withYou can tell you have fallen under the effects of the artefact, but you are unsure of the details of what just transpired. The remaining silence feels as deep as a well and full of the same dark terror as the blackness inside one.
YOU[Unseal the container]
withAs you touch the sarcophagus, a slight shiver runs through you. The lock gives in easily, but it feels like the temperature in the room drops several degrees the moment the lid opens. Inside is an ordinary vox. A series of scratches runs along the casing, forming odd symbols. Tiny red balls are sliding and rolling between them — it is blood, behaving like mercury.
withYou feel slightly nauseous. A cacophony of rasping, muttering voices emerges somewhere at the edge of your consciousness, whispering unintelligible words.
YOU[Unseal the container]continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Keep inspecting]
withThe device seems vaguely familiar. Could this be your vox, the one the mutineers took from you the day Theodora died? Under your gaze, the balls of blood begin to scurry along the casing frantically, then suddenly go still. The vox springs to life and, through hoarse crackling, lets out a series of short phrases. The voice that speaks them is just as well known to you as the device is — it is the voice of the former Master of Whispers, your rival and a Chaos collaborator.
with"You know who this is. You know I'm close and will never leave you be. Enjoy the power you stole from me while you can. But I'm not done with you yet!"
with(sequence)
AbelardAbelard winces as if from toothache. "Look who's decided to resurface. It will be my honour to rid us of this 'pursuer' if he ever comes within shot."
Idira"Eh, no. Get in line. My little pal Kunrad's going down just as soon as he shows himself..."
end of branch
Yrliet"So few words, but so many emotions... I hear the echo of deep-seated, long-nurtured enmity. The kind that exists only between lovers or blood relations."
end of branch
Solomorne"The Adeptus Arbites will never recognise that heretic as a rightful ruler. If he shows his face on Dargonus, we will place the traitor in chains immediately and deliver him to you."
end of branch
withThe voice in the vox falls silent. A moment later, a torrent of voices crashes against your sanity, yet fails to do you any harm. Relying on the lessons you learned in your past life, you instinctively clear your mind of all thought and your heart of all doubt to shield yourself from the dark powers. You have parried the strike aimed at you.
withYou realise you have fallen under the effects of the artefact. It appears that your vox was enchanted with your own blood, which Kunrad stole on the day of your confrontation. The artefact was supposed to work like a siphon, draining the soul of whoever opened the container and of everyone around them — but the crew of the ill-fated ship took the brunt of the attack. The residual effects of the artefact are not strong enough to do you any serious harm.
YOU[Unseal the container]continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Keep inspecting]continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Give the order to lay the mines] "This thing must be destroyed along with the ship."
end of branch
YOU[Give the order to lay the mines] "We have sufficient resources and knowledge — we'll destroy this thing along with the ship."
end of branch
YOU[Take the artefact along with the container]
end of branch
YOU[Leave]
end of branch
withThe voice in the vox falls silent, but the silence only lasts a moment. Then a chorus of voices — hundreds, possibly thousands — explodes inside your head, repeating Kunrad's last phrase over and over again. Just like the mutants who attacked you. The chorus is so loud and fierce that you feel your eardrums might burst from the tension. Reaching a crescendo, the voices erupt in an agony of death cries and rattles. Then they fall silent. You feel your blood pounding in your ears.
YOU[Give the order to lay the mines] "This thing must be destroyed along with the ship."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Give the order to lay the mines] "We have sufficient resources and knowledge — we'll destroy this thing along with the ship."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Take the artefact along with the container]continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Leave]continues where this line first appears above
with(sequence)
PasqalWith the pincers on his mechadendrites snapping loudly, Pasqal bites out, "The spirit of this machine has been wounded by something unknown. I sense it in its electromagnetic respiration. I recommend immediate purification."
end of branch
EogunnThe galvanic cells embedded within Eogunn's core emit a warning thrum, glowing with a blue light. The Manipulus studies the contours of the mechanism with keen interest. "The machine spirit of this device is overflowing with emanations of a nature unknown to me. The currents of the Motive Force coursing through it have revealed this to me. Its hunger to be heard is truly immense! I propose we perform an exploratory act of communication with the spirit inhabiting this vox."
end of branch
YOU[Keep inspecting]continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Give the order to lay the mines] "This thing must be destroyed along with the ship."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Give the order to lay the mines] "We have sufficient resources and knowledge — we'll destroy this thing along with the ship."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Take the artefact along with the container]continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Leave]continues where this line first appears above
Entry point 2 of 2
withThe container is covered in a fine ornament of symbols, among which the seal of the Navis Nobilite and the personal coat of arms of House Cassini stand out. The container is closed and sealed, but the lock does not seem particularly tricky.
YOU[Unseal the container]continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Keep inspecting]continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Give the order to lay the mines] "This thing must be destroyed along with the ship."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Give the order to lay the mines] "We have sufficient resources and knowledge — we'll destroy this thing along with the ship."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Take the artefact along with the container]continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Leave]continues where this line first appears above