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 signal from the Eye of the Universe.
Information on the Vessel can be found throughout the Solar System from Nomai ruins and Escape Pods.
History[]
The history of the Vessel
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 was older than the Universe itself, Escall ordered the Vessel to make an immediate warp to the source without leaving a message for the rest of their species.[1][2] Instead of arriving at their intended destination, the Vessel arrived within Dark Bramble and was quickly ensnared by the vines.[3] Suffering numerous casualties and critical damage to all major systems and unable to call for help, the Vessel was subsequently evacuated.[4] The survivors of the initial crash managed to flee in three of the five escape pods.
The Eye signal received by the Vessel
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 after multiple collisions altered its flight trajectory.[5] With their Escape Pod inoperable, the occupants, including Escall, attempted to make their way back to the Vessel.[6] 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.[7][8]
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.[9]
Location[]
The Nest node from which to access the Vessel
The Vessel is located within its own chamber deep within Dark Bramble. The Vessel can be found by following the distress beacon coming from Escape Pod 3. Following the light trail left by the Nomai from Escape Pod 3 leads to the Nomai Grave, a small seed surrounded by Nomai corpses. Firing the Scout into this seed reveals two duplicate locations leading to the Vessel. The node that glows bright red can be entered with the Ship, but inside the node are three Anglerfish directly at the entrance. (Once you have reached The Vessel for the first time, you can use the "Show in HUD" option in your computer to have its location indicated without using the Scout.)
To reach the Vessel safely, it is important to pick up enough speed before going through the node and then not using the Ship's thrusters or reshooting your scout after entering the node. Alternatively, you can reduce your speed to almost nothing, and feather the forward thruster at such a low level (one acceleration bar or below) that your ship will pass by the fish — very slowly — without alerting them. You can pass through their light appendages without it counting as touching them. Once the three Anglerfish can no longer be heard breathing loudly, it is possible to use the thrusters carefully to follow the Scout's signal. This leads to the Vessel's node which contains no Anglerfish.
Features[]
The Vessel features a housing unit for an Advanced Warp Core, an extremely powerful and complex piece of Nomai technology used as 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 also features a black hole generator. When powered, it creates a portal that leads directly outside the Vessel.
The Interior of the Vessel
The Vessel's broken Advanced Warp Core
The navigation console to enter warp coordinates
The Vessel's black hole generator
Usage[]
The Vessel can be used to warp to the Eye of the Universe. Two significant discoveries are required for this:
- The coordinates for the Eye of the Universe from the Probe Tracking Module at the core of Giant's Deep.
- 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, it is possible to achieve the Nomai's original goal of reaching the Eye of the Universe.
The coordinates of the Eye of the Universe
The Advanced Warp Core of the Ash Twin Project
The Ash Twin Project's Advanced Warp Core powering the Vessel
The Vessel as seen from the Eye of the Universe
Texts and recordings[]
| Eye signal encounter recording
FILIX: I’m recording now — I’ve never encountered anything like this! The signal the Vessel is receiving appears to be older than the universe itself! ESCALL: This is our first contact with anything of this nature. Everyone, prepare to warp immediately! FILIX: Escall, wait, I need more time to send an outgoing message! Shouldn’t we tell another clan where we’re going? ESCALL: We can send the message upon our arrival. This extraordinary signal appeared suddenly; it may disappear just as quickly, and we can’t lose a discovery this incredible! Focus on preparing for the warp, instead. FILIX: I understand! ESCALL: Annona, is the Vessel ready to warp to the signal’s approximate coordinates? ANNONA: The warp core is powered, but this will be a significant jump. Afterward, we’ll need time to recharge the core. ESCALL: That shouldn’t create a problem, provided we arrive at or near the signal’s source. Everyone, we’re ready to warp! |
Distress signal FILIX: This is Escall’s Vessel; something went badly wrong during our warp, and our Vessel is mortally wounded. We need help as quickly as possible! FILIX: Our Vessel appears to have... has it fused with the local environment, somehow? There are vines that are now part of the Vessel! It’s been torn apart from inside itself! FILIX: We... we are abandoning our Vessel. Any Nomai clans or spaceflight-capable species receiving this message, I implore you, we need your help! FILIX: Is this broken? Can anyone hear me? Our Vessel is dying! We need immediate assistance! |
|
