My ideas

[ModularMansion]

I'd like to contribute to Fenspace.

My first idea is a simple one for Pulpers.

"Skippers" will be the header title on the page, and it will be an SCP Foundation subfaction. However, it won't be the only one, seeing as how the SCP community has been historically divided across websites in real life. I want to make other SCP groups within bigger factions, such as the Wizarding World (because of Serpent's Hand and Wanderer's Library) and Village Hidden in Asteroids (because of SCP-JP deliberately being patterned off of supernatural anime and manga sometimes, and SCP-CN having character archetypes from Chinese action fantasy such as xian immortals).

This is my writeup.

Skippers (header)

These Pulpers are similar to Foglios in that their fannishness revolves around a modern, online property: the SCP Foundation. However, the loose canon and dark nature of SCP means the fen who want to bring its more optimistic memes into space are inherently divided, and the Skippers are certainly not the only SCP-related group in Fenspace. Other groups are almost always contained within a specific faction, however, whereas the Skippers are an interfactional group which has sometimes aided the mysterious Fivers and tend to stick together in mysterious, anti-authoritarian secret societies and settlements distant from the reach of factional leadership. However, the Skippers have often suffered because they are a group that rejects hierarchy for the most part because they see the bureaucracy of the Foundation as a tragedy that should be avoided in the real world.

Their lack of leadership has led to many of their settlements suffering from starvation over the years, although no deaths from it have occurred as of yet. Skipper settlements have a special relationship with major fen companies and space venture capitalists for reasons faction leadership and most Skippers want to keep secret. These external groups are generally the main provider of resources to Skipper settlements.

Many Skippers who snitch tell stories about transhuman experiments and largely ineffective plans to make an army of cyborg soldiers for a variety of purposes which differ between the fen telling the stories. Using them as slave bodyguards to be loaned to those who need them, surveillance tools, and even a tool to somehow extort the entire human race and AI into giving them money and resources with their military strength. Given what is known about Fenspace's countermeasures to such things, these tales are unlikely at best and no Skipper who has told one has ever been harassed or disowned by another Skipper. Regardless, this group's plans are unlike any other in the solar system and seem intriguing.

No Skipper who is not part of a secret society has done anything of political significance, and even most society Skippers follow the same path. However, a select few societies have done things like network with Fivers and aid them in ways no member of the two factions is willing to discuss or knows anything about. These "elite" Skippers are generally seen as the highest members of the group, regardless if they live in a Skipper settlement or not, and the only known exception to their anti-hierarchy beliefs among most Skippers, although they have no special role in actually leading Skipper settlements. The Skippers who have provided aid to the Fivers are mostly diplomats, and their unorthodox views on government and society have hindered as much as they have helped Fiver diplomats.

The name of the group originates from the Tale (the term used to describe an online story on the SCP Wiki that does not follow the office form format of the typical SCP entry, and which are usually more grounded than the stories accepted on the Wanderer's Library website) UIU Orientation.

[Dartz]

I know off the SCP foundation, but I'm finding it really hard to follow what you're saying here.

Who is somebody whose involved with them and what do they do all day? What do they find fun and amusing?

I bought some of my furniture in SCP-3008.

[ModularMansion]

I know off the SCP foundation, but I'm finding it really hard to follow what you're saying here.

Who is somebody whose involved with them and what do they do all day? What do they find fun and amusing?

I bought some of my furniture in SCP-3008.

I'll try again.

Skippers (header)

These Pulpers are similar to Foglios in that their fannishness revolves around a modern, online property: the SCP Foundation. For the most parts, they agree with the positivity inherent in the Federation's mission, but also the militarism of the Warsies. Interestingly, they reject most political philosophers from other factions for reasons that are unclear, but likely have to do with their obsession with secret societies. They believe in creating societies that are as self-reliant as possible, no matter the suffering that causes, to prepare for scenarios like alien invasion or an economic collapse.

The Skippers like the SCP Foundation and many similar stories, such as pulp horror and fantasy, as well as artistic and/or independent media that summates the culture which led to the real-world political references and scenarios sometimes seen in the SCP Foundation's plot.

The loose canon and highly ambiguous nature of the SCP Foundation means the fen who want to bring its more optimistic memes into space are inherently divided, and the Skippers are certainly not the only SCP-related group in Fenspace. Other groups are almost always contained within a specific faction, however, whereas the Skippers are an interfactional group which has sometimes aided the mysterious Fivers and tend to stick together in mysterious, anti-authoritarian secret societies and settlements distant from the reach of factional leadership. However, the Skippers have often suffered because they are a group that rejects hierarchy for the most part because they see the bureaucracy of the Foundation as a tragedy that should be avoided in the real world.

Their lack of leadership has led to many of their settlements suffering from starvation over the years, although no deaths from it have occurred as of yet. Skipper settlements have a special relationship with major fen companies and space venture capitalists for reasons faction leadership and most Skippers want to keep secret. These external groups are generally the main provider of resources to Skipper settlements.

Many Skippers who snitch tell stories about transhuman experiments and largely ineffective plans to make an army of cyborg soldiers for a variety of purposes which differ between the fen telling the stories. Using them as slave bodyguards to be loaned to those who need them, surveillance tools, and even a tool to somehow extort the entire human race and AI into giving them money and resources with their military strength. Given what is known about Fenspace's countermeasures to such things, these tales are unlikely at best and no Skipper who has told one has ever been harassed or disowned by another Skipper. Regardless, this group's plans are unlike any other in the solar system and seem intriguing.

