Also, it looks like the creation of this thread caused the previous one to auto-archive.

Here was the last post, I had wanted to include a link to this thread:

>Recommend that Ella be lightly punished, but kept intact in case she is needed later.

You try to appeal to Evil Rhea’s common sense and let Ella of relatively easily, but Evil Rhea seems to mistake this for some sort of personal interest you have in Ella yourself.

Using a mix of power and finesse that is frankly rather terrifying, Evil Rhea annihilates Ella’s garments with a wave of pink fire, but leaves her person intact. She then uses telekinesis to place some sort of gilded color around Ella’s neck.

It is briefly explained that the collar subverts its victim’s free will, and now Ella must follow any instruction given to her, though it is clear only those with some sort of permission from Evil Rhea would do so.

She then hits the remaining Iron Horde emissaries with a bolt of pinkish lightning that arcs from one to the next, causing them to writhe in ecstasy. You have a feeling that they are now proud owners of that odd runic brand all the other converted Thorakara seem to have.

Evil Rhea has some guards drag out the entire group with vague instructions to bring them to the sanctum so they can "get acquainted with their new senses".

The whole thing is a rather terrifying display of power.

Clearly Evil Rhea has learned a few tricks.

You have never felt more fortunate to be a pseudo-null.

>>5238849
>See if you can slap some sense into your companions.
If it was just supposed to be us doing all the work they wouldn't have been sent along. We should make sure they don't get corrupted (too much)
>Build some alliances with your evil clone and her associates, right now they seem to be the most powerful faction on the planet, and people keep hinting something big and bad is going to happen soon.
Re: options 1 and 3, Pseudonull Rhea probably doesn't have to worry about temptation too much, and in any case we're pretty safe from chaos corruption considering all the Noctilith shoved in our guts so it's okay to indulge a little bit. We also don't really have a reason to undermine Evil Rhea's authority right now. Just try to focus on keeping our own minions from becoming her minions.

Also maybe try to assist in the excavations a little bit since the sooner that gets finished the sooner Rhea can go home (aka have all hell break loose around her, watch as the world descends into madness, and she barely escapes with her life and sanity intact, probably by manipulating the better nature of her putative allies and betraying them at the last possible moment.)

>>5238849
>Try to find a way to communicate with your Aelderi masters
>Build some alliances with your evil clone and her associates, right now they seem to be the most powerful faction on the planet, and people keep hinting something big and bad is going to happen soon.

>>5238849
>Go bug your evil clone on why the excavations are taking so long.

>Build some alliances with your evil clone and her associates, right now they seem to be the most powerful faction on the planet, and people keep hinting something big and bad is going to happen soon.

>>5238849
>See if you can slap some sense into your companions.
>Build some alliances with your evil clone and her associates, right now they seem to be the most powerful faction on the planet, and people keep hinting something big and bad is going to happen soon.

>>5238849
>>See if you can slap some sense into your companions.
>Build some alliances with your evil clone and her associates, right now they seem to be the most powerful faction on the planet, and people keep hinting something big and bad is going to happen soon.
>>5239082
I agree. We've tasted the whole ring business before, so Ii'm not worried about that. Let's just keep an eye on the others to avoid bad surprises. It wouldn't do to come back without them just because they got swayed away.

Beyond that, I'm still in favor of taking up Evil Namara's offer on touring the city. If anyone knows what kind of making up gift we should get for our Namara, it's her.
Also, tell Evil Rhea about Vance and Dolores if we haven't already. She probably won't care, but who knows ?

And finally, does that mean we get Ella to follow us around ? Since Evil Rhea thought we were interested. If yes, since she still has her mind, we can chat her up and she'd have trouble lying to us, right ? She can run laps around Rhea and dodge questions, but we ought to get some interesting bits of info about what's going on with the Iron Horde and the daughters. Anything regarding Evil Rhea's position and who wants her gone would be a bonus for future negotiations.

>>5243017
>If anyone knows what kind of making up gift we should get for our Namara, it's her.
"Have you considered vagina tentacles?"

>See if you can slap some sense into your companions.
>Build some alliances with your evil clone and her associates, right now they seem to be the most powerful faction on the planet, and people keep hinting something big and bad is going to happen soon.

You decide to see if you can somehow straighten out your companions.

It is honestly a bit of a lost cause. Unlike you, they are not immune to Chaos corruption, though luckily Evil Namara seems to be limiting herself to chemical pheromones for now (something which you aren’t immune to either).

Clearly Audrey, Paula, and Jones were deemed expendable when they were sent her (which again somewhat applies to you) since there isn’t really much any of you can do if Evil Rhea decides to really mess with your heads.

But you will feel bad if you don’t try at all to help them out. You are somewhat protective of Audrey, and Jones is alright though you rarely talk. You even feel a bit bad for Paula, since it is perhaps partially your fault she is here, you were the one who brought her to Dren’s attention after all.

Your first stop is Audrey’s room.

Audrey is a junior officer aboard the Rogue Trader vessel “Lucky Wench”, and she is theoretically here to represent their interests. There really isn’t much for her to do in that regard though. Evil Rhea has already announced a ceasefire between her faction and the Rogue Trader-Aelderi alliance, which seems to be holding for now, though perhaps not forever. The basis of the alliance (at least on the surface) seems to be to leave each other alone so that both groups can focus on looting the planet’s ruins (of which there are many). The Aelderi probably have a deeper agenda, but the Rogue Trader crew are here mostly for wealth, and may attack Evil Rhea’s faction if they think they have located a massive treasure vault or something similar. Assuming they find out. They would have to be pretty stupid to rely on Audrey as a spy, and have probably written her off as tainted by now.

To your dismay, but not particular surprise, Evil Namara and Ella are in bed with Audrey, sharing a “tender moment” (more like degenerate moment).

You are pretty sure Evil Namara has been here most nights, but this is the first time you have actually seen it happen, and more importantly, Audrey has seen you seeing it happen.

Everyone stops what they are doing (and Audrey turns bright red in the face). There is a long silence, probably where Evil Namara is waiting to see if you will get embarrassed and leave, but you stand your ground and act like it is no big deal. Honestly, you have seen far worse by this point, and making empty threats helps no one.

Eventually Evil Namara gets up and leaves, commanding Ella to follow her out. As Evil Namara passes you, she whispers “Just say the word...” before strolling past you and down the hall.

>>5243658

“Maybe I will...” - You whisper back after a moment’s hesitation, but you are unsure if she heard you, or what she was referring to.

>Go console Audrey.

>Go talk to Evil Namara and see if you can cut some sort of deal where she leaves Audrey alone (write in some ideas).

>Go see if you can arrange for Ella to be transferred to your staff of servant-slaves. Hint it is for “reasons” (sexual), but it is actually to try to abuse the fact Ella has to follow all commands to pry loose some more information on the Iron Horde.

>Go talk to Evil Namara and see if her previous offer to tour the city is still available. Try to get some insight into what goes on in Evil Rhea’s head, and maybe some insight into your Namara’s thoughts as well.

>>5243659
I mean, we should probably try to do all this things. We can worry about consoling Audrey later, it might be best to let her stew in her embarassment for a little bit. The tour of the city sounds interesting, and while we do, we can try to get Ella for ourselves and get Evil Namara to leave Audrey alone. Maybe have Audrey follow us around as an assistant? Would it make things better or worse if we let Audrey know we've already done most of that before we were split off from Evil Rhea?
>>Go talk to Evil Namara and see if her previous offer to tour the city is still available. Try to get some insight into what goes on in Evil Rhea’s head, and maybe some insight into your Namara’s thoughts as well.
This option has my vote for now.

>>5243659
>>Go console Audrey.

>>5243659
>>Go talk to Evil Namara and see if her previous offer to tour the city is still available. Try to get some insight into what goes on in Evil Rhea’s head, and maybe some insight into your Namara’s thoughts as well.

>>5243685
Supporting this + consoling Audrey for a bit

>Go talk to Evil Namara and see if her previous offer to tour the city is still available. Try to get some insight into what goes on in Evil Rhea’s head, and maybe some insight into your Namara’s thoughts as well.

You decide to follow Evil Namara and try to take her up on her previous offer to give you a tour of the city.

You briefly, and perhaps a bit unconvincingly tell Audrey that this is nothing to be ashamed of, and that you will sort things out with Evil Namara, before scurrying off after Evil Namara.

You manage to track her down fairly easily and convince her to give you a tour of the city.

To your surprise, she doesn’t bother with her palanquin or any sort of large entourage. It is just her, you, Ella, and two henchpeople, Boris Gump, AKA Ursid Mask and Sandra X, AKA Rabbit Mask, with whom you had several past encounters.

You make for a strange party...

You in your dignified white evening dress.

Evil Namara, surprisingly agile in thigh high-high heel boots for a very pregnant woman.

Ursid Mask with his black spiked leather bear mask and codpiece, and unnatural amounts of muscle and body hair.

Rabbit Mask in her black spiked leather rabbit mask, a few strips of tape, and fishnet bodysuit that doesn’t really cover anything.

And Ella in her collar...

Once you would have found these types of situations extremely uncomfortable and bizarre, but now it barely registers as unusual and instead you find yourself interested in minor details.

For example, you can’t help but notice that Evil Namara and Evil Rhea’s inner circle of goons from Groxbridge wear either gold and white silk if they are mostly hanging out with Evil Rhea, or black leather and fishnets if they are hanging out with Evil Namara. You tried asking about it once, but were informed it was a “mood” thing, whatever that means.

The tour is interesting enough.

Evil Namara knows a surprising amount about the architecture and history of the area. Apparently Oasis City was once the capital of yet another Aelderi worshipping nation. Somehow the city survived the following millennia following the collapse of the Aelderi, and later even survived Imperial colonization relatively intact, but the Cult of the Emperor didn’t develop particularly deep roots here, and after local warp storms cut off easy access to the world, the locals here feel back on a weird mix of pagan beliefs from different time periods plus some Chaos worship.

Intrigued, you try to pump Evil Namara for more information on what has happened to this world, but she seems to decide the information is useful leverage and gives only vague answers.

You switch topics and see if Evil Namara knows of any particular gifts you should get Your Namara.

>>5248843

Evil Namara seems to find the question genuinely interesting, and after some though, she notes it is somewhat difficult to remember what motivated her prior to joining the Daughters without having her thoughts on the past colored by her existing biases, but she does think of a few useful things. Namara sees herself as likely one of the last survivors of her home world, so enjoys tracking down raw material that she can modify into fashions from her world. She values strength, dislikes showing either physical or emotional weakness, and has a decent academic grasp on religion, but isn’t as religious as she seems. She enjoys the new, different, and spontaneous.

Most of that seems about right based on your past observations, perhaps all of it...

Evil Namara then takes you down to a market place where you watch her select a number of different silks, jewels, and body paints, seemingly at random. Also a few “toys”.

You try probing Evil Namara on what currently motivates her, but again she seems unwilling to give up potential leverage and doesn’t tell you much other than “she wanted to try new things”.

