Test Dive #1

[subnauticmods]

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TEST DIVE MEME


For information about the animals and locations, be sure to check out the BIOME and BASE pages!

A1: Go Fish
You! Yes, you! Your friendly neighbourhood AI has a task she would like to encourage YOU to do! After all, you can’t forget the most important fact: you’re here to make the planet habitable. Which means cataloguing, capturing and studying potential threats to anyone’s life. That includes a swarm of Stalkers that have been hanging around the waters awfully near the base, which presents a perfect research opportunity! At least, URSULA seems to think so.

Don’t go in willy-nilly waving your knife around, though. URSULA doesn’t want you to bring in tonight’s Sashimi Surprise™, she wants you to bring in a Stalker that’s still kicking. Which means you have to capture a live one. So hold back your crazy power or trigger-happy instincts!

How will you take one in alive without ending up dead yourself? You could go in the brute-force way, slamming its jaws shut and bagging it, though it’s pretty strong itself… or you could be a bit more cunning, taming it with bait or giving it shiny metal salvage to play with before luring it into a tank to bring it into the base. You might want to get a helping hand with this task, since it’s not exactly an easy one-man job.

A2: Go With Fish
So, now you’ve got a live and very disgruntled Stalker on your hands! Hopefully, said hands don’t have to be amputated (it’s okay if they have to though, URSULA will fix it. Try not to watch the nanites go). What do you do with it? You could keep it as a pet and observe its growth! You could dissect it and study its anatomy! Or you could… eat it. (After going through all the effort to bring it in alive?!)

B: The Abysmal Sea
You’re stranded.

One of the planet’s troublesome signal-interfering pulses has just made your communication devices 100% nonfunctional. No matter how you try to call URSULA for help, she isn’t able to respond. The database strapped to your wrist is just a useless chunk of metal now, leaving you without a useful library of knowledge to survive off. If you were driving any underwater vehicle prior to this point, it’s broken down. And unless you’re a mechanic, it’ll be pretty hard to get it jumpstarted again.

Don’t fret! The communication systems always come online eventually, so if you stay put, it’ll boot back up and give you directions straight back to base so you can finally get home. But can you really afford to stay put? The sunlight’s slowly streaming out of the sky, leaving the waters darker and darker with each passing second. Soon, you won’t be able to see five feet in front of you, and the only warning you’ll get of any approaching threat is through sound, if they even make any.

You have a few choices: take a daring risk and try swimming back to base, but on the off-chance you don’t remember the directions correctly from before you were cut off, you’re going to get even more lost, in the darkness of the night no less. Or, you could huddle in, with any friends if they were unfortunate enough to be with you, and start focusing on getting warm. Because spending the night out here in the vast oceans with the entire world against you is becoming a very, very real possibility.

C: It’s dangerous to go alone. Take them!
URSULA’s technology is breathtaking. With enough materials, she could make practically anything: weapons, vehicles, all those human comforts and entertainments she forgot to build... or perhaps she could expand the base to give everyone even more leg room. But there’s a catch: you need to get those materials to her in the first place, and scavenging can be a monumental task.

The planet Iniidae has a plethora of materials to provide, but you’ve got to go find them first. Some are easy enough to get, by plucking off the ground or breaking a rock. But some are a bit more challenging, such as Crash Powder, seeing that the Crash defending it will literally explode in your face if you get too close. And then there’s materials such as Blood Oil, only harvestable within the Blood Kelp Caves several hundred meters underwater in the pitch-black darkness… remember, you have to gather resources with your two bare hands. No such thing as driving around and conveniently collecting them within the somewhat-relative safety of an armored vehicle.

Since it’s so dangerous to go alone, URSULA will encourage you all to leave the base in pairs or groups if you’re going to try collecting some of the more precarious materials to harvest. She has heard that most lifeforms find being reconstituted from nanites traumatic, so try not to die in front of each other!

