Thargoid Maelstrom

Maelstrom Taranis

Thargoid Maelstroms are colossal artificial formations composed of highly corrosive gas clouds, deployed by the Thargoids. Their size is over 100 kilometres in diameter and resembles a small nebula. In orbits above ammonia worlds, they act as beachheads for invading Thargoid forces in adjacent systems. All Maelstroms were named after gods of thunder from various ancient Earth mythologies.

Background

Eight Maelstroms arrived to the core systems at the end of November and in December 3308 after having traveled thousands of light years at superluminal speeds, bringing about the most devastating Thargoid attacks ever recorded. Although mysterious at first, their Thargoid origin was never disputed and chemical signatures confirmed it. The innards could not be explored at first because of caustic clouds and repulsing electromagnetic energy waves that appeared to be generated from a denser 'core' region of the cloud. They also generate the disruptive field first witnessed from the Major Anomaly in HIP 22460, incapacitating any Guardian-based technology in their star systems.

An important breakthrough was when reinstated Aegis developed and started production of the Caustic Sink Launcher by next March, which allows a ship to survive longer in caustic enviroments. Pilots used it to collect more Shards of crystalised caustic gas and Tissue Samples extracted from Thargoid Caustic Generators that were already known to generate the clouds. Another big breakthrough was making the Thargoid Pulse Neutraliser accessible in May, removing the last obstacle to reaching the inner regions. Gargantuan constructs surrounded by an asteroid field and Thargoid vessels were discovered inside, thus validating speculations that the Maelstroms obscure some sort of mothership. These immense structures were designated Thargoid Titans.

History

In mid-3308, Salvation and Azimuth Biotech, with the assistance from all three superpowers (who had been left defenceless following the shutdown of Aegis), attempted to eradicate all Thargoid forces in human space through use of an anti-xeno superweapon dubbed the Proteus Wave. Built into a Thargoid Structure and based on Guardian weapon technology discovered by the lost Azimuth ship of the same name, the device operated on the principle of attracting as much of the Thargoid Fleet to HIP 22460 as possible before emitting a pulse that would shutdown the bio-mechanical components of Thargoid craft within radius. Many condemned this as an attempt at genocide, though given the strategic significance of ending the Thargoid threat within human inhabited space once and for all, the leaders of the Alliance, Empire and Federation provided portions of their naval fleets to ensure the device was completed.

On the 9th of August 3308, the fully charged Proteus Wave was deployed. While seemingly initially successful in shutting down all Thargoid Vessels in the system, an unknown energy buildup of Thargoid origin was detected in the Surface Site the device had been built into. Moments later, a second pulse was autonomously triggered, shutting down all human technology and severing communication with the system. In the following moments the Thargoid fleet seemingly "woke up" and began slaughtering the disabled human fleet.

Survivors who were lucky enough to avoid the wrath of the Thargoids long enough to regain power and flee the system all reported an unusual Thargoid 'scream' that could be heard in all regions of HIP 22460. Initially the superpowers classified all data on this phenomenon, until copies of the recordings were leaked to the press by a cult that worships the Thargoids as harbingers of the end times. The 'scream' was composed of a wide range of indecipherable electromagnetic signatures that was speculated by many to be some manner of distress signal from the Thargoid forces in HIP 22460. In later months, this theory would partially confirmed; Seo Jin-ae, an escaped Azimuth test subject of the monstrous Project Seraph was able to to identify call-response aspects within the scream and partially translated the response portion.

We see them. We are coming.

— Seo Jin-Ae's partial translation of the 'Thargoid Scream'

The Rogue Signal Sources

Following humanity's defeat in HIP 22460, an unusual anomaly appeared near Barnard's Loop in the Orion Complex, more than 1,000 light years from Sol. Focusing a ships FSS scanner at a particular point near the nebula would pick up an unknown, non-natural sound amongst the usual background signal noises. Commanders also reported Thargoid Hyperdictions in the area; these were unusual as they were significantly further away from known Thargoid territories than previously reported. Approaching the source of this anomaly, a faintly visible 'flare' could be distinguished from the background stars. Upon closer examination, it was confirmed the object was visibly moving (albeit through interstellar space at speeds too high to intercept), and appeared to admit light at 8 points around itself.

Upon discovery, the independent Canonn Research and Anti-Xeno Initiative groups issued red alerts and an effort was made to track the object (dubbed by many as the 'Stargoid'). After days of observation, the objects apparent course was extrapolated to be heading directly for the core systems.

Over the coming weeks, 7 more anomalies were detected, in a large semicircle around the core systems, all of their courses converging on human inhabited space.

Locations

Name	System	Arrival Date
Taranis	Hyades Sector FB-N b7-6	29 November 3308
Indra	HIP 20567	1 December 3308
Leigong	HIP 8887	1 December 3308
Cocijo	Sol	5 December 3310
Oya	Cephei Sector BV-Y b4	8 December 3308
Thor	Col 285 Sector IG-O c6-5	15 December 3308
Raijin	Pegasi Sector IH-U b3-3	15 December 3308
Hadad	HIP 30377	15 December 3308

Notes

• Thargoid Maelstroms were introduced in Update 14 for Elite Dangerous: Odyssey on 29 November 2022, along with new Thargoid war mechanics.

Videos

• File:Elite Dangerous - Intermediate Tutorial - Into The Maelstrom
• File:Dawn of the Darkest Days

References

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