Ruins

Ruins can be found on planets. They appear on the ship scanners and are marked in red on the planet mini map. When landing in a specific type of ruin the player learns the name of the alien race, which built them. The ruins belong to the five extinct alien races Avulco, Jassikan, Maylaa, Tchansu, and Xaquindi. All ruins are different in terms of loot, possible dangers, pilot interactions, and necessary preparations. The following sections give an overview over the different types of ruins, grouped by the historic races which built them.

Avulco
All Avulco ruins appear to be scientific underground bases that seem to be completely frozen. They all have a computer with a slot for an Avulco Passcard. An Avulco Passcard can be extracted from a Beeping Device by Alessandra (found in wrecks). With an Avulco Passcard the player can get an additional Avulco Gem, before starting to explore the actual ruin. The randomly selected Avulco loot is: The player will always be asked, whether he wants to explore the ruins before he faces one of the following scenarios:
 * Cryogenic Fluid
 * Avulco Bust
 * Avulco Components
 * Avulco Holotape

The security robot with a saw
The pilot triggers an alarm. A security robot is cutting its way through the door. The player gets the choice to try to get past it or to run away. With a 40% chance the robot is to slow and the pilot can loot something. In 60% of the cases the pilot gets cuts and has to leave. Running away means no loot.

Siobhan, Malcolm & Zoe succeed always.

Computer
The pilot enters a medical facility. In the middle of the room is a computer. The player can choose, whether he wants to use it. With a 40% chance the pilot gets some insights into the threads, that were chasing the Avulco and the player can loot something. In 60% of the cases the pilot triggers an alarm and flees. By not using the computer, the player can also loot something!

Alessandra, Benoit, Kirsten, Lebedev, and Miri are always successful using the computer.

Cylindrical pods
The pilot enters a small lobby area. Downstairs he finds cold cylindrical pods and gets the choice to open one of them. With a 30% chance there is a living Avulco inside, that grabs the pilot by the throat before dying and causes the pilot to run away. In 10% of the cases there is a dead alien holding a box inside containing some loot. In 60% of the cases the pod is empty. The player gets the choice, whether he wants to open a second pod. Again with a 30% chance he finds a living Avulco and runs away. In 40% of the cases he finds something to loot. With only a 30 % chance it's empty again, which gives the player the choice to open further pods with the same probabilities as for the second one. In theory this can go on forever. Once the player decides not to open a pod, there is no reward.

Zombie Avulcos
Cryogenic fluid is leaking. The player has to use a Personal Shield to proceed. Protected by the shield the pilot finds a shut-off valve and finds a blind unfrozen Avulco walking through the dark corridors. The player is asked whether he wants to explore further. With a 70% chance the Avulco takes another corridor and the pilot finds a storeroom to loot. In 30% of the cases hundreds of Avulcos starts chasing the pilot, he gets infested and flees. Running away means no loot.

Zoe uses her zombie movie skills to get some loot with a 100% chance.

Hologram alarm
The pilot enters a multi-leveled tower of villages full of aliens in robes. They seem to be holograms, but one of them notices the pilot and triggers the alarm. The player gets the choice to turn off the alarm. In 60% of the cases the pilot switches off the whole system including the holograms, the security druids, and the cryopods. Everything dies and he has to leave. With a 40% chance it is successful and the player is asked, whether he really wants to steal the stuff of the now pretty angry holograms. No matter the choice the pilot will not get anything. If the player instead ignores the alarm he can loot something.

Alessandra, Benoit, Kirsten, Lebedev, and Miri are always successful turning off the alarm.

Jassikan
Jassikan ruins are old ghost towns that were extinguished during a nuclear war. Looking for loot is dangerous since there is a lot of radiation, that can burn the pilot. The randomly selected Jassikan loot is: The player will always be asked, whether he wants to explore the ruins before he faces one of the following scenarios:
 * Lolewa Syrup
 * Mutated Corpse
 * Plasma Flechette Launcher
 * Scavenger Equipment
 * Nuclear Battery

Worm metro
The pilot enters the subway, where he finds a big living worm, that seems to be the vehicle. The player can choose, whether he wants to board it. With a 50% chance the pilot takes the worm to a former shopping center and finds some loot. In 50% of the cases the pilot fails to stick to the worm and heads back. Heading back means no loot.

Malcolm is always successful riding the worm. Miri, Zoe, and Benoit are too disgusted by the worm and head back.

Scavengers
There are scavengers in a tentacle-built city, which loot it as well. The player can choose to hide, or to greet the scavengers. With a 40% chance hiding and looking for loot afterwards is successful. In 60% of the cases the scavengers take all the loot and the pilot has to leave without anything. In 60% of the cases, greeting them makes them shoot at the pilot, who gets burns, and flees. In 40% of the cases they point at some loot.

