Tales of Peculiarity
Seeking Greenlights: Yes
Page Type: SCP Article
Genre (Optional): Science Fantasy, Drama, Metaphysical/Pataphysical
Tales of Peculiarity
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» Tales of Peculiarity
Summary:
Dare you read on...?
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Hello arthcymro, I’ll be looking at your idea today. Keep in mind I can’t give greenlights.
While I like this comic's idea being window way to another reality, I don’t understand this part.
If SCP-#### is vandalised, drawn on or is damaged in any way, this transpires into the story too, changing its trajectory, so long as the next pages are unread
If it were telling what is happening in another reality why it would change.
Overall I think its a good idea, if you need critique, contact those in Butterfly Squad Roster, they’ll be able to give you greenlight and in-depth critique.
Fox 🦊
Thanks for reviewing.
If SCP-#### is vandalised, drawn on or is damaged in any way, this transpires into the story too, changing its trajectory, so long as the next pages are unread. If it were telling what is happening in another reality why it would change.
That’s was a wrong choice of word. It should be affect, not change. I’ve edit my original post.
In a way, the comic is like a book of destiny. Anything that will happen in it, will happen. You intervening with the story hasn’t changed anything, you’ve merely become part of the events. Maybe you always were a part of that story?
Not to have ideas above my station, but this could potentially be a very powerful object.
In a way, the comic is like a book of destiny. Anything that will happen in it, will happen. You intervening with the story hasn’t changed anything, you’ve merely become part of the events. Maybe you always were a part of that story?
Ok, then brings a whole new meaning to this idea of this book. If it were to tell a story that is predicting what will happen in other reality in the future, i think that is powerful object. So i’ll leave it at that.
On to the Central Narrative
SCP-#### history begins following the Foundation getting involved in a dispute between the GOC and The Serpents Hand after the GOC attempted to enter the Wanderers Library. Following the fight, the Foundation acquired 25 papers scraps, which they collated and archive for later study. However, when the document was called, SCP-#### was found instead.
Now i think it needs a little bit back story, or not (depending on you). Why did GoC want to enter Wanderers library in the first place? The founding of this SCP feels lackluster to be honest.
Rest of the story beat i have nothing to say (for now) so i really suggest you to contact the butterfly squad.
Good luck.
Fox 🦊
This information would prove crucial later as an incident occurred in which a character appeared within a Foundation site and cause several securities breaches before being stopped.
How did one of the characters manage to get out of the book?
At it's core, I'm not quite sure what my issue with this pitch is beyond 'I don't really find it very interesting'. I think it's that the narrative feels, a little directionless? Like, the testing doesn't really lead to the first incident well, and the whole thing around the Protagonists feels… thrown out without really like, doing anything with it? Like, I don't really see what adding this whole organisation in here does because you don't really do anything with them beyond saying they're hostile towards the Foundation?
SCP-#### history begins following the Foundation getting involved in a dispute between the GOC and The Serpents Hand after the GOC attempted to enter the Wanderers Library.
This is a wildly overcomplicated way to have this thing be discovered. I would not include the GOC, the SH or the Wanderer's Library as part of the discovery without their presence in this article being in some way important. Like, if you're having a discovery section in your article, it should in some way setup what the actual story is; and this just feels like a disconnected action sequence.
How did one of the characters manage to get out of the book?
I was going to talk about this but I ran out of room1. I mentioned that vandalising the comic causes a direct effect on the stories events. It's also important to note that the comic can also exist in other worlds too. Essentially, the Protagonists are an organisation from another universe who have discovered a way to use the comic to duplicate -themselves into other realities. This is probably done either using very detailed artistry or a printing method. So the used this method to enter the Foundation's universe.
I agree with you that the narrative is a bit directionless. So, let's give a new spin:
This is a wildly overcomplicated way to have this thing be discovered. I would not include the GOC, the SH or the Wanderer's Library as part of the discovery without their presence in this article being in some way important.
