Clementia WerserianClementia is looking a little dishevelled, but her appearance otherwise remains unchanged — her steely gaze and tightly pressed lips speak of perfect composure. "Praise the Throne, Your Lordship/Ladyship, you're here! Your subjects need you now more than ever!"
Clementia Werserian"Dargonus has been hit by a mass xenos attack. The fleet's resistance was broken in mere hours, then the invaders commenced a planetary raid. The planetary defence forces were able to hold the inner perimeters of several cities, two of the attacks were stifled on the approaches to settlements, but the fights continue — here as well, in the von Valancius palace."
YOU"This is an outrage! Xenos have pillaged my palace? My precious residence?"
Clementia Werserian"I'm afraid so, Your Lordship/Ladyship. The attack on the palace began later than the rest, once the reserve forces had been transferred to other regions. Which is... particularly odd..." Clementia falters. "They weren't tempted by an entire city, at the apex of which your residence stands. No, the wedge of the enemy forces targeted the palace specifically."
Clementia Werserian"We've cut off the periphery forces from those that made it inside the palace, and we continue to storm the building. We've killed so many of those beasts, but the xenos are repelling our assault with ferocity — it's as if they're waiting for the right moment. Or perhaps they haven't yet completed whatever goal they're pursuing inside the palace."
YOU"This is an outrage! Xenos have pillaged my palace? My precious residence?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"The Drukhari are after living victims above all else — why would they waste their forces assaulting the palace when they could be storming another city?"
Clementia Werserian"Alas, I don't know the answer, Your Lordship/Ladyship. When the xenos attacked the palace, they sent a force so great that the increased warden presence and the defence perimeter were wiped out in minutes. By the Throne, whatever they're looking for in there, they've spared no troops to get their hands on it!"
YOU"This is an outrage! Xenos have pillaged my palace? My precious residence?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"The Drukhari are after living victims above all else — why would they waste their forces assaulting the palace when they could be storming another city?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I need details. What has transpired on the planet?"
Clementia Werserian"The attack began a few hours before dawn over the capital. They first attacked the fleet — we received boarding calls right before we lost communication with the crews. Their sacrifice wasn't for naught — the ground troops had the time to start mobilising, and the civilians went on to organise the defences."
Clementia Werserian"Several hive cities managed to hold their perimeters, others sustained greater losses... and two cities were completely devastated. Our intelligence still knows nothing about the fates of millions of people. There is a high likelihood that we've lost them forever."
YOU"When all of this passes, expect mass executions among the planet's defenders. All of you have failed those you swore to protect!"
Clementia Werserian"All guilty parties will receive severe punishment, Your Lordship/Ladyship, but until then, we must rely on the surviving defenders — please, let us postpone the trials and executions until the situation has stabilised!"
YOU"This is an outrage! Xenos have pillaged my palace? My precious residence?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"The Drukhari are after living victims above all else — why would they waste their forces assaulting the palace when they could be storming another city?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I need details. What has transpired on the planet?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Where is Governor Drivestem?"
Clementia Werserian"The governor is currently protected within a well-fortified bunker... as are the heads of the other noble houses." Clementia grinds her teeth audibly. "Still, each family has provided all available resources to the defence of Dargonus — or rather, the defence of their respective regions."
YOU"This is an outrage! Xenos have pillaged my palace? My precious residence?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"The Drukhari are after living victims above all else — why would they waste their forces assaulting the palace when they could be storming another city?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I need details. What has transpired on the planet?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Where is Governor Drivestem?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I don't see a single Arbitrator. Have they decided to cower behind the walls of their headquarters?"
Clementia Werserian"Not at all, Your Lordship/Ladyship. There are approximately one hundred Arbites in the capital right now, and they are all defending the Administratum. Thanks to their bravery and fighting prowess, it is one of the few places in the hive that the xenos have failed to overrun."
YOU"This is an outrage! Xenos have pillaged my palace? My precious residence?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"The Drukhari are after living victims above all else — why would they waste their forces assaulting the palace when they could be storming another city?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I need details. What has transpired on the planet?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Where is Governor Drivestem?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I don't see a single Arbitrator. Have they decided to cower behind the walls of their headquarters?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What's the current situation?"
Clementia Werserian"The PDF is in the process of exterminating the enemy forces on the planet. Extra batteries have been assigned to the assault on the palace, but without a strike force that could make it inside, we won't break their resistance."
Clementia Werserian"I have a feeling that the palace is the anchor point of the enemy's raid. Our vox engineers are registering unknown signals coming from your residence to other areas on the planet — the scum must have set up a control centre inside. We take out their command — and we'll weaken their peripheral forces."
YOU"This is an outrage! Xenos have pillaged my palace? My precious residence?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"The Drukhari are after living victims above all else — why would they waste their forces assaulting the palace when they could be storming another city?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I need details. What has transpired on the planet?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Where is Governor Drivestem?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I don't see a single Arbitrator. Have they decided to cower behind the walls of their headquarters?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What's the current situation?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Enough talking. I'm going in."
