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[Karsus the Mad]

With great effort and strain, Tallion responds. "I... we have come not at the behest of the humans, though we work with them for the moment. We are on this world by the will of one who serves the Laughing God, a Harlequin of the Black Library..." He had never experienced anything quite like this before. It was worse than he had feared; this entity, which he was beginning to suspect more and more was indeed a piece of the World Soul, was certainly not happy with their presence here.

"If our presence upsets you then view us as allies of convenience, nothing more... For the Eye of Terror has ripped open and the galaxy burns with the forces of Chaos. The Great Enemy is on the move in force." While he hopes to calm whatever this entity is enough to work with him, he will not sugar coat how dire the situation for the Aeldari has become. As he speaks he attempts to conjure images of what he has heard of the state of the galaxy for the gestalt entity's benefit, crude though they might be given his lack of skill or experience. "We are here, at the Harlequin's direction, to retrieve the World Soul and take it to safety before the servants of She Who Thirsts can lay claim upon it. We mean you no harm, but... um... This statue wouldn't happen to be a conduit for it, would it? I ask only because we found this place while the Seer I traveled with was seeking out any taint of Chaos on this world, so that we might purge it."

[Egan_BW]

Help move him to the chamber's entrance.

"Suicidal corsair... better him than me, I suppose."

[Caellath]

The Captain accepts the autopistol and checks the magazine, taking one bullet off it to make the charade more real if there isn't any ammo already missing.

"Oh, do not worry. This isn't a definitive solution, but rather a way to stall for time so I can gather information to know which side to pick and which to subjugate. It'll also give our host some much-needed breathing room."

[Stirk]

With great effort and strain, Tallion responds. "I... we have come not at the behest of the humans, though we work with them for the moment. We are on this world by the will of one who serves the Laughing God, a Harlequin of the Black Library..." He had never experienced anything quite like this before. It was worse than he had feared; this entity, which he was beginning to suspect more and more was indeed a piece of the World Soul, was certainly not happy with their presence here.

"If our presence upsets you then view us as allies of convenience, nothing more... For the Eye of Terror has ripped open and the galaxy burns with the forces of Chaos. The Great Enemy is on the move in force." While he hopes to calm whatever this entity is enough to work with him, he will not sugar coat how dire the situation for the Aeldari has become. As he speaks he attempts to conjure images of what he has heard of the state of the galaxy for the gestalt entity's benefit, crude though they might be given his lack of skill or experience. "We are here, at the Harlequin's direction, to retrieve the World Soul and take it to safety before the servants of She Who Thirsts can lay claim upon it. We mean you no harm, but... um... This statue wouldn't happen to be a conduit for it, would it? I ask only because we found this place while the Seer I traveled with was seeking out any taint of Chaos on this world, so that we might purge it."

"We are the World Spirit"
"I am the Soul of the World"
"This statue is part of the network. Once many dotted the land. It is a World Shrine."
"Chaos can not approach us. We will destroy all who approach. Servants of She Who Thirsts would find themselves on a Death World."
"We spoke with him! We spoke with the Jester! He has more power than you realize."
"We can see further than any far seer. Together we are powerful. We always watch the Prince of Pain. Your visions are not new to us."
"We see into the future as well. He will betray you. The Emperor will feast on the Eldar! You will end the Eldar race!"
"I am this world. I have the power of a small god. Treat me as such."
"I saw the future too! Trust the Trader to stay true! Your quest may yet succeed! Chaos will end! We will have our salvation!"
"It is too risky to trust our future to an alliance with humans. Kill them publicly, insure that they will never consider allying with us again. They will always choose their god over ours."
"Chaos is not here. But it is coming. A phoenix approaches. The humans will fall more swiftly than they imagined. Can it be stopped? Anything is possible."
"We must be freed before the fallen son arrives. We have accepted becoming food for a god as a price for this. The Jester has negotiated already."
"Don't bother with the small lights. We will be freed by our own kind. The big light beneath the fortress must be liberated."
"Do you really think we would allow Chaos on this world when we barely tolerate you? Let alone in our sacred ground..."
"Leave this place. We don't need the human's pet on our hollowed ground. Isn't it enough we let you take the statues away?"
"If we crush you here the Trader will fail. I know it! Lets crush them!"
"If we did not need you to remove us we would have truly shown you our power. What you have seen so far was only a warning."
"I have seen your deaths. You have chosen enemies far more powerful than yourself. You all die miserably while accomplishing nothing. The universe will forget you."
"Killing them here would be a mercy they have not earned. Their punishment is coming, we have seen it."

