The Formidine Rift - Part 2

[GiantCorn]

Just gonna chime in with my 0.02cr:
From what I can tell we have a huge number of fairly plausible leads right now; star classification corresponding to the colour of the 7th gate, encrypted Galnet messages yet unfound, Salome's jaunt with DW, etc. I think the concentration of data that this thread has done is a good start, but I can't stop thinking about how Drew said that all the info needed to find whatever it is we are looking for is IN GAME. This I think is key. We need to look at all of the clues which are found in the game itself and how they interrelate, and try to find links between them.

Also, someone (sorry, not really paying much attention to names) said recently in this thread that the final piece of clothing which Ishtar removed was her crown. What I think we need to do is look at what she did AFTER this, as her E: D counterpart has already done this. So if she then reclaimed her lover, then whatever Kahina/Salome does next/now (not sure how long ago she ditched the Seven Veils) may well be symbolically linked to that. What was Ishtar's lover's name? Can we link that to a star system? What does it have to do with Distant worlds? WHY is Salome with DW? (this is an important question I think. If there is something out there which will help then we need to know)

Also, someone else posted about how perhaps there is a certain path which you can follow very easily (as in there is no easy alternative) if your jump range is ~24ly. While the source of this range is of course outside the game I still think this is an interesting idea. I do think though that for now we need to concentrate on the in-game clues, as these are the ones which are more specifically designed in the context of E: D.

Also, if the first batch of upgrades that Kahina got (can't recall where that was) were fake, then what was the REAL reason that she went to that location?? I know you guys have retraced/are in the process of retracing her journey around Sol, but I think this lead is just as if not more important to solve, even if it is a dead end (though I doubt it). Also, this technically counts as "reading between the lines" as it doesn't explicitly mention her doing anything else in whatever system she received the fake upgrades, so assuming she did something else there fits with Drew's clue (even if his clues are external to the game, and we are most likely reading WAY too far into them).

Aaaand, also (I know, fourth paragraph starting with also, even I'm getting sick of this, but I've read the entire old thread and all of this one very recently so I need to get as many of the connections I made out of my head as I can, as soon as I can), I think for the people expending loads of effort grinding into a brick wall trying to decode the coordinates in the "Good luck, and ... right on, Commander" quote, I think your time would be more productively spent tinfoiling away at any Galnet posts with even slightest shred of relevance as we have it CONFIRMED that there is more to be found in Galnet, whereas there is no guarantee of any deeper meaning behind that specific passage of Reclamation (unless Drew said something to that effect and I totally missed it XD).

Anyway, I think that is just about everything I can think of right now, will edit this post with anything else I think of later. I may join you chaps in your hands-on search if I can rustle up the courage... and the few hundred million credits required for an exploraconda.

However for now I am happy to cruise around the bubble to check any urgent leads that need investigating if no-one else wants to/can at the time (I'm in a FDL so moving about even the small distances within the bubble is a PITA). Until I can venture forth into the great darkness with you all, I shall provide moral support from the back, and work towards fully arming myself in the event that one of you actually finds something which takes exception to your poking and prodding around in its backyard, and decides to come glass ours.

If you make it home I'll have cookies ready for you, so fly safe out there.

In anticipation of enlightenment,
CMDR Oorslavich

Right on, CMDR! ho-ho-ho

yep I think i may put the book quote on hold and examine galnet from the beginning. it will be slow going mind - due to Real Life! but if i get anyhting ill post here

 

[IliteratSqirel]

The planes of dwarf stars below and above the galactic plane are a feature of the galaxy, so it's not just limited to that area. From my experience, they show up in most areas of the galaxy outside the core. As far as I know, these planes' existence is based on a real phenomenon, but I am not an astrophysicist.

Yep, just to close this one out - I've actually navigated prett much a bisection of the galaxy along the 8000(eastern)-line from 48000(north) back to about 5000(north), and that layer is everywhere along that line at about -60 to -80 below the galactic plane.
Not that it helps this treasure hunt here much, but the badlands line of inquiry appears to be a deadend to me.

