Damaged XenosThere is truth to the xenos's words, skilfully concealed behind understatement. If the laboratory has become a nesting ground for xenos, their absence is no accident. It seems you are not alone here.
YOU"Awakened... the sleeping ones? Necrons?"
Damaged XenosThe xenos nods slowly. "So satisfying was the vengeance they unleashed upon the other lowly ones after the plunderer's disgraceful flight."
Eogunn"Shut up! You're the one responsible for what happened! Your call brought them out of stasis!" In a rush of emotion, the Tech-Priest forgets himself, tearing the black cap from his augmented head. Eogunn's face is distorted almost beyond recognition in a grimace of mental anguish.
Damaged Xenos"A lie that multiplies itself into infinity. Oh, if only I could reject my deficiency and invoke the reanimation protocols, but..." The Necron throws back its head with obvious contempt, staring smugly at the Manipulus. "The defective logic of the plunderers was sufficient to ensure that they deprived me of that possibility."
Damaged XenosThe Necron throws back its head with obvious contempt. There is an insinuating hiss in its voice, like that of a venomous viper. "If... only... I could. The plunderers... had the sense to... deprive me of that possibility."
Damaged XenosThe xenos nods slowly, drawing out the words of its strange language. The grinding of the Elucidator servitor echoes them: "How... satisfying... vengeance... after the flight of the... plunderer."
Eogunn"Shut up! You're the one responsible for what happened! Your call brought them out of stasis!" In a rush of emotion, the Tech-Priest forgets himself, tearing the black cap from his augmented head. Eogunn's face is distorted almost beyond recognition in a grimace of mental anguish.continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Instrument? The very artefact that caused all this?"
Damaged Xenos"One more powerful than your limited imagination can encompass. Devastator of planets, it did not reveal its might to the primitives who sought to comprehend it, but bestowed only endless suffering on one of them. The natural end of a lowly intellect."
Eogunn"Another false claim. I believe the reason is that the specimen originally reconfigured the instrument in that way to guard against unauthorised exposure. Would that be... reasonable from the perspective of a rational mind?" The Manipulus strives to suppress the traitorous tremor in his voice.
YOU"Awakened... the sleeping ones? Necrons?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Instrument? The very artefact that caused all this?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Pathetic attempts to disguise an ambush won't fool me, xenos."
Damaged Xenos"A cognitively gifted primitive. But that will not save you. With your own hands, you awakened the still warriors by activating your crude energy source." Tall, skeletal figures of xenos emerge from the surrounding gloom, weapons clutched in their hands.
end of branch
YOU[Attack] "I'll end you, foul wretch!"
Damaged Xenos"A defective mind is incapable of even recognising a trap. With your own hands, you awakened the still warriors by activating your crude energy source. I invoke the annihilation protocol!" Several tall, twisted figures appear out of the gloom, surrounding you in the blink of an eye.
end of branch
YOU"I grow tired of this conversation."
Damaged Xenos"A defective mind is incapable of even recognising a trap. With your own hands, you awakened the still warriors by activating your crude energy source. I invoke the annihilation protocol!" Several tall, twisted figures appear out of the gloom, surrounding you in the blink of an eye.continues where this line first appears above
Damaged Xenos"More than... imagination... encompass" The Elucidator emits several binharic beeps, having failed to cope with the complex construction of the phrase. "Did not reveal... its might to the primitives.... only endless suffering for one. The end of... of a lowly intellect."
Eogunn"Another false claim. I believe the reason is that the specimen originally reconfigured the instrument in that way to guard against unauthorised exposure. Would that be... reasonable from the perspective of a rational mind?" The Manipulus strives to suppress the traitorous tremor in his voice.continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Pathetic attempts to disguise an ambush won't fool me, xenos."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Attack] "I'll end you, foul wretch!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I grow tired of this conversation."continues where this line first appears above
Entry point 2 of 4
Damaged XenosThe xenos's laughter echoes off the walls, simultaneously resembling a guttural animal bark and the hiss of cooling plasma. It finds your confusion highly amusing.
