Deva_Victrix

Seeking Greenlights:
NO - Looking to refine the idea.

Page Type:
SCP Article

Genre (Optional):
Horror

Page Layout (Optional):

Elevator Pitch:
It's basically a retelling of 'At The Mountains of Madness' but with an AI.

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For Critique: Sleeping Giants

  • Malevolent alien civilisation dispatches vessels into the galaxy.
  • These are to seek out and corrupt unwitting intelligent species to prevent them from becoming a rival.
  • Once embedded on a planet a shackled AI is partly released to a level needed to compensate for any technological development already present.
  • Influence exerted as a religion to a cthulhu-like terror from beyond that requires constant appeasement.
  • The corrupt religion acts as a parasite on society, suppressing activities or attitudes useful to technological growth.
  • Resources not used to maintain sustenance are consumed by the religion.
  • Vessel lain dormant until now.
  • Not approached as a mystical temple, but scientific curiosity (obviously, but not intended by the designers).
  • Assumed to be crashed alien space ship (which it kind of is).
  • Once confirmed that something is there, main base is set-up.
  • Deliberate measures are taken to prevent contamination from pathogens.
  • Clean-room gateway is established to prevent transmission.
  • Work starts on access to the site.
  • Explorers cannot approach from main entrance, have to take dangerous path.
  • Lead slips on silvery water, landing in pool of it.
  • All synthetic and artificial materials are dissolved, but he is unharmed.
  • Water is analysed and determined to be nanites.
  • Assumed that the vessel will shun or attack inorganic or synthetic materials (not actually correct, but fortunate misunderstanding).
  • Decision is taken to use only natural products in exploration.
  • AI activates.
  • Blind from outside, AI relies on internal sensors.
  • No material inside vessel is artificial.
  • Vessel is unintentionally tricked into humanity being at a lower level of technology.
  • AI makes demands of foundation explorers, presents trivial, easily comprehended, ‘miracles’.
  • AI makes threats of personnel, destroys one with weaponry that is understood.
  • Foundation develop partial understanding of purpose of vessel.
  • New strategy is formulated.
  • Command section is broken into.
  • Foundation now have a partial understanding of capabilities of the vessel.
  • Work begins to limit ship interaction with, and blind it to the true technological development of, humanity.
  • Containment procedures devised.