Name: Captain Hector Draken, EEF
Entry: #78

Data:

The mountain passes through the most hostile territory I have ever been in were wide, calm, and quiet. This was both a great feeling but also a sense of fear grew in me as I felt another ambush could come at any moment or a drake could swoop down and carry me away.

My finder is not working properly and I need to stop to fix it or else I can’t survey for resources. Something keeps the NEO weapons powerful and I feel the durability comes from a certain resource in the ground, not just technological advancement. Without cover, the sun practically cooked me in the daytime so I did most of my activities at night. Even on the skyripper, which sped up my traveling quite a bit, it lacks the roof to protect me from the evil that is the sun.

If the NEO could figure out how to make gear that could cool people down, I wouldn’t mind trading some research data with them for it. Between drakes and the sun, the heat seems to be a main cause of death here, while the strange papoo factions are the main danger we need to watch out for in Loyalist territory.

My datapad is getting filled up with not just data entries but also photos and more photos of the amazing views that the mountains give. I move around the most at night when the air is cool and hide in the day to rest and cool down from the heat. My strider, after some diagnosis, I realized is not in good shape so I have been spending my off-time in the day to rest, eat, and slowly repair it. I’m not as good at these mechanical repairs as the technicians at Crystal Peak, but my main goal is just to get it back to running smoothly again.

I still need parts for my strider and I don’t want to rip apart my skyripper, or else I’ll have to continue the entire journey on foot. The strider will have to be low in priority, as I don’t see how I can raid a NEO outpost for parts without getting myself killed. I could, however, attempt to raid a Resa camp to scavenge parts from their scavenged vehicles. I am not sure what I will do but I will think of a solution eventually.

Name: Captain Hector Draken, EEF
Entry: #61

Data:

The first day I get back to the settlement and I find nothing new. Back in Ancient Greece, every day was something new, with the busy market and vibrant people. It is the same people doing their same jobs and the same activities that go on. I can’t tell whether it is because our settlements are designed to prioritize utility or the fact that I miss Ancient Greece so much.

My first order of business was to back up my datapad, and while looking through how big of an upload it was, I realized that this single upload contributed double the content that was already existent on the Archives. Most of the existing data were based on rumors and local legends but finally, we have concrete evidence and data to show for it.

I will have to start working on my proposal report once I get the rest of my mission logs and expedition report done. The expedition report should be easy, considering it is practically my journal entries with research data appended. I’m hoping that this proposal goes well and we get a higher budget from the chain of command to do more expeditions across this land.

What still perplexes me is the Haruspex I talked to. Even though there are some ideological differences, we still came to a mutual understanding that we both enjoyed Ancient Greece. I still don’t trust the other various factions but maybe in the near future, we can come up with some kind of data exchange for valuable information for their lands as well. Expeditionary Force Archives have limited information on the areas controlled by the rival factions but for now, I can only dream.

There is also a chance that the Haruspex I talked to could have been trying to trick me in an attempt to gain my trust and interest. Expeditionary Force Archives house everything that we currently know about everything, even classified material. If the Haruspex or any other faction gets a hold of our Archives, they’ll be able to read up on military operations, expeditions, and our trade routes between the settlements. I will consider both possibilities but I still won’t let my guard down in this case.

Name: Captain Hector Draken, EEF
Entry: #77

Data:

It has been a few days since my last entry and I am still not out of NEO territory yet. There have been drakes and NEO patrols roaming around and the geography of the area lacks any kind of proper spots to hide. I was not anticipating such a terribly planned out detour but seems now I have to continue through.

I finally found a very remote area on top of a mountain with no drakes in sight and far off from any NEO outposts. I’m going to try to use this time to get some proper rest, study the area, and get an entry in the journal to keep a record of my journey through these not-so-friendly lands.

After crawling through Flashpoint outpost and trying not to be drake food, I ended up continuing north where I walked through an ashy and volcanic area. I had some trouble breathing in this area and when I looked over some kind of ravine, I saw vulcan drakes roaming about. At this point, I just turned around and decided to leave, but before I could, a drake popped up behind me and tried roasting me alive. Just before it blew fire at me, I jumped out of the way and hid behind my strider, but fire is not as rigid as a bullet, and for the whole 30 seconds I was taking cover, I could feel a painful burning sensation on my right side. Atlas armor is not very good at insulation and protecting against sentient flamethrowers, but I still tried holding myself together and after the drake stopped breathing fire, I got up and shot it down with my hunting rifle.

After killing off the vulcan drake, I sat down and checked my injuries. Harsh burns on the right side of my face and arm, but nothing a fast aid pack can’t fix. The heat ended up melting my Atlas arm guards and part of my helmet to the point where I had to cut the armor pieces open to get it off. Luckily none of the parts melted onto my body, or else I’d have to get creative on how to remove them.

With myself patched up and orientated with the surroundings again, I continue north with the hopes of reaching a checkpoint where both northern continents have the smallest water gap dividing them.

In the distance I see a NEO base looking over the vulcan drake ravine and at this point, I am tempted to ask for help but no, I am going to continue this journey myself, I do not need their fancy technology being shoved in my face while morale is at an all-time low.

Name: Captain Hector Draken, EEF
Entry: #61

Data:

The first day I get back to the settlement and I find nothing new. Back in Ancient Greece, every day was something new, with the busy market and vibrant people. It is the same people doing their same jobs and the same activities that go on. I can’t tell whether it is because our settlements are designed to prioritize utility or the fact that I miss Ancient Greece so much.

My first order of business was to back up my datapad, and while looking through how big of an upload it was, I realized that this single upload contributed double the content that was already existent on the Archives. Most of the existing data were based on rumors and local legends but finally, we have concrete evidence and data to show for it.

I will have to start working on my proposal report once I get the rest of my mission logs and expedition report done. The expedition report should be easy, considering it is practically my journal entries with research data appended. I’m hoping that this proposal goes well and we get a higher budget from the chain of command to do more expeditions across this land.

What still perplexes me is the Haruspex I talked to. Even though there are some ideological differences, we still came to a mutual understanding that we both enjoyed Ancient Greece. I still don’t trust the other various factions but maybe in the near future, we can come up with some kind of data exchange for valuable information for their lands as well. Expeditionary Force Archives have limited information on the areas controlled by the rival factions but for now, I can only dream.

There is also a chance that the Haruspex I talked to could have been trying to trick me in an attempt to gain my trust and interest. Expeditionary Force Archives house everything that we currently know about everything, even classified material. If the Haruspex or any other faction gets a hold of our Archives, they’ll be able to read up on military operations, expeditions, and our trade routes between the settlements. I will consider both possibilities but I still won’t let my guard down in this case.

Name: Captain Hector Draken, EEF
Entry: #76

Data:

The sun was coming up and I was set to depart from Tanzanite View, the uncharted Haruspex settlement I stumbled upon yesterday. There was not much for me to do in general for surveying the land and documenting as Norma already did most of it while scouting, however, I did take some time to look at their strange stone structures which still fascinate me. Were they a power source? A beacon of some kind? Too many questions, not enough answers. However, I detected an immense amount of energy coming from the towers and channeling from the tree roots and branches to the bright orbs on the structures.

A single tower seemed to be equivalent to almost half the power generators powering the Biological Research Area. Interesting, I will take note of this and perhaps in the future we could adapt this magic into our settlement power grids.

The Haruspex Elder did not want to answer these questions, I think it senses my plans and what I’ll be doing with Haruspex magic. No matter, all my answers should be answered when I study at the Haruspex settlement in the northwest, the strongest source of strange energy readings.

I ended up staying for lunch as well before leaving and got to sit by a cliff looking down towards the grass plains below. The Haruspex are simple beings and don’t use any kind of mindforce implants and chips to do magic, they do, however, use some sauce to make salad taste really good. At about mid-day, I finally left and headed to my destination.

Nothing out of the ordinary was observed while hiking close to NEO territory, however, I think I made another grave mistake, as when I reached the shore of the NEO outpost designated “Flash Point” on my Nav, all I could hear was heavy artillery fire and drakes roaring as they flew by. Explosions and fire lit the sky and it was practically a war zone. This area of the planet is known for being the home of several kinds of drakes and the New Elysian Order was right under them… literally.

Every few seconds, you could hear either a drake blasting fire or a NEO turret firing. It surprised me that the NEO survived so long in such unfriendly lands but I expected nothing less for a group that took all our leading scientists and engineers as their own. I won’t be just sitting around waiting to get shelled or become drake food, so I will continue logging after I leave NEO territory.

Name: Captain Hector Draken, EEF
Entry: #61

Data:

The first day I get back to the settlement and I find nothing new. Back in Ancient Greece, every day was something new, with the busy market and vibrant people. It is the same people doing their same jobs and the same activities that go on. I can’t tell whether it is because our settlements are designed to prioritize utility or the fact that I miss Ancient Greece so much.

My first order of business was to back up my datapad, and while looking through how big of an upload it was, I realized that this single upload contributed double the content that was already existent on the Archives. Most of the existing data were based on rumors and local legends but finally, we have concrete evidence and data to show for it.

