Teoarrk

I'd argue they have it pretty rough. They have to clear out Infested and deal with a conscious forest that really does not want them around.

I can imagine a fair amount of Steel Meridian support staff are not Grineer, but people from colonies that are sympathetic to their cause. Cressa Tal and those under her would hold most of the leading military positions due to their combat experience. I feel like in the past that might have been the case and for those under Tyl Regor, absolutely. But now with the councillors culled and Vay Hek calling the shots, you can only imagine what stresses that would cause to scientists. The Gustrag 3, the (initial) Infestation outbreak on Mercury during Once Awake, the ghouls. Then you have military leaders like Sargus Ruk pawning off important Orokin artifacts for the sake of getting more augmentations. I'd say that they probably do have it much better than most Grineer, but with the minds to do what they do and the conditions they work under it's probably the knowledge of what will happen if they defect (since they probably have an active hand in handling defectors) as much as the loyalty gene keeping them in line.

Oil makes sense for Ghouls given that they gestate in pods of nutrients and come out looking like things in a tube. Theres clearly corners cut there to make them grow fast. I quite like the detail, humanizes Teb.

This is perfect, it's been added :)

Since DE have begun to add radius markers to enemy mechanics that might actually be better.

The idea is that it will be an attack similar to the radial pulse of a Coomba.

I do feel like a lot of the discussion about improving the new player experience ties to what can be done with the setting. Grineer Informants are definitely still around, we just have never seen them and nothing more has come of their existence in years. Glad that they struck a chord :) When I talked with @keikogi about the Ghouls something that came up was how un-Grineer like the ghouls were and how close they were to Infested. It seemed like a natural step. Thank you, might come to your dms to exchange ideas :)

Quickie: Buried Depths Season 2: A tale of Two Businessmen (Art by Databuffer) Since I haven't posted this here yet, here is Buried Depths Season 2. Enjoy.

