OverseerEven under the wavering lumens, you notice something strange — the slightly skewed proportions, the almost indiscernible asymmetry of her facial features. Looking at the other sentries, you see the same oddity in their faces too — and the fact that they are all wearing the same strange, ramshackle implants, which clearly are not combat augmetics.
HeinrixHeinrix meets your eyes. "Noticed, have you? Don't jump to any conclusions. It could be a local genetic anomaly... It could be something else. We can't say anything for sure... yet." Heinrix looks past the sentry.
YOU[Examine the sentry's face]
YOU"What a stroke of luck — it seems we have already found who we are looking for."
Overseer"You mean Mistress Lichtenhart, my lord/lady? We wouldn't have survived without her. It just so happened that she was here, at a local excavation, when the monsters started appearing. We've been losing contact with the other sites on the planet since then, like candles being snuffed out one after another. The rest of them must have all perished. But we're still here... holding on!"
YOU[Examine the sentry's face]continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What a stroke of luck — it seems we have already found who we are looking for."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What's happening on the planet?"
Overseer"It's terrible, my lord/lady! I don't even know how to describe it. It's been, what... how long has it been... a few months, probably... a few months of being plagued by these sorcerous beasts! As soon as night fell, they came — creeping right out of the shadows, black as soot, there's no stopping them! The only thing that's worked so far is keeping the fires burning and maintaining a constant watch — and even with that, the creatures drag us off in ones and twos the second we drop our guard."
YOU[Examine the sentry's face]continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What a stroke of luck — it seems we have already found who we are looking for."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What's happening on the planet?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Survey the barricades] "They do not appear to be very sturdy."
Overseer"Please, my lord/lady..." The sentry is on the verge of tears. "Do you think we are trained Guardsmen? We're from the expedition convoy — we've lived here for generations and, up to now, the God-Emperor has guarded us from misfortune. But now we have to fight. The survivors have all gathered in the tunnel, we've handed out what weapons we have... but how is that supposed to help us against these butchers when we don't always know how to use our weapons?"
YOU[Examine the sentry's face]continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What a stroke of luck — it seems we have already found who we are looking for."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What's happening on the planet?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Survey the barricades] "They do not appear to be very sturdy."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"You mentioned an expedition?"
Overseer"Yes. About thirty years back, we were brought here with a load of clever people from some high-up Adeptus of something or other. And we've lived here ever since... I've raised four kids here. Two died at the excavations, one was taken by the monsters, but my youngest is still alive..."
Guard(sequence)
Jae"What a life..." Jae chuckles grimly. "Dragged to a planet in the middle of nowhere. Dumped on a worthless excavation site that everyone else probably forgot about a long time ago. Three out of four children are dead..."
Abelard"It is called doing your duty, Mistress Heydari. You may not be familiar with the concept, but for most of the Imperium's subjects, it is the honourable mundanity."
end of branch
Heinrix"Excavations? Hmm. Perhaps the expedition, or rather, its objectives, were what Emelina was interested in. Of course, the easiest option would be to ask her directly..." The Interrogator shoots you a pointed, impatient look.
YOU[Examine the sentry's face]continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What a stroke of luck — it seems we have already found who we are looking for."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What's happening on the planet?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Survey the barricades] "They do not appear to be very sturdy."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"You mentioned an expedition?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I wish to see Emelina Lichtenhart."
Overseer"Mistress Lichtenhart is inside, in the pit... You go on. Don't be afraid. She will be there to properly greet you! We'll stand guard... Thanks be to the Emperor for delivering you to us..."
end of branch
YOU"I refuse to find my own way there. You there! Escort me to Emelina Lichtenhart."
OverseerThe sentry bows fearfully. "Of course, of course... one moment, my lord/lady..." She signals to her fellows and two more people hurry over to you.
