**[Memory Transcription Subject: Daniel Jackson]
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.
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**[Location: Earth/ North America/ United States of America/ Colorado/ Colorado Springs/ Cheyenne Mountain Complex]**
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**[Date: August 24th, 2014]**
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**[Time: ={Standard Human Time}= : GMT-7 8:22 PM]**
**CRACK**
**CRACK**
**CRACK**
**CRACK**
Daniel fires several shots straight into a goa’uld and he immediately drops to the floor.
He and several other airmen had been holding a wide hallway which led to the research area where they kept all the alien tech for research.
They had no idea how they bypassed the iris, but somehow they did and now they were in the base.
They assumed that they were after a recent artifact that was transferred from gamma site to the Cheyenne mountain complex just days ago.
“INCOMING UNKNOWN TRAVELERS!” the base-wide speakers shouts out followed by the flashing blue lights and alarms.
“Great, more of them, just what we needed,” Jack says out loud sarcastically as he reloads his mp5.
“Heads up!” An airman shouts out as several goa'uld come from around the corner firing their staffs.

General Hammond presses the telephone rightly against his ear as he attempts to listen to the person on the other side while the alarms blare around him.
“They've been mainly contained in level twenty-seven to twenty-eight…yes sir, we’re currently in defcon two but…we’re heavily leaning into defcon one…yes I understand…of course…well we believe they're after the recent transporte-”
Hammond was cut off by several quick knocks on his office door.
“Excuse me for a second.” He says as moves the phone away from his face, “What?” He says as an airman stumbles in.
“Multiple unknowns have just entered through the Stargate.” The airman says while straightening and giving a quick salute.
“Yes I know already, goa’uld reinforcements have been anticipated since-” he was cut off by the airman speaking.
“My apologies sir, it's not the goa'uld, it's not even in any race we’ve discovered.” The airman says as a single drop of sweat falls off his face.
General Hammond freezes as he leans on his table towards the airman, “What?”.
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
**[LOCATION: Deep space /BREAK-OFF / Axur held planet:BREAK-OFF/ Region 234]**
Zamera was jumping with joy, figuratively of course. Whatever was blocking the portal was finally gone! Looking around, he could see the exploration team with their rifles, tranquilizers, and electrical prods getting ready to step through.
He looked at his suit and inspected it.
Seeing that it was all ready, he picked up his tranquilizer rifle and fell in line with the entry team.
“Alright listen up,” Hunter Shal’or said calmly as he looked at all of them,” current goals are the following: we are to explore the area, establish a forward operating base, and to fortify it whilst obliterating any resistance along the way…” he says as he gives a small pause, “then, well it's up to the head hunter what to do next.” he says as he turns to the portal, “let's go!”.
He shouts out as they all rush towards the portal.
As soon as he enters, his body immediately feels cold as his vision is completely taken over by a blue kind of tunnel but it is only a second before they emerge from the portal.
“What the?” Zamera says under his breath as he and the entry team steps onto a platform of sorts.
Looking around they seem to be in some sort of concrete room, and the signs of a recent battle are plastered all over the walls as burn marks, alarms, and warning lights flash.
He also notices several bodies laying on the ground, presumably dead.
“Search those bodies, I want them to be inspected as a possible new food source.” The head hunter says as he moves towards the closest body.
The body seemed to be wearing some kind of helmet, one of an animal, but not prey as its eyes face forward. Its armor seemed to sustain kinetic weapons fire which held but was overwhelmed. Removing the helmet he sees the eyes of a predator, hairless, single nose, single mouth, and obviously bipedal.
He takes out a needle and extracts some of the creature’s blood and places it into a box.
Looking at the creature’s side, a staff lays close to it, he picks it up and inspects it. Seeing nothing of interest he lays it and decides to retrieve it when they return.
Looking up for a bit, he notices the entry team taking up defensive positions on two doors that seem to be blown up.
Looking around he sees a second body and moves towards it.
This new body seemed to be of the same species, however the uniform greatly differed from the last one. The body had a mix of colors from green and brown, it wore a helmet which seemed to have taken a blast since it was heavily scorched.
Laying next to it layed a weapon, it had a long barrel and a box under it which he assumed carried the ammunition.
Taking another needle, he took another sample of blood from the being and placed it into the same box.
“Samples retrieves, sir.” He informs his head hunter as he gets up.
“Alright, Ra’lur, and Sa’meru take those bodies and send it back through the Portal.” He commands as Ra’lur and Sa’meru drags the bodies and takes them through the portal.
“Everyone else, on me.” He says as he moves towards one of the blown-open doors with everyone right behind his tail.
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
“Hallway clear.” A man in completely black armor, black uniform, and black mask that obstructed his face orders the others whose uniforms were the same as his.
“In position.” One of them informs him as they all take turns moving up, and covering each other.
“Alright get ready, our target should be right here.” He says as he prepares to swipe the card and everyone takes up position.
**BEEP**
The blast door opens revealing several goa'uld standing between them.
Before the goa'ulds could react, they quickly empty their magazines into them and one by one they get overwhelmed by bullets and fall.
“Clear.” He announces as he scans his keycard on the door and enters with his squad trailing him.
First: C-1
Previous: C-3
Next: C-5

Note: non-canon
Two days later
I’d only been here for about 3 days, but it all felt like a dream.
A hallucination that couldn’t be real- but was.
I was both impressed, and horrified. I felt both welcome and out of place. I was both intrigued and ready to throw the baby away with the bathwater.
The Nexus itself was a maze of countless contradictions- I had no idea how Emma didn’t go insane.
Yet.
I sat by the transmitter, waiting for a recording. Emma and the others were doing their homework- something about magical theory.
I hadn’t been totally idle. I’d conducted interviews with Thacea and Thalmin, but Illunor, as usual was combative. I’d hoped-
Beep.
I perked up as the machine began to do its work.
I narrowed my eyes at the computer as it began to spell out the information.
Good evening, Mr. O’Neill.
We have reviewed your reports and find the intelligence you and Emma have collected to be surprising, to say the least. Although we have no doubt you two and your allies will collect more information over the coming months, we find what you have shown us to be disturbing.
We?
This wasn’t written like the IAS’ standard messaging format. Who was this?
As your two incursions fall under UN command authority, we authorize your immediate return ASAP. As a UN-LREF member, you will be debriefed at the IAS, then be transported to UCS Base Cheyenne, where the Joint Commanders will be waiting for you.
-First Commander Esther Lacan, LREF
“Emma!” I yelled. “Get in here now!”
____________________________________________________________________________
“Well…shit.”
Me and Emma sat down, looking at the message. “I guess I’ll be heading back soon.”
She seemed as shocked as I was. “The Joint Commanders want you to debrief them?”
I was shaking with anxiety. I’d been in meetings with generals before, but all of the Joint commanders?
This was beyond anything I’d done.
Goddamnit, I can’t do this!
“You saw the message. I need to go soon.” I shook my head. “Damn. I wish I could’ve stayed longer.”
She clearly sensed my nervousness. “Hey. It’ll be okay.” She put an armored hand on my shoulder. “I don’t think they’ll put you through too much trouble.”
“We’re in another dimension surrounded by sociopathic magic-wielding rich kids. I think we’re in enough trouble.”
____________________________________________________________________________
With a flash, I was back.
Still in my suit, I had my computer with more data on it that I hadn’t delivered yet. As soon as the all-clear was given, Director Weir ran up to me.
“James! How was your trip?”
I rubbed where my forehead would be under the suit. “Director- I don’t even know what to begin as to what I saw. But yet I really want to go back.”
She nodded. “I’m sorry about the message. The First Commander herself showed up to send it.” She rolled her eyes. “I don’t know why they don’t want me-as if the damned bureaucracy hasn’t thrown me around enough, but I suppose we’ll have to get you ready.”
“It’s been a minute since I wore my uniform, ma’am.”
She nodded. “I’ll have the chefs make something for you. Sounds like you’re going to have a long day ahead.”
I swore.
It was never that easy with the IAS.
____________________________________________________________________________
Although the IAS facility itself was classified, the security here made it look like child’s play.
A dropship with a squad of S-AMCPs had escorted me out of the facility and onto a dropship with a fighter escort, which traveled the world and reached UCS base Cheyenne in a matter of minutes.
Originally an American base, its unique place of being under a mountain made it one of the ideal locations for the UN’s military when it first started out. Over time, it was eclipsed by countless space stations and bases on other worlds, but the base had retained its old world fame, and its hardy bunker complexes had been expanded over the years.
The defenses were nothing to scoff at; turrets, missiles, and lasers of every kind, with drones watching the ground and sky. After landing, I went through no less than five security scans of different types. All while I was sweating in my uniform and beret, fearing how the UCS would rip me a new one in the war room.
Just tell them what you saw. Weir told me.
Just tell them-
Don’t lose it-
I’ll look insane! Talking about elves and magic and portals-
A psych ward would make for a more fitting place-
Shut up!
I stood anxiously in a small lobby, holding my tablet and waiting. I noticed drops of my sweat hit the floor, as the squad of S-AMCPs watched me.
You enjoying this?
An aide walked in.
“They will see you now.”
I stood up and followed her into one of the biggest meeting rooms I’d ever seen. A curved screen circled the room, with a round table in the middle.
Oh my word they’re all there.
My whole body went stiff as the entire UCS looked at me, their stares almost boring into my skull.
“Cadet James O’Neill.”
I saluted. “First Commander Lacan.”
She returned the salute. “Pleasure to have you here. This situation we’re in right now is very precarious. We’re hoping yours-as well as Emma’s-information will help us more.”
“Indeed.” First Commander of the UN Army, Mamdo Wasem added. “What we have seen is nothing short of fantastical-and perplexing.”
I nodded. “I hope I will be able to illuminate some things.”
“The screen is yours.” He adjusted. I walked over to the computer, connecting the tablet.
“Hello.” I said, trying to act as formal as possible. “My name is James O’Neill, and I am an LREF cadet. I was assigned to the Nexus Mission as a backup to Emma Booker.”
The screen changed.
“The Nexus is an extradimensional civilization. It is a feudally structured government composed of several thousand ‘realms’, which are all accessed via portal. All of them are ruled by noble families and bloodlines who are more magically gifted than commoners-people lower on their society’s tier list. This civilization, while having teleportation technology, is societally and structurally in the European Middle Ages. They, among other things, practice slavery, serfdom, and indentured servitude.”
“Which are all violations of UN law.” Beatriz Falaco, First Commander of the Orbital Defense Command. “How do they keep the people in line?”
“With the noble families having most of the share of ‘magic’, along with control of their respective militaries, they indoctrinate their people with pro-monarchist propaganda and keeping information limited to commoners. The Nexus has, in essence, created a gargantuan information bubble in which their people have no other choice to listen.”
“While this is all very interesting, I think the topic that most concerns us is their threat to our security.” Moteki Tarozaemon, First Commander of the UN Extra-Atmospheric Forces commented.
I nodded. “Very well. The Nexian military primarily relies on soldiers from both its realm as well as its own personal, more professional military.” The screen blinked, showing more pictures. “However, though they use mainly weapons from the medieval era, as well as tactics, their magic manipulation is a threat.”
Footage from Emma with Sorecar, the suit of armor, showed several demonstrations of Nexian weaponry, as well as the professors engaging with the Amethyst dragon.
“Is that…an actual dragon?” Falaco asked, her face going pale.
I nodded. “Amethyst dragon. It’s supposedly one of the more kinds of dragons in their realm, considered to be a sort of apex predator.”
“I didn’t see anyone in that armor.” Wasem commented.
“That’s correct, sir. There is no one in that armor. It’s someone’s consciousness who’s been in there for five thousand years or so.”
“Five…thousand years?”
“The Nexus has strange ways of punishment, sir.”
I continued.
“This magic, while seeming fantastical on the surface, is what I believe to be their biggest tool. This energy manipulation can do many things that we cannot, like create shields, teleport large groups of enemies, enable greater mobility, and commit destructive acts such as making blasts that pierce several inches of Nexian armor. If we had to actually combat them on their home turf, using drones is the only feasible option.”
“And what about them attacking us?” Juan Reyes, First Commander of the Terrestrial Air and Sea Command asked.
“Well, that’s where we have an advantage, sir. Due to our dimension not having any ‘mana’, they would suffer a fate which would be the opposite of Pilot One’s. We believe that this energy would be drained from them, turning the person into, for lack of a better term, a raisin. They would very likely die instantly.”
“So how do you believe our current ground forces would do?”
I shook my head. “First Commander Reyes, we have only seen the tip of the iceberg regarding their magic. If what I’ve seen from the Academy’s books is to be believed, we need more intel. The students Emma and I have interacted with are a drop in the ocean compared to the other realms. In purely ground combat, if we were to get a significant numbers advantage, I do believe we could succeed. Thankfully for us, their sea navy still uses ship designs from the Age of Exploration. They do have some mechanisms for flight, but they never seem to have considered actually fighting in the sky. As for space- they don’t even know it exists. We would reign supreme, as of our current knowledge base, in the sea, air and space.”
“However,” I continued. “Emma and I believe the greatest threat they possess is what we call ‘mana-flooding’.”
The images changed to some computer simulations of this. “In this case, it’s their version of a WMD. They would open a portal to our world and flood it with mana. It would spread rapidly, killing anyone not used to it-in this case, all of us. We estimate one portal could coat the entire Earth in several hours at the longest. However, this portal would probably take immense resources from the Nexus, and is unlikely at this time. I must emphasize, Commanders, that this-for the moment-seems to be their only WMD-like weapon. We could discover more in the future, but as of right now that’s it.”
Muttere swears could be heard from across the small crowd.
“As to how we fight this…my best guess is developing technology that suppresses mana in our reality. However, I don’t know how to go about that. The mana-resistant armor on Emma’s armor was hard enough for us to manufacture. There’s currently no other way in my opinion besides possibly casting a spell to stop it. But even that’s theoretical in my mind.”
The chatter grew louder, as I leaned against the keyboard, watching the greatest military minds of our time debate an enemy that by all previous accounts was only in fairy tales.
More data was being fed to the Commanders’ individual computers, presenting more data. A not insignificant amount of it was from Thalmin, who was more than happy to speak about his people’s warring tactics-hey, he was called ‘Mercenary Prince’.
I was really jealous of that title. Seriously, whoever came up with that needed a raise.
Finally, they calmed down. Wasem spoke up. “Thank you, Cadet.” He looked around. “Your information has been…interesting, to say the least.”
“I apologize for the incompleteness of this information. The only way I could get more is if I somehow got in contact with high-ranking Nexian officers, and I doubt that’ll happen given the nature of this school. It’s possible Emma and I could find some students with connections to the Nexian military and get them to say something, but that’s about it.”
Falaco jumped in. “You two have done an incredible job, given the circumstances. I’m sure you all will find more information. Only so much you can learn in a week.” She swiped on her computer. “I understand Emma has made contact with a sapient, non-Nexian entity?”
“The Library.” I put an emphasis on ‘the’. “It’s a living entity that only seems to seek knowledge."
I continued.
“Emma made a deal with it to save the lives of one of her friends who was forced to commit arson on a section that may have held information on extradimensional places like us. It’s not known how it was obtained.”
A picture of Emma’s library card showed up. “This is a library card, an artifact that the Library gives out to those who have given it knowledge it finds interesting. However, these cards have a defense mechanism if someone other than the holder takes it.”
“And this ‘Library’ gave Emma the knowledge to re-enable communication with our world?”
“Yes. She was able to provide evidence that Mal’tory, a professor, forced Illunor to commit arson as a sort of deniable asset. While she was not able to bring him to the Library, it was satisfied with this, and gave her the dragon scale needed to talk with us. It also provided her with this.”
An image of the artifact that allowed me to venture over displayed.
“It’s not known how, but whatever this amulet does, I was able to exist in the Nexian world without being affected by mana. While the dubious nature of this artifact has caused some discussions within the IAS, we ultimately believe the benefits outdo the risk. The Library does not seem to be inherently malevolent, acting as a neutral party content with providing and receiving knowledge.”
“Emma and I have come to the conclusion that if we keep providing information about our world to it that you all deem necessary, we can extract more knowledge from it that may give us an advantage.”
“And you trust it?” Nicole Gray, First Commander of the Electronic Warfare and Cybersecurity Command, asked.
“It’s a risk, but it give Emma a title-Seeker of the Library, something it hasn’t given to someone in thousands of years, apparently. It did this so Emma could track down the arson case. I haven’t interacted with it personally, but it still seems to respect Emma and take an interest in what she knows.”
The First Commander nodded. “While I believe it’s a risk, I think it’s a lead to pursue. Now, I had a question about the apparent ‘clone’ the faculty tried to make of Emma…”
____________________________________________________________________________
Fifty minutes
I finished speaking, going over the academy and what had happened there.
“And that’s it, Commanders. That’s everything that you haven’t seen already.”
They looked around and nodded. Commander Lacan spoke up.
“Well done, Cadet. You two have proved to be very capable operatives. You have done what no one else has-you should be proud of that.”
“Thank you, ma’am.”
“As such, given the strange nature of this realm, we have decided to give the IAS a blank check in regards to their future operations. Expect more resources soon.”
If only Weir was here.
“In recognition of the IAS’ stunning accomplishments, we have officially decided to form a taskforce to give your team all the backup you need to ensure this mission can succeed. From now on, you and Emma may consider yourselves the two operatives of United Nations Task Force Alicorn, designated UN Exoreality Operations Force One. Congratulations.”
She gave me a moment to absorb the knowledge. “Though this is abnormal, this is hardly a normal situation. As such, you two are getting a promotion. Emma will hold the superior rank over you considering her role, but it is an upgrade nonetheless. Henceforth, Emma Booker shall be First Lieutenant Emma Booker, while you shall be Second Lieutenant James O’Neill. Congratulations.”
Next time on ‘The Backup’:
A New Disguise
_________________
Second note: I used a lore document on JCB112’s discord for the UN rankings mentioned in this chapter. Much thanks to him and the others there! Also, the updates for this might be slow for the near future, due to college work.
Previous entries:
Part 1: Short Story: The Backup : JCBWritingCorner (reddit.com)
Part 2: Short Story: The Backup, Part 2 : JCBWritingCorner (reddit.com)
Part 3: Short Story: The Backup, Part 3 : JCBWritingCorner (reddit.com)
Part 4: Short Story: The Backup, Part 4: Show-and-Tell : JCBWritingCorner (reddit.com)
​

