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[Caellath]

"I turned away and left. Whatever it desires, it won't find here." Marco says with a frown. Being a Warp voyager from a family of Battlefleet lineage, Marco still knows more about daemons than the average Imperial citizen—whose knowledge about Warp terrors is likely none. Press-ganged crew usually already have troubles just with the occasional nightmares that have gotten ever more frequent with the clouding of the Astronomicon...

"Daemons are vile liars. I advise you to forget whatever it told you; even if it's spoken the truth it's only in the hope of bringing damnation in the future. Indaria listened and found her end through heresy."

[Maximum Spin]

Rourí nods. "Yes, that's exactly what I'm afraid of. Even trying to discern why it wanted to tell me this could be playing right into its hands. Mine isn't the kind of mind that can easily put away a puzzle, but please, rest assured - my father was a Trader as well and I was very clearly taught about the risks. I won't make the mistakes of... others."

[Caellath]

"I appreciate your clear commitment, given the recent events even unrelated to you as they are. Now I am heading to the bridge after having heresy intrude into my dreams. Will you follow to take the helm or do you have different plans?"

[Maximum Spin]

"I was not made aware of any other job I need to do, unless you planned to make me your bodyguard, so yes, that was my intention. In fact, I might be offended if you let anyone else drive."
Ruorí follows politely to the bridge.

[Stirk]

With the old medcat unable to perform her duties, control of the pandemic was transferred to the ship's head chiurgeon Dr.Thrugg. Thrugg's methods are far more pious then the body guard, ordering those displaced by the horde to pray to the Emperor constantly as the first step on his treatment plan, following up by ordering aggressive cleaning procedures with the ship's conventional weapons. He had the melodium calibrated to play ultrasonic hymns at full volume and flooded the infected area, claiming the sound waves will cleanse the filth both spiritual and physical, at least that is the common interpretation of his simple and often confusing manner of speech. The exact order was "PRETTY EMPERA SONGS MAKE BAD GO BYE BYE", translated into more conventional low gothic by one of his handlers.

The aggressive push to eliminate the undead resulted in more casualties among the armsmen, but by the end of the day the filth was finally cleansed. Your bureaucrats inform you that there have been approximately 6,000 casualties from the incident, depending on how many of the mutants you count (with many being outcasts who perform no function and would likely be a target for your twistcacher had they not perished). Crew Population is now at 94. Crew Moral has fallen to 98 due to population loss. Corpses are still incinerated immediately, just to be on the safe side.

Day 10 goes by with the crew on edge, with the tension only increasing when you enter Day 11 of your 10 day trip. Fortunately you exit the warp storm by the end of the 11th day, sparring the crew from another Trial. The Ark Royal takes a deep breath. And dreads returning to the storm when the mission ends...

You have finally reached Merilia. From the sky it is an unassuming forested world with the light of several cities shining back on you, though something about it is unnerving. The more observant would note portions of the forest are glowing eerily in unnatural colors, strong enough to be seen from space.

You are not alone in orbit around the planet. There are three ships joining you - a gallant Grand Cruiser sitting near a Raider with an unassuming transport ship a respectful distance away.

[Egan_BW]

Well, we need to locate that crashed ship, so lets point those scanners or whatever they're called in this setting at the planet and look for anything eldary.

[Stirk]

Well, we need to locate that crashed ship, so lets point those scanners or whatever they're called in this setting at the planet and look for anything eldary.

Augers. They're called Augers. It is easy to remember because it starts with AUG, like the assault rifle.

Your crew gets to work scanning the planet, with a red-robed priest reading the results with the most confused look his mechanical face can manage. All detected energy signatures line up with human settlements, with no obvious signs of a crashed Eldar ship. Your specie's ships tend to be more subtle than that of the primitive Empire, relying on solar sails rather than massive plasma engines that give a ship's location away to everyone in the system.

More concerning is the odd results from scanning the cursed forest, anomalous readings that cause several of the deck techpriests to screech and unplug themselves from the interface in unison.

[Egan_BW]

See if I can get a look at those readings from the cursed forest myself. Looking at spooky things is my job!

[Caellath]

"Announce a day of mourning and prayer to commemorate those who died in service. May they rest forevermore in the Emperor's embrace."