Modern Nomai inbound signals (these messages are responses to each other) CANNA: To any Nomai clans whose Vessels can hear this message: CANNA: It’s clear the universe is dying. There are fewer and fewer resources and safe places within space now, so my clan and I believe the best option is for all of our clans to stay together. CANNA: If you can reach the Gloaming Galaxy, we’ve found that Blackrock’s suns are fairly stable, and life in this star system is (comparatively) thriving. We live in relative safety. CANNA: If you prefer to continue exploring alone, know you will be on your own. BROMI: Canna, we’re making our way to you. CANNA: It’s good to hear from you, Bromi! We’ll watch for your Vessel. CANNA: Has anyone heard from Neem? His clan was on its way to our Vessel, but they never arrived, and he hasn’t sent any messages. I’m beginning to worry. BROMI: That is unsettling. It reminds me of that old myth my grandfather used to tell, the Disappearance of Escall. CLEM: I remember hearing that story as a child! One day, Escall’s Vessel simply stopped responding. The other clans searched and searched, but found no trace. It was as if their missing friends had warped out of existence. HYSSOP: That’s no myth, friends; Escall’s clan existed, and their story was real. BROMI: What a curious event to have passed into myth! Our ancestors’ ancestors were told that story when they were young. Are you sure it’s true, Hyssop? HYSSOP: It was a very long time ago, but yes. My clan’s ancestors searched for Escall’s clan for a long time, but in the end, none of them were ever seen again. (It’s the only time in our history a Vessel has ever disappeared this way.) NEEM: Hyssop, I hope you aren’t comparing Escall’s story to my clan’s Vessel! CLEM: Neem, my friend! We feared you were gone! NEEM: Not yet, we aren’t, but nearly. We found trouble during our warp: The triple suns of the Bright Spark star system exploded, and it was only a lucky coincidence we weren’t caught in the blast. We’ll meet you soon, Canna! CANNA: I’m relieved your clan is safe, Neem! It’s good to hear your words. Any Vessels nearby, remember to be extremely cautious of potentially unstable stars (which is most of them, now). |
Notes & Trivia[]
- The sudden disappearance of the Vessel led to myths among other Nomai clans surrounding the fate of the Vessel, as Escall elected to not alert the rest of the Nomai as to where their Vessel was going.
- The Vessel has five escape pods, however, two were never launched and remain attached to the Vessel.
- All Nomai corpses on the Vessel disappear after warping the Vessel to the Eye of the Universe.
- Each of the three consoles on the coordinate selector can represent up to 1,957 coordinates. However this would imply that the direction the glyph is drawn in is significant to its value. This is certainly a possible optimization but it appears not to use this system. Therefore the coordinate selector can likely only represent 982. All in all this is 946,966,168 coordinates, or 7,495,014,493 coordinates if direction is significant.
- Based on the preceding information about the interface, it can be deduced that the vessel likely does not use a Cartesian coordinate system, and more likely has a Polar coordinate system. This means that two of the coordinates represent angles, pitch and yaw, and the other one represents distance to travel.
Gallery[]
Unlaunched Escape Pod
The view from the cockpit of the Vessel on Dark Bramble
The view from the cockpit of the Vessel at the Eye of the Universe
Black Hole generated by the Vessel leading to the surface
Close-up of the Vessel in space at the Eye of the Universe
References[]
- ↑ FILIX: I’m recording now — I’ve never encountered anything like this! The signal the Vessel is receiving appears to be older than the universe itself! ESCALL: This is our first contact with anything of this nature. Everyone, prepare to warp immediately! FILIX: Escall, wait, I need more time to send an outgoing message! Shouldn’t we tell another clan where we’re going? ESCALL: We can send the message upon our arrival. This extraordinary signal appeared suddenly; it may disappear just as quickly, and we can’t lose a discovery this incredible! Focus on preparing for the warp, instead.
- ↑ FILIX: The signal was older than the universe itself! This is the most significant detail.
- ↑ FILIX: We warped to follow that curious signal from the Eye of the universe. Where we arrived was wrong; it wasn’t where we tried to go. FILIX: Our Vessel appears to have... has it fused with the local environment, somehow? There are vines that are now part of the Vessel! It’s been torn apart from inside itself!
- ↑ FILIX: We... we are abandoning our Vessel. Any Nomai clans or spaceflight-capable species receiving this message, I implore you, we need your help!
- ↑ ALERT: Multiple collisions have altered pod’s trajectory. Significant damage to pod detected.
- ↑ SECCA: We’ve held out as long as we could here, but this pod’s supply of breathable air is nearly depleted, and the anglerfish attack more and more frequently. SECCA: Our best chance at survival is to return to the Vessel to either repair the damage or, more probably, await rescue.
- ↑ DIN: There is a new problem: Our equipment is detecting two distinct beacons from the Vessel. SECCA: But it isn’t possible for the Vessel to be in two different locations at the same time. DIN: I agree, but the beacons are exactly identical to each other. Perhaps if I had more time — SECCA: We’re nearly out of time already, Din; the Vessel’s beacon is quickly fading. Soon, it will be gone, and we will be lost. ESCALL: We will follow the beacon whose source is nearest to us.
- ↑ SECCA: To any who come here searching for us: We followed one of the two beacons from the Vessel to this place, but now can go no further. SECCA: It’s almost too faint to hear now, but the Vessel’s beacon is still faintly emitting from within this thorny seed. Yet the opening is too small for even a single Nomai to fit through it, so our escape pod couldn’t have flown through here.
- ↑ THATCH: Imagine what rare and profound knowledge it might offer. We must find this Eye of the universe.