ScoutThe quivering figure wrapped in several layers of tattered clothes is pointing an old lasgun at you: "W-who are you? In the name of the God-Emperor, k-keep away from me!"
YOU"Calm down. My name is [Name]."
ScoutIt takes the man several seconds to digest your answer. "May you be blessed by the Throne, [Name]. And I am Vir... just Vir."
Scout"The Elders have been waiting for a sign from the heavens for so long... Too much time has passed, so they died. But may He smite me if you are not the one! Y-you will help the ones in need of salvation, w-won't you?" Vir freezes for a second, looking at you reverently and awkwardly shuffling his feet.
Scout"You have saved my skin, holiest one, but my brothers in faith and misery were not as lucky! The living nightmares grabbed us the moment we stuck our noses out to the surface, trying to survive. I managed to break free and escaped, leaving my friends behind... Woe, woe is me! I am beside myself with shame. I am begging you, child of the stars, please save my comrades, save..." Vir falters, gulps and whispers almost breathlessly: "Save Albris. I will take you there even if costs me my life!"
YOU"Wait, I still have more questions."
Scout"Yes?.. Yes, of course! But please be quick." The shaking man keeps glancing around nervously.
YOU"What are the xenos doing here?"
Scout"Who? Oh, you must be taken about the Nightmares... God-Emperor preserve us! These beasts are prowling both in the depths and on the surface, they are the scourge for our transgressions before the Holiest One! Nobody ever returns from their clutches, for such is the will of the Divine. There are some who kill quickly, while others drag people into the dark, screaming. And some have turned into walking nightmares that feed on people's souls..."
ScoutVir stops talking abruptly and hesitates for a few seconds, straining to hear something in the howling wind. "Can we go already?"
YOU"What are the xenos doing here?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"You think it was the Emperor who brought punishment upon Santiel's Pride?"
Scout"Who else but He?" Vir blinks in confusion. "Only He has the strength to drive the shining Messenger from the sky and shroud the world in eternal darkness, making it tremble! And fill the night to the brim with Nightmares."
Scout"I know not why the Immortal One punished us, but who am I to deny His will?"
YOU"What are the xenos doing here?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"You think it was the Emperor who brought punishment upon Santiel's Pride?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Why did House Chorda fail to dispatch a fleet to assist you?"
ScoutThe poor man's eyes grow round and wide with terror. "Had the mistress of this world learned we lost Santiel's Pride... The punishment would be more dire than any Nightmare can inflict."
YOU"What are the xenos doing here?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"You think it was the Emperor who brought punishment upon Santiel's Pride?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Why did House Chorda fail to dispatch a fleet to assist you?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What happened to your star?"
Scout"If only someone knew! I've spent my entire life in the underhive — I only ever saw daylight once, so I'm not missing it much now. But the cold... It's the cold that was our undoing. The heat still lingers in the depths of the hive — that's where we are sheltering... Well, we were until recently. Until all the heat escaped the central pillar. When it did, myself and the others came up to get help and bring back supplies... and found you!"
YOU"What are the xenos doing here?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"You think it was the Emperor who brought punishment upon Santiel's Pride?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Why did House Chorda fail to dispatch a fleet to assist you?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What happened to your star?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Did anyone else manage to survive aside from you? Deep in the bunkers, perhaps?"
ScoutVir gives you a frightened look. "The bunkers were the first to fall, my saviour. Starvation finished what the Nightmares started. It was easier to survive in small groups, but they too perished one after the other. The three of us... have not seen anyone else alive for a while now, only the corpses and His scourges."
YOU"What are the xenos doing here?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"You think it was the Emperor who brought punishment upon Santiel's Pride?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Why did House Chorda fail to dispatch a fleet to assist you?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What happened to your star?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Did anyone else manage to survive aside from you? Deep in the bunkers, perhaps?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"You abandoned your friends and fled like a coward!"
Scout"Spare my worthless cowardly soul, Heavenly Envoy! I was a regular machinist, I prayed every day, I saw weapons only from afar and tried my best to avoid them! How could I tackle the Nightmares with a malfunctioning lasgun? But I had to. Yes, I had to, but I couldn't!" The man covers his eyes with his frostbitten fingers and wails.
YOU"What are the xenos doing here?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"You think it was the Emperor who brought punishment upon Santiel's Pride?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Why did House Chorda fail to dispatch a fleet to assist you?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What happened to your star?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Did anyone else manage to survive aside from you? Deep in the bunkers, perhaps?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"You abandoned your friends and fled like a coward!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I have learned everything I wanted to know."
Scout"Throne be praised! Let's go?"
YOU"Wait, I still have more questions."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I will help your friends. Lead on."
Scout"R-really?" The wretch cannot believe his ears. "Right away! Follow me and don't lag behind. And be very, very quiet! The Nightmares roam the streets, trust me, I know! They will be lying in wait up ahead, so tread carefully."
end of branch
YOU"Mark the place where your companions are being held on the map. I shall find the way there on my own."