Technocyte Schism Part 2: Enemies of the same flesh The hazard lights pulse, bathing everything in a deep red glow. The others scan nervously into the dark. The scream of my radio catches me by surprise. "Komrades of Mercury, finest of the Grineer stock-" The radio continues, but I don't focus on the rest of the message. An idea has come to mind. "Everyone, get ready." I shout, ripping the earpiece from my visor. Sounds come from the nearby tunnels. They are close. I throw the earpiece into an open area, while the rest ready themselves. Sargus Ruk is bellowing about our bravery, while Kweens of Us All plays in the background. My brothers are nervous, I hear the slight clicking of their armor bouncing against their weapons. I feel my own hand shaking slightly as I pull out my Kraken. The noises from the other tunnels has stopped. The ground around the headpiece erupts into dust. We open fire, the light from our guns drowning out the hazard lights in bright flashes. As the smoke clears, one of the ghouls are there, twitching and bullet ridden. I go to confirm the kill, when another leaps past me, the bulk of the creature knocking me to the ground. My brothers continue to fire as I scramble for my gun, the fire spreading out on all sides. They've surrounded us. I grab my gun, finding myself face to face with one of the submerged creatures. My hands are faster than it's lunge, my visor covered in ichor. I get to my feet, instinctively pulling out my Sheev as I see the eyes of ghouls all around. My brothers are fighting tooth and nail, but they are being cut down one by one. The glow of the Sheev in my hand steels my nerves with it's comforting glow. The beasts lurch forward, but a weak paw of the weapon is enough to keep them back. One much larger than the rest jumps from the crowd, a bloody handprint on its face. I jab the Sheev up into it's chest, a howl of pain my reward. A metal claw slams into my Sheev arm with such force that it feels broken. I pull away, my Kraken being the only thing separating me from being Ghoul food. I manage to get a few rounds into the creature before it rushes at me again, careening into a nearby wall. An arm down, I stumble and fall onto the floor again, amongst the bodies of the fallen. Gunfire interrupts the sound of the ghouls less and less. The alpha approaches, the glistening gunshot wounds not doing anything. I realise that I still have a frag grenade in breast pouch, it would probably be better to die that way than be eaten. The creature stops a few feet away from me, waiting patiently. Maybe this thing knows what I'm planning to do? The stalemate lasts long enough for other ghouls to approach, their fresh kills running down their bodies. They stop at the same distance as the alpha, their eyes, or what passed for eyes looking at me with interest. My Kraken feels useless in my hand, but letting go of it even for a second would be fatal. A clock was ticking till the time when the threat of my grenade would end and the beasts would attack regardless. That was when something shone brighter than the hazard lights again. The ghouls froze at the sight of something behind me. A heavy footprint was all I heard before a Supra fired above my head. The ghouls died where they stood, each erupting into clouds of viscera. I looked up at my would be saviour and froze myself. A glowing fleshy thing wriggled around in a tube, which was attached to much larger, hulking creature, whose torso was covered in a cluster of eyes and whose head was little more than a antenna, each arm a mess of infested flesh with a Supra wedged into a bloody slot. It took no interest in me, thank the Kweens, instead lumbering past to do something to the ghouls it had killed. I took the opportunity to escape. Hu did nothing wrong. Mine Fhuve Tok Ehught is Rapatok. Tu kotr is retrroyed. Tu brothers are dead. The Kurokk sikhaat have overrun it. - After action report delivered by Ukhi Uk Uk Chee to the Mercury relief command. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Black Seed Ever wanted the great taste of Rho Fruit in Pim Berry Flavour? Thanks to the geniuses at Rho Biotechnical Solutions, the wait is now over! 100% Safe, 100% delicious. *9 out of 10 doctors do not recommend consumption of Rho Pim fruit due to several violations of food and drug consumption standards* Try Rho Pim Today! This advert will continue after the break story! AwwBillyBob,whatseemstobethematter?Dad,whycan'tyoucomehome?Don'tworryson,yourfatherisworkingforMrAnyo,it'sforthegoodoftheCorpus.WowDad,youworkforNefAnyo?Yesson,it'sthebestjobIeverhad!ThankstoMrAnyoIcanputfoodonthetableforthewholefamilyandevenhelpthoselessfortunatetoo!WowDadIlearntalot.I'mproudtobeyourson.GeethanksJunior! The story will continue during the next break in two days! Black Seed is