YOU"Awakened... the sleeping ones? Necrons?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Instrument? The very artefact that caused all this?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Pathetic attempts to disguise an ambush won't fool me, xenos."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Attack] "I'll end you, foul wretch!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I grow tired of this conversation."continues where this line first appears above
Entry point 3 of 4
Damaged XenosThe enraged howls of the bound xenos merge with the sounds of the overloaded Elucidator to form a single cacophony. "Cursed... runts... of universal entropy... lowly creatures of the vanquished... foe!" The Necron tries in vain to break free from its prison.
YOU"I will remove your sight and tongue, so that your false words do no more harm."
NPCThe xenos spews several untranslatable curses that devolve into a grinding, clicking screech as the plasma cutter leaves only melted holes where its eyes and mouth were.
end of branch
YOU"Eogunn, do with him as you wish."
Eogunn"I will put an end to you and your false utterances once and for all." The Manipulus gives you a grateful nod and leans over the console of the restraining machine, signalling for you to step back. A few minutes later, streams of sizzling plasma burst forth from the heart of the machine, leaving nothing behind of the prisoner but a puddle of bubbling metal.
end of branch
YOU"I am bored with you. You can stay here."
Damaged XenosThe xenos lets out a derisive clicking sound that changes to a clang. "Pathetic... idle... nonentity."
end of branch
Entry point 4 of 4
NPCEven among the pincers, cutters, and coils of the Motive Force and other technical equipment, the creature encased in the machine looks alien. All that remains of its body is a greyish-black skeleton topped by a skull-shaped head. As you approach, a spark of evil, inquisitive intelligence awakens in the alien's lone eye, which glows with a dull green light.
Damaged XenosThe Necron's speech is akin to a metallic clang, interspersed with strangely dissonant notes. "Once again, the vale of ignorance is full of those who prowl in its darkness, but now thrice as many lowly have come as before."
Eogunn"How remarkable that this unnatural creature endures while those more worthy have fallen victim to it." Eogunn floats over to the servitor and flicks a few brass toggle switches in its skull. "I hope the cogitator of the integrated Elucidator is still functional."
YOU"I know enough of these creatures to understand their language. The servitor is not needed."
Damaged XenosThe xenos turns its head toward you with a metallic grinding sound. "I hear the lowly creation of the ancient foe has comprehended a speck of the great. The zeal of a limited mind is remarkable, albeit futile, and capable of providing amusement for now."
YOU"I know enough of these creatures to understand their language. The servitor is not needed."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Who are you?"
Damaged Xenos"The name has faded into the aeons of time, lowly one. I was once one who conquered the firmament, a Geomancer of a great dynasty." The stumps of the Necron's upper limbs twitch impotently, as if it were trying to make some gesture.
YOU"I know enough of these creatures to understand their language. The servitor is not needed."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Who are you?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"How did you come to be here?"
Damaged Xenos"The ice was encroaching on the mausoleum, crushing its shell without relenting, and the reanimation protocols invoked me, awakening me. Nature and idea clashed, and nature prevailed, crushing both the mausoleum and the faithful one who had tried to tame it. Centuries have passed since then, and the plunderers found me drowned in their waters."
Eogunn"My colleague and I discovered this specimen in a state of natural cryostasis. Its ability to function in spite of its damaged state captured my imagination. Refusing the chance to study it was almost unthinkable. Since then it has been confined in a container intended for... supervised dissections."
YOU"I know enough of these creatures to understand their language. The servitor is not needed."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Who are you?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"How did you come to be here?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What did you do to Nuncius and how can we reverse it?"
Damaged XenosThe creature emits a series of staccato clanking sounds resembling laughter. "I marvel at the limitations of your reasoning — if one who is captured and driven into dysfunction is even capable of such a thing. Only the knowledge-hungry primitive standing beside you is guilty of..." The Necron pauses, as if choosing its words. "Extinguishing the vital functions of the intellect that complemented him. It's irreversible."