Hopefully it isn't more trouble after what they've gone through. And since ships are usually the biggest threat to other ships, it wouldn't hurt to hail them first and gather information. "Keep our distance and hail the largest ship."

++Hail, this is Lord-Captain Guerra, Rogue Trader of the Guerra Dynasty and captain of the Ark Royal.++

[Stirk]

See if I can get a look at those readings from the cursed forest myself. Looking at spooky things is my job!

The tech-priests hand you a data slate.

It is in the monkeigh language spoken by the tech priests between themselves, consisting entirely of 1s and 0s.

(Logic Roll)You do not determine anything significant from the results. Or anything insignificant for that matter given you don't speak binary cant.

"Announce a day of mourning and prayer to commemorate those who died in service. May they rest forevermore in the Emperor's embrace."

Hopefully it isn't more trouble after what they've gone through. And since ships are usually the biggest threat to other ships, it wouldn't hurt to hail them first and gather information. "Keep our distance and hail the largest ship."

++Hail, this is Lord-Captain Guerra, Rogue Trader of the Guerra Dynasty and captain of the Ark Royal.++

At your order, the ship begins thousands of body less funerals.

++May the Emperor's light shine upon you Lord-Captain Guerra. You have reached the Martyr's Pride under the stewardship of Lady Johanna De Ard of the De Ard dynasty. The Lady is currently in a meeting with the exalted Lord Captain Merria Lancehart of the Righteous Dagger. We are informing her of your message as we speak. Please hold.++

Some minutes later, the vox comes to life again. The voice of a young woman.

++Apologies for the wait. I hope the Emperor has preserved you well on the journey to this world so far from his light. I am Johanna De Ard, warrant holder of the De Ard dyanasty. To what do I owe the pleasure of this call?++

[Caellath]

++The Empyrean seems particularly unruly towards this area of space, but by the grace of the Emperor we are whole.++

++It is little more than an exchange of pleasantries and an inquiry borne out of simple curiosity: are you aware just what is going on dirtside that's causing lights that can be seen from orbit? Or, more importantly and less specifically, just how perilous is the surface for resupply at the moment?++

[Stirk]

++The Empyrean seems particularly unruly towards this area of space, but by the grace of the Emperor we are whole.++

++It is little more than an exchange of pleasantries and an inquiry borne out of simple curiosity: are you aware just what is going on dirtside that's causing lights that can be seen from orbit? Or, more importantly and less specifically, just how perilous is the surface for resupply at the moment?++

++If you are referring to the glow emitting from the woodland I advise you and your servants to avert your gaze immediately. That is the light of the Witch Tree, a nasty carnivorous plant that invades the mind of its targets causing them to rush into the embrace of its sap-covered trunk where they are slowly devoured. From the stories the locals tell it may even cause ships in orbit to crash into the world, the unfortunate tree unable to understand that its intended meal is behind many tons of metal that it intends to take with it. Alas they grow back so quickly, or perhaps such incidents would have rid the galaxy of them centuries ago.++

++As for the second question, the planet has already made an attempt on your life. It is by no means a safe world, it was a Death World plagued by heretics and twisted wildlife even before being cut from the Emperor’s light. Despite the Inquisitor’s best efforts it has only gotten worse since then. He claims the capitol and major cities are under his control, but every day he finds more and more traitors even in these safe ports. I would advise the upmost care be taken with even the simplest action done on or near the planet.++

[Caellath]

Useful information. At least now the bridge crew should be aware of it. "Pass the information along and close all viewing ports as an extra precaution. Priests of the Machine, is that what caused your reaction or was there something else?"

++I appreciate the warnings, Lord-Captain Johanna. Is there are a safer location you are using for resupply or have you only recently arrived?++ Meaning there's been no need to restock so far.

[Stirk]

“It may be related, Lord Captain, but the data we received was nonsense in an impossible way. We where unable to translate the information from binary cant due to the introduction of twos and fours to the code provided by the machine. We are running tests to insure that there is no corruption in our auger array at this moment.”

++We had arrived a solar month ago with surplus foodstuff for export. While this planet is teaming with life much of it is inedible to those without sufficient bodily corruption, I would recommend only eating only what came from distant star ports for safety. You will not find anywhere safer for resupply in the system than the capital, barring convincing the Inquisitor to have his men deliver supplies directly to your ship with his own shuttles.++