I will have to start working on my proposal report once I get the rest of my mission logs and expedition report done. The expedition report should be easy, considering it is practically my journal entries with research data appended. I’m hoping that this proposal goes well and we get a higher budget from the chain of command to do more expeditions across this land.

What still perplexes me is the Haruspex I talked to. Even though there are some ideological differences, we still came to a mutual understanding that we both enjoyed Ancient Greece. I still don’t trust the other various factions but maybe in the near future, we can come up with some kind of data exchange for valuable information for their lands as well. Expeditionary Force Archives have limited information on the areas controlled by the rival factions but for now, I can only dream.

There is also a chance that the Haruspex I talked to could have been trying to trick me in an attempt to gain my trust and interest. Expeditionary Force Archives house everything that we currently know about everything, even classified material. If the Haruspex or any other faction gets a hold of our Archives, they’ll be able to read up on military operations, expeditions, and our trade routes between the settlements. I will consider both possibilities but I still won’t let my guard down in this case.

Name: Captain Hector Draken, EEF
Entry: #75

Data:

I came across a Haruspex settlement today that wasn’t on my Nav. Of course, it was in the weirdest of places, high on a ridge on the eastern side of the planet. This settlement was different though, it wasn’t just a bunch of wagons in a circle, there were towers as well with orbs and Haruspex roaming about.

The Haruspex seemed to not be alarmed by my presence and did not even raise any weapons towards me when I approached them. As I walked toward the middle of the settlement, I noticed a Loyalist scout present and asked them why they were here and why the location was not on my Nav. Norma Bates was her name, and she seemed to be scouting out and studying the Haruspex in the area. Soon after, a few Haruspex came up to us and said something strange to me:

“Hello stranger, welcome to Tanzanite View, we are the Woodland Haruspex and we know why you’re here” one said.

“The Elder told us about your arrival. Go towards the rock and you shall find your answer” chimed another.

I felt a bit uneasy considering I just discovered this place and felt like I was walking into a trap. I didn’t exactly know what I wanted to know at the time, but to speak with a leader of the Haruspex is a great opportunity to learn more so I went towards the rock.

When I got to the rock, an apparition appeared, an orb that radiated a blueish mist and I felt as if it was calling out to me. I stood in fear as I was not sure what the orb was and drew my pistol. Walking towards it with my pistol aimed at it, it suddenly told me everything about how the portal to Ancient Greece came into existence and whether it was truly time travel or not.

The “Elder” explained to me that the strange readings and phenomena we encountered near Orpheus’ cave were caused by the Haruspex and their portal to a land they modeled after Ancient Greek civilization. Any action someone does in Ancient Greece would not affect Ancient Greece in the current and actual timeline and though I was a bit disappointed that the Haruspex do not truly have time travel spells and rituals, their elders, these floating orbs, have the power to create artificial realms.

Shocked and amazed, I put away my weapon and walked back towards the settlement. The idea of me talking to a floating orb is going to get me thrown out of the Expeditionary Force, but I should really put it in my report and into the database. The Haruspex Elders are not living physical beings but some kind of spiritual entity in the form of a floating orb. Of course, the Expeditionary Force might not consider my findings as far-fetched as I would think they would since these are the Haruspex we are talking about and it is well known by all factions that woodland magic is one of the foundations of their society. I better wrap things up at this settlement and will continue the journey northwest after documenting as much as I can with the help of Norma.

Name: Captain Hector Draken, EEF
Entry: #61

Data:

The first day I get back to the settlement and I find nothing new. Back in Ancient Greece, every day was something new, with the busy market and vibrant people. It is the same people doing their same jobs and the same activities that go on. I can’t tell whether it is because our settlements are designed to prioritize utility or the fact that I miss Ancient Greece so much.

My first order of business was to back up my datapad, and while looking through how big of an upload it was, I realized that this single upload contributed double the content that was already existent on the Archives. Most of the existing data were based on rumors and local legends but finally, we have concrete evidence and data to show for it.

I will have to start working on my proposal report once I get the rest of my mission logs and expedition report done. The expedition report should be easy, considering it is practically my journal entries with research data appended. I’m hoping that this proposal goes well and we get a higher budget from the chain of command to do more expeditions across this land.

What still perplexes me is the Haruspex I talked to. Even though there are some ideological differences, we still came to a mutual understanding that we both enjoyed Ancient Greece. I still don’t trust the other various factions but maybe in the near future, we can come up with some kind of data exchange for valuable information for their lands as well. Expeditionary Force Archives have limited information on the areas controlled by the rival factions but for now, I can only dream.

There is also a chance that the Haruspex I talked to could have been trying to trick me in an attempt to gain my trust and interest. Expeditionary Force Archives house everything that we currently know about everything, even classified material. If the Haruspex or any other faction gets a hold of our Archives, they’ll be able to read up on military operations, expeditions, and our trade routes between the settlements. I will consider both possibilities but I still won’t let my guard down in this case.

Name: Captain Hector Draken, EEF
Entry: #74

Data:

Currently, I am still alive and successfully killed off the pursuing Resa. When I stopped to find a suitable place to make a stand and fight the two hunters, I noticed a great vantage point on top of a hill and scared a mountain boar to run towards them to distract them. To be honest, I was surprised the mountain boar distraction actually worked, as I managed to get into position and snipe out one of them with just one critical hit.

The poor mountain boar met an untimely end however at the hands of the second pursuer, but a small sacrifice was necessary. Before I could even aim and fire, the surviving hunter fired several shots at me and I could hear them going into the rocks near me. In what I could only describe as fight or flight reflex rather than actual skill, I tossed myself off of the ledge I was taking position at and rushed him.

Within seconds, we both were jumping around, blades in hand, seeing which one of us was going to die to the other’s blade. I was fast, but he was much faster than me, but I managed to defeat him before lying on the ground lifeless.

Two hunters and two kills. With all this adventuring lately, I might actually rack up a few more confirmed kills onto my personal record. Well, now that no more Resa are chasing after me, I can get back to my camp knowing full well that I can continue my journey, after a long nap. The running and fighting for the past day and a half has been extremely tiring and the long circle route I took back to my camp was not any help at all.

At last, after around 6 more hours of slowly walking around and taking some breaks, I reached my camp and saw no indication of anyone tampering or stealing anything. A good sign? Yes. I honestly was expecting the entire campsite to be raided by the Resa or other scavengers while I was away. I hope I don’t get in contact with the Resa again anytime soon, and if I do, I plan to be prepared with combat gear and a team to bring havoc and destruction to them.

According to my Nav, I need to continue west but I find it unsettling to go through NEO territory considering the rumors of their superior technology that could utterly destroy me with ease. I guess I’ll have to pack up and do a detour back east and circle back towards the Resa camp I encountered. For now, I rest, and tomorrow we will start our new route.

Name: Captain Hector Draken, EEF
Entry: #61

Data:

The first day I get back to the settlement and I find nothing new. Back in Ancient Greece, every day was something new, with the busy market and vibrant people. It is the same people doing their same jobs and the same activities that go on. I can’t tell whether it is because our settlements are designed to prioritize utility or the fact that I miss Ancient Greece so much.

My first order of business was to back up my datapad, and while looking through how big of an upload it was, I realized that this single upload contributed double the content that was already existent on the Archives. Most of the existing data were based on rumors and local legends but finally, we have concrete evidence and data to show for it.

I will have to start working on my proposal report once I get the rest of my mission logs and expedition report done. The expedition report should be easy, considering it is practically my journal entries with research data appended. I’m hoping that this proposal goes well and we get a higher budget from the chain of command to do more expeditions across this land.

What still perplexes me is the Haruspex I talked to. Even though there are some ideological differences, we still came to a mutual understanding that we both enjoyed Ancient Greece. I still don’t trust the other various factions but maybe in the near future, we can come up with some kind of data exchange for valuable information for their lands as well. Expeditionary Force Archives have limited information on the areas controlled by the rival factions but for now, I can only dream.

There is also a chance that the Haruspex I talked to could have been trying to trick me in an attempt to gain my trust and interest. Expeditionary Force Archives house everything that we currently know about everything, even classified material. If the Haruspex or any other faction gets a hold of our Archives, they’ll be able to read up on military operations, expeditions, and our trade routes between the settlements. I will consider both possibilities but I still won’t let my guard down in this case.

Name: Captain Hector Draken, EEF
Entry: #73

Data:

Entry #72 was cut short due to an unexpected skirmish with the Resa. For the past day, I have been chased by Resa and I think I lost them finally so I can note down the situation. I am not sure how long I lost them for but these Resa are much more skilled at tracking and hunting than your average Resa, but a short log entry will have to do for today.

As I was perched on the ledge looking over the small Resa camp, one of them walked out and looked towards the moon, then turned towards me, as if they spotted me with eyes at the back of his head. That shook me, he was looking right in my direction and I heard some shuffling near me. If I had rolled over 2 seconds later, there would have been a blade in my back. When I rolled over, I saw an armored figure pulling back their blade for another strike at me, but blocked their death blow with my rifle.

