The Quest To Find Raxxla

[Thatchinho]

Raaxla noob here, questions follow:

1) Raaxla is in the game, yes?
2) Assuming #1, have developers indicated that Raaxla is actually in a location than can be deduced via detective work and not just located in some RNG system out in the galaxy?
3) Related to #2, how were sites like the ghost ship in Formidine Rift first found - were there "clues" that led to their discovery?

This thread intrigues me, but I don't want to get too invested if it's all just for naught.

Hey cmdr, welcome to the thread!

Macros has already covered the first two, so just to come in on the third question - yes there were clues - cryptic and obscure clues but definite clues.

My advice in terms of getting involved would be to take the quest itself on its own merits rather than looking at a potential endpoint / payoff. If you're only interested in the destination then it won't be a fulfilling experience. If you like the look of the journey, then get involved. It's a wandering & meandering journey with no signs whether it's even in the right direction, but the beauty of that is that it's ripe for ideas, and anyone could find something or come up with something which might turn out to be significant. Best place on the forums in terms of lore related stuff IMHO.

It's an EBL discussion free zone though - we might have to get you to sign a disclaimer!

 

[ScolioTheMost]

So I dig the deeper dive into Odysseus but how come people have written off the Cora story?

Analysis

'Cora comes home soused and raving with wild stories, a new one every night. She claims she's found a map to some pirate stash, and all I have to do is loan her my ship so we can go dig it up. Maybe we should go find Raxxla while we're at it!"​

'pirate stash'

Implication being these items are stolen.​

"dig it up"

The treasure Cora is referring to is buried. This insinuates that it is/was on a land-able body and possibly half buried into the surface like a crashed ship.​

"Maybe we should go find Raxxla while we're at it!"

Two interpretations of this line can be made that change the entire context of the quote:

A) In 2296 Raxxla was deemed impossible to find thus Art's intention is to not take Cora and find the stash or Raxxla.
-The tone of the first line of this quote establishes Art's distaste for Cora's constant state of drunkenness and leads credence to this interpretation.

B) Raxxla was/is findable with Art intending on lending Cora his ship and locating both Raxxla plus the stash.
-The '!' is used to emphasize excitement and if this line is reread in an excited tone, eliminating all sarcasm, it can be taken at literal value
​

The only thing that disappeared around this time?

Beacon: Non-Human Relic [Sol]
In 2280, the first non-human relic was found in space. The object was found buried on Mars; it was no bigger than a child's hand and is still surrounded in secrecy, even in 3300. No information has ever been circulated as to the properties of this item or its origin, other than it is non-human.
​

If the non-human relic was stolen from Mars by pirates, This mysterious treasure could very well be the relic. It just so happens that there is a system that has a myth about buried treasure:

Beacon: Sali'naman Visitor Beacon
Local legend tells of a stash from a local pirate gang on this world. Many people have searched for it, but none have found it. Most sensible travellers claim that it doesn't exist.​

Sali'naman === 96.47LY ===> Sol
Sali'naman === 89.79LY ===> Tau Ceti


I know how much ED players love a good scavenger hunt so maybe I can get a few extra hands to tear this planet apart. Regardless on whether or not we find something Raxxla related this planet has a secret to discover.




-Void

I think if there is something to find which I do, then there may be clues elsewhere that will help us locate it. Why do I think there is something to find? The system name Sali'naman is Fillipino for "also participate", which is a curious name, especially when this visitor beacon is not player submitted.

some other leads:
May be related to the Black Prince
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxgBu2y6yecVUjBhLVp3TE9wU3c/view

Biamebitoto system
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxgBu2y6yecVdmZKNmNPdmhnMHc/view

Hariates System
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxgBu2y6yecVbHpqNXBqMS00V2s/view

LP 244-47 system
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxgBu2y6yecVaFZwMDl5R0VDTUU/view

 

[Old Duck]

It's an EBL discussion free zone though - we might have to get you to sign a disclaimer!

Like Raxxla itself, the only EBL reference will be a (visual) clue "hidden" in plain sight

 

[yelboc]

What? Wait, I actually found THAT planet!!!!

We should expect the feel of the clues and story to be different as the trail was laid by different people. The Raxxla story arc feels to me to be much larger, possibly one of the widest in the game - I don't expect it to resolve any time soon

 

[Thatchinho]

Like Raxxla itself, the only EBL reference will be a (visual) clue "hidden" in plain sight

Ha ha ha, nicely done!

 

[ExoForce]

Another thought that occurred to me - we were meant to be able to find R before the codex existed (at least it's implied). I started going over what information that already existed that you might go on for a lead.. there is _so_ little ! The players manual is an obvious possible source - I spent some time examining the technical drawings on the covers etc. - very little of interest in the drawings, but there is a drawing number, and there are several distinct sets of numbers:

749 942 12 229 Front cover top left & back cover
942 W 12 229 Front cover bottom right & back cover

C 749 942 PL W 12 229 Internal pages bottom left mirrored - this one seems to be the complete number...

