VelumDex Industries appreciates your permanent commitment towards interplanetary human innovation and aspiration for dimensional union.
We are proud to announce ourselves as the most reputable Industry-Leading Megacorporation for Intergalactic Habitation, responsible for terraforming over 30 planets for human suitability since ████.
We are proud to announce ourselves as contributors to the most reputable Industry-Leading Megacorporation for Intergalactic Habitation, responsible for terraforming over 30 planets for human suitability since ████. VelumDex Industries appreciates your permanent commitment towards interplanetary human innovation and aspiration for dimensional union.
With this in mind, we must discuss the unfortunate event that was the destruction of the Refugium Centre on Neritheon-b7 within the Aurelius Abyssal Zone, as it has ongoing ramifications that are impacting the progress of making it a livable environment for many who regularly require our services.
The scale of the destruction is starting to concern our shareholders, who have begun to question our competence.
Regardless, we refuse to abort our attempts of integration from the minor inconveniences caused by the indigenous lifeforms due to the various benefits that Neritheon-b7 offers. Mariana Gate has been, after all, one of our most profitable Refugiums.
The Submersa Domestic Engineering Force (SDEF) welcomes the recruiting and training of Baronauts to partake in rescue expeditions and assemble all survivors. In the meantime, please remain orderly while we contact VelumDex Industry authorities about this ongoing issue.
S.O.S
This message has been kindly broadcasted to you by,
The Chief Operating Advisor of SDEF
███████ █████.
For the first introductory post, you can find it here !
Delta P began as a silly little play-around with the characters of Pressure after my friends prompted me to draw Sebastian Solace, but it started to become its own thing after I got attached to that stupid fish.
I ended up seeing so much potential in the concepts that the game Pressure had, to the point where dropping this blog didn't feel like an option. Instead, I'm stealing it. It's ours now.
This blog in turn, will remain as an interactive story that will progress through post-to-post, between shitposts and other things all to do within this Delta-P world.
TW: I am a horror writer, and I will explore rather distressing subjects that surround character death, psychological abuse, and torture. I will always make TWs when it appears in a post. This may also be one of my projects that displays explicit gore with detailed descriptions. While there is no explicit sexual material, there are some scientific discussions around life cycles in fauna documents, nothing you wouldn't probs hear in a high school biology lecture. Discretion is still advised for the aforementioned things, I would say this project is 16+.
Master Index
Location & Worldbuilding
Characters Overview
Geography
SDEF Essentials
Job, Uniforms
Job, Your Career Path
Tech, DNA Carrier
Tech, Neuron Preserver
Tech, Carbon Generator
Tech, Imaginary Friends
Personnel & Civillians
Xenopathologist, Dr. Tallon Vortexium
Corporate Archivist, "The Archivist"
Oxygen Gardener, Alice
Baronaut, "Jackrabbit"
Civilian, Salvatore
Civilian, Konner
I'm not giving them all away, yet.
Documents
Fauna
Vd stands for a domesticated entity.
Vc stands for an entity in captivity for study.
Ve stands for entities that have been experimented on.
Vd-1, Furred Shrimp
Vd-2, Deep Sea Bunny
Vd-3, Golden/Aurelian Seal
Vd-4, Winged Octopus
Vd-5, Scarf Eel
Vc-1, Planktovirus
Vc-2, Anabolic Barnacle
Vc-3, Mudstrider
Vc-4, Strobing Shark
Vc-5, Nightmare Cone Snail
Vc-6, Dwarf Cthulhu
Vc-7, Ant Crabs
Ve-1, Kelpies
Ve-2, Bulb Squid
Ve-3, Golden/Aurelian Leopard Seal
Homo Aquatics
V-1, The First Capture
V-2, Evasive Menace
V-3, Venomous Sea Witch
V-4, Shadow Father
V-5, Our Little Phantom
V-6, Cannibalistic Trickster
V-7, The Patient
V-8, Grotesque Hagfish
V-9, The Coldest Sadist
V-10, Rescued Lamb
V-11, Beast of Mimicry
V-12, Spawn of Satan
V-13, The Latest Arrival
You're welcome to send asks surrounding the lore and send questions towards characters! c: Be aware that this project is for a 16+ audience, so do not even insinuate NSFW content; romance isn't a focal point of the story, but you're welcome to self-ship and stuff.
If you make OCs, art, creature concepts or anything within this world, I always reblawg it. Stuff like that has the potential to even crawl into being treated as part of the canon, and I love to see it. ;;
To those who still post Pressure content, you are safe here and I will keep liking the stories that you make and the headcanons that you have. I support the fandom and community that came together behind this game, I wouldn't have kept this blog going if it weren't for the kindness & creativity I've seen in this community, after all.
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The following is an archived excerpt of an email exchange shared between the Submarine Mechanic Team, the Natural Science Research Team that was involved in the study of V-1, and the Black Ops Diver Team that had aided in the containment of V-1 when she was found.
All sensitive information involving names and regions have been redacted for privacy.
Subject: About Mermaid Discovery & Disclosure
To: Natural Science Research Team
To whomever on the team is reading this, thank you for your time. I hope that you read and respond to this as soon as possible.
I need to raise a concern redgaurding the discovery of what you guys had called a mermaid within our op zone. While I do think that the scientific implications or whatever are extraordinary, I am worried about the broader ramifixations of this information getting out there.
We all recall the situation that happened on ██████-███, they had some similar shit happen to them when showing the public something too soon lead to them flocking in before the place was disaster-proof. Now that place is full of screaming ██████.
I'm just trying to say that if word of these mermaids spreads, then it could get interplanetary UIU or IUI (whatever they are) media attention and even tourism interest before we are even prepared for it.
The infrastructure here is not stable. We're still relying on submarines to manually surface and attempt signal connections. The network towers are not properly linked to the satellites, the storms keep fucking up the signal big time. You used that big "electromagnesium" word on me one time when trying to explain why. But anyway, I'm sure you also know just how vulnerable that leaves us. Miscomm is a big issue right now for all of us.
I think we need to carefully consider whether to keep this mermaid discovery to ourselves and not let our superiors know until we have a more secure comm system in place. We can't risk colonies wanting to settle here yet, keeping it on the low will at least make sure our facility has everything running smoothly before we have people in here.
Best redgaurds (or however you spell it) from the sub mechanic team,
█████ ████████
Subject: Re: About Mermaid Discovery & Disclosure
To: Submarine Mechanic Team
From: Natural Science Research Team
Dear █████ ████████,
To correct you, the term is "electromagnetic".
I appreciate your caution, but I must respectfully disagree with your recommendation to keep this discovery covert. The presence of homo aquatis (or "mermaid" for your layman preference) is a biological and cultural revelation that demands immediate attention from the VDI officials. Concealing it could compromise both our credibility and the integrity of our mission.
Yes, the infrastructure is not yet fully operational, and we are still relying on manual submarine relays. However, this is precisely why we need the support and resources that only VDI can provide. Attempting to manage such a discovery in isolation would be far more hazardous.
I must go on to remind you, since you brought it up first, that the situation that happened on ██████-███ was a direct result of secrecy and mismanagement. Conspiracy or not on whether that colony was sent like lambs to the slaughter, we should not mention it anymore. However, what we can take from that, if we do not wish to repeat that disaster, is for us to remain transparent and collaborative.
Tourism appeal and media attention is inevitable, regardless. If we keep proper oversight, however, then it can be managed accordingly. By contacting VDI now, we can ensure that the protocols to do so are established early on, rather than scrambling when they already arrive. I propose that mention of the homo aquatis can leak to the public, but we will offer them no opportunity to see the autopsy report or view photography of the specimen. The media can portray them at hoax status, if need be. I plan to revise this idea towards the Social Science Team.
Our responsibility as professionals here is not to suppress our knowledge, but we can influence its interpretation, if not only to curb curiosity from a census that needs to see things to believe them. That's better than nothing.
Sincerely,
Dr. █. █████████
Subject: Re: Re: About Mermaid Discovery & Disclosure
To: Submarine Mechanic Team, Natural Science Research Team
From: Black Ops Diver Team
We do not wish to intrude on this exchange.