EogunnSparks surge around Eogunn. "Perhaps it was my pride that decided the outcome, but you are the source of this evil, foul xenos. You, and your entire kind. And you will share the blame with me, whether you wish it or not."
Damaged Xenos"The naivety of lower consciousnesses is fathomless, and the gullibility boundless. Or perhaps the primitive's memory is damaged, and he does not remember how, hungering for knowledge, he sought to wrest it from my immortal flesh? How he stole my instrument without understanding its essence? How he destroyed the other, whose value he now bemoans, and awakened the sleeping ones so that they could rule the planet unchallenged?"
Eogunn"My greatest transgression is that I didn't destroy you immediately, you wretch. There is no secret valuable enough to justify your existence. Of that, I am now certain."
YOU"Awakened... the sleeping ones? Necrons?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Instrument? The very artefact that caused all this?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Pathetic attempts to disguise an ambush won't fool me, xenos."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Attack] "I'll end you, foul wretch!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I grow tired of this conversation."continues where this line first appears above
NPC(sequence)
IdiraIdira flinches and looks around nervously. "Whispers, hush... I hear, yes, danger, yes..." She casts a warning glance at you.
end of branch
Damaged Xenos"The naivety of the lowly... is boundless. He hungered... for knowledge. He... stole my instrument. He... destroyed the other... and awakened the sleeping ones." The xenos's metal faceplate does not move, but the play of shadows upon it gives the illusion of a solemn frown.
Eogunn"My greatest transgression is that I didn't destroy you immediately, you wretch. There is no secret valuable enough to justify your existence. Of that, I am now certain."continues where this line first appears above
Damaged Xenos"Limitations of... your reasoning... lowly one." The xenos lets out a clanging laugh, pausing only to assess your reaction. "Only the one beside you... is guilty... of the extinction of the intellect that complemented him... Irreversibly."
EogunnSparks surge around Eogunn. "Perhaps it was my pride that decided the outcome, but you are the source of this evil, foul xenos. You, and your entire kind. And you will share the blame with me, whether you wish it or not."continues where this line first appears above
Damaged Xenos"Ice... was encroaching on the mausoleum... nature... won... out... centuries... passed... plunderers... found... me." The Elucidator servitor's translation is punctuated by abrupt pauses. The machine spirit seems to be interpreting the clanking and howling sounds that serve as the xenos's speech with extreme difficulty.
Eogunn"My colleague and I discovered this specimen in a state of natural cryostasis. Its ability to function in spite of its damaged state captured my imagination. Refusing the chance to study it was almost unthinkable. Since then it has been confined in a container intended for... supervised dissections."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What did you do to Nuncius and how can we reverse it?"continues where this line first appears above
Damaged XenosThe servitor's creaking voice almost overlaps with the xenos's vibrating words. "The name... has... faded... in time... lowly one. I was once one... who conquered... the firmament... I was called... Geomancer."
YOU"I know enough of these creatures to understand their language. The servitor is not needed."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Who are you?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"How did you come to be here?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What did you do to Nuncius and how can we reverse it?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"How did you come to be here?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What did you do to Nuncius and how can we reverse it?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Who are you?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"How did you come to be here?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What did you do to Nuncius and how can we reverse it?"continues where this line first appears above
Damaged XenosWhat appeared to be merely a jumble of parts next to the prisoner suddenly stirs into motion. The Elucidator servitor, miraculously surviving amidst the perpetual ice, creakingly begins to translate the otherworldly sounds into Low Gothic: "Now thrice as many... lowly have come... as before."
Eogunn"How remarkable that this unnatural creature endures while those more worthy have fallen victim to it." Eogunn floats over to the servitor and flicks a few brass toggle switches in its skull. "I hope the cogitator of the integrated Elucidator is still functional."continues where this line first appears above