Hello, this is my first ever original Reddit post, I believe, so please bear with me if I get some things "wrong" lol. It will probably be a little wordy since I want to share how I got to the point of tracking the information for Temple locations and a solid method for faster playthroughs. I am also not an overly technical player, nor a speedrunner, so some of my terminology may be a little off.
TLDR; A couple quests glitched so I maxed all the powers. See below for locations data.
I have maxed all the temple powers and wanted to share my experience and information that I tracked. My first playthrough, I was adamant on staying away from any online information regarding the game because I'm hardheaded and want to learn as much as I could organically. This changed a little when I wanted more levels for more skill points and looked up ways to speed that process up. At first, I just used the most vanilla way and finished the main story less going through the Unity. I ddid end up missing a power, which later I found out to be the one locked behind a quest for Barrett. When that did not yield enough levels for my satisfaction, I looked up alternative methods, coincidentally enough involved using one of my newfound powers.
Once I levelled up enough to satisfy me for the time being, I went back to the actual game and questing. However, the method I used bugged the mission I was currently working on and wanting to progress in order to hopefully further maximize the levelling method I was wanting to use. So I decided to go through the Unity and begin my first NG+.
This playthrough was a "normal" universe and I skipped the main story. I befriended Barrett, got the power I was missing from my first playthrough, but was still missing one power by the end of the main story again (Temple XI for Supernova in this case). But whatever, I wanted to go grind out some more fast levels so went back to the UC quest that was the best route for that, but not before infiltrating the Crimson Fleet for access to The Key and to start that storyline to complete later. I completed the UC quest as well as again advancing levels to my satisfaction (Level 200). However, completing that questline bugged the CF questline, so back through the Unity I went. This time, however, I decided I might as well just knock them all out and so began my grind.
I had heard of alternate universes and wanted to experience one, so I did the save/reload right before entering the wormhole in the Unity and kept repeating that until I got one. This one involved Sarah Morgan laying injured in the middle of the room and when I approached her, an "evil" version of me was lying in wait and shot her, and after a brief conversation, attacked me. This was interesting because she had a weapon and I did not, so I had to run to the basement lol Once that was resolved, I was able to acquire an initial batch of artifacts, and locations to several more, as well as the quest to go to The Eye to get temple locations. So I went and got the first temple location, acquired power, went back to The Eye, rinse and repeat until I had all the powers for the first batch. Then went and got an artifact, got the power from its temple, next artifact and power, and so on. The idea for this was to see if I would again miss a power. Once all the initial artifacts and powers were acquired, I went to The Buried Temple, did my thing there (I think I sided with the Hunter, which I did the majority of the time since I basically had the same mission to acquire powers but less ruthlessly lol), and back and forth to The Eye to get all the powers. This time, I was able to actually collect all 24 and didn't have to go talk to Vlad every time.
Basically, the rest of my powers race involved saving/reloading right before entering the wormhole in the Unity in order to get an alternate universe that allowed me to just go to the table in The Eye for each power rather than talking to Vlad. I found that no matter how I played it, either getting all the artifacts in hand including the ones from The Buried Temple and the Hunter and Emissary and then acquiring all the powers, or getting the initial batch of powers, then the initial batch of artifacts and then getting those powers and then finishing the Buried Temple and getting those powers, it still resulted in all 24 every time.
I ended up with a total of 11 playthroughs including the original, so would that be NG+10? At any rate, after my first two play throughs, I wrote down planet/moon and system location for each temple. It is random, but The Buried Temple is always Artifact AND Temple MU AND on Masada III. Other planet/moons have a temple on them in every single one of my playthroughs. If you get to your last playthrough missing one or two powers, the game does NOT prioritize those temple locations for you. I might have gotten lucky, but I got the artifacts for my last two powers in the initial batch and didn't have to go hunting for them. I had to go to two excess temples before (again, probably getting lucky) getting my two missing ones back to back.
Without further ado, here is the list I compiled of temple locations. I have consolidated it into a list of each unique planet/moon and sorted it by most common first. That way if you want to go try your luck to see if you get the random "Acquire the power" mission for it without going to Vlad/The Eye, you can do so. Just remember, if you don't have the artifact for the temple the RNG placed there, it will not show. So my suggestion is this: if you plan to use this list to hopefully generate the quest by going there, go collect all the artifacts first. I will answer questions in the comments should there be any.
​

TEMPLE LOCATION	TIMES VISITED
DIONYSUS (OLYMPUS)	9
MASADA III (BURIED TEMPLE)	9	(required to reach Unity on each play through)
PIAZZI IV-C	9
BESSEL III-B	8
SKINK (CHEYENNE)	8
TAU CETI III	8
VOLII EPSILON (VOLII)	7
PROCYON III	7
WASHAKIE (CHEYENNE)	7
PROCYON IV	6
TAU CETI VIII-B	6
OUREA (OLYMPUS)	5
PIAZZI II	5
PROCYON-B I	5
HEISENBERG V-A	4
LUYTEN'S ROCK (LUYTEN'S STAR)	4
PROCYON VI-C	4
ZOSMA V-A	4
ALTAIR I	3
ALTAIR III	3
ALTAIR IV-C	3
FEYNMAN I	3
HILLEX (VALO)	3
KINDI (VALO)	3
RASALHAGUE II	3
ANTHARUM (2ND MOON OF AKILA, CHEYENNE)	2
ARCHIMEDES III	2
BRADBURY I-B	2
ENLIL I-A	2
ERIDANI III-B	2
FERMI III	2
KHAYYAM II	2
LEONIS I	2
MOLOCH V-C	2
SIRIUS I	2
VEGA II-C	2
AL-BATTANI III	1
BANNOC II	1
BARDEEN I	1
BETA MARAE V-C	1
BOLIVAR I	1
CARINAE I	1
CHARYBDIS VII-D	1
COPERNICUS II	1
COPERNICUS MINOR I-B	1
EARRACH (LUNARA)	1
ERIDANI V	1
ERIDANI VII-C	1
ERIDANI VIII-C	1
ETA CASSIOPEIA II-A	1
FOUCALT VII-E	1
FROST (BERNARD'S STAR)	1
GAMMA VULPES I	1
GUNIIBUU II	1
GUNIIBUU VI-D	1
GUNIIBUU VI-E	1
HYLA VIII-D	1
INDUM II	1
KUMASI III	1
LANTANA IV	1
LEVIATHAN VI-B	1
MCCLURE II	1
MOLOCH I	1
NUMITOR (LUNARA)	1
OBURUM II-A	1
RANA VI-A	1
SCHRODINGER VI-C	1
TERNION V-A	1
TIDACHA I	1
TIRNA X-A	1
VAN MAANEN I	1
WORTHLESS (DELTA PAVONIS)	1
XI OPHIUCHI VII-B	1

​

A collection of info on skills based on looking around quite a bit combined with my own experiences with some of the skills. If there's anything that should be added, lemme know!

Skills

• All Social Skills of Tier 2 and above have a chance to appear as a Persuasion chance choice with better Persuasion bar increase and a better chance of success than an average attempt for that difficulty color
  • Social effects that are used through the Scanner can only be attempted on a target 1 time, and whether it succeeds or fails, you can't try it on that same NPC again
• Gastroenterology and Chemist aren't really worth it for anything beyond dialogue options, as the effects don't last nearly long enough to be worth the skill points and (for Chemist) unique materials that can only be looted or bought
• Any Ship Weapon skills that have 'reduced costs in Targeting Mode' means how many shots you can fire while Targeted, not the cost out of the 100 max of the weapon's 'battery'
  • Same with 'damage to individual systems' - only applies while in Targeting Mode
• Armor Penetration
  • Only affects Ballistic (Physical damage only) weapons as that's what Armor is set to mitigate
    • Doesn't effect Explosive or Throwable damage, either, oddly enough
  • Somewhat countered by the fact that most enemies have far less Energy Resistance than they do Armor (meaning this just helps level the playing field for Ballistic weapons)
  • Note that Armor Penetration can stack, but multiplicatively - meaning 70% AP + 30% AP is going to slightly diminish both, so you won't have 100% AP, but still worth noting that more AP = more dmg, even if it doesn't scale with plain addition
• Astrodynamics
  • Varies based on the ship's Grav Drive, at Rank 4, you should be able to jump to any system
  • On active Crew, this skill doesn't affect Grav Jump distance, only reduces HE-3 fuel costs of them
• Astrophysics
  • The "Chance to Discover a Trait" only applies when doing scans of a planet or moon as a whole, not individual scans of flora, fauna and resources
• Automated Energy Weapon Systems
  • The damage bonus is unique to Automated weapons, but the Targeting Mode costs are applied even to non-Automated weapons, making it worth considering even if you don't use Automated Weapons at all
  • Note that you can't go into Targeting Mode if your ship has only Automated Weapons
    • Might be a bug, given the effects of the Skill
• Ballistics
  • Applies to weapons with Physical damage only and that fire bullets
    • Meaning even if it's only physical damage, it doesn't apply to Explosives or Particle Beams
• Ballistic Weapon Systems
  • Works as intended, but keep in mind that Ballistics have fairly low damage and range compared to the other Ship Weapon types
• Boost Pack Training
  • Need at least 1 point to be able to use Boost Packs at all
  • Recommend this one, as it lets you basically fly on planets with less gravity than Earth
  • You can even Favorite different Boost Pack types to switch between them when you need to set aside your distance-covering Skip pack to get over something tall with the Power pack
    • Note that swapping Boost Packs doesn't replenish the Boost Pack fuel
• Botany
  • With no points, it takes 8 scans to fully scan a species, but with Rank 4, it only takes 4 scans
  • Will display "Outpost Production Allowed" if you can cultivate it at an Outpost
    • It'll also mention what resource you need to make it grow, usually H2O
    • Most small and medium-sized plants can generally be cultivated
• Boxing
  • Highly recommend Xenogrubs and Heatleeches for ranking this up, as both will die to a single unarmed attack regardless of level
    • If you do it while Sneaking, you can level up this and Concealment at the same time
• Commerce
  • For 'unique' items, you can grab a bunch of low-value Misc items - they'll sell for very little, but each counts as a 'unique' item (coffee mugs, vacuum tape, wire spools, etc)
  • Note that vendors restock credits every 24 UT hours and their supplies every 48 UT hours
    • Dungeon chests (the big chests of goodies you find at the end of areas you can clear of hostiles) also reset every 168 UT hours, so remember to check those again for some freebies
  • Easy way to offload a lot is wait 1 hour on Venus, which is 100 hours UT time, which means every vendor will have fully restocked (which works even better if you find one of the outposts on Venus with a 5000 credit Provisioner and a nearby chair to Wait in)
  • This bonus applies to ship modules as well, which can make that 20% discount significant
• Concealment
  • Once you get Rank 2 of this, the penalty from 'equipped' weight seems to nearly vanish, allowing you to wear whatever you want and still be stealthy
  • Careful if using Void Form when already in Chameleon mode from this Skill, or an armor effect, as it seems to cause Void Form to not function properly if used while still crouched
    • Thankfully, you can just stand up, cast it, then resume crouching
  • While using a scoped weapon for sneak kills is obvious, avoid ones with iron sights if you have Rank 3 or higher, as the Chameleon effect will also cause the iron sights themselves to becoming chameleon'd, making it harder to aim down them
  • You can rack up Sneak Melee/Unarmed Kills on aliens (less observant than human NPCs) or by using an EM weapon to knock a target out, then sneak attack them while they're out cold
    • However, it's Unarmed or Melee Weapon kills - if you sneak kill with a gun-bash, it won't count towards the total needed to unlock the next Rank
  • The Chameleon effect from the Skill doesn't stack with Chameleon from gear, and in fact, it actually hinders the Chameleon from the gear, oddly, as a Rank 2 Concealment with 3 Chameleon pieces (yes, the gear effect stacks with itself) has better stealth than a Rank 4 Concealment with full Chameleon gear
    • The tradeoff of stopping at Rank 2, however, is that you don't get the bonus sneak damage and ability for distant enemies to lose track of you entirely, so it's a choice of stealth vs stealth damage if you have a full set of Chameleon gear
  • You can sneak attack a Xenogrub (which are found all over the place, usually in vents) for a freebie sneak attack + sneak kill, as any damage one-shots them
  • Oddly, while Rank 1 lets you ignore landmines, they're marked as someone else's property, but 'stealling' them in front of someone has no effect and you can sell them normally
• Crippling
  • When an enemy hits around 20% of the health left, the game rolls the dice to see if the enemy enters the 'downed' state (with usually a 15% chance to go down, or 45% with Rank 1)
    • At Rank 3, the roll for this effect will occur at around 40% remaining health instead
• Deception
  • Remember that evading scans maxes out at around 90%, even with shielded cargo
  • Ships you use [Piracy] on will turn hostile, as will allies of that ship
    • Meaning don't do this at a major hub planet (Jemison, Cheyenne, etc)
• Demolitions
  • The effect to Explosions applies to throwables, but also to Explosive Rounds, weapons that use 40mm XPL ammo, even weapon mods that create explosive effects (like Hornet's Nest Mod on the Coachman)
• Diplomacy
  • If you use Diplomacy on an enemy when trying to be stealthy, you can sneak right past them, as they won't count as an 'enemy' while the effect is active
    • Even if you get Detected, they won't raise the alarm or alert other enemies if the effect is still going
• Dueling
  • Note that Rank 4 is "Melee Kills", not "Melee Weapon Kills", meaning Unarmed attacks will also get a 10% heal when they get a kill
• Energy Weapon Dissipation
  • The Rank 4 reflect damage perk doesn't work on Laser Turrets
• Fitness
  • Use up "all available Oxygen" doesn't just mean O², but means you also have to max out your CO² as well (to the point where it would damage your health)
• Geology
  • Gives about a 50% chance to get an additional resource from harvesting minerals/metals
  • Roughly a 10% chance for a bonus rare resource on Ranks 2-4
• Gymnastics
  • Combat Slide is done by pressing the Sneak button while Sprinting
    • But due to what might be a bug, the distance you cover is ridiculously low
    • The exception is that you can slide nearly 2-3x the distance while a Pistol is equipped
  • While fall damage is kinda moot with the boost packs, and I can't recommend this one as a staple, it might be worth putting 2-3 points into later if you're planning to go NG+10 or more to max out your suit and ship, as you'll be doing the Artifact Temples 10 times each + NASA if you repeat the main quest, which is a fair amount of zero-gravity movement
  • For killing enemies in Zero-G, there's 3 main places you can do it without much issue:
    • Alpha Centauri -> Deimos Armored Transport
    • Olympus -> The Almagest
    • Valo -> Deserted Trade Authority Star Station
• Heavy Weapons Certification
  • Also boosts the damage the Cutter inflicts, as it's 2-handed and heavy
    • Meaning this skill will (if to a small degree) let you mine slightly faster, though using right-click with the Mining Laser (to let it charge up) is still a better option if you need to mine faster
• Incapacitation
  • If you need this perk, you can level up the challenge part faster by holding the fire button to 'charge' the EM shots - it'll do far more damage, and each 'charged' shot doesn't cost any additional ammo
• Instigation
  • If there are no other enemies left (or none close enough to attack), the Instigated enemy will attack the player instead, even if the effect hasn't worn off yet
    • Occasionally they'll bug out and attack you anyway, even if the attempt succeeds
• Intimidation
  • Ranks 1, 2 and 3 make an NPC flee for about 30 seconds, while Rank 4 lasts for 60 seconds
  • Unlike Diplomacy (which makes them stop attacking) you can keep attacking Intimidated enemies while they flee without breaking the effect
  • Keep in mind, however, that they will run VERY far away if not slain by you before then when used on NPCs in open spaces
• Isolation
  • The damage resistance granted is purely Physical Damage Resistance, not Energy or EM
  • The 'crew' it refers to is temporary companions following you around (who normally aren't companions)
    • Meaning you can still have a full crew on your Ship, you just can't take them into battle
    • It even works if you have a Companion but just tell them to "Wait" elsewhere (but keep in mind going some places, like taking off on your ship, will make them auto-rejoin you)
• Lasers
  • The Rank 4 effect of causing enemies to burst into flame does percentage of their max health per tick, but it can also be stacked, as it's 5% chance per shot (though a bit unclear how someone can be on fire twice over at the same time, but hey, extra damage)
  • Best Rank 4 use is actually the Cutter, as it does multiple hits of low laser damage, but each of those hits is a chance to trigger flames, making the Cutter oddly effective on certain enemies
• Leadership
  • What the skill omits is that Rank 4 allows Companions a chance to pick themselves up from a downed state "during combat", as a downed Companion will automatically pick themselves up if combat ends
• Manipulation
  • You can get the first Rank for free by finishing the Ryujin quest "Sabotage"
  • You can also get the next Rank of it every time you repeat the quest in NG+, making it the only skill you can get Rank 4 without spending a single Skill Point
  • Seems to be limited to a single "Command" once you've succeeded at the effect
    • But they can use items you have at a distance, like key cards
    • This also makes upper Ranks a bit pointless, since they don't seem to follow orders after the first Command, which usually takes less than the Rank 1 limit of 30 seconds
  • Persuasion attempts with this tend to have a much higher success rate than others with Social Skill tags on them
  • Unlike the other Social Skills you 'cast' through the Scanner, you can only Manipulate a single target at a time, regardless of Rank
• Medicine
  • Rank 4's effect is roughly a 10% chance to remove a single affliction
  • Also provides a significant amount of dialogue options
• Neurostrikes
  • Note that Rank 2's effect of EM Damage is just to help knock them out faster, it doesn't actually add any additional 'damage' to your strikes in terms of whittling down health and armor
• Nutrition
  • Thanks to an update, you don't have to pick up the food & drink to eat it now, you can just hold R on it while exploring to munch it down on the spot
  • Note that this not only affects the amount of health recovered, but the percentages of the bonus effects as well
• Outpost Management
  • Since it provides no numbers, here's some to clarify:
    • Rank 1 -> Increases Outpost Cargo Link limit from 3 to 6
    • Rank 2 -> Increases Robots you can have at an Outpost from 3 to 6
    • Rank 3 -> Increases number of Crew Stations you can build at an Outpost, meaning the total of potential Crew members at 1 Outpost can now be up to 8 (with Rank 4 Ship Command)
  • Due to what might be a bug, Ship Command determines how many people you can station at an Outpost, even though that should only effect Ship Crew and not Outpost Crew
• Particle Beams
  • Refers to weapons that have both Physical AND Energy damage values
    • Va'ruun weapons, certain Orion weapons, etc
  • Oddly, even though Ballistics and Lasers are limited to weapons with only those damage types, Particle Beam weapons get bonuses from both the Particle Beam skill and the Lasers skill
• Piloting
  • Needed to even be able to fly B and C class ships
  • The "Thrusters" let you turn to catch up to enemy ships (helps ships with low mobility)
  • You can level it up with a fair amount of ease (along with a number of other ship-based skills) by redoing the Flight Simulator in the UC Headquarters, as the simulated ships still count as ships
• Pistol Certification
  • The 25% crit chance for 5 seconds after killing an enemy at Rank 4 seems coded incorrectly
    • As instead of a 25% crit chance increase, it instead seems to increase your base crit chance (which is only 4-5% or so) by 25% instead...meaning your crit chance only increases by 1-2% instead of the intended 25%
    • The upside is that there are ways to boost your base crit chance, but still means it's not as strong as it was intended to be
• Planetary Habitation
  • Rank 3 is likely as far as you'll need to go for this one, unless you want the extra 4 outposts
    • As out of 1,000 planets, there are less than 12 with over 2.5g Gravity that you can land on
    • Same with extreme pressure, less than 12 planets
    • However, due to a bug, sometimes you can place Outposts on extreme pressure/gravity planets just with Rank 1 of the Skill
    • Rank 3 is also the max listed as a "requirement" for some outpost modules
  • No points allows a max of 6-8 Outposts, while Rank 4 allows up to 22 or so
• Rapid Reloading
  • Stacks with all other reload speed increase buffs
    • Meaning Ballistics Rank 4 + Rapid Reloading effect Rank 4 = 15 seconds of 50% faster reloads
  • The Rank 4 effect will play an audio cue when the effect occurs
• Rejuvenation
  • Seems to have a bug where in-combat regen is either not working or slower than intended
• Research
  • The reduction in materials needed to craft applies to almost everything you can make
    • The only exception is Outpost Modules
• Scanning
  • If you upgrade your Scanning skill, the "New Data" Scan will count as an additional Scan (with an additional chance to trigger the effect from Astrophysics to discover traits)
• Scavenging
  • In order to 'loot' a container and count, you don't need to take everything, you just need to take at least one item out of the 'container' in question
• Security
  • Sometimes a 'slot' on a digilock level can vanish, but that's a bug, it's still there
  • Sometimes lockpick arrangements can fit in more that one variation, so be careful
  • Most digilock levels need at least 2 lockpick arrangements to unlock
  • If the lock isn't marked with the red 'Steal' icon, you can feel free to unlock it without penalties, even if someone is watching you
  • You can 'view' the Digilock without cost, but as soon as you slot a digilock arrangement in, a digipick is consumed (and if you go out and back in at any point, it scrambles the arrangement of the lock)
  • Using "Auto-Slot" will line up a key that matches with that level of digilock, but if you've already got one lined up that fits, it'll just burn the Auto-Slot use without doing anything
• Sharpshooting
  • Rank 3's 'all around' crit boost doesn't stack with the head and legs bonus from Ranks 1 and 2, it just fills in the rest of the body for that bonus crit damage, so it becomes 50% extra crit damage anywhere
• Ship Command
  • For some reason, this also affects how many crew you can station at Outposts
  • "Active" crew members means Companions or Crew on your ship whose skills are actively providing a benefit, as opposed to those on the ship but whose skills aren't affecting anything
  • The "Crew of two or more" refers to your ship, not the enemy ships you need to destroy/board
• Shotgun Certification
  • Rank 4's wording is vague, but gives roughly 20% chance (after a kill) to stun targets with shotgun attacks for about 15 seconds
• Spacesuit Design
  • Removing a mod (or re-adding a previous mod) counts towards the Challenge
    • However, removing a mod generally requires Sealant and Aluminum
• Stealth
  • Note that for sneaking, only 'equipped' weight is considered, not total weight of your inventory
    • So weapon, space suit, helmet, boost pack, etc
    • However, there's still a difference between, say, a 7kg suit vs a 20kg suit, so if your environment needs a suit AND stealth, equip a lighter suit
    • You can, however, have as much inventory weight as you want, even be overencumbered, and it won't affect your Stealth
  • For easier Sneak Kills, use aliens instead of human targets
    • Roaming on worlds, so you can see (and snipe) them more easily
    • Seem to have less awareness of their surroundings than human enemies
  • Note that it's Sneak Attacks, not Sneak "Kills"
    • Meaning landing multiple sneak attack hits on a distant enemy with a low damage (but suppressed) weapon will count each hit as a Sneak Attack
  • Sneak Attacks can still be landed in the "Caution" state, as that means the enemies know you're nearby, but not where, so your 'stealth' hasn't been broken yet
  • You can sneak attack a Xenogrub (which are found all over the place, usually in vents or messy places) for a freebie sneak attack + sneak kill, as any damage one-shots them
  • If you need to drop a Stolen item, make sure you're Hidden when retrieving it, as it will count as 'stealing' it again (and add a bounty to wherever you are if caught)
  • Note that moving an owned item (by physically holding it) will also count as 'stealing it' if you're seen moving it
• Targeting
  • The accuracy bonus seems bugged, as even 0 points vs Rank 4 has little difference
  • Rank 3 is completely bugged, as the Range bonus disappears until you invest another point and make it Rank 4, where you then get the Range bonus you should have had at Rank 3 instead
  • Cutters are actually great at Rank 4, as the flurry of low-damage hits each have a chance to make the enemy drop their weapon
• Targeting Control Systems
  • Required to be able to disable a hostile ship's engines and board them
  • Note that automatic weaponry will continue firing on a hostile ship, even if you disable the engines, so best to use non-turrets or power them down for "Hostage" missions
  • Also note that using ONLY automatic ship weapons will prevent you from being able to use Targeting Mode whatsoever (including any bonuses offered while in that mode)
• Theft
  • Remember that Stolen items aren't scanned for, but will be collected as an extra if you get caught with contraband
    • Highly recommend selling stolen items to the Trade Authority then getting back with Buy Back, which removes the "Stolen" icon
    • Modding a stolen weapon or armor will also remove the "Stolen" icon
  • If you knock someone out with an EM weapon, you can pickpocket them
    • But any damage (or failing a pickpocket attempt) will cause them to wake back up
  • NPCs with names almost always have better loot than nameless NPCs
• Weapon Engineering
  • Better option for Skill points to get damage numbers up than Combat skills
    • As Combat Skills are specific to weapon types, but this skill unlocks across the board
• Weight Lifting
  • If you sprint, then use the Boost Pack mid-sprint, the game still considers you as 'sprinting' while airborne, so if you sprint + Boost on a low grav planet, you can get a lot more sprint distance than one bar of O² would normally allow
• Wellness
  • Actually boosts Med/Trauma/Emergency packs more efficiently than Medicine does, if only in terms of actual health recovered total
    • As those heal a percentage of your total health, but Wellness increases your max health
    • So until Medicine Rank 4, Wellness makes Med Packs better, but in comparison, Medicine makes Med Packs work faster
• Xenosociology
  • Basically all the humanoid Social command skills in one for aliens only (one per Rank)
  • Difference being that all the effects have a maximum success chance of 65%
    • And the '1 attempt' is across all the effects, since all 4 are tied to 1 Skill
  • Doesn't work on Terrormorphs
• Zoology
  • Basically a Fauna version of Botany, same effects