I can drop the GOC and SH, but I think the Library is too important in the creation of the comic to be dropped. This is what I now have had planned:
The Foundation themselves attempt to enter the Library2 and manage to gain access to a number of books. However, something goes wrong in extracting them, resulting in a number of casualties and all the books taken being reduced to scraps of paper. The discover of the SCP is the same.
Having discovered the recent transformation, the Foundations begin researching into the comics properties, quickly discovering its ability to shift structure and makeup. The first few tests, all that is recorded are the different stories and linguistic transformations, with attempts to find links between the reader and the story. The vandalism property is discovered by accident during an experiment too. Later, however, the first recorded incident of a Protagonists appearance occurs within the comic book, with the Foundation noticing the unusual change in story trajectory upon their entrance.
Investigations about the characters begin, with the foundation attempting to find patterns in their appearances. A few weeks after this research begins, the event occurs in which a Protagonist taskforce appears within an SCP site. Whilst in the site, they kill a number of site officials and almost manage to obtain data from the site's database. The group are eventually stopped by the foundation but manage to commit murder/suicide in the process. When examining their movements, the Foundation learn the group were looking for SCP of a literary nature.
Following the incident, a message in chalk graffiti appears on the wall of another site, asking the Foundation to report to SCP-1437 at a particular date. At the appointed time, a metal canister comes out containing a USB and a braille message. When the USB's content is examined a message which the Foundation dub 'The Antagonists' is found.
According to the message, the Protagonists were once a global linguistic society in their own universe. Eventually, the society discovered the Wanderer Library and, like the Foundation, created the comic book. Through the comic book, the society discovered that their universe was among a myriad of others. This disgusted and angered them as they concluded that the existence of the multiverse confirmed fate3. Determined to regain their free will, The Protagonists concluded the only way to achieve this goal was to cull the multiverse of all realities bar their own.
To achieve this goal, The Protagonists travel from universe to universe via the comic, searching for a way to destabilise its existence and cause a universal collapse. According to comments made by the Antagonists, The Protagonists have found a way of causing this using the Wanderers Library4.
The metaphysical breaches cause by The Protagonists eventually gave rise to The Antagonists, a multiversal counterintelligence working across worlds, who work to stop The Protagonists from ending all realities. The documents end with the Antagonist offering the Foundation an alliance if they ever manage to communicate back.
Now knowing the threat the Protagonists pose, The Foundation change the comics books containment procedure and begin Project Marty Sue, a series of metaphysical experiments with the goal of reaching the Antagonists and/or stopping the Protagonists advancements in their world.
Hmmmmm. This feels very ambitious, not necessarily in a bad way, and I'm thinking about how I feel about this specifically as a SCP article: it feels like regular prose might be easier/more effective for conveying a lot of this, instead of trying to figure out how to use the relatively limited tools available for writing a SCP article? Equally, I'm also wondering whether it even makes sense to tell this from the perspective of the Foundation; it feels like there's a version where involving someone from the SH as a major character who brings it to the Foundation's attention, and having that dilemma be part of the initial story beats could be pretty fun. Then again, as a whole, it feels like the SH don't have the resources to handle this and it feels like the Foundation should get involved at some point.
My, concern is that it feels in some ways like this ends up feeling like a kinda generic fantasy story and I'm not sure what the best way to fix that is? It might just be that the summary is heavy on exposition and I'm concerned this article will just setup all the interesting conflict without really exploring either side in an interesting way or really doing anything interesting with it, y'know?
I think I'm going to slightly hesitantly greenlight this because I think you can manage to work this out and I think it'll be easier to tell if it works right in a draft but y'know.
Hi, I'm Flight Official Impperatrix! Be aware that I can't give you a greenlight, but I can talk with my commander about that.
The only consistencies are the comics title and slogan and the five horror hosts that introduce and close the story.
eventually managing to bring Count Tremor into their world.