an enigma as far as factions in Warframe go. There is very little known about them, aside from their one time release of Juggernaut Spores into the Origin System. They are considered Corpus in name only, being little more than terrorists that have no ties to any Profit Guild nor representing any Corpus interests. However, it stands to reason that they did once. When Alad V was driven into hiding on Eris, the fleets he used to continue running his Mutalist experiments had crews. These Corpus knew full well where Alad V was and also must have known of the changes in their boss. It would have been extremely lucrative to turn him in, obtaining a meteoric rise to the status of Profit Guild Master for the Jupiter region and many assets alongside. But they didn't. Many of them continued to work in this capacity long after ships and crews went missing in a growing Mutalist mass that has left a lasting scar over the skies of Eris. If you are still with me, let me explain why the logo says 'Black Rho' and the logo looks very similar to the Beekloud Hivemind logo. Black Seed are terrorists, their actions prove as such. But lab equipment, spore samples, logistics, these do not come for free. Therefore, the easiest strategy is to create a shell company and register it in a obscure freeport that produces a basic, but profitable product. Use the name familiarity of Project Rho to further cement the product in Corpus society. Establish a connection with a minor Profit Guild that is in the same industry. Commission a small logistics fleet in the name of this shell company, with a misleading Profit Guild logo to mask illicit activity behind Guild business. Spend most of the profits back into this shell company, meanwhile funnelling a sizeable amount into furthering their true goals. Recruit Corpus through promise of higher wages. Pay off key people in key places to 'turn a blind eye' to unmarked items appearing in manifests. Come to discoveries that can bring the System to it's knees. It is time. Structure Creations Tar Mutalist Moa Swarm Mutalist Moa Mutalist Osprey Biofilm Mutalist Osprey - A creature that emits of a thick mucus that slows down projectiles fired at allies within 15m by 30%. Triuna Enforcer - A wall of flesh with two Supras grafted directly to their arms. A Triuna Zygote suspended in front of its torso will deactivate Warframes that get too close. Puppet Warframes - Warframes animated by Infested Flesh. Triuna Brute - A mountain of Muscle that will close the distance, using the Triuna Zygote to disarm and dismember the Tenno. Triuna Lurker - Little more than a tripmine with arms. Do not stand on or near them. Mutalist Jackal - Exactly as it sounds. Mutalist Hives - Forward defences that provide hive bonuses when destroyed. Strategy Attack from range and take out Triuna Zygotes as first priority. Warframes close to these organisms will become deactivated. Final Note: Kurokk Hive - warning sign placed on all entrances to Mine 811, Mercury. Glorious news Brothers! Thanks to the victories at Nemesis by Commander Voht, the Grokdrul rations have been increased by 30%! The defenders of Nemesis were cunning and cruel, but proved nothing before the might and bravery of the Grineer! A toast to Voht and the conkwerors of Nemesis! May we hear more good news from Commander Voht! But brothers, it is now time to talk of the traitor Kurokk. This evil Grineer is hiding, for he knows he has failed his Kween. He knows that every Grineer is looking for him! The reward for the capture of Div Kurokk has been upgraded to Petty Officer in the Arid Corps. More brave brothers and sisters have been lost due to his abominations. We will have justice. For the glory of the Kweens! - Radio of the Grineer Soldier The Kurokk Hive is formed from a number of Grineer Ghouls with the Kurokk Strain of Technocyte. This strain has made them smarter and stronger than normal ghouls and even more monstrous. Despite the small number of initial ghoul test subjects and their tendency to eviscerate their victims, the unique mixture of diapause and Kurokk has meant that each victim becomes another added to their number. Div Kurokk, the strain's creator aimed to make Ghouls that would be able to destroy the defences of colonies in such a way that no Grineer lives would be lost due to enemy combatants. He was too successful. Now it is up to us to clean up. "Infestation and Ghoul physiology? Simply put, they get together like a house on fire. The connections to the cybernetics are finer, more intuitive, than most grineer prostheses, so it gives the technocyte biometal an easy path into the neural connectors. With all the weaknesses of Grineer physiology magnified through the Ghoul creation process, the subject has no immune responses to speak of, and causes rapid, unpredictable