Creep City

Where Are The Other Creepypasta In The Slenderman AU?

Part [2]: Cryptid Creepypasta

Part [1]: Human Creepypasta

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Cryptid Creepypasta

Cryptid (noun) cryp·​tid ˈkrip-təd  1. Any creature that can use magic or who’s origins stem from magic.

The Revolution resulted in the removal of humans as the dominant species and the creation of Cryptid Society. Therefore, any Creepypasta deemed a cryptid would be considered a part of that society with all of its luxuries and complexities.

We already know what the Slender Brothers and their Father / Cabadath are up to in the AU. But what about the other cryptid Creepypasta?

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Eyeless Jack

Whether you subscribe to the interpretation of EJ's origins where a ritual-gone-wrong grants an unwitting college student inhuman features and a taste for human organs or the interpretation where a ritual succeeds in resurrecting an unwitting college student as something entirely beyond human (still with a taste for human organs) determines where he falls in the cryptid social hierarchy.

While his human origins would undoubtedly attract some prejudice, the latter interpretation would attract less than the former. In addition, "canon" EJ has little to no supernatural abilities - physical or magical, which would also influence the amount of influence / respect he is able to wield in cryptid society.

But what would he be up to?

My first thought would be that he would be working as a surgeon since he undoubtedly has considerable skill with a scalpel. But would be he able to resist taking a bite out of his patients once all their juicy organs are exposed? Maybe he works as a butcher on the Human Farms where he can get a portion of the "goods" for his work. But the constantly leaking eyes would definitely pose a food safety issue without some serious accommodations. Maybe he decides to finish the education that was so rudely interrupted by a certain (failed or succeeded) ritual.

Up in the air for EJ.

Laughing Jack

Laughing Jack, as an entity that was never human, faces none of the prejudice EJ and other once-human cryptids do. However, I can see him having a hard time adjusting to the cryptid society that forms after The Revolution due to his single-minded obsession with torturing and killing human children. While most cryptids wouldn't care about any torment done to humans - no matter the age - his fixation is at the detriment of his engagement in society. If anything, he resents the creation of cryptid society for limiting his access to humans by reducing their numbers and relegating them to Farms or small, wild groups.

There are two paths I see for Laughing Jack; he could work at a Human Farm specializing in "younger stock" or he could reject the trappings of cryptid society entirely and live in the wilds terrorizing the remaining humans there.

Sally

Sally, in her "canon" interpretation, haunts the house she lived in when alive. This isolation would limit her knowledge of The Revolution.

She notices, however, how fearful the humans occupying her home become suddenly, huddled around their devices and whispering about "monsters" and "magic". She notices how fast they abandon the property after the smallest of her pranks or their children's briefest mentions of her when previously they would have brushed off much more with comments about "drafts" and "imaginary friends". She notices as the gap between living occupants coming and going gets wider and wider. She notices that the occupants that do arrive change from happy families arriving with their trucks fill of boxes ready to settle into life to bedraggled passerby with nothing but the clothes on their back, fear in their eyes and a desperation for shelter and rest.

When The Revolution is well over she meets her first cryptid. The now-dilapidated area has been marked for reconstruction. The surveyor who enters her home has horns and fangs and appears only mildly annoyed at her most frightening feats and scariest form when she makes a desperate appearance to try and chase away the scary adult.

After The Revolution and it's outcomes are explained to and understood by Sally, she has a choice to make. Under the laws of the cryptid government she is entitled to keep control of her home if she so chooses, but she does not have to be bound there. Any magical bonds that may be keeping her there in death can be broken easily and she can fully explore cryptid society or the rest of the world as she wishes. Or, she can stay in her family home untouched.

What Sally chooses is up to you.

I like to think she chooses the former and Splendor is called in to break the bonds. The two form a quick friendship and Splendor acts as her guide to navigating this new world - which isn't going to be easy as a ghost with all the prejudice against their kind for being "essentially dead humans", or as a a being that is essentially a child.

BEN / Ben

The fates of the Behavioral Event Network and the specific digitized child named Benjamin Lawman are similar. Human computer networks and other technologies were too vulnerable to magical / supernatural interferences to be anything but a liability to cryptid society after The Revolution. As a result, all human computer networks were discontinued and replaced with technologies which utilized a balance of electronic and magical signals. While similar to human inventions, these technologies are more secure against supernatural forces (such as ghosts residing in game cartridges or the internet).

All cryptids residing in the human version of the internet are given a broadcasted warning to either reveal themselves and be extracted from the digital realm or face what is essentially death once the internet is permanently disconnected.

Benjamin makes his choice and once more finds himself in the material realm, looking less like himself and a lot more like a certain video game character.

