Instigator"And what makes you think we'll listen to you? Maybe you're one of them, here to help out your heretic buddies, huh?"
Instigator"Sure, you say you're a von Valancius envoy, but void knows if it's true. Just stay out of this. You too, priest!"
YOU[Say nothing]
Instigator"Plagued or not, victims of heretics or actual heretics — how are we to know? Let's just cut their throats. Better safe than sorry!"
Hieronymus Doloroso"Filth and vileness in each and every one of them." The priest shakes his head disapprovingly. "I am Reverend Hieronymus Doloroso, head of the Drusian mission here on Footfall. And you are far too hasty in your judgements, and ablaze with fury. Righteous fury, perhaps, but hollow and vain. Come see me when you have the time — we can talk then."
end of branch
YOU[Attack] "You would dare oppose me?"
RefugeeSeeing that the crowd's attention is distracted, the refugees from Kiava Gamma make a run for the docks.
Hieronymus Doloroso"Go on, then! Wreak your depravity! The Emperor already sees all the rot and baseness that reign in your souls, and I place my hopes in His judgement!"
end of branch
Refugee(sequence)
Abelard"I hope you don't plan on letting this insult to your house slide!" Abelard is glaring at the crowd before you, furious.
end of branch
Instigator"You better stay out of this, or we'll get you too. And you, Reverend — you can look away or whatever while we handle this!"
YOU[Say nothing]continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Attack] "You would dare oppose me?"continues where this line first appears above
Refugee(sequence)continues where this line first appears above
Entry point 2 of 3
InstigatorThe rabble-rouser looks at you morosely. "I don't want to get in trouble over this lot..."
RefugeeThe refugees use the interruption to make off in the direction of Dock Alpha-Rho.
Hieronymus Doloroso"The arrogance and self-righteousness of a malefactor..." The priest shakes his head disapprovingly. Then his eyes shift to you. "I am Reverend Hieronymus Doloroso, head of the Drusian mission here on Footfall. I thank you for stepping in. Please come see me when you have the time — we can talk then."
end of branch
Entry point 3 of 3
RefugeeThe buzzing crowd has closed in on several harried-looking individuals. Some of their faces are smeared with fresh blood. The angry cries and twisted faces leave no doubt — a massacre is about to take place.
Instigator"Just cut their throats already! What were they thinking letting that ship dock at Footfall — they're all stricken!"
Instigator"No, no cutting! We get their blood on us, we'll be tainted too! Better burn 'em!"
Hieronymus Doloroso"Be quiet, you scoundrel!" A priest, clad in a simple black raiment, cuts through the crowd like a voidship crossing the sky. "You dare pass judgement on others? What arrogance, to think you have the right!"
YOU[Intervene] "What is going on here?"
InstigatorSeveral dozen gazes bore into you. "And who are you s'posed to be?"
YOU"I am [Name], Rogue Trader of the von Valancius dynasty."
InstigatorThe rabble-rouser laughs uproariously. "And I'm Incendia Chorda! Cut the guff. Her Ladyship Theodora is head of the von Valancius line, I saw her with my own eyes when she came to Footfall! And you don't look much like her!"
Hieronymus Doloroso"Silence! You must be completely out of your minds. A band of woefully dim-witted reprobates who think themselves bringers of justice! Who are you to pass judgement on anyone? All you ought to be doing is suffering and repenting till the end of your days!"
Instigator"And what's so wrong about that, Reverend? We just want to put these heretics to death."
Refugee"We're not heretics!" The haggard man is on the verge of tears. "We're refugees! I swear it on the Golden Throne — we served the Imperium faithfully until they hung us out to dry! Where were the protectors that were meant to shield the lands of Humanity from nightmares? Traitors! Traitors and heretics, the lot of them!"
RefugeeA murmur runs through the crowd. The people gawk at you, at the priest, at the wretched group huddling in the centre.
