The Vessel

The Vessel (also known as Escall's Vessel) is an ancient Nomai spacecraft capable of intergalactic travel and is responsible for the Nomai presence in the Solar System. It crashed into Dark Bramble while traveling in pursuit of the Eye of the Universe.

Information on the Vessel can be found throughout the Solar System from Nomai ruins and Escape Pods.

History
The Vessel, captained by Escall, was one of many spacecraft used by the Nomai clans to explore the Universe. Following a broadcast from an unknown source that appeared to be older than the Universe, Escall ordered the Vessel to make an immediate warp to the source without leaving a message for the rest of their species. Instead of arriving at their intended destination, the Vessel arrived within Dark Bramble and was quickly ensnared by the vines. Suffering numerous casualties and critical damage to all major systems and unable to call for help, the Vessel was subsequently evacuated. The survivors of the initial crash managed to flee in one of three escape pods.

Escape Pods 1 and 2 were launched and successfully fled Dark Bramble. Escape Pod 3 was able to launch but ended up crashing deeper inside Dark Bramble. With their Escape Pod inoperable, the occupants, including Escall, attempted to make their way back to the Vessel. Their limited oxygen supply and the confusion caused by the layout of Dark Bramble caused the entire crew of Escape Pod 3 to perish while trying to find a way back to the Vessel.

The survivors of Escape Pods 1 and 2, now marooned, settled the Solar System and continued their search for the mysterious signal that brought them to the Solar System, which they dubbed the Eye of the Universe.

Location
The Vessel is located within its own chamber deep within Dark Bramble. The trail leading to the Vessel can be found by following the distress beacon from Escape Pod 3. The Vessel can be accessed by entering the node that glows bright red and finding the portal that is hidden amongst the vines and glows noticeably dimmer than the rest. The route to the Vessel is guarded by several Anglerfish (including three immediately at the entrance of the red node) but the Vessel's chamber itself has none.

Features
The Vessel features a housing unit for an Advanced Warp Core, an extremely powerful and complex piece of Nomai technology used a power source that allowed the Vessel to warp across space instantaneously. The original advanced warp core that once powered the Vessel has been long since rendered inert, having been damaged beyond repair during the crash. The Nomai who settled the Solar System would later craft a new advanced warp core, inspired by the advanced warp core once used to power their Vessel, in order to power the Ash Twin Project.

The Vessel features a navigation console that allows the user to input coordinates the vessel can then warp to, provided the vessel is adequately powered by an advanced warp core and the coordinates entered are valid.

The Vessel features an emergency black hole generator. When powered, it creates a portal that leads directly outside the Vessel.

Usage
Two significant discoveries are required to properly utilize the Vessel:


 * 1) The coordinates for the Eye of the Universe from the Probe Tracking Module at the core of Giant's Deep
 * 2) The Ash Twin Project facility and the Advanced Warp Core that powers it.

The Vessel can be returned to full power and made warp-capable by removing the advanced warp core powering the Ash Twin Project and installing it in the Vessel's housing unit. With the Vessel fully powered and with the coordinates entered, the player can achieve the Nomai's original goal of reaching the Eye of the Universe.

Notes & Trivia

 * The sudden disappearance of the Vessel lead to myths by other Nomai surrounding the fate of the vessel, as Escall elected to not alert the rest of the Nomai as to where his vessel was going.
 * The vessel appears to actually have five escape pods, however two were never launched and remain attached to the Vessel.