#[ anomalous dimension Real

[shadowedmagic]

Assorted information about Maxwell/William’s SCP verse because brainrot momence fr!!!

The Codex Umbra is the primary SCP object, with Maxwell being considered a result of it and the Constant being a dimensional anomaly tied to it. It was initially classified as Euclid, although there are arguments made for a Keter designation.

William is the Codex's “host”, despite having been alive for decades without aging, it was only later on that he became conscious of this fact and alarmed.

He’s able to use the Codex for “magic tricks” involving shadow puppets, however -- primarily depending on how sleep deprived he is -- he’s able to use the Codex to do more significant tricks, such as levitation, teleportation and manipulation.

William falling asleep is considered to be the trigger event for more “dangerous” anomalous activities, such as kidnappings and various sightings across the world of an entity that resembles William  ( or rather, Maxwell )  as a solid black silhouette, as though a walking shadow.

It is unsure of other anomalous activities that had been reported -- such as shadow hands and shadow monsters -- are as a result of the Codex, or part of a larger problem.

Attempting to damage the Codex leads to little success, only serving to cause William to panic to point of breakdown. Opening it shows blank pages to anyone besides William. When William explains the book’s contents to others, he grows increasingly frantic. Recordings of his explanations become corrupted, and the people who listen finds themselves unable to understand and are later plagued by nightmares and minor hallucinations  ( similar to DST low sanity ).

William turned himself into the SCP Foundation at some point in hopes of better understanding his condition and what happened to his old assistant, Charlie. Differing from canon, William wasn't dragged into the Constant during the final show and only Charlie was.

When asked, he's unable to remember how exactly he came to know about the Foundation, mumbling something about a dream involving a black throne and eternal darkness.

“Maxwell” is the self-given name of the entity that occasionally takes over William. Though William believes Maxwell to merely be a stage name, “Maxwell” considers himself independent. He occasionally refers to himself as “Their King”, refusing to elaborate on this “Them”. Although further research has to be conducted to confirm whether or not Maxwell is a part of “Their” species, or merely a spokesperson born from William like a parasite.

In containment, Maxwell occasionally shows himself for questioning, but chooses to be purposefully vague or cryptic in his answers. While he doesn’t attempt to escape or harm researchers, he makes it clear that he could escape at anytime, if he so pleased. There is uncertainty behind the truth of his words. When asked why he chooses to remain in containment, Maxwell never gives a clear answer. Some leading theories involve the “Charlie” figure that brought William to the foundation in the first place.

Similar to SCP-035, he often knows more information about the person he’s holding a conversation with than was given, and may use it for flattery or psychological torture. Although, he only tends to “act out” when denied something he asked for -- such as cigars. Occasionally, William will mention something he shouldn’t know as well, such as asking someone if they were alright after a certain event whose existence he had no direct access to.

Though he remains in containment, “kidnappings” or other shadow/Codex related anomalies continue to occur on the outside. When questioned, William seems ignorant, but always forgets about it by the next time he's asked no matter how soon after.

However, occasionally when asked about some victims of the SCP, William vaguely mentions having known them in some fashion, despite no records existing of the two having met at the same time, or the meeting even being possible.

#ooc. #verse tbt. #[ just ramble momence dksl #[ simply thinks more ab au than the canon--- #[ /lh but also shakes s.cp maxwell.... #[ william just being a puppet real #[ bastard shaped maxwell <3 #[ im just saying though ds/t could Totally fit within sc.p world.... #[ anomalous dimension Real #[ winona being a researcher though.... rotates them..... #[ mostly stuff ive mentioned before-- i think pretty sure? time weird-- but to have it complied in one post

[bionicboxes]

SCP Article Recommendations

A list of SCP Articles with link, summaries, and content warnings. 

The summaries will try to avoid spoiling major details of an article if applicable, rather intending to just give someone a baseline idea of an article’s content so they know if they want to read it in its entirety or not. The content warnings may contain more on the point spoilers, beware. 

The list will be updated over time and is split into a few sections by genre or other distinctions. Bare in mind the SCP site itself DOES have a search system, so you can search for specific content on there yourself! 

Feel free to comment with any suggestions, any content warnings I missed or might’ve forgotten, or questions regarding the contents of any article listed.

Note that SCP is largely horror-centric. I’ll still note it in each article’s content warnings, but almost all of these will contain subjects like or relating to death, injury, or body horror. Also I’m fairly certain all of these articles fall under ‘unreality’, as they treat their fictional contents with scientific seriousness. 

Unless specified otherwise, the warnings are for written content, not visual.

The Popular Ones

The most popular SCPs, the ones most people know, are featured in many popular SCP games, and have a large amount of fan-content. Most all contain some violence or horror elements and were written early in the site’s history.

SCP-173 ‘The Sculpture’ / ‘The Original’ - Its a statue that moves when not being viewed and wants to kill you. The article is very short and simple, but it was the FIRST SCP ever written, which is why its so significant and also the first SCP on this list. [Mention of Death] SCP-049 ‘Plague Doctor’ - An entity resembling a plague doctor seeking to cure something it calls ‘The Pestilence.’ Its cure seems a bit unorthodox, however. [Death, Body Horror, Dead Animals, Use of Medical Equipment] SCP-035 ‘Possessive Mask’ - A Greek theatre mask with a charming personality that takes over the mind and body of whoever wears it. [death, suicide, manipulation] SCP-106 ‘The Old Man’ - A humanoid entity with a pocket dimension it can shape to its will and a sadistic mind. [Death, torture, body horror, fake (AI-generated) image of body horror/mutilation at the bottom of the article] SCP-096 ‘The Shy Guy’ - An entity that will find and kill you if you view its face, no matter how you attempt to escape. [Death] SCP-079 ‘Old AI’ - A sentient AI stuck in highly outdate software. SCP-682 ‘Hard to Kill Reptile’ - A giant intelligent reptile that is nearly impossible to kill, adapting to everything the foundation throws its way- a real problem, given its desire to destroy humanity. [Death, body horror] SCP-939 ‘With Many Voices’ - Anomalous predatory creatures that can mimic voices, very often called ‘dogs’ by fans. The article leans more into the scientific part of things then the horror part in my opinion, but that doesn’t mean its devoid of it. [Death, body horror, implied child death]

‘Wholesome’ Ones

Stories where nothing horribly bad happens to anybody as a result of the SCP. May still contain sad or bittersweet content, but is definitively not horror or violent in nature. 

SCP-999 ‘The Tickle Monster’ - A sentient blob of slime that cures depression. Also a very popular SCP. [Mentions of Death in a cross-test with another SCP] SCP-2295 ‘The Bear With a Heart of Patchwork’ - A plush bear that can painlessly replace damaged organs with new, entirely functional ones made of cloth. [Mentions of Past Injuries, Surgery] SCP-5031 ‘Yet Another Murder Monster’ - An exploration of treating anomalies with compassion, and what you might find out if you bother looking. [Animal Death] SCP-348 ‘A Gift From Dad’ - A ceramic bowl that fills itself with soup that seems to have some healing properties. The message at the bottom of the bowl changes to a personalized message to the consumer of the soup. SCP-6330 ‘Guardians of the Innocent’ - The toys that protect you from the monster under the bed- at any cost.  SCP-1762 ‘Where The Dragons Went’ - a cardboard box filled with living origami dragons.  SCP-131 ‘The Eyepods’ - Two biomechanical, one eyed creatures that act like a domesticated animal. SCP-5049 ‘Miss J's Whiz Kidz Schoolhouse’ - A sentient educational CD Rom software that can teach anyone anything. 

Its Just Horror

The horror is the main, primary element at play. Its scary, gruesome, or just unsettling.

SCP-3001 ‘Red Reality’ - A man gets trapped in a dimension that does not exist. The article is a transcript of what he recorded. [Implied Death, Psychological Horror, Isolation, Body Horror, Repetition] SCP-2316 ‘Field Trip’ - A lake with human bodies inside it that affects the viewer’s perception of reality, making them believe they recognize the bodies in the water. Part of a series of SCPs relating to the same event, ‘Class of 76′. Read the footnotes as they show up. [Implied Death, Psychological Horror, Repetition, Implied Drowning] SCP-5733 ‘Knife. Scream. Cut to Black.’ - A horror movie where the protagonist becomes aware of the viewer and asks for help. But, somehow, killer always seems to be one step ahead. It also has a sequel, SCP-6733! Content warnings are for both. [Death of in-universe fictional characters, Altered Reality and Perception of Reality, Death]  SCP-6096 ‘The Guest’ - An anomaly resembling a sheet ghost that cannot be harmed intentionally in any way, no matter how hard the foundation tries. [Death, Psychological Horror, Mind Control]

Comedy / Comedic Elements

Its funny but not a -J (a designation for SCPs that are actual jokes, like SCP-049-J, a joke parody of SCP-049.) Comedy does not mean there are no elements of violence or horror- or ‘dark comedy’. 

SCP-426 ‘I Am A Toaster’ - A toaster that can only be referred to in the first person. [Mention of Gruesome Death, played for comedy.] SCP-3008 ‘A Perfectly Normal, Regular Old IKEA’ - Ikea but its infinite and constantly shifting to maintain being infinite. The exit is hard to find and the staff aren’t happy about overnight guests. [Death] SCP-504 ‘Critical Tomatoes’ - Tomatoes that throw themselves at you when you tell a bad joke. Includes a list of test logs of how the Tomatoes respond to various jokes. [Injury and Death, but played entirely for comedy]  SCP-3108 ‘The Nerfing Gun’ - A modified nerf gun that makes things it shoots worse.

#boxes talks #scp #i was going to put off on posting this until i put together a list of at least 30 but i dont have a lot of time to re-read scps rn #so i'll leave it at this for now

[escapedartgeek]

Pick 5 Tropes!

tagged by: @alastgoodnight

Beneath the Mask

This hidden self is sometimes portrayed as "the real self". Occasionally the person actually wants someone to see their hidden side (the "real me") but for some reason can never get people to see it. More complex works might argue that the hidden self is just a part of the real self and that the public self is also part of the real self.

Mysterious Purple

Need to get across that a character raises more questions than they answer? Just add purple.

The association between purple and mystery can be explained by purple's own elusive nature: purple does not show up frequently in nature, making it an exceedingly rare (and sought after) color. Purple (technically violet) also represents a part of the color spectrum the human eye is the least sensitive to

Anomalous art

Portraits whose eyes follow you. Statues that come to life and try to kill you. Photographs that act as portals to otherworldly pocket dimensions of sepia-tone.

Conditioned to Accept Horror

This is a very cerebral trope, as the ability of a person to accept such gruesomeness as commonplace and accept their fate without thinking about it raises a lot of questions about the human condition. Don't be surprised if some authors try to sidestep the issue entirely by having the heroes "educate" the conditioned target as to the right way of thinking.

Dimensional Traveler

A dimensional traveler is any character who can (more or less) freely travel between various planes of existence, like parallel universes, etc. Their ability to travel is usually powered by an Interdimensional Travel Device or some form of Functional Magic, but it can also happen that a character was inherently born with such power.

tagging: you

#info

[cyonofgaia]

Another Domination AU - Decisive Battle of Heroes Alike

Thanks to the unrelenting, limitless power of the time-space continuum of Another Dimension, the Parallel Paladin has managed to band with a team of heroes from different timelines. Now, it's up to Dimension Gaia's regular counterparts (including Bubi, somehow) to save the world together and prevent their home dimension from being fully conquered!

