End of Auroran string, new info about Shard revealed! Options

[General Cade Sma...]

Yesterday I finished the Auroran string. And the completion text for the last Auroran mission, Return to Heraan has new information about the Shard! Guess if I was surprised when I saw that. Its not much, only two sencetences. But it is still newer-before-on-this-board information. Here is a direct quote of what it says: "As a parting gift, they (Vell-os) give the key to Shard's Final Creed. They say it will make a great amount of sense in later days, and that the Creed will save humanity at the Brink of destruction".

There is more information about the Shard in the Fed blow-stuff-up mission.

Intro text, desc 4750: The soldier who was your contact with Krane comes up to you as you wander the spaceport and hands over a datapad without a word. On it is information regarding the recent activities of a conglomerate group of soldiers and warriors from the various cultures now dominated by the Bureau. Apparently they have now started stretching their legs by sniping at Bureau interests and are based on <DST> in the <DSY> system.

Quick brief, desc 6618: Head to <DST> in the <DSY> system to put down a minor uprising of a group of disaffected warriors and soldiers from various governments now dominated by the Bureau before returning to <RST> in the <RSY> system.

The unload cargo text calls them traitors, and in the mission completion text a soldier says it will happen from time to time.

I can also tell you the properties of the Shards govt if you are interested...

I think its interesting that Shard have a Creed. I checked in a dictionary (remember that I am not a native speaker), and it says creed means belief or credo. So are the Shards religious? Great amount of sense in later days... why cant it make sense now already, when players are playing Nova? Now I can but wonder of the content in the Creed. Also key... is that Creed hard to understand without the key? Or hidden?

Shard is a conglomerate group of soldiers and warriors from various cultures... interesting. Because they snipe at Bureau interests, they use a guerilla warfare style of war. Even more interesting.

And yes, this is a long topic, but I tried to pack all infomation there is in Nova, because the Shard is uber-mysterious.

[Pace]

Wow. Thanks General, I never noticed each one of those different parts… Hm… now we need more info (if possible from the ATMOS guys) because this definitely doesn't help clarify too many bits of the mystery surrounding Temmin Shard, the Shard Wars, …

[General Cade Sma...]

Wow. Thanks General, I never noticed each one of those different parts…  now we need more info (if possible from the ATMOS guys) because this definitely doesn't help clarify too many bits of the mystery surrounding Temmin Shard, the Shard Wars, …

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Nice that you were amazed. Thats what I meant- it was really rare information.

I have found the Shards govt and Shards dude, but posting the raw data is going to make this even longer than the previous.

Dude 297 (Shards)

Ship 1 406 Raven; Cloaking + Fast Jump
Ship 2 302 Aurora Carrier
Ship 3 255 Aurora Cruiser
Ship 4 357 Rebel Dragon
Ship 5 407 Scarab; Cloaking + Fast Jump
Ship 6 408 Arachnid; Cloaking + Fast Jump
Ship 7 246 Abomination

It seems that Shard is a resistance group from the conquered nations...


Govt 194 (Shard)

Crime tolerance: 5
Smuggling penalty: 0
Boarding penalty: 1
Disabling penalty: 0
Kill penalty: 2
Shoot penalty: 0
Initial record: 0
Max odds: 125
Skill multiplier: 125

Looks like Shard is very lax on crimes, except the most serious ones. They dont care if you smuggle illegal cargo, they dont care if you disable a ship (huh?), but they do care you board or kill (though not much). They also dont engage unless outnumbered by 25%.

Then there are the allies and enemies. Since Nova presents this in a more cryptic format than the previous games did. Im presenting the raw data, since I dont know how to interpret it. Those who are plug developers will tell me...

Classes 55
Allies 2, 18, 7, 10
Enemies 1

Interface: 132 (Family Tekel)

What does Family Tekel have to do with this? Are the followers of Shard of the Tekel house? Does Tekel support Shard? Temmin Shard himself works for Heraan.

News picture: 9000
Scan mask: 0800 (bit 12 in a 16-bit field)
Inherit Jam IR: 8
Inherit Jam Radar: 4
Ship color: black
Governments theme color: gray

EVNEW says 9000 is the news pic for independent. Funny, considering they are not traders. Makes sense though... I dont know for which government the scan mask applies. Another job for the developers. They seem to have really poor inherit jamming like the Feds. The colors are menacingly dark. (joke to lighten up a massive and hard to respond post).

I apologize if this is too long to reply...

[kauthor]

This will be useful for my Shard War TC. Trust me when I say I still have it. I did some work last week on it.

[Pace]

Nice that you were amazed. Thats what I meant- it was really rare information.

I have found the Shards govt and Shards dude, but posting the raw data is going to make this even longer than the previous.

