Slate
"There's our pilot! Back from your pre-launch campout under the stars, I see. So it's Launch Day, eh? Seems like only yesterday you joined the space program, and suddenly here you are, leaving on your first solo voyage. What do you say - ready to get this beauty off the ground? It's all fueled up and ready to go!"
>All systems go!
"Glad you're excited, but remember, if you wreck the ship I'm not building you a new one. I'm not made of lightweight reentry grade aluminum alloys, you know. Anyway, you'll need to get the launch codes from Hornfels at the observatory before you can lift off. Just bring those here once you've said your goodbyes or whatever."
{after receiving launch codes}
“Looks like you’re ready for takeoff! The excitement of a launch is fun and all, but I can’t wait to get back to working on the new ship. We’re working on fixing the autopilot’s avoidance system for this one! ...Uh, sorry.”
{second loop}
"Oh, hold up, you’re going to want to get the launch codes from the observatory first."
>I already got them from the observatory, remember?
“Huh. Must be inhaling more fumes than I realized. That stuff is potent. Well, if you’ve got the codes, I’m not gonna stop you. Good luck, and take care of that ship!”
{third loop}
“There’s our pilot! Ready to get this beauty off the ground? Hey, what can I do you for?”
>You’re lucky I’m in a time loop, because otherwise I’d be super dead.
“And you’re lucky I don’t have you grounded for medical reasons, because I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
{after visiting Stranger}
"Hey, hold up a sec!"
>Yeah yeah yeah, I already know about the launch codes.
"What? No, I was going to tell you about using the ship log to set destination markers for locations you’ve visited before. It’s a brilliant feature, if I say so myself. Dead useful. And the risk it poses of shorting out the fuel regulator and causing the ship to explode is so minimal that only Gossan would worry about it."
>Wait, so how do I use it?
"When you’re on your ship, open up its log to the location you want to mark. Anywhere’s fine, as long as you’ve been there at least once. Hop in the pilot seat, and the ship will throw up a destination marker on your display. It’s that easy."
"“Wow, Slate! How do you come up with these incredible ideas?” Oh, I do the best I can with what I’ve got. Really, you’re too kind."
>This was extraordinarily convenient timing. Thanks!
"Sure thing, hatchling!"
"Anyway, I’ve got a fire to enjoy, and you’ve got launch codes to grab. Go wild with the marking feature while you're out there. Just, uh, try not to follow it so directly you fly into the sun, okay?"
Mica
“Hey, it's you! Slate said you're blasting off in your ship today. I'm really excited to see the launch! Aren't you gonna go into space? Aren't you? You better not have changed your mind!”
>Hey, I'm still going!
“You better be! It's been forever since anyone launched into space. I really, really want to see it. Really bad. Hey, you want to try out my model ship? Slate says it's just like the real thing, only less likely to start a fire.”
{after model crash}
“Wow, that was just like the time the external fuel tanks exploded on reentry! You'll... you'll be okay flying the big one, right?”
Porphy
“Heyo, hatchling! I hear you're leaving us to seek adventure amongst the stars. When you return, let's you, me, and Gossan open up a bottle of the Good Stuff.”
>I'm only seeking adventure amongst one star, actually. Other stars are too far away.
“Another metaphor ruined in the name of scientific accuracy.
Nevertheless, I do hope you enjoy your travels. Good luck!”
Rutile
“You're actually blasting off in that thing, huh?”
>I'm told my odds of survival are statistically quite high.
“Yeah, the space program's certainly come a long way. I should probably thank you for causing fewer flash fires than your predecessors. By the way, good luck with those retro rockets.”
Marl
"So it's launch day, huh? Hal's going to miss you. Speaking of launch day... I was thinking about it, and the platform those ships launch from is getting old. Isn't about time you built a new, less flammable one? That big tree in the village would be the perfect choice. I wouldn't mind helping out the space program. Just say the word!"
>The launch pad is FLAMMABLE?!
"Ha! You didn't realize that? Don't worry, it's held up for all the launches so far. It'll definitely be fine for yours. Probably."
Gneiss
“Hello there, space cadet! I hear you're leaving the crater today. If you meet any of the other travelers up there, remind them to take proper care of their instruments, won't you?”
>Tell me about the travelers' instruments.
“Oh, sure! I made all of their instruments, you know. Let me see... There's Chert's drums, Riebeck's banjo, and Gabbro's flute. And Feldspar's harmonica, of course, though Feldspar's been missing for a long time. Sometimes it feels like just yesterday they were playing their harmonica around the campfire... Anyway, you hear music in space, that'll be one of the space program's other travelers. If you feel like company, you can always pull out your signalscope and track them down.”
Tephra
"Hullo, astronaut!"
>What's with the radio?