Without any time to process what was going on, I saw another armored figure running towards me at the corner of my eye. “This is it”, I thought to myself, finally, a warrior’s death as they call it, but just before the second figure reached me, I kicked away the first Resa and rolled again to dodge the second.

This was the most action I’ve seen in months and the adrenaline rush was the only thing keeping me alive and moving. These guys had armor and I didn’t, but I did have a much lighter gear setup. I had to think fast, to run back towards the camp or run deeper into the contested territory. Just as the two Resa were recovering from their failed ambush, I chose the latter and sprinted towards the fields. A stupid idea, but I hoped to lead them away from my camp, have them lose track of me, and then return to my camp to recover my gear.

The surroundings around here were just clear fields and mountains with little to no cover, but I kept running and running. I plotted out on my Nav that I could do a big circle to get back to my campsite and so far I’m about 79% of the way into my route. Occasionally the hunters would catch up and fire some shots at me, but I was quick enough to dodge most of them and only suffered minimum damage. I’m getting tired of running and soon will have to fight them, I just need a better position. These hunters are relentless and won’t give up, I will have to muster the rest of my strength to take them on. It’s hard to type and run at the same time so I will stop this entry here.

Name: Captain Hector Draken, EEF
Entry: #61

Data:

The first day I get back to the settlement and I find nothing new. Back in Ancient Greece, every day was something new, with the busy market and vibrant people. It is the same people doing their same jobs and the same activities that go on. I can’t tell whether it is because our settlements are designed to prioritize utility or the fact that I miss Ancient Greece so much.

My first order of business was to back up my datapad, and while looking through how big of an upload it was, I realized that this single upload contributed double the content that was already existent on the Archives. Most of the existing data were based on rumors and local legends but finally, we have concrete evidence and data to show for it.

I will have to start working on my proposal report once I get the rest of my mission logs and expedition report done. The expedition report should be easy, considering it is practically my journal entries with research data appended. I’m hoping that this proposal goes well and we get a higher budget from the chain of command to do more expeditions across this land.

What still perplexes me is the Haruspex I talked to. Even though there are some ideological differences, we still came to a mutual understanding that we both enjoyed Ancient Greece. I still don’t trust the other various factions but maybe in the near future, we can come up with some kind of data exchange for valuable information for their lands as well. Expeditionary Force Archives have limited information on the areas controlled by the rival factions but for now, I can only dream.

There is also a chance that the Haruspex I talked to could have been trying to trick me in an attempt to gain my trust and interest. Expeditionary Force Archives house everything that we currently know about everything, even classified material. If the Haruspex or any other faction gets a hold of our Archives, they’ll be able to read up on military operations, expeditions, and our trade routes between the settlements. I will consider both possibilities but I still won’t let my guard down in this case.

Name: Captain Hector Draken, EEF
Entry: #72

Data:

My journey so far towards the reported Haruspex ritual grounds and capital has started off quiet. I started off at Riverside View, the closest teleport I have to it that’s in Loyalist-controlled territory. A slight problem with starting off my journey at the break of dawn was that I wasn’t awake enough to remember calibrating my nav computer and for the past 4 hours, have been walking north-east instead of northwest.

My clumsiness is going to be the death of me someday I swear, but not today. I will try to make the best of the situation and see if I can chart out the resources and survey the area. The area I’m currently walking through is quite mountainous and has been putting my new strider to the test. I applaud the engineers that designed this, I have yet to find a mountain I cannot climb with it, though some proper seat belts might be needed as I do feel nervous going up the side of a mountain at nearly a 90-degree angle with the sensation of almost falling off.

After trekking the contested area for about 2 more hours, I decided to set up camp for the night. I found a nice ridge area to make camp and it is high enough to know my bearings. Once the camp was set up, I started a fire and heated up a ration kit. The stars in the sky shined just bright enough that I could see into the distance and to my surprise, there was a dim light on a mountain several kilometers from me. Alarmed, I pulled out my binoculars, looked towards the dim light, and had to squint a little to see some kind of structure in the distance. Could this be a fellow Loyalist expedition? What if they were hostile enemies on the hunt for an unsuspecting victim? I had to find out before my head ended up being displayed as a hunting trophy.

I left behind most of my stuff at my campsite and sneaked my way towards the dim light while hidden by the trees. I didn’t even bother wearing armor since I only wanted to scout around and not get weighed down by equipment, just a rifle in hand and some binoculars.

Every sound of tree leaves rustling kept me on edge, at any point while I sneaked my way towards the dim light, a creature or something could jump out and ambush me, but with the moonlight watching over me, I was ready for anything. Once I reached a position that I could look down from, I saw a red tent, which could only mean one thing: Resa.

Name: Captain Hector Draken, EEF
Entry: #61

Data:

The first day I get back to the settlement and I find nothing new. Back in Ancient Greece, every day was something new, with the busy market and vibrant people. It is the same people doing their same jobs and the same activities that go on. I can’t tell whether it is because our settlements are designed to prioritize utility or the fact that I miss Ancient Greece so much.

My first order of business was to back up my datapad, and while looking through how big of an upload it was, I realized that this single upload contributed double the content that was already existent on the Archives. Most of the existing data were based on rumors and local legends but finally, we have concrete evidence and data to show for it.

I will have to start working on my proposal report once I get the rest of my mission logs and expedition report done. The expedition report should be easy, considering it is practically my journal entries with research data appended. I’m hoping that this proposal goes well and we get a higher budget from the chain of command to do more expeditions across this land.

What still perplexes me is the Haruspex I talked to. Even though there are some ideological differences, we still came to a mutual understanding that we both enjoyed Ancient Greece. I still don’t trust the other various factions but maybe in the near future, we can come up with some kind of data exchange for valuable information for their lands as well. Expeditionary Force Archives have limited information on the areas controlled by the rival factions but for now, I can only dream.

There is also a chance that the Haruspex I talked to could have been trying to trick me in an attempt to gain my trust and interest. Expeditionary Force Archives house everything that we currently know about everything, even classified material. If the Haruspex or any other faction gets a hold of our Archives, they’ll be able to read up on military operations, expeditions, and our trade routes between the settlements. I will consider both possibilities but I still won’t let my guard down in this case.

Name: Captain Hector Draken, EEF
Entry: #71

Data:

Other than the Haruspex I saw at Orpheus’ cave, I have never actually seen any other members of the Haruspex faction. Loyalist scouts have reported strange readings in the northwest of the planet with mysterious floating orbs being a contributing factor towards the unusual environmental activities. However, I am certain this is the work of the Haruspex, as it is rumored that the Woodland Haruspex dabble in magic.

With a new lead on my investigations into how the portal to Ancient Greece works, I now pack my things and adventure beyond the desert territories of the Stel and Resa. We have slightly more scouts in the northern parts of the planet, however, it is relatively undocumented topography and we are not sure what the Haruspex are up to. Scouts on skyrippers have located the make-shift home base of the Haruspex in the north, so perhaps I might find someone to talk to there.

“You’re chasing ghosts again Hector?” said the guard captain at Paradise Landing.

“Yes, with the knowledge of the Haruspex and our own technological capability, we can win the arms race with the New Elysian Order and dominate the other factions” I replied.

“Your reports repeatedly talked about portals and magic, I fear for your sanity if you keep going down this route. There is a reason why we try to keep our distance from the Haruspex. Their dark magic is not safe to poke your head into” he argued.

At this point, the whole entirety of the Loyalist faction must find me insane, but I know what I am looking for. I recently even ordered a new strider to traverse the forest areas in the north as I know the Haruspex try to build their settlements in the most out-of-the-way locations possible.

Based on my charts, I will be passing through territory contested by the Resa and Loyalists. There is no outright fighting but only tense standoffs if both sides encounter each other. There shouldn’t be any other factions I should look out for, and I’ve learned from the last time that the Stel have skyrippers too so I need to remember to pack anti-air weapons as well.

Name: Captain Hector Draken, EEF
Entry: #61

Data:

The first day I get back to the settlement and I find nothing new. Back in Ancient Greece, every day was something new, with the busy market and vibrant people. It is the same people doing their same jobs and the same activities that go on. I can’t tell whether it is because our settlements are designed to prioritize utility or the fact that I miss Ancient Greece so much.

My first order of business was to back up my datapad, and while looking through how big of an upload it was, I realized that this single upload contributed double the content that was already existent on the Archives. Most of the existing data were based on rumors and local legends but finally, we have concrete evidence and data to show for it.

I will have to start working on my proposal report once I get the rest of my mission logs and expedition report done. The expedition report should be easy, considering it is practically my journal entries with research data appended. I’m hoping that this proposal goes well and we get a higher budget from the chain of command to do more expeditions across this land.

What still perplexes me is the Haruspex I talked to. Even though there are some ideological differences, we still came to a mutual understanding that we both enjoyed Ancient Greece. I still don’t trust the other various factions but maybe in the near future, we can come up with some kind of data exchange for valuable information for their lands as well. Expeditionary Force Archives have limited information on the areas controlled by the rival factions but for now, I can only dream.