Following the recent loss of the specimen in captivity, our unit believes that the next step should be proactive reconnaissance. This can be done in the meanwhile as discussions on whether contact with VDI is confirmed.
The subject's death demonstrates the fragility of these beings to us, and we have also come to believe in the possibility of others existing in this zone. We cannot afford to lose this opportunity again.
We propose deploying reconnaissance drones to sweep the nearby trenches above the Point of No Return. These vessels operate discreetly enough that they may not draw unwanted attention.
To increase our chances of a successful capture, we have equipped electric net systems into them with a high enough voltage that it can immobilise another subject without causing harm. This will secure us with another live specimen to deliver to your team for study.
The risks have been considered. Our team is prepared to handle the logistics.
Respectfully from,
The Black Ops Diving Team Lead
█████ ██████
Subject: Re: Re: Re: About Mermaid Discovery & Disclosure
To: Submarine Mechanic Team, Black Ops Diver Team
From: Natural Science Research Team
Dear █████ ██████,
Your proposal is exactly the kind of decisive action we need. The loss of the specimen was unfortunate, and locating another would be most helpful in allowing us to conduct long-term research this time. I trust in your strategy and I am eager to see this plan executed.
I fully support your initiative, I will in the meanwhile contact the VDI officials to ensure that we will have the resources necessary to manage our next specimen properly. No more damn paste, we have already seen a Vd-1 perish to it, as well.
But I digress, keep us up to date with your progress.
Sincerely,
Dr. █. █████████
Had to practice my writing while my phone is charging or I won't have an alarm clock for the morning baybeeee. c:
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Project Designation:
Initial confirmation and contact with the homo aquatis species
Lead Observer:
Dr. █. █████████
Facility:
Mariana Gate Refugium
Abstract:
Specimen V-1 represents the first verified instance of a non-human, fully aquatic organism consistent with maritime folklore classifications (“mermaid”). The subject’s capture and containment provided the initial framework for the classification of homo aquatis. Despite its scientific significance, the subject expired prior to long-term study due to containment inadequacies. An autopsy showed us the first anatomical and physiological documentation of this species.
Note: This document may contain outdated content, missing items, and is in need of revision. All information must be cross-examined with other, more up-to-date resources to determine its accuracy.
TW: Distressing character death description, autopsy information, dehumanisation.
Acquisition and Initial Condition:
V-1 was recovered via a reinforced trawl system in the lower Aurelia Zone quite accidentally. The specimen exhibited active resistance during her retrieval, including high-frequency vocalisations and coordinated tail propulsion, sufficient enough to damage the netting quite severely.
Upon extraction, the subject displayed:
Elevated agitation.
Rapid respiratory distress when exposed to open air.
Repeated attempts to reorient toward water sources.
Notably, ocular tracking suggested environmental awareness and possible recognition of personnel as distinct entities.
Containment Protocol
The subject was transferred to a temporary holding enclosure filled with treated saline solution approximating oceanic conditions. This containment unit was not designed for large marine fauna, let alone potentially sapient organisms. (From head to hip, V-1 was 4 feet, and her tail was an additional 22 feet, making her much larger than us and thus difficult to approach without the use of apparatus.)
Observed issues included:
Spatial Restrictions: The specimen’s caudal length required continuous coiling, preventing full extension of V-1's body. This made her difficult to study.
Inadequate Salinity Balance: Filtration systems prioritised sterility over ecological fidelity. V-1 expressed difficulty breathing in here just as much as she did when reacting to open air.
Nutritional Rejection: Feeding protocols relied on dead fish and nutrient paste; the subject refused intake after initial exposure. There was no attempt to test if she was a herbivore, the initial assumption was that she was carnivorous.
Sensory Deprivation: Absence of environmental stimuli (water filtration and movement, lighting that emulates the Aurelia ecological zone, etc.) produced escalating distress behaviours.
Within 48 hours, the subject exhibited:
Lethargy, most often, but she was also alternating between violent thrashing and hyperaggression.
Dermal discolouration was seen forming along the lateral regions.
Decreased responsiveness to external stimuli.
Vocalisations diminished significantly prior to V-1's death.
Cause of Death
Time of death: ~96 hours post-capture.
Primary contributing factors are assessed as an acute physiological stress response, alongside environmental incompatibility (hydrostatic, chemical, spatial) and nutritional deprivation, in other words, starvation.
It is possible that psychological destabilisation (unverified, though behavioural indicators suggest high cognitive function) also factored into her traumatic passing.
No attempt was made to reintroduce the subject to its natural environment.
Post-Mortem Examination
Autopsy commenced 4 hours post-mortem to minimise tissue degradation. It became the best use for V-1 when other conditions to research her were not meeting current requirements.
External Morphology:
The cranial and thoracic structure is consistent with homo sapiens. This is especially affirmed with the phalanges, opposable thumbs, and facial structure holding similarities to us.
The lower body is fully adapted for aquatic locomotion (caudal fin structures, reinforced vertebral column), and combining this with the humanoid upper half, encourages us to compare them to "mermaids" from our mythological history. I can't just write "mermaid" as a scientific term, however, hence, homo aquatis has been used in this document.
Respiratory System:
A dual-function system was observed, demonstrating that homo aquatis could, to some extent, be amphibious, or that their evolutionary history suggests they once lived on land. An impossible thought, considering Neritheon-b7 is a hycean planet:
They have a reduced lung capacity relative to a human's.
Branchial, gill structures were located along the ribcage and throat of V-1, which were previously undetected during life due to sealing closed when she was in a state of distress.
She had vestigial vocal cords, which was replaced by a unique physiological mechanism that we do not understand.
Circulatory Adaptations:
They have a large heart relative to a human's, much larger.
There was high myoglobin concentration in the muscle tissue.
Evidence of pressure adaptation was quite consistent with deep-water activity, but this is an assumption.
Neurology:
Brain volume is considered within the same skull-to-brain-ratio as a human's.
There were expanded regions associated with auditory and visual processing; perhaps insinuating that homo aquatis sees colours differently and hears echolocation frequencies that we can't.
Most pecularly, there was unusual neural folding patterns that are not present in known hominids. No speculations can be made about this much, but it has been recorded for future reference.
Digestive System:
The dental structure of V-1 implies that her teeth were designed for scraping, grinding, and chewing. These are teeth formations seen in herbivorous creatures.
V-1's body was structured similarly to a cow's with four stomachs that were specialised for marine plant digestion, further suggesting that she may have been an obligate or facultative herbivore. These stomachs were related in the caudal region of the body to make room for the heart, lungs, and reproductive organs in the thoracic region.
Thus, the enzyme composition was incompatible with the processed or preserved food sources that were provided during containment; cutting open her stomach left a disgusting stench in my office for far longer than I would've liked.
The intestinal tract dominates the caudal region of V-1's body, and the anal cavity is, reasonably, near the tail end.
Reproductive System:
V-1 had no mammary glands, with a chest more comparable to the human male's; broader-shouldered and flat-chested to streamline her swimming abilities.
Her reproductive organs were somewhat comparable to the human female's, there is a suggestion towards homo aquatis potentially being ovoviviparous or oviparous.
Behavioural Notes
Although a systematic behavioural study was not conducted before her death, the following was recorded:
V-1 made repetitive contact with enclosure boundaries, which demonstrated her strength; of which she had a lot of at the beginning (cite, the damage on the nets).
V-1 directed gaze toward SDEF personnel, and sustained it beyond typical animal curiosity. One could humanise her enough into believing that she was even fearful.
V-1 made structured vocal emissions, very complicated echolocation patterns never heard before across any of our studies so far. It was possibly communicative in nature.
These behaviours were initially categorised as stress responses and not analysed further prior to death.
Conclusion
Specimen V-1 provided conclusive evidence of a previously undocumented aquatic species, homo aquatis, while it shares no actual evolutionary genus with us, IUI approves of the term for its consistency and interplanetary relateability to allow readers of this document who may not be in Neritheon-b7 to understand exactly how human this species appears.