"We wanted to play hide and seek, but Moraine won't let us borrow their signalscope because it's “really delicate” and “not supposed to be thrown around like that.” Hey, hey, can we use your Signalscope? Can we? Can we, please? We'll even let you be “it”!"
>Sorry, can't today.
"Awww, really? But we can't play without a Signalscope... Play with us later, okay?"
{later on}
"Hullo, astronaut! Are you going into space today? Are you going into space and never coming back like Feldspar did?"
>...What?
"Yeah, um, Hornfels says Feldspar went away into space and didn’t come back. Hornfels says Feldspar was the best pilot ever, but no one knows what happened to them."
>That's not something I want to think about right now.
"But if Feldspar disappeared, you might disappear, too, right? You’re not as good as Feldspar, so you should be really careful not to get lost."
Galena
“... Good luck in space”
Spinel
"Fishing rhyme, fishing rhyme... Singing helps me pass the time.
You're leaving the crater? Guess we'll all be a little busier without you around to lend a hand. That big water planet, Giant's Deep - that's where I'd go."
>Why's that?
"One time, after the rest of the village had left to sleep and it was just the two of us sitting around the campfire, Gabbro told me about their first trip to Giant's Deep. They landed their ship easily enough in the waves, but couldn't see too far down, on account of how murky the water was, I guess. Too dark. Gabbro wanted to see what lay beneath the surface, so they decided to travel deeper. They traveled down, and down... But suddenly, Gabbro couldn't go any further."
>Tell me more.
"I will, I was just pausing dramatically. As though exercising a will of its own, the water was refusing to let Gabbro go any deeper. It held Gabbro back. ...Almost as if it were trying to protect them from something. And then, in the terrible darkness, Gabbro saw it...! The tentacle of some hideous beast!"
>AHHH!
"I mean, that's what Gabbro said, anyway. Whatever it was, it freaked Gabbro out pretty good. Everyone wants to hear new stories at the village campfire, you know. Make sure you bring some back with you!"
Gossan
“Hey, I thought I might see you before the big launch. Nerves getting the better of you?”
>I’m a little nervous, yeah.
“Good. Everyone should be a bit nervous going into space. I got cocky during my first flight and nearly put a new crater in the moon. Still, I was never as green as you.”
>Hey, I’ve gotten better!
“Think so, do you? Feel like proving it to your old flight coach? There’s a “satellite” — which is definitely not just a piece of broken mining equipment — set up down in the zero-g cave and in need of repairs. If you’re looking for a little last-minute zero-g practice, head down the lift and into the cave. Or don’t, so long as you’re confident you can make ship repairs in space.”
>One repaired “satellite,” coming up!
“Cool. Get to it, and try not to concuss yourself right before your first launch.”
{After repairing the 'satellite'}
“Nicely done! Of course, it’ll be a little more stressful when you’re hurtling through space, but just remember your training and try not to hit anything big. I can see you’re itching to get off this rock, so go get the launch codes from the observatory and get out of here already. Best of luck out there! And hey, try to avoid getting yourself killed now that I’ve put so much time into training you, got it?”
Tuff
"Hey, hey. Nice of you to drop down."
>I'm getting some zero-g time in.
"So you're going in there? In the cave? Hnnngh... What? No, I'm fine. Great. Great and fine."
>You don't look fine...
"Well you know I hate that cave so I don't know why you're making me talk about it. Fweh... now I've got hand sweats."
Arkose
"Hi, astronaut! You know the patch of ghost matter inside this fence? Gossan said it used to be bigger when they were a hatchling. 'Cause ghost matter evaporates. It just takes a su-u-u-per long time to go away. I hope there's still ghost matter in the village when I'm a grown-up. Ghost matter is awesome!"
>You know ghost matter is how Tektite lost their foot, right?
"Whoa, really?! ...That is so cool!"
Hal
“Hey, hey, it’s my favorite astronaut! Launch day at last, huh, buddy? it’s the translator tool’s inaugural flight, too! I’m so excited it’s making me nauseous. Just think — you’ll be able to translate any Nomai text you want, anywhere you are. The two of us put a lot of hours into inventing that tool, so don’t break it, okay? Haha! ...Oh, geez. Do not break it.
...Ugh, ignore me, okay? I’m just nervous. And I’m not even the one going into space! How are you feeling?”
>I’m excited!
“Good! You’ve only been waiting for this day since we were hatchlings. I can’t wait to see all your training pay off!”
“So what’s the dirt? You here to see the new Nomai statue?”
>New statue?
“You haven’t heard? Gabbro brought it back with them from Giant’s Deep, and Hornfels just finished prepping it for display. This is it right here. Neat, huh? Makes me wish we could see what a real live Nomai looks like, but I guess this is as close as we’ll ever get. Check it out — looks like they had fur! Fur is weird. This is the first fully intact statue ever found, you know. And for how old it is, it’s in great shape! ...Ah geez, I got a little carried away there. Go on, you have a ship to launch! Take care of yourself out there, you hear?”
