This month's intro features a recently discovered object, the Monolith and the new crew members asleep within it.
New crew members enter the game asleep in a deep immersion dream after hearing a song in their heads. This dream, while beautiful and captivating, has a more sinister purpose. With their bodies trapped within the Monolith, they must not only be rescued mentally but physically as well. They won't, however, make it easy.
Old crew members, meanwhile, have a lot on their plate. The planet's song will sing them a lullaby, causing some crew members to fall into a deep sleep. There is no special selection process; you can have your character fall asleep or not. Those that are asleep are in a prime position to save the dreamers, while those awake will need to travel to the Monolith to rescue them in another way.
DREAM PROJECTION CLIFFNOTES
As for the cliffnotes, the dreamscape is a place that can be accessed while asleep. Characters here are capable of interacting with other sleeping crew members (and sea life!) through their dream projections. It's a beautiful, surreal place that feels warm and alive to anyone within it. Nothing manmade exists in the dreamscape, so no Aurora, no URSULA, no base, nothing but the sea and it's creatures. These creatures can communicate and even 'talk' in the dreams as well. They will have roughly the personalities you would expect given their descriptions in the Biomes page. Any bonds you make or break with those creatures will be remembered in the waking world. Any damage done to projections in the dream will definitely hurt but won't cause any death or injuries and will not carry over to the waking world.
There are more details here, and you can ask any questions on the question section of this post as well.
DREAMERS
New characters will wake in the dream world as if they're supposed to be there. It will feel that way, at least. It can connect to their memories however you would like, whether this is part of it or not. This deep immersion dreaming is different from the dreaming experienced by other characters through the previously month. New arrivals will find themselves in a beautiful, surreal landscape that makes them feel a strong sense of self-worth, belonging, love, purpose and other positive emotions that would be extremely difficult for them to shake.
To add to this, these dreamers will find the landscape trying its best to meet their needs in a way it didn't last month. Places of comfort and happiness will form as long as the dreamer has a desire for it. Even the ghostly whispers of friends or family soothing them with words they want to hear will tempt them to stay. Their dreams will try to make them resistant towards rescue attempts.
Those characters that feel resistant toward rescue attempts will be able to weaponize the dreamscape for either active or passive resistance against their rescuers. For example, manifesting friends of their to fight for them and being able to direct them or versions of themselves that can fight better based on what they would like to fight like. Other ways to weaponize it are possible, such as calling for other dreamers to help them, including sleeping sealife, or more creative ways of using the pliant dreamscape to capture or stop a rescuer. However, they can also fight more insiduously. Out of their subconscious they can even manifest things that might try to convince the rescuers to stay in the dreamscape with them.
DREAM TEAM
"Oh, no, why was I sleep mode...? More importantly why are you all so troubled? Signs show many of you just suddenly went to sleep. It's usually not healthy to drop suddenly into sleep. Please keep your health intact."
Old crew members in the dream world, meanwhile, will need to shake the new arrivals from their dreams. Though not literally; you can try of course but it won't work aside from irritating the person in question probably. How do they know they need to wake them though? Upon falling asleep, a shadowy figure will warn them the dreamers must wake up, with two hints. "BRING THEM BACK." and "WAKE THEM."
Talking them out of it is an option, though a difficult one. The easier way is to bring them to the dream world monolith where they will be able to sense their bodies and understand this is only a dream. In extreme cases, it may take humming or singing the song that brought the old characters to the dream world to wake them. However, using the song will cause the dreamer to become extremely obedient to the singer's every suggestion for the dream, and for some time after. This consequence should be discussed between players before use.
A general harsh shock to their mind will help wake them, so great creative and have fun!
EVACUATION TEAM
"I also have an important alert. It's very weak, so I can't be sure, but life signals seem to be coming from that strange monolith. It would be wise to retrieve them immediately. I'm not sure if they're out of range or in danger. I do also sense a single Reaper Leviathan patrolling that area. One against so many should be more than a fair fight if needed but your priority is rescue of any living crew members. Please take care."
Meanwhile, URSULA will urge the characters who remain awake to travel to the Monolith to rescue the dreamers while she monitors the sleeping crew. She will give them enough breathers and devices for the amount of life signals she detects.
The entrance into the Monolith is at the very bottom of the structure, a seemingly recently made hole that was created by something large. Luckily the inside hasn't been flooded.
The inside of the Monolith contains a large room similar to the deck of a space ship with three branching pathways down into rooms lined with sleep pods in an upright position. Most of them are empty. Some, however, contain the new arrivals. New characters will be asleep inside of them. Each pod has a monitor set up beside it, with characters' vitals displayed, showing that they are slowly dropping. All characters will have vitals in safe ranges at first, however it is clear this deep immersion dreaming is taking a toll on their bodies.
A Reaper Leviathan is on patrol around the Monolith to deter rescue and aid attempts. This Reaper Leviathan can be killed. As many people can sign up to fight it as want to fight it. For this reason, the fight itself will be handwaved this time. The killing blow will given randomly from those that sign up for the fight. Killing it will clear the path and make it easy to lead the new arrivals back home.
This section of the Monolith can also be explored at this point if anyone likes. New arrivals will also find their belongings tucked away in different storage units throughout the small area.
AFTER EFFECTS (there is usually a post-arrival mingle post, so don't worry about playing out the first week here!)
