So, obviously, you may have noticed me spouting that line a few times by now... I kind of stopped for a bit when I derailed my theory postings for other things, but since we're getting back into this mess, I thought I should explain it a bit better, especially since it's sort of becoming my own little Madness Mantra... but it does serve a personal purpose beyond its theory. It's a reminder. About how I need to approach this thing.
See, people try to explain this thing and how it works in a lot of different ways. From the simple to the fantastical to outright quantum mechanics bullshit... but it's always a little different. Every explanation you hear is a little different from the one that came before it, regardless of how similar. Inconsistencies are everywhere. Some people seem to want to call that Dimensional Bleeding or some other such nonsense... and hey, maybe that's what it is... for you...
But for me, I see it all as a matter of Perspective. The way we perceive the Construct effects everything... from how we deal with it to what it can do to us. I originally didn't really want to agree with Jay(Sage)'s "It's all in our heads" Theory, but it's the best parallel I can come up with. It works the way we think it does. If you think getting up high will keep you safe from it, then it does. If you think writing Operator Symbols on the back of your hoodies will give you some advantage over it, then it does. If you think you've got no chance in hell of surviving it... then you won't. (And yes, I acknowledge that, having read Spencer's more detailed explanation, my opinions very closely follow the guidelines of "Page Theory" as well, so perhaps there is some truth to that one... but I'll draw more parallels later.)
And I also see that as how it attacks us. It seeks to change our perception of itself. It wants us to see it in a very certain way. Whether that be to fear and submit to it, or to embrace and accept it. Either way, it's goal seems clear enough... to break us down... to make us perceive it as superior to ourselves... so it can dominate our lives. It seeks to control us by turning our perception against us.
So the obvious option of counter-action is simple... Don't let him.
Which means having strong enough convictions and beliefs to cement your perceptions. To put up a mental blockade that prevents all attempts to break through your defenses. You have to know who you are... and what It is. You must deny any other suggestion of otherwise. You are you. It cannot... It MUST NOT... break you. Don't let it make you into something you're not. Fight it till the end, as they say... "Make it work for it's food."
But that isn't to say it's going to be easy. Affirming your convictions like that isn't something you can just do on the fly... and you can't just "pretend" that everything is going to be fine. That's not how it works. In fact, you're probably going to have to go through an awful lot of hell before you can even begin to truly say that you've cemented your perceptions. The Construct has the advantage of experience. It's been doing this for years. Breaking people down one by one. It knows all the right buttons to press to get what it wants. You're not going to be able to fight that. Not right away. You're going to have some setbacks... but that's okay. You keep fighting. You survive. You learn. And eventually you'll get there.
There is another problem though. Just because you perceive something one way, doesn't mean everyone else does. This is the part where Page Theory seems to come more into play in my equations. When these "pages" begin to overlap, conflicting perceptions cause a localized rift which allows the Construct to manipulate the overlapping perceptions and steer them into a direction which stands in his favor. For speculative example, perhaps someone like M is on a ridiculously high rooftop somewhere with... I dunno, fuck it, Nightscream. M's perceptions are pretty adamant that the Construct can't see or reach him in this location, but Nightscream's beliefs are very much the opposite. This creates an opportunity for the Construct to break the established rules and use Nightscream's perceptions to override M's and manifest itself on the rooftop with ease. Kind of a far out senario... but hey, maybe that's why M hate's large groups?
In any event, what this means is that whenever you enter into a group environment, your perceptions are going to be even more greatly challenged than before and have a higher likelihood of faltering under pressure. Which makes maintaining your beliefs in that moment, and again later after they have been challenged, even harder. It's an internal conflict which you may not be able to "win" but you can at the very least still utilize your perceptions to erect as many defenses as possible for yourself. This all falls back to the "Do what works for you" advice that a few bloggers have handed out in the past. Everything relies on your own perceptions.
So... that's basically the fight I'm preparing myself for. I'm not sure if I'm strong enough to handle it... I guess I'll find out in time... but maybe you'll be stronger. Lets hope so.
Just keep telling yourself... "Perception is Key"
Showing posts with label Slender Man Doctrine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Slender Man Doctrine. Show all posts
Jan 16, 2012
Dec 17, 2011
So You Wanna Punch Out the Construct?
Easier said than done.
I'm not sure if I want to include this post as part of the Slender Man Doctrine, but it kind of fits. I wanted to take a moment to look over the various defenses the thing possesses. Not a specific abilities rundown, but rather just a "This is all the shit you're going to have to go through if you want to hit it." Which is somewhat important because... I don't think it's so much a matter of finding the right weapon to fight the Construct with, so much as it is finding a way to actually CONNECT with said weapon. So here we go...