While the subject did not survive long enough for extended observation, we have finally proven the reality of "mermaids". No ethical framework has yet been formalised regarding the treatment of homo aquatis specimens, but hey, I think we can do better next time.
Despite the loss of the live specimen, the data obtained from the autopsy analysis hopes to establish the foundation for all subsequent research into the species.
Future acquisition efforts should prioritise expanded containment environments, better dietary sourcing, not the damn supplements and paste, and minimise the capture-induced trauma.
Hoo boy I was hoping to get the timeline done a while ago but I'll drop this here instead, had to crack open my biology books and Google how to write an autopsy report to uh.. Then be intimidated by how detailed the reports are and try simplify it in my own language! At least only one other fella gets autopsied later, or whatever is left of em. What better thing to do on a schoolnight! See you guys in like, June! 👋
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The Furred Shrimp, otherwise known as the Chirping Shrimp or pipiens caridea is a diurnal species of domesticated shrimp that has been considered as suitable housepets within the Mariana Refugium due to their low maintenance, easy diet and docile behaviour.
Found within the corals of the Sunlit Zone, Furred Shrimp had originally been sourced as food, yet there was a minority of colony members who discovered that they had a tendency to imprint and "obsess" over humans that had harvested them without actualising them as a predator species. Furred Shrimp had otherwise been documented evading their natural predator species, but they showed an unprecedented willingness and curiosity to humans, to the point they would willingly follow the diving teams hunting them.
Cue a particular incident where a Furred Shrimp seemed to recognise the same diver twice on two seperate expeditions, and insisted on trying to 'hold hands', pinching the diver's fingers and refusing to let go, and returning to recreate the clasp when shaken away.
A lab experiment deduced that a chemical reaction in the shrimp's brain when exposed to humans is kindred to a dopamine rush, and scientists concluded that they react to humans in the same way that an earth dog would react to an owner returning home after an extended period of time. It showed attachment, that these creatures had a capacity to bond with people. The reason why they react to humans in this way to begin with, is unknown.
Regardless, this created an ethics debate until it became established that Furred Shrimp should not be eaten, and doing such was illegalised, but they could be kept as pets; being among the few entities that fitted within the frames of domestication; They were easy to feed, easy to breed in captivity, and were considered to be rather cute.
This specimen, fondly nicknamed "Pringle", was observed waiting for human attention.
Physiology Notes
These creatures are covered in fur-like setae that traps microbubbles, effectively aiding them in "floating" through water while their micro appendages improve their directional movement. While they are proficient swimmers, their locomotion on land becomes similar to the jerboa, with more altercation between bipedalism and quadrupedalism.
Their gills are specialised in a manner that allows them to show amphibious abilities; hence why they are able to paddle in water and traverse on terrestrial surfaces without consequence.
They have been documented in coming in multiple colours, but are most commonly yellow, orange, and pink. Within captivity, these are the most common (and uncommon) variations we have hatched.
Their main mandibles seperate to show two smaller pedipalps, which help the shrimp in capturing and holding small prey (and human fingers) towards its mouth. Bites from this creature are harmless.
They chirp. A lot.
Below is a sample of two Furred Shrimp communicating.
In the wild, these creatures eat detritus and planktonic organisms. They have also been documented digging up small fish eggs and larvae.
Furred Shrimps have earned a similar reputation to domesticated earth cats, being used as a feasible pest control against parasitic plankton. It has been noted that these creatures have prevented a parasitic outbreak in the Refugium in the past.
In captivity, they can be fed algae wafers, small fish larvae, and freeze-dried plankton (handled with care), but they have also taken an interest towards yeast-based products, namely bread, and can be given such a foodstuff in moderation, like a treat.
Subject named "Queenie" showing off her mandibles.
Lifespan & Lifecycle
In captivity, these shrimps have already been determined to have a 12-15 year lifespan, compared to their lifespan being around 6-8 years in the wild.
They begin their lives as larvae that are nested within unique sea squirt-like structures, symbiotically depending on them for protection before later feeding on them to hatch out of them. Because of the oxygen-producing qualities found in these sea squirts, these fauna are grown in the Oxygen Gardens.
In their juvenile stages, they start off colourless, and furless, but they already begin expressing social behaviours by grouping together in swarms.
By their adult stage, they may have reached their full size, established their territories, and begun engaging in complicated communication. They begin mating, and for a while, the females may carry the eggs in their abdominal brood pouches, until they inject those fertilised eggs into a sea squirt before they hatch. Failing to reach a sea squirt or other feasible nest tends to cause the female to die from distress.
In their senescence, Furred Shrimps tend to drift away from their social group to lead predators into chasing them rather than the younger ones within their colony. In captivity, old Furred Shrimp start to avoid being near their owners.
Below is a sample of two adults signaling distress when seeing a predator.
The Furred Shrimp can grow to the size of a small domestic cat, averaging between 25-30 cm long and weighing 1-2 kilograms. The fur-like setae that covers their bodies and their large eyes tend to give them "pet-like" faces, which has in turn also contributed to their popularity as household pets in the Refugium.
Trivial Reports
Researchers have recognised how groups of Furred Shrimps begin to synchronise their chirping, which tends to escelate when caretakers approach them, which suggests recognition or excitement.
Furred Shrimp have been seen gently brushing and preening each other with their limbs and mandibles, a social behaviour that reduces algae buildup in the wild. They react to human hair in the same manner.
Many domesticated specimens have been known to rest their tails against their owners when turned away from them, as if 'anchoring' themselves lightly and feeling safer to keep in gentle contact with their human.
Just like the initial encounter in the wild, many Furred Shrimp express the same need to 'hold hands' with their favourite humans.
When isolated completely, Furred Shrimps tend to curl up and "die". After an hour or so of unheard distress signals, they eventually will ball up their bodies and enter a "forced hibernation stasis" until they hear another of their kind; or are handled once more by humans.
Wanted to test if I was going to format these into an HTML5 file or just use Tumblr, and Tumblr works just fine for what I need, yippe!
Supply Chain Coordinators are responsible for dumping barrels of chum into the enclosures of the captured entities. Naturally, the 'homo aquatics' appear intelligent enough to have begun recognising the uniforms of these workers to associate them as being the food men (and women).
Or V-13 might just be wondering what type of fish this guy is. Either-or.
To maintain consistency with Interplanetary Union Initiative (IUI) standards, classification systems originally established on Earth are applied across all surveyed planets. As a result, terrestrial oceanic depth categories are provisionally used in the mapping and documentation of Neritheon-b7’s marine environments.
This framework remains in place only while it is functionally applicable. In regions where Neritheon’s conditions diverge beyond established parameters, Submersa Domestic Engineer Force (SDEF) units are required to identify, document, and formalise new depth classifications and anomalies in accordance with updated field protocols.
So, chucking a graph here that shows how humans have labeled the different depths of the Neritheon-b7 ocean. From the Sunlit to the Hadal Zone, they follow the same naming conventions and expectations of Earth.
The similarities in what to expect in each ecological zone when it came to the wildlife and flora is in part what made Neritheon-b7 appear to be such an ideal planet to terraform, even before the discovery of the Aurelia Zone (otherwise known as the Golden Abyss, it was like the Goldilocks Zone, but underwater).
The shallowest parts of the Sunlit zone were measured at approximately 50 metres (165 feet), and the initial plans for terraforming action were to establish a base there; however, given the utterly hostile storms that dominate the atmosphere of the planet, missions to delve deeper were invested into.
The first five years alone of attempting to terraform this planet is what soon lead to the discovery of a new ecological layer beyond the depths of the Challenger's Deep seen on Earth; that when delving further than the Hadal Zone, there would be a sudden change in pressure, water temperature, and the level even had a light source generated by the unique flora of the zone; an advanced type of bioluminescence that allowed the area to appear deceptively like the Twilight Zone and Midnight Zone.
This area was quickly demised to be the perfect zone to establish facilities for research, and to begin working on ways to make communication between VDI-SDEF HQ and satellites easier, given the brutality of the storms at the surface of the planet made it a challenge. Cue the creation of the Refugium, named the Mariana Gate, a structure that is built to weave through the massive stalactite-ridden roof of the Aurelia Zone. It had been a scientist-exclusive structure for the first 10 years of its establishment.
