Cassia"I thought they were just mutations. Are you saying... we've been tricked by inhuman fiends? By the Holy Throne, what have we done..."
YOU"I shall let you go. It is up to you whether to flee or to seek vengeance."
Cassia"For— Forgive us, Lord Captain." The woman draws a quivering breath. "We won't forget your mercy. Give us weapons and a round of ammunition and send us forward! The bastards will answer for everything. Even death is kinder than false hope."
end of branch
YOU"You will atone with your blood or perish this instant. The choice is yours."
Cassia"For— Forgive us, Lord Captain." The woman draws a quivering breath. "We won't forget your mercy. Give us weapons and a round of ammunition and send us forward! The bastards will answer for everything. Even death is kinder than false hope."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Execute them] "I sentence you to death for rebelling against the Rogue Trader and for aiding traitors to the Imperium."
CassiaThe woman stiffens but meets her last moment with dignity. Not everyone follows her example.
end of branch
Entry point 5 of 10
Cassia"All sorts of mutations can happen to us bottom-deckers. Who cares what grows on their foreheads? What matters is that their souls are pure. And yours is not."
YOU[Raise your voice] "You have let your guard down! You have fallen into the enemy's trap! They have used you — turned you into traitors to Humanity! You are all guilty before the Emperor!"
CassiaStaggered by the confidence of a battle-hardened Commissar, the woman loses her rebellious spirit and lowers her head, suddenly pale. The sincerity of your anger serves as the best possible proof that you are right. "We're... traitors? Blessed Throne, is it really true? But we thought... What are we supposed to do now?"
YOU"You will pay with your blood. From now on, you lot are a penal assault unit."
Cassia"For— Forgive us, Lord Captain." The woman draws a quivering breath. "We won't forget your mercy. Give us weapons and a round of ammunition and send us forward! The bastards will answer for everything. Even death is kinder than false hope."
end of branch
YOU[Execute them] "I sentence you to death for rebelling against the Rogue Trader and for aiding traitors to the Imperium."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"And you believed them? I am a legend of the Expanse, and oppression of commoners is not in the history of my deeds. Is it not obvious? Our enemies are trying to sully my name!"
CassiaThe woman mutters with a shocked look on her face: "Yes, of course... Word of your glory had reached every deck of this ship even before you arrived on board. So we've been... tricked? What are we supposed to do now?"
YOU"Arm yourselves and bring death to the enemy. I, your legendary commander, will lead you into battle!"
Cassia"For— Forgive us, Lord Captain." The woman draws a quivering breath. "We won't forget your mercy. Give us weapons and a round of ammunition and send us forward! The bastards will answer for everything. Even death is kinder than false hope."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Execute them] "I sentence you to death for rebelling against the Rogue Trader and for aiding traitors to the Imperium."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"The Infernus Guild set up the very disaster that killed your children, your husbands and wives. They are using you."
YOU"Their Nemesite was a mutant freak, just like these 'liberators' themselves. Purple skin, crest on the forehead — I trust you have seen those before?"
YOU[Execute them] "I sentence you to death for rebelling against the Rogue Trader and for aiding traitors to the Imperium."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Execute them] "If I am a tyrant, then I must live up to expectations. Die."
CassiaThe woman stiffens but meets her last moment with dignity. Not everyone follows her example.continues where this line first appears above
Entry point 6 of 10
CassiaThe woman fixes her gaze on you, as if searching your face for signs of deception. Then, she turns pale and a single tear rolls down her cheek. "Set up the disaster... But how..."
YOU"I shall let you go. It is up to you whether to flee or to seek vengeance."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"You will atone with your blood or perish this instant. The choice is yours."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Execute them] "I sentence you to death for rebelling against the Rogue Trader and for aiding traitors to the Imperium."continues where this line first appears above
Entry point 7 of 10
Cassia"Of course, make monsters out of them. It suits your purpose. But I know what I saw."
YOU[Raise your voice] "You have let your guard down! You have fallen into the enemy's trap! They have used you — turned you into traitors to Humanity! You are all guilty before the Emperor!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"And you believed them? I am a legend of the Expanse, and oppression of commoners is not in the history of my deeds. Is it not obvious? Our enemies are trying to sully my name!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"The Infernus Guild set up the very disaster that killed your children, your husbands and wives. They are using you."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Their Nemesite was a mutant freak, just like these 'liberators' themselves. Purple skin, crest on the forehead — I trust you have seen those before?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Execute them] "I sentence you to death for rebelling against the Rogue Trader and for aiding traitors to the Imperium."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Execute them] "If I am a tyrant, then I must live up to expectations. Die."continues where this line first appears above
Entry point 8 of 10
Cassia(no text)
end of branch
Entry point 9 of 10
Cassia(no text)
end of branch
Entry point 10 of 10
CassiaA group of shackled commoners are huddled together on their knees. They wear no armour, just filthy rags and tattered coveralls. Some hide their gaze while others sob quietly or mutter prayers. Only one woman, swarthy and heavily built, glares at you. She is trying to appear proud and fearless, but her lip is trembling.
