CHAPTER CONCEPT - THE QUIET BELOW

In the quiet majesty of the ocean’s depths, there exists a somber truth that belies humanity’s fleeting presence. The ceaseless tide, an ageless and unyielding force, carves its path along craggy shores and washes away the fragile marks of our ambitions. Here, in the relentless embrace of the deep, every ripple and surge speaks of a power that predates our species - a force that neither welcomes nor forgives our intrusions. As waves rise with quiet, indifferent certainty, they remind us that our endeavors are as transient as footprints on a tidal shore. In this vast, untamed realm, the ocean need not assert its dominion, and should it acknowledge us, it is only to whisper that mankind, with all its dreams and delusions, does not belong in the depths of the sea.

They built the suit to defy the pressure. Thick brass, sealed joints, a marvel of human ingenuity - meant to carry men where they were never meant to walk. He descended in pursuit of knowledge, of dominion, of discovery. But in the yawning dark below, there were no wonders waiting - only silence. Cold. Crushing. Timeless. The signal was lost. The tether snapped. They never found a body.

Yet the suit resurfaced.

Empty.

Salt-scoured and barnacle-bitten, it drifted ashore like driftwood, but carried with it a presence - patient, unfeeling, inevitable. It did not rage or hunt or hunger. It simply moved. Without intention. Without malice. A walking absence, a vessel now filled not with breath, but with the deafening stillness of the deep. Those who glimpse it swear they hear rushing water. Others feel their lungs tighten, as if the sea itself had reached for them.

It brings no message from the deep. Only a reminder.

The ocean does not remember you.

—

A silence older than breath.

The Indifferent

Alias: The Diver

The Indifferent manifests as the fear of the ocean itself. It exerts pressure on the environment, gradually flooding areas of the map with supernatural waterlogged zones that punish prolonged survivor presence and slow down gameplay momentum – eventually, survivors will drown if they do not interact with its power.

Its personal Perks; Scourge Hook: Linger, Hex: Salt the Earth, and Rip Current control survivor movement and positioning by punishing altruistic survivors for lingering near hooks, revealing survivors that move near totems that you cleanse yourself, and bringing you closer to those that are reckless by slowing them down.

Physical Description: The Indifferent is a tall animated early 20th century deep sea diving suit with heavy brass armor covering most of it. There is nothing inside, although sounds of water and metal can be heard as it moves with slow, stoic steps.

Terror Radius: 32 meters

Movement Speed: 4.4 m/s

Weapon: Brinehook

An iron salvage tool once meant for recovery work beneath the waves.

POWER: THE DROWNING

The Indifferent passively transforms random sections of the map into dangerous Flood zones that punish survivors in their radius. Starting after 45 seconds, all locations across the map activate at once. Each active Valve marks an area with a roughly 24-meter radius (48-meter diameter), visibly defined by swirling, shimmering water effects. The Flooding process unfolds uniformly across all zones in two distinct phases over 40 seconds, and the water effects become more significant as a given zone becomes more Flooded.

Flooding gradually fills in each zone over 40 seconds. Survivors caught within these areas suffer from the Hindered status effect, beginning at 2% once Flooding reaches 33% of its capacity and increasing linearly to a 8% penalty at full capacity. Visual distortion appears as a mild blur, and visual/audio cues become progressively muffled as the level rises.

Beginning at 50% Flooded, survivors begin to accumulate the Drowning meter, which increases at a rate of 4% every second. As the meter fills, additional penalties are imposed that impair skill check performance and distort audio and visuals further, while causing the survivor to cough. Upon reaching 50% Drowning, survivors that are Healthy will immediately lose a health state. Survivors losing a health state in this way do not leave blood stains. Survivors reaching 100% will drown, killing them instantly. Survivors not in a 50% or higher Flooded area will lose 10% Drowning every second.

Progression of The Drowning is slowed by 75% during a chase, and hooking a survivor reduces their Drowning accumulation by 50% immediately.