He has a brief stay at a ghost-specific orphanage as officials sort out whether he's considered a ward of the state due to his age when digitized or if he's mature enough to be emancipated after the years trapped in the game. Once that legal conundrum is sorted out he goes back to school with the aim of going into video game design. He makes some extra money on the side by altering popular human media to be compatible with the current cryptid-made network. He does not stay in touch with BEN, who -after finally getting their wish of being freed - has something like a mid-life crisis when they realize they have little control, authority or power in the material realm.

Smile Dog

Smile Dog, similar to Ben / BEN, receives the broadcasted warning and prefers to relocate permanently to the material realm rather than face permanent deactivation. Without the internet as it was during humanity's rein, "spreading the word" would become inefficient via physical methods and rather useless when accessible human minds are fewer but human meat and other "products" are easily attainable.

Smile Dog considers retiring and perhaps settling in with a cryptid who will give him head pats and meals on demand but ends up working in law enforcement. Under the guise of a Police K9, he quickly rises the ranks as an undercover investigator and interrogator, aided by his sadistic pleasure in breaking down the most guarded minds through his psychic abilities and dream control. He eventually gets "promoted" to military service where his favorite tasks are tracking and breaking down Resistance members. Human minds are just so fun to break.

The Rake

Despite it's humanoid appearance, The Rake would be considered a Feral Cryptid:

In the AU, feral cryptids are supernatural creatures with low intelligence or sentience. As a result, broader cryptid society regards them similarly to animals, though interactions with them are more regulated than the average non-magical creature. The populations of feral cryptids are monitored and controlled so as to not unbalance the natural environment while also preventing their extinction. Therefore, things like hunting seasons, hunting bans, bounties and other regulations are common...

Cryptids living in areas where The Rake and it's kind have resided treat The Rake like a particularly large pest. It is known to not look it in the eyes too long - no matter how long it stares - lest you agitate it into attacking. Homes in those areas are also outfitted with stronger wards to prevent it and other wild pests from entering. However, if one manages to get inside your home and you find it staring at you from your bedside, everyone knows to simply divert eye contact, keep movements slow and either hit it with a stream of Anti-Feral Spray or an equivalent spell to have it retreat.

While startling to see, The Rake and its kind are rare and not prone to attacking without being agitated.

Zalgo

Unfortunately, we know what Zalgo's role is in the AU.

As well as how it came to an end.

Just wanted to let you know that I haven't forgotten about Part 2 of the Creepypasta ask. I'm working on it (and other asks) as we speak. Inspiration just hit with the "Love-Struck" post and I didn't want you to have to wait for me to finish a specific post before getting new content.

My asks are still open and I'm always grateful to receive questions and comments, even if it takes a bit for me to respond to all of them.

Anyways, hope you enjoy the new post and don't mind waiting a bit for Where Are the Other Creepypasta in the Slenderman AU? Part 2 : Cryptid Creepypasta.

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Slenderbeings, at their core, are a solitary species. Their instincts incline them to apathy towards weaker creatures and hostility towards anything that can be regarded as a threat to themselves or their resources. And what but a slenderbeing is powerful enough to successfully kill, harm or out-compete another slenderbeing?

As a result, early encounters between slenderbeings overwhelmingly resulted in bloodshed.

Unfortunately, you can't sustain a species with a population that kill each other on sight.

So life found a way.

Slenderbeings have a term for this "way" that one could directly translate into english as " [he/she/they/I] fought the love into [you/me]" or more poetically as "finding love through battle" or more concisely as "love-struck". The term describes a phenomenon in the species where intense sexual attraction is developed during combat.

For some slenderbeings it is sudden and overwhelming; in one moment you're trying to rip out each other's throats and in the next you're fucking each other into the dirt. For others it is delayed and gradual; you're limping away from your battle to lick your wounds in peace, assuaging your ego by thinking of how you're going to retaliate, how your claws will feel rending through the other's skin, how their blood will look staining the pristine glow of their face, how effortlessly you'll move through the attacks the other makes with their long, elegant limbs, how it would feel to fuck each other into the dirt - huh. Where did that thought come from?

Of course, not every battle causes this phenomenon. There are numerous factors at play that determine if and when an individual reaches that point. Generally, however, the more intense and prolonged the battle, the more likely this attraction will form in a combatant.

While occasionally both slenderbeings involved in the fight may develop the attraction at roughly the same time, it is much more common for only one combatant to "have the love fought into them". In other species this one-sided attraction may precipitate attempts at non-consensual pairings. However, the intensity and length of battle needed to trigger the attraction is only truly possible between slenderbeings of similar strength. Therefore, the "love-struck" slenderbeing would not have the power necessary to force a coupling with the object of their affection. This is understood both intellectually and instinctually so very few ever attempt it, with the determined preferring to throw themselves wholeheartedly into courtship and the stubborn preferring to ignore the feelings until they (hopefully) go away.

