SCP-3383 / Discussion

This is the discussion related to the wiki page SCP-3383.

Author Post!

Zyn 11 Mar 2018 22:35

Big, big thanks to Tuomey, DrBleep, ProcyonLotor (for wording because he is smart with words), and Captain Kirby (for tweaks to the structure and the content at the end) who reviewed this in chat!

Image belongs to me; I took it with my old cell phone camera.

So… spoilers, for anyone who wants a quick tl;dr on the lake with a snek:

+ show block

The entity that lives in the lake is a Horned Serpent, of the Muskogee/Muscogee Creek myths: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horned_Serpent

The snek is just tired and sick from people tossing trash in its lake. The deer are its faithful servants, who have just now started to help keep an eye on the lake now that the Foundation got rid of the trash.

The Harjo brothers can see the snek because of their heritage: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harjo

The snek uses computer sounds to try to talk to humans who do not speak its native tongue.

It took… awhile to come up with this. The picture is something from years and years ago, which I found when going through my old snapshots. I have a habit of taking pictures of scenery and objects, rarely ever people.

Also, I'm currently feeling very under the weather, coughing and sore throat and bleh. But hey, inspiration strikes in the oddest of places sometimes.

Some other things:

- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsNaR6FRuO0 DSL noise
- http://www.windytan.com/2012/11/the-sound-of-dialup-pictured.html the reason it sounds like that
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nQ2oiVqKHw startup tones

Last edited on 11 Mar 2018 22:43 by Zyn Show more

Re: Author Post!

ShadyBacon 12 Mar 2018 14:57

But why does it use computer noises?

Re: Author Post!

Zyn 12 Mar 2018 15:17

It's trying to communicate with humans using a method that it thinks humans understand. The snake has been in the lake for awhile, at least since the time dial-up was common.

Re: Author Post!

ShadyBacon 12 Mar 2018 15:40

That is adorable.

sirpudding 11 Mar 2018 22:56

Quirky and charming as always. Should this really be Safe though? The containment procedures include routine maintenance.

Zyn 11 Mar 2018 22:57

I'm sold! Changed to Euclid.

ETA: thanks for the updoot and the nice comment!

Last edited on 11 Mar 2018 22:58 by Zyn Show more

Westrin 11 Mar 2018 23:54

When an individual introduces any man-made artificial material into SCP-3383, all humans within 5 meters of SCP-3383 will perceive a loud, irritating series of noises, noted by test subjects to be similar to the tones produced by a dial-up internet modem.

I upvoted at this point, because I like the idea of nature going "Hey hoomans could you like not litter, thank". Nothing after that made me change my mind.¹

Nice job Zyn.

Footnotes

1. In fact, the idea of a snek and deers protecting the lake from trash made it even better.

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Only nerds have signatures

Zyn 12 Mar 2018 00:14

Thank you Westrin

your comment brings sunshine and rainbows to my currently rainy day (it's actually raining outside my window) of lemon honey water and hacking out my lungs

I am glad you liked the article and thanks muchlies for the upboat

ShadyBacon 12 Mar 2018 14:59

I really really enjoyed this article. The one thing I would say is "Man-made object" is too loose a description, because if it were any man-made object, the snake would be upset at the doctors for wearing clothing.

Zyn 12 Mar 2018 15:18

"Man-made object" is too loose a description, because if it were any man-made object, the snake would be upset at the doctors for wearing clothing.

The snake wouldn't have any problem with clothing unless it was dumped in the lake. The wording is intentional.

ShadyBacon 12 Mar 2018 15:41

I believe I misread. My apologies.

NatVoltaic 12 Mar 2018 16:17

I was already going to upvote when they started cleaning the lake and the sounds got more pleasant. This is weird and cute in a way I like a lot.

+1

Zyn 17 Mar 2018 05:51

Thanks for the nice comment and the upvote! I was trying to go for weird with the unusual containment procedures. I'm glad you liked this!

Aceofmoxes 19 Mar 2018 11:34

I was going to downvote when the lake making Windows noises froze up. (did it turn blue, too?) I thought you were going for the lake is a computer, But the idea of a creature trying to talk computer is cute. +1.

Zyn 19 Mar 2018 18:52

I was going to downvote when the lake making Windows noises froze up. (did it turn blue, too?)

Not what I was going for, but I can see the line of logic.

Basically, the lake never froze before because the water (and the horned serpent inside the lake) was agitated all the time. When the pollution was removed, the snake could finally rest peacefully. Hence calmer water, and the lake freezing over completely.

EAW Jadow 19 Mar 2018 17:11

I cant even begin to imagine the amount of time foundation personnel spend following dead ends, I mean monitoring a lake basically because some old people were complaining about noise? the amount of man hours spent on investigation alone really brings to light how massive the organization is.

Zyn 19 Mar 2018 18:54

I mean monitoring a lake basically because some old people were complaining about noise?

The old people were the only ones who complained, but everyone within 5 meters of the lake hears the noises when someone dumps trash in.

Leveritas 19 Mar 2018 19:09

You always manage to write in ways that makes me feel fuzzy and warm inside without overselling it. He just wants to have a clean lake, hoomans. +1

Zyn 19 Mar 2018 19:13

snek and zyn thank you for your updoot

Glad you liked it! :)

Nawor 21 Nov 2019 11:33

El Snako wants clean lako +1

Zyn 22 Nov 2019 06:43

That actually works remarkably well for a quick summary of the article.

Thanks for the +1!