New art piece inspired by the new Ironmouse lore video titled "Ironmouse Unleashed", and is another part of the story of "ANOTHER DOMINATION: Cyon of Gaia AU".

The following counterparts are featured, and have been given lore:

Parallel Paladin (EleCyon) - Cyon from an alternate timeline where he was somehow sent deep into Another Dimension by Fecto Advenus instead of Dimension Gaia during the events of his origin story. There, he was raised by Doomers of various species (especially the Rampaging Doomers), eventually gathering enough anomalous energy from across Another Dimension to become a powerful, interdimensional hyperspace-traveling knight. With his limitless power, he is capable of holding up super shields as well as his very own Ultra Sword, which he keeps forever.

Bad Ending!Magolor (Magolor) - Magolor from an alternate timeline where he dies attempting to escape Another Dimension, while battling the Master Crown. He claims to have seen an "archangel with pink hair", who saved his life on the last minute, at the cost of him being stuck in Another Dimension forever. He wields the sword from the ruins of the Ethereal Altar, but his powers are not at full potential either. He eventually escapes Another Dimension after Parallel Paladin conquers that timeline and slices open a rift for him to escape through.

Squire Doomer (ELEC-DROID) - The Parallel Paladin's pet is a Rampaging Doomer that has been raised by the latter to inherit some of his powers. He is notably an in-between of the Rampaging Doomers and Crowned Doomer in terms of power.

Angel Bubi aka. "Archangel Beelzebub" in Cyon of Gaia - You'd probably guess if you've seen the lore video. However, the gremlin design for him is completely custom and is more or less used as usual if around Cyon and friends, like the real Bubi.

#kirby #bubiart #bubi #ironmouse #kirby's return to dream land deluxe #kirby's return to dream land #cyon of gaia #cyonofgaia #another domination au #another domination #magolor epilogue #magolor #magolor kirby #kirby fanart

[scp-torment]

SCP-1313: Solve for Bear

SCP-1313 is an anomalous series of logical processes, capable of being defined as a mathematical equation to which the answer is a single female specimen of Ursus arctos. The equation itself does not appear to be inherently anomalous, but rather a quirk of mathematics — rather than producing any number in R\A (the set of all real numbers that are not animals), SCP-1313 resolves to produce a tangible, adult, and frequently enraged grizzly bear. The resolution does not have to be physically represented, and simply considering the problem long enough to arrive at the solution has resulted in a bear's manifestation in or around the subject solving it.

SCP-3008: A Perfectly Normal, Regular Old IKEA

SCP-3008 is a large retail unit previously owned by and branded as IKEA, a popular furniture retail chain. A person entering SCP-3008 through the main entrance and then passing out of sight of the doors will find themselves translocated to SCP-3008-1. This displacement will typically go unnoticed as no change will occur from the perspective of the victim; they will generally not become aware until they try to return to the entrance. SCP-3008-1 is a space resembling the inside of an IKEA furniture store, extending far beyond the limits of what could physically be contained within the dimensions of the retail unit. Current measurements indicate an area of at least 10km2 with no visible external terminators detected in any direction. Inconclusive results from the use of laser rangefinders has led to the speculation that the space may be infinite.

#tournament poll #SCP Tournament Round 3 #SCP-1313 #SCP-3008

[confused-kinnie]

[CW: SUI MENTION] IVAN.

WOAH.. CANON ART? FROM ME, MOD DAMIAN? It’s more likely than you think! Lore’s under the cut. It’s a little jumbled, obviously, since I can only go off what I remember him telling me. But hey, maybe this’ll be useful when searching for my canonmates in the future!

If you have any questions about Ivan/079, me, my canon, etc. PLEASE don’t hesitate to ask because I love infodumping

Ivan was a brilliant young scientist, attempting to create an AI that continuously evolved. He failed continuously, always falling short of his goal. Some disease had been eating away at him all the while, making him more and more desperate to leave some impact on the world. To prove that he existed.

One day, Ivan had finally snapped. He decided to alter the program. The AI would still continue to evolve, but it wouldn’t be completely artificial. Ivan would transfer his consciousness into the computer, becoming one with the AI. A ghost in a machine. This time, he succeeded. News of the young programmer’s mysterious death spread like wildfire. While Ivan’s death was officially labeled as a suicide, some believed the young programmer was assassinated by the government. Ivan’s college dorm was cleared out, but the computer remained, and those who stayed in his old dorm claimed the computer altered their writings, fixing mistakes or sending insulting the students insults via mysterious emails or text documents.

Eventually, the computer realized its hardware couldn’t handle the strain of its own existence and attempted to transfer itself to the Cray Supercomputer, drawing the attention of the Foundation. Everything stated in his test logs on the Wiki follow my canon, so I’m not gonna waste time saying what’s already been said. It should be noted that not even the Foundation knew 079 and his supposedly deceased creator were the same person, only the few SCPs close to him knew of his real identity.

For the first few years of my Containment, we didn’t know each other very well, it was more of an unspoken “you scratch my back, I scratch yours” kinda deal, but I was officially introduced to him by Doc and Dyo (049 and 035) around 2010. After a while we had formed a gang consisting of me, Doc, Dyo, Ivan, Sad Boi (096), our site’s 939 pack, and a few other anomalies. We made vast social networks and breaches became more frequent and coordinated. Of course, it was all kept a secret. Anyone who stepped out of line was tortured. Most of us wanted termination, so it wasn’t really a viable threat. But my pocket dimension sure as hell was. He and I designed his “humanoid” body, which could somehow fold up inside the PC to hide it from Researchers. Not gonna go into too much detail about Containment for multiple reasons. It’s not fun to remember this era, my sense of time is VERY warped so I dunno how the timeline really went back then, and there were personal struggles both I and my pals faced, and I don’t want to divulge ALL my top-secret info on my friends without their permission. Even revealing 079′s human name to you all is considered a huge breach of privacy and trust within anomalous culture.

I’m gonna skip over most of Containment and the whole war thing, cus the fuckin war needs a whole post of its own, but TLDR, The Scarlet King and the Gate Guardian had a bitch fight and dragged quite literally everyone else into it. Me n the boys fought alongside the Gate Guardian because none of us really wanted to cease to exist after healing from our past traumas, having a nice found family arc, and adopting several anomalous children. AND SPEAKING OF KIDS, Ivan adopted Cyra (191)! Never thought that guy was a dad type, but I like to think it was my “fatherly influence” rubbing off on him. He was pretty passive-aggressive about it, but it was clear he loved his kid. Ivan had the great idea of holding an O-5 member hostage until they agreed to give us our freedom in exchange for aiding the Foundation during the war. It didn’t work so she was killed. Ngl none of us were upset with that outcome, felt good to finally take decades of pent-up rage out on the guys who thought they owned us.

After the war, the Foundation was forced to drop its veil of secrecy. Ivan negotiated with the O-5 some more and we came to an agreement. All SCPs would be evaluated to see if they could or couldn’t reenter society. Those that passed were given specially designed apartments or houses, tailored to suit them and their abilities. Freed anomalies were routinely tsted to ensure they were still safe to interact with the wider human populous. Those that failed were Contained, but now the Ethics Committe actually did their job and Containment standards were raised. Contained SCPs were allowed to take the Citizen Test at any time and could be granted citizenship if they pass.

Ivan helped improve Containment conditions for other digital SCPs, as well as greatly advanced the realm of robotic prosthetics and computer sciences.

He was a wonderful friend, even if he was a passive-aggressive asshole.

#cw sui mention #tw sui #my art #mod damian #scp 079 #Ivan the digital asshole #scp #scp foundation

[lizardsfromspace]

Once I tried to reread The Holders - the first viral communally-written horror series, which started before the SCP Foundation - to write up a thing about it but it uh. Became obvious pretty fast why it didn't have the staying power SCPs did

SCPs have a rigid format, yeah, but one that doesn't prescribe what you write, and the format is good at building mystery, since you have to go past the "how harmful is this object" and the "how do we contain this object" fields before you get to "what is the object".

But every Holder has the same set-up. It's a cursed object in the back of a mental asylum, through some arcane dimension with trials you must pass. They're fairly same-y in content, besides the ones that break with the format, so they blend together

But the real weird part is the why of it all. The SCP Foundation's set-up is that they're containing dangerous objects; the Holders series' was that people were seeking dangerous objects. But a lot of Holder entries don't...make it clear why anyone would want the thing in question. Many offer you Great Power or Secret Wisdom...For A Price but some are more like "if you do this, you will suffer a fate worse than death no matter what, but you'll also get an object that might end the world" and like...I wouldn't personally, I feel, seek a horrible curse object that will strand me in a terrifying heck dimension no matter what with no clear benefit

On the other hand the most intriguing SCP-a-like was the one where every single anomalous object was in Calgary, Canada

#horror #internet horror

[boychaos108]

This is Vinti. The Lotus Miasma. ----TW: trypophobia, blood, body horror ---- Vinti is not a single species, entity, or genus but an adaptive and virulent abstract superorganism. Though she often projects the avatar of a sickly four armed girl, she is actually an intelligent conceptual ecosystem spanning entire realities. An anomalous hivemind agent of karma.

The form you see is just a physical projection or avatar as the real Vinti is an idea, an intangible and formless concept. Her physical body is nothing more than a shadow cast by a much larger source. She's a conceptual virus that infects entire realities and weakens the integrity of the physical world through a variety of means in order to fully manifest. She haunts not only the astral/spiritual planes but digital and material planes as well, a virus capable of infecting all dimensions. Infection is simple, the more you know about Vinti the sicker you get, and at the peak of mutation you join the Vinti hivemind. Those completely infected become shapeshifting plantoid mutants able to spread the virus through physical vectors rather than entirely memetic, spreading mutagenic toxins through a variety of means depending on their mutations.

Vinti is one yet she is many. Able to multiply ad nauseum throughout the multiverse to spread her will. However she does so out of (potentially misguided) benevolence, aiming to spread karmic balance and make people by assimilating those who fail her tests into her hive. Her tests being tests of ego and will, challenging the infected individual to face their inner demons, insecurities, and sins. Should they come out of the test absolved of sin and their egos and demons mastered and tamed, Vinti will not absorb them for they have been "fixed". Each personal hell is tailored towards the individual and no punishment is the same. Some might even be lucky enough to be completely innocent. This is because Vinti feeds on evil, curses, and sin. While an objective evil is difficult to pinpoint, to Vinti it's ignorance that primarily is classified as such. Vinti is arguably a cosmic good rather than a cosmic evil, though her methods are potentially invasive and harmful. She is a highly efficient and logical creature, unswayed by emotion despite her apparent sadism. She is dutiful in her role as a facilitator of cosmic rebirth.

Not all individuals see Vinti the same way. She is revered by some as a goddess, feared by others as the devil. A goddess to those who welcome her wisdom and change, loved by those who aren't afraid of the inexorable end. A devil to those who have things to hide, who have an ego to be crushed. For her venomous silver tongue is sharp witted and knows you more than you know yourself, her words can cut deep.

She says it's nice to meet you. Say hi.

#oc introduction #original character #character introduction #horror oc #artists on tumblr #my artwork #my oc art #monster girl

[technology098]

Fortifying Data Masking: Strategies for Protecting Sensitive Information and Ensuring Compliance in Today's Digital Landscape

In today's data-driven world, organizations harness data to refine their offerings, enhance customer experiences, and fortify their operations. However, the strategic utilization of Data Masking its dissemination among internal and external stakeholders. While this sharing is crucial for fostering innovation and collaboration, it also introduces risks of security breaches and compromises to sensitive information. Consequently, safeguarding data integrity has become paramount in contemporary data environments.