Other than that a few quite well know systems in screen shots - nothing odd looking - they do show Styx in the gal map and Ovid has a ship stored. Also Arcturus is in one shot too.

Since we're clutching at straws ;-)


YB

I was studying those drawings too, since Mr Braben said we may want to write down stations numbers.
No conclusion yet.

 

[Garand1987]

Raaxla noob here, questions follow:

1) Raaxla is in the game, yes?
2) Assuming #1, have developers indicated that Raaxla is actually in a location than can be deduced via detective work and not just located in some RNG system out in the galaxy?
3) Related to #2, how were sites like the ghost ship in Formidine Rift first found - were there "clues" that led to their discovery?

This thread intrigues me, but I don't want to get too invested if it's all just for naught.

1) yes
2) “no clues” but “some of it is just a little bit obvious” so people know where to start. For something stated as being obvious, to my lnowlage, nobody knows what this “obvious” thing is. So I assume it’s thought of as obvious to people (Braben) Who actually knows where it is and mustakenly thinks that it’ll be obvious to the people who do not. But “knowing where to start” to me indicated that detective work can lead to its discovery.
3) the rifters were successful in finding where the rift was (before it was listed on galmap) as well as a number of other locations and decifering a few clues along the way over a number of years. The final discovery of the Zurara, however, was the result of its location effectively being handed to the community via some very blunt clues later.

I’d add that although Raxxla is likely to be in the place it’s always been since beta, we shouldn’t assume that it is as it’s been since the beginning. The zurara evolved along with the new tech implemented in game prior to its discovery. So perhaps Raxxla was an “unremarkable moon” durning beta and prior to Horizons. But it could have been sunstantially added to since then. Or even revised. Perhaps interaction with it (if there is/was any) was via an orbital station in beta and before horizons but since then that could have been amended to be surface artifacts/stations/ruins etc.

 

[Malicron]

True. Wasn't the Zurara an abandoned Anaconda when first added? There's no reason to think "Modern" Raxxla looks anything like "Original" Raxxla. I just hope it's in the same place.

 

[Thatchinho]

I was studying those drawings too, since Mr Braben said we may want to write down stations numbers.
No conclusion yet.

It was 'number stations' not 'station numbers'. He was talking about the UCBs. They operate similar to real life number stations.

 

[CMDRGURU951]

The discussions in the thread lately have been really good, all around.
Something I'm noticing as of late is the multiple references to HP Lovecraft which seem to be increasing daily.
Looking at this collection of stories I've found that he has some interesting titles containing keywords in this whole thing.

Stories by HP:
Polaris- Do I need to say more?
Hypnos- In the story they go to the Coronae Borealis constellation (Northern Crown). In 8 Gamma Coronae Borealis you will find the station Love Enterprise. Is this the jewel on the brow?
The Nameless City- (Colonia Pirate Faction The Nameless in the Carcosa system. Carcosa is a mythical land HP wrote about. GG w/ 8 moons in system.)
The Whisperer in Darkness- Whisperer in Witchspace?
The Dreams in the Witch House- In Witchspace? We have a Witchhead nebula in the pupil of Barnard.
The Book- Princess Astrophel?
The Challenge from Beyond- Seems like a pretty good challenge we're all working on.
The Green Meadow- The Persephone agricultural theme-ish.
Imprisoned With The Pharaohs- This alchemical reference of Ra being spoken of lately.
The Last Test- Tests? Gimme more tests.
The Man of Stone- Omphalos stone?
Medusa's Coil- Perseus killing Cetus to save Andromeda with Medusa's head?
Through the Gates of the Silver Key- The door that is also a key?
Satan's Servants- Lucifer Device? Sirius?
The Dark Brotherhood- The Dark Wheel?

-Lovecraftian Science-

"As we previously discussed, H.P. Lovecraft’s “The Whisperer in Darkness” may have been the “keystone” tale in which the Universe expanded from one island galaxy into one including hundreds of millions, if not billions, of galaxies."

https://lovecraftianscience.wordpress.com/tag/galaxies/

o7

 

[Thatchinho]

2) “no clues” but “some of it is just a little bit obvious” so people know where to start. For something stated as being obvious, to my lnowlage, nobody knows what this “obvious” thing is. So I assume it’s thought of as obvious to people (Braben) Who actually knows where it is and mustakenly thinks that it’ll be obvious to the people who do not. But “knowing where to start” to me indicated that detective work can lead to its discovery.

That's getting into reaching territory. Let's just have the full quotes so it's clear.

Q: Where is Raxxla?
A: Well, it's in the Milky Way, but I can't tell you where at this stage, it's a journey that everyone has to travel for themselves.