growth and replication of Infested cells. It's as if the Infestation is fire and the entirety of the Ghoul is oil. Which is sort of literal when you consider how many natural oils are in their skin." --Teb Huen, Steel Meridian-allied clone biologist. Structure Kurokk Ghouls still follow a pack like structure, with an Alpha, being the biggest and toughest being the one in charge, while those under the Alpha being at relatively equal footing. Unlike normal Ghoul packs however, this Alpha is shared between all Kurokk ghouls, meaning this alpha is a very powerful creature. Members Kurokk versions of the Rictus, Expired, Devourer and Augur Ghouls. Kurokk Alpha - A larger Ghoul Devourer with skin like the Grineer head of the Lephantis creature. Strategy Kurokk Ghouls are evolved ghouls, but are still ghouls. Fight them from range and avoid their death clouds. Encounters with the Kurokk Alpha will be a test to how well you can kite something that will kill you in one hit if it connects. The Apostles of Arlo The message received on trade route Lantha The Apostles of Arlo are a cult that worship Arlo, a miracle turned mutant of the Infestation. Through transformation into their current forms, they exist as fully (or at least partially) conscious hybrids of Infested flesh, willing to prove themselves to their patron through bloodshed. Structure Arlo, as the deity of this cult is the leader, with the Zealoid Prelate being his speaker. Below these two figures are Zealots of various descriptions and proficiencies. The cult has grown to an unknown size since the events of The Emissary, their movements and actions suggesting that small teams are active and operational all over the system. Corpus Void The abandoned Corpus Void is tied to the cult, however to what extent is unknown. The infested nature of keys found by fallen zealots suggest that the Void network has been corrupted by their presence. Cathedral of Want This massive Derelict structure appears to be tied to the cult, however this is based on one report. The true significance of the structure remains unknown. Forces Arlo - Massive Infested Creature Zealoid Prelate Zealoid Bastion Zealot Herald Zealot Baptizer Zealot Proselytizer Zealot Anointer - Zealot armed with the Bubonico Zealot Flagellant - Zealot armed with the Hema Zealot Cloistant - Zealot armed with the Dual Toxocyst Blessed of Arlo - Something in the spirit of this. Strategy The Cult need to be taken out quickly due to their power. Be quick on your feet and try not to given them an opening. The Dregs Death is certain for those who have been born and rebirth is inevitable for those who have died. Therefore, you should not lament over the inevitable. -Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 2 verse 27 The Dregs represent the largest contingent of the Infested. Dangerous creatures that are ancient, or recent victims of the Technocyte Virus, the System wide hive drawn to action by actions of other infested elements. Structure True hivemind. The Dregs all operate as one massive organism. Beastiary Charger Leaper Runner Volatile Runner Undying Flyer Crawler Boiler Brood Mother Ancients Leaping Thrasher Phorid Asclepi - Giant creatures that release gas clouds when hit. These clouds will deal gas Damage Panactus - Creature that releases a cloud of gas on death that grants Tenno that stand in it Toxin immunity for 10 seconds and the cost of 100 health. Phorid, Evolved. - This creature. This creature has increased durability and versatility when compared to it's 4 legged counterpart. Strategy Slash and burn. The Saffron Emperor We were losing, our soldiers stripped of all but the most basic of arms. Costs of men and materials that made the Great Plan untenable became inevitabilities of our daily existence. What we chose to do was unthinkable and yet, it was the only option left open to us. We needed to win the war. What a price we paid for peace. -The Saffron Emperor The Saffron Emperor, a figure long thought dead has returned. Where or how his rebirth was achieved remains unknown, just as is his location. The only certainty is his intentions: war. Structure The Saffron Emperor is the only known actor of this faction, however his genetic control of major infrastructure and systems around the Origin System means that he does not truly act alone. Torture The Arbiters of Hexis member was under very specific torture methods only spoken of in old legends. While inconclusive, it may point toward other elements of the old power structure still surviving. Servants Null Sentries Corrupted Strategy Avoid the Saffron Storm. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Well thats it for now. It was fun making the images I made and digging up others. Stay tuned for part 3: Night waves under torn skies. Till then.

