Entry point 1 of 6
NPCThe scouts begin to argue. The unintelligible quarrelling abruptly stops, and after a few minutes, the operator anxiously gives his report. As soon as the squad split up, the ones who decided to stay with their loved ones were swallowed by the darkness of the empty deck and... vanished.
NPCHalf an hour later, the vox comes to life once again: the operator flatly reports that the scouting party has reached the bridge. The cogitators are broken, so extracting any data from them seems impossible. The scouts have found a strange object in the captain's chair — they can't describe it, only saying that "this" shouldn't be there.
NPCIn his usual flat voice devoid of emotion, the operator completes his report — the way to the bridge took sixteen hours and forty-one minutes. The soldiers are exhausted and would like to rest for some time. Confused, Vigdis notes that only half an hour has passed outside the Queen's Lament.
NPCThe vox-cast stops abruptly, and a few minutes later, the scouting party's shuttle leaves the Queen's Lament. The voidship itself dissolves in the darkness of space. The shuttle arrives empty — no trace of the scouting party can be found, save for a strange parcel left by someone on one of the empty seats.
NPCThe story of a ghost ship that yet again has swallowed the souls of its unfortunate victims will live on for many years in hushed whispers across every deck of the Rogue Trader's voidship.end of branch
YOUOrder the squad to retrieve the unknown object and withdraw immediately.
NPCThe vox-cast stops abruptly, and a few minutes later, the scouting party's shuttle leaves the Queen's Lament. The voidship itself dissolves in the darkness of space. The shuttle arrives, carrying a single passenger — the operator, clutching a strange parcel. The young man's hair has turned white after the time spent on the cursed vessel, and he has lost the ability to speak. His story and rumours of what happened to the other scouts will live on for many years in hushed whispers across every deck of the Rogue Trader's voidship.end of branch
YOUThe object doesn't matter. The scouts should leave the voidship immediately.
NPCA sharp intake of breath is heard over the vox, as if the operator is going to say something... but nothing happens. The transmission is filled with lingering silence. Then — someone's frantic sniffling. A blood-curdling scream. And heavy static. Then the officers aboard the flagship come to the horrifying realisation that the only thing left behind the stained-glass windows of the captain's bridge is the uncaring vastness of space. The Queen's Lament has disappeared unnoticed, taking the entire scouting party with it.
NPCThe story of a ghost ship that yet again has swallowed the souls of its unfortunate victims will live on for many years in hushed whispers across every deck of the Rogue Trader's voidship.continues where this line first appears above
Entry point 2 of 6
NPCThe Rogue Trader has never heard about this voidship nor of its grim legend.
YOUSend scouts aboard the voidship.
NPCThe shuttle carrying the soldiers docks with the Queen's Lament without impediment. Using the disparate blueprints of other Imperial cruisers, the scouting party sets out to the bridge, following the dark, unpowered corridors that somehow retained oxygen and gravity.
NPCThe nervous voice of the operator erupts through the vox — the crew are still on board! But... what's this? Blurry silhouettes of people with torn-off limbs, cut-open bellies, and twisted faces are materialising and vanishing all around in ghastly flashes. The ghosts promise the unwelcome guests that they will stay on board the Queen's Lament forever. Raising his voice to a shout, the operator reports that his comrades are already dead, and soon it will be his turn! The augurs are telling a different story: all of the scouts are alive and still moving forward.
YOUOrder the operator to pull himself together. Soldiers must be prepared to face even the most terrifying space horrors!
YOUCoerce the operator — he will be severely punished if he does not pull himself together.
YOUCalm the soldier down. He was probably scared by the strange visions and lost sight of his comrades.
YOUAttack the Queen's Lament.
NPCThe Rogue Trader's flagship takes an advantageous position, ready to engage the motionless vessel. A powerful salvo erupts from the cannons, but the missiles impotently pass right through the cruiser's withered hull and dissolve in the darkness of space. The Queen's Lament dissipates in the darkness and, with unnatural swiftness, appears at the portside of the flagship, gaining speed.
NPCThe cruiser rams the Rogue Trader's voidship, passing right through it, and the bridge fills with blurry visages of decomposed and disfigured people. The tormented cries of these souls drown out all thoughts, and visions of the past intertwine with those of the present. The dead see the living as treacherous xenos, attacking the crew with ghostly chainswords and bolters, knocking the wind out of the terrified officers. The apparition dissipates into thick blue mist just as suddenly as it appeared, leaving behind only several strands of grey hair among the most impressionable crew members.end of branch
YOUDon't disturb the ancient vessel.
