EUREKA!

2267, August 31st: Quantum transmissions reach Denov from Ezutania; "EUREKA!" The AR's "Frontier Expeditionary Pioneers", a group of colonists who had volunteered to embark on an expedition aimed at colonizing Ezutania, discover that the world is overflowing with Zyther. However, shortly after the announcement of the motherload of all Zyther deposits, several pioneers fall out of communication with the Colonial HQ on Ezutania. Search parties are sent out to find the missing pioneers, a few are found to have mysteriously died near Zyther mounds. Some are even mutilated beyond description, worse even, others appear to have mutated into unrecognizable forms.