Subnautica: The Story/Lore So Far!
ComicalSkate
Canada, ON Join Date: 2015-05-28 Member: 204993Members
Canada, ON Join Date: 2015-05-28 Member: 204993Members
*THIS WAS ORIGINALLY MY POST ON THE SUBNAUTICA SUBREDDIT, IF YOU PREFER READING THROUGH REDDIT THEN CLICK HERE:* https://www.reddit.com/r/subnautica/comments/4t2hxm/the_storylore_so_far_spoilers/ (Yes, my reddit username is Grevidis, this is not a rip off)
This is my gathering and understanding of the Subnautica lore given to us by the PDA data downloads and clues from the game and developers given to me, major spoilers follow so you have been warned:
To first understand the Subnautica story, you need to first understand the lore found in the background, the story of the Subnautica universe. If you do not care about this and just want to know the events of Subnautica, please go to the next paragraph. So the Subnautica universe, from what we have gathered from the PDA data download works very uniquely. After humanity has colonized most of the galaxy, one centralized government could not handle it all. So many countries or even large companies created their own Trans-gov's that were still under the centralized earth based government and had to follow some guidelines and rules, but could lead their people and society in the way they wanted to. The only two trans-gov's we have information about in the story we have gathered so far. They are the Alterra corp trans-gov where everything is very high tech and posh, and the war scarred not so great Mongolian trans-gov. The Mongolian trans-gov consists of most of the old Asian countries from Earth like China and Mongolia, that spread out into the stars. But do to some shaky pasts they ended up doing not so great and were technologically behind trans-gov's like Alterra, and economically unstable. The Mongolian occupied space is where Subnautica's planet is, planet 4546B. Alterra, as the leading phase gate constructors in the galaxy sent the Aurora to the Ariadne arm for its ninth constructed phase gate to connect the galaxy to the Ariadne arm. There is also a large mining company called Torgaljin. As far as we are aware they don't have their own trans-gov but are just a very large company.
The Degasi was a Mongolian vessel owned by Torgaljin corp, and captained by Paal Torgal, the CEO of Torgaljin. While taking a detour through the sector it was shot down by an weapon of unknown origins that was situated on planet 4546B. The Degasi crash landed on the planet and the only surviving crew were Paal Torgal, his son Baat Torgal, and a mercenary they hired for the journey; Marguerit Maida. Using the salvaged parts of the Degasi they constructed a habitat on the floater island and survived for some months by cultivating indigenous flora. Marguerit, desperate to find a way to get off the planet instead of sitting idly watching the sunset on the beach, pressured Paal to establish a habitat underwater. Paal resisted the idea at first, but eventually succumbed to her requests after heavy downpour started flooding their growbeds and increased risk of a mudslide. So the Degasi crew established a habitat in the jellyshroom caves.
After some time they realized they were all sick, there was a virus in the air that originated on the planet and was pretty much apart of the ecosystem. While exploring they found a small piece of unknown technology, technology developed by an advanced sentient species we know as the precursors. Wanting to find more about this technology and kind of crazy by the virus affecting them, they decided to head deeper into the ocean.
The following is kind of loose lore and some speculation and theories: The Degasi crew set up a third base down in the deep grand reef. Something happens to Paal and Marguerit while down there, but Baat flees back to the jellyshroom base and writes a small log saying that they were trapped down there and it was his fault, they didnt want them down there. At this point we believe that, at least Baat, was aware of the precursors. We know from a dev telling us, that the precursors captured the Degasi crew (at least Paal and Maida) and experimented on them.
Back to confirmed lore: Meanwhile Alterra sends the Aurora to the Ariadne arm to construct a phase gate to connect it to the rest of the galaxy. The Aurora's other objective is to accompany and provide the Mongolian Emissary, Khasar, on his mission to find the Degasi and her crew after it went missing, I believe, five years prior. The Aurora, scheduled for a gravitational slingshot manouvre around planet 4546B gets hit by the same weapon, apart of the Precursors Orbital Defense System, that shot down the Degasi and ends up plummeting to the ocean planet below. During its crash landing many lifepods and crew are ejected but due to many reasons most of them perish during atmospheric entry or underwater due to hostile lifeforms or drowning.
Aurora bridge Second Officer Keen takes command as the standing Aurora mission captain after the captain was killed in the crash. He directs the remaining survivors to head south for a landmass he detected, he is presumed to be commanding from the partially damaged Aurora bridge and lives for some time until the Aurora's drive core quantum detonates killing him and any other survivors on the Aurora in the fiery explosion that followed.
The precursors are a sentient intelligent and advanced species that either originated or colonized planet 4546B and set up a few bases. It appears that their main goal is to keep the creature known as the Sea Emperor imprisoned for unknown reasons, and we know that the sea emperor is an intelligent creature that we will likely have to save or something similar as a part of the story. There will be a few precursor bases scattered around the world. One in the lost river, one in the lava castle of the Inactive Lava Zone, the Sea Emperor facility/prison in the Active Lava Zone, and the large base located in and on the soon to be expanded Northern Island that has the Orbital Defense Weapon on top of it.