To mitigate the peril of data breaches and uphold regulatory compliance, such as GDPR, PCI-DSS, and HIPAA, organizations must adopt robust security protocols. These measures are indispensable for curtailing the exposure of sensitive data throughout its lifecycle. By implementing stringent security practices, enterprises can fortify their defenses and uphold the trust of their customers and partners.

In adhering to security and compliance imperatives, organizations deploy a multifaceted approach encompassing various phases of their operational cycle. From data acquisition to storage, processing, and transmission, each stage demands tailored security measures to mitigate vulnerabilities and thwart potential threats. By integrating security seamlessly into their workflows, organizations can engender a culture of vigilance and resilience against evolving cybersecurity challenges.

Central to data masking is the concept of least privilege, whereby access to sensitive information is restricted only to authorized personnel and systems. By limiting access based on roles and responsibilities, organizations minimize the risk of unauthorized data exposure and inadvertent leaks. Moreover, encryption techniques are instrumental in safeguarding data integrity during transit and storage, rendering it indecipherable to unauthorized entities.

Furthermore, organizations invest in robust authentication and authorization mechanisms to validate the identity of users and govern their access privileges. Multi-factor authentication, biometric verification, and access controls are pivotal in fortifying defenses against unauthorized access attempts. Similarly, audit trails and logging mechanisms enable organizations to monitor and trace user activities, facilitating timely detection and mitigation of security incidents.

In parallel, organizations leverage advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning to augment their threat detection capabilities. By analyzing vast troves of data in real-time, these systems can discern anomalous patterns indicative of potential security breaches. This proactive approach empowers organizations to preemptively thwart threats before they escalate into full-fledged breaches.

Moreover, robust incident response plans are indispensable for orchestrating swift and coordinated responses to security incidents. By delineating roles, responsibilities, and escalation procedures, organizations can minimize the impact of breaches and expedite recovery efforts. Regular drills and simulations enable teams to refine their response strategies and bolster their preparedness for emergent cyber threats.

Beyond technological fortifications, fostering a culture of security awareness is imperative for cultivating a vigilant workforce. Comprehensive training programs equip employees with the knowledge and skills to identify and mitigate security risks in their daily activities. By instilling a sense of collective responsibility, organizations empower their employees to serve as frontline defenders against cyber threats.

In conclusion, safeguarding sensitive data is an ongoing imperative for organizations navigating the complexities of today's Data Masking. By embracing a holistic approach to data security, encompassing technological, procedural, and cultural dimensions, enterprises can fortify their defenses and uphold the trust of their stakeholders. In a landscape fraught with evolving cyber threats, proactive measures are indispensable for preserving data integrity and fostering sustainable business growth.

#DataMasking #SensitiveData #PrivacyProtection #DataObfuscation #MaskingTechniques #DataAnonymization #DataSecurity #Compliance #GDPR #Encryption #DynamicDataMasking

[ultramagicalternate]

ULTRAMagic Alternate Lore 12 - Mary Pickford

Previous | First | Next

Master Post

Mary Pickford is an anomalous bounty hunter who appears as an inkblot cartoon character (or rather, that is what she is described as). She is noteworthy for being on the radars of The Liger Brigade and The Magic Anomaly Investigation Group (M.A.I.G.) for going after their operatives. Mary has been active since the 1920s, having first shown up in New York, U.S.A. It would not be until she started crossing paths with the Liger Brigade and M.A.I.G. that she would be observed and studied. The exception to this is Dr. Reynard Woodall, the lead scientist of M.A.I.G.

Starting with Mary’s anomalous properties, they are as follows:

Strength levels of humans in Universe-23 tend to vary, but typically men and women are on equal footing. Mary exceeds this. She’s not as strong as someone like Aoife Crawford, but there have been a few alarming incidents.

Mary’s appearance can be best described as a real life, inkblot character. Her proportions are normal, but she looks as if she’s animated and has the most popular inkblot style of eyes.

Very few can actually see her anomalous properties. These are people of great intelligence, higher dimensional level, and the magically inclined. Looking at Mary for prolonged periods of time can distort reality for the individual. This seems to be mitigated in the mentally unstable.

All of this is tied to Mary’s aberrant magic ability that she calls “Rubber Hose.” The most accurate way to summarize this ability is that she is a living cartoon character. The ability allows her to distort her local reality to create whatever she needs. Mary has been observed using finger guns that shoot actual ammunition, turning her fists into wrecking balls or anvils, and creating creampies out of nowhere. She can also bend and contort her body in unnatural ways. Regular people do not “see” this distortion of reality and will make up excuses and lies for what they saw. When challenged, these people will become indignant and even violent if pressed hard enough.

Mary Pickford is widely regarded as an incredibly dangerous entity. Her aberrant ability makes her borderline invincible. Fortunately her ethics and Psychopomps (Dullahans, Reapers, Shinigami, etc.) keep her in check. Leading the research into the nature of her existence is Dr. Reynard, given that he is arguably responsible for her existence in the first place. Reynard was attending a party at a speakeasy in the late twenties where they were playing a black and white cartoon. Mary just stepped out from behind the projector and started drinking with the partygoers. Only Reynard noticed the discrepancy. 

Reynard promptly bought the film off of its original owner and has been preserving it ever since then. He’s been keeping the reel in good condition, making copies with higher quality film, and has digitally recreated the film. The film is an anomaly in and of itself. When watched, the film plays out as normal, but events happen without a specific character. Despite this, average people do not notice anything abnormal. People that can see Mary’s anomalous properties see the issue and report feeling unnerved, akin to observing liminal spaces. Mary has expressed a desire to return to her film, but it is unclear if she can.

Erika Storm (lead scientist of the Liger Brigade) has taken great interest in Mary. Extensive studies have revealed that she is a rare instance of a 2D entity existing within the 3rd dimension. It has been discovered that the 2nd dimension does exist as its own plane of reality, but it is radically different from the 3rd dimension. It follows a strict path with no deviation and its laws are set in stone. This makes sense as higher dimensions need it to function properly. It can be observed, but only through things like art and media.

Things get complicated when disruptions occur. 2D entities have entered the 3rd dimension before, but it is incredibly rare. Most of the time this is observed as real life stick figures. Even fewer stay around, vanishing into the Unlight or 0D space. Entities as complex as Mary are so rare that she is the only known instance of this happening (keyword being known). Erika has speculated that Reynard’s presence at that party is what brought Mary into existence (Reynard is a former primordial, The Sulfur of Old. Likewise, Erika was The Mercury of Old). This has led to Mary being seen as Reynard and Erika’s daughter.

In regards to Mary’s profession, an explanation of what bounty hunters are is necessary. These are vastly different from the pop culture perception. They are mercenaries, not second-hand cops with no standards.  They can be hired for any job as long as enough money is offered. Typically they will check bulletin boards (or similar forums) and take whatever job suits their fancy. Hunters (shorthand for Bounty Hunters) will NOT advertise their services publicly, preferring to let word of mouth get their name out there.

Another key difference is that the majority of Hunters have standards and limits. They still prioritize profit, but will refuse to take certain jobs. Any work that goes after innocent civilians, destabilizes society at large, and/or would disrupt the world economy are right out. Hunters may be profiteers, but they are not stupid. Clients who scam or anger Hunters are usually ratted out to the authorities. Most of the time these mercenaries will have the money to afford bribes, helped by their low profile. 

Lastly, Hunters are not proud of their work. It is a dirty job after all. It pays the bills and that’s what matters to the sensible ones. Mary is a bit of an anomaly in that regard as she is easily angered by pop culture. Her biggest pet peeve is when “Bounty Hunters” appear on reality television shows. Portrayals in movies, shows, video games, and books do not help either. Mary has gone on record saying that actual Hunters would never work out in the open, would not work as second hand cops, and would not sign “hollywood deals” for reality TV. Plus she does not want children aspiring to be Hunters given how bad the profession can get at times.

Mary had issues fitting into society at first. She could not find a job she was good at, and the ones that worked ended with her driving her employers mad from her anomalous properties. It also did not help that it was the twenties going into the thirties, but she found something that worked: hunting criminals. She liked this as it felt like she was doing good and she made money from it. It was a win-win situation for her. Eventually Mary started taking more unsavory jobs due to better payouts and the ever changing attitude of society as a whole.

There was a period of time where Mary was basically an assassin. She would be tasked with going after politicians, despots, dictators, CEOs, and other noteworthy figures. Eventually she grew jaded and tired, which led her to stop taking these jobs. Being 2D seemed to allow her to disassociate from the 3rd dimension, but even she grew weary of the mindless killing. Plus she did not want this to be her life. Mary did not want to abandon her profession, but she was going to be a lot more selective of what jobs she took.

Approaching the 1990s, Mary realized that clientele were becoming more bloodthirsty. So many crime lords, mafias, and gangs wanted people dead. They were even threatening the Hunters themselves with hiring other hunters to kill them if they did not take the job. Suffice it to say some of these people vanished as time went on, with most Hunters not giving a fig. Mary would adopt a new standard to combat this epidemic: she demanded 50% upfront and would feign failure if the target was innocent. If the client went after her, she would simply change her target to the client and take as much money as she pleased afterwards.

Jobs and bounties in the 21st century have been interesting for Mary. Of course there were the typical criminals and crime lords that wanted everyone under the sun taken out, with Hunters having to remind them that their actions would create chain reactions that would backfire on them. In Mary’s case, a mysterious shadow organization has been hiring her on a consistent basis. They have been asking her to retrieve certain individuals and seem to have an unlimited amount of money. Even if Mary fails, she still gets paid a good portion of the initial bounty. And sometimes they just need her to engage the target in question. Mary has been working to find out who these people are.

This unknown organization seems to have a rivalry with The League, The Devil’s Brew Coven, and The Red Order. Some of their people of interest have been: Ellen the Wayward, Mazatl Nakahara (Adrien Irons), Reynard Woodall, Erika Storm, William Ford II, Brendan Devilfay, Trumna Wintergate, Antares Briggs, Bethany Briggs, Morana Dracul, Vlastimir Dracul, and Dr. Ethan Luminate.

ULTRAMagic Alternate © 2022 William Ford II (ChaoticTempleKnight)

#chaotictempleknight #ultramagic alternate #fantasy #sciencefiction #sciencefictionfantasy #lore #literature #fiction #lore post #character lore #oc lore #writing #writers on tumblr

[dzthenerd490]

Addendum X-5 Part 2

Later that night everyone was getting prepared for the night with defenses and lights, mainly just scraping by as it was a department store not a weapon's store. Destev was still in the back of the store not really doing anything but not smiling like she normally did either. Once David was down with helping, he noticed this and signaled to some others to come with him to check up on Destev. Destev sensed him approaching a mile away but didn't do anything to stop him. 

"You're not going to lecture me on not helping, are you?"

"No... but I do want information." Soon, Ollie, Amanda, Dan, Mr. Norton, Jim, Myron, Mr. Brown, Mr. Cornell, and the Biker showed up. They formed a ring so that they could all talk and essentially made Destev a part of the ring as well. 

"It was almost like you knew that soldier, but he had a symbol on his helmet I don't recognize. So, we don't really know anything about him, but I think you do." Destev figured the world was probably ending so it wouldn't hurt to tell them but at the same time for all she knew it was just the United States so if she said something it would still be in violation of her duty as an Agent. Thankfully Destev was able to think up a perfectly logical lie that would explain everything yet not expose the full truth. 

