March Intro: Head First

[subnauticmods]

≡U.R.S.U.L.A. NAVIGATION

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Arrival!

It was supposed to be a routine mission. Maybe you think you’ve been here for a bit or maybe you just arrived. Either way, you know there was supposed to be a completely normal underwater mission, probably just gathering resources, unless you just arrived, in which case welcome!

Unfortunately, somehow you’ve been dumped somewhere you shouldn’t be. A woman’s voice can be heard, robotic in tone with hints of emotion. That emotion mostly seems to be mild surprise.

"Life signs detected. Life forms are non-native to this planet. They... oh. Oh dear, I wasn’t prepared after all. Please refrain from dying for a moment. Your things are incoming."

Your eyes open underwater. At least you're near the surface. But the moment you break through you'll notice one thing: the ocean, stretching out for miles around you in all directions with no end in sight and only a very distant gleaming metal structure in the far distance. You're not alone but this surely isn't what you expected. In fact, you really can't understand how you managed to get from where you were to underwater so fast.

None of your belongings are with you save the clothing on your body. And the depths below you offer no comfort, the light engulfed before it can reach wherever the sea bottom is.

Somewhere, you hear a sound shaking through the water, like something between a whale and a foghorn.

No turning back now.

Prompts!

A: WHALE OF A TALE
As it turns out, there is hope for those who can't swim or get help from someone who can. Something emerges from the depths, a massive bed of coral that makes that strange sound, allowing people to climb on top of it. Of course, that bed of coral is actually the back of a massive creature that moves how it pleases and occasionally dives back down underwater.

There is a pod of them around the area calling to each other. They're friendly, or at least they don't seem to mind any poking or hangers on. But one of their long tendrils may still give you a good whack on accident.

If you’re really lucky you can probably ride one all the way back to the base. Wouldn’t that be a fantastic entrance?

B: HELP ARRIVES
At least, some assistance arrives. Strange little robots on propellers arrive fifteen or so minutes later, rushing to the scene carrying a floating bin of some sort. They drop it into the ocean and buzz excitedly around it in the hopes of luring people over.

Inside the bin are goggles, breathing devices and knives enough for the new arrivals. The knives have a compass on the hilt that has a marker for the direction of the base. One robot will play a helpful recording from the robotic woman for those getting their gear:

"Please deposit any articles of clothing getting in the way of swimming in the bin. We will be sure they arrive safely at the base. Do not try to swim in anything that will bog you down."

A pause.

"Swimming nude is not recommended. There can be... unpleasant issues. For future reference, please consult me before going on missions like this."

C: UNDER THE SEA
Of course, there's no reason to rush right to the base. This place is certainly beautiful in its own right and has a few caves to explore - watch those stingers hanging from the ceilings - with an abundance of strange and wonderful fish eager to either play with you or dart away as fast as possible. Of course there's plenty of Reefbacks still calling to each other and a large amount of floating rocks with Floaters attached.

D: MATING SEASON
On second thought, maybe heading to the base is a good idea. Occasionally you might see plumes of dust near the ocean floor. Exploring these is a very bad idea. The moment you get close, a Sand Shark will explode out of the sand, ready to attack. They range from five to eight feet in length and will pursue you without mercy. At least they give up if you get near the surface or hide in the right caves.

Unfortunately, it's mating season. That means dozens of them can appear at any time trying to court a female with acts of aggression and skill. And you really don't want to be in the middle of that.

E: HOME SWEET HOME
You did it! You made it to the base. You are probably dead tired by now having swam quite a long distance—or somehow riding a Reefback all the way here—and the sun is beginning to set. Upon arrival, URSULA will welcome you and give you a quick rundown of the lockers (where your personal items can be found, as safe as if you stored them there yourself) and the base's layout if you’re new. She will also recommend that you put on your communication device and settling in. She will then just as quickly apologise by saying that she must finish preparing the base for the others.

"Please give me a few days to finish retooling the base. Oh, I'm so excited. We're going to make a great team, I promise. And don't go back to that biome yet until mating season is over. Sand Sharks are... troublesome."

F: WILDCARD
The ocean is yours to explore! Maybe your characters will find places to take breaks. Maybe they'll start gathering things. Maybe they'll murder fish! Or maybe they'll get lost in the dark and take a rather long time to find the base. Or just crash the kitchen for some of that delicious fish, more fish and seaweed! It's all up to you!

See the Biomes page for the currently accessible areas or details on current wildlife and the Base page for all your base needs. Direct any questions and plotting to the OOC post and have fun!

BASED ON CODE BY TESSISAMESS AND SUPERSUITS

Comments

[octoroom]

[Oh no, she's one of those! Who can't blame others!!]