D: Hide and Seek Help
URSULA knows that everyone needs downtime, and no one can go salvaging or gathering specimens all the time. So what do you do for fun on an alien ocean planet when the AI who made your base forgot to make any kind of entertainment room?

Why, play hide-and-seek, of course! There’s a lot of places to hide away from others, and it’s challenging to find anyone. (Sometimes, too challenging to find them… ever… but that’s not the point.) The area around the base and submarine is relatively safe, so anyone can hide away in a coral structure or a cave, and telepathy makes it easy to taunt your seekers without revealing where you are.

Of course, you may encounter a Bone Shark or even a stray Stalker, and you won’t have time to get away or even scream as it attacks you, but hey. What other way to make hide-and-seek more thrilling than to turn it into hide-and-hope-you-get-found-as-you-shout-for-help-to-anyone-who-can-hear-your-telepathy?

E: Toilet Humor
Really, it was bound to happen eventually. Someone's in the bathroom observatory, doing their 'business', and someone is trying very hard to catch a fish for dinner outside. Your eyes meet. Someone has literally been caught with their pants down.

And in that moment your telepathy goes a little wonky, because it's good to have open communication about this incident.

F: The Caverns of Dream
The ocean calls you. Of course, it's much easier to dismiss it as nightmares. You'll probably think that's all it is after you have them. Flashes of screaming sea creatures writhing in agony, pleading for help, but these creatures can't ask for help, can they? Something huge, beyond the scope of imagination, moves in the ocean of your dreams and calls out to you to go deeper into the darkness. It pleads and begs but not with a voice you can hear or words you can understand.

You wake up in a sweat with the unrelenting desire to take a swim, even though it's late and everyone is asleep. Or maybe someone else just had the same nightmare as you? Are you willing to take a swim and try to understand the dream?

BASED ON CODE BY TESSISAMESS AND SUPERSUITS

Comments

[undyingly]

Hmm? Ah... maybe that's why!

[It all makes sense now. Shiro laughs lightly enough, before his expression grows a bit more seriously.] Really though, this name is a longer story than that. But I like it, what it means.

[Not it's definition, just the person he became when it was given to him. ...but oh hey underwater. Let him find his breather thing.

Where'd he put it.

Damn it.

OH. Good. Thank goodness.] In goes the breather, under goes the Shiro.

Damian Wayne | DCnU

[exitiosus]

C

( Most people might be worried about the idea of having to swim around in the dark to harvest usable materials. But Damian isn't. He's sitting and adjusting the flippers on his feet before doing the same to the gloves and brass knuckles on the small hands.

Once he's done, he rolls smoothly onto his feet in silence and takes his breathing apparatus in hand. He examines it briefly before lowering his hand to his side and putting his free hand on the googles already neatly perched on his forehead, ready to use. )

Come on. ( He finally acknowledges his companion not far from him, turns an expectant stare on them. The look doesn't last before he starts for the exit, not bothering to wait. )

F

( It's quiet in the base, and Damian fades seamlessly into the silent darkness as he moves. His motions are soundless even in his flippers, carrying him through empty halls with his attention fixed on the walls as he moves, seeking something in the water. In one hand, he holds his breathing apparatus and in the other, a golden utility belt dangles, swaying silently like every other motion he makes.

He lingers just outside the observatory, leaning one shoulder against the wall as his mind replays the bits and pieces he can remember of the dream. It reminds him of the nightmares he's had more than once - ones of dying or losing his father or some of the others. Of facing cruel fates at the hands of every person he's ever put into the ground. But this is different, like he can change something.

Damian stares out through the walls of the observatory before shifting his belongings into one hand and putting his now free hand on the goggles on his forehead. )

[octoroom]

What does it mean?

[Fukami asks him-- not verbally this time. Hard to do when they're underwater. At least, hard for land-dwelling peoples to do. Fukami could speak but it's likely Shiro wouldn't be able to understand.

So, therefore... Telepathy time.]

[octoroom]

Yes. That would be best.

...I wouldn't advise starting now.