Then there are the allies and enemies. Since Nova presents this in a more cryptic format than the previous games did. Im presenting the raw data, since I dont know how to interpret it. Those who are plug developers will tell me...

Classes 55
Allies 2, 18, 7, 10
Enemies 0, 1

Interface: 132 (Family Tekel)

What does Family Tekel have to do with this? Are the followers of Shard of the Tekel house? Does Tekel support Shard? Temmin Shard himself works for Heraan.

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I'll correct you and complete what is lacking (you forgot the "0" in the enemies for example).
Class 55 is associated to United Shipping (mainly, can't recall nor find any others than Shard and Un. Ship. with that class)

Allies are:
2: Auroran Empire + Rimerta
7: Heraan House
10: Rebellion
18: Polaris (+ Nil'kemorya and Mu'Hari)
So these are the main allies (of course, there may be others of those classes, but these are the main ones).

Enemies:
0: Bureau + Federation (for Feds, the flagships are the ones of that government)
1: Federation (main government, not flagships)

Interface: 132
The number there isn't the number of the government whose interface it uses. It is the number of the "ïntf" resource found in Nova Graphics 3.
132 is the "Auroran" interface.
So basically the Shards would seem to have begun in Auroran space from what I consider, mainly Heraan House (since it is that one in the "allies" field…). That would explain the interface.

[General Cade Sma...]

Pace... how do you interpret the classes, allies and enemies then? I dont understand them... they are much more complex in Nova than in EVO, and EVNEWs poor explanations dont help either. Tell me, since you seem to be good a plug-in development. It doesnt seem to be 128+ number in ally, enemy or class field either. As for forgetting 0: I thought it was a empty number, like -1 is and sometimes 0 is. Everyone that is enemy of the Bureau or Feds are allies of the Shard... interesting. Does Auroran Empire mean those systems that are marked Auroran Empire as government? Because I wonder why Heraan is listed separately, as it technically part of the Auroran Empire. The Shard started from Auroran space? Seems understandable, the warriors Aurorans are. They dont give up even when conquered!

There isnt too much more about Shards or Temmin Shard in the data files. Atleast not what I have found. Here is the Temmin Shard Govt.

classes 7
allies 7
max odds 300
Skill multiplier: 250
interface 132 (Auroran Empire, thanks for correcting Pace)

Shard seems to be a tough guy. His skill multiplier is 250, which means he has 2,5 time the acceleration and turning of a normal Mod E Starbridge. I think thats what he uses. He is allied with Heraan House, but I dont know what the class means.

Medium/ Communication/ Target name: Shard (Same as Shard govt)

Doesnt use Hypergates

Is the dear Temmin Shard afraid of Hypergates? But they are so handy!

The Recover Stolen Art has some more info...

Cargo unload text: However, you are still surprised that the Feds attacked Shard. "I have had some fairly specialized training," he says, "but for the moment, I'll just say that things aren't always what they appear."

You look at him, bemused.

"I know I can trust you now, since we are in this together." he confides. "I am not working for the Federation Government. I'm working for a third party keen to see the artworks returned to the Vell-os."

You suddenly begin to see the light; why the Feds attacked Shard, and why he has been so secretive on the whole journey.

Completion text: "I have something to tell you," he begins. "I am not a free-lance investigator. I am a deep cover operative working for the Heraan House, the most noble house in the Auroran Empire." You are stunned. While you knew that there was something strange about Shard, you would never in your wildest dreams have considered this possibility. "I have been in Federation space for fifteen years now," he continues "and have been sending information to, and doing missions for, the Heraan House the entire time. My father was a Thurokiir of the house, and I am a shard of his Obsidian Heart.

"The artifacts we have liberated rightly belong to the Vell-os and, contrary to popular belief, the Aurorans do look after peoples other than their own. I have approached you because you have shown yourself to be a {G"man" "woman"} of honor. To not treat you as such would be a great insult. Therefore your records with the Federation will never show your involvement in this heist, nor shall the Federation ever know of your involvement here."

You ask Shard why he trusts you so much, considering the fact that you could sell him out to the Federation at a moments notice.

"Firstly," he says "I know that you have never sold out an individual before. To do so would be an incredible change of personality for you. Heraan intel agree with my conclusions. You may think that you are anonymous, but your Federal file was an open book to us. The Feds have not even encrypted it that heavily. Secondly, if you were to 'sell me out' as you put it," he takes a sip of his drink, eyeing you over the rim of his glass, "the early warnings I have set up would give me ample time to escape the Bureau snatch squad sent to capture me, and a number of Heraan hit teams would continue to hunt you down wherever you went until you were dead. Only you would be in a position to betray me. No other."

You quickly tell Shard that you would not betray him, not because of the threat of Heraan retribution, but as a matter of honor.

