subnautica | March Intro: Head First

March Intro: Head First

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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

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I understand, of course. Even if it is only a game, it still will not do for them to be on their own in a place like this...

[She frowns a little.] I do hope they are looking for you as well. It would make everything much easier for... all of you.

[ they are very capable young assassins, but he agrees nonetheless. All he can do is hope they have a better idea of what's going on than he does - because he sure is confused. And he's not confused often. ]

Yes, it would. [ they're probably looking for him either way. ] Are you on your own in a place like this, Miss Montilyet?

It seems that way. I've yet to see anyone else I know here. [Josephine smiles now. Well. This is the time to look unconcerned and put together.] That's all right though. I can take care of myself.

[Just don't make her fight anyone, all right]

Mu. I'm surprised! This is a pretty serious assignment to take on all by yourself. You must be an accomplished agent.

[ he's under the impression that this is all a government secret, and they're all on their own special missions here. Most of which probably end with his death. He gives her a sidelong stare, seeming almost mischievous. ]

An assassin, perhaps...?

[--Oh. Oh. Oh, Maker no. How did he get that idea?

She quickly shakes her head, looking just the slightest bit alarmed.]

No, no, certainly not. I am an ambassador. A diplomat. I am not an assassin, by any means.

[Gosh, it's her friends that are assassins.]

[ listen it's a reasonable assumption under his circumstances. not that she knows them. Her alarm-slash-offense is also reasonable, and Korosensei briefly remembers that assassination is normally not something talked about so cheerfully. ]

Oh! A diplomat! Yes! Right, right! That makes much more sense! We wouldn't want to assassinate our new alien friends, after all!

Yes. Yes, of course. I'd rather talk to them. Try to establish some sort of rapport, you see. That would be preferable to... any sort of drastic action.

[Please no one try to kill the ocean aliens yet. Her best friend is always trying to kill everyone already and she's not even here!!]

Of course! [ boy he sounds like a weirdo. somewhat nervously, he taps his suckers together, back to being awkward. ]

My situation at home could be called stormy, so it's in my best interests to expect dangerous people around every corner. I didn't mean any offense... If you were an assassin, I'm sure you'd be a very good one! But it's better that you aren't.

[She'll. Refrain from mentioning how she kind of almost was one. Kind of. Yes. Best not to mention that.]

No, no, it's... It's quite all right. Think nothing of it. I may not be an assassin myself, but I do understand what it is like to expect others to be dangerous. I am simply accustomed to... a different sort of danger, perhaps.

[A pause.] I suppose I do know some assassins anyway.

[ he wouldn't judge her... he has no right to, really. ]

I certainly hope that any danger you face is different! Although if you know assassins, maybe not... You must be quite deeply embedded in politics to have connections to people like that. And to speak about them openly, too!

[ if only karma and terasaka could meet her. maybe she'd give them an internship... ]

What country do you represent, if you don't mind me asking?

[HE'S... not wrong. Huh. Good job, tentacle monster man.]

You're right, of course. I've spent quite some time... enmeshed in politics.

I used to represent my homeland of Antiva, but at the moment... Well. I do not exactly represent any particular country right now. [A short, quiet laugh.] I am currently with the Inquisition. Though I do not know if news of it have reached this far...

[She doubts it. Wouldn't they be doing something about Corypheus if they knew anything about Thedas??]

Edited (typosssssss...) 2016-04-08 02:45 (UTC)

[ despite everything, he's exceptionally savvy. especially when it comes to assassins. Korosensei nods his head with a few hums of acknowledgement, although, really, he doesn't recognize any of the names she's throwing out. And, considering his near-encyclopedic knowledge, he's pretty sure he's not just forgetting some little territory. ]

Hmmm... I can't say that news of it has reached me. Where is Antiva, exactly?

[ an inquisition doesn't sound like great news, but neither does discussing religious conquest with one of its believers, so he'll avoid that topic for now... ]

[She frowns slightly.

It basically does confirm her suspicions, but it is still a little disconcerting to meet someone with no idea of where her homeland is.]

It is a coastal nation in northeastern Thedas. But if you have never heard of Antiva, then... Ah, I suppose you haven't heard of Thedas either then, have you? I can only imagine we must be quite far from where you are from.

[She says it very carefully. Best not imply anything negative about him not knowing, after all.]

Edited 2016-04-16 03:19 (UTC)

I have not.

[ he folds his fingers together. Things are beginning to click together in a fairly unpleasant way here. The other people at the base had seemed suspicious already, and they're only getting weirder... But he can't jump to conclusions. Fortunately, he has a good way to test his idea. ]

This may sound like an odd question, but could you tell me what the moon looks like in Thedas?

[She pauses. What a strange question. Wouldn't they be looking at the same moons, no matter how far apart they are from each other?]

Silver, of course. And... round, I suppose. But that is hardly strange, is it?

No, that's quite normal. Which is exactly the point.

[ normally, he'd be thinking along the same lines she is, except... ]

The moon that I know has been turned into a permanent crescent shape. Three quarters of it were blown up. In other words, you and I aren't even from the same planet, let alone the same country.

[She pauses.

Oh.]

I... I see. [A short huff of a laugh.] This is... quite difficult to believe. [A beat.] Though I do believe you are telling the truth, of course.

I'd no doubt you were not even from the same continent as me, but... I had never considered a different planet altogether.

[They barely know about anything outside their continent where she's from, okay...!]

[ it makes her uncomfortable - he can see that much. Not that he blames her. If he wasn't so used to dealing with the worst life can throw at him, he'd probably be more shocked, too. ]

Nyu? Then where do you think you are now? Weren't you informed of where you were going before your arrival?

Not at all. I'm afraid my coming here was... somewhat of an accident.

[A pause. How can she explain without sounding ridiculous...] ...I was separated from my group, you see, before waking up here. I... had no idea at all I would come to be here. All I know, I have learned here.

[She frowns, thoughtful.] You knew you would be coming here.

[ finally, his expression seems to change somewhat into something more troubled. ]

Yes, I was. As a matter of fact, I came here of my own volition. [ now this is getting unsettling. ] But the rest of my group is missing, as I said. You just woke up here with no explanation?

[She nods, brow furrowing. Well. She'd begun to suspect as much, but this is still... very strange, to say the least. Why would some of them know, but not others?]

I was rather disoriented before coming to be here. But I do not believe I would have missed some kind of explanation while still in Thedas.

If I may ask, how did you receive an explanation?

I was told prior to coming here what was happening. As I understood it, this is a top-secret government expedition to another planet...

[ a hum. ]

However, that's beginning to sound very unlikely.

[There's a pause before Josephine speaks again.]

I see. I... No. [She shakes her head now.] No, I do not believe it is very likely. At least... not in any way that involved my being here as well.

[And. Well.] I had not been aware traveling to other planets was possible in the first place.

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March Intro: Head First

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SORRY dumb popup window thing

it's okay!!