Raxxla: Difference between revisions

added Raxxla codex text
removed redundant Legend section while preserving the references
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[[File:Raxxla 400.png|thumb|300px|An emblem associated with Raxxla]]
[[File:Raxxla 400.png|thumb|300px|An emblem associated with Raxxla]]
{{Quote|Cora comes home soused and raving with wild stories, a new one every night. She claims she's found a map to some pirate stash, and all I have to do is loan her my ship so we can go dig it up. Maybe we should go find Raxxla while we're at it!|From the journal of Art Tornqvist, circa 2296}}
{{Quote|Cora comes home soused and raving with wild stories, a new one every night. She claims she's found a map to some pirate stash, and all I have to do is loan her my ship so we can go dig it up. Maybe we should go find Raxxla while we're at it!|From the journal of Art Tornqvist, circa 2296}}'''Raxxla''' is a legend that has been circulating among spacers in one form or another for centuries. While there is little consistency among the various tales about Raxxla, the earliest stories about it agree that Raxxla is a definite place that holds a mysterious secret. Every [[explorer]] sets out to find Raxxla at some point in their career, convinced that they have picked the thread of truth out of the sea of rumors, but if any have succeeded in their quest, they have held their silence. The equally legendary organization known as [[The Dark Wheel]] is said to be dedicated to finding Raxxla.<ref name="KB-R">''Elite Dangerous'' Knowledge Base > [[Knowledge Base#Raxxla|Raxxla]]</ref>
'''Raxxla''' is a legend that has been circulating among spacers in one form or another for centuries. While there is little consistency among the various tales about Raxxla, the earliest stories about it agree that Raxxla is a definite place that holds a mysterious secret. Every [[explorer]] sets out to find Raxxla at some point in their career, convinced that they have picked the thread of truth out of the sea of rumors, but if any have succeeded in their quest, they have held their silence. The equally legendary organization known as [[The Dark Wheel]] is said to be dedicated to finding Raxxla.<ref name="KB-R">''Elite Dangerous'' Knowledge Base > [[Knowledge Base#Raxxla|Raxxla]]</ref>
 
== Legend ==
The earliest documented reference to Raxxla dates to 2296 and originates from an entry in the personal journal of Art Tornqvist, a shipboard mechanic based out of [[Tau Ceti]]. The entry does not describe Raxxla or its possible whereabouts, but its existence is evidence that the Raxxla legend was already in the public consciousness by that time.<ref name="KB-R" />
 
In some versions of the Raxxla story, which were later shown to have a striking resemblance to the children's story "Princess Astrophel and the Spiralling Stars" (see Wikipedia: ''[[Wikipedia:Astrophel and Stella|Astrophel and Stella]]'') and consequently became discredited, Raxxla is said to hold an alien artefact called the Omphalos Rift, which acts as a gateway to parallel universes. Even after it was discredited, staunch supporters of the Omphalos Rift theory insist that the author of the children's story had knowledge of Raxxla's exact location and deliberately wove clues into his book. Other Raxxla seekers claim that Raxxla is something else entirely, with theories running the gamut from an unremarkable moon to a state of cosmic enlightenment.<ref name="KB-R" />
 
A number of conspiracy theories assert that Raxxla has already been discovered by either a sinister cabal or a lone individual who has harnessed Raxxla's power to become the shadow ruler of all of humanity.<ref name="KB-R" />
 
Students and commentators of Raxxla lore have noted that the legend of Raxxla is unusually influential, often leading Raxxla seekers to become singularly obsessed with it. This has been compared to the concept of "[[wikt:fernweh|fernweh]]", which is experienced as an inexplicable longing for a place that an individual has never seen.<ref name="KB-R" />


== Codex Entry ==
== Codex Entry ==
''The following is the RAXXLA entry from the Elite Dangerous Codex, available in-game.''
''The following is the Raxxla entry from the Elite Dangerous [[Codex]], available in-game.<ref name="KB-R" />''


"To the jewel that burns on the brow of the mother of galaxies! To the whisperer in witch-space, the
"To the jewel that burns on the brow of the mother of galaxies! To the whisperer in witch-space, the
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putative fraternity of legend-chasers from the early days of interstellar travel.
putative fraternity of legend-chasers from the early days of interstellar travel.


The earliest recorded mention of Raxxla dates from 2296, from the journal of Art Tornqvist, a
The earliest recorded mention of Raxxla dates from 2296, from the journal of [[Art Tornqvist]], a
shipboard mechanic based in the Tau Ceti system. He writes: 'Cora comes home soused and raving
shipboard mechanic based in the [[Tau Ceti]] system. He writes: 'Cora comes home soused and raving
with wild stories, a new one every night. She claims she's found a map to some pirate stash, and all
with wild stories, a new one every night. She claims she's found a map to some pirate stash, and all
have to do is loan her my ship so we can go dig it up. Maybe we should go find Raxxla while we're a
have to do is loan her my ship so we can go dig it up. Maybe we should go find Raxxla while we're a
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agree on several points, however: that Raxxla is a definite place, and that it holds a mystical secret.
agree on several points, however: that Raxxla is a definite place, and that it holds a mystical secret.


Several versions of the Raxxla story mention an alien artefact, the Omphalos Rift, described as a
Several versions of the Raxxla story mention an alien artefact, the [[Omphalos Rift]], described as a
gateway or tunnel through which parallel universes can be accessed. These details, however, were
gateway or tunnel through which parallel universes can be accessed. These details, however, were
later shown to bear a striking resemblance to the children's story Princess Astrophel and the
later shown to bear a striking resemblance to the children's story Princess Astrophel and the
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Students of Raxxla lore have noted that the legend exerts a strangely potent fascination on the
Students of Raxxla lore have noted that the legend exerts a strangely potent fascination on the
minds of seekers. Commentators have compared this sensation to 'fernweh', the unaccountable
minds of seekers. Commentators have compared this sensation to '[[wikt:fernweh|fernweh]]', the unaccountable
longing for a place one has never seen. More than one interstellar treasure-seeker has become
longing for a place one has never seen. More than one interstellar treasure-seeker has become
obsessed with Raxxla to the exclusion of all other dreams, and spent his or her entire life in a futile
obsessed with Raxxla to the exclusion of all other dreams, and spent his or her entire life in a futile