Once the most prevalent reason slenderbeings engaged in mating behaviors, it slowly decreased in prevalence as various pressures made it beneficial for slenderbeings to go against their instincts and form societal structures of increasing complexity, doubly so once The Revolution creates a broader cryptid society that prides itself in harmony between and amongst its diverse populations.

but if this is different from the fan Canon that people love the Creeps living in the mansion together or Marble Hornets kind of crap, Long long before the revolution.!!

if this might be Canon to your AU I'm kinda expecting Eyeless Jack, Laughing Jack, maybe living with in cryptid society? Even Jeff, Jane, Liu, Clockwork, and the other proxies living in society or may be considered to be the wild people now or something?

and the rest of the Creepypastas I didn't mention. oh and Sally and Ben since they are ghost.. would they be put to rest or probably their souls eaten or in society to?

otherwise if they all dead or never existed in this AU. nevermind! carry on with your day!

Where Are the Other Creepypasta in the Slenderman AU?

Part [1]: Human Creepypasta

Part [2]: Cryptid Creepypasta

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Human Creepypastas

In the times after The Revolution, humans are largely relegated into three categories: livestock on a farm, part of The Resistance, or living wild in small, undeveloped and often nomadic communities. Any human creepypasta living in the present day of the AU would fall under one of these categories at some point in their lives, even if they were later made into one of the minuscule number of outliers.

Jeff the Killer

I know he’s the most popular creepypasta character to use as a Slenderman proxy but his appearance and demeanor would not make him a very effective proxy for Slenderman in the AU. Slenderman proxies need to subtly integrate themselves into human communities, build trust and arouse no suspicions of their intent or actions. Jeff’s face is heavily disfigured from burns and self-mutilation. That alone would arouse unease. He could probably play it off as an accident or the result of an interaction with a cruel cryptid but with Wild Humans already so wary of anything that even remotely smells of cryptid, even the most sympathetic humans would distrust him the moment anything went wrong, even if it was unfounded. That’s not even considering his obvious mental instability and disregard bordering on disdain for human life.

Similarly, he’s too unstable to be anything but a liability for The Revolution, as productive member of a human society or of use to a Human Farm as anything but livestock.

For him to appear as a player in the AU, his character would need to be overhauled. Kept as written, however? It’s off to the farms for Jeff.

Jane

Jane as a character has many iterations. Regardless of the iteration, however, Jane is another whose as-written appearance would make them unsuited to being a Slenderman proxy. Completely black eyes and white skin is not something that can be explained away by an accident or injury. Similarly, wearing a mask 24/7 would be just as unsettling to Wild Humans as a completely burned head.

I can see her, however, working with The Resistance. Considering Jeff may be out of the picture in the AU, her odd sense of justice / revenge could be directed against cryptids and any humans that serve them. This would be make it easy for The Resistance to mold her into a perfect agent. Perhaps even allowing them to convince her of certain…experiments to level the playing field.

If we bypass or alter Jane’s appearance in the AU, her comparative mental stability would make her more useful as a Slenderman proxy than “canon” Jeff. Maybe we can combine the two options and have her as a double-agent. Whether she’s a sleeper or agent in this scenario is up to you.

Nina

This one is hard, because Nina’s story revolves so closely around Jeff. If we follow her story as written we have our third creepypasta unsuited for proxy work based solely off their appearance.

But her appearance is a direct consequence of Jeff’s presence in her life. Which will not be there if he’s off at a farm.

If we break down Nina’s story to its essence - the dangers of obsession- I can see Nina obsessing over cryptids instead of a certain serial killer. Especially if a negative interaction with other human(s) unlocks a fascination with violence. Violence that is so expertly wielded by cryptids. From there it would be easy to form a Proxy Link, using her obsession as a weakness to break down her mental defenses and gain control of her mind.

But can she be subtle and charming enough to other humans to be useful as a Slenderman proxy?

I’m honestly not sure.

But that’s not the only path available to her.

This Nina would make an exceptional Judas Goat on certain farms. Her obsession with cryptids and their ability to utilize violence would make her a loyal enforcer of rules under the cryptid management.

Liu

Liu might be the Jeff-adjacent creepypasta most suited for the role of Slenderman Proxy right out the gate.

He has noticeable scars but they are not as completely disfiguring as a fully burned head and more easily explained away by living out in cryptid-infested wilderness when compared to missing eyelids.

Additionally, he can be caring and charismatic in ways that would better integrate him into human communities.

There is, of course, the elephant in the room that calls Liu’s efficiency as a proxy into question.