YOU[Address the refugee] "Those are serious accusations you're spouting. I hope you have proof to back them up."
Refugee"What more proof do I need?" the man shouts. "Kiava Gamma used to be a prosperous world, my family transported goods from there for generations! And then they came. They butchered, tortured, sacrificed entire blocks to the darkness! We were on our ship, up in orbit, and all those messages started coming in... Half the wardens down there joined them right away! And they even reached us in our ship with some blight that made half our crew take their own lives! We barely escaped, we barely made it here... Why? Why did this happen to us?"
YOU[Address the refugee] "Those are serious accusations you're spouting. I hope you have proof to back them up."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I am the master/mistress of Kiava Gamma, and if these people are my subjects, then I am the only one who can decide what to do with them. I command the onlookers to disperse, as for the rest of you — go to the docks and await further instructions."
Instigator"Hey, you lot heard what His Lordship/Her Ladyship said? Get to the docks!"
InstigatorThe rabble-rouser turns to you and bows deeply. "Don't you worry none, Your Lordship/Ladyship! We'll go with these... people, we'll watch them and make sure they keep their traps shut about you!"
Hieronymus Doloroso"The arrogance and self-righteousness of a malefactor..." The priest shakes his head disapprovingly. Then his eyes shift to you. "I am Reverend Hieronymus Doloroso, head of the Drusian mission here on Footfall. I thank you for stepping in. Please come see me when you have the time — we can talk then."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I represent the von Valancius, masters of Kiava Gamma, and thus I have the right to decide what to do with these people. I command the onlookers to disperse, as for the rest of you — go to Dock Alpha-Rho and await further instructions."
YOU"All onlookers are to return to their homes immediately. The refugees can go to Dock Alpha-Rho — I will speak to you later. Comply or face the consequences."
RefugeeNone of the people dare defy you. They back away carefully, trying not to look at you.
RefugeeThe refugees use the interruption to make off in the direction of Dock Alpha-Rho.continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Nod at the rabble-rousers in the crowd] "The people before you insult those instated by the Throne to be above them, and thus they deserve death."
Instigator"Plagued or not, victims of heretics or actual heretics — how are we to know? Let's just cut their throats. Better safe than sorry!"continues where this line first appears above
Refugee(sequence)
Abelard"I wonder what all this is about. Is our planet really under attack? Or did some devious opportunist send these slanderers here to undermine the might of the von Valancius dynasty? Who could it be, I wonder..."
Idira"There is one guy, I bet you've heard of him — his name's Kunrad Voigtvir von Valancius. He ran from us not too long ago, after having his ass handed to him. He must be itching to get even."
Abelard"Get even by besmirching the dynasty to which he belongs and supremacy over which he laid claim? He is scum, but he's no idiot. No, I think this is something else. There are many who wish to weaken House von Valancius."
Idira"Either that or it's much simpler — these people aren't lying and their planet was captured by heretics, and the rest of it they made up themselves. I can sense darkness in their past. I may not be an expert on Kunrads and their schemes, but when it comes to things like this — I know what I'm talking about."
end of branch
YOU"I am the master/mistress of Kiava Gamma, and if these people are my subjects, then I am the only one who can decide what to do with them. I command the onlookers to disperse, as for the rest of you — go to the docks and await further instructions."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I represent the von Valancius, masters of Kiava Gamma, and thus I have the right to decide what to do with these people. I command the onlookers to disperse, as for the rest of you — go to Dock Alpha-Rho and await further instructions."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"All onlookers are to return to their homes immediately. The refugees can go to Dock Alpha-Rho — I will speak to you later. Comply or face the consequences."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Nod at the rabble-rousers in the crowd] "The people before you insult those instated by the Throne to be above them, and thus they deserve death."continues where this line first appears above
Refugee(sequence)
Cassia"How tiring... The motley sea of colours that fills this restless crowd is hard on the eyes. So many hues, but most of them are acid yellow streaks of fear, their red buds swelling, ready to burst and paint all who are gathered here." Cassia looks at the crowd of troublemakers wearily, and they shudder at the very sight of her.