NPCThe Rogue Trader relays orders to leave the vessel alone. After a few moments, the grim voidship's visage dissolves behind the stained-glass windows of the captain's bridge.end of branch
Entry point 3 of 6
NPCThe scouting party's disjointed mumbling is replaced by the firm shouts of "Yes, Lord Captain!". The operator reports that the deceased are retreating into the darkness, their empty eye sockets lit up with blue, malicious flames.
NPCHalf an hour later, the vox comes to life once again: the operator flatly reports that the scouting party has reached the bridge. The cogitators are broken, so extracting any data from them seems impossible. The scouts have found a strange object in the captain's chair — they can't describe it, only saying that "this" shouldn't be there.continues where this line first appears above
Entry point 4 of 6
NPCAn anxious prayer to the Emperor is whispered over the vox. For a moment, the operator falls silent... and suddenly returns, mumbling excuses about his imagination playing tricks on him. His comrades are still walking ahead of him, alive and well, and the voidship looks completely empty again.
NPCAfter a few minutes of silence, a child's cry can be heard through the vox. The stuttering operator reports that friends and family of the members of the scouting party are blocking the way. The friends and family who've all been taken by death. The soldiers confirm that they're not seeing ghosts but living people made of flesh and bone. The soldiers are begging the Rogue Trader to let them talk to their loved ones for a moment.
YOURemind the soldiers that it's impossible to cheat death. These visions must be a product of some dark powers.
YOULet the soldiers stay with their loved ones for a short time.
NPCFor a few minutes, joyful cries and sobs of the soldiers are heard over the vox. The muted sounds are suddenly interrupted by heavy static. Vigdis starts fumbling with the switches, tumblers, and levers, trying to re-establish communication.
NPCA sharp intake of breath is heard over the vox, as if the operator is going to say something... but nothing happens. The transmission is filled with lingering silence. Then — someone's frantic sniffling. A blood-curdling scream. And heavy static. Then the officers aboard the flagship come to the horrifying realisation that the only thing left behind the stained-glass windows of the captain's bridge is the uncaring vastness of space. The Queen's Lament has disappeared unnoticed, taking the entire scouting party with it.continues where this line first appears above
YOUOrder the squad to proceed under threat of tribunal.
Entry point 5 of 6
NPCQueen's Lament — the Rogue Trader has heard that name before. This voidship was destroyed by xenos in one of the violent battles for the Expanse over three millennia ago. They say that its captain was a devout and vengeful man.
YOUSend scouts aboard the voidship.continues where this line first appears above
YOUAttack the Queen's Lament.continues where this line first appears above
YOUDon't disturb the ancient vessel.continues where this line first appears above
Entry point 6 of 6
NPCAll usual noises on the bridge cease when the shadow of a gigantic voidship, seemingly appearing out of nowhere, sails past the stained-glass windows. It seems forlorn — the hull is tarnished, the lumens are dead, and the windows are broken and shrouded. The augur crew can't recognise the signature of its silent engines. They only manage to shed some light on its decrepit hull and make out the faded name of the cruiser: Queen's Lament. The Vox Master's report breaks the sombre silence: the bridge has just received a vox-cast... from the dead voidship.
NPCVigdis conducts a full vox-system check and reports that the communications are in order, even though only eerie, unnatural silence can be heard through the vox. Worried murmurs sweep across the bridge — the officers are certain that this is the voidship of the old ghost stories. The Queen's Lament has appeared countless times in all corners of the Imperium. Like a ghost, it manifested out of nowhere and just as mysteriously vanished in the darkness of space, taking with it those who dared to board.
YOUInterrupt the vox-cast.
NPCAfter fumbling with a few switches, the Vox Master says in a perplexed voice that the incoming signal should've been interrupted, but it's still being received by the Rogue Trader's vox.
NPCVigdis conducts a full vox-system check and reports that the communications are in order, even though only eerie, unnatural silence can be heard through the vox. Worried murmurs sweep across the bridge — the officers are certain that this is the voidship of the old ghost stories. The Queen's Lament has appeared countless times in all corners of the Imperium. Like a ghost, it manifested out of nowhere and just as mysteriously vanished in the darkness of space, taking with it those who dared to board.continues where this line first appears above