Liu, as written, has split personalities. All the charisma in the world won’t make people trust you if you turn into a violent, vicious and vulgar serial killer at random. It also makes the subtly required and demanded by Slenderman decidedly difficult.

His instability would also make him unsuited for The Resistance or a position as a Judas Goat on a farm.

Overhauling his character in the AU and giving him more control over his personalities, or removing his split personality all together, would be the only way he could join the AU as a Slenderman proxy. Otherwise, he joins his brother in the farms.

Clockwork

The girl’s been through a lot throughout her life. I don’t blame her for being shy, reserved and a bit macabre before her big mental break.

However, that does work against her as a possible Slenderman Proxy within the AU. Perhaps not entirely; you don’t need to be a social butterfly to be accepted into a group or avoid suspicion, but even so, I don’t see her being an effective proxy in the AU for that and her sensitivity to witnessing the abuse of others (outside of those committed by her own hand). (Also because of the timepiece she insists on wearing in her eye).

Her hatred of abuse done to innocents might make her a candidate for The Resistance but I doubt she’s stable enough to be useful to them or willing to justify the means they use to reach their ends.

I can see her living on her own as a Wild Human, however. Perhaps her past occurred on a Human Farm and she was able to escape into the wilderness.

How long she lasts is up to you.

Ticci-Toby

Toby is another creepypasta with many interpretations of his personality. Depending on your interpretation, Toby could be completely unsuited to work as a Slenderman Proxy or extremely effective.

If you remove the “uncontrollable mental instability” and tone down his temperamental nature, his fanon personality makes him a great candidate for an effective Slenderman Proxy.

His tics may be strange to Wild Humans with less knowledge of medical disorders but is largely non-threatening. His facial injury is of course off-putting to Wild Humans but is easy to explain away and easy to discreetly cover to alleviate the unease of seeing it constantly.

But as-written, Toby would not be suited to anything but the farms in the present day of the AU. Pre-Revolution however…

Masky & Hoodie

Honestly? I have no idea. Marble Hornets lore confuses the hell out of me and I don’t know whether Masky and Hoodie are adversaries of Slenderman, Proxies, some kinda mashup of both or neither.

Fandom interpretation has me leaning towards Slenderman Proxies (and very effective ones at that) but I’m leaving these two up to you.

(Let me know what you decide, though)

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Anon, I’m gonna be so real with you: I did not have a plan for the non-slender creepypastas. I was just going to do a name-drop here, a reference there and an Easter egg wherever, so details for what the creepypastas are up to in the AU (beyond a few generalizations) is not concrete. You’re free to decide where you think they’d be in the AU (and if anyone writes any headcanons or other works please tag me) but these are just some thoughts as to where they could be. Feel free to disagree. I admit my knowledge of the other creepypasta is lacking compared to the Slender Brothers.

Thank you so much for your ask. I hope you were at least entertained by the answer. Let me know if I missed anybody you wanted to see.

Does Slenderman Have Proxies In The AU?

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Slenderman is the only one of his family that utilizes Proxies after The Revolution. Similarly, Slenderman is the only one of his family whose diet is sustained by actively hunting Wild Humans as opposed to purchasing “farmed goods” (his brothers) or relying on passive magical traps (his father).

These two facts are related.

As stated previously, Slenderman keeps track of bands of wild humans; terrorizing them to feast off their fear before finally feasting on their flesh. He tracks these humans, not through magic, but via his human proxies. It is easy for them to infiltrate these groups on account of their shared humanity and from there he can utilize the Proxy Link to keep track of the group’s movement, influence decisions made by the group through the careful machinations of the implanted proxy, and have his proxies begin the process of “marinating” his meals in fear without even having to leave his office.

Among these proxies may be some you recognize. Others you are looking for may have served him long ago. He cares very little for them beyond their efficiency in satisfying his hunger - whether in preparing the meal or becoming it.

Or did he only take it when he was with zalgo at the time?👀

How Do Proxies Work in the AU?

A collection of all current posts about proxies in my AU.

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What is a Proxy?

Proxies are those whose minds have been bound to a slenderbeing. This binding is the creation of a one-sided link between the slenderbeing and the proxy; allowing the slenderbeing to send and take information from the proxy's mind while the proxy is unable to access the mind of the slenderbeing. The binding / creation of the link does not require any input from the one chosen to be a proxy and varies in strength.

Proxy Links

The strength of the Proxy Link determines the extent of control the slenderbeing has on their proxy's mind.

The strength of this link progresses inversely to the mental resistance of the target - meaning; the stronger your own psyche the less the slenderbeing can compel your mind. However, any secession of mental ground is permanent - you cannot submit to the link one day and resist the next because of renewed mental vigor.

You must stay strong.

Always.