 

[Oorslavich]

Ok so the name of Ishtar's dead lover who she is trying to visit/save (not really clear on that, don't know if it really matters though) is Tammuz. If someone who is in game could do a cursory check of the galactic map for any relevant systems/stations or whatever. Also, though I know that Salome/Kahina is not actually Ishtar, perhaps she is trying to find a friend/lover of hers who went out into the rift and never returned? Just a thought, and the similarities between Ishtar and Kahina I think are really reinforced by her "shedding" of her ship, the Seven Veils, so don't think we should dismiss anything which requires us to compare/equate Salome/Kahina (they ARE the same person right? I thought Drew confirmed that?) to Ishtar. We should probably search Galnet for any mention of people in close relationships with Kahina.

 

[crushdepth]

Just gonna chime in with my 0.02cr:
From what I can tell we have a huge number of fairly plausible leads right now; star classification corresponding to the colour of the 7th gate, encrypted Galnet messages yet unfound, Salome's jaunt with DW, etc. I think the concentration of data that this thread has done is a good start, but I can't stop thinking about how Drew said that all the info needed to find whatever it is we are looking for is IN GAME. This I think is key. We need to look at all of the clues which are found in the game itself and how they interrelate, and try to find links between them.

Also, someone (sorry, not really paying much attention to names) said recently in this thread that the final piece of clothing which Ishtar removed was her crown. What I think we need to do is look at what she did AFTER this, as her E: D counterpart has already done this. So if she then reclaimed her lover, then whatever Kahina/Salome does next/now (not sure how long ago she ditched the Seven Veils) may well be symbolically linked to that. What was Ishtar's lover's name? (I checked this. It's Tammuz) Can we link that to a star system? What does it have to do with Distant worlds? WHY is Salome with DW? (this is an important question I think. If there is something out there which will help then we need to know)

Also, someone else posted about how perhaps there is a certain path which you can follow very easily (as in there is no easy alternative) if your jump range is ~24ly. While the source of this range is of course outside the game I still think this is an interesting idea. I do think though that for now we need to concentrate on the in-game clues, as these are the ones which are more specifically designed in the context of E: D.

Also, if the first batch of upgrades that Kahina got in Avalon were fake, then what was the REAL reason that she went there?? I know you guys have retraced/are in the process of retracing her journey around Sol, but I think this lead is just as if not more important to solve, even if it is a dead end (though I doubt it). Also, this technically counts as "reading between the lines" as it doesn't explicitly mention her doing anything else in Avalon other than receiving the fake upgrades, so assuming she did something else there fits with Drew's clue (even if his clues are external to the game, and we are most likely reading WAY too far into them).

Aaaand, also (I know, fourth paragraph starting with also, even I'm getting sick of this, but I've read the entire old thread and all of this one very recently so I need to get as many of the connections I made out of my head as I can, as soon as I can), I think for the people expending loads of effort grinding into a brick wall trying to decode the coordinates in the "Good luck, and ... right on, Commander" quote, I think your time would be more productively spent tinfoiling away at any Galnet posts with even slightest shred of relevance as we have it CONFIRMED that there is more to be found in Galnet, whereas there is no guarantee of any deeper meaning behind that specific passage of Reclamation (unless Drew said something to that effect and I totally missed it XD).

Anyway, I think that is just about everything I can think of right now, will edit this post with anything else I think of later. I may join you chaps in your hands-on search if I can rustle up the courage... and the few hundred million credits required for an exploraconda.

However for now I am happy to cruise around the bubble to check any urgent leads that need investigating if no-one else wants to/can at the time (I'm in a FDL so moving about even the small distances within the bubble is a PITA). Until I can venture forth into the great darkness with you all, I shall provide moral support from the back, and work towards fully arming myself in the event that one of you actually finds something which takes exception to your poking and prodding around in its backyard, and decides to come glass ours.