Scout"R-really? If you say so... Be careful, the Nightmares will be lying in wait up ahead! And I will be waiting for you nearby, in case you need any help. But, I beg you, please hurry, Heavenly Envoy! They could be killing Albris as we speak..."
end of branch
YOU"Helping the rabble is beneath the dignity of a Rogue Trader. Out of my way!"
ScoutVir eagerly gives you a servile bow, but his eyes are full of despair. "The will of the Heavenly Envoy is His will."
end of branch
YOU[Execute him] "You were too afraid to fight the xenos and left your friends in their hour of need, traitorous vermin!"
Scout"Have mercy, O Heavenly Envoy! Don't—"
end of branch
YOU"I have learned everything I wanted to know."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"You abandoned your friends and fled like a coward!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I have learned everything I wanted to know."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Did anyone else manage to survive aside from you? Deep in the bunkers, perhaps?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"You abandoned your friends and fled like a coward!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I have learned everything I wanted to know."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What happened to your star?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Did anyone else manage to survive aside from you? Deep in the bunkers, perhaps?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"You abandoned your friends and fled like a coward!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I have learned everything I wanted to know."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Why did House Chorda fail to dispatch a fleet to assist you?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What happened to your star?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Did anyone else manage to survive aside from you? Deep in the bunkers, perhaps?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"You abandoned your friends and fled like a coward!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I have learned everything I wanted to know."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"You think it was the Emperor who brought punishment upon Santiel's Pride?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Why did House Chorda fail to dispatch a fleet to assist you?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What happened to your star?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Did anyone else manage to survive aside from you? Deep in the bunkers, perhaps?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"You abandoned your friends and fled like a coward!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I have learned everything I wanted to know."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I will help your friends. Lead on."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Mark the place where your companions are being held on the map. I shall find the way there on my own."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Helping the rabble is beneath the dignity of a Rogue Trader. Out of my way!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Execute him] "You were too afraid to fight the xenos and left your friends in their hour of need, traitorous vermin!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"[Name] von Valancius. Rogue Trader."
Scout"Who? You... You are one of the star children, right? I knew the Emperor could not have abandoned us! You have come to save us, have you not? May the Throne bless your radiant souls! I am Vir, one of the few survivors on this dispossessed world."
Scout"The Elders have been waiting for a sign from the heavens for so long... Too much time has passed, so they died. But may He smite me if you are not the one! Y-you will help the ones in need of salvation, w-won't you?" Vir freezes for a second, looking at you reverently and awkwardly shuffling his feet.continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Hit him] "Damn peasant! I am a Rogue Trader, appointed by the will of the Emperor Himself. I am the rightful ruler of this world!"
Scout"Have mercy, master/mistress! In these dire times you cannot expect to meet anyone but the apostates! I humbly kneel, and may the radiance of the Throne bless your souls! I am Vir, wretched Vir!"
Scout"The Elders have been waiting for a sign from the heavens for so long... Too much time has passed, so they died. But may He smite me if you are not the one! Y-you will help the ones in need of salvation, w-won't you?" Vir freezes for a second, looking at you reverently and awkwardly shuffling his feet.continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Never mind. Just tell me what happened here."
Scout"A-all right, I suppose you would've attacked by now if you were going to... I'm Vir, former scout and now doomed man."
Scout"The Elders have been waiting for a sign from the heavens for so long... Too much time has passed, so they died. But may He smite me if you are not the one! Y-you will help the ones in need of salvation, w-won't you?" Vir freezes for a second, looking at you reverently and awkwardly shuffling his feet.continues where this line first appears above
Scout(sequence)
Cassia"In another time and place I would immediately demand you cut the peasant down for such an outburst. And yet... It pains me to see his mind is so tightly constricted by greenish black thorns. Never have I seen such a frightening colour. This person, this hive... Everything here is drenched with despair."
end of branch
Entry point 2 of 4
Scout(sequence)
Heinrix"We land on a world that is frozen to the bone, and the next moment an obliging stranger appears who is only too eager to lead us to the so-called survivors? How convenient. And suspicious."
Idira"Say what you wish, but he harbours no secrets from us in his heart, while the path ahead is full of danger. Trust this poor man, Lord Captain — I do not hear any warning whispers."
end of branch
Entry point 3 of 4
Scout"The elders waited so long for a sign from heaven... They died waiting, in fact. May He smite me where I stand if they weren't talking about you! Y-you will help us unfortunates, won't you? I must go, take you to the others. It is not safe here — the bloody crimson degenerates are always skulking in search of prey, the ones you killed were hardly the last. I will show you the hidden chute. Come, come!" Vir hesitates, awkwardly shuffling his feet. "And yeah... Thank you for saving my skin."
end of branch
Entry point 4 of 4
ScoutVir delivers a fawning bow. "It will be as you say, master/mistress... But I am begging you to exercise caution: the Nightmares found our old passageway and are now grabbing everyone they see. It would be better to go via my chute — I'll mark it on your map and will be waiting there just in case. May the Emperor protect you!"