BottomlessThe moment you approach the darkness amassing beneath your feet, something immediately takes root in your thoughts and emotions, much more forcefully this time. Your mind fogs over, and silent insistence spreads throughout your body.
BottomlessYou are hit by a sudden wave of all-consuming silence. A moment later, the world around you disappears, leaving only black, viscous, boundless darkness. The absoluteness of it is overwhelming, and you slowly sink into the void that is sucking you in.
YOU"What... are you?"
Bottomless...you are looking at a tiny person peeking over the edge of the bottomless darkness. You are looking at yourself. Then you blink and see the same place, except the camp around you is full of life. Scholars are zipping back and forth between field structures, switching on unfamiliar machines in an attempt to know the unknown. A moment later, they are all nude, singing and dancing around the pit. The smell of heated bodies, blood, and sweat assaults your nostrils, drowning out your thoughts... one by one, the lunatics fall into the embrace of nothingness.
Bottomless...you make out toadlike xenos building a temple around the pit. They are praying, conducting rites, making sacrifices to the darkness in hopes of unimaginable gifts. Then darkness shrouds everything once more. Or rather, you are the darkness. Something immeasurably vast, endless, capable of reaching the farthest stars or swallowing a galaxy. But some will pulls you out of the cosy embrace of the void, toward the light... And you snap out of the vision as sorrow fills you from within.
YOU"What... are you?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What do you want from me?"
Bottomless...you find yourself on the floor of an abandoned estate. You feel someone's disgusting presence behind you, and raspy, foul breath tickles your nostrils. A drop of water trickles down from the stone ceiling and shatters the silence with a deafening splash. The heavy door before you is open, you could try to escape — it is now or never.
YOU[Talk it out with the creature]
BottomlessYou gather your thoughts and strike up a conversation with the unseen creature. You tell it about yourself and your crew, about how you do not remember how you got here but would like to avoid conflict. You feel the fear retreat and take the first step toward the creature...
Bottomless...you sit at the apex of a massive onyx pyramid. Your abilities are limitless — with a single thought, you can raise mountains, drain an ocean, or disperse the clouds. But nobody cares anymore. Soon your brothers and sisters will sacrifice you so that they can share your power among themselves and guide the civilisation to prosperity...
YOU[Pervert the ritual to stop the insane civilisation for all time]
BottomlessYou approach the altar covered in glowing script and change it to the symbols you saw in the abandoned camp — in some other life of yours. When your brothers and sisters tear your seven hearts from your chest and the royal white blood trickles down onto the altered symbols, the skies above the pyramid split in half. In your last moments, you revel in the cries and groans of your thousands of victims, then an unknown force changes you as well, but you are already no more.
Bottomless...you are lying on burning sand, struggling to open your eyes, but your eyelids feel too heavy. You can barely move your arms and legs, your stomach hurts, your throat is bone-dry. Several of your kin, all emaciated, are scattered around you. The hunger is so strong that it is driving you mad, and you let out a bestial howl. Something metallic clinks next to your right hand... A knife! This is it! You can survive, you MUST survive. All you need to do is decide whom to sacrifice.
YOU[Sacrifice the darkness]
BottomlessThe streams of fate were changed when you defeated fear and docility. With all your strength, you cling to the vision and do not let go until the darkness yields. The entity shows you the process of an incredible transformation and you cannot hold back tears at the sight of it. And yet, the human brain cannot fully comprehend something like this. As soon as the vision fades, you realise that you remember absolutely nothing. And still, some inscrutable warmth spreads throughout your body.
end of branch
YOU[Cut off a piece of yourself]
YOU[The decrepit old man in the tattered remains of a military uniform]
BottomlessYou clutch the knife in your hand and strike. To the darkness's glee, you close your eyes and gorge yourself on the hot blood, sating your hunger... until a heavy smack across your face brings you back to your senses. You are lying on the ground, some distance away from the hole, surrounded by your worried comrades. Looking around, you realise that someone is missing.
