NPCYour consciousness emerges from an ocean of darkness and nightmares, as if someone's powerful hand reached into its depths and brought you into the light. In the dark room, long and angular shadows move around and exchange remarks. One of the shadows approaches you, ripping apart the veil of pain and revealing features that look familiar to you.
NPC"You are awake, mon-keigh." Marazhai's voice is sickeningly sweet. He is looking at you with idle interest, rolling a soft and milky-coloured object from one hand to the other. "Our toxin masters spared no efforts to drag you out of the induced dream. I must commend the nightmare weavers. The emanations of fear you exuded in your delirium are worthy of the highest praise. However, it is time to finish what you were brought here for. It is time to work for the good of the Kabal, Rogue Trader."
YOU"What do you want from me?"
NPC"Only the truth, mon-keigh. So very simple, is it not? A little honesty before the powers that be. I have the tools to extract the most coveted mysteries from the deepest recesses of your mind, but I am not interested in your personal secrets. I only want that which will protect my Kabal."
YOU"What do you want from me?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Why am I still alive?"
NPC"A good question, Rogue Trader. You are my tool, you see. A sharp and narrow scalpel that I will use to cut away the festering boil on the body of my Kabal. I spared no effort to set up this performance: the witnesses, the spies, the agents... and a small bargain to guarantee the result."
NPC"All that is required of you is that you quietly play your part. I will even go so far as to put you in your native surroundings... in a manner of speaking. But if I see you stepping out of your role, I will make sure that you bitterly regret it."
YOU"I might be able to play my role better if I actually knew what it was."
NPCMarazhai is silent for a few moments, playing with the mysterious object in his hand. "You, mon-keigh, hate creatures alien to your kind — and this hatred is fuelled by primal fear and awareness of your insignificance. To us, you are cattle that exist to be butchered and to entertain us. Sometimes we use you in our little games, but to involve you filthy brutes in the politics of Commorragh... let alone in feuds between the Kabals... there are few worse ways to bring dishonour to oneself and one's Kabal."
NPC"From the first day I saw you, I knew you were being controlled by another hand, far too experienced and flexible to belong to another mon-keigh. You stayed ahead of me and Tazarra, anticipated our moves, fought back with surprising skill... and I can guess — no, I know exactly — how you were able to know so much. Only one creature was sufficiently aware of our tactics and raid plans. You will help me expose her — and restore the Reaving Tempest to its former favour."
YOU"I might be able to play my role better if I actually knew what it was."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I have a secret for you. Something your spies and agents failed to uncover."
YOU"I shall do what you want. I have had enough suffering."
NPC"It looks like you are starting to respond to the training, Rogue Trader... Who knows, I might keep you after everything is over. The new Archon's court will be in need of illustrious entertainment."
NPCThe Drukhari gestures to one of the shadows near you and your head is forced backward. Marazhai brings the hand holding the strange object closer: you manage to make out translucent, glossy skin, bluish, pulsating organs beneath, and a little head with serrated jaws, before the Drukhari pushes the larva into your face.
YOU"How about we make do without roles and posturing? There is still a chance to strike a deal."
NPCMarazhai laughs caustically. "You are trying to hold your own even in the face of overwhelming force... How touching! But enough talk."
NPCThe Drukhari gestures to one of the shadows near you and your head is forced backward. Marazhai brings the hand holding the strange object closer: you manage to make out translucent, glossy skin, bluish, pulsating organs beneath, and a little head with serrated jaws, before the Drukhari pushes the larva into your face.continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Burn in the Emperor's scorching light, you filthy xenos!"
NPCMarazhai clicks his tongue and gently caresses the object in his hands with the claws of his glove, making it emit a little squeal. "It looks like you have acquired a taste for pain, mon-keigh. Have it your way, then: resist the inevitable and know a new facet of suffering."
NPCThe Drukhari gestures to one of the shadows near you and your head is forced backward. Marazhai brings the hand holding the strange object closer: you manage to make out translucent, glossy skin, bluish, pulsating organs beneath, and a little head with serrated jaws, before the Drukhari pushes the larva into your face.continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I have a secret for you. Something your spies and agents failed to uncover."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I shall do what you want. I have had enough suffering."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"How about we make do without roles and posturing? There is still a chance to strike a deal."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Burn in the Emperor's scorching light, you filthy xenos!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Where are the others? What have you done to them?"
NPC"I do not know, Rogue Trader. Perhaps they are exuding suffering in one of the choirs of pain and torment. Perhaps they are rotting in one of the vats on the tiers below. I care little for their fate."