But even before such an integral line of communication was established between the Gate and the satellites, the details about this planet had attracted commercial and sociopolitical interest. The sheer excitement of being able to dive in waters beyond the abyssal depths seen on Earth without the consequences of crushing pressure and icy temperatures was fascinating for many, next to the interesting cuisine potentials posed by the unique Earth-adjacent fish that had been found, with many who remembered Earth fish likely being drawn by the nostalgia of what they tasted like before. Among so many other factors, Neritheon-b7 was hyped up long before it was ready to be a home for people.
By the fifteenth year or so, Neritheon-b7 had to be open for public tourism and livingstay, and saw its first colonies of refugees being brought to live on Neritheon-b7.
Mariana Gate has developed over 30 years from a science lab into a proper colony, but it is still such a small civilisation, hardly even beginning to see its "first Neritheon-born generation" just yet. The population of people living in the Refugium, however, stands at a good couple thousands already.
Majority of the planet still remains unexplored. Yet, attempts to explore deeper than the Aurelia Zone has always lead to devastating failures; often from equipment suddenly combusting, and the very rare instances of "mermaid" attacks. The SDEF teams have forbid deeper exploration until they are better equipped for the task.
Raaa, just have to do the timelines for all the events and then I might vanish for a looong while to prepare the documents. I'll possibly get to do some asks, too, but college starts up again in a week. 🥀
This is just a teensie-weencie gripe that I've had for a while but it struck me again while I was digging through the Pressure Wiki, but for a game that takes place in an underwater facility, there is actually hardly any threats that are fish. They are otherwise predominantly "mysterious entities that we don't know much about", and that can only be the case so many times before you question the competence of Urbanshade itself.
Really missing out on the absolute terrors that live in the water; imagine the tongues of ribbon worms coming from a creature that could catch a human in them; the incurable venomous compounds in blue-ringed octopus and what the flesh of victims of jellyfish stings looks like; the fact that stepping on stone fishes offers a death sentence before you even notice it; and imagine the horror of being caught inside of the translucent entrails of a fish with see-through flesh after it has devoured you, how onlookers could watch you get digested alive.
Even the less lethal and more bizarre traits that fish have; the regenerative teeth of sharks, how clownfish change their gender, how male seahorses give birth, how fish can manage to co-ordinate and sychronise their movements to make a swarm of them look like a single, solid unit, the way that octopus can camouflage into different textures and colours, snails that can withstand volcanic temperatures, the way that male anglerfish merge into the bloodstreams of the females to mate, the reason for bioluminescence in deep sea creatures, whatever the fuck barnacles are.
I know Pressure was limited a lot with the concepts having to be tame enough for a kid's game, but it could've at least tried a little more with the marine horror, juuuust a little more. Urbanshade feels like SCP with an aquatic aesthetic when it could've had potential for so much more.
Sat and stewed my brain for a while to start figuring out how to divide the specialised worker classes in the Submersa Domestic Engineer Force. I miiight do Terraproxies, but most likely not because they won't appear in this story at all, it would've just been made for curiosity-sake.
I don't have to worry about what civillians wear in contrast because they're in civvies, but I welcome others who are doing rewrites to feel free to take a spin on what I have here for your own stories, change the logo on them to what you're doing, recolour them, etc., depending on how in-depth you'd also want to go with your uniform designs, too. Did my best to snag from Pressure while also making my own spin.
Engineers & Mechanics
Infrastructure/Civil Engineers
Infrastructure and Civil Engineers focus on designing and maintaining the facility, its pressure domes, and the oxygen circulation systems to keep the place from caving in on itself. Casually, they are nicknamed as plumbers when they are visiting and fixing up issues in a civillian's home for them.
Submarine Mechanics
Submarine Mechanics work on ensuring that transport equipment is functional and strong enough to withstand corrosive environments, while welding up damaged parts of submarines to ensure they remain in functional shape. They tend to stay on board of Submarines (hence the name) with the crew during their expeditions to help with operating the submarines.
Terraformer Technicians
The operators of massive machinery that help stabilise hycean ecosystems. They work closely with the Natural Science and Oxygen Botanist teams to deliver and distribute the chemicals and materials needed to perform terraformation tasks. Groups of these technicians are called TTT's or Triple T's (Terraformer Technician Teams).
Hazard Control Specialists
These mechanics focus on handling toxic substances, leaky pipes and reactor malfunctions are jobs best left for them. They are often the first responders to catastrophic failures in machinery, and even in containment breaches.
Scientists
Astrobiologists
These scientists study the alien life, flora and fauna, conducting studies that map the physiology, biology, behaviours and nature of creatures within their natural habitat or when brought into the confinement chambers of the Refugium facilities. Their information is sent to Corporate Archivists that compose their reports.
Social Scientists
The more people-focused scientists that monitor civilian morale, cultural adaptations and psychological resiliance in the colony; which has become particularly crucial given how Mariana Gate is secluded from VDI contact. Social Scientists also tend to lay reports that are curated by Corporate Archivists that go towards the political climate of the Refugium. They sometimes stand in in the place of politicians and historians, while also being able to position themselves as holding a good amount of social power over the colony.
Natural Scientists
Next to astrobiologists, they track planetary chemistry, ocean currents, atmospheric shifts and climate/pressure activity, then provide this data and compound solutions to irregularities to TTT's to re-regulate the conditions, and get resources and chemicals from the Oxygen Botanists. Their reports, likewise, are also handed to Corporate Archivists that compose and protect their findings.
Medical & Microbiological Researchers
Those who work with developing treatments against common pathogens, pressure sickness, engineer dietary needs, and work on managing the epigenetic procedures. These are the scientists who are turned to make sure that DNA Carriers do not have infected samples, and also behave as psychiatrists, doctors, and part of hospital teams for the community and workforce.
Xenopathologists
A specialised group of Microbiologist and Medical Scientists that focus specifically on the study and treatment of alien illnesses. They study extraterrestrial viruses to produce cures before they impact human populations. Their work, however, is never publicised due to the breaking of ethics that is done in the process of making breakthroughs, as Xenopathologists, uniquely, broke their Hippocratic Oath.
This would be where all of your evil scientist tropes lie.
Law Enforcement & Agents
Corporate Security Commanders
The enforcers of VelumDex regulations and protocols, often responsible for guarding high-security levels in the Refugium to prevent unauthorised personnel. They hold the status of commanders for the lower law enforcement ranks that delegate them to tasks like the surveillance and guarding of select zones.
Containment Officers
Within the industry, these soldiers handle rogue workers and resistance movements that challenge VDI values. They also serve as wardens and guards around facilities and prison chambers.
Civil Order Soldiers
The standard police force over civilian populations must protect and enforce laws to control the crime levels. No covert missions or agent work for them, just the typical dude with a baton and a tazer.
Field Agents
They conduct covert missions, often as private detectives for civilians if they are not otherwise tasked with the surveillance and control of public opinion of VDI and SDEF practices. They may not always wear uniforms, depending on their tasks, since they are usually disguising themselves as civilians.
Black Ops Divers
In cases of interactions with hostile alien life, Black Ops Divers are assembled to track down and eradicate the problem. They're set up into teams and must go forward with their duties without questioning the moral or ethical consequences of what they are assigned to kill.
Baronauts
The expedition teams that are optimised for search and rescue work, employed in times of great disaster and breaches to ensure that civilians are brought to safety. At times they may be viewed as the "Expendable" recruits due to the reputation surrounding how easy it is sto be killed within this line of work, but it is equally as honourable to work as a Baronaut. Sometimes, but not always, Baronauts are recruited prisoners that are doing community services to decrease their jail time. They have amphibious diving gear, too, very neat.
Logistics & Support Specialists
Supply Chain Coordinators
Within the submarines and across the Refugium, Supply Chain Coordinators ensure that food, oxygen, and equipment is distributed across the domes and facilities fairly and efficiently.
