Timber Hearth

*This article contains spoilers!* Outer Wilds and Echoes of the Eye should be played with minimal spoilers, knowing too much will hinder the experience!
Please play the game before reading any of this! (Or don't, I'm not your dad.)

## Timber Hearth

"What a nice, thriving planet! I sure hope nothing awful happens in 22 minutes!"

### Location

2nd planet

**Timber Hearth** is the home planet of the Hearthians and where the player begins their journey. It has a mainly rocky composition accented with forests, ridges, and waterfalls. The terrain has little variation outside of grassy plains, mountains and large craters, one of which forms the area of the village.

## Locations

### Geyser Mountains

Large mountains scattered around Timber Hearth periodically spout water columns from their geyser peaks, capable of launching objects through the atmosphere. A set of four smaller Geyser Mountains lies to the northwest of the Village, and a single larger Geyser Mountain to the Village's south as part of the Nomai Ruins.

The geysers in the four smaller mountains serve as a way to enter the strong underground water currents underneath Timber Hearth's crust. The currents lead to the cavern underneath Quantum Grove Crater and eventually to the First Encounter Mural at the bottom of the largest Geyser Mountain, which also contains the bridge and entrance to the Nomai Mines of Mining Site 2b.

### Nomai Ruins

#### Ash Twin Tower Receiver

The Ash Twin Tower warp receiver leading to Timber Hearth. Like the other warp receivers, it can only be used and warped to from the corresponding warp tower on Ash Twin, and serves as an early encounter with Nomai warp architecture. The Nomai used the warp receiver to transfer ore from Timber Hearth to the Ash Twin Project with ease. A path from the receiver leads through the Geyser Mountain to the Nomai Mines.

#### First Encounter Mural

The reservoir under the bridge to the Nomai Mines at the bottom of the large Geyser Mountain. Nomai writing can be found, discussing where to locate a mine in light of having encountered native fauna in Mining Site 2a, eventually settling on Mining Site 2b. They describe the creatures as four-eyed and semi-aquatic, implying the species they encountered was the ancient ancestors of the Hearthians. A nearby mural depicts three of the creatures emerging from a pool while two space-suited Nomai look on.

#### Mining Site 2b

The most significant site of Nomai architecture in Timber Hearth, accessible via the entrance located within the largest Geyser Mountain on Timber Hearth. A large, dark and open cavern lake, containing pockets of mined-out ore, and volcanic vents that spout geyser columns. The mine is ringed with platforms leading to a central gravity lift, that deposits the player onto the top platforms, containing Nomai lore.

The site is where the Nomai mined the ore to construct the impenetrable core of the Ash Twin Project, as it was the only metal strong enough to temporarily withstand the heat of a Supernova.

### The Village

* Please see the Discussion page for reasoning.

It has been ***suggested*** that this article or section be **merged with The Village.**

* Please see the Discussion page for reasoning.

#### Backer Graveyard

Behind a building near the launch tower (<100m) are three gravestones naming financial backers of the game's development. The area is only typically accessible via flight.

#### Fenced-Off Ghost Matter

> *DANGER! Inside this fence is a pocket of ghost matter - a strange and dangerous substance that’s invisible to the naked eyes. The good news is that you can detect ghost matter with a camera. Moving through ghost matter is uniquely painful and will probably kill you. Don’t complain to me if you hurt yourself fooling around. - Hornfels*
>
>

A small fenced-off area that serves to introduce the player to ghost matter, and teaches them how to spot it with a camera. Arkose can be found throwing rocks into it.

#### Geyser Cave

Accessible through the mouth of the village geysers is one of many underwater caves that run beneath the surface of Timber Hearth. Aside from connections to that cave system, there's nothing here besides some trash.

#### Launch Tower

The Launch Tower is a hollowed out tree with a launch pad on top and the starting point for the player's ship. The tower base contains miscellaneous spaceflight equipment (including the pilot chair from Feldspar's inaugural launch into space) and Rutile. The launch pad is accessible by a lift that can only be activated once the player gets the launch codes.

#### Mica's Model Ship Station

Just off the path from the launch tower, Mica can be found idling by the controls for a miniature version of the player's ship, which can be used to practice the flight controls. The scale and third-person perspective make it more challenging to pilot than the actual ship.

#### Observatory

* Please see the Discussion page for reasoning.

