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!
[ Oh, if she's clapping for him then maybe it wasn't so bad... He waves a hand modestly, his mood instantly brightening. ]
It's a common toy, actually. Rubik's Cubes are the top-selling puzzle on Earth. It's true that many people consider it a measure of intelligence, but anyone can do it once they've memorized certain conditions and combinations.
Oh, I should practice it then. It seems like something you could pull out and impress people with. Or at least cheer them up.
[She imagines some of the children back home would certainly enjoy seeing it solved quickly. It's like a party trick.]
Oh! Oh, no, my manners. I forgot them again. I'm Merrill. I don't really know if I'm supposed to be here but I think I'm here for a reason. Probably. [A little embarrassed.] It probably doesn't have to do with toys but there's no harm in them.
Ah, well, my Eluvian... it's a sort of magic mirror, it started working and I saw this place and I was so enchanted that I touched the mirror and sort of... fell in.
[It's embarrassing. After all the care she took with the mirror, she just falls in like an idiot.]
But I believe that if it showed me this place, there's a reason we're needed here.
[Ponderer of Puzzles. Oh, she likes that title. She'll have to remember it.]
Oh, well! There's a lot I can do... [She hesitates. Well, he's a child, he might not be too upset about it.] ...I'm a mage and I was a Dalish First, so I do think I have a lot to offer. And I did fix the Eluvian. Somehow. I'm still thinking on that one but I'm not stupid.
[Good thing she can't hear that. She'd be offended! Well she would if she knew what a danish was...]
You don't know? That's... well, a little odd. [Though refreshing in its own way. Imagine that, someone with no preconceptions.]
We call ourselves elvhen, though most people just call us elves. Or something nasty but there's no reason to mention those words. A Dalish Elf is one who belongs to one of the wandering clans. A First is next in line for the Keeper, the leader of the clan. It means I'm privy to special magic and knowledge of our heritage. I'm not the First of my clan anymore... [She hesitates but then she smiles.] I live in a city now. Or, well, I was in a city a little bit ago. Now I'm here! Wherever here is.
Oh! And these markings on my face? [She gestures to the intricate tattoo on her face.] They're call vallaslin. It means blood-writing. It's something almost every Dalish elf has. So if you see that, you're speaking to one of the Dalish.
[ She did seem reminiscent of a modern fantasy elf, much less the kind he's familiar with. Quite unexpected... but he won't deny that this is her truth. Even he learns something new every day... ]
On Earth, elves are commonly regarded as mythical, exalted beings with wisdom and beauty far beyond mortal beings. I'm a little surprised to hear that you'd be called something derogatory.
[That surprises her just as much.] Really? Oh my... that certainly would be an interesting change. Then my job would be much easier I imagine. But oh, no, we are... definitely looked down upon. Mostly slaves and servants, if you live in the city. If you don't, like I used to, you travel with your clan. You keep away from humans. I met humans only one before in my life before I met my friends. A long time ago, there was a war. Humans tried to kill us all. We lost but we survived. We've always survived.
[ He can't say it's a new story where humanity is involved, but it's sad nonetheless. ]
For what it's worth, I think Earth's description fits you far better than anything the humans of your land might have said. I'm certain everyone else here will agree.
[ He smiles at the understatement. The memory is still fresh and very raw. ]
I upset someone very badly. So badly that he saw fit to upset me tenfold before my crime could even be committed. We came to a head, and now I'm here to serve penance for the evil I wrought.
[ But he is perfectly accepting. Being so accepting is probably what dug him into this hole in the first place. ]
[Merrill falls silent. He seemed like a normal child at first, if maybe a bit precocious. But she has a feeling he's seen so much more than any child should. She puts her hands in her lap, looking down slightly.]
...Then I guess... I'm also here for community service. I did some very terrible, selfish things. And I don't even regret them entirely. Maybe that's the worst part. But it doesn't change what happened because of me. That I do regret. But if I keep regretting, then I won't be able to do anything to make up for the fact that I'm still here.
[She hesitates before putting a hand on his arm.] I don't know what you did but you can help now. I'm sure you can.
[ He looks at that hand on his arm, recognizing her difficulty, before smiling more genuinely up at her. She's really quite kind-hearted, isn't she? ]
I couldn't have said it better myself. Living with regret is no way to live at all! Let's do the best with what we're given.
[ Whatever she's done, he'll give her the benefit of the doubt. It's only right for an unexpectedly kindred spirit. ]
Which reminds me. I'll give you a bit of homework. [ He begins to mercilessly shuffle the Rubik's Cube back into chaos. ] If you can get one face of this cube to be all the same color, I'll teach you how to solve the rest of it.