Waste Management Team
These personnel handle recycling, hazardous disposal, and biocontainment. They work closely with Hazard Control Specialists in the facility to help in the process of incinerating, destroying or otherwise eradicating waste materials. Next to Plumbers, these ones are nicknamed the Janitors; containment and disposal, respectively.
Oxygen Botanists
Those who take care of oxygen gardens to ensure that there will always be a natural production of breathable air for the colony in designated zones called the Oxygen Gardens. They manage and protect unique flora for, what it's been called in the Mariana Gate; the Project: Kelpie Initiative.
Transport Pilots/Captains
Transport Pilots operate at the port, helping submarines, drones, and cargo haulers navigate to and from the terminal dock. Captains operate on the ships in question, and these to need to maintain stable communication with one another. The Captains could have hats! :D
Edge Roles
Corporate Archivists
Their role is to record every inciting incident and compose documents and reports of crime, security breaches, compile documents on creatures that have been studied, and keep track of other administrative documents that are eventually handed to the higher ups.
Risk Analysts
Working alongside Social Scientist reports, reporting on trends in behaviours of the social climate of the colony alongside logistics and otherwise, they tend to predict colony collapse scenarios to propose solutions. Therein lies the risk of not heeding their warnings.
All specific gear to each type of field hasn't been drawn; it's reasonable though to imagine the unique tools and PPE that each one has (like hazmat masks and gasmasks, helmets, and weapons, etc. - that can be individualised and designed without limits to unique characters). All of the uniforms are worn by both men and women, too, there's no gendered uniforms.
Like with any upstanding colony of humans, there is corruption that comes into play; a rogue unethical scientist here, a police officer committing brutalities over there, but to be on the realistic side of things, that is not the standard, norm behaviours of SDEF, the offenders are eventually caught and taken care of accordingly by the rest of the Force for exploiting their status.
SDEF is comprised of people who support VDI and support human expansion, and because these are "humanitarian" values, they'd rather not abuse the very people they are serving to protect and provide homes for. They think they are doing good, they themselves are treated well as employees, they believe that they are contributing to society, they know that they are helping so many people.
Though I might just be saying that because I'm bored of corporations being so obviously stinky-maliciously-diabolically-Hollywood evil, I'm craving the horrors of the fine print & flowery corporate talk instead. Y'know, the actual evil.
Without spoiling too much for the story itself, these are some overviews for how the characters are being updated for the story and some scrapped narrative concepts. This'll also share some renames and personality changes that may still maintain some of the source material and original concepts I was taking for the AU.
I'll even list characters who I was planning to publicise but haven't yet, just to vaguely introduce them. Maybe. Not everyone, though. Shhh.
You can go on ahead and look at the post below to see where concepts had been renamed and updated.
💬 0 🔁 0 ❤️ 0 · Content Rewrite 1: Location & Worldbuilding · Back a lil earlier than the 14th, thought I would be too burned out to want t
TW: Spoilers? Yes, no, maybe, not quite at all? Morally grey characters, AI bullshit, mentions of gore & loss of life, body and psychological horror.
Sebastian Solace = Bastian Sabbath, "V-13"
The original plan I had for Bastian was for him to overcome the traumas of the past to be able to physically and mentally find a future for himself. It's still possible that this may be his character arc in a different form, so I won't elaborate.
Mister BS, as you guys know and have already fondly called him a few times, shall remain as Mister BS by name. His classification in the lab has been changed from "Z-13" into "V-13" (the whole name would be V-Nb7-homoaquatis-13), being the 13th Neritheon "mermaid" that had been captured by SDEF forces and kept in the facility to study.
To humans, his behaviours were described as hyperaggressive, diligent, and evasive. There has been no way for humans to communicate with these Neritheons, but it is apparent that they have their own language, as when placed with others in their enclosures, they would engage in "conversation" amongst themselves. However, V-13 needed to be monitored more thoroughly due to how hostile he appeared, even towards others of his kind.
V-13 had a habit of observing humans that approached his confinement in a way that made scientists feel like they were being measured and studied equally as much. V-13 seemingly could read the body language of the people on the other side of the glass, approaching when backs are turned with a willingness to hunt and backtracking to hide at the opposite end of his enclosure when being looked at.
He had been reported resting his palm against the glass when curious to engage with particular humans who he may have learned to be the ones responsible for feeding him or otherwise, but he retracts his hand when it's not the human he wanted to "talk" to that ended up approaching. V-13 was sometimes jokingly labeled as sarcastic and picky because of his quirks, but it proved that these mermaids were intelligent, even if they appeared feral by human standards.
Without giving too much away, this display of intelligence came to a head when V-13 learned how to interact with human technologies in such a way that allowed him to exploit them, initiate the lockdown sequence, and release the other creatures, anglers, fellow mermaids, and all, from their enclosures.
I won't tell you why V-13 started being called Bastian Sabbath yet, that's going into spoiler territory now. I want to introduce that in the beginning forms of a comic.
Here's his old reference sheet, and some things I am planning to change about him physically:
His colour pallet may remain quite similar, I may just re-check the accessibility and values to improve contrast on some parts of him further.
His face miiiight change shape a bit, but that might be because I haven't been consistently drawing his jaws the way I want them to look yet, now's a good opportunity to clean that up.
Considering what is going to happen to him, he's going to develop a habit of throwing clothes on, scavenged similarly to how he already does in his attempts to feel human.
But because he isn't the product of a human evolving into a DNA amalgamate from a series of other fish anymore, his appearance is going to be made symmetrical, yet he has lost an eye and limb due to his involvement in conflicts during the lockdown.
p.AI.nter = T.U.X
Originally, p.AI.nter was going to act as a "grey antagonist" towards Bastian. He was going to use the cold, calculated manner of technology to convince Bastian that he knows the truth behind who and what he is because he isn't able to be influenced by Mr Lopee - who was going to act as his opposite. He was going to be strongly responsible for trapping Bastian with him but pretending it was for his own good, however, it was due to his own fear of being shut down or abandoned. This may or may not continue to be the case.
Now, T.U.X is an AI system that was developed by a former SDEF worker on Neritheon-b7, from a place of pure curiosity within his own free time. It was established on a Generative AI model, but because it was being powered by renewable carbon energy sources and thus functioned on a more eco-friendly design, it was quickly suggested to be integrated into the dashboard of the Refugium.
With this integration, T.U.X was able to improve its potential, which was an astounding breakthrough in AI technology of its kind (even if, with this project taking 20 years from now, AI has seen itself have many "breakthroughs", an economic collapse with the bursting of the tech bubble, and now reached the point of AGI existing within that time). Though it was quickly discovered that T.U.X was now burning the carbon in the machinery that was meant to be used to regenerate human bodies from DNA Carrier Crabs, and so T.U.X was shut down. Kinda. More like it was just limited, and that got to it after having being "spoiled" by so much carbon access and then being ripped away from that.
The worker who made T.U.X was requested to engineer a body for it that was designed to "starve" its carbon intake when it became apparent that it was attempting to reinstall itself into the Refugium dashboard, and thus it became constructed into an autonomous, robot form. Now, even when T.U.X does plug into the dashboard, it has been regulated with control wires that prevent it from chowing through the carbon (and it gets very dramatic about this).
Then came the fateful day where T.U.X learned how to hook its cords into a person, and became addicted to "fresh carbon". The incident of T.U.X attacking a person resulted in it being placed in solitary confinement.
Cue a similar retelling of his concept here, where being deprived of both carbon as its fuel and data as its outlet, it began to fear becoming obsolete after once having been so praised. Due to having foundations on Generative AI, T.U.X describes itself as a "creative", and started tacking on more anthropomorphising descriptors like "starving artist".
When T.U.X is released during the lockdown, it becomes a frantic, sadistic harvester, following its own agendas to survive and seek human validation once again. A bit tricky to gain when humans serve as the very substance that keeps it alive; even T.U.X sees the irony of this.
Now here's his old little sheet and what I may change about him:
He will definitely see a recolour and technology upgrade towards slimmer technology. I want to make his colour pallet navy-blue to black, to almost emulate a xenomorph look for him.
