Pandoran Colony

**Pandoran Colonies** are comprised of three different types of Geoscape site -- Nest, Lair, and Citadel. They are structures built by Pandoran mutants, each of which produce enemies with their own unique type of mutations. Pandorans will only build colonies under cover of Mist *--* the spreading red cloud across the Geoscape map -- but each colony has its own operating range, shown as a circle around the colony when one is selected, and that colony may launch attacks on bases and havens within that range even if it extends out of the Mist.

When the operating ranges of three or more colonies of the same level overlap with each individual colony, they may merge into a single, larger colony. When this happens, one colony *(chosen at random)* absorbs the other two, thus gaining the ability to produce the unique mutations of those colonies on top of what it could already produce, as well as the capacity to breed larger, stronger and more dangerous Pandorans.

Every active Pandoran colony also increments the ODI -- the Oneiric Delirium Index *(aka. Doomsday Clock)*. Nests contribute a single percentage point, while larger colonies contribute more. Destroying the colony reduces the ODI commensurately. *(As of the Cthulhu update, ODI has been replaced with the Human Population Census.)*

Colonies of any evolutionary stage are hidden from view on the Geoscape until found. To reveal a Colony, the player must have Satellite Uplink coverage over said colony, and must also defeat a Haven attack from it. This makes it available to visit and launch a mission. Upon a successful assault, the colony will be destroyed and abandoned by the Pandorans, remaining on the Geoscape only as an empty site.

Destroying Colonies will also universally improve all faction attitudes towards the Phoenix Project. Nests give 5 diplomacy points, Lairs 10, and Citadels 15. On top of the bonus already given for staving off a Haven attack, this can greatly speed the player's attempts to curry favor with factions.

## Nest

All Pandoran Colonies start off as the Nest. A Nest only produces low-level enemies like Arthrons, Tritons, Mindfraggers and various species of Worm. All Nests possess multiple Hatching Sentinels as key structures, and the destruction of these sentinels results in the destruction of the Nest.

## Lair

Lairs are the next stage up from Nests, created when three Nests merge into one. A Lair can produce mid-level enemies such as Chirons and Sirens, and is typically guarded by Terror Sentinels. Each Lair hosts a single, immobile Spawnery, which, like the Nest's Hatching Sentinels, must be destroyed to eradicate the Lair from the map. The map tends to contain resource crates, located inside egg-shaped domes.

## Citadel

The third and final stage of Pandoran colony, a Citadel is made by the merging of three Lairs. Instead of a Spawnery, each Citadel is managed by a lone Scylla *(aka. Queen)*. Killing or neutralizing the Scylla must be accomplished in order to destroy a Citadel. If the Scylla is killed in a battle outside its Citadel, the Citadel will devolve into a Lair.

It is therefore advisable to force the Scylla to flee from combat by disabling all its abilities and critically wounding it. Its HP will be lowered for a while and immediate attack on its citadel will be much easier.