If you make it home I'll have cookies ready for you, so fly safe out there.

In anticipation of enlightenment,
CMDR Oorslavich

I had the same question about the upgrades. Someone suggested that the fakes indicated that the real gear had been put into a different ship. And we know she has taken off in a different ship.

Drew said the Kahina storyline got put on hold due to technical issues with the way galnet schedules posts or something. Also that these were now fixed. So I don't think we have got all the clues we need just yet.

Re. the tiara, she ditches this in the book as well IIRC, basically because she was more interested in being Salome and taking off to go exploring than being Senator Kahina. I will say no more but it didn't seem like a rift-related clue in the novel.

 

[PeachingTony]

Hi

A quick search on the net brings up many pages suggesting connections between Salome's dance of the 7 veils, Ishtar and the 7 gates of the underworld, and the 7 sisters of the Pleiades. Are we overcomplicating the analysis here, given the barnacles/UA events there?

 

[Rudolphus]

I start to think they are not follow me but I should have take a wake scanner with me they going the same direction like me and maybe they will show me a piece of the puzzle which system in the formidine rift.
if it would be a bug should it then not be away the next day when I log in they are still there

I have heard from this happening to people that had the meta-alloys mission active, but yes, it's a bug.

Be happy for the company! Can get lonely out here...


By the way, they will defend you if you get in trouble.

 

[Warmaster Will]

If something is found,how quick can we get a counter invasion force started? A Bunch of Gun Heavy Cmdrs,a huge cargo ship or three to carry extra fuel,items to synergize ammo.
I will not let filthy Xenos touch one foot on Holy Terra

 

[Belthize]

Hi

A quick search on the net brings up many pages suggesting connections between Salome's dance of the 7 veils, Ishtar and the 7 gates of the underworld, and the 7 sisters of the Pleiades. Are we overcomplicating the analysis here, given the barnacles/UA events there?

For me this way leads to madness. Years and years ago my plan was to get an advanced degree in comparative ancient mythology, reality and a desire to get paid reared it's head and I went more of a math/physics/CS direction. So any coupling to mythology is likely to make me descend into a babbling state of research. I've actually been pondering whether the ties to ancient myth and peoples are part of the story. Something similar to the Stargate series where ancient Egyptian mythology was really just recording visitations by aliens then. Maybe some ancient myths are really stories about aliens (eg thargoids) and gods like Ishtar and the underworld are people place holders whose meaning has been lost through the ages.

It ties in somewhat with the hints about the etymology of Kahina's name. It's an intriguing theory for me personally but it opens up a massive interpretation can of worms which is almost as complex and large as the set of stars in the Rift. For now I'm shelving it but every time I run across an interesting string I do briefly check the etymology and see if it ties back to mythology in some meaningful way.

 

[Saool]

If something is found,how quick can we get a counter invasion force started? A Bunch of Gun Heavy Cmdrs,a huge cargo ship or three to carry extra fuel,items to synergize ammo.
I will not let filthy Xenos touch one foot on Holy Terra

Counter invasion? Counter to what?

Thargoids? I don't think this has anything to do with them. The old woman says (and I paraphrase) what is out there is far worse than the Thargoids, so I don't think it would be them. And if 'someone else' is out there, it is us going to them, not vice versa. If anything 'they' might see us as invaders. Especially if we employ the same strategy we have with the UAs and Barnacles: Destroying them.

Think carefully about who might be perceived as the instigators and aggressors. You are in danger of adopting a very 'Federation' line in your thinking.

 

[stocko1111]

Drew has also just said in another thread he knows nothing about Thargoids.

 

[CMDR Heisenberg B. Damned]

I will not let filthy Xenos touch one foot on Holy Terra

What about the clean ones?

 

[Warmaster Will]

Heresy

 

[Jpotter]

I'm trying to get a new perspective looking for new clues. I'm starting by going through EVERY Galnet Article since the beginning, looking for something missed. I'm up to May 5th, 3301 so far and nothing sticks out yet.....