Heya all,
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I thought about writing this while I was going through my runs in order to share the knowledge, I learned :). There's probably stuff that I forgot or missed so apologies in advance ;).
Information:

• Items and planets: https://inara.cz/starfield/
• More info: Starfield Wiki (fextralife.com) (Though I found it inconsistent sometimes)

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Small design details I picked up:

• Constellation member without armor (or the Mark I) will have their names in the default armor.
• Companions have the skills as patches in the armor.
• In the temples, the floor rotates, the gyroscope's rings have the power markings, and the more 'powerful' a power is, the more dark the room is (and higher the level of the starborn guardian also is).
• Fauna will blink, hide, hunt other fauna, sleep during the night cycle, and avoid combat.
• You will find 'general usage' wear and tear in things around the world, like the handrails of the ship's stairs, or the metal pain in the Va'ruun inflictor.
• You will find more NASA-like (or space-era-like) design elements in Nova Galatic modules like the canvas of the cockpits and hubs.

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Things the game should explain clearly but doesn't, or they are broken:

• The 'environmental' protection game mechanism makes no sense. We only know the higher the protection, the less likely to get injuries/infections/afflictions, the less 'beeping' until either protection runs out, or it doesnt beep at all.
• Reading skill magazines is truly permanent, it carries over to NG+ but doesnt show it neither explains it graphically (you know as when you read one in NG+ the bonus doesnt show up in the description as if you already read it).
• The starmap makes a star 'shine' if you visited that star system, you can track where you've been with that.
• The 'planet traits' which are the '?' in the planets view, can be found by following either the 'natural/geophysical landmark' or 'lifesigns' points of interest and scanning them. These are sometimes required to achieve the scan % to get the survey data (a note in the notes section which you can then sell).
• auto spawning misc (junk) items will slowly appear in your ship after upgrading/getting a new ship. upgrading a ship module makes the misc (junk) items get stored in the misc storage on your ship (it will auto spawn new ones anyway).
• The 'stars my destinations' achievement triggers on systems visited count, not really to visit all unique star systems.
• For the 'life begets life' achievement, either farm in an outpost or find a planet with a LOT of flora that's together,>! and then use the 'Eternal Harvest' power to respawn them.!<
• Non-major quests (the ones with faction icons in the missions' view, or companions' quests) do not influence the interactive outcome in the end quest, very few side quests have some effect.
• To get off a bounty, go into a main or small city of any other Faction and find the bounty terminal next to the missions' terminal.
• If you hold both left and right mouse buttons while using the cutter, it gathers faster.
• The scanner ('F' keyboard shortcut) shows you the distance to the object your pointing, to scan it from farther, upgrade your Surveying skill in the science tier.
• Once you research something it stays permanently including over NG+ runs, no need to re-research.
• Research Methods 4 in the Science tier will help A LOT with reasearch.
• You'll need Weapon Engineering 4 and Spacesuit design 3 to get the most out of mods (it benefits from Research Method 4)
• After landing in a few spots in the same planet, you'll notice it has around 5 to 8 'fixed' same looking locations.
• When using storage connections in the outpost, be very careful on output->input on which you select first, it is NOT bidirectional.
• In certain conditions (most of the time), Vasco doesn't count in the 4-max crew on the Frontier ship if you already have a companion, so you can have all recruitable constellation people in the same ship without ship upgrades or the required skill.
• The 3 letters code of weapons are the first letters, BAL is ballistic, MSL is missile, PAR is particle, LAS is laser, etc.
• The only way to upgrade the grenades damage (there's no quality tiers in grenades), is with the demolitions skill.
• Armors have an extra quality tier than weapons, it's 'Superior', so keep an eye for these ones.
• Only reason for the gastronomy skill in the social tier is a few dialog options, and if you MAX it out to 4 and do all of the researches (quite a few) then you get good benefits comparable to Chemistry 3 chems, so its a bit pointless unless you're looking for skills/research completion in your first run.
• Skill levels benefits are not stackable, for example aneutronic fusion on level 4 means you get only 5 power (it is not 1+2+3+5).
• No need for level 4 social skills in your first run, most need level 1 or 2.
• The Astrophysics skill level 4 lets you scan planets from farther away star systems, it gives you quite a lot of XP without you moving (between 700 and 3K per system), plus gas giants get auomatic survey results which you can sell to vladimir or store vendors in the 'notes' section for some credits.
• No point in using mines, so sell those (unless in extreme difficulty and playing a stealth game by following enemy paths).
• The starborn guardian ship and starborn armors look slick sure, but they are under-performers and dont scale well after Level 50. Even on a starborn Guardian V ship and Starborn Venator (246 Armor) is still way behind of a fully upgraded Class A Frontier ship with Vanguard Obliterators and a Spheromak DC202, and a good 'Superior' set of either the Mercenary, Bounty Hunter, or Tracker Alliance's outfits (9 to 12 bonuses on legendary vs 3 to 4 on the Starborn Armor)

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Powers notes:

• The powers menu can be accessed by the 'K' keyboard shortcut.
• Powers can be favorited like weapons.
• Powers are linked to the name of the artifact and the temple. Artifact Alpha will give you the Alpha temple, which gives the Personal Atmosphere power.
• In the 'music of the spheres' (sorry, music pun) where you grab the power on the temple by hitting the spheres, if you got annoyed like me where you passed thorugh them and they didnt trigger, aim to the top of the centre sphere, and you will hit it 90% of the times. (you know when you hit the sphere if you hear the music, you have to hit 5 to get power).
• When you upgrade powers, some get more 'power', and a few reduce power requirements:

1. >! - Personal atmosphere lasts longer (no change in power requirements).!<
2. >! - Grav Dash pushes you farther (no change in power requirements).!<
3. >! - Solar Flare and particle beam do more damage (no change in power requirements).!<
4. >! - Eternal Harverst, Elemental Pull, and Anti-Gravity Field do reduce power requirements.!<

• Powers Bugs:

1. >! - In First non-NG+, it's unknown how to get Barrets dialog choice for the power (NG+ gives a 'starborn' dialog option to force it)!<
2. >! - the temples counter in the powers screen, we all know the counter's wrong.!<
3. >! - if you used the grav dash power in low gravity, the normal dash doesn't work anymore in the zone you're currently in.!<

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Story related notes:

• You will barely interact with the Va'ruun, there's no major quest for them (yet, more likely DLC).
• You cannot get rid of Benjamin Bayu, as much as a few of us would like to.
• Cydonia's governor can be deposed via side quests.
• You can make almost all pirates friendly through your run until finishing up the crimson fleet main quest by meeting with Sysdef on the UC main quest, or forcing it via trying to smuggle contraband. This makes it easy (or rather boring) to eliminate pirates off one by one by stealth without a fight on locations. (this can also triggers partial bugs in some other quests where you will have to trigger aggro by attacking them)

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Ships and space combat related:

• Shielded cargo for contraband can be purchased out from the Red Mile ship vendor in Porrima III, no need for accessing the main quest of the crimson fleet.
• Between Akila's (Cheyenne system) ship technician, Neon's ship technician with the Stroud-Eklund's shop (Volii system) you have most of the top of the line and balanced ship modules.
• Class A is for small fast and starter ships with some punch (PBO-50 and Vanguard obliterator), Class B is for the best firepower DMG ratio with less cargo capacity, Class C is for BIG size (you can achieve a small Frontier ship with 2~3 habs as class C with 100 mobility and 3 sets of high-end weapons though).
• Always pick up the ship parts after blowing up enemies.
• Do not take on the 'legendary ships' unless you have a top end of the line Class A, or a beefy B or C, and 5+ ship parts. Also, use the boost to kill off the escorts, and then put yourself behind the legendary ship's engine, its a blind spot where it will not be able to shoot you and you can regen shields.
• Finding enemy ships is mostly random, but there's a higher chance of an encounter in planets with landing locations (3 dots on top of planet), and Va'ruun ships in the Serpentis system. Or if you have a beefy ship, try your luck by going every now and then to the Kryx system while being hostile to the crimson fleet.

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Skill upgrades notes:

• Gymnastics: Zero-G combat can be achieved in the almagest starstation in the Olympus system, or the Deimos Armored Transport in Alpha Centauri, and there's a derelict Trade Authority too in Valo.
• Fitness: Use the personal atmosphere power after draining your O2 in a +1.00 gravity world like Akila.
• Commerce: grab as much junk as you can carry and sell it to the vendors (if you upgraded your Frontier, you more than likely got the auto-spawning junk in the misc storage on your ship.
• Combat skills: use the farming guide below.
• Tech (Space ships) skills: beef up your ship and do runs into the Kryx system while being hostile to the crimson fleet.

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Best first outpost:

• Linnaeus IV-b in the Linnaeus system, save before landing if you don't find the same place, I let the video explain it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFebAq9jpSs

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How to farm XP quickly:

• What you need:

1. Concealment 4 (Physical Tier 4)
2. Rifle Certification 3 (Combat Tier 2)
3. Marksmanship 4 (Combat tier 3)
4. Sharpshooting 1 (Combat tier 4)
5. A Va'ruun inflictor rifle, get as much heavy particle fuse ammo as you can,

• Note: the previous skills will max out damage output while being crouched/hidden and hunting with rifles doing headshots.
• Go into Huygens 4 (Huygens system) in the right end of the stellar map, Daylight goes counter-clockwise, land on a piece of land on daylight, get on top of your ship, and let hell loose onto the brown crabs and green beetles, Do a 360 scan with your scope and get as many as you can, go into the map and choose another landing close by (always daylight), then rinse and repeat until you run out of ammo. (if you want to stay and use other weapons go for it, I recommend a Mag sniper, Old earth hunting rifle, Orion, a Hard target, or a high-powered Beowulf).

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Best skills to get in the first run (not necessarily in order):

• Stealth 4 (Physical Tier) (For lower detection and higher damage while crouching)
• Concealment 4 (Physical Tier) (For stand still chameleon, and for higher damage while crouching)
• Weight Lifting 4 (Physical Tier) (For more resources/weapon carrying back to your ship)
• Fitness 4 (Physical Tier) (For more o2 while sprinting)
• Rejuvenation 1 (Physical Tier) (For small health regen outside combat)
• Persuasion 2 (Social Tier) (For more dialog and better chances of persuation)
• Theft 1 (Social Tier) (For getting Benjamin Bayu's key to get the extra Snowglobe in his apartment)
• Commerce 4 (Social Tier) (For better prices specially for NG+ runs)
• Diplomacy 1 (Social Tier) (For more dialog options that avoid combat, like the standoff as soon as you arrive in Akila)
• Scavenging 2 (Social Tier) (For better chances at credits and ammo in containers)
• Leadership 2 (Social Tier) (for faster affinity with companions, and more carry weight for your resources/weapons runs)
• Ship Command 2 (Social Tier) (for benefitting of your companions skills in the ship)
• Boost pack training 1 (Tech Tier) (for obvious reasons)
• Security 3 (Tech Tier) (for lock picking storages up to master locks, specially contraband which is needed on NG+)
• Starship Design 4 (Tech Tier) (for better starship parts, needed in NG+)
• Shield 4 (Tech Tier) (for better ship survability without needed Class B or C, might be needed in NG+)
• Rifle certification 3 (Combat Tier) (most starfield weapons are rifles, hence why this one)

(Note that I avoided the combat skills, all of the starfield quests can be done in a breeze almost without them, you can get those with the previous XP farm method if you like).
​
​
How to NG+ quickly (temples or no temples):

• Note 1: Siding with the hunter or emissary, and speech-passing them in Masada III is up to you, I prefer to fight them both every time for the XP.
• Note 2: I prefer not to change the game's difficulty level, you're more than welcome to move it to easy before starting the run, might not need part of step 3 and step 4.

​

• What you need:

1. Manipulation 1 (Social Tier 4, you can get it from the Riujyn main quest in your first run)
2. Security 4 (Tech Tier 1) (for getting contraband from artifacts locations)
3. Commerce 4 (Social Tier 1) (For selling weapons and contrabands for upgrading your ship)
4. Gymnastics 3 (Physical Tier 2) (for Zero-G in the temples)
5. (not essential, but needed): Starship Design 4, Shield 4, Particle Weapons 4, in that order (Tech Tier)

​
Step 1: Quickly Acquire leveled firepower:

• >! Go directly to Jemison, go into the well (elevator passing Jemison Mercantile) as soon as you land.!<
• >! Go into the UC Surplus store to the right as soon as you enter and use manipulation on the store owner, target the Trade authority door, now quicky go and crouch next to the wall full of weapons and steal all of them.!<
• Go into the trade authority and use the 'sell + buy back' trick to 'clean up' (remove the stolen flag) your weapons and ammo (if you're lucky you get a microgun (minigun) that you can use on the hunter and emissary), don't forget to sell the guns you don't want. (I recommend keeping the Microgun, Old Earth hunting rifle (very useful for Masada III for the pesky Starborn and Ecliptic (the last quest)), Va'runn inflictor (if you got lucky), Beowulf, Orion, Magpulse/Magstorm/MagSniper, Hard Target. Anything else sell it off (you're doing a quick run, not stockpiling). (Buy the digipicks!)
• Go out of the well and sell the extra guns to Jemison Mercantile.
• If you still have guns, Go via the Train into the Jemison commercial district and sell your extra guns in the UC Surplus and Outland.
• Bonus track: have a chat with Aquilus about 'you know what' before going into the Lodge.

>! !<
Step 2: Skip main quest:

• Go into the Lodge, skip the main quest.
• Go into the eye, get the locations from Vladimir, talk to him again for getting 'power from beyond' temple quest but don't start it yet.
• Note before starting: pick up every gun and ammo you can find (no storage lockpicking except contraband ones), and store them in the ship, this will help you later to get credits you may need.

​
Step 3: Start gathering artifacts, and sell contraband for upgrading your Frontier ship:

• >! Do the artifacts quests, you will need to pick the 3+ contraband chests and get the contraband (this is to finance you Frontier ship upgrades as the Starborn Guardian Ship even on level V is not enough):!<
• >! In the abandoned cryogenics lab just before entering the building outside (you will find a digipick or two inside as soon as you enter and defeat the enemies in the tables around).!<
• In the caverns where you will find turrets shooting at you, its on the right slightly below in the main opening after you enter and defeat the first turret next to the first small encampement, there's a contraband item next to the chest too.
• In the Helium-3 abandoned extraction place (the one you enter from behind, not the front door), there's a chest close to the main enemy (3 bars) on the bottom and a contraband Va'ruun scripture next to it, there's another one almost hidden in the darkness to the left before entering the facility (no need to enter).
• Remember to store the contraband in the storage of your Starborn Guardian Ship, it comes with shielded storage, then you can Sell it in The Den (Trade Authority, Wolf system) and the Red mile (Bartender, Porrima 3 planet, Porrima System), and by save-scumming you can pass the contraband check in Akila/Mars/Jemison to sell the contraband (UC Surplus in Mars accepts contraband too).

>! !<
Step 4: Upgrade your ship:

• Depending if you have a UC or Freestar Trait, go into Jemison or Akila to get a discount, and upgrade your Frontier Ship (Add a 4 station Hab, Spheromak DC202 reactor, 2x PBO-50 Auto proton beam or similar, 2x Atlatl 280's missile launchers, a Helios 400 gravdrive, A 200 to 400 Helium 3 tank, 60S protector shield, and an extra engine like a White Dwarf 3000 (no need to be the biggest nor upgrade your current 2000, you just need an extra engine). This should give you enough firepower and ability to jump around to Masada III and defeat both the Hunter's (Scorpius) and Emissary's ship plus the extra starborn guardian ship, add a second extra particle weapon like a PBO-40 auto proton beam if you have the cash by now.
• Take off and assign power to modules before continuing.
• Note: If you need more contraband, you can go to the Almagest starstation in the olympus system that has a chest in the hidden back room where the computer with the combination is. Also Vulture's roost in the Jaffa System in a right side catwalk close to the landed ship.

