NPC"Your Lordship/Ladyship, something sinister is unfolding among the survivors from Rykad Minoris. There have already been several cases of evacuated refugees being found either dead or dying. All of them had been blinded using various means. I fear there is reason to believe that there were agents of the cult among the people who came on board."
YOU"Give me a proper report on the refugees. How were they quartered? How are they supervised?"
NPC(sequence)
NPC"The serfs and the planetary wardens were assigned to two auxiliary lower decks. The commoners are riled up and frightened by the calamity, so, to keep their senselessness in check, we only assign those of sound mind to work and pump sedative gas through the ventilation into the compartments holding the rest."
end of branch
NPC"The esteemed nobles and their families were given quarters befitting their status. The horrors of the massacre in the streets are still fresh in their minds, so initially they made regular trips to the lower decks to take out their fears and anger on serfs from our own crew. It would have been disrespectful to confine the nobles to their compartments, so we used shackles of a different sort by generously supplying them with amasec and intoxicants."
end of branch
NPC"The venerated Praetor Electroid Dahr-Impulse VI and his retinue took refuge in one of the engineering bays. Or, more accurately, they barricaded themselves in. The wise servants of the Omnissiah are fearful beyond measure that ignorant laypeople might damage or offend their Miraculous Fusion Reactor, so they cloistered themselves in their own personal fortress."
end of branch
YOU"I need to know more about the killings."
NPC"Eleven bodies have been found thus far. The first victim had their eyes burned out with a gas torch, the second had acid splashed in their face, the third was found wandering around, on their last legs and with metal pins sticking out of their eye sockets. They died before we could interrogate them. The rest were killed and disfigured in similar ways — through blinding. No trace of the killers' identity was found."
YOU"Give me a proper report on the refugees. How were they quartered? How are they supervised?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I need to know more about the killings."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Begin the interrogations."
NPC"It will be done, Your Lordship/Ladyship."
NPC"If I may interject, there is no need. The interrogations have already been conducted. I put the enforcers on alert as soon as the first body was discovered, though I decided not to disturb Your Lordship/Ladyship until I had the results. Well, now I do. We have already arrested... let's see... four perpetrators at the scenes of crimes that had yet to take place. Those... those are not murders. They are suicides."
YOU"Give me a proper report on the refugees. How were they quartered? How are they supervised?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I need to know more about the killings."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Begin the interrogations."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Explain yourself, Seneschal."
NPC"The people we apprehended were about to blind themselves and end their own lives. I am confident that all who perished did the same. When questioned, they all said the same thing: they are haunted by the sight of the dying Rykad Minoris. Even in their sleep, they still see the same horrific picture, so the sad wretches would do anything to make this nightmare stop."
YOU"Add a triple dose of sedatives to the rations of all Rykadians."
NPC"Certainly, Lord Captain. Except, I am afraid, it is not just the refugees." Abelard's voice is grim.
NPC"Three out of the four people we arrested were members of the crew. They watched Rykad Minoris die, and it left their minds scarred. We all bear the mark of that dark catastrophe, for it was the attention of the Ruinous Powers that branded our very souls. May the God-Emperor have mercy on us."
NPC(sequence)
NPC"You were warned, Your Lordship/Ladyship. It is regrettable that you did not listen."
end of branch
YOU"Perform cleansing liturgies on the decks housing the refugees. We shall banish this blight with the strength of our faith!"
NPC"Certainly, Lord Captain. Except, I am afraid, it is not just the refugees." Abelard's voice is grim.continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Increase surveillance. Assign enforcers to watch the passengers."
NPC"Certainly, Lord Captain. Except, I am afraid, it is not just the refugees." Abelard's voice is grim.continues where this line first appears above
YOU"If this is not the work of cultists, then I could not care less. Once they are off this ship, that will be that."
NPC"Certainly, Lord Captain. Except, I am afraid, it is not just the refugees." Abelard's voice is grim.continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Explain yourself, Seneschal."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Begin the interrogations."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Explain yourself, Seneschal."continues where this line first appears above
NPC(sequence)
NPC"I knew the anathema would not fully release its hold on those doleful souls just yet. Then let us march and drive it away!"