Ash Twin Project

The Ash Twin Project is a facility built by the Nomai that is located within the core of the Ash Twin. The facility itself is fully operational and is powered by an Advanced Warp Core.

The facility is revealed to be the reason for the time loop that the player finds themselves in. When the sun goes supernova, the Ash Twin Project activates and sends the player character's memories 22 minutes into the past, resulting in them subjectively experiencing the same 22 minutes over and over.

Ash Twin Project
Type	Nomai Project
Gravity	1.1g (0g if the gravity is disabled)
Inhabitants	None ( Self with its new little paradox )
Location	Within Ash Twin

Description

The Ash Twin Project is a large ring-shaped structure circling the Advanced Warp Core that powers it. The ring platform is located within a large spherical shell which encases it completely to protect the project. The surface of the platform is made entirely of gravity pads, ensuring that the player does not fall off. Along the ring are various Nomai research notes and pieces of art work as well as multiple Projection Stones. Upon arrival, directly ahead of the player is the actual project itself. A small open room with a console in the middle and eight Nomai Masks surrounding the center, three of which are active. At the end of the ring there will be two sphere consoles. One of these consoles turns off the artificial gravity and the other opens the casing protecting the Advanced Warp Core, allowing it to be removed.

Purpose and Design

The Nomai masks, three of which are active

The Ash Twin Project was designed to harness the energy of the Supernova triggered by the Sun Station to send data from the Orbital Probe Cannon 22 minutes into the past. This was to make finding the Eye of the Universe a much faster and easier task than it would have been without the project.

The Ash Twin Project has two major components, the Nomai Masks and the Nomai Statues. The statues are designed to "link" with the closest living creature to them when they activate. From that point on, the linked creature's memories are continuously transmitted to the respective mask. One of the masks is linked not to a creature but to the Orbital Probe Cannon's Tracking Module to receive the coordinates of the Eye of the Universe, should it be found by the probe. Upon activation by the supernova, the memories and coordinates are sent back in time to the linked creature (or module) through the statue using warp technology. This puts the creature or module in a perceived time loop that replays the same 22 minutes in a loop until the project is deactivated.

Initially, only the Cannon's statue is activated, so only the cannon is in a loop. Once the Eye is located, the other statues also activate. This would prompt the Nomai (now in possession of the Eye's coordinates) to halt the activation of the Sun Station and thus stopping the loop.

Advanced Warp Core

The advanced warp core of the Ash Twin Project

The Advanced Warp Core is the power source that keeps the Ash Twin Project running, even without power from the Supernova. Its design is based on the Advanced Warp Core used to power The Vessel and can be removed from the project. If the player decides to remove the core, the Ash Twin Project will shut down, ending the time loop until it is inserted again. Should the player die by any cause without reinserting while the Ash Twin project is offline, the player will receive a game over screen and be returned to the main menu.

The Advanced Warp Core is required for the intended ending.

Initial failure and eventual activation

Upon activation by the Nomai, the Sun Station failed to induce a supernova so the Ash Twin Project did not work, forcing the Nomai to find an alternate way to power the project. Shortly after, the Interloper arrived in the Solar System, showing potential to be that alternative power source. However, this approach never came to fruition.

While the Nomai never got the see the Ash Twin Project functional, hundreds of thousands of years later the project is eventually triggered when the local Sun reaches the end of its lifespan and goes Supernova naturally. At the end of every loop as the Sun is going Supernova, the Ash Twin Project activates, generating a black hole in the center of the ring and transferring all stored information from the Nomai Masks into it.

After many cycles of only the Orbital Probe Cannon being in a loop, the probe finally locates the Eye, prompting the activation of the statues. The player happens to be the closest creature to the Timber Hearth statue at that moment, causing it to sync with them and putting them in a time loop as well.

Accessibility

The warp platform leading to the Ash Twin Project

There is no direct route to the Ash Twin Project, and accessing it is not as straightforward as most other locations. To access the Ash Twin Project, the player must utilize the teleportation towers on Ash Twin and use the Ash Twin teleporter while Ember Twin is directly above.