This leaves you, the player, to survive and find out the mysteries of the planet and the secrets of the Precursors.
This is what we know, it may be changed, tweaked, scrapped, etc. in the future, so please don't take my words as fact.
EDIT: This is a very condensed form of the lore, there are small things and theories I have left out of this. Also note that this is the story in it's early stages so its yet to be fully fleshed out and implemented into the game. If you have any questions and would like to learn more then please ask in the comments, I would be happy to try to answer them to my best abilities!
EDIT: If you would like to see some sources of this information then read the Data Downloads here:
(shameful promotion to my friend's channel XD) skip to the public documents if you want to know the background lore information that I discussed in the first paragraph.
EDIT: I am going to include some of the more popular, and my own, theories here:
1. One theory is that the warpers are synthetic beings that were created by the precursors. We already have had conformation that actual precursors beings NPC's will not be in the game, at least at this time, so we can assume that if the warpers were made by the precursors, then they are likely going to be the defending creatures stopping you from exploring the precursors bases.
2. Another theory includes that the Degasi Crew were turned into warpers by either the virus affecting their DNA and morphing them, or by precursor experimentation on them.
3. My favourite, and own personal, theory includes the fact that Subnautica and the Natural Selection games may be situated in the same universe. I like this theory because it not only is a nice prospect to have the games connected but there is some evidence behind it. My theory is that the precursors developed the virus that we hear about from the Degasi crew and it evolves into the alien virus we see in the NS games. I believe that, if the precursors did not originate on the planet and only set up a few research facilities for DNA experimentation and studying and using the Sea Emperor's DNA. I like to imagine that the virus and the precursors experiments and creatures got out of control and evolved into a fast evolving dominating virus that set out to infect the galaxy, and that is the alien species you see in Natural Selection. If you are wondering why the technology in the games are so vastly different is, I think, because planet 4546B is located in the Aridne arm which we know from the logs in mainly controlled by the Mongolian trans-gov and they are not as technologically advanced as say Alterra. Alterra trans-gov and corp has similar technology seen as in NS, for example the building tool in NS is like the habitat builder, but because they are a much more stabilized and economically stable then the Mongolian's and they strive for innovation, we can assume that their tech would be a lot more advanced and polished looking but yet similar. But because the aliens originated from the Subnautica planet, their first attacks would be against Mongolian space and its people. So the Mongolians send their forces to combat the alien threat and those forces are the marines you play as in the Natural Selection games, hence why the technology is a lot less nicer than seen in Subnautica. I just really like the idea of the games being in the same universe, don't you think? Also there is the NS2 easter egg poster as well if that means anything. EDIT: After reading into the Natural Selection games lore I have come to the conclusion that the two games are definitely in the same universe. I had never realized how obviously intertwined these two games were! Alterra and the Mongolian states already existed prior to Subnautica in the NS games. I will be honest, I didn't know much of the NS lore prior to a quick look into it just now. But this is very exciting, that they are in the same universe, we just don't have complete conformation that the Kharaa alien species from NS originated on planet 4546B. But knowing how developers like to branch their games together with story I think it is safe to assume that it is the Kharaa bacterium that has infected the Degasi crew!
This is my gathering and understanding of the Subnautica lore given to us by the PDA data downloads and clues from the game and developers given to me, major spoilers follow so you have been warned:
To first understand the Subnautica story, you need to first understand the lore found in the background, the story of the Subnautica universe. If you do not care about this and just want to know the events of Subnautica, please go to the next paragraph. So the Subnautica universe, from what we have gathered from the PDA data download works very uniquely. After humanity has colonized most of the galaxy, one centralized government could not handle it all. So many countries or even large companies created their own Trans-gov's that were still under the centralized earth based government and had to follow some guidelines and rules, but could lead their people and society in the way they wanted to. The only two trans-gov's we have information about in the story we have gathered so far. They are the Alterra corp trans-gov where everything is very high tech and posh, and the war scarred not so great Mongolian trans-gov. The Mongolian trans-gov consists of most of the old Asian countries from Earth like China and Mongolia, that spread out into the stars. But do to some shaky pasts they ended up doing not so great and were technologically behind trans-gov's like Alterra, and economically unstable. The Mongolian occupied space is where Subnautica's planet is, planet 4546B. Alterra, as the leading phase gate constructors in the galaxy sent the Aurora to the Ariadne arm for its ninth constructed phase gate to connect the galaxy to the Ariadne arm. There is also a large mining company called Torgaljin. As far as we are aware they don't have their own trans-gov but are just a very large company.