Firstly, to strike the Construct, you need to consider the base levels of protection that it possesses. I'm going to address these as "Layers," of which there are three.
Layer 1 - The Malleable Body
The Construct is capable of changing it's shape. Twisting, stretching, and contorting itself beyond our feeble imaginations. Becoming taller, elongating his arms and/or legs, growing new limbs from seemingly nowhere. This is a pretty clear indicator of a physical make-up that is more like clay or... jello, than a truly solid substance. As such, I believe it is presumable that the Construct's body could easily absorb and/or deflect any direct attacks, bouncing back from them as though he hadn't even been touched. (Go poke a big slab of jello really hard, you'll see what I mean.) It's even plausible that the Construct could perform a form of rapid self-healing in the event that such a near-liquid body was punctured or cut.
Layer 2 - Tentacle Onslaught
Whenever actually threatened by something, or perhaps just when motivated/annoyed enough to do so, or just for kicks... I don't fucking know... the Construct brings out ye old flailing appendages. These things serve multiple purposes and act as much as an offensive structure as a defensive one. Though I could note that "the Best Defense is a Good Offense" so whatever. These things act primarily as a distraction, they draw the eyes with their constant, rapid movements. This makes it more difficult to maintain your aim when the target's body is constantly obscured and/or moving about. Additionally, they serve the obvious purpose of keeping you from getting anywhere near close enough to attack the first Layer directly. The number seems to vary, though I imagine that the more of a threat you are, the more you're going to see... until there are so many that they're the only thing you can see.
Layer 3 - Perception Barriers
Note the "s," plural. The Constructs greatest weapon is, and has always been, it's ability to affect the mind... through what I assume is some means of psychic activity. There are any number of mannerisms that I've observed through my studies that you might come across. Perhaps one of the more frightening is the ability to make himself invisible to the human eye. This approach is selective, seeming to only work on certain individuals... but regardless, it allows the Construct to hide from you while in plain sight. As in, standing dead center in front of you in a wide open empty space and you still don't see anything.
Another instance is an apparent ability to stop an individual dead in their tracks. Causing the body to simply lock up and be either extremely difficult or damn near impossible to move. There may even have instances in which the Construct has taken control of the victim through use of this version, forcing them to move how he wants them to or perhaps just flinging them bodily across a room without actually touching them.
Yet another is the simple act of creating an actual physical barrier, which would react to those who encounter it and objects that strike it as an invisible wall. They stand as if to say, "You may go This Far, No Further." Effectively rendering any attempt to get near the Construct an effort in futility.
And perhaps the recent favorite is the Loop. Trapping your consciousness in a state of perpetual existence, apparently separated from the real world around you. These vary from the simplistic, in which you find yourself performing the same act repetitively in succession, the same moment occurring over and over again until the chain is broken... to the highly advanced, in which a large area has been isolated from the rest of the world and looped inwards upon itself, creating a perpetual space of nothingness, in which nothing ever changes and time is effectively non-existent. Such loops tend to only occur in extreme or special cases however, likely do to a higher level of effort required in creating and maintaining them. So they aren't the type of thing to expect often, but nonetheless are part of the Constructs arsenal of mindgames which prevent you from actively approaching him.
Lastly, a perceptive element that can be applied on it's own or in conjunction with any of the previously mentioned versions, is the Illusion. Just as the Construct can make himself invisible to your eyes, he seems to be able to make other things just as transparent... and things that aren't there at all, suddenly very real. Another of his most powerful tricks, the Construct's ability to make you see, feel, or otherwise "experience" things that cannot possibly be happening to you. By manipulating your perception, it can make you believe anything it wants you to believe... or at least, it can try to.
Each of these Layers is like a particular stage of a complex boss battle, in which you must find the weakness of each form before you can truly pierce at the heart of the beast. It would likely require a very well coordinated group effort or else one extremely gifted individual, to bypass each layer simultaneously and actually strike a damaging blow against the Construct.
However, it may also be possible to avoid certain layers entirely. The second Layer being the easiest to avoid, but doing so would require catching the Construct off guard. Which may be easier than it sounds. The Construct seems to rely on the third Layer most heavily, typically capable of rendering any foe helpless merely by directing it's gaze in their direction... but if one were capable of overcoming a given Perception Barrier, then one would have the opportunity to lash out at the Construct while it remained unguarded by the second Layer. This strategy is not foolproof, as I shall point out later in a "Case Study" I'm preparing, but it holds potential.