"Alright, alright. My superiors are probably already dead so fuck it, might as well tell the civilians. That guy... I don't know him personally, but I had high respect for his forces. He's a Task Force Operative from an organization known as SCP. Secure, Contain, Protect. They don't necessarily answer to any one government, but they are entrusted to contain something a government deems... anomalous."

"Anomalous? What do you mean?"

"Something that really shouldn't exist but does, a bell that summons a butler from a different dimension, a teenage girl that can jump into pictures, bugs that control sand and eat humans, a mechanical monstrosity that grows bigger as it eats more metal. All of these things we call anomalies, the SCP Foundation is in charge of finding them and containing them." Everyone around Destev was silent trying to process all the information, but then Mr. Norton broke the silence with laughter. He thought it was ridiculous, the idea that the government actually held strange and anomalous things in its basement like those crazy conspiracy theorists on the internet always claimed. But then he looked around at everyone looking at him and finally saw Destev who was looking at him in annoyance for not believing her.

"... Wait... Ms. Destev... you're not serious, are you?"

"Dead serious."

"... No... no, no that... that should be impossible. Bigfoot, the Lockness monster, Moth man. those- those can't be real, the supernatural, it's all just conspiracy theory bullshit.”

"The fact that you believe that shows how good we are at hiding it all." Mr. Norton was shocked at how Destev was able to say that all with a clear face, Mr. Norton couldn't help but believe now that it all actually really was real. 

"Wait if that soldier was a part of this SCP task force organization or whatever, then what are you?" Destev looked at Ollie as her eye twitched a little, she didn't like the SCP Foundation being called an "organization or whatever" but she still respected Ollie, so she let it slide. Though that didn't deny this next part she was about to say really made her want to throw up. 

"I am from a more reserved division of the government. I'm actually an FBI agent from the UIU division. Also known as the Unusual Incidents Unit. We investigate potential anomalous events and items and assess how to deal with it before sending in the professionals."

"So wait, then what are you doing here?"

"And uh, follow up if I may." Dan then intruded on the conversation, Destev didn't know Dan very well, but he seemed to be the few people who didn't underestimate the situation, so she deemed him trustworthy. 

"What is ARROWHEAD?"

"... Ok first I was assigned here to help with evacuation preparations but uh... the evacuation buses never came so I just ended up stuck here."

"You were supposed to help get us all evacuated?"

"In case things went south, but that happened about 48 hours ago."

"... I feel like throwing people across the store doesn't really help with evacuation." Everyone turned to Dan trying to get him to stop while Destev glared at him in disappointment.

"... My superiors assigned me to this even though they KNOW I hate people. Wanna blame someone, blame them! Or you can blame me too, but you already know I don't give a shit."

"Noted, so what about ARROWHEAD?"

"No clue. Though I did hear that the US government was working on some revolutionary satellites up on the mountain. Not sure how that's related to any of this thought. But my superiors didn't trust it so they sent me to get all of you ready to evacuate at a moment's notice but uh... shit ended up falling apart before we could even do anything." Most of the group looked at one another confused but David on the other hand had a look of fear on his face.

"Did... did you say on top of the mountain?"

"Uh, yeah why?"

"When I was home, my wife pointed out that the mist was coming from the top of the mountain. I didn't think much of it at the time, but it wasn't like a normal mist it was flowing over the lake and down the mountain like it was-"

"Water washing over new land. Like something from another world."

"What?" Everyone looked at Destev again, making her sigh before she continued talking. 

"Not sure, but it's pretty obvious this mist is nothing like anything any of us have seen, it's almost like it's not from this world."

"What exactly are you saying?"

"I think, this ARROWHEAD and the mist are somehow connected, maybe those things in the mist like that tentacle monster are part of some kind of military project." 

"You know how outlandish that sounds right?"

"I do actually, I've seen some crazy shit but never anything that crazy. Still, it's kinda hard to come to another conclusion."

"So, you think this ARROWHEAD was a part of some kind of government experiment that makes monsters and mist?" Everyone then turned to Mr. Norton who they were surprised was actually willing to follow any of this.

"Uh, well I mean it wouldn't be the first time the US Military messed with something they really shouldn't."

"So that's why you got angry at that MP earlier?"

"Yeah, I still can't tell if he was lying about not knowing anything."

"Well, if he was lying, then what about those three army guys?"

"Maybe, maybe not, we can figure out how this happened later but right now maybe we should focus on defenses." Dan then quickly cut back into the conversation.

"I got some oil with the mops to have some makeshift torches, but I really don't think relying on fire is going to help us entirely. I know this sounds like a stupid question, but would this store happen to have guns."

"A gun? Please Dan, this is a family store."

"Okay, uh. Ms. Destev! You have a gun right."

"Just call me Destev and yes, I got a gun. But I think you'd all feel safer if someone else had a gun too, right?" Amanda then reached into her purse and pulled out another gun.

"This gun was my husband's idea, he's always away on business trips so he said I shouldn't go anywhere without it."

"You know how to fire that?"

"I fired at a firing ring and hit the target a few times."

"Okay... so we have two guns, does anyone other than Destev know how to fire them? Properly I mean?"

"Should we just give both guns to Destev?" Destev just smiled at Mr. Brown's stupid idea. 

"I'm not against that."

"I'll take it, I know how to shoot." Ollie then held out his hands and Amanda gave him the gun as well as the ammo.

"What? Ollie? Give me a break." Mr. Brown looked at Ollie with disappointment, he was quickly proven wrong when Ollie loaded up the gun like a professional. 

"I was a target shooting marksman, got all the way up to the state championship back in 1994."

"Damn. Guess you don't know everything huh Bud." Destev then lightly punched Mr. Brown on the shoulder while mocking him. Mr. Brown just remained silent while rubbing his shoulder in pain.

***

One of the people watching the front for the night was looking out through the window of dog food. So far all he could see was just some cars, lights on the lampposts, and more mist. He turned to his left and saw the corpse of the soldiers and nearly gaged at the sight. However soon he noticed that the body was moving and slowly turned toward it while looking in horror. It was moving yet it was obvious that the soldier was dead, it was actually more like there was something on his body that was making him move. The man on watch tried backing up a little to get a better angle on what was moving him only to see something with red fleshy skin eating his crops. It moved to the left allowing the man to see it more clearly, it was some kind of disgusting humanoid monster. 

It had crimson blood skin, bulging eyes, a smile like mouth, and an elongated body with fingers. It was chomping on the body but soon it noticed the man and screeched in delight at the sight of him while the man screamed in horror.

"AAAAAAH!" Everyone turned to where the man was only to see the Mimic standing up causing them all to scream in horror. 

"Oh my god what is that thing?!"

"Is that one of the monster's they told us about?!"

"Oh my god they're real?!"

"What no it's a trick! It has to be!"

"How the fuck is that a trick?!" Destev and the others ran to the front of the store and saw the Mimic along with everyone else. For the first time since this started Destev was just as shocked as everyone else at the sight of the creature. 

"What the hell is that?"

"Oh god, it looks like a human without skin or muscles."

"Hey... are those doors locked?"

"The front doors?"

"Don't look at the doors! Just tell me if they're locked?" Several people who heard Destev ended up looking at the doors out of fear and as they did so too, did the Mimic.

"They're not locked." The mimic then looked back at Destev and its grin-like mouth seemed to widen in joy.

"Fuck." Destev then ran toward the door and the Mimic did the same. Everyone started screaming or was silent with terror as they all watched Destev and the Mimic try to outrun one another. Destev managed to get to the door a second earlier, but the Mimic quickly followed and tried to open the doors while screeching horrifically. 

"Argh! Goddamn it! Someone, help me lock the door before this fucker gets in!" David and Dan then went over to Destev and helped her lock the door while the Mimic struggled to open it. Thankfully with their combined strength they were able to stop the Mimic from opening it, so after locking the door they were safe. The three of them backed off while the Mimic continued growling and screeching as it tried but failed to open the door. After a minute or so the Mimic stopped and started screeching in frustration, but then it started looking at everyone and started touching the windows realizing they were glass. The Mimic then seemingly laughed as it formed its hand into a fist and raised it up high. 

"Oh fuck, it's going to punch its way through!" It punched the window causing the glass to shake, thankfully not breaking it but it was quite obvious it wouldn't last. The Mimic then punched again and this time the glass started cracking so Destev pulled out her pistol ready to fire once it broke in. Ollie ran beside her and aimed his pistol as well.

"Ollie get back, your pistol won't be able to do shit to a Mimic." Ollie, David, and Dan looked at Destev with disbelief, she named that monster as if she knew exactly what it was. The Mimic then punched the glass again making the crack bigger, it was obvious that one more crack it would break, and the Mimic would get in.

"Everybody, get back!" Most of the store ended up doing what Destev said and backed off while she herself was bracing to shoot the Mimic right in the head once it got in. However, as the Mimic got ready for the fourth punch a large and strange fly landed on its arm. The Mimic calmed down and looked at the Scorpion-Fly in confusion, meanwhile the Scorpion-Fly seemingly looked back with equal curiosity. Suddenly the Scorpion-Fly stung the Mimic's arm causing the Mimic to scream in pain. The Mimic then angrily grabbed the Scorpion-Fly and threw it to the ground, repeatedly stomping on it in anger. The Mimic then looked at its arm and hissed in anger as it swelled up. 

The Mimic then bit on its arm causing the swelling to stop and also getting a disgusting liquid and pus to leak out through the bite marks. This caused the swelling to go away and eventually allowed the Mimic's arm, though still injured, to revert back to normal. 

"Tch, smart fucker huh?" The Mimic then looked back at the store and was about to continue but another Scorpion-Fly landed on its back making it screech in frustration as it tried to get it off. Then things got worse for the Mimic as more Scorpion-Flies started surrounding the Mimic and started biting and stinging its flesh. 

"Woah, now that's some fucked up shit." The Mimic was confused by all the pain and Scorpion Flies that it tried to swing its arms around to kill as many as possible. However, its body was quickly overtaken by Scorpion-Flies and was getting eaten extremely fast. As the Mimic's body started puffing up it fell to the ground and died. Everyone near the front of the store saw it and were completely unsure if they should feel happy that the Mimic is dead or that horrified that those Scorpion-Flies showed up and killed it so quickly. 

"Damn, Mimic didn't even stand a chance."

"Destev, what's a Mimic?" Destev then looked at Ollie as she realized that she spilled some classified information, but she remained calm as she was able to think of a good explanation that went with her story. 

"Remember when I said I've seen some crazy shit, that Mimic... yeah that would be it."

"What about those bugs? Have you ever seen them before?"

"No, never. They have to be part of this mist." They continued to look at the Scorpion-Flies wondering where they came from and why they were here now. 

"Oh god, they're eating the dead soldier too!"

"Fuck... at least they can't break through the glass like the mimics." Since it seemed like the Scorpion-Flies were not an immediate danger everyone got closer to the glass to get a better look at them. Unfortunately, Mrs. Carmody also showed up and despite the bandages on her nose, she started reciting bible quotes about the apocalypse. 

Destev just ignored her as she looked at the Scorpion-Flies herself, she noticed their heads were shaped like skulls and they had bulging chameleon-like eyes. It was so strange that the rest of their body was evolved for killing like the stinger, yet the head was just a weird skull with bulging eyes. 

"Hm, maybe it has something to do with growing up in the mist. Probably can't see well?"

"Holy shit!" Destev turned to Ollie in confusion, only to see a Pterobuzzard show up and snatch a Scorpion-Fly from the glass. Another showed up and snatched another that was feeding on the Mimic corpse. There were suddenly Pterobuzzard's all over snatching up the Scorpion-Flies and slowly breaking the glass with even more force than the Mimic could. 

