Beforehand, we escaped the Phoenix Sect utilizing an automatic Heechee escape pod, which crashed on a distant ice planet populated by unusual crystalline creatures. Now we have got to discover a solution to get out of right here. There’s nothing to eat, at any price, and our conduct up to now has actually not conformed to any requirements of discovering shelter and sources in a survival scenario. I briefly thought that we would be able to escape utilizing one other comparable pod buried in a glacier, but it surely additionally crashed and is unusable. Whether or not its occupant died earlier than or after the crash is unsure, however I used to be in a position to retrieve (loot?) its particular identification pod, which is able to absolutely be necessary later.
These tentacles may seize me simply as simply as a Kord. |
Now I have to discover a method of coping with the crystal tentacle creature that guards the rock cleft to the north. It is clearly harmful, and I am unable to do very a lot with it with what I’ve. Lastly, I’m going again to the village to see if I can do anything there. I discover there are some extra sculptures I have never used. I choose up a big gem and go present it to the artist, who first appears afraid of it, after which exhibits me one other story [10]:
Two Kords are exploring a cliff face that’s riddled with caves. They peer into most of the darkened caves, and ultimately enter one that’s half-hidden by nice spikes of ice.
They slide by way of an extended cavern. The sunshine from the surface turns into dimmer as they progress. Simply because it appears that they’re going to flip again due to the darkness, they spot a purple glimmer coming from the innermost depths of the cave. They press on and are available upon a lit space.
I discovered the caves, however I did not verify to see whether or not each single cave led to demise after 4 steps!
The glow within the room comes from a number of veins of purple crystal lining the partitions. The crystal is studded with tiny gem-like projections.
One of many explorers approaches the crystal, grows an appendage, and touches it. Immediately, the crystal attaches itself to the appendage. The Kord struggles, however can not free itself.
That is actually creepy. |
The crystal appears to return alive. The throbbing purple glow turns into brighter, then the colour begins to stream like blood into the Kord. After some time, the Kord stops struggling. It’s now an extension of the purple crystal life-form that traces the partitions. A number of moments cross, after which the lone Kord turns and leaves the cave.
Do I dare contact the purple crystal Kord? |
That might be a weapon in opposition to the opposite crystal creature! I hurry over to the cave to test it out. I attain the brink of demise, make a leap of religion, because it had been, and discover the purple glow simply as promised. I’ve to journey a number of extra steps north to reach within the purple crystal cave [10]. The crystal is embedded within the wall, aside from the place the Kord was assimilated, which extends into the room. I simply reduce the Kord free with the crystal cutter [10] and take it with me [5]. Happily, the purple crystal does not have an effect on me; I suppose it solely impacts crystalline creatures.
You understand you need it, tentacle-thing! |
Gotcha! No extra consuming Kords for you. |
Once more I am robotically introduced again to the doorway of the cavern after I depart the crystal cave. Subsequent up: again to the rock cleft. I toss the purple crystal Kord on the crystal monster [20] and wait to see what is going to occur. Though I meant to toss it into the water, I find yourself tossing it onto the trail. It does not matter, although, as a result of the monster detects it, grabs it with a tentacle, and begins to eat it. Massive mistake! The purple crystal entity takes over and converts the entire creature to extra purple crystal. The monster sinks to the underside, useless. As I am ready for a number of turns, watching this play out, Kords wander as much as see what’s taking place. They ship grateful pictures at me and cross the bridge, in a position to freely cross for the primary time.
Extra stone than ice right here. |
Now I can go see what’s up right here. Simply as within the imaginative and prescient, the worms, which the PC calls “diggles,” crawl round and can create the white mud if I scrape a rock with the cutter. Kords are nonetheless within the space and can accumulate the mud, though they keep out of sight in any other case. I head north and discover one other space with extra diggles and a variety of lamprey-like winged creatures. Yet one more step takes me to the sting of the cliff face, the place a variety of very previous Heechee symbols have been carved into the rock after which lined with ice. They’re laborious to learn by way of the ice, however they’re additionally not recognizably numbers or something helpful.