YOU"What do you want from me?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Why am I still alive?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Where are the others? What have you done to them?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Burn in the Emperor's scorching light, you filthy xenos!"continues where this line first appears above
NPC(sequence)
NPC"As for your little friend from the craftworld... Oh, you are going to meet her soon. I bet you cannot wait to look into the eyes of the one who brought you to me, can you?"
end of branch
YOU"Burn in the Emperor's scorching light, you filthy xenos!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Why am I still alive?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Where are the others? What have you done to them?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Burn in the Emperor's scorching light, you filthy xenos!"continues where this line first appears above
Entry point 2 of 5
NPCSensing warmth, the creature springs into motion a moment later. As it blindly pokes at your skin, it discovers your nostril... and rushes forward, stretching the skin and tearing through the mucous membrane. Unbearable pain overwhelms you as the larva begins to force its way through the soft tissue and cartilage, each of its movements causing a crunching noise to reverberate through your skull. The creature greedily bites into flesh and moves ever upward, past the bridge of your nose, past your eyes... and then something alien invades your consciousness.
NPCDarkness clouds your eyes, but the sensation of an alien presence does not relent. This is not a conscious mind but something primitive yet unbelievably strong in its unknowable pursuit. It is crawling around in your thoughts, scratching them with its sides, and changing their shape. Perhaps all this is just a bad dream... A quirk of the intellect exhausted by endless troubles... A calumny of a mind too weak for the burden it was made to carry. A stray light dawns at the edge of your perception...
end of branch
Entry point 3 of 5
NPCSomething about the tone of your voice makes Marazhai freeze — and then come closer and lean almost into your face. His black eyes greedily devour your slightest movement and his voice drops to a mocking whisper: "Very well... I am listening, mon-keigh."
YOU[Strike the xenos in the face]
NPCLightning reflexes fail to save the stunned Kabalite: you smash your forehead into the pale face in front of you, the crunch of broken cartilage drowned out by the frenzied hissing of the Drukhari. Unbearable pain washes over you but, even in its crimson haze, you can still make out Marazhai's twisted face and the patch of blood spreading beneath his nose.
NPCThe Drukhari gestures to one of the shadows near you and your head is forced backward. Marazhai brings the hand holding the strange object closer: you manage to make out translucent, glossy skin, bluish, pulsating organs beneath, and a little head with serrated jaws, before the Drukhari pushes the larva into your face.continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Whisper] "I. Will. Kill. You. All."
NPCMarazhai's pale lips stretch into a smile. "I would love to see you do that... But no, mon-keigh. I will be denied such entertainment."
NPCThe Drukhari gestures to one of the shadows near you and your head is forced backward. Marazhai brings the hand holding the strange object closer: you manage to make out translucent, glossy skin, bluish, pulsating organs beneath, and a little head with serrated jaws, before the Drukhari pushes the larva into your face.continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Your entire conjecture is a pile of grox dung. Never have I cooperated with the scum that is your kind."
NPCFor a brief moment, the mask of self-confidence on Marazhai's face slips. The twitch of his eyebrows and his altered expression almost betray his... doubt? The xenos, however, quickly turns away with an affected sigh. "Enough talk."
NPCThe Drukhari gestures to one of the shadows near you and your head is forced backward. Marazhai brings the hand holding the strange object closer: you manage to make out translucent, glossy skin, bluish, pulsating organs beneath, and a little head with serrated jaws, before the Drukhari pushes the larva into your face.continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Muster your strength and flash a dazzling smile] "Poor fool, you were so easy to deceive."
NPCThe slender fingers in the Kabalite's glove clutch at your face, the claws leaving deep scratches on your cheeks and forehead. The edge of a razor-sharp blade presses at your throat. Marazhai furiously hisses something incomprehensible... But then he releases his grip, suppressing his desire to kill you on the spot with an enormous effort of willpower.
NPCThe Drukhari gestures to one of the shadows near you and your head is forced backward. Marazhai brings the hand holding the strange object closer: you manage to make out translucent, glossy skin, bluish, pulsating organs beneath, and a little head with serrated jaws, before the Drukhari pushes the larva into your face.continues where this line first appears above
Entry point 4 of 5
NPCMarazhai mockingly cocks his head. "No, mon-keigh. You have nothing that I could not extract from you myself... using my favourite tools."
NPCThe Drukhari gestures to one of the shadows near you and your head is forced backward. Marazhai brings the hand holding the strange object closer: you manage to make out translucent, glossy skin, bluish, pulsating organs beneath, and a little head with serrated jaws, before the Drukhari pushes the larva into your face.continues where this line first appears above
Entry point 5 of 5
NPCSensing warmth, the creature springs into motion a moment later. As it blindly pokes at your skin, it discovers your nostril... and rushes forward, stretching the skin and tearing through the mucous membrane. Unbearable pain overwhelms you as the larva begins to force its way through the soft tissue and cartilage, each of its movements causing a crunching noise to reverberate through your skull. The creature greedily bites into flesh and moves ever upward, past the bridge of your nose, past your eyes... and then something alien invades your consciousness.
NPCDarkness clouds your vision but the sensation of an alien presence does not relent. Something both primitive and stupid in its stubborn effort is rummaging through your mind, churning through thoughts and changing them. You gather whatever remains of your willpower and desperately hold on to the part of your consciousness that has not yet caved to the invading power. A prick of surprise, a burst of disappointment... The spell takes hold of your weakened self, but part of it still belongs to you and is ready to fight back. A stray light dawns at the edge of your perception...