​
Step 5: Go through Oborum, Masada, and the Buried temple and finish the 'main quest'.
​
Step 6 (Optional): Do the temples (Adds 2 to 4 hours depending on how fast you're):

• Note 1: The reason why this at the end, is that Vladimir will be in the lodge and makes fast travel easier, and removes the annoying 'Vlad is reading the book in the eye and you cant talk to him for a few seconds while trying to get the temples location' annoying delay.
• Note 2: use the 'L' keyboard shortcut for current quests and the 'R' keyboard shortcut while highlighting the sub quest and it will auto-select the target planet without using the star map animations.
• Note 3: use as much Amp as you have or buy it or manufacture it to reach the temples faster, Grav dash also helps once its upgraded enough.

>! !<
Step 7: Go through the Unity.

• Note 1: Save (and then load) before hitting the unity if you want a specific set of legendary effects on your starborn armor.

​
Hope it helps! :)

Hope you guys enjoy, despite the possible plot holes and story omissions... -v907
***
Usually full of chatter, the ship was quiet, save for the two comforting themselves in the holding cells-turned bunk space of the repurposed former Freestar lawman's ship.
On a bench, a man in bloodspattered combat marine armor was holding his face in his hands, heaving shaky sighs of grief. The armored helmet was on its side at his feet.
At his side, a dark haired woman in hospital robes was stroking the back of his head and neck, softly telling him it was ok, she was there.
It wasn't entirely OK, of course. She thought back to the frenzied time a few hours prior. They were fixing up The Eye, when a ship, similar to the alien design her husband had encountered in Neon's orbit days before, appeared out of nowhere and docked with the station.
They hardly had time to take defensive positions when the mysterious spacesuited figure emerged from the airlock, and proceeded to tear through them, proclaiming how unworthy they were to claim the artifacts they had collected.
Then he paused in his rampage, disarming her and saying, "Especially your mate. Ulrich is his name, right? Your suffering will add to his for his sin." He lowered his twin-barreled laser rifle, and blasted her leg.
Everything faded in and out after that. She remembered Vladimir yelling into the com panel, "Andreja is still breathing, but all that blood! Take the artifacts and run!" She thought she heard Ulrich's voice saying he was coming. She prayed he would be there fast, if only to see him for one last time. Then she faded out. She faded back in, to hear Vladimir arguing with Ulrich over the comms. "What about the artifacts?" "Fuck the artifacts!" retorted her husband, angrily. "Lives are on the line! Now, tell me Andreja's condition!" And he proceeded to guide the dark Slav ex-pirate through some trauma procedures--applying a TQ high up on her thigh, packing the wound with Neurodyne-infused gauze. Asking about Sarah and Barrett, and prescribing courses of treatment. Hearing Vladimir complain in his poetic manner about having far fewer arms than an octopus, fewer eyes than a spider, and only one body.
She stayed conscious from there on...relieved to see their ship pull up to the airlock, hearing it cycle, and seeing him spring into action, in full Marine gear, assault shotgun on his back, medical jump pack at his side, going full-on Corpsman as he had done so many times during his time with the UC Navy. Administering an IV to Andreja, tending to Vladimir's energy burns, setting Barrett's broken arm, applying an auto-traction splint to Sarah's broken femur. Applying copious amounts of Neurodyne.
She was never more proud of her husband than at that moment, and silently thanked the God she knew he prayed to in private. She made a promise to leave an offering to his church in Akila--regardless of what the Great Serpent might think of that. He called for a Reliant EMS shuttle, kissed his wife and promised he'd see her at the hospital's recovery ward, and departed back planetside to help those he had left at the Lodge.
The wonders of 23rd century medicine helped her back on her feet in a few hours, with a recommended couple of weeks to let her body heal itself, so she was upright in a recovery berth when Ulrich arrived to pick her up.
There was some kerfluffle in outpatient processing about unsanitary conditions--they wouldn't release her to him in the state he was. She got herself out of the berth to see what the matter was.
There was her husband, in the reception area, his marine combat suit caked in dried blood. His helmet hung to his side. His Ranger cap had a bloody smear on the bill. A nurse and physician were demanding he leave and clean himself up before picking up his wife. Andreja pushed past them, and said she was voluntarily discharging herself. She hastily, firmly, nigh rudely, verbally approved all the waivers asked of her. And walked out in a hospital robe with Ulrich.
When she asked him what had happened, he told her they had encountered a Starborn who called himself The Hunter. Face to face. Took about five shots to dispatch him from a rifle known to down an Alpha Ashta with only one. They were after the artifacts. Ulrich had to take The Hunter down again out in the plazas of Jemison. Thankfully, he avoided collateral damage. The Hunter congratulated him in orbit for besting him in combat, and promised to leave them alone while they searched for the remaining artifacts. Constellation tasked him with their safekeeping, and he had an idea where to set up a safehouse for them.
He was being very terse, speaking in short sentences. She heard a trembling in his voice, saw an occasional quiver in his upper lip as they walked to the spaceport.
"Are you OK? Should I check you for injuries?"
"I'm OK. But yeah, you can check me when we get on the ship." Usually, he said that with a flirty lilt, an invitation for some intimate fun afterward. But not this time. His forced flat tone indicated he was trying to hold himself together over something.
"What's wrong?" Another quiver of the lip. He forced out the words,"I'll tell you on the ship."
Once inside, in the refurbished living quarters, he sat down on the bench and sat his helmet at his feet. She noted his red eyes, and heavy breathing.
"Sam...he's...gone." At that point, he held his face in two blood-caked gloves, and let all his grief out in great, heavy sobs.
She had never seen him like this before. She knew he was a combat veteran, but had yet to tell anyone about his experiences there--not her, not his parents, not even Sam Coe. She had seen him in action against the numerous pirates, spacers, and mercenaries they had fought together. But afterwards, he neither celebrated, nor mourned. "Just taking care of business," he would say, and that would be that.
She tried comforting him, stroking the back of his head and neck, telling him she was there, he was OK, and it was going to be all right.
After a while, the sobbing subsided, and she felt his breathing start to return to normal. He lifted his face out of his hands, and wiped under his eyes with his gloves, leaving streaks of dried blood. Andreja stood up. "Let's get you cleaned up." She helped him out of his suit, slipped out of her hospital robe, and led him to the shower, looking him over for injuries.
"You sure it's OK to get that wet?" He asked, nodding to the bandages around her thigh.
Andreja grinned. Always the medic. A good sign he was getting himself back together. "The doctor said it was fine."
Ulrich sighed. "The Hunter said he was coming for the Lodge. But when Vlad said you were bleeding out, I had to help you."
"I know, dearest."
"I hated leaving them, but I couldn't let you die. And I knew time was critical." Even 400 years after the first ambulances appeared on the battlefields of World War I, the principle of the Golden Hour was still in effect.
"I know...and you saved me, dearest." She kissed him. "I am still alive because of you."
Ulrich sighed, and looked down. "But I couldn't save Sam."
"Dearest, you did what you could." She kissed him again, and opened the shower door. "I'll be in the mess. Take your time. I'll pour us both a bourbon when you get out." "Liebe, I'm totally drained from the day. I'm going straight to bed after this. Maybe tomorrow."
"I'll warm the bed for you." After drying off, she slipped into the sheets in their sleep cubicle, but was fast asleep herself by the time Ulrich lay himself next to her.
Smelling her hair, and wrapping his arm around her, he whispered, "I don't think I could've lived with myself if you died." Shortly thereafter, his tiredness and the warmth of his wife's body carried him off to the depths of the Blackest Sea's more pleasant cousin.
*** Andreja woke up alone. Looking around for her husband, she noticed the pressure door to the forward cabin was closed. Through it, she heard the thumping of loud music. Grabbing one of her husband's shirts, she buttoned up the front as she made her way to the door.
Peering through the window, she saw Ulrich sitting in the crew chair normally occupied by Sam.
Opening the door, she was greeted with a loud refrain:
"If I were King of all I imagine, I would trade all I am To have you by my side. If I were King."
Ulrich turned around, then reached up to stop the playback on the forward deck audio system. "Sorry, didn't want to wake you."
Andreja shook her head. "No worries. It was time to get up anyway." She then noticed the Ranger cap with the blood smear on the bill on his head, the whiskey bottle on the other side of the seat, the smell of distilled spirits, the wet spot on the floor, and the empty glass turned upside down next to it.
Ulrich looked down at the mess he had intentionally made. "Pouring out one to the Blackest Sea for Sam." He held up another empty glass in his hand. "Want to join me?"
Andreja was not much for drinking, but she nodded. Ulrich gave her the glass, and unworked the cork on the bottle of old earth whiskey he had found on a Nova Galactic station. It had a weird name...Uncle...Nearest? It was originally made on a patch of Earth with Ten-something in its name, now obliterated like the rest of the Terran landscape.
The bottle was priceless, its contents smooth and savory. A fitting tribute to their friend. She took a sip, and emptied the rest of it on the flight deck.
Nodding to the console, she said, "Let's hear more." During the course of their relationship, Ulrich had been exposing her to his tastes in some of Old Earth music. She liked its hard edges, the brutal honesty that expressed itself in both chord and chorus.
Ulrich hit the playback, but turned down the volume some.
"I have too much time today, my brother. Can you hear me?
"I know where I am, but I still feel lost. Please know that I am grateful For the years you gave to me. Everything's changed, but nothing changes For you."
That verse caused a lump in Andreja's throat. Sam made his last stand--for the sake of his friends' future. She understood why her husband was playing this song.
"I won't waste my life asking questions. I've seen the horror of war and There's so much more for a man who's been Where I've been."
The song ran through the chorus, guitar interlude, denouement, and ended abruptly with "If I were King."
Andreja nodded. "Very apropos." Ulrich sighed. "I don't think I've played that since I got out of the Navy."
Andreja took the next crew seat over and set down the empty glass. "You've never told me much about your time, fighting alongside the Marines."
"Some things I'd rather leave in the past. I'll tell you more in time. I saw a lot of men die. Many of them died while I tried to save them. I've managed to pick up and drive on with most of them, but Sam's death just hit me hard, in a way I only experienced one other time."
"It's been a black time for me, too, my love."
"One other song you can listen to that might help explain what I've been through." He went through the playlist, and forwarded a suggestion to her ship network user account. "Old Aaron Lewis song, by another guy who had also been there. Listen to it, whenever."
Andreja smiled. "I will."
"Anyway," Ulrich continued, "my best bud back in high school was Jimmy Bishop. Orville James Bishop. He hated that first name, and preferred Jimmy. We just clicked. Played schoolyard games, video games, and later, chased girls together, played sports together, snuck out to party together. Wherever one of us was, the other was usually right there, too."
He reached down for the glass he had left on the deck, and started to pour himself another. "Being the more musically inclined of the two of us, he introduced me to Old World metal. Been a fan ever since. But he was also the one to really encourage me to go into the military. He always wanted to be a Force Recon Marine. But since I was more interested in emergency medicine, I enlisted in the Navy to be a Corpsman. He wound up making it into Force Recon, and I made it into SARC, which are the Navy medics sent to serve alongside units like Force Recon."
Andreja picked up her glass, and offered it to be filled, on this rare occasion--a first, really--when her husband opened up about his past. Ulrich obliged.
After they both took a sip, Ulrich spoke further, "Jimmy messaged me on several occasions how cool it would be if we wound up on the same op."
Ulrich took yet another sip. "Well, it happened. SysDef had a high-risk anti-piracy op it needed Marine support with. And Force Recon are the ones for that kind of job. And my SARC unit was picked to provide tactical medical support.
"Jimmy and I were giddy about it. We thought it was going to be just like the war cinematics we'd watch as kids. Go in, kick ass, go home as heroes."
Andreja took a sip, and grimaced at the 100 proof burn. "Doesn't always work out that way."
Ulrich slowly nodded. "In a particularly pitched firefight near a pirate staging base, Jimmy took a sniper round in the gut. Lacerated his aorta in such a manner that led to a rupture. Out in the field, you don't survive those. All I could do was call in a nine line and try to get him to hang in there until medevac arrived, and do my damnedest to help the other marines secure the LZ so the medevac could land."
"Dear God," said Andreja.
"Jimmy died on the way up." Ulrich lifted his glass, and tossed the rest of it onto the deck. "Say hi to Sam for me, bro." Looking back at Andreja, he said, "Now I have two best bros waiting for me on the other side of the veil."
Andreja followed suit, tossing the rest of her whiskey on deck. Looking back at her husband, she leaned forward, "But I would think, you have much more to live for this side of it."
Ulrich drew his face close, meeting her lips with his. "I do. Most definitely." He held her gaze, drinking in the moment, before reaching back down for the bottle, and shoved the cork back in it.
Collecting the glasses, he stood up, and said, "Now, to get dressed, and find somewhere to set up the Armillary."
*** In the pilot's seat, the aroma of centuries-old premium Tennessee whiskey still lingered in the flight deck as Ulrich plotted a course for a remote moon in the Cheyenne system. He'd check out the possibilities there, among other things. Sam's daughter was now an orphan, and needed a home. Her grandfather? Her biological mother? Could he and Andreja take on raising a pre-teen girl?
Meanwhile, back in the engineering section, Andreja connected a pair of old-style headphones to an audio jack. Logging into the ship's network, she found the song file Ulrich had forwarded to her.
It started out different than most other songs her husband liked. Instead of high-energy distortion, this one was a simple acoustic guitar and vocals combo. They called it "country" back then, and was the forerunner to the Frontier songs popular in Akila.
After a few chord progressions, the singer started,
"They call me doc, but I ain't got no degree, When the shit hits the fan, they're calling for me."
And the song went on, talking about the heartache of one whose job was to patch up those sent in harm's way. Andreja savored the emotions of the song, so different from how she was raised.
"I've shared the smiles, I've shared the tears, Swore they'd make it out of here When they scream, please make it stop They call me Doc..."

<< Previous Entry II Next Entry >>
TL;DR
Companion X is a companion mod in early development, designed to add an immersive, lore-friendly, and morally flexible character for the player to travel with.
The progress of the mod is being shared here, in regular updates.
Determined to become a renowned bounty hunter, a self-alleged “psychic soldier” joins forces with a starship captain (the player) to take down the most wanted criminals in the galaxy.
PREVIOUSLY
Previously, we shared how we’re breaking down the parts of the mod through a storyboard. We also shared a sneak peak at some of the concept art.
Since then we’ve been working on defining our bounties:
BOUNTIES
To denote a milestone in X’s personal story, the player will be asked to help X clear a high-profile bounty. These will work similarly to the current Tracker’s Alliance missions where you get a target, fly to their location, and eliminate them. The difference will be that these bounties will have a lot more personality.
The purpose of the bounties as characters, besides being a fun diversion, will be to act as narrative foils to X. Each bounty’s elimination will prompt a conversation that will reveal a little more about X’s backstory, and highlight aspects of his personality.
There will be 4-5 bounties included in the mod; we’re going to tease three of them here:
The Arsonist
The Arsonist is a pyromaniac responsible for arson sprees in Cheyenne, Volii, and Porrima. The Arsonist was once a miner who, while working during an unexpected solar storm, was exposed to cosmic radiation due to a malfunction in their protective shielding. This caused them to suffer from permanent physical scarring and a variety of mental disorders. Their first fire was revenge-motivated, seeking to burn down the trade authority who sold them their defective spacesuit. But then they saw visions in the fires… and the Arsonist has been chasing those visions ever since.
The Art Dealer
The Art Dealer is the most notorious dealer of black market antiquities in the settled systems. They are suave and sophisticated. Their ambition to have the rarest collection of rare earth artifacts and priceless paintings fuels their every move. Their possession of one-of-a-kind pieces satisfies an unspoken desire for superiority and status within them. Each unique artifacts or painting signifies not only their prowess in trade but also a personal stamp of eminence, positioning them as an elite authority in the clandestine world of black market art.
The Hacker
The Hacker is responsible for creating malware that has breached the systems of the most secure, high-profile, and corrupt corporations and individual across the galaxy. Surprisingly altruistic, the Hacker siphons their account numbers, usernames, and passwords in order to hijack bank accounts and distribute the funds to charities and struggling communities. Though they possess incredible power in the digital world, the Hacker relies on a cadre of high-end robots to protect them physically.
NEXT UPDATE
We’re going to move on to monthly updates. This should give us enough time to really dig into the storyboard, dialogue lines, and concept art. Next update will be on December 19th, and we’re really excited to share it with you.
See you then! - North

I was so uninterested in the main missions that I just did sidequests and fully explored (side quests and notable places), all of the solar systems to the left of Cheyenne. Thereby, having 90 hours of gameplay and being level 42.
The whole "magic artifact/rock" was so stupid to me that I didn't go through with the 'The Old Neiberhood' quest until just now.
Has anybody had a similar experience?

This post was obsolete before I even made it. Go check out mistacosplay's set up, and show them all the love and support you have shown me and more, they truly deserve it. And if you don't then I'll delete the content of this post and just leave a link the theirs.
Link to mistacosplay's post, and there superior achievements;
https://reddit.com/Starfield/s/l6qok6corj

• All resources with 23 outposts
• Minimal strain on outposts
• Only 2 Cargo Links needed to feed Unique Fauna

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​
EDIT: The data I used to come up with this is incomplete and there may well be a better way to do this. About half of the planets with organic resources are not fully detailed in the Google Doc used to create this, so I am going to fill in this data on my own and try to find a better way to farm all the resources. For the time being though the list below should suffice for anyone looking to farm everything. This also means that I will not be covering my outpost network in a YouTube video until I fill in the missing data to see if there is a better way to this, hopefully with less than 24 outposts.
​
I have found a combination of planets to set up a network of outposts to farm every single farmable resource.
​
There are 77 base resources in the game, and 73 of them can be farmed by outposts. The Remaining 4 have to be gathered by the Player.
These 77 resources can be divided into two groups, Organic and Inorganic. With the Inorganic resources being divided into further sub groups known as Families. Family groups are found in the same biome.
15 of the 77 resources are unique, these can only be found on one planet. And this is where we find the 4 resources that cannot be farmed using an outpost.
​
List of the 77 resources
Inorganic Resources

1. Aldumite*
2. Alkanes
3. Aluminum
4. Antimony
5. Argon
6. Benzene
7. Beryllium
8. Caesium
9. Carboxylic Acids
10. Chlorine
11. Chlorosilanes
12. Cobalt
13. Copper
14. Dysprosium
15. Europium
16. Fluorine
17. Gold
18. Helium-3
19. Indicite*
20. Ionic Liquids
21. Irirdium
22. Iron
23. Lead
24. Lithium
25. Mercury
26. Neodymium
27. Neon
28. Nickel
29. Palladium
30. Platinum
31. Plutonium
32. Rothicite*
33. Silver
34. Tantalum
35. Tasine*
36. Tertrafluorides
37. Titantium
38. Tungsten
39. Uranium
40. Vanadium
41. Veryl*
42. Vytinium*
43. Water
44. Xenon
45. Ytterbium

Organic Resources

1. Adhesive
2. Amino Acids
3. Analgesic
4. Antimicrobial
5. Aromatic
6. Biosuppressant
7. Cosmetic
8. Fiber
9. Gastro Delight*
10. Hallucinogen
11. High-Tensile Spidroin*
12. Hypercatalyst
13. Immunostimulant*
14. Lubricant
15. Luxury Textile*
16. Membrane
17. Memory Substrate*
18. Metabolic Agent
19. Nutrient
20. Ornamental
21. Pigment
22. Polymer
23. Sealant
24. Sedative
25. Solvent
26. Spice
27. Stimulant
28. Structural
29. Toxin

Non-Farmable Resources

1. Aqueous Hematite* (Found Only on Mars)
2. Caelumite* (Only found around Artifacts, and Anomalies)
3. Neurologic* (Zeta Ophiuchi I – Mountains, Plants)
4. Quark-Degenerate Tissues* (Alien Bosses)