There is also the rare instance in which both the Second and Third Layer are cast aside. Typically in situations where the Construct WANTS you to go running into his open arms. Or maybe he wants someone else to and you just happened to be around at the right moment? Either way, it's a perfect opportunity to strike if you could time it right.
One last thing to consider however. I wouldn't necessarily refer to this as a Layer, but it is an important factor to consider nonetheless when attempting to attack the Construct and bypass the Layers that comprise his defenses. And that thing is SPEED...
For something that stands around not doing a damned thing so often, the Construct is remarkably fast. This should be obvious enough while observing the movement of it's slender appendages, but is not an immediately recognized fact in regards to the speed at which the Construct actually "Moves." This is probably misconception resulting from it's nature as a still fixture, standing in place, silently observing. I hesitate to suggest the Construct is capable of actual teleportation, supposing rather that's it's use of "the Path" accounts for its capacity to cross vast distances in short timespans. However, in regards to close range travel, the Construct is able to reposition himself at rapid speeds, almost the blink of an eye. Though reports of him "walking" are few and far between, there are documented cases which it, and the speed by which he flows across the ground has been noted as alarming. Henceforth, unless the Construct has chosen to fight you standing still, then piercing through each of those Layers is going to become increasingly more difficult.
These observations are not meant to discourage you from opposing the Construct, but rather to inform you of what you're going to be up against so that you may take proper precautions and (hopefully) not do anything stupid. Good Luck... and remember, that "Perception is Key."
I'm not sure if I want to include this post as part of the Slender Man Doctrine, but it kind of fits. I wanted to take a moment to look over the various defenses the thing possesses. Not a specific abilities rundown, but rather just a "This is all the shit you're going to have to go through if you want to hit it." Which is somewhat important because... I don't think it's so much a matter of finding the right weapon to fight the Construct with, so much as it is finding a way to actually CONNECT with said weapon. So here we go...
Firstly, to strike the Construct, you need to consider the base levels of protection that it possesses. I'm going to address these as "Layers," of which there are three.
Layer 1 - The Malleable Body
The Construct is capable of changing it's shape. Twisting, stretching, and contorting itself beyond our feeble imaginations. Becoming taller, elongating his arms and/or legs, growing new limbs from seemingly nowhere. This is a pretty clear indicator of a physical make-up that is more like clay or... jello, than a truly solid substance. As such, I believe it is presumable that the Construct's body could easily absorb and/or deflect any direct attacks, bouncing back from them as though he hadn't even been touched. (Go poke a big slab of jello really hard, you'll see what I mean.) It's even plausible that the Construct could perform a form of rapid self-healing in the event that such a near-liquid body was punctured or cut.
Layer 2 - Tentacle Onslaught
Whenever actually threatened by something, or perhaps just when motivated/annoyed enough to do so, or just for kicks... I don't fucking know... the Construct brings out ye old flailing appendages. These things serve multiple purposes and act as much as an offensive structure as a defensive one. Though I could note that "the Best Defense is a Good Offense" so whatever. These things act primarily as a distraction, they draw the eyes with their constant, rapid movements. This makes it more difficult to maintain your aim when the target's body is constantly obscured and/or moving about. Additionally, they serve the obvious purpose of keeping you from getting anywhere near close enough to attack the first Layer directly. The number seems to vary, though I imagine that the more of a threat you are, the more you're going to see... until there are so many that they're the only thing you can see.
Layer 3 - Perception Barriers
Note the "s," plural. The Constructs greatest weapon is, and has always been, it's ability to affect the mind... through what I assume is some means of psychic activity. There are any number of mannerisms that I've observed through my studies that you might come across. Perhaps one of the more frightening is the ability to make himself invisible to the human eye. This approach is selective, seeming to only work on certain individuals... but regardless, it allows the Construct to hide from you while in plain sight. As in, standing dead center in front of you in a wide open empty space and you still don't see anything.
Another instance is an apparent ability to stop an individual dead in their tracks. Causing the body to simply lock up and be either extremely difficult or damn near impossible to move. There may even have instances in which the Construct has taken control of the victim through use of this version, forcing them to move how he wants them to or perhaps just flinging them bodily across a room without actually touching them.
Yet another is the simple act of creating an actual physical barrier, which would react to those who encounter it and objects that strike it as an invisible wall. They stand as if to say, "You may go This Far, No Further." Effectively rendering any attempt to get near the Construct an effort in futility.