She then mocks you (politely) for a while on your own general unwillingness to embrace the hedonism of Oasis City despite your immunity to Chaos.

You decide to try cutting Evil Namara a deal in exchange for leaving your companions alone and getting to borrow Ella.

>Offer to help oversee one of the more dangerous excavations.

>Offer to embrace the lifestyle of Oasis City a bit more.

>>5248844
>>Offer to embrace the lifestyle of Oasis City a bit more.

>>5248844
>>Offer to embrace the lifestyle of Oasis City a bit more.

>>5248844
>>Offer to embrace the lifestyle of Oasis City a bit more.
Sounds like a fun little diversion.

>>5248844
>>Offer to help oversee one of the more dangerous excavations.

>>5248844
>>Offer to help oversee one of the more dangerous excavations.

File: Oasis City.jpg (32 KB, 360x450)

32 KB JPG

>Offer to embrace the lifestyle of Oasis City a bit more.

You decide to try and bargain with Evil Namara by offering to embrace her corrupt lifestyle a bit more.

Evil Rhea and Evil Namara clearly want to recruit you long term for whatever reason. And even stranger they haven’t messed with you too much with drugs or pheromones, so they probably want to recruit you ideologically.

Perhaps if play into this you can get them to leave Audrey, Jones, and Paula alone for a while.

You won’t be surprised if this was their plan all along, but it seems less risky than any other options you can think of.

Evil Namara agrees without much need for convincing, though she manages to make a good show of being genuinely hurt that “showing Audrey a good time” is in some way bad for her.

As you walk back to the Palace, Evil Namara lists off some “suggestions” for embracing the local culture, such as wearing something more climate appropriate, trying out some local “cuisine”, and embracing local “traditions”.

She even throws in Ella to be your “guide”, without prompting, which is strange on several levels. Not only does Ella probably not know much about local culture, but she also may possess knowledge that the Daughter’s won’t want getting in the wrong hands. Perhaps it is some sort of test of loyalty.

Back at your room, Ella encourages you to try out something from the wardrobe (which you have been studiously ignoring so far).
>Put on the “dress” made of near transparent silk and gold chains.
>Put on the odd collection of black leather straps and fishnets.
>Keep your white dress on.
>Switch to your “adventure clothes” you brought with you.

Ella also offers you a selection of narcotics to try out.
>Try the wine.
>Try the hallucinogenic leaves.
>Try the sensation enhancing berries.
>Abstain for now.

Ella also offers her own “services”.
>”Mess around” with Ella for a bit, Namara won’t mind if it is for the mission (probably).
>Give some arbitrary orders just to see if the collar is still working, Ella seems to be taking too much initiative for someone who is supposedly being mind controlled.
>Try to extract some information from Ella via questioning.
>Leave Ella alone for now.

Ella also notes that either Evil Rhea or Evil Namara would love to show you more “culture”.
>Go see Evil Rhea.
>Go see Evil Namara.
>Go see the Sexy Librarian, perhaps she knows something useful about the excavations.
>Go check up on Audrey, and also visit Paula and Jones as originally intended.

>>5253127
>>Put on the “dress” made of near transparent silk and gold chains.
>Try the wine.
>Try the sensation enhancing berries.
>Give some arbitrary orders just to see if the collar is still working, Ella seems to be taking too much initiative for someone who is supposedly being mind controlled.
Literally play Simon says with her. Use an order like "for the next five minutes, only obey commands that start with "Rhea says"", check if it works, and then try to trip her up. It may not work, but it would be fun ! Let's maybe keep it not too humiliating, no point fostering a grudge. But maybe make a video of it for Namara. I'm not inclined to fool around with Ella. We're not our clone.
>Go see Evil Rhea.
I could be persuaded to go see the others, but might as well show Rhea we're making an effort so she goes easy on them first.

>>5253127
>Put on the “dress” made of near transparent silk and gold chains.

>Try the wine.
>Try the sensation enhancing berries.

>”Mess around” with Ella for a bit, Namara won’t mind if it is for the mission (probably).

>Go see Evil Rhea.

>>5253127
>Keep your white dress on.
>Try the wine.
>Give some arbitrary orders just to see if the collar is still working, Ella seems to be taking too much initiative for someone who is supposedly being mind controlled.
>Go check up on Audrey, and also visit Paula and Jones as originally intended.

>>5253262
Supporting

>>5253262
>>5253127
Seconding.
"Rhea says touch the tip of your nose with the tip of your tongue, stand on one leg and count to one hundred. When you get to 57, change legs. When you get to 89, stand on both legs. When your done, take your tongue off your nose."

>Put on the “dress” made of near transparent silk and gold chains.
>Try the wine.
>Try the sensation enhancing berries.
>Give some arbitrary orders just to see if the collar is still working, Ella seems to be taking too much initiative for someone who is supposedly being mind controlled.
>Go see Evil Rhea.

You decide to put on the “silk dress”.

It covers even less than you though it would.

Two thin strips of silk hang down from the front of a golden neck piece and connect at the small of your back, forming a loose top of sorts, albeit one that is see-through, and shifts out of place anytime you move.

A golden belt has a short, thin decorative strip that barely covers your front, two silk bits on the side that don’t really do anything, while you back is completely exposed.

A couple of gold arms and leg bands and some high-heeled sandals complete the ensemble.

You grudgingly also let Ella braid your hair into a long pony tail and apply some eye liner and blush.

You then try out some of the “local cuisine”.

Some deep red wine and some berries that will “enliven the nerves” seem like the least risky of the items to try.

You have some, to no immediate effect, though Ella says they take some time to kick in.

Next you give Ella a series of arbitrary orders just to see if her collar still works.

As far as you can tell, it still seems to work...

Just like when other people have given her orders, she carries them out with a certain jerky rigidness, but she still seems to have some control over her eyes and facial expressions, which flicker between mild annoyance and discomfort as you give her orders like hop on one leg, stick out your tongue, and do a twirl.

However, she may just be a really good actress...

You decide not to question her for now. No doubt Rhea will find out one way or another, and you don’t want to antagonize her at this point.

You then decide to go see Evil Rhea, who no doubt is holding court, as per usual at this time of the day.

By this point, both the berries and the wine are starting to kick in.

The wine makes you feel rather tipsy as well as uncomfortably hot. Not to mention a little queasy.

The berries increase sensation alright, but mostly in the most sensitive parts of your body, which now ache with over-stimuli with every step or brush of clothing.

Doubling back to your room would probably be the smart choice, but you aren’t thinking to clearly right now, and you figure you might as well let Evil Rhea see you in this state, at least for a bit.

You enter the throne room near the back, and try to discreetly finding a bench to sit on, but you first almost trip on a step, and then lean to far back while sitting down and end up falling backwards right over the bench. You somehow disentangle yourself from the bench, fumble your way back to your feet, sit down properly, and rearrange your top so that it more or less covers what it is supposed to.

>>5255861

Then you realize who is addressing the throne room.

Namara.

With Vance and Delores.

What!?

You are about to say something you will probably regret, then you realize you have an overwhelming need to vomit, which sends you scurrying out into the nearest hall, and crouched over the nearest flowerpot.

After a certain period of time, Evil Rhea comes over and pats you on the back reassuringly, before commenting you will get used to the wine quickly enough.

You manage to mumble out a semi-coherent query, and Evil Rhea guesses your intent easily enough.

“Ever since you told me Vance and Delores are still alive, I have been thinking of excuses to bring them back into the fold. A Drukhari lair is no place for the likes of them. I asked Trys’ta to send me a tainted artifact in their possession, something that can only be handled with the right precautions. I figured they would send Namara rather than one of their own, and probably Vance and Delores as servants.” - Explains Evil Rhea.

That seems like a bit of a stretch to you, but you think Evil Rhea has access to at least one person with pre-cog abilities, so perhaps they foresaw this possibility.

“If you can convince Namara to leave Vance and Delores behind here, I doubt any of the Aelderi will miss them. It would be much appreciated, and you know deep down it is what Vance and Delores want. Whether you want to convince Namara to stay as well is up to you.” - States Evil Rhea.

>Refuse to help.

>Agree to help get Vance and Delores to stay.

>Try to get Namara to stay, but let Vance and Delores leave.

>Try to get everyone to stay.

>>5255862
>Agree to help get Vance and Delores to stay, but only if they want to.
If they truly are useless to the Drukhari, then this is free brownie points with clone Rhea. Still, I'd like for us to discuss it with them. But we should agree to do it on principle, say we'll talk to them and persuade them the Drukhari won't come to steal them back, and that we'll make sure it won't happen.

But before we chat with those two, we should move on to the more important stuff:
>Have Namara led to your room after the audience while you get her gifts ready, then have a heartfelt conversation about how she would have done the same in your situation, but you're still sorry.
I wonder if there are still berries left in our room. We should ask Ella to bring some more, they will most likely come in handy. I'd lay off the wine, though. Looks like an acquired taste.

Then we can see if Namara prefers to stay here a while, or if she'd feel safer if she and Rhea weren't both in the wolf's den. I mean, I don't think clone Rhea meant it as staying here after the negotiations and leaving the Drukhari, because that's something not even our Rhea is sure she wants to do.

>>5255862
>>Try to get Namara to stay, but let Vance and Delores leave.

>>5255862
It's concerning they they sent Namara down to the surface. If they're willing to have both pseudonulls in Evil Rhea's hands, maybe we're not so important to this endeavor after all?
Maybe we should take Namara and VD back to our room for a short conference so we can vomit with semblance of dignity.

>>5255862
>Try to get Namara to stay, but let Vance and Delores leave.

>>5255984
>Agree to help get Vance and Delores to stay, but only if they want to.
Supporting >>5255984. Agree but still talk with them and Namara to understand and not get screwed over again.

>Try to get Namara to stay, but let Vance and Delores leave.
>Agree to help get Vance and Delores to stay, but only if they want to.

You tell Evil Rhea you will try to convince Namara to stay, but that you want her to leave Vance and Delores alone until you have had a chance to talk to them further.

She seems mildly annoyed by this, but doesn’t really say anything other than “...and I thought we were making some progress...” followed by a heavy sigh.

You convince her to get Namara, Vance, and Delores sent to your room (once you drunkenly make your own way there).

You know you should probably freshen up, or at least get changed for these kinds of conversations, but you aren’t thinking too clearly, and you are also concerned Evil Rhea will seize the initiative somehow.

It takes a bit of time to convince Namara, Vance, and Delores you are the “real” (null) Rhea, not another of Evil Rhea’s fleshshaping projects, and not tainted by Chaos, though perhaps tainted by drugs and pheromones.

You then exchange brief updates, with you explaining that Evil Rhea seems to be trying to recruit you, but “softly” with only minimal use of pheromones and drugs, as well as some pressure being placed upon your companions as leverage. Namara notes nothing of interest has happened at the Aelderi HQ while you were gone. It seems for now Trys’ta is mostly focused on wearing down the Iron Horde forces, as well as her usual lazy debauchery. Namara was the one who volunteered to deliver the tainted item to Evil Rhea, and she mostly did it to check up on you. Trys’ta didn’t seem particularly concerned with her going. She didn’t even arrange for transport in a Venom for the return trip, apparently whenever Namara feels like returning, she is to take a land train to a settlement on the coast where a party led by Dren is investigating some ruins.