*Unique Resources
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Inorganic Family Groups

• Aluminun Group
  • Aluminum
  • Beryllium
  • Neodymium
  • Europium
• Argon Group
  • Argon
  • Benzene
  • Carboxylic Acids
  • Neon
• Chlorine Group 1
  • Chlorine
  • Chlorosilanes
  • Lithium
  • Caesium
• Chlorine Group 2
  • Chlorine
  • Chlorosilanes
  • Lithium
  • Xenon
• Copper Group 1
  • Copper
  • Fluorine
  • Tetrafluorides
  • Ionic Liquids
• Copper Group 2
  • Copper
  • Fluorine
  • Gold
  • Antimony
• Iron Group
  • Iron
  • Alkanes
  • Tantalum
  • Ytterbium
• Lead Group 1
  • Lead
  • Tungsten
  • Titanium
  • Dysprosium
• Lead Group 2
  • Lead
  • Silver
  • Mercury
• Nickel Group
  • Nickel
  • Cobalt
  • Platinum
  • Palladium
• Uranium Group
  • Uranium
  • Iridium
  • Vanadium
  • Plutonium

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List of planets to set outposts on to farm all of the resources. In some cases, you will have a choice of planets to pick from to complete a family group.
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Planets with Unique Resources
1.Schrodinger II

• Chlorine
• Chlorosilanes
• Aldumite

2.Katydid III

• Water
• Aluminum
• Beryllium
• Indicite

3.Carinae III-a

• Iron
• Alkanes
• Rothicite

4.Huygens VII-a

• Nickel
• Cobalt
• Tasine

5.Verne I

• Argon
• Benzene
• Neon
• Veryl

6.Decaran VII-b

• Helium-3
• Uranium
• Iridium
• Vytinium

7.Bardeen III

• Carboxylic Acids
• Amino Acids
• Gastro Delight
• Metabolic Agent
• Sealant
• Analgesic
• Cosmetic
• Lubricant
• Nutrient
• Sealant
• Toxin

8.Linnaeus II

• Fiber
• High-Tensile Spidroin

9.Zelazny III

• Caesium
• Structural
• Hallucinogen
• Immunostimulant
• Membrane

10.Schrodinger III

• Luxury Textile
• Sedative

​
Planets With Full Inorganic Resource Groups
11.Charybdis II (Aluminum Group)

• Aluminum
• Beryllium
• Neodymium
• Europium
• Adhesive
• Ornamental
• Pigment

12.Chlorine Group 2

• Copernicus VIII-a
• Altair IV-b
• Sirius II

13.Procyon III (Copper group 1)

• Antimicrobial

14.Copper Group 2

• Narion – Cruth
• Bohr IV
• Foucault VI-e
• Feynman VIII-b
• Zeta Ophiuchi VI-a
• Nemeria VI-d
• Lunara – Gasparis
• Indum IV-d

15.Lead Group 1

• Gamma Vulpes IV-a
• Jaffa VII-b
• Jaffa I
• Tirna VIII-c

16.Lead Group 2

• Heinlein IV-b
• Maal IV
• Freya III

17.Uranium

• Jaffa III
• Eridani III

Planets With Both Unique Resources And Full Resource Groups
18.Fermi VII-a

• Nickel
• Cobalt
• Platinum
• Palladium
• Memory Substrate

19.Zeta Ophiuchi I

• Iron
• Alkanes
• Tantalum
• Ytterbium
• Neurologic (Unique Organic Resource, Not Farmable)
• Spice
• Polymer

​
Filling In Missing Resources
20.Bel II

• Aromatic
• Lithium

21.Alpha Andraste III

• Biosuppressant

22.Narion – Sumati

• Hypercatalyst

23.Solvent

• Cheyenne – Codos
• Tau Ceti II

24.Stimulant

• Beta Ternion I
• Beta Ternion II

​
​
Google Doc detailing all the planets and their resources.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1seE2vzP_8Whs43C-6CXpoHPyJMFGoUH4TkSzeJqMHm4/edit?pli=1#gid=1292729315
​
DID I MISS ANYTHING?!?!?! NO!?!?!? That's it! That's all! Read 'em and weep! *Mic Drop*
EDIT: Forgot to mention that I'll be making a YouTube Video covering this. I'll edit it in later.
EDIT 2: My numbering got messed up.
EDIT 3: I've been told Caelumite can also be found at Anomaly Sites
EDIT 4: Add link to Google Doc that made this possible
EDIT 5: Data in the Google Doc is incomplete
EDIT 6: Fixed Mislabeling of Copper Groups
EDIT 7: Misspelled Charybdis and Europium
EDIT 8: Missed Tungsten when listing the Inorganics
EDIT 9: Some one had outdone this post about a week ago and it had gone unnoticed. Info link at top of the post.

What is this guide?

This is a guide intended for those who wish to power through NG runs to max out powers as efficient and fast a way as possible. This is not a true "speed run" guide as there are a few QOL opportunities I will promote that add a few minutes but make it a much easier experience.
This assumes no mods have been made that could change certain vanilla mechanics.

Qualifications

I'm currently on NG+30 and have completed over 300 temples (yes, 300. More on that later). So I've spent a fair bit of time attempting to optimize my runs in order to max out my powers so I can start a proper play through. I'm also level 222 via my first play through using crafting.
The fastest time I've been able to complete an NG+T20 (T20 = 20 temples) run is 2hrs and 15min. If someone has been able to do that faster, I'd love to hear their tips and recommendations to add into here.
​

General Timeline

Prep Phase

Spawn to Leaving JemisonApprox 5-10min
​

Artifact Phase

Leaving Jemison to collecting final artifacts from SarahApprox 30 min
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Final Temple Phase

Final artifacts from Sarah to defeating/persuading the HunterApprox 10-15 min
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Temple Runs

Leaving Final Temple to completing the last Vlad QuestApprox 80 min
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Starting Over

Going to Unity to creditsApprox 3 min
​
​
You could also measure it this way:

Spawn to Final Temple Complete = ~45min
Each Temple = ~4 min

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Preparation

Jump Rebinding - You need to rebind your alt jump key to something other than spacebar. This is fairly widely enough at this point but using the alt jump key vs spacebar provides a significantly greater horizontal boost. Over the course of these NG runs and Temples, that can save literal hours of time.
Boost Pack Training - Ideally you want to max out boost pack so you can make the most of the skip pack. This will almost negate having high Fitness as you will have next to no O2 use.Fitness - You shouldn't need Fitness 4 but if you want to, you can set a macro up to click shift every 70 seconds or so. Num Lock run into a wall and let the macro run and check every so often. You'll come back ready to level.
If you are already at the end of your runs to finish maxing powers, you may want to skip to the second guide. ie you only need have 4 powers left to max out.
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How Temples Work

Temples can be incredibly finicky. Sometimes Val stops giving temples after 17. Sometimes a regular POI can spawn where a temple is blocking the rest of that NG run. To begin with are some basic "facts" followed by my recommendation on how to best proceed based on my testing.
​

Each artifact and equivalent temple are specific to a power.

That means once Life Force is maxed out, doing temple Pi is nearly pointless. Here is a link that tells you what temples/artifact are what power. Pay no attention to the statements on what artifacts are where.
​

Temples can only be found once you have the artifact for that temple.

That means you cannot get that temple from Val until you have the respective artifact.You also cannot "stumble" across the temple until you have the respective artifact. For example, if Temple Pi is in Tau Ceti, you can visit the Tau Ceti system and will not get the quest. Once you have the artifact, if you go to Tau Ceti, you will get the quest. We can abuse this at the end of the power run.
​
In order to minimize issues associated with Temples not spawning or Val stopping giving you quests, we will collect all of the artifacts and complete the main story and then start going after temples. This appears to be the most consistent way to ensure you can get as many temples as possible during 1 NG run.
​

What artifact is where is random.

This means even though you have to go to Barnard's Star to find one of the first artifacts, what actual artifact is there is randomized each run. We can leverage this fact later but any NG guides telling you XYZ artifact is at ABC location is just a bad guide.
​

Finishing a Temple once you have that power maxed does nothing

With this guide, you'll still need to do these temples to advance Vlad giving you locations. However, once you only have 1-3 powers left there is a better method I include at the end of this guide. Therefore:
If you are at the end of your run and only need a handful of powers, STOP. Proceed further down to the "Finishing My Powers" Guide (I'll update this later with this guide, it is incomplete).
​
I plan to skip Barrett's temple since you can also acquire that power from doing regular temples. Add Barrett's quest as you see fit but I would do it at the very very end of any run.
​
​

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The Start of the Guide

Prep Phase

After spawning, you do not need to sit in your chair. Simply fast travel to Jemison.
Once you land at Jemison, go straight to the NAT Terminal. Use the NAT to go to the Commercial District first. Ensure you get the fast travel point. Spin around, and use the NAT to go to the MAST station.

Optional: Go to the Residential District to get that fast travel instead of Commercial. You can use this instead if you do not want to sell the Constellation suit. 

You can scale the right side of the wall of the ramp with a maxed boost pack, don't bother taking the ramp (this saves about 10 seconds). Move straight to the Lodge quest indicator using the skip pack as needed. Enter the lodge. Go through the prompts and skip the main story.
There seems to be no benefit with one dialogue option vs another when explaining Starborn and Unity.
Once complete, talk to Sarah again. Select the bottom option to "keep your distance". This is the fastest dialogue flow. Talk to Sarah again and bring her as a companion. Having her as a companion will save time after we collect the last artifact as she is the next stage of the quest at that point.
Run down the stairs to the basement. On the wall to the right there is a weapons rack on the wall. Spin around and next to the stairs on the wall is another weapons rack. These weapons are for your level and should generally be your main weapons.

Optional but recommended: Run to the back and take a right. Find the mannequin with the Constellation suit. There is a crack between where the door opens and the case frame that you can look through to access it. You can grab the suit to sell for some extra cash to get more ammo. This can be very useful if you get a bad gun roll and/or uncommon ammo. 

Fast travel to the Commercial District. Run to the UC Distribution center.
If you did not grab the suit. Go to the Residential District instead and run to Centaurian Arsenal as they usually have better weapons.
Check the weapons first. Beowulf is the preferred weapon because of damage and ammo availability. If there is a decent one there, purchase it and spend the rest on ammo. Otherwise, shotguns are a good alternative but can cause issues on some artifact runs with aggro.

Optional: If you got a bad Lodge gun roll and purchase roll, I would recommend just using the sit and wait process to get a new roll. Either to get a new weapon or to get more ammo for uncommon weapons. I did this almost every other time to make my life easier on the run, even just to get common ammo like 7.77. 

Fast travel to the Eye.
​
​

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Artifact Phase

Ram the Eye.
Seriously, full speed into the eye, boost and everything. No point in slow walking it and you don't take enough damage for it to matter. Once you're about to hit the eye hold your docking key (R default on PC).
Talk to Val. Get the artifact locations.Talk to Val again and he will give you the first temple as well. This is optional since you are likely to stumble into the first temple anyway. I usually skipped it. Fast travel to the first location, no need to go back to the ship.
​

Avoiding Space Battles

• When fast traveling to a new location you need to fast travel twice:
  • Once to enter the system/orbit the planet
  • Once to travel to the POI

When doing the first fast travel, carefully watch the loading icon in the bottom right corner. At some point it will glitch and do a sort of skip backwards. When that happens, you've started to load the new map. You can hit your menu key (tab by default on pc) at this point. Once it finishes loading you should be in your menu. Done correctly, entering your menu will have paused the game and prevent any ships that spawned from gaining aggro on you therefore allow you to fast travel again to the surface without having to fight.
​
I won't cover each location but I will include some details/recommendations on a few specific locations. Loot ammo from enemies along the way but this should be minimal. Boxes are nearly useless to loot. Grab medical supplies for safety but its not needed.
​

Abandoned Cyro Lab

This is one of the of the few locations that killing everyone is the simplest way to go. Otherwise, you are likely to keep aggro the entire time resulting in delays with fast travel.

Abandoned Mine

You can sprint straight to the terminal to open the gate. Click the terminal first, grab the loot in the nearby boxes while the door opens, then rush inside the airlock. 95% of the time mobs will stay outside and lose aggro.
Once inside, I went to the left and through the door then down the stairs. This path limits the total number of enemies you can aggro. Kill the 2 going down into the hole. Once you get to the bottom, you'll come to another open area with 4 guards in total. Not using a shotgun, you can usually kill all of them and not aggro the rest. Go straight up and into the last stretch to the artifact. If you are unlucky and aggroed others (or the ones from outside followed you), I recommend cutting your losses and just killing them to move on.
​

Deserted UC Listening Post

Kill most everyone. The only exception is the last 4 in the back room. If you can kill most enemies in 1-2 shots from a non-shotgun/heavy weapon they usually don't aggro.
There are also 2 other enemies that are to the right once you exit the cafeteria into the common area. I rarely aggroed those even when shooting inside the common room but they typically come out of lose aggro by the time you gather the artifact.
​

Abandoned Pharmaceutical Lab

Instead of running straight in from your ship, go right and swing wide of the main complex. Your target is the small building in the back anyway so its no use taking the time to fight the enemies in the main complex. You'll kill 4 guards in this building and 2 inside the cave. This is one of the locations that you have to exit to fast travel. Note: you can get back to the exit without touching the ground as an added challenge to help keep you sane.
​
Once you have all of the artifacts you can collect, simply turn around and talk to Sarah. She will give you the last few artifacts and trigger the last temple phase.
​

########################################################### 

Final Temple Phase

Fast travel to Oborum. I recommend siding with one of the other to get their assistance in space combat. Depending on your level, you can get very squishy at high levels making having an ally almost a necessity to do it quickly.
Before departing to Masada III, reduce power to SOL and put it into grav drive. You'll have time to put it back later.
Arrive at Masada and focus the named enemy first. They will always jump away before reaching low health meaning they are the quickest to defeat. Alternatively, if your ally starts pounding a different ship I would focus that one instead so as to not waste their effort. They will generally only drain shields and almost never touch the hull.
​
I personally save after each kill due to them having level 80 ships on me and jacking my shit up. But this depends on your own level. The first fight with Guardian I took me 30 minutes to win because I would almost instantly die if hit.
If you are over level 100 and haven't done an NG yet you are in for a tough time.
Arrive at the surface. Skip looting. You shouldn't need to if you grabbed ammo from dead bodies along the way. Head to the main entrance. Jump up the gate and take a left on the catwalk. Follow this and stay on the upper level. This will allow you to start the Starborn fight on the same level making it quicker.
​

First Fight

The easiest method seems to be Phased Time with a high damage Beowulf to the head. There seems to me multiple phases to this fight but I could never make it out. I think if you kill the last 2 within one phased time then you get to skip a spawn cycle but I'm unsure.
Note: You can actually completely skip this fight by using your skip pack and keep wide left and reaching the rocks. However, the quest does not progress so you have to go back and do the fight. Actual speed runners will likely find a way to exploit this later.
​

Second Fight

This is a 3 phase fight. The first 2 phases they raise dead Eclipse to fight. You need to kill all but 2 to advance to the next phase.
I used phased time to stand on the tower and headshot everyone I could until there were two left, then waited for the next phase.
​
On Phase 3, the Starborn will spawn in one of several locations. The most common I found was in the central building or far right corner. Save your phased time going into phase 3 until you are really close to the Starborn. If you don't kill them during phased time then they will pull an Aoi Todo (clap clap) with an Eclipse soldier and you'll waste another minute or so tracking them down. Doesn't sound like much until you realize you're going to have to do this fight as many as 30 times which is a half hour of your time wasted.
After the fight, continue on through the anomaly and get to the third fight.
​

Third Fight

Drop (don't jump) off the platform straight ahead. You should land on the catwalk which is where the first enemy spawns. Use phased timed just before he spawns and down him quick. Turn around and jump pack up to the top where the second Starborn is. If you are fast enough, you can kill both within 1 phased time X period.
If you fail, it may be best to hide and get phased time back and hit them again.
Note: The keycard they drop ALSO double spawns at the top floor of the tower on the push cart after they die. This means if you kill the last one from a distance on the tower, you can just wait and grab it there.
I use to hack the turrets and droids but the time it takes to get digipicks and then hack seemed pointless given how fast you can kill them with a good weapon in 1-2 phased times.
​

Fourth "Fight"

Continue on and enter the anomaly. Don't bother with the talking, just starting shooting. Take out the collector first followed by Vadik who can be annoying. Quick loot the key and be on your way. Don't waste time on the other mobs.
Once you are out and on the elevator you will go into another anomaly and see Vlad over your dead body. Just walk backwards back into the anomaly to avoid the dialogue sequence. You can skip this scene entirely.
​

Fifth Fight

Set hotkeys for Sense Star Stuff and Phased Time. You can also loot some items there if needed but generally its not needed. If you have low persuasion, grab whats any medical supplies as sometimes there is a persuasion boost. Any Amps you gather will help later as well.
Enter the main cavern and charge forward past the spawning duplicates. The Starborn usually spawns on of the pillars just behind them and you can find him easily enough with Sense Star Stuff just after the shooting starts. Once you find him, shoot him a few times to force him to drop down. Pop Phased Time and hit him with headshots. Rinse and repeat as needed.
​

"Fighting" the HunteEmassary

TBH, don't bother fighting. Pop any persuasion pills you have and try to persuade. Usually first try I can persuade just using the 2 & 3 value lines. If you fail, I would just reload. This fight can be annoying and you can try persuading 3-4 times in that same period.
Get the rest of the artifacts. You are now done with the shortest part of the run.
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########################################################### 

Temple Runs

Once you teleport out, fast travel to the Lodge where Vlad will eventually be. Fun fact, he ACTUALLY will walk inside the Eye to the airlock to go down to the Lodge. However, catching him in this isn't worth it and its better to just go to the Lodge and maybe use wait for 1 hr. but more often than not he will be there if you give it a second.
Talk to Vlad.
First discussion will be about him taking over. The second will start the temple runs.
Start going to all of the temples you stumbled upon earlier as well as the one Vlad gave you. Once complete, start the Vlad cycle and rinse and repeat.
To get to Vlad slightly faster between temples, once you load into the Lodge, you can time your jump to hit your head on the doorway and then skip pack across the room. It saves 2-3 seconds which doesn't sound like much but 300 temples in that saved me almost 10 minutes of playtime.
When doing a temple run, it is what it is. The only really suggestions are:

1. Know what "Amp" you have and to use it when it land VERY far away. On average, it takes 60-75 seconds to run to a temple using skip pack but some are much higher.
2. Temples will generally spawn in the same spot on a planet tile. For example, one of the Tau Ceti locations you will land and a tall mountain is in front of you. At the top is an oddly tall tree. The temple will always spawn directly right of the ship on this tile. I do not have a cheat sheet for all of these but pay attention as you go and you'll learn them. Anomaly/Temple tiles do not appear to have any sort of procedural generation involved.
3. Remember when fast traveling to use the menu workaround to avoid space fights.
4. I set my wireless mouse 4 key to skip pack and then go to the bathroom or get water while I run. You could also do this with a macro. I never had issues with aggro. Gives me that 1-2 minute break to refresh and not get as burned out.

