You're driving the Mako across another jagged, low-gravity rock in the middle of nowhere. The sky is a weird shade of purple, and you’ve just spent ten minutes trying to climb a mountain that clearly wasn't meant to be climbed. Then, you see it: a tiny white icon on the radar. You hop out, click a button on a piece of debris, and get a notification for a "League of One Medallion."
Honestly, if you're like most people playing through the first Mass Effect, you probably just sighed and wondered if this was going to be another tedious fetch quest.
These items are part of the UNC: Locate Signs of Battle assignment. It's one of those classic BioWare collection tasks that litters your journal and makes completionists sweat. But while they might seem like filler, there's actually some pretty dark lore buried behind these shiny little discs.
What’s the Deal with the League of One?
The League of One wasn't just some random group. They were the original Salarian superspies—think of them as the prototype for the STG or even the Council Spectres. They were elite, shadowy, and incredibly dangerous.
They operated so far off the grid that even the Salarian government barely knew they existed. But then the Salarians met the Asari.
To prove they were "team players" in the newly formed Citadel Council, the Salarian government basically threw the League under the bus. They declassified the group's existence. In an instant, the galaxy’s most dangerous assassins had their names and faces plastered everywhere.
The League didn't take it well.
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They retaliated by murdering the entire Salarian inner cabinet. Every single one. After that, they vanished. The Salarian government spent decades hunting them down across the galaxy. That’s why you’re finding league medallions mass effect scattered on remote planets; these are the final resting places of spies who were hunted to the ends of the universe.
Where to Find the League Medallions
You technically only need 10 to finish the quest, but there are 12 total in the game. Most players stumble onto them while doing other missions, but if you're trying to wrap this up quickly, you've got to know which systems to hit.
Basically, you’ll find them in two ways: surveying planets from orbit and landing the Mako to find physical wreckage.
Planets You Have to Visit
- Edolus (Sparta system, Artemis Tau): You’ll likely be here for the "Missing Marines" quest anyway. The medallion is near a crashed probe.
- Nepheron (Columbia system, Voyager): Watch out for the underground bunkers here.
- Metgos (Hydra system, Argos Rho): It’s a heat-hazard planet, so don't stay out of the Mako too long or Shepard will literally cook.
- Rayingri (Gagarin system, Armstrong Nebula): This one is tucked away near some Geth outposts.
- Xawin (Strenuus system, Horse Head Nebula): Another cold world where the medallion is hidden in a mercenary camp.
- Bindur (Phoenix system, Argos Rho): This is a survey-only one. Just scan the planet from the Normandy.
You can also find them by scanning planets like Intai'sei (Phoenix system) or Harkin (Century system). Honestly, scanning is way less of a headache than driving the Mako over vertical cliffs.
Is Collecting Them Actually Worth It?
This is where things get a bit contentious in the Mass Effect community.
If you’re looking for a massive "Aha!" moment or a legendary weapon at the end of the quest, you’re going to be disappointed. Completing the assignment gives you some XP and a decent chunk of credits, but that’s about it for the first game. It just turns grey in your journal.
However, there’s a nuance most people miss.
In Mass Effect 3, these collection quests actually contribute (in a tiny way) to your War Assets. Having a "complete" save file from the first game can sometimes provide small flavor text or minor boosts in the later sequels. But let's be real: you're mostly doing this for the 100% completion stat and because leaving an open quest in the journal feels like an itch you can't scratch.
The Mystery of the 13th Member
One of the coolest bits of lore is the rumor that there were actually 13 members of the League of One, but the government only knew about 12.
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The 13th member supposedly escaped the Great Purge entirely. Fans have spent years theorizing who this could be. Some thought it might be Mordin Solus, but the timeline is way off—the League was wiped out centuries before Mordin was born.
Still, it adds a layer of mystery to those dusty medallions. Every time you pick one up, you're looking at the badge of a person who was betrayed by their own people and died alone in the vacuum of space.
How to Handle These Efficiently
Don't go out of your way to find all 12 at the start of the game. It’ll burn you out.
The best way to handle league medallions mass effect is to treat them as a secondary priority. When you enter a new star system, scan every planet. If you land for a story mission or a side quest, check your map for "Anomalies" or "Debris."
Most of the medallions are located right next to other objectives. For example, if you're already on Metgos to find the crashed probe, the medallion is just a short drive away.
Next Steps for Your Playthrough:
Open your Galaxy Map and head to the Artemis Tau cluster. Start with the Sparta system and land on Edolus. Since you need to be there for Admiral Kahoku’s quest anyway, it’s the most efficient way to grab your first few medallions without wasting time on extra travel.