It takes approximately three full orbits of the Ember Twin for the Ash Twin tower to be fully uncovered by sand. The tower in question will be the broken one of the two towers that are close together with a bridge connecting them. Outside the correct tower's entrance will be the corpse of a Nomai. The player will need to stand in the center platform inside of the tower for the teleporter to work, however, it will only work when the Ember Twin is directly above. Due to the sand flowing from Ash Twin to Ember Twin, player can easily be sucked through the roof. To avoid being pulled out, it is recommended for the player to seek shelter under the bridge outside or under the small intact sections of the tower's ceiling until the pillar of sand is directly in the center of the tower. When the pillar of sand is in the center, the player must quickly run into the teleporter, if done correctly they will immediately warp to the Ash Twin Project.

Texts and recordings

Inside Ash Twin Project

Cycle information (dependent on how much in-game time has passed)

X MINUTES, X SECONDS AGO: Received data from previous cycles.

MASKS RECEIVING DATA FROM:
Probe Tracking Module
Giant’s Deep memory statue
Timber Hearth memory statue

X MINUTES UNTIL END-OF-CYCLE TRANSMISSION

Text wall - Excavation of Ash Twin

YARROW: Today we finished the excavation of Ash Twin. Here, in this space we carved, we will craft our most ambitious project yet: the Ash Twin Project, powerful enough to send information back in time.

COLEUS: We’ve also finished relocating all subterranean plants we met while digging.

RAMIE: We’ll need to keep our eyes on how significantly we’ve altered the environment here.

PYE: How far we’ve come since our experiments at the High Energy Lab! I still can hardly believe Ramie’s hypothesis was true.

Text wall - Warp Tower connections

YARROW: Poke just sent the warp core for the final tower to us from the Black Hole Forge. Now Ash Twin can be connected with Giant’s Deep, where Cassava is working with Avens to craft the Orbital Probe Cannon, and where Phlox is sculpting the memory statues.

CASSAVA: Hypothesis: It was not by accident the core of our warp tower was the last to be forged.

POKE: Hypothesis: The cores could have been forged faster if Cassava had interrupted my work less frequently to ask for updates.

YARROW: The important point is we are all connected through Ash Twin now, and also that I’m no longer needed for mediating your disagreements.

Text wall - Orbital Probe Cannon tests

YARROW: Our friends on Giant’s Deep tested the Orbital Probe Cannon today. Mallow tells me the cannon is doing well, and that Avens advocates for more launch power. If anyone can coax the maximum power from a device, Avens can.

YARROW: But then, if anyone can goad a device into exploding, that, too, is likely Avens. Perhaps I should check in with the Orbital Probe Cannon crew in the interest of safety.

YARROW: Would it help to remind Avens that Mallow (his love) will be one of the Nomai aboard the cannon, or is Mallow part of the problem?

Text wall - Memory statues finished

YARROW: Phlox and Daz finished the memory statues today, and they are truly remarkable.

YARROW: When the Ash Twin Project succeeds (or in the event it fails), the memory statues will activate, allowing us to gather more data before we shut down the project.

Text wall - Sun Station complete

YARROW: Pye and Idaea have worked hard on the Sun Station, and it at last is complete. If everything goes as planned, this structure will prompt the sun’s explosion, which will in turn supply the power the Ash Twin Project requires.

RAMIE: I’m impressed by their mental fortitude. This was the project’s most difficult task, in more ways than one.

Text wall - Ash Twin Project order of events

YARROW: We’re nearly ready to activate the Ash Twin Project! Here is what will happen: First, the Sun Station will receive the order to fire at the sun, prompting it to explode.

YARROW: Using the energy from the resulting supernova, the Ash Twin Project will send the order for the Orbital Probe Cannon to fire back in time by 22 minutes.

YARROW: Exactly 22 minutes after these orders are received, the Sun Station will again trigger the supernova to send the probe data from this cannon launch back in time.

YARROW: In total, each cycle created by the Ash Twin Project will last precisely 22 minutes. We can end this cycle at will.

Text wall - Sun Station failed

YARROW: These words are difficult to write: The Sun Station did not work.

YARROW: However, this is the closest we have ever been. The Ash Twin Project is theoretically sound; we were only unable to power it. Perhaps there is another way.