It's an anti afk measure and a bad one at that. It does nothing to stop the exploits that have been found by players to have an afk experience. I guess from a fun perspective it gives you an opt in reactant buff to become more powerful, but thats only really something you can take advantage of in endless missions.

Thanks for the feedback from you all. I had a Nora Night event script brewing, which I will definitely work into part of this miniseries. I could also write some radio segments from the Corpus and Grineer. I had this 1984 style news station idea for Grineer, but Corpus having their own radio station opens up a bunch of ideas as well. Fortuna has a bunch of adverts in the ambient noise, which I will try to build upon. I'll be honest if it weren't for me talking to @FoxFX and reading from his backlog of concepts on the faction I imagine they would have not been on my radar. I wasn't around for the event itself as I was taking a break from the game at the time. I may want to explore the freeport network at some point. It's kinda like a bunch of floating stock exchanges, so one of them going down is letting Profit Guilds crash and burn. Perhaps I could do with adding minor Corpus Factions at some point as well? We will have to see. Thanks Fluffy :) You know Unus, every time I look into your thread I find gold. These posts will definitely help steer the ship going forward, at least in part. You always help :)

Loka is taking way longer than anticipated to be anywhere near done. Therefore, in the spirit of presenting something in a timely manner, I present a new series, in the same spirit as the Syndicate and Pet reworks. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ The Technocyte Schism Part 1: A Dilemma Unfolds I awake, standing in the middle of a pond of lotus flowers. Lush gardens in full bloom in every direction around, a low and full sun feeding the grateful blooms. Nature is at peace here, it’s harmony expressed in every movement of the breeze. I blink and 5 plants have grown taller than the rest, the sun charring them black for their greed. I blink and the flowers of the 5 plants have sagged to face me. Each one has a human face, their eyes unblinking. The wind changes and each begins to sing a song without harmony, nor words. The singing makes each flower about them burst into a deluge of black blood that drowns the lotus flowers. In a final cruel act, they turn to the sun, which swells and bulges, until it explodes into a black, inky tar that paints the sky black. -Vision of Amaryn, First of the Lokan Commune. 39 days ago: Reports have come in all across the System of boil sightings. Red Veil Observatories begin cataloguing each and tracking their movement. An interesting note is discovered: a boil travels from one dark sector to another within the Trans Neptunian Orbit. The vast amount of data creates a spontaneous moment of collaboration with Sudan researchers on the significance of the event. 34 days ago: Amaryn approaches the Trio of Vinnana for an answer to a strange vision: ‘5 heads will sing and the sky will turn black’. The scholars do not have an answer. The weave is abuzz with theories and scathing remarks about the New Lokan leader. 32 days ago: Observers around the original Mutalist hive report activity. An Infested Boil emerges from a cluster of ships, it’s trajectory reported to the relevant authorities. Railjack corvettes owned and operated by more affluent Tenno coordinate to destroy the mass before it leaves Eris Proxima. 31 days ago: A short morse signal was received by rail jockeys on the shipping route Lantha between Mars and Ceres. The message provides a grim portent: Arlo comes again to receive the downtrodden. The signal's origin is later pinpointed to a derelict Corpus vessel. A Perrin Sequence investigation party, lead by Yun Ma herself is quick to uncover a curious development: alongside several longwave transponders on board are a collection of Corpus Void Keys, hybridised with Technocyte flesh that is unlike anything anyone present has ever seen. These are taken in for study. No trace of those responsible are found, nor any information on where the keys lead. 28 days ago: Teshin held a coalition meeting to discuss further preparations for the upcoming war. During the meeting, Sravus brings up the unusually high movement of Infestation across the system. With hands tied due to the larger Sentient threat, he is advised to defer investigations to Tenno and Lotus Path elements. 25 days ago: Lotus Path Guardian patrol vessels around Kronia Relay reported strange spacetime signatures coming from deep space. They send out requests for any available Tenno cells in the area to investigate. A Tenno by the name of Kubeba is the first to investigate. He identifies the signature as a large fleet of Corpus Freighters. When hailed, the fleet took on evasive maneuvers. Kubeba attempted to board one of the vessels, finding access on an auxiliary craft in the hold. He is forced to retreat after an unidentified object interferes with his Warframe. Further investigation from a distance proved impossible as his landing craft was attacked by scrambled Corpus fighters. The final information Kubeba reported of note was that the Corpus Guild insignia on each ship was not like any other he had seen before. The information of a new Corpus Guild reaches Lotus Path Guardian high command, Joon Holas in particular making many inquiries into the particulars of the insignia. After his questions were answered, Joon immediately demanded a state of emergency to be declared. The fleet belongs to the Corpus bioterrorist faction by the name of Black Seed. All Tenno and Tenno allied contingents are to remain on high alert until the fleet has been destroyed. 