I got that Count Tremor is one of the five hosts, but what is the importance of the hosts? Are they the Antagonists? Are they deities of any kind. It feels like they are something from a previous version that continues here as vestiges. Feel a little odd.
SCP-#### history begins following the Foundation getting involved in a dispute between the GOC and The Serpents Hand after the GOC attempted to enter the Wanderers Library.
Well, someone already spoke about that, but I feel the need to talk to you again: This needs a background. I know that GOC is always trying to invade the Library, but what happened that it started a war that even the Foundation, one of the most neutral organizations, had to intervene?
The Protagonists
Some things are strange about them. They know the reality where they are going or they are just jumping dimensions randomly? I ask that because the Foundation, by your description, had not noticed that the comic was also showing their reality till experiment that empirically.
The Protagonists antagonism against the Foundation also seems weak. They just don't like the Foundation because the Foundation wants to stop them? For powerful beings that carry reality-bending comics, this is a very small motive to confront someone.
Anyway, I like the idea of them as an anarchist group that wants chaos to spread through the multiverse. Their thematic is interesting, is like they are a real-life Woody Woodpecker or Bugs Bunny, doing things just because they can and are free to do it. I don't know if your intention was making them with this cartoonish feel, but fits the thematic for me.
Tales of Peculiarity
Focusing on the skip, I think is interesting that it's both literary and connected to the Wanderers' Library. I'm not a big fan of reality-bending books, but as with other skips of this strangely common niche (like SCP-140 or SCP-4001), I understand its appeal. However, the rules are messy right now. How does the book know that I am drawing myself in another reality and not creating another one of me? The book makes things happen or change the reality to things occur? Rules of this kind of skip, at least for me, have to be strong. SCP-4001, for example, will always undo wherever you create in its books, SCP-140 will just change the reality if given blood to it and always will change it so the Daeva prosper.
The skip's background is very complex and interesting. This means that you will have a lot of work for making the article as polished as it can be. Also, consider reducing the number of GoI in the article, you have five of them and if one is there just as a palliative solution, it can make your story weaker.
The narrative, reading the first post and your replies, is very interesting, but be aware that this story is about the skip and not the GoI, so if the Protagonists or the Antagonists steal the highlights, it'll become a very strange article. Probably this page will be just an introduction to them, so don't get lost telling their story and forgetting the skip.
As I said before, I'll talk with my commander about this! Good luck!
Well, someone already spoke about that, but I feel the need to talk to you again: This needs a background. I know that GOC is always trying to invade the Library, but what happened that it started a war that even the Foundation, one of the most neutral organizations, had to intervene?
I got that Count Tremor is one of the five hosts, but what is the importance of the hosts? Are they the Antagonists? Are they deities of any kind. It feels like they are something from a previous version that continues here as vestiges. Feel a little odd.
Both of these elements have been changed. The host's importance has been dialled back and the Foundation are the one to attempt to access the Library now, not the GOC. Both the GOC and SH have been dropped.
Some things are strange about them. They know the reality where they are going or they are just jumping dimensions randomly? I ask that because the Foundation, by your description, had not noticed that the comic was also showing their reality till experiment that empirically.
Initially, the probably were just copying themselves into other worlds, but as The Protagonists have studied the comic in there world longer then the Foundation has studied their's, they've probably found new ways of using the comic to travel and have better understood its capabilities. Also, they've probably stolen the comic from other worlds, giving them a greater reach.
Also, the foundation only had an inkling that the comic was telling tales of other worlds. It was the files from SCP-1437 that later confirmed it to be gospel. They began to suspect the comic could show other worlds and their own after experiments events transpired into their world. When it did, they grew suspicious and changed their experimentation methods.
The Protagonists antagonism against the Foundation also seems weak. They just don't like the Foundation because the Foundation wants to stop them? For powerful beings that carry reality-bending comics, this is a very small motive to confront someone.
