History Franchise / TheSlenderManMythos

** The sheer number of monsters in unrelated works that are reminiscent of Slendy is just a bit unsettling. This includes [[Literature/TheKingInYellow the Stranger in the Pallid Mask]], The "Thin Man" in ''{{Film/Metropolis}}'', [[ThePhantomTollbooth the Terrible Trivium]], [[Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer the Gentlemen]], [[VideoGame/ChzoMythos the Tall Man]], [[{{Nightside}} the Harrowing]], [[Series/DoctorWho the Silence]]-- hell, go far enough back and you get the ''noppera-bo'' of Japanese myth.

* FreeRangeChildren: In MarbleHornets and DarkHarvest, the protagonists are in their teens to early 20s. Parents are only mentioned, and are seldom seen. [[spoiler: Note: Both Chris and Alex's (from DarkHarvest) parents are deceased as of Log Entry #30.]]

* TheCallKnowsWhereYouLive: He likes doing this to people, as [[WebVideo/MarbleHornets Jay]], [[TribeTwelve Noah]] and the [[WebVideo/EverymanHYBRID HYBRID]] guys can attest.

** The sheer number of monsters in unrelated works that are reminiscent of Slendy is just a bit unsettling. This includes [[VideoGame/ChzoMythos the Tall Man]], [[Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer the Gentlemen]], [[{{Nightside}} the Harrowing]], [[ThePhantomTollbooth the Terrible Trivium]], [[Literature/TheKingInYellow the Stranger in the Pallid Mask]], [[Series/DoctorWho the Silence]]-- hell, go far enough back and you get the ''noppera-bo'' of Japanese myth.

A film titled [i]Entity[/i] is also pending release.

A film titled ''[[http://whatistheentity.com/ Entity]]'' is also pending release.

In addition, there is many a strange story from people who appear to have seen him, as well as photographs by people who have not been heard from since. A more-or-less full list can be found at [[http://slenderversemedia.tumblr.com/ here]]; the TV Tropes articles for the works can be found in Franchise/TheSlenderManMythosStories.

** [[http://doyouliketrees.blogspot.com/ I Like Trees]] started out with a few references to Stephen King's Franchise/{{The Dark Tower}} series. Eventually, [[spoiler: they became a critical plot element with the main antagonist ostensibly being Black Thirteen.]]

** Franchise/TheWillowMythos which maintains that he actively creates beings such as himself.

* DecoyProtagonist: Frequently the narrator of the ARG will disappear or meet a bad end, leaving another to figure out the first blogger's password to pick up the torch. Sometimes it's a family member or a close friend, or someone that had been leaving alot of posts in the comments section. Occasionally the new protagonist is a former antagonist.

* EvilDetectingDog: For some reason, animals [[WebVideo/MarbleHornets aren't]] [[Blog/SeekingTruth crazy]] about this guy.

** The single most common theory is that said more powerful and dangerous being is [[spoiler: Zalgo]]

* AlternateRealityGame: The mythos themselves, and many of the projects relating to them.

* BeingWatched: He's watching you, always watching!

* TheBlank: The most common depiction of the Slender Man is missing his face. Among his original attributes was that his face would appear different to every viewer, however; considering this, it's likely that his facelessness on the original photoshops was meant to be some sort of GlamourFailure, but everyone decided to run with him ''actually'' being faceless.

** The Operator Symbol, which has become a central symbol in the mythos.

* FreeRangeChildren in MarbleHornets and DarkHarvest00 the protagonists are in their teens to early 20s. Parents may be referenced but are never seen and they tend to be living in large houses that recent college grads couldn't possibly afford.

** WebVideo/TribeTwelve references this in the video where Noah flies to meet the Hybrids. On the plane, he shows that it is raining outside, and says it makes him nervous [[spoiler: then Slendy teleports into the plane]].

* LaserGuidedAmnesia: Slender Man is capable of doing this to people..

