In the world of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, expeditions are more than just journeys into the unknown. They are acts of desperation, hope, and self-sacrifice. Each expedition is a group of chosen individuals sent to the Continent to destroy the Painted List and change the fate of humanity, which is doomed to lose lives every year according to the will of the mysterious Painter. While Expedition 33 is only beginning its journey, the traces of its predecessors remain—within diaries, technology, guidance, and even the graves that cover the Continent.

What is an Expedition?

In Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, the term "expedition" holds critical narrative importance. It is not just a group of travelers, but volunteers who set out each year from the island of Lumière to the mainland, tasked with destroying the enigmatic entity known as the Painter. Each year, she performs the ritual "Gommage," painting a number—and every person older than that number vanishes. In the 67th year, the number is 33, making Expedition 33 humanity’s final hope to stop the Painter before she activates the ritual again.

Warnings for Future

Expeditions Though many journals from past expeditions serve merely as slow records of defeat, some carry deeper meanings—they have become warnings for those who follow. One such tale is that of Nicolas from Expedition 44, who recounted a horrific attempt to skin Neurons and wear their hide as camouflage. The logic was simple: look like a Neuron, and perhaps one could go unnoticed. But Neurons proved too perceptive—they seemed to "see" through the disguise, possibly sensing a kind of color-based energy. Nicolas strongly advised against such tactics for future teams.

These records are more than memories—they are lessons. Created to give hope to those yet to walk their path, and to help them avoid fatal decisions.

Technology from Previous Expeditions

Past expeditions often relied on advanced machinery, which did not always prevent disaster. Damien of Expedition 63 recalls their reinforced vehicles becoming useless after a crash in the village of Gestrals. Even the sturdiest gear proved powerless against the unpredictable terrain and force structures of the Continent.

In a more tragic story, Avril from Expedition 40 described how her team attempted to use gliders to reach the mysterious Monolith. Their flight ended in catastrophe when they collided with the Chromatic Barrier—an invisible wall that annihilated them instantly. This event became one of the harshest lessons about the Painter’s defensive mechanisms.

Relations with Local Inhabitants

Some of the most poignant accounts detail relationships with the natives of the Continent. Aurelian of Expedition 65, for example, related how his group came to live at peace with their hosts, the Grandi, at the Monoco station. It was a unique case of an expedition surviving not only but becoming part of a foreign culture.

A parallel account is given by Laura from Expedition 37, who remembers friendly relations with a coastal Gestral native. She relates how their life on the Gestral beach was spent in days of peace and discovery.

Not all expeditions were so lucky, however. Expedition 66 came to a tragic end: after taking counsel from the enigmatic immortal Eski, they ate poisonous mushrooms. Just before he died, their commander Marcel cursed Eski as a "chattering marshmallow," as their misplaced trust had led to their demise. Another is the story of Theo from Expedition 52, who had a head wound inflicted upon him in a "friendly battle" with a Gestral. His entry is bitter—he records that the local medic was useless and resigns himself to death.

Legacy of the Past

The previous expeditions in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 are shadows of the past that illuminate the path forward. They left behind not only fragments of hope and suffering but concrete instructions, technologies, and hard-earned lessons. Desperation, friendship, betrayal, mistakes—all of these are part of the legacy that the new Expedition 33 must draw upon to succeed where others failed.