end of branch
YOU[The strange animal-like creature with barely noticeable shadows swirling around it]
BottomlessYou clutch the knife in your hand and strike. To the darkness's glee, you close your eyes and gorge yourself on the hot blood, sating your hunger... until a heavy smack across your face brings you back to your senses. You are lying on the ground, some distance away from the hole, surrounded by your worried comrades. Looking around, you realise that someone is missing.continues where this line first appears above
YOU[The brawny woman with bloodied hands]
BottomlessYou clutch the knife in your hand and strike. To the darkness's glee, you close your eyes and gorge yourself on the hot blood, sating your hunger... until a heavy smack across your face brings you back to your senses. You are lying on the ground, some distance away from the hole, surrounded by your worried comrades. Looking around, you realise that someone is missing.continues where this line first appears above
YOU[The sinewy young man wearing a blindfold]
BottomlessYou clutch the knife in your hand and strike. To the darkness's glee, you close your eyes and gorge yourself on the hot blood, sating your hunger... until a heavy smack across your face brings you back to your senses. You are lying on the ground, some distance away from the hole, surrounded by your worried comrades. Looking around, you realise that someone is missing.continues where this line first appears above
YOU[The ancient woman who only recently joined your caravan]
BottomlessYou clutch the knife in your hand and strike. To the darkness's glee, you close your eyes and gorge yourself on the hot blood, sating your hunger... until a heavy smack across your face brings you back to your senses. You are lying on the ground, some distance away from the hole, surrounded by your worried comrades. Looking around, you realise that someone is missing.continues where this line first appears above
YOU[The feeble-minded one who is gnawing on another's bones]
BottomlessYou clutch the knife in your hand and strike. To the darkness's glee, you close your eyes and gorge yourself on the hot blood, sating your hunger... until a heavy smack across your face brings you back to your senses. You are lying on the ground, some distance away from the hole, surrounded by your worried comrades. Looking around, you realise that someone is missing.continues where this line first appears above
YOU[The ugly mutant with multiple heads]
BottomlessYou clutch the knife in your hand and strike. To the darkness's glee, you close your eyes and gorge yourself on the hot blood, sating your hunger... until a heavy smack across your face brings you back to your senses. You are lying on the ground, some distance away from the hole, surrounded by your worried comrades. Looking around, you realise that someone is missing.continues where this line first appears above
YOU[The young girl in heavy chains]
BottomlessYou clutch the knife in your hand and strike. To the darkness's glee, you close your eyes and gorge yourself on the hot blood, sating your hunger... until a heavy smack across your face brings you back to your senses. You are lying on the ground, some distance away from the hole, surrounded by your worried comrades. Looking around, you realise that someone is missing.continues where this line first appears above
YOU[The bloodied guard with two animal heads]
BottomlessYou swing to strike, but one of the heads lunges out at an impossible angle and bites you... You regain consciousness at the edge of the precipice, surrounded by your concerned companions, your hand clamped in Glaito's jaws. Solomorne quickly commands the cyber-mastiff to loosen his grip, keeping his anxious eyes on you.
end of branch
YOU[The infant who is crying piteously, calling for its mother]
BottomlessYou clutch the knife in your hand and strike. To the darkness's glee, you close your eyes and gorge yourself on the hot blood, sating your hunger... until a heavy smack across your face brings you back to your senses. You are lying on the ground, some distance away from the hole, surrounded by your worried comrades. Looking around, you realise that someone is missing.continues where this line first appears above
YOU[The madman endlessly cradling his own severed head]
BottomlessYou clutch the knife in your hand and strike. To the darkness's glee, you close your eyes and gorge yourself on the hot blood, sating your hunger... until a heavy smack across your face brings you back to your senses. You are lying on the ground, some distance away from the hole, surrounded by your worried comrades. Looking around, you realise that someone is missing.continues where this line first appears above
YOU[The broken youth with empty eyes and a madman's laugh]
BottomlessYou raise the knife up high... when the youth suddenly bares his teeth and strikes you first, too quickly for you to react in time. The pain causes your consciousness to come rushing back. You find yourself standing at the edge of the bottomless pit, with a bleeding stab wound on your body, surrounded by your worried companions, one of whom, Marazhai, is staring at you ferociously, clutching a bloodied Drukhari dagger.