This is difficult, of course, because it is within the slenderbeing's best interest to strengthen the link and they have many ways to chip away at the strongest mental defenses. It's quite easy to wait for - or even orchestrate- situations that would wound the psyche. It is child's play to send emotions through even the weakest of proxy links. Only marginally more effort is needed to place a stray thought here or there. Slipping through intentions you think are your own barely needs anything more.

And so on and on it goes, until the link has progressed to the height of its strength and your mind has been wholly surrendered.

Stages of Proxy Development

The process of strengthening the Proxy Link rarely happens instantaneously. In addition, influence over a proxy does not progress in the same way for each person. For example, a slenderbeing may have great influence over all aspects of the mind except dreams for one proxy but is easily able to control the dreams of another while struggling to control other aspects.

As a result, slenderbeings to do not categorize or name "stages" of proxy development. The term "Stages of Proxy Development" was coined by The Resistance to describe the extent to which a person's mind was compromised and what steps needed to be taken to "plug" the information leak. They categorize proxies into 7 Stages which take into account both the number of abilities the slenderbeing displays within the proxy's mind and the degree of control displayed with each ability.

These abilities include, but are not limited to:

The ability to read a proxy's mind

The ability to speak to a proxy mentally

The ability to control a proxy's emotions

The ability to control a proxy's memories

The ability to control a proxy's dreams

The ability to control a proxy's senses

The ability to control a proxy's thoughts

A proxy in Stage 1 might have odd and unexplained bursts of emotion (1 ability) but is able to reign it in and move on (low control). Recommended steps upon detection: removal of clearances, monitor or quarantine to determine if outside slenderbeing interference or personal mental state. If former, begin anti-psychic protocols.

A proxy in Stage 6 might hear voices that are or are not their own, feel and see things that are not there, have vivid dreams or nightmares of things they have never thought of, be unable to remember moments, days, weeks, years of their life, be convinced of untruths and be prone to uncharacteristic mania, melancholy or rage (6+ abilities) and no matter how hard they try they are unable to break out of this - if they're even awares enough to try at this point (high control). Recommended steps upon detection: high probability of slenderbeing influence. Place in high security quarantine, review all accessed information and clearances to determine extent of intel leak, administer anti-psychic protocols despite high-fail rate. Euthanize upon failure.

A proxy in Stage 7 can be placed under full control of the slenderbeing at any time whether they know it or not. They have fully surrendered their mind and the slenderbeing can control all aspects of their psyche - and through that, their entire body. The control is so absolute that a slenderbeing can stop the heart of a proxy at this stage by simply willing it. Recommended steps upon detection: immediate euthanization.

Proxy Types

Beyond the Proxy Stages of Development, proxies can also be broken down into two "types". A slenderbeing would probably characterize them as "those competent enough for agency" and "useful idiots". The Resistance calls them "Agents" and "Sleepers".

Agents

These are proxies aware of their status as proxies. The slenderbeing they are bound to may have the ability to control them, but Agents are both willing enough to follow orders and smart enough to execute those orders on their own that they are allowed to retain some agency.

Sleepers

These are proxies unaware of their proxy status. Some sleepers are unaware that the changes in their psyche are due to an outside force and believe they are acting on their own thoughts and beliefs, while other Sleepers are completely unaware that anything has changed at all due to the manipulation of their memories.

Willing Proxies

There have been those who have willingly offered themselves up to a slenderbeing as a proxy. If the intention is sincere and their conviction strong, there will be no mental resistance to the proxy link. This allows the slenderbeing to bypass the lengthy process of gradually strengthening the link and form the strongest link possible right away. It is almost unheard of today, but there are accounts of it happening in the days long, long before The Revolution.

Soul-Bound Proxies

The link that binds a proxy to a slenderbeing is traditionally a psychic / mental one. While the mind is powerful and allows amazing control over surprising aspects of a person's capabilities, the slenderbeing is limited in what can be passed through the link by the scope of the proxy's mind. For example, under control of a slenderbeing a proxy may run faster than they ever could before due to the removal of innate mental barriers used by the body to prevent injury or exhaustion; however, a proxy whose brain has no structures to process images cannot be made to see, just as a proxy who is incapable of using magic cannot be compelled to cast a spell and so on and so on.

This limitation can be bypassed in proxies who have reached the highest stages of development through the use of soul binding.

Essentially, the slenderbeing uses the link to guide a small piece of their own soul into the proxy. This allows the slenderbeing to pass their own capabilities to the proxy via the proxy link. A soul-bound proxy under the control of a slenderbeing can be made to heal as quickly as the slenderbeing does, access strength their own body is incapable of, unlock psychic abilities unseen in the proxy's race, utilize magic, or even summon tendrils of their own.

