(Havenpost)
Havenpost
Snap Frozen Tomb
When all around you is the frozen ocean unto the horizon, walk some more. When you see mountains made of icy waves, walk some more. When you see jagged teeth clamping down the distant horizon, walk some more. It is only when the very sky itself freezes and cracks that you have truly arrived in Havenpost.
— Old wanderer's tale on "Havenpost"
Difficulty | 5/5 | Perilous throughout. |
---|---|---|
Entity Count | 2/5 | Avoidable entities. |
Chaos Gradient | 1/5 | Little to no changes in limspace. |
Basset-Frazier Index | 2.66/5 | Desolate frozen ocean with minimal safety. |
Description
The long walk across Permafrost Wake of Shivergate into Havenpost is a test of patience and grit. There is nothing but frost, corpses, and the abandoned ships of the once hopeful. Beyond the graveyard of frost and regret, the garden of ice sculptures beckons.
Surface
Much like its connected threshold, Havenpost is beyond frigid. While the days reach lows of -32°C on a warm day, the nights drop into incomprehensibly freezing depths. All that is left out during the night freezes solid—joining the garden of frozen statues. No amount of thermal attire will keep you warm. Havenpost’s critically cold climate forces all things into the warmth of the sunken city of Everything Under. Thus, the only time to travel across the surface is during the six hours of sunlight.
The surface of Havenpost is mostly devoid of natural resources. Almost everything frosted over is considered lost and a waste of effort to try and lodge free. The still waves that make up the landscape look to have been frozen all at once in a singular frigid flash. This unique environment is only broken up by the occasional odd spires of ice and OV-Gondolas. The spires cut into the shattered, sleek sky with their rigid edges. Peering into the frost of the spires, you can see the Challengers' last-ditch efforts to escape Havenpost—rockets. One has to wonder whether the people inside died instantly with the snap freeze or whether it was a slow, agonizing death. If a rocket were to be excavated, the contents within would be immensely valuable. A time capsule from the most sought-after age of Thalasso—the Age of Challenge.
OV-Gondolas are large circular structures with sharp roofs that breach the surface of the frozen ocean. Each OV-Gondola sports a sizable automatic door that swings open upon detecting any approaching presence. Usually, this cracks the ice and allows wanderers to enter. If not, the ice will thaw off within minutes due to the excessive heat within the gondola. Within each gondola is a switch which, when flipped, causes the structure to lower into the ice, allowing easy access to Everything Under.
Parts of Havenpost have been cracked into massive chasms over time. These vast rifts in the ice are several kilometers thick and deep. Looking down the divides is not recommended, as the swallowing darkness at the bottom has invited many into their depths. Though, if well-equipped, travelers can descend to the bottom. However, it is a time-consuming effort, and time is never on your side in Havenpost. The hanging carcasses across the divide are trophies of the killing night.
The cold isn’t the only threat on the surface of Havenpost. Lost animals brought by drifting ice sheets from Shivergate can be found on their last leg, starving and ready to kill. Hallowed Wolves, in particular, are commonly found alone on the ice sheet. These lone hunters are much more dangerous than their Shivergate counterparts as they fight with every ounce of failing strength. They have nothing to lose by fading from reality and everything to gain from killing you. Never assume you are alone when in wolf territory.
Hailing from Verglasking’s Labyrinth are Frost Regents. These imposing, jagged knights made of ice are an extension of Verglasking himself. They walk along the ice sheet with long strides, cleaving through anything that does not bow. Forged by Verglasking, their pristine ice bodies come to life under the force of his conquering will. They walk across the ocean in vast strides in pursuit of their ultimate goal. While none of the Frost Regents linger in Havenpost for too long, they are constantly passing through into the rest of Thalasso. If you spot a Frost Regent in the distance, it is best to avoid them. However, if they are close to you and are ready to strike, you must bow into the ice. They recognize this as a sign of submission to Verglasking and will return to their mission across the seas of spreading their king’s will.