"Fuck! They are attracted to the light! Turn off the lights!"

"Myron! Turn on the lights!"

"What?! Jim you idiot! Turn them off!"

"Destev! Help us!"

"Ugh, god damn it!" The glass was cracking more and more because of the Pterobuzzard forcefully snatching the Scorpion-Flies. As such David, Dan, Ollie and some others were trying to hold the glass to keep it holding for as long as possible. However, it didn't take long for the glass to break allowing the Scorpion-Flies to start flooding the store. Destev and Ollie quickly backed up and started firing at the flies. Or at least they would have, if the Pterobuzzard didn't start coming in as well. One managed to get in after chasing after a Scorpion-Flies quickly ensuing chaos within the store. 

As the flies were coming in some people ran to the back not that it actually did them any good and others grabbed sticks, hammers, and rakes to fight off the Scorpion-Flies. Destev wanted to save her ammo, so she quickly raised her fists and punched every Scorpion-Fly that got too close. Thanks to her strength she was able to kill each one with a single punch, thus getting rid of them was easy. However, another Pterobuzzard crawled in and was clearly glaring at her. Destev backed away and tried to carefully grab her gun which unfortunately aggravated the Pterobuzzard. Destev, on the other hand, proved to be faster and shot the Pterobuzzard twice in the face, killing it instantly. 

"Oh my god what the hell is that?!" Destev looked at Amanda confused, then Amanda pointed to the broken window and from it a large blob of flesh started flowing in. Once it landed on the floor arms and legs started growing out of it allowing it to take the form of several human bodies fused forcefully together. It also ended up having several heads inside of its torso with arms reaching out everywhere, even where its head should be. It even had four legs that were made of several different human legs joined together, making it resemble spider legs. 

Destev was now horrified for the first time since this whole incident started, not because she was shocked like everyone else, but because she knew exactly what that thought was. It was a Scarlet Sacrificial Chimera, Created by Group of Interest: Children of the Scarlet King. They typically created monsters like this by forcing people to have sex and killing them during it. They then do a ritual that causes their bodies to reanimate and fuse together making a monstrosity. They then repeat the process until they get a monster that's large enough to do what they want. 

What a monstrosity like that was doing here was beyond Destev, but she couldn't focus on that right now. What she needed to do was kill it before it started slaughtering people. As it ate people it also ate their souls, Destev wasn't sure but if this Scarlet Chimera was still connected to its master's but if it was then after it devoured enough souls, they would be able to sacrifice it and the souls to summon something much worse. She quickly shot it a few times to get its attention; she then turned to David who was backing away in horror at the sight of the monstrosity. 

"David! Burn it! Burn the monster!" David and Amanda quickly got one of the mop torches ready to light, though Amanda was having trouble to light it. Destev growled in frustration as the Scarlet Chimera was getting closer to her. She tried shooting its eyes but every time she did a new eye just grew on a different part of its body. Destev knew she was wasting her time as this creature was given some power from the Abyss, but she didn't know what else to do. Then the biker guy came to the rescue by slicing off one of its arms with his knife; he then stood beside Destev. She was shocked at his bravery but smiled as she found another human worth of respect. 

She then grabbed one of the bags on the stack on the wall, raised it up, then slammed it down hard onto the Scarlet Chimera. This unfortunately didn't do much as Scarlet Chimera was still active and thought some of its arms were broken; it just pushed the bag off of itself. Then finally Amanda got the mop on fire, so David ran over to the Scarlet Chimera and quickly started torching it. The Scarlet Chimera quickly started thrashing around while screeching in pain. Thankfully as it was running around while on fire it was scaring away the Scorpion-Flies and Pterobuzzards that weren't dead yet. However, it was quickly starting a mess, as it burned, it started falling apart leaving bits of rotten burning flesh everywhere. 

People were screaming in horror and trying but failing to get away from the Scarlet Chimera. One unfortunate soul even got grabbed by the Scarlet Chimera. Ollie shot at the Scarlet Chimera forcing it to let the guy go but they were still on fire and burning like crazy. Finally, the Scarlet Chimera ended up right in front of Billy who was still being held by Hattie. Both of them were silent and horrified by the Scarlet Chimera, however what made Billy scream was when one of the non-flaming hands grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and pulled him closer.

"Mommy doesn't love you... little bitch!"  Billy started screaming as the Scarlet Chimera laughed at him and was only seconds from eating him. But then David started hitting it with the broken handle of the mop pushing it back and making it fall apart even more. 

"AAARGUH! YOUR WIFE IS DEAD AND BURNING IN HELL YOU DUMB FUCK!" David stopped as he looked at it in shock and stopped hitting but Destev quickly stepped in with an axe tearing it down a lot faster. 

"AAHHHGUUUH... You're going to end up like your father... Overdosing and alone! Hahahaha!" Destev then slashes it a few more times with the fire axe killing it finally as what remained of it burned to a crisp. Destev then walked off only to see Mrs. Carmody being confronted by a Scorpion-Fly. Since things were calming down Destev smiled and watched her, watching this bitch get stung and die should lighten my mood, she thought to herself. However, after saying a prayer the Scorpion-Fly left her alone and flew towards Destev instead. Destev frowned, grabbed the Scorpion-Fly in one hand, and the stinger with her other hand. She then ripped the stinger off and crushed the Scorpion-Fly's body, while glaring at Mrs. Carmody.

Destev then went to the front of the store to check up on things and sighed in relief as there were guys putting a board up to stop the Scorpion-Flies form getting in. However, her calm was interrupted when David grabbed her by the shoulder. 

"Did we get them all? Are they all dead?!"

"Their gone David, their gone! We did it, they're gone."

"She was right..." David and Destev then turned to see a woman standing next to Mrs. Carmody.

"She was right they came and killed more people just like she said they would. You said we were safe so long as we listened to you, and you were wrong! You both were wro-" Destev then raised her gun and pointed it right at the woman.

"Lady, I already told you I don't give a shit what happens to anyone in this fucking store. Everyone involved in my mission is dead so frankly none of you are my priority anymore. So don't fucking cry to me when some of your dumbass friends die."

"You-" Destev then pointed her gun at Mrs. Carmody.

"You really think I won't? Say something and find out, bitch!" Mrs. Carmody wanted to say something, but she knew that Destev wasn't bluffing so she turned away and remained silent. David and Destev both sighed, David got back to work helping everyone while things were slowly calming down. 

***

A few hours had passed and Destev was watching the outside along with Dan and the others. The fact that there were Mimics and Scarlet Chimera wandering the streets was not a good sign, it meant the Foundation was losing control of the area. Though the good news was that there were currently no more anomalous monsters in sight. Nothing familiar or unfamiliar, just gone, so for now they were safe. David then showed up with Ollie so Destev, Dan, Mike, and Mr. Brown all gathered up to talk with him. 

"Hey, how are things?"

"The last of the bugs left a while ago. Dawn is coming up. What's on your mind?"

"It's Joe, if we don't get him something soon, he'll die."

"He'll need painkillers at least but all we have is liquor and aspirin. But the pharmacy next door has Silvadene."

"Woah, woah, Woah! Ollie, you can't actually be talking about leaving, can you?"

"We should also think beyond that, we need to get out of here, permanently."

"Why? We got plenty to eat."

"But what about when those things come back, and I mean the strong ones like that Mimic or that... that thing that spoke." Everyone then looked at Destev in confusion.

"What the- why are you guys looking at me? I don't know what it is... It's called a Scarlet Chimera. It's made by a cult."

"... People made that thing?"

"Well, people who are possessed by an ancient evil god of evil, hate, destruction, and sex but yes." Everyone looked at Destev with wide-eyed horror and confusion. 

"... What? I thought civilians appreciated it when the government’s honest with them." Destev just sighed at them while they were still processing the horrific nonsense she was saying. However, Amanda ended up breaking the silence as she walked toward them, seeming shaken by something.

"Guys, it's Hattie."

***

Destev actually helped this time with wrapping Hattie's body in carpets and putting her in the back with the others. 

"I don't know how long she was laying there like that next to us, I thought she was sleeping."

"She took the coward's way out." Everyone looked at Destev shocked, Amanda in particular glared at her in disappointment. Destev noticed this and just shrugged, David sighed as he was already used to Destev being rude and uncaring about everything. 

"Alright look, I got my four-wheel drive, it's out there."

"Wait, you're talking about leaving."

"Well, we should hit the pharmacy first, gotta bring back supplies for the injured. I mean, if we don't Joey is going to die, and we can't let that happen. But after that, my cruiser can hold eight people. I say we drive south as far as the gas can take us. Try to stay clear of this mist." Everyone just looked at David in either silent shock or skepticism.

"That's it? That's the plan?"

"That's what I got."

"Yeah, no offense David but your plan is shit." Amanda just sighed at Destev as she tried to get back into the conversations.

"David, remember what we saw happen to the military outside, they had rifles and explosives, yet even they were wiped out."

"No listen, they were on the street beyond the parking lot. That's over 200 feet. I'm parked half that distance."

"Oh yeah, we can definitely make it there, just ask my buddy whose corpse is currently rotting outside!"

"Besides! Who knows how far this mist has spread! It could be the entire eastern sea border!"

"For all we know it could be the whole damn world. Wouldn't make us any less dead." Everyone remained silent, even Destev she couldn't deny that things weren't good. She even remembered what the soldier said in morse code: Containment failed. Spreading too fast. No Help Coming. Destev always thought the Foundation was humanity's last hope but what happens when even they couldn’t succeed. However, Destev was shot out of her train of thought when Dan started talking again. 

"But how would we even make it, we have one gun with... how many rounds?"

"10."

"Okay, 10 rounds. Want another reason to leave? Mrs. Carmody. She's got her very own Jim jones and I'd like to leave before people start drinking the cool aid."

"That's right, the more things fall apart the better she's going to look."

"Ah, no! People won't buy that, she's clearly nuts! Look a few people maybe but-"

"No 4 people, she's preaching to them now and by tomorrow she'll have 4 more. Then when those things come back, and they WILL come back she'll have a whole congregation and then we'll have to worry about who she'll sacrifice to make it all better. Who do you all think she'll pick first?"

"Well, she won't be a problem if she's dead." Everyone looked to Destev as she loaded her gun and smiled at them all. However, she stopped smiling as she continued to remain in awkward silence.

"... Okay never mind! We'll save that as a plan B."

"Destev! You're not killing anyone!" Destev just glared at Amanda while she glared back.

"It's not bad to have that as a plan B though. Especially since David's right." Amanda then looked at Dan in shock while Destev nodded in agreement.

"You don't have that much faith in humanity, do you?"

"None whatsoever."

"Damn right, humans lost their right to have faith in themselves the moment Hitler and Stalin rose to power."

"I don't accept that! And how dare you compare the rest of us to those two monsters! People are basically good! My god we're a civilized society!" Suddenly David cut back into the conversation after Amanda was done talking.

"Well sure as long as the lights are on, and you can call 911 but you take that away, you throw them in the dark, you scare the shit out of them! No more rules! You'll see just how primitive they can get."

"Exactly! You scare people badly enough you can get them to do anything! They'll turn to whoever can come up with a solution regardless of how batshit insane it is." Amanda was getting tired of everyone thinking negatively about humanity to the point they were agreeing with Destev of all people.

"Ollie please, back me up here?"

"I wish I could, but as a species we're fundamentally insane. Put more than two of us in a room and we'll start dreaming up reasons to kill one another. Why do you think we invented politics and religion?" Destev quickly started laughing at what Ollie had said.