It has been ***suggested*** that this article or section be **merged with The Observatory.**

* Please see the Discussion page for reasoning.

The Observatory (or the Museum) is where the player goes to obtain launch codes at the start of the game. The exhibits introduce objects and concepts that will be relevant to the player's travels, including:

* A recently recovered Nomai bust
* A rock shard that appears to move on its own when not being observed
* A live alien anglerfish specimen
* A gravity crystal
* An incomplete Nomai skeleton
* A piece of wall with Nomai writing on it about the Eye Signal Locator

as well as models and notes about gravity, the perpetual expansion of the universe, and the end-of-life cycle of stars.

This is where the player receives the launch codes from Hornfels, and where they become paired with the memory statue.

#### Scout-Launcher Platform

A platform near the ghost matter patch with a stationary scout launcher and signage telling the user what they can expect to see if they fire the scout in certain directions. The player can use this to get a feel for scout use before they get access to their space suit, and to get a feel for the layout of locations on Timber Hearth.

#### Zero-G Cave

At the end of a mine shaft (which is actively being used for mining by Tuff) is a cave at the center of Timber Hearth that effectively has zero gravity. The player can use a borrowed space suit to test jetting around in zero-g and conduct repairs on a broken piece of machinery to get a taste for repairing their own ship in space.

Accessible via mine shaft, the Zero-G Cave is an effectively zero-gravity cave at the center of Timber Hearth that Gossan (who greets you at the entrance) uses to train Hearthians in extra-vehicular space flight. In the cave is a broken piece of machinery on which the player can practice zero-g repairs, much like they might have to if their ship is damaged in space.

### Quantum Grove Crater

A forested crater to the Village's south. A passage within the crater leads to the Grove itself, which contains the Grove Shard. The objects within the grove, including trees, rocks, and the Shard itself, exhibit quantum properties, changing locations while unobserved. Among the objects is also a signpost containing a poem written by Gabbro, that changes stanzas as well as positions, with a total of 24 unique positions.

Also contained is a geyser with quantum properties, that leads to the underground water caverns, whose currents lead to the First Encounter Mural.

The area serves primarily as a close and easy encounter with quantum behaviour and Quantum Shards, being straightforward to find with no unique quantum rules to learn.

### Youngbark Crater

A large crater to the north of the Village, within which is a Dark Bramble Seed, having taken root in the planet's surface. Tektite can be found here, having left a note in the Village stating that they saw smoke coming up from the crater and have gone to investigate.

Speaking with Tektite reveals that the seed is beginning to infect the planet, and needs to be destroyed as soon as possible, but not before voicing their intent to shoot a scout into it.

Using the Signalscope on the Seed detects Feldspar's harmonica music inside on the Outer Wilds Ventures frequency. Launching a scout into the Seed's opening at Tektite's suggestion reveals a much larger space within, containing an Anglerfish skeleton with Feldspar's camp barely visible.

The area serves as an early introduction to the mechanics of the space within Dark Bramble, and the act of using both the Scout and the Signalscope to see the area ahead through Seeds. The Seed itself also serves as an early glimpse of Feldspar's camp.

### Radio Tower

A radio transmission tower and small shack located to the northeast of the Village. If the Echoes of the Eye DLC is installed, the door will be open, and it will be enterable. Otherwise, the door will be closed, with a note stating that the tower is closed due to fire damage from a model rocket.

Inside the shack is computer equipment, some photographs taken from the Deep Space Satellite, and a recording from Hornfels drawing the player's attention to an anomoly in one of the photographs.

Nearby is a small thicket, which contains an old campsite and a journal page describing how to doze off by a campfire.

## Inhabitants

* Arkose
* Hal
* Hornfels
* Galena
* Gossan
* Gneiss
* Marl
* Mica
* Moraine
* Porphy
* Rutile
* Slate
* Spinel
* Tektite
* Tephra
* Tuff

## Texts and recordings

Departure Time: XXX.XXXX
Arrival Time: XXX.XXXX
Return warp status: CHARGED. Step onto warp platform when ready.
COLEUS: After closer observation, mining site 2a wouldn’t be safe for the native life dwelling in some of this cave’s pools, so (unfortunately) we’ll have to mine one of the other sites.