Clementia WerserianClementia bows. "With awe and gratitude, I transfer the command of the ground operation over to you, Your Lordship/Ladyship. The local troops are at your service. I beg of you — save Dargonus!"
end of branch
Clementia WerserianClementia closes her eyes for a second, giving in to the overwhelming exhaustion. "The PDF is on its last legs, Your Lordship/Ladyship. We've been waging a war of attrition for too long, without any chance of support from outside. I pray to the Emperor that your arrival will change the tide of this operation."
Clementia Werserian"I have a feeling that the palace is the anchor point of the enemy's raid. Our vox engineers are registering unknown signals coming from your residence to other areas on the planet — the scum must have set up a control centre inside. We take out their command — and we'll weaken their peripheral forces."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Enough talking. I'm going in."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What's the current situation?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Enough talking. I'm going in."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I don't see a single Arbitrator. Have they decided to cower behind the walls of their headquarters?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What's the current situation?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Enough talking. I'm going in."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"You did all you could. Xenos are dangerous opponents."
Clementia Werserian"Thank you, Your Lordship/Ladyship, but once the battles have concluded, I would still like to launch a large-scale inspection in the Defence Forces. Our losses are too great — I want to make sure that this is all due to our accursed enemy's superior numbers, not traitors in our midst!"
YOU"This is an outrage! Xenos have pillaged my palace? My precious residence?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"The Drukhari are after living victims above all else — why would they waste their forces assaulting the palace when they could be storming another city?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I need details. What has transpired on the planet?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Where is Governor Drivestem?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I don't see a single Arbitrator. Have they decided to cower behind the walls of their headquarters?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What's the current situation?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Enough talking. I'm going in."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I vow to make the xenos pay dearly for every human life they've claimed!"
Clementia Werserian"Oh, what I wouldn't give to join the punitive expedition, Your Lordship/Ladyship, but my duty is to the welfare of this planet, not military operations." Clementia's voice grows sterner, and she practically spits out, "This is my plea to you, Rogue Trader — make them rue the day that they decided to assault Dargonus!"
YOU"This is an outrage! Xenos have pillaged my palace? My precious residence?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"The Drukhari are after living victims above all else — why would they waste their forces assaulting the palace when they could be storming another city?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I need details. What has transpired on the planet?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Where is Governor Drivestem?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I don't see a single Arbitrator. Have they decided to cower behind the walls of their headquarters?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What's the current situation?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Enough talking. I'm going in."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Begin a detailed assessment of the damage as soon as we're done here."
Clementia Werserian"Indubitably — as soon as the situation on the planet stabilises. In addition to our own territories, serious damage was done to the Adeptus Administratum department stationed on Dargonus — I hope this won't lead to any kind of accusations against House von Valancius..."
YOU"This is an outrage! Xenos have pillaged my palace? My precious residence?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"The Drukhari are after living victims above all else — why would they waste their forces assaulting the palace when they could be storming another city?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I need details. What has transpired on the planet?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Where is Governor Drivestem?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I don't see a single Arbitrator. Have they decided to cower behind the walls of their headquarters?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What's the current situation?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Enough talking. I'm going in."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Where is Governor Drivestem?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I don't see a single Arbitrator. Have they decided to cower behind the walls of their headquarters?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What's the current situation?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Enough talking. I'm going in."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I need details. What has transpired on the planet?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Where is Governor Drivestem?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I don't see a single Arbitrator. Have they decided to cower behind the walls of their headquarters?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What's the current situation?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Enough talking. I'm going in."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"The Drukhari are after living victims above all else — why would they waste their forces assaulting the palace when they could be storming another city?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I need details. What has transpired on the planet?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Where is Governor Drivestem?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I don't see a single Arbitrator. Have they decided to cower behind the walls of their headquarters?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What's the current situation?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Enough talking. I'm going in."continues where this line first appears above
NPC(sequence)
Heinrix"Lady Werserian, where is Achilleas Scalander? I thought I'd see him here, by your side."
Clementia Werserian"The secretary's exact whereabouts are unknown. But, under normal circumstances, he hardly ever set foot outside the palace grounds... I'm sure you realise what this could mean."
end of branch
Solomorne"I received a message on the Arbitrators' vox-frequency — they are successfully defending the spire entrusted to them. Even if all Dargonus falls, that place will hold."
Clementia Werserian"I pray to the God-Emperor that the Adeptus Arbites will repel the enemy and have time to aid the other parts of the hive."
end of branch
Entry point 2 of 2
Clementia WerserianClementia looks haggard, with deep shadows under her eyes and her hands trembling slightly. She is staring at you with a mixture of amazement and bitterness. "Your Lordship/Ladyship... is it really you? We'd lost all hope of seeing you again!"
Clementia Werserian"Dargonus has been hit by a mass xenos attack. The fleet's resistance was broken in mere hours, then the invaders commenced a planetary raid. The planetary defence forces were able to hold the inner perimeters of several cities, two of the attacks were stifled on the approaches to settlements, but the fights continue — here as well, in the von Valancius palace."continues where this line first appears above