I think I better explain more about what happened when the Protagonists taskforce attacked the Foundation site. They didn't attack because the wanted to dispose of the foundation (given the Protagonists goal, killing them would have happened at some point). They do feel some antagonism with the Foundation, but they feel like that to anyone who isn't from their world. The main reason they attack the Foundation that one time was because they wanted something. If you look in my answer to cybersqyd, I said:
Whilst in the site, they kill a number of site officials and almost manage to obtain data from the site's database. The group are eventually stopped by the foundation but manage to commit murder/suicide in the process. When examining their movements, the Foundation learn the group were looking for SCPs of a literary nature.
Anyway, I like the idea of them as an anarchist group that wants chaos to spread through the multiverse. Their thematic is interesting, is like they are a real-life Woody Woodpecker or Bugs Bunny, doing things just because they can and are free to do it. I don't know if your intention was making them with this cartoonish feel, but fits the thematic for me.
I don't know where you got the chaos and anarchist angle from or the cartoony aspect (the cartoony bit I kind of like though). The Protagonists don't want chaos, they want freedom. The Protagonists goal is to erase every alien reality in the multiverse as they believe this will give them free will. This theme of fate is written all over this article.
Focusing on the skip, I think is interesting that it's both literary and connected to the Wanderers' Library. I'm not a big fan of reality-bending books, but as with other skips of this strangely common niche (like SCP-140 or SCP-4001), I understand its appeal.
I think I better explain the comics capabilities again. Unlike, SCP-140 or SCP-4001, which warp reality if something is written or changed in it, Tales of Peculiarity doesn't. Remember, vandalism to the comic only transpire to the parts that haven't been read yet. You can't go back and change things once it been read. The event is already written. The ink is dry.
Everything that happens in Tales of Peculiarity is was will happen. In a way, the comic is a very minuscule book of destiny. Everything that happens in the multiverse can be found in it. Even shifts in reality and changes in timelines are noted in it.
How does the book know that I am drawing myself in another reality and not creating another one of me?
When the Protagonists appear in other worlds, they've really just copied and pasted themselves into it. They are essentially making clones of themselves that perform their tasks in other words, while the originals can remain in their own world and plan things out.
The book makes things happen or change the reality to things occur?
When you introduce something into the comic, you don't change things, it just becomes part of the events. Think of it like what happened with Bran and Hodor in GoT (hold the door).
Also, consider reducing the number of GoI in the article, you have five of them and if one is there just as a palliative solution, it can make your story weaker.
I'm removing GOC and SH. Which one is the palliative solution? I think the remaining three are rather crucial.
The narrative, reading the first post and your replies, is very interesting, but be aware that this story is about the skip and not the GoI, so if the Protagonists or the Antagonists steal the highlights, it'll become a very strange article. Probably this page will be just an introduction to them, so don't get lost telling their story and forgetting the skip.
I plan to keep some stuff back, don't worry. I hope it will turn out ok in the end.
Thanks for the review btw.
I was summoned by PM to reply!
Both of these elements have been changed. The host's importance has been dialled back and the Foundation are the one to attempt to access the Library now, not the GOC. Both the GOC and SH have been dropped.
The hosts still present is something that seems strange and unnecessary to me. I'm ok with the changes.
They do feel some antagonism with the Foundation, but they feel like that to anyone who isn't from their world.
I don't know where you got the chaos and anarchist angle from or the cartoony aspect (the cartoony bit I kind of like though).
For the guys that consider themselves Protagonists, they are very chaotic. Their vision of freedom is destroying everything that can mean that they don't have this freedom. It's not a bad thing, I really like this characteristic about them, feels like a Thanos thing.
I'm removing GOC and SH. Which one is the palliative solution? I think the remaining three are rather crucial.
GOC seemed an easy solution to me. I prefer how it is now, an attempt of the Foundation that created a skip.