There is also a chance that the Haruspex I talked to could have been trying to trick me in an attempt to gain my trust and interest. Expeditionary Force Archives house everything that we currently know about everything, even classified material. If the Haruspex or any other faction gets a hold of our Archives, they’ll be able to read up on military operations, expeditions, and our trade routes between the settlements. I will consider both possibilities but I still won’t let my guard down in this case.

Name: Captain Hector Draken, EEF
Entry: #70

Data:

With the Stel expedition wrapped up, I am once again stuck at a desk at Paradise Landing, analyzing data from the various environmental experiments taking place. Well, it’s been some time and I think another expedition into Ancient Greece is what I need to excite me again. I fear my proposal for a Loyalist incursion into Ancient Greece fell on deaf ears and I will have to take matters into my own hands in order to spread Loyalist interests.

I swear the Haruspex know something that we don’t know about this realm that is Ancient Greece. This isn’t just about visiting the past without affecting the future, but the ability to harvest unlimited resources without any major environmental consequences. With the ability to do such things, we could keep the planetside geography intact and still have resources for building and heavy industrialization.

The resource consumption for the settlements, as I did state in the report, has increased year over year with our ever-increasing push for a peaceful society. If we can engage in dialogue with the Haruspex on how the realm of Ancient Greece works, we could shift the planetside influence in favor of the Loyalists.

I took the rest of the day pondering the thought of proposing another expedition and walking around the Crystal Bay area. The boardwalk, lodges, the waterfront view, it is such a great place to take in the scenery and immerse yourself in your thoughts. When the sun started setting, I felt a mild wind brush against my back while I stared towards the sunset. I rarely take the time to stare at it, to see the calm water in the bay and colonists setting up places to eat dinner on the beach. The lodges on the beach are much bigger than the lodges along the boardwalk and were the perfect place to host beach dinners. You can just sit on the sand and look at the amazing sight I was looking at with a drink in hand and a smile on your face.

When continuing my walk, I realized what was missing from my report that would have ensured High Command would have looked over my proposal. I never got the chance to talk properly with the leaders of Ancient Greece if they wanted to discuss with Loyalist representatives. This minor detail I left out of my expedition turned out to be major, as I spent so much time worrying about affecting the locals of Ancient Greece so much that I completely didn’t consider introducing the Loyalists as an option for an alliance. I will again try to pull some strings to get an expedition to Ancient Greece and potentially to talk with the Haruspex. Perhaps my next entry will be a bit more exciting.

Name: Captain Hector Draken, EEF
Entry: #61

Data:

The first day I get back to the settlement and I find nothing new. Back in Ancient Greece, every day was something new, with the busy market and vibrant people. It is the same people doing their same jobs and the same activities that go on. I can’t tell whether it is because our settlements are designed to prioritize utility or the fact that I miss Ancient Greece so much.

My first order of business was to back up my datapad, and while looking through how big of an upload it was, I realized that this single upload contributed double the content that was already existent on the Archives. Most of the existing data were based on rumors and local legends but finally, we have concrete evidence and data to show for it.

I will have to start working on my proposal report once I get the rest of my mission logs and expedition report done. The expedition report should be easy, considering it is practically my journal entries with research data appended. I’m hoping that this proposal goes well and we get a higher budget from the chain of command to do more expeditions across this land.

What still perplexes me is the Haruspex I talked to. Even though there are some ideological differences, we still came to a mutual understanding that we both enjoyed Ancient Greece. I still don’t trust the other various factions but maybe in the near future, we can come up with some kind of data exchange for valuable information for their lands as well. Expeditionary Force Archives have limited information on the areas controlled by the rival factions but for now, I can only dream.

There is also a chance that the Haruspex I talked to could have been trying to trick me in an attempt to gain my trust and interest. Expeditionary Force Archives house everything that we currently know about everything, even classified material. If the Haruspex or any other faction gets a hold of our Archives, they’ll be able to read up on military operations, expeditions, and our trade routes between the settlements. I will consider both possibilities but I still won’t let my guard down in this case.

Name: Captain Hector Draken, EEF
Entry: #69

Data:

This morning, we decided that we had enough data and were returning to Loyalist territory. We spent the whole night sitting under the night sky chatting with the Stel and filled our datapads with precious Stel culture and traditions.

When we told the Stel that we were planning to leave, I honestly thought they were going to say no and keep us captive but after a short moment of disappointment, they understood our decision and offered to escort us east through Stel lands up to the shore between Stel and Loyalist territories.

The journey to the east went faster than our own journey towards the west, and at least this time we didn’t have Stel scouts on skyrippers swooping down and flanking us on both sides again. Us not stopping every so often to study the environment and the wildlife was also a reason why.

Before we parted ways and went across the river back towards home, the Stel told us that they would be interested in entering negotiations to draft non-aggression pacts and possible trade agreements with the Loyalists. Years of in-fighting and rivalry between the factions

Back at Paradise Landing, we uploaded our data to the central databases and started drafting up reports on our findings. Lani was a bit excited and started sharing all sorts of stories with some other members of the EEF passing by. Word spread quickly of our expedition and the next thing we knew, we were called to High Command to discuss drafting agreements and treaties with the Stel.

The main objective of negotiating with the Stel is to get them to stop raiding our transports and property. Numerous skirmishes and shootouts have come up over the years due to the raiding and with a treaty, we can move our resources to something like expanding the Loyalist economy. These negotiations are delicate, and I honestly could not recommend a better liaison between Loyalists and Stel other than Lani. Lani was surprised by my recommendation of her to head this endeavor, but I knew she was the one for it with her extensive knowledge of the Stel. Her new post will be overseeing the Stel at Morion Outpost and be the connection between the two factions.

Name: Captain Hector Draken, EEF
Entry: #61

Data:

The first day I get back to the settlement and I find nothing new. Back in Ancient Greece, every day was something new, with the busy market and vibrant people. It is the same people doing their same jobs and the same activities that go on. I can’t tell whether it is because our settlements are designed to prioritize utility or the fact that I miss Ancient Greece so much.

My first order of business was to back up my datapad, and while looking through how big of an upload it was, I realized that this single upload contributed double the content that was already existent on the Archives. Most of the existing data were based on rumors and local legends but finally, we have concrete evidence and data to show for it.

I will have to start working on my proposal report once I get the rest of my mission logs and expedition report done. The expedition report should be easy, considering it is practically my journal entries with research data appended. I’m hoping that this proposal goes well and we get a higher budget from the chain of command to do more expeditions across this land.

What still perplexes me is the Haruspex I talked to. Even though there are some ideological differences, we still came to a mutual understanding that we both enjoyed Ancient Greece. I still don’t trust the other various factions but maybe in the near future, we can come up with some kind of data exchange for valuable information for their lands as well. Expeditionary Force Archives have limited information on the areas controlled by the rival factions but for now, I can only dream.

There is also a chance that the Haruspex I talked to could have been trying to trick me in an attempt to gain my trust and interest. Expeditionary Force Archives house everything that we currently know about everything, even classified material. If the Haruspex or any other faction gets a hold of our Archives, they’ll be able to read up on military operations, expeditions, and our trade routes between the settlements. I will consider both possibilities but I still won’t let my guard down in this case.

Name: Captain Hector Draken, EEF
Entry: #68

Data:

Last night’s dinner with the Stel leaders was productive and intriguing. Despite my initial fears of being poisoned by our hosts, they seemed to be welcoming of non-hostile Loyalists who aren’t there to destroy their settlements as revenge for the Stel raids on Loyalist transports.

As a person who cares very much for the safety of Loyalist assets, I do not approve of their raiding and wanted to bring it up during dinner but refrained from doing it so as to not cause a scene while our hosts gave us food and decided whether we could keep living or would die.

I was honestly expecting something other than boar meat for dinner, since we ate boar meat ever since we started adventuring off into Stel territory, but nope, for dinner we also got boar meat. At least this boar meat was well-seasoned and made a unique-tasting dish that I have never encountered before. Loyalist cuisine is rather basic compared to these and is a good indicator that we will have a good amount of data to put into our faction databases.

After dinner, Lani continued to ask questions about Stel culture and continuously noting it all down while I stared at the stars. The view is different from what I see above standing on top of Crystal Peak. I’m assuming it’s because we’re much further west but maybe it’s because we’re just lying on the ground in a desert at night with the stars shining in the blue night sky.

When we got back to the tent we were assigned to, I couldn’t help but notice the Stel posted to watch over us were giving admiring looks to our equipment, as I think they have never seen a Loyalist skyripper or perfectly intact equipment. Most of their scavenged equipment looked make-shift and lacked the aesthetic that our white and gray Loyalist gear had. Unfortunately, I could not give them any of our equipment as a hospitality gift as most of it was military equipment, and I guess now I have to keep an eye on our stuff more in case the Stel decide to take it for themselves.

Name: Captain Hector Draken, EEF
Entry: #61

Data:

The first day I get back to the settlement and I find nothing new. Back in Ancient Greece, every day was something new, with the busy market and vibrant people. It is the same people doing their same jobs and the same activities that go on. I can’t tell whether it is because our settlements are designed to prioritize utility or the fact that I miss Ancient Greece so much.