However, there are consequences associated with creating Soul-Bound Proxies. Once that Proxy dies or is killed, the piece of soul used to bind them dies as well. While the portion of soul lost is too small to kill the slenderbeing upon its loss, it is still a painful and disquieting sensation that permanently weakens the slenderbeing proportional to the size of the piece of the soul that was lost. While only the smallest piece is needed to form the soul-bond, larger pieces allow for more transfer of power. Soul-Bonding a proxy is a large risk that must considered seriously and balanced to the rewards.

Of course, this is Soul Magic and - while considered a more stable type of this magic - it falls under the ban put into place after The Revolution and is no longer practiced.

Proxy Species

Any species can be made into a proxy; from animals to humans to other cryptids, each with their own pros and cons.

Animals

Their lack of intelligence makes it quick and easy to form strong proxy links, yet that same lack of intelligence makes their use limited. What benefits would a slenderbeing get from a proxy whose kin / community provides no sustenance, who is unable to properly integrate themselves into the lives and environments of higher-intelligence targets or perform tasks requiring communication or fine motor control? Animal proxies, as a result, are rare and seen as a waste of time to most.

Humans

The most common species used as proxies. They are intelligent enough to perform a variety of tasks, are already integrated into the society of the slenderbeing's food source (humanity) and strong enough to do damage where needed. While their lack of magical and psychic abilities can limit their use, it makes them easy to bind, the proxy link easy to strengthen and reduces any threat of retaliation.

Cryptids

There are, of course, a variety of cryptids which would have their own pros and cons as proxies. As a whole, however, any cryptid would be stronger and all around more capable as a proxy than a human. That being said, cryptids have much higher mental defenses and are thus much, much harder to control. Additionally, cryptids with any sort of psychic skill would be able to detect the attempt to bind their minds and rebuff it. Those will high psychic skill could even trace the link back to the slenderbeing in question and retaliate. The most dangerous form of retaliation is "kickback", where the most psychically skilled cryptids are able to use the failed binding attempt to access the slenderbeing's mind and wreak havoc there in a variety of ways.

Even if a slenderbeing were to succeed in making a cryptid into a proxy, the nature of being a proxy is so intrinsically linked to control and subjugation that it is seen essentially as slavery. Such an act against a fellow cryptid goes against the beliefs of The Revolution and has been outlawed.

Slenderbeing Relationships to Proxies

In the broader culture of slenderbeings, proxies are seen as slaves. How a slenderbeing sees, treats and involves themselves with their proxies is a personal preference.

Some will appear before proxies, live amongst them, provide for them or otherwise guide them more materially while others are so detached that their proxies have never laid eyes upon them and have no idea who they are serving. The degree of involvement does not dictate the treatment received by the proxies; a slenderbeing can be involved and cruel or distant and lenient. Neither does cruelty or leniency necessarily indicate the presence of emotional bonds.

However, in some very rare cases, some slenderbeings may grow genuinely fond of a proxy (or proxies) in the way a farmer may grow fond of a specific animal. Perhaps this is because they are uniquely entertaining or perhaps they are more talented or competent than their peers. Whatever the reason, it does not supersede that they are still less than and there to serve a purpose; but may grant them some leniency or other boons. Alternately, a proxy may be uniquely troublesome, inefficient or annoying - sparking animosity and triggering heightened hostility.

How Do Slenderbeings Interact With Their Proxies?

Part [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] of Proxy Headcanons

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Slenderbeing Relationships to Proxies

In the broader culture of slenderbeings, proxies are seen as slaves. How a slenderbeing sees, treats and involves themselves with their proxies is a personal preference.

Some will appear before proxies, live amongst them, provide for them or otherwise guide them more materially while others are so detached that their proxies have never laid eyes upon them and have no idea who they are serving. The degree of involvement does not dictate the treatment received by the proxies; a slenderbeing can be involved and cruel or distant and lenient. Neither does cruelty or leniency necessarily indicate the presence of emotional bonds.

However, in some very rare cases, some slenderbeings may grow genuinely fond of a proxy (or proxies) in the way a farmer may grow fond of a specific animal. Perhaps this is because they are uniquely entertaining or perhaps they are more talented or competent than their peers. Whatever the reason, it does not supersede that they are still less than and there to serve a purpose; but may grant them some leniency or other boons. Alternately, a proxy may be uniquely troublesome, inefficient or annoying - sparking animosity and triggering heightened hostility.

What Species Can Be Made Into Proxies In The AU?

Part [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] of Proxy Headcanons

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Proxy Species

Any species can be made into a proxy; from animals to humans to other cryptids, each with their own pros and cons.

Animals

Their lack of intelligence makes it quick and easy to form strong proxy links, yet that same lack of intelligence makes their use limited. What benefits would a slenderbeing get from a proxy whose kin / community provides no sustenance, who is unable to properly integrate themselves into the lives and environments of higher-intelligence targets or perform tasks requiring communication or fine motor control? Animal proxies, as a result, are rare and seen as a waste of time to most.