About the powers, you clarified me enough about them, I think you have everything in your mind to do it. Again, I can't give my greenlight, but I'm gonna talk with my commander!
Hello arthcymro!
SAND
Overall this seems a bit complex IMO, as there is more than two focuses, and a fair few questions initially raised don't really seem to get answered or expanded upon much.
Currently you have a comic which depicts other universes events (including our own), a GOI that is dedicated to destroying this universe, another GOI that is dedicated to stopping them, and a group of 5 "hosts" that don't change when the comic is shown to different people. -all of these could easily be main focuses.
Generally speaking, I'd recommend you work on simplifying this down a bit. Maybe try to choose what you're looking to convey most about the skip in the narrative, and then look at cutting or toning back the details that don't contribute to that message/theme. As a quick example;
-maybe the narrative is focused more on the skip and it effects (along with its purpose), and how the Foundation attempts to learn more, with the GOI only being observed and hypothesised on from the pages.
-maybe the comic itself isn't really looked into much, and is seen more as a device used by this GOI to attack other universes, and fuel a war.
As for the narrative itself, the conflict between the foundation and the GOI feel a bit contrived to me. And I think the main reason for this is the lack of a motive on the GOIs part. Why exactly are they trying invade other universes? how should that reason make me as the reader feel?
Other than that though, this does sound very interesting, I just feel its trying to communicate too many things at once.
Let me know when/if your ready for any further crit!
Cheers,
RED
group of 5 "hosts" that don't change when the comic is shown to different people.
I made a mistake in the pitch. All five hosts don't appear together. They change depending on the story, but only those five have been seen. As for their importance, they don't really have any. They just open up the story with a page or two and close it with a quip or a message, like regular comic horror hosts.
Generally speaking, I'd recommend you work on simplifying this down a bit. Maybe try to choose what you're looking to convey most about the skip in the narrative, and then look at cutting or toning back the details that don't contribute to that message/theme. As a quick example;
-maybe the narrative is focused more on the skip and it effects (along with its purpose), and how the Foundation attempts to learn more, with the GOI only being observed and hypothesised on from the pages.
-maybe the comic itself isn't really looked into much, and is seen more as a device used by this GOI to attack other universes, and fuel a war.
It's the second one I'm planning to go with. The skip really acts as more of a plot device but still remains important throughout the story.
As for the narrative itself, the conflict between the foundation and the GOI feel a bit contrived to me. And I think the main reason for this is the lack of a motive on the GOIs part. Why exactly are they trying invade other universes?
I clearly stated the Protagonists motives in my long replay to cybersqyd. The Protagonists believe (convinced even) that the existence of the multiverse takes away their free will. That's why they go from world to world. They want to destroy them so they can 'save' their own. They entered the Foundations universe simply because it was there, regardless of whether the Foundation new or not. It was the next target. They'd probably had been gathering intel a good while, longer then the foundation think, as they knew some of the Foundation's workings. They lost, yes, but made enough of a noise to make the Foundation worry.
Please collapse long posts for the sake of mobile users. ~cybersqyd
how should that reason make me as the reader feel?
That's a hard question to answer. I guess the whole article is kind of an insight into the whole fate/freedom conflict. The comic is practically the book of fate, being able to tell anyone's story, eldrich god or mortal. I suppose the reader is meant to feel a kind of self-conflict, both understanding (maybe even empathising) the Protagonists disgust and also wishing for their downfall. Plus, once you become aware of the comics capabilities and what the Protagonists are using it for, I don't think you'll ever feel private again.
Heyo followup!
I would still recommend taking the hosts out completely, they take focus away from the GOIs, as they bring too much attention back to the skip itself IMO.
As for the GOIs motive, how do plan to convey that through the narrative? how do the characters react to it?
That said, most of this looks dependant on the drafts execution, and how everything gets balanced out. So with that in mind, Greenlight.
Good luck drafting!
RED
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page revision: 1, last edited: 02 Apr 2021 15:16