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########################################################### 

How many Temples will I do?
This is a great question.
I've been screwed in as little as 3 by a regular POI spawning at a temple location that Vlad provided. If that happens, there is no fix. No reload etc will fix this. I've gone back as far back as 45 minutes and the same temple was bugged. Just cut your loses and start a new NG.
Sometimes Vlad will stop giving temple locations at 14-17 temples leaving 5-10 undone. I personally just started a new NG after that. Arguably you may be able to go from system to system to "stumble" into them however there are reports of people trying that and turning up empty.
In either situation, if your Parallel Self isn't X yet then you could take this time to do Barrett's quest. Otherwise, I would GG next and move on to the next NG.
These bugs are what resulted in me having to do 30 NG cycles and 300 temples to max my powers. Near the end there is a more efficient way to proceed however I didn't figure it out until I was already 240 temples in so I was running almost all temples every time just to level 3-4 powers.
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########################################################### 

Finishing My Powers

So you only have a few powers that are short some levels. There is a better process to reduce the RNG and make it more likely a Vlad mission will return one of the temples you need.
The Prep Phase is mostly the same however you really don't need anything more than what spawns in Lodge.
The Artifact Phase is where things are different. What artifact is part of the artifact search is RANDOMIZED. Meaning if you need PI, XI, and PHI temples/powers then there is a chance that the artifacts you find in the artifact phase could randomly be one of those artifacts.
​

1. Identify what artifacts/temples you need still.
2. Begin collecting artifacts
3. As soon as you come across one of those artifacts STOP.
4. Any Temples you have "stumbled" across BEFORE step 3 can NOT be a temple for the power(s) you need. You do not ever need to go to these. Make note of which planets they are as there can be multiple temples per system.
5. Go to Vlad and start doing temple quests. Also do any NEW "stumbled" temples you come across post step 3 as they COULD be one for your power as it is now in the RNG table.
6. Once you have completed the temple you need, continue gathering artifacts and toss any stumbled temples of found once again. Rinse and repeat from step 2 until Sarah.
7. Once you talk to Sarah and get her artifacts, if you still have not received an artifact for one of your powers, travel to all of the major systems. Personally, I did:

• Tau Ceti
• Barnard's Star
• Procyon A and B
• Bessel
• Piazzi
• Sirius
• Olympus
• Aranae
• Cheyenne

The goal here is you KNOW any temples in these systems you "stumble" across cannot be a temple for the power(s) you need because you don't have the artifact. So simply stumbling across them, you can eliminate them and never need to do them. Importantly, this ALSO removes them from the possible RNG table of what Vlad may provide you.
This means once you complete the final temple, you've effectively completed all of the temples for all of the artifacts you collected prior to WITHOUT actually having to do all or the majority of them (assuming you "stumbled" across all of them). =
Once you have the temples you need, just NG again. There is no need to continue doing temples.
Here is a practical example:
I need PI and XI. When collecting artifacts I collect Tau, Beta, etc etc but not PI or XI. I talk to Sarah and she doesn't have them either. I travel to most of the major systems that usually have temples. Any of them that have anomalies will NOT have the PI or XI temple. Once I complete the Final Temple and gather the Hunters and Emissary's I can start with Vlad. I've now got Pi and Xi so they are in Vlad's table and the "stumble" table. So any temples I come across from here on out are fair game. Once I finished PI and XI I will NG again and do it again until PI and XI are level 10.
Feel free to make a cleaner guide or video based on this. I just ask that credit for anything here mention it came from here.
​

Like many other Captains I've put in over 100 hours and decided to do NG+ to see what there was to offer. My NG+1 run was vanilla, identical to a new character, so i did some searching and saw the possibilities that you could get from further NG+ runs. One of these runs differentiated itself by not allowing you to save or access your inventory, which means you can't use any items or weapons you pick-up or take a break. A tricky run, that leans itself into a speedrun more or less. So, with that in mind I prepared for such a run just to get it on my NG+2.... And my NG+3... back-to-back.
So just make sure that you prepare yourself before hopping into that sparkly space ball and rolling the dice, as sometimes you can role a nat 1, two times in a row. For those interested here is a brief synopsis of the two No-Save No-Inv runs.
NG+2All constellation members were dead, save for Vasco, who tell you as such and hands you all of the artifacts that you would normally find, along with the ones Sarah or Barrett would give you in a vanilla NG run. I was playing on Hard difficulty, level 73 and had been specing towards a tanky build in prep for when this run would show up, but these are the perks and powers that helped the most in doing both runs.
Perks:

• Rejuvenation
• Pain tolerance
• Manipulation
• Ballistics
• Ship-Sheilds
• Stealth
• Commerce
• Various crafting perks (suit, weapons, rare manufacture)

Powers:

• Moon Form
• Life steal
• Grav push (Fus-Ro-dah)
• Reactive shield
• Sunless Spot (freeze)

Upon starting you have nothing, so i looted all of the Lodge and was lucky enough to get an Advanced Shotty and a decent amount of ammo. i took the rest of the items i could, sold them and used the money to buy all the caseless ammo i could and upgraded the shotty to the max. Now, getting the artifacts is fairly simple, there are only 6 to collect and are all fairly close together (at least for me both times) the hardest being the one in Cheyenne. if i recall correctly there are only ever 3 starborn "protecting" these artifacts and seem to be capped at level 30. On the first No-Save, I did hit some temples to get more advanced powers, only if the temples were in the same system as the artifacts. Since Vladimir was dead on this run, I had to use the Eye myself to find temples if I didn't scan the system they were in.
Once you have all 6, you move to Oberon and meet with the Emissary and Hunter. I typically have fight them both but this time I didn't want a 2v1, so I sided with the Emissary, as I thought her weapon would suck more to fight against. Then after making your decision, you head to the buried temples and have a space battle. if you've sided with the Emissary before you know this is now a 2v3 or 2v4 against the Hunter's ships. The Emissary doesn't spawn in immediately and you don't want to get overwhelmed, so I ran and did 4 1v1 fights instead.
Now on the surface of the planet you have 5 boss fights ahead of you, all pretty much the same gimmick, fight clones then kill the actual Starborn and move on. The first, second and third boss are all fairly easy as the weapons they have aren't melty, and the mobs with them are low level typically. But health and ammo management are the name of the game, so slowly taking the fight with powers is what i did for those 3. The 4th fight is arguably the hardest, because you fight yourself, and if you are with the Emissary, clones of her. This is where Moon Form came in clutch, as you don't take damage and heal, but can't move. But that doesn't matter too much as it just burns the timer for the boss to spawn. Once he does i force pushed him and blasted him with the Shotty for 2 damage cycles until he was dust.
The final fight with the Hunter can go 2 ways, either fight him and his clone until you win at Cape Canaveral or use Persuasion to get him to leave. Since I couldn't access my inventory to use any stims to help my chances on talking my way out, I failed and fought him. Force push DOES NOT work on the Hunter and Moon form and life steal became my two best friends again. I did come close to dying in this fight since the Hunter uses a lot of powers so make sure to keep your distance, unless you can crit and knock him down.
Now after you win, the Emissary gives you her artifacts and you can go to the Unity, which i did immediately, with the hopes that i wouldn't have to do that again, but I was waaaay wrong.
NG+3
SSDD with this one, no saving, no inventory. But this time my suit had a medic perk, which activated once in the run, so I was picking up med packs. THE major difference on this run was the start was completely different. No Vasco, only Noel, who had a plant named Sarah Morgan. She told me everyone had either passed away or retired from Constellation and she was all that was left. She gave me the artifacts and the next locations, which were all the same as the NG+2 run. i did exactly the same thing as well, even had the same shotgun somehow. But this time i lowered the difficulty to easy, was too tired to tryhard again. NG+2 took 2hr 45min, NG+3 took 1hr 5min.
Hit me up for questions if you want...

Hello there, long time lurker. This would be my very first post and I hope that it's a helpful one. This is my first Bethesda game and therefore was feeling overwhelmed by the possibility of missing out on any upgrades for my character so once I discovered Skill Magazines I had to incorporate them into my NG+ runs in order to not miss out on any.
Yes, Skill Magazines do carry over into every NG+.
Yes, they respawn where you once found them and can potentially be a brand new one you have never acquired.
No, you can not get the same exact magazine and get stacked benefits. Once you have a specific copy of a Skill Magazine that's that. You have it and if you encounter it once again in the wild it will not have the effect description on it.
I am still testing things but I have collected 73 Skill Magazines so far. Wondering what the total is, if anyone knows I would love that information.
Now on to the route!
From the start of a NG+
Jemison: New Atlantis: Spaceport: (Va'ruun Scripture)

• Grab the magazine in one of the jail cells in the UC Security Office. Thanks @AlternativeNote2620

Jemison: New Atlantis: (Constellation Guide, The New Atlantian)

• The Lodge: Magazine located at Center of the room by the Artifact
• Run over to Pioneer Tower: Magazine located on one of the tables out on the balcony of the restaurant

Jemison: The Well: (The New Atlantian, Cyber Runner's Cipher)

• Steal from the weapons store, sell it all to the Trade Authority; keep what you want to use.
• Grab magazine from the second floor of Kay's House
• Grab magazine from Apex Electronics and Salina's package quest.
• Go back to the weapon's store and overhear the argument over the boots and take the quest.

Jemison: New Atlantis: MAST District: (Nova Galactic Manual, Vanguard Space Tactics)

• Sign up for the Vanguard
• Take the Elevator to Cabinet Chambers; Magazine in back Office.
• Take the Elevator to the Flight Simulator, Magazine on a table in one of the rooms. Optional to do some of the Flight Simulator if you're working on progressing any skills.

Alpha Centauri: Gagarin: Gagarin Landing: (Kryx's Journal Entry)

• Find the Liberty Square Memorial and head directly east till the end where you'll find this magazine sitting on a table.

The Eye: (Peak Performance)

• Grab the magazine in the Facilities: Personal Training Room
• Get some Temple locations from Vladimir

Get arrested and join the UCSysDef: (Combatech Catalog)

• Grab the magazine on the Vigilance. Room on the left as you first enter the command center.
• Begin the quest to infiltrate the Crimson Fleet.

Sol: Mars: Cydonia: (Mining Monthly, UC Defense Manual)

• Progress the Crimson Fleet Quest
• While in the Residential Area, grab the magazine in Deimos Mining Quarters
• Grab the magazine right across in the UC Marine Barracks on the table.

Sol: Luna Orbit: Nova Galactic Staryard: (Nova Galactic Manual)

• Grab the magazine in here; be ready for a fight to get to it. As you enter make a right, down till the fork and then make a left. Up some small stairs and then to the right and a quick left up another set of stairs. Once at the top go for the other small stairs towards the "WorkRoom". Another right and just follow the corridor, left and grab the magazine straight ahead.
• This is also a great early game spot to farm for Va'ruun weapons if you're a fan of those! I sure am.

Sol: Titan: New Homestead: (Mining Monthly)

• Enter New Homestead and make your way to the very bottom where you'll find the entrance to the Ice Mines. Make your way into the mines leaning to your right. There will be a magazine on top of a large wire spool. No need to take the StarSap Space Tour but it's interesting to do it once and never ever again. Thanks @akarian88

Narion: Deepala: The Clinic: (Constellation Guide)

• Grab the magazine in the waiting area to the right as you enter.

Narion: Niira: 1 of a Kind Salvage: (UC Defense Manual)

• Enter the shop and the magazine is sitting on a table on the second floor.

Valo: Polvo: Hopetown: (Gunslinger's Guide, Combatech Catalog)

• Go to the Ranger's Office. Grab the magazine from the table to the right as you enter
• In the store Best Defense, on a shelf grab the magazine.

Cheyenne: Montara Luna: Waggoner Farm: (Solomon's Adventure, Grunt Issue)

• Grab the magazine from the 2nd floor of the house in the bedroom
• Head East from the farm till you locate a small camp just after some mountains, there's a magazine on a cart in the campsite.

Cheyenne: Akila City: (Gunslinger's Guide, Freestar Captain's Log, Gunslinger's Guide, Va'ruun Scripture)

• Optional: Persuade the gang to leave the bank, rob it blind
• Grab magazine from the top floor of The Rock
• Grab the magazine from the Consulate
• Grab the magazine from Sinclair's Books
• Grab the magazine from the small shelter in the back alleys by the Book Store
• (MQ) Coe Estate: this one seemed to be locked behind the MQ and therefore is inaccessible if you skip it. If anyone has found a way into the Coe Estate even having skipped the MQ please let me know HOW!?

The Den: (UC Defense Manual)

• Grab the magazine in the UC Marines room
• Go to dump the boots but instead sell them for profit
• Optional: Sell all the stolen goods

Volii: Volii Alpha: Neon: (Gunslinger's Guide, Cyber Runner's Cipher, 3x Neon Nights, Cyber Runner's Cipher)

• Freestart Rangers room, sneak in if you have to
• Take the elevator by the Astral Lounge to Xenofresh to grab a magazine
• Take that same elevator again to CeltCorp to grab yet another magazine
• Take elevator again to Slayton Aerospace, the magazine is on a coffee table
• Go to the Astral Lounge, VIP balcony booth, booth 1 has a magazine in it
• Rent a room at The VolII Hotel; go to the room on the 2nd floor

Porrima III: Red Mile: (Trackers Primer, Grunt Issue)

• Pick up Salina's package
• Grab the magazine in the 2nd floor area from the second room on the right
• Optional: Run the Mile and grab the magazine off the corpse at the beacon.

Kryx: The Key: (Grunt Issue, Peak Performance)

• While taking the tour of The Key, grab the magazine from the table at the Last Nova
• Grab the magazine in the gym area

​
These don't have to be in any order you can get them whenever you have some time in between Temples and Artifact hunting.
​
Tau Ceti II: Tau Gourmet Production Center: (The New Atlantian)

• Grab the magazine inside on the table

Olympus: Orbiting Nesoi: The Almagest: (Nova Galactic Manual)

• Float your way towards the area with the safe and loot crate, the magazine is floating there above a table

Syrma: Syrma VII-A: Vlad's Villa: (Kryx's Journal Entry)

• Enter Vlad's Villa and make your way to the basement to open the door with a security lock on it. There are digipicks in the area. There is a magazine on top of the table in the room. Thanks @turtur

Bessel II: Ransacked Research Outpost

• (MQ) This one is unfortunately inaccessible if you skipped the MQ. But added it in case anyone had missed it or didn't skip the MQ

Argo Extractor Mining Outpost

• (MQ) Skipping the MQ makes this one inaccessible as well, it's inside the structure with the broken door.

If anyone has any more I could add to the list I would greatly appreciate it. I am determined to keep doing this for each NG+ run in order to get as many as I can. I am currently on my 3rd run as this route takes a while. I am also grabbing all 24 power ups. If you have any suggestions on how I can streamline this process I'm all ears. I'm playing on Xbox S/X, my tag is XtShock#8211
UPDATE: I'm currently sitting at 95 magazines. If from what I've read and 100 is the total I should be done soon hopefully. My route will just be robbing till I have funds to hit up the trader floating around Maal 2 or 5 and then rushing the last temple to get Vlad to the Lodge so I can speed up the process of him giving me temple location. Wish me luck! NG+10 here I come.
UPDATE: Using this route during my NG+ runs I have managed to find all 100 skill magazines. I hope this guide helps all of you too. Safe travels.
UPDATE: Ok so it turns out that there are more than 100 skill books/magazines cause I am currently sitting at 101. Anyone know the actual total? Going off a site it seems like it might be 105 total.
​

