THE FORMIDINE RIFT MYSTERY (Part 4)

Cmdr Zach

Cmdr Zach
Welcome to the 4th Formidine Rift Thread!
Grab a drink, settle down comfortably and pay close attention. We have a lot to get through.

Please note the following contains spoilers from Drew Wagar’s novel “Elite: Reclamation”. We recommend reading the book first so as to not ruin the story. (get it here) We have been informed by Drew that the primary clues are already online, so the book is not necessary to solve this mystery.

This is a continuation of previous threads, and is a collection of information from many sources and efforts by many people. If we have missed something important, please let us know and if suitable it will be added. All the information below is intended to be as factual as possible. It is up to you to make any mental leaps and connections. Underlined text is usually a link.

Contents
Current Activities
Latest News and Information
What is the Formidine Rift?
Where is the Formindine Rift?
Drew's Clues
Timeline of Events
What has been worked out so far
Real Clues, Ideas and Crazy Tinfoil Theories
Useful Links

Current Activities

Summed up nicely in DrewCarnegie's post over here

Also an idea I suggested for Rifter's, and a further clarification I made after chaos ensued.

Drew himself thinks it would be cool for us to do something with the Zurara

Earth Like Worlds are being checked out due to a mention of losing hyperdrive in a system with a habitable world, and abandoning ship in the Rift Beta log.

As Drew mentioned in a recent interview we missed some clues for the locations of the dynasty expedition outpost locations, an effort is being made to check through GalNet and local news posts in game to look for anything we may have missed. One we know of was the Tionisla graveyard Cobra broadcasting the EAFOTS message after a coded message. The coded message was actually the exact location of one of the (now found) outposts in the Conflux.
Suggested Searches
Tionisla (Graveyard of elite pilots)
Persephone
Ishtar (Inanna / Seven Veils)
Ereshkigal (Babylonian equivalent of Persephone)
Prism (Home planet of Salome)
Sol (Drew said we should ensure we have our permits for here)
Daibo (where Salome's prison convoy was destroyed)
HR 6421 (children of raxxla home system)
Sirius (evil corporate people?)
Reorte (line to Rift, and origin of Dynasty expedition?)
Riedquat (line to Rift, and origin of Dynasty expedition?)
Maia (Heart of the Pleidies mystery (Unknown Artifact/Unknown Probes)
Cemiess (Where assassination attempt on Patrues was made)
Zearla, Tiliala, Ega (all with Wreaken Construction links)
Achenar (Hotbed of Empire politics)
Alioth (Guy who stole data from Sirius crashed here. Also Alliance capital)
Shinrarta Dezhra (Home of Dark Wheel and Pilots Federation)
Chi Orionis (Metadrive base, also EDF home)
Peregrina (permit locked system from the "old lore" - Out of Darkness novel)

Anything relating to "The Pheonix Group", "Emporor's Dawn", "Children of Raxxla" and "The Dark Wheel"

Any mention of Kahina Tijani Loren, Salome, Admiral Denton Patreus, Cuthrick Delaney, Luko, Elyssia Fields

Hawkin's Gap, the Conflux and the Formidine Rift (obviously!)

Latest News and Information

Salomé dead!

Events on the 29th 3303 April are quite well known now. A live event where Salomé and friend made a run from Col 70 to the bubble to reveal some truths about the mystery/conspiracy. Salomé's ship was destroyed, but her 3 companions made it to their destination and activated comms beacons to transmit their message.
Read the logs they transmitted here

Drew's explaination of what occurred

Drew's blog post Mortem of events

Statement from a PAC admiral


The "Thing" in the Rift has been found [/SIZE](not solved, according to Drew)
But leaves more questions then answers.......

A megaship, set adrift in the rift with all it's crew murdered to cover up what it had been doing out there. It was a part of the Dynasty Expedition which put beacons around Earth Like Worlds and Terraformable worlds and also maybe 'seeded' some of them.

As megaships have only been introduced with 2.3, what was there to be found since the game launched! Some cry. A hint from Drew is that it was a drifing Anaconda before the 2.3 update allowed for a more significant discovery.

A Children of Raxxla's post, in this thread, details how they solved a recent Galnet article clue.
A nice video of the discovery in the rift, with great voice acting reading the newly found logs, can be found here.
DREW WAGNER has written a short article on his website about this finally being found.
A link to some videos containing recent clues or about the recent clues of this mystery.
A post from Drew in response to all the "is that it?" posts.
and finally.....my own response.


Children of Raxxla release a large document of The Mythology Behind Salomé’s Descent
This document, as well as explaining a lot of the mythological references throughout the Rift Mystery, helps a great deal in laying out all the events of the last couple of years relating to the enigmatic Salomé.


 
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Cmdr Zach

Cmdr Zach
What is the Formidine Rift?
The mystery of the Formidine Rift finds a genesis in Drew Wagar’s Oolite Saga. The third installment of this saga makes a reference to the ‘Formidine Rift’ where we read that, “Thargoid incursions into the Formidine rift appear to be increasing dramatically.” Oolite is an unofficial remake of the original 1984 game Elite and share similarities to the Elite: Dangerous universe. Though there are many similarities there are also plenty of differences. Drew Wagar readily admits that the Oolite Saga is a work of fan fiction.

The Formidine Rift became an official part of the Elite: Dangerous universe when Drew was given the opportunity to write an official novel as a companion to the game. Drew has confirmed that the developers included the Rift and a mysterious something to be found inside it in the game and that this something has been present since it was initially released.

Drew’s book, Reclamation follows the adventures of Lady Kahina Tijani Loren, third daughter to the prior imperial senator to Chione, Senator Algreb Loren.

During the adventure Kahina, while suffering from amnesia and using the name ‘Salomé’, meets an old Elite Commander who tells her of a place known as “The Formidine Rift”. She didn’t disclose too many details… just the description that the Rift is located somewhere near the ‘edge of the galactic arm’ and a simple line in space drawn through the systems of Reorte and Riedquat and beyond points to the location of the Rift. Later in the novel Kahina hacks into a video archive made by the lady when she was younger and discovers that there is something out there that GalCop, the Federation and the Empire were all trying to keep secret from the rest of the galaxy.

CMDR Acaelus Thorn is one of the earliest known explorers to go searching for the mystery of the rift. Since then, many have gone searching for the mystery, yet none have found an answer.

All the characters, and Drew Wagar’s story, can be read about in the Elite: Reclamation guide book

Thanks Jaiotu for the lore-friendly introduction above.


Where is the Formidine Rift?
"Edge of the galactic arm. Take a line from Reorte to Riedquat to the edge of the arm, and ... keep going."


Located in an area of space, somewhere between the Perseus and the New Outer Arm of the galaxy. CMDR Erimus has been leading the galactic mapping project to define the area.

The following galactic overview map was created by Katejina:

wbQW7Xa.png



Drew Wagar has confirmed the ‘general area’ of the rift is 'broadly correct' as per current maps. This has been further reinforced by two wings from the Children of Raxxla being sent to ‘patrol’ the supposed borders of the rift.

CMDR Qohen Leth has put together a stunningly accurate map of the rift part of the galaxy.

View an interactive map of the Formidine Rift part of the galaxy on EDSM (Elite Dangerous Star Map).''



What is the RR line?



Dynasty Expedition of 3270
DYNASTY EXPEDITION BEACONS AND OUTPOSTS

From the competing Federation and Children Of Raxxla Community Goals in November 3302.
Beacons were found in the following systems with coded messages being transmitted every hour.
These messages were brute-force decoded using the key word "EXODUS".
Beacons that link to Alpha sites broadcast on the hour. Beta sites at 15 past, Gamma sites half past, and Delta sites 45 past the hour.
The messages include a rally point for each system which is always a landable planet.
All 12 of these settlements have been found on these planets.

Hawkin's Gap (ERP 001):

System: PLAA AEC IZ-N C20-1
Beacon around: A
Rally Point (settlement) on: A1A
ALPHA SETTLEMENT FOUND by CMDR Raktavijan 15th Jan 3303:
25.0029, 21.5814 Logistical outpost: Discovery and flyby and Map
Message Logs
Hawkins Gap Alpha Mission 1/4
Expedition Log: 21/08/3270
"Damn we've come a long way. I really should have looked at the galactic map before I signed up for this. Weeks of endless travel and hyperspace jumps just to get into the vicinity of the place, and that's before we get down to the work."