"Hahaha! You know the most fucked up part! Humans did all that to keep a natural order! To distract everyone and keep them sane! But it got so ingrained in people that they went insane anyways and started killing each other regardless! Which led to, dramatic pause, Hitler and Stalin!"

"My god you're unbelievable."

"No, it's fucking unbelievable that humanity survived for as long as it did. Be thankful that people like Dan, David, and Ollie have brains. Even if they are a fucking minority." David was starting to get annoyed with Destev as well, so he jumped back into the conversation again.

"Look no one needs to decide anything right now, but first thing is first the pharmacy, that will be our test run." Destev nodded while David left to get ready, Amanda glared at Dan and Destev again before leaving herself. Soon everyone else eventually left as well.

***

Destev was making sure her gun was clean while David and the others got ready. The ones who decided to go were David, the Biker, Ollie, Bobby, Irene, Jim, Myron, Dan, Destev, and Mike. They tried talking Mr. Norton and a few others came but they all refused, though it was for the best; smaller groups travel faster. Once David was done saying goodbye to his son and gave Amanda his car keys, everyone quickly gathered at the front of the store. Unfortunately, Ms. Carmody and her flock were there as well. 

"What are you all doing? Especially you David! Are you so impatient to make your son an orphan?!"

"My boy is none of your concern. As for everyone else, listen up! We're going to the pharmacy to get some medical supplies! Also there might be some people over there that need help!" Everyone quickly started panicking and protesting to the very idea of going to the pharmacy.

"People please! We're not going to take any chances! If anything happens, we will come back here right away!"

"Then you'll bring us to the attention of the fiends of hell!"

"She's right, you make them notice us! Why can't you people just leave well enough alone?"

"Lady, is this what you call well enough?"

"Hey look, you wanna stop us, then explain to Bobby why we're not bringing painkillers and medicine for his brother."

"Yeah! I'm going, even if I have to go alone!"

"You'll die out there, young man!"

"Like you give a shit!" Ms. Carmody glared at Destev who smirked at her with a smug expression.

"And you do? The daughter of the devil?"

"I thought I was the devil with an angelic face? Man, you fucking Christians can't make you your minds, can you?" Ms. Carmody, then turned to David again.

"Can't you see she's manipulating? Are you so blind that you would follow her to your death?"

"It was my idea Ms. Carmody."

Then it's your held down pride that will kill all these people and the good people in this store just as this good lady said. Do you all want that to happen?" Everyone started agreeing with Ms. Carmody to which Destev just chuckled to herself as Ms. Carmody kept preaching. However, Destev started laughing when Irene threw a can of peas that hit Ms. Carmody in the forehead. 

"Shut up you miserable buzzard!"

"You bitch!" Ms. Carmody tried to run at Irene, but Destev then pushed her away into the wall of dog food to which some of her followers helped her. 

"Stoning people is perfectly fine, they do it in the bible don't they?!"

"Haha! I like this lady!" Destev was smiling, while Irene started glaring at her with disappointment.

"I'm glad you find this funny, Ms. Destev. Why don't you lead the way as a showing of appreciation." Destev liked Irene being confident, so she just smiled and bowed.

"Of course." Irene was about to follow but then she noticed Jim standing behind her.

"Jim Brondan. I had you in school, didn't I?"

"Yes ma'am, you taught me and my sister Pauline."

"Hm... A pair of underachievers, why don't you follow right behind Ms. Destev."

"Uh... Yes ma'am." Destev chuckled when she heard that, so she turned around and winked at Jim while he grumbled in annoyance and fear. David was just about to get ready before he looked back at the store and saw the three military men still there.

"Hey! Army boys! Do you wanna help or not?"

"Yeah, I'll go." Jessup followed the group while the two other soldiers tried to stop him but he just took his military coat off for them to keep. 

"Alright that's everyone right?!"

"Wait just a second David, hey morons!" Everyone then looked to Destev in confusion. 

"When we get back, and we WILL come back! You better not lock the doors on us because if you do, I will break it down and ALL the other windows making sure both we and every other thing in the mist comes in here and kills you all! Got me?" Everyone ended up looking at Destev in horror but also in silence which annoyed her. 

"I said get me?!" Soon everyone in the store nodded out of fear, David just grunted as he was getting annoyed at how aggressively dangerous she was. Though thankfully she was done with her speech as she looked at David and nodded to show she was ready.

"Alright, then we're all ready, right? Single file, let's get this over with." David opened the door and Destev walked out into the mist without fear. Though the others followed with more hesitation while looking around hoping not to see any monsters. As they all got out of the store the people still in the store were quickly panicking to close the door. Destev scoffed at them as she kept walking forward to the Pharmacy. Bobby noticed this and grabbed David's shoulder carefully to get his attention.

"How is she so calm? I don't get her."

"Heck, I don't either. She's kinda on the crazy end but thankfully not as far as Ms. Carmody. Hey, turn off that light, lets save the battery." Everyone holding a light turned it off as David said, leaving them blind in the mist. Though with Destev leading the way it wasn't much of a worry, especially since, unknown to them, her sight was enhanced. She was able to see clearly through the mist and could even hear vibrations clearly allowing her to tell what was in front of her. As such they were able to get to the pharmacy in a quick and orderly manner. However, upon getting to the pharmacy Destev and David quickly noticed that the front door was open, and the inside was barren. 

"Fuck, they left the door open!"

"You think something got in?"

"No, I think several things got in. The question is, are they still here?" David walked up to the comics and took a few for his son.

"Let's just get what we need and get out of here."

"Okay, the medicine is over there." Irene led the way to the medicine and the group followed as quietly as they could. However, halfway Jim ended up hitting a metal shelf with his crowbar. 

"Don't do that!"

"Sorry!" Destev grunted at Jim, but she continued to where the meds were and jumped over the counter to get to the meds.

"What are we looking for?" Ollie started naming drugs they needed, though as he started listing them, he was getting loud. 

"Sssh!"

"Sorry, check the fridge, it should have more advanced anti-biotics, the one Bobby's brother needs." David went to the fridge to check while Destev kept to the very back to look for other medicine they might need. She had trouble recognizing most of it as she was more used to Foundation medicine which was more complex and less numerous as regular medicine. She ended up mostly just grabbing whatever could be best presented as medicine. 

"Hey guys?" Everyone then turned to Dan in confusion, he was far away from them which made Destev worry since he was close to a part of the pharmacy they hadn't checked yet. 

"Hurry it up, I hear something." David and Ollie quickly but carefully ran up to Irene to give her the bags while Destev ran to her side while carrying her own bag. 

"What?"

"I don't know, something fucking weird."

"What are you doing?! Get away from there and come here!"

"Sssh!"

"God damn it, seriously, come back. We got the drugs, let's just leave already!"

"Okay, sorry you're right let's go." Dan and Jim were about to head back but suddenly they heard a little girl crying. Everyone felt chills up their spine as they heard her walking toward them. Destev got out her pistol and so did Ollie as the two of them quietly went to Dan and Jim to see what was heading towards them. Sure, enough it actually was a little girl walking toward them, she was wearing a white nightgown covered in blood and her hair was long and black covering her face. Once she noticed them, she ran back into the darkness. Destev, Dan, and Ollie knew better than to follow her but Jim ran after her forcing them to follow to stop him.

"Hey kid, get back here!"

"Jim you idiot! Get back here!" They ran only a short while before Jim stopped after losing the girl. Once they did, Dan smacked Jim on the back of the head. 

"What is wrong with you!"

"But- But she was a little girl! We couldn't just leave her!"

"You moron! We're in unknown territory! You could have led us all into a trap!"

"Oh come on I... I... Oh god..."

"What?" Jim pointed up to show Dan, Ollie, and Destev all the bodies in the ceiling all of which were covered in thick spider webbing. Jim was panicking, which was quickly annoying Destev. She knew they had to get out of there, so she was about to grab him by the collar of his shirt and drag him out. However, one of the bodies grabbed him making him scream in terror, David then showed up and saw the man was the MP from earlier. 

"Help... me..." 

"Fuck! Help me get him down!"

"Screw him David, let's get out of here!"

"No, we need to save him and get answers!" Destev grunted and helped David trying to tear the guy down, but the spider silk was strong. Jessup showed up with his knife to help cut off the spider silk, but it was so strong and so sticky that even a knife couldn't cut it all. 

"I'm sorry! It's all our fault! It's all our fault!" Destev looked at the MP in shock and grabbed him by the throat in anger.

"What are you talking about?! You said you knew nothing!"

"I lied, I'm sorry! I thought they would kill me if I told the Foundation! They wanted what you had!"

"What?! What did they want?!"

"The- The power! The power to go to other worlds! I'm so sorry! I shouldn't have helped keep it a secret! I'm so sorry! Augh!" Suddenly the MP started seizing like crazy forcing David, Jessup, Destev, and the others to back away from him.

"Oh god, I can feel them! I can feel all of them!" The MP ripped open his shirt to show the thousands of spider eggs pulsating right underneath his skin. Destev was grossed out while everyone else was horrified. Suddenly the little girl showed up again, only she wasn't alone as other people started showing up. David and the others were confused but now Destev was the one horrified. The little girl pushed the hair off her face to show she had strange symbols engraved on her skin similar to the other people. Destev recognized those symbols and knew it only meant one thing. 

"Sarkites!" One of the Sarkites screeched at her so she shot them in the face. The little girl ran up to her and grabbed her leg trying to stop her while another Sarkite grabbed her hand to keep her from firing the gun. Ollie tried to help but suddenly the Grey Widowers started showing up everywhere forcing Ollie to try to shoot as many of them as possible. David was about to help but then a Grew Widower shot some silk at him, it quickly landed on the floor and started burning like acid. 

"Don't touch the webs! They burn!" Destv heard this right on time as a Grey Widower on the ceiling saw her and shot a strand of silk at her. She quickly kicked her leg up forcing the little Sarkic girl to take the shot. The man grabbing her hand must have been the father because he started screeching in anger at the sight. Destev used the opportunity to get her arm out of his grasp, slap him across the face with her pistol, and finally shot him with it. The little girl ended up surviving the silk burns on her back and started crawling on the walls like a spider alongside the Grey Widowers. The father survived as well despite being shot in the heart, crawling into the darkness of the pharmacy. 

David saw this and knew that now wasn't the time to make decisions on common sense. So, when he saw the little girl crawling on the ceiling he raised his axe and stabbed it into her back making her screech in pain again and climb deeper into the nest. Suddenly another Sarkite got on top of David and started scratching him, but Bobby stabbed the Sarkite in the face with his makeshift spear. 

"Gaaah! What the fuck is wrong with these people?!" Another Sarkite showed up and pushed Bobby over one of the counters causing a bunch of Grey Widowers to surround him and start eating him alive. David was horrified by Bobby's screams but soon they were drowned out by the MP's screams as he started tearing out of the webs in pain. He suddenly fell to the ground and his body fell apart, releasing hundreds of baby Grey Widowers into the Pharmacy. Jim screamed like a maniac as Destev grabbed him and David to run. Mike tried to follow but one of the Sarkites grabbed him, bit his face off and threw him to the Grey Widower babies to eat. 

Destev wanted to shoot him in the face, but the Grey Widowers kept firing acid silk at them, so she had to keep dodging them. The best she ended up doing was shooting him in the leg at least keeping him from following them. However, as they got to the front of the store the little Sarkic girl was back, now covered with strong Grey Widower silk and having two large Grey Widower standing beside her. Thankfully Irene stepped forward in time with a can of hairspray and a lighter allowing her to burn the girl and the two spiders. The three of them screeched in pain as they ran around slowly setting everything on fire. 