The last creatures on the surface of Havenpost are the elusive and intelligent Ningen. These unusual beings have fish-like lower bodies and human-like upper bodies, with a pale white appearance and black slits for eyes. Their sharp teeth double both as great weapons and tools to chip the ice off objects that pique their interest. The arms of the Ningen are strong and clawed to allow them to scale the ice walls of the chasms, drag themselves along the ice sheet, and collect objects for their dens. Ningen have a thin, soft layer of fur all along their body that keeps them surprisingly insulated from the cold.1 However, they still flee into the warmth of their undersea homes during the night.
Under the sea, the Ningen live in large hollows surrounding many of Everything Under’s large heaters. In these caverns, Ningen cultivate Candystalk2 and Bluubloom3 crops. Surrounding the farms and heater are the Ningen halls, where Ningen house their treasures. Each Ningen has its own hall that it tends to. Deciphering Ningen culture proves challenging, for they leave no written records, choosing instead to communicate exclusively through songs.
As the lighthouse in the sky turns away, the frozen veil in the sky glistens a thousand blues and greens like stars. However, the lights are not stars but rather the eyes of the North Starweavers. These Starweavers remain shrouded in mystery, with limited information gleaned from Challenger databases within Everything Under. Before the world froze, the North Starweavers frequently came to the sea and caught the Challengers in a thick web. They would bring their catch up to an extensive network of webs suspended across the divides of colossal skeletons4 that stood tall into the sky. Only one of these gigantic skeletons has been found in Havenpost—Aureglmir.
Aurelglmir
Cradled in a valley between two seismic frigid waves is the titanic neck and head of a skeleton known as Aurgelmir, with bones frosted and chipped over thousands of years. Scaling the neck into the agape jaw is a lengthy and treacherous endeavor lasting several hours, with the clawing wind never ceasing on the climb. It screams in the voices of the countless lives lost to Havenpost’s night. Within the skull are numerous vast tunnel systems carved by the Ningen and travelers over the years which lead deeper into Aurgelmir beneath the ice. Atop the skull is a jagged castle melded with bone and frost with halls long gone empty and cold. However, at one point, an ancient branch of Chamberkeepers once practiced their magic within its walls. Some of their artifacts are still buried behind sheets of dense ice, waiting to be freed.
An immense cavern lies beyond the tunnels down the neck within Aurgelmir's chest cavity—his ribs supporting the tons of ice from caving in. His still-beating heart is held high in the cavern by a sleek black spire that pierced him through the spine. The Heart of Aurgelmir oozes out a golden liquid fire that drips down the spire. Hundreds of Ningen dens and human campsites throughout the cavity rely on the liquid fire to keep warm and tend their blistering crops.5 They call the fire “Vitalis Aurum” for its golden shine and life-bringing nature.
The trek across the cavern is the most peaceful voyage in Havenpost. The cold does not pierce the cavern at night, and the Challenger’s heating does not burn. It is a respite from the elements. However, travelers must be careful still to not disturb the Ningen or catch the ire of one of the madmen. The rumors of a mighty artifact capable of bringing about endless flame and frost within the body of Aurelglmir caused many power-hungry hunters to devote themselves to excavating his remains. They have gone mad in the barely lit cavern. They rave about the voices beneath the frost and the Goliaths that must be felled. Their eyes have gone dull to the light, and their skin deathly pale.
At the end of the cavern, located in the pelvis, is a breached wall into Everything Under. However, it is usually guarded by Ningen. If given something of value, the Ningen allow travelers into the city.
Everything Under
Everything Under takes up the bulk of the undersea. The sunken city is a Challenger6 construction that once served as a warehouse, laboratory, and housing complex for several hundred thousand Challengers. Of note is the focus on Eviala throughout the complex. It is believed that Everything Under was operated to produce space-faring creatures, perhaps to aid in taking down the cosmic spiders that plagued them during the Age of Challenge.7
Everything Under’s buildings are plain and boxy, connected with glass tunnels. Before the sea froze over, these tunnels allowed sight into the sea, but now they are frosted over. A majority of the connected structures are empty warehouses and housing blocks. However, there are additional rooms of interest, such as offices, laboratories, holding cells, generators, and control rooms. Most of the rooms and hallways of the complex are greatly warmed by ceiling heaters. These heaters are constantly heating to upwards of 40°C.