end of branch
YOU[The huge shaggy beast radiating coldness]
BottomlessYou try to cut the beast's flesh again and again, but the blade cannot pierce its thick fur. You raise your knife for a desperate strike... but then a powerful shove brings you back to your senses. You find yourself standing at the edge of the bottomless pit, surrounded by your worried companions, one of whom, Ulfar, is shaking his head sombrely.
end of branch
YOU[Proceed with the ceremony for the sake of future generations]
YOU[Kill your brothers and sisters and be the sole ruler of the civilisation]
YOU[Get up and run as fast as you can]
YOU[Turn around and fight the creature]
YOU"What do you want from me?"continues where this line first appears above
Entry point 2 of 16
BottomlessThe darkness swirls beneath your feet, a void of impenetrable gloom. You do not hear a single sound from the depths of the pit — no wailing wind, no rustle of dust.
YOU[Examine the pit]
BottomlessThe bright daylight cannot pierce the darkness lying over the slopes. The longer you look into its depth, the stronger the feeling grows that this darkness isn't just an absence of light. It is something immeasurably vast, endless, capable of reaching the farthest stars or swallowing a galaxy... Through sheer force of will, you avert your gaze.
YOU[Examine the pit]continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Lean over and stretch your hand into the darkness]
BottomlessAt the edge of your consciousness, you sense something slimy and intangible answering your invitation for contact. It seeps into your thoughts, tasting your emotions. Surprise and curiosity envelop you, but these feelings are not your own.
YOU[Submit to the entity's will]
BottomlessYou are hit by a sudden wave of all-consuming silence. A moment later, the world around you disappears, leaving only black, viscous, boundless darkness. The absoluteness of it is overwhelming, and you slowly sink into the void that is sucking you in.continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Try to dominate the entity]
YOU[Quickly step away from the hole]
YOU[Step back from the pit]
end of branch
Bottomless(sequence)
HeinrixHeinrix peers into the darkness in the depths of the pit. You feel the touch of an otherworldly chill. The Interrogator arches an eyebrow. "Whatever this — hmm — phenomenon may be, there is no warp sorcery within it."
end of branch
Idira"Creepy..." Idira tilts her head to the side, listening to something. Then she scowls and spits on the ground. "Grox knows what it is. It's beyond my remit."
end of branch
YOU[Lean over and stretch your hand into the darkness]continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Step back from the pit]continues where this line first appears above
Entry point 3 of 16
BottomlessYou lunge forward, but fall, as if someone has grabbed hold of your legs. Your bloodcurdling scream rings in your ears as darkness envelops you in a suffocating wave, pouring into your mouth, nose, eyes, into your very soul...
Bottomless...you sit at the apex of a massive onyx pyramid. Your abilities are limitless — with a single thought, you can raise mountains, drain an ocean, or disperse the clouds. But nobody cares anymore. Soon your brothers and sisters will sacrifice you so that they can share your power among themselves and guide the civilisation to prosperity...continues where this line first appears above
Entry point 4 of 16
BottomlessYou gather your willpower and try to push the thing out of your head. But you and the darkness are still sharing your thoughts, and instead of retreating, it sinks its psychic tentacles even deeper into your brain.
BottomlessYou are hit by a sudden wave of all-consuming silence. A moment later, the world around you disappears, leaving only black, viscous, boundless darkness. The absoluteness of it is overwhelming, and you slowly sink into the void that is sucking you in.continues where this line first appears above
Entry point 5 of 16
BottomlessYou turn around, intent on killing the Thing with your bare hands, but then exclaim in hesitation — you recognise the disfigured monster that is staring at you balefully from the darkness. You let out a heavy sigh, and a cloud of hot, fetid vapour settles on the smooth surface of the mirror.