Not at all. [He's shaking his head.] You hold no responsibility for that.

[maserannas]

[ She looks in the direction he indicates, a beat late. It's... unsettling to have anyone with that many limbs coming closer. She has to wrestle with the suspicion that at any moment he'll turn out to be a demon having an amicable face and lo, there will be tentacle fights ensuing.

Hard to push past the suspicions, but better if she tries. Thus she doesn't pull her shield back into place, instead giving an exaggerated single nod of her head. ]

Thank you. Why come back out here?

[maserannas]

[ Ellana shot the small green woman a flat look, using her good arm to keep her above the waterline as she kicked off in the direction that more or less mimicked where the metal golems had gone.

Yes.

She is going to be able to move with that damaged arm, and isn't going to bother responding to that question. ]

[octoroom]

...At the very least, I doubt you will meet many like me here.

[He glances backward to the entrance, as if to look back out at the sea.]

[maserannas]

I think he'll be on the same fish diet as the rest of us. Coastal canines seem to do fine on such things.

[ So how are your netmaking skills, Cardia... ]

[maserannas]

[ She wants to laugh. It's funny: "were you with the Herald?" In a sense, she supposes she always has been, but the humour that might have been there with a few other of her friends is absent with Josephine. She jests, but not like this. It's an earnest inquiry.

Not to mention a headache, and the small frown that twitches her lips down at the corner clears as she breathes in, breathing out with a sigh. Her eyes close for a moment before she answers. ]

Yes, you could say that. Though if it's not too much to ask for one of the Inquisition's Advisors... might I ask what your thoughts were on their background? Before the Conclave, that is.

[ Redcliffe, one year into the future. A horrible reality seen to fruition. Leliana's words, berating them, how this was not real to them, but it was real for everyone who'd been living there. It was real. How many true realities, how many true futures, have been out there?

Solas, how much of what we see depends on how we were shown the truth of the realities we walk in? ]

... Skyhold's a lovely place. Drafty and in ruins, but it's been untouched for ages and still stands. That's enough of a miracle in and of itself.

[maserannas]

[ Mon Calamari. She doesn't say that sounds edible (... though it almost does) since that's an inappropriate response. Or at least one she'd expect out of a few of her close friends, and a fondness for them, on their own paths, fills her chest. There's more resolve behind her movements, but little more in strength. She's conserving what she can. ]

I was. I've never met one of your people before, Ibtisam. It is a pleasure, circumstances aside.

[ Tipping her head toward Ib, she adds: ]

I'm... Ellana. An elf.

[ Dalish, if she wanted to make a useless clarification; Ellana now, because she was always Ellana first. Lavellan would have been simple to call herself too, but there were parts of herself that were on hold in what looks to be a quest in getting back to her world, and to the place she belongs. Assisting "humanity" on this world does nothing for her or her people or her world, and its people. Who might also need to be her people, to an extent. (What an uncomfortable thought.) ]

[ruffledup]

[Maker's breath, she must have met some pretty nasty dogs.]

In that case, then... I am truly glad you found each other. [She lets herself grin now.] And that you are here, of all places, together as well.

[ruffledup]

[Better designed, even if she is older...

Well, that certainly says some interesting things about this place compared to where she's from.

Certainly even more interesting if Josephine knew even the first thing about all of this technology. Well.]

Perhaps she came here the same way you did then. I do not quite understand it all yet, of course, but I see no reason why we all have to have come here alone.

[undyingly]

That makes sense, I guess. So we're pretty much on our own.

[Shiro has no idea how to scavenge in the ocean. This will all be a learning experience for him. But hey, maybe his new octopal can give him some pointers.]

We could go looking for some! I mean, that's a big part of how we're going to have to get by here, right? Exploring and seeing what we can find?

[undyingly]

That's true too.

[A thoughtful purse of his lips as he looks around.] I don't see any sign of much of anything. Though in the middle of the open ocean, it's hard to even know which direction would be best.

[Really limited. Shiro supposes he could go higher and take a look, but he's almost afraid to try for fear that he won't see anything even up above.]

[undyingly]

What were you trying to find?

[It's probably a prying question, but Shiro wonders if it's related at all to this place. It's worrying that this girl didn't mean to wind up here. Shiro expected to be somewhere strange, just, he expected a much easier arrival than getting dropped into the open ocean with no explanation or supplies or much of anything.]

[octoroom]

...Yes. That's right.

[So it would seem, at least. How this will help this ocean... he has yet to seen, but he supposes he will give it time.

Sorry he's not very chatty, Shiro. He's a quiet octopus.]

