THE AURORA was once a sight to see. An impressive mining ship, home to many, it could travel across great interstellar distances while providing all the comforts necessary to those within. Its star-sailing days are over now, as it now is a terrible wreckage, with salvage and dangers for those who come near.
It’s also exactly where the new crew members just showed up. URSULA will be immediately sending the on-base crew towards the Aurora, while those who have just arrived have some time to explore. The Aurora, however, isn’t the safest place to be. There are some large creatures in the water, and they may not be friendly towards the crew…
Below is a timeline of events as they unfold, with some further information!
1000: THE AURORA
While the new crew may have arrived anywhere throughout the ship, many will have found themselves in the common rooms, surrounded by the comforts of those who once lived here. Those who choose to wander further may find many rooms throughout, often in varying states of decay. While there are smaller predators on the Aurora and the danger of a wrecked vessel, an unsettling peace pervades the crashed ship. For now, they are safe.
1030: THE BASE
At 10:30 in the morning, URSULA reaches out to all crew members with an urgent message:
”All crew members please report in immediately! Life signs detected on the Aurora! Please stop all other activities and begin rescue mission. Gather any supplies you need, use the vehicles and help any survivors you find. Devices are near the entrance to track life signals once you're on the Aurora. If they're safe, please remember we need to salvage what we can from the Aurora as well. The supplies will benefit any survivors as well.”
Get cracking, crew! Base and Biome have information on what kind of weapons and defenses your fellow crew have had.
1100: THE AURORA
Thanks to the transportation they had built, the base’s crew is able to arrive in record time. They can help seek out their new crew members, take the opportunity to explore more of the Aurora, or just sulk in the transporter. URSULA reminds everyone that salvaging is a key part of their mission, and they should gather what they can before returning to base.
1200: THE AURORA
The crew however only gets an hour to enjoy itself (?) in the wreckage. At noon, URSULA broadcasts to all present, new and old:
”Attention! Dire warning! Reaper Leviathans! According to what I've salvaged of my database, they're apex predators from the westernmost region of the ocean. One signal coming from the west, two others coming out of the Void from deep below the ship!”
The crew may try to evacuate, but it is probably better to prepare for battle or hiding instead. They won’t get enough time to get out of the way before…
1210: THE AURORA
The Reapers are here. Peering out one of the Aurora's entrances will reveal that they are already circling around the vessel, as if they realize something is inside. One even beaches, its entire, 160 foot body soaring through the air before slamming down into the water. It almost feels like a warning. A threat.
URSULA urges the crew to stay inside where it is safe, but if anyone does insist on charging forward, she advises them to split into teams and take on as many Reapers at once as possible to avoid any group being teamed-up on by multiple Leviathans.
NOTE: To fight a Reaper Leviathan, comment under the REAPER FIGHT THREAD comment below! We ask that you work in teams of two or three for the battle to keep threads organized and minimize the number of fight threads the mods will need to work through. Be mindful that these are extremely fierce, dangerous, fast, giant apex predators, and they are very likely to do damage against those who fight them! By tagging in, you are agreeing to put your characters at risk of injury from the Reapers. As URSULA advised, those who don't want to get hurt should hold back and wait.
1300: EVACUATION
Things are looking grim. While the crew's teams make a good fight of it, these Reapers are durable, and they just keep coming back for more. It seems they're on a mission, to stop the crew, no matter how battered they become.
That's when the bellowing starts. Coming from everywhere, a song like that of the cavalry that disorients the Reapers as a large pod of Reefbacks swim in. Several put themselves between the ship and the Reapers, allowing anyone on aboard to safely get into the transports and into the water.
Others begin to fight. The use the concentrated power of their songs to knock back attacks from the front, powerfully lashing their tentacles like whips to crack against the Reapers. In battle they're surprisingly agile, able to spin around in a moment's notice to alternate between confusing and attacking the Reapers.
But any crew members watching can see the toll it takes on the Reefbacks. One Reefback in particular chooses to guide the crew back to the base by swimming along aside them. Thick, dark blood trails in the water behind it but it beats off any curious smaller predators like Stalkers. But its shell is cracked, its 'face' smashed in, and it gets no further than the Kelp Forest before it settles into a dense patch of creepvines for a final rest. It sends out a final cry that somehow feels like a wish for the crew to keep going on to the base, away from the continuing battle.
The rest of the pod manages to drive the Reapers back, though they too have their casualties. Still, the Aurora and the crew are safe for now.
Perhaps that was their only wish.
Direct any questions and plotting to the OOC post and have fun!
[ Fixing the planet. A broken world, then - that's not unfamiliar to him. He's gone around fixing broken timelines with his Master, maybe this isn't much different. ]
[ The myriads of dangers that could accost a delicate maiden, of course! Given that she can't cast spells nor summon horses like Marie, it's evident to him that she needs someone to watch out for her.
Someone that could possibly be him. ]
Please lead the way.
[ Distraction aside, he's going to follow her again, except he might just be watching her a little more closely than before. ]
[She doesn't seem to notice that he's watching her more closely; she's focused on their path. At the very least, she seems relatively competent here; even she can learn if she's somewhere long enough. And it helps to try to not focus on how dangerous the situation is.]
Over here... [LEADING HIM RIGHT ON TO IT.] If you board this... you'll be able to go back to the base soon, and it will be safer there.
[For her part, Mai doesn't seem inclined to get on just yet.]
U-um, well... I will... in a little bit. But I want to make sure that there isn't anyone else left here... it could be frightening to be new here and alone, and I want to make sure that everyone gets rescued.
[She's delicate and not exactly suited to this sort of thing, but she's determined if nothing else.]
[ There's a very slight flick of his wrist, and his sword appears in his hand. It's to show that he's capable - though Mai might take it another way entirely. ]
no subject
Thank you. I'll do my best, too.
[ At least that gives him a clearer head. ]
Can you hold yourself in battle?
no subject
BATTLE.
WHO SAID ANYTHING ABOUT BATTLE.]
Oh, no, I'm not...! I can't--! [Please don't put her into any sort of fights.]
no subject
I see. Keep yourself safe. I'll defend you.
[ He's faced off a Reaper before, he's quite confident that he'll fall into this role when something urgent happens. ]
no subject
U-um.... okay...
[She's not sure what he's defending her from, but she supposes she's grateful in principle!]
Thank you for your consideration. We should...head towards the transporter, I think.
here's where the stalking begins, thx sanson
Someone that could possibly be him. ]
Please lead the way.
[ Distraction aside, he's going to follow her again, except he might just be watching her a little more closely than before. ]
no subject
Over here... [LEADING HIM RIGHT ON TO IT.] If you board this... you'll be able to go back to the base soon, and it will be safer there.
[For her part, Mai doesn't seem inclined to get on just yet.]
no subject
Are you not coming? You should as well.
[ Unless there's something to do, then it's he who should be staying and she who should be going. ]
no subject
[She's delicate and not exactly suited to this sort of thing, but she's determined if nothing else.]
no subject
[ There's a very slight flick of his wrist, and his sword appears in his hand. It's to show that he's capable - though Mai might take it another way entirely. ]