SCP-8765 / Discussion

This is the discussion related to the wiki page SCP-8765.

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Author Post

Yossipossi 12 Feb 2024 13:02

desiderium (n.)
an ardent desire or longing
especially: a feeling of loss or grief for something lost

This is a more experimental piece for me, since fantasy isn't particularly my forte. While it usually takes me a week to come up with an idea for a contest, this one took me two full weeks and I went through tons of idea revisions before it clicked for me. So, regardless, I hope that you enjoyed this article.

Thank you to IronShears for helping me with the infrared camera version of the first image; you're a real lifesaver. Thank you also to Rex Atlas and Agent Whitney for anatomy help for SCP-8000-B, as well as tetsusquared and Naepic for SCP-8000-C historical accuracy feedback, as well as Deadly Bread for help with tags. And, of course, thank you to my critiquers for their invaluable feedback: Aftokrator, AriadnesThread, AstersQuill, Bhomas Tourget, Rab333, Poultryguest, and Calibold.

+ Backup Slots

1. 8999
2. 8001
3. 8500
4. 8765
5. 8140
6. 8481

+ Show Image Credits

foundationspellcaster.png — "Marc Taddei, 2007" by Jonathan Harker, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Modified)

magicstone.jpeg — "Byzantine - Amuletic Pendant - Walters 542653" by Walters Art Museum, CC BY-SA 3.0

thaumaturgeskull.png — "Téviec Crane Profil Droit II" by Didier Descouens, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Modified)

+ Show Translators Notes

Heya! Thanks for showing interest in translating my article, I really appreciate it! A couple of notes:

• Some of the images are listed under CC BY-SA 4.0. To my knowledge, some international branches restrict the use of these images. If necessary, you are free to replace these images with an approximate equivalent that is allowed on your branch; if you are unable to, you can just remove the images (though I would always prefer replacements).
• The final poem does not need to rhyme or possess any particular meter. It should be translated with meaning first and foremost. For Chinese translations, you're free to try fitting the translation into traditional styles of Chinese poetry, though this is not required. Just do what feels most natural.
• If you're from -CN, feel free to message me if I fucked something up (historically or otherwise).
• If you need assistance with translating anything or have any questions about things in the article, please feel free to reach out to me through Discord or Wikidot DMs!

Last edited on 24 Feb 2024 17:21 by Yossipossi Show more

Dr Vikki Lost 12 Feb 2024 13:07

:000 WOWWWWWWWWWW

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With love,
Dr Vikki Lost

Aftokrator 12 Feb 2024 13:26

If you don't get it, try reading it again. It took me like three tries but my god.

+1

me when i got it ^

benjajinj 12 Feb 2024 16:40

Feel like explaining? It's gone over my head.

Ashcloverrr 19 Aug 2025 02:24

I read it 4 times and don't get it

Ashcloverrr 19 Aug 2025 02:28

Oh wait is it literally just "humanity has lost its sense of wonder and therefore magic is depleted"?

JukeShoes 12 Feb 2024 14:26

:( No fish people

This was a fun one to read you did an amazing job!

+1

ratking666 12 Feb 2024 14:45

Fantastic stuff. I think you managed to make the concept of thaumaturgy feel real here in a way most authors haven't accomplished. I can't pretend as though I understand exactly what's going on, but this is incredibly fun.

1+

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Hit the cymbal!

SynthPanda_ 12 Feb 2024 16:44

Echoing this. Often, i've found that thaumaturgy on the wiki doesn't feel like magic, as the people who use it always seem to have a good scientific or practical understanding of how it works in-universe. This article makes the practice feel much more alien, and thus much more magical, and I can appreciate that. (+1)

Rex Atlas 12 Feb 2024 15:05

Yossi, you have an incredible ability to balance both the fantastical feeling of magic and the cold, clinical feeling of science. Your tone is not only incredible but cold and distant while describing a chilling story of yearning and loss. Really incredible work as always. +1

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King of the Meese

AriadnesThread 12 Feb 2024 15:57

I've told you before and I'll tell you again — your tone and storytelling is masterful. I love this a thousand times over. +1

Merehrab 12 Feb 2024 19:56

Hard agree with everyone else here. Your clinical tone is fantastic, and so is the storytelling told through this format. The story being told here is also great, I really felt the sense of loss present here. Great short piece, Yossi. I like it a lot.

Science Fantasy

The Awesomest Man 12 Feb 2024 20:17

Only a madlad like Yossi can come up with a way to make science and magic coexist in a Fantasy contest. +1

Pedantique 12 Feb 2024 20:46

That the magic on display here is sort of boring is to the article's detriment in my eyes. If there are discrete spells in this fashion, and if their effects are this straightforward, application of clinical tone doesn't create dissonance. I think the interesting conceptual space is where both fields overlap in strange and abstract ways that are difficult to distinguish from each other. You gesture at that in the description of mundane society catching up to the Foundation's ability to replicate it, but it doesn't feel followed through on.

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