Spoiler:
The discovery of not one, but multiple forms of existence post-death, is an important and troubling discovery. Everyone will die eventually, and it likely behooves powerful entities to arrange for a more desirable afterlife, and/or determine the exact nature of the "soul" that continues to exist after death… What is the difference between noetic and essence-based spirits, what is the talk of the warp consuming souls, and is it really possible (or even desirable) to revive dead spirits?
Connected to these questions are the enigmatic nature of the deathlords and their masters, the tombstars. They have expressed a desire to take over the lands of the living, preferably by diplomacy, but ultimately by any means necessary. The religion of terminus speaks of creating a new universe, but that may require an end to the current one, or at the least taking over the galaxy to provide computing power and essence necessary to jumpstart a new universe. How should this endless army of the dead and its powerful commanders be handled? Though the Bodhisattva Anointed by Dark Water seems overtly well intentioned, rumors abound of attacks by undying legions lead by terrifying monsters in the western reaches of the Chiorascuran Khanate.
Connected to these questions are the enigmatic nature of the deathlords and their masters, the tombstars. They have expressed a desire to take over the lands of the living, preferably by diplomacy, but ultimately by any means necessary. The religion of terminus speaks of creating a new universe, but that may require an end to the current one, or at the least taking over the galaxy to provide computing power and essence necessary to jumpstart a new universe. How should this endless army of the dead and its powerful commanders be handled? Though the Bodhisattva Anointed by Dark Water seems overtly well intentioned, rumors abound of attacks by undying legions lead by terrifying monsters in the western reaches of the Chiorascuran Khanate.
Spoiler:
An alien threat thought long dead has resurfaced, consuming entire solar systems before being defeated. Evidence indicates these aliens are merely harbingers of a vast threat, a galaxy worth of biomass converted into countless consuming maws intent upon harvesting our galaxy. Ancient records record their strengths and weaknesses, and though some facts may have changed in the intervening millennia, they are still likely valuable tools in the right hands. Who do you tell of the impending disaster, and what preparations do you make against the coming disaster? Do you form your own empire in hopes of fighting, form an alliance with other factions based on mutual survival, or do you find a third alternative? How can you fight, what tools will you need, what strategies will you devise?
Spoiler:
After communion with both a deathlord and the broken yozi king, you have the strong suspicion that there was more to the stellar intelligences than you were lead to believe. Even the crew member who lived through the Malfean War were merely soldiers, and it is quite possible that they were deceived by the leadership. What vital purposes did the Stellar Intelligences serve, and what secrets are still hidden? Why did these entities, supposedly dedicated entirely to the advancement of humanity, rebel? Is humanity in need of them once more, or something like them? Can the stellar intelligences unlock the power inside the crew, and/or provide support in the coming wars, or are they a dangerous force that should be further broken to prevent their knowledge and power from escaping?
Linked to this is Autocthon, one of the last two remaining intelligences. It seeks to create a new order in the galaxy, but is the God Constellation an ally, or the greatest enemy, of humanity? Also, a subtle but nagging question: where is Gaea, the last of the intelligences? Is she connected to the lost emperor of man, the hidden location of the Sol system, and other mysteries of the forgotten past?
Linked to this is Autocthon, one of the last two remaining intelligences. It seeks to create a new order in the galaxy, but is the God Constellation an ally, or the greatest enemy, of humanity? Also, a subtle but nagging question: where is Gaea, the last of the intelligences? Is she connected to the lost emperor of man, the hidden location of the Sol system, and other mysteries of the forgotten past?
Spoiler:
Exaltations can be modified, at the risk of acquiring taint or curses. Psychics can find new power via altering their brains, or by channeling the power of the warp through chaos sorcery. Corruption in exalted programming can be purged, allowing full access to powers. Forgotten manses, artifacts, and planetary structures capable of warping entire solar systems, remain undiscovered. Entire dead species wait for new life and are willing to trade valuable scientific advancements in order to achieve that new life. Raw quantum energy can be channeled to create entirely new universes, if those empowered by quantum fire can survive long enough to understand their power. Entire regions of the frontier are ripe for the construction of new empires, if someone powerful and skilled would only choose to lead. Infernals can become new stellar intelligences, if only they can surpass the limitations of their programming and their personalities. What will you hold, what will you pursue, what will you sacrifice? You have the first steps on all of these paths, and others still, but what will you do?
Spoiler:
You have exceeded the need for petty contract work… but it was where you started, and maybe, perhaps just for fun, you might still like to see where such work takes you. After all, your contracts are now with important people, and have lead you to incredible discoveries…see Job Options for further details.
Spoiler:
The empire controls its people with an iron hand covered in velvet; lives of relative luxury are available to its citizens at the cost of freedom, understanding, and evolution. I killed entire species, including those of several crewmembers. Its emperor is a tainted monster willing to do anything to maintain its despotic rule, and several of you were personally wronged by it. The empire's influence haunts all your actions, and you have worked hard to stay beyond its notice… But no more. Your activities, from unheard of opposition to large corporations, to organizing mass evacuation fleets, to travel through yozi space, to unprecedented abilities of the crew, have reached observers high in the power structure. While you may have a temporary ally of convenience in a few of the houses, you will invariably write your own death warrant when you finish the planet terror mission and prove yourselves too powerful to ignore. You will either swear fealty to the empire (with the offer of great reward), or they will hunt you mercilessly.
How do you deal with them? Do you engage in politics with the houses, find allies, turn allies against one another, hunt out the lunar information network one by one, contact sympathetic sidereals, and hijack the media to turn the people against their rulers? Do you fight them, claim your own territory, and make an inexorable advance into the empire with an possibly pyrrhic battle against the emperor himself? Can you afford opposition in the face of the Tyranid and Deathlord threats? Or… Do you join them for your 30 pieces of moonsilver?
How do you deal with them? Do you engage in politics with the houses, find allies, turn allies against one another, hunt out the lunar information network one by one, contact sympathetic sidereals, and hijack the media to turn the people against their rulers? Do you fight them, claim your own territory, and make an inexorable advance into the empire with an possibly pyrrhic battle against the emperor himself? Can you afford opposition in the face of the Tyranid and Deathlord threats? Or… Do you join them for your 30 pieces of moonsilver?
