CassiaThe broad-shouldered young priest makes the sign of the Aquila. "The Emperor protects, Your Lordship/Ladyship. How may I be of service?"
YOU"Who are you?"
Cassia"Initiate Ziek, Your Lordship/Ladyship. I recite prayers and help Confessor Adalbert with the rites."
YOU"Who are you?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What is this relic next to you?"
CassiaThe initiate looks over at the sarcophagus. The skeleton within is clutching an orb made up of many tightly fitted hoops covered in glyphs. "A mysterious object, but undeniably a holy one. It was donated by a group of pilgrims who studied the legacy of the great missionary Nadine Aleynikov. They believed there was something inside that only someone truly righteous was meant to have. One of the pilgrims was so desperate to witness the moment of the orb's opening that they bequeathed their body to us."
YOU"Do you have any ideas on how to open this orb?"
Cassia"One of your predecessors was the last to attempt solving this relic's mystery. It happened a long time ago, before Lady Theodora was born. That's all I know."
YOU"Do you have any ideas on how to open this orb?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Why not just disassemble it?"
Cassia"To damage a sacred relic is an unthinkable crime, and to use force to bypass the test of wisdom and faith it contains is terrible blasphemy."
YOU"Do you have any ideas on how to open this orb?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Why not just disassemble it?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Open the reliquary. I am going to try to solve the mystery of the orb."
CassiaThe initiate opens the lock and hands you the orb. Someone has already moved the hoops around, trying to arrange the letters into meaningful sentences. It will only take a few more rotations for the orb to split cleanly into four parts, each with its own question. The answers should presumably be formed using adjoining hoops.
YOU[Form the question in the orb's first quarter]
Cassia"My light reaches everywhere. The greedy will see me in gold; the scholars, in Humanity's cradle; but only the righteous will see me within their souls."
YOU"Emperor."
CassiaFor better or worse, something clicks inside the orb.
YOU[Form the question in the orb's second quarter]
Cassia"I am within every human, and my loss is feared, for without me comes the end. But give me to the Emperor, and you will be eternal."
YOU"Faith."
CassiaAnother soft click comes from inside the orb.
YOU[Form the question in the orb's third quarter]
Cassia"I am poison; I am perdition; I am disgrace. Burn me down, eradicate me, or perish rejected by the Emperor."
YOU"Transgression."
CassiaWith a click, the hoop settles into place.
YOU[Form the question in the orb's remaining quarter]
Cassia"In your body, mind, and soul, you must possess me. I am no mere absence of stains; I bring you closer to Him."
YOU"Duty."
CassiaThe hoops shift and... return to their previous arrangement. You will have to start over.
YOU[Form the question in the orb's first quarter]continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Return the relic to the initiate]
CassiaThe initiate recites a short prayer as he locks the repository with great reverence.
YOU"Who are you?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What is this relic next to you?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I wish to try opening the orb one more time."
CassiaThe initiate unlocks the reliquary, putting the sacred object at your disposal.
YOU[Form the question in the orb's first quarter]continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Return the relic to the initiate]continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Leave]
end of branch
YOU"Purity."
CassiaThe orb comes alive. Its hoops shift around with alarming speed, coming together and folding into each other until the orb opens completely, laying its treasure bare.
CassiaThe initiate stares at the relic in your hands, stunned. "How strange and exciting it is to behold the holy object that has lain hidden from the eye for so many years... Truly it is a great day upon which the Rogue Trader himself/herself has revealed the legacy of great missionaries to us all!"
end of branch
CassiaThe hoops shift and... return to their previous arrangement. You will have to start over.continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Loyalty."
CassiaThe hoops shift and... return to their previous arrangement. You will have to start over.continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Martyrdom."
CassiaThe hoops shift and... return to their previous arrangement. You will have to start over.continues where this line first appears above
Cassia(sequence)
Cassia"If I recall the pages of Life of Nadine Aleynikov correctly, this part speaks about purity. The saint saw it as the quintessence of all other virtues."
end of branch
YOU[Reset the orb's configuration and start over]
CassiaThe hoops slide until the glyphs on them align in an order you recognise.
YOU[Form the question in the orb's first quarter]continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Return the relic to the initiate]continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Return the relic to the initiate]continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Weakness."
CassiaWith a click, the hoop settles into place.continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Heretic."
CassiaWith a click, the hoop settles into place.continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Betrayal."
CassiaWith a click, the hoop settles into place.continues where this line first appears above
Cassia(sequence)
CassiaYour sharp mind quickly scours the recesses of your memory for any fragments of Nadine Aleynikov's sermons. You recall that she mercilessly denounced the weakness of those who have faith in the Emperor but are incapable of translating that faith into deeds. She must have despised this shortcoming of the soul more than any other.
end of branch
YOU[Reset the orb's configuration and start over]continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Return the relic to the initiate]continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Life."
CassiaAnother soft click comes from inside the orb.continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Soul."
CassiaAnother soft click comes from inside the orb.continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Blood."
CassiaAnother soft click comes from inside the orb.continues where this line first appears above
Cassia(sequence)
CassiaThe answer immediately comes to you: it is blood. You have spilt it too many times in the name of faith for you not to realise that it is the most precious offering one can give Him.
end of branch
YOU[Reset the orb's configuration and start over]continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Return the relic to the initiate]continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Throne."
CassiaFor better or worse, something clicks inside the orb.continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Aquila."
CassiaFor better or worse, something clicks inside the orb.continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Strength."
CassiaFor better or worse, something clicks inside the orb.continues where this line first appears above
Cassia(sequence)
CassiaAs a servant of the Ecclesiarchy, you have given innumerable sermons about the light radiating from the Throne of the God-Emperor, Protector of Mankind. It seems doubtful that the author of the riddle would have deviated from such deeply revered canon.
end of branch
YOU[Return the relic to the initiate]continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Open the reliquary. I am going to try to solve the mystery of the orb."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Why not just disassemble it?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Open the reliquary. I am going to try to solve the mystery of the orb."continues where this line first appears above
Cassia(sequence)
Cassia"A riddle?" Cassia's eyes light up with curiosity. "It would be most interesting to learn what is stored inside. Lord Captain, would you like to try opening the orb?"
end of branch
YOU"I wish to try opening the orb one more time."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Leave]continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What is this relic next to you?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I wish to try opening the orb one more time."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Leave]continues where this line first appears above