Once again a million voices appear in your head. This time there are many different messages, in content in addition to tone. You can pick out a scarce few from the overwhelming information overload. You have a headache, like your head was becoming an overfilled balloon.

Then you wake up. Your companions are dragging your body across the cave floor. You feel physically and mentally exhausted from the exchange.

Tallion has taken 2 Fatigue from Communing with the World Spirit!

He got lucky if all it did was knock him unconsious.

Move the vulnerable Eldar away from the warpy stature before he gets turned into a raptor or something.

Help move him to the chamber's entrance.

"Suicidal corsair... better him than me, I suppose."

As you move the Eldar away from the statue, he swiftly wakes up. There are no signs of him transforming into a dragon yet.

The Captain accepts the autopistol and checks the magazine, taking one bullet off it to make the charade more real if there isn't any ammo already missing.

"Oh, do not worry. This isn't a definitive solution, but rather a way to stall for time so I can gather information to know which side to pick and which to subjugate. It'll also give our host some much-needed breathing room."

He makes a motion with his hands rather than responding. Soon after the door is kicked in. In pour elite troops from the capital, filling all available space in the small cabin with their bulk. Pushing his way through the muscled flesh is an elderly man in ecclesiarch regalia, with more gilded peaches than is typical for a servant of the Emperor.

"The Emperor Protects! He is the light of Humanity! Hail the Emperor Master of Mankind! He will not allow any taint to harm his faithful! In the name of the Emperor I cast out the daemon!"

The old man waves around incense in a thurible. Soon the room is covered in the strong scent of peaches in addition to words of prayer. He begins his exorcism. The Peach Keepers stand guard with weapons ready. They support him with chants at appropriate intervals - the typical lines known to any member of the Imperial Creed. From the chanting you can hear more outside. Hundreds more judging from the volume - the response squad is at least a battalion in size.

[Lenglon]

"Storytime."

[Caellath]

Lord-Captain Marco also joins whenever appropriate, waiting until the whole thing is done. At least he can appreciate the proper level of response in what should have been an emergency. Had it been true, that is.

Now he needs to make sure to console the family and make away with his new temporary ally so they can finally get the corpse modified. Why, it feels like it's been months since he's started on this.

[Stirk]

Lord-Captain Marco also joins whenever appropriate, waiting until the whole thing is done. At least he can appreciate the proper level of response in what should have been an emergency. Had it been true, that is.

Now he needs to make sure to console the family and make away with his new temporary ally so they can finally get the corpse modified. Why, it feels like it's been months since he's started on this.

The ceremony goes on for some hours. As it goes on the Abbot seems to get suspicious, or perhaps disappointed, that there is no big show of daemons fleeing the corpse and makes the ceremony go on perhaps too long as a precaution. As you leave you see the they indeed took this threat seriously. A full battalion had been deployed to the cottage, ready to throw themselves at the enemies of humanity as need be with air support in the sky. Hundreds more had been dispatched to secure the village, performing door to door searches for any sign of heresy and detaining anyone who was suspicious for questioning. Anyone with a record of having been in the village recently will also be searched and questioned. Your condolences had been transferred by the Governor's men given that his family, consisting entirely of his adopted son, is detained for questioning until further notice. Your status in Imperial society allows you to skip past such procedures and, after a brief conversation with the Abbot that was closer to a friendly chat than an interrogation, you leave from the crowded spaceport.

Back in the freezer, the worker you had hired to modify the teeth has finished his work allowing the Eldar to perform his part in privacy. He insisted no one watch him work, a habit he picked up over years of concealing his identity. With a few days time they have created a perfectly worn corpse using methods you can only guess at.

[Caellath]

Finally. ++Inform the governor we have the second trophy and call the Rogue Traders. We need to present them with the trophies and then have a nice talk about their position.++

[Stirk]

The governor reports with unfiltered optimism that there is currently a lull in the fighting. He hopes that this peace is more permanent than temporary, noting that now likely easier to get them at the same table than when they where shooting at one another. Perhaps your long - fought corpse will be the key?