My first order of business was to back up my datapad, and while looking through how big of an upload it was, I realized that this single upload contributed double the content that was already existent on the Archives. Most of the existing data were based on rumors and local legends but finally, we have concrete evidence and data to show for it.

I will have to start working on my proposal report once I get the rest of my mission logs and expedition report done. The expedition report should be easy, considering it is practically my journal entries with research data appended. I’m hoping that this proposal goes well and we get a higher budget from the chain of command to do more expeditions across this land.

What still perplexes me is the Haruspex I talked to. Even though there are some ideological differences, we still came to a mutual understanding that we both enjoyed Ancient Greece. I still don’t trust the other various factions but maybe in the near future, we can come up with some kind of data exchange for valuable information for their lands as well. Expeditionary Force Archives have limited information on the areas controlled by the rival factions but for now, I can only dream.

There is also a chance that the Haruspex I talked to could have been trying to trick me in an attempt to gain my trust and interest. Expeditionary Force Archives house everything that we currently know about everything, even classified material. If the Haruspex or any other faction gets a hold of our Archives, they’ll be able to read up on military operations, expeditions, and our trade routes between the settlements. I will consider both possibilities but I still won’t let my guard down in this case.

Name: Captain Hector Draken, EEF
Entry: #67

Data:

We have been captured by the Stel and were brought to their camp at Marion Outpost. I was initially not sure what they were planning to do with us but it did not look good until one of them came in and asked if we were traveling alone. Lani certainly was not expecting to leave the tent we were imprisoned in alive, but it seemed the Stel had other plans for us.

When they took us out of the tent, they allowed us to keep our equipment except for our weapons, which I guess made sense. It would be stupid to allow your captives to be walking around freely and armed. We were then brought into another tent and a group of Stel started asking us questions about why we were in their territory.

“Who are you?”

“Captain Hector Draken and Lani Nguyen of the Elysian Expeditionary Force”

“Are there more of you coming here?”

“No, it’s just us”

“How did you find out about this settlement?”

“The Expeditionary Force had noted a Stel camp in this region in our databases and we decided to investigate”

“Why are you here?”

“We want to study Stel culture and expand our databases”

After we answered their questions, I wondered if they were going to open up our heads and probe our minds but they seemed to not be as hostile as I thought they were.

They seemed rather calm that sitting in front of them were two members of a rival faction that is sometimes hostile towards them.

I never knew Lani was somewhat of a diplomat, as she literally talked them out of putting us up for ransom. We were even invited to dinner with some of their leaders, and despite my fears of them poisoning our food, Lani seemed to trust them so I reluctantly agreed. It was also the first time in a while since we had proper food that wasn’t boar meat.

I am quite tired tonight so I will post my next log entry tomorrow and add in the dining experience with the Stel first thing tomorrow morning.

Name: Captain Hector Draken, EEF
Entry: #61

Data:

The first day I get back to the settlement and I find nothing new. Back in Ancient Greece, every day was something new, with the busy market and vibrant people. It is the same people doing their same jobs and the same activities that go on. I can’t tell whether it is because our settlements are designed to prioritize utility or the fact that I miss Ancient Greece so much.

My first order of business was to back up my datapad, and while looking through how big of an upload it was, I realized that this single upload contributed double the content that was already existent on the Archives. Most of the existing data were based on rumors and local legends but finally, we have concrete evidence and data to show for it.

I will have to start working on my proposal report once I get the rest of my mission logs and expedition report done. The expedition report should be easy, considering it is practically my journal entries with research data appended. I’m hoping that this proposal goes well and we get a higher budget from the chain of command to do more expeditions across this land.

What still perplexes me is the Haruspex I talked to. Even though there are some ideological differences, we still came to a mutual understanding that we both enjoyed Ancient Greece. I still don’t trust the other various factions but maybe in the near future, we can come up with some kind of data exchange for valuable information for their lands as well. Expeditionary Force Archives have limited information on the areas controlled by the rival factions but for now, I can only dream.

There is also a chance that the Haruspex I talked to could have been trying to trick me in an attempt to gain my trust and interest. Expeditionary Force Archives house everything that we currently know about everything, even classified material. If the Haruspex or any other faction gets a hold of our Archives, they’ll be able to read up on military operations, expeditions, and our trade routes between the settlements. I will consider both possibilities but I still won’t let my guard down in this case.

Name: Captain Hector Draken, EEF
Entry: #66

Data:

I believe we should have brought a security team with us this entire trip. For the past few days we have been struggling to survive in the desert lands and had the biggest scare of our lives just yesterday while trekking near a large mountain which Lani said was a sign that we were close to a Stel camp called “Morion Outpost”.

While I was taking pictures of the mountain and Lani was trying to get our navigation systems calibrated, a group of Stel on skyrippers swooped down and attempted to ambush us. It happened so fast and was very well coordinated, I thought we were going to die then and there, as never in all my years of experience have I seen skyrippers used like this. As we tried to run for cover, the group of Stel tried to encircle us, and suddenly out of nowhere, another group of Stel were on land attempting to chase us down. This coordinated gorilla tactic was something straight out of a war book and I looked both in awe and fear.

For about 3 hours, we ended up fleeing south and hiding in a river until the Stel gave up looking for us and left. Once we finally caught our breaths, we tried to look back at the situation we were in but none of us could think straight from the terrifying Stel tactics.

Lani asked how they ever acquired skyrippers. Skyrippers are only manufactured and distributed to Loyalists and high Command would never consider the thought of selling them to other factions. At first, I didn’t have any idea as well how they acquired them, but then I realized, they could have either raided Loyalist transports carrying them or scavenged broken ones to repair. Most likely they scavenged them, as skyrippers are practically classed as Loyalist military equipment so any transport with them is accompanied by a military escort.

I have to cut this entry short, we are still on the move and I am not sure whether I will still be alive to continue these log entries while in Stel lands.

Name: Captain Hector Draken, EEF
Entry: #61

Data:

The first day I get back to the settlement and I find nothing new. Back in Ancient Greece, every day was something new, with the busy market and vibrant people. It is the same people doing their same jobs and the same activities that go on. I can’t tell whether it is because our settlements are designed to prioritize utility or the fact that I miss Ancient Greece so much.

My first order of business was to back up my datapad, and while looking through how big of an upload it was, I realized that this single upload contributed double the content that was already existent on the Archives. Most of the existing data were based on rumors and local legends but finally, we have concrete evidence and data to show for it.

I will have to start working on my proposal report once I get the rest of my mission logs and expedition report done. The expedition report should be easy, considering it is practically my journal entries with research data appended. I’m hoping that this proposal goes well and we get a higher budget from the chain of command to do more expeditions across this land.

What still perplexes me is the Haruspex I talked to. Even though there are some ideological differences, we still came to a mutual understanding that we both enjoyed Ancient Greece. I still don’t trust the other various factions but maybe in the near future, we can come up with some kind of data exchange for valuable information for their lands as well. Expeditionary Force Archives have limited information on the areas controlled by the rival factions but for now, I can only dream.

There is also a chance that the Haruspex I talked to could have been trying to trick me in an attempt to gain my trust and interest. Expeditionary Force Archives house everything that we currently know about everything, even classified material. If the Haruspex or any other faction gets a hold of our Archives, they’ll be able to read up on military operations, expeditions, and our trade routes between the settlements. I will consider both possibilities but I still won’t let my guard down in this case.

Name: Captain Hector Draken, EEF
Entry: #65

Data:

The sun was just about to rise and was a glorious thing to look at while standing at the top of Crystal Peak. Lani ended up forgetting to wake up so I had to call her but when she finally arrived at Crystal Peak, we had the opportunity to watch the sunrise and a new day starting.

The journey started okay, but we lacked the western planetside teleports so we made a travel route to get the missing teleports in case we wanted to get back to the west in the future. It seemed luck was on our side when we packed skyrippers for the trek from Shepherd’s Beach. If we didn’t pack the skyrippers, I was going to propose a friendly competition to see who can swim to the closest island west of Shepherd’s Beach the fastest.

After reaching the next island, we continued west but realized we had to hop onto the next island west of us to finally reach proper Stel territory. Again, the skyrippers came in handy and we decided to fly instead of swimming across even though I am sure the water was practically knee-deep.

Once we reached Stel territory, we finally noticed the change in environment, as the Stel are more used to the desert than the Loyalist jungle territory. Our first order of business for the day was to at least entrench ourselves and make a camp for the night. The boars are much bigger here than what I usually see in Loyalist territory, and I’m not sure if our weapons can even take them down.

Hunting for dinner was… an interesting concept, and it took us a few life-threatening attempts to finally take down one of these mutant boars. We originally decided on separating the tasks so she would hunt for boars and I would gather fruits but it seemed that plan changed quickly when I got a call from Lani to bring a heavy rifle to shoot while she was running for her life.

When I got to her waypoint, all I saw was her running around while a boar the size of a 4×4 truck was closing in. Once we finally killed the boar and looted it, we just gave up on the idea of hunting for food for the night and ended up eating ration packs instead.