Cassia"As for the hearts of those who have been forced to defend themselves, they are shrouded in purplish-black grief, but their words are as transparent as the ice that lies at the top of a glacier. But commoners are always deaf to others' suffering, for such is their nature. Interfering in their affairs is hardly worthy of you or me, [Name]."
end of branch
InstigatorThe rabble-rouser's expression changes completely, and he makes a clumsy attempt at a bow, then crumples to his knees. "Your Lordship/Ladyship! I'm s-sorry! Sorry for not recognising you! Y-you see, it's... it's just that... it's your first time on Footfall, and... we didn't know..." Terrified, he falls silent.
Instigator"We were just, uh... rooting out heresy here. These scrawny ones, they're from the ship that came from the bowels of the Koronus Expanse. They've got plague there! And mutants! And now they're spreading that rot everywhere, that taint! They're all—"
Hieronymus Doloroso"Silence! You must be completely out of your minds. A band of woefully dim-witted reprobates who think themselves bringers of justice! Who are you to pass judgement on anyone? All you ought to be doing is suffering and repenting till the end of your days!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I am an envoy of the von Valancius dynasty."
Instigator"You come from Lady Theodora?" The rabble-rouser bows his head respectfully. "Pardon me, noble sir/lady."
Instigator"We were just, uh... rooting out heresy here. These scrawny ones, they're from the ship that came from the bowels of the Koronus Expanse. They've got plague there! And mutants! And now they're spreading that rot everywhere, that taint! They're all—"continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Raise your voice] "I am the judge of the worthless and the executioner of cowardice, for I come from the Officio Prefectus. Which one of you void rats just dared to address me without the proper respect?"
RefugeeThe crowd shrinks away from your booming voice as if physically struck — although that isn't far from the truth. They avert their eyes and cower under your burning gaze as it sweeps over the gathered riffraff. Finally, one trembling rabble-rouser is pushed forward.
Instigator"We were just, uh... rooting out heresy here. These scrawny ones, they're from the ship that came from the bowels of the Koronus Expanse. They've got plague there! And mutants! And now they're spreading that rot everywhere, that taint! They're all—"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"A concerned citizen. An armed one. I suggest you think well before giving me lip."
InstigatorThe rabble-rouser gives you an appraising look. "You've got a point there. I wonder if you can back it up..."
Hieronymus Doloroso"Silence! You must be completely out of your minds. A band of woefully dim-witted reprobates who think themselves bringers of justice! Who are you to pass judgement on anyone? All you ought to be doing is suffering and repenting till the end of your days!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Watch in silence]
Instigator"Reverend! But these are heretics! Real heretics! Their whole planet is plagued, folks say they all died over there, and why is that, huh? 'Cause they're heretics, and the Emperor punished them!"
Refugee"We're no heretics!" One of the people surrounded by the crowd raises his chin. "We ran from the heretics, barely escaped with our lives! And there was no plague on our planet — only the Archenemy's minions, a whole army of them!" He spits on the ground. "And if you want to blame anyone — blame those who abandoned our world! Blame the governor! Blame the Tech-Priests! Blame the masters of Kiava Gamma who forsook it in its darkest hour!"
YOU[Intervene] "What is going on here?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Watch in silence]continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Leave the square without getting involved]
end of branch
YOU[Leave the square without getting involved]continues where this line first appears above
Refugee(sequence)
ArgentaArgenta starts at the sight of the elderly priest. "That's Reverend Hieronymus! I'm surprised he's decided to intervene in a street squabble..."
end of branch
Jae"Mob justice is not that rare a sight on Footfall. Why is that sanctimonious priest acting so surprised?" Jae gives the crowd an unusually grim look. "Few people go to the trouble of looking more deeply into things..."