Hawkins Gap Alpha Mission 2/4
Expedition Log: 29/08/3270
"Cargo hold is rammed full of strange tech. Looks like a bunch of satellites to me, but it's all hush hush. Normal crew like me ain't allowed anywhere near them. Don't know what they're for, other than we have to drop them off in very specific locations. Weird, eh?"

Hawkins Gap Alpha Mission 3/4
Expedition Log: 15/09/3270
"Bored rigid now, can't wait to turn around and go home. I don't care how good the money is, nothing is worth this tedium. We haven't even started the return journey yet... Randomius Factoria - save me!"

Hawkins Gap Alpha Mission 4/4
Expedition Log: 13/10/3270
"Still, it could be worse! I could have pulled the Formidine Rift gig. Rumour is they're having to double up on ships for that one as the crews are going void-mad and ejecting themselves into space becuase they've seen ghosts. Word is there's something out there."
System: PLAA AEC XZ-Z B41-0
Beacon around: A1
Rally Point (settlement) on: 2
BETA SETTLEMENT FOUND by CMDR Britain 27th Jan 3303
36.38, -12.71 Agricultural outpost: Discovery and flyby
Message Logs
Hawkin's Gap Beta Mission 1/4
Expedition Log: 30/08/3270
"Strange mission this, though the pay is good. Nobody seems to know who's footing the bill, but Sirius Corp is favourite. Whatever this trip is, it's expensive. It's also hush hush. Even the captain doesn't know what we're carrying and he's not happy about it."

Hawkin's Gap Beta Mission 2/4
Expedition Log: 12/09/3270
"Big bust up today. Apparently this ship is flying without shields and without guns! We had an escort for the first few hundred light years, but then they peeled off and we're on our own out here in the void! If we do come across anything nasty we're going to have to hope we can run..."

Hawkin's Gap Beta Mission 3/4
Expedition Log: 18/09/3270
"Not a happy ship. Crew is grumbling. Captain hasn't been seen for weeks. Cargo bay is guarded by these very unfriendly types. Don't know what they're protecting, but it's enough to get a man killed over, that's for sure."

Hawkin's Gap Beta Mission 4/4
Expedition Log: 1/10/3270
"Cargo dropped. Turned about and on our way back to civilisation. What it was, nobody knows and nobody is asking. It's a bit more relaxed now, whatever that cargo was it was something important. Can't see what use it would be this far out, but maybe someone knows something we don't..."

System: PLAA AEC TT-B B41-3
Beacon around: B1
Rally Point (settlement) on: B2
GAMMA SETTLEMENT FOUND by CMDR Nodus Cursorius 21st Jan 3303
-9.3229, -103.8591 - Agricultural outpost: Discovery and flyby
Message Logs
Hawkin's Gap Gamma Mission 1/4
Expedition Log: 30/08/3270
"Beautiful part ofthe galaxy this, really dense clusters of stars, pretty much halfway to the core. Been one long trip though. We're out here dropping off a series of beacons. Randomius knows what for, but they're paying, so no questions asked!"

Hawkin's Gap Gamma Mission 2/4
Expedition Log: 12/09/3270
"Funny Thing is, I've asked a few of the other hands about this mission and no one seems to know who's behind it. We all picked up bulletin board adverts promising big credits for a long haul and kind of just ended up on board. Not sure it it's the Feds, the Imps or the Alliance. Still, credits are credits!"

Hawkin's Gap Gamma Mission 3/4
Expedition Log: 18/09/3270
"Arrived on site today. Bunch of guys had to go EVA to drop off the beacons. We're jumping around a bunch of systems here in the gap. One of the Beacons activated all on its own, started squawking some weird code before it got switched off. We were told we hadn't heard anything."

Hawkin's Gap Gamma Mission 4/4
Expedition Log: 01/10/3270
"I'm logging this, but I shouldn't be. Bunch of guys were talking about the beacons yesterday and then there was a mysterious accident in the airlock - they're all dead! Feeling aboard is mutinous. Just want to get back home. I ain't doing no top secret missions again, that's for sure."
System: PLAA AEC RY-B B41-1
Beacon around: A
Rally Point (settlement) on: 2B
DELTA SETTLEMENT FOUND by CMDR Baton on 18th Jan 3303
50.9203, -155.0895 - Research outpost: Discovery and Flyby
Message Logs
HAWKIN'S GAP DELTA MISSION 1/4
Expedition Log: 30/08/3270
"This is a bigger operation than I thought it was. A massive fleet of Anacondas all prepped for long endurance travel out to the edge of beyond. No ships have markings, no emblems, no political affiliation. Somebody with deep pockets must be paying for this, but who ?"

HAWKIN'S GAP DELTA MISSION 2/4
Expedition Log: 12/09/3270
"Judging by the way the fleet deployed I would say there were three main destinations, all a long way outside of the core worlds. We got our orders today, we're making for a zone called "Hawkin's Gap". It's a seriously long way, not even the explorers have been out this way before. Strange mission."

HAWKIN'S GAP DELTA MISSION 3/4
Expedition Log: 18/09/3270
"Our little armada split up today, so we're on our own now. Just us and the void. Still a lot of speculations as to what we're doing. Cargo hold is full, that I don't know. My guess is some kind of deep space survey, but I can't figure out why we'd need to be so far out ..."

HAWKIN'S GAP DELTA MISSION 4/4
Expedition Log: 01/10/3270
"Cargo is being deployed. A series of artefacts of some kind. The handling bods aren't part of the ship's crew, so we don't know what they're doing. Captain has told us to turn a blind eye and wait for them to be done."
CONFLUX(ERP 002):

System: PRU AESCS TY-J A64-1
Beacon around: 1
Rally Point (settlement) on: 3
ALPHA SETTLEMENT FOUND by CMDR Robbie Junior 23rd Feb 3303:
-66.47, -56.13 Details: https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showt...ERY-(Part-4)?p=5191920&viewfull=1#post5191920
Message logs
Conflux Alpha Mission 1/4
Expedition Log: 21/08/3270
"So we've hauled right out into unexplored territory. Heading corewards, doubt anyone has been this far before. Star density is rising fast, the galaxy looks pretty amazing from this vantage point".

Conflux Alpha Mission 2/4
Expedition Log: 30/08/3270
"We've been tasked with dropping off these beacons. New tech it would seem. Looks like long range comms stuff to me, but I'm no expert. Can't see why anyone would want a beacon this far out."

Conflux Alpha Mission 3/4
Expedition Log: 17/09/3270
"Reckon I have it figured. We're dropping these beacons around Earth-like worlds. Can't be a coincidence. I guess it's some kind of long term planning by someone. Not sure who's paying for this gig. Best not to ask too many questions. They're paying a proper wedge."

Conflux Alpha Mission 4/4
Expedition Log: 14/10/3270
"Well, we're done. Dropped off the last beacon today. It's going to be a long old trip back to the core worlds. We're thousands of light years out. Kind of wish we could keep going all the way to the core. Guess someone else will have that little bit of glory."
System: PRU AESCS HW-S B31-2
Beacon around: A
Rally Point (settlement) on: CD1
BETA SETTLEMENT FOUND by CMDR TheTick 13th Jan 3303:
-7.2989, -35.9180 Details: https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showt...ift-(Part-3)?p=5006701&viewfull=1#post5006701
Message logs
Conflux Beta Mission 1/4
Expedition Log: 01/10/3270
"Witch-space once again. We're almost to our destination in the Conflux area now. That's odd... looks like... can't be!
You can't be interdicted in witch-space... that's impossible! We're back in normal space. Systems off-line, no power, what in Randomius is that..."

Conflux Beta Mission 2/4
Expedition Log: 30/08/3270
"Signed on for this one as I had the exploration bug, but we're just jumping and jumping. We're not staying in systems to survey, just refuelling as fast as we can and then it's back into witch-space. We're spending more time there than in real space. Someone is in a hurry."

Conflux Beta Mission 3/4
Expedition Log: 12/09/3270
"Reminds me of what my father told me about witch-space. it's haunted. There's weird lights, shifting clouds, who knows what they are. Makes you wonder whether we should be out here at all. So much stuff we just don't understand."

Conflux Beta Mission 4/4
Expedition Log: 18/09/3270
"Witch-space is different out here, there's something odd, those lights we were seeing are less frequent now, but they seem to be hanging around, almost as if they're following us. Maybe I'm going nuts."