{after statue experience}
“Hey, hey! So did you get a good look at that Nomai statue?”
>The statue was glowing! Why was it glowing?!
“Whoa, whoa — the statue was doing what? So its eyes opened, and then you saw images from your own memories and glowing lights flying around? You mean like a hallucination? Listen, no offense, but… are you sure you’re okay to launch? Like, medically speaking?”
>No, that statue is definitely weird.
“I mean, if you’re saying it happened, then… I guess maybe it did. But why? Hornfels tried everything to get the statue’s eyes to open, and nothing like this ever happened to them. I don’t think you’re going to get any answers from the museum statue, but Gabbro said they were going back to Giant’s Deep. Dunno which island they’re on, though. Maybe they’d be able to tell you more? On the other hand, Gabbro’s, y’know, Gabbro, so maybe you’d be better off searching for more info on your own. ...Geez, now I’m really jealous you’re going into space! Hey, see if you can use our translator tool to find out more about the statue, okay? Good luck, and safe flying!”
{second loop}
"Hey, I was just about to come find you! Look look look, you’ve gotta see this — the Nomai statue’s eyes are open! They, uh, used to be closed. Probably should’ve started with that. And now they’ve opened! We’re not sure why they opened, since no one actually saw it happen, but this is huge news! Should someone tell Gabbro? Or maybe Riebeck? Oh, stars, this is so exciting, it’s making my stomach hurt!"
Hornfels
“There you are! I just finished pre-flight observations, and local conditions are good. Time to get our newest astronaut off the ground! And you’ll be our first astronaut ever equipped with a Nomai translator tool! I confess, I’ve been giddy all day just thinking about it. We’re better equipped than ever to unravel the mysteries of the Nomai. You and Hal should be very proud of your work! Tell me, what’s your plan once you’re in space?”
>I’m going to learn more about the Nomai.
“I might have guessed as much! No sense in making a translator tool if you’re not going to use it to translate anything. We’ve barely scratched the surface of the Nomai writing in our solar system, so we still know very little about them. We’ve no idea if they originated here or traveled here, or why they disappeared. That tool of yours should prove indispensible in solving the mystery of this ancient species!”
“Well then, looks like all that’s left is to send you off! All in all, it’s a fine day for a launch!”
>I’m ready to get off this rock!
“Excellent! You’ll be needing the launch codes, then. Here they are. Best get off the ground before Slate makes any more modifications to your ship, eh? Good luck out there! Let me know if I can help you with anything.” {Launch Codes received}
{second loop}
“Hey, look at this - the statue opened its eyes! Bet you wish you’d seen that happen, huh? Sigh... Me, too. I’m not even a little closer to understanding what’s going on with this statue.”
“Was there something you needed?”
>Where are the other travelers?
“Well, let’s see... Chert is on the Hourglass Twins, Riebeck is on Brittle Hollow, and Gabbro is on Giant’s Deep. And... there’s Feldspar, obviously, but of course we don’t know where they are, or if they’re even still alive. Feldspar has been lost for a very long time, I’m afraid.”
>Tell me more about Feldspar.
“Feldspar was one of the four founding members of Outer Wilds, along with our flight coach Gossan, Slate the engineer, and me. As ground control and later the museum curator, I didn’t work with Feldspar as closely as Slate and Gossan did. I can tell you Feldspar was absolutely fearless, though. Nothing scared them. Test-piloted everything Slate ever built! It’s a wonder Feldspar lived to see space, frankly, but they did. Flew all sorts of dangerous stunts and explored everything they could find. And then one day, they just... didn’t come back. We don’t know what happened, or where Feldspar went, or even whether they’re still alive. It’s been a long time since they left.”
>No thanks, I'm good.
"Take care!"
Tektite
"Heyo, hatchling! Thought you were taking that tin can of yours into space today — what’re you still doing here?
Me? I saw something crash over the horizon and didn’t like what I was seeing in the pictures my Little Scout was sending back, so I thought I’d come over here myself and take a look."
>Is that a Dark Bramble seed?
"You think so? It’s nothing I’ve ever seen on Timber Hearth before, so you’re probably onto something there."
"Whatever it is, it put down roots in a hurry. I don’t like the look of this thing, hatchling, and that’s a fact. Think I’ll set Marl and Hal loose on it. Best get rid of this mess sooner rather than later, and no one can remove an unwanted plant faster than a tree keeper can. I’ll have to get a look at what’s inside the seed, first, though. Don’t want to set anybody to hacking up a potentially dangerous plant without a better idea of what’s lurking inside there. Tuff can help me haul the old scout launcher over here. Obviously the opening is too small for someone to fit inside, and anyway, I’m not gonna blindly stick my hands into anything that looks as unpleasant as that seed does. That’s a good way to lose an arm or two."