NPCWhen the dust clears, you see the familiar hall. From the shadows, the jester's eyes spark with malice as they meet yours. Behind him stands a cage, in which you, or rather your body, is sitting. Your face is awash with tears, your lip is split, and a vox lies next to you. In another cage to the side stands Solomorne, glaring through the bars at the true governor of Thassera. Upon seeing you and Glaito, the Proctor straightens. It seems he was just waiting for your return. Without taking his intent gaze off you, he gives you a slow nod: he is ready to fight.
Bluff the Court Fool"But how did you... the elevator! Damn it, why did you have to make all this commotion? Why couldn't you just sit in a cage, out of the way, and wait for the ritual to be completed?" The fool looks back at the altar. "Tavrisk, move!"
Tavrisk the SculptorThe psyker's cracked skin seems ready to crumble to dust, but his thassertium eyes burn with an otherworldly fire. "The ritual is nearly complete, my lord. The Altar of Change is ready to irrevocably switch the threads of fate."
YOU"You have stolen something from me, Ruoldo! I have come to reclaim it."
Bluff the Court FoolThe fool mockingly sticks out his chin. "And how, may I ask, do you intend to do that? Only Tavrisk and myself know how the ritual works; certainly, he is the only one who can perform it. And it just so happens that we don't feel much inclined to cooperate."
YOU"You have stolen something from me, Ruoldo! I have come to reclaim it."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Your conspiracy almost entertained me. Fine, I suppose I will add this victory to my list of accomplishments."
Bluff the Court Fool"So the rumours were true? I'll remember that arrogant tone when I'm the one flaunting your exploits in your body!" The fool laughs, but the laughter sounds nervous.
YOU"You have stolen something from me, Ruoldo! I have come to reclaim it."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Your conspiracy almost entertained me. Fine, I suppose I will add this victory to my list of accomplishments."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Address Tavrisk] "Hey, psyker! Return me to my body at once, and I will grant you an easy death!"
Tavrisk the SculptorWithout removing his hands from the stone in front of him, the heavily augmented old man turns around to look at you, an expression of utter amazement spreading across his face. "But why? Why would I negotiate with a corpse-to-be? You are the past, and the governor and I are bound for the future!"
YOU"You have stolen something from me, Ruoldo! I have come to reclaim it."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Your conspiracy almost entertained me. Fine, I suppose I will add this victory to my list of accomplishments."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Address Tavrisk] "Hey, psyker! Return me to my body at once, and I will grant you an easy death!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"LOVELY WEATHER, is it not?"
Bluff the Court FoolRuoldo casts a furtive glance out the window and lets out a hesitant giggle. "Decided to show a little decorum, my celestial guest? It is a little late for tha—"
SolomorneThe metal of the cage emits a piteous creak as Solomorne slams his entire weight against the bars...
NPCYou struggle to open your eyes. After the world has once again taken shape, you realise that you are staring at your own palms, from your own eye sockets. You move a hand, and each muscle responds gratefully, filling with warmth. The others watch you with a mixture of hope and dismay.
MaiveMaive, the real Maive, looks at you through watering eyes. "Myself again... It was so... so..." She lacks the strength for anything more, and her body collapses to the ground.
YOU"Well done, Solomorne! How did you know that would work?"
Solomorne"I didn't. But the heretics were so obsessed with this lump of stone, I figured their sorcery would be ruined without it."
YOU"Well done, Solomorne! How did you know that would work?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"But why did you not get out of the cage earlier? You could have..."
Solomorne"I doubt it. Loosening the cage's fastenings without being noticed proved to be quite difficult. Besides, without you and Glaito there, the outcome would have been too unpredictable, and I had no room for error. But there was one thing I knew for sure: Glaito's implants and mine were exchanging data logs, which meant you were alive. So I waited."
YOU"Well done, Solomorne! How did you know that would work?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"But why did you not get out of the cage earlier? You could have..."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Any last words?"
Bluff the Court Fool"Let's go with an old Thasserian proverb: 'do not feed the horse you cannot outrun.'"
Solomorne"I have heard plenty of nonsense spoken by convicts, but that drivel wins first place."
YOU"Well done, Solomorne! How did you know that would work?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"But why did you not get out of the cage earlier? You could have..."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Any last words?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Governor Ruoldo! For the crimes of stealing my body from me, practising heresy, and all-round monstrousness, you are hereby sentenced to death! Attack!"
NPC"How dare you order anyone around in my own palace! Tavrisk, do it!"
end of branch
YOU"Surrender now and confess everything, Governor. Perhaps, then, I will convince Solomorne to kill you swiftly."
Solomorne"I don't know, Rogue Trader. My finger might twitch, and Glaito will think it's an order to spill his guts."
