Astral rift

Version

This article has been verified for the current PC version (3.10) of the game.

List of discoveries

Discovery

Anomalies

Archaeological sites

 **Astral rifts**

Astral rifts are tears in time and space that lead to other universes. Each astral rift provides a deposit of  **2** Astral Threads which may be exploited by constructing a research station above the astral rift. Completing any chapter usually grants a reward of  Astral Threads as well. The first time an astral rift is encountered, it starts the *A Rift in Space* situation.

The name of an astral rift only becomes visible when hovering over it after the first chapter has been completed.

## Ruined Planet

The Ruined Planet astral rift is always present in the home system of empires with the  Riftworld origin. It has the following chapters:

1. Narrative.
2. Choice between two paths of equal difficulty: **Starlight Vanguard** and **Black Curtain**.
	* **Black Curtain** is not available to  Genocidal empires.
3. Narrative.
4. Choice to pay  100 Astral Threads,  100 Alloys if chose **Starlight Vanguard**, or  1000 Food if chose **Black Curtain**; or redo the chapter for the other faction.
	* Genocidal empires as well as empires that refuse both sides can end the exploration and gain  **large** astral threads reward (**140, 150, or 160**) and a small amount of  Unity.
5. Option to pay  100 Astral Threads or  1000 Energy to decrease the difficulty of the next chapter by 3.
6. Gain a level 3 leader of a class of your choice with the  Rift Warped trait and the *Spirit of our Ancestors* permanent modifier which gives the following bonuses:

 Helped Black Curtain
 Gave Starlight Vanguard  Astral Threads | * **+10%** Shield Hit Points
 Gave Starlight Vanguard  Alloys | * **+10%** Armor Hit Points
 Gave Black Curtain  Astral Threads | * **+25%** Astral Rift Exploration Speed
 Final choice: gave  Energy |  **+5%** Ship Build Speed

One year after the astral rift is completely explored, the Formless contacts the empire and hint at the Crystal Rift requirements.

## Genesis

Genesis is a unique rift that will create a new species with pre-sapient traits. It cannot spawn for empires that do not have at least one colony. Every chapter has a difficulty of 3 and the following rewards:

1. Gain  **small** astral threads reward (**40, 50, or 60**).
	1. *Arm them with might* gives the species the  Strong trait
	2. *Plant the seeds of knowledge* gives the species the  Natural Intellectuals trait.
	3. *We play no games. Activate an E.M.P.* ends the exploration and grants  **48x** alloys output (**700 ~ 30 000**) and  **large** astral threads reward (**140, 150, or 160**).
2. Gain  **small** astral threads reward (**40, 50, or 60**).
	1. *Diligence* gives the species the  Proles trait.
	2. *Intuition* gives the species the  Ingenious trait.
3. Gain  **small** astral threads reward (**40, 50, or 60**).
	1. *Preserve the old ways* gives the species the  Conservative trait.
	2. *Challenge every frontier* gives the species the  Starborn trait.
4. Gain  **large** astral threads reward (**140, 150, or 160**). On a random colony, a pop from the new species is created with the matching climate preference. If the empire is  Gestalt Consciousness, it also receives  **24x** society output (**500 ~ 1 000 000**) and the *Genesis Insight* permanent empire modifier.

## Strange Station

Strange Station is a unique rift that can potentially create an inaccessible empire to trade with. It cannot spawn for empires with the  Riftworld origin and has the following chapters:

1. Gain  **small** astral threads reward (**40, 50, or 60**).
2. Gain  **small** astral threads reward (**40, 50, or 60**) and a moderate amount of  Engineering or  Society if not  Gestalt Consciousness and  Unity if  Gestalt Consciousness.
3. Gain  **small** astral threads reward (**40, 50, or 60**) and a choice between an easier and a harder choice.
4. If chose the harder choice, gain a large amount of  Society and **+50%**  Governing Ethics Attraction for 10 years. If  Gestalt Consciousness, the empire gains the *Fractured Ambassadors* permanent modifier. In addition, establish communications with the Mirror Empire. If chose the easier choice, gain a very large amount of  Unity and  **medium** astral threads reward (**90, 100, or 110**).

