StarYou are certain that there is not a single mention of an open confrontation between Seberian and the Inquisition in the official chronicles of the von Valancius dynasty, meticulously preserved by historitors. The dynastic chronicles tell of the siege of Dargonus by the united forces of the Saynay pirate clan, which was one of the primary threats in the Expanse in that period.
AbelardWhen you share your conclusions with the Seneschal, he nods. "I agree, Your Lordship/Ladyship. I have had cause to read a good many scrolls from the dynastic archives in the course of my duties, and there was never any mention of Seberian's heretical tendencies."
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Entry point 3 of 6
StarNo matter how hard you try to dredge your memory for any facts about the siege of Dargonus — surely a major historical event — only the word "Senai" comes to the surface. It seems devoid of any meaning.
AbelardAbelard shakes his head with a look of total astonishment. "It all looks like a grand hoax, Lord Captain. In the time of your glorious ancestor, Dargonus was besieged by the Saynay pirate clan, and he managed to repel their brazen attacks. I have never come across any mention of a conflict with the Inquisition."
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Entry point 4 of 6
StarThe sentence read out by the Inquisitor to your ancestor still rings in your ears. To find Seberian von Valancius alive mere moments before his execution — what a foul xenos joke. Everything you have seen here seems designed to mock you, including the fact that you are back where you started, as though a disgruntled host had tossed you out the door like unwanted guests.
Entry point 5 of 6
StarStunned, you return to reality. Something inexplicable just happened, and the echoes of it are still coursing through your blood, causing your heart to clench in convulsions. Nevertheless, you are unharmed, and you once again find yourself standing at the gates of your dynasty's palace on Dargonus. There is nothing around you to indicate that what happened to you was real. Nothing but your memories.
StarBut of one thing you are certain: you were thrown back to your starting point at the precise moment that your distinguished ancestor, Seberian von Valancius, breathed his last.
Star(sequence)
AbelardAbelard noisily inhales as if roused from a stupor. "Throne of Terra! Lord Captain, I haven't the slightest idea what happened. We are already back inside, aren't we?" The confusion on his face fades gradually, giving way to irritation. "Cursed xenos conundrum."
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MarazhaiThe Drukhari hisses several curses in his native tongue. "Funny. Yes, this little farce is to die for... Yet I have no desire to entertain myself with the games of the Oghyr for long."
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UlfarUlfar's thunderous roar shakes the surroundings, trailing off into a low, menacing rumble. "By the Allfather's steadfast hand, these xenos think to mock us, as if they count themselves the wisest of the wise! When I lay my hands upon them, their skulls shall crack beneath my boots!"
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Cassia"How can this be...? " The Lady Navigator blinks in puzzlement, her lashes fluttering as she stares dazedly ahead. "The Sea of Souls is placid, yet the very canvas of the Materium has disintegrated and reformed, filling up with other images. I... cannot describe it. It is something strange. Something other."
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SolomorneThe Arbitrator freezes, looking around anxiously. His cyber-mastiff rushes forward and stands between you and the rest of the retinue, as if to shield you from a possible attack. "Xenos machinations, Rogue Trader. I insist on thoroughly scrutinising everyone present before we enter a second time. Anyone capable of such a thing is an incredibly dangerous enemy."
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Argenta"God-Emperor, fortify our courage against the delusions of the xenos, ignite within us a hatred strong enough to shatter their sorceries!" Argenta prays without pause, shocked by what has occurred.
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Star(sequence)continues where this line first appears above
Entry point 6 of 6
StarAnd again, the beginning. The same outpost, the same voices, the same words you have already heard. Time does not flow here, it runs in circles. A monstrous trap set by devious xenos.
Star(sequence)
Kibellah"It is a mirage, Domin'[Name]." Kibellah digs a long fingernail into her forearm, leaving a bloody furrow in its wake. "Do not trust your eyes, do not heed your ears. Only will and faith in the Undying One will help you to distinguish what is true from the trickery of the enemies of Humanity."
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IdiraIdira plunges both hands into her hair, violently tousling it. "Wrong, this is wrong!" She wraps her arms around her head, swaying slightly. "They only seem real, Your Lordship/Ladyship, but when you look closer... half are ghosts, and the other half are walking around with their souls cut out. This is a deathtrap, a bad place. We need to get out of here, and take any still alive with us."
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Pasqal"Hypothesis: the observed reality is a complex optical illusion constructed using perverse xeno knowledge." Pasqal swings a mechadendrite at the nearest section of wall, leaving a deep scratch on the stone. "Replication level: extremely high. The hypothesis does not explain the observed effect of the space-time paradox."
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YrlietYrliet stands motionless with her eyes closed and arms folded. Her serenity is almost unnatural. "Oghyr magic lies beyond the bounds of your kind's understanding, elantach. If you hope to resist it, giving in to your temper is the last thing you should be doing."
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Eogunn"Astounding!" Eogunn does not appear frightened or shocked, but rather utterly captivated. The servo-skull Nuncius hovers sedately at his shoulder. "Your Lordship/Ladyship, this is a wholly extraordinary violation of the law of causality. Oh, if only I could discover a machine that could realise such effects!"
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HeinrixThe Interrogator takes to circling the members of your retinue, scrutinising each one in turn. "You are all real, there is no doubt. As are my memories of what just happened. Either the devious wretches are playing with our minds, or there is something else at work here that I cannot explain, Lord Captain."
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JaeJae's ringing laugh startles the rest of the retinue. "These xenos are right ashmags, aren't they? So, this is how they punish those who stick their noses where they don't belong!" Once she is done laughing, she brushes her dishevelled hair. "They are in for a great disappointment. We will find a way to escape this place."
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StarYou and your retinue seem to be the only ones here still in possession of free will. The other captives of this mysterious trap are doomed to repeat the same actions over and over again, forever trapped in the day Dargonus was besieged by Inquisition forces.
StarOne thing is clear: the lies that the devious xenos used to entangle existence must be sundered, and the time loop must be broken. The Lord Captain will not deign to spend any longer in this trap than he/she wishes.