Guide

Map

Bio-Dome 3

1.

A Hundred Hues of Jade

Lore

[Although not as popular as it once was, this legendary piece of Arborian romantic fiction has been published in over 2,000 languages and is still the bestselling novel in the Exile fleet. This copy easily falls open to second most popular section, page 171.]

Bristling with desire and fruiting bodies that were ready to drop, the ancient one shuddered in the face of the village’s new matria. Untested, untried, she studied the wise tree’s bark, tracing
the lines on his aged surface with the tips of her fingers.

“But this love is forbidden,” Matria Wanderheartwood whispered. “I’m a matria. But I’ve studied. You – you’re a hybrid variety of what I think might be three different wise trees. You’re the ultimate wise one.” She laughed. “Now,” she said playfully, “I think I want to climb a tree….”

Guide

Map

Bio-Dome 3

1.

I Was a Teenage Skeech!

Lore

[This handwritten diary would seem to corroborate the theory that younger Skeech have relatively highly developed intelligence, and lose that intelligences as they reach adulthood. It may also be an anthropological roleplaying experiment.]

Me Am Skeech!
Skeech am hungry, look for Skeech food. Old Skeech stupid. No find good foods. SKEECH! Need Skeech like me! Skeech! Will help Old Skeech hunt. Learn Old Skeech
secrets! Find out what happened to Big Old Skeech.

Me Am Still Skeech! Skeech find Old Machine. Big Green God-Thing. Skeech! No God-Thing not Skeech. That accidental verbal tic. Skeech! Getting worse! Skeech no want to become like Old Skeech. Fear might happen anyway. Skeech! Skeech!

Am Skeech! Me!
Skeech! Skeech! Big Old Skeech… all over the place. But okay! Skeech! Big Old Skeech alive. Skeech can tell. Skeech! Big Old Skeech
tell how no get SKEECH! How no get SKEECH! How no get – no get… stupid! Skeech! Skeech no get stupid! Find Big Old Skeech!

SKEECH Skeech!
Skeech! Skeech Skeech SKEECHSkeech Skeech! Skeech Big! Skeech Old! Skeech! Hungry! SkeechSKEECH! Skeech KILL! Skeech! Skeech!

– Skeech

Guide

Map

Bio-Dome 4

1.

Terraformer Analysis

Lore

[A succinct first analysis of the massive terraformer in Bio-Dome 4.]

ANALYSIS: ELDAN TERRAFORMING TECHNOLOGY
A report prepared by Analysisbot 74-X

Eldan terraforming technology is as yet poorly understood by biological beings, and slightly better understood by technological beings. The object designated the [Proto-former] appears to be the earliest known form of this technology yet discovered. Mission leaders
believe this will make it easier for them to learn how it works. This unit believes this [Proto-former] is as complex and difficult to analyze as any other terraformer, however. A hoverbike is simpler than an interstellar starship in every way, yet an insect would not be able to operate either safely.

Operation, in fact, is not an issue. The terraforming equipment in both Bio-Domes 3 and 4 have been in continuous operation for more than one
thousand standard daily time units. The excess energy is therefore being absorbed directly into the nervous systems of all life forms in the Bio-Domes. This renders Farside fauna especially dangerous.

Guide

Map

Bio-Dome 4

1.

THREAT ASSESSMENT: Flamewalker Pell

Lore

[This speech-to-text summary of all available intel on the Flamewalker Pell tribe of Bio-Dome 4 was prepared by freelance human explorer Buck Wanderbeck.]

-The Pell

This species divides themselves up according to the primal powers. You know: fire, air, water, earth, life, logic… I think that’s all of ’em. They’re all over Nexus. Hell, I didn’t know better I’d reckon they’re the real natives of this place. So each power has a Pell clan – Disciples of Fire, Disciples of Water, you get the idea.
But within them general groups are tribes, what usually live in a single region or village. With me so far? Good.

-The Flamewalker Tribe

The Flamewalkers are your local Pell tribe here on Farside. Don’t ask me how they got here. No evidence of ships, so I gotta assume they used Eldan teleporters. They don’t seem to remember how they work anymore, so that’s good. Gives the rest of us an advantage, because these folk ain’t what you’d call friendly. They got all kinds of Eldan tech around
here, but they don’t really seem to understand it completely.

-Tactical Analysis

You wanna beat these guys? Figure out the terraformer in Bio-Dome 4 before they do. And if they’ve already figured it out, stop ’em before they really figure out how to use it. The real danger with these Flamewalkers ain’t what their shamans can do with primal fire, it’s that big ol’ hunk of machinery. Near as I can tell it’s been stuck in the same position for a hell of a long time, but as soon as the Flamewalker
Pell figure out how to control it, they could turn this whole place into a fiery nightmare. They might even try to knock this moon outta orbit – they ain’t in their right minds.

You go in against the Flamewalkers, be ready to deal with co-opted Eldan constructs – they’re primitive and crazy, not stupid, and constructs ain’t all that tricky – and bring your fireproof pants. Make sure you got someone along who knows a console from a construct to get control of that terraformer, and frankly, take out as
many of them Flamewalkers as ya can. Especially that high priest. He’s bigger’n the rest of ’em, smarter and meaner. Don’t underestimate ‘im.

Me? I’m gettin’ the hell back to Nexus. That place makes this moon seem almost sane. Send my fee to my private account, would ya?

-Buck Wanderbeck, Explorer

Guide

Map

Bio-Dome 4

1.