Overseer"Mistress Lichtenhart is inside, in the pit... You go on. Don't be afraid. She will be there to properly greet you! We'll stand guard... Thanks be to the Emperor for delivering you to us..."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I wish to see Emelina Lichtenhart."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I refuse to find my own way there. You there! Escort me to Emelina Lichtenhart."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"You mentioned an expedition?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I wish to see Emelina Lichtenhart."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I refuse to find my own way there. You there! Escort me to Emelina Lichtenhart."continues where this line first appears above
Guard(sequence)
HeinrixHeinrix furrows his brow. "Sorcerous creatures from the shadows... Could they be daemons? That would explain the presence of warp anomalies in the system. A local breach..."
Jae"Well, I know of other 'creatures from the shadows,' Master van Calox. And so do you — for the Exalted One has granted you extensive knowledge of xenos and everything related to them. This poor soul's description sounded to me like the Mandrakes that lurk in the Webway. I don't know why you didn't come to the same conclusion yourself..."
Idira"I can understand the iceman's thinking. Everything here reeks of the warp — as if it has been pricked full of holes deliberately, just like the system itself. No, sorcery is definitely at work on this planet, we just need to figure out where it came from."
end of branch
MarazhaiMarazhai lets out a vicious laugh. "I would not be surprised if this mon-keigh was speaking of Mandrakes. They come from the shadows... as black as Vect's soul... as savage as an enraged ur-ghul... It is strange that your kin are still alive, [Name]. The Mandrakes must be prolonging their own pleasure by terrorising the mon-keigh again and again."
end of branch
YOU[Survey the barricades] "They do not appear to be very sturdy."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"You mentioned an expedition?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I wish to see Emelina Lichtenhart."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I refuse to find my own way there. You there! Escort me to Emelina Lichtenhart."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What's happening on the planet?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Survey the barricades] "They do not appear to be very sturdy."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"You mentioned an expedition?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I wish to see Emelina Lichtenhart."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I refuse to find my own way there. You there! Escort me to Emelina Lichtenhart."continues where this line first appears above
Guard(sequence)
Idira"Hey, iceman... No need to lie to yourself. You can feel it. There's no way you can't feel it. I can practically taste it in the air — sorcery. First, we had those flares in the system, now this comely lot... Something here has been poking holes in the veil between realspace and the warp. Something or someone."
Heinrix"I... have noted the system's idiosyncrasies, yes. I cannot yet say how it relates to the person who drew us here... if it is related at all." Heinrix plainly refuses to meet Idira's eyes.
end of branch
Entry point 2 of 4
OverseerThe woman lurches backward under your scrutiny. Her eyes are red and swollen, and there are dark circles under them, suggesting a long run of sleepless nights.
YOU[Examine the sentry's face]continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What a stroke of luck — it seems we have already found who we are looking for."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What's happening on the planet?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Survey the barricades] "They do not appear to be very sturdy."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"You mentioned an expedition?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I wish to see Emelina Lichtenhart."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I refuse to find my own way there. You there! Escort me to Emelina Lichtenhart."continues where this line first appears above
Entry point 3 of 4
Guard(no text)
end of branch
Entry point 4 of 4
OverseerThe sentry rubs her eyes and gawps at you. One half of her face is covered with a bulky, rusty augment of unknown purpose. "You came... You came to rescue us! Praise the God-Emperor, it reached you! The sorcerer's message reached others like him, may he rest in peace!"
Overseer"We are most honoured by your presence. Please, come forward, quickly, out of the darkness." The woman hurriedly checks a nearby lumen, her hands visibly shaking. "Those creatures come from the dark, you see... but not for much longer, not for much longer! And now you're here, and Mistress Lichtenhart has already found a way to help us..."
HeinrixHeinrix dourly listens to the sentry's speech. He takes a few steps forward and intently peers at her face as the woman herself freezes in fear. Then Heinrix scowls and cuts a glance at you. "We need to hurry."
YOU[Examine the sentry's face]continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What a stroke of luck — it seems we have already found who we are looking for."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What's happening on the planet?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Survey the barricades] "They do not appear to be very sturdy."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"You mentioned an expedition?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I wish to see Emelina Lichtenhart."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I refuse to find my own way there. You there! Escort me to Emelina Lichtenhart."continues where this line first appears above