Heechee symbols beneath the ice… |
…are partly destroyed by the tunneling diggle. |
I can partly clear the ice from the rock wall [10]. As earlier than, a diggle approaches and begins boring into the wall. Briefly, I really feel dangerous for inflicting defacement of historic data, however since they’re meaningless, what else can I do? After the diggle passes by way of, I discover that it is damaged a gap into an historic excavated tunnel. It is very darkish, so I fastidiously transfer ahead, however I rapidly attain an open hole contained in the mountain with out incident.
Arriving on the Heechee outpost. |
Right here I discover a Heechee outpost. The compass blinks, indicating that it has discovered its goal. The escape pod discovered this place intentionally, as a rescue station, not simply landed someplace random. Too dangerous the place has been so lengthy deserted. Let’s examine if we are able to get inside. The constructing appears to have a variety of photo voltaic reflectors, lighting the realm but additionally attracting the lamprey creatures. The black wall of the construction is clean aside from a small triangular opening. Now I do know why I wanted to get the Heechee pod: I insert it into the opening, and a portal opens within the aspect of the constructing. The lampreys attempt to comply with, however the portal closes behind me [10].
Map of the power, with incomprehensible symbols. |
The within of the constructing is fabricated from the distinctive blue Heechee steel. The southern wall behind me is stable (the place did the door go?), whereas passageways lead off within the different three compass instructions. A diagram of the power appears to have been positioned on the higher a part of the wall above the doorway reverse me. The west exit seems to be a useless finish, whereas the east passage results in a darkish machine room with some sort of distant management, which I take [5].
Controlling the robotic with the distant. |
Once I use it, I uncover that it lets me management a kind of upkeep robotic. At first I am unable to get it to do something, after which I understand that one button causes a close-by door to open. Then I can maneuver it out of its room, alongside the corridors I visited earlier than, and into the machine room. It additionally has a grabber arm, however I do not instantly discover a use for this skill.
Activating the ability for the power. |
I’ve the robotic open a door within the machine room, permitting me to enter a really tall “secret chamber” with a big mysterious columnar system within the center. The column has a steel plate with a four-fingered handprint melted into it. My arms aren’t four-fingered Heechee arms, however I press my hand to the plate anyway to see if it’s going to do something. It does! The column flares with energy and lightweight that travels up the column [10]. After a pause, it travels down the column once more, then the power appears to get up and begin operating, with equipment noises coming from the west.
Now the equipment room is all lit up. One platform holds a yellow crystal beneath a clear defend with beams of sunshine. One wall of the room is displaying symbols in purple. I am unsure what to do with these but, so I go searching a bit extra.
The availability room the place the robotic was saved is in any other case empty and uninteresting. The third exit from the map room is extra attention-grabbing, although, because it results in a hangar containing a Heechee ship. This can most likely be my ticket off this planet, if I can begin it up. I poke my head into the cockpit and discover that the controls are useless, aside from a display screen blinking a yellow image at me. It is the identical image on the highest of the map diagram, apparently. The display screen is positioned above a small management field close to the hatch with a slot close to the underside. Perhaps that is like an ignition change the place I have to discover a key to place within the slot to start out up the ship?
Lampreys swarm the hangar room. |
One other system with a yellow crystal and a clear defend sits within the hangar. Additionally, a small entry tunnel extends to the north. I might higher carry the robotic in right here to verify that out, as I am unable to match. I maneuver it from the machine room, by way of the map room and the hangar, and into the tunnel. Two steps to the north, I discover what appears like a door with a hatch, or perhaps a button. It is laborious to inform within the red-tinted robotic view. I attempt the robotic’s grabber arm and am stunned when that causes the roof of the hangar to open, permitting the numerous lampreys outdoors to swarm in [10]. Their presence drains the power of energy, dimming the lights. That appears problematic.