[Fukami doesn't know that he'd like to hear her mental notes. It's gotten too dark around them to take really good ones about their surroundings anyway.]

[octoroom]

I see.

[Fukami folds his arms, lifting one of his shoulders in a small shrug.] Well, I suppose you will see whether or not they will give you a worthwhile reward.

[livingsymbol]

[Well, he can't say he normally knows when fish are suffering, so Steve doesn't argue that point, but he did feel something. He was woken up through a bizarre nightmare and he believes that something more is going on even if he doesn't know what that something is yet. If Arthur thinks something is wrong too, then it must be a sign. But even he doesn't seem sure of what is happening.]

All the more reason not to set out alone. I'm coming with you.

[Two heroes are better than one. If they are going out to help people, it is better to have the extra hands.]

[fascists]

[Rude! Ollie gives Arthur a hard look, which comes off less stern because of the breathing apparatus he needs. Some of them can't just breathe in the ocean like Arthur can. He's determined to show the Atlantean king he can handle himself off of the surface too.]

Once we get this thing running again, let's see how far out we can go. They want new species? We'll find them something big.

[Ollie, you were supposed to be fixing it to bring the sub back to base.]

f.

[forsage]

-Fuck. Little warning next time for us faint of hearts, yeah?

[ roderic clutched at his chest, trying to calm the erratic beating of his heart after he had turned around, ready to leave and maybe try and get some shuteye, when he noticed that something was just outside.

it's one way to spook someone awake and keep them from feeling sleepy anyone that's for sure. it takes him a few good seconds to realise that it was someone instead. that helped definitely helped rid him of the bright light in his eyes that was the look of a man trying to find the nearest thing that could be used as a weapon.

he also realised that he really needs to cut back on his smoking if he felt like this could knock the wind out of him. he could almost hear lie's voice now and it was the last one he wanted to hear. present, pyre. focus on the present. ]

Um- Hi. Hey there. [ since he no longer needed to clutch his chest, he raised one hand and gave a friendly-enough wave the new face. it seemed like heading on over to these parts was starting to become a popular hobby for the others. roderic wasn't going to get territorial about it but it made him wonder. ] You here for the view, I reckon?

[exitiosus]

( For however brief the look is in the man's eyes, Damian sees it. Recognizes it. His eyes narrow sharply, and his grip on the items in his hand tighten - hard enough that his gloves creak and let the light catch the brass knuckles secured on his hands as he straightens so he's no longer leaning against the wall.

Normally, that was a reason to go on the defensive and attack. But just as quickly as he'd seen that look, it vanishes. Still, Damian doesn't relax or return the wave. )

You're jumpy. ( Is the greeting he offers instead, his voice mocking. His expression shifts as steps forward and fully into the room, giving the man a view of a smirk that curls one corner of his lips. He moves just as quietly, passes the man without much more regard to let his eyes follow the creatures moving outside. )

I'm looking for something. ( Creatures in trouble. A reason for the nightmare he's just had. ) This is the best place to do it.

[forsage]

Friendly one, aren't ya.

[ there's a form of resignation in his voice, as if he isn't all that surprised to be brushed off like that.

besides - his words were less of a question and more of an observation on his end if the nonchalant attitude of his is anything to go by. some things never changes, he reckons. whether he was still in the grove or back in new york or finding himself 20,000 leagues under the sea… he's just gotta roll with what he can.

sleep is no longer a concern of his as he decides to stick around. it isn't because he just got spooked wide awake, mostly, but also because he's now pretty curious 'bout the boy. all thanks to that answer of his. vague as it was its at least something to go on. ]

Do you mean the little critters out there? [ here, he moves closer to a wall and leans against it. crosses his arms over his chest to let himself relax while his eyes flicker up at the movement of a great beast passing by. ] If so, you've come to the right place.

Don't know why but they've been antsy lately. Movements erratic, habits and patterns of theirs no longer bein' followed. Things like that.

[fascists]

[At least Jamie is used to it. And Ollie isn't capable of just running off since they are underwater, so to some extent he has to actually pay attention to the teamwork part of the team work.]

