AbelardThe old man continues to look through you blindly, as if incapable of realising your presence.
YOU"Seneschal, the Addendum Prefectorium Militarum to the Tactica Imperium states that an army officer of the Imperium who submits to third-degree xeno-influence or higher is to be considered a traitor and a heretic. I will have no heretics under my command, Seneschal. I order you to conquer this illusion at once! Get to it, officer!"
AbelardAbelard flinches. His brow furrows and a glow lights up in his watering eyes. "'Heretic'? I recommend that you brush up on your regulations before accusing an officer! The Addendum Primum Errandum abolished the xeno-influence categorisation, and therefore..." His vision somewhat cleared, Abelard looks at you and takes a shuddering breath. "Saints' blood, Lord Captain! You're alive!"
AbelardWith a groan, Abelard tries to straighten his hunched back. "Thank the God-Emperor, death has not found you yet! Then again, given the circumstances... it may be for the worst."
YOU"What happened to you?"
AbelardAbelard is racked by an old man's hacking cough. "That thrice-blasted xenos simply chucked me aside like a piece of rubbish. I went to look for you... or for help... and I ended up here. This is where it found me, that... thing. Memory fails me, all I can remember is bits and pieces... and needles. It pumped something out of me, and it pumped something in..."
Abelard"I seem to be in one piece, except... That creature..." Abelard tries to wipe his stained coat with a trembling hand. "How should I put this... its needles siphoned the strength out of me! I feel... older by a good decade or two..." He touches his face and exclaims in surprise. "My word, I think I am older... That could be why I started seeing things. I never thought I'd live long enough to go senile!"
YOU"What happened to you?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What was the thing that attacked you?"
AbelardHe shudders. "A spawn of nightmares, so ghastly, my mind refuses to picture a clear image of it. Nothing but meat, metal, and many, many needles... It feasted on me. Feasted on my very soul! It would have devoured me whole if it hadn't gorged itself on another before me."
YOU"What happened to you?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What was the thing that attacked you?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"We will find a way to restore your time to you, Seneschal."
Abelard"Pray, Lord Captain! There is enough strength in this body yet! Your Seneschal will not be so easily broken by some..." He groans and clutches his side. "I could just use... a brief respite..."
YOU"What happened to you?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What was the thing that attacked you?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"We will find a way to restore your time to you, Seneschal."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Who is Quatharina?"
AbelardAbelard gives you a tense, embarrassed look. "My late wife, Lord Captain. I think, in the time I wandered around here, my sanity may have suffered... a temporary lapse, I hope. It appears my mind can no longer stomach the kind of horrors this place has to offer. I saw her by my side... I saw a different time... a different place..."
YOU"What happened to you?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What was the thing that attacked you?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"We will find a way to restore your time to you, Seneschal."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Who is Quatharina?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Where are the others?"
Abelard"I have not the faintest idea, Your Lordship/Ladyship. All I can say is, if I have managed to survive down here, the others stand a chance too. There were no weaklings in your retinue."
YOU"What happened to you?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What was the thing that attacked you?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"We will find a way to restore your time to you, Seneschal."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Who is Quatharina?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Where are the others?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I, for one, have had enough of this heap of filth. It is time to move, Abelard."
Abelard"I could not agree more, Lord Captain. I serve House von Valancius!" Abelard salutes you with a shaking hand, and a ghost of his usual stern expression returns to his wrinkled face.
end of branch
YOU"I, for one, have had enough of this heap of filth. It is time to move, Abelard."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Where are the others?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I, for one, have had enough of this heap of filth. It is time to move, Abelard."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Who is Quatharina?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Where are the others?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I, for one, have had enough of this heap of filth. It is time to move, Abelard."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"We will find a way to restore your time to you, Seneschal."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Who is Quatharina?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Where are the others?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I, for one, have had enough of this heap of filth. It is time to move, Abelard."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What was the thing that attacked you?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"We will find a way to restore your time to you, Seneschal."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Who is Quatharina?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Where are the others?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I, for one, have had enough of this heap of filth. It is time to move, Abelard."continues where this line first appears above
Abelard(sequence)
Jae"Stop it, old man! We're not dead yet, so come flounder with us. I've been getting bored without your lectures."
Abelard"Mistress Heydari... I see hardship has done nothing for your character." Squinting short-sightedly, the Seneschal nods his greeting.
end of branch
Abelard"Is this damn thing still with us, then?" Abelard's withered finger points at Yrliet. "There will be no rest for my weary bones."
Yrliet"You will find no rest in this place with me or without me, grey-haired mon-keigh."
end of branch
YOU"Seneschal Abelard Werserian, cease this display! You serve Rogue Trader von Valancius, not your fantasies!"
YOU"No, Abelard! Your family is not here — they are waiting for you!"
YOU[Inject Abelard with a stimulant] "This should bring you back to your senses."
AbelardThe dose of stimulant sends such an intense spasm down his limbs that you fear his heart might rupture... but then clarity brightens his gaze. Abelard looks at you and takes a shuddering breath. "Saints' blood, Lord Captain! You're alive!"