Cassia"What are you waiting for? Just end us and be done with it. Isn't that what tyrants do?"
YOU"Are you from the Cult of the Ravenous Star?"
Cassia"Cult?" At first, the woman looks confused, but then a bitter smirk appears on her lips. "Is that what you call our liberators? To you, anyone who fights the oppressors is a heretic."
YOU"Are you from the Cult of the Ravenous Star?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"So I am a tyrant, then?"
CassiaThe woman nods. "Tyrant. Oppressor. Butcher. Choose whichever one you like."
YOU"Are you from the Cult of the Ravenous Star?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"So I am a tyrant, then?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Who put you up to this rebellion?"
Cassia"The liberators, our true heroes! When the fiery death rained down on our slums, not one of your enforcers lifted a finger to save us. But the inferni went out of their way to pull children out from under the rubble, mend wounds, and comfort widows. They opened our eyes!"
Cassia"They said that we no longer need to endure beatings, fight over crumbs of food, or die after you have worked us to the bone! That people can live as equals, take care of one another, and have dignity. This is what they are fighting for. You profit from keeping us in poverty, and your faith is false! Why would the Emperor want His believers to suffer in vain?"
YOU[Raise your voice] "You have let your guard down! You have fallen into the enemy's trap! They have used you — turned you into traitors to Humanity! You are all guilty before the Emperor!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"And you believed them? I am a legend of the Expanse, and oppression of commoners is not in the history of my deeds. Is it not obvious? Our enemies are trying to sully my name!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"The Infernus Guild set up the very disaster that killed your children, your husbands and wives. They are using you."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Their Nemesite was a mutant freak, just like these 'liberators' themselves. Purple skin, crest on the forehead — I trust you have seen those before?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Execute them] "I sentence you to death for rebelling against the Rogue Trader and for aiding traitors to the Imperium."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Execute them] "If I am a tyrant, then I must live up to expectations. Die."continues where this line first appears above
Cassia"Even the ship's confessor renounced the false covenants and went on to raise the folk hero, Nemesite! And you killed both of them!"
YOU[Raise your voice] "You have let your guard down! You have fallen into the enemy's trap! They have used you — turned you into traitors to Humanity! You are all guilty before the Emperor!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"And you believed them? I am a legend of the Expanse, and oppression of commoners is not in the history of my deeds. Is it not obvious? Our enemies are trying to sully my name!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"The Infernus Guild set up the very disaster that killed your children, your husbands and wives. They are using you."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Their Nemesite was a mutant freak, just like these 'liberators' themselves. Purple skin, crest on the forehead — I trust you have seen those before?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Execute them] "I sentence you to death for rebelling against the Rogue Trader and for aiding traitors to the Imperium."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Execute them] "If I am a tyrant, then I must live up to expectations. Die."continues where this line first appears above
Cassia(sequence)
CassiaCassia sighs. "The Imperium's history has shown time and again that the rabble is incapable of building a civilised society without governance. Alas, peasants do not read historical treatises."
end of branch
Cassia(sequence)continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Sacrifice the prisoners to the true gods] "You will pay for your treason. I will spill your blood so that fortune might favour me in battle."
CassiaYou turn your thoughts to the Ruinous Powers as you kill the prisoners one after the other. As you silently mouth the words of forbidden prayers, you sense that your sacrifice has pleased the gods. A dark blessing guides your hand, and the agony of the butchered courses through your veins, pulsing with strength and an impetus to act. You see horror in the still eyes of the corpses — in their final moments, they fully understood the extent of your power and their own terrible fate.
end of branch
YOU[Execute them] "I sentence you to death for rebelling against the Rogue Trader and for aiding traitors to the Imperium."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Execute them] "If I am a tyrant, then I must live up to expectations. Die."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I am not ready to deal with you right now."
CassiaThe woman sneers. "I get it. So many people to kill. Don't you worry: we'll be right here, waiting for our executioner."
end of branch
YOU"Who put you up to this rebellion?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Sacrifice the prisoners to the true gods] "You will pay for your treason. I will spill your blood so that fortune might favour me in battle."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Execute them] "I sentence you to death for rebelling against the Rogue Trader and for aiding traitors to the Imperium."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Execute them] "If I am a tyrant, then I must live up to expectations. Die."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I am not ready to deal with you right now."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"So I am a tyrant, then?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Who put you up to this rebellion?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Sacrifice the prisoners to the true gods] "You will pay for your treason. I will spill your blood so that fortune might favour me in battle."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Execute them] "I sentence you to death for rebelling against the Rogue Trader and for aiding traitors to the Imperium."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Execute them] "If I am a tyrant, then I must live up to expectations. Die."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I am not ready to deal with you right now."continues where this line first appears above