The Degasi was a Mongolian vessel owned by Torgaljin corp, and captained by Paal Torgal, the CEO of Torgaljin. While taking a detour through the sector it was shot down by an weapon of unknown origins that was situated on planet 4546B. The Degasi crash landed on the planet and the only surviving crew were Paal Torgal, his son Baat Torgal, and a mercenary they hired for the journey; Marguerit Maida. Using the salvaged parts of the Degasi they constructed a habitat on the floater island and survived for some months by cultivating indigenous flora. Marguerit, desperate to find a way to get off the planet instead of sitting idly watching the sunset on the beach, pressured Paal to establish a habitat underwater. Paal resisted the idea at first, but eventually succumbed to her requests after heavy downpour started flooding their growbeds and increased risk of a mudslide. So the Degasi crew established a habitat in the jellyshroom caves.
After some time they realized they were all sick, there was a virus in the air that originated on the planet and was pretty much apart of the ecosystem. While exploring they found a small piece of unknown technology, technology developed by an advanced sentient species we know as the precursors. Wanting to find more about this technology and kind of crazy by the virus affecting them, they decided to head deeper into the ocean.
The following is kind of loose lore and some speculation and theories: The Degasi crew set up a third base down in the deep grand reef. Something happens to Paal and Marguerit while down there, but Baat flees back to the jellyshroom base and writes a small log saying that they were trapped down there and it was his fault, they didnt want them down there. At this point we believe that, at least Baat, was aware of the precursors. We know from a dev telling us, that the precursors captured the Degasi crew (at least Paal and Maida) and experimented on them.
Back to confirmed lore: Meanwhile Alterra sends the Aurora to the Ariadne arm to construct a phase gate to connect it to the rest of the galaxy. The Aurora's other objective is to accompany and provide the Mongolian Emissary, Khasar, on his mission to find the Degasi and her crew after it went missing, I believe, five years prior. The Aurora, scheduled for a gravitational slingshot manouvre around planet 4546B gets hit by the same weapon, apart of the Precursors Orbital Defense System, that shot down the Degasi and ends up plummeting to the ocean planet below. During its crash landing many lifepods and crew are ejected but due to many reasons most of them perish during atmospheric entry or underwater due to hostile lifeforms or drowning.
Aurora bridge Second Officer Keen takes command as the standing Aurora mission captain after the captain was killed in the crash. He directs the remaining survivors to head south for a landmass he detected, he is presumed to be commanding from the partially damaged Aurora bridge and lives for some time until the Aurora's drive core quantum detonates killing him and any other survivors on the Aurora in the fiery explosion that followed.
The precursors are a sentient intelligent and advanced species that either originated or colonized planet 4546B and set up a few bases. It appears that their main goal is to keep the creature known as the Sea Emperor imprisoned for unknown reasons, and we know that the sea emperor is an intelligent creature that we will likely have to save or something similar as a part of the story. There will be a few precursor bases scattered around the world. One in the lost river, one in the lava castle of the Inactive Lava Zone, the Sea Emperor facility/prison in the Active Lava Zone, and the large base located in and on the soon to be expanded Northern Island that has the Orbital Defense Weapon on top of it.
This leaves you, the player, to survive and find out the mysteries of the planet and the secrets of the Precursors.
This is what we know, it may be changed, tweaked, scrapped, etc. in the future, so please don't take my words as fact.
EDIT: This is a very condensed form of the lore, there are small things and theories I have left out of this. Also note that this is the story in it's early stages so its yet to be fully fleshed out and implemented into the game. If you have any questions and would like to learn more then please ask in the comments, I would be happy to try to answer them to my best abilities!
EDIT: If you would like to see some sources of this information then read the Data Downloads here:
(shameful promotion to my friend's channel XD) skip to the public documents if you want to know the background lore information that I discussed in the first paragraph.EDIT: I am going to include some of the more popular, and my own, theories here:
1. One theory is that the warpers are synthetic beings that were created by the precursors. We already have had conformation that actual precursors beings NPC's will not be in the game, at least at this time, so we can assume that if the warpers were made by the precursors, then they are likely going to be the defending creatures stopping you from exploring the precursors bases.
2. Another theory includes that the Degasi Crew were turned into warpers by either the virus affecting their DNA and morphing them, or by precursor experimentation on them.