He smiles. "I know that, <PN>. If you ever go into Heraan space, know that you will be treated with the respect you deserve."

P.S. Dont you comment that Shards seem to be a group of resitance fighters, since it uses Rebel, Auroran and Polaris ships? Also, I hope it was not too long. I was trying to explain Temmin Shard himself.

[Pace]

Pace... how do you interpret the classes, allies and enemies then?
(…)
Does Auroran Empire mean those systems that are marked Auroran Empire as government? Because I wonder why Heraan is listed separately, as it technically part of the Auroran Empire.
(…)
classes 7
allies 7
max odds 300
Skill multiplier: 250
(…)
Doesnt use Hypergates
Is the dear Temmin Shard afraid of Hypergates? But they are so handy!
(…)
P.S. Dont you comment that Shards seem to be a group of resitance fighters, since it uses Rebel, Auroran and Polaris ships? Also, I hope it was not too long. I was trying to explain Temmin Shard himself.

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Okay, to interpret classes, what I do is that I look in "Nova Data 1" in the "gövt" resource section. I manage to recognise quite a few because I've been looking at them for some time now.
Now, a class isn't the same as the ID of a government.

Found in "Mission Computer Help"
Class1-Class4      Allows you to assign this govt to up to four different
                    "classes", which are simply arbitrary groupings of govts
                    that you can use to flexibly assign allies and enemies.
                    Two govts of the same class are not inherently allied
                    unless one of them has that same class number set in
                    one of its Ally fields. Set unused class fields to -1.

So basically it helps define a group of governments, and that is very useful.
"Auroran Empire" doesn't mean everyone in it, it's more like when you look at the map, some system are "Auroran Empire", some belong to a House in particular. So it's the more general part.

Class 7 means that Temmin Shard is of the same class as that of the Heraan House, and since he has "class 7" as an ally, it means he is allied with the Heraan House (don't forget: not automatic, said in quote why)

I suppose Shard doesn't use the hypergates because they are more easily monitored, no? And you need access to them to use them… Dunno…

About the Shards, it's true they are resistance. My guess is that they started as a group of Heraan with Temmin at their head, and they got more support little by little…

[General Cade Sma...]

<snip>

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But I am still confused! I need numbers! Does it work like this: from the first government (Federation), you count forward as many numbers as the class, ally and or enemy field says. In that case I understand class 7. You ignore ID 128 (Feds) in the calculation, and then go forward 7 numbers, which brings you to Family Heraan. If it is like that... I thank you profusely. You have teached me one of the most unintuitive things in Nova.

Also... was my previous post too long to comment on Temmin Shard himself? You said in the first post you wanted more info, because it doesnt explain the mystery with Temmin Shard. The completion text for the Recover Stolen art is as clear as you are going to get for a explanation of Temmin Shard. Dont you find it interesting that he is actually a deep cover operative for the Heraan? Or that Temmin wants to give the artifacts back to Vell-os? The most interesting of all is that his father was Thurokiir of Heraan House, and that he calls himself a shard of his Obsidian Heart. Probably thats where the name Shard comes from! Its also interesting that he cracked a file containing all info about the players character (Shard calls it Federal file), and the things he has organized. He must be a master in breaking to computer systems if he did that. He has organized a early warning to himself to escape Bureau capture, and some Heraan hit teams (bounty hunter-style) to kill the player. Last is shown his incredible honor if you play fair with him. He says that the player has shown to be a man/woman of honor, and that not to treat you as such would be a great insult. He makes sure that the Feds dont know the player involvement. And if the player goes into Heraan space, he will be treated with the respect he deserves. So it looks Shard is a nice man if you dont go against him.

[Pace]

But I am still confused! I need numbers! Does it work like this: from the first government (Federation), you count forward as many numbers as the class, ally and or enemy field says. In that case I understand class 7. You ignore ID 128 (Feds) in the calculation, and then go forward 7 numbers, which brings you to Family Heraan. If it is like that... I thank you profusely. You have teached me one of the most unintuitive things in Nova.

(…)
The most interesting of all is that his father was Thurokiir of Heraan House, and that he calls himself a shard of his Obsidian Heart. Probably thats where the name Shard comes from! Its also interesting that he cracked a file containing all info about the players character (Shard calls it Federal file), and the things he has organized. He must be a master in breaking to computer systems if he did that.
(…)
So it looks Shard is a nice man if you dont go against him.