Q: You have always said there won't be any clues though haven't you?
A: Erm, that is true... erm, but I think you have to make some of it a tiny little bit obvious just so people know what they're doing, erm, but, yeah... but there's nothing to be revealed at this stage.

 

[Xaintly]

I was studying those drawings too, since Mr Braben said we may want to write down stations numbers.
No conclusion yet.

Do you remember where Braben said that? [Edit: Found it, he just says "we have numbered stations in Elite: Dangerous! You might want to write those numbers down."]

Someone also said that FDev said to "Follow the missions".

I'd love to see the context & cite for both of these, they would be pretty good hints if true.

 

[Rochester]

Do you remember where Braben said that? [Edit: Found it, he just says "we have numbered stations in Elite: Dangerous! You might want to write those numbers down."]

Someone also said that FDev said to "Follow the missions".

I'd love to see the context & cite for both of these, they would be pretty good hints if true.

Think we resolved the whole 'numbered stations' some pages back: p417

https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?p=7435490&viewfull=1#post7435490

 

[Old Duck]

I’d add that although Raxxla is likely to be in the place it’s always been since beta, we shouldn’t assume that it is as it’s been since the beginning. The zurara evolved along with the new tech implemented in game prior to its discovery. So perhaps Raxxla was an “unremarkable moon” durning beta and prior to Horizons. But it could have been sunstantially added to since then. Or even revised. Perhaps interaction with it (if there is/was any) was via an orbital station in beta and before horizons but since then that could have been amended to be surface artifacts/stations/ruins etc.

Since I'm late to the party, I'm sure I'm rehashing "old news", but it would not surprise me at all if Raxxla is a Guardian world, perhaps even the Guardian home world. This relates to your comment since many Guardian ruins are on "unremarkable moons", but with the new exploration tools, they are easier to find in a system now, with new ones being discovered since 3.3 dropped. I have found "things" in previously-discovered but not mapped systems, so I'm using the FSS to full effect in any system (in my current search sphere) that hints of interesting possibilities.

 

[Rochester]

So I dig the deeper dive into Odysseus but how come people have written off the Cora story?

Analysis

'Cora comes home soused and raving with wild stories, a new one every night. She claims she's found a map to some pirate stash, and all I have to do is loan her my ship so we can go dig it up. Maybe we should go find Raxxla while we're at it!"​

'pirate stash'

Implication being these items are stolen.​

"dig it up"

The treasure Cora is referring to is buried. This insinuates that it is/was on a land-able body and possibly half buried into the surface like a crashed ship.​

"Maybe we should go find Raxxla while we're at it!"

Two interpretations of this line can be made that change the entire context of the quote:

A) In 2296 Raxxla was deemed impossible to find thus Art's intention is to not take Cora and find the stash or Raxxla.
-The tone of the first line of this quote establishes Art's distaste for Cora's constant state of drunkenness and leads credence to this interpretation.

B) Raxxla was/is findable with Art intending on lending Cora his ship and locating both Raxxla plus the stash.
-The '!' is used to emphasize excitement and if this line is reread in an excited tone, eliminating all sarcasm, it can be taken at literal value
​

The only thing that disappeared around this time?

Beacon: Non-Human Relic [Sol]
In 2280, the first non-human relic was found in space. The object was found buried on Mars; it was no bigger than a child's hand and is still surrounded in secrecy, even in 3300. No information has ever been circulated as to the properties of this item or its origin, other than it is non-human.
​

If the non-human relic was stolen from Mars by pirates, This mysterious treasure could very well be the relic. It just so happens that there is a system that has a myth about buried treasure:

Beacon: Sali'naman Visitor Beacon
Local legend tells of a stash from a local pirate gang on this world. Many people have searched for it, but none have found it. Most sensible travellers claim that it doesn't exist.​

Sali'naman === 96.47LY ===> Sol
Sali'naman === 89.79LY ===> Tau Ceti


I know how much ED players love a good scavenger hunt so maybe I can get a few extra hands to tear this planet apart. Regardless on whether or not we find something Raxxla related this planet has a secret to discover.




-Void

Excellent deduction. I wonder if the new mapping tool would shed some light...I'm in that vicinity I may have a gander.

 

[Garand1987]

The discussions in the thread lately have been really good, all around.
Something I'm noticing as of late is the multiple references to HP Lovecraft which seem to be increasing daily.
Looking at this collection of stories I've found that he has some interesting titles containing keywords in this whole thing.