[It cheers her up, to see him smile that way. Whatever burdens he carries, she's sure he can make up for them. They have to. That's all there is to it.]
Oh! Then I'll work on it. [She wonders if there's anything she can do in return for him.] Well, the only thing I'm really good at is Dalish lore and magic, so if you ever have need for those, well, I'm here!
[ Not Dalish, of course, since he didn't know the Dalish existed until a couple minutes ago. BUT. It never hurts to learn something new. Oh, and he hands her back her cube. ]
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subnautica2016-05-01 12:35 am
no subject
It's a common toy, actually. Rubik's Cubes are the top-selling puzzle on Earth. It's true that many people consider it a measure of intelligence, but anyone can do it once they've memorized certain conditions and combinations.
no subject
[She imagines some of the children back home would certainly enjoy seeing it solved quickly. It's like a party trick.]
Oh! Oh, no, my manners. I forgot them again. I'm Merrill. I don't really know if I'm supposed to be here but I think I'm here for a reason. Probably. [A little embarrassed.] It probably doesn't have to do with toys but there's no harm in them.
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[It's embarrassing. After all the care she took with the mirror, she just falls in like an idiot.]
But I believe that if it showed me this place, there's a reason we're needed here.
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[ He's never heard of such an Eluvian anything, but he doesn't disbelieve it. Things like fate always like to meddle with people's lives. ]
So, Merrill, ponderer of puzzles, what do you have to offer a place that might need you?
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Oh, well! There's a lot I can do... [She hesitates. Well, he's a child, he might not be too upset about it.] ...I'm a mage and I was a Dalish First, so I do think I have a lot to offer. And I did fix the Eluvian. Somehow. I'm still thinking on that one but I'm not stupid.
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What's a Dalish?
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You don't know? That's... well, a little odd. [Though refreshing in its own way. Imagine that, someone with no preconceptions.]
We call ourselves elvhen, though most people just call us elves. Or something nasty but there's no reason to mention those words. A Dalish Elf is one who belongs to one of the wandering clans. A First is next in line for the Keeper, the leader of the clan. It means I'm privy to special magic and knowledge of our heritage. I'm not the First of my clan anymore... [She hesitates but then she smiles.] I live in a city now. Or, well, I was in a city a little bit ago. Now I'm here! Wherever here is.
Oh! And these markings on my face? [She gestures to the intricate tattoo on her face.] They're call vallaslin. It means blood-writing. It's something almost every Dalish elf has. So if you see that, you're speaking to one of the Dalish.
no subject
[ She did seem reminiscent of a modern fantasy elf, much less the kind he's familiar with. Quite unexpected... but he won't deny that this is her truth. Even he learns something new every day... ]
On Earth, elves are commonly regarded as mythical, exalted beings with wisdom and beauty far beyond mortal beings. I'm a little surprised to hear that you'd be called something derogatory.
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For what it's worth, I think Earth's description fits you far better than anything the humans of your land might have said. I'm certain everyone else here will agree.
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Aren't you a little flatterer? Well, I appreciate it. Though, since you mentioned it earlier, why do you think you're here, Loki?
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In simple terms, you could say I was sent here for community service?
[ Extremely involuntary, institutionally correctional community service?? ]
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Community service...? Did you upset someone?
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I upset someone very badly. So badly that he saw fit to upset me tenfold before my crime could even be committed. We came to a head, and now I'm here to serve penance for the evil I wrought.
[ But he is perfectly accepting. Being so accepting is probably what dug him into this hole in the first place. ]
no subject
...Then I guess... I'm also here for community service. I did some very terrible, selfish things. And I don't even regret them entirely. Maybe that's the worst part. But it doesn't change what happened because of me. That I do regret. But if I keep regretting, then I won't be able to do anything to make up for the fact that I'm still here.
[She hesitates before putting a hand on his arm.] I don't know what you did but you can help now. I'm sure you can.
no subject
I couldn't have said it better myself. Living with regret is no way to live at all! Let's do the best with what we're given.
[ Whatever she's done, he'll give her the benefit of the doubt. It's only right for an unexpectedly kindred spirit. ]
Which reminds me. I'll give you a bit of homework. [ He begins to mercilessly shuffle the Rubik's Cube back into chaos. ] If you can get one face of this cube to be all the same color, I'll teach you how to solve the rest of it.
no subject
Oh! Then I'll work on it. [She wonders if there's anything she can do in return for him.] Well, the only thing I'm really good at is Dalish lore and magic, so if you ever have need for those, well, I'm here!
no subject
[ Not Dalish, of course, since he didn't know the Dalish existed until a couple minutes ago. BUT. It never hurts to learn something new. Oh, and he hands her back her cube. ]
What is Dalish magic like?