System: PRU AESCS OI-K A64-0
Beacon around: 1
Rally Point (settlement) on: 1A
GAMMA SETTLEMENT FOUND by CMDR Sajime Chent-Shi 11th Feb 3303
64.2, 74.4 - Discovery
Message Logs
Conflux Gamma Mission 1/4
Expedition Log: 30/08/3270
"I'm just the navigator ouboard this ship. Never flown an Anaconda before, but it's quite a beast. This one is stripped right down, just cargo space and jump capability. Nothing else. We had an escort to the edge of inhabited space, but our destination is right out there..."

Conflux Gamma Mission 2/4
Expedition Log: 12/09/3270
"Thousands of light years! Fortunately the ship has behaved itself. We've passed countless systems, but we're not stopping to survey anything. I've just been asked to plot on as fast as we can go. We're aiming for a zone known as the Conflux. It's sure a long way out. Can't help wondering why we're doing this."

Conflux Gamma Mission 3/4
Expedition Log: 18/09/3270
"So, we're here now. Took as five months to reach this part of the galaxy. A team of hired spacers are out there now, dropping off some kind of cargo. Looks like beacons from what I can see, but some guy in uniform came and switched off the scanner. Best not ask too many questions. Might not be wise to be logging this to be honest..."

Conflux Gamma Mission 4/4
Expedition Log: 10/10/3270
"On our way back home again. Just dropped off whatever it was, turned about and started back. Five months out... probably five months back again. Managed a quick scan of the site when no one was looking. Definitely beacons. Why would anyone want a beacon right out here in the void is beyond me. Not my problem though!"
System: PRU AESCS NC-M D7-192
Beacon around: A2A or A
Rally Point (settlement) on: A3A
DELTA SETTLEMENT FOUND by CMDR's Goliat and Baton 7th Feb 3303
-53.36 -48.91 - Discovery
Message Logs
Conflux Delta Mission 1/4
Expedition Log: 30/08/3270
"I'm just the engineer on this particular jaunt. I was advised to prep the ship for a seriously long haul into the void, so I'm loaded up with as many hyperdrive spares as I can cram in. When I asked why, the captain just responded with 'Don't ask'."

Conflux Delta Mission 2/4
Expedition Log: 12/09/3270
"It's putting a strain on the ship, that I can tell you. I've asked for some downtime so I can run some maintenance, but the captain says we have to hit a schedule. What can be quite so important a thousand light years from the nearest inhabited planet I can't say, but we're in a mighty rush."

Conflux Delta Mission 3/4
Expedition Log: 18/09/3270
"I warned 'em. We blew the hyperdrive initiator coil jumping in today. Caused a right mess down here. Lots of collateral damage. Scanners are offline and the main generator is running hot. Can't figure out why, looks like we're in empty space, but the heat is fierce!"

Conflux Delta Mission 4/4
Expedition Log: 01/10/3270
"We figured it out. Gravity. We've dropped out near a neutron star. Can't see it, but we can feel it. The ship is cooking around us. No way we can jump out before it gets us. We're being pulled in. Odds are even as to whether the heat, gravity or magnetism kills us first. We're jettisoning the logs, if anyone ever finds this... save yourselves! Beware the neutron star."

Formidine Rift (ERP 003):

System: EAFOTS EU-R C4-1
Beacon around: A
Rally Point (settlement) on: C2
ALPHA SETTLEMENT FOUND by CMDR Eadghe on 19th Jan 3303
 -34.2057, -77.6673 - Discovery & Location Maps
Message Logs
Expedition Log: 21/08/3270
"Why the hell are we out here? No one seems to know. It's taken months and still we're not there. Wherever 'there' is. We're dropping these beacons. Supposedly nobody knows what they're for. If they do they ain't telling. Makes no sense, there's nothing out there... and who would come all this way anyway?"

Expedition Log: 28/08/3270
"We're still travelling. Jump drive malfunctioned today, that made an interesting diversion. It's going to take a while to fix. This area of space is g me out. Could have I heard some weird voices in the last jump. We are a long way from home. We're struggling to plot a course now, we're leaving the galactic arm and the jumps are getting longer."

Expedition Log 07/09/3270
"Finally fixed the drive, more monotony. Can't believe it's nearly six months sice we set out from Riedquat. Did I say Riedquat? I meant Reorte. It's getting to me, this endless emptiness. The guys are showing the strain. Three more months before we can turn and head back. The stars are thinning out, you can the whole galaxy just hanging there..."

Expedition Log 22/09/3270
"The darkness grows. The galaxy is faint and dim behind us. I'm told this place has been nicknamed the Formidine Rift. Apparently that means fear in some old Earth language. It's an apt name, some of the guys are going space crazy out here in the void. We had to sedate one guy, he went completely doolally. We've not seen another soul for weeks. Just us and this ship... alone... in the darkness..."

Expedition Log 07/10/3270
"I'm scared... help me someone... I can't bear another jump. The lights in witch-space are coming for me. The lights... always the lights... they're calling to me... a siren song... I must join them..."

Expedition Log 08/10/3270
AUTOMATED TELEMETRY REPORT: CANOPY BLAST BOLTS ACTIVATED. LIFE SUPPORT MALFUNCTION. CREW VITAL SIGNS TERMINATED. SHIP SYSTEMS ENGAGING STANDBY MODE. DISTRESS BEACON ACTIVATED.
System: EAFOTS LZ-H B10-0
Beacon around: D
Rally Point (settlement) on: D1
BETA SETTLEMENT FOUND: by CMDR JesusRocks1988 13th Jan 3303
-23.0844, -174.8980 - Discovery & Location Maps
Message Logs
Formidine Rift Beta Mission 1/6
Expedition Log: 30/08/3270
"Been travelling for weeks. Passed this amazing twin nebula just recently, about the only interesting sight on this whole trip. We are a long way out now. I don't think anyone else has been this far. Still, pay is good!"

Formidine Rift Beta Mission 2/6
Expedition Log: 12/09/3270
"Stars have thinned out and we've started dropping our cargo. Looks like some kind of long-range beacon to me. It's all hush-hush, no questions asked stuff. Heard some of the senior bods talking about a Dynasty project. Careless talk and all that..."

Formidine Rift Beta Mission 3/6
Expedition Log: 18/09/3270
"Nothing prepared me for the boredom. It's very dark out here. Really dark... darker than normal space. There's hardly any stars ahead of us, it's just blackness... the void."

Formidine Rift Beta Mission 4/6
Expedition Log: 01/10/3270
"Picked up some kind of signal yesterday and it looks like the crew weren't expecting it. Got them proper rattled. There's definitely something very strange about this area of space. Won't be sad to turn around and head home.

Formidine Rift Beta Mission 5/6
Expedition Log: 11/11/3270
"Last batch of cargo due today, but the hyperdrive has malfunctioned. We tried jumping and got yanked straight back out. So we're stuck here, Randomius know where..."

Formidine Rift Beta Mission 6/6
Expedition Log: 29/11/3270
"We can't fix it. Hyperdrive is dead. Lucky we're in a system with a habitable world. We've sent a distress call but who knows if anyone will here it. We're going to abandon ship. If anyone finds this, we're in..." AUTOMATED TELEMETRY REPORT: POWER FAILURE.
System: EAFOTS RA-G B11-0
Beacon around: 3
Rally Point (settlement) on: 3
GAMMA SETTLEMENT FOUND by CMDR Sajime Chent-Shi 22nd Jan 3303
-17.8731, -76.0522 - more info: https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showt...ift-(Part-3)?p=5048141&viewfull=1#post5048141
Message Logs
FORMIDINE RIFT GAMMA MISSION 1/6
Expedition Log: 30/80/3270
Looks like I drew a short straw somewhere along the line. These long range missions pay well, but it's a year out in the void. A year ! We're out far beyond the frontier. The boys call this place the "Formidine Rift". Apparently that means "terror" in some old earth language. Nice. Just looks like more space to me.

FORMIDINE RIFT GAMMA MISSION 2/6
Expedition Log: 12/09/3270
Finally arrived in place after five months of hyperspace travel. Now we have two months of laying a bunch of beacons before another five months travel back home. At least I'll have enough credits to retire by then.

FORMIDINE RIFT GAMMA MISSION 3/6
Expedition Log: 18/09/3270
Supposedly there are a bunch of other ships out here doing the same job as us, but no comms allowed. All a bit strange. it's vast and lonely out here, pretty much the whole galaxy is behind us. It's getting to some of the crew.

