The Cosmic Courant

Summary:

Extra! Extra! Read all about it!

The Cosmic Courant

Ferox Numine 20 Feb 2021 01:23

Seeking Greenlights: Yes(🙏)

Page Type: SCP Article

Genre: Mystery

Page Layout: Standard article format

Elevator Pitch: An early 1900's paperboy that distributes an anomalous newspaper called "The Cosmic Courant." It contains articles written and formatted like a regular newspaper, however the stories themselves originate from other realities. Different issues contain everything from stories on eldritch gods going on picket strikes to memetically hazardous pizzeria ads, with the stories' anomalous elements themselves being presented as totally normal.

Central Narrative: The narrative centers around the Foundation's attempts to track down and stop the paperboy(known as SCP-XXX-1) from distributing the newspaper(SCP-XXX). His newspaper, delivered to seemingly random individuals with no subscription to this paper, threaten to expose anomalous and ocult activity to the world, even including actual SCPs that are normalized in other dimensions, such as a picture of SCP-096 published from a world where he's nonviolent(and a politician. Trust me, it'll be great), but with readers in our world setting the actual one off. There will be other examples with actual SCPs and Foundation characters.

The Foundation proves unable to predict when or where instances of SCP-XXX-1 will appear, and generally has to resort to tracking down issues of the Cosmic Courant and amnesticizing its recipients. The paperboy himself will also behave as though his job is perfectly normal, and when on one occasion confronted by MTF agents, will offer them copies for two cents each, before apologetically disappearing to his next route. His backstory and the full extent of his abilities will remain somewhat mysterious, though he appears oblivious to how out of the ordinary his activities are and it is implied he both sells papers in multiple other realities than our own and does so on behalf of another entity. I might expand on this in a tale depending on the reaction the article gets

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As the Foundation gets more and more effective at following the Courant, it finds new and creative ways to circumvent them and get its stories out. When they manage to follow its paper routes, the boy hands out copies in the public square. When the Foundation surveys him doing that, the Courant turns into a public website which the Foundation must hastily hack and destroy(this part is temporary, I don't wanna lose that 1900's feel). Because of this, containment procedures generally consist of damage control.

Hook/Attention-Grabber: This anomaly poses a security threat to the Foundation through unique means, and the nature of the paper allows it to contain a whole slew of outlandish and comedic mini-stories/subplots that keep the reader wanting to know more about this SCP.

Notes: I've made other concepts before, but the overall criticism I get seems to be that I don't have enough of a story behind them. Trying to fix that here

As a courtesy to our readers on mobile devices, please collapse long posts. Also, please mind the Ideas Critique required reading wordcount limit. ~Zyn

Last edited on 20 Feb 2021 15:38 by Ferox Numine Show more

Re: The Cosmic Courant

Dr Hajovsky 20 Feb 2021 05:40

Hi there Ferox Numine, let's take a look at your concept.

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Overall:
First off, I really like the concept and narrative you've set up here. It's wonderfully unique (to my knowledge) and while it doesn't feature any heavy emotional themes, I'm a firm believer that not all good narratives need that. The Foundation's struggle to control this anomalous paperboy feels like it has potential for some good comedic moments.

You've also done a good job of creating a well thought out line of events that lead into reasonable containment procedures, which often is a difficult area to grasp.

Specific:

the paperboy(known as SCP-XXX-1) from distributing the newspaper(SCP-XXX-2)

I don't think the newspaper needs to be classified as -2, considering from the title it sounds like the main anomalous object. It makes more sense if the newspaper has the base number designation, with the paperboy being the -1.

This anomaly poses a security threat to the Foundation through unique means, and the nature of the paper allows it to contain a whole slew of outlandish mini-stories and subplots that keep the reader wanting to know more.

This part is a little hard to believe only because of what a normal person would think if they found this strange of a newspaper on their doorstep. Personally, I think maybe the paper should also include pieces on the inner workings of the Foundation, things they wouldn't want exposed to their enemies. Things like, SCP-XXXX being transferred to Site-XX on (DATE) in a truck disguised as a moving company! Read All About it!

Advice:
Again, you have a very well thought out concept here, and I'm not seeing many other ways in which in can be improved. Some reviewers may say that it's still too light on story, but this really means it's too light on emotional themes or symbolism. There's room to incorporate that, but I would personally enjoy this article as is.

One area that could be explored further is the paperboy's backstory and why he's able and willing to deliver inter-dimensional newspapers to random people.

I'm currently in a reviewer flight under Pedagon, so I can't greenlight right now. But I definitely think this concept is worthy of a greenlight as is.

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions or would like me to do a follow up, as I might not see it otherwise. Good luck with your concept!

Re: The Cosmic Courant

DornKoon 20 Feb 2021 12:15

Hi, let's have a look at your idea!

I'll start out by saying, this looks awesome. I really like the idea of an anomalous paperboy from the early 1900s selling weird newspaper. I didn't know I needed that in my life, but now I do. I don't think I've seen a paperboy so far on the site, but I could be wrong.
(For whatever reason I had a vision of a chipper boy at a corner street selling newspapers screaming, "Extra extra, SCP-862 runs for president! Read all about it!")