Simon can greet the scavengers and convinces them to share the loot. Siobhan, Malcolm & Zoe are successful in both ways.

Military base
The pilot enters a bombed military base, with armed insectoid scavengers. The player can choose to greet them or to hide. If the pilot greets them, they will start shooting and hit his oxygen supply. He flees. If the pilot hides, the player will be able to collect some loot with a 50% chance. Otherwise the scavengers take everything and the pilot leaves.

Destroyed settlement
The settlement is completely destroyed and the radiation stronger than usual. The player can decide whether he wants to explore or leave. With a 90% chance the pilot will get burns and the player is asked once more. The second time and all future times the chance is 80% to get burns and to try it again. In 10% of the cases in the first round and 20% in all other rounds the pilot is successful and can take home some loot. The player can choose to explore the ruin repeatedly until the pilot dies or successfully loots the place.

Siobhan realizes where to dig and finds the loot on the first trial.

Strong radiation
The pilot enters a destroyed city and needs a Personal Shield to withstand the radiation. Using the Personal Shield the city turns out to be small mutated garden, he finds some loot close to a leaking unexploded nuke. Without the shield the player is asked whether he should get a bit closer, or leave. With a chance of 80% the pilot get burns and leaves. In 20% of the cases the pilot can loot a vehicle. Leaving means no loot.

Maylaa
Maylaa ruins are giant trees of light, that are inhabited by colorful wisps. They are filled with illusions, which play games with the player. They oppose next to no thread to the pilot. If the player has a Trapped Wisp, he will be asked to free it. The player receives Crystallized Time as a reward. If he refuses, he will not be able to explore the Maylaa ruin.

The player will always be asked, whether he wants to explore the ruins before he faces one of the following scenarios:

Dream
Each crew member experiences an individual dream about their past. Ash quickly realizes that it is just a dream.


 * Malcolm dreams of his home, running through the streets as it is frozen in time, faster and faster. He snaps out of the dream, but with regret.
 * Alessandra dreams of her children's sixth birthday. It doesn't take her long to realize it isn't real... she misses them too much.

All pilots will receive a treasure afterwards.

Undressing
The pilot enters a temple of marble, full of wisps. They try to remove the players spacesuit. The player is asked for confirmation. If the player refuses, the pilot will head back to the lander without loot. Next they try to undress the pilot. The player is asked for confirmation. If he declines, the pilot gets burns and flees. The wisps try to remove the pilot's skin. The player is asked for confirmation. If he declines, the pilot gets burns and flees. After removing the skin the wisps guide the pilot into a bath, where he gets a new skin and gets a reward.

Treasure game
The pilot gets to choose one of three treasure chests. The player is asked whether he should participate in the game. Declining means leaving without a reward. The pilot has a chance of 30% to open an exploding chest and has to leave. The chance to find a treasure inside is 20%. In 50% of the cases, the wisps will open another chest (that explodes) and the player is asked, whether he wants to switch the chest. Either way the chance of finding the treasure is now 50% as well as opening the exploding chest and leaving without a reward.

Siobhan, Alessandra, Benoit, Kirsten, and Zoe have a 80% chance of success, when switching the chest.

M.C. Escher staircase
The pilot reaches a lake with an island. The island is connected to the shore by impossible staircases. The player can choose whether he wants to try to climb them. Refusing means no loot. The pilot starts climbing them. After each stairs he is asked which direction to choose. The decision doesn't matter at all. There are plenty of stairs. Continuously trying will sooner or later lead to the island and its treasure. It is possible to fall, but nobody will get injured and you can try again. After falling three times the pilot will head back to the lander.

Siobhan, Alessandra, Benoit, Kirsten, and Zoe are clever enough to solve the puzzle on their third attempt.

Red or blue?
The pilot enters a tower of black ice, where the player finds frozen red and blue wisps calling for help. By choosing red the player gets a loot item. By choosing blue the player has a 50% chance to get a loot item and a 50% chance to get some credits. There is a chance of 20% to get 153, 50% to get 101, and 30% to get 66.

Dangerous presence
There is an old dangerous presence, that directs the pilot to a treasure chest.

Tchansu
Tchansu ruins are temples, that worship the dragons of entropy. The randomly selected Tchansu loot is: The player will always be asked, whether he wants to explore the ruins before he faces one of the following scenarios:
 * Totem of Death
 * Totem of War
 * Broken Totem
 * Totem of Pain
 * Totem of Pestilence
 * Ancient artifacts

Standard shrine
"I think this is a shrine to something. Not a god. A symbol, on the wall, and a book that's almost crumbled to dust. Two circles, intertwined, but separated by... an arrow?"

There is nothing dangerous here. The pilot takes an artifact and leaves.