If the more difficult path was chosen, then the Mirror Empire is added to the contacts menu. The Mirror Empire has the same species but an opposed ethic, the fanatic one if the empire has a fanatic ethic. It always has positive relations due to a **+150**  Opinion bonus. The only possible interactions are trading resources or forming a  Commercial Pact. The Mirror Empire has unlimited resources to trade but only accepts one-time deals.

## The Crystal Rift

The Crystal Rift is a special astral rift with a unique appearance that can only be spawned after an empire completes the *Study Crystal Sphere* situation. It has the following chapters:

1. Gain  **small** astral threads reward (**40, 50, or 60**). Option to pay  1000 Energy and increase the difficulty of the next chapter by 4.
2. If did not pay  Energy in chapter 1, gain  **medium** astral threads reward (**90, 100, or 110**) and a choice to unlock a  Field Manipulation or  Particles research option with 25% progress or gain a large amount of  Physics if all technologies were researched. If paid  Energy in chapter 1, gain  **large** astral threads reward (**140, 150, or 160**), a large amount of  Physics and the option to end the exploration and gain a very large amount of  Unity and another  **medium** astral threads reward (**90, 100, or 110**).
3. Choice between a large amount of  Physics or  Society.
4. If the empire has the  Wormhole Stabilization technology and  500 Astral Threads, it can continue the exploration. Otherwise, it replaces the astral rift with a Strange Wormhole.
5. The astral rift gains a deposit of **+10**  Unity and  Physics.

Exploring the Strange Wormhole reveals it leads to a system at the center of the galaxy called *azilash*. The system is guarded by 8 hostile Aberrant fleets of 8 cruisers each. Destroying all fleets spawns the Formless in a Dimensional Anchor and starts the The Seal situation. While the situation is active, the Aberrant invade the system every year, with the situation detailing the exact invasion day and offering approaches that grant combat bonuses in the system. The situation is aborted if the Formless are attacked at any point.

The Formless can be contacted via diplomacy and bring the option to pay  100 Astral Threads to give them a fleet of 10 cruisers. They use the same ship components as the Extradimensional Invaders.

The azilash system contains deposits that total  **1** Astral Threads,  **10** Rare Crystals and  **10** Physics Research. If the Dimensional Anchor is destroyed, the system is destroyed and the empire that had the The Seal situation gains a moderate amount of  Physics Research.

If the situation is completed, the azilash system gains a size 40 Gaia World with the  Formless Haven modifier and brings the following 3 options.

* Gain the zadigal legendary paragon and every 10 years the empire can choose an additional reward: a fleet of 16 extradimensional cruisers,  100 Astral Threads or a random  Physics technology (or a very large amount of  Physics if all technologies are already researched). If the Unbidden, Aberrant or Vehement are present in the galaxy the Formless can be asked for a **+10%** damage boost in exchange for  2000 Astral Threads. The cost must be paid separately for each extradimensional invaders faction.
* Demand subjugation. The chance of success is 75% and increases with every astral rift explored. If the Formless accept, they colonize the Gaia World and become a  Luminarium subject and the empire gains the  Eternal Throne relic. The Formless start with  **−100** Loyalty but have high growth for it. If a starbase was already constructed in azilash, the Formless gain control of it. If they refuse subjugation, they become hostile.
* Become hostile towards the Formless. They gain 2 fleets of 32 cruisers each. If the Formless are defeated, the empire gains the  Eternal Throne relic and  1000 Astral Threads. This is the only option for  Genocidal empires.

## Other astral rifts

Psionic Stranger is an alternate timeline to the Zroni precursor chain and has additional narration if the precursor story has been completed, but options and rewards are the same.

Siege on Paradise is an alternate timeline to the Baol precursor chain and has additional narration if the precursor story has been completed, but options and rewards are the same.

## References

1. ↑ Localisation text indicates the scientist dies but there is no kill\_leader trigger in the event files, this is possibly a bug.

**Game concepts**