Explorer Wanderbeck’s Last Log

Lore

Well, this wasn’t part’a the plan. I was just aimin’ to make a quick bit of coin scoutin’ this blasted moon. Didn’t know I was gonna tangle with them Pell bastards. After I spent weeks spyin’ out all their business, writin’ up a report, sellin’ it to the highest bidder, what happens? They decide to notice me and the Wanderin’ Betty just as we’re liftin’ off from the floor of the damned desert. They hit my poor Betty with a wave of fire and raw power her
defense systems just couldn’t absorb in time. The spindrive overloaded and I had to eject.

Damn ship was almost paid for, too. So long, Betty. I don’t reckon I’m gonna get the chance to trick ya out with them fancy gravity manipulators, and them long-range military-grade scanners I picked up on the black market are gonna have to go uninstalled. You were a good ship, ol’ girl. Just wish ya handled the blazin’ heat of a thousand angry suns just a
bit better.

Managed to keep my grip on a half-charged antigrav belt when the convertors blew, and hit the escape lever just before the ‘drive went critical. I dropped like a rock, or I probably wouldn’t even be recordin’ this right now.

Guide

Map

Bio-Dome 4

1.

Interacting with the Caretaker: A Beginner’s FAQ

Lore

[This file has been prepared by XAS researchers with the help of Doctor Belle Walker.]

What is the Caretaker?

Glad ya asked, darlin’! The Caretaker’s an incredibly brilliant Eldan AI who looks like the upper half of a shirtless humanoid with kinda stringy muscle definition, t’be honest, but he pops up all over Nexus in Eldan exo-labs, exo-sites, and other facilities we ain’t quite figured out yet.

What’s the Caretaker do?

He’s just about the closest thing Nexus has got
to a built-in tour guide. There are lots of copies, and there might even be a network connectin’ ’em all to each other. Like ya might guess from his name, he keeps an eye on things, at least when he’s functionin’ somethin’ close to correct-like.

How do I know when the Caretaker is functioning correctly?

Well hell, sugar, I won’t vouch for what might pass for correct, but I do know he ain’t never tried to do me no harm when he was green. When he turns red? That’s a sign
of somethin’ gone wrong in his programmin’. Usually ya can patch him up with a little fancy codework. Like as not ya might even find a green Caretaker avatar tryin’ to fix the malfunctionin’ facets. That’s what he calls ’em, his facets.

What does the Caretaker call the different copies of himself?

Facets! Ain’t ya payin’ attention, sweetheart?

Of course. So have you found a Caretaker at every Eldan facility?

Nope, but I reckon the majority got a facet or two floatin’ about.
They can get around better’n ya might think. Their projection pods are Eldan tech, got built-in transmat capabilities. Love to get some of that tech for Rusty and Bolt. Well, maybe Bolt. Rusty might ‘port himself into a lava pit when he wasn’t payin’ attention.

We done here yet?

Anything else we should know about interacting with the Caretaker?

Right, that was the point’a this whole thing, wasn’t it? Well, when ya got a red avatar, red facet, whatever ya wanna call the “bad Caretaker,”
your best bet is to clear out until ya can figure out how to alter his programmin’. Trust me. He’ll capture ya, or experiment on ya, or just plain incinerate ya. Red equals bad. Now, a big greenie? Love me a green Caretaker. Just be friendly, don’t flinch if he implies ya might be Eldan – he sometimes gets a little mixed up even when he’s in a friendly mood – and if he asks for help believe ‘im. He might also talk about ya like you’re a test subject, or maybe some kinda insect. He’s funny. But the
Caretaker don’t ask for help till the squirg’s really hit the fan.

Have you ever asked the Caretaker about the Eldan?

Ya think I’m dim? Only every chance I get. Answer’s always the same: “Progenitor-level access only.” He’ll answer most anything else, even if it’s to tell ya he don’t know. But the Eldan? No way. Nothin’ about their goals. Nothin’ about where they went. Won’t even show me what one looks like. You’re welcome to ask if ya meet him, and lemme know what he says. I’m dyin’ to find out.

Guide

Map

Bio-Dome 4

1.

Flamewalker High Priest Diaries

Lore

[A collection of Flamewalker leaders have recorded diaries on this ancient Eldan datachron. Much of the data has degraded, but some text is recoverable.]

The Masters have left us. Why? Where have they gone? Their faithful servants await their next orders, yet we have received no word. The great machines still function. The grand experiments are still in progress. The project proceeds on schedule.

We have no choice. This must be a test. Another experiment. The Eldan seek
to discern if their Pell are loyal and capable. I shall lead us through this test with devotion to the Masters. The work continues. The Pell are faithful.

[The next decipherable entry appears to have been recorded more than three centuries after the previous recording.]

The Flamewalkers tribe is powerful. I am most powerful of all, for I know the secrets of the Masters’ machines, a secret passed down from the first leader. While other Pell scrape and mewl, the Flamewalkers tribe delves into
the mysteries of the primal powers. And I, the great priest of the Flamewalkers, have conceived a plan to make the Masters return to us! If we are to see the Masters again, we must tame the terraformer. Only when we possess the power of the Masters will they reveal themselves to us once more!

[The next decipherable recording dates nearly a four hundred years after the previous entry.]

I, High Priest of the Flamewalkers, sing the glory of the Masters! After many long centuries,
and many high priests before me, the time draws near. We have found the way to give life to the Great Terraformer. We will bring fire to the sky, and our hearts will know the secrets of the gods. And then the Masters will have to return to us!

[One final entry appears to be much more recent.]

The Great Machine burns the ground beneath us. The Great Machine creates new stone and soil.
The Great Machine is not the god of the Flamewalker Pell. It is our servant. Soon we will consume this world in fire, and we will become the Masters!