Outer Wilds Ventures

**Outer Wilds Ventures** is a Hearthian organization dedicated to learning about the Solar System and its history.

## Purpose

Outer Wilds Ventures was founded by Feldspar, Gossan, Slate and Hornfels with the goal of exploring the Solar System to improve Hearthian understanding of the Solar System and of the Nomai, an ancient race that once lived in the Solar System. It accomplishes this by training aspiring astronauts and equipping them with advanced space exploration technology. The recruits are then sent into space with the goal of learning about the Solar System, the mysterious Nomai, and to retrieve any artifacts they believe to be significant.

## Technology

As Outer Wilds Ventures was an organization composed of space explorers, they primarily used and developed technology that would be crucial to the facilitation of space travel, such as the spaceship, scout launcher and Nomai translator. Some technology, including the scout launcher and ship’s artificial gravity technology, were created by reverse engineering Nomai technology.

## Discoveries

Previously, the Hearthians knew very little about the Nomai. The Protagonist, with assistance from Hal, developed the Nomai Translator which allowed the astronaut to translate Nomai text into a readable format. This device unlocked the secrets of the Nomai and was a breakthrough for Outer Wilds Ventures and Hearthian understanding of the Nomai, as it allowed translation of all Nomai text. The translator would be used to uncover the mysteries of the Nomai such as where they came from, what they were like, why they came to the Outer Wilds System, and how they were wiped out.

## Traditions

The primary tradition practiced by Outer Wilds Ventures is a pre-launch ritual. After finishing their training, the new astronaut of Outer Wilds Ventures would camp under the stars with Slate before their first launch into Space. They would light a campfire and roast marshmallows while discussing the recruit’s upcoming journey. After waking up the following morning, the new astronaut would ride the escalator up to the launch platform and board their ship, ready to explore the Solar System.

Many members of Outer Wilds Ventures are avid musicians and play a variety of instruments, which they play continuously. This allows members of Outer Wilds Ventures to use their Signalscope to detect each other to ensure nothing bad has occurred to the other astronauts.

## Members of Outer Wilds Ventures

* Hornfels - Founding member. Ground control for Outer Wilds Ventures and curator for the museum.
* Gossan - Founding member. Flight instructor for recruits of Outer Wilds Ventures.
* Slate - Founding member. Mechanic for Outer Wilds Ventures.
* Feldspar - Founding member. Veteran astronaut. Has been missing for some time now. Whereabouts unknown. Played the harmonica.
* Esker - Director of the Lunar Outpost on The Attlerock. Avid whistler.
* Riebeck - Astronaut/Archeologist. Currently located under the crust of Brittle Hollow. Plays the banjo.
* Chert - Astronaut/Astronomer. Currently located on the north pole of Ember Twin, updating the observatory star charts. Plays the drums.
* Gabbro - Astronaut. Currently located on a island Giant’s Deep. Plays the flute.
* The Protagonist - Latest astronaut to join Outer Wilds Ventures.

## Notes & Trivia

* If the player reaches a location where they can observe the alignment of all planetary bodies containing members of Outer Wilds Ventures that play instruments, their instruments will sync together as they all play the same song.
* All of the Outer Wilds Ventures explorers are named after different rocks or geological processes. Same with the townspeople