Sandustry Ancient Artifacts & Civilization
Below the surface economy lies the real prize: an ancient civilization whose ruins, mechanisms, and artifacts gate the game's deepest tech. The surface pays your bills; the vaults are why you dig VERIFIED.
Reaching the Deep Strata
The ancient layer sits far below the starting strata. Progress downward by extending your logistics (conveyors, pipes, launchers) and solving the environmental puzzles the ruins throw at you — heat, flooding, and hazardous fluids all guard the path down.
The Stratacore
The Stratacore is a deep objective tied to advanced progression and the Stratacore Secured achievement VERIFIED. Securing it is a milestone run, not a side task — plan a logistics line that can sustain you at depth before you commit.
Auralite & the Swarm Console
Auralite powers the swarm-tech branch. The Aura Extractor achievement requires reaching the 1,000-Auralite threshold at the Swarm Console VERIFIED — a long-haul resource goal rather than a quick unlock.
The Four Critter Species
The world is alive with creatures. The Conservatory Curator achievement asks you to collect all four species VERIFIED:
| Species | Note |
|---|---|
| Lumlings | One of the four curator species. |
| Redweavers | One of the four curator species. |
| Voltblubs | One of the four curator species. |
| Voidgrazers | One of the four curator species. |
Capture critters with a Corraller (the Critter Catcher achievement).
What the Artifacts Unlock
Ancient tech and the artifacts feed the later research tiers — including the capstone Final Schematic (completing the entire tech tree). For the full node list and costs, see the Tech Tree & Recipes page. For the achievement tracking, see the 16-Achievement Roadmap.
For the deep-stratum layout and Stratacore lore, see the official Sandustry wiki.