Thargoid: Difference between revisions

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Officially, the first encounters between [[humans]] and Thargoids occurred around an [[Ammonia Planet|ammonia-based world]] in 3125,<ref name="GNTT">[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/57ada8969657baeb6e876c6c Galactic News: The Thargoids]</ref><ref name="DW">[https://canonn.science/lore/drewwagar-the-thargoids/ Canonn Research - Drew Wagar's Lore: The Thargoids]</ref><ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PX49v8zYutI The Return 2.4 Announcement - Elite Dangerous]</ref> but unverified incidents involving similar ships were reported as early as the 2810s.<ref name="EE">''[[Elite Encounters RPG]]''</ref> Between the 2810s and 2840s, the [[Galactic Cooperative]] documented a significant number of ship disappearances in its space and near the [[Pleiades Nebula]]. Investigations found no evidence of foul-play, but the disappearances and hyperdrive malfunctions continued intermittently, stoking anxiety among pilots. In 2849, the first footage surfaced of one of these "encounters", with one blurry image appearing to show an alien ship with the word "THARG" on its hull. The media immediately coined the term "Thargoid" as a name for the aliens. However, no conclusive proof of the Thargoids' existence was obtained, and they faded into folklore.<ref name="EE" /><ref>Data taken from Tourist Spot Beacon 0184, Lave system</ref><ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/53se4s/first_thargoid_contact_22_beacon/ First Thargoid Contact - 2.2 Beacon]</ref>
Officially, the first encounters between [[humans]] and Thargoids occurred around an [[Ammonia Planet|ammonia-based world]] in 3125,<ref name="GNTT">[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/57ada8969657baeb6e876c6c Galactic News: The Thargoids]</ref><ref name="DW">[https://canonn.science/lore/drewwagar-the-thargoids/ Canonn Research - Drew Wagar's Lore: The Thargoids]</ref><ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PX49v8zYutI The Return 2.4 Announcement - Elite Dangerous]</ref> but unverified incidents involving similar ships were reported as early as the 2810s.<ref name="EE">''[[Elite Encounters RPG]]''</ref> Between the 2810s and 2840s, the [[Galactic Cooperative]] documented a significant number of ship disappearances in its space and near the [[Pleiades Nebula]]. Investigations found no evidence of foul-play, but the disappearances and hyperdrive malfunctions continued intermittently, stoking anxiety among pilots. In 2849, the first footage surfaced of one of these "encounters", with one blurry image appearing to show an alien ship with the word "THARG" on its hull. The media immediately coined the term "Thargoid" as a name for the aliens. However, no conclusive proof of the Thargoids' existence was obtained, and they faded into folklore.<ref name="EE" /><ref>Data taken from Tourist Spot Beacon 0184, Lave system</ref><ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/53se4s/first_thargoid_contact_22_beacon/ First Thargoid Contact - 2.2 Beacon]</ref>


Centuries later in the early 3120's, new reports emerged of octagonal starships of unknown design and origin, as well as hyperdrive malfunctions. In 3123, GalCop discovered the wreckage of two ships in its space that had been destroyed by more powerful laser weapons than were known to exist at the time.<ref name="EE" /> In 3125, independent pilots claimed that they were being pulled out of [[hyperspace]] and attacked by octagonal ships. Those who survived the experience were convinced they had encountered an alien species, and named the aliens "Thargoids" after the 29th century incidents. As the news spread, leaked [[Federation|Federal]] intelligence reports indicated that the Thargoid attacks were likely provoked by human hostility; colonists in the Veliaze system had apparently come into contact with a Thargoid deputation and assaulted it out of ignorance shortly before the attacks began. Some years later, the Thargoids disappeared as mysteriously as they had arrived.<ref name="GNTT" /><ref name="EE" />
Centuries later in the early 3120s, new reports emerged of octagonal starships of unknown design and origin, as well as hyperdrive malfunctions. In 3123, GalCop discovered the wreckage of two ships in its space that had been destroyed by more powerful laser weapons than were known to exist at the time.<ref name="EE" /> In 3125, independent pilots claimed that they were being pulled out of [[hyperspace]] and attacked by octagonal ships. Those who survived the experience were convinced they had encountered an alien species, and named the aliens "Thargoids" after the 29th century incidents. As the news spread, leaked [[Federation|Federal]] intelligence reports indicated that the Thargoid attacks were likely provoked by human hostility; colonists in the Veliaze system had apparently come into contact with a Thargoid deputation and assaulted it out of ignorance shortly before the attacks began. Some years later, the Thargoids disappeared as mysteriously as they had arrived.<ref name="GNTT" /><ref name="EE" />


The events surrounding first contact with the Thargoids were mostly suppressed and forgotten, and by the 3300's the Thargoids themselves were generally regarded as fiction. According to [[Alliance]] [[Alliance Prime Minister|Prime Minister]] [[Edmund Mahon]], who is one of the few individuals with access to surviving records, the [[Intergalactic Naval Reserve Arm]], or INRA, fought a war against the Thargoids and eventually secured victory by deploying a bioweapon against the aliens. The Thargoids retreated, and for many years it was believed they had been driven to extinction or even never truly existed at all.<ref name="EDP">[[Elite Dangerous: Premonition]]</ref>
The events surrounding first contact with the Thargoids were mostly suppressed and forgotten, and by the 3300s the Thargoids themselves were generally regarded as fiction. According to [[Alliance]] [[Alliance Prime Minister|Prime Minister]] [[Edmund Mahon]], who is one of the few individuals with access to surviving records, the [[Intergalactic Naval Reserve Arm]], or INRA, fought a war against the Thargoids and eventually secured victory by deploying a bioweapon against the aliens. The Thargoids retreated, and for many years it was believed they had been driven to extinction or even never truly existed at all.<ref name="EDP">[[Elite Dangerous: Premonition]]</ref>


According to the logs of the [[Megaship]] GCS Sarasvati, the original war with the Thargoids ended in 3151. In the aftermath, the [[Galactic Cooperative]] set up a series of deep space monitoring stations, one of which was the GCS Sarasvati, to watch for a resurgent Thargoid threat. This initiative was called Project Equinox. However, by December 27, 3155, no Thargoid presence had been detected whatsoever and members of the project questioned its usefulness. By August 16, 3172, Galcop had become weakened and fractured, and Project Equinox was shut down. Unfortunately, this occurred just as project lead Dr. Cassandra Lockhart discovered that the Thargoids had been sowing the seeds for their future return all along, and her warnings were ignored.<ref>[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php/380074-GCS-Sarasvati-early-Thargoid-lookout-megaship?p=5961637&viewfull=1#post5961637 Frontier Forums: GCS Sarasvati - early Thargoid lookout megaship]</ref>
According to the logs of the [[Megaship]] GCS Sarasvati, the original war with the Thargoids ended in 3151. In the aftermath, the [[Galactic Cooperative]] set up a series of deep space monitoring stations, one of which was the GCS Sarasvati, to watch for a resurgent Thargoid threat. This initiative was called Project Equinox. However, by December 27, 3155, no Thargoid presence had been detected whatsoever and members of the project questioned its usefulness. By August 16, 3172, Galcop had become weakened and fractured, and Project Equinox was shut down. Unfortunately, this occurred just as project lead Dr. Cassandra Lockhart discovered that the Thargoids had been sowing the seeds for their future return all along, and her warnings were ignored.<ref>[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php/380074-GCS-Sarasvati-early-Thargoid-lookout-megaship?p=5961637&viewfull=1#post5961637 Frontier Forums: GCS Sarasvati - early Thargoid lookout megaship]</ref>