SCP-4103 / Discussion

This is the discussion related to the wiki page SCP-4103.

Author Post

Azmoeth Jikandia 30 Mar 2019 16:24

This article has gone through many revisions in order to enter its current state. Many thanks go to LukeLukens, MoreWriting, MathBrush, mayoculpa, The Great Hippo, Notexactlyhuman, DrMartens, Uncle Nicolini, Henry239, and one million thanks to you, reader, for reading this article.

Last edited on 31 Mar 2019 01:26 by Azmoeth Jikandia Show more

Junior Staff Post

Elogee FishTruck 31 Mar 2019 19:03

The first image used in this article is non-compliant with the SCP wiki's license (CC BY-SA 3.0). The image is owned by the British Library, and their Terms and Conditions states, among other things, "Except as permitted in these Terms and Conditions no further copying, redistribution, sharing or resale of the Image is permitted without the express prior consent of the British Library, or unless permitted under the Act." As such, the image cannot be used here, and it has been removed.

EDIT: The image has since been replaced with a cc-compliant alternative.

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Mm Mm Good

Last edited on 01 Apr 2019 02:27 by Elogee FishTruck Show more

Uncle Nicolini 03 Apr 2019 21:17

Oh hey I remember critting this. This is still a little rough around the edges and could use a touch up on clinical tone but I'm overall pleased with the direction you took it in.
Well done.

Azmoeth Jikandia 04 Apr 2019 00:28

Thank you for helping me on this article. Your crit really made it much better. I'll definitely try to fix up the tonal issues.

Zyn 09 Apr 2019 02:53

Author, the image you have here is not properly localized, and is enormous. It might be a reader deterrent for people using mobile devices, since downloading that image alone might take up a fair bit of mobile data.

Would you like assistance with localizing and shrinking the image down? If so, please send me a wikidot PM reminder.

ManyMeats 09 Apr 2019 18:54

I recall a forum post about this concept quite some time ago that I was admittedly skeptical about. I'm not at all too proud to admit I didn't see this working but you've definitely done it. You made this into a legit SCP. Great work!

The tone of the writing definitely lacks in several places but it doesn't distract too much from the piece overall. Thanks for sharing the fruit of your labor.

Missionary Picture

Cobraman202 28 May 2019 05:22

For the picture entitled "Catholic Missionary transmitting SCP-4103 to Native Americans in 1659", perhaps you should either change the picture, or change the picture to say something like "Puritan Missionary John Eliot transmitting SCP-4103 to Native Americans in 1659". It doesn't make much sense to use an image with the caption telling the name of a Puritan minister and saying its a Catholic Missionary

Re: Missionary Picture

Cobraman202 28 May 2019 05:25

Also, this is legitimately just a veiled attack on Christianity/Catholicism

Admin Post - Info - Open

Zyn 28 May 2019 05:39

Cobraman202, instead of replying to your own comments, please edit your previous post using the "edit" function under the "options" tab to the lower right of every comment. That prevents spam buildup, and it's in the rules.

Lazarus Taxon 28 May 2019 13:11

I like the concept, but I don’t think that it works well on a scope so vast, both historically and geographically.

Nitpicks

Most of the syncretic traits given to the SCP in the description are not at all uncommon, and are in fact present in many other festivities and rituals both christian and not. This raises the question of how, exactly, the Foundation realized that there was something anomalous going on, and of why they decided that only Christmas is anomalous and not, to say, Easter.

The choice of the “Christmas Spirit” as the main symptom of the SCP is also vaguely problematic, since it’s a relatively new concept born in Victorian Britain and then popularized worldwide in the 20th century, while the SCP’s origins are presented as much older.

In fact, the various historical references are poorly thought out and end up dragging down the article: if Christmas absorbed the “Remebrance of a Holy Figure's Birth” motif from some anomalous religion, what did it celebrate before, and what was it called? Not to mention all the minor issues, like the fact that Valentinian actually split the Roman Empire himself, or that Christmas caroling is older than the colonization of America.

(Also, the Serpent’s Hand is not usually depicted as a weird cult, but then there is no canon.)

This could have been better executed on a smaller timeframe (ideally the 20th century, since you refer to consumerism) and maybe on a smaller geographical scale, with more overt effects.

As it stands it stretches the suspension of disbelief a bit too much for me. -1

Last edited on 28 May 2019 17:54 by Lazarus Taxon Show more