The first day in Stel territory didn’t go overly bad, we haven’t encountered any of them yet, nor have we died yet. The Stel I believe are behind us in technology so it should be easy to defend ourselves if they were to attack us. As long as they don’t have trained boars as weapons, we should be fine. Tomorrow we will begin to survey the area and after that, begin planning a route to survey the rest of Stel territory.

Name: Captain Hector Draken, EEF
Entry: #61

Data:

The first day I get back to the settlement and I find nothing new. Back in Ancient Greece, every day was something new, with the busy market and vibrant people. It is the same people doing their same jobs and the same activities that go on. I can’t tell whether it is because our settlements are designed to prioritize utility or the fact that I miss Ancient Greece so much.

My first order of business was to back up my datapad, and while looking through how big of an upload it was, I realized that this single upload contributed double the content that was already existent on the Archives. Most of the existing data were based on rumors and local legends but finally, we have concrete evidence and data to show for it.

I will have to start working on my proposal report once I get the rest of my mission logs and expedition report done. The expedition report should be easy, considering it is practically my journal entries with research data appended. I’m hoping that this proposal goes well and we get a higher budget from the chain of command to do more expeditions across this land.

What still perplexes me is the Haruspex I talked to. Even though there are some ideological differences, we still came to a mutual understanding that we both enjoyed Ancient Greece. I still don’t trust the other various factions but maybe in the near future, we can come up with some kind of data exchange for valuable information for their lands as well. Expeditionary Force Archives have limited information on the areas controlled by the rival factions but for now, I can only dream.

There is also a chance that the Haruspex I talked to could have been trying to trick me in an attempt to gain my trust and interest. Expeditionary Force Archives house everything that we currently know about everything, even classified material. If the Haruspex or any other faction gets a hold of our Archives, they’ll be able to read up on military operations, expeditions, and our trade routes between the settlements. I will consider both possibilities but I still won’t let my guard down in this case.

Name: Captain Hector Draken, EEF
Entry: #64

Data:

After spending the whole day packing yesterday, Lani and I decided to get a drink at the Crystal Peak bar… at 09:00. While drinking, I had a good look around the bar and noticed not that many people were there. A handful of off-duty guards were present, as well as some distant travelers but nothing out of the ordinary. I guess there haven’t been any military or scientific successes lately, which would always fill the bar to the brim for at least 2 days.

As we chatted a little, I learned that there has been another Loyalist explorer that Lani has met, one that knows slightly more about the various factions, specifically the Haruspex. Apparently 1st Lt. Stephens has been studying them for a while and though I have contributed some Haruspex data to the databases, he knows much more, maybe even how Ancient Greece exists.

Unfortunately, 1st Lt. Stephens hasn’t come back yet from his exploring so I will have to set up a meeting to discuss our Haruspex notes and my papoo territory theory. Unlike me, it seems 1st Lt. Stephens is much more open to working with the other factions and living among them than only studying and only making contact when I need answers.

Lani also told me that she would love to read up on my notes on Ancient Greece and maybe even visit it one day. I am tempted to tell her that she could volunteer for my larger-scale expedition to Ancient Greece if it gets approved, but I don’t think it is time to share that just yet. I have too many plans for Ancient Greece and that expedition and I am not going to try to jinx my chances of them coming true or someone sabotaging them. The drinks are starting to make me less cautious but I don’t share too much information so easily.

We spent about 2 hours drinking and chatting about Ancient Greece and the Stel, which was a very very rare occasion for me. I mainly did lectures in a meeting room for 2 hours but instead, I did a 2-hour information exchange in a bar at Crystal Peak. I think the conversation was 75% me talking about Ancient Greece and 25% us just discussing the Stel and the expedition but I am very certain Lani is a great fit to the next Ancient Greece expedition when the time comes.

The rest of the day, I spent either trying to not fall asleep or trying my best not to fall off my chair while analyzing data. I was not aware it was so difficult to get from the bar to the teleport until now, and thankfully they installed some railing so I don’t fall off the platform. On the bright side, at least I’ll easily fall asleep now so we can leave the settlement early in the morning.

Name: Captain Hector Draken, EEF
Entry: #61

Data:

The first day I get back to the settlement and I find nothing new. Back in Ancient Greece, every day was something new, with the busy market and vibrant people. It is the same people doing their same jobs and the same activities that go on. I can’t tell whether it is because our settlements are designed to prioritize utility or the fact that I miss Ancient Greece so much.

My first order of business was to back up my datapad, and while looking through how big of an upload it was, I realized that this single upload contributed double the content that was already existent on the Archives. Most of the existing data were based on rumors and local legends but finally, we have concrete evidence and data to show for it.

I will have to start working on my proposal report once I get the rest of my mission logs and expedition report done. The expedition report should be easy, considering it is practically my journal entries with research data appended. I’m hoping that this proposal goes well and we get a higher budget from the chain of command to do more expeditions across this land.

What still perplexes me is the Haruspex I talked to. Even though there are some ideological differences, we still came to a mutual understanding that we both enjoyed Ancient Greece. I still don’t trust the other various factions but maybe in the near future, we can come up with some kind of data exchange for valuable information for their lands as well. Expeditionary Force Archives have limited information on the areas controlled by the rival factions but for now, I can only dream.

There is also a chance that the Haruspex I talked to could have been trying to trick me in an attempt to gain my trust and interest. Expeditionary Force Archives house everything that we currently know about everything, even classified material. If the Haruspex or any other faction gets a hold of our Archives, they’ll be able to read up on military operations, expeditions, and our trade routes between the settlements. I will consider both possibilities but I still won’t let my guard down in this case.

Name: Captain Hector Draken, EEF
Entry: #63

Data:

I had to pull a lot of strings with some old friends at the EEF while treading carefully within the chain of command, but I finally have gotten approval to journey west! The Stel are known by us as a people who ambush our cargo routes and raid their own people for resources, but I’m still curious if there is much more than what we already know. All that we really know here is that they raid and ambush for resources and do not have well-established settlements.

I had finally finished breakfast while sitting outside at Paradise Landing when someone sat down next to me. The young woman was named Lani Nguyen and it seemed that she heard of my recent luck in getting the greenlight for a Stel expedition. Apparently, Lani has been studying a lot on the Stel and has even proposed herself to be the Loyalist representative in any kind of talks with the Stel. What did catch me off guard however, was that she asked me to join in on the expedition. This is supposed to be a small-time solo expedition, but she would not take no for an answer so I guess it would be nice to have someone to talk to while we go west.

Lani was quite adamant on packing as little boar meat as possible as apparently there are more boars towards the west. I have never eaten fresh boar meat but I hope there are actually boars where we are going, as I don’t want to starve to death.

Considering the previous encounters with the Stel that the Loyalists have faced, I think it would be safer if we packed some heavy weaponry. I have a feeling the Stel are not going to be as friendly as Lani thinks and plus, we need bigger hunting rifles to kill the boars for food. Despite our well-known ability to be organized and building settlements, we still lack any heavy firepower that NEO has. When they split off, they took with them a large chunk of our R&D people, but I hope someday we’ll catch up to them in terms of weapons and armor design.

Name: Captain Hector Draken, EEF
Entry: #61

Data:

The first day I get back to the settlement and I find nothing new. Back in Ancient Greece, every day was something new, with the busy market and vibrant people. It is the same people doing their same jobs and the same activities that go on. I can’t tell whether it is because our settlements are designed to prioritize utility or the fact that I miss Ancient Greece so much.

My first order of business was to back up my datapad, and while looking through how big of an upload it was, I realized that this single upload contributed double the content that was already existent on the Archives. Most of the existing data were based on rumors and local legends but finally, we have concrete evidence and data to show for it.

I will have to start working on my proposal report once I get the rest of my mission logs and expedition report done. The expedition report should be easy, considering it is practically my journal entries with research data appended. I’m hoping that this proposal goes well and we get a higher budget from the chain of command to do more expeditions across this land.

What still perplexes me is the Haruspex I talked to. Even though there are some ideological differences, we still came to a mutual understanding that we both enjoyed Ancient Greece. I still don’t trust the other various factions but maybe in the near future, we can come up with some kind of data exchange for valuable information for their lands as well. Expeditionary Force Archives have limited information on the areas controlled by the rival factions but for now, I can only dream.

There is also a chance that the Haruspex I talked to could have been trying to trick me in an attempt to gain my trust and interest. Expeditionary Force Archives house everything that we currently know about everything, even classified material. If the Haruspex or any other faction gets a hold of our Archives, they’ll be able to read up on military operations, expeditions, and our trade routes between the settlements. I will consider both possibilities but I still won’t let my guard down in this case.

Name: Captain Hector Draken, EEF
Entry: #62

Data:

It’s been about 4 weeks since I submitted my report and I am feeling absolutely bored out of my mind sitting at a desk. Ever since I came back, I was confined to a desk job at Paradise Landing reading charts and data logs from the mini bio-dome there. I am an adventurer at heart and sticking me in Elysian Loyalist territory for weeks is like chaining me to a wall.

I fear that my proposal for Ancient Greece has fallen upon deaf ears but I do not want to push it with my superiors as I’m already not on their good side and my recent disappearance to go into the past seemed to have made my reputation even worse in the EEF and Elysian chain-of-command.