Bottomless...you sit at the apex of a massive onyx pyramid. Your abilities are limitless — with a single thought, you can raise mountains, drain an ocean, or disperse the clouds. But nobody cares anymore. Soon your brothers and sisters will sacrifice you so that they can share your power among themselves and guide the civilisation to prosperity...continues where this line first appears above
Entry point 6 of 16
BottomlessAs your brothers and sisters surround you, you release your powers and consume every last one of them. For ten thousand days and as many nights, you battle their souls until you subdue them completely. Immortal, you remain on the throne for thousands of years, watching your civilisation blossom, die, and fade into darkness.
Bottomless...you are lying on burning sand, struggling to open your eyes, but your eyelids feel too heavy. You can barely move your arms and legs, your stomach hurts, your throat is bone-dry. Several of your kin, all emaciated, are scattered around you. The hunger is so strong that it is driving you mad, and you let out a bestial howl. Something metallic clinks next to your right hand... A knife! This is it! You can survive, you MUST survive. All you need to do is decide whom to sacrifice.continues where this line first appears above
Entry point 7 of 16
BottomlessSolemnly, you are placed on a cold black slab covered in glowing script. You close your eyes and pray as your brothers and sisters rip your seven hearts out of your chest. By the end of the ceremony, they are gnawing on every last bone of your body, shedding tears of sorrow. You join your ancestors within the black monolith, and for many centuries thereafter, you watch from above as your civilisation blossoms.
Bottomless...you are lying on burning sand, struggling to open your eyes, but your eyelids feel too heavy. You can barely move your arms and legs, your stomach hurts, your throat is bone-dry. Several of your kin, all emaciated, are scattered around you. The hunger is so strong that it is driving you mad, and you let out a bestial howl. Something metallic clinks next to your right hand... A knife! This is it! You can survive, you MUST survive. All you need to do is decide whom to sacrifice.continues where this line first appears above
Entry point 8 of 16
BottomlessYou turn around and walk away from the ominous pit and its secrets. Back on your ship, you give out a few orders, play a game of regicide, and turn in for the night. As you open your eyes, you find yourself back by the abyss. You run for dear life, get back to your ship, go to a different system... And when you wake up the next morning — the darkness is once again staring at you from beyond the edge of the pit.
BottomlessAgain you run, again you change one system after another, you go without sleep for several days... Yet it happens all over again. You spend months, or it could be years, in desperate flight. At some point, you simply give up. With resignation, you sit down at the edge of the pit, no longer moving. Alien satisfaction fills your mind.
BottomlessYou are hit by a sudden wave of all-consuming silence. A moment later, the world around you disappears, leaving only black, viscous, boundless darkness. The absoluteness of it is overwhelming, and you slowly sink into the void that is sucking you in.continues where this line first appears above
Entry point 9 of 16
BottomlessSolemnly, you are placed on a cold black slab covered in glowing script, but at the last moment, your love for your people fails you. You thrash in the hands of your brethren as one of them, with an expression of incredible pain, rips your hearts out — one after another after another...
Bottomless...you are lying on burning sand, struggling to open your eyes, but your eyelids feel too heavy. You can barely move your arms and legs, your stomach hurts, your throat is bone-dry. Several of your kin, all emaciated, are scattered around you. The hunger is so strong that it is driving you mad, and you let out a bestial howl. Something metallic clinks next to your right hand... A knife! This is it! You can survive, you MUST survive. All you need to do is decide whom to sacrifice.continues where this line first appears above
Entry point 10 of 16
BottomlessAs your brothers and sisters surround you, you release your powers, but your attack is met with desperate resistance. When the last of your kind is finished, you feel completely drained and can only watch helplessly as the dark figures of your enemies draw closer and closer...
