As Global v2.8 approaches this week, Reverse: 1999 has released its information overview event! The event holds many pieces of information for the patch, but most importantly, pieces of the lore to help put the entire story together. These are incredibly important for everyone diving into the upcoming 10th Chapter, and it summarizes crucial plot points from the 2.0 series!
This post will serve as a transcription for all the lore tidbits that can be found in this event. Let's get started.
Nautika
As the archaeomythologist in her human Antarctic expedition team, she has spent her life on survival training and poring over countless fragments of ancient arcane texts. Months ago, this remarkable reindeer whisperer and prodigy explorer first set foot on Antarctica's frozen expanse, convinced the continent would unveil all its terrestrial mysteries to her … or so she believed.
Moldir
A lieutenant of the Former Zeno Sentinel Unit. As an 'older sister,' she is the pillar of her 'family.' As a 'soldier,' obedience is both her instinct and duty. Torn between her personal feelings and following orders, she gazes into the horizon where the 'enemy' ships approach and ponders how she might face them.
Ulrich
Ulrich, leader of the Laplace cryptography team, and Awakened ferrofluid in a glass tank. When the Timekeeper's communication arrived with an external research application, he recognized the urgency of the matter and departed south immediately.
Buddy Fairchild
A valiant visionary and vivacious squirrel who speaks the language of all animals. A friend to all creatures, he protects his pals on his ventures across the frozen wastes. But what exactly is he waiting for? A chorus of cheers? Or perhaps a grand adventure?
"Ms. Grace"
As a representative of Manus Vindictae, she has confronted Vertin and her team under a variety of identities.
At Tuesday's Motel, she posed as "Kayla," the young girl that Argus sought, and systematically removed all traces of Manus Vindictae before disappearing. On the soils of São Paulo, she took on the title of "Ms. Grace" and manipulated Anjo Nala in order to execute the Manus's evil deeds. As captain of the "Free Breeze," she prophesied Nukutaeao's impending doom, sending its islanders adrift on an aimless exodus.
Yet there is evidence that she occasionally betrays disgust toward the Manus's work, and that she may even have secret dealings with Foundation higher-ups.
In this upcoming Antarctic adventure, she carries a mission all her own.
Former Zeno Sentinel Unit
Led by Igor, Zeno took in countless children left orphaned by the "Storm." Once an elite force under the St. Pavlov Foundation, they later "defected" to Manus Vindictae.
Igor once assisted Team Timekeeper by launching a vacuum bomb to "eliminate" Arcana. As cheers erupted over their victory, his headphones crackled with a faint sound, a sign of life. In that moment, doubt took root—was the Foundation's "win at all costs" doctrine truly the way forward?
Then one day, under the pretext of quelling a rebellion at the Brazilian branch, Igor marched his troops to São Paulo. His true aim? To follow Manus Vindictae south to Antarctica. When Vertin finally sets foot on that frozen continent, their reunion seems inevitable.
The "Regulus" Record
In the Laplace office, Ulrich presents the record's critical role in the "Artificial Storm" experiments to Regulus. All evidence points to one startling possibility: this record may actually dampen the effects of the "Storm."
Then comes the alert-the Foundation has detected a massive spike in "asymmetrical nuclide R" near the coordinates of the "Free Breeze." The "Storm" is coming. Ulrich races to the site, his mind filled with possibilities.
He theorizes that if the record can scramble the energy of the "Storm" in a localized area for even just a few minutes, it can hold back the "Storm," allowing for evacuation. And in the upcoming Antarctic operation, a few minutes could mean everything.
Antarctic Ruins
Manus Vindictae's goal to "hold a ritual in Antarctica" has loomed over the entire 2.0 series. Through their investigations, Team Timekeeper has pieced together a chilling theory: This grand ceremony may be tied to the reverse of 1999. To thwart Manus Vindictae's scheme, they push southward into the unknown. This southernmost land is a cruel one—a vast, indifferent expanse of ice, eternally frozen, blindingly bright, and utterly lifeless. Here, survival demands vigilance: track every drifting floe's position, brace against katabatic winds that could flay flesh from bone, and beware the slick black substances on the ice that might, in desperation, become your last meal. Deep in the continent, nestled among ancient ruins, lies Manus Vindictae's ritual site. The closer you get, the deadlier it becomes—but it has always been humanity's instinct to search for answers.
Info Compilation Event
Make sure that you participate in the event to get prizes! You'll also find information on the garments, new gameplay, and the patch calendar. Cheers to the 2nd anniversary!
