Guide

Map

Galeras

1.

Bresh Silverstalk’s Journal

Lore

Farming was a mistake.

Galeras is nice enough, sure, but between the high winds and the hostile wildlife, we would’ve been better off begging in the streets of Thayd.

The house is a mess. I’m no more a carpenter than I am a farmer. Just ask Myanna. As soon as I nail up a new board, the wind tears another one from the frame.

I’ve had enough of bloody fingers and windy nights!

* * *

Venan has been hearing sounds outside. Growls and grunts. It could be anything.

He and his mother look to
me for reassurance… for protection. I may not know how to build a house, but I sure as sugar know how to protect my family.

I’m going out there.

* * *

Canimid! What in the Matria’s name are they doing here? Sniffing around what’s left of my crops, that’s what! One of them spotted me and let out a roar that would’ve stripped the stones from a Gnoxian. My pistol shot didn’t so much as annoy the beast!

We’re heading down into the cellar now. There’s little enough time to do
anything else, and we can’t run away from the canimid. They’ll just chase us down and feast on us.

If you’re reading this, we’re either dead already, or we’re trapped in our own cellar. Please help us, if you can! Don’t let my wife and little boy die because I wasn’t brave enough to fight those stinking canimid monsters!

Guide

Find and enter Exo-Lab 83.

Map

Galeras

1.

Professor Digstone’s Journal

Lore

It’s amazing down here in the Exo-Lab! Nothing works, but you can look at the machines and imagine what it must’ve been like for the Eldan all those years ago.

* * *

I’ve managed to get the power back online. There are several Eldan constructs here, all of them damaged. There is one in particular that I may be able to reactivate. I’ll have to try.

* * *

I can’t understand it all, but according to the data in the damaged bot’s memory core, it’s an Eldan Augmentor. The possibilities are
boundless! When Sue finds out about this… but no! I must keep it a surprise, at least until it’s functional.

(later)

Sue is so curious about what I’m doing in here. Her interests have always been with the Eldan augmentation process, and I can hardly blame her. Improving a creature with these methods could have valuable applications, both commercially and militarily.

My work restoring the bot is almost done.

* * *

The bot is active! I’m going to send it out into the field tonight to test
its functionality. I’ll have it augment some of the local fauna, then bring back a test subject… maybe a canimid.

* * *

The augmetics are amazing! The canimid test subject has been completely augmented by the bot with no adverse side effects or implant rejection.

Though it seems dangerous, the next phase of my experiment will be a bit more personal. I’m going to augment myself. I won’t do anything drastic, just minor augmentations at first. Sue’s in the field gathering data.
She’ll be so surprised when she gets back!

(later)

It would have been foolish to stop with just one augmentation. Now I can see more clearly and move more quickly. I am stronger of limb and faster of mind. How could I have been such a fool? I should have taken this route long ago. There is so much to do if I’m going to make up for lost time.

I will send the Augmentor to begin the personnel integration tonight. When Sue returns, I’ll give her this gift, as well. She will no longer need to study
augmentation. She will understand it too intimately for such banalities.

Guide

Map

Thayd

1.

Deployment Orders: Galeras

Lore

DEPLOYMENT ORDERS

FIELD COMMAND: Sgt. Kara

Your orders, mercs, are simple. The Dominion’s trying to take out Thayd, one of our strongest and best-defended strongholds on this planet. Sure, it’s not much more than military camps and old walls right now, but the techs tell me those walls have stood for thousands of years, and I want them standing for thousands more… or as long as there are Exiles in need of sanctuary on this
planet, whichever comes first.

I’m leaving Sgt. Kara in charge of the details and specific deployments on the ground. Report to her upon your arrival. And if I hear from her that any of you rockheads is getting outta line, you’re gonna regret it.

— Commander Durek

Guide

Map

Celestion

1.

A New Arboria?

Lore

By “Matria Greenbloom”

Why do I write under a false name? Why indeed? Could it be because there is still so much conflict among our people, so long after we made the choice to abandon our homeworld? After SHE made the decision for us all?

And who asked our young queen to make that call for every last Aurin on Arboria? Was it you? Was it me? What about her own consort, Arwick Redleaf? Is it not common knowledge that her own
knight would have chosen to stay and fight rather than turn tail and run for the stars? For this place?

And what is this place? Can it ever truly be Arboria? How can one even ask such a question? How could any Aurin, no matter how much pressure she had to endure, say such a thing? Yet did not our own queen do so upon setting foot on this world? Is not Nexus to be our “New Arboria”?

And who is this Queen Myala? Is she to be trusted?
Could she not be an agent of the very enemy who even now devastates our world? Our true world? And who am I? Am I truly a matria?

Is that even important? For right now, I am but an Aurin with questions… and precious few answers.

— “Matria Greenbloom”

Guide

Map

Galeras

1.

Protostar Foreclosure Notice

Lore

A MESSAGE FROM THE CEO’S DESK

Greetings from Phineas T. Rotostar!
As you know, we here at Protostar place a special emphasis on real estate properties when it comes to the planet Nexus. After all, just about everyone wants their own little slice of home here on this wondrous world, and the Protostar Corporation is in the business of making those slices reasonably affordable, marginally safe, and relatively available!

That’s why it’s
with demonstrable sadness that I must inform you that we have filed foreclosure proceedings against SERGEANT KARA OF FCON, the contractually obligated owner of the property designated WINDSPIRE VIGIL. If you or someone you love are SERGEANT KARA OF FCON or you are a sentient being who knows of his or her current whereabouts, you are encouraged to contact your nearest Protostar Housing Agent today to report what
you know… for money!

Even if you don’t know anything about this situation, your nearest Protostar Housing Agent can set YOU up with the home of your dreams! Why not consider your own little slice of home on the ground, in the sky, or perhaps even in orbit! With Protostar, literally ANYthing* is possible!

Yours in profitability,
— PT Rotostar

*”Literally ANYthing” does not legally include literally anything. See your Protostar Housing Agent for further details.

Guide

Map

Galeras

1.

Orders RE: Exile Prisoners

Lore

Until further notice, the Crimson Legion is requested and required to take Exile prisoners of war whenever possible for transfer to the Imperial Corps of Intelligence. Certain non-Exile species are also part of this mandate, and prize payments are available for documented captures. Be on the lookout for the following varieties of sentient being:
Granok
Exile Humans
Aurin
Mordesh
Lopp
Eeklu
Krogg
Grund
Oghra
Freebots

Guide

Map

Galeras

1.

Chief Engineer Fippi’s Personal Log

Lore

Galeras deployment Day 19.

That’s it. I don’t care about the prize money. I’m putting in for a transfer as soon as I’m bloody able, and if I never see this place again, it’ll be too soon. This whimfiber the Collegium’s so interested in? Must be for use as a battlefield hazard. The stuff gets into every single component of every single machine I work on at this base, and even machines that shouldn’t need maintenance at all!

And that’s besides the effect
the whimfiber’s having on my sinuses. I think one of my eyes is actually starting to pop out when I sneeze. Bloody hurts, so it does.

When I put in my transfer request, I need to make sure to mention the business with Nox and Voski. Little odd to see good friends turn to bad blood so quickly, isn’t it? But if someone higher up the command chain doesn’t learn about it soon, the bad blood’s going to turn literal, and right bloody quick.