All right. Can't be hard to pick up rocks in a cave, right?

[Ollie can swim, at least. He's used to some of this, even though he's nowhere near at home in the ocean as he is in the city. He can still get around, and he has his knife, so he's ready to dive right in. The cave looks a lot like a tunnel when they get close. Weird alien plants and strange rock formations making it very clear they are nowhere familiar. He pauses at the entrance, frowning.]

Don't forget to keep track of your air supply.

[He says that because he's probably going to do it. And then he's leading the way, looking for ore deposits in rock chunks like Jamie told him they'd be.]

Heh. It's not so bad once you get the hang of it.

[exitiosus]

I don't try to be.

( Lifting his free hand, he lets the gloved fingers touch the barrier separating them as he catches the sight of a shadow moving past. His eyes move towards it curiously, following the beast as it moves through the water. Around the base as if it isn't there.

There are words on his tongue, ones prepared to ask the other man what else he might be looking for out here. But the mention of the odd behavior catches Damian's attention before he form a proper response. He turns slightly to face the man, hand still against the barrier. )

Like they're scared? ( He can't help but wonder, brows creasing thoughtfully. Animals didn't usually change their behavior without a reason. Some kind of natural disaster on the horizon or something threatening them in subtle or obvious ways. )

[scatterbrains]

[it's okay—mary doesn't really think much of this at all. she's pretty well used to rutee disagreeing with her over things being cute, after all. so even if she doesn't quite pick up on the fact that yin is just completely clueless as to what makes the fish cute, mary's fine with explaining.]

They're colorful, and they're friendly! They seem like they could be pets, like a dog or a cat would be.

[forsage]

Most likely. They're definitely not angry from what've seen. [ he rubs the back of his head, trying to recall some of the things he's read and heard from others. only the important details too. no fluff for this fella he's conserving with.

it's pretty hard. not because he can't remember or anything. it's more of the fact he's trying to remember while remembering to keep his powers at bay. damn senses pressing down on him, a weight in the brow that's nagging and persistent. no need to make it awkward between them both. ] Seen some reports. How teams are minding their own business when they come across pack or two of the critters. Know what the animals do?

Run. Hightail it moment they get spotted. [ like they want to avoid something or they're trying to conserve their energies for something more important. something's definitely got them all spooked. ] What it is, I'm not so sure. Others and I have been trying to find anything different but nothing.

[ frustrating to say the least. ]

[exitiosus]

( Damian takes the information in quietly, turns his attention back to the few creatures that slip past. They're much more calm than they'd been in his dream, and there's no sign that they even realize anyone is watching them. It's an interesting thought after what he's just been told. )

How many others? ( He wonders, turning away from the wall of the observatory to turn his attention back to the man fully.

If something really is wrong and his dream is more than just a one off coincidence, standing alongside others who might be observing the world could lead them to answers. He'd prefer to do it alone or with someone he knows he can count on, but his options here are limited. He'll have to take what he can get until he can find something better.

Suddenly, he's moving to pull his utility belt across his waist, offering a view of the neat 'R' at its buckle once its secured. )

If there is something out there, it can't be too far. I might be able to find it. ( The tone of his voice and the way he's adjusting his gloves and goggles says he might be planning to go out there now to find answers. )

[fascists]

[Ollie gives Damian a sour look, immediately turning on him for showing him up. The kid is just like Bruce in his poking at what Ollie is doing wrong, and Ollie doesn't even take that from Bruce most of the time (or at least won't admit to it). He's certainly not going to let a kid tell him how he's wrong!]

Look, I got this.

[He's the master of wasting energy in everything that isn't archery related. It's kind of amazing he even made it this far without problems.]

Fine, so we get the ore and the machine makes it into something useful? It better be working on making us better food, because fish are going to get old fast!

[mildwildchild]

[Jamie hangs back a little at the cave's entrance, peering inside apprehensively. It's one thing to talk about going inside narrow, confined spaces while beneath the surface of an alien ocean, entirely another to actually do so.]