In game I've made my way to Senator Kahina Tijani Loren's 'origin' the Prism system and intend to make myself friendly with Loren's local faction - Loren's Legion. Checking the local news feed, one item looks suspicious being that the entry is from Sept. 3301; yet at all other stations old news drops off..... so this seems strange but the text in the news item itself doesn't directly seem to contain hints - I'll post a screenshot here shortly.

EDIT: Here is the news clipping from Sept. 30th, 3301:

Spoiler

The one clue that seem to be sticking in my head is this entry from the last Galnet news item:

"Lady Kahina’s Imperial tiara was found in the cockpit, along with a small medallion bearing an ancient symbol on one side and the word ‘Salomé’ on the other."

I think there is something to this...... Starting with the obvious - Salomé = is a derivative of Hebrew meaning "peace" - I find this interesting as the Fromidine Rift = "fear" So it seems through the rift (fear) we will come to Salome (peace)..... whatever it is out there.

Also - what is it the Senator was so eager NOT to be late for (Galnet Articles):
09/02/3301 Kahina's going to Sol. gets interdicted. doesn't like being late.
06/03/3301 Docking at mars. causes a fuss. doesn't like being late.
09/03/3301 docking at mars causes a fuss doesn't like being late. again!

Looks like she was eager NOT to be late to tour the outer gas giants: 17/03/3301 tour "outer gas giants in the sol system"

Interesting I say.... mainly because another derivative of Salome is 562 Salome or a member of the Eos asteroid belt - in Sol, orbiting the outer gas giants. After her visit to Sol, Loren mysteriously disappears from public view. Curious that Loren makes an obvious unwelcome visit to Sol, to urgently 'tour the gas giants' only to disappear.

Spoiler

I think there is a clue in Salome we haven't gotten our heads around yet......

 

[Warmaster Will]

Counter invasion? Counter to what?

Thargoids? I don't think this has anything to do with them. The old woman says (and I paraphrase) what is out there is far worse than the Thargoids, so I don't think it would be them. And if 'someone else' is out there, it is us going to them, not vice versa. If anything 'they' might see us as invaders. Especially if we employ the same strategy we have with the UAs and Barnacles: Destroying them.

Think carefully about who might be perceived as the instigators and aggressors. You are in danger of adopting a very 'Federation' line in your thinking.

The old lady said come packing heat....worse than Goids she said....I plan to head them off as far from the bubble as possible
And funnily enough I do roll with the Feds....Columbia Station Sol is my Homeport

 

[Vihear]

Maybe I missed it, but this clue of Drew's seems relevant. Posted in the old thread as #660. Could be worth adding to the summary in the first post:

All the of 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.

In terms of the Rift itself, do bear in mind that this story was finalised in the gamma phase of the game. As I mentioned before, it does not require Horizons and you do not need to have read my book to take part (Though reading the story may help with the immersion, the clues from the book are all available on-line in these forums now).

From what I can see though, some basic assumptions about the characters involved have been made, which you may wish to reconsider. Remember I am primarily a 'character' writer, I like twists and misdirection.

Right on, Commanders.

Drew.

So far, we haven't really taken into account the red part of the hint yet. Maybe the woman in the holofac isn't telling the (whole) truth or something like that?

 

[Warmaster Will]

Well Sol does have Voyager out beyond the Gas Giants.....maybe the message was heard and answered?

 

[Saool]

The old lady said come packing heat....worse than Goids she said....I plan to head them off as far from the bubble as possible
And funnily enough I do roll with the Feds....Columbia Station Sol is my Homeport

You plan to head off someone. But you don't know who that someone is? You don't know if that someone would be friendly. You don't know if something happened in the past that was covered up? Like we could have started something because people like you were there? It's seems your title is apt.

Edit: removed the last bit as it caused offence and drove someone away from the thread and the mystery.