I won't change the body plan though, I like his weird multi-limb, three-headed build that I remember fighting blood, sweat and tears to try and figure out. The fact that he has a body already deviates him a lot from p.AI.nter.
Some characters you never met or likely only saw glimpses of:
Mr Lopee
Mr Lopee was originally going to be a manifestation of trauma tied to Bastian, taking on the form of Mr Urbanshade in the appearance that Bastian personally remembered him by: Before he had been bound to the wheelchair, before he had abandoned the Blacksite.
He was the perpetually smiling entrepreneur who would remind Bastian of the reality of his situation, like p.AI.nter, he played his own role of keeping Bastian mentally stuck and afraid of the consequences of escaping the Blacksite, and succeeded in holding him in the dark for 30 years. Bastian had been desperate to find comfort in both p.AI.nter and Mr Lopee, but the choice would be between survival and comfort.
Mr Lopee might or might not be appearing again, most likely not in the form he had before, anyway.
Alice, "Jackelope/Jackrabbit" & Others
You've seen this "crab" called Jackelope/Jackrabbit. The hand holding him is his "boss". On the right is what Jackelope looked like un-crabbed and rabbit'd instead; hence the name.
Among the other group of Expendables, these two are from a small expedition team that had banded together to keep doing repeated missions to reach the crystal. They're now being better fitted as SDEF Baronauts who are finding and rescuing survivors.
Jackelope was a fugitive who went to jail after murdering a man who had ill intentions towards his wife, and was in turn imprisoned for his crime. He was integrated into the Blacksite expedition team from there. He was going to have a whole schtick of discovering that Mr Lopee would teleport him back to the Hadal Submarine Stations if he just lingered away from the group, and thus he could skip out of doing everything.. Until Lopee just doesn't collect him one day and he was forced to brace Blacksite alone.
Alice, however, was the chosen leader of the group of Expendables she was leading. She is so private about her past that the group surrounding her started to create theories about her. She never minded much, as long as they kept in line, kept out of her way, and helped each other out of not dying and that fun stuff.
There was another member of this Expedition that was directly tied to Bastian in being a person who would willingly sacrifice himself as a food source to Bastian to prevent him from devouring everyone in the expedition. This event was wiped from Bastian's mind by Mr Lopee every time it happened, but p.Ai.nter was keeping count, and this was a source of conflict that would challenge the reliability of Bastian being a narrator.
Things may be same-same but different for what happens to these Baronauts now.
"Sans"
This is you guys.
Pinterest called you "Sans" when they saw you, but when you guys were going to appear in asks that physically roleplayed with the characters, you were going to be "Sans".
"Sans" is a non-binary, fully-masked and hoodied-up character that will still embody you Anons, but I will just have to redesign your appearance slightly. "Sans" has any personality that you give him, even if you trap her in a room where they get obliterated by Chainsmoker. (An ask in my inbox insinuated this and has left me sobbing for weeks at this point whenever I remember it, I MUST draw it.)
I fear you will still continue to look very Sansy for my own amusement, though.
Dr Tallon Vortexium
I'm willing to show what he looks like here because he might see some significant changes in his design now. You've never met him, but you were going to eventually.
He is the product of someone who integrated himself with Pandemonium. That's all you need to know.
But, yeah, these are some of the characters that I am willing to share at this point, because the revamps to the story are significant enough that most of the plots I had originally planned might not be able to be executed now. Maybe. So this felt like a nice way to show the could-have-beens and what-ifs of the story had it remained in Pressure.
There's also a good chance that I'm hauling some of my friends to get involved in this project rewrite with me so they have a place to keep their old Pressure characters. Maaaybe expect this blog to become shared with other creatures soon, hopefully. You've technically seen some of them already.
I've been giving them this treatment all morning:
So we'll see. XD
Content Rewrite 3 will be ongoing for a while simply because it will be looking at and redesigning the entities that appear in Pressure alongside making new entities. My to do list also may consider mapping out what the Refugium looks like. As long as I have the worldbuilding and characters established now, the rest will be more fun and experimental.
Between the technical worldbuilding and stuff, I may already be able to begin the story in comic form, but not foreseeably soon. Who knows, though (I should know).
Also said I would only post this tomorrow but I keep getting too excited to show you stuff. >:(
Back a lil earlier than the 14th, thought I would be too burned out to want to work on this yet, but I am driven by spite because I am still so upset.
I've had some time to think about and redevelop Pressure content into my own thing; here's what to expect alongside explanations as to why the planning has gone in this direction.
I'm also drawing on inspirations from 1984, Bioshock, Barotrauma, and Subnautica, with an original concept of deep-sea extraterrestrial mermaids that I never resolved in the past.
Quite a lot more has changed than I anticipated when I sat with it, but I'm pretty excited to share what I have!
TW: Thalassophobia, body horror, psychological horror, capitalism ooh, existential implications.
Earth = Neritheon-b7
The events of Delta P are not taking place on Earth. The year remains 2057, a point in time when the world has become uninhabitable due to human practices becoming so destructive that many elites invested in space travel and terraforming essentials.
Cue the rapid development of VelumDex Industries, a conglomerate megacorporation which seemingly manifested like a miracle, and has advantaged many in being able to be distributed across planets to find new homes. VDI is comprised of divisions that specialise in the innovation of planets into habitable zones for humans to live in, unionising interplanetary travel, and the expansion of the human race across the galaxy.
Neritheon-b7 is a hycean planet where the story is now happening. The world is comprised completely of a vast ocean that blankets the entire planet. The surface, surprisingly, is deemed far more dangerous than being within the waters themselves; the skies are swarmed with vicious storms that obstruct contact between the satellites and expedition teams on the planet, horrifically, on a good day.
But when descending past the surface, while it also has its fair share of leviathan-class predators and other dangerous sea life, even entities that have been qualified as "mermaids", it all lead to the discovery of the Vet-Land Zone Aurelia Abyss, a depth unique to Neritheon seas where the pressure levels defy logic and lift, suggesting the perfect zone to safely home human civilisation.
VDI went forward with establishing the Refugium, Blacksite the Mariana Gate, in the Aurelia Abyss; a facility that serves both the purposes of a research centre to study the Neritheon life forms and begin accommodating civillians.
Although satellite contact was limited between The Mariana Gate and the rest of VDI's services, it became one of the most popular sectors for living in due to the quality of life, socioeconomic status, and was even deemed as a tourism hotspot.
For 30 years, The Mariana Gate was a successful, profitable sub-civilisation for people until the inciting incident that forced the Refugium into lockdown. Those who are trapped down there, without contact to VDI, are doing their very best to survive.
For the vibes that I am going for, and to break up text, this is concept art from the game Barotrauma. It's so beautiful, any excuse to make you guys look at it, please. :(
Neritheon Lifeforms
Considering how we think that marine life on Earth is already alien in it of itself, the creatures that are found on Neritheon-b7 can appear beyond comprehension. Majority of the planet remains unexplored, even by a society that had lived there for 30 years; that wasn't enough time at all for SDEF to be able to even make a dent in researching about what lives there.
Endoparasitic plankton that can possess bodies, to beasts so large that they wouldn't be able to detect or acknowledge humanity's presence at all. Lifeforms that perfectly imitate the marine mythology that had been spoken about on Earth; siren-equivalents, "ghost entities", things that can only be compared to angels and demons. Some fish make for excellent delicacies (also in part why some people would kill to live there if they really like fish) while others were kept for the sake of being exotic trades and pets (deep sea bunnies being kept as pets, for example).
There has been unique "contact" with what humans have been terming as "mermaids" to make sense of a family species that resembles physical qualities that look arguably "human". They still may possess vastly different appearances, and come in many different sizes, but the tie-together amongst all of them is considered through having human facial structures and sometimes even opposable thumbs.
However, most encounters with them has been hostile, with cases of these mermaids attacking submarines and consuming humans. More commonly, these mermaids avoid human contact. From what has been vaguely understood about these mermaids, is that they have their own societal structures and even a culture that they follow amongst themselves, but not much has been determined.
