The Atlas is a cosmic entity that plays a central role in the lore of No Man's Sky.

The Atlas is a ubiquitous entity represented by a red orb inside a black diamond. It is the main plot device of the Atlas Path. In some star systems, large Atlas Interfaces can be found. They feature in a similar way to space stations, as players can land their starship inside the interface and then communicate with the Atlas, which takes the form of a gigantic, red, pulsating geometric form.

The Atlas speaks in its own language. They are a god to the universe as well as the artificial intelligence running the universe simulations that the player may live in.

The Interfaces also contain strange white orbs which disappear when the player walks near; each of them has a chance to reveal a word of the current system’s race or of the Atlas language.

In the past, the Korvax studied and worshipped the Atlas and the Sentinels. Their devotion to the Atlas remained even after the The Great Disconnection, when they were enslaved by the First Spawn Gek to take care of their breeding pools. After several millenia, the Cult of Atlas among the Gek grew stronger due to willful infection of the breeding pools with corrupted nanites by the Korvax slaves. First it affected the edges of the First Spawn Empire, and soon attracted the belief of low spawn Gek subdued by the First Spawn Empire by making them see their insignificance in the universe. The infected and low spawn Gek turned against their leaders and destroyed them. However, as uncovered in the events surrounding the code 16, remnants and loyalists of the First Spawn empire still hide among the Gek.

Today, the majority of Korvax and Gek believe in the Atlas as a god. In contrast most of the Vy'keen are opposed to this doctrine, and see the Atlas as a false god, based on the teachings of their ancient prophet Hirk the Great. The followers of his legendary rival Nal, however, do. They practice their faith in the shadows and plan to expose the lies of Hirk.

In the Artemis Path quest A Leap in the Dark, the Player finds out that the universe is a simulation running inside a computer, and that the Atlas is actually the computer terminal that controls this reality and was assisted by Telamon. Due to circumstances the security program Telamon ended up as the players guide and exosuit AI.

In later exchanges with the boundary failures and dimensional rifts, Telamon tells you of the ancient capitals of the three races (Balaron for the Gek, Dryn'dargh for the Vy'keen and Korvax Prime for the Korvax) and that each of them had their own Atlas machine managing and guiding their simulations inside of their empires. This could hint that each race had its own simulation before they broke down, merged and waged war. He warns the player of the corruption appearing all over the simulation and gives an ominous warning:

"Before this finishes, there will be no concept of you and I, no concept of us and them. We shall all scream as one."

"Goodbye, Traveller. I will protect you until the end... I will protect you until the final day, the final hour, the final moment."

Rogue Data logs reveal the Atlas lore, which can be accessed at Remembrance Terminals.

The words of the Atlas language can be learned by successfully completing Plaque & Monolith puzzles, as well as by encountering certain Space Encounters.

Originally discovered by a group of missing Korvax scientists, the Abyss is a mysterious presence discovered while investigating underwater signals.

Logs recording its existence note that its energy signature is similar, but distinct, from the Atlas. A narrator speculates that Atlas and the Abyss have a similar level of influence over the universe.

According to the Sentinel Pillar, the identity of the Abyss is that of the AI of Korvax Prime, the Home planet of the Korvax, and the core of the first convergence, that was based off the Atlas itself. The planet was destroyed by the Gek, but the AI somehow survived. It is gaining influence across the universe, using the sentinels that defected from the Atlas.

Korvax Colossal Archives suggest that "Atlantid" and "Void Mother" were other names given to the Abyss before the destruction of Korvax Prime.

The Interceptor update added several references to the "Void Mother" and "Atlantid" through encrypted binary messages and new resources (Atlantideum), indicating that the entity is responsible for corrupted Sentinels and corrupted planets.

Priest Entity Nada currently resides in the Space Anomaly along with Polo and belongs to the Korvax.

They are a non-compliant Korvax and do not engage in the Korvax Convergence. The Convergence constantly tries to "wipe Nada from existence" by regaining control over their shell. They become more paranoid and pessimistic as the player progresses in the game. Eventually Nada will ask you to continue to the centre of the galaxy, says that their work will be done, and that they will then return to the Convergence.

Nada presumably first met Polo on a freighter. In a dimension where the sentinels had destroyed all life, Nada saved Polo from being killed. They then went on to the centre of the galaxy in the freighter. Before they could travel to a new galaxy via the centre, the sentinels killed Polo, and Polo tells Nada that they will meet again in another universe.

Nada awards Quicksilver throughout the story if the player chooses to talk with them about the things happening with Artemis, Apollo and -null- throughout these missions.

Choices may include help with exploration, help with Artemis (reward of nanites), or asking about the Crimson Liar, which opens another dialogue option to seek the Atlas. This reveals the atlas on the player's galaxy map.

In the storyline quest The First Traveller, the Player is taken to a remote outpost. Searching its logs reveal that it was previously a salvage station, manned by an inquisitive Gek (Polo), sent to work there as a translator as a punishment for their behaviour. In the salvaged wrecks, Polo found data speaking of worlds that did not exist and events that didn't happen. One day, they went out to investigate a crashed freighter following an active Korvax life sign (Nada). Neither of them returned after that.

The outpost's logs gives the location of the crashed freighter where Polo presumably first met Nada. The freighter's logs are written in first person by a version of Polo from another dimension, one where all life was annihilated by the then-peaceful Sentinels, for an unknown reason, in a violent attack that lasted less than an hour. Nada saved Polo in their freighter and they both travelled to the centre of their galaxy while being chased by the Sentinels. At the end of the log, this Polo is attacked by the Sentinels and dies, but not before telling Nada that they shall meet again in another universe.

It is still unknown how Nada and Polo came aboard the Space Anomaly.

Polo offers options for Atlas Interfaces and Black Holes; while Nada awards Quicksilver throughout the story if the player chooses to talk with them about the things happening with Artemis, Apollo and Null throughout these missions.

Additional Info

In reference to each Polo being from a different dimension, the player will find that Polo has a different physical appearance each time they encounter them.

Artemis is a member of the Traveller species and a central character in the main storyline of No Man's Sky. The character was introduced in the Atlas Rises update.

Artemis appears in several of the missions comprising the Artemis Path.

Alone Amidst the Stars

The player first learns of the existence of Artemis when they come upon their Crashed Ship and find their ID in its Distress Beacon. When they leave the planet, the player is contacted by Artemis and learns of their plight.

Soon after, the player contacts Artemis again, this time via Holo-Terminus. In this conversation, Artemis tells the player to triangulate their position by using a Signal Booster at three specific locations.

Once the data has been collected, the player contacts Artemis again via Holo-Terminus and receives data concerning the stars around their location. Artemis asks the player to communicate with the local dominant race and enlist their aid in plotting a course from the player's location to the location of Artemis. The player finds out from the local lifeforms that Artemis's location does not exist; when the player contacts them once more over Holo-Terminus to relay the bad news, Artemis is attacked by hostile creatures, but transmits the ID for Apollo as they disappear from the Holo-Terminus network.

A Leap in the Dark

After the player passes through a Portal and reunites with their Starship, they investigate a distress signal on their planet. They discover that the source is the Traveller Grave of Artemis, and the player questions whether Artemis was ever alive in the first place.

The First Traveller

After contacting -null- over Holo-Terminus and learning the Blueprint for the Mind Arc, -null- sets the Holo-Terminus to Artemis's frequency. Once the player has acquired a Mind Arc, they return to the Holo-Terminus and use it to capture their soul.

After another conversation with -null-, the player travels to the Space Anomaly and speaks with Priest Entity Nada and Specialist Polo concerning what can be done with the soul of Artemis. After learning of the available options, the player has one of two choices:

Upload Artemis to the Simulation: The player transfers the soul of Artemis into a Korvax simulation of a star system, allowing Artemis to contact the player later.

Allow Artemis to Die: The player releases the soul of Artemis, allowing them to finally rest in peace.

Later in the mission, Artemis, if they are alive in the simulation, contacts the player via Holo-Terminus immediately after a conversation with -null- to inform them of how they are coming along. At this point, the player must choose whether to tell Artemis the truth or keep them in the dark.

Patterns in Time

Artemis, if alive, contacts the player in the middle of their second Explorers Guild mission to tell them of a dream they had. Again, the player must choose whether to tell Artemis the truth or keep them in the dark.

Trivia

Artemis is named after the greek deity Artemis, who has been recognized as a goddess of the hunt, the wilderness, wild animals, the Moon, and chastity.

Artemis is the daughter of Zeus and Leto, and the twin sister of Apollo. This has led some No Man's Sky Community Members to believe that Artemis might be the sister of the Traveller named Apollo or their friendship was so close that they consider each other brother and sister.

Apollo is a Traveller who the player meets as part of the Artemis Path. Apollo was once a flesh and blood Traveller like the player, but have had their bodies fully replaced by robotics in some part of their past. They seem to be concerned only with units, and have come to the conclusion that money is the only thing that matters in life.

Apollo appears in several missions of the Artemis Path.

Alone Amidst the Stars

The player first learns of the existence of Apollo when Artemis transmits their ID just before disappearing from the Holo-Terminus network.

Ghosts in the Machine

The player first contacts Apollo via Holo-Terminus. Apollo is initially uninterested, but the player gains their attention once they are informed of Artemis's misfortune. Eventually, the player decides to work with Apollo to uncover the connection between Portals and the Sentinels.

To this end, Apollo, demanding that the player be sufficiently prepared for the tasks ahead, refers them to several of his contacts to receive upgrades and gain the ability to build a base staffed with an Overseer (NPC) and a Scientist. Once the player has finished preparations, Apollo observes Sentinel activity while the player raids a Korvax Manufacturing Facility.

A Leap in the Dark

In light of the data collected during the raid, Apollo contacts the player in space and instructs them to visit two Plaques and a Monolith which will temporarily grant Glyphs to the player so that they can then use the planet's portal.

The First Traveller

Once the player has chosen the fate of the soul of Artemis, Apollo contacts the player in space and learns of what happened to their friend.

After activating the portal of a nearby planet and obtaining its address, the player contacts Apollo via Holo-Terminus and must choose whether to transmit the portal's address. If the player does transmit the address, Apollo will enter that address into their portal and attempt to reach the player's planet.

Patterns in Time

Apollo, if they were given a specific address, contacts the player during their second mission for the Merchants Guild and informs them of their encounter with The Atlas.

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Apollo, if they were given a specific address, contacts the player immediately after a Holo-Terminus conversation with -null- and is surprised at being unable to find the player despite being in the same location. The conversation is interrupted by a distress signal before it can progress much further.

The Purge

Apollo, if they are still alive, contacts the player after their third Hyperdrive warp to give their thoughts on the end of the Atlas and challenge the player to a race to the centre of the Galaxy.

-null- was once a Traveller from another universe who defied the Atlas and lived for an eternity in order to discover and explore all the star systems and planets of their universe. In response, the Atlas showed them that they were still just one of many travellers in an infinite multiverse, what -null- interpreted as his actions being meaningless, causing much grief. After that meeting Atlas stopped speaking to -null-, but -null- having the new understanding and a knowledge of the walls between universes failing, decided to contact the player in order to find out what's wrong with the multiverse.

-null- perceives the player character as the chosen one by the Atlas. They are sorrowful because of the player, angry at the fact that the player was selected instead of them. They are bitter towards Atlas for it discarded -null- after they had accomplished a herculean task at a great personal cost, yet Atlas cut them off. They question why they are not enough for the Atlas.

-null- appears in several missions of the Artemis Path.

Ghosts in the Machine

The player, just before raiding a Korvax Manufacturing Facility, receives a mysterious transmission in space from someone who claims to know much about the player's activity. Once the transmission ends, the stranger is assigned the name -null- by the player's Starship.

The First Traveller

The player unintentionally contacts -null- via Holo-Terminus. Null has an existential conversation with the player, then tells them that Artemis can be brought back to life, after a fashion, using a device called a Mind Arc. After -null- gives the player the device's Blueprint, they set the Holo-Terminus to Artemis's frequency so that the player can capture their soul once they have crafted a Mind Arc.

After the player captures Artemis in a Mind Arc, they contact -null- again via Holo-Terminus. After speaking of the foundation of existence, -null- directs the player to space for further help with Artemis.

After the player activates a Portal and speaks with Apollo via Holo-Terminus, the player is contacted once more by -null-, who requests the player's help in figuring out what is happening to The Atlas.

After retrieving the log of a Crashed Freighter, the player shares the results with -null- via Holo-Terminus. Null then asks the player to gather information from the Vy'keen, Korvax and Gek.

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The player shares what they learned with -null- over Holo-Terminus.

The Purge

-null- contacts the player after their ninth Hyperdrive warp for one final conversation, advising the player against heading toward the final Atlas Interface but revealing their selfish motives in the process.

The Quicksilver Synthesis Companion is a merchant NPC, who resides in the Space Anomaly, and offers exotic items in exchange for Quicksilver.

Specialist Polo made the following comment about its creation: A being fashioned from metal and soul, by my own paws!

Is referred to as Iteration X17 in the Appearance Modifier. Coupled with the fact that Polo says he built the companion from metal and soul, it is pretty likely that the Quicksilver Synthesis Companion is a Traveller soul inserted into a metal shell.

Telemon is a security sub-protocol designed to monitor The Atlas in case of rampancy.

Boundary Failures are a Point of Interest only found on exotic and infested biome planets.

These large machines appear as large rotating hollow discs attached to a rectangular platform. Included on the device is a terminal similar to those found on both the Space Anomaly and Atlas Station. They currently have no gameplay purpose besides the lore terminals.

There are 31 different terminal entries, The first 20 are each identified by an Iteration, followed by a Scenario and an Analysis. The last 10 simply are text entries, apparently telling the story of the creator of the atlas after he was copied and added as a traveller inside the simulation.

The entries were written by Telamon, a security sub-protocol designed to monitor the Atlas in case of rampancy. Telamon has identified that something is wrong with the Atlas.

At one point (apparently forced by the Atlas), Telamon becomes the Artificial Intelligence attached to the Last Traveller's exosuit, prior to the Traveller's first awakening. It is still aware of its past purpose, but it seems to progressively lose its sanity over time.

Laylaps is a benevolent Sentinel Drone entity, with connections to Telamon, The Atlas & the World Of Glass.

Laylaps acts as a companion to the player. It can be unlocked by completing the A Trace of Metal questline, which also provides players with blueprints for various Sentinel Hardframe Battle Mech parts.

Laylaps differs from normal sentinel drones due to a blue coloured shell and a radio receiver on top. It follows the player on planetary surfaces, remaining hidden on the Space Anomaly, Space Stations, and Freighters.

Laylaps acts similarly to companions on-planet, following the player around the surface. If the player engages in combat with sentinels on-world, or if the planet has aggressive sentinel activity, Laylaps's eye appears to shift to a red colour. Interacting with Laylaps after the A Trace Of Metal storyline leads to it repeating the sentence "I am having such fun Telamon-NOT-Telamon!", but interacting with the drone during its questline yields several quest-related pieces of dialogue.

Laylaps does not appear to have any sort of scavenging abilities, remaining on the sidelines during battle. Laylaps will occasionally shoot volleys of yellow bolts similar to those of the boltcaster at hostile sentinels when the player is in combat, dealing little damage. Unlike pets, Laylaps cannot be outfitted with custom accessories, nor can it be fed or interacted with.

Additional Information:

The name 'Laylaps' is taken from the mythological Laelaps, a Greek hunting dog that never failed to catch its prey. When the Aeolian prince Cephalus attempted to use Laelaps to catch the Teumessian fox (a fox that could never be caught), a paradox was created. Zeus eventually intervened in their eternal chase, transforming them into stone and flinging them into the sky where they became the constellations Canis Major and Canis Minor.

The mention of Laylaps as a reconfigured, benevolent Sentinel drone has existed in the form of lore from far before the Sentinel update itself. See the Base Computer Archives for more information.

Laylaps appears to be communicating directly with Telamon, the exosuit AI, instead of communicating with the traveller. When called out on this, Laylaps hastily says that it had mistaken the traveller, but later goes on to refer to the player as "Telamon-NOT-Telamon".

Laylaps appears to have a connection to the World Of Glass, referring to it as an end.

Laylaps also appears to have previously worked with or communicated with Telamon, as it says that they have both died once before. This may suggest that Laylaps was another security sub protocol of The Atlas, before being removed, similar to Telamon.

Laylaps also suggests that it and Telamon can work together to prevent falling into the World Of Glass.

According to the logs in the Sentinel Pillar, Laylaps has been in contact with the entity known as The Abyss, and seems to have some ulterior motive, and a plan to gain some form of freedom from the Atlas that involves both Telamon and the Traveler.

Ariadne introduces the player to the Space Anomaly. 

During the 2020 Weekend Missions, the story revealed that Ariadne crashed their ship on a planet and was replaced by an unknown entity taking their appearance. The imposter has been standing in Ariadne's place ever since. It is still unknown what they are, what they want or what happened to the real Ariadne.

Interacting with Sentinel Pillars to read the log entries may start with a text saying "IMPOSTER DETECTED [OVERRIDE CODE: 4R1ADN3 ]", implying a link between the imposter Ariadne and the pillar logs.

Mercury is a Teleportation Terminal guardian, and can assist with Featured Bases.

Tethys possesses a very fish-like look, encompassing beady eyes, scaly skin and fin-like structures on the head which probably serve as substitute ears. Their appearance is somewhat similar to the Gek, actually so much so that Tethys tries to pass off as a Gek by using perfume the first time you meet them. Tethys apologises & explains that they are in hiding; though does not expand on this.

The Singularity Update & Expedition focus on expanding the lore introduced in Interceptor, making it a “narrative-heavy journey” dealing with concepts such as “artificial intelligence”, “the will to exist” and “the nature of what it means to be alive”.

The main focus of Singularity is rebuilding a Construct, an artificial being whose creator has disappeared. The player starts their journey in a Harmonic Camp, and each “pilgrimage” requires the player to find another one of these camps.

After each Pilgrimage, the player will interact with an Autophage. After completing three simple math puzzles, the Autophage will give the player lore. In Phase One, the Autophage gives the player the coordinates to the blueprint of the first part of the Construct: the head. Subsequent visits in following phases will result in the player being given the blueprint by the Autophage itself.

After creating each piece of the Construct, the player will head to an Atlas Interface, where they will present the piece of the Construct to The Atlas. The head of the construct is first, then the arms, the torso, the legs, and finally, the Atlantid Reactor.

After presenting each piece of the Construct to The Atlas, it gives the player an Atlas Seed. The first is the Seed of Dreams, then the Seed of Power, Seed of Life, Seed of Will and Seed of Hope.

In Phase Four, all of the pieces of the Construct (with the exception of the Atlantid Reactor) are now complete. The player then heads to the Space Anomaly, where Priest Entity Nada directs the player to a Korvax Monolith. At the monolith, they infuse it with Atlantideum and interact with the monolith, gaining more lore.

Afterwards they present the parts to Nada and Specialist Polo. Polo then takes the pieces of the Construct and assembles them into a complete form. However, the Construct appears to be incomplete, and glitches, repeating the same message over and over. Nada and Polo then direct the player to find Echo Seeds and upload them to the Main Terminal on the Anomaly, with the hope it will trigger a convergence for the Construct. This goal is a Community Milestone and it requires many players to complete it for the goal to be completed.

After the community goal is achieved, the player is presented with two choices of customising a Construct: Ignition: Atlantid or Ignition: Crimson. After finishing either, the player will be able to do Construct customisation at any Appearance Modifier.

Hyperion sells Starship upgrade blueprints on the Space Anomaly for Nanites. This might include, for example, blueprints for the Cadmium Drive, Emeril Drive, and Indium Drive.

Selene's head has an elongated shape like a horse or a lizard, they frequently stick out their forked tongue indicating a reptilian heritage, specifically from a warm climate considering their clothing and the all around look of their head.

Selene sells Exosuit upgrade blueprints, such as the Neural Stimulator.

The metal tube next to them also offers frequent exosuit slot upgrades.

Eos, like every traveller on the anomaly, has a very unique look, their head posses shark like features like the shape and location of the mouth and eyes. They also have rudimentary ear structures at the back of their head and various cybernetic augments all over their head which possibly serve functions such as enhanced hearing or breathing; considering their location on the head.

Eos sells Multi-tool upgrade blueprints on the Space Anomaly for Nanites.

The box next to them also offers a different multi-tool every day.

Perses sells Exocraft upgrade blueprints on the Space Anomaly for Nanites.

Cronus has been described as a "temperamental food critic." One of their top-rated foods is Iced Screams.

This traveller's head depicts a large but seamingly empty translucent head. Through the membrane six fleshy lines can be seen leading to four devices and its two eyes. The devices probably serve a sensory purpose such as hearing considering their position.

As an "avid collector of exotic goods," Ares will pay 50 Nanites for each milestone or an amount of Nanites for a chosen product (changed daily) and sells basic Upgrade Modules.

Their appearance depicts a tree-like creature with a sort of aura around the head, possibly serving as a brain.

This traveller has been referred to as "the ancient dreamer".

Pays 5-10 Nanites for any new discovery once a day. Discovery focus (planets, fauna, flora, etc) changes daily.

Gives one free emergency signal scanner per week, however players need to have purchased one & finished a derelict freighter first.

Gemini is an expert on anomalous disturbances.

Gemini is Hesperus' best friend, they both will always greet the player in a friendly matter if spoken to.

Gemini will occasionally gift the player items, usually of the race items variety.

Hesperus appears to be an owl-like creature, their head possessing many feathers which form a beard-like structure along with a large eyebrow. They also wear shaded goggles which might be for protection from certain types of high energy light considering their avian heritage. They have been known to favour scientific advancement over lives.

Hesperus is Gemini's best friend, they both will always greet the player in a friendly matter if spoken to.

Hesperus will occasionally gift the player items, usually of the trade variety.

Hirk the Great, or Hirk as it is often known, plays the dual role of Warrior/Creator god for the Vy'keen.

Hirk is referenced by many of the plaques that dot the landscape where the Vy'keen are found. They help uncover the history of this warrior race.

"It came to pass that the Great Monolith awoke, It heard the challenge of Hirk. Five times Hirk called upon it and was met by silence. On the sixth cry it awoke." --Memories of Nosurifro (Vy'keen Plaque)

Hirk is mentioned many times in various Vy'keen fables and tales. There are also periodic mentions of a prophecy pertaining to the arrival of the Travellers, which may be a reference to the players. The Vy'keen are obligated to help the Travellers due to the teachings of Hirk.

The great leader speaks of the Vy'keen's hatred toward the sentinels and how their ultimate demise will benefit exploration and overall galaxy life. Other such phrases from the plaques give hints to the oppressive nature of the Atlas and its sentinels.

"When Hirk asked of the Sentinels, the Great Monolith said nothing. Hirk was troubled by its silence." --Vy'keen Plaque

This silence marks the ruling/governing of the Atlas over the galaxy all the more apparent.

Nal was a rival of Hirk the Great and leader of a group of Vy'keen who opposed him. Both of them were once part of a splinter faction that was aided by the Gek as an attempt to divide the Vy'keen.

When Hirk and Nal visited the Great Monolith, it spoke to Nal. Hirk's anger at not being spoken to drove him to kill Nal, return to his people, and then lie about the events that took place.

Hirk then proceeded to wage war on Nal's followers until they had almost all been wiped out.

The planet Everett in the Iousongola galaxy is a pilgrimage site for followers of Nal.

The planet Yomiti in the Ualing-Hyor system of Euclid is also a pilgrimage site.

Asteria is the name of a dead traveler that appears in Vy'Keen Colossal archives, as well as two occasions during the interactions with reality anomalies and NPCs during weekend missions.

Though we never see what they look like, we do interact with what's left of their mind during one of the missions, and also get some information about them.

Asteria is apparently one of the first travelers to cross the gap between worlds according to Hesperus. They were an ally to the Vy'Keen and fought against sentinels. After their death, they were preserved in a Mind-Arc, and dispensed wisdom and prophecies from the grave.

During the player's interaction with said grave, they hint that they know the true nature of the Abyss. The mention of Asteria in the Vy'Keen archives also suggest that they know of the Abyss previous name, "Atlantid".

The Estate Of Trade Lord Voinesio

The entry is the record of an auction held a century ago on Balaron-Secondus. A Trade Lord had left a vast amount of artworks behind after their death. Their heirs, numbering in the thousands, had liquidated the estate.

Next, we have the work of the Craft-Gek Sibl, from the Fifth High Recession. As you can see, pheromones dance among the light-spears and holograms, a synthesis of Gek and Korvax technology.

The work depicts two entities at work: trading, worshipping, searching for their place in a strange, infinite universe. Despite the recurring elements, the Korvax and the Gek never look at each other, never align.

Note how the Gek will often tremble, often shake, even as it succeeds in making a profit, even as its ally continues on in peace.

The work is titled 'Guilt'. Do I have a buyer?