FORMIDINE RIFT GAMMA MISSION 4/6
Expedition Log: 01/10/3270
We picked up some kind of bizarre signal yesterday. Whatever it was wasn't human. At least, that's the scuttlebutt going around the decks. Everyone is looking out of the canopies now. We're seeing some strange lights during hyperspace transits. Terror ? Yeah, we got some of that ...

FORMIDINE RIFT GAMMA MISSION 5/6
Expedition Log: 11/11/3270
More strange lights. We've got equipment malfunctions, scanners dropping in and out, systems restarting. Ship is limping on. Everyone wants to turn about, but if we don't complete the mission we don't get paid. No one wants to give up those credits either. You expect to turn around and see ...

FORMIDINE RIFT GAMMA MISSION 6/6
Expedition Log: 29/11/3270
We're done and we're heading home. We picked up some heat signature in the last system. Definitely something there and it wasn't any profile I had seen before. Something was watching us. There's something evil out here, and it doesn't like company !
System: EAFOTS GL-Y E2
Beacon around: A1
Rally Point (settlement) on: 6
DELTA SETTLEMENT FOUND: by CMDR AvvieXB1 26th Jan 3303
21.2838, 19.0682 - Discovery & Location Maps
Message Logs
Formidine Rift Delta Mission 1/6
Expedition Log: 30/08/3270
"I should have paid a bit more attention to the mission description. I just saw the credit count and signed up there and then. More money than I've ever earned and all in one go, just for taking a year out. What's a poor girl got to do? A bit of jaunt into the void, how bad could it be? Didn't read the bit about several thousand light years. I've been past Leesti before! Get rich scheme - let's go!

Formidine Rift Delta Mission 2/6
Expedition Log: 12/09/3270
"It's pretty out there, we've seen a gorgeous double nebula called Heart and Soul. You should see it, lots of bright blue stars nearby, wish we could divert to have a closer look, but our mission is beyond apparently. Really brings back how big the galaxy is. Make you feel real small and insignificant.

Formidine Rift Delta Mission 3/6
Expedition Log: 18/09/3270
"My job is the EVA. Taking out one of out two Sidewinders and dropping beacons out in the void and then making sure they are activated. Not sure what these things are for. Who needs a beacon this far out anyway? Weird, they all have this code in their BIOS - 'Exodus'. Still, at least I now have something to do. The journey was so dull! Months of travel to get here.

Formidine Rift Delta Mission 4/6
Expedition Log: 01/10/3270
"Something weird happened today. Unloaded another beacon and set it up, then everything went offline - and I mean everything! Life support too! No comms, nothing. Stayed that way for about two minutes. Then everything was back to normal. Affected our support ship too. No idea what caused it. Going to need new underwear when I get back. Rumours are there is something odd about this area of space.

Formidine Rift Delta Mission 5/6
Expedition Log: 11/11/3270
"Oh my God ... someone help me. Where are they ... please ... this can't be happening.

Formidine Rift Delta Mission 6/6
Expedition Log: 29/11/3270
"I've had time to accept it now. I went out as normal with one of the beacons, set it up. Had that weird power loss again. I waited and it all came back online like before. Signalled my support ship - no response. Flew back and it was gone, just debris. No survivors. Don't know what happened. It's just me and this crappy Sidewinder a zillion miles from home. Should have known it wasn't going to work out. If it's too good to be true.... There's an Earth-like world here, going to try and reach it ... you never know.

Chronological order of expedition logs by Jaiotu: https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showt...ift-(Part-3)?p=5049931&viewfull=1#post5049931

Original summary post with decoded transmissions: https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showt...ift-(Part-3)?p=4795147&viewfull=1#post4795147

Canonn Trello page: https://trello.com/b/DCTJoy8T/cor-rift-hawkin-s-and-conflux-ucbs

A technique used to find a couple of the outposts: https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showt...ERY-(Part-4)?p=5068224&viewfull=1#post5068224

Search tips for beginners
Reduce the terrain textures to a smoothness
Kill the shadows, drop the terrain details to Low, and crank up the gamma for nightsides

1. It will hurt, get use to it

2. Get a ship with best view (I use Asp and fly upside down to see all around) and make it as fast as you can, speed is more important than jump range, you will be flying in straight line for hours/days/weeks

3. Go to the place already discovered and familiarise yourself with what you will be looking for, especially check how far from you can spot it (play with terrain settings to make it easier or more difficult). I tend to be on around 8-10km

4. Team up with the others, flying alone on big planet and trying to find one particular object is nearly impossible.

5. Fly in long straight lines, following 0, 90, 180 or 270 on your compass, write the coordinates down and share with others so you do not duplicate your search areas.

6. I would say if the planet/moon had a permanent dark side stay out of it for time being, the one I found in Hawking's Gap is not visible in dark at all, even from 2km and there are no lights, so best is to hope that none of these sites are there or that we will discover some hints.

7. Occasionally read point 1.
 
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Cmdr Zach

Cmdr Zach
Drew's Clues
Drew has been somewhat helpful in moving this mystery forward with some cryptic, and some not so cryptic hints:

7/3/2016: #FormidineRift. 1: Yes, it's in #Elitedangerous to be found. 2. You do not need Horizons. 3. Whether it's found depends on who goes looking.
7/3/2016: @SystemSoundTM Well, the secret of the Formidine Rift is out there to be found, more about it may be revealed this year, if all goes well…
Click to expand...

  • Drew’s hints and clarifications (summarised here, here and here) expand upon these accounts.
    • It’s also somewhat worthwhile reviewing all of Drew's forum posts
    • View his member profile then click “Find latest posts”.
  • We have been told GalNet articles are now the continued source of information regarding this mystery.
    • In a recent interview, Drew mentioned that we have missed some things (rift part starts from 1:51, though the whole interview is highly recommended listening.)
    • ]"these threads are a tapestry as seen from the back. They might look disordered, but... they're not."
  • Drew recently held an AMA (Ask Me Anything) on Reddit where he further clarified several outstanding questions. I've weaved some of the answers throughout these posts, however the answers to the set of questions from clavian are particularly of interest, so I'll reproduce here:

    • 1) Are there Formidine Rift clues in Local news items, as opposed to Galnet news items? If so have some of these been lost as the game does not maintain old local Galnet news articles past a certain time limit?
      Yes, on occasion.

      2) are there astronomy-based clues in-game for the Rift that can be recreated (in Stellarium or the like) using the game date and real-world astronomical observations, i.e. Kahina's visit to Sol and the vernal equinox or similar?
      I am an avid astronomer, but it's not reasonable for there to be clues that need to be worked out using tools outside of the game. You might be able to reproduce them with Stellarium etc, but these tools aren't required.

      3) Are there hidden clues to the Rift puzzle in the text of Altera?
      I have aligned Altera with ED canon. I would say it underpins the clues that are already there.

      4) Do any of the above involve ciphers or codes as well?
      You'll have to figure that out yourself.

      5) Are there any in-game requirements (minor faction reputation, certain ship type, pilot quality, carrying a certain rare good as cargo, etc.) for finding what is hidden in or past the Rift, or could anyone do it as long as they have the means to find their way to it?
      No rank requirements of any kind. I kind of hope a single lone-wolf player figures it all out. :)

      6) Is a huge organized search involving dozens of commanders, many days or weeks, and spreadsheets to track search results and uncover hints or clues required to find what is hidden? Or is it findable by a single commander, with no rank or faction reputation without a huge crowd-sourced spreadsheet fest?
      A single commander could find the 'answer', but it is more likely to be achieved en-mass.

      7) Is the Soontill Relics storyline now officially dead as they are simply being used as a requirement for one of the Engineers?
      Can't answer that I'm afraid.

      8) Would finding Hassan's homeworld aid in finding the secret of the Rift?
      It's not necessary, no.

      9) Is Octavia's system (and faction) in the game, and does her base exist? Would finding it help find the secret of the Rift?
      Octavia's operations are very secret indeed.

      10) Is the fact that green, or "Emerald" is missing from the colours of the objects in the Prism system significant?
      No. But that's a shrewd observation.

      11) Is the Greek mythology behind the name of some of the objects in the Prism system significant to the secret of the Rift, and does it contain a clue?
      Nothing in Elite: Reclamation is insignificant, there are many layers there.

      12) Are there clues to the secret of the Rift in any of the other official fiction (beyond the obvious mentions of the Formidine Rift here and there)?
      The Rift is certainly mentioned in some of the other books. These will help. Galnet will be your source on going, and events where Reclamation characters feature in-game.