3. My favourite, and own personal, theory includes the fact that Subnautica and the Natural Selection games may be situated in the same universe. I like this theory because it not only is a nice prospect to have the games connected but there is some evidence behind it. My theory is that the precursors developed the virus that we hear about from the Degasi crew and it evolves into the alien virus we see in the NS games. I believe that, if the precursors did not originate on the planet and only set up a few research facilities for DNA experimentation and studying and using the Sea Emperor's DNA. I like to imagine that the virus and the precursors experiments and creatures got out of control and evolved into a fast evolving dominating virus that set out to infect the galaxy, and that is the alien species you see in Natural Selection. If you are wondering why the technology in the games are so vastly different is, I think, because planet 4546B is located in the Aridne arm which we know from the logs in mainly controlled by the Mongolian trans-gov and they are not as technologically advanced as say Alterra. Alterra trans-gov and corp has similar technology seen as in NS, for example the building tool in NS is like the habitat builder, but because they are a much more stabilized and economically stable then the Mongolian's and they strive for innovation, we can assume that their tech would be a lot more advanced and polished looking but yet similar. But because the aliens originated from the Subnautica planet, their first attacks would be against Mongolian space and its people. So the Mongolians send their forces to combat the alien threat and those forces are the marines you play as in the Natural Selection games, hence why the technology is a lot less nicer than seen in Subnautica. I just really like the idea of the games being in the same universe, don't you think? Also there is the NS2 easter egg poster as well if that means anything. EDIT: After reading into the Natural Selection games lore I have come to the conclusion that the two games are definitely in the same universe. I had never realized how obviously intertwined these two games were! Alterra and the Mongolian states already existed prior to Subnautica in the NS games. I will be honest, I didn't know much of the NS lore prior to a quick look into it just now. But this is very exciting, that they are in the same universe, we just don't have complete conformation that the Kharaa alien species from NS originated on planet 4546B. But knowing how developers like to branch their games together with story I think it is safe to assume that it is the Kharaa bacterium that has infected the Degasi crew!
Comments
Care to infer?
What purpose would it serve? Do the precursors and leviathans (if sentient) hate each other for some reason?
The main theory is for research and experimentation. Probably used its DNA or something to create the virus.
I couldn't imagine why they'd do that.
Omg! I have never played mass effect, so I had no idea about this thing. But this is so how I want the Sea Emperor meeting to go! You in the exosuit on the cliff, etc.
After all, anyone who would to dedicate an entire planet to locking up one prisoner probably has a real good reason for doing it. When I see that many locks on something, I don't want to know what's inside. Just walk away slowly...
Good theory, would be cool. But I think because the way the game goes with violence and such I feel like you will most likely be saving the Sea Emperor from the evil sentient species. Since the game is so heavy with not killing the creatures I do doubt this will happen. We also have conformation that the Sea Emperor will be intelligent and passive and/or defensive. Would be cool to see, but I am not 100% sure that is the way the story is going.
Being a particularly sadistic person, I actually appreciate this line of thinking, as keeps me being creative with my aquatic extinction projects. It's also good to see that developers and I are totally on the same page with this, too.
http://forums.unknownworlds.com/discussion/144222/ideas-for-sn-story/p1?new=1
Just pointing out some similarities there between the biters and reapers when you look at them.
This just blew my mind. Never thought of that but would give that "virus" on the planet a new meaning.
The facts of life: To make an alteration in the evolvement of an organic life system is fatal. A coding sequence cannot be revised once it's been established.
I read somewhere that these are maybe the remaining parts of the Degasi ship. It's located somewhere in the grand reef if I remember correctly.
No, the Degasi was completely scrapped as far as we know. That is likely the third abandoned base built by the Degasi crew that is what this is likely talking about.
honestly that was just an idea i wanted to throw out there idc if its realistic or not
That makes no sense, and on several levels is fairly wrong. Coding sequences change all the time. It's called mutation. Mostly, bad things happen, like cancer. Sometimes, good things happen. Like the evolution of primordial sludge into a species capable of arguing about things on the internet.
The process is slow, though. But if you knew what to jog around, and had a WAY of jogging it around the way you wanted, you could make lifeforms do LOTS of things.
Right now, humans are pretty crude- they can smash glowing jellyfish genes into a fertilized egg a bunch of times, and maybe the egg survives with jellyfish components intact, and glows under certain conditions (mostly UV light?).
theweek.com/articles/464980/7-genetically-modified-animals-that-glow-dark 260 attempts, 3 living pigs. It's crude and lossy.
Now, with some way of computing what DNA does what, and subbing in things to do other stuff? Then you could make things happen. Unfortunately, this requires very specific and small scale molecular manipulation, and extremely large amounts of computing power.
So it's technically possible. Just not with current tech. Right now we just smash things together and hope we get lucky.
thanks for the support of my theory
Mutations that exist in newly formed organisms is indeed how evolution works. However, in established organisms the result is always cancer and it is fatal, despite what a hundred years of comic books have said.
Adult organisms cannot undergo mutation and live for very long. Only newly conceived embryos can survive genetic tampering.
Addendum: CRISPR does allow for some tampering with genetic code in adults, but not in a way that allows for self-replication. Therefore it bypasses the cancer-clause. Of course this also means that you're having to edit every single cell individually, which is kind of a lost cause. So again you're back to embryonic design or bust.
I used to hang out with a molecular geneticist.