Special Ability: Deep Pressure

The Indifferent can harness a surge of oceanic power to intensify its passive influence. When activated, survivors within a 32-meter radius suffer a 25% increase to Drowning accumulation for 10 seconds, and the nearest Flood Zone will progress 25% faster for 10 seconds. Flood Zones in this radius that are below 33% but above 0% Flooding will cause survivors to suffer from a 2% Hindered effect. Additionally, Survivors actively working on Valves will be interrupted. Deep Pressure has a cooldown of 45 seconds.

Special Interaction: Flood Valves

Each Flood Zone is anchored by a Valve. Flood Valves are scattered across the map to serve as epicenters of the Flood Zones. If Flood Zones overlap, they do not stack with eachother. Each valve is exclusively revealed to survivors at all times (unaffected by Blindness) and is equipped with a breathing apparatus. This apparatus prevents any survivor who interacts with the valve from suffering the effects of The Drowning. Valves can be interacted with once its associated Flood Zone has been active for 10 seconds. Interacting with the valve takes 6 seconds, with a skill check 3 seconds into the interaction. Failed skill checks result in 25% lost progress on the interaction. Successfully interacting with the Flood Valves reduces the water level by 33%. Once a zone is fully drained, the Flood Valve enters a cooldown period lasting 30 seconds, after which Flooding will resume.

Special Item: Oxygen Tank

Survivors can quickly counter the effects of Drowning by locating and using an Oxygen Tank, a single-use emergency item found in Diving Caches across the map.

• A total of 4 Diving Caches spawn in random locations in the environment.
• The Auras of all Diving Caches are revealed to survivors once they reach 50% Drowning.
• Each Diving Cache contains 1 Oxygen Tank that can be retrieved with a 4-second search interaction.
• Using an Oxygen Tank instantly reduces a survivor’s Drowning meter by 60%.
• Survivors may use Oxygen Tanks on themselves or other survivors, requiring a 2-second use interaction.

Oxygen Tanks are consumed on use.

PERKS

Scourge Hook: Linger

The sea has always taken what lingers too long at its edge.

At the start of the Trial, 4 random Hooks are changed into Scourge Hooks:

• The Auras of Scourge Hooks are revealed to you in white.

Each time a Survivor unhooks another Survivor from a Scourge Hook, the following effects apply:

• Causes the unhooking survivor to become Exhausted and reveals their aura to you as long as they remain within 8/12/16 meters of that location. The survivor will no longer be revealed to the killer if they leave the radius for 2 seconds.
• The Exhausted status remains for 7 seconds after the Survivor leaves that location.

Hex: Salt the Earth

The salt of the earth becomes the salt of the water.

All Dull Totems within 24 meters are visible to you, and you gain the ability to cleanse Dull Totems. When you do, create a Salted Totem, invisible to survivors at a distance greater than 4 meters.

When a Survivor not in chase enters within 16 meters of a Salted Totem, their location is revealed to you for 1/2/2 seconds through Killer Instinct. When a Salted Totem triggers Killer Instinct, it goes on cooldown for 8 seconds.

Max 1/2/3 Salted Totems active at one time.

When a Salted Totem is cleansed, its remains are consumed by the Entity.

Rip Current

It drags away those who move carelessly.

After hooking a Survivor, Rip Current activates for 60 seconds. You gain a 10% Haste effect for 5 seconds. The next Survivor greater than 24 meters away from the Killer to vault a window or pallet screams, revealing their location, and suffers Hindered (-50% movement speed) for 4/5/6 seconds. This perk then deactivates.

ADD-ONS:

Common:

Woven Descent Line: Increases the time it takes Survivors to interact with Flood Valves by +1 second.

• A frayed length of guide rope. Strands still damp.

Barnacle Cluster: Flooding begins 5 seconds earlier than usual.

• Encrusted growth pried from the suit’s hip joint. Still faintly warm.