Stories by HP:
Polaris- Do I need to say more?
Hypnos- In the story they go to the Coronae Borealis constellation (Northern Crown). In 8 Gamma Coronae Borealis you will find the station Love Enterprise. Is this the jewel on the brow?
The Nameless City- (Colonia Pirate Faction The Nameless in the Carcosa system. Carcosa is a mythical land HP wrote about. GG w/ 8 moons in system.)
The Whisperer in Darkness- Whisperer in Witchspace?
The Dreams in the Witch House- In Witchspace? We have a Witchhead nebula in the pupil of Barnard.
The Book- Princess Astrophel?
The Challenge from Beyond- Seems like a pretty good challenge we're all working on.
The Green Meadow- The Persephone agricultural theme-ish.
Imprisoned With The Pharaohs- This alchemical reference of Ra being spoken of lately.
The Last Test- Tests? Gimme more tests.
The Man of Stone- Omphalos stone?
Medusa's Coil- Perseus killing Cetus to save Andromeda with Medusa's head?
Through the Gates of the Silver Key- The door that is also a key?
Satan's Servants- Lucifer Device? Sirius?
The Dark Brotherhood- The Dark Wheel?

-Lovecraftian Science-

"As we previously discussed, H.P. Lovecraft’s “The Whisperer in Darkness” may have been the “keystone” tale in which the Universe expanded from one island galaxy into one including hundreds of millions, if not billions, of galaxies."

https://lovecraftianscience.wordpress.com/tag/galaxies/

o7

One note on the silver key it was the silver key needed to open the silver gate.
Lovecraft’s first mention of Azathoths throne is that “Aterrible pilgrimage to seek the nighted throne of the far daemon-sultan Azathoth."

In the story that turned into, a guy wanders the dreamscape to find the “Shining City of paradise” he had seen many times in his dreams, but then was gone, lost. So he set out to find it. After a varied and meandering journey to find it he eventually thought he was on his way there. But it soon became obvious that he had been tricked and was heading to Azathoths throne (where he deffo didn’t want to be). He had been fed misinformation by the people he had believed to be the descendants of the people who knew where this paradise city was.
So he leaps from the bird carrying him to the throne and lands, to his surprise, in the city of promise he had been looking for. Which was... Boston Massachusetts (yeah boi represent *thumps chest*) the paradise city he had been looking for had been at home all along. It is interesting then, that the Raxxla symbol has at its center the astrological symbol for Sol. Idk what the three rockers around it or the dotted hexagon (not quite correct in the user made representation. In the codex the dots don’t always land in the corners of the hexagon) might mean etc. but it would seem to me that the circle and dot it is probably representative of Sol. Weren’t there rockers in the Gaurdian map that meant something?

Or maybe we start in sol and come full circle somehow through a pilgrimage. Would seem to me that previous successful attempts to find it (otherwise we wouldn’t have legends of it, and we have the benefit of knowing its out there so they have to have some kernel of truth) had to start at sol. Which is the only system we are allowed to see the constellation map from (if thats significant in any way. They don’t always look right and it would seem to me some, even well known, ones are missing).

 

[Garand1987]

Since I'm late to the party, I'm sure I'm rehashing "old news", but it would not surprise me at all if Raxxla is a Guardian world, perhaps even the Guardian home world. This relates to your comment since many Guardian ruins are on "unremarkable moons", but with the new exploration tools, they are easier to find in a system now, with new ones being discovered since 3.3 dropped. I have found "things" in previously-discovered but not mapped systems, so I'm using the FSS to full effect in any system (in my current search sphere) that hints of interesting possibilities.

I’ve wondered myself if the gaurdian stuff may hold a clue. Raxxla has alien stuff on it and the guardians are one of but two known sentient alien races in ED.
The shape of their ruins (and the map that represented them) has always been of interest to me. There seems to be something more deleiberate to its design other than its “cool alien looking”. The design certainly seems to incorporate symbols we’ve seen in maps before, could be that their ruins are a map of their home system and has clues about how to find it.

 

[Old Duck]

Is there any clue / evidence that Raxxla is "cloaked" or otherwise hidden, like the mythical planet of Aldea in ST-TNG, and thus requires some sort of "key" to reveal it, or could we find it through a "brute force attack" and / or "dumb luck" (scanning every single system in a growing sphere centered on Sol) using regular exploration tools?

 

[Garand1987]

Is there any clue / evidence that Raxxla is "cloaked" or otherwise hidden, like the mythical planet of Aldea in ST-TNG, and thus requires some sort of "key" to reveal it, or could we find it through a "brute force attack" and / or "dumb luck" (scanning every single system in a growing sphere centered on Sol) using regular exploration tools?

Not that I’m aware of. I don’t think the game can cloak things but they can set a minimum discovery distance anyway (for POI’s). I did read a beacon that says that meta alloys bend light but I don’t think the game can cloak a planet.

 

[Garand1987]

One other thing about Lovecrafts Azathoth that seems to have an ED (and elite franchise) similarity. The worshippers of the Far Daemon (Azathoth) were an insectoid species from outside the Milky Way who came and brought with them their conical shaped temples.