Longes

Black Crusade: Fires In The Garden

Vael puts on his slimiest "scumbag executive" smile and approaches the men, clapping his hands.

"Gentlemen, gentlemen! Sorry to interrupt your conversation, but there is business to be made. An exciting world of entertainment is out there. And you are right! They don't make those things we like anymore. But the silver screen is our proverbial oyster. Why shouldn't we make those things? Again! There's a way to make old things new, bring them to the masses, and earn that cozy little villa on a shrine world you've always dreamed of, you know? Let me introduce you to the art of... The Remake. With me, as your exclusive executive producer of course. The media has gotten a little stale, don't you think? Why, it's practically putting the public out there to sleep. Let's spice it up! Add a dash of color to the frames. With me at the helm, those boring iron bird-brains will have a whale of a time. No offense."

Black Crusade: Fires In The Garden

"Ah. So that's how they did it."

If it's alive, then it can be communicated with. If it's a daemon, then it can be bound. Or at least bargained with, he didn't have to be mean right off the bat.

Vael reaches out telepathically to the demon with Thought Sending. It's a one way method of communication, but it's what he's got.

"Heed me, daemon. I am Vael the sorcerer, and I could help you against the servants of the gods of iron and plague. If you can bear the price."

It sure was nice to be on the offering side for once.

Black Crusade: Fires In The Garden

"Holler if you need the help."

The two space marines seemed to have the situation in hand, so why waste the energy? Vael studies the picts, pondering how they work and what it is about them that affects the lesser minds. Surely it's not the narrative. Well, maybe that was the level of fiction best suited for the Corpse God's faithful, who knows.

Black Crusade: Fires In The Garden

Vael his verdict to the team. It's up to Geron as to what to do with the victim.

"Hagar, I'd like your opinion. What Nurgle devilry is this and how can we combat it?"

Sure, there were the old reliables - hazmat gear, masks, wards, sacred incense. But let's hear out the devotee.

"My shadow sees without sight, so I wouldn't expect the cognitohazard to affect it, but that leaves everyone else. I might be able to conjure a machine spirit to censor out the attacking visuals. I'd need access to one of the Mechanicus terminals inside, and it could leave us open to attack. Other opinions?"

Black Crusade: Fires In The Garden

"Can I fix him?"

Vael taps his chin, thinking.

"Well, I know a bit of medicae lore, but we don't have a proper hospital. I'll take a look at least - either I think of an easy treatment, or a way to protect ourselves."

He peers into the warp as his hands manipulate the combi-tool into a "minimally invasive" configuration. In many of the futures, the man is gutted like a fish. But there is a potential for other outcomes.

Black Crusade: Fires In The Garden

"Go for it, Geron. Pick a volunteer. We can study the effects in real time."

Black Crusade: Fires In The Garden

"Likely cognitive manipulation. Hypno-patterns in the recording? Could be imbued warp energies. Many possibilities, hard to tell until I see it. Does not affect those with augmented brains though..."

Vael talks to himself, ignoring the ritual. Neither Hagar nor Geron were doing the Cult Mechanicus funerary rites anyway. Speaking of...

Vael examines the priest. Cognitive implants were rare and expensive. If the priest happens to have one, it should be extracted and its machine spirit preserved. And then passed on to his brethren or repurposed, it'll depend on the war conditions and Vael's mood.

Black Crusade: Fires In The Garden

"What's your name, martian? And what the hell happened to you?"

The priest seemed crazed. Vael was going to fill the man with his will and make him tell what they needed to know, but it seemed that Hagar wanted to chat. Why not.

Black Crusade: Fires In The Garden

Vael frowns.

"How horribly inelegant. Butchers' work."

But what's a man to do? Such was the Warmaster's business.

Vael's eyes go back and forth, looking for any priests still alive who could provide useful information.

Black Crusade: Fires In The Garden

"Have you ever considered that the skull throne could be a metaphor? 'Khorne cares not from whence the blood flows, only that it flows.' Once stripped off the flesh, a skull is a skull - every skull in the skull throne is the same as the other. War does not differentiate between people, and the high nobles bleed and die as easily as the common slaves. It doesn't need to be about literal skulls."

Vael smiles.

"But yeah, we ought to get moving. Command the men, Geron."