[He releases a breath that escapes as a cloud of bubbles rippling to the surface and carefully kicks into the tunnel, guiding himself along with one hand at the wall. He pokes around for a little while in silence, examining hunks of rock, bits of detritus, and bioluminescent plantlife as he makes his way through.]

Find anything yet? I'm not having much luck so far.

[forsage]

[ at the question, roderic frowned and tried to remember who else knew about the strange circumstances. truth be told he didn't work with them all that closely outside of their positions as surveillance. he liked working by himself, less headaches that way, but the amount of data and coordination that went in making sure a mission didn't go belly up required more than a pair of hands.

at least he knew them well enough to know their given names. ] There are only two more others 'sides me. A mouthy teenager who goes by Mags and a nice lady named Io.

Don't think they're awake though and Mags hasn't been feelin' all that hot so you might wanna- Hey! Wait a minute.

[ oh no. he's heard that tone before. he knows that tone judging by the way his brow is now furrowed and his lips thin into a worried line. really? really?

the agitation he feels at what could be possibly happening is just enough for him to lose a grip on his powers for a few seconds-

voices. he mostly hears voices from what he can pick up and the suddenness is staggering as he had become used to the silence that the observatory brought him. there's screaming and yelling from so many people, his ears ringing from their painandrageandfearandshock.

he then hears a woman's voice, confident and soothing, while she speaks stories of a great man before a voice of a man takes over and he finds himself being showered with praisesdisappointmentsworries

-before he pulls himself together and clamps a lid over his senses and is left with nothing more but ringing ears and a throbbing headache.

he hopes his pained expression goes uncommented as he barrels through, uninterested in dwelling on that. ]

You're-You're not seriously plannin' on heading outta there now, are you?

[ he knows the question is stupid because they both probably know the answer but it would be nice to get confirmation. just in case. ]

[discardia]

Since your... passing?

You're deceased? [ BUT YOU LOOK INCREDIBLY WELL?? ]

[ateaist]

Surprised, are you? That's right...the woman who stands before you is no mere mortal, but a heroic spirit. A magical being of the highest caliber.

[Kind of like a ghost.]

[inhumanity]

[Christopher chuckles and waves his hand, as if to say the compliment is too much.

It isn't. Lay the praise on him, Nobu.]

Of course, of course! I couldn't deny a request like that, could I? My name, gentle mass murderer, is Christopher Chareau de Red! Shall we be friends?

SORRY FOR THE LATENESS

[inhumanity]

[Ah, the silent, unemotive type. Well he knows them, and well he drags them recklessly on his escapades. With boyish good cheer, he laughs as he brings them to a stop before the lockers.

Naturally, he starts to sing.] My, oh my, a beautiful day! On we go, out and away! We speak with the fishes, but what will they say? Wait, sorry, it's nighttime: everyone will have to die!

[He puts on his breather and goggles and offers her a set. There's a dolphin-toothed smile behind it. He is helping a friend!]

[inhumanity]

Ow, ow, what a hurtful thing to say! [Christopher assumes a wounded expression.] You know, just because they aren't your sort of practices, that doesn't mean you can insult the cultures of other people!

[inhumanity]

[I'm sorry sir but I'm afraid these seatbelts are unbreakable and also we locked all the doors?]

A misunderstanding between friends? [He gasps. HE IS HORRIFIED] How can this be? But our spirits! Our way of thinking, our way of life! We must be in communication. No, could it be....

Our friendship is incomplete?

Quick! We must sing a song of friendship to unite us once more! I'll start. Friend of mine, bleeding songs—

[inhumanity]

You mean this isn't a documentary! It's a tragedy!

[What a sympathetic look Christopher gives! What a compassionate pat on the (???) shoulder pad???] And you're taking the leading role! Since tragedy is about predestination there's no point trying to keep suspense! What will your fate be at the end of this rampage of violent misunderstandings, bloody retributions, and star-crossed lovers?