Thoughts:

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When the Foundation surveys him doing that, the Courant turns into a public website which the Foundation must hastily hack and destroy.

Not sure I much like the idea of removing the physical paper and 1900s feel to the SCP, it would remove the Paperboy from the equation and paint him as less important to the SCP itself. Instead, maybe he would become more creative in how he sells the newspaper? If he can appear and disappear so easily it would be hard for the foundation agents to stop him other than to take the papers themselves and in the view of the boy that would be a good thing. Someone shows an interest in the newspaper… maybe after a while papers will start to appear at the foundation itself for no reason?

Do the newspapers also hold things that have not yet happened?
Things in the past that actually never did happen, but they could have happened?
Interviews? Would be fun to include something like an up-close and personal in the life of… someone.
Dr Bright could be a subscriber with a large collection hidden in his office… closet.

Would it include an encounter with the boy by agents? If he vanishes when they try to catch him the foundation might have sent someone undercover to "interview" him on the street, maybe try to bribe him with something to make him stay long enough to have a few words.

Also, as mentioned, would be fun with the boy's background. Was he an actual boy who vanished at some point? Does he have a name, or many names, or just calls himself Paperboy?

He could also appear to have sold newspapers to SCPs inside of their cells, despite never appearing on any of the cameras or been seen by anyone in staff, and when asked the SCPs themselves just say he was there and then he was gone. An example being someone like SCP 343 "God" who suddenly gets these papers and mentions how he got them from a very polite young man, he does love the wonderful crosswords. Or among the papers stored with SCP-2032 "Father time".

An idea like this can fall on how it is executed. It does need connections to other SCPs and characters, which is something I like when it's done in a good way. Try not to overwhelm yourself by making it to big, I feel this could be expanded upon with time.

I wish you luck on this idea and look forward to reading it when you're done.

Last edited on 20 Feb 2021 12:16 by DornKoon Show more

Re: The Cosmic Courant

Ferox Numine 20 Feb 2021 15:56

Hey DornKoon, thanks for the positive response! There's only so much I can add to the concept page atm because of the word count, though I actually like a lot of these suggestions a ton. I def plan on incorporating other SCPs into the paper, the bit with 096 is just my personal favorite example. Was also planning on including stuff like the Bright family becoming a Brady Bunch-style music group, and a certain Corporal Lawrence running a powerful presidential campaign built off his military career(your vision wasn't that far off). I hope you don't mind if I use that idea with 343 or something similar too it, it sounds hilarious and tbh that reaction just seems so in character for him. I'm not sure if I plan on delving too deep into the paperboy's origins in the article, largely because if the Foundation gets ahold of him too many times then it'll defeat the idea that he's super unpredictable and hard to track. My thinking was that the 1900's aesthetic might go better if it was left totally out of context. I think I might expand on some of this stuff in a later tale if the article gets a good reaction tho

Last edited on 20 Feb 2021 16:56 by Ferox Numine Show more

Re: The Cosmic Courant

DornKoon 21 Feb 2021 12:03

Anytime, I'm just glad I can help you put this idea into the foundation.

To be honest, I feel this could very well end up being referred to in other SCPs in the future, also could be a fun idea for you to look around at some less known SCPs. I think many of them could use some love and attention. I sometimes just spent a little time checking the random SCP function to see if I find something new, it is a very useful tool I find.

I would be insulted if you didn't use the idea, that's why I gave it.

As for the boy, It might be a good idea to hint at a background, even if it turns out the background might not be the same or that reliable. If you present a solid base for things like the way the paperboy acts, to a general feel for his character, it will make it easier to write more on him in the future.

Re: The Cosmic Courant

Marcelles_Raynes 21 Feb 2021 15:21

Re: Our Conversation on IRC

While I continue to caution you against referencing other articles in your first solo venture, I could see a way where these crosslinks might work. I suppose the main takeaway here is to just do it carefully. Read on some newer articles with crosslinks and get a feel for how they're written, and try not to make it just a list of articles you like that happen to be non-anomalous in another dimension.

I also really enjoyed that this interdimensional delivery service is a legitimate profession in some realities. The paperboy seems to have enough characterization, as does the organization he works for in order for me to feel comfortable greenlighting this. Good luck, going forward.

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~ M.D.R.

Re: The Cosmic Courant

The Pighead 21 Feb 2021 18:09

Hello, author, I've seen your ask for critters on IRC and so, here I am.

I think it's a pretty interesting concept. I'm really a sucker for stories that combine multiple mini-stories but I'm ALSO a sucker for stories who relate to other realities and I can see easily, if the final draft is well-made enough, an amazing foundation (lol) for other stories, with all the mini-subplots you want to add.

Even the crosslink of 096 is better than what I can see on multiple other ideas. Non-violent? Nyeh. A politician? OK, odd in the first place but you have my attention. So, yeah, really interesting idea, I see a lot of a potential and I really encourage you to go crazy with it. When you touch on the subject of alternate realities, there's in all cases realities who look like they were going completely nuts. Use this, be creative, don't be afraid to really use your imagination and do absurd things!

So, without further discussion, here's your second greenlight. You can begin the redaction of the draft, good luck.