PYE: Suppose we redesign the Sun Station. To generate power of that magnitude, a supernova is still our only viable option.

RAMIE: I believe we can still find a way to create a supernova, my friend. Don’t lose hope!

IDAEA: This is easier expressed than accomplished.

PYE: You can wait for the sun to explode on its natural timeline if you prefer, Idaea, but you’ll need to find some way to halt our aging process.

Text wall - Arrival of comet

YARROW: We are halting our research into creating a supernova for this moment; a comet has newly arrived in this solar system, and we’re anxious to explore it.

YARROW: It’s been a very long time since we last explored somewhere new, so we’re excited to welcome this comet. Imagine what knowledge might be gained there!

Projection stones - Brittle Hollow: Advanced warp core

CLARY: I have good news, Yarrow! The advanced warp core is ready to be installed in the central chamber of Ash Twin.

YARROW: I’m intrigued, love! Everyone here working on the Ash Twin Project is excited to see it (Pye is beside herself with joy!).

POKE: No, it isn’t!

YARROW: Is everything well at the forge?

CLARY: Don’t worry, love; Poke is only nervous. The core is extraordinary, and her design work is beautifully clever.

POKE: The core’s durability could still be improved! I need more time!

CLARY: Ignore her, Yarrow. The core is finished. And if my sister tells you otherwise, then she will be finished, as well.

Projection stones - Giant's Deep: Fail-safe text

RAMIE: I’ve installed the masks inside the Ash Twin Project, Phlox. They look beautiful (although I do feel as though I’m being observed!).

RAMIE: It’s comforting to know the statues will not pair until the project succeeds. Otherwise, I imagine the experience would be hard to endure!

PHLOX: Ideally, they’ll only need to activate once the project succeeds; as a safety measure, however, the statues will also activate in the event of equipment failure.

RAMIE: They will? Why is that?

PHLOX: If anything goes wrong with the Ash Twin Project, the statues (and their masks) will make us aware of the situation and enable us to fix it. Otherwise, it would be possible for us to remain permanently unaware of the problem.

RAMIE: I hadn’t thought of that! What a profoundly horrific fate that would be.

Projection stones - Probe Tracking Module: Ash Twin Project and probe

YARROW: I have exciting news, Privet: The Ash Twin Project is almost prepared to receive the probe data from the Orbital Probe Cannon.

YARROW: Ramie is adding some finishing touches here, but she’ll be finished soon. Are you and the Orbital Probe Cannon well?

PRIVET: We are! The Probe Tracking Module is ready to record each launch’s flight trajectory and will automatically transmit all relevant data to you.

PRIVET: Once the probe determines the location of the Eye of the universe, I’ll send an alert directly to you and Ramie.

PRIVET: On the other appendage, I’m now worried about this cannon’s structural integrity and its crew’s moral integrity.

Projection stones - Timber Hearth: 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.

YARROW: We’d be grateful if you would! The more eyes, the better, as the smallest flaw or opening in the shell that protects the Ash Twin Project could lead to disaster.

Project Control - Gravity

Artificial gravity control

Project Control - Core

Caution: You are about to access the core while the Ash Twin Project is active.

WARNING: Removing the core will disable the Ash Twin Project.

Notes

• Due to the significant amount of time it takes to enter the Ash Twin Project, once the Advanced Warp is removed, the player does not have much time remaining in the loop.
• Meditating after removing the Advanced Warp Core soft-locks the Game on Xbox One.
• The earliest the Ash Twin Project can be reached through its Warp Tower is 7:50 minutes after spawning (or T-Minus 14:10 to the Sun going supernova). By this point, enough of the Warp Tower has been uncovered to stand on the pad in time for the alignment to occur. Care should still be taken to not be drained out through the Tower's broken ceiling with the sandfall.
• Taking out the Warp Core then dying will not delete the save file.

Gallery

• 

  The array on the northpole of Ash Twin powering the Ash Twin Project in the event of a supernova

• 

  The Hourglass Twin towers on Ash Twin. The right one leads to the Ash Twin Project

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  Inactive Nomai Statue

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  A wall containing Nomai text

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  The controls for the gravity and the project itself