Supporting Roles
and NPCs

Lieutenant

Charles Grant

Description: Young, optimistic, and loyal, Lieutenant Charles Grant is Captain Arden’s right-hand man and one of the few remaining crew members from their ill-fated ship. In his late twenties, Grant brings energy and enthusiasm to the team, with a boundless curiosity that often leads him into trouble. Though inexperienced, he has a genuine admiration for Arden and sees him as a mentor. Grant’s loyalty is unwavering, though his occasional naivety sometimes blinds him to the darker motives of others.
Role in Gameplay:
Grant serves as Arden’s loyal second-in-command, providing support in both exploration and combat. His energy and curiosity add warmth to the group dynamic, and he brings a fresh perspective to situations, balancing Arden’s caution with youthful optimism.
Interactive Sequences:
- Combat Support: Grant can distract enemies and provide backup, learning combat skills as he gains experience under Arden’s guidance.
- Exploration and Scavenging: He’s quick to spot hidden items, scavenging supplies and resources that others may overlook.
- Moral Anchor: His optimistic outlook provides moments of moral reflection, especially in difficult situations, allowing players to explore Arden’s deeper motivations.
Integration into Key Scenes:
- Arrival on the Island: Grant’s enthusiasm shines as he eagerly follows Arden’s lead, making him the first to ask questions about the island’s mysteries.
- Combat Encounters: He supports the group with tactical backing, reinforcing the mentor-mentee bond between himself and Arden.
- Moments of Betrayal: Shocked by Varney’s betrayal, Grant’s reaction adds emotional weight, strengthening his loyalty to Arden and the team.

Exiled Explorer

Mara

Description: An eccentric, solitary figure who claims to have been living on the island for years, Mara is a former explorer who speaks in riddles and half-truths. Her clothes are made from island plants and shells, and her knowledge of the island’s dangers is unparalleled. She’s in her sixties, sharp-witted and occasionally mischievous, delighting in leading others on circuitous trails. Though seemingly mad, Mara possesses hidden knowledge about The Argonaut, making her an invaluable guide—if players can decipher her riddles.

Role in Gameplay:
Mara is a mysterious guide, appearing intermittently to help Arden and his team navigate the island. Her knowledge of the island’s secrets, though often cryptic, proves invaluable as players try to uncover the truth about The Argonaut and Captain Nemo’s legacy.
Interactive Sequences:
- Riddles and Lore: Mara gives cryptic hints for navigating terrain, solving puzzles, and understanding the island’s history, challenging players to interpret her guidance.
- Moral Influence: Her warnings about Nemo’s technology urge caution, subtly guiding players toward more ethical decisions.
- Foil to Varney: Mara distrusts Varney, creating tension within the group and pushing players to reconsider his motives.
Integration into Key Scenes:
- First Encounter: Mara is introduced in the jungle, offering mysterious advice and showcasing her eccentric personality.
- Exploration Assistance: Throughout the game, she appears at crucial moments to provide guidance, often through riddles.
- Final Decision: At the climax, Mara urges Arden to protect Nemo’s legacy, giving weight to the player’s choice between preservation and exploitation.

Captain

Nemo (Through Journals and Echoes)

Description: Though Captain Nemo does not physically appear in the game, his presence is felt deeply through journals, voice echoes, and remnants of his legacy within The Argonaut. Portrayed as a visionary and tragic figure, Nemo is both a genius and a tormented soul, driven to harness the power of the ocean but ultimately consumed by its depths. His words, recorded throughout the ship, reveal his disillusionment with humanity and his desire to protect the ocean at any cost. His legacy drives much of the plot, as players uncover the motivations behind his creations and the reason for The Argonaut’s existence.

Role in Gameplay:
Though absent physically, Nemo’s presence permeates the game through journals, voice echoes, and remnants of his creations. He serves as a moral compass and a source of mystery, guiding players as they uncover his vision and the powerful, potentially dangerous technology he left behind.

Interactive Sequences:
- Lore Discovery: Nemo’s journals and voice echoes provide insight into his philosophical conflicts, ambitions, and the reasons behind his inventions. These elements reveal his complex relationship with humanity and nature, adding a moral dimension to the player’s decisions.
- Mystery and Warning: His writings offer both guidance and caution, urging players to consider the ethical implications of their actions as they delve deeper into his legacy.
- Puzzle Clues: Clues from Nemo’s journals and voice logs are often key to solving complex puzzles and accessing hidden areas on The Argonaut.
Integration into Key Scenes:
- Exploring The Argonaut: Nemo’s journals and echoes are scattered throughout the vessel, revealing his thoughts on the power he harnessed and its potential impact.
- Moments of Revelation: During pivotal moments, Nemo’s words guide or caution players, adding depth to their decisions and hinting at the consequences of misusing his technology.
- Epilogue: Nemo’s legacy is reflected in the game’s outcome, where his vision is either honored or exploited based on player choices, providing a thematic closure to his influence.

The Argonaut’s Crew

(Through Artifacts and Remnants)

Description: Scattered journals, personal items, and inscriptions give insight into the lives of the crew who once served aboard The Argonaut. Each crew member’s story, from the mechanic to the navigator, provides context for life aboard the ship, their relationship with Captain Nemo, and the moral conflicts that arose. These ghostly echoes serve as minor puzzles and clues for players, providing emotional depth and a haunting atmosphere.

Role in Gameplay:
The crew members, though long gone, come to life through personal artifacts, journals, and inscriptions, each one hinting at their personalities, relationships with Nemo, and conflicts aboard The Argonaut. Their stories provide context to the ship’s history and add emotional weight to the exploration.

Interactive Sequences:
- Artifact-Based Lore: Players encounter items like journals, tools, and personal belongings, each revealing snippets of the crew’s daily life, hopes, and fears. These add a human touch to the ship’s haunting atmosphere.
- Puzzle and Clue Elements: Certain artifacts left by crew members contain clues or keys needed to unlock areas within The Argonaut, leading to deeper parts of the ship.
- Ghostly Echoes: Occasionally, players hear faint, ghostly murmurs or relive short echoes of past events, immersing them in the crew’s memories and drawing them into the ship’s eerie history.
Integration into Key Scenes:
- Entering The Argonaut: Initial encounters with the crew’s belongings set the tone, making players feel the weight of their untold stories.
- Solving Key Puzzles: The crew’s scattered possessions often provide clues for solving puzzles or understanding The Argonaut’s structure, aiding progression through the ship.

Final Reflection: The crew’s artifacts and journals come together in the epilogue, symbolizing the human cost of Nemo’s ambitions and the ship’s legacy.
Each character in Nautilus Rising adds to the game’s layered narrative, embodying unique motives, conflicts, and connections to the mysteries of the island and The Argonaut. Their personalities and backstories enrich the exploration and interactions, drawing players into a world where every character has a purpose in the unraveling of Nemo’s legacy.

Supporting Roles and NPCs