You then try to convince Vance and Delores that they should consider the implications of staying, but they are more afraid of the Drukhari than of Evil Rhea’s crew, and are particularly not keen on taking a land train through hostile territory, then hanging out with Dren and her party until they are bored poking around ruins. They seem convinced that they can lie low here and keep off the radar of the powerful and dangerous, much like they have in the past.

Namara is likewise not keen on leaving without you given Evil Rhea’s attempts to recruit you.

You briefly consider leaving yourself, but disobeying Trys’ta seems like a bad idea. Despite her whimsical nature, she is still a Drukhari.

You send Vance and Delores away and hope they keep out of trouble, then spend some time apologizing to Namara, who isn’t really interested given a) your drunk, and b) she is too worried about you to be properly angry that you left her behind to go on a high risk mission.

>>5259410

She is pretty impressed with the silks and jewelry, and even seems mildly intrigued by the various “toys” Evil Namara picked out, at least she was until you pointed out Evil Namara was the one who picked them out, which seems to make her angry, or perhaps jealous.

Apparently keen to keep your attractions in the right place, Namara very much “takes the lead” for the rest of the afternoon and evening.

-------------------------------

Two days later.

Things could be better.

They could be worse.

Evil Rhea and Evil Namara seem to uphold their end of the agreement and leave Audrey, Jones, and Paula alone, but you doubt this place is doing great things for them.

Audrey is skating pretty close to the edge of degeneracy. She drinks a lot, messes around with some of the milder drugs, dresses lightly (admittedly it is a very warm region), and you suspect she has had relations once or twice with slaves and minor functionaries.

Paula is surly and depressed, blames you for wrecking her life, and pessimistically considers her corruption to be inevitable, if it hasn’t already occurred.

Jones is actually doing pretty well, spending most of her time researching local history and culture. You are more worried what her allegiances and goals are. Even the Sexy Librarian seems impressed by her knowledge, and you can’t help but wonder if Jones is aiding Evil Rhea’s faction in ways that weren’t intended.

Vance and Delores are unfortunately a write off though. Something about this place (or perhaps meddling from Evil Rhea or Evil Namara) has amplified all their most questionable traits.

Delores has become extremely attention seeking, drug dependent, and eternally aroused. She has probably slept with half the palace at this point.

Vance is now irrational, aggressive, borderline bipolar, and also possessing an extreme libido. Evil Namara seems to have taken him on as her one boy toy among many girl toys.

Meanwhile, you and Namara are in a bit of a weird place. Namara seems to have decided the best way to keep you on track is to keep your attention on her. She dresses and behaves provocatively even when others are around, and your evenings have been wild and innovative, though it has been a while since you have seen her this domineering, and it reminds you uncomfortably of Evil Namara.

You decide you need to mix things up a bit.

>Get yourself, Namara, Audrey, Paula, and Jones out to one of the excavation sites.

>Try to ingrain yourself further with Evil Rhea and Evil Namara and figure out what they are up to.

>Plot with Namara to try to figure out a way to get your group transferred back to Aelderi HQ.

>>5259411
>>Get yourself, Namara, Audrey, Paula, and Jones out to one of the excavation sites.

>>5259411
>>Get yourself, Namara, Audrey, Paula, and Jones out to one of the excavation sites.
Jealousy is not the outcome I excpeted. But yeah, getting away from the city is the right call here. Clear our heads, get a feel for how things are going.

>>5259411
>>Plot with Namara to try to figure out a way to get your group transferred back to Aelderi HQ.

>>5259411
>>Get yourself, Namara, Audrey, Paula, and Jones out to one of the excavation sites.
Might as well see what all the fuss is about.
>>5259531
I didn't really think about it either, but it makes sense. Chaos Corruption aside, Evil Namara is basically Namara's ideal, self-actualized form in the living flesh. Null!Namara is also probably instinctively aware that if there is a single person who can lure us away from her, it's her evil, idealized doppelganger.

>>5259411
>Plot with Namara to try to figure out a way to get your group transferred back to Aelderi HQ.

>>5259411
>>Get yourself, Namara, Audrey, Paula, and Jones out to one of the excavation sites.

File: Cargo-8.jpg (154 KB, 1000x745)

154 KB JPG

>Get yourself, Namara, Audrey, Paula, and Jones out to one of the excavation sites.

You decide to get your group out of the Palace for at least a bit and out to one of the excavation sites.

This doesn’t end up being too difficult, you catch Evil Rhea before she has a chance to start her day in her audience chamber and ask her if you can see one of the excavation sites, to which she agrees without argument.

You are informed that a “land train” is heading to the nearest excavation site in two hours.

Evil Rhea arranges “some extra protection” (likely telepathically) before heading to her duties.

You rally the others in your party and meet your escort at the designated location.

The land train is a Cargo-8 Ridgehauler towing three additional containers.

The crew is an odd mix of rough looking locals, converted Thorakara, and House Kijeck goons, but the “extra protection” consists of Evil Rhea and Evil Namara’s inner circle of associates from Groxbridge, who by this point you learn are called either Light Selunites or Dark Selunites, depending on how they are dressed and what role they are playing on a given day.

Light Selunites dress in white silks and gold jewelry, and fill diplomatic/bureaucratic roles, while Dark Selunites wear studded black leathers and fishnets and fill enforcement roles. Those who were once furries wear stylized masks. Many members switch back and forth between “light” and “dark” frequently.

Apparently this practice is something Evil Rhea and Evil Namara came up with themselves, but it seems to draw inspiration from several of the cults and organizations allied with the Daughters.

There are four Dark Selunites in your escort, all of whom you have crossed paths with in the past.

Bear Man/Ursid Mask, Rabbit Mask/Sandra X, Yiffity-Foxity/Fox Mask, and Red Hair/New Girl/Nicky.

Also the Sexy Librarian is there, in Dark Selunite-ish garb for once despite the fact she is there mostly to provide information. She even dyed her hair black to match her “clothes”.

Despite this clearly being the VIP container, it is a cramped trip with ten people.

You end up talking to Nicky more often than not. You first met her in Groxbridge as a get-away driver for a failed raid, and encountered her several more times that day. As you remembered, she is bubbly and extroverted and prone to saying things she perhaps shouldn’t.

Through her you find out a range of potentially useful facts, like, yes she is technically a furry (she has a fox mask but almost never wears it), yes some members of the Selunites have been physically enhanced by Evil Rhea’s biomancy, and yes, she is Kayla’s daughter (natural birth back in Groxbridge when Kayla was in her teens, she hasn’t seen her mother in a while, but supposedly she is coming to the planet soon, a fact which you are less than thrilled with).

>>5262924

You eventually arrive at your destination, a sprawling ruin known as the Sandstone Needle for its dominant feature.

It is hot, sandy, and generally unpleasant, but you do see some pre-fab structures set up in the camp that look welcoming.

Lots of local laborers plus some converted Thorakara doing most of the grunt work, while other Thorakara and House Kijeck stand guard. Gun nests and towers are everywhere, and large walls enclose the camp and parts of the ruins.

>Start tour right away.

>Go inspect your temporary living arrangements.

>Ask why the security is to tight.

>>5262924
>yes, she is Kayla’s daughter (natural birth back in Groxbridge when Kayla was in her teens, she hasn’t seen her mother in a while, but supposedly she is coming to the planet soon, a fact which you are less than thrilled with).
Oh Lord...
>>5262926
>>Go inspect your temporary living arrangements.
>>Ask why the security is to tight.
Both of these. We should do the outdoor parts of the tour around sunset or when ever the planet cools off a bit. That's like, Desert Living 101.

>>5262926
>>Go inspect your temporary living arrangements.
>>Ask why the security is to tight.

>>5262926
>>Start tour right away.

>Go inspect your temporary living arrangements.
>Ask why the security is to tight.

You decide to go hang out in your temporary living arrangements until it is a bit cooler in the desert.

But first, you decide to ask Nicky why the security seems so tight.

“Oh, you know, the usual. Thorakara raids. Mutant bandits in the desert. Restless spirits and bound daemons in the catacombs. HYDRA IX and their puppets are supposed to arrive soon. And also my mother may arrive any minute now that we got the portal working...” - Says Nicky.

“Wait, what portal?” - You reply, trying to hide your nervousness.

“Oh, you know, a few worlds in this sector are connected by a corrupted section of the Webway. Apparently the people of Archipelagia blocked the route leading from here to their world during an ancient war, but Queen Rhea convinced your xenos allies to give her an ancient tainted artifact that has the power to unblock the route. That is what your Namara delivered a few days ago. We got the route unblocked recently, but who knows when my mother will deign to arrive, she does things her own way.” - Replies Nicky.

The number of revelations in that short conversation knock you off your feet a bit. Clearly Evil Rhea has managed to keep a few things from you, possibly Trys’ta as well.

You head up to your quarters as planned, and share the news with the others, who react with varying degrees of worry and disbelief.

You don’t get long to rest though, after an hour Nicky barges in and states her mother’s delegation has arrived.

Evil Rhea and Evil Namara are being flown in with some of their inner circle, but due to the shortage of senior lackeys available, your party is expected to attend to help pad out the numbers.

You get hustled over to the “Gate Room”, a large underground chamber with a twisted looking Webway Gate at one end. The arch is blackened and spiky, and the portal itself is a redish-pink rather than the usual blue.

Evil Rhea has assembled an honor guard of converted Thorakara and House Kijeck guards, as well as an audience of Selunites, excavation overseers, scholars, administrators, and local “priests”.

Unfortunately, your group ends up in the front row.

You are expecting Kayla to make a dramatic entrance, but what happens next is pretty intense even by the standards of all the things that have happened to you thus far.

First out of the Gate is an honor guard of mutants.

You recognize some as former members of “The Thugs”, by their distinct black leather armor segments, but they are now truly massive, usually around eight feet tall and with openings in their armor to display various mutations, as well as genitals and breasts, usually at least one of each, sometimes several.

>>5264048

Others you don’t really recognize, but you have a feeling some may be possessed by daemons, rather than just mutated. Aside from The Thugs, most of the mutants are female, more or less, and follow no real dress code, though often wear little or nothing.

Then comes Kayla herself, on a massive gilded palanquin.

It is carried aloft by six large Chaos Spawn, each more horrifying to look at then the last. You recall the Daughters call such creatures “Pleasure Flesh”.

On the palanquin is a golden throne made up of intertwined figures.

Kayla sits upon it, seemingly unmutated, though she now seems to share Evil Rhea’s aversion to clothes.

Two figure are crouched before her, massively pregnant, gagged, blindfolded, and chained to the throne. Both have a few mutations, including two sets of breasts, and seem to be incapable of doing anything other than writhe and moan.

