2181 Despoina

Named after the daughter of Demeter and Poseidon in Greek mythology, 2181 Despoina is the first planet from the star Psi Tophet. Residing in a forgotten corner of the galaxy, this ocean world was discovered by the Human Systems Alliance using deep-space probes in 2181 but it has never been explored by Humans or any other known race. Scans indicate that its atmosphere is composed largely of nitrogen and oxygen, while the entirety of its surface is covered in a vast ocean of liquid water, containing photosynthetic life.

2181 Despoina’s inviting conditions make it an ideal prospect for colonisation by multiple species. But these inviting conditions have lured many explorers to their doom throughout history. Ships that enter 2181 Despoina’s atmosphere are disabled by an artificial electromagnetic pulse emanating from deep below the surface of the ocean. As a result, the surface of the ocean is dotted with hundreds of wrecked ships; some recent, others ancient. The pulse is a defence mechanism created by an ancient aquatic species known as the Leviathans, the first and oldest species to continually inhabit the Milky Way galaxy. It was they who unintentionally created the sentient organo-synthetic constructs known as the Reapers, which harvested all technologically advanced life every 50,000 years.

2181 Despoina is the home of the last remaining Leviathans, who number only three. They built the pulse generator to protect themselves from discovery by their own artificial creations. They believed that if the Reapers ever discovered proof of their existence beneath the ocean, they would seek to harvest them and thus finally complete the genocide of their entire species.

During the Reaper War, Turian spectre Desolas Arterius II convinced the last three Leviathans to join the fight against extinction, taking advantage of the species’ mind control abilities to indoctrinate Reaper shock troops into fighting against their masters. It has been observed by Alliance scientists that Reaper shock troops that are indoctrinated by the Leviathans appear to regain sapience, despite existing in an undead state. Leviathan pulse waves can also temporarily disable a Reapers’ mechanical systems, rendering them unable to attack or move for a short time.