It was midday in the dusty halls that were the Kingdom of Colyn’s Academy of Archaeology. Although the side where the offices for the staff was normally empty at this time, three people walked through the halls. The man in the center wore gold and blue robes, his hand resting on a cane with an ivory skull topping it. The click, click click of polished shoes and a cane on the tiles echoed through the normally silent halls. To his right was a brunette woman, dressed in an immaculate suit. She scanned the halls, cautiously eyeing every room. To the man’s left was another man, tall and broad shouldered. He seemed to have a chip on his shoulder, giving a bit of a glare as he walked through the halls. The trio stopped at a door that had a placard that read
PROF HENRY LUCAS.
The nobleman gave a smile as his red eyes scanned an ornate pocket-watch. He gave a smile to the other two as he ran a hand through his messy hair.
“Cyrus. Cheyenne. Wait here. I will not be long.”
The woman, Cheyenne, gave a bow as she leaned against the wall.
“As you wish Prince Albert. If you need me or Cyrus, just give us the word.”
The priest gave a grin as he started to look around the hall, observing the various vases and relics of the hall, before he gave a thumbs-up.
“Yeah, don’t worry about it, Boss. I don’t mind waitin’! Gives me a bit more time to case the joint.”
His words were met with glares from his compatriots. Grinning and giving a shrug, he continued to wander the halls.
“What? I wasn’t going to actually do a job here. Just, ya know. Thinking about it. Old habits and all that.”
A normal noble would take offense to their retainer casually discussing robbing a place they were visiting. However, the lord was unphased as he gave a chuckle and put his hand on the door handle.
“Yes, well keep your thoughts—and hands— to yourself. The last thing we need to do is be chased out of a place because you thought to keep a memento again.”
“Hey, that was one time, and I thought it was a toy. How was I supposed to know it was a sacred idol?”
Cyrus crossed his arms as he gave a huff, while Cheyenne was sighing as she remembered the danger the three of them were in at that moment. Unlike her Lord or her coworker, she didn’t find that incident amusing at all. It, like everything else, was all up to her to fix and clean.
“Aren’t you supposed to be a priest…? And you’re supposed to be helping me keep the Young Master out of trouble. I have one impulsive man in my life already, please don’t make it two.”
Hearing his retainers begin another regular squabble, the Prince couldn't help but laugh, before opening the door to see a white bearded man reading through a tome. He stood up from the desk he was sitting on, careful to not move the stacks of papers that sat upon his desk. The sage gave him a warm smile and welcomed the young man into his office. A large grandfather clock ticked back and forth, nestled between shelves of idols, artifacts and books. The man put a tray of tea on a small table next to his desk, giving a gesture to two nearby seats opposite of his desk.
“Ah, Prince Albert! Come, sit down. Just in time. Tea?”
The young lord sat down, giving a polite nod as he adjusted a monocle.
“Yes please. Now, Professor Lucas, may you be so kind as to answer to why I have been summoned here? The reasoning for was rather unclear.”
A chuckle came from the kindly professor, who then stood up and poured the prince a hot cup of black tea. Passing it to him, Albert gingerly sipped on his piping hot tea as the professor jokingly chided him.
“Patience my young Lord. Patience. You are not the only one I need the assistance of. Once she arrives, I will begin.”
It was only a few moments before the door opened, and came in a woman with golden blonde locks and a scowl on her face. She bore a fine dress and jewelry of a noblewoman. Her eyes scanned the room and upon seeing Albert, they narrowed as she sat down next to him with a huff. Albert’s smile went down slightly, seeing who else the professor invited. Albert gave a smile as he tried to ease the tension, which was thick enough to be cut by a knife, and spoke with a gentle nod.
“Ah, Baroness Sofia Harrison, I am delighted to make your acquaintance again. Ah, when was the last job we had? Two years ago? In the ruins of Varenzia?”
She hardly looked at Albert, giving a wave at the Professor’s silent and awkward gesture for tea. She crossed her arms as she tossed her curls aside.
“Yes, it was. I believe your procedures delayed the dig by, what was it? Another two months? I should have known that you were here, considering I saw Cheyenne arguing with that Ruffian you have under your employ. Honestly, I don’t know why you associate yourself with that low-class burglar.”
Albert stood up, putting his tea on the table. He gave her a glare, his red eyes blazing with an intense anger.
“Now see here! Cyrus is loyal and resourceful retainer. Even if he does not come from an upper class household, I believe that his skills at finding and navigating ruins are among the best. It is more wise to hire based on skills, rather than simply hiring whatever third rate noble coasting on status alone, like the majority of your staff.”
Now it was her turn to sit up, her face flushed red as she pointed to the Prince.
“Excuse me! How dare you doubt my judgement! My staff consists of some of the best our country has to offer.”
“Ah yes, the finest slackers in all of Colyn. How many of your staff are on there because of family favors? I already had a taste of the incompetence your men were capable of in Varenzia!”
Albert turned to the door, giving a bit of a huff before smoothing out his clothes.
"Thank you for the tea professor. However, I do not wish to work with Lady Harrison ever again. I have little issue with her skills, but we simply do not work well together.”
The baroness gave a smug look as she crossed her arms.
“Oh? Some professional you are. Well, the professor does not need to worry. I will take on whatever you need me to do.”
The professor gives a sigh, motioning with his hands for Albert to sit down.
“Please, listen to what I have to say. Rest assured, I am not looking to have you both work together. Directly that is.”
The Prince stopped and sat down back in his seat, giving a sigh he picked up his teacup again.
“Well, if you insist. You did invite me here after all. It would be rude to leave.”
Professor Lucas gave a smile as Albert listened to his plea. The smile quickly faded as he remembered the awkward situation the three were in.
“Thank you Milord. I… did not know you and the Baroness were acquainted. Truth be told, being from a lower house and due to me being holed up in my study, I pay very little attention to politics.”
“Yes, well… me and the Baroness were at one point… ”
“We were engaged.”
A blunt response came from the noblewoman who continued to glare daggers at the Prince, who awkwardly turned away, suddenly invested in his tea.
“And then our wise prince got cold feet, canceling the whole engagement one month before we were to be wed!”
Coughing, Albert attempted to save a bit of face. He absentmindedly stirred his tea before giving a sip.
“Ah the er… folly of my teenage years. Well… seventeen is rather young to be married off. Even for a royal prince, you understand. In addition, to be at a dig site like Tah’ael was...”
“My family was humiliated because you decided on a whim to go to a godsdamned digsite half a continent away instead of your own WEDDING?!”
“It was a very beautiful digsite to be fair.”
“UGH! See, Professor Lucas, this is why me and our great prince cannot get along. I hope you will take that into consideration for our work in the future.”
The Professor gave a nod as he rifled through some papers on his desk, before settling on one map that stood out among the rest. Albert gave it a glance, recognizing it to be the largest desert to ever exist.
The Ram’ial Desert.
“I will keep that in mind.”
He stroked his beard, thinking for a brief moment before getting a pen and dipping it in ink. He started to write something down as he started to speak.
“If anything, it might be a boon for this job. Tell me, what do you two know about the Lost City, Altanin?”
Albert, who was currently in a bit of an awkward situation, was currently hunched down in his chair. But the moment he heard the name 'Altanin', he immediately fixed his posture and sat straight up. At full attention, he pressed his hands together, balancing the tea on his lap. Interesting. Was he implying…? No. That was impossible.
“It was the underground capital of the great Azzam Empire, before the God-Emperor Azzam was slain by my ancestor, King-— or then it was Prince-— King Colyn a little under one thousand years ago. It was said that the… city’s riches were so great that their roads were inlaid with gold. That they had magics that could move from people from one part of the city to another part of the empire in a blink of an eye, that their buildings floated up to the top of the caverns the city was hewn out of.”
The noblewoman interjected here as well, her animosity towards Albert was subdued for the most part, now replaced by a curiosity matching the Prince’s.
“It’s most likely a legend, or at least an embellished one. Old war stories and all that. If our great country with all of its innovations couldn’t match what a madman in a desert could do, I doubt all of those are true. But only one thing needs to be true. If the city even existed… why, it would be the discovery of a lifetime.”
The professor gave a laugh as he grabbed a pin, and pressed it right at the far end of the Desert. It was as far away from their country as possible, Albert mentally noted.
“A shepherd boy had reported about finding a cave with mysterious buildings, strange monsters and, most importantly…”
He reached into one of his desk drawers, pulling out a golden symbol of a Dragon’s Claw. Each claw was inlaid with ruby, giving the look of blood. The Symbol of the Azzam Empire.
“He came with this as his proof. We have a general idea of where the Lost City is allegedly sleeping, but we need you two to verify it. Most of our scholars do not have the funds nor the youth to go on such a prolonged expedition.”
He turned to Albert and gave a bow, pleading with him first.
“Milord, you have the funds and the connections east for this trip. Not to mention, your knowledge of history and some of the languages there.”
Now turning to Baroness Sofia, he gave a bow to her as well, the previous hostility of the duo faded away as their desires for their egos to be fed outmatched their mutual hatred.
“Milady, your family’s funds, being from a merchant house, can even rival our Prince’s resources. In addition, your skill in Old Tannish has no equal, even among some of our older peers. You would be able to translate anything from the ruin with ease. To put it simply, you two are the only ones we can entrust with this important quest. We, to put it bluntly, cannot fail. It comes from the Crown herself.”
Albert reacted with a bit of mild shock, not entirely sure why the rest of the Royal Family suddenly took an interest in what they considered as his ‘foolish hobbies’.
“Mother ordered this expedition? How odd. This is hardly a matter she would normally take an interest in. Most of her time is taken up by Fleuris threatening to leave our alliance.”
The professor gave a bit of a laugh as he leaned forward in his chair. The sudden burst of mirth was confusing to the younger nobles as he shook his head.
“Well, it’s amusing you mention that. We’ve gotten reports from our Fleurian counterparts. Apparently, they are attempting an expedition to the desert as well. It’s being led by a certain Alexandre Richelieu. The Queen wishes for us to reach the ruin before they do.”
“Well, I’ve worked with the man in the past. He’s not a man I think fondly of-— For starters, he hardly has respect for the cultures involved in archeology. In addition, he is a fanatic for his empire. To be frank, he is essentially a glorified graverobber. No doubt he wishes to lead the empire to glory with his discovery. But I hardly know why mother wishes for us to go on the expedition, unless it was a matter of national security-—”
Sofia scoffed as she shook her head, “Think about it, Prince Albert.” Honestly, for such a brilliant man he could be an idiot at times. It was obvious to her why. “It’s obvious why the Queen wishes for us to get there first. I’ll give you a hint: What did Prince Colyn use to defeat Azzam?”
Albert’s eyes widened as he quickly realized why it was so important. His normally deathly pale complexion got paler as he realized why it was so important. If the stories were true, then…
The Prince’s eyes widened as he quickly realized why it was so important. His already-pale complexion paled even further. If the stories were true, then…
“Oh Gods. If they reach Altanin first… it won't just be a blow for archeology, it would put our whole country at risk."
Albert closed his eyes as he thought of the verses he read. He knew each verse by heart, the epic of his ancestor was one he used to read day after day when he was a child.
"And there went Gallant Colyn, against the wicked Tyrant Azzam. Colyn had his thousands, while Azzam had his tens of thousands. Yet the brave prince did not fear. For at his side, he wielded the power of..."
Albert opened his eyes, realizing now why he was asked to join specifically and why his mother wished for this mission to be completed.
"The Fire Emblem. Fleuris is after the Fire Emblem. Altanin was the last place the stories mention where the Fire Emblem was located in. If Fleuris manages to get their hands on such a powerful relic…”
Professor Lucas gave a nod, glad the gravity of the situation was not lost on the two of them. He lit his pipe as he continued to talk.
“The leader of the country, Citizen Robert Capnet, has been looking for any means possible to leave our alliance and invade our lands. He’s poured countless amounts of gold into funding digs like this. The Fire Emblem and other relics of the past are obsessions of his. Now, for the details. We wish both of you to have separate expeditions. In part due to the nature of the desert making larger parties impossible, but also it will make it harder for Fleuris to track our progress. You both will be starting in Bawaba, in one year's time. From there you will be expected to make your own way to the Lost City. We expect you both to make use of the full year to prepare yourselves and then move on the same date. I’m not going to stop either of you if you decide to move out early, however being ill-prepared in the Ram’ial Desert is a mistake very few recover from.”
A smile came from Sofia’s face, her eyes blazed with determination as she got up from her seat.
“I accept. It was Milord Albert’s dream to reach the ruins of Altanin first. It would be the perfect revenge to beat him first to the ruins after all.”
A laugh came from the seat next to her as the young prince stood up as well. He seemed amused at her threat to his dream, instead of being offended and he gave a curt bow.
“I dare you to try milady. I assure you, only I have the skills to reach the Lost City. If any should reach the Lost City first, it should be the one who claims direct lineage from Colyn himself.”
“Well, I suppose we shall see in a year, shouldn’t we? I will see you later Milord. Thank you for the opportunity, Professor. I will not disappoint.”
Giving a bow, she left the room in higher spirits than when she entered it, leaving only the Prince and the professor. Albert too placed the cup of tea on a table and gave a bow.
“I will make my leave as well. A year is hardly enough time when I have to get in contact with my allies in the East.”
“Yes, please. Good luck out there, and above all, do not let them get the Fire Emblem.”
Albert left the office, looking at his two retainers standing near the entrance. Cheyenne stood at attention, giving a bow. Meanwhile, Cyrus, who was squatting on the ground, stopped resting his back on the wall and stood up. Despite their rambunctious attitude earlier they seemed to have settled down. Well, save for Cyrus who now sported a black eye. Albert raised an eye at Cheyenne who simply ignored the questioning glance.
“Welcome back Milord. I noticed Baroness Harrison had left the room before you did.”
Cyrus cut in, getting in between the two.
“Hey, Boss! Cheyenne said that was your ex! You really let a fine woman like that leave? Why’da do that?”
Albert gave a boyish chuckle as he walked down the hallway, gesturing for his retainers to follow him.
“We would never have a happy marriage. She is quite beautiful, but personality-wise there were problems. She never admitted her faults, always put blame on others and generally thought herself superior to others. We were entirely different people.”
Cyrus gave Albert a look as he followed his lord. Giving a dry tone, he shook his head and he said:
“Yeah. Different people entirely.”
Cheyenne caught up with Albert, meeting his eyes with hers as she adjusted her gloves.
“It’s unusual to have the both of you in the room together and without murderous intent being involved, but you both seemed in good spirits. What did the Professor need with the two of you?”
Albert gave a smile, holding out his hands in a grand sweeping gesture. A bit overdramatic he felt, but he was giddy with joy.
“Fame and glory Cheyenne, fame and glory. The lost city of Altanin has resurfaced after all these years. The Professor asked me and the Baroness to discover the exact location. In one year’s time, we start our expedition through the Ram’ial Desert, first one gets the credit for finding the city first. Cheyenne. I want you to contact Crown Prince Omar, of Tharium. Being the first to find Lost City was a dream we both shared together since our freshman year of the Academy. I would think of no other person to share in the fame than with him. After that, contact adventurer’s guilds and archeology societies from both home and in the Ram’ial Desert. We need allies from the desert if we wish to survive the journey. Ah. And tally up a list of supplies we need for our journey. Determine what would be the optimal party size and move from there.”
Cheyenne gave a bow as she walked by Albert’s right side.
“As you wish Milord. It will be done.”
Albert turned to Cyrus to his left, giving a smile to his retainer he said:
“Cyrus. Do you still have connections in The Guild?”
A cocky scoff came from Cyrus as the trio exited the building. Acting with mock offense, he gave a hearty laugh as he put an arm around Albert’s shoulders.
“Come on! It’s me you’re talkin’ to! ‘Do I have connections with The Guild?’ ‘Course I do! Whatcha need Boss?”
“If you can get a ‘discount’ on supplies, that would be most helpful. But more importantly, I need men. Some of those tombs have old locks and traps that need dismantling, as I’m sure you’re aware of. Send out a message to The Guild, give a similar message to Cheyenne, but be absolutely clear: I will not allow the pilfering of artifacts. They hold great cultural significance. If they find a treasure, I will reimburse them the estimated value but if they steal even a single copper coin there will be consequences.”
“So the same song and dance when I signed up. Will do. Alright Boss, our ride is here. Let’s head home and get ready for the job of a lifetime.”
Cheyenne helped Albert get into a Royal Carriage and then, Cyrus getting in the Coachman’s seat the three went back to their estate. Albert gave a giddy laugh as he stared at the vast city landscape, envisioning endless waves of sand.
“Altanin… I will be the first to find you.”

Whats good fellow Reddit Emblem players, today I Foss, GM of Desert Emblem have a bit of information for players looking to play the newest RE game, Desert Emblem.
Changes
Desert Emblem runs on a modified Fates system I’ve named The Desert Emblem System™.The main stickout changes will be stated in a tldr way. If you want to read the specifics you can here.
New Classes
There are 5 new class lines. 1 mounted, 1 infantry and 3 dragon classes.
Salt Drake ->Earth Dragon: Yes, dragon classes. Taking the defensive options of Hoshidan noble and running with it, Salt Drake is an Armored dragon class that excels with defense options.
Night Drake ->Dark Dragon: Dark Dragons are at the other end of the spectrum, doing impressive damage and inheriting some of Nohr Noble’s skills but lacking defensive options of the other dragon classes.
High Drake ->Divine Dragon: Your classic Manakete class, being well rounded and just being pretty good in general.
Nomad->Bow Knight/Caravaneer: Returning from GBA, the nomad exists once again as a prepromote mounted archer! Nomad has access to the Camel movement which for all intents and purposes is the same as mounted. However, they have -1 mov at the advantage of being better over harsh terrain.
Infantryman->MusketeeHighwayman: Slight spoiler but this system has a new weapon type, Muskets which act like swords on the Weapon Triangle. Muskets are like ranged Axes, with higher might but they have the lowest accuracy in the game. Other classes get muskets, but this is the class with the focus on them.
Skill Scroll System:
Desert Emblem runs on a skill scroll system. Players gain a skill slot at level 1, 10, 20 and 30. Players can use a skill scroll to learn a bonus skill as long as they have enough slots to learn. In addition to your class skills, this means you have the potential for 12 skills, 4 from your base class, 4 from your reclass and potentially 4 from your skill slots wow! However, skills have different costs, at a range from 1-4 slot cost, matching the tier listed on the skill unless otherwise stated. Skill scrolls aren't permanent so feel free to mix and trade them around.
Weapon Changes
The biggest change to Desert Emblem was where to put the Muskets. A lot of classes had weapons removed, swapped around and a side effect is now the weapon triangle is slightly adjusted. A magic triangle, similar to heroes is in Desert Emblem, if you want to see the specifics the Theorycrafter goes over it. But yes, the weapon triangle is slightly altered from base fates.
Setting and Lore
The setting takes place on the continent of Sephiro, a land rich in history. 1000 years ago, a mighty empire led by a God-King, Azzam, almost conquered the entire continent. However, a legendary hero-king named Colyn and a small militia turned freedom fighters toppled the empire before he could pass into the northern Nocticis continent. When the empire collapsed many smaller nations were born, but the exacts of the Liberation war, as it’s known in Nocticis were never known.
Until today. The capital that held the seat of the world’s largest empire, the mythical city of Altanin was reported to be discovered by a sheep herder. Several other sightings have increased in recent history, so The Kingdom of Colyn’s Explorer’s Guild branch has sent out two archaeologist teams to try and verify these claims. Players will race against the rival team in order to try and discover a city with wonders beyond their wildest imaginations. But be careful, not everyone who seeks the mythical city has the best intentions in mind….
Cast
Albert Cresswell
Class: Scholar-Truth Seeker (Custom class)
Age: 24
First Second in line to the Throne and a direct descendent of Colyn himself, Albert is what some might call a renaissance man and what others might call an arrogant, impulsive asshole. Despite being haughty and prickly at times Albert is known to keep his subordinates well kept. A sickly scholar, many were surprised when he was chosen for the expedition on account of him having a wasting disease called Tashmir’s lung. However, the disease according to him is in remission and his skill for the expedition is well verified.
Cheyenne Bouchard
Class: Nomad-Bow Knight Age: 25
Albert’s right hand and his main bodyguard, Cheyenne’s family has served the Cresswell family for five generations. Straight-laced, cautious and practical, she is everything her lord isn’t, something that stresses her to no end. Despite that, she loyally serves him and even the impulsive, proud noble listens to her advice when given.
Cyrus
Class: Troubadour-Strategist
Age: 27
A former thief turned priest after a change of heart, Cyrus became Albert’s retainer after getting into many heated debates with the young noble. The young noble quickly grew a fondness for the former outlaw and recruited him into his inner circle. The priest still acts like an outlaw, despite being an honest believer of the creator god Dumere he still keeps up his contacts in the more shady parts of the world to assist Albert in procuring rare artifacts and alchemy reagents.
Who can I play?
Almost anyone you want. Really. You want to play as a prince or princess of a country, go for it. A noble of a region? Sure. A manakete who saw the Liberation War? Sure. If you want your character to have a concept like this, just run it by me before and I’d love to help work it into my setting! You cannot pick any of the monster classes, or Scholar as a class but beyond that feel free! Players start at level 15 unpromoted with 4000 gold. Put apps on the Reddit Emblem Fates subreddit, and they're due October 5th, 2023
Links Theorycrafter
TLDR of the world setting
Detailed lore document
Prologue

A few months ago, thanks to the work of the Travis County Historical Commission, I shared a post with y'all about some of the lost "Pest Camps"/plague graveyards around the city. After that I got to thinking about all the tales I've heard and read in The Statesman archive about old (sometimes ancient) skeletons being found in this area during construction of various buildings and roadways. I was curious how many reports I would find if I looked up "skeleton found" in the archive. Today I want to share some of what I found with y'all. It's kind of a morbid post, so if you are easily triggered by talk of death and burials, then you should probably skip this one.
Probably the most famous human skeleton ever found in the Austin metro area was the discovery in 1983 of the Leanderthal Lady, found while clearing land for Ranch Road 1431 in Williamson County. She lived about 10,000-13,000 years ago according to carbon isotope dating, pushing back what we thought we knew about the Clovis culture. But there have been many other skeletons found over the years. Some were buried in mounds with the strange funeral rites of ancient lost tribes of native Americans, some others were murder victims who were buried in more recent times with haste and/or malice. I'm going to try and share some stories of the former and avoid stories of the latter. We can do 20th century skeleton crime mysteries in another post another day.
It might not be so obvious today, but humans really have been living in this area for over 10000 years. The artifacts and evidence of the old ones often lies right below the surface of the ground in some places. You don't always find skeletons like that of the Leanderthal Lady, but there are all kinds of burned rock middens (old campfires), ancient disturbed rock piles, burial cairns, spear points and arrowheads, etc. which they left behind. For instance, in Walnut Creek Metro Park on the north side, many ancient mysteries were uncovered when work began on a sewer line though the area in the early 1980s. Ancient burials have also been found in local caves, and ancient rock shelters in South and West Austin show signs of repeated habitation for hundreds if not thousands of years.
But of course not every skeleton in the ground around these parts is native american or ancient. There were apparently lots of on-the-spot burials in the 19th century. Over the years I've found clippings in The Statesman archive like this one from June 26, 1961 entitled Boys Unearth Fragments of Jaw, Skull:

Fragments of a human skull unearthed near the intersection of Hancock Drive and Burnet Road posed a baffling mystery for Austin police Monday. Detectives Alvin Morgan and Donald Kidd said the fragments were small portions of a jaw bone containing teeth and parts of a skull. They were found by three boys playing along the creek bed on Hancock Drive Saturday evening. Larry Lawson, 221? Hancock Drive, Mike Cain of 5700 Link, and Roger Fish of 5015 Avenue A reported the find to Patrolman L. Jones.
The investigators said one immediate possibility was that recent excavation in the area for the construction of a new bridge may have led to the uncovering of an old grave. Officers said that portions of wood and a square nail also were found in the same locality indicating that an old grave had been located at this site. The nail was said to have been the type that went out of common use some 70 years ago. This, the detectives said, however would remain only a supposition until a laboratory analysis could be made of the find. The bones were taken to the Department of Public Safety laboratory for examination.
Pending a report from the DPS, the find stands on the police books as an unsolved mystery.

Here's one from the Bouldin neighborhood in South Austin, dated from October of 1928:

Skeleton Found May Be That of Old Slave
A skeleton of a human being found In front of 1017 Milton street by Mexicans leveling a hill Is likely that of a slave of Civil War days, Justice Frank R. Tannehlll said Tuesday. Judge Tannehlll said he was Informed Tuesday afternoon that the where the skeleton was unearthed was formrely the old Bouldin slave grave yard.
The Justice reached the conclusion that the body had been burled there for probably 75 years. The skeleton Is still In the office of Raymond Thorp, acting police chief, who said he was waiting orders for its disposition.

A follow up article from a few days later cast doubts on the possibility of this being a slave burial:

The human skeleton recently dug up by street workers in Milton street. South Austin, and given to Chief of Police R. D. Thorp for disposal, has been loaned to J. A. Moore Jr. of Austin, University of Texas student, for study In an anthropology class. Justice of the Peace Frank R. Tannehill said the skeleton must have been in the ground for at least 75 years, judging by Its appearance.
Moore will return the bones to the chief with a report of what the class is able to learn about them. The students will attempt to determine if the skeleton is that of an Indian..