 

[lorrad]

Some other stuff I've been pondering: "Watch your six" ... It's US military jargon; I'm not sure if it originated in the Navy or Air Force. The idea is to give relative directions by laying out the horizon as though it were a clock: directly ahead is 12 o'clock, straight right is 3 o'clock, straight left is 9 o'clock, and so directly behind you is 6 o'clock.

I think it's understood that 'watch your six' translates to 'watch your back' ... but I thought the clock reference interesting when thinking about navigation. And looking at a clock, 6 is on the bottom or 'below'.

Also, probing a bit more into 'seven veils', as mentioned previously this originates with the Babylonian story of Ishtar. In that she had to pass through seven gates to reach the underworld. The two interesting aspects to the story are - in order to pass through the final gate she had to be 'stripped naked' (in the same way Salomé's ship was 'stripped' perhaps?). So, to pass through the seventh gate, Ishtar had to relinquish the final item of clothing, her thousand-petaled crown, by doing so also relinquishing her godhood.

More similarities with the story of how Lady Kahina left her Imperial tiara in her 'stripped' ship before she disappeared. Thereby also relinquishing her senator-ship and rule over Prism. I think the similarities are clear - and most likely not by coincidence!

How this all relates yet I'm not sure... and sorry if this ground has been covered before. Just trying to follow the scent of information

One final thing that popped out at me is Ishtar had to ask Ereshkigal (Goddess of the Underworld) permission to pass through the gates. There is a system in ED called 'Ereshkigal'. It's nothing much to report on - 5 stars and a gas giant. I'm just flying there for a closer look.

I also found some stuff around each gate being associated with a colour. I thought that this might correspond to the colour of the seven scoopable stars (OBAFGKM theory that was thrown around previously). Unfortunately not all the colours align - but the seventh gate, and seventh star in the set are both red. Does it mean we are looking for an M-class star system ??

It matches with this clue,,,

Tobias Frost May 12, 2015
I don’t suppose the Lady is also a dancer?
She freed and floated on the air her arms
Above dim veils that hid her bosom’s charms…
The veils fell round her like thin coiling mists
Shot through by topaz suns and amethysts.
Perhaps her dance is more of a political one…
Reply

Drew Wagar May 12, 2015
Luko makes the same connection in Chapter 10.

"topaz suns and amethysts" strikes me as something that needs to chewed on and hasn't yet, the look of the system and it's planets?

Btw what are the colors and names of the associated gates?

There are 7 steps and color transformation stories in east too, but no linking like Kahina to Ishtar and the seven veils.

For the folks checking out Cetus, here's a screenshot someone (sorry i forgot who) took of the R-R line from Sol, where Kahina went Mar 21, 3301.

The R-R line is definitely in Cassiopeia, Cetus is just to the right of the word rift. Plus Cassiopeia is a throne for the queen of heaven so it fits the seven veils, kahina, ishtar myth stuff really well.

Ya know if this stuff's right we've ferreted out one of the meta-plot lines that could arc over the entire 10 years of the game, which would be a bad thing in a way. Three secretive organizations battling in the dark for control of Raxxla and alien tech so they can dominate human space. INRA covert existing shadow government behind the current curtain of bubble-space politics, Salome and COR liberation movement and Dark Wheel like the Knights Templar.

I take heart that I'm usually wrong.
Besides aliens probably don't care about any of that.

Here's a thought I haven't seen, could "read between the lines" also possibly refer to "dark systems" between the lines of our routing plots?

 

[Warmaster Will]

The old lady said be ready,I plan to be.
Oh your dig at my country did not go over my head,how about we keep politics in the real world.
I play this to get away from all that nonsense....Because as Soon as Thargoids invade your land the first thing you guys always do is scream for the Feds to help you.

 

[Rudolphus]

I thought of the seven veils that it are seven nebula's veil is hiding your face and a nebula is a cloud of gas like nevel im my country we have a saying " in nevelen gehuld" we say that when a secret is cover up