23 days ago: A Grineer mining operation based above Sedna is attacked by a boil. The distress beacon sent out is initially ignored by local command, due to it being a local festival day known as Skumdrum. Military forensics later dispatched a warning over open channels of creatures that cannot be killed by small arms fire. A handful of Grineer survivors give testimonials of the strength of locally made gun emplacements and demand listeners to only buy from Harkonar arms. 22 days ago: A corpus freeport in the outer sector is attacked. The distress signal is quickly replaced with another darker message: From this Black Seed, we all shall flourish. Await the harvest. A number of other freighters and outposts are struck in similar lightning raids, each boosting the message across the airwaves. The pirate radio station Nightwave is temporarily hijacked when the frequency is used by one such booster. Nora Night spends the remaining duration of the broadcast discussing the terrorist attack and issuing bounties on Black Seed. 21 days ago: Further attacks occur, this time on Sedna itself. Kela de Thaym is forced to ask for mercenaries to assist her overstretched forces. Tenno that fight off the intermittent Infested outbreaks report several new infested forms, all adapted for breakthrough assault. They also say, but cannot confirm, that they felt eyes watching their movements at every moment of combat. 17 days ago: Several Orokin Derelicts long thought to be in locked orbits above the surface of Europa begin to move. In becoming free, they crash together. Local elements from all Syndicates go to investigate the phenomenon, which is dubbed ‘The Steeple of Want’ due to the tower-like shape and the shining gold exterior of the vessels. 16 days ago: Most investigation parties reveal nothing, but one in particular arrives on Kronia Relay with premonitions of the coming of a great healer. Given recent events in the sector, the party is taken in for further questioning and interrogation. After a 5 hour testimony split between the four, they are allowed to leave. 15 days ago: A Corpus freighter by the name of Auror approaches the Orcus relay’s perimeter. The ship’s Cephalon hails the Relay with several distress signals, indicating the critical condition of the reactor and crew. A void engine blowback apparently caused a reactor meltdown, leading to a shutdown of major systems, including life support and propulsion, the ship having to rely on gravity and momentum alone for 20 days. Hazard crews tow the ship outside the perimeter, while also investigating the interior of the vessel. Rampant infestation of all systems is quickly discovered. Massive Infested organisms attack one hazard crew, killing 3 and wounding 6 more members. After a hastily organised evacuation, Lotus Path Guardian fleet elements utilise Ttatakai class cruisers to utterly exterminate the vessel in a hail of sustained fire. Of the six wounded, 4 more lose their lives due to the severity of their wounds. The entirety of hazard team Leti receive the Protector Sugatra of Valor, Of those dead it is buried alongside their ashes. 13 days ago: A large number of high level Grineer communications from Mercury are dispatched over midnight. Decoding efforts are underway. Tenno Cells operating in the Mercury area report spreading Infestation presence in the area and limited Grineer presence. A growing network of remote observers monitor the spread, as it threatens the free Larunda Colony. 11 days ago: The messages are decoded, some addressed by or to members of the royal science society. Further Technocyte experimentation on Mercury lead to the unthinkable: impregnation of a ‘Kurokk’ strain into ghoul defectors in an attempt to see if the strain could be utilised to improve ghoul deadliness. The researchers conferred information constantly during the initial test on live subjects. The experiment was going well until half an hour after the initial injection. The on hand Grineer soldiers were butchered by the test subjects while many of the scientists were evacuated. The remaining elements manning Mercury stations are lower to not attract the attention of these Kurokk ghouls. Tenno cells operating around Mercury are instructed to create fire teams, focusing on eliminating any Kurokk ghouls they find. Sargus Ruk broadcasts a message of solidarity with any forces fighting in Mercury Proxima and promises severe punishment of any involved in the creation of the Kurokk Infestation strain. 9 days ago: Grineer sealabs surrounding the Dark sector of Ur are assaulted by Apostles of Arlo. Drekar forces remain in pursuit of the attackers as they pass through their installations, resulting in a bizarre discovery: the apostles butchering other infested lifeforms. This discovery is transmitted over shortwave radio, which is captured and decoded by Syndicate spies. 