You shudder as you recognize one as Trish, though are mildly surprised to recognize the other as Kik’Kik’Tee in human form, no doubt there is a story there.

You have heard that the pleasure associated with becoming an “Honored Mother” often causes individuals to lose all sense of self-control, though some seem to manage, like Evil Namara, and Kayla herself from what you recall.

Tailing the procession are a number of attractive slaves in chains. You are reasonably sure what they are intended for. Holding the chains are a diverse set of creatures you assume are actual daemons.

An invisible cloud of pleasure causing pheromones floats over the crowd, probably from the two large braziers carried by mutants at the front of the procession. Several people faint, including Audrey.

Jones decides she has seen enough and flees the chamber. Paula follows after some hesitation.

As Evil Rhea steps forward to greet Kayla, you decide to take advance of the distraction and slip out yourself with Namara.

You regroup at your quarters.

Jones made it back to hers as well, but seems very rattled and uninterested in talking.

No sign of Paula, hopefully she didn’t do anything stupid like flee into the desert, hide in the catacombs, or backtrack to the Gate Room.

>Go look for Paula.

>Go to bed, hopefully the “delegation” will go back to Archipelagia, or head to Oasis City, leaving your group in “relative” peace.

>Come up with a plan to flee to the ruins where Dren is doing her excavation, enough is enough.

>>5264055
>>Go to bed, hopefully the “delegation” will go back to Archipelagia, or head to Oasis City, leaving your group in “relative” peace

>>5264055
Look away for a day and this happens. Thank the Emperor we're on a blue board, because the no-nsfw rule probably isn't the only thing getting stretched in that parade. Also, Audrey is still in there, I think. Better do something about that. I don't trust clone Rhea that much.
>Go back in and drag Audrey out if we haven't done that.
>Go look for Paula.

>>5264055
>>Go look for Paula.
Might be a good idea. The corrupted webway explains how Evil Rhea gets around so much

>>5264187
If she's still in there then yeah we need to get Audrey when we get Paula. As for running away, it's probably too late for that for now.

(FYI, I am going on vacation, will be back Sunday night)

>>5264278
It's not really necessary either. We're not getting on clone Rhea's nerves, or here to double cross her. We don't have duties that would expose us to undue danger or corruption. We're probably safer here than in most other threads.
I'll also state that we maybe should be sneaky when fetching Audrey. If we get close to a demon or a Chaos Spawn, things could get ugly. I'm wondering if the Chaos Spawn would burst into a puddle or deflate like a balloon if we cut it from the warp ?
I'll also go on record saying that I'm fuzzy as to where we left off with Kayla, aka how likely is she to try and kill/convert us ?

>>5264055
>>Go look for Paula.

>>5264055
>Come up with a plan to flee to the ruins where Dren is doing her excavation, enough is enough.

>>5264318
Yeah usually when things go wrong for Rhea the safest place is right at the middle of everything.
As for Kayla she's probably still fucking pissed at us for almost killing her in cold blood that one time in thread 1 or 2. If Evil Rhea is smart she scapegoated us for it.

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>Go look for Paula.

You decide to go look for Paula. And maybe Audrey as well. Although you definitely like Audrey more of the two, you are NOT going back to the Gate Room to go looking for her.

Unfortunately, it seems like the “festive spirit” of Kayla’s entourage has spread through the camp and the ruins and you find yourself weaving through all sorts of debauchery.

You decide to head deeper into the ruins, as much to avoid the crowds as to widen your search.

You don’t find Paula, but unfairly, you do find Kayla, who for some reason is in a small, sand filled burial room at the end of a narrow corridor, accompanied by Trish, Delores, and some random Thorakara, all of whom seem thoroughly “spent” and unconscious.

This is basically the opposite of what you wanted to happen, but as you and Namara try to backtrack, you hear an awful grinding sound, and a heavy stone slab moves back into place, trapping you with Kayla. Clearly the door was far enough away behind you that Kayla could close it telepathically without running afoul your null zone.

“Null clones of rivals, just like the prophecy said.” - Muses Kayla.

You are getting sick of prophecies by this point.

“You have seen my raw power. Do you really want to go up against someone like me? I have far more to offer you than your progenitors, or whoever HYDRA IX sends, or whoever else is in the running. Give me this item when you find it and you will be rewarded beyond your wildest dreams, but if you cross me, I will dish out all the punishments I have dreamed of inflicting upon your progenitor ever since she almost made me end myself.” - Threatens Kayla.

Like many Daughters and their associates who are knowledgeable of your history, Kayla seems to consider you to be nothing but a clone of the “Real Rhea”, AKA Evil Rhea. Admittedly, she does have your original body, as the Drukhari had to clone you to rid you of Chaos Taint, though the exact details of how your soul was created is a bit ambiguous depending on who you ask, though you prefer to stick to how it was originally explained to you, that your soul is the original (mostly), and Evil Rhea is a mix of corrupted and copied bits.

Not that it really matters at present.

Kayla is quite capable of being cruel to anyone, outstanding grudge or not, and you aren’t sure how much En’Dee’Nette is reining her in these days.

>See if you can get some more details from Kayla on what her plans are for the ring, as well as what your reward is for you.

>Make some vague promises, then go seek out Evil Rhea and see what her plans are for the ring and whether there is anything in it for you.

>Make some vague promises, then keep trying to find Paula and Audrey.

>>5269468
>>See if you can get some more details from Kayla on what her plans are for the ring, as well as what your reward is for you.
I guess it's good she thinks we're a clone. We might as well ask some questions to figure out why they want this ring in the first place.

>>5269468
>>See if you can get some more details from Kayla on what her plans are for the ring, as well as what your reward is for you.

>>5269468
>>Make some vague promises, then go seek out Evil Rhea and see what her plans are for the ring and whether there is anything in it for you.

>>5269468
>>See if you can get some more details from Kayla on what her plans are for the ring, as well as what your reward is for you.

>>5269468
>See if you can get some more details from Kayla on what her plans are for the ring, as well as what your reward is for you.

I don't mind us asking questions, but let's tell her the truth: we're the one in the clone body because we didn't like messing around with chaos artifacts, so that thing and the whole prophecy around it really doesn't concern us, and it just happens that two of the interested parties like keeping us around as a pet, basically.

I'm not eager to see a repeat of thread 2 and the beginning of 3, what with us trying to play everyone and coming close to losing everything and everyone we cared about in the process.

Let's get some info, assure her we're not in the race for the current mcguffin, and skedaddle before we end up like Kik'kik'Tee, who I still remember as being briefly set up as a very dangerous and ridiculously more competent opponent. Kayla may be more dangerous now than clone Rhea, so let's not be anywhere near that brewing conflict or Kayla's weird pride parade, yeah ?

>>5271134
>but let's tell her the truth: we're the one in the clone body because we didn't like messing around with chaos artifacts
I don't agree with this because "Rhea who doesn't like messing with chaos artifacts" is 100% the Rhea who almost made Kayla kill herself, and Kayla is smart enough to figure that out herself. We don't really want her to know that we're more than a null clone of her rival, and we certainly don't want her to realize we're an actual person.
I do agree that we need to be careful about playing all sides, and we should definitely be working on an exit strategy. On the other hand, our patron is Trys'ta, and we need to bumblefuck ourselves into an adequately ridiculous situation to keep her entertained, so that doesn't mean we are just going to pack up and leave. But if push comes to shove we're going to support Evil Rhea over Kayla. Evil Rhea might be our rival but Kayla is an enemy.

>See if you can get some more details from Kayla on what her plans are for the ring, as well as what the reward is for you.

You aren’t super keen to disappoint Kayla, or engage with her in any manner really.

You try to convince Kayla you have no interest in getting involved in this magic ring business at all, but she seems very convinced that the prophecy specifically identifies you as the one who will hand over the ring to a being of great destiny, and that the Drukhari have their own reasons for seeing this prophecy fulfilled, otherwise why would they keep putting you in situations where you could fulfill the prophecy in the first place?

Luckily it seems that she is assuming that the Drukhari want the ring to end up with the Daughters of Peace, it doesn’t even seem to occur to her to press you for details on what instructions the Drukhari gave you regarding the ring (which is fortunate as there are no details to provide).

Instead, Kayla seems more concerned about which member of the Daughters you will give the ring to. Although both Kayla and Evil Rhea ultimately answer to En’Dee’Nette, it sounds like En’Dee’Nette has been focusing her attention elsewhere lately, leading to differences of opinion on who is a truer disciple of En’Dee’Nette.

According to Kayla, Evil Rhea is too cautious, controlling, and reserved compared to some of the old school purists. She rules her followers with an iron fist, gives them few opportunities to express themselves, shuns using her full abilities, avoids daemons, and approaches new experiences cautiously, or avoids them completely.

Though from what you have heard from Evil Rhea, Kayla arguably takes things to an opposite extreme. She uses her powers recklessly, is ruthlessly cruel and violent, and is prone to flashy displays when subtly is preferred.

From what you can tell, neither are exactly exemplars of their creed, but you suppose they still hold their positions since they get things done.

When you ask what Kayla intends to use the ring for, she is a bit cryptic on the details, but it sounds like (aside from greatly increasing her personal abilities) she intends to make a large pocket dimension, which in combination with the corrupted section of Webway, will allow the Daughters to create an unassailable mini-empire from which they can spread their flavor of corruption, while free from attacks from their enemies, whether Imperial, or rival Chaos powers.

In terms of reward, it is mostly things that don’t appeal to you (pleasure slaves, pseudo-daemonhood, endless drugs and rich food and drink) or things that aren’t as useful stuck in crazy land (lots of gold).

Unfortunately, Kayla doesn’t seem to care much whether her awards appeal to you, since she seems to assume she will have leverage over you to get her what she wants when the time comes.

>>5271989

She seems done talking to you for now, and keen to get back to her “recreational activities”, whether the others are ready or not.

Luckily she opens the chamber door and you and Namara flee before she changes her mind.

>Go talk to Evil Rhea and see what she has to offer.

>Keep looking for Paula.

>Start thinking of ways to flee the ruin.

>>5271990
>>Keep looking for Paula

>>5271989
>She rules her followers with an iron fist, gives them few opportunities to express themselves, shuns using her full abilities, avoids daemons, and approaches new experiences cautiously, or avoids them completely.
Evil Rhea is definitely Rhea, then. Regardless of what Evil Rhea has to offer, we should make an effort to support her over Kayla.
>>5271990
>>Keep looking for Paula.
And Audrey, of course. Just to bully Paula, we should tell her that the "vacation" part of this little excursion is over and she needs to quit fucking around (literally) so she's clear headed when it's time to put in work.

>>5271989
Oh. Oooh. That's bad. Very bad. We're actually a key part of the damned prophecy. I though we could just ignore it and now every big player wants to throw us into danger until we find the blasted thing !
Now, the one card we can play is the fact that we will be giving the ring (do we know it's a ring now ?) not finding it. So it can be argued that it should be a choice on our part and they can't just loot it from our corpse. On the other hand, that may be too vague to exclude blackmail and threats on loved ones. I'm not saying Namara specifically because she could be the one the prophecy mentions as well.
I wonder why we haven't seen more null clones pop up. The reward should justify the cost, and even if it's only the Drukhari that have the knowledge, we know they want to see the prophecy fulfilled. Someone should have tried it already, so what happened to the result.