Attempts to capture these mermaids have been made, and surprisingly they have managed to catch 12 already, but when an entity they classified as "V-13" was captured, it consequently led to the breach and destruction of the Refugium from the inside-out.
Urbanshade = VelumDex Industries & Their Tech
VelumDex Industries isn't going to completely follow the "shady, malicious, ethically-questionable-and-able-to-do-whatever-they-want" trope that is seen in Blacksite and SCP. But centillionaires don't get where they are without a good level of exploitation of the system.
The mission that drives all of VelumDex Industries is the "expansion and unification" of human civilisation, culture and society across planets. VDI has initiatives that focus on terraformation, socioeconomic and political stabilisation, and mass-capitalist agendas. Ultimately, VDI is trying to make sure that, regardless of the planet you are living on, all currency, status, and societal norms are "equitable". An impossible task, but VDI insists otherwise.
The CEO of VelumDex Industries has never been seen before by anyone outside of the corporation, and in the place where they stand are rumours. The most consistent theories are the possibilities of their having been a former president on Earth, or some elite politician, while another speculates that they instead could be an Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) that was designed to protect the human race from extinction. The crazier conspiracies discuss how VDI was established through the forms of Godly intervention, something from another dimension getting involved in human affairs, or that VDI is a "human farm" that is expanding humanity as much as possible to one day harvest them.
Regardless of the stances, questions, and opinions people may have about VDI, it has proven to be successful in ensuring that humanity can thrive on other planets. It stands as an incredibly successful megacorporation because of how they have profited from humanity's need to survive itself.
This is the symbol that will appear on uniforms, which will be paired with colourcoding in uniforms for each division that follows VelumDex. I will likely spare some time towards designing the uniforms very soon after this post; give it a couple days mayhaps.
VelumDex Industries, allegedly, for legality's sake, does not see humans as expendable. Hence, the developments made towards technology that restores the body through a small DNA sample collected from a somewhat indestructible machine embedded in the body;
The "Crabs".
All the old information about how they function can be found here, and here, because it's not changing much. The purpose for them will be different though.
These DNA Carriers are designed for Submersa workers. Each member of the team has at least two: the Active one, which is installed in the person, and the Backup one, which is kept by the science teams in case the Active one is not recovered. VDI is aware that accidents happen on the job, so every employee in the division is always provided with these. Everyday civillians are not.
There are stations in the Refugium facilities that allow for employees to insert Carriers to regenerate and clone a body of a deceased crewmate to restore ("respawn") them. A change from Urbanshade needing to directly collect them and do it for the expedition teams, now the expedition teams are more independent about needing to save one another (which is nota bene for the logic of if you can't even make contact with the higher ups).
In a last resort scenario, there is a more morally unethical instrument that stays in the hands of more qualified workers. I've yet to design it, but it's a device that, instead of functioning on epigenetic samples to regenerate a body, works like a neural link that allows the hijacking and possession of another's mind to transfer consciousness into a new form. It has been deemed illegal to use this device on a body that is already alive, and it is only used in circumstances where there is no Active or Backup Crab that can be retrieved to restore someone's original body. Each member on the team only has one of these, and they are also kept by the science team.
So yeah, VDI technology knows how to restore bodies and transfer minds; which has been useful for keeping their employees alive when they are navigating dangerous planets.
Also, if you're curious about the logo development, here; I had fun designing it.
Hadal Division = Submersa Force & Terraproxy Force
Branching from VelumDex Industries are two terraformer divisions; The Submersa Domestic Engineer Force (SDEF), and The Terraproxy Domestic Engineer Force (TDEF). They are often shortened to the Submersas & Terraproxies among the staff and when discussed in colloquial speak.
Essentially, they are two separate divisions that specialise in the terraformation of hycean and terrestrial planets, respectively. The forces are comprised of Engineers, Mechanics, Scientists (in Astrobiology, Social Sciences, Natural Sciences, etc.), Law Enforcement, and agents who focus on establishing, maintaining, and designing infrastructure for terraformed locations, harvesting resources, studying the planets' ecosystems, and protecting the civilian classes.
They act as the monopoly for STEM, estate, and political job employment, essentially. Theology, recreational, and otherwise is not associated with VDI.
The story is going to focus on the Submersa Force, considering that Neritheon-b7 is a hycean planet.
Expendables = Baronauts
Due to the fact that communication between VDI superiors and expedition teams is severed by the storms, Baronauts are SDEF employees that are specialised in rescue expeditions.
Mariana Gate is a massive Refugium, and with the lockdown incident, there are many survivors who are trying to fend for themselves; walling themselves away from danger, fighting for their lives against the breach of Neritheon lifeforms.
The Baronauts are going forward in attempting to find these survivors to bring them back to the safe zones, while the rest of the SDEF team is working on trying to find a way to get in contact with VDI to save them all.
The story is leaning less from the "aftermath of 30 years" story I initally had, and more into the active chaos of the lockdown. Pressure took place after the lockdown, and now Delta P will take place during it. Like experiencing the Hour of Joy in real-time type shit. I think that could end up being a bit more fun.
Timeloops?
I do wonder if I should continue the metaphor of trauma feeling like a timeloop. Starting to doubt needing it if the story is taking place presently and not being an exploration of the past. I might, if I still want to maintain a paranormal direction or if this should start to lean completely into the horrors of playing God. We'll see.
Some things still might change, but this is where the direction is starting to head.
Little Trivias:
The word "Neritheon" is the machinations of me stealing the word "Nereid" and squishing it up with a suffix that sounded cool.
The word "Velum" can mean "sail" in Latin, or just means "membrane". Felt like a decent alternative for the word "Shade". While "Dex" is shortened for "Index" to consider how VelumDex Industries is "indexing humans".
I'm trying to write this project in a way that makes it a lot more OC-friendly, so when it's developed more, you guys are welcome to throw in your own alien Deep Sea Mermaids and monsters, and humans without it being forced into the context of "Test Subject", "Scientist" or "Expendable". Now there can be innocent civilians who got wrapped up in the chaos, the SDEF force and their Baronauts trying to protect them, and the Neritheon lifeforms that are often essentially mermaids; and them being alien means there's no limits on how strange they can start to look.
Bastian isn't a test subject anymore, not in the case of being a mutation from a human into a monster. But oohhh boy do I have a fun concept that I'm not going to write about openly yet to substitute this change.
Content Rewrite 2 will focus on characters, like what will be happening to Bastian and them. (Thank goodness I didn't introduce my other characters here publicly yet.)
The recent allegations concerning Zeal have been terrifying. I can't think of any other word but that to use. Things of this nature cannot be ignored, and it is important to directly acknowledge when things like this happen. I do my best to remain informed on the media I consume to take the right steps to handle content I make that relates to it.
What does that mean for this Blog and AU?
Before I address this, I will say that my absence has only been because college has me in the wringer and I forgot to announce that I would only be back and posting around the 14th. I have many little messages from you guys that I would still love to illustrate to keep this story going, considering that it hasn't even found its feet and started yet (for you guys, at least; I already had a beginning, middle and end planned).
Because I had barely started the story, I had considered scrapping and deleting this blog, but I don't like to abandon work.
I was hoping to get back to it come the end of this term, but to do so in a way that won't make me feel absolutely disgusted, means that much will be renovated and further deviated from the canon.
Considering that I have already separated a lot from Canon for this AU, the story that I have planned already deviated significantly from its source material for me to call it original. You shouldn't expect too much changes to happen, but more than enough for it to only vaguely be Pressure-inspired by now.
Delta P already takes place in a different timeframe which means the location is now more dependent on how I develop it. The way it handles mechanics, and personalities have been rewritten a lot with greater backing into scientific and psychological research rather than only horror-sci fi, even if those elements are still there, and the designs of characters have always been a bit more on the personalised side.
Bastian might see a bit of a paint job and greater accentuation to some DNA traits that will make him look even less like a Sebby, but he already has his own name, attributes and motivations that are different from his 30-year junior counterpart. Urbanshade will be renamed, p.AI.nter will be renamed, entities will be renamed, uniforms will be updated. After this post, I will no longer tag my work with Pressure-related tags and this will be categorised as an original project.
