of this, but I will find a way to avoid it being 'OP' as you described. Thank you for the feedback!

Last edited on 19 Oct 2019 15:42 by Mackeye Show more