I'm at the point where I'm considering pestering the Sexy Librarian so she can give us the actual text of the prophecy. I'd like to know what we're working with, and there may be something in the text made to evoke something to "the chosen one", so that's one more reason to bring Namara along.

But let's do one thing at a time. Rhea's rewards we can get later.
>Keep looking for Paula.

>>5272435
If it puts Paula back in working order, I'm all for trying this. We have enough teammate un-tainting to do as it is.

>>5271990
>>Go talk to Evil Rhea and see what she has to offer.

>>5272670
It might not have as much to do with us being nulls as the fact that we're the Real Rhea, though I'm sure Evil Rhea interprets it differently. Chatting with Sexy Librarian is a good idea as long as we don't accidentally disincorporate her, what with her being a Daemonette and whatnot.

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>>5264055
>It is carried aloft by six large Chaos Spawn, each more horrifying to look at then the last. You recall the Daughters call such creatures “Pleasure Flesh”.
Oi, Pleasure Flesh shouldn't be THAT bad to look at; They're literally just boobs, tentacles, and suckling orifices'...
At most they're just obscenely lurid with all their smacking and cooing.

>Keep looking for Paula.

You decide to keep looking for Paula for now.

It take a lot of searching, and a couple of awkward, unusual, or outright horrifying encounters with groups of partying Slaaneshi, before you finally track her down hiding in an outhouse.

She seems flustered and a bit embarrassed, probably the pheromones from earlier have messed with her head, and perhaps some psychic influence as well. For once she doesn’t try to blame you for anything or go on a rant, she seems deflated and demoralized, mumbling vague apologies and avoiding eye contact.

You give her a hard slap to the face, then a pep talk on how the vacation is over and you need her to focus again. You aren’t sure if it worked or not. Maybe for the best since you doubt she would approve of giving a tainted object to a heretic, prophecy or not. On the other hand, she may be your only real ally other than Namara. Audrey is barely half a step away from ending up like Delores and Vance in your mind, and you have always considered Jones’ loyalties to be a bit questionable.

You look for Audrey for a bit longer, but eventually give up and go try to find the Sexy Librarian.

You run into Nicky, and trade the location of her mother for the Sexy Librarian’s location, which ends up being in Evil Rhea and Evil Namara’s quarters.

You head on over, where to your mild annoyance, Evil Rhea, Evil Namara, Ella, and Vance are recovering in the large bed from their own “activities”.

The Sexy Librarian is in the corner prepping a high end cogitator for a briefing, and you can’t help but remember your first encounter with her under similar circumstances.

Audrey is passed out on a couch, mercifully still clothed.

Ella gets up and wrangles Vance off into a side room. With abnormally large, always erect genitals, and a single large breast, Vance is now one of the more obvious mutants in Evil Rhea’s service. You feel a bit guilty about not doing more to keep them out of Evil Rhea’s influence, but you suspect your influence on the matter is less than Evil Rhea indicated.

As a minor plus side though, the clearer view of Vance’s appearance as he is led past her shakes up Paula enough that she goes from embarrassed but perhaps also a bit intrigued, to outright horrified. She rushes outside and you hear some vomiting in the hall. Perhaps she will be a little more focused now, and upon reflection, you don’t really want her hear for this conversation.

You ask to speak with the Sexy Librarian (alone), but she seems keen to give her briefing, and you instead accept an offer from Evil Rhea to sit in.

Evil Namara offers you some milk and chocolate while the Sexy Librarian fiddles with the cognitator, and although you ignore the chocolate, you almost finish the nice cool refrigerated milk before it occurs to you where it may be from.

>>5273299

Finally, just before the briefing starts, Evil Rhea clues into why you seem more agitated than usual.

“Kayla made you an offer yes? What do you want? I am sure you will find me more accommodating than her.” - States Evil Rhea.

>(name some rewards and/or conditions for giving Evil Rhea the ring)

>>5273299
>you almost finish the nice cool refrigerated milk before it occurs to you where it may be from.
Well it's not fresh from the tap!

>>5273302
Kayla could not offer us anything that mattered anyway.
In an effort to prove to Trys'ta that we can be both somewhat competent and amusing to see get in trouble, we should bring up that Rhea agreeing to at least try to negotiate an unofficial alliance with the the Drukhari, as a bug-out plan.
Similarly, she should agree to keep us under her protection should our own situation within the Drukhari deteriorate.

It goes without saying that our little rivalry has to stop. We should all do our best to not intentionally screw each other over, even after this is over. No mind control, no slipping drugs in food and drink to coerce us, no kidnapping, no threatening one to get at the other.
If we are to work for her in getting the artifact, we should probably be kept informed about things, at least those regarding the artifact hunt, her dealings with Trys'ta.
I'd mention finding a way to contact Trys'ta to keep her informed, but it might be too dangerous to do out here, especially with Kayla around.

And obviously, we should ask Namara for what she wants, especially considering she might be the actual chosen one of the prophecy. Of course, all our conditions apply to both us and Namara, including if our Rhea disappears or dies. We should make a rule that if one pair loses their Rhea or Namara, the remaining partner will be protected by the other pair to the best of their ability.

Lastly, something that isn't a condition, but we ought to mention we were hoping to get the actual text of the prophecy, just in case there is something made specifically for us within. Or warnings. Because if we're going tomb raiding I want every crumb of info available.

I'm wondering how much of that Rhea is going to manage to articulate.

>>5273302
let's try to figure out what Evil Rhea has in mind for it, and what her goal is to begin with.

also, what are some things that Rhea actually *wants* other than a quiet, peaceful existence in a comped luxury hotel room on a paradise world that isn't being overrun with chaos and xenos, because we know she's not getting quiet or peaceful anything. It also might as well be as good a time as any to find out if Slaa-neth made her way back to Evil Rhea, or if she is bound to a new entity
>>5273467
>And obviously, we should ask Namara for what she wants, especially considering she might be the actual chosen one of the prophecy. Of course, all our conditions apply to both us and Namara, including if our Rhea disappears or dies. We should make a rule that if one pair loses their Rhea or Namara, the remaining partner will be protected by the other pair to the best of their ability.
This is a very "Rhea" course of action. Supporting.. The general goals in your post are pretty good, like an end to the rivalry and finding out what the prophecy actually says.

>Assorted requests

You think about it for a few seconds.

In terms of material goods, Evil Rhea doesn’t really have anything to offer you that you couldn’t get from Trys’ta. The Frozen Heart Kabal deals in all sorts of forbidden goods that are quite rare in the Imperium, and as a result, even the highest value Imperial goods are like cheap children’s toys for the likes of Trys’ta to acquire.

Land and property are a bit more tempting, but you don’t really want to live anywhere where Evil Rhea has leverage, and in any event, you won’t be able to enjoy it much unless Trys’ta starts giving you vacations more often.

But if things were to deteriorate with Trys’ta, goods and property will become much more valuable to you.

You start by probing Evil Rhea on the status of her relation with the Frozen Heart Kabal, but don’t really get much out of her other than some philosophical musings about how the Daughters and the Kabal already get along far better than expected given Slaaneshi are usually mortal enemies of the Aelderi, and the Daughters have little in common with the Drukhari from an ideological standpoint.

You then straight up ask for her protection from retaliation from Kayla, and perhaps sanctuary from the Kabal as well should things go south sometime in the future with them. Evil Rhea claims she has enough sway with En’Dee’Nette to keep Kayla off your back, but you have doubts based on how often Evil Rhea complains about how much of a loose cannon Kayla is. Evil Rhea is happy to offer you sanctuary though, given she has been openly trying to recruit you since you arrived in Oasis City.

On that theme, you push for Evil Rhea to stop her more aggressive attempts to recruit you, though she seems to take minor offence to this, pointing out she hasn’t done anything particularly coercive since you arrived in Oasis City, and even backed off Audrey, Paula, and Jones when you asked. You try arguing this point, but Evil Rhea deflects all of your arguments... Trying to recruit Audrey, Jones, and Paula – normal Daughter behavior. Pheromones – not specifically targeted at you, in fact pheromone usage has been deliberately lowered since your arrival, and the braziers of mind altering drugs removed from parts of the palace you frequent. Drugs in food – Ella told you in advance what they did, you ate them anyways. You don’t fully accept this, but admit Evil Rhea has made some effort to accommodate you.

You try to bring Namara into the conversation, but as per her norm she says little, seemingly content to let you handle the conversations with potentially dangerous individuals.

>>5274545

You then ask Evil Rhea what she wants with the ring. Her plan ends up sounding quite similar to Kayla’s. Not really a surprise since the high level directives behind the plan seem to come from either En’Dee’Nette or a senior follower. You imagine this pocket dimension mini-empire will end up looking a bit different though depending on whether Kayla or Evil Rhea is in charge.

Having talked for some time, you start slowing down, struggling to keep track of all the new information and your suspicions as to its accuracy.

Sensing you are tired, Evil Rhea offers to let you join the Sexy Librarian’s briefing.

>Sit in on briefing, see if you can find out more about the prophecy.

>Leave, try and think of a way to get in touch with Trys’ta.

>Leave, try and leave the camp entirely to rejoin the Drukhari.

>Leave, go to sleep back at your room.

>>5274547
>>Sit in on briefing, see if you can find out more about the prophecy.

>>5274547
>Sit in on briefing, see if you can find out more about the prophecy.
That's why we're here, so yeah. Let's try and stay awake for the briefing, maybe ask a few questions to the Librarian afterwards, then collect Paula and maybe Audrey and go back to our quarters.

We can agree that she has toned her pestering down, we just want that to continue past the artifact hunt and the current Trys'ta enforced cease-fire between us. We're at an acceptable level right now, with her going easy on Rhea and Namara, and willing to back off certain people when asked. For a Slaaneshi, that's already a good deal we're getting.

>>5274547
>>Sit in on briefing, see if you can find out more about the prophecy.
Supporting.>>5274732
>then collect Paula and maybe Audrey and go back to our quarters
We have, we slapped Paula and Audrey is passed out on a couch. We'll take them with us when we go back to our room I guess.

>>5274547
>Leave, try and leave the camp entirely to rejoin the Drukhari.

>>5274547
>Sit in on briefing, see if you can find out more about the prophecy.

>Sit in on briefing, see if you can find out more about the prophecy.

You decide to sit and stay for now.

The Sexy Librarian’s briefing is alarming to say the least, though she explains it in her usual emotionless voice.

It sounds like Evil Rhea’s anonymous “expert” on the prophecy believes it is coming close to fulfillment, as the “other two players” have now arrived.

You assume one of the “players” is Kayla, since they spend most of the time speculating on the abilities of the other “player”, HYDRA IX, who has recently arrived in orbit and has now deployed landing craft.

It appears HYDRA IX has assembled some of their best pawns for this mission.