      13) What is "Core of the problem" relevant to?
      You need to sift and watch Galnet for this.

      14) Is the mythology around the The Seven Veils linked to the Rift mystery, or just another rabbit hole?
      Salomé and the Seven Veils is relevant.

      15) Is there anything to find in-game in Tionisla related to the Rift mystery?
      Tionisla is an odd place. It's worth keeping an eye on it.

      16) Would completing the "Obfuscated in the Outer Rim" and similar special missions involving or mentioning the Dark Wheel provide clues to your Formidine Rift mystery? Or are they separate from it?
      The Dark Wheel have their part to play.

12/7/2016: An update from Drew

"Back from FDev central today and the news is positive. Can't talk about details yet as it's NDA, but when you see a Galnet article about Tionisla... it's starting.
All I can say is it will be worth the wait. Seen some stuff today that made my eyes bleed.
My advice for now is to watch Galnet again. However, if I were you I would use the time between now and v2.2 to get friendly with the engineers...
Engineers aren't required as I mentioned before. But they will make things easier.
Can't say anymore or the black helicopters will come and get me!"

25 AUG 2016: An interview by DJ TruthSayer with Drew Wagar is worth a listen: DJ TruthSayer Twitch

25 NOV 2016 - Drew published on youtube a reading preview of his new novel, Premonition from Fantasticon.
This included some footage from the Frontier 2.2 promotion trailer that led to the first Alien Wreck site being found, but at the end it briefly shows a coded crossword:
Code.png

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26 JAN 2017: Another interview by DJ TruthSayer with Drew Wagar, again worth a listen: DJ TruthSayer Twitch

Timeline of Events
The following is a revised and expanded version of the timeline initially put together by CMDR Beanseller here.

There is also a wealth of information available in CMDR Erimus' thread on Kahina/Salomé over here, told from the perspective of the Children of Raxxla.

AD2800 - AD3299
2800 – Faraway Jump (Hyperspace Type 0). Fast travel time (seconds) between pre-built 'controller stations' through witchspace.
2850 – Unconfirmed suggestions that some kind of covert war was started with Thargoids, ostensibly by a trigger-happy Fleet Commanders

3125 – Thargoids alleged to be ‘ripping’ ships out of witchspace and destroying them. Thargoid ‘warzones’ widespread (Elite 1984)
3125 – Quirium (Hyperspace Type 1). Automatic on board drives limited to 7 Ly range, fast travel time (seconds).

3200 – Thargoids reportedly retreat from human occupied space for reasons unknown (Frontier Elite II)
3200 – Cloud (Hyperspace Type 2b). Hydrogen fuelled drives that took days to weeks to travel.
3255 – Reason for Thargoid retreat was reported to be down to human-engineered ‘Mycoid’ virus which impacted their hyperdrive capability (Frontier: First Encounters)
3270 - Dynasty Expedition sends fleets from Riedquat or Reorte to areas of The Formidine Rift, The Conflux and Hawking's Gap to distribute mysterious satallites/beacons/artifacts in specific locations.
3290 – Frame Shift Drive (Hyperspace Type 3). New drive technology using Tantalum in manufacture (exists in Prism as documented in Elite:Reclaimation novel).

AD3300
  • Prism is taken back by a resistance known as 'reclamists'
  • In the ensuing battle, Kahina ‘dies’ and loses her memory.
  • She is ‘found’ by Hassan and named ‘Salomé’ by Hassan after his sister’s cat
  • Subsequently she meets an old woman in a hospital on Ferenchia who tells of her adventures ‘in the frontier’ and about the ‘Formidine rift’:

  • "Don't tell no one, but I got as far as the Formidine Rift, not many folks can say that! No one has gone past it and lived to tell the tale."
  • "Edge of the galactic arm. Take a line from Reorte to Riedquat to the edge of the arm, and ... keep going." The woman grimaced. "Stars thin out, you can see the whole galaxy just hanging there. I took a fancy to going exploring after I lost ...", she paused, a sadness creeping across her face. "... had some time to spare. Quiet for the most part, until ..."
  • "Let's just say there was some serious out there. Stuff you wouldn't believe. No, really - no one believed me, said it was all fabrication. I had no proof, you see, and they edited my memory afterwards. Ah, it'll all come back to bite them one day. It's all in the Imperial databanks somewhere ... and they thought the thargoids were trouble."

  • Salomé regains her memory and after many adventures, such as crash landing on a planet in system LTT8740 and meeting Luko, returns as Kahina to become the senator of Prism
  • After taking back Prism, she decides to secede power to Cuthrick Delaney and leave Prism to become Salomé
  • Names her Imperial Clipper ‘Seven Veils’ (a tie-in with the Salomé name)

AD3301
  • Visits Sol as documented by GalNet posts. Kahina didn’t want to be late, possibly because she wanted to observe something specific at a particular date and time:
    • “Kahina did indeed have an ulterior motive for her trip to Sol.” (Drew, from a Fleetcom chat transcript)
    • Feb 9th: Prism Senator Courts Controversy Again!
      • Kahina's going to Sol. Gets interdicted by unknown ships. Doesn't like being late.
    • Mar 6th: Prism Senator will not be late, not even slightly
      • Docking at Mars. Causes a commotion at Mars High. Doesn’t like being late.
        • Imperials are always late, she is making a point here. Possibly just separating herself from them but it is unclear.
        • This news item was accidentally posted twice - on 6th & 9th of March. We have been told this was a mistake and to read nothing into it!

    • Mar 15th: Imperial Pageant for Prism Senator
      • Kahina is escorted through Sol by independent commanders in imperial cutters

    • Mar 17th: Prism Senator Continues to Woo Federation Residents
      • Lady Kahina Tijani Loren's unofficial entourage has begun a tour of the outer gas giants in the Sol system

    • Mar 20th: Prism Senator in Illegal Parking Row
      • Kahina is fined leaving Mars High on return to Earth. Arrives at ‘historic Cambridge spaceport’

    • Mar 27th: Alliance Shines Light on Prism Senator
      • Alliance representatives from Alioth have extended an invitation for her to visit their star-systems

    • Apr 2nd: Prism Senator in Illegal Smuggling Sting?
      • Kahina was presented with large vial of illegal Gerasian Liquor by representatives (it is presumed Federation?) at a concert in London. Kahina’s response was “They really needn’t worry, I’ll drink it all before I get home.”

  • Apr 2nd: Prism Senator Returns to Empire
    • She returns to the Empire and states in an interview with the Sol Herald that her trip to Sol had been ‘most enlightening’ and that the officials at Mars High were neither ‘friends or rivals’

  • May 2nd: She then turned up at Avalon (shipyards) (Persephone == Queen of Underworld) to have her ship 'Seven Veils' outfitted
  • May 6th: Kahina is ‘summoned’ back to Achenar. Her ship is seen departing Avalon and then rendezvousing with The Imperial Interdictor Atticus, in command of Admiral Brice
  • May 12th: She is seen at a musical soiree on Capitol and denies any interest in Power Play
    • Whilst on Achenar (Capitol) she hacks into the Imperial databanks to retrieve the holofac recorded by the old woman many years earlier. This trip is documented in GalNet, the details of which are in the epilogue for Elite: Reclamation: (Somewhere between 6 May 3301 and 21 Jul 3301)

  • "If you're listening to this it means you’re smart enough to have bypassed Galcop, Federation, and Imperial security." The woman on the video smiled. "Not bad, but it's nothing compared to what's coming. I'm guessing you'll be pressed for time so I'll be quick. You'll find the coordinates at the end of this message. You'll need a tough ship and a good pilot. It's a long way, so make sure you're prepped, no one will be around to help you out.
  • Once you reach the rift you're going to have to plot a way across. There are no stars for dozens of light years and the dark systems haven't been mapped, so take your time, watch your six." The woman leaned in closer to the recording device. "What's there? Wish I could tell you, but they edited my memory pretty good, took me long enough to stitch this lot back together. Whatever it is, it's something that Galcop, the Imps and the Feds don't want us to see. Good luck, and ... right on, Commander." The holofac faded, leaving them with just the text.

  • It is assumed that the old woman had visited the rift before AD3280. (She was talking to Salomé in AD3300 but from her photo in the Imperial databank on Achenar, she was aged around 50 when she had her memory ‘edited’ because of what she'd seen, so at least 20 years before and probably more.)
  • This hypothesis has been somewhat confirmed by the recent release of Drew Wagar’s ‘final installment’ of his Oolite saga (‘Altera’). Set in AD3270, the ‘old woman’ protagonist sounds eerily familiar: Altera - An Oolite Short Story (We have been told it is aligned with Elite lore but is to be considered as 'fan fiction'.)