Armillary sphere puzzle
The pilot enters a giant armillary sphere, that seems to be controlled by a console. The player can choose, whether he wants to try to solve the puzzle or leave. With a 70% chance the pilot is able to solve the puzzle and gets the loot. With a 30% chance his hand gets stuck in the console, he gets burns and has to leave. Leaving means no loot.

Siobhan, Alessandra, Benoit, Kirsten, and Zoe are always successful.

Hunger
The pilot feels extremely hungry, gets anxious and loots the place.

Black lake
The temple entrance is blocked, so the pilot has to cross a lake. The player is asked trice, whether he really wants to swim, or leave. By swimming the pilot gets infested and the loot. Leaving means no loot.

Siobhan, Malcolm & Zoe can cross the lake without getting infested.

Door problem
The pilot enters the courtyard of the temple with plenty of doors. The player gets the choice, whether he should try a door, or leave. There are 5 different door events with an equal probability of 20%: If the pilot didn't find the treasure, the player will be prompted to choose a door again. This game can be repeated until the pilot either finds the treasure or dies. Leaving means no loot.
 * The pilot is hit by spikes and gets cuts.
 * The walls are closing in and the pilot gets broken arm.
 * The room is set on fire and the pilot gets burns.
 * The room is a dead end, empty, or leads back to the courtyard.
 * The pilot presses a button in an empty corridor, gets almost hit by a dart and loots the place.

Siobhan knows immediately, how to choose the correct door and proceeds to the loot.

Trap corridor
The pilot enters a corridor, that seems to be a trap. The player can choose whether he wants to try to pass it or leave. With a chance of 20% the player makes it through the corridor, gets a broken leg and can loot the temple. In 80% of the cases the pilot doesn't make it, gets a broken leg and heads back to the lander. Giving up without trying means no loot.

Siobhan knows how to disarm the traps and can loot the temple directly. Malcolm & Zoe will always make it through the corridor (with a broken leg).

Xaquindi
Xaquindi warrens are etched cave networks, with a Xaquindi warning at the outside. They are very dangerous, since the pilot can die here.

Kirsten refuses to enter Xaquindi ruins, once the Xaquindi topic is known.

The randomly selected Xaquindi loot is:
 * Xaquindi Claw


 * Xaquindi Fangs


 * Xaquindi Cocoon

The player will always be asked, whether he wants to explore the ruins before he faces one of the following scenarios:
 * Xaquindi Samples

Worms feeding a Xaquindi baby
The pilot enters a cave with worms eating dead creatures and feeding a baby Xaquindi. The player is asked, whether he wants to sneak past them or leave. With a 40% chance, the pilot realizes that they see with vibrations and finds some loot. In 60% of the cases he accidentally makes some noise, the worms cause some cuts and he runs away. Leaving means no loot.

Siobhan, Malcolm & Zoe succeed always.

Xaquindi fight
The pilot faces a fully grown Xaquindi and needs a weapon to proceed. If the player has some Corrosive Acid, he will be able to defeat it and gets to loot the place. Otherwise the player can use Critter Repellent. The Critter Repellent is turning the Xaquindi crazy and it potentially kills the pilot. It unlocks the "IT'S A BUG HUNT!" achievement. With a chance of 20% the pilot can defeat the Xaquindi without any tools and loot the place, but in 80% of the cases he will die as well.

Ant fight
The pilot finds a fighting pit, where man-sized ant creatures are battling to death. If the player has some Critter Repellent, the pilot will be able to use it to protect himself and to loot the place. Otherwise the player is asked whether he wants to wait until they are done fighting, or to leave. With a 50% chance waiting is successful and the pilot can loot the place. In 50% of the cases he gets caught by giant ant and gets broken ribs, before he flees. Leaving means no loot.

Spider webs
The entrance is blocked by spider webs. The player needs Corrosive Acid to loot the place, otherwise he has to leave.

Xaquindi heart
The pilot enters a room full of gems, with an almost dead Xaquindi in its middle. A worm carries the Xaquindi's 'heart' around. The player can decide whether he wants to steal one of the Xaquindi hearts. With a chance of 60% the pilot gets a Xaquindi Gem. In 40% of the cases the worms kill the pilot. Leaving means no loot.

Avalon
To start the quest, the player has to find a specific ruin guarding a Compass. Siobhan can use the Compass to find Avalon, another ruin guarding Gamuhvane. Those ruins seem to take random appearances and are hidden in each Wolphax seed.

The Tomb of the Unmourned King
In a Maylaa ruin, the player can find the tomb of the Meorcl King and pick up The Slumbering King himself. The ruin is dangerous and can injure the pilot. This ruin is hidden in each Meorcl seed.

Tomb Raider
During the quest, the player has to loot three ruins in three different sectors to obtain the Astrolabe, the Compass, and the Sextant. Those ruins look like Tchansu ruins, but can be looted without solving any puzzles or getting injuries. The three artifacts are hidden in each Cueddhaest seed and can be found without even starting the quest.