Warp Cores are a technology created by the Nomai to transport information, living beings, and inanimate objects from one place to another, or into the past.
Description
A warp core consists of a black hole core and a white hole core which generate a black hole and white hole respectively. Anything that is warped enters via the black hole and exits from the white hole.
The negative time interval shown in the High Energy Lab. The scout exits the white hole before it enters the black hole.
The time of arrival is always one hundred-thousandth of a second earlier than the time of departure.[1] This negative time interval can be increased by adding more energy to the warp core. The energy required to extend the interval increases at an exponential rate.[2]
Advanced Warp Cores
Since standard warp cores only allow travelling from a black hole to a white hole, it is impossible to warp to an unfamiliar location. Another warp core needs to be placed at that location first before warping between the two locations is possible.
An advanced warp core does not need a warp core counterpart to enable warping. Advanced warp cores can open portals to specific coordinates, or when given enough energy, a specific point in time.
History
Original warp cores
Warp cores were originally created by Annona, a Nomai from Escall's Vessel.[3] His advanced warp core design was shared with the other Nomai clans at festivals, allowing all Nomai clans to warp long distances and explore more.[3] After warping to follow the signal from the Eye of the Universe, the Vessel's warp core needed time to recharge as the jump to the signal was significant.[4] However, the warp core sustained irreparable damage when the Vessel crashed on Dark Bramble, rendering it unusable.[5]
Black Hole Forge
Annona landed on Ember Twin with Escape Pod 2.[6] Some time after the Nomai on Ember Twin and Brittle Hollow were reunited, Annona took up Poke as his apprentice.[7] Before he passed away, Annona explained many of his warp core designs to her.[8]
After Annona's death, Poke started working in the Black Hole Forge in the Hanging City.[7] With the help of Clary and Root, she managed to recreate Annona's simpler warp cores.[9] They were used to travel between White Hole Station and Brittle Hollow.[9]
Advanced Warp Core powering the Ash Twin project
Ash Twin Project
The Nomai eventually discovered and confirmed the negative time interval that occurs when warping.[10] They decided that advanced warp technology was required to increase the negative time interval to 22 minutes.[11] This time interval was the basis of the Ash Twin Project, where information would be sent back in time in order to find the Eye of the Universe with a probe launched by the Orbital Probe Cannon.[12]
Because the Vessel's warp core was unrecoverable, Poke proposed to craft an advanced warp core with Clary and Root in the Black Hole Forge.[13] In addition to crafting an advanced warp core for the Ash Twin Project itself, the Black Hole Forge crew crafted simple warp cores which would power the Ash Twin Towers. These towers connected all the locations critical for the Ash Twin Project to warp towers on Ash Twin.[14] The advanced warp core was completed and installed in the Ash Twin Project's central chamber.[15]
However, the project was put on indefinite hold when it turned out that the supernova which would power the advanced warp core could not be triggered by the Sun Station.[16] Before the Nomai could think of an alternative solution, they were all killed by the Interloper's Ghost Matter which flooded the solar system almost instantly.[17]
Hearthian explorations
After 200 millenia, the Nomai's warp cores were discovered by Hearthian astronauts. They used the warp cores to recall their scouts.[18] The Ash Twin Project ended up being automatically activated when the Sun reached its natural lifespan and went supernova. This powered its advanced warp core and started the time loop that the Protagonist finds themself in.
Usage
Simple warp cores are used for the following purposes:
- To power the warp platforms of the Ash Twin Towers, White Hole Station, and its warp receivers on the various planets.
- To recall shuttles launched from Gravity Cannons.
- To recall the scout built by the Hearthians.
The advanced warp cores are used to:
- Send information and commands 22 minutes into the past.
- Warp living beings and inanimate objects such as ships over large distances.
Gallery
Advanced Warp Core when powering The Vessel
References
- ↑ PYE: Ramie and I reviewed the records you sent, Poke, and they appear to show Nomai are arriving at the warp receiver on Brittle Hollow slightly before departing from the White Hole Station. RAMIE: The interval is incredibly miniscule (roughly one hundred-thousandth of a second).
- ↑ RAMIE: We’ve learned the negative interval of time between departure and arrival can be increased by adding more energy to the warp core. Problematically, the energy required to extend the interval increases at an exponential rate.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 LAMI: At some festivals, one clan’s big discovery can mean all the Nomai get to advance, too. Like Annona’s warp core, which made it so everyone can warp long distances and explore more.
- ↑ ANNONA: The warp core is powered, but this will be a significant jump. Afterward, we’ll need time to recharge the core.
- ↑ RAMIE: The Vessel's warp core is broken, at best (recall those present when the Vessel crashed said it sustained lethal injuries).
- ↑ ANNONA: We need status reports for all systems, but initial things first: Is everyone unharmed?
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 CLARY: No, but Poke was apprenticed to Annona, who created the original design, and our Black Hole Forge is adept at crafting simpler cores.
- ↑ POKE: I believe I can be of use here! The Vessel’s warp core was created before my time, but Annona explained many of his designs to me.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 CLARY: To our friends on Brittle Hollow: I just warped here from the White Hole Station (on the other side of Brittle Hollow’s black hole)! Our design worked; we’ve successfully recreated warp travel! FILIX: This is wonderful news! I can’t wait to see the warp tower (although it’s been a long time since I’ve jumped through a black hole!). POKE: I don’t know how close it is to Annona’s original design, but as long as what we’ve built works, then I’m delighted! I knew we could do it (Cassava, I hope you’re reading this)!
- ↑ RAMIE: An update: Our experiment here reproduced the anomaly in arrival and departure times, but Pye is unconvinced it’s more than an equipment error. I hope to strengthen the effect to render it visible to the unaided eyes. RAMIE: Hypothesis confirmed! Hypothesis confirmed! I saw it! Pye saw it! Hypothesis confirmed!
- ↑ PYE: Hypothesis: Creating a 22-minute-long interval is possible, but we are currently unable to generate the necessary energy. PYE: Ramie and I believe it would be necessary to invent a new method of producing energy, a thrilling but enormous undertaking. We would also require advanced warp technology able to handle such energy.
- ↑ MALLOW: We know what the Eye looks like thanks to the Quantum Moon, so what if we try to find the Eye visually, instead? Let’s send out a probe!
- ↑ Solution 2: We could craft a new advanced warp core inspired by the Vessel’s warp core. POKE: I would very much like to craft such a powerful core! More relevantly, I believe the Black Hole Forge crew and I could recreate the basic design.
- ↑ PYE: The Ash Twin Project will be one of our biggest undertakings (metaphorically and physically). To build it, we need a way to travel quickly between Ash Twin and each location that holds crucial project materials. ROOT: What if we used warp towers (like the one we have on the White Hole Station) to connect Ash Twin directly to each critical location?
- ↑ CLARY: I have good news, Yarrow! The advanced warp core is ready to be installed in the central chamber of Ash Twin.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ They perished when the Interloper arrived, bringing with it the deadly substance we called ghost matter that flooded the entire solar system almost instantly and without warning.
- ↑ The Nomai technology brought back from space by our astronauts has been a great boon to Outer Wilds Ventures, allowing us to modify expedition gear in exciting and useful ways. For example, the Little Scout now boasts a warp retrieval capability that allows astronauts to recall their scouts almost instantly.