  • May 17th: Her ship is “confirmed to have had some significant modifications made to it recently, including a state of the art fuel scoop and a custom built Gutamaya discovery scanner.” There are also further rumours about who she would support in the ongoing political events.
  • Jul 21st: Lady Kahina ‘disappears’ in strange circumstances, abandoning her Imperial Clipper ‘Seven Veils’ (which is found ‘completely stripped’ and the custom modules are revealed to be fakes) leaving her Imperial tiara found in the cockpit (similarity here with Inanna/Ishtar descent into underworld myth, where the ‘crown of the goddess’ was removed before passing through the first gate), along with a medallion with the insignia from “The Dark Wheel” on one side and the name “Salomé” on the other. (It’s unclear what the connection is to the Dark Wheel, as this is the only mention of it in the story.)
    • Additional information from Drew: (17/3/3302) All of the Galnet articles about Lady Kahina were written by me. She has been on a series of exploration trips in the last nine months or so, but they may come to an end before long, so keep an eye out for her return. That may provide further insight.

AD3302


13 AUG 3302 - Galactic News: Salomé - Traitor or Terrorist? An editorial on Commander Salomé.

The Children of Raxxla announce an official expedition to the EAFOTS region to search for whatever mysteries it holds.

19 AUG 3302 - Galactic News: Salomé - Pride or Prejudice? A second editorial on Commander Salomé.

20 AUG 3302 - Galactic News: Assassination Attempt on Patreus Thwarted as he delivered a speech at Mackenzie Relay in the Cemiess system. The culprits are reported as belonging to the organisation Emperor's Dawn.

23 AUG 3302 - Galactic News: Commander Salomé Hijacked in Cemiess. "Please get word to the Children of Raxxla, tell them I have new information. The Rift, Hawkin's Gap and the Conflux are connected with strange happenings in the Pleiades. They must find out before..."

02 SEP 3302 - Galactic News: High-Ranking Imperial Implicated in Assassination Plot. "A senior member of the Imperial hierarchy' has been arrested in connection with the recent assassination attempt on Admiral Denton Patreus."

The Children of Raxxla put Cemiess in lockdown over Salomé's kidnapping

19 SEP 3302 - Galactic News: Kahina Loren Implicated in Patreus Assassination Attempt of Admiral Denton Patreus. Lady Kahina had not been heard from since mid 3301. Details of her recent activities are shrouded in mystery, although under the alias Commander Salomé she has been linked to various revolutionary organisations, including the Children of Raxxla, the Phoenix Group, the Dark Wheel and now Emperor's Dawn.

30 SEP 3302 - Galactic News: Imperial Prima Donnas Flash their Claws. Princess Aisling Duval has clashed with former Imperial Senator Lady Kahina Loren in an impromptu debate.


01 OCT 3302 - Galactic News: Acrimony on Achenar. Recent events have brought the affairs of Admiral Denton Patreus, Princess Aisling Duval and even Emperor Arissa Lavigny-Duval into the spotlight, and that much intrigue and politicking is taking place behind closed doors.

01 OCT 3302 - Galactic News: Curious Transmissions Partially Decoded from an antique Cobra Mk III interred at the Tionisla Orbital Graveyard. The encrypted data is followed by an apparently meaningless clear-text phrase: 'The vain queen rides a giraffe that remembers her daughter's hero.'

14 OCT 3302 - Galactic News: Kahina Loren Stripped of her Rank for delegating her responsibilities in respect of the Prism system to Ambassador Cuthrick Delaney in 3301.

21 OCT 3302 - Galactic News: Patreus Rails against London Treaty. Admiral Patreus will soon depart for the Prism system to oversee the trial of Kahina Loren.

22 OCT 3302 - Galactic News: MetaDrive Acquired by Sirius Corporation.. A representative of the Earth Defence Fleet alleged that Raan Corsen had in fact fled from Sirius security forces and been killed in the Alioth system.

26 OCT 3302 - Galactic News: Loren Trial Begins. in the Prism system. Loren was briefly seen in conversation with Ambassador Delaney, who embraced Loren before she was moved to a secure holding area. Admiral Patreus arrived a few hours later.

28 OCT 3302 - Galactic News: Kahina Loren Found Guilty of the attempted assassination of Admiral Denton Patreus. She has been sentenced to life imprisonment at Koontz Asylum in the Daibo system. A leaked recording showed Loren talking with two unidentified men. "And what do you want in return for your...favour?" one asked. "Patreus's head on a platter," responded Loren.


04 NOV 3302 - Galactic News: Patreus's Flagship Attacked. Admiral Denton Patreus' flagship, the INV Imperial Freedom is attacked and heavily damaged. The Children of Raxxla claimed responsibility after diplomatic entreaties regarding Kahina Loren had gone unanswered.

17 NOV 3302 - Community Goal: Competing Appeals for Exploration Data. Federation and the Children of Raxxla launch competing Community Goals to explore "the following coordinates: PLAA AEC IZ-N C20-1, PRU AESCS DL-W C15-37 and EAFOTS EU-R C4-1. Explorers might be more familiar with the colloquial names for these areas – Hawkin's Gap, the Conflux and the Formidine Rift. Pilots should travel to one of these locations and investigate out to a radius of 200 light years."

18 NOV 3302 - Galactic News: Construction Convoy Assembled. Wreaken Construction gather a convoy in the Zearla system, said to have links to Admiral Denton Patreus's recent comments concerning the London Treaty.

25 NOV 3302 - Galactic News: Prisoner Convoy Destroyed. The prison convoy carrying Kahina Loren to Koontz Asylum was destroyed along with escape pods and the black boxes. "Wreckage found in Daibo has been positively identified as belonging to the Imperial Cutter 'Diadem' and the Imperial Clippers 'Cypripedium', 'Velum', 'Monile' and 'Vestimenta'."


01 DEC 3302 - Galactic News : Exploration Data Appeal Concludes. Children of Raxxla spokesperson announces the appeal for exploration data from the Rift, Conflux and Hawkin's gap is complete. "We know there are secrets buried in this data. We only hope we can unlock them in time."

02 DEC 3302 - Galactic News: Amateurs Partially Decrypt Signal. Coded Transmission from ship in the Tionisla graveyard partially decoded.
This was partially decoded over in the Canonn thread and is the location of one of the Dynasty Expedition Beacons and the coordinates of the outpost found on the surface.

23 DEC 3302 - Galactic News: Federal Exploration Programme in Disarray. Chaos after the failed Federal Community Goal that was in direct competition with the Children of Raxxla one.

AD3303
27 JAN 3303 - Galactic News: Body Found at Wreaken Construction Site in the COL 70 sector, disfigured as a result of radiation exposure.
Useful searchable GalNet news copy. And another
A very simple way to search the official Frontier Development Galnet Archive is to use a custom google search parameter as follows:
site:https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet thargoid
 
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Cmdr Zach

Cmdr Zach
What has been worked out so far
  • Lady Kahina is significant somehow in all this. (Read her profile here)
    • From Drew's AMA:"Kahina/Salomé is a very intelligent young woman who is aware of the power of personality, influence and choosing your timing. She is easy to underestimate. It's fair to say she can use many guises to achieve her aims."
    • "She has been fundamentally affected by the events at the end of ER. The fact that she caused thousands of deaths by her command to reclaim the Prism systems haunts her and she wants to do something about it."
    • "She considers what she did at Prism to be the 'big mistake' of her life even if it was prompted by the treatment she received during the events of 3300. Leaving Cuthrick Delaney in charge was a conscious decision to begin to deal with that. She has an agenda."
  • Drew remarked in a Fleetcom chat that "The most astute observation to date has been that 'the rift is Kahina's story'."
  • Salomé was a name given to Kahina by Hassan after she lost her memory
  • She returned to 'Kahina' once her memory was regained
  • Later, Kahina decided to adopt the CMDR name 'Salomé' and named her Imperial Clipper 'Seven Veils' (a tie-in with the name, and possibly of greater significance)
  • Salomé is currently being played as a CMDR in-game, as the enigmatic leader of the player faction, 'Children of Raxxla'
    • CMDR Salomé will accept friend requests in-game, and it’s generally accepted that when the player is in open we can interact with her like any other player. Drew mentioned that we should think of Salomé as ‘a kind of advanced NPC’
  • The ‘history’ behind the name Salomé is quite lengthy, but in summary:
    • The story of Salome is originally from the Bible, as a young girl who ‘danced for Herod’ then demanded the head of John the Baptist
    • An Oscar Wilde play expanded on this to create the character of Salomé who performed the dance of the seven veils
    • There are links to Inanna/Ishtar and the 'seven gates' and 'underworld' myths


Matzov has done a great piece of analysis here of all the information compiled to date and joined some of the dots with his own conclusions that have been validated to some extent by Drew. Well worth a read for further insight
Click to expand...