Here's another story, dated January 14, 1978, this time from the Pflugerville area:

Skeleton may be remains of Indian woman
A skeleton found in a Pflugerville pasture Thursday afternoon has been identified as that of a woman in her late 30s or early 40s, probably an American Indian and possibly buried at least 100 years ago. Travis County Medical Examiner Dr. Robert Bucklin made that assessment after he and University of Texas anthropologist Dr. Robert Malina studied the bones. The UT professor said he has studied many such skeletons for the Department of Public Safety, which he agency brings in "quite regularly from throughout the state." He suggested, however, that an archeologist should visit the site where the skeleton was found to determine if more bones or artifacts remain there.
The identification was based on the fusion of certain bones that occurs at certain ages. The pelvis was easily identifiable as a female's and the identification as an Indian was based on skull features that are particular to that group. Mrs. Camille Pfluger, whose husband owns the pasture, said Friday she is sure he would welcome a legitimate academic search of the property if arrangements were made in advance. The skeleton was found by a construction crew using ditch digging equipment.
The crew resumed its digging Friday. They stopped immediately after finding the bones about 4:30 p.m. Thursday so Bucklin's assistants and county sheriff's deputies could remove the remaining bones from the site. Bucklin said the skeleton belonged to a woman about 5-feet-6. There was no indication among the remains that she had suffered any injury or disease.
Sheriff's investigator John Crowe said there was no indication of foul play in the death. "Even if there was," Crowe said, "It's going to be so old there's nothing we could do." Referring to the identification, Bucklin said, "We're quite sure about the female, quite sure about the Indian and on the age, we're within a 10-year time span. The only thing that could be controversial is how old the body is, but the artifacts (found with the body) suggest about 100 years."
A handmade bone button and several square, forged nails were found in the dirt with the skeleton. Crowe said he checked with a local antique dealer and the state historical society and was told the nails could date back to the late 1800s and the button even earlier.
Another UT expert, Dr. W.W. Newcomb, director of the Texas Memorial Museum, said the area's native Indians Commanches, Apaches and Tonkawas were "long gone" by that time, however. That did not rule out the possibility that the woman might have still lived in the area.

Another report comes from the village of McDade, which is in between Elgin and Bastrop on the Bastrop County line. In November of 1962 a few ancient skeletons were found:

Skeletons of eight Indians, estimated to be 600 or more years old, have been unearthed on a high hill near here. The find came to light when Curtis J. McCormick of McDade began excavation for a new home on the hill. With the aid of construction workmen, he unearthed four of the skeletons and a number of implements for grinding seed, knives, and arrowheads. An archaeologist from The University of Texas, Jules Gipson then came to McDade to investigate the find, and he uncovered four more of the ancient skeletons. Gipson said he believes the bones are those of Tonkawah Indians who lived in this Central Texas area for hundreds of years.
Gipson will return with a team of archaeologists in about 10 days, to begin more extensive excavation and research. McCormick has agreed to the scientific expedition, but will continue with the building of his home.

Here's one I think was in the Tarrytown area judging by the lady living on "Dam Boulevard" (Lake Austin Blvd today). From October 3, 1935:

BLEACHING BONES IDENTIFIED AS THOSE OF EARLY SLAVES
The mystery of those unidentified human bones found bleaching in a Colorado riverside pasture is not so very mysterious after all, it now develops. Nevertheless, the aura of a past day still surrounds the pitiful deposit of broken skeletons which drew investigation this week by Sheriff Lee O. Allen and Justice of the Peace Tom Johnson.
'My husband, who lived just north of what they now call the old Deats property (where, the skeletons were found by Joseph Peacock, and his young son), says they buried negro slaves there." explained Mrs. W. A. Henry of 2302 Dam boulevard. "His father, Wade Henry, bought the land about a quarter of a mile from the property then owned by Capt. Wilson, who was Mrs. Joe Rowe's grandfather, and my husband, who was born there in 1855, remembers them burying the slaves in just about the spot where the skeletons were found.
"And he can account, too, for finding a child's skeleton, or pieces of it, in the same coffin with a grown person's, for in 18ti9 the river flooded and swept out most of the graves. When the waters receded they had washed out some of the bodies, and so they were gathered up and reburied. They reburied what they could the best way they could, and 1 guess they got some of the skeletons confused." Later Capt. Wilson's tract went into possession of Paul Deats, the city built more and more in that direction, changes were made in ownership of land surrounding the old burial plot, and finally the knowledge of the sunken graves was lost and the graves themselves became undetectable. It took another flood of the Colorado, this time in June, 1935, to bring to notice once more the presence of the old slaves' burial place..

Another mass grave was found in March of 1923 near Georgetown, along with some artifacts which looked like spoons:

EXCAVATORS UNCOVER OLD INDIAN CEMETERY NEAR GEORGETOWN
Number of Skeletons Dug Up; Trinkets Found With Bones of Indian Origin.
While excavating for a fill at the new bridge across the north fork of the San Gabriel River and at a place between the new bridge and the bridge which spans the south fork, the two streams being only about 150 yards apart at this point, workmen today came upon what must have been the burial ground of an Indian village of a hundred years or more ago. At a depth of about three feet from the original top of the divide the bones of a number of human skeletons were unearthed.
The bones were entirely of grown people, it being presumed there wear no children buried there, or their bones have entirely disintegrated. Besides the skeletons there were found a number of what must have been spoons, made either from horn, bone or stone. At the small end of the spoon a hole was drilled, indicating that it had been hung around the neck as a pendant. A bowl for grinding corn of the type now found in Mexico was also found. The theory as to the origin of the bones as given by an old citizen of this section some years ago when other skeletons were found in proximity to this spot, is that early in the eighteenth century Cheyenne Indians had a village just above the Juncture of the two streams and that they had gained the enmity of several tribes who inhabited this region, were finally attacked by the Apache and their"allies and the greater portion of the inhabitants of the village slain.
Those who did got away later returned and buried their dead where tho bones have been unearthed. It is evident that the place had been frequented by the Indians for up until a few years ago. Arrowheads were found in great numbers about the spot, and many years ago some persons dug into what is known as an "Indian mound" and took from It a number of things used by the tribes of the early part of the last century. A number of these curios have been preserved here while the greater portion of the bones have been re-interred by the workmen who dug them up.

More recently, in August of 2006, researchers uncovered some prehistoric remains near Lake Travis due to low lake levels:

An archaeology crew excavated what its members think is a prehistoric skeleton from the banks of Lake Travis on Sunday.
Evidence at the site indicates that the skeleton is between 700 and 2,000 years old, most likely dating back about 1,000 years, members of the excavation crew said. The nearly intact skeleton is being donated to the University of Texas for further study. The skeleton was found Aug. 9 by an Austin man riding a personal watercraft on Lake Travis. David Houston had pulled onto the sloped southern bank, admiring a nearby house, when he saw a jawbone, teeth and a forearm in the clay soil less than six feet away.
Houston, a self-professed archaeology nut who said he has "home-schooled" himself on the subject for nearly a quarter-century, said he knew immediately that the skull dated hundreds of years at least. Its teeth are ground down, he said, consistent with eating food that is stone-ground and thus has tiny rock fragments in it. The find left him a little startled. "I kind of did a double take," Houston said. "I thought, 'Am I really seeing what I think I'm After seeing the skeleton, Houston called friend Bill Grace, whose job with Travis County is to help maintain Pace Bend Park.
The job also gives him some familiarity with government rules on such discoveries. Grace helped find others interested in the excavation and ensured that the group did not run afoul of any regulations. In the meantime, the two covered the skeleton in mud to prevent looting and keep it from drying out while they assembled a crew to remove it. On Sunday, a nine-person team of professional archaeologists, graduate students, a forensic anthropologist and others removed the skeleton and analyzed the site, which they said was probably a prehistoric camp. Pieces of evidence are still being weighed.
Andy Malof, an archaeologist with the Lower Colorado River Authority, said that an on-site examination of the body suggested that it is less than 1,000 years old. But, he said, arrowheads found by Houston and Grace, called darl points, lend themselves to a burial taking place between 1,500 and 2,000 years ago. Scattered about the bank were flat rocks the team said were probably used to grind food. Malof said some rocks were arranged like a hearth. Evidence of the camp had been submerged by Lake Travis, which was created after Mansfield Dam was finished in 1941.
The site was uncovered when the lake fell below its usual level. As of Friday, the lake had dipped to 649.4 feet above sea about 16 feet below its August average, according to J- Excavating the site Sunday on Lake David Houston, Andrew Malof, the LCRA. "I just know how rare these things are," Houston said. Prehistoric peoples usually "buried very few people during that time. They were usually burned." Malof characterized such finds along the Colorado River as "fairly unique." "The significance of this is really an understanding of the ways of people who lived here in the past," he said.
"It gives us information about their health, their diet, stresses and their environment." Malof asked that the exact location of the site not be released to avoid attracting looters to the property, which is privately owned. He also asked that photographs of the remains not be published out of respect for a burial site. The declining lake levels have led to a rash of unauthorized digs. Unauthorized digging at historical sites on public land is illegal, with violators facing fines ranging from $50 to $1,000 and up to 30 days in jail. An unauthorized dig could also result in valuable information being lost, said Bob Wishoff, who was present for the excavation and runs an archaeology Web site, dirtbrothers.org.
He lauded Houston for coordinating with professionals. The skeleton is certainly not the oldest found in Central Texas. In 1982, archaeologists found the grave of an Ice Age woman near Leander. She became known as Leanderthal Lady, and hers are the oldest known female remains in Texas, buried between 11,000 and 8,000 B.C.
The skeleton found by Houston is homo sapiens, Malof said. It was probably a woman about 40 years old, he said. Other tests, he said, will be performed as funds become available and should give more precise information.

Well the lakes are low again thanks to the brutal summer we've been through this year. You never know, there just might be more prehistoric burials recently uncovered by the lake. From all these stories of ancient skeletons, and all the recent construction around town and around the metro area, it's a wonder we don't hear about more finds. It makes me think that perhaps some burials might have been found which are going unreported. How would the general public ever know if they were?
Time is short and space long for today so I better leave it there. I don't have any cool Bonus Pics of skeletons so I'll leave you with some Bonus Articles mostly about other more modern skeletons found in the area (murder victims), but a few ancient skeletons as well. Until next time...
Bonus Article #1 - "Skeleton thought to belong to woman absent 2 months" - October 13, 1981
Bonus Article #2 - Skeleton found hanging in Taylor - August 18, 1933
Bonus Article #3 - Death on the Upper Manchaca Road - February 6, 1935
Bonus Article #4 - Skeleton Found on Norwood Farm near Del Valle - October 31, 1902
Bonus Article #5 - "Ancient Bones Found Near Cedar Park" - January 6, 1983
Extra Special Bonus Article #6 - Rancher remembers early CenTex days (Lynchings, vigilantes, The KKK, skeletons, Sam Bass, etc.) - June 5, 1966

THE STORY SO FAR…
2050 Humans first arrive on Mars. By 2100, Humans are living in space.
2156 Humans arrive in Alpha Centauri (4.37 lightyears away from Earth).
2159 The United Colonies are established.
2160 New Atlantis is founded and becomes the official capital city of the United Colonies in 2161.
2167 Cheyenne is settled by Solomon Cole, who founds its first settlement, Akila City.
2188 Coe invites Volii to join Cheyenne in a new alliance - The Freestar Collective. The Freestar Collective is officially formed in 2189.
2194 The United Colonies positions the star station called the Clinic in orbit around Deepala in the Narion system. The unaffiliated peoples of the Narion system see this as a UC attempt to expand their borders and demand the UC remove the Clinic. When the Uc refuses, the people of Narion vote to join the Freestar Collective, who mobilize to protect the system in 2195.
2196 In response to Freestar mobilization, The UC moves a fleet into the Narion system and Freestar responds in kind. The Narion war begins.
2216 The Narion war drags on as public sentiment sours. Finally the Treaty of Narion is signed by the UC and Freestar Collective in 2216, ending the conflict. The term “Settled Systems” is formalized in the treaty.
2221 The Freestar Rangers are founded as an elite protective and investigative force dedicated to serving all citizens of the Freestar Collective.
2275 Constellation is formed by Sebastian Banks. Original members include Chole Bao, accomplished physicist; Aja Mamasa, the youngest member and Sebastian’s Protégé; Darius Andris, botanist and specialist in xeno-flora; Bernadette Laurent, wealthy heiress and adventurer; Everado Gil, former smuggler; and Kadri Toma, biologist and physician. The Lodge is built in New Atlantis to serve the needs and people of Constellation for generations to come.
2305 Barrett joins Constellation.
2307 The Freestar Collective begins farming on the planet of Vesta in the Lunara system. By 2308 the United Colonies claims that by establishing a colony in a fourth star system, the Freestar collective has violated the Treaty of Narion. Diplomatic talks break down and the UC lays siege to Vesta, killing anyone who stayed behind (or was brought in) to defend it. The Colony War officially begins.
2310 Constellation comes into possession of their first Artifact and tucks it away in the Constellation archives.
2311 After several years of conflict, the Colony War effectively comes to an end with the Battle of Cheyenne as a flotilla of civilian and military Freestar Collective ships takes down the major ships of the UC Navy using hit-and-run Tactics.
2315 The UC Vanguard is founded as part of a UC response to the Freestar Collective’s use of civilian ships during the Colony War. The Vanguard is the UC’s own civilian navy, relying on civilians using their own ships, who pledge to protect the United Colonies and its interests. The ultimate reward for this service: citizenship in the United Colonies.
2319 Sarah Morgan becomes the youngest head of the UC Navigator Corps, though it’s short-lived position as the division is shut down in 2320. Cast adrift, but still eager to put her training to good use, Morgan joins Constellation.
2321 Walter Stroud - co-owner of Stroud-Ecklund, one of the Settled Systems’ premier Starship manufacturers - joins Constellation and becomes its primary financial backer.
2322 Former Crimson Fleet pirate Vladimir Sall joins Constellation.
2325 Sarah Morgan becomes acting Chair of Constellation.
2325 Theologian Matteo Khatri joins Constellation.
2326 Barrett finds the original Artifact in the Constellation archives and knows it must be special.
2326 After months of correspondence with Sarah Morgan, graduate student and gifted scientist Noel is invited to join Constellation.
2327 Freestar Ranger Sam Coe and his daughter Cora join Constellation.
2328 Andreja joins Constellation.
2328 Barrett convinces Constellation to purchase Starstation L-868 and modify it to become a deep space scanner, nicknamed “The Eye.”
2330 STARFIELD BEGINS.

2050 Humans first arrive on Mars. By 2100, humans are living in space.
​
2156 Humans arrive in Alpha Centauri (4.37 light years away from Earth).
​
2159 The United Colonies are established.
​
2160 New Atlantis is founded and becomes the official capital city of the United Colonies in 2161.
​
2167 Cheyenne is settled by Solomon Coe, who founds its first settlement, Akila City.
​
2188 Coe invites Volii to join Cheyenne in a new alliance – The Freestar Collective. The Freestar Collective is officially formed in 2189
​
2194 The United Colonies positions the star station called the Clinic in orbit around Deepala in the Narion system. The unaffiliated peoples of the Narion system see this as a UC attempt to expand their borders and demand the UC remove the Clinic. When the UC refuses, the people of Narion vote to join the Freestar Collective, who mobilize to protect the system in 2195.
​
2196 In response to Freestar mobilization, the UC moves a fleet into the Narion system and Freestar responds in kind. The Narion War begins.
​
2216 The Narion War drags on as public sentiment sours. Finally, the Treaty of Narion is signed by the UC and Freestar Collective in 2216, ending the conflict. The term “Settled Systems” is formalized in the treaty.
​
2221 The Freestar Rangers are founded as an elite protective and investigative force dedicated to serving all citizens of the Freestar Collective.
​
2275 Constellation is formed by Sebastian Banks. Original members: - Chloe Bao: accomplished physicist - Aja Mamasa: the youngest member and Sebastian’s protégé - Darius Andris: botanist and specialist in xeno-flora - Bernadette Laurent: wealthy heiress and adventurer - Everado Gil: former smuggler - Kadri Toma: biologist and physician. The Lodge is built in New Atlantis to serve the needs and people of Constellation for generations to come.
​
2305 Barrett joins Constellation.
​
2307 The Freestar Collective begins farming on the planet of Vesta in the Lunara system. By 2308 the United Colonies claims that by establishing a colony in a fourth star system, the Freestar Collective has violated the Treaty of Narion. Diplomatic talks break down and the UC lays siege to Vesta, killing anyone who stayed behind (or was brought in) to defend it. The Colony War officially begins.
​
2310 Constellation comes into possession of their first Artifact and tucks it away in the Constellation archives.
​
2311 After several years of conflict, the Colony War effectively comes to an end with the Battle of Cheyenne as a flotilla of civilian and military Freestar Collective ships takes down the major ships of the UC Navy using hit-and-run tactics.
​
2315 The UC Vanguard is founded as part of a UC response to the Freestar Collective's use of civilian ships during the Colony War. The Vanguard is the UC's own civilian navy, relying on civilians using their own ships, who pledged to protect the United Colonies and its interests. The ultimate reward for this service: citizenship in the United Colonies.
​
2319 Sarah Morgan becomes the youngest head of the UC Navigator Corps, though it’s a short-lived position as the division is shut down in 2320. Cast adrift, but still eager to put her training to good use, Morgan joins Constellation.
​
2321 Walter Stroud – co-owner of Stroud-Ecklund, one of the Settled Systems' premier starship manufacturers – joins Constellation and becomes its primary financial backer.
​
2322 Former Crimson Fleet pirate Vladimir Sall joins Constellation.
​
2325 Sarah Morgan becomes acting Chair of Constellation.
​
2325 Theologian Matteo Khatri joins Constellation.
​
2326 Barrett finds the original Artifact in the Constellation archives and knows it must be special.
​
2326 After months of correspondence with Sarah Morgan, graduate student and gifted scientist Noel is invited to join Constellation.
​
2327 Freestar Ranger Sam Coe and his daughter Cora join Constellation.
​
2328 Andreja joins Constellation.
​
2328 Barrett convinces Constellation to purchase Starstation L-868 and modify it to become a deep space scanner, nicknamed “The Eye."

So i've been working on my other two major Starfield playthroughs and I think I know what I want to do
Cheyenne grew up on a homestead in Freestar Collective space. She was not good at planting and weeding, her specialty was hunting and shooting. Her family sent her off to a Freestar Ranger training camp, so when she was grown she could join up. She came back home, only to find the homestead in ruins and her parents and sisters dead. Cheyenne spent the next three years tracking down the men that did it, killing them. Little did she know, these men had large bounties on their heads. She wanted to return home, but having no home to return to, ran through her bounty money in rooms and board. When she ran out, she would go out and hunt another outlaw to fill her pockets again. Eventually, she chased a mark into UC space and was arrested by Vanguard who mistook her for a rival outlaw. She was given a choice between jail time or a period of service to Argos Extractors. She chose the latter. On her last day of employment, she stumbled upon the artifact and her life changed. Even as she works with Constellation, she will make returning to Collective space her first priority and join the Rangers.
Ayumi grew up on the streets of Neon. She quickly stopped caring about anyone else but herself and started to view other people as a means to an end. She stole, she swindled, and she killed when needed. By the age of 15, she had a bounty on her head already and was wanted by several people. That was when Ryujin Industries offered her a position. She took it up, becoming a thief and assassin for the corporation, though not an official member yet. Her latest mission called for her to assassinate a member of the Argos Extractors crew, with the promise of full membership in the faction after. That was when her hand touched the relic. Ayumi tries to deny her fate and continue her criminal life, but eventually, she will answer the call. Just most other people might not approve of her methods.