And perhaps the recent favorite is the Loop. Trapping your consciousness in a state of perpetual existence, apparently separated from the real world around you. These vary from the simplistic, in which you find yourself performing the same act repetitively in succession, the same moment occurring over and over again until the chain is broken... to the highly advanced, in which a large area has been isolated from the rest of the world and looped inwards upon itself, creating a perpetual space of nothingness, in which nothing ever changes and time is effectively non-existent. Such loops tend to only occur in extreme or special cases however, likely do to a higher level of effort required in creating and maintaining them. So they aren't the type of thing to expect often, but nonetheless are part of the Constructs arsenal of mindgames which prevent you from actively approaching him.
Lastly, a perceptive element that can be applied on it's own or in conjunction with any of the previously mentioned versions, is the Illusion. Just as the Construct can make himself invisible to your eyes, he seems to be able to make other things just as transparent... and things that aren't there at all, suddenly very real. Another of his most powerful tricks, the Construct's ability to make you see, feel, or otherwise "experience" things that cannot possibly be happening to you. By manipulating your perception, it can make you believe anything it wants you to believe... or at least, it can try to.
Each of these Layers is like a particular stage of a complex boss battle, in which you must find the weakness of each form before you can truly pierce at the heart of the beast. It would likely require a very well coordinated group effort or else one extremely gifted individual, to bypass each layer simultaneously and actually strike a damaging blow against the Construct.
However, it may also be possible to avoid certain layers entirely. The second Layer being the easiest to avoid, but doing so would require catching the Construct off guard. Which may be easier than it sounds. The Construct seems to rely on the third Layer most heavily, typically capable of rendering any foe helpless merely by directing it's gaze in their direction... but if one were capable of overcoming a given Perception Barrier, then one would have the opportunity to lash out at the Construct while it remained unguarded by the second Layer. This strategy is not foolproof, as I shall point out later in a "Case Study" I'm preparing, but it holds potential.
There is also the rare instance in which both the Second and Third Layer are cast aside. Typically in situations where the Construct WANTS you to go running into his open arms. Or maybe he wants someone else to and you just happened to be around at the right moment? Either way, it's a perfect opportunity to strike if you could time it right.
One last thing to consider however. I wouldn't necessarily refer to this as a Layer, but it is an important factor to consider nonetheless when attempting to attack the Construct and bypass the Layers that comprise his defenses. And that thing is SPEED...
For something that stands around not doing a damned thing so often, the Construct is remarkably fast. This should be obvious enough while observing the movement of it's slender appendages, but is not an immediately recognized fact in regards to the speed at which the Construct actually "Moves." This is probably misconception resulting from it's nature as a still fixture, standing in place, silently observing. I hesitate to suggest the Construct is capable of actual teleportation, supposing rather that's it's use of "the Path" accounts for its capacity to cross vast distances in short timespans. However, in regards to close range travel, the Construct is able to reposition himself at rapid speeds, almost the blink of an eye. Though reports of him "walking" are few and far between, there are documented cases which it, and the speed by which he flows across the ground has been noted as alarming. Henceforth, unless the Construct has chosen to fight you standing still, then piercing through each of those Layers is going to become increasingly more difficult.
These observations are not meant to discourage you from opposing the Construct, but rather to inform you of what you're going to be up against so that you may take proper precautions and (hopefully) not do anything stupid. Good Luck... and remember, that "Perception is Key."
Dec 11, 2011
High Concepts
I've read a lot of Big Theories since I started into this. Most of which are heavily flawed, or don't go far enough into detail, or are way too deep into quantum mechanics for a normal person to wrap their head around. So I'm thinking I should take this opportunity to forge a new Theory based on my own Perspective of things. I'm calling it the SMD Theory... the Slender Man Doctrine. This shall serve as my first actual entry into it.
For starters, the Origin of the Construct.
The Origin of the Construct... Doesn't Matter. Because it's already here. Knowing where it came from isn't going to solve any of our problems. But for simplicities sake, I hold to the theory that the Construct has existed since the beginning of our evolution, right alongside everything else. It is a Parasitic Predator which has survived for centuries and has existed and evolved alongside of Man for as long as anyone will ever remember.
So this brings up an important question. Why haven't we noticed it until now?
Well, I hate to go all "Hollywood" on you, but consider for a moment any given modern series which predominantly features Vampires. Supernatural, Sanctuary, Being Human, the World of Darkness and/or Vampire the Masquerade RPGs... basically anything that isn't Twilight and you're good. How did Vampires survive into the modern age in these series? By hiding in plain sight. By producing movies and tv shows about themselves, full of inconsistencies about just how vampires actually work and how they can be killed. Propaganda... Confuse the public, Protect the species. Meanwhile, higher ranking vampires ascend to high positions of power (Governors, Police Chiefs, Lawyers) within human society and use their position to cover up their brethren's suspicious activity.
