Project Comet

Lore & Background

The Interloper is an icy comet that entered the solar system long after the Nomai had built their civilization. The Nomai investigating the Interloper found that it contained an extremely pressurized source of 'ghost matter', a highly lethal and invisible substance. Before they could inform the others, the source ruptured and a powerful wave of ghost matter spread throughout the system, killing all of the Nomai. This event is the cause of the Nomai extinction in the system. The Interloper is not tied to the Eye of the Universe, the supernova, or any time loop mechanics. It is a natural celestial body that the Nomai observed and that ultimately led to their demise.

In Their Own Story

The Nomai, having failed to induce a supernova with the Sun Station, were searching for an alternate power source when the Interloper entered the solar system. A team of Nomai traveled to the comet to investigate. Their writings, found in the ruins, describe discovering a highly pressurized source of 'ghost matter' within the comet. Before they could send a warning, the source ruptured, releasing a lethal wave of ghost matter that spread across the entire system. All Nomai in the system were killed instantly. The Interloper remains in the system, a silent monument to the catastrophe that ended the Nomai civilization.

Reader's Guide

The Interloper is a comet that can be visited during any time loop. It orbits the sun on a long, elliptical path. Upon landing on the Interloper, the player can explore its icy surface and find Nomai ruins, including a crashed escape pod and several research camps. Inside the comet, the player can find the source of the ghost matter, a glowing, pressurized core. Approaching it will cause the player to take damage from ghost matter. Reading the Nomai writings in the comet reveals the story of their discovery and the subsequent extinction event. The Interloper is not involved in the time loop, the supernova, or the Eye of the Universe. It is a separate, tragic piece of Nomai history.

Did You Know?

• The Interloper is an icy comet that entered the solar system and was investigated by the Nomai.
• The Nomai discovered that the Interloper contained an extremely pressurized source of 'ghost matter', a highly lethal and invisible substance.
• The rupture of the ghost matter source on the Interloper killed all Nomai in the system.
• The Interloper is not related to the time loop, the supernova, or the Eye of the Universe.
• The term 'Project Comet' does not appear in any Nomai writings, Hearthian records, or in-game dialogue.