Russia, Post-Rash Illness

[Shotgun at the Disco]

Hello there SSSS fandom.
To start this off, I'd like to say that ever since I found this series late last summer I have fallen in love with this webcomic. The characters are wonderful, the story is engaging, and the most important part for me, the world is absolutely fascinating. For you see, I am one who becomes deeply obsessed with well designed worlds, Fallout, S.T.A.L.K.E.R., Darkwood, Sunless Sea/Skies, Warhammer (Fantasy & 40k), The Witcher, Etc.
My point is, I've found the world SSSS inhabits beyond intreging, and when I find a world fascinating, I start to ask questions about it; Where did the infection come from, what are the infected husks we call beasts, trolls, and giants capable of, and the most important question for me: What's happening in the rest of the world? As such, I've decided to make my own answer to that one question, or at least part of it.
I, as someone who is a bit of an Eastern Europe history buff, wondered what this infection did to one of the biggest powers in the region, Russia, and as a result came up with a something set in the region Formerly known as the Nenets Autonomous Okrug, parts of the Yamalo-Nenets Oblast, and parts of the Arkhangelsk Oblast. The idea I wanted to emphasize when developing the dynamics of this region was that unlike Scandinavia, witch adapted well to the new world, Russia as a whole wasn't nearly as lucky.
Up untill now, this concept, and the story I wanted to write using it, was mostly known to only myself and a friend who didn't know about SSSS before I started this, so I've decided to make it public. Below this tangent is the "Mother Document" of the region, detailing almost every bit of lore I've put to paper so far. I encourage any of you who find the idea interesting to give it a look. And don't be afraid to tell me when and where I'm being stupid, for that is the reason why I'm trying to turn this into sort of a collaborative thing. Because, after all, who would know the world of SSSS better then the people who've been reading it for years.

The main Google Doc (due to the nature of certain nations in this, thier flags contain fascistic imagery, viewer discretion advised): https://docs.google.com/document/d/1cEBGooOmIIkdWHiAWnNJfZxJ7K7v7_wRcbmkZ0z6GRQ/edit?usp=drivesdk

[thorny]

Shotgun at the Disco, that looks interesting. I'll read more of it as I have time.

May I suggest an English translation for the quotes in Russian? I'm afraid I don't even know the alphabet, let alone the language.

[lwise]

Shotgun at the Disco, that looks interesting. I'll read more of it as I have time.

May I suggest an English translation for the quotes in Russian? I'm afraid I don't even know the alphabet, let alone the language.

You can go to this site and paste them in for a translation.  It does a really good job.

[thorny]

Kind of breaks the flow of the piece, though.

I suppose it depends on the particular audience whether it matters.

[lwise]

I went through, found them all, and pasted in the translations before reading it.

That is -- I downloaded it first and pasted translations in my local copy.

[Shotgun at the Disco]

Shotgun at the Disco, that looks interesting. I'll read more of it as I have time.

May I suggest an English translation for the quotes in Russian? I'm afraid I don't even know the alphabet, let alone the language.

Ah bugger, there ARE translations but they're in comments (I've basically been using them as notes). I'll fix that.

[thorny]

Thanks!

[Róisín]

This is a topic which has been explored by some of the fanwriters. Try Onnenlintu on Archive of our Own. He explores what happens when three of Minna’s characters (Emil, Lalli and Onni) have occasion to travel across what used to be be Russia. My own interest is more in what happens in the Minnaverse version of Outback Australia (I’m Tanist on Archive). It sounds fascinating.

[Shotgun at the Disco]

This is a topic which has been explored by some of the fanwriters. Try Onnenlintu on Archive of our Own. He explores what happens when three of Minna’s characters (Emil, Lalli and Onni) have occasion to travel across what used to be be Russia. My own interest is more in what happens in the Minnaverse version of Outback Australia (I’m Tanist on Archive). It sounds fascinating.

While I will check out the guys' works, I feel like my idea might have some merits.
Showcasing the Nenets region of Russia as a place that never entirely recovered from the Rash outbreak and is still dealing with it's own issues, in my humble opinion, helps make the area distinct from Scandinavia. After all, the Russian Federation fell, Iceland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Finland never did. Not to mention, unlike most fanfics I've seen of SSSS where the original characters are involved in some way, this thing I'm working on will focus on entirely new cast of Russian characters (including people from the Nenets and Komi groups) going on a hellish, damn near suicidal, single to multi-year long trek in the vague hope of finding people out in the silent world. Hell, the name I've given this story concept is 'The Long Road to Scandinavia'.

[Jitter]

Shotgun, I am certain Róisín didn’t mean to imply any sort of “it’s been done already so don’t bother”! If you take a longer look at our fanfic, you’ll notice that we have, and celebrate, many many different versions and interpretations. We don’t have any sort of “fanfic canon”, everyone is welcome to present their ideas.

A little about Onnenlintu’s RuSSSSia under the spoiler

Spoiler: show

Actually the Russian / Carelian adventures and characters in Onnenlintu’s story arc could probably exist in the same continuum as yours, they live around the lake Ladoga. Some characters also visit Moscow, which is not a human city anymore. But even if you setting was in direct contradiction with someone else’s, no one would think it were a problem!

I assume we will be getting several interpretations of what happens after Adventure 2, i.e. many different stories set in the exact same timeframe. None is less or more right than the other!

[lwise]

While I will check out the guys' works, I feel like my idea might have some merits.

I read your document, and I think your idea looks very interesting and has a lot of potential.  I hope you will put your stories on Archive of Our Own.

[Shotgun at the Disco]

I read your document, and I think your idea looks very interesting and has a lot of potential.  I hope you will put your stories on Archive of Our Own.

That is the intent.
Also, as a small addition, there are a few things that aren't in the Mother Document directly. Population numbers (they're in the notes), The "World Map" (a few versions exist, but they're all horrifically crude), the characters designs (not in a digital format as not current), and the regional names of beasts, trolls, and giants (currently in a separate document).
I'll rectify this soon enough.

[Róisín]

Shotgun, I look forward to seeing your work. And indeed there is no fanfic canon, we all build our own worlds and play in them, whether with Minna’s characters, our own characters, or a mixture of both. It’s fun!

[Shotgun at the Disco]

Well... ain't this an awkward situation I find myself in.

To anyone who cares, The Long Road to Scandinavia is going to be delayed a bit due to the present... situation that has unfolded. I feel like it might be in bad taste to publish a story with an entirely Russian cast, during this extremely unpleasant period.
Sorry for the inconvenience.

[Jitter]

Shotgun, I appreciate your grace on the face of world events. I also strongly hope that no one here will reflect badly on you as a person that there is a Situation.