Commonly understood views

  • There is a 'mystery' regarding the Formidine Rift
  • We don't know what the actual mystery is, yet
  • It's been in the game for us to find since gamma release, and was discoverable since beta using in-game mechanics
    • Though Drew told us in a recent interview that it's: "Not a case of finding a POI and the mystery is solved - (the mystery is) much more layered and nuanced than that."
    • "It is possible to find the rift and what it contains today (in fact, since Gamma back in 2014). However, at this point it's unlikely you would recognize it for what it is, though it is becoming clearer day by day.
      There may be some brute force searching, but it's not strictly necessary.
      To give a little clue, you are not looking for a specific POI because:
      A: That would be naff and dull (and over almost straightaway) B: This is a story you're taking part in, not a 'Find the red key and open the red door' quest."
  • Formidine means 'through/with fear' in Latin. The rift, or whatever is to be found in it, is to be feared…
  • The Formidine Rift was properly introduced to us in Drew Wagar’s book "Elite: Reclamation", one of the official Elite: Dangerous novels. There have been two prior accounts, once in the Kickstarter comments by John Harper (author of “And Here The Wheel”) and other novels by Drew Wagar that are not considered canon. (It’s since been clarified that the kickstarter reference was not entirely about the Formidine Rift, but an evocative reference nonetheless. It was also accidentally cut from "And Here The Wheel", so should be thought of as canon:)
    • ​"You don't know what I've seen. I've sailed beyond the Formidine Rift, seen the fleets of Octagonal ships blocking out the stars. I've stood on lost worlds, sterilised clean by the Thargoids and erased from humanity's maps. I've seen the graves from the Thargoid wars, countless headstones stretching beyond the curvature of the horizon, little spots of reflected light dottering the abandoned continent ..."
  • ​The naming of the planets in the Prism system are significant somehow
  • There are two accounts in Elite: Reclamation that give us hints about the Formidine Rift, both from an 'old woman', several years apart. It’s important to note that the first account in the book is more recent (in the ED timeline) than the second. In the first account, Lady Kahina (as Salomé) has a chance encounter with the old woman whilst waiting in the hospital on Ferenchia for her space meds to kick in. She tells Salomé of her previous life travelling the galaxy as an Elite pilot. Kahina discovers the second account after hacking into the Imperial databanks on Achenar, in a holofac that the old woman appears to have recorded many years earlier. It’s worth noting that the information contained in the holofac appears to be more precise than the one in the hospital.
  • Drew has hinted on his blog that the old woman could be Elyssia Fields from 'The Dark Wheel', or Rebecca Weston (nee Tyley) from his Oolite novels with the comment: "Parallel universes will naturally share a lot in common." Though it’s likely her identity isn’t critical to solving this
  • The old woman flew an “original” Cobra Mk III, but describes it as an 'Apocalypse Engineering' version
    • It has been hinted that her ship name was “Cor meum et animam” - Latin translation: “My heart and soul”
    • This has since been verified with the release of GalNet posts from August 3302 (See timeline post)
  • Whatever the mystery is, it would appear all the major factions want to keep it suppressed, hence the information being hidden in the Imperial databanks
  • Several places Kahina visited in the bubble before disappearing line up with the ‘RR’ line
  • There are many evocative links to Cassiopeia A, Tycho's star and so on. None so far have proved fruitful
  • The discovery won't be planet side as “Horizons is not needed”
  • We are not certain if what we are looking for is in the rift, or past the rift, or past the outer galactic arm
  • Michael Brookes and Drew Wagar have both hinted that some form of sentient life exists somewhere in the game (via separate sources)
  • It's probably not Raxxla


What have we done so far?


  • We have explored all the planets, stations, bulletin boards etc. of the systems Kahina visited before disappearing (both as male and female CMDRs!) and not revealed anything significant as yet, despite many interesting tie-ins with Greek mythological characters and continuing in-game story plots
  • Exploration of systems with names that link to underworld myths - Persephone, Erishkigal etc.
  • Exploration of the Heart and Soul nebulas and other interesting nebula located close by
  • Some of us have explored all the major systems in Cassiopeia and found nothing tangible as yet
  • A few brave CMDRs have been probing every system along the RR line in case something interesting is revealed
  • A couple of commanders have tried flying from Reorte to Reidquat in supercruise in case something appeared to them.
  • Many other ad hoc investigations and searches of interesting systems in the neighbourhood … too many to document here. (Refer Dommaarraa & Cyalope’s spreadsheets below for interesting POIs to date.)
  • There is currently a semi-ad hoc ‘brute force’ expedition underway trying to map the area where we suppose the rift to be sector-by-sector. This is being lead by Dommaarraa with his excellent spreadsheet here
  • Erimus set up a communication channel for us to use whilst out in the black
  • An official expedition into the EAFOTS sector has been launched: https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php/281088-The-Formidine-Rift-Expedition-3302


What can you do?


 
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Cmdr Zach

Cmdr Zach
Real Clues, Ideas and Crazy Tinfoil Theories
There have been few actual leads in this mystery, and a lot of tinfoil theories. Not that there is anything wrong with tinfoil… sometimes it’s those mental leaps that help us to move forward. Drew has stated multiple times that we need patience to solve this mystery, and the clues will keep unfolding.

drew said:
Think of it as an intellectual exercise. This is unlikely to be something that will be quickly resolved. You have yet to receive all the clues you require and you need to learn how to read them prior to putting the pieces together. Patience, Commanders.
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Primary clues (reliable)


  • Formidine means 'through/with fear' in latin
    • ​It has been noted that 'Formidine' is in the 'ablative case' ('Formido' = 'fear' being the standard nominative form) (Thanks Kleitias for the clarification)
    • 'Formidine' is used many times in latin texts, including Ovids Metamorphoses to describe 'horrifying' or 'fearful' circumstances
  • The Kahina name etymology: Diviner/Fortune teller
    • Derived from Arabic الكاهِنة (al-Kahinah) meaning 'the diviner, the fortuneteller'. This was a title applied to the 7th-century Berber queen Dihya, who resisted the Arab expansion into North Africa.
    • We have been told "Kahina is named after berber princess and there are quite deliberate reasons for doing that."
  • Salomé name: link with the dance of the seven veils, there is the biblical version and the Oscar Wilde play, and another link with Ishtar/Inanna and the seven gates of the underworld
    • The name of the ship, 'Seven Veils' links with Salomé
  • One needs to 'plot a way' through the rift
  • Finding it depends on who goes looking
  • Uncovering the mystery is not rank or permit locked
  • We should consider the 'core' of the problem
  • Future hints will make things less 'nebulous'
    • "Nebulae are extremely good places to hide things. Visibility is reduced and navigation is more tricky. Sensors are flooded by emission and reflection radiation from multiple sources. Nebulae could be considered ideal staging points." (AMA)
  • The RR line 'points towards' the rift
    • We need to 'keep going' (in which direction?)
  • The rift is Kahina/Salomé’s story
    • Jaiotu had an interesting take on this that was backed up by Drew two posts down:
    • The fact that she is parroting messianic quotes tells us something about Salome. Does she really believe that she has become a priestess of sorts and that the Children of Raxxla are her church?
  • The old woman's Cobra in Tionisla graveyard is called "My Heart and Soul" (translation from Latin) and it emitted two signals when it was put into the Tionisla graveyard: The first one was a set of repeating characters containing the name of the sector "EAFOTS", the second contains a semi-cryptic phrase: 'The vain queen rides a giraffe that remembers her daughter's hero.' which contains references to three constellations towards the direction of the rift (looking from Sol): Cassiopeia, Camel and Perseus (who rescued Cassiopeia's daughter, Andromeda.)


