SCP-287 / Discussion

This is the discussion related to the wiki page SCP-287.

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Author Post

DrMagnus 16 Jul 2017 01:20

Hey All!

So first off, thank you to the original author, for their hard work.

I went in a different direction with this, while still playing off the original idea.

I hope you guys like it!

Images are taken from Wikimedia commons, or the original article.

EDIT:

"Runes" image source is here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:CodexRunicus.jpeg (Wikimedia Commons)

As for the sword image, funny enough, a reverse image search on google shows only SCP-287, various sandboxes, and a translation site as similar images.

If the license team requires a different image, please let me know, and I"ll track one down.

fuck image blocks. Argh.

Last edited on 19 Jul 2017 14:01 by DrMagnus Show more

Re: Author Post

phyrestorm 20 Jul 2017 07:39

Is it just me, or is the new sword image the size it should be horizontally but squashed vertically for everyone? It kind of looks like…not a sword.

Re: Author Post

sirpudding 20 Jul 2017 09:13

Distorted for me too.

Re: Author Post

DrMagnus 27 Jul 2017 00:40

It is. There's bugs in our image blocks that prevent me from doing much more than I have.

The previous image wasn't cc compliant, and the new one isn't oriented horizontally.

EDIT: To be more clear, I spent nearly two hours with a JS/HTML/CSS editor trying to get this looking correct. It was…challenging.

Last edited on 27 Jul 2017 13:27 by DrMagnus Show more

Eol Kredik 16 Jul 2017 02:52

As the page is currently being edited, I'll put this minor grammatical note here:

SCP-287's internal components will begin to emit several frequencies of EM radiation and varying sounds universally described as distressing by research staff, and test subjects.

The comma is superfluous here, and as such it should be removed.

phyrestorm 16 Jul 2017 03:02

That was me editing. I fixed that and a few other grammatical errors.

Viking arming sword

I left this alone in case it's not an error, but did you mean 'Viking army sword?'

dankaar 16 Jul 2017 03:13

Protip: Always google something you're unfamiliar or unsure about.

An Arming Sword is the technical name of what most people nowadays would call a longsword. One handed, simple crossguard, blade between 28-31 inches (70-80 cm). They are also known as Knightly Swords.

To be fair, though, the sword in question would likely be simply called a "Viking Age Sword" or Carolingian Sword.

Nevermind. It's dated to a transitional period between Carolingian and Knightly Swords, where neither terms would be a perfect fit.

Last edited on 16 Jul 2017 03:28 by dankaar Show more

phyrestorm 16 Jul 2017 05:48

I did google it, but I was in a hurry and must have made a typo or something, because it asked me if I meant 'army sword.' I tried again just now and got totally different (and far more helpful) results.

DrMagnus 18 Jul 2017 13:04

To be completely pedantic, the sword shown isn't a Viking Era sword at all. The crossguard is too wide, and the brazil nut pomel wasn't in use during that period.

It's definitely a Carolingian or pre-knightly arming sword. I preserved it from the original article.

A "true" viking sword, is most typified by the very famous "ulfbhert" swords (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulfberht_swords).

Basically no crossguard, the knurled "knuckle" pomels, and double edged with no taper would typify a viking age sword.

MrWrong 16 Jul 2017 03:20

Glad that it is operational again, after so long.

A transcription was created by Dr. Sigurd Ólafsson.

Sounds familiar

Last edited on 16 Jul 2017 03:20 by MrWrong Show more

Modern_Erasmus 16 Jul 2017 06:25

I always enjoy your use of addenda as interdepartmental reports. Very pretty formatting on them too

DrMagnus 18 Jul 2017 13:02

Thank you :D

Wils 16 Jul 2017 08:40

I kinda like it apart from the Convenient Note at the end, which the Foundation were conveniently able to translate with apparently no other examples of the language or alphabet. I dunno, that just stretched the internal logic of the article a little too much.otjerwise it was all well done.

+1 despite the expositional trope.

ETA: also it's a bit weird (though I can see why it's done this way) that the alien spacecraft is a sub-designation of the sword.

Last edited on 16 Jul 2017 08:47 by Wils Show more

DrMagnus 16 Jul 2017 17:05

Honestly there was no easy way to make it work. The implication is that they translated it through anamalous means.

TL333s 16 Jul 2017 22:52

Honestly, I'm not even sure we need it. The epic tale we get from the human POV is pretty cool, I'm not sure seeing it from the alien's POV really adds much beyond pure explanation.

Pata H 18 Jul 2017 04:44

Actually it adds some amusing dramatic irony.

DrMagnus 18 Jul 2017 13:01

The major criticism I got in the original draft is that the alien was not very well characterized, and just felt like a prop, which is why I added it.

Honestly, without the alien's entries, either way the article was super short and not very well developed.

NatVoltaic 16 Jul 2017 18:39

I feel like there can be description of what SCP-287-1 looked like (along with SCP-287-2), though I still enjoyed reading this. My only other suggestions would be to crosslink to SCP-3609 with the mention of Dr. Sigurd Ólafsson, and to remove the use of "universally" in the descriptions (it doesn't sound very clinical, and wouldn't affect much if removed).

+1

Just a question

ShipShipMayamate 16 Jul 2017 23:56

Why did this page get rewritten?

Re: Just a question

Flawed 17 Jul 2017 00:10

Because people's opinions about it were mixed, it struggled with the ratings until it fell under the deletion threshold recently, which made it eligible for rewriting.

Last edited on 17 Jul 2017 00:14 by Flawed Show more

Re: Just a question

LilyFlower 17 Jul 2017 00:10

Because the original dipped below -10 upvotes.

---

~🌸~Flower Power~🌸~

tapnek 17 Jul 2017 10:09

The language barrier between the Vikings and the alien makes for some entertaining misunderstandings here.

Malice McCrea 27 Jul 2017 02:57

Well, as the person who wrote the original, I never really expected it to last, it was more of an attempt to sidestep the incredibly strict policy at the time that meant nearly instant disapproval for anything even remotely resembling a sword. And it did do that. But I quite like what you've done with it, and I believe it's acceptable for me to upvote it, considering, so I have.

DrMagnus 27 Jul 2017 13:28

I remember when this was posted, and I actually enjoyed your version.

I think I could have made it work as a direct re-write, but I think this direction worked a bit better.

If you'd like, we can collaborate to get your original version written in a form that'd survive on the mainlist. Lemme know!

Malice McCrea 29 Jul 2017 02:43

Oh, I'm quite happy with it surviving on in this form, although I must admit confusion as to the rename to "Clark's Third Favorite Sword" as "Spectral Manifestation Sword" would still seem to fit. I get the feeling it's a clever reference, could've sworn I heard a woosh noise as it passed over my head. These days I think I much prefer reading SCPs as to writing them, but I may have an idea or two yet rattling around in my brain I could throw your way if you'd be interested in that.

Edit: Wait, wait… I got it. And it's brilliant. Love the new name.

Last edited on 29 Jul 2017 02:52 by Malice McCrea Show more

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