Most of the discovered labyrinth has been picked clean of resources. However, newly discovered sections are found regularly by delving deeper into the sea. Essential resources such as Eviala and lost Challenger tech can be found in these new sections. This has led many to devote themselves to the hunt. More valuable than physical resources is the data that can be gleaned from any functional terminals. While most terminals have been damaged beyond salvageability, some of the locked rooms, which have been sealed since the Challenger days, contain operational tech. Challenger Data is among some of Thalasso's most valuable treasures. Their immense knowledge and the workings of their ancient tech greatly hurtle humanity forward in surviving the wastes of Thalasso. Most of our understanding of Eviala was taken from Everything Under several hundred years ago.
Wandering the superheated halls of Everything Under are the cold and calculated Wailers. These lumbering automatons cry in broken, chipped chirps for their long-gone masters. Each of their heavy steps is in tune with the sirens of the complex. Their code has long since gone corrupt, perhaps in melancholy or through the centuries without repair. They wander, storing debris and corpses in the warehouses with their two large crane arms. In simplistic anger, Wailers bludgeon any life they find with their four mechanical arms. The Wailer’s body is simplistic, apart from their cranes. Their weakness lies in their worn and flimsy legs. If knocked off balance, they will have a hard time readjusting.
In addition to the Wailers are Failures. Failures are the result of failed Eviala evolution. This leads to the warping of the flesh, among other undesired effects. The unique kind of Failures found within Everything Under have adapted their grotesque bodies to survive the synthetic halls and great heat. They clump together into large masses of flesh, then position themselves in choke points to trap their prey before enveloping them. This offshoot of Failures is called Palisade Populus. They do not feel pain and have no known weaknesses. The recommended action is to flee the beasts, as they are extremely slow.
Kokytos
In the deepest reaches of the labyrinth where the heaters have dulled, a terrifying beast stalks its prey. The Ningen and ancient travelers call it many names, such as Chenoo, Wechuge, and Koguhpuk. However, its original is Kokytos, as discovered recently on a terminal. Kokytos is one of the few successful attempts at using Eviala to evolve a human. The Challengers' procedure involved Eviala-Submersion, Chimera-Efforts, and human breeding within one of the deepest chambers for six months. The experiment was a secret between The Sordid Seven.
Experiment Kokytos is dated as one of the first human evolution experiments. This is reflected in the highly experimental methods the Sordid Seven used. Kokytos was considered a dead Failure and hushedly discarded three weeks before the snap freeze. The Sordid Seven would all leave Havenpost shortly before the snap freeze, not knowing their experiment had succeeded. When the ocean froze, and Everything Under was put in lockdown by the few remaining Challengers, Kokytos awoke from death and began hunting down its creators to no avail. The Challengers trapped in the frozen city documented their final moments on the terminals.
Borealeid 5th, 10K3
Six hours since the snap freeze Chill Tear, I have been tasked with documenting this event as it happens for future reference.
The escape ships froze instantly with the snap freeze, and now their signals are dead. We cannot reach those inside. This begs the question of whether our signals are breaching the ice to Skywhale. We haven’t received any response from them yet. They should have arrived already.
Luckily, the generators are still running and heating up the place. Our main struggles currently are figuring out what spurred the freeze and how we are to escape. The consensus is that we wait until the ice thaws or a team is deployed to rescue us. All the facilities we need to survive are still running flawlessly. Food supplies give us fifteen years. Additionally, our latest EV-Crop was a huge success and should aid us if we ever need surplus food.
Borealeid 6th, 10K3
We are still waiting to hear back from Skywhale. Additionally, we have discovered that Aurgelmir has fallen into the sea and is now trapped. Another discovery is that the temperature outside fluctuates at night to such an insane degree that it freezes anything up there instantly. We have lost three Wailers to it already.
Our current plan has hardly changed. A team is working on a thermal weapon that can melt the thick ice at Hatch-06. Progress is slow, stressful, and steady. We are still devising alternate plans to escape. Currently, our best plans are:
-Waiting for Skywhale
-Breaching Hatch-06
-Boreing through the sea floor
-Stabilizing Rift into a gatewave to Etherstratus.