Humans

The most common species used as proxies. They are intelligent enough to perform a variety of tasks, are already integrated into the society of the slenderbeing's food source (humanity) and strong enough to do damage where needed. While their lack of magical and psychic abilities can limit their use, it makes them easy to bind, the proxy link easy to strengthen and reduces any threat of retaliation.

Cryptids

There are, of course, a variety of cryptids which would have their own pros and cons as proxies. As a whole, however, any cryptid would be stronger and all around more capable as a proxy than a human. That being said, cryptids have much higher mental defenses and are thus much, much harder to control. Additionally, cryptids with any sort of psychic skill would be able to detect the attempt to bind their minds and rebuff it. Those will high psychic skill could even trace the link back to the slenderbeing in question and retaliate. The most dangerous form of retaliation is "kickback", where the most psychically skilled cryptids are able to use the failed binding attempt to access the slenderbeing's mind and wreak havoc there in a variety of ways.

What Are Soul-Bound Proxies?

Part [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] of Proxy Headcanons

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Soul-Bound Proxies

The link that binds a proxy to a slenderbeing is traditionally a psychic / mental one. While the mind is powerful and allows amazing control over surprising aspects of a person's capabilities, the slenderbeing is limited in what can be passed through the link by the scope of the proxy's mind. For example, under control of a slenderbeing a proxy may run faster than they ever could before due to the removal of innate mental barriers used by the body to prevent injury or exhaustion; however, a proxy whose brain has no structures to process images cannot be made to see, just as a proxy who is incapable of using magic cannot be compelled to cast a spell and so on and so on.

This limitation can be bypassed in proxies who have reached the highest stages of development through the use of soul binding.

Essentially, the slenderbeing uses the link to guide a small piece of their own soul into the proxy. This allows the slenderbeing to pass their own capabilities to the proxy via the proxy link. A soul-bound proxy under the control of a slenderbeing can be made to heal as quickly as the slenderbeing does, age on the scale of slenderbeings, access strength their own body is incapable of, unlock psychic abilities unseen in the proxy's race, utilize magic, or even summon tendrils of their own.

However, there are consequences associated with creating Soul-Bound Proxies. Once that Proxy dies or is killed, the piece of soul used to bind them dies as well. While the portion of soul lost is too small to kill the slenderbeing upon its loss, it is still a painful and disquieting sensation that permanently weakens the slenderbeing proportional to the size of the piece of the soul that was lost. While only the smallest piece is needed to form the soul-bond, larger pieces allow for more transfer of power. Soul-Bonding a proxy is a large risk that must considered seriously and balanced to the rewards.

The Proxies Who Offer Themselves to Slenderbeings

Part [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] of Proxy Headcanons

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Willing Proxies

Types of Proxies In The AU

Part [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] of Proxy Headcanons

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Proxy Types

Beyond the Proxy Stages of Development, proxies can also be broken down into two "types". A slenderbeing would probably characterize them as "those competent enough for agency" and "useful idiots". The Resistance calls them "Agents" and "Sleepers".

Agents

These are proxies aware of their status as proxies. The slenderbeing they are bound to may have the ability to control them, but Agents are both willing enough to follow orders and smart enough to execute those orders on their own that they are allowed to retain some agency.

Sleepers

How Progression Of A Proxy Occurs In The AU

Part [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] of Proxy Headcanons

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Stages of Proxy Development

The process of strengthening the Proxy Link rarely happens instantaneously. In addition, influence over a proxy does not progress in the same way for each person. For example, a slenderbeing may have great influence over all aspects of the mind except dreams for one proxy but is easily able to control the dreams of another while struggling to control other aspects.

As a result, slenderbeings to do not categorize or name "stages" of proxy development. The term "Stages of Proxy Development" was coined by The Resistance to describe the extent to which a person's mind was compromised and what steps needed to be taken to "plug" the information leak. They categorize proxies into 7 Stages which take into account both the number of abilities the slenderbeing displays within the proxy's mind and the degree of control displayed with each ability.

These abilities include, but are not limited to:

The ability to read a proxy's mind

The ability to speak to a proxy mentally

The ability to control a proxy's emotions

The ability to control a proxy's memories

The ability to control a proxy's dreams

The ability to control a proxy's senses

The ability to control a proxy's thoughts

A proxy in Stage 1 might have odd and unexplained bursts of emotion (1 ability) but is able to reign it in and move on (low control). Recommended steps upon detection: removal of clearances, monitor or quarantine to determine if outside slenderbeing interference or personal mental state. If former, begin anti-psychic protocols.

