March Intro: Head First

[subnauticmods]

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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

[upcard]

[It would be really nice if everyone ended up being friends... Mai doesn't know if that will happen either, BUT SHE SURE HOPES SO.]

I think so too... I think that...even if we're all a little confused right now, at least we can all work together to help each other. And--a lot of people have helped me so far, so I think there are good people here.

[imsorey]

There's a lot of good people here, right?

[He's all but sparkling at the topic, happy that they've managed to meet so many friendly folks in their first day of arriving.]

Everyone I've met has been really nice too. Or, nice in their own way. Even if URSULA isn't sure how to give us answers, we can probably find them together.

[upcard]

There are... I'm really grateful to everyone for helping me so far.

[Because heaven knows she'd be dead if not for them.]

And... you seem really nice too, Sorey-san.

[imsorey]

Aw, jeez, I'm gonna get embarrassed if you say stuff like that.

[At least he doesn't come off like a jerk, he'd hate to be scaring the poor girl either.]

[upcard]

Oh...! I'm sorry if I embarrassed you.

[She didn't mean to... she just can't help her urge to be a total open book.]

But I really mean it. It's...a scary situation, but seeing your smile, I felt a little bit better...and safer.

[imsorey]

It's not a bad thing, I just--

[He tries to put the feeling into words, can't come to a decision on how to phrase it, and just gives a little shrug instead.]

I'm glad if it can make you feel better though. I know we just met and all, but I was a little worried about you. Most people would be pretty scared going through this, but you've been holding up really well.

[upcard]

[Little shrugs are fine; she'll move on with the topic shift when he does.]

Oh... thank you for worrying for me. [She ducks her head a little, both because she's touched and she's embarrassed.] I know that... I'm not really very good at this sort of thing. [ANY OF...THIS....] ...but I'll so my best so you don't have to worry.

[imsorey]

I didn't mean it in a bad way. Friends are there to help each other out!

[upcard]

Oh... you're right, of course. I'd like to be friends, Sorey-san.

[So that makes her happy...]

Let's work together to help everyone if we can...okay?

[imsorey]

[He already considers them friends, so it makes him glad that she seems to feel the same way!!]

I plan on it. --Oh, do you want to take a look around? We might be able to find something useful.

[upcard]

Okay...!

[Despite herself, she is curious; this is all brand new to her, of course. So she can't quite help the curiosity.]

I haven't gone this way yet... do you mind coming with me? I mean, if that's okay...!

[imsorey]

[Eager to explore, he's quick to take her up on the offer; he did suggest it, after all.]

I'd love to! I still don't know what this place has to offer, so we might as well find out together. How about this way?

[He picks a direction--the first hallway that he can find, really, and heads down it.]

[upcard]

[Down the hall they go! Mai is not going to argue that, honestly; it seems as good a way to go as any, and she feels both better and safer for the company.]

It all seems really mysterious, doesn't it? I've never been...anywhere like this. [Obviously.]

It's amazing to be in the ocean like this.

[imsorey]

I've never been anywhere like this either. The technology is completely different from what I'm used to.

[Pausing briefly before they take another turn to look up and around them, at all of the water and sea life outside of the base.]

Living underwater is different too. Maybe we can find a beach nearby, so we can go up every once in a while.

[upcard]

Oh, that would be so lovely!

[Beach episode, beach episode.]

I think it's beautiful down here, but... I think I'd miss the sun a little if we were down here forever...

[imsorey]

[He's so ready for beach episode.]

Yeah, you can't really see too much light from down here, even during the day. It's pitch black once the sun goes down.

[Especially when most of the light is coming from the base itself.]

[upcard]

[That is the cutest inflatable thing I've ever seen]

It's... a little scary like that.

[She's not entirely afraid of the dark, but there's something different about the cold, dark ocean that changes everything.]

But I guess...so long as we're in here, we're safe.

[imsorey]

It's...intimidating, that's for sure.

[He doesn't want to say it's scary, because it isn't quite that to him. But it is strange and big and open and dark, which is more than enough to leave him feeling unsettled.]

I'm pretty confident that we'll be okay in here, though. I find it hard to believe URSULA would let us sleep someplace unsafe, not when she wants us to be able to help out.

[upcard]

[He's braver than she is, that's for sure--but that's nothing new. If anything, she can take comfort from his confidence.]

Right... I think so too. It's nice of them to make sure we have a safe place to live like this.

[Sure, Mai, whatever you say.]

It's, um... [She's searching for a nice adjective, give her a moment. .......................] ... M-maybe we can make it more homey...?

[imsorey]

[He contemplates that seriously; if it puts people at ease to have the place look more lived-in, then there's no reason they shouldn't do just that.]

I'd be fine with homey. But what would make it seem homey to you?

[Pictures? Books from home? Personal belongings?]

If we have an idea of where to start we can get supplies, I guess.

[upcard]

Well... it's a little...metallic, right? What if we had... things like pictures on the walls, and rugs on the floors? Or bookshelves for books and things... just...!

Things that would make it look a little more lived in might be nice, don't you think?

[She wants this place to be welcoming to everyone if they're going to be living here.]

[imsorey]

[At the mention of bookshelves for books he does get pretty interested.]

Do you think we could get bookshelves? That would be perfect! I wonder if there's a way to read books from other worlds. Wouldn't it be great to share them? I think that would make this place feel more comfortable.

[upcard]

[She looks a little relieved when he perks up at one of her suggestions, but she's quick to nod as well. BOOKS.]

I think so too. Um... building bookshelves probably wouldn't be...too hard, if we could find materials, but...

[...]

I'm not sure where we would find books down here.

[imsorey]

Oh.

[He is just now realizing the lack of books is a hindrance to their plan and his face falls a bit. Foiled.]

Even if we did have some, it would be pretty hard to get them down here without getting them wet.

[upcard]

[Oh no, Sorey, don't look sad.]

Um...! But I'm sure there must be some way for us to get books! Even if...just writing our own stories down or something, we'll figure out something so...please don't worry!

I'm sure we can come up with something.