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It's not exactly as you think (though I have to admit there are some similarities, at least in the beginning, in the early numbers)
0: Federation 3 + Bureau 1, 2
1: Federation 1, 2, 4, 5, 6 + Vell-Os 1
2: Auroran Empire 1, 2, 3 + Federation 7 + Rimerta 1, 2
3: Moash 1, 2
4: Tekel
5: Vella
6: Dani 1, 2
7: Heraan 1, Temmin Shard
…
If you want all the details, I would suggest downloading the "ClassGuide" from the guide section of the addons page made by Picquilarius. It's got all the data you need to begin with (just checked it out).
Once you get used to the minimum, then you won't need it anymore (I learnt by looking at gövt resources, and now I know what to look for). You'll be able to find the class in no time

About Temmin Shard, well I guess that, as most Aurorans, he isn't called by a double name and so he would for example only be called "Temmin", though it is more likely to be something more Auroran. Because he has to infiltrate the Federation, he has to change his name to something more Fed-like, and to do that he chooses the name "Shard" for the reason of the Obsidian Heart (it's always easier to have at least one name you are used to when going undercover because that way, if someone calls out "Shard!", he turns around and it's a reflex, it's not as if it was something he isn't that much used to - an example for us is that, when taking a new identity for undercover ops, they mostly keep their first name because that way it's more natural).
No idea where the "Temmin" comes from though…
And I have to agree about his computer skills, though I do not know what else that can give away as info…

And just for the record, most people are nice to you "if you don't go against them"
But yeah, he seems like a good guy.

I'd truly like it for someone from ATMOS to hint something about Shard……………

[Pace]

Here are two posts Frandall posted in this topic a while ago (in fact, two years ago…)

The Shard War ends the 'second period of disunity' during mankinds development from ape into the unknown.  The first such period comes to an end as the result of the players actions in a few of the storylines.  So the Shard War is a future event (ie it happens in the far future of the Nova universe).  And yes, it is related to Temmin Shard... 
<evil grin>

Cookie @ ATMOS

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His role (at the time of the Shard War) is utterly historic.

No, the Shard War is the name given to the events that end the second major blemish on humanities path (the first being the first period of disunity).  Just as a note, far future historians do not consider our current period of history as a period of disunity, nor as being particularly drastic, it's just our adolescent period...

Cookie @ ATMOS

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So this means that whatever Shard does now, i.e. the Vell-Os artifact retrieval in this case, has great importance later on. Now, the retrieval of the Vell-Os artifact could be the reason why the Vell-Os give the Aurorans the key to the "Shard's Final Creed"

Completion text of last Auroran mission
The first act of the new Greater Auroran Council is to free the Vell-os slaves.  The Vell-os remain long enough to convey their thanks to the Council before passing into the void.  As a parting gift, they give the Council the key to the Shard's Final Creed.  They say it will make great sense in later days, and that the Creed will save Humanity at the Brink of destruction.  Humanity enters a new golden age. (…)

Now of course, the Creed here stops the Shard War ("Brink of destruction"). So I guess that the "Shard War" was called like that for two reasons: it was Shard who had given the possibility for the key to be given, and the key is that to the "Shard's Final Creed"…
More to come as I think up new theories.

This post has been edited by Pace [haldora]: Sep 29 2004, 03:11 PM

[The Real Darth B...]

I wonder if Temmin Shard -> The Claimer. The only thing that wouldn't make sense is Temmin being the son of the Thurokirr.

[Guest_Swithich_*]

Here are two posts Frandall posted in this topic a while ago (in fact, two years ago…)
So this means that whatever Shard does now, i.e. the Vell-Os artifact retrieval in this case, has great importance later on. Now, the retrieval of the Vell-Os artifact could be the reason why the Vell-Os give the Aurorans the key to the "Shard's Final Creed"
Now of course, the Creed here stops the Shard War ("Brink of destruction"). So I guess that the "Shard War" was called like that for two reasons: it was Shard who had given the possibility for the key to be given, and the key is that to the "Shard's Final Creed"…
More to come as I think up new theories.

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Yes, a new topic to speculation on. Way to go!!!

[Pace]

I wonder if Temmin Shard -> The Claimer. The only thing that wouldn't make sense is Temmin being the son of the Thurokirr.

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The thing is, nobody can be too sure of when the beta preamble of the Aurorans takes places, because of the mention of the Wolverine (some say it would still have been used 400 years ago…). So basically for more info on the Claimer you'd need to ask ATMOS what they decided (a timeless character or a guy at one very special moment).

And anyway, why would The Tharakoodesh be a spy in the Federation, and why would he have been so for 15 years? The Claimer is a killing machine, not an infiltrator. He is an invisible sword, whose blow is deadly. Not a poison in an apple…

I say Temmin Shard and The Claimer are two completely different people. The only similarities are the following:
- at the time of the beta-section of the preamble, The Claimer has been active for 15 years / at the time of the game, Temmin Shard has been active for 15 years
- they are both valuable assets of the Heraan House.