Infected Depths

[Behemoth270]

Anyone know the story behind this biome? Is the infection in the water?
Since we don't have proper full body diving suits why do we not get sick in the infected caves?

I need to go read through the relics and messages again.

[Behemoth270]

We have a diving helmet, not a full suit.

[därSeebär]

It seems like the biome was subject to scientific research, there are at least two relics confirming this. But did someone research the biome? Or might it be the other way round... Someone invented and accidentally released a kind of "barnacle disease" that took over the biome?
The sickness (which is definitely there, no matter the source of it) seems to be water-bound and you can only infect yourself through ingesting the water, so the fishbowl-divingsuits are enough protection.

[Phineus]

yeah

[Behemoth270]

What if we get cuts in the cave? Im often running around in a grass suit. Shouldn't it enter my bloodstream?

[därSeebär]

Well, the "effect" of a barnacle infection is a barnacle crab hatching out of your mouth. Theory: You get water with some kind of barnacle-spores in your stomach, where the spores evolve to a full-grown barnacle crab which makes it's way out of your mouth

[därSeebär]

So it's less an infection, more like a parasite

[Behemoth270]

Dang... I wanted to be barnacle man boy

[Behemoth270]

and if I didn't like it I could change back with a chem set.

[Behemoth270]

It still seems like it should enter our blood stream in combat based off the wiki's description

[Behemoth270]

Spores can definately enter the bloodstream.

[därSeebär]

The idea of a player slowly mutating to a barnacle mutation is tempting. He looses more and more control over himself but could be cured with purple chem or healing in the bed. Once he is fully mutated, he turns against his allies and has to be killed which ends the infection so he can be revived

[hazzard]

Obviously, Dr. Mordeau is responsible for dumping tons of a paticular species of barnacle, into the living infinite. These barnacles, are an invasive species, and reproduce pretty quicly. Combine those two together, and the second layer of the living infinite is overpopulated by barnacles. These barnacles, mainly consist of males. The males, reproduce a nasty, reproducing substance (also known as sperm), and the sperm, litterally floats around in the water. You don't get infected in the caves, unless you're not wearing a helmet, or are cut. The barnacle sperm, acts like a face hugger, and can enter into your characters mouth, via the water (yuck. that's how you get the disease). The sperm, acts like one of those chestburster thingys from alien, except they don't burst from the chest. The sperm is acid resistent, and lives in your stomach for a couple of minutes. It's hormones are abundent, and it grows really fast in your stomach. The next thing you know, it climbs outta your mouth, and starts attacking you!

After a couple reports, of such parasite, villagers near the shores of the living infinite had nicknamed it the "barnacle sickness", and had been wary of it, ever since


THE END



Ending notes: This actually sounds like a legible story, believe it or not

[Behemoth270]

Why wont these barnacles love me, and convert me! For the sake of commensalism and mutualism....

Why do they hate me so...

[hazzard]

lol. XD

That'll be a story for another day

[Behemoth270]

All I want to do is help them spread.