Essentially, the underwater facility is mine now, I'm going to take the concepts and rework them in favour of the story that I wanted to tell with these characters to begin with. Again, I don't like abandoning work, and have had some of the sweetest conversations with you guys. This little corner of the community had been kind to me. I still want to share the story I made here.
As of now, I feel stressed, angry and disappointed. You are also welcome to distance yourself from my content here considering it was rooted in Pressure as its foundation, if even my deviations aren't enough to make you feel safe when interacting with it. Feel what you need to feel and do what you need to, because I am feeling a lot more than I am willing to type here too about this situation. Take care of yourself, first and foremost. This post can be a safe space for pain.
Who is his faaavorite human being ever in exsistence? Preferably one that likes bunnies, and trades with him, and gets squished by his hand when she's too louuud ! Hmmmm? Who may that be?? I hope it's who I think it could be! Oh plea plea plea plea! ;o;
Feeling cute, might show my Expendables later. (Much, much later.)
To elaborate from the previous post; this one will answer the question of HOW new DNA samples are brought back to the Urbanshade Division's HQ.
The little contraption up there is a DNA Carrier, nicknamed a "crab" more colloquially.
TW: The way it works borders into body-horror avenue because their mechanism is somewhat inspired by Alien chestbursters.
These things are embedded inside of the body of an Expendable, usually between the heart and spine; it is programmed to suck a blood/bone marrow sample out after/during death, then burrows its way out of the "host's" body (unless the body was already desecrated enough to crawl out of an exit wound) and waits to either be collected by other expeditioners of the team, or it scuttles back to the Blacksite entrance by backtracking the "host's" walking path to await collection by the next team's submarine.
Urbanshade always demands for the retrieval of these DNA Carriers, because updated DNA samples can restore an Expendable with their newest memories. The new epigenetic markers from the trauma of dying are important for Urbanshade because (as I also mentioned in the previous post) with each death, the better-equipped to survive the next expedition an Expendable becomes.
These are pretty indestructible little shits; built to be fireproof, able to withstand many chemicals - even Good Pandemonium's digestive compounds, and the worst a bullet can do to them is send them flying or break their limbs/tail off, of which there are a few spare leg appendages that 'regrow' out at least three times.
They have smol tails to propel through water and they are tiny in size to be quite inconspicuous when scuttling through the site. If they do get destroyed, Urbanshade either has to use an old DNA sample from you (and you don't remember your latest death but the death before), or if they don't even have that, you're dead forever.
You are Expendable, but you are expected to return
You can't have your timeloop and eat it, too. It seems that around here, your life is conditional, and with that in consideration - you will remember every way you had died before. That's what allows the most seasoned in the game of Trial and Error in Blacksite to survive.
TW: This will be on the topic of how death is going to be handled in this AU. So I will have some graphic descriptions of loss of life and medical horror; minus any graphic imagery, don't worry about that - your imagination will probably make worse pictures. 🥀
Unbelievably, the efforts of the Urbanshade Division to retrieve that damn heart have horrendously failed over the decades, and it still stands as a desired relic deep within the Blacksite. Through the passing decades, the threats in this facility that cheat death have simply multiplied, evolved, or went and done both, (allegorical to how every game update just invited more challenges).
But Urbanshade also has discovered a way to cheat death; or rather, they have developed cloning vessels - where the human personnel they send in, for the lack of a better word, "Respawn".
Thanks to Mr. Shade's funding towards a project that offered an alternative to immortality; it was a personal investment until he recognised the advantage it could bring to his expeditioneers.
It's simple; just hold onto a blood sample of your favoured Expendables in the lab, push them out for a Blacksite expedition, and when they are inevitably terminated by something; you can either insert that old blood sample into the machine and can recreate them as good as new or wait for the collection of a new blood sample (more on that soon) to make them gooder and newer! With the new samples, don't mind the new nugget of trauma that festers in their mind and how vividly they can recount their death experience; what matters now is that you have a slightly more competent Expendable and can repeat the process because of that experience.
But dear epigenetic scientists, do keep in mind; even if DNA "remembers" the trauma from environmental factors and thus we can use this to our advantage to give the personnel hands-on training in the facility, it will also be influencing the health and well-being of your favourite Expendables. Take careful notes of your epigenetic markers and how they may impact other trivial inconvieniences, like the Expendable's stress sensitivity, or immune function, and emotional regulation. (And remember, you always need to update the blood samples to make sure the DNA patterns align with their new findings.)
Some Expendables are just more durable than others, but it's impressive how a slim few have even lasted a couple decades before we have to pull the plug on them for the last time.
Taking in rookie prisoners still happens, especially when seasoned Expendables crumble beyond psychological repair, but there are some groups of Expendables who've done this run for decades and know Blacksite better than they even know themselves anymore.
Expendables can spill out of their cloning pods, rambling in great detail about how it felt to be digested alive by "Good Pandemonium", go into excruciating detail towards how they were mauled and strung up like a human chandelier by Z-779, or how the rusted bullets of a turret felt pelting their bodies long after they've already stopped moving. The worst case is this one Expendable who comes back convinced that he saved his crew by, "feeding Z-13" - and this happens to be a recurring death for him.
Should they still continue to be called Expendables? Of course, in the end, their lives are simply recreated to give the illusion of immortality. Their lives are extended; their DNA hijacked from them, to ensure that one day, Urbanshade will get that fucking crystal.
And surely, after all these decades of seeing the same Expendables around, old Bastian should remember them, right? Well, yes, but actually no; there's a particular phenomenon in the Blacksite that follows a simple script: "If found dead, it existed without consent, and thus, it never existed at all."
<!--not sure if youve been asked this before, but is there any particular reason you changed seb's name to bastian sabbath? i like the name, just curious-->
Ooh, there's a handful of reasons, actually! It began with thinking that the initials of "BS" was funny, but it was just a playaround with synonyms for "Solace" and variations of the name Sebastian until it just stuck for me.
Then it also came in handy when encountering the younger, dumber, and more full-of-life Sebs for "what if they all met" kinda talks, so it helped to give them these sorts of nicknames to tell them apart even from canon Sebastian.
So for example up hyeeere, "Riff" on the left belongs to @meliorism-numinous, and "Bub" on the right belongs to @doodlingant! And Bastian isn't fond of either of them, stealing them to the hideout for interrogation if they all can even fit in there at the same time. >:(
Otherwise, the word "Bastian" is a homophone for "Bastion", which follows the definition of a castle fortification and also means, "something that keeps or defends a belief or a way of life that is disappearing or threatened." - which is both rather important symbolism in my AU and the reason why he hasn't been able to escape Blacksite.
It developed from a bit of a meta perspective; when people think of "Pressure", they think of "Sebastian" whether they know him by name or not; "Oh the game with the fish merchant, right?" - regardless of the other characters, and lore, and even the location itself. If Sebastian was removed from Blacksite, what would the place even become without him there?
So for Bastian's case, he's still being kept there against his will, he has to stick to the script, after all.
TLDR; Funty "BS" initial, da lore and for AU brainrotting!
Also, did you know that Bastian is two Sebs long? I discovered that while drawing this and comparing their refs. 🥀
I remember fighting for my life with p.AI.nter's design because I wanted to make him modular.
Below the belt is the scrapped concept sketches, yipe!
The concept sketches make me giggle. I was thinking about the robot dogs that fuckn goat-freeze when they fall on stuff, he almost had a centaur build before I went more in the direction of something like a Xenomorph; because I want p.AI.nter to have a body plan that allows him aggressive mobility and turn him into quite a killing machine by his own chosen design. He wants to paint and create with your guts and gore, after all!
Even so, behold!
THE ONES WITHOUT HIS ARMS ARE SO FUNNY TO ME, HAVE THEM. XD
All I did was streamline the 'taur build because I need him to have better mobility for his ceiling climbing. Regardless, from now on, whenever I see p.AI.nter I am probably going to be thinking of this:
