Torren IV is a planet featured in A Crack in Time. Located in the Vela Sector of the Polaris Galaxy, it is a large, arid, desert planet that became the junkyard for the galaxy. The planet was once home to a fongoid metropolis, but is now mined by the vullards scavenging its resources. The Molonoth Fields is home to a major vullard factory.
Molonoth Fields became a hideout for Alister Azimuth. Ratchet came to the planet to find him, where the two met for the first time.
A version of Torren IV in Rivet's dimension appears in Rift Apart.
The planet is a map in Full Frontal Assault.
History[]
Before A Crack in Time[]
Torren IV was once home to a thriving fongoid metropolis in the site of Molonoth Fields, which they abandoned eons ago, taking to the soil and leaving technology behind.[1][2][a] Thereafter, it became a junkyard for the entire galaxy.[4] This led to the Polaris Board of Interstellar Tourism voting it "Second Worst Vacation Spot in Polaris" right behind planet Morklon.[2]
The vullards, a race of scavengers, came to Torren IV to mine the treasures left behind in the junkyard.[1] Around Molonoth Fields, they used a large robot, known as the Guardian, to keep their operation hidden away from galactic authorities.[5][b] Though the vullards wore protective equipment in accordance with Polaris regulations, they operated under very poor working conditions. They had frequent accidents which in some cases cost workers their fingers, encouraged long working hours leading to hospitalization with extremely short three-minute lunch breaks, and used child labor in "Put your Children to Work Day".[6][c]
At some point, Alister Azimuth fled to Torren IV and made a place of refuge in a decommissioned mining robot[8] in Volgram Pass.[9] When Dr. Nefarious came to power, Azimuth was forbidden from leaving.[10]
A Crack in Time[]
The guardian of the Hollow.
Captain Qwark informed Ratchet of Azimuth's hiding place on Torren IV after learning of it from Chief Alpheus.[11] Ratchet traveled to Molonoth Fields and in "Find Directions to Volgram Pass", was warned by a vullard to stay away and told to ask the Guardian for entry.[1] The Guardian denied him entrance, but when Ratchet found another way in, the vullard operating it welcomed him and apologized for the ruse, which he said was to keep out galactic authorities.[5][b]
Entering the vullard factory on the path to Volgram Pass, in "Help End Code 11-13", the battery bots revolted, shutting the factory down. A tactical disposal team was dispatched, but expected to arrive in six months, forcing Ratchet to retrieve and reattach them to restore power so he could gain access.[7] Ratchet did so and proceeded.
Azimuth introducing himself to Ratchet.
In "Chase down Alister Azimuth", Ratchet found Azimuth in Volgram Pass, but a misunderstanding led Azimuth to attack him, believing Ratchet to be an assassin in a hologuise.[12] When Ratchet caught up to him, Azimuth recognized him as Kaden's son and apologized, before explaining to Ratchet what he knew about the Great Clock and how to find Clank there. He then gave Kaden's hoverboots to Ratchet,[13] and in "Master the Hoverboots", taught Ratchet to use them around Volgram Pass. Once satisfied, Azimuth took off in his ship and directed Ratchet to join him in Axiom City, Terachnos, where they would locate a method of contacting Clank.[14]
Clank later fixed the time anomalies on the planet through the Torren IV planet room in the Great Clock.[15]
Though Torren IV was desolate, it had commuter starships connected to the Axiom City Spaceport.[16]
Geography[]
Torren IV from space appears to be a desolate world with minimal greenery or water. The world has a ring system and from space several purple canyons are visible among its dry land. The planet is home to minimal flora, namely cacti and small grass.
Outside of the Hollow
The Molonoth Fields is the primary location visited, home to an area known as the Hollow, a canyon within which the vullard factory is located, and an area behind the factory named Volgram Pass. Molonoth Fields is the site of the abandoned fongoid metropolis.[1] Large towers are seen throughout the landscape, presumably remnants of the forgotten city, as are abandoned pieces of machinery and robots.
The Hollow, the location of the vullard settlement, is located around an active volcano. It is protected by a large robot head named the Guardian[b], along with a series of traps keeping out outsiders. The vullard factory is within the active volcano, and is inside filled with conveyor belts and metal works, apparently used for melting junk.
Volgram Pass is a hollow canyon which, much like the rest of Molonoth Fields, contains old fongoid machinery, rocks, and desert flora. Azimuth's hideout is atop one such abandoned fongoid tower, and the old building works have been repurposed by Azimuth into a hoverboot training course.
Notes[]
Annotations[]
- ↑ The Galactic Trivia claims the fongoids abandoned the city on Torren IV for unknown reasons, but rumors suggest it "may have had something to do with the Zoni".[2] This implies they abandoned it shortly after they tore a hole in space and time[3] and gave up technology.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 The Guardian appears to be operated by a vullard. After Ratchet gets around the traps and enters the Guardian's head, a vullard apologizes for the ruse,[5] implying he was controlling it.
- ↑ During Ratchet's visit, the vullard foreman called an operator named Deacon to the infirmary after they found his fingers, likely lost in an accident. The foreman announced a cafeteria lunch break commencing at 1:30 and ending at 1:33 serving roasted grunthor to celebrate three days of no accidents, implying heavy frequency. The employee of the month, Gorbo Mornak, was celebrated by the foreman for completing a 117-hour shift, but was noted to be hospitalized. The foreman also announced "Put your Children to Work Day".[7] Each of these factors likely contributed to why the vullards kept the operation away from galactic authorities,[5] as it was very likely illegal.
Citations[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 A Crack in Time script § "Find Directions to Volgram Pass (gameplay)"
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 A Crack in Time menu § "Galactic Trivia"
- ↑ A Crack in Time script § "The Great Clock and You"
- ↑ A Crack in Time script § "Jump to the Vela Sector (gameplay)"
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 A Crack in Time script § "Travel to the Hollow (gameplay)"
- ↑ A Crack in Time script § "Help End Code 11‒13 (gameplay)"
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 A Crack in Time script § "Help End Code 11-13"
- ↑ A Crack in Time script § "Travel to Molonoth Fields, Planet Torren IV (gameplay)"
- ↑ A Crack in Time script § "Molonoth Fields, Torren IV"
- ↑ A Crack in Time script § "Find the 3 Zoni Necessary to Repair Aphelion (gameplay)"
- ↑ A Crack in Time script § "Escape Lord Vorselon's Ship! (Phylax Sector) (gameplay, cont.)"
- ↑ A Crack in Time script § "Chase down Alister Azimuth (gameplay)"
- ↑ A Crack in Time script § "The General and Kaden"
- ↑ A Crack in Time script § "Master the Hoverboots (gameplay)"
- ↑ A Crack in Time script § "Fix Time across the Universe! (gameplay)"
- ↑ A Crack in Time script § "Rendezvous at Neurox Plaza (gameplay)"