Bluff the Court FoolRuoldo's loud cackling reverberates around the hall, creating a thousand echoes. "Sculptor! You may begin!"
end of branch
YOU"All of you are going to pay for everything you have done to me!"
Bluff the Court FoolThe fool delivers a mocking bow, as if inviting you to dance. "Dying was not among my plans tonight. Sculptor, get to work!"
end of branch
YOU"Governor Ruoldo! For the crimes of stealing my body from me, practising heresy, and all-round monstrousness, you are hereby sentenced to death! Attack!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Surrender now and confess everything, Governor. Perhaps, then, I will convince Solomorne to kill you swiftly."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"All of you are going to pay for everything you have done to me!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Any last words?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Governor Ruoldo! For the crimes of stealing my body from me, practising heresy, and all-round monstrousness, you are hereby sentenced to death! Attack!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Surrender now and confess everything, Governor. Perhaps, then, I will convince Solomorne to kill you swiftly."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"All of you are going to pay for everything you have done to me!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"But why did you not get out of the cage earlier? You could have..."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Any last words?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Governor Ruoldo! For the crimes of stealing my body from me, practising heresy, and all-round monstrousness, you are hereby sentenced to death! Attack!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Surrender now and confess everything, Governor. Perhaps, then, I will convince Solomorne to kill you swiftly."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"All of you are going to pay for everything you have done to me!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"EMPEROR KNOWS I was trying to give you a chance."
Bluff the Court Fool"How very generous! Allow me to repay you in kind. If you leave now, you may live out the rest of your days on my planet as that dunce of a woman! No, wait. I've changed my—"
SolomorneThe metal of the cage emits a piteous creak as Solomorne slams his entire weight against the bars...continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Has anyone got a lho-stick? I badly need a puff."
Bluff the Court Fool"One last stick before you go? I approve — let us respect that tradition! Somebody fetch me a—"
SolomorneThe metal of the cage emits a piteous creak as Solomorne slams his entire weight against the bars...continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Lunge at Ruoldo]
Bluff the Court FoolThe court fool snaps his fingers, and the guards ready their weapons. In the tense silence that follows, every sound, every movement can be clearly heard. And then...
SolomorneThe metal of the cage emits a piteous creak as Solomorne slams his entire weight against the bars...continues where this line first appears above
NPC(sequence)
Idira"You're really, really not going to like that future, old man. The ones beyond the door already send their regards. They say they can't wait to meet you and this little king of yours."
end of branch
Ulfar"What is that old louse muttering now? Judging by that fulsome sneer of his, it's not the praises of the Allfather."
Argenta"They would be of no help to him now. Nothing would." Argenta's eyes are ablaze, her hands firmly clutching her weapon.
end of branch
Kibellah"There is truth in his words: it is senseless to negotiate with a corpse-to-be." Kibellah runs her fingers along the edge of her blade with a slow, almost caressing motion.
end of branch
Cassia"Ah!" Cassia flinches and shields her eyes with her hand. "The deathly light of thassertium... It is all around him, permeating his soul, melding into his colour, his essence..."
end of branch
YOU"LOVELY WEATHER, is it not?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"EMPEROR KNOWS I was trying to give you a chance."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Has anyone got a lho-stick? I badly need a puff."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Lunge at Ruoldo]continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Address Tavrisk] "Hey, psyker! Return me to my body at once, and I will grant you an easy death!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"LOVELY WEATHER, is it not?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"EMPEROR KNOWS I was trying to give you a chance."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Has anyone got a lho-stick? I badly need a puff."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Lunge at Ruoldo]continues where this line first appears above
NPC(sequence)
Heinrix"The term 'cooperation' is hardly applicable in this circumstance, Ruoldo." As Heinrix speaks, his gaze, focused and grim, sweeps over the hall, the altar, and Tavrisk's decrepit frame.
Jae"More often than not, there is a ravine of differences lying between us, Master Interrogator. But right now, I am prepared to cross it, so that we may stand together and give this one's motley posterior the beating it deserves." Jae's crooked smile is as grim as Heinrix's.
Bluff the Court FoolRuoldo angrily grits his teeth as he shoots them both a withering look.
end of branch
Kibellah"Your tongue is a quite superfluous part of your body, Vil'Ruoldo. Worry not — this flaw is easy to correct."
end of branch
YOU"Your conspiracy almost entertained me. Fine, I suppose I will add this victory to my list of accomplishments."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Address Tavrisk] "Hey, psyker! Return me to my body at once, and I will grant you an easy death!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"LOVELY WEATHER, is it not?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"EMPEROR KNOWS I was trying to give you a chance."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Has anyone got a lho-stick? I badly need a puff."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Lunge at Ruoldo]continues where this line first appears above