AbelardWith a groan, Abelard tries to straighten his hunched back. "Thank the God-Emperor, death has not found you yet! Then again, given the circumstances... it may be for the worst."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Leave] "Farewell. It seems you will be better off alone with your mirage."
end of branch
YOU"I will come back for you, Abelard. I give you my word."
end of branch
Entry point 2 of 6
AbelardAbelard flinches. "Family? But, Quatharina, you are my family, and you... are dead..." He shakes his head as if waking from sleep, slaps himself on the cheeks, and looks up at you. "[Name]! Apologies — that is to say, Lord Captain!"
AbelardWith a groan, Abelard tries to straighten his hunched back. "Thank the God-Emperor, death has not found you yet! Then again, given the circumstances... it may be for the worst."continues where this line first appears above
Entry point 3 of 6
AbelardAbelard flinches. A glow lights up in his watering eyes. "What's that? 'Seneschal'? Who is calling me?" Abelard looks at you and takes a shuddering breath. "Saints' blood, Lord Captain! You're alive!"
AbelardWith a groan, Abelard tries to straighten his hunched back. "Thank the God-Emperor, death has not found you yet! Then again, given the circumstances... it may be for the worst."continues where this line first appears above
Entry point 4 of 6
AbelardYour words fall on deaf ears: the old man's attention remains focused on his conversation with a phantom.
YOU"Seneschal, the Addendum Prefectorium Militarum to the Tactica Imperium states that an army officer of the Imperium who submits to third-degree xeno-influence or higher is to be considered a traitor and a heretic. I will have no heretics under my command, Seneschal. I order you to conquer this illusion at once! Get to it, officer!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Seneschal Abelard Werserian, cease this display! You serve Rogue Trader von Valancius, not your fantasies!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"No, Abelard! Your family is not here — they are waiting for you!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Inject Abelard with a stimulant] "This should bring you back to your senses."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Leave] "Farewell. It seems you will be better off alone with your mirage."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I will come back for you, Abelard. I give you my word."continues where this line first appears above
Entry point 5 of 6
AbelardYou barely recognise your loyal Seneschal, Abelard Werserian, in this pitiful, hunchbacked figure. His officer's bearing, his broad shoulders, his direct and piercing gaze — all gone without a trace. What you see before you is a decrepit, quivering old man rummaging through malodorous refuse and mumbling under his breath.
AbelardIt takes you a second to make sense of his hoarse lisp: "Quatharina, love... White amasec and fruits? Of course, love... The children are making mischief again... Quatharina, where are you?" The old man's frail voice is laden with tenderness and longing.
YOU[Say nothing]
Abelard"Oh, Quatharina..." Abelard laughs faintly and immediately launches into a bout of coughing. Deep lines run across his face and a blurry film of cataracts clouds his eyes. "The Drivestems are at it again... Another council session... Another appeal to the logitiums... They will never be satisfied, love... until they make us and our children disappear..."
Abelard"Perhaps... we should just give in... You always say that Dargonus is not your home, love..." Abelard is looking past you at someone only he can see. There is a timid smile on his trembling lips. "Would you like that, love? Would you rather leave... leave it all behind... go somewhere far away... away from our toils?"
YOU"Seneschal, the Addendum Prefectorium Militarum to the Tactica Imperium states that an army officer of the Imperium who submits to third-degree xeno-influence or higher is to be considered a traitor and a heretic. I will have no heretics under my command, Seneschal. I order you to conquer this illusion at once! Get to it, officer!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Seneschal Abelard Werserian, cease this display! You serve Rogue Trader von Valancius, not your fantasies!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"No, Abelard! Your family is not here — they are waiting for you!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Inject Abelard with a stimulant] "This should bring you back to your senses."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Leave] "Farewell. It seems you will be better off alone with your mirage."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I will come back for you, Abelard. I give you my word."continues where this line first appears above
Abelard(sequence)
Jae"Oh, old man, have you lost your marbles? And your dignity? Muttering things, scavenging. Hey! Abelard?" Jae's voice falters.
end of branch
YOU"Abelard?"
Abelard"Oh, Quatharina..." Abelard laughs faintly and immediately launches into a bout of coughing. Deep lines run across his face and a blurry film of cataracts clouds his eyes. "The Drivestems are at it again... Another council session... Another appeal to the logitiums... They will never be satisfied, love... until they make us and our children disappear..."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Seneschal! This is your Lord Captain speaking!"
Abelard"Oh, Quatharina..." Abelard laughs faintly and immediately launches into a bout of coughing. Deep lines run across his face and a blurry film of cataracts clouds his eyes. "The Drivestems are at it again... Another council session... Another appeal to the logitiums... They will never be satisfied, love... until they make us and our children disappear..."continues where this line first appears above
Entry point 6 of 6
AbelardWith shaking hands, Abelard is still sifting through refuse, oblivious to you. "Quatharina? Yes, it's almost time... Call the children..."
YOU"Seneschal, the Addendum Prefectorium Militarum to the Tactica Imperium states that an army officer of the Imperium who submits to third-degree xeno-influence or higher is to be considered a traitor and a heretic. I will have no heretics under my command, Seneschal. I order you to conquer this illusion at once! Get to it, officer!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Seneschal Abelard Werserian, cease this display! You serve Rogue Trader von Valancius, not your fantasies!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"No, Abelard! Your family is not here — they are waiting for you!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Inject Abelard with a stimulant] "This should bring you back to your senses."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Leave] "Farewell. It seems you will be better off alone with your mirage."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I will come back for you, Abelard. I give you my word."continues where this line first appears above