HYDRA IX arrives on board the Rogue Trader/pirate vessel “Armis Irresistibilis”, captained by the infamous outlaw Malleia Helmhaus, eldest daughter of an even more famous outlaw. The Helmhaus clan is infamous for their belief that no amount of firepower is too much firepower, and possess a large professional army.

However, some of the landing craft are clearly of Tau origin.

The Sexy Librarian figures they are forces under the command of Shas’O Fi’rios Kais Lad’Ai and Aun’El Dar’Shum. You have heard of them before. Kais is the sister of Shas’O Fi’rios Vara Lad’Ai, commander of the failed invasion of Damnatum Lutum, and sister of Shas’O Fi’rios Shia Lad’Ai, commander of the failed invasion of Archipelagia, with Dar’Shum as the secret mastermind of both catastrophic failures. The three sisters were once in charge of a large fleet scouting out the near empty regions “south” of the main Tau Empire (including your home subsector), but a series of misadventures and bad alliances has dwindled their forces considerably, and the remaining leaders are now extremely desperate for a major win.

Vara and Shia are now possessions of Trys’ta’s boss Wyen’dala, and you know she would be quite interested in completing the set, though you aren’t sure you have it in you to deliver another sentient being into the possession of someone like Wyen’dala.

Naturally, before you get the chance to ask more about the prophecy, one of the black leather furries, AKA Dark Selunites, bursts into the room and says several landing craft are heading straight for these ruins.

>Ask Evil Rhea how you can aid in the defence of the ruins.

>Ask Evil Rhea what comes next in the prophecy.

>Sneak off somewhere quiet and safe.

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>>5275877
>Vara and Shia are now possessions of Trys’ta’s boss Wyen’dala, and you know she would be quite interested in completing the set, though you aren’t sure you have it in you to deliver another sentient being into the possession of someone like Wyen’dala.
It's okay if it's a T'au. Also if this pans out we might be in a good spot with the Kabal.
>Ask Evil Rhea what comes next in the prophecy.
I mean if we're going to be running and hiding for our lives in a few moments we should have a good idea where and why we are running.

>>5275877
>>5276051
>Ask Evil Rhea what comes next in the prophecy.
Yes, please give us the mcguffin finding prophecy before we are interrupted by another incredibly-timed catastrophe/bonked in the back of the head.
(I'm kidding, I don't mind the way you're doing things.)

What's Wyen'dala like ? If she's the one who made us a deal on Archipelagia, then she is the first Drukhari I ever found to be somewhat sane. Was Rhea an exception, or is she like Trys'ta ? I'm not even sure what Rea's stance on the Tau might be ?

>>5276233
She's a fairly standard Drukhari Archon, she enslaved Trys'ta for like 3 years for some infraction related to her grynx which iirc is the reason Trys'ta gets along so well with Mon'keigh (her coworkers as a slave)
The grynx is probably a bigger threat to Rhea's welfare than anything else in the Frozen Heart's spire, incidentally.

>>5275877
>>Ask Evil Rhea what comes next in the prophecy.

>>5275877
>Sneak off somewhere quiet and safe.

>Ask Evil Rhea what comes next in the prophecy.

You are still pretty concerned about this whole prophecy business, and try to press further on that while the others scramble to ready themselves for a fight.

Only the Sexy Librarian seems much inclined to explain further.

“’Prophecy’ is a strong word, it is more like an interconnected series of possibilities that different people interpret differently depending on the nature of their precognitive abilities. We have known for a while that a ring will be found soon that will shape the fate of the sector in a fairly significant way. More recently we have narrowed it down to this world, and by arriving here when we did, we eliminated or reduced a number of possibilities that would have been poor for the Daughters, the Aelderi, and even the Imperium. Our main focus now is who gets the ring. Based on the latest precog attempts, we know there are at least three individuals who have a reasonable chance of getting their hands on the ring, though there are a number of other possibilities that are too unlikely to get a strong handle on their nature. Getting you involved seems to have significantly shifted the odds in our favor, just like the Aelderi said it would, though I have never much liked the Aelderi Farseeing techniques, too abstract for my tastes.” - Explains the Sexy Librarian.

“At any rate, it is not important now. HYDRA IX seems to have gotten some insight that we overlooked. They have landed several shuttles in a very specific part of the ruin we haven’t looked at thus far, while the rest of their shuttles are landing outside the ruins, probably because there isn’t enough space for them to land. We will have to split our forces between finding the ring before they do, and holding off their main force. You are with the ring finding force obviously, the Aelderi visions seem to suggest things work out best for us if you remove the ring and gift it.” - Continues the Sexy Librarian.

As per usual, a lot of revelations you won’t have minded knowing much sooner. Assuming the Sexy Librarian is telling the truth (which is likely given her strange compulsion to share facts), Trys’ta sent you in to skew probabilities towards her preferred outcomes, though you are at a loss as to why she didn’t explain anything to you. Perhaps knowing more would have skewed probabilities in the wrong direction, or perhaps knowing or not didn’t make a difference and she was just too lazy to explain it, or took pleasure in your discomfort.

Likewise, Evil Rhea explained the prophecy in vague terms during your first night in Oasis City, but you are not sure why she is letting the Sexy Librarian explain it in further detail only now. Perhaps further details only became available recently.

>>5278776

Either way, it sounds like you are more central to the prophecy than Evil Rhea stated a few nights ago. You imagine they will try to get you to accompany them to the ring no matter what, but you may still have a bit of wiggle room to negotiate...

>Pick who you want brought with you into the ruins: Namara, Audrey, Paula (as many or as little as you want, the rest you can try to convince to hide somewhere).

>How far do you push for defensive gear and weaponry for you and your companions? (remember it is more or less a given the Daughters will get their best to try and protect you).

>Now that you know your role in the prophecy, do you try and haggle for anything further? What do you want?

>>5278779
>>Pick who you want brought with you into the ruins: Namara, Audrey, Paula (as many or as little as you want, the rest you can try to convince to hide somewhere).
everyone with us, it is probably safer for them.
>>How far do you push for defensive gear and weaponry for you and your companions? (remember it is more or less a given the Daughters will get their best to try and protect you).
a few guns and blades wouldn't hurt. (and a holster)
Maybe Rhea should get a bump helmet
>>Now that you know your role in the prophecy, do you try and haggle for anything further? What do you want?
let's keep it vague and make sure Evil Rhea knows that going forward, she'll owe us some favors.

>>5278910
Supporting

>>5278910
Supporting also.
>Holster
>Head protection
>No one left out of sight
>No further haggling beyond mentioning our clone owing us a couple favors.

I had already made my demands knowing we were a central piece of the prophecy, so this is nothing new, really, but favors are good. Remember, owing a favor to a Drukhari crewmate of Try'ta is how we got sent here, even though I now suspect it was not her decision and rather just a excuse so we would go where we were needed for the prophecy.;

>Bring everyone.
>Helmet, guns, blades, holster.
>A couple of favors.

You make some hasty preparations.

At your request, Audrey is waken up by Evil Rhea via some telepathic or biomantic trick. Apparently after she passed out in the Gate Room, Ella and Vance were tasked with bringing her to safety and she has been lying on the couch ever since.

You demand a few unspecified favors from Evil Rhea, which she agrees to, though you suspect you will have to word said favors very carefully.

Ella is told to help track down some weapons for your group.

You pick a small captured Drukari splinter pistol, power sword, high-end dueling laspistol, holster, bandoleer of hot-shot charges, and a Thorakara helmet that more or less fits.

Namara gets a high end triplex pattern lasgun. Paula gets two revolvers, a combat knife and an autocarbine, Audrey gets a lascarbine, and Jones gets a revolver and a machete.

Your group is escorted by about a dozen Dark Selunites, including Ursid Mask, Rabbit Mask, Fox Mask, Saint Nick, the Sexy Librarian, and Corgi Mask.

There are also some Kijeck sorcerers and daemonettes in the group, but like Evil Rhea, and Evil Namara, they keep some distance from you in order to use their powers to their full extent.

Evil Rhea's war party makes its way into the ruins quickly, absorbing scattered bands of soldiers and laborers along the way.

The first skirmish is with a small group of Helmhaus armsmen. With unnecessarily decorated and sometimes impractical blue and white uniforms, gold armor, and polished helmets with a large spike on top, they don’t seem like a group to be taken seriously, but with an abundance of sleek, master crafted power, bolt, plasma, and shock weapons, as well as personal shields, they badly outgun Evil Rhea's war party before the sorcerers and daemonettes intervene to reduce them to moaning piles of expanding sexual organs and writhing tentacles.

A few minutes later, a large group of Tau meets a similar fate, though Evil Rhea's war party takes even further losses.

Nearby is an ancient gate the Tau clearly made some effort to blast through. Evil Rhea's war party enters, and ends up fighting yet another brutal skirmish in order to clear an antechamber, then a large chamber like space with many exits. This forces Evil Rhea's much diminished war party to split up, with only a few Dark Selunites escorting you, Namara, Paula, Jones, and Audrey as you proceed down one of the smaller side tunnels.

You enter a seemingly empty room, but as the entirety of your group enter, a large stone drops from a hidden alcove, blocking your retreat, while some sort of psychic illusion dissipates, revealing a small group of HYDRA IX agents, Tau, and Helmhaus armsmen, including two Space Marines and some sort of large, gold plated combat servitor.

“I recommend you surrender now!” - Calls out a voice.

>Surrender.

>Fight with everything you got.

>Stall and hope reinforcements arrive.

>>5281512
>>Surrender

>>5281512
>Fight with everything you got.

>>5281512
>>Surrender.
Yeah, no. I'd consider surrendering even if it was just the two Marines, but with everyone else, especially since we no longer have sorcerer/daemonette support, it's not even a question.

>>5281980
And I'm afraid that stalling will get someone shot and accomplish nothing of value except give Rhea more mental scarring she frankly doesn't need.

>>5281512
>Surrender.
Surrendering is a firm of stalling, sort of. As long as we don't get tied up.
Kayla is still on good terms with Hydra IX so maybe we can get out of this (assuming hydra ix isn't full of mutually hostile schizophrenic splinter cells)

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>Surrender.

You decide to surrender and drop your weapons to the ground.

Namara, Jones, Paula, and Audrey follow suit, and even the three Dark Selunites as well. They don’t answer to you, but they probably recognize it is a bad situation.

Some Helmhaus troops come forward and collect your dropped weapons.

Now that things have calmed down slightly, you take closer stock of the enemy.

About half a dozen Helmhaus troops, even more elaborately dressed than the ones you encountered before. You have a strong feeling the leader is Malleia herself, or at least a close kinswoman. Her armor and hammer are exquisitely well crafted, and her face and body are perfect, likely due to subtle gene manipulation. The combat servitor is clearly theirs as well.