Orange symbols – every colour has a unique sample. |
I wander again to the machine room and see after I step in that the symbols are inexperienced, after which flip orange. They had been purple earlier, with one notch on the meter beneath the display screen. At orange, the meter shows 4 notches. I additionally discover that the yellow crystal is severely cracked and making noise, which retains the lampreys away. I preserve ready for a couple of minutes to see all the colours; purple has six notches; inexperienced has 5 notches; yellow has two; blue has three. So we have now a kind of colour hierarchy or sequence: purple -> yellow -> blue -> orange -> inexperienced -> purple, with a unique set of shapes proven on the display screen for every colour.
Breaking the crystal to drive the lampreys away. |
Not realizing what to do in regards to the crystals, I subsequent fiddle with my stock for some time and discover that if I hit the tuning fork, the crystal vibrates however does not crack any additional. If I hit it within the hangar with the opposite crystal, that crystal vibrates and cracks and begins rattling like the opposite one, which drives the lampreys away once more [25]. Oops? However I did get factors for it, so I suppose it was the best factor to do. I am certain we do not need lampreys round once we’re making an attempt to launch the ship, in the event that they eat energy. However we needed to open the hangar in order that we are able to get the ship out.
Lastly we are able to depart this iceball! |
I additionally uncover that the display screen contained in the ship is now not displaying the yellow image; as an alternative, the panel is open, with six buttons comparable to the colours displayed within the machine room. I’ve left the robotic there, so I take advantage of the management module to see what colour is being displayed presently.
The robotic solely sees in shades of purple, however the shapes on the display screen inform me what colour is being displayed. By the best way, this makes this puzzle very colorblind-friendly, as a result of it does not rely on figuring out the colour itself. The textual content all the time tells you what colour is being displayed while you’re within the room observing the display screen instantly. You do not have to know what “orange” appears wish to sort “press orange” when you recognize that the “orange” sample is being proven.
Because the sample is orange, I press the orange button, and that is all it takes for the ship to elevate off [50].
Now we launch into a really lengthy cut-scene, presumably the longest within the recreation for whole non-interactive time.
The ship tears away from the small frozen world. Quickly, the planet is barely a glowing coin far behind you. Because the ship exits the planet’s gravitational pull, the faster-than-light drive kicks in. Stars blur and you’re catapulted into darkish house.
Right here we get an animation of the ship coming into Tau house and touring in opposition to a starry background.
You’d heard that some Heechee ships had been focused to orbit black holes – the Heechee appeared to have a fascination for them – however you by no means anticipated to emerge from Tau house proper subsequent to at least one! Your shock turns to panic when your ship sails straight for the middle of the swirling maelstrom!
Technomagic permits us to enter a black gap! |
The ship begins to shake. Unseen forces pull on the partitions, and the seams begin to buckle. You worry that any second, the ship will crumple and entomb you in a coffin of Heechee steel. Then all of a sudden, the shaking stops. You discover a small coil beginning to glow – the identical seemingly insignificant coil that Earth scientists have puzzled over for many years. Because the glow turns into stronger, the ship stabilizes. The black gap opens its maw, and the ship slips simply inside.
That is an completely nonsensical and but stunning illustration. |
As you permit the occasion horizon behind you and are available out into the core of the black gap, the house in entrance of your ship is ablaze with mild. Puzzled, you stare by way of the viewscreen till you understand that the sunshine is coming from hundreds of stars INSIDE the Core!
A distant view of a Heechee metropolis, a view that we solely get to understand very briefly. |
Earlier than you may accumulate your ideas, the ship dives into an entry path in the direction of a close-by planet. The ambiance buffets the ship for just a few moments, then the experience smooths out as you sail over an alien metropolis – not an historic, useless metropolis of decayed ruins, however a metropolis full of sunshine and movement – a metropolis that’s unmistakably Heechee!
The ship drops into an extended, vertical tunnel and touches down as tender as a feather. You’re taking a deep breath and go to open the hatch, however earlier than you get there, it pops open and an alien creature steps into the cockpit.
Our first glimpse of a reside Heechee! |
Though the creature is amazingly just like people, at first all you discover are the variations. The alien is hairless. A tan disguise is stretched taut over ropey muscle mass and bone. The eyes are giant and include pupils formed like plus indicators. He has no ears to talk of, and his nostril is not far more than two slits. His brow is outsized and imposing. You look down and see that his skinny legs are set very far aside on his pelvis, and between them hangs a tan pyramid formed pod! Unquestionably, you have got met your first reside Heechee!