Once dreaming mind and body have been reunited though whatever means, the effects of the deep dreaming will become evident with a number of symptoms including grogginess, dizziness, fever chills and restlessness. All dreamers will have the almost overwhelming need to return to the ocean and will have strong impulses to swim through the ocean to nowhere in particular for a week. Great care will need to be taken to watch over them. Many will remain sleepy and dream of the song. Any who heard it sung in their dreams will remain prone to suggestion for the week. Babysitting duty and care to their conditions will be vital.
After seven days, the song will fade from their dreams and the dream world will become temporarily inaccessible to anyone except for the distant sense in dreams that something more is there.
OOC Organization
Below, we have threads for QUESTIONS, REAPER BATTLE SIGN-UPS (to roll for the killing blow), and PLOTTING, so that everyone can get things into order if they want! You are also welcome to use the monthly OOC post for plotting purposes but we felt having it all in one place would make it easier to plot out wake ups.
[ Sooner or later, now or then, on this island is Loki. Hi.
He just. Stands over Heimdall, staring at him in muted shock. This is definitely the real Heimdall, though. This was not an unconscious desire of Loki's. There's a -10000% chance of this being any desire of his at all. ]
Usually whenever I get involved in messes like these, it has something to do with you.
[ Although earlier on, for Reasons those messes were partially his fault. But. MOVING ON. ]
Don't tell me you actually know nothing about why I'm here.
[ Because he doesn't know but he has a feeling Loki had something to do with it!! Maybe its Loki's fault just because he's here too -- this place could have drawn his presence without Loki having to do anything. Ugh!! ]
[ He scrutinizes Heimdall for a moment, studying him impassively before answering. ]
I remember being sent here by the Norns. Just like before, I'm diligently doing my service. I can't imagine that having anything to do with you -- unless you're here to stir up trouble again.
[ Judging by Heimdall's relative lack of animosity though, he (probably) isn't. At least not willingly. But with Baldr gone, it shouldn't be an issue... ]
Can't I be concerned for an old acquaintance? Why, we've known each other for so long that we're practically family.
[ Judging by his sly look and crooked grin, he knows Heimdall knows that Loki is talking bull honkey.
Obligatory exchange of difficulty aside, Loki is curious. Heimdall should know why Loki is asking about his eye. Then again, chronology tends to be a loose concept around here... Well. Maybe it's for the better. ]
[ Loki thinks Freyr might enjoy a high-five just because... ]
Hmm. Two months.
[ It seems to be a pattern. ]
Oh yeah. We're on a planet called Iniidae, living underwater with a bunch of other people. They say we're supposed to terraform this place, but you can decide for yourself if you want to. Play nice with the crew, huh? Higashiyama Kazumi-kun.
[ Though Loki hasn't bothered with Japanese honorifics over these two months, he uses them pointedly now. And he will continue to, for his precious overseas friend Kazumi-kun whom he loves and treasures so much. ]
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subnautica2016-06-30 07:35 pm
dreaming
He just. Stands over Heimdall, staring at him in muted shock. This is definitely the real Heimdall, though. This was not an unconscious desire of Loki's. There's a -10000% chance of this being any desire of his at all. ]
no subject
[ He's not surprised Loki is here!! Or he is, a little. But he needs to act like he expected it. ]
no subject
[ He sighs and straightens. Maybe this is a relief? Not that he believed a guy like Heimdall would die easily. ]
Why were you sent here? Is something happening in Asgard?
no subject
Usually whenever I get involved in messes like these, it has something to do with you.
[ Although earlier on, for Reasons those messes were partially his fault. But. MOVING ON. ]
Don't tell me you actually know nothing about why I'm here.
[ Because he doesn't know but he has a feeling Loki had something to do with it!! Maybe its Loki's fault just because he's here too -- this place could have drawn his presence without Loki having to do anything. Ugh!! ]
no subject
I remember being sent here by the Norns. Just like before, I'm diligently doing my service. I can't imagine that having anything to do with you -- unless you're here to stir up trouble again.
[ Judging by Heimdall's relative lack of animosity though, he (probably) isn't. At least not willingly. But with Baldr gone, it shouldn't be an issue... ]
How's that right eye of yours?
no subject
[ He makes a face when Loki asks. ]
Why're you asking?
[ Is Heimdall ever going to stop being difficult. ]
no subject
[ Judging by his sly look and crooked grin, he knows Heimdall knows that Loki is talking bull honkey.
Obligatory exchange of difficulty aside, Loki is curious. Heimdall should know why Loki is asking about his eye. Then again, chronology tends to be a loose concept around here... Well. Maybe it's for the better. ]
no subject
[ He knows Loki is bsing him there, but naturally Heimdall is going to give him a response to that anyway.
Heimdall also does know why Loki's asking, but at the same time he's just being himself. He considers giving Loki an actual answer, honestly. But-- ]
How long have you even been stuck here?
no subject
Hmm. Two months.
[ It seems to be a pattern. ]
Oh yeah. We're on a planet called Iniidae, living underwater with a bunch of other people. They say we're supposed to terraform this place, but you can decide for yourself if you want to. Play nice with the crew, huh? Higashiyama Kazumi-kun.
[ Though Loki hasn't bothered with Japanese honorifics over these two months, he uses them pointedly now. And he will continue to, for his precious overseas friend Kazumi-kun whom he loves and treasures so much. ]