COLEUS: On the opposite hand, new life! This species is semi-aquatic, and very hardy. The ecosystem here is quite robust, so I believe they’ll thrive in the long run. Be cautious near the pools if you visit 2a to meet them.
CYCAD: I was watching them once during a rest, and the hours escaped from me. They’re fascinating (I wonder what their fourth eye does)!
COLEUS: They remind me of a subterranean species that my mentor, Melorae, once told me about (from when our clan used to travel across this universe). I imagine she would have enjoyed these lifeforms greatly.
CYCAD: There are a few other cave sites that look promising. What about site 2b (it shares similar formations and strata)?
OENO: This sounds promising! Will you and your mentor investigate? If mining site 2b proves safe for this native species, we’ll move our work there.
OENO: I’m still amazed by how much ore the Ash Twin Project requires!

CYCAD: Isn’t this the ore for the remaining towers being built on Ash Twin? The completed towers I’ve seen are quite large!
OENO: No, the material for those towers is all being taken from Ash Twin. The ore we’re mining here will be used to craft an immensely thick protective shell that will physically seal off the chamber inside Ash Twin’s core.
CYCAD: If they're sealing off all entrances, I hope they've planned a-core-dingly!
OENO: I thought you had forbidden your apprentice from making puns, Coleus.
COLEUS: How else would he improve?
COLEUS: I’m relieved by our clan’s decision to use Timber Hearth’s ore only for constructing the shell. If, eventually, life on this planet were to evolve to the point of advanced metallurgy, I’m confident we won’t have destroyed their ability to create! | **Mining Site 2b - Last of the ore**
YARROW: My gratitude for the latest shipment, Oeno! This ore should be the last we’ll need for the Ash Twin Project.

YARROW: Once we’ve finished the shell that seals off the central chamber, we’ll check to ensure there are no longer any physical entrances. Ramie and I will be checking the interior and then the exterior for cracks (our final safety check).
OENO: This is exciting news! Can I offer an extra set of eyes for this final check (specifically, mine)? If my work here is complete, I’d be delighted to help.

Across old bark
The quiet shade
It's always dark
In the ancient glade
I've detected a strange signal coming from somewhere within the grove in this crater.
It's very similar to the signal emitted by the Quantum Moon, so it stands to reason the two signals are probably related.
We don't know much about the Quantum Moon, seeing as no one's ever been able to land on it, but hopefully studying the
signal in the grove will reveal more about it.

CLOSED DUE TO FIRE DAMAGE
The old radio tower, while an important landmark, is unfortunately closed thanks to the unsanctioned flight testing of an extremely powerful model rocket.
While we hope to repair the radio tower in the future, all construction efforts are currently focused on the planned museum expansion at the Observatory.
Sincerest apologies, except to Slate and Mica,
Hornfels (museum curator)
...Aaand we're recording! Ahem. It's been two days since the launch of the deep space satellite, and I'm about to view the first batch of photos. Let the record show that on this historic day, Outer Wilds Ventures has—
Aaaah! They're printing, they're printing! Here they come!
...Stars above, will you look at that. There's Brittle Hollow. And look, look there, that's Hollow's Lantern! And there's Giant's Deep, and — and the Quantum Moon! I'm speechless, completely speechless.
Every single astral body in our magnificent solar system, looking stunning from every angle in each of these three images. And in color, no less! Now this is art. I could stare at these photos forever. Doesn't Timber Hearth look tiny from —
Hold on. What is *that*?
That can't be right. That's... I mean, that's not even possible. Am I interpreting this photo correctly? What's even stranger is it doesn't show up in either of the other photos. Just this one...
 **Campsite Journal**
Despite my checking on them at least a thousand times over, the images are STILL not ready to print over in the radio tower. Well it's like they say — a watched satellite never transmits data! (Haha, that's a little joke for you, journal. No one says that.)
Someday, I'll have to study the mechanics of how time manages to slow to a syrupy crawl whenever I'm anticipating something. In the meantime, I've turned to Gabbro, our resident expert in leisurely whiling away the hours, who recommends the following:
GABBRO'S 3 FOOLPROFF STEPS FOR DOZING OFF
 1. Light a nice, cozy campfire and get comfortable.
 2. Gaze deeply into the serene warmth.
 3. Let time begin to slip away as you allow the flames to lull you into a peaceful slumber.
(If Gabbro knew I'd taken notes, they'd probably think I'd finally cracked, but I refuse to accept sass from an astronaut who deliberately burns their marshmallows.)