** In a cross-mythos example, the infamous [[MemeticMutation twenny]] [[WebVideo/MarbleHornets dollaz]] have been referenced by several characters on various blogs. Maduin has even [[http://worstjestever.blogspot.com/2010/11/pranks-done.html/ tested whether giving The Slender Man 20 dollars works.]]

* SliceOfLife: Due to the nature of journals and blogs, a good portion of the ARGs and stories tend toward this. Granted, the slice of life includes the occasional bit of weirdness or horror, but most of them still need to work, shop, and interact with people. It could be argued that part of the draw is watching how a regular person goes about his life with addition of the paranormal.

* ObscuredSpecialEffects: Common in the video series and the various still images of Slender Man, by means of {{Ominous Video Glitch}}es and distant shots of him. Besides contributing to the NothingIsScarier effect, it also masks the low budget of the various stories.

** The sheer number of monsters in unrelated works that are reminiscent of Slendy is just a bit unsettling. This includes [[ChzoMythos the Tall Man]], [[Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer the Gentlemen]], [[{{Nightside}} the Harrowing]], [[ThePhantomTollbooth the Terrible Trivium]], [[Literature/TheKingInYellow the Stranger in the Pallid Mask]], [[Series/DoctorWho the Silence]]-- hell, go far enough back and you get the ''noppera-bo'' of Japanese myth.

** Although Slendy and ''Film/{{Phantasm}}''[='s=] Tall Man aren't too similar beyond the names and suits, the original Website/SomethingAwful poster ''did'' use the latter as a template when Photoshopping his images. Despite noted similarities, said poster had never heard of the ChzoMythos's Tall Man.

There is a figure that does not hide or lurk in the shadows, but stands tall and unseen in the light of day - visible only to its prey as it stalks them. It appears as an extremely tall, thin humanoid in a formal suit with impossibly long limbs and [[TheBlank no face to speak of]]. Its origins are as much a mystery as what - if anything - it wants. Its presence is associated with paranoia, delusions, and even physical illness. Those who see it are often driven to scrawling strange messages and scribbling sketches of a dark, faceless figure - prior to their going utterly insane, or disappearing entirely. The less you know the better, for knowing too much may make you the subject of its interest...

* TheFairFolk: One of the earliest stories of what Slendy may be; that he's a malevolent fairy that lives in the forest and preys on naughty children. There exist [[TabletopGame/ChangelingTheLost Changeling]] runs featuring Slender Man as a true fae, or as a group of very similar fae. There is at least one fan campaign that combines fae-Slendy along fae-[[TheRing wellwraiths]]. And it is horrifying. Several theories presented during [[http://www.youtube.com/user/deaddoll00?feature=mhee FearPlay]] also speculate on the subject, including the possibility that Slenderman may, in fact, be an entire forest.

*** Could be ViewersAreGeniuses / ShoutOut. In the expanded Cthulhu Mythos, The great Old one's element is water, so maybe one EldritchAbomination tipping its hat to another?

** Franchise/TheWillowMythos which maintains tat he actively creates beings such as himself.

The AlternateRealityGame site Unfiction has a whole [[http://forums.unfiction.com/forums/index.php?f=264 forum]] dedicated to the mythos, as well as a dedicated stand alone forum at [[http://slendernation.forumotion.com/forum Slender Nation]] and [[http://slenderhaven.com/ Slender Haven]]. Reviews of stories can be found at [[http://slendereview.blogspot.com/ The Slendy Review]] blog. Non-story information can be found at [[http://slenderia.blogspot.com/ Encyclopedia Slenderia]] and [[http://slenderbloggins.net Slenderbloggins]]. [[http://www.youtube.com/user/compileTRUTH compileTRUTH]] also summarizes some series. An [[http://www.slendermanmythos.com/ extensive fan site]] is in the works, created by one of our tropers. Fans can also submit their Slenderman theories to be examined and expanded on via an in-game YouTube channel at [[http://www.youtube.com/user/deaddoll00?feature=mhee FearPlay - Nerdy Horror]]