**DredgeCorp Public Profile**
**Introduction**:
DredgeCorp, or "DC" as it's colloquially known, is a prominent and crucial entity within Cruise City. Originally a conglomerate of engineers, deep-sea divers, and salvage experts who were on vacation aboard the cruise ships, they quickly organized themselves post-Dusting to address the immediate need for salvaging resources.
**Primary Functions**:
1. **Salvage Operations**: DredgeCorp's primary and most visible function is the recovery of valuable resources from the ocean floor. This includes everything from sunken vessels and cargo to historical artifacts and lost treasures.
2. **Infrastructure Development**: DC plays a vital role in constructing and maintaining the elaborate network of bridges and pontoons connecting the cruise ships. Their expertise in underwater construction has been paramount in ensuring the stability of the interconnected ships.
3. **Deep-Sea Exploration**: Using specialized diving suits and equipment, DredgeCorp explores the deeper and more treacherous parts of the ocean. This exploration not only helps in discovering new salvage sites but also in mapping the underwater terrain of Hilo Bay.
**Public Perception**:
- **Heroes of the Bay**: Many view DredgeCorp as the unsung heroes of Cruise City. Their relentless efforts, especially in the early days after The Dusting, played a pivotal role in the city's survival. They often return from expeditions with not only valuable materials but also with fish and other marine resources, supplementing the city's food supply.
- **Masters of the Deep**: The advanced equipment and diving suits used by DC have led to them being regarded as masters of the ocean. Their ability to dive deep and stay submerged for extended periods has been a subject of admiration.
- **Guardians of History**: The artifacts and historical items that DredgeCorp retrieves are often handed over to the Sisters of Chorus, preserving the history and culture of the region. This has earned them respect among the city's more scholarly and historically-inclined inhabitants.
**Rumors and Whispers**:
While DredgeCorp's contributions to Cruise City are undeniable, a conglomerate with such influence and control over a vital resource like the ocean is bound to attract rumors. Some whisper about secret underwater bases, while others believe that they have discovered more about the cause of The Dusting than they let on. There are also hushed conversations about exclusive deals with the Gardeners of Desolation or the Sisters of Chorus, suggesting that DredgeCorp might be involved in more covert operations. But for now, these remain mere speculations, often dismissed by the general populace who rely heavily on DC's contributions for their survival.
The DredgeCorp's rise from the DredgeCult narrative is a story of transformation and adaptation. As the remnants of civilization tried to come to grips with the devastation of the Dusting and its aftermath, the need to adapt was paramount.
**DredgeCorp**:
Amidst the chaos, a group of survivors saw value in the depths – the vast underwater graveyards of the world's lost cities and sunken fleets. These visionaries, many of whom had roots in deep-sea exploration and salvage operations, formed the DredgeCorp, an organization dedicated to recovering whatever they could from the watery abyss. Their salvaged treasures—technologies, resources, and personal artifacts—became vital commodities in the post-Dusting world.
However, DredgeCorp's operations were not without their mysteries. Rumors spread of the organization recovering more than just material wealth—ancient knowledge, lost technologies, and cryptic records of the past. In their underwater habitats, the DredgeCorp members began to exhibit a fierce dedication to their work, often risking their lives in increasingly treacherous dives.
This dedication, combined with the spreading rumors, led to outsiders dubbing them "DredgeCult," a play on their name, suggesting a fanatical devotion to their underwater endeavors. The whispers grew darker: tales of ritualistic dives, reverence for the sunken relics, and strange ceremonies honoring the abyss. To many, DredgeCorp's relentless pursuit of the old world's secrets seemed an obsession, a dogged attachment to the very ways that had led to humanity's downfall.
For DredgeCorp members, this was not fanaticism but necessity. The seas held the keys to survival, a treasure trove of resources and answers. They believed that understanding the past, its mistakes, and its technologies, was crucial to forging a brighter future.
However, the line between the organization's practical goals and its emerging beliefs began to blur. As DredgeCorp operatives delved deeper and more frequently into the depths, they developed a philosophy: a belief that humanity's redemption lay beneath the waves. The seas, they preached, were not just a source of salvage but a shrine to humanity's past and a beacon for its future.
Thus, while DredgeCorp saw themselves as the vanguard of a new era, many on the outside saw them as cultists, clinging to the shadows of a world long gone. This duality in perception—corporation versus cult—only added to the enigma surrounding the group, making them both revered and reviled in the post-Dusting world.