There are also eight HYDRA IX agents present. You recognize most of them. Hiroka. You would have been happy not to see her again. You are pretty sure the colonel and the two Alpha Legionnaires were present when you first met Kayla, back when she ran with HYDRA IX. There is also the red haired woman you think is a null. Rounding out the party is a twitchy psyker, a swordswoman, and a female squat with a meltagun. They are thinly disguised as an Inquisitional warband, but all wear enough blue and green to make their allegiances obvious, to you anyways.

The Tau are probably the least impressive in the group. Five Fire Warriors and a Water Caste. No doubt the Commander and the Ethereal are elsewhere.

Hiroka seems quite pleased to see you, unfortunately.

“Oh good, just as planned. We have located the ring, and the clone of a rival. Come with us. Your companions will remain here. And if you don’t cooperate, they will be shot. If you help us though, you will be offered a spot in an organization that uses the Warp for the Good of Mankind, not Self-Fulfilling Degeneracy.” - Says Hiroka.

You doubt you will ever willingly join the group that corrupted or killed many of your friends back during your brief Guard career, but grudgingly, you accompany Hiroka out of the room, and through a series of side tunnels.

She brings half of the HYDRA IX group, except the colonel, the null, and the two Legionnaires, who remain behind with some Fire Warriors and Helmhaus troops to guard your companions. Malleia and the Water Caste also follow Hiroka’s group, along with two guards each. Annoyingly, Jones is also ordered to come along, and she quickly begins sucking up to her new masters, providing all sorts of insights about the ruins.

You arrive in a large circular crypt-room with dozens of mummified corpses laid out on slabs all around the central focus point of the room, which is a massive brazier with bluish glowing soul flames.
“The ring is in the middle of the flames, bring them to me.” - States Hiroka.

Suddenly Evil Rhea’s war party bursts into the room.

“Bring the ring to me, a deal is a deal.” - Says Evil Rhea.

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>>5282560

Suddenly Kayla and a bunch of her followers burst into the room.

“Give the rings to me or Namara dies!” - Yells out Kayla.

“I mean clone Namara, the one this is paired with. We took down the Alpha Legionnaires and assorted allied rabble.” - Clarifies Kayla.

Hiroka checks something in her ear, then indignantly denies this, but she could just be acting.

Suddenly many of the mummified bodies in the room come to life, and their apparent leader croaks out – “Give the rings to me, and I will make you an immortal goddess!”

Evil Rhea sighs at this. “Anyone else want to ask for the ring?” - Evil Rhea says sarcastically.

Jones, Malleia, the Water Caste Tau, and Evil Namara all put their hands up.

“I can offer you endless riches, and a place in Imperial High Society.” - Says Malleia.

“I can offer you a place in the Tau Empire, where everything is done for the good of all.” - Says the Water Caste.

“Uhm, I will give it to a museum, for science.. I mean to examine this precious artifact to gain knowledge and insight into lost cultures... or something.” - Says Jones unconvincingly.

Evil Namara doesn’t make any sort of offer and just smiles slyly.

Then a large, rat-like mutant enters the room.

“I may have become a freak, but beneath my hideous exterior is a heart of gold...” - Begins the creature.

“Enough of this charade, just give the ring to me!” - Interrupts Kayla, and everyone starts arguing with each other.

Surprisingly, there is no violence yet, but there probably will be once you take the ring and try giving it to someone.

>Give ring to Evil Rhea.

>Give ring to Kayla.

>Give ring to Hiroka.

>Give ring to Evil Namara.

>Give ring to Malleia.

>Give ring to undead mummy thing.

>Give ring to Tau Water Caste.

>Give ring to Jones.

>>5282563
>Keep the ring, and ask the mummy what exactly they mean by "immortal goddess"
I'm still leaving towards giving it to Evil Rhea as long as she can keep Namara safe and sticks to our deal.

>>5282563
>>5282582
First off, glad to see you're still having fun writing these shenanigans, QM!
What's the rat thing referencing ?

>Introduce ourselves to the ring and see if it can't project shield around our group and our clones and their war party.
That would help. Hell, just shield everyone so they can't touch each other. Can't have people shooting each other while we're having a conversation, after all !

>Keep the ring for now, and ask the mummy what exactly they mean by "immortal goddess"
Yeah, last time I saw a man be promised immortality by an undead mummy thing, he also became an undead mummy thing. Let's ask for some clear clarification on that deal.

I'm still sort of in favor of giving the ring to clone Rhea. I though we could use a ring to solve our problems and be left alone once before, and I'm not keen on doing it again, no thank you. At least not without some serious guarantees. And we did give our word.

Let's see how this goes.

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>>5282637
>What's the rat thing referencing ?
I was originally going to put pic related in the image as a combo breaker, but it didn't really fit well

>>5282563
>Give ring to Malleia.

>Talk to mummy thing.

You walk up to the brazier and take out the ring from within. Your null-like abilities cause the soul flames to extinguish temporarily.

Despite the tenseness of the situation, you briefly wonder what is so special about you.

You are pretty sure HYDRA IX has at least one null, and probably the means to manipulate blackstone as well.

Also, both Kayla and Hiroka have mentioned you being “a clone of a rival”, which clashes a bit with your intent to give the ring to Evil Rhea. Can Evil Rhea be her own rival? Maybe it is some sort of conflict between the corrupted parts of Evil Rhea, and the parts that are still relatively sane.

And maybe these types of prophecies end up being self-fulfilling as individuals try to create the situations they think will favor them.

As you hold the ring you are almost disappointed with the fact that it displays no signs of sentience.

However, this is perhaps not too surprising.

As far as you can tell, you are immune to all sorts of direct telepathy and mind control aside from certain indirect measures like pheromone production and illusions that directly manipulate light, but being able to unlock the power of the ring for yourself, even if only briefly, would have come in very handy.

More than once you have found yourself missing the almost god-like powers once provided by Slaa-Neth.

On a whim, you ask the mummy thing about the nature of the powers it provides, hoping it is somehow not Warp related, but Evil Rhea rudely interrupts you to point out that you had access to large amounts of raw power before, but you chickened out.

The mummy thing gets pissed off at Evil Rhea and attacks her, resulting in a destructive psychic battle between the two. Kayla and the HYDRA IX psyker join in, probably the only others in the room to have the strength to get in a fight of that calibre.

Most of the others scatter for cover, but a few, including Jones, Hiroka, Malleia, the HYDRA IX swordswoman, and two Dark Selunites have the bravery or determination to rush you directly.

>Evade capture and wait for the fighting to die down, then give the ring to (insert option here).

>Make a beeline for (insert option here) and try to give them the ring.

>>5283786
Evil Rhea really is trying her hardest to make sure we don't give her the ring.
>>Evade capture and wait for the fighting to die down, then give the ring to (insert option here).
Let's focus on evading capture then once we make sure Namara is okay, worry about the ring. It's a volatile situation but right now the ring is our only leverage

>>5283880
Yes this

>>5283786
>Make a beeline for (Malleia) and try to give them the ring.

>>5286537
Why Malleia?

>>5286599
Because fuck you that's why.

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>Evade capture.

You decide to try evading capture for now, in hopes that you will somehow work out a way to get the upper hand in this clusterfuck.

How, you have no idea.

But first, you need to avoid the small group chasing after you.

You turn to run, but almost instantly get tripped by a stone slab that definitely wasn’t there before. The ring almost bounces out of your hand, but you catch it just in time. No doubt if the ring gets too far from you, one of the psykers will use their powers to grab it.

You scrabble upright, but see the others are almost upon you.

Luckily, they aren’t exactly on the same side.

Malleia gets in a fight with the hulking brute you usually think of as Ursid Mask, and Rabbit Mask trips up Jones before tackling Hiroka.

The swordswoman almost gets you though, before a chunk of telekinetically thrown debris clips her and sends her spinning.

The undead mummy thing swoops in, but veers away last second, possibly discomforted by your null aura. The HYDRA IX psyker then appears and smashes her further back before trying to wrestle the ring from you.

Even without his powers, the psyker is surprisingly strong, and almost gets it before you knock him back with a hard shove.

You are about you make another break for it, but a flash of incredible pain flares through your upper arm.

You look down, and go into shock as you realize your arm is now missing at the elbow, severed at the elbow.

You stumble backwards, your vision going black...

You think you see something slamming into the swordswoman as she reaches for the ring that fell from your severed limb........

Then darkness...................

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

You wake up on a stone slab in a horrifying abattoir of mangled, but still living flesh.

For a moment, you think you died and your soul has been lost to the Warp, but then you recognize you are in a Homunculus’s lair, which is arguably worse.

You look down at your missing limb, but see another has been attached, identical to the missing one, but untanned and uncallused.

“Neat huh? We cloned a new body, then harvested its arm. We could have just reattached your old arm, but this way sounded cooler, and the recovery time was slightly quicker.” - Says a voice, which you then recognize as Trys’ta’s.

You doubt she has been there for long. She is in her extra kinky attire, which she only wears for sex and sex related activities, so probably someone called her down from her room.

For once, Trys’ta seems willing to indulge your questions, though not before you have to give her a long account of your activities in Oasis City and the ruins.

>>5288197

It turns out Evil Rhea was the one who managed to secure the ring, though she isn’t particularly happy you held out on her. She did make contact with Trys’ta so they could retrieve and repair you (her usual fleshshaping tricks don’t work on you since you are a pseudo-null) but they are holding Namara and Audrey hostage until you apologize for breaking the deal.

Although you are ecstatic that Namara is still allegedly alive, you figure there will be a few strings attached to getting her back.

You are even less pleased to find out that you have been out for nearly three months since Trys’ta forgot to pay the Haemonculus, and he put you in cold storage until she remembered. Who knows what could have happened to Namara or Audrey in the meantime, or what powers Evil Rhea could have gained?

>Arrange to go apologize to Evil Rhea.

>Try to convince Trys’ta to bust rescue Namara and Audrey.

>Ask Trys’ta more questions (type what you want to ask her).

>>5288199
>>Arrange to go apologize to Evil Rhea.
We should point out we hadn't broken the deal, we just wanted to find out what the mummy meant by being an immortal goddess because being a mummy that means we'd likely end up being a mummy as well and that sounded like a shit deal. She's the last person in the galaxy who can give us flak for asking inappropriate questions at inopportune times. If Evil Rhea had kept her panties on for like 5 more seconds she would have gotten the ring with no problems. Also where is Paula?

>>5288199
>>Arrange to go apologize to Evil Rhea.

>>5288199
>Try to convince Trys’ta to bust rescue Namara and Audrey.

>>5281512
>reduce them to moaning piles of expanding sexual organs and writhing tentacles.
Yes......

>>5282560
>uses the Warp for the Good of Mankind, not Self-Fulfilling Degeneracy
Oi!
The Daughters fulfil Degeneracy for all!

>>5287586
>Because fuck you that's why.
So we all know this poster is being a disingenuous contrarian, right?

New thread next update?

>Arrange to go apologize to Evil Rhea.

You decide the best way to get Audrey and Namara back is to go apologize to Evil Rhea.

Trys’ta agrees readily enough, though you imagine that has as much to do with maintaining good trade ties with the Daughters as it does getting Namara back.