Now consider the Construct. Hides in plain sight, often invisible to people passing right in front of him. (Perception Filters I assume, but regardless...) Victim reports are full of inconsistencies, sometimes something works against him, other times it doesn't. And now consider Proxies. Loyal human minions easily capable of working invisibly within human society to cover up their master's dirty work. The religious cults that once ritualistically fed him are merely the tip of the iceberg. Isn't it funny how well organized Proxies are by comparison to the rest of us? That's because they've been doing it longer. Longer, as in, since the dawn of recorded history.
But that isn't to say it has gone completely undetected for centuries. Obviously he had to gain his Proxies somehow. So there's your starting point. People were encountering it and surviving. Fact confirmed. So just as we have Proxies today, we must have also had Runners and Fighters. Turning to Vampire lore again, there is pretty much always a Van Helsing. A Hunter. But either to keep from being locked away as a crazy person or simply to keep their friends and family from becoming involved, these individuals kept their knowledge of and their fight against the Construct a secret. It's entirely possible, that like now, there have even existed communities of Runners that fought collectively against the Construct. The only difference between then and now is that THEY didn't have the internet... and WE do. Communication and distribution of information is much easier in the digital age, as is finding like-minded people willing to believe you.
So I believe that not only has the Construct existed and been active for some time, but also that we've been fighting it for just about as long. The knowledge and history of these facts has simply been carefully buried, either to protect or cover up that knowledge.
I'll pause there for now, since I think I'd have to go on to another topic to continue and I don't want to make this too long of a post. It's a start though... I'll add more entries to the Doctrine as I see fit. Till then...
For starters, the Origin of the Construct.
The Origin of the Construct... Doesn't Matter. Because it's already here. Knowing where it came from isn't going to solve any of our problems. But for simplicities sake, I hold to the theory that the Construct has existed since the beginning of our evolution, right alongside everything else. It is a Parasitic Predator which has survived for centuries and has existed and evolved alongside of Man for as long as anyone will ever remember.
So this brings up an important question. Why haven't we noticed it until now?
Well, I hate to go all "Hollywood" on you, but consider for a moment any given modern series which predominantly features Vampires. Supernatural, Sanctuary, Being Human, the World of Darkness and/or Vampire the Masquerade RPGs... basically anything that isn't Twilight and you're good. How did Vampires survive into the modern age in these series? By hiding in plain sight. By producing movies and tv shows about themselves, full of inconsistencies about just how vampires actually work and how they can be killed. Propaganda... Confuse the public, Protect the species. Meanwhile, higher ranking vampires ascend to high positions of power (Governors, Police Chiefs, Lawyers) within human society and use their position to cover up their brethren's suspicious activity.
Now consider the Construct. Hides in plain sight, often invisible to people passing right in front of him. (Perception Filters I assume, but regardless...) Victim reports are full of inconsistencies, sometimes something works against him, other times it doesn't. And now consider Proxies. Loyal human minions easily capable of working invisibly within human society to cover up their master's dirty work. The religious cults that once ritualistically fed him are merely the tip of the iceberg. Isn't it funny how well organized Proxies are by comparison to the rest of us? That's because they've been doing it longer. Longer, as in, since the dawn of recorded history.
But that isn't to say it has gone completely undetected for centuries. Obviously he had to gain his Proxies somehow. So there's your starting point. People were encountering it and surviving. Fact confirmed. So just as we have Proxies today, we must have also had Runners and Fighters. Turning to Vampire lore again, there is pretty much always a Van Helsing. A Hunter. But either to keep from being locked away as a crazy person or simply to keep their friends and family from becoming involved, these individuals kept their knowledge of and their fight against the Construct a secret. It's entirely possible, that like now, there have even existed communities of Runners that fought collectively against the Construct. The only difference between then and now is that THEY didn't have the internet... and WE do. Communication and distribution of information is much easier in the digital age, as is finding like-minded people willing to believe you.
So I believe that not only has the Construct existed and been active for some time, but also that we've been fighting it for just about as long. The knowledge and history of these facts has simply been carefully buried, either to protect or cover up that knowledge.
I'll pause there for now, since I think I'd have to go on to another topic to continue and I don't want to make this too long of a post. It's a start though... I'll add more entries to the Doctrine as I see fit. Till then...
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