No Skipper who is not part of a secret society has done anything of political significance, and even most society Skippers follow the same path. However, a select few societies have done things like network with Fivers and aid them in ways no member of the two factions is willing to discuss or knows anything about. These "elite" Skippers are generally seen as the highest members of the group, regardless if they live in a Skipper settlement or not, and the only known exception to their anti-hierarchy beliefs among most Skippers, although they have no special role in actually leading Skipper settlements. The Skippers who have provided aid to the Fivers are mostly diplomats, and their unorthodox views on government and society have hindered as much as they have helped Fiver diplomats.

The name of the group originates from the Tale (the term used to describe an online story on the SCP Wiki that does not follow the office form format of the typical SCP entry, and which are usually more grounded than the stories accepted on the Wanderer's Library website) UIU Orientation.

[Dartz]

Okay. Let me summarise

Libertarian on some level.
Capitalist on some level.
Not a happy bunch?
Stories about unethical experiments. (Which either don't exist, or are quietly being scuppered)
Secret Societies.
Intriguing plans nobody knows about.


An unacknowledged free-agent skunkworks for the Elon Musk's of the world to test new technology in a place far away from where it would 'Fraak the mundanes', or far away from where the consequences could catch up with them? Or, where the usual scientific ethics apply? (So many dead monkeys, Elon.... soooo many dead monkeys)

[ModularMansion]

Okay. Let me summarise

Libertarian on some level.
Capitalist on some level.
Not a happy bunch?
Stories about unethical experiments. (Which either don't exist, or are quietly being scuppered)
Secret Societies.
Intriguing plans nobody knows about.


An unacknowledged free-agent skunkworks for the Elon Musk's of the world to test new technology in a place far away from where it would 'Fraak the mundanes', or far away from where the consequences could catch up with them? Or, where the usual scientific ethics apply? (So many dead monkeys, Elon.... soooo many dead monkeys)

Pretty much. Although about the ethics, how good their plans are, and how linked they are to Danes, I will leave that to other writers to explore. And Infinities to explore other possibilities that don't become canon.

I have another question. So, how are handwavium ships assembled again? That part of the setting kind of confused me, even though it's arguably the most important aspect. I know any vehicle that's roughly car-sized, and even a whole-ass patch of land, could become "ship-ized".

I also understand fen want to make cool spaceships, which is why many of them look distinctive. But I think another question of why make spaceships when you could buy scrapped boats or something should be answered in a less ambiguous way, even if it's kind of obvious (a lot of fen want nothing to do with Dane economies)?

How do they fight too? Is it like soft sci-fi battles, only with projectile weapons that aren't waved? Or hard sci-fi ones where you are better off having guns that point in the same direction as the engine, everyone has to do weird 360 degree movements to lock onto targets from many, many kilometers away, and the computer systems firing have to factor in the distance of the ship to any gravity wells?

[robkelk]

Handwavium ships are pretty much based on intent and belief.

"Flying car" is a powerful meme, so handwavium can make one. Likewise, a ship from a popular SF series can be built and handwaved relatively easily. (Although the larger a ship is, the more likely it is to be quirked, which is why Fenspace has a lot of X-Wings but no Star Destroyers.)

Flying boats and flying trains... well, they're already vehicles, so the 'wave just amplifies that. Sometimes.

Purpose-designed spacecraft are possible, but you have to be bloody-minded stubborn in believing you can make one and have a clear idea what you want for it to work. A lot of Big Name Fen are that bloody-minded stubborn, though, which is why Noah Scott, Paidrag O'Neill, and Bob Schroeck's group have their own custom-designed stations. For most people, it's easier to just buy and 'wave a vehicle or use an existing design.

Space combat... yeah, that's pretty much only unwaved projectile weapons. I always wrote those scenes in hard-SF style, back when I was still writing here.

[Norgarth]

The stuff I added to the setting included a Waved cargo plane (with significantly truncated wings), few brightly coloured PAs (more industrial than military), and a station built out of a previously mined asteroid. The cargo plane had quadlaser turrets inspired by the Millenium Falcon, but as far as I had written, they were basically just supercharged laser pointers rather than anything dangerous.

[Bob Schroeck]

Purpose-designed spacecraft are possible, but you have to be bloody-minded stubborn in believing you can make one and have a clear idea what you want for it to work. A lot of Big Name Fen are that bloody-minded stubborn, though, which is why Noah Scott, Paidrag O'Neill, and Bob Schroeck's group have their own custom-designed stations.

The folks on the Grover's Corners are also convinced that using Wiccan rituals in conjunction with handwavium gets them unusually good and consistent results. (Which does appear to be the case.) But that may just be a different form of sheer bloody-mindedness. <grin>

[Dartz]

I'd be curious to see how some of these ideas stack up in story. The only 'Meriticotratic Libertarian' settlement in the setting so far sort of - went bad. But then, most of those spaces seem to do exactly that.

Anyway. 'This amuses me' is the best reason the wave anything. Or try to.

[Proginoskes]

Purpose-designed spacecraft are possible, but you have to be bloody-minded stubborn in believing you can make one and have a clear idea what you want for it to work. A lot of Big Name Fen are that bloody-minded stubborn, though, which is why Noah Scott, Paidrag O'Neill, and Bob Schroeck's group have their own custom-designed stations.

The folks on the Grover's Corners are also convinced that using Wiccan rituals in conjunction with handwavium gets them unusually good and consistent results.  (Which does appear to be the case.)  But that may just be a different form of sheer bloody-mindedness.  <grin>

Meanwhile, my unwritten, half-conceived character blames having read Drunkard's Walk for the massive influence music has on their 'Wave results.