Salt-Soaked Tag: Grants a +4 meter bonus to Deep Pressure’s radius.

• A corroded brass ID marker. The name has been erased by time.

Flooded Dive Log: Drowning meter decays 20% slower after leaving a Flooded Zone.

• Pages unreadable.

Uncommon:

Stuck Gauge: Flooded Zones at 40% or greater progress now reduce healing speed by 50% for any Survivor within.

• A cracked pressure dial, stuck near maximum.

Diving Bell Fragment: Survivors suffer the Blindness status effect while they have over 10% Drowning.

• A chunk of reinforced glass, warped by pressure.

Brittle Hose Clamp: Survivors interacting with Flood Valves are faced with an additional skill check immediately following the first skill check.

• Meant to keep the air in. It didn’t.

Pressure-Crushed Regulator: Increases Oxygen Tank use time by 2 seconds.

• Its contents hiss faintly when handled.

Ancient Snap Bolt: Successful Basic Attacks inside a Flooded Zone grants a 3-second 5% Haste effect.

• Snapped. Streaked with old blood.

Rare:

Vibration Coil: Deep Pressure reveals the auras of survivors within its radius for 4 seconds.

• Even the smallest tremor in the deep carries far.

Weighted Boots: Survivors suffer an additional 5% movement speed debuff while inside fully Flooded Zones.

• Still filled with sand and seawater.

Ancient Descent Harness: Flooded Zones at 50% or greater progress now reduce repair speed by 15% for any Survivor within.

• Fragments of another suit. Much older.

Oxygen Tank Retainer Cap: Reduces available Diving Caches from 4 to 3. In exchange, using an Oxygen Tank reduces Drowning by 75%

• Bent and unusable.

Brass Gyroscope: Reduces cooldown of Deep Pressure by 5 seconds and extends its duration by 5 seconds.

• Once used to maintain balance in unstable waters. Now, it never stops spinning.

Very Rare:

Crystallized Valve: When 3 or more Flood Zones are fully Flooded, Diving Caches cannot be searched and Oxygen Tanks cannot be used.

• Once meant to equalize pressure. Now it only lets the ocean in.

Twisted Lung Regulator: Deep Pressure applies Oblivious during its effect.

• Screams faintly when held to your ear.

Viewing Port: Survivors who reach 60% Drowning have their aura revealed.

• Once offered a view of the void. It cracked from the inside.

Scrap of Cloth: Turns Valve skill checks into difficult skill checks, and survivors missing a Valve skill check will cause the Valve to explode, interrupting their interaction and triggering a Loud Noise Notification.

• Torn from a drysuit, tagged with the initials “L.G.”

Ultra Rare:

Iridescent Full Moon: The Indifferent leaves behind a swirling current in its wake, 2.5 meters wide and visible faintly to survivors.

• The current lasts for 5 seconds and constantly follows The Indifferent.
• Survivors stepping into the current suffer Hindered (-5%) for 2 seconds.
• Survivors are pulled toward the center and in the direction of the current at a rate of 0.4m/s as long as they remain within it.
• The Drowning meter of survivors progresses 50% faster as long as they remain in the current.
  • The moon tugs at the sea, the sea tugs at your soul.

Trench Offering: Each time you hook a survivor for the first time, Trench Offering activates and is granted a token, up to a maximum of 4. The next time you use Deep Pressure after gaining at least 1 token, Trench Offering triggers the following effects based on the number of tokens. All accumulated tokens are consumed on use, and Trench Offering deactivates.

• 1 Token: All Flood Zones immediately gain 25% Flooding and all Valves become disabled for 5 seconds.
• 2 Tokens: All Flood Zones immediately gain 50% Flooding and all Valves become disabled for 5 seconds.
• 3 Tokens: All Flood Zones immediately gain 75% Flooding and all Valves become disabled for 10 seconds.
• 4 Tokens: All Flood Zones immediately gain 100% Flooding and all Valves become disabled for 15 seconds.
  • The deep gave this back. It will take something else instead.