Borealeid 7th, 10K3
Still no progress in escaping nor any outside response. Fear is beginning to rise. Slowly, sectors have stopped responding to transmissions. The sectors appear fine on the terminals but have not sent any communications or fulfilled their functions. Additionally, camera systems in said sectors are not displaying. This is worrying as highly volatile EV-Products are kept in some of the non-responsive sectors.
Progress on breaching Hatch-06 has not been made. The lower sectors in charge of the boreing have not responded. The Rift stabilization effort is currently in the works.
Borealeid 8th, 10K3
We have lost contact with half of the sectors. This includes Hatch-06 and its team. Something is down there. We found the desecrated remains of the Rift stabilization team. All the members had been impaled through the back by large and warm black stakes. They were still sizzling the pinned corpses. There did not appear to be a struggle in the room.
We found nothing in the records for what creature could have used the black stakes. The current leading theory is that the snap freeze introduced a new creature that has breached the city. If this were the case, then it is likely that a Rift Jelly brought a frozen world into Havenpost. More research must be done after we escape. All we can do is wait.
Borealeid 11th, 10K3
This is likely the end of Everything Under. I and eight others have barricaded ourselves in Sector 5:B. We have three years' worth of food in the warehouse. However, I doubt we will need that much. It is at the door. I hear my father asking to be let in, but I know he isn’t out there. He has been dead for twenty years. It sounds exactly like him. He sounds like he is in pain, begging to be let in.
The others hear different voices than me. Always someone they knew and cared about. We can’t open the door, or else it will get in. Yet, one by one, we keep faltering and try to open the door for our families. We will tear each other apart if we keep at this game. I suggested we barricade the door more and forbid going near. However, none of us want to put in the effort. I admit even I am feeling sluggish.
We aren’t being saved.
Borealeid 13th, 10K3
I am all that is left. All alone in this cold control room. While I slept, the door was opened, and the beast crept in like the howling icy winds outside. I was woken up by the screams of my companions. I panicked and buried myself in here. My defenses are crude, and I cannot think of any reason why the beast hasn’t toppled it besides it taking pleasure in tormenting me.
It is speaking in their voices. They are telling me to come out. They say that Skywhale has landed and is getting us out. But I can see the monitor before me. I can see the beast at the door with its black tail like a scorpion poised to strike through me. I can see its wretched faces sobbing and smiling. The man’s body has snapped in half, his entrails wrapped like a noose around his neck… yet he smiles. The woman’s body festers with holes like a bee hive. And the child is in her shattered mouth, bleeding and laughing.
I cannot let it in. I cannot fathom what it would do to me with its clattering, bladed legs and whirring stinger. I see my companions impaled into the walls, slowly burning into a ghostly white ash. Their deaths were instant yet so painful. I cannot let it in.
I hear my own voice out there.
Exit
There are several exits from Havenpost. The first way is through Hatch-06 within Sector 15: A. Travelers have left arrow notches in the walls pointing towards this exit. After finding and following the arrows to the end, enter through Hatch-06 to find the dark tunnel into Biolumesant Competition. Merchants and explorers from the Biolumesant Competition come by every week to delve deeper into Everything Under.
The second way is further past Aurelglmir. It would take several days of ducking into the warmth below along the way before arriving at the edge of the snap freeze. Venturing further into the still-freezing water will eventually take you to The Teeming Temple Tarn.
The third way to escape Havenpost is by successfully reaching the bottom of Everything Under in Sector 50: B. A creature from the below sea had caused the gaping hole to form in the sector hundreds of years ago. Ball Pit Basin lies several thousand meters down below. Despite the distance, all who have jumped have survived due to the peculiar properties of Ball Pit Basin.
The final known way to leave Havenpost is to cross into the sky where the North Starweavers live. By climbing the frozen spires into the shattered ice sky, wanderers arrive on the sky's surface. It is treacherous up there as the North Starweavers are dangerous creatures and because the sky could crack beneath your feet. But it is possible to venture far enough through the sky that you arrive at Etherstratus.