The Toe Snapping Die

Summary:

For once, lower rolls are better.

The Toe Snapping Die

Undead Munchies 26 Dec 2019 11:47

SCP-xxxx is a 3D Printed 10-sided die, which is blue in color and approximately 25mm in each dimension. Upon rolling the die, the roller will have as many toes snapped as the die rolls. The affected toes are completely random. So if somebody rolls a 3, then three random toes will be snapped. SCP-xxxx is capable of causing irreversible damage to victims. Toes snapped by rolling the die show no signs of healing, even years after activation of the object.

Direct contact with the skin is required for activation, meaning wearing gloves and full length clothing is required to ensure safe handling. Contact does not need to be with the hands for activation, simply the skin of the handler. In addition to this, the victim during activation of the object is decided by whoever the die had direct skin contact with last. This means that, if desired, somebody could throw the die at another person to snap their toes.

Edit: Due to the initial responses, I will say that I do have more detail and background on incidents and experiments planned and they will be added to the draft when I get the time, but I think this is already a longer post than the rules allow so I couldn't fit it all in. It's there though. Don't worry.

If desired by reviewers, I am currently working on the first draft in Sandbox. Just let me know if you would like to see it.

Last edited on 27 Dec 2019 00:21 by Undead Munchies Show more

Re: The Toe Snapping Die

Doctor Fullham 26 Dec 2019 14:44

What you have currently is the "thing that does a thing" or "X that does Y" concept. An SCP article is much more than simply an anomalous item, being, place, or event. The true meat of the SCP is the story around the anomalous thing. The thing itself is a vehicle that the narrative is attached to. To give my best example from Series 1, look at SCP 093: The anomalous item itself is a rock that turns mirrors into interdimensional portals. The thing that makes this SCP shine is the story; the history of the dimension that it leads to.

I recommend reading several items on the Guide Hub:

How to Write an SCP

Clinical Tone: Declassified

Things What Do a Thing: An Essay On Anomalies That Are Things That Do A Thing

Essay Regarding SCPs, Narratives, and How They Can Share a Page

There are other guides there that can be very helpful, but these three are some of the most often recommended for first-time contributors.

General Notes

We need to know more than just "it's a die that breaks your toes." What story are you going to tell - How The Foundation found it, Who or what created it and why, did someone use it to some end? What happens if someone with no toes rolls it? (These are not all questions that must be answered, these are some possible narrative hooks.) You need something that differentiates this as an SCP, instead of just an Anomalous Item.

I also recommend reading several (at least 10-20) of the top-rated SCPs from the last several months, and avoid reading series 1 SCPs for inspiration. Many series 1 SCPs would not last a day under current SCP standards, and a few are only still around because of their history with the wiki itself. (This does not apply to all series 1 SCPs, as you can see I mentioned 093 earlier, but many of these were written before the wiki's style had really been cemented.)

The anomalous object, while important, is not actually the main focus of the SCP. A good story, a compelling narrative, something that makes the reader feel something - that is the goal of an SCP article. What feeling do you want to evoke from the reader? Horror? Empathy? Sadness? You need to create a narrative around this object and its effects.

I am not saying this to discourage you, I just want you to understand the amount of effort that goes into creating a successful SCP.

If you can revise this idea with a story that you want to tell, we will be able to give you much more meaningful and constructive critique.

Re: The Toe Snapping Die

torcsandantlers 26 Dec 2019 15:48

Seconded everything that Doctor Fullham said.

A potential idea to play with would be having someone touch the die and having it move into testing. Maybe they had contact with it days before the foundation obtained the SCP. What happens to them when testing begins?

Or what happens if the SCP makes skin contact with multiple people before its rolled? Do they all suffer the effects?

You pointed out that it's 3D Printed instead of the injection molding process that is typical. What do we know about the 3D printer that produced it? Could it make more?

Re: The Toe Snapping Die

Undead Munchies 26 Dec 2019 23:47

I have already had these ideas planned in my head and have already started writing them down. I couldnt shove everything in since I believe 300 words is the limit for idea posts as per the rules. But yeah, I do have in the draft a revision to the containment procedure's safety precautions that is said to be a result of a specific incident and the experiments that follow. The incident and experiments arent in the draft yet but I got them up in my head.

Last edited on 26 Dec 2019 23:47 by Undead Munchies Show more