Since Trys’ta doesn’t feel like getting changed, or risking her neck, she tries to pawn off giving you a ride to someone else.

You soon find yourself power walking through the halls of the Frozen Heart, the massive (by your standards, probably small by Drukhari standards) Drukhari outpost where the Frozen Heart has made its home.

You aren’t particularly thrilled to be back...

First Trys’ta tries Dren. Inside Dren’s room, (which is organized and austere, unlike Trys’ta’s) Dren and Paula are drinking tea from a human made porcelain set. Dren is in her usual attire, but Paula wears nothing but cat ears and a collar (which looks an awful lot like the ones you used to wear sometimes early in your service to Trys’ta). Dren and Paula are looking at each other disdainfully and distrustfully, but Paula seems alright given the circumstances. Dren must have got her extracted from the ruins somehow to continue paying back her twenty-three favors with one week service periods at a time. Paula should technically be halfway through her debt, assuming Dren honors her side of the agreement, which you doubt.

Before Trys’ta even gets the chance to ask Dren for anything, she simply says “no”, and glares until you leave.

As you proceed to the next room, you ask Trys’ta how Paula has been doing, but she simply shrugs.

You decide that given Paula still seems to have some fighting spirit, she is more or less okay, though that may just be your guilt talking.

The next room you visit belongs to Naph.

Yet again, Trys’ta barges right in.

You have never been in Naph’s room before.

Random junk is piled everywhere. Human surfboards, old clothes, hookahs, potted plants, a couple of (hopefully) passed out slaves in the typical masked “attire” of Frozen Heart Kabal chattel.

Naph herself is wearing just a psychedelically patterned t-shirt of human origin, trying to lick the heel of her left foot, seemingly high as a kite.

Trys’ta sighs deeply, comments on how she probably could have delivered you by now, and leads you off to the hanger area.

As Trys’ta pushes you in the back of a Venom, it belatedly occurs to you that you aren’t wearing anything, though Trys’ta simply makes a dry joke about how you will fit right in.

>>5290688

A short time zig zagging through the Webway later, and you find yourself in a massive jungle sinkhole, on what you think is Archipelagia. The Webway Gate is on one side of the lake at the bottom of the sinkhole, and a large door framed by lewd carvings is on the other side. Trys’ta drives the Venom to the far side, then lets you off near the large door. To your surprise, the “lake” is barely a foot deep, though appears much deeper.

Trys’ta says she will “pick you up when you are ready” and leaves without further instruction, like how to contact her.

After a few minutes of worrying and self-doubt, you cautiously approach the door, and gingerly open it.

It swings freely for its size, and you find yourself in the realm of your evil clone...

It is clearly a pocket dimension, Evil Rhea told you of her intent to make one, but it is far larger than the ones you have seen in the past.

Before you is a large crater, containing a decent sized city of several different architectural styles. You recognize some from Archipelagia and Damnatum Lutum. Around the edge of the crater are a number of strange gateways and portals, including doors and door frames standing out in the open, corrupted Webway Gates, and strange, swirling vortexes. Each one, including the door you came from, has a number of lewd statues of varying sizes watching it, and despite your null nature, you have no doubt the statues have sensed your presence and alerted someone.

Perhaps most alarmingly though, is the fact that in all directions around the crater, the land is flat and barren and extends outwards until it gets obscured by a pink mist, which also doubles as the sky. Somehow you sense this pocket dimension is not yet finished, and Evil Rhea has the ability to keep expanding it for as long as she desires. It chills you a bit she already created so much in just a few months.

A floating disk arrives carrying Ursid Mask and Rabbit Mask, both in their “Dark Selunite” garb, though it has been reworked to include exquisite materials and craftsmanship, and cover even less than before. Ursid Mask looks even larger and more bestial than the last time you saw him, while Rabbit Mask is even more beautiful than before, though about a foot taller, and the gilded rotary cannon she carries easily, with its massive ammo drum, leave no doubts as to her unnatural strength.

Without using anything other than single syllable words and curt gestures, the three of you ride the disk into the city, then walk to the massive palace in the center.

As you travel through the streets, you get brief glimpses of the strange society of the city.

As Trys’ta hinted, most people don’t wear much (or anything) here, and women (more or less) outnumber men greatly.

>>5290689

There seems to be a primitive social hierarchy, with daemonettes and matronly looking women on top, their overwhelmed or befuddled servants and lovers in the middle, and their mind broken slaves, mutants, and spawn on the bottom.

No one seems to be doing much work other than travelling between private residences and orgy dens, drug dens, gardens, etc., but there are some restaurants and artisanal workshops.

You eventually arrive at the palace, which has a decidedly military bent to it for an organization called the Daughters of Peace. Perhaps this reflects the controlling nature of Evil Rhea that Kayla once hinted at.

Here, everyone can be readily identified by their attire.

Half masks, collars, knee length heeled boots and elbow length gloves for the servants and slaves.

Full masks, collars, military boots, and bicep length gloves for the low ranked guards (but also some deliberate visual clues to their previous allegiances, you spot the helmets and field caps of the Thorakara, the pickelhaube of the Helmhaus soldiers, the wedge caps of the Archipelagia PDF among many others).

The higher ranks seem to have more leeway on their attire, but like the others seem limited to black leather, and occasionally black silk or metal for most of their wardrobe, though each has some identifying feature for their role. Animal masks for Dark Selunites, horned masks or crowns for administrators, priests, scholars, or other more occult specialists, and black iron masks for certain other security types.

There are more women than men, especially in the lower ranks, though you doubt all of them started that way, particularly among the lower ranking guards. Quite a few of the servants, slaves, and guards are shaped in your or Namara’s image. Pregnancies appear common at all levels, as do mutations, with multiple breasts, tails, tentacles, hooves, elongated tongues, claws, and talon like fingernails being the most common. A few at the lower levels have blue skin, indicating they are probably forcibly converted Tau.

You eventually find yourself in a massive audience chamber / feast hall.

There is a lot of people here, but you manage to stride forward without showing too much trepidation or self-consciousness. You have been in worse situations. Probably...

On the far side, you see a massive throne, upon which Evil Rhea herself sits.

She looks much the same as before, except nine feet tall, hooved, horned, and pregnant.

Off to her side, Namara looks almost exactly the same as when you last saw her.

>>5290690

A number of seemingly mind broken pregnant consorts writhe and moan before the throne. You recognize Hiroka, Malleia, the Water Caste Tau, and (perhaps ironically) Kayla herself among them. No doubt the rest are important too.

You also spot the Sexy Librarian among the scholars, Vances, Delores, Ella, and Jones among the servant-slaves, and several of the Dark Selunites.

“Time to plead your case.” - Whispers Rabbit Mask as you approach the foot of the throne, but provides no further instruction.

>Grovel on the floor until spoken to.

>Remind Evil Rhea this isn’t really your fault, she should have known you would ask some inappropriate questions before parting with the ring.

>Do a somewhat dignified bow, apologize eloquently, then try to haggle for Namara’s freedom (and Audrey’s if the price isn’t too high).

>>5290691
>>Remind Evil Rhea this isn’t really your fault, she should have known you would ask some inappropriate questions before parting with the ring.
See: >>5288257
And maybe also point out that the whole situation was very tense and we thought that flaring passions might be slightly tempered if we didn't immediately pass it off to her, and instead waited for things to calm down slightly.

>>5291045
Other things worth noting: compliment her on her transformation, and indicate that when we were stalling a bit to see if the situation was going to calm down, it was to protect the people we care about, which includes her whether she believes it or not.

>>5290691
>>Do a somewhat dignified bow, apologize eloquently, then try to haggle for Namara’s freedom (and Audrey’s if the price isn’t too high).

>>5290691
>>5291045
I'm not opposed to saying this, but let's please do some ass-kissing first ? Even a bow and an honest compliment about the growth of the dimension would go a long way into not getting ourselves in a lot of trouble.
>"Sorry for being late I was forgotten in a freezer for a few months. Typical Drukhari."
>Do a somewhat dignified bow, apologize eloquently.
>Remind Evil Rhea this isn’t really your fault, she should have known you would ask some inappropriate questions before parting with the ring.
>"I guess we really have a thing for rings."

>>5291982
Ass kissing is good.

>>5290691
>Remind Evil Rhea this isn’t really your fault, she should have known you would ask some inappropriate questions before parting with the ring.

>Remind Evil Rhea this isn’t really your fault, she should have known you would ask some inappropriate questions before parting with the ring.

You decide to do some ass kissing before playing the “I lack certain social skills and ask dumb questions card”. It seems to work sometimes, admittedly mostly with Trys’ta.

It doesn’t work here though.

Evil Rhea seems suitably pleased when you bow and compliment her on her transformation and the size of her pocket dimension, and indifferent to the fact that the Drukhari are responsible for your lateness, but she doesn’t remotely buy your assertion that you “just wanted to know more about the nature of undead thing” or that you were trying to calm down the situation.

She gets up off her throne, casually strolls within three feet of you, then unexpectedly grows a long, prehensile tail which she wraps around you and lifts you to eye level.

“It was a long dead proto-Drukhari harnessing warp energy. It couldn’t offer you anything because you turned your back on the Gifts of the Warp when you let your new masters embed that rotten stone into you. Not that you should have been asking to begin with. We had a deal, and there would have been no benefit to knowing what an other had to offer unless you were considering breaking the deal. And trying to run off with the ring in no way was going to calm the violence. The violence was inevitable, you only dragged it out by delaying me getting the ring to end it.” - Hisses Evil Rhea angrily.

She tosses you to the ground and you land badly despite your enhanced reflexes and durability.

By the time you get upright, you see she has transformed back to a relatively normal human size and appearance.

“But Mother Rhea is a merciful and loving ruler...” - Says Evil Rhea.

She pulls you into a tight embrace, slips a too long tongue into your mouth and down your throat, while sneaking a finger somewhere less than appropriate. You caught a strong whiff pheromones in her hair, and your mind gets a bit fuzzy.

As such, you are caught off guard when she lets you go, causing you to fall on your rear.

She plants one foot on your sternum and pins you to the ground.

“I will accept for now that perhaps you meant to honor our arrangement, but messed up in the heat of the moment. So in addition to returning Namara and Audrey, I will grant you just one favor, and you need to pick it now. I can get the rotstone extracted from you and grant you some of the power you still seem to desire. I can set you up as a noble on an Imperial world. I can return you to that hotel room you are so fond of. I can send you somewhere far from meddling factions where you can live your life in peace, or I can let you crawl back to your foul xenos masters where you can continue to be at the mercy of their whims.” - Announces Evil Rhea.

>>5292975

>Get blackstone extracted and regain psyker powers.

>Become Imperial Noble.

>Return to hotel room at Imperial Diamond Resorts.

>Go somewhere far away.

>Return to the Drukhari.

>>5292980
>>Become Imperial Noble
Let's try being a noble. The Blackstone is nice, Archipelagia might not be a great place to be, and Trysta can find us if she needs us.

>>5292980
>Go somewhere far away.

>>5292980
>>Become Imperial Noble.