The Premise
The Atlas is dying. Its code is decaying, civilization has vanished and the last traces of sentient life have disappeared into static.
You awaken as the final failsafe of the Atlas: the Solus Protocol. Your directive is to recover fragments of Atlas memory, rebuild enough technology to cross the dead galaxy and merge with the Galactic Core to restart creation.
Honor System Rules
The challenge relies on roleplay and self-enforcement. Breaking these restrictions undermines the intended experience.
Forbidden
- No starter ship. Find and claim another vessel before beginning your journey.
- No teleporters or Galactic Trade Terminals. The network is considered offline.
- Do not use Units. Currency is meaningless in the abandoned galaxy.
- No exploits, duplication or save-scumming.
- Only one ship may be owned at any time.
- The Quicksilver Terminal is off-limits.
Allowed
- Base building: Permitted.
- Planetary Portals: Available after the fifth glyph is recovered, representing partial reactivation of the Atlas jump network.
- Space Stations: Stations are derelict. They may be entered and scavenged, but their normal terminals are treated as offline.
- Space Anomaly: Visits are allowed. Nada is treated as inactive, but the blueprint terminals in the rear still function. The Quicksilver Terminal remains forbidden.
Clarifications
- When you find a crashed ship, exchange it with the Radiant Pillar whenever possible. The Radiant Pillar itself is never available for use.
- Future ships should be acquired by direct exchange, including a Corvette.
- If direct exchange is genuinely impossible because of a game limitation or bug, claim the new ship and scrap the previous vessel at a Space Station Starship Outfitting Terminal.
- If that fallback is used, immediately delete all Units, items, upgrades and storage augmentations received from scrapping the previous ship.
Objectives
- Rebuild your systems and prepare for the journey.
- Locate and claim a crashed vessel.
- Recover at least five glyphs from Traveller graves. Each glyph represents a fragment of Atlas code.
- Use the five glyphs to activate a Planetary Portal. Monoliths may be used to locate one.
- Use repeated Sunset glyphs when dialing the portal to travel as close as possible to the Galactic Center.
- Reach the center and travel through it. This represents merging with the Atlas and completing the Solus Protocol.
Rule Breaking
No mandatory punishment is required beyond restoring the run to a valid state. For a harsher version, use the optional punishment rule: destroy every item in both your personal inventory and ship inventory before continuing.
FAQ
- Can I visit the Space Anomaly?
- Yes. The rear blueprint terminals may be used, but the Quicksilver Terminal remains forbidden.
- Can I use Units?
- No. Currency is treated as meaningless in the abandoned galaxy.
- Can I own more than one ship?
- No. The Solus Protocol uses a one-ship ownership rule.
- When can I use a Planetary Portal?
- After recovering five glyphs.