We're finally reaching the final stage of the 2.0 series as we enter patch 2.8. As of now I do have full knowledge of the events that take place in the patch, but I would like to give some insights I wanted to share since the beginning. :)
This will be a scene rundown of the PV based on my writings from over 4 months ago. While I've been able to read the story 4 months prior, I do not want to spoil the surprise. My (old) insights will be thrown in here and there, so let's get started.
Context
As of Chapter 9, Vertin and Sonetto have sailed to Antarctica after being provided a boat by Aleph. And as we know, Manus Vindictae's supposed "base" is in Antarctica.
According to Aleph and Nautika (via her video), there are ancient ruins in the heart of Antarctica. They not only have ancient minerals and all (just like the stone that was carved into the Tear of Comala), but also it is implied to be a living being within the heart of the continent.
Therefore, it makes for a perfect place to conduct a highly ancient and delicate ritual as the place likely holds a surplus amount of arcanum. And thus, a perfect place for Manus Vindictae to hold their ritual.
Scene 1: Urd's Typewriter
Vertin, Sonetto, and Nautika discover Urd's typewriter in the snow. It seems that Nautika has provided Vertin and Sonetto help with her dogs/wolves as a means of transport.
Urd has abandoned her typewriter in the snow, but that might be because she's traveling to the Manus base for Arcana's revival.
"I think I've found her" has a double meaning; Vertin is getting closer to discovering Urd, and the implication that she's finally found her mother.
Scene 2: Nautika's Research Team
Nautika's by a cave with someone else, mentioning "mother spirit" in passing and her deceased team members in the same line. The other person wrote "mother spirit will see me soon," bleeding from the mouth before reaching out to Nautika.
In the footage video from the livestream, Nautika's research team gradually went insane, causing most of the members to die out.
Additionally, it's likely that the "mother spirit" refers to Maddarakka, the goddess of childbirth (and likely women and children) in Sami mythology.
Scene 3: Manus Vindictae
It seems that all of the Manus Vindictae members have reached Antarctica, gathering for the ritual. Ms. Grace is with an apostle(?), and she's seemingly crying as the apostle mentions a traitor.
Meanwhile, in a different place, Moldir and another Zeno soldier have Ulrich apprehended. Moldir spares him and the two of them seem to collaborate, even being given an equilibrium umbrella. An arcane creature passes Moldir and Ulrich in the last image.
Next, Sophia and Sonetto are in a confrontation against each other in a cave. Sophia is questioning Sonetto's purpose as they begin to use their arcane skills.
Scene 4: The Gathering
Moldir, Ulrich, and Buddy Fair Child are on a Zeno/Soviet helicopter, arriving to a mountainous region where the revival seems to be happening. Meanwhile, the team member from scene 2 is being sacrificed to Manus Vindictae.
On the other side, Nautika suddenly runs into a blizzard as Vertin and Sonetto call for her.
The apostle from scene 3 gathers the members of Manus Vindictae, calling to the "sufferer" as a structure is rebuilt behind her. The apostle seems to be like a Moses figure of sorts, knowing that he wielded a staff and is most known for parting the red sea with it by God's guidance.
Scene 5: Arcana's Revival
Cloaked Manus Vindictae members bow and melt into a dark pit with splashes of blue and gold. In a raging sea, a dark orb is molded by the hands, and a figure comes rising from the depths. Arcana is revived here, as she inserts her headpiece into her temple.
The animation style changes here, which is amazingly fitting for this scene alone.
The messages are as follows:
"DO NOT SEARCH FOR THE TRUTH"
"DO NOT GO TO ANTARCTICA"
"DO NOT PROCEED"
This might be the messages that were sent out by Nautika as her research team died out, but they also have a double meaning here as it may also be about the "Storm."
Scene 6: Vertin and Urd
Urd sings a lullaby in this very short moment. In the presumed flashback, she is holding a child's hand to her face, implied to be a younger Vertin.
In the next shot, someone's opens their eyes to Urd in Manus Vindictae robes, next to a distorting spinning wheel with a severed golden thread. Behind her is a large hand reaching out to her. Before it takes her, the water rapidly rises, and Vertin's voice calls out to "mum."
Afterthoughts
There are so many things going on in this chapter, and I'm so excited to experience it all over again. From Vertin tracing back her roots, Nautika's journey to finding her goal, Arcana's revival, to Moldir and Ulrich working together. All of these separate arcs come together to really shine for this chapter.
As the devs explained in the livestream back in May, this chapter is not going to be treated as a huge finale. Rather, it's expected to be a transitional chapter from the current arc to the next (as we've seen a teaser of 3.0 :) ).
Finally seeing this in Global and meeting the cast once again is still phenomenal. I hope everyone enjoys the upcoming patch soon, and remain excited for the next stories to come.
