Leader Name: Cecilia Altus (half-Deep One)
Description: To outsiders, Hydrus is a scientific organization studying the deep ocean and comparing itself to various astronomical organizations. It is legally headquartered in
Townsville, Queensland, but its real base of operations is about 50 miles off the coast in the aptly-named Hydrus Headquarters Habitat.
History: See below.
"Side": Pro-Elders, essentially; while they aren't exactly anti-human, Cecilia certainly favors her father's side over her mother's.
Secret Technology/Etc:
Hydrus Headquarters Habitat: A large, underwater habitat near the Big Broadhurst Reef. Its facilities include long-term housing for about 20 people, with hydroponics sufficient to feed a dozen or two indefinitely (depending on how well you want to feed them...) and provide plenty of oxygen, supplemented by a hookah unit. It also has some laboratories and, of course, waste processing facilities. Most power is provided by a tidal generator. The buoy that the hookah unit is attached to also includes such things as (impermanent) housing for another person or two, a place to store SCUBA gear, and a satellite internet connection. Nearby is a cave where Ensworden lives, and where Cecilia visits him. Overall, it serves mainly as a "bragging rights" and PR tool, alongside a place for Cecilia to live; it is rarely filled to capacity, and its laboratories mostly do preliminary work. (If you want, I can count this as two.)
The
DAGINS: A good-sized submersible meant for long-term exploration. It includes a small generator, hydroponics (meant mainly for oxygen, although they also supplement stored food), and basic scientific tools.
Amphitretus alchimicae: A species of octopus discovered by Hydrus Technologies, also known as the Reef Telescope Octopus. It produces a number of different chemicals in its body, including ones which appear to slow or prevent the growth of cancerous tumors, ones which accelerate the human metabolism, and ones which are useful in various rituals.
HT has patents on various products made from
A. alchimicae chemicals, which provide a substantial proportion of its income.
Assets: Aside from the Hydrus Habitat, HT's assets are primarily an office in South Townsville and a fairly small laboratory near Foley Park. The latter is where most of the research for HT is done, despite the facilities at the Hydrus Habitat. In addition, they have a few smallish boats and a good amount of SCUBA gear. The cult has a storage room set aside for their special use, although it gets used by HT; there is also always at least one boat kept unused in case the cult needs it.
Members: All members of the Hydrus cult (and many members of Hydrus Technology) are ADAS- or equivalent-certified SCUBA divers.