Life in the settlements is as boring as ever and I don’t even want to get involved in the politics of things. There are rumors of trade agreements and potential alliance talks with the various factions on the planet, but there is also a lot of backlash from other members of the Loyalist faction against those that are suggesting these talks. At this rate, the current Loyalist faction might eventually split into two and I will have to pick a side.

If I don’t save myself from this boredom soon, I think I will go AWOL just to save myself from madness. Despite not wanting to have anything to do with our rival factions, I still would like to take some time to explore their cultures and add them to the Elysian databases. What kind of sorcery is this that I am opening myself up to accepting these other factions, is this an effect of the time traveling or is it something else?

My current plan is to request leave and go west. I have no interest in staying here for the next few months waiting for another big expedition with the Expeditionary Force while creating reports on “The Formation of Fruit on Next Island”. Even though the process of fruit growing on the ground on Next Island perplexes everyone, it isn’t my field of study. The EEF expedition backlog has a file depicting a settlement of former Elysians that live in tents.

Name: Captain Hector Draken, EEF
Entry: #61

Data:

The first day I get back to the settlement and I find nothing new. Back in Ancient Greece, every day was something new, with the busy market and vibrant people. It is the same people doing their same jobs and the same activities that go on. I can’t tell whether it is because our settlements are designed to prioritize utility or the fact that I miss Ancient Greece so much.

My first order of business was to back up my datapad, and while looking through how big of an upload it was, I realized that this single upload contributed double the content that was already existent on the Archives. Most of the existing data were based on rumors and local legends but finally, we have concrete evidence and data to show for it.

I will have to start working on my proposal report once I get the rest of my mission logs and expedition report done. The expedition report should be easy, considering it is practically my journal entries with research data appended. I’m hoping that this proposal goes well and we get a higher budget from the chain of command to do more expeditions across this land.

What still perplexes me is the Haruspex I talked to. Even though there are some ideological differences, we still came to a mutual understanding that we both enjoyed Ancient Greece. I still don’t trust the other various factions but maybe in the near future, we can come up with some kind of data exchange for valuable information for their lands as well. Expeditionary Force Archives have limited information on the areas controlled by the rival factions but for now, I can only dream.

There is also a chance that the Haruspex I talked to could have been trying to trick me in an attempt to gain my trust and interest. Expeditionary Force Archives house everything that we currently know about everything, even classified material. If the Haruspex or any other faction gets a hold of our Archives, they’ll be able to read up on military operations, expeditions, and our trade routes between the settlements. I will consider both possibilities but I still won’t let my guard down in this case.

Name: Captain Hector Draken, EEF
Entry: #61

Data:

The first day I get back to the settlement and I find nothing new. Back in Ancient Greece, every day was something new, with the busy market and vibrant people. It is the same people doing their same jobs and the same activities that go on. I can’t tell whether it is because our settlements are designed to prioritize utility or the fact that I miss Ancient Greece so much.

My first order of business was to back up my datapad, and while looking through how big of an upload it was, I realized that this single upload contributed double the content that was already existent on the Archives. Most of the existing data were based on rumors and local legends but finally, we have concrete evidence and data to show for it.

I will have to start working on my proposal report once I get the rest of my mission logs and expedition report done. The expedition report should be easy, considering it is practically my journal entries with research data appended. I’m hoping that this proposal goes well and we get a higher budget from the chain of command to do more expeditions across this land.

What still perplexes me is the Haruspex I talked to. Even though there are some ideological differences, we still came to a mutual understanding that we both enjoyed Ancient Greece. I still don’t trust the other various factions but maybe in the near future, we can come up with some kind of data exchange for valuable information for their lands as well. Expeditionary Force Archives have limited information on the areas controlled by the rival factions but for now, I can only dream.

There is also a chance that the Haruspex I talked to could have been trying to trick me in an attempt to gain my trust and interest. Expeditionary Force Archives house everything that we currently know about everything, even classified material. If the Haruspex or any other faction gets a hold of our Archives, they’ll be able to read up on military operations, expeditions, and our trade routes between the settlements. I will consider both possibilities but I still won’t let my guard down in this case.

Name: Captain Hector Draken, EEF
Entry: #60

Data:

This morning I decided to push through and explore the rest of the north part of Thebes. There were not many “myrinians”, which I found out their name is, around, so I guess they took the fate of those I fought yesterday to be a warning. I believe I have found the perfect place for our heavy equipment and base camp to be located the area in general is well off the grid from the curious eyes of the local populace but also close enough that if we were to interact with them, the city would be easily accessible. Once I get back, I will draft up a report on this proposal for my superiors to look at.

Ever since I landed in Ancient Greece, I always moved around and just set up camp wherever was safe, never setting up a base camp to stash anything. This has led to my explorer’s backpack to start getting heavy as I collect more and more specimens. I guess this will be my final day before I try going back to my time.

I would like to bring a souvenir back to my office in Expeditionary Force HQ and decided that I’d need to visit the market one last time before I left. I wasn’t sure what was going on today but it was very quiet, not as many people as there were usually. I assumed everyone was having a day off but turns out everyone is staying at home with fear.

There have been rumors going around about giant snakes, big enough to swallow a person whole and a monster that freezes people into stone. I’ve read about this legend before, but I had to get back to the settlement before I get pulled into another adventure.

The trek back to Orpheus’ Cave was a slow and sad one. I didn’t really want to leave but I need to get back, there is no way I’m going to continue this expedition with an overflowing backpack and datapad. In addition to the mixed emotions, I felt while going back to the cave, there was also a strange figure that I met, a time-traveling Haruspex. The Haruspex male, who seemed to be way more prepared for Ancient Greece than I was, sported clothes appropriate for the era and though I don’t want to associate myself with the Haruspex, I asked if he’d ever been here before.

Apparently, he and many other Haruspex have traveled between Ancient Greece many times and even lived among them in their society, which I found both rather amusing and concerning. I then asked if the people of these times knew of their time traveling and he said yes. This… would have been useful to know instead of me attempting to hide my true profile. Now that I’ve learned that the past has Haruspex roaming around, they might meddle with my plans for Ancient Greece and its resources. I will note it down in the report when I submit it to Elysian military command.

Name: Captain Hector Draken, EEF
Entry: #59

Data:

My datapad is filling up so fast and I have no way of connecting to the servers in the Elysian settlements to transfer or back up my data. This puts me on edge as if this datapad gets damaged or stolen, all my research and logs are gone. I really should get back to my time and at least make a quick stop to back up the data but at the same time, I want to continue exploring and try integrating myself into this society.

The habits and Greek society in this land seem to be similar to what we model ourselves after in my time. Everything is so peaceful and calm, perhaps what we need is not purely technological advancement but other things that can improve our lives like a proper city with homes and bustling markets instead of make-shift settlements that prioritize utility instead of being a pretty sight.

I have continued to survey the local area north of the city for resources and found an abundance of female warriors who do not seem very happy with people trampling on their territory. Despite my initial plan to keep my futuristic gear out of sight, I still ended up taking out my pistol. I did a total of 3 warning shots and they were not even scared enough to run away. A total of 10 were present and I realized if any of them made it out alive, they could spread the news of a futuristic wizard roaming these lands. However, there is also a chance that they would just believe it was some kind of magic or I’m some kind of demi-god sent by Zeus himself, similar to what the Greeks might believe. The former is a bit worrying but the latter could help me form some kind of alliance and rally these warriors to pledge allegiance to me.

Back at home, I was well known for marksmanship and being the fastest pistol wielder in the Elysian Expeditionary Force. In the moment, none of that really mattered, as only life or death were looming in my mind. 10 versus 1 and in less than a minute, a technologically superior entity took out 10 highly skilled warriors with one hand. I think there is little to no chance that Elysia will be doing any kind of business with these warriors after today. I don’t even know how they will react when they find the bodies but hopefully, it won’t be easy or possible to track this incident back to me…

Name: Captain Hector Draken, EEF
Entry: #58

Data:

My plan for first contact with the locals so far has been going well. This morning I entered Thebes and tried looking for a way to chat my way into the local population. This was surprisingly easy as it seemed most of the locals gathered at some kind of open marketplace area in the city.

I had to cross my fingers that I wouldn’t make the enter interaction awkward but it seemed to have gone well. I approached a random person in the market and asked them if they knew the best place to look over the city, they told me to look over the highest point of Thebes. The person did say he was surprised I didn’t know something all Greeks should know and asked me where I was from. Of course, even though it could have been a little joke, I was still a little nervous and with some quick thinking, ignored the joke… or genuine question… and wished him good luck and went on my way. It is way too early for me to gauge whether I should be open about my actual origins, so I will tell people when I feel ready.

The person was right, the view was beautiful, walking up the road from the market, I reached the highest point in Thebes and it was absolutely stunning. I could see all the way to the dock and the white buildings were an awe-spiring sight. This was such a difference from our rag-tag settlements in the present, I feel as if I envy these people. Perhaps, if we ever consider any large building projects back home, we can consult with the architects and engineers of this time for inspiration.