A proxy in Stage 6 might hear voices that are or are not their own, feel and see things that are not there, have vivid dreams or nightmares of things they have never thought of, be unable to remember moments, days, weeks, years of their life, be convinced of untruths and be prone to uncharacteristic mania, melancholy or rage (6+ abilities) and no matter how hard they try they are unable to break out of this - if they're even awares enough to try at this point (high control). Recommended steps upon detection: high probability of slenderbeing influence. Place in high security quarantine, review all accessed information and clearances to determine extent of intel leak, administer anti-psychic protocols despite high-fail rate. Euthanize upon failure.

What Are Proxies And How Are they Created In The AU?

Part [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] of Proxy Headcanons

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What is a Proxy?

Proxies are those whose minds have been bound to a slenderbeing. This binding is the creation of a one-sided link between the slenderbeing and the proxy; allowing the slenderbeing to send and take information from the proxy's mind while the proxy is unable to access the mind of the slenderbeing. The binding / creation of the link does not require any input from the one chosen to be a proxy and varies in strength.

Proxy Links

The strength of the Proxy Link determines the extent of control the slenderbeing has on their proxy's mind.

The strength of this link progresses inversely to the mental resistance of the target - meaning; the stronger your own psyche the less the slenderbeing can compel your mind. However, any secession of mental ground is permanent - you cannot submit to the link one day and resist the next because of renewed mental vigor.

You must stay strong.

Always.

This is difficult, of course, because it is within the slenderbeing's best interest to strengthen the link and they have many ways to chip away at the strongest mental defenses. It's quite easy to wait for - or even orchestrate- situations that would wound the psyche. It is child's play to send emotions through even the weakest of proxy links. Only marginally more effort is needed to place a stray thought here or there. Slipping through intentions you think are your own barely needs anything more.

I see you caught the little detail I left in this post. Your reward is the answer to your questions (with a little extra).

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Slenderman Headcanons: The Slenderbeing Council

General Knowledge

As stated previously:

a Council is a ruling body composed of individuals from one type of cryptid species that oversees that species and that species alone. They are considered less powerful than the 'general’ government since the government can override their laws but in actuality it’s a delicate push and pull between them.

Councils from each cryptid species vary greatly. How Council Members are appointed, the amount of Members in a Council, the traditions of a Council Meeting, how Council Members are regarded in their specific society and how much reach or power they have in their society is up to the cryptid species they come from.

But every species beyond a certain population threshold must have one.

Slenderbeings do not meet this population threshold.

However, there is no lower limit on the amount of population needed to form a Council. Slenderbeings are an ancient and powerful cryptid line which only gained power and influence after The Revolution with the Head of Government being one of their own and so many others of their small population having great standing in society; no one would dare deny Slenderbeings the right to form a Council and be recognized in Parliament.

Slenderman is not a member of The Slenderbeing Council.

Neither is any of his brothers.

For his brothers, their disinterest make it something that never crosses their mind. Not that their isn't other factors at play that would make it difficult to join.

For Slenderman it is a diplomatic show of good faith; an acknowledgement of the Traditions of his people, a play to create stability and cooperation during the fragile times during and immediately following The Revolution through pacification of The Elders, and some good PR for the rest of Cryptid Society to show that even he is bound by the laws and beliefs that defines the society they live in now.

The latter being a lie causes some tension between him and The Council.

He, as Government Head, can overrule any law, decree or ruling they make. He, as Slenderman, is strong enough to rebuff any physical or magical force used to make him submit to their will. The Slenderbeing Council knows this, of course. But they also know that losing their influence over the traditionalists of their species (of which there are many) and their vast knowledge of magic and history would be a blow to Slender. Not to mention the...inconvenience that would be caused politically if broader Cryptid Society saw how easily Slender could disrespect the very systems that they had bound themselves to on the the beliefs preached by this very leader and his...co-conspirator.

The political dance they are doing is very tiresome and gives Slender a headache whenever he is forced to interact with even one of the council members, not that their personalities would not have done it on their own.

Council Members

The Slenderbeing Council consists of 5 Members. All are considered the wisest and most magically adept Slenderbeings alive. Once, each was also considered amongst the most powerful and dangerous of their kind in combat as well.

But their days of physical combat are long, long behind them.

The Council Members are the oldest Slenderbeings in existence. They have seen countless generations before them born and buried, yet they persist due to their power. But do not think them frail and weak, their magic and cunning is unrivaled among their and many other cryptid species.

The First and oldest among them is The Head Councilwoman. Her magic outclasses all of the other Council Members by leagues and her knowledge of the history of their kind unrivaled.

The other council members are equal in rank to each other. Two males and two females.

Yup! It’s still technically on hiatus but as summer arrives I’m finally getting time to get back to writing!