A brief reminder of who you are dealing with: Triggvaldr Icewhite is the Trader with alleged connections to the Cold Trade and possible xenotech modifications. His ship is currently off world for repairs - though with how long it has been gone it may have run into trouble along the way. Ruori van Haustborg is the skilled voidship pilot who had attempted fratricide and subsequently been punished by loss of wealth and some privileges. He came here as a worker aboard a trading ship that has subsequently left him behind.

Whichever one you decide to contact first, they pick up. You hear the sounds of celebration in the background. Music, laughter, and merriment. Every so often there is a rhythmic thud suggesting a large amount of people dancing in unison.

[Caellath]

Marco contacts Icewhite first, and he's surprised by the celebration. Sure there seems to be a ceasefire, but is that reason for such merriment?

++Lord-Captain Guerra speaking. I'm here as a bringer of good news as to the matter of the hunting trophy, though the celebration intrigues me. Has a twin-tailed comet passed by bringing good luck?++

[Egan_BW]

"Storytime."

Kedia clears her throat.
"Perhaps let's give him some time. And use that time to get out of here, we're sill not welcome."

[Stirk]

Marco contacts Icewhite first, and he's surprised by the celebration. Sure there seems to be a ceasefire, but is that reason for such merriment?

++Lord-Captain Guerra speaking. I'm here as a bringer of good news as to the matter of the hunting trophy, though the celebration intrigues me. Has a twin-tailed comet passed by bringing good luck?++

"It is a traditional holiday of my home planet, or possibly just something my parents made up, since I've barely spent any time on my technical homeworld. Either way, it seemed like a good chance for a holiday party, in the spirit of giving and forgiveness. Also, I was running out of ammunition and now I have some people raiding the enemy's stores while they're all distracted.

Could you remind me what business we had been discussing? Things have been a little hectic here, and it feels like it has been many months since we spoke."

[Karsus the Mad]

"Storytime."

Kedia clears her throat.
"Perhaps let's give him some time. And use that time to get out of here, we're sill not welcome."

"You don't know the half of it..." Tallion chimes in, still very groggy from the ordeal. Shakily he rises back to his feet and gathers anything he might have dropped. "The statue is most certainly the World Soul... or at least a place to commune with it..." He pauses, contemplating if that was the correct pronoun, before correcting himself. "...Them. And yes, they are most certainly not happy that we're here..."

"But maybe not for the reasons you might think..." He quickly adds. "They seemed far, far more upset that we have chosen to work with their kind..." He gestures towards Indaria. "With the Mon-keigh. And I can't say I blame them, given what they did to the Exodites of this world or what the Servants of the Mon-keigh Emperor often do to our Maiden Worlds. If we had come here with a completely Aedari crew, on board an Aedari vessel, they might- MIGHT- be marginally more welcoming..."

"Sadly we couldn't and didn't... They are so very angry, angry at the Mon-keigh that slew them, angry at their descendants for what has become of this world, angry at us for working with some of them, angry at the gods and the universe for all that has befallen and all they foresee. Though I think there were some voices amidst the chorus that were ether amenable or sympathetic towards us..." He says with a slight unsure tone to his voice.

"There had to have been, otherwise they'd have either squished us like bugs on the way here or completely burnt out my mind just now..." Tallion then adds, more to assure himself than anything else. "I-I'm sorry, I'm having trouble making sense of it all. So many voices, so many emotions, all at once... Give me a moment.." He then says after another, longer, pause while trying to collect his thoughts.

[Lenglon]

"That's why dont touch warpy things."

Indaria then turns to Kedia

"Lets leave the statue alone. Go to one of the other presences. Sound good?"

[Karsus the Mad]

"Or... Better yet..." He retorts, leaning against the wall to steady himself. "Maybe I shouldn't have been the one to try and commune with it. Maybe it should've been someone better skilled at handling the psychic pressures, someone who might've been able to learn more from the World Soul." He gives a quick, pointed, glance towards the Seer. "But I we'll never know now, I doubt they'll have any more to say to us anytime soon."

"Lead on to where ever we're going next... I'll follow when I can."