While looking at the view, I did realize something that never really bothered me before. I realized I don’t actually have shelter in this land at all or a place to go back to. I was not expecting myself to stay so long, let alone extending my stay. This expedition seemed to have turned from investigating a local legend to finding a new place to call home.

The rest of my day felt odd, as I was expecting people to question me left and right on who I was and where I came from. They seemed to almost accept me into their society even though they probably have never seen me around. I’m still good on my rations and gear but I still want to get more data on these people, the Archives will have an abundance of information by the end of this trip I hope!

Name: Captain Hector Draken, EEF
Entry: #57

Data:

An interesting thought crossed my mind today, if I am really thrown back in time, wouldn’t an event such as me burning down the ancient city of Thebes ends up affecting the existing timeline that I’m in? I’d rather not try it, since any major changes to the timeline could reverse the evolution of technology or even make me cease to exist.

It turns out that the answer to the risk to the timeline might have actually already been found by the Haruspex. At this rate, the Elysian Expeditionary Force Archives is my best friend and guide to this hectic adventure to the past. Reports from the Expeditionary Force say that the local Haruspex population is known for their strange sorcery, which could protect the current timeline in case any outsider interacts with anything in Ancient Greece.

There is not enough information in the Archives to know how the Haruspex did it, nor is there much information about the Haruspex culture that can be enough to work backward and figure it out myself. I can only assume that some magical rituals or artifacts were used to set up this “safety bubble” to preserve the timeline. At least now I can rest easy that in the case where I have to defend myself against the inhabitants of Ancient Greece, I won’t have to worry about accidentally incapacitating an ancestor of someone like David Spencer, founder of the Elysium Alliance, and wiping out my very existence.

The various islands around Ancient Greece have been wonderful, though surveying the planet with my F-105 did not yield much success, at least I know there are resources and we can bring in larger mining equipment from the Loyalist settlements to dig. As I stood along a cliff overlooking the sunset today, I realized this could be what we needed to industrialize and accelerate the establishment of a Loyalist powerbase on Next Island. I will have to call in for reinforcements once I get back though to ensure the Haruspex, who I believe are the only ones who know of this time travel portal, do not intervene.

I think I will begin first-contact with the local population and share my interests in allying and collaborating with them, maybe even recruit them as mercenaries and workers for the potential power struggle between the Loyalists and the various other factions on Next Island when the time comes.

Name: Captain Hector Draken, EEF
Entry: #56

Data:

The night scavenging was a partial success in a way that I did end up getting some clothes that fit the era but also seemed to have alerted the local garrison of a stranger trying to infiltrate their settlement. I’ll have to cross my fingers that they won’t weed me out as the stranger but with the new clothes and the fact that I will try my best to avoid any contact with these people should be enough to not raise any alarms.

I plan to spend the next few days determining whether I am somehow in a fever dream, in a simulation, or actually thrown back in time. The mechanics of the cave’s abilities concerns me and I am right to fear it. Will it bring me back to the time period I came from or will it throw me into a different time period? Will it send me to the same place or will it send me across the universe? There are so many questions and my biggest fear is that I won’t be able to get back home.

So far, I don’t feel like it is a fever dream, whenever I pinch myself I feel pain, whenever I brush the ground, I can feel each blade of grass. I can certainly rule out the possibility of a fever dream but is it a simulation then? Any device I use to try to contact the Loyalists is useless right now, it seems that either the simulation I’m in is blocking the signal or I truly am in a time period where wireless communications haven’t been invented yet.

In other news, I saw a creature directly from Greek mythology, a “Cyclops”. I have only heard of stories of these giants who can eat a man whole and pound you to death with their heavy clubs. Based on the Archives, there wasn’t ever any solid evidence on the existence of cyclops nor was there any evidence that they didn’t exist, but as long as I don’t get their attention, I should be safe. They are way taller than me and I don’t even think any weapon in my arsenal can take one down. This is the equivalent of shooting down a dragon with a papplon launcher.

Cyclops themselves seem to pride themselves on their superior strength rather than strategy and are rather primitive, so I think even the Loyalists want to ally with anyone in this time period, we’d have better luck allying with the humans.

Name: Captain Hector Draken, EEF
Entry: #55

Data:

Yes! I have fallen onto a great discovery… literally! While climbing this cliff area near Orpheus Way, I accidentally slipped and fell into the water, which carried me off the cliff and right in front of an entrance to a hidden cave behind a waterfall. Injuries were minor, with the water breaking my fall, but it was well worth it for the reward.

No wonder it is not on any existing maps that I have, the entrance itself is very well hidden and I certainly hope none of those papoo followed me in. It would be embarrassing if I were to die in a cave with no one being able to find my corpse.

I was not prepared to be suddenly thrown into Ancient Greece. I was studying the cave’s structure and wanted a better view, but it seemed that the strange circle I was standing on had other plans for me. Based on the architecture, it seems that I have been transported into Ancient Greece according to the Elysian Expeditionary Force Archives. I have not encountered any rival factions while going to the cave so I assume I am safe. All my items are with me, so at least I am not completely defenseless against this era in history but it is strange how such a cave brought me to an ancient civilization on Earth.

I must conduct more research on why this is even possible, as I am very certain there should be no connection between Ancient Greece and the planet I was transported from. Wandering around, the place is rather spacious and nice. I have yet to interact with any of the citizens of the Greek civilization and don’t plan to make first-contact until I have familiarized myself with the surroundings and stockpiled on supplies.

The best-case scenario is I am heralded as a god with my technology of the future while the worst-case scenario is that I get labeled some kind of sorcerer and have a death sentence handed to me. My first step will have to be changing my outfit. I think I will try to sneak into the Greek settlement at night and try to scavenge for clothes that fit this era. It is not in my moral code to steal so I will try to leave a token of gratitude that I assume could be equivalent to the value of the clothes I find.

Name: Captain Hector Draken, EEF
Entry: #54

Data:

Based on the data obtained by previous expeditions, it seems that this rumored cave is located somewhere north of the settlement. The cave and its surrounding topography don’t even exist on any existing map that I hold. I can’t tell whether it is due to the area being barely explored or could it be classified by the leaders of the Loyalists for other reasons? Maybe the cave does exist then? To know for sure, I must find and prove that it does!

I have recently learned that the local papoo population is divided into multiple groups, similar to what we humans have done. I have a theory that the behavior of certain papoo populations and their natural instincts could help lead me to this cave. I don’t seem to have any efficient way to survey and study these papoo, so I have ripped open my spare mining finder in an attempt to repurpose it to detect the locations of papoo. Luckily during my time in the Expeditionary Force, we were taught how to improvise when lacking equipment. The finder’s navigation system should be sufficient for my tracking activities.

I was right, the papoo move in certain ways that avoid a certain area near Orpheus Way. The area around Orpheus Way should be nothing but jungle and papoo though. There is a likely chance that this is just a large pool of water or a jagged mountain that the papoo cannot climb, but it could also be something undiscovered yet.

My current supplies are rather low. I had to fight off several papoo attacks while going north, and I think the entire red papoo population might label me an enemy soon. Current supplies such as ammo and food are low, but medical supplies are in abundance somehow despite so many papoo attacks. I don’t want to go back so soon to the Loyalist settlement but at the same time don’t want to die a miserable death in the wild. Maybe luck will be on my side when I reach Orpheus Way. It should be a 2 day trip on foot so my next entry won’t be written for a few days while I travel and document my surroundings.

Name: Captain Hector Draken, EEF
Entry: #53

Data:

Blast it, most of my log entries are corrupted and unreadable now. I’ll have to start all over on documenting my quest to restore Elysium to its former glory. This must be the work of the other loyalists. We do not see eye-to-eye and they don’t believe in my cause to restore Elysium. Am I wrong though for wanting to unleash a golden age of science and discovery in the Loyalist faction? I will let those who stumble upon my logs decide.

I have decided to do my duty as a member of the Elysian Expeditionary Force and venture out beyond the boundaries that define our “territory”, where death or glory await me. I should have enough supplies to last a while, but once they run out, I might have to get creative and scavenge for supplies in the wild.

On the bright side, breaking free from the Loyalist settlements for a little while ensures that my vision of Elysium is not trampled on by the “false” members of the faction who just want to survive rather than keeping the dream of colonizing this land alive.

During my time in the Expeditionary Force, we had reports of a strange cave, one that resulted in a strange phenomenon in which whoever enters is thrown back in time and across worlds. It sounds like a work of science fiction but I beg to differ. This land is strange and the majority is still undocumented on maps and charts. If this were to exist, I could potentially lead a larger expedition to begin conducting commerce and establishing relations with whoever is on the other side… assuming there is a way for me to return.

With the sun rising and time ticking, I’m going to miss the settlement for a while, but I will be back with charts, maps, and artifacts that could shift the tide of all these skirmishes with rival factions. The road to greatness is riddled with these fruits and screechers but with the armor on my back and the pistol in my holster, I will single-handedly make it such that the Elysian Loyalist flag flies on the highest points of the land and prove to the others that I am no ego-maniac and lunatic.