Secondary clues (may be clues, or not)


  • Kahina tours the outer gas giants in Sol: potential pointer to Greek myths, in particular Neptune+Triton+Nereids => Cassiopeia
  • She makes the point that she "doesn't want to be late" several times
  • Kahina goes to London and 'historic Cambridge' on the vernal equinox: Cambridge is close to the Greenwich meridian, the Cambridge radio-source catalogue (3C catalogue) is there
  • Sol visit was most enlightening: could refer to a bright light source (radio, visible or X-ray) => Supernova, Cassiopeia A or Tycho’s star perhaps?
  • The Prism system and other links to Greek myths
    • We have been told there is some significance to the naming of the Prism system
    • In Drew's Elite: Reclamation guidebook, he told us he named the planets as a 'small' homage to Ulysses 31
    • System names revolve around the family of 'Autolycus' (the 'wolf itself') and 'Ulysses' (Autolycus' grandson)
    • ​The use of the ablative case of Formido could be a specific reference to ancient literature
    • Virgil also uses 'Formidine' to describe the gateway to hell in 'Georgics IV' (story of Orpheus and Eurydice)
    • Kahina visited 'Persephone' (Greek 'Queen of Underworld') before disappearing in Achenar
  • Upon disappearing, Kahina leaves her tiara along with the Dark Wheel/Salomé medallion, in her 'stripped' ship, 'Seven Veils'
    • Links here to ‘stripping’ of items – Ishtar/Inanna/Salomé – removal of garments and the ship ‘Seven Veils’ being stripped in Achenar
    • In the 'descent of Ishtar' mythology, Ishtar had to get permission to enter from 'Ereshkigal' (Babylonian 'Queen of Underworld'). She then had to remove seven items of clothing to pass each of seven gates to the underworld. The 'crown' was removed at the first gate, 'pendants for her ears' on the second and 'chains around her neck' on the third. Does this mean Kahina has passed the first gates? Or possibly an indicator to tell us she has passed the threshold to 'something'
    • Stripping is used again in reference to Kahina being 'stripped' of her imperial title (October 14th)
  • Drew uses the french spelling of the name ‘Salomé’ reinforcing the link with the Salomé from Oscar Wilde's play, not the biblical version
  • The expression 'shadowy', or ‘dark’, forces has come up several times in recent posts
  • In his AMA, Drew told us that 'Tionilsa is an odd place' and that we should keep an eye on it.


Tinfoil clues


  • At some point, Drew made a puzzle around eb, P => ro, C via Rot13, hinted by a sequence of dots read in unary (1,26,13). It has been confirmed that this was just a test and not directly linked to the mystery (clarification here)
    • "That was a test, players passed! :) Don't discount codes in future though."
  • In Reclamation, coordinates are supposed to be at the end of the message, but there are none. Message ends with "Good luck, and ... right on, Commander." which could be seen as three coordinates separated by commas due to the ,...,. (3,1) structure.
    • Using unary format as in the "eb, P => ro, C" puzzle from Drew (simply counting characters) it gives: 44, 3352, 10
    • There is something interesting about ‘three dots’. This has appeared several times in the text, and various logos of the Dark Wheel and Children of Raxxla. It has been posited that this could be an ‘asterism’ that we need to look out for.
    • It has also been suggested that the ,...,. pattern could refer to a system map layout
    • JT442 posted a summary of a few other breakdowns
    • It has been clarified that there are probably no secret codes contained within this text
  • That John Harper KickStarter quote (in the previous post): As has been clarified by Drew, John Harper, and Dan Grubb, that quote (and its various variants which appear in different versions of John's kickstarter and in And Here The Wheel) refers to a series of completely unrelated things which the Admiral has seen - so the Formidine Rift is not directly connected to the others in the quote
  • In a short story based on the Elite Reclamation and Oolite stories, Drew introduces us to the ‘old woman’ again. In this tale we are told her “Super Cobra: Eclipse Class. Apocalypse Engineering Special Edition” is registered as “Cor meum et animam” (Latin: ‘My heart and soul’)
  • We have been told there is a reason why Salomé named her ship 'Seven Veils'. Considering Salomé named it this after learning about the Formidine Rift, ‘seven’ lines up around a few things we have learned to date:
  • We could be looking for a type of star system that:
    • Is within the seven scoopable stars (OBAFGKM)
    • Has shed its 'seven' layers of nuclear fuel and so is a neutron star (the 'core') or possibly a black hole
      • Unpick all star class filters in the galaxy map except ‘non-sequence’ to display only neutron stars and black holes
    • Has a unique name as it has been hand placed
    • Has a procedural name as it has been hand placed (to disguise the fact)
    • The system name could be derived from one or more of the available clues (GLA, ROC, EBP)
    • There is something about word-play here and ‘reading between the lines’
  • RHO Cassiopeia has been a favourite from the outset but was unreachable until just recently
  • Cassiopeia A or Tycho's star is another favourite but so far either can't be easily located in-game. (We have rough co-ordinates but no practical idea of where it actually is, or even what it actually is considering it’s a supernova remnant in our timeline. Some surmise it could be a neutron star or even a black hole in 3302.)
    • Simulcrae had an interesting theory regarding Tycho's star
    • Along with others, Belthize had a pretty good crack at finding Cassiopeia A here
  • Whatever it is, it should theoretically be reachable by 25ly jump range ship as this is the range of the original Cobra ship the old woman from Elite: Reclamation flew
    • The only clarification we've got on this is that the location has been reachable since the bubble opened after gamma, so no FSD boosts or alterations should be required but it may still require fully stripped Anaconda range. Attempts to find routes into the Rift itself with under 27ly range have not met with success so far.
    • This thought regarding the old womans Cobra has potentially been overturned by the understanding that her ship was an “Apocalypse Engineering” version.
    • Though we don't know for sure if the old woman crossed the rift or not. Or even if she actually found what it is we are looking for
  • Star systems appear to be arranged a little strangely in the rift - for instance if you check the galaxy map in the vicinity of the rift (filter to display unscoopable star types only), you'll find they only exist on a layer below the galactic plane.
    • Further clarification from Aerovoid: The distribution of brown dwarfs become uneven and patchy and then you're left with a gap between an upper and lower layers. It happens everywhere and I assumed it was simply a flaw with the procedural generation of the Galaxy.
  • ​"That Dark Wheel symbol on Drew's site": darkwheel1.jpg
    • ​Drew has clarified that it's a piece of fan art, and is neither canon or anything to do with the Rift Mystery. He just liked it enough to put on his blog.
Thanks to Muetdhiver for compiling the initial list of clues for the above.


Useful Links
Read the previous forum threads



More input

  • ][URL="http://www.drewwagar.com/progress-report/profile-senator-kahina-tijani-loren/"]Senator Kahina Tijani Loren profile

Drew's Elite Blogs

 
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mossfoot

mossfoot
Any chance you can change the font colour for the headers? I use the white background as do others, and yellow is very hard to see
 

MAUXUS

MAUXUS
Thank you for taking this on Zach.

LORRAD: I'm all for using a method (and a few other cmdrs too). I was trying to come up with one, together with other fellow rifters. I am not familiar with the one you suggest. Do you have a link so I can look into it?
 
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Red Anders

Red Anders
Nice one Cmdr Zach, a cure for curation. +1 on the yellow headers though, I use the white background (official Frontier theme) because it doesn't scream GAMING WEBSITE quite so loudly when I'm having a sneaky read at work and yellow on white is never a good look.

Also, especially in view of his appreciation of Blake's 7 I never had Yaffle down as the kind of mod who would unsticky a thread and not sticky its replacement. I'm sufficiently shocked and disheartened by this development that I'm now questioning fundamental aspects of my existence. :p
 
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Gypsy12

Gypsy12
Well done Zach and Very Very,well done to LuckyLuke. Who was the starter of this whole thread.
You are an awesome guy man, and we miss you. Consider coming back sometime.

In the meantime, 100,000 salutations to you Commander Zach!. Our new man, Zach is more than capable, and is a worthy replacement to Luckyluke! May the stars shine under your sun Sir Zach and in the little rockpool of the Cannon as well as the Formidine rifters... I hope your hand waves wonderous things!!!!
 
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Assimilator1

Assimilator1
From the previous thread, an investigation that's still under way re EAFOTS GL-Y E2 6....

AvvieXB1 said:
!!! ATTENTION ALL PILOTS !!!

THIS IS NOT A DRILL

I have just detected a 10+ second loading time at the following coordinates. All pilots converge on my location and begin a 8.0000 degree radius search!

20.2897, 12.0063
Click to expand...

Finally met a fellow rifter earlier, was good to meet ya Azrael :)
 
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