6 days ago: An unnamed Syndicate member on Eris sends out a distress call on open channels. The harrowing 5 minute plea is quickly spread across the weave. Arbiter Seekers in the area rush to the scene, but it is too late. An autopsy reveals that the wounds suffered are more in line with torture than a run in with Infested drones. Members of the Hand of Sneha are dispatched across the world. The operative, identified as an Arbiter Truthseeker that had been missing for the past 3 weeks. There will be a ceremony in his honor in the gardens of Bud'dhikō within the next few days. 5 days ago: Teshin calls an emergency coalition meeting, to discuss a plan of action to best handle the growing infested threat. Cephalon Eureka and Cantis jointly present a map of projected boil routes, which reveals many instances of multiple boils hitting the same target at once. The 4 day old report from Syndicate spies on Uranus brings into question the nature of the response to the threat. The meeting is adjourned with several major directives in place to evacuate several free colonies and fortify several key trade routes. The pride of the Lotus Path Guardians, the Carrier Kil’ha is deployed above Uranus, to safeguard the planet from surprise Sentient attack while the situation diverts major attention away from the threat of Hunhow and other key Sentients. A temporary cordon is set up above Cetus to achieve the same goal, manned by several Cutter Cruisers and supporting corvettes. 2 days ago: The first organised response is mustered in response to an SOS signal from a Perrin Sequence aligned Corpus Freeport. Steel Meridian of the 45th Kwun Jo platoon are first on the scene, finding the local forces in disarray, but still mustering an evacuation. The 45th help station militia drive the Infestation back to the collision sites, which are cleared over the next few hours with blast charges and napalm. The mission is considered a resounding success, with minimal casualties. 1 day ago: A resounding trumpet is heard across the entire system. Orokin ruins long thought dormant come to life, disrupting many essential services systemwide, including military privileges of Tenno vessels on the Solar Rail. The Entrati Family deliver a baffling message to coalition command: An Orokin Emperor is responsible for the chaos. Tenno craft able to navigate the system without use of the Solar Rail are used to maintain the coalition's ability to launch sorties, but the availability of craft cripples the flexibility of coalition forces. This is not entirely negative, as the focused manpower can better handle SOS responses and build rapport across Syndicates. 17 hours ago: A live firefight breaks out aboard the Strata relay between Lotus Path Security and several unknown assailants. After an intense 30 minutes of fighting, one surviving member of the attacking force disappears before security can apprehend them. Corpus Void Keys are found among the bodies, alongside several Technocyte weapons of unknown design. 13 hours ago: Several Tenno contacted coalition command with news of a strange message spoken by their Orbiter’s Helminth. The details of the message include an invitation and a set of coordinates that point to a specific aphelion of the orbit of Ceres. Teshin instructs all Tenno Operatives to avoid the area, threatening that any dangers presented by the Grineer or Infestation ‘pale in comparison to those within and without the Orange Palace’. 10 hours ago: A Phorid sighting was reported by Corpus stationed in Callisto. The message quickly changes when multiple other high threat Infestation targets appear. Tenno mercenaries that respond find Zanuka Amalgams among the Corpus troops. 6 hours ago: The Silver Grove is attacked by a massed horde of infested, which are butchered by a mixture of Silvana’s Guardians and zealous New Lokan forces. Among the dead, a Vitruvian is found, uncorrupted by Technocyte. 5 hours ago: Several key Grineer installations in Sedna are attacked at once by Black Seed. 3 hours ago: A lone Tenno ventures to the coordinates listed in the Helminth message, broadcasting their actions on the weave. They suddenly disappear 2 kilometres from their destination. Solar Rail access is restored for all Tenno vessels shortly thereafter. 1 hour ago: The Vitruvian is taken to a trusted Cephalon within Suda’s knowledge circle. The contents of the Vitruvian is startling, but the most significant find is the signed declaration of war in high Orokin that is less than a day old. The contents reads as follows: To the usurpers of harmony, Those who would, with sword and malice cast down humanity's golden age, who would damn the sovereign light of progress, I speak thusly and in no crueler terms than is required: your destruction is fast approaching. My long centuries in hiding have brought within me the malice required to turn a blind eye towards the Origin System I once raised and toward the task that must be performed. The cruel sting you granted in times long past have bidden a similar barb to burst forth of my own creation, a foul blossom which will rend asunder the equilibrium you have selfishly enjoyed. Look to your defences, for war will soon be upon you. The weapons of spite and plague will cast you down without mercy, just as you did while honors spouted from my lips, foul demons! May you suffer my wrath, The Saffron Emperor ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ And on that note, that is the end of Part 1. Part 2 will cover the rogues gallery of factions that you will be facing during the schism. Special thanks to @keikogi for coming up with the base premise. Stay tuned for Part 2: Enemies of the same flesh. Till then.

Justification for the placement of this weapon is as off base as the Bash Lab existing at all. If the Bash Lab gets used as a one-time event weapon lab in future that'll be cool. Wish it was elsewhere, but hey we're here now. Orokin Lab could use some love in future, hope it gets an update sometime.

Thank you. :)

Health check: how is the thread doing? Hi there. Loka is still chugging along. I made a feedback form to gauge how well the thread is doing. It's just 4 questions. Depending on the feedback I will consider delivering the story in chapters. Thank you for any feedback you wish to give. Till Then.