Bottomless...you are lying on burning sand, struggling to open your eyes, but your eyelids feel too heavy. You can barely move your arms and legs, your stomach hurts, your throat is bone-dry. Several of your kin, all emaciated, are scattered around you. The hunger is so strong that it is driving you mad, and you let out a bestial howl. Something metallic clinks next to your right hand... A knife! This is it! You can survive, you MUST survive. All you need to do is decide whom to sacrifice.continues where this line first appears above
Entry point 11 of 16
BottomlessYou feel your way to the barely tangible edges of the entity's consciousness, separate it from yourself, and squeeze it until it is reduced to the size of a bead. The entity trembles, trying to break free of your mental grasp. Surprise, rage, elation, and fear replace one another. After a while, the entity stabilises, but the moment you loosen your grip, it escapes, leaving behind a piece of itself inside your mind.
end of branch
Entry point 12 of 16
BottomlessYou bite down on your belt and cut off a piece of your own flesh. The pain is so terrible that your vision darkens. Unable to bear it, you let out a frenzied groan, but you still shove the slimy scrap into your mouth and swallow it.
BottomlessThe darkness is greatly displeased with what it has witnessed — as if it has found your decisions disagreeable. You feel anger and vexation, and after that — unsatisfied hunger. Then the darkness crudely spits you out, severing your consciousnesses and leaving your mind with a thought about a harsh lesson...
end of branch
BottomlessYou can sense the darkness's triumph. It has been following your thoughts with great interest, rummaging in your memories, studying your emotions, savouring your resolve and rage — its bottomless gut rumbles with satisfaction. At last, grateful, it lets you go and presents a parting reward.
end of branch
BottomlessYou sense the darkness rampaging inside your mind, unable to fathom humanity. At some point, its desperation gives way to resolve — it needs new specimens for its studies. The darkness retreats, having lost all interest in you as an individual.
end of branch
Entry point 13 of 16
BottomlessYou turn around to fight the monster — and you feel terror taking hold of your thoughts, turning you from a sentient being into a shaking, brainless creature that can do nothing but vanish inside the maw of the beast...
Bottomless...you sit at the apex of a massive onyx pyramid. Your abilities are limitless — with a single thought, you can raise mountains, drain an ocean, or disperse the clouds. But nobody cares anymore. Soon your brothers and sisters will sacrifice you so that they can share your power among themselves and guide the civilisation to prosperity...continues where this line first appears above
Entry point 14 of 16
BottomlessYou raise the knife over your leg and sit like that for several minutes, unable to bring yourself to carve off a piece of your own flesh.
YOU[Sacrifice the darkness]continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Cut off a piece of yourself]continues where this line first appears above
YOU[The decrepit old man in the tattered remains of a military uniform]continues where this line first appears above
YOU[The strange animal-like creature with barely noticeable shadows swirling around it]continues where this line first appears above
YOU[The brawny woman with bloodied hands]continues where this line first appears above
YOU[The sinewy young man wearing a blindfold]continues where this line first appears above
YOU[The ancient woman who only recently joined your caravan]continues where this line first appears above
YOU[The feeble-minded one who is gnawing on another's bones]continues where this line first appears above
YOU[The ugly mutant with multiple heads]continues where this line first appears above
YOU[The young girl in heavy chains]continues where this line first appears above
YOU[The bloodied guard with two animal heads]continues where this line first appears above
YOU[The infant who is crying piteously, calling for its mother]continues where this line first appears above
YOU[The madman endlessly cradling his own severed head]continues where this line first appears above
YOU[The broken youth with empty eyes and a madman's laugh]continues where this line first appears above
YOU[The huge shaggy beast radiating coldness]continues where this line first appears above
Entry point 15 of 16
BottomlessYou summon your courage and dash through the open door. Your will to live guides you through the deserted halls of the estate, and the Thing is right at your heels. At some point, you smash open a window and see your crew — unmoving fossils among withered plants...
Bottomless...you sit at the apex of a massive onyx pyramid. Your abilities are limitless — with a single thought, you can raise mountains, drain an ocean, or disperse the clouds. But nobody cares anymore. Soon your brothers and sisters will sacrifice you so that they can share your power among themselves and guide the civilisation to prosperity...continues where this line first appears above
Entry point 16 of 16
BottomlessEach step takes a tremendous effort, it feels as if you are being smothered from the inside, grinding your very being to dust to the point where your heart just might jump out of your chest. But you stubbornly continue walking until the alien thoughts release you, and the illusion immediately falls away.