[sunsetundersea]

[It's really obvious when humans watch things closely, too... Ibtisam works, bathed in the slight smug feeling that she's better-designed.

R2-KD appreciates the attention and makes a series of chirps and whistles intended to convey bravery in a concerning situation. Ibtisam expects that if the droid was Roderic's it would rapidly become spoiled.]

It's better to do this quickly. She'll be fine! Don't worry, I know where the base is.]

[Ibtisam takes hold of one of the lines of kelp and sculls over to one side, clearly intending him to take the other so they can suspend the droid between them. R2-KD would, given its own inclinations, wail when lifted up, but while it does enjoy the attention it's not actually alarmed and would indeed like to leave this place. Plus, Ibtisam's not fond of cowardice, and it would rather please her.]

[sunsetundersea]

I came here in a shuttle and I don't think she was with me. [She says it confidently, but has a flash of doubt. The situation is definitely stranger than it should be, if she's here to recuperate... plus if her astromech was repairable after that crash, they should either have been kept together, or more likely the droid should have been reassigned. Hm.

A wave lifts her up a bit and slaps gently at the container of items. She can worry about these things later.]

My name's Ibtisam, by the way.

[ruffledup]

If we traveled far enough to find land, perhaps. [It's said in a light tone, though in truth she really has no idea whether she believes they'd find land anytime soon.

She makes herself focus on that other part right after though, inclining her head slightly.]

A pleasure to meet you, of course. My name is Josephine Montilyet and... [Gosh, she wouldn't be so undignified as to look sheepish in front of a stranger in a new, strange place.

But she totally looks just the slightest bit sheepish. No pun intended.]

I am not from a small village, precisely, and... I cannot say I have raised any livestock, but none of this exists where I am from either. All of this... [Maker, what to even call all of this?] ...All of this technology is unfamiliar to me as well.

[sunsetundersea]

[Looking at the woman's eyes, the cast of her small face and the positions of the two strips of fur over her eyes, Ibtisam guesses she's thinking of something elsewhere. Mon Calamari expressions are largely very different, but she's had a lot to do with humans and near-humans.]

Well, I guess it's not too surprising. We move in very different spheres! I met someone who had no idea what droids were, after all.

[maserannas]

[ The hair on her face quirked up, the term being casually tossed her way unfamiliar. She makes herself keep the rhythm she's found, anticipating cool air on wet skin. Standing above the surface, simply because she could. ]

I don't find that term familiar. So I suppose that's at least two who've not heard about a droid, then. ... What is a droid?

[sunsetundersea]

Oh no, not you too! [Ibtisam turns the corners of her mouth up in a good approximation of a smile, a learned behavior. Her 'voice' is brightly amused.]

Robots? Metal devices that move and do things for you. Oh, we're getting closer, I should keep an eye open.

[With easy grace Ibtisam turns over in the water to face front again. The seafloor here is stepped and riddled with caves and columns, coral and plants growing all over. Fish flicker around, though so far it seems like they are content not to interfere.

Ibtisam heads for a particularly large stone archway, which has caught quite a lot of sand up top against some coral shelves growing on it. It's not dry land - the little bit of sand exposed to the air is lapped by small waves and footprints quickly fill with water - but it's about as close as it comes around here.]

[imsorey]

Earth sounds familiar...

[He's thinking of the ground though, not the planet]

Can't say I've heard of England though.

[undyingly]

I think you might have a leg up on that. ...or about eight legs up on it even!

[HAHA. Shiro is the funniest. Just ask him. But he means it seriously.] If you have any pointers, I'd really like to hear them. This is all really new to me.

[Really new to him.]

[imsorey]

[He heaves a heavy sigh.]

This is a pretty big pinch, huh. There's got to be boats on the ocean, right? Or somewhere with people. Something that brought us here, at least.

[octoroom]

[Oh my god, Shiro. Fukami just gives him a look as if to say just what, exactly, he thinks about that pun. It's not good.]

...Unfortunately, I don't know how well anything I know applies to humans.

[Non-breathing underwater humans.]

[undyingly]

It definitely is.

[Shiro frowns. He stands up -- precariously on the reefback really.] I can take a look. Maybe I can catch sight of something.

[A faintly sheepish smile.] Please excuse me just a moment. [A faint silver glow gathers around Shiro and he's lifting upwards, easily levitating himself straight up and up and up until he gets a better view to look at...

Nothing. More water. Lots more water.]

[oneandmikleonly]

I wasn't scared...!

[HE WAS JUST ALARMED, THAT'S A TOTALLY DIFFERENT EMOTION]

C-can we talk about something else?