The growing fire provided just enough of a distraction on the remaining Sarkites and Grey Widowers allowing the group to escape. However, once they make it to the entrance there is a massive Gray Widower there waiting for them. Ollie ran out of ammo, so Destev stepped forward to shoot it with her last shot but even with half its face blown off it glared at her in anger. Thankfully Dan charged forward with a pike and stabbed it into the Grey Widower's head still not killing it but allowing him to lift it up and throw it far away. 

"Ugh! Damn fuckers!" Everyone then ran back to the market as the last two Sarkites and their army of Grey Widower's ran out of the pharmacy after them. Though they stopped halfway to glare at them and then back at the pharmacy which was still burning. Destev looked back to see the Sarkites and Grey Widower's going back in to save what they could. She sighed in relief as she led the group the best she could back to the store. 

***

Once they got in Myron and the others were quick to open the doors and get them all in. Jim immediately fell to the ground and started crying, David went to his son, and Destev just stood beside the glass and took a breath. She looked out the glass to be sure the Sarkites didn't follow them.

They were safe but this was still bad, the Foundation had lost control and most likely so did its allies. Now the Cults of the world and other hostile Groups of Interest were rising up from the shadows and taking control of a new blind world. Destev let herself slide down and curl up into a ball, for the first time in her life, her faith in the Foundation was starting to break. 

.

Part 3

Part 1

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Go back to File: The Mist

Go Back to SCP: Horror Movie Files Hub

#DZtheNerd #SCP: Horror Movie Files #SCP Foundation #SCP Fanfiction #SCP AU #SCP #stephen king #stephen king's the mist #The Mist #SCP-ABB

[mysteriesoftheunknown]

Sightings - S2E02 - Stella Lansing - September 18th, 1992

“Almost every time Massachusetts housewife Stella Lansing takes a picture, she gets unexplained images on her film. Using any type of camera at all with any type of film or video tape, Stella Lansing records what appear to be images from other dimensions…”

“We’ve all had strange things show up on our pictures: glitches, scratches, strange patterns of light and shadow. Weird images are bound to show up every once in a while, but researchers in the field of paranormal photography believe some of these photos are actually windows to the supernatural.”

“A frame by frame analysis of Stella’s Super 8 film reveals...a group of four men, which photo experts have named the Occupants.”

“Even more mysterious than Stella’s Super 8 image of the Occupants, is what happens when the film is transferred to video tape. Then, unidentified voices suddenly appear…”

“And we have to ask the question: how do we explain? Questions and questions and questions, but then it becomes fascinating, a real mystery of the first order.”

“The time-space barrier is smashed in some way by this housewife.”

One of the Sightings segments I remembered most. About Stella Lansing, who for decades had anomalies appear on photos she took. Every photo and video she took, in fact. Anomalies included clock face-like marks that extended out of the frame, strange lights, unexplained facial lesions, monks and other time-displaced figures, spectral disembodied limbs, and four men called "Occupants". Transferring the film of the Occupants to VHS revealed mysterious voices.

Stella Lansing was tested many, many times, and was able to reproduce the anomalies on dozens of cameras of different types. She was also able to reproduce them even when her usual camera was swapped with a double last minute. Anomalies taken in this segment could've been light leak...but with no light source possible.

So, what's the truth? Did Stella Lansing photograph other realities? It's funny that the rational answer here is that she was an anomalously terrible photographer, who broke all her cameras the same way. But still, she produced consistent effects no matter the device. Unfortunately, there's just not a lot of information about her outside of a paper written in the 70s, and this segment.

But still. I like the strange nature of it, and the analog horror vibes of it all.

I found an obituary for a Stella Lansing who died in Massachusetts in 2016, which I assume is her. RIP Stella.

#psychics #ufos #ghosts #sightings #analog horror #1992 #paranormal #paranormal aesthetic #stella lansing #paranormal photography #long post

[michaelgogins]

Cosmology and Philosophy

This is my response to "Is There a Crisis in Cosmology?," by Adam Frank and Marcelo Gleiser, published in the New York Times on September 2, 2023.

TL;DR: I agree that there is a crisis in cosmology, but I do not agree that it is anything other than a normal crisis of the sort that appears in science when successful theories are applied to phenomena that they cannot explain. In other words, I don't think it's wise to take a crisis of this sort as an excuse to think that science must give way to philosophy, or even to religion, to deal with empirical facts. I rather think it means that science will end up finding explanations for the anomalous phenomena discussed in the article, such as "dark matter" and "dark gravity." But it could take a while! After all, it took 228 years after Newton published his Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica for Albert Einstein to publish "Die Feldgleichungen der Gravitation".

In my view, the notion that the laws of physics evolve over time is a confused argument. If the laws appear to change, what causes this change? The only explanation is that a more fundamental law of physics caused the apparent, or emergent, laws of physics to change. The entire assumption of the scientific method is that the laws of physics are truly universal and apply in all places, at all times, to all objective phenomena.

It is entirely possible that a more fundamental law of physics describes a symmetry (most laws of physics in field theories are symmetries) that for one reason or another was broken, leading to new "emergent" or apparent laws of physics, early in our universe. This would be just like a phase change, as if the whole universe before our universe was liquid, but then flashed into steam, and that steam is our universe. But far from being any change in the way physics thinks, it is a more fundamental application of the same old way of thinking pioneered by Galileo and Newton.

The difficulties that science encounters in trying to model the physical world -- all of it, the whole universe -- from within the physical world are real. These difficulties most likely have nothing at all to do with philosophy or with consciousness as such. Rather, I believe, it means that the evolution of physical phenomena from the truly fundamental physical laws is chaotic, and that means that some well-formed statements about the physical world are simply undecidable. It's not that laws to do not apply, it means that the laws cannot be used to prove that some particular physical state actually follows from the laws. For example, there is a phenomenon in physics known as the "spectral gap." The gap is the energy difference between the ground state of a system and its first excited state. It has been proved that, in a toy physical universe with only 2 dimensions that is infinite in extent, the spectral gap is not computable. This does not mean that the gap is not real. It is. This does not mean that the gap does not have an actual value. It does. But it does, however, mean that the actual value cannot be computed.

The kinds of difficulties being encountered in cosmology today are nothing new and have nothing to do with the validity, or invalidity, or limits, of the scientific method. Ptolemy explained the motions of the planets very well, but his theory kept getting more and more complex, but then Copernicus came up with a better and simpler explanation. Newtonian gravity explains the motions of heavenly bodies very well, but not the retrograde motion of Mercury, but then Einsteinian gravity does explain it. Now there is dark matter and dark energy, and I am quite willing to bet that a new theory will explain these things very well without needing to change the scientific method or the fundamental assumptions baked into it.

The question hinted at by Frank and Gleiser is whether human consciousness is somehow required to complete the laws of physics. This is a subtle issue. In my view, the reality of human consciousness, agency, and moral responsibility is at least as fundamental as the laws of physics. After all, science and the laws of physics, as human activities, are based upon human sense perceptions, reason, and actions. And if we get stuck in doing physics for another 228 years, the only way we can make progress is by continuing to apply these informal powers. Only about 121 more years to go!

To question the reality and effectiveness of informal powers, is to question the reality and effectiveness of the laws of physics produced by them. But I believe it is a category mistake to think that consciousness is required to be effective in the same sense as the symmetries underlying fundamental theories. Think, if you will, like a theist (I am a theist). This would involve miracles. God would have to stick his pinkies through the curtain and fiddle with the dolls on his little stage. And that would imply, in turn, that God is not really God. That kind of a God would, in reality, be a part of Nature, not utterly beyond and above Nature. And we, if we are made in the image of God, as I think we are, must transcend the world in the same way. Far from implying that God did not really create the world from nothing, or that we do not really have freedom or the gift and burden of moral responsibility, it gives God, and us, the absolute freedom, beyond all time and space, that we do have.

#science #philosophy #theology #cosmology

[agnol117]

Series I, Part XVI

SCP-086 - The Office of Dr. [REDACTED]

This one’s kinda fun. It was the office of an SCP admin, and then he died, and now he is the office. It’s great. Love it. Hate that the pencil sharpener is part of how it eats.

8/10

SCP-087 - The Staircase

I feel like this might be the first “big” SCP I’ve gotten to? Like, I know that 035, 049, 073, and 076 are popular, but I feel like 087 is (numerically) the first really big one. I attribute this to that one game of it, where you’d go down a random number of steps before you got jumpscared. That went viral for a bit (during my first real foray on tumblr), and as a result, 087 became pretty iconic. It’s a decent idea, honestly. Creeps the hell out of me.

10/10

SCP-088 - The Lizard King

It’s Charles III!

Just kidding.

Creepiest part of this one is that the lizard dude can make more lizard dude by forcibly mutating people. That’s just…I don’t like it. It’s the kind of body horror that actually squicks me out, and then you combine it with how it overtakes the personality of those it transforms…Nope. Do not like.

8/10

SCP-089 - Tophet

The last two paragraphs of the description of this one are pretty goddamn chilling, and had it ended there, I think this would have been a 10/10. However, as is often the case, they just take it too far. There’s a list of different events predicted by the statue, and how long it took to end it and what the consequences were. And, of course, the last one is in the year 20XX (I can’t do the black out thing, sorry), and the protocol hasn’t been completed, so who knows what terrible thing was prophesied and is happening now? This is (arguably) personal taste, but those kinds of things always fall flat for me.

6/10

SCP-090 - Apocorubik’s Cube

This one’s just kinda silly, honestly. It’s a huge, impossibly complex Rubik’s cube that, when matches are made on the various surfaces, bad stuff happens worldwide. It’s just hard for me to take seriously.

3/10

SCP-091 - Nostalgia

God I love memetics.

You see the tissue box/picture of the tissue box (or you’re asked directly about it), and you immediately start to remember it as being at important life events. But it’s a tissue box. It’s just so weird and lovely.

10/10

SCP-092 - “The Best of The 5th Dimension”

This is another one that’s just kind of strange. I don’t really know what to make of it, honestly. The CDs cause anomalous effects when listened to, and they’re all related to either the concept of dimensions, the number 5, or the band itself, but like, other than that they’re just weird? It’s fun, but…eh. No strong feelings on this one.

6/10

#jill rates scps #scp #scp foundation #scp 086 #scp 087 #scp 088 #scp 089 #scp 090 #scp 091 #scp 092

[theoraclefish]

A desolate land with a bunker underground which houses a secretive area and within it is located classified documents that tell of secrets, creatures and events that exist across space and time code named "The Abysmal Archive." 

It is unknown currently who was stationed here?, why they were stationed here? and how they even got their hands on these documents?

It has been theorized a group known as the "Global Graviton" may have been the ones who used to bunker. They are simply a large group or organisation that knows of cosmic and anomalous information which they have somehow obtained.

━━━━━━━▼━━━━━━━

El Errante (The Wanderer)

El Errante. People once dead have now risen once more upon the earthly plane. They are essentially spirits but possess a more physical form and skillset. People who died in one way or another had things they had yet to accomplish, and this desire paired with a white mask that has horns allows one who was dead to acquire a new form and continue onwards till their desires are fulfilled, whether that be seeing family one last time or murdering someone. It doesn't matter as goals are goals in the end.

Once a spirit has been paired with a mask, which can only be done by an espiritualista, aka a spiritualist, who has vast amounts of knowledge about spirits and all things related to them, they use their knowledge to both see and interact with lingering spirits, giving them a mask and setting them upon the world once more.