Terror Radius / Chase Music / Drowning Music:

Far: A deep, distant, sub-sonic hum, like pressure reverberating through the ocean. Almost like distorted whale sounds. 

Near: Low, rhythmic metal groans, like hulls under stress. Faint bubbling and distant creaking. 

Close: The hum sharpens into oscillating pulses like sonar, and the groans intensify with stuttering pressure and sloshing water and the muffled hiss of oxygen.

Chase: Dissonant and slow. Sharp metallic slams and percussion as though they were heard underwater. A strong sub-bass throb.

Drowning (plays as a survivor’s Drowning status approaches 100%): Ambient and oppressively quiet, with a low rumble. Audio muffles and warps, coughing and breath noises become sharper and more central in comparison. The closer to the death threshold, the more pronounced the effect becomes.

Mori: 

The Indifferent approaches the downed survivor slowly to the methodical clanking of its boots as water trickles with each step. As it nears, the sound of rushing water begins to build faintly in the background.

The Indifferent reaches down with chilling precision and places a heavy, brass hand over the survivor’s chest, pinning them down. The survivor starts to struggle—but suddenly gasps, arching their back, as water begins to leak out of their mouth. With its free hand, The Indifferent opens a valve built into its own diving suit—twisting it with a slow metallic groan. A deep, mechanical hiss is heard as the pressure shifts, and a geyser of dark, briny water begins to pour from the survivor’s sputtering mouth. The screen begins to visually distort as if submerged underwater—the audio muffled, movements slow. The survivor thrashes weakly, their limbs going limp as bubbles rise around them. You hear their last panicked breath gurgle out—then silence. The Indifferent lifts its hand from the pale, still, body of the survivor, and rises.

—

SURVIVOR: LUCIA GANT

A freelance recovery diver, Lucia was contracted to retrieve classified wreckage from an offshore incident no one would speak about. On her final descent, she found the vessel cracked open, its pressure hull warped inward—like it had been pulled apart by gravity itself. Her camera failed. Her lifeline snapped. And as the light faded and the radio crackled with unintelligible pressure, Lucia didn’t drown. She simply… arrived.

Lucia Gant's unique perks; Pressure Gauge, Hold Your Breath, and Equalize, allow her to cure survivors of certain debilitations, conceal her location when it's needed most, and escape potentially dangerous situations after unhooking survivors.

Perk 1 – Pressure Gauge

You’ve learned to work under crushing pressure.

Each time you complete a skill check while injured, gain a token. At 3 tokens, your next healing action on yourself or another survivor is 10/20/30% faster.

Tokens are consumed after beginning a healing interaction, curing all healing related status effects except for Broken.

Perk 2 – Hold Your Breath

You’ve trained to survive when air is running out.

When you are within the Killer’s Terror Radius but not in chase, this ability can be activated while crouched. You suppress your grunts of pain and breathing by 100% for 8/12/16 seconds and hide your aura from the killer. Afterward, your grunts of pain and breathing are 25% louder for 10 seconds. Cooldown: 40/35/30 seconds.

Perk 3 – Equalize

You know how to balance yourself amidst chaos.

Each time you are unhooked or unhook another Survivor, gain a 6% Haste effect for 6/8/10 seconds. If the killer is within 12 meters at the time of unhooking, gain an additional 6% for the duration.

—

Thank you for reading! I've been sitting on this one for a while. I believe I've created something here that transforms the landscape of the trial into the looming threat that it should be, and I wanted to do something that conveys the fear of the ocean effectively while making players feel like they're quite literally drowning. If you made it this far, thanks for reading! I included a survivor this time too! I am enjoying making these concepts so very much and am contemplating making a YouTube channel or something to showcase my ideas — if anyone has any advice on that let me know.

Cheers!