The Heechee makes just a few fast noises – nothing like every language you have ever heard. When you do not reply, he makes a collection of incomprehensible gestures. All you are able to do is stand and stare. Finally, he tires of making an attempt to speak with you and he provides you a mild shove in the direction of the hatch.
This kind of sofa ought to look acquainted from the primary recreation.
You climb out the hatch and down the ladder. A crowd of Heechee have surrounded the ship. They press towards you, gawking and staring and chattering of their unusual language. Your companion follows you out of the ship and pushes his method by way of the mob, indicating that you must comply with. He leads you right into a constructing, after which to a quiet, sterile room with a sofa within the middle.
He motions so that you can lie on the sofa. The objects you carry are all taken away. One thing chilly is connected to your head, after which issues get blurry. It feels as if info is being sucked out of your mind. Time passes. Then a painful stream of information all of a sudden comes screaming into your thoughts.
You lose monitor of time as this cycle is repeated time and again.
After what looks as if hours, the cycle stops. Your Heechee pal is there, and when he speaks to you, you’re amazed to search out that you just perceive him. “Please relaxation right here. The Excessive Council is discussing the knowledge you carry. You may be taken to them when they’re prepared for you.” He contorts his face right into a grotesque expression and leaves, closing the door behind him.
The Heechee Council room, with some sort of digitally projected Heechee ancestor. |
Throughout the hour, he returns and escorts you into an imposing room. Different Heechee sit in tall chairs round you, and in one in every of them you see an enormous obtrusive disembodied head. Your escort leaves, and you’re feeling very a lot alone.
The creature instantly in entrance of you speaks. “Welcome, human. My title is Phthisis. I’m First Seat of the Council.” He gestures to the disembodied head and says, “To my proper is Fogram, consultant of the Historic Ancestors and advisor to this Council.” The top continues to glare at you.
I will summarize the remainder of the Council dialogue, as a result of there are solely tiny variations within the pictures because the Heechee argue, so screenshots can be largely pointless, and it spans at the very least a dozen extra paragraphs, making this a part of the sport really feel simply as interminable as this kind of assembly really may be.
Phthisis, the First Seat, has launched Fogram, the projected head, after which introduces Convergence, the Second Seat. Phthisis needs to be the diplomat between Fogram and Convergence. Fogram instantly sees our presence as a risk now that we all know the place the Heechee have been hiding from the Assassins all these millennia. Convergence is far more sympathetic. Sadly Phthisis pronounces proper off the bat that sure, Fogram’s proper, we actually cannot depart, because of the potential for leaking the data of the place the Heechee are to the Assassins.
The query at hand is barely what is going to turn out to be of us. Are we a prisoner, or can we be taught to be part of Heechee society? Fogram thinks we’ll trigger riots if we begin speaking to individuals about how the Heechee are forcing us to remain, permitting our entire race to most likely fall to the Assassins. Convergence thinks that they can not simply imprison the primary consultant of one other sentient race to come across the Heechee. The query goes to a vote within the Council, and whereas the result’s shut, they resolve that we could be a lecturer so long as we are saying nothing of the Assassins or Earth’s scenario involving them.
Convergence kindly takes us again to the ship and sends us off to our new quarters, warning us that the system permitting journey by way of the black gap has been disabled. The third quarter of the sport ends on a despairing word as we fall asleep whereas remembering that the Council mentioned, “By no means once more will you permit the Core.”
Our residence away from residence, presumably completely. |
Subsequent time we’ll begin our new job as a lecturer to the Heechee, discover the town a little bit, and attempt to get to know Convergence a bit extra, whereas considering our existential disaster ensuing from being stranded in a actually alien tradition completely. At the least they gave us the language.
Rating: 1000
Deaths: 21
Stock: Heechee pod (carrying: blue coverall)
Session Time: 2 hours
Whole Time: 14 hours
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