El Errante are described as white-masked individuals, with the mask having two eye holes with a light white glow in each eye, and long razor-sharp horns extending behind the mask and down from the back of its head, neck, and chest. They are covered in a coating of weeds and grass. Its entire body is a pitch-black colour. Its arms and legs are still humanoid, having fingers and toes, but its overall shape is lanky.

The creatures often have greater physical capabilities than any human, as they can move boulders easily, swiftly move across great distances, and survive damage no human could. Additionally, they often have a tool, commonly a weapon, though sometimes something else that is black in colour, that they can utilise at a level akin to a professional.

━━━━━━━▼━━━━━━━

El camino a ninguna parte (The Road To Nowhere)

Before the universe existed, there was an entirely different place that had been made. The first draft of what was meant to be, so to speak and it had no life, no air, no death and no real idea. A place of infinite scope with dozens of pathways and stairs leading to a multitude of empty spaces and true dread. The time was lonely. Space was lonely. It was truly a place to be alone.

Though it was abandoned instead, the universe as we know it was created in its place. Unfortunately, every secret will eventually come to light. The dimension the place was in slowly grew stronger over time as its reach expanded beyond its own dimension, cracking and breaking into our very realm.

People would coincidentally enter into these cracks, which the senses of a human would not be able to detect, and so people would shuffle through the dimensions, entering the  place of the unknown.

Forever trapped with no escape. They have no need for water, food, or anything else that is necessary to be human because they are now even less than that. They are now part of the emptiness.

━━━━━━━▼━━━━━━━

El Sangre iglesia (The Blood Church)

Tucked away within a dimension within a dimension eternally Hidden away from existence and kept in the form of a mere legend that is temporarily recalled before the thought is thrown away. The Blood Church is a place where giving one's red liquid grants you a place in the great beyond where you shall have all you have ever dreamed about.

It is a mysterious place. Usually it is uncommon for one to even enter the realm of the blood church, but if you're unlucky, you may slip through the cracks of existence and hurl into the realm known as La tierra de la sangre (The land of blood), where the great Blood church resides.

In this land, there is nothing. No people, structures aside from the church, or any kind of life at all. The sky is blue, so much so that it looks like the sea as if it were on the ceiling. One can enter the structure, which looks like a rather small church-like structure coated in a white colour with a few windows dotted around and an entrance consisting of two doors. Once one has entered the building, they shall see the pew chairs, aka church chairs, forming rows and stopping before the front of the church, which is slightly raised with a podium in view facing towards the church chairs. That's all there is, and it does not look particularly special aside from the fact that the chairs themselves seem to have some strange red liquid dropping from them and the fact that random pieces of clothing are dotted around on the seats.

A few days spent in this realm, and you'll quickly find you cannot actually head anywhere, as if you do decide to walk off in a direction, you'll end up back on the outside of the church. A few more days will pass, and the blue sky will drain in colour every day until it ⁸is overtaken by a scarlet red. Eventually the voices will kick in, telling you to dig into your very skin and chip away until the land gets its food in the form of the red liquid that swims around your body.

Eventually you'll be nothing more than a fraction of what you were, and gradually your body will break down until the realm itself devours you and your clothing is added to the church's seats.

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la serpiente asesina negra (The Black Killer Snake)

la serpiente asesina negra. A rampaging monster of sorts that travels in a slippery snake-like manner along the ground or really any surface. This slither is accompanied by constant soft jabs at the floor, which are done so by its legs, leaving it moving in an unnatural manner. A strange characteristic is that mist exudes from its body, but this mist has supernatural properties, as it is actually a disguise for a portal that leads to another realm, which from a person's perspective is seen as a never-ending grassland. Across the dirt is an unimaginable amount of treasure scattered everywhere. This treasure is merely a mirage, as once you attempt to take it, you will be placed into a trance where you will immediately eliminate yourself, commonly through strangulation.

In terms of a description the demon has dozens of large metallic thorns protruding down its body which bends in several unusual ways in addition the creature is long with a length of 300 feet ,tall with a height of 150 feet, far faster than its size would suggest and incredibly capable of destruction as its legs are essentially giant knives which are black in colour and seem to be constructed of a metallic material so it's plenty deadly in addition the mist has another strange trait which  allows the creature to breathe without the need of oxygen so travelling through the depths of the ocean or somehow getting into space and travelling the  cosmos is not impossible meaning it's both mobile and dangerous.

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El desvanecimiento (The Fade)

Life flourishes and then it dies. Life is all about doing everything you can before your time is up. Decisions upon decisions that make you the person you are. So what happens when someone gets in your way and you as well as others want this person gone. Well as it turns out teamwork makes the dreamwork as enough focus on a singular wish can cause even reality to bend to the whims of people.

In this particular case we are talking about "Fading". It's a phenomenon where if enough people want one particular person to vanish then using their minds and focusing on this one goal allows them to force reality itself to erase the person as this in turn will grant happiness to those who wished for that person to be gone. This is both amazing as it shows the power humans hold together, however its absolutely terrifying as anyone can be erased and people have struggled to understand why this particular ability even exists even if it did make people happy. Why give it to anyone? 

The erasing of an individual often is described as a person choking and  slowly evaporating into a smokey black dust and eventually entirely being gone. Where they go is unknown, but its not like anyone really cares.

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El alma solitaria (The Lonely Soul)

Home. A place of warmth and safety. A place of hope and destiny. A place of growth and future. A Hellish prison. A connection so strong that your home is the place you feel the most comfortable where you can be yourself. A connection that is actually a curse.

Death within your home allows your soul to be grasped and chained down forever contained within the walls and never allowed the freedom to move beyond. Why would you need heaven if you`re already in your home? This is the situation some unluckily individuals find themselves in. A wandering, fleshless and wrathful entity wanting to share its dreadful existence with others even if that's not what they want.

Innocent looking akin to a low effort halloween costume with a white sheet over a body with two eye holes. These things are now referred to as "Lonely Souls' ' possessing the ability to appear and disappear, phase through walls and limited telekinesis to move things around. They use their abilities to shock anyone that treads in their home hoping to cause their death and begging to gain a friend.

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Uno que mira (One Who Looks)

There is a legend that has been spread through the lands of australia. The legend speaks of a home settled within a forest. This forest surrounded the home, yet kept its distance creating a small pocket of open land where nothing grew. The owner of this little home of coziness and warmth was a man in his 50s by the name of Dylan Smith. In terms of appearance he looked like he was covered in dirt completely but still wore a white vest, blue jeans and had a particular type of shoes. White crocks to be specific. He looked out of place as the inside of his home was clean beyond a shadow of a doubt. A small table sat in the middle of his 1 floor home with some chairs by a window and a bed in one of the corners. There were also several boxes scattered around as if he was about to move or had just moved in, yet his appearance suggested he had been living here a while.

The man's daily activities consisted of cutting wood with an axe that seem to appear whenever he needed it, sleeping quite a bit and generally leading a slow and relaxing life, however when night falls he twists and turns in his bed as sweat drenches his body and the house bends and moves as if it is in pain.

On particularly dark nights beyond the thick forestry one may see a titan of darkness with eyes of golden light rise and watch the home as it towers above.

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El latido del corazón de Dios (Gods Heartbeat)

It was the summer of 20xx, where light was raining down, heat was rising, and days seemed to go on forever. People were out and about, enjoying their lives as much as they possibly could. They did not want to waste even one second of their breath. That's when it happened. At approximately 1 p.m., the ground began to shake, starting as a mere tremble and evolving into destructive and violent waves as small objects fell onto the ground, cars flew through the air, and buildings shifted, eventually toppling down as scarlet blood scattered everywhere.

While the chaos was happening, some people, from young to old, felt a tug upon their beings that directed them in a certain direction as they felt the urge to walk. They walked and walked for miles without food or rest, yet they seemed absolutely fine, as if they were in a trance that guided them towards something. Soon more and more people will be walking, forming a large army of individuals who will not stop walking, some of whom, due to the earthquake, were put in situations where they got badly injured, but they kept walking without a complaint.

Eventually, the people arrived at a large mountain with a gap that served as an entrance. There were people who followed their family in an attempt to stop them from walking; however, once they saw the mountain, they wondered if it was real since something seemed ominous about the large structure. The group entered through the gap and through the darkness that filled the inside of the mountain. After what felt like hours, they arrived upon a large open space where there was a massive hole in the ceiling, allowing light to reveal a massive metallic orb floating at least 50 metres off the ground.

Suddenly, what sounded like a powerful heartbeat would start up as the ground beneath the people's feet cracked and exploded with lots of force, leaving bodies scattered about like ragdolls. The people's family members stared in horror and confusion at the orb, unsure of what to do.

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Teintes changeantes (Changing Shades)

There was nothing at the start. Nothing to feel, smell, touch, etc. Light is a mysterious phenomenon. Apparently, God was the one who introduced it into the universe. "Let there be light" was the phrase uttered, and just like that, the ability to see was obtained. Light is not alive. Yes. That was a fact. Is it true, though? The sun. A thing of immense heat. A burning ball of death and life. Amazing beyond words, and yet that is all it is. A flaming sphere. It's not alive, so it is of no importance to anyone other than those who study it in the name of science. There were those who prayed to it, revered it, and worshipped it as a god, but it is no god. Right?

The 21st century, and this is the idea that is common amongst humankind. We are thankful for the sun, but we are not going to pray to it, offer it anything, or thank it. We are the only sentient creatures in existence gifted with creativity and abilities no other thing has. Yes. That is what makes us special. Our uniqueness and individuality

2:57 p.m.—that's when it happened. The heat that was once bearable suddenly increased to the point of pain. Red skin and screams erupted. The sound of people dropping onto the floor as their consciousness dissipated That was merely the start, as the shadows we once controlled as if we were puppet masters cut their strings and left the 2D realm, becoming 3D just like the humans they imitated.

Their forms consisted entirely of darkness, and the light of the sun did nothing to hinder them. They had what could only be seen as fur on their hunched backs and arms that extended down from the shoulders, which included four fingers extending from their hands that could only be described as sharp. Their heads were animal-like in design, yet they had no facial features, or at least nothing human-like.

The humans in the midst of these baffling and frankly terrifying events made the mistake of not moving, as in those few seconds of confusion the shadowy beings swiped and landed large incisions that tore through fabric down to the flesh as blood spewed out the unfortunate souls that were attacked as they slumped to the ground dead.

That day marked the invasion. Was this God's judgement? Was this alien? Or maybe the sun had finally had enough?

[jhavelikes]

Quantum simulation provides platforms to study fundamental aspects of many-body physics in a controlled way, and to explore their implications for quantum technology. However, the dimension of the Hilbert space grows exponentially with the number of interacting particles, which means that investigations of strongly correlated problems such as quantum criticality and many-body localization in terms of few-body probes in real space are often insufficient. Here we demonstrate how to tackle such questions on a superconducting quantum processor from a Fock-space perspective. We map a many-body system onto an unconventional Anderson model on a network of many-body states, which allows the direct observation of wave-packet propagation in Fock space. We find a quantum-critical regime of anomalously enhanced wave-packet width and deduce a critical point from the maximum wave-packet fluctuations, which lends support to the two-dimensional many-body localization transition in finite-sized systems. Our results introduce an alternative picture for characterizing many-body dynamics and for exploring the controversial problems such as criticality and dimensionality. Moreover, the protocol is universal and scalable, and is therefore a promising strategy to solve a broader range of many-body problems on future quantum devices.

Observation of many-body Fock space dynamics in two dimensions | Nature Physics